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Pesticides are used on a lot of crops, so it is best to wash them before consumption in order to avoid Answer: falling ill DONATE YOUR OLD JEANS AND DO THE PLANET GOOD What Will Be Done With All This Denim? All the denim will be donated to Cotton. From Blue to Green. This denim drive recycled jeans into UltraTouch Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation, which is used to help build houses in places that have been damaged by hurricanes and other natural disasters. Your jeans will help keep clothes out of landfills, and build houses for families to live in! UltraTouch is made of 85% recycled fibers and is an environmentally safe, natural cotton fiber insulation. It's a Fact: It takes about 500 pairs of old jeans to insulate one average-size US house. Here's How You Can Get Involved! 1. Get a parent's permission and select as many denim jeans as you like. (Any denim clothing is OK.) 2. The denim must be used and can be any brand. 3. The denim can be any color or size but must have been worn by a human. (no doll clothes!) 4. Jeans must be received by June 30, 2011. POST A JOB AD--IDEAL FOR CASUAL ADVERTISERS REGISTER NOW AND POST A JOB AD All job Advertisements are reviewed and uploaded usually within 24 hours. Standard Job Advertisement $65.00 + GST (Goods and Service Tax) =" $" 71.50 Premium Job Advertisement $80.00 + GST =" $88.00" No additional costs for all the features below. Standard Job Ad Features: ---Active for 30 days ---Include your company LOGO ---Update or Edit live ads online anytime ---Access state of your job ad ---Unlimited text to describe your vacancy (able to insert HTML links--very useful if you want candidate to apply using your own online application on your corporate website) ---Able to copy and paste your active job ad from other job sites including logo and layout Premium Job Ad Features: ---All the features of a standard Job Ad ---Displayed on top of the main job search page with highlighted colors also within the standard job ads in its highlighted format. For any questions contact us. REGISTER NOW AND POST A JOB AD Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the ad? Answer: UltraTouch Lucy is a nice girl. She is twenty-six. She opens a clothes store. Its name is Lovely Clothes Store. The store is for girls, not for boys. The store has clothes in many colors. Do you want to have a look at the store? Clothes Colors Price T-shirts blue, green and white Y=25 Skirts red, green, yellow and black Y=45 \ Y=65 Sweaters yellow, blue and red Y=35 \ Y=55 Trousers orange, white and green Y=54 \ Y=84 \ Y=104 ,. The T-shirt is _ yuan each. Answer: 65 With little rain, ancient Egyptians relied mostly on the Nile River to water their crops, so they could only grow certain kinds of food. They mainly grew wheat and barley . The Egyptians made the wheat into bread, soup and porridge, and they also added hops to make the barley into beer. In fact, some people think that the Egyptians would not have begun growing grain if they hadn't liked beer so much. Many Egyptian models of beer jars have been found, which the Egyptians put into graves of dead people so that they would have beer in the next world. The Egyptians also ate meat. They went to a butcher shop and bought meat there, just as people do today. But because it rarely rains in Egypt, they could have the meat outside in the yard of the store instead of inside. Click on the left and you will see a model of a butcher shop, which was also found in somebody's grave. Can you see the different cuts of meat all laid out? There is a whole leg of mutton at the very bottom. However, Egyptians thought pigs carried infectious disease. They ate beef, mutton, duck and goose. For dessert, the Egyptians had a great interest in dates. Here is a picture of some real Egyptian dates which were put into people's graves for them to eat in the next world, and which were kept in the dry climate for three thousand years until archaeologists dug them up. Archaeologists have also found seeds which show that the Egyptians grew watermelon and other kinds of melon. Concerning the ancient Egyptians, all of the following are true EXCEPT that _ . Answer: they had to go inside the butcher shops to buy meat as people do today Liah Kaminer remembers hearing the shock from the audience when two seniors rapped the words "raise your hand like a Nazi" at a school assembly during her sophomore year. It wasn't the only instance of anti-Semitism that Kaminer, 17, of Hall High School in Connecticut, says she witnessed at her school. There were other comments, like a boy asking two other students in her class if they were Jewish. When they replied that they weren't, he said, "Oh, good." Kaminer recalled. He patted them on their backs and said, "You're one of us." Kaminer, who is Jewish, said she was hurt by the remark, and after a while she got tired of seeing such comments swept under the rug . So she decided to take action. After reaching out to the administration and connecting with social studies department supervisor Stephen Armstrong, Kaminer and Armstrong put together a class on anti-Semitism. They presented it to every ninth-grade social studies class during the last week of school this year. In the class, Kaminer and Armstrong showed a clip from the ABC show, What Would You Do? where actors portrayed a Jewish couple and a bakery employee who yelled at them with anti-Semitic comments. They had class discussions about what stereotypes students had heard. "I was a little surprised and confused by how much of this still goes on at Hall." Armstrong said. "That's why we're doing this. Although students are taught about the Holocaust in history classes, it's a pity that kids are seldom asked to think about this topic in a present-day situation." "The fact that a teenager was teaching her fellow students made the class more effective." Armstrong said. "I could have done it - a couple of classes I did it myself - but it was a lot more effective when a kid was with me. It wasn't just some teacher talking. It was a kid who had experienced some of the stuff very personally." The author mentioned one of Liah Kaminer's shocking memories during her sophomore year to _ . Answer: show that anti-Jewish feelings exist among some students in her school
People in the United States honor their parents with two special days: Mother's Day,on the second Sunday in May, and Father's Day, on the third Sunday in June. Mother's Day was proclaimed a day for national observance by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915. Ann Jarvis from Graffon, West Virginia, had started the idea to have a day to honor mothers. She was the one who chose the second Sunday in May and also began the custom of wearing a carnation. In 1909, Mrs Dodd from Spokane, Washington, thought of the idea of a day to honor fathers. She wanted to honor her own father, William Smart. After her mother died, he had the responsibility of raising a family of five sons and a daughter. In 1910, the first Father's Day was _ in Spokane. Senator Margaret Chase Smith helped establish Father's Day as a national commenortative day , in 1972. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care. These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother's Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery. On these days families get togher at home as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father's Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories. Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are valued more than the ones bought in stores. It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is " the thought that counts". Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries, telephone companies, and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays. What's the purpose of writing this passage? Answer: Most people like watching TV.So does Mary.She doesn't mind soap operas or talk shows.But she can't stand sitcoms,for they are too boring.Sports shows are her favorite programs.She likes sports very much,and she likes watching football matches on TV. Mary likes women's volleyball,too.She often watches matches on TV,sometimes on the Internet.Her favorite team is the Chinese team.She thinks all the members are _ . Mary enjoys volleyball,but she isn't good at it.She is good at table tennis.She often plays it with her best friend after school.They are both on the school table tennis team.Sometimes they play with teams from other schools.They have a lot of fun with it. Which of the following is TRUE? Answer: Thirty years ago, Lake Ponkapog in Hartwell, New Jersey, was full of life. Many birds and animals lived beside the water, which was full of fish. Now there are few birds, animals, and fish. The lake water is polluted. It is in a colour of dirty brown, and it is filled with strange plants. How did this happen? First, we must think about how water gets into Lake Ponkapog. When it rains, water comes into the lake from all around. In the past, there were forests all round Lake Ponkapog, so the rainwater was clean. Now there are many homes around the lake. People often use the chemicals in their gardens. They use other chemicals inside their houses for cleaning and killing insects. There are also many businesses. Businesses use chemicals in their machines of shops. Other chemicals fall onto the ground from cars or trucks. When it rains, the rainwater picks up all the chemicals from home and businesses and then carries them into the lake . They pollute the water and kill the animals. Boats on the lake are also a problem. Lake Ponkapog is a popular place for motorboats . But oil and gas from boats often get into the lake. So more bad chemicals go into the water this way. People in Hartwell are worried . They love their lake and want to save it. Will it be possible? A clean lake must have clean rainwater going into it. Clean rainwater is possible only if people are more careful about chemicals at home and at other chemicals on the ground. And they mustn't use motorboats any more on the lake. All these may change people's lives. Only then can Lake Ponkapog be a beautiful, clean lake again. Cleaner rainwater will mean _ . Answer: Scientists are debating how to limit their newly-discovered power to change genetic structure. Scientists already modify the genes of farm animals and agricultural plants to make them more productive or stronger. But now they can also change genes in wild animals and plants. These genes would continue into later generations. For example, it may be possible for scientists to remove from existence the kind of mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus. They might also be able to permanently remove species of plants and animals that are destructive to other species. In a report published last week, the U. S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NAS) said it supports continued research on this kind of gene control. But it warned that it is not possible to know what will happen when these changed plants and animals are released into the wild. Sixteen biologists, ethicists and policymakers are on an NAS committee that is examining the issue. They say that there is value to the new technology. But, they say, there is not enough evidence to support the release of modified organisms from the laboratory into nature. Many people would support stopping mosquitoes and rats from carrying diseases. But scientists say we must understand the possible scientific, ethical, legal and social results of such action before we decide whether to take it. Gene modification is spread through reproduction . Changed genes will continue to spread as long as an animal or plant continues to reproduce. They cannot be limited to a farm or kept within a country's borders. Scientists are wondering what may happen if a modified organism mates with another species. They are not yet sure how the modified genes would affect the other species. It is possible that those genes could harm those creatures or even lead to their disappearance from our planet. What can be the best title for the passage? Answer: "A child is dying---out of breath!" I had just begun my working day in the city, when these words came through the radio of the police car I was driving. I turned on the red lights and siren and drove off as fast as I could. "Just my luck!" I thought. I didn't know this city well and my first call of the day was a life-and-death sudden happening, several kilometers away. I got to the house. A mother, filled with fear, handed me her baby, his face already blue. Was I too late? Dear me! I did what had been taught to do in such a serious condition. A small thing flew out of the baby's mouth on to the floor. It was a button. Thank heaven! The holes in it let a little air through. A doctor rushed into the room. He had with him an oxygen bag. The child began to cry at the top of his voice, burned red and started to look for his mother. He was angry but was saved. What worried the writer all the way to the dying child ? Answer:
Some lizards form eggs where A in space B in fire C in ice D in their interiors Answer: D Which of the following is an example of a physical change? A lighting a match B breaking a glass C burning of gasoline D rusting of iron Answer: B A jet plane is moving at a constant velocity on a flat surface. Which forces act against the forward motion of the plane? A gravity and engine thrust B engine thrust and friction C friction and air resistance D air resistance and gravity Answer: C A car that runs on coffee is unveiled(shown to the public for the first time)today but at between 25 and 50 times the cost of running a car on petrol, the invention won't please any motor industry accountants. Nicknamed the Car-puccino, it has been created using a 1988 Volkswagen Scirocco bought for PS400 and it was chosen because it looked like the time-traveling DeLorean in the movieBack To The Future.The car will be driven the 210 miles between Manchester and London powered only by roasted coffee granules .It has been built by a team from the BBC1 science programme Bang Goes The Theory and will go on display at the Big Bang science fair in Manchester to show how fuels other than traditional petrol can power vehicles. The team calculates the Car-puccino will do three miles per kilo of ground coffee -- about 56 cups of espressos per mile.The journey will use about 70 kilos of ground coffee which, at supermarket prices of between PS13 and PS26 a kilo depending on brand and quality, will cost between PS910 and PS1,820, or between 25 and 50 times the PS36 cost of petrol for the journey.In total, the trip will cost 11,760 espressos, and the team will have to take 'coffee breaks' roughly every 30 to 45 miles to pour in more granules.They will also have to stop about every 60 miles to clean out the 'coffee filters' to rid them of the soot and tar which is also generated by the process.So despite a top speed of 60mph, the many stops mean the going will be slow, with the journey taking around ten hours. Sadly, the inventors will still have to pay duty on their coffee fuel---even though tax collectors at Her Majesty's Revenue and Custom haven't yet worked out how much. Nick Watson, producer of Bang Goes The Theory, said, "Coffee, like wood or coal, has some carbon content so you can use it as a fuel.The coffee needs to be very dry and in granules to allow the air to move through the pile of coffee as it burns.The brand doesn't matter." He said the same technology could be used to power a car on other unusual fuels, such as woodchips or nut shells, construction or agricultural waste. Why can coffee be used as a fuel? A It looks like wood or coal. B It contains some carbon content. C It is very cheap. D It is much better than woodchips or nut shells. Answer: B When a close friend dies, it often forces you to consider your own death. The more you have in common with the friend, the more his death will make you wonder about your own. Sometimes you will naturally say to yourself, "It could just as easily have been me." Such a death has a way of reminding us how fragile life is, and it may cause you to reassess the direction of your own life. Jack's story is a good example. A successful businessman making a lot of money, Jack didn't spend as much time with his family as he wanted. His job required him to work long hours. But three years ago one of his best friends, a man who worked in the same office, had a heart attack. He died while celebrating his daughter's eighteenth birthday in a restaurant. He was only fifty years old. Not long after his friend's death, Jack started to have a chest pain. Finally he had a good physical check-up. _ . But the chest pain continued. He kept thinking of the death of his friend. Jack thought about how much his friend missed in life and he saw how hard it was for his friend's family to manage after he passed away. Jack realized that he didn't want to end up his life that way. He talked his feelings over with his wife and children, and decided to change his way of life. The family moved to a small town where he started a simple life. Now he is running a small art gallery . He is relaxed, and says he has never been so happy in his life. And he has got no more chest pain. While living in the small town Jack _ . A earns less money B gets more time C has a happier life D does all these mentioned above Answer: D
My Garden -----by Nelson Mandela In early 1977, the authorities announced the physical labour and arranged some kind of work for us to do in the courtyard. The free time also allowed me to hunt what became two of my favorite hobbies in Robben Island---gardening and tennis. To survive in prison, one must develop ways to take satisfaction in one's daily life. One can feel fulfilled by washing one's clothes so that they are particularly clean. Just as one takes pride in important tasks outside of prison, one can find the same pride in doing small things inside prison. Almost from the beginning of my sentence on Robben Island, I asked the authorities for permission to start a garden in the courtyard. For years, they refused without offering a reason. But finally they gave in, and we were able to cut out a small garden in the prison. The soil in the courtyard was dry and rocky. In order to start my garden, I had to remove a great many rocks to allow the plant room to grow. The authorities supplied me with seeds. At first, I planned tomatoes and onions, because these plants did not require rich earth or constant care. The early harvests were poor, but they soon improved. I began to order books on gardening. I studied different gardening techniques and types of fertilizers . For a time, I tried to grow peanuts, and used different soils and fertilizers, but finally I gave up. It was one of my few failures. A garden was one of the few things in prison that one could control. The processes of planting a seed, watching it grow, taking care of it and then harvesting it offered a simple but long-lasting satisfaction. The sense of being the owner of the small patch of earth offered a small taste of freedom. When did Mandela ask the prison authorities for the permission to start a small garden? Almost as soon as he went to prison there. My brother Ron joined the US army a few years ago. Most girls, especially those who are my age, are thrilled by anything that has to do with the "army". It's a novelty to them to shoot a gun, jump out of a plane, and wear uniform. Now I know you're thinking that I must find it really cool to know a solider, who's my brother. That's wrong, before I found out that my brother joined the army, I was crazy about the army. Firstly, I wanted to go to college, knew that joining the army was probably the only way I could get it as my parents couldn't afford it. Additionally there were all the other points of the army that grabbed my heart. I wanted the challenge, I wanted the discipline and I wanted the feeling that I would be doing something beyond the ability of average citizen. But as soon as my brother joined the army, all those things fell away. All I saw were dead people, guns shooting, tanks turning into a ball of fire, tents burning, and lots of blood. It was so horrible. When Ron went to Iraq, I freaked out whenever I didn't hear from him for more than a week. I kept up with the news, reading the latest newspaper and listening to the hourly reports. And every time I heard that an American solider was killed, I prayed, it' wasn't Ron. I'm proud of my brother for serving our country, and his willingness to devote his life to something he finds important. It's great to see how discipline and mature he's got, and I'm glad he has his college paid for. But although I am proud, I gladly give up the "coolness" of having a brother in the army. I would be perfectly all right if I had never seen that uniform on him, and he was just a plain old "boring" brother. I love my brother, and I'm proud of him, but I want him back home! What would be the best title for the passage? Having a soldier in the family School of Cinema and Performing Arts It offers two two-week sessions and one three-week session during the summer. Your teen can participate in the filmmaking, acting, dance, photography programs. He will work with professionals who will teach him the latest technology through hands-on experience. Tuition includes day trips to amusement parks and other Los Angeles tourism sites. Housing and food can be arranged in dorms for an additional fee. Address: 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles Tel: 800-718-2787 iD Tech Camps at UCLA It offers computer and gaming related camps at the UCLA campus. Teens can join in day camps, overnight camps or weekend gaming camps. Your teen will use the latest technology available to learn video game design, web design and computer programming. Overnight campers will stay in the college dorms. Address: 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles Tel: 888-709-8324 Summer Discovery at UCLA It offers three or six week residential camps at the UCLA campus. Three-week courses can include academic or art classes for enrichment purposes. In this summer camp, your teen will get a taste of what to expect when she enters college. She can choose from sports management, business management, healthy lifestyle programs, ESL-TOEFL programs and more. Address: 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles Tel: 516-621-3939 Power Chord Academy It offers a seven-day course that caters to residential or day teens, as well as a three-day course. Teens will meet a touring band, learn technical aspects about the music industry and being a musician in current times, write songs, perform concerts, make a music video, record a CD and meet a touring band. No experience or musical background is necessary. Address: 7336 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles Tel: 800-897-6677 What do the four camps have in common? All of them provide accommodation. In 2012, I had just recovered from a serious illness when I received an invitation to a writer's conference in Orlando, Florida. My family and friends persuaded me that a holiday might be just what the doctor ordered, so off I went. Arriving in the Sunshine State was not easy, but I managed to catch a taxi to the hotel. The next morning, I caught another taxi to do some shopping. Later I went to a cafe to buy some lunch, but having my sandwich and drink in my hands, I saw that all the tables were occupied . Then I heard a friendly voice saying, "You can share my table." I thankfully sat down with the smiling elderly lady and we shared a happy lunch together. As the meal drew to a close she asked how long I would be in Orlando. I had already told her that I hadn't hired a car, and hadn't realized how costly taking taxis would be. After a while she said, "My dear, don't use any more taxis. It would be my pleasure to drive you wherever you wish." I told her that I couldn't put her to that trouble, but she insisted. She took details of where I was staying and the next morning she drove me to Disney World. She took me through the park's gates and spent some time with me before leaving me to explore alone. At the end of the day, she returned to take me back to my hotel. The next few days, she drove me around Orlando's tourist areas. I offered her money but she refused to take any. When we had lunch on my last day, I thanked her for her kindness. I'll never forget that wonderful lady who filled my holiday in Florida with wonderful memories. We can infer from the text that the elderly lady is _ . kind-hearted In 1883. John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However, bridge building experts throughout the world thought this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea, but Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built. The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move. "We told them so." "Crazy men and their crazy dreams.'' "It's foolish to chase wild visions." Evcryone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap, Washington was never discouraged. One day he was lying on his bed in hospital, seeing the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment with the sunlight streaming through the windows, and a gentle breeze bowing the flimsy white curtains apart when an idea hit him. He decided to make the best use of the only finger he could move. Thus, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife. He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again. For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm until the bridge was finally completed. The passage suggests that _ . Passion creates wonder.
The Camp Invention Program will be held through July at the Hillcrest Intermediate School, North Huntingdon. It exposes children to science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) through hands-on activities. The Camp Invention Program, created by Invent Now Kids, was founded in 1990. Now it has grown to include almost l,500 sites across the U. S., with thousands of children attending the program each year. "Our main purpose is to help children develop a greater interest in the fields of STEM," said Lori Bryne, the Senior Regional Program Manager. Children in the camp will be given the opportunity to explore the unknown and put ideas into practice. The program will challenge children to real world situations that will help them build a team spirit and life skills. The program will include five modules this year. One module will feature "Problem Solving on Planet ZAK". It will challenge children by creating a world of science fiction. Imitating a "crash" onto a planet, children will be asked to figure out ways to stay safe, find food and to "rebuild" their spacecraft, using a variety of common objects. Another module will be "Saving Sludge City" which will have children find ways to create a cleaner and eco-friendly city. "Imagination Point: Ride Physics" asks children to work as interns in the world's newest and largest theme park called "Imagination Point". Children will learn the basic principles of motion through hands-on activities related directly to rides. Another feature of the camp will be the "I Can Invent" which will focus on the real world of inventions by having children explore the process of invention. The final module will be "Global Games" which will introduce games ranging from those played in ancient times to the present day to children. "We want to encourage children to go into the fields of STEM," Bryne said. "This program is a fun way to do that." Which feature of the camp can make children learn the basic principles of motion? A. I Can Invent. B. Imagination Point: Ride Physics C. Global Games. D. Saving Sludge City. Answer: B Cultural events that take place in Edinburgh during August draw most people's attention, but plenty of other festivals can also entertain you throughout the rest of the year. Ceilidh Culture Festival Where: various places When: Date late Mar/early Apr Tel & website: 228 1155, www.ceilidhculrure.co.uk Backed by the local authorities, this is a community-focused celebration of traditional Scottish music, dance, song and storytelling. City-wide over a period of nearly four weeks, prices are different for different events. Beltane Fire Festival Where: Calton Hill, Calton Hill & Broughton When: 30 Apr Website: www. beltane.org An ancient tradition marking the transition from winter to spring, the Beltane fire festival was revived in the 1980s and has grown into quite a drama: fire, costume, body-paint, dancing and drumming. If the weather holds, it can attract up to 12,000 people. Tickets cost around PS5 in advance from the Hub; a limited number are available for PS7 on the night. Doors Open Day Where: various places When: weekend, late Sept Tel & Website: 557 8686, www.cockburnassociation.org.uk Each year, heritage body the Cockburn Association works with organizations and individuals to allow public access to buildings that few people usually get to see---everything from private homes to lighthouses. It's all free. Capital Christmas Where: various places When: late Nov till early Jan Website: www.edinburghschristmas.com What started out as a few accidental events has grown into a large, popular, city-wide festival. The main part is the Winter Wonderland in Princes Street Gardens, including fairground rides, crafts market, a skating rink and the Edinburgh Wheel (a Ferris wheel next to the Scott Monument). Doors Open Day may be on _ . A. a Monday in late September B. a Saturday in late September C. a Saturday in late November D. a Monday in late November Answer: B Farquaad, the ruler of a country called Duloc, decides that all the characters from fantasy stories must leave the country. There is a huge green monster called Shrek who lives in a forest and all the fantasy characters hide in his home, although Shrek doesn't want them to. Shrek visits Farquaad. Farquaad agrees that the fantasy characters can come back if Shrek can find the beautiful princess that Farquaad wants to marry. Shrek goes to look for the Princess Fiona. He finds her and discovers that at night she becomes as ugly as him. When Farquaad discovers that Fiona is ugly, he doesn't want to marry her. But the monster and the princess get married, and the princess decides to stay ugly all the time for love. What's the main idea of the passage? A. Farquaad is a bad ruler of the country. B. Characters from fantasy stories are in trouble. C. The love between a monster and a princess. D. Shrek saves Fiona so that he can become a hero. Answer: C "We do look very different; we're older. Leo's 38, I'm 37. We were 21 and 22 when we made that film. You know, he's fatter now -- I'm thinner.". So says Kate Winslet, who is thrilled at the 3-D re-release ofTitanicto coincide with the 100th anniversary of the ship's demise. " It happens every time I get on any boat of any kind." She recalls. There are all the people who want her to walk to the front of the ship and re-create her famous pose, arms flung wide. Most people remember the tragedy: The British passenger ship -- said to be unsinkable -- hit an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912, during its maiden voyage from England to New York City. More than 1,500 people died. But little known is what the world learned from the sinking to prevent future incidents. Probably the greatest deficiency of the Titanic was that she was built 40 years before the widespread use of the wonderful invention radar . Her only defense against icebergs and hidden obstacles was to rely on manned lookouts. On that fateful night the eyesight of trained lookouts only provided 37 seconds of warning before the collision. Traveling at nearly 30 miles an hour the Titanic was moving far too fast to avoid the huge iceberg. The warning did prevent a head-on collision as the officer on the bridge managed to turn the ship slightly. The last ship to send a warning was the California. She was within ten miles of the Titanic during the disaster, but her radio operator went to bed at midnight and never received any of the SOS messages from the Titanic. That was one of the important lessons learned from the catastrophe, the need for 24-hour radio operators on all passenger liners. Another lesson learned was the need for more lifeboats. The Titanic remained afloat for almost three hours and most of the passengers could have been saved with enough lifeboats. 1,500 passengers and workers died in the 28 degree waters of the Atlantic. Out of the tragedy, the sinking did produce some important maritime reforms. The winter travel routes were changed to the south and the Coast Guard began to keep an eye on the location of all icebergs. The new rules for lifeboats were obvious to all. There must be enough lifeboats for everybody on board. The most important lesson learned was that no one would ever again consider a ship unsinkable- no matter how large or how well constructed. Never again would sailors place their faith in a ship above the power of the sea. What would be the best title for the passage? A. Lessons from the Titanic B. Technology is Important C. Demands of Passengers D. Power of Sea Answer: A When many people are worried that there are no more heroes in the modern era,two university students who lost their lives to rescue drowning children have shown that heroes still exist . According to the Inner Mongolia Morning Post,the tragedy occurred on the afternoon of December 14,2002 when three school students skating on a frozen lake in Qingcheng Park in Hohhot fell through the ice into the freezing water. More than 20 university students who happened to be near the spot immediately went to the rescue of the children. Two children were quickly rescued,but the third died.The child's body was not found for three hours.Two of the rescuers,Liu Ye and Hao Longbiao,also died of cold and exhaustion . The body of Hao who took the lead in jumping into the lake was not found until the next day. A student who was unwilling to tell his name said he and his classmates from the local college were taking photos at the lake.When they heard the children's cries for help,they went to the ice hole hand in hand to rescue the children.But the ice kept breaking,causing most of them to fall into the icy water. Local residents held mourning ceremonies at the lake. Eight of the students were seriously affected by the freezing water and were being kept in hospital for further observation,but their lives were no longer in danger. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. The three deaths all happened on the same day. B. Hao Longbiao's body was found on December 14,2002. C. The university students didn't think it dangerous to save the drowning children in the lake. D. Local residents were not brave in face of danger. Answer: A
Question: More than two million Americans above 65 years of age suffer from depression. And in the next 35 years, twice as many people will find themselves in that age range --including me, and probably you too! So, what activities can prevent depression as we get older? Researchers at UCLA turned to a gentle "Westernized" version of tai chi, the 2,000-year-old Chinese martial art . When a group of adults over 60 on antidepressant drug therapy attended a weekly tai chi exercise class, standard rating scales showed greater improvement in their level of depression, along with improved quality of life, better memory and cognition , and more overall energy when compared to study participants taking the same medicine but going to a weekly health education class. "This is the first study to prove the benefits of tai chi in the management of late-life depression, and we were encouraged by the results," said Dr Helen Lavretsky, a UCLA professor. "We know that nearly two-thirds of elderly patients who seek treatment for their depression fail to achieve relief with a prescribed medication ." In the study, 112 adults above 60 with major depression were treated with the prescription antidepressant medicine for approximately four weeks.Among those participants, 73 who showed only little improvement continued to receive the daily medication but were also assigned to 10 weeks of either a tai chi class or a health education class for two hours per week. "Both groups showed improvement in the severity of depression," said Lavretsky. But greater benefits were noted among those participating in tai chi. This study shows that adding a mind-body exercise like tai chi, which is widely available in the community, can improve the outcomes of treating depression in older adults.With tai.chi, we may be able to treat other, coexisting medical conditions without exposing them to additional medications." Which of the following statements is true, according to the passage? A. This study is the first to prove the benefits of tai chi in the treatment of depression. B. There are about 2 million people with depression in America. C. About 4 million Americans will suffer from depression in the next 30 years. D. Apart from taking medicine, 73 patients also participated in either a tai chi class or a health education class. Answer: D. Apart from taking medicine, 73 patients also participated in either a tai chi class or a health education class. Question: Pan Aiying, a Chinese teacher at Wutou Middle School in Qihe County, in East China's Shandong Province, didn't think her text messages would help to get her belongings back. A young man riding a motorcycle robbed her of her bag, in which there was her mobile phone, bank cards and 4,900 yuan, as she was riding her bicycle home on Saturday evening. Pan said at first she considered calling the police, but then decided to try to persuade the young man to return her bag. Pan called her lost phone with her friend's, but couldn't get through. So she began sending messages. "Hey, I'm Pan Aiying, a teacher from Wutou Middle School. You must be going through a difficult time. If so, I will not blame you. " Wrote Pan in her first text message, which got no answer. "Keep the 4,900 yuan if you really need it, but please return the other things to me. You are still young. To make mistakes is human. Correcting your mistake is more important than anything. " Pan wrote in another message. She gave up hope after sending 21 text messages without any answer and planned to call the police the next morning. However, as she left her home on Sunday morning, Pan found her stolen bag lying in the courtyard. Nothing was lost. "Dear Pan: I am sorry. I made a mistake. Please forgive me. You are so kind even though I stole from you. I'll correct my ways and be an honest person," said a letter left with the bag. Where was Pan Aiying robbed? A. In the school. B. At home. C. In the courtyard. D. In the street. Answer: D. In the street. Question: It's seven thirty in the morning. The students are coming into the classroom. A girl is opening the windows. Some of the students are laughing and talking. Some others are listening to them. Some are reading books. Some are doing their homework. Miss Zhao is standing behind the teacher's desks. She is writing on the blackboard. Sue and Lily are wearing their new dresses today. Ann is cleaning her desk. Mike is helping her. They all look happy. What are Bill and Jim doing? Oh, dear! They are still playing basketball on the playground. How many students are playing basketball now? A. One B. Two C. Many D. We don't know Answer: B. Two Question: How often one hears children wishing they were grown up, and the old wishing they were young again! Each age has its pleasure and its pains, and the happiest person is the one who enjoys what each age gives him without wasting any time in useless regrets. Children is a time when there are few duties to make life hard. If a child has good parents, he is fed, looked after, and loved whatever he may do. It's impossible for him to be given so much again in his life without having to do anything in return. Besides, life is always giving new things to the child. A child finds pleasure in playing in the rain, or in the snow. His first visit to the seaside makes him wild. But a child has his pains; he is not so free to do as he wishes. He is continually being told not to do this, not to do that, or being punished for what he has done wrong. His life is therefore not perfectly happy. When the young man starts to make his own living, he becomes free from the rules of school and parents; but at the time he is forced to accept duties. He can no longer expect others to pay for his food, his clothes and his room, but has to work for them if he wants to live comfortably. If he spends most of his time playing about in the way that he used to as a child, he will go hungry and suffer. And if he breaks the law of society as he used to break the laws of his parents, he may go to prison, lf, however, he works hard, keeps out of trouble, and has good health, he can have the great happiness of seeing himself make steady progress in his job and of building up his own position in society and enjoy success and good reputation.. Old age has always been thought of as the worst age to be, but it is not necessary for the old to be unhappy. Old age has its own happiness. They can have the joy of seeing their children making progress in life; they can watch their grandchildren growing up around them and, perhaps, best of all, they can, if their life has been a useful one, feel the happiness of having come through the battle of life safely and of having reached a time when they can lie back and rest, leaving others to continue the fight. The main reason children wish they were grown up, and the old wish they were young again is that _ . A. both aren't satisfied with the weak points at their ages B. both enjoy the strong points at the other age by looking back or looking forward C. the human beings should be like this D. they don't think both ages are acceptable Answer: B. both enjoy the strong points at the other age by looking back or looking forward Question: I was giving the class when her giggling drew my attention. Walking over to the young trouble-maker, I asked for the note in her hands. It was a had-drawn picture of me, teeth blackened, nostrils upwards, and the words "I'm stupid" coming out of my mouth. I managed to fold up the picture calmly and continue the class. My mind, however, was working angrily. I knew the two most likely suspects for drawing the picture. Maybe it was high time that I taught them a lesson! Somehow, in the very moment of real hurt and anger, I asked myself very softly, "How can I ever bring good out of this?" When there were about six minutes left of the class, I showed the kids the picture. The whole class was silent. I told them there must be a reason behind such a picture and that now was their chance to tell me the reason. Then I let them write silently while I stood sadly in the back of the classroom. Most of them either blamed the artist or felt sorry. But two notes, from the girls I figured were behind the picture, had a list of issues. I was too mean and too strict. Reading those notes, I realized that where I thought I was driving them to success I was actually driving them away. I had some apologizing to do. When the kids walked into my classroom the next day, one boy and one girl each handed me a card. The one signed by all the boys expressed sincere regret for the ugly joke. The one from the girls asked for forgiveness. I was extremely surprised. And more than a little shameful. I had my little speech all ready to give to the kids, but they did it before me. What does the passage mainly tell us? A. Forgiving others is actually helping yourself. B. It is not right to push students too hard. C. Teachers should get along well with students. D. Teachers should respect students' choice. Answer: A. Forgiving others is actually helping yourself.
Sharks frighten most of us, but Daniel Weaver, a shark scientist, swims with them for a living! We asked him some questions about this unusual job. So Daniel, what's it like to be a shark scientist? Well, it's a great job. I often travel to faraway places like South Africa and Fiji to study sharks. On the other hand, a shark scientist sometimes does boring desk work, such as writing reports. Also, shark scientists don't usually get paid a lot. What qualities do you need to become a shark scientist? Shark scientists need to be wise and strong. They enjoy working outdoors and they have to be cool and patient . They also have to be quite brave! So do you think it's a dangerous job? Well, sharks have up to 15 rows of sharp teeth. However, sharks hardly attack humans. There are over 350 kinds of sharks in the world and only about 10 are dangerous to us. In fact, dogs kill more people every year than sharks! Humans kill over 12 million sharks a year for food and sport! How do you become a shark scientist? A shark scientist usually studies _ or _ at university. It's also good to get some work experience in an aquarium . In my opinion, I have the best job in the world! _ questions were asked about Daniel's unusual job. Answer: Cats are creatures of habit. They like to go to sleep about the same time every day and for a certain length of time. They seem to have a natural clock inside them that tells them when to sleep. Cats increase their regular sleep with occasional cat naps . Some experts feel that humans could also benefit from this habit. Cat naps help to build up energy in the body. They are also a good way to get rid of trouble! Since cats have the same moods as humans, some experts believe that people can improve their moods. People might become happier. A number of famous people have copied cats by taking cat naps during the day. The naps would usually last from 15 to 30 minutes. Winston Churchill took cat naps. So did Presidents Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson. These famous men were known for their energy. They were also able to work long hours, often into the night. Napping was their secret. Which of the following statements is NOT true? _ . Answer: Liu Xiaohua is 12 years old. She is from Mianyang, Sichuan Province. When Premier Wen Jiabao visited people in the Jiuzhou Gymnasium, he met Liu Xiaohua. Premier Wen held her hand and told her not to cry. He also encouraged her to live on. Ren Siyu is 6 years old. She is from Beichuan, Sichuan Province. She was buried under the rubble for two days and nights and her legs were trapped. When people came to save her, she sang the songTwo Tigers. She said singing the song could lessen the pain . Li Yue is 12 years old. She is also from Beichuan, Sichuan Province. Li Yue likes dancing, but she can't dance any more. Doctors had to cut off her two legs to save her. She was buried with her classmates. She told them to be quiet when people saved them. The three girls are from _ . Answer: What Is Self-tracking All about Have you ever monitored something about yourself? Perhaps you've tracked how many kilometers you've run, how many hours you've slept or how many calories you've eaten in a day. If so, you've taken part in a movement called the "Quantified Self Movement." Individuals gather information about their daily activities in this popular movement, also called self-tracking. This may sound difficult, but technology is making the process easier. Perhaps you've wanted to change a bad habit but couldn't. Self-tracking may be your answer. The idea is to take information about your everyday activities and analyze them to help form a healthier lifestyle. Recently, tools such as smartphones, journals and apps, along with newly published wearable things, are making self-tracking extremely easy. Today, one can use Fitbit, the Jawbone Up, Google Glass or a smart watch to record personal data including sleeping hours, stress levels, heart rate and mood. So why does a person self-track? Someone may be trying to lose weight or improve their sleep patterns. Another person feels tired after eating. Self-tracking could help him to know what foods make him sleepy and watch his diet. Monitoring daily activities isn't a new concept. In years past, athletes and their coaches kept notes detailing nutrition, training and sleep patterns in order to achieve an athletic goal. Similarly, doctors have also helped patients to record parts of their lifestyles and eating habits to help fight allergies, headaches and other health problems. However, it wasn't until 2007 that magazine editors Gary Wolf and Kim Kelly, who started tracking every move they made, coined the term "Quantified Self." Wolf says that the new tools will change our sense of self with the purpose of making us more effective in the world. Although self-tracking has many advantages, Dennis Nash, president of Data Speaks Health Solutions, says self-tracking has its drawbacks. Once people start tracking their daily activities, it can become an addition people like to do often. Also, they might begin to worry too much about their health. While self-tracking doesn't guarantee that one's quality of life will improve, it can highlight the importance of eating well and exercising daily. After all, the Quantified Self Movement's focus is motivating people to apply enough energy to make healthier choices. You can find this article in the part of _ . Answer: A pendant whipping indicates Answer:
Given the tradition of students bringing apples to their teachers, it somehow seems fitting that an old apple barn will find a new life as a one-room schoolhouse. And it is just as fitting that a retired schoolteacher will become the caretaker of that historic treasure. My friend Velma, a teacher for more than 30 years, has been retired for some time now, but that doesn't stop her giving history lessons at the old Englewood School, located on her family's California farm. The lovingly restored building was constructed around 1850 as a home for a woodsman and later was used as apple barn. Then, in 1870 it began a new life as a schoolhouse. Originally located in the nearby Englewood meadow, it was now moved its current site in 1978 by Velma's late husband and his brother, Robert and Richard, who thought it would help keep Velma busy in retirement. No nails had been used in the original construction, so each piece of wood had to be carefully marked and the building was reassembled on its new site. The brothers worked with much care and hard work to ensure a perfect fit of mitered corners. After the relocation, Velma and her family furnished the school with some of its original desks. They also added a collection of schoolbooks, the oldest dating back to 1845. Perhaps the school's most cherished souvenir is the diploma of student Hettie Essig, who graduated on June 30, 1904. Hettie's daughter, Flora, presented Velma with _ . Nowadays Velma gives tours to local schoolchildren and other groups, who learn what it was like to attend school back in the good old days. She has kids ring the school bell, recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing "Good Morning to You" as they might have done in days gone by. Then, with twinkling eyes and much enthusiasm, she tells the history of the school, and gives a short sample lesson. Which word can best describe the school's being relocated? Challenging. A man once had a dream about the Black Forest in Germany. In his dream he was walking in the forest when two men ran out and tried to throw him to the ground. He ran off as fast as he could, but they followed him. He reached a place where he saw two roads in front of him, one to the right and the other to the left. Which road should he take? He heard the two men behind him, getting nearer, and at the same time he heard a voice in his ear. It told him to go to the right, and he did so. He ran on and soon came to a small hotel. He was received there kindly and given a room, and he was saved from the two men. That was the dream. Twenty years later he was really in the Black Forest and, as happened in the dream long ago, two men ran out and tried to throw him down. He ran off, and came to a place with two roads, like in the dream. He took the road to the right without thinking. He soon reached a small hotel, was taken in, and so was safe. His dream of twenty years before had saved his life. It was _ that saved the man's life 20 years later. the dream 20 years before There are good Santas and there are bad Santas. The good Santas all realize one thing: In the mind of a child, Santa Claus is perfect. That's difficult. And so they come from around the world to attend the Charles W. Howard School in Midland, Mich. The school offers a three-day, 40-hour course for Santas hoping to be excellent. A former Macy's Santa named Charles Howard founded the Michigan school in 1937. "Many people will think if you have a suit and you're a Santa," said Tom Valent, the school's current dean. "It's more than that." The school teaches everything from breathing techniques for carol singing to the beard maintenance. There are lessons in child psychology, sign language and even media training for talk-show appearances and call-in shows. Santas also need to make sure they know all the names of the reindeer . What's harder to deal with, however, is children who ask for Christmas gifts like bringing daddy home or making mommy happy again. After spending time in the classroom, Weir went to the mall to test his training. However, at one point, his hat fell off, and he was unsure how to react. "You're the real Santa," Valent said. "Pick that hat up, slip it back on, keep smiling and do your job. You've got to stay on top of your game. Even the last one at night, when you're tired, you've got to remember: This one's forever, so do a good job." The Michigan school was founded by Charles Howard with the purpose to _ . train perfect Santas for the world Trip 1 Black bear Count There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them. The entire trip will last three hours. Bookings necessary. Cost: Free When: May 8 Trip 2 Garland Valley Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland but is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary. Cost: $15 When: May 8, May 15 Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley, part of the National Park. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip. The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours. Cost: $12 When: May 8, May 15, May22 Equipment to be needed: Please bring enough water and food for all walks. Wear good walking shoes---no high heels. Wear a hat for day walks. Dress warmly for night walks. Children must be with an adult. Make sure your flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks. Follow all instructions from guides during the walks. The mountains are a dangerous place. Bookings: Bookings for the above trips can be trade by telephone (893 m 4847) or on the Internet at www. Blue mountain tour. com Which following statement about Flashlight Adventure is NOT true according to the passage? There is no need to book early. NANJING -- Another human H7N9 case has been found in east China's Jiangsu Province, the provincial health department confirmed on January 31. The patient, a 75-year-old woman from the provincial capital of Nanjing, is in a critical condition. The case brings the number of infections in the province to eight this year. H7N9 has killed 19 in China this year, and the total number of human infections reached 96 on January 26, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. With bird flu cases increasing on a daily basis, public concern over people-to-people transmission during Spring Festival is growing. Li Lanjuan, researcher at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a specialist in H7N9 prevention, said so far there have not been any cases in which one person transmits the flu to another, and the latter transmits the virus to a third person. Her team has identified H7N9 virus mutations this year, but the _ are not large-scale. "Inter-human transmission is very unlikely," said Li, who added that the virus has not evolved to be extensively drug resistant. The National Health and Family Planning Commission said on Wednesday live poultry markets should close if any case of H7N9 avian flu is detected. The southern metropolis of Shenzhen has closed all live poultry markets until February 13 for a thorough cleaning. The city near Hong Kong has reported 14 human H7N9 cases since December 18. Live poultry trading has been halted in Hangzhou, Ningbo and Jinhua cities in Zhejiang, which reported the largest number of human H7N9 cases. China has stepped up research for an H7N9 vaccine in the face of the increasing threat from the virus. Beijing's Snovac Hotech Ltd.,which developed the A/H1N1 and H5N1 vaccines, said in a press release on Wednesday that it has completed preclinical studies of an H7N9 vaccine arid prepared several types for clinical testing. The company has submitted an application to the China Food and Drug Administration to start clinical trials. What can we learn from the news report? The H7N9 virus has not evolved to be extensively drug resistant.
Mr and Mrs Smith had always spent their summer holidays in New Jersey ( ) in the past, staying in a small inn at the foot of the hill. One year, however, Mr Smith made a lot of money in his business, so they decided to go to London and stay at a really good hotel while they went touring around the famous city. They flew to London and arrived at their hotel late one evening. They had expected that they would have to go to bed hungry, because in that small inn in New Jersey, no meals were served after seven. They were surprised when the waiter asked whether they would take dinner there that night. " Are you still serving dinner?" asked Mr Smith. " Yes, certainly, sir," answered the waiter. " We serve it until half past nine." " What are the time of the meals then?" asked Mr Smith. " Well, sir, We serve breakfast from seven to half past eleven in the morning, lunch from twelve to three in the afternoon, tea from four to five, and dinner from six to half past nine." answered the waiter. " But that hardly leaves any time for us to see the sights of London." said Mr Smith. They went to London by _ . While it is impossible to live completely free of stress,it is possible to prevent stress as well as reduce its effect when it can't be avoided.The US Department of Health and Human Services offers the following suggestions for ways to deal with stress. Try physical activity When you are nervous, angry or upset, try releasing the pressure through exercise or physical activity. Running,walking,playing tennis,and working in your garden are just some of the activities you might try. Take care of yourself You should make every effort to eat well and get enough rest. If you easily get angry and can't sleep well enough, or if you're not eating properly, it will be more likely that you will fall into stressful situations.If stress repeatedly keeps you from sleeping,you should consult a doctor. Make time for yourself Schedule time for both work and entertainment.Don't forget,play can be just as important to your overall well-being as work. You need a break from your daily routine to just relax and have fun.Go window-shopping or work on a hobby.Allow yourself at least a half hour each day to do something you enjoy. Make a list of things to do Stress can result from disorganization and a feeling that "there's so much to do,and not enough time".Trying to take care of everything at once can be too much for you and as a result,you may not achieve anything.Instead,make a list of everything you have to do,then do one thing at a time,checking off each task as it is completed.Set out to do the most important task first. Which of the following statements shows that you have fallen into stressful situations? The Gloria Barron Prize honors American young people from 8 to l8 who have shown leadership and courage in public service.Each year ten winners each receive$2,000 to support their higher education or their service work. Ellie Wen,18,was volunteering at a community center in Los Angeles.The center was set up to help immigrant families.She happened to meet adults in an EFL(English as a foreign language)class."When I saw them struggling hard,I wondered how people in poor countries could learn English,"Ellie said. So she started a Website,"Repeat After Us",where people can listen to English and practice their accents.Volunteers have helped Ellie record more than 6,600 texts,including Abraham Lincoln's"Gettysburg Address". Hard work pays off.There were so many times that Ellie was discouraged,but she stuck to it.The Website crashed early on,and all the recordings were lost.But volunteers worked together vigorously to start over,and the visitors returned to the site. "Just follow your idea and know that the world is so kind.Even if you do have trouble,people will help you,"Ellie said. "I was really excited the first month,when we had 49 visitors,"she said.Now,more than 480,000 people from a11 over the world have visited the site."I get e-mails from China,Egypt,India,and Brazil."They say,"Thank you so much for this resource,we've been waiting for it for so long!"Ellie loves knowing she is helping so many people. Gloria Barron Prize winners like Ellie are enthusiastic about the work they do.And they encourage others to join in if they see a need.Anybody can be negative,but it needs somebody brave to be positive.Are you the brave one? The writer mainly talks about _ . Big ocean fish have almost disappeared from the world since the start of business fishing in the 1950's.The scientists found that the number of large fish has dropped by 90 percent in the past fifty years.The study took ten years.The researchers collected records from fishing business and governments around the world.The magazine Nature published the findings. The scientists say the common way called longline fishing is especially harmful to large fish.This way includes many fishing lines that are connected to one boat.If these lines are joined together,they can reach one hundred kilometers.They hold thousands of sharp metal hooks to catch fish.Longline fishing is especially common in the Japanese fishing industry.Records show that Japanese boats used to catch about ten fish for every hundred hooks.The study says longline fishing boats now might catch one fish per hundred hooks. The scientists say business fishing can destroy groups of fish much faster than in the past.The study suggests that large fish can disappear almost completely from new fishing areas within ten to fifteen years.Ocean life system could be destroyed. It's not the only worry that the number of large fish is becoming smaller and smaller.What's worse.they are smaller in size than their ancestors . The number of big ocean fish has become smaller because _ . When you are curious about something and want to know more about it, you can use the way of asking questions. Asking questions is the first step to make discoveries and find interesting answers. The following steps can guide you during the research. Step 1 Write down the subject that you are interested in on a piece of paper. Just get the main idea down. For example, you might write: Discover more about robots. Step 2 Stop and think for a moment about what you have already known about your subject. List what you have already known like the sentences below: 1. The first robot appeared in the USA in 1959. 2. A robot can do housework and act as a teacher. 3. Sometimes a robot catches viruses and causes a lot of problems. Step 3 What can you do with what you want to learn? By asking questions, start writing down questions about the robots on the paper: 1. What might robots be like in the future? 2. What other things can robots do for people? 3. What kind of power will robots possibly use in five years? Step 4 _ , you can now go to the nearest library or computer to begin your research. As you learn more about your subject, you'll probably discover some new questions. For example, you might discover that robots can help scientists explore dangerous places, like the sea and outer space. How? What happened? Asking new questions can help you research your subject more widely. The next time you find something interesting to research, take time to organize your thinking by asking good questions. And remember that learning more always brings more questions. What might be the best title for this passage?
DEAR Daughter, We have not seen you for a while now, so I thought we might check in. Did you fall off the edge of the Earth? Your mother worries, you know, and I am just curious. Well, I am more than curious. I feel abandoned. Apparently you've dumped us for your career. I can understand that, because you've always had a wonderful work ethic . Look, obviously your long absence has confused us. As we go about our daily routines, your mother and I are distracted - both by your absence and our pride in your career. The other day, I entered my work password into the microwave, then stood there cursing it for not working. And I was so off my game that I actually used that cholesterol-free mayo your mother insisted on buying in an effort to drive me from the house. Listen, a lot has happened since you've been away. Abraham Lincoln was shot. We had two more children - a princess, now 23; a boy, now 12. Yesterday I bought a very clean 2001 Camaro car from an older woman. Your mother is not happy about this. She says it is the kind of muscle car driven by ex-convicts when they examine your house at 2 am. In response, I tell her it was the car of my dreams (when I was 18). So that's where your long absence has left us. Your long absence is not so bad, though we miss your roaring laughter ... the way your cheeks flush when you eat Thai food. How you always march too hard into the house, like a Scotsman stepping on snakes. Each evening, your mother now waits by the window the way she did when you used to step off the bus in first grade, your hair full of rubber bands. Bet that drove you crazy even then, her running out on the porch like you'd just returned from a month-long journey to the moon. Look, parents are not easy people. But should the urge ever hit you, feel free to stop by some time. Our house is your house. Our hearts are yours too. And your mother is still waiting by the window. Love, Dad The author entered his work password into the microwave because _ . A all kinds of passwords made him confused B he was thinking too much about his work C he was affected by his daughter's long absence D he was getting old and he had forgotten how to use the microwave Answer: C Which action is most likely a learned behavior? A A bird builds a nest. B A spider spins a web. C A lion cub practices its hunting skills. D An earthworm moves away from bright light. Answer: C Sunshine For All The Beijing Sunshine Secondary School students are holding a charity show at the school hall of Beijing Sunshine Secondary School, Sunny Street, Sunshine Town. Date: 29 April Time: 7:30 p. m.9:00 p. m. We hope to raise money to help poor children go to school. Ticket price: $20 Donations are welcome. Programme: 7:30 p. m. Introduction 7:40 p. m. Songs 8:00 p. m. Break 8:15 p. m. Speech 8:30 p. m. Drama 9:00 p. m. End of the show Project Hope is an organization that raises money to build schools and buy books for poor students. We would like to thank the following for their help and support: The teachers at Beijing Sunshine Secondary School The Star Shopping Mall for the costumes Sunshine Advertisement Company for the posters Where will the charity show be held? A In the classroom. B In the meeting room. C In the shopping mall. D At the school hall. Answer: D US chat show queen Oprah Winfrey surprised 300 members of her audience by saying she would send them on a trip to Australia in December.Winfrey will also film an episode of her show at the Sydney "Oprah" House. The Australian government said it was spending AUS$ 3 million to help bring The Oprah Winfrey Show to the country. Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson insisted it was money well spent as it would put Australia in the spotlight,with the popular TV show watched by 40 million Americans and screened in 145 countries."Oprah is a famous name and she has the power to improve Australia's image as an important tourist country," he said in a statement. Winfrey made the announcement on Monday.After telling the audience that she might take them on a trip to New York,Philadelphia or Los Angeles,she said her last season would provide something "bigger". "I started to think about where I would most want to go.Maybe I should take all of you with me to the other side of the world.We're going to Australia!"she said. Several episodes will be filmed during the trip,which had been planned for almost a year and will take in beaches,Sydney Harbour and so on.It marks the first time that the show will be filmed with its US audience outside North America.The Australian trip follows a similar act in 2004 when Winfrey gave a car to each member of her audience. Winfrey is to start her own television channel ,the Oprah Winfrey Network,in 2011,at the age of her 57. What 's the Australian government's aim in inviting Oprah Winfrey? A To spread Australia's culture. B To develop Australia's tourism. C To introduce The Oprah Winfrey Show to the country. D To improve the relations between the two countries Answer: B Teenager Jake Deham was skiing with his family in the USA when he fell over and lost one of his skis.His family didn't know that he had a problem.They kept on skiing.When they got to the foot of the mountain,there was no sign of Jake. Jake couldn't find his ski anywhere.In the end,he decided to take off his other ski and walk down the mountain.But he couldn't work out the right way to go. It was now getting dark and he was a long way from any place of safety.He knew that he might die that night in the cold temperatures.But Jake kept calm .At home,Jake watched a lot of programmes about living in difficult situations.He remembered the advice from these programmes and knew that he should build a hole in the snow.He made a hole and pointed it up the hill so the wind couldn't blow into it.Outside his hole,the temperature fell to a dangerous-15degCthat night,but inside it Jake was safe from the cold. But he had to get down the mountain.The TV programmes always said,"If you are lost,you should find someone else's tracks through the snow and follow them.""I wanted to live my life."remembers Jake."So I got up and I found some ski tracks and I followed those."He walked and walked and finally he saw lights.Nine hours after he lost his ski,he found a team of worker who came to save him.He was safe! His mum was very happy when she heard the news.Amazingly,Jake didn't even have to go to hospital.He got through the terrible experience without any injuries. So,the next time someone says that watching TV is a waste of time,think of Jake.Sometimes TV can save your life! How did Jake get down the mountain the next morning? _ A He followed his parents. B He followed the workers. C He followed some ski tracks. D He followed some light. Answer: C
Every day from the time we wake up until the time we go to bed, we are bombarded with information from all sides, from TV, radio, newspapers and books; from family, friends, and colleagues. As a new cable television subscriber, I am ly amazed at the quantity and varying levels of information quality on cable television. Including the networks, there are eight TV "news" organizations vying to provide us with all the information we can possibly absorb. Newspaper, magazines, books, radio, the Internet, email, snail mail, and the telephone all compete for our attention and our minds. At the office conversations around the water cooler and coffee maker serve to spread even more items of information. There is valuable information out there about the world we live in, on topics as varied as health, safety, traffic, nutrition, business, finance, philosophy, nature, science, weather, history and the human condition. There is also a large amount of misleading and outright false information, not just on controversial subjects such as politics and religion but on any topic one can think of, including all of the topics mentioned above. With all this information coming at us from all directions, how does one sift through it all to sort out the facts from the fiction, the truth from the lies, the more important from the less important? Should we turn off the TV, cancel our newspaper subscriptions, disconnect our phones and modems to become information "hermits"? Probably not. A better method of sifting through the information wave without being overwhelmed and confused is to become a skeptical inquirer-or skeptic-with regard to the surrounding world. By "skeptic"-I do not mean a cynic-a person who rejects new ideas simply because they are new. A skeptic is one who questions the validity of a particular claim by calling for evidence to prove or disprove it. Skepticism is a method, not a position. It is a provisional approach to all factual claims. In terms of processing information, a skeptic needs to be able to grasp reality and acquire knowledge about the environment that agrees with reason, logic, and evidence. In other words, as skeptics, when we hear a claim that may or may not be fantastic, we should say, "That's nice, prove it." When faced with an incredible or fantastic claim, what shall we do according to the author? A Ask questions and look for proof. B Ignore the information and its source. C Change the subject immediately. D Try to consult an expert who knows the truth. Answer: A "My dream has come true.I have always wanted to be a Grand Slam champion." These are the words of the Chinese tennis player Li Na after she became the first Asian woman to win the Australian Open final on Jan.25th.2014. "People were saying I'm getting old.So this is a great success for such an old woman." the 32-year-old girl joked. Miss Li has a tattoo . She has dyed her hair many different color1s.And, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she told her fans to "shut up" when they got too noisy in their support. Li Na was born in Wuhan.She started to play tennis at the age of 6.She once recalled: "As a child. I suffered a lot because every day I had to wake up early to practice.After school I had to practice more.I didn't have time to play." Luckily, the strong girl didn't give up. thus making history for Chinese tennis time after time.Now the new champion is already thinking about winning another Grand Slam title."When you have one title, surely you will think about another," she says. not hiding her ambition. "Chinese people are so lacking in confidence on the tennis court.If there is a person like me who can prove we Chinese can do it, the other young players in China will feel the same." she said. Li Na began to learn playing tennis in the year of _ . A 1988 B 1982 C 1986 D 1990 Answer: A It is very normal for people to compare themselves with others. Everyone does it, but it is important to remember that no one is perfect. Other people may look confident, but everyone feels insecure once in a while, even the famous people like Yao Ming. When he was young, he probably felt insecure about being too tall! Other kids in his class probably laughed at him because he was different, although I don't know if I would have laughed at Yao Ming since he is so much bigger than me! Now, Yao Ming is rich and successful because of his height. When I was young, I had a friend named Annie. Everyone used to call her "toothpick" because they thought she was too thin. Now, everyone is jealous of her because she is thin and beautiful, and they have to always exercise to keep from getting fat. What makes you feel insecure and different may actually be a gift and help you in life. We should celebrate what makes us special and not be afraid to stand out in the crowd. WhenYao Ming was young, other children in his class might _ him because of his height. A rely on B laugh at C be proud of D be jealous of Answer: B Long long ago, there was an old merchant who had three sons. "To which one shall I leave my fortune?" he wondered. "It must be to the cleverest son. But which one is the cleverest?" He called his three sons to him. "Here is some money," he told them, "you must each take one coin to buy something that will fill this room. Anyone who can do this shall have my fortune." "It is a big room," said the eldest son. "One coin will not buy very much," said the second son. But the youngest son said nothing. He stood and thought, and then he smiled, "Come, brothers," he said, "let us go to the market." The eldest son bought straw with his coin. But one coin bought only a bit of straw. Even when he had spread it as much as he could, the straw covered only a corner of the room. The second son bought sand with his coin. But one coin bought only a bit of sand. Even when he had spread it as much as he could, the sand covered only half of the floor. "What did you buy?" the eldest son angrily asked the youngest son. "You don't have any straw." "Yes, what did you buy?" the second son asked angrily. "You don't have any sand." "I bought this," said the youngest son. "A candle!" cried his brothers. "What good is a candle?" "Watch", said the youngest son. He lit the candle, and all at once the room was filled from wall to wall, from ceiling to floor. It was filled with light! "Although you are the youngest, you are indeed the cleverest of my sons," the old merchant said. And that is how, the old merchant left his fortune to his youngest son, the one who could fill a room with light. Who would get father's fortune? A The oldest son. B The richest son. C The cleverest son. D The silliest son. Answer: C Storms brought a tornado and 2-mch-thin hail ( ) to Wyoming on Thursday, a day after thunderstorms hit parts of Wyoming and Colorado with golf ball-sized hail and heavy rain.Three homes were heavily damaged by the tornado on Thursday, and 10 to 12 other buildings also had damage.One person was treated at a hospital for a cut on the head.Some power lines were also down to the ground.The tornado touched down briefly near Wheatland, north of Cheyenne, in a populated area, officials said. Hail, the size of golf balls, was reported in the Wheatland area, and 2-inch-thin hail was reported in Laramie.Forecasters said thunderstorms that can _ tornadoes could develop and flooding was possible.Citizens should be careful. A fire, which is believed to have been started by lightning on Sunday night, has burned about 3,500 acres about 20 miles northwest of Wheatland.About 120 firefighters, aided by helicopters and air tankers, were on the scene.The rain provided some help for firefighters who fully controlled a 227-acre wildfire in northern Colorado, but the weather in the beginning hurt efforts to control a 6,000-acre blaze in Wyoming's Medicine Bow National Forest.Storms passed close to the Wyoming fire but mostly brought winds that fanned the flames.Rain and hail fell later but didn't make a big difference, said fire spokeswoman Beth Hermanson. Kyle Fredin, working for the National Weather Service in Denver, said the beginning of June is the peak time for such severe weather in Colorado.Most of the state has been experiencing moderate-to-extreme drought conditions. From the text we can learn the wildfire about 20 miles northwest of Wheatland _ . A has been burning for a whole week B was started by someone on purpose C died out immediately the rain came D was very hard for firefighters to control Answer: D
The news that China bans time-travel TV dramas and movies got a lot of attention on the internet. Yet, time travel in China is a bit different from time travel in common sense.It is anything but science fiction and always goes backwards in time.There is minimum imagination involved--no ever-ending circles that mess up present and future, no advanced technology, no new social orders or new human forms from the twenty--whatever century, everything is a known historical fact when you travel through in China. It is not even called time travel; rather the Chinese people refer it as time crossover.Time crossover has been an extremely popular theme for online novels for years(in fact , it is an indispensible part of China's online culture), and didn't get picked up by TV and the big screen until recent two years.Most of time-travel dramas and movies are adapted from popular online novels and like in other cases adaptations are never better than the original books. The main plot of time-travel novels or TV dramas can be very well summarized in one sentence: from nobody to somebody.Time travel in China is more about escaping from the reality than about realizing wild dreams. In China , there is no need of time machine either.People travel backwards in time via the possession of antiques presence at historical places of interest encounter of life-threatening accidents or simple a look into the mirror.Some time-travel novels even start with "I wanted to go back to history so much that one morning when I opened my eyes I was back." Technology is not relevant at all. Though China is not short of histories to go back to, people have their own preferences and it is pretty much a gender thing.If the main character is male then he usually goes back to special times in history when he is able to help build up or tear up a dynasty.A typical example is A Step Into the Past , the first time-travel TV drama in China, which tells the story of how a SWAT member helps to unite China and build up Qin Dynasty . On the other hand , female characters primarily go back to Qing Dynasty partly because Qing Dynasty has the most number of princes to fall in love with.Yongzheng Emperor is the favorite.As can be seen in Startling by Each Step , a Qing time crossover classic, a girl goes back to Qing Dynasty and falls in love with Yongzheng Emperor and his brothers. The news mentioned in the very beginning is intended to _ . A. prove author's view B. introduce the topic C. give an example D. work as a topic sentence Answer: B. introduce the topic Over the holidays, I took my three young children into a fancy chocolate shop to buy gifts. Halfway home, I noticed my 7-year-old son playing with a plastic noisemaker. Long story short: He had stolen the toy. I kept my cool -- even when he said, "but it was only $1.50, Mom!" --and explained why it was unacceptable to take things we didn't buy. A few hours later, I marched my son back to the store with two dollars from his piggy bank. He walked embarrassedly to the counter and told the clerk that he had taken something without paying for it, that he was sorry to break it and that he would pay for it now. I know exactly how terrible he was feeling. Returning to the scene of the crime is the same shame-causing punishment I received when I was five and stole something from a store. 1 remember my dad sending me back to return the item. It remains one of my clearest child- hood memories. After that day, I never stole again. My dad taught me such an important lesson 30 years ago and I saw an opportunity to do the same for my son. But now I wonder if it was the fight thing to do. "Returning to the store is absolutely the right thing to do," Laura Markham, Ph.D., a child psychologist and author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids, says. "Many children steal -- they' re not born knowing the rules so it' s our job to teach them." And stay calm when you set them. "If you overreact or yell, you might create a fascination with the behavior and a willful child will be more likely to fight against you," she says. Having a child physically return the stolen item helps him or her grasp the situation -- and the consequence. But don't talk about it for too long. "lf you continuously bring up the incident, the child will believe they' re a thief and that they' re bad," she says. Only time will tell if this experience will have the same powerful effect on my son as it had on me, but at the same time I can rest if I haven' t dealt with the situation badly. When the author' s son was caught playing with a stolen toy, he _ . A. responded calmly B. felt very ashamed C. didn't think it was a big deal D. didn't admit stealing the toy Answer: C. didn't think it was a big deal Many overseas Chinese make their kids learn the Chinese language because they don't want them to lose their mother language. In the city of Portland in the USA, there is a weekend Chinese school in a church. In the school, there are Chinese kids and American kids. They study Chinese on Saturdays and Sundays. Teachers at the school are usually some overseas Chinese women. Miss Tian is one of them. She is from Beijing. She teaches her students many Chinese characters, sentences and Chinese songs. Most of these kids speak English better than Chinese, because they spend most of their time at the local school, and their classmates are American.Their teachers teach them in English. When the overseas Chinese children get home after school, their parents often speak Chinese to them. Only at that time do they think they are at home. Why do many overseas Chinese make their kids learn the Chinese language? A. Because they want them to speak Chinese. B. Because they don't want them to lose their mother language. C. Because they live in China. D. Because they can't speak English. Answer: B. Because they don't want them to lose their mother language. It's not quite a rat. Nor is it a squirrel, or a mouse. It's definitely a rodent , and it's also a brand-new family of mammals. The locals of the Southeast Asian country of Laos call the creature a kha-nyou (ga-nyou). The kha-nyou have long body hair, short legs, and a hairy tail less thick than a squirrel's. They're vegetarians living in the rocky hills of Laos, and they come out at night, but for more information, you'll have to ask the Lao people. "It was for sale on a table next to some vegetables. I knew immediately it was something I had never seen before," said Robert Timmins, a researcher for the Wildlife Conservation Society. Timmins was working in Laos to stop people from selling endangered animals when he spotted the species. Criminals who trade illegal wildlife can make a lot of money, but they also push the animals closer to disappearing from the planet. The kha-nyou live in karsts, or rough rock. Mark Robinson, a scientist with the World Wildlife Foundation, set out with Lao villagers to find a few more of the rodents for study. They climbed onto a karst, trapped with rice, and caught several. "To find something so unusual in this day and age is just extraordinary," said Timmins. "For all we know, this could be the last remaining animal family left to be discovered." It's a big deal to discover an entirely new family of animals. Humans, for instance, belong to the same family as great apes, chimpanzees, and gorillas. So even though kha-nyous look like rats, they're really very different. The last time scientists discovered a new family of mammals may have been in the 1970s, when they found new bats in Thailand. Timmins seems to have the gift for finding new animals in Laos--he discovered a new species of rabbit there in 1999. Scientists call the kha-nyou Laonastes aenigmamus, which means "mysterious mouse that lives among the stones."But if that's too hard, Timmins and Robinson suggest you call them "rock rats". Which of the following is not the name for this new creature? A. Karsts. B. Kha-nyou. C. rock rats. D. Laonastes aenigmamus. Answer: A. Karsts. Speak confidently and think logically. Year 13 schoolboy Arunabh Prakash can't agree more. Anmabh is one of the five students that will represent New Zealand at the 26th World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC) to be held in Thailand from August 5 to l5 this year. "You've got to be persuasive, regardless of the fact that you believe in a topic or not," says the 17-year-old. "There are a lot of speakers who are eloquent but find it difficult to think logically and then there are those who have a good argument but can't deliver." Endurance is another quality he says one must have in the heated arena of expressing opinions and ideas. "There are times when you have to debate for five hours at a go and are completely exhausted. It's quite intense. You must have the energy to debate for long hours," says Arunabh, who began debating in year 10. The WSDC is a debating competition in the world for high school students from different countries. It involves four prepared debates and four impromptu debates -- debates without specific preparations. To gain selection for the national team for the global final, Arunabh had to compete with regional teams. Despite the mounting pressure, he says he was confident of winning. "We didn't loose a debate in the first two days. And we had a very strong team. We were confident of our ability to win," he says. Which of the following can be the best title for the text? A. The Skills of Debating B. Growing from the Regional Team C. Schoolboy to Compete on the International Stage D. The 26th World Schools Debating Championships Answer: C. Schoolboy to Compete on the International Stage
Question: A robin catches and eats a cricket. Which statement best describes the roles of each animal? A. The robin is the prey and the cricket is the predator. B. The robin is the predator and the cricket is the prey. C. The robin is the consumer and the cricket is the producer. D. The robin is the producer and the cricket is the consumer. Answer: B. The robin is the predator and the cricket is the prey. Question: Last Christmas was a very difficult time for me. My family and all of my close friends were back home in Florida, and I was all alone in a rather cold California. I was working too many hours and became very sick. I was working a double shift at the Southwest Airlines ticket counter, it was about 9:00 PM on Christmas Eve, and I was feeling really miserable inside. There were a few of us working and very few customers waiting to be helped. When it was time for me to call the next person to the counter, I looked out to see the sweetest-looking old man standing with a cane. He walked very slowly over to the counter and in the faintest voice told me that he had to go to New Orleans. I tried to explain to him that there were no more flights that night and that he would have to go in the morning. He looked so confused and very worried. I tried to find out more information by asking if he had a reservation or if he remembered when he was supposed to travel, but he seemed to become more confused with each question. He just kept saying, "She said I have to go to New Orleans." After much time, I was able to at least find out that this old man had been dropped off at the curb on Christmas Eve by his sister-in-law and told to go to New Orleans, where he had family. She had given him some cash and told him just to go inside and buy a ticket. When I asked if he could come back tomorrow, he said that she was gone and that he had no place to stay. He then said he would wait at the airport until tomorrow. Naturally, I felt a little ashamed. Here I was feeling very sorry for myself about being alone on Christmas, when this angel named Clarence MacDonald was sent to me to remind me of what being alone really meant. It broke my heart. Immediately, I told him we would get it all straightened out, and our Customer Service agent helped to book him a seat for the earliest flight the next morning. We gave him the senior citizen's fare, which gave him some extra money for travelling. About this time he started to look very tired, and when I stepped around the counter to ask him if he was all right, I saw that his leg was wrapped in a bandage. He had been standing on it that whole time, holding a plastic bag full of clothes. I called for a wheelchair. When the wheelchair came, we all stepped around to help him in, and I noticed a small amount of blood on his bandage. I asked how he hurt his leg, and he said that he had just had bypass surgery and an artery was taken from his leg. Can you imagine? This man had had heart surgery, and then shortly afterward, was dropped off at the curb to buy a ticket with no reservation to fly to New Orleans, alone! I never really had a situation like this, and I wasn't sure what I could do. I went back to ask my supervisors if we could find a place for him to stay. They both said yes, and they obtained a hotel voucher for Mr. MacDonald for one night and a meal ticket for dinner and breakfast. When I came back out, we got his plastic bag of clothes and cane together and gave the porter a tip to take him downstairs to wait for the airport shuttle. I bent down to explain the hotel, food and itinerary again to Mr. MacDonald, and then patted him on the arm and told him everything would be just fine. As he left he said, "Thank you," bent his head and started to cry. I cried too. When I went back to thank my supervisor, she just smiled and said, "I love stories like that. He is your Christmas Man." On hearing the old man say that he would wait at the airport the whole night, the writer felt a bit ashamed. This is because _ . A. she felt sorry that she couldn't do the old man a favor B. she realized that someone was even more miserable than she felt C. it took her a long time to find out how helpless the old man was D. the old man was like an angel in the writer's eyes Answer: B. she realized that someone was even more miserable than she felt Question: Today, many people use plants from other places to design their yards. Well, do they have any influence on animals living nearby? As we know, plants supply food for things like insects and plant-eating animals. In turn, birds and meat-eating animals feed on these insects and plant-eating animals. It is easy to see how important plants are. Although foreign plants may look beautiful, they can cause problems when there are too many of them. I live in Virginia, USA, and sometimes see a plant--commonly known as Kudzu--that seems to cover everything in the area, even climbing over whole trees and houses. Kudzu is an unbelievable plant since it grows very fast. It was first brought to the United States from south-east Asia around the 1870's as a crop that farmers could grow. However, Kudzu quickly came to be considered harmful throughout the southern United States. Since Kudzu grows fast in many different environments, it can completely cover areas of land quickly. The plant is also not eaten by any insects or birds in the United States so it can grow unchecked. Kudzu can cover trees, bushes, and even houses. It costs the United States 500 million dollars a year to just keep Kudzu from growing too fast. The plant is a perfect example of what scientists call an invasive species, which grows more quickly than other native plants. All foreign plants have the possibility to spread quickly. Not only are they costly, but planting them in gardens actually takes away food from insects. If everyone filled their garden with plants native to where they live, many lovely butterflies and other native creatures would be attracted to their backyards! So, take a look out of your window -- how does your garden grow? Which of the following is TRUE of Kudzu? A. It served as food at first in America. B. It came to America in the early 19th century. C. It grows fast in Asia, but slowly in America. D. It is often eaten by insects or birds in America. Answer: A. It served as food at first in America. Question: Our planet is in trouble.Polluting industries and corporations are destroying our planet, resulting in increasing global temperatures, melting ice caps, and economic turmoil .All across the country, folks are waking up to the reality that if they do not ad now to solve the environmental problems of today, the consequences are unthinkable.If we don't i ct now, who will? Fortunately, an amazing team of young leaders are taking action.They a e getting involved with the Greenpeace Student Network! The Student Network has student leaders who deal with the most pressing environmental issues.We have organized and won inspiring campaigns.Convincing corporations to change their ways and politicians to do the right thing.All thanks to our team of leaders, known as Campus Coordinators. Campus Coordinators are located all across the United States, and even Canada! They work on Greenpeace Student Network campaigns at their schools and in their communities.They organize events like film screenings and days of action.They hold meetings with elected officials, work with the media, recruit volunteers, and mobilize their campus to take action! They do all of this with excellent training and expert support from our team of Student: Network staff.Campus Coordinators develop their leadership skins and become an unstoppable force for green solutions on pus and in their community. Currently, the Greenpeace Student Network is campaigning to solve the largest environmental threat to humankind: global warming.With only months until a new international treaty on global warming is decided this December, the time to stand up and take the lead has never been more important, If you are concerned with environmental issues, want to mobilize your scho4l and community, nd are ready to become a skilled organizer and strong leader, then the Campus Coordinator position is for you! We are now accepting applications for the Fall 2009-Spring 2010 academic year. Are you ready to be a leader on your campus? Apply to be a Campus Coordinator today! If you are a Campus Coordinator, you may probably _ . A. have.the chance to play a role in a film B. find a job at a TV station C. develop your leadership skills D. build up your strength. Answer: C. develop your leadership skills Question: Shopping is not as simple as you think! There are all sorts of tricks at play each time we reach out for that particular brand of product on the shelf. Coloring, for example, varies according to what the producers are trying to sell. Health foods are packages in greens, yellows or browns because we think of these as healthy colors. Ice cream packets are often blue and expensive foods, like chocolates, are gold and silver. When some kind of pain killer was brought out recently, researchers found that _ because they made the product look weak and ineffective. Eventually, it came on the market in a dark blue and white package because we think of it as safe, and white as calm. The size of a product can attract a shopper. But quite often a bottle doesn't contain as much as it appears to. It is believed that the better-known companies spend, on average, 70 percent of the total cost of the product itself on packaging. The most successful producers know that it's not enough to have a good product. The founder of Pears soap, who for 25 years has used pretty little girls to promote their goods, came to the conclusion: "Any fool can make soap, but it takes a genius to sell it." Which of the following may trick a shopper into buying a product according to the text? A. The cost of its package. B. The price of the product. C. The color of its package. D. The brand name of the product. Answer: C. The color of its package.
