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Science, as we think, was born when the Greek philosopher ( ) Thales ( about 640-546 B.C.) asked a difficult question: What makes up our universe? No one had a ready answer, so Thales went on studying the earth around him, the sky and the stars. He saw so much water on earth and so much water falling from the sky as rain that he decided water must be the basic substance ( ) of the universe. Other Greek thinkers became interested in this question. They suggested other answers. One said that because air lies around the earth, it must be air that makes up all things. Another said that fire, appearing in different forms, was the building block of the universe. The Greek philosophers were feeling their way towards the ideas on which chemistry is based. Centuries later, scientists proved that the universe is made up of certain basic substances. But the list is much more _ than the Greeks realized. We now know of 103 basic substances which we call " elements ( )". After reading the passage, we can be sure that _ . A. nothing ever changes in the universe B. Thales decided that the basic substance of the universe was air C. the universe is made up of four different substances D. the early Greek thinkers did much valuable work for the progress of science Answer: D Once there lived an old man in a mountain village. He was a famous hunter. He often went hunting alone in the mountains. He was not afraid of any wild animals, not even a tiger. One night, someone saw a tiger come into the village, and stole two sheep away. The next night the tiger came again. The villagers were frightened. They asked the old hunter to catch it so that they could have a safe life. When the old man heard about the tiger, he thought hard. He wondered why the tiger came at night twice but only stole the sheep. The next night he walked outside the village. Suddenly he saw the tiger coming. He quickly threw himself on the ground. To his surprise, the tiger did not come at him, but went away. He followed it quietly and found it was running on two of its feet just like a man. Then everything was clear. On the fourth day, when it got dark, the hunter took some animal skins with him and hid himself behind a big tree near the village. He was waiting for the "tiger". As soon as the "tiger" came near the tree, the old hunter jumped out, caught the "tiger" by the "leg" and said, "Don't be afraid. I do not mean to hurt you. You know who I am, don't you?" The "tiger" said "Yes" and took off the tiger's skin. "You are poor. But you mustn't steal anything from others. Here are some animal skins for you. You may sell them at the market. With the money, you can buy food and clothes for your family. Work harder and try to make a living. " With tears in his eyes, the poor man thanked the kind-hearted old hunter and walked home. How many times did the tiger come into the village? A. Only once. B. Twice. C. Three times. D. Four times. Answer: B PITTSBURGH - For most people, snakes seem unpleasant or even threatening. But Howie Choset sees in their delicate movements a way to save lives. The 37-year-old Carnegie Mellon University professor has spent years developing snake-like robots he hopes will eventually slide through fallen buildings in search of victims trapped after natural disasters or other emergencies. Dan Kara is president of Robotics Trends, a Northboro, Mass.-based company that publishes an online industry magazine and runs robotics trade shows. He said there are other snake-like robots being developed, mainly at universities, but didn't know of one that could climb pipes. The Carnegie Mellon machines are designed to carry cameras and electronic sensors and can be controlled with a joystick . They move smoothly with the help of small electric motors, or servos, commonly used by hobbyists in model airplanes. Built from lightweight materials, the robots are about the size of a human arm or smaller. They can sense which way is up, but are only as good as their human operators, Choset added. Sam Stover, a search term manager with the Federal Emergency Management Agency based in Indiana, said snake-type robots would offer greater mobility than equipment currently available, such as cameras attached to extendable roles. "It just allows us to do something we've not been able to do before," Stover said, "We needed them yesterday." He said snifter dogs are still the best search tool for rescue workers, but that they can only be used effectively when workers have access to damaged building. Stover, among the rescue workers who handled the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, said snake robots would have helped rescuers search flooded houses in that disaster. Choset said the robots may not be ready for use for another five to ten years, depending on funding. Choset believes that his invention _ . A. can be attached to an electronic arm B. can be used by hobbyists in model airplanes C. can find victims more quickly than a snifter dog D. can sense its way no better than its operators Answer: D Life is like the four seasons. Now I am very old, but when I was young, it was the spring of my life. After I was born, I played a lot, and then I started school. I learned many new things. Like a flower, I grew bigger every day. There were happy days and _ ldays: some days the sun shone, and some days it didn't. In my twenties, I had a good job. I was strong and happy. Then I married and had a child. In those days, I didn't have much time to think. Every day I was busy and worked very hard. And so, I started to get some white hairs. The summer of my life passed quickly. Then the days got shorter. Leaves fell from the trees. My child was a university student, and then an engineer. My home was much quieter. I started walking more slowly. One day I stopped working. I had more time. I understood this was my autumn, a beautiful time when the trees change color and give us delicious fruits. But the days kept getting shorter and colder. Winter has come. I am older and weaker. I know I do not have many days left, but I will enjoy them to the end. What does the word "sorrowful" in the first part mean in this passage? A. Sad. B. Exciting. C. Wonderful. D. Pleasant. Answer: A We all dream about things that we would like to do and things we hope to achieve in the future. But are everybody's dreams the same? Here are some of the findings of a survey about hopes and dreams,and thousands of students across China took part in it. _ We received several different answers to the question:What would you like to do after finishing your education? It seems some students would like to start work as soon as possible, so that they can help provide better lives for their parents. Other students hope to continue studying after finishing school and to go to university. Although money is important, many teenagers said they want to do jobs they enjoy. According to the survey, the most popular choice of job is computer programming. _ Teenagers have all kinds of dreams. Some are more realistic than others. For example, many students said they would like to be volunteers if Beijing could hold the World Cup, maybe working as translators or tour guides. And quite a few said they dream of going to the moon one day. According to the survey, less realistic dreams are also common, but many students reported that they were willing to work hard to achieve their dreams. Quite a few dream of becoming famous, perhaps famous sports people or singers. Some said they'd like to go on exciting trips; one student said she'd love to sail across the Pacific Ocean. And then there are dreams that are impossible; three students said they'd like to be able to fly! _ It was clear from the survey that teenagers have similar hopes. It seems that most students hope to have a good education and find a good job. Besides,students dream of very different things:good things, and even crazy things. It is very important to dream, so hold on your dreams; one day they may just come true. What's the writer's opinion of dreams? A. Give up impossible dreams. B. Common dreams are not so good. C. Teenagers should have realistic dreams. D. Dreams are important and try to make them come true. Answer: D
I never thought I would have a life-changing experience at Wal-Mart. Although my thoughts were only on speed, the checkout line I was standing in wasn't moving as quickly as I wanted, and I glanced toward the cashier. There stood a man in his seventies, wearing glasses and a nice smile. I thought, well, he's an old guy! For the next few minutes I watched him. He greeted every customer before scanning the items. Sure, his words were the usual, "How's it going?" But he did something different--he actually listened to people. Then he would respond to what they had said and engage them in brief conversation. I thought it was odd. I has grown accustomed to people asking me how I was doing simply out of robotic conversational habit. After a while, you don't give any thought to the question and just mumble something back. I could say, "I just found out I have six months to live," and someone would reply, "Have a great day!" But that wasn't the end. He gave them the change, walked around the counter, and extended his right hand in an act of friendship. He looked the customers in the eyes. "I sure want to thank you for shopping here today," he told them. "You have a great day. Bye-bye." The looks on the faces of the customers were priceless. There were smiles and some sheepish grins. All had been touched by his simple gesture--and in a place they never expected. They would gather their things and walk out, smiling. Of course, he did the same to me and I got to know his name--Marty. Who was that guy? It was as if Sam Walton had come back from the dead and invaded this old guy's body. I had never walked away from that shop feeling like that. What can we infer about Sam Walton? Do you get angry when your friends sing loudly while you are trying to work, or when your best friend does not wait for you after school? If you do, you need to take control of your feelings and stop getting angry so easily. Getting angry with people can cause you to lose friends. Gray Gerber, an American high school teacher, has written My Feelings Are Like Wild Animals to help you control your feelings. It tells teens how to stay cool when bad things happen to them. The book says that getting angry only makes problems worse. It can never make them better. Getting angry is not a natural way to act, the book says. It is just a bad habit, like smoking. The book says you can control your anger easily. All you have to do is tell yourself not to be angry. When a baby falls over, he only cries if people are watching him. Like a baby, you should only get angry if you are sure it is the right thing to do. The book gives many tips to help you if you get angry easily. Here are our tips: (1)Keep a record. Every time you get angry, write down why you are angry. (2)Ask your friends to stop talking to you when you get angry. This will teach you not to be angry. (3)Do something different. When you get angry, walk away from the problem and go somewhere else. Try to laugh. Where does Gray Gerber come from? There once was a girl named Erin who had a really close friend named Kevin. They really liked being with each other, only it was difficult as Erin lived in England and Kevin lived in the United States. Because they both liked traveling and Erin wanted to see Kevin, she planned a trip to see him in the United States one summer. They had planned to travel around where Kevin lived and then go to see New York City at one point in order to see the sights and have a really nice steak dinner together. Once Erin arrived and met Kevin at the airport, she ran up to him and jumped into his arms, giving him a great big hug. They drove home where Kevin helped Erin organize her things before they changed and watched a movie together. The next day, they went out to have breakfast at the diner. They thought about getting eggs, French toast, or cereal... but couldn't make up their minds. Finally, Kevin asked the worker to bring out pancakes for the two of them to share. They had a really fun time together, visiting the beach, watching movies, and even visiting New York City like they had planned. In the morning, they went to see the Empire State building. In the afternoon, they saw the Statue of Liberty and Central Park. At night, they went to have their dinner and went back to their hotel. As Erin's trip was ending, Erin became really sad about leaving Kevin. They talked and came up with a plan for the months ahead which made Erin feel a lot better. Erin then went home and waited for Kyle to come to see her. Where did Erin live? Our society reports many negative messages about bicycling in traffic. Bicycling in traffic is considered by many to be reckless and sometimes rude. The most common advice given to cyclists is to avoid busy roads that provide convenient access to important places, which means they should only go to unpopular destinations on undesirable and inconvenient roads. Another popular idea is that cyclists should stay as close to the edge of the road as possible in order to stay out of the way of cars. Getting in the way of cars is considered to be an invitation to death, because car drivers are often expected to run into anything that is slower or more vulnerable. Going together with motor traffic used to be regarded as a nice idea for cyclists, but today it is thought to be suicide. Roads are believed to be designed for cars and not for bicycles. Inferior bicycles may hold that they have the right to use the road, but they had better stay out of the way of superior users or they will be "dead right". As a result of these "common-sense" beliefs, bike safety programs developed by motoring organizations and "pedestrian-style" cyclists during the 20th century attempted to teach cyclists to provide a clear path to motorists at all times by hugging the edge of the road, riding on sidewalks so cyclists can see when to get out of the way. Some towns tried to prohibit bicyclists from operating on important roads or roads without shoulders. Engineering projects designed for bicycle safety have involved construction of side paths to get cyclists off roads and bike lanes to keep cyclists out of the way of motorists. The benefit of these efforts is to protect cyclists from collisions from behind, which are widely believed to be the greatest danger to cyclists and caused by cyclists' failure to keep up with the desired speed of motor traffic. This is the taboo that harms the bicycle transportation policy: that bicyclists must be kept out of the paths of motorists or they will surely be killed. Why do many people do not agree that people should ride bicycles on roads? Scientist Florence Wambugu works with farmers in Kenya, a country in East Africa. She helps them grow bigger and better crops. Wambugu is especially interested in finding simple ways to produce more food. In the past ten years, Wambugu has spent much of her time studying sweet potatoes, which are an important food in her part of Kenya. A virus kept attacking the plants. It stopped the sweet potatoes from growing well. Because of the virus, some farmers lost three quarters of their crops. Wambugu went to war against the virus. Her research for a way to save the sweet potatoes led to a lab in St. Louis, Missouri. The lab mainly works on genes , the chemical "computer programs" found in the cells of living things. Genes tell a plant to produce pink flowers or an animal to grow black hair. Now scientists have found ways to move genes from one living thing to another. That process is called genetic engineering. Wambugu spent three years in the lab. As a result, she created a sweet potato plant that could fight off the virus. Wambugu tested her research in Kenya, and her plants produced wonderful sweet potatoes. That's just the beginning, Wambugu believes. Genetically modified foods, she thinks, could help farmers in poor countries grow badly needed crops, thus, fewer people will go hungry. What caused Wambugu to set up a lab in St. Louis, Missouri?
Which of these might use plants for an energy source Answer: station wagon which of these would be easiest to measure in volume terms? Answer: a freshly made wine "Life is speeding up. Everyone is getting unwell." This may sound like something someone would say today. But in fact, an unknown person who lived in Rome in AD 53 wrote it. We all love new inventions. They are exciting, amazing and can even change our lives. But have all these developments really improved the quality of our lives? Picture this. You're rushing to finish your homework on the computer. Your mobile phone rings, a QQ message from your friend appears on the screen, the noise from the television is getting louder and louder. Suddenly the computer goes blank and you lose all your work. Now you have to stay up all night to get it done. How happy do you feel? Inventions have speeded up our lives so much that they often leave up feeling stressed and tired. Why do you think people who live far away from noisy cities, who have no telephones, no cars, not even any electricity often seem to be happier? Perhaps because they live simpler lives. One family in the UK went "back in time" to see what life was like without all the inventions we have today. The grandparents, with their daughter, and grandsons Benjamin, 10 and Thomas, 7, spent nine weeks in a 1940s house. They had no washing machine, microwave , computer or mobile phones. The grandmother, Lyn, said, "The more things you have, the more difficult life becomes." The boys said they fought less. Probably, they said, because there was less to fight over, such as their computer. Benjamin also noticed that his grandmother had changed from being a "trendy , beer-drinking granny", to one who cooked things. The passage is mainly about _ . Answer: problems with technology Dozens of school districts around the country have been looking at these studies and are considering ways to adjust their class schedules. Eric Peterson is head of St. George's School, a private boarding school for grades 9-12 in the northeastern state of Rhode Island. After looking at the medical research on adolescent sleep needs and observing students in his own school, Peterson consulted with Dr. Judy Owen, a famous pediatrician and sleep expert. Armed with what he considered to be convincing data, Peterson decided to change his school's start time from 8:00 am to 8:30 am on a trial basis to see if a 30-minute change would make a difference. He was surprised by the results. "What was really astonishing was how many benefits and how significant the benefits were," he says. "In the research itself, we saw just over a 50 percent decrease in health-center admissions for fatigue, or fatigue-related illness, or rest requests. We saw almost a 35 percent decrease in first-period lateness. Students reported that they were more attentive. They were less sleepy during the day." And, according to Dr. Patricia Moss, assistant dean for Academic Affairs at St. George's School, students weren't the only ones reporting better results in the classroom. She says virtually all the teachers almost immediately noticed much more concentrated in the classroom, and there was definitely a more positive mood all around. "Kids were happier to be there at 8:30 than they were at 8:00," she says. "So our experience across the total spectrum was, universally, extremely positive and surprisingly so." Headmaster Peterson says there was another unexpected area of change when the school changed its start time. "We saw probably a greater than 30 percent increase in student attendance at breakfast, and of the food that they were eating. We ate more than doubled the amount of milk, eggs, fruit and cereal. So it was quality breakfast foods that the kids were eating. So they were better fueled as well as better rested." Ross and Peterson acknowledge that making schedule changes has been easier at a small, private boarding school than it might be for the larger U.S. public school system. But they are hopeful that others will find a way. "In the end," says Peterson, "schools ought to do what's the right thing for their students, first and foremost, and this element of the program is very clear--certain for us as a school--but I think as a general example to other schools, is pretty convincing, and so I would argue that it's worth doing." From the passage we may infer _ . Answer: more schools are likely to adjust their class schedules Idioms are phrases and sentences that do not mean exactly what they say. Even if you know the meaning of each word you see or hear, you may not understand the idiom because you don't understand the culture behind it. For example, if an American boy asks his mother what's for dinner tomorrow, she may say "I'll play it by ear", that means she doesn't have plans for dinner and she will decide later. "Play by ear" used to mean playing music using the sheet music, but now people often use it when they're not talking about music. There're many idioms in English. If you learn to use them, your English will be more vivid and colorful. English idioms are more common in spoken English. They can be difficult to remember sometimes. Next time when you hear somebody saying to you, "Give me a hand", you don't necessarily stretch out your hand to him/her, but you do need to be helpful. And when the situation is out of hand, you usually can do very little to manage all that. What about a green hand? It's not about the color of your hand! You're a green hand when you are very new at your work and don't have much experience. If you and your partner always work together hand in glove, you two definitely work together very well. Can you guess the meanings of some common English idioms to do with parts of your body? An idiom is _ . Answer: a phrase or a sentence that doesn't mean exactly what every word says
Do you want to do well in exams? Sometimes your knowledge is not enough, you also need good strategies. Here are some for you: Before you answer the questions, if you feel a little nervous, take a few deep breaths to help you relax. Always read the question carefully and make sure that you understand it. Read it a few times if possible. Find out how much each question is worth or how many points you need. If it asks to give one answer, only write one. If there is a difficult question, don't worry. Go on to the next question and come back to it if you have time later. Try not to leave questions unanswered when you finish the test. Sometimes a guess may get your points. When you finish, go back and check your answers. You will need to check your writing or spelling mistakes. When we finish answering all the questions, we need to _ . check spelling mistakes Sleep is like food for the brain. Enough sleep helps the body and the brain grow and develop. However,many Chinese do not sleep well,and many do not pay enough attention to sleep. The Chinese Medical Doctor Association released the 2013 China Sleep Quality Index on March 19 to mark World Sleep Day---March 21. According to the index,nearly a quarter of Chinese people don't sleep well.Half said that they feel tired after getting up and 15 percent people have trouble falling asleep. Ye Jingying,a sleep expert at Beijing Tongren hospital,says:"If people often wake up during the night,or always feel weak and tired in the day,they should pay attention to their sleep pattern." Many people play with their cell phones or i pads before sleeping.The report said that this is one of the main reasons for bad sleep.Other reasons include stress and bad moods. How to sleep well? Above all,get enough sleep.Seven to nine hours of sleep every night is perfect for an adult,and eight to nine hours is best for a teenager. Forming good sleep habits is important.The report suggested that people need to keep away from digital devices for at least an hour before sleep. The lights keep their brains excited for a long while.Other suggestions include:try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day,even on weekends and during holidays,and do the same relaxing things before bed each night,like listening to soft music. According to the passage,World Sleep Day falls on _ . March 21 Life is filled with challenges. As we get older, we come to realize that those challenges are the very things that shape us and make us who we are. It is the same with the challenges that come with friendship. When we are faced with a challenge, we usually have two choices. We can try to beat it off, or we can decide that the thing presenting the challenge isn't worth the trouble and call it quits. Although there are certainly times when calling it quits is the right thing to do, in most cases all that is needed is commitment and communication. When we are committed to something, it means that no matter how painful or how uncomfortable something is, we will always choose to face it through instead of running away from it. Communication is making a space for discussion and talking about how you feel as opposed to just saying what the other person did wrong. If you can say to a friend, "I got my feelings hurt", rather than "You hurt my feelings", you are going to be able to solve the problem much faster. In dealing with many challenges that friendship will bring to you, try to see them for what they are: small hurdles you need to jump or get through on your way through life. Nothing is so big that it is impossible to get over, and hurt only serves to make us stronger. It is all part of growing up, it happens to everyone, and some day you will look back on all of this and say, "Hard as it was, it made me who I am today. And that is a good thing." If your friend hurts your feelings, you are advised to _ . start a proper conversation I don't often lose things and I'm always careful with money, so I was quite surprised when I reached for my wallet and it wasn't there. At first, I thought it was possible that I could have left it at home. Then I remembered taking it out to pay the taxi, so I knew I had it with me just before I walked into the restaurant. I wondered if it was possible that it could have dropped out of my pocket while I was eating dinner. I turned and walked back to the table where I had been sitting. Unluckily, there were several people sitting at the table at that time, so I had the waiter go over to the table to see if my wallet was on the floor. While the waiter was looking for it, the head of the restaurant came up to me and asked me if anything was wrong. I told him what had happened. He asked me to report the missing wallet to the police. I told him I didn't want to do so; I was in a hurry because I had to reach my waiting room before two o'clock, where some people were waiting to see me. I also told him that my biggest worry at the moment was how I was going to pay for the meal. He told me not to worry about that. He asked me to write down my name and address, and he said he would send me a bill . Why do you think the writer turned and walked back to the table? He wondered if he had dropped his wallet while eating. In 1982 Steven Callahan was crossing the Atlantic alone in his sailboat when it struck something and sank. He was out of the shipping lanes and floating in a life raft, alone. His supplies were few. His chances were small. Yet when three fishermen found him seventy-six days later, he was alive. His account of how he survived is fascinating. But the thing that caught my eye was how he managed to keep himself going when all hope seemed lost. Giving up would have seemed the only wise option. When people survive these kinds of circumstances, they do something with their minds that gives them the courage to keep going. Many people in similarly desperate circumstances give in or go mad. "I tell myself I can handle it," wrote Callahan. "Compared to what others have been through, I'm fortunate. I tell myself these things over and over, building up fortitude...." It struck me as something important. And I've told myself the same thing when my own goals seemed far off or when my problems seemed too overwhelming. And every time I've said it, I have always come back to my senses. The truth is, our circumstances are only bad compared to something better. But others have been through much worse. So here, coming to us from the extreme edge of survival, are words that can give us strength. Whatever you're going through, tell yourself you can handle it. Tell this to yourself over and over, and it will help you get through the rough spots. Which would be the best title? An important lesson-Perseverance
Scientists think it will be possible to record people's dreams and then interpret them, according to a new report. They claim to have developed a system which allows them to record higher level brain activity. Dr Moran Cerf told the journal Nature: "We would like to read people's dreams." Previously the only way to access people's dreams is for psychologists to ask about them after the event and try to interpret them. Dr Cerf hopes to eventually compare people's memories of their dreams with an electronic visualization of their brain activity. He told the BBC: "There's no clear answer as to why humans dream. And one of the questions we would like to answer is when do we actually create this dream?" The scientist believes his latest research shows that certain neurons or individual brain cells are linked with specific objects or concepts . He found that a particular neuron lit up when a volunteer thought about Marilyn Monroe. If a database was built up identifying various neurons with concepts, objects and people it would allow them to "read the subject's minds", according to Dr Cerf. However, Dr Roderick Oner, a clinical psychologist and dream expert, said that this kind of visualization would be of limited help when it came to interpreting the "complex dream narrative ". In addition to getting a detailed picture of individual neurons subjects had to have electrodes implanted deep in the brain using surgery. The Nature researchers used data from patients who had electrodes implanted to monitor and treat them for brain seizures . However, Dr Cerf said he hoped that it would be possible at a later stage to monitor people without invasive surgery .He said it would be "wonderful" to be able to read the minds of coma patients who are unable to communicate. Which of the following is right? A. We have known the answer to why humans dream. B. We can use the visualization to interpret complex dreams. C. If we can read the minds of unconscious patients, it will be wonderful. D. Now we can compare people's memories of their dreams with an electronic visualization of their brain activity. Answer: C NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spendall their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences in nightmares. Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce, or possibly erase the effect of painful memories. In November, experts tested a drug on people in the prefix = st1 /USandFrance. The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased. The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it. Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories. "Some memories can ruin people's lives. They come back to you when you don't want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions," said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatryat Harvard Medical School. : "This could relieve a lot of that suffering." But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity . They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past. "All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. I'm not sure we want to wipe those memories out," said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist The passage is mainly about_. A. a new medical invention B. a new research on the pill C. a way of erasing painful memories D. an argument about the research on the pill Answer: D More than 10,000 people were made homeless in Ternang when the Sungai Mas overflowed its banks yesterday after six days of continuous heavy rain. The wooden bridge across the river has been washed away. The town is cut off by flood waters. At the fifth mile, Jalan Tengkn, the water is two meters deep. It is closed to all traffic. Flooding first happened at mid-afternoon yesterday along the river banks. People trying to get to higher ground were just in time to escape the destroying of the flood. Most of the flood victims had to leave all their things behind. The National Flood Relief Center was reported to give its help and by early evening the whole town was moved out, helped by the army, police, Red Cross Society and volunteers . The flood victims are now housed in different simple relief centers in the nearby town of Ternang. "Everything possible is being done to help the unlucky people," a government spokesman said, "In fact, money, food and clothing have begun to come in from public organizations and helpful people. A Disaster Relief Fund will be started as soon as possible." According to the latest reports it is still raining heavily at Ternang. The whole town is expected to be wholly covered by the water. So far no deaths have been reported. This passage is probably taken from _ . A. a storybook B. a newspaper C. a magazine D. a textbook Answer: B Todd McHugh doesn't think he is a hero, but police say the California teenager probably saved a mother and her two young children from serious injury or death last month. He pulled them out of their car, stuck on light-rail tracks in Folsom, California, about 90 seconds before a train smashed into it. McHugh, 17, was northbound on his way to meet friends when the silver car in front of him turned off the road, went into a ditch and jolted to a stop on the tracks. McHugh jumped out of his vehicle and went to help. The driver, a woman who police say had fallen asleep, was behind the wheel and dazed. Her two daughters aged 7 and 10, were in the back seat, buckled in. McHugh took the woman's hand and helped her from the car. She unbuckled the kids. Another driver who had pulled over to help shouted that a train was coming, McHugh recalled. Police said the other man ran along the tracks and tried to wave down the train. It was dark and there was a bend in the tracks. The train operator probably never saw him. McHugh said the driver applied the brakes, but the train was still going fast when it came up on them. The woman, her daughters and McHugh took shelter behind his truck as the train smashed into their car, dragging it down the tracks, the teenager said. The woman's car was destroyed. Officials said the train was damaged. But none of the crew and four passengers were injured. Police said the outcome could have been far worse: "Had she sat there for another minute or two, she and her daughters could have been in that vehicle when the train struck it, and they could have been severely injured or killed." McHugh said he "didn't do anything anyone else wouldn't have done." Todd McHugh can be best described as _ . A. brave and modest B. calm and proud C. kind and patient D. clever and diligent Answer: A Many people think the camel stores only water in its hump ,but it does not,Instead,the camel stores something else there----food.The camel's hump is really a hump of fat.When the camel,often called"a ship of the desert",is not travelling and is in a place where there is plenty of food and water,it eats and drinks a lot. As it does so, its hump rises from the fat its body makes. Then when the camel is travelling through the desert and when there is little food,it can live off the stored fat. A camel can go on for days or weeks with little feed or water.However its hunger reaches the point starvation ,its hump shrinks and may even slip off its back and hang down its side. Camels are not fussy about what they eat.Thorny plants don't hurt their mouths,grasses of any kinds will do and so will hay,dry grain,cactuses.(,,) There are one--humpcamels and two--hump camels. Camels with one hump are calledArabian camels,mainly coming from North Africa. Camels with two humps are mainly from Asia. A camel's hump slips off its back or side because _ . A. it tries to save some fat B. there is little fat in it. C. It hopes to have a good rest D. It can carry more Answer: B
Question: A prosperous moneylender bought a house located right next door to the house of a tanner .From morning till evening the tanner change hide into leather by treating it with tannin .From day one the moneylender was put off by the unpleasant smells of the tannery. So,he visited the tanner's house and offered to buy his house."I would love to sell the house if you buy it," said the tanner.He didn't want to do any such thing but he liked to play tricks."Give me a week or so to deal with some things,will you?"The moneylender agreed and went away. A week later,the overpowering smell coming from the tannery brought the moneylender to the tanner's doorstep again."I understand sir," said the tanner with wideeyed sympathy."But my mother is visiting me this week.I can't sell the house until she goes away.Please wait for a month." The moneylender agreed with great reluctance.He began to wait eagerly for the guest's departure.In the beginning he counted each day,impatiently waiting for one to finish and the other to begin.After a while,he found he was no longer so interested in the month coming to an end.He had simply forgotten about it. He did not ask the tanner to leave when they met next,either.You see,by then the moneylender had become accustomed to the tanyard's smell."What have you done to drive away that terrible smell?" he asked the tanner."Have you reduced the solution?" The tanner smiled and nodded.He had been waiting for the day the moneylender would get used to the smells from the tannery and stop bothering him.That was why he had asked the moneylender to wait in the first place. After a week's waiting,the moneylender's feeling became _ . A. angry B. calm C. nervous D. anxious Answer: D Question: Many people take trains for their trips in China, because the train is fast and cheap. But there are many problems when people take trains. It's not easy to take trains when it is a festival. Lots of people hope someone can solve the problems. Then, the CRH trains come out. The first CRH train from Beijing to Tianjin runs in August, 2008. CRH1 and CRH2 can go up to 200 km/h, and CRH3 can run 300 km/h. Taking CRH trains is more expensive than taking a traditional train, but cheaper than taking a plane. Some people think the CRH trains and their workers are good, and they enjoy the trips by CRH train. China starts to make a CRH train, 350 kilometres an hour from Beijing to Shanghai. It can save people more time than taking the traditional trains. Can CRH trains solve the problems? "Of course not. There is still a long way to go," about 80% of the people answer. How fast does the CRH train from Beijing to Shanghai? A. 100 km/h B. 200 km/h C. 300 km/h D. 350 km/h Answer: D Question: In England, some food companies across the whole country have been told to carry out urgent tests on all beef products. Do you know why? That's because some food companies used horsemeat to make beef products. There are some examples about the horsemeat matter. In January, 2013, in a number of UK supermarkets, frozen hamburgers were found to have _ of horsemeat in them. Some frozen beef products made by food company FINDUS were found to contain horsemeat. All of the beef products made by this company have been removed from sale. The government said that there's nothing to suggest any health risk from the products. Food minister David Heath said people should not throw away frozen meat products and carry on eating meat. The government will tell people not to eat meat if the meat is not safe. Food safety has been an important matter all over the world. More and more countries plan to take some useful measures to ensure the safety of food. ,. More and more countries plan to take some useful measures to ensure _ . A. horsemeat out of products B. the food safety C. the test food D. the food sale Answer: B Question: One day an old man is selling a big elephant . A young man comes to the elephant and begins to look at it slowly. The old man goes up to him and says in his ear, "Don't say anything about the elephant before I sell it. Then I will give you twenty dollars." "All right," says the young man. After the old man sells the elephant, he gives the young man twenty dollars and says, "Now, can you tell me how you found the elephant's bad ears ?""I didn't find the bad ears," says the young man. "Then why are you looking at the elephant slowly?" asks the old man. The young man answers, "Because I didn't see an elephant before, and I want to know what it looks like." Hearing the young man's words, the old man will probably be _ . A. angry B. happy C. glad D. hungry Answer: A Question: In Canada you can find dogs,cats,horses,etc.in almost every family.These are their pets.People love these pets and have them as their good friends.Before they keep them in their houses,they take them to animal hospitals to give them injections so that they won't carry disease.They have special animal food stores,though they can get animal food in almost every kind of store.Some people spend around two hundred Canadian dollars a month on animal food.When you visit people's houses,they would be very glad to show you their pets and they are very proud of them.You will also find that almost every family has a bird feeder in their garden.All kinds of birds are welcomed to come and have a good meal.They are free to come and go and nobody is allowed to kill any animal in Canada.They have a law against killing wild animals.If you killed an animal,you would be punished.If an animal happened to get run over by a car,people would be very sad about it. People in Canada have many reasons to like animals.One of them might be:Their family ties are not as close as ours.When children grow up, they leave their parents and start their own life.Then the old will feel lonely.But pets can solve this problem.They can be good friends and never leave them alone.(242) Which of the following is TRUE? A. People buy animal food only at the animal food stores. B. Pets eat better than people. C. Almost every family has a birdcage in his house. D. Any bird can come to the bird feeders to eat. Answer: D
When the moon is full is has a different appearance Outdoor air pollution leads to more than 3 million premature deaths each year, and more than two thirds of them occur in China and India, according to new research. The authors estimate that without government intervention, the total number of deaths could double by 2050. The study, published in the journal Nature, identifies particulate matter as the prime pollutant leading to premature mortality. Particulate matter, a substance formed as a combination of different materials released into the air, is thought to be harmful to human health once it exceeds 2.5 micrometers in diameter. Researchers also identified ozone as a contributor to dangerous air quality. The causes of air pollution vary dramatically from place to place. In India and China, the study says, emissions from residential heating and cooking drive air pollution by creating unhealthy quantities of smoke. Overall, residential heating emissions cause one third of air pollution-related deaths worldwide. In highly regulated areas, like the United States, Europe and Japan, emissions from agriculture tend to be primary contributors to air pollution. Fertilizer used in agriculture releases ammonia into the atmosphere, a process that creates harmful particulate matter. Globally, air pollution from agriculture kills more than 600,000 people annually, the study finds. The findings are consistent with a 2014 report from the World Health Organization that suggested that 7 million deaths occur annually due to both indoor and outdoor air pollution. The study's conclusions give a sense of urgency to efforts to reduce air pollution but present challenges because of difficulty regulating heating activity in people's homes, according to study author Jos Lelieveld. People who live in the most affected areas should be provided with information about less toxic heating methods, he said. "It's important to reduce emissions from residential energy use," Lelieveld said on a conference call for journalists. "You can't ask people to stop eating and cooking, but you can provide better technologies." Air pollution contributes to a variety of ailments that eventually lead to premature mortality like lung cancer, stroke and heart failure, according to the study. Another study published this week in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives reached similar conclusions showing the devastating effects of pollution on individual health. Researchers found that chronic exposure to particulate matter increases the chance of early death by 3%. That risk is especially high for heart disease; the chance a person will die of heart disease increases by around 10% with chronic exposure to particulate matter. Researchers found that the number of deaths is expected to double by 2050 without new government policies. Nearly all of the increase will occur in Asia, according to the report. What can be inferred from the article? It is urgent for the government to take action. Something that could cause harm to an animal could be punches A windmill just uses the air around it, nothing unnatural. Because of this, everything they produce is unpolluted A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed,the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" He then stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible. Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family, but realizing his father was very old, he thought perhaps he should go to see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make the arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he was reading, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words. "PAID IN FULL". How many times do we miss blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. Sometimes we don't realize the good fortune we have or we could have because we expect "the packaging" to be different. What may appear as bad fortune may in fact be the door that is just waiting to be opened. The passage can imply that _ . Good fortune lies within bad, bad fortune lurks within good.
Believe it or not, in the near future people won't just wear a chicken feather suit at Halloween or for fancy dress. Chickens, which have long provided food for dinner, will also be used to make our clothes as well. Last Monday, a report by the University of Nebraska in the US said in the future it should be possible to use chicken feathers and rice straw to make clothes. "All those wasted agriculture products don't have to be wasted anymore," researcher Yiqi Yang said. New technology will change these by-products into something similar to wool, linen, or cotton. Because producing synthetic fabrics causes pollution, scientists wanted to find a cheaper and environmentally friendly replacement. They turned their eyes to the millions of tons of rice straw and chicken feathers that are widely and cheaply available worldwide. Moreover they don't cause pollution like petroleum-based fibers . Chicken feathers are mostly made up of the same kind of protein found in wool. A sweater made from chicken feathers would feel just like a wool sweater. It would be lighter in weight and warmer, too. According to Yang and his team, rice straw, on the other hand, can produce a fabric that looks and feels similar to cotton or linen. The process is also environmentally friendly. The total production cost of rice fiber is about 50 cents per pound, while cotton now sells for about 60 cents a pound. Maybe some day in the future you will wear _ clothes like these. What are the main advantage of the new clothes made of chicken feathers and rice straw? Answer: A sweater made of the new clothes would be lighter in weight and warmer. The hole in the earth's protective ozone layer won't repair itself until about two decades later than had been expected, scientists announced. The ozone layer blocks more than 90 percent of the sun's ultraviolet radiation , helping to make life on Earth possible. For many dacades, ozone was depleted by chlorine and bromine gas in the air. A hole in the ozone layer formed over the Southern Hemisphere. Computer models had forecast that the hole would fill back in by 2050. An improved computer model forecasts the recovery won't occur until 2068. The model, fed with fresh data from statellites and airplanes, was supported by the fact that it accurately reproduced ozone levels in the Antarctic stratosphere over the past 27 years. The ozone hole is actually more of a broad region with less ozone than ought to occur naturally. It is not limited to Antarctica, as is often believed. Over areas that are farther from the poles like Africa or the US, the levels of ozone are only three to six percent below natural levels. Over Antarctica, ozone levels are 70 percent lower in the spring. This new method allows us to more accurately estimate ozone-depleting gases over Antarctica, and how _ will decrease over time, reducing the ozone hole area. Paul Newman, a scientist,said that the ozone hole has not started to become smaller as quickly as expected. They figure it will not become much smaller until 2018, after which time the recovery should proceed more quickly. And the hole will not be filled in again until 2065. According to the passage, the ozone layer _ Answer: protects man against ultraviolet radiation Little Tommy was doing very badly in math. His parents had tried everything--tutors , cards, special learning centers--in short, everything they could think of. Finally they took Tommy to a catholic school. After the first day, little Tommy came home with a very serious look on his face. He didn't kiss his mother hello. Instead,he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and papers were spread out all over the room and little Tommy was hard at work. His mother was surprised. She called him down to dinner and as soon as he finished eating, he went back to his room, without a word. In no time he was back hitting the books as hard as before. This went on for some time,day after day while the mother tried to understand what was happening. Finally,little Tommy brought home his report card. He quietly put it on the table and went up to his room and hit the books. His mom looked at it and to her surprise,little Tommy got an A in math. She could no longer hold her curiosity .She went to his room and asked, "Son, what was it? Was it the nuns ? " Little Tommy looked at her and shook his head, "No. " "Well then," she asked again. "WHAT was it? " Little Tommy looked at her and said, "Well, on the first day of school, when I saw that man nailed to the plus sign ,I knew they weren't joking. " The last sentence in the passage shows that _ . Answer: Tommy was afraid of being nailed May : Happenings from the past May 5,1884 Isaac Murphy , son of a slave and perhaps the greatest horse rider in American history , rides Buchanan to win his first Kentucky Derby . He becomes the first rider ever to win the race three times . May 9 , 1754 Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette produces perhaps the first American political cartoon , showing a snake cut in pieces, with the words " Join or Die" printed under the picture. May 11,1934 The first great dust storm of the Great Plains Dust Bowl , the result of years of drought,blows topsoil all the way to New York City and Washington , D.C. . May 19, 1994 Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis , former first lady and one of the most famous people of the 1960s , died of cancer in New York City at the age of 64 . May 24, 1844 Samuel F.B. Morsr taps out the first message , " What Hath God Wrought ," over the experimental long-distance telegraph line which runs from Washington, D.C. , to Baltimeore , Md . What is the title of the first American political cartoon ? Answer: Join or Die Mary is four years old. She likes to ask questions. Her questions are often funny. One day Mary goes to see her uncle with her father. Her uncle lives in _ city. The city isn't near their city, so they take a bus to go there. After many hours, they get to Mary's uncle's city. He is very happy to see them. The next morning, Mary's uncle takes her and her father out and shows them around . "Look at that big house," says her uncle. " It's the oldest house in the city." "How old is it?" her father asks. "It is about 2100 years old," her uncle answers."How can that be?" Mary says. "It's only 2015 this year!" ,. Which one is TRUE? Answer: The big house is about 2100 years old.
It has been said that Lincoln was always ready to join in a laugh at himself. There is one particular story that he always told with great delight. In his early days as a lawyer, Lincoln went from town to town to hear and judge legal cases. During one of these trips, he was sitting in a train when a strange man came up to him. The stranger looked at the tall clumsy lawyer and said that he had something he believed belonging to Lincoln. Lincoln was a bit puzzled. He had never seen the man before. He didn't see how a total stranger could have something of his. Lincoln asked how this could be. The stranger pulled out a penknife and began to explain. Many years before, he had been given the pocketknife. He had been told to keep it until he was able to find a man uglier than himself. Lincoln's eyes always _ when he reached this part of the story. The story always brought smiles to the faces of those who heard it. The tale itself was funny. But even more delightful was the fact that a man as great as Lincoln could still laugh at himself. From the story we can infer that the stranger in the train _ Answer: When next year's crop of high-school graduates arrive at Oxford University in the fall of 2009, they'll be joined by a new face: Andrew Hamilton, the 55-year-old provost of Yale, who'll become Oxford's vice-chancellor----a position equal to university president in America. Hamilton isn't the only educator crossing the Atlantic. Schools in France, Egypt, Singapore, etc. have also recently made top-level hires from abroad. Higher education has become a big and competitive business nowadays, and like so many businesses, it's gone global. Yet the talent flow isn't universal. High-level personnel tend to head in only one direction: outward from America. The chief reason is that American schools don't tend to seriously consider looking abroad. For example, when the board of the University of Colorado searched for a new president, it wanted a leader familiar with the state government, a major source of the university's budget. "We didn't do any global consideration," says Patricia Hayes, the board's chair. The board finally picked Bruce Benson, a 69-year-old Colorado businessman and political activist who is likely to do well in the main task of modern university presidents: fund-raising. Fund-raising is a particularlly American thing, since U.S. schools rely heavily on donations. The fund-raising ability is largely a product of experience and necessity. Many European universities, meanwhile, are still mostly dependent on government funding. But government support has failed to keep pace with rising student numbers. The decline in government support has made fund-raising an increasingly necessary ability among administrators , and has hiring committees hungry for Americans. In the past few years, well-known schools around the world have joined the trend. In 2003, when Cambridge University appointed Alison Richard, another former Yale provost, as its vice-chancellor, the university publicly stressed that in her previous job she had overseen "a major strengthening of Yale's financial position." Of course, fund-raising isn't the only skill outsiders offer. The globalization of education means more universities will be seeking heads with international experience of some kind to promote international programs and attract a global student body. Foreigners can offer a fresh perspective on established practices. In what way do top-level administrators from abroad contribute to university development? Answer: A person can get to point a to point b faster than by walking if they Answer: TAIBEI - Increasing numbers of Taiwanese students are joining the island's "China rush", seeking education on the Chinese mainland. According to official Chinese figures, the number of Taiwanese students admitted into college and postgraduate programs on the mainland totaled 461 in 1996, 928 in 1997 and 839 in 1998.Although no latest official numbers were available," Netbig.com Said this number had risen between 30 to 50 percent annually in the past two years with well over 1000 entering mainland campuses last year. The Internet site, based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, provides education service and information on Chinese mainland colleges and universities. "Many Taiwanese believe a Chinese education giving more knowledge about the people and culture in the mainland will increase their chances in the Chinese job market, Net.com vice-president Ingrid Huang said."I believe _ will give me hands-on experience in the business field in the Chinese mainland and a better understanding of the Chinese mainland people," said Lydia Chang, a 19-year-old majoring in journalism at Shih Shin University. Chang plans to go on to get a master's degree in business administration in Shanghai, which she says offers the best environment for such studies. A journalism graduate student, surnamed Lin, at the National Taiwan University said he would like to study law on the Chinese mainland since "there will be better career prospects now that more Taiwanese companies are going there". "They hope the children could build up connections which could later become useful in their business operations," said Yang Ching-yao, professor of the Chinese mainland studies. A Netbig.com survey showed the campuses favored by Taiwan students included Beijing, Qinghua and Renmin universities in Beijing, and Jinan and Zhongshan universities in Guangzhou. The most popular studies were law, business and Chinese medicine. At present, Chinese Taibei doesn't recognize diplomas earned in the Chinese mainland nor help with any inquiries about studying there. But recognizing the trend, education authorities are giving a final form to a policy accepting certificates from selected universities. Which is true according to the passage? Answer: In America, square dancing has been the most popular form of folk dancing since the early days. In early times, when men and women worked in groups to build a barn or harvest crops, they danced when the work was done. The music came from the violin for the most part, but if there was no one to play a musical instrument, clapping was used to produce the rhythm to which people dance. The early settlers danced in a store, in a barn, or in a farm kitchen. A square is formed by four couples who stand facing the centre of the square. Each couple stand on one side of the square, the boy on the left and the girl on the right. The caller is an important part of the dance, since he tells the dancers which steps to do. If the dancers do not know the steps, he teaches them. It takes time to learn to be a good caller, and good callers are always in demand . These are the names of some of the steps the dancers do: Form a square; Circle; Honour your partner; Swing your partner; Form a star. There are many more. As the callers tell the dancers what to do next, they move to form the pattern he calls. Large or small numbers of people can dance at one time. Sometimes 800 or 1,000 people may be dancing at the same time. Or there may be only one square of eight people. Special clothes are worn by some when dancing. This makes the dance more colourful to watch. The special clothes are different from place to place. Women often wear full skirts of various colours with a pretty blouse. Men have coloured shirts and western trousers that they wear only when square dancing. In some country areas, everyone wears his best clothes. Today in some parts of the United States you will find some schools, clubs, or groups square dancing for fun. If 800 people dance at the same time,how many squares can be formed? Answer:
Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 AM. When I arrived there, I walked to the door and knocked, "Just a minute," answered a weak, elderly voice. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase. When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?" "It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly. "Oh, I'm in no hurry," she said. "I'm on my way to a hospice . I don't have any family left. The doctor says I don't have very long." I quietly reached over and shut off the meter . For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she had lived, and the furniture shop that had once been ,a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow down in front of a special building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. In the early morning, she suddenly said," I'm tired. Let's go now." We drove in silence to the address she had given me. "How much do I pay you?" she asked. "Nothing." I said. "You have to make a living," she answered. "Oh, there are other passengers," I answered. Almost without thinking, I gave her a hug . She held on me and said, "You gave an old woman a little moment of joy." The taxi driver did not get the money because he _ . A wanted to give her a hand B shut off the meter by mistake C had received her payment already D was in a hurry to take other passengers Answer: A New technology links the world as never before. Our planet has shrunk. It's now a "global village" where countries are only seconds away by fax or phone or satellite link. And, of course, our ability to benefit from this high-tech communications equipment is greatly increased by foreign language skills. Deeply involved with this new technology is a kind of modern businesspeople who have a growing respect for the economic value of doing business abroad. In modern markets, success overseas often helps support domestic business efforts. Overseas assignments are becoming increasingly important to advancement within executive ranks. The executive stationed in another country no longer need fear being "out of sight and out of mind." He or she can be sure that the overseas effort is central to the company's plan for success, and that promotions often follow or accompany an assignment abroad. If an employee can succeed in a difficult assignment overseas, superiors will have greater confidence in his or her ability to manage back in the United States where cross-cultural considerations and foreign language issues are becoming more and more common. Thanks to a variety of relatively inexpensive communications devices with business applications, even small businesses in the United States are able to get into international markets. English is still the international language of business. But there is an ever-growing need for people who can speak another language. A second language isn't generally required to get a job in business, but having language skills gives a candidate the edge when other qualifications appear to be equal. The employee posted abroad who speaks the country's language has an opportunity to fast-forward certain negotiations, and can have the cultural insight to know when it is better to move more slowly. The employee at the home office who can communicate well with foreign customers over the telephone or by fax machine is an obvious asset to the firm. In this passage, "out of sight and out of mind" (Line 3, Para. 3) probably means _ . A leaving all care and worry behind B being unable to think properly for lack of insight C being totally out of touch with business at home D missing opportunities for promotion when abroad Answer: D Mr. Hunt came from a poor family. He had three brothers and two sisters. His father worked hard but wasn't paid much. And his mother did all the housework at home. They were both able but they couldn't get enough money for their family. Mr. Hunt was in school for only three years and he had to stop to help his parents though he was good at his lessons. When he was sixteen, he came to the city and began to work in a small factory. He learned from an old worker and became a skilled worker. The old worker liked him and married his daughter to him. The young man did not have his own house and had to live with his parents-in-law. His mother-in-law always thought he was poor and often chattered. So the young man tried to save everything and hoped to have his own house. It was one fine Sunday. The old woman wanted to have a picnic on the top of the hill. She told Mr. Hunt to drive her car. But sometimes she told him to turn left and sometimes to turn right. The young man had to listen to her. At a crossing the lights were red but she made him turn left. The policeman stopped them and told the young man to give his license to him. "If I did wrong, sir," said Mr. Hunt, "It was my mother-in-law's fault . She was driving the car though she sat behind me!" Mr. Hunt left the school because _ . A he didn't like studying B his family was poor C he wasn't clever D he hoped to stay at home Answer: B Today's drivers may feel shocked by the high price of petrol when they drive to the gas station. However, the car industry has the technology to solve _ . It's the hybrid car . What is a hybrid car? Any car that uses two or more sources of power is a hybrid car. Most hybrid cars on the road right now are petrol-electric hybrids. The petrol-electric hybrid car is just what it sounds like -- a cross between a petrol-powered car and an electric car. A gas-powered car has a fuel tank , which supplies petrol to the engine. An electric car, on the other hand, has a set of batteries that provides electricity for the car. To be useful to you or me, a car should be able to run at least 300 miles (483 km) before refueling, be capable of being refueled quickly and easily and fast enough to keep up with the other traffic on the road. A petrol car meets these requirements but produces a large amount of pollution. An electric car, however, produces almost no pollution, but can only go 50 to 100 miles (80 to 161 km) between recharging . And the problem has been that the electric car is very slow and inconvenient to recharge. A petrol-electric car combines the advantages of the two power sources into one system that uses both gas power and electric power. Some experts believe that the hybrid car is "the next generation of smart cars". A hybrid car can go up to 50% further than a traditional car can on the same amount of gas! It saves driver's money on gas and cuts air pollution! Some experts believe that the hybrid car will have a large market in future because _ . A it is just powered by renewable energy B it saves money and is eco-friendly C it goes further than a traditional car D it is safe, cheap and produces no air pollution Answer: B Which animal sometimes needs to move quickly for food? A coyote B horse C deer D buffalo Answer: A
Who's building the new China? It's not the factory owners or the business men and women of China. It's someone else. We see them every day, They work day and night in the terrible working conditions and weather. They build the roads, the theaters, the cinemas and the supermarkets. They even clean up our rubbish. They are China's migrant workers . More than 140 million workers have left their homes in the countryside to look for jobs in big cities all over China. They hope to be rich, but they realize they have many difficulties in making enough money. And one of the difficulties that these workers have is the pride and discrimination from the people in cities. When night falls, everywhere I look I see the sad faces of the migrant workers. Many are living far away from those whom they love. Yes,they dress differently, they speak differently, and they have different habits, but they work hard .The people in cities regard them as outsiders, and most governments refuse to give them medical care and public schooling for their children. If China hopes to move into the future, many things need to change. The first is discrimination! We need to stop our discrimination against the migrant workers of China! They may not make as much money as some people in cities, but they are good honest people just trying to _ this game of life. These workers are very important and necessary to China's economic development and have become an important force for the change of Chinese society. They are building the new China, so we should help them. The journalist think _ is building the new China. A the factory owners of China B the business men and women of China C the migrant workers of China D the people in Chinese cities Answer: C. the migrant workers of China Perfume --A Promise in a Bottle "Perfume," says expert perfumer Sophia Grojsman, "is a promise in a bottle." That promise might be reflected in a perfume's name: Joy, Pleasures, or Beautiful, for example. Millions of dollars are spent on the marketing of a perfume, trying to get customers to connect attraction or attitude to a fragrance. Even without the marketing, fragrance has power over our thoughts and feelings. Some scientists insist that memory and smell are especially closely linked. Certain aromas have the power to call up deep memories. Perfume makers are aware of this and use aromas that can touch us deeply. The Power of Aromas Of every ten new perfumes put on the market, perhaps only one will succeed. It's risky to try, as a company introducing a new fragrance can easily run through a budget of 20 million dollars. Profits , however, can be very high. One successful fragrance, CK One from designer Calvin Klein, made 250 million dollars in its first year. In the perfume world, the most basic and important quality is the material with its own special aroma. Some are natural, coming from flowers, plants, or wood, for example. Others are synthetic materials, that is, the materials which are not natural but made with the help of science. According to expert perfumer Harry Fremont, a good fragrance "is a balance between naturals and synthetics". Image and Marketing Sephora is France's leading perfume store. In a store of shining stone, metal, and glass, famous perfumes are shown and guarded like works of art in the nearby Louvre Museum. Salespeople are dressed in black, and each type of perfume is sold in a particularly shaped bottle. In perfume sales, the importance is on presentation at least as much as on the product. If you're confused about which perfume to buy, perfumer Annie Buzantian offers her advice: you really can't get an idea whether a perfume works or not until you wear it. "It's like the difference between a dress on the hanger on the hanger and a dress on your body," says Buzantian. "Your first impression is often the right one." According to Harry Fremont, a good fragrance is a balance between _ . A fresh flowers and new plants B naturals and man-made materials C naturals and people's favorite D wood and materials with special smell Answer: B. naturals and man-made materials A student had a cup of ice while working outside. After a while, the ice melted because the Sun emits energy in the form of light and A electricity. B heat. C magnetism. D sound. Answer: B. heat. Barbara was driving her six-year-old son, Benjamin, to his piano lesson. They were late. There was always so much to do, and Barbara, a night-duty nurse at the local hospital, had recently worked extra hours. She was tired. "Mom!" Ben cried. "Look!" Just ahead, a car had lost control on the icy road and wildly rolled over, and then crashed into a telephone pole. Barbara went over. Thank goodness she was a nurse -- she might be able to help these unfortunate passengers. Then she stopped. What about Ben? She couldn't take him with her. Little boys shouldn't see scenes like this one. But was it safe to leave him alone? For a little moment Barbara thought of going on her way. Someone else was sure to come along. No! "Ben, honey, promise me you'll stay in the car!" "I will, Mommy," he said as she ran. Two girls of high school age were in the car. One was dead and the driver was still breathing. But if help came soon, the girl would live. A trucker had pulled up and was calling for help on his cell phone. Soon Barbara heard the ambulance sirens . Later, Barbara was able to meet the families of the victims . They expressed their gratitude for the help she had provided. What's the best title of the passage? _ A An unforgettable experience. B Be careful when you drive. C Young girls shouldn't drive alone. D Little children should help others. Answer: A. An unforgettable experience. A Hong Kong Disneyland park admission ticket is your passport to a full day of magical adventures. Learn the ways to buy your tickets now. Three types of 1-day ticket are available: Ticket Type Price General Admission Ticket (aged 12--64) HK $ 499 Child Ticket (aged 3----11) HK $ 355 Senior Ticket (aged 65 or above) HK $ 100 Free admission for Child aged under 3. Book Online Now Purchase tickets conveniently through our website, then pick up your tickets starting from 1 hour after you have purchased online. Purchase Tickets Directly at Hong Kong Disneyland Ticket Express You can purchase tickets at the Hong Kong Disneyland Ticket Express, conveniently located at the MTR Hong Kong Station. Open from 9:00 am ---- 8:00 pm on Mondays to Fridays and from 9:00 am ---- 5:00 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. Purchase 2 Park Tickets at one of the following locations and receive a FREE limited-edition Disney gift: Avenue of Stars Kiosks You can purchase tickets at Avenue of Stars Kiosks in Tsim Sha Tsui. Open daily from 9:00 am ----10:30 pm. Asia World-Expo Box Office You can purchase tickets at Asia World-Expo Box Office. Open Mondays to Fridays from 10:00 am ---- 6:00 pm. Reserve Tickets for Hotel Guest As a hotel Guest of Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel or Disney's Hollywood Hotel, Park tickets are reserved for your purchase at front desk. Open daily from 9:00 am ---- 8:00 pm. Buy at Hong Kong Disneyland Main Entrance Guests can purchase tickets on the day of their visit at the Main Entrance Ticket Booths or Guest Relations Windows. Open daily from 30 minutes before Park opening until Park closes. To buy tickets at Hong Kong Disneyland Ticket Express on Sundays, you have to get there before _ A 10:30 pm B 6:00 pm C 8:00 pm D 5:00 pm Answer: D. 5:00 pm
The expression "down to earth" means being open and honest. It is easy to get on with some one who is down to earth. A down-to-earth person is the opposite of someone who acts important or proud. Down-to-earth people could be important members of society. But they do not consider themselves to be better than others who are less important. A person who is filled with his own importance and pride is said to" have his nose in the air". Americans use another expression that is similar in some ways to down to earth. The expression is" both feet on the ground". Someone with both feet on the ground is a person with a good understanding of reality. He may have dreams, but he does not allow them to have influence on his understanding of what is real. The opposite kind of person is one who "has his head in the clouds". Someone with his head in the clouds is a person whose mind is not on what is happening in real life. Such a person may be called a day-dreamer. When we have both our feet on the ground, and when we are down to earth, we do not have our noses in the air. We act honestly and openly to others. Our lives are like the ground below us---solid and strong. If you only consider your own importance, _ . No one wants to look silly or do the wrong thing at a new job. It's important to make the right impression from the first day. You will face new people. You will be in a new place. It may be difficult to know what to do. Here are seven tips to help you make it through the first days at a new job: 1. First impression is important. Make sure you make a good one. Before your first day, find out if your new job has _ . If so, be sure to follow it. No matter what you wear, always be neat and clean. 2. Get to work on time. Employers value workers who come to work on time. Give yourself an extra 15 minutes to make sure you arrive on time. 3. Pay attention to introduction. One of the first things that your supervisor may do is to introduce you to co-workers. These co-workers will be important to you. They are the ones who will answer your questions when the boss isn't around. 4. Ask plenty of questions. Make sure that your supervisor has told you what your are expected to do. If he or she has not told you your job duties, ask for a list. Set daily and weekly goals for yourself. 5. Don't make personal phone calls. You should never make personal phone calls to your friends and family unless it's an emergency. 6. Don't take too long for lunch. What's the lunch-hour policy at your new job? You can find out from your supervisor or your company's personnel department . For example, do people eat at their desks or does everyone take a full hour outside the workplace? 7. Never be the first one to leave. Observe how your co-workers behave around quitting time. It does no good for you to be eager to leave. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? One-hundred-and seventh birthdays aren't usually celebrated for authors who aren't alive anymore. But Theodor Seuss Geisel---better known as the children's books author Dr. Seuss ---who came into the world on 2 March, 1904, was an unusual man. Like generations of children I was raised on his wonderful stories. But when I now read them to my children it's not just the childhood memories I enjoy. His writing is brilliant and imaginative and flows with a self-confidence as sure as the words of a Shakespeare poem. Readers ride his characteristic rhythm with an effortless joy that cannot be matched by any other modern writer: You have brains in your head You have feet in your shoes You can steer yourself any direction you choose And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed. Seuss's brilliant cartoons and clever words make his books a delight for adults but they attract mostly children of course. His stories teach kids moral lessons but in indirect and entertaining ways. The first Seuss book I was given was The Lorax, written just as the 60s were becoming the 70s. Seuss was ahead of his time, and in this book the dawn of concern for environmental problems are shown as the Lorax "who speaks for the trees" battles against an evil businessman who wants to destroy the forest and make goods "which everyone needs". It's not only a warning of the heavy price of environmental destruction, written well before most people had thought to worry, but it's also a smart analysis of consumer societies: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." This is of course a moral message, but not of the kind designed to persuade the youngsters into behavior that adults want. I could go on, but hey, it's a birthday, and I'm sure you folks have some good toasts to raise for the party... When was the book The Lorax written? British English and American English are almost the same. But there are slight differences between British and American English in vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling and grammar. The first difference between British and American English is in vocabulary. Almost all of the words used in British English and American English are exactly the same. Only a very small number of words are used _ . For example, Americans would say "apartment", but the British would say "flat" to talk about the place where they live. In addition to some common words, many idiomatic expressions are different. In England people might say "I'll ring you up tonight", but in the US, people might say "I'll call you up tonight". The second difference between British and American English is in Pronunciation. The main difference in pronunciation concerns the vowels . Some American dialects and some British dialects use vowels in different ways. Sometimes, Americans and the British don't understand each other's pronunciation. But most of the time, the British and Americans do understand each other's pronunciation because most of the sounds of the two dialects are the same. The third difference is very small. This is the difference in spelling. A few types of words are spelled differently in British and American English. The most common example is in a word like "center". In British English, this word would be spelled C-E-N-T-R-E, while in American English the same word would be spelled C-E-N-T-E-R. Another example is "or" vs "our". The word "color"is spelled C-O-L-O-U-R in Britain but C-O-L-O-R in the US. There are a few differences in grammar, too. The British may say "Have you got..?" while Americans prefer "Do you have..?" An American might say "my friend just arrived", but a British would say "my friend has just arrived". Sometimes function words are used differently: the British may say "at the weekend", but Americans would say "on the weekend". Which of the following sentences is most probably used by Americans? Which of the following is not an inherited trait of humans?
Jack is an English boy. He is a good student. He is eleven. Now he is in a blue coat. Linda is Jack's sister. She is a nice girl. She is fourteen. Now she is in a green dress. Lucy and Lily are from the USA. They are students, too. They are in yellow coats. They look the same. Jack, Linda, Lucy and Lily are good friends. Jack, Lucy and Lily are in the same school. But Linda is not in the school. They all like China. ,. Jack, Linda, Lucy and Lily are _ . The title of next James bond film is Skyfall, which has already started filming. The film will be on in the UK on 26 October 2012 and in the United States on 9 November 2012. It has been 50 years since Sean Connery was announced as the first man to play Bond in the film named Dr No. Do you expect Skyfall which is the 23rdfilm in the 007 series? At London's Corinthi a Hotel, the official gave a little information about the storyline: Bond's loyal attitude toward his boss Miss M will be tested when one of her past staff comes back to hurt her. As MI6 is in danger, 007 needs to solve problems and protect MI6 whatever it costs. Mendes, who won a best director Oscar for 1999's American Beauty, told fans that Skyfall would have all the features of a classic Bond movie, such as a lot of action. "Daniel Craig is back for a third time as 007 along with Dame Judi Dench as his boss Miss M." said Mendes. Many famous actors and actresses who have Oscar wins and nominations are included, but the filmmakers remain keeping their roles in the film secret. Producers are showing no signs of cutting off the cost of Skyfall. "It is at the same level as the 2008's Quantum of Solace, which cost about $200m. The film will be made in the Whitehall, Scotland, China and Turkey, as well as Pinewood Studios." Said a producer. Why has 007 been popular for so long? Professor James Chapman of Leicester University, the author of the book A Cultural History of the James Bond Films, said, "They manage to let each new film meet the changes not just in society but in the popular taste of film culture. That lets each generation get their own Bond." According to Professor James Chapman, what keeps the 007 films popular for so long? Humans have long been interested greatly in the idea of being able to walk on water. Sadly, biological facts prevent us ever realizing this dream without artificial aid--we simply weigh too much, and all our weight pushes down through our relatively small feet, resulting in a lot of pressure that makes us sink. However, several types of animals can walk on water. One of the most interesting is the common basilisk Basilicus basilicus, a lizard native to Central and South America. It can run across water for a distance of several meters, avoiding getting wet by rapidly hitting the water's surface with its feet. The lizard will reach a speed of 20 steps per second to keep moving forward. For humans, we would need huge feet that we could bring up to our ears in order to create enough "hitting". But fortunately there is an alternative: cornflour . By adding enough of this common thickening agent to water (and it does take a lot), you can create a special mixture that doesn't behave like normal water. Now, if the surface of the water is hit hard enough, particles in the water get together for a moment to make the surface hard. Move quickly enough and put enough force into each step, and you really can walk across the surface of this adequately thick liquid of cornflour. Fun though all this may sound, it's still rather messy and better read about in theory than carried out in practice. If you must do it, then keep the water wings ready in case you start to sink--and take a bath afterward! What do we know about Basilicus basilicus from the passage? Do you want to get home from work knowing you have made a real difference in someone's life? If yes. don't care about sex or age! Come and join us, then _ ! Position: Volunteer Social Care Assistant (No Pay with Free Meals) Place: Manchester Hours: Part Time We arc now looking for volunteers to support people with learning disabilities to live active lives! Only 4 days left. Don't miss the chance of lending your warm hands to help others! Role: You will provide people with learning disabilities with all aspects of their daily lives. You will help them to develop new skills. You will help them to protect their rights and their safety. But your primary concern is to let them know they are valued. Skills and Experience Required: You will have the right values and great listening skills. You will be honest and patient. You will have the ability to drive a car and to communicate in fluent written and spoken English since you'll have to help those people with different learning disabilities. Previous care-related experience will be a great advantage for you. Which of the following can first be chosen as a volunteer? It was once common to regard Britain as a society with class distinction. Each class had unique characteristics. In recent years, many writers have begun to speak of the 'decline of class ' and 'classless society ' in Britain. And in modern day consumer society everyone is considered to be middle class. But pronouncing the death of class is too early. A recent wide-ranging study of pubic opinion found 90 percent of people still placing themselves in a particular class; 73 percent agreeed that class was still a vital part of British society.; and 52 percent thought there were still sharp class differences. Thus, class may not be culturally and politically obvious, yet it remains an imprtant part of British society. Britain seems to have a love of _ . One unchanging aspect of a British person's class position is accent. The words a person speaks tell her or his class. A study of British accents during the 1970s found that a voice sounding like a BBC newsreader was viewed as the most attractive voice. Most people said this accent sounds 'educated ' and 'soft '. The accents placed at the bottom in this study, on the other hand, were regional city accents. These accents were seen as 'common ' and 'ugly '. However, a similar study of British accents in the US turned these results upside down and placed some regional accents as the most attractive and BBC English as the least. This suggests that British attitudes towards accent have deep roots and are based on class prejudice. In recent years, however, young upper midder-class people in London, have begun to adopt some regional accents, in order to hide their class origins. This is an indication of class becoming unnoticed. However, the 1995 pop song ' Common People ' puts forward the view that though a middle-class person may ' want to live like common people ' they can never appreciate the reality of a working class life. British attitudes towards accent _ .
