Split (1)

train · 20k rows

text stringlengths 1.53k 16.3k
Danger-junkie orangutans in Borneo climb dead trees and shake then until they begin to fall. They scream with excitement as they cling to the falling tree. Just before the tree hits the ground the orangutans leap to another tree or vine, narrowly escaping death. While no one cab ask orangutans if they enjoy it as a person playing an extreme sport, one animal behaviorist sees this monkey fun as a bit of harmless thrill-seeking. A growing number of scientists agree that animals are conscious and capable of experiencing basic emotions , such as happiness, sadness, boredom or depression. A few scientists even see the possibility for higher animal emotions like love, jealousy and spite. Five years ago, behaviorist and animal-rights activist Dr. Jonathan Balcombe stood on a Virginia hotel balcony watching two crows intimately groom each other in the comfort of an abandoned billboard. He felt that the birds liked what they were doing, even if engaged in a natural, beneficial act, such as picking parasites off the other's feathers. That moment changed the way he would view animals forever and led to a book, "Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good", which is filled with hundreds of examples of animals living it up thanks to developed senses of touch, taste, sight, sound and smell. Balcombe recounts a favorite example of Kenyan hippos having high-end spa treatment in a fresh water spring. They splay their toes, open their mouths wide and wait for a school of cleaner fish to remove parasites and slough off dead skin, he recalls. Balcombe knows that the hippos and the fish both benefit from this arrangement. "My interpretation is that it is also enjoyable for them ," he says. Danger-junkie orangutans shook the tree to _ . A. get some fruits B. enjoy themselves C. train their escaping skills D. frighten other animals Answer: B Susan is very careless . She often loses her things. It's time for the geography class. But Susan can't find her geography book in her schoolbag. She looks into the desk, and it's not there. "Oh, no!" Susan thinks. "Is it at home? Do I lose it? Where is it? I need it!" Just then, the geography teacher, Mr. White, _ Susan's name. He gives her a geography book. And in the book, Susan sees a note: Susan I see the name "Susan" on the geography book. I find it on your seat. Mrs. Smith, school bus driver What does the writer think of Susan? A. She is a nice girl. B. She is a careless girl. C. She is an interesting girl. D. She is a boring girl. Answer: B Neddine Parker is up by 7 in the morning. After her morning exercises and some housework, she drives to the local hospital, where she volunteers once a week. What makes Parker's routine so extraordinary is that she is 104 years old. "I don't know why I'm still here," she said. Dr. Thomas Perls of the Boston University Medical Center is trying to figure that out. As the director of the New England Centenarian Study, he studies there "super humans", those age 100 years and older. "It's like winning the lottery", he said. "You've got to choose the right numbers and the right combination." Researchers believe about 30 percent of aging is genetic. For those who get to extremely old ages, family history may play an even more important role. Reuben Landau's mother lived to 100, and three of his brothers and sisters into their 90s. Landau is nearly 102, and he still practices law a few hours every day. Both Landau and Parker are remarkably healthy. They take few medications and have no major illness. Perls has found that many centenarians lack a type of gene -- E4 -- that is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. One study found the gene is in 29 percent of young men, but only 15 percent of centenarians. Perls also believes they may have a "protective gene", one that helps them survive what might kill others. Parker, for example, smoked until she was 100 and had a stroke at 89. However, living into your 100s isn't just genetics. Aging successfully has much to do with environment and behavior. Landau watches what he eats and exercises his body and mind every day. He's convinced it's why he's still in good health. "People still have to do the right things to get to very old age," said Perls. So it's not just the cards you're dealt, but how you play the hand. By saying "It's like winning the lottery", Dr. Thomas Perls means _ . A. it is quite unusual to be a centenarian B. it is very difficult to find "super humans" C. it is a tough job investigating the aging process D. it takes a long time to win a lottery Answer: A If you want your children to develop an environmentally conscious attitude, you have to start teaching them while they are young. Wondering where to send your kids to learn more? Here are some good choices for you. Recycle Zone Website Address: _ The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in the UK actually pays money to build this site. It provides lots of great information on the level for kids. The site is brightly colored, and it's easy for kids to use, and interactive to get them active in learning. You'll find many great jokes, songs and games on the site that will keep your kids happy while they are learning. National Geographic Kids Website Address: _ This is an excellent site for kids, with all the great choice that you'd expect from National Geographic. It is excellent for kids and it has information on different kinds of topics, including the environment and how the environmental problems affect the world and animals around it. You'll find stories, quizzes, games, tips, and videos that your kids will enjoy while learning more about the environment and recycling. Children of the Earth Website Address: _ The site helps to provide information that will allow your kids to understand and respect the world around them. Lessons are taught on plants, soil, energy and animals. It helps them to learn about how their actions can either have negative or positive influence on the environment. National Geographic Kids is a website that may help kids to _ . A. make a lot of new friends online B. learn how to get along with all kinds of animals C. learn how to set up a website for beginners D. realize the importance of the environment Answer: D Miller is tried for armed robbery of the First Bank of City.. The prosecutor offers the testimony of a bartender who will say that when he saw the money in Miller's wallet, he said, "You must have robbed a bank," to which Miller made no reply. This evidence is A. admissible to prove that Miller's conduct caused the bartender to believe that Miller robbed the bank. B. admissible as a statement made in the presence of the defendant. C. inadmissible, because it would violate Miller's privilege against selfincrimination. D. inadmissible, because Miller had no reason to respond to the bartender's statement. Answer: D
Question: Swimming is very popular. People like swimming in summer because water makes people feel cool. If you like swimming but swim in a wrong place, it may not be safe. These years, a lot of people die when they enjoy themselves in water, and most of them are students. Some people are not careful when they are swimming. They often think they swim so well that nothing will happen to them in water. Summer is here again. If you go swimming, don't forget that better swimmers have died in water. They die because they are not careful, not because they cannot swim. So don't get into the water when you are alone. Don't get into the water if there is a " No swimming" sign. If you remember these, swimming will be safe. These years many _ die in the water when they swim happily. A. old people B. young people C. women D. children Answer: B Question: When punctuation began, it was mainly to help people read out loud. Until a few hundred years ago, not many people were taught to read, so there was a lot more reading out loud by the few people who could. To help those reading out loud in the old days, sign known as "points" were added to pages of writing. Punctuation comes from the Latin word punctus, meaning "point". These points told readers when to pause or take a breath, and what to emphasize . In Europe from the early centuries AD, these points were widely used although not everybody used the same points for the same thing. When printing was invented, printers had to be made more clearly about what to put where, so that everyone was doing the same thing. Since that point, all sorts of punctuation rules have been discovered and invented. Speech marks "..." Speech marks or quotation marks are used to show that someone is speaking. The sort we have in English today began to be widely used during the 18th century. Before that readers simply understood from the way a sentence was written that someone was speaking although sometimes spoken words were underlined. Comma , colon: period(full stop). All three of these sorts of punctuation marks were given their Greek names by Aristophanes, a librarian who lived in Byzantium in the 2nd century BC. They were marks on the page, each with a message to the reader. Comma meant a short pause. Colon meant a medium sized pause. Period meant a long pause. Exclamation mark! In the early days of punctuation, if you saw this sign, you were supposed to pause. Some people think the exclamation mark began as what the Greek word IO looked like if it was turned 90 degrees. This word means "Oh, gosh!" With the I on the top and the O under it, the sign as we know it today was developed. Question mark? In the middle age, a squiggle above a full stop was sometimes used to show the sentence was a question and that a person's voice should go up at the end. By the 17th century it had turned into what we call a question mark. The shape may have come from the letter Q short for that Latin quaestio, meaning "question". Writers make choices about punctuation because they think differently about sentences and words. It's part of the personality of their writing. Some writers hate punctuation, but others love punctuation. So whether you love or hate punctuation, the best advice may be to just enjoy it, play with it, think about it and use it. It belongs to the language and it belongs to you. All punctuation rules were discovered and invented in order to _ . A. help people read out loud B. meet the need of printing C. guide the way of writing D. mention the spoken words Answer: B Question: Do you have any strong opinion on co-educational or single-sex schools? A supporter of co-educational schools would probably say that schools should be like the societies they belong to .In Hong Kong , men and women mix socially on a day-to-day basis .In many fields men are even likely to have female bosses .It is ,therefore, desirable that boys and girls grow up together ,go to school together ,and prepare themselves for a society that does not value sexual separation. Some would go on to argue further that growing up with members of the opposite sex is important for personal development .Regular contact can remove the strange ideas about the opposite-sex and lead to more natural relationships .Single-sex conditions are seen as leading to more extreme opinions, and possibly even as encouraging homosexuality ,though there is no proof that this is the case. Those who are against coeducation often also fix their attention on the sexual side .Some parents fear that close contact with members of the opposite sex is dangerous for teenagers .They want their children to be attentive to their studies .Such parents feel uncomfortable with modern ways and the free mixing of the sexes. A stronger argument comes from research into school results .Girls grow up earlier than boys ,tend to be more orderly and are likely to be better at languages .In a mixed class ,boys who might do well in a single-sex class become discouraged and take on the rule of troublemaker .Certainly in the UK this situation has greatly alarmed the government for it to be encouraging co-educational schools to have some single-sex classes .In the UK the best schools are all single-sex ,strongly suggesting that co-education is not the best answer .This may ,however ,not be as simple as it looks .It may simply be that the famous old schools that attract the best students happen to be single-sex ,rather than that being single-sex makes them better schools. Alarmed by the situation ,the UK government encourages_. A. co-education B. single-sex education C. single-sex classes in co-educational schools D. co-educational classes in single-sex schools Answer: C Question: Although I didn't have any interest in being a school bus driver, I became one. Many years later, I was still working on the school bus. There are so many good reasons. Firstly, the talk brought me different kinds of information. I also got to hear all the family secrets of the newcomers. I have a toy bear who was a great comforter for the little ones. The kids got to look after him on the trip to school and he waited patiently for _ to get on for the trip home. Our bus would often pass a place where we could see some alpacas in front of a farm house. Little Michael would cry excitedly from the seat, "Look, Miss! Look at the camels!" He used to put his head out of the bus window. When I warned him that a little insect would come into his nose if he wasn't careful, he smartly gave up the habit. I remember a little girl got on the bus one morning 5 years ago and sobbed all the way to school. We arrived at the school gate. As she waited to get down the bus, she threw her arms around my neck and cried that her grandfather had died the night before. A school bus driver needs to keep one eye on the road and the other on the mirror to watch what the little ones are doing down the back. Now, it's important to think how many lives I've been responsible for, and how many kilometers I've driven in order to get my passengers home safely during the 20 years. I've enjoyed it, but it's time to rest and park my school bus. The writer didn't give up her job because _ . A. driving was her hobby B. children made her valuable C. drivers were paid well D. children loved her toy bear Answer: B Question: A car skids along the road and smoke appears to be coming from under the tires. The heat that produces the smoke is caused by A. magnetism B. sound C. light D. friction Answer: D
Online Communication In an age when technology moves faster than most can keep up with, a small group of people still remain in the time of old-fashioned letter. Frankly speaking, I was once certain that traditional letters could never be replaced by other means of communication. But a story about online communication changed my mind. An old man, who suffered a lot from Parkinson's disease, was not able to talk clearly and could hardly write his name. Living totally alone, he managed to keep in touch with nearly all the members of his family. How did he achieve this? He clicked out words on his computer keyboard. I, therefore, managed to get an E-mail box as soon as the opportunity came. My life changed. E-mail, and all online communication, is something truly different. It has capabilities that few other products can match. E-mail is convenient. It takes less time with its fast speed and 24-hour connection. The slow postal service is no match. If you wouldn't want to have a face-to-face talk with your manager, you might talk with him through E-mail even if you are in the same office. Naming all the good things about online communication is not easy. But wait. E-mail can be inconvenient. It can waste time and energy. Just think what may happen when you take a short vacation and return to find your e-mail box filled with 200 unread messages. You could easily spend half a day clearing _ ads. Then, online communication will keep us staying at our computer while it connects us to distant strangers. Once we throw ourselves into the machine, we may forget the human touches we once held so dear. I'm sure there is and always will be a place for the old-fashioned letter, phone call, and face-to-face meeting... even in the world of modern communication. As I listen to the sound of the modem , I was excited at stepping out to the outside world but, at the same time, I sensed a loss of control over something valuable in my personal life. What caused the writer to become interested in E-mail and online communication? A sick old man's experience. This is a photo of my bedroom. In my room, a bed, a dresser, a computer, a desk and a chair are here. Under my bed are a video tape and a baseball. The computer is on the desk. My notebooks and a pencil case are in the drawer of the desk. A computer game is behind the computer. A clock is near the computer. A bookcase is behind the door. My books are in the bookcase. I have _ under my bed. a video tape and a baseball What is your favorite color1? Do you like yellow, orange or red? If you do, you must be an optimist, a leader, and an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer gray and blue? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined. You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what a psychologist tells us, and we are also told that we don't choose our favorite color1 as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly. A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one, and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing . Light and bright color1s make people not only happier but also more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark gray. Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few color1ful thing. Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what color1s they like and dislike. And don't forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose handkerchiefs or a lampshade. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? When we grow up, we choose which color1 we like best. A cute invention was revealed this month at the International Robot Exhibition (IREX) in Tokyo. It's called Jukusui-Kun ("deep sleep" in Japanese) ---a robotic pillow in the shape of a polar bear. The pillow is in fact a serious technological innovation hidden under a cute cover. It was developed by a group of scientists and engineers at Tokyo's Waseda University to help people suffering from snoring and those who live with them. This is how the robotic pillow works: a microphone detects the noise level of the snoring, and if the snoring becomes very loud, which can be the sign of sleep apnea , the bear will raise its hand and carefully touch the face of the sleeper, leading to a change in the sleeper's position without waking him or her up. This is definitely the world's first anti-snoring machine and an important potential treatment for sleep apnea. This sleeping disorder involves pauses in breathing, and can lead to heart attacks during sleep. In Japan, around 2 million people are struggling with the problem. When a sleeper starts snoring, the sleeper's blood oxygen level drops. The new device tracks the level of oxygen in the sleeper's blood and wirelessly sends the information to the polar bear. But the only problem is that people not only have to sleep on a bear-shaped pillow with robotic hands, but also have to insert their hands into a monitor that keeps track of blood oxygen levels. If these levels fall below a certain point, it gives the bear another cue to lift its hand. The bear is not yet on sale, and it remains to be seen whether a robotic hand reaching up to touch one's face is any more effective than one's partner giving one a good shove . What do we learn about the robotic bear? It's the first machine made to deal with snoring. The words "winner" and "loser" have many meanings. When we refer to a person as a winner, we do not mean one makes someone else lose. To us , a winner is one who responds authentically by being credible ,trustworthy, responsive , and genuine, both as an individual and as a member of a society. Winners are not afraid to do their own thinking and to use their own knowledge! They can separate facts from opinons and don't pretend to have all the answers. They listen to others. evaluate what they say, but come to their own conclusion. Although winners can admire and respect other people, they are not totally defined, demolished, bound, or awed by them. Winners do not play "helpness", nor do they the blaming game. Instead, they assume responsibility for their own lives! They do not give others a false authority over them. Winners are their own bosses and know it. A winner's timing is right. Winners respond appropriately to the situation. Their responses are related to the message sent. They know the importance and the value of the people involved. Winners know that for every thing there is a season and for every activity a time. Although winners can freely enjoy themselves, they can also postpone enjoyment, can discipline themselves in the present to enhance their enjoyment in the future. Winners are not afraid to go after what they want, but they do so in appropriate ways. Winners do not get their security by controlling others. They do not set themselves up to lose. A winner cares about the world and its peoples. A winner is not _ from the general problems of society ,but is concerned, compassionate, and committed to improving the quality of life. Even in the face of national and international adversity, a winner's self-image is not one of a powerless individual. A winner works to make the world a better place. Which of the following can best describe a winner? reliable, independent, responsible and enthusiastic
While it may be unlikely for a computer to write a best seller, a technology expert has created a computer program that writes its own fiction stories with minimal user input. The program, called MEXICA, is the first to generate original stories based on computerized representations of emotions and tensions between characters. An Internet survey was carried out to see the popularity of the computer-generated stories, other computerized stories and stories written solely by a human. The result was that readers ranked MEXICA stories highest for flow and coherence, structure, content, suspense and overall quality. Rafael Perezy Perez, the creator of MEXICA, explained that a story might begin with something as basic as, "The enemy wounded the knight. The princess cured the knight. The knight killed the enemy. The knight rewarded the princess. The end." The program reads characters as variables and assigns a numerical value, between a continuum from -3 to +3, to emotional connections that are defined as either amorous or non-amorous. The numerical value is equivalent to the degree of emotion, with -3 being intense hate and +3 being intense love. The program also understands story tension, such as linking the word "wounded" with tension. This too is assigned a numerical value. Once these clusters of emotional links and tensions are established, the program begins what is called an "engagement reflection cycle". Basically this involves searching a database of story actions and other happenings, which are called "atoms", and determines the best match for the characters and contexts for that moment. The process repeats itself again and again until the system can no longer make any matches. At this point, the computer analyzes the story for coherence and "interestingness". The program views a story as interesting when tension levels increase and fall throughout the piece. If the program finds that the story is boring or incoherent in places, it will replace or insert atoms until a version is thought to be satisfactory. What can we know about MEXICA from the passage? A It is a computer program that can write fiction stories on its own. B It is a computer program created by Rafael Perezy Perez. C It is blamed for low quality among many other descriptors. D The stories it has written is not very popular among readers. Answer: B A kitten in a hot environment has little to zero ability to A take a short nap B be very warmed up C adjust its internal temperature D lap up some water Answer: C "Where is Papa going with that ax ?" said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast. "Out to the hoghouse," replied Mrs. Arable. "Some pigs were born last night." "I don't see why he needs an ax," continued Fern, who was only eight. "Well," said her mother, "one of the pigs is a runt . It's very small and weak. So your father has decided to do away with it." "Do away with it?" shouted Fern. "You mean kill it?" "Don't shout, Fern!" she said. "Your father is right. The pig would probably die anyway." Fern pushed a chair out of the way and ran outdoors. The grass was wet and the earth smelled springtime. Fern's shoes were wetting by the time she caught up with her father. "Please don't kill it! It's unfair," she said. Mr. Arable stopped. "Fern," he said gently, "you will have to learn to control yourself." "This is a matter of life and death, and you talk about controlling myself." Tears ran down her cheeks and she took hold of the ax and tried to pull it out of her father's hand. "Fern," said Mr. Arable, "I know more about raising a group of pigs than you do. A weak pig makes trouble." "But it's unfair," cried Fern. "The pig couldn't help being born small. If I had been very small at birth, would you have killed me?" Mr. Arable smiled. "Certainly not," he said, looking down at his daughter with love. "But this is different. It's a pig." "There is no difference," replied Fern. It can be inferred from the passage that Fern was _ . A kind-hearted B brave C shy D patient Answer: A What fun the animals' party was! The zebras did a great job with the decorations.The lions and giraffes put together delicious food.No one knew music like the forest birds.The bears made clever posters to spread the news to all the animals. When the talent shows began, one of the monkeys hurried out to the dance floor.He was a dancing fool! The birds played some lively music.When the music stopped, the animals clapped and shouted.The monkey returned to his table.Friends gathered around to shake his hand and praised about his skills. The elephant saw all the attention the monkey was getting.He wanted some attention for himself."I can dance too," he told himself."I will show these animals what I can do!" The elephant hurried out to the dance floor.He started to dance.It was not pretty.The elephant knocked over the table that held the wine bowl! "Give up your dance!" a gorilla called. "What are you doing?" cried three frogs."Stop it!" The other animals shouted.They were sad about the elephant for making a mess! They chased him off the dance floor and away from the party. The bears shook their heads and said, "One should never try to be what one is not." What did the bears do for the party? A Danced. B Prepared the food. C Played the music. D Made posters to spread the news. Answer: D A dentist's office may not be everyone's idea of a perfect holiday destination.But a growing number of Europeans are travelling abroad for medical treatment to save money,or maybe to combine a visit to the doctor with some sightseeing,creating a potential but fastgrowing market for traditional tour operators. "It was simply cheaper for me to go to a dentist in Hungary," said a 42yearold physical therapist from Berlin.He chose the clinic near Budapest from an Internet advertisement,attracted by hundreds of euros in savings compared with the same treatment in Germany.He was happy to find when he got there that the clinic was clean,the staff qualified and the work thorough. People travel abroad for medical treatment for various reasons:it's cheaper,they face a long wait at home,or the treatment they want is not available in their own country.The Britishbased Medical Tourist Company refers about 100 patients a year to hospitals in India for treatments.And Chief Executive Premhar Shah reports rapid growth in demand from customers in Africa,where it can be harder to find wellequipped medical facilities for complex surgeries. Some patients who have immigrated may prefer to return to be close to their families when they undergo surgery."People will want to take the opportunity to seek treatment in places where they have relatives who might be able to look after them.I'm seeing that especially with younger people from eastern Europe," said a professor at the University of Oxford. For some,there is the attraction of free treatment abroad.British lawmakers have called for tighter checks on patients arriving for treatment,out of concerns that foreign citizens are travelling to Britain to take advantage of the free service. The global medical tourism market is believed to be worth $40 billion to $60 billion and growing at about 20 percent per year. The 42yearold physical therapist was satisfied with _ in Hungary. A the price instead of the service B the service instead of the price C both the price and the service D neither the price nor the service Answer: C
A young British sailor was missing at sea yesterday in similar circumstances to the way his father died five years ago. The dinghy ,used to take Richard Smith,21,to his yacht ,was discovered empty, floating in seas off the Caribbean island.An air and sea search was carried out but he has still not been discovered . Richard's mother, Bicknell,said from her home in Hampshire,"It's so much coincidence.Richard always carried a photograph of his father attached to a poem,which included the date of his disappearance." "Now, it's very strange because all they have found is Richard's dinghy.We need to know this time what has happened one way or another.If you know at least you can go through the grieving process ." In November 1996,Mr. Smith's father, Charlie,was sailing in the Tasmen sea between the Australian mainland and the island of Tasmen with his new wife.They lost radio contact with the shore and they, together with their yacht were never seen again,and their disappearance remains a mystery. Richard is described a talented and experienced sailor who has crewed for the champion ocean racer.He had sailed to the. Caribbean in November to crew ocean racing yachts for entertainment.He ended the evening drinking in the Abracbabra bar but left after local police closed it for being too noisy. About 2 am the following day Richard headed back for his dinghy.He started its outboard motor before giving all elderly woman a lift to her yacht after her dinghy had gone missing.It was the last time he was seen. Which statement is NOT true according to this passage? Answer: Richard didn't drink on the evening before he was lost because the policeman closed the bar. Time spent in a bookshop can be most enjoyable, whether you are a booklover or merely go there to buy a book as a present. You may even have entered the shop just to find shelter from a sudden shower. Whatever the reason, you can soon become totally unaware of your surroundings. The desire to pick up a book with an attractive _ is irresistible, although this method of selection ought not to be followed, as you might end up with a rather dull book. You soon become absorbed in some book or other, and usually it is only much later that you realize you have spent far too much time there and must dash off to keep some forgotten appointment--without buying a book, of course. This opportunity to escape the realities of everyday life is, I think, the main attraction of a bookshop. There are not many places where it is possible to do this. A music shop is very much like a bookshop. You can wander round such places to your heart's content. If it is a good shop, no assistant will approach you with the unavoidable greeting: "Can I help you, sir?" You needn't buy anything you don't want. In a bookshop an assistant should remain in the background until you have finished browsing. Then, and only then, are his services necessary. Of course, you may want to find out where a particular section is, but when he has led you there, the assistant should retire considerately and look as if he is not interested in selling a single book. You have to be careful not to be attracted by the variety of books in a bookshop. It is very easy to enter the shop looking for a book on, say ancient coins and to come out carrying a copy of the latest bestselling novel and perhaps a book about brass-rubbing--something which had only slightly interested you up till then. This volume on the subject, however, happened to be so well illustrated and the part of the text you read proved so interesting that you just had to buy it. This sort of thing can be very dangerous. Apart from running up a huge account, you can waste a great deal of time wandering from section to section. You may spend too much time in a bookshop because _ . Answer: you start reading one of the books I was never neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her projects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both get tired of each other. War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, " take your shoes away! Why under my bed!" Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder. The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled under her covers, sobbing. Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart. Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn't notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, "thanks." Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn't always agree, but we learned the key to living together; giving in, cleaning up and holding on. What was the author's attitude to Kate but for the call? Answer: Annoyed Technology today has stolen away our voices and robbed our children of memories. I've been keeping count of how often people sing around the house these days. The fact is, they don't. My earliest memories are of my mother crooning lullabies in a gentle low voice as she rocked each infant in turn. She said she "didn't have a singing voice," but her low, wavering alto will always mean comfort to me. Every time I have sat through the night with a feverish body or held a pre - schooler through a nightmare, the melodies returned, words appearing and disappearing like fragments of a dream but held together by the hum of love. Today, young mothers are routinely presented with lullaby tapes at the baby shower. When baby cries, the idea goes, they will be able to switch on the high-tech audio system and _ with the voices of strangers in his ears, perfectly on pitch. If I had my way, new parents would learn the songs themselves, throw out their stereos, and give their child the gift of their own sleepy voices through the midnight hours. These days, when we go on a trip, my daughters take along tiny personal stereos and headphones. They are lost in their private worlds, and I can't help wishing that at least here, in the car my girls would be forced to listen to their mother's voice again, sure I'm out-of-tune songs that they might then pass down to another generation. Those sophisticated earphones have robbed them of something I think every kid should carry from childhood car trips into adulthood. I drove away from that party humming, and all the way home the good old songs kept tumbling out. Damm it , I thought, why did I ever stop singing in the car and start turning on the radio ? Why don't I sing anymore while I'm doing the dishes? I'm going to pull those stereo wires right out of the wall when I get home. We're going to sing grace before meals, sing carols around the piano, sing in the shower instead of switching on that waterproof radio that stole away our voices and our souls. What the author wishes to make her girls do is to _ . Answer: listen and learn the old songs from her Living things which require warmth likely also require Answer: kidneys
Modern man has cleared the forests for farmland and for wood, and has also carelessly burned them. More than that, though, he has also interfered with the invisible bonds between the living things in the forests. There are many examples of this kind of destruction. The harmfulness of man's interference can be seen in what happened many years ago in the forest of the Kaibab plateau of northern Arizona. Man tried to improve on the natural web of forest life and destroyed it instead. The Kaibab had a storybook forest of large sized pine, Douglas fir, white fir, blue and _ . In 1882 a visitor noted, "We, who ... have wandered through its forests and parks, have come to regard it as the most enchanting region it has ever been our privilege to visit." This was also the living place of the Rocky Mountain mule deer. Indians hunted there every autumn to gather meat and skins. The forest also had mountain lions, timber wolves and bobcats that kept the deer from multiplying too rapidly. Then, in 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt made the Kaibab a national game preserve. Deer hunting was forbidden. Government hunters started killing off the deer's enemies. In 25 years' time, 6,250 mountain lions, wolves and bobcats were killed. Before the program, there were about 4,000 deer in the Kaibab, by 1924, there were about 100,000. The deer ate every leaf and twig they could reach. But there was not nearly enough food. Hunting of deer was permitted again. This caused a slight decrease in the deer herd ,but a far greater loss resulted from starvation and disease. Some 60 percent of the deer herd died in two winters. By 1930 the herd had dropped to 20,000 animals. By 1942 it was down to 8,000. The destruction of the environment of the Kaibab resulted from _ Answer: interfering with natural cycle of forest life Yu Pengnian is an 88-year-old real estate Chinese businessman. He amassed a fortune of $1.3 billion dollars during his career but instead of keeping the money and living like an emperor, he decided to give it all away. All of his fortune will be spent on helping poor Chinese students get a better education. And Yu isn't the only super-rich person in China who has this spirit of giving. Chen Guangbiao, a Jiangsu recycling tycoon, has given millions of dollars to charity and promises to give all of his money to charity when he dies. Yu and Chen are among the many businessmen who have become prosperous during China's economic rise. An American business magazine, Forbes, estimates that there are 117 billionaires in China and hundreds of thousands of millionaires. What sets Yu and Chen apart from the rest, though, is their tremendous generosity(,) when it comes to donating money to charity. Last week Bill Gates and Warren Buffett came to Beijing. Gates and Buffett, two of the world's richest men, are also the world's biggest philanthropists. They invited fifty of China's richest people to have dinner with them and talk about the spirit of giving. At first, only a few people accepted their invitation. It seemed some of the invited guests were afraid that Buffett and Gates were going to pressure them into giving their wealth to charity. A lot of people are angry at the billionaires who are not willing to give away their fortunes. They _ hem for being miserly and not caring about the poor and the less fortunate. But I think this criticism is wrong. A gift, any gift, should come from the heart. Instead of criticism, these reluctant billionaires should be encouraged to follow the examples of Yu Pengnian and Chen Guangbiao. Encouragement is always a better strategy than criticism. As we say in English, "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." According to passage, why does the author end the passage with the English saying "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar"? Answer: The author wants to prove that encouragement is always a better strategy than criticism when it comes to charity. Fourteen is not an age at which you try to earn millions of dollars. But for Bangalore boy, Suhas Gopinath, it was. One day in August, 1999, Suhas, studying at the Air Force School in Hebbal, was surfing the Net at a cyber cafe. He happened to hit an MSN source code . That made him decide to learn more about HTML and to design and set up his own website under the address of a US-based company, Network Solutions. He kept updating his website, posting interesting things on it. This impressed Network Solutions and they invited him to attend a class on Web design and development. His mom and uncle criticised him for not taking his education seriously. But gradually, his dad started encouraging him and even bought him a computer and Net connection. In fact, that was his first investment in the company. On May 14, 2000, along with friends Clifford Leslie and Binay M. N, he floated his own website -- www.coolhindustani.com. He did not have the money to start, for his parents refused to give him a penny. So he wrote to Network Solutions Inc. in the US and they readily agreed. In August, the same year, he set up Globals Inc., a Web solutions and networking company, with a team of four. Now, he has 400 employees, more than 200 customers across the globe and offices in 11 countries, and he is worth over $100 million. After finishing his high school education, he studied at Stanford University for two years. But Suhas says: "Education alone will not make a good professional ." When Suhas Gopinath was praised by Network Solutions, his mother _ . Answer: worried about his studies Scientists from the University of East Anglia have identified four new man-made gases that are contributing to the damage to the ozone layer. Two of the gases are accumulating at a rate that is causing concern among researchers. Worries over the growing ozone hole have seen the production of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gases restricted since the mid 1980s. But the precise origin of these new, similar substances remains a mystery. Lying in the atmosphere, the ozone layer plays a critical role in blocking harmful UV rays, which cause cancers in humans and reproductive problems in animals. Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey were the first to discover a huge "hole" in the ozone over Antarctica in 1985. The evidence quickly pointed to CFC gases, which were invented in the 1920s, and were widely used in refrigeration. Extraordinarily, global action was rapidly agreed to deal with CFCs and the Montreal Protocol to limit these substances came into being in 1987. A total global ban on production came into force in 2010. Now, the newly discovered four new gases can destroy ozone and are getting into the atmosphere from as yet unidentified sources. Three of the gases are CFCs and one is a hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), which can also damage ozone. The research has shown that four gases were not around in the atmosphere at all until the 1960s, which suggests they are man-made. The scientists discovered the gases by analyzing polar snow pack. Air from this snow is a natural archive of what was in the atmosphere up t0 100 years ago. The researchers also looked at modern air samples, collected at remote Cape Grim in Tasmania. They estimate that about 74,000 tonnes of these gases have been released into the atmosphere. Two of the gases are accumulating at significant rates. However, they don't know where the new gases are being released from and this should be investigated. Possible sources include chemicals for insecticide production and solvents for cleaning electronic components. The three CFCs are being destroyed very slowly in the atmosphere - so even if emissions were to stop immediately, they will still be around for many decades to come. Of the four species identified, CFC-113a seems the most worrying as there is a very small but growing emission source somewhere, maybe from agricultural insecticides. We should find it and take it out of production. What will the scientists probably attempt to do about the gases next? Answer: Find out where they are exactly from and stop them from being released. There are plenty of possible reasons why you don't have any flowers near you. Perhaps, you just don't like them. Or maybe someone nearby doesn't. Maybe you're at work, and flowers are not allowed. Assuming the problem is simply that you don't have time to go out and get flowers, you may be surprised to learn just how easy it actually is. It's good to get flowers for yourself, but even better to be given them. I'm sure you know this, just as I'm sure there's someone special in your life who feels the same way. So why not take the chance to make someone happy, and get them some flowers? I know, you would, but it's just too much trouble. Well, that's where you're wrong! It' s a good excuse, and while it might have worked in the past, I'm afraid it doesn't work any more. Perhaps you are really too busy to go into town and get some flowers. On the other hand, the fact that you are reading this clearly shows that you have enough time to go online. Nowadays, you can buy pretty well anything online, and yes that includes flowers. By the way, there's another point to consider here. Price. I'm sure you've noticed that you can usually get things cheaper if you buy online, and flowers are no exception . For the same price as a few roses, you could have a full bouquet of flowers picked and arranged by an expert. So why are you still here? Go online, and hunt down some flowers! There are plenty of flower shops available , and you should have no trouble finding one that near you, especially if you live in a city or large town. Then you're just a few clicks away from a beautiful bouquet. , This passage mainly tells us that _ . Answer: how we can get flowers when we're busy
It has always been said that women are not good drivers, because they simply don't have very good driving ability. On the other hand, most car accidents happen to men; very few happen to women. From this, we can see that women are much more careful while driving. Another very interesting fact that we should point out is that in the past, women preferred to let their husbands be the only driver in the family rather than have a driving license. Somehow they were prevented from making this step in their lives, but nowadays there are many women that want to pass their driving tests from an early age. However, we have to admit that men are more skillful drivers than women, but this does not mean that a woman cannot become a good driver by accumulating experience. So more and more teenagers and women around the age of thirty now want to pass their driving tests. While taking their driving lessons, they also have a number of special lessons with their parents or somebody in the family that has a driving license, this is just to improve their driving abilities and help them to pass the tests more easily. To conclude, we can say that women are not such bad drivers. They just need more experience than men in order to be able to drive well. And on the other hand, there are a number of women that show better driving skills than the men around them. The passage mainly talks about _ . A women and their driving ability. B men and their driving ability. C why men are better drivers than women. D why more women like to have a driving license Answer: A Traveling can be a way to gain life experiences,especially during Spring Break--a week long school vacation in the United States. But what if you're a student and don't have enough money for a trip?Don't worry. Here are some useful suggestions. Save:This probably is the most important preparation for traveling. Cut expenses to fatten your wallet so you'll have more choices about where to go and how to get there. Plan ahead:Don't wait until the last minute to plan your trip. Tickets may cost more when bought on short notice. Giving yourself several months to get ready can mean security and savings. Do your homework:No matter where you go,research the places you will visit. Decide what to see. Travel books will provide information on the cheapest hotels and restaurants. Plan sensibly:Write down what you expect to spend for food and hotels. Stick to your plan or you may not have enough money to cover everything. Travel in groups:Find someone who is interested in visiting the same places. By traveling with others you can share costs and experiences. Work as you go:Need more money to support your trip?Look for work in the places you visit. Go off the beaten path:Tourist cities may be expensive. You may want to rethink your trip and go to a lesserknown area. Smaller towns can have many interesting activities and sights. Pack necessary things:The most important things to take are not always clothes. Remember medicine in case you get sick and snacks in case you cannot find a cheap restaurant. Use the Internet:The net can help to save money. Some useful websites include _ . By planning sensibly,even students can enjoy the travel. Your travel experiences will be remembered for a lifetime. Before your trip,the first thing you should do is _ . A to make a plan of the route B to get information from the Internet C to save money by spending less D to buy tickets in advance Answer: C Students often want to practice their English outside class. One of the best ways to practice your English is to speak to a foreigner. You may ask, "Is it okay to try to talk to foreigners I see in the street?" The answer is yes and no, but probably no! If you see a foreigner who looks lost, it is polite to ask him, "May I help you?" But, otherwise, you should probably let them get on with their business. Situations, however, do exist where it is quite all right to talk to foreigners. If a foreigner enters your school, classroom, office, shop or restaurant, for instance, feel free to ask him (for example): -- What is your name? -- Where do you come from? -- What do you think of Beijing? -- How long will you stay in Beijing? There are also situations where it's okay to talk to foreigners in public places. If you see a foreigner alone in a restaurant, bar or coffee shop, it may be appropriate to ask him or her: -- Is this seat free? -- Do you mind if I talk to you in English? You can probably help them if they are new in China and if they are alone, you may be able to make them feel more welcome. After a few such questions, you should know whether this person wants to talk to you or not. If they ask you similar questions, or if they give long, informative answers, you're in luck. If not, then give them their privacy. Talking to strangers is fun if you choose the right time and place. It is the best way to practice your spoken English with _ . A Japanese B Americans C our classmates D French people Answer: B Elephants might be the most well-known and well-loved animal in African wildlife. But conservation of the African elephant faces special difficulties. While the elephant population is half of what it was 40 years ago, some areas of Africa have more elephants than populated areas can support. That's why AWF scientists are studying elephant behavior, protecting habitats and finding ways for humans to live peacefully with elephants in Africa. Years ago, over hunting and the ivory trade were the biggest threats to elephants survival. Luckily, ivory bans , hunting rules and protected areas protect elephants from these dangers today. The 21st century brings a different challenge to elephant conservation --land-use. Elephants walk across borders and outside parks and other protected areas. So they often destroy crops, causing conflicts between local farmers and these big animals. Successful conservation strategies must allow elephants to walk freely in their natural habitats while reducing conflicts between elephants and local people. AWF researchers are searching for a way to give both elephants and people the space they need. The AWF is collecting information on elephant habitats and behavior. The information they gather will help to develop the widest possible space for elephants. The AWF is helping elephants by protecting their habitats. And they also work with local farmers to improve their life in order to encourage them to protect rather than destroy elephants. What is the best title for the text? A African elephants conservation B Living with African elephants C African elephants' situation D African elephants being endangered Answer: A My name is Sabrina. I'm 23 years old. I come from London. Now I live in Beijing. I love teaching English. I think it's interesting. I can speak Chinese, too. I have experience in teaching English in China. My e-mail address is sabrina@sina.com. I'm Bill, an 18-year-old student. I live in Nanjing now. I can play the guitar well. I like to be a teacher. I have free time on weekends. Do you want to learn the guitar? Please call me at 15069606503. I'm June Smith. I'm 25. I can swim well. I want to be a swimming teacher. I love kids and I'm good with kids. I can help them learn to swim. If you need a teacher in your club, please e-mail me at june@sina.com. . Bill lives in _ . A Nanjing B Beijing C Shanghai D Hefei Answer: A
Question: While surfing television channels over the weekend,a scene from a family classic of last year portraying the now-so-familiar sorry state of retired parents being ill-treated by their children and families caught my attention. I wondered why the description of this relationship had not changed much over the many years! Even though the same movies and soaps accurately capture several other social changes around us -- from value systems to new found economic freedom to the importance of technology and the changing approach to consumerism -- are these creative efforts far from the truth in telling us that an average retiree is still struggling? Look around and you will agree that the post-retired lifestyle for an ex-salaried class people is often a pale shadow of their last working years. Even self employed people, who have handed over the responsibility to the next generation, are no exception. Did the average middle class not save enough through his working years? Socially, we already know that the Indians are taught the benefits of start saving early on in life. Household savings data supports this social behavior -- India has the highest rates of savings among various economies and is far ahead of the west. Yet, tragically, a lifetime of savings does not seem to provide enough for a comfortable retirement! A closer look at the pattern of what we do with our financial savings may tell us a bit more. Over half of households' financial savings is put into a "safe" deposit, followed by large portions in insurance, pension, provident funds and the rest in physical currency. Less than a tenth goes into "risky" assets like stocks. While there might be nothing, in particular, worrisome in this investment pool, one has to consider inflation . The real value of savings, over a few decades, may actually be lower than the starting point. What had not changed much over the many years according to the passage? A. Value systems B. The poor situation of retirees C. Economic freedom D. Approach to consumerism Answer: B. The poor situation of retirees Question: 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." Which of the following doesn't a car represent,according to the passage? A. Status. B. Freedom. C. Individuality. D. Opportunity. Answer: D. Opportunity. Question: Mr. Li was in bed and was trying to go to sleep when he heard the bell ring . He turned on the light and looked at his clock. It was half past twelve. "Who can it be at this time of night?" he wondered. He decided to go and find out .So he got out of bed, put on his dressing gown and went to the door. When he opened the door, there was nobody there. "That's very strange." He thought. Then he went back to his bedroom, took off his dressing gown, got back into bed, turned off the light and tried to go to sleep. A few minutes later he heard the bell ring again. Mr. Li jumped out of bed very quickly and rushed to the door. He opened it, but again he found no one there. He shut the door and found a piece of paper with some words on it: "It is now after midnight, so it is April 1st. April fool to you!" "Oh, it was the English boy next door!" Mr. Li exclaimed, and almost smiled, He went back to bed and fell asleep immediately. The bell did not ring again. He turned on the light and _ . A. got out of bed B. looked out of the window C. looked at his watch D. looked at his clock Answer: D. looked at his clock Question: One day the students were having painting lessons. Everyone began to draw pictures .Li Lei did nothing. When the bell rang for the break , Li Lei passed his picture to the teacher . The teacher looked at it and got angry "Why do you give me a piece of paper with nothing on it , Li Lei ?"asked the teacher. "I'm sorry, sir. I drew a dog and some bread on the paper"says Li Lei ."Where is the dog and bread ?"asked the teacher again. I drew some bread first . When I finished drawing the dog , it ate up the bread . When I gave it to you , the dog ran away ."says Li Lei.. When the bell rang for break , Li Lei drew _ . A. a nice picture B. a dog C. a dog and some bread D. nothing Answer: D. nothing Question: In Shanxi Province you may be offered brains to eat. Frightened? You shouldn't be because these brains are only a food, which is famous for its unusual name and rich nutrition . Brains as a food were invented more than 300 years ago by Fu Shan, an artist whose mother had been ill for a long time. To help her become well, he studied medicine and invented a kind of soup made of meat, vegetables and a number of Chinese medicines. Rice Wine was also used in the soup to cure illnesses caused by old age. After taking the soup his mother got better little by little and lived a long life. Fu's soup became the talk of the town. Many people came to see him. One day a restaurant owner asked him what was in the soup. "I'll tell you, " Fu said, "but if your restaurant is going to sell the soup, you must call it brains because of its shape and colour. And your restaurant should be renamed after my mother. " What has made the food popular in Shanxi? A. It is served in many restaurants there. B. It is good for health and has a strange name. C. It is made of Chinese medicines and wine. D. It was invented a long time ago by an artist. Answer: B. It is good for health and has a strange name.
For PS12 you can equip an entire classroom in Burkina Faso, for PS31 you can equip a school football team in Sierra Leone and for PS68 you can support the whole education of a Haitian schoolgirl. The educational presents are the latest way on the trend of charitable giving for Christmas. Plan UK, an international children's charity, has made its gift list focusing on helping the world's poorest countries to improve their education conditions. "Every year we rack our brains for the perfect present and too often end up with yet another pair of socks or a useless ornament," said Marie Staunton, Plan UK's chief executive. "This year we are offering people in the UK the chance to give twice. Buying an alternative gift for a loved one could likely save the life of some of the world's poorest children." Plan UK is working on projects in specific countries, such as Burkina Faso, which is one of the poorest countries in the world and has a primary school enrolment rate of just 36%. A present of PS12 will help equip a classroom in Burkina Faso with chairs, desks, books and pencils. The educational presents are the latest addition to a list of other charitable presents, including vaccinations and clean water systems. Football strips for schoolchildren in Sierra Leone are designed to help the children have fun while continuing with the psychological healing process following the country's civil war. The PS31 gift will supply the team strip, a football and a whistle to a school in Sierra Leone. Oxfam offers similar gifts. Its Back to School kits for five pupils is a bestseller in a catalogue which includes the PS24 Christmas goat, the PS30 lavatory and PS12 for school dinners for up to 200 children. The title for the passage would probably be _ . Answer: The voice of China was not hot during the summer of 2012. The voice of China is a large music show in China. This show is also the only one which regards the voice as the only ruler. It premiered at 21:15 on July 13,2012,on the Zhejiang Television. It has attracted great attention. The show became an overnight sensation. The first season used "Real voice, real music " as its slogan . As a mentor ,singers like Liu Huan, Na Ying, Yu Chengqing and Yang Kun were responsible for seeking world-shaking voices of China in the following three and a half months, through four steps ,namely "blind choosing" "blind selecting" "team PK" "yearly grand ceremony". It is really a miracle that The voice of China can stand out in the flood of today's talent shows in China , and attracts the audience . A great number of audience said this was the best television show last summer. They were all proud of these good voices of China. The students' beautiful voices moved everyone. Xu Haixing , a girl from Chengdu ,sang Self to realize her father's dream and Liu Huan was moved to tears by her song . Huang Yong sang In Spring showing his sticking to his dream and Yang Kun cried for this. The blind girl Zhang Yuxia, a busker from Taiwan, played while singing. She was called "Deng Lijun No.2" for her unique voice, and her sincere feeling touched everybody. Na Ying went to the stage to sing with the students together twice. The voice of China doesn't care about magnificent clothes and wonderful dancing. It regards "inspiration" and "professionalism" as the ruler of music. The singer uses their songs to tell real stories and the happiness of life. From the passage we know Liu Huan was deeply moved by _ song. Answer: Fifteen hours is a long time to be on a plane ,but you know ,Africa is a long way from North America.Finally ,we're in Namibia, a country in southwest Africa.Namibia is about twice the size of California.However, it is home to just over two million people.And the country's main airport is 45 kilometres east of its capital,Windhoek. Now we are in a wildlife park.We will spend five days finding ways to protect this area's wildlife.At the moment ,my wife and our two kids are enjoying some local dishes.I'm talking with workers in this park.I'm so much looking forward to the following days ! --Thomas Yesterday morning ,I had nothing to do ,so I went to visit the Eiffel Tower,a symbol of Paris.It was my first time there,so I took a lot of photos. Finally.The big moment came! A lot of artists came to watch my show.It was a great success.After the show, I attended a big party.It was great,but i felt so sleepy after it. When I got back to my hotel, it was already 1:15am.I went to bed without washing.I just needed a good rest before my two-hour journey home by plane. --Jessica How did Thomas arrive in Namibia ? Answer: Many French teachers and parents complain that their kids are less bright than they were. They say young people visit museums less often and spend too much time on the Internet. They only read comics and listen to music, and like American culture more than their own. But is this true? A recent survey shows that many French kids spend their time as other kids always have. Most French teens love music, with 86% putting it as their top hobby, above the cinema, sport and television. French kids read a lot and like different things, from Japanese cartoons to American novels. Many French people worry that their children watch too many American films and listen to too much American music. But the results of this survey show that French young people like their own culture. As Silvia Berlin, a student from Paris, says, " _ " The French kids like all of the following except _ . Answer: In some urban centers, workholism is so common that people do not consider it unusual: they accept the lifestyle as normal. Government workers in Washington D. C., for example, frequently work sixty to seventy hours a week. They don't do this because they have to; they do it because they want to. Workholism can be a serious problem. Because true workaholics would rather work than do anything else, they probably don't know how to relax. Is workholism always dangerous? Perhaps not. There are, certainly, people who work well under stress. Some studies show that many workaholics have great energy and interest in life. Their work is so pleasurable that they are actually very happy. For most workaholics, work and entertainment keep them busy and creative. Why do workaholics enjoy their jobs so much? There are several advantages to work. Of course, it provides people with paychecks, and this is important. But it offers more than financial security. It provides people with self-confidence; they have a feeling of satisfaction when they've produced a challenging piece of work and are able to say, "I made that." Psychologists claim that work gives people an identity through participation in work, they get a sense of self and individualism. In addition, most jobs provide people with a socially acceptable way to meet others. Perhaps some people are compulsive about their work, but their addiction seems to be a safe-even an advantageous-one. This passage is mainly about _ . Answer:
Reality TV is a type of programme. It means that real-life people, not actors, are followed and filmed in a real situation, or game. Reality TV is very popular in the UK. At their best, these programmes give us a good look into the lives of different people in Britain. At their worse, they are a very cheap way to make programmes and sometimes involve people behaving very badly. Here's a selection of some of the UK's reality shows. Shattered A group of young people live in a house for a week and must stay awake. Each day there are tests to see how well they can work even though they are totally tired out. They must leave the house if they fall asleep. Viewers vote on those who stay in the house and text their comments every day. Come to Dine with Me Each week four people prepare dinner in their homes for the other competitors. Each competitor then gives the cook a grade out of 10 for the food and entertainment . The winner gets a $1,000 cash prize. Sometimes the food is terrible and the competitors are very rude to each other. World's Strictest Parents Badly-behaved British teens are sent abroad to live with a super strict family for a week. The teenagers have to follow the rules of their host family and go to the local school. After seven days the teenagers return home and their parents tell us if their behaviour is better. There is often a lot of crying and shouting in this show but it can be pretty funny too. What do we know about Come to Dine with Me? A It's broadcast once a week. B Competitors usually don't have good behaviour. C Competitors taste the food and give it a grade. D There are altogether four people in the programme each time. Answer: A Joe and Marty were coworkers. Joe admired Marty's wristwatch and frequently said how much he wished he had one like it. Marty decided to give Joe the watch for his birthday the following week. On the weekend before Joe's birthday, Joe and Marty attended a company picnic. Marty took his watch off and left it on a blanket when he went off to join in a touch football game. Joe strolled by, saw the watch on the blanket, and decided to steal it. He bent over and picked up the watch. Before he could pocket it, however, Marty returned. When he saw Joe holding the watch, he said, "Joe, I know how much you like that watch. I was planning to give it to you for your birthday. Go ahead and take it now." Joe kept the watch. Joe has committed A larceny. B attempted larceny. C embezzlement. D no crime. Answer: A Ashleigh Fraser and Leah Guskjolen, both 18, wondered why they would not be allowed to wear nail polish or artificial nails during their training to become certified nursing assistants. But when they asked, the only response which they got was that "rules are rules." Not satisfied, the teens decided to explore the issue themselves. For their new study, Ashleigh and Leah, seniors at Willcox High School in Willcox, Arizona., borrowed materials from the hospital where they had been trained as nursing assistants. Ten nurses there agreed to give them little scrapings off the top side of their nails. Half of the participants had natural nails. The other half wore nail polish or fake nails on top of their natural nails. The teens grew bacteria from the scrapings on plates; these are plastic dishes with a gel that feeds bacterial growth. Natural nails produced an average of 4.3 bacterial colonies. In contrast, scrapings from nail polish or artificial nails produced an average of 17.5 colonies! Leah and Ashleigh had their answer to the question. Only natural nails are allowed because polished or artificial nails tend to harbor far more bacteria. The germs could be dangerous to sick patients. Leah notes that they are not the first to look at nails in a medical setting. Still, she says, "It is something that should be taken much more seriously than it is." To emphasize that, she points to the large list of similar studies she and Ashleigh uncovered during their research. When nurses touch patients, they often wear gloves, but many small tasks are performed bare-handed. The teens hope to raise awareness of how dangerous artificial nails can be in the medical setting. "What shocked me," Leah says, "is how unconcerned some of the nurses were. They did not think their nails were dangerous." Ashleigh agrees and observes that to preserve their manicures , nurses with polish or fake nails tended to scrub less vigorously when washing their hands. Their nails might look nice, but this might contribute to the large numbers of germs that hang onto their nails. Ashleigh has never really liked nail polish, so she will not have to change much to pursue her dream of being a surgeon. But the results have reminded Leah, who wants to be a nurse, to give up her artificial nails for good. "They are very pretty," she says, "I love them." But now that she knows the risks they can cause, she admits that for a health professional they just are "not worth it." According to the passage, it is worrying that . A people tend to do something without wearing gloves B a large number of people wear polished or artificial nails C people don't like to scrub their nails while washing hands D some nurses don't realize the harms of wearing polished nails Answer: D Los Angeles: Love for Mom is necessary, but buying flowers on her big day may not be. A slump in flower sales since late last year was likely to continue through Mother's Day, another example of Americans cutting back on spending due to recession fears, which is a period of reduced trade and business activity, and increasing food and gasoline prices. "If you look at what has happened on Valentine's Day and Christmas, the market for flowers has cooled," said Eric Beder, an analyst at Brean Murray. "Growth has slowed in the past two quarters. Mother's Day will probably be a slow quarter, too." US floral sales for Mother's Day, celebrated yesterday, will fall thirteen percent this year to $2 billion, with consumers spending an average of $17.65, according to the National Federation estimates. Mother's Day, which accounts for a one-quarter of annual holiday purchases, according to the Society of American Florists, is traditionally the day when flowers are delivered to the doorsteps of many mothers. But this year, the shop-owners are concerned. Gabriel Soto, who owns a flower shop beneath an office high-rise in the Los financial district, is expecting lower sales -- and has ordered 30 percent fewer flowers than normal this Mother's Day. Last month, Soto, who also operates website downtown-flowers.net, closed another store in a nearby building that was headquarters to a mortgage company. After workers lost their jobs due to the housing crisis, orders decreased. This passage implies that Americans have _ . A met financial problems recently B no longer bought flowers for mothers C delivered flowers to every house for mothers D cut back on spending because of having lost jobs Answer: A Mrs. Brown is a worker. She works in a big factory. She gets up at five every morning. She often has breakfast at six fifty. After that she goes to the factory by bus at half past seven. She cleans the machines when she gets there very early. Then her workmates come. They begin to work at 8:00. They all work very hard. She goes home at five. Then she does some cooking. After supper she usually helps his son Tom with his homework. Sometimes she reads books. She usually watches TV with her family on weekends. What does Mrs. Brown usually do at six fifty? A She has breakfast. B She brushes her teeth. C She takes a shower. D She goes to work. Answer: A
The term "bionic man" came from The Six Million Dollar Man which was a popular TV show in the U.S.A. in the 1970s. It was a story about a former astronaut whose body was rebuilt by using artificial parts after he nearly died. Now, a team of engineers has made a robot by using artificial organs , limbs and other body parts that comes close to a true "bionic man". The parts come from 17 manufacturers around the world. "This is the first time they've been assembled together," says Richard Walker, the director of a robot company. "It's an attempt to show the development of medical science," he says. Walker says the robot has about 60 to 70 percent of the function of a human. It stands six-and-a half feet tall and can step, sit and stand with the help of a walking machine. This kind of machine is used by people who have lost the ability to walk. It also has a functioning heart that beats and circulates artificial blood . Its blood carries oxygen just like human blood. Although the parts are used in the robot work, there is a long way to go. There are some key parts missing. There's no liver, skin or brain for the robot. The robot "bionic man" is used to _ . Beijing, April 2----Starting from this year, the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau will begin to promote a home medical service. With this service a medical team which is made up of a doctor, a nurse and a medical health worker will be sent to some communities in the city. They will set up a medical filing recorder for every resident in community and publicize their contact information to them. If people in the community feel sick, they can consult their community doctor first. If community doctors cannot treat their illness, they will then be transferred to large hospitals. Liang Wan, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, made the statement last Friday . In addition ,the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau will set up some funds to train home medical service workers for families whose members suffer either from high blood pressure, diabetes,cerebral apoplexy , or coronary heart disease . The home medical service workers will remind patients to take pills on time and lead the patients to follow some health tips in their daily life. They will also learn some practical knowledge to save patients in case of an emergency . The work will first begin in the medical service room in the 25 community centers and spread to all communities in Beijing. The disease prevention and control centers at various counties and districts in Beijing will be responsible for teaching community doctors and giving home medical service lectures, or advice . These workers will not be able to work until they pass related examination and obtain the work certificates. It is expected that by the end of this year, there will be 10000 home medical service workers in Beijing . What can we learn from the passage? On the first day of school I brought my camera to school. I gave the students a piece of 8 x11 cardboard , and asked them to write their names on both sides. As they finished, I asked them to get into groups of three to four students and took photographs of them holding their name cards. After school, I developed the film and printed two sets of photos. That evening, I started to match the names with the faces. I kept one set of pictures at home for about a week so that I could review their names each night. On the second day of school, I put up the other set of photos as a bulletin board , with a title such as "Presenting Room 108, ..." The kids loved it! After I had learned all of their names I brought the second set back to school and stuck them onto an 8 x11 sheet of paper. I placed it in the classroom for other teachers. The cardboard name cards that were made on the first day were collected and put on a shelf. From time to time, they were given back to the students and placed on their desks so that guests or supply teachers could identify all of the students. I've been doing this with my grade 7 students for the last nine years and they liked it. It's fun to bring the photos out again at the end of the school year to see how much they have all changed in ten months. The cardboards were used to _ . All boys and girls like good stories. I am sure that all children who read The Ugly Duckling will be glad to know something about the 'King of Story Tellers', who wrote it for them. Thousands and thousands of children have read this story, only to ask for it again and again. It has travelled the wide world over, and has been told in every country. Hans Christian Andersen, the author of "The Ugly Duckling," was born in Denmark. If you look on a map, you will see this little country in northern Europe. There, in the little village of Odense, he spent his boyhood. His father and mother were very poor. The family lived in two little rooms near the top of a house, where his father worked as a shoemaker. On the roof was a box filled with earth. In this box his mother planted her vegetables. Little Hans loved to walk with his father in the woods, where he could pick wild flowers and hear the birds sing. His father read to him when his work was done, or told him stories. What his father did helped him open up a new world. Once, when Hans was still a child, he went into a wheat field with his mother and a number of children, to pick the rest wheat which the reapers had left in the field. While they were busy picking only a small amount of wheat for each of them, an angry bailiff came rushing into the field, armed with a whip . All ran, as fast as they could, away from the angry man. _ and the sharp stalks of the wheat plants which had been cut down, cut his feet so that he could not get away. Unafraid, the boy faced the angry man and his upraised whip. "How dare you hit me when you know God sees you?" he cried, looking fearlessly into the face of the angry bailiff. The whip came down, but not on little Hans. The bailiff admired the boy's courage, and praised him for it. He sent him home with gifts, rather than punishments.[:] While Hans was still a boy, his kind father died. Then Hans and his mother were left alone, to care for each other. "What will you do, Hans?" the mother asked "Would you like to become a tailor?" "No, mother," the boy answered; "I will go to Copenhagen and study. One day I shall write books." "But where will the money be found to pay your way?" asked the mother. "I will work, and God will take care of me," Hans replied. So the boy left his native village and walked all the way to Copenhagen, which was very far. Why didn't the bailiff hit Hans? When William Stidger taught at Boston University, he once thought about the people he hadn't thanked in his life. They taught him, encouraged him or cared a lot about him. One was a teacher. She once taught William geography, and William loved geography all his life. So he wrote a letter of thanks to her. He got the teacher's letter later. It began, "My dear Willie." He was very happy. Now over 50, he didn't think someone would call him "Willie". Here is that letter. My dear Willie, I can't tell you how much your letter meant to me. I am in my eighties, living alone in a small room and cooking my own meals. You will be interested to know that I taught school for 50 years and yours is the first letter of appreciation I ever got. It came on a cold morning and it made me feel very warm. ... William cried when he read the letter. She was one of the people that William hadn't thanked in his past. She helped him to believe in himself. He would never forget her. There are some people we should always remember, because they helped to shape our life. William Stidger found a way to show his appreciation--he wrote them letters. Who are some of the people that you need to say thank you to in your past? It may not be too late to say "Thanks". How did William show his appreciation to the people that he hadn't thanked?
Question: Going to the park with your family is a time-honored tradition during the warmer months whether you live in the city or in a rural area. The most common thing for kids to do at the park is to play on the playground equipment. This is great for kids. For parents, however, playground time is something not quite as exciting. It's nice to socialize with other parents and enjoy watching the little ones at play, but grown-ups can't easily participate in the playground fun. In order to make the most of spring and summer park trips parents might want to consider trying a few new activities. Soft Frisbees and balls are great things to bring to the park and enjoy with kids. Parents can participate in playing catch. They can enjoy the fresh air and physical activity together. Other lawn games and toys like badminton can easily be taken to the park for an afternoon of fun. If it is a breezy day, it might be just perfect for flying a kite. Kite flying is a wonderful family fun activity. Children who are too small to fly a kite themselves can have fun chasing it and helping older siblings hold the string. Slightly older children can enjoy learning to fly kites. Teens and parents can enjoy the challenge of making kites. Best of all, kites are inexpensive and can be used in almost any open space on a breezy day. After these, the first thought might be to head home for a meal or a snack. However, bringing a snack or having a picnic can add an exciting element to the day out and can allow the family to enjoy more park time together. Everyday foods like sandwiches and apples can be very _ If you decide to pack a picnic, just remember to bring bags for any garbage you might produce! What is the main idea of the passage? A. The benefits of parents playing with children. B. Suitable weather for playing in the park. C. Activities parents can do with their children in the park. D. Kite flying during spring and summer. Answer: C. Activities parents can do with their children in the park. Question: Tess still stood hesitating like a swimmer about to make his dive, hardly knowing whether to return or move forward, when a figure came out from the dark door of the tent. It was a tall young man, smoking. He had an almost black face, though red and smooth. His moustache was black with curled points, though he could not be more than twenty three or--four. There was an unusual force in his face, and in his daring rolling eyes. "Well, my beauty, what can I do for you?" said he, coming forward. And seeing that she was quite at a loss, "Never mind me. I am Mr. d'Urberville. Have you come to see me or my mother?" This differed greatly from what Tess had expected. She had dreamed of an aged and dignified face. She tried to keep calm and answered-- "I came to see your mother, sir." "I am afraid you cannot see her--she is ill in bed," replied the representative of the house; for this was Mr. Alee, the only son of the noble family. "What is the business you wish to see her about?" "It isn't business--it is--I can hardly say what!" "Pleasure?" "Oh no. Why, sir, if I tell you, it will seem..." Tess's sense of a certain ridicule was now so strong that, despite her general discomfort at being here, her rosy lips curved towards a smile, much to the attraction of the young man. "It is so foolish", she stammered . "I fear I can't tell you!" "Never mind; I like foolish things. Try again, my dear," said he kindly. "Mother asked me to come," Tess continued; "and, indeed, I was in the mind to do so myself. But I did not think it would be like this. I came, sir, to tell you that we are of the same family as you." "Ho! Poor relations?" "Yes." "Stokes?" "No; d'Urbervilles." "Ay, ay; I mean d'Urbervilles." "Our names are worn away to Durbeyfield; but we have several proofs that we are d'Urbervilles. The local scholars hold the view that we are, and...and we have an old seal and a silver spoon marked with the same castle as yours. So mother said we ought to make ourselves known to you, as we've lost our horse by a bad accident; we can hardly make a living." "Very kind of your mother, I'm sure." Alec looked at Tess as he spoke, in a way that made her uneasy. "And so, my pretty girl, you've come on a friendly visit to us, as relations?" "I suppose I have," looking less confident and uncomfortable again. "Well--there's no harm in it. Where do you live? What are you?" ---Tess of the d'Urbervilles By Thomas Hardy In the eyes of Tess, Alec is _ . A. forceful and daring B. unfriendly and talkative C. a gentle and reliable man D. older than she had expected Answer: A. forceful and daring Question: It's not just women who wear skirts. Men can wear them, too. In Scotland, men wear a kind of skirt called a kilt. The kilt is their national dress and an important part of their tradition . A kilt is a colored skirt reaching down to the knees . It has checks on it with different colors, like red or blue. Each family in Scotland has its own colors. How did the Scots start to wear kilts? There are many stories about it. One story is that the kilt was invented in the 1720s by an English factory owner, Thomas Rawlinson. Rawlinson had a lot of Scottish workers in his factory and he thought their clothing _ their work. So he cut their long clothes into a shorter skirt. Today, most Scotsmen see kilts as formal dresses. They usually only wear them at weddings or big dinners. There are only a few men who still wear a kilt every day. Scots also wear kilts in parades when they play their traditional musical instrument : bagpipes . The army still has kilts as the dress uniform , but they no longer wear them to fight . In Scotland, different families have different _ . A. colors B. checks C. rules D. shapes Answer: A. colors Question: In the past, people who graduated from college felt proud of their academic achievements and felt confident that their degree would help them to find a good job. However, in the past five years the job market has changed greatly. This year's college graduates are facing one of the worst job markets. For example, Ryan Stewart, a graduate of San Jose State University, got a degree in religious studies, but no job _ He points out that many people already working are getting laid off and don't have jobs, so it's even harder for new college graduates to find jobs. Five years ago, the future looked bright for the class of 2006. There were many high-tech job chances. Graduates received many job offers, and they were able to get jobs with high salaries and benefits such as insurance and paid vacations. However, "Times have changed and it's a new market," according to an officer of the San Jose State Career Center. The officer says students who do find jobs started preparing two years ago. They worked during summer vacations, they have had several short-time jobs, and they've majored in one of the few fields that are still hot, like chemical engineering, accounting, or nursing, where average starting salaries have actually increased over last year. Other popular fields (like information system management, computer science, and political science) have seen big declines in starting salaries. Ryan Stewart (he had hoped to become a teacher) may go back to school in order to become a college teacher. He thinks college teaching could be a good career even in a bad economy. In conclusion, _ For now, they can only hope the value of their degree will increase over time. The main idea of the passage is that _ . A. a lot of graduates are losing their jobs B. Ryan Stewart has been able to find a job C. salaries in some fields have increased in the past year D. the job market has changed greatly over the past five years Answer: D. the job market has changed greatly over the past five years Question: Standing desks have become common across Silicon Valley, offering health benefits to those willing to work on their feet. However, due to their high price, they have failed to catch on until now. Recently, Ikea has brought out Bekant convertible standing desk that can become a normal desk at the touch of a button. The $500 adjustable desk can transform from a standard desk to a standing one, and Ikea hopes it could make the standing desk mainstream. Experts say that changing from a seated to a standing desk can improve productivity. Similar desks have become a common sight at tech firms such as Google, where some employees have even installed treadmill and bicycle desks. The desk is not the first "convertible" on the market. As early as 2013, Stir Kinect brought out an adjustable desk. The $3,890 Stir Kinect desk has a motor to raise and lower itself, converting it into a standing desk or a traditional desk. The desk can even be programmed to move up and down slightly, making it appear to take a gentle breath to remind the user to change their position. To move between sitting and standing positions, owners simply double tap on the screen. The desk can learn the user's preferences over time and suggest the best seating position. The Stir Kinect desk was created by a team of ex-Apple and Disney engineers. It has a built-in touch screen to control and track movement, and can tell users exactly how many calories they burn by standing during their working day. It also has devices containing power points and USB ports for charging phones, to keep cables hidden. "Ikea's height adjustable desk is great for opening up the lower end of the market, '' said JP Labrosse, founder and CEO of Stir. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text? A. Before Bekant desk, similar adjustable desks have been widely used. B. The seated desks will take the place of the standing desks in the future. C. Compared to the Stir Kinect desk, the Bekant desk is much cheaper. D. The adjustable desks were designed by the Apple and Disney Company. Answer: C. Compared to the Stir Kinect desk, the Bekant desk is much cheaper.