Perhaps every older generation since ancient times has complained about young people, and today is no different. Isn't it obvious that kids these days are self-absorbed social network addicts? However, this summer, my impression of today's kids has been restored by the story of Rachel Beckwith. She could teach my generation a great deal about maturity and unselfishness -- even though she's just 9 years old, or was when she died on July 23. At age 5, Rachel had her long hair cut off and sent to Locks of Love, which uses hair donations to make artificial hair for children who have lost their own hair because of cancer or other diseases. After that, Rachel announced that she would grow her hair long again and donate it again. And that's what she did. Then when she was 8 years old, her church began raising money to build wells in Africa through an organization called "charity: water". Rachel was astonished when she learned that other children had no clean water, so she _ her ninth birthday party. Rachel set up a birthday page on the charity: water website with a target of $300. Instead of presents, she asked her friends to donate $9 each to charity: water. Finally Rachel raised only $220 -- which had left her just a bit disappointed. Then, on July 20, a serious traffic accident left Rachel critically injured. Church members and friends, seeking some way of showing support, began donating on Rachel's birthday page -- charitywater.org/Rachel -- and donations reached her $300 goal, and kept rising. When it was clear that Rachel would never regain consciousness, the family decided to remove the life-support machine. Her parents donated her hair for the final time to Locks of Love, and her organs to other children. Word spread about Rachel's last fund-raiser . Contributions poured in, often they donated $9. The total donations soon topped $100,000, then $300,000. This is a story not just of one girl, but of a young generation of outstanding problem-solvers working creatively. How does the author feel about the young generation now? Answer: Appreciative. Today I was at the mall waiting for friends, when a lady wearing a knit hat and a sweater came up to me and, shivering, said, "I'm homeless. Would you mind buying me some food?" In that split second, everything I'd learned since kindergarten flashed through my mind. Don't talk to strangers ... Be a good citizen ... People will take advantage of you ... Treat others as you wish to be treated ... The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return ... I guess love won the debate. "Sure," I said. "What would you like?" She thought and then said, "I'd like to get Chinese food." We headed upstairs. On the way she told me about when she was a teenager. She remembers taking pictures for the yearbook with her best friend. She was in the band and played basketball. She got good grades and was a good student. She ordered soup, an egg roll, white rice, and pepper chicken. I would normally think that was a lot, but she had probably barely eaten in the last few days. I got my usual - lo mein and General Tso's chicken. As we ate, we got to know each other. She asked if I played any instruments. I replied that I played the violin, cello, and guitar. She told me she played the flute, piano, guitar, and violin. In the middle of our meal, I realized something. And she thought of it at exactly the same time. "So, what's your name?" she asked. "I'm Claire," I said, startled at our exact same thought. "What's yours?" "Joyce," she said with a smile. We continued talking, and she asked my favorite subjects in school and if I wanted to go to college. "Hopefully," I replied. "I'm interested in nursing." "I went to college for nursing," she said. I was taken aback. How could we have so much in common? Was she pretending so I'd feel sympathy for her? But her eyes were genuine as she said this. Meanwhile I was eating my lo mein, picking around the cabbage and the other vegetables. Joyce said, "If you don't like it you can take it back." I told her that I liked it, but was not fond of the vegetables. She broke into a big grin. "You don't like vegetables, huh? Neither did I. But now I do." I immediately felt guilty. How could I be picking at my food across from someone who barely gets to eat at all? I tried my best to finish, but she seemed to sense my guilt and said, "You don't have to eat it if you don't want it." How could she know what I was feeling? I told her the dish was my favorite, but I just eat slowly. She replied, "I used to like lo mein, but pepper chicken was my dad's favorite, so I get that now." Noticing that she used the word "was," I assumed her dad had passed away. I found it sweet that she gave up her favorite in order to honor her dad. She asked why I was at the mall. "I'm waiting for friends. We're going to see 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,'" I replied, stumbling over the words a bit. "'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,'" she echoed in awe. "What's that about?" I realized that she didn't see commercials for movies. I explained the basic plot and she chuckled. "A man who is born 80 years old and ages backwards! That sounds interesting." She got up to get a to-go box. "Would you like one?" she asked, but I refused. I realized that this food would probably last her for a few days, and I was glad she had ordered a lot. "Would you like these?" I asked, gesturing at the food I had left untouched. "Oh, no, thank you," she said. "This is enough." I got up to throw my tray away, feeling guilty about wasting so much. "I need to meet my friends now," I explained. "It was so nice to meet you, Joyce." "You too, Claire," she replied with a smile. "Thank you." I headed to the theater, and she went back downstairs. It sounds like a perfect coincidence, but I can't help but think that some force compelled us to meet. I kept puzzling, Why is Joyce homeless? It seems so unfair. She shouldn't need people to buy her dinner. She was a nurse. She got good grades. She took pictures for her yearbook. She was the person I hope to be in the future. What went wrong? How could such a good life be rewarded with horrible luck? I feel lucky to have run into Joyce. She changed my outlook. She is still a wonderful person, despite what the world has done to her. I wish her the best, and can only hope that the force that brought us together will help her find what she deserves in life. The writer was very happy to have met Joyce because _ . Answer: this chance meeting changed her attitudes towards life in a way. Her name is Mary. She comes from London. She is in China with her father and mother. Shecan speak a little Chinese. She studies in No. 80 Middle School in Tianjin. She is in the sameschool as her parents (father and mother). She is a good student. She goes to school six daysa week. She likesgetting up early. She doesn't like to be late. She often goes to school veryearly. But today she gets up late. So she gets to the classroom at 7 :30. But there aren't anystudents in it. She is not late. She is still early. It's Sunday today. The students are allat home. Mary is from _ . Answer: England Dear Tim, Today is Saturday.It's 7:00 in the evening here.I'm writing to tell you something about my life.My father is watching CCTV news.That's his favorite program.My brother is playing computer games.My dog Dick is taking a hat to me.He wants me to put it on and go out for a walk with him.What a clever dog!My little sister is practicing playing the piano.It sounds beautiful today.Outside,I can hear cars and buses coming and going quickly .Also there are some boys playing ball games. It's really a noisy but happy evening.Do you think so? What are your family doing?I know the time here is thirteen hours ahead of that in New York.Are you getting up? Please write to me soon.Best wishes! Yours, Denial What time is it in New York when the writer is writing the letter? Answer: 6:00 am. A survey suggests that people who have dropped out from high school just earn an average of $9,000 less per year than graduates. Now a new study removes a common belief why they quit. It's much more basic than flunking out . Society tends to think of high school dropouts as kids who just can't cut it. They are lazy, and perhaps not too bright. So researchers were surprised when they asked more than 450 kids who quit school about why they left. "The vast majority actually had passing grades and they were confident that they could have graduated from high school." John Bridgeland, the executive researcher said. About one million teens leave school each year. Only about half of African-American and Hispanic students will receive a diploma , and actually all dropouts come to regret their decision. So, if failing grades don't explain why these kids quit, what does? Again, John Bridgeland: "The most dependable finding was that they were bored." "They found classes uninteresting; they weren't inspired or motivated. They didn't see any direct connection between what they were learning in the classroom to their own lives, or to their career aspirations." The study found that most teens who do drop out wait until they turn sixteen, which happens to be the age at which most states allow students to quit. In the U.S., only one state, New Mexico, has a law requiring teenagers to stay in high school until they graduate. Only four states: California, Tennessee, Texas and Utah, plus the District of Columbia, require school attendance until age 18, no exceptions. Jeffrey Grin, another researcher, says raising the compulsory attendance age may be one way to keep more kids in school. "As these dropouts look back, they realize they've made a mistake. And anything that sort of gives these people an extra push to stick it out and see it through to the end, is probably helpful measure." New Hampshire may be the next state to raise its school attendance age to 18. But critics say that forcing the students unwilling to continue their studies to stay in school misses the point--the need for reform. It's been called for to reinvent high school education to make it more challenging and relevant, and to ensure that kids who do stick it out receive a diploma that actually means something. From the passage, we can infer the following EXCEPT that _ . Answer: about 500,000 high school dropouts are black and Spanish
Four years ago, English soccer player Jamie Vardy was a complete unknown. At age 24, he was a part-time player for the Stockbridge Park Steels, earning only PS30 (293 yuan) a week. Fast forward to 2015, Vardy is Leicester City's star striker and only the second player in the history of the Premier League to score in eleven matches in a row. Now 28, Vardy has gone from an underdog to a superstar. Even he is surprised by his sudden rise to fame. "I didn't expect it to happen in a million years, to be honest with you," he told The Telegraph. His career started with rejection. His local soccer club Sheffield Wednesday let Vardy go at age 16, believing him to be too small to play professionally. Then he found a part-time job at Stockbridge Park Steels, a soccer team in a lower league. He trained two evenings a week after working in a carbon fiber factory. Vardy lived like this until 2010. His story is an unusual one, especially because of the highly competitive nature of European soccer. It is often said that if a player can't get a professional contract by his early 20s, he will never be a star. Many of today's soccer stars were successful at a young age. Lionel Messi was named FIFA World Player of the Year at the age of 22. A 23-year-old, Neymar, is a star in the Barcelona team. But Vardy's late start didn't stop him from dreaming of greatness. "The secret's just lots and lots of hard work and the motivation that is exactly what I want to be doing," Vardy told The Telegraph. "It's putting it all into the practice on the training field." What can we learn from the text? Answer: Vardy has proved himself valuable at Leicester City. what do planets orbit? Answer: burning hydrogen ball The need to feed a growing population is putting much pressure on the world's supply of water. With 97% of the world's water too salty to be drunk or used in agriculture, the worldwide supply of water needs careful management, especially in agriculture. Although the idea of a water shortage seems strange to someone fortunate enough to live in a high rainfall country, many of the world's agricultural industries experience constant water shortages. Although dams can be built to store water for agricultural use in dry areas and dry seasons, the costs of water redistribution are very high. Not only is there the cost of the engineering itself, but there is also an environmental cost to be considered. Where valleys are flooded to create dams, houses are lost and wildlife homes destroyed. Besides, water may flow easily through pipes to fields, but it cannot be transported from one side of the world to the other. Each country must therefore rely on the management of its own water to supply its farming requirements. This is particularly troubling for countries with agricultural industries in areas dependent on irrigation . In Texas, farmers' overuse of irrigation water has resulted in a 25% reduction of the water stores. In the Central Valley area of southwestern USA, a huge water engineering project provided water for farming in dry valleys, but much of the water use has been poorly managed. Saudi Arabia's attempts to grow wheat in desert areas have seen the pumping of huge quantities of irrigation water from underground reserves. Because there is no rainfall in these areas, such reserves can only decrease, and it is believed that fifty years of pumping will see them run dry. Which of the following is TRUE? Answer: The underground water in Saudi Arabia might run out in 50 years. Ashok Gadgil has spent the past three decades helping people in need--and he has no plans to stop .On May 2, Gadgil won the$100.000 Lemelson-MIT Award for Global Innovation. Each year,the honor is given to an inventor who has improved the lives of people in developing countries. Gadgil's inventions have helped more than 100 million people around the world. Gadgil is a professor and physicist at the University of California. When he's not teaching,he works to find solutions to global problems such as energy efficiency and water safety. "I chose to focus on problems where my knowledge of science could help,"he said In the 1980s he came up with a program to make energy-efficient light bulbs more affordable for people in developing countries. Then in the 1990s,Gadgil designed his first life--saving invention,UV Waterworks .The device kills deadly disease --carrying germs from drinking water. It costs just one cent to clean five liters of water .Gadgil was inspired to find an inexpensive solution to the clean water crisis after more than 10,000 people in his home country of India died from an outbreak of Bengal cholera,in 1993 The disease is spread through _ food and drinking water .So far,the invention has provided safe drinking water to more than five million people in poor areas. As a professor,Gadgil encourages his students to stay positive about finding solutions to hard problems."Be optimistic when you try a hard problem."he says. "It's when you solve a large problem that you can have a big impact on the world" What call we learn about UV Waterworks? Answer: It's used to clean water. Editor Henry Slocum, I read your May 10th article in the local newspaper Honesdale Times about electronic books, or e-books, with great interest. You made several good points about the disadvantage of e-books. You may have overlooked, however, some of the ways in which they are superior to traditional books. Yes, e-books are expensive, but they are also convenient. In addition, due to their environment-friendly nature, e-books have the potential to change our planets for the better. E-books, for anyone who is unfamiliar with the term, are about the same size and shape as regular books. They have a large screen in the middle, however, this screen shows the reader a page of the text that has been downloaded from a computer. Once the reader has finished reading the page on the e-book screen, he or she scrolls down to see a new page. The process continues until the entire book has been read. As you pointed out, Mr. Slocum, it's great to lie on a warm, sandy beach with a book. You can do that just as easily with an e-book as you can with a traditional paper book. In fact, because e-books are so light, you can carry themselves. Say, for example, that you like to read on the bus. Which would you rather carry with you---a heavy 800-page novel, or an e-book that weighs only a few ounces? Another important advantage is offered by e-books as well. They are more environment-friendly than traditional books. At present, thousands of trees cut down each year to meet the publishing industry's demand for paper. Books that don't sell are eventually returned to the publisher and destroyed, This terrible waste could be avoided if everyone used e-books, which require no paper. Sincerely, David Eng In David's letter, he thinks that _ Answer: E-books do little harm to the environment
Life in Britain Homes and families Many British people live in Houses, not apartments. Most houses have gardens. Daily life Most office workers start work at about nine in the morning, and finish at about five or six in the afternoon. Most people don't go home for lunch, and they just have a quick meal. School life Children start school at about nine am, and finish at about three thirty pm. Most children have lunch at school. All children go to school when they are four or five years old, and leave when they are sixteen or seventeen. Shops Most shops open at about nine am and close at about six pm. Usually, they don't close for lunch. The children in Britain usually study at school for _ . Answer: twelve or thirteen years Americans love to talk and generally it is OK to talk even to strangers about nearly any subject at any time as long as you are polite.However there are some subjects,like racism,American foreign policy,gun ownership,and religion that are best discussed among friends. In America,it is OK to approach a stranger and start up a conversation with him as long as the subject is not too abstract.In America,it is not considered inappropriate to talk to people you don't know.Talking to a stranger about the weather or the quality of nearby restaurants,or the prices in a grocery store is all perfectly fine.Even complimenting someone on the car they drive or asking them where they bought their clothes are all appropriate topics of conversation with complete strangers. Generally,Americans prefer that people say what they think and they respect frankness.Usually when it comes to personal matters,it's best to accentuate the positive:don't tell someone that their children are ugly or that their cooking is terrible.However;it's OK to tell someone that they are wrong as long as you do so politely and with respect.Americans generally believe that you show someone respect by telling them the truth.Don't be afraid to be honest with Americans,but be appropriate. Most Americans will start a conversation with a person they just met by asking them what they do for a living.This question is not only considered appropriate by Americans,but it's also considered an important way to learn about someone. When you talk to an American for the first time,you can ask him the following questions EXCEPT " _ ". Answer: How does America treat other countries While beach vacations may be a great way to take your mind off work,lakes surrounded by mountains make for an even grander experience.If you are looking for some peace on your vacation,we have some recommendations for you in the Caucasus . Lake Sevan Lake Sevan is situated in the central part of Armenia,in the Gegharkunik province.It is the largest lake in Armenia,located 6,200ft above sea level.Along the lake shore,there are various accommodations such as resorts and hotels with plenty of activities to partake in such as windsurfing,swimming and sunbathing.While there,do not forget to visit one of the famous cultural monuments,the Sevanavank Monastery,and it offers a great view of the lake as well. Lake Paravani Lake Paravani,located at 6,801ft above sea level,is in the south of Georgia,near the Javakheti plateau.At this level,altitude sickness can occur and it is a good idea to be prepared to adapt to it properly,or bring medication for altitude sickness.Being a volcanic lake makes for a more interesting experience.The lake is best known for fishing.Do not come home during the winter months when the lake freezes. Lake Cildir Lake Cildir is located in the Ardahan province,East Turkey,near the borders of Georgia and Armenia.It is the second largest freshwater lake of Eastern Turkey,and many tourists are not aware of this beautiful attraction.Lake Cildir is surrounded by mountains of the Caucasus.The lake freezes during late November.If the winter is not extremely cold,you can try some lake activities like ice skating and ice fishing. Lake Van Lake Van is the must visit of all lakes in this list.The largest lake in Turkey,Lake Van is located on the eastern shore of Turkey and is also the most accessible lake here.It's situated at 5,380ft above sea level,and unique to lakes around the world,the water is high in salt content. Which destinations would be attractive to a fishing lover? Answer: Lake Pravani and Lake Cildir. Although many online personality tests are fun, only a few will really give you into who you are and what you are supposed to be doing with your life. At CareerPlanner.com we believe that each individual, regardless of race or religion, has a purpose in life, and until you discover what your purpose is, you will not find true happiness, nor true job satisfaction. This doesn't mean you won't be successful. It just means you won't be happy until you are moving towards your true purpose. Unfortunately, our school system does very little to help students discover their true career. This is where online personality tests and career tests can help. Online personality tests and career tests can help you better understand what type of work you should be doing to achieve job satisfaction, happiness, and success. Personality tests are most useful in giving you insight into "how" your personality compares to others and "how" you like to work. In particular, if you frequently experience difficulty working with others, or getting their support and cooperation, a really good personality test would show you how to get along better. While personality tests are very useful at showing you how you like to work and how you like your work environment, they are not really designed to show you "what" type of work is right for you. That is where Career Interest Tests come in. Online Career Tests, such as the CareerPlanner.com offers will help you discover what your true interests are, and what type of work you will be passionate about. But back to personality tests. The most well-established personality tests are the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator R, and the Enneagram. The writer's purpose in writing this passage is _ . Answer: to inform readers of online personality and career tests Seedy the watermelon was a very special type of watermelon. He didn't have any seeds. He was green and he had stripes. All of his cousins had seeds, but he didn't have any. He felt very left out. He couldn't thing of why he was different. His mom told him it was because he was a very special watermelon. She also tells him she loves him the way he is. But Seedy didn't think it was a good thing. He wished he could be like everyone else and have seeds. One day, he rolled out to the lawn and looked at all of his new cousins growing in the garden. He rolled around until he found a little baby watermelon that didn't have any seeds either. He sat next to him and talked to him. He told him that he was very special, and was excited for him to be picked off the vine and be his special best friend. He would name him Seedy, Jr. Why was Seedy upset he didn't have any seeds? Answer: He felt left out and didn't know why he was different.
President Obama is very busy, but he has time to go to the school to visit students. He tells them about his life. He says that he learns a lot from his mother. He also asks students to study hard at school. To help students to be better, President Obama has some good ideas for them. First, go to school on time every day. Second, listen to teachers carefully in class. Third, do their homework every day. Fourth, don't watch too much TV. Please do as President Obama says and you will be successful one day. There are _ ideas here from President Obama ? Answer: four I used to think of myself as a person learned in books, but my bookshelves told a different story. Apart from a few Indian novels and an Australian book, my literature collection only consisted of British and American titles. Worse still, I couldn't ever found anything in translation. My reading was limited to stories by English-speaking authors. So, at the start of 2012, I set myself the challenge of trying to read a book from every country in a year to find out what I was missing. With no idea where to get those books, I was unlikely to find publications from nearly 200 nations on the shelves of my local bookshop, so I decided to ask the readers all over the world for help. I created a blog called A Year of Reading the World and put out an appeal for suggestions of titles that I could read in English. The response was amazing. People all over the world were getting in touch with me, offering ideas and book lists. Some posted me books from their home countries. In addition, several writers, like Turkmenistan's Ak Welsapar and Panama's Juan David Morgan, sent me unpublished translations of their novels, giving me a rare opportunity to read works unavailable in Britain. Even with such an extraordinary team of bibliophiles behind me, however, sourcing books was no easy task. With translations making up only around 4.5 per cent of literary works published in the UK, getting English versions of stories was tricky. One by one, the books from the countries on the list filled my heart with laughter, love, anger, hope and fear. Lands that had once seemed exotic and remote became close and familiar to me. At its best, I learned, reading makes the world real. Which of the following is NOT the help from people around the world? Answer: Giving financial supports When a 13-year-old Virginal girl started sneezing, her parents thought it was merely a cold. But when the sneezes continued for hours, they called in a doctor. Nearly two months later the girl was still sneezing, thousands of times a day, and her case had attracted worldwide attention. Hundreds of suggestions, ranging from poured in. But nothing did any good. Finally, she was taken to Dr. Leo Kanner, one of the world's top authorities on sneezing, who solved the problem with great speed. He used neither drugs nor surgery for, curiously enough, the clue for the treatment was found in an ancient superstition about the amazing bodily reaction we call the sneeze.It was all in her mind, he said, a view which Aristotle, some 3,000 years earlier, would have agreed with heartily. Dr. Kanner simply gave a modern psychological interpretation to the ancient belief that too much Sneezing was an indication that the spirit was troubled; and he began to treat the girl accordingly. "Less than two days in a hospital room, a plan for better scholastic and vocational adjustment, and reassurance about her unreasonable fear of tuberculosis quickly changed her from a sneezer to an ex-sneezer," he reported. Sneezing has always been a subject of wonder, awe and puzzlement. Dr Kanner has collected thousands of superstitions concerning it. The most universal one is the custom of begging for the blessing of God when a person sneezes-- a practice Dr. Kanner traces back to the ancient belief that a sneeze was an indication that the sneezer was possessed of an evil spirit. Strangely, people over the world still continue the custom with the traditional, "God bless you" or something else. When scientists look at the sneeze, they see a remarkable mechanism which, without any conscious help from you, takes on a job that has to be done. When you need to sneeze you sneeze, this being nature's clever way of getting rid of an annoying object from the nose. The object may be just some dust in the nose which nature is trying to remove. Dr. Kanner cured the girl by _ . Answer: giving her psychological treatment Which is likeliest to harm an organism? Answer: a car explosion Have you ever posted letters to your friends or parents? If so, you must have put stamps on the letters before you sent them. But, how did people receive letters before stamps were invented, and who came up with the idea of using stamps? In the past, stamps and envelopes were not used. When people wanted to send a letter, they would close the paper with a seal . The person who got the letter had to pay for it. Because costs at that time were very high, most people refused to accept letters. In fact, the sender would often place secret marks on the outside of the letter. The person who was sent the letter would read the secret message. Then, they would refuse to accept the letter and did not have to pay for it. In Britain, Sir Rowland Hill introduced the "Post Office Reforms" in 1837. He decided that letters could go to any place in the country for a penny even if the letter had to go far away. The cost was to be paid by the sender of the letter. Payment was recorded by placing a small piece of coloured paper on the letter, the stamp! On May 6,1840, the first stamp called the "Penny Black" was born. Because the stamp was printed in black, the stamp became known as the "Penny Black". This is now the world's most famous stamp. This new system spread fast. The first stamp was made _ . Answer: more than 160 years ago
Question: The globe is facing a "tidal wave" of cancer, and restrictions on alcohol and sugar need to be considered, say World Health Organization scientists. It predicts the number of cancer cases will reach 24 million a year by 2035, but half could be prevented. The WHO said there was now a "real need" to focus on cancer prevention by cutting down smoking, obesity and drinking. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) said there was an "alarming" level of ignorance about diet's role in cancer. Fourteen million people a year are diagnosed with cancer, but that is predicted to increase to 19 million by 2025, 22 million by 2030 and 24 million by 2035. The developing world will bear the worst of the extra cases. Dr Chris Wild, the director of the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer, told the BBC: "The global cancer burden is increasing quite markedly, due predominately to the ageing of the populations and population growth. If we look at the cost of treatment of cancers, it is spiralling out of control, even for the high-income countries. Prevention is ly critical and it's been somewhat neglected." The WHO's World Cancer Report 2014 said the major sources of preventable cancer included: smoking; infections; alcohol; obesity and inactivity; radiation, both from the sun and medical scans; Air pollution and other environmental factors; delayed parenthood, having fewer children and not breastfeeding. For most countries, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. However, cervical cancer dominates in large parts of Africa. One of the report's editors, Dr Bernard Stewart from the University of New South Wales in Australia, said prevention had a "crucial role in fighting the tidal wave of cancer which we see coming across the world". He said human behaviour was behind many cancers such as the sunbathe "until you're cooked evenly on both sides" approach in his native Australia. There was a similar argument to be had with sugar fuelling obesity, which in turn affected cancer risk. Meanwhile, a survey of 2,046 people in the UK by the WCRF suggested 49% do not know that diet increases the risk of developing cancer. A third of people said cancer was mainly due to family history, but the charity said no more than 10% of cancers were down to inherited genes. Amanda McLean, general manager for the WCRF, said: "It's very alarming to see that such a large number of people don't know that there's a lot they can do to significantly reduce their risk of getting cancer. In the UK, about a third of the most common cancers could be prevented through being a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet and being regularly physically active." "People can cut their risk of cancer by making healthy lifestyle choices, but it's important to remember that the government and society are also responsible for creating an environment that supports healthy lifestyles." What is the best title of the passage? A. The Tidal Wave of Cancer is Coming B. Stopping Smoking Helps Stop Cancer C. Healthy Lifestyles to Prevent Cancer D. Healthy Eating, Away from Cancer Answer: C. Healthy Lifestyles to Prevent Cancer Question: When is hotter? A. desert B. night C. morning D. noon Answer: D. noon Question: Researchers may tell us that spending money on experiences produces more happiness than spending money on things. Going to a bar with friends is always pleasurable in slightly different ways. However, on the other hand, a table may also give us lots of positive experiences sometimes. I just moved from New York City to suburban Pennsylvania, It's been quite a change of pace, with some positives and negatives, One of the best parts is that I'm spending more time outside. I quite enjoy staying outside, especially eating outside. I had a goal to eat outside as often as possible this summer, so one of my first purchases for the new house was a table and a set of chairs for the yard. Is my yard table a thing or an experience? It's clearly a thing and yet it enables the experience of eating outside. I love eating outside, and so my yard table is one of my favorite purchases, ever. Therefore I find the dividing line between things and experiences is more nuanced than at first glance. However, to be happy, the most important thing is what kind of purchases you have made. Sometimes we may all have purchases that seem like a waste of money like probably half the clothes in our closets, but how does this happen?' There are many reasons for why this happens. The biggest is that we spend a lot of our time working to earn money to buy things. The problem is that we buy a lot of stuff that we don't actually need. There's nothing worse than looking in your closet and realizing how many hours you spent laboring to buy things you never wear. But how about a table that lets you enjoy being outside in the summer? That's worth every minute and penny and from it you will also get more happiness. What does the text mainly talk about? A. How you can spend your summer outside. B. How you can make moving enjoyable. C. What the best purchase is. D. Why people spend a lot of money on things. Answer: C. What the best purchase is. Question: We sometimes think global warming or climate change is a problem very far away from our lives, and that only the government needs to worry about it. But it's hardly possible to completely stay out of it scientists are now 95 percent sure that humans have been the " cause" of global warming trends since the 1950s. One of the conclusions of a report released on Sept 27 by the United Nations says that human activities have caused global temperatures to rise by 0.89 0C between 1901 and 2012. That might not seem like a lot, but the truth is that a major part of that heat has been absorbed into the oceans, which is not surprising given that they cover two thirds of Earth's surface. Also, water has a much greater capacity to absorb heat than the air does, according to The Economist. While many greenhouse gases occur naturally and are needed to keep the Earth warm enough to support life, humans' use of fossil fuels is the main source of excess greenhouse gases. According to CNN, by driving cars, using electricity produced by burning coal and oil or heating our homes with coal or natural gas, we release a large amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Your body can barely feel a difference of 0.89 0C, but the Earth's ecosystems are so sensitive that even small changes can disturb them. It often starts with the smallest creatures at the bottom of the food chain, eventually affecting bigger animals, many of which could end up becoming extinct. Global warming is also linked to an increase in extreme weather. A larger amount of carbon dioxide traps more energy inside the atmosphere. This changes the patterns of storms and rainfall in many regions and can lead to droughts and floods. Worse still, melting sea ice in warmer oceans is causing sea levels to rise at a speed of more than three millimeters per year, according to The Guardian, which also increases the risk of flooding. "The report should serve as another wakeup call that our activities today have a profound impact on society, not only for us, but for many generations to come," French Michel Jarraud, secretarygeneral of the World Meteorological Organization, said at a news conference. The rise in global temperatures between 1901 and 2012 _ . A. is more harmful to smaller creatures than bigger ones B. is not serious because most of the extra heat has been absorbed by the oceans C. has made the Earth's ecosystems more sensitive to changes D. is likely to cause many species to become extinct Answer: D. is likely to cause many species to become extinct Question: As demand for power and fuel grows steadily in the coming decades, we must consider every possible energy source on hand if we're to meet the world's needs. And because clean natural gas is found in great plenty, there is little doubt that it will play a major role on the world energy stage in this century, much like oil did in the last. But, like oil, gas reserves are concentrated in just a few places in the world, usually far from where they're needed most. And that's only part of the challenge. The world has had well over 100 years to search for oil and to build the necessary facilities to bring it to market; the natural gas facilities, particularly when it comes to liquefied natural gas(LNG), are not nearly as developed. So what needs to be done? On the supply side, producing nations need policies that allow for better development of their natural gas in an open, stable business environment, not _ in which the rules of the game change without warning. The governments of consuming nations, on the other hand, must make policies for sustainable development to ensure they'll have enough supplies in the future. That means building the related facilities, including LNG stations. This, in turn, will require coastal areas to allow these necessary, but not necessarily pretty, facilities to be built in their backyards. And energy companies have a responsibility to be good neighbors in those areas by operating these facilities responsibly and safely. They must also continue to put in the billions of dollars needed to build the complex transport and storage facilities required to bring more gas to market. Expanding and diversifying energy sources by using more natural gas could lead to lower fuel prices and to greater energy security. We've taken some of the steps to get started, but we need your help to get the rest of the way. The main purpose of the passage is to _ . A. warn people of the lack of power and fuel B. discuss the importance of oil and natural gas C. call for better use and development of natural gas D. instruct people how to make use of energy sources Answer: C. call for better use and development of natural gas
Are you happy? Do you remember a time when you were happy? Are you seeking happiness today? Many have sought a variety of sources for their feelings of happiness. Some have put their heart and effort into their work. Too many have turned to drugs and alcohol. Most of their efforts have a root in one common fact: People are looking for a lasting source of happiness. Unfortunately, I believe that happiness escapes many because they misunderstand the process and journey of finding it. I have heard many people say that, "I'll be happy when I get my new promotion." Or "I'll be happy when I lose that extra 20 pounds." The list goes on and on. You probably have a few of your own you could add if you wanted. _ is dangerous because it presupposes that happiness is a "response" to having, being or doing something. In life, we all experience stimulus and response. Stimulus is when a dog barks at you and bares his teeth. Response is when your heart beats faster, your palms get sweaty and you prepare to run. Today, some people think that an expensive car is a stimulus. Happiness is a response. A great paying job is a stimulus. Happiness is a response. A loving relationship is a stimulus. Happiness is a response. This belief leaves us thinking and feeling: " I'll be happy when..." It has been my finding that actually the opposite is true. I believe that happiness is a stimulus and response is what life brings to those who are truly happy. When we are happy, we tend to have more success in our work. When we are happy, people want to be around us and enjoy loving relationships. When we are happy, we more naturally take better care of our bodies and enjoy good health. Happiness is NOT a response--rather, it is a stimulus. Happiness is a conscious choice we make every day of our lives. For unknown reason to me, many choose to be painful, unsuccessful and angry most of the time. Happiness is not something that happens to us after we get something we want--we usually get things we want AFTER we choose to be happy. I have made only one simple rule for my own happiness: Every day above ground is a GOOD day. Therefore, I tend to have a lot of good (and happy) days continually. The writer strongly believes that happiness is _ . Answer: Many people have tried to simplify the spelling of English words. Unlike other languages , English sometimes spells the same sounds in very different ways . For example , there is "light "but" white", "loan "but "phone" ,and there are at least seven different ways of pronouncing "ough": "though", "through ","bough". "cough" "enough ", "ought" and "thorough ". The American President Theodore Roosevelt almost succeeded in simplifying English spelling .In 1906, Andrew Carnegie started the Simplified Spelling Board .He was one of the richest men in the United States of America .The board's plan was to make the spelling of words nearer to the way they sound .For example , the word "though" would be spelt "tho" and "through "would become "thru". Other people on the board were Melvil Dewey , the head of the New York libraries , and Professor Brander Matthews of Columbia University . They explained their idea to President Roosevelt , who thought that it was indeed logical .He immediately asked the government printer to sue simplified spelling in all government letters . But people didn't like the change, even if it made life easier. So the new simpler spelling was not popular. More importantly, when the American politicians discussed the plan, they did not like it either. Because Roosevelt did not want to have any problems with the politicians, he changed his mind and told the printer to go back to the old way of spelling. Since then no one in any government has dared to simplify English spelling. However,people do simplify some words, mainly in advertisements. For example, we often see "tonite" instead of "tonight" and "thru" instead of "through". According to the passage, simplified spelling _ . Answer: Glaciers doing what has a negative impact on the glacial environment? Answer: Your genetic makeup plays a big part in determining your size and weight. If both your parents are tall, there is a good chance you'll be tall. But if your parents are smaller than average, you may want to rethink that professional basketball career! The same goes for your body type. Have you ever heard someone say a person is "big boned?" It's a way of saying the person has a large frame, or skeleton . Big bones usually weigh more than small bones. That's why it's possible for two kids with the same height, but different weight, to both the right weight. Being overweight can run in someone's family, but it may not be because of their genes. Poor eating and exercise habits also run in families and these may be the reasons the members of a family are overweight. And even though some kids gain weight more easily than others, when they eat right and exercise, most kids can have a healthy weight that's right for them. It's true- the way you live can change the way you look. How much your weight is a balance between the calories you eat and the calories you use. If you eat more calories than your body needs to use, you will gain too much weight. If you spend you free time watching TV, your body won't use as many calories as it would if you played basketball, skated, or went for a walk. But if you eat more and exercise less, you may become overweight. On the other hand, if you eat less and exercise more, you may lose weight. Which one can be used as the best title of this passage? Answer: Mrs. White likes shopping. Today is Sunday. She wants to buy a new dress for herself. Now she is in a clothes store and has a look at a red one. She asks the salesgirl , "How much is it?" "It's thirty dollars." the salesgirl answers. "Can I _ , please?" she asks. "Yes, you can. The dressing room is over there. This way, please." the salesgirl says. After Mrs White comes out of the dressing room, the salesgirl says to her, "You look ten years younger in this red dress." Hearing that, Mrs. White says, "I will not take the dress, because I don't want to look ten years older after I take off the dress." How much is the dress? Answer:
The art of public speaking began in ancient Greece over 2,000 years ago. Now, twitter, e-mail, blogs and QQ chat offer approaches to communication-- but none can replace the role of a great speech. The spoken word can handle various important functions: persuading or inspiring, informing, paying tribute , entertaining, or simply introducing someone. Persuading is used in dealing with or _ different points of view. When the leaders met in Copenhagen in December, 2009, persuasive words from activities encouraged them to take former action. Inspirational speeches deal with emotions. They focus on topics and matters that are close to people' s hearts. Last year, during the fighting in Iraq, generals used inspiring speeches to prepare the troops for battle. Some speeches spread knowledge and deepen understanding. When the H1N1 flu was announced, the disease scared many people. Informtive speechs from World Health Organization (WTO) officials helped people to keep their panic under control so they could take necessary preventive measures. Sad events are never easy to deal with but a speech that pays tribute to the loss of a loved one and gives praise for their contribution can be comforting. Madonna's speech about Michael Jackson after his death showed the fact that he will continue to live on through his music. It's not only in world forums where public speaking plays an important role. It can also be helpful in the course of our own life. You may be asked to do a presentation at college or work to inform others about an area of great importance. On a more personal level, a friend may be upset and need comforting. Or you might be asked to introduce a speaker at a family gathering or to speak at a wedding, where your language will be needed to move people or make them laugh. Great speaking ability is not something we're born with. Even Barack Obama works hard to perfect every speech. The passage mentions the H1N1 flu to show the function of _ Answer: Peter is eight years old, and he goes to a school near his house. He always goes there and comes home on foot. He usually gets back on time, but last Friday he came home from school late. His mother saw him and said to him, "Why are you late today, Peter?" "My teacher was angry and told me to see the headmaster after class," Peter answered. "To see the headmaster?" his mother asked. "Why did she tell you to see him?" "Because she asked a question in class," Peter said, "And nobody could answer it except me." His mother became angry. "But why did your teacher tell you to see the headmaster then?" she asked. "Because her question was 'Who put the glue on my chair?'" Peter said. How does Peter often go to school? Answer: Our environment is being polluted faster. Man's present efforts cannot prevent it .Time is bringing us more people, and more people will bring us more industry, more cars, larger cities and the growing use of man-made materials. What can explain and solve this problem ?The fact is that pollution is caused by man ----by his desire for a modern way of life. We make "industrialization "our main aim. So we seem to be ready to give up everything: clear air, pure water, good food, our health and the future of our children. Large numbers of people are moving from the countryside into the cities, looking forward to the modern life. But as our world has developed so fast in the last twenty years, pollution has become a serious problem. Isn't it time for us to stop to ask ourselves where we are going-----and why? It makes one think of the story about the airline pilot who was heard over the loudspeaker, "I've some good news and some bad news. The good news is that we're flying at 530 miles per hour. The bad news is that we're lost and don't know where we're going." The sad fact is that this becomes a true story when we talk about our modern society. The story about the airline pilot tells us that _ . Answer: Several overseas trips with the family have taught us that they can be rewarding, but you always have to be careful of pickpockets. On a lovely visit to Paris an encounter with a pickpocket gave the would-be thief a little more than he _ While walking down the famous Champs Elysee, I was astonished to feel someone unzip my handbag and remove my purse. I turned to glimpse a young man turning away and pretending to be absorbed in the mouth-watering contents on display in a bakery window. Being only a teenager at the time, I had no idea what to do. So I tapped the young man in question on the shoulder and said. "Excuse me can you please give me back my purse?" Of course the pickpocket had no idea what I was saying (and didn't want to know) and proceeded to shrug his shoulders and basically say (in French) "I don't speak English"? Meanwhile my Mother (a Scotswoman with a bad temper), came to see why I had stopped walking and what was going on. When I informed her of the situation she lost control and started yelling at the thief who still stood there making gestures in French while a crazy Scotswoman harangued him. At this stage we were starting to attract onlookers, and when my Mother started hitting the young man with her handbag the would-be thief decided it was time to get away. Luckily, amid all the disorder the thief lost his control of my purse, and as he made a break-for-it, my purse dropped to the ground! I quickly snatched it up and for the rest of vacation we walked around with our handbags clutched against our chests! This passage is a story about _ . Answer: Every Sunday morning, as most people line up outside neighborhood breakfast spots, watch TV news shows, or head for church, Chloris Noelke-Olson is tuning up her fiddle . She is preparing to enjoy bluegrass music the old-fashioned way: with friends, at home, for free. " To be able to play with other people face to face and have that sort of connection, it is spiritual," Ms Noelke-Olson said of the weekly house concerts in Chicago she participates in. " It's like a good conversation with instruments---something that doesn't seem to happen much any more because everyone is chatting on their cellphones." She is among a growing group of Americans who are finding it pleasant to get away from the digital grid , at least temporarily. While there is no exact data to track how many people are forming knitting groups, hosting house concerts, or organizing family game nights, it is possible to connect the dots between the rising price of entertainment and the rising sales of board games and craft supplies. In the past two years, the prices for restaurant meals, concert tickets, and movie tickets all increased. At the same time, board games sales rose 6 percent, while total toy sales decreased 3 percent. These trends are expected to continue because of the struggling economy. Instead of equipping their homes with expensive home entertainment systems, consumers are more likely to pick up the old-fashioned way: eye-to-eye. Families are rediscovering ways to come together that have nothing to do with high technology. "People are turning inward to build an enjoyment time for family and home," said Linda Bettencourt, an interior designer in San Francisco whose customers typically live in million-dollar homes. Over the past six months, Ms Bettencourt has been hired to redesign living space to promote the kind of connectivity that doesn't involve wires. " The big game table is back," she says. "People want to sit around and see each other's face rather than facing a flat-screen TV." This passage is mainly about _ . Answer:
It is often said that politeness costs nothing.In fact,it seems that a little more courtesy could save businessesPS5 billion every year. Frequently hearing the phrase "thank you" or "well done" means the same to staff as a modest pay rise,researchers say. Praise and encouragement also makes employees more likely to work hard and stay in their jobs,saving on the cost of finding replacements. A third of 1,000 workers surveyed by consulting firm White Water Strategies said they did not get thanked at all when they did well--and a further third said they were not thanked enough. In both cases,staff said they felt undervalued,meaning they were less likely to exert themselves and were more likely to look for employment elsewhere. The net result is around PS5.2 billion in lost productivity from employees who would raise their game if they felt more appreciated,White Water claimed According to the company,praising staff has the same motivational kick as a 1 per cent pay rise--and works out much cheaper for bosses. Three out of four employees said that regular acknowledgement by their boss was important to them,but only a quarter said they were actually given as much praise as they felt they needed. The survey found that those in blue-collar and manual jobs were less likely to be given any recognition for doing well. In regional terms,Scottish staff felt most undervalued.Four out of ten workers said they were never thanked and eight out of ten said they would like more praise.However,workers in the North-East are less impressed by being buttered up by the boss,as only 69 per cent said they felt the need to be told "well done"regularly. Older employees and women need the most reassurance,according to psychologist Averil Leimon,a director of White Water Strategies.She said that words of praise did more than create a pleasant place to work--they could even boost profits. Which of the following is TRUEaccording to the passage? Answer: It was 1:30 a.m. Monday at London's Savoy Hotel and, with autograph books and cameras, a group of brighteyed tennis fans of all ages were waiting for just a glimpse of Maria Sharapova . The 17-year-old girl defeated champion Serena Williams 6-1 6-4 in the Wimbledon final on Saturday in London to become the first Russian to win a single title at the championships. A silver lining to a depressing, rain-hit Wimbledon, she has raised heated passion. Nobody was complaining, though, for the 1.83-metre Sharapova has created a welcome wave of interest in tennis, something missing in recent years. Not even Anna Kournikova evoked such passion when she broke on to the scene. To look good on court is one thing, but Sharapova can actually play the game too. Extremely well. She proved it over 13 days at the world's most prestigious tournament. Playing tennis of the highest quality throughout, the Russian's triumph not only lifted the tournament from fits of rain-induced depression but also salvaged(;) the season for the woman's tour. Sharapova was given no easy ride in the tournament, having to beat 1999 champion Lindsay Davenport in the semifinals and twice-champion Serena Williams for the title. Neither caused her much concern. "I don't remember too much about the final," Sharapova giggled. "I was in my own place." She will find it increasingly hard to find any place to call her own from now on after advertisers identified her as the most marketable woman in sport. In Russia she is sensational news. She headlined the news bulletins and was telephoned by former Russian President Boris Yeltsin after her triumph. Sharapova will return to her adoptive Florida home knowing life will never be the same again. But the girl who arrived in the US aged seven with her father and just US$700 is determined not to let fame and riches detract from her number one love, tennis. "I know things will start coming up and that many more things will want to get involved, but I want to keep my head cool and play tennis," she said. Which of the following statements about this year's Wimbledon is RIGHT? Answer: A teacher takes a very big bottle and puts a few big stones into it. He asks the students, "Is the bottle full?" They all answer, "Yes!" The teacher then puts some small stones into the bottle. The small stones are between the big stones. He then asks, "Is it full now?" Some students give no answer, but most answer, "Yes!" The teacher then starts to put some sand into the bottle. For the third time, the teacher asks, "Is it full?" Now most students give no answer, but some still answer, "Yes!" Then the teacher pours a cup of water into the bottle. "What does it tell us?" asks the teacher. One clever student answer, "No matter how busy you are, you can always find time to do some more things." "No," says the teacher. "If you don't put the big stones into the bottle first, you can never get _ in. The big stones are the important things in your life. If you fill your life with small things like the small stones, sand and water, you'll never have the time for the important things." How many of the students really know what the act wants to tell them? Answer: The people who built Stonehenge in Southern England thousands of years ago had wild parties, eating barbecued pigs and breaking pottery. This is according to recent work by archaeologists--history experts who investigate how human beings lived in the past. Archaeologists digging near Stonehenge last year discovered the remains of a large prehistoric village where they think the builders of the mysterious stone circle used to live. The village is about 4,600 years old, the same age as Stonehenge and as old as the Pyramids in Egypt. It is less than two miles from the famous ancient landmark and lies inside a massive man-made circular dirt wall, or "henge", known as the Durrington Walls. Remains found at the site included jewellry, stone arrowheads, tools made of deer antlers, wooden spears and huge amounts of animal bones and broken pottery. "These finds suggest Stone Age people went to the village at special times of the year to feast and party", says Mike Parker-Pearson from Sheffield University in England. He said many of the pig bones they found had been thrown away half-eaten. He also said the partygoers appeared to have shot some of the farm pigs with arrows, possibly as a kind of sport before barbecuing them. An ancient road which led from the village to the River Avon was also found. Here, the experts think, people came after their parties to throw dead s in the water so the bodies would be washed downstream to Stonehenge. Parker-Pearson believes Stonehenge was like a cemetery where ancient Britons buried the dead and remembered their ancestors. The theory is that Stonehenge is a kind of spirit home to the ancestors. The recent discovery of the village within the Durrington Walls shows that Stonehenge didn't stand alone but was part of a much bigger religious site, according to Parker-Pearson.People still come to worship and celebrate at Stonehenge today. They meet there when the sun sets on the shortest day of winter and when it rises on the longest day of summer. But the days of barbecuing whole pigs there and throwing family members into the river are a thing of the past. At present, it has been attracting a great number of visitors all around the world. Here is a comment from a visitor. "I am speaking to a friend on Facebook who is heartbroken that she went there with utter love and respect for the site and that the whole Summer Solstice event was full of drunk party goers and those that had gone in a respectful, loving way were made to sit on the outside, so as not to be disturbed by the revellers." What do experts think people did after the village parties? Answer: I start to wonder what else had changed since I'd been gone. My parents are in an awkward puzzle, wondering how to treat me now----whether to treat me--still their daughter--as one of them, an adult, or as the child they feel they sent away months earlier. I run into two of my best friends from high school; we stare at each other, expressionless. We ask the simple questions and give simple answers. It's as if we have nothing to say to each other. I wonder how things have changed so much in such a small amount of time. We used to laugh and promise that no matter how far away we were, our love for each other would never change. Their interests don't interest me anymore, and I find myself unable to relate my life to theirs. I had been so excited to come home, but now I just look at it all and wonder: Is it me? Why hadn't the world stood still here while I was gone? My room isn't the same, my friends and I don't share the same promise, and my parents don't know how to treat me--or who I am, for that matter. I get back to school feeling half-satisfied, but not disappointed. I sit up in my bed in my dorm room, surrounded by my pictures, dolls. As I wonder what has happened, I realize that I can't expect the world to stand still and move forward at the same time. I can change and expect that things at home will stay the same. I have to find comfort in what has changed and what is new; keep the memories, but live in the present. A few weeks later, I'm packing again, this time for winter break. My mom meets me at the door. I have come home accepting the changes, not only in my surroundings, but most of all in me. What can we infer about the writer? Answer:
There are several ways to break the technology code that teenagers have written among themselves. The following are ideas to help parents understand the sometimes confusing world of the teens. SocialNetworking Sites: Sites like MySpace and Facebook _ all generations and are a good way for a parent to understand what social standards your teen is living with. There are many ways to help you take part in your child's online activities. You also can be from an onlooker who keeps a bird' s-eye view of his cyber world to an active member of his social group. MMORPG: Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game comes in the form of games. A child can easily become addicted to them if no limits are set. To fully understand the attraction behind MMORPG, you can make your own account and character to explore the digital world. Playing the online games may seem strange at first to your teen, but experience has led me to only positive feedback from young people who can communicate with adults about their gaming experiences. Text and Instant Messenger: The ways of teenage communication have produced a whole new language, such as "LOLZ" (laughing out loud) and "PSOS" (parent standing over shoulder). Learning the basic shorthand of teens can open up a whole new world of communication, not only talking to your teens, but being able to listen on their terms as well. You may just find yourself texting faster and ending your correspondence with TTYL (talk to you later). To teens, texting anyone looks cool, even Mom and Dad. Email: Emailing your child is easy. This, of course, cannot take the place of face-to-face communication, but it provides another way for your child to reach you. Another benefit is that your child cannot act like he didn't hear you. According to this passage we can infer that the author's child _ . A. works hard at school B. is active on Facebook C. enjoys playing online games D. likes talking with adults Answer: C. enjoys playing online games Mike Maietta was eating lunch when he got a text message from his mom. "Notre Dame," it said. " _ !" Mike, a senior at a Californian high school, shouted with joy. The big envelope meant that the excellent university in Indiana had offered him a place in its Class of 2013. But the $51,300 annual fee is a big trouble. So Mike and his parents are considering offers from several other colleges and are figuring out the costs of tuition, housing and holiday trips home. This year, money is the driving factor for a growing number of high school seniors, who have to decide what colleges to attend this fall. Less jobs and house prices have changed family spending. "We're excited that Mike got into eight great schools," said Mike's father, an engineer at Microsoft. "But if you consider going to school out of state, you've got to think about all of the other costs: moving, flying back and forth for the holidays. You're looking at about $3,000 a year, just for travel." As families weigh their choices, some are going back to financial aid offices hoping help packages can be increased. Rachel Brown was happy to get a thick envelope from New York University (NYU). Although she has always wanted to live in Manhattan, she is seriously considering the University of California San Diego (UCSD), because of the high cost in New York. "The tuition for NYU is twice as much as UCSD," said Rachel, 17. "My mom doesn't want me to have a big debt when I graduate, and I don't want that either. I'd have to take out a loan of $15,000. I'll check and see if there's any way that NYU can offer me any financial aid." More than 7.6 million American students have filled out the Free Application for Students Aid, 19.9 percent increase over last year. This month the Federal Department of Education urged college financial aid officers to give more help to certain families. A record 30,428 students applied for 2,300 places at Stanford, partly because the university increased financial aid for families earning below $10,000. Mike may give up Notre Dame because of _ . A. travel fees B. financial concerns C. poor exam results D. worries about living far away from home Answer: B. financial concerns Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment. ks5u Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas. ks5u There are many environment-friendly sport. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don't need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes;and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control. ks5u Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be "green gyms". They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it's free. ks5u The author writes the passage to _ . ks5u A. show us the function of major sports ks5u B. encourage us to go in for green sports ks5u C. discuss the major influence of popular sports ks5u D. introduce different types of environment-friendly sports ks5u Answer: B. encourage us to go in for green sports ks5u This March is a busy month in Shanghai.There's a lot to do.Here are the highlights. Live Music - Late Night Jazz Enjoy real American jazz from Herbie Davis, the famous trumpet player.He's coming with his new 7-piece band, Herbie's Heroes.Herbie is known to play well into the early hours, so don't expect to get much sleep.This is Herbie's third visit to Shanghai.The first two were sold out, so get your tickets quickly. PLACE: The Jazz Club DATES: 15---23 March PRICE: Y=80,120 TIME: 10:00p.m.till late! TEL: 6466--8736 Scottish dancing Take your partners and get ready to dance till you drop.Scottish dancing is fun and easy to learn.Instructors will demonstrate the dances.The live band, Gordon Stroppie and the Weefrees, are also excellent. PLACE: Jack Stein's DATES: every Monday PRICE: Y60 including one drink TIME: 7:00 ---0:00 p.m. TEL: 6402-1877 Exhibitions - Shanghai Museum There are 120,000 pieces on show here.You can see the whole of Chinese history under one roof.It's always interesting to visit, but doubly so at the moment with the Egyptian Tombs exhibition.There are lots of mummies and more gold than you've ever seen before.Let us know if you see a mummy move! PLACE: Shanghai Museum PRICE: Y=30 (Y= 15 for students) TEL: 6888-6888 DATES: daily TIME: Monday - Friday 9:00a.m.- 5:00p.m., Weekends 9:00a.m.--- 9:00p.m. Dining - Sushi chef in town Sushi is getting really big in Shanghai.In Japan, it's become an art form.The most famous Sushi 'artist' is Yuki Kamura.She's also one of the few female chefs in Japan.She'll be at Sushi Scene all of this month. PLACE: Sushi Scene in the Shanghai Hotel DATES: all month PRICE: Y=200 TIME: lunchtime TEL: 6690-3211 For a full listing of events, see our website. From the text we may learn that Kamura is _ . A. an instructor B. a waitress C. a coo D. an artist Answer: C. a coo Yesterday I went to the nursing home to visit my grandma. She just got out of the hospital recently where she had some serious operations. I wanted to surprise her after work, so I stopped by for a quick visit. When I got there, she was happy to see me. We hugged, kissed and exchanged greetings. Then I heard a woman crying. It was my grandma's roommate. The curtain was drawn so I could not see her. She started calling out a name that wasn't mine but she was certainly talking to me, begging me to go to her side of the room. I ignored her at first and continued visiting with my grandma. Then she started begging and saying, "Please, come to see me!" So I went to see her. When I drew the curtain back, she looked so old but flashed me the biggest smile! She opened her arms wide for me to hug her so I bent low and gave her a hug. I sat on her bed and talked with her for a few minutes. She kept calling me by the other name but I did not correct her. She told me stories as if I had been there when they happened. Finally I went back to visit with my grandma. Then the woman started crying again, saying, "Please, come back." She finally slept. I stopped by the nurse's station and the nurse told me that the lady suffers from Alzheimer's. I mentioned the name she had called me. The nurse told me it was the lady's daughter's name. Then I understood why she wanted me to go to visit her. We will all get old some day. Some of us will have broken minds like he lady and some of us will have broken bodies like my grandma. As I was leaving I promised I would go back and visit the lady, even after my grandma moves back to her home. What can the writer learn from her experience? A. The old will become forgetful. B. Everyone will get old someday. C. The old need care from others. D. We shouldn't leave the old in the nursing home. Answer: C. The old need care from others.
