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A man goes into a restaurant one day. His clothes are very nice. He sits down at a table near the window. A waiter comes to him and says, "Can I help you, sir?" The man says, "Yes, please. Can I see the menu ?" "Sure," answers the waiter. The man wants a good meal and he wants a lot of nice dishes. After a moment, the waiter brings them to him. The man has his meal happily. At this time, a boy comes in and sits down besides the man. He asks the waiter to give him ice cream. The man says, "I will be back in 5 minutes." Then he goes out. After the boy eats his ice cream, he stands up and goes to the door. "Excuse me, your father doesn't give the money for the meal and your ice cream," the waiter stops him and says. "Father? You are wrong. He is not my father. I do not know him. I meet him in the street. He says he'll give me ice cream when I come here at twelve o'clock." From the story we know that _ . Answer: A woman called Julia lived in the countryside, one year she decided to visit the capital city to see the sights. She stayed at a hotel near the central market. She had seldom been to the city before, and was very excited about what she would find. On the first morning of her visit, as she walked from the hotel to the market, she passed a beggar . He was holding up a notice, which said, "Blind from birth. Please give generously ."Julia felt sorry for the beggar and she bent down and put a dollar coin into his bowl. "Thank you." he said. The same thing happened again the following day. On the third day, however, Julia did not have a dollar coin. She had only fifty cents, so she dropped this into the beggar's bowl. "What have I done wrong?" the beggar said, "Why are you so stingy today?" Julia was very surprised at the beggar . "How do you know I haven't given you a dollar?" she said, "If you're blind you can't know what coin I put into your bowl." "Ah," explained the beggar, "The truth is that I'm not blind. I'm just looking after this place for the regular beggar while he's on holiday." "On holiday?" Julia said, "And what exactly does your blind friend do on holiday?" "He goes into the countryside," the man said, "and takes photographs. He's a very good photographer." Where was the beggar sitting? Answer: Mark Ramirez, a senior executive at AOL, could work in the comfortable leather chair, if he wanted. No, thanks. He prefers to stand most of the day at a desk raised above stomach level. "I've got my knees bent. I feel totally alive," he said. "It feels more natural to stand." In the past few years, standing has become the new sitting for 10 percent of AOL employees at the firm's Virginia branch. Part of a standing popularity is among accountants, programmers, telemarketers and other office workers across the nation. GeekDesk, a California firm that sells desks raised by electric motors, says sales will triple this year. Standers give various reasons for taking to their feet: It makes them feel more focused, prevents drowsiness , and makes them feel like a general even if they just push paper. (Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfels works standing up. So does novelist Philip Roth.) But unknown to them, a debate is spreading among ergonomics experts and public-health researchers about whether all office workers should be encouraged to stand--to save lives. Doctors point to surprising new research showing higher rates of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and even mortality among people who sit for long stretches. A study earlier this year in theAmerican Journal of Epidemiologyshowed that among 123,000 adults followed over 14 years, those who sat more than six hours a day were at least 18 percent more likely to die during the time period studied than those who sat less than three hours a day. "Every rock we turn over when it comes to sitting is astonishing," said Marc Hamilton, a leading researcher on inactivity physiology at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana. "Sitting is harmful. It's dangerous. We are on the cusp of a major revolution." He calls sitting "the new smoking". Not so fast, other experts say. Standing too much at work will cause more long-term back injuries. Incidences of varicose veins among women will increase. The heart will have to pump more. Hedge, the Cornell professor, isn't a fan of all this standing. "Making people stand all day is dumb," he said. The sensible and most cost-effective strategy , he said, is to sit in a neutral posture , slightly reclined , with the keyboard on a tray above the lap. This position promotes positive blood flow. Workers should occasionally walk around, stretch and avoid prolonged periods at the desk. The key, he said, is movement, not standing. Which of the following is the best title of the passage? Answer: Here are six questions about your approach to life. Try to answer them as honestly as you can. Are you hard driving and competitive? Are you usually pressed for time? Do you want to control others? Do you have a strong need to do better than others in most things? Do you eat too quickly? Do you get upset when you have to wait for anything? If you have answered "yes" to most of these questions, then I can make a few predictions about you, based on a recent eight-year study of nearly two thousand people who live the way that you do. You likely find that life is full of challenges and you often need to keep two or more projects moving at the same time. The chances are that you have been to college, that you have a management job and that you bring work home at night. You think that you put more effort into your job than many of the people you work with, and you certainly take your work more seriously than most of them. You get angry easily, and if someone is being long-winded, you help them get to the point. You also have trouble finding the time to get your hair cut. And there's one other thing. You are about twice as likely to have a heart attack as someone who takes a more easygoing approach to life. The beginnings of your hard-driving behavior go right back to childhood. In school you got recognition and perhaps prizes for being quick and bright, for being an achiever, for competing with others and for winning. You likely went on from school to get a series of increasingly better jobs against pretty stiff competition. They were jobs where you had to care about the results, where you constantly had to push things forward and get things done. In your present job you also feel some conflict, either with time or with other people. Some of those you work with don't seem able to understand the simplest ideas, and they often put a brake on what you're trying to achieve. The conflict may not take place every day. You pride yourself on being able to keep the lid on. _ . We can infer from the passage that hard-driving character _ . Answer: These young men were a different kind of prisoner from those we had seen before. They were brave, and hostile; they would not take orders, and shouted "Amandla!" at every opportunity. Their instinct was to confront rather than cooperate. The authorities did not know how to handle them, and they turned the island upside down. During the Rivonia Trial, I remarked to a security policeman that if the government did not reform itself, the freedom fighters who would take our place would some-day make the authorities miss us. That day had indeed come on Robben Island. In these young men we saw the angry revolutionary spirit of the times. I had had some warning. On a visit with Winnie a few months before, she had managed to tell me through our coded conversation that there was a rising class of discontented youths who were violent and Africanist in beliefs. She said I should be aware of them. The new prisoners were shocked by what they considered the inhuman conditions of the island, and said that they could not understand how we could live in such a way. We told them that they should have seen the island in 1964. But they were almost as sceptical of us as they were of the authorities. They chose to ignore our calls for discipline and thought our advice weak and unassertive . It was obvious that they regarded us, the Rivonia Trialists, as moderates .After so many years of being branded a radical revolutionary, to be seen as a moderate was a novel and not altogether pleasant feeling. I knew that I could react in one of two ways: I could scold them for their disrespect or I could listen to what they were saying. I chose the latter. Then some of these men, came into our section. I asked them to tell us about their movement and beliefs. Shortly after their arrival on the island, the commanding officer came and asked me as a favour to address the young men. He wanted me to tell them to behave themselves, to recognize the fact that they were in prison and to accept the discipline of prison life.I told him that I was not prepared to do that. Under the circumstances, they would have regarded me as a follower of the authorities. (-adapted from "Long walk to freedom: The autobiography of Nelson Mandela") Which of the following is true according to the passage? Answer:
What rotates on its axis? A. oceans B. winds C. blue world D. people Answer: C. blue world Do you have a lucky number? What is it? Many people have a special number that they hope will bring them good luck. In Chinese culture, some numbers are believed to be lucky or unlucky based on the Chinese word that the number sounds similar to. For example, the word for the number 8 sounds similar to the word for "making a fortune ". So, people consider it a very lucky number. Some people will even spend a lot of money to have 8s in their phone numbers or vehicle license plate numbers. The opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics began at 8:08 p.m. on August 8, 2008. The number 9 is also a lucky number because of its connection to the emperors of China. There were nine dragons on emperors' robes and Chinese myth held that the dragon has nine children. The number 9 also stands for "long lasting". That's why a man always proposes to(---)a woman with 99 or 999 roses. So what's a "bad luck" number in China? It might be 4. Many Chinese people see 4 as a "bad luck" number because it sounds similar to the character for "death". Because of this, many buildings skip the fourth floor, and simply call it the fifth floor. In Hong Kong, some buildings even skip all floors numbered with 4, such as, 4, 14, 24, 34 and all 40-49 floors. Some buildings also skip the 13th floor, as this is considered an unlucky number in many Christian countries. As a result, a building whose highest floor is 50 may have only 35 physical floors. From the passage, we know that _ . A. Many Chinese people don't like the number 4. B. all people have the same lucky number C. the number 9 is lucky because it means "wealth" D. the number 8 is a lucky number for foreigners Answer: A. Many Chinese people don't like the number 4. The first time I went for a walk around my father-in-law's neighborhood was garbage day, and I was shocked to see what people were throwing out. It was back in 1981, and I saw many people gathered in someone's front yard. As I went nearer to see what was happening I got my first introduction to yard sales. For the few dollars I had in my wallet, I was able to buy a seven-inch black-and-white portable TV. I also bought a flashlight. The following weekend, at another yard sale, I saw a 14-inch color1 TV being sold for almost nothing. I felt I could not miss the offer and bought it. Now I had two sets and couldn't wait to see what else I could afford the next weekend. Spring ended, and by then I had accumulated almost every type of electronic equipment I had always wished to have back home. Then this new idea came to mind. I had heard about a man who traveled back home every few months. He drove a truck filled with boxes of new and used stuff that people were sending to s. So I told my father that I would send as many types of items as I could so that he could start his resale business. Every few months I would gather several boxes of American "junk" --- televisions, toasters, fans, hair dryers, etc. and send them home. As word got out about my father's "trash" market, people all came to buy these things. Three years later, when I visited my family for the first time since leaving home, I learned that many of the families in our neighborhood had a piece of "trash". It proved that I had the responsibility to keep people back home up to date with the latest technology you no longer need.(304words) The author felt he could not miss the offer because _ . A. the second TV set was bigger B. the second TV set was color1 TV C. the second TV set was very cheap D. he wanted two TV sets very much Answer: C. the second TV set was very cheap High school students need "cool" jobs in summer holidays. Working at popular retail chains and ice-cream shops are good choices. The U.S. Department of Labor says that about two-thirds of the teenager workers are in fast food business. 1/5 of cooks and food workers are between 16 and 19 years old and 2/5 of food workers are part-time workers. If you think taking a part-time job is easier, you are wrong. For young people, whatever you do, do your jobs well. Because a good work record will be useful for higher-paid jobs in the future. Let's share my story. Unless with my family members, I would go to eat fast food. That doesn't mean I don't like working in a fast food restaurant. My first part-time job, at age 16, was at the McDonald's in Bloomington, Indiana. It was very hard work. Especially on Indiana University football weekends, we had no time to rest, but we still had a lot of fun. Finally I got a higher-paid job. A future manager believes that difficult work encourages success. The growing U.S. population will bring more restaurants. While many people can't deal with the pressure to fill orders quickly, the people who really do a great job will get plenty of rewards in the workplace. The author uses his own story mainly to tell us that _ . A. he never liked fast food and would never eat it B. he didn't like working in a fast food restaurant at all C. he did a great job, which enabled him to find a better one D. he never went to the fast food restaurant with his family Answer: C. he did a great job, which enabled him to find a better one Pictures That Don't Last "YEARS ago when I was at the Grand Canyon, I remember someone coming up to the canyon's edge, taking a shot with their camera and then walking away, like 'got it - done', barely even glancing at the magnificent scene sprawling in front of them," Linda Henkel, a scientist at Fairfield University, US told Live Science. Henkel was surprised by how obsessed people are with taking pictures these days - before dinner, during friends' birthday parties, on museum tours and so on.You know people just like that, don't you? They keep taking pictures because they think that it helps record the moment, but as Henkel's latest study has just found out, this obsession may prevent their brains from remembering what actually happened, reported The Guardian. In her study, Henkel led a group of college students around a museum and asked them to simply observe 15 objects and to photograph 15 others.The next day the students' memory of the tour was tested, and the results showed that they were less accurate in recognizing the objects and they remembered fewer details about them if they photographed them. "When people rely on technology to remember for them - counting on the camera to record the event and thus not needing to attend to it fully themselves, it can have a negative effect on how well they remember their experiences," Henkel explained. But there is also an exception: if students zoomed in to photograph part of an object, their memory actually improved, and those who focused the lens on a specific area could even recall parts that weren't in the frame. So basically, this study is saying that constantly taking pictures can harm your memory.But shouldn't reviewing pictures we have taken help wake up our memories? This is true, but only if we spend enough time doing it. "In order to remember, we have to access and interact with the photos, rather than just amassing them," Henkel told The Telegraph.However, previous research has shown that most people never take the time to look over their digital pictures simply because there are too many of them and they aren't usually very organized on their computers. The author mentioned Henkel's trip to the Grand Canyon at the beginning to _ . A. complain about some tourists' bad habits B. give suggestions on how to enjoy one's tour C. describe the great view of the Grand Canyon D. point out people's obsession with taking pictures Answer: D. point out people's obsession with taking pictures
Question: GENEVA, Feb.11 (Xinhua) --The current La Nina weather phenomenon may just be a partial cause of south prefix = st1 /China's freeze-up at the start of 2008, said the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Monday. The latest La Nina pattern, which began in the third quarter of 2007, has picked up strength in the past three months, with sea surface temperatures now about 1. 5 to 2 degrees Celsius colder than average over large parts of the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean, said the latest report issued by the WMO. Presenting the Geneva-based body's report, Rupa Kumar Killi, a WMO climate expert, said the recent month-long snow and ice-storms in China's central, southern and eastern regions could be connected with the La Nina phenomenon, the climatic opposite of El Nino . However, he said China's freeze-up was a result of several causes combined and was partly caused by a cold surge from the north and west. He also said the present La Nina cycle may last at least until mid-2008 and it is also possible, if less likely, that the cycle could stretch into the third quarter. La Nina is a large pool of unusually cold water in the equatorial Pacific that develops every few years and influences global weather. It is the climatic opposite of El Nino, a warming of the Pacific, and both have been associated with extreme weather around the globe. Since Jan. 10, snow, sleet and low temperatures have swept China's southern regions, a rare occurrence for the area. What is the best title of the passage? A. La Nina May Be a Partial Cause of China's Freeze-Up. B. La Nina and El Nino. C. What Causes the La Nina Weather Phenomenon? D. How La Nina Destroys the Whole World's Weather? Answer: A. La Nina May Be a Partial Cause of China's Freeze-Up. Question: Parents often avoid talking about the issue of media and kids because we don't know what to do. But we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work helping our kids make right and wise decisions about media. There are things you can do to improve the media health of your family. Take the television for example. The television is not a babysitter. Hopefully, parents are extremely careful about choosing a babysitter and day care for their children. Why are we not as careful in choosing the TV programs our kids watch? Know what shows your kids are watching on television. It is important to know the content of every program your child watches. As a rule, most programs will either work to reinforce your values or oppose them. This is why it is so important to be aware of a program's content. Don't put a television in their bedrooms. A television in your child's bedroom is a big no-no. You won't be able to monitor the content, and our kids may be drawn to their rooms. A television in the bedroom is a far too attractive temptation for your kids. Set limits on TV time. What are your guidelines, rules, and expectations for television viewing? Setting limits may be challenging, but if you insist, the results are well worth it. Talk with your kids about TV shows. All television is educational. The question is what does it teach? Watch television with your kids, and then discuss with them the themes and content afterward. You'll be surprised just how easy it is to turn a TV program or movie into a first-rate learning experience. Whom is the passage written for? A. Parents. B. Children. C. Teachers. D. Scientists. Answer: A. Parents. Question: Happy Farm is an online game. It is very popular among people in China. The game offers you a piece of empty land and some seeds at first. You are like the farmer. If your land is small, you can spend some money to make it big. And you must harvest your things on the farm on time, or some other farmers will steal your fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs and so on. Of course, you can steal theirs. If you want to make money, you must sell your things out. Some Chinese websites have offered this game to its users. So far, it is said that about 16 million Chinese people are playing this game. Some people were so crazy that they even get up in the midnight to harvest their crops and steal others'. Happy Farm brings happiness to people. It is really a fascinating game. But it also brings many problems. It is reported that a baby died in a hospital just because the doctor didn't give him timely treatment. Do you know what the doctor was doing? He was playing Happy Farm! There are many stories like this. Many people are so involved in the game Happy Farm that they get up in the midnight _ . A. to harvest and steal crops B. to chat with others C. to sell their things out D. to read news about this game Answer: A. to harvest and steal crops Question: Not every president is a leader, but every time we elect a president we hope for one, especially in time of trouble. Leadership is as much a question of timing as anything else. The leader must appear on the scene at a moment when people are looking for leadership. And when he comes, he must offer a straightforward and powerful message. Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers who cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand and remember. We have an image of what a leader ought to be. We even recognize the physical signs: leaders may not necessarily be tall, but they must have bigger- than-life, commanding features. We expect our leaders to stand out a little, not to be like ordinary men. Half of President Ford's trouble lay in the fact that, if you closed your eyes for a moment, you couldn't remember his face, figure, or clothes. It also helps for a leader to be able to do something most of us can't. Mao swam the Yangtze River at the age of 72. We want our leaders to be like us but better, special, more so. Yet if they are too different, we reject them. A leader must know how to use power (that's what leadership is about), but he also has to have a way of showing that he does. A leader should know how to appear relaxed and confident. His walk should be firm and purposeful. He should be able to give a good, hearty, belly laugh. Ronald Reagan's career as an actor showed to good effect in the debate with his opponent. He managed to convey the impression that in fact he was the President. A leader rides the waves, moves with the tides, understands the deepest feelings of his people. He cannot make a nation that wants peace at any price go to war, or stop a nation determined to fight from doing so. His purpose must match the national mood. His task is to focus the people's energies and desires, to inspire, to make what people already want seem possible and important to achieve. The author thinks that President Ford _ . A. was an ordinary-looking man B. got into more trouble than the other presidents C. was not tall enough for his status D. stood too far away from real life Answer: A. was an ordinary-looking man Question: Many people watched the lift-off of the space shuttle Columbia on March 21, 1982. But none watched more closely than eighteen-year-old Ted, as Ted's insects were on board the shuttle. The Shuttle Student Involvement Program invited students to make a science experiment. The experiment would be done by astronauts on the space shuttle. Ted had always been interested in space and flight. Insect flight especially interested him. Ted noticed that insects need gravity to take off and land. They need gravity to fly in a straight line. But in space, there is no gravity. Could insects fly in zero gravity? That is what Ted wanted to find out. Ted made an experiment called "Insect in Flight Motion Study". He entered his experiment and soon news came that _ . A large team of scientists and engineers helped Ted get his experiment ready to fly. There were many questions to be answered first. What kind of insects would Ted use in his experiment? The insects would have to be strong enough to live on the shuttle for nine days without much food. What kind of container would hold the insects? Would the insects die during the shuttle flight? After months of hard work, the "insectronauts" were chosen. A group of moths, flies, and honeybees were put into a special box and put onto the space shuttle. When Columbia flew into space, it was carrying insect passengers. On March 24, astronauts Gordon Fullerton and Jack Lousma took out the box that held the insects. They began filming the insects with a special video camera. When the space shuttle landed Ted was able to watch the video film of insects. Just as he thought, most of the insects did have trouble flying in zero gravity. The flies did well. But the moths' flight seemed "uncontrolled". They would often just hang in the air. The bees had the most trouble. They couldn't fly at all! The film showed bees spinning around in all directions. Others were just floating about in the box. Ted learned the answer to his question about insects' flight in zero gravity. But he also learned a lot more. He learned about the hard work needed in making a successful experiment. How did Ted learn the answer to his question about insects' flight in zero gravity? A. By asking the scientists and engineers. B. By studying a book written by the astronauts. C. By going into space and watching the insects' flight himself. D. By watching the video film made by the astronauts. Answer: D. By watching the video film made by the astronauts.
The Tories would allow children to go to school for ten hours a day and on Saturday mornings to improve the performance of poorer pupils and help working parents. Schools spokesman Michael Gove declared plans yesterday to give disadvantaged children more classroom time to help them catch up. Longer school days could also be popular with parents who struggle to fit 3pm school finishing times around work, he said. Mr. Gove gave out the success of a U.S. plan where teenagers from poor backgrounds attend school from 7.30 am to 5pm. "I believe that having children in school for longer, particularly if they come from disadvantaged backgrounds can help them to achieve more in academy, " he told the annual conference of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in Manchester. He pointed out that it was up to schools alone to decide whether to open longer, or at weekends. But he was greeted with laughter from delegates when he said the plan would really work only with the active support of teachers. ATL general secretary, Dr Mary Bousted, said, "The last thing we need to be doing at the present time is increasing teachers' working hours. Teachers already work the most unpaid overtime of any public sector profession. If we want Saturday schools then we need more teachers doing the extra hours, not the same teachers working longer and becoming tired." Meanwhile Mr Gove's idea is likely to alarm those concerned about the erosion( )of family time. Margaret Morrissey, founder of the lobby group Parents Outloud, said, "What we should be doing is supporting these children within the school week." According to the passage, which of the following is true? A. Each school in that area has to open longer or work at weekends. B. Parents who can't pick up their children on time support the action. C. According to Gove, the teachers there agree to longer school days. D. The new plan will undoubtedly help poorer pupils catch up with others. Answer: B Next time you're unhappy or complaining about your life, don't turn to a cheerful comedy. You might find a tear-jerking tragedy is just the thing you need to brighten your day. A team of researchers at Ohio State University, US, has found sad movies can make people happier, Science Daily reported last month. Many people find tragedies make them realize how good their own lives are, the study showed. "People seem to use tragedies as a way to reflect on the important relationships in their own lives," said Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, leader of the study. "Tragic stories often focus on themes of eternal love, and this leads viewers to think about their loved ones and count their good and helpful things." In the study, researchers gathered 361 college students and showed them the 2007 movie, Alonement. The movie is about two lovers who are separated and finally die during Worid War II. Before and after the movie, the students were asked questions measuring how happy they were with their lives. Researchers also asked them before, afier and three times during the movie to measure various emotions, including sadness. Researchers found that the sadder students felt while watching the movie, the more likely they were to think about real people they had close relationships with in life. This increased their happiness afier watching the movie. Knobloch-Westerwick explained that negative moods make people more thoughtful. "Positive emotions show that everything is fine, you don't have to worry, you don't have to think about problems in your life," she said. "But negative emotions, like sadness, make you think more critically about your situation. So seeing a tragic movie may make you sad, but that will make you to think more about your own close relationships and appreciate them more." The link between watching a tragic story and feeling better has long been recognized. The ancient Greeks even had a word for the feeling of happiness afier seeing something sad that led to the modern English word "catharsis ". The study also showed that relationships are a very important source of happiness in our lives, so it is no surprise that thinking about your loved ones makes you happier, researchers said. From Knobloch-Westerwick's explaination, we can learn that. A. seeing tragedies makes you more thoughtful B. positive emotions make you think more about your relationships C. negative emotions show you have no need to think about your situation D. after seeing comedies, you will appreciate your close relationships more Answer: A Do you know Australia ? Australia is the largest island in the world . It is a little smaller than China . It is in the south of the earth .Australia is big , but its population is not large . The population of Australia is nearly as large as that of Shanghai . The government has made enough laws to fight pollution . The cities in Australia have got little air or water pollution .The sky is blue and the water is clean . You can clearly see fish swimming in the rivers . Plants grow very well . Last month we visited Perth , the biggest city in Western Australia , and went to a wild flowers' exhibition . There we saw a large number of wild flowers we had never seen before . We had a wonderful time .Perth is famous for its beautiful wild flowers .In spring every year Perth has the wild flowers' exhibition .After visiting Perth, we spent the day in the countryside . We sat down and had a rest near a path at the foot of a hill .It was quiet and we enjoyed ourselves . Suddenly we heard bells ringing at the top of the hill .What we saw made us pick up all our things and run back to the car as quickly as we could .There were about three hundred sheep coming towards us down the path . Australia is famous for its sheep and kangaroos . After a short drive from any town , you will find yourself in the middle of white sheep . Sheep , sheep , everywhere are sheep . Which of the following is true ? A. Australia is famous for its sheep , kangaroos and wild flowers . B. We ran back to the car because we were in the middle of white sheep . C. Three hundred sheep came towards us because they saw us . D. If you go to the countryside in Australia , you will see a large number of whit sheep . Answer: D First aid is the aid or the help which can be given to an injured person first, that is, before any other help comes. Nowadays there is usually a telephone not far away and the first we should do, if a serious accident happens, call the phone for an ambulance. Sometimes our quick action may save someone's life. Shock. People often suffer from shock after receiving an injury, sometimes even when the injury is very tiny. The face turns grey, and the skin becomes damp and cold. They breathe quickly. They should be kept warm. Cover them with a blanket and give them a warm drink. Broken bones. Do not move the patient. Send for an ambulance at once. Bleeding. A little bleeding doesn't harm. It washes dirt from the wound. But if the bleeding continues, try to stop it by placing a clean cloth firmly over the wound until the bleeding stops or helps arrive. Poison. A person who has taken poison should be taken to a hospital at once. With some poisons, sleeping pills, for example, it is a good thing to make the patient throw up by pressing your fingers down his throat. Remember: When an accident happens, send someone to telephone for an ambulance at once. Keep the injured person warm and quiet. Give him plenty of air. Do not let other people crowd around him. What's the best title for this passage? A. How to Save One's Life B. What to Do with Some Accidents C. How to Deal with Common Injuries D. First Aid Answer: D A man wakes up with a big hangover the morning after attending his company's annual Summer Party. He can't even remember how he got home from the party, let alone how he got so drunk and is deathly afraid of what he may have done or said the night before to make his wife angry. The man forces his eyes open and the first things he sees are two headache tablets next to a glass of water on his table, and, next to them, a single red rose! He sits up with difficulty and sees his clothing hung on the back of his chair all clean and pressed and the rest of the house all in perfect order. Incredulous , the man takes the tablets and sees a black eye looking back at him from the bathroom mirror. Then he finds a note next to the red rose on the table, "Sweetie, breakfast is waiting for you on the stove. I left early to buy the cooking materials to make your favorite dinner tonight. I love you, darling! " The note was signed, "Your loving wife." The man then walks into the kitchen. His daughter Jessie is at the table, eating. "Jessie...what happened last night?" The man asks, with great fear. "Well, you came home around four o'clock in the morning, drunk and out of your mind. You tripped and fell onto the coffee table and broke it, and got this black eye when you crashed into the table's edge." Puzzled, the man asks Jessie, "Then why is there a rose on my table and breakfast on the stove waiting for me?" "Oh that," Jessie replies, "well, Mom pulled you into your bedroom, and when she tried to undress you, you yelled, 'Leave me alone; I'm married and I love my wife!'" The passage is intended to _ . A. tell us a funny story B. show us how to take care of a person who is drunk C. tell us how bad it is to be drunk D. suggest we shouldn't get drunk Answer: A
Throughout my 41 years at General Electric, I've experienced a lot.In the media, I've gone from prince to pig and back again.And I've been called many things. In the early days, some called me a crazy, wild man.When I became CEO two decades ago, Wall Street asked, "Jack who?" When I tried to make GE more competitive by cutting back our workforce in the early 1980s, the media called me "Neutron Jack." When they learned we were focused on values and culture at GE, people asked if "Jack has gone soft." I've been No.1 or No.2 Jack, Services Jack, Global Jack, and, in more recent years.Six Sigma Jack and e-Business Jack. When we made an effort to acquire Honeywell in October 2000, and I agreed to stay on through the transition ( ) , some thought of me as the Long-in-the-Tooth Jack hanging on by his fingertips to his CEO job. Those characterizations said less about me and a lot more about the stage our company went through.Truth is, down deep, I've never really changed much from the boy my mother raised in Salem, Massachusetts. When I started on this journey in 1981 , standing before Wall Street analysts for the first time at New York's Pierre Hotel, I said I wanted GE to become " the most competitive enterprise on earth." My objective was to put a small-company spirit in a big-company body, to build an organization out of an old-line industrial company that would be more high-spirited, more adaptable, and more flexible than companies that are one-fiftieth our size.I said then that I wanted to create a company " where people dare to try new things ?where people know that only the limits of their creativity and drive, their own standards of personal excellence, will be the ceiling on how far and how fast they move." I've put my mind, my heart, and my courage into that journey every day of the 40-plus years I've been lucky enough to be a part of GE. According to the author, GE in 1981 _ . A should seek broader space for development B was the most competitive company in the world C differed from many old-line industrial companies D was a big company with a small-company's spirit Answer: A The teacher stood before his class of 30 students and was going to hand out the final exam papers. "I know how hard you have all worked to get ready for this test. " he said. "And because I know you are all able to understand these questions. I am ready to offer a B to anyone who would prefer not to take the test. '' A number of students jumped up to thank the teacher and left the classroom. The teacher looked at the rest students and said. "Does anyone else want to get a B? This is your last chance. "Two more students decided to go. Seven students stayed. The teacher then handed out the papers. There were only three sentences on the paper: Congratulations! You have received an A in this class. Keep believing in yourself. I never had a teacher who gave a test like that. but I think that it is a test that any teacher could and should give. Students who do not have confidence in what they have learned are B students at most. The same is true for students in real life. The A students are those who believe in what they are doing because they have learned from both successes and failures. They have learned life's lessons. whether from school education or from events in their lives,and have become better people. Scientists say that by the age of eight,80% of what we believe about ourselves has already been formed. You are a big kid now and you realize that you have some limits . However,there is nothing you can't do or leant to be. Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to reach the top of Mount Qomolangma said,"We do not _ the mountain, but ourselves. " Some students left the classroom because _ . A they were happy with the grade the teacher would give them B they were allowed to take another easier exam later on C they knew the teacher didn't like them to take the test D they thought the exam was so easy that they don't need to have a try Answer: A Michael Jordon is the greatest basketball player of all time. Once he was making a television commercial . All Michael needed to do in the advertisement was to miss a shot. For Michael, this was difficult. He had conditioned himself to succeed whenever he was throwing the ball. Every time he threw a basketball, it went in. Every time he tried to miss a shot, he failed. In total, it took him over 20 attempts before he missed a shot. For Michael, success is a strong habit. He had formed a habit that was so strong that it took him a lot of time to break it and "fail". Just like drinking, smoking and collecting things, success is also a habit. The only thing is, it is much more effective! Like all habits, once it is established , it is difficult to break. Many people think that success is difficult to maintain . They feel that it will be hard work and will need too much action and focus. The truth is that it is simply a habit, and as easy to maintain as any other habit. Spend some time making success a habit in your life. Once you have developed it, it is not something you will want to change again. Then, the only thing you will fail at is failing. What do many people wrongly think of success? A They think it is easy to maintain. B They think it needs too much action and focus. C They think it is impossible to establish the habit of success. D They think it doesn't require too much work. Answer: B When you have a question about something, where do you go? For many people the answer is simple as they can go online to a search engine like Google or Yahoo. But what about people in rural or underdeveloped areas who may have no way to get on the Internet? A business and international development professor in California, Rose Shuman, found an answer for them: Question Box. Question Box is a service that provides answers---free of charge---for people who cannot search the Internet directly. The users of Questions Box might be those who might not be able to read, or simply have no access to the Internet. Question Box began three years ago in India. People used a metal call box with a push-to-talk button to connect a live operator. Rose Schuman explained," You just need to push a big green button on the box which will connect you directly to our operators who are sitting in front of computers, and speak your language. You can ask them any sort of question you want, and they'll look it up in English or in Hindi, or whatever the main language is, and translate the answer back for you." The service is currently offered in two villages. The latest version of the box uses mobile phone technology, and solar panels in case the electrical power fails. Rose Shuman says the aim was to make the box as easy as possible for users, "It is very efficient . Rather than try to bring a lot of difficulties to them and expect them to spend a lot of time to learn how to use the Internet, the idea was to make a technology that even Grandma could use." In April 2009, Question Box was introduced to Uganda. Forty community workers with mobile phones connected villagers to call center operators in Kampala. The community workers went around telling people about the service. They wore T-shirts that said "Ask me." But Internet service in Uganda proved slow and undependable. So Question Box teamed up with a local technology company to store information on a local server. That way, the researchers in Kampala could quickly search the database for answers. In Rose Schuman's opinion, the greatest advantage of Question Box is that _ . A it is the most advanced in the world B it is more convenient to carry. C it saves much more energy D it is much easier to use Answer: D So much to do, so little time.So much information, so little time to read.In this age there is more information than ever before.There is not enough time to read everything we want to read.However, you can take in and understand more information in shorter time through speed-reading.This article will not make you read 3,000 words per minute, but it will show you how to increase your speed greatly.You will also learn the basic techniques of speed reading, along with the dos and don'ts of speed-reading. When you first learned to read, you would say the word out loud and sound it out.Then you might whisper the word because people can become annoyed when you read aloud.The stage you are now at is saying the word in your head.Most people tend to read this way.Saying the word in your head will cut your reading speed tremendously . How do you calculate your reading speed? The speed is measured by how many words per minute you can read.Get some reading material, preferably a book.Find out how many words are on the page.Time yourself one minute.Start your timer and start reading.When the timer sounds, stop at once.If you counted 500 words on the page and you read half of the page, then you are probably reading at 250 words per minute. The first thing about speed-reading is looking at the word and recognizing it.Don't say the word in your mind, just look at it and recognize its appearance.Later you will recognize groups of four words or more to increase your speed.This is the first and most important step in speed-reading. The next step is technique.As with any other skill, speed-reading requires technique.You should first be sitting up straight with your book on a horizontal surface, such as a table or desk.Next, should be able to see the entire page.This is necessary if you want to recognize clumps of words.Lastly, _ .It's hard to read with a lot of noise.Find a quiet place to read.This will help your understanding of the text.You need something to guide your eyes while reading.Then right, you should use your hand.Remember when you were little, you would read using your finger.That is a great technique, only now you're using your hand to underline each line.Move your finger smoothly across page.No need to go rush, start out slow.Keep your eyes focused on words as you recognize them while using your hand as a guide.This will increase your speed. The third step is practice.Practice makes perfect.Set time intervals.Read using different techniques, but make sure you understand what you're reading. To speed up your reading, you should _ . A sit up straight with your book flat and use something to guide your eyes B say every word out loud and sound it out C know it is necessary to read quickly D underline some important words while you say them Answer: A
Which is true? A. the moon is a source of light with powerful nuclear reactions B. the sun is a source of evil with powerful nuclear reactions C. the sun is a source of light with weak, low-temperature reactions D. the sun is a source of light with powerful nuclear reactions Answer: D John Smith was a very handsome young man but he was lazy. He had finished his education and was happy to sit in his room and listen to the radio all day long. In fact, he had been doing nothing for almost six months, which worried his father a lot. One day Mr. Smith decided that he had to do something. "Johnny, When I was your age I was working and supporting my ten brothers and sisters. I want you to go out and get a job." So that was what he did. In fact, in the next three months, Johnny started ten jobs and was fired from ten jobs. He explained to his father. "They wanted me to be at work at 8:00 a. m. and told me to do all sorts of unpleasant things." "I don't care how you do it," Mr. Smith said. "Either you earn some money or move out of the house. I gave you one week's time." In the next few days Johnny began to change. He still stayed in his room all day, but spent his time writing letters and reading through the newspapers. More and more posts began to arrive for him. He bought a new suit for himself and invited his parents to the theatre and for dinner afterwards at the most expensive restaurant in town. When his proud parents arrived home after their evening hour, a policeman was waiting at the front door. "John Smith," he said as he handed him a piece of paper, "I'll see you in the court tomorrow." When he got outside, Johnny told his parents everything. "When you told me to earn some money, I decided to put an advertisement in the newspaper saying, 'New way to money fast! Send me $ 5 and I'll tell you my secret.' When I received the money I wrote back telling people to do as I do." Johnny was fined $250 by the court and was ordered to pay all the people back. As he left the court house feeling very ashamed, a newspaper man came up to him, "Young man, would you like to tell your story to my newspaper for $2,500?" Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage? A. How did the parents feel when Johnny invited them to the theatre and dinner. B. What's Johnny's secret. C. What did the policeman want Johnny to do. D. How much did Johnny have to pay all the people back. Answer: D An explosion( ) from a factory in Kunshan killed at least 69 people and more than 120 people got hurt. China had its worst accident in industry on a Saturday in 2014. The accident happened in Kunshan city, Jiangsu Province in China. And the explosion was from Zhongrong Metal Products Company, who makes car wheels for the U.S. The Kunshan government told us 264 workers were there when the explosion happened and 44 died at once. "We heard a really loud explosion at about 7 a.m. this morning, so we rushed out of our rooms, " said Zhou Xu, a 26-year-old worker at that company. Another worker said, "First the ambulance came and then many wives rushed to the factory to see if their husbands were okay." Now, Shanghai government is sending doctors to Kunshan to save the wounded. And the doctor said the number of the dead may increase. Chinese government is looking into the cause of the disaster. And President Xi also paid special attention to it. He said, " Those who are found responsible must be punished." What happened when the accident happen? A. Workers rushed out of their rooms. B. Ambulance came. C. Wives rushed to the factory to make sure of the safety of their husband. D. All of the above. Answer: D My name is Lucy Smith.Lucy is my first name.Smith is my last name.I'm 13.My favorite color is purple.I'm in No.1 Middle School.I'm in Class2,Grade 7. Kathy is my friend.She is 12.Her favorite color is blue.She is in my class,too.She is a good girl.Her telephone number is 828-6785. Mr. Black is my English teacher.He is English.I often ask him for help.I often call him at 843-0018.Helen is his daughter.She is in China now.Her favorite color is red.Kathy and I are her friends.We all like her. Kathy is in _ . A. Class1,Grade7 B. Class2,Grade7 C. Class1,Grade2 D. Class2,Grade1 Answer: B Do you know the following expressions? Faustian bargain According to most stories, Faust was a German scholar who was rather unhappy with his life.The devil , Mephistopheles, promises him that in return for his soul.he will give Faust unlimited power and knowledge.Faust agrees and experiences all kinds of pleasures, but, in the end, his soul goes to the hell.A "Faustian bargain" therefore is a deal that finally results in one's ruin.It means a bargain made for temporary gain without taking future consequences into consideration. A three-ring circus When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are saying that it is a situation of complete confusion.There are so many activities taking place all together that they leave you confused or annoyed.The expression comes from the world of entertainment--the circus.The area where the artists perform their acts is called the "ring".In the past, some of the circuses were so large that they had three acts taking place meanwhile in three different "rings".The audience had to decide which "ring" they wanted to focus on. In the swim(of things) When someone is in the swim of things, he is actively participating in the things happening around him, as in "I've been ill, but soon I'll be back in the swim of things." In the world of fishing, fishermen use the word "swim" to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty.So, if you are a fish man and wish to catch a lot of fish, where would you be? You would be "in the swim"! What do we learn about the expression "in the swim(of things)"? A. It means having a lot of things to do. B. It has nothing to do with swimming. C. Originally it was used to refer to "going fishing". D. Patients use it to express their desire for health. Answer: B
Scientists Stanley Miller and Harold Urey sealed water, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen in a flask, to simulate Earth's early environment. They exposed the chemicals to electric charges to simulate lighting. What did the process produce? Answer: amino acids If you live in the United States, you can't have a full-time job until you are 16 years old. At 14 or 15, you work part-time after school or on weekends, and during summer vacation you can work 40 hours each week. Does all that mean that if you are younger than 14, you can't make your own money? Of course not! Kids from 10-13 years of age can make money by doing lots of things. Valerie, 11, told us that she made money by cleaning up other people's yards. Lena, 13, makes money by knitting dog sweaters and selling them to her neighbors. Reisa said she had started taking art classes and showing her works to people. People ask her to draw pictures for them and they pay her for them. Jasmine, 13, writes articles for different magazines! Kids can learn lots of things from making money. By working to make your own money, you are learning the skills you will need in life. These skills can include things like how to get along with others, how to use technology and how to use your time wisely. Some people think that asking for money is a lot easier than making it; however, if you can make your own money, you don't have to depend on anyone else. The five dollars that you make will probably make you feel a lot better than the twenty dollars you ask for. If you are 15 years old, you can't work part-time _ . Answer: during school time I have had all kinds of interesting neighbors since the early days of my life. When I was a baby I would stand in my wooden crib and watch the world go by through the window. Some neighbors watched me watching the world go by with by big, wondering eyes and found me very interesting. They used to call me "the beauty at the window". The early neighbors I could remember were from the second house I lived in. Peter and Paul were twins. We went to play school together although they were a year older than me. I well remember the Alsatian they had which ran into me when I was invited to their fifth birthday party. Needless to say, I was well-known for my loud screams after the party. But they said the pet was scared of my screams and didn't appear until the party was over. Peter and Paul were the first boys who encouraged me to climb the gate. I could never tell the difference between boy and girl behaviors--I just did what I thought was fun. Not only did I have a great time performing that first climb, I also got my skirts dirty, and was criticized by my mother. The Japanese neighbors I had living in this same house were my favorite, as they introduced me to sea-salt baked shrimps which were so crisp that you could eat the shrimp totally. They gave me some seaweed for my birthday. Thankfully, no other member in my family enjoyed the seaweed as I did. Perhaps what my mother used to joke to me was true, that I was picked up out of the dustbin that belonged to a Japanese home. Maybe sometimes it is difficult to find good neighbors in this society. But all it takes is a spark to get a fire going. I have decided to be that spark wherever I live and pass love on to my neighbors. We can guess "the Alsatian" in the twin brothers' home is _ . Answer: a dog If you are like most people ,your intelligence changes with the seasons ,You are probably a lot sharper in the spring than you are at any other time of year . A famous scientist ,Ellsworth Huntington (1876--1947),concluded from other men's work and his own among people in different climates that climate and temperature have an effect on your mental abilities . He found that cool weather is much more favorable for creative thinking than summer heat .This does not mean that all people are less intelligent in the summer than they are during the rest of the year. It does mean, however , that the mental abilities of large numbers of people tend to be lowest in the summer . Spring appears to be the best period of the year for thinking One reason may be that in the spring man's mental abilities are affected by the same factors that bring about great changes in nature . Fall is the next-best season ,then winter .As for summer ,it seems to be a good time to take a long vacation from thinking . According to the passage, any vacation from thinking should be taken _ . Answer: during the summer So far as I know, Miss Hamah was the first person to give the basic difference between work and labor. To be happy, a mall must feel,firstly, free and secondly, important. He cannot be really happy if he is forced by society to do what he does not enjoy doing,or if what he enjoys doing is lowly thought of by society as valueless or unimportant. In a society where slavery in the strict sense has been got rid of, the sign that what a man does is of social value is that he is paid moneyto do it,but a laborer today can be called a Wag e slave. A man is a laborer if the job that society offers him is not interesting to himself but he has to take it just owing to the necessity 0fearning aliving and supporting his family. The opposite side to labor is play. When we play a game,we enjoy what we are doing,otherwise we should not play it,but it is a purely private activity;and society could not care whether we play it or not. Between labor and play stands work. A man is a worker if he is personally interested in the job which society pays him to do;what from the point view of society is necessary labor is from his own point of view willing play. Whether a job is to be classified as labor or work depends,not on the job itself, but on the tastes of the individual who does it. The difference does not. For example,agree with the difference between a physical and a mental job;a gardener or a taxi driver may be a worker, a bank clerk is a laborer. , Which a man is can be seen from his attitude toward leisure(1 To a worker, leisure means simply the hours he needs to relax and rest in order to work efficiently. He is therefore more likely to take too little leisure than too much;workers die of heart attack and forget their wives'birthday. To the laborer, on the other hand,leisure means freedom from compulsion ,so that it is natural for him to imagine that the fewer hours he has to spend laboring,and the more hours he is free to play, the better. A man feels happy when_. Answer: he is doing something personally interesting and socially valuable
Here are some of the fastest animals in the animal world. Let me tell you that a man can run 20 to 25 miles an hour. Heavy people can not run very fast. But some heavy animals can.Black rhinos are more than 3,500 pounds. They can run almost 30 miles an hour. Cheetahs are the fastest land animal over short distances .They can run over 70 miles an hour. But they get tired quickly and usually stop after a few minutes.Pronghorn antelopes are the fastest animals over long distances. They can run 35 miles an hour for many miles. Their top speed is more than 50 miles an hour.Ostriches can't fly, but they can run faster than other birds. They can run 43 miles an hour for a short distance. And can keep up a speed of more than 30 miles an hour over long distances. What are the fastest land mammals over short distances? The big red American car was much too wide for an English country road. When Jack saw it coming toward him, he stopped his own car at the side of the road to make room for it to pass. The American car went slowly past, so close that he could see the driver's face quite clearly. "Where have I seen that face before?" he thought. "Wait a minute! I remember now. It was in the newspaper!" He took out the newspaper from his bag, turned quickly to the middle page. There was a picture of his face in it. Yes, it had a large mouth and small ears, and his eyes were behind dark glasses. "Wanted by the police," read by Jack. "The City Bank will give a lot of money to anyone who helps the police to catch this man." "Call the police at once", he said to himself. But a few minutes later, he was sad. "This man was caught this morning", answered the police. Who was wanted by the police? London--A morning's train ride away, across the Channel, English kids talk about Liverpool's soccer team in a Paris puB.Some Parisians have even started to go to work in London.In the 19thcentury, Charles Dickens compared the two great rival cities, London and Paris, in " A Tale of Two Cities".These days, it might be A Tale of One City. Parisians are these days likely to smile in sympathy at a visitor's broken French and respond in polite English.As jobs grew lack at home over recent years, perhaps 250,000 Frenchmen moved across the Channel.With an undersea tunnel, they could travel between cities in three hours.The European Union freed them from immigration and customs. Paris, rich in beauty, is more attractive.But London feels more full of life, and more fun until the pubs shut down. "For me, the difference is that London is real, alive," said Trevor Wheeler, a banker. Chantal Jaouen, a professional designer, agrees."I am French, but I'll stay in London," she saiD. There is, of course, the other view.Julie Lenoux is a student who moved to London two years ago."I think people laugh more in Paris," she saiD. In fact, London and Paris, with their obvious new similarities, are beyond the old descriptions.As the European Union gradually loosened controls, Londoners _ into Paris to shop, eat and buy property . "Both cities have changed beyond recognition." Said Larry Collins, a writer and sometimes a Londoner.Like most people who know both well, he finds the two now fit together comfortably. "I first fell in love with Paris in the 1950s and it is still a wonderful place," Collins saiD."But if I had to choose, it would be London.Things are so much more ordered, and life is better." But certainly not cheaper.In fancy parts of London, rents can be twice those on Avenue Foch in Paris.Deciding between London and Paris requires a lifestyle choice. Like Daphne Benoit, a French journalism student with perfect English, many young people are happy to be close enough so they don't have to choose. "I love Paris, my little neighborhood, the way I can walk around a centre, but life is so structured," she saiD."In London, you can be who you want.No one cares." We can infer from the passage that _ . In my country, daily meals usually start with breakfast. People usually have something to drink for breakfast, like tea with sugar and lemon, cold or warm milk or Coke. Many people have some bread, egg, hamburgers and so on. We must always remember that breakfast must be healthy and light. The noon is lunchtime, many people take their meals to schools or their workplaces, but some people like going to a restaurant or having fast food in McDonald's. I think that these meals are not healthy. We can have some rice with some vegetables or meat. More healthy fish and poultry slowly _ beef and pork. It's healthy to drink one glass of water, juice or tea after each meal. At six or seven in the evening, it's time for dinner. At this time, family members usually get together. We often have warm dishes. Sometimes we go out to restaurants. Many people _ according to the passage. All 20 children who died in a shooting at a school in Connecticut were aged between six and seven, according to an official list of the dead. The state's chief medical examiner said the gunman used a rifle as his main weapon, and all the victims appeared to have been shot several times. The gunman, named in media reports as Adam Lanza, killed his mother before driving to the school and opening fire. Six adults, all women, were also killed before the gunman shot himself dead. The head teacher at Sandy Hook school in Newtown, Dawn Hochsprung, is listed among the dead, along with adults Rachel DaVino, Anne Marie Murphy, Lauren Russo, Mary Sherlach and Victoria Soto. Eight boys and 12 girls were killed - all but four of them were aged six. The youngest, Noah Pozner, celebrated his birthday only last month. A woman who worked at the school was the only person to be shot and survive. Scores of people have left flowers at a memorial outside the school, and on Saturday evening hundreds attended a candlelight vigil . President Barack Obama is to visit Newtown on Sunday to meet families and speak at an interfaith vigil at the town's high school. After the attack, he urged "meaningful action" against gun crime in the US. "As a country we have been through this too many times," he said in an emotional White House address. From President Barack Obama's words we can expect that _ .