An increase in the number of suicides in prefix = st1 /South Korea, has led policeman Yoo Byoung-jong to a new job. He patrols Seoul's bridges to stop desperate people from throwing themselves into the river. According to South Korea's health ministry, suicide rates have doubled in a decade and are now the leading cause of death for people in their 20s and 30s. The country has the fourth-highest suicide rate among the 30 industrialized countries in the Organization for Co-operation and Development (OECD). It recorded 22.8 suicide deaths for every 100,000 people in 2003. That's lower than Hungry, Finlandand close neighbourJapan. But the number is growing by about 1 percent each year, faster than for all other OECD nations. In a move to cut suicides by a fifth by 2010, the health ministry is running a television ad campaign. It opens with a lonely man walking on a bridge. A voice over says: "Think five minutes more before you give it all away. Don't forget you have a loving family." Other ministry plans include setting up more hotlines and training more suicide counselors. Authorities are also limiting websites that provide suicide methods and sometimes even sell toxic chemicals. Distressed individuals range from students worried about poor grades to people in debt as well as disgraced politicians. Experts say the rising toll in some way can be blamed on media coverage of recent high-profile suicides. These include top business leaders and celebrities who apparently lead a number of people to copy their actions. "We saved 50 lives this year when people turned to bridges as a place to die after news reports of such deaths by 'big shots'," said the 38-year-oldYoo, in December. Last July, the government and civil associations urged media to avoid reporting specific methods and locations of suicides. But it is difficult to clearly give reasons for the suicide increase. It doesn't say but implies that . Answer: present hotlines are not enough for suicide counsellors I'm Ann. I'm English. I'm twelve. I was born on May 17 , 1991. I learn Chinese at Beijing No.3 Middle School. I have a good friend. Her name is Lucy. She is twelve, too. We are in the same grade. But we are not in the same class. I'm in Class Two, and she is in Class Three. We have the same Chinese teacher . Her name is Zhang Ying. We all like her. Lucy's parents are both English teachers in China. And she has a sister. Her name is Lily. She is only five years old. Lucy's parents are in _ . They teach English. Answer: China Maybe you never opened that account, but someone else did ----someone who used your name and personal information to commit fraud . When an imposter uses your name, your credit card number, or some other piece of your personal information for their own purpose -in short, when someone takes your personal information without your knowledge -it's a crime, pure and simple. The biggest problem is that you may not know your identity has been stolen until you notice that something's wrong: you may get bills for a credit card account you never opened, your credit report may include debts you never knew you had, a billing cycle may pass without your receiving a statement, or you may see charges on your bills that you didn't sign for, and even don't know anything about. If someone has stolen your identity, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) suggests that you take three actions immediately. First, contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit offices. Tell them to flag your file with a fraud alert including a statement that creditors should get your permission before opening any new accounts in your name. Then, ask the credit offices for copies of your credit reports. Credit offices must give you a free copy of your report if it is not correct because of fraud. Review your reports carefully to make sure no additional fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name or unauthorized changes made to your present accounts. In a few months, order new copies of your reports to check your corrections and changes, and to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred. Which is the least possible if a fraud has happened to you? Answer: The fraud departments can find out the imposter right away. People who eat chocolate regularly tend to be thinner, new research suggests. The findings come from a study of nearly 1,000 US people that looked at diet, calorie intake and body mass index(BMI)----a measure of obesity. It found those who ate chocolate a few times a week were, on average, slimmer than those who ate it occasionally. Even though chocolate is loaded with calories, it contains ingredients that may favour weight loss rather than fat synthesis , scientists believe. Despite boosting calorie intake, regular chocolate consumption was related to lower BMI in the study. The link remained even when other factors, like how much exercise individuals did, were taken into account. And it appears it is how often you eat chocolate that is important, rather than how much of it you eat. The study found no link with quantity consumed. Lead author Dr. Beatrice Golomb, from the University of California at San Diego, said, "Our findings appear to add to a body of information suggesting that the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining their ultimate impact on weight." This is not the first time scientists have suggested that chocolate may be healthy for us. Other studies have claimed chocolate may be good for the heart. Consumption of certain types of chocolate has been linked to some favourable changes in blood pressure and insulin sensitivity. And chocolate does contain antioxidants which can help to absorb free radicals----unstable chemicals that can damage our cells. Mice fed for 15 days with epicatechin (present in chocolate) had improved exercise performance and observable changes to their muscle composition. They say clinical trials are now needed in humans to see if this is the case. But before you reach for a chocolate bar, there are still lots of unanswered questions. And in the absence of conclusive evidence, experts advise caution. While there's no harm in allowing yourself a treat like chocolate now and then, eating too much might be harmful because it often contains a lot of sugar and fat too. What is the passage mainly about? Answer: Chocolate may help keep people slim. About 90 percent of Chinese believe the polarization between the rich and poor is "serious" in China, according to a survey conducted by China Youth Daily. And more than 80 percent of the respondents surveyed said something must be done to narrow the expanding gap between the rich and poor, while 14.1 percent said it was necessary. The polarization has aroused wide concern among the public in recent years. The State Development and Reform Commission said the _ had reached 0.47 for China, up from o.29 two decades ago. Usually, a country with a number above 0.4 is warned to pay attention to the income inequality problem. To find out the people's view, the survey covered 10,250 respondents, between the ages of 20 and 30 with a college education and a monthly salary between 1,000 and 3,000 yuan. Surprisingly, most disagreed with the view of experts who claim the urban-rural difference is causing the widening gap. More than 70 percent of the respondents believed that " the group of special interests" is the prime reason for the polarization, followed by "people in power" 68 percent, and "bosses" 50 percent. Another unexpected finding is that almost all agreed that a good educational background and knowledge were not the decisive factors in gaining wealth. About 95 percent said rich people are not necessarily those who are able to speak English or have a college education. Today in China, rich people , accounting for 10 percent of the population, control 45 percent of the total social fortune, and poor people, also 10 percent of the population, only control 1.5 percent, according to an investigation published by the National Bureau of Statistics last June. Experts hold the view that the main reason for the polarization is _ . Answer: the urban-rural difference
What does the word "heart" mean? Strictly speaking, a heart is an organ of the physical body which pumps blood into the organism . The term "heart", however, extends to more than the physical body. When lovers separate, one will often claim to have a broken heart, yet remain living. A sad gent or lady will often grasp the area between the ribs at the center of the chest, and moan in sorrow over the lost lover. Physical or not, the heart in _ is also something that pumps life into the emotional body. "Don't lose heart," says a friend to another who has been discouraged by one of life's many trials. Now how can anyone lose a heart? I ask. Easily, by getting discouraged. Again, the heart becomes a symbol of pumping life into a system but not a physical one. When one gets to the heart of the matter, she gets to its center - which gives its meaning. When people beg, "Have a heart," they are asking you to be kind - hearted - to recognize the soul in another. Having a heart - to - heart talk means sharing something from the center of our being with someone else. Speaking from the heart always impliescommunicating from what is real andessentialin our lives. Perhaps the most common definition of the word "heart", therefore, should recognize that "heart" is something essential to every human being, whether it is physical or not. If you would like to have a heart - to - heart talk with someone,_. both of you will talk about others' affairs instead of yours Have you ever noticed what happens to an idea once you express it? Just talking about it or writing it down causes you to make it clear in your own mind.How can you use this to increase your brain power? Start writing. By putting thoughts into words, you are telling yourself the logic behind what you think, feel, or only partly understand.Often, explaining a thought is the process of understanding.In other words, you increase your brain power by exercising your "explain power." Try this experiment.Explain how you'll increase your brain power, even if you have no idea how right now.Just start with anything, and create an explanation.For example, start with "I'll learn chess," or "I'll read an article on the mind every week." Explain how that will help.You'll be surprised how often this becomes a workable plan, and if you actually do this, you'll have a better understanding of your brain twenty minutes from now. Another benefit of writing is that it helps you remember.Many, if not most, highly productive people are always taking notes.You can try keeping it all in your head, but if you keep a journal of your ideas the next time you're working on a big project, you'll probably have more success. Want to understand a topic? Write a book about it.That's an extreme example, but if you are learning something new, write a letter to a friend about it, and you will understand it better.Want to invent something? Write an explanation of the problem, why you want to solve it, and why it is worth solving, and you're half-way there. Writers don't always write because they clearly understand something beforehand.Often, they write about something because they want to understand it.You can do the same.Writing will help bring you to an understanding.Give it a try. According to the text, writing can help you a lot in the following ways EXCEPT _ . the development of your interest in study Human beings have a natural desire to explore the unknown. People with a strong interest in space like to say it is the last place left to explore. But scientists are warning that space exploration for long periods is not going to be easy. They say the human body is not designed to stay in space over an extended period. The New York Times recently published a report about scientists who are preparing astronauts for a trip to the Moon. The newspaper said the scientists want to make sure that their crews return home in good health. But there are many problems to be solved before people are ready for long trips to the Moon, an asteroid or even the planet Mars. Humans developed on a planet with a surface that is more than 70 percent water. Our bodies are also about 70 percent water. When there is no gravity that water moves up toward the head, raising pressure in the skull. Arms and legs grow weaker at what is called zero gravity because they no longer need to push against the force of gravity. Five years ago, astronauts who spent weeks in space reported a change in their eyesight. These astronauts were members of the crew on the International Space Station. Research showed a change in the shape of their eyes. Normally-round eyeballs had become flat during time in space. The research also showed that the right eye was affected more than the left, and that men were more affected than women. Scientists could not find an explanation for the differences. Bone loss was one of the problems first reported by astronauts returning to Earth after longer stays in space. So scientists designed exercise machines to use on the space station. Tests showed that the exercise equipment helped space travelers keep their bones almost as strong as when they left Earth. There are other health issues for astronauts who spend a long time in space. They may have problems eating and sleeping. But the biggest health issue is exposure to radiation. On Earth, human beings are protected by the atmosphere and the planet's magnetic field. In outer space, there is no such protection. Why did scientists design exercise machines to use on the space station? To help astronauts keep their bones almost as strong as when they left Earth. the alps were formed by rock what? creasing The future of pinnipeds looks much brighter today than it once did. At one time, about 100 years ago, it seemed certain that many pinnipeds in the world would be destroyed by human hunters. Today, it appears that most species( ) of pinnipeds are out of danger. Hunting was not controlled during the 18th and 19th centuries, because little was known about the lives of pinnipeds. Whales and pinnipeds were hunted for the oil from their body fat. This oil was used in lamps before electric lights were invented. Millions of seals and other pinnipeds were used to provide oil for the lamps of the world. As a result, the numbers of many pinniped species fell rapidly. Several things happened that helped to save pinnipeds. First, species that were hunted to near extinction were left alone because their numbers were too low and the cost of hunting them went up greatly. At the same time, electric lights were invented and the market for seal oil became smaller. Finally, governments around the world made laws to protect pinnipeds. As a result of all these things, the numbers of most pinniped species have grown in recent years. With some species, such as Northern fur seals, there may be as many animals alive today as there were before all the hunting began. However, oil is still a danger to pinnipeds and all sea animals. But this time it's not because they are hunted for their oil. The oil that puts them in danger is from oil spills in the sea. The oil covers their fur and reduces their body temperatures. Oil also sticks to the foods they eat. This modern danger to pinnipeds and their environment is one we must work to prevent. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . Northern fur seals aren't in much danger now
When you travel in Hong Kong,you must be careful of the traffic rules,because the traffic keeps to the left and it's different from that of the interior of China.Before crossing the street,you must look to the right and then to the left.If the traffic lights are red,the traffic must stop,people can go across the zebra line.If the traffic lights turn green,the traffic can go,and people mustn't cross the road. In the morning and in the evening,when people go to or come from work,the streets are very busy.The traffic is the most dangerous. When you go somewhere by bus in Hong Kong,you have to be careful,too.Always remember the traffic keeps to the left.Have a look first,or you may go the wrong way.In Hong Kong,there are a lot of big buses with two floors.You'd better sit on the second floor.From there you can watch the city very well.How interesting! When you cross the street,you must look to _ first. A the front B the right C the left D B and C Answer: B. the right Paul and George wanted to get something to eat for lunch. Sam and Ralph went to school lunch room, but Paul and George wanted to leave and get something outside. They both go to the same school and have the same lunch period, which is how they know each other. They are allowed to leave school for 1 hour for lunch. They get together and rule out pizza, pasta, spicy food and chips. They also want to go somewhere close because they only have an hour. They know there are two places that have burgers and fries close by. Paul loves burgers and George loves fries. Paul says that Great Burger has good burgers. George says that Best Burger has good fries. They now have a problem. "How are we going to pick where we are going to go?" says George. Paul answers "Let's go to Great Burger today and tomorrow let's go to Best Burger." George, being a good friend, says OK. They leave school and go to eat burgers and fries. How do George and Paul know each other? A Best Burger B Great Burger C Lunch period D Fries Answer: C. Lunch period Downs was indicted in state court for bribing a public official. During the course of the investigation, police had demanded and received from Downs's bank the records of Downs's checking account for the preceding two years. The records contained incriminating evidence. On the basis of a claim of violation of his constitutional rights, Downs moves to prevent the introduction of the records in evidence. His motion should be A granted, because a search warrant should have been secured for seizure of the records. B granted, because the records covered such an extensive period of time that their seizure unreasonably invaded Downs's right of privacy. C denied, because the potential destructibility of the records, coupled with the public interest in proper enforcement of the criminal laws, created an exigent situation justifying the seizure. D denied, because the records were business records of the bank in which Downs had no legitimate expectation of privacy Answer: D. denied, because the records were business records of the bank in which Downs had no legitimate expectation of privacy Just a few hours ago,the Italian ship Andrea Doria was sailing through thick fog toward the city of New York. Captain Piero Calamai kept watch. He knew that many other ships were nearby. He should have slowed down because of the fog but he decided not to. He wanted to arrive on time the next morning. At about 11:00 PM,another ship,the Stockholm,suddenly hit the Andrea Doria. It made a huge hole in the Italian ship. Some people were badly hurt. Others fell into the sea. But one girl was saved by the Stockholm. Linda Morgan was fourteen. She lived in Spain with her mother and her little sister. She was going to visit her father in New York. She was excited about seeing her father. Linda had loved the trip. She wanted to have dinner with the captain on the last night at sea. The captain did not sit at his table that night,though. He was busy guiding the ship through the fog. Linda did not get to talk to him. When Linda went to bed,everything seemed fine. Her mother turned off the lights. Linda talked to her little sister. She thought about seeing her father the next morning. What happened next was a terrible surprise. Linda woke up not knowing where she was. She was not in her bed. When she called to her family,no one answered. Both her knees were broken. Linda had been saved by an amazing accident. When the Stockholm made a hole in the side of the Andrea Doria,it lifted Linda out of her bed. She landed on the deck of the Stockholm instead of falling into the ocean. A sailor heard her cries and found her. Right now,the girl is in the hospital. She is expected to get better. Her father is at her side,glad that his little girl was saved. The Andrea Doria lies under the waves at the bottom of the sea. Why didn't Captain Piero Calamai reduce the speed? A He didn't want to be late. B He went crazy because of the bad weather. C He thought the fog was not serious. D He had rich experience. Answer: A. He didn't want to be late. Long March exhibit The Shanghai History Museum is putting on an exhibition to mark the 60th anniversary of the Long March. On show are more than 220 photos and 40 items that explain with pictures how the communist Red Army drew back from its besieged bases in Jiangxi Province and fought its way to northern Shaanxi Province in the mid-1930s. Explanations are all in Chinese. The show will end on November 20. Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm Address: 1286 Hongqiao Road Admission: 8 yuan for Chinese /15 yuan for foreigners Thai elephants Eight elephants from Thailand are entertaining visitors at Changfeng Park by riding bikes, playing basketball, balancing on a beam, dancing and blowing a mouthorgan. People are encouraged to have a tug-of-war with the animals or lie on the ground and have the elephants walk over them. The elephants give three shows a day at 9:30 am, 3:30 pm and 8:00 pm and there is an additional show at l:30 pm at weekends. The show will end on November 15. Address: 189 Daduhe Road Admission: 30-40 yuan Dancing dolphins Dolphins jumping from the water to touch a ball, swaying their bodies to music, kissing people and doing math by tapping their tails have made the dolphinarium in Peace Park an attraction for children. Seals and sea lions also perform. Hours: 10:30 am, 4:00 pm, and 7:30 pm Admission: 20 yuan for adults and 10 yuan for children. The dolphinarium in Peace Park is a hall where you can see _ . A only seals perform B only dolphins perform C only seals and sea lions perform D not only dolphins but also seals and sea lions perform Answer: D. not only dolphins but also seals and sea lions perform
Parents are fuelling bad behavior among their children by attempting to "buy" their love with expensive gifts nowadays. Over recent decades we seem to have created a "must have" culture among our young people. Many mothers and fathers believe they are "failing as parents" if they are unable to ensure that their children have the latest toy, electronic devices (the lap-top, cellphones, Game Boy, etc.) along with their friends. In many cases, families also feel pressured to enroll children in "'every interest club or after-school activity that is available" to fill up their time like most of the other children. But experts warned that the move might affect "precious family time" negatively. Graham Gorton, chairman of the Independent Schools Association, said that parents spent too much time filling their children's lives, which had a series of negative effects on "the very precious family time that exists". "It seems that those times when a whole weekend without planned work was seen as a luxury and a perfect opportunity to spend time together and share those valuable moments of childhood are long gone," Mr. Gorton said. "As a child I only once said that phrase that parents feared 'I'm bored'. Immediately my mother took action and produced a list of jobs and then insisted that I complete every one of them. Though l didn't think cleaning all the floors could really get rid of my boredom, I enjoyed the feeling of staying at home with my mother and brothers." Earlier this year, some researchers suggested that relatively wealthy parents were sometimes guilty of failing to teach basic social skills to children. "Often, it's the rich middle classes that buy off their children through the computer and the TV. That then sets them apart from their family, and then the parents are surprised when their child isn' t coming to school." What does the "must have" phenomenon refer to based on the passage? A That children must have what other children have. B That children must have proper pressure to work hard. C That children must have special skills to ensure a better future. D That parents must have patience to know their children better. Answer: A. That children must have what other children have. Scientists have made the world's first human-sheep----with the body of a sheep and half-human organs . Amazing, but true. The sheep is15percent human and 85 percent sheep. The breakthrough makes it possible to use animal organs in human bodies in the future. Professor Esmail Zanjani of University of Nevada, US, has spent seven years And over $9 million on the work. Zanjani took stem cells from the human body and put them into the sheep while it was still in its mother's body. The stem cells made other cells that grew into organs. Zanjani believe that in the future such sheep might be used to help humans. Two months later a human-sheep is born, it has a liver , heart, ling and brain that are part-human. These organs could be used to help people in need of them. There are different opinions about his work, however. Some say that scientists don't have the right to create new creature . Using animal organ might bring animal viruses into human bodies. Others are afraid that the work might change sheep. But Professor Anjani has said that this is impossible. According to the passage, we know that the first human-sheep looks like _ . A a sheep B a goat C a cat D an elephant Answer: A. a sheep It's not polite to arrive at a dinner party more than 15 to 20 minutes late. The host or hostess usually waits for all the guests to arrive before serving the meal. If someone is late, the food may be spooked , and so might the host of hostess's spirit. If you will have to be late, call and tell them to start without you. It's even worse to be early !the host or hostess will probably not be ready. If you are early, drive or walk around the block a few minutes, or just sit in your car until the right time. Though it's often important to arrive at a party on time, yet on the other hand, for open houses, he host or hostess invites guests to arrive and leave between certain times, so you can arrive at any time within the times he or she gives you. It's nice to bring an empty stomach, but it's even nicer to bring a small present. The present should not cost a lot, or you might embarrass the host or hostess. Flowers, wine, or a box of candy will do fine. Never bring more as a present. In an introduction, the order of a name is (1)the given name, (2)the family name. In other words, the given name comes first. It's important not only to learn and remember names, but to repeat them often in conversation. After the introduction, we usually call friends by their given names. Older people may want you to call them by their titles and family names, such as "Mr.Jones", "Mr.Smith","Ms.Johson",or "Dr.Brown". A maiden name is a woman's family name at birth. In the United States and Canada, after a woman marries, she takes the family name of her husband in place of her maiden name. It is now becoming common, however, for women to keep their maiden names after they get married. It can be guessed from the text that an open house is _ A a house which is open day and night B a party which is open to anybody C a party at which guests can come and go between certain times D a party which is open at night Answer: C. a party at which guests can come and go between certain times Nora is an American girl. She studies in a middle school. She has a little sister. Her name is Kate. Kate is only four. Nora likes Kate very much. Today is Sunday. Nora wants her pen. She takes out her pencil case. "Oh, dear! Where's my pen?" She can't find her pen. She goes to ask her sister in her bedroom. "Kate! I can't find my pen. Can you see......Oh, what are you doing with my pen?" "I'm writing to my friend, Betty." Kate answers. "But how can you? You don't know what to write."."It doesn't matter . Betty can't read." Kate says. Where is Kate? _ A In the school. B In a shop. C In her bedroom. D In her father's car. Answer: C. In her bedroom. Have you seen a yellow-and-black salamander ? How about a scarlet frog? Scientists haven't spotted either species in more than 20 years. What happened to them? Are the creatures still out there, or are they extinct? Those are questions that scientists hope to answer. They recently set out around the world in search of those and other long-missing amphibians. An amphibian is an animal that spends part of its life in water and part on land. Frog, toads , and salamanders are amphibians. The experts are looking for about 100 species. They are searching at least 14 countries on five continents. They will look for the salamander in North America. They hope to find the scarlet frog in South America. They're also looking for species in Africa, Asia and Australia. Scientists are hopeful that they'll find the amphibians--and soon! If the creatures are out there, they may need help. Many amphibians are endangered. The animals face many dangers including pollution and diseases. People cut down the forests where they live. "If researchers can find the missing creatures, they might be able to figure out how to save them," explains expert Robin Moore. He began searching for the amphibians earlier this month. "This search will tell us a lot about how amphibians are doing," Moore told WR News. "I don't know what we will find, but that makes the search even more exciting." Lost in the Wild Scientists' hunt for missing amphibians is under way. Read about some of the species they hope to find. Turkestanian salamander This salamander is a mystery to scientists. Experts found a few of them more than 100 years ago, but none have been seen ever since. Gastric brooding frog Experts first discovered this frog in 1914 in eastern Australia. It may be extinct because of disease and habitat loss. Rio Pescado stubfoot toad Last sighting: 1995, in South America Scientists hope to find this spotted toad in rivers and rainforests in Ecuador. The animal faces threats including pollution and disease. What does Moore think of the search for endangered amphibians? A It's hopeful. B It's interesting. C It's tiring. D It's dangerous. Answer: B. It's interesting.
I had been rather proud of myself when my friends and family got the ticket,whether it was for speeding,parking or stop sign violations .It was something that happened to others. But last Friday I joined _ . I was asked to do a new project last week. On Friday morning on my way to work,I suddenly remembered that I had spent the past six weeks without considering that I had a week's vacation planned during that time. I was very disappointed with myself for not remembering it. The truth is that I was not paying enough attention to my driving and I did not come to a complete stop at the stop sign in front of a school. I was so distracted that I didn't even notice I had a policeman on my tail with his lights flashing. Finally I looked in my mirror and caught on. The policeman was rude and took my papers. Fortunately,I had everything up to date and since I had never had a ticket before,there was nothing for him to do but write me a ticket. While I was sitting there in the seat of "shame",I felt bad. If I had been that distracted and a child had run onto the road,perhaps I would have not reacted as well as I could have. It was a wake-up call. People at work asked me if I tried to talk my way out of it. Frankly,it never occurred to me. I felt guilty. Now I no longer have a clean driving record. Please be careful out there,as a moment's distraction can lead to tragedy. What is this passage mainly about? A. The writer's most unforgettable experience. B. How the writer got her first ticket. C. An accident caused by the writer. D. Why the writer is always so careful. . Answer: B. How the writer got her first ticket. A 10 g sample of aluminum and a 10 g sample of iron were each heated by 100 joules of energy. The temperature of the aluminum sample rose 11°C, while the temperature of the iron sample increased 23°C. Which statement best accounts for these results? A. Iron is twice as dense as aluminum. B. Atoms of aluminum are smaller than atoms of iron. C. Using equal masses results in similar heat capacities. D. The specific heat of iron is less than that of aluminum. Answer: D. The specific heat of iron is less than that of aluminum. A large thing that spews out destructive materials can A. make babies B. eat sandwiches C. level planets D. create towering hills Answer: D. create towering hills Most teenagers in the United States spend their time trying to make time for school,family and friends.But some choose bigger goals. At age 15,Winter Vinecki has already had more successes than most people have in their lifetime."I recently completed a marathon on all seven continents and became the youngest person in the world to do so.And I was really doing this for my dad." Doctors discovered that Winter's father had a rare and deadly form of prostate cancer when she was nine years old.Then he died 10 months later."When he was first diagnosed with prostate cancer I immediately knew I had to do something to help him.That's when I formed Team Winter for prostate cancer research and awareness." Through Team Winter and social media,Winter Vinecki has raised almost 500,000 dollars.She has taken prostate cancer education worldwide through foot races called marathons,on seven continents.In the United States she travels continually to talk about prostate cancer and urge others to act. Winter Vinecki attended a conference recently in Los Angeles,California and spoke at the conference as one of several teenagers who spoke about young people who were living extraordinary lives. "So prostate cancer is much more common but men don't want to talk about it.So that is why a ten-year-old girl had to go out there and start talking about it for them." Another speaker was Jack Andraka who invented a sensor which is not as expensive as traditional equipment that can't be afforded by most common people.It can identify cancers of the pancreas and lungs.He was 15 at the time. Jack is now 17 and seeking patents for his latest inventions.He has developed low-cost water quality equipment which can help identify and remove heavy metals and poisonous chemicals from water. "I hope to see them used in the developing nations such as Bangladesh and parts of China and India,especially as well as in parts of Africa,where these heavy metal and pesticides and other kinds of waste are a major problem." From what Winter Vinecki said at the conference,it can be inferred that _ . A. it's more proper for children to talk about prostate cancer B. she had to do what others didn't want to do after her father died C. most people don't know prostate cancer because it is a rare disease D. several teenagers there supported her by speaking about prostate cancer Answer: B. she had to do what others didn't want to do after her father died It's nine o'clock in the evening. The family are all at home. Jim's father is sitting in a chair. He's watching TV. Jim's mother is standing near the window. She's giving some food to a bird. Polly says,"Thanks ! Thanks!" Where's Jim ? Oh, he's behind the door. Kate, Jim's sister, is looking for him. They are playing games. They have no homework on Sunday evening. Who is watching TV in a chair? A. Jim B. Jim's mother C. Jim's father D. Jim's sister Answer: C. Jim's father
What if handheld tools know what needs to be done and were even able to guide and help inexperienced users to complete jobs that require skill? Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed and started studying a novel concept in robotics--intelligent handheld robots. Historically, handheld tools have been straight, unintelligent instruments that are _ of the context they operate in, are fully directed by the user, and therefore, lack any understanding about the task they are performing. Dr. Walterio Mayol-Cuevas and PhD student, Austin Gregg-Smith, from the University's Department of Computer Science, have been working in the design of the robot as well as in understanding how best to be with a tool that "knows and acts". Compared to other tools such as power tools that have a motor and perhaps some basic sensors , the handheld robots developed at Bristol are designed to have more degrees of freedom to allow greater independence from the instructions of the user, and importantly, understand the steps being carried out. This allows for a new level of co-operation between user and tool, such as the user providing directions and the tool performing the detailed task. Handheld robots, aim to share physical similarity with users but are neither fully independent as is a humanoid robot nor are part of the user's body. The aim with handheld robots is to develop the intuitiveness of using traditional handheld tools while adding planted intelligence and action to allow for new abilities. Dr. Mayol-Cuevas, Reader in Robotics Computer Vision and Mobile Systems, said, "There are three basic levels of autonomy we are considering: no autonomy, semi-autonomous when the robot advises the user but does not act, and fully autonomous when the robot advises and acts even by correcting or refusing to perform incorrect user actions." What can we learn from the passage? There will be more intelligence and independence in the handheld robots. Which of the following is least involved in the decomposition and decay of dead plants and animals? plant roots My daughter Kelly is a cautious person.She needs to warm up to situations,is hesitant to try new things.When with close friends,she becomes a leader who laughs loudly and chants,"Girls rule,boys drool." But when that comfort zone is not around her,she is shy and nervous. This has been challenging for me at times."Shy" is not a word that I think has ever been used to describe me.But this has been a year of firsts for my girl that has filled her with a new sense of confidence.This year she moved to lap lane in swimming where she was preparing for a swim team.This year she learned to ride a bike without training wheels.And this year she completed her first kids' triathlon . On Saturday,with a thunderstorm coming soon and my son's birthday party later in the day,we all went out in the dark of the morning for Kelly to participate in her first triathlon.We practiced transitions from swim to bike to run with her,we got all the equipment she'd need,and we kept talking about the race.But as we waited the two hours for the older kids to finish before her turn,she held my leg a little harder and told me she loved me a few too many times.She was nervous but trying to keep it together. And then it was her turn.From the second she jumped into the water,my heart soared. My daughter transformed into the most confident human being I had ever seen.She dominated that swim,crushed that bike ride and ran to the finish with the biggest smile on her face. I can honestly say that I never felt so proud of someone in my entire life.It wasn't because she did a sport or anything like that.It was because she was afraid of something and conquered that fear with confidence and a fire I hadn't seen before. All day I would find myself just looking over at her and smiling.She might be wearing the finalist medal but I felt like I won that day.I won the chance to see my girl shine. Shine on,sweet baby. Seeing Kelly's performance in the race,the author felt _ . excited and proud Our risk of cancer rises dramatically as we age. So it makes sense that the elderly should be routinely screened for new tumors -- or doesn't it? While such vigilant tracking of cancer is a good thing in general, researchers are increasingly questioning whether all of this testing is necessary for the elderly. With the percentage of people over age 65 expected to nearly double by 2050, it's important to weigh the health benefits of screening against the risks and costs of routine testing. In many cases, screening can lead to additional biopsies and surgeries to remove cancer, which can cause side effects, while the cancers themselves may be slow-growing and may not pose serious health problems in patients' remaining years. But the message that everyone must screen for cancer has become so ingrained that when health care experts recommended that women under 50 and over 74 stop screening for breast cancer, it caused a riotous reaction among doctors, patients and advocacy groups. It's hard to uproot deeply held beliefs about cancer screening with scientific data. Certainly, there are people over age 75 who have had cancers detected by routine screening, and gained several extra years of life because of treatment. And clearly, people over age 75 who have other risk factors for cancer, such as a family history or prior personal experience with the disease, should continue to get screened regularly. But for the remainder, the risk of cancer, while increased at the end of life, must be balanced with other factors like remaining life expectancy . A recent study suggests that doctors start to make more objective decisions about who will truly benefit from screening- especially considering the explosion of the elderly that will soon swell our population. It's not an easy calculation to make, but one that make sense for the whole patient. Dr. Otis Brawley said, "Many doctors are ordering these tests purely to cover themselves. We need to think about the rational use of health care and stop talking about the rationing of health care." That means making some difficult decisions with elderly patients, and going against the misguided belief that when it comes to health care, more is always better. How do some researchers now look at routine cancer screening for the elderly? They are doubtful about necessity. Parents often avoid talking about the issue of media and kids because we don't know what to do. But we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work helping our kids make right and wise decisions about media. There are things you can do to improve the media health of your family. Take the television for example. The television is not a babysitter. Hopefully, parents are extremely careful about choosing a babysitter and day care for their children. Why are we not as careful in choosing the TV programs our kids watch? Know what shows your kids are watching on television. It is important to know the content of every program your child watches. As a rule, most programs will either work to reinforce your values or oppose them. This is why it is so important to be aware of a program's content. Don't put a television in their bedrooms. A television in your child's bedroom is a big no-no. You won't be able to monitor the content, and our kids may be drawn to their rooms. A television in the bedroom is a far too attractive temptation for your kids. Set limits on TV time. What are your guidelines, rules, and expectations for television viewing? Setting limits may be challenging, but if you insist, the results are well worth it. Talk with your kids about TV shows. All television is educational. The question is what does it teach? Watch television with your kids, and then discuss with them the themes and content afterward. You'll be surprised just how easy it is to turn a TV program or movie into a first-rate learning experience. Why should parents discuss what they have watched with kids according to the author? To turn the entertainment into learning.
Scientists recently found three animal species living two miles below the surface of the Mediterranean Sea, where the super-salty waters don't have oxygen . They're multicellular , which means their bodies have many cells. They each are as small as a large grain of sand. But they are animals. The most exciting thing about these creatures, say the scientists, is that they obviously don't need oxygen to live. What biologists know about life so far is that only single-celled living things can live in places that have no oxygen, and that multicellular organisms can visit these places, but not live there. These newly found creatures could _ . Finding animals down there was so surprising that the scientists couldn't believe it. At first, "we thought they were dead bodies," Roberto Danovaro, a scientist at the Polytechnic University of Marche in Ancona, Italy, told Science News. To find out whether the animals could actually live there Danovaro and his colleagues brought up more samples from the ocean floor. Studying the animals in the new samples showed that they appeared to be alive. The researchers did more tests, and found that some of the animals had eggs--which suggests they were reproducing . Also in the samples were old skins, suggesting that the animals had lived there long enough to grow. Finally, pictures taken showed that the insides of the animals appear to be adapted to live in an environment that has no oxygen. These clues suggest the animals don't need oxygen, but the evidence is indirect, which means that scientists still have not observed how the animals live without oxygen. This means more studies are needed, but the scientists think they're on the right track. And if they're right, biologists will need to rethink what they know about where animals live. More studies are needed to prove _ . Answer: Zhalong is a nature reserve in Heilongjiang in northeast China. It is one of the world's most important wetlands. The reserve offers food and places to live in for wildlife. It is an _ home for different kinds of plants, fish and birds. Many birds live comfortably in Zhalong Nature Reserve all year round, but some only stay there for a short time. There are many fish in the wetlands, and the birds can easily catch them for food. Zhalong Nature Reserve is an important living area for red-crowned cranes. There are not many red-crowned cranes in the world. Some of them live in Zhalong. Some people want to change the wetlands to make more space for farms and buildings. This means there will be less and less space for wildlife. More and more birds are in danger because they do not have enough living space. Many of them died. The Chinese government wants to protect these endangered* birds, and they can be safe in Zhalong. Every year, a lot of visitors go to Zhalong to watch birds. This year, members of our Birdwatching Club are going to study the different kinds of birds in Zhalong and the changes in their numbers. We do a bird count* once a year. We are now inviting middle school students to help. We need more people to help us count and do something to help the birds. Many people do not understand the importance* of the wetlands. We hope this information will help them understand and make them do something to protect wildlife. Why are more and more birds in danger? Answer: I suddenly heard an elephant crying as though frightened. Looking down, I immediately recognized that something was wrong, and ran down to the edge of the near bank. There I saw Ma Shwe with her three-month-old calf struggling in the fast-rising water, and it was a life-and-death struggle. Her calf was floating and screaming with fear. Ma Shwe was as near to the far bank as she could get, holding her whole body against the rushing water, and keeping the calf pressed against her huge body. Every now and then the rushing water would sweep the calf away. There was a sudden rise in the water and the calf was washed clean over the mother's body and was gone. Ma Shwe turned quickly to reach it and pressed the calf with her head and trunk against the rocky bank. Then with a huge effort, she picked it up in her trunk and tried until she was able to place it on a narrow shelf of rock. Just at this moment, she felt back into the river. If she were carried down, it would be certain death. I knew, as well as she did, that there was one spot where she could get up the bank, but it was on the other side from where she had put her calf. While I was wondering what I could do next,I heard the sound of a mother's love.Ma Shwe had crossed the river and got up the bank and was making her way back as fast as she could,roaring all the time,but to her calf it was music. What can be the best title for the text? Answer: We have fun with our school life every day. Our school often holds different after-school activities. There was a football match on the school playground yesterday afternoon. Our class played against Class Two. Every player tried their best as soon as the match began at 4:00 o'clock. The players from the two teams played very hard and well. At the beginning of the match, a big and strong player from Class Two got the ball and passed several of our players. He kicked the ball hard to the goal."Oh, dear!"my classmates shouted surprisedly. Luckily, our goalkeeper Steve caught the ball. At the end of the first half of the match, there was no score. After resting for ten minutes, the match began again. Our headteacher Mr. Zhang cheered us on all the time."Teamwork! Teamwork!"he kept shouting. At this time, Kangkang got the ball. He kicked the ball to Jack and Jack kicked the ball to our captain Li Lei. He passed four players with the ball and then kicked the ball into the goal. The crowd jumped cheerfully. My classmates felt excited. Finally, we won 1 to 0. My school life is colorful. I love my school life. ,. At the first half of the match, _ . Answer: Some schools are now forbidding or restricting bake sales in an effort to fight a rise in obesity among kids. In February,the New York City Board of Education ordered that only fruits,vegetables,and approved packaged foods be sold at schools. Many students and parents objected to the restrictions on bake sales , which have long been a way to raise money for schools and community causes , including athletic events and Haitian earthquake relief.New York City finally compromised,allowing each school to hold one bake sale a month.But California and school districts in other states still limit bake sales.Should all schools forbid bake sales? Childhood obesity has been a growing problem for decades.The number of obese school-age children in the U.S.has increased by three times in the past 20 years.According to Eric Goldstein,the head of food services for New York City schools.40 percent of the city's 1.1 million pupils are obese. "We have a big problem in the city,state,and the country with obesity,"Goldstein said."During the school day, we have to focus on what is healthy for the mind and the body." A. J. Juarez, a community organizer for the Massachusetts Public Health Association,agrees.Restricting the kinds of food sold in schools is ''about teaching kids good habits,"he said. Nutrition experts believe schools are supposed to be a place where teachers and students set up a model environment, and the last thing kids need is an extra source of pointless calories. But many parents and students _ ."It's not fair. Bake sales have always been a positive way to raise money for school programs,and to make that against the rules is not appropriate," said a parent. "I don't think they should forbid bake sales,''Reese Butler,12,told The New York Times.A sixth-grader from Wrightstown,New Jersey,he reasoned that,"Money raised by selling cookies is sometimes used for field trips and for community causes,including Haitian earthquake relief." For Alyssa Howell,11,a fifth-grader in Ann Arbor, Michigan,the issue of choosing what to eat is about freedom."It is the child's decision to make the right choice."she said. What is nutrition expert's attitude toward restricting bake sales ? Answer:
Boxing games are truly widely supported by a lot of people over the world . The sport involves two people fighting with each other inside a ring with a referee making sure that the fight goes on smoothly. The fighters have to be of the same weight to be able to fight and they make use of their fists according to the rules of competition. There are three ways in winning the game. First, you have to knock out the challenger. Secondly, there is the technical knockout . This usually happens when the rival is seriously hurt and unable to carry on and defend himself. Thirdly, each boxer gets on with the fight until the last round is over and done with and the winner is judged according to the scores he gets. The first boxing champion was James Figg who came from England. It was in 1719 that the word "boxing" was known. The sport then was completely different from what you are used to seeing and observing nowadays. In 1743 Jack Broughton, a boxing title holder, was responsible for coming up with the rules and regulations to make the fight more manageable. Under these rules, a boxer who falls and does not fight after 30 seconds has elapsed is declared the loser and any fighter is prevented from hitting his opponent when he is already down. Broughton was also the one who created the mufflers -- a kind of gloves with padding which were used during presentations and training. Today, the sport has a total of 12 rounds with three minutes playing time for each round. Boxers are given a minute for them to rest or for consultation with their respective coaches. A referee has the responsibility of making sure that the boxers carry on with the fight according to the rules of the sport. The judges have the task of evaluating each fighter and give the fighter scores according to their punches . Which of the following is TRUE according to the text? Once again, rumors are spreading. Judgment Day, this time, is set to happen on December 21st, 2012. The date originated from the Mayan calendar, but actually gained popularity through the hit movie, "2012". How will the world end? And how do we know the exact date? There are many theories: A meteoroid from outer space; a solar storm; a shift in the earth's poles; bla bla bla. They all supposedly pointed to the date of December 21st, 2012. Unfortunately, none of it is true. Zhu Jin, director of Beijing Planetarium, said, "For earth itself, the end will be billions of years away from now.And for us humans, there is a very small chance that we may be affected by some astronomical factors.However, we don't have the ability to foresee such events so far.So when someone tells you the world is going to end on an exact date, it must be fake." But the truth hasn't stopped people from believing. In the sci-fi movie "2012", the director imagined the end of the world based on the Mayan calendar. The film earned nearly 770 million US dollars worldwide. Ning Hong, Hebei Province, said. "The movie 2012 did get one thing right. There are arks being made in China, But they're not being built secretly inside the mountains.They are constructed here in the courtyard of a factory." In April, Liu Qiyuan quit his furniture business and devoted himself to developing these huge round balls. He doesn't believe the end is near, but he wants to be prepared just in case. Liu Qiyuan, the "Ark" builder, said, "The concept originated twenty years ago. The Tangshan earthquake had flattened our house, so I wanted to build a shelter that wouldn't fall. Then in 2004, I saw the tsunami in Indonesia that killed so many people.Then I realized it should be something that could withstand the earthquake and float on water." Liu is hoping to use his invention as a life boat on the sea.He's planning to test his product on the water next year. It turns out that rumor, though false, is good for business. Doomsday discounts and products are hot on many online stores. While it's surely attracted attention, many complain that it misleads consumers. Their purpose is to promote products. If they believe the world is going to end, who would buy things? Money would be useless, too. We can infer from the passage that _ . Common indoor plants may prove to be a valuable weapon in the fight against rising levels of indoor air pollution. Those plants in your office or home are not only pretty, but NASA scientists are finding them to be surprisingly useful in absorbing possible harmful gases and cleaning the air inside modern buildings. NASA have announced the finds of a 2-year study that suggested the common indoor plants may provide a natural way of helping fight against "Sick Building Syndrome ". Research into the use of biological processes as a means of solving environmental problems, both on Earth and in space habitats, has been carried out for many years by Dr. Bill Wloverton, a senior research scientist at NASA. Based on preliminary evaluations of the use of common indoor plants for indoor air purification ,NASA funded a study using about a dozen popular varieties of attractive plants to determine their effectiveness in removing several key pollutants linked with indoor air pollution. NASA research on indoor has found that living plants are so efficient at absorbing pollutants in the air that some will be launched into space as part of the biological life support system aboard future orbiting space stations. While more research is needed, Wolverton says the study has shown that common indoor plants can remove certain pollutants from the indoor environment. "We feel that future results will provide an even stronger argument that common indoor plants can be a very effective part of a system used to provide pollution free homes and work places," he concludes. "Combining nature with technology can increase the effectiveness of plants in removing air pollutants," he said. NASA research has always shown that living, green and flowering plants can remove several poisonous chemicals from the air inside buildings. You can use plant in your home or office to improve the quality of the air to make it a more pleasant place to live and work--where people feel better, perform better, and enjoy life more. The main idea of the passage is _ . First Frenchman: I once heard someone shout, "Look out," I put my head out of a window and a basin of water fell on me. It seems that "Look out" may mean "don't look out." Second Frenchman: Once I was on a ship and heard the captain shout, "All hands on deck," I put my hands on the deck and someone walked on them. Third Frenchman: I once visited an English friend early in the morning and the maid who came to the door and said, "He's not up yet. Come back in half an hour," When I went again for him, she said, "He's not down yet." "If he's not up and he's not down, where is he?" I asked. She said, "He's still in bed. When I say 'He's not up ' I mean 'he has not yet got up'. When I say 'He's not down ' I mean 'he has not yet come downstairs,'" Which do you think is the best title for this article? Here is an astonishing and signficant fact:Mental work alone can't make us tired. It sounds absurd. But a few years ago, scientists tried to find out how long the human could labor without reaching a stage of fatigue . To the amazement of these scientists, they discovered thett blood passing through the brain, when it is active, shows no fatigue at all! If we took a drop of blood from a day labourer, we could find it full of fatigue toxins and fatigue products. But if we took blood from the brain of Albert Einstein, it would show no fatigue toxing at the end of the day. So far as the brain is concerned, it can work as well and swiftly at the end of eight or even twelve hours f efforts as at the beginning. The brain is totally tireless. So what makes us tired. Some scientists declare that most of our fatigue come from our mental and emotional attitudes. One of England's most outstanding scientists. J. A. Hadfield,says,"The greater part of the fatigue from which we suffer is of mental origin. In fact,fatigue of purely physical origin is rare." Dr. Brill, a famous American scientist, goes even further. He declares,"One hundred percent of the fatigue of a sitting worker in good health is due to emotional problems." What kinds of emotions make sitting workers tired?Joy?Satifaction?No!A feeling of being bored,anger,anxiety,tenseness,worry,a feeling of nt being appreciated---those are emotions that tire sitting workers.Hard work by itself seldom causes fatigue.We get tired because our emotions produce nervousness in the body. What's the authour's attitude towards the scientists' ideas?
A few common misconceptions. Beauty is only skin-deep. One' s physical assets and liabilities don' t count all that much in a managerial career. A woman should always try to look her best. Over the last 30 years, social scientists have conducted more than 1,000 studies of how we react to beautiful and not- so-beautiful people. The virtually unanimous conclusion: Looks do matter, more than most of us realize. The data suggest, for example, the physically attractive individuals are more likely to be treated well by their parents, sought out as friends, and pursued romantically. With the possible exception of women seeking managerial jobs they are also more likely to be hired, paid well, and promoted. Un-American, you say, unfair and extremely unbelievable? Once again, the scientists have caught us mouthing pieties while acting just the contrary. Their typical experiment works something like this. They give each member of a group--college students, perhaps, or teachers or corporate personnel managers a piece of paper relating an individual' s accomplishments. Attached to the paper is a photograph. While the papers all say exactly the same thing the pictures are different. Some show a strikingly attractive person, some an average-looking character, and some an unusually unattractive human being. Group members are asked to rate the individual on certain attributes, anything from personal warmth to the likelihood that he or she will be promoted. Almost invariably, the better looking the person in the picture, the higher the person is rated. In the phrase, borrowed from Sappho, that the social scientists use to sum up the common perception, what is beautiful is good. In business, however, good looks cut both ways for women, and deeper than for men. A Utah State University professor, who is an authority on the subject, explains: In terms of their careers, the impact of physical attractiveness on males is only modest. But its potential impact on females can be tremendous, making it easier, for example, for the more attractive to get jobs where they are in the public eye. on another note, though, there is enough literature now for us to conclude that attractive women who aspire to managerial positions do not get on as well as who may be less attractive. Good looks cut both ways for women (Para.5) means that _ . A attractive women have tremendous potential impact on public job B good-looking women always get the best of everything C being attractive is not always an advantage for women D attractive women do not do as well as unattractive women in managerial positions Answer: C. being attractive is not always an advantage for women The Internet is becoming important in our life. How much do you know about it? The following questions and their answers will help you to know more about the Internet. What is the Internet? The Internet is a large, world-wide collection of computer networks . A network is a small group of computers put together. The Internet is many different kinds of networks from all over the world. These networks are called the Internet. If you have learned to use the Internet, you can have a lot of interest on the World Wide Web . What is the World Wide Web? The World Wide Web has been the most popular development of the Internet. It is like a big electronic book with millions of pages. These pages are called homepages. You can find information about almost anything in the world on these pages. For example, you can use the Internet instead of a library to find information for your homework. You can also find information about your favourite sport or film star, talk to your friends or even do some shopping on the pages. Most pages have words, pictures and even sound or music. What is e-mail? Electronic mail (e-mail) is a way of sending messages to other people. It's much quicker and cheaper than sending a letter. If you want to use e-mail, you must have an e-mail address. This address must have letters and dots and an @ (means "at"). For example: Lily @ Yahoo.com. Write a message, type a person's e-mail address, and then send the message across the Internet. People don't need to use stamps, envelopes or go to the post office because of the invention of the Internet. Quick, easy and interesting -- that's the Internet. The Internet is _ . A a big computer B a small group of computers C lots of computer networks D the World Wide Web Answer: C. lots of computer networks Norway -- Ten Chinese college students arrived at the country's Arctic research base, the Yellow River Station, on Friday. On Saturday, the students are expected to witness the end of four months of darkness in the area, as the sun makes a rare appearance. During their four-day stay at the station, the students will meet and learn from some of China's leading polar researchers. They were welcomed at the station yesterday by its director, He Jianfeng, who is an expert on marine micro-ecosystems. The students will also visit the German and Norwegian stations and meet researchers there. As for entertainment, the visitors will get the chance to play ice hockey at the world's most northerly stadium. Among the visitors is Zheng Li, a student majoring in telecommunications at Dalian Marinetime University. "It is so exciting to see how the Chinese researchers work in the world's most northerly laboratory," she said. "This opportunity is precious. Most people will never get the chance to travel so far from home and visit such an amazing place. _ Wu Jinyou, head of the Polar Research Institute of China, and the group's leader, said, "I hope the students have not only a field trip to the Yellow River station, but are also touched by the devotion and spirit of the Chinese researchers here. I also expect in the future, some of them will choose to devote themselves to polar research and maybe even work with us." The students have been in Norway since February 28, and were given Arctic training before moving to the station. The Arctic expedition is one of the several international cooperation and exchange activities forming the China Program for International Polar Year (2007- 2008). It was launched last March. (China Daily, Xinhua News Agency, March 8, 2008) Which of the following is TRUE about Wu Jinyou? A He is a graduate from Dalian Marinetime University. B He is the president of Dalian Marinetime University. C He thinks highly of the devotion and spirit of the Chinese researchers. D He is sure that all the ten students will make good polar researchers. Answer: C. He thinks highly of the devotion and spirit of the Chinese researchers. A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year-old son waiting for him at the door. "Daddy, may I ask you a question?" "Yeah sure, what is it?" replied the man. "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?" "That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily. "I just want to know. Please tell me. How much do you make an hour?" pleaded the little boy. "If you must know, I make $20 an hour." "Oh," the little boy replied, with his head down. Looking up, he said, "Daddy, may I please borrow $10?" The father was furious, "If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard every day for such childish behavior." The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? About an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think: maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door. "Are you asleep, son?" He asked. "No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy. "I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said the man. "It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $10 you asked for." The little boy sat straight up, smiling. "Oh, thank you, daddy!" he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy counted out his money, then looked up at his father. "Why do you want more money if you already have some?" the father grumbled. "Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied. "Daddy, I have $20 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you." At first, the boy's father _ his son. A knew what to do about B was anxious about C didn't care about D misunderstood Answer: D. misunderstood BEIJING---Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the need to promote the country's housing security and supply to guarantee people's basic residential needs On Tuesday, Xi said that pushing the construction of the housing supply system is a solid project that benefits all people. ''Solving the housing issue is a long-term task," the president said "China still faces problems such as insufficient affordable housing and imbalances in housing distribution" Xi said future work will sick to market-oriented reform.and properly handle the roles of government and the market, economic and social functions of housing development,relations of necessity and possibility and the difference between housing security and welfare trap Meanwhile,he vowed the government shall meet the basic housing needs of the group troubled by inadaptable labor skills, lack of job opportunities or low income Xi pointed out that the general scheme of building China's housing supply system is that the government realizes most of the basic needs while leaving other diversified demands for the market rules "China will spare no effort to increase housing supply while pursuing affordable, environmentally friendly and safe living standards in accordance with the country's practical situation,"he said According to the country's 12th five-year plan,China will increase its quantity of affordable housing go that it covers 20 percent of all residential areas by 2015 through construction of 36 million affordable housing units,including renovation of run-down neighborhoods Xi said the government will first ensure the quality and safety of these buildings and strive to accomplish the goal while speeding up the construction of public rental and low--rent housing as well as the renovation of run-down neighborhoods Land and financial policies will be further improved to support the project,Xi said,adding the government will explore and encourage ways for non-profit institutions to participate in the construction and management of affordable housing. The top leader also stressed that China shall strengthen supervision,establish standard management system and punish illegal occupation of affordable housing units. The housing supply system is constructed to _ A guarantee people's basic residential needs B handle the roles of government and housing market C improve land and financial policies D punish illegal occupation of affordable housing units Answer: A. guarantee people's basic residential needs
There is an old Chinese tale about a woman whose only son died. Sadly, she went to the holy man and asked, "What magical things do you have to bring my son back to life?" Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said to her, "Fetch me a mustard seed from a home that has never known sadness. We will use it to drive the sadness out of your life." The woman happily went off at once in search of that magical mustard seed. She first came to a splendid house, knocked at the door and said, "I am looking for a home that has never known sadness. Is it such a place? It is very important to me." They told her "You've certainly come to the wrong place" and began to describe all the tragic things that had happened to them recently. The woman said to herself, "I have had misfortune of my own. Who is able to help these poor, unfortunate people?" She stayed to comfort them, and then went on in search of a home that had never known sadness. But wherever she went, she found one tale after another of sadness and misfortune. She became so involved in other people's sorrow that finally she forgot about her search for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that it had, in fact, driven the sadness out of her life. The best title for the text would be " _ ". Earth rotating causes In New York there are quite a few free museums for visitors. Below we explore New York's most impressive free ones. National Museum of the American Indian Focusing largely on Native American culture, this museum boasts over a million items, from crafts to traditional tools, all of which played a large part in Native American culture in past times. Located at 1 Bowling Green, the museum is free of charge. Open 10 a.m.~5p.m. Frid-Wed and 10 a.m.~8 p.m. Thurs, it's served by subway lines 4/5 to Bowling Green. Federal Hall A popular one for followers of American politics, Federal Hall is the original location of the US Customs House and the place where Washington took the oath of office in 1789 as the first US President. Today, this building is a premier example of classical architecture. Free of charge to visitors, the museum is located at 26 Wall St, which is accessible by subway lines 2/3/4/5 to Wall St. It's open from 9 a.m.~ 5 p.m. Mon-Fri. New York Academy of Medicine For the more intellectual, a trip to the New York Academy of Medicine is unmissable. With over 700,000 catalogued works, it's the world's second largest health library. Its biggest attraction, however, is the interesting medical equipment on display here, which is weird but wonderfully original. Located at 1216 Fifth Ave at 103rdSt, it's free of charge to peruse. Open 9 a.m. ~ 5 p.m. Mon-Fri, it's served by subway line 6 to 103rdSt. Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology The museum contains a huge permanent collection which features 200 historically significant clothes and also features works by student exhibitions. With free talks and tours on offer, this museum is a great place without spending a cent. Located at Seventh Ave at 27the St by subway line 3, this free museum---undoubtedly the most fashionable one in New York --- is open Tues-Fri 12 a.m. ~8 p.m. and Sat 10 a.m.~ 5 p.m.. If you are interested in Native American culture, where would you probably go? The traditional distinction between products that satisfy needs and those that satisfy wants is no longer adequate to describe classes of products. In today's prosperous societies, the distinction has become unclear because so many wants have been turned into needs. A writer, for instance, can work with paper and pencils. These are legal needs for the task. But the work can be done more quickly and efficiently with a word processor. Thus a computer is soon viewed as a need rather than a want. In the field of marketing, consumer goods are classed according to the way in which they are purchased. The two main classes are convenience goods and shopping goods. Two lesser types are specialty goods and unsought goods. It must be emphasized that all of these types are based on the way shoppers think about products, not on the nature of the products themselves. What is regarded as a convenience item in France (wine, for example) should be a specialty goods in the United States. People do not spend a great deal of time shopping for such convenience items as groceries, newspapers, toothpaste, aspirin, and candy. The buying of convenience goods may be done routinely, as some families buy groceries once a week. Such regularly purchased items are called staples. Sometimes convenience products are bought without enough thinking; someone has a sudden desire for an ice cream sundae on a hot day. Or they may be purchased as emergency items. Shopping goods are items for which customers search. They compare prices, quality, and styles, and may visit a number of stores before making a decision. Buying an automobile is often done this way. Shopping goods fall into two classes; those that are recognized as basically the same and those that are regarded as different. Items that are looked upon as basically the same include such things as home appliances, television sets, and automobiles. Having decided on the model desired, the customer is primarily interested in getting the item at the most favorable price. Items regarded as essentially different include clothing, furniture, and dishes. Quality, style and fashion will either take precedence over price, or they will not matter at all. Staples are items that _ . February has long been a month of romance. With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines. On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what you see on Valentine's Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest in the third century Rome. When the emperor decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didn't allow marriage. But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed "From your Valentine", an expression that is still in use today. Valentine died for what he believed in and so he was made a Saint , as well as becoming one of history's most romantic characters. Nowadays, Valentine's Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are planning to make Valentine's cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart-shaped cakes. The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St. Valentine. What is the author's feelings toward Valentine?.
A Bite of China, made by CCTV's Documentary Channel, sparked discussion not only on Chinese food, but also on locally made documentary programs. When you think of documentaries, you may think of them as long, boring programs. But documentaries can be wonderful and bring stories from the real world into our homes. With fascinating footage and stories, documentaries encourage us to think about interesting issues we wouldn't necessarily know about. So, what makes a good documentary, and what should we pay attention to when we watch one? Here, we offer a few easy strategies to help you get the most out of watching documentaries. Pay attention to the themes While watching a documentary, keep your eyes and ears peeled for the themes people talk about and what ideas they focus on. Is it meant to be informative or raise a certain emotional response? Think critically Listen to what the people in the documentary are saying and ask yourself the following questions: If you were debating with someone or introducing a new concept, would you say the things the people in the documentary are saying? Do the arguments make sense? Check the sources If you're sitting at the computer and can't think of anything to do, why not look up the points the documentary made and see if they are accurate? You could even read more about what is presented in the documentary. Who are the creators? The creators or financial backers of a film will usually be involved with how the subject matter is presented. For instance, as the documentary 2016: Obama's America was directed in large part by a conservative writer, it's not surprising that it's critical of President Obama from the beginning. Why is 2016: Obama's America mentioned in the article? A. Because the author dislikes Obama. B. Because it is a persuasive example. C. Because it is quite popular in China. D. Because it is directed by a writer.[:Z. xx. k.Com] Answer: B. Because it is a persuasive example. Scientific discoveries have changed man's life a great deal during the past century. First of all, they have greatly improved material well-being in several areas of life. In the field of medicine, cures for life threatening diseases have enabled people to live longer. In communication, the telephone and e-mail have made it possible for us to communicate with anyone in the world without leaving our homes or offices. Advances in transportation allow businessmen to fly across the ocean in the morning and return home the same evening. Space technology has put men on the moon. More efficient ways of using available resources, such as coal and solar power, have been explored. Scientific discoveries have also changed man's moral atmosphere. Ethical issues are raised by these discoveries. Should we keep a terminally ill person alive through drugs and machines or should we allow him to die in dignity? With advances in transportation had come the problem of pollution for nearly every major city in the world. If cities become uninhabitable, then such technical advances may come with too great a price to pay. Many people also question the wisdom of sending men to the moon when there are urgent problems that have not been solved on earth. During future years, increasing attention must be given to the moral as well as the practical applications of science. The best title for the passage is _ . A. Science discoveries B. Science and daily life C. Advances in transportation D. City pollution Answer: B. Science and daily life Why is a healthy diet important? A. It maintains a constant body temperature. B. It prevents damage to internal organs. C. It makes oxygen for all the cells in the body. D. It supplies the body’s needs for growth and energy. Answer: D. It supplies the body’s needs for growth and energy. Squawk! Polly wants a cracker! Pretty bird! Pretty bird! These are just a few of the things you might hear coming out of a parrot's mouth. Although parrots seem to be able to talk, they're not really talking like humans. They're not choosing and saying words with specific meanings. Instead, they're simply imitating sounds they've heard. Repeating sounds they've heard before-often many times-is called mimicry. The "talking" we hear from parrots can consist of imitations of all sorts of sounds, from spoken words to creaking doors to barking dogs. They're not really "talking", but it doesn't mean that parrots' mimicry isn't impressive. Did you know that parrots don't have vocal cords like humans? It's true! Instead, parrots use muscles in their throat to direct airflow through their mouths to mimic the sounds they hear around them. Parrots, such as African Greys and Amazons, aren't the only birds that can learn to imitate sounds, including human voices. Some other birds known for their ability to "talk" include Indian Ringneck Parakeets, Budgies and Cockatiels. If you're wondering why some birds imitate sounds they hear, it's because they're social animals. They feel a need to be able to interact with those around them. When kept as pets, these birds see their owners as their family and want to communicate with them. Since a human owner usually can't learn a bird's "language", the bird instead tries to learn the language of its owner. Although these birds are often quite intelligent, imitation is still the best that they can manage. Mimicry becomes a way for them to get attention and interact with their owners. If you want to have a bird that talks as a pet, the best thing to do is to find a bird that already knows how to imitate sounds. Even if a bird knows how to imitate a few sounds, though, you'll still need to spend lots of time training it and providing positive interactions to encourage more "talking ". What would be the best title for the text? A. Can birds really talk to us? B. How do parrots speak to us? C. Do you think parrots are clever? D. What should you do to train birds? Answer: A. Can birds really talk to us? Four American college students learned last week that free music downloads can carry a hidden price tag --- US $ 12,000 to $ 17,500, to be exact. Major record companies accused the students of fueling music piracy by running file-sharing networks on campus allowing hundreds of songs to be downloaded for free. Last Thursday, the four promised not to violate the companies' copyrights. Although they did not admit any wrongdoing, they each agreed to pay thousands of dollars to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). "I don't believe that I did anything wrong," said Daniel Peng at prefix = st1 /PrincetonUniversity, one of the four. "I hope that for the sake of artists, the larger issues can soon be resolved." None appears to have made any money off the file-sharing systems they operated, which were confined to their campus's computer networks. The payments mark the first time record companies have recovered money from individuals in the USaccused of piracy on file-sharing networks. This may be a sign of things to come, as the industry starts taking its battle against online piracy directly to users. Many record-company executives blame the long slump in CD sales on file-sharing networks, which let users copy songs from each other's computers for free. Matt Oppenheim, senior vice president of business and legal affairs for the RIAA, said the settlements, although well below what the companies could have asked for, were "the right amount" given the situation. He also noted that since the four lawsuits were filed, at least 18 campus file-sharing networks have been taken down by their operators. What's the main idea of the whole passage? A. The students should be responsible for their behavior. B. It's too late for record companies to protect their rights. C. Record companies have taken action to protect their copyrights by accusing individuals of piracy on file-sharing networks. D. Some record companies wanted to earn money by accusing people of pirating music. Answer: C. Record companies have taken action to protect their copyrights by accusing individuals of piracy on file-sharing networks.
Lamu was a 12-year-old Tibetan girl. She wanted to go to Beijing to watch the 2008 Olympics. Only one month ago, Lamu still thought it would be difficult. In the past Tibet had no railroad . If Lamu took a bus, it would take her a long time to reach Beijing. And a plane ticket would cost lots of money. However, things changed for Lamu. She was able to buy a ticket to the world's highest railroad. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway had been completed! The 1,142-kilometer railroad runs on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau . Lamu could reach Beijing by train in 48 hours! About 550 kilometers of the railroad are constructed on the frozen earth . When the frozen earth warms in summer, it can move the track. But Chinese scientists have built a special structure to solve the problem. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway has been designed with the wild animals in the designers' minds. It also has special underpasses for animals like Tibetan antelopes to go through. "The new railroad greatly helps Tibet's tourism,"said Liu Yueqin, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences . As more tourists take trains to Tibet, there are more money for Tibetans. With the money, more kids can go to school. The railroad also makes things less expensive in Tibet. Now one can buy a TV set for about 1,500 yuan. It used to be much higher than that price. When there was no railroad, it had been difficult to send things in and out of Tibet. With the new railroad, shopping can be more convenient and faster. After the new railroad was completed _ . Answer: Tibetans can do business in and out of Tibet and develop their tourism When I was young, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn't look like any doctor I'd ever known. He never shouted at us for playing in his yard. I remembered him as a neighbor who was nicer than anyone else in the neighborhood. When Dr. Gibbs was happy, he was planting trees. And his life's goal was to make it a forest. Dr. Gibbs had some interesting theories about planting. He talked about trees that weren't watered would grow deep roots in search of water. So he never watered his trees. He planted anoak and, instead of watering it every morning, he beat it with the rolled-up newspaper. I asked him why he did that, and he said it was to get the tree's attention. Dr. Gibbs died a couple of years. Every now and again, I walk by his house and look at the trees that he planted twenty-five years ago. They're very strong now. I planted a couple of trees a few years later. I watered them regularly and took good care of them. Whenever a cold wind blows, they shake their leaves and branches. The funny thing about those trees of Dr. Gibbs was that difficulty seemed to help them in ways comfort and ease never could. What was Dr. Gibbs' life goal? Answer: To build a forest. What would it take to persuade you to exercise? A desire to lose weight or improve your figure? To keep you away from diseases? To live to a healthy old age? You'd think any of those reasons would be enough to get Americans exercising. Yet a vast majority of Americans have thus far failed to swallow the "exercise pill". Now a research by psychologists strongly suggests it's time to think of current well-being and happiness as motivators for exercise instead of future health, weight loss and body image. Dr. Segar, one of the researchers, believes that immediate rewards are more motivating than distant ones. "People who say they exercise for the quality of life exercise more over the course of a year than those who say they value exercise for its health benefits." He said. ' Other studies have shown that what keeps people moving depends on age, sex and life circumstances. For those of college age, physical attractiveness typically heads the list of reasons to begin exercising, although what keeps them going seems to be the stress relief that a regular exercise program provides. The elderly, on the other hand, may get started because of health concerns. But often what keeps them exercising are the friendships and sense of community that may otherwise be missing from their lives. Improving daily well-being is the most influential factor for the women. Men indicate they are motivated by more distant health benefits, but this may be because men feel less comfortable discussing their mental health needs. "Exercise should be encouraged but the emphasis on weight loss, disease prevention and healthy aging should be reduced." Dr. Segar concluded. "Exercise can make people feel more energetic, less stressed and, yes, happier." According to the passage, which of the following persons may exercise more in a year? Answer: Mary, who enjoys exercising with her son.. LONDON --- A British judge on Thursday sentenced a businessman who sold fake bomb detectors to 10 years in prison, saying the man hadn't cared about potentially deadly consequences. It is believed that James McCormick got about $77.8 million from the sales of his detectors which were based on a kind of golf ball finder to countries including Iraq, Belgium and Saudi Arabia. McCormick, 57, was convicted of cheats last month and sentenced Thursday at the Old Bailey court in London. "Your cheating conduct in selling a great amount of useless equipment simply for huge profit promoted a false sense of security and in all probability materially contributed to causing death and injury to innocent people," Judge Richard Hone told McCormick. "you have neither regret, nor shame, nor any sense of guilt." The detectors, sold for up to $42,000 each, were said to be able to find such dangerous objects as bombs under water and from the air. But in fact they "lacked any grounding in science" and were of no use. McCormick had told the court that he sold his detectors to the police in Kenya, the prison service in Hong Kong, the army in Egypt and the border control in Thailand. "I never had any bad results from customers," he said. ks5u According to the judge, what McCormick had done _ . Answer: lowered people's guard against danger Alsten Chase has written a book about Yellowstone National Park. He is worried about the damage the fires can do to the park. He is also concerned about the park rules. These rules say that nature should decide what happens to the park. Alsten also writes that the elk herd has grown too big. The elks walk on the riverbanks. They eat the new grass and roots of baby trees. The beavers need the trees to build dams. The dams raise the water levels. Higher water levels put more water into the soil. Moist soil helps plants grow faster. The plants offer homes and food to other animals. Chase thinks that the park rules would work only in a park with natural settings. He believes that Yellowstone has had an artificial setting for a long time. The native people left. The wolves were taken away and other animals were removed.The areas of land were fenced off and other animals added.He thinks the park rules that let herds grow too big and the fires burn are hurting the nature of the park. The park manager thinks the rules are good and that the park will be fine. Chase thinks the way the people run the park should be changed. Chase thinks that the park is _ . Answer: no longer in a natural state
Weddings in the United States vary as much as the people do. There are church weddings with a great deal of fanfare ; there are weddings on mountain tops with guests barefooted; there have been weddings on the ocean floor with oxygen tanks for the guests. But many weddings, no matter where or how they are performed, include certain traditional customs. Before a couple is married, they become engaged. And then invitations are sent to those who live nearby, their close friends and their relatives who live far away. When everything is ready, then comes the most exciting moment. The wedding itself usually lasts between 30 and 40 minutes. The wedding party enters the church while the wedding march is played. The bride carrying a bouquet enters last with her father who will "give her away". The groom enters the church from a side door. When the wedding party is gathered by the altar, the bride and groom exchange vows . It is traditional to use the words "to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part." Following the vows, the couple exchange rings. Wearing the wedding rings on the fourth finger of the left hand is an old custom. After the ceremony, there is often a party, called a "reception" which gives the wedding guests an opportunity to congratulate the new couple. The car in which the couple leaves the church is decorated with balloons. The words "Just Married" are painted on the trunk or back window. And then the couple go in their honeymoon. Which of the following statement is NOT true? Answer: Look carefully and you'll find musicians at the top of almost any industry. The television broadcaster Paula Zahn(cello) and the NBC chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd (French horn) attended college on music scholarships; Both Microsoft's Mr. Allen and the venture capitalist Rogar McNamee have rock bands. Lorry Page, a co-founder of Google, played saxophone in high school. The former World Bank president James D. Wolfensohn has played cello at Carnegie Hall. The connection isn't a coincidence. I know because I asked. I put the question to top-flight professionals in industries from tech to finance to media, all of whom had serious ( if often little-known) past lives as musicians. Almost all made a connection between their music training and their professional achievements. Will your school music program turn your kid into a Paul Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft (guitar)? Or a Woody Allen (clarinet )? Probably not. These are outstanding achievers. But the way these and other visionaries I spoke to process music is interesting. But the key question is: why does that connection exist? Paul Allen offers an answer. He says music "establish your confidence in the ability to create." He began playing the violin at age 7 and switched to the guitar as a teenager. Even in the early days of Microsoft, he would pick up his guitar at the end of marathon days of programming. The music was the emotional analog to his day job, both of them show his different creativity. He says, "something is pushing you to look beyond what currently exists and express yourself in a new way." For many of the high achievers I spoke with, music functions as a "hidden language," as Mr. Wolfensohn calls it, one that enhances the ability to connect different or even opposite ideas. When he ran the World Band, Mr. Wolfensohn traveled to more than 100 countries, often taking in local performances (and occasionally joining in on a borrowed cello), which helped him understand "the culture of people". Consider the qualities these high achievers say music has sharpened : cooperation, creativity, discipline and the capacity to coordinate conflicting ideas. All are qualities obviously absent from public life. Music may not make you a genius, or rich, or even a better person. But it helps train you to think differently, to process different points of views --- and most important, to take pleasure in listening. The author develops the passage mainly _ . Answer: When Nick Pasqua hits his bedroom after school, he's tired. The 14-year-old high school freshman from New Rochele, New York, plays computer video games online for a couple of hours, pausing only to instant-message his friends, check his blog or download a new song to his IPOD. When his cell phone vibrates , he scans the text message and fires back a reply. "We're leagues behind," sighs Nick's mom, Kimberly Pasqua, 45. And many parents like her are feeling increasingly out of step with their children. The technology gap between parents and kids is widening, says Amenda Lenhart, senior research specialist for Internet & American Life Project, a research group that explores the impact of the Internet on children and families. In a series of reports released last year, researchers found that 87 percent of the prefix = st1 /United States' kids aged 12 to 17 use the Internet, compared to only 66 percent of adults. Half of those teens go online daily. Eighty-one percent play games online and 75 percent use instant-messaging. Nearly half(45 percent) have a cell phone. One out of five has a blog. Why are children increasing past their parents? Because today's kids learn to use computers by playing and think technology is fun, says Lenhart. But adults generally view computers as mere tools for work , not toys. Despite this difference, most parents realize that computers, cell phones and the like are fixtures in their children's lives. With that acceptance comes worry about what makes appropriate usage and more important, what's safe. Experts say the best way to keep up is to learn the technology for yourself. Visit blogs. Send some instant and text messages. Download music. "This stuff may never be as necessary to your life as it is to your kids," says Susannah Stern, assistant professor in the Communications Department at UniversityofSan Diego, "but you won't get their respect about online issues if you don't know what they're talking about." Children can be great teachers, so let them show you the ropes. "It's empowering for them to share their knowledge," says Stern. Once you know what's what, try to keep the lines of communication open and carefully watch what they're doing. According to Susannah Stern, parents should _ . Answer: the ring of fire is made up of Answer: Siam Park -- Lagoa, Portugal Slide and Splash is Portugal's largest water park and at 16,000 acres, it is widely considered to be one of the best in Europe. In this beautiful water park you can find attractions for everyone. Whether you love to relax and enjoy, or search for excitement, you can find everything for everyone there. Their best attractions are the Dragon and the Tower of Power. Beach Park -- Aquiraz, Brazil Beach Park in Aquiraz is a place which will make you a child again and again. The Beach Park has a resort, a beach leisure area with hot spring besides the water park itself. The place has over 18 unforgettable attractions, which they separate in 3 different parts: family, moderate and insane attractions. The last one is only for the brave visitors, as you can tell by the name. Aquatica -- Orlando, Florida Aquatica water park is placed directly across from Sea World Orlando and is an excellent way to cool off from the hot sun. The park has a huge variety of attractions. Once you are there, don't miss some of the greatest park attractions: The Dolphin Plunge, The HooRoo Run, The Omaka Rocka. Before you go, you should know that the park do not permit personal cameras while using their water slides or tube attractions. Aquaventure -- Dubai, United Arab Emirates This Dubai water park is a water world oasis at the tip of Palm Island. It is a perfect place to cool off, whatever your age. At this huge 42-acre water park at Atlantis the Palm you can speed down the world's largest water slide tube (30 feet wide), or brave the twists and turns of the world's first double slide within a slide. What makes Aquaventure Waterpark unique? Answer:
Linda was very excited when she woke up this morning. It was finally the last day of school and she was going to get the whole summer off. She was so excited because this summer she and her family would be traveling to France. She had always wanted to visit Europe after her friend Susan visited Spain and Italy the summer before and came back knowing all sorts of funny words. She was going to get to see the Eiffel Tower, try all kinds of new food, and meet a whole bunch of new people. She was a bit worried because she didn't speak any French. She wanted to meet some of the people there and become friends. She didn't know how well that would work if she couldn't talk with them. Overall she was still quite excited. She would miss seeing her friends at home this summer. If she were in France she would miss the happy days of playing baseball with Tommy and Susan or going to movies to hide from the heat with her good friend Lilly, or getting lost wandering in the woods behind her house. Oh well, it was time to get ready for school, she would have to enjoy this last day with them before heading out on her adventure. Why was Linda worried about the fact that she couldn't speak French. Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 a.m. When I arrived to collect, I found the building was dark exvept for a single light in a ground floor window. I walked to the door and knocked, "Just a minute," answered a weak, elderly voice. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase. I took the suitcase to the car, and then returned to help the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the car. She kept thanking me for my kindness. "It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated. " "Oh, you're such a good man." She said. When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, " Could you drive through downtown?" "It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly. " Oh, I'm in no hurry." She said, "I'm on my way to a hospice . I don't have any family left. The doctor says I don't have very long." I quietly reached over and shut off the meter For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she had lived, and the furniture shop that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow down in front of a particular building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. At down, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now." We drove in silence to the address she had given me. "How much do I owe you?" She asked. "Nothing." I said. "You have to make a living," she answered. "Oh, there are other passengers," I answered. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. Our hug ended with her remark, "You gave an old woman a little moment joy." The taxi driver did not charge the old woman because he _ Mr and Mrs Smith just open a small restaurant. In order to attract customers ,they put a notice in front of the restaurant, and it says,"Meals on the House for Three Days. " A foreign student comes to the place. He doesn't know much English. On the second day he happens to pass by the restaurant. It is lunch time and he feels Very hungry. "well, here is a restaurant. I am going to have something to eat."He walks to the restaurant when he sees the notice. "American people are really strange . They even eat dinners on the house! But how can I get up to the top of the house?"He says. He looks around and finds a ladder near the restaurant. He is Very glad. But when he gets to the top, he hears someone shouting at him, "Hey! What are you doing up there?" Mr Smith and a policeman are standing there and looking at him. "Doesn't your notice say 'Meals on the House for Three Days'? Is it a joke ?"the foreign student asks. When they hear this, both Mr smith and the policeman laugh ."Do you know what ON THE HOUSE means ?Look it up in the dictionary ,"the policeman says. Meals on the House means _ . The Evergreen Teen Book Club invites you to join us and take full advantage of our limited-time introductory offer. If you join our club, you will receive a certificate for 3 free books. These are yours to keep, even if you decide to cancel your membership. However, if you decide to purchase just one book at the regular club price, you will receive a certificate for an additional 3 free selections after your first order is placed. As our member, you can benefit from all of our super sales and our Bonus Program. You accumulate 2 bonus points with each cash purchase of one book. Every 6 bonus points will earn you a certificate for one free book! To join our club, fill in the brief application listing your name, address, and phone number on the postage-paid card at the bottom of this page. Then drop the card in the mail and our present catalogue will be immediately mailed out to you for your 3 free selections! This catalogue offers a wide selection of over 500 books in every issue, including mysteries, adventures, biographies, cookbooks, sports, and many more. Our catalogue also contains interviews with your favorite authors, reviews of newly published novels, and a teen top-ten list for both fiction and nonfiction. Once you are a member, you will receive our catalogue monthly, but you don't need to purchase any selections. We send you only exactly what you order. If you join before June 30th, we will also provide complimentary shipping ,even if you choose to order nothing except your 3 free books. You can build a great book collection! Begin now by taking advantage of this great offer. If Lily wants to get free delivery, she should _ . Mary got a little white lamb . She tied it to a tree in her field during the day and went to take it home every evening. One evening, she found the lamb gone. Someone had cut the rope and stolen the lamb. When her husband came home, she told him what had happened. Henry at once set out to look for the thief. It was easy to find the thief in the small village. Henry heard that his neighbor Alex got a lamb. He went to the neighbors' house and said angrily, "Return the lamb to me, or I'll call the police." Alex explained that he had bought a lamb, but it was black. Henry looked out of the window. There in the garden was a little black lamb. He felt ashamed. Then he apologized to his neighbour. While they were talking, it began to rain. He stayed in Alex's house until the rain stopped. When he went outside, he was surprised to see the lamb changed. The lamb, which had been black half an hour before, was now almost white. "What colour on earth is the lamb," Henry wondered, "black or white?" Henry didn't leave the neighbor's home _ .