With his game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, Jeremy Lin finished the New York Knicks' dramatic reversed victory to defeat the Toronto Rapters. The Knicks have won six games in a row, and Jeremy Lin has put up impressive numbers during the continuous period of competitions. Although the season is still _ , the Knicks have reversed course in just one week from the NBA's most disappointing team to a playoff contestant. Lin, not team's high-paid stars, has saved the Knicks season and likely coach D'Antoni's job. After nearly 15 years of disappointing, sometimes unsuccessful seasons, Madison Square Garden is alive again, and New York City can't stop talking about the Knicks. To put things into perspective , consider this: Just several years back, Knicks fans protested nightly outside of the Garden calling for the team's ownership to fire their resented coach Isiah Thomas. Now, Madison Square Garden Co. shares are at a record high, the Knicks' average household television rating is up 70 percent since Lin joined the starting lineup , and jersey sales are increasing very quickly. I watched the Knicks-Lakers game at a bar in Harlem, and have not felt that kind of energy from fans since the great playoff between the Knicks and Miami Heat in the late 1990s. Beyond the Knicks, Lin may be saving the NBA as well. Just a few months back, the NBA took a massive credibility hit during a multi-month lockout , where the owners did not allow the players to go back to play until they accept the new salary levels. As a consequence, the season did not even begin until Christmas Day. Over the past few years, LeBron James' (.) relatively long and unpleasant free-agent events, combined with poor play around the league, have angered fans and damaged the league's brand. Lin is leading a one-week NBA basketball revival. His legendary story has inspired Asian-Americans, increased NBA sales in China, and turned the basketball world upside down. According to the passage, Jeremy Lin's excellent performance saved the following except _ Answer: Coach Isiah Thomas The film starts out as a normal day at a typical American high school. Friends chat in the dining room and boys play football. But there's big surprise when the movie ends with two students going crazy in the school shouting and killing people. This is Elephant. It stars real school kids. American director Gus Van Sant had no ready-made lines. The student actors made up their own dialogue, with Van Sant asking them to base their characters on their own lives. Although it may not sound very high quality, the film won the Palme d'Or for Best Film and the award for Best Director at the Cannes film festival. The film is based on the shootings at a high school in the US, where two boys killed 13 people and then themselves in 1999. The title of the movie refers to the old expression about a problem that's as hard to ignore as an elephant in the house. The film takes a close look at a few hours in the lives of the victims and the killers. It shows how high school is a different experience for everyone - - fun and friendly, or hard and lonely. In many ways, the two boys, who carry out the shooting, act like ordinary kids. They joke around with one boy's mother as she serves them cakes and play the piano. But there're hints of the anger they feel inside. One of the boys is bullied at school. The other plays violent video games. But Van Sant isn't blaming their killings on either bullying or violent games. In fact, the film doesn't offer any reason for why school violence happens. "I didn't want to explain anything. It's up to the audience to draw its own conclusions," said the 51-year-old director . This text is mainly written to _ . Answer: introduce the film Elephant We start forming impressions of people we meet from the moment we set eyes on them. A large part of the first impression that you create comes from your body language. Your body language speaks louder than the words you say. Face The face is the most expressive part of the body. If you are feeling anxious then your facial expression may lead you to appear cold, or unhappy. You can break this _ by trying to smile. Your smile is one of the strongest tools you have in meeting new people. It will help you appear warm, friendly and confident. Eyes Our eyes give clues to our emotions. Making very little eye contact can either show shyness or fear. Looking at others says that you are interested, friendly, and at ease. Hands Your hands are also very expressive. Open gestures tend to make you appear open and honest. By pointing your finger, or moving your hands closer together, you can draw attention to what you are saying. Used properly, hand gestures can make you seem friendly. Making too many gestures can make you appear uncontrolled. Touching your sleeves, face, etc. can make you appear tense, nervous, and sometimes dishonest. Posture Your posture makes a big contribution to your body language and shows your level of self-confidence. By falling away from them or leaning back, you show a lack of interest. When we are feeling low in confidence and want to hide away, keep our heads down. Your posture gives not only signals about your interest in something but also clues showing your status within a group. In summary, our face, eyes, hands and posture express what is going on inside of us. Using good body language can bring up our level of self-confidence. According to the passage, the first impression you usually give others is created by your _ . Answer: body language Howard Dill is a giant among giant pumpkin growers. He grew world champion pumpkins for four years running,from 1979 to 1982, and missed winning the fifth year by only 5 pounds. Today, his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds are sold worldwide to more than 50 seed companies. The pumpkins grown from his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds commonly weigh in at over 1,000 pounds. "I don't have any training in genetics ; it was all trial and error," Dill says. He got his love of pumpkins from his father and has enjoyed growing them for years. Dill still grows giant pumpkins, but not for competition. In the fall, visitors come to enjoy the pumpkins on his 90-acre farm in Nova Scotia, Canada. He plants ten acres of pumpkins for Halloween and two acres of giant pumpkins. One of giant pumpkins was recently baked into 442 pumpkin pies and sold at $5 each for charity. It you want to try growing a giant pumpkin, Dill recommends starting with a soil test and then adding fertilizer as needed. Plant the giant pumpkin seed. A giant pumpkin can gain 15 to 20 pounds a day, so careful watering--every day or two--is necessary. You should wait about 130 days until the pumpkin matures and then you can harvest it. Dill's favorite pumpkin set the Guinness Book record in 1981. It weighted 493.5 pounds. "I've grown them larger since, but that one meant a lot," he remembers. "I never would have imagined ten years ago that there would be a 1,000-pounder, but there are many of them now," says Dill. The 2006 world record holder is Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania. He grew a 1,469 pounder. Dill says, "These world champions are grown from my seeds, so I feel like a winner right along with them." What can we learn about the world champion pumpkin of 1983? Answer: It was 5 pounds heavier than Dill's biggest one that year. I've been working in a school for more than twenty years .Many parents often ask me ,"How can you teach your child good study skills ? How can he or she get the homework done as quickly as possible ? "Here are some tips : 1.If the child is as young as nine or ten ,ask him or her to prepare a small notebook to write down the homework given by his or her teachers .By developing this habit ,he or she will learn to be much more responsible . 2.Find a good place to study .This should be a quiet place that is free from everything but study things .No games ,radios ,or televisions .Once you have decided on a place to study ,this should be the only place where your child does his or her homework and studies .There should also be a very specific time for homework to be done .Usually ,homework should be done as soon as the child gets home from school .This also goes for the kids who take part in afterschool activities .Of course ,it is a good idea to allow the child to have a healthy snack before the work begins . 3.Also remember that it is the child's duty to do his or her homework .Some children give up easily and go to Mom and Dad for help when they have a problem .Try to let them solve it first .By doing this ,they will get a sense of success from overcoming problems .In this way we help them to help themselves . Asking the kids to keep a notebook to remember their homework will make them _ . Answer: more responsible
Question: Taiwanese fishing boats that sailed to the Diaoyu Islands to protest Japan's "purchase" of part of the islands completed their voyage Tuesday morning and have set sail for home. Local media reported that the boats finished their protest at 9:15 a.m. and are expected to return to a port in northeast Taiwan's Yilan county at noon Wednesday. Although the boats originally numbered 75,they were joined at sea by other boats from different parts of Taiwan, raising the total number to about 100 vessels. Organizers said the voyage was made to protect Taiwanese fishing rights in nearby waters and to protest Japan's "purchase" of part of the Diaoyu Islands. The Japanese government announced a plan to "purchase" part of the islands earlier this month despite repeated protests from the Chinese government. The action aroused demonstrations across China as well as consumers' boycott of Japanese products in recent weeks. Local authorities in Taiwan have also protested the move. "Japan's purchase and nationalization of China's Diaoyu Islands is putting China-Japan economic and trade ties at risk due to man-made factors." An official spokesman from Beijing warned . China-Japan economic and trade relations was back on track in 1952 when the two countries signed their first non-governmental trade agreement. Currently, China has been Japan's largest trade partner since 2007 while Japan is China's fourth largest trade partner, after the EU, U.S. and the ASEAN. Meanwhile, China is the biggest destination for Japanese exports and biggest source of imports. In the first half of 2012, Japan's exports to China totaled 73.54 billion U.S. dollars, down 6.2 percent from the same period last year, while its import from China was 91.29 billion U.S. dollars, up 7 percent from the same period last year. Now, China-Japan economic and trade relations are at a crossroads. Negotiation could be the way out of the rift. Where can you probably find this passage? A. Magazine B. Scientific report C. Newspaper D. Textbook Answer: C. Newspaper Question: What's the greenest place in America? If you answered something like the warm sunlight of Santa Barbara, you'd be wrong. The greenest place in America has almost no sign of nature-- the buildings outnumber the trees-- and the air isn't all that great. What it has is density and efficiency-- the twin qualities that finally define green in the global warming time. Applying those standards,the greenest place in America is New York City-- particularly,the overcrowded,overpriced island of Manhattan, which produces 30% less per-capita greenhouse gas than that of the nation. It's that density that makes Manhattan so green. Manhattan's population density is 800 times the national average. Density comes with negatives,certainly-- small living spaces,air pollution-- but it also enables amazing efficiencies.Over 80% of Manhattanites travel to work by public transport, by bike or on foot-- compared to an average of about 8% everywhere else in the country. Manhattan's apartment buildings are far more energy-efficient than the houses in the suburbs. What's true of New York City is more or less true of other American urban areas, which explains why a growing part of the environmental movement now focuses on greening cities, hoping to attract more Americans back downtown. There's an effort to make cities more sustainable ,by improving public transport,reducing air pollution and upgrading energy efficiency. But even more important, it is quite urgent to change decades of government policies that have been in favor of the suburbs,with disastrous consequences for energy,the environment and the climate. That's exactly the difficult point. For all the high efficiency and convenience and richness of living in a city,there are disadvantages too.New York,for example,has some of the highest childhood asthma rates in the U.S. So it's welcome news that New York has continued to push its P1aNYC scheme, a long-term program to make the city greener and more sustainable over the next decades. Recently _ announced an update to the plan that includes _ heavy heating oils in New York City apartment buildings by 2030,to be replaced with cleaner natural gas. What would be the best title for the passage? A. Manhattan the Greenest Place in America? B. The Higher Density,the Greener City? C. PlaNYC Scheme:New York City's Future D. Living in Cities Does Good to the Environment Answer: A. Manhattan the Greenest Place in America? Question: On a warm sunny afternoon, ocean water splashed onto a rock. A short time later, the rock was dry. Which statement best explains what happened to the water on the rock? A. Heat caused the water to become a gas. B. Heat melted the water and it disappeared. C. Salt caused the water to become a gas. D. Salt melted the water and it disappeared. Answer: A. Heat caused the water to become a gas. Question: Metamorphosis changes an animal to a form in which it can A. communicate with others B. eat C. reproduce D. hunt for food Answer: C. reproduce Question: Why Laughter Matters Although most people believe that laughter is one of the nature's great treatments for a whole range of mental and physical diseases, it is still a serious scientific subject that researchers are trying to figure out. "Laughter above all else is a social thing," says Baltimore neuroscientist, Robert Provine, who has studied laughter for decades. "All laughter groups laugh 'ha-ha-ha' basically the same way. Whether you speak Mandarin, French or English, everyone will understand laughter. There is a pattern generator in our brain that produces this sound." Laughing is our first way of communicating. Babies laugh long before they speak. No one teaches them how to laugh. They just do. People may laugh at a prank on April Fools' day. But surprisingly, only 10 to 15 percent of laughter is the result of someone making a joke. Laughter is mostly about social responses rather to a joke. Deaf people laugh without hearing and people on cell phones laugh without seeing, showing that laughter isn't dependent on single sense but on social interactions. And laughter is not just a people thing. Chimps tickle each other and even laugh when another chimp pretends to tickle them. Jaak Panksepp, a Bowling Green University Psychology professor, studies rats that laugh when he tickles them. It turns out rats love to be tickled--they return again and again to the hands of researchers tickling them. By studying rats, scientists can figure out what's going on in the brain during laughter. Northwestern University biomedical engineering professor, Jeffrey Burgdorf has found that laughter in rats produces a chemical that acts as an antidepressant . He thinks the same thing probably happens in humans, too. This would give doctors a new chemical target to develop drugs that can fight depression. Even so, laughter itself has not been proved to be the best medicine, experts said. Margaret Stuber, a professor at University of California, studied whether laugher helped patients. She found that distraction and mood improvement helped, but she could not find a benefit of laughter alone. "No study has shown that laughter produces a direct health benefit," Provine said, largely because it's hard to separate laughter from just feeling good. But he thinks it doesn't really matter: "Isn't the fact that laughter feels good when you do it enough?" According to the passage, scientists studied rats in order to find _ . A. if they can laugh B. if they like laughing C. what laughter in rats produces D. how rats react while being tickled Answer: C. what laughter in rats produces
World Expo 2010 Shanghai China is to be staged in Shanghai from May1 to October 31, 2010. If you plan to visit the Shanghai Expo this summer, China Pavilion is a must-see area for you. China Pavilion, which is called Oriental Crown , is located at the center of the Expo site. Standing 63 meters tall, the China Pavilion takes the shape of an emperor's crown, with the upper layers larger than the lower ones. Covering 160,000 square meters in floor space, the pavilion consists of a national hall and a regional hall. Construction on the China Pavilion began on December 18, 2007. The design of the China Pavilion was picked from a total of 344 designs put forward by Chinese from around the world. The pavilion possesses both traditional and modern features, which helps develop the theme of the 2010 Expo: " Better City, Better Life". For example, it is red in appearance, which contains the elements of traditional Chinese culture, and it is green indoors, with the use of energy-saving techniques. The Shanghai World Expo is expected to attract 70 million visitors from across the globe. It is estimated that 400,000 people will visit the Expo and its 140 pavilions every day during the period, but the China Pavilion is only able to receive about one tenth of the total. How to accommodate so many people in the pavilion remains a tough task. Luckily, the China Pavilion is built as a permanent landmark. During the Expo, the main structure will be used for an exhibition based on the theme of " Chinese wisdom in urban development" by explaining the values of harmony, nature and spirit. The three-story pavilion has three sections. The top floor's "Footprint of the East" will show some of the changes in Chinese cities. There, you can see a film which shows how Chinese cities have changed, especially in the past 30 years. According to Lu Chuan, director of the film, the scenery is like something from Lord of the Rings. On the second floor, "Journey of Wisdom" will explain China's four great inventions. And the ground's "Blossoming City" will display scenes from cities of the future. From the passage, we can infer that _ . Answer: If you are a wealthy resident of India, madly in love and planning your big fat wedding--or being pressured into arranged marriage--Thailand wants you to exchange vows in Bangkok, Phuket or elsewhere in this "wedding Paradise ". This wedding business starts from overseas with the Indians. Thai embassies in India give quick services for the visas. Not only the couples, you can bring anyone, say, your own cook. So, feel free to invite hundreds of your friends and relatives. Why would Indians want to spend so much on weddings in Thailand? Because they have similarities in religion. When Indian weddings want to have some religious prayer for the couples, Thailand can do that. But the more obvious appeal are Thailand's fancy hotels, tropical islands, and delicious Thai food, allowing newlyweds to include a honeymoon in Thailand after they say "I do" while their guests also celebrate on a holiday here. But on the other hand, love does have a price. Kasu Rajagopal arranged for his daughter to have a wedding in Phuket. They arranged entertainment to begin three days before the wedding, because guests' arrival time varied. Yachts were chartered to take guests to small islands, while a DJ, flown in from Bangalore, India, was booked to help them dance in the evening. Kasu also arranged priests for the Hindu wedding, and cooks to prepare Indian food. The approximate costs are around half a million U. S. dollars, including the airfares, hotel accommodation, food, transportation, the yachts on hire and the wedding ceremony expenses, for 225 to 250 guests. Thailand wants to make itself a wedding paradise for all couples, not just from India, but from around the world. Last year, there were around 500 to 600 couples from China, and the numbers are slowly coming up. Westerners also arrive to get married, but in much smaller numbers. What is the main reason why the Indians would go to Thailand for weddings? Answer: Tom and Mike are good friends. They are good with children. They want to find jobs in summer vacation. This Friday Tom tells Mike that Sunson School Trip needs teachers to help with sports, music and computer. Mike is glad to know that. Tom can play basketball, volleyball, and he can swim. Mike can play the violin, the trumpet, the drums and the guitar, and he can swim,too. Tom and Mike like computers very much. Can they join Sunson School Trip? Mike can _ . Answer: There's a time to get angry, and it's best for your child if you do. Let's say your child hits a playmate with a toy hard enough to make the other child cry. How can you teach your child to feel sorry so he or she won't do it again? Researchers say the best way for parents to react is to show their anger and to let the child know exactly why they are mad. Many parents believe that it is best to control their feelings and to wait until they're calm before scolding their children. But the mother or father who explains reasonably to a child , "Peter was crying because you hit him," is not likely to attract much attention. Young children need to be scolded immediately, and strongly, before they'll take criticism to heart. When your young child does something wrong, scold him or her seriously at once. At the same time be sure to tell the child clearly what he or she has done wrong. An angry reaction without an immediate explanation does little good. Forbidding a child to play outside or not allowing him to watch TV as a punishment works well-but only when taken together with an explanation. Make sure your child understands that although his or her wrongdoing has made you angry, you still love him or her. Use simple, direct words such as, "You hurt peter. How would you feel if he hit you? You must never, never hurt people." If your voice expresses strong feeling clearly, your message will carry enough weight. What could be the best title for the text? Answer: It never occurred to Sun Yukun that the decision he made four years ago would have an impact on his career. When the 22-year-old entered college in 2009, he decided not to change his rural residence to a students' collective one. But when he finished college and was offered a job with a state-owned enterprise in Beijing, Sun was told that he couldn't accept the offer unless he had an urban hukou (household registration record). This time, he had no choice but to change his residence status. Transferring hukou to a university became optional in 2003, and many students are confronted with the dilemma of whether to do so or not. Professionals suggest they make the decision based on their current situation and future plans. 'I regret transferring my hukou' Wang Jinbi, 20, is an accounting major at Beijing Union University. Coming from Chifeng, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, she transferred her hukou when she enrolled at university. "I didn't think it was a big deal," Wang says. "Since I'm registering under an urban hukou, it doesn't matter whether it's in Beijing or Inner Mongolia, I thought." What Wang didn't expect, however, is that she would regret her decision later. "After two years of study, I've figured out my future plans. I want to return to my hometown and make a living there," she says. That means Wang needs to transfer her hukou back again, which she worries will be a troublesome procedure. "I have a friend who graduated last year. She spent a lot of time and energy transferring her hukou back to her hometown again due to complicated paperworks," says Wang. Guidelines for transferring hukou Wang's experience is not uncommon. Many students don't know what their decision means for their future. In order to help these students, Xie Yongqiang, from the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Justice, posted a guideline for transferring hukou on a micro blog. According to Xie, students should firstly think about where they're going to stay. "If you like the city where you're studying and are considering staying there after graduation, then you should transfer your hukou," he wrote. Students should also transfer their hukou if they intend to participate in an exchange program. According to Ju Haojie, deputy director of the household registration department at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, when applying for exchange programs, it saves a lot of trouble if students have a collective hukou registered under the university. But Xie also made suggestions for students with a rural registration. "If your family has land and a house, it's possible that you'll get a share of compensation in the event of a forced relocation. For those students, I would recommend them not to transfer their hukou," he wrote. This doesn't affect students in terms of receiving medical insurance and other benefits at university. 'I want to stay in Beijing' Sometimes, students abandon their rural hukou for the prospect of a better future. Tang Yanwei is one of them. The 23-year-old from Yantai, Shandong province, had a rural hukou but transferred it after enrolling at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture. Although there are a lot of preferential policies for rural residents, for Tang, an urban hukou in Beijing is attractive. "I want to stay in Beijing, so a students' collective Beijing urban hukou is a promising start," he says. "I'll do anything that could help me stay here. After all, there's no turning back for me now." What can we infer from the passage? Answer:
Question: Deep in the Amazon forest, thousands of people still live in from the rest of the world. In a recent press release, the Brazilian government confirmed the existence of another isolated tribe of about 200 people living in the Vale do Javari reservation. The 200 people living in the Vale do Javari reservation. The reservation, located near the Peruvian border, is about the size of Portugal. At least another 14 isolated tribes, with a total population of about 2000, call the area home. The newly observed group lives on four large straw-roofed buildings and grows corn, peanut and other crops. Brazil's National Indian Foundation (BNTF) first noticed the reservation in the forest using satellite maps, but it wasn't until April that an airplane expedition was able to confirm the tribe's existence. "The work of finding and protecting isolated groups is part of Brazilian public policy," said the BNIF officer for Vale do Javari, Fabricio Amorim. "To confirm something like this takes years of hard work." BNIF estimates there are 68 isolated tribes living in the Amazon. The organization uses airplanes to avoid disturbing the tribes through personal contact, but that doesn't mean others are so respectful of their right to privacy. Illegal fishing, woodcutting and hunting bring people into the protected area. Oil exploration on the Peruvian side of the border is another threat. All kinds of criminals also invade the lands of the local groups, said Amorim. The outsiders can damage the land and influence the cultures of indigenous peoples. They can also bring diseases which can wipe out the whole population that still lack even basic antibiotics . Brazil's indigenous peoples won the legal right to their traditional lands in Brazil's 1988 Constitution, which stated that all indigenous lands shall be divided and turned over to tribes within five years. Indigenous groups now control 11 percent of Brazil's territory, including 22 percent of the Amazon. Allowing indigenous groups the right homelands is not just a matter of human rights. The rest of the world can benefit from their knowledge. Mark Plotkin has spent years living with the people of the Amazon and learning from their traditional healers. In his lecture, he pointed out that many useful materials and knowledge, including numerous drugs, can be gained from listening to the indigenous groups of the Amazon. Besides this, they are also more effective at protecting the land, and less expensive, than hired rangers . Which of the following is TRUE according to Amorim? A. Privacy violation is common among the Amazon tribes. B. The laws dividing the lands of the tribes are far from enough. C. Modern civilization endangers the tribes and their cultures. D. It is hard to make public policy to protect primitive tribes. Answer: C Question: I grew up in the 1950s with very practical parents. My mother washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, and then she reused it. She was the earliest recycle queen before people had a name for it. My father was no different. He preferred getting old shoes fixed to -buying new ones. Their marriage was good and their dreams were focused .Their best friends lived just a wave away. Though my parents have passed away, I can see them now - Dad in trousers, a T-shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawnmower in one hand and dishtowel in the other. It was the time to fix things -a curtain rod ,the kitchen radio, the screen door, the oven door, and so on. They fixed all things we had. It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing and renewing made me want to scream.1 wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant being rich. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more. I often thought like that. But then my mother died, and on that clear summer night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I learned that sometimes there isn't any more. Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away and it will never return. So, while we have it, it is the best that we love it, care for it, fix it when it's broken and cure it when it's sick. This is true for marriage, old cars, children with bad report cards, dogs with bad hips and aging parents and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it and because we are worth it. What is the writer's purpose in writing the passage? A. To advise us to love what we have. B. To encourage us to recycle old things. C. To explain why her parents recycled. D. To help us know about life in the past. Answer: A Question: I was in my first year of college, making friends and enjoying life, but then my whole world turned upside down. I had a heart attack. It felt like someone was stabbing me in the chest with a knife over and over again. After three months of rest I went back to college, but then things took a turn for the worse. I was staying at my Nana's house and woke up in the middle of the night with a terrible pain in my chest. I knew I was having a heart attack again. I couldn't even shout for help. Luckily my grandpa was going to the toilet and heard me falling out of bed. If it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't be here. The two holes in my heart were causing the problems and I needed an operation immediately to repair them. Unfortunately, the surgery didn't go well and they only managed to repair one of the holes. When I woke up from the operation, I had a really dry mouth and couldn't wait to have something to eat and drink. The biggest shock of all came when I was told that I needed a heart transplant and was put on the register. The doctors were stunned at how quickly heart failure came on - it usually takes years, but it took my heart less than six months to get to that stage. My whole world came crashing down, but I stayed strong. It was a choice between crying every day and getting on with my life. As time went on, life became even harder. I hated feeling weak all the time and needing help with everything. It got to the point where I thought I would never get a new heart. I was diagnosed with depression. Even though I thought that Christmas 2008 would be my last, I really enjoyed it and even had a good New Year. Everyone was crying for me when the clock struck midnight and they told me to keep fighting. A week later, I got a call from the doctors saying they'd found a suitable donor . My wish came true and thankfully the operation went well. I spent four hours in surgery where they took out my old heart and put a new one in. When I woke up I burst out crying. I had a second chance at life. At the beginning of 2009, the author _ . A. was convinced that the past Christmas had been his last B. felt blessed and grateful for his second chance at life C. received a heart transplant but the operation didn't go well D. felt hopeless all the time and was diagnosed with depression Answer: B Question: Eating Out with Kids When you go out to dine with kids, you need to know the places where kids are not only welcomed, but really catered for. Now we've listed some of the best family-friendly restaurants and cafes. MUMU Grill It offers the perfect family dinner. The children can eat and then play in the park opposite the restaurant while the parents keep a watchful eye. It serves various steaks, and the most popular one is the beefsteak with onion rings. Children will be kept amused by the kids'menus, which feature colouring-in activities. Children are able to colour in a picture of a cow with crayons . Operating Hours: Monday to Friday: 4 pm to 6 pm Saturday to Sunday: 3 am to 7 pm Tel: 9460 6877FlyingFoxCafe It is located in one park in Mona Vale. Near the cafe is a fantastic fenced children's playground, famous for playground facilities including a bike track, walking tracks and a dog walking beach. Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday: 9 am to 4 pm The weather can sometimes influence closing times, so if you are unsure, please call on 9986 0980. Billy Lids It is a unique environment where your child can play safely while you relax in the central cafe area. The indoor playground includes facilities for children up to 11 years old such as a big climbing structure, slides and a jumping castle. There are plenty of food options for the kids, including homemade sausage rolls. Operating Hours: Monday to Thursday: 9 am to 5 pm Friday to Saturday: 9 am to 6 pm Tel: 9916 0350TheGladesvilleBistro Welcome to our revolutionary kid friendly family bistro --where your kids are welcome to play, draw, slip and slide. Our menu includes sandwiches and chips. Your children will receive a free cup of popcorn with every kid's meal purchased. Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday: 11 am to 7 pm Tel: 9816 4052 It can be inferred from the text that _ . A. Flying Fox Cafe only offers dinner for parents and children B. the open time of The Glades ville Bistro is influenced by weather C. MUMU Grill offers free popcorn for children D. Billy Lids does not offer service on Sunday Answer: D Question: Last summer, my family and I went on a trip to the China Dinosaur Park in Changzhou by bus. The one-hour trip seemed very long. We arrived at the park at about 9 a.m. There were many fun places for us to choose from. We first went to the Crazy Firedrake Drill. When I looked at the giant yellow machine, I wasn't afraid at all, But when I was really on it, I felt a little nervous. First, the machine took us to the highest point. We all screamed "Ah". 1 dared not look down. Then it turned around fast and moved very quickly at the same time. The wind was so strong that I couldn't open my eyes. I felt as if I would fall down. 1 couldn't stop screaming through the whole ride. It only moved for a few minutes, but it seemed to be many hours. When the game ended, I was too frightened to walk. Later we took part in the game called "Crossing Jurassic ". After waiting for half an hour, we got into a boat. The boat went into a tall building. It was dark around us. There were many model dinosaurs on both sides. They looked like the real ones. From time to time. the model dinosaurs made some frightening shouts, which sounded terrible. The game ended with a sudden rush from a very high place into a big pool. What an exciting experience! When the writer looked at the giant yellow machine, he _ . A. wasn't afraid B. was too frightened C. was excited D. was nervous Answer: A
London police are well known in the world. Today there are policemen everywhere, but in 1700 there was no policeman in London at all. A few old men used to protect the city streets at night, and they were not paid very much. About 300 years ago, London started to get bigger. The city was very dirty and many people were poor. There were so many thieves who stole money in the streets that people had to stay 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 London Police Force was started with 3,000 officers. Most of the men worked on foot, but a few rode horses. There was no policewoman in London until 1920. Today, London police are quite well paid and only a few police officers still ride horses. Perhaps the London Police Force's greatest achievement is to meet changing conditions and provide excellent police service . The two main reasons for the Force's development were the growth of population and the progress of science and technology. London had 120 Bow Street Runners in the year of _ . A. 1700 B. 1750 C. 1800 D. 1829 Answer: C There is that great idea that in an information and knowledge based economy, the most important thing for companies is attracting and holding outstanding talented guys.Obviously I will not say is not important, but in my opinion a successful and groundbreaking company cannot be built just from the collection of high talented people, as a great sports team can't be constructed only by the collection of great players. It is more important to build teams of people that achieve the goals according to the company's organizational vision.It is necessary to create organizations where everybody (with outstanding talent or not) can develop their best personal capabilities and that these capacities are addressed to achieve the corporate goals and mission.The company efforts must be addressed to design an organizational system that produces and uses talent from everyone in the company. Trying to get the best from our people through corporate team building policies, establishing a concrete corporate culture and values, making our company a place where people want to work because it is a good place to stay and develop their capacities, is the best way to compete in the knowledge economy.That will keep us out of the obligation to constantly seek for the "best players" and entering in the retribution auctions . We have to take into account that, nowadays, the real talented and creative people, like to work or engage themselves in projects where they can develop their capacities, they can be involved in the organizational goals and vision, and where they are treated with respect and dignity.Definitively, they want to be happy doing their jobs.And we have to build organizations where they can find that. .In the author's opinion, a good company should consist of _ . A. only outstanding people B. both talented and common people C. only common people D. more talented people than common people Answer: B Passage 1 Edward's best subject is _ . A. Science B. English C. geography D. History Answer: B Travel is fun and exciting, but it's not if you get sick. You may think, "Not me, I won't get sick in my holiday." But, for many people, that is what happens. Of course you don't want to spend your holiday sick in bed. So what can you do to stay in good health? There are three things you should remember when you travel: relax, sleep, and eat well. A holiday must be a time for relaxing. But very often it is not. Think about what you do when you are a traveller. There are many places to visit: museums, shops, parks, churches. You may spend most days walking around these places. This can be very tiring. You may have a terrible headache after a few hours. If this is the way you feel, you should take a rest. Don't ask your body to do too much. A tired body means a weak body. And a weak body gets sick easily. So sit down for a few hours in a nice place. In good weather, look for a quiet park bench . Or you can stop at a cafe. You can learn a lot by watching people while you rest. Sleep is also important. If you want to stay healthy, you need to get enough sleep. You may have trouble sleeping at night when you travel. There may be too many noises in your hotel or the bed may be uncomfortable. If this is true, don't be afraid to change rooms or hotels. Or you may get enough sleep for another reason. You may want to stay out late at night. In many cities, the nightlife can be very exciting. Then you should plan to sleep for an hour during the day. The extra hour can make a big difference. Finally, if you want to stay healthy, you must eat the right kinds of foods but you need to be careful about how much you eat. Lots of food is not good for you. So, remember this, if you want to enjoy your holiday, take care of yourself. Give your body some rest. Get enough sleep and eat good, healthy food. Why can you have a terrible headache while visiting these places? A. Because you don't like these places B. Because some place makes you feel headache C. Because you feel boring to visit these places. D. Because there are so many places to visit. Answer: D Between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago, some humans discontinued their wandering hunting and gathering and settled down to farm. Grain was the first domesticated crop that started that farming process. The oldest proven records of brewing are about 6,000 years old and refer to the Sumerians. Sumeria lay between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers including Southern Mesopotamia. It is said that the Sumerians discovered the fermentation process by chance. No one knows today exactly how this occurred, but it could be that a piece of bread or grain became wet and a short time later, it began to ferment. The Sumerians were able to repeat this process and are assumed to be the first civilized culture to brew beer. They had discovered a "divine drink" which certainly was a gift from the gods. The word beer comes from the Latin word bibere, meaning "to drink", and the Spanish word cerveza originates from the Greek goddess of agriculture, Ceres. A vitamin-rich porridge, used daily, beer is reported to have increased health and longevity and reduced disease and malnutrition . The self-medicating properties of alcohol-rich beer also eased the tensions and stresses of daily living in a hostile world. The use of yeast was not yet known at that time. The success of the fermentation process was left to chance, as the brewers unknowingly relied on yeast particles in the air. Considerable scientific research took place in breweries in the 19th century. A famous work from 1876 by Louis Pasteur was Studies Concerning Beer where he revealed his knowledge of micro-organisms. By establishing that yeast is a living microorganism, Pasteur opened the gates for accurately controlling the conversion of sugar to alcohol. Another discovery in beer brewing was the work of Christian Hansen, a Danish scientist, who successfully isolated a single yeast cell and induced it to reproduce on an artificial culture medium. With the resulting yeast multiplication methods, the purity of the fermenting process has been improved. Which would be the best title for the text? A. The beer culture. B. The history of beer. C. The earliest brewery. D. Methods of brewing beer. Answer: B
Question: There are three separate sources of danger in supplying energy by nuclear power. First, the radioactive material must travel from its place of production to the power station. Although the power stations themselves are strongly built, the containers used for the transport of the materials are not. Normally, only two methods of transport are in use, namely road or rail. Unfortunately, both of these may have an effect on the general public, since they are sure to pass near, or even through, heavily populated areas. Second, there is the problem of waste. All nuclear power stations produce wastes that in most cases will remain radioactive for thousands of years. It is impossible to make these wastes non-radioactive, and so they must be stored in one of the inconvenient ways that scientists have invented. For example, they may be buried under the ground, or dropped into deserted mines, or sunk in the sea. However, these methods do not solve the problem, since an earthquake could easily break the containers. Third, there may occur the danger of a leak or an explosion at the power station. As with the other two dangers, this is not very likely, so it does not provide a serious objection (,) to the nuclear program. However, it can happen. Separately, these three types of dangers are not a great cause for worry. Taken together, though, the probability of disaster is extremely high. The author thinks that the ways to store nuclear wastes are _ . A. easy B. impossible C. reasonable D. ineffective Answer: D. ineffective Question: When bedrock in Massachusetts is examined, it often appears scraped and polished. Which of the following most likely caused the bedrock to appear scraped and polished? A. crustal deformation B. frequent earthquakes C. glacial movement D. volcanic eruptions Answer: C. glacial movement Question: Sunny English Club For students 16:00 - 18:00 Every Saturday 200 Yuan a month 9 Zhou Yu Street Tel: 3785290 Foreign teachers, English songs and films and more! Ocean Museum 9:00--17:00 From Thursday to Sunday Ticket: 50 yuan 132 Xue Yuan Street Tel: 5439871 Show you a full picture of sea lives! Health Centre 9:00--17:30 16 Yong Le Street Tel: 3801451 Free examinations for those over 70 Give you good advice to keep healthy! , One can get free exams in Health Centre if he is _ . A. 9 B. 17 C. 67 D. 73 Answer: D. 73 Question: More than 50,000,000 people live in the rainforests of the world and most of them do not hurt the forest they live in. They eat the fruits that grow on the forest trees, but they do not cut them down. They kill some animals to eat, but they do not destroy them. When we cut down the rainforests, we destroy these forest people, too. In 1900, there were 1,000,000 forest people in the Amazon forest. In 1980, there were only 200,000. The Yanomami live along the rivers of the rainforest in the north of Brazil. They have lived in the rainforest for about 10,000 years and they use more than 2,000 different plants for food and for medicine. But in 1988, someone found gold in their forest, and suddenly 45,000 people came to the forest and began looking for gold. They cut down the forest to make roads. They made more than a hundred airports. The Yanomami people lost land and food. Many died because new diseases came to the forest with the strangers. The Yanomami people tried to save their forest, because it was their home. But the people who wanted gold were stronger. Many forest people try to save their forests. Chico Mendes was famous in Brazil because he wanted to keep the forest for his people. "I want the Amazon forest to help all of us-forest people Brazil, and all the Earth," he said. A few months later, in December 1988, people who wanted to cut down the forest killed Chico Mendes. In Borneo, people were cutting down the forest of the Penan people to sell the wood. The Penan people tried to save their rainforest. They made _ across the roads into the forest. In 1987, they closed fifteen roads for eight months. No one cut down any trees during that time. In Panama, the Kuna people saved their forest. They made a forest park which tourists pay to visit. The Gavioes people of Brazil use the forest, but they protect it as well. They find and sell the Brazil nuts which grow on the forest trees. The people who _ have destroyed the rainforest of the Yanomami. A. pick fruits and kill animals to eat B. use plants for food and medicine C. have lived there for about ten thousand years D. made the roads and the airports Answer: D. made the roads and the airports Question: 1.2 million road deaths worldwide occur each year, plus a further 50 million injuries. Toreduce car crash rate, much research now is focused on safety and new fuelsthough some electric vehicle and biofuel research aims at going faster. Traveling at speed has always been risky. One cutting edge area of research in motoring safety is the use of digital in-car assistants. They can ensure you don't miss key road signs or fall asleep. The use of artificial intelligence software allows these assistants to monitor your driving and makes sure your phone or radio doesn't distract you at a vital moment. Most crashes result from human and not mechanical faulfs. Some safety developments aim to improve your vision. Radar can spot obstacles in fog, while other technology "sees through" high-sided vehicles blocking your view. And improvements to seat belts, pedal controls and tyres are making driving smoother and safer. The color1 of a car has been found to be linked with safety, as have, less surprisingly, size and shape. And alternatives to fossil-fuel based petrol, such as plant oils, are a hot area of research. Fuel cells based on hydrogen burn cleanly, and are the subject of a serious research effort. But whatever is in the fuel tank,you don't want a thief in the driving seat and there have been many innovations ,some using satellite tracking and remote communications, to fight against car theft. These communication systems can also come into play if you crash, automatically calling for help. Accidents cause many traffic jams, but there are slighter interplays between vehicles that can cause jams even on a clear but busy road, such jams can be analyzed using statistical tools. Robotic drivers could be programmed to make traffic flow smoothly and will perhaps one day be everyone's personal tool, but their latest efforts suggest that won't be soon. What has been researched to improve the safety of a car according to the passage? A. Some developments in seat belts, pedal controls and tyres. B. .A digital camera that can help drivers to see obstacles in fog. C. .Satellite tracking that can help drivers to improve their vision. D. Artificial intelligence that help drivers to see through big vehicles. Answer: A. Some developments in seat belts, pedal controls and tyres.
Question: The advantages of Eating Fruits & Vegetables Vegetables and fruit are good for your health because of a lot of vitamins, nutrients and fiber in them. Fruits and vegetables are regarded as a healthy diet without adding chemicals or additives for carrying or storing foods. The United States Department of Agriculture suggests eating plenty of fruits and vegetables every day to get the advantages of eating a healthy diet. Disease Prevention The United States Department of Agriculture tells that eating fruits and vegetables helps fight strokes, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Because of the potassium in fruits and vegetables, they can prevent the risk of developing kidney stones. The fiber in fruits and vegetables helps the body fight against coronary heart disease. Idea Health Since fruits and vegetables add to a balanced and healthy diet, eating these will help you with your idea. The vitamins in fruits and vegetables helps fight depress , according to the Mental Health Foundation. Vitamin B and folic acid found in some vegetables and bananas help you to relax. Eating fruits and vegetables can also help improve memory. Healthy Weight Eating fruits and vegetables helps you have a healthy weight. Fruits and vegetables naturally include less energy than other foods, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The fiber and water in the fruits and vegetables make you feel that you are full, so you will not feel that you have to eat more food. According to the passage, eating plenty of vegetables and fruit can't _ . A. prevent disease B. improve memory C. help you have a healthy weight D. let you want to eat more food Answer: D. let you want to eat more food Question: When Dean Arnold got his first job, he was miserable , Each time he went to work, he coughed and he couldn't breathe. Working in a bakery when you are allergic to (...) flour can be painful. But Arnold stayed with the National Biscuit Company for ten years. He was a businessman and he helped them improve production. At last his health problems became too serious. He left and formed his own company. With his wife and mother, he founded Arnold Bakery. They tried new recipes changing the kind and amount of flour used. This enabled Arnold to work there without too much pain. The bread, made with unbleached flour , was baked in a brick oven . They began by baking two dozen loaves. The bread was sold door to door for fifteen cents a loaf. Winning customers to his unusual, old-fashioned bread took time. But Arnold, struggling against his allergy, built his bakery into one of the largest in the United States. From the passage we can conclude that Arnold was _ . A. determined B. brave C. unusual D. unhealthy Answer: A. determined Question: In promising to fuse media as diverse as television, telephone communication, video games, music and data transmission, the era of digital convergence goes better than yesterday's celebrated "information superhighway." Yet achieving this single technology is far from straightforward. There are currently three major television broadcast standards, and they are all incompatible with each other. But this is nothing compared to the many technologies supporting the Internet, each with a different bandwidth and physical media. The problems faced in designing platforms and communication systems that will be accepted across the world can appear insuperable. Even once global standards are assured, however, a further obstacle lies in wait. The Internet is plagued by long, erratic (,) response times because it is a pull-technology, driven by patterns of user demands. Push-technology, on the other hand, reverses the relationship: servers simply send information to passive users, as in television and radio. But if some form of combination between one-way television flow and interactive Internet is to be the basis of our future media, it is hard to see how it could be operated. Moreover, the problem of fusing Internet with television is also one of defining the services offered. Information, entertainment and relaxation appear at first to be quite different needs. Serious doubts remain over whether consumers will be interested in having to make the sort of mental effort associated with computing while also settling down in front of a sitcom . Besides the issue of consumer habits, infrastructurecosts are set to be immense, and will have to be met by national states or the private sector before being passed on to users. Platforms do not necessarily have to be expensive. The mobile phone is a good example of how something that is technologically sophisticated can almost be given away, with its cost recovered through service charges. Users are then coercedthrough clever marketing to upgrade to newer phones with more features to reinforce their dependence. Whatever the outcome, it is obvious that technology will play an increasing part in our everyday lives. Beyond technology, digital convergence embraces the services, industrial practices and social behavior that form modern society. We have in our hands the technology to construct the most sophisticated machines ever built, but if they are unusable, simply because of their operating instructions, then recent lessons have taught us they will not survive. Whatever we design must be simple, reliable and useful. Perhaps this is where artificial intelligence will come in. By digital convergence, the author means _ . A. diversification of the communication systems. B. .separating entertainment and communication. C. integrating the various means of media. D. straightforward transmission of data. Answer: C. integrating the various means of media. Question: Drink drivers could be prohibited from driving under the influence if new technology from Nissan is introduced. The Japanese car maker has developed a new odor detection system designed to prevent drivers from operating a car if they are over the legal limit. The system works by using a series of sensors to detect the level of alcohol the driver has consumed. A high-sensitivity alcohol odor sensor is built into the gear stick , which is able to detect the presence of the driver's palm as he or she attempts to start driving. If the alcohol level detected is above a pre-determined limit, the system automatically locks the transmission , immobilizing the car. A voice alert is also issued via the car navigation system telling the driver that he or she is over the limit. Extra sensors are also placed in the driver and passenger seats and a warning is issued if these sensors detect the presence of alcohol in the air inside the vehicle cabin. While still in the developmental stage the concept of drink driving detectors being built into cars has generally been welcomed by many drivers. Nissan said the technology is part of a project aimed at halving the number of fatalities and serious injuries in Nissan cars by 2015 compared to 2005 levels. The driver's attitude toward the detection system is that of _ . A. annoyance B. welcome C. unconcern D. doubt Answer: B. welcome Question: According to a recent survey, Canadian parents realize their role as protectors and providers to raise their children both emotionally and physically. That's not very different from the way our parents saw themselves. But with more two-career families and busy schedules, one thing parents today recognize more than ever is the need to set aside special time for their children. These 'nurturing moments' are changed into memories that they will treasure all their lives. Nurturing moments might be the time between our work and life,bringing your child to work with you to see what you do during the day,visiting your child's make-believe world,discussing his other school day and exploring the natural world outside your door. These times are not merely a luxury , they're a necessity. It's during these moments that parents pass values and attitudes to their children. Over time, children pick up good habits and positive self-image. Here are a few tips for making the most of your family time together: Regularly sit down as a family to share a meal. Allow each person to describe something interesting about his or her day. Make one night a week family night. Family members take turns choosing a special activity for the evening everyone partakes in the fun. Show your children you care about their interests by having them teach you about their activity or hobby. Nurturing healthy children involves body, mind and spirit. The little things you do to your care are the building blocks for confidence, self-esteem and a healthy outlook. By giving your children these tools, you prepare them for life. Present-day parents are different from those in the past mainly because _ . A. they need more time to spend on their children B. they pay more attention to their children's health C. they are much busier with their work D. the role they play in bringing up children is different Answer: C. they are much busier with their work
A bus stops at a small bus stop. A man is hungry and he wants to buy some cakes. It's raining hard, he doesn't want to go out in the rain. He sees a boy. "Come here, boy!" he cries. "Do you know how much the cakes are?" The boy says yes. The man gives the boy four dollars and asks him to buy two cakes. "One is for you and one is for me." Three minutes later, the boy comes back. He's eating a cake. He gives the man two dollars and says: "Sorry, there is only one cake left." How much are they if we buy five cakes? A. five dollars B. Four dollars C. Ten dollars D. Fifteen dollars Answer: C Steven Jobs, the CEO of Apple, was not a good student when he was in school. At that time, he always got into trouble with his schoolmates. When he went to college, he didn't change a lot. Then he dropped out . But he was full of new ideas. After that, Steven Jobs worked as a video game designer in a company. He worked there only for a few months and then he went to India. He hoped that the trip would give him some new ideas and a new chance to change his life. Steven Jobs lived on a farm in California for a year after he returned from India. In 1975, he began to make a new type of computer. He designed the first Apple Computer with his friend in his garage. He chose the name"Apple"just because it reminded him of a happy summer he once spent in an apple orchard. His first Apple Computer was a great success. Because of this, Steven Jobs soon became famous all over the world. Steven Jobs always got into trouble with _ in school. A. his schoolmates B. his parents C. his teachers D. his brothers Answer: A GUATEMALA CITY(Reuters)---- A fish that lives in mangrove swamps across the Americas can live out of water for months at a time, similar to how animals adapted to land millions of years ago, a new study shows. The Mangrove Rivulus, a type of small killifish, lives in small pools of water in a certain type of empty nut or even old beer cans in the mangrove swamps of Belize, the United States and Brazil. When their living place dries up, they live on the land in logs , said Scott Taylor, a researcher at the Brevard Endangered Lands Program in Florida . The fish, whose scientific name is Rivulus marmoratus, can grow as large as three inches. They group together in logs and breathe air through their skin until they can find water again. The new scientific discovery came after a trip to Belize. "We kicked over a log and the fish just came crowding out," Taylor told Reuters in neighboring Guatemala by telephone. He said he will make his study on the fish known to the public in an American magazine early next year. In lab tests, Taylor said he found the fish can live up to 66 days out of water without eating. Some other fish can live out of water for a short period of time. The walking catfish found in Southeast Asia can stay on land for hours at a time, while lungfish found in Australia, Africa and South America can live out of water, but only in an inactive state. But no other known fish can be out of water as long as the Mangrove Rivulus and remain active, according to Patricia Wright, a biologist at Canada's University of Guelph. Further studies of the fish may tell how animals changed over time. "These animals live in conditions similar to those that existed millions of years ago, when animals began making the transition form water onto land, " Wright said. What can we say about the discovery of Mangrove Rivulus? A. It was made quite by accident. B. It was based on a lab test of sea life. C. It was supported by an American magazine. D. It was helped by Patricia Wright. Answer: A Do you know why different animals or pests have their special colors? Colors in them seem to be mainly used to protect themselves. Some birds like eating locusts , but birds cannot easily catch them. Why? It is because locusts change their colors with the change of the colors of crops. When crops are green, locusts look green. But as the harvest time comes, locusts change into the same brown color as crops have. Some other pests whose colors are different form plants are easily found and eaten by others. So they have to hide themselves for lives and appear only at night. If you study the animals' life, you'll find the main use of colors is to protect themselves. Bears, lions and other animals move quietly through forests. They cannot be easily seen by hunters because their colors are much like the trees. Colors are useful not only on the land, but also in the sea. A kind of fish in the sea can give out a kind of black liquid when the fish face danger. The liquid spreads over quickly, so they cannot be found by their enemies and can quickly swim away. That is why they live safely though they are not strong at all. According to the passage, the fish can keep safe because _ . A. they can change their colors B. they can give out a kind of liquid C. they are strong enough D. they swim faster than any other fish Answer: B Welcome to WeKnowDiets.com. We have compiled the most comprehensive database of information for people who are looking for a trimmer body and healthier lifestyle. There are now thousands of Weight-Loss Products and Diet Programs available to choose from-that can be a little confusing. Our goal is to give you a quick snapshot of what options are available to you. We will inform you of the hottest new ingredients and which products and programs bring you the most quality and best results. The most popular ones NuPhedrine-burn 500 more calories per day NuPhedrine is probably one of the best weight-loss pills ever made. What is so impressive about this pill is that the makers can honestly say that you WILL burn at least 500 more calories per day just by taking NuPhedrine. _ Miracle Fat Burning Cream Imagine being able to target your problem areas for rapid results. Now you can do just that. We have found that Miracle Fat Burning Cream is clinically proven to burn fat and it uses a patented delivery technology that works immediately. _ Alli Diet Pill This diet pill, claims to provide weight loss that "won't be easy". This product does not seem to promise particularly fast results, and instead emphasizes gradual weight loss. The accompanying book is intended to act as a companion to the weight-loss product. _ Bikini Boot Camp-14 days for a bikini body It is a customized back-to-basics system, which, regardless of its name, is actually about putting "fun" back into exercise while eating in a balanced way. The developers of this diet system make it accessible to everyone by bringing it into people's homes-in both a book and an online-based plan. _ The passage is intended for those _ . A. with a slim figure B. with high blood pressure C. who are very fat D. who seek for a healthy diet Answer: C
If you love reading books, you must know about the book The Little Prince. It's a famous novel written by a French writer. As one of the best-selling books in history, it has been sold as many as 200 million copies in 253 languages and dialects . Now, around seventy years after the birth of the book, an American director has found a way to make it into a 3D animated film. The book tells the story of a pilot, called The Aviator, who crashes into the desert and meets a young prince there. However, in the film, the story starts years after the crash when The Aviator is much older. He has got a new neighbor called The Little Girl, whose mother wants her to get ready to enter the grown-up world. Slowly, the Aviator shares his story with The Little Girl by writing it down and sending her a page at a time. The pages are complete with the pictures in the book, speaking about his time in the desert and taking The Little Girl to an amazing world where anything is possible. China is the first country in the world to see the film in two versions--in Chinese and English. The film shows The Little Girl's life and tells The Little Prince's story at the same time in a beautiful way. Huang Lei, who voices the film together with his 9-year-old daughter, says the film is like a childhood dream which is lost by most adults in this stressed-out society. "The most touching part is that every one of us was a good-natured kid like the Little Prince, and it's a pity that this good characteristic goes away as time flies," he says. , The book The Little Prince is one of the best-selling books in history because _ . A you must know about it if you love reading books B it shows The Little Prince's story in a beautiful way C it has been sold as many as 200 million copies in 253 languages and dialects D the director has made it into a 3D animated film Answer: C The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the eleventh largest nation in Europe. England, Wales and Scotland make up the island of Great Britain, which takes up most of the Britain Isles. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are mountainous. The highest mountain is Ben Nevis in Scotland. Plains and valleys cover much of England. The British climate is mild. About 58 million people live in the United Kingdom. Few other countries are so crowded. Four out of five people live in cities such as Belfast, Glasgow, and London. London is the capital. Great Britain grows half of the food it needs. Its industries help to pay for the food that is bought from abroad. The United Kingdom manufactures a wide range of goods. Service industries, such as tourism, that provide services rather than producing goods, are increasing. Traditional industries, such as coal mining, are declining. There are many mountains in _ . A Northern Ireland, Scotland and England B England, Wales and Scotland C Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland D Northern Ireland, Wales and England Answer: C Tom and Mike are good friends. They are kind to children. They want to find summer jobs. One day Tom tells Mike that Beidaihe Kids Summer Camp needs help with sports, music and computers. They are both very glad to hear this. Tom can play basketball and volleyball, and he can swim, too. Mike can play the violin, the trumpet, the drums and the guitar. Tom and Mike like computers very much. Can they join the Summer Camp? . What do Tom and Mike both like? A Football. B Computers. C Swimming. D Sports. Answer: B Nowadays more and more young athletes are taking part in the risky activities called "extreme sports" or "X-sports". In the past young athletes would play baseball. Today, they want risk and excitement -- the closer to the edge, the better. They snowboard over cliff and hike deep mountains. Extreme sports started as an alternative to more expensive sports such as golf. A city kid who couldn't afford expensive sports equipment could get a skateboard and have fun. But now it has become a whole new area of sports, with specialized equipment and high levels of skill. There is even an Olympics for extreme sports, called the winter x-game, which includes snow mountain hiking and ice climbing. What makes extreme sports so popular? Maybe it's because people love the risk. City people want to be outdoors on the weekends and do something challenging. The new equipment is so much better that people can take more risks without getting hurt. Sure there's a risk. Once you go mountain hiking or snowboarding, it's impossible to go back to have riding or skiing. It's just too boring. Now even the older crowd is starting to join in. Every weekend, groups of friends in their early 30s get together. On weekdays they work as computer programmers in the same office. On weekends they hike mountains together. Extreme sports are certainly not for everyone. Most people still prefer to play basketball or watch sports on TV. But it has been a fact that extreme sports are gaining popularity. The main idea of this passage is _ . A extreme sports are certainly not for everyone B the benefits and costs of extreme sports C the development of extreme sports D what makes extreme sports so popular Answer: C Do you feel you have enough time to do all the things you have to do or want to do? How do you think you could plan your day better? A daily schedule will help you plan every part of it. If you learn to manage your time, you will probably feel less worried. Here is how to do it. 1. Take out a piece of paper and a ruler. Draw a form of your waking hours, using one square for each half an hour. If you're awake for 16 hours each day, you will need 32 squares: 8 across, 4 down.2. Sit down and examine your day. Make a list of all the things you need to do. Think about when you should do them. 3. Fill out your schedule. 4. Remember to give yourself breaks. If doing all of your homework at one time is too much, schedule a little bit of free time in the middle of it. 5. If you have an important thing to do but it's not on your schedule, _ other activities around it. 6. Think about using different colored pens for your different activities. In this way, you'll clearly know how your day is planned out. The writer thinks that _ . A nobody has enough time to do everything he should do B people can use time better by making a daily schedule C it's good to have dinner before homework D students should finish all of their homework at one time Answer: B
Question: Every year seals would crowd ashore in Farne Island and give birth to their pups. Between early October and early December, 1,500 seal pups will be born. Almost half of them will not make it past the first three weeks of life. "The pups have to stay out of the water for the first three weeks, when they have their white coat, which is not very waterproof," explains the warden ,who spends nine months on the Island. "But when you're born in November on a rock in the North Sea, it's a tough start to life," he said. Storms often wash young pups into the water. And occasionally, young, inexperienced mothers abandon their pups and head out to sea. "We lost 41% last year," said David Steel, the National Trust's head warden on the Farne Islands. "Mother Nature certainly keeps them in check." Despite the early challenges for every newborn seal, the population is healthily and slowly and steadily growing. There are almost 4,000 seals on a set of islands, which is named a Special Area of Conservation(SAC), meaning it is protected under EU regulations. This successful human safeguarding of the seals' habitat is huge turnaround . Just a few decades ago, the seal population was deliberately _ The animals used to be thought of as a threat to local fish stocks. During the late 1960s and 1970s, thousands of seals were shot in a cull that aimed to protect the local fishing industry. According to the National Trust, between 1962 and 1983 approximately 2,000 adult females and 3,000 pups were shot. But, as the fishing industry collapsed, it was gradually replaced by tourism. Today, several companies use fishing boats to take groups of people to visit the islands and admire the scenery, seabirds and, of course, the seals that make their homes in this bleakly beautiful place. According to David Steel, death of so many pups _ . A. is a normal and natural phenomenon B. is mainly caused by farmers' killing C. can be prevented efficiently by man D. will be controlled by Mother Nature Answer: A. is a normal and natural phenomenon Question: The moral view of violence, labeling it as bad and wrong, has done little to end it. The alternative view is to release our judgments and see violence for what it is: a form of suffering. This is a difficult change for many people. Not only are they in the habit of making knee-jerk judgments, but violent people cause harm, and therefore their suffering seems to deserve less sympathy. You hurt me, so why should I have sympathy for you? It should be the other way around. Does it take a saint to make the change from strong anger to sympathy? Turning points arrive when we can make a choice not to suffer in silence. We then strike a soul bargain that is fearful but necessary. The bargain is that redemption is possible through love.The absence of love is absolutely the problem, and love is absolutely the solution. We don't have to reach into another area to locate the magic power of love that is available to us here and now. _ The rule is constant work on the spiritual path to clear away the obstacles that prevent love from coming through us. The work is much more like working on blocked pipe system than it is like copying a saint. Hope is the emotion that keeps this dogged work even when results seem to be slow or impossible. Can I love the terrorist who harms my country? Can I love the criminal who wants to harm me? At the level of the soul I already do, and the spiritual path is a means to arrive at that level. No one is required to leap into sudden sympathy for terrorists, or even to announce publicly that our enemies deserve love. But in our souls each of us harbors the knowledge that only love is going to bring violence to an end. No matter how you and I live our outward lives, our spiritual lives must remain devoted to that vision. Why should violent people deserve sympathy? A. Because we should perform like a saint. B. Because love is absolutely the solution. C. Because our spiritual lives must remain devoted to that vision. D. Because they are first in suffering then choose violence, so they need love. Answer: D. Because they are first in suffering then choose violence, so they need love. Question: Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. This is an old English saying. Do you know it before? It says that we must go to bed early and get up early in the morning. Then we should be healthy. We should also be rich (wealthy) and clever (wise). This is true. The body must have enough sleep to be healthy. Children of a young age should have ten hours' sleep every night. Children who don't have enough sleep can't do their work very well. They will not be wise and they may not become wealthy! The body also needs exercise. Walking, running, jumping, swimming and playing games are all exercise. Exercise keeps the body strong. Exercise also keeps the blood moving around inside the body. This is very important. Our blood takes food to all parts of our body. The head also needs blood. Exercise helps us to think better! If a child doesn't have 10 hours' sleep every night, he _ . A. will become wise B. won't do well in his work C. will have to sleep in the daytime D. can't go to school in time Answer: B. won't do well in his work Question: Once in a blue moon, there is one on New Year's Eve. Revelers ringing in 2010 will be treated to a so-called blue moon. According to popular definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a month. But don't expect it to be blue - the name has nothing to do with the color of our closest celestial neighbor. A full moon occurred on December 2. It will appear again on Thursday in time for the New Year's countdown. The New Year's Eve blue moon will be visible in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Africa. For partygoers in Australia and Asia, the full moon does not show up until New Year's Day, making January a blue moon month for them. A full moon occurs every 29.5 days, and most years have 12. On average, an extra full moon in a month - a blue moon - occurs every 2.5 years. The last time there was a lunar double take was in May 2007. New Year's Eve blue moons are rarer, occurring every 19 years. The last time was in 1990; the next one won't come again until 2028. "Blue moons have no astronomical significance," said Greg Laughlin, an astronomer at the University of California. "`Blue moon' is just a name in the same sense as a `hunter's moon'(a full moon in octorber) or a `harvest moon,'" Laughlin said in an e-mail. The popular definition of blue moon came about after a writer for Sky & Telescope magazine in 1946 misinterpreted the Maine Farmer's Almanac and labeled a blue moon as the second full moon in a month. In fact, the almanac defined a blue moon as the third full moon in a season with four full moons. What would be the best title for the passage ? A. Rare New Year's Eve Blue Moon to Ring in 2010 B. Blue Moon to Take Us Good Fortune C. The Best Time to Observe Blue Moon D. The Reason for Blue Moon's Appearing Answer: A. Rare New Year's Eve Blue Moon to Ring in 2010 Question: Jenny is a nice girl. She likes to playing soccer. And she watches soccer games on TV every day. But she doesn't like playing baseball. She has some friends in her class. They are Tom, Mary, Susan and Linda. Tom likes playing ping - pong. He has some nice ping - pong bats, He usually plays ping - pong with his friends after school. Mary likes playing volleyball. She is in a volleyball club .But she doesn't like playing basketball. Susan likes singing. She has many CDs. They are in her desk. Linda is ten years old. She doesn't like doing any sports, but she likes making model planes. How many friends does Jenny have in her class? A. Two. B. Three. C. Four. D. Five. Answer: C. Four.
When can I get a cell phone?" The answer is when your parents think you need one, though many kids seem to be getting them around age 12 or 13. Some younger kids may have them because their parents see it as a matter of safety and convenience. For example, a kid can call mom and dad when sports practice is over. And a cell phone can give kids almost instant access to their parents if something goes wrong or they need help. It can give parents quick access to their kids so they can check on them and make sure they're OK. If you do get a cell phone, make some rules with your parents, such as how many minutes you're allowed to spend on the phone, when you can use your phone, when the phone must be turned off, and what you will do if someone calls you too often, and so on. You'll also have to learn to take care of the phone in your life. Keep it charged and store it in the safe place so it doesn't get lost. And whatever you do, don't use it in the bathroom. I know someone who dropped her phone in the toilet! Parents buy cell phones for their kids because _ . Hi! Let me tell you something about my beautiful house. There is a small garden in front of it. There are many beautiful flowers in the garden. Behind my house there is a big tree. Some birds always sing in it early in the morning. Near the tree, you can see a _ . Our new car is in it now. My house is a two-storey building. On the first floor, there is a large living room, a dining room, a kitchen and a bathroom. I like watching TV in the living room. On the second floor, there is a small study and two bedrooms. I love to play computer games in my study. It's a nice house. I like it a lot. The computer is in the _ . Edda, a Little Valkyrie's First Day of School Written and illustrated by Adam Auerbach. 32 pp. Christy Ottaviano/Holt. $15.50. Edda's home is in Asgard, "a land full of magic and adventure." But Edda, the littlest Valkyrie, doesn't have quite enough to do, until her father flies her "all the way to Earth for the first day of school." The contrast between home and school is hard to get used to (in one, she can ride reindeer; in the other she gazes guinea pig through glass at the classroom). In his first picture book, Auerbach mixes the two worlds perfectly. Children are likely to appreciate the joke. Planet Kindergarten By Sue Ganz-Schmitt. Illustrated by Shane Prigmore. 32 pp. Chronicle. $14.99. After careful preparations and a successful blastoff, a boy finds himself in a very unfamiliar environment. "We're aliens from many galaxies on Planet Kindergarten," he reflects as he sees his very varied classmates for the first time. Prigmore, who designs for the movie industry, uses black backgrounds and bright colors to give this space adventure visual excitement and humor. The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade By Justin Roberts. Illustrated by Christian Robinson. 42 pp. Putnam. $18.99. It makes sense that the author of the long, rhyming lines in "The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade" is a children's music performer. The story is about the power of one small person to fight prejudice. Sally, whom no one ever seems to notice, is "paying super extra special attention" to the "terrible stuff" happening around her. When she decides to take action, she's not alone for long. And Two Boys Booed By Judith Viorst. 32 pp. Margaret Ferguson/Farrar, Straus & Giroux. $16.59. Ever felt quietly confident one minute, and a shaking mess the next? In Viorst's story about determination, a little boy wakes up thinking about singing his song in the class talent show. The book The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade was published by _ . Our room was on the second floor but you could still hear the roar of the ocean and see the stars at night. I used to take long walks along the water. The food in town was wonderful and the people were very friendly. The area was very quiet and peaceful, and fairly deserted. The last evening of our vacation, however, we all heard strange footsteps following closely behind us as we were walking up to our room in the holiday centre. We turned around and noticed a fairly young man moving very rapidly across the beach and getting closer to us. He was tall and wore a baseball cap. We didn't have any cell phones on us. I never saw Dad as worried as he was then and knew that something was terribly wrong. The sense of fear started to _ Mom and me. We had had such a good time in town. Now, the night was rapidly turning into a dangerous situation. We could hear the man's footsteps getting closer. Dad's face was almost pale. The so-called intruder had moved nearer and nearer when all of a sudden, the nearby vending machine started going crazy and spitting out cans of soda! The noise actually scared the intruder and he ran out of sight. My parents were shaking, but we all turned around to see who had put money into the vending machine downstairs, and actually saved us, but no one was around at all.Not a soul. It's one vacation I will never forget. What happened on the last evening of their vacation? Some materials are electrical conductors. Which material best conducts electricity?
Question: Mr Smith likes to be exact . One day when he is walking in the street ,a woman comes and asks him, "Excuse me, where's the nearest bookshop?" "The nearest bookshop? You have to cross a bridge and then turn to the right. When you see a post office, turn left. You can see a shop between a bank and a school on your right." "Is it far?" "No, it is not far. You can go there on foot." "Is the bridge long?" "Yes, it's about thirty metres." The woman thanks him and goes towards(, ) the bridge. Suddenly she hears someone running after her."Stop!" Mr Smith shouts."I'm sorry. I just remember the bridge is forty metres long. If you go thirty metres and then turn to the right as I told you, you will fall into the river." Mr Smith follows the woman to _ . A. go with her together B. lead her to the shop himself C. tell her the shortest way D. warn her not to fall into the river Answer: D. warn her not to fall into the river Question: The Canadian red and white maple leaf flag is officially called the National Flag of Canada. The Canadian flag shows a stylized red maple leaf with 11 points on a white background, with red borders down each side. The Canadian flag is twice as long as it is wide. The white square containing the red maple leaf is the same width as the flag. The red and the white used in the National Flag of Canada were proclaimed the official colors of Canada in 1921 by King George V. Although the maple leaf did not have its official status as a symbol of Canada until the announcement of the national flag in 1965, it had historically been used as a Canadian symbol, and was used in 1860 in decorations for the visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada. The 11 points on the maple leaf have no special significance. In the early days,the Royal Union Flag,or the Union Jack, was still flown in British North America. In 1925 and again in 1946, the Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King tried to get a national flag of Canada adopted, but failed. In 1964,Prime Minister Lester Pearson appointed a 15-member, all-party committee to come up with a design for a new flag. The committee was given six weeks to complete its task. The committee studied 2,000 submitted designs as well as 3,900 that had been gathered as a result of the 1946 committee's study. Those designs with a chance of being accepted were given to the full committee for further study. The suggestion of a red and white single maple leaf design for the Canadian flag came from George Stanley, a professor at the Royal Military College. After a heated discussion, _ finally decided on his suggestion. When did Canada have its own national flag? A. In 1921. B. In 1860. C. In 1964. D. In 1965. Answer: D. In 1965. Question: It's summer movie time again. Check out our list of four films. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Release Date: November 4 Story: It's the summer before Harry Potter's third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A dangerous murderer, Sirius Black, has escaped from the Wizards' Prison. And he was ordered to kill Harry Potter. Around the World in 80 Days Release Date: November 16 Story: This version of the classic novel set in 1872 focuses on Passepartout ( Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan), a Chinese thief who seeks refuge with a strange London adventurer, Phileas Fogg. Passepartout uses his martial art skills to defend Fogg from danger as he travels around the world in 80 days. Spider-Man 2 Release Date: November 30 Story: Peter Parker is still coming to accept his dual identity as the crime superhero Spider-Man. He wants to reveal his secret identity to Mary Jane, meanwhile, his Aunt May is in trouble. This is Dr Otto Octavius who has appeared to bring her a lot of troubles. King Arthur Release Date: November 7 Story: King Arthur is presented as a clever ruler who manages to unite all the knights in Britain. Under the guidance of Merlin and the beautiful, brave Guinevere, Arthur will struggle to realize his dreams. When can you see the film acted by Jackie Chan? A. November 4. B. November 30. C. November 16. D. November 7. Answer: C. November 16. Question: Wonderful places can he visited at a low price. You call visit the following places with hotel rates and services that are down the average. SOUTH AFRICA Nelson Mandela's hotel rate is 8 percent down compared to the previous years. You can enjoy safari or just hang out with the free-walking penguins on Boulders Beach, Cape Town. Let's take the case of Kruger National Park. The entrance fee is 20 USD(14.51 EUR). In the Park, you will discover wild animals of Africa such as buffalo, weaver, elephant shrew, leopard tortoise, ant lion, and rhino beetle. They are gathered in one place just to make visitor's pleasures. And this is mostly the case in all sites and attractions in South Africa. In Johannesburg holiday makers are free to pay a visit at the Nelson Mandela Museum. VENIC (favorite destination and yet low-cost) Although Venice is known as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, hotel rates and services are low-cost compared to other destinations. With Venetian atmosphere, you can buy commodities of world-famous brands easily. One night 3-Stars hotel only costs around 14 Euros or 19. 3 USD ill minimum ATLANTIC CANADA Seafood and a rich history await holidaymakers at affordable prices. Special deals and discounts can be seen in almost all hotels in Atlantic Canada. With 48.24 USD (35 Euros), you can spend one night in Country Hearth Inn Atlantic City. Of course, with more than that, all attractions, services and commodities are available. You can also buy a ticket at 10 OUSD to enter the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic and its wharves . A young lady interested in fashion may visit _ . A. Venice B. South Africa C. Johannesburg D. the Atlantic Canada Answer: A. Venice Question: Going to outer space is a little like going camping. You have to carry with you all the food and equipment you need for your trip, so your food can't be too heavy or hard to prepare. Plus, there are no refrigerators to keep food cold and fresh. Food with all the water dried out is lightweight and doesn't spoil. So, many space foods are dried on Earth and stored in special packets. Some taste good right out of the packet. On earth, gravity is the force that keeps your feet on the ground and your sandwich on your plate. But there's no gravity in space. To keep food from floating away, astronauts on the Space Shuttle attach the packets to a special tray. The tray can be fixed to a wall or to the astronaut's lap. To prepare their food, astronauts use liquid forms of salt and pepper. The liquid sticks to the food better. Regular salt and pepper would float away, maybe up an astronaut's nose. Liquids float right out of cups and glasses, though. So astronauts drink everything from a small bag with a straw that can be closed. Astronauts say that most space foods taste pretty good. Some, such as apples and pudding, are the same as the foods you eat on Earth. Astronauts eat tortillas instead of bread because they make fewer crumbs . Floating crumbs could get stuck in equipment or an astronaut's eye. Your body used food in space the same way it does on Earth. Your body must deal with waste in space too. During takeoff the landing, astronauts can't leave their seats to go to the bathroom. They wear diapers under their spacesuits instead. The Space Shuttle has a bathroom the size of a small closet. The toilet has bars that keep astronauts from floating away. A strong flow of air is used instead of water to flush waste down the toilet. Back on Earth it's flushed away-or sometimes studied by scientists. Why do astronauts use liquid forms of salt and pepper to prepare food? A. Liquid doesn't spoil. B. Liquid is convenient to use in space. C. Liquid is lightweight. D. Astronauts are in great need of water. Answer: B. Liquid is convenient to use in space.