Most children don't enjoy doing housework . Then like playing computer games rather than cleaning the rooms. But in Australia, Jim and Robert's mother, Mrs Black, has a good and proper method to get their children to do housework. Here is an example. "Mum, have you worked out next week's housework? Let Jim and me choose the cards. I can't wait. It's fun! " When Robert shouted out, his mother had already put all the cards on their big table. On the cards, there are some words like these, " sweep the floor, clean your bedroom, help mum cook, wash vegetables, make beds, feed the fish, cut the wood, clean the bathroom " and many others. Jim and Robert chose two cards for each day from Monday to Friday. Then they would hang them on the weekday task board. Jim likes to clean the bathroom, so he picked up the card "clean the bathroom ". Robert loves to make the bed so he picked up his favorite card. Jim again picked up "wash vegetables" and Robert chose " feed the fish ". Soon the two boys were happy to take away all the cards. To help the children do housework, their mother thought hard and came up with this idea. Of course, the couple did the housework on the weekends and left Jim and Robert two days free. Jim likes to _ . The amount of water in the ocean compared to fifty years ago is All the Grizzly bears felt excitement at the arrival of their new shirts; everyone except Truman, he was a very unhappy bear who didn't like to wear clothing. He also hated tying his shoes and matching his socks. These were all things Truman didn't like doing. So when the Grizzly bear king held a town meeting to pass out all the shirts, Truman stole the microphone and sang a song to express his feelings: "I won't wear those shirts you bear bosses, I won't wear my socks. I have all the fur I need, don't put me in a shirt box. I want to scratch the ground with my claws, and feel the wild wind; If you all make me wear, then my darlings as a bear, I think I'll smash you with my paws, and chew off all your skins." The other bears felt Truman had a point, and so they too chewed up the shirts, shoes, and socks the king gave them; and they chose a king who didn't have a mustache and never, ever wore a shirt and tie. What clothing does Truman like to wear? Henry finds a job on a farm.He is the strongest and youngest.He eats more,sleeps more,but works less.He doesn't like to use his head,so he knows little.He has to do some unskilled work.He always says he's tired and hopes to have a good rest.So he gets less money than others. Winter is coming.The workers are getting ready for the next year.Only Henry does nothing.The farmer tells him to cut down some trees in the forest.The young man has to go there with a chair.He feels lonely in the forest and is afraid of the animals.So he looks around and sings loudly.Nobody knows what he's singing.After three days,Henry doesn't cut down any trees.The farmer feels strange.He wants to find out how the young man is working there.To his anger ,Henry is sitting on the chair,cutting the tree."Why are you sitting here to cut the trees?"asks the farmer."Because I can't work if lying ,sir." Henry doesn't like to use his head,so _ . One day I walked down to get to my car, thinking about what I had to accomplish and scolding myself for being late for work, but surprisingly the car was nowhere to be found. This was at 8 a.m. in the morning. I made trips to all the towing places and police stations, all the time thinking that it was towed by cops .By around 10 a.m., the cops decided that it was actually stolen. After filing a report with them, I finally got to work thinking how my day was completely messed up. Later in the day I went to pick up a rental car at Enterprise only to realize that my license was missing, too, along with my car. I told the enterprise guy the whole story and he offered to take me to the closest DMV and get a duplicate license. 1 was totally shocked. I did not know why this complete stranger would want to take some time off his day to help me. He actually took me to DMV, got a duplicate and then rented me a car. I was upset the whole day because of the events happening to me but somehow this simple act of kindness from a complete stranger made it all worth it. It cheered me up and made me forget all the troubles of the day. I was so moved by this kind act that the next day I made sure someone else got a similar surprise. I took some smiley shaped chocolates and left them on some of my colleagues' desks. There is still a lot of goodness out there in the world. We just need to take the time to notice it. I hope that this story would inspire many others like me to do more acts of kindness. We can infer that DMV is _ .
Imagine that 7 out of 10 working Americans got fired tomorrow. What would they all do? It's hard to believe it would happen. But that is what the industrial revolution did to the labor force of the early 19th century. Two hundred years ago, 70 percent of American workers lived on the farm. Today automation has eliminated all but one percent of their jobs, replacing them with machines. But these workers did not sit, doing nothing. Instead, automation created hundreds of millions of jobs in completely new fields. Those who once farmed were then working in factories that produced farm equipment, cars, and other industrial products. It may be hard to believe, but before the end of this century, _ Yes, dear reader, even you will have your job taken away by machines. In other words, robot replacement is just a matter of time, First, speedy robots being able to lift 150 pounds all day long will carry boxes, sort them, and load them onto trucks. Fruit and vegetable picking will continue to be robotized until no humans pick outside of specialty farms. Next, The work of cleaning in offices and schools will be taken over by late-night robots. The trucks will be driven by robots. We need to let robots take over. They will do jobs we have been doing, and do them much better than we can. They will do jobs we can't do at all. They will do jobs we never imagined even needed to be done, and they will help us discover new jobs for ourselves and new tasks that expand who we are. They will let us focus on becoming more human than we were. How does the author feel about robots taking over our jobs? A Afraid. B Happy. C Puzzled. D Angry. Answer: B. Happy. One Test for Graduate and Business School. Getting an advanced degree can create many opportunities. The GRE revised General Test--the most widely accepted graduate admission test worldwide--can bring you one step closer to achieving your career goals. There has never been a better time to take the test that gives you more opportunities for your future. The GRE revised General Test features question types that closely reflect the kind of thinking you'll do in graduate or business school. Who Takes It? Prospective graduate and business school applicants from all around the world who are interested in pursuing a master's , MBA, specialized master's in business or doctoral degree take the GRE revised General Test. Applicants come from varying educational and cultural backgrounds and the GRE revised General Test provides a common measure for comparing candidates' qualifications. GRE scores are used by admissions or fellowship panels to supplement your undergraduate records, recommendation letters and other qualifications for graduatelevel study. When and Where Do People Take It? The GRE revised General Test is available at more than 700 test centers in more than 160 countries. In most regions of the world, the computerdelivered test is available on a continuous basis throughout the year. In Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea, the computerdelivered test is available one to two times per month. In areas of the world where computerdelivered testing is not available, the paperdelivered test is available up to three times a year in October, November and February. Who Accepts It? The GRE revised General Test is accepted at thousands of graduate and business schools as well as departments and divisions within these schools. In a lessdeveloped area with very few computers, testtakers probably can't take the GRE revised General Test in _ . A August B October C November D February Answer: A. August Ellie lived with her six children in a small house. One winter, there was a big flood and quite a few houses were washed away, but Ellie's house was high enough to keep them safe. Many families lost everything in the flood. And Ellie took in one of the families. She shared her home with them until the family could build their own new house. Ellie's friends could not understand why she did so because she already had so many children to look after. "Well," Ellie said to her friends, "At the end of World War I, there was a poor woman in a town in Germany. Her husband had been killed in the war and she had a lot of children, just like me now." "The day before Christmas, this woman said to her children, 'We will not be able to have much for Christmas. I am going to get just one present for us all. Now I will go and get it.' She came back with a little girl who had no parents, 'Here is our present,' she said to her own children." "The children were very excited to get such a present. They welcomed the little girl warmly, and she grew up as their sisters. I was that Christmas present." How many children did Ellie had in total? A Five. B Six. C Seven. D Eight. Answer: B. Six. Hello! My name is Bill. I am twelve years old. I am from America. Now I am in a junior high school in Xiamen. We have 20 boys and 25 girls in our class. My favorite teacher is Miss White. She is from Canada. She is 27 years old. She is tall. She has long brown hair. Her face is round and she has big eyes. She is a good teacher. She can speak English and Chinese. I have a good friend here. His name is Mike. He is an English boy. We have the same age. My classmates are kind to me. We often help each other. ,A, B, C, D. (5) Bill is in _ now. A America B China C England D Canada Answer: B. China Does it feel right? This is an excerpt from Oprah Winfrey's 2008 Stanford Commencement Address: A year after I left college, I was given the opportunity to co-anchor the 6 o'clock news in Baltimore...Yet, it didn't feel right. The first sign, as President Hennessy was saying, was when they tried to change my name. The news director said to me at the time: "Nobody's going to remember Oprah. So, we want to change your name. We've come up with a name we think that people will remember and people will like. It's a friendly name: Suzie."... I grew up not loving the name, but once I was asked to change it, I thought, well, it is my name and do I look like a Suzie to you? So, I thought, no, it doesn't feel right. I'm not going to change my name. And if people remember it or not, that's OK. And then they said they didn't like the way I looked... So, they sent me to a salon where they gave me a perm , and after a few days all my hair fell out and I had to shave my head. And then they really didn't like the way I looked, because now I am black and bald and sitting on TV. Not a pretty picture. But even worse than being bald, I really hated, hated, hated being sent to report on other people's tragedies as a part of my daily duty, knowing that I was just expected to observe, when everything in my instinct told me that I should be doing something, (and that) I should be lending a hand... It felt right. And that's where everything that followed for me began. And after eight months, I lost that job. They said I was too emotional. I was too much. But since they didn't want to pay out the contract, they put me on a talk show in Baltimore. And the moment I sat down on that show, the moment I did, I felt like I'd come home. I realized that TV could be more than just a playground, but a platform for service, for helping other people's lives improve. And the moment I sat down, doing that talk show, it felt like breathing. And I got that lesson. When you're doing the work you're meant to do, it feels right and every day is a bonus , regardless of what you're getting paid. Which of the following best describes Oprah? A Understanding and optimistic. B Careful and considerate. C Persuasive and emotional. D Determined and sympathetic. Answer: D. Determined and sympathetic.
China is having such a huge influence on the United States that many Americans are struggling to learn the Chinese language in a bid to keep competitive. "Interest in learning Chinese among American youth and their parents has grown quickly in the past five years," said Vivien Stewart, vice president at the Asia Society. China's quick rise to near-superpower and its effects politically, economically and culturally are driving the American's interest to learn the language, experts say. From kindergartens to high schools, studies by the Asia Society show, there is a "rapid rise" in interest among pupils to study the Chinese language. "The Chinese rich cultural traditions and _ economy mean that it is now important for all of our students to be better prepared," said Michael Levine, Asia Society's executive director of education. A survey found that 2,400 high schools - an unbelievably high number - would be interested in offering the Advanced Placement (AP) courses in Chinese language and culture when the courses become available in 2016. China, the world's most popular nation, is important to the United States because it is a leading trader, consumer and investor. Its political influence is also rising across the world. It has replaced the United States as the world's largest consumer and could become the second largest economy in the world, after the United States, in the next two to three decades. Even though the US State Department has described the Chinese language "critical" to national prosperity and security, "the current facilities to support recruitment of students and teachers as well as the growth of high quality programs is terribly not enough," an Asia Society study says. The Society has set an aim of having at least five percent of American high school students learning Chinese by 2015. "Millions of Chinese are learning English, but only 24,000 Americans are learning Chinese," said Andrew Corcoran of the San Francisco-based Chinese American International School. The most popular languages after English in US schools at present are Spanish and French while Japanese is the most popular Asian language. Why do more and more Americans begin to learn the Chinese language? Answer: To keep competitive. When other nine-year-old kids were playing games , she was working at a petrol station.When other teens were studying or going out , she struggled to find a place to sleep on the street.But she overcame these terrible setbacks to win a highly competitive scholar and gain entry to Harvard University. Her amazing story has inspired a move , " Homeless to Harvard : The Liz Murray Story ", shown in late April. Liz Murray , a year- old American girl , has been writing a real-life story of willpower and determination. Liz grew up in the shadow of two drug-addicted.There was never enough food or warm clothes in the house.Liz was the only member of the family who had a job. Her mother had AIDS and died when Liz was just 15 years old.The effect of that loss became a turning point in her life.Connecting the environment in which she had grown up with how her mother had died , she decided to do something about it. Liz went back to school.She threw herself into her studies , never telling her teachers that she was homeless.At night , she lived on the streets. " What drove me to survive had to do with understanding , by understanding that there was a whole other way of being.I had only experienced a small part of the society , " she wrote in her book " Breaking Night ". She admitted that she used envy to drive herself on.She used the benefits that come easily to others , such as a safe living environment , to encourage herself that " next to nothing could hold me down ". She finished high school in just two years and won a full scholarship to study at Harvard University.But Liz decided to leave her top university for a couple of moths earlier this year in order to take care of her father , who has also developed AIDS." I love my parents so much.They are drug addicts.But I never forget that they love me all the time." Liz wants moviegoers to come away with the idea that changing your life is " as simple a making a decision." When she wrote " I had only experienced a small part of the society ", she _ Answer: suggested something she wanted for her life A team of engineers at Harvard University has been inspired by Nature to create the first robotic fly. The mechanical fly has become a platform for a series of new high-tech integrated systems. Designed to do what a fly does naturally, the tiny machine is the size of a fat housefly. Its mini wings allow it to stay in the air and perform controlled flight tasks. "It's extremely important for us to think about this as a whole system and not just the sum of a bunch of individual components ," said Robert Wood, the Harvard engineering professor who has been working on the robotic fly project for over a decade. A few years ago, his team got the go-ahead to start piecing together the components. "The added difficulty with a project like this is that actually none of those components are off the shelf and so we have to develop them all on our own," he said. They engineered a series of systems to start and drive the robotic fly. "The seemingly simple system which just moves the wings has a number of interdependencies on the individual components, each of which individually has to perform well, but then has to be matched well to everything it's connected to," said Wood. The flight device was built into a set of power, computation, sensing and control systems. Wood says the success of the project proves that the flying robot with these tiny components can be built and manufactured. While this first robotic flyer is linked to a small, off-board power source, the goal is eventually to equip it with a built-in power source, so that it might someday perform data-gathering work at rescue sites, in farmers' fields or on the battlefield. "Basically it should be able to take off, land and fly around," he said. Wood says the design offers a new way to study flight mechanics and control at insect-scale. Yet, the power, sensing and computation technologies on board could have much broader applications. "You can start thinking about using them to answer open scientific questions, you know, to study biology in ways that would be difficult with the animals, but using these robots instead," he said. "So there are a lot of technologies and open interesting scientific questions that are really what drives us on a day to day basis." (392 words) Which of the following can be learned from the passage? Answer: Wood's design can replace animals in some experiments. DIY sailor Owen Warboys has finally launched his homemade boat -- after spending nearly 30 years building it in his mum's garden. Owen, 66, a retired engineer from Hordle, New Milton, Hants, first started work on the 40ft--long boat in 1982 because he could not afford to buy his own. He told mum Edith that it would only take five years but after suffering "a few problems" it lasted nearly three decades. When he finally finished, he was left with the head-scratching task of getting the 18-tonne boat out of the back garden. After some time he found a way. A huge crane was brought in to carefully raise it 40ft in the air over his mother's house and onto a lorry. It was then driven to the seaside and, to Owen's delight, it floated and showed no signs of leaking when lowered into the water. Now, 28 years after he first started, Owen is at last preparing to set sail in his beloved boat, Wight Dolphin, with his long-suffering wife Anne. Owen said, "I am so relieved that it's finished. There were times when I thought it would never end but I'm the sort of person who likes to finish something once I've started." At first he persuaded his mum to let him do it in her garden and started taking in sheets of steel and pieces of wood. "My mother was happy for me to build it at her house but only bacause I told her it would only take five years." Why did Owen decide to make his own boat by himself? Answer: He didn't have enough money to buy a boat As I was leaving to meet Lynne,my roommate told me that I'd better take some money,but I didn't listen to him. I thought that Lynne would pay because she had invited me. I arrived at the restaurant exactly on time. I'd been told that Americans expect you to be on time. Lynne and I sat at a table in the corner of the restaurant and a waitress came and took our order. The dinner was a great success. I talked a lot about Saudi Arabia and Lynne told me all about herself. After two hours the waitress finally came and asked if we wanted one check or two. Lynne said two. We went to the cashier and Lynne paid her check. I was embarrassed when the cashier gave me my bill. I had no money to pay for my meal. Then I had an idea. I pretended to look for something in my pockets and said,"Oh!I forgot my money! Can I call my roommate,please?" The cashier showed me where the phone was and I quickly called my roommate. In a few minutes he arrived with some money,but he couldn't hide how he felt. He laughed all the way home. Now,I think it's funny too. But at the time I was terribly embarrassed. I thought that an invitation to have dinner meant the same thing in the United States as in my country. I guess you have to understand that your customs are only your customs. When you visit a foreign country,you have to learn about their customs,too. The writer's roommate advised the writer to take some money with him to _ . Answer: share the cost of the meal
Compared to Iron Man 1, which I really like, Iron Man 2 has more action, better special effects and is funnier. In Iron Man 2, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces two enemies--a weapon producer named Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) and Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), a horrible-looking Russian who wants revenge for something related to Tony's father. Besides the two enemies, Tony is also facing his own death. His man-made heart, which gives his Iron Man suit its power, is also harming his body. My favourite part of the movie was when Iron Man uses his laser against an army of Hammer's Iron Man robots. Everyone in the theater was cheering. My favourite special effects scene was the fight scene at a car race. Ivan tore Tony's car apart piece by piece. A funny part in the movie is when Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson) is inside a boxing ring with Happy Hogan (played by director Jon Favreau). Happy Hogan tries to hit Natalie Rushman. However, he is the one who ends up on the floor. The only problem I had with the movie was that I didn't understand why Ivan had so much hate toward Tony. I loved Iron Man 1 very much, and I expected Iron Man 2 to be much better. And after watching the movie, I'd like to say it is even better than I expected. When Iron Man was fighting an army of Hammer's Iron Man robots, people in the theater were _ . A. relaxed B. angry C. excited D. disappointed Answer: C IWFU is short for "I want to find you", and is an-easy-use Internet program which makes communication online easy. With IWFU, you can chat, send messages, play games and surf the Internet with your friends, and much more. With just a click of your mouse, you and your friends are connected at once. Using IWFU is simple. When you install IWFU, the program asks you to register . When you register, you receive a special IWFU number. You can also enter information about yourself which allows other IWFU users to recognize you when you log on. Once you've registered, you can make a list of your IWFU friends. IWFU will then use the list to identify your friends. As soon as you log onto the Internet, IWFU will let people know that you are online. Whether you are in Asia or Europe, in the United States or China, you can access your friends from anywhere and at any time through IWFU. IWFU uses friends list to _ . A. identify the user's friends B. store information C. collect the user's data D. log on the Internet Answer: A Mike Myers is a teacher at Chauncey Rose High School in Terre Haute, Indiana. Last year, he taught his students about the world's rain forests. They learned that rain forests are important because the plants and animals of the rain forest give us food, wood, and medicine. Destruction of the world's rain forests is a serious problem. Unluckily, rain forests are disappearing at a rate of 80 acres per minute! As part of a class project, Myers' students bought three acres of rain forest in Costa Rica. They paid $25 per acre. The students hope that the land they bought will be protected and not destroyed. The students became so interested in rain forests that they decided to get a closer look at a real rain forest. So last June, Myers and four of his students took a boat ride down a river. They saw alligators and crocodiles. In the middle of the week, a guide took Myers and his students into the rain forest. "The monkeys were not happy that we were in their forest. They broke small branches off the trees and threw them at us," one of the students said, "It was a great learning experience for all of us," said Myers. Each student chose something specific about Costa Rica to study involving the plants, animals, food, and culture. During the last few days the group had time to do fun activities. They went whitewater rafting and horseback riding, and visited Costa Rica's active volcano. Myers hopes to make the trip every year with a different group of kids. The passage mainly shows that Myers and his students _ . A. did something to protect rain forest B. wanted to buy the rain forest in Costa Rica C. were interested in the culture of Costa Rica D. went to the rain forest for various fun activities Answer: A Preventing obesity and smoking can save lives, but it doesn't save money, reported researchers. "It was a small surprise, for it is against the common belief," said Pieter Van Baal, who led the study. "But it makes sense. If you live longer, then you cost the health system more." The researchers found that from age 20 to 56, obese people racked up the most expensive health costs. But on average, healthy people lived 84 years. Smokers lived about 77 years, and obese people lived about 80 years. Smokers and obese people tended to have more heart disease than healthy people. Therefore in the long run, the thin and healthy group cost about $417, 000, from age 20 on. Smokers cost about $326, 000 and obese people $371, 000. "The result throws a bucket of cold water onto the idea, based on guesswork, that obesity is going to cost trillions of dollars," said Patrick Basham, a professor of health politics. "If we're going to worry about the future of obesity, we should stop worrying about its financial impact," he said. "The benefits of obesity prevention may not be seen immediately in terms of cost saving in tomorrow's budget, but there are long-term gains," said Van Baal. "These are often immeasurable when it comes to people living longer and healthier lives." In the meanwhile, he said that governments should recognize that successful smoking and obesity prevention programs mean that people will have a longer chance of dying of something more expensive later in life. "Lung cancer is a cheap disease to treat because people don't survive very long. But if they are old enough to get Alzheimer's one day, they may survive longer and cost more. We are not advising that governments stop trying to prevent obesity," Van Baal said. "But they should do it for the right reasons." According to the text, governments prevent obesity for the purpose of _ . A. reducing the risks of suffering cancer B. weakening obesity's financial impact C. making sure of people's long and healthy life D. reducing the money spent on medical programs Answer: C Which of these properties of water helps moderate the weather of coastal areas? A. neutral pH B. high specific heat C. dissolves many substances D. floats as a solid Answer: B
When I was growing up,I was embarrassed to be seen with my father. He was badly crippled ,and when we would walk together,his hand on my arm for balance,people would stare,I would be ashamed of the unwanted attention. It was difficult to walk together--and because of that,we didn't say much as we went along. But as we started out,he always said,"You set the pace. I will try to follow you." Our usual walk was to or from the subway,which was how he got to work. He went to work sick,and even in bad weather. He almost never missed a day,and would make it to the office even if others could not. It was a matter of pride for him. When snow or ice was on the ground,it was impossible for him to walk,even with help. At such times my sister or I would pull him through the streets of Brooklyn,N.Y.,on a child's sleigh to the subway entrance. Once there,he would try to grasp handrail until he reached the lower steps that the warmer tunnel air kept ice free. In Manhattan the subway station was the basement of his office building,and he would not have to go outside again until we met him in Brooklyn on his way home. When I think of it now,I am surprised at how much courage it must have taken for a grown man to suffer from shame and disability. And I am also surprised at how he did it--without bitterness or complaint. He never talked about himself as an object of pity,nor did he show any envy of the more fortunate or able. What he looked for in others was a "good heart",and if he found one,the owner was good enough for him. Now that I am older,I believe that is a proper standard by which to judge people,even though I still don't know exactly what a "good heart" is. But I know the times I don't have one myself. He has been away for many years now,but I think of him often. I wonder if he sensed my reluctance to be seen with him during our walks. If he did,I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was,how unworthy I was,how I regretted it. I think of him when I complain about my troubles,when I am envious of another's good fortune,when I don't have a "good heart". How did the father get to work usually? A. By subway. B. By bus. C. By wheelchair. D. By bike. Answer: A. By subway. More than 20 million kids in the United States live with one parent. Separation and divorce are the most common reasons for this. In other cases, the mom and dad may never have lived together, or one of them may have died. Living with one parent instead of two can bring about a lot of emotions. These feelings can be pretty strong, and they can be confusing, too. You might feel terribly sad and angry because your parents divorced. Single parents are often working parents because someone needs to earn money to buy food, clothing, and a place to live in. Having a job means your mom or dad is able to provide these things and more for you. People work for other reasons, too. A job can let a person use his or her special talents and skills. A job can be important because it helps people in the community. But even though you might understand why your mom or dad has to work, sometimes it can be hard to accept. This can be especially true during the summer or school vacations. _ It can be tough when you don't have enough time with your dad or mom. When you live with one parent, that person really has to do the work of two people. Besides a job, your mom or dad is responsible for caring for the kids, the house, the yard, the car and the pets. So what can you do ? One of the best ways is to hold a family meeting. Talk about everyone's schedule for work, school, and activities. You can also talk about what jobs around the house need to be done every day. You might want to help your parent cook dinner sometimes. That can be both fun and helpful to your parent. Maybe you can also schedule a weekly game or a movie at night. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? A. Some kids live with one parent for the other's death. B. Living with one parent can cause a lot of emotions. C. Working means a mom or dad is able to provide things for their kids. D. Kids can also talk about what jobs in their school can be done at a family meeting. Answer: D. Kids can also talk about what jobs in their school can be done at a family meeting. Scientists say life will be very different in 2050. First,there will be no TV channels in 2050.People will choose a program from a computer and watch it on TV.In 2050,we will get information from the computers only. Second,water will be a big problem in 2050.In many places,people won't have water to drink. Third,cars will use new and clean fuels and they will go very fast.There will be a computer in every car.And the computers will control the cars and there won't be any accidents . Which word can describe the life in 2050? A. Dull . B. Funny. C. Different. D. Bad. Answer: C. Different. On my first day in America, I was excited, but nervous as well. It was my dear neighbor Susan who helped me get used to my new life far away from home. There was a knock at the door. When I opened it, Susan came in with a home-made apple pie. She hugged me and said:"You must be the precious Chinese doll!" With a big smile, she went on:"Alice, I am sure you have never, ever tried a home-made apple pie before! You are going to love it so much!" To be honest, I was greatly surprised by this welcome from a stranger. And the apple pie made me feel at home. Susan was very helpful to me. When I was thinking about a costume to wear on Halloween, she suggested I dress up like a traditional Chinese girl. "I happen to have a traditional Chinese dress and guess what, I am a great make-up artist!" she said. Susan didn't hide her excitement, when, after an hour of hard work, she pushed me to the mirror to examine our work. The clothes fit me perfectly! I am sure that I _ from the crowd that Halloween, and I am very grateful to Susan for her help. My first Thanksgiving was another highlight. On the festival morning, I was surprised to find a gift box in my front yard. There was a note on it:"Hello Alice, I am the Thanksgiving bunny! Enjoy your gift!" I looked around and caught Susan looking at me from the porch. Seeing that she had been caught, she awkwardly picked up a newspaper and pretended to read it. I couldn't help laughing. When I walked up to her, she said:"It was not me. It was the Thanksgiving bunny!" Susan is such a lovely person; she is the American above all others I need to thank. I saw that the spirit of the Chinese saying, that "Neighbors carry more weight than distant relatives," is alive and well in America. Susan filled my heart with warmth and joy, just as angels do. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A. The writer lent a Chinese dress to Susan to wear at Halloween. B. Susan often looked at her neighbors to find out what they were doing. C. The writer had never had an apple-pie before she went to America. D. Susan helped the writer to appreciate American festivals. Answer: D. Susan helped the writer to appreciate American festivals. Which has a child that will miss out on being a pupa? A. an ant B. a bee C. a butterfly D. a giraffe Answer: D. a giraffe
Hello, I'm Linda. This is Jen. She's my mum. She's 38 years old. She's wearing a red coat, a pair of red shoes and a pair of blue pants. She often wears a big hat, too. She is a teacher. And the students in her school like her very much. She likes singing . But she doesn't like playing sports. On Sundays, she goes shopping with me. ,. Jen is a _ . Answer: Cars are the most important part of life in the United States. Without a car most people feel that they are poor. And even if a person is poor he doesn't feel really poor when he has a car. Henry Ford was the man who first started making cars in large numbers. He probably doesn't know how much the car was going to affect American culture. The car made the United States a nation on wheels. And it helped to make the United States what it is today. There are many reasons that the car became so popular in the United States. First of all, the country was a large one and Americans like to move around in it. The car provides the most comfortable and cheapest from of transportation. With a car people can go to any place without spending a lot of money. The second reason that cars are popular is the fact that the United States never really developed an efficient and inexpensive form of public transportation. Long distance trains have never been as common in the United States as they are in the other parts of the world. Nowadays there is good system of air service provided by planes. But it is too expensive to be used frequently. The third reason is the most important one. The American spirit of independence is what really made cars popular. Americans don't like to wait for a bus, or a train or even a plane. They don't like to have to follow an exact schedule. A car gives them the freedom to plan their own time. And this is the freedom that Americans want most to have. The gas shortage has caused a big problem for Americans. But the answer will not be a bigger system of public transportation. The real solution will have to be a new kind of car, one that does not use so much gas. Henry was the first to _ cars. Answer: A teacher showed three toys to his students and asked them to find out the differences. All the three toys seemed to have the same shape, size and material. After looking at them carefully, the students discovered holes in the toys. The first toy had holes in the ears. The second toy had holes in its ear and mouth. The third toy had only one hole in one of its ears. Then the teacher put a needle in one ear hole of the first toy. The needle came out of the other ear. For the second toy, when the needle was put in its ear , it came out of its mouth. And for the third toy, when the needle was put in, it did not come out. So the teacher explained to his students," The first toy represent those people who seem to be listening to you and caring for you. But they are just pretending to do so. After listening, as the needle comes out from the next ear, the things you said to them are gone. In fact, they don't care for you at all." "The second toy represents those people who listen to you and care for you. But as in the toy, the needle comes out from mouth, these people will use what you tell them to fight against you. They tell others what you said and tell your secrets for their purposes." "As for the third toy, the needle does not come out. It represents those people who will keep the trust you put in them. They are the ones that you can believe." People who use the words you told them to hurt you are like _ . Answer: When we give our kids holiday gifts, many of us can't wait to hear their appreciative cries of"thank you!"once the wrapping gets ripped off. But here's a tip: You'd be wise not to expect much gratitude from them for what they receive. Gratitude can make us happier, healthier, and even fitter. But do the kids show their gratitude for the stuff we buy them? All the research I've done has convinced me that it won't happen. One mom told me that when she asked her 16-year-old son to thank her for buying him a cellphone, he said, "But that's what moms should do." From a teenager's angle, it's a parent's responsibility to take care of the family. According to Dunham, Yale's assistant professor of psychology, "When teenagers code it that way, a gift is no longer something given freely and voluntarily"--it's just mom and dad living up to their obligation. Parents do have the right to demand good manners and children should thank sincerely whoever gives them something. But kids can't know how blessed they are unless they have a basis for comparison. And they don't learn that by a parent complaining that they're ungrateful. We need to give our children the gift of a wider world view. Show by example that gratitude isn't aboutstuff--which ultimately can't make any of us happy anyway.It's about realizing how lucky you are and paying your good fortune forward. You can collect all the charitable appeals and sit down together with the kids to go through them. You set the budget for giving and the kids decide how it's distributed. Once the conversation about gratitude gets started, it's much easier to continue all year. Also you can set up a family routine at bedtime where kids describe three things that have made them grateful. When kids go off to college, you can text them a picture each week of something that inspires your appreciation. Teaching children to focus on the positive and appreciate the good in their lives is perhaps the greatest gift we can give them. And we can all learn together that the things that really matter aren't on sale at a department store. To make children grateful for what they have, parents should _ . Answer: The size and shape of your ears show your character more than any other parts of the face. Other parts of the face change shape as we get older, but ears do not change their shape. They only change in size. Reading people's character from their ears is an old science. In very old times people thought that a person with big ears had a good and generous character. They thought that a person with pale, small ears was dangerous. They also thought that the shape of the ear showed if a person was musical. Today, too many people believe that the size and the shape of the ear help you know if a person is musical. Ears are all different, and each characteristic has a meaning. Next time when you look at a person, see if his ears are large, medium-size or small. Look at the lobes (the lowest part of the ear). Do they stick to the face? Ears that are always red mean a person may easily get angry, or he / she just has high blood pressure . Ears that are always cold and pale mean a person has a nervous character. And a big inside hole of the ear means a person is musical. When a baby is born, _ . Answer:
I am the mother of a five-year-old girl now, but I'll never forget some of the best lessons my mother taught me. Lesson 1---Always be there for your child I can't tell you the last time my parents missed a big event in my life; it never happened. Whether it was a play, or even just a practice---my parents were always there for me. As an only child, they _ everything in my life. Lesson2---Hide in the bathroom For years I wondered why my mother had made the bathroom her own personal library and would stay there forever. Now I know it's the only place for her to have at least two minutes of peace and quiet. Well, I try to, but that's quite difficult with two cats, a dog, a kid, a husband and only one bathroom. Lesson3---Get involved I was lucky in having parents who let me do anything they think was good. Now today, I am fond of being active and involved. Whether it is a sports game or a volunteering group, or just playing with my daughter, I love to be involved. Lesson4---It's OK to fail My parents weren't perfect and that was OK. I know I'm not perfect and I hope my daughter knows that's OK. Families love one another no matter what happens. If you fail, you learn from the mistakes and keep right on going. Parents are so important to a child's growth and development and I'm so glad that I had great parents to follow. What is difficult for the writer to do? A. To set up her own personal library. B. To do her housework well every day. C. To find a quiet or peaceful place to read. D. To stay in her bathroom for a long time. Answer: C. To find a quiet or peaceful place to read. The teaching of physics in schools is in danger of dying out unless urgent action is taken to deal with a serious lack of teachers, the government is warned today. The number of students taking physics at A-level has fallen 38% since 1990, according to a research. At the same time the number of mew physics teachers has dropped sharply while the shortage is likely to worsen as older teachers retire. prefix = st1 /Britain's leading scientists and engineers expressed alarm over the findings, which they say are part of the problems in science education generally. Lord May of Oxford, president of the Royal Society, theUK's National Academy of Science, said, "The problems facing science at A-level are well beyond physics. We have over and over again noted the general downward trend of students studying the sciences beside biology and math at A-level. If we fail to deal with this then we may lose the ability to train the next generation of scientists, technologists and engineers." Alan Smithers and Pamela Robinson, who did the research in 432 schools and colleges inEnglandandWales, said that since 1990, the number of physics students had fallen by 38%, from 45,334 to 28,119. Nearly 10% of state schools now do not offer A-level physics, and of those that do 39.5% had five students or fewer taking it this year. Over the same period, the research discovered, the number of people who are allowed to become physics teachers dropped from about a third of the science total to 12.8%. The supply of physics teachers is not _ itself, with nearly twice as many aged over 50 as 30 or younger. Another danger is the redefinition of science subjects to "general science". Professor Smithers and Dr Robinson warn that the subject is in danger of dying out in schools." Physics in schools and colleges is at risk through redefinition and lack of teachers with expertise in the subject," they said. "If physics is to survive in schools, both as basic education and as a platform for higher level study and research, there is a need for immediate action." What is the best title for the passage? A. Lack of Physics Teachers Causes Trouble. B. How Important the Physics Is! C. Physics Is Dying Out in Schools. D. Why Do We Study Physics? Answer: C. Physics Is Dying Out in Schools. When I was in primary school, sometimes I would meet a girl of the same age as me. Lisa was never active, but she was always very sweet and nice. In the 5th grade she came to my class. She was absent a lot , and one day I had the courage to ask why. She told me she was sick, and she explained she wore a wig because her medicine made her lose her hair. We left it at that. Anytime Lisa came to class--seldom--I would hang around with her on the playground. I received much ridicule from my friends for this because they thought I was ignoring them for Lisa. My family education taught me to be nice, and I felt Lisa's needs were much more important than others I knew. It had been months since Lisa was in our class, and one day our teacher was crying. She explained Lisa died the day before and would no longer be our classmate. She told us Lisa had fought a battle with cancer for years. I was shocked. Lisa never spoke of her illness as if it could kill her. Well, all these years I have kept Lisa in my mind and heart. When I go through the important events in my life, I think of Lisa. I've had a strong wish recently to find her mother and father. I'd like to tell them that though they never met me, their daughter had a sweet effect on my life. I have no idea what her parents' first names are. I write to your column and hope you can point me in the right direction. Lisa was such a lovely girl. Maybe her parents would be comforted by the fact that after all these years they are not the only ones who remember her. Why was the author being laughed at? A. Because she lost her friends because of Lisa. B. Because she wore a wig to school. C. Because she cried in the classroom. D. Because she always played with Lisa. Answer: D. Because she always played with Lisa. Nowadays, a cellphone service is available to everyone, everywhere. Probably thousands of people have already been using it, but I just discovered it, so I'm going to claim it and also name it: Fake Foning. The technology has been working well for me at the office, but there are infinite applications. Virtually in any public space. Say you work at a big university with lots of talky faculty members buzzing about. Now, say you need to use the restroom. The trip down the hall will take approximately one hour, because a person can't walk into those talky people without getting pulled aside for a question, a bit of gossip, a new read on a certain line of Paradise Lost. So, a cellphone. Any cellphone. Just pick it up. Don't dial. Just hold that phone to your face and start talking. Walk confidently down the hall engaged in fake conversation, making sure to tailor both the topic and content to the person standing before you whom you are trying to avoid. For standard colleague avoidance, I suggest fake chatting about fake business: "Yes, I'm glad you called, because we really need to hammer out the details. What's that? Yes, I read Page 12, but if you look at the bottom of 4, I think you can see the problem begins right there." Be engaged in your fake fone conversation. Make eye contact with the people passing, nod to them, gesture keen interest in talking to them at a later time, point to your phone, shrug and move on. Shoppers should consider fake foning anytime they spot a talky neighbor in the produce department pinching unripe peaches. Without your phone at your face, you'd be in for a 20-minute speech on how terrible the world is. One important caution about fake foning. The other day I was fake foning my way past a colleague, and he was actually following me to get my attention. I knew he wanted to ask about a project I had not yet finished. I was trying to buy myself some time, so I continued fake foning with my doctor. "So I don't need the operation? Oh, doctor, that is the best news." And then: Brrrrrrng! Brrrrrmg! Brrrrrmg! My phone started ringing, right there while it was planted on my face. My colleague looked at me, and I at him, and naturally I gasped. "What is the matter with this thing?" I said, pulling the phone away to look at it, and then putting it back to my ear. "Hello? Are you still there?" Oops. What is the tone of the passage? A. Critical. B. Humorous. C. Serious. D. Unclear. Answer: B. Humorous. This happened several years ago.But it has stuck with me so I wanted to share it. Every day on my way to work I would buy a newspaper from an elderly gentleman on the corner of the street.He would always smile and say,"Good morning."His smile always made my day. Most of the people who sell these papers are homeless or poor and they do it to make a few bucks. One day Charlie wasn't there!Someone else was in his place! This other guy told me Charlie was in the veterans' hospital. It troubled me all day long.All I could think about was Charlie being alone in the hospital.I never knew he was a veteran who had served our country.I just knew his smile always made my day. I asked my girlfriend if she would go with me to visit him and she agreed.When I showed up in Charlie's room he began to cry.He told us he had been feeling very lonely and was convinced no one would ever visit him.He said that we were his only visitors. We told him we were glad to do it and thanked him for all that he had done for others. I never saw Charlie after that,although I heard he moved to California.That was thirty years ago but I haven't forgotten my smiling friend.A big thankyou to those who serve our country and protect us and thank you Charlie,wherever you are! By saying "his smile always made my day",the writer meant " _ ". A. his smile made me feel very happy B. I always remembered his smile all day C. he always smiled as I made my way to work D. he would smile to wish me a good day Answer: A. his smile made me feel very happy