People often say that an Englishman's home is his castle. They mean that the home is very important and personal. Most people in Britain live in houses rather than in flats, and many people own their homes. They can paint and change them in any way they like. In a crowded city everyone knows that he or she has _ space that is only for himself or herself and for invited friends. People usually like to mark their space. Are you sitting on a beach or a train or in a library? If you are on the beach you may have spread your sands around you; on the train you may have put your coat or a small bag on the seat beside you; in a library you may have one corner or chair which is your own. Once I was traveling on a train to London. I was in a section for four people and there was a table between us. The man sitting opposite me had his bag on the table. There was no space on my side of the table at all. I was made rather angry. Maybe he thought that he owned the whole table! I took some newspapers out of my bag and put them on his. When I did this he sat up straight at once, opening his eyes wide. I had invaded his space! A few minutes later, I took my newspapers off his bag in order to read them. He at once moved his bag to his side of the table. The English call their homes "castles" because _ . A they don't make friend with others B they are very important persons C they don't want to stay with others D homes provide them with their own space Answer: D 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 Surrounded by the towns of Davidson, Huntersville and Cornelius, Lake Norman is a man-made lake. It is also the largest lake in the state covering a shoreline of more than 500 miles. State Park on the lake gives a chance for different water activities. People, both tourists and locals, come to the area on weekends, where during the peak season a large crowd arrives to relax and have fun. A great activity for kids is education except fun. The tour coversaquatic life, especially that seen at Lake Norman. Since it is more of an educational one it also covers other important knowledge about water. Those wanting to go boating are seen off into the lake on canoes and pedal boats which are rented on hourly basis. The charges are $5 per hour increased by $3 for everyadditional hour. The boats can be kept on the lake all day from 10 in the morning till 5 in the evening during the summers. Both canoes and pedal boats can seat 2 to 4 people. The park also set up a group tent camp, where a site can hold about 25 people. People from all over the country come here to catch some fishing action, obviously hoping to catch some fish as well. The inner park lake is also great for fishing, though it offers a smaller area compared to Lake Norman. Those here for adventure like to go for biking and hiking on the trails inside the park. Lake Norman is a great place to spend time with family and friends. People come here on vacation or simply to kick back after a week's work and relax. How much will you have to pay at least if the five of you want to go boating a day? A 28 dollars. B 36 dollars. C 23 dollars. D 46 dollars. Answer: D Princeton University Location The University is in Princeton, New Jersey. It is an hour's train ride south of New York City and an hour's train ride north of Philadelphia. Students There are 4,600 undergraduates . There are also 1,900 graduate students, but Princeton is unusual among universities in having a student body made up largely of undergraduates. Faculty Princeton has about 700 full-time faculty members . There are another 300 or so part-time and visiting faculty. All faculty members at Princeton are expected to teach and research. Degrees Princeton offers two undergraduate degrees:the bachelor of arts (A. B. ) degree and the bachelor of science in engineering (B. S. E.) degree. Academic Year An academic year runs from September to late May and lasts two terms (fall and spring). A normal course load is four or five courses per term, although many students take extra courses. Residences Princeton provides housing for all undergraduate students. Freshmen and second-year students are required to spend their first two years in one of five colleges. Each college has its own dining hall, common rooms and computer centers. Fees and Expenses (Academic Year 2011-2012) Tuition : $29,910 Room and board: $ 8,387 Other expenses (books, telephone, etc.): $ 3,083 Total: $ 41,380 In Princeton University, an undergraduate will have to pay _ for the Academic Year 2011-2012. A $11,470 B $ 52,850 C $ 41,380 D $ 8, 387 Answer: C More and more people like bicycling and it is no surprise. It's fun, healthy and good for the environment. Maybe that's why there are 1.4 billion bicycles and only 400 million cars on roads worldwide today. Bikes can take you almost anywhere, and there is no oil cost! If you get on a bicycle and ride it, you may discover something new all around you. Stopping and getting off a bike is easier than stopping and getting out of your cars. You can bike to work and benefit from the enjoyable exercise without polluting the environment. You don't even have to ride all the way. Folding bikes work well for people who ride the train. Just fold the bike and take it with you. You can do the same on an airplane. A folding bike can be packed in a suitcase. You can also take a common bike with you when you fly. But be sure to look for information by getting on airline websites. Not all airlines are bicycle-friendly to travelers. Here are some of Health Benefits of Bicycling: 2 Bicycling helps to prevent heart diseases. 2 Bicycling helps to control your weight. A 15-minute bike ride to and from work three times a week burns off five kilos of fat in a year. 2 Bicycling can improve your mood. Exercise like bicycling has been shown to make people feel better, more relaxed and self-confident. 2 Bicycling is healthier than driving. From the passage, we know that bicycling is becoming more and more _ . A surprising B exciting C expensive D welcomed Answer: D
A long time ago, there was a man. He wanted to buy a pair of new shoes. He measured his feet with a straw ,and then went to a shoe shop in town. The shopkeeper took out a pair of new shoes, and let him try it on. But when he looked into his pocket, he found that the straw was not there. So he said, "I'm sorry, I forgot to bring the size here! Let me go home to get it." After that, he ran out of the shop. It was very far from his home to the shoe shop. When he got back home, he was out of breath. With a straw in his hand, he hurried to the shoe shop again. But the shop was closed. Someone near the man said, "Your feet are with you. Why don't you try which pair of shoes fits ? And why do you believe your straw, but not your feet?" One day, a man wanted to _ . A measure his feet B buy shoes C buy a straw D get to town Answer: B. buy shoes Once upon a time, there was a scholar who wanted to gain more knowledge each day even though he had already gained enough knowledge. One day, he came to visit a saint and wanted to be his student. The saint provided some tea. He slowly filled the scholar's cup: the cup was full, yet he kept pouring and pouring. The scholar burst out, "Stop! You can't add anything to something that's already full!" The saint set down the teapot and replied, "Exactly." Whether it's the silence between notes in music, or some open time in your schedule, you need space to act effectively. Yet most of us, myself included, tend to stuff as much as possible into whatever room is available-closets, schedules, budgets, relationships, and even the mind itself. However, some people know how to avoid overstuffing their life. For example, in Australia, it seemed that most people there operated at about 85% of their capacity ,unlike Americans pushing as close to 100% as possible. So when you run into Australians you know in the street, they have time to hang out and talk with you. Remember the cup: its value is in the space, the emptiness it holds. How to empty your "cup"? Be mindful of the element of space, openness , and emptiness in your life. This includes room in a drawer, the volume of air in a kitchen, and open-mindedness in a friend. Sometimes you're just stuck with a big bucket of tasks yet to do. But at least empty the bucket faster than you fill it with new tasks. Put some space between finishing one thing and staring another. For example, after sending one email, take a breath before replying to another one. Drop the stuff you can no longer afford to _ around. At sea level, you can run with a brick in your backpack, but if you're hiking on a mountain, that brick has got to go. By pouring water into the cup, the saint most probably wanted the scholar to know that _ . A he should pay attention to details B he should keep learning every day C he had already gained enough knowledge D he should be very careful in order to succeed Answer: C. he had already gained enough knowledge How much can environment affect intelligence? In one study, striking increases in IQ occurred in 25 children who were moved from an orphanage to more stimulating(,) environments.The children, who were all considered mentally retarded and unadoptable, were moved to an institution where they received personal attention from adults.Later, these supposedly retarded children were adopted by parents who gave them love, a family ,and a stimulating home environment.The children gained an average of 29 IQ points.For one child, the increase was an amazing 58 points.A second group of initially less "retarded" children, who stayed in the orphanage, lost an average of 26 IQ points. Other encouraging results can be found in early childhood education programs, which provide stimulating intellectual experiences for disadvantaged children.In one study, children from low-income families were given enriched environments from early infancy through preschool.By age 2 their IQ scores were already higher than those in a control group.More important, they were still 5 points higher seven years later.High-quality enrichment programs such as Head Start can prevent children from falling behind in school. A particularly striking environmental effect is the fact that 14 nations have shown average IQ gains of from 5 to 25 points during the last 30 years.These IQ boosts, averaging 15 points, occurred in far too short a time for genetics to explain them.It is more likely that the gains reflect environmental forces, such as improved education, nutrition, and living in a technologically complex society. What's the main idea of this passage A Retarded children cannot improve their IQ's. B Orphanages are full of mentally retarded children. C Environmental factors influence a child's IQ. D Early childhood education programs are important. Answer: C. Environmental factors influence a child's IQ. Is your family interested in buying a dog? A dog can be a good friend to your family, but if you choose the wrong kind of dog, it can cause you a lot of trouble. Families should sit down and discuss the problems before buying a dog.Even if the children in your family are the ones who want the dog,the parents are the ones who are really responsible for seeing that the animal is properly cared for.If you don't know much about dogs,it's a good idea to go to the library for books about different kinds of dogs,as well as books about how to train a young dog. Dogs of different kinds change in popularity as the years go by. One of the most popular dogs these days is the German shepherd . This is because it provides protection. The family should be warned that these dogs grow up to be very big, and may he too powerful for children, If your house is not big, a toy dog may be a good choice . These dogs are very small and easy to train. They don't need to be walked daily. The writer suggests one can get information about the different kinds of dogs _ . A by reading books about dogs B by buying a dog from a pet shop C by watching dogs in a zoo D by asking some friends Answer: A. by reading books about dogs Which resource, abundant in Nevada, is nonrenewable? A copper B wind C sunlight D wood Answer: A. copper
Among the four skills in learning English ,which of these is the "Odd-Man-Out"?The answer is speaking. The other three you can do alone on your own. But you can't really speak alone! Speaking to yourself can be "dangerous" because men in white coats may come and take you away! Where can you find people to speak English? And how can you practise speaking when you are alone?At school if you pay to go to a language school ,you should use the chance to speak .If your teacher asks you to speak in pairs or groups with other students ,try to say as much as possible. Don't worry about your mistakes. Just speak! Conversation Clubs Many cities around the world have conversation clubs where people can exchange one language for another .Look in your local newspaper to find a conversation club near you .They are usually free although some may charge a small entrance fee. Shopping Even if you don't want to buy anything ,you can ask questions about products that interest you in a shop."How much does this cost?" "Can I pay by cheque?" Often you can start a real conversation--and it costs you nothing! Cafe and Bars There are often American, Britain, Irish and Australian bars in many large cities .If you can find one, you'll probably meet many people speaking English as a first or second language. Language is all around you Everywhere you go, you find language .Shop names, street names ,advertisements ,notices ,and car numbers....When you walk down the street ,practise reading the words and numbers that you see .Say them to yourself .It's not exactly a conversation ,but it will help you to "think" in English .But don't speak too loud! Songs and Video Repeat the words of an English-language song singing with the music until it becomes automatic. It's good practice for your memory and for the mouth muscles that you need for English. Above all ,speak as much as possible! Make as many mistakes as possible! When you know that you have made a mistake, you know that you have made progress! Why does the writer say "Make as many mistakes as possible"?Because _ . Answer: We gather a great deal of incidental knowledge from pets.If we look after them properly we learn what they like and dislike. We do not set out to gain this knowledge purposely, but in attending to our pets we gain it by the way. It is got without our realizing it. In keeping our dogs or cats we learn about various diseases that can affect them,and the cures for these diseases.We learn how much sleep they need and what kind of food keeps them healthy. In looking after our fish we learn about the composition of water.We get to know what kinds of fish can live peacefully together and what kinds are hostile to each other.We learn that animal,fish and birds have a lot of things in common with human beings. If children keep pets their general education is helped by this kind of incidental knowledge.One little incident after another in which their pets are involved adds to their store of learning.It is a more interesting form of learning than that given in the biology lesson in school.People who keep pets should have a sense of responsibility towards them.Children,too,should be taught to be responsible.Pets are completely dependent on their owners and the owners should respond to this dependence by looking after them.Irresponsible behavior towards pets is a form of cruelty. In deciding to keep a pet we take on a task,we make ourselves responsible for providing proper food and shelter for the pet.In a crowded city like Hong Kong, where there is so little room for the exercise required by large pets,we should think _ before undertaking the responsibility of keeping one. In Hong Kong, it is not proper to keep large pets because _ . Answer: Not long ago, few little girls imagined they could grow up to become astronauts. For years in the United States, on1y men had that opportunity . In 1983, that changed. Sally Ride made history by becoming the first American woman to travel to space. On Monday, Ride died at the age of 61, ''Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model,"President Barack Obama said in a statement. "She inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars." Ride became interested in space when she was a kid. "If you asked me when I was 12 whether I wanted to be an astronaut ,I'm sure I wou1d have said yes," she said in a 2010 interview . " But I didn't even think about that as a possible career." After studying physics in college and graduate school, Ride got her chance. She was accepted into NASA's astronaut training program in 1978, and then chosen to be the first American female in space. In 1983, she blasted into space aboard the Challenger shuttle." _ ," she said. Ride returned to space on the Challenger a second time in1984 . Between the two missions, she spent a total of 343 hours in orbit. After that, she remained involved with the space program and also worked to share her passion for science with kids. She co-authored six science books for children , and started her own science education company. Ride knew that she he1d a unique place in history . " I realized how important it was for a woman to break that barrier and open the door for other women to be able to do the same exciting things that the men had been doing," she said. Since Ride's historic trip, more than 40 other American women have traveled to space. They all had Ride to thank for opening the door to the final frontier. Sally Ride was regarded as a national hero because she _ . Answer: In 2007.five young people in the American state of Massachusetts developed an idea. The team knew that the world is filled with mobile phones.About eighty percent of all people are said to live within reach of a wireless telephone signal. The idea was to use mobile phones and the Internet to connect job seekers with employers.The young people wrote a business plan and formed a company called Assured Labor. Assured Labor won a development competition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).Three of the founders were graduate students there. ' Assured Labo is an electronic market place.It has two parts.One is for;the United States.That operation was launched in January in Boston.It links people with employees offering temporary jobs. The other arm of the business is for developing markets.That operation is meant to help people get mbfe permanent jobs.A representative is currently building partnerships with universities,and international companies in Central America. Assured Labor's president David Reich,says the companies now place job advertisements on radio or in newspapers.Some even drive around in cars with loudspeakers announcing that jobs are available.He says the companies are interested.in having more modem hiring practices. Through Assured Labor, companies will list open positions on the Internet.People who think they could do the job could reply by text messages or on their cellophanes. This is how the system works inprefix = st1 /Boston. The jobs available include house cleaning.Dog walking and home repay. People who want their house cleaned,for example,can look online at a list of twenty housekeepers.The list tells what services.they offer,and how much they want to be paid.People need two letters praising their work to get on the list of service providers. The employer chooses workers they would like jot hire ,The company then sends the workers a text or e-mail message so they can respond quickly to an offer. After a job is completed,the employer and employee rate each other, The rating is kept for future use.Assured Labor is not charging anyone,right now, but the plan is to have employers pay for the service. Which is NOT one of the means for Assured. Labor to advertise jobs available?' Answer: In England, we look forward to our birthdays for 364 days a year! We invite special people to celebrate it with us. The Presents Presents are opened as soon as the children are awake. They can't wait for the birthday cake later in the day! The Cards Friends and family send birthday cards. Sending birthday cards is a custom that began in England about 100 years ago. The Party The birthday child will have a party to which friends and family are invited. Visitors to the party bring presents for the birthday child. The children play games such as musical chairs and pass the parcel . The Cake The birthday cake is decorated on a theme . A candle for each year is lit and placed on top and the child blows out the candles making a wish. We don't put objects inside the cake as stated on many websites. The Bumps It used to be traditional for the birthday child to have the bumps. Friends would hold the child by the legs and under the arms and lift the child up and down bumping them gently on the ground. The number of bumps given is the age of the child plus one for extra good luck. As this can be dangerous, clapping is often done instead. The Sweets Some children do take sweets to school to share with their classmates on their birthdays. In England, the birthday present is opened _ . Answer:
Here are some tips about how to keep healthy. 1. Healthy food is important. If you want to keep healthy, eat lots of fruit and vegetables. Don't eat much meat. 2. Water is important. Drink water every day. Milk is good for you, too. Don't drink sweet drinks. 3. Exercise is important. You can ride your bike or play soccer. Going swimming is a good idea. 4. Clean air is important. If you are free, you can go to the park and enjoy clean air. 5. Your teeth are important. You should brush your teeth twice a day. 6. Sleep is important, too. Go to bed early. Don't stay up late, or you will feel sleepy. Jenny often stay up late and never gets up early. You can tell her something about _ . the sixth tip How much empathy do you feel towards other people? If you saw someone fall off their bike in traffic,would you stop and help--or just walk away? Many people would give in to coldness,go about their business and just do nothing.So it was a big surprise when about 100 bystanders got together recently to move a bus in east London to help a cyclist trapped under it.A video of the incident went viral on social media. According to Zoheb,a driver who stopped his car to take part in the rescue,about five people gathered to move the bus.He says:"There was no chance we could do it,it was more an invitation for other people to help,really." The initiative paid off.Diners from nearby restaurants joined in.There wasn't much coordination but it didn't take long to develop a collective understanding of what the objective was. Spontaneous cooperation among strangers doesn't happen often.People in a crowd are not sure what to do--they don't have a plan.It's one of the reasons bystanders often do nothing,according to Dr Mark Levine,professor of social psychology at Exeter University in Britain."The presence of others can prevent you from helping",he says. The key to positive group behaviour,Levine explains,"is building a sense of shared identity".Action has to be decided quickly,Levine says."The longer you leave it,the harder it is to make a decision.If you don't immediately act then you kind of think'Well,actually I probably couldn't have done anything anyway'." But the people who took the initiative like Zoheb might make a difference.The cyclist ended up in hospital and the images of the collective effort might inspire others to more acts of unity. Why do people give in to coldness when they should be helping according to Levine? Strangers seldom cooperate with each other. Some animals get caught easily by other animals because they are slow while the predators are speedy Last week John went to his sister's house, and it's also the house he was born in. Sue, his sister felt excited and surprised. She said to John, "You haven't changed a lot, John .Let me see, now...When did we meet last time?" "Ten years ago." John answered. "You haven't changed a lot, either." John said. It was polite for John to say so, but it wasn't true. Sue seemed like an old lady. The next day John walked through the small town alone. The place have already changed a lot. There was a new bus stop, a new post office, a new car park and lots of traffic signs. He remembered suddenly that the bus used to stop anywhere. You just put up your hand and it stopped. Everything has changed. To John's surprise, he didn't recognize anybody at all. Maybe everybody seemed old. He went into a shop and bought some things. Then he asked the boss, "Where are all the children and young people?" "Children?" he said, "They're in school, of course. There are three or four young families here." At lunch, Sue said, "Do you think it is still a beautiful place, John?" "It's all different, Sue. It used to be an exciting place, but now it's full of old people. I don't understand." John said. ,A, B, C, D. How long did John leave the small town? Ten years. Construction workers in Southern California have made a wild discovery. They were digging at a building site in San Timoteo Canyon when they unearthed hundreds of ancient animal fossils. Researchers say the bones hold important clues about the history of the region. Nearly 1, 500 fossils were recovered from the dusty canyon. The remains are about 1.4 million years old. They include the bones of a new species of deer, several small rodents and more. A giant cat fossil was also found. Scientists believe the animal was an ancestor of the saber- toothed tiger. Signs of plant life were uncovered as well. "This is a huge find," says Rick Greenwood, a scientist studying the site. "I don't think most people had any idea that those types of animals were wandering around here more than a million years ago." San Timoteo Canyon is located about 85 miles from Los Angeles. The area of the canyon where the fossils were found was once part of a green river valley. Today, the region is dry and plant life is rare. Most of the fossils are well preserved. Experts say a muddy lake bed may have trapped thirty animals that wandered over for a drink. The mud helped to protect the animal fossils. The remains are a million years older than those discovered at the famous La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Scientists studying the bones will be able to learn more about how the animals adapted to changes in the environment. "We have a confused view of what this time period was like, " says another scientist. "A discovery like this could really be an important contribution." About 35 different animal species are represented in the fossil collection. Scientists began removing bones from the site last fall. The project was completed this summer. Starting next year, the fossils will be on display at the Western Science Center in the nearby city of Hemet, California. From what Rick says, we know _ . more research work will be carried on in the canyon.
Stephen used to work in a company. Unfortunately , he got serious heart disease . He couldn't work for a long time. Thinking he could still do something for others, he decided to be a volunteer at a Children's Hospital. Stephen loved children very much. With his love, he did his job well. Sometimes he lost his children. They died. At that time, he would tell these sad parents that he would soon be with their children in heaven and he would take care of them. His words seemed to help those parents. There was a girl who could not walk because of a disease. She couldn't do anything and she was very sad. What was worse, the doctors said that they could do little for her. Stephen decided to try to help her. He started visiting her, bringing paints, brushes and paper. He put the brush in his mouth and began to draw. He didn't use his hands at all. Only his head would move. He always told her that she could do anything she wanted. At last she began to draw with her mouth. She and Stephen became friends. By and by, the little girl was getting better and better. She was allowed to leave the hospital. One day. to Stephen's great surprise, she walked to see him on her own feet! She gave him a picture she had drawn. At the top, it read: "Thank you for helping me walk. It's all because of your love." Love can sometimes be more powerful than doctors and medicines. Love makes our world more beautiful and colorful. Stephen died a few days after the girl gave him the picture. Stephen couldn't work for a long time because he _ . A. lost his job B. got serious heart disease C. decided to be a volunteer at a Children's Hospital. D. was busy helping others Answer: B. got serious heart disease A new study by the Pew Research Center shows that the number of dads who choose to stay home and care for their children and families has quadrupled over the past 25 years. Can social and economic factors explain the change? Make no mistake; _ . In fact, they are only 16% of all stay-at-home parents.but that number is up from 10% since 1989. When pew started analyzing data. The steady growth since then suggests that these numbers represent a growing trend. "It's up from 1.1 million to 2 million," says Gretchen Livingston, one of the study authors. " More significantly, the number of man who say they stay at home specially to take care of their home and children is at an all-time high, more than four times the rate of fathers who gave that same answer in 1989." As women have taken on more high-paying careers, the assumption that they'll stay home with the children has become less automatic. "My wife and I were earning about the same income at the time just after our daughter was born. We felt that if someone was going to raise our children it would have to be one of us," says Al Watts, the president of the national At-Home Dad Network. "My wife was promoted shortly after she got back from maternity leave and that rise in pay would allow us to live on one income." In 1989, 10% of fathers were stay-at-home parents. In 2014, 16% are. Fourteen percent of the fathers without a high school diploma stay at home, compared to 3% of those with a college degree. In 1989, more than half (56%) of dads who stayed at home cited illness or disability ass the top reason. Thirty-five percent cite that reason now. Only 5% of stay-at-home dads in 1989 said caring for family was the main reason for staying at home. Now, that number is 21%. The rise in stay-at-home dads coincides with a change in social and economic trends regarding women in the workforce, says Farnoosh Torabi, author of When She Makes More. "We know that before they even get married, women are out-earning and out-earning men," she says, noting that younger women are now getting more degrees and better paying jobs, on average, than men. What made Al Watts decide to become a stay-at-home dad? A. His being out of work. B. His making more money. C. His wife's wage increase. D. His wife's encouragement. Answer: C. His wife's wage increase. Teachers and parents usually call attention to the pictures when they read storybooks to pre-school children. But a new study suggests that calling attention to the words and letters on the page may lead to better readers. The two-year study compared children who were read in this way in class with children who were not. Those whose teachers most often discussed the print showed clearly higher skills in reading, spelling and understanding. These results were found one year and even two years later. Shayne Piasta, an assistant professor of teaching and learning at Ohio State University, was an author of the study. She says most pre-school teachers would find this method manageable and would need only a small change in the way they teach. They already read story-books in class. The only difference would be increased attention to the printed text. "If you get children to pay attention to letters and words, it makes sense that they will do better at word recognition and spelling." But she says research suggests that very few parents and teachers do this in a systematic way. More than 300 children aged four and five were observed in classrooms. They came from poor families and were below average in their language skills. For thirty weeks, the children took part in a program called Project STAR--- Sit Together and Read. The project is based at Ohio State. It tests the short-term and long-term results of reading regularly to pre-school children in their classrooms. There are different ways that adults can talk to children about print. They can point to a letter and discuss it, and even trace the shape with a finger. They can point out a word and discuss the meaning of the print or how the words tell the story. And they can talk about the organization of the print--- for instance, showing how words are written left to right in English. Which of the following is TRUE about the study on language skills of pre-school children? A. Many teachers want to change their way of teaching pre-school children. B. Attention on the pictures has made the children uninterested in reading. C. Project STAR aims to research into the results of reading books to pre-school children in the classroom. D. Teachers are often prevented from taking different approaches to language teaching. Answer: C. Project STAR aims to research into the results of reading books to pre-school children in the classroom. Once there was a man traveling in a faraway village.As he was passing the elephants,he suddenly stopped.He found that these huge elephants were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg.No chains ,no cages.It was clear that the elephants could,at any time,break away from their ropes but for some reason,they did not. He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and didn't try to get away."Well,"the trainer said,"when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and,at that age,it's enohgh to hold them.As they grow up,they still believe they cannot break away.They believe the rope can hold them,so they never try to break free." How could it be?These animals could at any time break free from their ropes.But because they were always stuck right where they were,they believed they couldn't. Just like the elephants,how many of us go through life believing that we cannot do something,just because we failed at it once before? _ .We should never give up the struggle in life. How did the man feel after he heard what the trainer said? A. Moved. B. Surprised. C. Angry. D. Nervous. Answer: B. Surprised. Have you ever stayed in a hotel? Most Chinese hotel often provide guests with things like disposable toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and slippers. Many guests like the idea because they don't have to bring their own. But ,if you travel to Beijing, remember to bring your own things. Starting from June, some hotels in Beijing will no longer provide guests with these disposables. They want to ask people to use fewer disposable things. Many disposable things are made of plastic. People throw them away after only using them once. It is a waste of natural resources and is very bad for the environment. Do you know that one Chinese person makes as much as as 400kg of waste a year? Most of that waste comes from disposable things. In Beijing, people throw away about 19,000 tons of plastic bags and 1,320 tons of plastic lunch bowls every year! Plastic can take between 100 and 400 years to bread down. So wherever you travel, bring your own things and use them again and again. Back at home and school, you can also do something to make our world a better place. Try to do these things in your daily life: use cloth shopping bags, not plastic ones. After using a plastic bag, wash it out and let it dry. Then you can use it over and over again. Do not use paper cups. At your school canteen . use your own bowl and chopsticks instead of disposable ones. Why do many hotels provide guests with some disposable things? A. To let their guests take fewer things while travelling. B. To hope their guests use fewer disposable things. C. To wish their guests to save money. D. To want their guests to use more disposable things. Answer: A. To let their guests take fewer things while travelling.
It's hard to predict the weather in the near future. It's even more difficult to know what the climate of the coming season is like. Now you know the winter of 2011/12 was not warm but a freezing one/ many people in the Northern Hemisphere died of cold. but a Native American tribe was fortunate enough to survive the terrible winter because of what was foretold by a weatherman. One day in early September o 2011 the chief of the Native American tribe was asked by his tribal elders if the winter was going to be cold or mild. The chief asked his _ , but the man also had lost touch with the reading signs from the natural world around the Great Lakes. In truth, neither of them had idea about how to predict the coming winter. However, the chief decided to take a modern approach, and rang the National Weather Service in Gaylord Michigan. "Yes, it is going to be a cold winter," the weatherman told the chief. Consequently, the chief went back to his tribe and told his tribe people to collect plenty of firewood. A fortnight later the chief called the National Weather Service and asked for an update. "Are you still forecasting a cold winter?" he asked. "Yes, very cold," the weatherman told him. As a result of this brief conversation the chief went back to the tribe people to collect every bit of wood they could find. A month later the chief called the National Weather Service once more and asked about the coming winter. "Yes," he was told, "it s going to be one of the coldest winters ever." The weatherman was right! And the Native American tribe went comfortably through the terrifying winter. The chief was thankful and curious. He rang the weatherman again and asked, "How can you be so sure about it tat it was freezing winter?" The weatherman replied, "Because the Native American tribe of the Great Lakes are collecting wood like crazy." The chief rang the weatherman several times out of _ . A anger B excitement C curiosity D doubt Answer: D Being bored can encourage people's creativity-partly to escape the horrible, frustrated. And meaningless feeling of boredom-recent studies find. It could even be true at work. Psychologists at the University of Central Lancashire had participants copy numbers out of the telephone book for 15 minutes,while others went straight into a standard creativity task. Both groups were asked to come up with as many different uses as they could for a plastic cup. The group that felt more bored came up with more uses. Dr. Sandi Mann, one of the study's authors said. " Boredom at work has always been seen as something to he removed. hut perhaps we should be welcoming it in order to encourage our creativity. What we want LO do next is to see what the practical implications of this finding are. Do people who are bored at work become more creative in other areas of their work-or do they go homeand write novels?" In a later study, Dr. Sandi Mann found that creativity was reduced when people were still bored but didn't have the chance to daydream. While we tend to think of boredom as something; that certainly leads to trouble-drinking, gambling. and antisocial behavior, this research suggests differer possibilities. More than anything, the feeling of boredom is a 8trong signal that we are stuck in some kind of rut and we need to seek out new goals. In the study above, this research led participants to new ideas. Usually people will do anything to avoid being bored. as it's such an _ experience. But creative people, like writers, sometimes talk ahout seeking out boredom. Here is the comedy writer Graham Linehan talking about boredom Lo The Cuardian. "I have to use all these programs that cut off the Internet,force me to be bored, because being bored is an essential part of writing, and the Internet has made it very hard to be bored. The creative process requires a period of boredom ,of being stuck. That's actually a very uncomfortable period that a lot of people mistake for writer's block, but it's actually just part of a long process. " So, when you start to feel bored , instead of g7ancing at your smartphone.,try being bored for a bit. Who knows what creative thought might come of it? What is the author's attitude towards boredom? A Critical. B Cautious. C Positive D Unclear. Answer: C Did you have a very strict teacher at school? I did. I'll never forget 'Mr. Strict'. If you didn't get your geography right, you would wish to run to the end of the earth to be far away from him. That tall man with a very loud voice knew how to frighten you and put the fear of God into you. Nobody dared to be late for his class. No one dared to chat in his class no matter how boring the subject was. And not even the naughtiest pupil would dream of cheating in his tests. I thought about my old teacher when I read about a new government program in England to train former soldiers with no degrees to become a teacher. They can act either as secondary school subject teachers or as primary teachers. From next January those selected for the program will earn a salary and train on-the-job four days a week and one day at university. In two years they will be considered 'newly qualified teachers'. Education Minister David Laws said: "We know that our highly-skilled soldiers can inspire young people." He believes that values in the army such as leadership, discipline , energy and teamwork would benefit children. But not everybody is happy with the government plans. Brian Lightman, from an organisation called the Association of School and College Leaders, thinks the training offered to the former soldiers who want to be teachers is not enough. Christine Blower, of the National Union of Teachers, believes that teachers need to understand how children develop. According to her, teachers need a high level of education themselves and thorough teacher training before they can educate the young. I'm not sure how much 'Mr. Strict' knew about child development. What I know is how happy he was when we did well. I'll never forget the broad smile on his face when I got a very high mark. My teacher was a soldier, but to me his smile was a medal for bravery in our war against ignorance ! According to Christine Blower, _ . A the English government should stop the program. B teachers should often receive regular training C teachers should know about child development D only those who receive high education can be teachers Answer: C If I ask you to shut your eyes and gave you a piece of apple to eat, would you be able to tell me what it is just by tasting it? Of course, you could. Your tongue is covered with tiny "taste buds" which help you know what different foods taste like. Do you know that foods would taste different if you did not have a nose? This experiment shows how important your nose is when you taste things. What You Need: * a friend to help * small pieces of any food like carrot, orange, banana * small pieces of apple, raw potato, and onion What You Do: There are actually three different experiments. You and your friend should take turns to try them on each other. Experiment 1: Have your friend close her eyes and open her mouth. Give her a piece of the food and ask her to taste it. Then, ask her what she thinks it is. She will probably guess correctly. Experiment 2: While your friend has her eyes closed, give her a piece of the raw potato. At the same time, hold a piece of apple right under her nose. Ask her to eat the potato (but don't call it by name) and tell you what she thinks it is. She will say it is a piece of apple! Experiment 3: (for the brave) Take a piece of raw onion. You don't have to close your eyes this time. Squeeze your nose closed with your other hand so that no smells can get into your nose. Now take a nibble of the onion. Surprise! As long as you hold your nose, you will not be able to taste the onion. The Science Secret You already know the science secret. Your nose and your tongue work together to make food taste the way it does. Your tongue, however, can taste only certain flavors like salty, bitter, sour, and sweet. All of the other "tastes" are actually "smells," and you need your nose to "taste" them. Oh, and you might use this science secret the next time you are told to eat something you don't like the taste of. If you hold your nose while you eat it, you won't "taste" it at all. What's the best title of the passage? A Your Eyes Knows B Your Nose Knows C Your Mouth Knows D Your Tongue Knows Answer: B A radio that takes batteries can make that energy into A fire B video C water D sound Answer: D
You may know the English letters A, B and C.But do you know there are people called ABC? You may 1ike eating bananas.But do you know there is such a thing, a "banana person"? How strange! Are these people from "another earth"? No, they are just Chinese people like you and me. ABC means American-born Chinese.An ABC is a Chinese, but was born in the United States.Sometimes,people call an ABC a "banana person".A banana is yellow outside but white inside--their life and minds inside are Westerners, but they look like Chinese outside. Do you know why? Usually, ABCs know little about China or Chinese language.Some of them don't speak Chinese.Also, they are not interested in Chinese politics . But if ABCs cannot speak Chinese.can we still call them Chinese people? Yes,of course.They are Chinese.They are overseas Chinese.These people may be citizens of another country like the US, Canada or Singapore.But they have Chinese blood.Their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents were from China.They all have black eyes and black hair.But they are not Chinese citizens.For example.we all know the famous scientist C.N.Yang .He got the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1957.Chinese people love him.But he is an American citizen C.N.Yang is mentioned here to show that _ . Answer: American-Chinese are not Chinese citizens HONG KONG -- Hong Kong Disneyland is too crowded, a senior Chinese tourism official said today, hinting that another Disney Park is necessary to accommodate demand from China's huge population. The comments by Shao Qiwei, director of China's State Administration of Tourism, came a day after Shanghai's mayor Han Zheng said the city was preparing to build China's second Disney theme park. "China has a very large population. We now have 1.3 billion people. The market is very large. As far as I know, Hong Kong Disneyland is now very crowded," said Shao, whose comments were broadcast on Hong Kong's Cable TV. The Hong Kong theme park, which opened in September, was widely criticized in January when it turned away hundreds of Lunar New Year holiday makers from mainland China because the park was full. Chaos erupted when angry crowds tried to force their way into the park. The embarrassing incident prompted a public apology from Hong Kong Disneyland Managing Director Bill Ernest and a dressing down from Hong Kong's leader Donald Tsang. Authorities are carefully studying the issue of overcrowding in preparation for the possible building of the Disney park in Shanghai, Shao said. The official Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday that no agreement has been reached on the park in Shanghai, quoting senior vice president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Leslie Goodman. Hong Kong Disneyland is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the local government, which shouldered the bulk of the park's construction fees. Hundreds of visitors from Mainland China got angry because _ . Answer: they were not allowed to go into the park It seems to be strange to you there is a blind spot on the eyes,Here is an interesting experiment that can make something disappear,when one eye is open. Make a card about the size of a postcard and write two English letters L and R on it,L on the left and R on the right.First,hold the card about 80 cm away and you see both the letters.Then close your right eye and look at the letter R only with your left eye.And now,as you move the card slowly towards you,you'll find the letter L disappearing.But if you move the card nearer to your face,the letter will be seen again.Now do the same experiment with your left eye closed,you'll find the letter R disappearing. Why does the letter disappear? It is because there is a blind spot on the eye.When the image of the letter falls on the blind spot,it won't be seen.That is why either of the letters disappears. The writer of the passage thinks that _ there is a blind spot on the eye. Answer: few people know As a child,hopelessly unsporty,Rosie Pope nerve made the hockey team. But at the age of 57,in 2003, she ran around the world. Setting off from home in Tenby,she returned four years, 10 months later,having run 20,000 miles through Europe, Siberia,Alaska,Canada,America,Greenland and Iceland. Moreover,she did it alone with a small cart of food and equipment - running with it through the frozen wastes of Siberia and the streets of New York. Now Pope is at it again: she has just completed 26 marathons in 26 days. "If I can start out again at 63 and feel like 36,then anyone can,because I don't think I'm a superwoman.I'm a very ordinary person,"she said. Pope spent her early childhood in remote County Limerick in Ireland with her grandmother after her mother died when she was two.Her father also died at the age of 47.Pope didn't go to school regularly until she was 13;she was encouraged,instead,to spend her time outside,learning about the natural world.But it was her first husband,Colin Swale,a fearless sailor,who introduced her to the world of extreme adventure.In 1973 they became the first to go around Cape Horn in a catamaran .And in 1983,after they separated,Pope went on to sail across the Atlantic alone.After discovering running at 47,she spent her fifties completing a series of marathons in far-away places. But it was the death of her second husband,Clive,a businessman and photographer,from cancer,that triggered her biggest challenge so far. She had been thinking of running for cancer awareness,when"something broke through my grief as I was liiking at a world map on the wall.I thought I could do this."Pope is now a motivational speaker."Running around the world,or going to the moon or whatever,is only a metaphor ,"she says."The most extraordinary adventure is every day of your life." When Rosie Pope was a child,she _ . Answer: didn't show any talent for sport Researchers around the world have been trying their hand at making better use of the huge amount of wind energy available in nature to produce clean energy. Apart from this, studies are being carried out to harness usable wind energy produced by man-made technologies. One useful source identified by Indian inventor Santosh Pradhan about two years ago is a speeding train, which produces fierce wind that can be transformed into electricity. According to Pradhan's proposal, with a few small improvements in existing trains running in Mumbai, the largest city in India, at least 10,000 megawatts of electricity could be harvested each day. Building on this principle, designers Ale Leonetti Luparinia and Qian Jiang from Yanko Design have created a device called T-Box that harnesses wind energy from speeding trains. T-Box can be placed within the railway tracks. It is half-buried underground between the concrete sleepers , which does not disturb the normal train operating at all. According to Yanko, around 150 T-Boxes can be fitted along a 1,000-meter railway track. A train running at a speed of 200 kph can produce winds blowing at 15 miles a second. Based on this calculation, 150 T-Boxes can produce 2.6 KWH of electricity per day. The T-Box's design won a silver medal in last year's Lite-On Awards and was exhibited last summer at the Xue Xue Institute in Taipei, Taiwan Province. Though the figures look impressive, it is important to remember that the design is still at a conceptual stage and hasn't taken into account issues such as pieces of waste material produced by the device and the efforts and costs involved in the maintenance of the device. We can expect the technology to see the light of the day only after it clears these issues. If so, rail travel, one of the greenest forms of travel, will become greener and more energy-efficient. The passage is mainly written to _ . Answer: introduce a new invention to readers
The teacher who did the most to encourage me was, as it happens, my aunt. She was Myrtle C. Manigault, the wife of my mother's brother Bill. She taught me in second grade at all-black Summer School in Camden, New Jersey. During my childhood and youth, Aunt Myrtle encouraged me to develop every aspect of my potential, without regard for what was considered practical or possible for black females. I liked to sing; she listened to my voice and pronounced it good. I couldn't dance; she taught me the basic dancing steps. She took me to the theatre--not just children's theatre, but adult comedies and dramas--and her faith that I could appreciate adult plays was not disappointed. My aunt also took down books from her extensive library and shared them with me. I had books at home, but they were all serious classics. Even as a child I had a strong liking for humour, and I'll never forget the joy of discovering Don Marquis's Archy & Mehitabel through her. Most important, perhaps, Aunt Myrtle provided my first opportunity to write for publication. A writer herself for one of the black newspapers, she suggested my name to the editor as a "youth columnist". My column, begun when I was fourteen, was supposed to cover teenage social activities--and it did--but it also gave me the freedom to write on many other subjects as well as the habit of gathering material, the discipline of meeting deadlines, and, after graduation from college six years later, a solid collection of published material that carried my name and was my passport to a series of writing jobs. Today Aunt Myrtle is still an enthusiastic supporter of her "favourite niece". Like a diamond, she has reflected a bright, multifaceted image of possibilities to every pupil who has crossed her path. What does Archy and Mehitabel in Paragraph 3 probably refer to? A book of great fun. Mr. White was over 80 years old, but he looked younger than his age. He played Tai Chi in the park every day, so he was very healthy. It was 11:30. It was time for him to walk home. He usually got home thirty minutes later. One day, Mr. White didn't get home until 12:30. His family worried about him. After a short while, a police car stopped in front of their house. What happened? "The old man was lost and he called us for help," the policeman said. When the policeman left, Mr. White's daughter asked her father, "Dad, you go to the park every day. How can you be lost?" "I'm not lost at all. I'm just tired. I don't want to go home on foot," answered Mr. White with a smile. How long did it take Mr. White to walk home from the park? About half an hour. Angela Chang didn't know it would be so hard to turn singing into a career . She went to many different record companies. But she was always _ for looking too young and small. "I'd never had such difficulties before," Chang said. But Chang's talent was finally accepted in 2002. When she got a piece of work, she cried. She soon became a star. Her first albumOver the Rainbowsold very well. She won many awards. "You wouldn't believe such a beautiful voice could come from such a small body," said one musician after hearing Chang sing. "She has a special voice. You can't forget it." But the 25-year-old girl has other talents too. Chang is also an actress. She has played a role in the popular TV plays, My MVP ValentineandAt Dolphin Bay. Many people remember her common-girl parts in the plays. But acting is difficult. Chang once acted so badly that she was nearly fired . Another time it took her 27 tries to get a scene right. "I cried when I got back home," Chang said. "But I knew that I wouldn't always fail. You only fail when you give up." Now with four albums behind her -Over the Rainbow, Aurora, Pandoraand Flower in the Wonderland, it's clear that Chang and music were made for each other. As she sings in one song, "I have a pair of invisible wings . They fly me to the skies and give me hope." Although acting is difficult for her, she never gives up because _ . she is strong-minded There was a bookseller .He did not like to pay for anything.One day a big box of books fell on his foot. "Go to the doctor," said his wife,"and show that foot to him." "No,"he said,"I'll wait until the doctor comes to our shop next time.Then I'll ask him about my foot.If I go to see him,I will have to pay." The next day the doctor came to the shop to buy some books.The bookseller told the doctor about his bad foot.The doctor looked at it and promised to help.He took out a piece of paper and wrote something on it."Buy this medicine and put it on the foot before you go to bed every night,"he said. "Thank you,"said the bookseller,"And now,sir,here are your books." "How much?" asked the doctor. "Two pounds."" Oh,good,"said the doctor."I won't have to pay you anything today." "Why?" asked the bookseller. "I look over your foot.I will not pay two pounds for that.If people come to my house,l ask them to pay only one pound for a small thing like that.But when I go to their house,I usually charge two pounds.And I came here today,didn't I? Bye--bye!" Which of the following is right? The doctor was cleverer than the bookseller. On July 4,1986,Americans celebrated the Statue of Liberty's 100th birthday.Parades,speeches,fireworks,and other activities contributed to the great joy of the event.The celebration caused reporters and the 1ocal people to 1ook back a century to the similar great joy that marked the official opening of the statue.The Statue of Liberty was completed in 1886,but the story began earlier.The idea for a statue was first suggested at a dinner party by Edouard de Laboulaye, a French historian .A guest at the party was Frederic Bartholdi,a young sculptor. Most people who attended the dinner party soon forgot the idea,but Laboulaye and Bartholdi remembered it.In 187l, Bartholdi came to the United States to interest Americans in a statue that would link France and the United States in friendship.Many people in France had already been persuaded and contributed money to the project.Americans were also persuaded to build a fund for the statue.Much of the money came from school children. After the idea had been accepted,Bartholdi set to work. He worked hard for many years.His friend Laboulaye died before the statue was completed.At last,in 1885,the statue was sent to the United States.It had to be shipped in sections and then put together for its weight and size. Ever since then, 1886,the Statue of Liberty has stood as a symbol of freedom to millions of immigrants entering New York Harbor. From the content,we may feel that the writer is _ when he is writing the passage. calm
A 13-year-old Chinese girl, Fan Yi (Nancy), who had her primary education in US, recently published her first fairy tale, Swordbird. The English fairy tale was listed as the bestseller of children's fiction in theprefix = st1 /US, theShanghai Evening Postreported. Fan Yi was greatly interested in observing birds ever since she was a little girl. In Hanmilton,New York, where she lives, she often watches kingfishers and woodpeckers flying over her house from the small woods nearby. And the inspiration for writing the bookSwordbirdactually came from one of her dreams. At that time, she was studying American history in school and happened to read many articles in magazines about the 911 terrorist attacks. One day, she had a dream in which some _ and _ were controlled by some black birds and began to fight with each other. When she woke up, she decided to turn her dream into a story and to convey her message for peace to the public. In order to get her book published in China, Fan translated the entire English version into Chinese. "It is a learning process. Since I didn't know many Chinese idioms, I had to get help from my mom and dad from time to time. For another thing, a lot of poems in the original story are written in rhyme. So when I translated them into Chinese, I wanted to make sure that they were in rhyme, too," she said. Fan Yi was born in Beijingin 1993. She stayed inBeijinguntil she finished her first grade of primary school. Then she moved with her parents to theUnited Stateswhen she was seven. Two years later, she started to write her English story. In March, this year, the book was published by Harper Collins Publishers. It was selected as the week's bestseller of children's fiction by the New York Timessoon after it was published. In future, Fan Yi might write more series for her book. It is expected that her Swordbird Prelude might come off the press next year. Her book was related to the 911 terrorist attacks in that _ . Answer: Most Americans get what money they have from their work; that is, they earn an income from wages or salaries. The richest Americans, however, get most of their money from what they own -- their stocks, bonds, real estate, and other forms of property, or wealth. Although there are few accurate statistics to go by, wealth in American society appears to be concentrated in very few hands. More than 20 percent of everything that can be privately owned is held by less than one percent of the adult population and more than 75 percent of all wealth is owned by 20 percent of American adults. The plain fact is that most Americans have no wealth at all aside from their homes, automobiles, and a small amount of savings. Income in the United States is not as highly concentrated as wealth. In 1917 the richest 10 percent of American families received 26.1 percent of all income, while the poorest 10 percent received 17 percent, mainly from Social Security and other government payments. The most striking aspect of income distribution is that it has not changed significantly since the end of World War II. Although economic growth has roughly doubled real disposable family income (the money left after taxes and adjusted for inflation) over the last generation, the size of the shares given to the rich and the poor is about the same. By any measure economic inequality is great in the United States. The reality behind these statistics is that a large number of Americans are poor. In 1918, 14 percent of the population was living below the federal government's poverty line, which at that time was an annual income of $ 9 287 for a nonfarm family of two adults and two children. In other words, about one out of seven Americans over 31 million people was officially considered unable to buy the basic necessities of food, clothes, and shelter. The suggested poverty line in 1981 would have been an income of about $11, 200 for a family of four. By this relative definition, about 20 percent of the population or more than 45 million Americans are poor. What does the majority of the Americans have in terms of wealth? Answer: Most people say "yes" much more readily than "no". A friend is moving house this weekend and would like some help, and you agree. But, what you really wanted was a couple of quiet days relaxing at home. Or a roommate spends the entire weekends playing video games and wants to borrow your homework for "reference". You say "yes". Many people say "yes" to these kinds of requests. They tend not to consider their own interests and feelings, and are often angry with themselves afterwards . Saying "no" requires courage and considerable practice, in fact, according to psychologists. "Everyone wants to be liked," says Gabriele Steinki, a German psychologist. "Saying 'no' risks losing the affection of the person asking the favor or even a job." The result is that many people say "yes" just for keeping the peace. But experts say this is regrettable. Anyone should have the right to say "no". In fact, rejecting a request can even help to strengthen a relationship because it expresses a true feeling. But, for people used to agreeing to every request, changing can be a long and uncomfortable learning process. Most people believe that "If I say 'no', I'll lose the affection of the person. But the affection is important to me." This way of thinking can be replaced by this: "If he only likes me because I always do what suits him , the price of his affection is too high in the long term." Steinki says the key is talking to the other person to find a mutual solution. "One needs to present the situation from one's own point of view, and to suggest how the situation can be dealt with to the advantage of both parties. The other person must have the feeling that his interests are being considered." When the refusal is not accepted, Steinki advises us to give the reasons calmly again until the person gets the message . Most people say "yes" much more readily than "no" because _ . Answer: Hello, my first name is Jenny and my family name is Brown. I am a girl. I am 11. My telephone number is 025-7658. I have two friends. One is a boy. His name is Mike Green. He is 10. His telephone number is 636-7654. Linda Smith is my friend, too. She is 9. Her telephone number is 356-7890. ,. What's Linda's telephone number? Answer: What's on stage An acrobatic show: To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the China Acrobatic Troupe will present "The Soul of China", where the seemingly impossible is made real. Chills will run down your spine as you watch breathlessly as performers take their art and their bodies to the edge. Time: 7: 30 p. m., September 13-19 Place: Capital Theatre, 22 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District Exhibitions Joint Show: A group ink painting exhibition is running at the Huangshicheng Art Gallery in Beijing. About 50 works by 25 young artists including Ge Yun and Yu Yang are on display. Time :9:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. until September 10 Place:prefix = st1 /HuangshichengArtGallery, 136 Nanchizi Dajie, Dongcheng District Oil paintings:The Wanfung Art Gallery will host a joint show of oil painting by 10 young and middle-aged artists. On display are, more than 30 of their latest works, which capture the wondrous variety of life in unique styles. Time:9:00 a. m. - 4:00 p. m. until September 15 Place:136 Nanchizi Street, Dongcheng District Literature museum: The National Museum of Modern Chinese Literature offers an in-depth study of the evolution of Chinese contemporary literature from 1919 to 1949. Time: 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., daily Place: 45 Anyuan Donglu, Chaoyang District (Shaoyaoju area) Concert Beijing rocks: "The Fashion Night of Chinese Rock" is set to bring rock fans out by the thousands next month. Nine Chinese rock bands will perform at the concert, including older generation bands, middle generation and some recent arrivals. The audience will be given a chance to decide what songs they want to hear, which is sure to bring a storm. Time:September 11-14 Place:The Olympic Center What do you think of the acrobatic show mentioned here? Answer:
Your homework habits might be affecting your grades. Are you feeling tired or bored when it comes to homework time? Are you arguing with parents about your grades? You can change the way you feel by taking better care of your mind and your body. Get the sleep you need. Studies show that teens' natural sleeping habits are different from those of adults. This often causes less sleep among teens, since they tend to have trouble going to sleep at night, and have trouble waking in the mornings. You can avoid some of the problems that come with less sleep by changing some of your nighttime habits. Improve your memory A great way to improve your homework habits is to improve your memory with brain exercise. There are many theories and ideas about improving memory, but there is one mnemonic method that has been around since ancient times. Ancient accounts show that early Greek and Roman orators used the "loci" method of remembering long speeches and lists. You may be able to use this method to improve your memory at test time. Fight the desire to delay Do you get the sudden desire to feed the dog at homework time? Don't fall for it! Delay is like a little white lie we tell ourselves. We often think we'll feel better about studying later if we do something fun now, like playing with a pet, watching a TV show, or even cleaning our room. It's not true. Avoid repetitive stress During text messaging, Internet surfing, and computer writing, you are using your hand muscles in all new ways, and you're very easily to be influenced by something dangerous or the repetitive stress injury. Find out how to avoid pain in your hands and neck by changing the way you sit at your computer. What should people do to avoid the repetitive stress when they playing computer? Answer: Changing the way they sit. My teenage son Karl became withdraw after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six falling grades for the year. At this rate he would never graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. Nothing worked. One night I felt so powerless that I got down on my knees and pleaded for help. "Please God, I can't do anything more for my son. I'm at the end of my rope. I'm giving the whole thing up to you." I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. "I want to talk to you about Karl's absences." Before he could say another word, I choked up and all my disappointment and sadness over Karl came pouring out into the ears of this stranger. "I love my son but I just don't know what to do. I've tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It's out of my hands." For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The headmaster seriously said, "thank you for your time", and hung up. Karl's next report card showed a marked improvement in his grades. Finally, he even made the honor roll. In his fourth year, I attended a parent-teacher meeting with Karl. I noticed that his teachers were astonished at the way he had turned himself around. On our way home, he said, "Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year?" I nodded. "That was I. I thought I'd play a joke but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you. That's when I knew I had to make you proud." What is the main idea of this passage? Answer: Mother's love plays an important role in teenagers' life. How to Fight Winter Blue Winter's short days are more than cold. For many people, winter depression, the most common type of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is as much a part of the season as hats and scarves. Winter serious SAD sufferers may need medical treatment. Those feeling a little blue can help themselves by sticking to a healthy lifestyle. Here are some tips: Pace yourself. Don't expect to do everything you normally can. Set a realistic schedule. Don't listen to negative thinking, like blaming yourself or expecting to fail. Get involved in activities that make you feel good or feel like you've achieved something. For example, play table tennis or badminton. If you are feeling depressed, you may feel like staying away from friends. Yet this is a time when friends' support can be helpful. Call them regularly. Remember, the more we put off calling or visiting a friend, the harder it is to rebuild a friendship. Think clearly about what's wrong or right. Instead of giving in to vague feelings of sadness, look at your problems objectively. Break down problems into specific issues that you can work on. Regular exercise helps to prevent and . Eat well. Studies show that a healthy diet can help to maintain (keep) a healthy body and mind. The vitamins, minerals and micro--nutrients found in balanced diet may help our bodies to produce feel-good hormones . Foods containing chemicals to help produce feel-good hormones include bananas, turkey, nuts and seeds. Eat at least five pieces of fruit and vegetables every day. P.S. Symptoms of SAD: No interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy. Increased need for sleep. A change in eating habits, especially an appetite for sweet or starchy foods. Weight gain A heavy feeling in the arms or legs A drop in energy level Difficulty in concentrating Overly emotional Avoidance of friends and social situations Frequent feelings of guilt Long-term feelings of hopelessness, and physical problems, such as headaches The passage includes the following except _ . Answer: playing table tennis helps us achieve whatever we want Hello, everyone! My name is Bob. I have a good friend. His name is Bill. He is a dog. I like him very much. Every morning Bill runs with me, and we play in the park every afternoon. Bill is very fat . He likes eating beef hamburgers for breakfast. For dinner, he likes fish. Bill likes red. He has two red hats. Look! They are on my bed. But Bill is lost now. Please help me. My telephone number is 3123216. Many thanks! According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true? Answer: Bob likes eating beef hamburgers for breakfast. It's sometimes reported that strange objects have been seen high up in the sky. These unidentified flying objects - UFOs have made a lot of people interested. Some of the reports about them are difficult to believe.Some have been explained in scientific ways, others have never been explained. It is not easy to decide whether a report is true or not. One report of UFOs came from a British plane on its way from New York to London in 1954. The British plane was flying over an island at 19,000 feet when the captain noticed that something was on their left and a little lower than their plane. It's about five miles away. "It was not one object but several," the captain said. "We saw one large and six smaller objects. I sent a radio to report about them and I received the answer that the other planes were coming out to meet us. Before the planes arrived, the smaller objects entered the big objects. The big object then became smaller and moved away fast." In 1954, a British plane met a UFO when it was flying from _ to _ . Answer: America; England
A person who is paid to learn about scientific things would spend most of their time A at home B sight seeing C viewing things D on vacation Answer: C When I heard the piano, I walked to Mrs. Windsor's house and waited outside as I always did. That meant she was working with another student, and I was not supposed to bother them by ringing the bell. I stood against the wall and daydreamed what I'd rather be doing. "Almost anything", I sighed _ . I had been tutored enough to read, understand, and even write some musical compositions, but I just didn't have a gift for it. It didn't come to me naturally. I thought back to happier times when I was writing stories and acting them out with my friends, cutting up old clothes to make dresses that performers wear in plays, and building scenery out of old things we found. But Mrs. Windsor had offered to give me the lessons for free, so I felt my duty to try. The door opened and Wendy Barton came out. I walked in, sat down on the piano bench and began to sort through my sheet music. "Hello," I heard a voice behind me say softly. I turned around to see a little girl standing behind me, eating an apple. But before I could make any response, Mrs. Windsor walked into the room in her usual urgent manner and announced,"Jennifer, this is my niece, Pasha. Pasha, this is Jennifer. Pasha will be giving you your lesson today. I'm up to my ears in something else!" she then exited to the kitchen. Pasha set her apple down on the side table and slid beside me on the piano bench. "What piece do you like best?"she asked. "What do you mean?" I asked. "They're all the same to me. I don't know. "You mean you don't have a favorite?" "No, not really." Pasha looked at me, rather puzzled, then opened my sheet music to the beginning page and asked me to play. I arranged my fingers on the keys and studied the notes on the page for a moment. Then I frowned and concentrated to make the notes on the page match the finger movements. I have to admit I was a rather mechanical pianist. After about a page or two, Pasha gently put her hand on top of mine as if to calm my fingers. There was a long pause. "What are you hearing in the music?" I looked at her rather strangely and admitted I didn't know what she meant. "Like a story. What story is being playing out within the music?" "I guess I've never thought about it before. I don't know." "Here, let me try and you listen," Pasha advised. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting her fingers dance lightly over the keys. Then, she began to play. "See, it begins here beside some kind of river. Hear the water flowing beside you?" Her fingers rose and fell gently on the keys."Now the princess appears and she's picking flowers from the water's edge."A carefree, happy piece of music filled the air in time to Pasha's dancing fingers. "Oh, but she slips!"The music changed. "And our princess is being carried off by the fast-flowing stream. Quickly, the princess's horse sees her plight ," Pasha continued, and races to the river's edge where he swims out to let her catch hold of him. They make it to the bank and she hugs her faithful horse and swears she will never again wear princess skirts that weigh her down. She will only wear jeans and T-shirt from now on." Pasha finished with a big smile and then looked at me. "Aren't you the girl who tells the stories?" she asked. "I guess. I do tell a lot of stories." "Oh, yes! All the kids talk about them. I've heard about you. Well, all you have to do is learn to hear the stories in the music. That's all there is to it." "I've never thought it that way." "Let's try another one, shall we?"Pasha smiled and together we played that afternoon, finding the stories in the music and learning that sometimes it takes a friend to pull you out of the river onto dry land again. Jennifer got lost in thought when she _ A played the piano with Pasha for the first time B listened to Pasha tell her story about the princess C remembered happier times of writing stories and acting them out D discovered that Mrs. Windsor's niece would be giving the piano lesson Answer: C You went to the butcher's for meat, the pharmacy for aspirin, and the grocery store for food. But when I spent the summer with my Grandmother in Warwick, N.Y., she sent me down to the general store with a list. How could I hope to find anything on the packed, messy shelves around me? I walked up to the counter. Behind it was a lady like no one I'd ever seen. Fake-jewel-encrusted glasses teetered on the tip of her nose, gray hair was piled on her head. "Excuse me," I said. She looked up. "You're that Clements kid," she said. "I'm Miss Bee. Come closer and let me get a look at you." She pushed her glasses up her nose. "I want to be able to describe you to the sheriff if something goes missing from the store." "I'm not a thief!" I was shocked. I was seven years old, too young to be a thief! "From what I can see you're not much of anything. But I can tell you've got potential." She went back to reading her newspaper. "I need to get these." I said, holding up my list. "So? Go get them." Miss Bee pointed to a sign on the screen door. "There's no one here except you and me and I'm not your servant, so I suggest you get yourself a basket from that pile over there and start filling. If you're lucky you'll be home by sundown." Sundown was five hours away. I wasn't sure I would make it. I scanned the nearest shelf for the first item on my list: pork and beans. It took me three wall-to-wall searches before I found a can nestled between boxes of cereal and bread. Next up was toilet paper, found under the daily newspaper. Band-Aids --where had I seen them? Oh, ye next to the face cream. The store was a puzzle, but it held some surprises too. I found a new Superman comic tucked behind the peanut butter. I visited Miss Bee a couple of times a week that summer. Sometimes she short-changed me. Other times she overcharged. Or sold me an old newspaper instead of one that was current. Going to the store was more like going into battle. I left my Grandma's house armed with my list--memorized to the letter--and marched into Miss Bee's like General Patton marching into North Africa. "That can of beans is only twenty-nine cents!" I corrected her one afternoon. I had watched the numbers change on the cash register closely, and Miss Bee had added 35 cents. She didn't seem embarrassed that I had caught her overcharging. She just looked at me over her glasses and fixed the price. Not that she ever let me declare victory. All summer long she found ways to trip me up. No sooner had I learned how to pronounce bicarbonate of soda and memorized its location on the shelf than Miss Bee rearranged the shelves and made me hunt for it all over again. By summer's end the shopping trip that had once taken me an hour was done in 15 minutes. The morning I was to return to Brooklyn, I stopped in to get a packet of gum. "All right, Miss Potential," she said. "What did you learn this summer?" That you're a meany! I pressed my lips together. To my amazement, Miss Bee laughed. "I know what you think of me," she said. "Well, here's a news flash: I don't care! Each of us is put on this earth for a reason. I believe my job is to teach every child I meet ten life lessons to help them. Think what you will, Miss Potential, but when you get older you'll be glad our paths crossed!" Glad I met Miss Bee? Ha! The idea was absurd. Until one day my daughter came to me with homework troubles. "It's too hard," she said. "Could you finish my math problems for me?" "If I do it for you how will you ever learn to do it yourself?" I said. Suddenly, I was back at that general store where I had learned the hard way to tally up my bill along with the cashier. Had I ever been overcharged since? As my daughter went back to her homework, I wondered: Had Miss Bee really taught me something all those years ago? I took out some scrap paper and started writing. What can we infer from the writer's comparing herself to "General Patton"? A She was well prepared. B She was very aggressive. C Going shopping in the store was a challenge to her. D Going shopping was so fun that it was like playing a war game. Answer: C Dinner customs are different around the world. If you are a dinner guest in Ghana , this information will help you. In Ghana, dinner is usually from four in the afternoon to six in the evening. But there are no strict rules about time in Ghana. Whenever a guest arrives, a family offers food. When you go to a home, the host takes you to the living room first. At this time everyone welcomes you. Then you go to the dinner room. There you wash your hands in a bowl of water. All the food is on the table. In Ghana you usually eat with your fingers. You eat from the same dish as everyone else. But you eat from one side of the dish only. It is not polite to get food from the other side of the dish. After dinner, you wash your hands again in a bowl of water. Most meals in Ghana have a dish called fufu. People in Ghana make fufu from the powder of some plants. Sometimes they cut the fufu with a saw because it is very hard and like rubber . You must chew fufu well, or you can get sick. You eat fufu with fingers of your right hand only. In Ghana, _ A dinner is always at six B rules for dinner time are not strict C a family offers food only at four D you don't have to wash your hands again after dinner. Answer: B There's a story told about an elderly lady in Arkansas.The state voted to increase welfare payments to the poor.Hoping for a tear-jerker story,a television interviewer went into the back hills where many welfare recipients lived. The old woman he chose to interview lived in a one-room shack :cold in winter;hot in summer.Her bed was a few rough planks nailed together,with a pine-needle mattress.A couple thin blankets,and a fireplace,did little to protect her from the cold. Her furniture,a table and two chairs,were fashioned from the same rough wood as her bed.Some shelves held a few cans of food from the general store.a three mile walk down the road.Several jars of preserves and a few squash completed her larder . She had no fridge or freezer.The fireplace provided heat for cooking.With no phone or television her only connection with the outside world was an old radio that pulled in two or three local stations on a good day. The old woman had one convenience, running water.A crystal clear stream.flowed a short distance behind her home. A small garden near her back door provided fresh vegetables during the summer,and some squash and turnips for the winter.A tidy flower garden brightened the front of her house. The television crew arrived and set up their big expensive cameras.Their mobile station. broadcast pictures of the woman and the place she called home. Eventually the interviewer asked the old woman,"If the government gave you $200 more each month,what would you do with it?" Without hesitation the woman replied,"I'd give it to the poor." Which of the following word can best describe the woman? A Generous. B Ignorant. C Out of mind. D Noble-minded. Answer: D