Question: Picking tomatoes For as long as I can remember,Grandma's plentiful tomato garden has been a sign of summer's end.Each September,just as the decreased heat of the sun suggests cooler days,Grandma requests my help in her tomato garden.She convinces me she cannot pick tomatoes without my youthful eyes and quick mind.She says we need to examine each tomato and agree on its readiness for picking.While Grandma's request for my help in the tomato garden is always the same,her desire for my help seems to increase each year. Grandma has eyes for finding even the tomatoes hidden by undergrowth and other tomatoes.I,however,just turn circles looking for the ones I think Grandma will like.I spot what looks like a ripe tomato,head in its direction,and then get sidetracked by another that appears to be equally ripe.I usually end up watching Grandma and trying to stay out of her way,which seems the only way my eyes and mind are useful. There we are,lost in the tomato vines .Grandma's eyes are always knowing,and they are no different in the vegetable garden.From afar she spots what looks like a ripe tomato.As she walks toward the garden,she evaluates the tomato for a second time,but from a different angle.I already know it will end up in the basket with the pile of others Grandma has carefully chosen.However,Grandma acts as if she needs final look to be sure.She calls me to her side,kneels beside the vine while enjoying the warmth of the fading sunlight on her face,and grasps the tomato in her hand.She turns each round,red ball toward the sunlight before disconnecting it from the vine with a halfhearted smile. She then looks at me.I nod my head and smile.Grandma assumes I smile in agreement with her tomato selection.I know I smile,instead,at her. What can we infer from the story? A. The grandchild will become more skillful at gardening than Grandma. B. Grandma will develop more patience in working with the grandchild. C. The grandchild will gradually become more independent of Grandma. D. Grandma's need for the grandchild's company will grow over time. Answer: D Question: You're probably aware of the basic trends. The financial rewards to education have increased over the past few decades, but men fail to benefit. In elementary and high school, male academic performance is lagging. Boys earn three-quarters of the D's and F's. By college, men are clearly behind. Only 40 percent of bachelor's degree go to men, along with 40 percent of master's degree. Thanks to their lower skills, men are dropping out of the labor force. In 1954, 96 percent of the American men between the ages of 25 and 54 worked. Today, that number is down to 80 percent. In Friday's jobs report, male labor force participation reached an all-time low. Millions of men are collecting disability benefits. Even many of those who do have a job are doing poorly. According to Michael Greenstone of the Hamilton Project, annual earnings for average prime-age males have dropped by 28 percent over the past 40 years. Men still dominate the top of the corporate ladder because many women take time off to raise children, but women lead or are gaining nearly everywhere else. Women in their 20s outearn men in their 20s. Twelve out of the 15 fastest-growing professions are dominated by women. Over the years, many of us have employed a certain theory to explain men's economic decline. It is that the information-age economy rewards qualities that women are more likely to possess. To succeed today, you have to be able to sit still and focus attention in school at an early age. You have to be emotionally sensitive and aware of context. You have to communicate smoothly. For genetic and cultural reasons, many men are not good at these. But, in her fascinating new book, The End of Men, Hanna Rosin suggests a different theory. It has to do with adaptability. Women, Rosin argues, are like immigrants who have moved to a new country. They see a new social context, and they flexibly adapt to .new circumstances. Men are like immigrants who have physically moved to a new country but who have kept their minds in the old one. They speak the old language. They follow the old customs. Men are more likely to be rigid; women are more fluid. This theory has less to do with born qualities and more to do with social position. When there's big social change, the people who were on the top of the old order are bound to stick to the old ways. The people who were on the bottom are bound to experience a burst of energy. They are going to explore their new surroundings more enthusiastically. Rosin reports from working-class Alabama. The women she meets are flooding into new jobs and new opportunities -- going back to college, pursuing new careers. The men are waiting around for the jobs left and are never coming back. They are strangely immune to new options. In the Auburn-Opelika region, the average female income is 140 percent of the average male income. Rosin is not saying that women are winners in a global gender war or that they are doing super simply because men are doing worse. She's just saying women are adapting to today's economy more flexibly than men. There's a lot of evidence to support her case. A study by the National Federation of Independent Business found that small businesses owned by women outperformed male-owned small business during the last recession . In finance, women who switch firms are more likely to see their performance improve, whereas men are likely to see theirs decline. There's even evidence that women are better able to adjust to divorce. Today, more women than men see their incomes rise by 25 percent after a marital breakup. Forty years ago, men and women stuck to certain theory, what it meant to be a man or a woman. Young women today, Rosin argues, have abandoned both feminist and prefeminist preconceptions. Men still stick to the masculinity rules, which limit their vision and their movement. If she's right, then men will have to acknowledge that they are strangers in a strange land. Which of the following statements is TRUE? A. Male labor force participation has declined by 80% since 1954. B. More men than women take time off to raise children now. C. Good communication is one of the qualities that women possess. D. Men are still taking most top and fastest-growing professions. Answer: C Question: Pablo Picasso, born in Spain in 1881, was one of the most famous artists of the 20th century. Picasso began painting when he was a small child and took advanced art courses when he was only fifteen. Between 1904 and 1947 Picasso lived in Paris. In 1947 he moved to Riviera, in the south of France. Many people thought Picasso's works were strange and unpleasant. Still,he had a great influence on artists in every country. Today, Picasso is regarded as a genius , and his paintings are in the museums all over the world. In 1912, Picasso actually invented a new type of art. He painted a picture,then he _ bits of paper and something else on the picture. This picture of art is called collage . Picasso was not only a painter, he was also a sculptor and a designer of scenery for plays. There are even some photographs of " light paintings " that he created. These paintings were produced by moving a light pencil, or a small flashlight in the air. Although the images could be seen only briefly by anyone watching them happen, the camera was able to catch the images as they occurred. By the time he died in France in April of 1973 , he had created a staggering 22,000 works of art. When Picasso was asked how someone could become an artist, he would reply, If you want to draw, you must shut your eyes and sing. After reading the text, we can learn that Picasso was a _ . A. French artist B. Spanish artist C. English artist D. Australian artist Answer: B Question: Jenny's class made an instrument to measure air pressure. The instrument is a A. thermometer. B. rain gauge. C. barometer. D. wind vane. Answer: C Question: One day,when 12-year-old Sean Redden went to a popular chat room on the Internet, he saw the name of someone he'd never seen there before, Susan Hicks. Her message was " Would someone help me? I can't breathe. Help me! I can't feel my left side." At first, Sean thought it was a bad joke and he told his mother Sharon Redden. But she asked, " It's not just some game, is it? The message was not a joke. " Susan Hicks" was actually 20-year-old Taija Laitinen, a student working late at night at a college library near Helsinki, Finland---almost 7,000 miles away from Sean's home in Texas. While searching the Internet, she began to feel terrible pain all through her body. The library was empty and the nearest phone was outside in the hallway. She couldn't move that far because any movement caused the pain to get worse. Then as the pain became worse, she began typing her message for help in the chat room. "I don't think it's a joke, mom," Sean said. He typed, " Where are you? The letters appeared, "Finland." Sean and Sharon couldn't believe it. Not knowing what else to do, Sharon called the local police and explained the situation to officer Amy Schmidt. Schmidt told Sharon to try to get the sick girl's phone number and address. Meanwhile, the Texas police called the international telephone operator and asked to be connected to the proper agency in Finland. The Texas police explained the situation and gave Susan's address to the Finnish operator. When Sean heard that, he typed, "Help is on the way." In the few minutes, the library door opened. Doctors and three policemen ran in. Taija turned once more to the computer, " They are here. Thanks. Bye-bye." What can we learn from the text? A. The policeman Sean's mother called was in Finland. B. Susan Hicks was a friend of Taija Laitinen. C. Sean and his mother offered help in time. D. Sean had seen Taija Laitinen before. Answer: C
Guan Moye, better known as Mo Yan, is a Chinese novelist and short story writer. He has been referred to by Donald Morrison of U.S. news magazine, TIME, as "one of the most famous and widely pirated of all Chinese writers". He is best known to Western readers for Red Sorghum Clan , which was later adapted for the film, Red Sorghum. In 2012, Mo was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Mo Yan was born in Gaomi County, Shandong Province. He was 11 years old when the Cultural Revolution started, at which time he left school to work as a farmer. At the age of 18, he began to work at a factory. During this period, his access to literature was largely limited to novels. At the close of the Cultural Revolution in 1976, Mo joined the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and began writing. During this period, the works of Chinese literature, as well as translations of foreign authors such as William Faulkner, made an impact on his works. In 1984, he received a literary award from the PLA Magazine, and at the same year he began attending the Military Art Academy, where he first used the pen name of Mo Yan. "Mo Yan" means "don't speak" in Chinese. He explained that the name came from a warning from his father and mother about not saying what he thought when he was outside. It also related to the subject matter of his writings. Mo's first novel was Falling Rain on a Spring Night, published in 1981. Several of his novels were translated into English by Howard Goldblatt, professor of East Asian languages and literature, at the University of Notre Dame. He published his first novella , A Transparent Radish, in 1984, and released Red Sorghum Clan in 1986, making him a nationally recognized novelist. Five years later, he obtained a Master's degree in literature from Beijing Normal University. Which of the following statements about Mo Yan's works is correct? A. Mo was awarded the Nobel Prize for Red Sorghum Clan. B. A Transparent Radish was his first novel. C. Some of his works were translated into English. D. His novel was adapted for a film in 1986. Answer: C Tom grows the nicest vegetables and fruits, and the most beautiful flowers in his village. Plants grow in Tom's garden all through the year.Tom cuts some flowers for his sitting-room table and eats some fruits and vegetables, but he sells most of them in the market. His vegetables, fruits and flowers are so wonderful that they sell much more quickly in the market than those of other villages. How does Tom grow these beautiful plants? He is so lazy that he just sits under his orange tree with his radio. He listens to music all day. That is quite true. Tom plants things in spring, summer, autumn and winter. After that he sits with his radio. And everything grows. It is the music that does work. Tom knows more clearly that music makes the biggest vegetables and fruits and the most beautiful flowers. Plants love music as much as people. Which of the following is TRUE? A. Tom doesn't plant orange trees in his garden. B. Tom often gives away his flowers to villagers. C. Tom is very lazy and he does nothing every day. D. Tom eats some of the fruits and vegetables in his garden. Answer: D When I was a child, my parents always told me that I should never talk to strangers. This was part of a whole list of things I should never do: Never accept food or candy from strangers, never get in a car with strangers, and so on. But if we didn't start a conversation with strangers, we'd never make new friends. We'd never get a job. We may miss the joy that comes from talking with strangers. And the more people you know, you more chances you can get. The following passage offers you some advice on how to break the ice. Don't just stare at your shoes. Go and say "Hi" to that new guy. It will be easier to break the ice if you know more about different cultures. British: Beautiful day, isn't it? The weather in Britain is changeable. So, it is one of the topics the British care most about. And there's a simple rule: Say "Yes" whether you agree with the person's idea on the weather or not. That's because the British start a conversation using the weather so that they can continue their talk. French: Where did you go on holiday? To talk with a French person, the safest way is to ask his or her last holiday. French students enjoy a 10-to-15-day holiday every two months. French employees get more than six weeks of holidays per year. American: So, where are you from? The US is so big and people move so often that location is always a source of talk. You can try to find a connection with the place they're from. For example, if someone's from Los Angeles, you could say:"Oh, I have a friend who studied there" The best thing to talk with British is _ . A. the fog B. the rain C. the weather D. the wind Answer: C Your House Will Take Care of You In Old Age Have you ever thought what your life would be like in old age? Everyone talks about the "aging" society with large numbers of elderly people needing home care. Now German researchers have set up a "smart"house, programmed to help the elderly live at home with dignity. Scientists at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute say the house combines existing technology with future-oriented technology. For example, the "smart"bathroom has a touch screen mirror that can remind people to take their medicine, wash their hands or brush their teeth. The hardware behind Fraunhofer's electronic bathroom is not new, and the software runs on a regular personal computer. When the medicine cabinet is opened, a display in the middle of the mirror tells the person how many pills to take. The mirror is linked to a care provider, who can remotely check whether a patient at home is actually taking medicine and brushing his or her teeth. As many elderly people have arthritic conditions that make it difficult to operate water taps, the mirror also has displays that turn the water tap on or off or control the water temperature. The bathroom is only the start. Kitchens, bedrooms and all other parts of the intelligent"home will become "user-friendly"to meet all kinds of individual needs. Sensors in doors, toilets, taps, light switches and carpets detect every activity and record them electronically. Doctors or care staff can see from the computer records what personal hygiene tasks have been completed, how often the elderly person visits the bathroom or uses the toilet. In case of an emergency, the computer automatically alerts the chosen contact person or calls the care center. The author of the text mainly _ . A. calls on people to care for the old B. introduces a new house C. promotes a new house D. encourages the old to live with dignity Answer: B Our village carpenter ,John Hill, came one day and made a dining table for my wife. He made it just the right size to fill the space between the two windows. When I got home that evening, John was drinking a cup of tea and writing out his bill for his job. My wife said to me quietly, "That's his ninth cup of tea today." But she said in a loud voice, "It's a beautiful table, dear, isn't it?" "I'll decide about that when I see the bill." I said. John laughed and gave me his bill. It said: One dining table 10thNovember,2014 Cost of wood $17.00 Paint $1.50 Work,8 hour( $1.00 an hour) $ 8.00 Total $ 36.50 When I was looking at the bill,John said,"It's been a fine day,hasn't it? Quite sunny." "Yes," I said."I'm glad it's only the 10thof November." "Me too." said John, "You wait--it'll be a lot colder by the end of the month." "Yes, colder--and more expensive! Dining tables will be $20 more expensive on November 30th, won't they, John?" John looked hard at me for half a minute. I gave his bill back to him. "If it isn't too much trouble, John," I said,"please add it up again. You can forget the date..." I paid him $26.50 and he was happy to get it. From the story we know that _ . A. John made a mistake in the hill B. John tried to get more money for his work C. John wrote out the bill before the writer got home D. John talked about the bill with the writer's wife Answer: B
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." What is the main idea of the passage? Answer: 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. Which of the following about the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is TRUE? Answer: Today I went to Sam's school in the UK. It was really different from my school in China. Girls wore grey skirts and white shirts, boys wore grey trousers, and everyone wore the school tie. Some of Sam's lessons were a bit strange for me. We were reading Shakespeare in the English lesson, and there were quite some old words like "thou" and "thee" to mean "you". In history we studied 20th Century China. It was strange hearing a foreign side of history--and hearing English people trying to say all our Chinese names! Classes were also a lot more relaxing than in China. Teachers were called "sir" or "miss", everyone shouted answers and raised their hands in classes. It was more like a _ than a class. A bell rang at the end of each lesson and everyone jumped up to go to the next class. At break we bought potato chips and cookies in the dining room. Lunch was later than in China at 1 o'clock. We had big plates of pie with carrots. For dessert there was hot sweet rice called rice pudding. It was good that I'd had an excellent lunch, because at Sam's school, Monday afternoons are taken up with sports. I played my first game of netball--a bit like basketball, but with some differences. Fortunately , I'd had a quick look in the rule book before I tried to join in the game. What class does Sam have on Monday afternoon? Answer: Which characteristic is found ONLY in mammals? Answer: Q: My problem is computer gaming. I do it day and night, averaging four hours of sleep. I can't control of this, and I don't know where to go for help. Do you? --Player A: Dear Player, You have an addiction. For some people playing video games releases dopamine, a powerful brain chemical that makes you feel good. You'd toss your cigarettes if you were ready to quit, right? To kick the habit, get help from a health professional. And don't look for help on line; that would be like an alcoholic going to the bar for advice. Q: My brother's wife just had triplets . This is such a joy! Yet every time I share the news with co-workers, they ask me if she was on fertility pills. I think this is rude--or has society just become so talk-show numbed that you can ask anyone anything? --No Show Host A: Dear Host, Yes. Our society has become increasingly disrespectful of privacy. But don't blame it all on the talk-shows. Continue to celebrate and greet impolite questions with stony silence. Their fertility history is nobody's business but their own. Q: I work at an amusement park, and my manager steals supplies. She has a catering business on the side, and we've seen her load up her van at the back gates. The big bosses think she is the best thing since buttered bread, and we're all afraid that if we say anything, we'll lose our jobs. What can we do? --Righteous A: Dear Righteous, Be sure you're right. You must have evidence about what and why things are going out the back gates. Once you know for certain, it's time to go to the bosses and report what you have seen. Q: My stepson's wife sometimes leaves their eight-year-old home alone for "a short run to the store." That may be an hour or so. I believe by law we should report it. What do you think? --The In-laws A: Dear Laws, I don't know what the child-protection laws in your state are, but I do know that children need care and attention. This child may be able and unafraid, but kids aren't always careful. It also sounds like there is stress in your family relationship. One thing you can do to help this situation is offer to baby-sit when Mom needs to step out. According to the Q&A, _ . Answer:
A man fell out of his plane and fell back into it again. Two people rowed a small boat from New York to England in 56 days. One person was so big that he wouldn't fit in any hospital room. Would you believe these stories? Well, they may sound strange, but they did happen. James Cornell has more strange but true stories like these in a book called Very Strange People. Here is part of the contents of Very Strange People. The contents lists the names of the chapters or parts of the book. It also tells on what page each chapter begins. Chapter Page One A Dog's Life ..........................................3 Two A Lucky Pilot ................... ..............14 Three High Wire Act .................... .............33 Four Fat Men ............................................... 41 Five Over the Falls .........................................43 Six A House without an end ................... .............53 Seven Row, Row, Row Your Boat ................. ..............60 Eight The Tower Builder ....................... ..............85 Sarah thought she would die as soon as her house was finished. So she kept on adding more and more rooms. Her story may appear on Page _ . A. 3 B. 43 C. 53 D. 85 Answer: C "Tiger Mother" parenting raises media storm. A new book written by a self-described Chinese descent on her super-strict parenting--Battle Hymn of the Tiger Motherhas raised media storm and fierce debates in the U.S. Amy Chua is a Yale Law School professor and the mother of two teenage girls. She is the daughter of immigrants of Chinese descent. In the Chinese culture,the tiger symbolizes strength and power. In her book Ms.Chua writes about how she demanded excellence from her daughters. For example,her daughters,Sophia and Louisa,were never allowed to attend a sleep-over,be in a school play,watch TV or play computer games. They couldn't choose their own after-class activities or get any grade less than an A.They had to play piano or violin--and no other musical instruments. She writes that if a Chinese child gets a B--which she says "would never happen"--there would be a screaming,hairtearing explosion".She describes making her 7-year-old daughter play a piano piece perfectly--yelling and not letting her leave the bench even to use the bathroom--until it was. Many people have criticized Chua. Some say her parenting methods were abusive. She even admits that her husband,who is not Chinese,objects to her parenting style. But she says that was the way her parents raised her and her three sisters. Stacy DeBroff,who has written four books about parenting,says Amy Chua's parenting style is not limited to Chinese families. She says it represents a traditional way of parenting among immigrants seeking a better future for their children. But she also sees a risk. When children have no time to be social or to follow their own interests, they might not develop other skills that they need to succeed in life. Stacy DeBroff advised parents not to just repeat the way they were raised. Alison Lo,an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Washington's Bothell campus said, "I don't think Amy is advocating a best practice of parenting style, or that success and achievements are critical yardsticks of a good life. But I can imagine how strong her daughters' college applications are going to be. For many parents whose dreams are seeing their kids graduating from a competitive university,Amy is sharing with the readers that it is achievable by persistent,dedicated parental guidance,"Lo said in an interview with Julie Muhlstein,a columnist with the US-based Heraldnet.com."In that sense,a young adult's giftedness can be born,or made,"Lo continued. Alison Lo concluded that _ . A. persistent, dedicated parental guidance is the best parenting style B. parents should respect children's personalities C. a gifted child was born with talent D. a teenager can be raised to be talent by strict parenting Answer: D You want to know where the safest place for young children is in the car? For a child of any age, the back seat is the safest place and the safest part of the back seat is the middle. In the back seat, the child is farthest away from the force or effect of head-on collision , which can cause the most injuries. All fifty states of theprefix = st1 /USAhave laws requiring the use of safety seats for young children. If you have children under 8 years of age weighing no more than 80 pounds, it is necessary to fit your car with a special child safety seat. The child safety seat comes in three types or sizes: the first type is designed for babies from birth to one year of age, until the baby weighs about 20 pounds; the second size is for children between one and four years of age, who weigh between 20 and 40 pounds; the third kind is used by older children big enough to use the car's belt system. Moreover, all these safety seats must be fitted and held in place on the car's back seat. If your child does need your attention while you are driving, don't look back. Just pull over . In addition, always be sure your child is properly fastened throughout the entire trip. Children who can unfasten their own car seats are subject to fatal injuries in an accident. Start early in your child's life teaching them that car safety is serious business and make sure you give a good example and always wear your own seat belt. This passage mainly discusses _ . A. how a child can be kept safe while riding in a car B. why the back seat is the safest place in a car C. how a child safety seat can protect a child D. what causes young passengers the most injuries Answer: A Elephants have very strong legs.Their legs are like trees.They usually walk slowly because they are so big,but they walk very quietly. Wild elephants living in the jungle usually stay together in big families.Usually one old elephant leads them.The others follow their leader.They usually move about at night,looking for food.In the hot daytime,they go to sleep in the cool shade of the trees.Elephants are kind animals.When one of them is hurt and cannot pull itself to its feet,the other elephants lift it up and help it to walk. Some people say that elephants never forget.They remember people who are kind or bad to them.There are many about this. When elephants stay together, _ . A. not all the elephants follow their leader B. the youngest elephant leads them C. there is a leader D. None of the above. Answer: C Most people are afraid of bees. Anyone who's been stung by one quickly learns to avoid bees whenever possible. I learned that lesson when, as a child, I ran into a beehive. Dozens of bees attacked, stinging me all over my body. It was a painful incident, but I was lucky. Those bees weren't Africanized, or "killer" bees. Killer bees are extremely aggressive . When they become upset, they attack. And just about anything like noises, shiny objects, dark clothes can all cause killer bees to attack. When one killer bee stings a victim, it gives off a chemical. Other bees smell this and go into attack mode. The whole hive will aggressively attack the unfortunate victim. Killer bees will also run their victims for up to a quarter of a mile. Some victims have tried to keep away from the bees by jumping into water. But killer bees will wait for them to come up and then continue their attack. Killer bees can be found in South America and the southern prefix = st1 /United States. They were created when, in 1956, scientists brought African bees toBrazil. African bees were known to increase coffee production. Some scientists thought that these bees might increase honey production, too. So inBrazil, they tried crossbreeding the African bees with European honeybees. The results were _ The new Africanized bees actually decreased honey production and were very aggressive. Scientists tried to separate the bees, but some of them escaped and began rapidly spreading north. Since then, killer bees have been causing damage to humans, animals and the American honey industry. Over the years, these aggressive killer bees have caused nearly 10,000 people to die. What's the best thing to do if you are attacked by killer bees? Fortunately, killer bees don't fly very fast. Most healthy adults can outrun them. Experts advise you to cover your face and run! Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A. It's a better way to jump into water to escape the attack of killer bees. B. The Africanized bees did actually increase honey production though aggressive. C. Killer bees didn't attack humans, but animals. D. It is usually not easy for a killer bee to catch up with a healthy adult. Answer: D
E - The Environmental Magazine If you're concerned about your health, your family's health and the future of our planet, and want to know "What Can I Do?" to make a difference, you'll love reading E - The Environmental Magazine. A 12-time Independent Press Awards winner andnominee , E is full of everything environmental -- from recycling to rainforests, and from the global village to our own backyards. 1 year (6 issues) -- $24.95 2 years (12 issues) -- $34.95 Add $10.00 / year for Canadian postage Add $40.00 / year for foreign postage Edinburgh Young Carers Project We work with young carers aged 5-18. We want to colour the lives of some of these young people by introducing them to someone who will try to understand them, listen, work towards agreed goals and have some FUN! Is that person you? Are you aged 18-25, could you help and encourage a young person to recognise what they want and work towards getting it?You can encourage and help someone and in return help yourself! You will learn new skills and build on your own experience. Contact: Sue Mackay email: sue.mackay@yahoocarers.org.uk Belvedere Castle Exhibit Date(s): February 16, 2008 - February 16, 2018 Time(s): 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Event scheduling: Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday Event details: The exhibit covers two floors of the Castle, and currently features an informational panel on the importance of trees and a display of common birds that can be found in surrounding areas. All Ages. Free; reservations required for groups of 25 people or more. Call 212-772-0210 for information. (click to show map) Tennis Skills Camp August 2-6, 2010 Registration deadline: July 15, 2010 This camp, held on the Alfred University Tennis Courts, is for boys and girls entering grades 7-12. Training at the beginner through advanced levels will be provided. The camp is directed and coached by Dave Brady, tennis coach at Alfred-Almond Central School. Camp sessions will be held Monday through Friday, from 4:00-6:30 p.m. Cost: $150 per person What do we know about Belvedere Castle Exhibit? Answer: It focuses on the protection of wildlife. I worked for a short time as a cashier at a restaurant a few months ago. I also helped to clean up the tables when it was very busy. One night, just before Christmas, I found a large black wallet on the floor near one of the tables. I guessed I should check it to find out who was the owner, but I was very busy at the time. And I imagined that if there was something valuable in the wallet, the owner would be back. Sure enough, an hour later a man came up to the counter and asked if anyone had found a wallet. I asked him to describe the lost wallet, and after he described it exactly, I gave him the wallet. He expressed his thanks when I handed it to him. He asked me if I had opened it, and when I told him "no". At once he opened it and showed that it had nearly $ 800 in cash . He took out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to me and I was amazed at this. "A reward for your honesty," he said and then turned and walked away. Thinking about it later, I began wondering whether I would have been honest if I had known what was in the wallet! I thought that if I had no way to find the owner and no one returned to get it, I might keep it. But it also came into my mind that I actually saved someone's Christmas plans by finding and returning the wallet. The good feeling it gave me was worth more than anything could buy. Which of the following is NOT true? Answer: The writer regretted that she had returned the wallet. A week in the sun relaxing in the beautiful March weather of Varadero, Cuba is a fantastic vacation for anyone. Luckily, my wife, two friends and I had the chance last year. To see Cuba, you have to talk to the Cubans. Our friends met us at the airport even at 1:00 a.m. which started our trip on a positive note. After a few days at the hotels, we got to know a local tour guide, Victor. The trip started off on a sunny morning. Our return trip would be along the coastline from Havana, but out trip to Havana would be through the countryside and the small towns. This trip was designed for us to visit the Cuban countryside. At first Victor brought us to Revolutionary Square, where Fidel Castro made his yearly speech praising the ideas of the revolution. Our second stop was the Bocoy Rum Factory. We walked through and learned how 5000 bottles of rum are produced every day. The smell of rum, and the huge barrels were interesting. The final stop was the market in Old Havana. Here my wife and I went away from our friends and we toured through this large shopping center. From store to store we saw so many items that all had a clear Cuban feel to them. We bought a picture and some special local things, and then we took off to meet up with Victor. As a tourist I was able to have a quick look at Cuban life with the help of Cubans. I felt lucky to have the chance. It was an interesting experience in my life. How many tourists were there in the tour trip? Answer: 4 When I was in the seventh grade, I was a candy striper at a local hospital in my town. I volunteered about 30 to 40 hours a week during the summer. Most of the time I spent there was with Mr. Gillespie. He never had any visitors, and nobody seemed to care about his condition. I spent many days there holding his hand and talking to him, helping with anything that needed to be done. He became a close friend of mine, even though he responded with only an occasional squeeze of my hand. Mr. Gillespie was in a coma . I left for a week for a vacation with my parents, and when I came back, Mr. Gillespie was gone. I didn't have the courage to ask any of the nurses where he was, for fear they might tell me he had died. So with many questions unanswered, I continued to volunteer there through my eighth-grade year. Several years later, when I was a junior in high school, I was at the gas station when I noticed a familiar face. When I realized who it was, my eyes filled with tears. He was alive! I got up the nerve to ask him if he was Mr. Gillespie, and if he had been in a coma about five years ago. With an uncertain look on his face, he replied yes. I explained how I knew him, and that I had spent many hours talking to him in the hospital. His eyes welled up with tears, and he gave me the warmest hug I had ever received. He began to tell me how, as he lay there comatose , he could hear me talking to him and could feel me holding his hand the whole time. He thought it was an angel , who was there with him. Mr. Gillespie firmly believed that it was my voice and touch that had kept him alive. Then he told me about his life. We exchanged a hug, said our good-byes and went our separate ways. Although I haven't seen him since, he fills my heart with joy every day. I know that I made a difference between his life and his death. As importantly, he has made a great difference in my life. I will never forget him and what he did for me: He made me an angel. When the author volunteered at a local hospital, she _ . Answer: spent most of her time taking care of a man in a coma OUR KIDS ARE AMAZING-especially compared with everybody else's (who seem to cry all the time). How do you show your love for your kids this holiday season? With toys that are smooth and colorful, interactive and exciting. And with ones that have educational value-because you are the boss. 1. FLAX ART HOSPITAL PUZZLE AND PLAY SET Here is a toy that doesn't need power-and the bike have to put it together themselves. This 50 piece puzzle set is made of soft edged hardwood and makes a complete hospital, with an X ray room. It also includes eight patients, a car and a driver. $135; flaxart.com. 2. TINY LOVE ACTIVITY BALL Sure, it's cool, but this colorful baby toy also develops problem solving and motor skills. It has a head and legs, a magnetic hand and a tail. Suitable for little ones from 6 to 36 months. $19.95; tinylove.com. 3. ROBOSAPIEN This small, remote control robot is really powerful. It performs 67 preprogrammed functions , including throwing, kicking, picking up and dancing. You can even program your own function which, sadly, does not include doing windows. $99; robosapienonline.com. 4. MINI PEDAL CAR Want a Mini Cooper but can't fit the family inside? Get one for the kids. They can jump into this Mini car, which comes in hot orange with a single adjustable seat, and ride away. But it could spoil them for that used car they'll be driving when they turn 16.For ages 3 to 5.$189; minus A. com (click on "gear up," then "Mini motoring gear"). Which toy are fit for three year old kids? Answer: 2 and 4.
It seems that all your friends' names on MSN have added a little green "I'm" symbol overnight. If you ask what is going on, someone will tell you it's a charity activity. Though this charity program has not yet officially begun for Chinese users, this little green symbol has proven popular among Chinese Windows Live Messenger users. Windows Live Messenger's official blog announced on March 1 that Microsoft was beginning an "I'm" program in the United States. Every time someone starts a conversation using "I'm", Microsoft shares a part of the program's advertising income with nine organizations devoted to social causes. With every instant message a user sends, it helps deal with things one feels most interested in, including poverty, child protection, disease and worsening environment. One only has to add a certain code next to one's name for the organization one would like to support. "red'u" is for the American Red Cross, "bgca" is for Boys & Girls Clubs of America and "*unicef" stands for the American branch of UNICEF. After a Chinese blogger named "hung" introduced this program on his blog on March 2, "I'm" entered the Internet in China with no actual support from Microsoft. Beijing-based Youth Weekend reported that famous IT blogger Keso regarded this program's rapid spread as a successful virus marketing case. He thinks that the success of the "I'm" program is because it's spread by users without being a bother to others. This answers why "I'm" has spread so rapidly across the Internet like a virus with almost no advertisement. However, Feng Jinhu from the press center for Microsoft China toldYouth Weekendthat the "I'm" project is only for Messenger users in the United States. Instant messages sent by Chinese users would not count. This has not affected Chinese Messenger users' interest in the little green symbol. These users hope their instant messages will actually contribute to charitable organizations someday. From the passage, we can come to a conclusion that _ . Answer: modern technology is being used to raise money for charity Which ingredient may cause chemical change? Answer: citrus juice An industry that create a lot of waste is: Answer: Cleaning Companies My friend has a big police dog named Kim. Police dogs are often very smart. Every Sunday afternoon my friend takes Kim for a long walk in the park. Kim likes walking very much. One Sunday afternoon a man visited my friend. He talked to my friend a long time. They talked and talked. Soon it was time for my friend to take Kim for his walk, but the man still stayed. Kim became very worried about his walk in the park. He walked around the living-room sometimes and at last sat down in front of the man and looked at him. But the man went on talking. After thirty minutes, Kim couldn't stand it. He went out of the room and came back a few minutes later. He sat down in front of the man again but this time he held the man's hat in his mouth. The story is about _ . Answer: a police dog Dear Mr.Watson, CLAIM AL54323432--STORM DAMAGE TO ROOF I received a cheque for $623 dated 26 January in payment of my recent claim .However, I wish to tell you how upset I have been by the way your Claims Assessor, Mr.Michael Tan, handled this claim. When Mr.Tan first called me, he specifically told me that he believed I had been overcharged, and he would expect to pay that price for work on a double garage, rather than a single garage like mine.Mr.Tan suggested that I neither use nor recommend _ again.He continued to tell me it was unlikely for me to receive full payment.Never during this conversation did he mention that the reason for not receiving full payment was because of the nature of my insurance policy. Consequently, I wrote to Mr.Lance Ashe to complain about his pricing, stating that I was very upset thinking that he could have taken advantage by overcharging a 73-year-old woman.Mr.Ashe telephoned me immediately and explained his charges in detail.He later reported back to me that Mr.Tan explained that I would not receive full payment because of the type of policy I hold, which does not cover wear and tear.This was the first time this issue had been brought to my attention, so you can imagine my surprise. When I received Mr.Tan's letter of 2 February, this situation was explained.If this had been explained in the first place I would have accepted it and would not have questioned Mr.Ashe's charges.Instead, by telling me initially that I had been overcharged for this work, he caused a great deal of upset, not only for me but also for Mr.Ashe. I believed this claim was handled badly by Mr.Tan from the beginning.Therefore, a great deal of embarrassment has been caused over this issue. I felt you should know how disappointed and upset I am.I trust you will look into this and ensure that such claims are handled more appropriately in the future. Yours sincerely, Mrs.Richard The author writes this letter to _ . Answer: complain about a mishandled case
Animals Can Sense Natural Disasters Among the dead in South Asia' s tsunami were many tourists at Sri Lanka' s national wildlife park at Yala. But very few of the park's animals -- elephants, buffaloes, monkeys and wild cats -- appear to have died. There are theories that animals can sense natural disasters and run away to safety. First, it's possible that the animals may have heard the quake before the tsunami hit. The underwater burst produced sound waves known as infrasound . Humans can't hear infrasound, but many animals including dogs, elephants, tigers and pigeons can. A second early warning sign the animals might have sensed is ground vibration . The great quake would have produced vibrational waves known as Rayleigh waves. These vibrations move through the ground like waves moving on the surface of the ocean but faster. They travel at ten times the speed of sound. The Rayleigh waves would have reached Sri Lanka hours before the water hit. Mammals, birds, insects and spiders can sense Rayleigh waves. So the animals at Yala might have felt the Rayleigh waves and then run to higher ground. But what about humans? While we can't hear infrasound, we can feel it, although we don't necessarily know we're feeling it. We also experience Rayleigh waves by special sensors in our joints , which exist just for that purpose. Sadly, it seems we don't pay attention to the information when we get it. Maybe we screen it out because there's so much going on before our eyes and in our ears. According to the passage, which of the statement is true? A We can't feel the infrasound so we can't be informed of the danger. B We ignore the information of tsunami's coming even though we can also get it. C We were so busy on our minds that we feel neither infrasound nor Rayleigh waves. D We can feel Rayleigh waves and infrasound so we can escape the danger like animals. Answer: B As we know, it is common for people to catch a cold in winter and most people believe they know the reason for colds. However, scientists say people have some wrong beliefs about the cause of colds. Many people think that once you get infected by colds, you will not be easy to be attacked by colds for the rest of your life. That's not the case. There are about 200 different viruses that cause the common cold. You catch a cold because of one kind of them this time, but you might catch a cold next time because of another. Others believe that people get sick just because of the cold weather in winter. That is also wrong. It's because people tend to stay closer in winter and the cold virus is _ from one person to another through handshakes, sneezing, or coughing. While there is no actual cure for the common cold, scientists say there are still a few things you can do to help you. Some experts say honey and chicken soup are effective against colds. Especially honey. There is increasing evidence that it helps shorten the duration of the common cold sometimes even by two to three days particularly in children. Chicken soup also helps reduce the duration of the cold. In addition, if you do have a cold and you don't feel like eating anything, it's not going to hurt you but you have to drink a lot and you can drink water or tea because doctors say the water cycle in your bodies helps to cure colds. That's very important. Though there is more than one way to deal with colds, doctors say the best advice is to continue using whatever works best for you. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A now scientists have found out practical treatment for colds B different people may have different ways to fight against colds C working in freezing weather is the main reason for colds D colds can be passed from animals to human beings Answer: B Great Yarmouth is an English seaside town situated at the mouth of the River Yare, about 120 miles to the northeast of London. Around 5 million people visit Great Yarmouth every year, making it one of Britain's most popular seaside resorts. Formerly the home of one of the most profitable fishing industries, Great Yarmouth is a busy and very popular seaside resort. Undoubtedly, one of the most popular attractions is Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, a historic free entry pleasure park, which draws annually 1.5 million visitors. The two piers , Britannia Pier and Wellington Pier, both contain family-orientated entertainment. As well as the usual thrills one would expect on a classic British seafront, Great Yarmouth also has a quieter side, with a fascinating heritage quarter to explore. Not many people know that Great Yarmouth has the most complete city walls after York, with heritage walks to help you discover this medieval attraction along with several museums and houses dating back to many centuries. If ghost walks are more your cup of tea, Eerie Tales and Yarmouth Yarns is the tour for you. Great Yarmouth is also a centre for the North Sea oil and gas industry and increasingly for offshore wind power. The Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour is a huge development currently taking place which can see larger ships coming to the town. The Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival in September each year celebrates Great Yarmouth's maritime heritage. Over the past few years, Great Yarmouth has seen significant construction spending to improve and modernize the popular seafront area and to ensure it is linked to the town centre. Regent Road has a brilliant ceiling of light which is lit up in the evenings and is now a lovely street leading from the town centre to the seafront area. Which of the following is making rapid progress? A The fishing industry. B The oil and gas industry. C The wind power industry. D The tourist industry. Answer: C If you usually take the school bus or sometimes need to take public buses to school, there are some important rules you should know. When you are waiting for the bus, you should wait at the bus stop, and stand well back. When you get off the bus, make sure you and the driver can see each other, and wait for the driver to signal you before you cross the road in front of the bus. Never go back for anything you may leave on the bus when it is starting. Never bend down near the bus when you walk to or from the bus stop. You should cross the street at a crosswalk or a street corner, and wait for the light to turn green or for the WALK crossing signal. It is important to look carefully to the left, the right and the left again when you cross the street. Remember that it is dangerous to stay in the areas around buses where the driver can't see you. Don't run between parked cars or buses. Do not run across the street or through parking areas to catch up with your friends. When you are waiting for the bus, you should wait _ . A at the bus stop B on the street C at a crosswalk D a street corner Answer: A IELTS: international English language testing system Introduction: The IELTS is jointly managed by the University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate , the British Council and IDP Education Australia Why more and more people are taking the IELTS test? The IELTS test is widely recognized by the colleges, universities and other academic institutions of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom. More and more universities and colleges in the US are also accepting an IELTS result as a language requirement for application to degree courses. IELTS is accepted by many important organizations, such as the New Zealand Immigration Bureau, the Australian Immigration and Cultural Department, the Canadian Immigration Bureau, the Australian Medical Council and the British Medical Association . Choice of two test types There are two test models: Academic and General Training. The candidate must select the one suitable to his/here purpose for taking the test. Academic: for candidates who want to apply for undergraduate or postgraduate courses. General Training: for candidates who take IELTS for immigration purpose, training programmes, or work experience. If you have any questions about which type to take, consult the Examinations Services staff at the British Council offices. Content The test is composed of four papers: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The first three papers must be taken at one sitting on one day, and the speaking paper may be taken up to two days later. Usually in China, the Listening paper is taken on a Saturday morning, followed by the Reading paper, and then Writing paper. The Speaking test is usually taken on the Saturday afternoon or on the following Saturday. Candidates must complete all four papers in order to obtain an overall score. Why are more and more people taking the IELTS test? A It is widely accepted by many countries. B It is widely recognized by many colleges, institutions and many important organizations. C It's proof for people's ability. D It's interesting and acceptable. Answer: B
On a snowy winter morning, the brown-haired lady saw a squirrel that was hurt. It only had three legs, and it looked hungry. She put some corn out for the squirrel to eat, but other bully squirrels came, too. The brown-haired lady started giving the little squirrel peanuts to eat. She gave some to the bully squirrels, too, so they would leave the three-legged squirrel alone. The winter snow melted and then it was spring. The grass turned green and the air was warm. Now, when the little squirrel with three legs would come to see the brown-haired lady with the peanuts, it would take the peanuts and dig a little hole and hide the peanuts for later. The squirrel would hold the peanut in its mouth and dig and dig and dig, and then it would put the peanut in the hole and pat it down with its little front paw. Then it would run back over to the brown-haired lady and get some more peanuts to eat. What was wrong with the squirrel? Answer: Our lives and our songs Do you ever listen to the songs that your parents like? Chances are that you don't. You probably think the music that they like is old and dull and that the songs on your playlist are much cooler. But here is what scientists found recently : People's music tastes change as they age, according to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. So it is likely that your own musical preferences will follow a similar path to your parents', whether you like it or not. We used to think that culture and personality are the only factors that affect one's music choice. But researchers at the University of Cambridge, UK, gathered data from more than 250,000 people over the past 10 years. They noticed that as people age, their social circumstances change, and so does their music taste. There are three musical periods that people pass through as they mature -- "intense ", "contemporary" and " sophisticated ". The first period comes in the teenage years , during which people like intense music such as punk and rock because teenagers tend to be aggressive and want to establish their identities as independent individuals. But as people move into early adulthood, their lifestyle changes --they socialize more and want to build close relationships with others. As a result, they become more fond of contemporary music ,such as pop and R&B, which is usually uplifting and danceable and played at parties where people hang out together and chat. When middle age comes, things have settled down for most people. This period will be dominated by more "sophisticated" music, such as jazz and classical, as well as more catchy music like country, folk and blues. " For many , this life stage is frequently exhausted by work and family, and there is a requirement for relaxing , emotive music,"Jason Rentfrow, a research member , told The Telegraph. But you must be thinking : "Aren't there old people who are still into rock music ?" Of course there are. But Rentfrow explained that their reasons for listening to rock music may have changed. " We use music for different reasons," he said , and thus at that age people may listen to remind themselves of their youths. According to researchers at the University of Cambridge, _ . Answer: Several parents and children escaped the summer heat and enjoyed a refreshing "Leap Into a Good Book".About 30 children and parents gathered as volunteers for both agencies. After the readings,refreshments were offered and children and parents were given books,a gift bag and a bookmark with information on adult literacy programs. Learn to Read of Northwest Florida Inc.and Even Start coordinated the event with hopes that combining their programs will help target functionally illiterate adults and their families.A functionally illiterate adult is one who has reading skills below a seventhgrade level.That often means they have difficulty filling out job applications,understanding a lease,reading medication labels or to their children. Merelin Hernandez,9,a fourthgrader at Warrington Elementary School,understands the importance of reading.She also says it makes her happy when she is bored."Reading helps me go to another grade,"she says."I feel proud when I get a B because then I know I am reading well."Monae Walker,7,a student at Oakcrest Elementary School,says reading teaches her and makes her happy. Learn to Read of Northwest Florida Inc.provides oneonone tutoring for basic reading and writing skills to adults 16 and older who are not in school.Tutors go through a 12hour workshop and tutor their students 3 hours per week.The program currently has 150 active tutors. Even Start is a family education program at McMillan Learning Center,which offers adult education classes and infant,toddler and prekindergarten services at no cost to families.Linda Harris,a teacher in charge of the Escambia Even Start program,says the program equips parents so they can help their children. According to the passage,Even Start can _ . Answer: There are no days when men and women couldn't associate with each other. When we are asked if boys and girls can associate with each other, most of us will say, "Yes, of course. Why not? " If we want to deal with the association between boys and girls properly, here are some tips for you to follow. 1)Keep a normal and healthy state of mind . Our schools and classes are made up of boys and girls. It is very natural for the boys and girls to contact each other and build up the friendship with the students of the other sex. Generally speaking, we should broaden the circle of the association. We should make as many friends as possible. We should have more friends of the other sex instead of one or two. We should contact the students in public, not in secret. 2)Contact students of the other sex warmly, generously and sincerely. Don't be too nervous or too shy in contact with a person of the other sex, because no one likes a person who is too shy to say a word. 3)Don't fall into the ditch of early love. The boys and the girls at adolescence are rich in feelings and full of imagination . They are easy to regard the friendship as a sign of love and fall in love with each other at an early age. In my opinion, early love is a green apple that can't be eaten. An apple won't taste sweet until it is fully ripe . Do keep out of early love. The main idea of the passage is to _ . Answer: The English, as a race, are very different in many ways from all other nationalities, including their closest neighbors, the French, the Belgians and the Dutch. It is claimed that living on an island separated from the rest of Europe has much to do with it. Whatever the reasons are, it may be fairly stated that the Englishman has developed many attitudes and habits which distinguish him from other nationalities. Broadly speaking, the Englishman is a quiet, shy, reserved person who is fully relaxed only among people he knows well. In the presence of strangers or foreigners he often seems _ , even embarrassed. You have only to witness a city train any morning or evening to see the truth of this. Serious-looking businessmen and women sit reading their newspapers or having a light sleep in a corner, and no one speaks. In fact, to do so would seem most unusual. An Englishman, pretending to be giving advice to overseas visitors, once suggested, "On entering a railway carriage, shake hands with all the passengers." Needless to say, he was not being serious. There is an unwritten but clearly understood code of behavior which, if broken, makes the person immediately suspected. In many parts of the world it is quite normal to show openly extremes of enthusiasm, emotion, excitement, etc, often accompanied by appropriate gesture. The Englishman is somewhat different. Of course, an Englishman feels no less deeply than anyone of a different nationality, but he tends to display his feelings far less. This is reflected in his use of language. Imagine a man commenting on the great beauty of a young girl. A more emotional man might describe her state "Oh, she is a goddess", whereas an Englishman might just say "Oh, she's all right." An Englishman who has seen a highly successful and enjoyable film recommends it to a friend by commenting, "It's not bad you know", or on seeing some very unusual scenery he might convey his pleasure by saying, "Nice, yes, very nice." The overseas visitor must not be disappointed by this apparent lack of interest and involvement. Instead, he must realize that "all right," "not bad," and "nice," very often have the sense of "first-class," "excellent," "beautiful". This unique style of language use is particularly common in England, and is known as restrained statement. From the passage, we can infer that an Englishman _ . Answer:
In America, seldom do you go anywhere without hearing a principle called WIN-WIN. It sounds strange to me at first because throughout my childhood, I have always been taught to try everything possible to win an upper-hand, rather than to help other people win. However, as time goes by, I have gradually understood the essence of WIN-WIN principle--it is the way of winning on both sides. When I was little, I used to play Chinese checkers which includes two basic tactics : One is to create paths for yourself; the other is to prevent your rival moving. Players may use these two totally different ways in the game, but the key for the player to win is to continuously create paths for him even if his rival may take advantage of it. Finally he can always reach the goal a few steps ahead of the other player. In the 1990s, a strategy called WIN-WIN became widespread in the western world. Its aim is to achieve your success while giving other people some advantages, so there is no real loser. One example of using the WIN-WIN principle is the voluntary system in the US. Most Americans support the spirit of voluntary contribution. In the US, schools and children organizations usually encourage and support kids to take part in community activities so that the voluntary spirit can be _ in their minds from childhood. In China, it's quite usual that some people are too selfish and never take people's interests into consideration, while someone who really has courage to do something for the public is often called "foolish" or "silly". Actually helping other people can be of great delight for the helper, for he can also learn something useful for his life such as sympathy, care, devotion, etc. So only if you take other people's interests into consideration , you can make sure to win what you want. The purpose of the author in writing the passage is _ . Answer: A rich woman begins to learn painting . When she is sixty years old, she loves it very much. She paints and paints. After ten years, there are lots of pictures in her workroom, and she thinks they are very good. One day, the old woman is badly ill in bed, but she doesn't forget her pictures. She says to his grandson, Hand, "I want to give my pictures to a school, then the students will remember me. But which school do you think is the best, my dear?" "Well," says the little boy, "You'd better give them to the blind school!" The old woman likes _ . Answer: "Plants were expected to get larger with increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but changes in temperature, humidity and nutrient availability seem to have _ the benefits of increased carbon dioxide," said researchers from the National University of Singapore. 45 percent of the species studied now reach smaller adult sizes than they did in the past. The researchers point out that warmer temperatures and changing habitats, caused by climate change, are possible reasons for the shrinking of creatures. "We do not yet know the exact mechanisms involved, or why some organisms are getting smaller while others are unaffected," the researchers said. "Until we understand more, we could be risking negative consequences that we can't yet quantify." The change was big in cold-blooded animals. Only two decades of warmer temperatures were enough to make reptiles smaller. An increase of only 1degC caused nearly a 10 percent increase in metabolism . Greater use of energy resulted in tiny tortoises and little lizards. Fish are smaller now too. Though overfishing has played a part in reducing numbers, experiments show that warmer temperatures also stop fish growth. There is a recent report on warmer temperatures' negative effects on plankton ,the base of the marine ecosystem. Warm-blooded animals weren't immune from the size change caused by climate change. Many birds are now smaller; Mammals have been miniaturized too. Soay sheep are thinner. Red deer are weaker. And polar bears are smaller, compared with historical records. This isn't the first time this has happened in Earth's history. 55 million years ago, a warming event similar to the current climate change caused bees, spiders and ants to shrink by 50 to 75 percent over several thousand years. That event happened over a longer time than the current climate change. The speed of modern climate change could mean organisms may not respond or adapt quickly enough, especially those with long generation times. So, it is likely that more negative influences of climate change will be shown in the future. What can we learn from the passage? Answer: I am a strong believer that if a child is raised with approval he learns to love himself and will be successful in his own way. Several weeks ago, I was doing homework with my son in the third grade and he kept standing up from his chair. I kept asking him to sit down, telling him that he would concentrate better. He sat but seconds later, as if he didn't even notice he was doing it, he got up again. I was getting annoyed, but then it hit me: I started noticing his answers were much quicker and right when he stood up. Could he be focused while standing up? This made me start questioning myself and what I had been raised to believe. I was raised to believe that a quiet child was more likely to succeed. This child would have the discipline to study hard, get good grades and become someone important in life. Kids that were active and loud would only be objects of stares. Now people perhaps come to realize that their kids are born with their own sets of DNA and personality features, and all they can do is loving and accepting them. As parents, throughout their growing years and beyond that, we need to be our kids' best cheerleaders, guiding them and helping them find their way. I have stopped asking my son to sit down and concentrate. Obviously, he is concentrating, just in his own way and not mine. We need to accept our kids, and their ways of doing things. This way may have worked for me but doesn't mean we need to carry it through generations. There is nothing sweeter than seeing our children being individual . It makes us happy and that's just the way I want my kids to live life. In the past, what kind of child is unlovable? Answer: Dear friends, My name is Tony. I am English. I am twelve years old this year. I am tall, and I am good at playing football. I am in Grade Seven. There are thirty boys and twenty girls in my class. We are learning Chinese in our school. Our Chinese teacher is Mr. Wu. He is a little short, but he is very strong. He is very nice to us. I have some good friends in my class. Tom is a tall boy with short black hair. He is good at playing football, too. Alice is short and she loves wearing red dresses. She is good at English. Mary has long hair. She can speak Japanese and she likes swimming. We all study hard. What about your school and your friends? Please write soon. Yours, Tony Who writes this letter? Answer:
Question: Searching for airfares often seems like a game that passengers are bound to lose. Prices change from day to day, even minute to minute. Looking through multiple websites for the best deal can be a big challenge. Even when you do book, there's no guarantee that you are going to get the best price. "You just don't know when to _ . It's not like buying anything else I can think of," said George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com. Harriet Levy paid $179 for a recent round-trip flight on American Airlines between New York and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Sitting just one row behind her, Shirley Harrison paid $215. A few rows back, Ellis and Dianne Traub paid $317 each. There were at least 12 fares on the flight, ranging from $169 to $360. There's no reason for it, Harrison said. Fares can fluctuate significantly in just a few hours. One Delta flight from New York to Los Angeles jumped from $755 to $1,143 from a Friday to Saturday in late April, then fell to $718 on Sunday. The flight was one of a dozen the Associated Press followed over three months for a vacation between July 16 and 22. The number one finding: avoid booking tickets on weekends. It's the most expensive time to buy. There's no way to guarantee the best fare. But before booking, travelers should pay attention to this additional advice: * Book on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. That's when airlines most often offer sales. * Buy in advance, but not too early. The best time is four to six weeks before traveling. In general, prices for any given flight are highest eight to 10 weeks and two to three weeks in advance. * Make use of social media. Airlines are giving more benefits like exclusive sales to travelers who interact with them on Twitter and Facebook. Those specials are often gone within hours. * The so-called discount airlines - JetBlue, Air-Tran, Southwest and Frontier - adjust their fares less frequently than other airlines, so you can feel more confident that the price will stay the same. But their prices aren't always the lowest. Researching multiple airlines' fares is the only way to get a good deal. What can we infer from the first sentence of the text? A. Passengers are unable to search for airfares. B. Airlines often play games with passengers. C. Airfares are set in different situations. D. It's difficult for passengers to get the best price. Answer: D. It's difficult for passengers to get the best price. Question: A crow is about twenty inches long and black all over. Crows are dirty birds because they live on bad food. Crows eat a lot of waste food. In this way they are more useful to us than any birds. They clean up the dirty things in our streets. Crows are always hungry. They look for food all day, and in the evening you can see them in large numbers flying back to their nests in the trees. They sleep there at night. Crows are much noisier than other birds. Very often a large number of crows will get together on one house and talk. Sometimes they talk together, and sometimes they do it by turns like human beings . It is easy to tell from crow's sound if they are pleased or angry. Perhaps crows talk a lot because they are friendly birds. A pair of crows will live together all their lives, and if one of them dies, the other one becomes very sad and quiet for the rest of its life and some time later it dies too. Crows "live on bad food" means " _ ". A. Crows eat old bad food. B. Old bad food is crows' nests. C. Crows make their nests on old bad food. D. Crows sleep on old bad food. Answer: A. Crows eat old bad food. Question: I wasn't surprised when I read that actress Helen Hunt recently stated that she would never allow her young daughter to become a child star. Ms Hunt is the daughter of a Hollywood technical director, and grew up in Hollywood. Now in her late 40s, she started acting and modeling when she was eight and has probably seen a lot over those years in show business. She has had a successful career. She earned four Golden Globes and four Emmys. She also attained the top honor of her profession when she won the Best Actress Academy Award for her role in the 1992 movie, As Good As It Gets. Given those _ , Ms Hunt is successful. There is no doubt that her early experiences as a child star prepared her for what has been an outstanding adult career. Given those achievements, why would this star declare she'll never allow her daughter, now at the age of six, to follow in her footsteps? Everyone familiar with the entertainment scene is aware of the reasons for her attitude. Recent tabloid news headlines featuring the troubles of former child stars, among them Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and the late Gary Coleman, may answer the question. Although Ms Hunt managed to become a successful grown-up star, she apparently believes she's an exception. What Ms Hunt may be suggesting is that many very young stars go through unnatural childhoods on movie and TV sets. While they're earning big incomes, they're so pampered by directors and praised by fans; they may get false impressions that their lives will always be that way. Then, within a few years, when faced with reality, they're hurt and confused. After all the overwhelming affection, they find they can't deal with the problems. That's often when drugs and alcohol take over their lives. Helen Hunt has some other reasons why she doesn't want her daughter to be in the entertainment business. Many child stars can never make a successful transition to meaningful adulthood. However, as with many Hollywood movies, I believe there are both good and bad scenes about how it can be played out in real life. Helen Hunt wouldn't allow her daughter to become a child star because she thinks _ . A. child stars often take drugs and alcohol B. being a child star may ruin her future C. child stars aren't able to solve their problems D. it is difficult to succeed as a child actor Answer: B. being a child star may ruin her future Question: I am Sergey Brin! I was born in Moscow. In 1979, when I was 5, my family immigrated to the United States. I remember that on my 9th birthday I got my first computer "Commodore 64". Later I graduated with honors in the University of Maryland in Mathematics and IT. The main field of my science research was the technologies used to collect data from unsystematic sources as well as large quantities of texts and science data. I was the author of dozens of articles in leading American academic magazines. The greatest event in my life happened when in 1998 I was preparing for the defense of my Doctor's degree in Stanford University. There the fate made me meet Larry Page--a young computer genius. Larry belonged to the intellectual society. Larry and I quickly became friends when we worked together. We were searching day and night on the Internet. We were finding a lot of information but with the feeling we still couldn't find enough of what we were looking for. Naturally the idea for a search engine that would allow specific information to be found in the endless pool of data was born like it came to us. It wasn't our plans but we gave up the education at the university. You know the next part, maybe we managed to turn an ordinary garage in Meplo Park, California, the U. S. A. into our first office, in which Google was born. With excitement we typed the name of the thing which we created with love on September 14th 1998--www. google.com. Now, after those years we bought this garage. As a symbol it will always remind us that everything is possible. Which of the following statements is TRUE? A. The main field of my science research was computer. B. I wrote many articles in leading American magazines. C. Larry is one of my classmates. D. When I was 5, I got my first computer "Commodore 64". Answer: B. I wrote many articles in leading American magazines. Question: Men weigh up potential partners almost instantaneously based on their appearance because their "ancient" genetic preference for attractive mates leads them to, experts claim. According to research, a woman with an attractive face is taken by men to be fertile and able to continue the family line, appealing to the man's survival instinct. In contrast women take longer to decide their feelings for a man because they need to weigh up whether he will be a committed partner who will provide for them well - part of their survival programming. They tested men and women's preference towards looks by conducting a series of tests on 20 women and 20 men, making them perform tasks while recording their brain activity. While the subjects were doing the task they were shown a series of photographs of faces of the opposite sex, ranging from attractive to ugly. Men were easily distracted when they saw a pretty face but women stuck to the task. Prof van Vugt said: "Men definitely have the most wandering eye but it is because they have evolved to pay attention to cues of fertility and one of those cues is facial beauty - it's not that men are shallow." But we found they do make snap judgments about women, much earlier than was previously thought. They make that decision on whether a woman would be a good mating partner in milliseconds. This is something very ancient and a way of helping men find the best mate to produce children. Women were not distracted by attractive male faces because women need more proof of whether a man is a good mate. "Women make that decision on behaviour, whether a man is trustworthy and committed. They make their decision much later than men." Men like the women whose faces are beautiful because they think_. A. the women are very beautiful B. the women are the only they love C. the women can be liked by their families D. the women can continue their families line Answer: D. the women can continue their families line
Welcome to France! Here are some places of interest in Paris. Louvre Museum The collection of the Louvre Museum was first established in the 16th century as the private collection of King Francis I. One of the works of art he purchased was the now famous Mona Lisa painting. The collection grew steadily thanks to donations and purchases by the kings. In 1793, during the French Revolution, the Louvre became a national art museum and the private royal collection opened to the public. The museum has a collection of over 1 million works of art, of which about 35 000 are on display, spread out over three wings of the former palace. The museum has a diverse collection ranging from ancient times up to the mid 19th century. Wine Tasting French Wine Tasting in Paris: Whether you are a wine beginner or a real experienced one, one of these tastings is for you! You will taste a wonderful variety of French wines: from Alsace to Bordeaux, from Burgundy to Chateauneuf-du-Pape. With an unusual approach, focused on fun and joy, your French sommelier will allow you to learn and enjoy the pleasures of wine! There are different ways of tasting to choose from and each is unique, like Wine Appreciation Class, French Wine Regions Presentation, Reading a French Label and the possibility to buy wine. Your Wine Tasting takes place at a French sommelier's home, in a beautiful loft with air conditioning. Lido Show This evening will begin with the abundant recipes which have been styled in cooperation with the famous French chef, Paul Bocuse. The orchestra invites you to the dance floor. At 9:30pm the Lido's curtain rises for a non-stop hour of magic... as performance after performance bursts onto the stage. After dinner, you'll discover the Lido's unique show. Special effects, incredible settings, magnificent costumes, the display of lights, music rhythms and exceptional entertainments are all pure enchantment. Book your tickets for the Lido dinner show in advance on our website. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A. The famous Mona Lisa painting was one of the donations to the museum. B. Purchases by the kings and donations contributed to the large collection of Louvre Museum. C. If you are a beginner, you will not enjoy the pleasures of wine in the Wine Taste. D. You cannot buy tickets for Lido Show in advance. Answer: B. Purchases by the kings and donations contributed to the large collection of Louvre Museum. Sometimes in the next century, the familiar early-newspaper on the front porch will disappear. And instead of reading your newspaper, it will read to you. You'll get up and turn on the computer newspaper just like switching on the TV. An electronic voice will distribute stories about the latest events, guided by a program that selects the type of news you want. You'll even get to choose the kind of voice you want to hear. Want more information on the brief story? A simple touch makes the entire text appear. Save it in your own personal computer if you like. These are among the predictions from communication experts working on the newspaper of the future. Pictured as part of broader home based media and entertainment systems, computer newspapers would unite print and broadcast reporting, offering news and analysis with video images of news events. Most of the technology is available now, but convincing more people that they don't need paper to read a newspaper is the next step. But resistance to computer newspapers may be stronger from within journalism. Since it is such a cultural change, it may be that the present generation of journalists and publishers will have to die off before the next generation realize that the newspaper industry is no longer a newspaper industry. Technology is making the end of traditional newspapers unavoidable. Despite technological advances, it could take decades to replace news-print with computer screens. It might take 30 to 40 years to complete the changeover because people need to buy computers and because newspapers have established financial interests in the paper industry. It might take 30 or 40 years for computer newspapers to replace traditional newspapers because _ . A. it is technologically impossible now B. computer newspapers are too expensive C. both the general people and professional journalists are against them D. traditional newspapers are easy to read Answer: C. both the general people and professional journalists are against them When news broke that Chinese NBA superstar Yao Ming was planning to hang up his jersey last summer after a persistent injury got the better of his on-court career, his former also-newly retired-rival Shaquille O'Neal welcomed him. "Enjoy retirement!" exclaimed Shaq on YouTube. "Let's go on vacation, bro me and you." No word if the two towering centers were ever able to share 18 holes or a drink on a beach, but it would be hard to imagine how either of them would have found the time, especially Yao. Since leaving professional basketball in July, Yao has become a force in Shanghai. He has gone back to school, launched a high-end wine label, released pandas into the wild and, just this past weekend, been elected onto a political advisory committee in his hometown of Shanghai. The 31 year old took his place on Sunday at Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Shanghai Committee's annual meeting alongside six other newly elected members who were all almost twice his age. Among his new colleagues were the directors of the Shanghai Library and the Shanghai Tourism Bureau. Yao is the youngest and, at 7-foot-6, the tallest member of the 142-person committee. Even in retirement, Yao Ming is still one of the most famous men in China. Plenty of organizations and Yao himself are seemingly eager to use his influential capital while the going is still good. "Yao said the new title shows trust coming from the people in the city," Yao spokesman Zhang Chi told the China Daily. Zhang denied that Yao harbored any political aspirations. "The responsibilities for a CPPCC member include offering political consultation, and supervision. What Yao wants is to use his influence to do good deeds for society, but not to seek a political position," Zhang said. With the new job Yao is expected to attend regular meetings and offer suggestions or written proposals to the local government. "Raising proposals is very serious business, and I do not want to be hasty," Yao told the press after the meeting, adding that he will be focusing his efforts on sports education, an area he is more familiar with. Yao will have to juggle this new political job with a fulltime gig at Shanghai's prestigious Jiao Tong University (though through custom, private one-on-one degree program) and his commitments as owner of Shanghai's professional basketball team, The Sharks, which he used to play for. Which of the following best describes the attitude of Yao Ming as a member of CPPCC? A. Optimistic. B. Casual. C. Serious. D. Defensive. Answer: C. Serious. At the age of sixteen, I joined a volunteer group with my dad.I went on my first volunteer project in West Virginia.On the night we arrived, we discovered that "our family" was living in a trailer that was in poor conditions.A crew had been wolfing on it for two weeks, but every time they finished one problem, another surfaced. We decided the only reasonable solution was to bridle a new house - something unusual but necessary under these circumstances.The family was overjoyed with their new house that was twenty by thirty feet with three bedrooms, a bath and a kitchen. On Tuesday of that week, while we ate lunch together, I asked the family's three boys, Josh, Eric and Ryan, "What do you want for your new room?" Expecting toys and other gadgets that children suavity ask for, we were astonished when Josh responded, "I just want a bed." The boys had never slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats.That night we had a meeting and decided that beds would be the perfect gift.On Thursday night, a few adults in our group drove to the nearest city and bought beds and new bedding. When we saw the delivery truck coming, we told the family about the surprise. _ . It was like watching excited children on Christmas morning. That afternoon, as we fitted the frames of the beds together, Eric ran into the house to watch us.Too dirty to enter his room, he observed with wide-eyed enthusiasm from the doorway. As my father slipped a pillowcase onto one of the pillows, Eric asked, "What is that?" "A pillow," he replied. "What do you do with it?" Eric continued to ask "When you go to sleep, you put your head on it," I answered softly.Tears came to my eyes as my father handed Eric the pillow. "Oh...that's soft," he said, hugging it tightly. Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems urgent, my dad gently asks, "Do you have a pillow?" We know exactly what he means. On hearing Josh's answer, the author was shocked because _ . A. the family lived in a trailer B. Josh didn't know what a bed was C. Josh expected to get some toys D. The boys had no bed to sleep in Answer: D. The boys had no bed to sleep in A young man couldn't fall asleep at night. He was very worried. One day he went to see a doctor. The doctor checked him over carefully. But nothing was wrong with him. The doctor told him to count from one to ten again and again at night. "Keep doing this until you fall asleep," the doctor said. After a few days, the young man came to the doctor again. But he was surprised that the young man was even worse than before. "Didn't you count as I told you?" the doctor asked. "Yes, I did," the young man answered. "But every time when I reached eight, I couldn't help jumping from the[:Z-X-X-K]bed." "But why?" the doctor asked. The young man said, "I am a boxer ." When the man counted from one to eight, he _ . A. went to sleep quickly B. jumped at once C. forgot the other numbers D. became a boxer Answer: B. jumped at once
Mr. Denby was charged with the sale of narcotics. The federal prosecutor arranged with Mrs. Denby for her to testify against her husband in exchange for leniency in her case. At trial, the prosecution calls Mrs. Denby, who had been granted immunity from prosecution, to testify, among other things, that she saw her husband sell an ounce of heroin. Which of the following statements is most clearly correct in the federal courts? Answer: Raising Money to Find a Cure, One Ribbon Barrette at a Time How many times a day do we tell our kids that we're proud of them? Probably not nearly enough. As a daughter of Chinese parents, it's not in our culture's nature to celebrate incredible accomplishments by announcing them to the world, but I'm going to break the rule and announce that I'm so proud of my 10-year-old daughter and all that she has done to raise money to support research to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis(CF,) "Mommy, " said Emily as we rushed around the house packing our things for another day at the pool last summer. "I'm going to bring my ribbon barrettes to sell during adult swimming" Emily's best friend is one of the 30,000 children and adults living in the United States with Cystic Fibrosis, a life-threatening genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. In the 1950s, very few children with CF lived to attend elementary school. Although great progress in understanding and treating CF has led to great improvements in the length and quality of life for those with CF, there still isn't a cure. Last spring, Emily donated $ 140 CFF's Great Walk in honor of her best friend living with Cystic Fibrosis. She had no idea what the summer would bring for her CFF ribbon barrette fundraise when school ended for the year. Fortunately, every time I shared a photo of Emily's ribbon barrettes on the Internet, we received orders that privately message me or email me with requests for barrettes in their favorites colors. Three weeks into the summer, Emily had raised $ 297 and I was spending a lot of time running her to the craft store to restock her supplies for a very good cause while my husband was packing and shipping orders all over the country. My social media accounts have served as the most powerful tool for Emily to spread the _ . People notice kids doing great things and want to help the girls who are raising money to help find a cure, one ribbon barrette at a time. Emily and her best friend have named their activity Ribbon Barrettes for Research. They have business cards and a brand new shiny website developed on a free platform, to show that any kid can do what she has been doing. To my daughter, each sale is a victory and each order that goes out is an opportunity to spread awareness about CF. The handwritten thank-you note included in each order further shows the importance of teaching kids and parents how much their purchase support research that we hope will one day find a cure for CF. As a parent, I love that Emily has found the power in her own voice and she has inspired others to advocate causes they care about. What is Emily's attitude towards treating Cystic Fibrosis? Answer: Volunteers, as an essential part of a successful world exposition, are a major channel for the public to participate in, serve and share the world exposition and a means to showcase the image of the host country and city. The following information is about the volunteer for the World Exposition 2010 Shanghai China. I.Basic Requirements for Volunteers * Be willing to participate in voluntary services of Expo 2010; * Age limit: Expo Site volunteers must be born before April 30, 1992 and Expo City Voluntary Service Station volunteers before April 30, 1994; * Obey the laws and regulations of the PRC; * Be able to participate in training and relevant activities before the opening of Expo 2010; * Possess necessary knowledge and skills needed by the position; * Be in good health to meet the requirements of corresponding voluntary positions. II.Further Information for Volunteers * Source Residents of Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, as well as overseas Chinese, and foreigners can all apply to be the volunteers. * Signup methods Applicants may log in onto the official websites for online signup.They may also consult or connect with the Expo Volunteer Stations. * Time May 1 - December 31, 2009 III.Volunteer Training Volunteer training includes general training, special training and position training.General training is carried out through internet, while special training and position training are provided through classroom lectures and field practice. IV.Volunteer Types * Expo Site volunteers refer to those offering voluntary services to visitors and the Organizer in the Expo Site, mainly including information, visitor flow management, reception, translation and interpretation, assistance for the disabled, and assistance in media service, event and conference organization and.volunteer management. * Information booth volunteers are stationed in the Expo's information booths at key transportation centers, commercial outlets, tourist attractions, restaurants, hotels and cultural event places outside the Expo Site.They offer services including information, translation, interpretation and even first aid. Which of the training will be done on the Internet? Answer: We often don' t give importance to minor things thinking they won' t matter. But at times, some things look very minor but their result can be really powerful. Here are some of the efforts which can change the relationship between parents and children. Pat your child when he loses:May it be failure in the class, or on the field, speak words of encouragement to your child. The trust and confidence in your relationship will go to another level. After all, words of encouragement during failure are more valuable than words of praise after success. Give him importance, like a member of the family:Hang his painting in your room or in the office, take his opinion when you are buying furniture for the house. Your child will believe in himself and be a winner throughout. Share your own experience when your child makes a mistake:When you see your child lying or stealing, share with him the mistakes you made in your life. He' 11 know it is all right to make mistakes and that he can share with you anything. Appreciate at least one quality in your child every day:Each day look at what qualities your child possesses and appreciate him, maybe for his caring attitude, his dance skills or his observation power. Tell him how proud you are of him because of those qualities. Become his age before bedtime:Jump on the bed, have pillow fights, act silly, dance--become a child with your child for sometime. You' 11 forget all your day's stress. Try these minor things; you' 11 see the love deepen and the relationship blossom. What' s the writer' s purpose of writing this passage? Answer: Even before historian Joseph Ellis became a best-selling author, he was famous for his vivid lectures. In his popular courses at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, he would often make classroom discussion lively by describing his own fighting experience in Vietnam. But as Ellis's reputation grew--his books on the Founding Fathers won both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize ---the history professor began to entertain local and national reporters with his memories of war. Last year, after The Boston Globe reported Ellis's experience in the Vietnam war, someone who knew the truth about Ellis _ Last week The Boston Globe revealed that Ellis, famous for explaining the nation's history, had some explaining to do about his own past. "Even in the best of lives, mistakes are made," said Ellis. It turned out that while the historian had served in the Army, he'd spent his war years not in the jungles of Southeast Asia , but teaching history at West Point ( ). He'd also overstated his role in the antiwar movement and even his high-school athletic records. His admission shocked colleagues, fellow historians and students who wondered why someone so successful would beautify his past. But it seems that success and truthfulness don't always go hand in hand. Even among the successful achievers, security experts say, one in ten is deceiving. And, oddly, people often beautify their past once they're famous, says Ernest Brod of Kroll Associates, which has conducted thousands of background checks. Then what makes them do it? Psychologists say some people succeed, at least in part, because they are uniquely adjusted to the expectations of others. And no matter how well-known, those people can be haunted ( ) by a sense of their own shortcomings. "From outside, these people look anything but fragile," says Dennis Shulman, a psychoanalyst. "But inside, they feel hollow, empty," While Ellis served in the Army, he _ Answer:
For a small town, Manhattan, Kansas has some big surprises. And one of them is the Holiday Inn Hotel, with rooms built around a swimming pool and a friendly family atmosphere. The Holiday Inn is where Manhattan people often go for a special party, or a night out. A lot of them choose to eat in the brightly lit restaurant near the pool. And many of them will be served by Ellen Logan, who has worked as a waitress here for more than two years . Ellen, like most of the waitresses, is also a student. She comes from Nebraska, but she's planning one day to be a veterinary surgeon, and to care for small animals. But in order to support herself at college, she works twenty hours a week at the Holiday Inn. Ellen soon learned what every waitress finds out. Your best friend has a good pair of shoes. She paid forty - five dollars for hers, much more than she would usually spend. She's discovered something else too. You don't have to know much about food to be a good waitress, but you do have to know a lot about people. "A lot of business people always stay here when they come to Manhattan, " she explains. "They like you to recognize them and remember their favorite dishes. But some couples come for a night out together. They just want to be left alone. Then there are people who can't make up their minds. They look down the menu and say'What do you suggest?'So I ask them how hungry they are. If they say, 'Not very', I suggest the salad bar, with soup, salad, bread, and a fruit plate. But if they say they're very hungry, I suggest a Kansas Strip Steak, with potatoes or rice. You get salad and bread as well. It's very nice. Real good value." Ellen may get tired feet sometimes, but at least she's learning too much about people . She'll probably make a good animal doctor, but if she find she doesn't like it after all, she can always become a psychiatrist instead." From the passage we can infer that _ . Answer: it is more important for the waitresses to know much about people than food In today's world many people seem to be hungry for money. Money does have its most useful effect on the poor. But once a person has a rich life, a lot more money doesn`t mean more happiness. If money were everything, all millionaires would have real love, true friendship, good health and a long life. However, this is not always true .But can love be bought ?I`m afraid not . Love means to give , not to take . To every person , health and long life are probably the most precious things . Well , can health and a long life be bought with money ? The answer is "No". Of all the longest living people in the world, few of them are millionaires. True friendship can't be bought, either. In a word, where money is dreamed too much, it can cause brothers to quarrel, marriage to end, lovers to hate, and strangers to fight. No matter how much money you have, it is still not enough to make a happy person if you have no one to laugh with, no one to cry for. ,. Which sentence of the following is true according to the passage ? Answer: You may live a long life even if you are poor A species' habitat is those places where it can find food, shelter, protection and Answer: mates for reproduction Bob was happy. He was at a new school, and the other students were friendly. "Hi, Bob!" They said. But some students said, "Hi, Peter!" Bob didn't understand. He asked another student, " Why do some students call me Peter?" "Oh, that is easy to answer," the student said. "Peter was a student here last year. Now, he goes to a different school. You like Peter. Some students think that you are Peter." Bob wanted to meet Peter. He got Peter's address from a student and went to Peter's house. Peter opened the door. Bob couldn't believe his eyes. He looked really like Peter! Bob and Peter had the same color eyes and the same smile. They had the same black hair. They also had the same birthday. Bob and Peter found out that they were twin brothers. They both were adopted by two different families. Soon after the boys born, one family adopted Bob, and another family adopted Peter. Bob's family never knew about Peter, and Peter's family never knew about Bob, either. How did Bob feel when he saw Peter? Answer: He was greatly surprised. Let's do some sleep math. You lost two hours of sleep every night last week because of a big project due on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, you slept in, getting four extra hours. On Monday morning, you were feeling so bright-eyed, and you only had one cup of coffee, instead of your usual two. But don't be cheated by your energy: You're still carrying around a heavy load of sleepiness, or what experts call "sleep debt". Sleep debt is the difference between the amount of sleep you should get and the amount you actually get. It's a _ that grows every time we remove some minutes off our nightly sleep. "People get more and more sleep debt without noticing it," says William Dement, founder of the Stanford University Sleep Research Centre. Studies show that such short-term lack of sleep leads to a foggy brain, worsened eyesight, and trouble remembering. Long-term effects include obesity, and heart disease. A survey reports that we're losing one hour of sleep each night--more than two full weeks of sleep each year. The good news is that, like all debts, sleep debt can be paid off with some work. Adding an extra hour or two of sleep a night is the way to catch up. For the long-term lack of sleep, take it easy for a few months to get back into a natural sleep pattern . Go to bed when you are tired, and allow your body to wake you in the morning naturally (no alarm clock allowed). As you pay off sleep debt, your body will come to a rest at a sleep pattern that is particularly right for you. Sleep researchers believe that although the exact genes remain to be discovered, genes do determine our individual sleep patterns. That probably means you can't train yourself to be a "short sleeper" and you're fooling yourself if you think you've done it, so earn back that lost sleep and follow the orders of your inner sleep needs. When you put away sleep debt, you become a superman. It's impossible to train oneself to be a "short sleeper" because _ . Answer: how one sleeps is determined when they were born