EUROPE is home to a variety of cultural treasures. Lonely Planet has offered pairs of cities for culture-hungry but time-poor travelers. London and Paris It takes you about two hours to travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, a high-speed railway service. The two capital cities have been competing in fashion, art and nightlife for decades--but each secretly looks up to the other. No one can doubt the grand and impressive beauty of Paris' Louvre Museum, but if you want to save money, you cannot skip the British Museum free to visit. Compared with London, Paris has more outdoor attractions, such as the beautiful green walkway La Promenade Plantee. In Paris, you'll see diners linger over red wine. While in London, you can try some afternoon tea, eat fish and chips or salted cake. Vienna and Bratislava Austrian capital Vienna and Slovakia city Bratislava are an hour apart by train. But since they are linked by the Danube River, the best way to travel is by ship. A tour of the two cities is the perfect way to experience everything from 17thcentury's Habsburg dynasty splendor to sci-fi restaurants. Vienna is famous for Mozart and imperial palaces. You can appreciate the perfect blending of architecture and nature in the grand Scholoss Schonbrunn Palace, and reward yourself with a cup of Vienna coffee, which has made its way to the world's cultural heritage list. Bratislava is best known for its fine dining--the remarkable UFO restaurant. You can enjoy a meat-laden dinner here in an amazing setting. Lonely Planet recommends these two pairs of cities because _ . Answer: they are close but different in many aspects. The technology is improving every year. We will see some very exciting home robots in the next few years. In the future the robots can do lots of things. 1. Getting things In a few years, it will be possible to tell your home robot to get a piece of bread for you. The robot will use its eyes and an arm to get the bread for you. 2. Watering plants Future robots will carry water to water plants. 3. Telling dangers A home robot will find out fire, smoke and other dangers easily. Every night the robot will make its rounds to make sure that everything is right. 4. Looking after children A robot will help us look after our children well while we are not at home. A robot will get something for you with _ . Answer: eyes and an arm In certain countries of the world,the king or queen is still the head country. The UK is one of these countries. So that does the British royal family represent for the British people today? Well,a large number of things. The royal family are of course a part of British history and tradition. They still have an important and meaning for many people today. It just wouldn't feel the same if there were no royal family. In addition to that,the queen has important formal duties: as head of the state,the Queen represents the UK on visits other would leaders to visit the UK. as head of the armed force,only the Queen can declare when the UK is at war or when the war is over. *as head of the Church of England. Not just the Queen,the royal family spend a great deal of their time traveling up and there should be royal family. Sometimes the press and media criticize the royal family as well. One criticism is that the British people should not have to pay for the royal through their taxes. Another is that the Buckingham Palace should be open to the public more often,in order to pay for the building repairs that are necessary. Which is one of the Queen's formal duties? Answer: Visiting foreign countries. My son Gilbert was eight years old and had been in the Cub Scouts only a short time. Once he was handed a sheet of paper, a block of wood and four tires and told to return home and give them all to his father. That was not an easy task for Gilbert to do. The piece of paper was a set of instructions about how to build a wooden racing car. Gilbert's father laughed when he read the instructions. The block of wood remained untouched as the weeks passed. Finally, I stepped in to see if I could figure it all out. Having no skills, I decided it would be best if I simply read the instructions and let Gilbert do the work. And he did. Within days, his block of wood was turning into a pinewood racing car. Then the big night came. With his pinewood racing car in his hand and pride in his heart we headed to the big race. As the race was done in elimination fashion , you could keep racing as long as you were the winner. Finally, it was between Gilbert and the fastestlooking car there. As the race was about to begin, Gilbert asked if they could stop for a minute, because he wanted to pray. Then the race stopped. Gilbert prayed in earnest for a very long minute. The Master came up to Gilbert and asked the obvious question, "So you prayed to win, Gilbert?" My young son answered, "Oh, no Sir. It wouldn't be fair to ask God to help you beat someone else. I just asked him to make it so I don't cry when I lose." Children seem to have wisdom far beyond us. Perhaps we spend too much of our prayer time asking God to control the race, make us the champion, or remove us from the struggle, when we should be seeking God's strength to get through what lies in our way. Who finally made the pinewood racing car? Answer: Gilbert. A glass item will do this when power is fed to it. Answer: illuminate
Question: Dr charlotte Uhlenbroek recently returned to London after filming her second series, Jungle. It was difficult, 19-week trip, during which she explored the rainforests of Borneo, the Amazon and Congo, travelling around using variety of means of transport, including hot-air balloons and canoes. "I'm interested in the way animals communicate with each other. It was sometimes dangerous making the program ---I even went swimming with piranha fish. But the worst thing was insects. On one occasion I had 70 sand-fly bites on my arm. Luckily I didn't get sick. I prefer not to take tablets every day, but if I get a fever, take some medicine immediately." Filming the series was exciting, but also frightening at times. Her most challenging experience was climbing a 100-meter tree in Borneo, as she has a great fear of heights. "I had to keep pulling myself further and further upwards. All I wanted to do was get down again. Suddenly the safety equipment didn't look very strong and I thought that my ropes would break and I would crash to the ground." What did she enjoy most about returning to London? "When I've been away in hot uncomfortable conditions for a long time I dream about an ice-cold drink and my bed at home! But the thing I look forward to the most is nice long showers. There wasn't much water in some of the places we visited and I worried that I was using it all up and not leaving any for my colleagues on the camera team! " Which best describes the TV series Jungle? A. The forest floor has hundreds of different insects-let Charlotte be your guide to these fascinating creatures. B. Making her first television appearance, Charlotte explores some of the wildest places on earth. C. Charlotte looks at ways in which the animals of the rainforest manage to live beside their human neighbors. D. Insects, piranha fish, hot-air balloons-it's all in one day's work for Charlotte in her latest series. Answer: D Question: Finding a winter job is often a proof that you're growing up, and it's also a method for earning money to pay for what you dream of. It's never too early to start considering the future. Now, here are some good choices for you! Retail Sales Retail offers plenty of opportunity for teens who are looking for a job. This type of work can pay from $10 to $15 an hour depending upon the duty you are expected to take on. It can also be great for teens who are friendly and enjoy talking to other people. For more information, call us at 4005075. Food Service A job in the food service industry is a natural fit for sociable teens who enjoy communicating with the public. It allows employees to work as part of a team while learning about following instructions. It also comes with the opportunity to earn between $8 and $10 per hour. Just call 4005077 for more information. Babysitter This job requires someone who is highly responsible. Though it pays generally between $6 and $8 hourly, it also requires a lot of patience. This is a great choice for teens who wish to make a career in teaching, child care, social work or any other field that makes use of social skills or requires interaction with kids. Got a question? Just call 4005076. Housekeeping This type of work can bring in about $5 an hour and it will allow teens to learn the tourism industry, so hotels are often looking for more housekeeping staff, and parks often need more people to assist with keeping public areas clean and organized as well. Telephone:4005079 How much can you earn at least in two hours as a retailer? A. $20. B. $12. C. $16. D. $10. Answer: A Question: In a living statue, just as the name implies, somebody transforms himself or herself into a statue. Last year, I came across an article in a magazine describing living statues in the streets of some Australian cities. The article was vividly written, except that there was not even a single picture; one could only imagine what a scene it would have been! All the harder, then, to believe that I ran into the "wonder" in prefix = st1 /Barcelonathis year. The performers - the living statues - were street artists at Las Ramblas. Las Ramblas is the most famous street in Barcelona. Especially in summer, thousands of tourists go to the seaside by passing through this street, making it a center of shops and bazaars. Not only can you find tourists there, but also thieves, cheats, cops...among whom the living statue artists are the most special group. They were covered with greasepaint in different color1s, wearing season - disproportional clothes, standing on a pedestal for several hours without making even a single move. Are they real or _ , the guests were wondering...and then suddenly the statues came to life, just for a few seconds to shift positions. But the movement of the statues seemed like someone just had breathed life into them. They really do look like statues, and that's how they got their name. Usually there is a jar or a hat in front of them. They would change to another pose whenever some tourist puts a coin in the hat. You may take photos after giving a Euro, or even less, but be careful not to touch the statues, unless you want yourself to be covered in paint. It's a really special experience, don't you think? The best title for this passage would be_. A. The Living Statues of Barcelona B. Street Artists at Las Ramblas C. A Shopping Center in Barcelona D. Special Performances at Las Ramblas Answer: A Question: As the molecules of water begin to slow down they go into a phase where they are no longer able to easily move past each other. The water is passing through a phase change and will A. remain a mixture. B. remain a compound. C. become an element. D. become a compound. Answer: B Question: Bright blue Citi Bikes are becoming a fine sight in the New Yorker street. New Yorkers are gradually getting used to more pedaling passengers on those blue Citi Bikes. But what about local bike shops ? Is City Bike booming at their expense? At Gotham Bikes in Tribeca, a manager who gave his name as "Ben W." said the shop has seen an increase in its overall sales due to the bike-share program. "It's getting more people on the road, more people learning about the sport and getting involved," he said. An employee at Danny's Cycles in Gramercy said Citi Bike is a good option for people in a city famed for its traffic jams and aggressive drivers. "They can try out a bike without buying one:' James Ryan said. Rentals are not a big part of the business at either Gotham Bikes or Danny's Cycles. But for Frank's Bike Shop, a small business on Grand St., the bike-share program has been bad news. Owner Frank Arroyo said that his rental business has decreased by 90% since Citi Bike was launched last month. Arroyo's main rental customers are European tourists, who have since been drawn away by Citi Bikes. However, Ben said the bike-share is good for bike sales at his shop. "People have used the bike-share and realized how great it is to bike in the city, then decide that they want something nicer for themselves," he noted. Christian Farrell of Waterfront Bicycle Shop, on West St. said at first he was concerned about bike-share, though, he admitted, "I was happy to see people on bikes." Farrell's early concerns were repeated by Andrew Crooks, owner of NYC Velo, at 64 Second Ave. "It seemed like a great idea, but one that would be difficult to put into use:' Crooks said of Citi Bike. He said he worried about inexperienced riders' lack of awareness of biking rules and strong negative reaction from non-cyclists. However, he said, it's still too early to tell if his business has been impacted . While it's possible bike-share will cause a drop in business, Crooks agreed that the idea is a positive step forward for New York City. What is the author's chief concern about the increasing use of Citi Bikes in New York? A. Whether local bike shops will suffer. B. How non-cyclists will respond to it. C. Whether local bike businesses will oppose it. D. How the safety of bike riders can be ensured. Answer: A
FDA proposed the most sweeping food safety rules in decades, requiring farmers and food companies to be more cautious in the wake of deadly outbreaks in peanuts, cantaloupe ,and leafy greens. The long-overdue regulations are aimed at reducing the estimated 3,000 deaths a year from foodbome illness. Just since last summer, outbreaks of listeria in cheese and salmonella in peanut butter, cantaloupe and mangoes have been linked to more than 400 illnesses and as many as seven deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The actual number of those sickened is likely much higher. The FDA's proposed rules would require farmers to take new precautions against contamination ,to include making sure workers5 hands are washed, irrigation water is clean, and that animals stay out of fields. Food manufacturers will have to submit food safety plans to the government to show _ are keeping their operations clean. Many responsible food companies and farmers are already following the steps that the FDA would now require them to take. But officials say the requirements could have saved lives and prevented illnesses in some of the large-scale outbreaks that have hit the country in recent years. In a 2011 outbreak of listeria in cantaloupe that claimed 33 lives ,for example, FDA inspectors found pools of dirty water on the floor and old, dirty processing equipment at the Colorado farm where the cantaloupes were grown. In a peanut butter outbreak this year linked to 42 salmonella illnesses ,inspectors found samples of salmonella throughout a New Mexico peanut processing plant and multiple obvious safety problems ,such as birds flying over uncovered trucks of peanuts and employees not washing their hands. Under the new rules, companies would have to lay out plans for preventing those sorts of problems and how they would correct them. "The rules go very directly to preventing the types of outbreaks we have seen/,said Michael Taylor, FDA's deputy commissioner for foods. The main task of FDA is probably _ A to protect and promote the public health B to help those sickened recover C to research on food safety measures D to deal with water pollution Answer: A. to protect and promote the public health The idea of "law" exists in every culture. All societies have some kind of law to keep order and to control the interactions of people with those around them. The laws of any culture tell people three things: what they can do (their right), what they must do (their duties), and what they may not do. In addition, there are usually specific types of punishment for those who break the law. Although all societies have laws, not all have the same idea of justice--which is "right" and "wrong" and how "wrong" should be punished. In most Western cultures, it is thought that punishing criminals will prevent them from committing other crimes. Also, it is hoped that the fear of punishment will act as a deterrent that prevents other people from committing similar crimes; in other words, people who are considering a life of crime will decide against it because of fear of punishment. In most non-Western cultures, by contrast, punishment is not seen as a deterrent. Instead, great importance is placed on restoring balance in the situation. A thief, for example, may be ordered to return the things he has stolen instead of, as in Western societies, spending time in prison. Another difference in the concept of justice lies in various societies' ideas of what laws are. In the West, people consider "laws" quite different from "customs". There is also a great contrast between "sins" (breaking religious laws) and "crimes" (breaking laws of the government). In many non-Western cultures, on the other hand, there is little separation of customs, laws, and religious beliefs; in other cultures, these three may be quite separate from one another, but still very much different from those in the West. For these reasons, an action may be considered a crime in one country, but be socially acceptable in others. For instance, although a thief is viewed as a criminal in much of the world, in a small village where there is considerable communal living and sharing of objects, the word thief may have little meaning. Someone who has taken something without asking is simply considered an impolite person. Most countries have two kinds of law: criminal and civil. People who have been accused of acts such as murder or theft are heard in the criminal justice system, while civil justice deals with people who are believed to have violated others' rights. The use of the civil system reflects the values of the society in which it exists. In the United States where personal, individual justice is considered very important, civil law has become "big business." There are over 600,000 lawyers in the United States, and many of them keep busy with civil lawsuits; that is, they work for people who want to sue others. If a man falls over a torn rug in a hotel and breaks his arm, for instance, he might decide to sue the hotel owners so that they will pay his medical costs. In a country like Japan, by contrast, there is very little use of the civil justice system. Lawsuits are not very popular in Japan, where social harmony is even more important than individual rights, and where people would rather reach agreement outside court. Which statement is NOT true according to the article? A In the West, people think laws and customs are rather different. B In the West, there is little difference between "sins" and "crimes". C An action that is considered a crime in one country may be socially acceptable in another. D There is far less use of the civil justice system in Japan than in the United States. Answer: B. In the West, there is little difference between "sins" and "crimes". As bad water increases in an environment the number of aquatic animals such as zooplankton will A face extinction B stagnate C grow D hibernate Answer: A. face extinction What exactly is a lie ?Is it anything we say which we know is untrue ?Or is it something more than that ?For example, suppose a friend wants to borrow some money from you. You say "I wish I could help you, but I am short of money myself." In fact , you are not short of money but your friend is in the habit of not paying his debts and you don't want to hurt his feelings by reminding him of this. Is this really a lie ? Professor Jerald Jellison of the University of southern California has made a scientific study of lying. According to him, women are better liars than men, particularly when telling a "white lie", such as when a woman at a party tells another woman that she likes her dress when she really thinks it's terrible. However, this is only one side of the story. Other researchers say that men are more likely to tell more serious lies, such as making a promise that they have no intention of carrying out. This is the kind of lie politicians and businessmen are supposed to be particularly skilled at :the lie from which the liar hopes to profit or gain in some way. Research has been done into the way people's behavior changes in a number of small, unimportant ways when they lie. It has been found that if they are sitting down at the time, they tend to move about in their chairs more than usual. To the trained observer they are saying "I wish I were somewhere else now". They also tend to touch certain parts of the face, particularly the nose. One explanation of this may be that lying causes a slight increase in blood pressure. The tip of the nose is very sensitive to changes and the increased pressure makes it itch. Another gesture that gives liars away is what the writer Decmond Morris in his bookMan Watching calls the "mouth cover". He says that there are several typical forms of this ,such as covering part of the mouth with the fingers, touching the upper lip or putting a finger of the hand at one side off the mouth. Such a gesture can be understood as an unconscious attempt on the part of the liar to stop himself from lying. Of course, such gestures as rubbing the nose or covering the mouth , moving about in a chair can not be taken as proof that the speaker is lying. They simply tend to happen more often in this situation. It is one gesture alone that gives the liar away but a whole number of things , and in particular the context which the lie is told. Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage as a sign of lying ? A Touching one's ears B Rubbing the nose C Moving in a chair D Covering the mouth Answer: A. Touching one's ears 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. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage? A How to host Olympic Games B Winner or loser C Applying for host for Olympics D The Olympic Games Answer: C. Applying for host for Olympics
Everyone has his own birthday. People in different countries celebrate their birthdays in different ways. Now here are four people from different countries. They will tell us how they celebrate their birthdays in their countries. Sandy comes from Madrid . She says happily, "My 21st birthday is on Saturday, and I'm going to go out with some friends. To wish me a happy birthday, they are going to pull on my ear 21 times, once for each year. It's an old custom. Some people pull on the ear just once, but my friends are very traditional." Mr. and Mrs. Sato are from Tokyo. Mr. Sato is going to be 60 tomorrow. In Japan, the sixtieth birthday is called Kanreki --it's the beginning of a new life. The color red is for a new life, so we always give something red for a sixtieth birthday. Liu Mei from Beijing feels very excited and tells us, "Tomorrow is my 16th birthday. It's a special birthday, so we're going to have a family party. Maybe I will get some lucky money from my relatives . My mother is going to cook noodles for a long life." Phillip, from Paris, smiles to us, "I'm going to be thirty next week, so I'm going to invite three very good friends out for dinner. In France, when you have a birthday, you often invite people out." How do you usually celebrate your birthday? Perhaps Mr. Sato will receive _ on his 60th birthday. A some red flowers B some lucky money C a white shirt D a pair of black leather shoes Answer: A To become a doctor in the United States, students usually attend four years of medical school after they complete college. Then these young doctors work in hospitals for several years to complete a training program called a residency . These medical residents provide hospitals with needed services in return for not much pay. They work under the supervision of medical professors and more experienced doctors. Medical residents treat patients . they carry out tests. They perform operations. They complete records. In hospitals with few nurses, residents also do work formerly done by nurses. Some medical residents work one-hundred or more hours in a single week. _ Critics of this system say medical residents work too long and do not get enough res. They say these young doctors may be too tired to perform their medical duties effectively. Now, the government will limit the number of hours of work that residents can work. Most doctors in training will be limited to eighty-four hours of work each week. They will have work periods of no more than twenty-four hours at one time. They will have ten hours of rest between work periods. Medical residents will have one day each week when they do not have to work. Any work they accept outside their hospitals will be limited.Experienced doctors and medical professors will closely supervise the residents to make sure they are not too tired to work. Many medical residents welcomed the work limits. Others, however, said the new policy may interfere with patient care and their own medical education. Medical residents are not responsible for _ . A supervising students B treating patients C carrying patients D doing operations Answer: A In Florida, both panthers and bobcats prey on white-tailed deer. How will their competition for food most likely be affected if white-tailed deer populations in Florida suddenly decreases? A Competition will increase between bobcats and panthers. B Competition will decrease between bobcats and panthers. C Competition will increase between white-tailed deer and bobcats. D Competition will decrease between white-tailed deer and panthers. Answer: A An oral drug, named ERDRP-0519, was invented. It is specifically designed to protect people who got infected measles from spreading the virus to others. Like the flu, measles spreads through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. There is typically a time, about two weeks, between becoming infected with the virus and the beginning of symptoms like skin rash , runny nose, heavy cough and high fever. "This therapy application determines the desired characteristics of the drug, which are orally available, cost-effective manufacture and high stability," Richard Klemperer, professor of Georgia State University, told reporters last Wednesday. "With these criteria in mind, we have developed a small drug that blocks the measles virus over the past years, which is essential for copy of the virus." The researchers tested the drug in rats infected with canine distemper virus , which is a close relative of measles virus. They found that all of the infected rats treated with the drug survived the deadly infection, showed no clinical signs of disease and developed a strong protective immune response. The drug could be used to treat friends, family and other social contacts of a person infected with measles virus, which have not developed symptoms yet but are at risk of having caught the disease, Klemperer said truthfully. "The emergence of strong antiviral immunity in treated animals is particularly encouraging, since it suggests that the drug may not only save an infected individual from disease but contribute to closing measles immunity gaps in a population," Klemperer said. The researchers emphasized the drug is not intended as a substitute for vaccination, but as an additional weapon to get rid of the measles. They planned to test the drug's safety in larger animals, before moving into clinical trials in humans. "If our next series of studies confirms that the human situation mirrors what we have seen in rats, then this drug may make a major contribution to getting rid of measles by preventing local outbreaks" Klemperer said. Despite the existence of an effective vaccine, annual measles deaths worldwide have remained constant at around 150,000 since 2007. The reasons for this are the highly infectious nature of the virus, in the developing world largely due to issues of resources, and in many developed countries in particular in the European region due to parental concerns regarding vaccination safety. The best title of the passage is _ . A the Introduction of a New Oral Drug B the Desired Characteristics of Drugs C the Common Symptoms of Getting Measles D the Application of Post-exposure Therapy Answer: A An old woman went out shopping last Tuesday. She came to a bank and saw a car near the door. A young man with dark glasses got out of it and went into the bank. She looked into the car and found some keys in it. The man took a gun out of his pocket and said to the man in the bank, "Give me all the money." But the woman didn't see this. She went to the young man and put the keys in his hand, "My boy," she said, "Don't leave your keys in your car! Someone is going to steal it." The young man looked at the old woman for a few minutes. Then he took his keys, ran out of the bank, got into his car and drove away quickly without taking any money. The young left his keys _ A in the car B on the street C in his pocket D in the bank Answer: A
These days, more and more people begin to look after their health by exercising. What sport should we do then? * Ping-pong Wang Bing opened up a ping-pong room. He was very surprised that there were so many people coming on the first day of the new year. He added five more tables, but it still couldn't meet the need. "I am pleased to see so many people like playing ping-pong. It's a very good sport for health, " said Wang Bing. * Basketball Xia Wen works in a bookstore. He often goes to play basketball in the middle school near the bookstore. "Although the students are having their summer holidays, to my surprise, the playground is crowded with people," said Xia Wen. Of course, there are some other sports that people can do to keep healthy. But it's certain that people who often exercise can work better. Nowadays, people look after their health by _ . A playing ping-pong B playing basketball C doing exercise D working Answer: C Many English people have three ninny, a first name, a middle name and a last name (or a family name).For example , my name is James Allen Green.James is my first name.Allen is my middle name.Green is my last name.People don't use Mr. , Mrs., Ms.or Miss before their first names.People should use them before their family names. But in China, people use Mr. Mrs. Ms.or Miss before their first names.Because( ) the first name is the family name.For example, my name is Lin Tao."Lin" is my family name, and "Tao" is my given name. ,. Which sentence is right ? _ A In English names, the first name is the family name. B In Chinese manes, the first name is the family name. C In English names, the middle name is the family name. D In Chinese manes, the last name is the family name. Answer: B Hello! I'm Sally Hand. I'm an English girl. I'm in EEC Middle School. Here's a picture of my room. A bed, a desk and a chair are in it. They are green. A computer is on the desk. Next to the computer is my telephone. It's red. My phone number is 523-6851. I always call my cousin in the evening. He is in China. Can you see a ring? It's on the desk, too. What's that under the chair? It's my dog. It's Kelly. Kelly is always under the chair. Can you see a tape player on the bed? It's mine. Some tapes are on the bed, too. Here's a picture of her _ . A family B school C dog D room Answer: D To positively impact the environment A toss plastic bottles in trash receptacles B use plastic knives and forks for every meal C scrap metal from old buildings is processed to be used for new construction D buy a less fuel efficient car Answer: C Tang Zhou and his wife are planning to have their second child, a test-tube baby. His wife had a natural delivery when she was 34 and their first child, a boy, is now 7. The couple are now hoping to have a daughter through _ in the US. "My wife couldn't bear another delivery because of her heart condition and her age. Surrogacy helps avoid the risks to older mothers," Tang said, "Moreover, our second child will be born in the US and become a citizen there. That is not a bad choice." The couple spent weeks researching their move, looking for a reliable agency that provides surrogacy services overseas. Surrogacy is still illegal in many countries, including China. "We will be taking much higher risks by relying on a surrogate mother in China because we are not protected by any regulation or law. You pay a lot of money but may meet with many problems," Tang said. "You might not even get your baby back." Tang and his wife are part of an increasing number of Chinese couples who are turning to surrogacy services. Tang also considered surrogacy in Thailand but dropped the idea after recent reports about a baby with Down Syndrome who was delivered through surrogacy and said to have been deserted in Thailand by the biological parents from Australia. Instead, Tang chose the California Surrogacy Center agency as his first option after reading the detailed introduction on its website. Compared with many other agencies that he could contact only via e-mail, the center has a consulting office in Beijing, Tang said. The center is in San Diego, California, and has satellite offices in Los Angeles and Beijing. According to Liu, the center has been operating for more than eight years, and about 100 surrogate mothers live in California. The passage mainly tells us that _ . A an old woman can take a risk of delivering a baby B more Chinese couples are turning to surrogacy C it's not a bad choice to have a baby born overseas D biological couples may fail to get their babies back Answer: B
Question: City College Union Inc Secretary/Typist The Union is a student-run organization with a permanent staff of 20.Typing speed:at least 60 wpm. The ability to take shorthand dictation and a working knowledge of filling procedures are essential requirements. The basic salary for the position is $ 18,500 per year. Enquires to R.Barbar 387-5075. Emu Airline Secretary Emu Airline is now offering a part-time position for a secretary. The position offers at least 20 hours' work a week, with a view to full-time work in the future. Monthly salary is about $ 1,400. Phone 899-3264 for an appointment. Word Processor Operator (full-time) We need an operator to work in an office associated with the building industry.Only experienced operators are expected to apply. Starting salary:$ 17,950 yearly. Apply in writing to: The Personnel Officer Hill Morgan Pty Ltd 38 Green Hill Rd.Kensington 2033. Sewing Machinist Wanted Jeans Industry We are an expanding clothing company located south of the city.Our products include jeans,skirts,shorts and so on.We are looking for sewing machine operators. The factory works a 38-hour week over 4-5 days.Wages for this are $ 18,050 per year.Wages and conditions are in line with the current industrial award. If you are interested, come over and pick up an application form from Ripper Jeans,23 North Ave,Beaudesert. If you want to be a sewing machine operator, you may contact this company by _ . A. visit B. fax C. phone D. Email Answer: A Question: I've tried to explain compound interest to my eight - year - old daughter. When I have finished it, she summarizes back to me, "So, you are saying if I put $ 100 in the bank, when I turn sixteen the bank will give me $ 200?" She has already grasped more of the concept than I understood at her age, but she couldn't clearly understand that until she sees them in action. One day I gave her a Ziploc bag with a handful of pennies and told her over the course of a week I wanted her to give me a penny a day. I would deposit the penny in " The Bank of Dad" and compound interest would begin to accumulate the day she deposited the penny. At the end of the week we would check her bank balance. Each day my daughter handed over one penny at the breakfast table and I deposited it in her bank. I gave her a "receipt" for her deposit and explained that she needed to keep up with the receipts to see how much money she had added to her account. In an effort to make this a little more realistic, I deposited a penny from my own piggy bank every other day to give her an additional four pennies at the end of the week. On Sunday evening we gathered receipts and confirmed she had deposited seven pennies in "The Bank of Dad. " Then I opened the old film container and counted out its contents--all eleven pennies. "Hey, there are four extra pennies in there!" I explained that her original seven pennies had grown to eleven pennies because every couple days the bank paid her a penny for letting them use her money--that's interest. She paused and asked, "Dad, what would happen if you deposited like a hundred million pennies in the bank? Which of the following would be the best title for the text? A. How to Deposit Pennies in "The Bank of Dad". B. Welcome to Deposit Money in the Bank. C. How to Teach Compound Interest to Kids. D. A Good Relationship between Father and Kid. Answer: C Question: Which of these most closely resembles how clouds come into being? A. making beer B. distilling liquor C. driving a car D. baking bread Answer: B Question: In New York State, the longest period of daylight occurs during which month? A. June B. March C. December D. September Answer: A Question: Shanghai Air & Hotel with Transfers/One Day Hangzhou City Tour(PK0482737SHA06) Package Inclusive Return Air Tickets 2 Nights Accommodation Return Airport Transfers One Day Hangzhou City Tour Booking Period:29 Jan 2015 to 31 Dec 2015 Travel Period:29 Jan 2015 to 31 Dec 2015 ONE DAY HANGZHOU CITY TOUR It is a city rich with history and culture,spanning back over 2000 years.With its inviting views and outstanding scenery,the area soon became popular with artists,poets and painters seeking inspiration in this little bit of paradise. Our first stop is Six Harmonies Pagoda.You will get to visit the charming museum and snap some photos in front of this architectural marvel that was built in the Song Dynasty. Next stop will be a visit to Meijiawu Tea Village,for a traditional tea ceremony and its significance to Chinese culture. After lunch,the beautiful view of West Lake is going to greet us.We will have a cruise across West Lake to experience peace and serenity like no place else in the Shanghai area.The unforgettable scenery includes Three Pools Mirroring the Moon,Bai and Su Causeways,Solitary Hill,and Leifeng Pagoda,etc.The boat ride ends at Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor.We will have the chance to walk along on Su Causeway,and feed the fish in the Red Fish Pond to pray for the good luck. Pickup Time:Between 7:30 a.m.--8:30 a.m. Duration:10 hrs 2--WAY SHANGHAI PUDONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPEIRT TRANSFERS Transfer between Shanghai Pudong International Airport(PVG) to your hotel is provided by mini bus.On arrival,you will be met by our driver after custom clearance. Should you require further assistance,please contact our hotline:+86 21 6322 3855 What service will you get from One Day Hangzhou City Package Tour? A. Round-trip air tickets. B. One day accommodation. C. Free food service. D. Force-shopping. Answer: A
Cells in the body use oxygen (O2) for cellular respiration. Which is the result of cellular respiration? ATP is produced and carbon dioxide (CO2) is released. Retail therapy has long been considered as a good way to let off stress. Now, US scientists have discovered not only does retail therapy exist,but that it could be caused by an individual's fear of sudden death. Researchers found materialistic people thought terrorism and war more stressful than others. Psychologists believe the rise of materialism around the world and its treatment effect on extreme stress might be a response to fear of death caused by acts of terrorism, disease and natural disasters. The scientists from Michigan State University said people with possession obsessions often have lower self-esteem than others so are more likely to shop as the result of severe psychological suffering. Ayalla Ruvio,a business professor studying people's shopping habits while rockets fell in Israel, said, "When the going gets tough, the materialistic people go shopping. This stress spending is likely to produce even greater stress and lower well-being. Essentially, materialism appears to make bad events even worse. Dr Ruvio led a two-part study of Israeli citizens living in a town that came under extreme rocket attacks for about six months in 2007. She compared 139 residents of the southern town with 170 from another town that was not under attack to see how their symptoms of post-traumatic stress and shopping habits varied. Dr Ruvio found that, when faced with a deadly threat, those who are highly materialistic suffered much higher levels of stress,while their tendency to shop was increased. Dr Ruvio said, "The relationship between materialism and stress may be more harmful than commonly thought." The second stage of their research surveyed 855 Americans about their materialistic nature and fear of death. They found shopping was used to relieve feelings of stress and anxiety about death but this was in response to fear of a variety of life-threatening events like car accidents, criminal attacks and natural disasters. What's the result about Dr Ruvio's research? Shopping can't lower one's stress as it is expected. Zoo elephants don't live as long as those in the wild, according to a study sure to cause debate about keeping the giant animals on display. Researchers compared the life spans of elephants in European zoos with those living in Amboseli National Park in Kenya and others working on a timber enterprise in Buma. Animals in the wild or in natural working conditions had life expectancies twice than or more of their relatives in zoos. Animal care activists have urged in recent years to discourage keeping elephants in zoos, largely because of the lack of space and small numbers of animals that can be kept in a group. The researchers found that the _ life span for African elephants in European zoos was 16.9 years, compared with 56 years for elephants who died of natural causes in Kenya's Amboseli Park. Adding in those elephants killed by people in Africa lowered the median life expectancy there to 35.9 years. For the more endangered Asian elephants, the median life span in European zoos was 18.9 years, compared with 41.7 years for those working in the Burma Timber Enterprise. Median means half died younger than that age and half lived longer. There is some good news, though. The life expectancies of zoo elephants have improved in recent years, suggesting an improvement in their care and raising, but "Protecting elephants in Africa and Asia is far more successful than protecting them in Western zoos." There are about 1,200 elephants in zoos, half in Europe, researchers concentrated on female elephants, which make up 80 percent of the zoo population. One amazing thing was that Asian elephants born in zoos had shorter life spans that those brought to the zoos from the wild. Zoos usually lack large areas that elephants are used to in the wild, and that zoo animals often are alone or with one or two other unrelated animals, while in the wild they tend to live in related groups of 8 to 12 animals. In Asian elephants, baby death rates are two to three times higher in zoos than in the Burmese logging camps, and then, in adulthood, zoo-born animals die young. People are not sure why. Who are expected to pay more attention to the issue addressed? The public. The way that electrical conductors works in ways such as sticking a plug into an outlet to power a microwave A story from the Bible tells of old Babylon, where the men decided to build a tower that would touch the sky.But God was unhappy, and he made them speak different languages.They couldn't understand each other, so their dream never came true. Yet the dream remains alive: if all men speak the same language, they can do anything.L.L.Zamenhof from Poland was among the men who this dream.He developed Esperanto between 1877 and 1885. As the most successful man-made world language, it is spoken by over two million people around the world.Last month, the World Esperanto Congress , dealing with language rights, ended in Sweden.The 2004 conference will be held in Beijing.Most Esperanto speakers are in Central and Eastern Europe and in East Asia, particularly Chinese mainland. Esperanto has two advantages.First, it's easy.Each letter has exactly one sound and there are just 16 basic grammar rules.The second advantage is that it belongs to no one country.But Esperanto has only reached a small number of people compared with natural languages widely used around the world-such as English or Chinese.While these languages are deeply connected with their nations and cultures, Esperanto doesn't have this background. Will Esperanto really become a global language? It remains a question. What does the story mainly talk about? The most successful planned language-Esperanto.