Question: The word's largest aircraft made its public debut last week at Europe's biggest factory, a purpose built assembly line in Toulouse, souther, n France.The Airbus A380 will have 50 per cent more floor space than American rival Boeing's 747 Jumbo, with room for duty-free shops, restaurants and even a sauna.This new arrival is expected to change the face of air travel. The A380 will enter service in early 2006 with Singapore Airlines. Airbus claims the A380 will burn less fuel, make less noise, create less pollution and cost 17 per cent less per seat than the 747.It will also reduce traffic problems in the skies. The aircraft, which cost between PS140 million(US$250m) and PS157 million (US$280m) each compared with PS84 million (US$150m) for Boeing's new Dreamliner jet, is being built at 16 factories in Germany, France, Spain and the UK. But activists have warned of more noise and pollution from the Superjumbo, while Boeing believes huge aircraft will not be in great demand over the next decade. As a result, it is putting faith in the much smaller 7E7 Dreamliner.But Airbus is pinning its hopes on the "big is beautiful" theory, gambling on size being the key factor in the US-European battle for the skies. Airbus said it was in talks with half a dozen global airlines about buying the A380. China Eastern Airlines, already an Airbus customer, is said to be targeted, while executives made it plain that they wanted to fight for the Japanese market, which had traditionally been controlled by Boeing. Over the next 20 years, Airbus hopes to sell 750 of the new planes into a market worth PS185billion (US$330bn).The company already has129 firm orders for the A380, with 52 options. From the passage, we can infer that _ A. Airbus is not aiming at the Japanese market. B. Boeing is not a rival of Airbus. C. A380 hasn't been used yet. D. Boeing is better than Airbus. Answer: D. Boeing is better than Airbus. Question: Throughout history, people have been interested in knowing how languages first began, but no one knows exactly where or how this happened. However, we do know a lot about languages, the languages of today and also the languages of earlier times. There are probably about 3,000 languages in the world today. Chinese is the language with the most speakers. English, Russian and Spanish are also spoken by many millions of people. On the other hand, some languages in the world have less than one hundred speakers. There are several important families of languages in the world. For example, most of the languages of Europe are in one large family called Indo-European. The original language of this family was spoken about 4,500 years ago. Many of the present day languages of Europe and India are modern forms of the language of 4,500 yeas ago. Languages are always changing. The English of today is very different from the English of 500 years ago. In time some even died out completely. About 1,000 years ago, English was a little-known relative of German spoken on one of the borders of Europe. If a language has a large number of speakers or if it is very old, there may be differences in the way it is spoken in different areas. That is, the language may have several dialects. Chinese is a good example of _ differences. Chinese has been spoken for thousands of years by many millions of speakers. The differences between the dialects of Chinese are so great that speakers of Chinese from some parts of China can't understand speakers from other parts. According to the passage, _ has the most speakers. A. Chinese B. English C. Spanish D. German Answer: A. Chinese Question: No more batteries,no more chargers and no more wires.This is the future promised by "wireless power".a means of broadcasting electricity through the air to laptops,iPods and other gadgets without the need for cables and sockets . Wireless lighting,audio speakers and digital picture frames are expected to be among the first commercial products exhibited in Las Vegas this week at the International Consumer Electronics Show,the world's biggest gadgets tradeshow. Experts believe this is just the beginning and that eventually wireless electricity could do for battery life what WiFi did for,the Internet.In a world without wires,laptop users in cafes and airport terminals would be inside an "electricity hotspot" and no longer have to delve an awkwardly located socket. "You'd be able to buy.a desk that charged any gadget placed on it, or power any PC you put on top," said James Holland,editor of gadgets website Eleetricpig.co.uk."If each room had wireless power,you'd know that once you walked through the front door your nmbile would start charging up--even while still in your bag or pocket.You'd never need to hunt for the right charger again." Among the companies showcasing the ambitions technology at CES is Power Beam.Its system turns electricity into an invisible laser, then beams it as heat,across the room to a solar cell that conveys it back into dectricity. David Graham,the co-founder of Power Beam,said:"We're going to delete the word 'recharge' from the English dictionary.If your,cell phone is recharging on your desk.all day,you won't be thinking about.it." The Silicon Valley company can currently use a laser to generate about 1.5 watts of power to _ a solar.cell 10 meters away.This, sould be enough to power an electronic speaker or small LED lights,but not enough to operate a laptop,which requires about 30 to 50 watts.However,Graham said that the technology could comfortably be scaled up . Power Beam insists its laser does not lead to a risk to users' health because it is simply moving heat from one place to another.Graham said that,if someone walked through the beam,it would shut down within a thousandth of a second,then restart once the path is clear.The technology also promises because it would only power products when needed. What does the writer want to tell us in the passage? A. A wireless instrument used for charging. B. The only company to show the ambitious technology. C. A means of broadcasting electricity to gadgets. D. A new efficient energy. Answer: C. A means of broadcasting electricity to gadgets. Question: Ann Whimey, a sophomore at Colorado State University, first had a problem taking tests when she began college. "I was always well prepared for my tests. Sometimes I studied for weeks before a test. Yet I would go to take the test, only to find I could not answer the questions correctly. I would blank out because of nervousness and fear. I couldn't think of the answer." The young student was experiencing something called test anxiety. Because a student worries and is uneasy about a test, his or her mind does not work as well as it usually does. The student cannot write or think clearly because of the great nervousness. though poor scores are often a result of poor study habits, sometimes test anxiety causes low scores. Recently, test anxiety has been recognized as a real problem, not just an excuse or a false explanation of lazy students. Special university counseling courses try to help students. In these courses, counselors try to help students by teaching them how to manage test anxiety. At some universities, students take tests to measure their anxiety. If the test shows their anxiety is high, the students can take courses to help them deal with their nervousness. These courses teach students how to relax their bodies. By controlling their nervousness, they can let their minds work at ease, learn information, then come out without difficulty in a test. An expert at the University of California explains, "With almost all students, relaxation is felt after taking our program. Most of them have better control during their test. Almost all have some improvements. For some, the improvement is very great. According to this passage, we mainly find poor scores may result from _ A. laziness B. sleeplessness C. nervousness D. poor study habits Answer: C. nervousness Question: My father's reaction to the bank building at 43rd Street and Fifth Avenue in New York city was immediate and definite: "You won't catch me putting my money in there!" he declared, "Not in that glass box!" Of course, my father is a gentleman of the old school, a member of the generation to whom a good deal of modern architecture is upsetting, but I am convinced that his negative response was not so much to the architecture as to a violation of his concept of the nature of money. In his generation money was thought of as a real commodity that could be carried, or stolen. Consequently, to attract the custom of a sensible man, a bank had to have heavy walls, barred windows, and bronze doors, to affirm the fact, however untrue, that money would be safe inside. If a building's design made it appear impenetrable , the institution was necessarily reliable, and the meaning of the heavy wall as an architecture symbol reflected people's prevailing attitude toward money. But the attitude toward money has, of course, changed. Excepting pocket money, cash of any kind is now rarely used; money as a has largely been replaced by credit. A deficit economy, accompanied by huge expansion, has led us to think of money as product of the creative imagination. The banker no longer offers us a safe: he offers us a service in which the most valuable element is the creativity for the invention of large numbers. It is in no way surprising, in view of this change in attitude, that we are witnessing the disappearance of the heavy-walled bank. Just as the older bank emphasized its strength, this bank by its architecture boasts of imaginative powers. From this point of view it is hard to say where architecture ends and human assertion begins. 38. The words "tangible commodity" (Line 2, Para. 4) refer to something _ . A. that can be replaceable B. that is usable C. that can be touched D. that can be reproduced Answer: C. that can be touched
Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. was the first African-American player to take part in the international sport of tennis at the highest level of the game. He was born on July 10, 1943. When Arthur was 6, his mother died. Arthur, with his father and his brother, lived near a large park in Richmond, Virginia. His father was the manager of the park. He took care of the park and made sure everything was right. Arthur was allowed to play in the park when he was seven years old. He was quite energetic. A swimming pool, tennis courts, and baseball diamonds were in the park. Arthur spent a lot of time playing there. He did well in sports, but he had never tried to play tennis. He often watched the tennis players. Sometimes there were tennis lessons, and Arthur would watch even more carefully. The young man teaching the lessons noticed Arthur. His name was Ronald Charity. Mr. Charity asked Arthur if he wanted to learn to play tennis. Arthur was excited and agreed. Arthur learned very quickly. Mr. Charity found Arthur would grow up to be a good tennis player. By the time he was ten, Arthur won atournament . Many older and bigger players came to the park trying to win the prize, but Arthur beat them. He became known as "the kid who could play tennis". Arthur grew up to be one of the first successful African-American tennis players. He played and won all over the world. The park offered people all of these EXCEPT _ . A tennis B football C baseball D swimming Answer: B The apartments for sales,40 minutes' walk to the gold coast beach, on the ground floor is a private patio , fully fitted kitchen, resting room with feature fireplace and a second reception room which could be used as a dinning room or third downstairs bedroom. On the first floor are two double bedrooms, one of which leads onto a sunny terrace , fully tiled bathroom with bath and shower. The property is in excellent condition throughout and is ready to move straight into Sky TV, telephone and broadband are connected. Status: Available Price: EURC/115,000 Telephone: 00351-981888988 Location: Mollina Malaga Province Spain Apartment furnished for sale at an unbelievable price. The apartment is part of a small complex with swimming pool and a public resting-room with TV, relaxing area, changing areas, etc. The apartment is on the market fully furnished, air conditioning, with good environment to all divisions of the apartment. If you are thinking _ the rental market while the property is empty during the year, this property could be your best bet at the best possible price. Number of Bedrooms: 2 Status: Available Price: EURC/147,000 Telephone: 00331-961777017 Location: Sao Leiria Portugal Nice villa for sale. The villa has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Beach at walking distance. Outside there is a swimming pool. The villa is just outside inland coast in a small villa of 20 houses. Status: Available Price: EURC/340,000 Telephone: 04811-961999018 Location: Inland Costal Area If you want to buy an apartment with a public relaxing area, you should dial _ . A 00351-981888988 B 00331-961777017 C 04811-961999018 D 05355-941445535 Answer: B An object that is stopped is A accelerated B halted C off-balance. D wind-blown Answer: B Hi, friends. I'm Chen Zhaoli. My English name is Sandy. I'm 13 years old. Now I'm at Blackwood Middle School in England. My English teacher is Mandy. She is not English. She is from Canada. In my class, my good friend is Connie Green. Do you want to know her? Connie is 11 years old. Her father's name is Bill. And her mother's name is Lisa. Her parents are teachers at school. She has a brother and a sister. They are Josh and Molie. Chen Zhaoli is in _ . A England B China C the USA D Canada Answer: A Mr. Smith is an old man. He is very kind, so many people like him. He likes traveling. But he has a problem, he can't see clearly. One day he came to New York to visit his best friend. But his friend wasn't at home. So he had to find a hotel to live in. In the afternoon he went to buy two bottles of wine. When he came back to his room, he found a fly was on the wall. But he thought it was a snail, so he put bottles on it. Of course, it came down to the floor and they broke. He had to buy another two bottles. The waiter in the hotel knew this, then she put a snail into the wall. When he came back, he looked up at the wall and found the fly was there again. So he walked carefully and hit it hard. At once he cried loudly. Mr. Smith stayed in _ when he came to New York. A his friend's home B his parents' home C a restaurant D a hotel Answer: D
Question: When you are in another country, it is important to know the language, but it is equally important to know how to communicate nonverbally , before saying anything by making gestures. According to a pioneer in nonverbal communication, only 30 to 35 percent of our communication is verbal. When people don't know the language, the most common way to communicate is through gestures. However, many gestures have different meanings, or no meaning at all, in different parts of the world. In the United States, for example, nodding your head up and down means "yes". In some parts of Greece and Turkey, however, this motion can mean "no". In Southeast Asia, nodding your head is a polite way of saying "I've heard you". In ancient Rome, when the emperor wanted to spare someone's life, he would put his thumb up. Today in the United States, when someone puts his / her thumb up, it means "Everything is all right". However, in Sardinia and Greece, the gesture is insulting and should not be used there. In the United States, raising your clasped hands above your head means "I'm the champion" or "I'm the winner". It is the sign prizefighters make when they win a fight. When a leading Russian statesman made this gesture after a White House meeting, Americans misunderstood and thought he meant he was a winner. In Russia, however, it is a sign of friendship. In the United States, holding your hand up with the thumb and index finger in a circle and the other three fingers spread out means "Everything is O.K." and is frequently used by astronauts and politicians. In France and Belgium, it can mean "You're worth nothing." There are other nonverbal signals that people should be aware of when they go to another country, such as the distance to maintain between speakers. Americans usually feel comfortable when speaking with someone if the distance between them is about eighteen inches to arm's length. Anything closer makes them feel uncomfortable. When talking to Americans, it is also important to make eye contact. If you look down when talking to an American, he / she may feel that you are embarrassed, afraid, or trying to hide something. In addition to knowing how to communicate nonverbally in a country, it is important to know what you and he cannot discuss. In the United States, there are certain topics to avoid when you first meet someone, For example, don't ask people their age, weight, religion, marital status , how much money they earn, or how much something costs. You can talk about work, the weather, traffic problems, sports, food, news of the day, where one lives, consumer subjects (computers, car repairs, and so forth), and travel or vacation plans. These few examples illustrate that your actions can speak louder than your words. In a particular cultural contest, what you say and what you don't say are equally important. Which of the following is true? A. People all over the world only communicate verbally. B. Most of our gestures have no meaning at all. C. Some people think that 65 to 70 percent of our communication is nonverbal. D. Gestures are the most common way to common way to communicate. Answer: B Question: Teachers Wanted Do you like kids? We need a teacher for our son. He's six years old. We want you to work from March to November, 3 pm. to 6 pm., but you don't need to work in July and August. You can get Y= 30 an hour . Sometimes we want you to work on weekends, and you can get Y=45 an hour. You need to: Help our son with Chinese. Read to him. Play with him. Go to movies with him. You need to work at my home. We live in Taipei Road, next to the Zhongshan Bus Station . Please call (02)2956-4938. Ask Miss Liu. Which is _ ? A. The teacher can get Y=30 an hour on weekends. B. The student is a boy of six. C. The teacher can call Miss. Liu. D. The teacher can take a bus to work Answer: A Question: September is a difficult month for all students as they return to continue their education, but for high school and university green hands, it is not just the heavy study tasks they need to follow. They will also go through military training, which aims to help students improve their health and help them adapt to college life. The Ministry of Education requires that universities should carry out at least 14 days' military training for freshmen. Hou Zhengfang, an education expert, questioned the benefits of military training. "It does little to improve students' physical health over only two weeks' time," she said. "Maybe some disaster prevention training, such as earthquake survival or escaping from fires, would be of greater benefit." A freshman who fainted during training said that many students, especially girls, are unwilling to train in direct sunshine. "For me, military training is physically challenging and even damages my health," said the 19-year-old. Although Chu Jinjing, a Tsinghua University freshman, did feel some discomfort while training in the heat, the 18-year-old did recognize the benefits of military training. "By going through this tough training, I've become more independent and determined," said Chu. "I have also managed to make a lot of friends." Wang Hui from Xi'an Jiaotong University sees the advantages of military training besides character building. "From senior high school to college, we join military training to start a new journey," said Wang. "I would feel a bit incomplete without it." Chu Jinjing and Wang Hui mentioned all the benefits of military training EXCEPT _ . A. developing friendship B. improving students' health C. building character D. preparing students for college Answer: B Question: Having a great collection of books at home doesn't really mean that you are a person who loves reading. It may be got from your father or your father's father, and it can just impress people around you with the fact that you are a person of culture. From my point of view, reading is very important in our daily life. For example, reading is a way of gaining knowledge in different areas. It can help us have a great imagination, and it makes things easier when it comes to making compositions on different themes. It gives you the possibility to speak about science, even if you don't work in this field. You can express your opinions about a political event because you have read something about that. Secondly, reading gives us the possibility to enter the world of imagination. We can imagine what life will be like in the future. Sometimes, we compare ourselves with the people in the stories we read and they can give us some clues to solve the problems and tell us what to do in certain situations. Books are based on real life. Even if writers are considered to be somehow different from common people, they often face the same problems as we all do. In short, I would like to say that literature is the perfect way of enriching our culture, expressing correctly, having a rich vocabulary, being able to understand different fields and really being considered to be a learned person. What can be the best title for the text? A. Why Is Reading Important in Our Life B. How Can We Become a Learned Person C. Different Reading, Different Functions D. Having a Good Collection of Books Means a Lot Answer: A Question: In 1939 two brothers, Mac and Dick McDonald, started a drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. They carefully chose a busy corner for their location. They had run their own businesses for years, first a theater, then a barbecue restaurant, then another drive-in. But in their new operation, they offered a new, shortened menu: French fries, hamburgers, and sodas. To this small selection they added one new idea: quick service,no waiters or waitresses, and no tips. Their hamburgers were sold for fifteen cents. Cheese was another four cents. Their French fries and hamburgers had a remarkable uniformity , for the brothers had developed a strict routine for the preparation of their food, and they insisted on their cooks' sticking to their routine. Their new drive-in became surprisingly popular, particularly for lunch. People drove up by the hundred during the busy noontime. The self-service restaurant was so popular that the brothers had allowed ten copies of their restaurant to be opened. They were content with this modest success until they met Ray Kroc. Kroc was a salesman who met the McDonald brothers in 1954 when he was selling milkshake-mixing machines. He quickly saw the special attraction of the brothers' fast-food restaurants and bought the right to franchise other copies of their restaurants. The agreement included the right to duplicate the menu, the equipment, even their red and white buildings the golden arches . Today McDonald's is really a household name. In 1976, McDonald's had over$1 billion in total sales. Its first twenty-two years is one of the most surprising successes in modern American business history. The passage suggests that _ . A. creativity is an important element of business success B. Ray Kroc was the close partner of the McDonald brothers C. Mac and Dick McDonald became broken after they sold their ideas to Ray Kroc D. California is the best place to go into business Answer: A
Arts and crafts projects for children aren't always easy to get. If you're looking for some new arts and crafts ideas to keep your kids entertained at home, you can find many Internet sources. Here's a quick look at some online sources of how-to, try-this, and have-fun arts and crafts for kids. Website 1: Amazing Moms http://www.amazingmoms.com This site divides arts and crafts projects by age group, occasion, and even has an index of projects for quick reference. Special occasions listed include Halloween, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas. The projects come with a list of needed materials and brief instructions. There're also pictures so you can know what your finished projects should look like. Website 2: Squigly's Arts &Crafts http://www.squiglysplayhouse.com This is another big page of children's arts and crafts ideas, The sections on this page include Seasonal Crafts, Jewelry, and Just for Fun. And Just for Fun. Each project comes with clear directions and a list of what you'll need to complete the craft. Website 3: All Free Crafts http://www.allfreecrafts.com This busy site has links for seasonal arts & crafts like your basic Halloween, Christmas and Mother's Day, plus links for how-to pages on foam crafts and recycling-based crafts. The pages include instructions and material lists. There are additional links for more crafts like candle-making and sewing. Website 4: Family Fun http://familyfun.go .com This site arranges arts and crafts ideas by children's age and by category (easy to do, seasonal, etc.). Age groups include toddlers, 4-5,6-8 and 9-12-year-olds. Project ideas include material lists and directions. There's also a star-rating system based on scores by users and other readers. Users can leave comments, too. Website5: The Activity Cupboard http://www.mothers-home.com This is a large resource page of all types of links for children's arts and crafts. The links are indexed by theme, by season, and also include informational sites reviewing crafts projects and offering arts and crafts how-to tips. How many websites arrange arts and crafts ideas by age? A 2 B 3 C 4 D 5 Answer: A Tom was ten years old and he was a very lazy boy. He didn't like doing any work. He had to go to school, of course , but he didn't study hard there and tried to do as little work as possible. His father and mother were both doctors and they hoped that their son would become one, too. But one day Tom said to his mother, " When I finish school, I want to be a dustman." "A dustman?" his mother asked, she was very surprised. " that's not a very pleasant job, why do you want to be a dustman?" "Because then I would only have to work one day a week." Tom answered at once. "Only one day a week?" his mother said, "What do you mean? And how do you know?" " Well," Tom replied, " I know that the dustmen who come to our house to work on Thursday, because I only see them on that day." ,,. Why did Tom think that dustmen only worked one day a week? A Because Tom heard of this before. B Because one of the dustmen had told him before. C Because Tom had seen the dustmen only on Thursday at his house. D Because Tom's mother told him. Answer: C Valentine's Day, a day traditionally reserved for expressing romantic love, is observed practically all around the world. However, not many people are familiar with Sweetest Day. Actually it is a holiday, especially designed to express love and care for those who were routinely neglected by society. Sweetest Day was the idea of Herbert Birch Kingston, who worked for a company in Cleveland, Ohio. He felt that there were plenty of children, especially orphans and poor kids, who didn't necessarily get the attention they deserved. Thus in 1922, he launched the first Sweetest Day to give out boxes of candy to mainly poor children. Since the day picked was the third Saturday in October, this became the traditional time to celebrate Sweetest Day. The tradition was so enjoyed that people often looked beyond kindness to treating their own friends or family to treats on Sweetest Day. In the US, Sweetest Day is celebrated primarily in the Northeastern region of the US, still on the third Saturday of October. Yet news of the tradition, which began nearly 100 years ago, has spread to other parts of the country, especially as people who lived in those areas moved elsewhere. People may distribute candy or small gifts to those in patient homes, hospitals, foster homes, or mental institutions, and they may also treat friends and family to little gifts from the heart. In keeping with the original tradition, celebrating Sweetest Day should really be most focused on people who ordinarily don't have the good fortune of attention from friends or family, either due to difficult family circumstances or to poverty. This can be a great tradition to start if your community doesn't routinely celebrate the day, and there are many candy manufacturers that are willing to help donate or reduce costs on gifts intended for people in unfortunate circumstances. We can learn from the passage that _ . A it is vital to contact the candy manufacturers B it is necessary to call on friends or families C it is important to help those in need D it is common to serve your community Answer: C It seems school children all over the world are not satisfied with their school food. Cherie Blair, the wife of Prime Minister Tony Blair, said that she would prepare a packed lunch for her son if school dinners do not improve. So what do students of your age eat for lunch at school? Japan High schools have dining halls, which serve everything from noodles to rice, but not hamburgers and chips. Other children bring food from home such as cold rice balls, meat or fish, and vegetables. The United States A common menu from a US school is made up of a hamburger with fried potatoes or roast chicken, fruit and cookies. School lunches must also provide food with protein ,vitamin A, vitamin C, ironand calories. Australia Meat piesand hotdogs are all traditional dishes in Australian school shops. But as the nation pays more attention to children's health, healthier foods have started to find their way onto school menus. Many schools have used a traffic light system. The sale of red-labeled foods includingchocolate and soft drinks, is served only twice a week. Healthier green-labeled foods such as sandwiches, corn and watermelon, however are served every day. In some schools, students have a choice of up to 89 foods to choose from, including popcorn and rice. South Africa Most of South Africa's schools do not serve meals at all. Classes end at 1:30 pm and students get their own lunches. Many students bring food from home, usually sandwiches. Fast food and fried food sell the best among students, which has led to a rise in _ among children. But as more people began to realize the fact that being too fat may cause different illnesses, some schools in towns have led the way towards better nutrition . Now students at these schools are provided with lunches of porridge with vegetables, such as cabbages, carrots and tomatoes. Which belongs to red-labeled food in Australia? A sandwiches B apple juice C tomatoes D corn Answer: B Group-buying in China Modeled after US hot website Groupon.com, group buying websites are now popular in China. These websites use the power of group buying to get competitive discounts for a daily deal on some best stuff to do, see, eat and buy in the cities across China. Discounts are available within just one click. Zhao lei, a software engineer in Beijing, loves the one-hour lunch break at noon, as it is the best time for him to check "today's special" at his favorite group buying websites . Sometimes he searches for great deals at directory sites devoted to the new shopping space. Zhao spends around 800 yuan ($117.65) on group buying every month, mostly to buy food coupons for eating at some nice restaurants and occasionally to find something fun to do. ''I love group buying. In addition to the competitive discounts it offers, it helps me get something fun, exciting and new, and such surprises give me a reason to try something new," he said. When he finds a really good bargain, he will send the link to friends or colleagues through MSN,QQ, or e-mail, or share the information at some social networking websites. In doing so, he often gets a certain cut off the price. At some sites, buyers are invited to leave notes about what they want to buy and the website will consider it if similar applications reach a certain number. That is how Zuo got her digital camera after waiting for two months. "It is cool. I want to buy a new digital camera for my trip to Switzerland this winter, but I never expected such cheap prices!"Zuo said. We can learn from the passage that _ . A China is the first country to start group buying B the price of group buying depends on the market C you can't get the best you need through group buying D group buying is becoming popular in China Answer: D
World Reading Day was set up by the UNESCO in 1995 to encourage people, especially teenagers, to discover the pleasure of reading. It is also the day to honor great writers, for example, William Shakespeare, born or dead on that day. Many countries celebrated World Reading Day. Take the UK as an example, on that day, millions of schoolchildren can buy book of special price, a much lower price than usual, in any bookstore. It has been done every year since 1998. World Reading Day 2010 in the UK will take place on Thursday 4th March. Please note that this date applies to the UK and Ireland only. The goal is so well set in schools there that they want to make sure that the Day happens in term time to really make the most of this opportunity to celebrate books and reading. Most other countries hold World Reading Day on 23 rd April every year. World Reading Day is also celebrated in China. Chinese former premier Wen Jiabao, an avid reader, does lots of reading every day though he is very busy. On World Reading Day 2009 he encouraged citizens to do more reading. Wen suggested that young people should spend more time reading. "Books cannot change the world, but people can change the world by changing themselves through reading." Reading can benefit people a lot. Reading helps us to follow the latest developments of science and technology. Reading gives us information about other cultures and places of the world. Reading is also one of the most important ways to learn a foreign language like English. "Reading makes a full man." (Bacon, 1597) Books, magazines, newspapers and other kinds of reading materials can help us to know more about the outside world and perfect us. Therefore, it is necessary for us to spend time on reading every day. Which of the following statements about World Reading Day is TURE? Answer: It is also the same day as some great writers were born or dead. If you walk slowly through downtown Helsinki during the day, taking in the splendid 19thcentury buildings, white boats and noise of passing trams , you will start to understand why it is called a city of two colors: white and blue. The sea is always present in Helsinki. When you take a walk over the great open space of the central square, you will hear seabirds screaming. When you take the tram ,suddenly and unexpectedly, you are faced with a calm, shining blue sea. You may notice that people in Helsinki do not rush about as in other cities. Instead ,they walk along the roads, politely letting other people by. An usual way to see Helsinki for the first time is to start out by the boats. You will walk by the elderly women selling fish and vegetables in the market square and find yourself in front of a beautiful park. You may enjoy a pleasant walk in the park for a few hours and then take the tram. Trams are the perfect way to get around in Helsinki. Watching the old houses, parks, theatres, churches, shops, restaurants and people in the streets, you may have a slightly sad film feeling to it. The pale summer nights are another wonder in the city. Following the waterfront of the city after sunset, you couldn't help stopping and listening to the sweet silence, interrupted only by the screaming seabirds and leaving fishing boats. However, in some way. Helsinki is also the most modern city in northern Europe. You will surely want to visit the white Glass Palace, the modern art museum, and all those extremely popular cafes and design stores. The 19thcentury buildings, the white Glass Palace, popular cafes and design shops in Helsinki all show that Helsinki is _ Answer: both historical and modern When I first heard about geocaching ,I was skeptical. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like an interesting idea.I at least wanted to try it once. Having familiarized myself with how the game works,I set out in search of my first cache. My trip took me through a series of lively hutong ,past a number of small temples, and right into the courtyard of a quiet youth hotel.I spent several minutes looking around, but couldn't find anything. Just before l was about to give up,I spotted a colorful object in the crack of a wall. Could it be the hidden cache? At that moment a group of backpackers amved. According to the game's rules, people who are not in the game must not be allowed to find out about secret caches. So I pretended to make a phone call while waiting for them to leave. When the coast was clear,I grabbed the object. It was the cache! I opened it and pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper with several names and celebratory messages written on it.I added my own and replaced the cache in its hiding place, ready for the next geocacher to find. It may seem like a simple game, but the idea that there are caches hidden all around us is exciting. Once you're hooked, it's easy to set yourself the goal of finding every single cache in a neighborhood or even an entire city. The real treasure, however, is not the cache itself, but the places it takes you to. Hunting for further caches has since introduced me to places which I didn't even know existed. Some are peaceful parks, while others are forgotten historical sites.A few caches have even been in places I passed regularly without giving them any thought. Now,Ifeel a much closer connection. In what way does the author benefit from geocaching? Answer: He's more familiar with the city. Do you know why different animals or pests have their special color1s? Their color1s in them seem to be used mainly to protect themselves. Some birds like eating locusts , but birds cannot easily catch them. Why? It is because locusts change their color1s together with the change of the color1s of crops . When crops are green, locusts look green. But as the harvest time comes, locusts change to the same brown color1 as crops have. Some other pests with different color1s from 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 animal life, you'll find the main use of color1ing is to protect the animals themselves. Bears, lions and other animals move quietly through forests. They cannot be easily seen by hunters . This is because they have the color1s much like the trees'. Have you ever noticed an even stranger act? A kind of fish in the sea can send out a kind of very black liquid when it faces danger. While the liquid spreads over , its enemies cannot find it. And it immediately swims away. So it has lived up to now though it is not strong at all. Which is the best title for this passage? Answer: The Main Use of Colors for Animals and Pests Min Sun, with another name of Ziqian, was a famous man in the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period. He was a student of Confucius. Among all students of Confucius, he was compared with Yan Yuan. Min Sun's mother died very early, later his father took another wife, who gave birth to two sons. The stepmother _ Min Sun--in winter, while two younger brothers wore warm clothes made of cotton. Min Sun only wore clothes made of reed catkins . One day, he followed his father to go out. When pulling the chariot , Min Sun felt so cold that he dropped the rope onto the ground. Then his father beat him. Just then, the reed catkins flew out from the broken clothes and his father knew that Min Sun was mistreated, he was very angry. After the father returned home, he wanted to divorce his wife. Min Sun fell on his knees and begged his father to forgive his stepmother. He said, " if Mother stays at home, only I myself have to stand cold. But if you divorce Mother, all three children have to suffer from cold." His father was deeply moved and took Min Sun's advice. The stepmother heard of this, felt sorry and knew her mistakes. From then on, she treated Min Sun as her own son. Why was Min Sun's father still angry after beating him? Answer: Because Min Sun was mistreated
Some etiquette in modern life Do you often use a mobile phone? Do you take the subway to school every day? These items make our modern life easier. But do you know how we should behave properly while using them? The following suggestions might be helpful. For mobile phone users Keep your voice down when you make a phone call in public. Shouting on the phone may make others feel uncomfortable. And you'd better not use it during an appointment . Stop sending messages or playing games with your mobile phone at a dinner or a party. It's a good time to communicate with your family and friends. Don't make or answer a call while driving. It is not only very dangerous for both you and your passengers but also against the law. For subway passengers You are supposed to wait in line while buying tickets and getting on the subway. You're not allowed to eat, drink or smoke on the subway train. The smell and noise may trouble others. It's our duty to keep the train clean and tidy. Besides, smoking is bad for health. You can't take pets on the train. As we all know, animals may and get the train dirty. Which items are proper when using your mobile phone? Answer: We can't make or answer a call while driving. October 21st,2011 Dear Vincent, I'm a middle school student in Zhejiang , China. My English teacher , Ms.Li gave me your name and address. I want to be your pen friend. English is my favourite subject.That's why I want to practise English with an American student. I also like art. It's so interesting and useful.I like history, too. Our history teacher always tells us a lot of interesting historical stories. We all have a good time in history classes. In my free time, I enjoy playing computer games . It's exciting and fun. Do you like it ? I also like to go to the movies. I saw Harry Potter and the DeathlyHallows:Part 1 yesterday. It was a great film.But I don't like sports, so I never enjoy P.E.classes. How about you? What subjects do you like? What do you look like? What do you want to do when you get older? I hope I can get your letter soon! Yours, Zhao Gang Who is Vincent? Answer: An American student Have you ever had this moment: you are talking about name? Don't worry! In English, there are special names to replace their real names. In the US, if you forget someone's name, you can simply say the name John Doe for a man, or Jane Doe for a woman. For example, 'Did you see that boy who was running in the rain?' 'Ah, yes, poor John Doe.' Also, in US courts ( ), people also use these names. This is to keep the person' s identity a secret. People use the name so often that there was even a comedy film in 1941 called Meet John Doe. However in the UK, unknown people are called John Smith. This is because John is one of the most common first names in English. And Smith is the most common family name. So next time you forget someone's name, you know who to say. In UK, they can call unknown people _ . Answer: John Smith. The addictive pull of Internet shopping is dragging thousands of victims into a rise of debt, including thousands of women who have run up huge credit card bills they cannot repay. The appeal of 24-hour access and the explosion in goods and services on offer has seen a 10 percent increase in credit card debts in the UK this year. Much of it has accounted for online spending. The latest report on Internet usage shows the number of adults logging on at home has risen from 10 million in October last year to 15.5m this month. The report by Continental Research, which has monitored Internet access in the UK for the past six years, found that while online shopping used to be experimental it is now becoming habitual, especially for women. Colin Shaddick, who heads the company, said, "Women are logging on in record numbers ---online shopping has certainly played a big role in this." The study found that average annual spending online is PS700 a year for each Internet shopper. The draw of the Internet is especially strong for collectors. Business lecturer Stephen Hall, who has been buying and selling books since he was a child, now has a collection worth PS40,000. He is passionate about the opportunities offered by shopping online. "You can find a book in minutes that you could spend months hunting down at auctions or second-hand bookshops," he said. "It can easily become addictive, and all the collectors I know use the Internet. I suspect you do waste money because you are less likely to send back a book to Little Rock, Arkansas, than take it back to the high-street shop." Like Stephen Hall, most of us can shop online sensibly---but for some it provides an easy, anonymous and accessible way to feed their habit. It also provides secrecy---a central part of any addiction. Dr Samantha Haslett, a psychologist and expert in addiction at the Promos counseling centre, said, "It's compulsive in the same way as alcohol and gambling, and addicts find themselves completely unable to stop themselves, despite debt mounting and relationships breaking up. It's the thrill and the buzz of purchasing that ignores all the negative consequences." People laugh at shopping addictions, but it's the same as food overeating:bulimicsdon't eat nice stuff, or things that are good for them. Shopping addicts are the same: they'll buy things they don't need or want or like. What they're buying is of no importance compared to the thrill they get spending money and acquiring something new. I've counseled people who have bought piles of bed linen and curtains and just left them piled up in the corner of the room. I have seen people's marriages ruined. There's something more damaging about Internet shopping too because it takes place in the home, so the trick and secrecy is that much closer to the partner who is being tricked. Tennis star Serena Williams this year admitted to kicking an Internet shopping addiction that saw her spending up to six hours a day online in an attempt to avoid being seen out in public. "Every day I was in my room and I was online," Williams said. "I wasn't able to stop and I bought, bought, bought. I was just out of control." Confidence is also growing in online security. Danny Meadows-Klue, chairman of Interactive Advertising Bureau, the Internet commercial watchdog, said, "Online card fraud is a drop in the ocean compared to total credit card fraud, but it is increasing. We want to increase consumer confidence by encouraging shoppers to take simple steps to protect themselves." But there are still barriers to online shopping, declares James Goudie, a consumer psychologist at North Umbria University. "For certain items some people prefer to shop personally, for example to try on an item of clothing and feel the quality. Payment of delivery charges is also _ ." It can be learned from the passage that _ . Answer: many people don't tend to get back their refund though the goods quality is poor My son wanted to give a party for my birthday. We discussed the invitations and the cost of the party. However, we had very different ideas about whom and how many people to invite. He thought that the people we knew had badly disappointed me by not keeping in touch with me since the death of my wife. But my idea of a relationship among people was to be friendly to everyone. He said, "Come on, Dad, where have all these so-called friendly, good people been since Mum passed away? They visited us in the past because Mum made good food." I replied, "I am sorry to hear that. Is this the reason why you do not want to invite those people? It's no wonder that you are unhappy. Can you live alone? Are you teaching your children to do the same in the future?" I asked myself where I had gone in his upbringing. My wife had often blamed me for not paying enough attention to communication with other people when I was raising our son. I realized at this moment that she was quite right. Hours later, my son phoned me to say that he accepted his wife's advice and agreed to have a party with some of my friends. In the end, we had a great time. And he didn't "hate" those friends any more. "Happy Birthday, Dad! Sorry that I have kept you away from your friends. I love you." On hearing what he said, I was full of happiness and excitement. I was proud that he could change his mind. What can we infer from the passage? Answer: The mother paid a lot of attention to relationships.
George liked flying a plane. Once he bought a small plane and learned how to fly it. He soon became so good that he could make his plane do all kinds of tricks . George had a friend. His name was Peter. One day George said to his friend, " Peter, would you like to have a trip in my plane?" Peter thought, " I've traveled in a big plane several times, but I've never been in a small one, so I'll go." They went up, and George flew around for half an hour and did all kinds of tricks.Peter said in a shaken voice , " Well, George, thank you very much for these two trips in your plane." George was very surprised and asked, " Two trips? " "Yes, my first and my last." Answered Peter. Peter went up with George in the plane because _ . Answer: My favorite month is May, because there are many events in this month. May 1 is Labor Day . We have a three-day holiday . We can have a trip. We have an Art Festival on May 8 in our school. We like it very much,we like to show our pictures. May 12 is my good friend Linda's birthday. We have a big birthday party for her . On May 20 , we have an English party. We often have in the evening. We have a book sale in our classroom on May 28 . It's very interesting. According to this passage , there are _ events in May. Answer: Lots of people get money from ATMs before going shopping. If you don't know how to use an ATM, read the following instructions carefully. Put your card into the machine . Look at the screen. Input your _ into the machine. Input how much money you want on the screen of the machine. Then press OK. Get the money from the machine. If you want, you can also get a receipt . Take back your card. Remember these rules: Don't write your password on your card. Don't let other people know your password. If you lose your card, tell the bank at once. The passage is about _ . Answer: The professor stood before his class of 30 senior biology students, about to pass out the final exam. "I have been honored to be your teacher this term, and I know how hard you have all worked to prepare for this test. I also know most of you are off to medical school or graduate school next fall," he said to them. "I can well understand how much pressure you are under to keep your grades up, and because I know you are able to understand this material, I am prepared to offer an automatic "B" to anyone who would prefer not to take the final." In relief a number of students jumped up to thank the professor and left the class. The professor looked at the students who remained, and offered again, "Any other takers? This is your last chance." One more student decided to go. There were seven students left. The professor closed the door. Then he handed out the final exam. There were only two sentences typed on the paper: "Congratulations, you have just received an "A" in this class. Keep believing in yourself." I never had a professor who gave a test like that. It may seem like the easy way out of grading a lot of exams, but it's a test that any teacher in any subject could and should give. Students who don't have confidence in what they've learned are "B" students at best. The same is true for students of real life. The "A" students are those who believe in what they're doing because they've learned from both successes and failures. They have learned life's lessons, whether from formal education or the school of hard knocks, and become better people. Take your cue from Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to reach the top of Mount Qomolangma: "It's not the mountain we conquer , but ourselves." Don't let the biggest limit be yourself. According to the text, which of the following statements is TRUE? Answer: Robots are common in today's world. They manufacture cars, work in space, explore oceans, clean up oil spills and investigate dangerous environments. And now, scientists at the University of Manchester are using a robot as a laboratory partner. The researchers at the university created the robot in 2009 and named it Adam. Despite the name, Adam is not a humanoid robot. It is about the size of a car. Adam was built to do science and make discoveries. Ross King is the leader of the University of Manchester research team. He says the robot made a discovery about yeast , a kind of fungus used in science as a model for human cells. "Adam hypothesized certain functions of genes within yeast and experimentally tested these hypothesizes and confirmed them. So it both hypothesized and confirmed new scientific knowledge." Adam's success as a scientist led to the creation of another robot scientist named Eve. Researchers developed Eve to design and test drugs for tropical and neglected diseases. These diseases kill and infect millions of people each year. Drug development is slow and costly. Experts say it can take more than 10 years and about $1 billion to discover and develop new medicines. Drug manufacturers are unlikely to get their investment money back. So the University of Manchester developed a low-cost test that shows whether or not a chemical is likely to be made into an effective medicine. Mr. King says that other drug testing methods were not very effective. "How it works conventionally is you use robotics as well and you have a large collection of possible drugs. You test every single compound. And you start at the beginning of your library and continue until the end, and stop. So it's not a very intelligent process. The robotics doesn't learn anything as it goes along, even if it's tested a million compounds, it still doesn't have any expectation of what will happen next when it tests a new compound." Mr. King says that Eve is different because the robot learns as it tests different compounds. He says the robot is designed to ignore compounds that it thinks unlikely to be good. It will only test the compounds which have a good chance of working. Eve has discovered that a compound known to be effective against cancer might also be used to fight against malaria and other tropical diseases. Mr. King says he hopes to completely automate the drug testing process with robots like Eve to create and test new chemicals. But he says humans remain in control of the manufacturing process. Scientists now are using a robot to _ . Answer:
A week ago, I read When Money Talks, Listen! by Rich Ezzo. It took only about an hour to read, and that included one trip to the coffee maker and about 10 distractions from Alex, our cat, who thinks he is the center of the universe. When I first received a copy, I thought it was a get-rich-quick type of publication. There is nothing wrong with that kind of book, but my mind just doesn't chase after dreams of wealth. I figure that if God ever wants me to be rich, he knows where to find my purse. When I began reading When Money Talks, Listen!, I was overjoyed to find that Rich Ezzo isn't money hungry either. He, too, is hungry for things far more important than money. I absolutely love this e-book. Why did I wait a week to write the review ? simple. I wanted to see if the impact it had on me could keep up. After reading the last word of the e-book, I totally agreed with the subtitle which promised to forever change the way we thought about money. I had so many thoughts running around my mind that I had to install a stop light to stop some while others made their way into the picture. I had a mental traffic jam, which only goes to show how slow the traffic usually is. It has been a week and the impact is the same. I guarantee this is an e-book you'll want to read. I urge you to visit the author's website, MysterMoney. Com, and to download the e-book. You won't regret it. The author didn't write the review right after reading because _ . Do you know the late leader of China, Deng Xiaoping? He was called the"chief architect of China's reform and opening-up ". August 22 is the 110 anniversary of his birth. President Xi Jinping held an important meeting for the event on August 20 , 2014 in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli also attended the event. Deng was born on Aug, 22, 1904 in the southwest China's Sichuan Province. He also had the name Deng Xiaosheng. His father , Deng Wenming , was a middle-level landowner . His mother died early in Deng's life. He has three brothers and three sisters. Deng's first wife , one of his schoolmates from Moscow , died when she was 24, a few days after giving birth to Deng's first child, a baby girl, who also died. His second wife left him in 1933. His third wife, Zhuo Lin, was the daughter of an industrialist in Yunnan Province. She married him in 1939 in Yan'an. They had five children:three daughters and two sons. Deng was sent to private primary school at the age of five. In the summer of 1919, Deng Xiaoping graduated from the Chongqing School. Then he went to study and work in France in the 1920s. His father strongly supported him, the night before going to France, Deng's father took his son aside and asked him what he hoped to learn there. He repeated the words he had learned from his teachers:"To learn knowledge and truth from the West in order to save China."He joined the Communist Party of China in 1924. In late 1927 , Deng left Moscow to return to China. He joined the army to save China. He died on February 19 , 1997. How old was Deng when he died? Where is it possible to drive from Rome to Moscow, Madrid, Paris, Vienna, and Stockholm without going to Europe? The answer is in the state of Maine! Throughout the United States there are many towns and cities that have been named after not only European cities but other countries as well, such as China, Poland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Just how many New World place names are recycled from the Old World names has never been _ , but one researcher found forty-one Londons, fifty-six Berlins, twenty-four Dublins, thirty-two Athenses, and twenty-seven Moscows, among others! Reasons for European place names differ. Some were in memory of settlers' former homes, others in honor of historic events. Founded in 1818 by John Coffee, Robert Beaty, John D. Carroll, and John Read, Athens is one of the oldest incorporated cities in the State of Alabama. The town was first called Athenson, and the name was then shortened to Athens, after the ancient city in Greece. More interestingly, some names were given by mistake. For instance, the people of Moscow, Kansas, wanted their city to follow the name of the explorer Moscoso. They shortened his name to Mosco, and an official in Washington, thinking the Kansans couldn't spell, added a 'W'. The best title for the passage is _ . With more and more farmers working in big cities, their children go into the cities, too.However, problems appear. One of these problems is that is difficult for these children to receive education in cities. Luckily, there are some free schools for them, but they are not enough. Ten-year-old Li Xin is one of the lucky girls who get a chance to study in one of these schools. She is very happy. She studies in a school specially for migrant workers' children. For children like Li Xin who don't have enough money, these free schools are their best choice, because they have free classes, textbooks, uniforms and meals in the schools. But there is a long way to go. The free schools for children from migrant workers' families are not enough because to _ such a school is not easy and needs lots of money. A school officer said they needed at least one million yuan to run the school. "Luckily, some people and companies donate money, used books and a lot of other things to help us. There are also some volunteers teachers," he added. Anyhow, we must try to give these children an equal chance to get better education so that we can make our society harmonious . The school provides Li Xin with the following things free except _ . King's College Summer School is an annual training program for high school students at all levels who want to improve their English. Courses are given by the teachers of King's College and other colleges in New York. Trips to museums and culture centers are also organized. This year's summer school will be from July 25 to August 15. M ore information is as follows: Application date Students in New York should send their applications before July 18, 2007. Students of other cities should send their applications before July 16, 2007. Foreign students should send their applications before July 10, 2007. Courses English Language Spoken English: 22 hours Reading and Writing: 10 hours American History: 16 hours American Culture: 16 hours Steps A letter of self-introduction A letter of recommendation The letters should be written in English with all the necessary information. Cost Daily lessons: $200 Sports and activities: $100 Travels: $200 Hotel service: $400 You may choose to live with your friends or relatives in the same city. Please write to: Thompson, Sanders 1026 King' s Street New York, NY 10016, USA E-mail: KC-Summer-School@yahoo.com Which of the following is true about King's College Summer School?
A smart phone is a mobile phone built on a mobile operating system, with more advanced computing abilities than a common phone. The first smart phones enabled the users to send and receive emails. Later models added the function of portable media players, pocket video cameras, and GPS navigation units to form one multi-use device. Many modern smart phones also include touchscreens and web browsers that display web pages. A recent report says we spend an average of two hours and 40 minutes each day looking at a smart phone. That doesn't mean making calls, but playing phone games and browsing the Web. Nowadays we always find people checking emails in a restaurant, taking a picture of the food when it arrives, or checking a message during a conversation instead of traditional communication. It's no secret that our lives are being affected by our smart phones _ . However, this phenomenon has never been presented so vividly as in the short YouTube film I Forgot My Phone. Despite only being online for a few days, it's already been viewed more than 10.5 million times. Whether it will be screened in the cinema remains to be seen. Ironically, YouTube's data show that the site gets a billion views per day from mobile devices, so a lot of those people watched it on their phones. The short film, written by and starring actress Charlene Deguzman, shows groups of people in various social situations, the majority of whom are absorbed in their phones instead of the world around them. To a certain extent, we all do it. People prefer a smart phone to a common one, because the latter only can help us _ . Answer: I met him first in 1936. I rushed into his ugly little shop to have the heels of my shoes repaired. I waited when he did it. He greeted me with a cheerful smile. "You're new in this neighborbood, aren't you?" I said I was. I had moved into a house at the end of the street only a week before. "This is a fine neighborhood," he said. "You'll be happy here." He looked at the leather covering the heel sadly. It was worn through because I had failed to have the repair done a month before. I grew impatient, for I was rushing to meet a friend. "Please hurry," I begged. He looked at me over his spectacles. "Now, lady, we won't be long. I want to do a good job. You see, I have a tradition to live up to." A tradition? In this ugly little shop that was no different from so many other shoe repair shops on the side streets of New York? He must have felt my surprise, for he smiled as he went on. "Yes, lady, I _ a tradition. My father and my grandfather were shoemakers in Italy, and they were the best. My father always told me, 'Son, do the best job on every shoe that comes into the shop, and be proud of your fine work. Do that always, and you'll have both happiness and money enough to live on.'" As he handed me the finished shoes, he said: "These will last a long time. I've used good leather." I left in a hurry. But I had a warm and grateful feeling. On my way home I passed the little shop again. There he was, still working. He saw me, and to my surprise he waved and smiled. This was the beginning of our friendship. It was a friendship that came to mean more and more to me as time passed. Every day I passed his shop, we waved to each other in friendly greeting. At first I went in only when I had repair work to be done. Then I found myself going in every few days just to talk with him. He was the happiest man I've ever known. Often, as he stood in his shopwindow, working at a pair of shoes, he sang in a high, clear Italian voice. The Italians in our neighborhood called him la luce alla finestra--"the light in the window". One day I was disappointed and angry because of poor jobs some painters had done for me. I went into his shop for comfort. He let me go on talking angrily about the poor work and carelessness of present-day workmen. "They had no pride in their work," I said. "They just wanted to collect their money for doing nothing." He agreed. "There's a lot of that kind around, but maybe we should not blame them. Maybe their fathers had no pride in their work. That's hard on a boy. It keeps him from learning something important." He waited a minute and said "Every man or woman who hasn't inherited a prideful tradition must start building one." "In this country, our freedom lets each of us make his own contribution. We must make it a good contribution. No matter what sort of work a man does, if he gives it his best each day, he's starting a tradition for his children to live up to. And he is making lots of happiness for himself." I went to Europe for a few months. When I returned, there was no "light in the window". The door was closed. There was a little sign: "Call for shoes at shop next door." I learned the old man had suddenly got sick and died two weeks before I went away with a heavy heart. I would miss him. But he had left me something--an important piece of wisdom I shall always remember: "If you inherited a prideful tradition, you must carry it on; if you haven't, start building one now." The author later frequently went into the little shop _ . Answer: It is widely known that any English conversation begins with The Weather. Such a fixation with the weather finds expression in Dr. Johnson's famous comment that "When two English meet, their first talk is of weather." Though Johnson's observation is as accurate now as it was over two hundred years ago, most commentators fail to come up with a convincing explanation for this English weather-speak. Bill Bryson, for example, concludes that, as the English weather is not at all exciting, the _ with it can hardly be understood. He argues that "To an outsider, the most striking thing about the English weather is that there is not very much of it." Simply, the reason is that the unusual and unpredictable weather is almost unknown in the British Isles. Jeremy Paxman, however, disagrees with Bryson, arguing that the English weather is by nature attractive. Bryson is wrong, he says, because the English preference for the weather has nothing to do with the natural phenomena. "The interest is less in the phenomena themselves, but in uncertainty." According to him, the weather in England is very changeable and uncertain and it attracts the English as well as the outsider. Bryson and Paxman stand for common misconceptions about the weather-speak among the English. Both commentators, somehow, are missing the point. The English weather conversation is not really about the weather at all. English weather-speak is a system of signs, which is developed to help the speakers overcome the natural reserve and actually talk to each other. Everyone knows conversations starting with weather-speak are not requests for weather data. Rather, they are routine greetings, conversation starters or the blank "fillers". In other words, English weather-speak is a means of social bonding. What is the author's purpose of writing the passage? Answer: Over the years, many cities and states have tried to put a tax on sugary drinks. Last week, Berkeley, California succeeded. The city in northern California will charge a penny-per-ounce tax on most sugary drinks. The tax is expected to raise more than $1 million every year to fight against obesity . Makers of sugary drinks are against the tax. They say picking out one product will not solve the obesity problem in America. They also argue that a tax is an attack on personal freedom. "Families should be able to make the choice for their kids without the government stepping in," said Chris Gindlesperger, a spokesperson for the American Beverage Association . Gindlesperger says that the fight against obesity is more successful when the government partners with industry. He shows how the beverage industry worked with President Bill Clinton's administration is the 1990s. They introduced water, milk, and fruit juice into a large number of schools, which took the place of sugary drinks. More recently, the beverage industry listened to First Lady Michelle Obama's suggestion that labels on sugary drinks be clearer. Containers of up to 20 ounces will show the total calories on the front. Some people say a tax is a _ way to help reduce obesity in the U.S. "There is clear evidence that taxes result in less consumption of sugary drinks," says Dr. Rachel Johnson, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. She points to Mexico as an example. The country put up a tax on sugary drinks in January, and sales have already dropped by 10%. What's more, sales of healthier drinks have increased. Bottled water sales are up by 13%. Milk sales are up by 7%. Another purpose of the tax is to raise money to fight childhood obesity. Money will be used to build playgrounds, create educational materials, and increase the sales of the healthier foods. "We've already helped reduce obesity to some degree," says Dr. Johnson. "I'm confident that we're going to see even bigger progress soon." In the 1990s, sugary drinks in many schools _ . Answer: There used to be a term that was used to describe someone who drove their vehicles down the highway while staring at the scenery. These drivers just drove slowly, taking their own sweet time, as if they had nothing to do and no place in particular to go. Thus, the expression, " _ ", was born. Consequently, a Sunday driver wasn't necessarily someone who was driving on a Sunday. A person could be a Sunday driver any day of the week. _ . The expression probably came about because there was a time when people would often decide to go for a relaxing drive on Sunday afternoons. A Sunday drive was a common occurrence years ago and especially on a nice warm sunny day. There were no stores open on Sunday because of the "blue laws", so you needed to be sure and fill up the gas tank and make any other needed purchases before Sunday arrived. Some of the states had strict blue laws that even prohibited some activities on Sunday. However, there is still a lot to be said for the slow, gentle life that once existed. It was a time when very few people worked on Sunday except for those professions vital to our well-being such as those in the medical profession. It was a day "set apart" that was used to rest, visit with neighbors and friends, or maybe go to grandma's house for supper. Today there are many who return to work and children who go back to school overly tired on Monday due to a lack of rest. Perhaps there would be less stress related illnesses if we really kept Sunday as a day of rest. According to the passage, "Sunday driver" refers to the person who _ . Answer:
Scientists have long understood the key role that oceans play in regulating the Earth's climate. Oceans cover 70 percent of the globe and store a thousand times more heat than the atmosphere does. What's newer is the understanding of how this key component of our climate system responds to global warming. A brake on global warming -- for now One of oceans'most important climate functions is absorbing heat and carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the gases that cause global warming. Acting as a heat sponge , oceans have absorbed huge amounts of heat and CO2in the last forty years. Fujita explains that "oceans are saving us from faster climate change -- they are a big flywheel that delays rapid overheating of the Earth, putting a brake on the climate system." "That's the good news," he adds. "The bad news is that oceans only slow the atmospheric warming. Once oceans come to balance with a greenhouse gas warmed earth, the extreme heat will remain in the atmosphere and things will get much hotter." But where and how oceans release this accumulated heat is uncertain. And as oceans store heat, fragile underwater ecosystems are struggling. The most recent scientific report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also notes with concern that oceans are acidifying because of increased absorption of atmospheric CO2, and thus causing a threat for shell-forming species. Sharp increases in carbon dioxide levels will cause further acidification of oceans. Currents distributing heat Another important role oceans play is that of distributor. Oceans deliver heat and life-sustaining nutrients around the globe. Just as blood vessels bring oxygen and nutrients to cells in the human body, oceans' currents carry oxygen, nutrients and heat throughout the Earth. Oceans distribute 25 percent to 50 percent of the energy the planet receives from the sun. For example, the Gulf Stream carries heat across the Atlantic. This warm current gives northwestern Europe a milder climate than it would normally have so far north. A change to oceans' circulation patterns could throw Europe into a colder period, even as the rest of world experiences warmer temperatures. We can infer from the passage that _ . Answer: ocean ecosystems face more dangers A son can inherit traits Answer: from both his father and his mother Happy Days Clud For young people From 12...18 years old Every Friday 7:30p.m...10:30p.m 29 Milton Street Just PS1 a week Parker's Sweet Shop 14 Barrett Road 5minutes from town centre Try our famous chocolate eggs and sugar Hearts Prices lower than in other shops Open Monday--Saturday 9am.--5pm International Library Books, CDs and Videos over 100 foreign newspapers and magazines Entrance free Monday...Saturday 9:30--6:00p.m News England House, Muswum Street Painting Competition For young people 8...16 years old Paint a picture of an animal Send it to: Young Artist Magazine 12 High Street Before 14 September and win a bicycle! Where is Parker's Sweet Shop? Answer: 14 Barrett Road. New York City is a very large city with 8 million people. How do so many people move on their way to work and school? In New York you can travel by subways, bus, taxi and private car. The subway runs on the railroad lines under the city. It crosses the city at different points and goes to all parts of the city. Travelling by subway is the fastest way to get around the city. The second way to travel is by bus. It is a slower way to travel. You can also travel by taxi. This is very expensive, but the taxi will take you to every place you want to go to. If traffic is heavy, the taxi will be slow. During the mornings and afternoons, there is the "rush hour". This is the time when the traffic is very heavy with people going to and from work.. The last way is to use your private car. It's not good to drive during the "rush hour". If there is an accident on the road, you will have to wait for a long time. The best time to travel is from 9 a.m to 4.pm . Traffic will be less crowded during this time because most people are already at school or at work at that time. The fastest way to travel in New York City is _ . Answer: by subway How Does Your Body Keep the Same Temperature? The temperature of your body should always be the same if you are fine, no matter whether the weather is hot or cold. That is why the doctor tests your temperature with a thermometer when you are sick. Normally, your body temperature is ninety-eight point six degrees Fahrenheit . If it is higher than that, it is a sure sign that something is wrong with your body. Your body keeps the same temperature all the time, because it balances the heat it produces and the heat it gives off. It is always burning up food and producing heat. It can produce heat faster when the body needs or give off heat faster when the body becomes too warm. Let's see how this works. The heat of your body is given off chiefly through the skin. When you feel cold, your skin is tight and shows "goose flesh". When you feel chilly , you must jump around to keep warm. Then your muscles begin to work, burn up fuel and produce more heat. It is not pleasant to shiver so you usually prefer warming up by taking exercise, or put on more clothes to keep warm. When you get warm, the skin is loose and soft. It is so supplied with blood that heat is given off rapidly. If you get too warm, you begin to sweat and more body heat is used in evaporating the moisture in your body. In warm weather or warm rooms, you wear less clothing, so that heat can be given off freely. You prefer less exercise because your body is warm enough, and the extra heat produced by taking too much exercise makes you uncomfortable. Now you see why you feel differently in different kinds of weather. In summer, when it is hot, you feel tired and lazy. You do not care to work or play, but enjoy lying down and doing nothing. When you get out of doors in winter, the cold air makes you feel lively. You want to run and play. From this passage we know that we feel differently in different kinds of weather because _ . Answer: our bodies deal with different kinds of weather in different ways to keep the same temperature.