Question: Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Phones Nowadays, nearly everyone has a mobile phone. In our daily lives we make phone calls to others, and we need to send messages to exchange information. Now, you can surf the Internet by using your mobile phone. I have to say that I enjoy using my phone, but I am worried at the same time: Is it healthy and safe to use? Mobile phones have many advantages. Firstly, we keep in touch with people by using them. Because of our busy life, we have little time to meet friends and our beloved ones. Thanks to mobile phones, we can tell them how everything is going. When an _ happens, we can call for help using our phones. It is convenient and important in our lives. But every coin has two sides and it is the same with mobile phones. As people are used to making phone calls, they are spending less and less time with their family and friends. Phones give them more excuses to stay out of reach. Because of the convenience, the love and care between people has changed into a few words in a message or a phone call. For students, there are more chances to get distracted from their lessons. When I was in middle school, I often looked out of the window to rest my eyes, but now I spend those moments on my phone. In the end, I hope you can think about the advantages and the disadvantages, and use your mobile phone correctly. We humans created mobile phones, and we should keep them under control. What's the author's purpose in writing this passage? A. To tell us the disadvantages of using mobile phone. B. To advise us to use mobile phones correctly. C. To list all the advantages of using mobile phones. D. To explain why many people don't use mobile phones. Answer: B Question: Can you remember the day when you spoke your first words? If you can, you are unusual. Try to think what the first months of your life were like. I'm sure you just spent most of your time eating, sleeping and crying. As you grew older, your parents spent more time playing with you and talking to you. You watched and listened. You began to know that people make some sounds to go with some things. Then you began to cry to make sounds you heard. And step by step you were able to make the right sound for one thing. On that day you came to understand the secret of the language. The secret is that a certain sound means a certain thing. Only when a group of people use the same set of sounds of things can they understand each other, so these people have a language. After you found the secret of language, you learnt words. Some of the words mean things, like books, chairs and shops. Some of the words mean _ , for example, go and swim. Soon you learnt to put words together to share your idea, like "I want to go out and play with my friends." This is language. By the way of language, people can communicate . So we say languages mean sharing. The secret of language is that _ . A. one sound might be as good as another B. a certain sound is for a certain thing C. people can understand each other D. there is a special sound for each other Answer: B Question: What does a UFO look like? Do you believe there are aliens outside the earth? Maybe nobody can tell us exactly, but some of us believe that we humans are not alone in this world. We have friends living outside the earth. And a lot of people in the world think they really have seen a UFO flying in the sky. Now many scientists are trying to understand the origin of the UFO sightings. Scientists even try to draw pictures about aliens and aliens' life according to their imagination. Because we don't really know about it, we call it UFO or Unidentified Flying Object. Many of us are curious about it and interested in it very much. While scientists have no same ideas about whether there is an alien or not, it seems that China has been home to some UFO sightings recently. On August 20th,2011, a UFO was seen at 21:00 by the pilot on the plane which took off from Pudong International Airport to Changchun. At almost the same time, many astrophiles took pictures of it. Later, reports from some cities said that the UFO was seen. The pilot said the UFO was small at first, then expanded ,moved north, and disappeared several minutes later. However, he couldn't exactly make sure about what he had seen. What do scientists know about the aliens according to this passage? A. Scientists know about the aliens' life well. B. Some scientists try to imagine aliens' life. C. Scientists have the same idea about the UFO. D. Many scientists have already understood the origin of the UFO sightings. Answer: B Question: Alex London Research Laboratory (ALRL) is part of Alex Co. , Ltd., a major Australian medicine-making company. Opened in 1992, ALRL specializes in the development of new medicines for the treatment of heart diseases. A position is now open for a Research Operations Manager(ROM) to support our growing research team at the new laboratories in Hatfield,due to open in the autumn of 2010. Reporting to the Director,you will help set up and run the technical and scientific support services of our new laboratories now under construction.You will be expected to provide expert knowledge about and be in charge of all areas of ALRL'S Health and Safety,and to communicate with support employees at ALRL'S laboratories based at University College London.Working closely with scientists and other operations and technical employees,you will manage a small number of research support employees providing services to help with the research activities to be carried out at the new laboratories. Candidates will have experience of both management and research support/technical services.Knowledge of research operations and excellent communication skills are necessary. Education to degree level is also desirable. If you are interested in this position,please send your CV to Alex London Research Laboratory,University College London,Hatfield,London,W1E 6B7 or by email to ALRL@alex. co. uk. For more Information.please visit www. alex. co. uk. What are the duties of a ROM,according to the text? A. a,b,c. B. a,b,d. C. b,c,d. D. a,c,d. Answer: C Question: Half of the world's population is affected by Asian monsoons , but monsoons are difficult to predict. American researchers have put together a 700-year record of the rainy seasons, which is expected to provide guidance for experts making weather predictions. Every year, damp air masses,known as monsoon,produce large amounts of rainfall in India, East Asia, Northern Australia and East Africa. All this wet air is pulled in by a high pressure area over the Indian Ocean and a low pressure area to the south. According to Edward Cook , a weather expert at Columbia University in New York., the complex nature of the climate systems across Asia makes monsoons hard to predict. In addition, climate records for the area are too recent and not detailed enough to be of much use. Therefore, he and a team of researchers spent more than fifteen years traveling across Asia, looking for trees old enough to provide long-term records. They measured the rings, or circles, inside thousands of ancient trees in more than 300 places. Rainfall has a direct link to the growth and width of rings on some kinds of trees. The researchers developed a document they are calling a Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas. It shows the effect of monsoons over seven centuries, beginning in the 1300s. Professor Cook says the tree-ring records show periods of wet and dry weather. "If the monsoon basically fails or is a very weak one, the trees affected by monsoons at that location might put on a very narrow ring. But if the monsoon is very strong, the trees affected by that monsoon might put on a wide ring for that year. So, the wide and narrow ring widths of the chronology that we developed in Asia provide us with a measure of monsoon variability." With all this information, researchers say they can begin to improve computer climate models for predicting the behavior of monsoons. "There has been widespread famine and starvation and human dying in the past in large droughts. And on the other hand, if the monsoon is particularly heavy, it can cause extensive flooding." said Eugene Wahl, a scientist with America's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "So, to get a sense of what the regional moisture patterns have been, dryness and wetness over such a long period of time in great detail, I would call it a kind of victory for climate science." What's the passage mainly about? A. The effects of Asian monsoons. B. The necessity of weather forecast. C. The achievements of Edward cook. D. A breakthrough in monsoon prediction. Answer: D
Cell phone use and texting are increasingly common, especially among teens. And that could be a problem. Texting affects learning and performing on test, a new study finds. So a Montana teen, Colin decided to test that. They asked 47 classmates to take part in a two-part experiment. The goal was to test how well these students understood written material. Each one had to read a paragraph or two about a certain topic, then answer questions about it. In the first part, the participants had 15 minutes to understand and then answer questions about six readings. Throughout this test, they met no distractions. During a new set of readings, the brothers sent messages to the participants' cell phones every 90 seconds. In each message, there were questions that required a reply. Participants should have scored better on the second test because it was easier. In fact, they scored worse when distracted by messages. Only a few students scored as well when replying to messages as they did when undistracted. But importantly, nobody performed better during the texting part. The brothers presented details of their findings at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Boys and girls scored equally poorly while texting, the brothers noticed. Older participants didn't do any better than younger ones. And it didn't matter if a student thought he was good at multitasking. On average, the brothers found that even students who were confident of their abilities did just as poorly while texting. Surprisingly, even though the students remembered less of what they read while texting, most of them answered questions in messages perfectly. "Our teachers are very happy to see these results," says Coler. The teens' new data strongly support their teachers' opinion that texting while studying is a serious distraction. What did Colter and Colin want to test? Answer: Societies all over the world name places in similar ways. Quite often there is no official naming ceremony but places tend to be called names as points of reference by people. Then an organized body steps in and gives the place a name. Frequently it happens that a place has two names: One is named by the people and the other by the government. As in many areas, old habits _ and the place continues to be called by its unofficial name long after the meaning is lost. Many roads and places in Singapore are named in order that the pioneers will be remembered by future generations. Thus we have names such as Stamford Road and Raffles Place. This is in keeping with traditions in many countries --in both the West and the East. Another way of naming places is naming them after other places. Perhaps they were named to promote friendships between the two places or it could be that the people who used to live there were originally from the places that the roads were named after. The mystery is clearer when we see some of the roads named in former British bases. If you step into Selector Airbase you will see Piccadilly Circus --obviously named by some homesick Royal Air Force personnel. Some places were named after the activities that used to go on at those places. Bras Basah Road is an interesting example, "Base Basah" means "wet rice" in Malay . Now why would anyone want to name a road "Wet Rice Road"? The reason is simple. During the pioneering days, wet rice was laid out to dry along this road. A few roads in Singapore are named by their shapes. There is "Circular Road" for one. Other roads may have part of their names to describe their shapes, like "Paya Lebar Crescent". This road is called a crescent because it begins on the main road, makes a crescent and comes back to join the main road again. What can be inferred from the passage? Answer: Old Bear Kevin Henkes(2008), under 40 pages Target Audience: Preschoolers Price: $3.8 Content: It is snowing really hard and Old Bear is getting ready for his long nap. As he sleeps, he dreams of being a cub again and enjoying the wonders of nature. He dreams about summer, fall, winter and spring and how each season brings him so much joy! The illustrations show the beauty of the seasons that Old Bear dreams about. Great book! Half-Minute Horrors Susan Rich(2009), 120~160 pages Target Audience: Intermediates (4th~6th grade) Price: $9.6 Content: Looking for a scary book that is also quick to read? How about a one-paragraph tale of terror or a simple drawing that will make your skin crawl? This book is a collection of very short stories, pictures and cartoons from an impressive group of authors and illustrators. Leaves David Ezra Stein(2007), under 40 pages Illustrated by David Ezra Stein Target Audience: Toddlers, Preschoolers Price: $3.4 Content: It's Little Bear's first year. Fall has come to his island. When the leaves begin to fall, he wonders what to do. However, after following his instinct and sleeping through the winter, he awakens in spring to find everything blooming once again. Thanksgiving at the Tappletons' Eileen Spinelli (2003) , under 40 pages Illustrated by Megan Lloyd Target Audience: Preschoolers Price: $3.5 Content: The Tappletons (bears) are gathered together for their big Thanksgiving feast. However, all is not going well during the preparations. The turkey slides out of the house, down a hill and into a pond. There are no pies at the bakery and the lettuce for the salad has been given to the rabbits. As they sit down for the feast, Grandmother Tappleton reminds them that although they have nothing to eat, they can still be thankful that they have each other. Where can you probably find this passage? Answer: Chinese high school students have the longest study hours compared to their peers in Japan , the US and South Korea. A survey conducted by the four countries said. The survey, released by the China Youth and Children Research Center on Monday, was jointly conducted with instructions in the four countries in September-October of 2008. It covers nearly 4,000 students in senior schools and vocational high schools in the four countries. About 78.3 percent of Chinese students said they spend more than eight hours at school and 56.7 percent said they study at least two more hours each day at home .by contrast, only 24.7 percent of their peers in the US , 20.5percent in Japan and 15.4 in Korea study more than two hour s after school. Around 60 percent of all students surveyed said their burden for studies was the heaviest. However the Japanese felt their burden was the worst with respondents reaching 79.2 percent Among the five biggest headaches for young people in the four countries were: 0ver-sheduling ranked first, followed by a boring leisure life, unsatisfied appearance, little time for exercise and making friends, and no spare money "Moderate study pressure can better drive students to develop, however, too much will press their development space, and can even cause harm to their physical and psychological health" the survey said "Balancing their studies and all round development is a very important task" it said. According to the survey, _ Answer: Put yourself in these tourists' position. You are walking an icy mountain path in the Alps in Europe. Suddenly you spot a body on the ground,face downward and stuck to the ice. You think someone may have been murdered or in an accident. So you rush back and call the police. The police,however,quickly realize that this body is different from others they've found on the mountain. For one thing,it is mostly undamaged. For another,its skin is dried out,like a mummy's. And with it is a knife with a small stone knife. The body turned out to be much older than the tourists could have guessed. When specialists had a chance to examine it,they discovered it had been there for about five thousand years! How could a body stay preserved for all this time?Two things probably helped. First,the place where the man died was somewhat sheltered,so animals couldn't get at it. Then he was quickly covered by falling snow. Wind blowing through the snow probably "freezedried" his body,removing all _ from it. Objects found with the body told something about the Iceman's life. He wore a thick fur overcoat and trousers. He clearly had been hunting,for he carried arrows,and animal bones were nearby. He also had a grass cushion for sitting or sleeping on. Perhaps he was exhausted when he lay down for the last time. The body was found in 1991,when some of the ice on the mountain melted. Searching for the cause of the Iceman's death,scientists put the body back into cold conditions and hoped... The best title for this passage might be _ . Answer:
Life used to be fun for "teenagers". They used to have money to spend, and free time to while away. They used to wear teenage clothes, and meet in teenage coffee bars and discos. Some of them still do. But for many young people, life is harder now. Jobs are difficult to find. There's not so much money around. Things are more expensive, and it's hard to find a place to live in. Teachers say that students work harder than they used to. They are less interested in politics, and more interested in passing exams. They know that good exam results may bring them better jobs. Most young people worry more about money than their parents did twenty years ago. They try to spend less and save more. They want to be able to get homes of their own one day. For some, the answer to unemployment is to leave home and look for jobs in one of Britain's big cities. Every day hundreds of young people arrive in London from other parts of Britain, looking for jobs. Some find jobs, and stay. Others don't, and go home again, or join the unemployed in London. When you read the newspapers and watch the news on television, it's easy to get the idea that British young people are all unemployed, angry and in trouble. But that's not true. Three quarters of them do more or less what their parents did. They do their best at school, find some kinds of jobs in the end, and get married in their early twenties. They get on well with their parents, and enjoy their family life. After all, if they don't, they won't be British, will they? What was not the life of young British people in the past? _ . Answer: The tradition of birthday parties started a long time ago. There are some traditions that you can find almost anywhere, anytime, such as sending birthday cards, blowing out the candles on a birthday cake and singing the 'Happy Birthday' song. Others are only found for certain ages and in certain countries. In China, on a child's second birthday, family members put many things on the floor around the child. According to Chinese tradition, the first thing that the child picks up tells you what profession the child will choose later in life. For Japanese children, the third, fifth and seventh birthdays are especially important. At this age, there is a special celebrationShichi-Go-San (seven, five, three in Japanese) when children go to the temple wearing a newkimono . Thepriest gives them special sweets, and the parents usually organize a party for their friends in their home. In Argentina, Mexico and several other Latin American countries, girls have a special birthday celebration when they reach the age of fifteen. After a special ceremony , the girls dance a waltz with their father and other boys. Eighteen is the traditional "coming of age"-- the age when (in many countries) you have the right tovote , join the army and (in Britain) drink alcohol or buy a house. In many English-speaking countries, a twenty-first birthday cake often has a key on top, or the cake itself is sometimes in the shape of a key. The key means that the young person is now old enough to leave and enter the family home at any time they want to! Which of the following sentences is NOT true? Answer: The new world of today introduced new threats that were not known in the previous generations: Internet predators . Often we do a lot of our researching, shopping, talking; just about everything online nowadays. New advancements in revolution comes along with the unwanted attackers. There are people out there who gain pleasure from, interrupting and taking from our peaceful lives what's not rightfully theirs. But like with everything, there are indeed counteractive measures that can be set in place to fend off these predators from such damage. I'd like to introduce the Guardian Eye. Within this program is a complex program which has several functions to create a safe atmosphere for whomever uses the computer, It has the ability to track and log every key stroke, every website that has ever been accessed, takes screenshots of web pages, blocks web pages according to content and even sends you messages via email once conspicuous activity has been reported and logged. Just think, you or child could be browsing and searching through the Internet and inappropriate content pops up with several different windows. You try to click out of the windows but you accidentally click one which releases spyware, infecting your computer. Guardian Eye blocks unwanted content from popping up or appearing to the users, which I thought was extremely convenient. In this way there is not even the slightest temptation. This product helps prevent damage from being done to your computer and worse, your identity. It's quite the product and it offers a little version so you may try it out first. If you'd like the full package, it's a once time fee 39.99 and can be installed on unlimited computers for your convenience. It's a nice deal and I'm considering getting it again considering I do a lot of writing on various websites myself. For what purpose does the author writer the text? Answer: The crowd stopped their talks as the runners came to the starting line. At this moment, all eyes were on two people, Mark, the favorite for the gold medal, and Jim, a new face to all. Mark had won a lot of competitions in 3000 meters and was thought to be the finest runner in the country. Until a few months before, Jim was almost unknown outside his hometown. But he had won one competition after another, which was a big surprise. Many people thought Jim would also do very well this time. It was going to be an exciting race. Bang! The race started. For the first half, Jim ran with Mark in the leading group. At 1700 meters, Jim was about one meter behind Mark. Suddenly, the crowd stopped cheering. Mark fell and lay on the grass. He tried to get up, but he had been injured and was out of the race. The crowd believed that Jim had tripped( ) Mark and they began to shout at him. Jim looked back and slowed down. Then _ . But the race was over for Jim, too. He was far behind others now. Jim was very unhappy because of what had happened. Later, after the judges had studied the video of the race, they decided that Jim had done nothing wrong . Jim went to see Mark and said, "I'm sorry for ..." "It's not your fault. I got injured myself in the leg. Such a thing never happens to me. I've got to see the doctor," The two went on to become good friends and were often seen training together. Why was the race going to be exciting? Answer: John H. Johnson was born in a black family in Arkansas City in 1918. His father died in an accident when John was six . He was reaching high school age , but his hometown offered no high school for blacks . Fortunately he had a strong -- willed , caring mother . John remembers that his mother told him many times , "Son , you can be anything you really want to be if you just believe ." She told him not to be dependent on others , including his mother . "You have to earn success," said she . "All the people who work hard don't succeed , but the only people who do succeed are those who work hard ." These words came from a woman with less than a third --grade education .She worked hard as a cook for two years to save enough money to take her son -- then 15--to Chicago . Chicago in 1933 was not the promised land that black southerners were looking for . John's mother and stepfather could not find work . But here John could go to school , and here he learned the power of words -- as an editor of the newspaper at Du Sable High School . His wish was to publish a magazine for the blacks . While others discouraged him , John's mother offered him more words to live by : " _ " She also let him pawn her furniture to get the $500 he needed to start the Negro magazine . It is natural the difficulties and failures followed John closely until he became very successful . He always keeps his mother's words in mind: "Son , failure is not in your vocabulary ." Now John H. Johnson is one of the 400 richest people in America . Why did John's mother decide to move to Chicago ? Because _ . Answer:
Question: The price of milk may be going up. There was not enough rain in some parts of the country last year and the bad weather may mean that a gallon of milk will cost 41 cents more after October 1st. California already has high milk prices and the California court does not want the price to go any higher. High milk prices will be very hard for some people. Families with many children will have to spend more money to buy milk. The poor and older people without much money will also be hurt by higher prices. The court said that more milk from other states should be sold in California as the price of milk from other states is not as high. Some states got enough rain so their costs did not go up. People will then be able to buy the cheaper milk, meaning that unless milk producers bring their milk prices down, their milk will not sell. The drought around the country has meant market forces are likely to push milk prices up by as much as 41-cent a gallon by October 1st. Experts said this decision by the Californian court could reduce the effect of the price rise here. The 41-cent increase would add to California's already high milk prices so California must allow more milk producers from outside the state to sell their products there. This would then lead to increased supplies , which would, as a result, stop milk prices from increasing. Who will be hurt by high milk prices? A. Young people. B. Milk producers from outside California. C. Rich people. D. Families with lots of children. Answer: D Question: What is used by the gas given off by plants? A. computers B. the respiratory system C. helium balloons D. other plants Answer: B Question: Ideas about polite behavior are different from one culture to another. Some societies, such as America and Australia for example, are mobile and very open. People here change jobs and move house quite often. As a result, they have a lot of relationships that often last only a short time, and they need to get to know people quickly. So it's normal to have friendly conversations with people that they have just met, and you can talk about things that other cultures would regard as personal. On the other hand there are more crowded and less mobile societies where long-term relationships are more important. A Malaysian or Mexican business person, for example, will want to get to know you very well before he or she feels happy to start business. But when you do get to know each other, the relationship becomes much deeper than it would in a mobile society. To Americans, both Europeans and Asians seem cool and formal at first. On the other hand, as a passenger from a less mobile society puts it, it's no fun spending several hours next to a stranger who wants to tell you all about his or her life and asks you all sorts of questions that you don't want to answer. Cross-cultural differences aren't just a problem for travelers, but also for the flights that carry them. All flights want to provide the best service, but ideas about good service are different from place to place. This can be seen most clearly in the way that problems are dealt with. Some societies have 'universalist' cultures. These societies strongly respect rules, and they treat every person and situation in basically the same way. 'Particularist' societies, on the other hand, also have rules, but they are less important than the society's unwrinen ideas about what is right or wrong for a particular situation or a particular person. So the normal rules are changed to fit the needs of the situation or the importance of the person. This difference can cause problems. A traveler from a particularist society, India, is checking in for a flight in Germany, a country which has a universalist culture. The Indian traveler has too much luggage, but he explains that he has been away from home for a long time and the suitcases are full of presents for his family. He expects that the check-in official will understand his problem and will change the rules for him. The check-in official explains that if he was allowed to have too much luggage, it wouldn't be fair to the other passengers. But the traveler thinks this is unfair, because the other passengers don't have his problem. A person from a less mobile society will feel it _ when a stranger keeps talking to him or her, and asking him or her questions. A. boring B. friendly C. normal D. rough Answer: A Question: Information for New Members Welcome to Banktown Bushwalking Club! Here are some things you need to know: Most walks are in faraway places. You need to take enough food and water for a full day of activity on each walk. This is the most important thing to remember. Wear good lace-up shoes, because you need to do some climbing sometimes. Each walk has a grade. If you haven't been bushwalking before, we suggest that you start with an easy walk- Grade 1 or 2. If you have been bushwalking before, then a Grade 3 walk may be suitable. All beginners need to call or e-mail the leader of an activity 48 hours before the start of the activity. They need to make sure that you are fit and able to finish the activity as planned. Membership fees for a year: $35 for an adult over 18 years old. If a family joins the club, fees will be lower. $55 for the parents and $10 for each child between the ages of 5 and 18. A person who hasn't been bushwalking before should choose a _ walk. A. Grade 1 or 2 B. Grade 3 C. Grade 4 D. Grade 5 Answer: A Question: We have all experienced days when everything goes wrong.A day may begin well enough,but suddenly everything seems to get out of control.It seems as if a single unimportant event may cause a number of things to happen.Let us suppose that you are preparing a meal and keeping an eye on the baby at the same time.The telephone rings and this means your troubles are beginning.While you are on the phone,the baby pulls the table-cloth off the table,destroying your half-prepared meal.You hang up hurriedly and attend to your baby.Meanwhile,the meal gets burnt.As if this were not enough to bring you to tears,your husband arrives,unexpectedly bringing three guests to dinner. Things can go wrong on a number of people on the road. During the rush hour one evening two cars hit each other and both drivers began to argue.The woman driver behind the two cars happened to be a learner.She suddenly got into a panic and stopped her car.This made the driver following her stop suddenly.His wife was sitting beside him holding a large cake.As she was thrown forward,the cake went right through the window and landed on the road.Seeing a cake flying through the air,a truck-driver had to stop his truck all of a sudden.The truck was carrying empty beer bottles and hundreds of them slid off the back of the truck on the road.This led to yet another angry argument.Meanwhile,the traffic piled up behind.It took the police nearly an hour to get the traffic on the move again.In the meanwhile,the truck-driver had to sweep up hundreds of broken bottles.Only two dogs were enjoying themselves from the accident,for they were happily having what was left of the cake.It was just one of those days! From the story we can see _ . A. some drivers are too careless B. such accidents are rather strange C. such accidents are very common D. we don't know why such accidents happen Answer: C
A man was cleaning car with a special brush when a little girl who had been watching him said,"My daddy has a brush like that to clean his car too.""Really!"said the man."What kind of car does your daddy have"The little girl answered,"Oh, he hasn't got the car yet, but he's got the brush to clean it."Well, I suppose you have to start somewhere! The important thing is that you do get started. And to do that, we first have to decide what kind of life we want. It's strange how many of us want to live forever, when we can't even decide what to do with our life now! Like the guy who said,"I'm going to stop putting things off, starting tomorrow." You see, even if others have made decisions for you, you can still decide how you'll respond and handle the life that's been handed to you. You still have control of your own attitudes. Happiness is an attitude and choice, no matter what situation you're in. Remember, you can always find someone worse off than you whom you can help. It's only when we stop looking at our own problems and reach out to make others happy that we ourselves can be truly happy. But if you choose not to make a decision that also is your decision you'll live with. There are many smart, talented people who have never enjoyed the success they could have, simply because they could not make a decision and discipline themselves to follow through with it. Remember, if your life doesn't change, it's going to stay the same! It's that simple. So to move on from where you are, you must first decide where you'd rather be. If you can't change your mind, you can't change your life. The great writer Tolstoy said,"Everyone wants to change the world, but no one wants to change himself."So ask yourself right now: What's the one decision I need to make to change my life? Think a minute! The best title of the text is_. A Decide a goal and get started B It is hard to change yourself C We should help worse off people D It is easy to change the world Answer: A How to Order Ordering from BooksFirst is easy and safe. Selecting Your Books When you have found a book you would like to order, just click on Add to Basket and it will be added to your shopping basket. To make it easy to keep track of the books you've selected, My Shopping Basket will display your choices wherever you are on the site. When you're ready to place your order, select View Basket. View Basket This is where you select the postal destination for your order, indicate whether you would like Next Day Delivery in the UK and choose gift-wrapping. You can also amend the contents of your basket by making any changes and then selecting Update Basket. Overseas customers ordering three or more books can also request reduced airmail charges here. When you're happy with the contents of your shopping basket, go to the Secure Checkout. The Order Form After you've completed the order form, you will receive an on-screen acknowledgment. This will be followed by an email confirming the details of your order. We will then inform you when your order has been sent. If this is your first order, we will also inform you of your personal BooksFirst account number. Your First Order We'll send you a personal account number after you have placed your first order. For following orders all you need to do is enter your personal account number and email address. Returning Customers If you have ordered from us before, online, by mail or telephone, you will have already owned a personal account number. You then only need to complete the full order form. Using your account number allows us to find your details from our records (they are not accessible online). However, you do not need your BooksFirst personal account number to place an order--simply present all the required details on the order form. If you don't have a note of your account number just Contact us so that we can supply it to you. The information under RETRUNING CUSTOMERS is for those _ . A who have forgotten their BooksFirst account numbers B who haven't got their BooksFirst account numbers C who have experienced BooksFirst online shopping before D who have never done online shopping before Answer: C When I was having a walk through the park today, I met a friend I hadn't seen for ages. She stared at me curiously. "You have kept this umbrella for years; it's old and out of date. I wonder why you keep it and take it wherever you go." I smiled, "it means a great deal to me." I simply gave her my shortest answer. Honestly speaking, I, either, could not understand the reason why I kept it. Then all of a sudden, fallen leaves darkened my eyes with a strong wind. I grabbed the umbrella instinctively. The rain poured down. Thanks to my umbrella, I didn't get wet at all. "Why have I kept it for so long?" I asked myself, staring at my umbrella. I couldn't remember when and where I bought it, for I'm always tired and lazy to answer questions. It could protect me from the heavy rain, I told myself eventually. Looking at the people rushing through the street, I felt safe. This might be another reason. It is always so. We know a thunderstorm comes unexpectedly and goes without a warning. The sky cleared up. The sun shone brightly. Just as usual, I seized the umbrella with my left hand. Still there's water dropping down. I walked among the noisy crowd and listened to what they were murmuring in their heart. "Today I will ask for a rise, or I'll leave this company." Good luck to you, I smiled to him. "I'll manage to make you live forever." A little boy held a pet dog close to him. "She'll be all right, because she is blessed." I heard angels singing in this city. The moment my fingertips touched the umbrella, I felt it's dry, and it's warm. Soon it became hot. I held it up to avoid harmful sunshine. Do I need a reason to explain why? Maybe I should think about it. I need my umbrella when it is sunny as well as when it is rainy. What's the most suitable title for the passage? A Try to notice every passer-by. B Umbrellas are important. C Always be prepared. D Weather changes unexpectedly. Answer: C Global warming may or may not be the great environmental crisis of the 21st century, but--regardless of whether it is or isn't -- we won't do much about it. We will argue over it and may even, as a nation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoid it. But the more dramatic and meaningful these commitments seem, the less likely they are to be observed. Al Gore calls global warming an "inconvenient truth," as if merely recognizing it could put us on a path to a solution. But the real truth is that we don't know enough to relieve global warming, and--without major technological breakthroughs--we can't do much about it. From 2003 to 2050, the world's population is estimated to grow from 6.4 billion to 9.1 billion, a 42% increase. If energy use per person and technology remain the same, total energy use and greenhouse gas emissions (mainly, CO2) will be 42% higher in 2050. But that's too low, because societies that grow richer use more energy. We need economic growth unless we condemn the world's poor people to their present poverty and freeze everyone else's living standards. With modest economic growth, energy use and greenhouse emissions more than double by 2050. No government will adopt rigid restrictions on economic growth and personal freedom (limits on electricity usage, driving and travel) that might cut back global warming. Still, politicians want to show they're "doing something." Consider the Kyoto Protocol . It allowed countries that joined to punish those that didn't. But it hasn't reduced CO2 emissions (up about 25% since 1990), and many signatories didn't adopt tough enough policies to hit their 2008-2012 targets. The practical conclusion is that if global warming is a potential disaster, the only solution is new technology. Only an aggressive research and development program might find ways of breaking our dependence on fossil fuels or dealing with it. The trouble with the global warming debate is that it has become a moral problem when it's really an engineering one. The inconvenient truth is that if we don't solve the engineering problem, we're helpless. The author believes that, since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, _ . A politicians have started to do something to better the situation B few nations have adopted real tough measures to limit energy use C reductions in energy consumption have greatly cut back global warming D international cooperation has contributed to solving environmental problems Answer: B Which event can cause a large rock to become soil over time? A decaying B an earthquake C a landslide D weathering Answer: D
Researchers found that people become happier and experience less worry after they reach the age of fifty. In fact, they say by the age of eighty-five, people are happier with their life than they were when they were eighteen years old. The findings came from a survey of more than three hundred forty thousand adults in the United States. The Gallup Organization questioned them by telephone in two thousand eight. At that time, the people were between the ages of eighteen and eighty-five. The researchers asked questions about emotions like happiness, sadness and worry. They also asked about mental or emotional stress. Arthur Stone in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stony Brook University in New York led the study. His team found that levels of stress were highest among adults between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-five. The findings showed that stress levels dropped sharply after people reached their fifties. Happiness was highest among the youngest adults and those in their early seventies. The people least likely to report feeling negative emotions were those in their seventies and eighties. The findings appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers say they do not know why happiness increases as people get older. One theory is that, as people grow older, they grow more thankful for what they have and have better control of their emotions. They also spend less time thinking about bad experiences. Professor Stone says the emotional patterns could be linked to changes in how people see the world, or maybe even changes in brain chemistry. The researchers also considered possible influences like having young children, being unemployed or being single. But they found that influences like these did not affect the levels of happiness and well-being related to age. The study also showed that men and women have similar emotional patterns as they grow older. However, women at all ages reported more sadness, stress and worry than men. What is the best title of the passage? A. The older a person is, the happier he grows. B. The more lighthearted a person is, the happier he is. C. The older a person is, the more clever he grows. D. The older a person is, the more stressed he feels. Answer: A Dear Sara, Can you please help me improve my relationship with my mother? She is in her late 70s, and will probably need me to care for her in the future. I am willing to take on this responsibility but I find seeing her and talking to her stressful because I am so angry ab out what she and my father did to my elder sister. My sister was born "out of wedlock" in the 1950s. My sister's father disappeared and never turned up again. My mother loved my sister a lot even if she was an unwanted baby. But then my mother met and married my father. A few years later I was born. But my father didn't love my sister and my mother failed to protect her. We moved frequently, and my sister was not allowed to come along. She never came on holiday with us; instead she was sent to holiday camps. As she grew up, she started to use drugs and became an alcoholic. My sister is now in her mid-50s, jobless, living on benefits and mixing with a crowd of drunks. She has no partner, no children, no possessions and no company except for her dog. Her health is ruined, though she no longer drinks. I support her financially, but our relationsh ip is rocky as she hates the fact that my father loved me. She has no contact with my mother and is to this day excluded from any family event, including my father's funeral. My mother refuses even to mention my sister. I hate her because I think that if she could manage to apologize to my sister, things might be a little better. But there is ly no chance of this. How will I be able to take care of my mother with this always standing between us? Annie Why does the author hate her mother? A. Because her mother didn't love her. B. Because her mother didn't treat her sister well. C. Because her mother got married again. D. Because her mother never took her on holiday. Answer: B There are four seasons in a year in China. February, March, and April make the spring season. .May, June and July make the summer season. August, September and October make the autumn season.. November, December and January make the winter season.. Near the North Pole there are only two seasons. They are winter and summer. The nights in winter are very long. For more than two months you can't see the sun, even at noon. In summer the days are long. For more than two months the sun never sets, and there is no night. In the tropics there are also two seasons: a rainy season and a dry season. Autumn in China _ . A. cool B. lasts from September to November C. is hot D. the days are less than two months Answer: A The chemical reaction of ethane and oxygen produces carbon dioxide and water. Which is the best form to identify reactants and products of the reaction? A. a table B. a graph C. a diagram D. an equation Answer: D A blue colored item will only reflect A. all colors in the spectrum B. only the color white C. a combination of colors D. an exact matching color Answer: D
Question: Scotland has long been characterized as a land of romance. It contains ruins of many ancient castles and abbeys,and there is an attractive beauty in its mountains,long deep valleys,and ribbon lakes.Each year those things attract a great number of tourists. Numerous islands line the coast.In the north are two large groups,the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands.Close to the west coast are the Inner and Outer Hebrides groups,and the islands of Arran and Bute. The land may be divided into three regions: the Highlands in the north,the Central Lowlands and the Southern Uplands. The Highlands are wild and picturesque . A long valley called Glenmore crosses the Highlands from southwest to northeast. In the south of the Highlands are the Grampian Mountains,highest in the British Isles. Ben Nevis,the highest peak,rises to 1,243 meters.Ben Lomond rises from the shore of Loch Lomond,Scotland's largest freshwater lake. The Central Lowlands run from southwest to northeast and the greatest length is nearly 145 kilometers.The soil here is fertile,and there are four coalfields underlying the area.In the east is Edinburgh,Scotland's historic capital city,and in the west is Glasgow. Almost 90 percent of Scotland's population live in the Lowlands. In the Southern Uplands, the hills are generally less than 600 meters high. Their rounded or flat tops are often _ with dark peat . Along the slopes are plants like grass and heather . According to the text, all the following things attract many tourists to Scotland EXCEPT _ . A. ruins of ancient castles and abbeys B. mountains and valleys C. various animals and plants D. ribbon lakes Answer: C Question: He met her at a party. She was outstanding; many guys were after her, but nobody paid any attention to him. After the party, he invited her for coffee. She was surprised, so as not to appear rude, she went along. As they sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything and she felt uncomfortable. Suddenly, he asked the waiter, "Could you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee." They stared at him. He turned red, but when the salt came, he put it in his coffee and drank. Curious, she asked, "Why salt with coffee?" He explained, "When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea. I liked playing on the sea. I could feel it salty, like salty coffee. Now every time I drink it, I think of my childhood and my hometown. I miss it and my parents, who are still there." She was deeply moved. A man who can admit that he's homesick must love his home and care about his family. He must be responsible. She talked too, about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was the start to their love story. They continued to date. She found that he met all her requirements. He was tolerant, kind, warm and careful. And to think she would have missed the catch if not for the salty coffee! So they married and lived happily together. And every time she made coffee for him, she put in some salt, the way he liked it. After 40 years, he passed away and left her a letter which said: My dearest, please forgive my life-long lie. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous that I asked for salt instead of sugar. It was hard for me to ask for a change, so I just went ahead. I never thought that we would hit it off. Many times, I tried to tell you the truth, but I was afraid that it would ruin everything.Sweetheart, I don't exactly like salty coffee. But as it mattered so much to you, I've learnt to enjoy it. Having you with me was my greatest happiness. If I could live a second time, I hope we can be together again, even if it means that I have to drink salty coffee for the rest of my life. The best title for the passage might be _ . A. A Life-long Lie B. Salty Coffee C. A Mistake for Love D. A Homesick Man Answer: B Question: Visitors to London often eat in restaurants. The owners and workers in them are all from other countries. The visitors say in these restaurants they don't feel they are in England. Most of English people eat at home as much as they can. Sometimes they themselves will think they are in another country when they are in restaurants. When an Englishman goes out of a restaurant, he may find that he doesn't understand why everything is written in French and Italian. Most of English people think it is better to eat at home, because it is cheaper. They don't want to spend much money on food and they like cooking at home. They like fast food. But for Christmas, they will spend two or three weeks getting ready for it, because they want to have good food. _ ,English people will spend much time for Christmas. A. In order to get more food B. In order to have much food C. In order to get good food D. In order to have enough food Answer: C Question: Many expels say that Billy Wilder changed the history of American movies.He is often called the best movie maker Hollywood has ever had. He was known for making movies that offered sharp social comment and adult sexual situations.Wilder was one of the first directors to do this. Between the middle 1930s and the 1980s,Billy Wilder made almost fifty movies.During that time he received more than twenty nominations from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.He won six of the Oscar awards.Wilder made famous movies like"Sunset Boulevard".and"Double Indemnity."He also directed"The Lost Weekend",and"The Seven Year Itch." Wilder was born in 1906 in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.He started law school in Vienna,Austria at the beginning.Then he decided to abandon the major.By the 1920s,he was writing movies in Germany.However,the Nazis had risen to power in the nation.Wilder was Jewish,and he recognized that he had no future in Nazi Germany.Then he left Europe for America. Billy Wilder had only eleven dollars when he arrived to settle in the United States in 1934.He formed a writing team with Charles Brackett.The two writers created many films together. Wilder and Brackett wrote several successful movies.Wilder always praised this man as a friend and teacher whose humor and expert direction greatly influenced his work. In his love stories.Billy Wilder did not follow the Hollywood tradition of sweet boy-meets-girl situations.He had an unusual way of showing relations between men and women.For example,one of his most successful films was"Hold Back the Dawn."In 1944,Billy Wilder made a film called"Double Indemnity."Some critics said this movie established him as one of the greatest Hollywood directors.Billy Wilder died in Los Angeles in 2002 after battling health problems. For what purpose does the author use the example"Hold Back the Dawn"? A. To explain it's a most successful film. B. To show Wilder's different directing style. C. To argue the traditional influence on Wilder's film. D. To indicate Wilder's unusual character. Answer: B Question: Several years ago, I had to replace a receptionist for my unit. Before I advertised for the position, I was approached by another manager, and asked ifl would consider a transfer from his staffinstead of opening a new competition. My natural question was to ask who he wanted me to consider and why. It appeared from his description of this employee, Maria, that she was having a lot of problems performing her duties, and had difficulties with her boss, and did not appear to respond to any attempts he, the manager, had made to settle the issues. Now, after listening to his explanation, I really had severe doubts. What crossed my mind, after this discussion, was that he wanted me to take a problem off his hands. I told him I would think about it and would let him know the next day. As promised, after thinking more about this potential performance issue, I decided that I would agree to speak with Maria privately before I made any decision. And, what I found out during this interview, left me deep in thought. As it tumed out, the performance issue appeared to result from working for a boss who never extended a good morning. greeting, never gave a word of encouragement, and was constantly changing the work load and routines. The end result was a totally ruined employee who was unconfident, hated to see a new work day start. I decided to accept her transfer to my unit. What started out as a shy, withdrawn and frightened employee turned out to be one of the most productive and loyal employee that I had eyer worked with. Maria couldn't do enough and was constantly asking for more and for more responsibility. I was morethan happy to give her what she needed-praise for work well done, respect as a person, and encouragement for doing well in anything she dealt with. Sometimes, we are guilty of holding others back from accomplishing or doing, or developing as they should or could. It may be a wise idea that we all look in the mirror, from time to time, to seewhat we are really like. The writer probably believes that a good boss should _ . A. praise and award his employees a lot B. respect, praise and encourage his employees C. greet his employees and give them much work D. always give his employees guidance in working Answer: B
People are being lured onto Facebook with the promise of a fun, free service without realizing they're paying for it by giving up large amounts of personal information. Facebook then attempts to make money by selling their data to advertisers that want to send targeted messages. Most Facebook users don't realize this is happening. Even if they know what the company is up to, they still have no idea what they're paying for Facebook because people don't really know what their personal data is worth. The biggest problem, however, is that the company keeps changing the rules. Early on, you keep everything private. That was the great thing about facebook--you could create your own little private network. Last year, the company changed its privacy rules so that many things-- your city, your photo, your friends' names--were set, by default to be shared with everyone on the Internet. According to Facebook's vice-president Elliot Schrage, the company is simply making changes to improve its service, and if people don't share information, they have a "less satisfying experience". Some critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money. Its original business model, which involved selling ads and putting them at the side of the page, totally failed. Who wants to look at ads when they're online connecting with their friends? The privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington. In April. Senator Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy. He also urged the Federal Trade Commission to set guidelines for social-networking sites."I think the senator rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them," Schrage admits. I suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy, it's only the beginning, which is why I'm considering deactivating my account. Facebook is a handy site, but I'm upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don't know. That's too high a price to pay. Why does the author plan to cancel his Facebook account? A He is dissatisfied with its current service. B He finds many of its users untrustworthy. C He doesn't want his personal data to be used in a wrong way. D He is upset by its frequent rule changes. Answer: C Grandparents Answer a Call As a third generation native of Brownsville, Texas, Mildred Garza never pleased move away. Even when her daughter and son asked her to move to San Antonio to help their children, she politely refused. Only after a year of friendly discussion did Ms Gaf finally say yes. That was four years ago. Today all three generations regard the move to a success, giving them a closer relationship than they would have had in separate cities. No statistics show the number of grandparents like Garza who are moving closer to the children and grandchildren. Yet there is evidence suggesting that the trend is growing. Even President Obama's mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, has agreed to leave Chicago and into the White House to help care for her granddaughters. According to a study grandparents. com, 83 percent of the people said Mrs. Robinson's decision will influence the grandparents in the American family. Two-thirds believe more families will follow the example of Obama's family. "In the 1960s we were all a little wild and couldn't get away from home far enough fast enough to prove we could do it on our own,"says Christine Crosby, publisher of grate magazine for grandparents. "We now realize how important family is and how important to be near them, especially when you're raising children." Moving is not for everyone. Almost every grandparent wants to be with his or her grandchildren and is willing to make sacrifices, but sometimes it is wiser to say no and visit frequently instead. Having your grandchildren far away is hard, especially knowing your adult child is struggling, but giving up the life you know may be harder. What did Crosby say about people in the 1960s? A They were unsure of themselves. B They were eager to raise more children. C They wanted to live away from their parents. D They had little respect for their grandparent. Answer: C There are many kinds of animals in the zoo. Look! There are two lions. They are very big and smart. Near them there is a small elephant. She is from Africa. She likes to eat grass. Oh, is there a koala? Of course. There is a two-year-old koala. He always sleeps in the day and at night he gets up and eats leaves. I like pandas best. There is one in the zoo. She is five years old. She is very beautiful, but she's very shy. Do you like her? These lions are very _ . A shy B beautiful C friendly D smart Answer: D Jim found birds living among A gravel B space C cactus D ocean floor Answer: C When Harvard was founded in 1636, there were no other colleges in the American colonies, and it would become the model for many of those that followed. When it began requiring applicants to take a test known as the SAT in 1935, Harvard started another trend. Two years ago, after it announced an aggressive new financial-aid policy, it helped push social class to the center of the national debate over higher education and forced two of its main competitors, Stanford and Yale, to follow its lead. Last week. Harvard began to make another effort to affect higher education in its image, its president, Derek Bok, announced that the college would abandon its early admissions program, which for decades has allowed high school seniors to apply in October and get an answer yes, no or maybe - in December, shortly before the regular deadline for applications. Harvard officials argue that the program is beneficial to rich students who don't need to compare financial-aid offers from various colleges. After the announcement, many people within education urged other colleges to take a similar step. "We're thrilled," said Laurie Kobick, a college counselor at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va. "I think it's going to make admissions better in so many different ways. It will indeed go a small way toward leveling the field among applicants. Of course, it will also have an effect on colleges, and the biggest winner will almost certainly be Harvard. a fact that may prevent many other colleges - perhaps all of them - from following Hazard this time. Because any college that does so will risk losing some of its best applicants." Early admissions program is good for rich students because _ . A they have more chances to enter college B they can enter college with a lower score C they have special right to be admitted into college D they have no problem in supporting their studies Answer: D
A baby carrier is like a backpack for carrying a baby. Ann Moore introduced the idea of a baby carrier to American people nearly 50 years ago. Ann spent two years in Africa in the early 1960s. She worked as a nurse there. Ann saw babies wrapped in bright cloth tied to their mothers' backs. The babies snuggled close to their mothers, and the mothers could use their hands to do other things. In 1964, Ann had her own baby. She tried making a carrier like the one African mothers used. The carrier was like a backpack. Everywhere Ann went with her baby in the carrier, people asked, "Where can I buy one?" In 1965, Ann and her mother began to sell handmade carriers. Ann received a patent for the baby carrier in 1969. By that time, the baby carrier had leg holes and straps that could be made longer or shorter. It could also be worn on the back or front. By 1979, the baby carriers were made in a factory. These baby carriers cost less to make and more than 25,000 were sold every month. When Ann made her first baby carrier, she just wanted to keep her baby close and still have her hands free to do other things. Now all over the world babies ride in baby carriers, close to their parents, safe and happy. ,. What's the passage mainly about? Answer: The mother of the baby carrier. Gina's sister lives in England. She knows something about China on TV. But she wants to know more. So she is looking forward to visiting China. She will have a holiday next week. She is going to visit Beijing because she likes Chinese culture. She is going there by plane and then stay in a hotel. In Beijing she is going to do sightseeing, and visit the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and walk up the Great Wall. Gina's sister also likes animals. She likes Chinese pandas very much. So she is going to visit Beijing Zoo to see the pandas there and take some photos of them. On the last day in Beijing she is going shopping. She wants to buy Gina a present. She knows that Gina likes Chinese silk and Chinese paintings. Why is Gina's sister looking forward to visiting China? Because _ . Answer: she is going to know something more about China With fifteen years prefix = st1 /Britainand other nations should be well on with the building of huge industrial complexes for the recycling of waste . The word rubbish could lose its meaning because everything which goes into the dumps would be made into something useful . Even the most dangerous and unpleasant wastes would provide energy if nothing else . The latest project is to take a city of around half a million inhabitants and discover exactly what raw materials go into it and what go out . The aim is to find out how much of these raw materials could be provided if a plant for recycling waste were built just outside the city . This plant would recycle not only metal such as steel , lead and copper , but also paper and rubber as well . Another new project is being set up to discover the best ways of sorting and separating the rubbish . When this project is complete , the rubbish will be processed like this : First , it will pass through sharp metal bars which will tear open the plastic bags in which rubbish is usually packed ; then it will pass through a powerful fan to separate the lightest elements from the heavy solids ; after that founders and rollers will break up everything that can be broken . Finally , the rubbish will pass under magnets , which will remove the bits of iron and steel ; the rubber and plastic will then be sorted out in the final stage . The first full-scale giant recycling plants are perhaps fifteen years away . Indeed , with the growing cost of transporting rubbish to more distant dumps , some big cities will be forced to build their own recycling plants before long . What's the main reason for big cities to build their own recycling plants ? Answer: To deal with wastes in a better way . Children who see their parents drunk are twice likely to get drunk themselves, a survey of young teenagers has suggested. Poor parental supervision also raises the chances of teenage drinking, said the Joesph Rowntree Foundation. If parents don't know where their children are on a Saturday night, or let them watch films of violence, they are more likely to have had an alcoholic drink. The survey also found the behavior of friends is also a powerful factor in drinking habits. The more time teenagers spend with friends, the more likely they are to drink alcohol. In this survey of 5,700 children aged 13 to 16, carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, researchers found that one in five wanted to have a drink by the time they were 14. By the age of 16, half of those questioned said they had been drunk. Pamela Bremner, scientist of the survey, said, "For the first time in the UK, this study shows what most influences young people's drinking behavior." "It found that the behavior of friends and family is the most common influential factor in determining how likely and how often a young person will drink alcohol." Don Shenker, Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern, said, "Government ministers must also look at some of the causes of why it is so easy for children to get alcohol, usually from the home." "Governments should look to see if they've done everything they can to help the large supermarkets from continuing to sell cheap alcohol which encourages more alcohol sales and therefore results in more alcohol being stored in the home." The Royal College of Physicians also said it was not surprising that being able to get alcohol easily was an important factor on current drinking problems and drunkenness of teenagers. A statement said, "This shows that the government needs to focus more attention on increasing the price of alcohol, and increasing education and national campaigns for both young people and their families on the dangers of alcohol." How many teenagers admitted that they had been drunk in the survey carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation? Answer: About 2800. Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963--February 11, 2012)was an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Often referred to as the "Queen of Pop"or simply "the Voice". Houston was the most awarded female actress of all time. According to Guinness World Record 22American Music Awards, among a total of 415 career award as of 2010. Houston was also one of the world's best-selling music artists, artists, having sold over 170 million albums and singles worldwide. Born in what was then a middle-income neighborhood in New Jersey, Houston began singing in a junior gospel choir at age 11.After she began performing alongside in night clubs in New York City, she was discovered by Arista Records head Clive Davis, who had an impact on her as a singer and performer. Houston was the only artist to chart seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits. She was the second artist behind Elton John and the only female artist to nave two number-one Billboard 200 Album awards on the Billboard magazine year-end charts. How Will I Know _ her fans and audience and even several African-American female artists to follow in her footsteps. Houston's first acting role was as the star of the feature film The Bodyguard (1992). The film's original soundtrack won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Its lead single, I Will Always Love You became the best-selling single by a female artist in music history. Three years after the release of her fourth studio album. My Love Is Your Love (1998), she renewed her recording contract with Arista Records. She released her fifth studio album. Just Whitney, in 2002, and the Christmas-themed One Wish: The Holiday Album in 2003. In 2009. Houston released her seventh and final studio album. I Look to You. Houston died of causes yet to be determined on February 11,2012. Later this year her film Sparkle will be released into theaters. Which of the following statements about Whitney Elizabeth Houston is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: She was regarded as the most-awarded female actress of all time.
We are always attracted by the sea. From it we can get food, minerals and treasures. For thousands of years, we just sailed on it but couldn't go far under its surface. We want to explore deep into the sea. However, we are not fish. We must breathe, so we can't stay underwater for long. To explore deep water, we face even more dangers and problems. A diver trying to stay underwater for a long time must breathe air or a special mixture of gases. He can wear a diving suit and have air pumped to him from above. He can carry a tank of air on his back and breathe through a special pipe. Water weighs 800 times as much as air. Tons of water pushes against a diver deep in the sea, so his body is under great pressure. When a diver is under great pressure, his blood takes in some of the gases he breathes. As he rises to the surface, the water pressure becomes less. If the diver rises too quickly, the gases in his blood form bubbles . The diver is then suffering from a kind of illness. This kind of illness can cause a diver great pains and even kill him. The text is mainly about _ . A. special mixture of gases in the deep sea B. the problems a diver faces in the deep sea C. air pressure under the surface of sea water D. a kind of illness that a diver suffers in the sea Answer: B We feel it important to start reading to your child right from the start -the younger the better! With little ones(children from birth to 4)it is very important to read and reread books.Starting early makes the job of _ (for you will be teaching your child how to listen) easier,as it helps to develop an early love of the written and spoken word. We believe that you should read aloud to your child at least once every day .Set a special reading time during the day or evening when you can settle down and enjoy a book,without interruption.For most families,reading aloud at bedtime is a common practice. We understand that it can be quite discouraging to read to a child who takes no interest .Take heart! Learning to listen takes experience .The more you read ,the more your child will learn to sit for a story .Children have a natural development of responses to your reading .By the time your child reaches6-7 months,she/he is attracted by the book in your hand ,and would like to test it out by using it as a chew toy.This is natural! By one year,your child is learning to listen and talk about the pages,often shouting out things she/he recognizes.Encourage this! And at the onset of walking ,you have your biggest challenge yet.your child is always on the go.you need to set your reading time for a time in the day when your child is preparing to settle down.This means bedtime.Remember,it is your right and duty to teach your child about the power of books.Of course ,it doesn't happen overnight,but the returns are great! The best time of the day to read stories to a child is _ . A. when the child is still active in the early evening B. when the parents finish the day's housework C. when the child has a chew toy to play with D. when the child is quiet and peaceful Answer: D John wanted to buy some new clothes, so he went to a shop. First he asked for some trousers and put them on, but then he took them off and gave them back to the shopkeeper and said, "No, give me a coat instead of these trousers." The man gave him a coat and said "This one costs the same as the trousers." John took the coat and walked out of the shop. The shopkeeper ran after him and said, "You have not paid for the coat!" "But I gave you the trousers for the coat," said John. "They cost the same as the coat, aren't they?" "Yes," said the shopkeeper, "But you didn't pay for the trousers!" "Of course I didn't!" answered John, "I didn't take them, I am not stupid! Nobody gives things back and then pays for them." John went to a shop _ A. getting some new trousers B. for some new shirt. C. To buy some new shoes D. For some new clothes. Answer: D Most cultures have a feast or festival of light. Each culture celebrates this festival in a different way. The Jewish Festival of Light is called Hanukkah. It usually takes place in December. The story of why Hanukkah is celebrated is very old. It is told that a long time ago, Jewish people called the Macabees were at war with a country called Syria. On the day that the Macabees won the war, they cleaned up their holy place, which is called a temple, because the Syrian people had been living there. They wanted to light their holy lamps to say thank you for the end of the year, but found only a very small amount of oil left over to do that. The Macabees lit the lamps anyway, thinking that they would soon go out. The lamps kept burning for eight days! The Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah every year by lighting a candlestick that has eight candleholders. Every night a new candle is lit so that on the eighth night, all eight candles stand together. Presents are given at this time and money is given to the poor. The Christmas story is not quite as old as the Hanukkah story, but it is also very old. Christmas is the time when Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is believed that Christ was born in a stable. On the night of his birth, angels, shepherds and three wise men visited him. The wise men brought gifts with them. This is a happy and busy time of the year. Homes are decorated with Christmas trees and decorations. It is a time for being with the family. Families travel long distances to gather at Christmas. Lots of lights are put up everywhere. This is to show that Jesus is the"Light of the world"who came to bring peace to all people. Lanterns are another form of light. In China, the Lantern Festival goes back to the Han Dynasty. One emperor heard that Buddhist monks would light lanterns to _ Buddha on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month;so he also ordered to light lanterns in the imperial palace and temples to show respect to Buddha on the day. Later, the rite developed into a grand festival among common people. During the festival, parks become a sea of lanterns. Sometimes streets are blocked off and lanterns are put down on each side to make a hallway of lanterns. People also hang lanterns in their gardens, outside their houses or on boats. It is believed that the lanterns will guide visitors and the spirits of ancestors to the celebrations. The Lantern Festival is a time for families to reunite. What is the theme shared by all the three festivals? A. The decoration of the world. B. The wish for peace and happiness in the world. C. Celebrating the end of the year. D. Inviting the spirits of the ancestors to the celebration. Answer: B Jay Kohl, an American student, posted an online advertisement two weeks ago searching for a Chinese family to stay with so that he can learn the language and culture. "I'm a clean, non-smoking, and warm-hearted American man looking for a homestay in the Wudaokou area to improve my Chinese language skills," he wrote. "I'm willing to offer help with English tutoring and even can help you with applying for foreign universities." He still hasn't found a suitable home. "Most of the families that contacted me seem to be interested in doing business instead of cultural exchange," he said. "I think I might have to rent an apartment in the end." Kohl isn't the only foreigner finding it difficult to find a homestay in Beijing. Michael Benson, who wants to come to Beijing in September, has also faced the same problem. Why is finding a homestay family so difficult? Beijing Today _ a Chinese teacher, Jessie Xi, who has been teaching foreign students at the University of International Business and Economics for more than six years. Xi has accepted many homestays, and from her own experience and what she's been told, she said there were four major problems visitors may meet when applying for homestays. Problem 1:Having too high expectation for language improvement. Problem 2: Considering oneself as a guest instead of a family member. Problem 3: Not making clear what a family's rules are beforehand. Problem 4; Overly high demands for the living environment. The best title of the passage might be _ . A. A few things to know about the local families B. Suggestions for renting apartments in Beijing C. How to search for a Chinese family to stay with D. Why to find a homestay in Beijing so difficult Answer: D
"The Voice" has become a major player in the TV talent-show stages, as the show has become NBC's biggest entertainment prime-time program of 2012. In addition to being a hit in the ratings, "The Voice" is also a hit with critics and Emmy voters: The second season of the show , which _ from February to May 2012, has earned the 2012 Critics' Choice Award for Best Realty-Series Competition and an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program. All the original coaches are back for the third season in a row: Christina Aguilera, Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton. The show's other on-air talent returning for Season 3 are host/producer Carson Daly and social media reporter Christina Milian, who has been with the show since Season 2. The grand prize for the winner is also the same: a record deal with Universal Republic Records. The third season of "The Voice" features two big new changes: "steals", in which the coaches can steal contestants who have been rejected from another coach's team, and "knockout rounds". In the "battle rounds," two contestants face off in a duet of a song chosen by their coach. When a contestant is rejected from a team after a battle round, another coach has the option to "steal" the contestant for his or her team. If more than one coach wants the same contestant, then the contestant gets to choose the coach. In the "knockout rounds," two contestants face off by each doing a different song of the contestant's choice, and coaches can no longer "steal" a contestant who is rejected. Season 3 will also have a new group of four advisers, who are each paired with a coach: Green Day lead singer with Aguilera; Mary J. Blige with Levine; Michael Buble with Shelton; and Matchbox Twenty lead singer Rob Thomas with Green. At an August 2012 press event held at "The Voice" executive producer Mark Burnett's home in Malibu, California, members of the media gathered for a press conference with Burnett, Aguilera, Green, Shelton, Levine, Daly and Milian to discuss changes in the show and what the future holds for "The Voice." On which section of a newspaper will you read this passage? A Finance B Current affairs C Tech D Entertainment Answer: D. Entertainment Although travelers can try dishes from around China and the globe in well-known food cities like Beijing and Shanghai, it is outside these major metropolises where a world of exciting Chinese cuisine awaits the true foodie . With this in mind and after three years of living in China and writing about Chinese food, I started a six-month journey with my husband and two daughters. Here are four of the eight most amazing Chinese food cities I've come across so far. The list is in no particular order. 1. Chengdu, Sichuan Province Crowned as Asia's first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in 2010, Chengdu is best-known for its fiery hot pot and spicy dishes, which are characterized by the use of Sichuan pepper and are usually layered with salty, sour and sweet flavors. There are also dishes that aren't spicy at all, such as beer-braised duck. Hot pot is as _ in the city as the smell of chili. At Zigong Delicious Hotpot, the house specialty tiaoshui wa is a cauldron of fiery chili to which vegetables, noodles or other meats can be added. For a real taste of Sichuan's signature pepper, hua jiao, spend a morning at the Chengdu Spice Market where the locals sell and buy it by the sack. 2. Lanzhou, Gansu Province Synonymous in the minds of food-lovers with hand-pulled beef noodles, Lanzhou also has one of the liveliest street food night markets in China. Just west of the city center, the buzzing Zhengning Road bazaar houses more than 100 street food stalls. Available is a broad selection of hot and cold dishes with emphasis on local Hui cuisine. No trip to Lanzhou is complete without feasting on noodles at Wumule Penhui, the 2012 winners of Lanzhou's annual pulled noodle competition. The halal restaurant makes noodles spicy enough to satisfy even the most hardened heat-seekers. 3. Guangzhou, Guangdong Province The birthplace of Cantonese food, Guangzhou is thought by many as the best place to eat in China. The city of 12 million has a passionate food culture, with equal excitement reserved for the opening of a hole-in-the-wall congee joint and a high-end restaurant. The local cuisine is characterized by fresh clean flavors , seafood, barbecued meats and the wonderful tradition of yum cha, which is tea drinking accompanied by dumplings and small dishes. Congee is the way locals love to start their day, and one of the most popular vendors is Ru Xuan Sha Guo Zhou. Here, one can get a bowl of signature seafood congee any hour of the day. Roast meats are Bing Sheng's most popular order--their roast goose is marinated with five-spice, boiled, air-dried, then roasted by a flame oven to give a crisp skin. For something more home style and removed from the madness of downtown, head to Ji Cun for steamed chicken and simple farmer-style dishes. 4. Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province This ancient canal city is home to huangjiu, an amber-colored rice wine that's important in Chinese cooking. Open since 1894, the dining chain is known by almost every Chinese for its appearance in early 20th century novels by Chinese literati Lu Xun. Xianheng's delicacies include crispy-skinned chicken, smoked red dates in rice wine, beans flavored with fennel , and crispy bream in rice wine. Fried fermented tofu is also a local specialty, which is available all over town at small street stalls including one just outside Xianheng. If a fresh clean flavor is to a foodie's taste, which couple of cities is he likely to make a trip to? A Chengdu, Lanzhou B Lanzhou, Guangzhou C Guangzhou, Shaoxing D Shaoxing, Chengdu Answer: C. Guangzhou, Shaoxing Rumor is the most primitive way of spreading stories--- by passing them on from mouth to mouth, but civilized countries in normal times have better sources of news than rumor. They have radio, television, and newspapers. In times of confusion ( ), however, rumor appears and becomes widespread. At such times the different kinds of news are in competition: the press, television, and radio against the . Especially do rumors spread when war requires control on many important matters. The normal news sources no longer give out enough information. Since the people can not learn through legal channels all that they are anxious to learn, they pick up "news" wherever they can and when this happens, rumor grows. Rumors are often repeated even by those who do not believe the tales. There is an interest about them. The reason is that the cleverly designed rumor gives expression to something deep in the hearts of the victims -- the fears, doubts, forbidden hopes, or daydreams which they hesitate to voice directly. Pessimistic rumors about defeat and disasters show that the people who repeat them are worried and anxious. Optimistic rumors about record production or peace soon come point to self- satisfaction or confidence--and often to over-confidence. The author suggests that, in times of confusion, man often _ . A stops regular news services B turns to primitive ways for support C distrusts his fellow man D loses complete control of himself Answer: B. turns to primitive ways for support Dear Mary, I'm sorry to hear that you didn't get good grades in math mid-term exam. And you said you spend a lot of time studying math. However, it is difficult for you to learn it well. I think you should find a right way to learn it. Here is my advice for you. During the class * Listen to the teacher and be sure to write down everything the teacher puts on the blackboard. * If you don't understand a step or how to get the answer to the question, ask the teacher or a classmate for help right now. * Underline key points while taking notes. After the class * Recopy each day's notes into a new notebook clearly. * Do your homework every day carefully. And don't copy other students' homework. * If a step is unclear or you don't know how to do it, ask for help soon. _ * Look for useful examples of how this kind of difficult problem is used in your textbook or other materials Before exam * Review all of your notes quickly and find out every missing problem at times. * Work examples in the text each several times until you can do them quickly. This will help you improve the speed needed for the exam. If you do as I said, I think you will get good grades in the final exam. Come on! Mary. Which of the following ways is not mentioned in the passage? A Be sure to write down everything the teacher puts on the blackboard. B Underline key points while taking notes during the class. C Work examples in the text each several times until you can do them quickly before the exam. D Put up your hand if you don't know how to do it. Answer: D. Put up your hand if you don't know how to do it. Where have all the boys gone?You may be able to find them in the gym, at work or hanging out, but there's where boys are underrepresented, and the problem seems to be getting worse. These days, at high school graduation ceremonies, there are a lot more girls than boys. In fact, every year, 10 percent more girls graduate from high school than boys. "I think that there's a tendency to focus on boys as problems at this point, rather than recognize that boys have problems," says Joanne Max, PhD. Experts say the problems start in grade school, where there's often an emphasis on sports instead of reading, for example. "I think that with boys there's some idea that it's not masculine to read," says Rob Jenkins, an English professor. There's also a shortage of male teachers as role models. "I think boys need role models, so if you're a boy and you don't have a dad in your home and then you have one male teacher and it's your athletic coach then I don't think you have a message that education is very important," says Carol Carter, another expert. In addition, classrooms often have too little activity and too much passive listening, which is not conducive to boys' learning. Experts say parents can fight back in many ways. Read to your sons early and often; show by your actions that you value their education. Ask them about their schoolwork, offer help, drop by their classroom and finally, appeal to their competitive spirit: challenge them to do better and help them understand that their future depends on it. According to experts,parents should do the following except _ . A often read to their sons when they are young B keep an eye on their sons' studies at school C encourage their sons to compete with others D prevent their sons from taking part in sports Answer: D. prevent their sons from taking part in sports
Podcasting is like radio broadcasting, except that it uses the Internet. Anyone with a computer and a microphone can record a show about any subject. Anyone with a computer and an MP3 player can download the podcasts and listen. Podcasting does require some technical knowledge, but not very much. Many education-related podcasts are aimed at college students. But a growing number is created for, and by, students in middle school and high school. At mountain View Alternative High School in prefix = st1 /Centreville,Virginia, the students have spent several weeks preparing for their project. They have written their stories. And they have recorded music and other sound to use in their podcasts. Next, they bring together the different elements on a computer. Their teachers help by offering comments and suggestions. The students have made decisions about how to present their information. They have decided how it will be read, and how other sound will be used. Some students decide to read their story themselves. Others choose to create a different effect by having someone else read parts of _ . Through voices, music and sound effects, the students are able to create something deeply personal. With podcasting, students are using their skills in writing, reading and public speaking. At the same time, they are learning several new skills. They learn to work with the computer programs that are used for podcasting. They also gain experience in communications, broadcasting and problem-solving. Podcasts are being used in English classes and social studies, as well as foreign language classes. Being able to listen to recordings of their own voices helps students to hear mistakes. There are tens of thousands of podcasts on the Internet. They can be found on almost any subject, from current events of financial planning and poetry. People are now recording their thoughts on just about everything. The follow statements are all true EXCEPT that_. Linda and David have traveled by air from London to Sydney, Australia. Linda has promised her mother that she will ring her to let her know that they have arrived safely. This is something she had done ever since she was a child. David thinks it is not a good idea to ring so far, to spend too much, and to say so little. "If there were an accident. " He says, 'they'd know soon enough. Bad news travels fast. " But Linda has promised that she would ring. "However," she says, "'it doesn't cost much when you just think that it's the other side of the world. It's only six pence per second . " "If you're on that telephone for less than one minute, I'll eat my hat,' David says, "And one minute's nearly four pounds. " "That's no more than you'd pay for a new hat," ''Linda answers. She has asked the man at the hotel desk to get her the number. The telephone rings. Linda picks it up. "Hello, Mum. Is that you ?" She says. "Six pence per second," David reminds her. "Hello, love. " It is Mrs Lee, Linda's mother, speaking from London. "I can hear you very clearly just like you are in the next room. It's a better line than when you called me from your office. Do you remember? I shouted at that time, and still you couldn't hear me sometimes. " "Yes, Mum. "Linda puts in. . "I just wanted to ring to ....... " "I remember how you rang when you went to Betty's house to eat, when you were a little girl. And then when you ..." Mrs Lee is a great talker "Nearly four pounds. " says David. Linda tries to tell her mother that it is time to say goodbye. "Yes, all right, "says Mrs Lee," But you will write, won't you, as you did when you were at work ..." Once again, Mrs Lee talks about the pass. and there is no stopping her. "Four pounds fifty, 'says David. At last, Linda cuts her mother short, promises to write, and rings off. "There! That wasn't long, was it ?" "Four pounds, ninety pence." David answers. "And you didn't even say that we've arrived." Linda tries to stop her mother by _ . Learning How to Learn $ 24.99 Children who read this book show great interest in study. Many pictures will help understand it easily and quickly. Basic Study Manual $ 38.50 Read this book and learn: What the three barriers to study are and what to do about them. What to do if you are fed up with a subject. Children read it to improve the ability to study. How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children $ 35.00 Read this book and learn: How to find words in a dictionary. What the different marks in a dictionary mean. How to use a dictionary to pronounce words correctly. Buy this book and help children unlock their education. What's more, you'll just pay 50% for it before July 1, 2006. Many pictures in the book "Learning How to Learn" can Paul was a student with a lot of problems.He hated school.He didn't like living with his family in the industrial city of Pittsburgh.Paul wanted to be surrounded by beautiful things.He loved his part--time job as an usher at the concert hall.He helped people find their seats before the concert.Then he could listen to the music and dream of exciting places. Paul also spent a,lot of time at the local theater.He knew many of the actors who worked there. He used to do little jobs for them.And they would let him see plays for free.Paul had little time left for his studies.So he was always in trouble with his teachers.Finally,Paul's teachers complained again to his father.His father took him out of school and made him take a job in a large company.He would not let Paul go near the concert hall or the theater. Paul did not like his job as a messenger boy.He began to plan his escape.A few weeks later,Paul's boss,Mister Denny,gave Paul a large amount of money to take to the bank.He told Paul to hurry because it was Friday afternoon.He said the bank would close soon and would not open again until Monday.At the bank,Paul took the money out of his pocket.It was five thousand dollars.Paul put the money back in his coat pocket.And he walked out of the bank.He went to the train station and bought a one--way ticket for New York City.That afternoon Paul left Pittsburgh forever. Why did Paul love his part-time job as an usher? The famous director of a big and expensive movie planned to film a beautiful sunset over the ocean, so that the audiences could see his hero and heroine in front of it at the end of the film as they said goodbye to each other for ever. He sent his camera crew out one evening to film the sunset for him. The next morning he said to the men, "Have you provided me with that sunset?" "No, sir," the men answered. The director was angry. "Why not?" he asked. "Well, sir," one of the men answered, "we're on the east coast here, and the sun sets in the west. We can get you a sunrise over the sea, if necessary, but not a sunset." "But I want a sunset!" the director shouted. "Go to the airport, take the next flight to the west coast, and get one." But then a young secretary had an idea. "Why don't you photograph a sunrise," she suggested, "and then play it backwards? Then it'll look like a sunset." "That's a very good idea!" the director said. Then he turned to the camera crew and said, "Tomorrow morning I want you to get me a beautiful sunrise over the sea." The camera crew went out early the next morning and filmed a bright sunrise over the beach in the middle of a beautiful bay. Then at nine o'clock they took it to the director. "Here it is, sir," they said, and gave it to him. He was very pleased. They all went into the studio. "All right," the director explained, "now our hero and heroine are going to say goodbye. Run the film backwards so that we can see the 'sunset' behind them." The "sunset" began, but after a quarter of a minute, the director suddenly put his face in his hands and shouted to the camera crew to stop. The birds in the film were flying backwards, and the waves on the sea were going away from the beach. Which of the following is NOT true?
Hello, boys and girls! My name is Paul. I'm 14. Tommy is my brother. He is 15. I have two good friends, Peter and Barry. Peter is 13 and Barry is 12. We all like playing sports. Peter's _ sport is baseball. He plays baseball every day. He has 9 baseballs and 6 baseball bats. Barry likes ping-pong. He has 10 ping-pong balls and 5 ping-pong bats. I like basketball and I have 3 basketballs. The four of us all like soccer and we play soccer at school after class. Tommy and I like watching TV, but our parents don't let us watch TV every day. _ is the oldest of the four boys. Answer: Tommy Football is, I believe, the most popular game in England: one has only to go to one of the important matches to see this. Rich and poor, young and old, one can see them all there, shouting for their teams. One of the most surprising things about football in England is the great knowledge of the game which even the smallest boy seems to have. He can tell you the names of the players in most of the important teams. He has pictures of them and knows the results of large numbers of matches. He will tell you who he thinks will win such a match, and his opinion is usually as good as that of men three or four times of his age. Most schools in England take football seriously -- much more seriously than nearly all European schools, where lessons are all very important and games are left for the children themselves. In England it is believed that education is not only a matter of filling a boy's mind with facts in the classroom; education also means the training of character by means of games, especially team games, where the boy or girl has to learn to work with others for his or her team instead of working for himself or herself alone. _ the school plans games and matches for its students. Football is a good team game. It is good both for the body and the mind. That is why it is every school's game in England. From the passage, we learn that _ . Answer: schools in England make use of football games for the training of character Some animals use rocks as a means of what when there is bad weather? Answer: safeguarding themselves The first newspaper was written by hand and put up on walls in public places. The earliest daily newspaper was started in Rome in 59 BC. In the 700s the world's first printed newspaper was published. Europe didn't have a regularly printed newspaper until 1609, when one was started in Germany. The first regularly published newspaper in English was printed in Amsterdam in 1620. In 1621, an English newspaper was started in London and was published once a week. The first daily English newspaper was the Daily Courant, which came out in March 1702. In 1690, Benjamin Harris printed the first American newspaper in Boston .But not long after it was first published, the government stopped the paper. In 1704, John Campbell started the Boston Newspaper, the first newspaper published daily in the American colonies . By 1760, the colonies had more than thirty daily newspapers.There are now about 1, 800 daily papers in the United States. Today, as a group, newspapers in English have the largest circulation in the world .But the largest circulation for a newspaper is that of the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun . It sells more than eleven million copies every year. What does the author want to inform us? Answer: History of newspapers * New Zealand dollars($) LANGUAGE * English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language MONEY * ATMs are widely available, especially in larger cities and towns,credit cards accepted in hotels and restaurants VISAS * Citizens of Australia, the UK and 56 other countries don't need visas for New Zea (length-of-stay vary). MOBILE PHONES * European phones will work on NZ's network, but not most American or Japanese phones. * global roaming or a local SIM card and prepaid account. DRIVING * Drive on the left; the steering wheel is on the right side of the car(...in case you can't find it). When to Go * HIGH SEASON (DEC-FEB) Summer: busy beaches, outdoor explorations, festivals, sporting events. Big-city accommodation prices rise. High season in the ski towns is winter (Jun-Aug). * SHOULDER (ATAR APR) Prime travelling time:fine weather, short queues, kids in school,warm(ish) ocean. Long evenings supping Kiwi wines and craft beers. Spring (Sep-Nov) is shoulder season too. * LOW SEASON (MAY-AUG) Head for the Southern Alps for some brilliant southern hemisphere skiing. No crowds, good accommodation deals and a seat in any restaurant. Warm-weather beach towns might be half asleep. _ * Auckland International Airport Airbus Express-24-hour Shuttle Bus24-hour door-to-door services Taxiaround$70; 45 minutes to the city * Wellington Airport Bus----Airport Flyer from 6 am to 9.30 pm Shuttle Bus-24-hour door-to-door services Taxi-around$30;20 minutes to the city * Christchurch Airport BusCity Flyer from 7.15 am to 9.15 pm Shuttle Bus24-hour door-to-door services Taxi-around $50;25 minutes to the city Driving Around New Zealand There are extensive bus networks and a couple of handy train lines crisscrossing New Zealand, but for the best scenery, flexibility and pure freedom it's hard to beat piling into a camper van or rent-a-car and hitting the open road. Scanning the map you might think that driving from A to B won't take long, but remember that many of the roads here are two-lane country byways, traversing hilly landscape in curves, crests and convolutions:always allow plenty of time to get wherever you're going. And who's in a hurry anyway? Slow down and see more of the country:explore little end-of-the-line towns, stop for a swiinlsurfi beer, and pack a Swiss Army knife for impromptu picnics at roadside produce stalls. What is the last part but one mainly about? Answer: Arriving in NZ.