Few people would defend the Victorian attitude on children, but if you were a parent in those days, at least you knew where you stood: children were to be seen and not heard. Freud and his colleagues did away with all that and parents have been puzzled ever since. The child's happiness is all- important, they say, but what about the parents' happiness? Modern child-rearing manuals would never permit cruelty to children .The trouble is you are not allowed even to shout. Who knows what deep psychological wounds you might cause? The poor child may never recover from the dreadful experience. So it is the parents that bend over backwards to avoid giving their children complex which a hundred years ago hadn't even been heard of. Certainly, a child needs love, and a lot of it. But the excessive permissive of modern parents is surely doing more harm than good. Psychologists have succeeded in weakening parents confidence in their own authority. And it hasn't taken children long to get wind of the fact. In addition to the great modern classics on child care, there are countless articles in magazines and newspapers. With so much advice flying about, mum and dad just don't know what to do any more. In the end, they do nothing at all. So, from early childhood, the kids are in charge and parents' lives are regulated according to the needs of their kids. When the little dears develop into teenagers, they take complete control. Lack of authority over the years makes teenagers rebellion against parents all the more violent. If the young people are going to have a party, for example, parents are asked to leave the house. Their presence merely spoils the fun. What else can the poor parents do but obey? The author says that today's parents _ . A. are bombarded with excessive amounts of child-care literature. B. draw a distinction between permissiveness and carelessness. C. are only towards children from happy home backgrounds. D. weigh their children's knowledge rather than intelligence. Answer: A When we are unfamiliar with something,we may feel nervous and fearful.The assistance of others is a good way to help us pull through. I write for a big newspaper, and I wanted to write a story about parachute jumping.To make it a realistic as well as exciting story,I decided that I first had to make a jump myself. Unfortunately,I am not good at any sports of any kind,let alone parachute jumping. My friend Mr. Smith was willing to give me a hand.He took me to a ground school.The first day's training included several hours of instruction but not my first drop from an airplane For this,I had to wait until the following morning. The next morning,after a hurried,anxious breakfast,I was taken to the airfield.There,two heavy parachutes were put on my back,and an orange helmet was pushed down onto my head.Then I was asked to make my way to a small plane which had just stopped slowly on the runway. Once on board,the plane was soon climbing.I began to feel nervous.As we reached one thousand metres,Harry,my teacher, hooked a line from my parachute to a steel ring inside the plane.The line was to pull my parachute open after I jumped. "Get ready, Henry,"Harry said.I moved carefully to the door.I wanted to cry,"No,no,no!"But no word came. "Jump!"Harry called loudly."Jump!" To my surprise,kicking like a frog I did jump.Away from the plane,and down,down I fell,arms stretched.It worked! The air seemed to hold me up.All at once I was very happy. Then I felt a quick pull.My big parachute had opened! It was the best surprise I ever had. I looked down.There were rivers,trees,fields and houses.I heard the soft sound of the air This was fun ! What does the writer intend to tell us through the passage? A. If his teacher hadn't pushed him off the plane.he wouldn't have made it. B. People usually perform better when they are in company with friends. C. Instruction and training are necessary in parachute jumping. D. With the help of others, we can get over fear and nervousness. Answer: D 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 has 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: 09:00-18:30 (November-February) 09:00-20:00 (March-October) 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 was made of bricks and had colorful tiles . Barcelona FC Museum (1,032,763 visits/year) Opening hours: 6th April-4th October: (Monday to Saturday) 10:00-20:00; the rest of the year: 10:00 to 18:30. Admission: $8.50 for entry to museum and an extra $17 for a guided tour. Disabled access: Yes. It is now generally considered as the best football museum in the world. You can see so many trophies , pictures and statues of great football players. I'm not a football fan but I still enjoyed walking round this museum. Miro Museum (518,869 visits/year) Opening hours: Check website 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 works dating back as far as 1914. This artwork collection includes not only his paintings but also a good selection of sculptures. What do the four attractions have in common? A. They are famous for their architectural styles. B. They are all accessible for the disabled people. C. Their opening hours are changeable in different times. D. Tourists can get a discount of 20% with the Barcelona Card. Answer: C We all want our skin to look good. If your skin is clear and healthy, it makes you feel better about yourself. How do you get great skin? Here arc some suggestions. Protect your skin against the sun. * If you are going outside, especially in the sun, you'd better put on sun cream about half an hour before going out in summer. * Wear a hat to protect your face. * Stay in the shade whenever you can. How to wash your skin? * Wash your body all over once a day. Use mild soap and warm water. * Wash the soap off, as it may hurt your skin. * Wash your face by using a facecloth and cleaning cream, and then wash with cool water. Twice a day is enough. What else should you do? * Remember to drink lots of water-your skin loves it. * Regular exercise is good for your skin. * Eat healthily so that your skin can get what it needs to do its job. It's enough to wash your face _ a day. A. once B. twice C. three times D. many times Answer: B Which is a carnivore? A. a cow B. a caterpillar C. a vegan D. a shark Answer: D
Question: A generator converts mechanical energy to electrical energy by using a conducting metal loop turning in a A. magnetic field. B. gravitational field. C. steel sphere. D. copper sphere. Answer: A Question: When Taylor Swift first came to the attention of the public,she was a 17yearold newcomer who loved singing to her guitar.She seemed far more enthusiastic than skillful. Four years later,Swift became a multiaward winner.This month,she was crowned "Woman of the Year" by Billboard magazine,the youngest singersongwriter ever to receive the honor."Aged only 21,Taylor has already made a maior impact on music and has been an unbelievable role model for hopeful artists and young women everywhere," said Bill Werde,Billboard's director. _ Unlike many pop singers,especially those who do not write their own material,Swift has the power of turning her ideas into lyrics that will set people thinking."Hidden beneath Taylor Swift's notagirl,notyetawoman sweetness is a very skillful songwriting technique," wrote Leah Greenblatt in an American magazine. Songwriting,as Swift explains,is to cope with issues."I tend to write about things that really impact me most." There certainly seems to be something true and honest running through every one of the 14 songs on her album,Speak Now,about "the lessons and confusion and heartbreak and all the different things that go along with being 18,19 and 20." "For the audience too young to have experienced real passion or heartbreak,Swift's songs are like a potential road map,promising things will work out OK," commented Dorian ynskey in a British newspaper. Now Swift is getting ready to go further and has so far written about 10 songs for her 2012 album,which is about feelings of growing up and becoming an adult."They're sad,if I'm being honest.""They're about my heartbreaks and my moving on.But more importantly,they are about achieving contentment.You're not always going to be perfectly happy as you grow up." What is the best title for the passage? A. Swift comes to people's attention B. Swift rises to fame C. Swift wins many awards D. Swift experiences real passion Answer: B Question: Which scientist is credited with using a telescope in the seventeenth century to discover the moons of Jupiter? A. Galileo B. Kepler C. Einstein D. Newton Answer: A Question: The famous fat and lazy cat Garfield is coming to China. In this American movie, Garfield acts with real actors. He makes trouble and dances like a star. He will make you laugh a lot. Drawn by American Cartoonist Jim Davis since 1978, Garfield has fans all over the world. He likes eating, sleeping and watching TV. He hates doing exercise! "I'm lazy and fat. But I'm proud of it," he says. Garfield always sits in front of the TV eating lasagna( ),his favourite dish. Sometimes, he's rude to his owner Jon Arbuckle. One day, Jon brings Odie, a homeless dog, into his home. Odie is cute. He gets all Jon's love. This turns Garfield's world upside down. Garfield wants the dog out of the house, and his life. One night, he kicks Odie out of the house. But later Garfield finds that Odie had been kidnapped by a TV star! The man wants to use the dog in his shows. Garfield feels sorry for Odie. He sees he has done something wrong. He wants to make up for it. So Garfield gets off his favourite chair to try to save his friend. We can tell from the story that Garfield _ . A. is always rude to friends. B. can never get Odie back. C. will probably save Odie in the end. D. may find another dog to take the place of Odie. Answer: C Question: It looks like a scene from the thriller movieJaws,but these photos of a huge shark swimming with swimmers were in fact taken in Britain. The amazing pictures,which showed that the basking shark was swimming friendly with swimmers,were taken at Porthcurno beach,Cornwall,where the basking shark was swimming just yards off shore. The single 14foot giant was feeding in the shallow waters off the scenic area,and quickly became curious about the swimmers and surfers sharing the water. Though it came within touching distance,the swimmers and surfers were in no danger. The large sharks are plankton feeders-unlike the man-eating Great White fromJaws. Beach-goer Rachel Hosken,who took the pictures,said that several basking sharks had been seen in the area."It is one of the few I have ever seen around this year and it was great to see," she said excitedly."There are usually more of them by now,but for some reason there are fewer around than normal at this time of year. I think more have been spotted in deeper waters,but the particular one in the pictures seems to have taken a liking to this spot. I have seen it a few times." Known as the gentle giant of the sea,the basking shark is the second largest fish in the sea,only weighing lighter than the whale shark. They can grow to over 36 feet (11 meters) and weigh up to seven tons (7,000 kilograms) and feed on a diet of plankton and small fish. Basking sharks normally begin to appear in May and June. What's the best title for this passage? A. A giant basking shark appeared in Cornwall,Britain. B. A giant basking shark tried to please the British people. C. Swimmers and surfers were frightened by a giant basking shark. D. Brave swimmers swam together with a giant basking shark. Answer: D
Tom was a poor boy. He made a living by cleaning leather shoes for others in the street. Tom was also a clever boy. One day, a very rich man with the name Miser appeared in front of Tom. He watched his dirty shoes for a while, and then looked at Tom. Tom knew this kind of people well: they love money very much and hate to spend it. Tom said, "Let me clean your shoes, sir." "For nothing?" the rich man asked. "Only two pence, sir." Mr Miser shook his head and walked away. Tom thought for a moment and then called out, "I'd like to clean it for nothing!" This time Mr Miser agreed. And soon one of his shoes was shining brightly. When the rich man put his other shoe on the stool , Tom said he wouldn't clean it for him unless he was paid two pence for his work. Mr Miser was very angry. He refused to pay anything and went away with a smile on his face. But to his surprise, the well-cleaned shoe was so bright that it made the other one look even dirtier. Mr Miser took a look around. People in the street were laughing at him. He couldn't walk on any further. Finally the rich man returned and gave Tom two pence. In a very short time his two shoes shone brightly. Mr Miser smiled because _ . Answer: Every people uses its own special word to show its ideas and feelings. Some of these expressions are commonly used for many years. Others are popular for just a short time. One such American expression is "Where's the beef?" It is used when something is not as good as it is said to be. In the early 1980s "Where's the beef?" was one of the most popular expressions in the United States. It seemed as if everyone using it at the time. Beef, of course, is the meat from a cow, and food is more popular in America than a hamburger made from beef. In the 1960s a businessman named Ray began building small restaurants that sold hamburgers at a low price. Ray called this "McDonald's". Ray became one of the richest businessmen at last in America. Other business people watched his success. Some of them opened their own hamburger restaurants. One company called "Wendy's" said its hamburgers were bigger than those sold by McDonald's or anyone else. The Wendy's Company began to use the expression "Where's the beef?" to make people know that Wendy's hamburgers were the biggest. The Wendy's television advertisement showed three old women eating hamburgers. The bread that covered the meat was very big, but inside there was only a bit of meat. One of the women said she would not eat a hamburger with such a little piece of beef. "Where's the beef?" she shouted in a funny way. The advertisement for Wendy's hamburger restaurants was a success. As we said, it seemed everyone began using the expression "Where's the beef?" Other people wanted to open hamburger restaurants because they thought _ . Answer: Founded two years ago, All Green Electronics Recycling is a full-service electronics recycler and collector. It offers pick-up services as well as hundreds of convenient drop-off locations, nationwide. Currently, it collects more than two million pounds of electronics per month. All Green Electronics Recycling announces its new national headquarters' grand opening on January 13, 2011 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ---- a Green Carpet Event ---- followed by a free, three-day electronics recycling event aimed at giving back to the local community in Orange County. Both are open to the public and are located at: 15561 Del Amo Ave. in Tustin. "We are particularly excited about the promising new job opportunities available for California residents," says Arman Sadeghi, CEO, All Green Electronics Recycling. All Green is growing at jaw-dropping rates. While many companies continue to cut back and lay off valuable employees, All Green has hired a new person every 4.1 days since its incorporation and is predicted to hire another 100 employees in the next six months. In addition to new jobs, many local non-profits and schools will also benefit. All Green is creating community partnerships and setting up collection events while donating a percentage of the proceeds from the recycled electronics. Rather than allowing old televisions or computers to end up at the dump, All Green provides the public with a way of recycling their old working or non-working electronics safely and responsibly for free. In fact, those with at least 10 computers, monitors and televisions can go to:http://www.allgreenrecycling.com to schedule a free pick up in many areas. Unlike many of its competitors, the company sorts and separates all e-waste within their warehouse and does not ship anything overseas for processing. It also ensures that any electronics placed in its care will never find its way into a landfill. All Green already has a recycling facility in Sacramento and is set to expand its New York operations within 60 days. For more information: to check out the Electronics Recycling Carbon Footprint Calculator; or to locate a facility in your area, visit: www.allgreenrecycling.com. What's the difference between All Green and its competitors? Answer: Dear Frank, Thanks for your email. My friend Lily and I have a good trip in Beijing. We visit many interesting places and go shopping on Wangfujing Street. When we are in Beijing,we live in our Chinese friend Liu Ming's house. Have a look at our activities there. On May 1stArrive in Beijing at 10:00 am. On May 2ndVisit the Great Wall with Liu Ming. On May 3rdVisit the Summer Palace On May 4thVisit the Palace Museum with Liu Ming and his sister. On May 5thGo shopping on Wangfujing Street and buy presents for our families. Lily buys a toy for her brother Jack and a postcard for her sister Lucy. I buy two cups for my father and a silk shirt for my mother. On May 6thSay goodbye to Beijing. Hope you will go with us next time. Yours, Nancy What is the passage mainly about? Answer: The moral view of violence, labeling it as bad and wrong, has done little to end it. The alternative view is to release our judgments and see violence for what it is: a form of suffering. This is a difficult change for many people. Not only are they in the habit of making knee-jerk judgments, but violent people cause harm, and therefore their suffering seems to deserve less sympathy. You hurt me, so why should I have sympathy for you? It should be the other way around. Does it take a saint to make the change from strong anger to sympathy? Turning points arrive when we can make a choice not to suffer in silence. We then strike a soul bargain that is fearful but necessary. The bargain is that redemption is possible through love.The absence of love is absolutely the problem, and love is absolutely the solution. We don't have to reach into another area to locate the magic power of love that is available to us here and now. _ The rule is constant work on the spiritual path to clear away the obstacles that prevent love from coming through us. The work is much more like working on blocked pipe system than it is like copying a saint. Hope is the emotion that keeps this dogged work even when results seem to be slow or impossible. Can I love the terrorist who harms my country? Can I love the criminal who wants to harm me? At the level of the soul I already do, and the spiritual path is a means to arrive at that level. No one is required to leap into sudden sympathy for terrorists, or even to announce publicly that our enemies deserve love. But in our souls each of us harbors the knowledge that only love is going to bring violence to an end. No matter how you and I live our outward lives, our spiritual lives must remain devoted to that vision. Which would be the best title for the passage? Answer:
My name is Amy. I'm a 25-year-old graduate student who likes yoga, home-decorating shows and eating spoonfuls of peanut butter straight from the jar. Oh yeah, and I'm an iPhone addict. I wasn't always an addict. In fact, for many years I told myself I didn't want a fancy cellphone. They seemed like too much work, always ringing and demanding attention. I was perfectly content with my simple cellphone, and I didn't feel like changing my mind any time. However, about a year ago, I found myself envious of all those proud iPhone owners, holding their shiny new phones and showing them off to all their friends. I started to _ conversations about "iPhone apps", feeling like a tourist listening to a language I couldn't speak. Eventually I couldn't ignore my iPhone instinct any longer, and I welcomed my new iPhone into my life. I instantly fell in love with the little bundle of joy, and could no longer imagine a life without it. To my surprise, I suddenly found myself with a whole new circle of friends--other iPhone owners I could go to for advice and support as I learned the various functions of my new device. They responded to my iPhone-related queries when my other friends couldn't, and didn't roll their eyes when I bragged about all the things little Eloise (yes, I named her) could do. For a couple months I built my new life with Eloise. However, I realized I had a problem when one day I found myself Google-mapping my way to my mailbox, which happens to be right outside my front door. When I reflected upon the past few months, I couldn't believe I didn't see this coming. All the warning signs were there. Eloise slept right beside me and was the first thing I reached for in the morning. I checked my e-mail about 20 times a day. I also experienced attachment anxiety when I left poor Eloise in the changing room at the gym. What if she rang and needed my response? Or, even worse, what if a careless gym-goer knocked her out of my bag and caused her screen to crack? Once I admitted I had a problem, things started to change. What used to feel like friendly messages now felt like constant complaining to respond. I hated that I could no longer leave the house without Eloise in my hand. Eventually, I felt angry with Eloise so much that I wanted to throw her at the wall. I decided something had to be done. But, as I quickly realized, iPhones are like cigarettes and not easy to quit. Then, while taking the bus to work one day, I was unexpectedly forced to quit--at least temporarily. When I reached into my purse to grab Eloise, I found her overcome by fever. My head swam with panic as I attempted to solve the problem, but without result. I couldn't call anyone for advice. I couldn't Google whether this had happened to any fellow iPhone owners. The Apple Store was closed by the time I finished work, so I headed home with fear into an Eloise-less night. But, after a couple hours without any text alerts, push notifications, or even good old-fashioned phone calls, I felt ... calmer. Without my electronic bed partner, I drifted off into the deepest sleep I'd had in months. The next morning, I read the news from the simplicity of the newspaper, instead of from my iPhone. I even noticed the cherry blossoms blooming. My goodness, what had I been missing? What message does the writer pass on at the end of the passage? Answer: 2016 Exhibitions in the British Museum Sunken cities: Egypt's lost worlds 19 May-27 November 2016 Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery AdultsPS16.50, Members/under 16s free Sunken under the sea for over a thousand years, two lost cities of ancient Egypt were lately rediscovered. Their amazing discovery is transforming our understanding of the deep connections between the great ancient civilizations of Egypt and Greece. Their story is told for the first time in this exhibition. Francis Towne's watercolours of Rome 21 January-14 August 2016 Room 90/ Open late Fridays Free, just drop in Come and experience 18th-century Rome through an astonishing series of watercolours not displayed together since 1805. Sicily: culture and conquest 21 April-14 September 2016 Room 35 Tickets: AdultsPS10, Members/under 16s free This exhibition tells Sicily's fascinating stories-from the arrival of the Greeks and other settlers, to the extraordinary period of enlightenment under Norman rule in the 11thto 13thcenturies. Early British exploration of the classical world 14 March-27 July 2016 Room 90a/ Open late Fridays Free, just drop in This small display features a remarkable selection of drawings by British explorers and architects, who discovered and documented some of Sicily's best surviving classical sculpture and architecture. Which exhibition can you attend in October? Answer: Now our environment is becoming worse and worse. Everyone wants to live healthily. Here is some information about what our life will be like in ten years. Cars will run on a solar power and will be much cleaner. They will be much safer. For example, if you are too close to another car or if you are driving dangerously, your car will slow down or stop by itself. New cities will be built in the sea. Some cities on water will have two floors. People will live on the second floor, the first floor will be used for traffic, shops and factories. Biotechnology will make food better and healthier. Plants without insects will be developed. The taste of fruit and vegetables will be better and food will be able to keep longer. Many new ways to cure illness will be found. However, some new illness will appear . Biotechnology will make _ better and healthier. Answer: The great Snipe is a little shore bird-not one that would be considered a great athlete. However, a recent study has shown that these slightly fat birds not only fly nonstop for long periods of time during their annual migration, but do so at record speeds. The brown migratory birds that are about the size of a pigeon spend their summers in Eastern Europe and winters in Central Africa, a distance of about 2,800 to 4,000 miles. In May 2009, a team of researchers led by Dr. Raymond Klaasen from Sweden's Lund University fitted ten Great Snipes with tiny geo-locating devices that allow scientists to figure out when and where the birds travel, and let them loose. The following year they found three of the birds and took back the devices. What they discovered was quite _ . All three birds had flown nonstop to Central Africa in August of 2009-one had flown 4,225 miles in just 3.5 days. The second one had covered a distance of 3,833 miles in three days, while the third had managed to fly 2,870 miles in a mere 48 hours or two days. Even more surprising was that these birds had traveled at speeds that averaged about 50 miles per hour-making it the fastest known migration ever. While many birds migrate longer distances, they do so over a period of a few months, resting and feeding in between. However, despite the fact the Great Snipe has plenty of opportunities, it does not stop. And they do the entire flight with their own power, with no assistance from the wind. The tiny bird is able to make this unbelievable direct flight because of all the fat it gradually gathers in its body, which it then uses as fuel. Native no North Eastern Europe, Great Snipes live in marshlands and wet meadows . But they are also on the list of endangered animals because of loss of habitat. This text can be classified as _ . Answer: Our spiritual intelligence quotient ,or SQ, helps us understand ourselves, and live fuller, happier lives. Though we're all born with SQ, most of us don't even realize that we have it. Fortunately, you don't have to sign up for classes to learn how to improve your SQ. Here are some simple steps that can lead you to this new level of understanding. Sit Quietly. The process of developing spiritual intelligence begins with solitude and silence. _ , you have to turn down the volume in your busy, noisy, complicated life and force yourself to do nothing at all. Start small by creating islands for silence in your day. In the car, instead of listening to the music, use the time to think. At work, shut the door to your office between meetings, take a few breaths and let them out very, very slowly. Enjoy the stillness in your home after the kids are finally in bed. Step Outside. For many people, nature sets their spirit free. Go outside to watch a beautiful sunset. If you are walking with the dog, take the time to admire flowers in bloom; follow the flight of a bird and watch clouds float overhead. Ask Questions of Yourself. Ask open-ended questions, such as "What am I feeling? What are my choices? Where am I heading?" But don't expect an answer to arrive through some supernatural forms of e-mail. "Rarely do I get an immediate answer to my question," says Reverend Joan Carter, a Presbyterian minister in Sausalito, California. "But later that day I suddenly find myself thinking about a problem in a perspective I never considered before." Trust Your Spirit. While most of us rely on gut feeling to realize danger, spiritual intelligence pushes us, not away from, but towards some action that will lead to a greater good.. From the passage, we can know that the most important thing to improve your SQ is _ Answer:
Question: Ricochet, a 19-month-oldgolden retriever , wasbred to be a service dog but never made it. Now, she has found her role in the ocean, surfing with a disabled teen. Patrick Ivison, 15, suffered a severe injury in a car accident when he was 14 months old. He has been disabled since, but the Californian boy never gave up on the goal of walking. He recently took his first steps. When Ivison first met Ricochet, the two immediately hit it off. To raise money for Ivison's physicaltherapy , which is not covered by insurance, it was suggested that the pair take up surfing. Ivison said that when he first heard the idea he thought, "We are completely out of our minds." But from the start, the two took to surfing naturally. With the help of his mom, Jennifer Kayler, and friends, who carry Patrick to the ocean and guide the extra-large surfboard into the waters, Ivison rides the waves with his pal standing on the back. "It's kind of like a grand performance out there," Ivison said of the group of people who help him out. The dog helps to balance out the board The teen remembered one pass when "we were about to flip over and then she stepped on that side of the board and helped us out." The two participated Sunday in the Surf City Surf Dog contest as afund-raiser . They wowed the cheering crowd during their exhibition. The event raised $8,200. About $2,000 will go toward a service dog for Ivison, and the rest will go toward his "Help Patrick Walk" therapy fund. Ivison decided to take up surfing in order to _ . A. collect money for his treatment B. set an example for the disabled C. realize his dream of being a surfer D. develop courage and positive attitudes Answer: A. collect money for his treatment Question: Details of the latest James Bond film Skyfallhave been shown to the public. It comes 50 years to the day after actor Sean Connery first played Bond -- the superspy inDr No. The new film, known at the moment only as Bond 23, will be the third to star Daniel Craig as the secretagent . Other names in the cast include Albert Finney, Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes. British film-maker Sam Mendes, who won an Oscar for American Beauty, will direct the latest adventure. Ajay Chowdhury, from the James Bond International Fan Club, said, "Daniel Craig's third time as 007 has been looked forward to by Bond fans around the world. The fans have been made to wait extra long for this film since the global economiccrisis delayed the film for some time." "Mendes has an unusual way of directing, and with the acting gift and the precedent set by the previous two films in which Craig played Bond, _ It is reported that the film will send 007 to South Africa and India to hunt for a criminal organization. Other reported locations for filming include Duntrune Castle, near Lochgilphead in Argyll, Scotland, which is believed to be the spy's home. The film is set to be released in the UK this October. Craig' s performance as Bond gave new life to the film series, leading to the highest ever 007 box office takings of PS367 million for his role in Casino Royalein 2006.Quantum of Solace, the most recent film in the series released in 2008, madePS353 million. What can we learn from the text? A. The film Skyfallwill be released later than planned. B. It is the first time that Daniel Craig has played Bond. C. Daniel Craig receives little attention from movie fans. D. Quantum of Solacehas made the most money so far. Answer: A. The film Skyfallwill be released later than planned. Question: Pollutants coming from automobile operation have begun to cause many environmental problems. It has been calculated, for example, that 70% of the carbon monoxide , 45% of the nitrogen oxides , and 34% of the hydrocarbon pollution in the United States can be traced directly to automobile exhausts . In addition, rubber, motor oil and other materials accumulate on roadways and are washed into streams, with effects nearly as serious as those of untreated waste water. In an effort to improve the situation, the U.S. government has made regulations on the use of the constituents of automobile exhaust gas that are known to cause air pollution. These constituents fall roughly into three types: hydrocarbons that pass through the engine unburned; carbon monoxide, also a product of incomplete burning; and nitrogen oxides which are formed when nitrogen and oxygen are in contact at high temperatures. Besides their own poisonous character, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides react in the presence of sunlight to form harmful smog. Carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons are rather easily controlled by the use of higher burning temperatures in engines. Unfortunately, the conditions that produce minimum emission of hydrocarbons tend to raise emission of nitrogen oxides. In a way this difficulty is solved by adding recycled exhaust gas to the fuel mixture, thus avoiding the oversupply of oxygen that favors formation of nitrogen oxides. California, which has the most strict air-pollution laws in the United States, requires further special compounding of gas to control emissions, and several states have ordered that alcohol be mixed with gas, as this will reduce emissions of the carbon monoxide by 35 per cent and the hydrocarbons by 15 per cent. How are nitrogen oxides formed according to the text? A. Nitrogen and oxygen are put together in great heat. B. Carbon monoxide and oxygen are mixed together. C. Hydrocarbons pass through the engine. D. Nitrogen is burned incompletely. Answer: A. Nitrogen and oxygen are put together in great heat. Question: Many job opportunities are offered to those who wish to work. It helps if you know more than one language. There are good jobs for interpreters and typists who know English and another language. There are many good jobs in government. In most cases, you must be a citizen of this country, and you must take a civil service examination. These examinations are open to everyone, regardless of race, religion, or color. For many civil service jobs you need a high school diploma. The person who does not have a high school diploma can get one. There are several ways. You can study high school subjects at home and then take special tests. If you pass the tests, then you get a diploma. Or you can go to night school. There are classes that prepare you to take special tests to earn a diploma. You can attend a night school that grants a high school diploma if you complete certain courses. If you do this, you do not have to take the special tests. Be as well trained as you can. Get as much training as you can. Opportunity knocks at every door. Be sure that when it knocks at your door you are ready. We can see that _ . A. one can work on a high school diploma at home B. typists who know English get a good pay C. well-trained people are often out of work D. job opportunities will help you to know more than one language Answer: A. one can work on a high school diploma at home Question: Molly and her friend Jessica liked to play hide and go seek in the woods. They would almost always play in the woods behind Molly's house. They liked to play there because of the giant trees, which were more fun to play in at nighttime. One evening, after a big meal of chicken and potatoes at Molly's house the girls went outside to play hide and go seek. They almost turned back because they thought they saw a wolf. Luckily, it ended up being a shadow from an old boot. Jessica counted to fifty to give Molly time to hide. In the middle of counting, Jessica heard a sound! Jessica opened up her eyes to see Molly had found a puppy! The puppy had a bell on its collar, so the girls knew it must belong to someone. They carried the puppy back to Molly's house instead of playing hide and go seek. As soon as they got to Molly's front door, Molly's neighbor saw them and screamed with joy. The puppy ran over to Molly's neighbor and licked her face. The neighbor thanked the two girls by giving them each a folded five dollar bill. The girls were very excited that they helped save the day! When did Jessica see Molly and the puppy? A. When she stopped counting when she heard a sound B. When they first entered the woods C. After the neighbor asked for help finding her puppy D. After she was done counting and opened her eyes to seek Molly Answer: A. When she stopped counting when she heard a sound
In 1783, Europe was unusually cold and foggy. The rain was acidic. Which event most likely caused the unusual climate in Europe that year? A. A logging company deforested millions of acres in South America. B. A major earthquake and tsunami changed the path of the Gulf Stream. C. A major volcanic eruption released ash and sulfur gas into the atmosphere. D. An increase in the use of automobiles released more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Answer: C. A major volcanic eruption released ash and sulfur gas into the atmosphere. Canada is famous for its winter lifestyle, for the season lasts half the year there. A great example of this is the Quebec Winter Carnival . Quebec is an old city with beautiful historic building, and many agree that winter is the best time to visit. The city comes alive in the snow, especially during the winter festival. People who visit the cold city can find tons of things to do that will make winter seem perfect. The Carnival has a magical ice palace made with 9,000 tons of snow, a boat race on the St. Lawrence River, and two night parades with funny people and colorful cars. Other interesting things include a 122-meter ice slide, and a large football game. There is also an exciting dogsled race that runs through six kilometers of the city's streets. With more than 20 teams in the game, the dogsled race is noisy, fun and full of great cheer. Even better, artists from around the world come to enter the snow sculpture competition. It is amazing how these artists can bring snow to life. The Quebec Winter Carnival has everything for the whole family and more. It is surely a great way to experience winter at its fullest. Another famous winter festival is on the other side of the world in China. Known as the City of Ice, Harbin is the capital city of Heilongjiang Province, which is next to Siberia. In the winter, it is very cold, and temperatures there can drop to 30degC below zero. Even so, the cold weather makes the city the right place for the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival. The festival is held every year. According to the passage, many people think _ is the best time to visit Quebec. A. spring B. summer C. autumn D. winter Answer: D. winter Ever felt like destroying the car in front of you when you're stuck in an endless traffic jam? Well, the Spanish company StopStress is offering clients the possibility of doing just that-but in controlled, safe conditions. Clients can also destroy computers, mobile phones and TV sets in what the company calls" ". "We target the machines that cause the most stress in modern life," company co-founder Jorge Arribas said in a telephone interview."People get rid of stress by screaming and beating the machines until they are tired out,"he explained. The company, based in the northern Spanish city of Sofia, uses deserted cars that still work. Heavy-metal music is used to excite the clients. They are given protective suits and glasses, helmets and huge hammers. Most people's rage only lasts for 5 to 10 minutes. But some go on for hours: they beat cars on which they've put the names of people or ideas they would like to get rid of. "Some even get together to turn the car over,"Arribas says. A session costs 60 euros (US$80) per person. Arribas says the idea came to him when he was having trouble parking his car. Dozens of people have used the therapy, which helps people become aware of their stress level and helps them to slow down, Arribas explained. "It's better to channel violence in a controlled way than to get it out on one's wife or in a traffic husband and jam,"he added. StopStress already has branches in three Spanish cities, and is planning to extend its market beyond Spain's borders. Which of the following is NOT a means used directly to help people get less stressful in StopStress? A. Heavy-metal music. B. Mobile phones. C. Deserted cars. D. Protective suits and glasses. Answer: D. Protective suits and glasses. If you've been joining in chat room conversation, or trading e-mail with your e-pals, you have become one of the millions who write in a special short form of English. And you've got a sense of humor about short forms like SOHF(="sense" of humor failure) to describe Internet newcomers who understand you. Across the globe, every night teenagers and their elders are "talking" online -- many of them all talking at the same time. It's fast: try talking to six people at once. It's brief: three or four words per exchange. It takes wit , and quick fingers. Want to enter a conversation? Just type PMFJI(="pardon" me for jumping in). Interested in whom you're talking to? A/S/L, the nearly universal request to know your pal's age, sex and location. You may get 15/M/NY as a response from your pal. If something makes you laugh, say you're OTF(="on" the floor), or LOL(="laughing" out loud), or combine the two into ROTFL(="rolling" on the floor laughing). And when it's time to get back to work or go to bed, you type GTG(got to go) or TTYL(="talk" to you later).People want to write as fast as possible, and they want to get their ideas across as quickly as they can. Capital letters are left in the dust, except when expressing strong feelings, as it takes more time to hold down the "shift" key and use capitals. Punctuation is going, too. In order to talk to several people at the same time on the Internet, _ . A. you have to speak fast and fluently B. you should speak with wit and humor C. one should pay much attention to the use of exact words D. you have to express your ideas in a brief way Answer: D. you have to express your ideas in a brief way A person who wants to eat a watermelon may consider spitting out its A. dark pips B. good taste C. coco pebbles D. red fruit Answer: A. dark pips
One morning, a blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said, "I am blind. Please help me." There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took out a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote something on it. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by could see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Are you the one who changed my sign this morning? May I know what you wrote?" The man said, "I only wrote the truth, I said what you said but in a different way." What he had written was, "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it." Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was a blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. It reminded you to be thankful for what you have. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1,000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear. The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling. It can be inferred that the boy was _ after he found out what the man had written. Answer: Most of us fear getting up and speaking in public. Many people don't like to go gathering where they don't know anyone, but while most of us soldier on , those with social anxiety disorder are often stopped by the terror and worry. Research shows that around fifteen million Americans suffer from social anxiety disorder. People in this condition feel that they are always being watched. Even though they know these fears are unreasonable, they cannot overcome their fears on their own. Social anxiety disorder sufferers are often misdiagnosed with conditions such as schizophrenia and personality disorder. Many feel lonely, and are unsure whether anyone else can understand their thoughts and emotions. This can lead to withdrawal from most social situations, even to being unable to hold employment. Those who suffer from social anxiety disorder are often dismissed as being shy. This is simply not the case; shyness is not even a symptom of social anxiety disorder. The majority of sufferers find their symptoms linked to specific situations, rather than all types of social interactions. An important step in overcoming social anxiety disorder is seeking out a therapist who specializes in training this type of disorder. Group treatment has been shown to be especially effective. Medication also help reduce the symptoms, but it should not be used as a replacement for psychotherapy . On your own, you can help reduce the symptoms by taking deep breaths and practising medication or prayer. Alcohol and nicotine should be avoided, as both can cause panic attacks. Exercises can relieve the symptoms, because it burns up the chemicals in your body that cause stress. According to the passage, if Jack suffers from social anxiety disorder, he should _ . Answer: Surviving the boredom of a school day can be bad enough, but when you have to worry about school gangs as well it's enough to make any student want to stay at home and under the covers! Unfortunately, gang culture can be found in many British schools, and it brings with it negative, and dangerous, side effects. The presence of weapons at or near school, the appearance of graffiti on buildings and lockers, and pressure to blow off school work and exams all follow where the gangs lead. None of these things contribute to a good education, but for school gangs that's exactly the point - school is for being popular and having fun, not learning anything or preparing for the future. Keep these tips in mind and say goodbye to school gangs. Know your own mind. Often it is those with low self-esteem and a poor self-image who become victims of school gangs. These students don't know their own mind or have a clear picture of what they would like to do in the future, so it is easy to be influenced by those who don't want to do any work today. Keep yourself busy. School gangs often hang around at or near schools with no real reason. Students who have nothing scheduled can easily be sucked into these groups, but if you are busy, busy, busy and always on the move there will be less chance that you'll have the time to stay and "play". Choose your friends wisely. With a core group of like-minded friends, it is much easier to stay away from school gangs because you simply don't need them. Remember that gangs are a source of power for members, but they can also be a source of intimidation. Work hard and have fun. No one likes a teacher's pet, but school gangs in particular hate them. Work hard and have fun at school, but don't annoy anyone with extreme goody-two-shoes behaviour. School gangs can be a nightmare if you must deal with them constantly. Stay away from gang hangouts and gang members, and don't involve yourself in any gang related activities. In writing this passage, the author mainly intends to _ . Answer: Well I decided to cut my front lawn today, especially since I live on a main street downtown with lots of traffic. Anyway, I finished mine and decided to cut my neighbor--Jean's grass while I was at it. She is a sweet person who has gone through some _ times in the last year. Her brother passed away of cancer last year; her sister (who lives with her) is mentally challenged--yet so sweet! It was a difficult time with physical and mental challenges that led her employer in our local hospital to let her go after 25 years of service! Lastly, my neighbor Jean, who is a nurse in our local hospital, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in December. She went through radiation and a long recovery--but thankful she is in remission . Anyway, in short I was leaving my house this afternoon and she stopped me to thank me for cutting her grass. She told me her dad passed away on Friday and she just arrived home from the funeral service, so she didn't know when I would have time to cut her grass. So, when she arrived home and saw it cut she was more than happy and grateful! I said to her "You are welcome, just a small act of kindness for a neighbor." I did it for exercise and shared pleasure not knowing it meant more to her than just doing a neighbor a favor! Although a lot of unfortunate matters happened to Jean, she is still _ . Answer: What happens when available water decreases in an environment? Answer:
Question: Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, China, was chosen to be the host city of the 19th Asian Games . However, some people say that the 19th Asian Games will be held in 2022, while some say 2023. Which is true? To make it clear, we need to have a better understanding of Asian Games first. The Asian Games is a multi-sport event. It is held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. It is the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games. The Asian Games are always held at the same year as the World Cup, which is also held every four years. Many people around the world pay more attention to the World Cup. This really makes the Olympic Council of Asia(OCA) worried. So, the OCA decides to _ the 18th Asian Games for a year. That is in 2019. In this way, the Asian Games won't be held in the same year as the World Cup. So Hangzhou will hold the event in 2023. Hanoi , capital of Vietnam , is the host city of the 18th Asian Games. However, Vietnamese government announced in 2014 that Hanoi gave up the right to host the Asian Games because they don't have enough money. Luckily, Djakarta , capital of Indonesia , was willing to be the host city instead of Hanoi. But then came another problem. Djakarta will hold presidential election in 2019, so the government wanted to change the holding time of the Asian Games back to 2018. The OCA agreed. The 19th Asian Games is to be held in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang in _ . A. 2023 B. 2022 C. 2019 D. 2018 Answer: A Question: What we eat, when we eat or how we eat is usually considered to be an everyday eating habit. Good eating habits are very important for our health. Most of us would rather eat sweets and ice-cream than meat and rice. Sweets and ice-cream are not bad for the stomach if we eat them at the end of a meal. But we should also know that if we eat them before a meal, they will spoil our appetite . It is a good habit for us to eat our meal at the same time each day. When we feel hungry, it is a sign that our body needs a good supply. When we feel angry or excited, we may not want to eat. A long time ago, in England some judges used to decide whether a man was telling the truth by giving him some dry bread. If he could not swallow the bread, it was a sign that he wasn't telling the truth. He was telling lies. Although this seems very strange and rather foolish, it is indeed an excellent way of finding out the truth. A man who is worrying about something has difficulty in swallowing anything dry. Because he is worrying, he loses his appetite and does not want to eat. We'd better have our meals _ . A. when our work is over B. at the same time each day C. when the food is still hot D. when every one of the family is home Answer: B Question: People like to say:"The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."Or theysay:"Behind every successful man,there is a woman." Now some women still like making their husbands and sons successful.But some women want more for themselves.They want to be successful as men. Today the best jobs are still given to men.Even when women do the same work,they are often paid less than men.Some women want these things changed.They want to stand beside the men,with the same chances for success. Now many American women are earning money outside their homes.More than half of the women at the age of eighteen to sixty-five have good jobs.In general,working women have more education than those who stay at home. Among women with jobs,eight out of ten drive a car to work,and most of them often spend their holidays away from home.They like traveling by air.Women's work has made several changes in women's lives and in men's lives,too. But things are quite different from those in the Middle East countries. In the Middle East countries,women have to stay at home.They look after their families and do all the housework.They can't find work outside.When they go out in public.they cover their faces with something and walk behind their husbands. For the past few years the women's life has been changing in those countries.Many women want to play an active role in the society.Though working gives them few chances of getting married,many men still want to marry them in the old ways. Some women are still badly paid _ . A. because women want more money B. because of the old ways of thinking C. because women can't do as well as men do D. but we don't know why Answer: B Question: In the Middle Ages in Europe, theater was an important part of civic, economic and religious life. During this period after the fall of Roman civilization, many cities were destroyed. Southern and Western Europe, famous for its agriculture, became increasingly more agricultural. After several hundred years, many towns appeared again. The Roman Catholic Church took over religion, education and politics. What remained of theater was mostly on the Greek and Roman performing arts. Theater was reborn as liturgical dramas. It was written in Latin and dealing with biblical stories which would be performed by church members. Then there came local dramas spoken in common language not Latin. They were more wonderful one-act dramas taking place in town squares or other parts of the city. There were three types of local dramas. Mystery or cycle plays were short dramas based on biblical stories organized into historical cycles. Miracle plays dealt with the lives of the great. Morality plays taught a lesson through characters standing for good or bad qualities. Secular plays in this period existed, but religious drama in the Middle Ages is mostly remembered today. As the Middle Ages ended, the number of religious theatres became small as the church weakened and more secular qualities won over religious theaters. According to the passage, what does "secular plays"mean here? A. Plays that deal with the lives of the great. B. Plays that taught a lesson. C. Plays based on biblical stories. D. Plays that are not connected with thechurch. Answer: D Question: My grandfather had a small farm where he raised beef and some grain for feed. He also worked diligently as a factory laborer and country pastor. He was a good neighbor and well-respected for honoring his word. When harvest time came, he'd piece together his old one-row corn picker and oil it up for the season. All his life he worked hard, helped others, and you could count on him to keep his promises. He had promised to harvest a few ribbons of corn on a friend's farm, but after harvesting his own corn, Grandpa's little corn picker coughed and quit. It would be out of commission until a particular part could be ordered, but that would take far too long to help this year. The factory where Grandpa worked began to require overtime. In order to keep his job there he had to leave the farm before dawn and get home until well after sunset. One autumn night, while harvest time was running out, he and his wife sat at the kitchen table and trying to figure a way out of their dilemma. "There's nothing you can do," said my grandma. "You'll just have to tell him that you can't help with the corn this year." "Well that just doesn't sit well with me," said my grandpa. "My friend is depending on me. I can't exactly let my neighbor's harvest rot in the field, can I?" "When do you think you'd have time to do it?" she asked. "With the overtime you've been working you'd be up all night." "I know of one night that I could do it!" he said, running to the bookshelf. He grabbed the Farmer's Almanac and started flipping through the pages. "Aha! There's still one more full moon in October." They say it's called the harvest moon because it gives farmers more light and more time to collect their crops. And so a few days later, after a long shift at the factory, my grandpa made his way to the field where my grandma met him in the truck with dinner. The weather was cold but clear, and the moon was brilliant. He worked through the night to keep his word. I know this story well, so sometimes, when I'm tempted to cut corners or to put off responsibilities, I think of my grandfather with his scythe cutting wide arcs of corn in the light of the harvest moon. Which was the main trouble my grandfather had in helping his friend? A. His wife objected to his helping his friend. B. His corn picker ran out of oil. C. His corn picker broke down. D. The weather was not favorable. Answer: C
Question: There are two factors which determine an individual's intelligence, The first is the sort of brain he is born with , Human brains differ considerably , some being more capable others, But no matter how good a brain he has to begin with , an individual will have a low order of intelligence unless he has opportunities to learn, So the second factor is what happens to the individual- the sort of environment in which he is reared, If an individual is handicapped environmentally , it is likely that his brain will fail to develop and he will never attain the level of intelligence of which he is capable. The importance of environment in determining an individual's intelligence can be demonstrated by the case history of the identical twins, Peter and Mark X. Being identical, the twins had identical brains at birth, and their growth, processes were the same, When the twins were three months old, their parents.died, and they were placed in separate foster homes, Peter was reared by parents of low intelligence in an isolated community with poor educational opportunities, Mark was reared in the home of well-to -do parents who had been to college ,He was read to as a child, sent to good schools, and given every opportunity to be stimulated intellectually, This environmental difference continued until the twins were in their late teens, when they were given tests to measure their intelligence, , Mark's LQ ,was 125.twenty-five points higher than the average and fully points higher than his identical brother Given equal opportunities, the twins, having identical brains , would have tested at roughly the same level The case history of the twins appears to support the conclusion that A. individual with identical brains seldom test at same level B. an individual's intelligence is determined only by his environment C. lack of opportunity blocks the growth of intelligence D. changes of environment produce changes in the structure of the brain Answer: C. lack of opportunity blocks the growth of intelligence Question: Many strong and out-of-control emotions are recognized as an illness. People who are always very sad have depression ; those who worry a lot have anxiety. But what about anger problems? Anger is largely viewed as a secondary emotion - one caused by other emotions. People are thought to be angry because they are sad, anxious or stressed. In the past, many doctors didn't accept the idea that anger could be a problem all on its own. Today, though, a growing number of mental health experts think that anger is a serious problem that needs its own treatment. How to tell the difference between "normal" anger and "anger problem" is difficult. After all, everyone gets really mad from time to time. Experts point out a few ways. Disordered anger, as it is sometimes called, tends to be of greater intensity . It takes very little to set off a person with an anger problem, and their responses are very strong. An example: While most people would get upset if a driver cut them off, someone with disordered anger might try to chase down the car and force it off the road. And in cases of disordered anger, the person gets angry more frequently and his/her anger lasts longer. For most people, angry feelings disappear quickly. But people with anger problems often stay angry for days, weeks or even years; their feelings of anger don't disappear over time. _ are also important to consider: Disordered anger often damages people's lives. "It interferes with people's relationships and their jobs," says Raymond Chip Tafrate, a US psychologist. "Even their health is affected." Anger clearly increases the risk of certain health problems, as many studies have shown. "When a person is angry, their heart beats faster and their blood pressure goes up," says Howard Kassinove, a professor at Hofstra University in New York. Over time, these changes take their toll on the body, he adds. Experts suggest that people with an anger problem take anger-management programs. The programs teach people to control their responses to stressful situations through the use of relaxation techniques. The programs sometimes include life-skills training as well: increasing someone's level of competence - whether on the job or as a parent or partner - helps bring down stress and cut angry feelings. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Anger is an secondary emotion that makes people sad and stressed. B. Anger was recognized as an illness by most doctors in the past. C. A person with an anger problem gets angry more often and easily. D. The use of relaxation techniques is the best way to manage anger. Answer: C. A person with an anger problem gets angry more often and easily. Question: Have you ever run into a careless cell phone user on the street? Perhaps they were busy talking, testing or checking updates on WeChat without looking at what was going on around them. As the number of this new "species" of human has kept rising, they have been given a new name -- phubbers . Recently, a cartoon created by students from China Central Academy of Fine Arts put this group of people under the spotlight. In the short film, phubbers with various social identities bury themselves in their phones. A doctor plays with his cell phone while letting his patient die, a pretty woman takes selfie in front of a car accident siteand a father loses his child without knowing about it while using his mobile phone. A chain of similar events eventually leads to the destruction of the world. Although the ending sounds overstated, the damage phubbing can bring is real. Your health is the first to bear the effect and result of it. "Constantly bending your head to check your cell phone could damage your neck," Guangming Daily quoted doctors as saying. "The neck is like a rope that breaks after long-term stretching." Also, staring at cell phones for long periods of time will damage your eyesight gradually, according to the report. But that's not all. Being a phubber could also damage your social skills and drive you away from your friends and family. At reunions with family or friends, many people tend to stick to their cell phones while others are chatting happily with each other and this creates a strange atmosphere, Qilu Evening News reported. It can also cost you your life. There have been lots of reports on phubbers who fell to their death, suffered accidents, and were robbed of their cell phones in broad daylight. What may the passage talk about next? A. Advice on how to use a cell phone. B. People addicted to phubbing. C. Measures to reduce the risks of phubbing. D. Consequences of phubbing. Answer: C. Measures to reduce the risks of phubbing. Question: British paychologists have found evidence of a link between excessive Internet use and depression, a research has shown. Leeds University researchers, writing in the Psychopathology journal, said a small part of Internet users were classed as Internet addicts and that people in this group were more likely to be depressed than non-addicted users. The article on the relationship between excessive Internet use and depression is from a questionnaire-based study of 1,319 young people and adults. The respondents answered questions about how much time they spent on the Internet and what they used it for; they also complete the Beck Depression Inventory---a series of questions designed to measure the seriousness of depression. The six--page report, by the university's Institute of Psychological Science, said 18 of the people who complete the questionnaire were Internet addict."Our research indicates that excessive Internet use is associated with depression, but what we don't know is which comes first--are depressed people drawn to the Internet or does the Internet cause depression?" the article's lead author Dr Catriona Morrison said."What is clear is that, for a small part of people, excessive use of the Internet could be warning signal for depressive tendencies." The age range of all respondents was between 16 and 51 years, with an average age of 21.24. The average age of the 18 Internet addicts was 18.3 years. By comparing the levels of depression within this group to that within a group of 18 non--addicted Internet users, researchers found the Internet addicts had a higher chance of developing depression than non-addicts. They also discovered that addicts spent more time visiting sexually pleasing website, online gaming sites and online communities. "The public speculation was further proved by this study. That's to say, over-engaging in websites which serve to replace normal social function might be linked to psychological disorders like depression and addiction," Morrison said."We now need to consider the wider social influence of this relationship and clearly prove the effects of excessive Internet use on mental health." According to Dr Catriona Morrison, the public speculation _ . A. lacks scientific evidence B. helps clarify their study C. finds a theoretical basis D. has little scientific value Answer: C. finds a theoretical basis Question: Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the cold swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he did not realize an alligator was swimming towards the shore. His mother in the house, looking out of the window, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In fear, she ran towards the water, yelling to the son as loudly as she could. It was too late. The alligator reached him. From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator got his legs. That began an incredible tug of war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother would not let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, ran from his truck, and shot the alligator. Amazingly, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His leg were extremely scarred by the animal's attack, and on his arms were scratches from mothers' fingernails where she had tried to hang on to the son she loved. The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs . And then, he proudly said to the reporter: "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom would not let go." You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from alligator, or anything quite so dramatic . But the scars of a painful past. Some of those scares are ugly and have caused us deep regret. But some wounds, my friend, are because someone has refused to let go. In your struggle, maybe someone has been there holding on to you. According to the author, how are we all similar to the boy in the story? A. We can be brave and never let go of our loved ones. B. We may be faced with danger in our lives. C. We may have to depend on the kindness of strangers. D. We may have scars that come from pain and love. Answer: D. We may have scars that come from pain and love.
At the age of sixteen, I joined a volunteer group with my dad.I went on my first volunteer project in West Virginia.On the night we arrived, we discovered that "our family" was living in a trailer that was in poor conditions.A crew had been wolfing on it for two weeks, but every time they finished one problem, another surfaced. We decided the only reasonable solution was to bridle a new house - something unusual but necessary under these circumstances.The family was overjoyed with their new house that was twenty by thirty feet with three bedrooms, a bath and a kitchen. On Tuesday of that week, while we ate lunch together, I asked the family's three boys, Josh, Eric and Ryan, "What do you want for your new room?" Expecting toys and other gadgets that children suavity ask for, we were astonished when Josh responded, "I just want a bed." The boys had never slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats.That night we had a meeting and decided that beds would be the perfect gift.On Thursday night, a few adults in our group drove to the nearest city and bought beds and new bedding. When we saw the delivery truck coming, we told the family about the surprise. _ . It was like watching excited children on Christmas morning. That afternoon, as we fitted the frames of the beds together, Eric ran into the house to watch us.Too dirty to enter his room, he observed with wide-eyed enthusiasm from the doorway. As my father slipped a pillowcase onto one of the pillows, Eric asked, "What is that?" "A pillow," he replied. "What do you do with it?" Eric continued to ask "When you go to sleep, you put your head on it," I answered softly.Tears came to my eyes as my father handed Eric the pillow. "Oh...that's soft," he said, hugging it tightly. Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems urgent, my dad gently asks, "Do you have a pillow?" We know exactly what he means. From the passage, we can learn that what Eric had never seen before is _ . One day a man found a cocoon of a butterfly in the forest. He sat there for several hours and watched the butterfly. Suddenly a small opening appeared, and the butterfly made its great effort to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He cut off the remaining bit of the cocoon so that the butterfly could come out easily. But to his surprise, the butterfly got a heavy body and very small wings when it came out of the cocoon. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that the body would grow smaller at any moment and the wings would become larger and be able to fly. But neither happened. In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a heavy body and small wings. It was never able to fly. The man was in his kindness, but he did not understand the nature rules. Before the butterfly came out of the cocoon, fluid from its body must be forced into its wings, and then it would be ready for flying. It must have a hard struggle to get through the small opening to get its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any difficulties, it would make us fail. We would not be as strong as we could have been; we could never fly. What do you think of the man? Venice is the Queen of the Adriatic Sea .Every year many people visit the city. Why do they go there? Because Venice is a beautiful city. There aren't any roads in the city, so there aren't any cars or buses. There are a lot of canals. People go up and down the canals in boats. But Venice is going down, and water is going up. In 2040 Venice will be under the water. The Adriatic Sea will cover the city. But the people in Venice love the city and want to stay there. How can they stay there? Why do people visit Venice? Phonetics Professor Henry Higgins first meets Eliza Doolittle, a flower girl, near the Royal Opera House, late on a cold March night. Eliza is selling flowers. Higgins is out on his endless search for new dialects of prefix = st1 /London's speech. Higgins makes a bet with Colonel Pickering that he can turn the cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, into a lady within three months. To do so, he must change her thick Londonaccent, teach her to speak proper English and teach her manners. Higgins looks upon her not as a person but as raw material for his experiment. He trains Eliza for weeks. When no progress is made, Eliza, loses her courage, Higgins loses his temper, and even Pickering's patience wears thin. At last she improves. In order to test Eliza, he decides to introduce her to his mother's guests at the Ascot Race Meeting. Eliza proves to be a success. Pickering and Higgins are very proud, and neither of them takes into account Eliza's personal accomplishments in the matter. Eliza has absorbed the sophistication and the courage to see the unfairness of this, and she _ , demanding recognition. The Professor is astonished. It is as though a statue has come to life and spoken. Eliza rushes out of the house angrily. Higgins discovers that he is hurt because Eliza leaves him. He meets her at his mother's flat where she has gone for advice. They argue violently and she storms out. It is only a moment after her departure that Higgins finally wakes up to the fact that Eliza has become an entirely independent and admirable human being. He realizes that he will have a difficult time getting on without her. What is Henry Higgins doing when he meets Eliza? As Artificial Intelligence(AI) becomes increasingly sophisticated, there are growing concerns that robots could become a threat. This danger can be avoided, according to computer science professor Stuart Russell, if we figure out how to turn human values into a programmable code. Russell argues that as robots take on more complicated tasks, it's necessary to translate our morals into AI language. For example, if a robot does chores around the house, you wouldn't want it to put the pet cat in the oven to make dinner for the hungry children. "You would want that robot preloaded with a good set of values," said Russell. Some robots are already programmed with basic human values. For example, mobile robots have been programmed to keep a comfortable distance from humans. Obviously there are cultural differences, but if you were talking to another person and they came up close in your personal space, you wouldn't think that's the kind of thing a properly brought-up person would do. It will be possible to create more sophisticated moral machines, if only we can find a way to set out human values as clear rules. Robots could also learn values from drawing patterns from large sets of data on human behavior. They are dangerous only if programmers are careless. The biggest concern with robots going against human values is that human beings fail to so sufficient testing and they've produced a system that will break some kind of taboo . One simple check would be to program a robot to check the correct course of action with a human when presented with an unusual situation. If the robot is unsure whether an animal is suitable for the microwave, it has the opportunity to stop, send out beeps , and ask for directions from a human. If we humans aren't quite sure about a decision, we go and ask somebody else. The most difficult step in programming values will be deciding exactly what we believe in moral, and how to create a set of ethical rules. But if we come up with an answer, robots could be good for humanity. What does the author say about the threat of robots?
Darek Fidyka, a 38-year-old Bulgarian, had been paralyzed from the chest down for four years after a knife attack. Scientists from Britain and Poland took cells from his nose, transplanted them into his back and re-grew his spinal cord . Now he can walk and even drive a car. The doctors were delighted but said it was the first step in a long journey. The breakthrough came after 40 years of research by Professor Geoff Raisman, who found that cells had the possibility to repair damage to nasal nerves, the only part of the nervous system that constantly re-grows. "The idea was to take something from an area where the nervous system can repair itself and put it into an area that doesn't repair itself," Professor Raisman said. Polish doctors injected the nasal cells into Mr Fidyka's spinal cord above the injury and used some nerves from his ankle to form a bridge across the damaged tissue. The nasal cells appear to have caused the spinal nerves to repair themselves. Professor Raisman achieved this with rats in the late 1990's, but this is his greatest success. "I think the moment of discovery for me was Christmas in 1997 when I first saw a rat, which couldn't control its hand, put its hand out to me. That was an exciting moment, because I realized then that my belief that the nervous system could be repaired was true." Doctors chose the easiest case for their first attempt--it might not work for others. But there is a real sense of hope that an idea once thought impossible has been realized. David Nicholls, who helped provide money for the breakthrough, said information about the breakthrough would be made available to researchers across the globe. "What you've got to understand is that for three million paralyzed people in the world today, the world looks a totally brighter place than it did yesterday," he said. David Nicholls' words suggest that _ . paralyzed people of today have the hope of recovery We can see trees here and there. Trees are important in the world. They are useful to man in three important ways. First, they give man food, wood and clean air. Trees give man food and they give many animals food, too. If there are no trees, many animals can't live. And it's not easy for man to live. Second, trees can give us _ . On a hot summer day, children would like to relax under the shade of a tree after they play for a long time. Third, trees can help to stop bad weather. But in many places , people cut down a lot of trees. And then the weather gets bad. The passage mainly tells us _ . trees are important to man On Saturday, Amy and Joe baked a whole chicken for their family's dinner. They rinsed it in cold water, rubbed it with spices, and put it into a pan. After they had heated up the oven, they put the chicken and the pan on the center oven rack and set the timer. Then, as they peeled potatoes and carrots to go with the chicken, Amy, Joe and Cindy talked about dinner. Amy said, "Joe, this is too much food for you, me and little Cindy to eat in one night. We'll have leftovers. What can we do with the leftover chicken?" Joe said, "We could make chicken sandwiches or chicken and rice." Amy said, "How about chicken soup?" Cindy said, "I like chicken with Thai noodles with red peppers. We haven't made those in a long time." "That sounds good," said Amy. "We'll make that for dinner tomorrow." "Yum!" said Joe. "That's a great idea. I love Thai noodles." Later, Joe, Amy and Cindy had finished eating dinner, and Cindy asked Amy for help with her homework. "I don't understand how to do these math problems!" Joe said, "You two go ahead. I'll do the dishes and put away the leftovers." Soon, Cindy went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Joe was eating the chicken. It was almost gone! "Dad!" said Cindy, "You have eaten almost all of the leftover chicken. We can't have Thai noodles with chicken tomorrow." Joe looked very sad. He said "I'm sorry. I have been a bad dad. I have to buy more chicken so that we can still have noodles. Would you like a piece of chicken?" What did Amy, Joe and Cindy have for dinner? chicken, carrots and potatoes Twelve years ago,a young traveler named Rhett Butler from San Francisco,California, visited the Sabah rainforest on Malaysian Borneo. In one area of the rainforest,he watched a bird flying through the trees. The beautiful sight lett quite an impression on him. But weeks later,back home, Rhett Butler got the news that trees had been cut down in the area hevisi1ed. That experience led Rhett Butler to begin writing a book about rainforests and threats to their existence. But he did not publish the book. Instead, in 1999, he used his research for the book to create a website,Mongabay. com. His purpose was to inform the public about tropical rainforests. But the subject quickly developed. As a former businessman,he became a respected writer of science and environmental stories. The popularity of Mongabay. com attracted advertisers. Small ads on the site pay for its operations. Mongabay. com has grown and led to other sites. For example,there is a site for children which is called Kids. Mongabay. com. Another one,WildMadangascar. o rg, is allabout the island nation that Rhett Butler calls his favorite place. To keep his website going, he travels around the world on several major trips each year. His working tools are a laptop computer,cameras and sometimes diving equipment. He often calls on experts for information. For example,he interviewed Alison Jolly,a top expert on lemurs . He interviewed Rodney Jackson,a biologist who established the Snow Leopard Conservancy. Stories like these have made Mongabay a favorite place on the Internet for researchers, students and teachers. In April, Time, com named it one of the fifteen top climate and environment websites in the world. To keep his website going,Rhett Butler _ . traveled around and interviewed experts Discover Nature Schools programs Becoming Bears (Kindergarten-2 grade) By becoming baby bears, children learn from their "parent" to survive the seasons. Kids will find safety in the spring and learn kinds of food bears eat during the summer, and then create a cave for winter hibernation . After learning the skills needed to survive, students will go out of the cave as an independent black bear able to care for themselves. (1.5-2 hours) Whose Clues? (3-5 grade) Kids will discover how plants and animals use their special structures to survive. Through outdoor study of plants and animals, kids will recognize their special structures and learn how they enable species to eat, avoid their enemies and survive. Using what they have learned, kids will choose one species and tell how they survive in their living places. (3-4 hours) Winged Wonders (3-5 grade) Birds add color and sound to our world and play an important ecological role. Students will learn the basics of birds, understand the role birds play in food chains and go bird watching using field guides and telescopes. Students will do hands-on activities. Students will use tools to build bird feeders, allowing them to attract birds at home.(3-4 hours) Exploring Your Watershed (6-8 grade) We all depend on clean water. Examining how our actions shape the waterways around us. Go on a hike to see first-hand some of the challenging water quality problems in a city. Students will test the water quality to determine the health of an ecosystem. * Each program is taught for a class with at least 10 students. * All programs include plenty of time outdoors. So please prepare proper clothing, sunscreen and insect killers for children. * To take part in a program , please email dcprograms@mdc.mo.gov. Kids who are interested in plants will choose _ . Whose Clues?
Is war unavoidable? Can war be prevented? History tells that there were wars, great or small, in every century, in every decade. Throughout the ages, from the Stone age to the Atomic Age, men have been fighting, first with swords and shields , then with guns and cannons, and now, hydrogen bombs and missiles are used for military purpose. But, in spite of all these, it is still my belief that war can be prevented and peace can be won, but it requires the effort of every one of us. I am sure that we would not like to experience another world war. If it ever happens, two-thirds of the world and much of the civilization which men have gained through time, patience and effort will be destroyed. Will then the remaining one-third of the world be able to survive on its own? Our task now is not to blame the past, but to plan for the future. If there is peace in the world, men can use their rockets to explore the mystery of space, their submarines to explore the depth of the sea, their missiles to deliver mails and their fine equipment to penetrate the jungles of Africa, instead of using them military. Governments can use their money to build more schools, so that more children can be educated to be useful citizens. Scientists can use atomic energy to propel steamships and planes. They can also design new machines to increase the production of goods and thus improve the way of living of the people. How can a peaceful world be achieved? It requires, in my opinion, the understanding and friendship between all people from all nations. Let no one suffer discrimination by reason of color, race, religion, or national origin. Let the rich support the poor and the strong help the weak. We know that neither peace nor such a dream world can come true in a day or a month. It may even take decades or centuries. But let us plan and begin now. We can infer from the passage that _ . Answer: things for military use can be transformed to peaceful use Mr Clark goes to a dinner party in old clothes. He comes into the room, but the people in the room don't look at him. They don't ask him to sit at the table. Mr Clark goes home and puts on his good clothes. He goes back to the party. People in the room stands up and smiles at him. They give him very good food to eat. Mr Clark _ his clothes, and puts them in the food and say, "Eat, clothes!" The other people ask, "What are you doing?" He answers, "I'm asking my coat to eat food. When I am wearing my old clothes, you don't look at me. You don't ask me to sit down. Now I am in these clothes. And you give me very good food. Now I know, you give the food to my clothes, not to me!" ,. How does Mr Clark goes to the party at first? Answer: In old clothes. Dear Jenny, Gary is having a _ party after Month Exam! He invites all of us to come! Since it is a potluck party, I think I will bring some beef noodles. As I know, Lily will take care of the drinks and Gina will bring a big homemade chocolate cake. Can you ask your mom to buy us some KFC fried chicken? You know it is too far for all of us to ride a bike there, but your mom often drives there. We can pay the bill together. Just think about how surprised our classmates will feel when they see what we prepare! Isn't it great? The party will start at noon on March 25, so be sure to be at Gary's place around 11:30 to prepare for the party. By the way, don't forget to invite Amy, who is good at music. If you have any other questions, just call me or write me back. Take care! Leo Who will take fried chicken to the party? Answer: Jenny Three English dictionaries published recently all lay claim to possessing a "new" feature. The BBC English Dictionary contains background information on 1,000 people and places prominent in the news since 1988; the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary: Encyclopedic Edition is the OALD plus encyclopedic entries; the Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture is the LDOCE plus cultural information. The key fact is that all three dictionaries can be seen to have a distinctly "cultural" as well as language learning content. That being said, the way in which they approach the cultural element is not identical, making direct comparisons between the three difficult. While there is some common ground between the encyclopedic/cultural entries for the Oxford and Longman dictionaries, there is a clear difference. Oxford lays claim to being encyclopedic on content whereas Longman distinctly concentrates on the language and culture of the English speaking world. The Oxford dictionary can therefore stand more vigorous scrutiny for cultural bias than the Longman publication because the latter does not hesitate about viewing the rest of the world from the cultural perspectives of the English-speaking world. The cultural objectives of the BBC dictionary are in turn more distinct still. Based on an analysis of over 70 million words recorded from the BBC World Service and National Public Radio of Washington over a period of four years, their 1,000 brief encyclopedic entries are based on people and places that have featured in the news recently. The intended user they have in mind is a regular listener to the World Service who will have a reasonable standard of English and a developed skill in listening comprehension. In reality, though, the BBC dictionary will be purchased by a far wider range of language learners, as will the other two dictionaries. We will be faced with a situation where many of the users of these dictionaries will at the very least have distinct socio-cultural perspectives and may have world views which are totally opposed and even hostile to those of the West. Advanced learners from this kind of background will not only evaluate a dictionary on how user-friendly it is but will also have definite views about the scope and appropriateness of the various socio-cultural entries. The Longman dictionary is more likely to be criticized for cultural prejudice because _ . Answer: it views the world purely from the standpoint of the English-speaking people The United States is a country of immigrants. It is a place where people from all over the world come to build a better life. Some immigrants bring their families. Some bring a few of their favorite things. Others come alone with nothing but determination. One thing that every immigrant brings with them is their culture. American immigration began in 1607 with the colony of Jamestown. In 1620, another group of people left England to build a settlement in America. They wanted to go to a place where they could practice their religion freely. Then many more people left their homes in Europe to build a better life in America. Many also came to America from Africa. By 1770, more than two million people had moved to America. Later on, more people came to the United States than ever before. In cities all over America, you can see different cultures that formed this country. Many things that you may think of as being "American" are actually from a foreign culture. Some of the best examples of this are the foods people eat. Pizza and spaghetti are foods that all Americans know and love. But both of them are from Italy. Baseball is an all-American sport. But the hot dogs that people eat during the game are a type of food that was brought to America by German immigrants. Over time, pizza and hot dogs have become a part of what is considered to be American food. In the same way, different groups of people have come together to define what an American is. An American can be a person of any background. An American can be of any faith. An American can be of any skin color. They can speak English clearly. They can speak English with an accent. Each new immigrant adds something new to American culture. It will keep changing as more people come to this country. Several foods are mentioned in the text to show _ . Answer: America is made up of different cultures
Will Nanfang University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen announce a new beginning for China's higher education reform? It's too early to answer. But its presence is challenging the Ministry of Education. Even without the approval of the ministry it seems that the school is determined to move forward and enroll 50 students, so-called child prodigies , to begin classes on March l, 2011.On graduating in 2015, these students will receive a diploma unauthorized by the Ministry of Education----unlike the students of their age from the state-run universities. The school is committed to modeling itself on Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, but if the government will not approve the school, the situation could cause a lot of trouble for those 50 students if they want to do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions. Other schools could turn their applications down for their unauthorized diplomas. The difficulties, however, have not frightened students and their parents away. On Dec.18, 2010 more than 1,000 students and their parents visited Nanfang University of Science and Technology for interviews. Private investment marks the school out from other higher learning institutions in the nation. Not a penny comes from the government. So the government will have no voice in how the school will be run. The Ministry of Education has published a comprehensive plan for education reform and development between 2011 and 2020.The goal is to make China's higher education internationally competitive. To accomplish this goal, the government should have the courage to let the educators who have big ideas try them out. The ministry should have applauded the independence. The school in Shenzhen has shown and encouraged more to do likewise. Education reform in China has reached a new and crucial stage. Nanfang University of Science and Technology has a long way to go to prove itself competitive rather than a diploma mill. What is the best title of the passage? A University of New Style. B China's Education Reform. C Modeling Hong Kong University. D Authorized or Not? Answer: A Zhang Feng, a 23-year-old man from Zhengzhou, China, has developed a special kind of kungfu skill. He called it "Shaolin Sunshine Hand". It allows him to get enough energy with his fists to put out candles up to three meters away. I used to watch those Chinese kungfu films during the 80s and 90s. I used to love seeing kungfu actors make things far away with their fists, but at that time I knew it was not true. However, after I watched the video, I changed my idea. The video went very popular in China recently. It showed that the young man named Zhang Feng put out 15 candles in a line three meters away with air or energy generated by his flying fists. You may say it's not true, and you're not the only one. But the young man actually invited two reporters from The Zhengzhou Evening News newspaper into his home to see his act and then film him doing it. The two reporters tried their best, but were only able to put out one of the 15 candles set 10 cm apart, and even blowing air didn't put out all the candles. Zhang Feng, on the other hand, put them all out just by throwing punches. The two reporters were _ and couldn't explain how he did it. They said that Zhang Feng was a great Shaolin master. What did the writer use to think of it seeing kungfu actors make things far away with their fists? A It was so scary. B It was too magic. C He did not believe it. D He thought it was true. Answer: C It was on a cold night of December. The rain was pouring on the car roof as Albert and Andy drove through the empty country roads towards their friends' house, the Harrisons,where they were going to attend a party to celebrate the engagement of the Harrisons' daughter,Lisa. When they drove, they listened to the local radio giving a news announcement:The New York police have issued a warning after a man escaped from Shangdi Mental Hospital earlier this morning .The man ,John, is a murderer who killed six people. Andy felt frightened, "A crazy killer is out somewhere." "Don't worry about it ," said her husband. "We're nearly there now. Anyway, we have more important things to worry about. This car is losing power for the engine." As he spoke, the car began to slow down. Finally the engine died completely. "Now we'll have to walk in the rain." "But that'll take us an hour at least," said Andy, "And I have my high-heeled shoes and my nice clothes on, which will be ruined!" "Well, you'll have to wait while I run to the nearest house and call the Harrisons. Someone can come out and pick us up,"said George. "But George! Have you forgotten what the radio said? There's an insane person out there!" "You'll have to hide in the back of the car. Lock all the doors and lie on the floor in the back. When I come back, I'll knock three times on the door. Then you can open it." Albert opened the door and disappeared into the darkness. Some time later she heard the sound of vehicles, running quickly down the road. The three vehicles were all police cars. One of them rushed towards the car as Andy opened the door. A policeman said, "Get out of the car and walk. You're safe now. Just don't look back." something in the way he spoke filled Andy with cold horror. About ten yards from the police car, she stopped , turned and looked back at the empty vehicle. Albert was hanging from the tree, a rope tied to his neck. Why did the policeman tell her not to look back when he brought her out of the car? A He wouldn't like her to see her husband's body B A man acting strangely was waiting behind her. C He wanted her to forget everything that had happened D He didn't wish her to see the damage done to the car. Answer: A I remember reading a story once about a man who found a bag with a lot of clay balls by the seashore. They didn't look like much, but they intrigued (......) the man so he took the bag with him. As he walked along the beach, to pass the time, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could throw. He thought little about it until he dropped one of the balls and it broke open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone . Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left. Then it struck him. He had been on the beach for a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have had tens of thousand, but he just threw it all away. You know sometimes, it's like that with people, we look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful, so we discount(,) it, we see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or well-known or wealthy. There is a treasure in each and every one of us. If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees him, then _ It is clear that _ . A the man was a fool B the man would know people better C the man got tens of thousands of dollars D the man have got more money Answer: C Many skilled young people are being forced into part-time and unskilled work, the report says. It warns of a "crisis" with more than six million people so disillusioned they have given up looking for work. The ILO(International Labor Organization)wants governments to make job creation a priority. It wants more training schemes, and also tax breaks for employers. "The youth unemployment crisis can be beaten but only if job creation for young people becomes a key priority in policymaking and private sector investment picks up significantly," said Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, executive director of the ILO's employment sector. Since 2007, the number of young people without jobs has risen by four million - up from less than 12%, the Global Employment Trends for Youth Report says. Almost 13% of people aged between 15 and 24 - or almost 75 million - have no work, although this is slightly down on its peak in 2009. In the European Union, one in five young people are looking for work, the report claims. Some 27.9% of youths were unemployed in North Africa last year --a rise of five percentage points on 2010. In the Middle East, the figure stood at 26.5% in the report's regional breakdown. Even in East Asia, perhaps the most economically active region, the unemployment rate was 2.8 times higher for young people than for adults, the report said. But, the ILO report reveals, the true picture of youth unemployment is even more pessimistic. Many young people are extending their time in higher education because they cannot find jobs. Others are taking part-time unskilled work because they cannot find work in the fields they trained for. The ILO says that more than six million young people worldwide have given up looking for work and are becomingly increasingly detached from society. By not using their skills they are losing them, the report says, and if there is no improvement in the jobs market soon, they may be not only unemployed, but unemployable. The ILO suggests offering tax breaks to businesses hiring young people and offering more programmes to help kick-start careers. According to ILO, the following are caused by high youth unemployment rate except _ . A The government calls on young people to take up whatever job is available B Many young people are making their time in higher education longer C Some young people are taking part-time unskilled work D Many young people have given up looking for work Answer: A
Question: The Field Museum Hours Regular hours are 9:OOam - -5 :00 pm, daily. Last admission at 4:00 pm. Open every day except Christmas. Admission We have several ticket choices for you to choose from. Advance tickets may be purchased at the will - call booth in person at the museum before 4 :00 pm. Getting Here The Field Museum is located on Chicago's Museum Campus, at 1400S, Lake Shore Drive , just south of Roosevelt Rd. How to get here : by car or public transit or free trolley. Parking Visitor parking in all lots on the Museum Campus is $ 15 per day. This includes the Adler lot, the north garage, the Waldron garage and the east museum lot. Hours for the north garage and Adler lot are 5 :00am - 5 :00pm. Mon - Fri and 6:00am - 5 :00pm weekends ; east museum lot 9 :00am - 3 :00pm. Designated handicapped parking is available in every lot. When all other lots are full, parking will be made available in the remote south lot for $8 per day. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the parking lot will only accept cash payment,which will need to be paid upon entering the garage. Please note :These hours and rates are for daytime only and do not apply when special events are scheduled at the museums or Soldier Field. Getting here during Chicago Bears Home Games During bears home games and other major special events at Soldier Field, access to the Museum Campus can be challenging. No museum visitor parking is available on the Museum Campus during bears home games. However,public transit remains a great way to get to the Campus every day of the year. For more information , call the Regional Transportation Authority at ( 312) 836 - 7000 or visit www. rtachicago. com. Additional parking is available at the Monroe Street garage, located at 350East Monroe Street. Where can you park your car for the least cost? A. The south lot. B. The Adler lot. C. The north garage. D. The Waldron garage. Answer: A. The south lot. Question: Tony:I like eating hamburgers and drinking cola. Yes, they are not healthy. But I eat hamburgers and drink cola every day.I don't like vegetables. I hate tomatoes. Cindy: My favourite food is chocolate and my favourite drink is milk. Milk can make me healthy. I drink milk every morning. I like fruit too. And my favourite fruit is oranges. Zhang Qiang: I like meat. I eat beef and chicken, but my favourite is beef. So I'm strong and tall. Liu Xin: I like candy and vegetables. I eat candy every day. But my mum says candy can make me fat. Now I'm fat so I do sports every day. Tony's favourite drink is _ . A. Juice B. Water C. Milk D. Cola Answer: D. Cola Question: Once there was a king who never ate a meal unless there was a dish of fish with it, but one day there was a big storm and the fishermen were not able to go out to catch fish, so the king had no breakfast and no lunch. Then he ordered his servants to tell everybody in his capital that if anyone brought him a fish, he would give him anything that he asked for. At last, a fisherman caught a big fish late in the afternoon and hurried to the king's palace with it. But the king's Prime Minister would not let him in until he promised to give him half of whatever the king gave him for the fish. The king was very happy when he saw the fish. He asked the fisherman what he wanted for his fish. To his surprise, the fisherman said, "I want you to beat me two dozen times with a stick." When the king began to beat him a dozen times, the fisherman jumped away and said, "That is enough for me. I promised the other dozen to your Prime Minister." Then he told the king what had happened between the Prime Minister and himself. The king was very angry. He not only gave the Prime Minister the dozen hits, but also said, "Because you have been dishonest, you will not be my Prime Minister any more. The fisherman will take your place." . The king got rid of his Prime Minister because _ . A. the fisherman was cleverer than his Prime Minister B. the Prime Minister did not know how to catch fish C. the Prime Minister was not an honest man D. the Prime Minister took half of what the king gave the fisherman Answer: C. the Prime Minister was not an honest man Question: Oxford is a city in the UK. It's in the west of the UK and it's famous for the University of Oxford. It's an old university -- about 900 years old. It has a longer history than Cambridge University. It's the oldest university in the English speaking world. There are about 20,000 students and they are from all over the world. Many students go to school by bike. There are 38 colleges in the University of Oxford, but Cambridge University has only 31 colleges. There are 104 libraries in the University of Oxford. Bodleian Library is the second largest library in the UK. Stephen Hawking was a student of the University of Oxford. He's a great scientist. Clinton , the 42nd American was also a student of the University. There are _ libraries in the University of Oxford. A. 104 B. 114 C. 140 D. 31 Answer: A. 104 Question: The periodic table of the elements is systematically organized according to the A. rate at which the elements chemically react. B. hardness of the elements. C. structure of the atoms of the elements. D. radioactivity of the atoms of the elements. Answer: C. structure of the atoms of the elements.