Finding a friend doesn't seem like a difficult job. However, bad friends are easier to find than good friends these days. If you're sitting there and wondering if you have a bad friend, let me define it for you. A bad friend is someone whose jealousies and insecurities outweigh their love for someone. They night want to be a good friend but they're too messed up in their own head to ever actually do it. They wonder if their friends are going out without them or if they're being forgotten and left behind. People who are violently insecure don't have what it takes to be the quality of a friend. Bad friends are narcissistic .They look for any opportunity to bring the conversation back to them. Worse, they might not even be aware that they're doing it. In their mind, they might think they are the best friend ever, which is truly frightening. Bad friends are quick-change. They're by your side when you're fun and you have something to give them but as soon as you're going through a difficult time, they will become indifferent quickly. They won't bring you cold medicine. They won't give you a ride to the doctor, everything they do is self-serving. If you find a friend who has these same characteristics, send them to your bad friend list immediately. Your friends are supposed to be the solution to your problems, not the source. I believe your twenties are a time when you need positive and helpful friends. In such a time, friendships aren't easy to maintain like they once were in school. Now we actually have to put work into it, we have to make a conscious effort to keep the friendship going. You need to ask yourself, "Is this person worth it? Do they treat me like a fool or what?" if your have doubts, try to make them clear by considering the past experiences. Toxic friendships do nothing but drag you down. My point is that you have to take care of yourself and stop getting in touch with your bad friends. Only surround yourself with people who bring out the best qualities in you. It may sound cruel but it's true,. Bad friends give the author the following impressions EXCEPT being _ . Answer: outgoing After two weeks, Ling Qinghao finally sent a message to his wife in their hometown in Anhui, and told her her he was safe. Ling, 44, was a Chinese construction worker who went to Libya. The recent problems in Libya have left the country in disorder. Several Chinese were injured last month. Ling was one of the thousands of Chinese evacuees from Libya. The evacuee's first stop was Greece. They are staying there in a five-star hotel that the Chinese government paid for. According to the Foreign Ministry, by March 2, China has evacuated a total of 35,860 Chinese from Libya. Among them, 20745 have already returned to China. To evacuate means to quickly move people away from a disaster or disorder. An evacuation tests how a nation would deal with an emergency . From getting flight tickets to dealing with customs services , many parts of the government and companies have to work together. To protect the safety of overseas Chinese, China took action quickly. Since February 24, the nation has sent out airplanes and ships to evacuate its people from Libya.They even sent a navy ship to help. This is the first time that China has sent the army in an evacuation. "We have done a great job in no more than 10 days. This shows China's ability to protect its people overseas in emergencies," Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao said. According to the article, where was Ling Qinghao born? Answer: He was born in Anhui. Where is most of Earth's water located? Answer: oceans A newly-wedded couple on a four-month honeymoon were hit by six natural disasters, including the Australian floods, Christchurch earthquake and Japanese tsunami . Stefan and Erika Svanstrom left Stockholm, Sweden, on December 6 and were immediately stuck in Munich, Germany, due to one of Europe's worst snowstorms. Travelling with their baby daughter, they flew on to Cairns in Australia which was then struck by one of the most violent cyclones in the nation's history. From there, the couple, in their 20s, were forced to shelter for 24 hours on the cement floor of a shopping centre with 2,500 others. "Trees were being knocked over and big branches were put down across the streets, " Mr. Svanstrom told Sweden's Expressen newspaper. "We escaped by the skin of our teeth." Mr. Svanstrom said they then headed south to Brisbane but the city was experiencing massive flooding, so they crossed the country to Perth where they narrowly escaped burning bush fires. The couple then flew to Christchurch, New Zealand, arriving just after a massive magnitude 6.3 earthquake attacked the city on February 22. Mrs. Svanstrom said, "When we got there the whole town was like a war zone. We could not visit the city since it was completely blocked off, so instead we travelled around before going to Japan." But days after the Svanstroms arrived, Tokyo was rocked by Japan's largest earthquake since records began. "The trembling was horrible and we saw roof tiles fly off the buildings," Mr. Svanstrom said. "It was like the buildings were swaying back and forth." The family returned to Stockholm on March 29 after a much calmer visit to their last destination China. But Mr. Svanstrom --- who also survived the destructive Boxing Day tsunami that hit southeast Asia in 2004 --- said the marriage was still going strong. He added, "I know marriages have to experience some difficulties, but I think we have been through most of them. We've certainly experienced more than our fair share of disasters, but the most important thing is that we're together and happy." Why were Stefan and Erika Svanstrom stopped in Munich? Answer: Because of Europe's worst snowstorm. All over the world people enjoy sports.Sports help to keep people healthy,happy and help them to live longer. Sports change with the season. People play different games in winter and summer. Games and sports often grow out of people's work and everyday activities.The Arabs use horses or camels in much of their everyday life;they use them in their sports,too. Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for them.Football,for example,has spread around the world.Swimming is popular in all countries near the sea or in those with many rivers. Some sports or games go back to thousands of years,like running or jumping.Chinese boxing,for example,has a very long history.But basketball and volleyball are rather new.Neither one is a hundred years old yet.People are inventing new sports or games all the time. People from different countries may not be able to understand each other but after a game they often become good friends.Sports help to train a person's character .One learns to fight hard but fight fair,to win without pride and to lose with grace People all over the world enjoy sports because _ . Answer: all of the above
Let's say you took violin lessons all through elementary school, but you haven't got the instrument out of its case for years. Were all those lessons a waste of your parents' money because you didn't become a violinist? Even though it has been a long time since you played the violin, a new study shows that as little as one year of music training can have a positive impact on your brain that will last the rest of your life. In an experiment, researchers compared children who had taken music lessons to those who hadn't. Laurel Trainor, who studies music and the mind, discovered that the musically-trained children had better brain responses in certain sound recognition exams. Trainor's findings show the possibility that musical education can actually improve the brain's hearing cortex . "The study's results show that music training affects attention and memory, and helps children develop learning skills. In this way music training might lead to better learning across a number of fields," Trainor said in a statement. The effects of music education are even more obvious on children with difficulty in reading and writing and other language-related disabilities. So, whether you can play a good piece of music or not, it's likely that your years of music lessons have prepared your brain for all the speeches, emails, and adult conversations that are part of your life today. We should help make sure that children today have the same opportunities for music, and help out by volunteering with or donating instruments to your school's music education department. What can we learn from the text? Answer: Bamboo is one of the nature's most surprising plants. Many people call this plant a tree, but it is a kind of grass. Like other kinds of grass, a bamboo plant may be cut very low to the ground, but it will grow back very quickly. A Japanese scientist recorded one bamboo plant that grew almost 1.5 meters in 24 hours! Bamboo grows almost everywhere in the world except Europe. There are more than 1,000 kinds of bamboo that grow around the world on both mountains and plains. Not all bamboo looks the same. Some bamboo plants are very thin. They may only grow to be a few centimeters wide _ . This plant also comes in different colors, from yellow to black to green. Many Asian countries have been using bamboo for hundreds of years. They often use bamboo for building new buildings. As a matter of fact, the cables that hold up the hanging bridge across the Min River in Sichuan are made of bamboo. The bridge has been in use for more than 1,000 years, and is still holding strong. In Africa, engineers are teaching poor farmers how to find water using bamboo. These African countries need cheap ways to find water because they have no money, and their fields often die from no rain and no water. It seems that bamboo is one of the best things they can use. Bamboo pipes and drills can help to make the poor thirsty fields to be watered. How is bamboo like grass? Answer: You can see lots of kangaroos in Australia, and not only in zoos but also outside the cities and towns. You can see them everywhere. Kangaroos are very popular in Australia. They have very strong legs, so they are very good at jumping. Their tails are very strong, too, so when they want to have a rest, they rest on their tails. Kangaroos are also good at looking after their babies. Mother kangaroos keep their babies safe in their pockets. Why are kangaroos very good at jumping? Answer: When someone says, "Well, I guess I'll have to go to face the music", it does not mean he is planning to go to a concert. It is something far less pleasant, like being called in by your boss to explain why you did this or that, and why you did not do this or that. Sour(; )music, indeed, but it has to be faced. The phrase "to face the music" is familiar to every American, young and old. It is at least 100 years old. Where did the expression come from? The first information comes from the American writer James Fennimore Cooper. He said in 1851 that the expression was first used by actors while waiting in the wings to go on stage. After they got their cue(,) to go on, they often said, "It's time to go to face the music." And that is exactly what they did--- face the orchestra which was just below the stage. An actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of the audience that might be friendly or perhaps unfriendly especially if he forgot his lines. But he had to go out. So, "to face the music" came to mean having to go through something, no matter how unpleasant the experience might be, because you knew you had no choice. The other explanation comes from the army. Men had to face inspection by their leader. The soldiers worried about how well they looked. Was their equipment clean--shiny enough to pass inspection? Still, the men had to go out, and face the music of the band, as well as the inspection. What else could they do? The passage is mainly about _ . Answer: Kendra and Quinton travel to and from school every day. Kendra lives further from the bus stop than Quinton does, stops every morning at Quinton's house to join him to walk to the bus stop. Every afternoon, after school, when walking home from the bus stop they go in for cookies and milk that Quinton's mother has ready and waiting for them. Quinton can't eat cheese or cake so they had the same snack every day. They both work together on their homework and when they are done they play together. Kendra always makes sure to leave in time to get home for dinner. She doesn't want to miss story time which was right before bedtime. One morning Kendra walked up to Quinton's house, she thought something might be wrong because normally Quinton was waiting outside for her and on this morning he was not to be found. Kendra went up to the door and knocked. She waited and waited and yet no one answered. She saw that Quinton's mother's car wasn't in their driveway which was weird. She waited for a few bit looking up and down the block and getting worried when Quinton was nowhere to be found. Kendra didn't want to miss the bus to school and hurried off to make it in time. The bus driver saw that she was upset and that Quinton was not with her that morning. She told him what happened and he said that he was sure that everything would be okay. Kendra got to school, ran to her teacher and told him what happened that morning. The teacher smiled and told her not to worry, Quinton's mother had called and he was going to the dentist and would be at school after lunch and that she would see him at the bus stop like normal tomorrow. What does Quinton's mother have waiting for them? Answer:
On Thursday October 3, Adam Harper decided to stop drinking coffee. Adam is a MBA student at Harvard University. He studies long hours, gets very little sleep and as a result, he drinks a lot of coffee---anywhere from five to six cups a day. Recently, Adam felt that drinking thus much coffee was making it hard for him to sleep at all. He also began having problems with his concentration , and complained of stomachaches. Adam's doctor made this suggestions: stop drinking coffee altogether. When Adam got up on October 3, he began his day without his morning coffee. By 11:00 a.m., Adam was in a terrible mood . He was tired and had a headache. At 11:30, he had a meeting with his student advisor. In the meeting, he found it almost impossible to continue. What was going on? Caffeine, a chemical found in coffee, was most likely the reason for how Adam felt. Caffeine is a stimulant that boosts energy levels and improves concentration- but only for a short time. Lowering caffeine consumption often causes a drop in blood pressure and the result is a "coffee headache", People who stop drinking coffee often say they feel tired and moody, and find it hard to focus. The good news is that these feeling usually pass after four and five days. During this time, doctors suggested taking some aspirin for the headache. So, if Adam can wait, in less than a week, he may be feeling much better. We learn from the reading Adam _ . A. does researches on caffeine. B. had some problems because of coffee. C. still drinks 5 to 6 cups of coffee a day D. can never be feeling better Answer: B. had some problems because of coffee. More than 2.25 billion cups of coffee are drunk throughout the world each day, and it's likely that many taste bitter. Now, a new study suggests that coffee fans can make their drink sweeter by changing the color of their cups. Researchers from Oxford set out to prove whether the claim that coffee drunk from a white cup tastes biter was true. They used 36 volunteers and three different colored cups---blue, white and transparent glass--- to examine the claim. In one experiment, the white cup increased the intensity of the coffee taste relative to the transparent cup. Then, in a second experiment, coffee drunk from the white cup was found to taste less sweet when compared to the other colored cups, while the blue cup made the coffee taste the sweetest. The scientists believe that the color brown may be associated with bitterness, and coffee in a white cup appears the brownest. "Our study clearly shows that the color of a cup does influence our sense of the coffee taste," leading author Dr George Doorn, wrote in an article for The Conversation. "The effect of the color of the cup on the taste of the coffee reported here suggests that cafe owners should carefully consider the color of their cups," he said. "The potential effects may spell the difference between a one-time purchase and a return customer." Actually, the idea that color can change the food and drink taste came out many years ago. A study published last year reported that red, strawberry-flavored cake served on a white plate was rated as 10 percent sweeter than the same food presented on a black plate. In which cup will coffee taste the sweetest? A. A white cup. B. A blue cup. C. A transparent cup D. A brown cup Answer: B. A blue cup. There is an interesting, but at the same time a sad phenomenon now: there is a rise in the number of singers and bands that have little to do with good music.Many singers or bands know little about what good music means.What is the cause of this rise? Most of these singers have taken music as a "job" because it is a good source of making money.And if you have a good appearance and also expensive clothes to show off at your concerts or at different appearances in public, then your voice is not as important as it should be.The public will prefer to admire more the most interesting parts of your body, whether you are a girl or a boy.They will even forget about the fact that you are there to show your music skills, not your dancing, which is important too, but not at such a high level. Therefore, we can see many young girls on TV who look very good but who have nothing to do with music.They choose to wear very provocative clothes to catch attention, but when it comes to singing they are a complete mess and one doesn't need to have an ear for music to notice their lack of talent.But anyway, they have concerts and they enjoy travelling from one place to another.It is the public's fault because they accept this and are pleased with this commercial music.People who enjoy this kind of music are generally young people while adults prefer listening to old good bands. However, the young generation should understand while appearance is important, it is less important than talent and a good voice.If somebody has a great voice and wants to become a singer, he should take some special courses in this area, because they will help them improve singing abilities. From the passage we can learn that _ . A. appearance is the most important thing in the world of music B. all people who have received training in singing can become famous C. adults should help young people improve their abilities D. a singer's talent and voice are the most important factors Answer: D. a singer's talent and voice are the most important factors Teenagers will be told to "stand up for their elders" on public transport -- or risk losing their right to free travel. London Mayor Boris Johnson will declare plans today to make youngsters sign a "courtesy pledge" to promise to behave in a respectful manner when travelling in the capital. The three-point pledge states that they will give up their seats to the elderly, pregnant and disabled; keep from using offensive or threatening language; and be courteous and polite to fellow passengers and staff. Those who refuse, or are caught behaving in a _ manner, will have their free travel passes removed. The plan -- a key part of Mr. Johnson's re-election bid-- will initially affect the 400,000 ll-to-15-year-olds in London who qualify for free travel cards, but Tory sources believe the idea could be used across the country. A Conservative insider said: "The plan corresponds perfectly with the push to create a Big Society. It is about changing culture and expectations around behavior to improve the atmosphere on buses and trains for everyone." Speaking before today's launch, Mr. Johnson said he was determined to deal with the anti-social behavior of a "minority of youngsters" on public transport. "When I was a boy, I was taught to stand up for those less able to, "he said. "Youngsters enjoy the privilege of free travel, which is paid for by Londoners, but they have to understand that with that privilege comes responsibility. Anyone who abuses this privilege will have it taken away, and will have to earn that right bach ." Teenagers found guilty of a serious violation of the new behavior rules will lose their travel passes, and will have to carry out unpaid community work to earn them back. Mr. Johnson is also introducing a "two strikes and you're out" policy to deal with repeat offenders, under which those committing a second serious violation of the rules will lose their travel rights permanently. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage? A. London Mayor Boris Johnson is a great person B. The plan corresponds perfectly with the Big Society C. Be polite and stand up for your elders or lose free travel D. The "courtesy pledge" has been used across the country Answer: C. Be polite and stand up for your elders or lose free travel Teaching materials for learning Chinese are provided here. There are sites where you may find interesting instructions suitable for you. Here are some sites to begin your surfing. You may start with these pages from this website -- just to get a little taste of it without working too hard. * A Is For Love Flash cards for learning a few Chinese words * Listening to the sound of Chinese Play a few words of Chinese on your computer. * A few Chinese words Each word is enlarged for easy study. If you are studying Chinese, these tools can help. * Zhongwen site More than a dictionary! * Clavis Sinica Excellent program by Professor David Porter. It displays a whole document in Chinese [GB] or [BIG5], and gives individual word's definition, pronunciation as well as much more information when you click on that word. If you are studying Chinese, this is a very useful tool. * Chinese Character Visual Dictionary If you like to know more, go to the following sites on the Internet. * The Chinese Outpost Pronunciation, Character and Grammer By Mark Andrew Baker. The best. A must-visit site. * Learn Cantonese / Mandarin Online * Internet Based Chinese Teaching and Learning * Rainland Kids discover Chinese -- Site is in Germany If you want to have a better understanding of China, go to this one. * Wanfang Data As an affiliate of Chinese Ministry of Science && Technology, Wanfang Data has been the leading information provider in China since 1950s. With a wide range of database resources and value-added services, Wanfang Data has become a gateway to understanding Chinese culture, medicine, business, science, etc. If you want to know each Chinese character's definition, pronunciation and much more information, you'd better surf _ . A. Zhongwen site B. A Is For Love C. Clavis Sinica D. A few Chinese words Answer: C. Clavis Sinica
Some plants get so hungry they eat flies, and even small frogs. What's more amazing is that these plants occur naturally (in special environments) in every state. In fact, they're found on every continent except Antarctica. You've probably seen a Venus' flytrap -- a small plant, which grows 6 to 8 inches tall in a container. At the end of its stalks are leaves that act like traps . Inside each trap is a lining of tiny hairs. When an insect lands on them, the traps suddenly shut. Over the course of a week or so, the plant feeds on its catch. The Venus' flytrap is just one of more than 500 species of meat-eating plants, says Barry Meyers-Rice, the editor of the International Carnivorous Plant Society's Newsletter. He states although you might have read some science-fiction stories, no meat-eating plant does any danger to humans. Barry says a plant is meat-eating, only if it does all four of the following: "attract, kill, digest, and absorb" some form of insects. Meat-eating plants look and act like other green plants -- well, most of the time. All green plants make sugar to produce food. What makes meat-eating plants different is their special leaves, which need insects for one reason: nitrogen . Nitrogen is a nutrient that they can't obtain any other way. Why? Almost all green plants on our planet get nitrogen from the soil. Meat-eating plants can't. They live in places where nutrients are hard to get from the soil because of its acidity. So they've come to rely on getting nitrogen from insects and small animals. In fact, nutrient-rich soft is poisonous to meat-eating plants. Never fertilize them! But don't worry, either, if they never seem to catch any insects. They can survive, but they'll grow very slowly. From the passage, we can infer that _ . Australia's worst pests are the rabbits, introduced by a settler who released 24 into the wild for sport hunting. In less than 100 years, the rabbits grow into the millions of ones, leaving large areas of land looking like the surface of the moon due to thousands of rabbit caves. The spread of the rabbits in Australia was the fastest of all animals in the world. The spread of the rabbits' disease in 1950 cut the number, but it was not until 1997 when the spread of another disease targeted the pests that the number was finally brought under control. Farm losses due to rabbits today still remain a surprising total A $200 million (US$112 million) a year. The European red foxes, also released for sport hunting, are growing and eating sheep flocks, costing farmers A$40 million (US $22.4 million) a year. The State of Victoria offers a A$10 (US$5.6) prize for each fox tail and has gathered 25,000 in a few months. Foxes are one of the biggest threats to wildlife in Australia. Foxes kill thousands of lambs , birds and native wildlife. Australia lost its long battle against wild pests. What reduced the number of the rabbits? BRITAIN is a popular tourist place. But tours of the country have pros and cons. Good news Free museums: No charge for outstanding collections of art and antiquities . Pop music: Britain is the only country to rival (......)the US on this score. Black cabs: London taxi drivers know where they are going even if there are never enough of them at weekends or night. Choice of food: Visitors can find everything from Ethiopian to Swedish restaurants. Fashion: Not only do fashion junkies love deeply and respect highly brand names such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen; street styles are justly loved, too. Bad news Poor service: "It's part of the image of the place. People can dine out on the rudeness they have experienced," says Professor Tony Seaton of Luton University's International Tourism Research Center. Poor public transport: Trains and buses are promised to defeat the keenest tourists, although the over-crowded London tube is inexplicably popular. Lack of language: Speaking slowly and clearly may not get many foreign visitors very far, even in the tourist traps. Rain: Still in the number one complaint. No air-conditioning: So that even splendidly hot summer become as unbearable as the downpours. Overpriced hotels: The only European country with a higher rate of tax on hotel rooms is Denmark. Licensing hours: Alcohol is in short supply after 11 p.m. even in 24-hour cities. When is alcohol not able to get? Have you ever thought, "I wish I could take a year off and just travel around the world"? Well, three lucky American teenagers were able to do just that. The teens--two males and one female--got an all-expenses paid, yearlong hike to five continents. This trip didn't include any five-star hotels or shopping funs. Eighteen-year-old Jamie Fiel from Keller, Texas, 17-year-old Arsen Ewing from Canyon, California, and 16-year-old Tyler Robinson from Lincoln, Massachusetts, didn't expect fancy treatment. They signed up for the experience of a lifetime, which included hard work, often uncomfortable accommodations, and encounters with some of nature's most dangerous animals and environments. Jamie, Arsen, and Tyler were among hundreds of high school kids nominated by their science teachers to take this trip. Earthwatch Institute sponsored this adventure. Each year, Earthwatch employs thousands of volunteers worldwide to help with scientific research projects. The group went all around the world to get a close look at the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Their assignments were as varied as their locations, and included measuring and attending pink flamingos in Kenya's Great Rift Valley, and tracking giant sea turtles in Costa Rica. As they worked with the Earthwatch scientists, Jamie, Arsen, and Tyler began to understand that we are at a critical moment in the life of our planet. Time for change is running out. As the teens went from country to country and witnessed different environmental dangers and challenges, they understood that solutions to important environmental issues start with the power of one person's actions. They realized that each of them can make a difference. What's true about their journey? Senior citizens are permitted to travel cheaply on a bus if they have a special card. Women may get cards when they are sixty. Mrs. Matthews lived in the country but she went into town once a week to buy food and other things for the house, and she usually went by bus. She always had to pay the full price for her ride. Then she reached the age of sixty and got her senior citizen's card, but when she used it for the first time on the bus, it made her feel very old. The bus driver had often seen her traveling on the bus before, and he noticed that she was feeling unhappy, so after she had paid her money, he winked at her and whispered, "Don't forget to give your mother's card back to her when you see her again." Mrs. Matthews was very happy when she heard this. Senior citizens in the story refer to _ .
An African farmer had heard tales about other farmers who had made millions of dollars by discovering diamond mines. These tales so excited the farmer that he could hardly wait to sell his farm and go prospecting for diamonds himself. So he sold the farm and spent the rest of his life wandering the African continent, searching unsuccessfully for the shining stone that brought such high prices on the markets of the world. Finally, broke and worn out, he threw himself into a river and drowned. Meanwhile, back at the farm, the man who had bought his farm happened to be crossing a small river on the property one day when he saw something shining at the bottom of the river. He picked it up. It was a sparkling stone - a good size stone - and, admiring it, he later put it on his fireplace mantel as an interesting curiosity. Several weeks later, a visitor admired the stone, looked closely at it, lifted it in his hand and nearly fainted. He asked the farmer if he knew what he'd found. When the farmer said no, that he thought it was just a piece of crystal, the visitor told him he had found one of the largest diamonds ever discovered. The farmer was astonished. He told the man that his small river was full of these brilliant stones, and his farmland was covered with them. Not all were as large, perhaps, as the one on his mantel, but they were sprinkled generously throughout his property. Needless to say, the farm the first farmer had sold, so that he could search for a diamond mine, turned out to be the most productive diamond mine on the entire African continent. What happened to him after he sold his property? A. He found a river full of diamonds on his farm. B. He lost everything including his own life. C. He discovered a mine filled with brilliant stones. D. He finally got his property back with diamonds. Answer: B. He lost everything including his own life. There are many sorts of spies. There are those employed by governments to protect their countries' interests; there are those we find in fiction and film, like the famous James Bond; and then there are the spies of the business world. But now there is a new form of espionage : sports spying. It may be a profitable job - if the spy can find a buyer for the information. Last week, British newspapers reported that the England national team had been secretly recorded by an unknown group of individuals. Media suggested that _ had picked up a discussion of team tactics , as well as playful talk about athletes' affairs and possible rewards for players if they manage to win the World Cup. England officials immediately filed a suit to stop media from publishing the contents of the recordings. Little is known about the identities of the spies, but authorities doubt they have any connection to rival sides preparing for this summer's competition in South Africa. Rather, it appears that the people who bugged the hotel meeting room are just after money. If they find the right buyer, they could get a lot of it. Gambling in major sports, like football, involves much more than picking the winner of a particular match. People can also place bets on starting line-ups, the timing of substitutions and goals scored. Knowing a team's tactics for a particular game, or for a series of games, can help gamblers to increase their chances of winning big money. England manager Fabio Capello tried to play down the importance of game tactics. He argued that a team's psychological preparation is the most vital. "It's more important to train the mind, to find confidence, create a group and a winning mentality," he said. Perhaps of more interest to the casual fan are the discussions of the players' relationships with wives and girlfriends. UK newspapers may be prevented from publishing the details, but some Britons might say, the chances of the recordings never being heard are about as good as those of England winning this year's competition: slim to none. The group of individuals who spied the England national team _ . A. are from the rival sides for sure B. probably intended to make money C. are involved in gambling D. knew a winning mentality for a team is important Answer: B. probably intended to make money The new high-speed railway line between Urumqi,capital of the Xinjiang Uygur self-governing region,and Lanzhou,capital of Gansu province,has cut train travel time by half to less than 12 hours. The dramatic improvement will benefit many families planning reunions for Spring Festival. "For the first time,I feel home is not that far away after all,"said Liang Shaofu as he boarded a high-speed train in Urumqi with six members of his family. The 35-year-old left Lanzhou to set up a dry fruit business in Xinjiang eight years ago,and he has now settled in Urumqi. The 1,776-km line,which passes through Qinghai province and is the country's first high-speed railway to be built in a high-altitude region,came into service on Dec 26. "We normally drive home for Spring Festival to avoid the difficulties of buying seven train tickets for the whole family during the peak season,"Liang said."Driving can be very tiring and dangerous sometimes,so one year we even decided not to go back to Lanzhou simply to avoid the trip." More than 600,000 passengers traveled on the line during its first month,and the Urumqi Railway Bureau said the introduction of high-speed services will ease transport pressure during the Spring Festival peak season. The existing usual railway line could no longer support Xinjiang's development.All passenger trains will gradually shift to the new link,leaving the old one to be used for goods.As a result,Xinjiang's annual goods ability could reach 200 million metric tons from the current 70 million. The line passes through areas that experience high winds,and it also crosses parts of the deserted Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the bone-dry sands of the Gobi Desert. The project could help China to promote its high-speed railway technology abroad,said Ma Xi zhang,director of the Lanzhou-Xinjiang railway project's _ management department in Xinjiang. What's the main advantage of the new high-speed railway? A. It takes more time to go to Urumqi to Lanzhou. B. It will be more convenient for people all over the country to Xinjiang. C. All the people in Lanzhou can return home on festivals. D. It helps to improve Xinjiang's development. Answer: D. It helps to improve Xinjiang's development. Once the 2008 Olympic Games finishes, the drums and trumpets of the competitions would also stop. But would the city remain as lively as it would be after this world event? Investment sustainability and high demand are two highly invaluable economic concepts that can be looked at in order to ensure post-Olympics flourish, or perhaps, an even better future for Beijingers. Naturally, an economic downturn occurs in an Olympic host city once the major event finishes. Renmin University Professor Jin Yuanpu noted that a global event like this would put Beijing into a position of large importance in the international stage. But after this event, who would use the heavily-funded equipment and public and private investments left in the city? Various economists argued that a meltdown is highly unlikely. Jonathan Anderson, UBS Asia economist, suggested that the negative effects of the end of Beijing Olympics 2008 on the entire country aren't important compared to previous host cities. China is such a huge economy that the conclusion of the Olympics games is the same as an ant-bite on a dragon. But what about post-Olympics Beijing? Retired Headmaster of Peking University, Li Yining, noted that a long-term civil demand growth and a popular desire by companies to adopt careful financial management decisions can lead to continued investment growth. Even though demand in some departments of the economy would drop in the short-run, creativity, practicality and innovation would be the key factors that would continually enhance the city's image and flourish long after the Olympics in the city has ended. So what's next for Beijing after the Olympics? Well, it's business as usual... Choose a best title for this passage. A. Beijing After the Olympics B. The negative effects of the end of Beijing Olympics C. Can Beijing get through the difficult period after the 2008 Olympic Games D. Beijing's economy after the 2008 Olympic Games Answer: D. Beijing's economy after the 2008 Olympic Games My first performance in front of an audience was coming up soon. I tried as hard as I could to remain calm, but my heart was racing. I stared down at my sweat-covered, shaking hands. I looked up again at the audience, realizing that these were real people. They were not just my mum and dad, who would say, "Good job!" even if I messed up the entire piece. What if I had the wrong music? What if I played the wrong notes? As it turned out, I was never able to answer these questions because the spotlight was waiting for me. I grasped my hands tightly together, drying off the sweat. Slowly I walked to the mud-brown piano in the center of the room. It contained 88 demanding keys, which were waiting impatiently to be played. I swallowed the golf-ball-sized lump in my throat and sat down. Slowly, I opened the music. Next, I rested my still shaking hands on the ivory keys. As my fingers played across the keys, I was becoming more unsure of my preparation for this moment. But the memory of my years of training came flooding back. I knew that I had practiced this piece so many times that I could play it backwards if requested. Although at one point I accidentally played two keys instead of the intended one, I continued to move my fingers automatically . My eyes burned holes into (were fixed on) the pages in front of me. There was no way that I was going to lose my concentration. To keep this to myself, I leaned forward and focused carefully on the music. When I came to the end of the page, a warning went off inside my head: DON'T MAKE A MISTAKE WHEN YOU TURN THE PAGE! Needless to say, I obeyed myself with all my heart and mind. And, proud of my "page-turning" feat , I finished the rest of the piece without making a single mistake. After the final note died away, a celebration went into action inside my head. I had finished. I had mastered the impossible. The author _ . A. didn't make any mistake in the performance B. felt better at the beginning of the performance C. paid all attention to nothing but her performance D. lost her concentration sometimes during the performance Answer: C. paid all attention to nothing but her performance
Every few years comes a fitness trend that has people scratching their heads in amazement. "Crunning" will probably be one of them. The "c" stands for "crawling" . This new sport needs two-legged humans running on all fours! The funny idea is the brainchild of Shaun McCarthy. The 34-year-old is convinced that it will revolutionize fitness as we know it. According to the sports enthusiast, "The only thing that crunning's changed about fitness is that it's changed everything about fitness." Mccarthy has no scientific evidence to prove that crunning is more efficient than traditional two-legged running. However, he believes it is a more effective way to exercise because it puts an emphasis on the shoulders and arms, providing a complete body workout. Mccarthy also says crunning seems to tire him out more. He therefore concludes that the unconventional exercise is a bigger calorie burner than normal running. While experts generally agree that crunning may provide a better workout, many are not sure if it is the right exercise for humans. Fitness coach Kevin Dean says we are not built to be on all fours and our wrists are therefore not as strong as our ankles. He believes crunning, which he calls a fad , could result in bad wrist and shoulder injuries, not to mention broken noses. But McCarthy is not worried. Since the release of his crunning video a few weeks ago, many Melbourne residents have been seen scampering around on all fours. As it turns out they are not the only ones. In the Chinese city of Zhengzhou, crawling, a much slower version of crunning, has been a favorite activity for many years. According to some enthusiasts, the light exercise that is believed to date back two thousand years to the Han Dynasty, is good for curing back and spine ailments. Ready to give crunning try? Then Mccarthy recommends investing in some good shoes, hardy gloves and most important of all, a face mask! What does the author think of crunning? Surfers' Paradise, the largest computer chain in Hong Kong and its neighbouring area, is offering a special package for school students for the month of July only! Enjoy: l Free internet connection package l Free basic computer training from our computer school l Free computer peripherals worth $300 Simply purchase a computer from any of our stores and you'll get the free gifts listed above. Show us your _ (so we know you are a school student) and get an added 35% discount off any computer model! Call us at:Main office SHBC International Complex #1-10 Hong Kong 531122 Opening hours: 10 am to 10 pm, 7 days a weekShenzhen Branch Hi-tech prefix = st1 /ComputerCity #10-100 Shenzhen 64875813 Opening hours: 10 am to 6 pm, closed on Sundays and public holidaysGuangzhou Branch 22-24 Baiyun Avenue Guangzhou 60048953 Opening hours: 10 am to 6 pm, closed on Sundays and public holidays A "Transitlink concession pass" must be something that can help to _ . prefix = st1 /Chinawill plan to make new rules to give more controls over the growing number of blogs and webcasts. Nowadays, advanced network technologies, such as Hogging and webcasting, are being improved to challenge the government's ability to watch over the Internet. Chinese government was in the middle of making new rules over Internet publishing, and blogs and websites that publishing webcasts would fall under these rules. Government officials hope the new rules would ensure a more healthy and active Internet environment and would fully respect and protect Chinese citizens' freedom of speech. Specific details on what kind of rules would be carried out are still unknown to the public. Despite the growing popularity, bloggers and webcasters have been unpopular with publication institutions. In 2006, a series of cases involving bloggers who had dived into other people's privacy and written materials ruining other's fame urged the government to consider whether to require bloggers to use their real names when they login in. Webcasting without copyright and illegally "copying" products from copyrighted materials have also led government officials to consider starting a nationwide check of online video broadcasting, and allow only qualified websites to continue offering webcasts. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? One baby born with a defective windpipe now has hope of breathing normally thanks to 3-D printing technology, NPR reported. Garrett Peterson, now 18 months old, was born with tracheomalacia , leaving him unable to breathe. The condition terrified his parents, who turned to specialist Dr. Glenn Green at the University of Michigan for a possible treatment. Along with Scott Hollister, a biomedical engineer who runs the university's 3-D printing lab, Green designed a device that can hold open Garrett's windpipe until it's strong enough to function independently. After taking a CT scan of Garrett's windpipe to make a replica of it, they made the "splint" with a 3-D printer. "It's like a protective shell that goes on the outside of the windpipe, and it allows the windpipe to be tacked to the inside of that shell to open it up directly," Green told NPR. On January 31, Garrett had his surgery. Surgeon Dr. Richard Ohye opened up Garrett's chest and saw that his windpipe had completely collapsed and one of his lungs was completely white -- a condition Ohye had only seen in dead bodies. After eight hours of surgery and careful placement of a splint on either side of Garrett's windpipe, it was time for the big test: What would happen when they let air flow through the windpipe into Garrett's lungs? Though he still remains in the hospital, Garrett has gotten stronger and needs less assistance breathing in the weeks since his surgery. His parents are overjoyed, saying he's starting to act more interactive and alert. As Garrett grows, the splint will expand and eventually dissolve in his body as his own windpipe strengthens enough to work independently. 3-D printing technology has allowed doctors to help patients in ways that they hope will continue to grow. "We're talking about taking something like dust and converting it into body parts," Green said. "And we're able to do things that were never possible before." According to the passage, doctors' attitude toward 3-D printing technology in medical care is _ . "Keep your eyes on the ball." That is good advice when you are on the playing field, and good advice for everyday life. "Keep your mind on what's important," is the way I'd put it. But people are funny. They think too much about the details. I had a secretary once. She was very hardworking. I ran a school and people used to call up to enroll for courses. Berry used to get angry at the phone. "If they keep on ringing, I'll never get my typing done!" she'd shout. People just don't see the big picture. One evening, after leaving work, I was sitting next to a man on the train. I was feeling tired. My eyes fell on the paper he had spread out in front of him. You know how you feel to read over someone's shoulder? I read the page and leaned back. I guessed I was waiting for him to turn it. After a while, I realized--he wasn't turning the page. He just kept on reading. Now if you knew the page he was reading, you'd know that there weren't many words on the page to read anyway. The layout was mostly pictures. So I turned to the man and said," You know, you really read very slowly." "What do you mean?" he asked. "Well," I told him, "I read the page in about a minute, and you have taken about ten. And you are still reading. You know," I went on "If you learned to read faster, you could get more reading done." He remained silent for a minute or two. "If I read too fast, my paper wouldn't last me to my station." The train rider read newspaper _ .
As you dash outdoors in the middle of winter, you might make it halfway down the block before realizing that your ears are freezing because you forgot your hat. Now, scientists have shown that even though you've had an apparent memory lapse , your brain never forgot what you should have done. Ww w.ks 5u.c om Memory works mainly by association. For example, as you try to remember where you left your keys, you might recall you last had them in the living room, which reminds you that there was an ad for soap on television, which reminds you that you need soap, and so on. And then, as you're heading out of the door to buy soap, you remember that your keys are on the kitchen counter. Your brain knew where the keys were all along. It just took a round-about way to get there. Now, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies are studying associative memory in monkeys to figure out just how this complicated process works. First, the researchers trained a group of monkeys to remember arbitrary pairs of symbols. The researchers showed the monkeys one symbol(cold weather) and then gave them the choice of two other symbols, one of which (a hat) would be associated with the first. A correct choice would earn them a sip of their favorite juice. Most of the monkeys performed the test perfectly, but one kept making mistakes. "We wondered what happened in the brain when the monkey made the wrong choice, although it apparently learned the right pairing of symbols," said study leader Thomas Albright. Albright and his team observed signals from the nerve cells in the monkey's inferior temporal cortex (ITC), an area of its brain used for visual pattern recognition and for storing this type of memory. As the monkey was deciding which symbol to choose, about a quarter of the activity in the ITC was due to the choice behavior. www.ks5u.com Meanwhile, more than half the activity was in a different group of nerve cells, which scientists believe represent the monkey's memory of the correct symbol pairing, and surprisingly, these cells continued to fire even when the monkey chose the wrong symbol. "In this sense, the cells 'knew' more than the monkeys let on in their behavior," Albright said. "Thus, behavior may vary, but knowledge _ " The researchers believe the monkey that made the wrong choice _ . A. also knew the correct answer B. had the worst memory C. failed to see the objects well D. had some trouble with its nerve system Answer: A As a foreigner,I don' t know the situation in the US well. Seeing all kinds of recent shooting incidents,I think it should be controlled more strictly than now. Somebody said that the person who has it in mind to kill another can do it without a gun,so the causes of murders are not guns but the trend of despising life in the US. And they also insist that there is no clear evidence that the increasing number of murders is connected with possession of guns,so the personal rights should not be restricted by the reason that there is not enough evidence. Several months ago,I agreed with that partly. But as we know,the private groups like NRA have used the public opinion and persuaded the government to protect their profit. Other weapons such as knives,razors ,bats are made for their own usage. But guns are made for only one reason--to kill someone. Of course,there are people who have guns to protect themselves from the criminals. But crime is getting more cruel and severe nowadays,so actually even if someone has a gun,it is impossible to guard himself completely. As a substitute ,I think,if the possession of guns is controlled more strictly,people can live safer lives than now. There are other reasons to oppose the gun control (e.g.the possession of guns is historical inheritance and represents that people's resistance will be against tyrannical government),but none of them can justify and explain today's serious situation in the US. What is the current situation in the US? A. The number of murders is rising. B. Everyone in the US possesses a gun. C. NRA has ruled over the country. D. No evidence is available after a crime. Answer: A A Swedish man was dug out alive after being snowed in his car on a forest track for two months with no food, police and local media reported on Saturday. The 45-year-old from southern Sweden was found on Friday, February17, too weak to say more than a few words. He was found not far from the city of Umea in the north of Sweden by snowmobilers who thought they had come across a ruined car until they dug their way to a window and saw movement inside. The man, who was lying in the back seat in a sleeping bag, said he had been in the car since December 19. "Just incredible that he's alive considering that he had no food, but also since it's been really cold for some time after Christmas." a rescue team member told regional daily Vasterbottens- Kuriren, which broke the news. Ebbe Nyberg, duty officer at the Umea police, said police saw no reason to doubt that the man had been stuck in the car for a very long time. "We would not make up something like this. The rescue services were on site too and saw the same as us." he told Vasterbottens-Kuriren. Umea University Hospital, where the man is recovering after being rescued by police and a rescue team, said in a statement he was doing well considering the circumstances. Doctors at the hospital said humans would normally be able to survive for about four weeks without food. Besides eating snow, the man probably survived by going into a dormant-like state, physician Stefan Branth told Vasterbottens-Kuriren. "A bit like a bear that hibernates. Humans can do that." he said. "He probably had a body temperature of around 31 degrees which the body adjusted to. Due to the low temperature, not much energy was used up." "Why the man ended up under the snow in the forest remains unknown," police said. The reason why the man could survive was most probably that _ . A. he was only forty-five year old B. he did not use any energy C. he slept in the sleeping bag D. he was in a dormant-like state Answer: D I am John.. I always get up late at the weekend. At about 9:30 am, I have breakfast. After breakfast, I start doing my homework. We have lunch at about 12:00, and then I watch TV or have a rest . I like reading and I often read some interesting books in the afternoon. I like sports, too. Sometimes I play football or basketball with my friends at school. My school is near my home, so I can walk there. Every weekend, my father takes me to a restaurant for a big dinner. I can enjoy lots of nice food. I like my weekend. What does John often do in the afternoon at the weekend? A. He often reads some books. B. He often has a rest. C. He often watches TV. D. He often plays basketball. Answer: A Here begins the story of the life of Tim. Tim's father was Frank. Frank's father was Jim. Jim's father was Greg. And Greg's father was Mark. These 5 men had ruled Markton for the last 100 years. For the last 20 years, Tim had been the ruler. When Frank died, Tim became the ruler. In these last 20 years, Tim brought lots of good luck to his people. They had never eaten so well. Most of his people ate 3 meals a day. Recently, Tim had been having trouble with a band of troublemakers led by Horace. Tim chose to do whatever he could to get rid of Horace. So, he got Assassin to get rid of Horace. One night Assassin sneaked into Horace's bedroom and did away with him. With the bad man gone, all the people had a giant party and sang a song about the greatness of their ruler. Who did the people sing about? A. Mark B. Horace C. Assassin D. Tim Answer: D
China Science and Technology Museum was opened to the public in September 1988. But the second project was completed in May 2000. Its main task is to spread knowledge of science and technology among the public. The activities of China Science and Technology Museum include popular science exhibitions, Astro-vision film shows, training education programs and experiment exhibition programs. The museum has an area of 40,000 square metres, of which 16,000 square metres is for exhibition halls. The Astro-vision Theatre is one of the museum's major attractions and also one of the largest Astro-vision theatres in the world. It makes visitors feel they are in actual events rather than see a film. Many great science activities are often held at the museum, and the museum wants to be an important window to the world. When you are seeing an Astro-vision film, you feel you are _ . in actual events If a tree falls in the forest, then gets covered in mud, it might form : future imprints in rock It is good to get in touch with your inner child from time to time,and obviously some people are willing to pay big money for the chance to do so in a proper environment.A Brooklyn-based adult preschool is charging customers between $333 and $999 for the chance to act like a kid again. At Preschool Mastermind in New York adults get to participate in show--and--tell,arts--and--crafts such as finger paint,games like musical chairs and even take naps.The month-long course also has class picture day where the adults are expected to have a field trip and a parent day. 30-year-old Michelle Joni Lapidos,the brain behind the adult preschool,studied childhood education and has always wanted to be a preschool teacher.She's always on the lookout for new ways to get people in touch with the freedom of childhood.A friend encouraged her to start the mastermind course instead. According to Candice,her blogger friend,Preschool Mastermind gives adults a chance to relearn and master the things that they failed to understand as children."I realized all the significances of what we learn in preschool,"said founder Michelle Joni,"People come here and get in touch with their inner child.It's magical.We are bringing ourselves back to another place,another time with ourselves when we are more believing in ourselves,more confident and ready to take on the world." "One person's here because they want to learn not to be so serious."Michelle said."Another's here to learn to be more confident."She explained that most of the classes were planned.However,Joni added that while the planned activities were fun,it was often the spontaneous moments that attracted students."It's the things you don't plan for,the sharing between friends and learning from each other.'' According to Candice,people come to this program to _ * figure out childhood puzzles Help Wanted: PAINTER Must have at least 3 years painting experience. Commercial and new construction work. $ 10/hr. Immediate opening. Call 435-9201 with work history. SECRETARY Part-time position available in friendly, busy office. Good typing and general office skills. Some weekends required. High pay. Various duties. Apply at East Side Management, 500 Park Drive, DeWitt, NY. 13214. VETERINARIAN ASSISTANT Person needed for busy animal hospital. Some nights and weekends. Apply in person to Johnson-Marks Animal Hospital, 404 Snow Road, Syracuse, NY. 13224. After 4 p.m. only please. NURSES' ASSISTANTS Full-time and part-time positions available for modern nursing home. High pay. Call Mrs. Downes, R.N. at 534-7618. COOK NEEDED Immediately. Busy downtown restaurant. Must be good and dependable. Experience preferred. Weekends required. Call 324-9817. SALESPERSON Experienced. Must have some knowledge of men's clothing industry. Available to work evenings and some Saturdays. Send resume to: Martin's Apparel, 237 Rockledge St. Syracuse, NY. 13224. TEACHER Small private school needs English and math teachers. Must have BS degree and at least 4 years teaching experience. Send resume to: Wales Charter School 19 South 8th St. NY. 13214. HOTEL needs part-time FRONT DESK CLERK. No experience necessary. Excellent people and phone skills a must. Some computer skills helpful. $ 13/hr. Call: Mr Jones 357-2897. If you want to get a job as a math teacher, send your resume to _ . 19 South 8th St. NY. 13214 The behaviour of a building's users may be at least as important as its design when it comes to energy use, according to new research from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC). The UK promises to reduce its carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050, part of which will be achieved by all new homes being zero-carbon by 2016. But this report shows that sustainable building design on its own -- though extremely important- is not enough to achieve such reductions: the behaviour of the people using the building has to change too. The study suggests that the ways that people use and live in their homes have been largely ignored by existing efforts to improve energy efficiency , _ instead focus on architectural and technological developments. 'Technology is going to assist but it is not going to do everything,'explains Katy Janda, a UKERC senior researcher,'consumption patterns of building users can defeat the most careful design. 'In other words,old habits die hard, even in the best-designed eco-home. Another part of the problem is information. Households and bill-payers don't have the knowledge they need to change their energy-use habits. Without specific information,it's hard to estimate the costs and benefits of making different choices. Feedback facilities, like smart meters and energy monitors,could help bridge this information gap by helping people see how changing their behaviour directly affects their energy use; some studies have shown that households can achieve up to 15 percent energy savings using smart meters. Social science research has added a further dimension ,suggesting that individuals'behaviour in the home can be personal and cannot be predicted whether people throw open their windows rather than turn down the thermostat , for example. Janda argues that education is the key. She calls for a focused programme to teach people about buildings and their own behaviour in them. What does the dimension added by social science research suggest? The behaviour of building users is unpredictable.