What is the colour you like best? Do you like yellow, orange, red? 61 . Do you prefer greys and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy, and you would rather follow than lead. You tend to be pessimist . At least, this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of colour preference, as well as the effect that colours have on human beings. 62 . If you happen to love brown, you did so, as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly. www.ks5u.com It is an established fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or grey. Answer: They tell us, among other facts, that we do not choose our favourite colour as we grow up -- we are born with our preference. When Paul was a boy growing up in Utah, he happened to live near a copper smelter , and the chemicals that poured out had made a wasteland out of what used to be a beautiful forest. One day a young visitor looked at this wasteland and called it an awful area. Paul knocked him down. From then on, something happened inside him. Years later Paul was back in the area, and he went to the smelter office. He asked if they had any plans or if they would let him try to bring the trees back. The answer from that big industry was "No". Paul then went to college to study the science of plants. Unfortunately, his teachers said there weren't any birds or squirrels to spread the seeds. It would be a waste of his life to try to do it. Everyone knew that, he was told. Even if he was knowledgeable as he had expected, he wouldn't get his idea accepted. Paul later got married but his dream would not die. And then one night he did what he could with what he had. As Samuel Johnson wrote, "It is common to overlook what is near by keeping the eye fixed on something remote. Attainable good is often ignored by minds busied in wide ranges." Under the cover of darkness, he went secretly into the wasteland and started planting. And every week, he made his secret journey into the wasteland and planted trees and grass. For fifteen years he did this against _ . Slowly rabbits appeared. Later, as there was legal pressure to clean up the environment, the company actually hired Paul to do what he was already doing. Now the place is fourteen thousand acres of trees and grass and bushes, and Paul has received almost every environmental award Utah has. It took him until his hair turned white, but he managed to keep that impossible vow he made to himself as a child. Paul went to college to study the science of plants, because _ . Answer: he thought his knowledge would make his advice more convincing 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. Why can the kind of fish live up to now? Answer: Because the liquid it sends out can help it escape from its enemies. A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men aboard were able to swim to a small, desert-like island. Not knowing what else to do, the two survivors agreed that they had no alternativethan to pray to God. However, to find out whose prayers were more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island. The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the island, and he was able to eat its fruit. But the other man's parcel of land remained _ . After a week, the first man became lonely and decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the island. But on the other side of the island, there was nothing. Soon thereafter the first man prayed for a house, clothes and more food. The next day, like magic, all of these things were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing. Finally, the first man prayed for a ship so that he and his wife could leave the island, and in the morning he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island, considering the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings since none of his prayers had been answered. As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from Heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?" "My blessings are mine alone since I was the one who prayed for them," the first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he doesn't deserve anything." "You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings." "Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?" "He prayed that all your prayers would be answered." For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us. So what you do for others is more important than what you do for yourself. What's the moral of the story? Answer: Helping others is helping ourselves. As a father, I always do my best to help my son, Peter. I like to help him with his study. I encourage him to join team sports. I send him to the summer camp if he wants to go. I also teach him to be both a good student and a useful man. He used to make me feel proud. I often thought he was the best son and I was the best father in the world. However, things changed two years ago. It was Peter's 12th birthday. My wife and I bought him a computer as a present. We thought it was necessary for him to learn how to use a computer in the modern world. We knew that some children were addicted to computer games and that they didn't study or work at all. Someone said that computers and the Internet were bad for children, but I didn't worry about it. I trusted my son. I believed that he could control himself. Peter did very well at first. He played computer games, but for only two hours every week. Most of the time he studied or wrote articles on the computer. We felt very happy to see that. When we finally learned that Peter was also addicted to computer games, it was too late. He didn't like studying at all. He no longer joined team sports. Sometimes we even couldn't find him at night. He spent several days and nights at the Internet cafe. We tried everything to help him, but nothing worked. What should we do? How old is Peter now? Answer: 14 years old.
Question: On the first day of college our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. She said, "Hi, handsome! My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?" I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you can!" and she gave me a giant squeeze. "Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked. She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel." "No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age. "I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me. After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We instantly became friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk non-stop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. At the year end, Rose finished the degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral to pay their respects to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possible be. Why did Rose go to college at her age? A. She wanted to marry a rich husband. B. It was her dream to receive college education. C. She wanted to change her present situation. D. She wanted to get a Bachelor Degree. Answer: B Question: _ .The old English language, or old English, is quite different from Modern English.If we do not study old English, we can't understand it.Some of the words are the same, but many are not used now.The story of the English language begins some time after the year 400 AD.At this time, some people came to England from North-west Europe.There were many groups of people.They were called Angles , Saxons and Jutes ,whose language, old English, is like some of the modern language of North-West Europe.In old English, the ending had many meanings.They showed past time and present time and many other things.In Modern English, most of these endings are gone.This is the biggest difference between Old and Modern English. What does the first sentence of the passage mean? A. The story of English language often changes. B. English is a language that has changed a lot as time passes by. C. The old English language has changed into Modern English. D. The story of English language is one of how people change the language. Answer: B Question: Television is good. You'd like to watch it all day and all night. But too much TV is a very bad thing. Scientists found that kids who watch too much TV may have more trouble learning to read. They can't focus on their work. Kids learn language skills best by reading, talking and playing with others. If they spend too much time watching TV, they'll have less time for those things. Watching too much TV is bad for people's health. People don't move much while watching TV. What's more, they may eat a lot of food while watching. This can make them fat. We call these people couch potatoes. Fighting on TV is a big problem for kids. Yong people are good at following. Scientists have found that those who watch a lot of fighting shows are more likely to fight. While watching TV, what DON'T people do? A. Eatalotoffood. B. Havelesstimeforreading. C. Hardlymove. D. Focusontheirwork. Answer: D Question: When you hear the words "streets dancer", what is the picture that appears in your head? For most people, it is a picture of a person wearing unusual clothes with a hat on his head, dancing to the music in a cool way. For example, a person who wears a large T-shirt dances on the street. Clearly, clothes those street dancers wear show their personalities and clothing styles. Now let us take a look at street dancers' clothing styles. Tops If you look into the clothing styles of street dancers, you will notice that there is a large difference between the tops that men and women wear. For men, they often wear a large T-shirt with probably a jacket at times. However, for women, they often wear tank tops (T) . Bottoms Today, the street dancers still prefer wearing large jeans and a lot of men also wear Capri pants . However, women start to wear mini skirts or shorts. Nowadays knee-high socks are also a popular new look for the women. Footwear For any street dancer, shoes are important. Any pair of shoes that produces the slightest sound can destroy the performance. So they need a pair of shoes that allows them to move freely. In fact, street dancers' clothing has to be something that allows for a lot of comfort and that shows personalities. The two points are important for any street dancer. Without those things, it is difficult for street dancers to perform well and show their personalities. What do you think about the clothing style of street dancers? Maybe you like it or maybe you don't. Anyway, people have different ideas of beauty. What's the best title for the passage? A. Fashionable Clothing Styles B. Clothing Shows Personalities C. Important Points for Street Dancers D. Street Dancing Clothing Answer: D Question: I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt's house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning. I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see--the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then. The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost--having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to "the hard times. " My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives. From my experiences I have learned one important rule: Almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy. For the first two years in New York, the author _ . A. often lost her way B. did not think about her future C. studied in three different schools D. got on well with her stepfather Answer: C
Everybody makes decisions in daily life. They can be as important as what you will do in the future or as simple as what you will eat for breakfast. Any decision could be the turning point of your life. I made an important decision when I was in Junior 3. Before I made that decision I was one of the boys who tried too hard to act as an adult. I didn't know that only kids want to show themselves as adults. I didn't listen to my parents and teachers, and my grades became poor. Then came the high school entrance exam. At the turning point of my life, my mom wanted to have a conversation with me. I wanted to turn it down but when I looked at her eyes, I felt I couldn't refuse. Instead of asking me to study hard, to my surprise, Mom just asked what I wanted to do in the future. Without thinking too much, I just said I would like to study hard. Mom smiled and asked again: "I asked: what do you WANT to do?" I never seriously thought about the question. So, I kept silent. "Whether you want to go on studying or enter the society," she went on, "it is your own decision. Your life ought to be decided by you, not by anyone else, including me. " After saying that, she had tears in her eyes. For the first time in my life I was asked to make my own decision. I sat in my chair and thought about myself, my life and what kind of person I wanted to become. It took me what seemed to be ages to make the biggest decision so far in my life--I wanted to be a man who makes a difference in the world. To achieve that, I needed to study hard. The path to my future became clear to me. I didn't act rebelliously any more. With passion in my heart, I studied hard. Now, I'm 17 and I'm in one of the best schools in my city, in one of the best classes at the school and I am one of the best students in the class. Thanks to that decision, I have become what I am today. Which of the following is TRUE? A. The writer made the decision that he should work hard. B. It took the writer several years to make the decision. C. After hearing his mother's words, the writer had tears in his eyes. D. At the turning point of his life, the writer wanted to have a conversation with his mother Answer: A. The writer made the decision that he should work hard. Each of us can live strong,healthy,energetic lives for a long time to come.The key?Actually,there are many of them. Eat fewer calories,but more food Slimming down can help prevent disease,and cutting way back on the amount you eat may even slow the aging process.When nutrition researchers invited themselves over for dinner in kitchens across the globe-from Greece to Japan to the state of Pennsylvania--they discovered a stomach-satisfying secret to good health:Pile your plate high with vegetables and fruits,add respectable parts of beans and whole grains,and ignore high-calorie food like cheeseburgers,cream sauces,and fatty meats. Use exercise as an anti-aging vaccine Exercise can help you gain a better quality of life as you age.It's no secret that physical activity strengthens muscles,burn calories,and puts a happy bounce in your step.But recently,researchers discovered a new,extra benefit:Exercise acts as a powerful way against the aging process itself. When exercise physiologists put healthy people aged 60 to 85 on Weight-training programs for six months then tested them for signs of free-radical damage,they were surprised by the results.By the end of the study,low-intensity exercisers had a drop in free-radical damage,while high-intensity exercisers had a slight increase. Find something interesting to do Life is always busy no matter what your age.But the truth is,when people are retired,time usually does become more available for adults after 60.With this time come choices.The easy one is merely to relax:watch more TV,eat out more often,talk on the phone as much as you want.The better choice? Discover something more meaningful to devote yourself to and do it wholeheartedly. When do you have more free time according to this text? A. In your fifties. B. Beyond sixty. C. Over seventy D. Before sixty. Answer: B. Beyond sixty. A few years ago, I worked at a church . Since my son was home schooling, he went with me to the church every day. Most mornings, we'd stop at a local store, and get a chocolate drink for him and a cup of coffee for me. The clerk at the store made our lives more enjoyable each day, and so we returned again and again. She had found her own way of enjoying life and her job. I'm not even sure if she realized that her warmth and brightness put a smile upon the face of each customer . When a customer brought cakes to the counter, any other clerk could have asked: "Would you like some milk with those cakes?" Instead, she asked: "Would you like a lottery ticket with those cakes?" She might have asked me if I wanted sugar with my coffee. But instead, she asked: "Would you like some batteries with that coffee?" Yes, life is what you make of it. This clerk's method of dealing with what some think is a boring job, and with the customers she met daily, made the hours in her day more enjoyable. In doing that, she also refreshed the lives of others and made them laugh. Sometimes, if my day at the church had been very tiring, we'd stop at that store before going home. We'd giggle as we left the store, the clerk's words echoing behind us. "Would you like some shampoo with that orange juice?" When did the writer and her son usually stop at the local store? A. In the morning. B. At noon. C. In the afternoon. D. In the evening Answer: A. In the morning. There was once a farmer who had a fine olive orchard. He was very hardworking, and the farm always prospered under his care. But he knew that his three sons despised the farm work, and were eager to make wealth, through adventure. When the farmer was old, and felt that his time had come to die, he called the three sons to him and said, "My sons, there is a pot of gold hidden in the olive orchard. Dig for it, if you wish it." The sons tried to get him to tell them in what part of the orchard the gold was hidden, but he would tell them nothing more. After the farmer was dead, the sons went to work to find the pot of gold. Since they did not know where the hiding-place was, they agreed to begin in a line, at one end of the orchard, and to dig until one of them should find the money. They dug until they had turned up the soil from one end of the orchard to the other, round the tree-roots and between them. But no pot of gold was to be found. It seemed as if someone must have stolen it, or as if the farmer had been wandering in his wits. The three sons were bitterly disappointed to have all their work for nothing. The next olive season, the olive trees in the orchard bore more fruit than they had ever given. When it was sold, it gave the sons a whole pot of gold. And when they saw how much money had come from the orchard, they suddenly understood what the wise father had meant when he said, "There is gold hidden in the orchard. Dig for it, if you wish it." Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. The farmer wanted his sons .to know the value of hard work B. The farmer didn't work hard enough before he died. C. There were more fruits on the olive trees in the next season. D. The sons got a pot of gold in the end. Answer: B. The farmer didn't work hard enough before he died. I had a perfect life. No one died; no one was sick; we were all happy and loving life. Then I discovered my grandfather had cancer. No matter how much I told myself he could live, and that he might not die, somehow I still felt as if it was a death sentence. He was so young, only 63. He fought so hard. Whenever I feel my own life taking a turn for the worse, as if things will never get better, I remember how many years he lived fighting such a scary and difficult disease. He died with a huge party going on around him, with all his friends and family. They ate and I honestly didn't know how to cope. I never cried alone. I had the compassion of my friends and the support of my family and teachers. I just remembered my grandfather's wish that we should celebrate his life. That's how we came up with the idea for Hives for Lives----a business my sister and I started where all the profits go to the American Cancer Society (ACS). We sell honey, honeycomb, beeswax candles and lip balm, which all come from our beehives in Virginia. It started out small, 2 years ago, with just an idea. During our first year we donated more than $2,000 to the ACS. The next year a man who belonged to my grandparents' bee club willed his honey to us, and our little business grew. We sold at craft fairs, wine festivals, schools, and to anyone else who would buy! We had my uncle sell in California and my grandmother sell in Chicago. We have sold honey in 13 states---even in Puerto Rico. This year we donated more than $10,000 to the ACS and we're hoping to do more next year. Hopefully our business will help find a cure or just improve the life of someone with cancer. I feel like Hives for Lives is a way to honor my grandfather. Honor his love, his life and his strength. With Hives for Lives reminding me of my grandfather every day, I feel as if I can move on in life, that he will always be alive in my heart and memories. It made me capable of coping with his death, because I felt like I had truly honored his wish of celebrating his life. I have made his spirit everlasting through the business and I honor him every day. He always taught me to make the best of things. Well, grandpa, that's what I'm doing, for you. I hope he is smiling from heaven. What's the author's purpose of writing the text? A. To show us how he runs his business to help others. B. To tell us his way to deal with sadness. C. To tell us the importance of self-control in the face of sadness. D. To tell us to learn from his grandfather. Answer: B. To tell us his way to deal with sadness.
Dogs may help save the day in the Philippines, as they use their noses to smell out survivors buried by Friday's mudslide . The team of dogs arrived in the Philippines from Spain, and this Tuesday they were just beginning their work. Search officials told CNN they hope the recent rain will wash away the smell of rescue teams so the dogs can do their job more accurately. The dogs were brought in after sound equipment found sounds coming from deep inside the ruins, at a place where a school stood before the mudslide covered it. The sounds could mean people are still alive under all the mud or it could just be the earth resettling. On Monday, rescue workers worked at the school site until three in the morning, trying to locate survivors, and they will begin digging again as soon as the dogs think they find someone. Human teams from the US, Malaysia, and Australia are all trying to help, too. But so far they have yet to locate any survivors. Rescue workers told CNN that an earlier report that 50 survivors had been found was false. How did all that mud bury the village in the first place? On Friday, 2,400-foot Mt Kanabag turned into a mudslide after two weeks of constant rain weakened it. The mountain crumbled and the mud fell onto the village Guinsaugon, burying the 1,800 people who lived there . Out of the 300 houses in the village, only 3 were not covered by the mud . The village is on a southern Philippine Island called Levte. Rescue efforts have been difficult because the village takes six hours to reach from the nearest airport. Hopefully, the dogs can help their human friends find survivors. The main purpose of this passage is probably _ . Answer: to tell readers that dogs can smell out victims buried in the ruins 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? Answer: The specific heat of iron is less than that of aluminum. I can remember the day my father came home from the war. As he walked up the front path of our home, he saw Mum and me and he dropped the suitcase. I was only five years old so Dad made a fuss of me, then began making an even bigger fuss of my mother. This left me free to examine all the stuff lying around the broken suitcase, and I was quick to notice a newspaper advertisement displaying a new piano. When Dad saw me holding up the newspaper cutting, he smiled. "Yes, that's right," he said. "I bought your mum a piano for ten pounds down and two pounds a week." A few moments later, a horse pulled a cart with a piano on top. Soon we all stared at it in our small lounger room. Mum had never been close to a piano before, except at the kindergarten I attended, and she used to say how wonderful it would be if the teachers could teach her to play. After tea that night, Mum began to teach herself to play. She plinked the keys for about two hours and drove everybody in the street mad, until Dad gently said, "Enough is enough." From that day on, she would plink between doing the cooking and housework. Three months went by and Mum was now a skilled pianist, holding parties with all the neighbors gathering around to sing. Although we were poor, Mum felt like a princess and was delighted at all the attention she was receiving. At the height of Mum's happiness, I began to notice that Dad was looking increasingly worried. It turned out that since returning from the war, he'd been unable to find a job. Then, a few weeks later, I observed two men taking Mum's piano away. Mum sobbed in the kitchen. Suddenly, it all became clear to me: no job, no money, no piano. Dad finally got a job. Mum was happy again as if he'd just win the lottery . Dad had to study to qualify as an account. Every night after dinner he'd place a stack of books on the kitchen table and study late into the night. Mum didn't say much but I could tell she was proud of Dad. Two years later, Dad bought Mum another piano. This time he paid cash for it. By saying "Enough is enough", the author's dad meant _ . Answer: it was time to stop practicing One day Einstein was walking in the street in New York. His friend met him and said to him, "Einstein, you should buy a new coat. Look, how old your coat is!" But Einstein answered, "It doesn't matter. Nobody knows me here." After a few years Einstein became a famous scientist. But he still wore the old coat. His friend met him again and asked him to buy a new one. But Einstein said, "I needn't buy a new one. Everyone knows me here." Einstein was _ scientist. Answer: an American A new Canada Prize for the Arts and Creativity could be in place by 2010, with large cash prizes for emerging artists in dance, music, theatre and visual arts. The prize is the idea of Tony Gagliano and David Pecaut, founders of the Luminato festival,who were able to convince the federal government to back it. The federal budget has allocated $25 million to support the awards open to emerging artists. The aim is to create a prize that has the prestige of a Nobel Prize. "When you think about the major prizes of the world ---- the Nobel Prize in Sweden,the Kyoto prizes in Japan or the Booker Prize in the U.K . --- they bring great honor and opportunity to the countries that award them," Pecaut said."The idea here is that every year,the Canada prizes will be awarded to the very best promising emerging artists around the world in those four fields. " A jury of international experts would judge the 12 finalists,who would come to Canada and perform or show their work in public to win the Canada prizes.The performances would be televised, allowing Canadians across the country to see it. The federal government liked the idea of such an international prize that would advance Canada's brand,draw tourists and arts professionals from around the world.For the Canadian arts community, one of the greatest challenges is connecting to that international arts world to come up with co-productions and foreign investment and touring chances. A group is working toward establishing the prize by 2010,with potential for semi-final rounds to take place about the same time as the Vancouver Olympic Games."Thirty or forty years from now,the future outstanding dancers and performers will look back and say, 'I broke out on the world scene in Toronto -- that's where I was discovered.' " The new Canada Prize will _ . Answer: be divided into four detailed parts
Question: When I was in college, a man named Henry worked as a custodian in our student union building. White-haired, with a Pennsylvania Dutch accent, Henry could usually be seen in a baseball cap, a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. He was the custodian, and he was the most respected and most well-known person in the building. Everyone loved Henry, and it was because of all the implicit ways he expressed his love for everyone around him. Henry didn't have to say, "I love you." He lived his love. Henry was always excited when he met someone new, and he wanted to know everything about them. He felt it was important to do things for people he valued. And Henry seemed to value everyone he met. He brought in articles or cartoons for certain people, went out of his way to introduce people to each other, kept dozens of names and birthdays in his wallet so he could send cards, and helped students keep in touch with graduates who had written to him. He even assisted students who didn't have enough money to buy their books. Henry taught me --- and many others he supported --- how to live life to the fullest. Not by skydiving or exploring some foreign countries, but by appreciating where you are in life and valuing those around you. The funny thing is that despite all he did and taught us, Henry truly believed that he was the lucky one --- that he was the one who was gaining so much by getting to know us. But all of us who remember Henry know that we were the ones who were truly blessed. We will never forget the man who taught us that best way to say "I love you" often has little to do with the words. Henry was always excited to meet new people because _ . A. it would make people think highly of him B. he was the most popular person in the college C. it was part of his responsibility as a custodian D. he treasured everything around him in his life Answer: D Question: A new study links heavy air pollution from coal burning to shorter lives in northern China. Researchers estimate that the half-billion people alive there in the 1990s will live an average of 5 years less than their southern counterparts because they breathed dirtier air. China itself made the comparison possible: for decades, a now-discontinued government policy provided free coal for heating, but only in the colder north. Researchers found significant differences in both _ pollution of the air and life expectancy in the two regions. While previous studies have found that pollution affects human health, "the deeper and ultimately more important question is the impact on life expectancy," said one of the researchers, Michael Greenstone, a professor of environmental economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "This study provides a unique setting to answer the life expectancy question because the(heating) policy dramatically changes pollution concentrations ,,,Greenstone said in an email. "Further, due to the low rates of migration in China in this period, we can know people's exposure over long time periods," he said. The policy gave free coal for fuel boilers to heat homes and offices to cities north of the Huai Rivwhich divides China into north and south. It was in effect for much of the 1950-198,0 period of central planning, and, though discontinued after 1980, it has left a legacy in the north of heavy coal burning, which releases particulate pollutants into the air that can harm human health. Researchers found no other government policies that treated China's north differently from the south. The researchers collected data for 90 cities, from 1981 to 2000, on the annual daily average concentration of total suspended particulates. In China, those are considered to be particulates that are 100 micrometers or less in diameter, sent out from sources including power stations, construction sites and vehicles. Among them, PM2.5 is of especially great health concern because it can go deep into the lungs. The researchers estimated the impact on life expectancies using death data from 1991-2000. They found that in the north, the concentration of particulates was 184 micrograms per cubic meteror 55 percent higher than in the south, and life expectancies were 5.5 years lower on average across all age ranges. According to Greenstone, _ greatly contributed to the high pollution concentrations in North China. A. power stations B. construction sites C. the free heating policy D. gases from vehicles Answer: C Question: "We do look very different; we're older. Leo's 38, I'm 37. We were 21 and 22 when we made that film. You know, he's fatter now -- I'm thinner.". So says Kate Winslet, who is thrilled at the 3-D re-release ofTitanicto coincide with the 100th anniversary of the ship's demise. " It happens every time I get on any boat of any kind." She recalls. There are all the people who want her to walk to the front of the ship and re-create her famous pose, arms flung wide. Most people remember the tragedy: The British passenger ship -- said to be unsinkable -- hit an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912, during its maiden voyage from England to New York City. More than 1,500 people died. But little known is what the world learned from the sinking to prevent future incidents. Probably the greatest deficiency of the Titanic was that she was built 40 years before the widespread use of the wonderful invention radar . Her only defense against icebergs and hidden obstacles was to rely on manned lookouts. On that fateful night the eyesight of trained lookouts only provided 37 seconds of warning before the collision. Traveling at nearly 30 miles an hour the Titanic was moving far too fast to avoid the huge iceberg. The warning did prevent a head-on collision as the officer on the bridge managed to turn the ship slightly. The last ship to send a warning was the California. She was within ten miles of the Titanic during the disaster, but her radio operator went to bed at midnight and never received any of the SOS messages from the Titanic. That was one of the important lessons learned from the catastrophe, the need for 24-hour radio operators on all passenger liners. Another lesson learned was the need for more lifeboats. The Titanic remained afloat for almost three hours and most of the passengers could have been saved with enough lifeboats. 1,500 passengers and workers died in the 28 degree waters of the Atlantic. Out of the tragedy, the sinking did produce some important maritime reforms. The winter travel routes were changed to the south and the Coast Guard began to keep an eye on the location of all icebergs. The new rules for lifeboats were obvious to all. There must be enough lifeboats for everybody on board. The most important lesson learned was that no one would ever again consider a ship unsinkable- no matter how large or how well constructed. Never again would sailors place their faith in a ship above the power of the sea. The text mainly tells us _ . A. the reason why the Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean B. how the unsinkable ship of Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean C. the lessons that we could learn from the accident of theTitanic D. the things we should do to protect the lives on the ship Answer: C Question: It is early in the morning, about seven o'clock. Peter is on the bus. He's going to school. There are many people on the bus and it is a bit hot. Peter is sitting by a window with a book in his hands. The bus driver is driving slowly . Most people on the bus are using their mobile phones. A girl in a red sweater is standing near Peter. She looks very happy. She is reading some funny things on her mobile phone. A fat boy behind him is busy playing games on his mobile phone. A tall man is Jack. He is listening to music on the mobile phone. He's about thirty years old. They are all busy and happy. From the passage we know that _ . A. Peter is going home B. the bus driver isn't driving fast C. there are few people on the bus D. the fat boy is listening to music Answer: B Question: If soil is permeable A. water cannot flow through it. B. water easily flows through it. C. it contains many minerals. D. it contains few minerals. Answer: B
Question: We all have fond memories of taking a few lazy months off after the stress of A-levels. So now that summer has arrived, let's take full advantage. It goes without saying that summer vacations are the perfect time to go traveling. Tickets go up greatly when you turn 26, so make the most of cheaper rates while _ . Overseas volunteering won't amaze future employers, but it can be very useful. Finding a reliable company that won't cheat you is important, as is discovering a program that interests you. There are plenty of websites where you can see other people's suggestions. Of course for most of us, money is tight. To avoid overspending you can combine employment and vacation. Hannah Warn, a psychology student at the University of Winchester, is spending her summer at Camp America where students enjoy a good time on a summer camp. "Being thrown into something where I don't really know what to expect is exciting," she says. "It gives me a chance to experience being away from home in a different way." Those with a talent for languages might also consider working abroad as an au pair . The work may be a chance to involve yourself in a new culture while your employer pays most of the bill. If you have an idea of the sort of career you'd like, getting work experience is wise. In many careers, graduating with only your degree to show for your three or four years just won't make it. Send applications off early and to as many places as possible. Make sure you take a well-earned break this summer. According to the passage, who is more likely to get a job after graduation? A. John, who got excellent academic records during his university years. B. Lily, who worked abroad as an au pair during summer vacations. C. Tom, who got working experience related to his future job in college. D. Mary, who got a degree after studying four years in a famous university. Answer: C Question: About 45 percent of Americans don't get enough sleep, according to a recent survey. However, the benefits of getting enough sleep far outweigh the thrill of watching TV for one more hour or surfing the web. Getting a better night's sleep will help you lose or keep your weight more effectively. Try these simple steps to improve your quality of sleep. Take time to relax So many of us go-go-go until it's time for bed, but it's important to take time to slow down and relax before sleeping. Do relaxing things, such as listening to soothing music or deep breathing. Avoid stimulating activities such as writing e-mails, talking on the phone and watching TV. Some guidelines : no e-mail after 8 p.m. and no TV or phone calls after 9 p.m.. Darker is better Your body regulates your sleep cycle in response to the presence and absence of light, so dim the lights as evening approaches. Try getting ready for bed by candlelight. When you're ready to sleep, make sure your room is as dark as possible. Put your thoughts to bed We all need time to process our day, but bed is not the place to do it if you want to sleep well. Take 10 to 15 minutes to record your thoughts in a journal. This effective technique will capture what's in your mind so you don't lie awake. Tell yourself you're putting your thoughts to bed so that you can go to bed. No sugar or alcohol before bed These may wake you up. If you need a snack before bed, make it protein. Try to get more sleep Get an extra hour or two of sleep every night for a week and see how you feel. You'll notice the difference! According to the text, we know that _ . A. we should keep our bedrooms in strong light before going to bed B. writing a diary may excite us and influence our sleep C. we should never get up later on weekends than we do on weekdays D. candlelight is a good choice for our bedrooms when we're getting ready to sleep Answer: D Question: While most teachers enjoy the summer break from work, other teachers try to find part-time work during that time. If you're one of those teachers who are finding part-time work during the summer, writing for children might be the right job you're looking for. During the school year, you're very familiar with children in your classroom. That means you know what children think about, how they talk and how they act. If you read stories and books for children with your students during the school year, you also know the kinds of story that children are fond of. As a teacher, you can go to the school library and find out what kinds of books students are most interested in. Also, what kinds of books seem to be in short supply? Use this information to create stories and novels. If you continue writing for children during the school year, you won't have enough time to write as much while you're teaching, but you can probably manage to work on at least one short story for children each month. Even if you don't finish these pieces during the school year, when school ends for the summer you will have lots of writing projects to finish and hand in to editors . Recently, many teachers have turned to writing for children as a part-time job. If you enjoy writing as much as you enjoy teaching, then writing for children might be the second job for you, too. We can learn from the passage that story-writing teachers _ . A. should read their stories to the students B. should borrow books from the school library C. think writing stories is a difficult part-time job D. think teaching can provide them with ideas for stories Answer: D Question: It was a cold winter day. A woman drove up to the Rainbow Bridge tollbooth . "I'm paying for myself, and for the six cars behind me," she said with a smile, handing over seven tickets. One after another, the next six drivers arriving at the tollbooth were informed, "Some lady up ahead already paid your fare." It turned out that the woman, Natalie Smith, had read something on a friend's refrigerator: "Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty." The phrase impressed her so much that she copied it down. Judy Foreman spotted the same phrase on a warehouse wall far away from home. When it stayed on her mind for days, she gave up and drove all the way back to copy it down. "I thought it was beautiful," she said, explaining why she'd taken to writing it at the bottom of all her letters, "like a message from above." Her husband, Frank, liked the phrase so much that he put it up on the classroom wall for his students, one of whom was the daughter of Alice Johnson, a local news reporter. Alice put it in the newspaper, admitting that though she liked it, she didn't know where it came from or what it really meant. Two days later, Alice got a call from Anne Herbert, a woman living in Marin. It was in a restaurant that Anne wrote the phrase down on a piece of paper, after turning it around in her mind for days. "Here's the idea," Anne says. "Anything you think there should be more of, do it randomly." Her fantasies include painting the classrooms of shabby schools, leaving hot meals on kitchen tables in the poor part of town, and giving money secretly to a proud old lady. Anne says, " _ ." The acts of random kindness spread. If you were one of those drivers who found your fare paid, who knows what you might have been inspired to do for someone else later. Like all great events, kindness begins slowly, with every single act. Let it be yours! Why did Natalie Smith pay for the six cars behind her? A. She knew the car drivers well. B. She wanted to show kindness. C. She hoped to please others. D. She had seven tickets. Answer: B Question: More than 15 million Britons, many of them women, will holiday unaccompanied this year. And they will no longer be treated as second-class citizens. After 50 years of being slighted, ripped off, herded together and allocated the worst rooms in the hotel, the single traveller's time has finally come. Rather than being viewed as an awkward peculiarity in the standard couples-and-families "system", single travelers have become travel's fastest growing sector and a phenomenon that tour operators are falling over themselves to catch up with. In one sense, the boom is the result of people postponing marriage and children. Approximately 39% of the adult British population--19 million people--is now single and the proportion of one-person households has increased from 18% in 1971 to 29% last year. The most significant growth of singles over the next few years is expected to be within the well-off, travel-hungry 25-34 age group. The expansion in single travel is being increased by women. Women are just as happy as men to leave partner at home and head off on holiday. On adventure group trips single women constitute more than half of all travelers, and Internet agents report that 70% of their single clients are women. Women today see being single as an opportunity to travel, rather than as an obstacle. The result is that travel companies are now attempting to work out new ways of attracting singles----a market worth PS10.4 billion. The number of specialist singles tour operators has risen from a couple to at least 10, but they face a growing challenge from mainstream operators, who now propose to target solo travelers with moves like abolishing single room supplements. At the moment, single travelers usually have to join a group, or pay more. As soon as we get beyond that, the singles market is going to take off to a completely new level. Solo travellers are now _ A. not being recognized B. mainly aged 25-34 C. experiencing better service D. not a profitable market Answer: C
America is the world's largest food exporter . But the worst drought in half a century is hitting corn and wheat harvests. By twenty-fifty, the world will have to produce at least sixty percent more food to feed more and more people. China, a major food importer , is looking to producers around the world to make sure it can get enough food in the future. The serious drought in the United States is adding to care about world food and prices. China has invested in food production in Australia and New Zealand. A new source of food is Ukraine. Ukraine was known as the breadbasket of Europe because of rich corn and wheat harvests a century ago. Galyna Kovtok is chief manager of Ukraine's largest agricultural business, ULF. She says that within a few months her company will export corn to China. That will make Ukraine the first country outside the Americas to do so. Across the Black Sea area -- in Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan -- drought this year is pushing harvests down by fifteen to twenty percent. Traditionally, the Black Sea area is the main source of wheat for North Africa and the Middle East. But this year, Russia may have to _ exports. However, Africa and the Middle East are now having competition with China. We can know from the passage that America _ . A. has a good wheat harvest this summer B. will import wheat from other countries C. suffers a lot from the drought D. won't be the world's largest food exporter any more Answer: C Bob Smith is old. He has two big houses and a new car. He has no wife, but he is a father of four children. He has two sons and two daughters. One son is from Canada. His name is Jack. The other is from England. His name is Mike. One of his daughters is from China. Her name is Meimei. She is eleven years old. The other is from America. Her name is Lucy. She's eleven, too. Bob Smith is not the children's real father, but he loves them very much. The children love their "father", too. Bob Smith has many toys for the children. He gives different toys to different children. The boys play with toy cars. The girls play with doll and toy animals. Bob Smith is their good friend. Bob Smith has _ . A. a nice wife B. four sons C. four cars D. two big houses Answer: D There are three different ways to store fish. Two ways to store fish for future use are canning and freezing. Two other methods are drying and smoking. Today we have the first of the two reports describing, step by step, how to prepare dried fish. Begin with the fish that are just out of water. If the fish are small, leave their heads on. Cut off the heads if the fish are longer than twenty centimeters or weigh more than one hundred fifteen grams. Now clean the freshly caught fish. Cut off the scales and cut open the stomach. Remove everything inside. Then wash the fish in clean water and rub salt into them. Next, put the fish in a container with a solution of three hundred grams of salt and one liter of water. This will remove the blood from the meat. Keep the fish in the salt water for about thirty minutes. After that, wash them again in clean water. Next, put the fish in a solution that has more salt in the water. The water should be salty enough so that the fish float to the top. If the fish sink to the bottom of the container, add more salt to the water. Cover the container with a clean piece of wood. Place a heavy stone on the wood to hold it down. Leave the fish there for about six hours. After that remove them from the salt water and place them on a clean surface. Cover the fish with a clean piece of white cloth and let them dry. Another method of preparing fish is called dry salting. Wooden boxes or baskets are used for drying salting. After cleaning the fish, put a few of them on the bottom of the box or basket. Cover them with salt, then put more fish on top. Cover them also with salt. Continuing putting fish and salt in the container until it is full. Do not use too much salt when using the dry salting method. You should use one part salt to three parts fish. For example, if you have three kilograms of fish, you should use one kilogram of salt. Remove the fish after a week or ten days. Wash them in a mixture of water or a small amount of salt and let them dry. We have talked a lot about salt. keep in mind that doctors advise people to limit the sodium in their diet. It can raise blood pressure, and some people have more of a reaction than others. Which statement is TRUE according to the passage ? A. All the heads of the fish which will be dried must be cut off. B. When drying fish, the less you use the salt, the better. C. While using the dry salting method, you should hold the fish with wooden boxes. D. While salting fish, firstly you should put all the cleaned fish at the bottom of a box. Answer: C When I walked into the house after school, I found my dad at home. "What are you doing home already?" I asked casually. "Andrew, I was laid off today," he answered quietly. I was sure he was joking. "No, you weren't. Why are you really home?" Then I noticed his expression and realized he was telling the truth. My father has always been a hard worker and prided himself on his career. My father's unemployment created many changes in our lives. He was home all day, which meant my bed had to be made, my room cleaned up, and my homework done right after school. I would come home every day to find him at the computer searching for jobs. I began to notice how down he seemed, and how losing his job had affected his self-esteem , though he tried to be optimistic. He asked my brother and me to spend less money. I gave up my allowance , which even though it wasn't much, felt like the right thing to do. I also found a part-time job. After several difficult months of searching, my dad decided to go in a totally different direction. He explained that he never wanted to be laid off again, so he was going to start his own business. Day by day, I watched him build it, and I admired how much time and energy he devoted to it. One evening I asked if he needed help. "Only if it doesn't interfere(,) with school," he said, which sounded like a yes. I showed up at his office the next afternoon, and most afternoons after that for two months. I always knew he was a hard worker, but watching him in action really influenced me. Although this was one of the worst experiences for our family, it taught me a lot about dealing with _ . Now I know that through creative problem-solving, I can always find Plans, ask for help, and take risks. When the father was laid off, he _ . A. was angry with his boss B. didn't care about it at all C. couldn't accept the fact easily D. was as happy as usual Answer: C Tigers are the largest wild cats in the world. They usually go out to hunt for food when it is dark. When a tiger sees an animal, it moves quickly and then jumps on the animals to kill it. Sometimes it can take the tiger several days to finish eating its food. When the tiger is full, it will cover the dead animal with leaves. Later, when the tiger is hungry again, it comes back to eat some more. Tigers are different from others in the cat family: they like water and often jump into rivers to swim. Some tigers live in very cold places in North Korea, Russia and China. Other tigers live in warmer places--in India and parts of Southeast Asia. But now all tigers are in danger. Some people kill tigers to use their skins for clothes, and their bodies for medicine. There is also less and less land for tigers to live in. ,. Which of the following is NOT true? A. Tigers usually go out to look for food at night. B. The tiger can kill a big animal very quickly. C. The tiger covers the dead animal with leaves if it can't eat it up. D. Tigers like to hunt for food in small groups. Answer: D
It seems that everywhere around the world, people are spending more time at work and less time with their families and friends.People are busier than ever before. In the past in many countries,the father worked and the mother stayed at home, took care of the children, and did the food shopping,cooking,and cleaning.At present in most of the families,parents need to work on weekends,so they both have to do the shopping,cooking,and cleaning in their free time.Parents don't have much time with their children,however,they often had time in the past.There are also many single parent families.In these families,the single parent has to do everything. These days,many children come home from school to an empty apartment or house.A lot of children spend many hours each day in front of the television.Even when families are together,it is common for family members to do things by themselves.For example,they watch programs on their own TVs in different rooms,they use the Internet,they talk with friends on the telephone,and they do other things by themselves. Isn't it strange?Thanks to technology,people are able to communicate so easily with people far away,but sometimes they don't communicate with people in their own homes. Who used to stay at home in the past in many countries? Answer: Mother. Jack Johnson is one of the most popular singer-songwriters in the world. Jack was born on May 18, 1975 in Hawaii. Being the son of a famous surfer, Jack naturally has an interest in surfing. Most of his life lessons were learned in the water. At the age of 17, Jack entered the finals of the Pineline Masters---the world's most famous surfing competition. Everyone thought Jack would become a professional surfer like his father. Unluckily, one month later, he had a deadly accident while surfing and was seriously hurt. Life is like a revolving door. When it closes, it also opens. Jack started to practice playing the guitar and write songs when he was staying in hospital. At first, his father thought Jack only did it for fun, but soon he was surprised at the great progress his son had made. When studying in the university, Jack didn't stop practicing his guitar skills. He played the guitar for school parties. He wrote songs and sang for his teachers and friends. They liked his songs. His first music album Brushfire Fairytalescame out in 2001. It was a great success. His second album,On and On, was much like his first one. They were filled with sweet, easy-going songs that everybody liked listening to. Later, Jack had lots of concerts in and out of America. He became popular all over the world. Jack had five albums by 2010 and more than 15 million copies of them were sold. His music doesn't fit into any of the popular music styles like pop, rock, R&B or hip-hop. It is more like fold music, played with a guitar and beautiful voice. When listening to his songs, you feel like lying on the beach enjoying the warm sunshine. Jack is a talent, though he himself says he is only a surfer who loves music. In his songs we can find his secret of success: Whatever happens in our lives, we have to accept it and do the best we can. Jack started to write songs _ . Answer: while he was staying in hospital in order for a person's burger to make it successfully into the toilet, which of these must be functional? Answer: the digestive system Many of us have heard stories about teachers who can "see" into a student's future. Even if a student is not performing well, they can predict success. We are convinced that this ability, this gift, is evidence that they were "called to teach" . If the gift of sight is evidence, how greater must be the gift of touch. I have a story. I grew up in the fifties in a poor African American neighborhood in Stockton, California, that had neither sidewalks nor an elementary school. Each day, always in groups at our parents' insistence, my friends and I would leave home early enough to walk eight blocks to school and be in our seats when the bell rang. For four blocks, we walked on dusty roads. By the fifth block, we walked on sidewalks that led to lovely homes and to Fair Oaks Elementary School. It was at Fair Oaks, in a sixth grade English class, that I met Ms. Victoria Hunter, a teacher who had a huge influence on my life. During reading periods, she would walk around the room, stop at our desks, stand over us for a second or two, and then touch us. Without saying anything to us (nothing could break the silence of reading periods), she would place two fingers lightly on our throats and hold them there for seconds. I learned many years later when I was a student at Stanford University that teachers touch the throat of students to check for sub-vocalization , which slows down the reading speed. I did not know at the time why Ms. Hunter was touching our throats, but I was a serious and respectful student and so, during silent reading period, I did what Ms. Hunter told us to do. I kept my eyes on the material I was reading and waited for her to place her fingers lightly on my throat. One day, out of curiosity, I raised my head from my book -- though not high -- so that I could see Ms. Hunter, a white woman from Canada, moving up and down the rows, stopping at the desks of my classmates. I wanted to see how they reacted when she touched their throats. She walked past them. I was confused. Did she pass them by because they were model students? What did we, the students who were touched, not do right? I sat up straighter in my chair, thinking that my way of sitting might be the problem. I was confused. Several days later, I watched again, this time raising my head a little higher. Nothing changed. Ms. Hunter touched the same students. Always, she touched me. She touched me with her hands. She also touched me with her belief in my ability to achieve. She motivated me by demanding the best from me and by letting teachers I would meet in junior high school know that I should be challenged, that I would be serious about my work. I am convinced that she touched me because she could "see" me in the future. That was true of all of us at Fair Oaks who sat still and silent as Ms. Hunter placed her fingers lightly on our throats. We left Fair Oaks as "best students," entered John Marshall Junior High School, finished at the top of our high school class, and went on to earn graduate degrees in various subjects. Ms. Hunter saw us achieving and she touched us to make certain that we would. I was not surprised that she came to my graduation ceremony at Edison High School in Stockton or that she talked to me about finishing college and earning a Ph. D. She expected that of me. She gave me a beautifully wrapped box. Inside was a gift, the beauty of which multiplies even as it touches me: _ . According to the passage, how did Ms. Hunter motivate the writer? Answer: By having high expectations of her. While working with troubled teens,I used to have them do the Ten Years in the Future exercise. I asked them to write a letter to a friend as if it was ten years in the future. Most of these boys and girls didn't think about the next week,much less ten years to come. Like the Cheshire Cat says in Alice in Wonderland, "If you don't know where you want to go,then it doesn't really matter what road you take!" We had some great conversations as they really thought about what they wanted. For most of them, this was the first time they had ever thought this way! But the real story is what happened to me. I did the exercise right along with them on many occasions, writing my dreams and visions in detail. In my letter to a friend, I had moved to the country, built my own home,authored a book,and started my own business. Over the next ten years, something magic happened.All my dreams and visions became a reality, almost as if arranged by an unseen hand. I did write books and start my business. We did move to the country and I did build my own home. This letter to a friend will become a magnetic factor in your life. Your vision will guide you in your yearly goals, your monthly goals,and your daily activities. For example: "Leslie,I just wanted to make contact again and tell you about my life. I started my own gardening business in 2020 and it's really taken off. " Remember to describe all the details as if they have already happened. Write to a real person who you think may still know in ten years. This will help make it more real for you. Sit down and write your Ten Years in the Future letter today. It seems that the writer's dreams and visions became a reality because the writer _ . Answer: took what was written in the letter as a guide in life
Most mornings, the line begins to form at dawn: scores of silent women with babies on their backs, buckets balanced on their heads, and in each hand a bright-blue plastic jug. On good days, they will wait less than an hour before a water tanker goes across the dirt path that serves as a road in Kesum Purbahari, a slum on the southern edge of New Delhi. On bad days, when there is no electricity for the pumps, the tankers don't come at all. "That water kills people," a young mother named Shoba said one recent Saturday morning, pointing to a row of pails filled with thick, caramel -colored liquid. "Whoever drinks it will die." The water was from a pipe shared by thousands of people in the poor neibourhood. Women often use it to wash clothes and bathe their children, but nobody is desperate enough to drink it. There is no standard for how much water a person needs each day, but experts usually put the minimum at fifty litres. The government of India promises (but rarely provides) forty. Most people drink two or three litres--less than it takes to wash a toilet. The rest is typically used for cooking and bathing. Americans consume between four hundred and six hundred litres of water each day, more than any other people on earth. Most Europeans use less than half that. The women of Kesum Purbahari each hoped to drag away a hundred litres that day--two or three buckets' worth. Shoba has a husband and five children, and that much water doesn't go far in a family of seven, particularly when the temperature reaches a hundred and ten degrees before noon. She often makes up the difference with bottled water, which costs more than water delivered any other way. Sometimes she just buys milk; it's cheaper. Like the poorest people everywhere, the people of New Delhi's slums spend a far greater percentage of their incomes on water than anyone lucky enough to live in a house connected to a system of pipes. Sometimes the water tanker doesn't come because _ . A there is no electricity B the weather is bad C there is no water D people don't want the dirty water Answer: A. there is no electricity At noon the rush hour had passed. There were few guests in the snack bar. It was not crowded. When the boss was about to take a break to read a newspaper, in came an old lady and a little boy. "How much money is a bowl of beef soup?" the grandma sat down, counted the money in her purse and ordered a bowl of beef soup. The grandma pushed the bowl to the little boy, who swallowed his saliva , looking at his grandma and saying, "Grandma, did you really have lunch?" "Of course." His grandma chewed a piece of radish slowly. Very quickly, the little boy ate up the meal. Seeing this. the boss went over to them and said, "Old lady, congratulations, you are lucky to have the free food, for you are our 100th guest." Afterwards, over a month or more, one day, the small boy squatted across the snack bar, where he seemed to be counting something, which shocked the boss when he happened to look out office window. When the small boy saw a guest walk into the snack bar, he would put a small stone into the circle he drew, but the lunch time had almost passed, the small stones he put into the circle were hardly 50. The boss was quite worried and called up all his old guests. The guests started coming one after another. "81, 82, 83... " the small boy counted faster and faster. At last, when the 99th small stone was put into the circle, the little boy hurried to pull his grandma's hand and went into the snack bar. "Grandma, this time it's on me," the little boy said proudly. The grandma who had become the real 100th guest was served a bowl of beef soup by her grandson. As his grandma as before, the little boy chewed a piece of radish in his mouth. What do you think of the boss of the snack bar? A Impatient. B Warm-hearted. C Very rich. D Hard-working. Answer: B. Warm-hearted. A woman saw three old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard, hungry. She did not know them but invited them in. "We do not go into a house together," they replied. And she asked why. One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," pointing to one of his friends, "and he is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home." The woman went in and told her husband what had happened. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!" he said. "Since that is the case, let Wealth come in and fill our home with wealth!" His wife disagreed, "My dear, why not invite Success?" Their daughter-in-law gave her own suggestion: "Wouldn't it be better to invite Love? Our home will be filled with love then." "Let's _ our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be our guest." Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other two also got up and followed him. Surprised, the woman asked Wealth and Success, "I only invited Love, why are you coming in?" The old men replied together. "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would have stayed out. But since you invited Love, wherever he goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!" The story seems to be _ . . A a love story B a fable C a true story D a novel Answer: B. a fable When you feel sad, tears will come down from your eyes. When you are happy, especially when you laugh hard, tears will also come down from your eyes. But tears have a more important job than showing your feelings. Tears keep your eyes clean and healthy. They wash away dirt and germs just like bath. Your eyes also need tears to keep them wet. And eyes must be wet so that they can move smoothly. Your eyes are busy looking here and there all day long. They move quickly from one thing to another. If you didn't have tears, your eyes couldn't move, and soon you would be blind. Maybe you don't like tears, but your eyes can't do without them. The sentence "your eyes can't do without them" means _ . A your eyes like having baths very much B your eyes like tears very much C your eyes can't work without tears D your eyes can't open without them Answer: C. your eyes can't work without tears If there's a child in your house who likes pixies , nature, or magic, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is sure to be a hit. This beautifully animated film is a first class production in every way, and features the familiar voices of Kristin Chenoweth, Anjelica Huston, Jane Horrocks, Lucy Liu, and Raven Symone.The movie offers up an adventure that's easy enough to follow, but complex enough to hold one's attention, and even throws in a nice little moral about friendship.What can I say? I'm pleasantly surprised. The promising Mae Whitman voices Tinker Bell herself, a far more dynamic character than we met in Peter Pan.Though Tinker still possesses her fiery temper, it doesn't _ itself immediately, and takes a backseat to this pixie's many good qualities. As it turns out, Tinker Bell is extremely skilled at tinkering ( ), so she is a natural choice to build a special scepter ,for Pixie Hollow's Autumn Celebration.The scepter will hold the moonstone through which the light of the Blue Moon will pass, supplying Pixie Hollow with enough pixie dust for the year ahead. For days, Tinkers works hard on the perfect scepter design while her good friend Terrence does his best to assist. When Terrence accidentally breaks the Moon Stone, Tinker Bell "explodes and sends him away.One of Tinker's more literal friends finds this extremely concerning, as she doesn't' quite understand that the outburst was emotional rather than physical - very funny indeed. After hearing the legend of the lost treasure, Tinker Bell strikes out on her own to find a new Moon Stone.She faces many difficulties and meets new friends along the way, but when Terrence comes to the rescue at Tinker's darkest hour, she realizes the value of a truly loyal friend. Though the film offers a positive message to young viewers, it's the animation that makes Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure stand out.Pixie Hollow is a charming, visually stunning world basked in lush colors.It's so lovely, so detailed, so three - dimensional that you almost want to step inside. In the writer's opinion, the characteristics of Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure are the following EXCEPT _ . A the attractive details B the lively animation characters C the three - dimensional animation D the moving love story between Tinker Bell and Terrence. Answer: D. the moving love story between Tinker Bell and Terrence.