Cindy, Jerry and Mary are giving their opinions about a good friend. Cindy: I think a good friend should be honest . That's more important than any other thing and is where a good friendship starts. _ Jerry: I think a good friend has to be generous. Here "generous" doesn't mean he has to give his friends his lunch money or his clothes. It means he should share his ideas and feelings with his friends. In fact, his friends can know him better in this way. Mary: In my opinion a good friend should understand his friends. When there's something wrong between him and his friends, he must put himself in his friends' place and think more for his friends. Which of the following is TRUE? A They are talking about what they think a good friend should be. B They are talking about money. C They are talking about clothes. D They are talking about trust. Answer: A It was in the Victorian Era that the novel became the leading form of literature in English. Most writers were more concerned to meet the tastes of the middle class. The best known works of the period included the works of Charles Dickens and the Bronte sisters and others. Charles Dickens came on the literary scene in the 1830s. Dickens wrote vividly about London life and the struggles of the poor. Most of his works were written in a very humorous style, which was popular with readers of all classes. The Bronte sisters were English writers of the 1840s and 1850s. They began to write from early childhood. In 1846 they published the first book at their own expense as poets; however, their book attracted little attention, selling only two copies. Then the sisters turned to writing novels, each producing a novel in the following year. An interest in rural matters and the changing social and economic situation of the countryside may be seen in the novels of Thomas Hardy and a number of others. Literature for children developed as a single style. Some works became well-known, such as those of Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear. Adventure novels were written for adults but are now generally grouped in the list for children. Helen Beatrix Potter was an English author at the end of the Victorian Era, best known for her children's books, which featured animal characters. In her thirties, Potter published the highly successful children's bookThe Tale of Peter Rabbitin 1902. Which is TRUE about the Bronte sisters? A They were English writers of the 1830s. B They paid to have their first book published. C They began their writing from adulthood. D Their first book was successful. Answer: B I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch . He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events. The last time I was there he introduced me by saying: "I want to tell you a story. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy's high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up. "That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch. "He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, 'See me after class.' "The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, 'Why did I receive an F?' The teacher said, 'This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you'll have to pay large stud fees. There's no way you could ever do it.' Then the teacher added, 'If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.' "The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, 'Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.' Finally, after a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He stated, 'You can keep the F and I'll keep my dream.' " Monty then turned to the group present and said, "I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace." He added, "The best part of the story is that two years ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week. When the teacher was leaving, he said, 'Look, Monty, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids' dreams. Fortunately you had enough courage not to give up yours.' " "Don't let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what," Monty at last concluded. What would be the best title of the passage? A Set a practical goal B Try to be realistic C Prove yourself through success D Keep your dream Answer: D Teenagers at one German school are learning how to achieve happiness alongside subjects like maths and languages. The class sit in a circle with their eyes shut and count from one to ten: one begins, the next voice comes from the far right, a third from the other side. The aim is to listen for an opportunity to shout the number without clashing with another voice or leaving a pause. On the first try, most of the young Germans try to be first, while a few are too shy to join in. But by the fifth round, they develop a rhythm. The message: giving other people space but also confidently claiming your own space is a requirement for social well-being. While the game suggests a soft course for the less bright, the school says it is trying to make it affect even clever pupils. The Willy Hellpach School is the first in the nation to develop a happiness course, intended for 17-19-year-olds preparing for university-entrance exams. "The course isn't there to make you happy," Ernst Fritz-Schubert, the school principal, warned the pupils who were taking the course, "but rather to help you discover the ways to become happy." Cooking a meal together will be one of the class exercises, along with improving body language under the guidance of two professional actresses. "In the first period, we had to each say something positive about another member of the class and about ourselves. No laughing at people or teasing," said Fanny, 17. The message: self-esteem improves happiness too. The course is taught for three periods a week and will be graded as a part of overall assessment. Despite the happy subject, the pupils themselves insist it is no laughing matter. Max, 18, says he is happy when he finds people who share his interests. Janina, 18, says she needs to be fit to feel happy. "We want to show how proper food or exercise can help in becoming happy," the principal said. He hopes other schools in Germany will copy the idea. The school has attracted national interest since it announced its new course. Which of the following is NOT true about the happiness classes? A Students learn through playing games. B Cooking a meal together is a class activity. C Students are only made to be happy. D Students say positive things about each other. Answer: C International Robotics Forum Tokyo Big Sight,Tokyo, Japan, December 4-5 The Robotics Society of Japan (RSJ), to provide opportunities for young robot lovers to learn more about industrial and service robots, is going to hold the International Robotics Forum that will cooperate with this year's International Robot Exhibition. The lectures and explanations throughout the Conference will be given in Japanese but will be interpreted into English at the same time. The Conference will offer a great opportunity for senior high school students from all around the world to communicate with each other through robots. Therefore, we look forward to your active participation. The event will take place two days. On the morning of Day One, Prof. Shinichi Yuta of the Shibaura Institute of Technology will give a lecture on basic mobile robotics and learning through robots. This will be followed by a talk by Mr. Kazuhiko Yokoyama of Yasukawa Electric Corporation who will explain the mechanism and control of robots and also point out the highlights of the International Robot Exhibition. We will prepare a challenge for all the participants. We will send you themes for robot research. You will study them in advance, and on the afternoon of Day One, you will visit the Tokyo International Exhibition Center and investigate real robot. You will be able to experience fun and excitement of advanced robot technologies. On the morning of Day Two, you will present your study and investigation results. On the afternoon of Day Two, as the final event, awards will be given by the RSJ to groups that have given outstanding presentations. We hope that many future robot researchers and engineers will be born today. What type of writing is this text? A A research paper. B An announcement. C An exhibition guide. D The robotics introduction. Answer: B
Nick is a student. He has four friends. They are Ben, Eric, Peter and Andy. But they are all very different. Nick is confident and kind. He is also a good listener. All of his friends like to talk to him about their problems. This is his best quality. Ben is the quietest friend of them. He is not energetic and active like Eric, or outgoing like Peter. But he is so patient and fair. When they have an argument, Ben is always there to listen to everyone and make sure that everybody stays friends. Andy is very clever and hard-working. He does the best in exams at school. It is really kind of Andy to help Peter with his homework when he is having trouble. They get along well with each other like brothers. What do you think of Ben? A. He is just like Peter. B. He is energetic and active. C. He likes to argue. D. He is quiet, but fair and patient. Answer: D. He is quiet, but fair and patient. There is no doubt that most of the readers will be students with little or no experience in reading poetry out loud, especially to such a large group. And we know that a poem will live or die depending on how it is read. The readers, by the way, should not read poems without getting any practice. They should be given their poems a few days in advance so that they have time to practice, maybe in the presence of a teacher. Read the poem slowly. Most young people speak quickly, and a nervous reader will tend to do the same in order to get the reading over with. Reading a poem slowly is the best way to make sure that the poem will be read clearly and understood by its listeners. Learning to read a poem slowly will not always make the poem easier to hear, however. A poem should not be read too slowly, and a good way for a reader to set an easy pace is to pause for a few seconds between the title and the poem's first line. Read in a normal, relaxed tone of voice. It is not necessary to give any of these poems a dramatic reading, as if from a stage. The poems selected are mostly written in a natural style and should be read in that way. Let the words of the poem do the work. Just speak clearly and slowly. Obviously, poems come in lines, but pausing at the end of every line will create a choppy effect and interrupt the flow of the poem. Readers should pause only where there is punctuation , just as you would when reading prose , only more slowly. According to the passage, we know that _ . A. how a poem is read has no effect on the poem itself B. when you read a poem, read it as slowly as possible C. a nervous tone of voice is OK for the poetry D. when you read the poetry, pause where the poet has shown you Answer: D. when you read the poetry, pause where the poet has shown you Left unfettered , Anthony Konieczka, 9 years old, would happily play his Game Boy Advance or PlayStation 2 from the minute he gets up to the moment he goes to bed, 14 bleary-eyed hours later. Anthony's box is stocked with traditional toys--board games, puzzles, art supplies--and as far as he is concerned, they are relics of Christmases past. His sister Michaely, 6 years old, still likes dressing her Barbies. But once she starts playing Game Boy, it's hard to get her away. Play patterns like this could take up another Christmas for the toy department. Through September, toy sales were down 5% compared with the first nine months of last year, according to the NDP Group. Meanwhile, the video-game industry is heading for another record year. Thanks to hot new games like Halo 2 for the Xbox, the industry is light-years ahead of the toy business when it comes out. While some new toys emerge every holiday season, toymakers are heading into this one without a monster hit . Indeed, there has not been a Furby-style frenzy in years. Of 10 toy segments only two, arts and crafts and dolls, have generated sales growth over a recent 12-month period. Some of the weakest categories like construction sets and action figures are the ones aimed at boys, who suffer the most from the video games. Analysts expect one of the top stocking stuffers this season to be not a traditional toy but the new generation of Nintendo's Game Boy, the DS, which hit stores last week. The deeper issue is that shifts in play patterns are forcing toymakers to fight for shelf space in a tightening market. Boys in particular seem to be abandoning traditional toys at earlier ages in favor of consumer electronics, video games, PC software and the Internet. The fact that kids are growing more tech-savvy , a trend called "age compression ", has troubled toy companies for at least a decade. Action figures, for instance, used to be considered healthy for boys up to age 12. Now the items are mainly marketed to boys 4 to 6. A recent study found that nearly half of the US children start on video games at 4 to 5 years old--and 20% at age 3 or younger. Toy companies, of course, have long seen this trend. Several of the toys expected to sell well this season are, in fact, those that involve video gaming and DVD technologies. Mattel's Fisher-Price introduced a game system called InteracTV this year, featuring DVDs with characters like Dora the explorer. Hasbro came out with a portable color1 video player called VideoNow and has been putting classic games like Battleship and Yahtzee into hand-held electronic format. At the beginning of the passage, the author implies that . A. video games are designed only for boys B. girls are usually not interested in video games C. both Anthony and Michaely are good at playing PlayStation 2 D. children would not like to stop playing Game Boy once they start Answer: D. children would not like to stop playing Game Boy once they start Small talk is meaningless conversation in terms of content,but is often seen as socially important in certain situations,or context.In many English-speaking countries,it can be viewed as rude or unfriendly not to make small talk. Discussing the weather with people who you don't really know is an example of small talk that many of us are very familiar with on a daily basis.We may chat about the weather with the cashier at the supermarket or with the attendant at the gas station.Small talk may also be related to the situation such as waiting in line.People in the line may comment to others about how slow it is in the post office or bank that day,for instance.We also engage in small talk with people we may see every day but don't really know such as those we share the elevator with in our office building. Small talk is common at parties when guests may know the host but not each other.It is considered rude not to mingle and speak with other guests at social functions,so small talk can break the ice and get guests chatting.Compliments may be a type of small talk such as one woman at party complimenting another on her dress. Some people like small talk because they find silence uncomfortable and/or they enjoy communicating verbally.Others enjoy meeting new people and use small talk to start conversations. When making small talk,especially with strangers or those you don't know very well,it's important to observe certain socially acceptable conventions.First,small talk should be general and not personal or about controversial topics. Second,while compliments are acceptable,they shouldn't refer to the person's body or sound like a pick-up line. What do people usually talk about in small talk? A. Light topics. B. Personal topics. C. Meaningless things. D. Controversial affairs. Answer: A. Light topics. 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. What's the main idea of this passage? A. People all like the same things. B. Different people like the same things C. People all like different sports D. Different people like different things Answer: D. Different people like different things
A group of foreign residents married to Japanese talked about their children's names. Nicole Despres Students services manager, 40 (American) We have no intention to live outside Japan so it made sense for the kids to take my Japanese husband's family name. However, we did want to have a Western name too, so all three of them now have both a Western and Japanese name. We agreed there would be no strange names, spelling or unusual kanji(Chinese characters in the Japanese language). All names had to be easy to say and familiar in both Japanese and English. John McCracken Company general manager, 27(American) My son's name is Aiden. In part because my wife and I met in university and as she was studying Irish history and I have some links to Scotland and Ireland, I wanted a unique Gaelic name. We settled for Aiden as we found kanji that can be used in Japan that means "legendary hero" Paula Murakami College women's Association of Japan, 53(American) My husband was very excited about choosing names, so I decided to let him choose. He wanted their first names to be Japanese and camp up with names that included the kanji character in his own name. Our boys, Hiroki and Kenta, never had any problems while living on the U.S. West Coast with Japanese names, and I think both as children and as adults, they love their names. Jeff Ruiz Recording engineer, 42(Mexican) My son's name is Lenny. My wife chose it together with me as we were looking for a name that works in both worlds -- mine in Mexico, and hers in Japan -- and the name Lenny is common everywhere. In Japanese we write the name in katakana as that is easy for Japanese people who seem to like names in two or three characters. Which would be the best title for the passage? How do you choose your child's name? Most underground caves are formed by the action of water on limestone Hans was an honest fellow with a funny round good-humored face. Living alone, every day he worked in his garden. In all the countryside there was no garden so lovely as his. All sorts of flowers grew there, blooming in their proper order as the months went by, one flower taking another flower's place, so that there were always beautiful things to see, and pleasant odors to smell. Hans had many friends, the most devoted being the Miller. So devoted was the rich Miller to Hans that he'd never go by his garden without plucking a large bunch of flowers or a handful of sweet herbs, or filling his pockets with fruits. The Miller used to talk about noble ideas, and Hans nodded and smiled, feeling proud of having such a friend. The neighbors thought it strange that the rich Miller never gave Hans anything in return, though he had hundreds of sacks of flour, many cows and sheep, but Hans never troubled his head about these, and nothing gave him greater pleasure than to listen to all the wonderful things about the unselfishness of true friendship. In spring, summer, and autumn Hans was very happy, but when winter came, and he had no fruit or flowers to sell, he suffered from cold and hunger. Though extremely lonely, the Miller never came to see him then. "There's no good in going to see Hans while the snow lasts." The Miller said to his wife, "When people are in trouble they shouldn't be bothered. So I'll wait till the spring comes when he's happy to give me flowers." "You're certainly very thoughtful," answered his wife, "It's quite a treat to hear you talk about friendship." "Couldn't we ask Hans up here?" said their son. "I'll give him half my meal, and show him my white rabbits." "How silly you are!" cried the Miller. "I really don't know what's the use of sending you to school. If Hans came up here, and saw our warm fire, our good supper, and our red wine, he might get envious, and envy is a most terrible thing, and would spoil anybody's nature. I am his best friend, and I'll always watch over him, and see that he's not led into any temptation. Besides, if Hans came here, he might ask me for some flour. Flour is one thing, and friendship is another, and they shouldn't be confused. The words are spelt differently, and mean quite different things. Everybody can see that." He looked seriously at his son, who felt so ashamed that he hung his head down, and grew quite scared, and began to cry into his tea. Spring coming, the Miller went down to see Hans. Again he talked about friendship. "Hans, friendship never forgets. I'm afraid you don't understand the poetry of life. See, how lovely your roses are!" Hans said he wanted to sell them in the market to buy back his things which were sold during the hard time of the winter. "I'll give you many good things. I think being generous is the base of friendship." said the Miller. "And now, as I'll give you many good things, I'm sure you'd like to give me some flowers in return. Here's the basket, and fill it quite full." Poor Hans was afraid to say anything. He ran and plucked all his pretty roses, and filled the Miller's basket, imagining the many good things promised by the Miller. The next day he heard the Miller calling: "Hans, would you mind carrying this sack of flour for me to market?" "I'm sorry, but I am really very busy today." "Well," said the Miller, "considering that I'm going to give you my things, it's rather unfriendly of you to refuse. Upon my word, you mustn't mind my speaking quite plainly to you." Poor Hans was driven by his friendship theory to work hard for his best friend, leaving his garden dry and wasted. One evening Hans was sitting by fire when the Miller came. "Hans," cried the Miller, "My little boy has fallen off a ladder and hurt himself, and I'm going for the Doctor. But he lives so far away, and it's such a bad windy night. It has just occurred to me that you can go instead of me. You know I'm going to give you my good things, so you should do something for me in return." "Certainly," cried Hans. He struggled into the stormy night, and got the doctor to ride a horse to the Miller's house in time to save the boy. However, Hans got lost in the darkness, and wandered off into a deep pool, drowned. At Hans' funeral, the Miller said, "I was his best friend. I should walk at the head of the procession." Every now and then he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief. From the passage, we can learn that Hans _ . admired the Miller very much The year was 1932. Amelia Earhart was flying alone from North America to England in a small single-engined aeroplane. At midnight, several hours after she had left Newfoundland, she ran into bad weather. To make things worse, her altimeter failed and she didn't know how high she was flying. At night, and in a storm, a pilot is in great difficulty without an altimeter. At times, her plane nearly plunged into the sea. Just before dawn, there was further trouble. Amelia noticed flames coming from the engine. Would she be able to reach land? There was nothing to do except to keep going and to hope. In the end, Amelia Earhart did reach Ireland, and for the courage she had shown, she was warmly welcomed in England and Europe. When she returned to the United States, she was honored by President Hoover at a special dinner in the White House. From that time on, Amelia Earhart was famous. What was so important about her flight? Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly the Atlantic Ocean alone, and she had set a record of fourteen hours and fifty-six minutes. In the years that followed, Amelia Earhart made several flights across the United States, and on each occasion she set a new record for flying time. Amelia Earhart made these flights to show that women had a place in aviation and that air travel was useful. Which of the following statements was NOT mentioned? She made plans to fly around the world. When I was young I wanted to be a model,so when a national contest was staged,I convinced my parents to take me for an audition .I was selected and told I had potential.They said that for only $900 I could attend a weekend event which dozens of the most prestigious modeling agencies from around the world would attend.At 13,my hopes of fame and fortune clouded all judgement and I begged my parents to let me go.We have never been rich,but they saw my enthusiasm and agreed. I imagined being signed by some famous model companies.For months,any boredom or disappointment I faced was pushed aside because I knew I would soon have the chance to be real model.I thought I would grace the covers of famous magazines! Of course,I wasn't signed,but what hurt the most was being told that if I grew to 5'9''(about 1.75 metres) I could be a success.I prayed for a growth spurt because I could not imagine giving up my dream.I made an appointment with a local modeling agency and the agent demanded $500 for classes.$500 for a photo shoot,and $300 for other expenses.My parents only agreed after hours and hours of my begging. The agency sent me out on a few auditions,but with every day I didn't receive a call,I grew more depressed. _ came in July after I had decided to focus on commercial modeling.There was an open call in New York City.We spent hours driving and another few hours waiting,only to be told that I was too short.I was devastated . Years later,I realized that the trip to New York was good as it made me notice I didn't actually love modeling,just the idea of it.I wanted to be special and I was innocently determined to reach an impossible goal.The experience has made me stronger and that will help me in the future. What was it that made the author end her attempt to become a model? She realized that it was impossible for her.
Question: As a child, I was really afraid of the dark and of getting lost. These fears were very real and caused me some uncomfortable moments. Maybe it was the strange way things looked and sounded in my own room at night that scared me so much. There was never complete darkness, but always a streetlight or passing car lights, which made clothes on the back of a chair take on the shape of a wild animal. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the curtains seem to move when there was no wind. A very low sound in the floor would seem a hundred times louder than in the day. My imagination would run wild, and my heart would beat fast. I would lie very still so that the "enemy" would not discover me. Another of my childhood fears was that I would get lost, especially on the way home from school. Every morning I got on the school bus right near my home. That was no problem. After school, though, when all the buses were lined up along the street, I was afraid that I would get in the wrong one and be taken to some other strange places. On school or family trips to a park or a museum, I wouldn't let the leaders out of my sight. Perhaps one of the worst fears of all I had as a child was that of not being liked or accepted by others. Being popular was so important to me then, and the fear of not being liked was a serious one. One of the processes growing up is being able to realize and overcome our fears. Understanding the things that scared us as children helps us achieve greater success later in life. _ would scare the author at night. A. Wild animals and enemies B. Moving curtains C. A very low sound in the floor D. Wild imagination Answer: D. Wild imagination Question: The latest fashion in Japan is posing for photos with your hand pressed against your cheek as if you have toothache. The "cavity pose" is said to make the model's face appear attractive, slimmer and smaller, which is considered more beautiful in Japan. The craze is sweeping Japanese social media, as well as fashion magazine front covers. Just recently a model of a popular culture magazine, NYLON, did a pose which looked as if she had toothache. Twitter user, Okoge, spotted it among a range of similar magazines, with front cover models all doing the same pose. Okoge posted photos of the front cover models all with the exact same toothache pose, on the social media site, writing, "Does everyone have cavities?" The image has since been re-tweeted more than 35,000 times, but this is anything but an isolated incident . Twitter and Instagram are going crazy for the pose, too. The name, which means cavity pose, is called "mushiba no poozu" or "mushibapoozu" in Japanese. Some people also refer to it as the" mushibagaitaipoozu", the "cavity hurts pose", "mushibamitainapoozu" or "looks like a cavity pose", or even, "mushibaninattapoozu" or "I got a cavity pose". According to the magazine, Kotaku, such photographs first appeared on Twitter last year in Japan. Many Japanese people said they are doing the cavity pose. And in only a few weeks, the trend has spread to art, popular cartoons and even national magazines. There have been more and more photos cropping up online from earlier this year, but whether the trend will stand the test of time remains to be seen. It is not certain _ . A. why the "cavity pose" becomes so popular B. when the "cavity pose" happened on the Internet C. how many names of "cavity pose" there are D. whether people will continue to like the "cavity pose" Answer: D. whether people will continue to like the "cavity pose" Question: Frank, the dog, is very friendly. He loves meeting new people and going out with his friends. He has a lot of friends! One of his very good friends is a blue robot named Bob. Bob is a nice robot. A long time ago, Bob saved the world. But now, he lives a quiet life. Another great friend of Frank's is Hops,the rabbit. Hops is special( ) because he is good at every subject, especially math and science. He likes teaching others what he knows, and he's always making all kinds of inventions. An old friend of Frank's is Ted. Ted and Frank are both dogs, they're a little different. Frank is always trying new things-sometimes silly things! Ted, However, likes doing sensible things more than doing fun and crazy things. But both he and Frank love learning and care about doing what's right more than anything. So to them, their differences are small. Which of the following title is the best one? A. A Nice Robot B. A Friendly Dog C. A Clever Rabbit D. A Few Friends Answer: B. A Friendly Dog Question: If a neutral atom loses an electron, what is formed? A. A gas B. An ion C. An acid D. A molecule Answer: B. An ion Question: It was the summer of 1965. Deluca, then 17, visited Peter Buck, a family friend. Buck asked Deluca about his plan for the future. "I'm going to college, but I need a way to pay for it," Deluca recalls saying. "Buck said, 'you should open a sandwich shop.'" That afternoon, they agreed to be partners. And they set a goal: to open 32 stores in ten years. After doing some research, Buck wrote a check for $1,000. Deluca rented a storefront in Connecticut, and when they couldn't cover their startup costs, Buck kicked in another $1,000. But business didn't go smoothly as they expected. Deluca says, "After six months, we were doing poorly, but we didn't know how badly, because we didn't have any financial controls." All he and Buck knew was that their sales were lower than their costs. Deluca was managing the store and to the University of Bridgeport at the same time. Buck was working at his day job as a nuclear physicist in New York. They'd meet Monday evenings and brainstorm ideas for keeping the business running. "We convinced ourselves to open a second store. We figured we could tell the public, 'We are so successful; we are opening a second store.'" And they did--in the spring of 1966. Still, it was a lot of learning by trial and error. But the partners' learnasyougo approach turned out to be their greatest strength. Every Friday, Deluca would drive around and handdeliver the checks to pay their supplies. "It probably took me two and a half hours and it wasn't necessary but as a result, the suppliers got to know me very well, and the personal relationships established really helped out," Deluca says. And having a goal was also important. "There are so many problems that can get you down. You just have to keep working toward your goal," Deluca adds. Deluca ended up founding Subways Sandwich, the multimilliondollar restaurant chain. They decided to open a second store because they _ . A. had enough money to do it B. had succeeded in their business C. wished to meet the increasing demand of customers D. wanted to make believe that they were successful Answer: D. wanted to make believe that they were successful
What do you usually do after school? Playing football? Watching TV? Let's see how kids in foreign countries spend their free time? Mess around with Dress-up Do your parents have any old clothes? See if you can get an old box and start collecting hats, shoes and clothes now! Then, when your friends come over after school,you can play dress-up. See if you can make yourself into a doctor, or a cowboy, or even a spaceman! If you are really clever, you could even put on a show for your family! Let your imagination run wild! Start a Club Want to learn new things after school? Want to make new friends who aren't in your class? You can get both of them in clubs. In other countries' schools,there are usually all kinds of clubs for kids to join. There is a French club,a student government, a theatre,a choir and a photography club. Take a photography club as an example. One may learn all the skills about taking photos. For example,you will learn how to choose a camera,how to use the light and how to develop pictures. One can also make a lot of friends in clubs. It's always good to enjoy your free time with friends, isn't it? What do kids mainly want to do when they start a club? _ . Answer: Museum of London At the Museum of London you can experience and discover the hidden treasures in our city's history. From talks, walks and tours to evening classes, there's always something happening at museums. The museum is here for you all year round so you can relax in our cafes, find a gift in our shop or just enjoy the sights. National Army Museum The museum is available to wheelchair users. And baby changing units are available in the male and female toilets. The museum cafe offers freshly-made tea and coffee and seasonal food. The National Army Museum Shop offers different kinds of goods which can be ordered by telephone or mail order, and an online shop has opened. Opening hours: 10: 00 a. m.-5:30 p. m. Garden Museum The Garden Museum explores and celebrates British gardens and gardening through its collection. A planned program of talks, children's activities and plant shows runs throughout the year. The shop offers a lot of perfect presents for those who love gardens and the garden cafe serves delicious freshly-made food. The museum also welcomes volunteer gardeners. Musical Museum The Musical Museum contains many collections of musical instruments. The museum is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday. We are planning many special performances to which you are all invited. If you would like to have a party or use our facilities ,then please call us for further details. The museum shop provides a number of presents for musical instrument lovers. For further details please visit the website at www. visit-hounslow. com. If you want to hold a party, you should go to _ Answer: I am an American boy. My name is Jerry Black. You can call me Jerry. I have a sister, Ginny. We are twins. But we are very different( ). I have a long face with a high nose, and she has a round face with a small nose. I like football. But she likes basketball. I like loud music. She likes light music. My father is a doctor in a hospital. My mother runs a clothing shop. We have another family member, Beibei. She is a lovely dog. She will have a puppy soon. Ginny has _ and likes _ . Answer: A plant needing to photosynthesize will best be able to Answer: What Is Bird Flu? What is bird flu?It's a form of influenza believed to strike all birds.Though poultry are believed to be especially prone to humans,no human-to-human transmission has been reported. Where is it?Thailand,Vietnam,Indonesia,Cambodia,South Korea,Japan,Taiwan and China have reported outbreaks in birds in recent months.Thailand and Vietnam have reported human cases.Bird flu was first reported in humans in Hong Kong in 1997.Since then,it's popped up mostly in Asia,although the Netherlands reported an outbreak,including human cases,in 2003. How many people have been affected?The disease has killed seven people.Vietnam has confirmed six human cases,and all of them have died.Thailand has confirmed three cases,including one death. How is it passed?Infected birds spread the virus through saliva ,faeces ,and nasal secretions . So far,only humans with direct contact with sick birds have caught the disease.But scientists are worried that bird flu could link with regular human influenza,mutate ,and become a deadly new virus and cause a pandemic . What are the symptoms in birds?Loss of appetite,ruffled feathers,fever,weak- ness,diarrhea ,excessive thirst,swelling.Mortality rate can range between 50 percent to 100 percent. What are the symptoms in humans?Fever,cough,sore throat,muscle aches,eye infections,pneu- monia ,viral pneumonia and so on. World Health Organization(WHO) says this year's strain is resistant to cheaper antiviral drugs,for instance,amantadine(,).Scientists are exploring more expensive treatment. WHO also recommends quarantining sick people. There's no evidence that the virus is being passed through eating chicken products,health experts say.Heat kills viruses,and WHO says chicken products should be cooked thoroughly at the temperature of at least 70 degrees Celsius(158 degrees Fahrenheit).WHO also says people should wash their hands after handling poultry so as not to contaminate other objects. In which place no bird flu cases were reported? Answer:
With eight bloodshot eyes fixed on a flying object, the pains of a two-year project were about to bear fruit. It was Wang Hongyi's first test flight of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed and assembled with his teammates from the Aero-Sport Club at Shanghai Jiaotong University. Wang is a senior mechanical engineering and automation major. He has been a plane model fan since childhood. As a freshman, he spent two nights building a model aircraft and took it to the sports field just for fun. Wu Junqi, the coach of Shanghai Jiaotong University's Aero-Sport Club, spotted Wang and told him his model was outdated. "I was a little angry, so he took me to the lab," says Wang. He was immediately drawn to the modern equipment and decided to join the club. As a technology fan, Wang spends most of his spare time in the lab. "He loves what he's doing, so he can stand the loneliness of doing research that others seldom have the persistence to carry out." says coach Wu. When Wang and his teammates were building UAV, they lived together in the lab. "We tried to spend as much time together as possible because there were thousands of problems that needed to be solved." Wang says. They didn't even have time to celebrate when the first test flight of the UAV went well. "We needed to list the problems that occurred during the flight and analyze them to find solutions." he says. "Our UAV isn't finished yet, but there are many design projects and people with similar interests waiting for me." Wang says. "The UAV is just the beginning, not the end of my aircraft journey." What message does Wang Hongyi's story convey to us? A. Nothing is difficult if you put your heart into it. B. Two heads are better than one. C. Interest is the best teacher. D. Actions speak louder than words. Answer: A Each team has three players and a coach . The basketball players are running and jumping in the hot sun. Music is all around. In just twelve minutes, the game is over. But a new one starts right away. How exciting! This is street-ball. It's much like basketball. But it's faster. People play it outside and it's interesting. Usually, children play street-ball on an open court. They use only half of the court. What they need is a basketball goal . Children love lots of things about the game. "It's very nice to be outside in the sun. And the music is great", said Jane, fourteen, a girl in Beijing. Some say street-ball was from Europe , others say it came from America. But now, boys and girls in many countries like to play it. Street-ball is a game for all. Street-ball is much like _ . A. basketball B. tennis C. football D. badminton Answer: A "How are you asleep? It's six in the morning!" "Hello Dad," I said. My dad thought waking me up early for father-son time was a treat. I wished we could hang out at night instead. He sat in the chair at the foot of my bed with an enormously cheesy grin on his face, with a big shopping bag on his lap. "What's in the bag, Dad?" "I bought you some presents! You're a growing young man, and it is only right that you pick a sport." Dad dug through the bag, and pulled out a football and a baseball. "Any of these look good?" "Dad, you know all I want in life is to join the circus! Why can't you let me be myself?" Dad leaned in closer to me, a serious look on his face. "Son, when I was eight I wanted to join the circus too. But when I got to high school, everybody made fun of me. They told me I was dumb for not playing sports and dumb for practicing juggling all day. They told me that nobody would marry me if I didn't give up my circus dreams." "Then how did you find Mom?" "By giving up my dreams of circus juggling and playing football instead! Come on, you'll like it." I slowly pulled myself out of bed and grabbed the football from Dad's hand. I wanted to make him happy. But I wish he could've been happy with a dream where you didn't get hit with things. What time is it? A. eight at night B. Six in the morning C. eight in the morning D. six at night Answer: B A teacher builds a model of a hydrogen atom. A red golf ball is used for a proton, and a green golf ball is used for an electron. Which is not accurate concerning the model? A. number of particles B. relative mass of particles C. types of particles present D. charges of particles present Answer: B One of the greatest sources of unhappiness, in my experience, is the difficulty we have in accepting things as they are. When we see something we don't like, we wish it could be different. We cry out for something better. That may be human nature,or perhaps it's something ingrained in our culture. The root of the unhappiness isn't necessarily that we want things to be different.However, it's that we decided we didn't like it in the first place. We've judged it as bad,rather than saying, "It's not bad or good, and it just is it." In one of my books, I said, "You should expect people to mess up and expect things to go differently than you planned". Some readers said it's too sorrowful to expect things to go wrong.However, it's only negative if you see it as negative and judge it as bad. Instead,you could accept it as the way the world works and try to understand why that is. This can be applied to whatever you do:how other people act at work,how politics works and how depressing the news media can be.Accept these things as they are,and try to understand why they're that way. _ will save you a lot of sadness,because you'll no longer say, "Oh, I wish bad things didn't happen!'' Does it mean you can never change things? Not at all. But change things not because you can't accept things as they are, but because you enjoy the process of changing, learning and growing. Can we make this world a better place? You can say that you'll continue to try to do things to help others, to grow as a person, to make a difference in this world. That's the correct path you choose to take,because you enjoy that path. Therefore, when you find yourself judging and wishing for difference, try a different approach: accept, and understand. It might lead to some interesting results. What is the main theme of the passage? A. Expecting things to be different gives us hope. B. Accepting can make our life happier and better. C. Traditional culture becomes root of unhappiness. D. Judging good or bad is important for our world. Answer: B
Thirdgeneration mobile phones, known as 3G, are the next big step for the telecom industry. Data speed in 3G networks is much quicker than present technology. This means users can have highspeed Internet access and enjoy video and CDquality music on their phones. "Mobile data is not a dream; it's not an option but a requirement." said Len Lauer, head of a US communications company,Sprint PCS,at a 3G conference in Bangkok earlier this month. With 3G, you can forget about text messages telling you yesterday's news; a 3G phone can receive video news programs, updated four times a day. Internet access will also be much quicker, making it easier to surf the Web on your phone than on your computer at home. Facetoface video calls And don't worry about getting lost. 3G phones offer map services so you can find a new restaurant just by pressing a few keys on your handset. However, the most impressive part of 3G technology is video calling. With live twoday video communication, you can have facetoface talks with friends and family on your mobile phone. Many European countries have already launched the service. In May 2000 the US Government issued five licenses to run 3G wireless services, while the first 3G phones arrived in Italy in March this year. International telecom companies can't wait to sell 3G in China, the world's largest mobile telecommunications market. But they will have to be patient. At the moment, China is busy testing its 3Gbased technologies, networks and services. This will be followed by a trial period before the phones can finally hit the shops. "We need to create a pool of 3G customers before the largescale commercial launch of the service." said Fan Yunjun, marketing manager for Beijing Mobile. "We expect that the 3G licenses will be issued late next year. " According to the text, which function of the following makes 3G technology most extraordinary? A It can provide video news programs, updated four times a day. B Users can have facetoface talks with friends and family on their mobile phones. C Users can enjoy video and CDquality music on their phones. D It'll be easier for users to surf the Web on their phone than on their computers at home. Answer: B The associates I hired in my bicycle and lawn mower shop like myself were never perfect; however, they were excellent. Working with them as they improved taught me new ways to show forgiveness, understanding, and patience. One day the placement officer asked me to interview a young man who was having trouble finding a job. He told me that David was a little shy, did not talk much and was afraid to go on with interviews. He requested that I give David an interview just for practice. He plainly told David that I had no positions open at the time and the interview was just for practice.[:] When David came in for the interview, he hardly said a word. I told him what we did at the bicycle shop and showed him around. I told David to keep showing up because the number one thing an employer wanted in an associate was dependability. David was very quiet ( he was evaluated as a slow learner in school). Every ten days or so, for weeks after the interview, David walked into the bicycle shop and stood by the front door. He never said a word, just stood by the door.[:,,Z,X,X,K] One day, shortly before Christmas, a large truck came to the shop, packed with 250 new bicycles. It had to be unloaded right away or the driver would leave. It was raining. Some of my workers (without physical limitations) chose not to brave the weather to get into work, so I was short-handed. It seemed everything was going wrong and on top of it, David came in the front door and just stood there. I looked at him and shouted, "Well, all right! Fill out a time card and help me unload this truck!" David worked for my bicycle shop for eighteen years. He came to work every day thirty minutes early. He could talk; however, he rarely chose to. He drove my truck and made deliveries. The customers would praise David, saying, "He doesn't talk, but he really shows you how to operate a lawn mower!" The author gave David an interview to _ A find a person who is reliable B find a part-time worker in need C give him some practice D show sympathy for him Answer: C I am Wei Fang. I am a Chinese girl. I have a good friend. Her name is Miaomiao. Do you think Miaomiao is a nice girl ? That's wrong . She isn't a girl but a cat. She's a little lovely cat. Miaomiao is black and brown. She is only fourteen days old. She _ e her mother Mimi. Wei Fang is _ . A an American girl B an English girl C a Chinese girl D a Chinese boy Answer: C If something is able to grow from a kernel and insects assist in reproduction, then it is probably a A carnation B rock C chair D dove Answer: A Most young people like to go to rock concerts these days. They like the loud and exciting sound of the music and they enjoy the excitement of a big concert. Rock stars usually have a different style. Their music is exciting and different, and the way they dance and dress makes them popular with young people. The words of rock songs are usually quite simple, but the music itself is complex . But some rock stars have problems after they become famous. They don't know what to do when they suddenly succeed, and often they start to drink or to take drugs . Then their health becomes bad. Some like Elvis Presley , died very young because of drugs. A big rock concert can make young people _ A sad B happy C unhealthy D excited Answer: D
I have happy memories of trips to Europe, but my trip to Romania was unique. When I was there as recalled, it was like being in a "James Bond" movie. My husband was born there, but his family sent him to study in Italy. Before he left, his mother told him, "As long as I write in pencil, don't come back. When I write to you in pen, it's safe to return." But she never wrote in pen. My husband lived a poor life in Italy. He applied to go to America, but there was a limit in number and he was rejected. He was accepted by Canada, though, and from Calgary he jumped onto a train to San Francisco. There he stayed --illegally. He became a US citizen when we got married. By then he was a charming European with a Romanian accent and the manners of a prince. With seven years' experience in America, a US passport, and two children later, he felt it was safe to visit Romania. He hadn't seen his mother, two sisters, and two brothers since he was sixteen. We flew to Munich, Germany; picked up the German-made car we had purchased in the States; and drove to Romania via Austria and Hungary. When we reached Bucharest, the capital city of Romania, his family was waiting outside his sister's house to greet us. After a long time of hugging, kissing, and crying, his family also hugged me, the American wife with two young children. They had great interest in me. Few Americans visited Romania at that time, and most Romanians had little chance to travel. I had brought an English-Romanian dictionary with me and managed to communicate, using only nouns, with no verbs. My Romanian improved, and the family's stock of English words increased, but mostly I spoke in broken, New York-accented Romanian. The sisters loved their gifts of skirts and purses, the brothers loved the radios, and the children loved the candy. We made side trips to the Black Sea and enjoyed sightseeing in beautiful mountains. Dining at outdoor cafes to the music of violins was fantastic with fancy flavor, but nothing was as special as family dinners. Romania didn't have many dry cleaners. Most homes had old-fashioned washing machines but no dryers, and it was a hot summer. My husband's relatives didn't want to risk dirtying their clothes. Their solution was as simple as it was shocking: the women only wore their bras and slips at dinner table. The men were eating without shirts. They all had jobs, so time was precious. Having dinner without proper clothes was a small inconvenience compared with the effort of washing clothes --at least in my husband's home, perhaps all across Romania. I, of course, having just met them, ate fully clothed. I washed my clothes by hand and hung them outdoors to dry. On the last night of our three-week stay, we had a large family dinner. I was tired of washing my clothes. So I pulled my dress over my head and placed it on the chair behind me. All men and women applauded for my action. Even with my poor Romanian, I understood that they were saying, "She's part of our family now." My children were 4 and 5 at the time, but they still have memories of that trip. They know how to say, "Good morning." and "There are apricots on the tree." I can still say, "Do you speak Romanian?"and "I swim in the Black Sea." But most of all, I remember sitting at a long dining-room table in my bra, enjoying meatballs with fresh garlic . From Para. 1, we learn that _ . A a trip to Europe would be dangerous B the mother didn't want to see her son C Romania might be unsafe at that time D the mother didn't like to write in pen Answer: C 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. . What plan does Ben have for his future? A To be a teacher B To make a lot of money C To be a computer programmer D Both B and C Answer: A To protect you and your fellow passengers, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA ) is required by law to inspect all checked baggage. As part of this process, some bags are opened and inspected. Your bag was among those selected for inspection. During the inspection, your bag and its contents may have been searched for items forbidden by law such as fireworks, fuels, gunpowder, etc. At the completion of the inspection, the contents were returned to your bag, which was resealed with a "special" lock. If the TSA screener was unable to open your bag for inspection because it was locked, the screener may have been forced to break the locks on your bag. TSA sincerely regrets having to do this, and has taken care to reseal your bag upon completion of inspection. However, TSA is not _ for damage to your locks resulting from this necessary security precaution. For packing tips and other suggestions that may assist you during your next trip, visit: We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact the Transportation Security Administration Consumer Response Center: Phone: toll-free at (866) 289-9673 Email: *Section 110(b)of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001, 49, U. S. C.SS44901(c)-(e) The leaflet is most probably provided by TSA to those who _ . A refused to check in their baggage B had their baggage selected for inspection C kept some damaged items in their baggage D left their baggage unlocked Answer: B Too often young people get themselves employed quite by accident, not knowing what lies in the way of opportunity for promotion, happiness and security. As a result, they are employed in doing jobs that afford them little or no satisfaction. Our school leavers face so much competition that they seldom care what they do as long as they can earn a living. Some stay long at a job and learn to like it; others leave one for another looking for something to suit them. The young graduates who leave the university look for jobs that offer a salary up to their expectation. Very few go out into the world knowing exactly what they want and realizing their own abilities. The reason behind all this confusion is that there never has been a proper vocational guidance in our educational institution. Nearly allfeel their way in the dark. Their chief concern when they lookfor a job is to ask what salary is like. They never bother tothink whether they are suited for the job or, even more important, whether the job suits them. Having a job is more thanmerely providing yourself and your dependants with daily bread and some money for leisure and entertainment.It sets a pattern of life and, in many ways, determines social status in life, selection of friends, leisure and interest. In choosing a profession you should first consider the type of work which will suit your interest. Nothing is more sad than taking on a job in which you have no interest, for it will not only ruin your talents but also discourage your desire to succeed in life. Few school leavers have plans for the long term when finding jobs because _ . A they are lowly paid B they are not well trained C it is difficult to get employed D they don't know what they are interested in Answer: C Five years ago, I met her in a shopping center. I was walking through the shop when I saw her. Then she came back to my house with me. After that, we became friends. Once she had to go into hospital to have an operation on her leg. I was worried about her and looked after her every day. I made breakfast for her. I was not good at cooking, but she never complained. I also helped her take showers. I have no idea why we can be good friends, because she is quite different from me. I like writing, reading and playing computer games. But she loves outdoor activities. She likes playing balls best. She also loves sleeping. She will run all around the house to lick my face if someone shouts "Kiss for Dad." That is the only name she knows me by--Dad, though I call her by many names--Pickle, Missile and Little. But her real name is Pixar. This week she turns seven years old. What can we learn from the passage? A Pixar once had an operation on her head. B Pixar doesn't like playing outside. C Pixar is the writer's dog. D Pixar calls the writer "Dad" every day. Answer: C
Five years ago ,David Smith wore an expensive suit to work every day. "I was a clothes addict ," he joked . "I used to carry a fresh suit to work with me so I could change if my clothes got wrinkled." Today David wears casual clothes--khaki pants and a sports shirt--to the office. He hardly even wears a necktie. "I'm working harder than ever," David says, "and I need to feel fortable." More and more panies are allowing their office workers to wear casual clothes to work. In the United States, the change from formal to casual office wear has been gradual. In the early 1990s, many panies allowed their employees to wear casual clothes on Friday (but only on Friday). This became known as "dress-down Friday" or "casual Friday" . "What started out as an extra one-day-a-week benefit for employees has really bee an everyday thing." Said business consultant Maisly Jones. Why have so many panies started allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? One reason is that it's easier for a pany to attract new employees if it has a casual dress code . "A lot of young people don't want to dress up for work," says the owner of a software pany, "so it's hard to hire people if you have a conservative dress code." Another reason is that people seem happier and more productive when they are wearing fortable clothes. In a study conducted by Levi Strauss and pany ,85% of employers said that they believe that casual dress improves employee morale. Only 4% of employers said that casual dress code has a negative impact on productivity .Supporters of casual office wear also argue that a casual dress code helps them save money . "Suits are expensive ,if you have to wear one every day," one person said. "For the same amount of money ,you can buy a lot more casual clothes." Which of the following is not the reason why many panies started allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? Answer: Suits which used to be cheap are expensive now. Dear Mike, How are you? Are you still coming to my birthday party in January? My family, friends and classmates are all coming. The party is on Monday, January 13 at 6:00. It's at Uncle Tom's restaurant in the city. First, we can eat and talk from 6:00 to 7:45. After that we can go to a movie in ZJG Shopping Park near Zhonglian(GDH) International Hotel. Every Monday, there's a movie on at 8:00. I hope you can come. You can meet my other friends and my sisters, too. Write soon! Kathy Why does Kathy write this letter? Answer: She wants to know if Mike will come to her birthday party. The longest day of the month is the day after my younger brother T.J gets his new issue of Just Joking , a magazine filled with all kinds of jokes. When the new issue arrives, T.J tells me every riddle in it . But a constant stream of riddles can get annoying . "Hey, Keith ! What did he hamburger name his daughter ?" "T.J !" I shout . "Enough riddles !" He is suddenly quiet. "Keith , be nice ,"Mom says. "T.J, honey, what did the hamburger name his daughter?" "Patty," he says. During dinner ,T.J doesn't say anything . Usually he brings Just Joking to the table with him and tells us some riddles in between bites of food .This evening, he does not .I'm relieved . At last --- some peace and quiet. After dinner, I go to my friend Brad's house to work on a project for science class . We're painting the planets when Brad's little sister, Nita, comes into the room. "Brad, can I help you with the project ?" Nita asks. "Nita !" He shouts at her . "Leave us alone!" Nita walks out of the room looking sad. I feel bad for her. I can tell that she just wants to be around her big brother. The look on Nita's face reminds me of the look on T.J's face earlier in the evening . Now I don't feel so good about T.J's silence at the dinner table. When Brad and I finish working on the project, I see Nita in the front of the room .She still looks sad. "Hey, Nita! Do you know what the hamburger named his daughter ?" I ask. "I don't know. What?" Nita says.www.ks5u.com "Patty!" Nita laughs and I laugh too . " I heard that from my brother, T.J," I say. "He's very funny. When I get home, T.J still looks unhappy. "T.J, guess what ?" I say. " I used one of your riddles tonight. Brad's little sister thought it was really funny. So let's find more riddles for the next time I go over there. And maybe you can come along with me sometime." "Really ?" T.J's eyes light up . "OK!" T.J runs upstairs, and then comes back, smiling and carrying Just Joking. Keith shouts at T.J.because _ . Answer: He is tired of the riddles told by T.J Bet Winner MILLBURN, New Jersey-- An 11-year-old boy, he gave up television for a year in a bet with his mother, says he will use some of the money to buy himself an astronaut's suit. The bet ended at 9:01 on Monday morning, but Benjamin waited until his mother, Roslyn, handed him five 100-dollar bills in front of a gathering of newspapermen in the afternoon before switching on the TV. During the past year, he has filled his time reading and his grades have improved from ''satisfactory" to ''very good." CHINA DAILY, Wednesday, March 9, 2011 ( 94 words ) For how long had the boy kept himself from turning on the TV? Answer: For one year BEIJING--Heavy haze still covered north and east China on Saturday, with highways closed and flights delayed or canceled . The smoggy weather affected the country's land from north to south, including Beijing, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Hunan, Guangxi and Guangdong, with visibility less than 50 meters in some areas. Cities like Shanghai and Nanjing have been enveloped in the grey sky for the past several days. Many walkers in the street had to wear masks. In the Lukou airport in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, more than 60 inbound and outbound flights were canceled on Saturday because of the hazy, which also forced primary and middle schools and kindergartens to stop classes on Thursday and Friday in Nanjing. The Ministry of Environmental Protection said earlier this week that there were several main reasons behind the widespread haze: unfavorable weather conditions making it difficult for pollutants to diffuse , motor vehicle exhaust , coal use for winter heating. The Chinese government now plans to clean up the air by cutting coal use, closing some factories and promoting cleaner production. "We must face up to the realities," said Yan Naiqiang, a professor of environmental science at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. "The treatment of smog will be a long battle." Which of the following is _ a reason for the heavy haze? Answer: Too many flights.
Sometimes we feel good, such as when we get good grades or when something good happens. Sometimes we feel bad, such as when we argue with our classmates or when the teachers criticize us. Both kinds of feelings are common. Of course, we all enjoy good feelings, but when we feel unhappy, sometimes we don't know what to do about it. Here is a plan that will help you when your feelings are bothering you. 1. ACCEPT your feelings. Say to yourself, "I am sad. " "I am scared. " "I am angry. " "I am embarrassed. " It's all right to have these feelings. 2. RELAX and have a rest before you act. Take slow deep breaths and relax your body. Imagine that you are in a safe place. You can listen to some music or sing a beautiful song ! 3. THINK about ways to help yourself. Thinking helps you do something smart instead of hurting yourself or making things worse. 4. DO something to help yourself. Maybe you can talk to someone, or do something you enjoy. _ , go back to Step 3. We feel unhappy when _ Free On-line Short Stories For Kids: Trevor The Taxi In this children's story, suited to younger children, we have an adventure with Trevor. He is a taxi. Trevor loves his life: "Sometimes he takes patients to the nursing home, where they can get better after being ill, and sometimes he takes people home when they have been shopping, and Stan puts all their packages inside Trevor's boot, so they will not get wet or broken." The black cab, in this adventure, goes far beyond the call of duty whilst he achieves his wildest dreams! What could this be? Well you will just have to read this short story for yourself! Free On-line Short Stories For Kids: The Girl Who Believed In Fairies The fairy queen is upset and the elves just don't know what to do: "Oh dear, oh dear," sobbed the queen, getting her hankie all wet with her constant crying. For the twelfth time that day, Elgie the chief elf took her hankie and wrung it out on to the carpet of grass that grew all around the palace." How will they manage to help the queen? Why was she so unhappy? There is only one person that can help! Can she do it? This is a lovely fairy tale that will glow the embers of your heart - only for young girls! Free On-line Short Stories For Kids: The Envious Kings This story is suitable for 6 years and upwards. Unfolding in the story pages of this recommendation is a children's story about two kings who were competing with each other: "In spite of the easy life that the two kings had, they were not happy, for each of them kept thinking that the other one had a bigger and better palace, or owned more horses, or had more jewels or even had creamier milk." They were both petty and, through their envy, they caused themselves much trouble. Who do you think saved the day? Well, you will just have to read the story to find out! Free On-line Short Stories For Kids: The Wise Old Woman This story is probably suited to the 8 years old age range and upwards, although would appeal to adults, alike. Here I introduce you to one of my kids on-line stories listed on the writing and literature section of Hubpages. In this parable you will find a magical world of wisdom involving trees, people and someone very special. "As she stood and watched, the knowledge melted into her and the sapling grew...The magical transition took her breath away and as she watched on with ore, she noticed something strange." So, what was this strangeness and magical transition? Let me leave you with wonderment ... and a click of the link! Free On-line Short Stories For Kids: Unusual Stories - Faffenburger's Odyssey This story is probably more suited to the older child. So who is Faffenburger? Well with one of these free on-line short stories for kids, we enter into a different realm. A world of nonsense as Faffenburger moves within alpha and omega. This is a rather unusual story as you will find out! "My friend, Henry Faffenburger stomped down the long lane on his short stumpy legs, moonlight glancing off his bald-spot, which was a little surprising as there was no moon that night. As he rounded the bend, he saw a pair of headlights coming toward him. They drew level, and stopped. A small man with yellow eyes emerged from the darkness behind the lights, and enquired if Faffenburger would like a lift. "Where are you going ?" asked my friend. "Wherever you want to go", replied the owner of the yellow eyes." So, the adventure begins! Where will they go? Alpha, Omega or just the middle? After all, it was a long summer - especially the middle! Take a closer look at this - you might find something a little more strange and a little more hidden that you have noticed before. Intrigued? Well you should be with Faffenburger's Odyssey! You can find the description of a night scene in _ ? June 6this National Eye Care Day. It is a good chance for us to improve our eye health. What are common eye problems we have today? How can we protect our eyes? Read on to find out the answer. Eyes are important in our everyday life. We use them to read books, see colors and view the wonders of the world. But sometimes, we use them too much and it hurts them. In the past, nearsightedness was a common eye problem among children. This is mostly because of their bad eye habits, such as watching TV too long and reading books in bed. However, today's technology is changing the way we live. Children spend more time working and playing in front of computers, smartphones and iPads. US children spend more than 42 hours a week in front of electronic screens , US' ABC news reported. This has caused a new problem for our eyes: digital eyestrain . People with digital eyestrain may get headaches, dry and red eyes, eye pain, watering and other eye problems. But don't worry. The following tips can help you protect your eyes. Try them out. Screen advice: 1. When you are watching electronic screens, keep them at least 30 cm from your eyes. Try not to use your smartphone in direct sunlight. 2. Blink more often when you are looking at the screen. This can help to stop dry eyes. 3. Remember to take a 20-20-20 break: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet (about 6 meters) away. 4. Spend less time in front of screens. One to two hours a day is OK for your eyes. The main idea of the passage is _ . Today, many species of animals and plants are endangered. This means they are in danger of becoming extinct and living on only in the pages of history books. The famous dodo is a classic example of a creature that became extinct. A flightless bird that lived on the island of Mauritius, it was discovered by sailors in 1598 but was hunted to extinction by 1681. Hunting has caused the Bengal tiger and the African elephant to be endangered today but habitat destruction can also lead to extinction. This is equally true for plants. Animals and plants disappear for other reasons too, but the main cause is often a disruption(,) in the natural food chain, whether due to hunting, habitat destruction, or even the introduction of alien species. The natural food chain is the cycle that governs the existence of all life on this planet. It is a carefully balanced cycle and any imbalance that occurs can cause knock-on effects that have serious consequences. At the beginning of the natural food chain are plants which turn sunlight into energy and draw nutrients from the earth. Plants are called producers. After the producers come the consumers. There are three tiers of consumers. First are creatures such as plant-eating animals, fish and insects which feed off the producers. These animals that only eat plants are called herbivores. The second tier of consumers are carnivores - animals that live off other animals. The third tier of consumers eats both other animals and plants. These consumers, including most humans, are called omnivores. After animals and plants die, they become food for other smaller creatures, such as bacteria and some plants, such as fungi. As they feed, these creatures turn the dead bodies back into gases and minerals which are again food for the producers at the beginning of the food chain. And so the cycle continues. All of nature is connected and governed by hundreds of these delicate food chains and if a single plant in the chain cannot survive, then the insects that live off the plant start to die and the animals that eat the insects also start to die. When a food chain is disrupted, the consequences can be extremely serious. One estimate suggests that for each plant species that is lost, up to 30 animals and insects may also die out. One wonders how many species were affected by the extinction of the dodo? Humans can have disastrous effects on food chains. We've already mentioned hunting but now let's look at travel. When people first started to explore the world they took plant and animal species from their home countries and introduced them wherever they went. They didn't realize that by introducing alien species they were disrupting the natural food chains of the areas they discovered. Although there are strict rules in place today controlling the import and export of alien species, some places are still fighting the effects of aliens introduced hundreds of years ago. For example, Gough Island in the South Atlantic Ocean is a breeding ground for albatrosses that have been nesting there for centuries. But in the 19th century, mice from passing ships were brought to the island. Being a species alien to the island, they had no natural predators and have now grown to such a size that they are attacking and killing albatross chicks. If they are allowed to continue, they will wipe out the albatross population. With import laws and people's rising awareness of how humans affect the natural environment, hopefully we can learn to fit better into the natural food chains that govern our world. Otherwise we need to accept that the loss of any more plants and animals could eventually mean our own extinction. What is the best title of the passage? Memo to: Parents Memo from: Administration Office, St. Augustine's Elementary School Topic: Lunch Program and School Information Date: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 We would like to thank all parents and guardians for your cooperation as we carry out a new method of delivering our lunch program. So far the month-long test of the new system has gone smoothly. For your convenience, we have included a copy of the envelope below to allow you to record the days you have ordered lunch for your child. You can keep this copy at home for your reference. Please note, lunches are prepared using the School Food Guidelines both in terms of items served and size. During the first two weeks some people wrote in additions to the menu, such as ordering extra items. Due to the logistics involved and our limited volunteer base we are unable to fulfill these requests. Ordering process: This year we will distribute a two week lunch envelope. If you decide to order the meal offered on a given day, simply check the box in front of that meal choice. For example, if you choose seven meals over the two weeks, then please enclose (7 x $2.00) fourteen dollars ($14.00) in the envelope. Seal it, and return it to your child's teacher. Please note that the cost for the lunch remains the same: $2.00 daily and includes fruit and milk. You will note that we have also reduced daily choices. For example on Fridays, we offered chicken burgers and hamburgers. This has been changed to chicken burgers on one week and hamburgers the following week. Food prepared according to special requests has also been changed. These items will now be prepared with the same ingredients. If your child does not like the lunch being served on a particular day please ensure that he/she has a packed lunch from home. Thank you for your attention on this matter and we look forward to working with you once again this year. Please return the attached envelopes by Thursday, December 2, 2011. According to the passage, this Memo_.