NASA-s New Horizons probe flew by Pluto this morning, sending back history's first up-close looks at the vast freezing-cold world. Closest approach came at 7:49 a.m. EDT. To celebrate, NASA gave out the latest photo of Pluto. It showed a reddish world with an amazing heart-shaped feature on its surface. After today's close encounter, all the nine solar system's traditionally recognized planets have now been visited by a spaceship-a huge project begun in 1962 when NASA's Mariner 2 probe flew past Venus, a planet in the solar system. More than l,200 scientists, NASA guests and important persons, including 200 reporters, watched the flyby live at New Horizons' mission control center. That close encounter has been a long time coming. The$723 million New Horizons mission launched in January 2006 but began taking shape in 1989. "New Horizons is'a capstone mission'," Glen Fountain, mission project manager told Space, com. "It is the first completion of the observations of our solar system. It-s giving us a new idea about how we human beings fit into the universe." New Horizons "faced a crazy number of challenges," Stern, a driving force behind New Horizons said, "So many people stuck with this for so long. They got knocked down; they stood up. They got knocked down again; they stood up again." In a coincidence, today's close approach falls on the 50th anniversary of the first flyby of Mars, another planet, which was completed by NASA-s Mariner 4 spaceship. There are no longer nine officially recognized planets, of course. The International Astronomical Union regarded Pluto as "a dwarf planet" in 2006 in a decision that remains controversial today. Glen Fountain may probably agree that _ . people are likely to find new ways to fit into space Before you go to another country, it is a great help if you know the language and some of the customs of the country. When people meet each other for the first time in Britain, they say "How do you do?" and shake hands . Usually they do not shake hands when they just meet or say goodbye. But they shake hands after they haven't met for a long time or when they will be away from each other for a long time. Last year a group of German students went to England for a holiday. Their teacher told them that the English people hardly shake hands. So when they met their English friends at the station, they kept their hands behind their backs. The English students had learned that Germans shake hands as often as possible, so they put their hands in front and got ready to shake hands with them. It made both of them laugh. This story is about _ . customs It doesn't matter when or how much a person sleeps, but everyone needs some rest to stay alive. That's what all doctors thought, until they heard about Al Herpin. Al Herpin, it was said, never slept. Could this be true? The doctors decided to see this strange man themselves. Al Herpin was 90 years old when the doctors came to his home in New Jersey. They thought for sure that he got some sleep of some kind. So they stayed with him and watched every movement he made. But they were surprised. Though they watched him hour after hour and day after day, they never saw Herpin sleeping. In fact, he did not even own a bed. He never needed one. The only rest that Herpin sometimes got was sitting in a comfortable chair and reading newspapers. The doctors were _ by this strange continuous sleeplessness. They asked him many questions, hoping to find an answer. They found only one answer that might explain his condition. Herpin remembered some talk about his mother having been injured several days before he was born. But that was all. Was this the real reason? No one could be sure. Herpin died at the age of 94. The doctors came to Herpin's home in order to _ . get some proof to show his sleeplessness was not really true They survive in some of the coldest environments in the world--but even penguins appreciate a warm woolly jumper once in a while. The mini knitted garments have helped save hundreds of flightless birds caught in oil spills, providing protection from the elements and stopping them from eating poisonous pollution. Knits tor Nature,a program run by The Penguin Foundation,which protects the little penguin population of Phillip Island,140km south-east of Melbourne,has created up to 300 different designs over the years--and it's all thanks to talented volunteers. "There's a lot of hidden creativity out there,"said Lyn Blom,of the Phillip Island Nature Park."People love to know that they're helping the penguins because they're so cute and small and they waddle up the beach and they're so strong and determined.But they need to be,they 1ive in a pretty tough sort of environment.'' A thumbnail--sized patch of oil can kill a little penguin,the smallest of the species,measuring just l3 inches and weighing l kg.The oil separates and mats their feathers,breaking natural waterproofing and heating functions. Ms Blom estimates she has knitted between 200 and 300 penguin jumpers over the years. A staff member read an article in an English women's magazine about knitting for guillemot birds and decided to adapt the designs. "There's a lot of ladies out there who used to knit for their children and grandchildren.These ladies have spare wool and idle hands,and they love to feel loved and needed and we love and need them,"said Ms Blom. The Pengu in Foundation recently staged a competition for the most creative jumper,which received an enthusiastic response. The Penguin Foundation rescues approximately 20 birds a year.They even have a stockpile of jumpers in case of emergency-such as the large oil spill Phillip Island in 2001. In that instance,453 little penguins were affected,96 percent of which were saved-most thanks to the jumpers. Why can a patch of oil kill little penguins? The oil ruins their feather's natural functions. The Guidance Department at Burrville High School has a staff of eleven. Most of their work is done with the students. But the staff sees a lot of parents, too. "Parent meetings form a clear monthly pattern," says Mildred Foreman, Guidance Director. "This pattern stays much the same from year to year. The busy months are October, March and May." September starts rather slowly. Few parents come in. Most of them want to discuss the schedules. October brings many behaviour problems. Some parents are called in. Others come by themselves. Things quiet down in November. December is a quiet month. "It's the holiday," Ms. Foreman says. "People want to come in, I know, but they decide to wait until after New Year's Day." Report cards go home just before Christmas holidays. Bad marks bring parents in as school reopens. This happens again in March, another report card month. May is always the year's busiest month. That's when parents realize that their children might be held back . They come in to see if anything can be done before things are decided in June. December is a quiet month because _ . Parents decide to go after the holiday
When trouble comes, what do we usually do? We pick up our mobile phones and call for help. That's easy, right? But in an emergency, many people are unable to call for help. Floods and earthquakes come suddenly. Wars can hurt or kill. Successful communication can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. Meet French NGO Telecoms Sans Frontiers (Telecommunications Without Borders ). Its goal is to use mobile communication technology to help people in need. TSF began in 1998. First, they opened their main base in France. Then in 2003, they started another base in Nicaragua. The next year they opened their Thailand base. Now if a disaster hits anywhere in the world, TSF is ready. They can send workers to a disaster area to set up communication systems within 24 hours. Once TSF arrives at a disaster area, they set up telephone connections and Internet service. They share these services with other international helpers on the scene such as the UN or UNICEF. Mobile communication helps other volunteers do their jobs better. TSF also offers three-minute phone calls to local people who need to contact their loved ones. These communications can allow people to get together again after being separated . Often the callers are moved to tears after speaking to a relative found to be still alive. Then the families can decide on a safe course of action for their family members. Since 1998, TSF has helped thousands of people in many countries. Most of the TSF workers does not get paid with money, but the satisfaction of helping others and changing lives is often a great reward. Telecoms Sans Frontiers is _ . Answer: a charity group from France Daniel Defoe (about 1660~1731) was an important novelist in the English literature . When he was young, he served as a soldier and had been to Spain, Italy, France and Germany. At the same time, he went in for politics. He cared much about the development of capitalism . He had written a lot of articles against it and he was put into prison twice for that. It was not until he was nearly sixty that he began to write the famous novel Robinson Crusoe, which was published in May, 1709. It spread so rapidly that the story was known to _ very soon. Robinson Crusoe can be divided into three parts. The first part is about Crusoe's three voyages, the second part about his hunting, hiding in caves farming and his hard struggles against nature on a small island, the third part about the things which happened after his return from the island. The second part is the body of the novel, in which Robinson's characters are clearly shown. Defoe wrote his novel in a simple style and his language is easy to understand. His novel-writing set a milestone of the modern English novel. In his later part of life, he was in poor health and lived very poorly. He died on April 24th, 1731. Robinson Crusoe can be divided into _ parts and the first is about _ . Answer: three; his journeys by sea David Beckham had a dream: to be the first English player to appear in four World Cups.But now it appears that dream is over after a serious injury to his Achilles tendon which means he could be out of action for around six months.With this year's World Cup in South Africa only three months away, sadly Beckham looks set to miss out.The injury happened while Beckham was playing for AC Milan against AC Chievo in the Italian league.After attempting to kick the ball he fell to the ground and hobbled off the pitch before being stretchered away. It is not yet known whether he has completely severed his Achilles tendon or only torn it.The player has now flown to Finland for assessment and treatment by a knee specialist. England manager Fabio Capello fears the worst for Beckham's World Cup chances. "We have to wait for the results of the scan but it looks like he is out of the World Cup," he said in a statement."I spoke with him after the game on Sunday night to offer my support. "David is a great professional and has worked very hard to be ready for the World Cup, so missing it will be a big blow." Beckham's former manager at American club LA Galaxy, Alexei Lalas, echoed Capello's words of support: "It is a horrible situation for Beckham.I know how much it meant to him to be in the World Cup and how important he was to the England team. David Beckham is now 34 and some are asking whether this serious injury could mean his whole career is over. Whatever happens, as one of football's best-known and popular players, Beckham will have no shortage of encouragement from fans around the world. Some will remember Beckham's miraculous recovery from an Achilles injury in 2006, when he was back on the pitch after only eight weeks. If he could repeat the same feat in time for the World Cup it really would be the stuff of fairytales. So, perhaps all is not lost.Optimists will _ from Alexei Lalas' words: "You never want to write off David Beckham as he has shown us his ability to bounce back ." .We may infer from the passage that _ . Answer: Beckham is likely to miss the world Cup A young man was getting ready to finish school. For a long time he had looked forward to getting a beautiful sports car. He knew his father could well afford it, so he told him _ was all he wanted. Then on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful gift box. Surprised, the young man opened the box and found a lovely Bible with his name on it. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" He then rushed out of the house, leaving the Bible. Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family, but realizing his father was very old, he thought perhaps he should go to see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a phone telling him his father had passed away. He had to come home immediately and take care of the things that his father left him. When he began to search through his father's important papers, he saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. He opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he was reading , a car key with a tag dropped from the back of the Bible. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words..."PAID IN FULL". Sadness and regret filled his heart. It can be seen from the passage that the young man _ . Answer: came to know the truth at last Since last year, Where Are We Going, Dad? has become the most popular TV shows.On the show, the five fathers and their children traveled around China riding camels through the western deserts , fishing on the east coast, and selling vegetables for their bus fare in southwestern Yunnan province. One dad doesn't know how to do his daughter's hair, so some people try to help him.Another one must survive with his son for three days in the desert because the father can't cook,they only eat instant noodles . Why is Where Are We Going, Dad? so popular? Because it is about how Chinese parents look after their kids. The show makes modern parents think about what they should do with their kids.In traditional Chinese culture,the father is strict and the mother is kind.But on the show, we see fathers who are much gentle on their kids and more involved in their upbringing ."said Li Minyi, a professor of early childhood education . In the past, children were taught by their parents' wishes and look after _ in their old age.But today Chinese parents realize that respecting their children's choices may be a better way to prepare them for modem society.As they raise their children,parents are growing up at the same time. One father and his son only eat instant noodles because _ . Answer: the father can't cook.
Sir, Last Saturday I watched the TV coverage of the latest Grand Prix motor race and could not fail to notice how much advertising there was. In particular, the leading car (and the one that eventually won) was almost constantly on the screen; it was painted to look like a packet of well-known cigarettes. Not only that, but the car was, on more than one occasion, referred to by the commentator not by the name of the driver or the motor company, but by the name of the product. However, the football team that I support is not allowed to wear shirts advertising anything when their matches are being televised. The rule preventing sportsmen and sportswomen from carrying advertisements on television is a good one. Keep it and do it. To take one example, what is the effect, I wonder, on the young and old, of the apparent connection between cigarette smoking and an exciting sport like motor-racing? L. H. Gray, London Sir, What a ridiculous situation our television companies find themselves in with regard to sport and advertising! I watched a televised football match in which the players did not carry any advertisements on their shirts, and yet there was advertising all around the ground. (Do the TV producers think we viewers are blind or something?) And when a well-known international player was interviewed after the match, both he and the interviewer referred by name to the make-ups firm! And as if that were not enough, the sports item that followed was the National Bank Golf Tournament. Advertising is all around us every day. Long live advertising, I say, and let the television companies recognize it and allow football players, athletes, racing drivers and others to wear sponsors' advertisements. At least we would all know where we were! Mrs. R. P. Laing, Bristol Mrs. Laing believes that _ . A sportsmen should be allowed to carry advertising on TV B advertising cigarettes should be officially forbidden at football matches C advertising on television should be forbidden D golf tournaments should not be sponsored by banks Answer: A. sportsmen should be allowed to carry advertising on TV Mr. Baker lived in an old and low house. His wife was blind in both eyes and the two children were very young. All his family often went hungry(.) He had nothing but a small piece of field. One autumn he grew some wheat in his field. He hoped it would do well because all family would depend on it. The whole winter it often snowed. And the next spring the wheat was doing well. Mr. Baker was happy. One day Mr. Baker went to watch his wheat. To his surprise, a lot of crops were eaten up by a horse. He became angry but could not find out whose horse had eaten them. He thought the horse would go there again. So he decided to stay in his field and tried to catch the horse. A few days later a yellow horse came in his field again and began to eat the wheat. Mr. Baker ran after it quickly, with a stick in his hand. But the beast ran much faster than he. He tried his best, but could not catch up with it. The next morning, when Mr. Baker was working in his field, he saw the yellow horse pulling carriage on the road. He picked up a stick at once, ran closer to the horse and began to beat it up. The driver was surprised and stopped him. He asked, "Why are you beating my horse?" "It has nothing to do with you, " Mr. Baker said angrily. "The beast knows why I'm beating him!" Which of the following is true? A The horse knew that it had done wrong. B The horse had nothing to do with the driver. C The horse knew whose wheat it had eaten up. D The horse belonged to the driver. Answer: D. The horse belonged to the driver. Welcome to Pocono Whitewater There's something fun here at Pocono Whitewater for every level of adventurer! We have mild to wild whitewater rafting , family trips, and birdwatching boating. Choose one adventure now. It's up to you! We have trips available daily. Give us a call today! Dam Release Whitewater Rafting Experience the best whitewater on the Lehigh River! Surrounded by forests and mountains, you will enjoy 12 miles and 5 hours of Class III whitewater rafting and outstanding scenery. This is a fun and thrilling trip that everyone over the age of 12 can make. While paddling in the swift water, you'll shout and laugh. Dam Release Whitewater Rafting Rates: Individual (over the age of 12) : $61.00 Group (at least 8 persons) : $31.00 Rates Include: all necessary rafting equipment, life jackets, free parking, bus service to/from the river and professional river guides. Family Style Whitewater Rafting Bring along the whole family this summer and enjoy 8 miles and 5 hours of Class I whitewater rafting. Mild water of the Lehigh River is simply perfect for beginners, school groups, and kids aged 4 and older. This is just perfect for enjoying the passing scenery, kicking your feet over the edge of the raft, or taking a swim in the river! One of the most unique things about this trip is a free riverside barbeque ! Our workers will cook and serve you a picnic lunch -- hotdogs, potato salad, fruit, etc. The classic family picnic! Family Style Whitewater Rafting Rates: Adult: $39.00 Child (aged 4--14) : $33.00 Group (at least 8 persons) : $30.00 Rates Include: all necessary rafting equipment, life jackets, free parking, bus service to/from the river, and a barbeque lunch, river guides not included. We can infer that _ . A the higher the class is, the milder the water is B the lower the class is, the milder the water is C the higher the class is, the safer the rafting is D the lower the class is, the faster the rafting is Answer: B. the lower the class is, the milder the water is A man and his wife had a small restaurant near a train station. The restaurant often stayed open until after midnight, because people came to drink and have meals while they were waiting for trains. At two o'clock one morning, a farmer was still sitting at a table there. He was asleep. The wife of the owner of the restaurant was very sleepy and wanted to go to bed. She looked at the farmer several times and waited for him to wake up and go, but each time she looked, the farmer was still there sleeping. Then at last she went to her husband and said to him, "You have woken him six times now, but why haven't you sent him away? It's very late." "Oh, no, I don't want to _ " answered her husband with a smile. "You see, whenever I wake him up, he asks for his bill , and when I give him the bill, he pays it and then goes to sleep again." The persons who come to the restaurant are those who _ A want to stay for night B want to meet friends C wait for the train D want to buy train tickets Answer: C. wait for the train Why do 33% of the households in the USA have cats? And how do you explain why there are 16 million more pet cats than dogs? Yes, kittens are adorable .Yes, they can grow up to be good mousers and are very entertaining to watch.And yes, cats are independent and don't require as much care as dogs.But research shows cats can also be caretakers for us and our families, improve our health and teach us and our children to be kinder, gentler souls. Theodora Wesselman is 94 and has lived the past two years with her elderly cat, Cleo, at TigerPlace, a retirement community in Columbia, Mo.Their enduring friendship is a classic example of how humans and animals can become family and look out for each other. Wesselman visits other residents, and her children stop by, but Cleo is her best friend, she says.They've been together nearly 21 years. "She sleeps on her own pillow right beside mine," Wesselman says."In the morning, she pecks on my cheek to wake me up.It's really sweet.I pet her, tell her I love her and take her to the kitchen to prepare her food." Research shows that being able to care for a pet improves our morale (;), helps validate us and encourages us to take care of ourselves, says Rebecca Johnson, director of the University of Missouri's Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction.The body of research is leading more retirement communities and universities _ . According to the context, where do you think the sentence "They start and end the day together" should appear in the passage? A Between para.1 and para.2 B Between para.2 and para.3 C Between para.3 and para.4 D Between para.4 and para.5 Answer: C. Between para.3 and para.4
When a light bulb is turned on, energy changes from one form to another. Which of the following best describes this change? Answer: If you look at the word Christmas, you can see the word Christ in it. On Christmas, people celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. Of course not everyone in America thinks Christ a great man, but Christmas is a holiday for all the people. It's on December 25. Shops and schools are not open. Almost every family has a Christmas tree in the house. People make their Christmas trees very beautiful. They put many colored bulbs on the trees. The bulbs make the trees more beautiful at night. They also put some dolls, balls and small animals on the trees. On Christmas day almost everyone gives gifts to others and also gets gifts from others. On Christmas, _ . Answer: It was a cloudy day on November 11, 2015. We walked in so quietly that the nurse at the desk didn't even lift her eyes from the book. Mum pointed at a big chair by the door and I knew she wanted me to sit down. While I watched, mouth open in surprise, Mum took off her hat and coat and gave them to me to hold. She walked quietly to the small room by the lift and took out a wet mop . She pushed the mop past the desk and as the nurse looked up, Mum nodded and said, "Very dirty floors." "Yes, I'm glad they've finally decided to clean them," the nurse answered. She looked at Mum strangely and said, "But aren't you working late?" Mum just pushed harder, each swipe of the mop taking her farther and farther down the hall. I watched until she was out of sight and the nurse had turned back to writing in the big book. After a long time Mum came back. Her eyes were shining. She quickly put the mop back and took my hand. As we turned to go out of the door, Mum nodded politely to the nurse and said, "Thank you." Outside, Mum told me, "Dagma is fine. No fever. " "You see her, Mum?" "Of course. I told her about the hospital rules, and she will not expect us until tomorrow. Dad will stop worrying as well. It's a fine hospital. But the floors! A mop is no good. You need a brush. " When the nurse talked to Mum, she thought Mum was a _ . Answer: Junelle Lynch knocked on more than 200 doors in the Gayln Manor neighborhood of Brunswick in recent weeks. Her aim is to collect hundreds of pounds of food for the Brunswick Food Bank. "I like helping people a lot,"said Junelle,who celebrated her 11th birthday in June. With the support of her parents Isabella and Robert,Junelle walked along the streets with an orange grocery bag .Isabella always accompanies her daughter. Isabella helps her daughter by car,so Junelle can empty her grocery bag when it becomes heavy. Junelle's friend,Destiny Williams,helped the first night,but he didn't turn up the rest of the time. Neighbor Lynda Mallory donated food to Junelle. Mallory dropped noodles,canned soup,vegetables and fruits into Junelle's bag. After visiting the last house and looking at what she collected,Junelle said she felt good about what she achieved with the help of her neighbors. Working an hour a night three times per week,she has collected more than 400 pounds of canned and boxed food. This isn't the first year she's collected food. Junelle started nearly three years ago when,at 8 years old,she saw a collection box at a grocery store and decided to become involved. In her first year,she collected 80 pounds of food in the mostly undeveloped neighborhood,and 214 pounds the next year. The food helped feed many families. When she isn't helping,Junelle is a straightA student who snowboards,plays the trumpet,sings with the Brunswick Chorus,plays basketball and writes poems. She plans on spending her summer vacation attending a basketball camp. According to the passage,Brunswick Food Bank is probably _ . Answer: China's position on the World Trade Organization(WTO) issue has not changed, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said yesterday at a routine press briefing. However, the atmosphere surrounding the WTO accession talks has been spoiled by NATO'S bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade , he added. Zhang stressed the US - led NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia had aroused the strong indignation of the Chinese people, and put Sino - U. S. relations into difficult straits. The bombing incident has affected the atmosphere surrounding the two sides' negotiation on the WTO accession, he said China demanded prompt, adequate and effective compensation for the Chinese loss of lives, injuries and loss of property. Shen Guofang, China's acting permanent representative to the United Nations, said on Wednesday that "Kosovo is Part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and it is not the United Nation's trustee territory". Shen, who took the floor at an international conference on Kosovo as the senior representative of Chinese Foreign Minister TangJiaxuan, called on the international community to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yugoslavia. We can draw a conclusion from the passage that _ in the world's foreign affairs. Answer:
Constructive forces build a new mountain range. How will weathering and erosion change the features of the mountain range over time? A. layering the rocks B. crystallizing the rocks C. folding the layers of the rocks D. rounding the shapes of the rocks Answer: D. rounding the shapes of the rocks Which sense is used to tell if there is sugar in a glass of tea? A. Touch B. Hearing C. Smell D. Taste Answer: D. Taste India now leads the world in smartphone growth. It saw a 55% increase in the number of smartphones in 2014. The number of Web users increased by 37%. Smartphones were the source of 65 % of its Internet traffic and 41 % of its e-commerce, according to a report by the analyst Mary Meeker, titled "Internet Trends 2015". India's Internet boom has started. Within three or four years, almost every adult in India will own a smartphone. They will be used to order goods, read news, monitor crop growth and so on. Indian adults will be very interested in these devices just as young Americans are. 87% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 who own smartphones say they never separate from these: "My smartphone never leaves my side." Four out of five say that the first thing they do on waking is to reach for their smartphones. And three fifths believe that in the next five years everything will be done on mobile devices. In the business world, the rise of mobile platforms is dramatically transforming many industries all over the world. What Indian software developers have to do is to start thinking about solutions to old problems by using all the features of these new devices. They need to take advantage of the unique properties of smartphones and tablets. As Indian software developers and enterprises master the smartphone, they will be able to export their solutions to the rest of the world. This will make possible a new tech revolution that is greater than what created India's IT industry in the 1980s and 1990s. We can expect the rapid transformation of India when a billion people become connected and have equal access to information and services. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. India is the largest mobile maker in the world. B. Indian farmers will probably use smartphones to monitor crop growth. C. Indian software developers have made great profits by selling their products abroad. D. India saw a great boom in IT industry some 30 years ago. Answer: B. Indian farmers will probably use smartphones to monitor crop growth. There are more and more fast food chains all over the world now. Most of these places work on a similar principle .There is a long counter ,above which hangs a list(often with pictures)of the items they sell,and behind which several people (often students working for the lowest pay) are working. Buyers form queues in front of each assistant. You receive what you order and take it on a tray to a table. If you can't see any knives and forks, this means you should eat with your hands. If you can't see any straws ,that's because they are hiding in the straw machine and you have to press the button to get a straw. When you have finished, you yourself throw away everything except the tray. It seems that you should do almost everything while you are having food in this kind of restaurant. Many fast food places have drive-in facilities You place your order from your car through a microphone and then drive to a special window to pay and pick it up. You may even find places where a waitress brings your meal out, and you sit and eat it in the car from a tray hooked over the door through the open window. What do you think about this king of food-serving? Everything happens in seconds as well as your lunch or supper. You have no time to enjoy your meal because you are eating fast food. _ are increasing quickly all over the world. A. Fast food consumers B. Kinds of fast food C. Fast food prizes D. Fast food chains Answer: D. Fast food chains Prison Breakis a huge hit thanks to its handsome star, Wentworth Miller. His character, Michael Scofield, is the engine that drives the show. Having committed a crime to get into prison and break out with his innocent brother, Michael Scofield is one of the most interesting personalities on TV today. But what about the man behind the character? Miller,35, is a hard guy to figure out. He does not come from a normal background and has never lived his life in a typical way. Miller didn't take direct path to fame and fortune. He graduated from Princeton University in 1995, not with a degree in theatre of film, but in English. He didn't even act when he was in college. His only performance experience was in his university's singing group. Yet , at graduation Miller still decided to make the move to Hollywood. Miller has always been different. Although he is American, he was in Britain when his father was studying there. His family background is also a special mix of cultures. "My father is black and my mother is white. That means I have always been caught in the middle. I could be either one, which can make you feel out of place," Miller says. Following his unusual path, Miller did not start trying out for films and TV shows when he first went to Hollywood. Instead, he worked as a lowly production assistant. Not what you would expect from a Princeton graduate. However, _ In 2002, Miller played a role in the drama Dinotopia(<<>> ). He starred as a thoughtful and shy man. Producers remembered his performance when they were castingPrison Breaktwo years later. With a golden globe nomination and another season ofPrison Breakon his resume, Miller seems ready to take over all of Hollywood. Which of the following statements is TRUE about Miller? A. He is chosen to play the Michael Scofielddue to his interesting personality. B. His performance in Dinotopia makes some contributions to his success. C. He has the same experience with the character Michael Scofield. D. He is angry about his being born into a mixed-cultural family. Answer: B. His performance in Dinotopia makes some contributions to his success.
There are three people in Yang Yang's family. They like different kinds of food. Yang Yang likes rice a lot. But she doesn't like chicken at all. Her father is from Shanxi. He doesn't like rice at all. He likes chicken and bread very much. Her mother is from Dalian. She doesn't like rice or bread at all. But she likes fish and vegetables a lot. They love each other and help each other. There are _ people in Yang Yang's family. Answer: three The One and Only Ivan [hardcover] Katherine Applegate (Author) Patricia Castelao (Illustrator) 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (117 customer reviews) / Like (58) List Price: $16.99 Price: $9.34 (for total orders over 25.) Usually ships within 1 to 3 weeks. Ships from and sold by Amazon. com. Gift-wrap available. Product Details Reading level: Ages 8 and up Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Harper Collins Languages: English ISBN-10: 0061992254 ISBN-13: 978-0061992254 Shopping weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Book Description Release Date: January 17, 2012 Age level: 8 and up Grade Level: 3 and up Ivan is an easy-going gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to human watching him. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he's seen and about his friends. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango. Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant, and she makes Ivan see their home--and his own art--through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it is up to Ivan to make it a change for the better. Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan's unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art and hope. The book is suitable for readers who are _ . Answer: more than 8 years old Wisdom teeth are normally the last teeth to appear.This usually happens when people are in their late teen years or early twenties,in other words,when they are older and wiser. Wisdom teeth can grow into place normally and never cause a problem.But often there is not enough room for them in the mouth;they might crowd other teeth.Sometimes they even push sideways through the gums . An impacted wisdom tooth is one that fails to completely rise through the gums.Wisdom teeth that only partly break through can leave space for bacteria to enter around the teeth.Infection is a risk in these cases. Wisdom teeth that are not well lined and become impacted are often removed.The American Dental Association says removal is generally advised when wisdom teeth only partly break through the gums.Removal is also advised if there is a chance that wisdom teeth ate poorly lined.The best time to remove is before the teeth cause any problems or pain.Young adults are the best candidates for wisdom teeth removal. But why do we have wisdom teeth if we often need to get them removed?One theory has to do with our diets.Scientists say the diet of ancient humans probably required more chewing teeth.Life was probably a little rougher on the teeth back then,too.So it was good to have extras. According to the passage,which of the following statements is NOT true? Answer: Just older and wiser people can have wisdom teeth. Mr. Green once worked in a big company.He was quite busy so that he couldn't do any reading.So he gave up his job and opened a bookshop in the center of the town.It wasn't big but all the books were nice and most people liked to buy some there.When the shop was closed,he could read at home.He knew a lot and many learned people were glad to make friends with him. It was Sunday and it was cold outside.Mr. Green was very busy.At nine in the evening all the buyers left,but a woman was still there.She was dressed up and seemed to be waiting for somebody there. Standing by the shelves,she looked over the books one after another,and made them in a terrible mess .Mr. Green came up to her and asked," Excuse me,madam.What can I do for you?" "Your books are not interesting at all,"said the woman,"I want a delicious one." "That's easy," Mr. Green smiled.He brought out a cookbook and said,"Here you are,madam." What's the most suitable ending of the story? _ Answer: The woman left the bookshop without buying any books. Recently I fully understood that a little favor could really make a big difference. My daughter and I were, accidentally, in time to catch a falling heart just before it hit the ground. It all started when Charlene, one of my co-volunteers at the library, asked if I could do her duty on Tuesday since her doctor appointment had been unexpectedly changed. I agreed, which meant I was home on Friday instead of volunteering as previously planned. My daughter, Mary, managers a book store in town. Mid-morning, she called to ask me for help. Would I buy a fifty dollar gift card, birthday card, and cake for one of Mary's assistant managers, Cindy? Mary explained she had to call Cindy in to take the place of another assistant manager who was sick, but felt terrible about it when she discovered it was Cindy's birthday. Cindy insisted that it was just fine. But that was not what Mary thought, so she gathered enough money from other employees to throw a surprise party for Cindy. Since neither Mary, nor any of the other employees, could leave to pick up the _ , they were turning to me for help. Days later, Mary told me the wonderful rest of the story, "Cindy cried and cried when we surprised her. After the party, Cindy told us that her boyfriend had chosen that morning to break up with her. To top that off, she only had 26 cents left in her bank account." We were surprised at the series of unexpected events that took place in order to circle Cindy with love and catch her falling heart just before it hit the ground. What can we learn about Mary? Answer: Sheplayedthemostimportantroleinthiscircleoflove.