The protest movement called Occupy Wall Street has struck a nerve.The demonstrators' goals may not be obvious but their complaints are very real. The truth is that millions of Americans lost their jobs, their homes and their life savings because of the greed and illegal behavior of Wall Street.Even Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bemanke also said the protesters hold the view that the financial institutions are responsible for "getting the US into this mess", and added, "I can't blame those protesters." Where do we go from this movement? How do we calm the protesters' anger? For starters, we should break up the super financial institutions.Left to their own selfish will.Wall Street bankers will continue to gamble with other people's money.There also is a sound economic argument against too few owning far too much.The idea that six super financial institutions (Bank of America, CitiGroup, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs) can take control over the economy frightens anyone who believes in a competitive free-market system.Good Republican presidents like William Howard Taft and Teddy Roosevelt broke up Standard Oil, the Railroad Trusts .and other huge companies a century ago. Real unemployment is more than 16%.Average family income has declined by $3,600 over the last decade.A record 46 million Americans live in poverty.The gap between the very rich and everyone else, the widest of any major country, is growing wider.Now is the time for us to end the financial oligarchy that has been so harmful to our economy.If a bank is too big, it is too big to exist. What is the attitude of the writer towards the financial institutions? Answer: critical Are you the only child in the family? If so, you are the most important in your family. Parents are the closest people to you in the world. But a lot of middle school students have a problem. They feel they are not as close to their parents as before. They even don't think their parents are fair to them. Some students complain that their parents often say a lot to them, but never listen to them. Some say their parents don't allow them to play computer games when other people are doing it. Others say when they are making phone calls to friends, their parents like to ask if they're speaking to a boy or a girl. These make them very unhappy. Some students even decided to leave home because they're afraid to tell their parents when they have done something wrong, particularly when they do badly in exams. Then they usually think running away is the only choice . But they don't know running away may bring them some more problems. Problems are parts of life. Here are some suggestions for you to solve your problems. Find a good chance to talk with your parents. Don't be afraid to tell them your feeling. Keep a diary to help you understand more about yourself and your feeling. Get help from others like good friends or teachers. Show your parents you are growing up. Then they will feel you are no longer a small child. If you follow the advice, you will have a happy life and never think of running away.21cnjy According to the article, _ are the closest people to an only child. Answer: parents Janice spent the weekend at a family party in Moore, Georgia. While she was there, she played with her cousin Justine. The two of them rode tricycles, shared presents, and bought their favorite gum together. Janice's favorite part of the weekend was swimming in the lake with Justine and her dog, Boots. Boots did not like the water at first, but soon was splashing around with them. His favorite thing to do was fetch sticks from the water. They also went on a fast boat around the lake. Justine's favorite thing to do was ride in a tube behind the boat. When they got out, they were soaking wet. They dried off with towels before going to Greg's Country Store for some lemon ice box cake. Boots got so muddy at the lake! When they got back to the cabin, they had to give him a bath. Because they were so active during the day, they fell asleep quickly and slept until the morning. What was Justine's dog's name? Answer: Boots Do you have free time? Would you like to be with an old man? I need such a man to look after my father. He's 78 years old, but he's healthy. If you want to get the job, you need to work for four hours every day from Monday to Friday, 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. And on weekends, you need to work for only two hours, 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. Your pay is 5 dollars an hour. Here are the things you will do: Read books and newspapers to him Talk with him if he wants to Walk outside with him *Buy things for him Address: Bridge Street, Nanjing Telephone: 2756-3358 (ask for Mr. Green) Tom White needs a job. After he reads the advertisement , he calls Mr. Green and gets the job. Tom will work for _ hours in a week altogether . Answer: 24 London-Lazy students can now give up on work altogether as two Oxford University students have made scores of A-grade essays on the website for students to copy. The essays are on the new website, "revise.it" The website includes an "EssayLab" designed to make cheating as effective and effortless as possible. Its homepage announces to surfers : "The revise.it EssayLab is a bank of hundreds of A-Level essays covering popular topics." "Next time you are asked to write an essay, why not see what we have on the subject-if you are in a lazy state of mind you can even use our guide to writing the essays and then just hand them in." Nick Rose and Jordan Mayo, both 19 and first from Manchester, spent much of their first year as students at the university setting up the website. There is no charge for downloading the essays. "I have never been very good at essay writing," Rose admitted. "We don't see essay bank as a cheating way. It's a surprising valuable resource. You can learn a lot by reading other people's work on the subject." Among other tips, the website suggests inventing important speeches to give essays extra weight: "Popular people to quote are Douglass Hurd or Disraeli." Hurd was a foreign secretary in the 1980s and Disraeli was a 19 century prime minister. Teachers are expressing their opinions by e-mail that they are angry about the website that "encourages students to cheat", but students disagree. According to Rose: "Exams are a fight. It's us against them." What Rose said at last suggests that in England _ . Answer: students are not satisfied with the education system
Dear Highlights Ask a question! E-mail it to letters @ Highlights, com. Gift Giving I'm going to China, and everyone in my chss is asking me to buy them something. What should I do? Reply from the Highlights Editors Your classmates arc probably just excited about your trip. Most likely they don't expect you to buy gifts for everyone. Sending a /cw postcards to the entire class during your trip would be a wonderful way to share your experiences. The pictures on the cards and your words of description will be thi' best gift of all. Dog Bagging My dog always begs for food at the dinner table. I really want to feed him, but my mom says I can't. I'm afraid he won't like me anymore. What should I do? Reply from the Highlights Editors Your dog loves you for many more reasons than just for what you feed him. You can show him that you care about him by playing with him, by petting him and speaking kindly to him. and by making sure he has fresh water. It might be best if your dog is not near the din!ner table while you are eating. You could teach him to stay in another room. Being BiHngua(> My aunt insists that we speak our language (Tagalog) at home and English outside the house. Do you think she is right? Reply from the Highlights Editors It is a great gift to have someone in your family who is willing to take the time to teach you another language. It's a good way to keep family traditions alive, and it helps to develop your language skills. Your ability to use both English and Tagalog will help you learn a third and fourth language later in life So it sounds like a great idea! What is the Highlights editors' altitude towards being bilingual? Answer: Supportive. This year marks 46 years since Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon . In all , 12 American astronauts have walked on the moon , the last - Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt - doing so in 1972 . Enthusiasm for space travel has always decreased and increased . In 2010 , President Barack Obama cut funds for a NASA mission that would have put humans back on the moon by 2020 . " I understand that some believe that we should attempt a return to the surface of the moon first , as previously planned . But I just have to say here : We've been there before , " Obama said . NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has also thrown cold water on the idea of a return mission to the moon . But others believe there are benefits to going back to the moon . " It's the closest body to us , making it the least challenging to explore of all the planets , moons and asteroids in our solar system , " wrote Gene R. Grush , from NASA Johnson Space Center . " It's an opportunity to establish a permanent presence off Earth - a moon base for scientists or a colony for all of humanity . " " There is a lot of good science on the moon that we've only scratched the surface on , " said former astronaut Tom Jones . Richard Vondrak , from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center , agrees , saying , " Astronauts can accomplish scientific exploration that is beyond the capability of robotic explorers . " And then there's the private business . In the last few years , several private companies - including Elon Musk's SpaceX - have launched rockets of their own , ending the national control over space flight . NASA is even considering a partnership with SpaceX , and Musk has said that if demand to go to the moon exists , his company will help fill it . Meanwhile , Buzz Aldrin , the second person to walk on the moon , believes that there's a much better target for exploration : Mars . " We've done the moon - we understand it better than anything else , " Aldrin said . " We've got to start thinking of long-term investments . " According to the passage , we can learn that _ . Answer: all the astronauts who have been to the moon don't agree to go back there Over the last 70 years, researchers have been studying happy and unhappy people and finally found out ten factors that make a difference. Our feelings of well-being at any moment are determined to a certain degree by genes. However, of all the factors, wealth and age are the top two. Money can buy a degree of happiness. But once you can afford to feed, clothe and house yourself , each extra dollar makes less and less difference. Researchers find that, on average, wealthier people are happier. But the link between money and happiness is complex. In the past half-century, average income has sharply increased in developed countries, yet happiness levels have remained almost the same. Once your basic needs are met, money only seems to increase happiness if you have more than your friends, neighbors and colleagues. "Dollars buy status, and status makes people feel better," conclude some experts, which helps explain why people who can seek status in other ways---scientists or actors, for example--may happily accept relatively poorly-paid jobs. In a research, Professor Alex Michalos found that the people whose desires--not just for money, but for friends, family, job, health--rose furthest beyond what they already had, tended to be less happy than those who felt a smaller gap. Indeed, the size of the gap predicted happiness about five times better than income alone. "The gap measures just blow away the only measures of income." Says Michalos. Another factor that has to do with happiness is age. Old age may not be so bad. "Given all the problems of aging, how could the elderly be more satisfied?" asks Professor Laura Carstensen. In one survey, Carstensen interviewed 184 people between the ages of 18 and 94, and asked them to fill out an emotions questionnaire. She found that old people reported positive emotions just as often as young people, but negative emotions much less often. Why are old people happier? Some scientists suggest older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it, or they're more realistic about their goals, only setting ones that they know they can achieve. But Carstensen thinks that with time running out, older people have learned to focus on things that make them happy and let go of those that don't. "People realize not only what they have, but also that what they have cannot last forever," she says. "A goodbye kiss to a husband or wife at the age of 85, for example, may bring far more complex emotional responses than a similar kiss to a boy or girl friend at the age of 20. Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more _ . Answer: practical Women make better drivers than men for many reasons. Why is that, do you suppose? Wouldn't you think that competing at who has better driving abilities is pointless? If you ask me, I'd like to say, men know that women are better drivers but do not have the courage to admit the truth -- women are queens of the road. Unlike men, women stop for directions when they have no idea as to where they are going. We don't drive around for hours pointlessly wasting a tank of gas only to find ourselves heading in the wrong direction. Have you ever in a car with a man who is lost? He tells you to shut up when you begin to open your mouth. And every five minutes or so he takes a turn going forty-five miles per hour only to find out he's made another wrong turn. Speeding is what men do best on the road. Traffic is not a race. There is a reason why men get more speeding tickets than women. Not because we trick to get out of tickets but only because we don't get pulled over as frequently. We don't speed. We have more intelligence than senselessly to put our own lives as well as the lives of others in danger. My largest issue with male drivers is how a majority of them drive with one hand on the wheel and the other hand doing only God knows what. The seat is backed as far as possible, and they're totally lost into loud music beyond a necessary level. You don't ever see women driving like that. I feel that the above evidence more than proves my points that women are not only better drivers but also safer drivers than men. We women rule the road. Oh, and men, if you want to continue criticizing women for being bad drivers, bring it on. We know you lack confidence, or else you wouldn't be wasting your valuable time making jokes about the ones you may choose to spend the rest of your days with. If a woman driver feels lost, she will _ . Answer: stop the car and ask people for help The video rooms have been open since Jan. 2. If successful, the chain hopes to expand the service to other provinces, or even other countries. In addition to the food, customers pay 200 yuan per hour for using the room. ''The video rooms have been fully booked in February,'' said Chen Yu, manager of the Wangfujing branch. The Video room in Beijing is about 30 square meters and large enough for six customers. ''Many customers prefer to use the room for dinners rather than lunch,'' Chen said, adding the average age of customers who booked the video hotpot is about 30. ''The whole process is very smooth. The image and the voice transmission are as good as those of video conferencing at work, ''said one of Chen's colleagues surnamed Luo. ''I have a lot of friends in Beijing, whom I haven't met for a long time because of being busy at work,'' said a woman surnamed Yu who is having dinner with her husband at Haidilao.''The new service gives us a chance to have a dinner together without traveling. I would like to give it a try.'' The video hotpot also helped establish a friendship between waitresses in the two cities. Zhao Huanhuan, in her 20s, who is specially trained for serving in the video room in Shanghai, developed a friendship with a waitress named Lu Ke in the Beijing branch. Zhao said excitedly: ''It was too amazing to believe. I'm so interested in using the special room and enjoy serving people there. I also talk about some interesting interactive games with Lu before guests come for dinner''. Although Lu felt a little bit nervous when she first served in front of the screens, she said the new mode of communication also encouraged her to supply better services for customers. ''It's like a service competition. We saw each other through video and I could learn from Zhao's serving,'' Lu said, adding she will visit Zhao if she goes to Shanghai. It seems that video hotpot doesn't satisfy everyone's taste, however. We can learn from the passage that Zhao Huanhuan _ . Answer: enjoys communicating with Lu Ke
Nearly all our food comes from the soil. Some of us eat meat, of course, but animals live on plants. If there were no plants, we would have no animals and no meat. So the soil is very necessary for life. The top of the ground is usually covered with grass or other plants. There may be dead leaves and dead plants on the grass. The waste matter from animals also falls on it. All soil needs food. If we do not give it any, the plants will be weak. Farmers found that animals' waste is the best food for the soil, but chemical fertilizers are also very useful. The same crop should not be grown in the same place every year; it's better to have a different crop. A change of crop and the use of a good fertilizer will keep the land good. What would happen first without plants? Answer: Amy likes fast food very much. She wants to go to McDonald's for dinner today. She asks Brian to take her there. Amy: Do you like McDonald's? Brian: It's OK. But you know eating too much food there is not good for your health. Amy: I know. But I like junk food. Brian: Why? Amy: It's _ . Brian: Yeah, right. Fat and salt. Amy: I don't care. Brian: You're all right. Quite slim . Amy: Let's go. (Amy and Brian stand in front of the counter.) Waitress: What would you like? Amy: A cheeseburger, a small fries, and a cup of orange juice. Waitress: 4.5 dollars. Amy: OK. Waitress: How about you? Brian: A chicken sandwich and a cup of milk. Waitress: That would be 2.5 dollars. Brian: Here you are. Waitress: Thanks. Who likes fast food? Answer: Tom walks into a shop. It has a sign outside: " Second hand clothes bought and sold ." He is carrying an old pair of trousers and asks the owner of the shop. " How much will you give me for these?" The man looks at them and then says, " Two dollars." " What!" says Tom, " I think they are worth at least five." "No," says the man, "They aren't worth a cent more than two dollars." " Well," says Tom. Taking two dollars out of his pocket, " Here's your money. These trousers are hanging outside your shop. The list price of them is six dollars and a half. But I think that is too much money, so I want to find out how much they are really worth." Before the shop owner can think of anything, Tom walks out of the shop with the pair of trousers. The shop owner insists that the trousers are worth only two dollars because _ . Answer: TODAY, Friday , November12 JAZZ with the Mike Thomas Jazz Band at the Derby Arms .Upper Richmond Road West ,Sheen. DISCO Satin Sounds Disco .Free at the Lord Napier ,Mort lake High St ,from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m .Tel:682--1158. SATURDAY, November 13 JAZZ Lysis at the Bull's Head ,Barnes Admission 60p. MUSICAL HALL at the Star and Garter ,Lower Richmond Road ,Putney ,provided by the Aba Daba Music Hall company .Good food and entertainment fair price .Tel :789--6749. FAMILY night out ?Join the sing-along at the Black Horse .Sheen Road, Richmond . JAZZ the John Bennett Big Band at the Bull's Head ,Barnes ,Admission 80p. THE DERBY ARMS, Upper Richmond Road West ,give you Joe on the electric accordion .Tel:789--4536 SUNDAY, November 14 DISCO Satin Sounds Disco ,free at the Lord Napier ,Mort Lake High Street ,from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m . FOLK MUSIC at the Derby Arms .The Short Stuff and residents the Norman Chop Trio .Non-remembers 70p.Tel:688--4626. HEAVY MUSIC with Tony Simon at Bull ,Upper Richmond Road West ,East Sheen . THE DERBY ARMS ,Upper Richmond Road West ,give you Joe on the electric accordion . You want to spend the same day at two different places and don't want to cross any street .Which of the following is your best choice? Answer: Teens are gaining weight. Today most teenagers are at least one size larger than teens were 20 years ago. Even clothing sizes have changed. Did you know that a small today used to be a medium, 20 years ago? A recent research shows 97%of teens need more exercise. It's bad news because too little exercise means you are missing a lot of good things in life. Exercise helps in two ways. First,exercise helps your body. Physical activity can make your body strong. It can also keep you at a healthy weight. Doctors say that people who stay at a healthy weight have fewer health problems. Second,exercise can help your mind. People who get plenty of physical activity might worry less and sleep better at night. You may even learn better in school. Students who are healthy can listen and understand better in class. So you can change your life and be more active at any point. It's never too late. An article called "How to Limit Screen Time and Get Moving"gives these ideas: Step away from the screen. Doctors call watching TV or playing video games screen time. You should have no more than two hours of screen time a day. You will enjoy life more if you live it instead of watching it! Start slowly. An hour a day can seem like a long time. Start with 10 minutes of new activities every day. Add more as you get stronger. Think about walking. Take the stairs instead of the lift. You will feel healthier. Make fitness fun. Find a sport you like. It doesn't need to be the traditional sports of basketball, soccer,or baseball. Those are all great sports and if you like them, play them. However,you can also try hiking,skateboarding,or even rope jumping. If you enjoy the sport,you will do it. Choose food carefully. Help your family shop for healthy food. Read the labels .Look for healthy foods. Eat lots of fiuits and vegetables. Stop buying soft drinks and junk foods. You will feel better if you eat right. Exercise with others. Find a friend or family member to exercise or play with you. You will have more fun and it helps keep you responsible for going. Which of the following is a FACT from the passage? Answer:
Which of the following systems breaks food into nutrients that can be used by the body? digestive My name is Li Li. I'm eleven. I'm from China. My mum and dad work in a big factory. They go to work every day but rest two days. I have a sister. We look like each other very much and we like to help each other. She is a middle school student and comes home in the afternoon. Everyone in my family likes to look after me. My sister and I are in the same school. I'm a good student in my class. There are forty-two students in our class, twenty boys and twenty-two girls. We have our lessons from eight o'clock in the morning to four o'clock in the afternoon. My teacher of English, Miss. Green is from England. She is a good teacher. We go to school from Monday to Friday .We have five English classes a week. Now we can say a hundred words, and play games in English. We like English. We like our English teacher. Li Li's father and mother work _ a week. five days A picture is on my desk. It is a picture of Mary's family. The man is her father Mr. White. He is a doctor. A woman is behind Mary. She is her mother. She's a teacher. A boy is in the picture, too. He is Mary's brother, Sam. Mary and Sam are in the same school. But they aren't in the same grade. They look like their mother. The White family are English. They come from London. Is the picture about the White family? No, it isn't. An electrical conductor is a vehicle for what? zapping energy There once was a business man named Red. Red owned his own business. He had his very own movie store. There are food stores, sporting goods stores, and even radio stores, but Red owned a movie store. Many people visited his movie store and watched a lot of movies. There were many different types of movies in his store. He had funny movies about dogs. He had scary movies about monsters. He had action movies about cops and even had silly movies about grown-ups. His movie store was known for its paint job. The paint job was the color red. It was not blue, purple, or yellow. The people in the town loved his red movie store and Red the movie store guy loved them. He gave them all the movies they could ever want. They kept watching his movies and soon Red opened another movie store. Red had two red movie stores and people loved watching his movies. Red even had popcorn at his movie store. He did not have ice cream, candy, or soda pop and this made people very sad. What color was Red's movie store? Red
Mary was spending a few days over her grandma and grandpa's house. Mary and her grandpa went to the park on Thursday morning. She had so much fun with him, and they were smiling the whole time! He pushed her on the swings, then helped her go down the slide. After they left the park, they went back to her grandpa's house. Mary asked her grandpa to make her lunch because she was starving! He told her that he could make her a few things. She could choose between chicken and pasta, beef and rice, or pizza and salad. Mary asked him to make her chicken and pasta. They ate lunch together at the kitchen table. The next day, Mary and her grandma went to see a movie at the movie theater. There was a new cartoon movie about cats and dogs that she couldn't wait to see! They ate popcorn and candy, and Mary had some juice. On Saturday, Mary's grandparents brought her back home to her mom and dad. They were so excited to see her! Mary spent Sunday with her mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa. They had a big picnic, and it was a great end to the week. What did Mary eat for lunch on Thursday? Answer: Chicken and pasta. When was the last time your family sat down together to have a dinner? The speed at which we live today no longer allows for slow eating habits. Most people work long hours. There is lots of fast food and eating out is now on the increase. Often, food is eaten in front of the television in silence, or a child eats alone in front of the computer. When I was a child, every evening around the same time, one of the children would be asked to set the table, and then we'd go and wash our hands: before the meal. This was the time of day when we would talk about our day at school. But now things have changed a lot. A family environment plays an important role for children in learning to communicate with others and understanding table manners, such as waiting for others to finish before leaving the table and not speaking with a mouth full of food. Parents' likes and dislikes of a certain food will also influence a child's own likes and dislikes. Studies have shown that children who often eat with their families have better results at school than children who eat with their families less than twice a week. Regular meal times give children the chance to discuss their problems with family members. They can also learn to respect others around the table. Talking to your children over dinner is the best way of having their-trust. Children learn good eating habits from their parents at a very young age. Family meals are important. Prepare them for your children. Some families eat less together because _ . Answer: people are busy with their work Earlier this year I traveled to Turkana in Kenya. I was there to take pictures of the "broken food system". As a special visitor, I was greeted with songs and dances. The locals used to sing and dance all the time but now Turkana is silent and has been for some years. No one is singing or dancing any more because they have no food, nothing to celebrate. Many of them are surviving on a little corn a day and water, which they can get just every two days. I met Tede Lokapelo, a local farmer who described the experience of a six-year drought . Tede used to have 200 goats, but now he has only seven left. He told me that this drought has taught him a hard lesson: It is too difficult to keep animals. He lives on animals. His traditional way of life has been completely destroyed now. Without the food aid they got, Tede is certain that they would starve because there are no other ways to feed themselves left. Sadly, the same can be heard in almost any developing country around the world. Almost one billion people go to bed hungry each night. The food system is broken. In Turkana, not enough rain has fallen since 2005. They measure rainfall not in days or weeks but in minutes. More and more people are being forced to rely on food aid, but people like Tede don't want food aid. They want to work and develop their country. It's our responsibility to change the situation so that they can support themselves. Drought is impossible to avoid but famine is manmade, and unless enough money is provided to develop a basic infrastructure for people in the area, thousands more lives are sure to be lost. What's the author's purpose in writing the text? Answer: To make it clear what is the right way to help people suffering from drought. The aim of students who come to school is to study.But study requires a right way, or you waste either the time or the money. The following are the ways for studying. The best time for reading is morning, because in the morning, the air is fresh and the mind is clear. For that reason, we can get good results. In studying we must have patience. If we have not known a text well, we must read it again. We should not read the next one till we have learned the first one. When we are studying, we must put our hearts into the book, or we can get nothing from the book while we are reading. We must always ask " why" . If it is not well understood, write it down and ask our teachers or our parents, brothers or friends. In any possible way, we must know it completely and what we've learned can be used well and made better. Though there are many ways for studying, the above mentioned will be quite enough if we can keep them in heart and do so. If we can't put our heart into the book when we read, it is _ Answer: impossible for us to get something from it Plants have family values, too; it seems, with new research suggesting they can recognize close relatives in order to work together. An ability to tell family from strangers is well known in animals, allowing them to cooperate and share resources, but plants may possess similar social skills, scientists believe. Susan Dudley and Amanda File of McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, report they have demonstrated for the first time that plants can recognize their kin. This suggests that plants, though lacking recognition and memory, are capable of complex social interactions. "Plants have this kind of hidden but complicated social life," Dudley said. The study found plants from the same species of beach-dwelling wildflower grew aggressively alongside unrelated neighbors but were less competitive when they shared soil with their families. Sea rocket, a North American species, showed stronger and healthier root growth when planted in pots with strangers than when raised with relatives from the same maternal family, the study found. This is an example of kin selection, a behavior common in animals in which closely related individuals take a group approach to succeeding in their environment, the researchers said. Kin selection also applies to competition, because if family members compete less with each other, the group will do better overall. "Everywhere you look, plants are growing right up next to other plants," Dudley said," Usually it's a case of each plant for itself. But sometimes those plants are related, and there are benefits to not wasting resources on being competitive, and there is not really a cost to not being competitive as long as your neighbor is also not being competitive." Learning and memory appear to be important for kin recognition in animals, but this isn't an option for plants, she noted. Some researchers speculate that plants communicate through their roots, identifying themselves using tiny chemical signatures specific to each plant's family. From the passage,we learn that _ . Answer: sea rocket grows aggressively alongside unrelated neighbors
Mrs. Brown is a worker. She works in a big factory. She gets up at five every morning. She often has breakfast at six fifty. After that she goes to the factory by bus at half past seven. She cleans the machines when she gets there very early. Then her workmates come. They begin to work at 8:00. They all work very hard. She goes home at five. Then she does some cooking. After supper she usually helps his son Tom with his homework. Sometimes she reads books. She usually watches TV with her family on weekends. When does Mrs. Brown usually watch TV with her family? On weekends. Which of the statements is the most accurate in describing the chemical equation shown below? 2H_{2}(g) + O_{2}(g) -> 2H_{2}O(g) + energy Energy is released. If you want to become a fluent English speaker you should take some advice. There are four skills in learning English. They are reading, listening, speaking, and writing. The most important thing you must remember is that if you want to improve your speaking and writing skills, you should first master the skills of reading and listening. Read as much as you can. But your reading must be active. It means that you must think about the meaning of the sentence, the meaning of the unfamiliar words, etc. There is no need for you to pay much attention to grammars or try to understand all the unfamiliar words you _ , but the fact that you see them for the first time and recognize them whenever you see them, for example, in other passages or books, is enough. It would be better to prepare yourself a notebook so you can write down the important words or sentences in it. As for listening, there are two choices: besides reading, you can listen every day for about 30 minutes. You can only pay attention to your reading and become skillful at your reading, then you can catch up on your listening. Since you have lots of inputs in your mind, you can easily guess what the speaker is going to say. This never means that you should not practice listening. For listening you can listen to cartoons or some movies that are specially made for children. Their languages are easy. Or if you are good at listening you can listen to VOA or BBC programs every day. Again the thing to remember is being active in listening and preferably taking some notes. If you follow these pieces of advice, your speaking and writing will improve quickly, and you can be a fluent English speaker one day. According to the writer, which should you improve first among the four skills? Reading and listening. As a Red Giant forms it's gravity will grow Chrysanthemums are to the fall what tulips are to the spring. In ancient China, chrysanthemums (or 'mums' for short) were first planted thousands of years ago. People chose the chrysanthemum as their Flower for October, a symbol of the rest and ease that followed the season's final harvest. Then they symbolized a scholar in retirement and were one of the four noble plants, along with bamboo, the plum flower, and orchid. The Japanese hold the chrysanthemum as a symbol of the sun. They consider the orderly unfolding of its petals to be a symbol of perfection. They also think that a single chrysanthemum petal placed in the bottom of a wine glass encourages a long and healthy life. The Japanese even have a National Chrysanthemum Day on September 9, known as the Festival of Happiness. In the United States during colonial times, its popularity grew such that mums now reign as "Queen of the Fall Flowers." Mums remain the most widely grown pot plant in the country and the largest commercially produced flowers. Chrysanthemums generally represent cheerfulness and rest. So they are welcomed throughout the British Isles and North America for any occasion, such as football games and parties. In other countries such as Italy, Belgium and Austria, however, their association with the dead makes chrysanthemums acceptable only for funerals and graves. Mums are loved not only in the Unite States but in the British Isles as they stand for _ . cheerfulness and rest
Fashion is a term commonly used to describe a style of clothing worn by most people of a country. A fashion usually keeps popular for 1-3 years and then is replaced by another fashion. Even though there are a lot of changes in fashion, most people do not easily hope for the changes. Nowadays more and more young people prefer following the fashion. On this phenomenon , different people have different opinions. It is held that one should follow the fashion so as not to be looked down or seem strange. But it is also held that one should have his or her own judgement . Those who hold the first opinion think that society is progessing and one should get used to the changes. In their opinions, if everyone always follows the old fashion, there won't be any change and naturally there won't be much progress. However, those who hold the second view think that one shouldn't follow the fashion without having his or her own judgement and characters. As for me, I agree with the second opinion. Of course, it's good for people to keep up with the fashion, but this is not to say that people should follow the fashion blindly . If all the people follow the same fashion, there will be no variety and the whole society will be boring. .We can tell from the story that the writer thinks we should _ . A. keep up with the same fashion B. be against the fashion C. say nothing about the fashion D. follow the fashion by our own judgement Answer: D Years ago, I lived in a building in a town. There was another building across form mine, and it was only a few meters away. There lived a woman whom I had never met. I could see her sit by the window each afternoon, drinking or reading. Several months later, I noticed her window was very dirty. Everything was not clear through the window. I wondered why the woman didn't wash her window. One sunny morning, I decided to clean up my apartment, including washing my windows. Late in the afternoon when I finished the cleaning, I sat down for a rest by the window. What a surprise! The woman sitting by her window was clearly seen! Her window was clean! Suddenly, I realized I had made a mistake. I was watching her through my dirty window all the time! That was quite an important lesson for me. Since then, whenever I wanted to judge someone, I asked myself first, " Am I looking at him through the dirty window of my heart?" Then I try to clean the window of my own world so that I may see the world clearly. One sunny morning, the writer decided to do some_. A. reading B. cleaning C. shopping D. cooking Answer: B Great British is an island that lies off the northwest coast of Europe. The nearest country is France which is 20 miles away. Great British is separated from France by the English Channel. The island is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, to the west, and the North Sea, to the east. It includes the main lands of England, Wales and Scotland. Scotland is in the north while Wales is in the west. Ireland, which is also an island, lies off the west coast of Great Britain. It is made up of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. Great Britain together with Northern Ireland forms the United Kingdom (U.K.). So the U.K. is made up of four countries. The largest of these is England which is divided into 43 countries. The capital city is London which is on the river Thames. It is true that England is _ . A. the smallest of the four countries in U.K. B. only larger than Wales C. as large as Ireland D. the largest country in U.K. Answer: D Barack Obama has never been shy about comparing himself with Abraham Lincoln. He did so when he announced his presidential election in Illinois, where both he and Lincoln served in the legislature . "The life of a tall, thin, self-made Springfield lawyer tells us that a different future is possible." Obama said. "He tells us that there is power in words and that there is power in hope." Such comparisons have continued on big and small occasions, but the most important similarity, in Obama's mind, is how he plans to govern if elected. Obama says he admires Doris Kearns Goodwin' s wonderful Lincoln biography, Team of Rivals. "He talks about it all the time." says a top assistant. "He is particularly interested in the idea that Lincoln successfully won the hearts of many people who had run against him for President, some of them even disagree with him firmly." "The lesson is that you shouldn't let your hatred get in the way of hiring ly the best people." says Obama. "I think American people are practical and so I have an interest in casting a wide net, seeking out people with a wide range of expert knowledge, including Republicans, for the highest positions in the government." "I don't want to have people who just agree with me." He says. "I want people who are continually pushing me forward and I'd be very interested in having those sorts of Republicans in my government, especially people who can speed up a responsible and logical conclusion to the Iraq war." According to Barack Obama, the biggest similarity between Lincoln and himself is _ . A. they both lived Illinois B. they have the same idea in governing C. both of them are black D. they served in the same office Answer: B A new age is coming.Call it what you will: the service economy, the information age, the knowledge society.It all translates to a fundamental change in the way we work.Already we're partly there, the percentage of people who earn their living by making things has fallen dramatically in the Western World.Today the majority of jobs in America, Europe and Japan are in the service industry, and the number is on the rise.More women are in the work force than ever before.There are more part-time jobs.More people are self-employed.But the range of the economic transformation can't be measured by numbers alone, because it also is giving rise to important new way of thinking about the nature of work itself.Long-held ideas about jobs and careers, the skills needed to succeed, even the relation between individuals and employers - all these are being challenged. We have only to look behind us to get some sense of what may lie ahead.No one looking ahead 20 years possibly could have foreseen the ways in which a single invention, the chip , would transform our world thanks to its applications in personal computers, digital communications and factory robots.Tomorrow's achievements in biotechnology, artificial intelligence or even some still unimagined technology could produce a similar wave of dramatic changes.But one thing is certain: information and knowledge will become even more valid, and the people who possess it, whether they work in manufacturing or services, will have the advantage and produce the wealth.Computer knowledge will become as basic a requirement as the ability to read and write.The ability to solve problems by applying information instead of performing routine tasks will be valued above all else.If you cast your mind ahead 10 years, information service will be superior.It will be the way you do your job. By mentioning the invention of "the chip", the author means to say that. A. we haven't paid enough attention to the importance of high technology B. the chip is the most important invention today C. the power of science and technology is beyond our imagination D. it's a great challenge to apply new inventions to our life Answer: C
Two Chinese living in South Africa were killed in a robbery on February 5, bringing the total number of Chinese killed in the country to four in less than a month. Chen Jianqing, 35, from Southeast China's Fujian Province who ran a shop with her husband in a small town 45 kilometers away from South African capital prefix = st1 /Johannesburgwas shot dead. "One of her business partners died later in the hospital, "the Chinese consulate officials in Johannesburg said yesterday."Local police are trying to find more information about the case.And we have told the victims' s and are helping them come to Johannnesburg," consul Wu Gang told China Daily. Chen's husband was injured during the robbery but did not suffer seriously ,said Wu. The robbery happened at about 5:45pm local time and the armed robbers ran away after taking more than 50,000 South Afican rand (US$8,200)and some jewellery,Xinhua News Agncy reported. The killing happened just three days after Chen Jingmin, a 23-year-old man from Qingdao, Shandong province, was shot dead north outside Johannesburg by armed robbers .On January 10, a Hong Kong businessman was attacked and robbed at his home in Johannesburg and died the next day in the hospital.All these happened just in less than a month. According to records, there were more than 40 robberies attacking Chinese in South Africalast year ,in which eight were killed .More than 100,000 Chinese are doing various kinds of businesses inSouth Africa,according to a Chinese official in the country. An increasing number of them are becoming targers of robbers after buying big houses or expensive cars, the official said. The passage is probably _ . Answer: My husband and children think they are very lucky that they are living and that it's Christmas again. We live on a dirty street in a dirty house among people who aren't much good. But Johnny and children can't see this,never can they see! What a pity it is that our neighbors have to make happiness out of all this dirt. I decided that my children must get out of this. The money that we've saved isn't nearly enough. The McGaritys have money but they are so proud. They look down upon the poor. The McGarity girl just yesterday stood out there in the street eating from a bag of candy while a ring of hungry children watched her. I saw those children looking at her and crying in their hearts; and when she couldn't eat any more she threw the rest down the sewer . Why, is it only because they have money? There is more to happiness than money in the world, isn't there? Miss Jackson who teaches at the Settlement House isn't rich, but she knows things. She understands people. Her eyes look straight into yours when she talks with you. She can read your mind. I'd like to see the children be like Miss Jackson when they grow up. This passage mainly suggests that the writer _ . Answer: There is a place where Christmas lives all year long. It is called Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan. The family-owned business calls itself the world's largest Christmas store. The late Wally Bronner started the business in 1945. Wayne Bronner, Wally's son, is president and CEO of what is now a multi-million dollar corporation. He learned the business from an early age. Some of his best memories are traveling to other countries with his father to find new products for the store. Bronner's sells more than 50,000 holiday products from 70 nations. Half of the products cost less than ten dollars. Wayne Bronner says the demand for small objects to hang on Christmas trees has expanded over the years. People spend more time, effort and money into decorating their homes with these ornaments, lights and religious scenes. Bronner's is famous for its nativity scenes which show the birth of Jesus Christ. Michigan has the nation's highest unemployment rate. Bronner's has been affected by the recession, too. But not in reduced sales. Wayne Bronner said: "Even though people are spending less, we're having more people visit here. And as a result we've actually had a sales increase." Bronner's success is also linked to community cooperation and investment. Frankenmuth is a town of 5,000 people in eastern Michigan's farm country. The town was settled by Bavarian Germans in the 1800s. It has kept its traditions alive in buildings and restaurants. Bavarian cultural themes and Bronner's huge store bring 3,000,000 visitors a year. The town is the most popular place for tourists in the state. Bronner's business is aimed at a single day of the year. But that is not too different from other businesses. "About half of our business is done in the last quarter of the year, in the last three months. And actually when you compare that with most retailers, that follows the same pattern." Wayne Bronner says the family's long-term planning and willingness to reinvest profits has developed the company into what it is today. Still, it does not hurt to build a business on a holiday which is celebrated worldwide. Currently, about only two percent of sales are overseas. But Wayne Bronner sees room for growth, especially through the Internet. We can learn from the passage that _ . Answer: (2013*,C)One day,when I was working as a psychologist in England,an adolescent boy showed up in my office.It was David.He kept walking up and down restlessly,his face pale,and his hands shaking slightly.His head teacher had referred him to me."This boy has lost his family,"he wrote."He is understandably very sad and refuses to talk to others,and I'm very worried about him.Can you help?" I looked at David and showed him to a chair.How could I help him? There are problems psychology doesn't have the answer to,and which no words can describe.Sometimes the best thing one can do is to listen openly and sympathetically. The first two times we met,David didn't say a word.He sat there,only looking up to look at the children's drawings on the wall behind me.I suggested we play a game of chess.He nodded.After that he played chess with me every Wednesday afternoon--in complete silence and without looking at me.It's not easy to cheat in chess,but I admit I made sure David won once or twice. Usually,he arrived earlier than agreed,took the chess board and pieces from the shelf and began setting them up before I even got a chance to sit down.It seemed as if he enjoyed my company.But why did he never look at me? "Perhaps he simply needs someone to share his pain with,"I thought."Perhaps he senses that I respect his suffering."Some months later,when we were playing chess,he looked up at me suddenly. "It's your turn,"he said. After that day,David started talking.He got friends in school and joined a bicycle club.He wrote to me a few times,about his biking with some friends,and about his plan to get into university.Now he had really started to live his own life. Maybe I gave David something.But I also learned that one--without any words--can reach out to another person.All it takes is a hug,a shoulder to cry on,a friendly touch,and an ear that listens. What can be inferred about David? Answer: The Marches were a happy family. Poverty, hard work, and even the fact that Father March was away with the Union armies could not down the spirits of Meg, Jo, Amy, and Marmee, as the March girls called their mother. The March sisters tried to be good but had their share of faults. Pretty Meg was often displeased with the schoolchildren she taught; boyish Jo was easy to become angry; golden-haired schoolgirl Amy liked to show up; but Beth, who kept the house, was loving and gentle always. The happy days passed and darkness came when a telegram arrived for Mrs. March. "Your husband is very ill," it said, "come at once." The girl tried to be brave when their mother left for the front. They waited and prayed. Little Beth got scarlet fever when she was taking care of the sick neighbor. She became very ill but began to recover by the time Marmee was back. When Father came home from the front and at that joyful Christmas dinner they were once more all together. Three years later the March girls had grown into young womanhood. Meg became Mrs. Brooke, and after a few family troubles got used to her new state happily. Jo had found pleasure in her literary efforts. Amy had grown into a young lady with a talent for design and an even greater one for society. But Beth had never fully regained her health, and her family watched her with love and anxiety. Amy was asked to go and stay in Europe with a relative of the Marches. Jo went to New York and became successful in her writing and had the satisfaction of seeing her work published there. But at home the bitterest blow was yet to fall. Beth had known for some time that she couldn't live much longer to be with the family and in the spring time she died. News came from Europe that Amy and Laurie, the grandson of a wealthy neighbor, had planned to be married soon. Now Jo became ever more successful in her writing and got married to Professor Bhaer and soon afterwards founded a school for boys. And so the little women had grown up and lived happily with their children, enjoying the harvest of love and goodness that they had devoted all their lives to. Who was the most successful in career among the March girls? Answer:
One of the most widely accepted, commonly repeated assumptions in our culture is that if you exercise, you will lose weight. I exercise all the time, but I still have gut fat that hangs over my belt when I sit. Why isn't all the exercise getting rid of it? It's a question many of us could ask. More than 45 million Americans now belong to a health club, up from 23 million in 1993. We spend some $19 billion a year on gym memberships. Of course, some people join and never go. Still, as one major study -- the Minnesota Heart Survey -- found, more of us at least say we exercise regularly. And yet obesity figures have risen sharply in the same period: a third of Americans are obese, and another third count as overweight by the Federal Government's definition. Yes, it's entirely possible that those of us who regularly go to the gym would weigh even more if we exercised less. But like many other people, I get hungry after I exercise, so I often eat more on the days I work out than on the days I don't. Could exercise actually be keeping me from losing weight? The popular belief that exercise is essential for weight control is actually fairly new. As recently as the 1960s, doctors routinely advised against too much exercise, particularly for older adults who could injure themselves. Today doctors encourage even their oldest patients to exercise, which is sound advice for many reasons: People who regularly exercise are at significantly lower risk for all manner of diseases -- those of the heart in particular. They less often develop cancer and many other illnesses. But the past few years of obesity research show that the role of exercise in weight loss has been wildly over-evaluated. "In general, for weight loss, exercise is pretty useless," says Eric Ravussin, exercise researcher at Louisiana State University. Many recent studies have found that exercise isn't as important in helping people lose weight as you hear so regularly in gym advertisements or on shows likeThe Biggest Loser -- or, for that matter, from magazines like this one. The basic problem is that while it's true that exercise burns calories and that you must burn calories to lose weight, exercise has another effect: it can make one hungry. That causes us to eat more, which in turn can negate the weight-loss benefits we just gained. Exercise, in other words, isn't necessarily helping us lose weight. It may even be making it harder. According to the writer, people might gain weight because _ . Answer: Elk are protected where? Answer: Anne Whitney, 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 in 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. My low grades on the tests did not show what I knew to the teacher. "Another student in biology had similar experiences. He said, "My first chemistry test was very difficult. Then, on the second test, I sat down to take it, and I was so nervous that I was shaking. My hands were moving up and down so quickly that it was hard to hold my pencil. I knew the material and I knew the answers. Yet I couldn't even write them down!" These two young students were 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 extreme tension and nervousness. Contrary to people's common belief that poor grades are often a result of poor study habits, sometimes test anxiety plays a role in students' achieving low grades. Recently, test anxiety has been recognized as a real problem, not just an excuse or a false explanation of lazy students. Special university advising courses try to help students. In these courses, advisors try to help students by teaching them how to manage test anxiety. At some universities, students take tests to measure their anxiety. If the tests show their anxiety is high, the students can take short courses to help them deal with their tensions. These courses teach students how to relax their bodies. Students are trained to become calm in very tense situations. By controlling their nervousness, they can let their minds work at ease. Learned information then comes out without difficulty on a test. An expert at the University of California explains, " With almost all students, relaxation and less stress are felt after taking our program. Most of them experience better control during their tests. Almost all have some improvement. With some, the improvement is very great. " A University of California advisor said _ . Answer: Reading is a good hobby for all kinds of reasons. First, reading is fun. You can always keep yourself happy if you like reading. You will never feel bored or tired. Next, you can read a book anywhere-- in a car, on a plane, or even in the bathroom. All you need is a book! Another good reason for reading is that it is useful. If you read as a hobby, you will get better and better at it. And you will read faster and find it easier to understand what you read. As you reading skills improve, you will probably find your schoolwork becomes much better. Some people say that reading is out of date . This is not true. You can read on computers, and the better you read, the better your computer skills will be. Good readers may become writers, too. They always have more things to write about. Reading is a wonderful hobby. Why not start reading right now? You can read faster _ . Answer: Bognor Regis is a small beautiful town in the UK. From March 12 to 17 of each year, lots of clowns get together in the town to celebrate the International Clown Festival. The first one was in 1987. During the festival, people can see all kinds of clowns. They are together for the clown shows. They have big feet, red noses and look really funny. They sing and dance in a strange way to make people happy. Children like this interesting festival best. Now women can take part in the clown shows and they're very popular. But in the past, only men could be clowns. The first International Clown Festival was in _ . Answer:
An American woman Anna Jarvis was the first person to decide the mothers should have a holiday in their honor each year. Miss Jarvis started her campaign in 1906 in her home city Philadelphia. She wrote thousands of letters to congressmen , city officials, teachers and newspaper publishers, proposing an official holiday for mothers. She traveled all over America, trying to get support for the idea. Her battle went on for years. In 1914, the Congress declared the second Sunday in May each year as Mother's Day. Anna Jarvis wanted Mother's Day to be a simple event. She thought children could honor their mothers by spending some time with them as an act of love and respect. However, the holiday turned out to be a major event for department stores, flower shops and greetingcard industry, which Miss Jarvis didn't like. Americans spend millions of dollars on gifts for their mothers on this day. Younger children often try to prepare and serve breakfast for their mothers. Fathers may offer to take care of children so that mothers can enjoy themselves. The holiday becomes an important time for family gathering. What can be inferred from the text is that _ . A. the Congress didn't accept Anna's suggestion until the whole country supported her B. the battle lasted 8 years C. Jarvis didn't enjoy the usual way Americans spend Mother's Day D. Mother's Day is an important day for Americans Answer: A. the Congress didn't accept Anna's suggestion until the whole country supported her The New Year is the time to buy a new calendar . Yet it can take a lot of time just to choose the right one. There are lots and lots of choices. There are small ones. Big ones. Calendars sit on a desk. Calendars hang on the wall. Calendars are carried around. In one way all calendars are the same. They all list the same days of the year in exactly the same order. Calendars have become popular gifts because many are filled with beautiful pictures. Some have pictures of famous art works. It is like hanging a different painting on your wall each month. You can even learn from calendars. They often give information about their subject--such as famous writers or American Indians or flower gardens. There are calendars about food and about beautiful places in the world. Calendars about sports and about movies. Funny calendars with popular cartoon characters. For pet lovers, there are calendars with pictures of cats doing unusual things. Three hundred sixty-five of them--one for each day of the year. There are calendars with pictures of cars, too. There are even calendars for children who can draw the pictures themselves. Some people do not just look at their calendars. They use them to write down important things they must remember, like meetings or doctor's appointments. Busy people can buy small calendars to carry around to help them organize and plan their life. Since there are so many choices, you must spend your time choosing your favourite calendars. Why are the calendars the same? A. Because they are small. B. Because they are big. C. Because they can be put on the desk. D. Because they show the day in the same order. Answer: D. Because they show the day in the same order. Worms are excellent decomposers because A. they eat a lot of rot B. worms eat dead bodies C. they enjoy eating carcasses and expel waste back to earth D. worms enjoy eating dirt and decay Answer: C. they enjoy eating carcasses and expel waste back to earth Kids love animals, so children's magazines about wildlife are a great way to plant a love of reading in young kids. If your kids love animals, check out these magazines. National Geographic Kids National Geographic Kids brings animals, nature, science, and fun to the little learners. Its animal stories develop pre-reading and reading skills. They also answer questions about kids' favorite creatures. Features about different cultures bring the world to your child and inspire a sense of understanding. Interactive experiments introduce simple science, and fun puzzles and games teach logic, counting, and so much more! It is for children aged from 6 to 14. Click Click opens up a universe of wonder by introducing kids aged 3-7 to the world around them. Click is about science, nature, and the environment. From the publishers of Ladybug, Click is written so that children will love the challenge of new learning. Wild Animal Baby It helps a child develop a lifelong love of reading and learning. This sturdy , board format magazine is designed especially for babies and toddlers between the ages of 12 months and 3 years. Each issue is filled with rhymes, stories and lovable baby animals. Wild Animal Baby is a fun, interactive reading experience for children and parents alike. Zootles It was created for children aged 2 to 6 years old. Each issue includes a featured animal, numbers, and phoneme sounds. Counting and sound recognition games are built into the content, along with read-aloud stories, poems and more! This magazine is so much fun that little kids won't realize how much they are learning. What's the author's purpose in writing the text? A. To encourage kids to read more books. B. To introduce his / her favorite books to readers. C. To recommend several children's magazines about animals. D. To tell parents several ways of entertaining and educating kids. Answer: C. To recommend several children's magazines about animals. Spider webs are one of the most fascinating examples of animal architecture. The most beautiful and structurally ordered are the round webs. The main function of the web is to stop and hold flying insects,long enough for the spider to catch them. In order to do so,the threads of the web have to stand the forces from large and heavy insects as well as environmental forces from wind and rain for at least a day in most cases. The round web is found to have two main characteristics. The first is its geometry,which consists of an outer frame and a central part from which threads radiate outward. Enclosed in the frame are capture spirals winding round and round from the web center out to the frame. The whole web is in tension and held in place by anchor threads,which connect the frame to the surrounding plants or objects. The second and perhaps most important characteristic is the material with which it is built. Spider silk is a kind of natural material that gives this lightweight fiber a strength comparable to that of steel, while at the same time making it very elastic . Two types of silk threads are used in the web. One is highly elastic and can stretch to almost twice its original length before breaking and, for most types of spiders, is covered in glue. This type is used in the capture spiral for catching and holding insects. The other is stiffer and stronger,and is used for the radius,frames and anchor threads,which allows the web to stand forces and to keep its structural strength through a wide range of environmental conditions. What is this passage mainly about? A. The wisdom of spiders. B. The function of round spider webs. C. The structure of round spider webs. D. The challenges for spider webs. Answer: C. The structure of round spider webs.
Question: It was Molly's job to hand her father his brown paper lunch bag each morning before he headed off to work. One morning, in addition to his usual lunch bag, Molly handed him a second paper bag. This one was worn and held together with staples . "Why two bags?" her father asked. "The other is something else," Molly answered. "What's in it?" "Just some stuff. Take it with you." Not wanting to discuss the matter, he put both bags into his briefcase, kissed Molly and rushed off. At midday he opened Molly's bag and took out the contents: two hair ribbons , three small stones, a plastic dinosaur, a tiny sea shell, a small doll, and 13 pennies... The busy father smiled, finished eating, and swept the desk clean into the wastebasket, Molly's stuff included. That evening, Molly ran up behind him as he read the paper. "Where's my bag?" "What bag?" "The one I gave you this morning." "I left it at the office. Why?" "I forgot to put this note in it," she said. "And, besides, Daddy, the things in the sack are the things I really like -- I thought you might like to play with them. You didn't lose the bag, did you, Daddy?" "Oh, no," he said, lying. "I just forgot to bring it home. I'll bring it tomorrow." While Molly hugged her father's neck, he unfolded the note that read: "I love you, Daddy." Molly had given him her treasures -- all that a 7-year-old held dear. Love in a paper bag, and he missed it -- not only missed it, but had thrown it in the wastebasket. So back he went to the office. Just ahead of the night janitor , he picked up the wastebasket. He put the treasures inside and carried it home carefully. The bag didn't look so good, but the stuff was all there and that's what counted. After dinner, he asked Molly to tell him about the stuff in the sack. It took a long time to tell. Everything had a story or a memory. "Sometimes I think of all the great times in this sweet life," he thought. We should all remember that it's not the destination that counts in life, but the journey. That journey with the people we love is all that really matters. It is such a simple truth but it is so easily forgotten. How did father deal with the bag after he opened it? A. He kept it in the drawer. B. He took it back home. C. He threw it into the wastebasket. D. He put it on his table. Answer: C. He threw it into the wastebasket. Question: Kong Zi , also called Confucius (551-479 B.C) , and Socrates (469-399 B. C) lived only a hundred years apart , and during their lifetimes there was no contact between China and Greece, but it is interesting to look at how the world that each of these great philosophers came from shaped their ideas , and how these ideas in turn ,shaped their societies. Confucius suggested the Golden Rule as a principle for the conduct of life:" Do not do to others what you would not want others to do to you." He assumed that all men were equal at birth, though some bad more potential than others, and that it was knowledge that set men apart. Socrates focused on the individual, and thought that the greatest purpose of man was to seek wisdom. He believed that the superior class should rule the inferior classes. For Socrates, the family was of no importance, and the community of little concern. For Confucius, however, the family was the centre of the society, with family relations considered much more important than political relations. Both men are respected much more today than they were in their lifetimes. Socrates shared with Confucius the idea that _ . A. all men were equal when they were born B. the lower classes should be ruled by the upper class C. the purpose of man was to seek freedom and wisdom D. people should not ask others to do what they did not want to Answer: C. the purpose of man was to seek freedom and wisdom Question: Classes and categories are both part of A. distraction B. confusion C. control D. designating Answer: D. designating Question: People visit other countries for many reasons.Some travel on business;others travel to visit interesting places that are only found in other countries,such as the Taj Mahal in India. Wherever you go, and for whatever reason,it is important to be safe.While the majority of people you will meet when traveling are sure to be friendly and welcoming, there are dangers--theft being the most common.Just as in your home country, do not expect everyone you meet to be friendly and helpful.It is important to prepare for your trip in advance, and to take precautions while you are traveling. As you prepare for your trip, make sure you have the right paperwork.You don't want to get to your destination only to find you have the wrong visa,or worse,that your passport is about to _ .Also, make sure you travel with proper medical insurance, so that if you are sick during your travels,you will be able to get treatment.If you want to drive while you are abroad,make sure you have an international driver's license. Buy a guidebook and read about the local customs of the country you are going to.Also, try to learn a few basic words and phrases. When you get to your destination, use official transport.Always go to bus and taxi stands; don't accept rides from strangers who offer you a lift.If there is no meter in the taxi, agree on a price before you get in.If you prefer to stay in cheap hotels while traveling,make sure you can lock the door of your room from the inside.If you are traveling with valuables such as jewelry, or a lot of cash, you should ask about a safe for storing them in.Finally, remember to smile.Smiling is the friendliest and most sincere form of communication, and is sure to be understood in any part of the world! Choose the best title for the passage. A. Some precautions when traveling abroad. B. The two main reasons for people traveling. C. The official documents a traveler needs. D. Advice on using local transportation. Answer: A. Some precautions when traveling abroad. Question: Kate, Jack and Sam are good friends. They are in the same school.Kate and Jack are classmates. But Sam is in a different grade-Grade Three. They often do sports or play games after school. This evening Jack is going to Sam's birthday party and he is going to give him a new book for his birthday because he likes reading very much. Kate wants to go to the party, too. But she has to stay at home because her mother isn't feeling well. She asks Jack to take a present to Sam for his birthday. She wants to give Sam a different present, so she gives him a very mice new pen. What does Jack give Sam? A. Some flowers. B. A new book. C. Some cards. D. A new pen. Answer: B. A new book.
Question: if a plant shows up in a new place, what might have happened? A. the plant is able to relocate itself B. it spontaneously appeared there C. it walked to the new place D. its cased embryo have been dispersed Answer: D Question: Our bedroom has no full-length mirror. There is one at the canteen entrance. I always cherish a secret desire to take a glance before it at myself in a beautiful new dress. However, each time when it comes to the fulfillment, I get seized with such an uneasiness that I literally stagger away--backing out at the critical moment. At the root of it is my lack of confidence by which I have been enslaved since childhood. It embarrasses me at the mildest praise, crushes my utmost efforts to say "No", and prevents me from asking my parents for one cent more than necessary. Among other things, lack of confidence has wormed its way into my love of piano. At the age of 14, one Sunday morning, I was woken up by a resounding hymn . Tracing that call of God into a neighboring church, I found myself deeply attracted by the melody of a piano--something beyond the means of my parents. To make it worse, people say a pianist is supposed to have music in the blood, but I believe I had none from my engineer father and technician mother. For days on end, I kept thinking of nothing else. I had a dream. It wasn't a dream after gold, which made some of my close friends to engage in business as self-employed traders or street peddlers. I was sometimes dazzled by their gold rings or elegant necklaces behind which, however, I seemed to catch sight of skeletons in their cupboards and was frightened away from the craze for fortunate. Out of despair, I kept it to myself, lack of confidence weighing heavy on me. I could do nothing but turn to my dream for comfort, for courage to aim high and wish for the impossible. I was convinced that before I could afford anything expensive (to me, it was a piano), I should climb up the academic ladder as high as possible. For the next nine years, I carefully held back my desire for music to keep my search for learning, especially in English studies. My efforts were so rewarding that I went successfully through high school and college in my hometown. When I received the admission notice for a second degree course at a famous university in Beijing, the national capital, tears welled up in my eyes. I knew my command of English was my wealth, for I might make a deal with a pianist who would give me access to his piano in exchange for English lessons. And that has come true! To this day, whenever I lay my fingers on the snow-white keyboard, ready for a melody, I still feel shy. I am quite aware of my limited music talent, but as a shy dreamer, I have found my way to success. How did the writer make her dream of playing the piano come true? A. She turned to her friends for financial aid. B. She taught English in exchange for piano lessons. C. She was admitted to a university for a second degree course in music. D. She earned money by doing a part-time job to pay for her piano lessons. Answer: B Question: In a strong tempest, a large boulder may be A. broken B. smoothed C. sharpened D. stained Answer: B Question: A short Chinese man seems to be the tallest in the world right now. Jack Ma(Ma Yun),50, is executive chairman of Alibaba Group, a business-to-business online platform. On Sept.19, Alibaba went public on the New York Stock Exchange , raising $25 billion through an IPO , the biggest in US history. Ma, a former English teacher, has become the richest man on the Chinese mainland. Born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, Ma grew up as a happy kid. At the age of 12, he wanted to learn English. Every morning, he woke up at 5 a.m, cycled 40 minutes to a hotel near the West Lake where he could chat to foreign tourists. He did it for nine years, rain or shine. The experience made him a fluent English speaker and also opened his eyes to the wider world. In a 1995 trip to the US, Ma was showed the Internet for the first time. He searched Yahoo using the word "Beer", and found that there was nothing in there about China. Seeing the chance, Ma returned to China and set up a website called China Pages without even knowing much about computers. Four years later, 18 people including Ma, his wife and his friends founded Alibaba in Hangzhou. He believed in the Internet business potential when few other Chinese did. People called him "Crazy Jack Ma". But 15 years later, Alibaba has developed into the world's largest e-commerce company, owning popular shopping websites like Taobao and Tmall. It makes more profit online than Amazon and e-Bay combined. No one thinks he's mad now. Ma's favorite line has been printed on Alibaba's souvenir T-shirts. It reads: "Everybody should have a dream. What if that dream comes true?" The title of the passage can be " _ " A. Crazy Jack Ma B. Alibaba's First IPO C. The World's Largest E-commerce Company D. The Internet Business Potential Answer: A Question: It seems that the key to winning any contest is in the belief that you can win. This belief is what inspires one to do one's best. If we have this belief, we work tirelessly to accomplish our goals, and make whatever sacrifices which are necessary. Whether it's a hot-dog eating contest or a spelling bee, the winners have not just been the ones with the most skills, but those with the greatest desire to win. Much can be said for positive thinking. An entire movement is based on the idea that if you visualize your goals on a daily basis, you will accomplish them, no matter how difficult they may seem. Most life coaches recommend writing down a list of all of your goals on a poster, and then displaying it where you'll see it every day. This way these goals will become so much a part of your life that you will find yourself driven to accomplish every one of them. The same strategy applies to winning any contest. Practice is, of course, also part of winning. If you're not devoted enough to practice, then you have no hope anyway. Don't take the other contestants for granted. They're working just as hard as you are, and you have to keep practicing all the way up to the moment of competition if you really want to win. Finally, show grace in victory. Always be generous in your praise of the other contestants. The positive energy of their good will toward you will carry you to countless additional victories. Be proud in you heart that you worked so hard to accomplish your goals, and that you deserve the reward you've just gotten, but accept the reward with a modest and gracious manner. According to the passage, if you want to be admitted to a famous university, you should _ . A. dream of being accepted by it every night B. work tirelessly and make unimaginable sacrifices C. write down its name where you'll see it every day D. prepare and practice day and night Answer: C
Disneyland may look like a straightforward theme park. But there's a secret world hidden behind the balloons, castles and cotton candy -- a place where wild cats wander at midnight, Mickey Mouse hides in the wallpaper, and movie stars drink martinis behind closed doors. Cat security -- It's not easy keeping the ground of Disneyland spotless, as well as free of unwanted pests. Every night after closing time, 200 wild cats were freed into the park to help keep the rodent population under control. Though Disney doesn't comment on the matter, rumor has it that the cat taskforce dates back to 1957. After unsuccessful attempts to chase them out of the park, Disney decided to put the cats to work instead. Hidden Mickeys--At Disneyland the round-eared Mickey Mouse image is everywhere. But you can also see hundreds of "Hidden Mickeys" across the park, which are very difficult to spot: they're camouflage in the architecture and landscaping as well as in the smallest stylistic details. Cocktail behind closed doors-- _ unless you can manage to get your name on the list at Club 33. The secret cocktail club has a limited membership of just 487 and a waiting list of approximately 14 years. Walt Disney designed the club as a special space to entertain possible investors; since then, it has hosted US presidents, film stars and foreign guests. Always on stage--At Disneyland, a doorman isn't a doorman, he is a "cast member". So are the large numbers of cashiers, painters, ride operators, gardeners and performers. All "cast members" are trained to follow a specific rule that helps preserve the Disney magic. On the list of dos and don'ts? Never break character. If wearing a costume that belongs in Fantasyland, don't set foot in Tomorrowland--it might Confuse visitors or break the park's orderly image. Cast members have a Disney "look book" that details the fresh-faced ideal--no long fingernails, beards, or unnaturally colored hair allowed. It's a return to Walt Disney's All-American standards: when the park opened even guests with facial hair weren't allowed entrance. The reason why there are many wild cats in Disneyland is that _ . A they're in charge of the cleaning of the park B they're allowed to act as cleaners and guards C they have to keep watch in the daytime D they have a comfortable house to live in Answer: B It's time to go home now. I am on a bus on a rainy day, and a woman with a dog gets on the bus. It is a big dog and its feet are not clean. I don't want the dog to sit near me. But the woman says to the conductor . "Oh, I pay for my dog. Can he sit here like the other people?" The conductor looks at the dog and says, "Yes, madam, but he must not put his feet on the chair." The meaning of the conductor's word is _ . A the dog's feet are like the other people B the dog must be like a man C the dog must not sit on the chair D the dog can sit here Answer: C Parking has long been a major headache for drivers in Shanghai. The Transportation Department is _ a new plan for the city's parking system. There are one million cars on the road in Shanghai but only enough public parking space to provide room for 15 percent of these vehicles . It is no wonder that local drivers get so worried trying to find a place to park. The city is seeing a rise in private car owners. In March, the city sent out 2,000 private car licenses, the highest number of licenses ever sent out in a month. And prices rose to 14,600 yuan, 500 more than in February. Industry experts say this suggests that local people have a strong, active interest in buying cars. By the year 2020, the number of automobiles in Shanghai will probably reach two million. If one parking lot is for each car, then a lot of parking space should be built for these vehicles. Downtown Shanghai is most short of parking space. However, experts point out that simply building more parking lots in downtown areas is not practical and doesn't provide an ideal solution. The idea of " Park & Ride" system has been suggested. This means that drivers can leave their vehicles in car parks nearby subway or bus stations and ride public transport to go downtown. Based on this idea, the city will limit the number of parking lots in downtown areas and demand higher parking fees but build more parking areas near main subway and bus stops. About _ drivers can find places to park their cars in Shanghai now. A 850,000 B 1,000,000 C 150,000 D 2,000,000 Answer: C When some plates of the earth move suddenly, an earthquake happens. Many earthquakes begin under the sea. Earthquakes may happen anywhere on the earth. They often happen near mountains. During an earthquake, the shakings make rocks rise suddenly and even crack open. Houses fall, people are killed and hurt, and sometimes whole villages or cities are destroyed. Can we do something to keep ourselves safe from earthquakes? Scientists have studied earthquakes and make maps that show "earthquake belts". In areas in these belts, it's possible for earthquakes to happen. In these areas we can build strong houses to fight against earthquakes. In the future, scientists will be able to predict exactly when and where an earthquake will happen. They can also tell people what to do with it. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage? A A Scientist and an Earthquake B How to Fight against Earthquake C An Earthquake D Earthquake Today and Tomorrow Answer: D Once there was a group of adventurers who went on an adventure in a place named Hyperion where there was a lot of snow. Their names were Thor, Bravos, and Pierre. Thor and Bravos were from Norway, but Pierre was from Paris, France. Because of where he was from, he wasn't used to the cold. To stay warm, Pierre wore three jackets. One day during their adventure the men saw a strange cave. Thor and Bravos wanted to go inside, but Pierre was afraid. He had heard that a horrible bug monster named Vlastos lived in the caves of Hyperion. Thor and Bravos told him that was only a fairy tale. They told him the only thing he really needed to worry about was hitting his head on a rock in the cave. Finally they got Pierre to go into the cave. Inside there were lots of tunnels. They chose the middle tunnel. The tunnel went down into the earth. After a long time it ended. The men were in a huge room. There were beautiful ice shapes on the walls. Where were two of the adventurers from? A Paris B Vlastos C France D Norway Answer: D
I'm Larry. I'm really good at selling things. I also love helping people. But I'm not so good at solving problems. I think I'd like to be a salesman or detective . I'm Anita. I really like doing things with my hands. I also enjoy working with wood. I don't enjoy working in the same place every day, and I hate being in noisy places. I think I'd like to be a factory worker or a carpenter . I'm Jill. I'm good at explaining things and I really like children. I can't stand working long hours. I think I'd like to be a doctor or a teacher. I'm Maria. I'm really interested in meeting people, and I enjoy wearing different clothes every day. I'm not so good at organizing my time and I can't stand computers. I am going to be a model. I'm Jim. I enjoy helping people, but I can't stand working nights and weekends. I want to be a nurse or a social worker. Larry wants to be _ . a salesman or a detective A TV program was being videoed. Tonight it was to select the sweetest whisper of love ever said between husband and wife. The final competition was held among 10 married couples. Seven of them were young ones, two middle-aged and one old. The last turn came to the old couple. The old lady took the microphone and said the sweetest whisper of love she had ever heard was: " Are you standing or sitting?" The host fixed his eyes on her, quite puzzled by her words. Regardless of all the talking around, she went on with her story. Her husband had been a doctor before he retired. One day when he was on duty at the hospital, he felt a sharp pain at the heart. By his professional knowledge he knew immediately he suffered a fit of heart attack. His colleagues carried him at once to the operation room and prepared him for a bypass operation, which was highly risky. The patient's family members had to be informed before it began. The patient himself was allowed to put in a word. Lying silently on the operation table with a trembling hand, he dialed after a moment's thinking of the number of his wife's phone. Finally a familiar voice came from the other end... "So many years had passed but memory of this incident remained fresh in my mind. What he said in the beginning was: 'Are you standing or sitting?' He was actually worried about me, wondering how I felt at the news. He was afraid I would have fallen flat onto the ground. In such a critical state as he was then, his thought still went to me..." The old lady concluded slowly, "That's the sweetest whisper of love I've ever heard all my life." A loud applause followed in the wake of a short silence. which of the following might be the best title for the text? Are You Standing or Sitting. Fish can live in lakes that are frozen because liquid water remains below the ice at the surface. Which of these describes a property of water that allows some liquid water to remain in frozen lakes? Water is less dense as a solid than as a liquid. On the way to California, my family stopped for lunch. As we walked toward the entrance to the restaurant, a man with a dirty face jumped up from a chair, opened the door for us and greeted us in a friendly way. Once inside, my daughters said in a low voice, "Mom, he smells." After we ordered our lunch, I explained, telling the kids to look beyond the dirt. Seeing this rudeness truly upset me, I wanted to set a good example to my children, but sometimes being a good example was difficult. When our meal arrived, I realized I had left the car-sick pills in the truck. With the windiest trip ahead, the kids needed them, so Iwent back to the car for them. Just then, the "doorman" was opening the door for me, I said a loud "thank you" to him as I exited. When I returned, we talked a bit. He said he was not allowed inside unless he bought food. I went back and told my family his situation. Then I asked our waitress to add one soup and sandwich. The kids looked puzzled, but when I said the order was for the "doorman", they smiled. When it was time to continue our trip, I noticed the "doorman" enjoying his meal. Upon seeing me, he stood up and thanked me heartily. He then lifted his hand for a handshake and I gratefully accepted. I suddenly noticed the tears in his eyes-tears of gratitude . What happened next drew great astonishment: I gave the "doorman" a hug. Back in truck, I fell into deep thought. While we can't choose many things in life, we can choose when to show gratitude. I said thanks to a man who had simply helped open a door for me, and also said thanks for that opportunity to teach my children by example. What attitude did the children show to the doorman at first? dislike Hybrid cars are cars that run on petrol and electricity. They have a small standard petrol engine and a battery electric motor to provide electric power. There are some differences between different models of hybrid cars, but the general principle is that the car runs on petrol, and the electric motor kicks in when additional power is required, for example, when going uphill or accelerating. In some hybrid cars the petrol engine turns itself off when not needed, for example when the car has stopped at traffic light, keeping only the electric engine running. Conventional cars have large engines to deal with driving uphill and accelerating. Hybrid cars have much smaller petrol engines, improved by electric motors when needed, so they use less petrol. Another way that fuel consumption is cut is by a system of "regenerative braking". The electric motor is used to slow down the car, rather than conventional brakes. The energy produced by slowing the car is changed into electrical power, which is automatically stored in the battery. In effect, the battery recharges when you brake. In conventional cars the energy produced when braking is wasted. In 1928 Ferdinand Porsche built an experimental hybrid car. The first mass-produced hybrid car, the Toyota Prius, came out in Japan at the end of 1997. However, hybrid cars became available in the USA only in 1999. As they use less fuel, hybrid cars are cheaper to run. There are also many voices in place to encourage people to buy them. In some countries, hybrid car owners pay a lower rate of tax, and don't have to pay on certain roads. In some cities, hybrid cars are allowed to park for free. The main purpose of this text is to _ . inform people a kind of energy-saving cars
"Today is Mom's birthday, Mosh," Nick said. "Let's make her favorite banana bread and surprise her."Nick took out a cookbook. "I'll read the recipe, and you follow it. Get out a bowl and a spoon while I turn on the oven." Nick read from the cookbook. "First, mash the bananas in the bowl." The robot put the bananas into the bowl and was going to mash them with its hands. "Stop!" Nick said. "Let's try this again. Peel the bananas, put them in the bowl, and mash them with the spoon." Nick watched when Mosh peeled the bananas and put the peel into the bowl. Again, Nick told Mosh to stop. Then he showed the robot which part of each banana should go into the bowl. Then Nick read, "Add the eggs. No, wait," he said right away. Nick cracked the eggs into the bananas. "Last, add flour , milk and sugar," Nick said. "Mix everything together. Then pour the batter into the bread pan." Mosh followed Nick's orders while Nick read the cookbook. "I'll put this in the oven," Nick picked up the pan. Just then Kelly came into the room. "What happened in here?" she felt surprised. Nick answered, "Mosh and I are making banana bread for Mom's birthday. It is a lot of work, but I think she will be surprised." "If you want it to be a good surprise for Mom," Kelly laughed, "you need to give Mosh one more order. Clean up!" How did Kelly feel when she came into the room? A. Surprised. B. Excited. C. Sorry. D. Bored. Answer: A A moth can metamorphosize when A. it releases itself from a self-made chamber B. it is entirely reborn C. it is fully recreated D. it becomes a winged creature Answer: A Thirteen vehicles lined up last March to race across the Mojave Desert , seeking a million in prize money . To win , they had to finish the 142-mile race in less than 10 hours . Teams and watchers knew there might be no winner at all , because these vehicles were missinge a key part drivers . DARPA , the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency , organized the race as part of a push to develop robotic vehicles for future battlefields . But the Grand Challenge , as it was called , just proved how difficult it is to get a car to speed across an unfamiliar desert without human guidance . One had its brake lock up in the starting area . Another began by throwing itself onto a wall . Another got tied up by bushes near the road after 1.9 miles . One turned upside down . One took off in entirely the wrong direction and had to be disabled by remote control . One went a little more than a mile and rushed into a fence ; another managed to go for six miles but stuck on a rock . The "winner," if there was any , reached 7.8 miles before it ran into a long , narrow hole , and the front wheels caught on fire . "You get a lot of respect for natural abilities of the living things," says Reinhold Behringer , who helped design two of the car-size vehicles for a company called Sci-Autonics . "Even ants can do all these tasks effortlessly . It's very hard for us to put these abilities into our machines ." The robotic vehicles , though with necessary modern equipment such as advanced computers and GPS guidance , had trouble figuring out fast enough the blocks ahead that a two-year-old human recognizes immediately , Sure , that very young child, who has just only learned to walk , may not think to wipe apple juice off her face , but she already knows that when there's a cookie in the kitchen she has to climb up the table , and that when she gets to the cookie it will taste good . She is more advanced , even months old , than any machine humans have designed . In the race , the greatest distance one robotic vehicle covered was_. A. about eight miles B. six miles C. almost two miles D. about one mile Answer: A In South Korea, children get used to the Internet at an early age. A survey last year by the Ministry of information and Communication showed that nearly half of children between the age of 3 and 5 use the internet. "In south Korea, _ , said Lee Kyong Ko, a professor at Duksing, Women's University in Seoul. Online role-playing games, where participants make friends and band together, have a strong appeal to Koreans,"One problem with those games is that you build your online person through countless hours of battles, and you develop a huge emotional attachment to your game character,"said Chang Woo Min, a one-time online gamer. Parents report that their children steal money and do not come home for days and even weeks, practically living in Internet Cafes, and sometimes they refuse to look for jobs and play games all night and sleep during the day. The authorities require Internet cafes to keep their distance from schools, and they open camps for teenage addicts and distribute booklets on the dangers of game addiction. In addition, they are training hundreds of counselors, who visit schools and Internet Cafes. In the 28,000 Internet Cafes in South Korea, persons under 18 are banded from entry after 10 p.m.. The authorities have even discussed reducing the points of gamers who play for more than three consecutive hours, But such talks have produced no agreement, amid concerns that such restrictions would put a high-growth industry in danger and worse the problem of teenagers stealing adult online identification numbers,"Sooner or later we will be able to announce our measures,"the minister of Information and Communication, Rho Jun Hyoung, said at a news conference in May."Since South Korea is one of the most active and developed countries in the Internet, the world is paying great attention to What policy we will adopt on this problem." We can learn that _ from the passage. A. most children under 6 in the South Korea use the Internet B. some parents hope their children use the Internet only at home C. all kinds of measures are not supported by all the people D. the authorities in the South Korea believe that it is most active and developed country in the Inter Answer: C farmer had a faithful horse which had grown old and could do no more work, so his master no longer wanted to give him anything to eat and said, "I can certainly make no more use of you, but if you prove yourself still strong enough to bring me a lion here, I will keep you. " And with that he chased him into the open field. The horse was sad. There the fox met him and said, "Why do you hang your head, and go about all alone?" "Alas," replied the horse, " My master has forgotten what services I have done for him for so many years, and because I can no longer plow well, he will give me no more food, and has driven me out. " " Without giving you a chance?" asked the fox. " The chance was a bad one. He said , if I were still strong enough to bring him a lion , he would keep me , but he knows that I cannot do that. " The fox said, "I will help you. Just lie down, _ as if you were dead. " The horse did as the fox asked, and then the fox went to the lion, and said, "A dead horse is lying out there. Just come with me, and you can have a rich meal. " The lion went with him, and when they were both standing by the horse, the fox said, "After all, it is not very comfortable for you here--l tell you what--l will fasten it to you by the tail, and then you can pull it into your cave and eat it in peace. " The advice pleased the lion. He positioned himself in order that the fox might tie the horse fast to him, and he kept completely quiet. But the fox tied the lion's legs together with the horse's tail. When he had finished his work , he tapped the horse on the shoulder and said, "Pull, white horse, pull! " Then up sprang the horse at once, and pulled the lion away with him. The lion began to roar so that all the birds in the forest flew up in fear, but the horse let him roar, and drew him and pulled him across the field to his master's door. When the master saw the lion, he was moved, and said to the horse, " You shall stay with me and I will treat you well. " And he gave him plenty to eat until he died. ,. What do you think of the fox? A. Funny. B. Silly. C. Smart. D. Careless. Answer: C
Mr Black is an American,but he is in Canada now.He is a tall man with funny glasses.He works in a big city but lives in a town far away.He lives on the twentieth floor of a building.Every morning he gets up early.Then he gets into the lift and it takes him down to the first floor.He runs to the bus stop and catches the early bus.It usually takes him about two hours to get to the factory by bus.Then he gets off the bus and walks into the workshop quickly.He starts his work at eight in the morning. The city is not _ to the town. Answer: It is curious that our own faults should seem so much less heinous than the faults of others. I suppose the reason is that we know all the conditions that have caused them and so manage to excuse in ourselves what we can't excuse in others. We turn our attention away from our own mistakes, and when we are forced by unexpected events to consider them, find it easy to accept them. For all I know we are right to do this; They are part of us and we must accept the good and bad in ourselves together. But when we come to judge others, it is not by ourselves as we really are that we judge them, but by an image that we have formed ourselves .To take a little instance: how scornful we are when we catch someone out telling a lie ; but who can say that he has never told not one, but a hundred? There is not much to choose between men .They are all a mix-up of greatness and littleness, of kindness and unkindness, of goodness and badness. Some have more strength of character ,or more opportunity ,and so in one direction or another give their instincts( ) freer play ,but potentially they are the same. For my part, I don't think I am any better or any worse than most people, but I know that if I set down every action in my life and every thought that has crossed my mind, the world would consider me a monster. The knowledge that these thoughts are common to all men should inspire one with tolerance to oneself as well as to others. If they enable us to look upon our fellows, even the most great and respectable, with humor, and if they lead us to take ourselves not too seriously, it is well. What is the best title of this passage? Answer: On a hot African morning, Leila was lying on her stomach and an elephant was walking towards her. Leila waited. Then she pushed the button on her camera. "And I got my best photo of an elephant ever, by lying under my car," Leila explained. "I wanted to get close to the elephants, but of course this was dangerous; they had their babies with them. So every morning I used to park my car in the open near the path . They used to take the same path every morning when they left the water hole. After a week, they were used to seeing my car. So the next morning, I lay under it and got my photo!" Many of the best wildlife photos come from good planning. In Africa, photographers set up their hides near water holes. They also set up hides near forest paths, as animals use the same paths every night. For bird-watching, many lakes have hides. Inside the hides, bird-watchers can watch all day in the shade out of the wind and rain. Good wildlife photos are needed for books, postcards, magazines and newspapers. But a success rate of 1 in 20 is good. What can we know from the last sentence of the passage? Answer: Traveling should be easy and enjoyable, and one of the ways to make sure your trip remains fun is to know exactly how to keep your valuables safe. If you are traveling alone, distribute your money through your luggage. Place most of it in your main suitcase or bag. Make a rough estimate of how much money you will spend on the journey, till you reach your destination. Place this money in a different wallet and carry this in your pocket. Spend from this pocket till you get to your destination. If you are travelling with someone, distribute the money among yourselves. Instead of wearing your jewels, you can put your jewels at the bottom of your suitcase or bag. DO NOT carry in your purse, just in case it is stolen; or in case you misplace your purse. In addition, if you are going to be frequently opening your purse for things like tickets and phone numbers, what if you accidently just drop them. Have you ever seen a mini backpack purse? It looks really fashionable and is very smart. Plus, It's really convenient to use. The best thing to do is to hang the mini backpack purse in the front, like a baby carrier. There are two big advantages to do this; one, your hands remain free to carry your luggage and other things; and two, your purse is always monitored, and is just under your nose! Credit cards are very useful in many ways. But if you misplace your credit card, it is quite easy for someone else to find it and use it to his/ her maximum benefit before you even realize you have lost it! If you lose cash, you lose only that much cash as you are carrying. But a lost credit card means the money in your bank account is lost. So always try to use cash instead of credit card while traveling Carrying a mini backpack can help you because Answer: One day the students were having painting lessons. Everyone began to draw pictures .Li Lei did nothing. When the bell rang for the break , Li Lei passed his picture to the teacher . The teacher looked at it and got angry "Why do you give me a piece of paper with nothing on it , Li Lei ?"asked the teacher. "I'm sorry, sir. I drew a dog and some bread on the paper"says Li Lei ."Where is the dog and bread ?"asked the teacher again. I drew some bread first . When I finished drawing the dog , it ate up the bread . When I gave it to you , the dog ran away ."says Li Lei.. Li Lei is a _ . Answer:
Some nonnative plants can adapt to their environments more quickly than some native plants or crops can. Which adaptation would least likely help a nonnative plant to survive in a new environment? having leaves that form at a slow rate At the age of sixteen, I joined a volunteer group with my dad.I went on my first volunteer project in West Virginia.On the night we arrived, we discovered that "our family" was living in a trailer that was in poor conditions.A crew had been wolfing on it for two weeks, but every time they finished one problem, another surfaced. We decided the only reasonable solution was to bridle a new house - something unusual but necessary under these circumstances.The family was overjoyed with their new house that was twenty by thirty feet with three bedrooms, a bath and a kitchen. On Tuesday of that week, while we ate lunch together, I asked the family's three boys, Josh, Eric and Ryan, "What do you want for your new room?" Expecting toys and other gadgets that children suavity ask for, we were astonished when Josh responded, "I just want a bed." The boys had never slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats.That night we had a meeting and decided that beds would be the perfect gift.On Thursday night, a few adults in our group drove to the nearest city and bought beds and new bedding. When we saw the delivery truck coming, we told the family about the surprise. _ . It was like watching excited children on Christmas morning. That afternoon, as we fitted the frames of the beds together, Eric ran into the house to watch us.Too dirty to enter his room, he observed with wide-eyed enthusiasm from the doorway. As my father slipped a pillowcase onto one of the pillows, Eric asked, "What is that?" "A pillow," he replied. "What do you do with it?" Eric continued to ask "When you go to sleep, you put your head on it," I answered softly.Tears came to my eyes as my father handed Eric the pillow. "Oh...that's soft," he said, hugging it tightly. Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems urgent, my dad gently asks, "Do you have a pillow?" We know exactly what he means. By "We could hardly contain ourselves.", the author means that they all felt excited with joy Two years ago ,Hannah Mighall ,then 13, survived a great white shark attack on Tasmania's north-east coast, but despite the terrible scars ,the shy yet courageous teenager is determined to get back into the water. It's been a long journey back for the brave girl, whose life was changed forever as she was on her surfboard 60 metres offshore at Binalong, Bay ,Tasmania. Her cousin ,32-yeaf-old syb Mundy ,was surfing nearby, "Suddenly, everything went quiet ,"Hannah ,now15,recalls of the day she almost lost her life, "I look down into the water and noticed a dark shadow under my board I knew instantly it was a shark." As Syb watched in horror, the five-metre shark put hundreds of sharp teeth onto Hannah's right leg,throwing her from her board, "I was attached to my leg-rope as the shark stared to pull me under the water",She shakes, "I was lying on my back with one leg under the shark's body and the other still in its jaws." Syb desperately punched the shark's nose and reached out to grab Hannah as the monster bit a huge chunk from the surfboard, "I was still attached to my board and was dragged back under the water again,"she says ,When she came up for air, Hannah dog paddled to Syb's board and he dragged her from the water to lie on his back ,"We looked down and saw the shark circling beneath us,"Hannah says. Hannah was rushed to the hospital by helicopter ,She needed more than 400 stitches on her leg and spent two weeks in hospital. Modest about her remarkable courage, Hannah owes her survival to Syb's bravery and the fact that great whites,despite their reputation as man-eaters, typically don't target humans ,After the attack ,Hannah earned the Sea Shepherd award for courage for speaking in defence of the shark "I was in his territory, she wasn't in mine,"she smiles. From the passage, which statement is mentioned about Hanah? didn't blame the fact that sharks are known as man-eaters for her being attacked Which organ removes cell waste from the blood? the kidney Do you like shopping? Or does the thought of wandering around the shops fill you with terror? For some of us, shopping is an enjoyable way of spending our spare time and our money. For me, it's something I would rather avoid. Thank goodness for the Internet! It's more convenient to buy CDs, electrical items, even food from the comfort of your sofa. But that's not the only reason: price is an important factor. We can buy goods and services cheaper online. But sometimes the problem is knowing what to buy. This has led to a type of shopping called "showrooming". Showrooming is something I've done. I will go to a shop to see, touch and try out products but then go home and buy them online at a knock-down price. I'm not alone in doing this. Research by a company called Foolproof, found 24% of people showroomed while Christmas shopping in 2013. Amy Cashman, head of Technology at TNS UK, says the reasons for this new shopping habit are that "people are lacking time, lacking money and they want security about the products they are buying". She explains that consumers are not only shopping online at home but they are using the Internet in store or on their smartphones to shop around. But does this mean technology will kill shops? Certainly shops will change. They will have to offer more competitive prices or encourage people to buy more by giving in-store discounts or free gifts. We mustn't forget that buying in a shop means you can get expert advice from the sales assistant and you can get good aftercare. It's good to speak to a real human rather than look at a faceless computer screen, but at least by showrooming, you get the best of both worlds! The author's attitude towards showrooming is _ . supportive
More than a hundred adults and kids gather for the Star Party on a cold evening, chattering excitedly as they stand in the dark on a Virginia hillside. The odd thing is, no one has turned on a flashlight, and no streetlights or house lights wink on around them. These people have traveled to the countryside more than an hour from Washington, D. C., to get away from the glow of city lights. That's because they are attending a star party. Star parties are gatherings where professional and amateur astronomers set up their telescopes and invite people to come learn about the night sky. Getting away from light pollution, or artificial skylight from buildings for example, helps stargazers see objects in the sky much better. At this star party, Sean O'Brien of the National Air and Space Museum's Einstein Planetarium starts off by asking the crowd to simply look up and take in all they can see. He points out plenty of things that can be seen without special equipment. Stars, satellites, and even the Andromeda galaxy can be found if you know where to look. After that, several dozen astronomers offer close-up views. Each has focused their telescope on a different part of the sky. As kids take a look, the owner gives a mini-lesson. O'Brien says you can have your own star party at home and learn a lot just by paying attention to what's happening up above. "Watch the sky as the seasons pass, and you will see that it changes," he says. "Or start with the moon. Notice when and where you are seeing it--maybe even in the early morning while you wait for the school bus. " Which of the following can be best describe what O'Brien says about discovering the stars'? A. Roman is not built in a day. B. No pains, no gains. C. All roads lead to Roman. D. Time and tide wait for no man. Answer: C HARBIN - A wild Siberian tiger was spotted on a forestry farm in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Sunday, forestry officials said Tuesday. The tiger, believed to have been hunting for a wild boar at the time, came face to face with several workers late in the afternoon on a forestry farm administered by the Dongfanghong Forestry Bureau (DFB) in the eastern part of the province, said an official with the provincial Forestry Industry Bureau. The farm is located on the scarcely populated Wandashan Mountain, where wild Siberian tigers have been spotted many times, but it was the first time for such an animal to come so close to human beings. "We had just finished work in the forest when the tiger appeared." said Shi Chun, one of the workers who saw the tiger. Upon seeing the animal, the workers rushed to their tractor to avoid possible attacks. The tiger followed the tractor for several hundred meters before going away. The tiger remained mild throughout the encounter, and the workers even managed to snap a few photos of it. The pictures, though blurry due to the darkened sky, show a Siberian tiger with white hair in its face. Local authorities on Monday checked the site where the big cat was spotted and found plum-shaped paw prints, which they believe belong to a grown wild Siberian tiger. Yang Lijuan, a wild animal protection official with the DFB, said the forestry farm is a good site for wild animal reproduction. "The farm is in a zone where coniferous and broad-leaved trees grow, which provides much food for the tigers' prey, such as a boar and deer." she said. Siberian tigers, otherwise known as Amur or Manchurian tigers, mainly live in eastern Russia, northeast China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is estimated that only about 500 currently live in the wild, with about twelve in Heilongjiang Province and eight to ten in neighboring Jilin Province. The DFB has stepped efforts to increase food for wild boar, roe deer and red deer in its forestry farms where Siberian tigers have been spotted to ensure enough prey for the endangered species. What does the passage mainly talk about? A. The DFB has stepped efforts to protect the tiger. B. Farmers took photos of a Siberian Tiger. C. Wild Siberian Tiger spotted in Northeast China. D. The Forestry farm is home to Siberian tigers. Answer: C Love is a telephone which always keeps silent when you are longing for a call, but rings when you are not ready for it. As a result, we often miss the sweetness from the other end. Love is a telephone which is seldom program-controlled or directly dialed. You cannot get an immediate answer by a mere "hello", let alone go deep into your lover's heart by one call. Usually it had to be relayed by an operator, and you have to be patient in waiting. _ Love is a telephone which is always busy, When you are ready to die for love, you only find, to your disappointment, the line is already occupied by someone else, and you are greeted only by a busy line. This is an eternal regret handed down from generation to generation and you are only one of those who languish for(...) followers. Love is telephone, but it is difficult to seize the center time for dialing, and you will let the opportunity slip if your call is either too early or too late. Love is a telephone which is not always associated with happiness. Honeyed words are transmitted by sound waves, but when the lovers are brought together, the phone serves no purpose that many lovers observe that marriage is the _ of love. Love is a telephone which, when you use it for the first time, makes you so nervous and excited that you either hold the receiver upside down or dial the wrong number. By the time you've calmed down, you will beat a loss to whom you should make the call. Love is a telephone which often has crossed lines. And this usually happens to you unexpectedly. Your time will either cross or be crossed. Both cases are referred to as "triangle". Fortunately, all such occurrences are transient . What is the best title of the passage? A. Love is transient B. Love is permanent C. Love is a telephone D. What's love in life Answer: C Do you need friends? I'm sure your answer is "Yes,of course. Everybody does! " You need friends when you play and when you work. If you have friends, you will feel happy. If you have no friends. you will feel lonely . Do you know how to make friends? There is only one good way--You make friends by being friendly. A friendly person is interested in other people. He is always helpful If you want to make friends with a new classmate, you can talk with him, tell him about the other classmates in your class and try your best to be helpful to him. If we want to make friends with a new classmate, _ . A. we can talk with them B. we must try to help him C. we can tell him about the other classmates in our class D. A, B and C Answer: D In a tug-of-war game, balanced forces are best represented when both teams cause the flag to A. stay in the middle. B. fall to the ground. C. move slowly in one direction. D. be pulled quickly in one direction. Answer: A
I was going to Paris, which I'd always wanted to see. But now I was frightened to travel alone. I arrived at the train station in Paris. I hadn't spoken my college French for twenty years. On my first metro ride, I came across an incompetent thief. I just stared at him, and he stopped his hand from my purse and disappeared into the crowd. Somewhere in this confusing city was my hotel hidden, but the directions suddenly weren't easy to find. When I finally found the hotel, my heart was beating heavily, and I was sweating like a basketball player. I couldn't stay. Could I? The wallpaper looked like it had been through a fire. The bathroom was downstairs, and the window looked out onto the brick wall of another building. Welcome to Paris. I sincerely wanted to die. I missed my friends. I was entering my third week away from home and my kids, and I had arrived in the most romantic city in the world, alone, lonely and frightened. The most important thing I did in Paris happened at that moment. I knew that if I didn't go out, right then, and find a place to have dinner, I would hide in this small room my entire time in Paris. I might never learn to enjoy the world as a single individual. So I went out. Evening in Paris was light and pleasant. I walked along a path, listening to birds sing, watching children float toy boats in a huge fountain. No one seemed to be in a hurry. Paris was beautiful. And I was here alone and suddenly not lonely. My sense of accomplishment overcoming my fear and weakness had left me feeling free. I wore out two pairs of shoes during my week's stay in Paris. I did everything there was to do, and it was the greatest week of my European vacation. I returned home, becoming a believer in the power of traveling alone. Now when I meet difficulties I just say to myself, "If I can go to Paris, I can go anywhere." As to the writer, the power of traveling alone is _ . the power of overcoming difficulties If a species is no longer able to reproduce, it will become extinct The Beijing government has set out to _ thousands of university graduates to work as junior officials in rural areas to both improve rural administration and ease the city's employment problems. The government plans to recruit 3,000 university graduates this year, 1,000 more than last year, to work as assistants to village heads or Party secretaries in suburban areas. People interested in jobs in Beijing's rural villages and townships can submit applications to the Beijing Municipal Personnel Bureau or online at www.Bjbys.com from February 1 through March 15. "We hope university graduates will seize this opportunity to use their knowledge in rural villages and to start their careers," Sun Zhenyu, deputy director of Beijing Personnel Bureau, told Xinhua News Agency. The government has promised successful candidates a monthly salary of 2,000 yuan ( $ 250) in the first year, 2,500 yuan ($ 320) the second year and 3,000 yuan ($ 385) the third year, provided their performance is up to the required standards.Sun said. Wang Lina, who graduated from Beijing Union University last year, was one of the first graduates to find work in the city's countryside After majoring in industrial and commercial administration, Wang served as the assistant to the village head of Ertiaojie Village in suburban Besjing's Pinggu District.For one project, Wang contacted people at the BeijingAcadeny of Agricnitural Sciences and arranged for the local farmers to receive training in strawberry planting.Her efforts paid off.The village had a plentiful harvest of organic strawberries earlier this year. Nationwide, about 150,000 university graduates found employment in rural areas last year, according to figures provided by the Ministry of Education. The ministry predicts that 4.95 million students will graduate from universities across the country this year, 820,000 more than last year.About 1.4 million of them are unlikely to find jobs when they graduate. In Beijing, a record 200,000 people are expected to graduate from university this year. Less than half of them are expected to be offered jobs, according to the personnel bureau. Which of the following can be the best title for this passage? Graduates go to the countryside. Teenagers who do not get enough of the nutrients commonly found in fruits and fish are easier to have bad lungs, coughing and wheezing .Teens who eat the least of fruit and especially vitamin C have weaker lungs compared to the others. Teens who take in less vitamin E, found in vegetable oil and nuts, are more likely to have asthma , Jane Bums at the Harvard School of Public Health found. Based on these findings.Bums said that current recommended dose of vitamin C, 85 mg a day, may not be enough for teens to have healthy lungs.Teens who eat less fruit and don't take in enough fatty acids are more likely to have asthma and the signs of breathing difficulty. Proper amounts of fatty acids are protective, Bums said, though fish, the best source of fatty acids, is particularly unpopular with teenagers.Fatty acids are also found in some nuts as well as some green vegetables'.Smokers who avoid vitamin C will increase their chances of coughing, wheezing and developing phlegm . More than 80 percent of teens are getting their recommended doses of vitamin C - mainly from fruit drinks."I wouldn't approve of drinking them, but at least they're getting their vitamin C from somewhere," Burns said. Burns added that there are several different ways to get the necessary nutrients."I think vitamin supplements are fine.I think adding vitamin D to orange juice is fine.But I do think there are added benefits that we don't fully understand of eating whole foods like fruits and vegetables and fish," she said.The researchers did not account for poverty and other factors that often distinguish less-healthy eaters and may explain their findings. According to the passage, what is the problem with teens who don't get enough nutrients? They are likely to have weaker lungs. What will you do if you get 5 million ? Some people give some different answers. Sally: I want to do business . If I am rich, I will do a lot of things for my family. For me nothing is more important than my family. I will buy a new house for them and travel around the world. Joe: If I have 5 million, I will use the money to do everything I like. At first, I will use 2 million to open my own shop. And I will use another 2 million to buy some new houses. In the future, the houses which I buy will become more expensive,and I will sell them to other people. Finally, I will use 1 million to buy some presents for my family and my best friend. Anna: If I have 5 million, I will put 3 million in the bank and spend 2 million. I will visit Paris, London and New York. I will eat delicious food, play games, and build a building with a swimming pool. Jack: I will buy an island if I have 5 million. Then I will be the king of the island nad I will invite my friends to my island. Who will do business if he/she gets 5 million.? Sally
There are many older people in the world and there will be many more. A little-known fact is that over 60 percent of the older people live in developing countries. According to the World Health Organization, by 2020 there will be 1 billion, with over 700 million living in developing countries. It is a surprising fact that the population ageing is particularly rapid in developing countries. For example, it took France 115 years for the proportion of older people to double from 7 percent to 14 percent. It is estimated to take China a mere 27 years to achieve this same increase. What are the implications of these increased numbers of older folk? One of the biggest worries for governments is that the longer people live ,the more likelihood there is for diseases and for disability. Attention is being paid to the need to keep people as healthy as possible, including during old age, to lessen the financial burden on the state. Another significant problem is the need for the younger generations to understand and value the older people in their society. In some African countries, certainly in Asia, older people are respected and regarded as the ones with special knowledge. Yet traditions are fading away daily, which does not ensure the continued high regard of older people. As society changes, attitudes will change. Much needs to be done to get rid of age discrimination in employment. Life-long learning programs need to be provided to enable older people to be active members in a country's development. Social security policies need to be established to provide adequate income protection for older people. Both public and private schemes are vital in order to build a suitable safety net. To achieve equality in such matters will take considerable time and effort. One thing is sure:there is no time to be lost. According to the passage, which of the following are governments most worried about? Answer: The diseases and disability of older people. For most kids, homework is just part of their daily lives, but have you ever imagined that one day you won't need to do any homework at all? Such a thing has just happened in a school in the UK. Nottingham East Academy, a school in the UK, has established a non-homework policy recently. The school plans to give an extra lesson and provide more activities for students to do at school. So the students no longer need to do homework after class. When the school announced this policy , students , parents and teachers were all shocked. The school , Nottingham East Academy , is the country's largest school. It has a total of 3,570 students. Barry Day, the president of the school, thinks that homework is unnecessary and can easily cause argument both at home and at school. He once told the local newspaper ," People give homework for children to do simply because they think it should be given. Actually, homework doesn't help with education at all." Letting kids leave their homework at school is becoming popular in the UK. Several other schools are welcoming the policy and are taking similar measures .Tiffin Boy's school has started giving students less homework. Students now spend less time on homework. The time has dropped from two or three hours to just forty minutes a night. Nottingham East Academy is asking students to read for pleasure with their parents at home instead. The best title for the passage is _ . Answer: Non-Homework Policy A young American doctor is asleep when his doorbell rings. It is late at night, but he has to put on his coat to answer it. It is a man! He is standing with a hat in his hand. "How do you do?" says the man. "Can you go with me now to a place out of the town? It is quite far from here, but I know you have a car and I can show you the way." "Certainly," says the doctor, "I can go with you now." The car is at the front door. The man gets into the doctor's car and they drive off. They drive for a long time, and finally the man says, "Here we are. This is my home. Now I give you money and you may go back." "But I must see the patient ," the doctor says. "How can I go back without seeing the patient?" "There's no patient," says the man, "nobody is ill. I live here. There is no taxi at this time, but a doctor often goes out for night calls . So, excuse me. Here is your money. Thank you, doctor. Good night!" At the end of the story, the doctor knows _ . Answer: there is no patient at all. At the shopping mall, you probably think about spending, not saving. Think about all the lights that keep the mall bright. Think about all the water faucets in the toilet. Think about all the air conditioning in summer. Saving energy is a hot topic for such a big place! Many things at the mall use energy. Electric lights, infrared faucets and air-conditioners need electricity to work. One way to save energy is by keeping lights clean. More and more dust and dirt make the lights less bright. When malls keep lights clean, they can use fewer lights and keep the area just as bright ,Using fewer lights means using less energy. You step up to the water faucet. The water starts to flow. You don't have to touch a thing. Why do malls have such fancy faucets?. The answer is simple. They save water. Sometimes people forget to turn the water off after they wash. Infrared faucets turn themselves off. The... Malls use infrared faucets mainly because _ Answer: they save water It is reported that in the near future robots and humans will probably work together to create jazz. A singing robot is being taught to create jazz with human being in a project. Antonio Chella from Italy is working with a Telenoid robot. To start with, the Telenoid will be trained to _ the movements and simple sounds made by a human singer, and then connect music with different human emotions. Previous robots had the ability to find common connections between things. But Chella suggests that a conscious robot should be able to go a step further and find new connections. The Telenoid is of this kind. "This work raises interesting questions about the connection between consciousness and music creating." says Philippe Pasquier, a musician needs a physical body. Pasquer argues that the robot musician is faced with a big challenge. "Its software has already been developed and it can imitate The Beatles, a famous band. However, what made The Beatles famous were not only their songs but their wonderful performance of the songs," he says. It is not clear how a robot would perform music a new way. But by imitating humans, the Telenoid robot could provide some useful information. What is important is that human musicians often listen to and compare music made by others for a long time before creating music of their own. So the Telenoid robot had better listen to more jazz music first. What will the Telenoid robot be taught to do first? Answer: Imitate the movements and simple sounds of a human singer
I sometimes feel left out with my friends at the party.What can I do? --Susan Alice: Speak to your best friend before you arrive and ask her to make sure you don't get left out of the group.That way, she'll know to include you in all the fun.Make the effort to speak to some other people at the party.You might even make a new friend or two. Sometimes I think parties get boring and I want to go home! --Jenny Alice: Even a great party will drag if you're not enjoying yourself.Making the effort to dance and have a chat with your friends will beat the boredom! You don't have to stay to the very end of the party. Our school is having a Christmas dance party but I'm really shy.Shall I go or not? --Emma Alice: Part of you would like to go to the party, so give it a try.Let good friends know how you feel and make sure you'll have people to dance with when the evening comes.Practice some fun dances so you'll feel comfortable on the dance floor. Whenever I go to a party, my dad comes to pick me up at 8 pm.I always have to leave earlier than the rest of my friends and I get really angry with my dad. --Anny Alice: Talk with your dad and let him know how you feel.It feels hard to have different rules from your friends but don't worry too much--your friends are probably picked up soon after you anyway. Alice advises Susan to _ . Answer: ask her friend for help People who daydream are often thought of in negative terms, such as being lazy or not doing what they should be doing. However, scientists who study the brain have learned many interesting things from studying the brains of daydreamers. Far from being a waste of time, recent research has shown that daydreaming is a healthy and useful activity for all of our brains. To study the brain, scientists use special devices that scan the brain and show pictures of which parts of the brain are active at certain times. When a person is daydreaming, the device will show a distinct pattern of activity in the brain called the "default" mode of thinking. In the default mode, the top or outside part of the brain is very active. Actually, several regions of the brain are interacting in this mode. Some scientists describe this mode as a time when the brain focuses on itself rather than focusing on the environment around the person. Typically, this occurs when a person is doing simple, undemanding work or performing routine actions that don't need much attention, like walking to school or cooking simple foods. People tend to daydream during such activities. The importance of daydreaming lies in developing both creative and social skills. When the mind is not engaged in dealing with one's immediate situation or problem, then it is free to wander. A time of wandering allows the mind to create things. New inventions may be imagined, or possible solutions to a problem can be planned. For example, solutions to problems in relationships with other people may spring to mind. In fact, most daydreams involve situations with others. Perhaps these are daydreams based on past memories, or daydreams of what might be in the future. In either case, daydreams help us develop the appropriate skills we can use in real interactions with others. As brain specialist Dr. Marcus Raichle of Washington University explains: "When you don't use a muscle, that muscle really isn't doing much. But when your brain is supposedly doing nothing and daydreaming, it's really doing a great amount." During the so-called "resting state" the brain isn't resting at all! Which of the following is NOT involved in daydreaming? Answer: One's immediate environment. Here's the travel plan for some museums on our "Museums of the World" tour. The Museum of Bad Art (Boston, USA) shows what it describes as "art too bad to be ignored". The museum hopes to bring the worst of art to the widest possible audience and has even published a book of its most "important" works. As part of the visit, we'll be shown some truly awful portraits, landscapes and sculptures. The Washington Banana Museum (Auburn, Washington, USA) contains 4,000 objects related to the history of what the museum describes as "the world's most perfect fruit". We'll be given a guided tour around the museum, during which we'll learn all sorts of interesting things, such as the fact that bananas were introduced to the USA in 1878 in the same exhibition as Alexander Graham Bell's telephone, and that the banana is now the US' number-one selling fruit. The Hair Museum (Avanos, Turkey) is located in a cave in Cappadocia, in Central Anatolia. It contains 160,000 samples of people's hair. You'll be offered a chance to add your own hair to the collection. Later in the year, the museum curator selects 10 donors to attend a pottery workshop. If you're one of them, you'll be invited to stay in his guest house. The museum du Slip (Brussels, Belgium) is devoted to underwear. The idea behind the museum is that everyone is equal in their underwear. You'll be fascinated to know that it has collected samples from all sorts of people, including artists, politicians and pop stars. The Museum de Carrosses Funebres (Barcelona, Spain) is a museum of funeral hearses . It takes a look at how local people have been transported to their funerals since the 19th century. During the tour, we'll be provided with a fascinating insight into how the people of Barcelona viewed death. Among the 1,000 or so exhibits, pride of place goes to a "flap-coffin", which is a reusable coffin from the 18th century. What is special about the Washington Banana Museum? Answer: You'll learn something about the history of bananas. Fifa has announced a track by Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez as the official the me song for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. We are one,which also features Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte,will be performed at the opening ceremony at the Arena de Sao Paulo on 12 June. The track will be released later this year in the lead up to the World Cup.It will also be included on the upcoming official 2014 Fifa WorldCup album. Pitbull said,"I truly believe that this great game and the power of music will help unify us,because we are best when we are one."The 33-year-old singer, also known as Mr.Worldwide,has had 11 top 10 tracks in the Official Singles Chart to date.His most recent single,"Timber which features Kesha,was the first number one of 2014. "I grew up in a house that loved football.so I am thrilled to be performing at the World Cup Opening Ceremonies, with Pitbull and Claudia Leitte,"said Jennifer Lopez."This is all amazing celebration of global unity,competition and the sport." The last Fifa World Cup song for the South Africa tournament in 2010 was Waka Waka by Shakira.The track peaked at number 21 in the Official Singles Chart and the video has been viewed almost 600 million times on YouTube. Talking about this year's track,Fifa General Secretary Jerome Valcke added,"In my many visits to this country I've seen and heard a lot about the great Brazilian music tradition and it gives me great pleasure to see a Brazilian artist at the heart of this song.I'm sure,like me, millions of football and music fans all over the world will be eagerly awaiting the song's release." Which of the following is true about the song.We Are One? Answer: Three singers will perform it to gether at the opening ceremony of the 2014 World Cup. If a city wishes to host the Olympics, it must submit a proposal to the IOC. After all proposals have been submitted, the IOC votes. If no city with the fewest votes is eliminated, the voting continues, until a majority winner is determined. Typically the Games are awarded several years in advance, allowing the winning city time to prepare for the Games. In selecting the site of the Olympic Games, the IOC considers a number of factors, and chiefly among them is which organizing committee seems most likely to stage the Games effectively. The IOC also considers which parts of the world have not yet hosted the Games. For instance, Tokyo, the host of the 1964 Summer Games, and Beijing, that of the 2008 Games, were chosen in part to popularize the Olympic movement in Asia. Because of growing importance television worldwide, the IOC in recent years has also taken into account the host city's time zone. Whenever the Games take place in the USA or Canada, for example, American television networks are willing to pay specially higher amounts for television rights because they can broadcast popular events live in the best viewing hours. Once the Games have been awarded, it is the duty of the local organizing committee----not the IOC or the NOC of the host city's country to provide them with money. This is often done with a part of the Olympic television revenues , and corporate sponsorships , tickets sales, and other smaller revenue sources. In many cases there is also direct government support. Although many cities have achieved amounts of money by hosting the Games, the Olympics can be financially risky. When the financial gains from the Games were less than expected, the city was left with large debts. _ will be determined to host the Olympic Games by the IOC. Answer: A majority winner in voting
When Boris left school,he could not find a job.He tried hard and pestered his relatives,but they had problems of their Own. He answered advertisements until he could not afford to buy any more stamps. Boris grew annoyed,then depressed,then a little hardened.Still he went on trying and still he failed.He began to think that he had no future at all. "Why don't you start your own business?" one of his uncles told him."The world is a money-locker. You'd better find a way of opening it." "But what can I do?" "Get out and have a look round," advised his uncle in a vague sort of way."See what people want;then give it to them,and they will pay for it." Boris began to cycle around the town and found a suitable piece of a waste ground in the end. Then he set up his business as a cycle repairer.He worked hard,made friends with his customers and gradually managed to build up his goodwill and profit.A few months later, he found that he had more work than he could deal with by himself.He found a number of empty shops but they were all no good:in the wrong position,too expensive or with some other snag . But at long last,he managed to find an empty shop on a new estate where there were plenty of customers but no competition. Boris and his assistant taught themselves how to repair scooters and motor-cycles.Slowly but surely the profits increased and the business developed. At last,Boris had managed to open the money-locker and found bank notes and gold Coins inside. Boris start his career by _ . Answer: repairing cycles You've bought what you need. The grocery cashier asks, "Will that be paper or plastic? You reply "Plastic, please." This seems like a simple question and there are plenty of reasons we choose plastic: easier to carry, lighter than paper bags, possibly less damaging to the environment, less expensive to the shop owners, able to be used as trash bag, and so on. There are different opinions on plastic and paper. Now let's follow the travels of 3 plastic bags. It begins at the grocery store with the customer's choice. Plastic Bag 1: As the waste engineer come by and pick up the trash, the first plastic bag falls out. It sits on a small street for a couple of hours until a car comes along and takes it down to the road. Then a gust of wind blows it across the road, then another car, then another gust of wind finally makes its way to the beach. Water fills the plastic bag and makes it look like a jellyfish. A seal swims by, thinking it looks very interesting, and swallowed it. The plastic bag may stay in the seal's stomach for months, maybe years. You see, our lovely animals have been living thousands of years in a world where everything can be eaten. Plastic Bag 2: This bag does make its way to landfill . Before they have a chance to cover up the thousands of pounds of daily waste, a strong wind comes up and blows these plastic bags out of the landfill. Once the wind stops, workers will be sent to collect thousands of bags around. But they can't possibly get them all. So our little bag continues his adventure getting caught in trees, eaten by birds or making its way to our lakes or rivers. Plastic Bag 3: The last bag also blows away but is caught in a landfill where it sits for many years, as all the trash is wrapped in a big plastic bag, making natural degradation impossible. Although workers do much work to make sure water and air system won't be polluted, some do. Guess what, plastic bags are made from petrol, a harmful waste material, which in one way or another makes its way to the environment. Another problem with putting plastic bags in out trash is that our landfills for most cities may be filled in about 20 years. More importantly, since we are running out of land to build homes, you might have the pleasure of one day living on top of your plastic bags! One of the best suggestions is not to use a bag at all or bring your own cloth bags. If you must, please choose paper bags, which, though not suggested, can be eaten by animals. And there are more opportunities recycle paper bags. It does take a little extra effort. But please have a thought about the little seal next time you say, "Plastic please." According to the passage, what is NOT the reason for a customer to choose plastic bags? Answer: He can save money for plastic bags are cheaper. Something roared like thunder. The earth shook a little and we heard the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire. "Father!" Hassan cried. We sprung to our feet and raced out of the living room. "Father! What's that sound? Hassan screamed, his hands outstretched toward Ali. Ali wrapped his arms around us. A white light flashed and lit the sky in silver. It flashed again and was followed by rapid sharp sounds of gunfire. "They're hunting ducks." Ali said in a hoarse voice. "They hunt ducks at night, you know." Don't be afraid. A siren went off in the distance. Somewhere glass broke and someone shouted. I heard people on the street, jolted from sleep and probably still in their pajamas, with ruffled hair and puffy eyes. Hassan was crying. Ali pulled him close, clutched him with tenderness. We stayed huddled that way until the early hours of the morning. The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour, but they had frightened us badly, because none of us had ever heard gunshots in the streets. They were foreign sounds to us then. The generation of Afghan children whose ears would know nothing but the sounds of bombs and gunfire was not yet born. Huddled together in the dining room and waiting for the sun to rise, none of us had any notion that a way of life had ended. The end came when Russian tanks were rolling into the very same streets where Hassan and I played, bringing the death of the Afghanistan I knew and marking the start of a still ongoing era of bloodletting. Just before sunrise, Baba's car peeled into the driveway. His door slammed shut and his running footsteps pounded the stairs. Then he appeared in the doorway and I saw something on his face. Something I didn't recognize right away because I'd never seen it before: fear. "Amir! Hassan!" He cried as he ran to us, opening his arms wide. "They blocked all the roads and the telephone didn't work. I was so worried!" We let him wrap us in his arms and, for a brief moment, I was glad about whatever had happened that night. We can infer from the passage that _ . Answer: that night was the end of people's peaceful life Children are very, very _ and have excellent memories. Around Christmas last year, we were heading to Grandma's house. The drive was an hour long, so we had plenty of time to chat. We were waiting to get onto the freeway when my daughter Hayley noticed a homeless man, no sign in hand. "Mom, is that man homeless?" I told her I believed he was. We got onto the freeway and drove away. But the chatting had stopped. Hayley was quiet all the way there. We spent a few hours at Grandma's then packed up to head home. As we drove back, Hayley rustled around in her seat, trying to reach something on the floor of the car. I asked her to sit still, worried her seatbelt would slip from the booster seat. She mumbled something and sat back. "Mom, will the homeless man still be outside tonight?" I told her I was not sure, maybe. It was a freezing night, and I started to think of the man now too, and how cold he must be. All of a sudden, as we got onto the freeway exit, Haley shrieked : "There he is! There he is!" and started rolling down her window. "Mom, I found these gloves and scarf back here. Can I give them to him? Can I?" she asked. I pulled over to the edge of the road, and beckoned the man to come over. Haley smiled at him and handed him her gift. I looked in the front passenger seat, loaded with leftovers from Grandma's house, and handed those out to him as well. The man thanked us, he clutched my hand in his and I could feel the bitter cold of them. We wished him a safe night and continued on our journey to our warm home. "Haley, that was very sweet of you!" I told her. "Well, they were your gloves and scarf, Mom, but his hands looked colder, and he has to keep looking for his house!" We had talked about homelessness before , and I could hear myself telling her: "Someone who has lost their home." She had taken my words literally and thought the man's home was like a lost puppy. On the ride home, and as I carried my sleeping angel into the house that night, my heart filled with gratitude. The article is mainly structured around _ . Answer: time order Once upon a time there was a wise man that used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought that someone would dance on the beach. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean. As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?" The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean.""I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?""The sun is up and the tide is going out, and if I don't throw them in they'll die." "But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!" The young man listened politely, then he bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one." There is in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can know that gift, we will gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future. We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our starfish wisely and well, the world will be better. Near the end of the passage, "something very special" refers to _ . Answer: the ability of shaping one's own future
There are over one million superstitions ,and most people believe at least one or two of them. Many people are superstitious about numbers. They think that there are lucky numbers and unlucky numbers. The number 13 is often considered unlucky. In some parts of the world, buildings have no 13th floor and streets have no houses with the number 13. In Japan,"4"is considered unlucky because in Japanese the word"four"is pronounced the same as the word"death". The Japanese never give gifts of four knives, four napkins, or four of anything. What are the lucky numbers? Seven is a lucky number in many places, and"8"is considered a lucky number in Japan and China. In China, businesses often open on August 8,and many couples register to get married at eight past eight on August 8. Superstitions about numbers are so widespread that some people--called numerologists--make a living giving advice about numbers. In 1937,when the Toyoda family of Japan wanted to form a car company, they asked a numerologist if"Toyoda"would be a good name for the company. The numerologist said it would not be. He explained that"Toyota"would be a better name for the company. The family took his advice. As a result, millions of people drive"Toyotas"and not"Toyodas. " There are many other kinds of superstitions. There are superstitions about eating, sleeping, sneezing and itching. There are superstitions about animals and holidays and horseshoes. There are even superstitions about superstitions. Those superstitions tell people how to _ bad luck. When the Japanese bump heads, they immediately bump heads again. According to a Japanese superstition, the first bump means their parents will die, but the second bump "erases" the first bump. To reverse bad luck in general, people turn around three times, turn their pockets inside out, or put their hats on backwards. The word "reverse" in this passage means _ . Answer: cause to go in the opposite direction Bob is eleven years old. One day, his friend Jenny said to him, "I'm going to have a birthday party on Saturday. Bob, can you come?" Bob asked his mother, and his mother said, "Yes, you can go. " On Saturday afternoon, his mother said to him again, "Now, Bob, when you go to the party, you must be polite , and don't ask for food until someone gives it to you. " "All right, Mom. " Bob said, and he went to Jenny's house by bike. There were many children at the party. They played games for about an hour, and then Jenny's mother gave them some food, but she forgot Bob and didn't give him any. After a long time, he took up his plate and said loudly, "Does anyone want a nice clean plate?" When was the birthday party? Answer: On Saturday. Alexia Sloane is from Cambridge. She was told by the doctor she had a brain tumor when she was on holiday "with her parents in France. After that the two-year-old girl became blind. Though the little girl can't see anything, she has great talent for languages and at the age of 10 she is already fluent in English, French, Spanish and Chinese-and is learning German. Now her dream of working as an interpreter has come true. East of England MEP Robert Sturdy invited her to the European Parliament . "Usually a person who enters the European Parliament should be 14 at least. So it was amazing for Alexia to work there at the age of 10. " said Alexia's mother Isabelle. Alexia can speak three languages since birth. As her mum is hah" French and half Spanish and her dad Richard is English. " She has always been very good at languages and shown an interest from a very young age. " added Isabelle, who also has a four-year-old daughter Melissa. Alexia has dreamed of becoming an interpreter since she was six and chose to go to the European Parliament as her prize when she won the Young Achiever Community Award of the Year . She asked if she could learn from the interpreters and HEP Robert Sturdy agreed to take her along as his guest. " It was fantastic and I decided to become an interpreter, "said Alexia. "Nothing can stop me. " How old is the youngest interpreter according to the passage? Answer: 10. Nearly 60 million visitors flooded to the 384 national parks across America every year. And you won't have to wander far from home to enjoy one of these national treasures, with Michigan's Isle Royale National Park nearby. Located 56 miles from Copper Harbor on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the park remains _ that can only be reached by tour boat. With the exception of the Rock Harbor Lodge, which offers both rooms with private baths and accommodations in the form of small cottages, the 572,000 acres that make up the 45-mile-long park are rough, threaded with hiking paths that lead to tents-only campsites. You are likely to see a deer crossing mist-covered ponds in search of breakfast, gaze bald eagles flying overhead, or hear a beaver clapping its tail on the water. If you are especially lucky, you might even glimpse a grey wolf, nearly dying out from hunting on the mainland. Plenty of hiking paths open the area to exploration. The 4-mile Stroll Path winds through various trees and offers a tour of the island's history, including prehistoric Indian mines. The Jungle Path leads to Scoville Point----a perfect picnic spot surrounded on three sides by the shining waters of Lake Superior. You can also rent a boat at the park's service center and row down the shore to the Rock Harbor Lighthouse. Here park's service employees use nets to show how lake fishes used to be caught by the original local people. Their catch ends up on the dinner menu at the Rock Harbor Lodge. The park is open from mid-April through October; Rock Harbor Lodge is open from Memorial Day weekend until just after Labor Day. What can we infer from the passage? Answer: The number of grey wolves is smaller than that of deer. Towards the end of Middle English, a sudden change in pronunciation started, with vowels being pronounced shorter and shorter. From the 16th century the British had contact with many people from around the world. This meant that lots of new vocabulary entered the language. The invention of printing also meant that there was now a common language in print. Books became cheaper and more people learned to read. Spelling and grammar became fixed, and the dialect of London became the standard. In 1604 the first English dictionary came out. Early Modern English and Late Modern English are mostly different in the number of words. Late Modern English has many more words, mainly because of the following two reasons: First, the Industrial Revolution led to the need for new words. Second, the British Empire covered one quarter of the earth's surface, and the English language took in foreign words from many countries. From around 1600, the English colonization of North America led to American English. Some English pronunciations and words " _ " when they reached America. In some ways, American English is more like the English of Shakespeare than modern British English. Some expressions that are called "American English" are in fact from British expressions. They were kept in the colonies while lost for a time in Britain. Spanish also had an influence on American English. For example, words like canyon, ranch, stampede and vigilante are from Spanish. They entered English by the people of Spain who settled in the American West. French words and West African words also influenced American English. Today, American English has a greater influence, because of the USA's movies, television, popular music, trade and technology. The main difference between Early and Late Modern English lies in _ . Answer: vocabulary
This large flat is on the top floor of a five-story modern building in a quiet part of the city. There are two schools, a restaurant and several shopping centres nearby. A bus stop is only one hundred metres away. The flat has got a large living room , a dining room,a modern kitchen, one large bedroom and two small bedrooms. There is a bedroom with a shower, a sink and a toilet. The flat has also got a small storeroom and there is a large doorway. The price of it is $245,600 without the garage . The price of the garage is $34,560. There are _ bedrooms in the flat. A one B two C three D four Answer: C. three I'm going to have a great weekend. I'll go across Canada with my parents by car. We'll drive seven or eight hours a day. In Toronto, we'll stay in a big hotel. The food is very delicious. There's a big swimming pool and a lot of game rooms. I think I'll play there happily. But there'll be lots of people in the hotel, so I think we'll sleep in one room. And it's expensive. Then we are going to stay in a small cabin in the mountains. I really love it. The cabin is clean and quiet. We'll have two rooms, so I can get up late in the morning. But we have to get up early because we want to go swimming. There is a beautiful lake near the cabin. We also can go fishing and cook food outside. What can they do in the mountains? A They can play in the game rooms. B They can have lots of delicious food. C They can go skiing. D They can go swimming and fishing and cook food. Answer: D. They can go swimming and fishing and cook food. James was getting ready for the weekend. He needed to go to the store. He needed to get food for his friend's birthday party. James made a list of things to get. He wrote down strawberries, apples, cupcakes, juice, and bananas. James was going to make a fruit salad. James went to the store. He bought the apples, cupcakes, and bananas that were on the shopping list. He forgot to buy the juice. James also bought a toy mouse for a present for his friend. James was very excited for the party this weekend. The day of the party finally arrived. James made the fruit salad with the apples, strawberries, and bananas he bought. He set out the cupcakes and fruit salad on the table. He placed the toy mouse in shiny paper and set it on the table too. He checked his watch. It was almost time for the party. The birthday guests would be there soon. Once the guests came they ate cupcakes and fruit salad. Everyone liked the food. James gave his friend the present. His friend really liked the toy mouse. James was very happy because his friend had a great birthday. What did James set on the table? A He set a cake on the table. B He set a dog on the table. C He set out the cupcakes, fruit salad and toy mouse on the table. D He set a bowl on the table. Answer: C. He set out the cupcakes, fruit salad and toy mouse on the table. According to a report by the China News Weekly, They pursue many of their activities in the office building, eating, doing exercise, resting, playing games or even dating. In large cities such as Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing, where economy is developing at a fast speed, office workers face an increasing work pressure day by day and many of them have begun to make office their home. As the young generation in society, most of them are aged between 25 and 45. In the eyes of outsiders, they enjoy a comfortable life: they lead the fashion trend in the city and earn a high salary; they enjoy a flexible working schedule and a very good working environment; having a good education background, they don't have to worry that one day they will lose their jobs. However, only the white collars themselves know what others see as a good life is in fact a boring life. They often work extra hours, suffer from loss of creative ability and have little time to make friends. When they go off from work late at night, somethimes they might think of asking for a leave the next day and having a holiday somewhere. However, when a new day begins, they find everything back to normal and themselves pushed by new tasks. In fact, even if they don't work extra hours in the office, they have no place to go. Many of the young people are fresh from college, or have come to work in large cities from their hometowns. As newcomers, they haven't established a social network. They have few friends to go dating. Meanwhile, many of them face a great pressure for earning money to buy a house or a car. If they cannot afford to buy these, they still have to work to pay for high apartment rents and communication fares. From the passage , we can infer that _ A white collars are all workaholics who regard the office as home B white collars suffer from material and mental pressure in life C white collars are the models of young people in society D people have a good understanding of what white collars' life is Answer: B. white collars suffer from material and mental pressure in life It is a Sunday morning. There are many children in the beautiful park. They are having a good time. Some are playing games under a big tree. Some are singing and dancing. Some boys and girls are running up the small hill. Others are boating on the lake. Where is Dick ? He is sitting by the lake. What's he doing? He is drawing. Look ! What is Jane doing? She is on the grass. She is running after a nice butterfly. She wants to get it. Where is Jane? _ . A She's in the boat B She's on the grass C She's by the lake D She's on the hill Answer: B. She's on the grass
When a microfiber towel is used to pick up a puddle of milk, the towel then Dear Aunty, I work at a supermarket, and another girl and I share tasks we must finish before leaving. But she takes half an hour to do something I can do in ten minutes. She always has a story to tell me and stops working when she does. My boss is angry at both of us, but It's not my fault. I don't want to rat on her, but what else can I do? Flustered Dear Flustered, Let me propose a better way. Make a log of all the tasks you share, then suggest to your boss that for efficiency your duties could be divided into two separate checklists. If he's reluctant, go to plan B: the next time this girl starts telling you a story, stop working to listen and call your boss over to hear what a great storyteller she is. I'm sure he'll take it from here. Aunty Dear Aunty, I'm a college student in the Philippines who wants to be wise with money. I'm not an economics or business major student and I don't know anything about stocks. But I really want to buy assets and invest. I receive about 15,000 pesos every school term from my education plan. I don't have any idea how I should spend it. I don't want to just buy new clothes, or hang out with my friends because it would not be wise. I want my money to grow. Please enlighten me. Fastbreakplay Dear Fastbreakplay, Being wise with money is the No. 1 thing to learn. Start with a disciplined and systematic savings plan. When your savings reach a sizeable amount, then you may start investing. In the meantime, invest in yourself by reading up on stock markets and capital markets. Follow the news. Before I started investing during my senior high school years, I had already studied stock market data of the past century as I believe markets tend to repeat themselves. If you master this skill, you will master your reading of the markets. Aunty In Aunty's opinion, one should _ at the beginning to be wise with money. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. This is an old English saying. Have you heard of it before? It means that we must go to bed early and get up early in the morning. Then we shall be healthy. We shall also be rich (wealthy) and clever (wise). This is true. The body must have enough sleep to be healthy. Children of young age should have ten hours' sleep every night. Children who do not have enough sleep cannot do their work very well. They will not be wise and they may not become wealthy! The body also needs exercise. Walking, running, jumping, swimming and playing games are all exercise. Exercise keeps the body strong. Exercise also helps the blood to move around inside the body. This is very important. Our blood takes food to all parts of our body. The head also needs blood .Exercise helps us to think better! A person needs exercise because _ . When Mencius was a little boy, his father died. Mencius and his mother were quite poor. One day Mencius returned home from school and found his mother making some cloth. It was very beautiful and expensive. "How much of the book have you read today?" Mencius' mother asked him. "I haven't read any of it yet." Mencius replied, "I played with some friends of mine in the fields." When his mother heard this, she picked up a pair of scissors and cut the cloth. "Why did you cut your cloth?" Mencius asked, "It was beautiful but now you've wasted it." "You have wasted your time," his mother said, "now I have wasted mine. Look what terrible things we have done." Mencius learnt a lot from this lesson. After that, he always studied hard. ,. The mother cut the cloth because _ . BEIJING -- The rescue operations at a coal mine accident have ended with 105 miners dead. The State Council has organized an investigation team to probe into what caused the disaster in the city of Linfen, North China's Shanxi Province. Preliminary investigations show the illegal mining of an unauthorized seam , and the number of miners who had been sent down the shaft far exceeded its capacity. This mine was found to have long ignored the rules to steal state coal, and did not have a list of miners employed to check the number of miners missing after the accident. How did such a coal mine get all the necessary licenses for production? How did it pass the three safety inspections the local government organized last month? In response to this disaster, the Shanxi governor promised to set up hotlines for people to report illegal coal mines and rewards as high as 100,000 yuan for _ We appreciate the action this governor has taken to solving the coal mining problems, and we believe that the reporting scheme will help to stop the existence of illegal coal mines. But at the same time we have reason to question how governments at various levels supervise these mines. The sad fact that such a mine with serious safety problems could pass three consecutive local government safety inspections in a month is enough to tell us how ineffective the safety inspections were. What if these inspections were just a formality ? What if the inspectors were bribed by the mine owners to turn a blind eye to the safety dangers? We can well imagine what would happen if reports about mine problems were handled by such officials. So a thorough probe must find out who are responsible for the death of so many miners. A real safety inspection and management system must be established to guarantee that safety dangers will be removed. What can we infer from the passage?
Men are spending more and more time in the kitchen encouraged by celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver, according to a report from Oxford University. The effect of the celebrity role models, who have given cooking a more manly picture, has combined with a more general drive towards sexual equality and men now spend more than twice the amount of time preparing meals than they did in 1961. According to the research by Prof. Jonatahn Gershuny, who runs the Centre for Time Research at Oxford, men now spend more than half an hour a day cooking, up from just 12 minutes a day in 1961. Prof. Gershuny said, "The man in the kitchen is part of a much wider social trend. There has been 40 years of sexual equality, but there is another 40 years probably to come." Women, who a generation ago spent nearly two hours a day cooking, now spend just one hour and seven minutes--a great fall, but they still spend far more time in the kitchen than men. Some experts have named these men in aprons as "Gastrosexuals (men using cooking skills to impress friends)", who have been inspired to pick up a kitchen knife by the success of Ramsay, Oliver as well as other male celebrity chefs such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Marco Pierre White and Keith Floyd. "I was married in 1974. When my father came to visit me a few weeks later, I was wearing an apron when I opened the door. He laughed," said Prof. Gershuny. "That would never happen now." Two-thirds of adults say that they come together to share at least three times a week, even if it is not necessarily around a kitchen or dining room table. Prof. Gershuny pointed out that the family meal was now rarely eaten by all of its members around a table--with many "family meals" in fact taken on the sofa in the sitting room, and shared by family members. "The family meal has changed a lot, and few of us eat--as I did when I was a child--at least two meals a day together as a family. But it has survived in a different format." What is one reason behind the trend that men spend more time cooking than before? A. The improvement of cooks' status. B. The influence of popular female chefs. C. The change of female's view on cooking. D. The development of sexual equality campaign. Answer: D Each year, bad food sickens about one in six Americans. Proposed new rules aim to improve food safety. Officials say the changes could prevent more than one million cases of food-related illnesses each year. The new rules were proposed this month, exactly two years after President Obama signed the Food Safety Modernization Act. The rules are the first step in putting the law into effect, making the biggest changes in food safety since the 1930s. The law makes the Food and Drug Administration responsible for preventing food-related illnesses. Experts say this is a change from the role that the FDA has played in the past in reacting to disease outbreaks . Congress passed the law after a series of outbreaks linked to bagged spinach, peanut butter and other foods. Margaret Hamburg is commissioner of the FDA. "They occurred because of problems that would have been solved by these kinds of approaches. So I think, you know>> we're very optimistic that we will begin to see the real change. " The agency is proposing to require food manufacturers to show that they have identified where contamination is most likely to happen. Manufacturers would also have to show that they have taken steps to prevent it. The proposed rules also deal with safety in growing and harvesting fruits and vegetables. Caroline Smith DeWaal is director for food safety at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. She says the rules should have been released a year ago. And she notes, "The bigger question is, where are the rules on imports that haven't been released yet?" The FDA says about 15 percent of food eaten by Americans is imported, and that share is growing. Rules have not been released yet to require imported foods to meet the same standards as food produced in the United States. The new rules require the Food and Drug Administration to _ . A. be responsible for Americans' safety B. take stricter measures C. improve its work efficiency D. change its role Answer: D No one could have failed to be moved had he watched the live televised volleyball game between the Chinese and Cuban women's teams. As we sat before the television set, with our eyes fixed on the screen, we experienced every kind of feeling. When the two teams played neck and neck, we were on pins and needles, anxious as to what would come next, and when our team fell behind our hearts were in our mouths. Watching the game between those two teams is not only a matter of great joy. For more than that it provides food for thought. Just see how the Chinese women won the game --by their co --operation , by their excellent skill, their effort and strong will. A Chinese saying goes, "When two competent opponents meet, the strong --minded one will win. "This is the spirit of the Chinese Women's Volleyball Team. If every Chinese showed some of the spirit, never losing heart in times of difficulty and remaining clear --minded in times of advantage , then our nation would stand in the vanguard of the world family of nations, just as the Chinese Women's Volleyball Team has done, is doing and will do. The wonderful game _ . A. brought us great joy B. provided us with food for our thoughts C. gave us not only great joy but also food for thoughts D. give us a valuable amusement Answer: C I'm sitting here in this coffee shop. You know the one there by Allen street. The town is filled with thousands of middle class college kids living off their parent's money. The coffee shop is where the ones come to play the part of sophisticated bohemians . The pretensions glow from their line-less faces as they sip cappuccinos and chew strawberry cookies. The boys to my right are discussing Nabokov with a serious air, a copy of Sartre's Cuba lies on the table. The young woman on my left is declaring that she can never allow her creativity to be killed by entering the work force. The man with her scratches his goatee in agreement, occasionally suggesting they go back to his place to hear his new Washington Squares CD. Matt has just designed a new international symbol for peace. He moves from table to table trying to sell hand painted T-shirts that bear the design. Tomorrow he's leaving for the 25th anniversary Woodstock concert where he hopes to strike it rich with his creation. Gopha the skinny Indian boy feels like singing me a verse of 'It Ain't Me Babe' when I ask him if he's a friend of Monica's. Jason is trying to talk Gopha into a dollar bet on a game of chess. Between times Jason will chew your ear off with his plans to conquer the music industry while studying entertainment law, but when it comes to his never ending dollar chess matches he's quiet as a church mouse. I sit among them. To all surface appearances one and the same. If they could only see I would rather reach into their flesh and tear out their shallow little hearts than listen to another second of their prattle . With no job, no gigs, and my girlfriend's so far gone she might as well be on another planet, I've been leading the writer's quiet cafe life, spending my free time outdoors drinking iced teas and cheap wines. I chat warmly with whoever decides to squander away their hours in my surrounding area. But behind my eyes is an unspoken challenge to any and every one of these social elites to just once say one thing that would inspire me. Just one little idea which is new and meaningful. Unfortunately original thoughts are zero here. In my secret mind I wish to run like a madman banging gongs and speaking in tongues. Or maybe jump on a table and sing the Star Spangled Banner in the forgotten language of the Hottentots. I know these thoughts only reveal me as a fool because the spark I search for cannot be found in acts of shocking performance art. Where it truly comes from is one of the mysteries which will always hang around me. What does the passage imply? A. The hero is sure that he can find the original thoughts in a crazy way. B. The hero is disappointed at the college students failing his expectation. C. The hero is quite content with his quiet cafe life as a writer. D. The hero is lost in the physical world and hopeless about his future. Answer: B A Japanese toy maker declares that they have developed a gadget that translates dog barks into human language and plans to begin selling the gadget----under the name of Bowlingual----in U. S. pet stores and gift shops this summer. Tokyo-based Takara Co. Ltd. says about 300, 000 of the dog translator gadgets have been sold since it was on sale in Japan late last year. It is forecasting far bigger sales once an English language translation for dogs comes to America in August. The United States is home to about 67 million dogs, more than six times the number in Japan. "We know that the Americans love their dogs so much, so we don't think they will mind spending $ 120 on this product, " the Takara marketing manager said during an interview at a recent pet products conference in Atlanta. Regarded as one of the coolest inventions of 2002 by Time magazine, Bowlingual is made up of a 3 - inch long wireless microphone that is fastened to a dog collar and sends out sounds to a small console that is connected to a database . The console divides each bark into six emotional types----happiness, sadness, disappointment, anger, threat and desire----and shows common phrases, such as "You're ticking me off," that fit the dog's emotional state. Takara says it has spent millions of dollars developing the gadget in cooperation with famous sound experts and animal behaviorists. One thing that does appear certain is that the markets for animal translation products will likely remain a dog's world since Takara has no plans to develop a similar gadget for cats. " _ are too unpredictable , " the marketing manager said. This passage mainly tells us that Bowlingual _ . A. was invented in Japan B. has developed quickly C. will be sold in America D. sells well for its price Answer: C
The people of ancient Egypt began their new year in summer. That is when the Nile River flooded its banks, bringing water and fertility to the land. Today, most people celebrate New Year's Day on January 1. People celebrate the New Year's holiday in many different ways. The ancient Babylonians celebrated by forcing their king to give up his crown ( )and royal clothing. They made him get down on his knees and _ all the mistakes he had made during the past year. Making New Year's resolutions is a common American tradition. Today, popular resolutions might include the promise to lose weight, stop smoking, or be more productive at work. People offer New Year's resolutions of their own. For example, one person decided to get a cat. Another promised to stop telling stories about other people. Other people use New Year's resolutions to make major changes in their lives. One such resolution might be to "stop and smell the flowers." This means to take time to enjoy simple pleasures. Another resolution might be "don't sweat the small stuff." This means not to worry or get angry about unimportant problems. Another resolution might be to forget about bad things that happened in the past. What do people wish for the coming new year in their resolutions? Answer: All of the above. Alex was happy when he woke up. He was really happy he didn't have to go to a dumb sit down school like his cousins. He was a home school kid. There was lots to do today. He woke Tigerrr, his kitty. They were going to look at the apple trees. He was seeing if he could grow more fruit by feeding them different kinds of food. He fed one chips and he fed one chocolate. He hoped the fruit would taste like apple chocolate! He fed one root beer and he fed another one salad. He fed one of them seaweed. He wrote down how many fruits each tree had, and this is what he found. The root beer tree had five fruits. The tree that was fed chocolate had three. The chip tree had ten. The salad tree had fifteen. The seaweed tree had fifty apples! They were everywhere. "The winner!", said Tigerrr, his paw in the air. How many fruits did the tree that was fed chocolate AND the tree that was fed root beer have together? Answer: Eight Dear new moms, You should teach your children manners as soon as your children can understand what you're saying. When your children do something right, let them know. When your children do something wrong, tell them how they should do it and why. Here are some basic manners for children: 1. Wait for their turn and don't _ other people when they are speaking. Tell them to wait until someone finishes speaking, and then ask questions. 2. Always greet the people who come over to your house. You can teach your children to shake hands with grown-ups who come over, but it's not necessary to shake hands with other children. Your children should always say "hello" or "hi" when someone comes to your home so that the guest feels welcome. 3. Say "please" and "Thank you" often. And say "You're welcome" to answer others' "Thank you". 4. After playing a game, no matter what the result is, be pleased. If your children win, tell them not to show off , but to be kind. If they lose, tell them not to get mad and tell the other children that they did a good job or speak well of them. Yours Dr. Dave Dr Dave wrote the letter to tell new moms _ . Answer: what manners children should have American Classroom Rules 1. If the teacher asks a question, you should give an answer. If you do not understand the question, you should put up your hand and ask the teacher to repeat the question. If you don't know the answer, it's all right to tell the teacher that you don't know. Then he or she knows what you need to learn. 2. There is no excuse for not doing your homework. If you can not go to school, you should call your teacher or your classmate and ask for the homework. It is your responsibility to find out what homework you have missed. It is not the teacher's job to remind you of missed homework. 3. You must not be absent on a test day. If you are badly ill, call and let the teacher know you will not be there for the test. If your teacher allows you to take a _ , you should take the test within one or two days after you return to class. Bad illness is the only reason for missing a test. 4. Be on time! It's not polite to be late. Also, it bothers other students. If you must come in late, be sure to do it quietly. Have your books out of your bag before you come into the classroom. Then go to your seat and sit quietly. In the US, it is not necessary to knock at the door before you come into the classroom. If you are badly ill, _ . Answer: you should take the test within one or two days The French spend more time sleeping and eating than anyone else among the world's rich people, according to a survey. The average French person sleeps almost nine hours every night, more than an hour longer than the average Japanese and Korean, who sleep the least in a survey. And while more and more French people have meals at fast food restaurants, they still spend more than two hours a day eating. That means their meals are twice as long as those of the average Mexican, who spends just over an hour a day on food. The Japanese spend close to two hours a day eating and drinking, placing them third behind New Zealanders. The Japanese like to spend their free time watching television or listening to the radio. This takes up 47 percent of free time in Japan. Turks, on the other hand, spend more than a third of their free time staying with their friends.The survey showed that the difference between work and free time within certain countries is clear. As for Italians, men have nearly 80 minutes a day of free time more than women. Much of the additional work time of Italian women is clearly cleaning the house. It takes Japanese _ of free time to watch TV or listen to the radio. Answer: about half
During the day we work and play,and at night we sleep. Our body rests when we sleep. In the morning we are ready to work and play again. Our body grows most when we are asleep. Children who are tired usually need sleep. We can get better at our lessons after having plenty of rest. Boys and girls who are eight or nine years old need ten hours of sleep every night. Our body needs plenty of air when we are asleep. If we do not get enough fresh air, we will feel tired when we wake up. While in bed we must not cover our head,our lungs need to get enough fresh air. If we open our windows at night,we can have plenty of fresh air. Cool air is better than warm air. How many hours of sleep should 9-year-old children have every night? Answer: 10 hours. We can see walls everywhere in the world. But the Great Wall of China is the biggest of all. The Chinese call it. "The Ten-thousand-Li. Great Wall." It's in fact more than 6,000 kilometers long. It's 4-5 meters wide. In most places, five houses or ten men can walk side by side. When you visit the Great Wall, you can't help wondering how the Chinese people were able to build such a great wall thousands of years ago. Without any modern machine , it was really very difficult to build it. They had to do all the work by hand. It took millions of men hundreds of years to build it. The Great Wall has a history of over two thousand years. The kings began to build the first parts of it around two thousand seven hundred years ago. Then, Qin Shihuang had all the walls joined up . He thought that could keep the enemy out of the country. Today the Great Wall has become a place of interest. Not only Chinese people but also people from all over the world come to visit it. The Great Wall was built _ . Answer: without any modern machines Robert went to visit his friends in Paris last weekend.His friends met him at the airport on Friday afternoon and drove him to the hotel.They ate dinner at a Chinese restaurant and went to see a film after that. Robert and his friends set out early on Saturday morning for a farm and stayed there until Sunday morning.During their stay,they played football in the field and enjoyed a big meal around a camp fire ,singing and dancing till late into the night. Nobody could get up early on Sunday morning.So when they got back to Paris,it was about three o'clock in the afternoon.They drove right to the airport because Robert didn't want to miss his plane back home.Robert only stayed in Paris for two nights but he had a great time with his friends. How long did Robert stay in Paris? Answer: About three days. Educators across the U.S. are calling for major changes to the admission process in higher education. The National Center for Educational Statistics (or NCES) reported that U.S. colleges and universities received more than 9 million applications between 2013 and 2014 and admitted more than 5 million students. But the problem is not in the number of students, a new report says. The report is called "Turning the Tide -- Making Caring Common." The report argues that the process schools use to choose students causes major problems. David Hawkins is the Executive Director for Educational Content and Policy. He says that most colleges and universities require many things from students when they apply. Schools usually require an essay describing a student's interests or why they want to study at that school. The schools also ask for letters from teachers describing why a student is a good candidate. But, Hawkins says, schools are most concerned with a student's high school grades and standardized test results. The Education Conservancy is an organization that fights to make higher education equal and available. Lloyd Thacker is the Executive Director of the Education Conservancy, saying that the college admission process has changed a lot. "Over the past 30 years, college admissions have become more complex." He says that ranking systems for colleges and universities are a big part of the problem. U.S. News and World Report is a media company that creates a list of what it calls "America's Best Colleges." The company bases the list on information collected from colleges and universities across the country. This information includes results of standardized tests like the SAT from all of a school's students. Higher average test results help put schools higher on the list. Thacker claims, "Too many students are learning to do whatever it takes in order to get ahead, even if that means sacrificing their own individuality, their health, their happiness and behavior..." "The impact on students and on parents is that college is all about where you go. The rank has nothing to do with the quality of education that goes on at the college." The Harvard report states that the best way to change the admission process is by changing college applications. The media company ranks the schools on the basis of _ . Answer: information like test results Molly was a peasant girl. Her parents did not have much money and Molly did not have many nice clothes. One day Molly's father said to her, "Molly, take this pot of milk to market and sell it. You may keep the money." Molly was very happy. She put the pot of milk on her head and started her journey to market. While she was walking alone she began to think. "I will get quite a lot of money for this milk," she thought. "What will I do with the money? I will buy a lot of eggs. I will take the eggs home with me. One of our hens will sit on them. Then there will be lots of little chickens. I will not sell the chickens. They will grow into hens. Then there will be more eggs. And these eggs will give me still more chickens. Soon I will have hundreds of hens. Then I will sell them all. They will bring me a lot of money. I will be rich. I will buy lots of new clothes. I will always wear nice clothes. Then a rich man will marry me. We will have a beautiful house, a big car and nice children..." Molly was very happy. She jumped into the air. The pot of milk fell from her head onto the road. And that was the end of all her dreams. In English there is a proverb. It says: Do not count your chickens before they are hatched . What was the end of all Molly's dreams? Answer: She woke and found the milk on the road.
"Sleep-disordered breathing" is a term for a group of conditions that can interfere with nornlal breathing while people sleep.These include snoring,mouth-breathing and sleep apnea .Sleep-disordered breathing can do more than just leave people feeling tired the next day.It can also affect people's health.In children the effects can include behavioral and emotional problems. In a new study.1ed by Karen Bonuck at the Einstein College of Medicine.researchers asked parents about their children's breathing from when they were babies up to about age seven.The study finds sleep-disordered breathing is associated with a fifty percent increase in outcomes including hyperactivity ,aggressiveness and problems relating to other children. Ms.Bonuck says the more serious the breathing problems,the more serious the behavioral issues were likely to be.Other studies have:linked sleep with children's behavior,but this study was extensive enough to:reject other possible causes. How well do you sleep?A popular belief is that sleep gets worse with age.But. in another new study,those who reported the fewest problems with the quality of their sleep were people in their eighties. Researchers did a telephone survey of American aduhs.Michael Grandner at the University of Pennsylvania medical school says the original goal was to confirm that aging is connected with increased sleep problems.The survey did find an increase during middle age,worse in women than men.But except for that,people reported that their sleep quality improved as they got older.At least they felt it did. Mr.Grandner says."Even if sleep among older Americans is actually worse than in younger adults,feelings about it still improve with age." In the study,health problems and depression were linked with poor sleep.But,based on the study.Mr.Grandner says older people who are not sick or depressed should be reporting better sleep."If they're not.they need to talk to their doctor."he says.He says heahtlh care providers generally dismiss sleep complaints from older adults as a normal part of aging. The text is mainly about _ . A. new findings on sleep in children,older adults B. people's health problems C. children's breathing problems D. older adults' sleep complaints Answer: A The man who admitted to killing an Italian woman inside her East Harlem apartment said he was possessed by an "evil spell ," police said Thursday. Bakary Camara, 41, who once dated the murdered woman, penned his admission of guilt in a three-page letter folded in his pocket as he tried to kill himself after policemen burst into his home. Kelly, a policeman, said "He says that there was an evil spell that was cast on him." Camara, who was in stable condition at St. Barnabas Hospital, was later charged with the murder of Rita Morelli. The 36-year-old woman was getting a degree at Borough of Manhattan Community College as she waited tables at Caffe Buon Gusto on the upper East Side, police said. Camara called 911 from a payphone after killing the lively Morelli on Nov. 23. Her body was later found in her E. 120th St. home. She was hanged and had knife wounds to her throat and chest. Policemen began dialing numbers from Morelli's cell phone and when Camara picked up, a detective recognized his voice as the man who called in the report of a dead body, police said. When officers went to Camara's home, he locked himself inside, forcing policemen to burst down the front door to catch him. "He is standing there with a knife pointed at his chest," Kelly, a policeman, said. "He makes threatening statements as to the fact that he killed the woman. He then stabs himself in the chest." Camara, who told police he served six years in prison for robbery back in his native country, was still waiting to be charged with murder Thursday. Morelli left her hometown of Spoltore, Italy, five years ago to fully experience the arts and music culture of the big city, her family said. What can we know about Morelli from the passage? A. She was murdered in Camara's home. B. She had stayed in the city for 5 years. C. She had just finished her degree before she was killed. D. She called 911 before she was killed. Answer: B Wild animals are our friends, but many of them are getting fewer and fewer. We should try to protect them. The four animals below are now in danger. Tibetan Antelopes Tibetan antelopes are medium-sized animals. They mainly feed on grass. They are usually found in groups of about 20. They are killed for their wool, which is warm, soft and fine and can be made into expensive clothes. Although people can get the wool without killing the animals, people simply kill them before taking the wool. The number of them is dropping year by year. There are less than 75,000 Tibetan antelopes left in the world, down from a million 50 years ago. Golden Monkeys Golden monkeys are mainly found in Sichuan, Gansu, Shanxi provinces and Shengnongjia mountainous area of Hubei Province. Golden monkeys have golden-orange fur. They move around in the daytime, usually in groups of as many as 100 to 200 heads, or 20 to 30 heads. They feed on fruits and young leaves of bamboos. But people are destroying the environment where they live. Trees and bamboos are disappearing, so golden monkeys have less and less to eat. Elephans ks5u Elephants are very big and strong. They are bigger than any other animals on land. They are grey and have long trunks and tusks. They have poor eyesight, but very good hearing and smell. They can lift heavy things and break down branches with their trunks. Elephants are very friendly towards each other and towards their neighbours. Normally, they live in a group for many years. Young male elephants do not leave the group until they are about 12 years old. Now, there are very few elephants in the world. The number of them is becoming smaller and smaller because their living areas are used for farming. Also, people hunt them for their tusks. Wolves Wolves are not very big. They have grey fur. Wolves have very good eyesight, hearing and smell. Wolves' food is vavious. They eat animals, insects and snails. They are friendly to each other and never attack people. They do not kill for fun. Wolves are in danger, too. They are losing their living areas because people cut down forests. Soon they will have no home or food. Which of the following sentences is right? A. There are less than 7,500 Tibetan antelopes left in the world now. B. Golden monkeys usually move around during the night. C. Elephants have good eyesight, but very poor hearing and smell. D. Wolves are friendly to each other and they never attack people. Answer: D Amy went to the beach one day last summer. She went with her family. Her parents let her and her brother, Brian, each bring one friend. Amy invited Candace. Brian asked David. Their neighbor Eddie also went. The six of them got into Amy's dad's car and began the long trip to the beach. In the car, they sang and played games together. They soon got the beach. Everyone put on sun block and had lunch. They ate on a large, blue blanket. Amy's mother had brought the blanket. After eating, everyone found fun things to do. Amy and Candace made sand castles with Amy's father. Brian, Eddie, and David swam in the sea and played catch. Amy's mother sat in a chair and read a book. When the sun began to set, they packed everything up and began to drive home. Both Brian and Candace slept. David played a game with Amy and Eddie before Eddie fell asleep and started to drool. After they got home, everyone had dinner at Amy's and talked about how much fun they had at the beach. Whose family went to the beach? A. Amy's family. B. Candace's family. C. David's family. D. Eddie's Family. Answer: A Recently, a study was carried out to determine who was the greatest American president.Sixty-five presidential historians took part in it, and they judged the past forty-two American leaders based on ten leadership qualities, including public persuasiveness , crisis leadership, management of the economy, moral leadership, and conduct of international relations.The historians also looked at administrative ability , relations with Congress, ability to set goals, and the pursuit of equal justice for all.Finally, the experts took into consideration the historical period in which the president lived. The historians chose Abraham Lincoln as American's greatest president.He had also been named best president in a similar study in 2000.Abraham Lincoln was the president who led the nation through the Civil War in the 1860s, and was able to unite it in the end.He also took the first steps to abolish slavery in America. Edna Medford, a professor of history at Howard University in Washington, D.C., was an adviser on this study and the earlier one.She says Abraham Lincoln is seen to represent the values the nation most honors, such as truthfulness, moderation, and respect for human rights. The historians put American's first president, George Washington, second on the list, while Franklin D.Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, and Harry Truman follow in that order.John F.Kennedy, the country's first Roman Catholic president, is sixth on the list.Like Lincoln, Kennedy was murdered while in office. Among recent presidents, Ronald Reagan was named the tenth best and Bill Clinton rated fifteenth, while the historians put former president George W.Bush at number thirty-six.His father, George H.W.Bush, did much better, being placed at number eighteen. The text is mainly about _ . A. the ten qualities a great president needs B. a study of American presidents C. the values the American nation honors most D. how Abraham Lincoln improved the country Answer: B
Every baby born a decade from now will have its genetic code mapped at birth, the head of the worlds' leading genome sequencing company has predicted. A complete DNA read - out for every newborn will be technically possible and affordable in less than five years, promising a revolution in healthcare, says Jay Flatley, the chief executive of Illumina. Only social and legal problems are likely to delay the age of "genome sequences," or genetic profiles. By 2019 it will have become routine to map infants' genes when they are born, Dr Flatly told The Times. This will open a new approach to medicine, by which conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease can be predicted and prevented and drugs used more safely and effectively. A baby's genome can be discovered at birth by a blood test. By examining a person's genome, it is possible to identify raised risks of developing diseases such as cancers. Those at high risk can then be screened more regularly, or given drugs or dietary advice to lower their chances of becoming ill. Personal genomes could also be used to ensure that patients get the medicine that is most likely to work for them and least likely to have side-effects. The development, however, will raise legal concerns about privacy and access to individuals' genetic records. "Bad things can be done with the genome. It could predict something about someone - and you could possibly hand the information to their employer or their insurance company." said Dr Flatley. "People have to recognize that _ , and that your genome probably can't be protected, because everywhere you go you leave your genome behind. Complete genetic privacy, however, is unlikely to be possible", he added. As the benefits become clearer, however, he believes that most people will want their genomes read and interpreted. The risk is nothing compared with the gain. What's Dr Flatley's attitude towards the technology? Answer: Positive. Which of the following can die if it gets too cold? Answer: bears Waller was a liked-by-all fellow full of fun who often went to coffee houses to tell people interesting stories, of which some even brought him some money. One day, asked by an office secretary who told Waller that his boss was a never-seen before serious man and he never even smiled. Waller would tell a most funny story. "Well, sir," Waller said before he began the story, "What will be given in return of my success?""$100,"replied the secretary. "I haven't seen him have a bright face since I worked in his office." "Then _ " Waller went to the man's table and whispered to him, "Please tell your boss that the funny man Waller's hen gave birth to a baby." Three days later a letter reached Mr. Waller in which were $100 and a piece of yellow paper with the words, "Mr. Waller, you have succeeded--When I repeated your $100-worth sentence, my boss burst into frightening laughter, saying that whoever has managed to make him laugh during the business hours will get dismissed!" Which sentence can describe the theme of the story? Answer: Things Went Opposite to Wishes Will the sky ever fall? The answer is no. But if it happens there's no need to be afraid! The American film Chicken Little opened about two years ago. Its story tells us:don't worry too much in your life. One day Chicken Little is in the woods when an acorn falls on his head!This makes him afraid. He thinks a piece of sky is falling!He can't wait to tell everyone about it. They run for their lives!When everyone learns the truth ,no one likes Chicken Little. They laugh at him. He gets a bad name in the town,Oakey Oaks. It's time for him to change others' minds. Chicken Little begins to play baseball. He is not bigger than a ball,but he plays very well!He helps his team win. Now they think he's great. Just then,a spaceship really does fall from the sky!The aliens abroad have bad plans. Once again he must tell people about _ !Will he get help from his friends in the town?Can he show himself a different person?You have to watch the film to find it out! Why do people give Chicken Little a bad name? Answer: Because people think he tells a lie. A storm rolls in and the skies are filled with dark clouds which Answer: precipitate
Teenagers at one German school are learning how to achieve happiness alongside other traditional subjects such as math and languages. The class sit in a circle with their eyes shut and they count from one to ten: someone starts, the next voice comes from the far right, a third from the other side. The aim of the game is to listen for an opportunity to shout out the number without clashing with another voice or leaving a pause. On the first try, most of the young Germans try to be first, while a few are too shy to join in, but by the fifth time round, they develop a rhythm .The message: give other people space but also confidently claim your own. This is a requirement for social well-being. The Willy Hellpach School in Heidelberg is the first in the nation to develop a happiness course. It is intended for students preparing for university entrance exams. "The course isn't there to make you happy," Ernst Fritz-Schubert, the school principal, warned pupils, "but rather to help you discover the ways to become happy." Cooking a meal together is one of the class exercises. Improving body language under the guidance of two professional actresses is another. The course is taught for three periods a week. Although it's the happy subject, the pupils themselves insist it is no laughing matter. "In the first period, we had to each say something positive about another member of the class and about ourselves. No laughing at people," said Fanny, 17. Research by the school shows it is not the first to start happiness classes: they also exist at some US universities, mainly based on positive thinking, using findings from studies of depression. What's the writing purpose of this passage? Answer: To introduce the happiness course. The average college student in America spent an estimated seven hundred dollars on textbooks last year. The National Association of College Stores reported more than five billion dollars in sales of textbooks and course materials. Association spokesman Charles Schmidt says electronic textbooks now represent just two to three percent of sales. But he says that is expected to reach ten to fifteen percent by 2012. Online versions are now available for many of the most popular college textbooks. E-textbooks can cost half the price of a new print textbook. But students usually lose access after the end of the term. And the books cannot be placed on more than one device so they are not easy to share. So what do students think of e-textbooks? Administrators at Northwest Missouri State University wanted to find out. Earlier this year they tested them with five hundred students in twenty classes. The university is unusual. It not only provides laptop computers to all seven thousand of its full-time students. It does not require students to buy their textbooks either. They rent them to save money. The school aims to save even more by moving to e-textbooks. The students in the survey reported that downloading the books from the Internet was easy. They liked the idea of carrying lighter backpacks. And fifty-six percent said they were better able to find information. But most found that using e-textbooks did not change their study habits. And sixty percent felt they read more when they were reading on paper. In all, almost half the students said they still liked physical textbooks better. But the survey found that cost could be a big influence. Fifty-five percent said they would choose e-textbooks if using them meant their textbook rental fee would not increase. Roger Von Holzen heads the Center for Information Technology in Education at Northwest Missouri State. He tells us that administrators are disappointed with the e-textbooks now available because the majority are not interactive. He thinks growth will come when more digital books include video, activities, games and other ways to interact with the information. The technology is improving. But for now, most of the books are just words on a screen. The passage mainly tells us about _ . Answer: different attitudes towards e-textbooks Tomato Festival Started in 2005, the Tomato Festival has grown into a local tradition in Malta. In recent years, the festival has added amusement park-style rides and a yearly Creature Feature, which screens old horrible movies.There are also dance competitions, parades and pancake breakfast.Third weekend in August. Address: 833 Tinkham Rd, Fountain Park, Wilbra-ham, Massachusetts 01095 Phone: (413)599-0010 Brat Days Don't mistake this festival for a day filled with poorly behaved children. Begun in 1953, the gathering is the biggest festival in the city each year and features more than 50 stands selling the sausage, as well as a contest to see who can quickly eat the most bratwurst in ten minutes.Early August. Address: 17th and New Jersey sts, Kiwanis Park, She boygan, Wisconsin 53081 Phone: (920)457-9491 Hope Watermelon Festival The festival dates back to the 1920s, when many trains went through this small town and local watermelon growers would sell their watermelon to _ travelers.These days, the festival sees a Watermelon Queen crowned and sometimes a world-record watermelon grown.There are also more than 300 stands selling arts and crafts from a six-state area, as well as a car show and the Watermelon Olympics.Early August. Address: 108 W 3rd St, Hope, Arkansas 71801 Phone: (870) 777-3640 Oyster Festival Featuring appearances from tall ships and oyster boats, this festival has regularly drawn 60,000 visitors a year since it began in 1978.More than 3,000 volunteers make the festival possible each year.Norwalk is less than a two-hour drive from many of New England's larger cities, making it easy to attend the festival during a trip to New York or Hartford.Weekend after Labor Day. Address: Sea view Ave, Veteran's Park, East Nor-walk, Connecticut 06855 Phone: (800) 866-7925 Which of the following festivals has the longest history? Answer: Hope Watermelon Festival Have you ever stayed up late? If so, you know that not getting enough sleep can leave you tired and grumpy . Not sleeping enough can also make it harder to think clearly the next day. Sleep experts have long known that getting a good night's sleep is important. It helps kids perform their best during the day. A recent study shows that sleep helps improve problem--- solving skills and creative thinking. For the study, two groups of volunteers answered a math problem. The group that slept for eight hours solved the problem correctly more often than the group that did not get enough sleep. While you sleep, your brain is busy doing its "homework". It sorts out information from your day. Getting enough sleep each night can _ your brainpower. That will help you do your best in school. Experts say that, in return, can lead to better grades. What is the best title for the passage? Answer: Sleep to Succeed The greatest recent changes have ,been in the lives of women ,During the twentieth century there was an unusual shortening of the time of a woman's life spent in caring for children. A woman marrying at the end of the 19th century would probably have been in her middle twenties ,and would be likely to have seven or eight children, of whom four or five lived till they were five years old ,By the time the youngest was fifteen ,the mother would have been id her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years ,during which custom ,chance and health made it unusual for her to get paid work, Today women marry younger and have fewer children Usually a woman 's youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty-five and is likely to take paid work until retirement at sixty Even while she has the care of children ,her work is lightened by household appliances and convenience foods. This important change in women's way of life has only recently begun to have its full effect on women' s economic position Even a few years ago most girls left school at the first opportunity and most of them took a full-time job However ,when they married ,they usually left work at once and never returned to it ,Today the school-leaving age is sixteen ,many girls stay at school after that age ,and though women tend to marry younger ,more married women stay at work at leas until shortly before their first child is born Very many more after wads ,return to full or part-time work Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage ,with both husband and wife accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfaction of family life, and with both husband and wife sharing more e-qually in providing the money and running the home ,according to the abilities and inter-est of each them. When she was over fifty ,the late 19th century mother _ . Answer: was unlikely to find a job even if she now likely.