One day, a raven happened to fly past a lake. Looking at the lake, he saw the most beautiful animal he had ever seen. It was a swan and its feathers were as white as snow. The swan was playing with other birds happily, talking and dancing. And it seemed that the other birds all liked to stay with _ When he looked at his own feathers, they were as black as coal. The raven was very angry with the swan. "How can the swan have such wonderful feathers?" said the raven. What should he do with his feathers? He thought it over and over. Then, the raven decided that he also wanted to have white feathers like the swan's. From that day on, the raven began to live like the swan. He moved his home from the woods to the lake. He also started to eat water plants like the swan. He tried his best to talk and dance with the other birds. The most important was that each day, the raven would wash his feathers, hoping that they would turn white. Even he went to the nearby rivers and ponds to wash his feathers because he thought the water in the lakes was not enough for him to wash them. But no matter how hard he washed his feathers, they remained black. As he ate only water plants, he soon grew thinner and thinner. Not many days later, the raven died. Where was the raven's natural home? The woods Have you ever dreamed of visiting a planet in the Milk Way? While the trip sounds exciting, it would take years and years to reach your destination. So in the future, bedtime for astronauts may be more than a few hours of regular shut-eye. They would have to sleep for years. European researchers are now conducting hibernation experiments. The study may help them understand whether humans could ever sleep through the years it would take for a space flight to distant planets. "If there was an effective technology, it could make deep-space travel a reality," said Mark Ayre of the European Space Agency last month. _ Researchers have been able to use chemicals to put living cells into a sleep-like state where they don't age. They have now moved on to small, non-hibernating mammals like rats. The results will be out by the end of 2004. A major challenge is the fact that cells can be very simple systems, whereas body organs are far more complex. "It's like moving from a simple Apple computer to a supercomputer," said Marco Biggiogera, a hibernation researcher at Italy's University of Pavia. Just like bears and frogs, the hibernation of human beings would cause a person's metabolism to lower so they would need less energy. Medical research, however, is just half of a space flight hibernation system. There is the challenge of designing a suitable protective shelter. Such a shelter would provide the proper environment for hibernation, such as the proper temperature. It would also have to monitor life functions and serve the physiological needs of the hibernator. According to Ayre, the six-person Human Outer Planets Exploration Mission to Jupiter's moon Callisto, could be an opportunity to use human hibernation. The mission aims to send six humans on a five-year flight to Callisto, where they will spend 30 days, in 2045. European researchers are conducting hibernation experiments to _ . know if man can sleep for years The Tories would allow children to go to school for ten hours a day and on Saturday mornings to improve the performance of poorer pupils and help working parents. Schools spokesman Michael Gove declared plans yesterday to give disadvantaged children more classroom time to help them catch up. Longer school days could also be popular with parents who struggle to fit 3pm school finishing times around work, he said. Mr. Gove gave out the success of a U.S. plan where teenagers from poor backgrounds attend school from 7.30 am to 5pm. "I believe that having children in school for longer, particularly if they come from disadvantaged backgrounds can help them to achieve more in academy, " he told the annual conference of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in Manchester. He pointed out that it was up to schools alone to decide whether to open longer, or at weekends. But he was greeted with laughter from delegates when he said the plan would really work only with the active support of teachers. ATL general secretary, Dr Mary Bousted, said, "The last thing we need to be doing at the present time is increasing teachers' working hours. Teachers already work the most unpaid overtime of any public sector profession. If we want Saturday schools then we need more teachers doing the extra hours, not the same teachers working longer and becoming tired." Meanwhile Mr Gove's idea is likely to alarm those concerned about the erosion( )of family time. Margaret Morrissey, founder of the lobby group Parents Outloud, said, "What we should be doing is supporting these children within the school week." The successful example given by Mr. Gove suggests that having children in school for longer, can improve their _ . studies Like most English children, I learned foreign languages at school. When I made my first visit to the United States, I was sure I could have a nice and easy holiday without any language problem. But how wrong I was! At the American airport, I was looking for a public telephone to tell my friend Danny that I had arrived. An American asked if he could help me. "Yes," I said, "I want to give my friend a ring." "Well, that's nice. Are you getting married?" he asked. "No," I replied, "I just want to tell him I have arrived." "Oh," he said, "there is a phone downstairs on the first floor." "But we're on the first floor now," I said. "Well, I don't know what you are talking about. Maybe you aren't feeling too well after your journey," he said. "Just go and wash up, and you will feel a lot better." And he went off, leaving me wondering where on earth I was: At home we wash up after a meal to get the cups and plates clean. How can I wash up at an airport? At last we did meet. Danny explained the misunderstanding: Americans say "to give someone a call", but we English say "to give somebody a ring". When we say "to wash your hands", they say "to wash up". And Englishmen start numbering from the ground floor so the first floor is the second for Americans. The third floor in England is the _ floor in America. fourth Once upon a time, a lion, a tiger, a bear, and a duck finished school. So, they moved out of their parents' houses and set out to get jobs. The lion flew on a red airplane. The tiger rode an orange train. The bear rode a yellow bus. And the duck sailed on a blue boat. The train went to Ohio. The bus went to Iowa. The boat sailed to Hawaii. And the airplane flew to Utah. The lion wanted to be a fireman. The tiger wanted to be a nurse. The bear wanted to be a doctor. And the duck wanted to be President. But none of them could find the job they wanted. So, they all became artists instead. The lion bought a crayon to draw with. The tiger bought a pen. The bear bought a pencil. And the duck bought a paintbrush. The crayon was red. The pen was yellow. The pencil was green. And the paintbrush was blue. Who bought a paintbrush? the one who wanted to be President
A way to warm your skin with sunlight is to Answer: From babies to body builders, we all have muscles. They grow, they bulge , they stretch they stretch and sometimes they even painfully pull. But for all the work they do for us, we are still unable to crown one as "the strongest muscle." Instead, a few muscles could claim the title, depending on how strength is measured. If the title goes to the muscle that can exert the most force, the victor would be the soleus , according to Gray's Anatomy . Without this muscle, we wouldn't be able to stand, walk, run or shake our bodies on the dance floor. If the soleus was not continuously pulling, we would always be falling over ourselves (although some of us tend to do that from time to time anyway). But perhaps the title should go to the muscle that exerts the most pressure. Pressure is different from force -- pressure takes into account the area over which a force is exerted. The muscle that takes the prize for delivering the greatest amount of pressure is the masseter, or the jaw muscle, according to the book "Clinical Oral Science" (Reed Educational and Professional Publishing, 1998). In 1986, Richard Hofmann of Lake City, Fla., achieved a bite strength of 975 pounds (442 kilograms) for two seconds, setting a Guinness Record. Talk about jaw dropping! The jaw is able to clench and chew because of the masseter muscle. Others may argue the muscles used in childbirth are the most powerful. When it comes to versatility, perhaps the tongue is the strongest muscle. Its combination of elasticity and forcefulness gives us the ability to speak, eat and kiss - all things very desirable on a first date. However dexterous it may be though, its power does not match that of muscles such as the soleus. If slow and steady wins the race, the heart is certainly a _ for the title. When it contracts, the muscle pumps about 2 ounces (59 milliliters) of blood, and is constantly working over a lifetime. Beating about 40 million times a year, a person's heart will beat approximately 2.5 billion times by the time of their 70th birthday. According to the passage, _ . Answer: Many people feel that their parents were harder on them than on their brother or sister. And many are quick to blame negative results in adulthood on it. But results from a Temple University study published this month suggest that it is not necessarily true. Researchers have found that among siblings in the same family,recalled negative early experiences such as conflicts with parents seem to have little influence over psychological wellbeing in midlife. "Existing research suggests the importance of early childhood parental treatment on later wellbeing,but respondents in this study who thought they were treated less favorably than their siblings have been found to be just as satisfied in their lives,"said Adam Davey,a psychologist in the College of Health Professions. Davey's study looked at data collected from 1,369 siblings between the ages of 26--74 from 498 different families to determine the extent to which different childhood treatment reached into adulthood. Each sibling answered a series of questions about their memories of parental affection ,conflicts with their parents when they were young and current wellbeing. Davey and his team found that those who remembered having more conflicts with their parents than their siblings still tended to have generally high levels of wellbeing in adulthood. Not surprisingly,they also found that happier memories,such as memories of affection and warmth,can have positive effects. Older respondents who were married and had children of their own tended to have a more positive recollection of their childhood. Davey says these findings could suggest that life experience acts as a filter for remembering childhood memories. He adds that personality also plays a role:those who were more outgoing tended to have a better recollection of their childhood. "Even people who grow up in the same environment can have different ways of recalling the past. And it's not necessarily what happens in the past,but the way we remember it that makes a difference to our wellbeing,"said Davey. According to Davey,what influences our wellbeing in adulthood? Answer: Amy Chua may well be very _ . What kind of a mother will drag her then 7-year-old daughter's dollhouse out to the car and tell her that it is going to be donated if the poor kid doesn't master a difficult piano composition by the next day? What kind of a mother will inform her daughter that she is nothing but "garbage"? And what kind of mother will believe, as Chua tells readers, that "an A- is not always a good grade"? The only activities her children should be permitted to do are those in which they can eventually win a medal, which must be gold. What kind of a mother she is? Why, a mother who is raising her kids in the typical Chinese way, rather than the Western way. In her new book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Chua tells her adventures in Chinese parenting, and -- so _ as she may be -- she is also mesmerizing . Chua's voice is that of a happy, knowledgeable serial killer -- think Hannibal Lecter -- who's explaining how he's going to cut his next victim, as though it's the most self-evidently normal behavior. There is another attractive aspect of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. There are methods to Chua's madness, enough method to stir up self-doubt in those readers who support the more educating parenting styles. It is trusted that Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is going to be a book club and parenting blog phenomenon; there will be fevered debate over Chua's tough love strategies, which include unchangeable bans on such Western indulgences as sleepovers, play dates, and any after class activities except practicing musical instruments, which must be limited between the violin or the piano. The back story to Chua's book is this -- she is the daughter of a couple of Chinese immigrants and is now a professor at Yale Law School and the author of two best-selling "big-think" books on "free-market democracy" and "the fall of empires". When Chua married her husband, her fellow Yale law professor and a novelist Jed Rubenfeld, they agreed that their children would be brought up in "the Chinese way," in which punishingly hard work, enforced by parents produces excellence; excellence, in turn, produces satisfaction. The success of this strategy is hard to debate. Their older daughter is a piano talent who played at Carnegie Hall when she was 14 or so. The second, a more rebellious daughter, Lulu, is a gifted violinist. Chua rode the girls hard, making sure they practiced at least three hours a day even on vacations, when she would call ahead to arrange access to practice in hotel lobby bars and basement storage rooms. Chua also rarely refrained from criticizing her daughters. She explains: Chinese parents can do things that would seem unimaginable to Westerners. Chinese mothers can say to their daughters, "Hey so fatty, lose some weight." By contrast, Western parents have to tiptoe around the issue, talking in terms of "health" and never ever mentioning the f-word, and their kids still end up in treatment for eating disorders and negative self-image. ... Western parents are concerned about their children's minds. Chinese parents aren't. They assume strength, not weakness, and as a result they behave very differently. From the passage we can learn that Chua's way of parenting is _ . Answer: Have you eaten too much over the holidays? You should try fidgeting for a while. Those around you might not like it, but scratching (moving your nails against a part of your body) and twitching (moving suddenly and quickly when you don't want to) is an important way of burning up calories . American researchers have found that some people's squirming (continuously turn your body when nervous) and wigging (move in small movements, especially from side to side) equals several miles of slow running each day. The scientists, based at the National Institute of Health's laboratory in Phenix, Arizona, are studying why some people get fat and other stay slim. In one study 177 people each spent 24 hours in a room in the institute where the amount of energy is measured by their oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. By the end of the day, some people had burned up 800 calories in toe-tapping, (moving the front part of your foot up and down) finger-drumming (hitting your fingers continuously and lightly against something hard) and other nervous habits. However, others had burned up only 100 calories. The researchers found that slim women fidget more than fat women, but there was no significant difference in men. Heavy people burn up more energy when they fidget than thin people do. If someone is thin in a pleasant way, we say they are _ . Answer:
Question: One day I took several pairs of shoes to the shoemaker to be mended. After a week I went to take them back. Four months later, my husband and I were invited to dinner. I took out a pair of shoes. I hadn't worn them since they were mended. I put one shoe on my right foot, and then I put the other on my left. But I felt that the other one was on the wrong foot. I took both shoes off for a closer look. They were nearly the same style , color and size, but each was for the right foot. Then I thought of the shoemaker. Though I was sure he wouldn't remember me after such a long time, I called him. "Thank goodness you called me at last!" He said happily. "An angry woman has been troubling me for months!" The shoemaker _ . A. was very careful with his work B. mistook one of the woman' s shoes for the other woman' s C. forgot the woman because it happened a long time ago D. was troubled by two men Answer: B. mistook one of the woman' s shoes for the other woman' s Question: When a consumer finds that an item she or he bought is faulty or in some other way does not live up to the manufacturer's claims, the first step is to present the warranty, or any other records which might help at the store of purchase. In most cases, this action will produce results. However, if it does not, there are various means the consumer may use to gain satisfaction. A simple and common method used by many consumers is to complain directly to the store manager. In general, the "higher up" his or her complaint, the faster he or she can expect it to be settled. In such a case, it is usually settled in the consumer's favor, assuming he or she has a just claim. Consumers should complain in person whenever possible, but if they cannot get to the place of purchase, it is acceptable to phone or write the complaint in a letter. Complaining is usually most effective when it is done politely but firmly, and especially when the consumer can demonstrate what is wrong with the item in question. If this cannot be done, the consumer will succeed best by presenting specific information as to what is wrong, rather than by making general statements. For example, "The left speaker does not work at all and the sound coming out of the right one is unclear" is better than "This stereo does not work". The store manager may advise the consumer to write to the manufacturer. If so, the consumer should do this, stating the complaint as politely and firmly as possible. If a polite complaint does not achieve the desired result, the consumer can go to a step further. She or he can threaten to take the seller to court or report the seller to a private or public organization responsible for protecting consumer's rights. According to the passage, which of the following is suggested as the last alternative that consumers may turn to? A. Complain to the store manager in person. B. Complain to the manufacturer. C. Write a complaint letter to the manager. D. Turn to the Consumers' Rights Protection Organization for help. Answer: D. Turn to the Consumers' Rights Protection Organization for help. Question: A growing number of college students are applying to take entry tests for medical and dental schools among increasing graduate unemployment in Korea. "I've decided to apply for the test to enter a medical college to become a doctor, changing from my original plan to prepare for a lawyer qualification exam in order to get a more stable job in the future," said a 24-year-old college graduate, Lee, who majored in business administration during his undergraduate schooling. The new medical and dental school system is getting popularity, attracting an increasing number of students every year since its appearance in 2004, as it is open to all college graduates regardless of their previous majors. The Education Development introduced the new medical and dental education system, in which college students with bachelor's degrees are allowed to study medicine or dentistry by taking the Medical Education Test (MET) and Dental Education Test (DET). Ten medical schools and six dental colleges that have used the new system have received 4,377 applications for the entrance exams. Applicants are getting younger compared with those in their 20s representing 76.9 percent of the total. The tests might be easier for students with biology and chemistry majors, but graduates from other majors are also applying for the tests. Under the existing medical and dental education system, students should take a two-year premedical course followed by a four-year medical course. Students graduating under the new medical or dental education system are given master's degrees, while those graduates who studied under the previous system have bachelor's degrees. What would be the best title for the passage? A. New Medical and Dental School System Is Carried Out in Korea B. Korean College Students Have a New Job Choice C. Korean College Students Rush to Medical and Dental Schools D. Doctors Are Becoming Popular in Korea Answer: C. Korean College Students Rush to Medical and Dental Schools Question: John is an American boy. His family is in China now. John likes chocolate very much. But his mother doesn't give him. Chocolate is not good for him, she thinks. But John has a very nice uncle. The old man loves him very much, and sometimes he buys John some chocolate. Then his mother lets him eat them. Because she wants to make the old man happy. One Sunday evening, John says in his room," Please, God makes them give me a big box of chocolate tomorrow , it's my eighth birthday!" His mother says to him , "God can't hear you, my boy." "I know, but my uncle is in the next room, and he can hear." John says to his mother. What day is John's birthday according to the passage ? A. Sunday B. Monday C. Tuesday D. Saturday Answer: B. Monday Question: Margaret is running a full lap around a circular track. She is facing north when she starts. What direction will she be facing after she has completed half of a lap? A. north B. south C. east D. west Answer: B. south
Question: Ellie lived with her six children in a small house. One winter, there was a big flood and quite a few houses were washed away, but Ellie's house was high enough to keep them safe. Many families lost everything in the flood. And Ellie took in one of the families. She shared her home with them until the family could build their own new house. Ellie's friends could not understand why she did so because she already had so many children to look after. "Well," Ellie said to her friends, "At the end of World War I, there was a poor woman in a town in Germany. Her husband had been killed in the war and she had a lot of children, just like me now." "The day before Christmas, this woman said to her children, 'We will not be able to have much for Christmas. I am going to get just one present for us all. Now I will go and get it.' She came back with a little girl who had no parents, 'Here is our present,' she said to her own children." "The children were very excited to get such a present. They welcomed the little girl warmly, and she grew up as their sisters. I was that Christmas present." What did the poor woman in German bring to her children for Christmas? A. Many beautiful presents. B. Nothing. C. A girl. D. A daddy. Answer: C. A girl. Question: which of these would most likely cause a car to lose control? A. a nice dry asphalt highway B. a highway after cloud precipitation C. a dry cobble stone road D. all of these Answer: B. a highway after cloud precipitation Question: Students at New Market Elementary School had a fitter lifestyle last week. About 50 students participated in a 30-minute workout after school on Friday in the school's gym. This was a Fit Fridays program introduced at the school by Families Plus, a non-profit group that provides programs to enrich the lives of families and children in Frederick County. The free program aims to encourage students from kindergarten through fifth grade to be physically active by having them participate in various age-appropriate activities designed to promote a love of exercise, according to Kim Ragan, head of the program. The program, which started at the school on Nov.9, 2012, has since become a hit, Ragan said. Emily Liston, 37, said the program allows students to focus on fitness as a priority in their lives. "There're so many things to stop them from being active," she said. "So, anything to keep them moving is good, especially in the winter months". Jennifer Mitchell, 40, whose daughter Alexandra, 7, participated in the Fit Fridays program, said that learning the importance of being active isn't the only thing students are learning from the new program. "It's a great opportunity for them to get some exercise and also to learn to get along and socialize, to learn teamwork," she said. "In school they have to do activities like this but they want to do it." Riley Glynn, 9, a fourth grader at the school, said his favorite part of the program is getting to spend more time with his friends. "It's fun to play with people," Riley said. "It's like physical education after school but it really helps you." "You learn how to make yourself stronger," said Megan Hummel, 7, a first grader. Ragan said she plans to expand the program to include other schools in the county, but she has been having trouble finding fitness instructors to participate. "As soon as I can get instructors to teach we'll expand," she said. What's the purpose of the Fit Fridays program? A. To teach students the importance of physical education. B. To help students get through the tough winter months C. To introduce students to fun physical activities D. To keep students active through exercise Answer: D. To keep students active through exercise Question: Born in a fishing village in Japan, Fujiyama, 25, recalls a childhood dominated by health concerns. Doctors told his parents that he had a hole in his heart and "they didn't think I had a lot longer to live". But during a later visit to the doctor, his family learned the hole had closed. "Somehow I was cured and I became a normal kid," Fujiyama says. "And I had a second chance." During his second year at the University of Mary Washington, he volunteered in Honduras with a campus group and was struck by the extreme poverty he saw--barefoot children collecting cans and sleeping in the streets. Fujiyama realized he could help give other children their own second chance. Today, his organization, Students Helping Honduras, brings education and community projects to children and families in need. He started by telling his friends about his experience and collecting spare change at his two campus jobs. "When I had my very first meeting, only two people showed up," he says. "I knew I had to keep fighting." He persuaded his younger sister, Cosmo, to join the cause. "She's dynamite,." He says. "When she talks in front of a crowd, she can move mountains. Knowing that she was behind it, I knew I could do anything." Since 2006, the _ organization has grown to 25 campuses and raised more than $750,000 to fund projects, including the construction of two schools and the establishment of scholarships to help young women attend college. Fujiyama says students are deeply committed to the organization. They raise money and then travel to Honduras to help building houses. While Fujiyama spends his summers in Honduras working alongside volunteers, he spends a large portion of the year on the road visiting colleges to raise funds. Cosmo Fujiyama, 23, lives in Honduras full time to coordinate the group's building efforts on the ground. Students Helping Honduras is working with community members of Siete de Abril to build a new village. Many of the families lost their belongings in Hurricane Mitch in 1998. A lot of them didn't have access to clean water or health care, and they didn't have a school. Fujiyama's group helped build 44 homes in the village named "Sunshine Village". The organization is also raising funds to build a water tower, an eco-friendly sanitation system and a library. At the beginning of his organization, _ . A. Fujiyama was supported by many friends B. things didn't go on smoothly C. Fujiyama had little idea of Honduras D. many famous people joined in Answer: B. things didn't go on smoothly Question: Baby girls make their way directly for dolls as soon as they can crawl, while boys will head for the toy cars, a study has shown. The findings, the first to show differences in very young babies, suggest there is a biological basis to their preferences. Psychologists Dr Brenda Todd from City University London carried out an experiment involving 90 infants aged nine months to 36 months. The babies were allowed to choose from seven toys. Some were stereotypically boys' toys - a car, a digger, a ball and a blue teddy. The rest were girls' toys: a pink teddy, a doll and a cooking set. They were placed a meter away from the toys, and could pick whichever toy they liked. Their choice and the amount of time they spent playing with each toy were recorded. Of the youngest children (nine to 14 months), girls spent significantly longer playing with the doll than boys, and boys spent much more time with the car and ball than the girls did. Among the two-and three-year-olds, girls spent 50 percent of the time playing with the doll while only two boys briefly touched it. The boys spent almost 90 percent of their time playing with cars, which the girls barely touched. There was no link between the parents' view on which toys were more appropriate for boys or girls, and the children's choice. Dr Brenda Todd said: "Children of this age are already exposed to much socialization. Boys may be given 'toys that go' while girls get toys they can care for, which may help shape their preference. But these findings agree with the former idea that children show natural interests in particular kinds of toys. There could be a biological basis for their choices. Males through evolution have been adapted to prefer moving objects, probably through hunting instincts , while girls prefer warmer colors such as pink, the color of a newborn baby." We may read this article in a _ section of a newspaper. A. science B. health C. education D. entertainment Answer: A. science
How can things that are very tall have things lifted up them? A a kite is flown with a string attached B a string that loops from top to bottom C flats are flown to the top of poles D a flagpole is leaned down to get a flag on it Answer: B. a string that loops from top to bottom There was great excitement on the planet of Venus this week. For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the planet Earth, and it has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since. The satellite was directed into an area known as Manhattan (named after the great Venusian astronomer Prof. Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20 000 light years ago).Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals, Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information as to feasibility of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth.A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology. "We have come to the conclusion,based on last week's satellite landing," Pro. Zog said,"that there is no life on the Earth." "How do you know this?" the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked. "For one thing, Earth's surface in the area of Manhattan is composed of solid concrete and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide and other deadly gases and nobody could possibly breathe this air and survive." "What does this mean as far as our flying saucer program is concerned?" "We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a much heavier flying saucer than we originally planned. " "Are there any other hazards that you discovered in your studies?" "Take a look at this photo. You see this dark cloud floating over the surface of Earth? We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt. We don't know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have to make further tests before we send a Venus Being there." "If what you say is true, won't this set back the flying saucer program several years?" "Yes, but we shall proceed as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds." "Prof. Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there?" "Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmosphere, then we can live anywhere." The author wishes to call our attention to the fact _ . A that modern man has polluted his environment to such an extent that he might destroy himself if he went on like this B that there is no point in spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth C that pollution has become so serious a problem on Earth that even Venusians find life there unbearable D that it is difficult, if not altogether impossible, to land a manned flying saucer on Earth Answer: A. that modern man has polluted his environment to such an extent that he might destroy himself if he went on like this When the weather is beautiful, it can be hard to resist spending time outdoors. Fortunately, the Garden State has plenty of outdoor spaces to offer. These public parks all have unique qualities that make them stand out among the rest. Boundary Creek Natural Resource Area Boundary Creek is a 34 acre park designed for quiet nature study. Families can use the grassy open space, complete with picnic tables near the parking lot for picnics. A special feature is the observation boardwalks for people of all heights to watch the animals without being noticed. Challenge Grove Park Challenge Park is not a challenge for children with special needs. Both playgrounds at the park are wheelchair accessible and the newest playground, Build Jake's Place, was built specifically for children of all abilities. The 17-acre park also includes a basketball court. ball park and covered picnic area with bathrooms. There is a paved path throughout the park. Laurel Acres Probably the most popular park due to how full the parking lot always seems to be is Laurel Acres. Fortunately, the park is big enough that the parking is only thing that ever seems full. For children, there are three playgrounds to choose from, one of which is for smaller children. The huge hill is great for rolling or sledding down. Children also enjoy watching[the ducks and geese in and around the pond. The park includes a picnic area with covered pavilion( ). What do we know about Laurel Acres, compared with the other parks? A It is always crowded with visitors. B It has a small parking lot. C It has no place for a picnic. D It attracts the largest number of visitors. Answer: D. It attracts the largest number of visitors. According to Darwin's theory of evolution, the variations among finches that he observed in the Galapagos Islands resulted from A transmission of acquired characteristics. B use or disuse of their beaks. C natural mutagens. D natural selection. Answer: D. natural selection. I have a good friend at home. Her name is Mimi. She is white and yellow. She is very cute. I play with her when(......) I have time. She likes fish very much. When she is behind (......) the sofa or in her box, you can't see her. When I sit on the sofa, she sits with me. In the evening I do my homework at my desk, and she is on the desk. At that time I put her down . Then she sits next to me. Is she a good friend of me? When I do my homework, she _ . A does its homework B plays with a ball C sits on the sofa D sits on the desk Answer: D. sits on the desk
In the north of Scotland there is a lake called Loch Ness. It is the biggest lake in Britain. It is over thirty kilometres long and in places nearly 300 meters deep. It is cold and dark and not many people went there until after 1930. Then a road was made around the lake. Holiday makers began to use the road, and this was when the stories began. Someone said that he had seen a monster in the lake. He said it was twelve meters long. It had a long neck and a small head. Then someone else said he had seen it. Others said the same thing and in 1933 a London doctor took a photo. It looked like a monster with a long neck and a thick body but the photo was not dear. The newspapers printed the picture and called it the Loch Ness monster, or "Nessie". Then the argument began. Some people, however, were certain there was something living in the lake. Others said there was nothing there. In 1961, a lot of people joined together to make a real effort to see and photograph the monster if there was one! Several times people thought they saw something but after ten years there was still no real proof. Later underwater television cameras were used, but no one found any real proof. However, they did find something interesting: a huge underwater cave. It was big enough to be home of a monster, but of course, this was not a proof. In 1975, however, some American scientists formed a search group. They used an underwater camera. It took pictures every seventy seconds. Some of the pictures seemed to show a red-brown creature. Its body was about four meters long and had a very ugly head on the end of a four meter neck. Many people then began to believe in the monster. But even today we can not be certain. Before 1930, _ . A few people went to Loch Ness Lake B many people had been there C nobody went to the lake D nobody knew about the lake Answer: A. few people went to Loch Ness Lake Mr. and Mrs. Jones never go out in the evening, but last Saturday Mrs. Jones said to her husband , "There is a good film at the cinema tonight. Shall we go and see it?" Mr. Jones was quite happy about it. So they went, and both of them enjoyed the film very much. When they came out of the cinema, it was 11 o'clock. They got into their car and began driving home. It was quite dark. Mrs. Jones said," Look, a woman is running along the road very fast and a man is running after her. Can you see them?" Mr. Jones said, "Yes, I can." He drove the car slowly near the woman and said to her, "Can I help you?" "No, thanks," said the woman, but she did not stop running. "My husband and I always run home after the cinema. Because whoever gets home late are going to do the dishes." _ enjoyed the film very much. A Mr.Jones B Mrs. Jones C Both Mr. and Mrs. Jones D The woman Answer: C. Both Mr. and Mrs. Jones The following are a few cities with cheap attractions or restaurants in California, the US. Cathedral City The Indian Oven in the city will give you a high-quality dining experience. It's a restaurant with traditional Indian dishes. All of the lunch specials are $5.95 and are served from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. The windows of the restaurants give you the beautiful views of desert mountain scenes. You need to call 92234(760)770-3918 to book a table. Palm Desert Palm Desert, a city in Riverside County, has a number of free desert hiking trails . They are named after famous Western Hollywood cowboys. The trails are fun to hike on. At some points they go up very high and you can get a bird's-eye view of the surrounding desert cities. The paths are dusty, so bring some good hiking boots and hats. Do bring some water and your phone. It's great for an afternoon hike after 2 pm. Call 92260(760)340-0574 or 92253(760)564-4712 to learn more. Lake Cahuilla Away from the busy streets of the city of Palm Springs, Lake Cahuilla is a great recreational area you can visit in La Quinta. It is at the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains. It costs $3.00 for per person to enter the area, but a half for kids under 7. The activities include: camping, fishing, bicycling, and horseback riding. If you want to save on rooms, you can stay in an RV. Call 92278(760)664-7215 and you'll learn something else. If you want to know more about the restaurants in Lake Cahuilla, you can call _ . A 92260(760)340-0574 B 92278(760)664-7215 C 92234(760)770-3918 D 92253(760)564-4712 Answer: B. 92278(760)664-7215 This is the age of being busy. Many of us live in busy places and have busy lives. Even the roads are busy as we try to get from here to there. Adults are busy going to jobs and taking care of their families. Kids are busy, too, going to school and doing a lot of homework after school and on weekends. Busy isn't bad, necessarily. If you are not busy enough you might be bored. But if you are too busy, you might break down. For example, if you have a soccer game that runs late on a school night and you haven't eaten dinner or done your homework, that's a not-so-fun kind of busy. We wanted to know what kids thought, so we did a kidsPoll about being busy with 882girls and boys aged 9 to 13. Almost all of them said they felt stressed because they were too busy. About half said they felt this way once in a while or some of the time. But 17% said they felt this way most of the time and 24% said they felt this all the time! Oh dear, that's no fun. Only 4% of kids said they wanted less free time and 18% said they already had just the right amount. But, no big surprise, 61% of kids wish they had a lot more free time. If they had more time, most would spend it hanging out or playing with friends. Often, adults plan large parts of a kid 's day, especially during the school year. kids can't tell their parents they'll be skipping school today to get more free time! But they can tell their parents they'd like to play a game or read a book during their free time instead of watching TV. From the passage, we can infer that the writer agrees kids can _ . A Spend their free time hanging or playing out B Get a lot more free time from their parents C Have a right amount of free time with permission D Get more free time from school work sometimes Answer: C. Have a right amount of free time with permission When I was three, my parents took me to have an operation in India, which stopped my eyesight from deteriorating . Several years later we moved to Pakistan, where I received 12 operations within one year and went completely blind. Later, I realized that the doctors used me as an experiment. I met my husband when he came over from India to study. I wanted to go to India to marry him, but it was almost impossible to emigrate. I made a crazy plan to cross the borders of several countries to get to India. I was arrested in the first country I escaped to. Back in Pakistan, I lost my job and was asked to sign a "never-to-escape" promise. Instead, when I got home, I made a cup of coffee and decided to make a formal application for emigration. _ , and people who applied to go to India found it hard to find a job in Pakistan while they were waiting. In the end, my husband managed to smooth the way for my emigration. We got married and had children. But after nine years, he died of brain cancer. I was helpless for a while, and then I learned to face reality optimistically. He taught us happiness came from inside us. Six years ago, I brought home a dog called Moritz from the seeing-eye dog centre. He was short with long ears. No one liked him because of his pathetic appearance. We were almost always together. Moritz could not leave me for even one minute. Now when I walk down the street, not like before, people will come up and say, "What a good seeing-eye dog!", and have a little chat with me as a normal creature. I'm now working for the Association of the Blind and I have many good friends, and a special friend in Hamburg. It is a wonderful feeling to speak freely with someone I can't see, to trust one another. From the text, we learn the author is _ . A a burden not only for her family but also for the society B a kind-hearted lady protecting wretched pets C not an obedient citizen D a determined and optimistic person Answer: D. a determined and optimistic person
Question: There's a "culture of walking and texting" on the Utah Valley University campus, according to conversations with students, but that's not the main reason Matt Bambrough, the creative director at UVU, came up with an idea to paint a "texting lane" on a staircase leading up to the Wellness Center. According to Bambrough, it's first and foremost a design project--the texting lane was a tongue-in-cheek reference to the college-wide epidemic of kids walking around with their faces buried in their iPhones. "You have 18-24-year-olds walking down the hall with smart phones. You're almost bound to run into someone somewhere; it's something we're dealing with in this day and age," Bambrough said. "But preventing collisions isn't the reason we did it--we did it to arouse the students' attention. It's meant to be there for people to look at and enjoy." Still, when talking to Utah Valley students, it sounds like texting and walking can be quite the annoyance. Robbie Poffenberger, an assistant news editor at the UVU Review, said that most collisions he witnesses aren't human-on-human; rather, it's generally human-on-inanimate-object. "They walk into barriers--chairs on the side of the hallway, or railings," Poffenberger said, "I'm sure they're fairly embarrassed." According to Bambrough, _ . A. the "texting lane" is to attract students' attention B. we don't have to face the problem in this age C. what they did is to prevent the collisions D. students enjoy looking at each other Answer: A. the "texting lane" is to attract students' attention Question: Most people go to a doctor in their own town or suburb . But people in the Australian _ can't get to a doctor quickly. The nearest doctor is sometimes hundreds of kilometers away so they have to call him on a two-way radio. This special doctor is called the "flying doctor". He visits sick people by plane. When someone is very sick, the doctor has to fly to the person's home. His plane lands on a flat piece of ground near the person's house. Sometimes the doctor has to take the patient to hospital. Flying doctors take about 8,600 people to hospital each year. However, most of the time the person isn't very sick, and the doctor doesn't have to visit. He can give advice on the radio from the office at the flying doctor center. He can tell the patient to use some medicine from a special medicine chest . There is one of these chests in every home in the outback. Each bottle, tube and packet in the chest has a number. The doctor often says something like this," take two tablets from bottle 5 every four hours." From the passage we know that _ . A. people in Australia are seldom ill B. every family in the outback has a special medicine chest C. a "flying doctor" is a man who flies people to hospital D. there are very few hospitals in Australia Answer: B. every family in the outback has a special medicine chest Question: Such chronic diseases as heart disease, stroke, cancer and lung disorders are the most leading causes of death in the world. Yet health experts say these conditions are often the most preventable. The World Health Organization (WHO) points out chronic diseases lead to about 17 million early deaths each year. The United Nations (UN) agency expects more than 380 million people to die of chronic diseases by 2015. About 80% of the deaths will happen in developing nations. Chronic diseases now cause two-thirds of all deaths in the Asia-Pacific area. In ten years it could be almost three-fourths. People are getting sick in their most economically productive years. In fact, chronic diseases are killing more middle-aged people in poorer countries than in richer ones. The WHO estimates that chronic diseases will cost China alone more than 500,000 million dollars in the next ten years. That estimate represents the costs of medical treatment and lost productivity. Russia and India are also expected to face huge economic losses. According to a WHO report, deaths from chronic diseases have increased largely as the result of economic gains in many countries. Until recently infectious and parasitic diseases have been the main killers in Asia and the Pacific but they are no longer the major cause of death in most countries. As many as 80% of the deaths from chronic diseases could be prevented, health officials say. An important tool for governments is to limit the marketing of alcohol and tobacco to young people. Also, more programs are needed to urge healthy eating and more physical activity. The UN aims to reduce chronic-disease deaths by 2% each year by international action through 2015, that's to say, 36 million lives could be saved, including 25 million in Asia and the Pacific. In many countries, what's mainly responsible for increasing deaths from chronic diseases? A. The economic development. B. The poor living conditions. C. Infectious and parasitic diseases. D. Young people's bad habits. Answer: A. The economic development. Question: A new graph has revealed exactly how long you'11 need to sweat it out in the gym to neutralize swallowing a favorite fast food. While eating fried chicken, pizza and burgers will all entail a gym session of over an hour doing cardio or lifting weights, women have it far harder than men and must work extra hard to banish calorie-packed meals. After a classic McDonald's favorite, the Big Mac, men would need to do 42 minutes of cardio or 57 minutes of weightlifting. As for women, fifty one minutes of cardio would help counter the 24 grams of fat in a Big Mac---over a quarter of the recommended daily allowance - --or an hour and eight minutes of weightlifting. However, the 450g Tesco chocolate cake was by far the worst offender. Clocking in at a whopping 1,710 calories and 90 grams of fat, only a hardcore gym session is going to shift the calories you've absorbed from this dessert. The average woman would have to lift weights for almost four hours to work off the calories in this cake. Comparatively a chocolate bar seems healthy, with 237 calories which would take 25 minutes for the average woman to run off. Alternatively you could spend thirty three minutes doing weightlifting exercises. Men will have to complete 40 minutes of cardio and 53 minutes of weightlifting while women will have to complete 48 minutes of cardio and 64 minutes of weightlifting against the calories in French fries. The fat of the recommended daily allowance for women is _ grams. A. 18 B. 20 C. 24 D. 30 Answer: A. 18 Question: Everyone would like to be remembered. A few people even try to do something that no one else in history has ever tried to do. These people sometimes have their names recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. Often it takes a group of people to do something unusual. One such team paddled a bathtub 145 kilometers for 24 hours. This group had 13 members. They paddled their bathtub on a river near Ashford, Great Britain on May 28 and 29, 1983. A month later, a racing team of hospital bed pushers in Avon ,Great Britain, pushed a hospital bed 16 kilometers in just 50 minutes! However, the distance record for hospital bed pushing is still held by the men of Brunt field Bedding Center. This team from Edinburgh pushed a hospital bed 5,203 kilometers in 1979. It took the team 35 days to cover the distance. Another group of record makers held the highest dinner party in the world. Nine people from Sydney, Australia, climbed Mountain Huascaran on June 28 1989.The climbers carried a dinner table, chairs, and a meal up the mountain .When they reached the top, they all put on warm suits for dinner. People all over the world are trying hard to do something unusual to make a record. It should be understood; however, that now not all the records will be kept in the Guinness Book of Records. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage? A. Hospital bed pushing was a popular sport in Edinburgh. B. People living in Ashford usually used a bathtub to carry things. C. Two different records for hospital bed pushing were given. D. Hospital bed pushing was held twice a year in Avon, Great Britain. Answer: C. Two different records for hospital bed pushing were given.
Food,football and fashion--Milan has it a11.The city is perhaps most famous for its annual Milan Fashion Week and its world-class soccer teams AC Milan and Inter Milan.And May will see it host the six-month Milan Expo,the theme of which is food and nutrition. Milan may not the first place tourists think of when they think of Italy.Rome is the most famous city in Italian history,Venice draws visitors who want to travel along its canals and Florence is popular with art lovers.Yet Milan can often be left off tourists'lists.But although some see Milan as the"ugly sister"of these cities,according to Lonely Planet,in 2015 the city is"suddenly back in fashion in a big way". The Milan Expo will look at the future of food,trying to answer the question of how Earth's fast-growing population can be fed in the future.According to Lonely Planet website."144 countries will set up shop northwest of central Milan,forming a mini city-within-a-city". Milan's famous opera house,La Scala,normally closed in the summer,will also host daily performances during the expo,reported Fox News. Not interested in opera?Don't worry.Visitors who prefer sports may want to visit the San Siro stadium,home of the soccer teams AC Milan and Inter Milan.Tile stadium is one of the most famous in Europe and has seen many important games over the years,both in Serie A and the European Champions League. So even if all of its fashion and beautiful people can make Milan seem"soulless",as Lonely Planet said.it still has"a serious sense of history and place".Many people will be discovering it this year,and eating great food from all over the world to help solve world problems.Will you? The author's purpose in writing this article is to _ . Answer: give an introduction to Milan as a tourist destination Bananas are one of the world' s most important food crops. They are also one of the most valuable exports. Bananas do not grow from seeds. Instead, they grow from existing plants. Bananas are threatened by disease because all the plants on a farm are copies of each other. They all share the same genetic weaknesses. For example, the Cavendish banana is most popular in North American and European markets. However,some kinds of fungus organisms easily infect the Cavendish. Black Sigatoka disease affects the leaves of Cavendish banana plants. The disease is controlled on large farms by putting chemicals on the plant' s leaves. Farmers put anti-fungal chemicals on their crops up to once a week. Another fungal disease is more serious. Panama disease attacks the roots of the banana plant. There is no chemical treatment for this disease. Infected plants must be destroyed. Panama disease has affected crops in Southeast Asia, Australia and South Africa. There is concern that it may spread to bananas grown in the Americas. This could threaten an important export product for Central and South America. The International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain supports research on bananas. The group has headquarters in France and other offices in the major banana-growing areas of the world. The group says that more research must be done to develop improved kinds of bananas. The group says that fungal diseases mainly affect only one kind of banana. In fact, there are five hundred different kinds of bananas. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has said that the Cavendish banana represents only 10% of world production. The U.N. agency says farmers should grow different kinds of bananas. This protects against diseases that affect only one kind. Experts warn that disease may cause the Cavendish banana to disappear. This happened earlier to another popular banana because of its genetic weakness against disease. What does this passage mainly tell us? Answer: The risk to a popular banana shows need to grow other kinds. The Wal-Mart in Cleburne, Texas, was crowded. People were waiting in long lines at checkout counters to pay for small things that would be next-morning treasures under someone's Christmas tree. The woman standing in cashier Jeffrey Kandt's line seemed to be living on the edge of subsistence . Her clothes were worn and her hands were those of a person who'd worked hard for what she had. She held a single item in her arms as she patiently waited to move to the front of the line -- a Sony CD player. She had saved all year for this. With tax, the total would be close to $ 220. As the woman got close to the cashier, she suddenly shouted, "Where's my money? All of my money fro my son's gift! Oh no!" "Why my line?" Kandt thought as he watched the poor woman searching through her clothes. He was going to have to call his manager to avoid the sale but it would mean a long wait for the customers behind her. "I am going to go home late tonight," Kandt thought. Then an amazing thing happened. At the back of the line, a man took out his wallet, pulled out $100 and passed it forward. As the cash moved up the line, a twen5ty-dollar bill was added here, and a ten-dollar bill was added there. When the collection finally reached the registewr, Kandt counted $ 220. Strangers had fulfilled a poor woman's Christmas wish. The poor in his line at the Wal-Mart in Cleburne, Texas, had come together on Christmas Eve, 2002. What can we learn from the passage? Answer: Strangers in the line volunteered to help the woman. There are stories about two U.S . presidents,Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren,which attempt to explain the American English term OK.We don't know if either story is true,but they are both interesting. The first explanation is based on the fact that President Jackson had very little education.In fact,he had difficulty reading and writing.When important papers came to Jackson,he tried to read them and then had his assistants explain what they said.If he approved of a paper, he would write "all correct"on it.The problem was that he didn't know how to spell.So what he really wrote was "ol korekt".After a while,he shortened that term to "OK". The second explanation is based on the place where President Van Buren was born,Kinderhook,New York.Van Buren's friends organized a club to help him become President .They called the club the Old Kinderhook Club,and anyone who supported Van Buren was called"OK". .According to the second story, the term "OK" was first used _ Answer: in a presidential election Lacrosse is a popular sport in Canada. It is one of the oldest organized sports in America. The Indians in northern New York State and southern Ontario, Canada, invented it. They used it to train for war. They invented this game before Columbus arrived in the New World. People play lacrosse outdoors. The lacrosse field is seven metres long. At each end of the field there is a net. There are ten players on each team. Each player has a stick called "crosse". The players hit a ball that is 21 centimetres around and weighs 140 grams. They try to hit the ball into the net as many times as possible. Lacrosse is a very fast game because the players can catch and pass the ball at a high speed with their sticks. At one time lacrosse was the national summer sport in Canada. It is also popular in Britain and Australia. _ invented the popular sport -- Lacrosse. Answer: The Indians
My first experience of modern city life was quite impressive. I was very curious when I arrived in London. First, I noticed so many people were on a trip in a busy way. When I first saw the machine on the underground where you are expected to feed your ticket in and have to run through moving barriers , I was completely fascinated at it. Flashing with the light, the little green man, telling you when to cross the road, was also quite interesting, and so were those street advertisements which kept changing subjects as you look. In my native place, my life is so different from people's here. I am a market gardener from Makono, a village which is led by a market-managing group. People there usually walk two hours a day to get water from a well. What's more, I am used to going, for many hours, without drinking , so it was strange to be offered cups of tea all the time here in London. In my native place, on market days, I usually walk for several hours with my basket full of fruits and vegetables on my head, carrying them to the market for sale, to earn PS1per basket. Without the produce from my garden, I could not pay for education or healthcare for my children. Gardening is not a hobby for me - it's _ . But here people are planting something only to kill their leisure time. During our visiting-time in Britain, we visited some local government agencies, schools, churches and farms in Sussex, Scotland, Yorshire, Loncolnshire and Cambridgeshire, meeting people who were of the same profession as we are. Children in Burley-in-Wharfedale, Yorkshire, prepared a special get-together to greet us and we were also asked a lot about our life which was quite fascinating to them. For example, how we make our houses out of mud and how we get our water for our daily necessities, as well as for our garden. Which of the following should be the best title ? Experiencing Modern Life Americans usually eat three meals a day. Breakfast usually comes before eight o'clock in the morning. They usually have eggs, some meat, bread, fruit juice and coffee. Lunch is between twelve and one o'clock. It is like a light meal and working people must take lunch with them or get it near workplace. Children in school take sandwiches, fruit, and cookies with them or eat in school. Supper, the main meal, is between six and eight in the evening. People cook it carefully. They may have meat or chicken, turkey and duck. They may all have potatoes or rice, vegetables or salad. The drink is coffee, tea or milk. Then comes the dessert. When Americans have supper, _ comes last. dessert India now leads the world in smartphone growth. It saw a 55% increase in the number of smartphones in 2014. The number of Web users increased by 37%. Smartphones were the source of 65 % of its Internet traffic and 41 % of its e-commerce, according to a report by the analyst Mary Meeker, titled "Internet Trends 2015". India's Internet boom has started. Within three or four years, almost every adult in India will own a smartphone. They will be used to order goods, read news, monitor crop growth and so on. Indian adults will be very interested in these devices just as young Americans are. 87% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 who own smartphones say they never separate from these: "My smartphone never leaves my side." Four out of five say that the first thing they do on waking is to reach for their smartphones. And three fifths believe that in the next five years everything will be done on mobile devices. In the business world, the rise of mobile platforms is dramatically transforming many industries all over the world. What Indian software developers have to do is to start thinking about solutions to old problems by using all the features of these new devices. They need to take advantage of the unique properties of smartphones and tablets. As Indian software developers and enterprises master the smartphone, they will be able to export their solutions to the rest of the world. This will make possible a new tech revolution that is greater than what created India's IT industry in the 1980s and 1990s. We can expect the rapid transformation of India when a billion people become connected and have equal access to information and services. What will most young Americans do first the moment they wake up? Get their smartphones. Born as the only child in the family, I am the "king" of the family. My parents are both businessmen and they come home every two weeks. Because they don't spend much time with me, they always feel guilty* and will buy me many expensive things and let me do whatever I want. My grandparents never let me do any chores because they want me to do my schoolwork. I used to take everything for granted. I never said "thank you" to people. As time went by, I found that my classmates didn't like me and my best friends left me. one day, I asked Leo, who used to be one of my best friends. He said that I was selfish, rude and bad-tempered. "No one wants to make friends with a person who always receives but never gives anything!" he said. I was shocked at his words. "Oh, no! Please don't leave me. I need friends! I will be lonely and unhappy without friends!" I locked myself up in the room and cried. "I want my friends back. But how?" Then I noticed that all the popular kids in the class friendly to others. They always smile and say "thank you" to others. They do whatever they can to help when others are in trouble. Other kids like them and always play with them. "I need to change! I will get my friends back," I said to myself. From then on, I started to change myself. I learned to say "thank you" to others. I smiled and volunteered to help other kids. I tried to be as nice as I could. , I found that other kids liked to talk with me and they would ask me to play with them and even told me their secrets. My friends came back to me again. Now I have more friends than I used to do and I am happier than I used to be. What can we infer from the passage? To be a nicer and better person, we need to make some changes. Most people agree that honesty is a good thing. But does Mother Nature agree? Animals can't talk, but can they lie in other ways? Can they lie with their bodies and behavior? Animal experts may not call it lying, but they do agree that many animals, from birds to chimpanzees, behave dishonestly to fool other animals. Why? Dishonesty often helps them survive. Many kinds of birds are very successful at fooling other animals. For example, a bird called the plover sometimes pretends to be hurt in order to protect its young. When a predator gets close to its nest, the plover leads the predator away from the nest. How? It pretends to have a broken wing. The predator follows the "hurt" adult, leaving the baby birds safe in the nest. Another kind of bird, the scrub jay, buries its food so it always has something to eat. Scrub jays are also thieves. They watch where others bury their food and steal it. But clever scrub jays seem to know when a thief is watching them. So they go back later, unbury the food, and bury it again somewhere else. Birds called cuckoos have found a way to have babies without doing much work. How? They don't make nests. Instead, they get into other birds' nests secretly. Then they lay their eggs and fly away. When the baby birds come out, their adoptive parents feed them. _ After a fight, the losing chimp will give its hand to the other. When the winning chimp puts out its hand, too, the chimps are friendly again. But an animal expert once saw a losing chimp take the winner's hand and start fighting again. Chimps are sneaky in other ways, too. When chimps find food that they love, such as bananas, it is natural for them to cry out. Then other chimps come running. But some clever chimps learn to cry very softly when they find food. That way, other chimps don't hear them, and they don't need to share their food. As children, many of us learn the saying "You can't fool Mother Nature." But maybe you can't trust her, either. By "Chimpanzees, or chimps, can also be sneaky" , the author means _ . chimps are sometimes dishonest
On January 11, 2007, as students sat and listened, a very important guest speaker named Richard, spoke to the students in the lecture hall. He not only showed the potential within young adults, but encouraged them to work hard at their lessons. Richard was a young child when his mother died and his father walked out. He was forced into many different foster homes where he felt unhappy. He did not know that his life was taking a turn for the worst. His uncle, after getting out of prison, got him into drugs and alcohol. His uncle taught him that his place in life was either to be in prison or die trying to be "a man." His uncle's teaching almost started affecting him until a very important person came into his life: a teacher. This teacher taught him there is a place in the world for everyone and it isn't related to drugs. Richard is now a Harvard University graduate and has a great and loving family. Why? He was taught to have respect not only for others, but for himself. After the meeting, it was hoped that the students realized within them there is a potential, and within everyone around them, is knowledge. As Richard reminded them, "Knowledge is power." Richard encouraged the students _ . Answer: to study hard Today, at 28, the young German Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter is at the top. "She gives radiance to the music," wrote Geoffrey Norris in The Daily Telegraph, prefix = st1 /London. Mutter is also one of the world's youngest professors. Born in Rheinfelden on June 29, 1963, Anne-Sophie grew up in Wehr, a small town just five kilometers from the Swiss border. Her father, Karl Wilhelm Mutter, and her mother, Gerlinde, considered music lessons part of a good education. Thus, their son, Andreas, began practicing the violin at eight, and his younger brother, Christoph, had piano lessons. It came as no surprise when Anne-Sophie said she wanted a violin for her fifth birthday. Her parents thought she was too young for the violin, and persuaded her to start on the piano. But Anne-Sophie has always had a mind of her own. "I longed to play the violin," she says. "It seemed to me a much more interesting instrument." After six months, her parents gave in. The famous violin teacher Erna Honigberger, who lived nearby, became Anne-Sophie's tutor. After only nine months of lessons, she entered the six-year-old in a nationwide competition for young musicians. With Christoph accompanying her on the piano, Anne-Sophie won first prize. In 1974, Erna, Erna Honigberger died. Anne - Sophie's new teacher was Aida Stucki. She taught Anne-Sophie to develop her own ideas on how a piece should be played, not just to imitate others. This is one of the violinist's strongest most distinctive characteristics today. Though the Mutters were short of money at time, they limited their daughter's performances to one or two a year. "We are glad we went the family road," says her father. "No outsider can ever have an effect on our daughter's career or push her into playing more concerts than she wants to." Later she was allowed to give six to eight concerts a year and make some recordings. Only when she turned 18 did she begin her professional career. Anne-Sophie's concerts are_. Answer: highly praised throughout the world The following statements are from an article in a fitness magazine. Which of these is an opinion? Answer: People should exercise because it makes them feel better. It is pretty much a one-way street.While it may"be common for university researchers to try their luck in the commercial world,there is very little traffic in the opposite direction.Pay has always been the biggest _ ,as people with families often feel they cannot afford the drop in salary when moving to a university job.For some industrial scientists,however, the attractions of academia outweigh any financial considerations. Helen Lee took a 70%cut in salary when she moved from a senior post in Abbott Laboratories to a medical department at the University of Cambridge.Her main reason for returning to academia halfway was to take advantage of the greater freedom to choose research questions.Some areas of research have few chances of a commercial return,and Lee's is one of them. The powerful effect of a salary cut is probably less severe for a scientist in the early stages of an occupation.Guy Grant,now a research associate at the Unilever Centre for Molecular Informatics at the University of Cambridge,spent two years working for a medicine company before returning to university as a post-doctoral researcher.He took a 30%salary cut but felt it worthwhile for the greater intellectual opportunities. Higher up the ladder,where a pay cut is usually more significant,the demand for scientists with a wealth of experience in industry is forcing universities to make the transition to academia more attractive,according to Lee.Industrial scientists tend to receive training that academics do not,such as how to build a multidisciplinary team,manage budgets and negotiate contracts .They are also well placed to bring something extra to the teaching side of an academic role that will help students get a job when they graduate,says Lee,perhaps experience in manufacturing practice or product development."Only a small number of undergraduates will continue in an academic occupation.So someone leaving university who already has the skills needed to work in an industrial lab has far more potential in the job market than someone who has spent a11 their time on a narrow research project." What was Helen Lee's major consideration when she changed her j ob halfway? Answer: Her research interests. On Monday night, back on the way home from school, I was suddenly faced with a big snow storm which I had never met before. The traffic was moving at 5 mph on the freeway where it usually requires at least 60 mph. The road is very slippery. Sometimes the car is out of control, slipping to the other side. I finally managed to drive to the Issaquah. However, I still got stuck in the traffic on an uphill way to my home. Why I lived in the house on the top of the hill? I had no choice but left my car in the road. Fortunately, there was a nice guy coming to help me drive the car to the parking lot so that I would not get a ticket from the policeman. When he first opened my car door and asked me if I needed any help, I thought I saw an angle. No kidding, I was totally frustrated at that moment until I saw the guy. After waiting in the parking lot for almost 3 hours, my husband's cousin finally managed to come to "rescue" me by his four-wheel drive car and sent me to my in-laws' home because the road to my house was closed. When I got to my bed in the end, it was over midnight. I spent almost 5 hours outside instead of 20 minutes as usual. But I was lucky, because I knew later that some people spent 7 or 10 hours to go home, and just by walking rather than by driving. This strong snow storm has messed up the traffic of Seattle and I get an unforgettable experience from it. From the passage we can know that the author _ . Answer: was almost fined by the police
Millions of American kids come home to or leave an empty house every day. However, parents are increasingly using an existing technology -- home security systems -- to keep an eye on their "home-alone" children. In the early days of home security, the systems were basically designed just to keep the bad guys out. Now, many parents are also using them to make their children safe when they are at home alone. Below are some simple rules for adults to teach their children: Every child should memorize his or her own full name and address, and home, work and cellphone numbers of each parent. Also keep this information posted next to the phone at home. If your child is too young to memorize the information, he or she may be too young to be home alone -- for any time. Teach your child to observe things around him or her when he or she returns to the house. If a door or window is slightly open, the child has any reason to suspect someone has been in the house that shouldn't be, have him or her call you, then wait at a safe house a neighbor offers. Warn your child never to answer the doorbell or telephone when they are home alone. Besides, set a rule that he or she must never play outside the house when no one else is at home. Be sure he or she knows how to disarm and arm your home security system. Program your control panel to give you a message when your child enters or leaves the house, and arms or disarms the system. If your child forgets to rearm the system, you can call him or her with a personal reminder. To learn more about home security systems that can help parents protect their "home-alone" children, visit www.ProtectAmerica.com. According to the passage, home security systems _ . A. can help children all the time B. are now used for protecting the children C. were first designed to keep kids safe at home D. are developed to spare parents more time for their work Answer: B. are now used for protecting the children Zhongshan, China Beijing is a beautiful city with a long history. There are many Travel Agency famous buildings and mystery stories here. It's a good place to Complaint telephone: go sightseeing and relax. You will have fun if you join us. 400-581-278 Best of Beijing 5 Days From Y=799 2 nights Beijing Hotel & 2 nights Changcheng Hotel Book online or call 400-581-467 www.zhongshantour.com Beijing Hotel: Close to Tian'anmen Square Prize-winning garden Bars&French restaurant Swimming pool Changcheng Hotel: Gardens with mountain views Restaurant & Cafe Buses to the downtown Departure Date Price Apr 8, 2013 Y=899 May 29, 2013 Y=999 Jun 30, 2013 Y=799 To book, choose your Preferred date Business Hours Monday~Thursday:24 hours Friday: 8:00 am~9:00 pm Weekends: 8:00 am~6:00 pm Zhongshan, China Do you like beautiful sunshine? Do you want to see blue sea and Travel Agency colorful fish? Do you want to enjoy the fresh air? Do you want to Complaint telephone: relax yourself on the beach? Come and join us! Let's go to Hainan. 400-581-258 Best of Hainan 5 Days From Y=1,566 2 nights Haitian Hotel & 2 nights Blue Sea Hotel Book online or call 400-581-620 www.zhongshantour.com Haitian Hotel: Close to Yalong Bay Delicious seafood Swimming pool Blue Sea Hotel: Five minutes' walk to the nearest beach Breakfast is free Night Club Buses to the downtown Departure Date Price Mar 6, 2013 Y=1,566 April 8, 2013 Y=1,666 May 10, 2013 Y=1,766 To book, choose your Preferred date Business Hours Monday~Thursday:24 hours Friday: 8:00 am~10:00 pm Weekends: 8:00 am~6:00 pm Bill would like to visit the Palace Museum, he can book _ . A. at 9:00 pm on Sunday B. at 7:00 am on Saturday C. at 10:00 pm on Monday D. at 9:30 pm on Friday Answer: C. at 10:00 pm on Monday 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) Most American children enter kindergarten _ . A. at the age of five B. to study two years C. to learn science D. about two years old Answer: A. at the age of five In our life,we may meet people with different personalities .What is your personality type ?Read about the following and find out! A Dreamer thinks there is a"right"way to do things.This person wants to live in the"perfect world".Many are good listeners and like to help others.Many Dreamers work as teachers,and often lead others.Famous Dreamers:Mohandas Gandhi,Angelina Jolie. A Partner wants to be in a group.For this person,rules are important.They consider tradition to be of great value.Partners are often serious,careful people.Many do well as teachers,managers and police officers.Famous Partners:Queen Elizabeth II,Mother Teresa. For Thinkers,understanding things is very important.They like to deal with problems and make new things.Thinkers can also be active.They like to win.They have very strong opinions.Many Thinkers work as scientists,inventors and engineers.Famous Thinkers:Bill Gates,Stephen Hawking. Artists want to be free.They don't want to follow the rules all the time.They also like trying new things.Like Thinkers,many Artists have strong opinions.They are creative and do well as musicians and actors.Famous Artists:Cristiano Ronaldo,Madonna. You may choose a job as _ ,if you are careful and serious. A. a player B. an actor C. a police officer D. a scientist Answer: C. a police officer I love to bake cakes for my granddaughter Abigail. She gets so happy when she eats them! So one day, I thought I'd surprise her at school with cake for her school class! I thought that would make her love me even more. I went into the kitchen and washed my hands. Then I dried them on a dishtowel. I went to the refrigerator and took out my cake mix. Then I took out the special bottle of vanilla sauce! I always pour it in for Abigail. Her mom and dad like orange sauce, but Abigail loves vanilla sauce. I mixed it in with the cake mix, and put it on the table. Then I went to turn on the oven. Then, a bad thing happened! My friendly old cat Billy jumped up to smell the mix! Billy also loves vanilla sauce! But then Billy accidently kicked the mix! It fell all the way from the table to the ground. My lip tightened as I started to cry. Now, Abigail wouldn't have a cake for her class. What a silly Billy! Why did Billy smell the mix? A. he is a mean cat B. He likes vanilla sauce C. it was on the floor near him D. he didn't smell it Answer: B. He likes vanilla sauce
A new planet-hunting technique has detected the most earth-like planet yet around a star other than our sun, raising hopes of finding a space rock that might support life, astronomers reported recently. "This is an important discovery to answer the question 'Are we alone?'" said Michael Turner of the National Science Foundation. "The team has discovered the most earth-like planet yet, and more importantly, has proved the power of a new technique that is sensitive to detecting planets that are fit for people to live on," Turner said in a statement. In the last decade, astronomers have detected more than 160 planets moving around stars outside our solar system. Most of these have been gas giant planets like Jupiter, which are unfit for life. But an international team has detected a cold planet about 5.5 times more massive than the earth -- still small enough to be considered earth-like -- moving around a star about 20,000 light years away, close to the center of the Milky Way. To find this new planet, the team used a technique called gravitational microlensing . When a planet is circling the closest star, the planet's gravity can add its own signature to the light. This kind of light signature was observed on July 11 by a group of telescopes in a project known as OGLE, short for Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment. "The main advantage of microlensing is the signals for low-mass planets: They're not weak signals. They're just rare," Bennett of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana said by telephone. "If there happens to be a straight line between a foreground star with its planet and the background source star, then you're able to detect that planet." From the news report we can infer that _ . Answer: it is quite possible that life may exist on other planets in the universe The days of the sneak thief who stole a couple of apples or a packet of sweets from a chain store are actually over. I had a chance to say this to a young offender the other day, "Sweets from a chain store?" He said, "You must be joking. That's what kids do." I may add that he was aged 11. In other words, today's young criminals would find it laughable to risk being caught for petty theft of this description. They've got enough money in their pockets to buy the sweets they want, anyway. I think it's all too easy to put the blame on anyone but ourselves. Faced as they are with a society that frequently gives them up on the grounds of color1, race or low learning ability, these children turn to crime as a means of showing off their self-respect. Nurtured on films and TV glamorizing the role of the criminal, they are quick to copy these anti-heroes. It is a matter of increasing concern to the police and government that the Children and Young Persons Act, 1969, is becoming improper to deal with the rise in young criminals. Because the emphasis has been placed on the cause and gentle treatment of their crimes, rather than on old-fashioned methods of punishment, the children themselves know well that there is very little that can be done to prevent them continuing to steal, damage and in some case even cause the death of those they choose to terrorize . I don't like the look of this situation any more than you do. In our own interests and in those of our children and grandchildren, we cannot continue to take the "it's nothing to do with me" attitude we have used for so long. We must unite in a common demand for harder and stricter methods against these young criminals. In the writer's opinion, who should be blamed most? Answer: Society. All over the world people enjoy sports. Sports help to keep people healthy, happy and help them to live longer. Sports change with the season. People play different games in winter and summer. Games and sports often grow out of people's work and everyday activities. The Arabs use horses or camels in much of their everyday life; they use them in their sports, too. Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for them. Football, for example, has spread around the world. Swimming is popular in all countries near the sea or in those with many rivers. Some sports or games go back thousands of years, like running or jumping. Chinese boxing, for example, has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new. Neither one is a hundred years old yet. People are inventing new sports or games all the time. People from different countries may not be able to understand each other, but after a game they often become good friends. Sports help to train a person's character . One learns to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace . According to this passage we know that _ . Answer: not all the games have long history That Easter day ( ) I found out we were so poor . The minister brought us the money for the poor family , so we must be poor , I thought . I didn't like being poor . Everyone there probably already knew we were poor ! I thought about school . I was in the ninth grade and at the top of my class over 100 students . I wondered if the kids at school knew that we were poor . We sat in silence for a long time . Then it got dark , and we went to bed . All that week ,we girls went to school and came home , and no one talked much . Finally , on Saturday , Mom asked us what we wanted to do with the money . What did poor people do with the money ? We didn't know . We didn't want to go to the church on Sunday , but mom said we had to . Although it was a sunny day , we didn't talk on the way . Mom started to sing , but no one joined in . At church we had a speaker . He talked about how churches in Africa built schools and houses for the poor people , but they needed more money to buy foods . The speaker said ," Can't we all give away some money to help those poor people ?" We looked at each other and smiled for the first time in a week . Mom reached into her purse and pulled out the envelope . She passed it to Darlene , Darlene gave it to me , and I put it into the offering . When the offering was counted , the minister _ that it was a little over 500 dollars . The speaker was excited . He hadn't expected such a large offering from our small church . He said ," You must have some rich people in this church ." Suddenly it struck us ! We had given 420dollars of that " little over 500 dollars ." We were the rich family in the church ! Hadn't the speaker said so ? From that day on , I've never been poor again . The mother decided to go to the church to _ Answer: donate ( ) the money to poor people What are you reading? (A3) How do your reading habits compare to those of students of a similar age? We ran a poll to discover what, when, where and why teens read. Literary greats(A4-7) People have been telling stories for centuries. We profile eight authors, whose work has made a great contribution both to literature and the world as a whole. Have you read any of their books? Teen reading(A8-10) Not all books are written by adults for adults. The market for books aimed at young adults is very strong and many new titles are published each year. Some of them are even written by teenagers. Science fiction (A11) Have you ever thought what it would be like to travel in space or meet _ ? Jules Verne and Douglas Adams did. It's time to explore the world of science fiction, where anything and everything can happen. Horror(A12) You'll want to sleep with the light on after reading a story by Edgar Allan Poe or Stephen King. They are two of the finest fiction writers. Get ready for unpleasant deaths and frightening ghosts . _ (A13) Don't have time to read a whole book? Then why not spend a few minutes with a book of poetry? We have selected some poems that celebrate the winter season--white snow, cold weather and Christmas. Past and present(A14) Over the centuries, stories have been written on all kinds of things. Find out about the development of paper and printing----and what books will look like in the future. Join in the fun(A15--16) Reading is enjoyed by almost everyone. Here are some activities you can do to make it even more fun. You can also try our special literature quiz. Which of the following statements is TRUE? Answer: An introduction of the book Journey to the Center of the Earth may possibly appear in A11.