We've heard about radiation from the damaged nuclear reactors in Japan reaching American shores. Experts say so far there is no reason to worry, and point out that we meet radiation every day. Where and how? NPR's Renee Montagne posed that question to Peter Caracappa, a radiation safety officer and professor of nuclear engineering. MONTAGNE: How many things emit radiation? Dr CARACAPPA: Well, radiation and radioactive material is a part of nature. So everything that's living has some amount of radiation coming from it--a very small amout. Plus there's radiation in the ground and the air. So the extremes are uranium in the soil to bananas? Yes. By the way, why do bananas have radiation? Bananas have a lot of potassium . And a small amount of potassium naturally is called potassium 40, which is radioactive What's the difference between radiation that's harmful and not harmful? Well, the term radiation can apply to a lot of different things. But the harmful radiation is ionizing radiation. It has enough energy that it can make chemical changes in material. We could get ionizing radiation from an X-ray, for example. It's the kind of radiation that causes cancer. The broader definition of radiation includes a lot of things that we call non-ionizing radiation. That includes everything like radio waves and visible light and your microwave. So what then is the largest contributor of ionizing radiation? For the natural sources of ionizing radiation, actually the biggest chunk of that tends to come from radon , which is a radioactive material that is present in the air. It can become a concern when it builds up in low-lying areas of homes like basements. Would it be fair to say that most people do not need to worry about the danger of being exposed to radiation? I would say that the everyday exposure to radioation that we meet contributes an extremely tiny risk to our life or to our health compared to all of the other risks that we meet in our day-to-day life. The passage may be _ . A. an interview B. an argument C. a talk show program D. a science report Answer: A The Islands of Hawaii Hawaii The "Big Island" of Hawaii is a paradise playground where visitors can enjoy a popular lifestyle and at the same time, witness the attraction of nature: thousands of square miles form a wonderland, featuring breathtaking beaches, forests, snow-covered mountains and amazing active volcanoes. A visit to Volcanoes National Park, which has been described as a true wonder of the world, is a must. It is the state's biggest attraction. Accommodations Seasons Resort Hualalai from $ 205.00Fairmont Orchid: from $108.00 Sightseeing and Experiences Circle Island Tour: from $48.00 Kauai The beautiful landscape of Kauai has led to it being called the "Garden Isle", but it is also referred to as the "Island of discovery", and with good reason - a land of striking natural contrasts just waiting to be explored. Green mountains, a breathtaking coastline and white sand beaches combine to make it one of the world's most relaxing locations. Accommodations Grand Hyatt Kauai: from $ 101.00Sheraton Kauai Resort: from $ 79.00 Maui Voted the "World's Best Island", Maui is widely regarded as one of the most romantic destinations on earth. It is known as the "Valley Isle" and was the ancient playground for Hawaiian royalty. The island is largely rural with a small and wonderful population and a host of attractions and nature wonders. Accommodations Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa: from $ 87.00 Sheraton Maui: from $ 99.00 Oahu Oahu has a unique rhythm, filling the air with sweet fragrances , music and language: from lovely beaches and amazing nightlife to beautiful rainforests and quiet valleys. Adventure, history, romance, discovery--Oahu waits for you. Accommodations Halekulani: from $ 121.00 Hilton Hawaiia: Village: from $ 73.00 Sightseeing and Experiences Royal Circle Island Tour: from $ 34.00 Paradise Cove Lu'au: $ 44.00 # All prices are based on per person per night. The passage is mainly written to _ . A. tell differences between islands in Hawaii B. provide a better understanding of the geography of Hawaii C. offer accommodation services to the tourists D. attract people to make a visit to Hawaii Answer: D Deep in the wilderness of northern Kenya, two boys found a pair of crying cheetah cubs . The cubs' mother had been killed by a lion. The cheetahs were only a few weeks old. In the wild, about 9 out of 10 cheetah cubs die before they are three months old. They are food for lions. But these cubs were so lucky that they were saved by their "heroes", who brought them to Jane and Ian Craig. The Craigs help save endangered animals at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. The Craigs nursed the cheetah cubs back to health -- feeding them with bottles, sleeping with them, and comforting them. They named the cubs Sambu and Toki. But what would become of these cubs? How would they survive on their own? In the wild, cubs stay with their mothers until they are almost 2 years old. During that time, cheetah mothers teach their young how to hunt and how to protect themselves. The Craigs wouldn't be able to find a cheetah mother to teach the cubs. So they turned to a man named Simon King. King has spent more than twenty years studying cheetahs. He gave them a nod of approval when hearing about this, though taking care of two baby cubs would take a huge amount of time. For two years, he would need to have them at his side most of the time. But he felt there was no other choice. And so, when the brothers were one month old, King became their father. The brothers followed King everywhere. If they saw large dangerous and fierce mammals, King would growl at the cubs the way a mother cheetah would have, which was a signal for the cubs to stay away. They learned quickly. King taught the cheetahs to hunt using a toy rabbit as King pulled it around on a rope. With more lessons and training, the brothers began to hunt on their own. King is one proud father now. In which part of a magazine would we expect to find this text? A. History B. Science C. News report D. Nature Answer: D School Activities Our school activities are suitable for all ages and levels including primary, secondary and A-Level. We offer workshops, hands-on activities and a teacher support service to help you get the most out of your visit. All school services are free, but must be booked in advance.[:Z,xx,k.Com] Darwin Centre Find out who you really are and where you come from in our interactive films about evolution, described by Sir David Attenborough. Hands-on Activities Get up close and personal with Museum in these hands-on activities, where you can handle real specimens from our collections. Hundreds of real, natural history specimens for students to touch and explore are in our hands-on science centre. Self-led Activities Pupils can engage with specimens through role-play in a self-guided explorer challenge through the Museum. The Great Debate School Program Students are introduced to the history of the debate during a lively tour. They are then divided into groups and use exhibits to prepare presentations representing the views of the debated key characters. Booking All school activities must be booked in advance by calling the schools booking line: 4420 7942 6666. If you want to join in the school activities, you _ . A. have to pay for the services B. should be an A-Level student C. need to visit the school web D. must book in advance Answer: D Jim comes from the U.S. He is now living in China. He gets up at about 6:30 and has breakfast at 7:00. After breakfast, he says goodbye to his parents and leaves home at 7:30. He usually walks to school. He gets there at 7:55. He has his first class at eight. Morning classes are over at 12:10 and he has lunch 10 minutes later. After lunch he plays with his friends. Afternoon classes begin at 1:30. Usually there are two lessons in the afternoon. They finish at 3:30. Usually he plays games or other things at school, and he gets home at about 5:15. He has _ at six and then does his homework and then watches TV. He goes to bed at about 10:30. From the passage we can infer that _ . A. Jim usually finishes his lunch at about 12:20 B. Jim's parents also live in China now C. Jim works as an English teacher in China now D. it usually takes Jim half an hour to get to school from home Answer: B
One day , an old man was selling a big elephant . A young man came up to the elephant and began to look at it slowly . The old man went up to him and said in his ear ."Don't say anything about the elephant before I sell it . Then I will give you some meat . ""All right ."said the young man . After the old man sold the elephant , he gave the young man some meat and said :"Now, can you tell me how you see the bad ears of the elephant ?""I didn't find the bad ears ."said the young man ."Then why do you look at it slowly ?"asked the old man . The young man said :"I never see an elephant before, and I want to know what it looks like. " The young man looked at the elephant slowly because he _ . Answer: didn't see any elephant before When you're 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 steps below can guide you during the research. Step1 On a note card or piece of paper, write down the subject that you are interested in.Just get the main idea down.For example, you might write: Discover more about dinosaurs. Step2 Next, stop and think for a moment about what you already know about your subject.List what you already know like the sentences below: (1)Dinosaurs lived long before human beings appeareD. (2)Dinosaurs lived on the earth for more than 150 million years. (3)Some dinosaurs fed on plants, some on meat. Step3 What can you do with what you want to learn? By asking questions.On your paper, start writing down questions about the dinosaurs as you think of them: (1)What's the best weather for dinosaurs to live in? (2)How many kinds of dinosaurs are there? (3)Have dinosaurs really disappeared? Step4 Armed with your list of questions, 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 dinosaurs disappeared about 65 million years ago.Why? What happened? Asking new questions can help you research your subject more widely. If you always find something interesting to research, take time to organize your thinking by asking good questions.And remember learning more always brings more questions. The best title for this passage is " _ " Answer: Asking Good Questions Most earthquakes occur within the upper 15 miles of the earth's surface, but earthquakes can and do occur at all depths to about 460 miles. Their number decreases as the depth increases. At about 460 miles one earthquake occurs only every few years. Near the surface earthquakes may run as high as 100 in a month, but the yearly average does not vary much. The extent of the disaster in an earthquake depends on many factors. If you carefully build a toy house with an erect set , it will still stand no matter how much you shake the table. But if you build a toy house with a pack of cards, a slight shake of the table will make it fall. An earthquake in Agadir was not strong, but it completely destroyed the city. Many stronger earthquakes have done comparatively little damage. If a building is well constructed and built on solid ground, it will resist an earthquake. Most deaths in earthquakes have been due to faulty building construction or poor building sites. A third and very serious factor is panic. When people rush out into narrow streets, more deaths will result. There is one type of earthquake disaster that little can be done about. This is the disaster caused by seismic sea waves, or tsunamis . These are often called tidal waves, but the name is incorrect. They had nothing to do with tides. In certain areas, earthquakes take place beneath the sea. These submarine earthquakes sometimes give rise to seismic sea waves. The waves are not noticeable out at sea because of their long wave length. But when they roll into harbors, they pile up into walls of water 6 to 60 feet high. The Japanese call them "tsunamis" meaning "harbor waves", because they reach a sizable height only in harbors. Tsunamis travel fairly slowly, at speeds up to 500 miles an hour. An earthquake warning system is in use to warn all shores likely to be reached by the waves. But this only enables people to leave the threatened shores for higher ground: There is no way to stop the oncoming wave. The significance of the slow speed of tsunamis is that people may _ . Answer: be warned early enough Nick Hancock hopes to set a new record by living alone for 60 days on a small island in the Atlantic. Tom McClean, an SAS soldier who holds the solo record for occupying Rockall for 40 days in 1985, told Hancock that being alone for two months was the greatest challenge Hancock would have to face. "I'm fully expecting it to be tough," Nick Hancock said. "I'm hoping that by doing my daily tasks fairly slowly, I'm going to be able to keep most of my time busy. I think the worst times will come if I'm boxed up for several days by bad weather." Hancock hopes to land on Rockall in early June and will carry out the last tests of his boat next week. He has a small wind turbine and a solar panel for power, more than two months' food, a satellite phone and a laptop loaded with e-books to keep him going. Hancock will update an adventure blog, texting messages out on Twitter and emailing his wife Pam and friends every day. Rockall has been occupied before, most famously by McClean but also by three Greenpeace campaigners, who set the long-stay record of 42 days in 1997 by occupying the rock in protest at oil and gas exploration in the area. The last human inhabitants Hancock knows of are a small group of Belgian amateur radio enthusiasts, who are interested in broadcasting from distant islands; they were on Rockall overnight in late 2010. Hancock has no large support team behind him. Except for the coastguard , his only lifeline will be the Orca III, the passenger boat which will take him to Rockall. According to Tom McClean, the biggest challenge Hancock would meet was _ . Answer: loneliness Our planet was born some billions of years ago. Ever since this planet has developed, it has surprised us human beings. No matter how much we human beings have developed technologically, we cannot ever create this kind of natural planet. The human race can only discover some amazing facts about it. Let us find out what some of them are. On September 13, 1922 El Azizia, a place in Libya, recorded a temperature of 136 degrees Fahrenheit. This was the highest temperature ever measured on the planet Earth. The highest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela, which drops from an amazing height of 3,212 feet. The waterfall drops over the edge of Auyantepui in the Canaima National Park. The gravitational pull of the Earth can be escaped if someone moves at a speed of 6.95 miles per second. At such a speed, one could travel from New York to Philadelphia in just 20 seconds. If the entire water in the world's oceans evaporated, the salt we got from these oceans could cover the entire planet with a 500-foot deep layer of salt. The deepest lake on Earth is Lake Baikal in Russia. Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake in the world, containing about 20% of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water. The Andes in South America spreads over 4,525 miles. This is the longest mountain range in the world. Did you know that the biggest valley in the world is the Grand Valley in Mesa County, Colorado and Grand County, Utah? It is about 30 miles (48 km) long and 5 miles (8 km) wide, along the Colorado River. The amazing facts about the earth are too many to be told completely above. We can learn from this passage that _ . Answer: one end of the Grand Valley is in Colorado and the other in Utah
What can cause a moving object to increase its speed in a forward direction? Answer: During the twentieth century there has been a great change in the lives of women. A woman marrying at the end of the nineteenth 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 until they were five years old. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years, during which 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 can be expected to live another thirty-five years and she is likely to take paid work until sixty. This important change in women's life has only recently begun to have its full effect on women's economic position. Even a few years ago most girls left school and 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 marry younger, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born. Many more afterwards return to full-time or part-time work. Such changes have produced a new relationship in marriage, with the husband accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfactions of family life. Many girls are now likely to _ . Answer: One Sunday evening, it was quite dark when old Stanley went for his walk. He was walking along the sidewalk, Suddenly, he saw a white car coming around the corner at high speed. It was going too fast and crashed into a red car in the street where he was walking. He rushed up to the cars to see if anyone was hurt and needed help. The two drivers were arguing. "You came around the corner too fast," one man said. "No!" said the driver of the white car, "That's not true! Your car was parked in a wrong place." Stanley listened to their argument and then said the white car driver was wrong to drive too fast. The driver of red car asked Stanley to prove he was right in court . Stanley gave the driver his name and telephone number. Next Thursday morning, Stanley was asked to go to the court. The lawyer for the driver of the white car asked him a lot of questions about what he had seen. Then he asked Stanley how old he was. "I'm eighty-two," answered Stanley. "Do you usually wear glasses ?" asked the lawyer. "Yes, I do," answered Stanley. "Were you wearing them on the night of the accident?" the lawyer asked. "No," replied Stanley. Then the lawyer said, "Why should the court believe you? You are eighty-two years old, you were not wearing your glasses, and it was dark. How far can you see in the dark?" Stanley thought about it for a minute. "Well," he said, "when it's dark, I can see the moon. How far is that?" The cause of the accident is that _ . Answer: A thousand years ago, Hong Kong was covered by a thick forest. As more and more people came to live in Hong Kong, these trees were cut down and burnt. Now there is no forest left, though there are still some small areas covered with trees. We call these woods. Elephants, tigers and many other animals were living in the thick forest. When people came to live in Hong Kong, the animals began to die out. Early farmers grew rice and kept pigs and chickens in the valleys. They cut down the trees and burnt them. They needed fire to keep themselves warm in winter, to cook their food and to keep away the dangerous animals. Elephants quickly disappeared because there was not enough food for them. Many other animals soon died in the same way. You might think that there are no longer any animals in Hong Kong except in 2005. But there are still about 36 different animals living there. One of the most interesting of Hong Kong's animals is the barking deer. These are beautiful little animals with a rich brown coat and a white patch under the tail. They look like deer but they are much smaller. They are less than two feet high. They make a noise rather like a dog barking. In Hong Kong the barking deer has only a real enemy---- men. People hunt these little animals though it is illegal, There are now not many barking deer left. So it is important for people to protect wild animals. The passage tells us that _ . Answer: All over the world, people enjoy sports. Sports are good for people's health. Many people like to watch others play games. They buy tickets or turn on their TV sets or may be online to watch. Sports change with the seasons. People play different games in different seasons. Sometimes they play inside the room. Sometimes they play outside. We can find sports here and there. Some sports are interesting and people everywhere like them. Football, for example, is very popular in the world. People from different countries can not understand each other, but after a game they often become very friendly to each other. ,. If you like sports, you can _ Answer:
Who won China's first gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics? It was Li Jianrou. The 27-year-old finished first in the women's 500m short track speed skating on Feb 13. The race was full of drama. Three athletes fell over because of an accident caused by Elise Christie of Britain in the second turn and Li became the surprise winner. Three-time defending champion Wang Meng of China missed the Olympics after breaking her ankle last month. Li had little experience in the race, where getting off to a quick Start is important. But she kept her cool while everyone else was falling around her. "I feel very lucky," Li said through a translator. She and one of her coaches cried tears of joy after China joined South Korea as the only countries to win the same short track event four Olympics in a row. The Koreans won the 3,000 relay in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006. "I cried because I was so excited," Li said. "My coach told me this medal is for Wang Meng as well, so I felt very moved." Li's victory made up for the surprising fall of teammate Fan Kexin in the semifinals. In the semis, Fan didn't even complete the first lap of the race, catching her left blade as she skated near the front. She crashed on all fours into the crew of workers who maintain the ice between races. They climbed onto the top of the pads to avoid being injured by Fan's long, sharp blades. Arianna Fontana of Italy took the silver and Park Seung-hi of South Korea earned the bronze. Which statement below is tree according to the passage? Answer: In our town, there is a big zoo with a lot of animals in it. There are some beautiful tigers and two old lions. They eat a lot of meat every day. There are also two big elephants and one baby elephant. The elephants are kind animals. They eat a lot every day. They like children. Children often give them bread and bananas. Elephants like bananas best. In our zoo there are also brown bears , black bears and white bears. They stand on their hind legs,hold up their fore legs and ask for food. They like cakes very much. There's also a children's corner in our zoo. Children ride horses and donkeys and watch the monkeys there. The monkeys are very funny. They climb up ropes and jump down again and play with each other(,) like small children. ,. Which animal likes bananas best? Answer: Whitney Houston, who died on February 11, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California, is being remembered across the globe as a trailblazer . Among all of Houston's outstanding achievements, including a total of more than 400 career a wards , her most significant achievement was her record-setting string of seven Number One singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart . It broke the previous record of six set by The Bee Gees and The Beatles. The string began on October 26 , 1985 with her Grammy-winning hit "Saving All My Love For You," and ended on April 23, 1988 with her R&B ballad "Where Do Broken Hearts Go." It was the fourth single from her album"Whitney"to go to Number One, also a record for a female artist. She sold more than 170 million albums worldwide and co-produced and recorded songs for one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time,The Bodyguard. Whitney Houston was born the daughter of famed gospel singer Cissy Houston in Newak , New Jersey. Dionne Warwick was her cousin and Aretha Franklin her godmother. She began as a gospel singer and pianist in her mother's church and sometimes performed alongside her in nightclubs. At age 15 , Whitney sang backup on Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman," a tune she later performed on The Bodyguard soundtrack. Whitney signed with Arista in 1983 and released her self-titied debut album two years later. The New York Times called her first effort, "an impressive, musically conservative showcase for an exceptional vocal talent ." She continued to achieve similar praise for subsequent albums, while her fast-growing fan base put her into the world-class entertainer. In 1998, she released her most musically-diverse album to date, "My Love Is Your Love." The title track became her third best-selling single ever. The past 10 years were filled with highs and lows. While Whitney's contract at Arista Records was renewed for $100 million, album sales began to slide. Her 14-year marriage to singer Bobby Brown ended in 2007 , she canceled concerts and interviews , and accusation arose of drug abuse. Her final album "I Look To you," sold more than two million copies and reached the Number One spot in 2009. What was Houston accused of ? Answer: TV talk shows dominate daytime television. And anyone who watches them regularly knows that each one is different in style. But no two shows are more opposite in content, while at the same time standing out above the rest than the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows. Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of "rubbish talk". The contents on his show are as surprising as possible. For example, the show takes the forever-common talk show titles of love, sex, cheating, and hate to a different level. Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is about the dark side of society, yet people are willing to eat up the troubles of other people's lives. Like Jerry Springer, Oprah Winfrey takes TV talk show to its top, but Oprah goes in the opposite direction. The show is mainly about the improvement of society and the quality of life. Contents are from teaching your children lessons, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors. Compared with Oprah, the Jerry Springer looks like poisonous waste being poured into society. Jerry ends every show with a "final word". He makes a small speech about the main idea of the show. Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very valuable. Clear as it is, the Oprah show is not for everyone. The show's main viewers are middle-class Americans. Most of these people have the time, money, and ability to deal with life's tougher problems. The Jerry Springer show, on the other hand, has more of connection with the young adults of society. These are 18-to-21-year-olds whose main troubles in life include love, relationship, sex, money and drugs. They are the ones who see some value and lessons to be learned through the show's exploitation (,). Compared with other TV talk shows, both the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows are _ . Answer: Last August, Joe and Mary Mahoney began looking at colleges for their 17-year-old daughter, Maureen. With a checklist of criteria in hand, the Dallas family looked around the country visiting half a dozen schools. They sought a university that offered the teenager's intended major, one located near a large city, and a campus where their daughter would be safe. "The safety issue is a big one," says Joe Mahoney, who quickly discovered he wasn't alone in his worries. On campus tours other parents voiced similar concerns, and the same question was always asked: what about crime? But when college officials always gave the same answer -----"That's not a problem here,"-----Mahoney began to feel uneasy. "No crime whatever?" comments Mahoney today. "I just don't _ it." Nor should he: in 1999 the U.S. Department of education had reports of nearly 400,000 serious crimes on or around our campuses. "Parents need to understand that times have changed since they went to college," says David Nichols, author ofCreating a Safe Campus. "Campus crime mirrors the rest of the nation." But getting accurate information isn't easy. Colleges must report crime statistics by law, but some hold back for fear of bad publicity , leaving the honest ones looking dangerous. "The truth may not always be serious," warns S. Daniel Carter of Security on Campus, Inc., the nation's leading campus safety watchdog group. To help concerned parents, Carter promised to visit campuses and talk to experts around the country to find out major crime issues and effective solutions. It is often difficult to get correct information on campus crime because some colleges _ . Answer:
My mother is taking a tour of the new house via Skype. I leaned the laptop so she can see where she's going,pleased that our Internet connection in Zimbabwe is holding. "This is the living room," I say. Then I tell mydaughter,s;Show Grandma the bed for the mummy and the daddy. " From a continent away, Grandma gave herapproval. Mum had a dollhouse,too. My grandmother,a single mother, did not have enough money to buy my mother areal dollhouse. So Mum made do,laboring over her square cookie tin for years. She stuck patterns on the bright walls : tin cans of jam and bags of flour to make sure the dolls' store was overflowing. My mother passed her love of life in miniature( ) on to me very early. At age 5,1 made chests of drawers for my dollhouse bedroom from matchboxes glued together. Unlike my mother,l was given some ready-made doll furniture and accessories. My mother encouraged me,always responding to my calI,"Come to see what I've made Lrur IIly clollhuuse ! " I spent hours writing a book with the unoriginal but certainly accurate title " How To Make Dolls' House Furniture". The book was lost in a household move. But the satisfying feeling of filling up blank pages with my own ideas stayed with me,pushing me into a career centered on words. My daughter turned 3 recently, and last month I put a strong empty cardboard box,about the size of a tea tray ,in Cassia's bedroom. I searched the shops for dollhouse furniture. But an afternoon's searching yielded only a pink plastic toilet and sink. It doesn't matter,l told myself. I showed Cassia how to make plates for her table from coloured buttons. Fascinated, she collected black stones. What my mother gave me was much more than a fascination with tiny things :It was the ability to view things from a new perspective , to put oneself in another person's shoes , and to solve problems with whatever is at hand. We can infer that the writer _ . A built her own house with different materials B made all accessories herself for her house C learned to become a house designer D made a living by writing books Answer: D The New York Philharmonic came to an unexpected stop on Tuesday night when an audience member's cell phone started ringing and wouldn't stop. Conductor Alan Gilbert was nearing the end of Mahler's Ninth Symphony when the interruption began. As eh New York Times writes, the symphony, "contains some of the most spiritual and peaceful music ever written." As the cell phone continued to ring, the iPhone's signature ringtone, Gilbert stopped the entire performance. And yet shockingly the phone continued to ring. "Nothing happened," Gilbert told the Times, "Nobody was to blame for it. It was unbelievable." Gilbert said minor cell phone interruptions have become common and rarely _ a live performance. The Philharmonic does what it can to remind to audience to turn off their cell phones before the performance begins. But the audience and performers stood by in astonished silence as Gilbert asked the offender to silence the phone, only to hear it continue. Mr Gilbert said audience pointed out two people sitting where the sound was coming from. "They were staring at me firmly," he said of the couple. Eventually, the man put his hand in his pocket and the ringing stopped. The conductor said he asked the man if he was sure the phone was quieted. "Then he nodded his head," Mr Gilbert said. People in the hall had been shouting for the sound to stop. Mr Pelkonen reported that they yelled: "Thousand-dollar fine!" "Kick him out!" "Get out!" Once the phone was finally silenced, Gilbert apologized to the audience. They responded with cheers and applause . And the performance continued. What does the writer of this passage intend to imply? A It's not acceptable to carry an iPhone to a concert. B It's rude to attend a concert with the phone ringing. C It's necessary to quiet the phones when the performance is over. D It's common for a conductor to make an apology to the audience. Answer: B Doha, the capital of Qatar,is a city of contrasts . In a few decades it has beentransformed from a small port to an international city. Today, its skyline is shaped by rising skyscrapers, but Old Doha---though fast disappearing---can still be found. Time seems to stand still in the old quarter of the city. On the dusty streets, Indian and Pakistani men sit cross-legged outside tea shops and restaurants. At one end of the road, men queue by the doorways of crowded supermarkets to buy necessities: boxes of teabags, milk, sugar, bread and soap. The shops are dark and poorly stocked. However, only five miles away, on the other side of the city, Doha shows a completely different image. It shines brilliantly with skyscrapers, five-star hotels and noble apartment buildings. The area looks like any other modem district in the world. Qatar, a tiny gulf nation, is a country of vast local and international ambitions. At home, it has owned several international universities. Abroad, it tries to speak louder on gulf affairs. These ambitions are urged by the country's unbelievably rich reserves of fossil fuels.In December 2012, Daba was the site of Copl8 UN Climate Change Conference and in 2022,Qatar will host the World Cup. Mohammed Salim, 55, runs a hair salon in the old part of the city where he works as a hair dresser.When he came to Doha 22 years ago from Pakistan,he recalls,Doha was a quiet town with few modern buildings."At that time,Doha seemed rather small.There were no big roads or malls at all." He has noticed a drop in customers to his salon in recent years."People now tend to go to more fashionable hair salons in shopping malls.Some day this old area will be gone, and my business will probably be gone, too.I'll be sad. I love here, but things are changing.We can't ignore it." What makes Doha become a city of contrasts according to the passage? A The city's old and modern districts. B The modern city and the tiny country. C The city's past and present conditions. D The fashionable city and its poor citizens. Answer: A Found:A black watch Is this your watch?It is found in the classroom. Please call Jessica at 36206018. Lost:My school card My name is David Hand. The number of my school card is 20070107. Please call me at 33429703 or my friend Judy. Her phone number is 33073061. Thank you. Tim finds David's card,he should call _ A 33429703 B 20070107 C 36206018 D 33037061 Answer: A At first glance, there is little in Horton to attract people. The other nearby towns have much more to offer: Bradfield has its river and historic buildings, while Newtown has shops and entertainment. The buildings of Horton look dirty and unloved. For shops, there is a small supermarket, a few bargain shops, a bakery which, strangely, does not sell bread and a florist which has one stand of sad-looking flowers. Even so, Horton has several advantages over its neighbouring towns. Firstly, it has a country park. Four thousand years ago, this was an important fort. There are no historic remains here now, but there are wonderful views over the countryside. On sunny weekends you can often see kids out with their parents, kicking balls or flying kites. There aren't many job opportunities in Horton, and the roads to nearby cities aren't really fast, but there are excellent rail links. You can be in London in an hour and a half, and other cities are less than an hour away. That means that parents can earn a good salary and still get home in time to spend the evenings with their families. Houses in Horton aren't pretty, but they're functional and cheap. The streets are quiet and safe, and there are plenty of parks and playgrounds. It has a library, three primary schools and a secondary school, St. Mark's. It is friendly and offers a wide range of subjects and activities to children of all abilities and backgrounds. The town also has a swimming and a sports centre, and the community halls hold regular clubs and events for people of all ages. Which of the following is NOT the advantage of Horton? A plenty of parks and playgrounds B historical buildings C the quiet and safe streets D functional and cheap houses Answer: B
Is language, like food, a basic human need? Judging from the extreme experiment of Frederick in the 13th century, it may be. Hoping to discover what language a child would speak if he heard no mother tongue he told the nurses to keep silent. All the babies died before the first year. But clearly there was more than language deprivation (,). What was missing was good mothering. Without good mothering, in the first year of life especially, the ability to survive is seriously affected. Today no such extreme deprivation exists as that ordered by Frederick. Nevertheless, some children are still backward in speaking. Most often the reason for this is that the mother is insensitive to signals of the baby, whose brain is programmed, to mop up language rapidly. There are critical times, it seems when children learn more rapidly. If these sensitive periods are neglected, the ideal time for acquiring skills passes and they might never be learned so easily again. Linguists suggest that speech milestones are reached in a fixed order and at a constant age, but there are cases where speech has started late in a child who eventually turns out to be of high IQ. Recent evidence suggests that a baby is born with the ability to speak. What is special about man's brain, compared with that of the monkey, is the complex system which enables a child to connect the sight and feel of, say, a teddy bear with the sound pattern "teddy bear". But speech has to be developed, and this depends on interaction between the mother and the child, where the mother recognizes the signals in the child's babbling, clinging, grasping, crying, smiling, and responds to them. Insensitivity of the mother to these signals reduces the interaction because the child gets discouraged and sends out only the obvious signals. Sensitivity to the child's nonverbal signals is basic to the growth and development of language. Frederick's experiment was extreme because _ . Answer: Prison Break is a huge hit thanks to its handsome star,Wentworth Miller. His actor, Michael Scofield, is the engine that drives the show. Michael Scofield is one of the most interesting personalities on television today. But what about the man behind the character? Miller,35,is a hard guy to figure out. He does not come from a normal background and has never lived his life in a typical way. Milier didn't take a direct path to fame and fortune. He graduated from Princeton University in 1995,not with a degree in theatre or film, but in English. He didn't even act when he was in college. His only performance experience was in his university's singing group. Yet, at graduation Miller still decided to make the move to prefix = st1 /Hollywood. Miller has always been different. Although he is American, he was born in Britainwhen his father was studying there. His family background is also a special mix of cultures. "My father is black and my mother is white. That means I have always been caught in the middle. I could be either one, which can make you feel out of place," Miller says. Following his unusual path,Miller did not start trying out for films and TV shows when he first got to Hollywood. Instead, he worked as a lowly production assistant. Not what you would expect from a Princeton graduate. However, _ . In 2002,Miller played a role in the drama Dinotopia. He starred as a thoughtful and shy man. Producers remembered his performance when they were castingPrison Breaktwo years later. With a golden globe nomination and another season of Prison Breakon his resume ,Miller seems ready to take over all of Hollywood. Which of the following statements is true? Answer: There is plenty for kids and teens to do in the Syracuse area during the summer, including some great educational opportunities. Here are the top four. Rosamond Gifford Zoo Camp The zoo offers separate camps for kids. The camps for kindergarteners run from 9 am to 12:30 pm, and cost $115 for zoo members and $135 for non-members. Kids entering 7thand 8thgrades will have half a day from 1 pm to 4:30 pm. The cost is $149 for members and $160 for non-members. All camps feature numerous educational activities and animal encounters. The camps run from August 14 to August 19. Registration starts from July 10 for members and July 15 for non-members. Active Learning Services at Christian Brothers Academy From August 1 to August 5, Christian Brothers Academy will host Active Learning Services from USA Chess. Topics of learning will include Chess Camp (age 5-15), and Video Game Creation Program (age 8-15). Chess Camp promises improved chess skills through chess instructors utilizing demo boards and historic games. Half day sessions will cost $280 for the Computer Camps. A full day of Chess costs $400, and a half day of Chess followed by a half day of Computer Camps cost $430. Syracuse University Summer College From July 5thto August 12th, Syracuse University will host pre-college programs for high school students. The Summer College will offer a wide variety of programs including architecture, engineering and computer science, public communications, and eco-fashion. The programs are taught by the teachers of Syracuse University and include hands-on activities. The costs range from $2325 to $7642. The Sheldon Institute at SUNY Oswego The State University of New York will hold two-week educational enrichment programs for students entering grades2-4 from July 25 to August 5. Children will have a set program featuring art, science, technology, cultural appreciation and writing. Tuition for the programs is only $320 and a downloadable application is available. If a preschool boy and his 8th-grade brother attend the Zoo Camps, they should pay _ . Answer: Every student wants to learn English well, but how can we learn it well? It's a good topic for English learners. Here are some good methods, which can help you improve your English quickly. First of all, you must have correct attitude. Please love English, not hate it. And you don't feel shy when you say or speak English. Remember one sentence: _ Secondly, I think grammar rules, new words and phrases are important, but they are not enough. For example, some people are quite good at grammar and learned a lot of English words and phrases. But they can't speak English when they meet foreign friends. The most effective way to learn English well is to often use English. Don't be afraid and don't laugh at others. We'd better listen, speak, read and write more. You can go to English corner, talk with foreigners or talk with your friends. If you have time, listen to the radio or English program. Listening to this good material can help you improve your listening and understanding. And then, you can read English books, newspapers or novels. They are wonderful. You can use the internet, chat with net-friends or write E-mails, dairies ...Through these ways, you can get more for your English. English isn't so difficult that we can't learn it well. As long as we set our mind to learn English well, I'm sure everyone will be successful. The writer gives the following tips EXCEPT _ Answer: About ten years ago, a young and very successful businessman named Josh was traveling down a prefix = st1 /Chicagoneighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his shiny, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old. He was watching for kids rushing out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child came out, but a brick sailed out and-WHUMP!-it hit the Jag's shiny black side door! SCREECH. . . !!!! Immediately Josh stopped the car, jumped out, seized the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!" Building up a head of steam, he went on. "That's my new Jag, that brick you threw is gone cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?" "Please, mister, please. . . I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!" begged the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop!" Tears were streaming down the boy's face as he pointed around the parked car. "It's my brother, mister," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up. " Sobbing, the boy asked the businessman, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair?" He's hurt and he's too heavy for me. " Moved beyond words, the young businessman tried hard to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapers and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long walk back to the black, shining, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE -- a long and slow walk. Josh never fixed the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. _ What can we learn from the passage? Answer:
Perfect Presents David is going to American to stay with his penfriend, Chris.David wants to take some presents with him. Chris lives in New York with his parents and his two sisters.We both love sports, especially (,)football and basketball. My mum thinks it is a good idea to take presents for all the family.So here I am on a shopping trip with my mum. I know what I want for Chris.I am buying him a football shirt.He is a big Chelsea fan .It's expensive but it's the perfect present.Mum has good ideas about what to buy for Chris's parents.She suggests some typical English foods like tea and marmalade .We find a great shop.It has just what we want.Mum also buys them a photo of London. That just leaves Chris's sisters.We go to a toy shop and I see some beautiful teddy bears.They are all in different colours and say "Greetings from London." They are perfect.Now I'm ready for my holiday. What present(s) does David buy for Chris's sisters? A A football. B A football shirt. C Typical English foods. D Teddy bears. Answer: D Mary Webb, a physician called as a witness by the defendant in the case of Parr v. Doan, was asked to testify to statements made by Michael Zadok, her patient, for the purpose of obtaining treatment from Dr. Webb. Which of the following is the best basis for excluding evidence of Zadok's statements in a jurisdiction with a doctor-patient privilege? A An objection by Dr. Webb asserting her privilege against disclosure of confidential communications made by a patient. B An objection by Parr's attorney on the grounds of the doctor-patient privilege. C A finding by the trial judge that Zadok had left the office without actually receiving treatment. D The assertion of a privilege by Zadok's attorney, present at the trial as a spectator at Zadok's request, and allowed by the trial judge to speak. Answer: D Booker T. Washington was born in a black slave family in Virginia of the USA in 1856, seven years before slavery was abolished by Abraham Lincoln in January, 1863. He wrote a book about his life called Up From Slavery, which was published in 1901. In the book, he said that he had no choice but to work in a coal mine when he was 16 years old. He had no chance to go to school. He heard two coal miners talking about a school for black children which was called the Hampton Institute. He determined that he would go there. He gave up his job and told other members of his race that he was going to school across the state. The older people had spent their best years as slaves and were poor. However, some gave Booker some pocket money or a handkerchief. Hardly had anyone expected any of their race to leave home to attend a boarding school. He took a train to Richmond, Virginia, where he ran out of money. It was 82 miles from the Hampton Institute. He slept under a wooden sidewalk . He helped unload pigs and iron from a ship for some money and when he had enough, he continued his journey, arriving at school with 50 cents. This diligence pushed him to graduate and become a teacher at the Hampton Institute. When he was 25 years old, he was asked to start a new school for black children in Alabama. called the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. Thirty-four years later, this school had 1,500 students and 200 teachers and Booker T. Washington became the most influential black leader of his generation. What can we know from the passage? A Booker went to the Hampton Institute first by train and then by ship. B In all, Booker covered 82 miles before he arrived at the Hampton Institute. C Booker wrote Up From Slaverywhen he was 25 years old. D It was unusual for blacks to attend school at that time. Answer: D During communication, "words" express only 7% of meanings between people. About 23% of meanings are from the "tone of voice" and 70% of meanings come from "body language". So next time you want someone's attention--try body language instead. Everyone does it, and most interestingly--most do it unconsciously. You may wonder: "Does that mean I have to study psychology to succeed in reading body language?" The answer is "no" because most people are already body language readers. It's a skill developed since we're babies--think of how most babies can recognize facial expressions and get attention without saying anything. That is, you needn't spend most of your time practicing some of your body language cues ! However, you should know that the context is king. It suggests that, depending on the context of the situation, people will hide body language cues. So sometimes cues can be tricky: a woman who locks her arms may think you are boring--or she may just feel cold. You must learn to read into the context as well as the cues. Sometimes people care more about their body language cues. For example, poker players will consciously hide more of their body language cues. The first place to start when reading a person's body language is the face. The easiest way to hide your feelings is to cover your face. This is why it's sometimes hard to tell if an Islamic girl likes you. If the eyes are the windows of the mind, the eyebrows are the windows of the eyes. So, notice how a person's eyebrows will generally rise when they meet someone, see something they like or are surprised at. Eyes generally smile along with the mouth when someone is happy, so everyone knows "^ . ^". Who will hide their body language cues on purpose according to the text? A Scientists B Farmers. C Teachers. D Poker players. Answer: D Who give us life,raise us and are our constant support and wellwishers?Our mothers.That's why millions of people across the world take Mother's Day as an opportunity to express thanks and send best wishes to their moms. However,the celebration of Mother's Day is not the recent thing that many believe it to be.It was the ancient Greeks who started the tradition by celebrating their annual spring festival in honor of Rhea,the mother of many gods and goddesses. Later,in the 1600s,Mothering Sunday came to be celebrated in England.On the fourth Sunday of Lent ,children brought flowers and special fruitcakes to show their respect for their mothers.It may be the root of the modern Mother's Day. Thanks to the great efforts of Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis,Mother's Day became an official festival in the US.It is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.Later,many countries began to celebrate this day as Mother's Day. Today,Mother's Day is an international festival honoring mothers.It is celebrated all over the world in different ways.In Western countries,the most common way is to treat mothers with breakfast in bed.Kids often allow their mothers to sleep till late in the morning while they prepare her favorite breakfast with their fathers.Some also make handmade gifts or buy beautiful carnations .It is the day when you acknowledge your mothers contribution in your life and pay a tribute to her,often with flowers and gifts.It complements Father's Day,the celebration honoring fathers. Today,Mother's Day is a day celebrated on various days in many places around the world. The passage mainly wants to tell us _ . A how to celebrate Mother's day B what to do on Mother's day C the historical change of Mother's day D the meaning of Mother's day Answer: C
Chinese writer Mo Yan has won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature, announced the Swedish Academy in Stockholm on Thursday.The win makes Mo Yan the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel in its III-year history.Informed of his win today, the author, who was having dinner at home, was "overjoyed and scared". Born in 1955 to parents who were farmers, Mo Yan-a pen name for Guan Moye,grew up in Gaomi in Shandong province in eastern China. At the age of 12, he left school to work, first in agriculture, later in a factory. In 1976 he joined the army and during this time began to study literature and writing. He published his first book in 1981, but found literary success in 1987 with Hong Gaoliang Jiazu, which was successfully filmed in the same year, directed by famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou. In his writing, Mo Yan draws on his youthful experiences and on settings in the province of his birth and his works show the life of Chinese people as well as the country's unique culture and folk customs. Mo Yan is known as a prolific writer. In addition to his novels, he has published many short stories and essays on various topics. Despite his social criticism, he is seen in his homeland as one of the most famous contemporary authors. Dozens of his works have been translated into English, French, Japanese and many other languages. The awarding ceremony will be held on December 10.The winner will win a medal, a personal diploma and a cash award of about $l million. Mo Yan developed his ability for writing when he was _ . in the army There was a 17% fall in the number of first year undergraduates at UK universities in the first year of higher tuition fees, official figures show. In 2012-13 UK universities were allowed to _ their yearly fees to PS9,000. England saw a 12% fall in new full-time undergraduate students overall. The government acknowledged the fall but stressed that demand for full time higher education has already "returned to record levels". A spokesperson for Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said the figures were influenced by a higher number of students taking up places the previous year, rather than having a gap year. "A reduction in entrants in 2012 was well documented and the numbers were affected by the significant number of students who opted not to defer their place from the year before," she said. 'Direct consequence' The decline had not continued into the current year, she added. "Application rates for some of the most disadvantaged young people have risen to an all time high in England and more students than ever before are being successful in securing a place at their first choice institution." The figures, collated by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa), are official confirmation of other indications that there was a fall in the number of people going to university last year. Previously released figures had shown declines in applications and offers of places, and the admissions body Ucas also reported a fall. Which of the following is Not True according to the passage? The government refused to admit the decrease. International Students' Orientation Programme What is it? It is a course which will introduce you to the College and to Bingham. It takes place in the week before term starts, from 24th-28thSeptember, but you should plan to arrive in Bingham on the 22ndor 23rdSeptember. Why do we think it is important? We want you to have the best possible start to your studies and you need to find out about all the opportunities that college life offers. It will enable you to get to know the college, its facilities and services. You will also have a chance to meet staff and students. How much will it cost? * International students (non-European Union students) For those students who do not come from European Union (EU) countries, and who are not used to European culture and customs, the progamme is very important and you are strongly advised to attend. Because of this, the cost of the programme, without accommodation, is built into your tuition fees. * EU students EU students are welcome to take part in this programme without accommodation for PS195. Accommodation costs (international and EU students) The cost of accommodation for one week is PS165 If you have booked accommodation for the year ahead (41 weeks) through the college, you do not have to pay extra for accommodation. You can ask us to pre-book accommodation for you one week only in a hotel with other International students. What is included during the programme? Meals: lunch and an evening meal are provided as part of the programme. Please note that breakfast is not available. Information: including such topics as accommodation, health, religious matters, study skills, and other necessary information. Social activities: including a welcome party and a half day trip round Bingham. Which of the following might NOT be included in the programme? Looking for a part-time job in neighborhood. Money is all surrounding us.Every day, we see it, use it, and it is on the tip of our tongue.Did you ever stop to take into consideration where the money that you carry around every day comes from? Making new money is a very unique job and no easy task.It has up to 65 steps When the money in circulation gets dirty and worn out, it is replaced with new money The old money is taken from banks and brought to places where it is destroyed Usually, the old money is burned.The burned money is replaced by new paper money If old money is being replaced, then new money is printed in a place called a mint .Large sheets 01 paper are printed with many pictures of some currency .These large sheets are cut into individual bills.The individual bills are then put together in big stacks and then sent to banks. Sometimes the mint will make a new bill with a new picture (portraits of statesman and places of interest are favoured) or a new colour. It is not easy for the government to make a new bill. It takes a long time, and there are many steps to go through before a new bill can be sent to banks, first, people m the government decide that a new kind of bill is needed Then, they ask and artist to design the new bill.A different artist cuts the new picture into a soft piece of metal called a die.The dies are made and put onto large printing machines.Then, very special paper is used, which no one but the mint can have.Along with this special paper, the mint also prints currency using special colours.After the dies print the new currency onto the paper, the bills are cut, stacked, and sent off to the banks. From the passage we know that it takes 65 procedures to make new money Joe was a young boy who was excited for his first day of school. He jumped out of bed with a big smile on his face, ready for school. He looked in the mirror as he put on his white shirt and blue jeans, and ran down the stairs to get breakfast. His breakfast was waffles with syrup and eggs. His favorite breakfasts are pancakes and cereal, but the waffles were good. After eating all his food, he grabbed his lunch and ran out the door towards the yellow school bus. He arrived at the bus stop and waited for the bus. The bus was running late, but then he finally saw the bus pull up to the bus stop. He did not want to wait one more second so he talked to the bus driver and then took his seat on the bus. He then took a good look out the window and watched as the bus began driving him to the first day of school he had been waiting for. Finally, the bus came to a stop. The children all ran off the bus towards the elementary school. Joe did not see many other second grade students so he walked to the doors alone. Once he entered the school, he saw many of his friends from third grade and began talking to them. Then the bell rang and Joe's first day of school began. What color was the shirt Joe wore? White
When my parents were alive, they weren't well off financially. Yet they helped their two older daughters time after time. My sisters paid Mom and Dad back part of the time, but when Daddy passed away, his cash journal showed debts due from several of his children. I was not among them. I seldom borrowed money and when I did, at the beginning I set a repayment plan and stuck to it. It was a matter of pride for me. When you think that I was raised in the same household with my brothers and sisters and had the same parents, it is hard to figure out why I was the only one who couldn't stand to owe them -- or anyone -- money. Maybe it's because I watched my parents struggle to help my older sisters out when they were in financial difficulties themselves. Maybe it's because of that reason, I was just too proud to depend on anyone else. These days, I am the one of those other people turn to for help when they need it. Just as I can't stand to owe other people, I can't stand to say no to anyone who presents a credible case of need. So I am what is called an"enabler". Being an enabler is an insidious disorder. It starts simply enough when you help someone with an extraordinary expense created by an unusual event. Then when people find out you will provide aid, they ask you more and more and you -- being a nice person -- just keep giving. It's a hard cycle to break and I personally have no clue how to escape. I'm not angry. I'm not holding a grudge. I don't try to tell my children or my sisters how to run their lives because they ask me for money. Yet I would be so proud of all of them if they were to make more of an effort to handle things themselves, perhaps by doing some financial planning -- like planning not to spend money they don't have! And I don't see why they can't do this. After all, I'm not lassoing them and forcing them to take my money. I'm just not good at saying"no". So I ask you, what can I do when so many people around me have no shame in owing others money? On the other hand, I am doing them a greatdisserviceby my"kindness". I remember as a child how my father always said these two things,"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again,"and"I can't get stuck in the fence. I'll try to pull it down."As an enabler, I have prevented my children from learning to keep trying instead of turning to me for help. Yes, they could change their ways and learn to get along on their own, but why would they do that? Who among us would choose to be out of a car because we can't afford to fix it when Mom will supply the money to get it fixed? Yes, I am an enabler; and I am wronging my children by enabling them to be less than self-sufficient. I have known this for a long time but I still can't say no. The author will feel proud when . Can feeling of nostalgia be good for you? Or is it unhealthy to have a strong love for the past? For years, medical experts have studied nostalgia and the reasons for it. Many experts warn that too much nostalgia is harmful. They say living in the past shows that a person is unhappy with his present life. These feelings keep the person from living his life to its fullest. However, experts say it is normal to love the past sometimes. In fact, a little nostalgia can enrich a person's life. Dr. Louise Kaplan has written several books about nostalgia. She says these feelings often begin when a young person is between 13 and 19 years old. "This is the time when you must face the loss of your childhood, "Kaplan says. "You see your new life is easily destroyed. But you think romantically about a golden past. You remember your childhood as a time when life is perfect." These feelings continue as the person gets older, Kaplan adds. She says many grown persons have a hard time keeping up with changes in the modem world, so they think back to their younger years. At that time the world seemed simple and more harmless. Kaplan says these feelings do not always actually exist. The good old days did not always exist. The good old days weren't always good. However, she says nostalgia can be helpful, if used properly. "Feelings of nostalgia can cause you to remember a time when you had high hopes and dreams, "Kaplan says. "It might give you the strong wish to catch those dreams today in your past life." She adds that nostalgia can prevent you from "cutting yourself off from your aim". Which of the following is NOT talked about in the passage? Everyone needs safe drinking water, but about 1.1 billion people have no access to clean water. Most of the world's water is salty ocean water or frozen polar ice. By 2050, the world's population could grow from 6.7 billion to more than 9 billion. All of those people will need water to drink. But the bad news is that some areas of the world are growing drier because of climate change. The total area of the Earth's surface classified as very dry has doubled since the 1970s. Sadly, the precious resource is still misused in industry, in farming and at homes. Therefore, the world is facing a crisis over water. "You do the math, and it gets a little scary," says Stuart Minchin, a water expert in Australia. "We're waking up," he says. "But not fast enough." In southern Australia, farmers have been hit hard. They can't irrigate their fields well enough. The Australian government has launched a $1.3 billion project to improve Australia's irrigation system to stop the crop production dropping further. Australians have serious water worries, but it could be worse. They don't have to fear that when they turn on the tap, nothing will come out. That's the case in India. Many people in New Delhi, the capital, go without clean water for days. City leaders have taken stricter measures to save water. Users pay a very high but affordable price for it. Homeowners who waste water are given large fines. There are 1.9 million people who live in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now it has grown by more than 300,000 people since 2002. But it uses less water today than it did seven years ago. What do people in Las Vegas think of the water-saving measures in their city? With the development of technology, WiFi is becoming more and more popular and important in people's daily life.But have you ever experienced it? Just imagine what life will be like if there is no Internet.Maybe you won't be able to talk with friends, play video games or search for information for your homework on the Internet. But in fact, only one third of the world's population are able to get information on the Internet.The rest are too poor to buy WiFi access or they live in _ areas.As a result, they live without the Internet. Google and Facebook, two world-famous technology companies, have decided to do something about it.Google's Project Loon will try to send balloons which are 15 meters wide into our Earth's stratosphere in 2015.The balloons are made of a special material that is three times thicker than the plastic bag we use every day.Each balloon will carry a minicomputer and a WiFi radio.The WiFi radio will send the Internet over the areas it is floating over.Then people can get up-to-date information on weather or news. Two thirds of the world's population live without the Internet because _ . China's new term, tuhao, may be in next year's Oxford English Dictionary. The word caught the attention of the dictionary's editing team after BBC's recent program on influential Chinese words. "If its influence continues, it is very likely to appear on our updated list of words," said Julie Kleeman, project manager with the editing team. In Chinese tu means uncouth and hao means rich. It has traditionally been referred to rich people who _ in China's countryside. The word became more popular in September with the launch of Apple's new gold-colored iPhone, which is loved by China's rich people. The color became known as "tuhao gold." The word is now also used by the online community to refer to people who have the cash but lack the class to go with it. Kleeman also mentioned two other Chinese words -- dama and hukou -- which may also make it into the dictionary. People can have an intuitive grasp of the meanings if they see pinyin, Kleeman said, adding that people avoid using an English word to keep the original meaning. "We have nearly 120 Chinese-linked words now in Oxford English Dictionary," she said. Some of them are: Guanxi, which means "connection"; Taikonaut, a mix of taikong, meaning outer space, and astronaut. The new words will be first uploaded on the official website before the dictionaries arrive. The online version is also renewed every three months. "It at least broke our old rules. It used to take 10 years to include a new word but now we keep the pace with the time," according to a statement from ex-chief-editor John Simpson. Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
Question: One day a poor farmer was taking a bag of wheat to town. Suddenly the bag fell off his horse onto the road. He did not know what he could do about it because it was too heavy for him to lift by himself. He only hoped that someone would soon pass by and lend him a hand. Just at his moment, a man riding a horse came up to him. But the farmer felt disappointed when he saw who he was. It was the great man who lived nearby. He thought the great man wouldn't help him, and hoped another farmer would come up. But to his surprise, the great man got off his horse as soon as he came near, "I see you need help," he said, "I'm here just at the right time. " Then he took one end of the bag and the farmer took the other, They lifed it together and put it on the horse. "Sir," asked the farmer, "how can I pay you?" "It's quite easy," the great man answered, "when you see anyone else in trouble, do the same for him. " The poor farmer felt _ when he saw the great man A. happy B. good C. afraid D. sad Answer: D. sad Question: The outer casing of a tree expands how many times a year A. 1000 times B. ten times C. once D. 100 times Answer: C. once Question: Peter Owen has been making wigs since the 1980s. He has made wigs for the stars of more than seventy movies, including Tom Hanks inPhiladelphia, Johnny Depp in Sleepy Hollow, and Nicole Kidman in The Others. One of his biggest jobs so far has been designing the hair and make-up for the three Lord of the Rings movies. He had just six weeks to design and make more than a hundred wigs, each one a different style, colour, shape and length. The hair and make-up in a movie are just as important as the costumes or the sets. Over the years, Peter has made actors look older, younger, healthy and sick. For one movie he even made a female actor look like a man!"What people don't realize about wigs is that we are not always making people more beautiful," he says. "Often we are covering up beauty and making them look ordinary." All Peter's wigs are hand-made using human hair, so they look as real as possible. This also makes them very expensive--between US$4,500 and US$12,500 each! He knows he's done a good job when people don't realize the star of the movie is wearing a wig. So he was pleased when one newspaper said that Nicole Kidman had dyed her hair dark brown for a movie. "It was a wig and no one knew that," he says. What is Peter Owen's job? A. An actor B. A director C. A wig maker D. A manager Answer: C. A wig maker Question: Fourth graders are planning a roller-skate race. Which surface would be the best for this race? A. gravel B. sand C. blacktop D. grass Answer: C. blacktop Question: Most people today think of chocolate as something sweet to eat or drink and can be easily found in stores around the world. It might surprise you that chocolate was once highly treasured. The wealthy people of Spain first enjoyed a sweetened chocolate drink. Later, the popularity of the drink spread throughout Europe. Chocolate remained a drink that only wealthy people could afford to drink until the eighteenth century. During the period known as the Industrial Revolution, new technologies helped make chocolate less costly to produce. Farmers grow cacao trees in many countries in Africa, Central and South America, but these trees are difficult to grow. They require an exact amount of water, warmth, soil and protection. After about five years, cacao trees start producing large fruits called pods, which grow near the trunk of the tree. The seeds inside these pods are harvested to make chocolate. Growing cacao is very hard work for farmers. Today, chocolate industry officials, activists, and scientists are working with farmers. They are trying to make sure that cacao can be grown in a way that is easy for the farmers and safe for the environment. The market value of the yearly cacao crop around the world is more than five billion dollars. Chocolate is especially popular in Europe and the United States. Each year, Americans eat an average of more than 5 kilograms of chocolate per person. Specialty shops that sell costly chocolate are also very popular. Many offer chocolate lovers the chance to taste chocolate grown in different areas of the world. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Scientists are trying to help people find various cacaos. B. The chocolate industry is developing rapidly only in European countries. C. People in America love to produce dear chocolate. D. Chocolate making is probably a big business internationally. Answer: D. Chocolate making is probably a big business internationally.