I'm an English girl. My name is Rose White. I'm short but my hair is long. I have a round face and my mouth is small. Now I'm a student in No. 5 High School. I have a good friend. Her name is Liu Xing. We are in the same class. She is from China. She has big eyes. But her mouth is small. ,. Rose White is a _ . Answer: Compassion is a desire within us to help others. With effort, we can translate compassion into action. An experience last weekend showed me this is true. I work part-time in a supermarket across from a building for the elderly. These old people are our main customers, and it's not hard to lose patience over their slowness. But last Sunday, one aged gentleman appeared to teach me a valuable lesson. This untidy man walked up to my register with a box of biscuits. He said he was out of cash , had just moved into his room, and had nothing in his cupboards. He asked if we could let him have the food on trust. He promised to repay me the next day. Icouldn't help staring at him. I wondered what kind of person he had been ten or twenty years before, and what he would be like if luck had gone his way. I had a hurt in my heart for this kind of human soul, all alone in the world. I told him that I was sorry, but store rules didn't allow me to do so. I felt stupid and unkind saying this, but I valued my job. Just then, another man, standing behind the first, spoke up. If anything, he looked more pitiable. "Charge it to me," was all he said. What I had been feeling was pity. Pity is soft and safe and easy. Compassion, on the other hand, is caring in action. I thanked the second man but told him that was not allowed either. Then I reached into my pocket and paid for the biscuits myself. I reached into my pocket because these two men had reached into my heart and taught me compassion. The aged gentleman who wanted to buy the biscuits _ . Answer: The other day Mitch went to the store to buy his mother a big turkey. Inside the store there was food all over! Mitch could not believe his own little eyes. From the first time Mitch woke up this morning he knew that he'd be a big man someday, and getting a big turkey for his mother was the way in which he could show that he is a big man. The store had all kinds of food from chocolate bars to yummy radish. Mitch ran for the turkey section of the store with much force. "Turkeys are good, yummy yummy in my tummy, I want to eat a big old turkey and then go to the bathroom several times!" Mitch would cry out to strangers he met in the turkey section of the store. Then, four and a half seconds later, Mitch turned into a giant Walrus named Ted! No one knew how this could have happened, but the Walrus knew. A few years later, Mitch the now giant Walrus named Ted joined the circus and became a rich man with green in his heart. He could not think of anything else but making more money at his circus. One day Ted the giant Walrus, also known as Mitch the happy boy, remembered that his mother still wanted a big turkey for her late night breakfast. Now that Ted was a giant walrus making money hand over fist, he could buy his mommy a big old turkey for their night time breakfast. Ted the walrus also remembered that he had earlier built a time machine. Ted the giant walrus used his time machine to go back in time to buy his mother who was now a dog named Herbert. Ted's mother, Herbert loved the big turkey, but there was a small problem. Herbert the dog didn't have any teeth! What are the different types of food found in the store? Answer: When Beijing is hit by smog, residents often joke that the Chinese capital needs to build giant fans to clear out the polluted air.Mountains to the north and west help trap smog in the city, and a strong wind from Mongolia is the surest way to ensure cleaner air. Beijing officials are now considering ways to help that process.Though giant fans are not on the menu, at least not yet, city planners are looking at ways to create corridors that encourage wind flow through the capital.The plan is inspired by research on urban heat islands, which shows that large buildings that block the wind are one of the causes of higher average temperatures in cities as opposed to those in the countryside. "This isn't controlling pollution.It's shifting the problem." Wang Bing, a Beijing-based author, wrote on Sina Weibo.But the plan has received some interest from residents who have grown tired of repeated periods of heavy pollution. Peng Yingdeng, an air pollution expert at the Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environmental Protection, told the newspaper that the plan was more likely to require an adjustment of related laws to limit building heights and numbers in some areas.Similar proposals are under consideration in other major Chinese cities including Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shenyang and Wuhan. "This kind of work to search for ways to reduce pollution is really worth applauding," the state-run news agency Xinhua said in a commentary."If scientists confirm it is effective, then we should promote it on a much larger scale." Some experts have expressed doubts whether the plan would make a significant difference.Serious pollution is usually associated with periods of little or no wind, and air corridors do little good if the wind isn't blowing, Song Guojun, an environmental science professor told The Beijing News.Solving the air pollution problem mainly requires controlling pollution sources. Using air corridors to solve pollution problem largely depends on _ . Answer: What's the strongest part of your body? Your head? Bones? It's your teeth. There is a special thing called enamel in teeth. It is the hardest thing in the human body and keeps bacteria away. However, teeth are hurt easily to problems and disease. September 20 is National Teeth-loving Day in China. Let's pay attention to the health of our teeth. Teeth problems are common around the world. Most children and young adults have tooth decay . A study which come out on China Health Monthly magazine this year showed that 40.74% of a sample of 1,306 Chinese students under age 15 has decayed teeth. Food that is rich in sugar increases the risk of tooth decay. After you eat, bacteria go crazy over the sugar on your teeth. The bacteria turn sugar into acids that eat away at tooth enamel. This causes holes in your teeth. Another common problem is crooked teeth . When your new teeth begin to grow and the old teeth haven't fallen out, there isn't enough space for the new ones. This causes crooked teeth. Don't worry. Here are some ways to keep your teeth healthy. Brush at least twice a day in the morning and in the evening. Learn to use dental floss . The floss gets rid of food that's hidden where your toothbrush can't get it. Visit a dentist. He or she can check if you have any dental problems and help you clean your teeth. Pay attention to what you eat. It's better to eat lots of fruit and vegetables instead of fries and drink water instead of soda. *Wear braces to make your teeth straight and beautiful. When is National Teeth-loving Day in China? Answer:
"I planted a seed. Finally grow fruits. Today is a great day. Pick off the star for you. Pick off the moon for you. Let it rise for you every day. Become candles burning myself. Just light you up, hey!... You are my little little apple. How much I love you, still no enough." This words are from the popular song You Are My Little Dear Apple. Bae Seul-Ki acted as the leading dancer in the MV of the song. She loves dancing. She became crazy about hip-hop when she was a school girl. Bai Seul-Ki was born on September 27, 1986. She is a South Korean singer and dancer. She is 168cm tall. She loves cooking. Her favourite food is spicy and salty. She like pink and red most. There are five members in her family---father, mother, two younger brothers and herself. She isn't married. After her father and mother broke up, she lived with her mother and new daddy. She enjoys being alone. Which of the following about Bae Seul-Ki is NOT true according to the passage? Answer: pollination is when wind carry pollen from one flower to another Answer: I am a Chinese boy. My name is Li Lei. I am twelve. My sister's name is Li Mei. She's Fourteen. Li Mei and I are students. We like school. My mother is a teacher. She is a teacher of English. My father is a policeman. My young brother's name is Li Hong. He is only four. We all like him. Li Lei's mother and father are _ . Answer: One day, I heard an American boy say to a Chinese student of English, "You speak very good English." But the student answered, "NO, no. My English is very poor." The foreigner was quite surprised at the answer. Thinking he had not made himself understood or the Chinese student had not heard him clearly, he said, "Yes, indeed, you speak very well." But the Chinese student sill kept saying "No." In the end the American boy could not understand and didn't know what to say. What's wrong with the student's answer? He didn't accept a compliment in the same way as the American people do. He should answer "thank you" instead of "no". He really understood what the American boy had said, but he thought he should be modest .In the west, people will feel proud and confident when they are praised. So if someone says the dishes you have cooked are very delicious, you should say "Thank you". If someone says to a woman "You look so beautiful with the new clothes on." She must be very happy and answer "Thank you". In our country we think being modest is a virtue and being proud is a bad thing, but in my opinion, being confident does not mean being proud, so sometimes you should be confident instead of being modest. If you are modest and say, "No, I'm afraid I can't do it well" while working in a western country, the others may think that you really cannot do it. If you often say "No", you will certainly be looked down upon by others. If asking for a job, one says something like "Yes, I can certainly do it" instead of "Let me have a try", he or she will expect to get it. So in the west, you should be brave to show your self-confidence! Why does a man in the west who asks for a job say something like "Yes, I can certainly do it"? Answer: Chinese girl looking for language exchanger Posted Feb 10, 2012 16:25 by Sophia Tag: Seeking Language partners Guangzhou Sex: Female Race/Ethnicity: Chinese I am a Chinese girl in my 20's, can speak and write in English, but I'd like to make some improvement. People always look for making it better, right? Meanwhile, I also like to meet more friends if we really have some topics to share. And if you are in Guangzhou or visit here, I am more than willing to show you around in my spare time. Reply to happycora@hotmail.com or call 15015704625 Tianhe nice apartment for share Posted Feb 24, 2012 16:47 by Vivian Tag: Seeking roommates Guangzhou Tianhe District Up to 2000 RMB I have a room available for rent in a shared apartment in Central Tianhe district. The room has a big window with a nice view. The apartment itself is on the 22th floor of a new secure building on Tianhe Bei Lu, about 10 minutes walk from metro stations on lines 1 and 3, as well as buses and other transportation methods very close. If you are interested, please feel free to phone me (Vivian) on 13145751201 (message preferred), or email me on vivian _ liu2003@hotmail.com. Business Interpreter/Guide Posted Feb 26, 2012 08:46 by Sony Tag: Business Services Guangzhou Baiyun District Dear Foreign Friends, I am a professional interpreter, now looking for a Freelance interpreter job urgently. Please read my CV at below: Name: Sony Song Gender: Male Age: 22 years old Education: Studied English in Da Shan Foreign Language College Birth: 9th Oct 1987, Luohe city, Henan province, China. Ability: Speak fluent English, know Guangzhou city very well, can also guide you to Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Dongguan, Shunde, Macao, Hongkong, etc. Contact Detail: E-mail/MSN: sonysong4@hotmail.com; cell phone: 15112015812 Looking for flat Posted Mar 11, 2012 14:03 by Lucy Tag: Apartments wanted Guangzhou Hello, This is Lucy coming from Peru and looking for a short term flat, from 15th April until 30th April 2012. If somebody can give some information, send me pictures, price and address. Email: lucitamaron@hotmail.com; cell phone: 13800013900 Thanks a lot in advance! The information above can be probably found _ . Answer:
Food festivals around the world Stilton Cheese Rolling May Day is a traditional day for celebrations, but the 2,000 English villagers of Stilton must be the only people in the world who include these rolling in their annual plans. Teams of four,dressed in a variety of strange and funny clothes , roll a complete cheese along a 50-metre course. On the way, they must not kick or throw their cheese, or go into their competitors' lane. Competition is fierce and the chief prize is a complete Stilton cheese weighing about four kilos (disappointingly, but understandably the cheeses used in the race are wooden ones). All the competitors arc served with beer or port wine, the traditional accompaniment for Stilton cheese. Fiery Foods Festival--The Hottest Festival on Earth Every year more than 10,000 people head for the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They come from as far away as Australia, the Caribbean and China, but they all share a common addiction--food that is not just spicy ,but hot enough to make your mouth burn, your head spin and your eyes water. Their destination is the Fiery Eood and BBQ Festival which is held over a period of three clays every March. You might like to try a chocolate-covered habanero pepper--officially the hottest pepper in the world--or any one of the thousands of products that are on show. But one thing's for sure--if you don't like the feeling of a burning tongue, this festival isn't for you! La Tomatina--The World's Biggest Food Fight On the last Wednesday of every August, the Spanish town of Bunol hosts Ea Tomatina--the world's largest food fight. A week-long celebration leads up to an exciting tomato battle as the highlight of the week's events. The early morning sees the arrival of large trucks with tomatoes--official fight-starters get things going by casting tomatoes at the crowd. The battle lasts little more than half an hour, in which time around 50,000 kilograms of tomatoes have been thrown at anyone or anything that moves, runs, or fights back. Then everyone heads down to the river to make friends again--and for a much-needed wash! Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. The chief prize for the Stilton cheese rolling competition is beer or port wine. B. More than 10,000 Chinese take pail in the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival. C. Thousands of spicy foods are on show in the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival. D. An exciting tomato battle takes place at the beginning of La Tomatina. Answer: C. Thousands of spicy foods are on show in the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival. Bob Smith is old. He has two big houses and a new car. He has no wife, but he is a father of four children. He has two sons and two daughters. One son is from Canada. His name is Jack. The other is from England. His name is Mike. One of his daughters is from China. Her name is Meimei. She is eleven years old. The other is from America. Her name is Lucy. She's eleven, too. Bob Smith is not the children's real father, but he loves them very much. The children love their "father", too. Bob Smith has many toys for the children. He gives different toys to different children. The boys play with toy cars. The girls play with doll and toy animals. Bob Smith is their good friend. Who is from America? A. Jack B. Mike C. Meimei D. Lucy Answer: D. Lucy The Sun appears larger than other stars because of its A. yellow color B. high temperature C. distance from Earth D. chemical composition Answer: C. distance from Earth Department stores sell ready- to-wear clothing, which is also called ready-made clothing. Such clothing is made in fixed sizes. Those people who find that ready-made clothing fits them well can save money by buying it. Most often, people do not fit exactly into a producer's size. Their clothing must be altered to make it fit better. However, most alterations are not very expensive. The small cost of most alterations means that ready-made clothing can meet the needs of most customers. Those who can afford it often get someone to design and make their clothing. Such clothing is called custom-made. The person who makes it measures the customer, and then sews it so that it fits perfectly. Alterations are not needed. Custom-made clothing is largely sewn by hand, has better quality, better material, and is of the style you have chosen. Of course, it costs much more than ready-to-wear clothing. You need to pay the difference for the special fitting and better skill that you are receiving. This often means that you spend double or more than you would for a ready-made garment. Custom-made clothing is not always that much better than ready-made clothing. It costs more partly because only one garment has been made, just for you. Companies that produce ready-made products make thousands of garments at a time. This means they can buy large quantities of material. Workers cut each size by the hundreds. Companies work out ways to make the garments quickly by machine and pay workers according to their skill. Thus they can sell the finished products at a low price while still making money. Most of the clothing sold in the United States is made in this way. Customers gain from the lower prices which are made possible by mass production. It may or may not give them high quality. The purpose of the writer is _ . A. to explain why custom-made clothing costs more B. to show the advantages of mass production C. to tell readers how to make money from ready-made clothing D. to provide information about different kinds of clothing Answer: D. to provide information about different kinds of clothing Desert plants fall into two sorts according to the way they deal with the problem of surviving drought. There are the drought--avoiders--those which persist only as seeds, ready to spring up when it rains, to flower quickly and produce another crop of seeds, and to die again. There are also the drought--resisters--those which have evolved various methods for strong water, locating underground water, or reducing their need for water by such devices as shedding their leaves. The drought--resisters are perennials ,they manage to live from one rainy season to another, slowly growing bigger and bigger. Of these, the succulents is a small but interesting fraction . They may store water in their leaves, in their stems, or in underground containers. In the American deserts the best--known succulents are the cacti . They come in a wide range of sizes, from 50--foot tall giant saguaros to tiny round cacti about the size of a thumb--nail. They take thick, cylindrical or even spherical forms, thereby exposing a minimum of evaporating surface to the air and light. They are leafless, except in youth, and then the leaves are small. Typically their surfaces are spiny, discouraging thirsty animals, and channeled like an accordion , so the fleshy stem may expand quickly when the plant drinks and contract slowly as it uses up the water. The root system is widespread and shallow, with good reason; only about 3 per cent of the rain that falls on the desert penetrates to any significant depth into soil. The passage classifies(......) the desert plants according to _ . A. the ways they take to deal with the typical climatic condition in desert B. their shape C. how they use water D. when they produce their seeds Answer: A. the ways they take to deal with the typical climatic condition in desert
The sharing economy has grown in recent years to include everything from apartment' sharing to car sharing to community tool sharing. Since 2009, a new form of sharing economy has been emerging in neighborhoods throughout the US and around the world-Little Free Library. The libraries are boxes placed in neighborhoods from which residents can withdraw and deposit books. Little Free Libraries come in all shapes and sizes. Some libraries also have themes, focusing on books for children, adults, or tour guides. In 2009. Tod Bol built the first Little Free Library as a gift to his mother, who was a devoted reader. When he saw the people of his community gathering around it, exchanging conversation as well as books, he knew he wanted to take his simple idea further. "I think Little Free Libraries open the door to conversations we want to have with each other," Bol said. . Since then, his idea has become a movement, spreading from state to state and country to country. According to Little FreeLibrary.org, there are now 18,000 0f the little structures around the world, located in each of the 50 US states and 70 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. The Internet has helped to spread Little Free Libraries. But an Atlantic article says the little, structures serve as a cure for a world of e-reader downloads . The little wooden boxes are refreshingly physical and human. For many people, the sense of discovery is Little Free Libraries' main appeal. "A girl walking home from school might pick up a graphic novel that gets her excited about reading; a man on his way to the bus stop might find a volume of poetry that changes his outlook on life," says the Atlantic article. "Every book is a potential source of inspiration " Why did Tod Bol want to build more Little Free Libraries? They can offer neighbors more chances to talk. The day before the deadline for this article,I had no clue what I was going to write about. I took my problem to the editor-in-chief, and.he said to me:"Don't worry; you're creative. " I'm not sure where the editor-in-chief reached the conclusion that I was "creative". Maybe it was through the poems I wrote. Personally, I simply enjoy writing because it's fun. There's also the fact that I can't draw or do anything else creatively, I'm equally sure that there are people in the boat on the other side who can make things look excellent, but can't write a poem. At this point you probably want to ask me what poetry and art have to do with engineering. For one, it makes you a more rounded person, making you a better engineer. More importantly, as an engineer, you will be faced with many problems every day. There are some that can be solved by consulting a textbook, but more often than not, you will need that thing in your brain to put together things in a completely original combination to solve the problem at hand. Think of the wonderful things that creative engineers have done. Civil engineers have made the road more long-lasting so we don't have to close them for repairs as often. Coming up with a new innovation is similar to writing a good poem. It's not some-thing you plan to do. The critical moment comes unexpectedly in the middle of nowhere. You don't think about what you're doing, you simply do. After some mad struggling you take a look at the end product and say to yourself, "This is a masterpiece. " This is perhaps the greatest personal satisfaction one can experience. So all you engineers out there get out and do something creative. I don't care if it's writing a poem or a computer program, just be natural and do something creative. Coming up with a new innovation is similar to writing a good poem in that both are _ . naturally creative A man lived in a village. He had an old cat at home. The cat couldn't run fast, and she couldn't bite, because she was so old. One day, when she saw a mouse, she jumped and caught it. But she could not bite it. The mouse got out of her mouth and ran away. Then the man became very angry and began to beat the cat. The cat said, "Don't beat your old servant. I know I'm old and can't kill a mouse. But I have worked for you for many years, and I still want to work for you. Be kind to the old, and remember what good work they did when they were young." When the man heard that, he realized that he was wrong. How did the man feel when the mouse ran away? Angry. Once upon a time there was a cute brown puppy. He was a very happy puppy. His name was Rudy. Rudy had a best friend. His name was Thomas. Thomas had a nice dad named Rick. Thomas and Rudy had been friends for almost a year. Rudy and Thomas loved to play in the big back yard. Sometimes, Thomas would ask his friend Jacob to come to the back yard and play with them. Jacob would always bring his puppy too. Jacob's puppy was named Sally. Thomas and Jacob would run around the back yard and Rudy and Sally chased them and barked. They all had so much fun playing together. One day, Thomas told Rudy that tomorrow would be a very special day. It would be Rudy's birthday. Rudy was very excited. The next day came and Thomas threw a birthday party for Rudy. All of Rudy's friends were there and they had presents for him. Jacob brought Rudy a new ball and Sally brought him a bone. There was one more present for Rudy to open. When he opened the gift from Thomas, Rudy was so exited that he jumped and barked. It was a new red collar with a shiny name tag on it. It was the best gift Rudy had ever been given. What was the name of Rudy's best friend? Thomas I was shopping in the supermarket when I heard a young voice. "Mom, come here! There's a lady here my size!" The mother rushed to her son; then she turned to me to apologize. I smiled and told her, "It's okay." Then talked to the boy, "Hi, I'm Darry Kramer. How are you?" He studied me from head to toe, and asked, "Are you a little mommy?" "Yes, I have a son," I answered. "Why are you so little?" he asked. "It's the way I was born," I said. "Some people are little. Some are tall. I'm just not going to grow any bigger." After I answered his other questions, I shook the boy's hand and left. My life as a little person is filled with stories like that. I enjoy talking to children and explaining why I look different from their parents. It takes only one glance to see my uniqueness. I stand three feet nine inches tall. I was born an achondroplasia dwarf . Despite this, I did all the things other kids did when I was growing up. I didn't realize how short I was until I started school. Some kids joked on me, calling me names. Then I knew. I began to hate the first day of school each year. New students would always stare at me as I struggled to climb the school bus stairs. But I learned to smile and accept the fact that I was going to be noticed my whole life. I decided to make my uniqueness an advantage rather than a disadvantage. What I lacked in height, I made up for in personality. I'm 47 now, and the stares have not _ as I've grown older. People are amazed when they see me driving. I try to keep a good attitude. When people are rude, I remind myself, "Look what else I have--a great family, nice friends." It's the children's questions that make my life special. I enjoy answering their questions. My hope is that I will encourage them to accept their peers (a person of the same age, class, position, etc.), whatever size and shape they come in, and treat them with respect. Which is NOT true about the author according to the passage? She doesn't see herself different.
Once upon a time, there was a spider with the name Anansi. He knew that he was very clever but he also knew he wasn't wise. He didn't like this, but he did not know what to do. One day he had an idea. He went around the village with a basket and asked each person to give him some of their wisdom. The people laughed at Anansi because they knew that he needed wisdom the most. So each person put a bit in his basket and wished him good luck. Soon his basket was full, but Anansi was worried that his neighbors might be jealous( ) of his wisdom and take it from him. He decided to hide it at the top of a tall tree. When he had tied the basket to the front part of his body, he tried to climb the tree, but it was too difficult. He tried again and again with out success. Then his youngest son walked by. "What are you doing, father?" he asked and Anansi told him." Why don't you carry the basket on your back instead?" his son said. Anansi put the basket on his back and climbed the tree easily, but he wasn't happy. "I walked all over the village and collected so much wisdom that I am the wisest person ever, but my baby son is still wiser than me. Take back your wisdom!" he said. And he threw the basket of wisdom into the air and went home. And that's how wisdom went all over the world. The passage above is _ . Answer: a story Mobile phone technology is developing rapidly. What will the future mobile be able to do and what will it look like? Take a look at the following mobile phones, and you'll find that some amazing phones are now coming our way. Packet The packet has five touch screens with different usages . When folded, the Packet is in a simple square shape. You can see the time and any messages you've received. Once you open it, the five screens will _ . Cob alto It has taken only two years for touch screen mobile phones to be used worldwide. Why not the 3D phones then? With an almost all-glass design, the Cobalto phone can make Google Maps even more useful, as shown here. Human-body Phone We often save photos of someone we love. When we miss them, we can see the photos. And now, Japanese scientists' human-body phone is more than just photos. With a human body shape, it's coated with a material just like human skin. When you're holding the phone, it feels as if you're holding someone you miss. Paper Phone How many times have you wanted to smash your phone when talking to annoying people? With the Paper Phone, you'll soon be able to do it. As the world's first flexible mobile phone, it can be bent freely while you're making calls, reading e-books and playing music. We can learn from the passage that _ . Answer: the Packet has five touch screens with different usages. The next generation of smart phone could combine the date from its gyroscopes with a built-in compass to allow you to track your indoor movements even without GPS. Research described it in the international Journal of Innovative Computing and Applications by Shahid Ayub of Lancaster University, and his colleagues there and at HW Communications, suggests that the embedded inertial sensors in many smart phones have added the facility to be used for localization and tracking applications. The primary benefit of using smart phones is that no additional infrastructure would need to be installed for monitoring personnel movements in a wide variety of situations not least staff, equipment and inventory movements in warehouse facilities, shopping malls and factories. In contrast, other technology being proposed would require new equipment,such as RFID technologies. However, smart phones do not yet have the ability to pinpoint their location without recourse to the GPS system, which is not accessible indoors and has the added disadvantage of using up battery power very quickly even if it could be used. Inertial navigation only provides the necessary information to a specified starting point the team says. This is useful for anyone with a non-GPS smart phone who wishes to track the route they take when walking or jogging if they specify their starting point. The team suggests that pedestrians indoors could be positioned using a combination of the smart phone accelerometer and an built-in digital compass, something that will become available in future smart phones. They have now investigated the potential of three different smart phone placement modes: idle, hand held and listening, which could be used with pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) techniques to allow users to record the path they follow or for various kinds of workplace or other monitoring requirements. "The technique could be used in underground tube stations, airports , train stations where there is no infrastructure installed for tracking or navigation," Ayub explains, "It can also be used for location-based service applications. In big shopping malls it becomes easier to navigate to a target shop or meeting place, while in large offices and across industry it could be used to track employees and control movements of workers in restricted areas." What would be the best title for the text? Answer: Tracking Pedestrians Indoors Using Their Smart Phones What do you remember about your childhood? I have good memories of exploring the fields near my house and riding my bike around the park. Today, children don't spend enough time in the fresh air. Many of them fix their eyes on a screen either on a computer, or a TV ---they seem to be living in a _ world. They have lost touch with nature. Now 400 organizations in the UK are encouraging children to have some "wild time". They want kids to exchange at least 30 minutes of watching TV or playing computer games for time playing outside. The simple pleasures of exploring and discovering nature help children to learn and keep fit too. Andy Simpson, who is part of the campaign , says: "An extra 30 minutes of wild time every day for all under 12-year-olds in the UK would be the equivalent of just three months of their childhood spent outdoors." Even if the kids live in a city, they can go on adventures in the garden or the park. However, children often need a helping hand from Mum and Dad. They need to be shown what to do and where to go. So despite the complex world that young people grow up in now, it seems that going back to basics and experiencing "nature's playground " is what modern children need. Andy Simpson adds: "We want parents to see what this magical "playground" does for their kids' development , independence and creativity , by giving wild time a go " . David Bond from Project Wild Thing says, "We need to make more space for wild time in children's daily routine, freeing this generation of kids to have the sort of experiences that many of us took for granted. " What suggestion does David Bond give us? Answer: Let children have more wild time. A Frenchman went to a small Italian town and was staying with his wife at the best hotel there. One night, he went out for a walk alone. It was late and the small street was dark and quiet. Suddenly he felt someone behind him. He turned his head and saw an Italian young man who quickly walked past him. The man was nearly out of sight when the Frenchman suddenly found that his watch was gone. He thought that it must be the Italian who had taken his watch. He decided to follow him and get back the watch. Soon the Frenchman caught up with the Italian. Neither of them understood the other's language. The Frenchman frightened the Italian with his fist and pointed at the Italian's watch. In the end the Italian gave up his watch to the Frenchman. When he returned to the hotel, the Frenchman told his wife what had happened. He was greatly surprised when his wife pointed to the watch on the table. Now he realized that by mistake he had robbed the watch and it was the Italian's. Suddenly he found his _ was gone. Answer: watch
Question: I was born into a family of five children. As the youngest child, I didn't have many new clothes. Though my parents worked very hard, we could hardly make ends meet. The only time we would receive new clothes was at Christmas. The family across the street lived a much better life. They just had two daughters and they were often seen wearing new dresses. The younger girl named Anna was of my age. One afternoon, she walked on the street wearing a beautiful white dress. She looked like an angel in that dress. I, together with many little girls, followed her. We just couldn't keep our eyes off her dress. We all wished we would have such a dress one day! That day, after coming back, I told my mom that I wanted a dress like that. My mom frowned she thought such a beautiful dress like that must cost an arm and a leg, but my mom kept that in mind. She worked five days a week at that time, but when Christmas was getting close, she worked even on every Saturday. However, several days before Christmas, I changed my mind. It was Anna's birthday that day and I was invited to her home with some other girls. After that party, I asked if I could try on her white dress. "Of course," she said, "and you can take it if you like it." I couldn't believe my ears. How could she give such a beautiful dress to someone else? After trying it on, I knew why. The dress looked beautiful, but it was uncomfortable to wear. As a matter of fact, my back was quite itchy after I put it on. From that day on, I stopped admiring what others had. They may not be as good aswe think. From the passage, we learn that _ . A. there are always kind-hearted people around us B. what others have may not be as good as we think C. we should give what we no longer need to others D. we can get what we want if we try hard enough Answer: B Question: Americans with small families own a car. If both parents are working , they usually have two cars. When the family is larger, they will sell one of the cars and buy a van . A small car can hold four persons and a large car can hold six persons but it is very crowded. A van can hold seven persons easily, so a family with three children can ask their grandparents to go on a holiday travel. They can all travel together. Mr. Hagen and his wife had a third child last year. So they sold their second car and bought a van. They thought it would be more convenient for them to go out together. Americans call vans motor homes. They always use them for holidays. When a family is traveling to the mountains or to the seaside, they can live in their motor home for a few days or weeks. All the members of a big family can enjoy a happier life when they are traveling together. That is why motor homes have become very popular. Motor homes have become popular because _ A. they can take people to another city when people are free B. They can let families have a happier life when they go out for their holidays C. Some people think motor homes are cheap D. Big families can put more things in motor homes Answer: B Question: Growing up in town, I classified myself as a "city girl." I had very little knowledge about farming and rural areas, but all of that changed six years ago when my mother and stepfather married and we moved to my stepfather's farm. Surrounded by cows and cornfields, I was unsure of what to do. However, I did enjoy the beauty and peace of the countryside. On the farm, I helped with odd jobs like feeding cows. When I was old enough to get a real summer job, my step-father said I could choose between two options--getting a job at our local Dairy Queen or selling produce that I grew on our farm. While I came up with a short list of pros for working at the fast food restaurant, I found more advantages to selling produce. Yet I realized the numerous disadvantages to selling produce: responsibility for the success or failure of the operation, early mornings, and long days. At last, I decided to start my own farming business. My stepfather and I began planning in March. Together we chose three varieties of seeds, prepared the land, and planted the first batch of sweet corn at the end of April. Throughout the spring, my stepfather continued to plant sweet corn every two weeks as I rode in the tractor with him. The sweet corn needs taking great care while growing. As the corn was putting forth ears, we applied fertilizer and sprayed pesticide to prevent worms. I watched them grow taller and taller, dreaming about the money I would soon make. We planned to harvest and sell the corn at our local farmer's market. It sounded easy and looked good on paper, but it worked out a little differently. Nonstop rain delayed the harvest by a week or so. When my sweet corn was finally ready to pick, I found that a pack of raccoons had visited the field at night, ruining about half of it. We picked what was still good and prepared for market. This was it--my first day at market! I was excited to see my hard work finally pay off. I loaded my materials into the pickup truck and arrived early at the farmer's market to find a good spot. There were many customers and several other tradesmen. Probably because I was young and new, potential customers would look at me and smile, then head straight to my competitor, Mrs Cates, who had been in the market for years and had an established following. At the end of the first day, about half of my corn was left, so I donated it to a local homeless shelter and went home disappointed. Soon I noticed that Mrs Cates and her crew did not arrive at the farmer's market until about 11 am. So I decided to show up an hour earlier. This meant that we had to start picking corn at 6 am, no easy task with teenage workers. But the effort paid off; I was selling half of my corn before Mrs Cates arrived and most of it by the end of the day. Although the farmer's market was only open three days a week, the corn needed to be picked and sold daily because it would not keep. On days the farmer's market was not open, I developed a marketing plan that included sending e-mails to family and friends. I also went to local businesses to sell corn and distribute business cards. Customers began calling, and I took orders over the phone. Before I knew it, I had a loyal following. I stayed busy by making weekly and sometimes daily deliveries to these businesses while maintaining my produce stand at the farmer's market. Then something wonderful happened. I had made more money than any of my friends with typical teenage jobs. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I see people buy produce from me. Why does the author write the text? A. To show that she was more excellent than her friends. B. To share with readers being her own boss. C. To tell readers it was hard to live on a farm. D. To show she was actually expert in farming and managing. Answer: B Question: Birds will have different kinds of beaks depending on the A. organisms they hunt B. computer C. groceries D. seven Answer: A Question: Why I Don't Spare "Spare Change" "Poor but honest." "The deserving poor. " These words always come to my mind when I think of "the poor. " But I also think of people who, perhaps through alcohol or drugs, have ruined not only their own lives but also the lives of others in order to give way to their own pleasure. Perhaps alcoholism and drug addiction really are "diseases. " as many people say, but my own feeling-based, of course, not on any serious study-is that most alcoholies and drug addicts belong to the "undeserving poor. " And that is largely why I don't give spare change to beggars. But surely among the street people there are also some who can rightly be called "deserving." Deserving what? My spare change? Or simply the government's assistance? It happens that I have been brought up to believe that it is proper to make contributions to charity , but if I give some change to a beggar, am I making a contribution to charity and thereby helping someone, or, am I perhaps simply encouraging someone not to get help? Or, maybe even worse, am I supporting a cheat? If one believes in the value of private charity, one can either give to needy people or to charitable organizations. In giving to a beggar one may indeed be helping a person who badly needs help, but one cannot be certain that one is giving to a needy person. In giving to an organization, on the other hand, one can feel that one's money is likely to beused wisely. True, facing a beggar one may feel thatthis particular unfortunateperson needs help atthis moment-a cup of coffee or a sandwich-and the need will not be met unless I put my hand in my pocket right now. But I have come to think that the beggars whom I meet can get along without my spare change, and indeed perhaps they are actually better off for not having money to buy alcohol or drugs. I know nothing about these beggars, but it's my impression that they simply prefer begging to working. I am not generalizing about street people. I am talking about the people whom I actually meet. That's why I do not give "spare change, " and I don't think I will in the future. Which of the following opinions does the author accept? A. Drug addiction is a disease. B. Some street people are poor and needy. C. Most beggars have received enough help. D. Charitable organizations handle money properly. Answer: B
People who smoke could lose around one third of their everyday memory, researchers say. A study by a team at the University of Northumbria has shown that smokers lose more of their memory when compared to non-smokers. And the research also found that those who _ saw their ability to recollect information restored to almost the same level as non-smokers. The study involved more than seventy 18-to 25-year-old volunteers and included a tour of the university's campus. Those who took part were asked to recall(;)small details, such as music acts listed to play at the students' union and tasks completed at various points---known as a real-world memory test. Smokers performed badly, remembering just 59 percent of tasks. But those who had given up smoking remembered 74 percent and those who had never smoked recalled 81 percent of tasks. Dr. Tom Heffernan, who leads Northumbria University's Collaboration for Drug and Alcohol Research Group, said the findings would be useful in anti-smoking campaigns. He said, "Given that there are up to 10 million smokers in the UK and as many as 45 million in America, it's important to understand the effects that smoking has on everyday cognitive function." This is the first time that a study has set out to examine whether giving up smoking has an effect on memory. We already know that giving up smoking has huge health benefits to the body, but this study also shows how stopping smoking can bring a series of benefits to cognitive function. The research will now investigate the effects of second-hand smoking on memory, while Dr. Heffernan will look into third-hand smoking, such as toxins left on curtains and furniture. What would be the best title for the passage? Answer: Smokers Have Much Worse Everyday Memory A person knows that a place always has blue skies, warm weather and a light breeze because Answer: climate is fairly reliable Use the information to answer the question. Over the last 150 years, the use of fossil fuels has increased, resulting in more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Some scientists think that these atmospheric gases will result in global warming. Scientists have recorded data on global temperature changes and have predicted possible changes in sea level that may affect Maryland residents. Which result of global warming will most negatively affect coastal residents in Maryland? Answer: loss of shore land Two classic car collectors from the US state of Idaho found the wallet after it fell out of the back of a vintage car they were planning to restore. After an Internet search they found and contacted the owner, Glenn Goodlove. Mr. Goodlove said he probably lost the wallet in the back seat of his 1946 prefix = st1 /Hudsoncar while kissing a girl when he was home on leave from the US Navy. Jon Beck, 61, and Chuck Merrill, 72, bought the now-vintage vehicle in Idahoafter placing an ad in a local newspaper to buy a classic car in need of restoration. Driving the car home after buying it, the collectors stopped at a restaurant and saw something from below the back seat. "Like a couple of kids, we thought we had a goldmine," Mr. Beck said. Instead, they found some small change -- the leather wallet held a $10 bill, Mr. Goodlove's military ID, his social security card, his driver's license and several jewellery receipts from 1952. But they were all in the name of Glenn Putnam. After searching online, Mr. Beck discovered that Mr. Putnam had since changed his name to Glenn Goodlove and moved to San Diego,California. He called Mr. Goodlove, asking to speak to a man who used to drive a '46Hudson. "There was a silence for about 15 seconds," Mr. Beck told the Twin Falls Times-News. "Then he said, 'Who is that?'" Mr. Goodlove, now 75, says he did not even remember losing the wallet, but the find has brought memories of his youth inEverett,Washington, flooding back. "I could see the house and the car and the town and all the good stuff from living there," he said. "They've been flowing ever since he talked to me." The lost wallet contained all the following EXCEPT _ . Answer: some jewellery Thanks to a young waiter, I only recently discovered that a friend of 20 years was once a yo-yo virtuoso . "Oh, stop it!" Jackie said when I started laughing during our dinner. "I was, too. And I knew how to 'Walk the Dog.' " "Wow, really?" said our waiter, Jumario Simmons, flashing a big smile at us. "Don't encourage her," I said. "What else could you do?" he asked. "I did 'Round the World,'" Jackie said, now ignoring me completely. "That cradle thing, too." I'd asked Jumario what he did when he wasn't waiting on tables. The 24-year-old waiter was so smart that I knew there had to be more to his story. It turns out that he won a regional yo-yo competition last year. He also gives free lessons to kids. "It gives them something to do," Jumario said. "Keeps them off the streets." One of the great things about eating out is the table talk with strangers, which reminds us that everyone has a life and a name. But the other day I heard that some restaurants are ending this talk between diners and servers. I listened to the reporter describe how their improvements are allowing customers to text orders from their tables to speed up service. The reporter got my attention with this sentence: "Five minutes after typing 'I'm at table 3', a meal arrives at the table." But there wasn't a "please" with this order, which should have been a request, by the way. If you've ever waited on tables, you know that the last thing you need is yet another way for a customer to be unpleasant. Most servers are constantly mediating between customers' requests for substitutions and overworked cooks' accusations of treason. Except at high-end restaurants, servers also have to hover like mothers of preschoolers so that we might consider them worthy of a large enough tip to lift their pay to minimum wage. Texting a server from a table a few feet away is equal to moving our fingers and shouting, "Hey, you!" It was rude in 1957, and it's rude now. You won't ever find me texting a waiter or waitress. What do we know from the text? Answer: The waiter is good at playing yo-yo. .
Question: Paris - A winter storm brought blanket of snow across Europe on Monday, forcing the closure of the icy Eiffel Tower in Paris and causing flight cancellations. Up to four inches of snow was recorded in parts of France, the National Weather Service said.Most areas, including Paris, got around half that amount.French authorities issued traffic alerts in around 30 regions because of icy roads.The Eiffel Tower, one of the main tourist attractions in Paris, was closed because of slippery conditions. " We can't put down salt because it's metallic," Eiffel Tower press officer Is a belle Snouts said." We can't use sand either, because it risks getting into the elevator cogs ." "The cold," she said, "is no problem, but snow can be dangerous." A dozen flights were canceled at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, officials said.The Paris airport authority said bad weather in other parts of Europe continued to the cancellations.Workers had been sent since midnight Sunday to clear runways at Charles de Gaulle and the smaller Only Airport. In Germaine, heavy snowfall snarled road traffic and flight delays and cancellations at the country}y s intimation airports.Glissando of Interactional Airport said no flights were allowed in or out between 6 -9 am Monday because clearing crew were unable to keep up with the snow. More than 30 flights were canceled because of the bad weather, import spokesman Christian Witt said.Up to four inches of snow was reported in Tussled and around six inches in Potsdam, but none had struggled to the roads amid (...... ) heavy post - holiday traffic. Germany's National Weather Service is forecasting subzero temperatures for the coming days.Snow also fell across Britain.Children built snowmen in parts of England, including Cambridge. The winter storm brought _ of snow across Paris. A. 4 inches B. about 2 inches C. half an inch D. 6 inches Answer: B. about 2 inches Question: Irene's Thai For Reservations Call 62473579 12.24 Christmas Eve Dinner 198 RMB per person including coffee and tea. Each guest invited to select a special surprise from our Xmas Tree. 12.25 Special Christmas Thai buffet brunch from 11 am to 4 pm. Includes soft drinks, coffee & tea. 98 RMB per person. 12.31 New Year Buffet Dinner 200 RMB per person. You can eat with exotic Thai Dancing. Show times at 8 pm & 9 pm. Monday & Friday, you can eat AlaCarte Menu. 150 RMB, including soft drinks & draught beer. Book now for your Christmas Party The Place: Club Pegasus The Party: New Year's Eve!!! The Price: 100 RMB Open Bar!!! 8:00 pm -- 1:00 am The Reason: Great Music, Beautiful People, Life, Love, Fun, Excitement!!! Merry Christmas from the crew at Pegasus 50 RMB Entrance includes two complimentary drinks. Champagne Toast at Midnight If ever there was a time to enjoy oneself, that time is now!!! The Thai buffet brunch costs per person _ . A. 98 RMB B. 198 RMB C. 200 RMB D. 150 RMB Answer: A. 98 RMB Question: My sister Mary is 12 years old. Her birthday is on November 10th. Every year, on the morning of that day, my parents take us to Zig Zag's Clothes Store. There my mother buys some clothes for Mary. Then we go to Huaxing Bookstore. There I buy some CDs for Mary, and my father buys a book for her. In the afternoon my parents have a birthday party for Mary at home. Mary's friends Bill, Jim and Cindy come to the party. Bill brings some pens for Mary. Jim gives Mary some balls because she likes playing with them. Cindy gives Mary a cake. Mary is very happy. Oh, I'm Mary's brother. My name is Nick. Which of the following is right? A. Mary is Nick's classmate. B. Mary has a good time at the party. C. Mary doesn't like to play with balls. D. Mary can get a notebook on her birthday. Answer: B. Mary has a good time at the party. Question: A person is going to freeze on a cold night. The person looks for something to ignite for a source of warmth, and chooses the best option, A. live frogs B. old stones C. dry switches D. dry cheese Answer: C. dry switches Question: One Sunday morning, I decided to buy a computer to use for school. I went to the biggest store in town, which sold all kinds of computers. There were so many computers there that I didn't know how to choose a right one. "Hi! What can I do for you?" A young man greeted me with a sweet smile. He looked like not a salesman but a student like me. I sensed a strange feeling -- as if I had met him before. He began patiently showing me each model. With his help, I decided to buy one computer with enough functions at a very low price. I enjoyed this shopping experience because of his smile. A few months later, something was wrong with my computer. I went back to the store to have it fixed. When I arrived there, what I saw was still his smile. As soon as I told him my problem, he comforted me immediately and tried his best to solve the problem for me. I was quite grateful for his sweet smile and good service. When I went back to school, his smile often appeared in my mind. I don't know whether we'll meet each other again, but his sweet smile will stay there in my memory and deep in my heart. Smiling is the most peaceful language in the daily life. After reading the story, we can know that the writer is a _ . A. student B. salesman C. doctor D. reporter Answer: A. student
It was another day to jump rope in gym class. Lynn and Mike turned the long rope in big, slow circles. The whole class hurried to get in line to wait for their turn to jump. Millie stood at the back of the line and _ . Nick went first. He watched the rope and ran in at just the right time. Everyone counted. He made it all the way to 30 jumps. One after another, the kids watched the rope, ran in, and jumped. Then it was Millie's turn. She watched the rope go around and around, but she didn't move. She felt like everyone was looking at her. Millie's friends cheered. "Go, Millie, go!" Millie's face turned red. At last, she gave it a try, but she failed. The truth was that Millie had been jumping rope at home every day. With a short rope, she could jump 100 times without missing. She just didn't know how to run in and start jumping with a long rope. Since she was the only kid on her street, there was no one to help turn the long rope. Just then, Ms Miles, the gym teacher, brought out a bunch of short jump ropes. "Let's see how long each one of you can jump without missing," she said as she gave each student a short rope, "Ready, set. Go!" Millie smiled for the first time ever in gym class. As she jumped, she sang rhymes quietly to herself. After a while, Millie realized that everyone was cheering, "Go, Millie, go!" She was the only one still jumping rope! The surprise almost made her miss a step, but she kept going. When at last she was too tired to go on, she stopped. The whole class cheered. Everyone was looking at her and smiling. Millie smiled back! How might Millie feel when she stopped jumping at last? A Proud. B Bored. C Mad. D Silly. Answer: A. Proud. New Zealand is in the Pacific Ocean and it' s made up of two islands: the North Island and the South Island. About a thousand years ago, the Maori people came from the islands of the Pacific Ocean to New Zealand and made _ their home. Since then, people have come from all over the world to live in New Zealand. New Zealand has three official languages: English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language. Many places in New Zealand have Maori names. "Kia ora" is a Maori language greeting . In 1865, Wellington took Auckland's place and became the capital ( ) of New Zealand, but the largest city is Auckland. Both cities are on the North Island. New Zealand has high mountains, active volcanoes , lakes, rainforests and beautiful sandy beaches, which made it a location for the movie The Lord of the Rings. New Zealand has mild ( ) temperatures and lots of sunshine. January and February are the warmest months of the year, while July is the _ . New Zealand has many special birds. The best known is the kiwi. The kiwi, about the size of a large chicken, can' t fly. It is the symbol of the country and you can find pictures of kiwis on New Zealand stamps and coins. The kiwi is named after its calls-- kewe,kewe. New Zealanders are also called Kiwis, but very. few New Zealanders have ever seen a kiwi bird in the wild! New Zealand is also famous for its sheep. There are millions of sheep living in farms all over New Zealand. ,. Kia ora probably means" _ "in English. A Hi B Goodbye C Sorry D Thanks Answer: A. Hi Share With Us Would you like to have your writing published in this magazine? Then let us know! We pay for stories, anecdotes and jokes: Anecdotes and Jokes $50 What made you laugh recently? A funny sign? A colleague's behaviour? Got a joke? Send it in for Laughter is the Best Medicine! Email: Juliet@sws.com Smart Animals Up to $100 Send us a tale about the strange behaviour of unique pets or wildlife in up 300 words. Email: audry@sws.com Power of Love Up to $150 Acts of generosity can change lives or just give you that warm feeling full of love. Share your moments 100--500 words. Email: susan@sws.com My Story $350 Do you have an inspiring or life-changing story to tell? Your story must be true, unpublished, original and 800-- 1000 words. Email: nanjc@sws.com For more information, please visit: http://www.sws.com./share A story showing people's generosity should be emailed to the editor at _ . A juliet@sws.com B susan@sws.com C Audrey@sws.com D nanjc@sws.com Answer: B. susan@sws.com Everyone knows how the story of Cinderella ends, but did you ever really think about how she spent her days before she met the prince? Her daily routine was not fascinating.She did everything from sweeping the floor to cooking the meals.If someone had asked Cinderella, "Are there any kinds of household work that you particularly hate?" she probably would have answered, "Why, none, of course.Housework is my duty!" In the real world, however, most people have definite dislikes for certain sorts of household work.Two of these tasks are ironing clothes and washing dishes. Ironing clothes is most hated because it is not a task that can be completed quickly or thoughtlessly. Each piece of clothing must be handled individually, so ironing a basket of laundry can take hours! After ironing a piece of clothing with great caution, which-requires smoothing out the fabric, and following the seams ,you need to place it on a hanger as soon as possible.If you do not follow these directions carefully, it might become wrinkled and you have to start over.Perhaps that is why ironing is not a favorite thing to do.It calls for extreme attention to detail from beginning to end. Another household job that many people dislike is washing dishes.Of course, some people claim that this work is no longer a problem because we have dishwashers now! However, no one would argue that dishes, silverware, and especially pots and pans washed in a dishwasher don't come out as clean as they do when washed by hand.For this reason, many of us continues to wash our dishes by hand, but we are not necessarily happy doing it.Cleaning dishes is a job that not only takes a lot of energy but also requires the patience to wash and dry them.In addition, unlike ironing clothes, washing dishes is a thing that usually must be done every day.I don't know how Cinderella felt about this particular task, but I believe that most people hate it as much as I do. Many people still prefer washing dishes by hand to machine washing because _ . A hand - washed dishes are cleaner B washing dishes by hand is cheaper C dishwashers are not so easily handled D some dishes cannot be machine washed Answer: A. hand - washed dishes are cleaner Envy seems to be bad-but it doesn't have to be. Researchers are finding that, if approached the right way, there can actually be an advantage. Psychologists classify envy in two ways: negative and positive. With positive envy, you are motivated by another person's success and struggle to follow it. With negative envy, you want to cut the advantaged person down so you look better by comparison. Let's say you feel sufferings of envy after your rival at another firm gets promoted. Negative envy might drive you to destroy his success, but positive envy would inspire you to work harder and get promoted, too. Studies show positive envy can be a great motivator . In a 2011 study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, researchers in the Netherlands conducted a series of experiments with more than 200 university students. Researchers found that when they caused feelings of positive envy----as opposed to admiration or negative envy----in the students, it drove them to want to study more and perform better on a test measuring creativity and intelligence. While admiration may feel better, the researchers found, it doesn't motivate performance like the pain and frustration of envy. "Those painful sufferings of envy are there for an evolutionary reason," says Texas Christian University researcher Sarah E. Hill, "warning us that someone has something of importance to us." Building on this theory, Dr. Hill and others conducted a series of experiments, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, to test whether envy improves attention and memory----the tools needed to copy a rival's steps to success. In one experiment, half of the participants were asked to recall past feelings of envy; the other half weren't. The two groups were then shown mock interviews of imaginary peers. The group filled with envy paid closer attention and better recalled details about the interview subjects. In other words, envy made them more astute . Not only can envy motivate us to reach for higher goals, it may even give us the cognitive push to get there. What is the main idea of the passage? A Envy seems to be bad. B Keep your envy in secret. C Make full use of positive envy. D Forget about your envy now. Answer: C. Make full use of positive envy.
The Growing Credit Crisis Forces Many Companies to Seek Government Help On September fifteenth, Lehman Brothers, a one hundred fifty-eight year-old investment bank, sought legal protection from its creditors. It had failed to find a buyer after months of searching. With over six hundred billion dollars in debt, Lehman's failure was the largest bankruptcv in United States history At the same time,the nation's biggest insurance company,American International Group, had gotten into trouble selling credit default swaps These are contracts Similar to insurance that protect the holder against credit risk. Credit rating agencies downgraded A.I.G because of concerns it could not honor its contracts. Unable to get new loans, A.I.G asked for government help The Federal Reserve agreed to loan A .I.G. eighty-five billion dollars in return for eighty percent of the company but it was not enough. By November, the government had extended a total of about one hundred fiftv billion doliars in aid to A .I.G--the most to any single company during the crisis. As banks refused to lend, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson proposed a plan to loosen credit markets by buylng risky assets. Congress approved the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of Two. Thousand eight on October third The bill provided seven hundred billion dollars to buy hard to-value securltles from banks. But within weeks, the government changed plans. The Treasury moved to invest two handred fifty billion dollars directly in banks to help them lend money again. Lack of credit not only hurt banks but manufacturers, too. Falling car sales threatened America's carmakers The big three automakers--General Motors, Ford and Chrysler--told Congress that they needed loans or they faced bankmptcy. In December, President Bush offered G.M and Chrysler over seventeen billion dollars in loans. As the year ended, the Federal Reserve tried to support economic growth by lowering its main interest rate to nearly zero for the first time. But there was one more bad surprise New York money manager Bernard Madoff admitted he had cheated investors out of fifty billion dollars. The news only added to the sense that two thousand eight was the worst economic year since the nineteen thirties. The last sentence of this passage indicates that the author's attitude towards the U.S economy in 2008 is A new American report says water-related problems will likely increase tensions around the world in the next ten years. These problems include water shortages, poor water quality and floods. The problems will increase the risk of failure of governments. However, countries are unlikely to go to war over water. But the real question is that some governments may use water as a weapon to pressure others ten years later. The report looks at possible effects of water problems on the United States national security interests over the next thirty years. It says the areas that will be most affected by water problems are North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. The United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says, "Reliable water resources are essential for feeding the hungry, running industries and creating energy. Certainly they are central when we think about how climate changes will affect future generations." The report also predicts an increased demand for American assistance and expert help to solve those problems. That demand for help could create opportunities for leadership and influence. Water shortages, poor water quality, and floods are unlikely to result in state failure. But these could combine with poverty, social tensions, environmental problems, poor leadership and weak governments to produce social disorder. And that combination could cause state failure. The report predicts that from now through 2040 water shortages and pollution probably will harm the economic performance of important trading partners. During the next ten years the loss of groundwater supplies in some agricultural areas will create a risk to national and global food markets. These shortages will be a result of poor management. Agriculture uses about seventy percent of the world's freshwater. The report says technology that reduces the amount of water needed to grow crops will offer the best way to fight against water shortages. What is the real concern of the report? I was born in Minneapolis. The city is in my blood. But I live in the country, and have been forced to deal with things that are difficult. One thing I've always had trouble with is birds. How could anyone enjoy staring out of the window for hours at these creatures? My mother had always been one of those ridiculous birdwatcher types. She tried to raise her children to have respect for wildlife, but with little effect on me. One evening, a bird had been sitting on the same perch , as if frozen, for ten minutes. My mother got a ladder and took the bird from his perch. She inspected him. It seemed that his tongue was hurt, and that he was unable to drink from the feeder. My mother handed him to me while she went inside for an eyedropper . Never in my life had I felt as frightened as when I was holding that tiny life in my hands. I placed the eyedropper inside the long beak. At first, the bird only trembled, but finally he managed to swallow. After a few minutes, he glided to a tree nearby and returned again. He flew to the tree and then back to me again and again. It didn't take me long to realize that he was sending me a message, a sort of "SOS". I walked toward the tree, where I found the tiny creature trembling in the evening air. I slowly reached into the grass to pick up the bird. "Please, be okay." He had asked me for help. Now he owed me a favor in return and I was asking him to stay alive. However, what I saw was another dead bird lying besides the bird. It must have been a very sad picture: a child wiping her face with her one free hand, while the other palm was cupped around a tiny, dying creature. Fate was taking its own course. Its pulse was hardly noticeable, and the body was growing colder. I realized there were some things I could change and some I must simply accept. In either way, the two worlds sometimes collide and strangers must ask for, and be willing to receive, help from others. Without this, survival is not only impossible, but meaningless. Why did the bird fly to the author again and again? Town Lake Animal Center is the largest animal shelter in Central Texas, providing shelter for more than 23,000 animals each year and animal control services for all of Austin and Travis County. In the shelter, no animal will be turned away. _ Shelter Monday - Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturday - Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed on City Holidays Homeless or unwanted animals can be safely dropped off at the shelter. Animal Protection and Control Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday - Sunday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. City Holidays, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Officers on-call overnight to react to emergencies Administrative Offices Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed on City Holidays _ 1156 W. Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78703 _ Town Lake Animal Centre, PO Box 1088, Austin, TX 78767 _ Animal Cruelty Prevention Classes Purpose: To teach people how to recognize and report animal cruelty. Who: All citizens are encouraged to take this class. Cause: Usually animal cruelty is relation to family cruelty.People who hurt animals often move on to hurt human beings.If you're able to recognize and report animal cruelty,you can help prevent cruelty from spreading throughout your area. Animal Cruelty Prevention Classes is held to _ . This hotel in the trees is famous in the world. Peop1e who know very little about Kenya, know of Treetops. When King George VI died, Princess Elizabeth was staying on the Treetops, and when she came down from there, "She succeeded him as the queen of the country". This hotel in the middle of the forest shows the pleasure of Africa. When you visit it, you will be sent into the heart of the forest by hotel buses, and then a guide, with a gun to protect you against big game, will go with you to the Treetops. Before and after dinner, for the whole night if you wish, you can sit on the corridor , watching animals come to the water pool. The earliest hotel Treetops was built round a large tree on the opposite side of the water, but that was destroyed by fire and the new hotel Treetops, which is built round several trees, is much bigger. The dining room at Treetops is small, and the waiters cannot walk round to serve guests, a clever "railway service" has been invented. Guests take their food as it passes slowly in front of them, along a line in the center of the table. There are many animals around the Treetops. When you visit them, you can see: ---Animals and their babies are waiting to greet the guests. ---Animals, enjoying the Treetops pool in the daylight. ---A long bodied, long ring tailed very active cat-like animal is a special one coming out at night. He hunts and eats anything he can overpower and is very destructive. He lives in the trees at Treetops .He comes for his food every evening. Do not get too near to him, as his teeth and claws can do you harm. These animals can be trained and become lovely pets. ---Some other animals who have a thick coating of fur to keep them warm in the cold forest nights. ---Many buffaloes coming to the Treetops for water and salt during the day or night. According to the passage, "railway service" actually refers to _ .
He almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front her Mercedes and got out. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. He said, "I am here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson." Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened, had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were many people who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, "And think of me." He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight. When the man approached the old lady, the first thing he did was to _ . A ask what was wrong with her car B get the old lady out of her car C change her tire as soon as possible D make her know he wanted to help her Answer: D The Future of Technology William, a businessman, arrives in a foreign airport. He doesn't show his passport. Instead, a machine in the wall reads the computer chip in his arm. This contains information about him: his name, age, and I.D number. He exits the airport, and a car door opens when it "sees" him. The car takes him to his hotel. His room "knows" he has entered the building and it "reads" his body. He is cold, so the room becomes warmer. William then watches a business presentation on a video wall. When he takes a bath, the presentation "follows him and continues on the bathroom wall. Finally, the room plays music to help him sleep. It turns off the music when it "sees" him sleeping. William doesn't exist, and none of this is real. But it might be soon. "In five to ten years, computing and communications are going to be free and everywhere, in your walls, in your car, on your body,' says Victor Zue, leader of Project Oxygen. Project Oxygen has one big idea: to create better relationships between machines and people. The dream is that computer will learn to understand what people want. So, what changes will there be at work? Firstly, the building will know where everyone is, all the time. You want to talk to someone? Type the person's name on the nearest computer. It will show you a map of the building and exactly where this person is. You then call this person, who picks up the nearest telephone, also shown on the computer. If he or she is busy with a client or in a meeting, the computer will tell you. Is all this really possible? Visit the Siebel Center, Illinois and see for yourself: computers in the doors and walls, cameras everywhere, the technology of the future, but here today. The dream of Project Oxygen is that computers will _ A show you where the person is you are calling B let you pick up the nearest telephone C learn to understand what people want D show you a map of every building Answer: C Once upon a time there was a man who needed to write story. His name was Mark. He had a bad case of writer's block. After a bit, he wrote a story about writing a story. This may seem a bit odd. Well, it was. The important thing to know is that Mark wanted money. This was so he could show off for his girl, Wendy. Wendy had two living parents named Greg and Gail. The exciting thing about Mark writing these stories, was that he could write whatever he wanted to. He could have written about bears. Or it could have been his best friend Error. There were so many choices for Mark. He was very happy. He was happy because he was almost done writing the story. Wendy, had she known about the writing would have been sad that Mark spent so much time thinking of odd stories. What did Mark want? A story B money C odd D bears Answer: B So, there was this kid named Jack that came up to my beanstalk one day. I couldn't believe my eyes, so I put down my ham sandwich I was eating and looked at him. I'm not sure what he thought he was doing there, but he sure did talk a lot. He kept asking me questions about this and then he asked me some questions about that and I was getting a little bit tired of all of the questions. When I thought I wouldn't hear the end of everything, this Jack kid asked me about the one and only secret that I've always kept to myself. That no one even knew about! No, it wasn't about my golden guitar or even my goose that laid eggs filled with coins. No, he was asking me about my beans and their roots. You see, I'm a giant and my job is to make sure the bean roots that we use to get down to earth are well protected and guarded. They're what helps us get down to the little person world when we need to. I became a little bit worried as the little kid asked more and more questions about my roots. I didn't want to tell him that my roots were hidden in the library! I walked over to him to pick this little kid up to get him to quiet down about the bean roots, well, he got me with his little knife and I dropped him! Thankfully, he didn't get hurt or I would've been so sad! He ran down the beanstalk when I chased after him. I guess he wanted to get back to his little people. I didn't follow him, but I sure hope he doesn't come back for my stuff. Where did Jack go after the giant dropped him? A To the restroom B To get the goose C To play the golden guitar D Down the beanstalk and to the little people world. Answer: D Many years before the United States was founded, Americans had already invented barbecues. But the first barbecues, in fact ,were the invention of the Taino Indians of Haiti, who dried their meat on raised frames of sticks over fires. Spanish explorers spelled the Taino word as barbacoa, and as time passed, English settlers along the Atlantic coat had their own barbecues. One summer day in 1773, Benjamin Lynde, a citizen of Massachusetts, wrote in his diary, "Fair and hot ; Browne; hack overset." That is , on a bright and hot day he went to the Brownes to attend a barbecue, and his carriage fell over. It shows that the barbecue had its social occasion by that time. Large animals would be roasted whole on frames over hot fires, and neighbours would be invited to dinner. In later centuries, as settlers moved to the west, the barbecue went along with it, reaching an especially large size in Texas, where a pit for fuels such as tree branches might be over ten feet deep. Today, the barbecue grills which are fueled by charcoal or electricity are likely to be small and easy to move , and can cook only parts of an animal at a time, but people still have barbecues out of doors and always invite their neighbours or friends over. The following are all the barbecue ways EXCEPT _ . A drying meat on raised frames of sticks over fires B roasting a whole animal over a pit full of burning tree branches C cooking parts of animals over fires on grills fueled by charcoal D heating meat in the bright and hot daylight Answer: D
Michelle Obama made a daring decision to return to the same designer who created her Inaugural Ball dress four years ago --- and the risk paid off. The First Lady looked extremely attractive in a thin, sweeping, and ruby-colored dress by designer Jason Wu. She teamed the dramatic dress with heels by Jimmy Choo and a diamond ring by Kimberly McDonald. She surprised the fashion establishment by returning to a Wu design which had been the custom made for her. Four years ago at her first Inauguration Ball, Michelle shimmered in an off-white, one-shouldered floor-length dress by the designer. Wu, who was 26 at the time and had only been working in fashion for three years, saw his career take off after the First Lady's surprise decision to wear one of his dresses. He said at the time that he was unaware she had chosen the dress and had been watching at home on his couch and eating pizza when she appeared. After her 2013 decision, Wu told Women's Wear Daily: "Mrs Obama likes to keep her secrets. She fooled me again." Wu released a women's clothing and accessories collection at Target last year and continues to be popular with the First Lady for official engagements. The sleeveless, cross-halter neck dress with low-cut back flattered 49-year-old Michelle's arms and neat waist. It had been created especially for her by Wu and was a departure from the dark and plain colour tone she stuck to at earlier inauguration events. Mrs Obama's new hairstyle -- she had bangs cut on her birthday last week had been loosely tousled for the special night. Vice-President Joe Biden's wife Jill also looked attractive in a blue silk dress by Vera Wang at the Inauguration Ball. Which of the following best describes Jason Wu? Answer: Musa teaches English at Chunmiao Primary School in Wuhan. He had never heard of China's idol of selflessness before he arrived in the country, but this unusual young man from Nigeria is carrying on the good work of China's hero soldier. Musa's week begins with a crowded two-hour bus ride for a flag-raising ceremony at Chunmiao Primary School with old classrooms for the children of migrant workers on the outside parts of Wuhan.An hour later, he steps in front of a room full of expectant students, some of whom recently organized a dance exhibition for their foreign teacher. The dance showed the spirit of Lei Feng (1940-1962), a soldier who was idolized across China for his selflessness. It was especially meaningful to Musa because the students call him "foreign Lei Feng". "I know Lei Feng, he is a good man. Everyone should learn from Lei Feng," he says. Born to a family of diplomats in 1985, he is the second of nine children and the eldest son. Musa was expected to become a diplomat like his father, who worked in Canada from 2007.In 2008, Musa was picked by Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to study in China for a master's degree in sociology . With the hope of joining the foreign service, he then went on to study for a doctor's degree in international relations at Central China Normal University. The students Musa teaches at Chunmiao Primary School are _ . Answer: A major earthquake rocked Haiti at 4:53 pm local time on Jan.12, 2010, killing possibly thousands of people but no official figure has been released so far. The quake, which struck about 15km (10 miles) south-west of the capital, Port-au-Prince, was quickly followed by two strong aftershocks. In the space of a minute, numerous buildings fell down. A five-story U.N. building was also brought down by the 7.3 magnitude quake, the most powerful to hit Haiti in more than 200 years according to the U.S. Geological Survey. As night fell, the whole city is in total darkness. You can see thousands of people sitting in the streets with nowhere to go. There are people running, crying, screaming. Describing the earthquake as a "catastrophe", Haiti's president said the cost of the damage could run into billions. Haiti became the first independent Caribbean state in the early 19th century. Haiti's location, history and attracting climate once made it a tourist hot place. However, decades of poverty, environmental pollution and violence have left it as the poorest nation in the Americas. It has suffered a lot, including four hurricanes and storms in 2008 that killed hundreds. The great earthquake happened to the _ of the capital city. Answer: Volleyball has become a worldwide sport that is popular with all age groups, but when did this fun sport start? The history of volleyball dates back to 1895 when William G.Morgan met a Canadian James Naismith, inventor of basketball and was influenced by him and basketball.Then he wanted to invent a new game that was fit for middle-aged men. Morgan enjoyed the game of basketball, but soon he realized that it was too fast paced for some of the older men.So, he decided to invent a game that was still played on a court , but the players were not required to run up and down--he created the game of "mintonette." Volleyball history shows that the original game of mintonette was played on a full court with a net in the middle.Two teams tossed the ball back and forth over the net, similar to the game of badminton.In order to cut down the equipment costs, the players played the ball with their hands. The game quickly became popular, and everyone wanted to learn how to play volleyball.It quickly spread to other areas, across the United States, and even to other countries.Several changes were made to the game. Then specific volleyball rules were set into place.Some of the rules of volleyball included the court size, number of players, and number of hits per team.The rules also stated that players must rotate around the court so that everyone had a turn to serve the ball.Also, a standard volleyball size and shape were decided within a few years.The rules continued to change and adjust throughout the history of volleyball, until the game became what we have today. Even though volleyball history says that the game was originally created for middle-aged men, the game has become so popular among all kinds of people.Today there are many different kinds of competitive volleyball teams: high school volleyball, college volleyball, women volleyball, men, children, mixed teams, etc.There is an endless amount of possibilities with this game because it is easy to learn, many people can play together, and it can by played indoors or outside. Morgan invented volleyball to _ . Answer: Remind children that bad things don't last. It may sound simple, but the message is extremely important. "Children often don't have the experience to know that when something bad happens---they lose an important game or their best friend lets them down---it's not the end of the world," explains Nancy Leffert, a senior research scientist with the Research Institute, an American adolescents and children's research group. "They think their bad feelings will last for ever, or that one failure will ruin everything." Unfortunately, that kind of thinking discourages motivation . "If a child believes that the cause of her upset is lasting, or that nothing she does will make a difference, it decreases her ability to keep on trying." says Dorothy Rich, president of the MegaSkills Education Center of the Home and School Institute, based in Washington. Any time you can help your child see that a situation is not lasting, that a result can be changed, or that one opinion does not reflect reality, you give her reason to hope. Case in point: "When my daughter Kathy was eight, art was one of her favorite subjects," says Beth, a mother of two. "Then she got an art teacher who gave a great deal of praise to one student and barely noticed the rest. Kathy was ready to give up until I explained to her, "Never stop doing your best just because one person doesn't give you praise." Beth had to repeat the advice often, and finally her daughter got the message. "Kathy is 12 now, and art is still one of her strongest subjects." The best title of the passage is _ . Answer:

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