There are 115 distinct species of pine trees with 35 native to North America. Pines are defined as evergreens with long, needle-like leaves and are only native to the northern hemisphere. Pine trees are an adaptable and tough species that can survive in many conditions where other plants cannot. The average pine is 45 to 60 feet tall, but some are nearly twice as high. Western White Pine The western white pine grows the tallest of any pine tree, reaching up to 110 feet in height. They have blue-green needles arranged in bundles of five and produce a long cone . Bristlecone Pine The bristlecone pine grows slowly, reading about 20 feet tall. It is one of the oldest species of pine. Mexican Pine The Mexican pine can grow to 50 feet tall, with long, slender needles that drape off it like a weeping willow . Often nicknamed the "willow pine", it is native to Mexico. Its leaves can droop up to 12 inches long. Sugar Pine The sugar pine is another of the large pine species, such as the bull pine, but it also has the largest cones of any pine species, at 10 to 20 inches long. It grows from Oregon to California and is often used for construction. Jack Pine The jack pine is one of the smallest species of pine with rare leaves. Compared with the pines mentioned above, it doesn't seem to belong to the family. It is considered a member of the scrub-pine family; it prefers sandy soil. This text is most probably taken from _ . A a celebrity magazine B a nature magazine C a fashion magazine D a history magazine Answer: B The concept of personal choice in relation to health behaviors is an important one. An estimated 90 percent of all illnesses may be preventable if individuals would make sound personal health choices based upon current medical knowledge. We all enjoy our freedom of choice and do not like to see it restricted when it is within the legal and moral boundaries of society. The structure of American society allows us to make almost all our own personal decisions that may concern our health. If we do desire, we can smoke, drink much, refuse to wear seat belts, eat whatever foods we want, and _ without any exercise. The freedom to make such personal decisions is a fundamental aspect of our society, although the wisdom of these decisions can be questioned. Personal choices to health often cause a difficulty. As one example, teenager may know the facts to smoking cigarettes and health but may be pressured by friends into believing it is a socially accepted thing to do. A majority of factors, both inherited and environmental, influence the development of health-related behaviors, and it is beyond the scope of this text to discuss all these factors as they may affect any given individual. However, the decision to adopt a particular health related behavior is usually one of personal choices. There are healthy choices and there are unhealthy choices. In discussing the morals of personal choice, Fries and Crapo, drew a comparison. They suggest that to knowingly give oneself over to a behavior that has a statistical probability of shortening life is similar to attempting suicide. Thus, for those individuals who are interested in preserving both the quality and quantity of life, personal health choices should reflect those behaviors that are associated with a statistical probability of increased vitality and longevity . Sound personal health choice is often difficult to make because _ . A current medical knowledge is not enough yet B there are many factors influencing our decisions C few people are willing to trade the quality of life for the quantity of life D people are usually influenced by the behavior of their friends Answer: B Three boys, Tom, Sam and Jim bought seventeen apples. Tom wanted the half . Sam wanted one-third ,and Jim wanted one-ninth * But they didn't know how to do. Just at that time,a little boy came with an apple in his hand. The boy said to them, "Don't worry. Let me help you" Then he put his apple into their apples, and made the number of the apples eighteen. Then he gave Tom nine apples, he gave Sam six apples,and he gave Jim two apples. He gave away seventeen apples and took his apple back. The three boys were very happy. And they said: "How clever the boy is!" ,. Which one is right? A The three boys asked the little boy to divide their apples. B The little boy told them how to divide their apples. C The little boy wanted to help them. D The little boy wanted to take away their apples. Answer: C 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. By taking Zhou Yuxiang for example, the author wants to tell us that _ . A all the students who take SATs intend to apply to American universities B some SAT takers simply regard the SAT as a challenge C he just takes the test for fun D SAT 1 and SAT 2 have something in common Answer: B Nobody likes home economics . But restoring the program could help us in the fight against obesity and chronic diseases today. The home economics movement was founded on the belief that housework and food preparation were important subjects that should be studied scientifically. The first classes occurred in the agricultural and technical colleges that were built in the 1860s. When most departments of universities rejected women, home economics was a back door into higher education. Indeed, in the early 20th century, home economics was a serious subject When few people understood germ theory and almost no one had heard of vitamins, home economics classes offered vital information about washing hands regularly, eating fruits and vegetables and not feeding coffee to babies. However, today we remember only the fixed ideas about home economics, forgetting the movement's most important lessons on healthy eating and cooking. Too many Americans simply don't know how to cook. Our diets, consisting of highly processed foods made cheaply outside the home, have contributed to many serious health problems. In the last decade, many cities and states have tried to tax junk food heavily or to ban the use of food stamps to buy soda. Clearly, many people are doubtful about any governmental steps to promote healthy eating. But what if the government put the tools of obesity prevention in the hands of children themselves by teaching them how to cook? My first experience with home economics happened two decades ago when I was a seventh grader in a North Carolina public school. A year later, my father's job took our family to Wales, where I attended a large school for a few months. It was the first time I had ever really cooked anything. I remember that it was fun, and with an instructor standing by, it wasn't hard. Those lessons stuck with me when I first started cooking for my husband and myself after college and they still do. Teaching cooking in public schools can help solve some problems facing Americans today. The history of home economics shows it's possible. Home economics _ . A is a subject becoming more and more popular with Americans B is often used to help fight against obesity and chronic diseases C once offered women a. special approach to university education D was first taught in the agricultural and technical colleges in the early 1900s Answer: C
Question: What is the source of air? A. humans B. space C. chemistry D. nature Answer: D Question: Each Indian was supposed to keep his birth name until he was old enough to earn one for himself.But his playmates would always give him a name of their own.No matter what his parents called him, his childhood friends would use the name they had chosen.Often it was not pleasing, such as Bow Legs or Bad Boy.But sometimes a name fit so well that the youngster found it difficult to shake it off.If he could not earn a better one from a war later, he could be stuck with a name like Bow Legs for the rest of his life. The Indian earned his real name when he was old enough for his first fight against the enemy.His life name depended on how he acted during this first battle.When he returned from the war, the whole tribe would gather and observe the ceremony in which he would be given his name by the chief.If he had done well, he would get a good name.Otherwise he might be called Crazy Wolf or Man-Afraid-Of-a-Horse.So an Indian's name told his record or described the kind of man he was. A man was given many chances to improve his name, however.If in a later battle he was brave in fighting against the enemy, he was given a better name.Some of our great fighters had as many as twelve names--all good and each better than the last. An Indian's names belonged to him for the rest of his life.No one else could use them.Even he himself could not give them away because names were assigned by the tribe, not the family.So no man could pass on his name unless the chief and the tribe asked him to do so. Sometimes an Indian would be asked to give his name to a son who had performed a noticeable deed.I know of only three of four times when this happened.It is the rarest honor for a person--the honor of assuming his father's name. The greatest honor an Indian could earn was _ . A. a victory in his first battle against the enemy B. a name given by the chief C. a ceremony to get his real name D. the right to use his father's name Answer: D Question: Do you want to see the effects of global warming? Then head north. Will Steger is going to take all of us there. Steger, 64, the first person to make a dogsled trip to the North Pole, is a very famous and admired polar explorer. He's at home in frozen parts of the world where few humans ever step on. Steger is also a devoted environmentalist who was early to ring the alarm bell on global warming. He saw its effects firsthand in frequent polar expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica. Now Steger is about to lead a team of six young adventurers on a 1,400-mile, 60-day-long dogsled trip across Ellesmere Island, in the Canadian Arctic. The sea ice in that region should still be frozen. "We want to take our audience to the front lines of global warming," says Steger. The team will be uploading videos, stories and photos to the website globalwarming101.com as they march along, allowing armchair adventurers and kids in classrooms to follow their progress day to day. "We can actually bring the audience up there," Steger says. Steger's team will include some already-famous young explorers. Sam Branson, the 22-year-old son of British airline tycoon Richard Branson, is an experienced Arctic traveler. Also on the journey will be 27-year-old Norwegian Sigrid Ekran. Last year, Ekran became only the second woman in history to win Rookie of the Year for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. What they will see may be very surprising. Even Steger doesn't know exactly what to expect. Climate change has already reshaped the geography of the Arctic. "Within a decade or less, it's going to be impossible to reach the North Pole by dog team without flotation ," says Steger. Climate change is happening, but people can change too. Their willingness to change will determine the shape of the Earth's future. Why is Steger about to organize the adventure to the Arctic? A. To collect evidence for his scientific research. B. To develop the young people's adventurous spirit. C. To let more people enjoy its natural beauty. D. To let people realize the bad effects of global warming. Answer: D Question: July 21st. 2007 was a typical English summer's day--it rained for 24 hours! As usual, I rushed home from work at midday to check on the house. Nothing was _ . By the time I left work at 5p.m., however, the road into our village was flooded. Our house had never been flooded but, as I opened the front door, a wave of waters greeted me. Thank God! The kids weren't with me, because the house was 5 feet deep in water. We lost everything downstairs. And the plaster had to be torn off the wall's ceilings pulled down. At first we tried to push on through. We didn't want to move the children out of home. So we camped upstairs. We put a sheet of plastic across the floor to protect us from the damp. But after three months, we felt very sick, so we move to a wooden house in a park. The house was small, but at first we were all just delighted to be in a new place. Unfortunately, things took longer than expected and we were there for 10 months. The life there was inconvenient. What surprised me most was how much I missed being part of a community . We had lived in a friendly village with good neighbors, and I'd never thought how much I'd miss that. Although our situation was very bad, it's difficult to feel too sorry for yourself when you look at what's happening elsewhere. I watched a news report about floods in Northern India and thought. "We didn't have a straw hut that was for Christmas. But I can't wait--I'm going to throw a party for our friends in the village to say thanks for their support. This year, I won't need any gifts--living away from home for months has made me realize how little we actually need or miss all our possessions. Although we are replacing things, there's really no rush--we have our home back. And that's the main thing. What does the author mainly want to express by telling her story? A. She realized she needed no more possession. B. She valued human feelings more than before. C. She found Christmas gifts no longer badly needed. D. She thought her own home was the most important of all. Answer: B Question: I was asked in an email about learning idioms in a foreign language. Maybe I am different from most people,but I do not bother with them. To me they are kind of dessert of language learning. They come at the end of a meal. Once you have filled up with the key words and phrases that are used in a variety of situations,then you can add a few idioms. And by that time, you will be able to pick them up naturally anyway. I find that many learners have trouble with idioms,as if repeating some very colloquial expressions is going to upgrade how they sound in a language. In fact, it is the opposite. Idioms are difficult to use correctly. Yes,occasionally you hear idioms and do not understand. But,in my experience,there are always situations where you do not understand. It is best to focus on the most important words,what they mean and how they are used. Certainly,it is best for a nonnative speaker to stick to standard speech. Some teachers even try to teach the "real language".Then you hear nonnative speakers saying things like "I goanna", "You wane" etc. You will learn all the idioms you need just by exposing yourself to the language. In general,you can save any phrase that you find interesting,and if that includes idioms,go to it. But I would not make any special effort to go after idioms. I,in fact,avoid them. If I come across something in Russian that strikes me as a particularly idiomatic use of words,I just leave it aside; do not even bother trying to learn it. If it keeps on appearing,then I will learn it. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A. idioms are the most important part in a language B. the writer is not very willing to use idioms C. nonnative speakers should learn more idioms D. there are no ways to master idioms Answer: B
I hear many parents saying that their teenage children are rebellion . I wish it were so. At your age you ought to be growing away from your parents. You should be learning to stand on your own two feet. But take a good look at the present rebellion. It seems that teenagers are all taking the same way of showing that they degree with their parents. Instead of striking out bravely on their own, most of them are trying to seize at one another's hands for safety. They say they want to dress as they please. But they all wear the same clothes. They set off in new directions in music. But somehow reason for thinking or acting in thus-and-such a way is that the crowd is doing it. They have come out of their cocoon -----into a larger cocoon. It has become harder and harder for a teenager to stand up against the popularity wave and to go his or her own way. Industry has firmly opened up a teenage market. These days every teenager can learn from newspapers and TV what a teenager should have and be. And many of today's parents have come to award high narks for the popularity of their children. All this adds up to great difficulty for the teenager who wants to find his or her own path. But the difficulty is worth getting over. The path is worth following. You may want to listen to classical music instead of going to a party. You may want to collect rocks when everyone else is collecting records. You may have some thoughts that you don't care to share at once with your classmates. Well, go to it. Find yourself. Be yourself. Popularity will come-----with the people who respect you for who you are. That's the only kind of popularity that really counts. During the teenage years, one should learn to _ . Answer: find one's real self Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third WheelBy Jeff Kinney A dance at Greg Heffley's middle school is going to be held, but he can't find someone to go with him. Finally he finds a girl from his class to go with him. That is when The Third Wheel story begins. The Third Wheel is full of jokes and interesting drawings. Ivy and Bean Make the RulesBy Annie Barrows Bean's older sister Jessie goes to a summer camp called Girl Power 4-Ever, but Bean can't join her because she is too young. So Bean and her best friend, Ivy, decide to create their own camp. At Camp Flaming Arrow, Ivy and Bean come up with all the activities and, of course, they make the rules. Their happiness and kindness will make you want to keep reading. Stick DogBy Tom Watson Stick Dog is a dog that lives in an empty pipe. He has four dog friends named Poo-Poo, Stripes, Karen and Mutt. When Stick Dog smells some delicious hamburgers, he and his friends decide to steal the food from a human family that is having a picnic in Picas-so Park. Along the way, they face a lot of funny challenges. White Fur FlyingBy Patricia Maclachlan Zoo and Alice's mother might just have the coolest job ever. She rescues Great Pyrenees dogs! But dogs aren't the only things that need to be saved. The family's new neighbour, Philfip, doesn't speak, and no one knows why. White Fur Flying is all about understanding that love can come from both inside and outside. Although it is a little sad, the book is good to read. Kids who love animals and a good story will really like it, too. Who wants to start a camp? Answer: Bean. He has lived through various dangers but time may be running out for the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. On September 11, Israel announced its decision to remove him, following several Palestinian suicide bomb attacks on Israel. "He should be punished for the killings," an Israeli official said, "He has done nothing to stop the terrorist groups." But the decision has angered many other countries. China said that Arafat is the true leader, elected by the Palestinian people, and removing him would harm the peace in the Middle East. Other governments share this idea. Arafat himself said: "They can kill me, but never get me out of my country." He has spent most of his life in danger as the most important aim of Israel. But, just like a cat with nine lives, Arafat escaped every time. For years he has made a practice of sleeping in a different bed each night, thinking a moving person is harder to hit. In 1985, Israel sent fighter planes to kill Arafat. The wild bombing destroyed his office in Tunis but Arafat himself was unhurt. In 1992, the aircraft in which he was flying over North Africa broke in two during a crash landing. The pilot was killed but he managed to remain alive. What is so unbelievable is that he always remains calm in great danger. Israeli tanks and planes attacked his office building in Ram Allah in December 2001. When they saw the attackers coming, Arafat's bodyguards _ his orders to stay still and carried him to safety underground. Seconds later, several bombs were dropped nearby. Though safe, his bodyguards were so frightened that they were wet in sweat. But, Arafat, with Israeli tanks only 200 meters away, showed no fear at all. He stayed in the damaged office, talking by phone with foreign leaders in hope of preventing further attacks from Israel. All these experiences have made him a beloved leader to his people and an enemy to some others. But has he used up the last of his nine lives? Only time will tell. According to the passage, which statement is true? Answer: Being Palestinian leader, Arafat would rather die in his own country than be driven away from his people. Ohner and Planner signed a detailed writing in which Planner, a landscape architect, agreed to landscape and replant Ohner's residential property in accordance with a design prepared by Planner and incorporated in the writing. Ohner agreed to pay $10,000 for the work upon its completion. Ohner's spouse was not a party to the agreement, and had no ownership interest in the premises.For this question only, assume the following facts. At Ohner's insistence, the written OhnerPlanner agreement contained a provision that neither party would be bound unless Ohner's law partner, an avid student of landscaping, should approve Planner's design. Before Planner commenced the work, Ohner's law partner, in the presence of both Ohner and Planner, expressly disapproved the landscaping design. Nevertheless, Ohner ordered Planner to proceed with the work, and Planner reluctantly did so. When Planner's performance was 40 percent complete, Ohner repudiated his duty, if any, to pay the contract price or any part thereof. If Planner now sues Ohner for damages for breach of contract, which of the following concepts best supports Planner's claim? Answer: Irrevocable waiver of condition. When we don't understand each other's language, we can talk with the help of signs. A Frenchman was once travelling in England. He could not speak English at all. One day he went into a restaurant and sat down at a table. When the waiter came, he opened his mouth, put his fingers in it, and took out again. He wanted to say . "Bring me something to eat." The waiter soon brought him a cup of tea. The man moved his head from side to side. The waiter understood him and took the tea away. In a moment he came with a cup of coffee. But the man again refused it. He shook his head whenever the waiter brought him something to drink, for drinks are not food. When the man was going away, another man came in. This man saw the waiter , and he put his hand on his stomach. That was enough. In a few minutes there was a large plate of meat and vegetables on the table in front of him. So you see, we cannot understand the language of signs as well as we can understand the language of words. A Frenchman signed to the waiter _ . Answer: to ask him for food
Advertisement is the difficult business of bringing information to great numbers of people.The purpose of an advertisement is to make people respond to make them react to an idea,such as helping prevent forest fires,or to make them want to buy a certain product or service.At the beginning of the 20th century,advertisement was described as"salesmanship in print".If this definition were expanded to include radio and television,it would still stand today.The most effective way to sell something is through person-to-person contact.But the cost of person-to-person selling is high because it takes a great deal of time,and it increases the cost of the product or service.Advertising distributes the selling message to many people at one time.The first printed advertisement in the English language appeared in 1278,more than a century before Shakespeare's first play was produced.This early advertisement was the work of William Caxton,England's first printer,who used it to advertise religious books from his own workshop Caxton posted small printed notices along London's main streets.Besides advertising his product,he identified his shop with a red-striped shield so that customers could find it easily. This same sort of simple informational advertising is still used.Examples are the roadside signs that tell travelers that they can buy fresh corn just down the road or that there is a restaurant in the next town. The Industrial Revolution,in the 18th and 19th centuries,brought a new kind of advertising.Large factories took the place of small workshops and goods were produced in large quantities. Manufacturers used the newly built railroads to distribute their products over wide areas.They had to find many thousands of customers in order to stay in business.They couldn't simply tell people where shoes or cloth or tea could be bought---they had to learn how to make people want to buy a specific product. Thus modern advertising was born. Advertising created new markets and helped to raise standards of living as people came to feel that they had a right to new and better products. We can conclude from the passage that_. A red-striped shield is the best thing to use in advertising B main streets and television are used in advertising C person-to-person selling is the best way in advertising D people show little interest in advertisement Answer: B Jack went to a barber's shop and had his hair cut, but when he came out, he was not happy with the result . When his friend Bob saw him, he laughed and said, "What has happened to your hair, Jack?" Jack said, "I tried a new barber's shop today, because I wasn't quite satisfied with my old one, but this one seems even worse." Bob agreed . "Yes, I think you're right, Jack. Now I'll tell you what to do when you go into a barber's shop next time: look at all the barber's hair, find out whose hair looks worst, and then go straight to him." "Why shall I go to him?" Jack asked. "But that would be foolish!" "Oh, no, it wouldn't," answered Bob. "Who cut that man's hair? Just think it. He couldn't cut it himself, could he? Another of the barbers cut it. So you know he can't be the worst barber." When Jack went out of the barber's shop, he was not happy because _ . A nobody had cut his hair B the barber hadn't cut his hair well C the barber had cut his hair carefully D he was not satisfied with his old barber Answer: B One day, in an English class, the students are doing their lessons. Their teacher, a young woman, is very happy. She sings some nice songs with them and then she goes to the blackboard and writes "SMILES" on it. "This is the longest word in English, " she says to the class. A girl stands up and says, "It has only six letters. How can it be the longest word in English?" The teacher smiles and says, "Oh, look! There is a mile between the first letter and the last one. " Is the word "smiles" the longest in English? A Yes. B Sure. C No. D Don't know. Answer: A David is eight. One day his friend Rose says to him, "This Sunday is my birthday. Can you come to my birthday party?" David says, "Yes". On Sunday, David asks his mother if he can go to the party. His mother says, "Yes, you can go, but you must be polite. Don't ask for any food. They will give you some." "All right, Mum." David answers and he goes to Rose's house on his bike. There are lots of kids at the party. They play together for some time, and then Rose's mother gives them some food, but she forgets David. He waits and waits and then he takes his plate up and asks, "Do you want a nice clean plate?" David goes to the party _ . A by car B by bike C by bus D on foot Answer: B John is thirteen now. He began to study in a middle school two years ago. His home is in a small village and it's nearly five kilometers from the school. He has to get up early in the morning. After a quick breakfast, he has to run to school and get there on time. His father hopes to borrow some money to buy a bike for him, but he knows his mother is always ill and his father spends much money on medicine. He doesn't agree with him and keeps running there every day. Now he's very strong and never late for class and his teachers often praise him. Last week there was a sports meeting in his school. John ran faster than any other boy and won the boys' 800 meters, 1,500 meters and 3,000 meters. The whole school knew him. He was very happy. He told his grandma about the good news as soon as he got home. "I broke two school records today, Granny." called out the boy. To his surprise, the old woman wasn't happy. She thought for a while and said, "I'm sorry to hear that. We have no money to pay for them, you know!" John began to study in a middle school at the age of _ . A nine B eleven C thirteen D fifteen Answer: B
Alexander von Humboldt was born in 1769 in Berlin, Germany. As a young boy, he wanted to learn about the world. Humboldt followed his dream. In 1799, he traveled with a friend to Central and South America. On their trip, Humboldt and his friend saw and did many things. They sailed down the Amazon River. They watched dolphins play in the ocean. They explored the rain forest and climbed mountains and volcanoes. They were able to make the first maps of the northern part of South America. Humboldt set a world record for mountain climbing. He also made a discovery. During his climb, Humboldt became very sick. He found out that the higher he climbed, the less oxygen there was in the air. This made it more difficult to breathe. Later, this became known as mountain sickness. Science was another part of Humboldt's interests. He wanted to write about all of the new things he saw. He described the new plants, animals, and rocks which had never been seen by scientists before. Humboldt also studied the way of life of the local people. He learned how the native people along the Amazon River used plants in their daily lives. For example, they used a strong poison from a vine to make poisoned arrows. The natives used these arrows for hunting their food. The Amazon Indians also used a native plant to treat malaria , a serious illness. The plant grew wild, but after it was dug up, it was never replanted. Humboldt warned the natives that the plant was in danger of dying out. He looked for ways to preserve the plant and to make it grow strong. Although Humboldt took many risks during his trip, he lived to be 90 years old. In his lifetime, he made many discoveries and shared them with the world. As a tribute to Humboldt, there are rivers and mountains named after him. What do we know about mountain sickness? A It can be treated with a plant. B It is a serious illness like malaria. C It mainly influences one's breathing. D It was discovered by Humboldt's friend. Answer: C. It mainly influences one's breathing. Cymber Larkin's face lights up, her red hair shining in the late afternoon sun ,as she talks about her musical ambitions. "I am hoping my career just takes off, and everything will be exactly how I want it, like my dream come ture," she says. The 16-year-old daugher of baseball Hall of Farmer Barry Larkin is creating her own identity as an R&B/pop singer. She is also one of Central Florida's top lacrosses players and plays for Dr Phillips High School (DP). "I've been playing with DP since fifth grade", Cymber says. But even though Cymber _ at lacrosses and wants to earn a college scholarship, her future is clearly in music. Cymber's stage name is Cymcole. She signed with a production company shortly after turning 15. Cymber recently shot a music video for her first single in New York. Her debut album, Live It Up is scheduled to be released this summer. "We would always play dress-up, and she would be a singer star," says Sarah Hamp, one of Cymber's best friends, "She is getting there now". Her father, Barry, encouraged Cymber to start playing lacrosses at the age of 8. Barry was a 12-time-all-star with the Cincinati Reds. "When I am playing lacrosses, I am just having fun and laughing, going crazy with my friends and being all silly," Cymber says. "Don't be fooled, though. Cymber's game is serious." "She is an excellent player," DP coach Kerry Waston says. "Her stick skills are unbelievable so we are really excited to have her". "I don't want to be known as Barry Larkin's daughter . I want my own reputation", says Cymber. By saying "She is getting there now" Sarah Hamp means Cymber _ A is meant to be a pop star B has put a lot of effort into practising her performance C has mastered great singing skills D is on the way to a musical career Answer: D. is on the way to a musical career Hereditary information is transmitted from parents to offspring through A cell division. B genes. C germination. D metamorphosis. Answer: B. genes. A new enemy is threatening Japanese traditions: leisure. A part of its attempt to increase imports, the government is trying to get people to work less and spend more. The workers are disgusted. The figures support the western prejudice that the Japanese are all working without play. Trying to force workers away from their desks and machines, the government said last April that the country should cut down from its 2,100 hours average work year to 1,899 hours and a five-day by 1992. Beginning in February, banks and offices two Saturdays a month. The government hopes that others will follow that practice. But some persuasion will be needed. Small companies are very angry about it and they fear competitions may not cut hour. The unions are no happier: they have even advertised in newspapers arguing their case against the foreign pressure that is forcing leisure upon them. They say shorter hours are a disguised pay cut. The industrialists, who have no objection to the government's plans, admit that shorter hours will help them cut costs. Younger Japanese who are supposed to be acting against their hard-working parents, show no sign of wanting time off either. But unlike older workers, they do spend money in their spare time. Not content with watching TV, they dance, dress up, sit in cafes, go to pop concerts and generally drive the leisure-industry boom. Now that they know how to consume, maybe the West can teach them to relax and enjoy themselves too. It can be inferred that the Japanese government adopts the short-hour system _ . A in order to improve efficiency B partly because of the foreign pressure C to save some chances for others D to reduce the burden of some industrialists Answer: B. partly because of the foreign pressure Michael Jordan was born on February 17,1963 in Brooklym ,N.Y. And he graduated from North Carolina College. There are four people in his family, his wife Juanita, his sons Jeffrey and Marcus. His favorite food is seafood. His position is board and his favorite sports are golf and football except basketball. His awards won: Won a 1982 NCAA Named the Century's Greatest Athlete. Men's Basketball Title. Won an Olympic Gold Medal in Men's Basketball. Won a NBA Title 6 times.(91, 92, 93 ,96, 97, 98) Broke a NBA play-offs scoring record by scoring 63 in 1986 versus the Boston Celtics. Named NBA Most Valuable Player 5 times.( 88, 91, 92, 96, 98) What's his favorite sport except basketball? A Football B Golf C Swimming D A and B Answer: D. A and B
Students who get tired of looking at the four walls of a classroom might like to take the nature course being offered by Carvel College again this summer. Groups of about a dozen students each, led by an experienced guide, will go on ten-day camping trips to the mountains to study the plants and animals that grow and live there. Students carry their own things, which includes sleeping bags, warm clothing, food and water, and other useful tools. And what do the students do all day? Well, as soon as the sun comes up, they eat breakfast and start climbing up the mountain trail to the next campground, which is five to ten miles away. As the students take notes, the guide points out different plants and animals alongside the trail. The climb is usually over by early afternoon, so the group spends the rest of the day resting or swimming in a mountain lake. Before dinner each night, they all come together and discuss the day's activities. At the end of the course, the students write reports using the information they have collected. But they don't mind at all. What they do mind is leaving the beauty of the wilderness and the good friends they've made to return to their normal lives in the city. What can the course offer to the students? A different learning experience. For grown-ups,an afternoon snooze is often easier said than done.But many of us have probably experienced just how simple it can be to catch some sleep in a gently rocking hammock .By examining brain waves in sleeping adults,researchers reported in the June 21issue of Current Biology,a Cell Press publication,that they now have evidence to explain why that is. "It is a common belief that rocking causes sleep:we fall asleep in a rocking chair soon and,since ancient times,we cradle our babies to sleep,"said Sophie Schwartz of the University of Geneva."Yet,how this works had remained a mystery.The goal of our study was made up of two parts:to test whether rocking does indeed improve sleep,and to understand how this might work at the brain level." Schwartz,Michel Muhlethaler,and their colleagues Laurence Bayer and Irina Constantinescu asked twelve adult volunteers to nap on a custom-made bed or"experimental hammock"that could either remain still or rock gently.All participants were good sleepers who didn't typically nap and did not suffer from excessive sleepiness during the day.Each participant took two 45-minute afternoon naps,one with the bed still and one with the bed in motion,while their brain activity was monitored. "We observed a faster transition to sleep in each and every subject in the swinging condition,"Muhlethaler said."Surprisingly,we also observed a dramatic boosting of certain types of sleep-related brain waves." More specifically,rocking increased the length of stage N2sleep,a form of non-rapid eye movement sleep that normally occupies about half of a good night's sleep.The rocking bed also had a lasting effect on brain activity,increasing slow brain waves and bursts of activity known as sleep spindles . Schwartz and Muhlethaler say the next step is to find out whether rocking can improve longer periods of sleep and to find out whether it may be useful for the treatment of sleep disorders,such as insomnia . What do Schwartz and Muhlethaler expect to figure out in the next research? Whether swing can extend sleep time. Every day, 340 million people speak it. One billion people are learning it and it is said that by 2050, half of the world's population will be using it. What are we talking about? That is the global language--English. The English language started in Britain in the 5th century. It is a mixed language. It was built up when German. Scandinavian and French invaders settled in England and created a common language for communication. Today it is the official language of the UK, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Ireland as well as many islands in the Caribbean. Many other countries and regions use it for politics and business, for example, India. Pakistan, Nigeria and the Philippines. English is also one of the official languages of Hong Kong. But global advertising and pop music mean that in most countries, you will see or hear some English. Thanks to McDonalds, we all know about "burgers". "fries" and "milkshakes". Songs by Madonna, Britney Spears and Celine Dion are in English. We can sing along, even if we do not understand what we are singing! English is a messy language. Every year, dictionaries include new words that talk about popular culture, for example, computer-related words such as "blogging", "download" and "chartroom". Also included are words that teenagers use. Who does not know "cool", "OK" and "hello"? Other languages also influence English. Many English words come from French. Words like "cafe" and expressions like "c'est la vie" (that is life) are all part of the English language. On the other hand, the French language includes English words like "le weekend" and "le camping". German words are also part of English. Words like "kindergarten" come from the German language. Recently, British people have become interested in "yoga". But the word comes from an ancient Hindu language in India. Many countries and regions use it for politics and business except _ . Norway The story happens on an island called Berk. Hiccup, a Viking teenager, lives with his tribe on the island. The Vikings are strong and good sailors . They often go on adventures . Fighting dragons is one of their traditions. Hiccup's father, Stoick the Vast, is the leader of the island. He hopes his son will become as strong as him and be the leader one day. But it does not seem to go well for him. Hiccup is nothing like his father. He is weak. People say he is not suitable to be the future leader. But Hiccup is smart and has a great sense of humor. Now Hiccup and other Viking teens are in Dragon Training. Hiccup will have to show others that he has what it takes to be a fighter. One day Hiccup hits a dragon with a stone cannon . He finds the hurt dragon named Toothless. Hiccup sets Toothless free and the two became friends. But his new friendship goes against the village's tradition. He has to stop others from killing the dragon! Will Hiccup be able to save his friend? What difficulties will he have to face? Go to see How to Train Your Dragon, a Hollywood 3D cartoon film. You'll find the answer. The film comes out on March 26. Fighting dragons is _ . one of the Viking's traditions Imagine that you are in school, giving a speech to your class. Now think what it feels like when stammering makes it a struggle to communicate your thoughts and feelings to other people. The King's Speech, which won the best picture at the Academy Awards in March, 2011, focuses on stammering along with other speech-related problems. The movie tells the story of Britain's King George VI, who became king after his brother Edward VIII gave up the crown to marry an American woman. As a result of British actor Colin Firth's performance, people are starting to realize that stammering can damage a person's self-confidence and cause him or her to escape from life. "The serious problem is unseen and unheard," said Norbert Lieckfeldt, an expert at the British Stammering Association, in an interview with a news reporter. "Stammering masks your ability," he said. "It's a serious disability." Most stammerers face bullying in school, something that is "usually carried over into the workplace". George VI's stammer took away his confidence as a speaker. But Samantha Mesango, a speech coach based in the UK, believes that speech problems are more common than most people realize. "Some simply don't like the sound of their own voice; others are scared of speaking in public," she said. Travis Treats from St.Louis University praisedThe King's Speech. He said it shows that "how one's speech does not mean what one is inside". He also added that people who stammer need to be heard and our society should recognize that they have a lot to give to the world. According to Norbert Lieckfeldt, _ . the serious problem of stammering remains unseen and unheard
Question: Why do you need British Accent Training? With the growth in the number of employees from Egypt, Spain and China, organizations need to ensure that their workers are able to communicate effectively with customers and colleagues alike. First Language Influence (FLI) can have a great effect on an employee's accent. British Accent Training from Communicaid will help your overseas workers decrease the influence of their first language. Whether through online training courses or face- to- face classes, Communicaid offers suitable training solutions for your organisation's international business. A Communicaid's British Accent Training course will provide your workers with the ability to : ---increase their customer experience and satisfaction, ---communicate more effectively with customers and colleagues by decreasing first language influenced accent, ---strengthen relationships with customers and colleagues through more successful communication. Course content All Communicaid's British Accent Training courses are designed to meet the specific needs of our clients depending on their specific situations. Generally, a British Accent Training course includes: ---rhythm and stress patterns, ---pausing and breathing, ---relationship between spelling and pronunciation, ---accent familiarisation and listening practice. Ways to learn Training can be received worldwide through either face-to-face classes or one of our many online learning methods. Using a combination of published materials and those offered only by Communicaid, we design and offer programmes that will meet the need of our clients. Our trainers All Communicaid's British Accent course trainers are native speakers with at least 3 years' professional training experience in the field. A client's British Accent trainer will be decided according to his goals and areas of focus. The article was written mainly to _ . A. attract people to attend Communicaid's courses B. introduce the history of the company Commuicaid C. give instructions on English pronunciation D. tell the readers the importance of the British accent Answer: D Question: From poor beginnings to most expensive player ZINEDINE Zidane,who dreams of leading France to its second World Cup title in a row next month,has always preferred to express himself with a football rather than with words. Last Wednesday Zidane scored the decisive goal when Real Madrid of Spain won the Champions League final against Germany's Leverkusen 21. He became one of the world's most expensive players when he joined Real Madrid from Italy's Juventus for US $ 66 million.And he has been a national hero since he scored twice in the 3-O defeat of Brazil in the 1998 World Cup Final. But despite his success,Zidane has always kept his feet on the ground.He leads a quite family life,there is hardly any gossip about him and he avoids putting his wife and two children in the spotlight. "Just because I'm a public figure it doesn't mean I have to express myself on everything.I don't like to discuss some personal matters publicly."he said. Even as a child playing football in the slum area of Marseille,France,where he was raised by his Algerian parents,Zidane was shy. He loved football even as a little kid."I realized football is a wonderful mixture of a sharp mind and hard training rather than just talking,"he said. Even when the match awards were just chocolate and bread,Zidane found that football made his poor childhood rich. Before he was 10 years old,it was obvious that he could become a great footballer.He was offered his first professional contract when he was just 20.Now,at the age of 29,he has already picked up two World Player of the year awards. This quiet striker has not yet spoken of his hopes for the coming World Cup.But his fans across the world will be eagerly watching him to see what he'll do this time. What did Zidane learn from his childhood football experience? He learned that _ . A. he could become a great footballer B. he could become rich if he became a footballer C. football is a mixture of a sharp mind and hard training but not just talking D. football is a favorite sport in the future Answer: C Question: Students at the Yale School of Architecture handed over the keys to a house that they designed and built to its new owners at a ceremony on Sept. 25 at 20 King Place. The ceremony held to hand over the house will mark the completion of the school's First-Year Building Project 2008. since 1967, the Yale School of Architecture has offered its first-year graduate students the opportunity to design and build a structure as a part of their education. Unique among architecture schools, this program is compulsory for all members of the class, and students frequently refer to it as their reason for applying to Yale. This year's class of 64 worked to design, develop and document an idea for a 2,100-square-foot, wheelchair-accessible, two-family house. Students had to use sustainable resources and energy-efficient technology. The budget for the project is always less than actual construction costs, and the builders-in-training had to seek supplementary donations, mostly in the form of construction materials. The result this year was a "designer" home, dressed entirely in cedar , fitted inside with Swedish-designed cabinetry and partially powered by solar energy. The floors are bamboo, another natural material prized for being quickly replenished . This year, the student-builders used a pre-cast foundation system, which, in addition to its other labor-saving virtues, uses 75% less concrete than the poured system. The first-year class of 2008 raised $100,000-worth of donated materials. But when it came to constructing the inside steps of the house, they used old drafting tables from the School of Architecture that would otherwise have been thrown out. Ground was broken in May for the house at King Place, and the whole class worked on site until the construction was finished. From the passage, we can draw the conclusion that _ . A. new and expensive materials are used to build the house B. the house features energy-efficient materials C. the house will be owned by two families D. $100,000 is enough to build the house Answer: B Question: The Peales were a famous family of American artists.Charles Willson Peale is best remembered for his portraits of leading figures of the American Revolution.He painted portraits of Franklin and Jefferson and over a dozen of George Washington.His life-size portrait of his sons Raphaelle and Titian was so realistic that George Washington reportedly once tipped his hat to the figures in the picture. Charles Willson Peale gave up painting in his middle age and devoted his life to the Peale seum,which he founded in Philadelphia.The world's first popular museum of art and natural science mainly covered paintings by Peale and his family as well as displays of animals in their natural settings Peale found the animals himself and found a method to make the exhibits more lifelike.The museum's most popular display was the skeleton of a huge,extinct elephant,which Peale unearthed on a New York farm in l801. Three of Peale's seventeen children were also famous artists.Raphaelle Peale often painted still lives of flowers,fruit,and cheese.His brother Rembrandt studied under his father and painted portraits of many noted people,including one of George Washington. Another brother,Rubens Peale,painted mostly landscapes and portraits. James Peale.the brother of Charles Willson Peale,specialized in miniatures .His daughter Sarah Miriam Peale was probably the first professional female portrait painter in America Which of the following is NOT the child of Charles Willson Peale? A. Titian Peale. B. Rubens Peale. C. Raphaelle Peale. D. Sarah Miriam Peale. Answer: D Question: I have been in Limoges for a month now. since living here, I have tried to integrate into the local community and one way I have found to do this is by following the local rugby team. I decided to look for information on the local rugby team after the tourism office could not help me. I searched for the club office online and decided to look into _ . The following day I went back to the club after speaking with them and decided to get a season ticket for the rest of my stay here. I will now be going to each home game as well as travelling to the away games with the team and the fans. I am sure that it is going to be a great experience during my time abroad here. I will also be travelling through various regions of France so I will be visiting new places throughout the season. There is another team in a town called Brive not so far away who play in the top league in France, but I decided to stay local. I may go and see them with other assistants if possible during our stay. I witnessed a friendly match on Saturday when they played Stade Dijon in the division below them. The match finished 70-12. After the match, both teams went to the club house to see the Rugby World Cup semi-final between New Zealand and Australia. Both teams respected each others which is something you don't always see in other sports. I spoke to the president of the club after the game and he told me, "This is a family club." Hopefully this year will be a good year for Limoges. How did the writer try to combine into Limoges' community? A. By taking part in the local rugby team. B. By watching the rugby matches in Limoges, C. By playing often with the people in Limoges. D. By paying close attention to the local rugby team. Answer: D
When spring comes, some wildflowe come out in the ditches along the highway where I travel daily to work., I've noticed one special blue flower. It blooms only in the morning hours. For the afternoon sun is too hot for it. Every day for nearly two weeks, I see those beautiful flowers. This spring, I started a wildflower garden in our yard,. I can look out of the kitchen window while doing the dishes and see the flowers. Every day I drove past the flowers thinking "I'll stop on my way home and dig them." "See. I don't want to get my good clothes dirty." Whatever the reason, I never stopped to dig them. One day on my way home from work. I was sad to see the pretty blue flowers were gone. I thought to myself. "You wanted too long. You should have done it when you first saw them blooming this spring." A week ago we were shocked and sad to learn that my oldest sister-in-law was badly ill. She is 20 years older than my husband and unfortunately, because of age and distance, we haven't been as close as we all would have been. I couldn't help but see the connection between the pretty blue flowers and the relationship between my husband's sister and us. I do believe that God has given us some time left to plant some wonderful memories that will bloom every year for us. And yes, if I see the blue flowers again. You can bet I'll stop and transplant them to my wildflower garden. What is the purpose of the writer writing the passage? A To tell people when chance comes ,don't let it go. B To advise people to plant flowers in their yards. C To transplant wildflowers to their own garden. D To tell readers she loves her family. Answer: A Have you ever seen a horse with toes ?Millions of years ago, horses had many toes. They had four toes on each front foot. They had three toes on each back foot. The horses were no bigger than the cats.These small horses lived in the forest. The toes helped the horses run on the soft, wet ground. At first, it was very hot in the forest. But the weather changed. It became very cold. Many trees could not live in cold weather. The trees died and fell. Open fields took the place of forests. The sun made the ground dry and hard. Horsed began to change, too. They began to get bigger. This took a long time. On the dry, hard land, horses needed only their middle toes for running. Their middle toes became hard. After a long time, horses had only one hard toe on each foot. Now we call this hard toe a What was the weather like in the forest at first? A Very warm B Very hot C Very cold D Very cool Answer: B When asked to list typical English gentlemen,for many,Colin Firth immediately comes to mind. In his recent film,Kingsman:The Secret Service,the 54-year-old actor appears as elegant and violent super spy Harry Hart.One minute he's calm and polite,and then in the next he's skillfully violent and aggressive.For example,in one scene he says,"Manners maketh a man",before severely beating up a group of villains .Firth brings out the perfect mix of typical British style and humor through this performance. Firth began appearing on English TV in the early 1990s,but it wasn't until he played Mr Darcy,a charming upper class character from Jane Austen's famous novel"Pride and Prejudice",that Firth's career really took off.His portrayal of the perfect fictional gentleman conquered millions of hearts,especially females'. In many fans and critics'eyes,Firth has British good looks,British charm,and a gift for characters with a British sense of being reserved .Movie reviewer Jason O'Bryan described Firth as"always befitting the calm and stiff-upper-lip British gentlemen character". However Firth doesn't consider himself the authority on gentlemen."I don't necessarily approach every challenge like a perfect English gentleman spy.There are many aspects in my personality that are not consistent with someone like Harry Hart,"he said to Dialogue,an English--language show on CCTV News. But let's just take his words as another gentlemanly quality-modesty.After all,who might expect an Oscar-winning actor over 50 years old to learn to fight for his first action movie? To prepare for Kingsman,Firth trained for three hours every day over six months.He broke a tooth and got bruised everywhere,but took the damage as a symbol of his accomplishments. In Dialogue,Firth said he had many other sides-he's passionate about literature and literary research.However,to many of his movie fans, he is indeed a gentleman and excellent actor above a11 else. From the text we can infer _ . A Colin Firth is violent and aggressive B Colin Firth has many sides in personality C Colin Firth has similar character to Harry Hart D Colin Firth has more male fans than females Answer: B He met her at a party. She was so outstanding that many guys were chasing after her, while he was so ordinary. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him. She was surprised but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, and she felt uncomfortable, too. Suddenly he asked the waiter, "Would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee." Everybody stared at him. It was so strange! His face turned red but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously, "Why do you have this hobby?" He replied, "When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, my hometown, and my parents who are still living there." While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched. Then she also started to speak, speaking about her faraway hometown, her childhood, and her family. That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their love. They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who met all her demands. He had tolerance, kind-hearted, warm and careful. Thanks to his salty coffee! They married. And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that was the way he liked it. After 40 years, he passed away and left her a letter which said, "My dearest, please forgive my whole life's lie. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but said salt. It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead. I didn't like the salty coffee then, what a strange bad taste! But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life, for it was prepared by you." From this passage, we can infer that _ . A the man's lie won the woman's love B the man's parents once lived near the sea C the woman talked with the man, for they had the same experience D the woman realised what salty coffee had to do with a good man Answer: A The red crab lives on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean and has been found nowhere else in the world. But on its homeland it is a very significant species -- some 120 million individuals cover the rain forest floor and play a major role in determining the structure of the ecosystem. These large crabs are active during the day but prefer to stay in the shade and can die in the heat of direct sunlight. They feed on fallen leaves, seeds, fruits and flowers, recycling nutrients and helping to determine the spread and composition of native plants. Most of the year the red crabs live in the holes they dig throughout the forest. During the dry season they hide in these shelters to keep their body wet and remain there for two to three months. But when wet season returns in October or November they begin a legendary mass migration to their seaside breeding grounds, moving in color1ful wave that wash over all obstacles like roads (including special passages and some closed roads built for the red crab) and even seaside cliffs. The annual migration is also closely tied to the lunar schedule. The crabs arrive at the coast and breed at such a time that the females can produce eggs and develop them in caves for a dozen or so days before carrying them into the sea exactly when high tide turns between the last quarter and new moon. During this period sea level on the beaches varies the least and offers an easier approach, which is so important that if the weather delays the migration crabs will put off laying eggs until the next lunar month. Red crab eggs grow right away, and the young live in the sea for a month before returning to the coast, changing into air breathers, and slowly returning inland to begin the cycle once again. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A red crabs migrate by swimming in color1ful ocean waves B the islanders are friendly to the migrating crabs C red crabs live in the holes all the year round D people have built special shelters for red crabs Answer: B
There was once an animal named Eddy. He was not a dog, a bunny or a bear but a little kitten. Unlike the black, white and orange cats in his neighborhood, Eddy was a gray cat. He loved to go outside and run around the streets and the city. He liked to listen to the birds chirp and watch the children draw with chalk. He was a very smart and friendly kitten. Eddy was good at many things. He was good at hopping, running and playing. The thing Eddy was best at was climbing! His claws gripped trees hard which made it easy for him to pull himself up. Anyone who saw Eddy climb might think he was part monkey! Eddy also loved his family. When he wasn't outside he liked to sit with people when they would read, play with toys and eat. Eddy was a very lazy cat! He loved to sleep most of the day, at least 12 hours! His family could always count on him to be sleepy. What did Eddy do most of the day? A Sit with people. B Sleep, at least 12 hours. C Eat food. D Play with toys. Answer: B Spiders are not insects as many people believe. They belong to a class of animals called arachnids . Spiders have eight eyes, four pairs of legs, and can grow a new leg if they lose one. A spider's body is divided into two sections: the abdomen and the thorax .The legs, eyes, and mouthparts are in the thorax section. Most spiders have poison glands and sharp teeth. They use their sharp teeth to force poison into the insects they catch for food. This poison can make an insect lose the ability to move, and the helpless insect is then _ by the spider. Spiders usually have silk glands under their abdomen. They produce a liquid that is thicker than water from their glands. When the liquid comes into the air, it dries into silk. Many spiders use this silk to form webs to catch insects and to make cocoons that protect their eggs. This amazing silk is also used to create lines that spiders hang onto as they travel to new areas. Spiders live in almost everywhere on earth. The only places where there are no spiders are the coldest places, the highest mountains and the seas. According to the passage, which of the following is WRONG? A Spiders are not insects. B All spiders have poison glands. C Spiders make cocoons to keep their eggs safe. D There are no spiders in the coldest places. Answer: B Lucky is the man who has no "skeleton in his closet." When a man has done something in his life that he is ashamed of, that he wants to hide, he is said to have a "skeleton in his closet." Some people may have more than one skeleton. As we have noted many times, it is hard to find out how these expressions begin. Sometimes, we get some hard facts. But more often we have to depend on guesswork. And that is true of this phrase, which came from England. Before 1832, English law did not permit a doctor to cut open a dead human body for scientific examination, unless it was the corpse of an executed criminal. But when it became legal, more and more doctors demanded skeletons for a more scientific study of medicine. It was helping in the advance of modern medicine. The demand had become so strong that men began to rob tombs and sell skeletons to doctors at high prices. We are told that a doctor would usually buy just one skeleton for scientific study. It became very important in his work. But he had to keep it hidden because most people objected to keeping such a thing. As a rule, the doctor keep his skeleton in some dark corner where it could not be seen, or hide it in a closet. After a time, people began to suspect every doctor of hiding a skeleton in the closet. From this suspicion, the phrase"a skeleton in the closet"took on a broader, more general meaning: to describe anything that a man wanted to keep others from discovering. It could be proof of a criminal act, or something much less serious. Well, that is one theory. One writer, however, believes that the phrase might have come from something that really happened. It is his guess that a hidden closet in some old English country home may have turned up a real skeleton, clear proof of some old family shame or crime. Well, one man's guess is as good as another. But this sounds like a story by the great French novelist, Balzac. Balzac tells us of a man who suspected his wife of having a lover. The husband comes home by surprise. But she hears him and quickly hides her lover in the closet of her bedroom. He enters her room and asks her if she is hiding her lover. He says he will not open the door to the closet if she promises him there is no one there; He will believe her. She answers firmly that she is not hiding anyone in the closet. The husband then begins to build a solid brick wall against the closet. His wife watches, knowing that her lover will never come out alive. But she will not change her story and admit her guilt. From the story Balzac told we know that the wife's lover must have become _ . A a corpse B a phrase C a skeleton D a story Answer: C Good health is the most precious thing in the world .When you have got it, you never think about it. When you haven't got it , you think about it all the time. Our biggest enemies are not terrible diseases. We are our own biggest enemies because we sometimes destroy our own good health. Some of us eat too much, drink too much and smoke too much. And though our reason tells us we should control ourselves, we find it difficult. The fact is that most human beings need stimulation. Who doesn't enjoy a drink after a busy day? Only a smoker knows the pleasure of a cigarette with a cup of coffee. The danger is when these innocent pleasures run our lives and so destroy our health. When you find yourself eating between meals or eating too much rich food, when you can only keep yourself going by taking frequent drinks or by smoking one cigarette after another, then it's time to stop and think what you might be doing to yourself. The funny thing is that when we don't control ourselves, simple pleasures are no longer simple pleasures. All right, I know what you're thinking. You're probably saying: "It's all very well for him to talk, but I can't help myself. I need that extra bit of food, that extra drink, that extra cigarette. Life has so many pressures that I can't manage without them." But I'm saying you can help yourself. Not only that you must help yourself. Because if you don't help yourself, no one else can. So be your own best friend . Which of the following expresses the writer's advice? A Have a drink after a busy day. B Have a cigarette with a cup of coffee. C Eat as much rich food as you can. D Be your own best friend and control yourself. Answer: D Last summer Jenny and her friends had a bus trip to New York. She felt very relaxing on the way. They visited a museum. But it's really crowded there and the display were not interesting at all. They went to different restaurants to have dinner. Some food was quite delicious, but Jenny thought the fast food was terrible. When the weather was fine, they went to the beach to swim. The sea was beautiful and they had a good time. They ate dinner _ . A at home B in the museum C in a restaurant D in their friend's house Answer: C
Shyness equals losing opportunities, less pleasure and fewer social connections, but there are ways to make it a thing of the past. When I was fifteen, I was shy. I remember an attractive girl trying to talk with me. My shyness made me focus on me instead of her. I heard my own voice but not hers and I thought about what I was trying to say instead of what she was trying to say. To overcome shyness you need to learn to relax. This gives you the space to practice certain conversational skills. Relaxed socializing is so pleasurable. To start reducing your own shyness, I want you to absorb the following tips and ideas and start to put them into practice. Focus your attention away from yourself. Notice what other people are wearing and make a mental note, listen to their conversation, imagine where they might live, and make a point of remembering names. Not only does this give you more to talk about, it also reduces social anxiety, leaving you feeling calmer. Ask people open questions. Many people like to talk about themselves and will find you interesting if you find them interesting. Ask questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" response such as "What do you like about this place?' rather than "Do you like this place?" Once they have answered, you can use add-on questions connected with the first such as "What other places do you like in this city?" Next you can express your views. This is a great way to get the conversation going. Now I love meeting new people and suspect that my current social confidence would be unrecognizable to my fifteen-year-old self. To get rid of your shyness, you should _ . Answer: We talk every day. When we have good news, we like to share it with our good friends and when something terrible happens, we tell it to others soon. But can you imagine that a tree can talk and share news too ? Of course, no tree moves _ and says words just as people do. Strange as it may sound, though, some trees do manage to communicate with each other. Willow trees are the best-known of these trees. When insects begin nibbling a willow tree, the tree sends out a special smell at once. This smell tells the other willows that harmful insects are coming near. All of them quickly make a chemical in their leaves. This chemical is bad to the insects. The insects do not like it and they fly away soon. In this way, the willow trees protect themselves from the insects. The next time when you take a walk in the woods, maybe the trees are "talking" to each other quietly. And when someone says that trees cannot "talk", please tell them that even trees give messages to each other, too. The passage tells us that some of the trees can _ . Answer: One period of our lives when better results are demanded of us is, strangely enough, childhood. Despite being young we are expected to achieve good grades, stay out of trouble, make friends at school, do well on tests, perform chores at home and so on. It's not easy. Likeable children enjoy many advantages, including the ability to deal more easily with stresses of growing up.In her bookUnderstanding Child Stress, Dr. Carolyn Leonard states that children who are likeable and optimistic are able to gain support from others. This leads to focus and resilience , the ability to recover from or adjust early to life stress. Much research shows that resilience has enabled children to succeed in school, avoid drug abuse, and develop a healthy self-awareness . Why does a likeable child more easily handle stress and do better in his or her life? Because likeability helps create what's known as a positive feedback loop . The positive feelings you want to see in other people are returned to you, creating constant encouragement and motivation to deal with the daily stress of life. This feedback loop continues into adulthood. To return once again to the example of teaching, learning becomes easier with a likeable personality. Michael Delucchi of the University of Hawaii reviewed dozens of studies to determine if likeable teachers received good ratings because of their likeability or because they in fact taught well. Delucchi found that "Students who perceive a teacher as likeable, in contrast to those who do not, may be more attentive to the information that the teacher delivers and they'll work harder on assignments, and they will learn more." You may have noticed this pattern in your own life when you try to give some advice. The more positive your relationship with that person, the more he or she seems to listen, and the more you feel certain that that person has heard you and intends to act on your words. According to Dr. Leonard, likeable children _ . Answer: Opened in 1971, the Magic Kingdom was the first theme park at Walt Disney World. All Disney World theme parks are open 365 days a year, although opening and closing times for each park are different from day to day. If you are traveling without kids, try to visit it on a school day to avoid the largest crowds. If you need to visit it during a school vacation, try at least to avoid the week between Christmas and New Year's Day and the Fourth of July. If you are not staying at a Disney World hotel, avoid visiting the Magic Kingdom on its Extra Magic Hours days. The hotel guests get into the park early on those days, increasing the waiting time for visitors who arrive at the normal opening time. Buy your Walt Disney World tickets online at Disney World's website. There will be some advice on picking the right ticket. See the guide to Disney World tickets. You will also need to call in advance to make lunch or dinner reservations . Disney accepts reservations, through 1-407-WDW-DINE, up to 180 days in advance. Time does pass quickly, so you should call six months before your trip to get a lunch reservation in the castle. We suggest you should have your lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table for your tour. If you can't get the reservation, ask for the Liberty Tree Tavern instead. Keep in mind that to reach the Magic Kingdom, you must park at Disney World's Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) parking lot, take a tram , and then take a boat across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom. What would be the best title for this passage? Answer: Dear Vicky, Thanks for your letter and for the photos of your family. Now it's my turn! This is a photo of my family. My dad is called Peter. He's a dentist. He likes playing golf and he loves watching sports on TV. In fact, we all like watching TV! My mom's name is Diana. She's a teacher. She likes reading and she also likes watching romantic movies. I have two brothers-James and Brian. James is nine years old. He likes watching cartoons and playing video games. Little Brian is still a baby. He's only two years old. He doesn't like watching TV! He likes playing with his teddy bear. And me? Well, I like watching tennis on TV but I prefer to play. Do you like playing tennis? I do. Maybe we can play some time? What do you like to do? Write and tell me. Yours truly, Debbie James likes _ . Answer:
"Can't hold a candle to" is a popular expression. It is from the time before electricity, when people used candles for light. Someone who lived in a big house would have a servant light his way by holding a candle. The expression meant that the person who cannot hold a candle to you is not fit even to be your servant. "Hold out" is an expression one hears often in sports reports and labor news. It means refusing to play or work. Professional football and baseball players hold out if their team refuses to pay them what they think they are worth. Members of labor unions hold out and refuse to work until they get the work agreement they want. The expression "hold up" has several different meanings. One is a robbery. A man with a gun may say, "This is a hold up. Give me your money." Another meaning is to delay. A driver late for work may tell his boss, "I was held up by heavy traffic." Someone who was robbed on the way to work might say, "Sorry, boss, I was held up by a hold up." Still another meaning of the expression is for a story to be considered true after an investigation. The same driver late for work could say, "My boss did not believe a hold up held me up. But the police confirmed what I said so my story held up." "Hold on" is another expression. Often it means wait or stop. As you leave for school, your brother may say, "Hold on, you forgot your book." Hold on is also used to ask a telephone caller to wait and not hang up his telephone. Suppose a stranger comes to ask you something when you are talking to your friends on the Phone in the street. What will you say to your friend? Answer: Hold on. Below is a discussion on http://www.TalkingPoints.com/. Stuck on a desert island? Started on 23rd April by Steve Posts 1 - 7 of 42 Post 1 Steve USA Hi, everyone. What would you miss most and least if you were stuck on a desert island? For me, it would be the changing seasons in New England. I guess this will sound stupid but I'd probably miss the rain, too. I would not miss getting up at six every day to go to work, though! What about you? Post 2 Tomas Germany Good question. Steve, I think I'd miss different types of bread, and shopping at the supermarket. I'd miss the food most. What would I miss least? My mobile phone---I'd like to be completely quiet --- at least for a little while Post 3 Paola Italy I would miss the company of people because I know I'd like to have someone to share experiences with. I'd go mad on my own. And I sure would not miss junk mail--- I hate coming home every evening and a pile of junk mail in my post box. Post 4 Miko Japan Hi, I would miss Manga cartoon, the internet and Japanese food, like sushi. I'd also miss TV shows and shopping for clothes... In fact, I'd miss everything. Post 5 Roger UK I would miss my daily newspaper and listening to the news on TV and radio. I'd feel very cut off if I didn't know what was happening in the world. What I'd miss least would be traffic jams in the city, particularly my journey to work. Past 6 Jayne Why hasn't anyone mentioned their family? I'd be lost without my husband and two kids. They're the most important for me. And I can't get started in the morning without a cup of black coffee. I wouldn't miss doing the housework! Post 7 Jaime Mexico It would have to be music. I couldn't live without my music. I wouldn't miss going to school at all or doing homework! Which of the following people would feel most uncomfortable without the news media? Answer: Roger. Whether it is Mozart or Miley,your choice of music could determine whether you will perform well al your work. A new study suggests that listening to music in the office improves the speed and accuracy of tasks such as data entry,proof reading and problem solving. In an office-based experiment,88 pet cent of participants were found to produce their most accurate work when listening to music. The study also found that 81 per cent completed their fastest work when music was played. And it matters what type of music you listen to.For instance,if you're doing your tax returns,then classical music is the most effective as it improves maths skills. Listening to Jessie J or Justin Bieber could also improve your speed,with 58 per cent of participants completing data entry tasks faster while listening to pop songs. During proof-reading,dance music,such as David Guetta,had the biggest positive impact with participants increasing their speed by 20 per cent compared to tests undertaken with no music at a11. Dance music also had a positive effect on spell-checking with a 75 per cent pass rate compared to 68 percent when no music was played al a11. The research,undertaken by Brighton-based Mindlab International,suggests that silent offices may be the least productive. "The music experiment showed that when listening to music,nine out of 10 people performed better,"said Dr.David Lewis.Chairman of Mindlab International. "Proper music enables people to quickly process and keep information,regulate their behaviors,make good choices,solve problems,plan and adjust to changing mental demands,"a senior investigator of Mindlab International explains. "While many schools are cutting music programs and spending more and more time on test preparation,our findings suggest that musical training may actually help to set up children for a better academic future."added D r.David Lewis. According to the passage,we can conclude that _ . Answer: listening to proper music can improve efficiency in office To whom it may concern, This letter describes the worst travel experience I have ever had.The problems we had were the result of poor management and thoughtless employees.Your airline should be ashamed of treating its customers so poorly. On January 5, we arrived in Denver from Houston and checked in for our next flight.It wasn't long before the agent announced that our flight would be delayed because of a mechanical problem. The equipment was in Aspen, and they expected it to be repaired soon. Soon shortly turned to much later, and during the delay, weather temporarily closed the Aspen airport.The weather cleared in Aspen and the plane took off very late for Denver.While it was in the air, the agent announced that the plane would be used for the next flight and that our flight was being cancelled. This cancellation struck me as being unfair.There was a mad scramble as the 50 or so passengers scheduled for our flight fought for seats on later flights.When the dust settled, we were wait-listed on the 9'-00 flight the next morning.We had to spend the night in the airport. Coming home was no better.Because of a mechanical problem, it looked like we would miss our connection in Denver.The agent assured us they would hold the Newark flight for us.Needless to say, the flight to Houston taxied out as we pulled into the gate.Arrangements were made for us to take the next flight, so we sat in the airport for 5 hours.When we finally arrived in Houston, our skis were missing.As of this writing, the skis have not been found. Nothing you can do will make us feel better about our flights.If you are a responsible business, however, you will do what you can to see that passengers in the future are treated better. With great displeasure, Phyllis Dooley When Phyllis wrote her letter, she felt _ . Answer: annoyed Which of these animals is most likely to be found living and feeding on the forest floors of Virginia? Answer: Deer mouse
It was nearly dark, the sun was dropping down the mountains far away. Little Tom came back home, with tears in his eyes. "What's the matter, Tom? How's your trip?" his mother asked with a big smile. "I failed. The mountain is so high and full of big or small stones on the way, I still go ahead. But I was tired and it was so late that I had to come back." Tom cried. "It doesn't matter, you are only 14 years old after all. You will have another chance." his mother said. "But, standing at the top of the mountain is my dream!" Tom said. His father came over and asked, "Did you see the green trees on your way to the mountain?" "Sure, and there are a lot of beautiful flowers by the side of the road." Tom replied. "Did you hear the birds singing?" his father asked. "There were many kinds of birds singing in the trees, and the sound was very sweet." Tom said. "Did you feel the beauty of nature?" his father asked. "Yes, the blue sky, the white clouds, the green trees and the colorful flowers made a nice picture." Tom answered. "That's enough!" his father smiled and said, "Please remember, son. For often, achieving what you expect is not the most important thing. Although you didn't reach the top of the mountain, you got a lot on the way." It is true that not every goal will be achieved, not every job will end up with a success, and not every dream will come true. The most beautiful scenery is on the way. ,A, B, C, D,,. (5;2,10) Tom's parents wanted Tom _ . Answer: to be happy A very old lady won a million dollars in a lottery . Her son and his wife heard the news on the radio."How are we going to tell your mother?" the wife asked. "The shock might kill her! "That's true." the son said. "Perhaps we'd better speak to her doctor about it. He'll know how to break the news to her gently." They explained the situation to the old lady's doctor. "I'm glad you told me." he said. "A shock, even a happy one,could give her a heart attack. Leave it to me. I 'll find a way of breaking the news to her." He thought about the problem for several days, and then decided what he would say. He called on the old lady and sat by her side. He took her hand in his."Let's play a game, my dear." he said. "A 'Let's Pretend' game." ks5u "Oh, yes." the old lady said. "I love 'Let's Pretend' games." "Good. I'll ask you a question first." the doctor said. "Then you can ask me one." He pretended to think for a few moments. Then he said, "Tell me, what would you do if you won a million dollars in the lottery?" "Oh, that's an easy one." the old lady said. "I'd give most of it to you, doctor, because you have been so good to me all these years. Doctor!" But the doctor was now lying on the floor. He had died of shock. The doctor was worried that _ Answer: the old lady would suffer a heart attack Little Peter is a boy of nine. He began to go to school the year before last and now he's in Grade Three. He lives not far from the school but he is often late for class. He likes watching TV in the evening and goes to bed late, so he can't get up on time in the morning. This term, Mrs. Black, Peter's aunt, works in Peter's school. She teaches Grade Three math. She's strict with Peter and often tells the boy to obey the school rules and come to school on time. Yesterday morning Peter got up late. When he hurried to school, it was half past eight. His aunt was waiting for him at the school gate. "You're ten minutes late for the first class, Peter," Mrs. Black said angrily. "Why are you often late for class?" "Every time I get to the street corner, I see a guidepost . It says: "SCHOOL--GO SLOW!'" Peter is often late for school because _ . Answer: he can't get up on time in the morning A beautiful and very successful actress was the star for a new musical show. Her home was in the country, but she didn't want to go back there every night, so she bought an expensive house in the center of the city, got some beautiful furniture and got a man to paint the rooms in new colour. It was very difficult to get tickets for her show in the evening, because everyone wanted to see it. So she decided to give the painter two of the best seats. She hoped that this would make him work better for her. He took the tickets without saying anything, and she heard no more about them until the end of month, when she got the painter's bill. At the bottom of it were these words: "Four hours from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. watching Miss Hall sing and dance: 3 pounds," with this note: "Before 5:00 p.m. I get 10 shillings an hour and after 5:00 p.m. 15 shillings." The actress bought a house in the center of the city because _ . Answer: she wanted to work harder than before It's what people who don't know each other talk about on elevators. And not about the weather at all. Chatting about the weather with strangers is about emotional comfort (,). When someone says "Beautiful day today, isn't it?" as you settle into that narrow elevator space, or at the bus stop, or waiting in line at the supermarket, the conversation is about feelings. The person is speaking to feel more comfortable with you and offering you a chance to feel more comfortable with him or her. Being in close proximity with strangers creates interpersonal tension. We can't help it. Tension automatically seeks resolution. What will you do? Do you notice the person now only a short distance away, or pretend not to notice? Avoidance is one strategy: never make eye contact and act as if nobody is there, even when your feelings tell you. In a supermarket checkout line you might leaf through a magazine. On elevators, we often avoid others by looking up at the floor numbers. The other strategy is to break the tension by noticing the other person. It starts with eye contact. Then we have a choice: smile, nod, make a remark or strike up a conversation. If we choose to talk, the most non-controversial subject to talk about is the weather. A remark about the weather evokes agreement and feelings of sympathy. "What a nice day!" shares a tiny sliver of happiness. "I wonder if this rain will ever end." shares the bad feelings with each other. Both ends of the mini-conversation feel a tiny bit more connected by experiencing this emotion of liking or disliking the weather at the same moment. When we meet a stranger on elevators, we _ . Answer: can avoid him or her by looking up at the floor numbers
Which form of travel causes the most pollution? Answer: driving An exercise method (Gyrotonics) designed to stretch muscles and improve strength and balance is becoming popular in the United States. Here's more about Gyrotonics and the man who invented this special form of exercise. Gyrotonics is a kind of exercise that combines the movements of dancing and swimming with the mental and physical practice called yoga. It helps lengthen muscles, improve balance, and exercise the joints, the parts of the body where bones are joined. A Hungarian dancer named Juliu Horvath developed this special form of exercise. After he was injured in dancing, Mr. Horvath studied yoga intensely. In the 1980s, he developed a new exercise method as a special kind of yoga to strengthen dancers. According to Mr. Horvath, his method was based on the octopus ,monkey and cat. He says these animals have no restrictions. They can move in any direction the Gyrotonic movements to help the human body move more freely. A special machine made of wood and weights helps guide the body through the Gyrotonics exercises. You sit or lie on a flat board. You put your legs or hands through special cloth handles attached to a line with weights. With the tension created by the weights, you must try to move through the exercises. Seven kinds of backbone movements form the base of Gyrotonics. For example, you can stretch your back to the left and right or forward and backward. While moving your back, you can also work on arm or leg motions. These movements must be done in a smooth way. Often the motions are circular . When Juliu Horvath first developed Gyrotonics, he was the only teacher. Since then, he has taught almost 70 trainers. Now, there are more then 800 official schools in the world where you can learn Gyrotonics. What do you think inspired Horvath in developing Gyrotonics? Answer: The movements of some animals. We've all heard the story of Three Little Pigs. The third pig foiled the hyperventilating wolf by building his house out of bricks, rather than with straw or sticks as his brothers had done. Less commonly known is that the pig later improved his home's safety profile by installing convex security mirrors at key points along the driveway. Well, why not? In the current issue of Animal Behaviour, researchers present evidence that domestic pigs can quickly learn how mirrors work and will use their understanding of reflected images to scope out their surroundings and find their food. The researchers cannot yet say whether the animals realize that the eyes in the mirror are their own, or whether pigs might rank with apes, dolphins and other species that have passed the famed "mirror self-recognition test" thought to be a marker of self-awareness and advanced intelligence. The finding is just one in a series of recent discoveries from the nascent study of pig cognition . Other researchers have found that pigs are brilliant at remembering where food stores are cached and how big each stash is to the rest. They've shown that Pig A can almost instantly learn to follow Pig B when the second pig shows signs of knowing where good food is stored, and that Pig B will try to deceive the pursuing pig and throw it off the trail so that Pig B can hog its food in peace. They've found that pigs are among the quickest of animals to learn a new routine, and pigs can do circus worth of tricks: jump hoops, bow and stand, spin and make word like sounds on command, roll out rugs, herd sheep, close and open cages, play videogames with joysticks, and more. For better or worse, pigs are also slow to forget. "They can learn something on the first try, but then it's difficult for them to unlearn it," said Suzanne Held of the University of Bristol. "They may get scared once and then have trouble getting over it." Which of the following is the main idea of the passage? Answer: The pig is cleverer than what we have expected. In the early hours of March 8, a Boeing 777 took off from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Its destination was Beijing. But for unknown reasons, it never arrived there. There were 239 people on the Malaysia Airlines flight, including 154 Chinese. As of March 13, 12 different countries, including Malaysia, China, Vietnam and the US, were searching for the plane. The disappearance is an "aviation mystery", Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, the head of Malaysia's Civil Aviation Authority, said on March 10.There was no clear sign of a crash by March 13. Between 1-2 hours after takeoff, the plane suddenly lost contact with people on the ground. The weather was clear, and the pilots didn't make any calls . No evidence was found in the area where the flight last made contact. People are also talking about a possible hijacking . International police agency Interpol confirmed on March 9 that at least two passengers on the flight had used stolen passports to get on board. "We are looking at all possibilities," said Malaysian Transport Minister Hishamuddin Hussein. The incident is now being called simply a "plane disappearance". So, what are some possible causes of a plane disappearance? An AP story provided a summary. 1. A failure of the plane's body or its engines. However, even if both engines stopped working, the plane could still glide for up to 20 minutes, giving pilots time to make an emergency call. 2. Bad weather. Planes are designed to fly through most severe storms. However, in June 2009, an Air France flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed during a bad storm over the Atlantic Ocean. 3. A bomb. Throughout history, several planes have been brought down by bombs. 4. An accidental shoot-down by some country's military. In July 1988, the US Navy accidentally shot down an Iran Air flight. In September 1983, a Korean Air Lines flight was shot down by a Russian fighter jet. No matter how unlikely a situation, it's too early to determine what really happened to MH370. It could take months, if not years, to _ any possibilities, say experts.. How many cities are mentioned in this passage? Answer: Four cities. A beer bottle thrown from the stands landed near Usain Bolt in the moments before the 100-meter final Sunday night in London. As Bolt and seven other competitors ducked into their starting crouches, a bottle sailed from the first row of the stands at Olympic Stadium. It harmlessly bounced in the lane belonging to Yohan Blake and didn't appear to cause a distraction to the runners, who started a moment later. The thrower's lack of distance was a blessing. Had he gathered tips from the competitors of the hammer throw competition, which was taking place in the infield at the same time as the 100 final, the bottle could have hit one of the competitors. It ended up landing a few feet from Blake (lane5). Edith Bosch, a female Dutch judoka who won a bronze medal earlier during the Olympics, claimed that the man who threw the bottle was sitting near her and that she "beat" him. Whether that's true or the hyperbole of an aggravated athlete was unclear in the minutes after the incident. Pictures show a group of Dutch athletes sitting behind the starting area. Police took the man into custody . He will appear in court on Monday morning. Neither Bolt nor Blake said they knew of the incident until they were informed by reporters. "I don't know who would have done that," Bolt said. Gatlin was aware of it but implied it was only a slight distraction. "I didn't know what it was," he said, according to the BBC, "but when you're in those blocks, the whole stadium is so quiet that you can hear a pin drop." What is the text mainly about? Answer: A beer bottle thrown at Usain Bolt before 100 final.
There was once an old wise man living on the top of a mountain. Whenever the villagers had a problem, they would climb up the mountain and ask the old man for advice. One day a young man arrived. "Wise man," he asked, "What makes a man truly great?" The old man said, "Do you sincerely want to know?" "Yes, yes!" the young man replied. "Well," the wise old man said to him, "Let me tell you in the form of a story." There was once a Greek man who suffered from a deadly disease. Knowing that he would die soon, he was the first to join the army when his country was in a battle with the enemy. Hoping to die in battle, he would fight in the front line, risking himself without any worry for his life. Finally they won the battle and he was still alive. His general was so impressed with his bravery which contributed much to the victory. The general decided to promote him and award him with medals of bravery and honor. On the day of presentation , he was looking very down and sad. Curiously, the general asked him why he was so sad on a day he should be so proud. The soldier told him of his deadly disease. "How could I let such a brave soldier die?" the general thought. So the general hired the best physician and finally cured the soldier. But from that day on, the once _ soldier was no longer seen at the front. He would always avoid danger and tried his best to protect his life. "Young man," the wise man said, "if you want to be truly great, you must not be afraid of dying, you must be daring." The general decided to award the Greek man _ . Answer: Wild animals are our friends, but many of them are getting fewer and fewer. We should try to protect them. The four animals below are now in danger. Tibetan Antelopes Tibetan antelopes are medium-sized animals. They mainly feed on grass. They are usually found in groups of about 20. They are killed for their wool, which is warm, soft and fine and can be made into expensive clothes. Although people can get the wool without killing the animals, people simply kill them before taking the wool. The number of them is dropping year by year. There are less than 75,000 Tibetan antelopes left in the world, down from a million 50 years ago. Golden Monkeys Golden monkeys are mainly found in Sichuan, Gansu, Shanxi provinces and Shengnongjia mountainous area of Hubei Province. Golden monkeys have golden-orange fur. They move around in the daytime, usually in groups of as many as 100 to 200 heads, or 20 to 30 heads. They feed on fruits and young leaves of bamboos. But people are destroying the environment where they live. Trees and bamboos are disappearing, so golden monkeys have less and less to eat. Elephans ks5u Elephants are very big and strong. They are bigger than any other animals on land. They are grey and have long trunks and tusks. They have poor eyesight, but very good hearing and smell. They can lift heavy things and break down branches with their trunks. Elephants are very friendly towards each other and towards their neighbours. Normally, they live in a group for many years. Young male elephants do not leave the group until they are about 12 years old. Now, there are very few elephants in the world. The number of them is becoming smaller and smaller because their living areas are used for farming. Also, people hunt them for their tusks. Wolves Wolves are not very big. They have grey fur. Wolves have very good eyesight, hearing and smell. Wolves' food is vavious. They eat animals, insects and snails. They are friendly to each other and never attack people. They do not kill for fun. Wolves are in danger, too. They are losing their living areas because people cut down forests. Soon they will have no home or food. Tibetan antelopes usually live in groups of about _ . Answer: Once upon a time there was a monster( ). He was very ugly ( ), and had no friends. No one wanted to talk to him. Even other monsters thought he was ugly. He lived alone and was very unhappy because he was so lonely. "I wish I had a friend." he said to himself every day. "One friend would be enough. Someone to talk to." "Dear Editor( )." he wrote. " I am an ugly monster. How can I find a friend?" "Dear Monster." the Editor replied. " Advertise( )for a friend in this magazine." The monster wrote an advertisement. "Monster wants a friend, male or female. I have two heads, four arms, six legs and three tails. I have one blue eye, one green eye and one brown eye. Smoke comes out of my noses. But I am really a kind monster and will be a good friend to someone. If you would like to meet me, please stand outside Blake's Store at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 22nd. Write to me at Box 45. Everybody's Magazine." A few days later he went to the magazine. "Do you have any letters for Box 45?" he asked. The Editor looked in Box45. "Yes, there is one." she said, and gave it to him. The monster opened the letter, and read, "Dear Monster, I think a person's character ( ) is more important than his appearance( ). I will wait outside Blake's Store on Friday. Please carry a flower so that I will recognize you. Yours sincerely, Alice Green. " Which one isn't mentioned( ) about the monster's appearance? Answer: I liked most of my teachers in college. They were, for the most part, friendly and competent, willing to help students. I liked them--but I don't remember them very well, except for Mr. Jones, my senior English teacher. He was an enthusiastic, sensitive man, who knew his subject and was determined that we would learn it and love it, too. Mr. Jones was a tall, slim man in his midforties. Put precariously on his nose, his glasses gave him a serious look. But they didn't remain there long, for he was always taking them off and polishing them and putting them in his mouth when he thought over a response to a student's question. When he walked into class, he was always carrying two or three books with strips of paper sticking out of them, marking passages he planned to read. I remember, too, the cardigan sweaters--he must have had a dozen of them. On rainy days he substituted a blue raincoat for the sweater. But what I remember best was his smile. When he smiled, his whole face lit up. His smile made you feel good, at ease. Yet though he was friendly with people, he was a bit formal in class, and he could be firm on occasion. He never called us by our first names. He obviously loved his work and liked his students, but he kept his distance. He never deliberately embarrassed a student in front of the class with an ironic remark, but he could communicate his displeasure all right. He'd look steadily at the offending student for a few seconds. That was usually enough, but if it didn't work, he'd say something to the student in a lowered tone of voice. He didn't do this often, though. Mr. Jones' personality and passion made him popular, but what I liked most about him was that he was a fine teacher. Yes, he cared about students, but he cared more about teaching them his subject. And that meant homework, lots of it, and pop quizzes now and then to keep them reading. He lectured occasionally to provide background information whenever we moved on to a new literary period. After a brief glance at his notes, he'd begin to move around as he talked--to the blackboard, to the window, back to the platform. But he preferred discussions. He'd write several questions on the board for the next day's discussion, and he'd expect you to be prepared to discuss them. He directed the discussion, but he didn't control it; he was a good listener and made sure we all had a chance to respond, whether we wanted to or not. If he was pleased with a response, he'd nod his head and smile. Occasionally he'd read a student's essay, praising its good points. But he was toughminded, too, as I suggested before. He really nailed you for careless work or inattention. When you got an A from him, you really felt good, for he wasn't an easy grader. We used to complain about his grading standards, usually in vain, though he would change a grade if he thought the had been unfair. We had many interesting discussions about Twain, Crane, and Dreiser, as I recall, but his favorite period was the 1920's. He loved the expatriates : Anderson, Cummings, Hemingway, Fitzgerald. He was always bringing in books for us to read, but when he got to this period, he was a walking library, I think he'd read every book ever written by or about Hemingway and Fitzgerald in the twenties. Yes, Mr. Jones was a fine teacher all right: he knew his subject. But more than that, he made us want to continue to read it and study it on our own. What is the passage mainly about? Answer: On August 16, 1977, Elvis Presley saved me. The previous afternoon, I played with my six-year-old peers in Heather Peters' backyard. I was enjoying my cake, when Heather asked me where my sleeping bag was. Only then did I know this party was a sleepover. The word "sleep-over" to a six-year-old bed-wetter is like what "cancer" means to an adult. But what if I told them I was a bed-wetter? At least with cancer, people gather at your bedside instead of running from it. I thought of a way to escape. I would explain that I needed my mother's permission to spend the nights. But as I called my Mom, Heather stood beside me to listen. She granted permission! Then I would be sleeping in the same living room as the other girls. I didn't bring my own nightdress, so Mrs. Peters offered me Heather's nightdress. As the other girls drifted into their sweet dreams, I tried to stay awake. "Do I need to go again? I'll stay up to go one more time...". Of course, I finally fell asleep. The next morning, I was the first to wake up. I was warm! I lay in panic for what seemed like hours before the other girls started to wake up. I did the only thing I could do--I pretended that the bed-wetting didn't happen. I got up, took off Heather's nightdress and changed into my clothes like the other girls. Mrs. Peters walked into the room, and before she could say anything, she stepped right onto the pile of my wet nightdress. My heart stopped as I watched her face burn red. "WHO DID THIS?" She screamed, with a look so scary. Should I answer? And that was when it happened--Mr. Peters came in and grabbed his wife, "Elvis Presley died!" The news of the King's death overtook Mrs. Peters, and I was narrowly excused. Then, we left Peters' together but without the other girls knowing what had happened. What is the main idea of the passage? Answer:
Question: A compass' needle points north the same way that geese know to fly south in winter, because of A. unknown circumstances B. magnetic pants C. Earth's pull D. magnetic shoes Answer: C. Earth's pull Question: Desert plants fall into two sorts according to the way they deal with the problem of surviving drought. There are the drought--avoiders--those which persist only as seeds, ready to spring up when it rains, to flower quickly and produce another crop of seeds, and to die again. There are also the drought--resisters--those which have evolved various methods for strong water, locating underground water, or reducing their need for water by such devices as shedding their leaves. The drought--resisters are perennials ,they manage to live from one rainy season to another, slowly growing bigger and bigger. Of these, the succulents is a small but interesting fraction . They may store water in their leaves, in their stems, or in underground containers. In the American deserts the best--known succulents are the cacti . They come in a wide range of sizes, from 50--foot tall giant saguaros to tiny round cacti about the size of a thumb--nail. They take thick, cylindrical or even spherical forms, thereby exposing a minimum of evaporating surface to the air and light. They are leafless, except in youth, and then the leaves are small. Typically their surfaces are spiny, discouraging thirsty animals, and channeled like an accordion , so the fleshy stem may expand quickly when the plant drinks and contract slowly as it uses up the water. The root system is widespread and shallow, with good reason; only about 3 per cent of the rain that falls on the desert penetrates to any significant depth into soil. According to the passage, some desert plants drop their leaves _ . A. because the temperature is too high B. so that the plants can evaporate less water C. because they are drought resisters D. so that the plants can store more water Answer: B. so that the plants can evaporate less water Question: Have you heard of the movie Benji off the Leashf This Benji story7 begins when his mother, a pretty black furry dog, escapes from the puppy mill with Colby, a boy who loves her.He tries to hide her in an abandoned house.The boy' s father discovers her there and takes mother and pups back home to the puppy mill, but leaves Benji behind because he doesn't look purebred enough to be sold for money.Colby comes back later to rescue the tiny puppy and keeps Benji in his wooden clubhouse, bringing Mom to come to visit him in secret. As Benji grows bigger, it becomes harder to keep him in the clubhouse, and eventually the boy' s father discovers him and Benji is forced to flee to the streets.But despite his fear of Colby' s father, Benji cannot forget about his mother, who is growing steadily weaker and sicker.He continues to sneak back to the puppy mill yard to spy on the goings-on there and plan a way to rescue her. Benji's doggie pal, Scrappy enters the story when he is pushed out of a car into a country lane.Once his paws hit the ground, Scrappy wags his tail once helplessly after the car as it drives away, and then is immediately up to his neck in hapless mischief . Scrappy is a lovably stupid little dog who barely manages to escape the animal control officers who are determined to catch him. One of the wonderful things about this movie is that the two stars are not highly trained purebred dogs.Both Benji and Scrappy were rescued mixed breed dogs found at local animal shelters.Adorable Benji and his stupid pal, Scrappy, demonstrate that mixed-breed rescue dogs are just as intelligent and trainable as any purebred dog. Benji Off the Leash clearly demonstrates the connection between people who abuse animals and people who abuse people.Colby' s father takes out his anger on those who are weaker than him, namely by frightening his wife and the dogs.He attempts to frighten Colby, but the boy bravely refuses to let him. Children who are used to fast-paced action films with catchy theme songs may not have the patience for the slower pace of this film.But for rescue volunteers, older children, and anyone who loves dogs, this is a heartwarming movie that shows how even in today' s world of deserted dogs and backyard puppy mills, there can still be happy endings for homeless dogs. What' s the passage mainly about? A. Reviewing a Him. B. Giving a summary of a movie. C. Thinking highly of the relationship between animals and humans. D. Criticizing people deserting animals. Answer: B. Giving a summary of a movie. Question: An Italian couple are to become the world's oldest divorcees, after the 99 - year - old husband found that his 96 - year - old wife had an affair in the 1940s. The Italian man, called by lawyers in the case as Antonio C, was looking through an old drawer when he made the discovery a few days before Christmas. In spite of the time that had passed since the affair, he was so upset that he immediately asked his wife of 77years, named as Rosa C, whether it was true, and demanded a divorce. Stricken by the guilt, she reportedly admitted everything but was unable to persuade her husband to reconsider his decision, though her children also did much more work. She wrote the letters to her lover during a secret affair in the 1940s, according to court papers _ in Rome this week, which made people know the truth. The couple are now preparing to split; though the marriage they built has lasted over nearly eight decades- they have five children, a dozen grandchildren and one great - grand child. The discovery of the letters was the final problem for their marriage which had already run into difficulty-10 years ago the husband briefly left their house in Rome and moved in with one of his sons, only to return a few weeks later. The Italian thought the fierce split resulted from the couple's southern blood he is originally from Olbia in Sardinia: while his wife was born in Naples. The couple met during the 1930s when Antonio served as a young officer. The case appears to set a new record, at least for the age of the oldest figures - the previous oldest couple to divorce were Bertie and Jessie Wood, both aged 98, from the UK. That pair ended their 36 - year marriage in 2009 when they were both two years away from their l00th birthdays.They got married in Elstree, Hertfordshire, in 1972, having both ended previous marriages, before moving to Falmouth, Cornwall four years later. Which is true according to the text? A. To find his wife' affair, Antonio C looked through an old drawer. B. Rosa C' lover may be Bertie. C. Rosa C admitted what she did because she was sorry for her guilt. D. The Italian thought the fierce split resulted from the discovery of the letters. Answer: C. Rosa C admitted what she did because she was sorry for her guilt. Question: You've probably heard of working dogs that help police officers, or horses that help farmers. Did you know that carrier pigeons can be trained to help people too? Here are some examples. Mailman Carrier pigeons can be trained to carry messages to people. The note is placed into a small can. The can is tied to the pigeon's leg. Then the pigeon flies off with the note. Lifeguard From high up in the sky, specially trained pigeons can find orange life jackets in the ocean. Sometimes it is difficult for humans to find people lost at sea, especially when the weather is bad. However, pigeons can fly quickly over a large area of water to look for people. Spy Many years ago, carrier pigeons were used to help our country during wars . "Spy pigeons" had small cameras that were tied to their feet. As a pigeon flew over enemy land, the camera took photos of the land below. This would allow our soldiers to see where the enemies were and what they were doing. So next time you see a pigeon, stop and watch it closely. What might look like an ordinary bird to most people, might actually be helpful. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? A. A pigeon could predict what the weather would be like. B. A pigeon was tied with a small camera around its leg. C. A pigeon could help us to know the number of the enemy. D. A pigeon carried the camera to take photos of the enemy land. Answer: D. A pigeon carried the camera to take photos of the enemy land.