Different people have different hobbies. For example, some people like reading, some people like swimming and some people like collecting something and so on. I have many hobbies, such as reading, skating, and traveling. I used to read books in my free time. I like reading because I could learn much by reading. At that time, reading was part of my life. Every day, I spent most of my free time reading books, newspapers and magazines. At night, I could hardly get to sleep without a novel in my hand. But later I found I could only learn from books by reading. I couldn't get knowledge from others. I needed a _ . Traveling is my hobby now. I can visit many different places by traveling. I can learn a lot about people, geography and history. It's very interesting. I have many good friends. They all have their hobbies. Ann studies very hard. So her hobby is reading all kinds of books. Tony loves working with her hands, and his hobby is gardening. He usually plants flowers and trees in his yard. Judy is a quiet girl. She likes knitting . She always knits sweaters for her dolls. We have different hobbies, but we are all good friends. (5) _ hobby is gardening. A Ann's B Judy's C Tony's D John's Answer: C. Tony's There are about fifteen hundred languages in the world. But only a few of them are very important. English is one of them. Many, many people use it, not only in England and the USA, but also in other parts of the world. About 200,000,000 people speak it as their own language. It is difficult to say how many people are learning it as a foreign language. Many millions of people are trying to do so. Is it easy or difficult to learn English? Different people may have different answers. Have you ever noticed ads of this kind in the newspapers or magazines? "Learn English in six weeks, or give your money back..." "Easy and funny..." "Our records and tapes help you master English in a month". Of course, it never happened quite like that. The only language that seems easy to learn is the mother tongue. We should remember that we all learned our own language well when we were children. If we could learn English in the same way, it would not seem so difficult. Think of what a small child does. He listens to what people say. He tries what he hears. So it is hard to say that learning English is easy. We must do a lot of practice. And practice needs great efforts and takes much time. Good teachers, record, tapes, books, and dictionaries will be helpful, but they cannot do the student's work for him. How many languages are very important in the world? A A few B Few C About 1500 D Many Answer: A. A few Online shoppers would rather receive an offer for a product or service than make their own offer3according to a study led by a Michigan State University scholar that has implications for the fast-growing e-commerce industry. The findings may come as a surprise given that shopping online is an anonymous process that seemingly can give consumers more confidence to drive a hard bargain,said Don Conlon ,Professor of Management in MSU's Broad College of Business. But the study found that participants who made their own offers were less successful in sealing the deal and ,when they were successful?worried they overpaid Many shoppers found the process of researching an offer to be a hassle. " Americans are very busy,and it's less time-consuming to be the one receiving the offer rather than the one proposing the offer " Conlon said.uPeople tend to be happier when they're in the receiver role. " Online spending in the United States is expected to jump 45 percent in the next four years, from $ 226 billion this year to $ 327 billion in 2017,according to Forrester Research Inc. Nevertheless, researches into this prosperous market remain largely focused on the strategies of companies, rather than those oPS shoppers. Conlon's study is ,obviously, a rare exception. Conlon got the idea for the study after considering the difference between two popular sites for hotels and airline flights, priceline.com, which takes bids, and hotwire.com ,which provides offers. Using these two models ,Conlon and his fellow researchers conducted a series of experiments with more than 850 people who were charged with booking a fictional hotel room and acquiring a fictional antique car. Not only did participants prefer to receive bids, Conlon said ,but they also secured more deals in that receiver role. Further ,when they had to make the bids ,they were left more mentally _ and regretful. From an industry perspective,putting customers in the receiver role may help fill more hotel rooms and airplane seats. "If you're a business with a lot of products3" Conlon said,"you may want to be the one making the offers. " However, when selling single items, such as an antique car, accepting bids may be a better option since that typically drives up the price, he said. It can be concluded from Conlon's experiments that _ . A online shopping is time-consuming B given prices help promote online sales C online businesses provide a lot of products D receiving offers makes online shoppers regretful Answer: B. given prices help promote online sales More and more pupils are giving teachers presents, but the practice only creates insecurity in parents and staff. I've certainly noticed some pupils being feverishly overgenerous of late. Last year, I received not one bottle of wine but four for helping a disaffected pupil through his GCSEs. By and large, my colleagues report the gifts differing along gender lines. Gentlemen get ties, mugs, booze and, if they're really lucky, tickets to football matches. The ladies are often presented with flowers, jewels, chocolates and so on. When my son was at private school, I noticed there was a real competitiveness between the students about giving presents to teachers, with expensive baskets from fancy stores and huge bouquets being handed out on the last days of term. Since my wife and I only let my son give thank-you cards, it was clear we were not "classy". Now he is at an inner-city primary, we've noticed that this kind of _ seems to have more or less disappeared. For one thing, there isn't that kind of money floating around - but there isn't that kind of competitive culture either. Personally, I think gifts to teachers should be banned beyond the thank-you card: they cause many more problems than they solve, creating insecurity in both parents and staff. Perhaps the recession and the lack of money in people's pockets might be a good excuse for the government to issue some guidelines to schools that gifts shouldn't be accepted by teachers. The gifts that I really value are the cards which say a genuine thank you. I still keep them in a file at home. Which of the following can be the best title? A Don't Forget to Give Gifts to Your Teachers B Presents Won't Make Pupils Teachers' Pets C Learn the Competitive Culture of Gifts D Refuse Presents from Your Students Answer: B. Presents Won't Make Pupils Teachers' Pets The market is a concept. If you are growing tomatoes in your backyard for sale you are producing for the market. You might sell some to your neighbor and some to the local manager of the supermarket. But in either case, you are producing for the market. Your efforts are being directed by the market. If people stop buying tomatoes, you will stop producing them. If you take care of a sick person to earn money, you are producing for the market. If your father is a steel worker or a truck driver or a doctor or a grocer, he is producing goods or service for the market. When you spend your income, you are buying things from the market. You may spend money in stores, supermarkets, gas stations and restaurants. Still you are buying from the market. When the local grocer hires you to drive the delivery truck, he is buying your labor in the labor market. The market may be something abstract . But for each person or business that is making and selling something, it is very _ . If nobody buys your tomatoes, it won't be long before you get the message. The market is telling you something. It is telling you that you are using energies and resources in doing something the market doesn't want you to do. All of the following acts are producing for the market except _ . A working in a bank B attending a night school C driving a taxi D growing beans for sale Answer: B. attending a night school
As part of a comprehensive federal aid-to-education program, Congress included the following provisions as conditions for state receipt of federal funds: (1) Whenever textbooks are provided to students without charge, they must include no religious instruction and must be made available on the same terms to students in all public and private schools accredited by the state educational authority. (2) Salary supplements can be paid to teachers in public and private schools, up to 10 percent of existing salary schedules, where present compensation is less than the average salary for persons of comparable training and experience, provided that no such supplement is paid to any teacher who instructs in religious subjects. (3) Construction grants can be made toward the cost of physical plant at private colleges and universities, provided that no part of the grant is used for buildings in which instruction in religious subject matters is offered.". Federal taxpayer Allen challenges the provision that allows the distribution of free textbooks to students in a private school where religious instruction is included in the curriculum. On the question of the adequacy of Allen's standing to raise the constitutional question, the most likely result is that standing will be A sustained, because any congressional spending authorization can be challenged by any taxpayer. B sustained, because the challenge to the exercise of congressional spending power is based on a claimed violation of specific constitutional limitations on the exercise of such power. C denied, because there is insufficient nexus between the taxpayer and the challenged expenditures. D denied, because, in the case of private schools, no state action is involved Answer: B. sustained, because the challenge to the exercise of congressional spending power is based on a claimed violation of specific constitutional limitations on the exercise of such power. Take a look at teenagers around, dressed in baggy-pants , drinking soft drinks such as coke, reading Japanese cartoons. Whether you are in Beijing, Wuhan or Hong Kong, you will get the same impression. But should we copy others or should we maintain our differences? It sounds convenient that people around the world speak the same language, dress in the same style, eat the same food and play the same games. If the world was like this, you won't feel strange in any corner of world. But just imagine living in such a strange world. How dull and colorless it would be! Different kinds of food that people can taste, the colorful and fashionable clothes that we dress in and different languages we speak are all part of the different cultures that our ancestors left us. These differences represent their creativity and talent. And we all enjoy different cultures in our daily lives. When you travel to other places, you want to see different things. When you talk to foreigners you expect to listen to interesting stories. These differences in culture are what make life colorful. But the whole world is _ into a small village as globalization takes effect and many different cultures are disappearing. In most big cities around the world people wear the same clothes. Fast food stores are everywhere. Hollywood movies are kicking traditional performing arts out of our lives. The colors of our life are disappearing. There is joke that even the panda and zebra want to live a colorful life. So let's take action to protect our colorful culture before it becomes as simple as black and white. It's not difficult. Learning some folk songs, trying on a traditional clothing and even eating local food instead of going to KFC can help. And we're sure you will enjoy it. The author thinks that cultural differences _ . A make the world colorful B make communication difficult C only exist in food and clothing D will never fade away Answer: A. make the world colorful A blind baby is doubly handicapped. Not only is it unable to see, but because it cannot receive the visual stimulus from its environment that a sighted child does, it is likely to be slow in intellectual development. Now the ten-month old son of Dr. and Mrs. Dennis Daughters is the subject of an unusual psychological experiment designed to prevent a lag in the learning process. With the aid of a sonar-type electronic that he wears on his head, infant Dennis is learning to identify the people and objects in the world around him by means of echoes . The device is an improvement of the "Sonicguide", an instrument produced by Telesensory Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif, and used by blind adults in addition to a smart or guide dog. As adapted for Dennis, it consists of a battery-powered system about the size of a half dollar that is on a headgear. A transmitter sends out an ultrasonic pulse that creates an 80 degree cone of sound at 6 feet. Echoes from objects within the cone are perceived (felt) as sounds that vary in pitch and volume with the size and distance of the object. The closer an object is, the lower the pitch, and the larger the object, the louder the signal. Hard surfaces produce a sharp ping, while soft ones send back signals with a slightly fuzzy quality. An object slightly to the right of Denny's sends back a louder sound to his right ear than to the left. Thus , by simply moving his head right and left and up and down, he can not only locate an object but also get some notion of its shape and size, thanks to the varying qualities of sounds reaching his ears as the cone of ultrasound passes _ . Dennis likes to use the device to play a kind of peek-a-boo with his mother. Standing on her knee and facing her directly, he receives a strong signal in both ears. By turning his head away, he makes her seem to disappear. "From the first time he wore it," says Mrs. Daughters, "it was like a light going on in his head." What remains to be determined is how well the device will help Dennis cope with his surroundings as he begins to walk and venture further into his environment. Meanwhile, Telesensory, Inc, is working on the development of sonar device with somewhat the same sensitivity as Dennis's for use by school-age children. What can we learn about infant Dennis' device? A Its first design was designed for blind adults. B Its battery is as small as a half-dollar coin. C It is functionally similar to a sane and guide dog. D It has been improved by Telesensory Systems, Inc. Answer: A. Its first design was designed for blind adults. Once upon a time there were four children. Each of the children had a favorite color. John's favorite color was blue. Jack's favorite color was red. Jenny's favorite color was purple and Alice's favorite color was yellow. They walked along the road one day and stopped to pick flowers for their mother. Jack picked a handful of red flowers. "Mom is going to love these!" he said. Jenny picked a handful of purple flowers. "These are perfect for mother," She thought. Alice picked two handfuls of yellow flowers. "Yellow flowers are so pretty for mom's kitchen," she said. John looked and looked, but couldn't find any blue flowers. He looked along the road, but there were no blue flowers. He looked by the stream, but there were no blue flowers. He was very sad. They walked along the road toward home to give their flowers to their mother. John walked very slowly and hung his head because he didn't have any flowers to give his mother. As they neared their home, John saw a small bunch of blue flowers growing near the fence. He was so happy he picked them all and rushed to catch up with his brother and sisters. When they got home they gave their mother all the flowers they had picked. She thanked them and put them on her kitchen table. "I have the most thoughtful children in the world," She said. What was John's favorite color? A Yellow B Blue C Red D Purple Answer: B. Blue with which could you tell the exact size of an object? A a plain stick with irregular shape B a plastic tape with graduated markings C a thermometer with mercury in it D a metal cooking spoon Answer: B. a plastic tape with graduated markings
More than 10 years ago, it was difficult to buy a tasty pineapple . The fruits that made it to the UK were green on the outside and, more often than not, hard with an unpleasant taste within. Then in 1966, the Del Monte Gold pineapple produced in Hawaii first hit our shelves. The new type of pineapple looked more yellowy-gold than green. It was slightly softer on the outside and had a lot of juice inside. But the most important thing about this new type of pineapple was that it was twice as sweet as the hit-and-miss pineapples we had known. In no time, the Del Monte Gold took the market by storm, rapidly becoming the world's best-selling pineapple variety, and delivering natural levels of sweetness in the mouth, up until then only found in tinned pineapple. In nutrition it was all good news too. This nice tasting pineapple contained four times more vitamin C(C) than the old green variety. Nutritionists said that it was not only full of vitamins, but also good against some diseases. People were understandably eager to be able to buy this wonderful fruit. The new type of pineapple was selling fast, and the Del Monte Gold pineapple rapidly became a _ in the shopping basket of the healthy eater. Seeing the growing market for its winning pineapple, Del Monte tried to keep market to itself. But other fruit companies developed similar pineapples. Del Monte turned to law for help, but failed. Those companies argued successfully that Del Monte's attempts to keep the golden pineapple for itself were just a way to knock them out the market. We learn from the text that the new type at pineapple is _ . a little soft outside and sweet inside As we all know sewing-machine repair is one of the fastest growing businesses in the world today. Newspapers, women's magazines, high schools and colleges are all encouraging millions of American women to do their own sewing, not only to make their own shirts and sweaters, but also to make nice clothes for their husbands, sons, or boyfriends. The lattes figures show that over 89 million American women, because of the high costs of ready-to-wear clothing are now making almost all of their families' clothes. Most of these women get great satisfaction from making the family clothes on their own sewing machines. So it is natural that the demand for excellent service of sewing machines is growing. Think of it! 89 million or more sewing machines, not including another 10 million sewing machines in schools of all kinds, need service at least once a year, and quite possibly four or more times each year. I know some women who return their sewing machines to repairmen time after time to get them fixed properly. I've seen sewing machines come out of repair shops in worse condition than they were when they went in. So I've decided to write an introduction book to sewing-machine repair and teach people how to repair their own sewing machines at home. It's not that difficult. In the book, I will teach you everything you need to know about how to repair your sewing machine. The author wrote the passage to _ . explain his or her purpose in writing the book Have you ever had a troubling problem that has left you wondering where to turn for help? Eve Hobsbawm is a life adviser.She offers advice to people struggling with all kinds of problems, from relationship difficulties to what to cook for dinner. She does this through a website inviting people to email her with their problems.There ' s nothing unusual about that, except for the fact that Eve is only eight years old. This junior trouble-shooter, who also goes by the name 'Miss Evie Mouse' , lives in London with her parents.Not only is Miss Mouse willing to lend an ear to her clients, she will also offer them a helping hand, for a fee of course.She charges between 10p for advice on little, everyday worries and PS for more complicated problems.Her areas of expert knowledge, if not of experience, are problems about love, life and work-life balance. A problem shared is a problem halved, but Eve can' t always help.A note on the site states that she can't answer questions like "Does space ever end?" and she won't solve schoolwork-related problems, especially not maths. She explained to the Guardian newspaper that she was inspired to set up the company by her father who runs a tech start-up.Eve said, "As soon as I saw his business and understood the kinds of things businesses do, I thought that' s what I' m going to do." But since setting up her company in December she has been so overwhelmed with messages that she has had to take a step back."There has been a lot of sudden interest in my site, which is nice," she says, " but I need to do my homework too, so I won' t be solving any more problems for a bit." What is people' s attitude towards Eve' s website? Interested. Reader Janet Maynard has a lot of young bushes in her garden and is suffering from " _ . So for Janet and anyone else who doesn't want to waste time, effort and water, here are my top tips for keeping plants refreshed in thirsty times. Water in the evening if possible, rather than leaving it till you see things suffer. That way the roots can take up the water in cool soil overnight. Violently jetting hoses mess up the soil structure and may expose delicate roots. Use a rose on a can. Aim low - don't waste water wetting leaves, even though they look pretty and "refreshed". The most valuable and easily damaged plants need the most attention, such as newly planted trees, bushes and climbers. Remove any water-keeping mulch you may have put around the base, then water it thoroughly at least two gallons, slowly. Don't aim your can rose at the stem - which we all usually tend to do. Aim the water in a wide circle so that the whole of the area under the plant is watered. You could even make a channel in the soil right around the plant so that the water is held in place as it soaks in. Replace the mulch. Repeat each week even in showery weather for the first summer. How much water for pots? Fill up the gap between the top of the soil and the top of the pot. Let the water soak right in and then fill it again. Do this daily in hot weather for most summer potted plants. Stand pots in saucers - it makes a big difference. But remember to check that the plants are not sitting in water for days on end when the weather turns wet. Roots will rot. If the fertilizer in pots really dries out, the water may get straight out of the pot without being absorbed. Correct this by standing or floating the pot in a bucket of deep water until it sinks and no bubbles rise. A push-button watering can makes for more efficient watering, and recycled water bottles upside down with a needle which has a hole on the end are useful, too, for pots. What can be the best title of this passage? Watering tips and skills When I was a child, I was shocked at the idea that my sisters could be my best friends. Now, I wouldn't have it any other way. At the time, the idea of my two sisters being my closest friends seemed strange to me. We fought all the time over toys, food, attention, what to watch on television--you name it, and we quarreled about it at some point. How could my sisters be my best friends? They weren't the same age as I. We all had our own friends in school. My mother never let the three of us forget that sisters are lifelong friends. Her wish like most parents' was to give us something that she never had. Growing up as an only child, she longed for siblings. When she gave birth to three daughters, the fulfillment of her dream had only just begun. She had given each of us a gift and she wanted to make sure we did not take that gift for granted. She would frequently tell us how lucky we were. But there were other, more subtle ways that she encouraged us to grow closer. She never showed favoritism to one daughter over the other, as not to cause jealousy or bitterness between sisters. She constantly took us places together--skating, shopping and swimming, so that we developed common interests. And when we were teenagers, Mom always punished us equally, giving us yet another bonding experience. We didn't always get along beautifully and fought just like any other _ . But somewhere in between Mom's lectures, the family vacations and the shared memories, we realized that our mother was right. Today I share things with my sisters that I do with no one else. My sister Cindy and I ran the New York City Marathon together, side by side, even holding hands when we crossed the finish line. When my sister Karen got married, I was her maid of honor . Cindy and I traveled through Europe together and even shared an apartment for two years. The three of us trust each other with our greatest secrets. It was twenty-three years ago that my mother first asked me who my two best friends were. Today she doesn't have to. She already knows. How did the author's mother encourage her three daughters to grow closer? She showed equal love to her daughters.
Question: To Whom It May Concern: Your address was forwarded to us by How to Magazine.All of us here think The International Institute of Not Doing Much is the best organization in the world.You know how to avoid unnecessary activities! As a matter of fact, we closely followed the advice in your article.First, we replaced all our telephones with carrier pigeons.Simply removing the jingle of telephones and replacing them with the pleasant sounds of birds has had a remarkable effect on everyone.Besides, birds are cheaper than telephone service.After all, we are a business.We have to think of the bottom line.As a side benefit, the birds also fertilize the lawn outside the new employees' sauna . Next, we sold the computers off to Stab, Grab, Grit, and Nasty, a firm of lawyers nearby.Our electricity bill went way down.Big savings! The boss is impressed.We have completely embraced paper technology.Now that we all use pencils, doodling is on the increase, and the quality of pencil woman ship is impressive, as you can tell from my handwriting in this letter.By the way, if you can, please send this letter back to us.We can erase and reuse it.Just tie it to Maggie's leg and she'll know where to take it. Now it's very calm and quiet here.You can notice the difference.No more loud chatter on the telephones! All we hear is the scratching of pencil on paper, the sound of pigeons, and the delivery of inter-office correspondence by paper airplane. Wonderful! I've always wanted to work for an insurance company ever since I was a little girl.Now it's perfect. Sincerely yours, Eleanor Lightly Spokeswoman and Company Hair Stylist ABC Activity Insurance: insure against overdoing it What is the purpose for the person to write this letter? A. to show his dissatisfaction with the new environment. B. to complain about the bad working condition. C. to persuade people to live a simple life. D. to express his gratitude for the good advice. Answer: D Question: We often find that weekends and holidays feel so short while classes and work feel so long. In reality, though, we know that this is not true. But we still wonder where that strange feeling comes from. In fact, this is one of the ways that we're tricked by time, according to the website All That Is Interesting. The website lists several wrong impressions we often have about time. Let's have a look. First of all, emotions affect our time-keeping abilities: Negative emotions, especially anxiety and boredom, make time seem longer because they make us concentrate more on the passage of time. However, when we are enjoying ourselves, we pay more attention to what we are doing and are likely to lose track of(...) time. Here is another example. In 2007, a group of scientists carried out a test. In the test, people fell 50 meters into a safety net and were then asked about their experience. Although the experience took shorter than 3 seconds, the people thought it was much longer than it actually was. This is because of the way our bodies reply to danger, according to the scientists. Our bodies produce a chemical called adrenaline when we are faced with danger. It allows us to concentrate better so that we can stay alive. As a result, we are able to remember far more details over a short period of time, which makes it seem like time is going more slowly. Another occasion when we make mistakes about time is when we take afternoon naps . Have you ever had trouble telling what time it is after a long nap? That's because the best amount of time for a nap is 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, you enter a new stage of sleep called slow-wave sleep. If you wake up mid-way in this stage, it will take a while before you can correctly perceive time again. Yes, time can be mysterious and there is no way to control it So, perhaps the best thing to do is to make good use of every minute. When people feel that an experience is longer than it really is, _ . A. a chemical called adrenaline is playing a role B. they are concentrating on what they are doing C. they are responding faster to the changes around them D. they could be facing danger or feeling bored Answer: D Question: Home improvements such as using insulation and energy-efficient windows to lower heating and air-conditioning bills can greatly affect quality of life for low-income families. In 2014, researchers at New York's Columbia University interviewed 20 renters and homeowners in a low-income community in New York City before and after helping those people make energy-efficiency upgrades to their homes. The researchers found cold and heat caused not only extreme physical discomfort but health problems as well. Increased heating costs in winter months also used up so much of people's budgets they were forced to reduce their calorie intake. Additionally, poor air quality due to reduced air-conditioner use can increase the risk of illness. People whose homes were upgraded reported greater physical and mental ease, as well as energy savings of around 30 percent, averaging $20-$60 per month. Despite these benefits, a study by University of Chicago economists was critical of the cost-effectiveness of government programs that provide money for energy-efficiency upgrades for low-income households. Around 7,500 households in Michigan were given an average of $5,000 worth of free upgrades as part of a larger energy-efficiency program. The researchers found that the measures reduced the households' energy consumption by about 10-20 percent each month. However, these savings would amount to an average of just $2,400 over the lifetime of the upgrades--in other words, less than half the amount of the initial investment. The study also highlighted another issue regarding energy-efficiency programs. It had long been believed that low-income earners tended not to participate because they were unaware of the programs' existence. In the University of Chicago study, however, an intensive marketing campaign consisting of thousands of telephone calls and home visits raised the Michigan program's participation rate by only a few percentage points. The great expense and effort required for such a tiny effect indicates that it may be time to look for a new approach to improving living conditions among low-income earners. What do we learn about low-income earners from the Columbia University study? A. They tend to believe that energy-efficiency upgrades to their homes are most costly than they really are. B. They are forced to reduce their spending on food because of the high cost of heating in winter. C. They spend far less money on heating in winter than they spend on air conditioning in summer. D. They spend an average of 30 percent less on heating and cooling than people with middle or high incomes. Answer: B Question: Did you know that Albert Einstein could not speak until he was four years old, and did not read until he was seven? His parents and teachers worried about his rnenta1ability. Beethoven's music teacher said about him,"As a composer he is hopeless." What if this young boy believed it? When Thomas Edison was a young boy,his teachers said he was so stupid that he could never learn anything.He once said,''I remember I used to never be able to get along at schoo1.I was always at the foot of my class...My father thought I was stupid,and I almost decided that l was a stupid person."What if young Thomas believed what may said about him? When the sculptor Auguste Rodin was young; he had difficulty learning to read and write.:. Today, we may say he had a learning disability. His father said of him, "I have an idiot for a son. "His uncle agreed. "He's uneducable," he said. What if Rodin had doubted his ability? Walt Disney was once fired by a newspaper editor because he was thought to have no "good ideas". Enrico Caruso was told by one music teacher, "you can't sing. You have no voice at all. " And an editor told Louisa May Alcott that she was unable to write anything that would have popular appeal. What if these people had listened and become discouraged? Where would our world be without the music of Beethoven, the art of Rodin or the ideas of Albert Einstein and Walt Disney? As Oscar Levant once said, "It's not what you are but what you don't become that hurts. " You have great potential.When you believe in all you can be, rather than all you cannot become, you will find your place on earth. How many successful people are mentioned as examples in the passage? A. six. B. seven. C. eight. D. nine. Answer: B Question: Imagine you are standing on the 70thfloor of the Empire State Building, staring at the cityscape. Suddenly a man pushes past you, opens the window and announces his intention to jump. You yell out, "Stop! Don't do it!" the six-foot-five figure turns to you and menacingly says, "Try to stop me and I'll take you with me!" "Umm... No problem, sir. have a good trip. any last words?" "Let me tell you my troubles," he says, "my wife left me, my kids won't talk to me, I lost my job and my pet turtle died, so why should I go on living?" Suddenly you have a flash of inspiration. "Sir, close your eyes for a minute and imagine that you are blind. No colors, no sights of children playing, no fields of flowers, no sunset. Now imagine that suddenly there's a miracle. You open your eyes and your vision is restored! Are you going to jump? Or will you stick around for a week to enjoy the sights?" "I'll stay for a week." "But what happened to all the troubles?" "I guess they're not so bad. I can see!" " _ " If you really appreciate your eyesight, the other pains are insignificant. But if you take it all for granted, then nothing in life will ever truly give you joy. Actually, there are misconceptions on the road to happiness. misconception1: "Once I know the tools for being happy, then it will work like magic." Don't expect the results to come automatically. It is possible to understand how to achieve happiness, yet not put it into practice. In fact, many people actually prefer to be comfortable and unhappy, rather than bear the discomfort of changing their habits. Just as learning any new skill requires effort, you have to be willing to invest serious effort to achieve real happiness. Misconception 2: "if I become content and satisfied with what I have, I'll lose my motivation to achieve more." Now ask someone who is depressed, "Let's go fishing!" "I'm tired. Maybe tomorrow. And anyway, I might rain..." in reality, happy people are energetic and ambitious. There's never enough time to do everything they want to do. Misconception 3: A beautiful Sunday afternoon, you're in the park having a picnic with friends. Suddenly one person complains: "who forgot the forks? It's too hot for volleyball. I want to go home already." When our mood negatively affects others, we recognize we have duty to be happy and not spoil the fun. But what about when we're at home with our family? Or when we go into the office on Monday morning? like an open pit in the middle of the road, a sourpuss is a public danger. Being happy is part of being considerate to the people around us. The best subtitle of Misconception 3 is _ . A. If unhappy occurs at home, I needn't pretend to be happy B. If I can't make others unhappy, I won't be happy. C. If someone is happy, then others around them are happy. D. If I want to be depressed, that's my own prerogative. Answer: D
Question: When I paid for the bicycle repair, the repairman told me, " No change, Professor Pan. We're friends." "I'd rather pay," I replied. "If it's free, I can't afford it." Chinese often refuse payment for professional services, insisting, "We're friends now!" But then they show up later to ask me to tutor them in English, or get them into an American university, and I wish I'd have just paid the 30 yuan I owed them in the first place. According to the Americans, "There's no free lunch," meaning that there's a price for everything, and I'm always looking around to figure out what this means. Many of our neighbors have given us fruit or flowers or costly teas, never asking anything in return. For years, a bicycle repairman has repeatedly refused to let me pay him. "Wait until you have something major to fix!" he insists. Chinese generosity is a real education for Americans like me, who would rather avoid social entanglements and just hand over the money. But cash can't make up for the greatest gift - friendship. When an American saw some of my friends sitting on bamboo stools under the trees, sipping tea, he said, "They must have nothing better to do." "Actually," I said, "they are professors, with plenty to do. But probably you're right in saying that, at this moment, they have nothing better to do. And neither do I." And I joined the group. We chatted about tea and Chinese cooking and how much my boys have grown since we arrived. One man said, "They were pocket-sized when you came here. Now they're taller than you. How time flies." How life flies. And Chinese are smart enough to share what they know they cannot keep. They freely give of their time, never too busy to help a friend. And they are teaching me, slowly, to both give and receive. So the next time someone says, "No charge. We're friends." I will thank them heartily. But if they show up later asking me to tutor them in English, I'll make sure they tutor my son in Chinese as well, because there's still no free lunch. Why did the author insist on paying the repairman while he was offered free repairs? A. Because he was an upright man. B. Because he didn't know the repairman. C. Because he thought it natural to pay for other's service. D. Because he didn't want to help others in return. Answer: C. Because he thought it natural to pay for other's service. Question: While I will explain a bit about the science of stress and relaxation a little later simple way to think about it is that our body 's stress response works like a car alarm. Keep us safe by warning us of the presence of danger in our immediate environment. But instead of warning us with a loud and annoying sound,our body alarm system lets us know that something is wrong by creating changes in our neurochemistry .If you've ever experienced pain in your stomach,periods of extreme anger, inability to focus or even insomnia ,chances are your body was paying the price in those moments for the brain chemistry of stress. So if it's so uncomfortable,why not just get rid of stress altogether? This is not only impractical,it would be dangerous. Let's go back to the metaphor of the car alarm. If the alarm is turned off altogether,the car is exposed to continual danger without there being any way of your knowing about it until it is too late. It would be like walking through the jungle without any fear signal in the presence of a poisonous snake or other dangerous animals -- while it might feel "nice" to be so relaxed,your body actually needs the stress response not only to remind you of danger but also to offer extra adrenaline for your heart and extra blood and oxygen for your arms and legs. However,if the car alarm goes off at any time,someone just looks at the car with a bit of an attitude,and it becomes equally useless. Not only do we stop paying attention to it,but it begins to drive us and everyone around us becomes a little bit crazy. In the case of our bodies,walking around in a constant state of alarm also has some pretty alarming health consequences,which we will explore in greater depth in the next chapter. Our body's stress response is compared to a car alarm in that _ . A. they work all the time B. they both give a signal C. they work in the same way D. they both produce a sound Answer: B. they both give a signal Question: The Garden Burgers located in Truman was recognized by the Garden Burgers head office in Kansas City, Missouri.The Truman location of Garden Burgers recorded the highest sales last year.It brought in over $ 1 ,500,000 for the entire year.But what is more important is that Truman only has a population of 40,000.The store directly behind the Truman store in terms of sales is located in a city of over 300,000. Fred Laster and Jasper Watts bought into the Garden Burgers franchise only 3 years and a few months ago.They have used the combination of a good restaurant location and a series of promotional events to make Garden Burgers one of the most visited restaurants in Truman.However, they are quick to add that these are not the main reasons the store has done so well."We found a franchise with a solid image and great franchise - wide marketing, " Watts said in a phone interview. Laster and Watts expect this year to be just as productive as last year.After 4 months, they are on pace to exceed last year' s sales by more than $70,000.Each year the head office awards the owners of the store achieving the highest sales with a weekend stay at the best hotel in Kansas City and tickets to a Kansas City Chiefs football game.However, due to the extremely good sales performance of the store in Truman, the head office decided to change the tradition.Laster and Watts said their staff, which consists of only 5 university students, would be joining them in Kansas city as well. Tom Justins, the president of Garden Burgers has also sent his congratulations and he hopes that all their stores can look at the example the store has set. What' s the best title of the passage? A. The Most Visited Restaurant. B. Fred Laster and Jasper Watts. C. Local Burger Shop Has Record Year. D. The Unbelievable Record of Hamburgers. Answer: C. Local Burger Shop Has Record Year. Question: Traditionally poems would be recited and passed from poet to poet through the ages. It is only recently that poetry is something that one reads alone, rather than reciting to an audience. At some point in the education of any student majoring in poetry, one will attempt to memorize a poem, and possibly recite it to someone else. Chances are that you have already memorized thousands of lines of verse in the form of lyrics. How did you memorize the lyrics of songs? You simply listened to songs you liked over and over again until you almost couldn't help but have them memorized. Memorizing poetry isn't much different. You start with a poem you like, recite it to yourself over and over again, and you get to know it. One of the best aspects of learning a poem by heart is that you get to take a poem inside of yourself. It becomes a part of you. When you memorize a poem, it is no longer just a poem, but yours. It's in your head, and you can call it up from memory as you would in any other experience. Also, memorizing a poem is a great way to truly get to understand languages, and consider every phrase, line, and word. You can practice varying the sounds, adding pauses and emphasis in different spots to try to find the most accurate tone for the poem. In a way, you never really know a poem until you've memorized it. Once you know it, you'll be able to recite it, like a jazz musician improvising inside a song's boundaries - adding his own words or re-wording a section to make it his own. According to the text, in the past poems were _ . A. usually written in the form of songs by some musicians B. mainly circulated among poets by oral communication C. seldom chosen as teaching materials in most universities D. only something that people enjoyed alone by themselves Answer: B. mainly circulated among poets by oral communication Question: John McCain and Barack Obama call for closer U.S.-Chinese cooperation on trade, the environment and nuclear proliferation in the upcoming issue of an American business group's magazine. They do so in an unusual effort to _ voters abroad. Both articles appeared Sunday on the website of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, and will be published in China Brief, the chamber's monthly magazine, on September 22. Both stress that the countries should work more closely to ease trade friction , fight global warming, improve military exchanges, and block the spread of nuclear weapons to such countries as Iran and North Korea. "Cooperation on the key, enduring global challenges, such as climate change, can deepen understanding and enhance confidence. ""We also need to deepen high-level dialogues on a sustained basis on economic, security and global political issues", said Obama in the article. McCain agreed that the cooperation with prefix = st1 /Chinawould be essential in addressing issues of global concern. "TheUnited Statesshares common interests withChinathat can form the basis of a strong partnership on issues of global concern, including climate change, trade and proliferation," he added. "and I hope to see our relationship develop in a manner that benefits both countries and, in turn, the Asia-Pacific region and the world," he noted. Both candidates were impressed by China's economic success. "Chinahas achieved extraordinary, sustained growth over the past three decades. Hundreds of millions of people inChinalive better now than most thought possible even two decades ago," Obama said. "China's double-digit growth rates have brought hundreds of millions out of poverty, energized the economies of its neighbors and produced many new economic opportunities," McCain said. Gao Wenhuan, 21st Century Online's special reporter, interviewed Marshall M. Bouton, president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. "My guess is, regardless of who is elected in November, you will hear basically the same description that Chinais a strategic partner and competitor," said Bouton. A survey conducted by the Council in July 2008 found that the majority of respondents clearly admired China's accomplishments, but some Americans viewedChina's rising global power as a threat. According to the survey,Chinanow is seen as the most influential country in the world following theU.S.. Which of the following is Not TRUE according to the passage? A. China Brief is the monthly magazine of the American Chamber of Commerce B. Obama and McCain have recognisedChina's economic success C. People inChinawere once not considered to be able to live as well as today D. Gao Wenhuan had an interview with the winner of the election Answer: D. Gao Wenhuan had an interview with the winner of the election
