The marine environment is fascinating to study and work in due to its beauty, richness, and complexity. It covers three quarters of the surface of the Earth, yet we know more detail about the surface of Mars. In the past, it was seen as both an inexhaustible resource and a bottomless sink for our wastes. Yet the increasing pressures of overpopulation, pollution and the threat to our natural environment mean that there is an increasing need for scientists who can understand how it all works, how it affects us, and how we are affecting it from global warming through to the smallest plankton. From local issues to global concerns, we now know that the marine environment is inextricably linked to our lives, and to our future survival. It is an area where much remains to be discovered, and where only a multidisciplinary approach can cover the breadth of issues to be confronted. This is the approach taken on our Marine Environmental Science degree course. This course takes a multi-disciplinary approach to explore and understand the marine environment. After an initial grounding in basic science, optional choices are available in specialist topics such as marine ecosystems and pollution, coastal navigation and oceanography, among others. Our new harbor side marine laboratory is used for some of the specialist lectures, laboratory and project work, while a week's residential field course in the Isle of Man provides training to prepare for the research project conducted in your final year. There is an optional trip to Belize in the final year to study tropical marine environments. We can divide the lectures of the course into   _   parts. A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4
C


Canada is the second largest country in the world after Russia. It stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the high Arctic  to the northern border of the continental U.S.A. Although very much a "northern" country, the geography of Canada is very  _ . As well as the popular image of Canada as a country of forests, there are also deserts and badlands , rain forests and long and wide beaches. Canada has huge inland lakes, evergreen forests, woodlands and meadows. Canada's coastlines are thousands of miles long, with long, wild rivers leading to the oceans. In contrast  to the expanses of open country, Canada also has its share of urban areas. The majority of the population and heavy industry is in the two provinces of Quebec and Ontario, but large and modern cities are spread across the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific, all within a few hours drive, at most, from the border with the United States. Business is active throughout the country, The Prairie Provinces with their vast fields of grain help to feed the world. The fisheries on both the West and the East Coast are widespread. Oil and natural gas have recently been discovered off the East Coast. The Trans-Canada Highway links the country from coast to coast, there is an extensive  network of railways, and a widespread network of airline routes serving both major and remote  communities. The rural areas are less populated, with more and more people leaving for the larger towns and cities. The lands to the north are much less developed, but as some of these areas are used for their plenty of natural resources, populations are growing. What does the word "diverse" probably mean in this passage? A) important B) necessary C) comfortable D) different
A


Q: There is nothing in the US quite like Black Friday. Before midnight on Thursday, in malls across the US, people start queuing up outside the locked entrances of stores, making longer and longer lines, holding coupons  , sipping coffee and hot chocolate, rubbing their hands and stamping   their feet for warmth, excitedly chatting, and waiting for the clerks to open the door when the time arrives. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, which fell on Nov 28,2014, "has become in recent decades a special American holiday", said the International Business Times. Indeed, up to 147 million Black Friday shoppers were expected to put up with the dark of night and the elbows of other shoppers so that they could bring home some bargains, according to the US National Retail Federation. But why does the shopping festival have such a name? The name was first used in Philadelphia in the 1970s. The streets and sidewalks of the city became so packed with traffic and crowds on the day after Thanksgiving Day that the local police did not look forward to it. Because of this, they called the day "Black Friday", said The Huffington Post. However, others believe that Black Friday takes its name from the fact that because of the increase in sales on the day, shops are able for the first time in the year to move out of the "red" - that is, debt - and into the "black", or profit. Businesses, of course, try to take advantage of this day. A decade ago, retailers   opened at 5 or 6 am. Now, many of the big stores open at midnight. People really seem to like the whole experience of queuing up before midnight, "for it isn't just about the bargains", noted CNN. "For many shoppers, it's just fun to be part of a large crowd. Those who go to the malls at midnight are driven by the same thing that makes a million people get together in Times Square each New Year's Eve." According to the article, people who queue up for Black Friday   _  . A) usually help each other to find good bargains B) have great fun as part of the waiting crowd C) have a lot of complaints about the service of the retail clerks D) have to wait until 5 to 6 am to start shopping
A: B


(Question)
A letter to Edward, a columnist  Dear Mr Expert: I grew up in an unhappy and abusive home. I always Promised myself that I'd get out as soon as possible. Now, at age 20,I have a good job and a nice house, and I'm really proud of the independence I've achieved. Here's the problem: several of my friends who still live with their parents wish they had places like mine -- so much so that they make mine theirs. It started out with a couple of them spending the weekends with me. But now they seem to take it for granted that they can shou up any time they like. They bring boyfriends over, talk on the phone and stay out forever. I enjoy having my friends here sometimes-- it makes the place feel comfortable and warm-- but this is my home, not a party house. I was old enough to move out on my own, so why can't I seem to ask my friends to respect my privacy ? Joan Edward's reply to Joan Dear Joan: If your family didn't pay attention to your needs when you were a child, you probably have trouble letting others know your needs now. And if you've gathesed yourfriends around you to rebuild a happy family atmosphere ,you may fear that saying no will bring back the kind of conflict you grew up with-- or destroy the nice atmosphere you now enjoy. You need to understand that in true friendship it's okay to put your own needs first from time to time. Be clear about the message you want to send. For example, "I really love your company but I also need some privacy. So please call before you come over." The second letter suggests that Mr Expert_. A) is worried about Joan's problem B) warns Joan not to quarrel with her friends C) advises Joan on how to refuse people D) encourages Joan to be brave enough
(Answer)

C