You are seeing a film in which two men are having a fight. They hit one another over the heads with chairs. And so it goes on until one of the men crashes through a window and falls thirty feet to the ground below. He is dead! Of course he isn't really dead. With any luck he isn't even hurt. Why? Because the men who fall out of high windows or jump from fast moving trains, who crash cars or even catch fire, are professionals. They do this for a living. These men are called stuntmen. That is to say, they perform tricks. They actually do most of the things you see on the screen. For example, they fall from a high building. However, they do not fall onto hard ground but onto empty cardboard boxes covered with a mattress. Again, when they hit one another with chairs, the chairs are made of soft wood and when they crash through windows, the glass is made of sugar! But although their work depends on tricks of this sort, it also requires a high degree of skill and training. Often a stuntman's success depends on careful timing. For example, when he is " blown up" in a battle scene, he has to jump out of the way of the explosion just at the right moment. Naturally stuntmen are well paid for their work, but they lead dangerous lives. They sometimes get seriously injured, and even killed. A Norwegian stuntman, for example, skied over the edge of a cliff a thousand feet high. His parachute ( ) failed to open and he was killed. In spite of all the risks, this is no longer a profession for men only. Men no longer dress up as women to perform some dangerous actions. For nowadays there are stunt girls , too. What can be inferred from the author's example of the Norwegian stuntman? Sometimes an accident can happen to a stuntman. Cyberspace, data superhighway, multimedia, for those who have seen the future, and the linking of computers, televisions and telephones will change our lives for ever. Yet for all the talks of a forthcoming technological utopia, little attention has been given to the implications of these developments for the poor. As for all the new high technology, the West concerns itself with the "how", while the question of "for whom" is put aside once again. Economists are only now realizing the full extent to which the communication revolution has affected the world economy. Information technology allows the extension of trade across geographical and industrial boundaries, and transnational corporations take full advantage of it. Terms of trade and exchange, interest rates and money movements are more important than the production of goods. The electronic economy made by information technology allows the haves to increase their control on global markets -- with a destructive impact on the havenots. For them the result is unstable. Developing countries which rely on the production of a small range of goods for export are made to feel like small parts in the international economic machine. As "futures" are traded on computer screens, developing countries simply have less and less control of their destinies. So what are the options of regaining control?One alternative for developing countries is to buy in the latest computers and telecommunications. Yet this leads to long-term dependency and perhaps permanent constraints ( ,) on developing countries' economies. Communication technology is generally exported from the US, Europe or Japan;the patents, skills and ability remain in the hands of a few industrialized countries. It is also expensive, therefore imported products and services must be bought on credit usually provided by the very countries whose companies stand to gain. From the passage we know that the development of high technology is in the interests of _ . the rich countries The road to Grandpa's house was long and winding. There were lots of tall trees and animals in the woods. The trip took a long time because Jimmy was walking in his new boots and he wasn't used to them yet. He could have taken a ride to Grandpa's house, but that wouldn't be as fun. Jimmy liked to collect insects on the way to his Grandpa's house, so had picked the longer path. As he went along, Jimmy found more and more insects to add to his jar. His favorite was the lightning bug and he had found five of them total. He liked the moths too, but they were difficult to catch and took up a lot of space. Finally, Jimmy arrived at Grandpa's house and knocked. Grandpa answered the door with a smile and welcomed Jimmy inside. They sat by the fire and talked about the insects. They watched the lightning bugs light up as night came. What was Jimmy's favorite insect in the jar? Lightning bug Buying books on the internet is a great way to save time and money. Online bookstores offer new books and used books that can save you lots of money. They are far better compared to traditional bookstores as they offer much broader kinds of books. Another advantage of shopping online is that you can also read the book reviews as well as readers' reviews to get an idea whether the book is worth buying. Online bookstores offer great discounts to regular customers which is a big attraction for book lovers. For book lovers, the most important thing is to get books on time. Therefore, you need to find a reliable online bookstore that will be able to provide fast deliveries . Here are some tips to use when choosing an online bookstore. Some online bookstores are popular for fiction books; some are for non-fiction books or novels, etc. Understanding their specialization will help you get the right kind of books in time. Check whether you will be buying the books from a third-party seller or directly from the website. Although the website could be reputable ,third-party sellers advertised on their site may not have a good reputation. Never jump at stores that offer super cheap prices, as books sold at such low prices could be in very bad condition. Most of the popular online bookstores offer useful tools. One tool is a wish list tool on its website. You can update the list of books you wish to buy in the future. The bookstore will know what you want and will e-mail you immediately when the book of your choice is available. What do online book lovers care about most? The speed of deliveries Two years ago,Wendy Hasnip,47,experienced a brain injury that left her speechless for two weeks.When she finally recovered.she found herself talking with what seemed to be a French accent."I phoned a friend the other day, and she spent the first ten minutes laughing."Hasnip said at the time."While I have nothing against the French." Hasnip suffered from foreign accent syndrome ,am condition in which people find themselves speaking their own language like someone from a foreign country.The condition usually occurs in people who have experienced a head injury or a stroke a sudden loss of consciousness,sensation,or movement caused by a blocked or broken blood vessel in the brain. The condition was first identified during the Second World War in a Norwegian woman whose head was injured during an attack by the German military.The woman recovered but was left with a German-sounding accent,to the horror of fellow villagers who avoided her after that. Researchers have discovered that the combined effect of the damage to several parts of the brain makes victims lengthen certain syllable,mispronounce sounds,and change the normal pitch of their voice.Those changes in speech add up to what sounds like a foreign accent. Another researcher,a phonetician ,says victims of the syndrome don't acquire at me foreign accent.Their strangely changed speech only resembles the foreign accent with which it has a few sounds in common. When an English woman named Annie recently developed foreign accent syndrome after a stroke.she spoke with what seemed to be a Scottish accent.However.Annie's Scottish coworkers said she didn't sound at at like a Scot. Writing this passage,the writer's main purpose is to_. introduce foreign accent syndrome and some related in formation
My husband and I had just opened up a pet sitting business earlier that year. Our customers had slowly risen from three to thirty a month. We were busy through those hot summer months, driving between visits. Our work was strictly done at the pet owner's home. It was almost too busy for the two of us, but we were making good money! We asked pet owners new to our business to phone two weeks ahead so we had enough time to meet the owners and pets at their homes and make any following meetings before the owner leaves. One day, we decided to take on a new customer just two days before they would leave. We met the family, filled in a form, and spent some time with their dog, Hercules. He playfully jumped on us and touched our hands and arms using his tongue. The family laughed as he did this, showing us that he was very loving. Two days later I appeared at the house, alone. I came up to Hercules and said hello happily. I filled up his water bowl and cleaned any messes he made. Meanwhile, he was so lovely sitting beside. I thought this would be the good picture to send to the owners as usual. After the light and "click" sound went off, Hercules rushed at me. I didn't know what had just happened until I noticed the drops of blood. I ran out and did the only thing--calling my husband. Then I went to neighbors for help. My husband arrived after ten minutes. The helpful neighbor and my husband led Hercules back into his pen . Then my husband and I took off to the hospital. I must have looked like I was shot when I walked into the hospital. The nurses quickly moved me to a room. I asked the doctor in a weak but playful manner, "Am I going to die?" He replied, "Finally." According to the text, the author's work was _ . well paid Skeptics are a strange lot. Some of them refuse to admit the serious threat of human activities to the environment, and they are tired of people who disagree with them. Those people, say skeptics, spread nothing but bad news about the environment. The "eco-guilt" brought on by the discouraging news about our planet gives rise to the popularity of skeptics as people search for more comforting worldviews. Perhaps that explain why a new book by Bjorn Lomborg received so much publicity. That book, The Skeptical Environmentalist, declares that it measures the "real state of the world" as fine. Of course, another explanation is the deep pockets some big businesses with special interests. Indeed, Mr. Lomborg's views are similar to those of some Industry-funded organizations, which start huge activities though the media to confuse the public about issues like global warming. So it was strange to see Mr. Lomborg's book go largely unchallenged in the media though his beliefs were contrary to most scientific opinions. One national newspaper in Canada ran a number of articles and reviews full of words of praise, even with the conclusion that "After Lomborg, the environmental movement will begin to die down." Such one-sided views should have immediately been challenged. But only a different review appeared in Nature, a respected science magazine with specific readership. The review remarked that Mr. Lomborg's "preference for unexamined materials is incredible ". A critical eye is valuable, and the media should present information in such a way that could allow people to make informed decisions. Unfortunately, that is often inaccessible as blocked by the desire to be shocking or to defend some special interests. People might become half-blind before a world partially exhibited by the media. That's a shame, because matters concerning the health of the planet are far too important to be treated lightly. According to the passage, which of the following may be regarded as "skeptics"? People who disbelieve the serious situation of our planet. New findings show that musical training affects the structure and function of different brain areas, how those areas communicate during the creation of music, and how the brain interprets and combines sensory information. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2013, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health. These views suggest potential new roles for musical training including training plasticity in the brain, offering an alternative tool in education, and treating a range of learning disabilities. Today's new findings show that long-term high level musical training has a broader effect. Researchers found that musicians have a better ability to combine sensory information from hearing, touch, and sight. The age at which musical training begins influenced brain structure and its function. Beginning training before the age of seven has the greatest effect. Even older adults who took music lessons as children but haven't actively played an instrument in decades have a faster brain response to a speech sound than those who never played an instrument, according to a study appearing November 6 in the Journal of Neuroscience. The finding suggests early musical training has a lasting, positive effect on how the brain deals with sound. "Playing a musical instrument is a multi-sensory and motive experience that creates emotions and movements--from finger tapping to dancing -- and engages pleasure and reward systems in the brain. It has the potential to affect brain function and structure when done over a long period of time," said Gottfried Schlaug, MD, PhD, of Harvard Medical School, press conference speaker, also an expert on music. "As today's findings show, musical training brings about new processes within the brain, at different stages of life, and with a range of effects on creativity, cognition , and learning," he added. The best title of the passage should be _ . Musical Training Affects Brain Structure and Its Function Sixteen, sweet sixteen! Sweet sixteen? What 's so sweet about this birthday? Perhaps because sixteen marks out coming of age, which is the interim period between childhood and adulthood. It is a very brief and unique stage in our lives. A time when we are becoming an adult, yet still haven't lost our childhood innocence. The best of both words. Actually Sweet Sixteen applies more often to girl's 16th birthday than to boys. At that age, a girl is on the verge of becoming a woman. Picture a flower bud about to bloom, opening its face to the world for the first time. There's a sense of beauty and sweetness to this transition. Our 16th birthday is the first day we can get our driver's license. It is the official step towards becoming an adult. From this day forward, we no longer need our parents to drive us around, take us everywhere. Instead, we just borrow their car. Maybe that's what makes sixteen so sweet to the boys as they eagerly celebrate this newfound autonomy . Now they can drive without adult supervision! Haa, haa! Girls and boys can _ at the age of sixteen. Do both B and C Free and secure accommodation, no bills and even the odd home-cooked meal. It sounds like the perfect living arrangement for cash-strapped students. Two mothers believe they have devised a way for struggling students to save on accommodation costs when they leave home to study at university. Kate Barnham and Amanda Flude have launched Student Swaps, an online accommodation forum for parents and students, in advance of the introduction in September of PS3,000 higher education top-up fees. Their website says, "The principle behind Student Swaps is to enable students to literally swap family homes." The website will hold a database of students who would like to swap and link them with suitable matches. So those from one town / city could swap with those from a different town / city. The site describes itself as offering a "cost-free accommodation alternative... at a time of growing student debt". There is no charge for the service at the moment but Ms Barnham and Ms Flude intend to introduce a PS10 annual fee if it becomes established. However, the National Union of Students (NUS) has warned that, while the scheme may sound appealing to struggling freshers, it lacks any formal regulation. Veronica King, NUS vice-president of welfare, said, "The fact that this scheme has even been suggested is evidence to the high levels of debt students now face on graduation." Recent research has shown that students are more likely to live at home in coming years, in a bid to cut down on the cost of a degree. "This is worrying, as it may mean that students choose their university on the basis of where it is, rather than because it offers the best course for them. It also means students will miss out on what is for some a key part of the student experience-living away from home." A "cash-strapped" student means one who _ . lacks money
Question: Environmental protection is frequently talked about nowadays. The authorities are doing their best to arise the public awareness of the vital importance of the environmental protection. This issue is, indeed, worth following up. Environmental protection is closely related not only to our personal life, but also to the entire human race and the world's further development. For one thing, the environment, in a narrow sense, determines the quality of our individual life. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, etc. , all come directly from the environment. If they continue to be contaminated, we may have neither clean water, nor healthy food. For another thing, in a broader sense, the environment plays a decisive role in fate of mankind. As is known to all, the earth, up to now, is human being's only dwelling place. We can expect that some day we will live on another planet, but I doubt that this day will come earlier than the day when the earth becomes a globe of waste, if we keep damaging the environment. Finally, the environment is essential to the further development of the world. Extensive industrialization, which has brought about all the convenience and facilities we enjoy today, has been depending on the comprehensive exploitation of the earth's natural resources found in the environment. If we do not protect the environment properly, further development cannot be guaranteed. In a word, to protect the environment is an urgent task. Nevertheless, environmental protection is indeed a demanding task. Many people are still, either unconscious of the urgency of the task or deliberately damaging the environment for the interests of their own. Hence, we should adopt severe measures to prohibit people from doing more harms to the environment. Meanwhile, we need to make the gravity of the present situation known to all. In other words, punishment and instruction should be equally emphasized. Only in this way can we look forward to a cleaner and greener world. From the passage we can know that _ . A. environmental protection is indeed a demanding task to our government B. not all the people in the world realize the urgency of the task C. only a few people are damaging the environment on purpose D. some day we will live on another planet before the earth is damaged Answer: B Question: Edgar felt quite excited at the thought of his first swim of the summer. With the sun shining down so strongly, the sea was certain to be warm enough. He walked quickly along the sea-front towards the steps that led on to the sands. He smiled cheerfully at the passersby. He had just smiled and raised his hat to an elderly lady when a man with a camera caught his arm and stopped him. Edgar heard a little buzzing noise from the camera. "Your photograph, sir, in glorious colour in just one moment if you please," said the man in one breath. Then the buzzing stopped, and he held the photograph in his hand and was waving it to and fro. In a moment he handed it over, and Edgar saw the bright blue splash of his shirt half filling the picture. "Seventy pence, sir," the man said. "It's the bargain of your holiday." "Seventy pence," Edgar repeated, mildly. "For this?" He stared at the photographer. "They're normally eighty-five, sir, but for a single subject I make a cut-price offer. It's the best value you'll get in Chadwell." "You'll have to make a better offer," Edgar said. It was a good photo though, he thought, so bright and clear. His hat was held high, and he was smiling broadly at the old lady, whose arm and handbag came into a lower corner. He had had no idea that he was being snapped. He thought he was really quite a good-looking chap. "That's as good as any studio job that would cost you pounds," said the cameraman. "It's better in a way because it's so natural. Only seventy pence, sir." "I've never paid so much for a snap in my life. It simply isn't worth that kind of money. It's not as if I need the thing. Look, I'll give you twenty-five." "No, I can't do that. Each of these instant colour shots costs me 50p -- that's the price of the blank frame, so you see..." "Criminal, criminal," Edgar broke in. "You want a profit of forty per cent. Well, not at my expense, I'm afraid. I'll give you your 50p and that's that." "Let me see, then." The man suddenly took the photograph out of Edgar's hand. "I can't waste any more time with you. It's 70p or I keep it." "Keep it," Edgar said. He turned, looked out to the sea, and then walked quickly away. We can infer from the passage that _ . A. Edgar was an indifferent but good-looking man B. Edgar smiled at the photographer because he was being photographed C. the photographer was actually a criminal D. Edgar didn't buy the snap at length. Answer: D Question: Back in the 1860s, a British scientist named Henry Walter Bates noticed something interesting in the animal world: a kind of butterfly, Common Mormon, can change the pattern on its wings so that it looks like another butterfly species, the Common Rose, which is poisonous for birds to eat. Bates argued that animals develop this ability to protect themselves from being eaten. This theory had been widely accepted by scientists. But one question remains: how do these animals manage to do that? After more than 150 years, scientists are finally able to answer that question--it is all down to a gene called "doublesex", according to a study published on March 6 in the journalNature. In fact, scientists have long known that genes are responsible for this useful ability. But until the new study, scientists hadn't been able to find out which genes in particular were responsible. Scientists at the University of Chicago compared the genetic structures of the Common Mormons that changed their wing patterns with those of ones that did not. And all the results pointed to a single gene, "doublesex". This was much to the scientists' surprise. They used to expect that something as complex as this would be controlled by many different genes. For example, one gene would control the color of the upper part of the wing, one would do so for the lower part. However, the "doublesex" gene doesn't quite do everything by itself. Instead, it acts like a switch--it "tells" other genes to change the wing patterns. Isn't that clever? Scientists believe that this special ability of the "doublesex" gene on Common Mormon was developed throughout the long history of evolution. "The harmless species gains an advantage by resembling something predators avoid," Sean Carroll, a scientist toldNature. "it was obvious evidence for natural selection. " How do scientists find the truth of butterfly changing wing patterns? A. By doing experiment on butterflies. B. By comparing genetic structures. C. By observing the butterflies. D. By analyzing the result. Answer: B Question: Dear Bill, I'm glad to receive your letter,thank you for your caring for the weather and my health.But I am sorry to tell you that I have to stay at home because of the heavy fog and haze . Since the winter last year,the fog and haze has appeared a lot of times.it has done great harm to our daily life.Many traffic accidents happened just because of the heavy fog and haze weather,more and more people have to go to see the doctor because the serious disease caused by the fog and haze ,quite a lot of flights have to be put off,a great number of people have to stay at home for fear of the poisonous air caused by the fog and haze. According to the Chinese Academy of Science,driving car and burning coal are two main reasons.People have been told : Don't do outdoor sports;If you have to go out,wear a _ ; wash your face and clean your nose as soon as you get home. People have realized the great harm caused by the fog and haze and the importance of protecting the environment.People all over the country are taking measures to reduce the fog and haze weather.The government suggests people go to work or school with the public traffic, such as the bus and the underground.Also we should plant more trees. According to me, I will go to school by bike or on foot, and I won't throw the waste anywhere.In addition, I will tell the people I meet to protect the environment as possible as they can.Would you like to tell me some good ideas?I'm looking forward to your reply. Yours, Li Hua To stop the fog and haze, which is not true according to the passage? A. Try not to drive cars or burn coal. B. Try not to do sports outdoor. C. Try to take the public traffic D. Call on more people to protect the environment. Answer: B Question: John lived with her mother when he was young. He didn't know who his father was. The woman did some washing for the rich and could buy only some bread for her son. So the boy was short and thin. One cold morning there was much snow in the streets. A car knocked the woman down and the policemen took her to the hospital. She didn't tell John that his father deserted her before he was born until she died. She left her son the name and address of his father. John found his father, Mr. Brown, in another city. He was one of the richest shopkeepers and he had to receive his son. From then on the boy lived a rich life. He ate all kinds of delicious food and wore beautiful clothes. But he didn't go to school and could not read or write. Once his father took him to a party. He saw a newspaper lying on the floor and picked it up while others were talking about a film. He had a look at it and found a car's wheels were upward .He called out," Oh, dear! An accident happened!" All the people were surprised and began to read the newspaper. But soon they all began to laugh. Do you know why? The people at the party laughed at him because _ . A. he held the newspaper upside down B. he wasn't polite C. the newspaper was yesterday's D. he wasn't clever Answer: A
Last year, a report by a committee of education experts said that a lot of American students cannot write well. The report noted the concerns of business leaders and teachers. The experts said that more students should have to pass a writing test before they can finish high school. They pointed out that major college entrance tests are changing now to include a writing part. Educators know that teaching students to write well is not easy. One problem is the amount of time needed to read through large amounts of work. So some companies have developed computer programs. These can grade student writing much more quickly than a person can. Writing tests can also cost less to carry out by computer than paper-and-pencil. These computer systems are known as e-readers. They use artificial intelligence to think in a way like teachers. In the state of Indiana, computer grading of a statewide writing test began with a test of the system itself. For two years, both a computer and humans graded the student writing. Officials say there was almost no difference between the computer grades and those given by the human readers. The entrance test commonly used by business schools, the GMAT, already uses e-readers. The GRE and TOEFL tests might start; officials are deciding. The GRE is the Graduate Record Examination. TOEFL is the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Systems are also being used to grade writing in college classes. The computers read a few hundred examples of student writing already graded by humans. Then the systems compare new writings against those already examined. How do teachers feel all about this? Many say machines can never do the job as well as people can. A computer can find spelling and grammar mistakes. But these teachers say it can never really understand what a writer is trying to say. Critics say a program cannot follow a thought or judge humor or understand a beautifully expressed idea. But inventors of the programs say computer grading guarantees that each piece of writing is graded in the same way. They also say the systems are meant to judge knowledge more than creativity. What do the teachers think of the computer system? Answer: Things occurring in stoney areas produces all of these: Answer: A car drew up outside the Swan Hotel and a young man got out.Pausing only for a moment to see that he had come to the right place,he went into the hotel and rang the bell on the counter of the bar. Mrs.Crump,the landlady,who was busy in the kitchen at the time,hurried out,wiping her hands.The young man raised his hat. "Excuse me,"he said."I'm looking for my uncle,Mr.White.I believe he is staying here." "He was staying here."Mrs.Crump corrected him."But I'm afraid that he went back to London yesterday." "Oh,dear,"said the young man,looking disappointed."I understood that he was going to stay here until the end of the month.At least that is what his servant told me when I rang up his house." "Quite right,"said Mrs,Cramp."He planned to stay here the whole of July,as he always does. But yesterday he got a telegram to say that his was ill.So he caught the train back to London immediately." "I wish he had let me know, "The young man said."I wrote him a letter saying that I was coming.I've had all this trouble for nothing.Well,since he isn't here,there's no point in waiting." He thanked Mrs.Grump and went out.Mrs.Grump went to the window and watched him drive off.When his car was out of sight,she called out:"You can come out now, Mr.White. He's gone." Mr.White came out of the kitchen,where he had been waiting. "Many thanks,Mrs.Grump,"he said,laughing,"you did that very well.These nephews of mine never gave me any peace.That young man is the worst of them all.As you see,when he needs money, he even follows me into the country.Well,perhaps next time he won't warn me by writing a letter!" When his nephew came to the hotel,Mr.White _ . Answer: My uncle likes sports very much. He loves soccer ball, basketball, baseball, tennis and more. He plays baseball and basketball very well. He likes to watch the sports games on TV. He plays sports every day. He has a small sports collection. He has 12 tennis rackets, 10 baseballs, 3 basketballs and a soccer ball. _ has a small collection. Answer: Tips for avoiding traffic jams The radio has more than just music. Check the local news station for the latest traffic report. Or go online and check traffic cameras before you set out. If there is a jam, you'll be prepared and can try another route. Take the road less traveled. Although highways may be the most direct route, back roads can be much less crowded, which can save you from the frustration of the stop-and-go traffic. Rush hour isn't just a lovely nickname. It means the morning and afternoon traffic lasts for several hours, but they are still called "rush hour" for a reason--everyone's on the road and in a hurry to get somewhere. Treat rush hour like bad weather--if you don't have to go anywhere, stay off the roads. Tips for those unavoidable traffic jams Don't break the law. You've gone 30 feet in 30 minutes and all of a sudden you see people using the shoulders . Don't behave like them. Not only is this illegal, but also there's a good chance they'll get caught or cause even more problems. Pay extra attention to zig-zaggers when some people are anxious, they may start changing lanes every 5 seconds or cut you off. Keep checking your windows and mirrors for these lane changers. Look for an escape. If it is possible to exit the road safely, do it. Use a GPS unit, and you can change your route mid-trip if needed. Be courteous. Good manners could help you avoid a possible accident. Allow people in from a lane that is ending. Speeding up to keep them out increases your chances of an accident. What should we do when there are zig-zaggars? Answer:
Hidden in our subconsciousness is a perfect mental picture. We see ourselves on a long trip that goes across the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows, we think in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle feeding on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, or row upon row of corn and wheat, of flat lands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of city skylines and village halls. But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour, we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles , condemning the minutes for loitering --waiting, waiting, waiting for the station. "When we reach the station, that will be it!" we cry. "When I'm 38." "When I buy a new 450SL Mercdes Benz!" "When I put the last kid through college." "When I have paid off the loan!" "When I get a promotion." "When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after! " Sooner or later, we must realize there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us. "Relish(appreciate) the moment" is a good motto, actually it isn't the burdens of today that drive man mad. It is the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today. So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. Then the station will come soon enough. Why does the author write the passage? Answer: To tell us the right attitude to life. GREENWICH--Recently, a group of concerned Greenwich residents gathered to discuss how they could help those who may be alone during the holiday season.Armed with plenty of ideas and a sincere desire to do good, this group now refers to themselves as "A Random Act of Kindness".As members of this group, we are to put together a Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day that will provide a free meal to those who are alone or can't provide for themselves.This task will require many resources to make it successful.We are gathering a small army of volunteers to devote their time to helping prepare, cook, serve, clean, organize and promote this event.We hope that you can help us.The following is what we have planned to do; A 2 - hour free dinner that will take place at the Greenwich VFW with 2 seatings, one from 1 p.m.to 2 p.m.and the other from 2: 30 p.m.to 3: 30 p.m.by reservation only on Thanksgiving Day. Amy McPhail and Julie Carroll are accepting names of volunteers as well as food donations for the cause; Amy can be contacted at 692 -7841 for donations and Julie can be contacted if you'd like to volunteer at 884 -0658. A bank account has been created through Glens Falls National Bank to accept money donations and checks can be made payable to "A Random Act of Kindness" and sent to Glens Falls National Bank c/o Dan Flynn. Ellen Pemrick ( Caterer) .Beth Anthony ( Beth's Cafe) and David Hughes (Glens Falls Hospital) will be consulted to make sure the highest quality of food can be served. *We are looking to serve between 150 and 250 people at this event.We are serving the following: turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, stuffing rolls, pumpkin pie, apple pie.Beverages will include: milk, water, coffee & apple cider. If you are interested in donating any of the above items, please drop off your donations at the VFW in Greenwich any evening between November 14 and November 24.If you have any problems dropping any items off during that time, please contact George Perkins at either 692 -2367 or 573 -8115.Any non-perishable food donalions not used for the dinner will be donated to the local Greenwich Food Pantry. Any help you can provide for us would be gready appreciated.Everyone's generosity to the Greenwich community and its residents is very much appreciated.Reservations for dinner are now being accepted by calling Pal Perkins at 692 -2367 until November 13. How many people will probably be served at the Thanksgiving dinner? Answer: 200. A scientist was investigating why several fish caught from a local stream displayed similar mutations. He found that the water temperature of the stream was elevated since an industrial plant began discharging heated water into the stream. The scientist concluded that increased water temperature during the egg phase led to the mutation in the fish. According to this conclusion, the mutation was caused by Answer: an environmental condition. Long bus rides are like television shows. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end with commercials thrown in every three or four minutes. The commercials are unavoidable. They happen whether you want them or not. Every couple of minutes a billboard glides by outside the bus window. "Buy Super Clean Toothpaste." "Drink Good Wet Root Beer." "Fill up with Pacific Gas. "Only when you have fallen asleep, which is equal to turning the television set off, can you get separated from the unending cry of "You Need It! Buy It Now!" As for the ride itself, the beginning of it is comfortable and somewhat exciting, even if you've traveled that way before. Usually some things are keeping changing out of the windows -- various houses, crop fields, attractive bridges, ... and sometimes even a small accident. Your bus driver may have a unique style of driving and it's fun trying experience it the first hour or so. If the driver is particularly reckless or daring, the ride can be as thrilling as an adventurous story. Will the driver pass the truck in time? Will the driver move into the right or the left hand lane? After a while, of course, the excitement dies down. Sleeping for a while helps pass the middle hours of the ride. Food always makes bus rides more interesting. But you've got to be careful of what kind of food you eat. Too much salty food can make you very thirsty between stops. The end of the ride is somewhat like the beginning. You know the riding will soon be over and there's a kind of expectation and excitement with that. The seat, of course, has become harder for the hours having passed. By now you may sit with your legs crossed, or with your hands in your lap, or with your hands on the arms, or even with your hands crossed behind your head. That is to say that the end comes just at no more ways to sit. The writer of this passage would probably prefer _ . Answer: no billboards along the road In 1932 the warning of the British politician, Stanley Baldwin, that "the bomber will always get through" made a deep impression in Britain, the only state to make serious plans to evacuate civilians from large towns before the war started. The British Government developed plans for evacuating 1 million children to the United States and Canada and other Commonwealth nations. It established the Children's Overseas Reception Board (CORB) in May 1940. After the fall of France, many people thought the war was lost and some saw this as one way of ensuring that Britain could survive even if invaded. The Germans eventually began bombing British cities in September. Some children were evacuated by ship to British Dominions, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. The CORB selections were not done on a first-come, first-served basis. CORB classified and prioritized the children. Charges soon appeared in the press that the well-to-do were being given priority. CORB arranged for the transportation. The Government paid the passages. Quite a number of children had already been evacuated. This tended to be children from rich families with money and overseas contacts. The British public eventually demanded the government pay so that less privileged children were also _ . World War II occurred before the beginning of trans-Atlantic air travel. Liners were used to transport the children and this proved to be dangerous because the U-boats quickly emerged as the greatest threat. And this put the evacuee children trying to cross the Atlantic to safety in danger. Two ships carrying child evacuees were torpedoed in 1940. One was the Dutch liner Volendam with 320 children on August 30. The crew managed to get the life boats off and saved the children. They were returned to Glasgow. The other was the City of Benares, an ocean liner with 200 British and foreign civilian passengers and 93 British children with a guard of nurses, teachers, and a clergyman. It was torpedoed on September 13. The crew attempted to launch the life boats as Benares began to sink. The rough weather made this difficult, so many of the passengers in the life boats died in the extreme conditions. Only 15 children survived. Churchill, when he learned of the disaster, decided to end the overseas evacuation scheme. The whole passage is mainly about _ . Answer: children evacuation
Reach for the stars at the Euro Space Center. Find out everything you need to know about space -- from the origins of the universe to the future space exploration plans. Light, sound and special effects help to bring your space journey to life. Throughout your tour, our specially trained guides will answer your questions and provide you with any information you require. Begin your tour with our exhibition about the planets, then move on to the Space Laboratory and see some of the experiments carried out in space. Visit our international space station, where you can climb into our full-scale Space Shuttle model and experience life on board as an astronaut. You will know all about space by now and to help you further, our Space Center astronaut will tell you about how young people train as astronauts in our own training school. Finally, you can watch our amazing Space Show in our IMAX cinema, which will help you understand everything you have learned during your visit better. Outside we have an outdoor exhibition including a giant solar system, full-size rocket models and outdoor games. Don't worry if it rains -- much of this is under cover. After that, why not visit our restaurant Resto Space for food and drink on a space theme? And don't forget our Space Shop, offering you a lot of gifts to take home. The Euro Space Center is open every day during school holidays, and also during other times except Mondays. Opening times are 10:00-5:00. For entrance fees, call our booking service on + 32-61-650133. Or you can email us for up-to-date entry information at info@eurospacecenter.be. On schoolday Mondays, the Euro Space Center _ . Answer: American officials have sharply reduced their expecmtions for this year's corn and soybean crops.Farmers in the Midwest are struggling with record heat and the worst drought in many years. The United States is the world's largest producer of com and soybeans.Last Friday the Agriculture Department predicted corn production would add up to 10.8 billion bushels this year.That was down 17%from a prediction made just a month ago.And it was down 13%from last year's level.The average yield per hectare could be the lowest in seventeen years. At the sarne time,the government predicted that soybean production would be 12% lower than last year. The price of corn has hit record levels.Corn is a major part of animal feed,so the price of meat,milk and eggs is also expected to climb. The FAO says average food prices worldwide rose 6%in July.The American drought was a big reason. The situation has renewed the fight between food and fuel.About 40%of the nation's corn crop goes into making ethanol .The production process leaves some of that in a form that can be fed to animals.Still,at least one-fourth of the American corn crop is now made into fuel. The United States requires that part of its corn crop be used in the production of biofuels .The use of ethanol has grown as government requirements have increased.But Jose,the head of the FAO called for"an immediate,temporary pause"of that requirement.He said more of the American corn production could then be used as food or to feed animals. The American livestock industry is also urging Congress to stop the law that requires ethanol in gasoline.But corn farmer Alan Bennett says doing that would hurt his town. A 2005 law requires automobile fuel to contain ethanol.The growth of the ethanol industry and competition for corn has been helping parts of rural America that had been reducing for years. Why did average food prices worldwide rise 6%in July? Answer: It was a late Wednesday night when the dreading phone call reached our home. I sat up, somehow terrified, so I could hear the phone call better. To my surprise, I heard my mom burst into tears. "Get the car, Dean! Andrea has been in a car accident." _ We got to the hospital, but were not allowed to see Andrea. The next morning, after wearing masks, we were allowed to go to the ICU to see Andrea. Well, the least I could say was that everything was injured in her body and she lost all of her memories. It was a fatal accident. Over the next two months, I lived more at the hospital than I did at my house. I watched as Andrea worked so hard to gain back everyday motor skills. She never once complained or pitied herself; her determined spirit was shining through. After two weeks in the ICU and two months of the regular hospital treatment, Andrea was able to come home. She missed several months of school, so it was hard for her to catch up. Andrea had tasks to accomplish, and no matter how hard it was, she stuck with them until the job was done. Though busy with dealing with pain and therapy, she always found time to love and play with me. I'll never forget the impact that this incident made on my life. I admire her strong-willed personality and her determined spirit. Today she is perfectly normal, despite the scars and the pins holding her leg in place. I couldn't ask for a better sister, hero, or best friend. _ mainly made the writer's sister recover from the car accident. Answer: Many trees in the Brackham area were brought down in the terrible storms that March. The town itself lost two great lime trees from the former market square. The disappearance of such striking features had changed the appearance of the town center entirely, to the annoyance of its more conservative inhabitants . Among the annoyed, under more normal circumstances, would have been Chief Inspector Douglas Pelham, head of the local police force. But at the height of that week's storm, when the wind brought down even the mature walnut tree in his garden, Pelham had in fact been in no fit state to notice. A large and healthy man, he had for the first time in his life been seriously ill with an attack of bronchitis. When he first complained of an aching head and tightness in his chest, his wife, Molly, had tried to persuade him to go to the doctor. Convinced that the police force could not do without him, he had, as usual, ignored her and attempted to carry on working. Predictably, though he wouldn't have listened to anyone who tried to tell him so, this had the effect of fogging his memory and shortening his temper. It was only when his colleague, Sergeant Lloyd, took the initiative and drove him to the doctor's door that he finally gave in. By that time, he didn't have the strength left to argue with her. In no time at all, she was taking him along to the chemist's to get his medicine and then home to his unsurprised wife who sent him straight to bed. When Molly told him, on the Thursday morning, that the walnut tree had been brought down during the night, Pelham hadn't been able to take it in. On Thursday evening, he had asked weakly about damage to the house, groaned thankfully when he heard there was none, and pulled the sheets over his head. It wasn't until Saturday, when the medicine took effect, his temperature dropped and he got up, that he realized with a shock that the loss of the walnut tree had made a permanent difference to the appearance of the living-room. The Pelhams' large house stood in a sizable garden. It had not come cheap, but even so Pelham had no regrets about buying it. The leafy garden had created an impression of privacy. Now, though, the storm had changed his outlook. Previously, the view from the living-room had featured the handsome walnut tree. This had not darkened the room because there was also a window on the opposite wall, but it had provided interesting patterns of light and shade that hid the true state of the worn furniture that the family had brought with them from their previous house. With the tree gone, the room seemed cruelly bright, its worn furnishings exposed in all their shabbiness. And the view from the window didn't bear looking at. The tall house next door, previously hidden by the tree, was now there, dominating the outlook with its unattractive purple bricks and external pipes. It seemed to have a great many upstairs windows, all of them watching the Pelhams' every movement. "Doesn't it look terrible?" Pelham whispered to his wife. But Molly, standing in the doorway, sounded more pleased than dismayed. "That's what I've been telling you ever since we came here. We have to buy a new sofa, whatever it costs." Why did Molly sound pleased by her husband's comment? Answer: Hands-on experience is still attractive to many buyers, although online ordering is popular in the UK today. Oxford Street London is shoppers' paradise, and most visitors head for Oxford Street. Halfway along is Sel-fridges, one of the world's first department stores where the architecture and window dressing impress even before you go in. There are at least four other major stores on this street, plus Europe's largest music shop. In December the atmosphere is especially festive because of the Christmas lights which are always lighted by a politician, a great sportsman, or a super star. Kensington High Street A fashionable area for shopping is Kensington High Street. One of its department stores even has a roof garden--good for relaxing between purchases. There's also an organic food superstore. Borough Market You can't visit London and not go to a supermarket. One of the oldest and best for food is probably Borough Market on the south bank of the Thames. Get off the underground at London Bridge and wander among fresh fish stalls, bakeries, and fruit and vegetable sellers. You can also buy specialist food to take away, like cheeses, pork pies, mustard and chutney. More places for bargains Portobello Road on a Saturday is your best choice for jewelry or collector's items. It's a short walk from the subway station at Notting Hill Gate and you never know what you will find. For clothes, Camden Market is the place. It gets a little crowded at the weekends, though. Convent Garden offers great experience for the simple pleasure of looking at jewelry and gifts. Oxford Street becomes special in December for _ . Answer:
Searching the Internet may help middle-aged and older adults keep their memories sharp,US researchers said. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles ,studied people doing web searches by recording their brain activity. "What we saw was people who had Internet experience used more of their brain during the search,"Dr.Gary Small, a UCLA expert on aging, said,"This suggests that just searching on the Internet may train the brain and that it may keep it active and healthy." "This is the first time anyone has simulated an Internet search task while scanning the brain,"Small said. His team studied 24 normal volunteers between the ages of 55 and 76. Half were experienced at searching the Internet and the other half had no web experience. However, the two groups were similar in age, gender and education. Both groups were asked to do Internet searches and book reading tasks while their brain activity was monitored. "We found that in the book reading task, the visual cortex-- the part of the brain that controls reading and language -- was activated,"Small said,"In doing the Internet search task, there was much greater activity, but only in the Internet-savvy group." He said it appears that people who are familiar with the Internet can engage in much deeper level of brain activity. Activities that keep the brain engaged can preserve brain health and thinking ability. Small thinks learning to do Internet searches may be one of those activities. Researchers _ when volunteers were doing web searches. Most painters discover a style of painting that suits them and stick to that, especially if people admire their pictures. As artist grows older his picture may alter , but not very much. But Picasso, the great Spanish painter, was like a man who had not yet found his own particular style of painting. He kept on struggling to find the perfect expression till his death in 1973. Some of Picasso's paintings are rich, soft colored and beautiful. Others are ugly and cruel and strange. But such paintings allow us to imagine things for ourselves. They force us to say to ourselves, "What does he see that makes him paint like that?" And we begin to look beneath the surface of the things we see. Picasso painted thousands of pictures in different styles. Sometimes he painted the natural look of things. _ He showed us what the mind knows as well as what the eye sees. At the age of 90 he remained as _ about the world as he had been when he was young. That is why people have called him "the youngest painter in the world". Why do people call Picasso "the youngest painter in the world"? Many kids go to day camp during the summer. They can have a lot of fun, but the _ is almost the same. You start camp in the morning and go home in the afternoon. Sometimes, a bus takes you there or you might get a ride there. It might take you some time to like the place, the camp teacher, and the kids. But you go home every night, just like what you do during the school year. Sleepaway camp makes you feel more excited because you'll be there all day. It's a kind of holiday, but without your parents. You'll sleep in adormitory with other kids of the camp. You'll eat together in a large dining hall and you'll share the bathroom with other kids. Some sleepaway camps are coed. That means there are both boys and girls at the camp. Some camps are just for girls or just for boys, but often these all-girl and all-boy camps meet up for dances and parties. Which of the following is TRUE? The island of Port Cros is in the south of France. I first visited it about ten years ago with my wife. I had read that it was a magical place and it seemed fascinating , but I couldn't believe that it was true. In fact, it was much more magical than the tourist brochures had said. The island is mountainous and covered in trees. The water around the island is transparent like glass. When I first visited it, there was mist rising from the trees. The little harbor looked mysterious and remote: tall palm trees, a few shops and restaurants, no cars, motorcycles or bikes. It is not by chance that the island has kept its natural beauty. Once, it was privately owned and the owners always wanted to keep it in its natural state. In 1963, Port Cros became a national park. The park directors made some rules to protect the island. They didn't allow any new building projects. There is only one hotel and no camping is allowed. Visitors can't use mountain bikes or smoke on the island. Sailing boats that visit the island mustn't damage the bottom of the sea or pollute the water around it. When we arrived, we started walking to the beach of Port-Man, which was the furthest beach from the port. It took us two hours and when we arrived, the beach was deserted. It seemed that we were the only people on the island. Time seemed to stop. It was so beautiful that we stayed there all day. I visited there again last summer. Nothing had changed. The island still looked magical and mysterious, still with few tourists. It must be wonderful to stay the night on the island, I thought. After all the visitors have gone, the island must be so quiet--a real paradise ! How has the natural beauty of the island been kept according to the text? All living things do what?
Rosaria discovered a type of structure she could not identify in a sample of pond water. Her teacher looked into her microscope and explained that they were zygotes produced by one of the protists in her sample. The zygotes belong to which protist? A amoeba B euglena C paramecium D volvox Answer: D Sixteen years ago a boy gave me an important gift. It was a smile. It was the early autumn of my first year at a middle school, and my old school was far away. As a result, no one knew who I was. I was very lonely, and afraid to speak to anyone. Every time I heard the other students talking and laughing, I felt my heart break. I couldn't talk with anyone about my problems. Then one day, when my classmates were talking happily with their friends, I was sitting at my desk unhappily as usual. At that moment, a boy entered the classroom. I didn't know who he was. He passed by me and then turned back. He looked at me, with a smile. Suddenly, I felt the touch of something bright and friendly. It made me feel happy and warm. That smile changed my life. I started to talk with other students and made friends. Day by day, I became closer to everyone in my class. The boy with the lucky smile has become my best friend now. One day I asked him why he had smiled, but he couldn't remember doing so! It doesn't matter because all the dark days have gone. I believe that the world is what you think it is. If you think it is lonely, you might always be alone. So smile at the world and it will smile back. Why was the smile an important gift? A Because the writer's old school was far away. B Because the writer didn't know who the boy was. C Because the smile didn't mean anything to the boy. D Because the writer felt lonely and had no friends and it made her feel happy and warm. Answer: D Sixty-five million years ago, an asteroid that crashed on Earth led to the disappearance of the largest animals that have ever walked our planet - the dinosaurs. At least, this is what some scientists believe. But that accident happened so long ago. People have come to believe that we are free of threats from asteroids and everything else from space. However, what happened on Feb 15 , 2013 was a reminder that we're just as _ as the dinosaurs once were. Two objects from space - a meteor and an asteroid called 2012 DA14 - visited Earth's atmosphere on the same day. The former fell in Russia, injuring 1,200 people, while the latter passed by Earth at a record-setting close distance. Scientists had been expecting the asteroid since last year, but the meteor was a surprise. NASA's telescope system only detects asteroids at least 50 meters in diameter , which is just about the size of 2012 DA14. But the meteor was much smaller, which made it harder to spot. But what if we do spot an asteroid that is headed right for Earth? There are several possible ways in which dangerous asteroids could be made to change its orbit. Which method is best depends on several factors and most importantly - how much time we have to stop it. If there is enough time before the hit, we can send off a heavy spacecraft to travel alongside the asteroid. The gravity from the spacecraft would gradually change the rock's orbit. Besides that, scientists could one day use sun-powered lasers to either make asteroids disappear or change their course. If there's not enough time, we'll have to go after the asteroid with a spacecraft and change its orbit with a crash. Finally, if things are truly desperate, there will be only one choice left - to use a nuclear bomb. That could turn the asteroid into a meteor shower, which would be even more dangerous. The author mentioned the asteroid that led to the dinosaurs' dying out to _ . A show that asteroids fall from space frequently B alert people about the possible danger of objects falling from space C inform readers about the constant threats the Earth faces D suggest that there are still many mysteries about the universe Answer: B You may have never heard of Lanthanum, Cerium or Neodymium, but these elements and others known as "rare earth" play a major role in modern technology. They can actually be found in many places on the earth, but not in quantities that can be mined. Only a few countries -- China, America, India, Australia, Brazil and Malaysia have any that can be mined enough to be traded. Even though some of these elements such as Cerium are as abundant as Copper, they are not found in concentrated amounts on the earth's surface. They are often mixed together with other metals, which makes extraction of these elements an expensive and an environmentally messy process. It was due to this reason that the term "rare earth" was invented. Rare earth metals are used widely in our life. Rechargeable car batteries, computers, iPhones, DVD players, computer monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, glass polishing, and superconductors all use quantities of rare earth metals. Also, with the advancement in "green" technology like solar panels, these shiny materials are becoming more important than ever. An average electric car uses 10 pounds of Lanthanum for its rechargeable battery! America has large deposits of rare earths and has one of the first mines. It was opened in Southern California in 1940. The element "Europium" was the first metal to be separated in quantity for use in color televisions. However, in the 1980's and 1990's, as China started producing these elements in Inner Mongolia, the mines in America and elsewhere could not keep pace. The mine in Mountain Pass, California also failed environmental regulations and shut down in 2002. Now, recognizing the importance of having more than one supplier of this important resource, other rare earth owning countries like India and Australia are either dusting off their rare earth mines or speeding up their production. It is believed that the debate over rare earths will become louder in the coming months and years. Compared with China, America _ . A paid more attention to Europium B has larger deposits of rare earths C started producing rare earths earlier D has more rare earth mines Answer: C Mr. John and Mr. Brown work in the same office. One day Mr. John says to Mr. Brown, "I will have a small party in our house on Monday evening. Would you and your wife like to come?" Mr. Brown says, "Thank you very much. I'd love to, but let me ask my wife first." So Mr. Brown goes to the other room and telephones his wife. Then he comes back and looks very worried. "What's the matter?" asks Mr. John. "Is your wife there at home?" "No," answers Mr. Brown. "She isn't there. My small son answers the telephone. I say to him, 'Is your mother there, David?' and he answers 'No, she isn't in the house. ''Where is she?' I ask, 'She is somewhere outside.' 'What's she doing?' 'She is looking for me.'" ,. Mrs. Brown is looking for _ . A Mr. John B Mr. Brown C Mrs. John D David Answer: D
Maybe you don't know the fact that the green forests we see from an airplane or from the highway can be false. Because centuries ago forests were twice as many as what they are today. A hike into many of those woods will tell different stories, too--of diseases and insects that are slowly killing trees, of some forests that are burned by fire, of logging that local people do more often. Deforestation and degradation of the world's forests mainly harm the basic ability of those ecosystems to function or provide services, such as fresh water, air, plants and animals, which benefit people everywhere and keep the balance of nature. Deforestation Forests today are a small part of what they once were. Nearly half of the world's forest cover is gone, and each year 40 million acres more are cut and replaced by agriculture and development. Over the next 45 years, wood use in the world is guessed to increase by 50 per cent over its present rate. Many of the forests that remain are severely destroyed, which harms the ability to protect birds or wild animals, and to supply natural resources to people. Deforestation also brings about between 20 per cent and 25 per cent of all air pollution causing global climate change. Degradation Forests continue to be degraded by some uses such as the gathering of wood for fuel, the arrival of pests and diseases that kill trees, the effects of climate change and poor management such as the fire, flood and so on. How many forests will be cut if we don't take measures after ten years? A About 300 million acres of forests. B About 30 million acres of forests. C About 40 million acres of forests. D About 400 million acres of forests. Answer: D You may know the word "astronaut".But do you know the word "taikonaut"? It means "Chinese astronaut" in English.It comes from the Chinese pinyin "taikong" and the English word "astronaut".In 1998.a Malaysian Chinese scientist used the word for the first time.Since then,because of the fast development of China's space industry,more and more people all over the world have known the word.In September,2008,taikonauts caught many people's eyes again. The Shenzhou-7 spacecraft that carried three taikonauts took off from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 25th.It's the third time for China to send people into space.During the flight in space.some tasks were completed and the 20-minute spacewalk was the most exciting one.With the help of his two teammates Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng,Chinese taikonaut Zhai Zhigang completed China's first spacewalk.China has become the third country to finish such an outer space activity following Russia and the U.S.A.All the Chinese people are proud of our country. What does"taikonaut"mean in English? A Chinese astronaut. B Chinese scientist. C Chinese center. D Chinese space industry. Answer: A Think about what you had for lunch: Was it a hamburger? A chicken sandwich? Barbecue? What about vegetables? Would it surprise you to learn that what you eat can affect the whole planet? It can--in a big way. New studies show how food and its production affect the globe and its warming climate. You've probably heard of global warming : The temperature is on the rise because humankind has beenreleasing amounts of gases into the atmosphere. One of these greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide . What does this have to do with food ? A big part of the carbon dioxide that we put in the atmosphere every year comes from the process of making and eating food. The production of meat contributes a lot of that carbon diode. And much of meat's contribution comes from beef , which is responsible for releasing even more warming gases into the atmosphere. The process of making a hamburger ,for example, requires a lot of energy. A cow has to be fed and raised on farmland, and cow waste is a major source ofmethane -- an especially powerful greenhouse gas. The cow has to be killed. The meat has to beprocessed and shipped to a shop, which takes fuel . Most of the cow won't even be used for meat that people eat. By the time a hamburger finally lands on a dinner plate, it has made a heavy effect on the environment. We can reduce the production of global-warming gases by eating less beef .Other kinds of meat like pork and chicken do less harm to the environment--at least in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases released. All kinds of meat are harder on the planet than vegetables. To grow and eat a pound of potatoes, for example, sends less than one-quarter pound of carbon dioxide into the air. So changing our diet to less meat and more vegetables, as it turns out, may do the world some good. The author wrote the passage in order to _ . A explain the importance of eating meat B advise people to keep a balanced diet C encourage people to choose a greener diet D introduce some healthy foods to people Answer: C King Midas used to love gold. One day he met a fairy who allowed him to make a wish for something. The king replied at once , ''I love gold . I want everything I touch to change into gold". ''Very well , tomorrow morning, everything you touch will turn into gold ."Saying this, the fairy disappeared. The king waited excitedly till the next morning. To his joy, everything he touched changed immediately into gold. ''I'm the richest man in the world now." He shouted. Soon Midas became hungry. He sat down at his table. All the foods and drinks turned into gold in his hand. ''I'm dying of hunger." He cried. Just then his daughter came running in . ''Why are you so sad, dad?" she asked, putting her arms around him. There and then she became a golden statue. The king loved his daughter very much .Seeing this, he began to cry. He looked up and suddenly saw the fairy before him. ''Don't you like the golden touch?" asked the fairy. ''Please take it away," begged the king, ''give me back my daughter." ''Well, you have learned your lesson. Go and wash in the river. Then the golden touch will be gone." The king ran quickly to the nearby river. The king's daughter became a golden statue when _ . A she saw her father B the king went to meet her C she put her arms around her father D the king loved her very much Answer: C How many times a day do you check your email? When you wake up? Before bed? A dozen times in between? The technology that was supposed to simplify our lives has become the vital time-suck: the average teen spends more than seven hours a day using technological devices, plus an additional hour just text-messaging friends. The advantage of technological devices is connectedness: email lets us respond on the go, and we are in touch with more people during more hours of the day than at any other time in history. But is it possible we're more lonely than ever, too? That's what MIT professor Sherry Turkle observes in her new book, Alone Together, a fascinating portrait of our changing relationship with technology. Turkle details the ways technology has redefined our comprehension of closeness and loneliness--and warns us of the danger of accepting such virtual relationships in place of lasting emotional connections. For Turkle, the biggest worry is the effect all these shallow connections have on our development. Is technology offering us the lives we want to live? "We're texting people at a distance," says Turkle, "We're using lifeless objects to convince ourselves that even when we're alone, we feel together. And then when we're with each other, we put ourselves in situations where we are alone--constantly on our mobile devices. It's what I call a perfect storm of confusion about what's important in our human connections." What can't be denied is that technology, whatever its faults, makes life a whole lot easier. It allows us to communicate with more people in less time and makes conversation simple. But it can also be seductive , providing more stimulation than our natural lives. There are usually some unhealthy videos online which remove teenagers' attention from their schoolwork. Besides, some online activities make people addicted, which occupied their daily life and affected their ability to form real-world relationships."Technology can be more immediately satisfying than the labor of building an intimate relationship," said one highschool student, "Every time I text, I start to have some happy feelings." But are any of those feelings equal to the kind we feel when engaged in real, face-to-face communication? Online, you can neglect others' feelings. In a text message, you can avoid eye contact. A number of studies have found that this generation of teens is less sympathetic than ever. That doesn't spell disaster, says Turkle--but, What worries Turkle most is that more and more people are _ . A starting to accept emotional connections in place of virtual connections B convincing themselves by using fewer lifeless objects in connections C dropping the use of technological devices for connection with each other D being affected by the shallow connections through the mobile devices Answer: D
Question: Early scientists most likely saw a discharge of electricity for the first time when observing a A. waterfall B. rainbow C. lightning storm D. volcano erupting Answer: C Question: News that Microsoft made a $44.6 billion bid to buy Yahoo resulted in heated discussions made by many Internet users. Here are some responses: Diane Burke of Weeks bury, Kentucky I think it would definitely be an interesting combination. Everyone recognizes the names Yahoo and Microsoft, but everyone also says, "Did you Google it?" Such a catchphrase is going to be hard to beat. Shaun Carney of Laurelville, Ohio I think the merger will provide more competitions for Google. I don't think the merger will allow Microsoft to develop faster than Google, though. I believe the increased competition this merger brings will force Google to stay on top of its game by offering more fresh and original Internet tools and expanding on the tools it already offers. Toni Suarez of Hacienda Heights, California I view the merger as a necessary element in preventing a monopolization . Perhaps it would bring better high technology innovations to e-mail and help in researching and developing a better Internet! Rick R. of Edgewater, Florida It sounds like a disaster to me. If this were to happen, I would stop using my Yahoo e-mail account because I don't like the feeling of Microsoft spying upon my business. I will sign up for Google. Antonio Glosser of Kansas City, Missouri Right now, Yahoo offers a lot of features and tools at no cost for all different levels of Internet users. Microsoft seeks nothing but profit. Undoubtedly, they'll do nothing other than find ways to start removing Yahoo's formerly non-priced features. Microsoft's greed will ruin the great thing that Yahoo currently is. The passage is mainly about _ . A. opinions on the merger of Yahoo and Microsoft B. the strengths of Yahoo and Microsoft C. the strengths and weaknesses of large companies D. the future of Yahoo and Microsoft Answer: A Question: The issue of privacy versus openness is a paradox, particularly when it comes to the American home. "Lots" or "yards" (gardens) can be large and many are not enclosed by the walls, fences or hedges so popular in other cultures. Similarly, "window treatments" frame the window. but the use of European-style net curtains to screen out nosy neighbors is rare. In the same style, first-time visitors to an American home may be proudly given the full tour; even walk-in closets and en suite bathrooms are not considered off-limits. They may also be encouraged to help themselves to a soda from the fridge. All this gives an impression of openness. Yet Americans do value their personal space and privacy. A Brazilian expatriate who dropped in on her usually friendly Connecticut neighbors unannounced got the clear impression she should have called first. Similarly while a typical suburban home features large, shared areas, such as an open-plan kitchen and family room or "den", ample private space is also allowed in the floor plan. A visit to a family home in the evening would likely find the family members dispersed, each independently watching TV, on the phone, surfing the Internet, or otherwise _ in the privacy of their own bedroom. American individualism, expansiveness, and abundance are expressed in lifestyle. Despite the fact that the average household size has declined over the past thirty years from3.1 people to 2.6 people per household, the average size of a new family home increased during the same period from 1,500 to 2,200 square feet. A common observation is just how outsized everything is. The beds are king-sized, the TVs have giant screens, the burgers are "whoppers ," appliances are "industrial" size. The largest popcorn or soda at the movies can be "supersized." Closets are "walk in," and some cars are the size of a military vehicle. Why can we say that American individualism, expansiveness, and abundance are expressed in their lifestyle? A. Because the average size of a new house has increased during the past thirty years. B. Because Americans often use European-style net curtains to screen out nosy neighbors. C. Because many houses are equipped with walk-in closets. D. Because the house size, outsized household furniture and independent living habits have proved it. Answer: D Question: English is very important in the modern world. Many people want to learn it well. Here are some things that I want to say about learning it. To learn English well, you need two things- _ and good learning methods . Passion is the more important one. Why? Because passion makes you want to learn English. Learning methods only tell you how to learn it better and faster. If you love learning English, you will learn it regularly and spend much time on it. It will also be easy for you to remember new words and grammar rules. _ For example, some people like history and know a lot about World War II. If you ask a person who doesn't like history to memorize all the facts, he probably can't do it. When you don't want to learn English, you can do the following things. First, imagine that you can talk to native speakers just as you talk in your mother language. Imagine yourself to be a manager in a foreign company. Imagine you're living in an English-speaking country. Second, use English as much as possible. This is very important. The more you use English, the better you'll learn it. English is very popular, so you can use it everywhere. You can watch American cartoons, write English diaries, and read interesting books written in English. Which of the following is NOT true according to the writer? A. You need two things if you want to learn English well. B. It's difficult for a person to know a lot about World War II if he isn't interested in history. C. Learning methods are more important than passion. D. It's easy for you to remember new words or grammar rules if you're an English lover. Answer: C Question: "Homestay is a form of study abroad program. It allows the visitor to rent a room from a local family to better understand the local lifestyle. It also helps to improve the visitor's language ability,"said a teacher during a school meeting last term. "Students who wish to learn more about foreign cultures or to get foreign experience should join this kind of holiday. I am sure you won't be disappointed ." After this special meeting,I always thought about this kind of holiday. Last month,I had a chance at last to go on such a holiday with some of my schoolmates and we went to London,a place where I had wanted to go since years ago. As we were still young,we had a group leader who planned things for us and looked after us. After we got to London,we went to stay with different families. I was lucky that my host family was a white couple who had a daughter about my age. They treated me as a daughter of their family during my stay there. They were interested in me and I learnt a lot of things from them,too. The holiday was filled with activities every day. After breakfast,a local teacher would come to take us in his car. Then we would have classes or go on a sightseeing trip to different places of interest like the Big Ben,the London Bridge,and the Buckingham Palace. We would go back to our own homes after the activities. The holiday was a valuable experience for me. I enjoyed every minute of it. Yet,time really flew fast. Three weeks later,we had to leave "home" for Hong Kong. The writer's host family _ . A. was interested in her activities B. went sightseeing with her C. had two white daughters D. was very kind to her Answer: D
A beaker containing 50 milliliters of ice is placed on a windowsill. After several hours, the ice melts. What property of the ice did not change when it melted? Answer: the mass After my dad died on Aug.30, 2001, my mother made sure we marked each anniversary. At first, my brothers and sister and I would travel hours to get home, but eventually we got to the point where just one or two of us would make it back to go to Mass with her and spend the day together. The great love of her life, the man who broke up with her right before her college graduation, only to return two years later claiming he'd traveled the world and hadn't found anyone to compare with her, remained a daily presence in her life. She spoke about him so often and kept his memory so alive that people were sometimes surprised to learn that he was gone. She took over the garden where he'd planted and made it her own. When the 10th anniversary of his death approached, my mom began talking about it and planning for it weeks in advance. The date on her kitchen calendar was circled and marked R.I.P. (Rest in Peace). Of course she wanted all of us there and settled the dates for our coming back. On Monday -- the day before the anniversary -- she went to morning Mass and walked downtown for lunch with friends, and later told my sister on the phone that she felt Dad still so close that as she was walking back home, she heard someone yell and thought, "Oh, there's Dick." That evening she went out to water flowers, just as my father, 10 years before, had gone out to the garden to pick vegetables before he died. A neighbor heard the tin watering can strike the ground as she fell and hit her head. My mother died within hours, on Aug.30, 2011, the 10thanniversary. She needed to mark that anniversary, and my dad had waited long enough. We can infer from the passage that the author's mother _ . Answer: missed Father though he had passed away About ten men in every hundred have the trouble of color blindness in some way. Women are luckier, only about one in two hundred is affected in this matter. Perhaps, after all ,it is safer to be driven by a woman. There are different kinds of color blindness. For example, a man cannot see deep red. He may think that red, orange and yellow are all shades of green. Sometimes a person can't tell the difference between blue and green. Only a few unlucky men may see everything in shades of green-- a strange world indeed. Color blindness in human beings is a different thing to explain. In only one eye there are millions of very small things called "cones " . These help us to see in the bright light and to tell differences between colors. These are also millions of "rods" ,but these are used for seeing when it is nearly dark. They show us shapes but not colors. Some insects have favorite colors. Mosquitoes like blue but do not like yellow. A red light will not attract insects, but a blue light will. Human beings also have favorite colors. Yet we are lucky. With the help of the cones in our eyes, we can see many beautiful colors by day, and with the help of the rods we can see shapes at night. Which of the following sentences about color blindness is TRUE? Answer: Not all of men have the same problem in recognizing colors. Mothers can still offer comfort, even from a distance, a new study has found. The results show that simply hearing their mothers' voice over the phone works just as well at calming the nerves of stressed children as a real-life pat on the shoulder. The soothing effect is most likely due to the release of the hormone , oxytocin , in the brain, the researchers say. This "love hormone" is known to _ stress and is likely to be involved in social connections, including those between a mother and a child. Previous work has revealed that this hormone is released during physical contact with a mother. "But it's clear from these results that a mother's voice can have the same effect as a hug, even if she isn't actually standing there," said the researcher, Leslie Seltzer, a biological scientist. Seltzer tested a group of 61 girls, aged 7 to 12, by having them make an unprepared speech and solve a series of maths problems in front of a group of strangers, sending their hearts racing and levels of cortisol--a hormone associated with stress--soaring. Facing a challenge like that raises stress levels of a lot of people. Once stressed, a third of the girls were comforted in person by their mothers with hugs. A third of the girls watched an emotionally neutral 75-minute video. The rest were handed a telephone with their mothers on the line. For the girls who interacted in person or over the phone with their mothers, the levels of the "love hormone" rose significantly, and the stress-marking hormone was washed away. This effect didn't show up for participants who watched the video. Seltzer is now testing the amount of oxytocin released with other communication methods--like text messaging--and hopes to see the research spread out from human subjects. "It's not just us, of course. Lots of very social species have voices," she said. "on the one hand, we are curious to see if this effect is unique to humans. On the other, we're hoping researchers who study vocal communication will consider looking at oxytocin release in other animals and apply it to broader questions of social behavior and evolutionary biology. From the study, we know that _ . Answer: the level of cortisol determines how stressed a person is Both children and grown-ups look forward to New Year vacation since it is that time of the year to pack up and set out on a trip with family and friends. New Year's Eve is the perfect time to travel and have holiday. Gone are the days when you had to depend on word of mouth to learn about vacation destinations. With the development of technology and the increase in the number of travel agencies, you can use all the information for the place you want to visit. However, New Year being peak season, planning well in advance will be a wise thing to do. New Year cruises have been gaining popularity over the past few years, with the number of people booking for the first class increasing every year. Sailing to island destinations is a new experience for many who consider it a romantic way of celebrating the New Year. Warmer island destinations like the Hawaiian Islands are hot favorites with all their unique traditions and customs, fruits and food to delight in. Cruise lines provide a wide range of choices about the destinations and travel packages for you to choose from. There are special packages offered for families with children that include many activities and games. There are packages offered for young people which involve a dance party followed by a New Year party. There are even special cruises for newly married couples or people who are in love and wish to spend their New Year's Eve in a comfortable and romantic destination. Some people would also like to take this opportunity to spend some time alone and get beauty treatments done. On the other hand, there are other people who visit the unfortunate, old and poor people and orphans and try to make them happy. Planning ahead will make your New Year vacation better as you won't have to bother about booking tickets, hotels and making transfer arrangements at the last minute. In the passage the author wants to tell us about . Answer: good vacation ideas for New Year
One day, my mother said, "Let's buy you some new clothes." I was very happy and surprised because my family didn't have much money at that time. I bought three dresses, a pink one, a blue one and, best of all, a yellow and blue one. I loved that yellow and blue dress. I showed my three new beautiful dresses to my best friend Emily. She loved them all and was happy for me. But she also felt sad and said her father could only buy her new clothes for her birthday. So I asked her to pick one. Then she picked the best one--the yellow and blue dress! You should know that I was only 7 years old and it was my turn to feel sad. She wore it and I saw her smiling, so happy and beautiful. I could feel her joy! So, I told her it looked great on her. That day, I did my best to explain this to my mother. She smiled and said, "I understand. You're always my good little girl!" I shared my dress with my friend, and she shared her joy with me. That's friendship. And we are still best friends today! What do you know about Emily? Answer: August has always been difficult for me. It is the time when I realize that the books my English teacher assigned to me are not going to read themselves and that I have a difficult month in front of me. You might think that I don't want to spend my summer reading, but that's not the problem: I love reading. On the first day of my summer holidays this year, I went to the library and got "A Gathering of Old Men" by African-American writer Ernest Gaines. I enjoyed it very much. I read all the magazines that my parents subscribe to and spend about 30 minutes every day with the morning paper. So why do I hate summer reading for school? Because the books on summer reading lists are often slow-going and just uninviting. Teachers and librarians don't understand that summer reading can be entertaining as well as educational. They choose books that a friend of my mother's calls "spinach books": good for you, but not much fun to take in. Every summer, I read them, hate them and get bitter about the experience. This bitterness started three years ago when I was about to begin high school. As preparation, my English teacher told me to read "The Age of Innocence" by American author Edith Wharton. I'm sure there are many people who enjoyed "The Age of Innocence"--some might even say it's their favorite book. But I don't think any of these people read it as a 14-year-old boy on his summer vacation. "The Age of Innocence" is the story of a forbidden romance in prefix = st1 /New York100 years ago. At 14, my only experience with romance was my love for baseball. I couldn't imagine being in love, much less being in love in 1900. "The Age of Innocence" was totally different to my life. Most of my required summer reading has been like that--books written in a style that plays up the adjectives and plays down the verbs. I guess teachers don't think exciting plots make for "good literature". To me, though, a good writer describes events and characters in a way that makes the reader want to know what happens next. If I were making up a summer reading list, it would include "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" by George V. Higgins, "The Right Stuff" by Tom Wolfe, and "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer. These are all books that have literary value but, just as important, can also entertain kids on vacation. If the teachers could stand a little fun in the books they assign, my Augusts would be a lot more enjoyable. The author thinks he will have a difficult August because _ . Answer: Why is 2004 a special year? Because it is a Leap Year . What's so special about that? Well, we have a Leap Year every four years. And it has 366 days, not the usual 365. In a Leap Year, we have 29 days in February, while in a usual year we have only 28 days. Why do we have a Leap Year? We have a Leap Year so we can keep the calendar in step with the seasons. The calendar is a kind of clock for the year. But how long is a year? A calendar year is 365 days. But a true year is 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds long. That's the time it takes the earth to go around the sun. So every four years we have one more day, and we put it at the end of February, the shortest month of a year. Then we have a Leap Year. It takes the earth _ to go around the sun. Answer: Do you often feel lonely? What do you do when you feel that way? Hide yourself away and spend your time reading, watching TV or walking around? You might think that feeling lonely is just like feeling happy, sad or scared -- that it's just one of your various moods. That is true. However, if you let yourself be lonely for too long without dealing with it, you could be making a serious mistake. Doctors have known for some time that feeling lonely is bad for the mind. It can lead to mental health problems such as depression, stress and reduce confidence. "Being lonely means not feeling connected or cared for, but it's not about being mentally alone," Lisa Jaremka, scientist from Ohio State University, US, told Live Science in January. And there's growing evidence that not having friends is connected with physical illness as well. In 2006, for example, scientists studied 2,800 women who had cancer. They found that those who had few friends or family were five times more likely to die of their disease than women with many social contacts. Also, even healthy people had a better chance of falling ill if they felt left out by others, according to the BBC. The results have scientists thinking that loneliness might hurt the immune system , which protects the body from diseases. Hoping to prove this theory, Jaremka and her research team put volunteers through a stress test. During the test, volunteers were asked to make an unprepared speech in front of a group of stony-faced people. The researchers found that volunteers who said they were lonely in their daily lives felt more stress during the test. And their blood samples showed that all the stress had managed to cause harmful changes to their immune system. "Loneliness has been thought of in many ways as a chronic stressor -- a socially painful situation that can last for quite a long time, " explained Jaremka, who led the study. The number of people suffering from loneliness is increasing all over the world. However, solving the problem is easier said than done. It won't work to just "tell anyone to go out and find someone to love you", said Jaremka. "We need to create support networks." If people feel lonely for a long time, _ . Answer: Which of the following best describes the purpose of cellular respiration? Answer:
One day, a young man was cleaning out his late grandfather's belongings when he came across a bright red envelope. Written on the front were the words, "To my grandson." Recognizing his grandfather's handwriting, the young man opened the envelope. A letter inside read: Dear Ronny, Years ago you came to me for help. You said, "Grandpa, how is it that you've accomplished so much in your life? You're still full of energy, and I'm already tired of struggling. How can I get that same enthusiasm that you've got?" I didn't know what to say to you then. _ , I figure that I owe you an answer. So here is what I believe. I think a lot of it has to do with how a person looks at things. I call it "keeping your eyes wide open". When you meet up with challenges, welcome them. They'll leave you wiser, stronger, and more capable than you were the day before. When you make a mistake, be grateful for the things it taught you. Resolve to use that lesson to help you reach your goals. And always follow the rules, even the little ones. When you follow the rules, life works. If you think you ever really get by with breaking the rules, you're only fooling yourself. It's also important to decide exactly what you want. Then keep your mind focused on it, and be prepared to receive it. But be ready to end up in some new places, too. As you grow with the years, you'll be given bigger shoes to fill. So be ready for endings as well as challenging beginnings. Sometimes we have to be brave enough to move from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Life isn't just reaching peaks. Part of it is moving from one peak to the next. If you rest too long in between, you might be tempted to quit. Leave the past in the past. Climb the next mountain and enjoy the view. Remember that your choices will create your successes and your failures. So consider all the pathways ahead, and decide which ones to follow. Then believe in yourself, get up, and get going. And be sure to take breaks once in a while. They'll give you a renewed commitment to your dreams and a cheerful, healthy perception of the things that matter the most of you. Most important of all, never give up on yourself. The person that ends up a winner is the one who resolves to win.Give life everything you've got, and life will give its best back to you. Love always, Grandpa The young man's grandpa wrote this letter to _ . A. recall his whole life B. tell his grandson how great he was C. explain how to keep passion D. show how to succeed Answer: D My father quit driving in 1927, when he was 25 years old.So my brother and I grew up in a household without a car.In 1951,when my brother turned 16, my parents bought a used 1950 Chevrolet from a friend.Since my parents didn't drive, it more or less became my brother's car. Having a car but not being able to drive didn't bother my father, but it didn't make sense to my mother.So in 1952, when she was 43 years old, she learned to drive.For the next 45 years or so, until she was 90, my mother was the driver in the family. After my father retired when he was 70, he almost always accompanied my mother whenever she drove anywhere, even if he had no reason to go along.One day my father said to me, "Do you want to know the secret of a long life?" "I guess so," I said, knowing it probably would be something bizarre . "No left turns." he said. "What?" I asked. "No left turns," he repeated."Think about it.Three rights are the same as a left and that's a lot safer.Several years ago, your mother and I read an article that said most accidents that old people are in happen when they turn left in front of oncoming traffic.As you get older, your eyesight worsens.So your mother and I decided never again to make a left turn." "You're kidding!" I said, and I turned to my mother for support."No." she said. "Your father is right.We make three rights.It works." But then she added: "Except when your father _ ." "Loses count?" I asked. "Yes," my father admitted, "that sometimes happens.But it's not a problem.You just make seven rights, and you're okay again." I couldn't resist."Do you ever go for 11 ?" I asked. "No," he said "If we miss it at seven, we just come home and call it a bad day. Besides, nothing in life is so important it can't be put off another day or another week." My mother was never in an accident all through her life. What's the message the father wanted to leave to his son? A. Owning a car was too expensive for a family. B. One could never be too careful when driving. C. One is never too old to learn a new skill. D. Old people should never be allowed to drive alone. Answer: B Every year mobile phones develop. Imagining what they will look like and be able to do in 2020 is really a challenge. To help, experts have outlined three major mobile trends that they believe will have become reality by then. Our phones will be so smart in 10 years' time that they'll know everything about our situation and warn us when something needs our attention. This is the top prediction of both Nokia and Google. They predict that our cars and home appliances will be able to communicate with our mobile. For example, fridges will tell your mobile to tell you to pick up milk on the way back from work. While driving, your mobile will suggest that you take a different route because there's a road accident up ahead. The second trend is in gesture-based controls. People who know the iPhone's touch-sensitive screen are already familiar with the technology. It translates hand movements into actions on-screen. But gestural communications will make the phone more convenient to use and may completely replace touchpads. According to industry insiders, the most immediate step forward in gestural technology will be in voice recognition. It's believed voice recognition technology will speed up communications. It is quicker to speak than type. Eventually, phone screens will disappear. The third major development will change our understanding of a mobile phone. From a single phone, the mobile will be developed into multi-part devices. It is opposite to the current trend in which mobile phones are combining the functions of cameras, music players and game consoles. The prediction is based on the idea that the world will become more wireless and all these--cameras, music players and game consoles--will be wirelessly connected. Mobile phones won't need to contain these devices because users will be able to control them wirelessly through their phones. From the text, we can learn that the future mobile phones will _ . A. drive cars for us B. be controlled by the users' voices C. be controlled by home appliances D. be very big together with separated multiple parts Answer: B It's an annual argument. Do we or do we not go on holiday? My wife says no because we have no savings to save us. I say you only live once and we work hard and what's the point if you can't go on holiday. The joy of a recession means no argument next year - we just won't go. Since money is known to be one of the things most likely to bring a relationship to its knees, we should be grateful. For many families the recession means more than not booking a holiday A YouGov survey of 2, 000 people found 22% said they were arguing more with their partners because of concerns about money. A recent research shows arguments about money were especially damaging to couples. Kim Stephenson, an occupational psychologist, believes money may be different things to men and women. "People can say the same things about money but have different ideas of what it's for." he explains. "They'll say it's to save, to spend, for security, for freedom, to show someone you love them." He says men are more likely to see money as a way of buying status and of showing their parents that they've achieved something. "The biggest problem is that couples assume each other know what's going on with their finances, but they don't. There seems to be more of a taboo about talking about money than about death. But you both need to know what you're doing, who's paying what into the joint account and how much you keep separately. In a healthy relationship, you don't have to agree about money, but you have to talk about it." According to the text, what does Kim Stephenson believe? A. Money is often a symbol of a person's status. B. Money means a great deal to both men and women. C. Men and women spend money on different things. D. Men and women view money in different ways. Answer: D Saturday, March 24th We have arrived in the hot, wet city of Bangkok. This is our first trip toThailand . All the different smells make us want to try the food. We aregoing to eat something special for dinner tonight. The hotel we are staying in is cheap, and very clean. We plan to stay here for a few days, visit some places in the city, and then travel to Chiang Mai in the North. Tuesday, March 27th Bangkok is wonderful and surprising! The places are interesting. We visited the famous market which was on water, and saw a lot of fruits and vegetables. Everything is so colorful, and we have taken hundreds of photos already! Later today we will leave for Chiang Mai. We will take the train north, stay in Chiang Mai for two days, and then catch a bus to Chiang Rai. Friday, March 30th Our trip to Chiang Rai was long and boring. We visited a small village in the mountains. The village people here love the quiet life-no computers or phones. They are the kindest people I have ever met. They always smile and say "hello". Kathy and I can only speak a few words of Thai, so smiling is the best way to show our kindness. I feel good here and hope to be able to come back next year. Which of the following is TRUE? A. Chiang Mai is a beautiful city in the south of Thailand. B. The writer left Chiang Mai for Chiang Rai by bus. C. Chiang Rai is a boring city in the mountains. D. The writer is traveling alone in Thailand. Answer: B
Speech--the act of uttering sounds to convey meaning--is a kind of human action. Like any other constantly repeated action, speaking has to be learned, but once it is learned, it becomes a generally unconscious and apparently automatic process. As far as we can determine, human beings do not need to be forced to speak; most babies seem to possess a sort of instinctive drive to produce speech like noises. How to speak and what to say are another matter altogetner. There actions are learned from the particular society into which the baby is born; so that, like all conduct that is learned from a society--from the people around us--speech is a patterned activity. The meandering babble and chatter of a young child are eventually channeled by imitation into a few orderly grooves that represent the pattern accepted as meaningful by the people around him. Similarly, a child's indiscriminate practice of putting things into his mouth becomes limited to putting food into his mouth in a certain way. The sounds that a child can make are more varied and numerous than the sounds that any particular language uses. However, a child born into a society with a pattem of language is encouraged to make a small selection of sounds and to make these few sounds over and over until it is natural for him to make these sounds and not others. Conduct that is learned from a society may be called_. A. instinctive drive B. selection C. automatic activity D. patterned activity Answer: D "Slow City" -- a recently launched project focused on preserving the traditional quality of life enjoyed in some of Italy's smaller cities and towns. The project was born from the idea of the "Slow Food" movement -- started in Italy in the 1980s -- which promotes leisurely eating and the growing of local, healthy products to fight against the American fast-food style. "The American urban model has invaded our cities, making Italian towns look the same. We want to stop this kind of globalization," says Paolo Saturnini, an Italian mayor. The "Slow City" project plans to emphasize the rich, cultural, culinary and artistic local traditions of each community. Walking areas will be enlarged and squares and parks will be made greener with more plants. Car alarms and other noise that disturbs the peace will be banned, and ugly TV aerials , advertising posters, and signs will be taken down. City councils will also insist on the use of recycling and renewable energy sources, and will also introduce ecological transport systems. Parking will be made stress-free by creating more public parking areas, and easily accessible walkways and bike lanes will cross the city. But in the "Slow City" way, all improvements will probably come about slowly. Thirty-two Italian city councils, which joined the "Slow City" program, have decided to take further steps in this direction by increasing the numbers of traditional family-style eating establishments, reducing noise pollution, and concentrating on making their towns friendlier for people to live in. Organic local produce will be promoted in all restaurants and genetically modified foods will be banned. "We can't stop large, fast-food chains from coming here, but we hope that people who come to our towns will not want to eat exactly the same hamburger they can eat in Melbourne, London or Paris, but want something genuine and different," said Saturnini. Further measures will be included in the "Slow City" program EXCEPT _ . A. cutting down noise pollution B. stop genetically modified foods C. getting more towns involved in the project D. building more family-style restaurants Answer: C Here are some of the movies that inspire you to travel. The Lord of the Rings The story is about Frodo, his friends and their adventurous journey through Middle Earth. Filmed in about 150 locations all over New Zealand, this traveling movie shows its beauty. From the rolling hills of Matamata to the volcanic retrion of Mt Ruapehu, this is the best movie o see New Zealand . Also, this travel movie might have the only distinction of being inspired by ravel too. The director of the movie Peter Jackson first read the novel on a train going from ellington to Auckland when he was just seventeen. Indiana Jones. The Complete Adventure Collection Indiana Jones and travel are inseparable. Everyone remembers the red line on the world map that shows up on screen when he flies. The Egypt scenes in Raiders of the Lost Ark were filmed in Tunisia. Temple of doom was filmed mostly in Sri Lanka and Macau. The Last Crusade was filmed in Italy , Spain and Jordan including an excellent view of Petra. Unlike the other, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was filmed almost entirely in the United States. However, their shots of Iguazu Falls are amazing. Romancing the Stone and jewel of the Nile This movie series focuses on a romance writer Joan and her adventures with a soldier of fortune named Jack. In Romancing the stone Joan goes to Colombia to save her sister who was kidnapped . In the sequel Joan goes to the fictional kingdom of Kadir set somewhere in the Middle East. Romancing the stone's scenes were shot mostly in Mexico. For Jewel of the Nile, the scenes were mostly shot in France and Morocco. The Telented Mr Ripley Tom Ripley is a working class young man. Through a case of mistaken identity, he is asked to go to Italy to convince a wealthy businessman's son to come home. This travel movie starts in New York and heads to the fictional resort of Mongibello . The last section of the movie is filmed mostly in Rome and Naples. The locations are beautiful. They also did a good job of showing Italy as it looked in the 1960s. The movie The Talented Mr. Ripley tells us a story of a man who _ . A. owns a large amount of fortune B. contributes to helping a man out of trouble C. goes sightseeing in Rome and Naples D. becomes wealthy by always working hard Answer: B It was Sunday morning. A butcher heard the doorbell and thought it must be a customer. But he was surprised to see that a dog was coming into his shop. The dog had $10 and a note in its mouth. The butcher took the note and read it. It said,"10 pork chops , please."So the butcher took the money and put a bag of chops in the dog's mouth. Then he quickly closed the shop because he decided to follow the dog. He found the dog on the street. The dog was waiting for a green light. Then the dog walked across the road. The dog went to a bus stop. When a bus arrived, the dog checked the number and then got on the bus. After a while, the dog stood up on his back paws to push the "stop" button . The bus stopped and the dog got off. Then the butcher followed it to get off the bus. The dog ran to a house and dropped the bag in front of the front door. It then began to beat its head against the front door. After a while, a big man opened the door and began shouting at the dog. The butcher ran up and shouted at the man, "What are you doing? Your dog is a genius ." The owner of the dog said, "Genius? No way! I always tell him to take the keys when he goes to the stores. But he never listens to me!" How much did the dog pay for the pork chops? A. $20. B. $10. C. $5. D. $62. Answer: B All around the world, people drink tea. But tea does not mean the same thing to everyone. In different countries people have very different ideas about drinking tea. In China, for example, tea is always served when people get together. The Chinese drink it at any time of the day at homes or in teahouses. They prefer their tea plain, with nothing else in it. Tea is also important in Japan. The Japanese have a special way of serving tea called a tea ceremony . It is very old and full of meaning. Everything must be done in a special way in the ceremony. There is even a special room for it in Japanese homes. Another tea-drinking country is England. In England, the late afternoon is "teatime". Almost everyone has a cup of tea then. The English usually make tea in a teapot and drink it with milk and sugar. They also eat cakes, cookies and little sandwiches at teatime. In the United States people drink tea mostly for breakfast or after meals. Americans usually use tea bags to make their tea. Tea bags are faster and easier than making tea in teapots. In summer, many Americans drink cold tea -- "iced tea". Sometimes they drink iced tea from cans, like soda. ,. The passage is about _ . A. Chinese tea B. different ways of drinking tea C. the teatime in England D. why tea is important Answer: B
What's in the news? Here are some articles from the Winfield Daily News. Engaged to be married Mr. and Mrs. Eduardo Silva of Bogota, Colombia, are happy to announce that engagement of their daughter Cristina Ana Silva to Gino Antonio Leone. Miss Silva is studying art history at Winfield Community College and Mr. Leone is working at the Roma Restaurant. The wedding will take place at St. Mark's Church in Winfield on October 5th. The reception will be at the Roma. Black History Month Winfield Public Library is pleased to announce a special program to celebrate Black History Month. The well-known actor Albert Eaton will perform a one-man show named MLK:His life and Times. In the show, Eaton recreates the life and times of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., through music and drama. Performances are at 3:30 and 7:30, Thursday through Saturday. Admission free. Telephone: 5365400. Benjamins have a daughter Mr. and Mrs. Leon Benjamin are proud to announce the birth of their first child, Andrea Jean. She was born at Winfield Hospital on June 9 at 11:10 PM. SPORTS High School--Parents Beat Students The parents' football team beat the students 4 to 2 in a wild and exciting match yesterday at Winfield Stadium. It was the first win for the parents since the yearly event started five years ago. Adela Logan led the parents to victory with three goals. Her son, Bob Logan, scored the only two goals for the losing team, it was both a happy and a sad day for the Logan family! College--Winfield Community College Senior Wins State Tournament Ginny Lewis took the title away from defending state tennis winner, Susan Murray, yesterday in three straight sets, 6-1, 6-3, 6-4. this was the first time a Winfield student has played in the state finals. Ginny brought home a trophy and a $1000 prize for her studies at college. Why is Ginny Lewis in the newspaper? Answer: China's new buzzword, tuhao, may be in next year's Oxford English Dictionary. "If its influence continues, it is very likely to appear on our updated list of words, " said Julie Kleeman, project manager with the editing team. In Chinese, tu means uncouth and hao means rich. It has traditionally been referred to rich people who throw their weight around in China's rural areas. In recent years, people borrowed the term to describe those who spend money in an unreasonable manner. The word gained acceptance in September with the launch of Apple's new gold-colored iPhone, an item loved by China's rich people. The color became known as "tuhao gold". The word is now often used by the online community to refer to people who have the cash but lack the class to go with it. Kleeman also mentioned two other Chinese words--dama and hukou--which may also be taken in the dictionary. Hukou means household registration in Chinese and has been widely used. Dama, meaning middle-aged women, was first used in the Western media by the Wall Street Journal in May when thousands of Chinese women were buying up record number of gold. They were the driving force in the global gold market between April and June when the gold prices had gone down. "We have nearly 120 Chinese-linked words now in Oxford English Dictionary, " she said. Some of them are: Guanxi, literally meaning "connection", is the system of social networks and influential relationships which promote business and other dealings. Taikonaut is a mix of taikong, meaning outer space, and astronaut. The new words will be first uploaded on the official website before the dictionaries arrive. The online version is also renewed every three months. "It at least broke our old rules. It used to take 10 years to include a new word but now we keep the pace with the era, " according to John Simpson. What does "Tuhao" mean now? Answer: Everyone has an ambition to travel. But those who cannot do so themselves might find it interesting to work in a travel agency, arranging journeys for other people. Brian Lawtey does this, working in a small travel agency in an industrial city. Most of his work is concerned with holiday, both at home and abroad. Every autumn, the agency sends out hundreds of booklets full of attractive, color1ed photographs, describing the holidays that their customers will be able to have the next year. Soon, people begin to come into the office to book their holidays: perhaps a week's skiing in prefix = st1 /Austriain January, perhaps a cruise to the Caribbean in February, perhaps a seaside holiday inSpainin May, or a tour of Africa. Brian often has to advise people on what holidays will be suitable for them, and they always have a lot of questions. Last year, for example, a lady of eighty-two wanted to book for a mountaineering holiday in the Alps, and Brian had great difficulty in persuading her that it would not be suitable. In the end, she decided to go for a Mediterranean cruise instead. Arranging journeys for people who have to travel abroad on business is often very complicated, but Brian enjoys this work. For example, last spring Mr. Perry,a director of chemical firm, went on a business trip, and Brian arranged it all for him. First, Mr. Perry traveled to Londonby trainband stayed overnight in a hotel near the airport, because his plane left early the next morning. He flew to Frankfurt inGermany, where he spent the morning discussing business. Then he went on by train toZurich, where he stayed the night. After a meeting the next morning, he caught a plane for Tokyo, and spent three days there before going toAmerica. He had business in Seattle, Chicago andNew York, and stayed some time in each of those places. From New York, he flew back toLondon,and then got home by train. The next day he telephoned the agency to thank Brian for arranging everything so well for him. Mr Perry telephoned the agency to thank Brian because _ . Answer: One day, an old man went(go)for a walk in a park in Washington, and when he was(is) tired, he sat(sit) down on a bench . A young person was standing on the other side of the pond . "My goodness" the old man said(say)to the person sitting next to him on the bench."Do you see the person with loose pants "and long hair? Is it a boy or a girl?" "A girl," said the person sitting next to the old man. "She's my daughter." "Oh!" the old man said quickly, "please excuse me. I didn't know that you are her mother." "I'm not her mother," said the person."I'm her father!" Why is it difficult to tell whether a child is a boy or a girl in western countries? Answer: Once there was a huge apple tree.A little boy loved to come and play around it every day.He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by---the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day.One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad."Come and play with me, " the tree asked the boy."I'm no longer a kid.I wouldn't play around the tree any more." the boy replied."I want toys.I need money to buy them." "Sorry, I don't have money.But you can pick all my apples and sell them.So, you will have money." The boy picked all the apples on the tree and left happily.The boy never came back after he picked the apples. One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited, "Come and play with me, " the tree said."I don't have time to play.I have to work for my family.We need a house for shelter.Can you help? " "Sorry, I don't have a house.But you can cut off my branches to build your house." So the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left happily.The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then.The tree was again lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was pleased."Come and play with me! " the tree said."I am sad and getting old.I want to go sailing to relax myself.Can you give me a boat? " "Use my trunk to build your boat.You can sail far away and be happy." So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat.He went sailing and never showed up for a long time. Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years."Sorry, my boy.But I don't have anything for you any more.The only thing left is my dying root, " the tree said with tears 1 "Good! Old tree root is the best place to lean on and rest.Come and sit down with me and rest." The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears 2 At last the boy wanted _ . Answer:
There are thousands of things to be sold that are of all colors and shapes in a supermarket, making you believe that they are good enough for you to have a try. How packaging is the quiet but persuading salesman? There on the shelves,each bottle, can and box has been carefully designed to speak to the inner self of the consumer , so that he is buying not only a product but also his belief in life. Scientists have studied on this and found that the look of the package has a great influence on the "quality" of the product and on how well it sells, because "Consumers generally cannot tell between a product and its package. Many products are packages and many packages are products," as Louis Cheskin, the first social scientist studying consumers' feeling for packaging, noticed. Colors are one of the best tools in packaging. Studies of eye movement have shown that colors draw human attention quickly. Take V8 for example. For many years,the bright red color of tomatoes and carrots on the thin bottle makes you feel that it's very good for your body. _ Shapes are another attraction.Circles often mean happiness, because they are pleasing to both the eye and the heart. That's why the round yellow M sings of McDonald's are inviting to both young and old. This new consumer response to the colors and shapes of packages reminds producers and sellers that people buy to meet the needs of both body and heart. What's the best title of the passage? When I was a kid, I never had any problems watching some cartoons. It was so much fun and a great education too. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Tom and Jerry were my idols . Even now I really feel that they are worth watching at any age. The problem I've found is the cartoons at present. Some of them contain something ugly. Most of the time, they show such many terrible characters with violence that you wonder what they really mean. Cartoons are supposed to be funny but they aren't. If you are expecting to teach your kids good manners and behavior, then they are the worst for your kids to watch. Kids often imitate what they see in cartoons. If your kid is a fan of such cartoons, he or she will follow his or her favorite cartoon character and try to do something extremely dangerous. Therefore, try not to let your kids watch too many today's cartoons. Make sure to keep an eye on what they are watching. What's the main idea of the passage? There comes a time in a person's life when they may realize that their laundry is just not coming out the way that they had hoped for. The whites may not be getting white enough or the color1s might be fading. This can cause you more money if you don't know how to properly do your laundry. These tips are lifesaving tips when it comes to washing your dirty clothes. If you have a habit of throwing all your clothes into the washing machine together, you need to stop now. Washing your clothes in the same load will only cause them to fade onto each other or not become as clean as they could. To save you lots of time, try buying a laundry sorter so that your clothes are already sorted and ready to be throne into the washing machine. Another great advice would be to read the labels on the back of the clothing. The labels are there for a reason and this could help to save you a lot of money in the long run. It makes sense not to wash something in warm water when it specifically says to wash in cold water, if you did you could end up with a shrunken sweater. There are basically five groups that your laundry should be sorted into; whites, lights, darks, bright color1ed clothes, and delicates. The whites are basically anything white like your undergarments and t-shirts. Try not to get the whites and the lights confused. The light color1ed clothes are those that can be white, striped, off-whites, pastels, cream color1ed, etc. Dark clothes are those including blacks, blues, and browns. The reason that this is important is because dark clothes tend to fade onto other clothes and there are also special products like Woolite Dark that you can buy to keep them from fading. It just makes sense to wash these separately. The bright clothes are those that are red, yellow, orange, green, florescent, etc. These clothes can make your other clothes turn color1s. The writer informs us of five groups of colours in order to _ . Which human activity most often has a harmful effect on the environment? Dear Anna, It is nice to see the photo of your room. Here is a photo of my room. These are my bed and my desk. My clock and some books are on the desk. Sometimes the books are on the bed. I like _ books on the bed. Oh, that is my hat on the bed. It is yellow. My quilt is yellow, too. My schoolbag is on the sofa. It is green. I take it to school every day. Yours, Mona . It is a photo of _ .