Question: A crisis is on the way.Global warming? The world economy? No,the decline of reading.People are just not doing it anymore,especially the young.Who's responsible? What is responsible? The Internet,of course,and everything that comes with it--Facebook,Twitter,etc.. There's been a warning about the coming death of literate civilization for a long time.In the 20th century,first it was the movies,then radio,then television that seemed to end the written world.None did.Reading survived;in fact it not only survived,it has developed better.The world is more literate than ever before -- there are more and more readers.and more and more books. The fact that we often get our reading material online today is not something we should worry over.The electronic and digital revolution of the last two decades has arguably shown the way forward for reading and for writing.Interconnectivity allows for the possibility of a reading experience that was barely imaginable before.Where traditional books had to make do with photographs and illustrations,an e-book can provide readers with an unlimited number of links:to texts,pictures,and videos. On the other hand,there is the danger of trivialization .One Twitter group is offering its followers single-sentence-long"digests"of the great novels.War and Peace in a sentence? You must be joking.We should fear the fragmentation of reading.There is the danger that the high-speed connectivity of the Internet will reduce our attention span--that we will be incapable of reading anything of length or which requires deep concentration. In such a fast-changing world,in which reality seems to be remade each day,we need the ability to focus and understand what is happening to us.This has always been the function of literature and we should be careful not to let it disappear.Our society needs to be able to imagine the possibility of someone entirely in pace with modern technology but able to make sense of a dynamic,confusing world. What is the main idea of the passage? A. Technology is an opportunity and a challenge for traditional reading. B. Technology pushes the way forward for reading and writing. C. Interconnectivity is a feature of new reading experience. D. Technology offers a greater variety of reading practice. Answer: A. Technology is an opportunity and a challenge for traditional reading. Question: Welcome you to a friendly family run pub THE BOOT FREE HOUSE 18 Brinkley Rd Dullingham, Near Newmarket Tel: 01638 507327 Beer Festival 29 April - 2 May ALWAYS AVAILABLE Adanms Best Bitter, Broadside & Guest Beers Traditional Pub Food served Mon - Fri 12noon--2pm Opening Times: Monday to Friday 11am--2:30pm & 5pm - 11pm Saturday: 11am--11pm Sunday: 12 noon -2:30pm & 7pm - 10:30pm How many days does the Beer Festival last? A. 3. B. 4. C. 5. D. 6. Answer: B. 4. Question: Corals are animals that live in tropical oceans. Fossils of corals are found in Ohio. What does the presence of coral fossils suggest about how the environment of Ohio has changed over time? A. Ohio was once covered by warm seas. B. A large glacier once passed over Ohio. C. The average rainfall in Ohio is now much more than it once was. D. The average temperature in Ohio is now much warmer than it. Answer: A. Ohio was once covered by warm seas. Question: Winter solstice, as the name shows, means the coming of winter. As an important solar term in the traditional Chinese calendar, it is also a traditional holiday for Chinese, which is also called "", "","", etc. Generally, winter solstice occurs between December 21st and 23rd. According to the traditional Chinese calendar, five days constitutes a pentad and three pentads constitutes a solar term. One year is divided into twelve periods and twelve climates which are regarded as twenty-four solar terms. The Winter Solstice is one of twenty-four solar terms. On this day, in the Northern Hemisphere the period of daytime is the shortest of the year and the period of night is longest. . In Northern China during winter solstice there is a custom of eating dumplings. Which day has the longest daytime in China? A. The beginning of spring B. Summer solstice C. Grain full D. The beginning of autumn Answer: B. Summer solstice Question: This is Scott. He has an interesting job. He works at a radio station. His radio show is from twelve o'clock at night to six o'clock in the morning. He sings well. He usually gets up at seven thirty at night. He brushes his teeth and takes a shower at ten past eight. Then he eats breakfast at nine. That's a funny time for breakfast! After that , he usually exercise at about ten twenty. He goes to work by car at eleven o'clock. It takes ten minutes to get the radio station. So he is never late for work. Scott often _ to the radio station. A. takes the subway B. by bus C. takes the car D. by subway Answer: C. takes the car
The sun is a star of average size and brightness. From Earth, the sun appears as a round, yellow object in the daytime sky. At night, we see other stars. They appear as tiny points of light. Why does the sun appear larger than stars that we see at night? Answer: Monthly Talks at London Canal Museum Our monthly talks start at 19:30 on the first Thursday of each month except August. Admission is at normal charges and you don't need to book. They end around 21:00. November 7th The Canal Pioneers, by Chris Lewis. James Brindley is recognized as one of the leading early canal engineers. He was also a major player in training others in the art of canal planning and building. Chris Lewis will explain how Brindley made such a positive contribution to the education of that group of early "civil engineers". December 5th Ice for the Metropolis, by Malcolm Tucker. Well before the arrival of freezers, there was a demand for ice for food preservation and catering, Malcolm will explain the history of importing natural ice and the technology of building ice wells, and how London's ice trade grew. February 6th An Update on the Cotswold Canals, by Liz Payne. The Stroudwater Canal is moving towards reopening. The Thames and Severn Canal will take a little longer. We will have a report on the present state of play. March 6th Eyots and Aits-Thames Islands, by Miranda Vickers. The Thames had many islands. Miranda has undertaken a review of all of them. She will tell us about those of greatest interest. Online bookings:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/book More info:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/whatson London Canal Museum 12-13 New Wharf Road, London NI 9RT www.canalmuseum.org.uk www.canalmuseum.mobi Tel:020 7713 0836 What is the topic of the talk in February? Answer: "I think it's a great thing when I know it's going to help someone else."said l3-year-old Spencer Goldstein,after collecting hundreds of pieces of baseball equipment for kids who can not afford to buy their own. Spencer collected the bats,balls,gloves,helmets and masks for his mitzvah project,which is a community service project that many Jewish kids do around their bar or bat mitzvahs .A bar mitzvah is a ceremony for a boy while a bat mitzvah is intended for a girl.The ceremony means that you are old enough to take on a grown-up's responsibilities. Spencer got the idea for his mitzvah project alter seeing the Ugandan national team at last year's Little League World Series.Some of the Ugandan players didn't even have their own gloves.And Spencer's donations are going to a group called "Pitch for Baseball"--a group that gives baseball equipment to kids in low-income communities around the world. Mollie Schwartz and Mia Schwartz also came up with a sports-related mitzvah project.The money they raised went to the Israel Sport Center for the Disabled.They raised at least $9,000-enough to pay for at least three wheelchairs made for playing basketball. In Massachusetts,Abigail Miller decided to collect musical instruments for her mitzvah project.The instruments Abigail collected were then donated to groups that distribute them to kids who can't afford to buy them."I want to make sure everybody can get the chance to enjoy music like I do,"Abigail said.Abigail collected more than three-dozen instruments-wind instruments,string instruments,keyboards,even a drum set. Whether it's playing sports,playing music or something else,kids such as Spencer,Mollie,Mia and Abigail are using their mitzvah projects to change the woad for the better."They learned about generosity,''said Mollie's mother,Loft Schwartz,"and the power to make things happen". How did Spencer feel after collecting some baseball equipment? Answer: "I can't concentrate." "My mind wanders when I try to study." Lack of concentration is one of the most common complaints heard at school. We all have the ability to concentrate. Think of the times when you were attracted to a super novel or the times when you were playing your guitar or piano. But at other times your mind races from one thing to another. Here are some tips. Rest from time to time. Remember to take short breaks. Lectures are usually 50 minutes long, and that's about the length of time most people can direct their attention to one task. But that's just an average. Your concentration time might be shorter (20-35 minutes) or longer (perhaps 90 minutes).When you take a break, you get more oxygen to your brain! When we sit for long periods, blood tends to be pooled in our lower body and legs. Get up and walk around the room for a couple of minutes. As a result, more oxygen is carried to the brain and you can concentrate better. _ If you study one subject for a long time, you may find it hard to concentrate. Many students improve their concentration by changing one subject to another every one to two hours. In this way you can pay more attention to something that's different. Reward yourself. Give yourself a reward when you've completed a task. The task might be small, such as staying with a difficult paper until you've finished. But giving yourself a reward can help you be more interested in doing other tasks. Increase your activity level. Your concentration wanders more easily if you just read an article straight through. Instead, take the heading for each part and turn it into a question. For this part, that would be, "How can I increase my activity level while studying?" Then study that part to answer that question. Do this routinely. The questions give us a focus for each part and increase our involvement . The writer wrote the passage to _ . Answer: I guess I always knew about the little fish treat, but this past summer it was all I could see. Pipin and Nemo were balancing on one front flipper , flying through hoops, dancing with the trainer, and we were all applauding -- the little kids screaming with delight. That's when the trainer, who wore a little treat bag on her belt, slipped Pipin and Nemo a fish. Each time they successfully performed a trick, they'd get an immediate reward. These creatures weren't really dancing, of course. They were performing a series of movements that they knew would produce a fish. It's such a good show because the sea lions look like they're having such fun. These talented performers who love to be in front of an audience seem almost human. Somewhere in our faith journey, _ . You see how you've spent years jumping through hoops, balancing a ball on your nose, not because it's really who you are, but because you've always done it and the system rewarded you for your performance. But when you've done that for ten or twenty years, you start to ask yourself, "Whose approval am I working for? What do I really believe?" Suddenly you see it: you've spent most all your life taking direction from other people. They've told you what to believe in, what to work for, what to value, how to live your life. You don't want to end your life like Sinclair Lewis's George Babbitt, the middle-aged real-estate broker who has everything and reached the top. But on the last page of Babbitt, George is speaking to his son Ted, who cannot follow in his father's steps. He wants to leave college and head off on his own way. "Dad, I can't stand it any more," the boy says. "Maybe it's all right for some fellows. Maybe I'll want to go back some day, but now, I want to get into mechanics." Babbitt, seeming old and subdued, says, "I've never done a single thing I've wanted to in my whole life!" The Good-Bye Gate brings us naturally to a second passage, leading from dependency to self-possession. As you start separating from the whole worn-out system, you discover that where there is supposed to be a self, there really isn't. By saying "we all have a sea lion moment", the author means that _ . Answer:
Question: Delia was a young pianist. Her husband, Joe, was a young artist. Each of them was taking lessons: Joe with a famous art teacher, and Delia with a great pianist from Germany. Their teachers were the very best, so lessons were expensive, more than they could really afford, but...when you love your art, nothing is too much. But soon the money began to run out, and they couldn't afford the lessons any more. Then one day Delia came back home and told Joe that she had met a man whose daughter, Sally, wanted to learn the piano, and he was going to pay her $ 50 an hour. "Delia," Joe said, "I'll be much happier if you keep up your lessons," Delia said it didn't matter. "When I've had some money, I'll continue." But Joe also decided to stop his lessons, to draw pictures and sell them. A few days later, Joe came home and proudly took $ 200 from his pocket. "I met a man from Vermont," he said, "who bought one of my pictures. And he wants to buy more!" _ .They didn't have to worry any more about money. Then, one day, Joe came home and saw that Delia's hand was wrapped in a bandage . He asked her what had happened. "Oh," said Delia. "My student, Sally, asked me to make some coffee for her. I dropped the coffee and burned my hand. Sally went straight to the drugstore and got this bandage for me. " "Delia, what have you been doing the last two weeks?" Joe asked. She tried not to tell him, but the tears came. "Oh Joe, I couldn't get any students, so I worked as a waitress in a restaurant. Today, I burned my hand with hot water. So I can't work any more. But we'll still have money from the man in Vermont, won't we?" Joe looked at her. "There's no man in Vermont, " he said. "I've been working in a drugstore, and today someone came in to buy bandages for a woman who's burned her hand. So when I saw you, well, I guessed." They both laughed. [A story by O. Henry--adapted ] The best title for the passage can be _ . A. Blind love B. A pleasant gift C. A service of love D. An unforgettable lesson Answer: C. A service of love Question: Beach volleyball is one of those sports that can be an exciting game to play and watch, or, can just be about some friends getting together to have a great time. It's really easy, and all you need is sand, a net and a group of people, of any age or fitness level, who want to have fun. Beach volleyball can be played with as few as two people on each team, making a total of four people. However, if you are less skilled and experienced in the game, it will be easier to play with a larger team. The more players you have, the less ground each person will be responsible for covering and the more time they will have to recover in between shots. If you only have a few players, each of you will get quite a workout running for the ball after each volley. If you are looking for that relaxing, fun, low-key experience, choose larger teams. Beach volleyball is similar to regular volleyball in its rules. However, even experienced volleyball players do not realize how much more difficult it is to run and jump on sand. Since it is harder to move quickly on sand than a hard ground, play will be much slower than regular volleyball on a playground. When a player trains for beach volleyball, he will focus on building lower body strength as well as upper body. While he needs to be able to hit the ball with a great deal of power and accuracy , strengthening his legs is extremely important. Whether you are in it for the competition, or just to have a great time with your friends, beach volleyball can be very exciting and fun. You may even start out with friends and fall in love with the sport. When you join a large beach volleyball team, you'll _ . A. have as many shots as possible B. improve your volleyball skills C. be responsible for more ground D. feel light-hearted while playing Answer: D. feel light-hearted while playing Question: Sometimes educators need to be reminded that their job is important and they are very much appreciated. Here are some movies that inspire us and make educators feel proud to be in the field of education where they really do have an impact. The Miracle Worker The ultimate teaching miracle, Anne Bancroft is awesome as Annie Sullivan who uses 'tough love' to get through to the deaf and blind Helen Keller played by Patty Duke. Very few people can watch the famous 'water' scene without experiencing a feeling of victory and relief. Excellent portrayal of the importance of perseverance. Both Bancroft and Duke won an Academy Award for their performances. The Karate Kid While not normally thought of as a 'classroom' movie, The Karate Kid has much to say to teachers: Sometimes we have to have our students do things that they will not understand until much later; Basic skills are most important; Honor and integrity are central to character; Students need to see us beam with excitement over their achievements. A fun, nostalgic and inspiring movie to relish. To Sir With Love Produced in 1967, this film with Sidney Poitier as a novice teacher has a lot to teach us today. Poitier takes a teaching position in the rough part of London in order to pay his bills. Realizing that his students need to be taught important life lessons more than the curriculum he has been handed to teach them, he throws out the lesson plans and makes a real impact on their personal lives. Mr. Holland's Opus This memorable movie gives all teachers hope that they truly have an impact on their students. Richard Dreyfuss is wonderful as a musician/composer who must take a teaching job to support his family. In the end, Dreyfuss' character realizes that he has had as much if not more of an impact from his teaching ashe would have as a composer. Which of the following statements is True according to the passage? A. The actress who plays won a prize. B. Richard Dreyfuss finally became a composer that he dreamt to be. C. Helen Keller is the teacher of Annie Sullivan. D. In the film "The Karate Kid" the teachers later have students do what they understand. Answer: A. The actress who plays won a prize. Question: Name: Poodle Missing since: June 3, 2015 Produce: Young(2 years old), curly hair, shy Last seen: Wuyi Square Please contact :Sarah 839-6722 or sarahcs@hotmail.com Please do not run after the dog. It may run in fear. Lost and found items will be displayed in the school hall. On Friday, June 15, 2015 During lunch 12:30-1:30 Parents: If you know that your child has lost something , please remind him or her. You are also welcome to have a look. How long will the display last? A. Half an hour B. One and a half hours C. An hour D. Two hours Answer: C. An hour Question: Stepfamilies are commonplace in the United States and their number continues to grow.While stepfamilies differ widely in their make-up, they all consist of a parenting couple and children, one or more of whom is of a previous union.Such combinations of his kids, her kids, and then, possibly, kids of the new union make for complicated and often trying difficulties, more challenging than those of traditional families. Since stepfamilies involve more people and, consequently, more potential problems from the start than do childless new marriage, it is wise for the couple to do some careful planning prior to (=before) marriage.Not only do the prospective marital partners need agreement about their own carriers, life goals, finance and special interests, they must also prepare for new relationship with their children and attempt to accommodate their individual needs and feelings.Furthermore, there are often the rights of other relatives to consider. As for any family, the basic ingredient of a successful stepfamily are affection, kindness and mutual respect.However, love alone is not enough.Certainly love is the cornerstone upon which the foundation of any family is built, but there are also many other important ingredients involved in building a successful stepfamily. Surveys reveal that successful families regard the ability to communicate openly as the most important factor in their success.Communication is what keeps families on track and functioning as a unit.Although healthy communication is easier for some people than for others, this skill can be learned and improved.Healthy communication involves speaking clearly and listening carefully. By their very nature, stepfamilies often are complicated by past events that give rise to ambivalent loyalties, lingering hurts, fears,feelings of guilt and unrealistic dreams.The difficulties that arise within the stepfamilies are human and understandable.However, there are ways to confront and resolve them.For example, support groups and professional counselors are available in most communities to provide help and guidance when communications stopped and problems seem overwhelming . Planning and building a stepfamily is not a responsibility to take lightly.It can be a very trying and, at times, seemingly impossible effort.Many potential troubles can arise and threaten to destroy the stepfamily.Nevertheless, meeting and mastering these special challenges can bring unexpected satisfactions and rewarding depths of family closeness and affection. Which of the following can help avoid the potential problems arising in a stepfamily? A. The pursuit of the same careers. B. Professional interventions . C. The development of special interests. D. Careful planning before the marriage. Answer: D. Careful planning before the marriage.
The first memory I have of him---of anything, really---is his strength. It was in the late afternoon in a house under construction near ours. The unfinished wood floor had large, terrifying holes whose big and opening darkness I knew led to nowhere good. His powerful hands, then age 33, wrapped all the way around my tiny arms, then age 4, and easily swung me up to his shoulders to command all I surveyed. The relationship between a son and his father changes over time. It may grow and flourish in mutual maturity. It may sour in hated dependence or independence. With many children living in single-parent homes today, it may not even exist. But to a little boy right after World War II, a father seemed a god with strange strengths and strange powers enabling him to do and know things that no mortal could do or know. Amazing things, like putting a bicycle chain back on, just like that, or building a hamster cage, or guiding a jigsaw so it forms the letter F; I learned the alphabet that way in those pre-television days. There were, of course, rules to learn. First came the handshake, a good firm squeeze accompanied by an equally strong gaze into the other's eyes. "The first thing anyone knows about you is your handshake," he would say. And we'd practice it each night on his return from work, the serious toddler in the old Cleveland Indian's cap running up to the giant father to shake hands again and again until it was firm enough. One day, I realize now, there was a change. I wasn't trying to please him so much as I was trying to impress him. I never asked him to come to my football games. He had a high-pressure career, and it meant driving through most of Friday night. But for all the big games, when I looked over at the sideline, there was that familiar fedora . And by God, did the opposing team captain ever get a firm handshake and a gaze he would remember? Then, a school fact contradicted something he said. Impossible that he could be wrong, but there it was in the book. These accumulated over time, along with personal experiences, to strengthen my own developing sense of values. And I could tell we had each taken our own, perfectly normal paths. I began to see, too, his blind spots, his prejudices and his weaknesses. I never threw these up at him. He hadn't to me, and, anyway, he seemed to need protection. I stopped asking his advice; the experiences he drew from no longer seemed relevant to the decisions I had to make. He volunteered advice for a while. But then, in more recent years, politics and issues gave way to talk of empty errands and, always, to illness. After much thought and practice " You can do whatever you have to do.", one night last winter, I sat down by his bed and remembered for an instant those terrifying dark holes in another house 35 years before. I told my father how much I loved him. I described all the things people were doing for him. But, I said, he kept eating poorly, hiding in his room and violating the doctor's orders. No amount of love could make someone else care about life, I said; it was a two-way street. He wasn't doing his best. The decision was his. He said he knew how hard my words had been to say and how proud he was of me. "I had the best teacher," I said. "You can do whatever you have to do." He smiled a little. And we shook hands, firmly, for the last time. Several days later, at about 4 A.M., my mother heard Dad shuffling about their dark room. " I have some things I have to do," he said. He paid a bundle of bills. He composed for my mother a long list of legal and financial what-to-do's " in case of emergency." And he wrote me a note. Then he walked back to his bed and laid himself down. He went to sleep, naturally. And he did not wake up. According to the passage we can see that the writer's father was _ . Answer: The value-packed, all-inclusive sight-seeing package that combines the best of Sydney's harbour, city, bay and beach highlights. A SydneyPass gives you unlimited and flexible travel on the Explorer Buses: the 'red' Sydney Explorer shows you around our exciting city sights while the 'blue' Bondi Explorer visits Sydney Harbour bays and famous beaches. Take to the water on one of three magnificent daily harbour cruises . You can also travel free on regular Sydney Buses, Sydney Ferries or CityRail services (limited area), so you can go to every corner of this beautiful city. Imagine browsing at Darling Harbour, sampling the famous seafood at Watsons Bay or enjoying the city lights on an evening ferry cruise. The possibilities and plans are endless with a SydneyPass. Wherever you decide to go, remember that bookings are not required on any of our services so tickets are treated on a first in, first seated basis. SydneyPasses are available for 3, 5 0r 7 days for use over a 7 calendar day period. With a 3 or 5 day pass you choose on which days out of the 7 you want to use it. All SydneyPasses include a free Airport Express inward trip before starting your 3, 5 0r 7 days, and the return trip is valid for 2 months from the first day your ticket was used. SydneyPass Fares Adult Child* Family** 3 day ticket $90 $45 $225 5 day ticket $120 $60 $300 7 day ticket $140 $70 $350 A child is defined as anyone from the ages of 4 years to under 16 years. Children under 4 years travel free. *A family is defined as 2 adults and any number of children from 4 to under 16 years of age from the same family. A SydneyPass doesn't offer unlimited rides on _ . Answer: A dog outside could be shuddering uncontrollably. Which of these could be related? Answer: I was born in Thailand, where I feel at home. I am used to jumping on to a song taow (red taxi), and squeezing in between two strangers. I am used to bargaining at the market to get a shirt that I like. I love telling bilingual jokes and I am used to the surprised looks I get from the Thais when I can speak their language fluently. Every two years my family goes to America for the summer, and every two years my world is turned upside down. The prices of everything are three times what they were in Thailand, but there is the sweet drink Dr. Pepper! And Bluebell Ice-cream! And everything you could imagine! I am amazed at it all, but the biggest change for me is the people. There are white people everywhere. I am not tall but average , my yellow hair is no longer out of place, and speaking English no longer draws looks. I should feel comfortable. I'm not out of place anymore, and nobody is looking at me, but I feel like they are. Now I feel out of place and different. I'm not used to giving people handshakes and hugs when I meet them for the first time. I get looks when I have trouble figuring out how much money to pay. I know different music, different places, and different fashion. I can't understand these people who have never left their town or city. Still, there are quite a few _ about living overseas. I get to meet people from all over the world, and I know how to adjust to different cultures and places. I have been to places most people see only in geography books. Still, being so different makes it hard to know who you are. I'm not Thai, but I am not American either. I am a mix of both cultures, a third culture kid. When the Thais give the author surprised looks, she feels _ . Answer: When you are feeling unhappy or forget how great you are ,there are six ways to make you feel confident about yourself , 1.Look in the mirror and say to yourself,"I am a special person and there's no one in the world like me. I can do anything!"It may not sound so good ,bur it really works! 2.Do something nice for someone. Helping others always makes you feel so good. 3.Smile! Be friendly to the people you meet. Look for the good things of your friends and family. 4.Learn something new! Do you want to decorate your own room or learn how to swim? Go for it !New challenges are fun and give you a sense of accomplishment when you finish them, 5.Keep a diary. Turn off the TV and let your imagination fly! Write down your thoughts, dreams or anything you want! Writing always helps to express your feelings. 6.Stay with your family. We all need our family time .Talk with your mum or dad or maybe even your cousin Which of the following should you say "No" when you are unhappy? Answer:
Since the pre-historic times, man has had an urge to satisfy his needs.For food, shelter or a mate, he has always controlled the circumstances to the best of his advantages.Probably this might be the reason why we human are the most developed of all living beings on the earth, and probably also in the universe.As we climbed the steps of evolution, we somehow left behind common sense and logical thinking--we forgot that we have stopped thinking ahead of time. If you are hungry, what do you do? Grab a piece of your favorite meal and stay quiet after that? Just like your stomach, even your mind is hungry.But it never lets you know, because you keep it busy thinking about your dream lover, favorite star and many such absurd things.So it silently began to pay attention to your needs and never let itself grow.When mind looses its freedom to grow, creativity gets a full stop. Hunger of the mind can be actually satisfied through extensive reading.Now why reading and not watching TV? Because reading has been the most educative tool used by us right from the childhood.Just like that to develop other aspects of our life, we have to get help from reading.You have innumerable number of books in this world which will answer all, your "How to?" questions.Once you read a book, you just don't run your eyes through the lines, but even your mind decodes it and explains it to you.The interesting part of the book is stored in your mind as a seed.Now this seed is unknowingly used by you in your future to develop new ideas.The same seed if used many times, can help you link and relate a lot of things, of which you would never have thought in your wildest dreams! This is nothing but creativity.The larger number of books you read, your mind will open up like never before.Also this improves your speaking skills to a large extent and also makes a significant contribution to your vocabulary.Within no time you start speaking English or any language fluently with your friends or other people and you never seem to run out of the right words at the right time. Actually, I had a problem in sped king English fluently, but as I read, I could improve significantly.I am still on the path of improvement.So, give food to your thoughts by reading. What can be concluded from the passage? A Man keeps improving himself. B Hunger of mind needs feeding. C Creativity helps the growth of our mind. D People can realize their dreams by reading books. Answer: B Last year I ruined my summer vacation by bringing along a modern convenience that was too convenient for my own good: the iPad. Instead of looking at nature, I checked my e-mail. Instead of paddling a small boat, I followed my Twitter feed . Instead of reading great novels, I stuck to reading four newspapers each morning. I was behaving as if I were still in the office. My body was on vacation, but my head wasn't. So this year I made up my mind to try something different: withdrawal from the Internet. I knew it wouldn't be easy, since I'm bad at self-control. But I was determined. I started by giving the iPad to my wife. The cellphone signal at our house was worse than in the past, making my attempts at cheating an experience in frustration . I was trapped, forced to go through with my plan. Largely cut off from e-mail, Twitter and my favorite newspaper websites, I had few ways to connect to the world except for the radio--and how much radio can one listen to, really? I had to do what I had planned to do all along: read books. This experience has had a happy ending. With determination and the strong support of my wife, I won in my vacation straggle against the Internet, realizing finally that it was I, not the iPad, that was the problem. I knew I had won when we passed a Starbucks and my wife asked if I wanted to stop to use the Wi-Fi. "I don't need it," I said. However, as we return to post-vacation life, a harder test begins: Can I continue when I'm back at work? There are times when the need to know what's being said right now is great. I have no intention of giving up my convenience completely. But I hope to resist the temptation to check my e-mail every five minutes, which leads to checking my Twitter feed and a website ortwo. I think a vacation is supposed to help you reset your brain to become more productive. Here I hope this one worked. When back at work, the author will probably choose to _ . A stay away from the Internet for ever B continue to road more and more books C keep control of when and how to use the Internet D stop checking what is being said right now completely Answer: C When I was little, I'd see tons of bats flying around streetlights at night in my neighborhood in upstate New York. But I'll never forget the first time when I saw a bat up close. By the time I turned 7, though, I noticed something strange: All the bats in my neighborhood had disappeared, and I wondered why. Then, three years ago, when I was 11 and visiting the state fair, I learned what had happened to my town's bats. A disease called "white nose syndrome" had killed 93 percent of New York State's bats. I was horrified. Then I wrote a letter to the host of an environmental program on the local radio station, asking if they could do a show on bats. They did! But I still wanted to find a way to educate people face to face. I reached out to a teacher I had in elementary school and asked if I could make a presentation to her class. I described how bats help farmers by eating crop-damaging insects. It went over so well that other teachers started requesting me. Over the past three years, I've talked in front of everyone from 5-year-olds to senior citizens! Many people think that bats are blind, and that they always carry diseases, but none of that is true. The more I present, the more I notice that I am changing minds. And while getting people to respect bats is pretty hard, getting them to respect me has been difficult too. When I first applied to host a booth at a local street fair, the managers thought I was too young. But I refused to take "no" for an answer. I continued to make my case, and they finally said yes! The best part is, I impressed them so much -- 100 visitors on my first day -- that they now invite me back every year. The author wrote a letter to the host in order to ask them to_. A donate some money to save bats B make a radio program about bats C announce new findings about bats D finish some questionnaires about the fair Answer: B The snow cap of Mount Kilimanjaro, famous in literature and beloved by tourists, initially formed some 11,000 years ago, but will be gone in two decades, according to researchers who say the ice fields on Africa's highest mountain shrank by 80 percent in the past century. Lonnie G. Thompson,one professor from Ohio State University, said measurements using modern navigation satellites show that the oldest ice layers on the famous mountain were deposited during an extremely wet period starting about 11,700 years ago.The mountain appears in literature, most notably Ernest Hemingway's "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" and some ancient beliefs in Africa hold the mountain to be a sacred place. But a temperature rise in recent years is destroying the 150-foot-high blocks of ice that gave Kilimanjaro its unique white cap."The ice will be gone by about 2030," said Thompson. The disappearing ice already has reduced the amount of water in some Tanzanian rivers and the government fears that when Kilimanjaro is bald of snow the tourists will stop coming. "Kilimanjaro is the number one foreign currency earner for the government of Tanzania," said Thompson. "It has its own international airport and some 20,000 tourists every year. The question is how many will come if there are no ice fields on the mountain." Africa was not alone in the global drought. Thompson said other records show that civilizations during this period collapsed in India, the Middle East and South America. Researchers put markers on the ice field blocks in 1962 and Thompson said measurements using satellites show the summit of the ice has been lowered by about 56 feet in 40 years. The _ of the ice also has moved back more than six feet in the past two years, much smaller than before. "That's more than two meter's worth of ice lost from a wall 164 feet (50 meters) high," said Thompson. "That's an enormous amount of ice." The writer's tone in this article is _ . A concerned B casual C doubtful D angry Answer: A One day newly wedded Nancy lost her ring while helping to plant potatoes. Friends were called and the field was searched long but _ . Later, when the potatoes were harvested, Everyone looked out for the ring but it remained lost. Another year came round and all the farmers working in the field kept their eyes open. The following year was the same. And year after year, whoever had business in the field always had Nancy's ring in his mind. Then the farm changed hands but it went no farther than to cousins. So the memory of the lost ring remained alive until thirty-eight years had passed. Then came a spring day when a man was ploughing the field behind a pair of horses. Even after thirty-eight years he still looked out for the ring, and knew just which part of the field Nancy had lost it in. At this time, when he came there, he found it .He picked it up, put it carefully into his pocket, left his horse, and ran all the way down to the village and placed it into Nancy's hand. What can you infer from the story? A The ring was invaluable. B People on the farm were honest and helpful. C The ring's mysterious disappearance was the work of supernatural power. D Nancy no longer expected that her ring would be found again. Answer: B
CARDIFF, Wales Poets, singers and musicians from across the globe gathered in Wales to celebrate the tradition of storytelling. "It might seem strange that people still want to listen in age of watching television, but this is an unusual art form whose time has come again," said David Ambrose, director of Beyond the Border, an international storytelling festival in Wales. "Some of the tales, like those the Inuit from Canada, are thousands years old. So our storytellers have come from distant lands to connect us with the distance of time," he said early this month. Two Inuit women, both in their mid 60s, are among the few remaining who can do Kntadjait, or throat singing, which has few words and much sound. Their art is governed by the cold of their surroundings, forcing them to say little but listen attentively. Ambrose started the festival in 1993, after several years of working with those reviving (coming back into use or existence) storytelling in Wales. "It came out of a group of people who wanted to reconnect with traditions. and as all the Welsh are storytellers, it was _ here." Ambrose said. From the tales told by the Inuit, people can learn _ . A. about their life as early as thousands of years ago B. why they tell the stories in a throat-singing way C. how cold it has been where the Inuit live D. how difficult it is to understand the Inuit Answer: A. about their life as early as thousands of years ago What sport do you like best? Daniel: I like basketball best. I often watch NBA. I play basketball every day. I am short, but I am strong. I am a good basketball player in our school. Lucy: Ping-ping is my favourite sport. I am a Chinese and Chinese ping-pong players are the best in the world. I want to be a good ping-pong player too. I often play it every afternoon. Tom: I am tall and strong. I like football best. My father is a football player. I often watch my father play football. My father often teaches me to play football. I play with my father and others in the park every day. What sport does Daniel like? A. Football B. Basketball C. Ping-pong D. Swimming Answer: B. Basketball Personal money-management website Mint.com suggests recently that responsible parents should give their kids credit cards--possibly starting as young as middle school. The website says a credit card will help children master responsible spending habits and give parents the chance to teach them some valuable lessons. It's absolutely true that kids should learn about how a credit card works and how to use it responsibly. But the idea that they need a card of their own to practise this is questionable. Yes, credit cards are a teaching tool, but it's the time you spend educating them about money management that does the teaching, not the piece of plastic. Sit down with your child--here we are referring to teens and walk them through your credit card statements. Point out important things like the due date, late fee warning, and APR . If you have good credit, adding a child as an authorized user onto one of your credit cards also provides teachable moments. Allow kids to use the card to make specific purchases and require their participation in payment. Since the card is still in your name, you can take them off it at any point and cut off their access if they're not able to handle the responsibility. Another option is to set them up with an account at a local bank that offers free use of a debit card . Unlike credit card, the debit card has no overdraft function. Children can only use the card to pay for things and the money is taken directly from their bank account. If the account is empty, the worst that will happen is the card being declined at a cash register. Why does Mint.com advise parents to give middle school kids credit cards? A. To leave their kids financially independent. B. To help their kids form good spending habits. C. To teach their kids' how to save pocket money. D. To strengthen the relationship with their kids. Answer: B. To help their kids form good spending habits. This is a photo of my bedroom. In my room, a bed, a dresser, a computer, a desk and a chair are here. Under my bed are a video tape and a baseball. The computer is on the desk. My notebooks and a pencil case are in the drawer of the desk. A computer game is behind the computer. A clock is near the computer. A bookcase is behind the door. My books are in the bookcase. This is a photo of my _ . A. family B. bedroom C. bookcase D. computer Answer: B. bedroom Life is like a train ride. We get on. We ride. We get off. We get back on and ride some more. There are accidents and there are delays .At certain stops, there are surprises. Some of these will change into great moments of joy; some will result in bad results. When we are born and we first get on the train, we meet people who we think will be with us for the whole journey. Those people are our parents. Sadly, this is far from the truth. Our parents are with us when we completely need them. They, too, have journeys they must complete. We live on with the memories of their love, support and so on. There are others who get on the train and who finally become very important to us. These people are our brothers, sisters and friends, whom we will learn to love and take care of. Some people regard their journey as a pleasant tour. They will just go happily along. Others will _ many upsets, tears and losses on their journey. Some others will stay on to offer a helping hand to anyone in need. Some people on the train will leave a deep impression when they get off. Some will get on and get off the train so quickly that they will hardly leave a sign. We will sometimes be upset that some passengers, whom we love, will choose to sit in another compartment and leave us to travel on our own. Then again, there's nothing that says we can't look for them anyway. But when we find them, we may not even be able to sit next to them because that seat will already be taken. That's okay... everyone's journey will be filled with hopes, dreams, challenges, difficulties and goodbyes. What's the best title for this passage? A. Memories of a train ride B. A pleasant train tour C. Life is like a train ride D. Life is full of hope Answer: C. Life is like a train ride
THERE is an old saying: "Don't judge a book by its cover." It means that you shouldn't build your first impression of someone on his or her looks alone. But according to a new study, the famous sayingmight not be correct after all. A group of US scientists have found that the first impression we have of someone else is actually right most of the time. In the study, scientists asked participants to look at a photograph of a person and make a quick judgment about him or her. A month later, the participant and the person in the photo were introduced, and scientists were shocked to find that their judgments oftenmatch those that they had made originally. It's true that simply looking at someone won't provide you with as much information.But, according to scientists, when makinga first impression, people rely more on their instincts than on logic ."They focus on how that person makes them feel," Paul Eastwick of the University of Texas told Live Science. "It is very hard to get a sense of this information when simply viewing a profile .As soon as one sees another person, an impression is formed and what we see can sometimes _ what we know." Of course, no one can be right about everything and your instincts can go wrong sometimes. But even if it is proven to be wrong, once people form an opinion about someone, they have a hard time getting over that opinion later on. The findings help explain why people always tidy themselves up before meeting guests or doing job interviews. "Their face constantlyremindsus of that firstimpression," said Rule. People may learn more about another person over time once they get close to each other, but first impressions remain very important and seem difficult to forget. We can conclude from the article that _ . What is an example of if an organism becomes too hot then that organism may die? Once there was a parrot on sale in a pet store. It was a beautiful red and blue bird. It sat on a perch in the middle of the store, so that everyone could see it when they came in. The owner was very proud of it and asked a high price for it. One day a man went into the store. "That's a beautiful bird," he said to the pet store owner, "But why is it so expensive? Is it unusual bird?" "No, it's not very unusual. It's expensive because it can talk," the pet store owner said. "I see. How can I make it talk?" the man asked. The pet store owner asked him, "Do you see those string tied to each of the bird's legs?" "Yes," the man answered. "Well, you pull those strings," the pet store owner told him. "That will make the parrot talk." The man asked, "Do you mind if I try?" "Not at all," the pet store owner said. The man walked up to the parrot and pulled the string on its left leg. The parrot said, "Good morning." The man pulled the string on the parrot's right leg. This time the parrot said, "How are you today?" "That's not very interesting," said the man. "Any parrot could do that." Then he laughed, "But what would happen if I pulled both strings at the same time?" "I'll fall off my perch, you fool!" the parrot said. From the story we know the parrot was _ . For Sparky, school was all but impossible. He failed every subject in the eighth grade. He didn't do much better in sports. Although he played for the school's golf team, he lost the only important match of the season. Sparky was a loser. He, his classmates...everyone knew it. Sparky never asked a classmate to go out in high school. He was too afraid of being refused. However, one thing was important to Sparky - drawing. He was proud of his artwork. Of course, no one else appreciated it. In his senior year of high school, he sent some cartoons to the editors of the Yearbook. Although the cartoons were turned down, Sparky was so confident about his ability that he decided to become an artist. After completing high school, he wrote a letter to Walt Disney Studios. He was told to send some samples of his artwork, and the subject for a cartoon was suggested. Sparky spent a great deal of time on it. Finally, the reply came from Disney Studios. He had been rejected once again. Another loss for the loser. So Sparky decided to write his own autobiography in cartoons. He described his childhood - a little boy loser and underachiever. The cartoon character would soon become famous worldwide. For Sparky, the boy who had little success in school and whose work was rejected again and again was Charles Schulz. He created the Peanuts comic strip and little cartoon character - Charlie Brown. What's Sparky's success according to the passage? A person wanting to protect humans from electrocution through wire contact would wrap the wire in
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. The members of School Watch are probably _ . teenagers Joan worked in a hospital. One evening there was a big dance at the hospital. Most of the doctors and nurses would be there, but of course somebody had to be left to look after the sick children, and Joan was not of the lucky ones. She liked dancing very much, so when she had to start work that evening while her friends were getting ready to go to the dance, she felt very sorry for herself. She went to each sick child one after another and said good-night, until she came to one little boy, Dick. Dick was only eleven years old, but he had a very serious illness and couldn't move most parts of his body except his hands. Joan knew Dick would never get any better, but the little boy was always happy and always thinking about other people instead of himself. Dick knew that Joan loved dancing. So when she came to say good-night to him, he greeted her with the words, "I'm very sorry that you can't go to the dance because of us. But we are going to have a party for you. If you look in my drawer, you'll find a piece of cake that I _ from my supper today. And there is also a dollar there. You can buy something to drink with the cake. And I'll get up and dance with you myself if I was able to." Suddenly the hospital dance seemed very far away and not important at all to Joan. ,. Joan _ that evening mainly because she would lose the chance to go to the big dance at the hospital. felt unhappy Mr. Read has a large farm near a hill. He and his wife are busy all the day. They're often tired but they have a lot of expensive things and they live a happy life. One day their sows had twenty baby pigs. Mrs. Read had to look after them at home. And at that time she had much housework to do. Several weeks later she let the baby pigs come out of the pigsty and look for some food themselves. Her seven-year-old son John came back from school. He was ready to help his mother. The woman was happy and told him to count them and see if they were all there. The boy threw his schoolbag on the table and ran out. About half an hour later the supper was ready, but the boy didn't come back. The woman had to go to see what was wrong with her son. and she saw her son running after a baby pig. "What are you running after it for?" she asked. "Are they all right?" "I counted nineteen, mummy, " said the boy. "But only the fellow is running about so fast that I can't count it all ! " Mr. and Mrs. Read are tired but _ . they get a lot of money For most South Africans, Nelson Mandela is the father of their nation - many even called him "Tata", a local word for father. It was sometimes forgotten that he was also a real father of six, grandfather of 18, great-grandfather of eight, and husband to three women. He earned a place in history just like another father of a nation, Mahatma Gandhi. But there was a fundamental difference between these beloved men. While Gandhi was thought to be a depressed family man, Mandela was a strong and loving family man. Even so, Mandela and his family paid dearly for his devotion to his country's freedom. Mandela himself offered a glimpse into his personal war. "To be the father of a nation is a great honor, but to be the father of a family is a greater joy. _ " he said in April 1992, announcing his separation from Winnie. In 1944, Nelson Mandela married Evelyn. "I could not give up my life in the struggle," Mandela explained in his autobiography , Long Walk to Freedom, "and she (Evelyn) could not live with my devotion to something other than herself and her family... I never lost my admiration for her, but in the end we could not make our marriage work." They divorced in 1958. When Evelyn died in 2004, Mandela stood at her graveside with his third wife, Graca. Winnie also attended the funeral. Mandela married Winnie in 1958. But Winnie bore the hardship of life as Mandela, enduring her husband's 27-year imprisonment. From prison, Mandela wrote some of the greatest love letters to Winnie. "I dust it (your photo) carefully every morning - I even touch your nose with mine to regain the electric current that used to run through my blood whenever I did so." For many South Africans, it was the end of a fairytale love story when their separation was made public in 1992. "Tensions" had arisen and they had agreed on a separation. The hurt in his words was clear: "Perhaps I was blinded to certain things because of the pain I felt for not being able to play my role as a husband to my wife and a father to my children." "Unstable personal lives seemed freedom fighters' destiny ," he said. "When your life is the struggle, as mine was, there is little room left for family. That has always been my greatest regret, and the most painful aspect of the choice I made." The couple divorced in 1996. The first wife of Nelson Mandela is _ . Evelyn Do you want to spend a holiday in space? Dennis Tito, a businessman, has become the world's first "space tourist". He went on a 10-day visit to the International Space Station. He paid 14 million pounds for his journey. A year later, Martin, a musician from an American band, wanted to do the same. He was only 22 years old and probably very rich too. He had to go for a lot of training to see whether he was fit enough to travel. He is still waiting for his holiday of a lifetime. Many people believe that this is only the start of something new. We made interviews among teenagers from around the world and the following is what they said about space travel. "It's a great idea. I hope space travel will be common in about 50 years' time. I'd really love to do it and I think Mr. Tito was very lucky." (Kate from Australia) "I would like to see our beautiful Earth from space. There are lots of secrets to explore in space and I would go into space if I could." (Ben from China) "I think space travel is really bad for the environment. Maybe in the future they will make a cleaner way of travelling but until they do, I don't want to go. We should look after our own planet first."(Richard from Canada) "It must be very boring and dangerous to sit in that small space shuttle . I'd rather take a plane and go to another place on earth." (Lisa from the UK) So, as you can see, many of our teenagers had different opinions. Whether you like it or not, space travel is going to become an important thing in the future. We are looking forward to hearing your opinions. What does the writer ask us to do? To share our opinions about space travel.
Most humans expect to receive fair treatment. A recent study shows that monkeys may feel the same way. This is the first time scientists have seen this kind of behavior in animals. Scientists chose monkeys for the research because monkeys have close relationship with each other and they also have good teamwork. Sarah Brosnan, the leader of the research, put female monkeys in pairs. The researchers trained the monkeys to exchange a small rock with them. "That may sound simple, but not very many animals are willing to give things away." Says Brosnan. When a monkey exchanged a rock with the researcher within 60 seconds, she received a reward. Usually, the reward was a piece of cucumber. The partner of each monkey who made an exchange also received a reward. Sometimes the partner got the same reward (a piece of cucumber), but other times the partner received a better reward (a grape). The researchers were surprised at how the monkey _ to the unfair treatment. When a monkey saw her partner get better treatment, she was unhappy. The monkeys did not want to continue the test or eat the cucumbers they received. Some monkeys even threw their food at the researchers. Bronson's research suggests that monkeys do not like unfair treatment. However, as Brosnan explains, "We don't know how monkeys learn to dislike being treated unfairly. But that opens up a whole new research field." Scientists will continue their research. A recent study shows that monkeys _ . A young man once went to town and bought himself a pair of trousers. When he got home, he went to his room and put them on. He found that they were about two inches too long. He went into the kitchen, and his mother and two sisters were doing some washing there. He said to them, "The new trousers are too long. They need cutting by two inches. Would one of you mind doing this for me?" His mother and sisters were busy and none of them said anything. But as soon as his mother had finished washing up, she went to her son's room silently and cut the trousers by two inches. She came back without saying anything to her daughters. After supper, the elder sister remembered her brother's trousers. She went to his room and cut the trousers by two inches without saying anything to anyone. The younger sister went to the cinema. But when she came back, she also remembered her brother's trousers. So she went to his room and cut them by two inches, too. Which one is true from the story? These amazing animals prove that love lives on four legs. A little girl's lifeline Three-year-old Alida Knobloch and her 27kg golden dog, Mr. Gibbs, are almost together all the time There is a special love between them. Alida, who suffered from serious lung disease when she was 10 months old, is unable to breathe on her own for about 45 minutes. So Mr. Gibbs has been with her everywhere, carrying 4.5kg of oxygen tanks for her . A pig that calms kids When Lois Brady, a famous doctor in America, visits special-needs students in San Francisco schools, she often brings along Buttercup, a black pig from Vietnam. The pig is very calm and friendly and has been trained to offer comfort to patients as well. A Lion's big heart With paws the size of dinner plates, bright black eyes and a golden mane , Jupiter, a 13-year-old 250kg lion, was brought to the rescue center by Anna. In the past two years, Anna has developed a very close relationship with Jupiter. Which of the sentences is Not true according to the passage? An example of an instinctive behavior is a baby bird pecking at its shell to what? Astronaut Zhai Zhigang became the first Chinese man to walk in space on Saturday, climbing out of prefix = st1 /China's Shenzhou VII spacecraft in a technological feat that made the Chinese people excited. "I'm feeling quite well. I greet the Chinese people and the people of the world," Zhai said as he climbed out of the craft at around 16:40 Beijingtime, a historic achievement telecast live on CCTV. Tens of millions of Chinese viewers gathered before TV screens to watch the moment. Chinese President Hu Jintao and other top leaders had appeared at the BeijingAerospaceControlCenterto watch the live transmission of Zhai's spacewalk. Zhai, 42, chosen by an expert team for the first "extra-vehicular activity". unveiled a red national flag, helped by colleague Liu Boming, who also briefly popped his head out of the capsule. Zhai slowly made his way towards a test sample of solid lubricant outside the capsule, took a sample and handed it to Liu. Zhai safely returned inside the craft after about 20 minutes. The walk marked the high point of China's third manned space journey, which has received widespread media coverage. Zhai wore a$4.4 million Chinese-made suit weighing 120kg. Liu wore a Russian-made one and acted as a back-up. The third crew member, Jing Haipeng, monitored the ship from inside the re-entry module. The risky manoeuvre is a step towards China's longer-term goal of assembling a space lab and then a larger space station, analysts said. "On this flight, Chinese people's footprints will be left in space for the first time," said a commentary by the Xinhua News Agency. The astronauts embarked on their walk after receiving a clean bill of health from doctors on the ground at mission control in Beijing, Xinhua said. Zhai's suit has 10 layers and takes up to 15 hours to assemble and put on. China's first manned spaceflight was in 2003. A second, two-manned flight followed in 2005. The only other countries that have sent people into space are Russiaand theUnited States. What's the passage mainly about?
Traveling can be a way to gain life experiences,especially during Spring Break--a week long school vacation in the United States. But what if you're a student and don't have enough money for a trip?Don't worry. Here are some useful suggestions. Save:This probably is the most important preparation for traveling. Cut expenses to fatten your wallet so you'll have more choices about where to go and how to get there. Plan ahead:Don't wait until the last minute to plan your trip. Tickets may cost more when bought on short notice. Giving yourself several months to get ready can mean security and savings. Do your homework:No matter where you go,research the places you will visit. Decide what to see. Travel books will provide information on the cheapest hotels and restaurants. Plan sensibly:Write down what you expect to spend for food and hotels. Stick to your plan or you may not have enough money to cover everything. Travel in groups:Find someone who is interested in visiting the same places. By traveling with others you can share costs and experiences. Work as you go:Need more money to support your trip?Look for work in the places you visit. Go off the beaten path:Tourist cities may be expensive. You may want to rethink your trip and go to a lesserknown area. Smaller towns can have many interesting activities and sights. Pack necessary things:The most important things to take are not always clothes. Remember medicine in case you get sick and snacks in case you cannot find a cheap restaurant. Use the Internet:The net can help to save money. Some useful websites include _ . By planning sensibly,even students can enjoy the travel. Your travel experiences will be remembered for a lifetime. During your trip, _ . A. you need more shoes than clothes B. you shouldn't look for work all the way C. you can gain valuable life experiences D. you should forget to do your homework Answer: C Most summer camps for teens center around sports, or music and arts, or just for having fun. But some girls in the Washington suburb of Arlington County, Virginia, went to camp to get a taste of what its like to be a firefighter. This is not a typical summer camp. But Michelle Pawlaw is glad she signed up for it."Getting to experience the fires hands-on is really cool and something that most people don't get to do," she said. Michelle and eight other teenage girls are participating in the three-day camp offered by the Arlington County Fire Department located just outside of Washington. "The purpose is to try to get young women interested in considering the fire service as a career" said firefighter Clare Burley, who is in charge of the program. The free of charge, overnight camp is designed to let the girls experience what firefighters do in the line of duty to protect the community. They take classes and learn how to climb the ladder on a fire truck, operate emergency tools and rescue on injured person. They also do their share of cleaning the firehouse and the equipment Firefighting is still a male-dominated service. Clare joined the department seven years ago, saying "We do everything that the guys do to the same standarD.We are tested to the same standarD.We are expected to operate at the same standard." Most of the girls say they had never thought about becoming a firefighter, but the camp was a great learning experience. "I think it is definitely not a job that only men can do. Women can do it just as well as men can," said Michelle Pawlaw. 'I think I can help other people if they need help and know what to do in case I am at a fire myself," said Kayla Ehrlich. "I think it's fantastic; I could consider taking it as a career some day." said Monica Bartorsh. And, the girls say, by spending three days together, they also made new friends and had a lot of fun. What can be inferred from the text? A. The camp offers classes on curing the injured B. Teenage girls will become volunteer firefighters C. Women can perform as well as men in firefighting D. Firefighting will soon be a female-dominated service Answer: C Chinese writer Mo Yan's Nobel Prize for Literature might _ an explosion of global interest in Chinese literature and lead to more titles translated into English, European experts say. "Hopefully, the award means more people will read Chinese literature and more works will get translated," says Michel Hockx, professor of the Languages and Cultures of China and Inner Asia from University of London. "Many very good Chinese writers have been accepted globally for a long time already. Mo Yan is probably the most translated Chinese writer alive, with at least five of his novels made available in English over the past 20 years." Jonathan Ruppin, web editor of bookseller Foyles, says Mo's win coincides with growing interest in Chinese literature and recognizes the talents of a distinctive and visionary writer. "We are very excited by the fact that English translations of more of his books should now become available," Ruppin says. He made the comment after Mo became the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in its century-long history. As East-West cultural exchange has been booming, Chinese literature has been attracting growing attention in recent years. Hockx explains, "It's mainly because there are many more opportunities for Chinese writers to visit other countries, to publish their works outside China and to interact with readers abroad. At the same time, more and more people globally are learning Chinese and taking an interest in the Chinese language and culture." University of Oxford lecturer in modern Chinese literature Margaret Hillenbrand says, "The obvious reason for the growing global presence of Chinese literature is the growing global presence of China itself. People have come to realize that there is a serious knowledge deficit between China and its international counterparts -- in particular, _ -- and reading Chinese literature is an effective, simple means of solving that gap." Chinese literature has been attracting growing attention mainly because A. Chinese writers have been writing more and more books in English B. the Chinese language has become the most widely used language in the world C. the Chinese government attaches great importance to literature D. the cultural communication between China and western countries has developed Answer: D Once a neighbour stole one of Washington's horses. Washington went with a police officer to the neighbour's farm to get the horse, but the neighbour refused to give the horse up; he claimed that it was his horse. Washington placed both of his hands over the eyes of the horse and said to the neighbour, "If this is your horse, then you must tell us in which eyes he is blind." "In the right eye," the neighbour said. Washington took his hand from the right eye of the horse and showed the police officer that the horse was not blind in the right eye. "Oh, I have made a mistake," said the neighbor. "He is blind in the left eye." Washington then showed that the horse was not blind in the left eye, either. "I have made another mistake," said the neighbor. "Yes," said the police officer, "and you have also proved that the horse does not belong to you. You must return it to Mr. Washington." When Washington and the police officer reached the neighbor's farm, the neighbor _ . A. immediately admitted that he had stolen the horse B. received them warmly C. said he had lost a horse, too D. didn't want to give the horse back to Washington Answer: D There are millions of people throughout the world who are either born blind or have become blind over the course of their lifetimes. It is unfair to take away the visual beauty of the world from these people. Doctor Humayun has created the world's first bionic eye that could change the life of every blind people in the world. Doctor Mark Humayun is a well respected professor at the Doheny Eye Institute in California. He has been working for years on creating a bionic eye that would allow blind people to see images just like a normal person does. His idea of the bionic eye is actually an eye that has been built in a small video camera. The test results show the bionic eye has given blind patients the amazing ability to see the scientists doing the tests. But the images are still blurry and we need much work before the eye actually becomes a regular implant into blind people. Humayun believes that he can go into production with the bionic eye over the next three to five years. A closer look at the bionic eye is amazing. The patient wears a special set of eyeglasses. All the signals are passed to the implanted eye. It's done by wireless technology. Humayun has created an invention that could change the lives of millions of people. Imagine a world in which someone would no longer fear about being blind. This could be considered a technological achievement. What does this passage mainly tell us? A. The life of blind people has changed. B. Mark Humayun becomes famous. C. There will be no blind in the future. D. A technological study for the blind. Answer: D
All of these are ways to stay safe around electricity except Answer: Animal experts in Croatia say a bear has learned how to trick people to let him in by knocking at the door. They believe the 220- kilogram brown bear probably learned the trick while nudging a door to get it to open. Experts have a guess that the nudging was mistaken by the owners for knocking and that the bear, pleased by the result, repeated the trick. The Loknar family from Gerovo in western Croatia said the bear had knocked at their door three times and they were now refusing to answer the door. ''We jumped out of the window as he came in through the door and went into the kitchen to take some food for the first time." Mum Nevenka Loknar told a reporter from a local newspaper. "I opened the door and saw him standing there and I didn't believe my eyes at first, then I ran for it as he walked in as if _ was the most normal- thing in the world." Bears are a common thing in the woods around here, but no one has ever heard of a bear that knocks at the door. Mum Nevenka Loknar said, "The bear is so intelligent. It's incredible. We've tried to put up lots of obstacles to stop him coming in, like a wire fence but he still gets through. I wouldn't be surprised if he knew how to use wire cutters." According to experts in Croatia, how did the bear learn the trick? Answer: What is your favorite color1? Do you like yellow, orange or red? If you do, you must be an optimist, a leader, and an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer gray and blue? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined. You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what a psychologist tells us, and we are also told that we don't choose our favorite color1 as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly. A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one, and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing . Light and bright color1s make people not only happier but also more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark gray. Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few color1ful thing. Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what color1s they like and dislike. And don't forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose handkerchiefs or a lampshade. How many color1s are mentioned in the passage? Answer: If your cellphone suddenly stops working, don't blame the service provider.The malfunction might well have been caused by something bigger -- a solar storm.Experts expect that Earth will see more solar activity in the near future.The malfunction of electronic devices will just one of the effects. Sunspots serve as an indicator of the sun's activity.For the past two years, sunspots have mostly been missing.Their absence, the most prolonged in nearly 100 years, has taken even seasoned sun watchers by surprise. When the number of sunspots drops at the end of each 11-year cycle, solar storms die down and all become much calmer. This "solar minimum" doesn't last long. Within a year, sunspots and solar storms begin to build toward a new crescendo, the next solar maximum. What's special about this latest cycle is that the sun is having trouble starting the next solar cycle. The sun began to calm down in late 2007, so no one expected many sunspots in 2008. They should return in 2010. Scientists have predicted that the next solar cycle could be the most active on record: more sunspots and more solar storms. However, sunspots are mostly missing now. Since the earth is in close contact with the sun, strong solar activities can bring trouble to our life. People of the 21st century rely on high-tech systems for the basics of daily life. Air travel and radio communications can be affected by strong solar activities. A big solar storm could cause 20 times more economic damage than Hurricane Katrina. What the sun will do next is beyond our ability to predict. Most astronomers think that the solar cycle will go on but at low level. However, there is also evidence that the sun is losing its ability to produce sunspots. By 2015, they could be gone altogether. Which statement does the text lead you to believe? Answer: Even if you are naturally shy, these three tricks will help you to quickly build a new social circle in any new city. 1. Take pictures One of the great things about taking pictures at an event or a party is that it gives you an excuse to get in touch with the person later. Everybody loves seeing pictures of themselves, and it's very easy after taking a picture to say "If you'd like I can email it to you". This can be the seed that leads to new connections. 2. Eat alone in public You might feel self-conscious eating by yourself but it has an important benefit: you are much easier to approach when you are alone. People may be afraid of disturbing you or being rude if you talk with someone else. Bring a book or newspaper to read. Plus, having an interesting book with you will give others an excuse tostart a conversation if they've read it. 3. Join a class, sports team, or club Yoga, salsa dancing, volleyball, Toastmasters (a public speaking club), a class for work, etc. Choose a new hobby or continue an old one! These are all great places to meet new people, primarily because you will be made to see the same people over and over again in the class. You will automatically make friends with them if you have a common interest and are made to see each other again. The writer wants to tell you _ . Answer:
In the eighteenth century one of the first modern economists, Adam Smith, thought that " the whole annual produce of the land and labour of every country" provided revenue to "three different orders of people: those who live by rent, those who live by wages, and those who live by profit". Each successive stage of the industrial revolution, however, made the social structure more complicated. Many intermediate groups grew up during the nineteenth century between the upper middle class and the working class. There were small-scale industrialists as well as large ones, small shopkeepers and tradesmen, officials and salaried employees, skilled and unskilled workers, and professional men such as doctors and teachers. Farmers and peasants continued in all countries as independent groups. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the possession of wealth inevitably affected a person's social position. Intelligent industrialists with initiative made fortunes by their wits which lifted them into an economic group far higher than that of their working-class parents. But they lacked social training of the upper class, who despised them as the "new rich." They often sent their sons and daughters to special schools to acquire social training. Here their children, mixed with the children of the upper classes, were accepted by them, and very often found marriage partners from among them. In the same way, a thrifty, hardworking labourer, though not clever himself, might save for his son enough to pay for an extended secondary school education in the hope that he would move in a "white-collar" occupation, carrying with it a higher salary and a move up in the social scale. In the twentieth century the increased taxation of higher incomes, the growth of the social services, and the wider development of educational opportunity have considerably altered the social outlook. The upper classes no longer are the sole, or even the main possessors of wealth, power and education, though inherited social position still carries considerable prestige. In the twentieth century class differences have been partly smoothed out by _ . Answer: Heather Mills McCartney lives an admirable life, attending celebrity parties, meeting regularly with the rich and famous and doing meaningful work for charity. All who work with her admire and respect her. But Heather's life hasn't always been so easy. When Heather was only 9 years old, her mother abandoned her and her two brothers. At the age of 13, she ran away from home and ended up living on the streets in London. Eventually, however, her exceptional beauty led to a career in modeling. At that time, Heather also began helping with the war relief efforts in former Yugoslavia. Through her modeling and relief work, she soon became famous. But in August 1993, at age 25 her life changed once again. She was crossing the street in London when a motorcycle crashed into her. She was so badly injured that the doctors had to cut off her left leg. After that, she discovered she frequently needed to change her artificial limbs. It was expensive and she felt it was a waste to just throw away the old one. It occurred to her to set up an organization that could deliver used artificial limbs to Yugoslavia and other war-torn countries. It was through her charity work that she met her husband Paul McCartney. Throughout her life, Heather has risen above problems and focused on helping others. Her work with artificial limbs even earned her a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996. Heather's persistence and determination are what impresses anyone who knows her. Heather believes anyone can make a positive difference in the world. This passage is mainly about _ . Answer: Fish and apple soup? Yes, and you won't believe how delicious it is. This first came out of a restaurant in Singapore, but it is now very popular as the du jour soup in Chinese restaurants. Ingredients (serves 4): 1 whole fish. 2 apples, quartered. 4-6 ginger slices . 1 bunch of spring onions, cut into pierces. 1 red tomato, cut into 8 pierces. Oil, salt and pepper. Methods: l. Remove the bones from the fish. 2 Pour oil into a pan. Fry the ginger slices, and the spring onions. Add the fish hones and oil. 3. Add enough water and boil it for about 15 to 20 minutes, 4. Add the apples, the fish and the tomato. When the apples go soft, add salt and pepper, In what order should you add the ingredients while cooking the soup? Answer: In a civil suit by Pine against Decker, Decker called Wall, a chemist, as an expert witness and asked him a number of questions about his education and experience in chemistry. Over Pine's objection that Wall was not shown to be qualified in chemistry, the trial court permitted Wall to testify as to his opinion in response to a hypothetical question. On cross-examination, Pine asked Wall if he had failed two chemistry courses while doing his graduate work. The answer should be Answer: A few years ago, David had the idea of selling CDs over the Internet. He started his work from his home. Now he sells over 500,000 CDs a year and has made himself into a millionaire , at the age of 24. "I could see that this was the future of shopping," says David. "Why should you pay $15 for a CD and spend the time and the money going into the shop? You know sometimes you have to find a place for your car too. You can have the same CD for half of the price by clicking on your computer. And we can find any CD you want and bring it to your door in 24 hours!" David said this is the only beginning, "One day we'll do our shopping over the Internet: it's easier, quicker and cheaper. Shops and supermarkets will be the past." If you pay $15 for a CD in the shop, how much should you pay for it on the Internet? Answer:
At the entrance to one of the ruined temples of Petra in Jordan, there is an inscription in the soft red rock. It looks as if it has been there for centuries. It could have been carved by one of King Herod's soldiers, when they were imprisoned in the town in 40 BC. But closer examination reveals that it is not so ancient after all. It reads: Shane and Wendy from Sydney were here. April 16th 1996, The ruins of Petra were discovered in 1810 by a Swiss explorer, and a recent report has just concluded that 66they are in grave danger of being destroyed by the unstoppable march of tourism". More than 4,000 tourists a day pour into Petra's rocky tombs. They wear away the soft red sandstone to powder and (occasionally!) scratch their names into the rock. It is not just Petra that is under threat of destruction. With more than 60,000 visitors to Venice each day, cruise ships that have made Venice tourists' top destination bring one of the most significant dangers to the city, leading to tides that are further damaging the foundation of the Venetian structures. The prehistoric cave paintings at Lascaux in France were being slowly ruined by the breath and bacteria from 200,000 visitors a year. The caves have now been closed to the public and a replica has been built, Will there be more replicas like in Lascaux? There already are. Heritage theme parks are springing up everywhere. Many of the great cities of Europe are finding that their historic centers are fast becoming theme parks, filled with clicking cameras and whirring camcorders, abandoned by all local residents except for the souvenir sellers. Until recently, we all believed that travel broadened the mind, but now many believe the exact opposite: "Modem travel narrows the mind". Which solution to Venice's problem would the author agree with? A. Make regulations to control tourists' behavior. B. Reduce the number of cruise ships in the rivers. C. Build solid dams along the rivers in case of flood. D. Promote tourism and redecorate traditional structures. Answer: B Ma Yun was born on October 15,1964 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. He is the founder of Alibaba Group. At the age of 10, Ma Yun took an interest in English. Each morning, he rode his bike to Hangzhou Hotel to talk with foreigners. In 1988, he became an English teacher. Then Ma Yun met Bill Aho, an American businessman, in Hangzhou. In 1995, he visited the United States for the first time. He stayed with Mr. Aho's family. There, he was introduced to the World Wide Web. Then he returned home and set up one of China's first web companies , China Yellowpages in the same year. On February 21,1999, he _ Alibaba. He chose Alibaba as the name because everyone knew the story of Alibaba. Ma Yun had problems along the way. But his hard work made Alibaba an online success. In 1995, Ma Yun set up a company named _ . A. Alibaba B. China Yellowpages C. Hangzhou Hotel D. World Wide Web Answer: B 136 Crestview Circle Dover, Connecticut January 16, 1995 Gander's Furniture Store Stamford, Connecticut, 09876 Dear Sir, I am writing about your January bill, which I am returning with this letter. I am not going to pay this bill. Last month I bought a table and four chairs for $65.50. They were sent to me on December 18. That night one leg of the table broke while my wife was putting our dinner on it. It fell on one of the chair, and that broke, too. Our $ 2.50 steak landed on the floor, and the dog ate it. I spoke to the salesmen who had sold me the table and the chairs. He told me to write you a letter. I wrote you on December 20, saying that I was not going to pay for the furniture. On December 21 some men came and took it back to the store. Please do something about your records. I do not want to receive another bill for the furniture which I returned. Yours truly Alberts Robbins Try to guess how Mr. Robins felt when he was writing the letter. A. He was angry. B. He was sad. C. He was anxious. D. He was friendly. Answer: A If you don't like reading books, this is for you. * Have a few laughs . Sit down with a book of jokes, a picture book or a funny story- book first. * Ask around. Ask your friends or your teachers about interesting books. * Find new interests. After reading, you may find an interest in something new. * Go to the library. Don't be shy about asking a librarian a question like, "Do you have any books about soccer?" * See the world . When you want to know or see something, you can open the book about it. Try to read, you can find there is a lot of fun in books. According to the passage, if you don't like reading, you should _ first. A. read funny stories B. ask teachers C. go to the library D. find new interests Answer: A If you are like me and you love drawing a lot, then I'm sure you'll love "Drawing With Mark". "Drawing With Mark" is a great show and Mark is really helpful. He gives kids some tips on how to draw and often teaches kids some history about the things they draw. Kids can also learn three or four fun facts about what they are drawing. "Happy Tails" is about cats and dogs. Mark shows how to draw them and talks about how to look after them, too. In "A Day With The Dinosaurs", Mark visits the Museum of Boston and speaks to an expert to learn how the dinosaurs lived, what they ate and how long they lived. In "Reach For The Stars", Mark is also at the Museum of Boston. He speaks to another expert about the stars. I learned how far we are from the stars. I thought that the stars were just about 100 miles from us, but they are millions of miles from us. That's really far! If you love drawing, you can watch this show. You can have fun with the tips Mark gives you. The tips will help you to become an artist. What's "Happy Tails" about? A. Cats and dogs. B. stars and the moon. C. Dinosaurs. D. Artists. Answer: A
Soaring divorce rates around the globe are the environment, American researchers suggested in a study released on a Monday. Michigan State University researcher Jianguo "Jack" Liu and his assistant Eunice Yu said the increasing number of divorces leads to more households with fewer people and greater consumption of water and energy. They said housing units require space, construction materials and fuel to heat and cool, regardless of the number of inhabitants. For example, in the United States in 2005, divorced households consumed an extra 73 billion kilowatt hours of electricity and 627 billion gallons of water. An additional 38 million extra rooms required heating and lighting that same year due to divorced households. That costs $6.9 billion in extra utility costs per year, Liu said, plus an added $ 3.6 billion for water, in addition to other costs such as land use. "A married household actually uses resources more efficiently than a divorced household," Liu said. He said that in cohabitating household, people will watch the same television, share the air conditioning and heat and use the same refrigerator. All things use energy at a regularly stable rate, regardless of the number of users. Liu said he was not condemning divorce, "Some people really need to get divorced." He said cohabitation--whether by a family or friends--was simply a more environmentally friendly option. Additonally, the researchers noted that trends other than divorce are also changing family living structures, such as the end of multiple generations of a family sharing a home and people remaining single longer. "People's first reaction to this research is surprise, and then it seems simple." Liu said in a press release. "But a lot of things become simple after research is done. Our challenges were to connect the dots and quantify their relationships. People have been talking about how to protect the environment and fight against climate change, but divorce is a factor that people don't notice and it needs to be considered". He said the increasing energy demands caused by divorce should be considered by governments when they are creating environmental policies. The research was published in this week's online edition of the According to the passage, what's the attitude of Mr. Liu towards divorce? Answer: Some advice : (1) Always play in a safe place. A park is a safe place because there are no cars or trucks. But do not talk to anyone you do not know. Never go with a stranger into a motor car. (2) Before crossing the road, stop and look both ways. Look left, look right, look left again. (3) Keep away from houses or building that are being built or knocked down. Something might fall on your head, or you might cut yourself on broken grass. (4) Medicines or pills can be dangerous. Never swallow any pills or medicines you find in the cupboard. (5) Wear a life jacket whenever you go out in a boat. Even if you are not in the open sea and the water is not deep, you should have your life jacket on. It's easy to fall out of a boat. (6) Do not put your head out of a car, bus or train. Many children have been killed by doing this. We are safe from truck or cars _ . Answer: Facing fear is one of the most important things you can do. Some people have a fear of failure and others a fear of success. It may seem strange but neither one is a good fear. You might think the fear of failure could be a good thing but it's not, particularly if the fear of failure keeps you from accomplishing anything. For myself, I have a huge fear of failure but I am good at facing that fear and overcoming it. I don't let my fear of failure cause me to delay my decision or get me off the track. I use the fear to make sure I'm doing my absolute best at all times because I know if I don't do my best I will fail. That frightens me. I'm not afraid of trying at all. I started a business when I was married to my first wife. The business became successful and I was getting ready to make some huge money. However, my wife just wanted us to stay small because she was comfortable there. She feared what success might bring and did every little thing she could to make sure we didn't grow any bigger. I'm sure you can see the problem. I had a fear of failure and she had an even bigger fear of success. Finally I couldn't stand any more of her fear and we got a divorce. Facing fear and overcoming fear is very important. People even have a fear of fear. I'm sure that it is normal. People fear change more than anything else and fight that change with fear. They fear what they don't know or understand. They fear anything new to them. But we need to keep in mind that the world is changing all the time and that change is inevitable . You can live a life free of fear by learning to face your fears. People who have a fear of fear _ . Answer: All over the world, libraries have begun the Herculean task of making faithful digital copies of the books, images and recordings that preserve the intellectual effort of mankind. For armchair scholars, the work promises to bring such a wealth of information to desktop that the present Internet may not match. Librarians see three clear benefits to going digital. First, it helps them preserve rare and fragile objects without refusing the demands of those who wish to study them. The British Library, for example, holds the only medieval manuscript of Beowulf in London. Only qualified scholars were allowed to see it until Kevin S. Kiernan of the University of Kentucky scanned the Manuscript with three different light sources and put the images up on the Internet for anyone to use. A second benefit is convenience. Once books are changed to digital form, readers can find them in seconds rather than minutes. Several people can read the same book or view the same picture at the same time. Clerks are spared the chore of reshelving. And libraries could use the Internet to lend their collections to those who are unable to visit in person. The third advantage of electronic copies is that they occupy millimeters of space on a magnetic disk rather than meters on a shelf. The cost of library buildings is increasingly high. The University of California at Berkeley recently spent $ 46 million on an underground addition to house 1.5 million books----an average cost of $30 per volume. The price of disk storage, on the contrary, has fallen to about $ 2 per 300-page publication and continues to drop. Which of the following is mentioned in the text as benefits of going digital? Answer: All police officers should be made to take a fitness test every year,with a pay cut for those who repeatedly fail,a review said. In the Metropolitan Police,more than half(52 percent)of its men officers are over- weight, a fifth (22 percent) are obese, and one in 100 are"morbidly obese".For women officers in the Met,a third(32 percent) are overweight,16 percent are obese and 2 per-cent are morbidly obese. Tom Winsor,who has carried out the widest-ranging research of police pay and conditions in more than 30 years,said those who fail the test three times should face a pay cut. Chief constables should be able to fire any officer as part of budget cuts, ending a job for life. It also recommended that applicants should be able to enter the police service directly at inspector rank,and,"after strict testing",at superintendent rank. Mr Winsor said:"I think the public will be surprised that after passing a fitness test when they join the police,physical fitness is not tested again in a 30,35-year career." An initial yearly test requiring officers to reach level 5'4 on the bleep test should be brought in by September next year. This is equal to an average speed of 8. 8kph(5.5mph) for three minutes 35 seconds,he said. But this should get tougher by September 2018,along similar lines to the test currently used in Northern Ireland. This includes climbing over walls and pulling bodies and was designed to reflect situations which"police officers do and can become involved in". Mr Winsor expected that many officers would welcome the proposals,saying they would see it"as a necessary protection for themselves and the public". According to the passage,most of the police officers _ . Answer:
"Tom!" There was no answer. "Tom!" Still no answer. "Where's that boy gone? Tom!" The old lady looked all around the room. She looked under the bed, but found only the cat. "If I catch that boy, ..." she murmured to herself. She opened the door and looked out into the garden. "Tom!" she shouted. Then she heard a slight noise behind her. She turned round just in time to catch the boy as he came out of a cupboard. "And what have you been doing in there?" "Nothing," said the boy. "Nothing! Look at your hands and your mouth! What is that stuff?" "I don't know, Aunt." "Well, I know. It's a jam. I've told you forty times that if you touched that jam, I'd _ you. Give me that stick." "Look out, Aunt! Look behind you!" The old lady turned round and Tom was out of the door in a flash, over the garden fence and away. "Damn that boy! Will I never learn? He's always playing tricks on me. And he seems to know just now how far he can go, too. But I can't take a stick to him. I really can't. After all, he's my dead sister's boy. Ah well, he'll play truant today and I'll have to make him work tomorrow." At supper Aunt Polly tried to trick Tom into admitting that he hadn't gone to school. "It was rather hot today, wasn't it, Tom?" "Yes," answered Tom. "You didn't have to open your shirt collar where I sewed it, then." Tom was confident, now. He opened his jacket. His collar was securely sewed. "Oh Tom," said Aunt Polly. "You're a good boy really." She was sorry that she had been wrong about him. "But Aunt," came a voice. It was Sidney, Tom's younger brother. "Didn' t you sew Tom's collar with white cotton? Look! Now it's black. Tom was already running out of the door. ---The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Which of the following words can be best used to describe Tom? Answer: naughty A blocked airway can kill someone in three to four minutes, but it can take more than eight minutes for an ambulance to arrive. So a simple procedure such as opening someone's airway can save their life while they're waiting for emergency medical help. This means you're more likely to give first aid to someone you know than a stranger. There are many misconceptions surrounding first aid. Below are the 'most popular' ones with details of what you should do. You should put butter or cream on a burn. The only thing you should put on a burn is cold water - keep the butter for cooking. Put the affected area under cold running water for at least ten minutes. The best way to treat bleeding is to put the wound under a tap. If you put a bleeding wound under a tap you wash away the body's clotting agents and make it bleed more. Instead put pressure on the wound with whatever is available to stop or slow down the flow of blood. As soon as possible call 999. Keep pressure on the wound until help arrives. Nosebleeds are best treated by putting the head back. If you put the head back during a nosebleed, all the blood goes down the back of the airway. Instead advise them to tilt their head forwards and ask the person to pinch the end of their nose and breathe through their mouth. You need lots of training to do first aid. You don't - what you mostly need is common sense. You can learn enough first aid in a few minutes to save someone's life - whether it's from a book, attending a course or watching videos online. Remember: anyone can save a life If a bleeding wound is put under a tap, what should happen? Answer: It will bleed more and hard to stop One day in 1965,when I worked at View Ridge School in Seattle,a fourthgrade teacher approached me.She had a student who finished his work before all the others and needed a challenge."Could he help in the library?" she asked.I said, "Send him along." Soon a slight,sandyhaired boy in jeans and a Tshirt appeared."Do you have a job for me?" he asked. I told him about the Dewey Decimal System for shelving books.He picked up the idea immediately.Then I showed him a stack of cards for longoverdue books that I was beginning to think had actually been returned but were misshelved with the wrong cards in them.He said,"Is it kind of a detective job?" I answered yes,and he became working. He had found three books with wrong cards by the time his teacher opened the door and announced,"Time for break!"He argued for finishing the finding job;she made the case for fresh air.She won. The next morning,he arrived early."I want to finish these books,"he said.At the end of the day,when he asked to be a librarian on a regular basis,it was easy to say yes.He worked untiringly. After a few weeks I found a note on my desk,inviting me to dinner at the boy's home.At the end of a pleasant evening,his mother announced that the family would be moving to a neighbouring school district.Her son's first concern,she said,was leaving the View Ridge library."Who will find the lost books?" he asked. When the time came,I said an unwilling goodbye.I missed him,but not for long.A few days later he came back and joyfully announced,"The librarian over there doesn't let boys work in the library.My mother got me transferred back to View Ridge.My dad will drop me off on his way to work.And if he can't,I'll walk!" I should have had an idea such focused determination would take that young man wherever he wanted to go.What I could not have guessed,however,was that he would become a genius of the Information Age:Bill Gates,tycoon of Microsoft and America's richest man. Why was the boy sent to the library by the fourthgrade teacher? Answer: He needed something to do to challenge himself. Library Special Needs Service Shellharbour City Library provides a rang of Library Special Needs Service for people who are unable to access our library service in the usual way. As long as you live in Shellharbour City, we'll provide a full rang of library services and resources including: * Large printed and ordinary printed books * Talking books on tape and CD * DVDs and music CDs * Magazines * Reference and information requests You will be asked to complete a 'Statement of Need' application form which must be signed by a medical professional. Home delivery service Let us know what you like to read and we will choose the resources for you.Our staff will deliver the resources to your home for free. We also provide a service where we can choose the resources for you or someone instead of you choose the things from the library .You can also choose the resources you need personally. Talking books and captioned videos The library can provide talking books for people who are unable to use printed books because of eye diseases. You don't have to miss out on reading any more when you can borrow talking books from the library. If you have limited hearing which prevents you from enjoying movies, we can provide captioned videos for you at no charge. Languages besides English We can provide books in a rang of languages besides English. If possible, we will request these items from the State Library of NSW, Australia. How to join? Contact the Library Special Needs Coordinator to register or discuss if you are eligible for any of the services we provide ---Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9am ---5pm on 4297 2522 for more information. To get home delivery service, you must _ Answer: register ahead of time The Little Prince was written by a French pilot and writer Antoine de Saint--Exupery. It is one of the most famous books around the world. It was published in 1943. This story has been translated into 42 languages and was adapted into a movie. The little prince lives on a small planet alone. He leads a happy life. One day the winds brings him a seed. The seed then turns into the loveliest flower he has ever seen. He takes good care of the flower, but finally he decides to leave it and his planet in search for a secret--the most important thing in his life. During his journey in space, the little prince meets a king, a businessman, a lamplighter and a geographer. They all live alone on different planets. At last he finds out the secret from a fox of the Earth. Before he returns to his planet, he tells his secret to the writer of the book, whom he meets in the desert. The secret is: the power of love. When you read this _ and sincere story of the little prince, you can't help smiling and feeling the beauty of life and love in your heart. Who told the little prince the secret? Answer: A fox.