Last Friday, I was coming home late after spending time with friends and thought I'd go down to the $99 cent pizza place. On the way, I saw a man sitting on the stairs alone there. I'd seen him before every day I run late to work, but this time I had no place to rush off to. There was something about him, a quiet manner, different from many of other homeless people I had seen in New York City. I walked past him, went to the pizza place, and those 10 seconds waiting in line was enough to practice stepping outside of my usual, familiar flow. So with a few slices in hand, I went back to join him. I asked him if he was hungry. He said yes, but not for pizza because it made him uncomfortable. He'd rather have a few bucks for chicken and rice since it was easier on his stomach. It's funny, in that moment, he became more real to me. This man I had seen almost every day was someone with specific conditions, needs, and experiences. We exchanged names and ended up talking for a little over an hour that night as Kevin told me stories from his life, how he had done things when "he was younger and didn't know any better" and how he tried to make amends but too much time had passed. He shared his views on the value for young adults to learn the history of other people. He talked about his one wish being in his 60's before he leaves this earth, which is to share his story with the teenagers and young adults so they could avoid the mistakes he went through. Throughout the conversation, he eventually got his chicken and rice and gifted me a rose he had been carrying. Shortly afterwards, I made my way home, thinking to myself, "I met an amazing homeless person". How do you like the homeless man after reading the passage? Answer: Honorable. Monkeys are clever and lively, but they are naughty and greedy as well. Whenver they find delicious food, they will eat enough. What's more, they will take it when they leave. They have suffered a lot because of this. But they never change this way. In India, people use monkey's greed to catch them. Do you know how they can catch monkeys? Here are some instructions. * Make a hole in a big pumpkin . The hole must be just right ----neither too big nor too small. * Put some jujubes in the hole. * Leave the pumpkin under a tree. Make sure there are some monkeys in the tree. * Hide yourself and watch the monkeys. As soon you leave, the monkeys can't wait to come down to the pumpkin. When they find a hole in the pumpkin, they don't know what's in it and one of them can't help putting its hand into the hole to find what on earth there is. When it touches the jujubes, it will clench some of them in its hand. As a result, it isn't able to take its fist out of the hole. You can't come close until this time. Will the monkey drop off the pumpkin? Don't worry. It prefers the pumpkin than its life. It will run with the pumpkin, clenching its fist more tightly. In the end, it is caught helplessly. The hole must be just right means it is _ . Answer: bigger than a monkey's hand but smaller than its fist Have you ever been to some big cities in the world? The information below will be helpful to you. Budapest For many centuries, Budapest was two cities, with Buda on the west side of the river Danube and Pest on the east side. Budapest became one city in 1872, and it has been the capital city of Hungary for about eighty years. The population of Budapest is about three million, and the city is a very popular place for tourists. Visitors like to take boat rides along the Danube. Budapest is also known for its exciting nightlife. The best time to visit is summer since Budapest is very cold in winter. Los Angeles Los Angeles was founded in 1781. With 3.5 million people it is now the biggest city in California and the second largest city in the United States. It is famous for its modern highways, its movie stars, and its smog. When the city is really smoggy, you can't see the near-by Mountains. The weather is usually dry and warm. Visitors like to go to the film studios and to drive along Hollywood Street. There are many good beaches near the city, and Los Angeles is also close to Disneyland. Taipei Since the founding of Taipei in the 18th century, the city has grown to a population of 2.3 million. Taipei is an exciting city, but the weather is humid and not always pleasant. It's also a very busy city, and the streets are always full of people. There is an excellent museum that many people visit. Taipei is quite an expensive city, but not more expensive than some neighboring cities such as Hong Kong and Tokyo. So more and more travelers go to Taipei to shop. People like to travel to Budapest because _ . Answer: it's famous for its boating and nightlife Jeff likes fish very much. He buys some fish and takes it home. When(......) his wife sees the fish, she says to herself,"Good! Now I ask my friends to have lunch, and we can have the fish."They like eating fish very much. When Jeff comes home in the evening, he can't find the fish and his wife says,"Oh, your cat eats it."And she gives Jeff some bread for supper. Jeff is not very happy. He takes the cat and his wife to the shop nearby . Then he says to his wife,"My cat is one kilo and the fish is one kilo, too. The fish is here. But where is my cat?" What does Jeff have for supper? Answer: Some bread. We've talked about snails and their slow move. But much of the time snails don't move at all. They are in their shells --sleeping. Hot sun will dry out a snail's body. So at the least sign of hot sun, a snail draws its body into his shell. A snail will die in a heavy rain. So when it rains, a snail does the same thing, too. A snail can sleep for as long as it needs to. It spends all the winter months in its shell, asleep. In the spring the snail wakes up. Its body, about three inches long, comes out from the shell. When hungry, the snail looks for food. Its eyes, at the end of the top feelers, are very weak. But its sense of smell is very strong. It helps the snail to find food and the new greens. A snail's mouth is no bigger than the point of a pin. Yet it has 256,000 teeth! The teeth are very small, and you can't see them. If you put a snail in a hard paper box, it will eat its way out! And if a snail wears out its teeth, it will grow new ones. From the story, we know _ . Answer: a snail can't see well
Quickly ask yourself: What did you eat today? Now tell me how you actually feel. If you're complaining of stress, anxiety, depression, aches and pains, foggy thinking, or just a general lack of energy, a new medical theory will blow your mind. The chances are that those disease-like symptoms are all the result of what's called hidden food allergies . This is what Ken Drew found out when he was lucky enough to be recommended to medical practitioner Dr. Patel. Patel is considered something of a genius, and has been called a modern day Louis Pasteur. You've heard of him, of course--Pasteur figured out how to keep milk from getting spoiled. Dr. Patel is like a Louis Pasteur for keeping your body from getting spoiled from chronic diseases. "Foggy thinking, slightly constipated , heart pain,...you name it. It's part of getting old," you say. "It's just stress." Most of the body's immune defenses are all located in your stomach, so when you have a hidden food allergy and you expose yourself to harmful foods, your defenses malfunction and disease-carrying bacteria take over. Had you not eaten that one food you were allergic to for breakfast, you would never have got sick. Together, Dr Patel and Ken Drew have developed the Reverse My Disease program, which claims it can _ your body against diseases like arthritis , Alzheimer's, diabetes, heart disease and cancers. You won't need a prescription and there isn't any kind of medical procedure involved. There's no medical jargon, no complicated diet to do. What it does do is claim to tell you how to hack your body's natural defense system. Dr. Patel has remained under the radar of the entire medical establishment because his ideas are so threatening to doctors who don't want you to stop being sick enough for them to write you prescriptions. Those doctor visits cost you, so check out Reverse My Disease if you want to prevent disease by learning how to eat food that won't harm your body. We can learn from the passage that Louis Pasteur _ . A made great contributions to keeping human body from getting spoiled from chronic diseases. B has developed the Reverse My Disease program with Dr. Patel. C recommended Ken Drew to Dr. Patel. D might be a great scientist who did research on bacteria. Answer: D Travel Unaccompanied Now many young people are traveling around the world on their own, not because they have no one to travel with, but because they prefer to go alone. Kristina Wegscheider from California first traveled alone when she was at college and believes that it is something everyone should do at least once in their life. "It opens up your mind to new things and pushes you out of your comfort zone." Wegscheider has visited 46 countries covering all seven continents. In foreign countries, with no one to help you read a map, look after you if you get ill, or lend you money if your wallet is stolen. It is challenging. This is what drives young people to travel alone.It is seen as character building and a chance to prove that they can make it on their own. Chris Richardson decided to leave his sales job in Australia to go traveling last year.He set up a website, The Aussie Nomad, to document his adventures. He said he wished he had traveled alone earlier. "The people you meet, the places you visit, or the things you do, everything is up to you and it forces you to grow as a person," said the 30-year-old. Richardson describes traveling alone like "a shot in the arm", which "makes you a more confident person that was ready to deal with anything". He said: "The feeling of having conquered something on my own is a major part of what drives me each day when I'm dealing with a difficult task. I walk around with my head up because I know deep down inside that nothing is impossible if you try." The great 19th century explorer John Muir once said: "Only by going alone in silence can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness." Traveling alone is challenging because _ . A it will finally build your character B you have to make things on your own C you depend on yourself whatever happens D it is hard for you to prove yourself to others Answer: C When people reunite with their loved ones, it's usually a wildly happy moment. But what is their most common response to seeing them again? It may seem strange, but most of the time they break down in tears. Now a group of psychologists from Yale University in the US say they have found the reason why, and that crying tears of joy may well be the body's way of restoring emotional balance. " _ seem to take place when people are unable to tolerate strong positive emotions, and people who do this seem to recover better from those strong emotions," Oriana Aragon, the lead researcher, told The Telegraph. Aragon and her fellow psychologists looked at hundreds of participants' emotional responses to different things, including happy reunions and cute babies. Many participants said they would react in a negative or aggressive way to the positive things -- to cry at happy moments and want to pinch a cute baby's face or even tell them "I want to eat you up!" But then researchers found that these people were able to calm down from strong emotions more quickly. "We want a happy, middle spot. Extreme is not good. It's hard on our bodies," Aragon told The Washington Post. There are many other examples of times when people respond to a positive experience with a negative emotional reaction. At an exciting concert, fans scream in horror at their idols. People who have just had a big lottery win are often in floods of tears. "These findings advance our understanding of how people express and control their emotions, which is importantly related to mental and physical health, the quality of relationship with others, and even how well people work together," said Aragon. The psychologists then went further and claimed that the reverse was also true. Strong negative feelings may also bring out positive expressions. For example, people often laugh when they are nervous or they are in a difficult or frightening situation. Also, have you ever seen a character smiling at a time of extreme sadness in a movie? Their acting is not over the top, as reacting with this type of expression is just human nature, said researchers Which of the following words best describes the language style of the passage? A Academic and formal. B Cheerful and friendly. C Humorous and concerned. D Serious and boring. Answer: A For many people the subject of hiccups is a joke, but for Harry Mendes, a fifteen-year-old schoolboy from Birmingham, it was something quite different. His hiccups began one Sunday lunch time and continued day and night for two weeks. After the first week, Harry's parents took him to hospital, but it took another week for the doctors to cure his attack. Harry, who is now back at school, described what happened to him. "When I began to hiccup, I drank a glass of water but that didn't do any good. That evening I had hiccups every four seconds. We tried everything to stop them. I held my breath and drank cold drinks. My father even tried to give me a shock but that didn't work either." After a week of sleepless nights, he went to hospital. The doctors took an X-ray of his chest but they couldn't find anything wrong. "They gave me some medicine and my hiccups slowed down, but it was another week before the medicine worked completely and my hiccups stopped." Harry was very lucky. The world record holder is the American farmer Charles Osborne, who hiccupped for sixty-eight years. He stopped in 1990 at last, but nobody knows why. His hiccups completely stopped one week after the doctor _ . A gave him some medicine B took an X-ray of his chest C gave him a shock D let him drink cold drinks Answer: A Dick lived in England. One day in January he said to his wife, "I'm going to fly to New York next week because I've got some work there." "Where are you going to stay there?" his wife asked. "I don't know yet." Dick answered. "Please send me your address from there in a telegram ." His wife said. "All right," Dick answered. He flew to New York on January 31stand found a nice hotel in the center of the city. He put his things in his room and then he sent his wife a telegram. He put the address of his hotel in it. In the evening he didn't have any work, so he went to a cinema. He came out at nine o'clock and said, "Now I'm going back to my hotel and have a nice dinner." He found a taxi and the driver said, "Where do you want to go?" But Dick didn't remember the name and address of his hotel. "Which hotel are my things in?" he said, "And what am I going to do tonight?" But the driver of the taxi did not know. So Dick got out and went into a post office. There he sent his wife another telegram, and in it he wrote, "Please send me my address to this post office." ,,. Where did Dick stay in New York? A In a post office. B In a hotel. C In a restaurant. D At his friend's house. Answer: B
Question: Since the beginning of history, man has been attracted by the idea of living forever, of winning the fight against death and disease. So far, this has only remained a dream. Many people have wondered whether it would be possible to find a way to preserve human bodies, and what would be the best way. It has long been known that meat of fruit can be kept fresh for long periods by freezing; in ancient China, for example, food was stored with ice to keep it fresh. This method could also be useful for preserving humans. However, most living beings that exist under warm conditions die when frozen. This is because of the harmful effects of freezing ice crystals , which not only are larger than the volume of the water originally in the cells, but also form sharp cutting shapes that harm the cells. In the 1940s Dr B.J. Luyet and a group of scientists in England were working on the problem of freezing cells without damaging them. Since the harm caused by ice crystals was the main cause of damage, Luyet suggested removing some or all of the water from the cells before freezing them. Using living cells form chicken, Luyet and his assistants discovered that they could partly dry the chicken cells, using a mixture of the white part of an egg and glycerin . Some success was obtained. The chicken cells were dried, frozen for a period of time, and then carefully unfrozen. Almost all the cells recovered when they reached normal temperatures. Since then, the cooling of whole animals to a temperature far below freezing point for later unfreezing has become more of a possibility, and the glycerin method would probably be used to accomplish this. When this can be done completely and successfully, science will have moved much closer to its aim of freezing and storing incurable patients until the day they can be cured. The idea of freezing human bodies to preserve them _ . A. has already been realized B. was invented in ancient China C. has its roots in the way of storing food D. is widely accepted by the scientific world Answer: C. has its roots in the way of storing food Question: Pieter Bruegel was a famous artist who lived in Europe five hundred years ago. He is well known for a painting calledChildren's Games. People like this painting because it is full of fun. It shows how children in Pieter's time enjoyed themselves in different ways. In all, there are about eighty games being played in the painting. Children's Gamesshows a busy street scene in a town long ago. The street is a wide and open space. There are no cars, so there is plenty of room to play. There are about two hundred children in the painting. Some play in groups and others play alone. They seem to be enjoying their freedom in the fresh air and their games. Some of the games are still played today. The games in the painting do not require children to spend money on extra materials . Instead, they use simple everyday objects like hats and sticks. A game might need a rope, some chalk, a hoop, a spinning top, or even a barrel. Some games are played without any toys at all. For example, one scene in the painting shows children turning somersaults inside the fence. Even though Pieter Bruegel lived a long time ago, children today can learn an important lesson from what he painted. The painting shows us how little we need in order to enjoy ourselves. All children really need is one another. It's not the toys or games that are found in the stores that create fun. Using our imagination can do this for us. The children in the painting are playing _ . A. in the street B. in the house C. on the grass D. at the school Answer: A. in the street Question: On "Super Bowl Sunday", millions of Americans are glued to their TVs. They are eating pizza, chicken wings and chips and cheering every move. They're watching the Super Bowl. Why are Americans so crazy about American football? Well, it is more exciting than other sports. One team can lose possession of the ball in a minute, which may allow their opponents to make a touchdown . Then that team may win the game unexpectedly. The Super Bowl also entertains its audience with a great halftime show. The football field is turned into a stage. Then an impressive performance of dancing and singing with special effects occurs. Since the Super Bowl is the most-watched TV program in America, commercial airtime is also very expensive. Big money is also spent on commercials. They draw the viewers' attention and advertise their image or products during the commercial break. After football season, the "March Madness" begins. The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) competitions begin with 68 men's college basketball teams. They play until the field is reduced to the "Final Four". The winning team becomes the national champion. The NBA (National Basketball Association) All-Star game is also held in February. The best players from all the teams play in this game. Baseball is no doubt American's national sport. From grandpas to young kids, whole families go to ball games together. They wear their favorite team's caps or even carry their mascot . Our family went to watch Wang Chien-Ming play in D.C. once. We ate hot dogs, waved flags and sang during the 7th inning stretch. If you are not a sports fan yet, come and pick a sport or a team. Go to a ball game with your family, and cheer your team on. Sports are definitely a part of American culture one should not miss. Which of the following may be one of the reasons for the popularity of the Super Bowl? A. Its results are too exciting to meet viewers' expectations. B. People can eat pizza, chicken wings and chips when watching it. C. Its commercials are expensive enough to draw viewers' attention. D. The performances during its halftime show are appealing to viewers. Answer: D. The performances during its halftime show are appealing to viewers. Question: A new study suggests that early exposure to germs strengthens the immune system. That means letting children get a little dirty might be good for their health later in life. The study involved laboratory mice. It found that adult mice raised in a germ-free environment were more likely to develop allergies, asthma and other autoimmune disorders. There are more than eighty disorders where cells that normally defend the body instead attack tissues and organs. Richard Blumberg,who led the study,is a professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston,Massachusetts. He says,in 1989,medical researchers who sought to explain these diseases, first discovered that the increasing use of antibacterial soaps and other products, especially early in life, could weaken immune systems. Now, Dr. Blumberg and his team have what is the first biological evidence to link early exposure to germs to stronger adult immune systems. They say this exposure could prevent the development of some autoimmune diseases. In the adult germ-free mice, they found that inflammation in the lungs and colon was caused by so-called killer T cells. These normally fight infection. But they became overactive and targeted healthy tissue--an autoimmune condition seen in asthma and a disease called ulcerative colitis . Dr. Blumberg says the mice raised in a normal environment did not have the same reaction. He says their immune systems had been "educated" by early exposure to germs. Rates of autoimmune disorders are rising worldwide, but mostly in wealthier, industrialized countries. According to Dr. Blumberg, it might be high time that people were warned to be more careful with the early use of antibiotics and the prescription from their doctors. Rob Dunn is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. He says the new study does not mean people should stop washing. "Wash your hands , but don't do it with antibacterial soap. Let your kids play in a reasonable amount of dirt and get outside and get exposed to a diversity of things", says Rob Dunn. Where does this text most probably come from? A. A teacher's handbook. B. A story book. C. A science magazine. D. A travel journal. Answer: C. A science magazine. Question: Tears filled my eyes when I stood in our room. I was washing new jeans and a shirt of my 16-year- old stepson , Brett. He drank a lot last night. The clothing was already dirty. I was very tired. The clothes were just one thing. He had already kicked a large hole in his bedroom wall. Many windows were broken because of his breaking in to steal money. Brett came to live with us when he was 12 years old. During those four years I had dealt with Brett as patiently as possible, but inside I was feeling sad. Later, I cheered up again and continued parenting Brett. Still, Brett did not change his behavior. When Brett was nearly 18, my husband and I decided to send Brett to a boarding school that had very good result with troubled teenagers. At the graduation ceremony the graduates stood one by one to thank those who had helped them. Each graduate held a rose to give to the person who had meant the most to him or her. Brett spoke lovingly to me, "You did so much. You were always there, no matter what happened.You always showed me such love. And I want you to know that I love you for "it". Surprised, I stood as Brett placed the white rose in my hand and hugged me hard. At that moment I realized the truth-although I had been angry in my heart toward my stepson, Brett had seen only my actions. How did the writer treat her stepson? A. Strictly. B. Hopelessly. C. Patiently. D. Carelessly . Answer: B. Hopelessly.
"The price of books for our students is just getting higher and higher and,combined with the rising cost of tuition,it's killing these students,"said Peter Jason,a college professor."Remember,students are one of the poorest groups of people in America.Almost half of them have at least one part-time job.In fact,one of my students has three jobs.And she still manages to have high scores and go to school full-time." Textbook prices are traditionally high.Adding to that problem,many college teachers change textbooks year after year;they either upgrade to a new edition or switch to an entirely different textbook.This further hurts students because if an instructor no longer uses a particular textbook,that book has no resale value. Dr.Jason decided to make lire a little easier and a lot cheaper for his students by writing his own book on public speaking."Many books have an increased price because of CD-ROMs,lots of color photographs and pictures.I talked to my students,and many of them,like me,prefer to keep things simple! So,a few years ago,I wrote my own textbook.Compared to most other public speaking books,mine is half the number of pages,and one-third the price.That is,$30 instead of $90.When I wrote a second edition last year,students only had to buy the 35 new pages, For only $7.00,they had almost a new book. Now my loose-leaf textbook enjoys great popularity among the students.Maybe in the future more writers and publishers will try it." How much does a public speaking textbook usually cost? A. About 7 dollars. B. About 30 dollars. C. About 37 dollars. D. About 90 dollars. Answer: D. About 90 dollars. Store shelves are filling up with so-called "green" products promising to benefit the environment. A recent argument shows that it can be as difficult for buyers to confirm such statement as for producers to defend them. The argument concerns the GreenPlug Electricity Saver. The GreenPlug is supposed to prevent energy waste by electrical equipment whose constant -speed motors operate at less full load---as is especially true of older refrigerators. Research showed that such motors can be made to do the same work with less heat, noise, and power consumption just by lowering the voltage of the power supply. John and Wyck Hay, started Green Technologies to apply that finding to home appliances. In the USA, there are more than 140 million refrigerators in use, accounting for an average of 16% of the household electric bill. Two years of research resulted in the GreenPlug. Connecting between wall socket and refrigerator, the equipment contains a minicomputer that gives a motor full power (120 volts on average) for start-up, then reduces the power to 106 volts. Older refrigerators are the most overpowered and, thus, save the most energy with a GreenPlug. Refrigerators less than two years old are already energy-saving that a GreenPlug actually makes them waste electricity. The higher the voltage, the larger the difference a GreenPlug makes. Higher power costs shorten the payback time. The population-weighted national average is 10 cents per kilowatt-hour. But some residents in Washington State pay 1.5 cents. Some in Alaska pay 41.6 cents. Then come highly individual household differences like the number of children or refrigerator -opening age. All in all, the GreenPlug should save the average consumer $20 a year. Although the GreenPlug lowered the voltage as it was designed to do,Consumer Reports, an influential magazine, questioned how quickly---if ever---electricity savings due to the plug would repay its cost. People would be better off buying a new, high-efficiency refrigerator, the magazine advised. Consumer Reports also said that the GreenPlug didn't give a promised 25% savings worth $50 a year. The savings on the oldest model was the best at 8.6%, worth $20 a year. Green Technologies ordered tests of the GreenPlug on up to 2,800 refrigerators through next year. The company will not put that data in stores. Instead, potential buyers will call to learn how their model of refrigerator performed. Meanwhile, there is little evidence of consumer dissatisfaction. Sales topped 45,000 units last month. The return rate is less than 0.2%. In the GreenPlug argument, the magazine Consumer Reports _ . A. advocates for the GreenPlug B. suggests Green Technologies never tell the truth C. doubts the effect of the GreenPlug D. informs the public of different opinions Answer: C. doubts the effect of the GreenPlug The sound of the rain hitting the windows wakes me up and it sounds just exactly as it did 15 years ago, which reminded me of my girlhood. It was my second day of school and it was raining heavily. I could not resist the habit I had at home, so I fell asleep right at my desk. I woke up to find myself not in the classroom but carried on Dad's back. We were halfway home. It was the last time I felt close to him. After that, he never carried me or hugged me as other fathers did to their children. I was not bothered much by this thought. I was proud of it, for I felt independent and "grown up." However, there were times when I felt depressed by not having sought comfort from him. One day, I was writing Chinese characters as homework. I hated doing this more than anything. Dad came and stood behind me for a moment, watching me scratching the paper. Then he said, "This kind of writing needs patience. Your writing is not strong enough. Press harder." I follow his advice for the next two words, but as I could see little improvement, I followed my own method----the fast way. His advice did not improve my writing but our relationship. As I grew older, I found out that he had finished his schooling in Grade 6, which was the highest grade in the town then, so he was considered to be a scholar. People used to ask him to write something to put on the walls, but he never felt very useful. He often said to me, "As you can see, this family is going to count on you. We are useless to improve you anything for your future.You have to get an education to change the life for yourself." As a result of his expectation, I have made it through high school and through college. How did the author first react to father's suggestion? A. She found it hard to accept. B. She was confused about it. C. She accepted it. D. She doubted it. Answer: C. She accepted it. This week, I ask my students about fashion. I show each student seven things and ask their opinions about each thing. Some of their answers are interesting! Here's what the students in Class 8 like: Jodie Smith likes the key ring. Her friend Jordan says he can' t stand the scarf." It' s for old people!" he says. William Jones loves the wallet,and his classmate Gina Taylor loves the watch. Ann Rice doesn't like the watch,but she really likes the hair clip! Jerry Green likes the sunglasses. And the coolest thing is the belt ! Everyone loves it! What does the writer do? A. A writer. B. A teacher. C. A student. D. We don't know. Answer: B. A teacher. It's 6 a.In.dark and damp.The gentle mist makes it somewhat difficult to find school bus No.330 parked by the east fence, even with my flashlight. For so many times.it's occurred to me that I've found a strange way of easing into retirement --wheeling a school bus around the streets of Minnetonka, _ elementary and middle-school kids to and from school. Having spent the past 10 years before retirement as a family counselor, I figured that driving a school bus would give me a chance to reconnect with young people, and get me out of the house more ofen. Anyway, I'm learning a lot driving a school bus and I've learned a lot form my fellow drivers. If the kids are paying attention, they can learn it, too. The course is Life 101. The title is Self-Awareness and Self-Management. And the school bus drivers are, for a few minutes each morning and evening, teachers. These drivers are in fact people from different backgrounds, including retired folks-like a onetime corporate CEO, a onetime lawyer, a former teacher, a former investment banker. Some are younger stay-at-home moms, displaced managers , and people throwing their shoulders into a challenging economy. If the kids are paying attention, they may learn important things form these drivers, like discipline, kindness, and courage. How can kids know the discipline that it takes to rise every morning before sunrise,to travel to a cold garage and enter a large box of iron--checking it out from beginning to end----ensuring that it allows all the kids a safe ride? Do they recognize the challenge of being kind and respectful when one's financial _ may be coming down? Do children really understand the courage it takes to get up when snow is piling high and drive a school bus,facing all ultimate fear----an injured child? While academics are vital, self--awareness, self--management and personal responsibility are life--changing. The author decided to become a school bus driver to _ . A. get connected with the young kids and stay active B. provide counseling service for the school kids C. avoid getting into financial trouble after retirement D. guarantee that he has well--paid stable job Answer: A. get connected with the young kids and stay active
Soccer has the FIFA World Cup. Tennis has the majors. Golf has the majors. Football has the Super Bowl. Basketball has the NBA. These major sports all have established leagues for professionals and amateurs, so why do they have a spot in the Olympics? The Olympics isn't the most desirable title in these sports. An Olympic gold medal, for example, can't motivate some footballers to work hard, because they have to reserve sufficient physical strength for the supremacy--the FIFA Cup. Every year the Olympic committee votes, and every year someone gets let down. A sport endangered of being cut is very close to my heart, wrestling. I grew up with it: the first 8 years of my life were in a college wrestling room, watching my dad coach his team and the countless hours continue to this day. Wrestling meant everything to my dad: he was an Olympian, Pan American winner, World champion, Olympic coach, and Division 1 coach. In February 2013, they dropped wrestling, softball, and baseball. In May, they allowed the three sports to be short-listed. However, in September they voted on the return of wrestling. My point is that it isn't fair that basketball, tennis, football (soccer), and golf all take spots on the summer Olympics outline for sports. They all have leagues that the whole world participates in. I can't say for all of the sports that an Olympic gold is the ultimate title, but I can tell you a fact that in wrestling, both freestyle and Greco-Roman, it truly is. These "smaller" sports, that maybe don't make boatloads of money, need the Olympics. It means so much to so many people, fans, athletes, and families. They deserve spots, they don't have professional leagues, and can't fill entire stadiums, and they need the support of the Olympic Games. The whole point of the Olympics is to bring people together, so shouldn't less popular sports be included? What's the writer's purpose of writing this text? A. To introduce the meaning of the Olympic Games. B. To persuade readers to protect the "smaller" sports. C. To show different sports events endangered of being cut. D. To call for a spot in the Olympic Games for the "smaller" sports. Answer: D. To call for a spot in the Olympic Games for the "smaller" sports. Tui Na and Your Emotional Health In Traditional Chinese Medicine the body, mind and spirit cannot be divided and so the unique whole-body treatment in Tui Na can also be a useful treatment correcting any imbalances in the body's energy before symptoms and disease can develop. It also works to restore emotional harmony as well as physical health. This is why after a Tui Na treatment many people "feel good". Many people in China use Tui Na regularly to keep healthy and to deal with some specific illnesses. Tui Na is performed on the clothed body and the patient is either lying on a couch or sitting on a chair. Therapists using a variety of strokes or movements will control the intensity and direction of pressure in an exact way. The unique rolling movement in Tui Na is one of the most difficult strokes to learn and students have to practice sometimes for many months on a rice bag before they are allowed to practice on the human body. Stress Tui Na is of course very useful for treating stress. It distributes the energy around the whole body. It is believed that Tui Na moves the strong energy in the tense muscles to the weaker areas, thus making a more balanced body. When your Qi (energy in the body) flow is balanced you feel relaxed and comfortable. Tui Na is especially useful for stiff shoulders and tense neck muscles. Emotions In Traditional Chinese Medicine each major organ is linked to an emotion. By balancing the energy in the organ, the relevant emotion will be calmed. When your emotions are out of control, you would usually turn to your doctor or perhaps a psychotherapist. But perhaps some people would not like to be seeing a psychotherapist or feel nervous about discussing their problems with others. With Tui Na one does not need to tell the therapist anything one does not want to. The treatment of Tui Na can deal with the problem itself -- although if one does need to talk, then the safe space is there to do so. An active dialogue between the therapist and the patient will help to get a better effect. How the major organs rule your emotions Each major organ -- the heart, the stomach, the spleen, the liver, the bladder, the kidneys, the lungs, etc. -- is linked to a relevant emotion. The heart is linked to joy, excitement and sadness. If the heart is out of balance, the patient may dream a lot at night and often forget something important in the day. The stomach and spleen are connected with too much thinking or worrying -- over anxiety. When the stomach is out of balance there is often a lack of energy. The patient often feels very tired and has no interest in doing anything at all. The liver and gall bladder are linked to anger. In Chinese Medicine the eyes are connected with the liver, and many people who suffer from anger often suffer from eye problems. The gall bladder rules decision-making and too much energy here can lead to rashness, while if there is too little it can bring about indecision. Where there is a history of depression, the therapist would look to the liver. The bladder and kidneys are linked to fear of all kinds, from simple anxieties and phobias to vague fears and worries. The lungs are connected with feelings of grief and sadness. When there is a history of grief, the therapist would look to the lungs. Tui Na is used in almost all the hospitals in China and very popular among Chinese people. It is a useful and valuable method of restoring Qi balance, when emotional and physical health is out of balance. Tui Na is one of the remaining secrets of Chinese Medicine. How can the emotion be calmed? A. By linking the organ to an emotion. B. By telling the therapist anything one does not want to. C. By discussing their problems with others. D. By balancing the energy in the relevant organ. Answer: D. By balancing the energy in the relevant organ. New technology in some countries focuses on medical procedures and space exploration. In other countries, new technology focuses on preventing disease and feeding an increasing population. Which statement best explains why countries focus on different types of new technology? A. Technological advances are not effective in some populations. B. Needs and attitudes influence technological development. C. Medical advances are not important in some countries. D. Technology is inexpensive in developing countries. Answer: B. Needs and attitudes influence technological development. LONDON (Reuters) -- British milkman Steve Leech, who saved several shops and flats by putting out a fire with 320 pints of milk, was celebrating Thursday after winning a national bravery award. Leech, 35, named "Hero Milkman" by the National Dairymen's Association, said that he had noticed smoke coming out of a shop in Cornwall, southern England, while delivering milk as usual a year ago. "I saw the flats up above and thought I'd better do something. So I kicked the door in and started pouring milk everywhere," Lee told Reuters Thursday. "When firemen arrived, the fire was almost out," he said. Firemen said he had helped save the lives of eight people living in the flats above the shops. " _ . But it was even harder trying to explain to my boss where all the milk had gone." Leech was awarded the prize for his _ . A. hard work B. brave behaviour C. invention D. patriotic behaviour Answer: B. brave behaviour It seems school children all over the world are not satisfied with their school food. Cherie Blair, the wife of Prime Minister Tony Blair, said that she would prepare a packed lunch for her son if school dinners do not improve. So what do students of your age eat for lunch at school? Japan High schools have dining halls, which serve everything from noodles to rice, but not hamburgers and chips. Other children bring food from home such as cold rice balls, meat or fish, and vegetables. The United States A common menu from a US school is made up of a hamburger with fried potatoes or roast chicken, fruit and cookies. School lunches must also provide food with protein ,vitamin A, vitamin C, ironand calories. Australia Meat piesand hotdogs are all traditional dishes in Australian school shops. But as the nation pays more attention to children's health, healthier foods have started to find their way onto school menus. Many schools have used a traffic light system. The sale of red-labeled foods includingchocolate and soft drinks, is served only twice a week. Healthier green-labeled foods such as sandwiches, corn and watermelon, however are served every day. In some schools, students have a choice of up to 89 foods to choose from, including popcorn and rice. South Africa Most of South Africa's schools do not serve meals at all. Classes end at 1:30 pm and students get their own lunches. Many students bring food from home, usually sandwiches. Fast food and fried food sell the best among students, which has led to a rise in _ among children. But as more people began to realize the fact that being too fat may cause different illnesses, some schools in towns have led the way towards better nutrition . Now students at these schools are provided with lunches of porridge with vegetables, such as cabbages, carrots and tomatoes. What is the main idea of the passage? A. Food served in the US is the best of all. B. Schools should try to satisfy the needs of studemts. C. Schools serve different foods from country to country. D. School children all over the world dislike their school food. Answer: C. Schools serve different foods from country to country.
What will the weather be like? Some people say they can know the weather from animals. Some people look at seabirds. When they see seabirds fly high out to sea, they say it will be a nice day. When the weather is bad, the seabirds will stay on the shore . They don't like to fly and they sit in trees when rain is on the way. Other people look at different animals on a farm. Chickens make a big noise and run here and there when rain is on the way. Frogs can tell the weather, too. When rain is coming, they stay in water and make a lot of noise. But on a nice day they are quiet and will jump out of water. When rain is coming, frogs may _ . Answer: I am a volunteer. I set out to help clean up the beach after a violent storm a year ago. The sight I saw was heartbreaking. The broken houses seemed to be crying. I couldn't describe how I felt. But something special among the debris turned my day around. I joined a club to clean up the beach after the storm last November. As I removed the debris from the beach, I noticed an object with shiny buttons in the wet sand. It was a jacket,and I was excited since Halloween was coming and I thought I had found a great costume . After picking it up, I was able to see that the jacket was from West Point , the United States Military Academy, and it had the name "deGavre" written inside. I realized the jacket might be important to someone. I decided to find the jacket's owner and return it. I called the West Point Museum, considering that if the family couldn't be found, the jacket should go there. The museum connected me with Kim McDermott, Director of Communications for the Academy's Association of Graduates. Kim soon ensured that the jacket had belonged to Chester Braddock deGavre, who was a 1933 graduate and a war hero, but passed away in 1993. I sent Kim a photo of the jacket and she posted it to the West Point Association of Graduates Facebook Page, asking if anyone could help us find the family. In less than two hours, someone had found and called the hero's wife, Teresa. Soon I started to receive personal messages from members of the deGavre family, their friends and others who were touched by the story and they found me on Facebook. Finding Chester deGavre's jacket and connecting to his family with the help of Facebook have been so meaningful to me. I've formed a bond with amazing people I might have never met. What did the author think at first after he saw the jacket? Answer: In many countries, schools have long summer holidays, with shorter holidays in between.However, a new report suggests shortening school holidays to stop children forgetting what they have learnt during the long summer break.Instead of three school terms, it says, there should be five eight-week terms.And there should be just four weeks off in the summer, with a two-week break between the other terms. Sonia Montero has two children at primary school and works full-time.She supports the idea."The kids," she says, " have much longer holidays then and I can't afford to take several weeks off work, so I need someone to take care of them.But nobody wants the work in the summer holidays -- they all have holidays of their own. Not surprisingly, some young people disagree.Student Jason Panos says , "It's a stupid idea.I would hate staying at school in the summer.It's unfair, too.The people who suggest this had long school holidays when they were young, but now they want to stop us enjoying the summer.The kids in Spain and American have much longer holidays than here, but they don't forget everything they've learnt in a few months." Nadia Salib agrees."Sure," she says, "the first week at school after the summer is never easy, but you soon get back into it.The real problem round here is that kids get bored after so many weeks out of school, and then some of them start causing trouble.But the answer is to give them something to do, not make everyone stay in school longer." What does Nadia say about young people on summer holidays? Answer: Dear Dad and Mom, How are you? I'm happy here, but I miss you very much. It's Sunday today, I don't have any classes. I am writing an e-mail to you in the computer room now. There are lots of students in the computer room. Some students are talking with their friends on QQ. Some students are playing computer games. Some students are watching movies on computers. My new friends, Peter and Bill, are here with me. Peter is buying a T-shirt on the Internet. And what is Bill doing? Oh, he is reading a book on the computer. They're friendly and they often help me with my study and life. When you come to Shanghai, I want you to meet them. I'm OK in Shanghai. Please don't worry about me. I hope you are happy and well. Love, Jenny What's Peter buying? Answer: You couldn't discover the shape of an object if you had Answer:
As the queen prepares to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee, one of her closest s and oldest friends has been allowed to give a deep description of the family life of the royals. There have been hundreds of other books declaring to offer a quick look behind the Palace doors, but this is the first written by someone who is closely related to the royal family and has shared their lives----not only throughout the Queen's reign but also through that of her father, King George VI. The Final Curtseywas written by Her Majesty's cousin and childhood playmate, the Honorable Margaret Rhodes. It tells in detail the story of Mrs. Rhodes's relationship with the royal family over eight decades. The book, showed with delightfully informal and never-before-seen pictures, has been written with the full knowledge of the Queen, who has read and approved parts of it. Mrs. Rhodes lives on the royal farm in Windsor Great Park, in a house given to her by the Queen in 1980. She tells how it was offered out of the blue one day when she and the Queen---whose 60 years on the throne next year will be marked with many national famous people---were out riding. She suddenly turned around and said, " Could you bear to live in the suburb?" Therefore Mrs. Rhodes is now still living here. Born in 1925, the youngest daughter of the 16thLord Elphinstone and his wife Mary, the Honorable Margaret Rhodes has led an extraordinary life. She was the childhood playmate of her cousin, the Queen; she was a wartime MI6 spy; she was a lady-in-waiting to her aunt, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, from 1991 until the latter's death in 2002. At the Queen's 80thbirthday in April 2006, Margaret gave an interview to the BBC in which she proved that, in her own opinion and despite several false reports, the Queen would not abdicate . Now, at the age of 86, she has written a charming autobiography that paints a first-time close portrait of the private world of the royal family. Elsewhere in the book she reveals how the Queen Mother was a fan of the TV shows Two Fat Ladies and Dad's Army. Perhaps more surprisingly, she was also a fan of the poet Edith Sitwell and the Poet Laureate Ted Hughes, who was a regular and favoured guest. Life at Birkhall, the Queen Mother's home of the edge of the Balmoral Estate, is described along with sometimes noisy dinners. Mrs. Rhodes recalls: "At the end of the meal, Queen Elizabeth would start a series of toasts. As well as 'Hooray for...' with glasses held high, there was even more of ' Down with...' with glasses almost disappearing beneath the table." Which of the following statements about Mrs. Rhodes is NOT right? A. She once worked as a maid in the Palace to serve the Queen. B. She became the playmate of the Queen at a young age. C. She once worked as a spy during the war when young. D. She believes that the Queen will not give up her power. Answer: A. She once worked as a maid in the Palace to serve the Queen. CCTV anchorman Luo Jing died of cancer on June 5 ,2009 at the age of 48. In 1983 ,graduating from Beijing Broadcasting Institute, he began his career as a prime time newscaster for CCTV .Over the past decades , as an icon of China's broadcasting industry,Luo Jing's modest image and clear voice left unforgettable memories with his audience. Last year when he was diagnosed as having lymph cancer ,he felt it too awful,for two weeks later he was to run the torch ,He asked doctors to keep the secret in order for him to complete the task of the Olympic torch. Finally, not only did he complete the task, but he participated in a series of voice - over work in the Olympic Games opening ceremony . After that ,he frankly said to the leader the next day,"I have completed the task and I am going to hospital today." Broadcast sowing rate of the News Network used to be 180words a minute, but increases to 300 words a minute, which is beyond most people's ability. What's more terror is the strict limit of time .Sometimes after a piece of news is broadcast, there is a few seconds left, when staff hand a message press release. The host must strictly control the time to broadcast the unexpected news. As soon as his voice _ , the program turns into the following images without one more second or less. In such high - intensity work environment, with the perfect professional he worked for 26 years without any error. In life , we seldom mention comedy without tragedy, laughter without tears ,and joy without sorrow.Though the passing of Luo Jings brings us pain, it's only fitting to remember his smiles with happiness. He's been taken from us much too soon , but he leaves us what he's been working for. When did Luo Jing go to hospital? A. As soon as he ran the torch. B. As soon as he was diagnosed with cancer. C. As soon as he felt uncomfortable. D. After attending the Olympic Games opening ceremony. Answer: D. After attending the Olympic Games opening ceremony. Infiniti, Nissan's luxury brand, continues to show off ideas for the future. The Q80 Inspiration here in Paris is an excellent piece of work, perhaps a concept elegant enough to make us forget that Infiniti's former Hong Kong-based president, Johan de Nysschen, moved to take over General Motors' Cadillac car brand in July and Infiniti chairman Andy Palmer is the new CEO at Aston Martin, the British luxury car brand. The Q80, if it becomes reality, will be brought to market by Infiniti's new boss, former BMW (another famous car brand )executive Roland Kruger. He should focus on this, at least until he is head-hunted to another company. The Q80 Inspiration is a low and sexy four-door fastback, and it is also a showcase for technology - from autonomous driving to eco-friendly power trains. Here in Paris, the Infiniti people say the hybrid drive in this concept suggest exactly where the brand is going in the future. The company says the Q80 speaks to how Infiniti plans to pull people into more expensive cars - cars that compete with the Porsche Panamera, for instance. Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti Executive Design Director, said the car "delivers feminine elegance and muscular menace in equal measure and strikes big in terms of styling, craftsmanship, choice of materials and attention to detail." Most importantly, for luxury cars buyers who are increasingly puzzled by all the technology, the designers focused on making things simple. "There is a tendency with modern design that every time you add interior features and technology you add complexity," said Albaisa, pointing to the concept's easy-to -understand -and -operate infotainment interface. As for power, the Q80 Inspiration gets 550 horsepower from a twin turbocharged 3.0-litre V-6 combined with a hybrid electric power train. Fuel economy could be as good as 5.5 litres/100 km. What does the passage mainly talk about? A. An introduction of the Q80 Inspiration. B. A promotion of The Q80 Inspiration C. The future of the Q80 Inspiration D. The history of the Q80 Inspiration Answer: A. An introduction of the Q80 Inspiration. Algae are very simple plants. They grow in fresh water or salty water. Seaweed is algae that grow in salty water. Seaweed is red or brown in color. The Japanese people use these plants from the sea in many ways. From it, they make a food called Kombu. Kombu is seaweed that has been dried, cooked and pressed together. Then it is dried again and cut into long pieces. The Japanese eat a lot of Kombu and like it very much. Japanese farmers often use seaweed as fertilizer. It makes their plants grow better. Many farmers also find seaweed makes a fine food for their animals. From seaweed the Japanese also get iodine , which they sell to other countries. Iodine is used in many ways all over the world. It is used in making medicine. It is added to the salt we use at the table. Scientists even use one form of iodine to "seed clouds" when they want rain to fall. Kombu is a kind of _ according to the text. A. plant B. medicine C. food D. fertilizer Answer: C. food 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. The writer used to read all his e-mail because _ . A. he didn't have much mail B. he had nothing else to do C. he didn't know how to read mail D. he was forced to do that Answer: A. he didn't have much mail
Question: Wealth is what you accumulate ,not what you spend.If you make $1 million a year and spend $1 million,you're not getting wealthier,you're just living high. The most successful accumulators of wealth spend less than they can afford on houses,cars,vacations and entertainment.Why? Because these things offer little or no return.The wealthy would rather put their money into investments or their businesses.It's an attitude. Millionaires understand that when you buy an expensive house,you buy an expensive life-style too.Your property taxes ,insurance,and the prices of nearby services tend to be higher. The rich man's attitude can also be seen in his car.many drive old cars.Sam Walton,billionaire founder of the Wal-Mart Store,Inc,drove a pickup truck. Most millionaires measure success by net worth ,not income.Instead of taking their money home,they put as much as they can into their businesses.Why? Because the government doesn't tax wealth;it taxes income you bring home for consumption . The person who piles up net worth fastest tends to put every dollar he can into investments,not consumption. The best wealth-builders pay careful attention to their money and seek professional advice. The self-made rich develop clear goals for their money.They may wish to retire early,or they may want to leave something to their children.The goals vary,but two things are consistent:they have a goal in mind-- the amount they want to save by age50,perhaps--and they work unceasingly toward that goal. One thing may surprise you.If you make wealth---not just income--your goal,the expensive house you've been dreaming about won't seem so attractive.you'll have the attitude. The US government doesn't tax what you spend money on _ . A. cars B. houses C. boats D. stock Answer: D. stock Question: For years, children in the industrial areas of Europe and America seldom left their smoky cities to see the beauties of the countryside. This was not because the woods and fields were always far away, but because they were too far from the city to permit people to make a day trip between morning and nightfall. In 1907, a young German schoolmaster had an idea which changed this state of affairs. He decided to turn his little schoolhouse into a dormitory for the summer holidays. Anyone who brought his sleeping bag and cooking equipment along could stay there for a very small quantity of money. The idea was a success. A few years later, the schoolhouse was much too small to hold the many young people who wanted to stay there. As a result, a dormitory was set up in an old castle nearby. This was the first Youth Hostel. Today, young students and workers of every country can meet in the hostels and get to know each other. When young people arrive at a hostel, they have only to show their card of membership in a hostel organization in their own country. This card will permit them to use the facilities of hotels all over the world for a very low price. Often, at the evening meal, a group of boys and girls from various parts of the country or the world will happen to meet at the same hostel. They may put their food together and prepare a dinner with many kinds of dishes. Sometimes a program will be organized after the meal, with dances, songs, or short talks followed by a question period. One can learn a lot of things about other places, just by meeting people who come from those places. For this reason, a few weeks spent "hosteling" can be just as useful a part of one's education as classes in school. From the passage we may see that hostels are important mainly because they _ . A. do not cost very much B. are nice places to spend the night C. get people from different places to meet each other D. offer good service Answer: C. get people from different places to meet each other Question: Although man has known asbestos for many hundreds of years, it was not until 160 years ago that it was mined for the first time on the North American continent. H. W. Johns, owner of a New York City Supply Shop for roofers , was responsible for(...) the opening of that first mine. Mr. Johns was given a piece of asbestos which had been found in Italy. He experimented with the material and then showed its surprising powers to his customers. After putting on a pair of asbestos gloves, which looked much like ordinary work gloves, he took red-hot coals from the fireplace and played with them in his hands. How astonished the customers were to discover that he was not burned at all. You can well imagine that he had increasing business in asbestos roofing materials. However, because it was very expensive to transport (carry) them from Italy to the United States, Mr. Johns sent out a young scientist to seek a source nearer home. This young man found great vein , in the province of Quebec in Canada. Ever since 1881 Quebec has led the world in the production of this unusual mineral, which is made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, and oxygen. When it is mined, the asbestos is heavy, just as you would expect a mineral to be. When it is separated, a strange thing happens; the rock breaks down into fine, soft, soapy fibres . Scientists do not know why the rock can be separated easily into threads , but they have found thousands of users of this fireproof material, of the so-called "cloth of stone". Which is the most important character of asbestos that the author wants to show us? A. It is like thread. B. It feels soapy. C. It burns easily. D. It is unusually heavy. Answer: A. It is like thread. Question: Cyclist Jia Yanmei and a fellow enthusiast covered more than 2,200 kilometers from Beijing to their individual hometowns in Sichuan to celebrate the Lunar New Year with their families, Xu Lin reports. While others rushed home on high-speed trains or airplanes for the annual Spring Festival, Jia Yanmei spent 16-plus days cycling more than 2,200 kilometers from Beijing to her hometown, Nanchong, Sichuan Province. Thanks to social media, cycling fans from different cities were able to follow her progress, and some even offered food and accommodation if she happened to be nearby. "It's not that I failed to buy my train ticket home. I just want to bring the spirit of cycling to everyone -- to do whatever you want to do bravely. As long as you are on the road, you will enjoy yourself, " says Jia, 26, an English teacher at an educational institution in Beijing. She started her adventure at 8:30 am on Jan 12, with Wang Yujiang, 47, who works in architecture in Beijing. A cycling friend introduced them because Wang also wanted to cycle to his hometown, Guangyuan, Sichuan Province. Jia says Wang treated her like his daughter and took care of her on their way. After Wang arrived in Guangyuan, she cycled two days on her own to reach her home. "I must say that I admire her. She's not like others. No matter how tired she is, she can soon recover after meals," says Wang, who is cycling back from his hometown to Beijing now. " I've improved myself a lot after the cycling. No matter what difficulties I will meet with in the future, I will have confidence to face them, " Jia says. When she posted her plan online on Christmas Eve, many cycling fans supported her, lent her equipment and gave her gifts. She updated her social networks, such as Sina Weibo and WeChat, with news of her cycling adventures, as well as a cycling-related applications that recorded her route. Four days after her departure, one of her friends learned about the trip in a newspaper and told Jia's parents. Her mom was so worried about Jia's safety that she cried and called Jia several times. She chose to cycle home because _ . A. Wang Yujiang invited her to keep company B. Wang Yujiang offered to look after her all the way C. She couldn't book a train ticket or air ticket in time D. She wanted to do what she liked to do bravely Answer: D. She wanted to do what she liked to do bravely Question: When you use our university libraries there are different learning spaces available so you can decide what is best for your purpose. Social learning area We recognize that you can learn from your friends so we have provided social study areas in all our libraries. Here you can discuss your work with your friends without worrying about disturbing others as a reasonable level of noise is accepted, though we do ask that you're considerate of other students and staff. Group study rooms There are bookable group study rooms of various sizes in the libraries. These rooms are well equipped so that you can easily work in groups or practice presentations. Bookings are available to groups of 3 or more students Bookings can be made in hourly blocks up to a maximum of 2 hours per group per day Bookings can be made for the current week and the following week Contact the library Help Desk to book a room. Bookings are restricted to student use only. Silent study spaces We know that on occasion you may prefer to study on your own. To help you achieve this we have individual quiet or silent study areas. In order to preserve the quiet study environment and to avoid disturbing other students, discussion about your course work or exams, or using mobile phones isn't permitted anywhere in these areas. Food, drink and phones Cold snacks and drinks can be consumed in most areas of the libraries though we ask that you help keep the learning environment clean and pleasant for everyone by clearing rubbish into the bins provided. Mobile phones can be used in the social learning areas and group study rooms but not in the silent study spaces or the hallways or stairs that lead to those areas. We ask that you switch your phone to silent mode when you come in the library. What is the purpose of social learning area provided in the library? A. To offer students access to library staff. B. To help students learn to be considerate. C. To keep students free from disturbance. D. To enable students to learn from each other. Answer: D. To enable students to learn from each other.
I am off on a trip on my own. Yes ! Alone! I can't wait to get going to Europe to see some cities I really want to visit. It is great because I can choose what I want to do in each city. I am going to travel by train on the Eurorail. The train trip was fast and the views of the countryside were amazing. Now 1 am in Salzburg, Austria. The quiet hills of Austria are a great place to relax. The movie The Sound of Music was filmed around this area. Mozart, the famous musician, was from here. I listened to some of his classical music. The train ride to Amsterdam was a long one. It gave me time to write some postcards to send back home. Amsterdam is a fun city, full of friendly locals and many tourists. I spent the whole day visiting the art museums here. The museum about the famous Dutch artist Van Gogh is filled with history and beautiful art. I took a boat ride and saw local people in traditional dress. I even got to taste some delicious Dutch cheese. Copenhagen, Denmark, is one of the safest places in the world. I spent a busy and nice day at the Tivoli Amusement Park. It is a huge park which even has concerts and dance shows. Hans Christian Anderson, a famous writer of children's books, was born in this city. I found a lovely bookshop and bought two of his fairy tale books, The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling. My travels alone are done! What an adventure this trip has been! I love it. According to the passage, which of the following is true? Answer: The movie The Sound of Music was filmed in Austria. My destination is the River Walk, one of the most popular places in all of Texas. In the first half of 20 century, to control flooding, the city fathers began redirecting the San Antonio River. They built a network of canals that pass through the downtown area. At nearly every street corner, stairs lead down to walkways on both sides of the canals. The River Walk is linked with cafes, bars, shops --- and, of course, plenty of bridges. You can easily cross over to the other side without having to return to the street. It's a constant party along the River Walk, with music and festivals throughout the year. The Mud Festival, for example, takes place each January, when the city empties this section of the river to clean it out. That's when the Mud King and Mud Queen are crowned. No visit to Texas would be complete without seeing a --- another aspect of this part of the country that is completely foreign to someone from New England. The announcer walks on stage and gets the crowd excited with talk about the courageous cowboys who'll be performing. While he's talking, a band plays sad songs about love gone wrong. Suddenly the announcer calls for silence. He takes off his tall hat and asks us to join him in prayer. We pray for the cowboys who are, we are told, risking their lives to entertain us, as well as for the bulls and other animals taking part in the shows. We pray for the tourists who are visiting. The rodeo gets going and the fun begins. Our prayers for the cowboys and animals are answered, and nobody gets hurt. But as we walk over to the cowboy dance hall after the show to enjoy a Texas-size barbecue, it's clear that not enough prayers were said for the bulls' less athletic relatives --- the ones not chosen for rodeo work. They'll be our meal. It seems that moving too slowly has its disadvantages, too. Which of the following statements about Mud festival is NOT true? Answer: Mud Festival dates back to the first half of 20 There are many international organizations which work to save and protect endangered species and natural environment. If you would like more information about any of the organizations listed below, you can write to the addresses given. Friends of the Earth Friends of the Earth (FOE) campaigns on a range of problems including rainforests, the countryside, water and air pollution and energy. Friends of the Earth International Secretariat P.O. Box 19199 1000 G. D. Amsterdam The Netherlands Greenpeace Greenpeace uses peaceful but direct action to defend the environment. It campaigns to protect rainforests and sea animals, stop global warming and end pollution of air, land and seas. It also opposes nuclear power. Greenpeace International Keizergracht 176 1016 DW Amsterdam The Netherlands BirdLife INTERNATIONAL BirdLife International is an organization which works to save endangered birds all over the world. BirdLife International Wellbrook Court Girton Road Cambridge CB3 ONA England WWF WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature is the world's largest private international organization for the protection of nature and endangered species. Information Officer WWF International Avenue du Mont-Blanc 1196 Gland Switzerland Which problem will be paid close attention to by FOE? Answer: Heavy air pollution Caught in the Web A few months ago, it wasn't unusual for 47-year-old Carla Toebe to spend 15 hours per day online. She'd wake up early, turn on her laptop and chat on Internet dating sites and instant-messaging programs - leaving her bed for only brief intervals. Her household bills piled up, along with the dishes and dirty laundry, but it took near-constant complaints from her four daughters before she realized she had a problem. "I was starting to feel like my whole world was falling apart - kind of slipping into a depression," said Carla. "I knew that if I didn't get off the dating sites, I'd just keep going," detaching herself further from the outside world. Toebe's conclusion: She felt like she was "addicted" to the Internet. She's not alone. Concern about excessive Internet use isn't new. As far back as 1995, articles in medical journals and the establishment of a Pennsylvania treatment center for overusers generated interest in the subject. There's still no consensus on how much time online constitutes too much or whether addiction is possible. But as reliance on the Web grows, there are signs that the question is getting more serious attention: Last month, a study published in CNS Spectrums claimed to be the first large-scale look at excessive Internet use. The American Psychiatric Association may consider listing Internet addiction in the next edition of its diagnostic manual. And scores of online discussion boards have popped up on which people discuss negative experiences tied to too much time on the Web. "There's no question that there're people who're seriously in trouble because they're overdoing their Internet involvement," said psychiatrist Ivan Goldberg. Goldberg calls the problem a disorder rather than a true addiction. Jonathan Bishop, a researcher in Wales specializing in online communities, is more skeptical. "The Internet is an environment," he said. "You can't be addicted to the environment." Bishop describes the problem as simply a matter of priorities, which can be solved by encouraging people to prioritize other life goals and plans in place of time spent online. The new CNS Spectrums study was based on results of a nationwide telephone survey of more than 2,500 adults. Like the 2005 survey, this one was conducted by Stanford University researchers.About 6% of respondents reported that "their relationships suffered because of excessive Internet use." About 9% attempted to conceal "nonessential Internet use," and nearly 4% reported feeling "preoccupied by the Internet when offline." About 8% said they used the Internet as a way to escape problems, and almost 14% reported they "found it hard to stay away from the Internet for several days at a time." "The Internet problem is still in its infancy," said Elias Aboujaoude, a Stanford professor. No single online activity is to blame for excessive use, he said. "They're online in chat rooms, checking e-mail, or writing blogs. not limited to porn or gambling" websites. Excessive Internet use should be defined not by the number of hours spent online but "in terms of losses," said Maressa Orzack, a Harvard University professor. "If it's a loss you're not getting to work, and family relationships are breaking down as a result, then it's too much." Since the early 1990s, several clinics have been established in the U. S. to treat heavy Internet users. They include the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery and the Center for Internet Behavior. The website for Orzack's center lists the following among the psychological symptoms of computer addiction: * Having a sense of well-being or excitement while at the computer. * Longing for more and more time at the computer. * Neglect of family and friends. * Feeling empty, depressed or irritable when not at the computer. * Lying to employers and family about activities. * Inability to stop the activity. * Problems with school or job. Physical symptoms listed include dry eyes, backaches, skipping meals, poor personal hygiene and sleep disturbances. People who struggle with excessive Internet use maybe depressed or have other mood disorders, Orzack said. When she discusses Internet habits with her patients, they often report that being online offers a "sense of belonging, and escape, excitement fun," she said. "Some people say relief...because they find themselves so relaxed." Some parts of the Internet seem to draw people in more than others. Internet gamers spend countless hours competing in games against people from all over the world. One such game, called World of Warcraft, is cited on many sites by posters complaining of a "gaming addiction." Andrew Heidrich, an education network administrator from Sacramento, plays World of Warcraft for about two to four hours every other night, but that's nothing compared with the 40 to 60 hours a week he spent playing online games when he was in college. He cut back only after a full-scale family intervention , in which s told him he'd gained weight. "There's this whole culture of competition that sucks people in" with online gaming, said Heidrich, now a father of two. "People do it at the expense of everything that was a constant in their lives." Heidrich now visits websites that discuss gaming addiction regularly "to remind myself to keep my love for online games in check." Toebe also regularly visits a site where posters discuss Internet overuse. In August, when she first realized she had a problem, she posted a message on a Yahoo Internet addiction group with the subject line: "I have an Internet Addiction." "I'm self-employed and need the Internet for my work, but I'm failing to accomplish my work,to take care of my home, to give attention to my children," she wrote in a message sent to the group."I have no money or insurance to get professional help; I can't even pay my mortgage and face losing everything." Since then, Toebe said, she has kept her promise to herself to cut back on her Internet use. "I have a boyfriend now, and I'm not interested in online dating," she said by phone last week. "It's a lot better now." What does the author say about excessive Internet use? Answer: People haven't yet reached agreement on its definition. Federal regulators Wednesday approved a plan to create a nationwide emergence alert system using text messages delivered to cell phones. Text messages have exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly among young people. The wireless industry's trade association, CTIA, estimates more than 48 billion text messages are sent each month. The plan comes from the Warning Alert and Response Network Act, a 2006 federal law that requires improvements to the nation's emergency alert system. The act tasked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with coming up with new ways to alert the public about emergencies. "The ability to deliver accurate and timely warnings and alerts through cell phones and other mobile services is an important next step in our efforts to help ensure that the American public has the information they need to take action to protect themselves and their families before, and during, disasters and other emergencies," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said following approval of the plan. Participation in the alert system by carriers--telecommunications companies is voluntary, but it has received solid support from the wireless industry. The program would be optional for cell phone users. They also may not be charged for receiving alerts. There would be three different types of messages, according to the rules. The first would be a national alert from the president, likely involving a terrorist attack or natural disaster. The second would involve "approaching threats," which could include natural disasters like hurricanes or storms or even university shootings. The third would be reserved for child abduction emergencies, or so-called Amber Alerts. The service could be in place by 2014. Which of the following would be the best title for the text? Answer: Cell Phone Alerts Coming Soon.
For a 400-year-old art form, opera had a bad fame: overweight actresses singing the words which were hard to understand in one of those romance languages you were supposed to learn in high school. And with tickets costing as much as $145 a performance, opera goers also had a certain appearance in people's mind: rich, well-dressed and old.[:] But now opera companies around the country are loosening their ties and kicking off their shoes in an attempt to keep opera alive and take it to a younger and not so wealthy audience. Opera producers have found that to attract this crowd, they need to make the opera closer to common people. Because young people don't or won't come to the opera, companies are bringing the opera to them, giving performances in such unusual places as parks, libraries and public schools. The Houston Grand Opera's choice is the public library, where it performs "mobile operas" shortened versions of child-friendly operas. This summer's production is Hansel & Gretel. By performing smaller versions of large productions, producers are able to make people interested while keeping costs at a reasonable level. The San Francisco Opera, which will be celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, is staging Cinderella free of charge, keeping costs down by employing students from its Young Artists' Training Program. Which is the main idea of this passage? Opera companies are trying to keep opera alive. A businesswoman, a mother of four, an international fashion icon , a woman committed to making the world a better place for women and children--Queen Rania of Jordan is truly changing the world. Rania was bom in Kuwait, in 1970.Shortly after Iraq invaded that country in 1990, her family fled and settled in Jordan.After graduating from a business school, Rania became successful in the business world. When she was just 22, she went to a dinner party that changed her life forever.It was there that she met Jordan' s Prince Abdullah.Six months later, Rania and Abdullah had a royal wedding and started a family. After the death of her father - in - law, King Hussein, in 1999, Prince Abdullah was crowned King Abdullah II of Jordan, and Rania became the world' s youngest living queen. In her role as Queen, Rania has become well known around the world for her charity work and her efforts to improve educational opportunities for girls.She is an outspoken advocate of women' s rights, education reform, and child abuse.She is also well - known for her efforts to remove Western stereotypes about the Muslim world. Rania explains that there is a direct relationship between increasing education and eliminating poverty." You can change the course of a nation through education," she says." One of the most important things you can do for a girl is empower her with her education.Once she has the education she can then have control over her income, she can change her life, she can have choices." In the future, Rania says, she hopes for a more open and secure world."We look at problems happening halfway across the world and we think,' Well, that' s their problem.' But it' s not," she says." When you solve somebody else' s problem, you are solving a problem for yourself, because our world today is so interconnected." In her role as Queen, Rania is more devoted to _ . girls' education January is during the winter in what location? Caracas We are always told that TV is not good for us. If it is true, how come the TV-addicted kids of our young generation nowadays are much smarter than we are? In my family, the only persons who can work the TV remote control well are the children. Probably TV really educates us. For example, we can learn a very useful medical fact: _ . "The killer was..." (dies) But I suppose the biggest things that we learn from TV can be regarded as "Life Skills". Bad things simply happen on either stormy or dark nights. Emotional breakdowns make people wander in the heavy rain without raincoats or umbrellas. And contrary to the scientists, the crack of lightning and the accompanying flash come on at exactly the same time, wherever the scenes are. I've even got to know useful geographical facts from science-fiction shows: Aliens only speak the language of English no matter which planet they come from. To make good use of something that we learn from TV can make our security better. Consider these truths. When you are really attacked by 20 bad guys, you needn't worry about your being outnumbered. The criminals will hang back and take turns to approach you in ones and twos just so you can conveniently defeat them all. Bad guys who are completely covered in black clothes always remove their black masks to reveal that they are in fact, aha, women. TV often teaches us a lot of important information as well about escaping from danger. Watch and learn. (1) If anyone is running after you down a passage, you will find that boxes have been conveniently placed near all the walls you need to jump over. (2) If you are tall and handsome, you can run from any number of armed criminals, and every shot will miss you. Be warned, however, if your name card says "henchman" and you are part of a group of plain-looking people trying to catch a handsome individual, a single shot will kill you. But don't be anxious: TV also delivers useful information for bad guys. All cars are inflammable and have amazing shock absorbers that enable them to fly into the air and land without damage -- except police cars. TV even teaches us about TV. Whenever anyone turns on a TV, it shows a news flash about someone they know. They then turn the box off immediately after that news item. What's the main idea of this passage? What happens in TV is quite different from reality. The first kind of air transportation was not a plane. It was a balloon. People traveled by balloon 100 years before there were planes or jet aircraft. Those early days of ballooning were exciting, but they were also dangerous. Sometimes the balloons fell suddenly. Sometimes they burned. However, the danger did not stop the balloonists. The first real balloon flight was in France in 1783. Two Frenchmen, the Montgolfier brothers, made a balloon. They filled a very large paper bag with hot air. Hot air is lighter than cold air, so it goes up. The Montgolfier's hot air balloon went up 1,000 feet in the sky. Later that same year, two other Frenchmen ascended in a basket under a balloon. They built a fire under the balloon to make the air hot. This made the balloon stay up in the air for a few hours. But their balloon was tied to the ground. So it could not go anywhere. The first free balloon flight was in December, 1783. The balloon flew for 25 minutes over Paris. It traveled about 5.5 miles. Flying a balloon is not like flying a plane. The balloon has no engine and therefore no power of its own. The wind directs the balloon. It goes where the wind blows. The pilot can control only the altitude of the balloon to find the right wind direction. That is how a good pilot controls where the balloons goes. Soon balloonists tried longer flights. A major event in the history of ballooning was the first long flight over water. In 1785, an American and a Frenchman flew over the English Channel. During the nineteenth century, ballooning became a popular sport. There were balloon races in Europe. Balloons were also used by scientists to study the air and by armies in wartime. After the airplane was invented, people lost interest in balloons. Planes were much faster and easier to control. But some people today still like to go up in balloons. High up in the balloon basket, they find quietness. They have wonderful view of the world below. The balloon rises if the air inside get _ . hotter
Once an old man was walking in a street with his horse. It was raining hard. The old man was cold because he was walking in the rain. He wanted to stay in a restaurant. It was a quarter past three in the afternoon. The old man got to a small restaurant. A lot of people crowded in it. The old man couldn't come near the fireplace. He thought and thought.At last he said to the waiters, " Take some fish to my horse." The waiter and the other people were very surprised. The waitered said, "A horse doesn't eat fish." The old man told the waiter, " The horse is _ . It can sing, dance and does all kinds of things. It can eat fish, too." So the waiter took some fish to the horse. All the people in the restaurant rushed out to see the horse eat fish except(......) the old man. Now the old man sat beside the fire. After a while the waiter returned and said. "Your horse didn't eat any fish." The old man said, "All right, take the fish back and put it on the table. I'll eat it." The people in the restaurant all ran out because _ I'm perfectly aware that many people you know probably think you re crazy for wanting to travel instead of settling into a typical 9-5 lifestyle. It's difficult for others to understand your goals. Well, 1 certainly don't think you're crazy. In fact, every traveler I know would agree that you're only crazy if you decide not to go after your goals in life. I started traveling back in 1999, shortly after graduating from university. My plan was to backpack around Southeast Asia for three months and then return to the US to become a sports agent. However, just one week into that trip, I realized that tbree months of travel simply wasn't enough. The only problem was that I had less than $1,500 to my name. Fast forward lo today... Over the past 15 years, 1 have discovered, and taken advantage of, endless opportunities that have allowed me to continuously live, travel, study and earn money in over 85 countries. The point is, if I can make it happen with $1,500 and no idea what I was doing, you can make it happen as well. And with the knowledge and experience I'm about to pass on to you in this guide , you're going to have a much easier path ahead than I ever did! If you are constantly wondering how you can possibly achieve all of your travel goals during this lifetime, I just want to repeat everything you, re dreaming about really can be achieved. It'll take some haixl work and determination for sure, but when you find yourself living or traveling or working overseas, enjoying rewarding experiences, you'11 be thankful that you decided to choose a life of travel. And I honestly can't wait to meet up with you in some foreign land where we can swap travel stories over a beer or coffee or tea! What difficulty did the author once meet? 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." The writer writes the story to _ . We all enjoy the beautiful show of color1s as leaves change each autumn. But did you ever wonder how and why this happens? To answer the question, first you have to understand what leaves are and what they do. Leaves are nature's food factories. Plants take water from the ground through their roots. And they take a gas called carbon dioxide from the air. Plants use sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide into glucose . Glucose is a kind of sugar. Plants use glucose as food for energy and as a building block for growing. The way plants turn water and carbon dioxide into sugar is called photosynthesis . That means, "putting together with light". A chemical called chlorophyll helps photosynthesis. Chlorophyll is what gives plants their green color1. As summer ends and autumn comes, the days get shorter and shorter. This is how trees "know" to begin getting ready for winter. During winter, there is not enough light or water for photosynthesis. Trees rest during this time and live off the food they stored during the summer. They begin to shut down their food-making factories. The green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves. As the bright green fades away, we begin to see yellow and orange leaves. Small amounts of these color1s have been in the leaves all along. We just can't see them in the summer, because they are covered up by the green chlorophyll. The bright reds and yellows we see in leaves are made mostly in autumn. In some trees, like maples, glucose is caught in the leaves after photosynthesis stops. Sunlight and the cool nights of autumn turn this glucose into a red color1. The brown color1 of trees like oaks is made from waste left in the leaves. It is the mixture of all these things that makes the beautiful color1s we enjoy during autumn. From the text we can see that photosynthesis _ . Miss Green came into the classroom with a piece of paper. There was a big black dot in the middle. Miss Green put up this piece of paper and asked, "What can you see in the middle of the white paper?" All the children watched the black dot. " A black dot," they answered quickly. "But can't you see this piece of white paper? The black dot is like unlucky things in our life. If we only see the dark dot, how can we be happy?" The classroom was very quiet at the moment. Miss Green took out another piece of paper from her bag. This was a piece of black paper with a white dot in the middle. "what can you see, kids?" she asked the children with a smile on her facc. "A white dot," the children answered loudly. Miss Green smiled, "My children, although we may be happy or worried in our life, it is just like the clouds in the sky. The clouds can lift quickly and the sun can come out soon. You can be a happy child with the sun in your eyes all the time." How many pieces of paper did Miss Green show the kids?
October 21 was a very dark day in Texas.Not only did Hurricane Hanna destroy homes,it caused the largest business damage in Texas's history.The worst thing is Hanna's destructive force nearly wiped out most power poles and power lines.According to Center Point Energy,Hurricane Hanna affected 2.15 million customers.Currently, more than 4,000 of them are still in the dark.Crews have worked 16-hour shifts to restore power to residents. Most of Houston seems to be returning to normal.Schools,restaurants,retail stores and gas stations are open.Smiles are back.But harder-hit places,including Galveston,will take much longer to recover. Hundreds of people are still missing,and coastal towns are a mess.Some ruins from storm have drifted south to other beaches in Texas.Several public schools in Galveston are closed due to water damage.Parents are registering kids in other area schools which are scheduled to begin class on November 13.Many school supplies were destroyed. Clara Barton Village is an emergency shelter located at Alamo Elementary School in Galveston,Texas.This is where Paula Reed and her family are staying.Believe it or not,Paula Reed and her family consider this hurricane a blessing.When Paula was a girl,she was an orphan,but was taken in by her stepmom,Antonia Flores.Reed lost contact with Flores and had been trying desperately to locate her for the past few years.Before the hurricane,Reed and her family moved away from Galveston to a San Antonio shelter.There,she reunited with Flores after 30 long years! The moment they saw each other, their lives were changed. What's the most serious damage caused by Hurricane Hanna? Are you looking for a summer reading list for your child or teen? Keep your child reading all summer with this selection of 2012 summer reading lists. Books for primary school students Kenneth Cadow: Alfie Runs Away When his mother wants to give away his favorite shoes just because they're too small, Alfie decides he's had enough. Kate Feiffer: My Side of the Car It might be raining on Dad's side of the car, but imaginative Sadie argues that it is not raining on her side, so their trip to the zoo doesn't need to be put off. Books for high school students Flinn: Beastly A modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" from the point of view of the Beast, a proud Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return. Lord: A Night to Remember A description of the sinking of the " Titanic". a reputedly unsinkable ship that went down in the Atlantic on April 10, 1912 after hitting an iceberg, resulting in the deaths of over l, 500 people. Books for high school students Mark Twain: Huckleberry Finn It's Mark Twain's classic story about a young man and his slave Jim. They travel upriver to escape slavery and in the process Huck discovers what it J11cans to be a man. It teaches us about the value of friendship and sacrifice. Charles Dickens: Great Expectations It is about a young man named Pip who inherits ( ) a great deal of wealth from an unknown source.The money quickly moves him up the scale in London.however, at the same time it also teaches him about the dangers of ambition. Who will probably be interested in this passage? Sleep deprivation is an important hidden factor in lowering the achievement of school pupils, according to researchers carrying out international education tests. It is a particular problem in richer countries with sleep experts linking it to the use of mobile phones and computers in bedroom late at night. Sleep deprivation is such a serious problem that lessons have to be dragged down to a lower level to suit sleep-deprived learners, the study found. The international comparison, carried out by Boston College, found the United States to have the highest number of sleep-deprived students, with 73% of 9- and 10-year-olds and 80% of 13- and 14-year-olds identified by their teachers as being negatively affected. In literacy tests there were 76% of 9- and 10-year-olds lacking sleep. This was much higher than the international average of 47% of primary pupils needing more sleep and 57% among the secondary age group. Other countries with the most sleep-deprived youngsters were New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Australia, England, Ireland and France. High-performing Finland is also among the most lacking in sleep. Countries with the best records for getting enough sleep include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Japan and Malta. The analysis was part of the huge date-gathering process for global education rankings, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study(TIMSS)and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study(PIRLS) "I think we underestimate the impact of sleep. Our data show that across countries internationally, on average, children who have more sleep achieve higher in maths, science and reading. That is exactly what our data show," says Chad Minnich of the TIMSS and PIRLS International Study Center. "It's the same link for children who are lacking basic nutrition," says Mr Minnich, based at the Lynch School of Education, Boston College. "If you are unable to concentrate, to attend mentally, you are unable to achieve at your best level, because your mind and body are in need of something more basic. Sleep is a fundamental need for all children. If teachers report such large proportions of children suffering from lack of sleep, it's having a significant impact. But worse than that, teachers are having to adjust their instruction based on those children who are suffering from a lack of sleep. The children who are suffering from a lack of sleep are driving down instruction." That means that even the children who are getting enough sleep are still suffering from this sleep-related lowering. Which of the following countries has the most sleep-deprived students? Over the last six years I have learned what patience is. Growing up I did not have this virtue and it is a very important virtue to have. Now I can see that if you are patient you will almost always get what you want if you are supposed to have it. I gained patience when I lost my freedom. I knew that I would eventually get it back in time. I was locked up in prison for a period of six years because at 19 years old I was playing with a handgun and I accidentally shot and killed my friend. The first couple of years was the hardest.I was always stressed out about everything.Time was dragging by because I was always paying attention to it.While I was locked up,Tom who I talked to helped put this virtue in me.He told me that it was possible that he would never make it home but that being patient and believing that one day he would was what had made him feel better.After a while I realized why he said a lot of things to me.Once I stopped paying attention to the days and just kept in mind that I would get freedom,it seemed that my time passed quickly. Now I am home and can see that patience paid off for me. I now use this virtue in my daily activities. I know that sometimes life gets hard and that it will pay in the end to stay patient and not to get discouraged. So if you are having a hard time in life,be patient and it will eventually work out one way or another. We can learn from the passage that the writer _ . "It hurts me more than you,''and "This is for your own good.''These are the statements my mother used to make years ago when I had to learn Latin,clean my room,stay home and do homework. That was before we entered the permissive period in educafion in which we decided it was all right not to push our children to achieve their best in school.The schools and the educators made it easy on us.They thought that it was all right to be parents who take a let-alone policy. We stopped making our children do homework. We gave them calculators,turned on the television,left the teaching to the teachers and went on vacation. Now teachers,faced with children who have been developing at their own pace for the past 15 years,are realizing we've made a terrible mistake.One such teacher is Sharon Klompus who says of her students-"so passive"-and-wonders what happened.Nothing was demanded of them,she believes. Television,says Klompus,contributes to children's passivity."We're not training kids to work any more," says Klompus."we're talking about a generation of kids who've never been hurt or hungry.They have learned somebody will always do it for them. Instead of saying 'go look it up',you tell them the answer.It takes greater energy to say no to a kid." Yes,it does.It takes energy and it takes work. It's time for parents to end their vacation and come back to work.It's time to take the car away, to turn the TV off, to tell them it hurts you more than them but it's for their own good.It's time to start telling them no again. We learn from the passage that the author's mother used to lay emphasis on _
I'm a boy. My name is Tom White. I am ten years old. I am in Class 2, Grade 1. I'm in No. 1 Middle School. My teacher is Mr. Wu. I have a good friend at school He is Jim Green. Jim is his first name and Green is his last name. He is ten, too. But he is in Class 1, Grade 1. His teacher is Miss Wang. , . Tom is Tom White's _ . A first name B last name C number D family name Answer: A Have you ever seen snow? Many people in the world have not. Some countries never have snow; some have only a little on the tops of very high mountains. In the north of England, there is quite a lot of snow every winter, but in the south of England, there is usually little. When a student from a warm country comes to England in autumn for the first time, he feels cold at first. There are often dark clouds, grey sky and cold rain in England in autumn, and most students from warm countries do not like this. But snow is different. Though it is cold, it is also beautiful. Perhaps, after several dark mornings, the student wakes up one day, and there is a lot of light in his room. He thinks "Is it so late?" and jumps out of bed. But no, it is not very late. He looks out of the window and there is the snow on the ground and on the houses and everywhere. The light of his room comes from clean, beautiful snow. Why does the student ask himself "Is it so late?" A Because he has some work to do. B Because it is bright in the room. C Because it is really late. D Because he usually gets up early. Answer: B 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. Scientists found in the experiment that _ . A the energy burned up by fat people when they fidget was more than that burned up by thin people when they fidget B some people's fidgeting burned up more than 800 calories, but some people's fidgeting burned up less than 100 calories C slim women fidget more than fat women but fat men fidget more than thin men D thin men fidget more than fat men Answer: A The physicians in a hospital form the center of medical staff. But they could not provide effective medical care to their patients without the help of numerous other medical employees. From the viewpoint of the patients, the nursing staff is particularly important. Nurses are usually in close contact with patients as long as they are in the hospital. A nurse does not study for as many years as a doctor. however, each must be equally dedicated. Caring for sick persons requires a great deal of patience and concern. Most nurses work long days, and they often must work at odd hours or during the night. Under the supervision of the head nurse, the nursing staff must provide nursing services on a 24-hour basis and attend to patients' needs. This responsibility continues around the clock, and so nurses must work in shifts. A shift is a period of duty, usually eight in length. The nurses on the ward rotate their shifts. Some take turns working night duty; others work odd shifts. A nurse must always be alert. She can never afford to be careless. This is true in all nursing situation, but it is especially true in the intensive care unit. Patients under intensive care are critically ill, and they must be monitored at all times. The nurses who do intensive care duty have one of the most demanding jobs in the hospital. Serving as a nurse can be a very rewarding job. But it is not an easy one. Not every person is suited to become a nurse. Only very dedicated people have chosen nursing as a profession. The nursing staff _ . A are central to the medical staff B play an important role in caring for patients C can work effectively without physicians D are always in close contact with the patients Answer: B These days the subject of security on campus is talked about quite often. Some students' mobile phones are stolen, some students fight with and hurt one another, and others are knocked down by the fast running bikes or cars. These problems arc common on campus. I think there are three causes for these. Firstly, some students do not take good care of their properties. They are still young and not careful enough. Secondly, some students want to do everything well. They want to be the winners in exams, and they also want to be the winners in fightings. And thirdly, the campus guards do not carry on their duties well. They don' t regulate the traffic in the busy hour. In order to have a secure campus, all the students should be very careful about their properties. They should also mind their behaviors and act politely. The campus guards are supposed to be devoted to the security on campus, and it is their duty to safeguard a secure campus to help provide a good environment for the students. This passage is mainly about_. A how to make the campus safe B how to protect the students C security rules on campus D the importance of security campus Answer: A
TIME is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It was created in 1923 by Briton Hadden and Henry Luce, making it the first weekly news magazine in the US. Hadden was considered carefree, liked to tease Luce and saw TIME as important but also fun. That accounted for its heavy coverage of celebrities(including politicians), the entertainment industry, and pop culture--criticized as too light for serious news. It tells the news through people, and for many decades, the magazine's cover depicted a single person. On Hadden's death in 1929, Luce became the most important man at TIME and a major figure in the history of 20th-century media. TIME is also known for its signature red border, first introduced in 1927. It has only changed four times since then. The issue released shortly after the September 11 attacks on the United States featured a black border to symbolize mourning. However, this edition was a special "extra" edition published quickly for the breaking news of the event; the next regularly scheduled issue contained the red border. Additionally, the April 28, 2008 Earth Day issue, dedicated to environmental issues, contained a green border. The next change in border was in the September 19, 2011 issue, commemorating the 10thanniversary of the September 11 attacks with a metallic silver border. The most recent change(again with a silver border) was in the December 31, 2012 issue, noting Barack Obama's selection as Man of the Year. TIME has a division magazine, TIME FOR KIDS(TFK), which is especially published for children and is mainly distributed in classrooms. TFK contains some national news, a "Cartoon of the Week", and a variety of articles concerning popular culture that the younger U.S. citizens are interested in. All the stories in TFK are written by young reporters. In some advertising campaigns, the magazine has suggested that the letters TIME stand for "The International Magazine of Events". TIME has a history of _ . Answer: Maybe you don't know the fact that the green forests we see from an airplane or from the highway can be false. Because centuries ago forests were twice as many as what they are today. A hike into many of those woods will tell different stories, too--of diseases and insects that are slowly killing trees, of some forests that are burned by fire, of logging that local people do more often. Deforestation and degradation of the world's forests mainly harm the basic ability of those ecosystems to function or provide services, such as fresh water, air, plants and animals, which benefit people everywhere and keep the balance of nature. Deforestation Forests today are a small part of what they once were. Nearly half of the world's forest cover is gone, and each year 40 million acres more are cut and replaced by agriculture and development. Over the next 45 years, wood use in the world is guessed to increase by 50 per cent over its present rate. Many of the forests that remain are severely destroyed, which harms the ability to protect birds or wild animals, and to supply natural resources to people. Deforestation also brings about between 20 per cent and 25 per cent of all air pollution causing global climate change. Degradation Forests continue to be degraded by some uses such as the gathering of wood for fuel, the arrival of pests and diseases that kill trees, the effects of climate change and poor management such as the fire, flood and so on. What do deforestation and degradation of the forests mainly harm? Answer: Mrs. Black was a poor old woman and she lived in a small village. Her husband died ten years ago. But she had a 24-year-old daughter. Her name was Alice. She worked in New York and lived there. It was far away from her mother's village, and she was not happy about this. One day Alice said to her mother, "I've found a good job in Boston, and I can make a lot of money there, so I will go to work in Boston next week. But don't worry, Mum. I'll send you some money every week. " A month later, Mrs. Black was very angry. She decided to go to see her daughter in Boston on a train. When she saw her daughter, she said, "Alice, why do you never call me?" Alice laughed, "But mother," she said, "you haven't got a telephone." "No", she answered, "I haven't, but you have got one. " Mrs. Black lived _ . Answer: If you are tired of common hotel rooms, maybe it's time to climb into a tree. A new generation of tree houses are appearing across the world, and designer Roderick Romero says he knows why and he said "They're magical. I've never seen someone climb into a tree house and not smile." Edisto River Canadys, S. C. Before you can stay in one of the wilderness tree houses, you first have to canoe down the Edisto River. The paddle-in homes offer a cooking gear and comfortable sleeping bed. "It's a really good place to get back to nature," Romero says. The lofts have gas stoves and are lit by lanterns. The website: caneosc.com Treehotel Romero was astonished when he first saw the buildings at this hotel 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden. "It blew my mind. I couldn't believe what I was seeing." he says. The hotel rooms draws heavily on spare Scandinavian design. "Architecturally this is one of the coolest ideas for a tree house.'' The website: treehotel.se Hideaway Cafe While most treehouses are found in the woods, this coffee shop and inn turns the idea on its head with a location in downtown Tokyo. The building itself stands on stilts with a tree growing through the center of it. The cafe was the first treehouse designed by Kobayashi Takashi, who has since created more than 120 homes. "He's one of my heroes." Romero says, "In the treehouse community, he's who we talk about the most." The website: treehouse.jp/ hideaway/. Tongabezi One of the world's most stylish treehouses perches in a tree alongside the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls. The large pine deck holds a bed and Turkish carpets. Guests can go on safati, or simply stay in their perch and watch for hippos playing in the river. The website: below.tongabezi.com. What made Treehotel impressive? Answer: The Most Scenic Drives in America Price: $25.00 Description: This book includes 120 easytofollow maps, 400 breathtaking photos, fascinating facts, tips, suggested side trips and much more. 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With this book in hand, the dream is within easy reach. If you buy a Care Free Plants book, you can get _ . Answer:
Question: TV Shows and Long Bus Trips Long bus rides are like television shows. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end-- with ads thrown in every three or four minutes. The ads are unavoidable. They happen whether you want them or not. Every couple of minutes a billboard appears outside the bus window."Buy Super Clean Toothpaste.""Drink Good'n Wet Root Beer.""Fill up with Pacific Gas." Only if you sleep, which is equal to turning the television set off, are you spared the unending cry of "You Need It! Buy It Now!" The beginning of the ride is comfortable and somewhat exciting, even if you've traveled that way before. Usually some things have changed--new houses, new buildings, sometimes even a new road. The bus driver has a style of driving and it's fun to try to figure it out the first hour or so. If the driver is particularly daring, the ride can be as exciting as a suspense story. Will the driver pass the truck in time? Will the driver move into the right or the left-hand lane?After a while, of course, the excitement dies down. Sleeping for a while helps pass the middle hours of the ride. Food always makes bus rides more interesting. But you've got to be careful of what kind of food you eat. Too much salty food can make you very thirsty between stops. The end of the ride is somewhat like the beginning. You know it will soon be over and there's a kind of expectation and excitement in that. The seat, of course, has become harder as the hours have passed. By now you've sat with your legs crossed, with your hands in your lap, with your hands on the arm rests--even with your hands crossed behind your head. The end comes just at the right time. There are just no more ways to sit. What is the purpose of this passage? A. To talk about the similarities between long bus trips and TV shows. B. To persuade you to take a long bus trip. C. To display the differences between long bus trips and TV shows. D. To describe the billboards along the road. Answer: A. To talk about the similarities between long bus trips and TV shows. Question: 1.Your NAME, YEAR of birth, HOME ADDRESS/CITY/STATE/PHONE NUMBER, SCHOOL NAME (and English teacher) and EMAIL ADDRESS, so we can email you if you've published. For photos, place the information on the back of each envelope: PLEASE DON'T FOLD. 2.This statement MUST BE WRITTEN on each work: "I promise the above work is completely original." and sign your name. SEND IT ALL SUMMER! By mail--Teen Ink, Box 30 Newton, MA 02461 On the web--TeenInk.com / Submissions By email--Submissions@TeenInk.com THE FINE PRINT 1. Type print carefully in ink. Keep a copy. 2. Writing may be edited; we reserve the right to publish it without your permission. 3. If due to the personal nature of a piece you don't want your name published,we will respect your request, but you MUST include your name and address for our records. 4. Include a self-addressed envelope, and we'll send a coupon for any Pepsi product and an announcement to let you know we've got your work. 5. If published, you will receive a copy of Teen Ink, and a wooden pen. 6. All works submitted will not be returned and all copyrights belong to Teen Ink. We keep the rights to publish all such works in any forms. All material in Teen Ink is copyrighted to protect us and prevent others from republishing your work. What is the best title for this advertisement? A. JOIN TEEN INK B. EMAIL US YOUR WORK C. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH TEEN INK D. SEND US YOUR WORK Answer: D. SEND US YOUR WORK Question: It is probably the strangest sport anyone has ever invented.And at first sight,it looks like the easiest.Competitors have to do two things.The first is to stand still.The second is to place their hands anywhere on the body of a car,and keep it there. This is where things start getting difficult.Lots of people are doing the same thing.And the winner of the "handathon" contest is the person who can carry on doing it for the longest time.That person gets to own the car. It still seems to be an easy thing to do.At the beginning it is.Anyone can stand still.But when the contest has been going for four or five days,standing still seems like the most difficult job in the world.And keeping the hand in place over this time becomes an act of serious attention.After a few days,the hand seems to belong to someone else--someone who wants to go home and get some sleep. Competitors are allowed to take a five-minute break every hour to eat,drink or do whatever else is necessary.No one is allowed to lean on the car for support.Winners need to be able to show great powers of attention.They also need to be able to develop special skills. Maybe the popularity of the handathon is due to the fact that it is not necessary to be a trained athlete to enter.Entrants in the Longview handathon certainly don't seem to do much preparation.Most say they will prepare by "getting lots of sleep".Others say they will "eat healthy food" or "pray for success".The whole event gives ordinary people the chance to do something interesting and win something in the end. Handathons are competitions,but there is little rivalry between competitors.They help each other out and keep each other's spirits up.People who drop out early return with food,drink and encouragement. What ability is likely to be needed most in a handathon? A. Standing without any support. B. Not leaning on the car. C. Eating and drinking in five minutes. D. Having strong powers of attention. Answer: D. Having strong powers of attention. Question: One winter evening, a storekeeper was going to close up his shop. Suddenly he saw Seth, a lazy, good-for-nothing fellow grab a pound of fresh butter and concealed it in his hat. No sooner had the storekeeper seen the act than he hit upon exactly the right revenge. He would punish the thief, and satisfy his own appetite for fun. Seth had his hat on his head, and the butter in his hat. He was anxious to leave. However, the rightful owner of the butter offered him a cup of hot drink, took him by the shoulders and planted him in a seat close to the stove. The grocer stuffed in the stove as many sticks of wood as he could possibly fit inside. Seth already could feel the butter settling down closer to his hair, so he jumped up, declaring that he must go. "Sit down; don' t be in such a hurry," replied the grocer, pushing him back into the chair again. Streak after streak of the butter came pouring from under the poor man's hat. The fun-loving grocer kept on stuffing wood into the stove. Then, as if surprised, he remarked, "You seem to be perspiring as if you were warm! Let me put your hat away for you." "No!" exclaimed poor Seth at last, unable to stand it a moment longer. "No, I must go; let me out." A greasy waterfall of butter was now pouring down the poor man's face and neck, soaking into his clothes, and trickling down his body into his boots. He was bathed in oil from head to toe. Just as his victim darted out the door, the grocer said, "I reckon the fun I've had out of you is worth the money, so I shan't charge you for that pound of butter in your hat." Why did Seth put the butter in his hat? A. Because he just wanted to play a trick on the grocer. B. Because he had nowhere to put the butter but in the hat. C. Because he wanted to revenge himself on the grocer. D. Because he didn't want to pay for it. Answer: D. Because he didn't want to pay for it. Question: Many people like to travel by plane, but I don't like it because the airport is usually far from the city. You have to get there early and wait for hours for the plane to take off. You can't open the windows. You can't choose the food. Planes are fast, but it still takes hours to get out of the airport and into the city. I like travelling by train. I think trains are safe. Railway stations are usually good in cities. When you are late for a train, you can catch another one. You can walk around in the train and open the window. You can see many interesting things on your way, though it takes a little more time. I also like cars. You can start your journey whenever you want to, and you don't need to get to a railway station or a bus stop. Also you can carry many things with you in a car. But sometimes there are too many cars on the road. ,. What is the bad thing about the car?. A. You needn't go to a station. B. You can start your journey whenever you want to. C. There are too many cars on the road. D. It is too expensive. Answer: C. There are too many cars on the road.
More than 6000 children were expelled from US schools last year for bringng guns and bombs to school,the US Department of Education said on May 8. The department gave a report on the expulsions as saying handguns accounted for 58 per cent of the 6093 expulsions in 1996--97,against 7 per cent for rifles or shotguns and 35 per cent for other types of firearms. "The report is a clear sign that our nation's public schools are cracking down " on students who bring guns to school,"Education Secretary Richard Riey said in a statement."We need to be tough-minded about keeping guns out of our schools and do everything to keep our children safe." In March 1997,an 11-year-old boy and a 13-year-old using hand-guns and rifles shot dead four children and a teacher at a school in Jonesboro,Arkansas.In October,two were killed and seven wounded in a shooting at a Mississippi school.Two months later,a 14-year-old boy killed three high school students and wounded five in Daducab,Kentucky. "Most of the expulsions,56 per cent,were from high schools,which have students from about age 13,34 per cent were from junior high schools and 9 per cent were from elementary schools." The report said. From this passage we know that _ . Answer: No one should be forced to wear a uniform under any circumstance. Uniforms are controlling the human spirit and totally unnecessary in a democratic society. Uniforms tell the world that the person who wears one has no value as an individual but only lives to function as a part of the whole. The individual in a uniform loses all self-worth. There are those who say that wearing a uniform gives a person a sense of identification with a larger, more important concept. What could be more important than the individual himself? If an organization is so weak that it must rely on cloth and buttons to inspire its members, that organization has no right to continue its existence. Others say that the practice of making persons wear uniforms, say in school, gets rid of all envy and competition in a matter of dress, such that a poor person who cannot afford good-quality clothing is not to be looked down upon by a wealthy person who wears expensive clothing. Those persons ignore the concepts as freedom of choice, motivation, and individuality. If all persons were to wear the same clothing, why would anyone struggle to be better? It is only a short step from forcing everyone to drive the same car, have the same type of food. When this happens, all motivation to improve one's life is removed. Why would parents bother to work hard so that their children could have a better life than they had when they know that their children are going to be forced to have exactly the same life as they had? Uniforms also hurt the economy . Right now, billions of dollars are spent on the fashion industry yearly. Thousands of people are employed in designing, creating, and marketing different types of clothing. If everyone were forced to wear uniforms, artistic personnel would be unnecessary. Salesmen would be extra as well. Why bother to sell the only items that are available? The wearing of uniforms would destroy the fashion industry which in turn would have a wave effect on such industries as advertising and sales promotion. Without advertising, newspapers, magazines, and television would not be able to remain in business. Our entire information and entertainment industries would collapse. The author's primary purpose in writing this passage was to _ . Answer: Speeding off in a stolen car, the thief thinks he has got a great catch.But he is in for an unwelcome surprise.The car is fitted with a remote immobilizer, and a radio signal from a control centre miles away will ensure that once the thief switches the engine off, he will not be able to start it again. The idea goes like this.A control box fitted to the car contains a mini-cellphone, a micro-processor and memory, and a GPS satellite positioning receiver.If the car is stolen, a coded cellphone signal will tell the control centre to block the vehicle's engine management system and prevent the engine being restarted. In the UK, a set of technical fixes is already making life harder for car thieves." ," says Martyn Randall, a security expert.He says it would only take him a few minutes to teach a person how to steal a car, using a bare minimum of tools.But only if the car is more than 10 years old. Modern cars are far tougher to steal, as their engine management computer won't allow them to start unless they receive a unique ID code sent out by the ignition key.In the UK, technologies like this have helped achieve a 31% drop in vehicle-related crime since 1997. But determined criminals are still managing to find other ways to steal cars, often by getting hold of the owner's keys.And key theft is responsible for 40% of the thefts of vehicles fitted with a tracking system. If the car travels 100 metres without the driver confirming their ID, the system will send a signal to an operations centre that it has been stolen.The hundred metres minimum avoids false alarms due to inaccuracies in the GPS signal. Staff at the centre will then contact the owner to confirm that the car really is missing, and keep police informed of the vehicle's movements via the car's GPS unit. The remote immobilizer is fitted to a car to _ . Answer: The health and welfare of every person in America will be affected by global warming, especially children, the elderly and the poor, according to a new White House science report. The report said every region of the country will suffer worse health from heat waves and drought. _ It predicts an increase in diseases spread by tainted food, bad water and bugs . The report concludes that climate change causes real risk to human health and human system that supports the way of life in the United States. Man-made global warming is caused by greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels. At current emission levels, global temperatures are likely to rise by about 2 degrees by midcentury and about 7.5 degrees by the end of the century. The most vulnerable Americans -- the poor, elderly, sick, very young and immigrants -- will suffer more. That's at least 10 percent of the country's population, probably more. It will be tougher for these people to get enough health care for climate-related illnesses, to cool down in heat waves, to escape extreme events such as Hurricane Katrina, and even to get enough food. While every region of America is vulnerable to global warming's health and welfare effects, more people are moving to coastal regions, which are most vulnerable to climate change because of drought and hurricanes. According to the report, we learn all of the following will risk human's health EXCEPT _ . Answer: Schooling Matters March 25, 2014 Chengdu Michelle Obama You see, the truth is that I grew up like many of you. My mom, my dad, my brother and I, we lived in a tiny apartment in Chicago, which is one of the largest cities in America. My father worked at the local water plant... While we certainly weren't rich, my parents had big dreams for me and my brother. They had only a high school education themselves, but they were determined to send us both to universities. So they poured all of their love and all of their hope into us, and they worked hard. They saved every penny. And I know that wasn't easy for them, especially for my father. You see, my father had serious illness called multiple sclerosis . And as he got sicker, it got harder for him to walk, and it took him longer to get dressed in the morning. But no matter how tired he felt, no matter how much pain he was in, my father hardly ever missed a day of work, because he was determined to give me and my brother a better life. And every day, like so many of you, I felt the weight of my parents' sacrifices on my shoulders. Every day, I wanted to make them proud. So, while most American kids attend public schools near their homes, when it was time for me to attend high school, I took an exam and got into a special public high school where I could get a better education. But the school was very far from my home, so I had to get up early every morning and ride a bus for an hour, sometimes an hour and a half if the weather was bad. And every afternoon, I'd ride that same bus back home and then immediately start my homework, often studying late into the night - and sometimes I would wake up at 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning to study even more. And it wasn't easy. But whenever I got tired or discouraged, I would just think about how hard my parents were working for me. And I would remember something my mother always told me - she said, "A good education is something that no one can take away from you." What does Michelle mainly want to tell readers in this excerpt? Answer:
Within IOC, Samaranch was a man much admired and sometimes loved, the Spanish who made the organization into one that is rich and so powerful. No one doubted Samaranch's ability to make something impossible come true. In 1981 he ensured that Seoul was elected to be the host of the 1988 Olympics. Remember, that was a time when the two Koreas were at war with each other. And because Samaranch helped swing Spanish votes across to London, rather than to Paris, London was made host for the 2012. To China and the Chinese people, Samaranch was considered a great friend. Thanks to his efforts during his last term as IOC president, Beijing and China won the Olympics for the first time. Samaranch led the IOC from 1980 to 2001. Certainly, throughout his IOC presidential term, he had a soft spot for Moscow, for it was there that he was elected president of the IOC in 1980, and it was there that he managed to reach his final wishes as IOC president. Very early on in that 2001 Moscow session he wanted the Belgian surgeon, Jacques Rogge, a newcomer to the Olympic Movement, to replace him as president, for China to host the 2008 Olympic Games and for his son, Juan Antonio Samaranch junior, to become an IOC member. He got all three wishes. Samaranch's death came three months before his 90th birthday on April 21st, 2010. Samaranch became the president of the IOC in _ . Answer: Moscow Is there a difference in meaning between "It's too late to telephone. Mary is asleep now." and "It's too late to telephone. Mary will be asleep now."? Yes. The difference is in the reason given for it being too late to telephone. In the first sentence "Mary is asleep now", the speaker is stating a fact. In the second sentence "Mary will be asleep now", the speaker is saying what Mary usually does. In fact, it's possible that Mary isn't asleep, but she is usually asleep at this time. So let's take two situations. In the first case, imagine Mary's mother answers the telephone. You: "May I speak to Mary, please?" Mother: "No. It's too late. Mary is asleep now." You: "Are you sure? It's only 10 0'clock." Mother: "Yes. I went to her room and she was asleep." The mother knows that Mary is asleep because she went into her room and saw her. Here is another case. Two friends decide to telephone Mary. Jack: "Let's telephone Mary. It's 10 0'clock." Jill: "No. It's too late. She will be asleep now." Jill knows that Mary always goes to bed before 10 o'clock, so now she'll probably be asleep. But it is also possible that she is staying up late. In which situation do you think the word "will" is used in the same way Jill uses it? Answer: Don't get into his office. He will be angry now. Contrary to popular belief, looking at someone's face alone is not enough to tell us whether they are roaring in celebration or screaming in frustration, researchers claimed.While people may believe they have the ability to read each other's faces, body language is the real clue that shows whether strong emotions someone is feeling are positive or negative. In a study, groups of participants were shown a series of facial expressions such as tennis players photographed just after winning or losing a point. In some cases the volunteers were able to see the player's full body, but in others they were only shown either their face or their body with the other removed. Participants could clearly tell whether the players were winning or losing when they were shown the full picture or just the body, but their guesses were no better than chance when based on the face alone. Those who were allowed to see the full image were convinced they had made their judgment based on the players' facial expressions even though results from the two other groups suggested otherwise. The researchers carried out a second study where participants were shown a wider range of faces showing emotions including joy, pleasure, victory, pain and defeat. Using photoediting software, the researchers attached the faces to bodies expressing the opposite emotion, and asked participants to act out the emotions they saw in the photos. The resulting poses were like the body poses in the photographs but not the facial expressions, demonstrating that people base their interpretation of strong emotions not on the face but the body. Dr Aviezer, who led the study, said, "These results show that when emotions become extremely intense, the difference between positive and negative facial expressions becomes unclear.The results may help researchers understand how our body interacts during emotional situations.For example, individuals may fail to recognize facial expressions, but if they are trained to process important body language, their performance may significantly improve." What did Dr Aviezer think of the results of the study? Answer: Helpful. Once I complained to my husband that he wasn't helping enough with our daughter, and I gave him a long list of the parenting chores I was shouldering on my own. "But you like doing all that stuff," he said. I thought about that while reading a new study about the responsibilities of parenting. Researchers asked 191 college professors, both men and women, who had children 2 or younger, the pleasure they experienced from childcare. On 16 out of 25 childcare tasks--like taking a child to the doctor or buying clothes for a child--women reported statistically higher levels of enjoyment than men. The only parenting issue that gave women less pleasure than it gave men was having to manage who does what for the child. On the whole, women's scores were 10 percent higher than men's. Women are also far more likely to take advantage of family-leave benefits to care for children. In the study, all the universities offered paid family leave, and 69 percent of the women took it, while only 12 percent of the men did. In Sweden, where family leave for both parents is particularly generous, men use about 20 percent of the 480-day benefit. Women use nearly all of it. It's difficult to know how cultural and economic pressures or biological functions influence parenting. Plenty of men change diapers , and studies show that mothers and fathers alike spend more time with children than they used to. Men have more than doubled the time they spend on childcare since 1985. Yet women still spend twice as much time with the kids as men, says the University of Maryland sociologist John Robinson. Notably in the study, the parenting activity that gave men the most pleasure (and women, too) was playing and talking with their kids. But when men were asked to rate how often they actually did those things, their scores were about 10 and 40 percent lower than women's. In the end, perhaps the issue is not that mothers are doing too many childcare tasks--my husband was right when he said I liked being a mother--but that men, for all their progress as fathers, are still missing out. What can we learn from the passage? Answer: Women spend more time with children than before. Jim is a little boy. He stays with his grandma. He likes sweets and cakes. He always eats some food with sweets before he goes to bed. And as soon as he gets up in the morning, he can find some cakes on the table in his bedroom. One morning, before Jim got up, his grandma took some cakes to his bedroom. She saw Jim crying in bed. "What's the matter, dear?" his grandma asked in a hurry. "I've a bad toothache," said Jim. So his grandma had to take him to the dentist's. The dentist pulled out the bad tooth for him at last. Two days later Jim felt better and was at school again. Mrs. Hunt asked, "What was the matter with you those days, Jim?" "I had a bad toothache, madam," answered Jim. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," said Mrs. Hunt. "Is it better now?" "I don't know, madam. I left it with the dentist." Jim away was away from school for _ . Answer: two days
What kind of sports impressed you most during your childhood? Maybe racing around the playground or skipping rope for hours would bring you pleasure. At that time you weren't thinking of fitness, you were just thinking of entertainment. But in this age of high-tech home equipment and underused gym memberships, the simple joy of jumping rope has been forgotten. I think rediscovering it probably will give you a total-body exercise. Although considered an excellent form of exercise, jumping rope has never received widespread acceptance because of two reasons. First,most people recognize jumping rope as an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise, but they also believe that it is simply too difficult. In other words, they don't think they'll be able to continue jumping for the near 20 minutes in order to achieve a beneficial physical effect. Second, many regard it as somewhat boring and overly repetitive --not as something fun or enjoyable. _ . Instead of doing the usual two-foot bounce over and over again, players good at rope-jumping often change their pattern every 10 or 20 jumps. A single bounce, a double -bounce , a skip, a knee-up, side swings , as well as a variety of other easy-to-learn free-style rope-jumping . Nowadays researchers are discovering that jumping rope also prepares the brain for learning . It is an exercise allowing both brain hemispheres to perform equallyto each other . In short, jumping rope can be a life-long activity requiring little equipment, time and space , yet leading to a much healthier life. According to the researchers , jumping rope _ . Answer: helps both brain hemispheres work together Arthur and Celia, brother and sister, both of legal age, inherited Goodacre, their childhood home, from their father. They thereby became tenants in common. Goodacre had never been used as anything except a residence. Arthur had been residing on Goodacre with his father at the time his father died. Celia had been residing in a distant city. After their father's funeral, Arthur continued to live on Goodacre, but Celia returned to her own residence. There was no discussion between Arthur and Celia concerning their common ownership, nor had there ever been any administration of their father's estate. Arthur paid all taxes, insurance, and other carrying charges on Goodacre. He paid no rent or other compensation to Celia, nor did Celia request any such payment. Thirty years later, a series of disputes arose between Arthur and Celia for the first time concerning their respective rights to Goodacre. The jurisdiction where the land is located recognizes the usual common law types of cotenancies, and there is no applicable legislation on the subject. If Arthur claims the entire title to Goodacre in fee simple and brings an action against Celia to quiet title in himself, and if the state where the land is located has an ordinary 20-year adverse possession statute, the decision should be for Answer: Celia, because there is no evidence that Arthur has performed sufficient acts to constitute her ouster. Scientists discovered 163 new species in Southeast Asia's Greater Mekong region last year,but all are at risk of extinction due to climate change,the WWF said in a report released Friday. The newly discovered creatures include a birdeating frog with fangs ,a bird that would rather walk than fly and a gecko whose alien appearance inspired the report's title of "Close Encounters",the conservation group said. The report was released ahead of major UN talks on climate change in Bangkok next week,which are being held before a makeorbreak summit in Copenhagen this December. "Some species will be able to adapt to climate change,and many will not,potentially resulting in massive extinction," Stuart Chapman,director of the WWF Greater Mekong program,said in the report."Rare and endangered species like those newly discovered are especially vulnerable because climate change will further shrink their already restricted habitats," he said. "The new discoveries in 2010 include 100 plants,28 fish,18 reptiles,14 amphibians,2 mammals and a bird,"the WWF report said.The area spans Cambodia,Laos,Myanmar,Thailand,Vietnam and China's Yunnan Province. "Among the new species is the birdeating fanged frog,which remains hidden in a protected area of Thailand despite the fact that scientists are studying there for 40 years," the report said. The tigerstriped pit viper was discovered accidentally on an island off the coast of Vietnam when a scientist was looking for a lizard and his son pointed out that his hand was on a rock right next to the snake's fangs."We caught the snake and the gecko and they both proved to be new species," researcher Lee Grismer of La Sierra University in California was quoted as saying in the report.The leopard gecko,found on another Vietnamese island,has the coloring of a leopard and bizarre orange,catlike eyes and thin legs. The Greater Mekong region has proved a rich area for scientists.The WWF said in December 2010 that it had found 1,068 new species there between 1997 and 2009. When Lee Grismer discovered the tigerstriped pit viper,he probably felt _ . Answer: excited Now many people like the game Angry Birds. Here is a piece of good news for them--soon there will be a lot of Angry Birds-themed activity parks around the world. The first two parks opened in Finland last year, and a few other parks are going to open in the UK. However, people still don't know when and where Angry Birds-themed activity parks will open in the UK. "As a kind of online game, it is popular with people of all ages. It's really an interesting game. And the parks will be interesting places for everyone around the world," said Peter Vesterbacka, an officer of Angry Birds Company. He also said, "We want to make Angry Birds a part of pop culture. We're just getting started." Angry Birds-themed activity parks have many interesting places for children to play. They like _ very much. People can see the characters and colors from the game in the park. People can also play the Angry Birds game on large screens in the park. The company wants to invite people to not only play it on the sofa, but to go out, move around and have fun. So everyone will be happy in Angry Birds-themed activity parks. Angry Birds is _ . Answer: an online game Mary is from the U.S.A. She has two brothers. Now her family are in China. Her father, Mr. Peterson teaches English in Xihu Middle School. And her mother works in the same school. She teaches English, too. Mary likes red clothes very much. Her mother likes red clothes a lot, too. Mary is a nice girl student. She is in Xihu Middle School .She can speak Chinese. She has many Chinese friends. She teaches them English, and they teach her Chinese. Her two brothers are twins. One is Bob, the other is Bill. They look the same. They are only three. So their grandparents look after them at home. Mrs. Peterson has many toys for the twins. Bob likes toy cars, but Bill likes toy bears. They are happy every day. Mr. Peterson is a _ . Answer: teacher
More than half of the parents in the United States are helping, or have helped, support their adult children who have been hit by high unemployment and poor wages , according to a new survey. It showed that present economic conditions are discouraging young adults from leaving home and forcing those who have already gone, so-called boomerang kids, to return. "Parents are continuing their financial involvement longer than we expected," said Ted Beck, president of National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE). About 60 percent of parents questioned in the survey said they're helping their adult children who are no longer in school financially. Half are providing housing and nearly half are helping with living expenses. For an increasing number of adult children, the situation is bad. Two-thirds of adult children, aged 18 to 39, who are not in school said they faced tougher financial pressures than previous generations, according to the survey. And nearly one-third of parents agreed that it was easier for them to find their financial feet than for their children. Parents are helping their children out of genuine concern because they do not want to see them struggle. But Beck said that parents who make sacrifices to help their adult children should be careful about their own finances. "If you are taking on extra debt or delaying retirement to help your adult child, you could be making a mistake and putting your own financial future in danger," Beck warned. Boomerang children can also cause other problems for their parents. Thirty percent of parents said they had given up privacy since their adult children moved back home, while more than a quarter have taken on added debt, and seven percent have delayed retirement. But the survey also showed 42 percent of adult children living at home are helping with the cooking and cleaning. According to the survey, we can infer that _ . Answer: about 30% of parents offer their adult children housing Everyone is born with their own built-in burglar alarms, called the sense of sight and sound.Unluckily, many of us go around with the alarm turned off. We don't see the stranger wandering outside the house next door. We don't notice the sounds from the flat upstairs. (Weren't they supposed to be on holiday?) The police can only do so much to prevent crime. There never can be enough of them to guard every home in every town. So they need your help in fighting with the burglars,the vandals , and the car thieves. Not, of course, by setting out to have a go every time you see something suspicious. It'll always be the job of the police to arrest criminals. But by acting as a line of communication between them and your community, for instance, you probably know far more about your immediate neighborhoods than the police ever could. A stranger in someone's garden would probably be far more obvious to you than it would to even the local police, if, of course, you were on the look-out. That's the whole idea behind the Neighborhood Watch schemes, springing up around the country to create a spirit of watchfulness within a community, anything suspicious being reported to the police. It's early days yet, but results so far are very encouraging. The crime figures are already dropping in many of the areas running the scheme. And all due to people like you. One of the ways we could help prevent crime is to _ . Answer: look out for people behaving suspiciously Using nonrenewable resources for energy produces waste products that can have long-term, negative effects on Earth's subsystems. Which energy source produces waste products that can have these effects for the longest amount of time? Answer: uranium A purse containing a million dollars worth of jewelry was on its way back to its owner inprefix = st1 /Canadaafter being forgotten on a bench in a town nearSan Francisco, police said . Shahla Ghannadian had entrusted her 2 , 00-dollar Louis Vuitton handbag and its precious contents to her husband after they stopped at an ice cream parlor in the city ofSunday, according to authorities . He left it on a bench near a downtown parking lot , and the oversight was not noticed until the couple was back at their hotel , saidSausalitopolice sergeant Kurtis Skoog The couple had traveled from Toronto toSan Franciscofor a daughter's wedding . The purse contained a Cartier watch , cash , and jewelry worn by the mother and the bride at the ceremony , said Skoog . The gems included emeralds , pearls and diamonds , one of them a 12-karat stone , according to police . Ghannadian and her husband had a bit of sightseeing before catching a flight back toCanadaon Sunday night . Family members checked the bench , but the purse was gone . Local resident John Suhroff walked into the police department the next day with the bag , its contents intact , Skoog said . Suhroff handed the bag to a clerk , saying it held " either costume of junk jewelry " . " We caped the owner . and they were excited , " said Skoog . A family friend picked up the bag and was to take it to Ghannadian . The family indicated Ssuhroff was in line for a reward , but did not specify an amount , Skoog said . We may infer _ from the passage . Answer: the couple may reward the finder more of less If you do not use your arms or your legs some time, they become weak; when you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows this and nobody would think of questioning this fact. Yet there are many people who do not seem to know that memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by exercising it frequently either consciously or unconsciously. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he doesn't give it enough chances to become strong. If a friend complains that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his own fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think his parents are to blame and that he is just unlucky, and few of us realize that it is just as much as his own fault as if it is his arms or legs that were weak. If someone's memory is poor, _ . Answer: he should give it more chances to become strong
The winter vacation is coming. I don't want to spend more time playing. I decide to work to make money for the next term. But I don't know what work I can do. Now, my mother is writing a book. She is busy and tired. I want to type for her for pay. When I tell her, she is very happy. She agrees to pay me 5 yuan for 1,000 words. But she asks me to do it carefully. It is a hard job for me. I type so slowly that I can type only 800 words a day. But I don't want to give up. I will keep typing all day long. I think I can type faster and faster. I plan to finish the work in two weeks. Then, I will do my winter homework. I begin to know how hard it is to make money. And I really know the meaning of "Where there's a will, there's a way." Which is NOT true according to the passage? Answer: He is a lazy child. Like distance runners on a measured course,all of us will move through time in a roughly predictable pattern. In the first stage of our lives,we develop and grow, reaching toward the top of physical vitality . After we grow up,however, the body begins a process of gradually wearing out. A new awareness of physical fitness may help lengthen our years of health and vitality,yet nothing we do will work to stop the unavoidable force of aging. Most of the changes of aging take place deep inside the body.The lungs become less able to take in oxygen.Powerful muscles gradually lose their strength.The heart loses power and pumps less blood.Bones grow easier to break. Finally, we meet a stress,a stress that is greater than our physical resistance.Often,it is only a minor accident or chance infection(a disease caused by virus),but this time, _ brings life to an end. In 1932,a classic experiment nearly doubled the lifetime of rats,simply by cutting back the calories in their diet The reason for the effect was then unknown. Today, at the University of California at Berkley, Dr.Paul Seagle has also greatly lengthened the normal lifetime of rats.The result was achieved through a special protein limited diet,which had a great effect on the chemistry of the brain.Seagle showed that within the brain,specific chemicals control many of the signals that influence aging.By changing that chemical balance,the clock of aging can be reset. For the first time, the mystery of why we age is being seriously challenged.Scientists in many fields are now making striking and far-reaching discoveries. An average lifetime lasts 75 years,yet in each of us lies a potential for a longer life.If we could keep the vitality and resistance to disease that we have at age twenty, we would live for 800 years. Which of the following is not a change of aging? Answer: The lungs become unable to take in oxygen. It is cold outside in winter, but winter is also an interesting season. You can do some outdoor winter activities for fun. It is important to choose the right outdoor activity in winter. Playing outside won't make you sick. Before you go out to have fun, wear gloves, coats and warm socks and warm shoes. And you should drink enough water. Bring some water with you when you go outside in winter. There are many outdoor activities you can do in winter. You can roll snowballs and make a snowman with your friends or your family. Making a snowman is a good _ for little children. For elder ones, they can choose skating. _ can go to a skating class before going skating. Skiing and snowboarding are also fun activities in winter. All your family can enjoy the activities. At last, hiking in winter can also be fun. But you should go with many people. Don't go alone. Which of the following sentences is true according to the article? Answer: It is important to choose the right outdoor activity in winter. As Rosalie Warren stood at the mailbox in the lobby of her apartment building in May 1980, she shared the anxiety of many other college seniors. In her hand was an envelope containing her final grades. As she nervously opened it, Warren wondered whether her hundreds of hours of studying had paid off. They had. "I got five 'A's," she still recalls with elation. "I almost fell on the floor!" Warren would graduate from Suffolk University with a bachelor of science degree in philosophy and history at age 80.Three years later, at age 83, she would receive her second degree from Suffolk, a master's in education. Now, with both diplomas proudly displayed in her apartment, Warren is not finished with learning. "That's what I love." Warren was born Rosalie Levey on Aug.29, 1900. Two years after she entered high school, her father died. Warren had to leave school for factory work to help support her family's 10 children. Warren describes herself as a "person who always liked school," and she says the move "broke my heart completely because I couldn't finish high school." In the end, however, "I went to school nights," she recalls. "Any place I could find an outlet of learning and teaching, I was there." A short time later, her mother became ill, and Warren had to care for her, once again putting her education on hold. Finally, in 1921, her mother, now recovered, drew from her saving to send Warren to Boston University for two years to study typing, stenography, and office procedures. Those courses helped Warren gain several long-term office positions over the next 60 years, but her great desire "to be in the academic field" continued. In 1924, she married Eugene Warren, and seven years later, her daughter, Corinne, was born. In 1955, by then a widow and a grandmother, Warren took a bus tour across the United States that was to last nine months. She said she wanted to see "things you never see in the West End." When she returned home, she took a bookkeeping position and also enrolled in courses in philosophy, sociology And Chinese history. free program for senior citizens." I was at the registrar's office the very next day."she recalls. At first ,she took one or two courses at a time , but encouraged by her professors , she enrolled as a In 1975, when she was 75, Warren learned from a neighbor about Suffolk University's tuition- degree candidate. "I had not studied for so many years," she says, "but I was determined." For the next four years, Warren, who calls herself a "student of philosophy," worked toward her degree. Nancy Stoll, dean of students at Suffolk, says Warren is "an interesting role model for our younger students---that learning is a lifetime activity....She is genuinely enthusiastic about being here, and that permeates her activities and is contagious to students and faculty." It can be inferred from this passage that Rosalie Warren _ . Answer: put her family before her education How You Can Learn a Language in Only 10 Days Most people recognize the many benefits of learning a foreign language: You can travel to foreign countries and feel comfortable, be a more productive and attractive employee in today's competitive job market, and immerse yourself in the vast cultures around the world. In addition, scientific studies have shown that learning a new language helps to keep memories sharp and naturally improves brain function. But do you know that you can learn a new language in as little as 10 days? The Pimsleur Approach to learning new languages help users pick up new languages quickly .Even the FBI and National Security Agency have purchased the Pimsleur Approach. The Pimsleur Languag Programs The entire Pimsleur Approach is what language learning should be : quick, fun and easy. You will learn a new language effortlessly without any reading, writing or computer use. The Pimsleur Approach has a 100 percent guarantee : speak in 10 days or you don't pay. Who is Dr. Pimsleur? Pimsleur Approach is a language educator. He noticed that children have an amazing ability to learn new languages quickly. He spent his life developing this course to let you , as an adult , learn a new language as easily as a child would .You might not realize it , but you have already learned one language using the Pimsleur Approach. Limited availability of special offers The company is currently offering new customers a special offer of 50 % discount on tuition fees.The programs which normally cost $100 are now available for just %50. Better yet ,they are also offering a money-back guarantee. So ,if you find you are not learning as fast as they said , simply return it for a full payment . For more information , please click here. If you can not speak a foreign language in ten days with the approach, you can _ Answer: ask your money back .
Question: Do we think only with the brain? Hardly. The brain is like a telephone exchange. It is the switchboard, but not the whole system. Its function is to receive incoming signals, make proper connections, and send the messages through to their destination. For efficient service, the body must function as a whole. But where is the "mind"? Is it in the brain or perhaps in the nervous system? After all, can we say that the mind is in any particular place? It is not a thing, like a leg, or even the brain. It is a function, an activity. Aristotle, twenty-three hundred years ago, observed that the mind was to the body what cutting was to the ax. When the ax is not in use, there is no cutting. So it is with the mind. "Mind," said Charles H. Woolbert, "is what the body is doing." If this activity is necessary for thinking, it is also necessary for carrying thought from one person to another. Observe how people go about the business of ordinary conversation. If you have never done this carefully, you have a surprise in store, for good conversationalists are almost constantly in motion. Their heads are continually nodding and shaking sometimes so vigorously that you wonder how their necks can stand the strain. Even the legs and feet are active. As for the hands and arms, they are seldom still for more than a few seconds at a time. These people, remember, are not making speeches. They are only common people trying to make others understand what they have in mind. They are not conscious of movement. Their speech is not studies. They are just human creatures in a human environment, trying to adapt themselves to a social situation. Yet they converse, not only with oral language, but with visible actions that involve practically every muscle in the body. In short, because people really think all over, a speaker must talk all over if he succeeds in making people think. In communication, it is essential not only to employ speech, but also . A. to speak directly to the other person B. to use the variety of bodily movements C. to be certain that the other person is listening D. to pay great attention to the other person's behavior Answer: B. to use the variety of bodily movements Question: Tim Richter and his wife, Linda, had taught for over 30 years near Buffalo, New York--he in computers, she in special education."Teaching means everything to us," Tim would say. In April 1998, he learned he would need a heart operation. It was the kind of news that leads to some serious thinking about life's purpose. Not long after the surgery, Tim saw a brochure describing Imagination Library, a program started by Dolly Parton's foundation that mailed a book every month to children from birth to age five in the singer's home town of Sevier, Tennessee. "I thought, maybe Linda and I could do something like this when we retire,"Tim recalls. He placed the brochure on his desk,"as a reminder." Five years later, now retired and with that brochure still on the desk, Tim clicked on imagination library .com. The program had been opened up to partners who could take advantage of book and postage discounts. The quality of the books was of great concern to the Richters. Rather than sign up online, they went to Dollywood for a looksee. "We didn't want to give the children rubbish," says Linda. The books reviewed each year by teachers, literacy specialists and Dollywood board members included classics such as Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day and newer books like Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama series. Satisfied, the couple set up the Richter Family Foundation and got to work. Since 2004, they have shipped more than 12,200 books to preschoolers in their area. Megan Williams, a mother of four, is more than appreciative: "This program introduces us to books I've never heard of ." The Richters spend about $400 a month sending books to 200 children. "Some people sit there and wait to die," says Tim. "Others get as busy as they can in the time they have left." Why did the Richters go to Dollywood? A. To avoid signing up online. B. To meet Dollywood board members. C. To make sure the books were the newest. D. To see if the books were of good quality. Answer: D. To see if the books were of good quality. Question: With their weakening bodies, advanced age or increasing pressure of work or study, people have been advised and usually persuaded to have health care products. Do you remember your first time to take a nutritional supplement ? What was your first impression? Posted by Amy, Dec.23, 2010 8:05 P.M. Madeline on Dec.24, 2010 7:25 P.M. Years ago, as a young mom with two small children, I struggled to keep up with the demands of a busy life. One day, I woke up feeling so tired that I knew something had to change! A friend gave me some Royal Jelly--an amazing substance from the beehive .I was doubtful, but desperate...so I tried it! In time, I began to experience renewed energy like never before! Now, over two decades later, I travel all round the country, sharing my lifechanging experience. I'm grateful for the energy to keep up and love to share this wonderful discovery with others. Blanca on Dec.25, 2010 7:02 P.M. Ten years ago, when I was 73, my mind wanted to be busy and useful, but my body didn't. I became very tired. That's when my daughter Madeline tried to persuade me to try her special Royal Jelly. It made great difference in her life, so she was sure it could help me too! Hesitating for 2 days, I gave in. She was right! I no longer felt worn out. I had a new, youthful eagerness for life and I've been OK--thanks to Royal Jelly! Lori on Dec.25, 2010 10:27 P.M. When my mom Madeline was introduced to Royal Jelly, it affected my life, too! Mom gave me some of her fantastic Royal Jelly. Boy, things did turn around! I had more energy and _ and was finally able to keep up with high school and, eventually, college activities. Today, I'm a busy mom in my mid thirties with two active boys and a new business! I have enough energy to do it all! I'm glad I took my Mom's advice. Which of the following is TRUE of Blanca? A. She replied to the topic on Christmas Eve. B. She tried Royal Jelly without hesitation. C. She was the second one to reply to the topic. D. She's now supposed to be in her seventies. Answer: C. She was the second one to reply to the topic. Question: People in several American states may be surprised to see cars on city streets without a driver. Experimental driverless vehicles now are legal in Florida, Nevada and California. They are pointing the way to a future that is not far down the road. The high-tech company Google has a number of self-driving cars, which had covered 480,000 kilometers by August. Volvo is among the companies doing road tests and says it plans to sell driverless cars by 2020. In September, California Governor Jerry Brown signed an act to allow autonomous vehicles on the roads of his state. " Today we're looking at science fiction becoming tomorrow's reality-the driverless car. " The technology for these cars includes cameras, radar and motion sensors. The systems have been improved through competitions sponsored by the U. S. government agency DARPA. Engineer Richard Mason of the Rand Corporation helped design driverless vehicles for DARPA challenge races. Cars have become much more fuel-efficient, and new electronic features are' making Hondas safer, said Angie Nucci of Honda America. " A camera on the passenger-side mirror actually engaged on your guiding screen so you can safely change lanes. " Other safety features include warning systems on the front and the sides of the cars. These systems help drivers , but don't replace them. Curator Leslie Kendall of the Petersen Automotive Museum said autonomous cars will make the high ways safer. "By taking out drivers, you also remove most risks of an accident," Kendall said. He said consumers, however, may be unwilling to lose control. "It may take them time to come to realize that the technology is indeed reliable, but it will have to prove itself first. " Mason said the technology already works and the biggest challenge now is getting down the cost for driverless vehicles from hundreds of thousands of dollars to something more affordable. He said this will happen as the technology is improved. ks5u We learn that Governor of California Jerry Brown _ . A. helped design self-driving cars. B. supports self-driving cars on roads. C. considers self-driving cars science fiction. D. improved the self-driving car systems. Answer: B. supports self-driving cars on roads. Question: London has a new magazine.However,it is not printed on paper any more.Everyone who has a television can receive it because it is already on TV! In order to read this magazine,you need to have a decoder.Each page of it is numbered,so you have to dial a number to choose which subject you want to read about.You have a wide choice of topics to choose from-everything from cooking to the latest news. If you want to read some news,the first thing you have to do is to check at the index page which has an easy-to-remember page number,1 00 for example.From page 100,you can then choose from the news articles on page 101 to 109.From here,you will have to key in the numbers again.Then,the news will appear written across your screen.If you want to go out in the afternoon,you can press 181,and a brightly color1ed weather map will appear on the screen.But if you want to buy some cheap things,you can press 162 for a list of the week's best bargains.And whether you should drive or just take the train,you can simply press 189 for the traffic report.This new magazine on TV is very simple to use.But probably,the best thing about the service is that is being updated all the time.Journalists type new materials directly onto screen and the page of the magazine is replaced in minutes. London already has three services.One,transmitted by ITV ,is called ORACLE while the other two,on BBC,are called CEEFAX because they let you see facts.Although CEEFAX and ORACLE have been operating for some time, they have not been well publicized.BBC engineers do not think that their idea will ever replace books and newspapers because this new invention can't be taken with you wherever you go.But many people would agree that this is a breakthrough as great as the invention of printing, which could change not only our reading habits but also our lifestyles. Which is NOT right according to the passage? A. The novelty of the magazine lies in its simplicity in operation. B. Everyone can buy this magazine. C. Some people consider this magazine cannot take the place of books and newspaper. D. When you read the new magazine,you have more choice. Answer: B. Everyone can buy this magazine.
When Lady Gaga releases a new, pleasing and easily remembered single, it quickly goes around the world. Now scientists have discovered the same thing happens with the songs of another creature----the humpback whale. The mammals become absorbed by new tunes just like people do, and the most popular original whale songs spread globally like hit singles. Male humpback whales are famed for the loud, long and complicated songs they make during the mating season. Each song lasts for 10 to 20 minutes and the males can sing nonstop for 24 hours. At any one time, all the males in a population sing the same song. But a study shows that this song changes over time and spreads around the oceans. Dr. Ellen Garland of Queensland University, said: "Songs move like cultural communication from one population to another, causing all males to change their song to a new version." Researchers recorded songs from six neighboring populations of whales in the Pacific over a decade. They found that new versions of the songs appear over time and always spread from west to east. It takes two years for songs that appear in the waters off Australia to be heard in French Polynesia. Most of the new songs contain material from the previous year mixed with something new. " It would be like getting an old Beatles song together with U2," she said. " Occasionally they completely throw the current song out of the window and start singing a completely new song". Dr. Garland believes that a small number of whales may migrate to other populations carrying the new songs with them, or that they are heard by passing whales. The researchers suspect whales adopt new songs to make themselves distinct. Dr. Garland said: " we think this male search for new songs is in the hope of being that little bit different and perhaps more attractive to the opposite sex." According to the text, male humpback whales sing new songs to _ A. follow the fashion. B. attract female whales. C. communicate with each other. D. get accepted by another population. Answer: B. attract female whales. When many people see birds cleaning their feathers, . But, in reality, what they are doing is maintaining their wings, the instruments that they depend on for safe flight. If a bird's wings are not in perfect condition, the bird either won't be able to fly or won't be able to control its flight. That is why after a long flight and even throughout the day, you will see them cleaning their feathers. Most birds, if they get a chance, will take a bath at least once a day. They do this to get rid of the dust that has accumulated in their feathers throughout their flight s during the day. In dry or desert areas, birds will not always be able to find water in which to bath, but they still need to clean their feathers. What many birds will do is to take dust baths. They will roll around in dust until it covers their feathers. They will stand up, shaking the dust out, and then clean their feathers with their beaks as usual. Baths are important for another reason. During the course of the day and night, many parasites are attracted to birds. Bugs, mites, fleas and so on will try to reach birds and suck from their blood. Daily baths help to keep the parasites to a minimum. Some birds, especially those that spend a lot of time in or around water, have skin glands that produce oil. After bathing, these birds will squeeze the glands to spread the oil over their wings to keep them free of water. If you are a bird lover and have bird houses in your yard, it can be good to go to the extra step, providing a bird bath. Once the birds in your neighborhood discover it, you will be surprised at how popular it becomes as they periodically stop by to take their daily bath. What's the passage mainly about? A. How birds clean themselves. B. What birds enjoy doing. C. Why baths matter so much to birds. D. What bird lovers should do. Answer: C. Why baths matter so much to birds. The first ever trans-Atlantic telephone call was made from New York City to London in 1927. In keeping with this spirit, we'd like to tell you some of our other communication records: * Most spammed person Microsoft chairman William H.Gates III(the U.S.A.)receives up to four million spams each day. However, with the help of all the people who are working in Microsoft and anti-spam technology, only around ten spares reach his inbox per day. * Earliest e-mail In l971,Ray Tomlinson,an engineer at the computer company, and Newman in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the U.S.A. sent the first e-mail.At first it was an experiment to see if he could get two computers to exchange a message.(It was Ray who decided to use the @ symbol to separate the other's name from their location. The first e-mail message was "QWERTYUIOP") * Largest LAN party The largest LAN(Local Area Network)party was made up of 8531 unique computers and 9184 members in Sweden from 30 November to 2 December 2006. * Most telephone books torsi in three minutes Tina Shelton tore 21 telephone books at last, each with l028 numbered pages in a time of three minutes in California, the U.S.A. on 9 February 2007. How long did Tina Shelton tear all the telephone books'? A. Three minutes. B. Sixty-three minutes. C. Two minutes. D. Sixty-two minutes. Answer: B. Sixty-three minutes. DNA is the whole "map" of the human body. It is something that all human have, and it tells the body what to do. DNA is the reason that we look like our parents, because we get some of their DNA to make our own. People have been trying to understand the human body for a long time. In 1860, Mr. Mendel discovered why we look the same as other people in our family. It is because of small things called "genes" in our body. In 1953, two scientists, Watson and Crick, found out that those small parts are really messages. They're written in the DNA with a special language. In 1961, another two scientists found the first "word" that they could understand in that language. It shows how DNA tells the cell to build its parts. So far, scientists have found all the words in the DNA map, but we still do not understand what they all do. By understanding what just one "word" means, we can help to save people from several illnesses. So the more we understand, the more doctors will be able to do. Most people hope that this will help to make better medicine and help sick people. Other people worry that when we learn more "words" and and find out more information, we will use it in the wrong way, just to make people more attractive, or stop sick people getting jobs. When did Mr. Mendel discover why we look the same as other people in our family? A. In 2000 B. In 1961. C. In 1953 D. In 1860 Answer: D. In 1860 Oldest , Youngest , or in the Middle ? Were you the first or last child in your family? Or were you a middle or the only child? Some people think it matters where you were born in your family. But there are different ideas about what birth order means. Some people say that oldest children are smart and strong-willed. They are very likely to be successful. The reason for this is simple. Parents have a lot of time for their first child. They give him or her a lot of attention. So this child is very likely to do well. An only child will succeed for the same reasons. What happens to the other children in a family? Middle children don't get so much attention. So they don't feel that important. If a family has many children, the middle ones sometimes get lost in the crowd. The youngest child, though, often gets special treatment. He or she is the "baby". Often this child grows up to be funny and charming. Do you believe these ideas about birth order? A recent study saw things quite differently. This study found that the first children believed in family rules. They didn't take many chances in their lives. They usually followed their own ideas . They took chances. And they often did better in life. Which _ about birth order do you believe? Look at your own family or you friends' families. Decide which idea fits what you see. This passage is about _ . A. why the oldest children in a family usually succeed B. why some children refuse to follow orders C. ways in which birth order may affect how children grow up D. how people have a lot of trouble agreeing about ideas Answer: C. ways in which birth order may affect how children grow up
Question: Before you go to another country, it is a great help if you know the language and some of the customs of the country. When people meet each other for the first time in Britain, they say "How do you do?" and shake hands . Usually they do not shake hands when they just meet or say goodbye. But they shake hands after they haven't met for a long time or when they will be away from each other for a long time. Last year a group of German students went to England for a holiday. Their teacher told them that the English people hardly shake hands. So when they met their English friends at the station, they kept their hands behind their backs. The English students had learned that Germans shake hands as often as possible, so they put their hands in front and got ready to shake hands with them. It made both of them laugh. English people usually shake hands when they _ . A. meet every time B. meet for the first time C. say goodbye to each other D. very bad Answer: B. meet for the first time Question: Which body of water has the fewest plants and animals living in it? A. ocean B. stream C. glacier D. estuary Answer: C. glacier Question: Nowadays it is common that people are buying more products and services than ever before through the Internet, so do Americans. And experts say the popularity of online sales is likely to spread to other countries. Online sales now represent as much as 10% of all retail sales in the United States. This has led traditional stores to seek new ways to keep their customers loyal. Taking Lynne for example, she made good use of the Internet. she used the Internet to buy everything she needed for her Wedding and holiday gifts for her husband and stepdaughter. Other than food, 90% of her purchases were made on her home computer. "I find that, by being able to go online, choose the things that I need, and have them delivered to me right at my doorstep, I _ all the driving, all the crowds, all the noise of that, and I usually get a better selection." There are a lot of people like her. Experts say American online shopping hit records in both November and December. 57% of Americans have bought something electronically. Store owners worry that this growing amount of online sales will hurt their business. Cornell University marketing professor Ed Melaughlin says they can keep their customers by selling goods like clothing, which buyers may want to see and try on before purchasing. The stores could also offer things that are difficult to ship. Besides, some stores can please customers by offering to repair electronic products. Bill Martin is the founder of Shopper Trak. His business helps stores learn about their customers. He said, "There is still a lot of emotion in the buying decision, you know, that takes place. Often you need that last sense of "Boy, this is exactly what I want before you are ready to part with money, and you can't always get that online. It's a rather cold process." While e-commerce worries some business owners, the only worry for delivery services is keeping up with the number of packages. UPS manager Dana Kline says her company is very busy at this time of the year. UPS is so busy that it has filled 55,000 temporary work positions during the holiday season. The example of Lynne is mentioned in the passage to show _ . A. online sales will replace traditional sales sooner or later B. online business has changed many Americans' life C. traditional stores can't offer enough food to their customers D. traditional stores find new ways to keep their customers loyal Answer: B. online business has changed many Americans' life Question: My daughter and I collected the empty cans and bottles in our home this morning.We had 6 full garbage bags later so I knew we would be spending a bit more of time at the recycling center.When we got there,a man and his kids were also doing the morning recycling and were using two of the four machines to recycle their plastic and cans.Luckily,we were able to use the 2 remaining machines. Of course,there were others that came,but when they saw the two families with garbage bags full of recycled things,they quickly left.However,one woman came in with just 5 cans and looked as if she was in a hurry.So I stopped what I was doing and let her in to recycle her cans.Of course,she was grateful,and it felt good to let her go ahead of me.But that was not the whole story. My daughter and I continued to work through the bags,but the plastic recycling machine stopped working because it was full.My daughter was left with nothing to do.The other family was still using the other two plastic recycling machines,but it seemed that they were almost done.I just told my daughter we would have to wait until they were done.But the man of the other family came through with another act of kindness.He offered to let us go ahead of him.I was really surprised,because we had more than 5 bottles,but he didn't seem to mind.I happily accepted _ It was great to give and then to get an act of kindness in turn.It was small,I didn't expect it,but it surely brightened up my day. Why couldn't the writer finish her recycling in time? A. Because her daughter' s machine stopped working. B. Because the other family was still using the machines. C. Because she let the other family use her machine first. D. Because she helped recycle the other family's bags first. Answer: A. Because her daughter' s machine stopped working. Question: The first English dictionary was published in 1604. The dictionary was actually nothing more than a list of about 3, 000 difficult words, each followed by a one-word definition. The author, Robert Cawdrey, made no attempt to include everyday words in his dictionary. No one, he reasoned, would ever have to look up a word in a dictionary if he already knew the meaning of the word. During the 1600's more dictionaries were published. Each followed Cawdrey's lead and presented a few thousand hard words. Around 1700 one dictionary maker, John Kersey, did define easy words as well as hard words. But until the 1750's all the dictionaries were rather crude and not very valuable. A man named Dr Samuel Johnson changed all this. In 1755 Dr Johnson produced the first modern dictionary. He included in his dictionary all important words, both easy and hard, and he gave good meanings. He also gave good sentences to show how each word was actually used in speech and in writing. By the end of the 1700's most dictionary makers had followed Johnson's example. Dictionaries were getting better and better. The 1800's saw the greatest improvement in the quality of dictionaries. In England scholars planned and prepared the Oxford English Dictionary, a twenty-volume (;;) work. One of the most interesting features of the Oxford Dictionary is its word histories. It traces (;) the history of each word from its earliest recorded use up to the time of the printing of the dictionary. The first English dictionary _ . A. defined easy words as well as hard ones B. was just a list of difficult words with one-word definitions C. included a number of everyday words D. was considered to be a very valuable one Answer: B. was just a list of difficult words with one-word definitions
Question: Taxpayers in America pay less in income tax than many Europeans, according to a Pew Research Center report. Belgium has the highest income tax rate, at nearly 56 percent of income, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD. Taxpayers in the U.S. pay less than 36 percent of their incomes into the national treasury. Taxes pay for services provided by the government. The U.S. ranks 25 of the 34 developed countries polled in the report. An unmarried person with no children was used as an example in the report. In America, an unmarried person, with no children, making the average wage of $50,000 in 2014 paid 24.8 percent of their income in federal income tax and payroll taxes . A similar person living in Belgium would pay 42.3 percent of their income. The average among the 39 countries in the poll was 27.3 percent income tax. The deadline to pay taxes in America is usually April 15. This year, the deadline is April 18. American taxpayers complain that wealthy people and large companies pay too little tax, according to a Pew Research Center poll from 2015. Americans pay tax to fund programs like Social Security and Medicaid, according to the Pew Research Center. Last year, American taxes paid for $888 billion in Social Security benefits. Social Security pays the elderly an income after they stop working. The government also paid more than $546 billion in Medicaid and Medicare benefits. Those programs pay for health and medical care to people who cannot afford it, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. According to the article, which of the following statements is TRUE? A. The income tax rate of America ranks 25 of the world. B. No countries in the world have a higher income tax than that in Belgium. C. Taxpayers in America pay more in income tax than many Europeans. D. The deadline to pay taxes in America is usually between April 15 and April 18 Answer: B. No countries in the world have a higher income tax than that in Belgium. Question: It was a very foggy day in London. The fog was so thick that it was impossible to see more than a foot or so. Buses, cars and taxis were not able to run and were standing by the side of the road. People were trying to find their way about on foot but were losing their way in the fog. Mr. Smith had a very important meeting at the House of Commons and had to get there but no one could take him. He tried to walk there but found he was quite lost. Suddenly he bumped into a stranger. The stranger asked if he could help him. Mr. Smith said he wanted to get to the Houses of Parliament. The stranger told him he would take him there. Mr. Smith thanked him and they started to walk there. The fog was getting thicker every minute but the stranger had no difficulty in finding the way. He went along one street, turned down another, crossed a square and at last after about half an hour's walk they arrived at the Houses of Parliament. Mr. Smith couldn't understand how the stranger found his way. "It is wonderful," he said. "How do you find the way in the fog?" "It is no trouble at all to me," said the stranger, "I am blind." According to the passage, we can infer that "bump into" means _ . A. knock off B. meet by chance C. strike D. traffic accident Answer: B. meet by chance Question: All students should have good study habits. When you have good study habits, you can learn things quickly. You also remember them easily . Do you like to study in the living-room? This is not a good place because it is usually too noisy. You should study in a quiet place, like your bedroom. A quiet place will help you only think about one thing, and you will learn better. Before you begin to study, do not forget to clean your desk. A good desk light is important, too .You'll feel tired easily if there is not much light . You will feel tired easily if there is _ light. A. good B. much C. not much D. nice Answer: C. not much Question: Li Peng is a good student. On weekdays he gets up at six in the morning. He has breakfast at home. Then he reads English from 6:30 to 7:00. He goes to school at seven. He has four classes in the morning. He has lunch at school, but on Sundays he has lunch at home with his family. He has three classes in the afternoon. He leaves school at 5:00. He often has dinner at home. In the evening he sometimes watches TV. Sometimes he does his homework. He goes to bed at ten o'clock every night. Does he sometimes watch TV in the evening? A. No, he doesn't. B. No, he can't. C. Yes, he does. D. I don't know Answer: C. Yes, he does. Question: After successfully serving their terms for 4 years, military service men and women are given the choice to stay in the military or return to civilian life. For some, having to readjust to civilian life is one of the most challenging assignments our returning soldiers and marines will ever to undertake. While people may think readjusting should be simple, they must take into consideration all physical and mental stress our servicemen went through. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder , or PTSD, is a mental disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat . Most survivors of trauma return to normal given a little time. In the military, the marines are given a two-week course on how to return to civilian life. Unfortunately, some will have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse over time. These individual may develop PTSD. People who suffer from PTSD have difficulty sleeping because they are often reliving the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, and feel deserted or often stand off, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly damage the person's daily life. Fullerton College, like most colleges, has its own Veteran's Office. Ray Bustos has been running the office for 3 years. Bustos acts as a liaison for the school and the veteran students. He makes sure the veterans returning to school get the right benefits. There are various types of financial aid for soldiers and marines. He strongly encourages the use of the Veteran Affairs website. The website is very informative and extremely helpful for veterans as well as for friends and relatives of veterans who want to learn more. What problems will some returning soldiers and marines meet with? A. How to readjust to civilian life. B. How to get rid of mental diseases. C. How to get along with PTSD patients. D. How to return to school for benefits. Answer: A. How to readjust to civilian life.