In 1990,22-year-old Christopher McCandless gave up his career plans,left behind everyone he knew,donated all his savings to charity,and went off on an adventure,hiking his way through America to Alaska. Of course,this is an unusual story most college graduates would not do so. However,studies show that in teenage years, people are more likely to try out new experiences.For example,instead of working his way up the same organization like his grandfather did,a 15-year-old may dream about becoming a travelleronly to find in his early 20s that this attraction of new places is fading and change is less attractive. The reason why people become less keen to change as they get older may be that people generally have similar life patterns and demands.Most people aim to find a job and a partner. As they get older,they may have young children and elderly family members to look after. These responsibilities cannot be achieved without some degree of steadiness,which means that new experiences and ideas may not have a place in the person's life.New experiences may bring excitement as well as insecurity,and so most people prefer to stay with the familiar. However,not every individual is the same. A child may want to play a different game every day and get fed up if nothing changes at the kindergarten.Another may play with the same children and toys on every visit. Young children who avoid new experiences will grow up to be more traditional than others. Psychologist argue that those who have more open personalities as children are more open than others might be when they are older and that young men have a greater interest in novelty than women,although as they age,this desire for new experiences fades more quickly than it does in women. According to the passage, we can infer that _ . A a child who likes different games may not like to change after growing up B a teenager is not interested in a new start before graduation C women are more likely to try new things than men of the same age D as one gets older, he prefers the old patterns of life Answer: D. as one gets older, he prefers the old patterns of life "Have a nice day!" may be a pleasant gesture or a meaningless. When my friend Maxie says "Have a nice day" with a smile, I know she sincerely cares about what happens to me. I feel loved and secure since another person cares about me and wishes me well. "Have a nice day. Next!"This version of the expression is spoken by a salesgirl at the supermarket who is rushing me and my groceries out the door. The words come out in the same tone with a fixed procedure. They are spoken at me, not to me. Obviously, the concern for my day and everyone else's is the management's attempt to increase business. The expression is one of those behaviors that help people get along with each other. Sometimes it indicates the end of a meeting. As soon as you hear it, you know the meeting is at an end. Sometimes the expression saves us when we don't know what to say "oh, you may have a tooth out? I'm terribly sorry, but have a nice day." The expression can be pleasant. If a stranger says "Have a nice day" to you, you may find it heart-warming because someone you don't know has tried to be nice to you. Although the use of the expression is an insincere, meaningless social custom at times, there is nothing wrong with the sentence except that it is a little uninteresting. The salesgirl, the waitress, the teacher, and all the countless others who speak it without thinking may not really care about my day. But in a strange and comfortable way, it's nice to know they care enough to pretend they care when they really don't care all that much. While the expression may not often be sincere, it is always spoken. The point is that people say it all the time when they like. How does the author understand Maxie's words? A Maxie shows her anxiety to the author. B Maxie really wishes the author a good day. C Maxie encourages the author to stay happy. D Maxie really worries about the author's security. Answer: B. Maxie really wishes the author a good day. Going to school means learning new skills and facts in such subjects as reading, math, science, history, art or music. Teachers teach and students learn, and many scientists are interested in finding ways to improve both the teaching and learning processes. Some researchers, such as Sian Beilock and Susan Levine, are trying to learn about learning. Beilock and Levine are psychologists at the University of Chicago. Psychologists study the ways people think and behave, and these researchers want to know how a person's thoughts and behavior are related. In a new study about the way kids learn math in elementary school, Beilock and Levine found a surprising relationship between what female teachers think and what female students learn: If a female teacher is uncomfortable with her own math skills, then her female students are more likely to believe that boys are better than girls at math. "If these girls keep getting math-anxious female teachers in later grades, _ ," Levine toldScience News. The study suggests that if these girls grow up believing that boys are better at math than girls are, then these girls may not do as well as they would have if they were more confident. Just as students find certain subjects to be difficult, teachers can find certain subjects to be difficult to learn--and teach. The subject of math can be particularly difficult for everyone. Researchers use the word "anxiety" to describe such feelings: anxiety is uneasiness or worry. (Many people, for example, have anxiety about going to the dentist because they're worried about pain.) The new study found that when a teacher has anxiety about math, that feeling can influence how her female students feel about math. The study involved 65 girls, 52 boys and 17 first- and second-grade teachers in elementary schools in the Midwest. The students took math achievement tests at the beginning and end of the school year, and the researchers compared the scores. The researchers also gave the students tests to tell whether the students believed that a math superstar had to be a boy. Then the researchers turned to the teachers: To find out which teachers were anxious about math, the researchers asked the teachers how they felt at times when they came across math, such as when reading a sales receipt. A teacher who got nervous looking at the numbers on a sales receipt, for example, was probably anxious about math. Boys, on average, were unaffected by a teacher's anxiety. On average, girls with math-anxious teachers scored lower on the end-of-the-year math tests than other girls in the study did. Plus, on the test showing whether someone thought a math superstar had to be a boy, 20 girls showed feeling that boys would be better at math--and all of these girls had been taught by female teachers who had math anxiety. According to surveys done before this one, college students who want to become elementary school teachers have the highest levels of anxiety about math. Plus, nine of every 10 elementary teachers are women, Levine said. This study was small, and it's often difficult to see large patterns in small studies, David Geary told Science News. Geary, a psychologist at the University of Missouri in Columbia, studies how children learn math. "This is an interesting study, but the results need to be interpreted as preliminary and in need of replication with a larger sample," Geary said. That means that the results are just showing something that might be happening, but more studies should be done. If more studies find the same trend as this one, then it's possible that a teacher's anxiety over math really is affecting her female students. In the study, what were the teachers required to do? A Prepare two math achievement tests for the students. B Tell their feelings about math problems. C Answer whether a math superstar had to be a boy. D Compare the students' scores after the math tests. Answer: B. Tell their feelings about math problems. Maria was a teacher at a small school in Arizona. Maria had worked in the past at schools in California, Texas, and Vermont, but had to leave these schools because the school in Arizona was perfect for her dream job. When she moved to Arizona she found a small little one bedroom house that fit her perfectly. The house was on the top floor of another building, owned by another teacher. In her house was a bed, dresser, table and telephone. Nothing else came with the house. So Maria wanted to go shopping with her new teacher friend. So they went down to the mall to buy things for her new house. First she wanted to look for some chairs to go with her table. Then she wanted to find a TV for her living room and a TV for her bedroom. Last she wanted to find a big comfy couch for her living room. When she got to the couch store she had a few different choices. She could buy the biggest couch they had but would go over her limit, it was black. She could buy the middle couch right at her limit, which was brown. Or she could buy the smallest couch well under her limit, but was not a very good color, red. Maria went with the middle couch knowing she would not like the color of the smaller one even if it was least expensive. Maria then had to choose if she wanted them to deliver her couch or if she would pick it up. Knowing she had only a small car she went with the deliver choice. She also had to choose if she wanted them to set up the couch for her or for her to set it up herself. She went with them setting it up since they would be there to deliver it anyway. Maria loved her new house and job. Which choices did Maria choose for getting the couch to her house? A For it to be delivered and set up. B For her to pick it up and not set up. C for her to pick it up and them to set it up. D For it to be delivered and not set up. Answer: A. For it to be delivered and set up. There are many fun, free activities that you can do as a family. All that is required is a bit of imagination and some time set aside for fun. And the best part is that these are the kind of memories a child will remember for a lifetime. Family game night Find out any of the games that are already around the house. Kids often get computer games for Christmas or birthdays, and would love to have a chance to play with their family. Or, make up some games of your own. " _ " is a fun game to play that will challenge a child to use his/her imagination. Divide the family into teams and let each team come up with words that the other has to act out. _ Pick some time for the family to sit down and come up with their own masterpiece. It doesn't need to be just a drawing -- take some old magazines sitting around the house, let the kids cut out pictures and paste them into their own montage. Or, use items from nature. Let them use leaves, pine cones, twigs and whatever else they can find to create something from their imaginations. Family Picnic Taking the family for a picnic is a great way for some fun that doesn't cost any money. If the weather is nice, take them to a park or playground and let the kids have a day of playing. Or, if it is the middle of winter and a foot of snow is on the ground, set up a picnic in the living room. Family Field Trip A family field trip doesn't have to cost a dime. Ask a nearby farm if it would be alright to bring your kids out for a tour and to see some of the animals. Or take them to a park and make a scavenger hunt where they need to find certain items from nature. Ask a local business if you could bring the family for a tour to see how things work -- you might be surprised at the number of people who would be thrilled to share what they do with others, and it could be an interesting lesson for the kids. We can learn from the passage that "charades" _ . A is a computer game B is too difficult for children C involves acting out words D should be played by more than four people Answer: C. involves acting out words
Mr Reese was born in a big city. His father had several companies and got a lot of money. He could give his son all the young man wanted. He was busy with his business and never asked him how he got along with his studies. So the boy spent most time in the restaurants or cinemas. Of course he was weak at his lessons and learned nothing at school. He made many friends but none of them was good and when they knew he came from a rich family, they began to teach him to gamble . Of course he lost much money. Now Mr Reese was twenty and finished middle school. He could not do anything. But his father didn't mind it until one day he found the young man had sold one of his companies. He became so angry that he made him leave his house. The young man couldn't gamble any longer. His friends made him pay his debt. He had to ask his mother to help him and the woman often gave him some money. But one evening his father happened to find it. The old man stopped his wife from doing so. They began to fight in the room. The young man brought out a knife and killed his father. His mother helped him to run away, but soon after that he was caught and sentenced to death. It was a cold and wet day. Suddenly it began to rain hard when Mr Reese was being sent to the execution ground . Soon both he and the soldiers were wet through. He said angrily, "Bad luck! I shall be shot in such bad weather!" "Don't complain , brother, "said one of the soldiers. 'You're luckier than us all. We'll have to go back to the city after that!" Old Reese became angry because _ . [ ] his son had lost one of his companies Social Program: 22nd--26th August 2011 Monday Evening--Study Centre or Sports Park Study Center: The school will be open from 7.45 pm to 9.35pm. Sports Park: Aerobics, Swimming or Fitness Training (with a Fitness Card). Tuesday Evening--Cinema Cinema: To get your free ticket, you must write down which film you would like to watch. See the leaflet on the board for this evening's UCI Cinema program. For more information about the films, visit the UCI website www.uci.co.uk or see the film section in this week's Time Out magazine. Wednesday Evening--Study Centre of Tennis Coaching Study Center: The school will be open from 7.35 pm to 9.35 pm. Tennis Coaching: With former Junior Wimbledon tennis player Stuart Silvester. Thursday Evening--Chinese Party Chinese Party: Come along and enjoy the hospitality of the Chinese students! You can try delicious Chinese food and learn about Chinese traditions. Please note that you should eat your evening meal at your home-stay, as the food is a taster and not a full meal. Non alcoholic and alcoholic drinks will be served. Friday afternoon--Historical Walking Tour or Sports Parks Historical Walking Tour: This afternoon you will have the opportunity to visit parts of Norwich you may have otherwise missed, with a professional guide. In medieval times Norwich was the second most important city in England and this afternoon you can learn some of the interesting history of our fine city. Sports Park: Badminton, Basketball, Fitness Training (with a Fitness Card), Football, Squash, Swimming or Volleyball. Please sign early if you wish to play any of the sports listed above. From the passage we know that _ . some of the students in the school are Chinese If you're a male and you're reading this, congratulations: you're a survivor. According to statistics, you are more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer as a woman, and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you'll die on average five years before a woman. There are many reasons for this--typically, men take more risks than women and are more likely to drink and smoke--but perhaps more importantly, men don't go to the doctor. "Men aren't seeing doctors as often as they should," says Dr. Gullotta. "This is particularly so for the over-40s, when diseases tend to strike." Gullotta says a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two. For those over 45, it should be at least once a year. Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old man who had delayed doing anything about his smoker's cough for a year. "When I finally saw him it had already spread and he has since died from lung cancer," he says. "Earlier detection and treatment may not have cured him, but it would have prolonged his life." According to a recent survey, 95% of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70% of men in the same age group. "A lot of men think they're undefeatable," Gullota says. "They only come in when a friend drops dead on the golf course and they think, 'Geez, if it could happen to him, ...'" Then there's the ostrich approach. "Some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know," says Dr. Ross Cartmill. "Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies," Cartmill says. He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be addressed by preventive check-ups. Regular check-ups for men would inevitably place strain on the public purse, Cartmill says. "But prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to treat the diseases. Besides, the ultimate cost is far greater: it is called premature death." Why does the author congratulate his male readers at the beginning of the passage? They have lived long enough to read this article. A plant needs to use the roots of itself to move essential things to the buds We know the famous ones--the Thomas Edisons and the Alexander Graham Bells --but what about the less famous inventors? What about the people who invented the traffic light and the windshield wiper ? Shouldn' t we know who they are? Joan Mclean thinks so. In fact, Mclean, a professor of physics at Mountain University in Range, feels so strongly about this matter that she' s developed a course on the topic. In addition to learning "who" invented "what" , however, Mclean also likes her students to learn the answers to the "why" and "how" questions. According to Mclean, "When students learn the answers to these questions, they are better prepared to recognize opportunities for inventing and more motivated to give inventing a try. " Her students agree. One young man with a patent for an unbreakable umbrella is walking proof of McLean's statement. "If I had not heard the story of the windshield wiper' s invention," said Tommy Lee, a senior physics major. "I never would have dreamed of turning my bad experience during a rain storm into something so constructive. " Lee is currently negotiating to sell his patent to an umbrella producer. So, just what is the story behind the windshield wiper? Well, Mary Anderson came up with the idea in 1902 after a visit to New York City. The day was cold and stormy, but Anderson still wanted to see the sights, so she jumped aboard a streetcar. Noticing that the driver was struggling to see through the snow covering the windshield, she found herself wondering why there couldn' t be a built - in device for cleaning the window. Still wondering about this when she returned home to Birmingham, Alabama, Anderson started drafting out solutions. One of her ideas, a lever on the inside of a vehicle that would control an arm on the outside, became the first windshield wiper. Today we benefit from countless inventions and innovations. It' s hard to imagine driving without Garrett A. Morgan' s traffic light. It' s equally impossible to picture a world without Katherine J. Blodgett' s innovation that makes glass invisible. Can you picture life without clear windows and eyeglasses? Which of the following can best serve as the title of this passage? Shouldn't We Know Who Invented the Windshield Wiper?
Jodie is a good student. She usually gets up at 6:30 in the morning. She has breakfast at home. Then she reads English from 6:30 a. m. to 7:00 a. m. She goes to school at 7:15 a. m. She has four classes in the morning. She usually has lunch at school, but on Sundays she has lunch at home with her family. She has three classes in the afternoon. She goes home at 5:00. She usually has dinner at home. Then she does her homework. She doesn't watch TV in the evening. ,A, B, C, D. (5) What does Jodie do in the evening? Answer: Does her homework. Today we are going to talk about important transition words in English.We will focus on how to usetransition words to link ideas together.Some common transition words are and,furthermore,in addition to,not to mention,and in the same way. We don't always get a second chance to achieve our dreams.But some people are lucky,like Matthew McConaughey.Once almost unknown,the actor has recently found himself back on the list of the best actors in HollywooD. His new movie Interstellar is just another sign that his career reinvention has been an incredible success."The film relies on McConaughey's performance to hold together the emotional story of a father and his daughter against the background of space travel and the end of the world,"Forbes commenteD. But only years ago,the Texas native was often the butt of jokes about being too handsome.In 1993,after meeting with director Richard Linklater,McConaughey starred in Dazed and ConfuseD. And a Hollywood career was born,mostly in romantic comedies.For a long time,the whole world believed McConaughey was just a handsome guy with comic talent. But McConaughey stopped starring in that type of movie,and began to use his looks differently.Slowly he built up his reputation as a serious actor.In 2013,McConaughey was offered to play an AIDS activist in Dallas Buyers CluB. The role saw the normally muscular actor losing 50 pounds in order to appear sick.His performance won him an Oscar for Best Actor. The actor gave thanks to someone he has always looked up to as a hero during his Oscar acceptance speech.When he was 15,the actor said,he decided that his hero would be himself in 10 years.But 10 years later,he pushed the deadline ahead another decade.Then 10 years later,another decade."My hero's always 10 years away," he saiD. "I'm never going to attain that.That keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing."Or perhaps constantly chasing the chance to be his own hero has given him a second chance to follow his dreams. What role won Mc Conaughey an Oscar for Best Ac tor? Answer: An AIDS activist. Some of shelled item containers for replication processes are use by which kind of life form? Answer: reptile Martha's Vineyard has long been considered a favorite quiet of the Northeast. The vineyard is rich in history, breathtaking beaches, and beautiful scenery. It is well known for its unique lighthouses - you'll enjoy the variety and the history of each lighthouse, among the most photographed structures on the Vineyard. When the former First Family, the Clintons, chose to vacation on the island several years ago, it became a more popular tourist attraction. Martha's Vineyard got its name from its discoverer, Bartholomew Gosnold, who gave it the name of his wife Martha and was in memory of the thick growth of wild trees on the land. The island of Martha's Vineyard lies south of Cape Cod off the southeastern coast of Massachusetts,United States. It is nearly 20 miles long and runs from 2 to 10 miles in width. There are wide,hard beaches on the southern side. The north is hilly, but in the south and eastern parts there are wide areas of open land covered with wild flowers. The island was discovered early in the 17th century. The Indians were quiet and friendly, and the new-comers fished for a living, making a lot of money from whaling . With the decline of whaling and sailing ships. Martha's Vineyard was almost forgotten until about 60 years ago when people began to buy the old houses of the whaling captains and the small building of the fishermen near the beaches. Now people go there year after year for their summer holidays. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage? Answer: The population of the island. Liu Xiang, a 21-year-old Chinese athlete, got the gold medal of the fascinating men's 110m hurdles before a crowd of 70,000 at the Olympic Stadium in the 28th Olympics in Athens late Friday local time. He clocked an excellent 12.91 seconds to equal the world record set by Britain's Collin Jackson in 1993. It is the first gold Chinese men's athlete has ever won from the track and field in the Olympics history. China has won over 100 gold medals from the summer Olympic Games since 1984 but its male athletes only got one medal from Olympics' most popular sport, the track and field. The Shanghai native, with his father a truck driver and mother an out-of-work housewife, loved sports when he was very little. Liu was selected to the Junior Sports School of Putuo District of Shanghai to practice jumping as a fourth grader in the primary school. But after a bone test showing that he will not be able to become a tall man, Liu was asked to give up sports one year later, although he had won the national champion at that level. In 1998 when he attracted coach Sun Haiping's attention as a 15-year-old jumper, Sun was a well-known hurdle coach and he believed a star was born at the first sight of Liu. He visited Liu's parents several times and finally persuaded them to let Liu transfer to the 110m hurdles. After only three years, Liu launched his career in style in the IAAF Grand Prix in Lausanne in 2001 by breaking the world youth and Asian record with a time of 13.12. But the first warning he sent to the world was his bronze-winning feat at the world indoor championships in Birmingham, England, last year. In 2004, Liu won the silver in the world indoor championships in Budapest in March. Two months later, he proved the winner in a race against American great Allen Johnson in the IAAF Grand Prix in Osaka, Japan, where he clocked a new Asian record and world's season best time of 13.06 seconds. He went on to win two Johnson-absent races in Lille, France, on June 26 and Zagreb, Croatia, three days later. He put up an exciting show at the Golden Gala meet in Rome on July 3, when he and Johnson clocked an identical time of 13.11. Race officials had to examine a photo finish to declare Johnson the winner. Liu did a better job of clearing the hurdles than Johnson, but Johnson's stronger start ended up making the difference. The race boosted Liu's optimism for the Olympics, although Johnson bettered his season best time by 0.01 second in Lausanne, Switzerland, on July 6. The world has put the Olympics a Johnson-Liu but surprisingly Johnson crashed out of the Games after falling at the ninth hurdle at round 2. Johnson's early exit paved the way for Liu's win. He finally took the gold medal and put a Chinese man's name on the record book. (chinadaily.com.cn /Xinhua) Updated:2004-08-28 02:57 Before the 28th Olympics in Athens, _ . Answer: there was already a Chinese male medal winner in the track and field at the Olympics
Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson River must remember the Catskill Mountains. They are a branch of the great Appalachian family, and can be seen to the west rising up to a noble height and towering over the surrounding country. When the weather is fair and settled, they are clothed in blue and purple, and print their beautiful shapes on the clear evening sky, but sometimes when it is cloudless, gray steam gathers around the top of the mountains which, in the last rays of the setting sun, will shine and light up like a crown of glory. At the foot of these mountains, a traveler may see light smoke going up from a village, In that village, and in one of the houses (which, to tell the exact truth, was sadly timeworn and weather-beaten), there lived many years ago, a simple, good-natured fellow by the name of Rip Van Winkle. Rip's great weakness was a natural dislike of all kinds of money-making labor. It could not be from lack of diligence ,for he could sit all day on a wet rock and fish without saying a word, even though he was not encouraged by a single bite. He would carry a gun on his shoulder for hours, walking through woods and fields to shoot a few birds or squirrels. He would never refuse to help a neighbor, even in the roughest work. The women of the village, too, used to employ him to do such little jobs as their less helpful husbands would not do for them. In a word. Rip was ready to attend to everybody's business but his own. If left to himself, he would have whistled life away in perfect satisfaction but his wife was always mad at him for his idleness . Morning, noon, and night, her tongue was endlessly going, so that he was forced to escape to the outside of the house , the only side which, in truth, belongs to a _ Which of the following best describes the Catskill Mountains? Modern Chinese use the solar calendar as English people do . But at the same time, they use their own lunar calendar. Each lunar year is given the name of one of these animals : the rat , the ox , the tiger , the hare , the dragon , the snake , the horse , the goat , the monkey , the chicken , the dog and the pig . This list lasts for 12 years and then starts again. Each Chinese month starts on the day of the new moon. And the full moon comes on the 15th day of the month. The New Year always starts between January 21 and February 20. On the last day of the lunar year, there is a big family dinner. All members of the family except married daughters try to be present at this meal, even if they have to travel many miles to reach the home of their parents. Old quarrels are forgotten, and everybody is happy. After the dinner, the children keep awake to welcome the New Year. The New Year celebrations last for 15 days, from the new moon to the full moon. On the first day, children and unmarried people go to visit their elder People celebrate the New Year _ . One day, a man found the cocoon of a butterfly and he brought it home. A few days later, the man saw a small hole in the cocoon. He sat and watched for several hours as a butterfly struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it stopped. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a knife and cut a bigger hole in the cocoon. The butterfly came out of the cocoon but it had a weak body and small, thin wings. The butterfly didn't start to fly. In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a weak body and thin wings. It was never able to fly. The man acted with kindness but he didn't understand that he had done something wrong. When a butterfly crawls out of the cocoon, it must struggle. The hard work of getting out of the cocoon forces the fluid from the butterfly's body into wings. It helps the butterfly be ready to fly. If the butterfly never has to force itself out of the cocoon, its wings never get the fluid and it can never fly. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If we lived our lives without any problems, we would never learn or grow. We would not be as strong as we could have been and we would never fly. So, the next time you are faced with a challenge or a problem, remember the butterfly. Struggle a little - then fly! What does the writer want to tell us? Happiness is a feeling that lights up your eyes, makes your steps light and makes you want to sing for no reason. Everyone wants to be happy. But sometimes, a guest comes in without invitation. It's unhappiness. Don't let it get you down. Send it away! When you are happy, the world feels like a better place. As the saying goes: When you smile, the world smiles with you; when you cry, you cry alone. Wearing a smile will make you more charming and help you to win lots of friends. A good mood always gives you hope, which makes troubles and problems easier to handle. No matte how happy you are, it's normal to feel angry, sad or gloomy once in a while. Life is full of ups and downs. We can't change the way life is, but we can do our best to change a bad situation into a good one. To help us do this, it's good to know some of the factors that influence happiness. One of the biggest factors is social relationships. People who are close to family and friends are happier than people who don't have those relationships. Talking and sharing is a good way to relax and build confidence . Knowing someone is there for you will make you braver and more outgoing. Another factor is work or school. If you enjoy school, even if you have lots of homework or extra classes, you will still feel that your school life is meaningful and happy. But if you hate school, your negative attitude may cause you to feel bored and upset that you have to do so much work. A third factor is your attitude towards life. How do you feel if you fail in an exam? Maybe you think it's unfair because you always study hard and should get a good mark. You can't stop blaming yourself. Or, maybe you accept it. You go through the paper carefully, find our why you made stupid mistakes, and tell yourself, "Take it easy! I'll do better next time!" Your attitude makes a big difference. The writer tells us _ factors that influence happiness. Decision-making under Stress A new review based on a research shows that acute stress affects the way the brain considers the advantages and disadvantages, causing it to focus on pleasure and ignore the possible negative consequences of a decision. The research suggests that stress may change the way people make choices in predictable ways. "Stress affects how people learn," says Professor Mara Mather. "People learn better about positive than negative outcomes under stress." For example, two recent studies looked at how people learned to connect images with either rewards or punishments. In one experiment, some of the participants were first stressed by having to give a speech and do difficult math problems in front of an audience; in the other, some were stressed by having to keep their hands in ice water. In both cases, the stressed participants remembered the rewarded material more accurately and the punished material less accurately than those who hadn't gone through the stress. This phenomenon is likely not surprising to anyone who has tried to resist eating cookies or smoking a cigarette while under stress -at those moments, only the pleasure associated with such activities comes to mind. But the findings further suggest that stress may bring about a double effect. Not only are rewarding experiences remembered better, but negative consequences are also less easily recalled. The research also found that stress appears to affect decision-making differently in men and women. While both men and women tend to focus on rewards and less on consequences under stress, their responses to risk turn out to be different. Men who had been stressed by the cold-water task tended to take more risks in the experiment while women responded in the opposite way. In stressful situations in which risk-taking can pay off big, men may tend to do better, when caution weighs more, however, women will win. This tendency to slow down and become more cautious when decisions are risky might also help explain why women are less likely to become addicted than men: they may more often avoid making the risky choices that eventually harden into addiction. The research has proved that in a stressful situation, _ .
If you need to call your parents but your phone is not with you, can you remember their numbers? To remember 11 numbers is not difficult. However, because of the smartphone, many of us are losing this ability. What's more, smartphones weaken our skills at giving directions, as well as killing face-to-face communications. Even when friends are having a meal together, it's common for most to check their phones. According to a report by Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, an American company, Chinese people spend about 170 minutes on their smartphones daily. Many students are _ to using smartphones. It does no good to their study. Research by Japan's Education Ministry showed children who spend more than four hours a day on their phones perform much worse in school test than those who play with their phones for 30 minutes. It's true that the smartphone has made our lives easier. But many also think they spend too much time on it, and this is bad for their study or work. People are trying to change that. A new app called Forest was introduced this month. It lets users plant a seed that grows into a tree over the next 30 minutes. During the half hour, users cannot use their phones, or the tree will die. A restaurant in Los Angeles, US, gives people a 5% discount if they don't check their phones during a meal. Owner Mark Gold said he hopes it gives people a way to enjoy their meal and actually talk with friends and family in person. Many people can't remember their parents's phone numbers because _ . Happiness is for everyone. You don't need to care about those people who have beautiful houses with large gardens and swimming pools or those who have nice cars and a lot of money and so on. Why? Because those who have big houses may often feel lonely and those who have cars may want to walk on the country roads at their free time. In fact, happiness is always around you if you put your heart into it. When you are in trouble at school, your friends will help you; when you study hard at your lessons, your parents are always taking good care of your life and your health; when you get success, your friends will say congratulations to you; when you do something wrong, people around you will help you to correct it. And when you do something good to others, you will feel happy, too. All these are your happiness. If you notice a bit of them, you can see that happiness is always around you. Happiness is not the same as money. It is a feeling of your heart. When you are poor, you can also say you are very happy, because you have something else that can't be bought with money. When you meet with difficulties, you can say loudly you are very happy, because you have more chances to challenge yourself. So you cannot always say you are poor and you have bad luck. As the saying goes, life is like arevolving door. When it closes, it also opens. If you take every chance you get, you can be a happy and lucky person. What will your friends say to you when you make great progress? My name is Sam. I'm tall. I have a round face and big eyes. I have a good friend. His name is Tom. He is short. He has red hair and big eyes. His favorite actor is Jackie Chan, and he thinks Jackie Chan is strong and cool.Our Chinese teacher is Miss Zhang. She is from Shanghai. She is 25 years old. She has long, black hair. She's Tom's favorite teacher. ,. . (5,2,10) Sam is a _ boy. The days of Europeans relaxing in the cafe with a newspaper and a seemingly endless cup of coffee appear to be numbered.A new English expression is popular in Europe these days:"coffee to go." "Five or ten years ago it was much more normal to sit in a cafe for several hours than it is nowadays,"says Joann,who works in a central Berlin coffee bar owned by the Canadian coffee and bakery chain Tim's. "There is a trend towards a more fast-paced life.But people still act surprised when you ask if the coffee is'to go'.You mean I can take it with me? they ask.." "Europe is often five or eight years behind trends in America,"says Joann."In the States.'coffee to go'is part of everyday life." Owing in part to Starbucks,it appears to be very much part of everyday life in many other countries too. The Seattle-based group compete with a growing number of global chains in attempting to reshape coffee drinking cultures in regions including Asia and the Middle East. The US is the model for continental Europe's new"coffee to go"culture:Each of the new cafe bars offers bagels,muffins,brownies and cookies to go with the coffee. But then,"coffee to go''might sound a little odd to English ears used to the words "takeaway"or take one. It does sum up the brisker pace of life since the city resumed its status as the German capital following the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989. As one more sign of the changing times,one of Berlin's most venerable coffee houses,cafe Einstein,has followed the trend by opening a small chain of coffee shops across the city. Taking coffee,slowly and in decorous surroundings,has been a feature of European coffee houses,particularly in German speaking countries,for decades. For the elderly citzens of Vienna it amounts to a ritual when they gather in coffee houses around the city for a cup of their favovrite drink and a piece of rich,creamy cake. The characteristic of European coffee houses is_. A man bought a new pair of trousers for his primary school mates' reunion dinner. When he tried it out at home, he found that the trousers were too long by 10cm. He asked his mother to help him shorten the pants. His mother said she could not do it as she was not feeling well. So the man asked his wife .His wife said she was very tired that night, so she could not help him. Then the man asked his daughter. His daughter apologized for not able to do it because she had agreed to go dancing with her boyfriend. "Ah well!" The man decided to wear his old trousers to the reunion. Later that night, his mother thought to herself, "My son has been very nice to me. I'll just help him before going to bed." So she shortened the pants by 10cm. Then his wife thought," My husband knows I am always busy and seldom ask me to help him. " So she shortened the man's pants by another 10cm. His daughter came home from dancing, and thought, "Daddy loves me very much. And he is such a cool daddy, allowing me to go out with my boyfriend. I would help him to shorten his pants." So she shortened her daddy's pants yet another 10cm. The next day, three ladies told the man that his pants were shortened. He tried them on and found that his pants had become shorter by 30cm! He laughed heartily, and said, "I must wear this pair of pants to show my schoolmates that my mum, my wife and my daughter are such loving people." At the dinner, his old classmates were very _ of his loving family. What would you do if it happened to you? Laugh out loud or start yelling? Many of us have "High EQ" when dealing with the outsiders, "Low EQ" when dealing with our own family members! Please be more patient with your families! Destiny is lucky enough to find the people who love you so much and bear everything of you. The man laughed heartily because _ .
Lucy Brown teaches English in a junior high school. She loves her students very much, and she works hard. She often tells them some interesting stories in class and her students like her, too. Yesterday, Lucy found some boys always made faces in class. She didn't want them to do that again, so she got all her students together and said, "Boys and girls, when I was young, I liked making faces in class, too. But one day, my grandmother told me not to do that again. She said, 'If you make faces again, you will be ugly when you grow up.' So you shouldn't do that again." Some students thought she was right, but some students didn't. One of the boys put up his hand. "Oh, Tom! What do you want to say?" asked Lucy. The boy stood up and said, "Miss Brown, you must regret listening to your grandmother now." Lucy is _ . Answer: an English teacher Children's books or children's literature is very hard to define and categorize, because there is no set genre for children to enjoy. All in all they can be categorized into six major classes, namely early childhood picture books, traditional literature, fiction, non-fiction, biography and poetry. Children have unique taste and interest. Although Harry Potter may be an all-time favourite for children all over the globe, they prefer funny books to fairy tales when it comes to bedtime. The top three favourite books in bedtime stories are The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and The BFG by Roald Dahl. There are many writers who popularized the children's literature or children's Books through their brilliant works. John Amos Comenius, the author of Orbis Pictus which is considered to be the first picture book specifically for children. Charles Perrault is believed to be the one who laid the foundations of the fairy tales. Perrault's stories include Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and so on. Hans Christian Anderson is best known for his fairy tales, such as The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid, and The Emperor's New Clothes. Many Children's Books have been made into feature films and are equally successful in this medium. Like Alice in Wonderland, the BFG series and the Harry Porter series. These series collected a huge amount of money when released worldwide in cinema halls. All these movies based on popular children's books are not only popular among children but also popular among adult audiences. Children's books are in demand all over the world and more writers and authors are coming up with some new books. The potential market is immense because children are more into reading in this era than previous and they are enjoying it to the fullest. Before going to sleep children like to enjoy _ . Answer: funny books Which of the following is a likely reason for a sinkhole to form? Answer: the removal of underground resources Happiness is for everyone . You don't need to care about those people who have beautiful houses with large gardens and swimming pools or those who have nice cars and a lot of money and so on . Why? Because those who have big houses may often feel lonely .and those who have cars may want to work on the country roads at their free time . In fact , happiness is always around you if you put your heart into it.When you are in trouble at school,your friends will help you;when you study hard at your lessons,your parents are always taking good care of your life and your health;when you get success,your friends will say"Cingratulations"to you;when you do something wrong,people around you will help you to correct it.And when you do something good to others,you notice them,and you can see that happiness is always around you. Happiness is not the same as money.It is a feeling of your heart.When you are poor,you can also say you are happy,because you have something else that can't be bought with money.When you meet with difficulties,you can say loudly you are very happy,because you have more chances to challenge yourself.So you cannot always say you are poor and you have bad luck.As the saying goes,"Life is like a revolving door.When it closes,it also opens."If you take every chance to get, you can be a happy and lucky person. When you do something wrong, _ Answer: people around you will help you Outside our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a seemingly ancient woman waited beside the door with her hand outstretched. Every day I put my hand in hers as our eyes met. She never failed to return my smile, my grasp, and my greeting. On the last day of our visit, I found myself alone on a busy corner across the street from our hotel. Bicycles and motorbikes rushed in front of me. As I hesitated on the sidewalk, I felt a hand on my elbow and looked down to see the smile of my small beggar friend looking up at me. She nodded her head toward the street, indicating that she would take me across. Together, we moved slowly into the chaos. Then we moved on toward the sidewalk, where she pulled my face down to hers, kissed me on both cheeks, and then left, still smiling and waving back to me. Traveling in poorer nations, I have witnessed a variety of ways to deal with beggars. The most common response of tourists faced with the poverty-stricken is to ignore them and focus their eyes elsewhere. I have seen people push away an outstretched hand in angry annoyance. A few may drop a few coins into the hand in a hurry, hoping that other ragged pursuers won't immediately appear on the scene. For many reasons, giving money is not the best response to an outstretched hand. Many world travelers have discovered that the greatest gift they can give is their time and respect. Everyone needs recognition, to be seen as worthy of being known, to feel appreciated and loved. And I believe that everyone is worthy and worth knowing. From the story, what position of the beggars in the author's mind might be? Answer: equal
Question: Which animal is warm blooded? A. salamander B. toad C. parakeet D. tadpole Answer: C. parakeet Question: She took up skating at age 85, made her first movie appearance at age 114, and held a concert in the neighborhood on her 121st birthday. When it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world's recordholder. She lived to the ripe old age of 122. So is 122 the upper limit to the human life span ? If scientists come up with some sort of pill or diet that would slow aging, could we possibly make it to 150-or beyond? Researchers don't entirely agree on the answers. "Calment lived to 122, so it wouldn't surprise me if someone alive today reaches 130 or 135, "says Jerry Shay at the University of Texas. Steve Austad at the University of Texas agrees. "People can live much longer than we think, "he says. "Experts used to say that humans couldn't live past 110. When Calment blew past that age, they raised the number to 120. So why can't we go higher? " The trouble with guessing how old people can live to be is that it's all just guessing. "Anyone can make up a number, "says Rich Miller at the University of Michigan. "Usually the scientist who picks the highest number gets his name in Time magazine. " Won't new anti-aging techniques keep us alive for centuries? Any cure, says Miller, for aging would probably keep most of us kicking until about 120. Researchers are working on treatments that lengthen the life span of mice by 50 percent at most. So, if the average human life span is about 80 years, says Miller, "adding another 50 percent would get you to 120. " So what can we conclude from this little disagreement among the researchers? That life span is flexible , but there is a limit, says George Martin of the University of Washington. "We can get flies to live 50 percent longer, "he says. "But a fly's never going to live 150 years. "Of course, if you became a new species , one that ages at a slower speed, that would be a different story, he adds. Does Martin really believe that humans could evolve their way to longer life? "It's pretty cool to think about, "he says with a smile. Who would agree that a scientist will become famous if he makes the wildest guess at longevity? A. Jerry Shay. B. Steve Austad C. Rich Miller D. George Martin Answer: C. Rich Miller Question: Holidays are really important. Many of us will have childhood memories of summer holidays where we were taken away from home to experience new environments and learn in different ways. But holidays are expensive and, for those on low wages or living on benefits, they are often unobtainable. Even the cheapest holidays require travel and other additional costs that are difficult for many families to meet. For working parents, the long summer break can be a very difficult problem for childcare. When an annual leave allowance amounts to only five weeks, there is a need to spread this across the year. Couples can find themselves taking leave in turn in order to care for children who are on holiday. For some this makes even an affordable family holiday difficult. The schools that I visit in Nottingham are full of experienced staff committed to giving our children a caring and inspiring learning environment. The number of children receiving free school meals is quite large in Nottingham and many schools have breakfast clubs to make sure that children get a healthy start to the day. Most schools undertake programs of group or individual educational support. Schools also have an important role in safeguarding children's welfare through the ongoing touch and support with their pupils. During the long summer holidays, much of this is missed. While teachers are holidaying in the UK, many of their pupils spend the whole six weeks on the street where they live. The lack of free school meals for six weeks can result in pressure on a family budget and an inability to afford the inspiring experiences that help children to continue their learning. In setting out its plans for a five-term year, Nottingham City Council is seeking to reduce the summer holiday down to four and a half weeks, with a more balanced five terms of roughly eight weeks, each followed by a two-week break. We believe this will give real "down time" for school staff and pupils alike but will be short enough not to cause a real break in learning. We acknowledge that this change may be difficult for some school staff, particularly whose own children are educated in other authorities. However, this must be weighed against the benefits for city children for whom we all have the greatest duty of care. Ks5u It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A. working parents can enjoy a five-week break to care for their children B. the suggested plans for a five-term school year can hardly be carried out C. the long summer holiday gives teachers and students real "down time" D. some school staff will say " No" to the plans for a shorter summer holiday Answer: D. some school staff will say " No" to the plans for a shorter summer holiday Question: We all know what a brain is. A doctor will tell you that the brain is the organ of the body in the head. It controls our body's functions, movements, emotions and thoughts. But a brain can mean so much more. A brain can also simply be a smart person, If a person is called brainy, she is smart and intelligent. If a family has many children but one of them is super smart, you could say, "She's the brains in the family. " And if you are the brains behind something you are responsible for developing or organizing something. For example, Bill Gates is the brains behind Microsoft. Brain trust is a group of experts who give advice. Word experts say the phrase"brain trust" became popular when Franklin D. Roosevelt first ran for president in 1932, Several professors gave him advice on social and political issues facing the U. S.These professors were called his "brain trust. " These ways we use the word "brain" all make sense. But other ways we use the word are not so easy to understand. For example, to understand the next brain expression, you first need to know the word"drain." As a verb to drain means to remove something by letting it flow away. So a brain drain may sound like a disease where the brain flows out the ears. But, brain drain is when a country's most educated people leave their countries to live in another. The brains are,sort of,draining out of the country. However,if people are responsible for a great idea,you could say they brainstormed it. Here,brainstorm is not an act of weather. It is a process of thinking creatively about a complex topic. For example, business leaders may use brainstorming to create new products, and government leaders may brainstorm to solve problems. If people are brainwashed, it does not mean their brains are nice and clean. To brainwash means to make someone accept new beliefs by using repeated pressure in a forceful or tricky way. Keep in mind that brainwash is never used in a positive way. According to the text, if you're the CEO of Bai Du you can be called _ . A. the brains behind Bai Du B. Bai Du's brain trust C. the brain drain of Bai Du D. the organ of Bai Du Answer: A. the brains behind Bai Du Question: Frank Lloyd Wright is often called the father of American modern architecture.He designed buildings and homes across the United States for more than 70 years.He created most of his works from 1900 through the 1950s,but his open-living spaces and imaginative designs still appear very modern today. Last week,the United States nominated 10 of his buildings for the UN Educational,Scientific,and Cultural Organization--or UNESCO--the World Heritage List.The World Heritage List recognizes the most,important cultural and natural sites worldwide. The 10 buildings,titled."Key Works of Modern Architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright,"were built between 1906 and 1969.They include several of his personal homes and studios,churches,government buildings,private residences,and one very famous museum--New York City's Guggenheim Museum. The Solomon R.Guggenheim Museum is one of the most visited sites in New York City.About one million people visit it every year.Frank Lloyd Wright worked on it from 1943 to 1959.It was designed to create a new type of space for new types of art.The museum remains an international symbol of modern architecture that represents Wright's unique design. Many of Mr.Wright's modern buildings and homes in the U.S.Midwest have also become symbols of modern American architecture.Richard Longstreth is the president of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy.He calls Mr.Wrisht"the father of modern architecture,fundamentally redefining the nature of form and space during the early 20th century that would have enduring impacts of modern architecture worldwide." The UNESCO World Heritage Committee will announce its decision in mid-2016.If Frank Lloyd Wright's 10 buildings were chosen for the list,they would be the first World Heritage listings for modem U.S.architecture.The World Heritage List already includes 22 other American sites,including the Grand Canyon,Yellowstone National Park and the Statue of Liberty. In which section of the newspaper can you probably find this article? A. News B. Science C. Biography D. Economy Answer: A. News
Question: It's Saturday. Helen has no classes today. She wants to buy a new dress. Her mother is at work, so she is going to the shop with her father. They go there by car. But her father doesn't like going shopping, so Helen goes to the shop and her father sits in the car and waits for her. There are a lot of people in the shop. It is very crowded . Helen looks at the clothes and chooses . Her father waits and waits. About an hour goes by. Helen doesn't come out. Her father is worried about her. "Why does she stay in the shop for so long?" He comes out of the car. Just then, a man comes up to him. "Excuse me. Are you Helen's father?" "Yes." "Helen is waiting for you. She doesn't have enough money." "Oh, I see." Then he goes after the man into the shop. Helen is very happy to see her father. She chooses a nice green dress. After her father pays the money, they go home together. Why does Helen feel happy when she sees father come in? A. Father can pay for the dress. B. She can go home with him. C. She misses him very much. D. She doesn't stay in the shop. Answer: B. She can go home with him. Question: Tom and Mike were good friends. Sometimes they were kind to each other, sometimes they were not. But all of their classmates said they were like brothers. One day they went out for a walk together. At noon they were very hungry and they went into a restaurant to have lunch. The waiter came up to them and asked,"What can I do for you?" "Please bring us two apples first." said Tom. When the waiter put two apples on the table, Mike took the bigger one at once. Tom got angry, "You are impolite,Mike. Why don't you take the smaller one?" Tom said. "But I am right."said Mike with a smile,"if I let you take first, which one will you choose?" "Of course I'11 take the smaller one. "said Tom. "Yes."Mike said,"If you take the smaller one,the bigger one will still be mine. Don't you think so?" "Oh!"Tom couldn't answer. The waiter gave them _ A. two eggs B. two apples C. three oranges D. some milk Answer: B. two apples Question: The computers changed our lives in the 1980s, the Internet changed our lives in the 1990s, and the robots will change our lives in the new century. Do you think there will be robots in people's homes? It's not a dream that every home will have a robot. Now, robots are not only able to help people do the housework, they can also help the doctors do the difficult operations, play chess with people, play the piano and so on. A new cooking robot is used in Beijing. It can cook all the dishes on the menu, you only need to wait two to four minutes, in the future, the robot will be a nurse, a security guard, or a partner in your life. Experts believe robots will be used everywhere from the industrial( ) robots to service robots. In the future, robots will become part of the family, and provide else service for people. We all look forward to the new robot age. Which is the best title of the passage? A. The computers changed our lives B. Robots can cook C. Robots are coming D. Robots will be doctors Answer: C. Robots are coming Question: The Greeks had long kept certain more or less formal relations with the people of Macedonia . The Macedonians from their side had kept themselves well informed about conditions in Greece. Now it happened, just when Sparta and Athens had finished their disastrous war, that Macedonia was ruled by an extraordinarily clever man named Philip. He admired the Greek spirit but he looked down on the Greek lack of self-control in political affairs. It angered him to see a perfectly good people waste its men and money upon fruitless quarrels. So he settled the difficulty by making himself the master of all Greece and then he asked his new subjects to join him on a voyage which he meant to pay to Persia in return for the visit which Xerxes had paid the Greeks 150 years before. Unfortunately Philip was murdered before he could start this well-prepared expedition . The task of avenging the destruction of Athens was left to Philip's son Alexander, the beloved pupil of Aristotle, wisest of all Greek teachers. Alexander left Europe in the spring of 334 BC. Seven years later he reached India. In the meantime he had destroyed Phoenicia(,), the old rival of the Greek merchants. He had conquered Egypt and had been worshipped by the people of the Nile valley as the son and heir of the Pharaohs . He had defeated the last Persian king -- he had overthrown the Persian Empire, he had given orders to rebuild Babylon -- he had led his troops into the heart of the Himalayan mountains and had made the entire world a Macedonian province and dependency. Then he stopped and announced even more ambitious plans. The newly formed Empire must be brought under the influence of the Greek mind. The people must be taught the Greek language -- they must live in cities built after a Greek model. The Alexandrian soldier now turned school-master. The military camps of yesterday became the peaceful centres of the newly imported Greek civilisation. Higher and higher did the flood of Greek manners and Greek customs rise, when suddenly Alexander was stricken with a fever and died in the old palace of King Hammurabi of Babylon in the year 323BC. His Empire did not long survive him. A number of ambitious generals divided the territory among themselves. But they too remained faithful to the dream of a great world brotherhood of Greek and Asiatic ideas and knowledge. They maintained their independence until the Romans came. We can guess that Alexander's most ambitious plan after 327 BC was_. A. to bring the newly formed Empire under the Greek influence B. to distribute the territory among the generals C. to turn the soldiers into school teachers D. to build prosperous cities for Greeks Answer: A. to bring the newly formed Empire under the Greek influence Question: I am an e-mail user.When I first started to use the e-mail system. I used to read all my e-mail.I didn't have much mail.1 was very excited about receiving any e-mail.I gave my friends my e-mail address.Soon I had more mail than 1 wanted.Some of the mail was junk mail.1 was worried.I didn't want my mail to control me. I've tried some methods to help me get control of my mail.First,I check my mail at the same time every day.Also I try to allow myself only 15-20 minutes every day to process my e-mail.This doesn't always work,but I try.Sometimes I save the messages.Sometimes I just read them,maybe answer a few,and then delete them.Sometimes I'm not at all interested in a message,so I don't even open it.I delete it right away.This is very much the way I go through the mail that the postal service delivers to my home. These methods are very simple.I have some friends who are very clever with computers.From time to time, _ teach me new tricks for managing my e-mail.I've also learned to transfer some messages to a disk so they don't fill up my mail files .Then I can read them later and maybe use them in my work.I'm still amazed at what e-mail can do for me! I'm still worried,however,about having too much to read. Which of the following does NOT belong to the ways of the writer's dealing with his mail? A. Saving the message B. Just reading more C. Deleting some D. Passing some into friends Answer: D. Passing some into friends
Nuclear power's danger to health, safety, and even life itself can be described in one word; radiation . Nuclear radiation has a certain mystery about it, partly because it cannot be detected by human senses. It can't be seen or heard, or touched or tasted, even though it may be all around us. There are other things like that. For example, radio waves are all around us but we can't detect them, sense them, without a radio receiver. Similarly, we can't sense radioactivity without a radiation detector. But unlike common radio waves, nuclear radiation is not harmless to human beings and other living things. At very high levels, radiation can kill an animal or human being completely by killing masses of cells in important organs . But even the lowest levels can do serious damage. There is no level of radiation that is completely safe. If the radiation does not hit anything important, the damage may not be significant. This is the case when only a few cells are hit, and if they are killed completely. Your body will replace the dead cells with healthy ones. But if the few cells are only damaged, and if they reproduce themselves, you may be in trouble. They reproduce themselves in an unusual way. They can grow into cancer. Sometimes this does not show up for many years. This is another reason for some of the mystery about nuclear radiation. Serious damage can be done without the knowledge of the person at the time that damage has occurred. A person can be irradiated and feel fine, then die of cancer five, ten, or twenty years later as a result. Or a child can be born weak or easy to get serious illness as a result of radiation absorbed by its grandparents. Radiation can hurt us. We must know the truth. Which of the following can be best inferred from the passage? Answer: From Avatar to Lord of the Rings, plants are no strangers to playing big movie roles. However, no one has ever shot a film that plants themselves can watch until now. In a New York art gallery, seven house plants have spent the last seven weeks watching Strange Skies, the first travel documentary for a vegetable audience. All the plants sat in the cinema in rows, enjoying themselves in Italian sunshine. The movie was made by American artist Jonathon Keats. It consists of Italian skies recorded over two months and made into a six-minute-long movie. The film shows the clear dawn , high clouds, amazing dusk and then beautiful night. The movie has no sound and the plants, of course, do not applaud. But Stephen Squibb, a professor from Harvard University, said these plants could benefit from it--the light of the movie keeps them alive because they can continue the process of turning light into energy. "I realized there was a much larger audience--plants--that were not being serviced, "Keats said. "I wanted to provide plants with entertainment that companies such as Disney provide for humans. "Meanwhile, Keats also wants to explore plants' sensibilities further. He plans to open a"restaurant for plants"at a Californian museum. One visitor, photographer Abbas Ebrahimi, admired the green audience, "Plants are better than us. We die and go, while in spring they come back each time. "But when talking about the movie, he said after thinking for a few minutes, "It doesn't mean anything to me at all. It's just about light. For some people, it might mean something. " It can be learned that Strange Skies _ . Answer: QQ is one of the most popular chat tools among teenagers .We regard it as an important chat tool in our daily life because it has some advantages . First, we can make lots of e-friends on QQ.It is easy to find the person who has the same interest as us ,and we can talk with him or her happily .Second ,we can also join a QQ group to find the information we need .For example ,if we want to learn English well ,we can choose a group with many English lovers in it .Third ,we can also play games with our friends on QQ and always have fun . QQ brings us a lot of benefits ,but it can also cause some problems .It's dangerous to tell strangers on QQ our real personal information like telephone numbers , addresses and ID numbers .If we spend too much time chatting online ,it won't be good for our study and health . Sometimes QQ may bring us some _ if we don't use it well . Answer: October 15th2008 is the first Global Handwashing Day, whose goal is to create a culture of hand washing with soap. Activities are planned in more than twenty countries to get millions of people in the developing world to wash their hands with soap. 150,000 bars of soap were given to schools in prefix = st1 /Ethiopia, where the Education Ministry asked 1,000,000 schoolchildren to wash their hands for _ . Experts say people around the world wash their hands but very few use soap at critical moments such as after using the toilet, after cleaning a baby and before touching food. The organizers say all soaps are equally effective at removing disease-causing germs . They say the correct way to wash is to wet your hands with a small amount of water and cover them with soap. Rub it into all areas, including under the fingernails. Rub for at least 20 seconds. Then, wash your hands well under running water. Finally, dry your hands with a clean cloth or wave them in the air. They say soap is important because it increases the time that people spend washing. Soap also helps to break up the grease and dirt that hold most of the germs. And it usually leaves a pleasant smell, which encourages people to wash again. They say washing with soap before eating and after using the toilet could save more lives than any vaccine or medicine. It could help reduce cases of diarrhea by almost half. And it could reduce deaths from pneumonia and other breathing infections by one-fourth. Diarrhea is the second leading cause of child deaths, killing more than 1,500,000 children a year. Pneumonia is the leading cause, killing about 2,000,000 children under five each year. Hand washing can also prevent the spread of other diseases. When people get germs on their hands, they can infect themselves by touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Then they can infect others. What can we learn from the text? Answer: Two men were sitting together in a plane. They were on a long journey. One of the men was a businessman. The other was a farmer. They sat without talking for a while, then the farmer said,"Let's do something to pass the time." "What do you want to do?" the businessman asked. "We can ask each other riddles." The farmer said,"You start.""Let's make the rules first," the businessman said. "That's not fair. You are a businessman with much knowledge. You know more things than I do. I am just a farmer." "That's true." The businessman said. "What do you want we should do?" "If you don't know the answer to a riddle, you pay me $100. And if I don't know the answer, I'll pay you $50." The farmer said. The businessman thought about this, then he said, "OK. That's fair. Who will go first?" "I will," The farmer said. "Here is my riddle. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?" The business man repeated the riddle, "What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies? Mm, that's a good one. I'm afraid I don't know the answer." He gave the farmer $100, then said, "Tell me the answer. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?""I don't know." The farmer said and gave him $50. Which of the following is NOT true? Answer:
Question: Alex Wood began fundraising when he was four years old. He sold lemonade and cookies to raise money for a school in Haiti. Later, Alex sent 15 bags of food he collected from his neighbors to a food store near his home which asked for donations . Alex wanted to help more people. He decided to donate to Heifer International, an organization that gives farm animals and farm training to poor people around the world. His goal: $5,000 for a "gift ark". That amount would mean that 15 pairs of animals would be given to people in need. Those families would agree to give one of their animals' young to other needy families. Alex decided that baking was the best way to raise money. He started a business, named it Clean Hands Bakery, and now sells his baked goods year round. In his family's kitchen, he created all kinds of cookies and cakes. He says his top sellers are lemon pound cakes and chocolate cupcakes. Alex likes the baking as much as the fundraising. "I like it that you can take so many ingredients that don't taste good on their own and come up with something amazing," he says. In September 2011, Alex reached his goal of $5,000 and bought a gift ark. "I feel absolutely overjoyed that I got to my goal," he says. "I can't help everybody by myself, but I can do my part, which I hope will inspire other people to do their part, too." One of the people Alex has already inspired is his younger brother. "He had people donate to me, instead of giving him a birthday present." Alex explains. "In the end he donated $200 toward my goal." So now that he's met his goal of a gift ark, will Alex keep baking and fundraising? He says yes. He wants to end world hunger, one cupcake at a time. According to the passage, Clean Hands Bakery _ . A. was set up in September 2011 B. uses many unusual ingredients C. belongs to Heifer International D. sells food cooked by Alex himself Answer: D Question: The cash machine is 47 years old, but where was the birthplace of this world-beating invention? New York? Tokyo? No. The first ever cash machine was born in Enfield Town, north London. It was a Scottish inventor, John shepherd Barron, who realized the concept of a self-service machine that could be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to withdraw cash from one's own bank account. _ struck the inventor while he was in the bath. He hit upon the idea of a chocolate bar dispenser, replacing chocolate with cash. On September 2 in 1969, America's first automatic teller machine (ATM) appeared in public, giving out cash to customers at Chemical Bank, New York. It was only able to give out cash, but in 1971, an ATM that could handle many functions, including depositing money, was introduced. Today there are over one million ATMs around the world, with a new one added every five minutes. It is reported that Americans over the age of 18 use their ATM card six to eight times a mouth. Not surprisingly, ATMs get their busiest workouts on Fridays. In the 1990s, banks began charging fees to use ATMs, a profitable move for them and an annoying one for consumers. Consumers were also faced with an increase in ATM crimes. Robbers preyed on people using money machines in poorly lit or otherwise unsafe locations, and criminals also thought up ways to steal customers' PINs (personal identification numbers), even setting up fake money machines to capture the information. In response, city and state governments passed laws such as New York's ATM Safety Act in 1996, which required banks to install such things as surveillance cameras , reflective mirrors and locked entryways for their ATMs. Which of the following might be the best title for the text? A. How to Operate on an ATM B. What is Waiting for ATMs in the Future? C. The First ATM Opened for Business D. The Unknown Truth about ATM Answer: D Question: I needed to get some money so, after Christmas, I took a job in the clothes department at Graham's for the first fortnight of the January sale.I can't say that I enjoyed it, but it was an experience I'll never forget. I could never understand why there were so many things in the sales, where did they all come from? Now I know the secret! Firstly, there is the special winter stock and the stock that people buy all the year round; some of these things are slightly reduced.Secondly, there are the summer clothes they couldn't sell last year; these are heavily reduced to clear them.Thirdly, there are cheap clothes bought in specially for the sales; these are put out at high prices ten days before the sale begins and then are reduced by 60% in the sale.Clever! Lastly, they buy in "seconds"(clothes not in perfect condition) for the sale and they are sold very cheaply. When I arrived half an hour before opening on the first day of the sale, there was already a queue around three sides of the building.This made me very nervous. When the big moment arrived to open the doors, the security guards looking less confident than usual, came up to them, keys in hand.The moment they had unlocked the doors, they hid behind the doors for protection as the noisy crowd charged in.I couldn't believe my eyes; this wasn't shopping, it was a battlefield! One poor lady couldn't keep her feet and was knocked over by people pushing from behind. Clothes were flying in all directions as people searched for the sizes, colours and styles they wanted.Quarrels broke out.Mothers were using their small children to crawl through people's legs and get hold of things they couldn't get near themselves. Within minutes I had half a dozen people pushing clothes under my nose; each wanting to be the first served.Where had the famous English queue gone? The whole day continued like that, but I kept my temper81 was taking money hand over fist and began to realize why twice a year, Graham's were happy to turn their expensive store into a battlefield like this. In the sale fever; people were spending money like water without thinking whether they needed what they were buying.As long as it was a bargain it was OK.You won't believe this.But as soon as I got home I crashed out for four hours.Then I had dinner and went back to bed, fearing the sound of the alarm which would tell me to get ready for the second day of the sale. Which of the following statements is true? A. The customers gave up the queuing, for which the English are famous. B. The customers kept their temper while looking for clothes they wanted. C. Small children enjoyed crawling though people's legs. D. The security guards were fearless of the crowd. Answer: A Question: This is a teacher's family . The father's name is Lake Smith . He's forty - four . The mother's name is Kate Smith . She's forty - two . The Smiths have a son , Jim , and a daughter , Ann . Jim is fourteen , and Ann is twelve . The son looks like his father , and the daughter looks like her mother . They are all in No.4 Middle School here . But the Smiths are teachers ; the son and daughter are students . --Is Kate Smith a teacher ? -- _ . A. Yes , she is B. Yes , he is C. No , she isn't D. No , he isn't Answer: A Question: What can perform photosynthesis? A. animals B. people C. water D. shrubs Answer: D

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.