Helping your children to read and write at home will improve their skills and confidence --it will also make them get ready for learning in the classroom environment. _ are needed by every child in every subject in every year of their life in or outside school. Students who improve their reading and writing skills will increase their vocabulary and their ability to use the English language correctly. As parents, you can play an important role in improving your children's literacy . You can make a difference by listening, asking questions, giving information, and reading with your children outside school hours. Here are 8 tips on how to help your children to read and write: ^having everyday conversations with your children ^trying to ask more "wh-" questions instead of easy "yes" or "no" questions ^encouraging your children to talk about events you don't know ^reading to your children each night ^listening to your children read ^teaching your children how to use dictionaries ^talking about your children's writings ^practicing filling in forms, writing letters, sending cards or emails You can also encourage your children to join the Reading Challenge Club and discuss the books they are reading together. In the club, children must read 15 books from the Challenge book list and 5 more books chosen by themselves. There are over 1,000 books on the list. The reading must be done in one year. What's more, it is a wonderful way to help your children to write. For example, you can encourage them to write diaries or book reviews. Remember to make positive(,) comments as much as possible. In the Reading Challenge Club, children have to read _ in one year. Answer: 20 books Imagine yourself halfway across the world in the beautiful hills of South Africa surrounded by the smiling faces of African children.Each day you wake to the sounds of laughing children.This place is Botshabelo, "place of refuge".However, these children were not always laughing, happy or safe.Nearly all of these children have been abused or ignored.Many are HIV positive and all have lost some or all of their family to AIDS.Here at Botshabelo, they are safe from hunger, cold, illness, poverty, hopelessness and fear. These children may live in Africa, but like all children they belong to the world.Through volunteering at the Children's Village, our global student ambassadors will experience themselves in a larger context of life, gain an expanded world view, build confidence and develop understanding of the balance between all living creatures. EXPERIENCES: Our global group will volunteer for two weeks at a Children's Village. Here we will take care of 150 children.The days are always full and never dull.We will volunteer at a lion reserve later, where we will help care for baby lions.We will also spend one day at another reserve taking in the beauty of the African landscape and hoping to catch sight of giraffes, zebras and the African elephants. WHO: Students aged 16 and above are invited to participate as our valued Student Ambassadors.A working knowledge of the English language is required.Adults are invited and needed to participate in the program as Adult Mentors, who will lend your unique skills and support throughout the program.We can promise you all an unforgettable, life-changing journey! WHEN: July 24, 2012 to August 7, 2012 COST: $ 1, 750 plus the cost of airfare What is the author's purpose of writing this text? Answer: To encourage people to join a volunteer program. Some people have the feeling that nothing can be done about their poor reading ability. They feel hopeless about it. Can you learn to read better, or must you agree that nothing can be done about it? To be sure, people are different. You cannot expect to do everything as well as certain other people do. If all the students in a class tried out for basketball, some would be very good players; others would be very poor; . But even the very poor players can become much better players if they are guided in the right way, and with plenty of practice. It is the same with reading. Some seem to enjoy reading and to read well without any special help. Others find reading a slow and tiring job. In between, there are all degrees of reading ability. Many experiments have shown that just about every poor reader can improve his reading ability. In these experiments, the poor readers were given tests of reading ability. After some of the causes of their reading were discovered, they were given special instruction and practice in reading. After a few months, another test of the same kind was given. In nearly all cases, these people had raised their reading scores. 62. To improve their reading ability, people should _ . Answer: have special help and practice No one knows exactly when jazz was invented, or by whom. But it is said that it began in the early 1900s. Jazz was a new kind of music, for America and the world, and New Orleans was its birthplace. Who were the jazz pioneers? Most were blacks. This music was not written down, and at first only blacks played it. It was hard for white musicians to learn the new style. But soon they, too, were playing jazz. The popularity of this music spread. From New Orleans, it traveled up the Mississippi to Chicago, then to Kansas City and New York. By the 1920s, there were many jazz musicians, both black and white. Many of them were famous. One man was better than the rest. His name was Louis Armstrong. Louis Armstrong was a born musician. He was not only talented but also hard-working. He also had a good sense of humor and a big, good-natured smile. These personal qualities were valuable in his rise to fame. After he became famous, he traveled around the world. It seemed that everyone wanted to hear Louis play. But life was not always easy, especially at the beginning. Louis Armstrong was born in 1900 in New Orleans. His father never went to school and his mother could hardly read. When Louis was still a kid, his parents separated, and Louis lived with his mother. How hard their life was can readily be imagined. And yet Louis smiled through everything. He later wrote, "My whole life has been happiness. Life was there for me and I accepted it. Whatever happened has been beautiful to me. I love everybody." What is the passage mainly about? Answer: The development of jazz and its best musician. It is a hot summer day. A group of animals are waiting in line for the bus under the hot sun. They are all swearing . Then Elephant comes and stands in front of all the other animals. "Elephant please wait in line!" the animals tell him. Elephant still stands there and he doesn't say anything. The other animals are very angry, but they can do nothing to Elephant. "He is too big and we are too small," says Ant. "We have to _ to him," says Rabbit. "Hey, do you feel cool now?" asks Monkey. "Yes. We are standing Elephant's shadow ," Panda says happily. Suddenly, they all feel some wind. Oh, how cool! Elephant is fanning(......) the animals with his ears. At last, the bus comes. All the other animals get on, but Elephant still stands there. He doesn't want to get on the bus. "Elephant, the bus is here. Why don't you get on? " asks Monkey. "Oh, I'm just passing by and want to give you some shade ," says Elephant. Now, all the other animals know how friendly Elephant is. What's the best title of this passage? Answer: A friendly elephant
If rye bread is browned in a device, it uses mainly Answer: Decisions, decisions! Our lives are full of them, from the small ones to the life-changing. The right to choose is central to everyone. Yet sometimes we make bad decisions that leave us unhappy or full of regret. Can science help? Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists are finding may help us all make better choices. Here are some of their amazing discoveries to help you make up your mind. Consider your emotions. You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision making, but in fact they're a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain's emotional center is active. University of Southern California scientist, Antonio Damasio, has studied people with damage to only the emotional parts of their brains, and found that they were unable to make basic choices about what to wear or eat. Damasio thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choices, which we use to help the present decision making. However, making choices under the influence of an emotion can greatly affect the result. Take anger, for example. A study by Nitika Garg of the University of Mississippi and other scientists found the angry shoppers were more likely to choose the first thing they were offered rather than considering other choices. It seems anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking. All emotions affect our thinking and motivation , so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there's one emotion that seems to help us make good choices. The American researchers found that sad people took time to consider the various choices on offer, and ended up making the best choices. In fact many studies show that people who feel unhappy have the most reasonable view of the world. Damasio's study suggests that _ . Answer: You Mi, a lovely and confident 17-year-old student, is the first Chinese high school student to appear on the cover of the popular young adults' fashion magazine Seventeen. "You is IN," said Wang LiHua, Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen. "She is active and mature because of her knowledge on everything from academic studies, to books on art, to movies. We found she's the very style we're looking for to represent young people's attitudes." You also impressed Wang with her fluent English when they first met last year. As the hostess of an English broadcasting programme at the High School Attached to Renmin University, You is always praised for speaking English almost like a native speaker. "I've built up my English by watching thousands of English DVDs since I was 10," she explained. But for You, watching isn't enough. Last year, while in Senior 1, she met a talented boy who showed self-made DV movies at the English Corner in her school. "I thought it was so cool and I knew that I should start making my own films," she said. So she wrote a campus story, persuaded schoolmates to star in it and then began shooting a 30-minute DV movie, all in English. "I played one of the leading roles, actually I was everything in my film. I worked on it every single day during the SARS holidays," she recalled. The movie finally became a big hit on campus, earning You a strong reputation as a DV movie director. But this is not the only field she wants to master. Despite being a science student, You likes art, literature and fashion design very much. "There are people who can be artists, there are people who edit books, and there are people who become film producers. But I just hope to mix all the things up!" she said. "There is an old saying I believe: Chance favours only the prepared mind." We can learn from the passage that _ . Answer: Dear Henry, How are you? I'm writing to you in my school. It's a middle school. Our school is very nice. There are about 2000 students and 150 teachers in our school. There are three grades and in each grade there are ten classes. I'm in Class Two, Grade Seven. I go to school from Monday to Friday. There are five classes in the morning and two in the afternoon. We play games every afternoon after class. I like playing soccer very much. I often play it with my classmates. I have three good friends. One of them is Li Lei. He is a Chinese boy. He often helps me with my Chinese. I help him study English. The others are twins. They are Lucy and Lily. They come from England. We often sing and dance together. We are very happy! Please write soon. Yours, Ben How many classes are there in his school? Answer: Pierre is a 25-year-old penguin at the California Academy of Sciences.Due to his old age,he was going bald,which made him feel too cold to swim in the pool.Therefore,biologists at the academy had a wetsuit created for this penguin to help him get back in the swimming pool. Unlike marine mammals,which have a layer of blubber to keep them warm,penguins depend on their waterproof feathers.Without them,Pierre was unwilling to jump into the swimming pool and ended up trembling on the side of the pool while his 19 peers played in the water. "He was cold:he would shake,"said Pam Schaller,a senior biologist.Schaller first tried a heat lamp to keep Pierre warm.Then she got another idea:if wetsuits keep humans warm in the cold Pacific,why not make one for Pierre? Schaller designed the suit,which covered Pierre's body and had small openings for his flippers. "I would walk behind him and look at where there were any gaps.and cut and refit until it looked like it was extremely suitable."she said. One concern was that the other penguins would reject Pierre in his new suit,but in fact,they accepted his new look.He swam freely and got along with others well,although he was the only penguin with a black stomach. Schaller couldn't say for sure whether the wetsuit allowed Pierre to recover his fine feathers,but" certainly we were able to keep him comfortable during a period of time that would have been very difficult for him to stay comfortable". Pierre will take off his suit after his new feathers grow back. Schaller followed Pierre in order to see _ . Answer:
An expensive car speeding down the main street of a small town was soon over-taken by a young motorcycle policeman. As he started to take out the ticket, the woman in the car said proudly. "Before you go any further, young man, I think you should know that the mayor of this city is a good friend of mine." The officer did not say a word, but kept writing. "I am also a friend of Chief of Police Barnes," continued the woman, getting angrier each moment. Still he kept on writing. "Young man," she said, "I know Judge Lawson and State Senator Patton." Handing the ticket to the woman, the officer asked pleasantly. "Tell me, do you know Bill Bronson?" "No. Why?" she replied. "Well, this is the man you should have known," he said, going back to his motorcycle, "I am Bill Bronson." The policeman _ . had a sense of humor NEW YORK (AP) -- In a report, the Pew Internet and American Life Project said 47 percent of U.S. adult Internet users have looked for information about themselves through Google or another search engine. That is more than twice the 22 percent of users who did in 2002, but Pew senior research specialist Mary Madden was surprised that the growth wasn't higher than it had been expected. "Yes it's doubled, but it's still the case that there's a big chunk of Internet users who have never done this simple act of connecting their names with search engines," she said. "Certainly more and more people have become aware of this, but I don't know it's necessarily kept pace with the amount of content we post about ourselves or what others post about us." About 60 percent of Internet users said they aren't worried about the extent of information about themselves online, although they are increasingly concerned over how that data can be used. Americans under 50 and those with more education and income were more likely to self-Google---in some cases because their jobs demand a certain online persona . Meanwhile, Pew found that 53 percent of adult Internet users admit to looking up information about someone else, famous people not included. Often, it's to find someone they've lost touch with. But looking up information about friends, relatives, colleagues and neighbors also was common. Although men and women equally searched for online information about themselves, women were slightly more likely to look up information about someone they are dating. In many cases, the search is not harmful, done to find someone's contact information. But a third of those who have conducted searches on others have looked for public records, such as bankruptcies and divorce proceedings. A similar number have searched for someone else's photo. Pew also found that teens were more likely than adults to limit the range of people who can see their information at an online hangout like Facebook or News Corp.'s MySpace, contrary to conventional wisdom. "Teens are more comfortable with the applications in some ways, (but) I also think they have their parents and teachers telling them to be very careful about what they post and who they share it with," Madden said. Mary Madden was surprised at the result that _ . more adult Internet users should have looked for information about themselves Five years ago, David Smith wore an expensive suit to work every day. "I was a clothes addict," he jokes. "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 sports shirt--to the office. He hardly ever wears a necktie. "I'm working harder than ever," David says, "and I need to feel comfortable." More and more companies 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 companies 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 become an everyday thing." said business consultant Maisly Jones. Why have so many companies started allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? One reason is that it's easier for a company 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 company, "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 comfortable clothes. In a study conducted by Levi Strauss Company, 85 percent of employers said that they believe that casual dress improves employee morale . Only 4 percent of employers said that casual dress has a negative effect 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." According to this passage, which of the following statements is FALSE? All the employers in the U.S. are for casual office wear. It is difficult to say exactly how the music we call "rock" or "rock and roll" began. Its roots go back to many different countries and many different kinds of music and many musicians. Rock music developed mainly from the interaction of black African and white European music. The Europeans and the African slaves who came to America during the seventeenth century each had their own different kinds of music. Black Africans used heavy drumbeats,a rough singing voice,and the calling of a melody and answer of a chorus. The white Europeans,mostly English and Scots,used a stronger melody,a less heavy beat,and instruments such as guitars,horns,and fiddles. The history of rock and roll is the history of how rock changed from these two traditions. From the seventeenth to the twentieth century, musicians in the southern United States developed two new forms of music: the blues,usually played by blacks,and country music, played by whites. Black musicians sang the blues with a guitar. This music was similar to work songs:stories of troubles and pain, with lines that were repeated several times. The word "rock and roll" probably came from the black churches in the South, where people sang and danced to the strong rhythms, which they called "rocking and reeling". At the same time, whites were playing country music, which was mostly traditional dancing music and slow songs that told sad stories. The singers played with string instruments such as fiddles and guitars. During this time blues and country musicians had some influence on each other, but the influence grew stronger after phonograph records became popular in the late nineteenth century. The birth of the electric guitar changed country and blue music in the 1940s. The sound of the electric guitar would become the sound, of rock and roll. No one thinks of early rock and roll without thinking of Elvis Presley,the"King of Rock and Roll".Rock music continues to develop and change, but the heart and soul of rock is the same heart and soul that Elvis expressed. Which of the following describes country music? Country music was traditional dancing music and slow songs that told sad stories. Sagrada Familia ( 2,056,448 visits/year) Opening hours: 09:00--18:00 (October--March); 09:00--20:00 (April--September) Admission: $ 11, or $ 10 with the Barcelona Card. Disabled Access: Yes. The temple have been under construction since 1882 and they've still got another 30 to 80 years to go before it will be finished. The project's vast scale and its special design have made it one of Barcelona's top tourist attractions for many years. La Pedrera (1,133,220 visits/year) Opening hours: November--February: 09:00--18:30; March--October: 09:00--20:00 Admission: $ 9.50. Save 20% with the Barcelona Card. Disabled Access: No. This building used to be called Casa Mila but nowadays it's more commonly known as La Pedrera. It is a unique modernist building in Barcelona and was made of bricks and had colorful tiles . It was built between 1906 and 1912 by famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi (1852--1926) and in 1984 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site with other Gaudi buildings in Barcelona. Visitors to La Pedrera can see the amazing 800 square meters attic with 270 brick arches that give you a feeling that you are walking inside the skeleton of a whale. The roof is equally impressive and is preserved exactly the way that it was built in 1912 with six staircases and seven chimneys each made in a unique style. Barcelona FC Museum (1,032,763 visits/year) Opening hours: 6thApril--4thOctober: (Monday to Saturday) 10:00--20:00; the rest of the year: 10:00--18:30 Admission: $ 8.50 for entry to the museum and $ 17 for a guided tour. Disabled Access: Yes. When you buy your ticket you have two options. You can buy a ticket for the museum to see the football stadium or you can buy a dual ticket for $ 15 where you get to see the museum and the scenes at the club. Miro Museum (518,869 visits/year) Opening hours: Check the web site for details as they vary depending on the time of the year. Admission: $ 8. Save 20% with the Barcelona Card. Disabled Access: Yes. This museum has a wide range of Miro's work dating back as far as 1914. This artwork collection not only includes his paintings but also a good selection of sculptures . L'Aquarium de Barcelona (1,375,271 visits/year) Opening hours: 09:00--19:00 (October--March); 09:00--20:00 (April--September) Admission: $ 7. Save 10 % on the entrance fee to the aquarium with the Barcelona Card. Barcelona Aquarium is a popular Barcelona attraction to take the kids and young ones. I have to admit I love the aquarium. Picasso Museum (887,958 visits/year) Opening hours: Check the website for details as they vary depending on the time of the year. Admission: $ 9 for main exhibition--extra for special showings. Save 50% with the Barcelona Card. Disabled Access: Yes. The museum has arranged Picasso's paintings in chronological order from his early days to his final works. Arranging the paintings in this way gives you a fascinating insight into the development of Picasso thinking over time and shows how he developed the distinctive designs that he is famous for today. Very popular art gallery. Which of the following attractions is the most popular with people? Sagrada Familia
Hip hop or rap music started on the street and in the clubs of the New York City in the 1970s. People rap to express how they feel about their lives and problems. Rapping in class. Would you like to rap in class? Well, actually hip pop music is played in more than 10,000 schools in the USA. Why? There is a new school program called "Flocabulary" in which teachers use texts and hip hop CDs to help teach different school subjects. The words of the songs are just what students are studying. This makes learning easy and fun. Students and teachers are excited about the good results it has had on exam marks. Mr. Lee, a teacher in a high school, said, "I've used hip hop songs in class, and I have never seen my students so crazy about history! You can't imagine how well they remember what I teach! We even try to write our own songs." Whose idea was Flocabulary? Blake Harrison, a high school student, was the first person to come up with the idea of Flocabulary. The word "Flocabulary" comes from the word "flow" and "vocabulary". "Flow" is a rap word for "style", or the way a rapper says the words of a song. "Vocabulary" means the words you have to learn in a language. How did he get the idea? Well, he realized he could remember the words of a hip hop song very easily. So, why not make lessons into songs? Today together with Alex Rappaport, a song writer, Blake produces hip hop songs for math, science and literature . They are now used in schools with great success. Blake has produced hip hop sings for school subjects EXCEPT _ . The tourism business in Hong Kong has been through some very hard times. Ten years ago, with all the economic problems in Asia, far fewer tourists were visiting Hong Kong. However, the SAR was still one of the most popular destinations in Asia, and a favored location for international meetings and exhibitions. The year 1997 was the best year for tourism in the 1990s. However in 1998, the figure was down by 8% from 10.4 million tourist arrivals recorded in the previous year. Tourism was still big business, though. The mainland was Hong Kong's largest source of visitors, making up over a quarter of all arrivals. Travelers from Taiwan Province, South and Southeast Asia and Japan made up the most of other visitors. Tourism remained a major source of foreign exchange, although tourists spending dropped. Tourists often made short visits, staying an average of three to four days. Most tourists came to Hong Kong for business or leisure , or a mixture of both. Shopping was still the favorite thing of tourist activity and spending. The average visitor spent about HK$ 3,000 - not including accommodation and food. Hong Kong Tourist Association officials developed various plans to develop interest in Hong Kong as a tourist destination, and they hoped these policies would work. In 1998, _ . Mr Li is an office worker. He likes to tell us about his weekends. He often gets up at half past six on Sundays. He has breakfast first. Then he goes to the park near his home. He runs for about half an hour in the park. Then he goes to the bookshop to have a look at new books. He likes reading books. In the afternoon, he cleans his car. But sometimes he visits his friends, and he often plays basketball with them. He cooks dinner at home. In the evening, he looks for things on the Internet for about an hour. He enjoys his weekends. How long does he look for things on the Internet? These days,more and more young people wish to be more beautiful,So they turn to plastic surgery for help.They spend thousands of yuan on these painful surgeries to fix their nose,to change their eyelids or to take off weight from their stomachs. In fact,most people are not pleased with the way they look.Even the most beautiful actresses often wish they could change something about their looks.Should we live our whole lives believing we are ugly? Why can't we raise our head high and believe that we are as beautiful as others? A smile is beautiful on any face,whether fat,oily or hairy.And a kind heart is much more beautiful than a pretty look. So,let's feel grateful that we all have beautiful and healthy bodies that do not need surgeries! Today,I call on you to make an easy change:hold your head high! smile and be kind to others.If you do these,you will be full of confidence ,beauty, and warmth everywhere you go. Which is Not true according to the passage? Billy always loved blueberries. They were his favorite fruit. Today he was going to make juice with his uncle. His uncle liked to make juice out of everything. He made carrot juice, apple juice, vegetable juice, and more juices. He had never made blueberry juice before though! First, Billy and his uncle went to a blueberry farm. They were each given a basket. They picked for an hour and got several pounds. It was hard work picking the little berries from the trees. Now Billy understood why they were expensive in the store. Next, they had to wash the fruit. Some of them still had leaves. Those had to be pulled off. Then the bad berries had to be thrown away. They washed the berries and made them air-dry. After that, they pushed the blueberries through a strainer . The strainer caught most of the seeds and skins, and only left a small glass of dark purple juice to _ When they tasted the juice, it wasn't very sweet. Billy's uncle didn't want to add white sugar to the juice. It was better to use a naturally sweet juice, like apple juice, pear juice, or grape juice. They used grape juice as a sweetener , because grapes had a similar color to the blueberries. Finally, they could drink it. It was a lot of work to make juice, but it sure was refreshing! Billy thought blueberries were expensive because _ .
Almost every child is scared of something, from monsters in the cupboard to dogs in the park. But the fact that such fears are common and normal doesn't mean they can be taken lightly. Kids experience fears and phobias much more strongly than adults. And the influence of the fear can be physical as well as psychological . It can build up so they almost seem scared of everything--a kind of childhood anxiety. Dr. Creswell says: "Your child may always seem to expect the worst to happen and lack confidence in his or her ability to deal with any challenge." So don't make the same old mistake of treating them as if they're silly for being a"scaredy cat". Handling the fears is essential. Children can be born nervous and, if you have such a baby, you'll tend to prevent them from getting worried. So if they fear dogs, you'll keep them away from dogs, but in fact that can just confirm to the child that dogs are scary. What is worse, keeping your child away from what they fear can turn that feeling into a phobia. Instead, you should encourage them to get in touch with the thing they fear, in a safe and supportive environment. Dr. Andy Field, a researcher of childhood fears, says: "You shouldn't force, for example, a dog anxious child to go up to a dog. But you can approach it yourself, show them there is nothing to be afraid of, stroke( ) it, and talk about the dog being friendly. Once your child dares to stroke a dog-one that's good with children, of course---then you should encourage them to carry on until they feel calmer, and reward them for'being brave'." According to Dr. Andy Field, if a child is afraid of a cat, parents should _ . Answer: Do you want to love what you do for a living? Follow your passion. This piece of advice provides the foundation for modern thinking on career satisfaction. But this can be a problem. I've spent the past several years researching and writing about the different strategies we use to seek happiness in our work. It became clear early in the process that the suggestion to "follow your passion" was flawed , for it lacks scientific evidence. However, it doesn't mean you should abandon the goal of feeling passionate about your work. The reality emphasizes that things are quite complicated. Passion is earned. Different people are looking for different things in their work, but generally, people with satisfying careers enjoy some combination of the following features: autonomy,respect, competence, creativity, and a sense of impact. In other words,if you want to feel passionate about your livelihood,don't seek the perfect job,but seek to get more of these features in the job you already have. Passion is elusive . Many people develop the rare and valuable skills leading to passion, but still end up unhappy in their work. The problem is that the features leading you to love your work are more likely to be useful to you than your organization. As you become increasingly "valuable",for example, your boss might push you toward traditional promotions that come with more pay and more responsibility, as this is what is most useful to your company. However, you might find more passion by applying your value to gain autonomy in your schedule or project selection. Passion is dangerous. I've watched too many of my peers fall into anxiety and chronic job-hopping due to the "follow your passion" advice. The issue is expectations. _ Work is hard. Not every day is fun. If you're seeking a dream job, you'll end up frustrated, again and again. Don't set out to discover passion. Instead, set out to develop it. This path might be longer and more complicated than what most cheerful career guides might advocate, but it's a path much more likely to lead you somewhere worth going. What is the author's advice on achieving career satisfaction? Answer: Monday, April 17 Dear Gramps, I was so upset last week when somebody stole my Super Racer from the park by your house. I called up the toy company but they said they have only red, blue and green racers. Dad called Cobb's Toy Store today and found out they might have purple ones. Can we go there when I come to visit you next week?You and I were only gone for a few minutes to the shop down the street to get ice-cream and cookies. Maybe the thief was watching us. Mum was surprised when I told her the racer was stolen. She said she used to leave things at the park all the time when she was young. Once she even left her bicycle for two days near the swimming pool. Tell Grandma that I like the food she made last time. Ask Grandma if we can have pancakes with sugar for breakfast when I come this time. I have packed in my towel, comb and soap. Tell her this time I won't forget to pack in my toothbrush. Love Toby The writer wants to have a _ racer. Answer: Erik Weihenmayer was born with an eye disorder. As a child his eyesight became worse and then, at the age of 13, he lost his sight completely. However, he did not lose his determination to lead a full and active life Erik became an adventurer. He took up parachuting, wrestling and scuba diving. He competed in long-distance biking, marathons and skiing. His favorite sport, thought, is mountaineering. As a young man, Erik started to climb mountains. He reached the summit of Mount McKinley in 1995 and then climbed the dangerous 1000-metre rock wall of EI Capitan. Two years later, while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya with his girlfriend, they stopped for a time at 13,000 feet above sea level-in order to get married. In 1999, he climbed Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America. And then , on May 25, 2001, at the age of 33, Erik successfully completed the greatest mountaineering challenge of all. He climbed Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Erik invented his own method for climbing mountains. He carries two long poles: one to lean on and the other to test the way ahead of him. The climber in front of him wears a bell to guide him. Erik is a good team member. He does his share of the job, such as setting up tents and building snow walls. Although he could not enjoy the view, Erik felt the excitement of being on the summit of Everest. He hopes that his success will change how people think about the blind. "When people think about a blind person or blindness, now they will think about a person standing on the top of the world. What was unusual about his wedding? Answer: It was the middle of third grade and I was not sure what had got into me. I lied about many things -- I lied that I had eaten all my dinner, when in fact I buried it in the trash can. I lied that I had made my bed, when clearly I had not. My lies were not hurting anyone, but for some reason I felt the need to tell lies on an impulse that didn't feel like my own. I was labeled a liar. One day my sisters and I were invited to spend the weekend with my aunt. We all loved it. She spoiled us with her time.And she was an amazing artist. She had cool pencils, erasers and other supplies that any young girl would love to get her hands on. Then it happened...someone took one of Aunt Kim's good art erasers and rubbed it across the entire top of the TV. The eraser ruined the shiny finish on the TV's casing. All the three of us were called into the TV room and asked to admit. Nobody did! Aunt Kim told us how disappointed she was. The next thing I knew was that she was on the phone with my parents and they were on their way to picking me up. It had to be me! I was the liar. I argued, but no one listened. And then before dinner there was a knock at the front door! Aunt Kim was standing there. It turned out my younger sister finally felt guilty! She admitted that she was the one who rubbed the eraser on the TV. I was invited back! A lie may take care of the present, but it has no future. No matter how big or small your lies are, once you are labeled a liar, earning trust takes a lot of work and time. What may make Aunt Kim disappointed most? Answer:
Question: More than anything else in the world, Lion liked being King of the jungle. He walked around, showing off his power and pride. Each day Lion took a long lazy sleep under the shade of his favourite tree. He always dreamed of weaker animals bowing before him. One day Mouse ran through the jungle and tripped over Lion's huge paws. Lion woke up with a start. "How dare you wake me up! " he shouted angrily. Lion grabbed Mouse with one paw. "On the second thought, I'm in the mood for the snack, and you'll make a delicious meal.", he said. Mouse cried out, "King Lion, please spare me! If you let me live, I'll always remember your kindness. And, some day, I might be able to help you." " How could such a powerless little mouse ever help me?" That thought made Lion laugh so much that he decided to let Mouse go. A week later, Lion was walking through the jungle on the way to his favourite tree when he stepped onto a hunter's net. The net scooped him up. No matter how he twisted and turned, he couldn't escape. When Mouse heard Lion's frightened shouts, he raced to help. Mouse quickly chewed through the ropes to make a hole in the net. Soon, Lion moved out and was free. Lion looked down at the little mouse. "Thank you for saving my life," said Lion, smiling his widest smile. "I was mistaken. You are not a powerless little mouse. You are a great friend!" What do you think of Mouse? A. Clever and honest. B. Silly and lazy C. Humorous and stubborn D. Proud and selfish. Answer: A. Clever and honest. Question: Justin Bieber used to be an ordinary Canadian boy, but his life totally changed in 2008. With his great musical talent, this 17-year-old boy has become a superstar in the music industry. Justin Bieber was born in Straford, Ontario and was raised by his single mother. Bieber learned to play musical instruments when he was very young. In 2007,he took part in a local singing competition in his hometown, and he did it just for fun. He never took singing lessons before but surprisingly he placed second in the competition. Then,with the help of his mother, he uploaded videos of him singing on a website and they successfully attracted the attention of viewers. His videos got popular through word of mouth and some of them have received up to 10,000,000 views. Justin Bieber would have never gotten a career in the music business without his videos. Scooter Braun, a former marketing executive of So So Def Recordings, had watched Bieber's videos and he was impressed by the boy's talent. Braun then contracted Bieber and he flew the boy into Atlanta 7 months after the first video was posted. Bieber showed his talent in singing as well as his ability in playing musical instruments. He then got a record deal. In 2009,Justin Bieber released his first single "One Time" while he was recording the debut album .The single "One Time" tells a story about love. This song had success not only in Canada and the US, but also in the international market. Then he released his debut album "My World 2.0"in 2010 and the song "Baby" became the lead single. This album successfully entered the Top Ten Charts in seven countries. In June 2010, he started his first world tour in Hartford, Connecticut. One month later, he started recording his second album. What do we learn about Justin Bieber's "One Time"according to the text? A. It is about love and was released in 2010. B. It attracted the world's attention after released. C. It successfully entered the Top Ten Charts in seven countries. D. It is the lead single of his debut album "My World 2.0". Answer: B. It attracted the world's attention after released. Question: What phenomenon is best described as evaporation? A. caffeine coming from hot cocoa B. heat coming from hot cocoa C. steam coming from hot cocoa D. flavor coming from hot cocoa Answer: C. steam coming from hot cocoa Question: Which of the following human traits is least likely to be inherited? A. height B. eye color C. hair color D. fingerprints Answer: D. fingerprints Question: Nuclear energy has always been controversial. But since the tsunami and nuclear disaster in Fukushima (Japan) last year the issue is back in the headlines. And the world is divided-- some countries are planning more nuclear plants, while others have promised to shut theirs down. After Fukushima, Germany decided to switch off all its nuclear plants by 2022. Switzerland and Italy are also phasing out nuclear power. But France and the United States remain staunch supporters of atomic energy. In fact, almost 80% of France's electricity comes from nuclear power, the highest percentage in the world. And in the US, the Obama administration said it "continues to support the expansion of nuclear power, despite the crisis in Japan." Nuclear supporters claim nuclear power can help the environment. Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear power doesn't create greenhouse gases. So, pro-nuclear countries argue that nuclear power allows them to generate energy without contributing to climate change. Britain's chief scientific adviser (John Beddington) supports this view. He recently said that the world doesn't have the luxury of ignoring nuclear energy. Nuclear power is also relatively cheap. Renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro and wind power may be clean, but they're expensive; and right now, they require a lot of investment. This higher cost of using "green energy" is usually passed onto the consumer. So, while many people may prefer their energy to come from a renewable source, not so many are prepared to pay higher energy bills. _ is of particular concern while the world economy is in such bad shape. The main argument against nuclear energy is that it isn't safe. For a start, nuclear waste is very difficult to dispose of, and remains toxic to humans for thousands of years. And even before Fukushima, there were several high-profile nuclear disasters. The most famous is probably the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, in the Ukraine. The radiation from the meltdown spread all over Europe, affecting thousands. The nuclear energy issue is very complex. And it doesn't look like it'll be resolved anytime soon. As a Japanese commentator recently said, "it's been a bad year for the 'nuclear village', but I don't think they're down and out yet." The battle continues. What is the author's purpose of writing the passage? A. To highlight the danger of using nuclear energy. B. To introduce some serious nuclear disasters. C. To show the argument between nuclear supporters and protesters. D. To give some advice on how to use nuclear energy safely. Answer: C. To show the argument between nuclear supporters and protesters.
Healthy eating doesn't just mean what you eat, but how you eat. Here is some advice on healthy eating. Eat with others. It can help you to see others' healthy eating habits. If you usually eat with your parents, you can find that the food you eat is more delicious Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry. Have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty---sometimes you are just thirsty, you need no food. Stop eating before you feel full. Eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After you don't eat for the past ten hours, your body needs food to get you going. You can be cleverer after eating breakfast. Eat healthy snacks like fruits, yogurt or cheese. We all need snacks sometimes. In fact, it's a good idea to eat two healthy snacks between your three meals. This doesn't mean that you can eat a bag of chips instead of a meal. Don't eat dinner late. With our busy life, we always put off eating dinner time. Try to eat dinner at least 3 hours before you go to bed. This will give your body a chance to most of the food before you sleep. The passage tells us _ . New Orleans, Louisiana, was established as part of the French Empire in 1718. Its location on the east bank of the Mississippi River gave it control of the American hinerland and it became strategically important to many nations. It was transferred from France to Spain, returned to France, and finally sold by Napoleon to the United States in 1803. The city was the site of a famous battle fought in 1815 between the British, who hoped to control it, and the Americans under General Andrew Jackson. The riverbed of the Mississippi is constantly silting and the river is now actually higher than the city. Levees hold back the river and giant pumps are used to move water from the city into the river. Although New Orleans has been a part of the United States for almost two centuries, its population takes great pride in its French heritage. Louisiana still retains parts of the Code Napoleon which, for many years, was its only law. New Orleans is carefree city and it boasts its hot, spicy Creole seafood and its native Dixieland Jazz. The Jackson Square neighborhood maintains its French colonial homes and in other sections are pre-Civil War mansions. Visitors are surprised to find that behind this interesting surface of yesteryear is a busy industrial and port city. Grain and coal come from the Midwest and foreign goods are unloaded here. New Orleans is no longer a sleepy Southern town----but it's still fun to visit. The battle of New Orleans was fought by Jackson against _ . Having good social relationships -- friends, marriage or children -- may be every bit as important to a healthy life as quitting smoking, losing weight or taking certain medicines. U. S. researchers reported on Tuesday. People with strong social relationships were SO percent less likely to die early than people without such support, the team at Brigham Young University in Utah found. They suggest that the government look at ways to help people keep social relationships as a way of keeping the population healthy. "A lack of social relationships was equal to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day," psychologist Julianne Holt-Lunstad, who led the study, said in a telephone interview. Her team conducted a study that examined social relationships and their effects on health. They looked at 148 studies that covered more than 308,000 people, published in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine at www.plosmedicine.org. Having low levels of social relationships was equal to being an alcoholic, was more harmful than not exercising and was twice as harmful as obesity. Social relationships had a bigger effect on early death than getting an injection to prevent pneumonia ,than taking drugs for high blood pressure and far more important than living in air pollution, they found. "I certainly don't want to _ these other risk factors because of course they are very important," Holt-Lunstad said. We need to start taking social relationships just as seriously. " But Holt-Lundstad said there was some evidence that assigning caretakers does not help improve people's health. "Naturally occurring relationships may be different than the support received from someone who is hired for that purpose." she said. What conclusion can we draw from the text? Many articles have appeared in recent years, claiming that there are no more heroes in the world. The authors says that the young now refuse to admire anyone and that we are living in a world too well informed, too curious showing us the faults of the public figures who could become today's stars, until we lose faith and start looking for defects in any person who seems worthy of respect. Is it true that we know too much? Were our ancestors lucky to be only partly informed? Those who read the first biographies of George Washington, Joan of Arc, or other great men and women of the past were not told that their hero had bad breath or disliked his mother; they only found a description of his great accomplishments and their admiration was strengthened. In fact, early biographers didn't hesitate to make up an admirable story or two about their hero. The man who wrote the first biography of Washington, for instance, invented the cherry tree; he admitted later that there was no truth in it, but he said that it would give young men a good example to follow. His readers didn't seem to object; the book was reprinted eighty times--a great success in those days. Modern biographers do not invent such stories; they respect the facts, as indeed they should. But we pay a price for their truthfulness, for in their efforts to show "the whole person," they tell us more than we really need to know about private lives, family secrets, and human weakness. The true greatness of a fine man is often forgotten in the display; and people lose not only their admiration for him, but their willingness to trust any other "star" completely. It may be difficult to be a hero in the world these days, under the searching eyes of the society. But surely excellence has not disappeared completely; there are still individuals who are superior to their fellow men by their wisdom, their courage, or their character. They can be heroes if people are willing to ignore their human imperfection and to admit the respect that their admirable qualities inspire. Heroes are needed everywhere, at any time. It's a sad sky that has no shining stars. Which of the following statements about modern biographers is true? On the second day of the World Internet Conference themed with cybersecurity and international cooperation held in Wuzhen, an official with China's network emergency watchdog said that 6,118 domestic websites have been controlled by the United States, according to Shanghai Securities News. Among the hacked websites in the first half of this year, 48.8 percent were under the thumb of overseas IP addresses, said Huang Chengqing, director-general of the National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team and Coordination Center (CNERT/CC). He added that the US contributed the most, followed by Hong Kong, which controlled 3,097, and South Korea with 2,307. Among the overseas IP addresses inserting backdoor programs in domestic websites, the US accounted for 29.3 percent, South Korea for 6 percent and Hong Kong for 5 percent, he said. In addition, 4.9 percent of government websites have been attacked, and 3.2 percent inserted with backdoor programs. Huang also said that the number of Chinese computers affected by Trojan Horse viruses reached 190,000 in the six-month period. To safeguard cybersecurity, the CNERT/CC has cooperated with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and built relationships with 59 countries and 127 organizations. Over the past two years, the center dealt with more than 15,000 cross-border online security cases. The number of the cross-border online security cases dealt with in the past two years by the CNERT/CC is _ .
These simple ways can increase your popularity and win you more friends,so why not try them? PAYING ATTENTION TO OTHERS This will reduce any shyness you may have. You'll be more relaxed and therefore more natural and fun. And you will get more good-people will love the fact that you're paying attention to them while you don't have to worry about what people think of you. LOOKING PEOPLE IN THE EYE Making eye contact is very important because it shows you're interested in them. If you let your eyes wander or keep looking over their shoulders,people will feel slighted ,and they'll like you less they would otherwise. ASKING QUESTIONS Doing this gives you two advantages,It shows other people that you are indeed paying attention to and that you consider what they are telling you important. Being sure to follow up when you've shared a conversation with someone about something important in his / her life,be sure to ask about it later. This shows that you listen and you care. MAKING AN EFFORT TO SMILE A smile means acceptance,and that makes people open up to you. Make a conscious effort one day to smile at the people you stay or work with and watch how well they respond to you; *BEING RELIABLE People like those who help them,and they quickly begin to hate those who don't. Which is the best title for this passage? Answer: Ways to Make You More Popular Some people would have you believe that being fat is the worst thing you can be. They think that if a person is fat they have no life, no love, no reason to want to look good in their clothes. The sad thing is that many people who are fat do feel the same loathing toward themselves and others who are overweight or obese. I know what I'm talking about because I have been there. I have been that fat girl who wore big T-shirts to cover my "sins". Forget style. Forget fashion sense. I absolutely had none. I didn't even bother getting haircuts for years, just wore my hair long and straight, pulled back in a ponytail, I have to wonder if the reason the fashion industry has ignored plus sized women and children for so long is because plus sized people, feeling they couldn't possibly look great, didn't bother shopping for new clothes, and therefore no profit was to be found by producing those sizes. For me, the change that improved my outer look actually started with my outlook on life. I started by being grateful for all I do have, like great health, a stable family, a steady income, freedom, a decent home, the ability to see the trees turn orange in the fall, to hear my grandson humming in the back seat, to remember the great times I've had in my life. I started to focus on all the positive aspects of the life I already had. I actually started to feel the beauty of the Universe all around me and to realize that I am part of that perfection. The self loathing stopped. I noticed all the people in my life who loved me in spite of my size. I got off the pity pot and smiled at myself. I acknowledged my shame and embarrassment and moved through that too. What does the author think is the most important to lead a happy life? Answer: One's view on life. Welcome to Franklin Hotel. To make your stay enjoyable, we hope you will use our facilities to the full. Dining Room: You can have three meals in the dining room. (breakfast 8-9 a.m.; lunch 12-2:30 p.m.; dinner 7:30-9 p.m.) Room Service: You can dial 0 for Reception to make a phone call while you are on bed. There are also pay telephones near the reception desk. Shop: You can buy presents, gifts and goods from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. here. _ We have a laundry in the building, and will wash and return your clothes within 24 hours. You can ask the room staff to collect them. Bar: The hotel bar is open from 12 to 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 11 a.m. Banking: We can cash cheques & exchange any foreign money for you. You would see the notice _ . Answer: in a big hotel A thousand new trucks are put on the road carrying produce. As a result Answer: distant locations have greater produce options As a manager, Tiffany is responsible for interviewing applicants for some of the positions with her company. During one interview, she noticed that the candidate never made direct eye contact. She was puzzled and somewhat disappointed because she liked the individual otherwise. He had a perfect resume and gave good responses to her questions, but the fact that he never looked her in the eye said "untrustworthy," so she decided to offer the job to her second choice. "It wasn't until I attended a diversity workshop that I realized the person we passed over was the perfect person." Tiffany admits. What she hadn't known at the time of the interview was that the candidate's "different" behavior was simply a cultural misunderstanding. He was an Asian-American raised in a family where respect for those in authority was shown by turning away your eyes. "I was just thrown off by the lack of eye contact, not realizing it was cultural," Tiffany says. "I missed out, but will not miss that opportunity again." Many of us have had similar experiences with behaviors we describe as different. As the world becomes smaller and our workplaces more diverse, it is becoming essential to expand our understanding of others and to reexamine some of our false assumptions . Hire Advantage At a time when hiring qualified people is becoming more difficult, employers who can have no personal biases from the process have an obvious advantage. My company, Mindsets LLC, helps organizations and individuals see their own blind spots. A real estate agent we worked with illustrates the positive difference such training can make . "During my Mindsets coaching period, I was taught how to own a diversified workforce. I employed people from different cultures and skill sets. The agents were able to make use of their full potential and experiences to build up the company. When the real estate market began to change, it was because we had a diverse agent pool that we were able to stay in the real estate market much longer than others in the same profession." Blinded by Gender Dale is an account executive who attended one of my workshops in charge of a diverse workforce. "Through some of the lessons, I discovered my personal bias." he recalls. "I learned I had not been looking at a person as a whole person, and being open to differences." In his case, the blindness was not about culture but rather gender. "I had a management position open in my department; and the two finalists were a man and a woman. Had I not attended this workshop, I would have automatically assumed the man was the best candidate because the position required quite a bit of extensive travel. My assumption would have been that even though both candidates were great and could have been successful in the position, I assumed the woman would have wanted to be home with her children and not travel." Dale's assumptions are another example of the well-intentioned but incorrect thinking that limits an organization's ability to promote the full potential of a diverse workforce. "I learned from the class that instead of forcing my gender biases into the situation, I needed to present the full range of duties, responsibilities and expectations to all candidates and allow them to make an informed decision." Dale sings high praise for the workshop, "because it helped me make decisions based on fairness." A better Bottom Line An open mind about diversity not only improves organizations from inside, it is profitable as well. These comments from a customer service representative show how an inclusive attitude can improve sales." Most of my customers speak English as a second language. One of the best things my company has done is to contract with a language service that offers translations over the phone. It wasn't until my boss received Mindsets' training that she was able to understand how important inclusiveness was to customer service. As a result, our customer base has increased." Once we start to see people as individuals, we can move positively toward inclusiveness for everyone. Diversity is about coming together and taking advantage of our differences and similarities and about building better communities and organizations. When we begin to question our assumptions and challenge what we think we have learned from our past , from the media, peers, family, friends, etc, we begin to realize that some of our conclusions are imperfect or contrary to our fundamental values. We need to train ourselves to think differently, shift our mindsets and realize that diversity opens doors for all of us, creating opportunities in organizations and communities that benefit everyone. In Tiffany's view, the first candidate was passed over because he _ . Answer: was untrustworthy
Online shopping has become something very common for young people, however, it's not easy for the old people to buy things on the internet. Therefore, offline Daigou stores, or buy-for-you stores, are becoming popular among the old. 64-year-old man Li Hui'an is searching for his favorite CD in an offline Daigou shop. He says, "It's very convenient to buy things online, however, I can't use the internet. After I happened to find this buy-for-you shop, I decided to try, as I wanted to buy an opera CD. Finally I got one I'd searched for several years. I was so happy. I have become crazy about offline shopping. " The store owner Liu Min says in order to meet the need of people who want to buy things online but can't use the internet, she started the business of offline buy-for-you. In only about ten days since the start of the business, she has received more than 20 orders from customers . Liu Min is not the only one who finds the large need of offline buy-for-you business in the market. In Dalian city, northeast China, more than 300 such stores opened their doors only in April. In order to attract more customers, they have opened their shops in residential communities . And they charge a suitable service fee. For example, when buying things that cost less than 200 Yuan for customers, they usually charge 5 Yuan as service fee. Though the offline buy-for-you service makes it easier for certain people to shop online, what if there is any problem with the ordered thing, let's say, like a quality problem? The shop owners say they will deal with any quality problems that may happen when using their Daigou service. What is offline shopping? Answer: We all need a vacation, whether with the entire family or your significant other. Unfortunately, many of us will not be able to follow through with vacation plans. But now, there is an alternative that is catching on rather quickly and it is called a "Staycation". A staycation is just what it sounds like, a vacation but you stay at home. It might not sound interesting, but you can turn it into a fun and relaxing getaway. Tell family and friends your plans. In their eyes you are truly on vacation and they only need to contact you in case of an emergency. Go outside; don't let the kids sleep all day. Go out and birdwatch, go fishing, explore the parks and nature, take in all you can of the outside world. You can even have a relaxing day at the beach, soak in some sun, and let the kids go swimming. Go on a picnic; have the kids fly kites. Bring some bubbles, and have a nice day with the wind blowing in your hair. Watch as the kids run and play and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Camping is another fun way to have a staycation. If you have a camping ground in your area, you can go camping for a day or two and show the kids how it is to live right in the heart of Mother Nature. Just remember, it really doesn't matter where you decide to go, whether home or away. As long as you create quality time with your family you can strengthen the _ that may have been pushed aside during all the long stressful work hours. Time is the most important thing you can give to your husband, wife and kids, enjoying every moment together, and you will have lasting memories in your hearts. What is mainly talked about in the passage? Answer: If you hear the sound of running water the next time you call a co-worker on his or her mobile phone, don't be surprised. Three-fourths of Americans with mobile phones say they use them in the bathroom, a new study shows. Approximately the same number of men and women have used the phone in the bathroom, according to a survey of 1,000 Americans by 11mark, an integrated marketing agency, although men seem more attached to IT in the toilet: 30 percent of men versus 20 percent of women agreed with the statement, "I don't go to the bathroom without my mobile phone." More than half the surveyed users (63 percent) said they have answered a phone call in the bathroom, and almost half (41 percent) reported _ a phone call. That's not all, however. What goes on behind the walls of the stalls is anything a mobile phone is capable of. Sixty-seven percent said they have read a text, and 39 percent have surfed the Web. Men work more from the bathroom -- 20 percent said they have participated in work-related calls, versus 13 percent of their female colleagues. As expected, Gen Y respondents are the pacesetters in the "mobile everywhere" movement, with 91 percent using their phone in the bathroom. Still, older generations are not far behind. Eighty percent of Gen X(1961-1981) reported using the phone in the bathroom, as did 65 percent of Baby Boomers and 47 percent of the Silent Generation. While online, they are doing more than just surfing; 16 percent of Gen Y report they have made an online purchase while in the bathroom. Users of iPhones are particularly likely to browse and buy in the bathroom - 22 percent have made a purchase, versus 10 percent of Americans with mobile phones overall. "The writing is on the stall," said 11mark principal Nicole Burdette. "This study confirms what we all know: that the last private place is no longer private." In the process, high-tech hygiene is taking a hit, the survey found. While 92 percent of mobile phone users said they wash their hands after using the bathroom, only 14 percent said they wash their phones. 60.According to his words, Nicole Buedette mainly wants to tell us that _ . Answer: Thomas looked up at the clock hanging on the wall of his room. He could not wait for his friend Ben to come over today. It was the weekend, so Thomas's dad had no work the next day. This meant his father would take them sledding. This was one of Thomas' favorite winter activities, even if he always got a few bumps and scrapes along the way. Thomas heard a knocking noise downstairs and knew it was Ben at the door. He got excited. This meant they would be sledding soon. He grabbed another mouthful of one of his mother's famous sugar cookies and made his way downstairs, tripping on his shoes. He opened the door to see Ben's mom giving him a friendly smile down the walk. Ben let himself in and his mother waved goodbye to them both. Thomas asked Ben if he wanted a cup of hot chocolate and then he went to find his dad for some sledding action. Both Ben and Thomas were very happy. They got their gloves on and made their way out to the garage to wait for Thomas' dad. Thomas dad would be driving them the long distance to the park. Why did it need to the weekend in order for them to go sledding? Answer: In one way, it may be thought that failure is a part of life. In another, failure may be regarded as a step towards success. The "spider story" is often told as an example of this. Robert Bruce, leader of the Scots in the 13th century, was hiding in a hole on a hill from the English. He watched a spider making a web . Bruce is said to have got confidence from this and to have gone on to beat the English. Edison, too, the inventor of the light bulb , made hundreds of models that failed before he found the right way to make one. So what? First, always think about your failure. What caused it? Were you in high spirit then? What can you change so that things will go right the next time? Second, is the goal you are trying to reach the right one? Try to do some thinking about what your real goal may be. Think about this question: If I am successful in this, where will it get me?" This may help to prevent failure in the things you shouldn't be doing anyway. The third thing to remember about failure is that it's a part of life. Learn to "live with yourself!" even though you may have failed. Remember, "You can't live with them all." This passage is mainly about _ . Answer:
Peter King, 15, and Mary King, 13, went to see a doctor. Peter had a bad cold, so the doctor gave him some pills to take. Mary had a bad cough, so the doctor gave her some cough medicine. There are the words on the bottle of the medicine: Cough Medicine Shake well before use. Take three times daily after meals. At one time: adults --------- 2 teaspoonfuls Children 8 -- 14 1 teaspoonful Children 4 -- 7 1/2 teaspoonful Not suitable for children below the age of 4 Store in a cold place. Use before Oct.2007. People aged _ cannot take the cough medicine. Answer: The city of X is internationally known for sports, catering for the needs of both professional and amateur sportspeople as well as those that seek to maintain an active lifestyle. The city promotes well-being by offering its citizens lots of opportunities for sports, both indoors and outdoors throughout the year. Sports clubs in X organize activities in a wide arrangement of sports. The most popular are ice hockey and football, and the list covers well over one hundred other sports. X's large green areas including the Central Park and the sea offer ample opportunities for physical activity: walking, running, jogging, hiking, bicycling, roller skating, swimming, boating and fishing. The city claims 50,000 amateur fishermen, more than any other capital city in Europe. The city organizes a number of community sports activities and maintains a variety and lots of sports facilities. These facilities include more than 200 km of tracks for walking, jogging and running, close to 200 km of ski tracks in winter, some 30 indoor sports halls, some 10 indoor ice rinks and 80 outdoor ice rinks, 14 indoor swimming halls and 2 outdoor pools in summer, close to 30 beaches, and 12,000 boat berths . Ice Park is a downtown winter-time skating rink on Railway Square, complete with skate rental and a heated cafe. The local people are active bicyclists especially in summer. X's bicycle path network covers 1,000 kilometers inside the city limits. The city promotes bicycling with many services, including a Journey Planner for Cycling. One of the unusual sports here is ice swimming, and X even hosts ice swimming world championships. The city maintains some 15 ice swimming sites throughout the city. Campers find a convenient site inside the city: Rastila Camping is one of the most popular camping sites in this country, located by the seaside and accessible by underground. The Nuuksio National Park offers camping in wilderness just half an hour from the city by car. The city of X's sports function is managed by the Sports Department. The department provides and maintains sports facilities and organizes activities. The department also rents facilities for sports, conference rooms and saunas. According to the passage, which of the following can best describe X? Answer: Fat on human body is distributed in two different ways. Some fat people have a large chest and no waistline , looking rather like apples. Others are fatter below the waist, looking more like pears. Doctors in Cambridge, England have been examining the relationship between health and fat distribution. They find that the pear-shaped fat people have fewer problems than the apple-shaped people. What seems to be most important is not just how much fat you have but where you have it. The doctors measured the apple-shaped women and pear-shaped women and examined them with X-ray scanners (X). Human beings have two types of fat, one is outside fat that is the fat below the skin and the other is inside fat that lies inside the body. Using the X-ray scanners, the doctors found that the "apples" have a large amount of inside fat. If this inside fat is much more than outside fat, it will probably cause health problems such as obesity . The best treatment for obesity is to reduce the inside fat. But unfortunately diet treatment simply makes an apple-shaped person into a smaller apple and a pear-shaped person into a smaller pear. At the moment there is no effective way of reducing the inside fat. The most important thing about fat people seems to be Answer: The brown tree snake is a nonnative species found on the South Pacific island of Guam. The brown tree snake population in Guam is so large that it negatively affects the humans there. Which statement best explains why the brown tree snake has flourished in Guam? Answer: That warm day was the only day of the week without rain.I opened the door,took a seat and began to enjoy the wonderful sunshine.Suddenly,I noticed that the house near mine had been sold.An elderly lady was in front of the door,with some beautiful flowers beside her.I walked to her.She looked to be in her early eighties and had the prettiest white hair. "Hi!My name is Karmen,"I said smiling brightly at the old lady.She smiled back and said,"Hello,Karmen.I 'm Henrietta."Her voice was very strong for someone at her age.Later,I learned she was alone and had no family or relatives to help her.From that day on,I often visited her and helped her with her housework and sometimes she gave me some delicious food.A year passed,and I considered Henrietta to be one of my best friends. One day,I walked over for my morning visit and knocked on the door,but there was no answer.I knocked again,and she still didn't _ .So I let myself in,using the key she had given me.I checked her living room and then her kitchen.I finally went into her bedroom,and she was lying peacefully on her bed.Beside her there were two notes.One was her will ,which said all that she had would be given to me.The other was a thank-you note.I went to her bedside and cried sadly. Though several years have gone by,I still miss her deeply.Whenever I look at the beautiful flowers in front of her house,I remember the wonderful friendship we had. Through visiting the old lady,the writer learnt that the old lady _ . Answer:
Question: One important variable affecting communication across cultures is destiny and personal responsibility. This refers to the degree to which we feel ourselves the masters of our lives, contrary to the degree to which we see ourselves as _ to things outside our control. Another way to look at this is to ask how much we see ourselves able to change and act, to choose the course of our lives and relationships. Some have drawn a parallel between the personal responsibility in North American settings and the view itself. The North American view is vast, with large spaces of unpopulated land. The frontier attitude of "King" of the wilderness, and the expansiveness of the land reaching huge distances, may relate to generally high levels of confidence in the ability to shape and choose our destinies. In this expansive land, many children grow up with a heroic sense of life, where ideas are big, and hope springs forever. When they experience temporary failures, they are encouraged to redouble their efforts, to "Try, try again." Action, efficiency, and achievement are valued and expected. Free will is respected in laws and enforced by courts. Now consider places in the world with much smaller land, whose history reflects wars and tough struggles: Northern Ireland, Mexico, Israel, Palestine. In these places, destiny's role is more important in human life. In Mexico, there is a history of hard life, fighting over land, and loss of homes. Mexicans are more likely to see struggles as part of their life and unavoidable. Their passive attitude is expressed in their way of responding to failure or an accident by saying "ni modo" ("no way" or "tough lick"), meaning that the failure was destined. This variable is important to understanding cultural conflicts. If someone believing in free will crosses paths with someone more passive, miscommunication is likely. The first person may expect action and responsibility. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the second is lazy, not cooperative, or dishonest. The second person will expect respect for the natural order of things. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the first is forcible, rude, or big headed in his ideas of what can be accomplished or changed. According to the passage, Mexicans would think that Americans are _ . A. impractical B. dishonest C. ambitious D. hesitant Answer: A Question: When Julia Rhodes is asked what she does for a living,she says she is a "wind farmer".While her job is operation manager for wind farm owner RES-Gen:Rhodes is responsible for making sure their l4 wind farms in the UK and Ireland are using the power of the wind to produce power for homes and businesses. RES-Gen is a division of leading renewable energy group Renewable Energy Systems(RES),a UK-based company with global operations. RES was one of the pioneers of wind energy technology.It built the UK's second wind farm in l992.Since then:RES has built more than 40 wind farms across four continents. Rhodes graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in manufacturing engineering. Following that,she received a master's degree in renewable energy systems technology specializing in wind energy. Rhodes has worked in the wind sector ever since, providing technical support for two leading wind farm developers before joining RES in 2001. RES's projects are continually monitored by computer and checked remotely on a daily basis.Regular servicing is carried out by contractors ,usually every six months. Rhodes always has a top--level view of how well the wind turbines are operating. Rhodes is a supporter of wind--energy engineering.She also works closely with other departments to keep good relations with the communities around RES's wind farms.The open days and government officials' visits show that wind power is popular and that wind projects-are viewed positively. Renewable energy is a growing sector with attractive career prospects. For Rhodes.as the RES wind farms expand,the team that she manages is expected to increase.She enjoys working for a company with strong engineering roots and a highly respected track record .Her job as a wind farmer is challenging and enjoyable."It's great knowing that you are helping to bring about a clean.environment and are contributing to the global community." Which of the following is NOT true? A. RES is financially supported by the British government. B. Wind farms receive a warm welcome around the UK. C. RES has developed at a high speed during recent years. D. Rhodes thinks people should create a clean environment Answer: A Question: Does being rich make you happy? Many studies on happiness give negative answers. Here are some points in being happy. Basic Human Needs Must Be Met People whose basic needs for shelter, clothing and food are not met will find it very difficult to feel happy. Of course, there are exceptions, but for most of us, we can only be happy once our basic needs are met. The Joneses Cannot Be Escaped People's happiness is not determined by how much they have, but by how much people around them have. So, we tend to feel happy once our basic needs are met and we have more than the people surrounding us. This means that while keeping up with _ could be destructive if we let it go too far. It is also part of humana nature to want to feel at least on the same level, financially, as those surrounding us. You Should Escape The Rat Race We should know the importance of staying out of the rat race. So yes, you need to work hard, get the education you need to land a good job and work long enough and hard enough to get to a place where you can easily meet your basic needs. What are basic needs? For most middle or upper middle class Americans, basic needs are not very basic anymore. For most of us, once our basic needs have been met, happiness is achieved when we engage in activities we like, spend time with friends and family and stay active. Making money for the sake of making money does not make people happy. Ideally, these questions should be answered when you're still young and just starting out. Don't wait until your midlife crisis to realize that half your life has passed you by and you're still unhappy. What's the attitude of the author towards the passage? A. Money is a big problem, but money isn't everything. B. The love of money is the root of all evil. C. Money doesn't grow on trees. D. Money is happiness. Answer: A Question: Everyone has got two personalities --the one that is shown to the world and the other that is secret and real . You don't show your secret personality when you're awake because you can control your behavior , but when you're asleep , your sleeping position shows the real you . In a normal night , of course , people frequently change their position . The important position is the one that you go to sleep in . If you go to sleep in your back , you're a very open person ,. You normally trust people and you are easily influenced by fashion or new ideas . You don't like to upset people , so you never express your real feeling . If you sleep on your stomach , you are a rather secretive person . You worry a lot and you're always easily upset . You're very stubborn , but you aren't very ambitious . You usually live for today not for tomorrow . This means that you enjoy having a good time . If you sleep curled up , you are probably a very nervous person . You have a low opinion of yourself so you're often defensive . You're shy and you don't normally like meeting people. You prefer to be on your own . you're easily hurt . If you sleep on your side , you have usually got a well-balanced personality . You know your strengths and weakness . You're usually careful . You have a confident personality . You sometimes feel anxious, but you don't often get depressed . You always say what you think even if it makes people angry . Point out which sentence is used to show the personality of a person who is used sleeping on his or her stomach ? He or she _ . A. is always cheerful B. lives for tomorrow C. can't be successful in business D. worries about nothing Answer: C Question: When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother's Chinese English. Because of her Chinese English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her. My mother realized that she was poor at English. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on phone to pretend I was she. I was made to ask for information or even to shout at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker . I said in an adolescent voice that was not very certain, "This is Mrs. Tan." My mother was standing beside me saying, "Why he doesn't send me check, already two weeks late." And then, in perfect English I said: "I'm getting rather worried. You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn't arrived." My mother then talked more loudly. "What he want? I come to New York to tell him in front of his boss." And so I turned to the stockbroker again, "I can't accept any more excuse. If I don't receive the check immediately, I am going to have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week." The next week we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red-faced, my mother, the real Mrs. Tan, was shouting to his boss in her broken English. When I was a teenager, my mother's broken English embarrassed me. But now, I see it differently. To me, my mother's English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, and full of observation and wisdom. It was the language that helped me see things, express ideas, and _ the world. The best title of the passage might be _ . A. Great Mother B. Natural English C. Mother's Chinese English D. Perfect English Answer: C
Question: I was gazing out the window of the plane, when I felt a powerful jolt as if a truck had hit us from behind.Following Les and Randy I jumped into the lake. Twenty minutes later, in the icy cold water, I felt _ , I couldn't last much longer.But I thought of the difficult situations I'd gone through.I wasn't going to die.I swam for more than an hour till I reached shore.There were Randy and Les, alive but in bad shape. "We're going to have to pull through the night." I told them."Do you think we're gonna make it?" Les asked.I hesitated, because I had never felt worse."Yes," I replied encouragingly.We built a shelter with rocks I gathered nearby and made a fire to keep warm.Over and over I told myself, "We're going to make it.God will help us." Next morning, we scanned the water, trying to spot a fisherman.A couple of hours later a boat came into view.We waved and shouted.The boat moved across the water till we could no longer see it.We spotted a second one.Same deal.Then another boat.Randy ran about a mile after the boat along the shore.Finally they spotted him. "It's a miracle," one fisherman said after listening to our story."We're here for a fishing tournament.This spot never has fish this time of year.But for some reason I thought it necessary to check it out.You should have been senseless after 30 minutes in that water.No way you should have made it." That's my most recent brush with death.Fight to survive.That's what it takes to be a true survivor. Which of the following best describes their survival? A. A friend in need is a friend indeed. B. After a storm comes a calm sunshine. C. Everything comes to people who pray. D. Fortune favors those fighting to survive. Answer: D. Fortune favors those fighting to survive. Question: In order to know a foreign language thoroughly , four things are necessary. First, we must understand the language when we hear it spoken. Secondly, we must be able to speak it ourselves, correctly with confidence and without hesitation . Thirdly, we must be able to write it. We must be able to make sentences that are correct in grammar. There is no short way to succeed in language learning. A good memory is a great help, but it is not enough only to memorize the rules from a grammar book. It is no much use learning by heart long lists of words and their meanings, studying the dictionary and so on. We must learn by using the language. If we are pleased with a few rules we have memorized, we are not really learning the language. We must "Learn through use". Practice is important. We must practise speaking and writing the language whenever we can. One can never learn a foreign language well only by _ . A. much practice B. studying the dictionary C. learning through use D. using the language Answer: B. studying the dictionary Question: While most of us are happy to take the credit when things go well, few of us are willing to take the blame when things go wrong. Rather than trying to hide our shame or embarrassment, experts found that we are simply less aware when our actions result in a negative outcome. The research may explain why we often feel it hard to take the blame for our actions. "Our result suggests that people may really experience less responsibility for negative than for positive outcomes," said Patrick Haggard, leading researcher and professor of the institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London. In a series of tests, participants were asked to press a key. A sound then followed, either disapproving, neutral or approving, and they were then asked to estimate the time between the action and when they had heard the sound. Researchers found that individuals experienced different levels of responsibility depending on the outcomes. They also discovered they were significantly slower to recognize if their actions had resulted in a bad consequence, compared to when they had done well. "Effectively, we have found that we experience a negative outcome differently, not just retell it differently. We make a weaker connection when there is a bad result. And respond much more strongly when something good happens," said Professor Haggard. When something goes right, everyone wants to take the credit, and when things go wrong, nobody is interested in putting their hands up. The researchers said our brain is "very much concerned" with reward, as good results are key to survival. Although our own perception of whether we are guilty of something or not is changed by the outcomes, this does not provide a defense if we have done something wrong. "Our experience of our own responsibilities can be misleading and can be strongly colored by the outcomes of our actions," said Professor Haggard. "We have to take responsibility for what we actually do, not just for how we experience things." Which of the following statements is TRUE? A. Our level of responsibility can be strongly affected by the outcomes of our actions. B. When something bad happens, nobody is interested in dealing with the problem. C. People were quicker to recognize if their actions had resulted in a bad consequence. D. Participants were asked to count the time between pressing a key and hearing the sound. Answer: A. Our level of responsibility can be strongly affected by the outcomes of our actions. Question: Some types of trees are able to survive the heat of a forest fire. Which of the following characteristics would best help a tree survive a fire? A. large leaves B. shallow roots C. thick bark D. thin trunks Answer: C. thick bark Question: I know it is wrong to envy your children. But when I see my son, Tonio and his younger brother Sam going down a slide together, one's arm around the other, I know I have missed something wonderful. Not only did I never have a brother, but also I had no friendships like theirs. My sister was old enough to help take care of me, so she was more a mother than a playmate, and I was more a _ than a friend. A brother would have been wonderful, but it was not in the family planning. Now I finally live with brothers, my sons, Tonio and Sam. I am watching them build the kind of relationship that I once dreamed about. They go to bed together. When one comes into our bed after a nightmare, my wife and I know that before morning his brother will follow. Sam manages the world with more ease than his elder brother, whose frustrations often bring him to tears. With a sincere "Smile, Tonio," Sam is the one who comforts him. Tonio, on the other hand, has stopped playing with boys at his age who don't like playing with Sam. They are always backing each other up. I don't know what kind of relationship they will have when they grow up. Parents always want their children to have what they never could. I want them to have each other. So I imagine them going to the same college, marrying sisters and living on the same block. That's why I was so worried the day Tonio started kindergarten. I felt that I would lose something too. As we headed for school that morning, both boys seemed relaxed, as if neither had any idea that the day was going to be different, that starting then, Tonio would be leaving behind his brother, his best friend, his right arm. Tonio's first day was chaotic, with hundreds of children outside looking for their teachers. Before any of us could say goodbye, Tonio disappeared with his new classmates. He turned to wave and then was gone. It was so sudden. Sam even didn' t see him go. Although parents had been asked to ease the craziness of the first day by statying out of the school, I lifted Sam up and took him to Tonio's classroom, looking for a glimpse of Tonio. Sam spotted him first. My wife and I didn't head back home immediately, stopping instead at a coffee shop to treat Sam to hot chocolate. We even let him eat ice-cream with his fingers. Sam was still quiet, so I asked him if he missed his brother already. He didn't answer. Instead he asked, "Daddy, is Tonio going to be gone forever?" "No, Sammy," I said, feeling happy about his sweet question. "Not forever, just until three o'clock." I sometimes think that the greatest thing I have ever done is to help create these brothers. And I didn't stop with them. We had another child, and for the third time in a row, it was a boy. It wasn't long before his brothers climbed into the crib to play with him. I am surrounded by brothers. What makes the author envy his sons? A. He has no friends like Sam and Tonio. B. He has only one brother in his family. C. He doesn't enjoy brotherhood as they do. D. He doesn't have a good relation with his sister. Answer: C. He doesn't enjoy brotherhood as they do.

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