Question: A seismometer would be ineffective A. on dry land B. on a star C. on the coast D. on a continent Answer: B Question: Great Wall Xmas BBQ Beijing Hikers is organizing a three-hour hike on a rarely-visited part of the Great Wall and will celebrate Christmas afterwards with a Christmas barbecue dinner in a small hotel at the foot of the Great Wall.Meet at 8:30 am.Dec 25 in front ofStarbucks at Lido Holiday Inn, Jiangtai Lu.Please write to _ or 139-100-25516.Pingyao tour High Club will guide a weekend trip to Pingyao, an ancient-walled town near Taiyuan, capital city of Shanxi Province.The town is among one of the best-preserved featuring a number of courtyard buildings of the Ming and Qing dynasties(1368-1911).Among them is the Qiao family courtyard house, the shooting location of Zhang Yimou's " Raise the Red Lantern (')".Leave on Friday (December 23) night by train and back to Beijing on Sunday morning.For sign-up and more information, contact Lucy at _ or 8580-5080, 130-11171326. New year Harbin trip The Chinese Culture Club is running a new year trip to Harbin, to catch a fresh view of its yearly ice and snow lantern festival. As the temperature is expected to fall between minus 20 degC to 30 degC, visitors are warned to prepare well with down jackets, masks, fur gloves and boots.The trip sets out by train at night on December 31 and gets back on the morning January 2.The cost is 2,300 yuan (US $284).Reservation is required at 8457-2772 or 138-101-33998. Pingyao is worth seeing mainly because _ . A. it's a town surrounded by walls B. it's near the capital of Shanxi C. its buildings are old arid in good condition D. a famous film was shot there Answer: C Question: Prince Roman was a Polish nobleman, a captain in the army of Czar Nicholas of Russia. When his young wife died, the prince left the army and returned in sorrow to his native Poland. In time, love for his country and its people took the place of his lost love. He joined a Polish rising against the Russians. The rising was crushed, and Prince Roman was taken prisoner. His relatives and friends begged the military court to have mercy on him. The president of the court received these appeals kindly. He was a good Russian, but he was also a good-natured man. Russian hatred of Poles was not as fierce at that time as it became later; and the Russian felt sympathetic as soon as he saw the prince's thin, tired, sun-burnt face. The court of three officers sat in a bare room, behind a long black table. Some clerks sat at the two ends, but no one else was there when the guards brought in the prince. Those four walls shut out from Prince Roman all sights and sounds of freedom, all hopes of the future, all comforting thoughts. How much love for Poland remained in him then? How much love of life? He stood before his judges alone, having refused their permission to sit. He answered their first formal questions -- his name and so on -- clearly and politely although he felt too weary to talk. Then the president of the court seemed to suggest how the young man could best help himself. He asked questions in a way that almost put the right answers in the prisoner's mouth. "Didn't your wife's death drive you to despair? Wasn't your mind unbalanced by that sad event ?" Prince Roman was silent. "You were not fully responsible for you conduct, were you?" Prince Roman was silent. "You made a sudden blind decision to join the rising. You didn't realize that your actions were dangerous and dishonourable. Isn't that the truth of this unfortunate matter?" The judges looked at the prisoner hopefully. In silence the prince reached for a pen and some paper. He wrote, "I joined the rising because I believe it was just." He pushed the paper towards the president, who took it and read it in silence. Prince Roman was sentenced to hard work for life in the Siberian salt mines. It was a sentence of delayed death. When Czar Nicholas read the report and sentence, he added in his own handwriting, "Make sure that this prisoner walks in chains every step of the way to Siberia." In the trial, Prince Roman _ . A. was afraid to be responsible for his actions B. blamed others for his actions C. accepted responsibility for his actions D. admitted his guilt Answer: C Question: If you had the chance to leave the life you have now, what would you do? Students from Fair-grounds Middle School, New Hampshire, US, chose to lead a special life for a week. They left the city and lived a different life by working on a farm. They handed over their cell phones and lived like any farmer's children. And they enjoyed it! "I didn't know what would happen when we got there," said Tyler Swift, 14, "but there were so many fun things. So much hard work, too. It was a _ ." "Getting up at 6 every morning, the students milked cows, spread hay , and washed hundreds of sticky buckets . The hardest part was cleaning up piles of poop in the animal houses. It smelled bad, but it was lots of fun! None of the students said no to the work. "With the farmers' help, they did the work better and better. And they learned a lot more than just farming work." said Rick Brown, a science teacher at Fair-grounds. "You get to know who can do what and learn to work with different people. The children all showed great team work." said Nick Quadros. The children did lots of things EXCEPT _ . A. feeding cows B. milking cows C. cleaning the animal houses D. looking after sick cows Answer: D Question: An American writer, Mr Green once said, "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." It is true that everybody talks about the weather. Many people begin their talks by saying, "Isn't it a nice day?" "Do you think it will rain?" "I think it's going to snow." Many people think they can tell what the weather is going to be like. But sometimes they don't agree with each other. One man may say, "Do you see how cloudy it is in the east? It's going to rain tomorrow." Another man will say, "No, it's going to be fine tomorrow." People often look for the weather they want. When a farmer needs water, he looks for something to tell him it's going to rain, and he doesn't look for anything else. When friends have a picnic, they hope the weather is going to be fine and they can sit eating their lunch under the blue sky. Almost everyone listens to what the weatherman says. But he doesn't always tell us what we want, and sometimes he makes a mistake. Still, he is right most of the time. According to the passage, which is NOT RIGHT? A. Almost everyone listens to what the weatherman says. B. People often look for the weather they want. C. The weatherman never makes a mistake. D. Many people begin their talks by talking about the weather. Answer: C
You don't need to get in a time-traveling machine to see how technology will reshape our lives, such as the way we shop.Several new technologies that are to change your buying habits already exist.Let's see what's in store for your future shopping. Try it on, virtually .Want to shop online for a new pair of eyeglasses? You don't need to guess which pair looks best on you. Go and see the eBay Fashion iPhone app to try a pair of eyewear you're checking out on a picture of your face.But what if you want to buy something bigger? Thanks to Microsoft Kinect's motion tracking camera, you can cover clothes on your screen body.You can even choose the background of your virtual fitting room to enrich your shopping experience. Get a perfect, custom fit.Everyone's body is shaped differently.To get a perfect fit, you sometimes have to get your clothes changed.But by using 3D scanning technology, all the clothes you buy will fit your body perfectly.Some companies scan your body using High-tech to get the most accurate measurements, so they can make special clothes just for you. High-tech shopping carts and checkout counters.High-tech shopping carts could, in time, be a common sight in malls and supermarkets.Microsoft Kinect-enabled carts are currently under test.The cart can follow you along the aisles , controlled merely by your movement and your voice.In China, a supermarket chain introduced tablet-equipped carts that guide shoppers around the stores' aisles. In the United States, several supermarkets use a device called Scan It that gives buyers the freedom to scan purchases on their own while they shop.While it's great not having to line up at a checkout counter, we wouldn't mind it if the store used Toshiba's new Object Recognition Scanner.The machine identifies a product as soon as it's placed in front of a camera just by its shape and color, even if it has no bar code. What's the best title for this text? A Ways for future shopping B Influence of new technology C Inventions to change habits D A new time-traveling machine Answer: A. Ways for future shopping Erica McElrath calls herself " The Happy Lady". And by now, you may have caught her singing and dancing with her mp3 player on any of several city street corners. " I don't want money," said McElrah, 40, of St. Louis. " I come out here to make people smile." McElrah lost her full-time job in January. Since then, she has spent her days doing what she loves-dancing in the street. Her message to people in hard times: do something that you enjoy, no matter what your circumstances. " Life isn't that bad," she said. " If you're working 40 hours a week, you shouldn't be complaining." McElrah graduated from parkway Central High School and has spent the past 21 years working as a nursing assistant, She began singing and dancing publicly on her days off a few years ago to help her through the pain of her second divorce. Her favorite spot is the northwest corner of Chouteau Avenue and South Grand Boulevard near St. Louis University. McElrah's mp3 player is loaded with hundreds of classic rock hits and 80's pop songs, including those by Joe Cocker, Tina Turner, Neil Diamond and Toto. But her favorite artist, by far, is Stevie Nicks. Videos of McElrah have appeared on YouTube, a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share, and view videos. "People think I'm crazy, but I don't care," She said. " I can dance a little. I just go with the music." Even a rude gesture from a passing motorist doesn't bother her either. " I just smile and wave," she said. McElrah's show of bravery recently earned her a job opportunity with Liberty Tax Service, which temporarily offered her a job as a dancer Statute of Liberty to promote a new place near Grand Center starting in January. " Just be happy and do what you love," she said. "The money will come." Which of the following about Erica McElrah is TRUE? A She doesn't care others' comments on her. B Her favorite artist is Joe Cocker. C She once worked as a doctor. D She has been divorced once. Answer: A. She doesn't care others' comments on her. Which _ is the most talkative? No matter what you answer, you are partially right. A recent Gallup Poll show that both man and women believe that women possess the gift of talking and some even believe women are biologically built for conversation, but all of this is challenged in research published in the November issue of "Personality and Social Psychology Review". In recent research by Campbell Leaper and Melanie Ayres, they collected all of the available evidence from decades of scientific study and systematically combined the findings into an overall picture of the differences between men and women regarding talkativeness. They found a small but reliable tendency for men to be more talkative than women in certain cases, such as when they were conversing with their wives or with strangers. Women talked more to their children and to their college classmates. The type of speech was also explored in the research. The researchers discovered that, with strangers, women were generally more talkative when it came to using speech to ensure her connection to the listener, while men's speech focused more on an attempt to influence the listener. With close friends and family, however, there was very little difference between genders in the amount of speech. This passage mainly talks about research conducted by _ . A Gallup Poll B "Personality and social Psychology Review" C Campbell Leaper and Melanie Ayres D The author Answer: C. Campbell Leaper and Melanie Ayres FRIDAY, Aug. 3 (Health Day News) -- Middle school students who are physically fit are likely to score higher on standardized tests measuring reading and math abilities, a new study has found. And, the average scores went up in connection with levels of fitness, the findings showed. "The more physically fit kids were, the higher their scores," said the study's lead author, Trent Petrie, director of the Center for Sport Psychology at the University of North Texas in Denton. "Parents should encourage their kids to be physically active. There are some real cognitive and academic benefits that come from physical fitness", Petrie said. Results of the study are scheduled to be presented Friday at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in Orlando, Fla. The study included more than 1,200 middle school students from five schools in a suburban area of Texas, with 561 boys and 650 girls. About 57 percent of the children were white, and nearly one-quarter were Mexican American. Nine percent were black and about 2 percent were of Asian descent. The school district provided the researchers with information on the children's race, age, grade level and whether they qualified for the free school lunch program, which was an indicator of the family's socioeconomic status. The schools also provided scores to the tests, which were given between one and four months after the researchers had assessed the children's levels of fitness. Fitness tests were administered during physical education classes to determine the youngsters' heart and lung health (cardiorespiratory fitness), as well as their body mass index (BMI), an indicator of how much body fat a person has. The children also filled out questionnaires that helped the researchers determine factors such as self-esteem and social support. After accounting for factors such as age, sex, family income and self-esteem, the researchers found that for both boys and girls, higher levels of heart and lung health predicted better scores on both the math and reading tests. For boys, perceived social support also seemed to increase their reading scores, the investigators found. In girls, while being physically fit predicted higher reading scores, so too did a higher BMI-- which indicates more body fat. "We were a little surprised by this finding," Petrie said. "It was not as strong an association as the one with physical fitness," he added. The authors suspect it may have something to do with girls this age entering adolescence, which may be related to a higher BMI and slightly higher brain development. He said he plans to make great effort to look for this relationship again in larger studies to see if it was a chance finding, or if the association holds up. "While we can't say 100 percent that physical fitness causes better academic performance, we can say that there is a strong and predictive relationship between physical fitness and academic performance," Petrie said. "It's hard to tease apart the exact reason for this association," said Becky Hashim, an attending clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the departments of psychiatry and pediatrics at the Children's Hospital of Montefiore, in New York City. "It may be that the children are getting more oxygen. When the heart and lungs are working at a higher capacity, it may allow the brain to work at peak performance. Children who are less fit may be sleepier during school," she noted. "I personally feel that there's probably a strong relationship between the confidence you get from being able to do something physical well and academic performance." Whatever the reason behind this association may be, "there's certainly no harm in pushing physical fitness," Hashim added. "Physical fitness may make you feel better, give you more confidence and improve your performance across the board," she said. Petrie agreed. "Physically fit kids are happier, have higher self-esteem and, tend to have better relationships, and now we're beginning to see that there also seem to be benefits cognitively and academically. Our study sends a strong warning to policymakers to reconsider the service program of physical education classes for kids," he said. What's the suitable title of the passage? A Parents should be aware of the benefit of fitness. B Fitter kids are likely to make better grades. C Fitness affects kids' social behavior greatly. D Teachers should value physical education classes. Answer: B. Fitter kids are likely to make better grades. Happiness is like a stone dropped into a pool to set in motion an ever-widening circle of ripples . As Stevenson has said, being happy is a duty. There is no exact definition of the world happiness. Happy people are happy for all sorts of reasons. They key is not wealth or physical well--being, since we find beggars, patients and so-called failures who are extremely happy. Being happy is a sort of unexpected dividend . But staying happy is an achievement, a victory of soul and character. It is not selfish to struggle for it. It is, indeed, a duty to ourselves and others. Being unhappy is like an infectious disease; it causes people to stay away from the fufferer. He soon finds himself alone, miserable and upset. There is, however, a cure so simple as to seem, at first glance, ridiculous: If you don't feel happy, pretend to be! It works. Before long you will find that instead of repelling people, you attract them. You discover how deeply rewarding it is to be the center of wider and wider circles of good will. Then the _ becomes a reality. You possess the secret of peace of mind, and can forget yourself in being of service to others. Being happy, once it is realized as a duty and established as habit, opens doors into unimaginable gardens crowded with grateful friends. We can learn from the passage that_. A everyone has the same happiness and different unhappiness B people generally try to keep away from those who are always unhappy C people who are rich and healthy are surely happy D being happy is the key to success in your work Answer: B. people generally try to keep away from those who are always unhappy
In a natural disaster--a hurricane, flood, volcanic eruption, or other catastrophes--minutes and even seconds of warning can make the difference between life and death.Because of this, scientists are working to use the latest technological advances to predict when and where disasters will happen.They are also studying how best to analyze and communicate this information once it is obtained. On September 29, 1998, Hurricane Georges made landfall in Biloxi, Mississippi, after damaging Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and several islands of the Caribbean badly with torrential rains and winds up to 160 km per hour.Few people lost their lives along the Gulf Coast of the United States, although hundreds died in the Caribbean. This was a very different outcome from 1900, when a powerful Gulf Coast hurricane made an unexpected direct hit on Galveston, Texas, killing at least 6,000 people. Vastly improved hurricane warnings explain the different circumstances at either end of the 20th century----residents of Galveston had no advance warning that a storm was approaching, while residents of Biloxi had been warned days in advance, allowing for extensive safety precautions . At the same time that people in Biloxi were thankful for the advance warning, some residents of New Orleans, Louisiana were less satisfied.A day before Georges made landfall, forecasters were predicting that the hurricane had a good chance of striking New Orleans.Because much of New Orleans lies below sea level, the city is at risk for flooding.Emergency management officials must begin evacuations well before a storm strikes.But evacuation costs money: businesses close, tourists leave, and citizens take precautionary measures.The mayor of New Orleans estimated that his city' s preparations for Georges cost more than 50 million.After Georges missed New Orleans, some residents questioned the value of the hurricane forecasts in the face of such high costs. The different views on the early warnings for Hurricane Georges show some of the complexities related to predicting disasters.Disaster prediction is a process of providing scientific information to the government officials and other decision makers who must respond to those predictions. The city residents of New Orleans were unsatisfied because _ . Frank is my friend. His family is rich. His parents always give him lots of pocket money. But Frank thinks his parents work very hard and it's not easy for them, so he always tries his best to save money. He has some good ways to do it. Frank likes reading. He has lots of books. He tells me he often buys books online, because they're cheaper. And when he has free time, he often goes to bookstores or libraries to do some reading. Frank has a bike. He usually goes to school by bike instead of taking a bus. Sometimes when it rains or snows, he walks. These two ways help Frank keep healthy and save some money. Frank brings a bottle of water to school every day. When other students drink juice, he enjoys his water. He thinks water is the cheapest but the best drink. Some students think Frank is mean. But I don't think so. I think he is right. What do you think of him? How does Frank usually go to school? Several years ago, I taught teenagers with feeling troubles in a group home. These very tough kids often came directly from prison to my classroom. They often wanted to escape from the group home. They were society's "throwaway" kids--youngsters without families to love and care for them. They desperately needed to receive love. Then I found one thing more important for them. So, when a friend suggested an idea, I thought it would be a great program for my students. The plan was simple. We arranged that every Wednesday morning, I'd bring over my little crew, and they were supposed to clean the runs, wash dog and cat bowls, and feed the animals at our local animal shelter. Then came the risky part of the program. After doing their chores, the youngsters would earn the freedom to walk one of the dogs in the wooded area behind the shelter, where I couldn't even see them. We began the project. Each week, I carefully went over the list of students who had met the requirements. All that week, students worked hard to control their tempers and be cooperative. I emphasized how much the animals needed their love and care. As they served the animals, the youngsters were transforming before our eyes. Never before had they been considered contributing members of society. Yet now these kids begged to volunteer at the shelter. As we had planned, my students walked the dogs, unwatched, in the woods for up to half an hour. I impressed on each of them my trust and respect that they'd bring back the animal in their care safely and on time. Remarkably, I never lost a student or an animal. The world might not have needed or might have forgotten about my kids, but the animals didn't. these shining animals showed some very needy kids the way back home from heartbreak and abuse. From the passage, we can learn that _ . Mark Rothko, one of the greatest painters of the twentieth century, was born in Daugavpils, Latvia in 1903. His family immigrated to the United States in 1913, after a 12-day voyage. Mark moved to New York in the autumn of 1923 and found employment in the garment trade and settled down on the Upper West Side. It was while he was visiting someone at the Art Students League that he saw students painting a model. According to him, this was the start of his life as an artist. He was twenty years old and had taken some art lessons at school, so his initial experience was far from an immediate calling. In 1936, Mark Rothko began writing a book, which he never completed, about the similarities in the children's art and the work of modern painters. The work of modernists, which was influenced by primitive art, could, according to him, be compared to that of children in that "Child art transforms itself into primitivism, which is only the child producing a copy of himself." In this same work, he said that "The fact that one usually begins with drawing is already academic. We start with colour." It was not long before his multiform developed into the style he is remembered for. In 1949 Rothko exhibited these new works at the Betty Parsons Gallery. For reviewer Harold Rosenberg, the paintings were unique and primitive. Rothko had, after painting his first multiform, separated himself from the world in East Hampton on Long Island, only inviting a very few people, including Rosenberg, to view the new paintings. The discovery of his works' specialty came at a period of great sorrow: his mother Kate died in October 1948. As part of this new uniformity of artistic vision, his paintings no longer had individual titles. From this point on they were simply untitled, numbered or dated. However, to assist in distinguishing one work from another, traders would sometimes add the primary colours to the name. Additionally, for the next few years, Rothko painted in oil only on large vertical tents. This was done to surround the viewer, or, in his words, to make the viewer feel enveloped within the picture. What did Rothko think of modern art? Montreal(Reuters)-Crossing the US-Canada border to go to church on a Sunday cost a US citizen $10,000for breaking Washington's strict new security rules. The expensive trip to church was a surprise for Richard Albert, who lives right on the Canadian border. Like the other half-dozen people of Township 15, crossing the border is a daily occurrence for Albert. The nearby Quebec village of St. Pamphile is where they shop, eat and go to church. There are many such situations in these areas along the largely unguarded 5,530-mile border between Canada and the US -- which in some cases actually runs down the middle of streets or through buildings. As a result, Albert says he did not expect any problems three weeks ago when he returned home to the US after attending church in Canada, as usual. The US customs station in this area is closed on Sundays, so he just drove around the locked gate, as he had done every weekend since the gate appeared last May, following a tightening of border security. Two days later, Albert was told to go to the customs office, where an officer told him he had been caught on camera crossing the border illegally. Ottawa has given out special passes to some 300 US citizens in that area so they can enter the country when Canadian customs stations are closed, but the US stopped a similar program last May. That forces the people to a 200-mile detour along hilly roads to get home through another border checkpoint. Albert has requested that the customs office change their decisions on the fine, but he has not attended a Sunday church since. "I feel like I'm living in a prison." he said. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
With the average home in the capital selling for 19,548 yuan a square meter in November, a tiny mobile home built by a 24-year-old office worker is creating a stir online. Dai Haifei built the 6-square-meter pad because he could not afford to buy or rent in the capital. Dai's new home costs him 6,400 yuan and he has been living in it for nearly two months in a courtyard at Chengfu Road, Haidian district. Dai, who is one of the millions of migrants who moved to the capital from other parts of China seeking a better life and better job, said he realized his financial burden had become too great. The Hunan native said he simply could not make ends meet when he became an intern at a Beijing-based construction design company in 2009. "I rented a home at the very beginning--a small room in an apartment that cost me about 900 yuan per month," said Dai in an interview with local media. "It was too expensive for me." Dai's father works on a construction site in his hometown and his mother is a cleaner. Dai, who ended up becoming a formal employee of the company, figured out his own way to solve the problem---with inspiration from a housing design project at his company's exhibition early this year. The project, named "An egg given birth to by the city", included a series of egg-like movable houses, with a karaoke house, chair house and trader's house in it. Dai, who borrowed 6,400 yuan from an older cousin and who got additional help from several friends, decided to make one of his own. He spent nearly two months building his "egg house" in his hometown, a village in southeast Hunan that is around 1, 700 kilometers from Beijing. What's the writer's attitude? Jim found a job in a shop two years ago. Mrs. White, the shopkeeper trusts the able young man and pays him more. He's happy and works harder. Once Jim knew a beautiful girl called Mabel at a friend's party. They danced for several times and the girl was deeply in love. But Mabel's parents didn't agree to marry their daughter to a poor young man. So they began to travel in America and didn't let the girl come back to London. She wrote a letter to Jim and told him about it. Of course the young man hadn't enough money to go to see her. He was so sad that he began to drink. It was Saturday one day. Jim didn't go to work. He came to a bar and sat down to drink. Just then an old friend of his came in. He asked him to drink with him. Crying, he told Mike all and the young man felt sorry for him. After a while they were both drunk and left. Mike wanted to take his friend home. When they passed a zoo, they went in and walked to a cage in which there were two tigers. Having seen them, a tiger roared. Mike was afraid and said, "Let's go. Let's go. It's dangerous to stand here." "I don't think so," said Jim. " I'm watching TV now". Jim drank much to _ . Scientists think it will be possible to record people's dreams and then interpret them, according to a new report. They claim to have developed a system which allows them to record higher level brain activity. Dr Moran Cerf told the journal Nature: "We would like to read people's dreams." Previously the only way to access people's dreams is for psychologists to ask about them after the event and try to interpret them. Dr Cerf hopes to eventually compare people's memories of their dreams with an electronic visualization of their brain activity. He told the BBC: "There's no clear answer as to why humans dream. And one of the questions we would like to answer is when do we actually create this dream?" The scientist believes his latest research shows that certain neurons or individual brain cells are linked with specific objects or concepts . He found that a particular neuron lit up when a volunteer thought about Marilyn Monroe. If a database was built up identifying various neurons with concepts, objects and people it would allow them to "read the subject's minds", according to Dr Cerf. However, Dr Roderick Oner, a clinical psychologist and dream expert, said that this kind of visualization would be of limited help when it came to interpreting the "complex dream narrative ". In addition to getting a detailed picture of individual neurons subjects had to have electrodes implanted deep in the brain using surgery. The Nature researchers used data from patients who had electrodes implanted to monitor and treat them for brain seizures . However, Dr Cerf said he hoped that it would be possible at a later stage to monitor people without invasive surgery .He said it would be "wonderful" to be able to read the minds of coma patients who are unable to communicate. Previously, if people wanted to understand their dreams, they would get help from _ . Hellen Keller was born in 1880 in the USA. When she was about 19 months old, she got very ill. After many weeks, the doctor told her parents, "Your daughter is better, but now she can't see and she can't hear." Her mother and her father were very sad. After a few years , things got worse. There was no way for Helen to speak to other people. She heard nothing. She didn't understand anything. Then one day a teacher came. Her name was Anne Sullivan. She lived with Helen and her family. The teacher helped Helen learn words. Helen was a very bright child and soon she learned to spell her first word. When she was older, she went to college . Helen was a very old woman when she died. The world remembers her today as a brave and wonderful person. She was blind and deaf, but she found a way to see and hear. It helped many people in the world. Hellen Keller was famous because _ . My son and I were trying to sell the house we had repaired, but in the barn there were bats and they would not leave. The barn was their home. They told us so in their own way they hung for the season. "Don't worry about it, Dad." Patrick said. "They keep down the mosquitoes ." Unfortunately they also kept the buyers away. When we had asked a person to sell the house for us he had refused to show it because of the bats. "Bats are popular," Patrick comforted me. "They are ecological." "Isn't there a machine you can buy that produces high-frequency sounds to keep bats away?" " I don't know," said Patrick. "But I like bats, and whoever buys this house will probably like them too.' "Probably?" I hated that word. "How many bats are there, anyway?" "I counted about 90 last night," said Patrick. "They were dropping out from under the edge of the roof." "You mean there are more------outside?" "They're everywhere, Dad. But look at it this way. When the cold weather comes, they'll be off to Mexico. Maybe in the spring we can keep them out. Don't worry about it," he said for the the hundredth time. "It's not a problem." The bat expert I called was even more active than Patrick. "I think you've got a large number there," he said in wonder. "I've been trying to attract bats to our house for 25 years. A single bat ears up his weight in mosquitoes and black flies three times every night. You've a very lucky man." I offered to share my luck with him. He could take them away. "Bats have a remarkable homing instinct ," he said. "They'd fly straight back even if I transported them 100 miles. Once they have settled, you can't stop them from coming back." I was silent. Finally we managed to rent the house to a young family, who were also interested in buying it. "What about the bats?" I said to Patrick. "Oh, they love the bats," he said. "No mosquitoes. No black flies. It's one of the things that attracted them." "Do you think they will really buy the house?" "Probably? Well, if they do, I suppose I'll have to admit that I was wrong." "You mean you're going to eat your words?" "Yes. I am." What did Patrick suggest the author should do to stop the bats living in the barn?
Monarch Butterflies One of the last West Coast homes of the Monarch butterfly,a type of insect ,may soon disappear.Strangely,it is in a town that calls itself Butterfly U.S.A,Pacific Grove, California. The town of Pacific Grove loves the butterflies.Every year they have a parade and hundreds of children dress up as butterflies.Monarch butterflies are the town _ .Tourism is very important,and many people come to see the butterflies.The butterflies are good for the development of the town. In 1981 there were so many butterflies it looked like it was raining butterflies.Tens of thousands of Monarchs stayed on tree branches near Pacific Grove.Now there are not so many. The building goes on a little bit at a time,and you don't notice it day by day.Over time,you can see that there has been a lot of development.As new buildings go up,many trees are cut down. This reduces the natural homes for the butterflies. Monarchs travel hundreds of miles each year,returning to the same woods,often to the same trees.The female Monarchs need milkweed to lay their eggs;the males will follow the females. Millions of Monarchs have traveled regularly along the same path for thousands of years.They start their trip in the mountains of Mexico and travel to the middle part of America.If the woods where the butterflies live are destroyed,the whole species could be lost.There have been Monarch butterflies along the coast of California for as long as man can remember,but no one is sure how much longer they will last. Where do Monarch butterflies start their trip to Pacific Grove? Answer: From Mexico. For 99% of human history, people took their food from the world around them. They ate all that they could find, and then moved on. Then around 10,000 years ago, about 1% of human history, people learned to farm the land. The kind of food we eat depends on which part of the world we live in, or which part of our country we live in. For example, in the south of China they eat rice, but in the north they eat noodles. In European countries near the sea, people eat a lot of fish. In central Europe, away from the sea, people don't eat so much fish, but they eat more meat. For example, in Germany and Poland, there are hundreds of different kinds of sausages. In North America, Australia, and Europe, people eat with knives and forks. In China, people eat with chopsticks. In parts of India and the Middle East, people use their fingers to pick up food. Nowadays it is possible to transport food easily from one part of the world to another. We can eat whatever we like, at any time of the year. In Britain, bananas come from Africa; rice comes from India or the U.S.A.; strawberries come from Chile or Spain. Food is a very big business. But people in poor countries are still hungry while people in rich countries eat too much. 10,000 years ago, people _ . Answer: learned to farm the land Swim Birthday Parties Ages 3 and up. Pool parties are during recreation swim in the 25-yard pool. Each party consists of an hour of celebration in a private room. Parties are for 1--5 children. All non-swimmers or children requiring floatation must _ from the pool and accompanied by an adult or guardian. Please contact Sarah Hagan 762--8384x210. Fee: Members $ 175/Non-members $225 Youth Fitness Birthday Parties Leave the party activities to us! Your party package includes:1/2 hour set-up,1 hour program time including equipment,props,etc.1 hour party time for cake,presents,etc.,1/2 hour clean-up time and 1 or 2 hours specialists. Parents supply decorations, food and paper goods. To schedule a Youth Fitness Birthday Party, call Mary Ann Genuario (x282). Fee:$295 for up to 10 children,$10 each additional child--16 children maximum. Non-member price available upon request. The Art Spot Birthday Parties The Art Spot offers a variety of creative fine art parties for Ages 4--Adult! We supply the invitations, a balloon bouquet , paper goods, project materials and a party host; all you need to bring is the cake! Parties are one and a half hours, the first hour the group create their art project, and last 1/2 hour is for cake and presents! Parties are usually held on Friday nights and weekends but weekday parties are available. Cost: $21 per child. Rain or shine there's no better place than the Art Spot for your child's next party! Nursery School Birthday Parties If planning a party is not your thing, let us do the work for you! We offer a variety of pre-planned parties to choose from. You may also do a combination of 2 parties for boy/ girl parties. All parties are on Saturday afternoons between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and are one and a half hours in length. Parties include a craft or activity and paper goods. You may arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled time to set-up. To schedule a party please contact Kim Murphy(x214). Fee(Up to 15 children):$200 Members/ $250 Non-member,$15 each additional child. What information can you get from the passage? Answer: All of these birthday parties center on a special theme. My grandfather lived only half a mile away from where I grew up in New York. Every day, he would walk down to our house and bring my dad newspapers. Along with the papers he would bring a small bag of treats for my two brothers and me. Western New York had terrible winter weather: rain, sleet , or even 3 feet of snow. Even when he was 81, he still walked the half mile every single day. As a child, I looked forward to the daily treats, but now I'm older and I realize he braved the rough weather each day just to see us smile; I now value that more than anything else. My grandfather touched many lives. A woman who had been in hospital for five years told me her story. She said my grandfather would visit her twice a week at her home: to read to her, play bridge, or just chat. It lasted for years without stop. She had few visitors. Even a _ who had traveled by getting free rides from passing cars told me of my grandfather's influence on his life. My grandfather had picked him up for free and took the traveler to his home. After learning that the man was homeless, my grandfather gave him a place to stay. The man told me that no one had ever been so nice to him. He later found a job in a supermarket. I was touched, but not surprised to know all of the touching stories from which I understood my grandfather's selflessness. I have since tried to learn from him to help others. Although he died years ago, we still respect him. From the text we can infer that _ . Answer: the writer didn't know his grandfather's selflessness until years later Jenny found her old bicycle at the back of the garage.It was a lot smaller than she remembered.When she sat on it and put her feet on the pedals,her knees nearly touched her chin. She then asked her dad for a new bicycle. "Well,I'm sorry,but I can't afford a bicycle now,"said Dad."Why don't you work and earn some money? You can save up for a bicycle yourself." Jenny began to work.That day she earned five dollars for cutting the grass and ten dollars for mowing the lawn for her dad. That night Jenny went on the computer.She wrote"Gardening and Housework--Ten dollars an hour.Call Jenny at 23 Roseville Lane."She decorated the page with pictures of cleaning and gardening equipment.She printed it fifty times.Then she posted the pages through all the doors on her street. That week,Jenny was very busy! Lots of people had jobs to do,but they didn't have time to do them.So they called Jenny.Every day,Jenny rushed home from schoo1.She did her homework quickly,and then she went out to work. At the end of the week.she had$65! She told her father. "That's enough for a second hand bicycle."he said. "Yes,but if I work for one more week,I might have enough money for a new bike,"said Jenny."In two more weeks,I could buy a really good bicycle! I think that's what I'll do. I want to have the best bicycle in the class,because I earn it myself!" Jenny's dad hugged her."I think you learned something important.We appreciate things a lot more when we earn them.When we get something without earning it,we do not realize its true value." Why didn't Jenny's dad buy her a bicycle? Answer: He wanted to teach her a lesson.
On a freezing cold day, a couple had to move into a small apartment because of their failure in business.The husband worked day and night to support the family but with no care of his wife.So she thought, "He doesn't love me any more, he just cares about his business, not me". One day, she was about to take a shower when he stopped her at the door, "Let me take it first, okay?""Why not me first?" she asked."I am tired, honey, you take it later, okay?"She was entirely unhappy. One day, she found nothing to do and turned on his computer.A few words came into her sight.Reading them, she burst into tears.It was his diary: Today, I was quite sad.She asked me why I was always taking the shower first, and I said to her, I was exhausted.She was unhappy.In her mind, I treated her not as well as usual, but what could I do? I was not as rich as before! We moved to the small apartment, and there was only one shower in the bathroom.It was so cold to take a shower in such a cold winter.But I found that if one person took the shower first, the room could get a little warmer.So every day I rushed to the bathroom first.I was thinking that, when she took the shower, the room would get warmer, even if it was only 1degC. Now I cannot give her a comfortable life, take her to good restaurants, or buy expensive dresses for her, but at least, I can give her 1degC love. Why did the couple move to the small apartment? Answer: They were too poor to live in the former house. January 1: It has happened. I got a call today saying a little girl in Russia is now my little girl. There are a lot of papers to prepare, and we have to travel to Russia to bring her home, but now it is certain. I think I'll tell some close friends. Jason is so excited. I haven't told Steven yet. How can I tell a seven-year-old that he has a sister who is already five years old? January 10: Today I received a picture of Katerina. The picture is small and not very clear, but I look at it over and over again. I don't know anything else about her. She has lived in a home for children without parents for most of her life. I wonder how I will talk to her. I don't speak Russian, and she doesn't speak English. February 1: Today I showed Katerina's picture to Steven. He is very happy and wants to tell all his friends about his new sister. I want to buy some new clothes for Katerina, but I don't know her size. I haven't received any information from the adoption organization, and I'm feeling a little worried. February 16: Finally! Today we received good news! All the papers are ready and tomorrow we will go to Russia to bring Katerina home with us. February 18: Today I met my daughter for the first time. She is very small, very thin, and very shy. On the way home in the airplane, she slept most of the time. When she woke up, she cried. I am very worried and hope that I can be a good mother to Katerina. February 19: Steven met his sister this morning. Although Katerina was quiet at first, soon she and Steven began to talk in a mix of Russian, English, and hand movements. Steven and his sister get along well together. In fact, he is able to help her talk with Jason and me. I am worried about how Katerina will be in school. Next week she will start school. How will she speak with the other children? How will she understand her teacher?www.ks5u.com March 21: Katerina looks much better now. She is heavier, her hair looks good, and her skin is clear. She loves to watch television with her brother, and she has learned to roller-skate. She is doing well in school, and her English gets better every day. Although she sometimes looks sad, and sometimes cries, most of the time she is happy. I think she is slowly getting used to her new life with us. After only three months, I can't believe I could ever live my life without her. When back at home, what is the writer most worried about? Answer: Whether Katerina will adapt herself to the school life. To the mom I used to be: Two years ago, you were happy and whole. You had a plan for life -- start a new business, get involved in the Parent-teacher Association, teach your sons how to ride bicycles, spend as much time with your friends and parents as possible, watch your children mature and grow old with your husband. You were a " _ " person who often felt so much joy. You always looked forward, smiled and danced. Two years ago, on December 14, 2012, the world changed and you changed with it. Disturbed young men with access to high-powered guns went to your sons' school and killed six educators and twenty first-graders. Your eldest son Jake survived, but was changed by the day he discovered some monsters are real. He describes it as the day "when evils came to my school." Your youngest son, Dylan, whom you thought of as a pure love, with his charming eyes and infectious giggle ,was killed. Shot multiple times, he died instantly in the arms of his special-education assistant who also died while trying to protect him. The tragedy changed all your life, not only because of losing your child, but because of the hole inside you that can never be filled. Your eldest son has been forced to grow up too fast because of the loss of his brother. The pain has altered the lines on your husband's face. The way you look at the world has changed. Your interactions with friends and family seem foreign. ... ... But the things have moved on with hopefulness. You are now someone far more realistic. You control your feelings because you fear if you really let it out, you would never recover. It would destroy you. You know what you should do is try everything to protect more children. You're fighting a good fight, what the whole society really needs. With love, Nicole Hockley, Dylan's mom Saying a "glass half full" person, the author means she _ . Answer: was once an optimistic mom Everybody is happy as his pay rises. Yet pleasure at your own can disappear if you learn that a fellow worker has been given a bigger one. Indeed, if he is known as being lazy, you might even be quite cross. Such behavior is regarded as "all too human", with the underlying belief that other animals would not be able to have this finely developed sense of sadness. But a study by Sarah Brosnan of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, which has just been published in Nature, suggests that _ , as well. The researchers studied the behaviors of some kind of female brown monkeys. They look smart. They are good-natured, co-operative creatures, and they share their food happily. Above all, like female human beings, they tend to pay much closer attention to the value of "goods and services" than males. Such characteristics make them perfect subjects for Doctor Brosnan's study. The researchers spent two years teaching their monkeys to exchange tokens for food. Normally, the monkeys were happy enough to exchange pieces of rock for pieces of cucumber. However, when two monkeys were placed in separate and connected rooms, so that each other could observe what the other is getting in return for its rock, they became quite different. In the world of monkeys,grapes are excellent goods (and much preferable to cucumbers). So when one monkey was handed a grape in exchange for her token, the second was not willing to hand hers over for a mere piece of cucumber. And if one received a grape without having to provide her token in exchange at all, the other either shook her own token at the researcher, or refused to accept the cucumber. Indeed, the mere presence of a grape in the other room (without an actual monkey to eat it) was enough to bring about dissatisfaction in a female monkey. The researches suggest that these monkeys, like humans, are guided by social senses. In the wild, they are co-operative and group-living. Such co-operation is likely to be firm only when each animal feels it is not being cheated. Feelings of anger when unfairly treated, it seems, are not the nature of human beings alone. Refusing a smaller reward completely makes these feelings clear to other animals of the group. However, whether such a sense of fairness developed independently in monkeys and humans, or whether it comes from the common roots that they had 35 million years ago, is, as yet, an unanswered question. What can we infer about the monkeys in Sarah's study? Answer: The monkeys may show their satisfaction with equal treatment. 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?" What was the clerk like? Answer: She was lively.
Question: They lived thousands of miles apart, and both died in 1616. This has led to a lot of studies comparing their works,which are still important to this day. To mark the 400th anniversary of Tang Xianzu and William Shakespeare's deaths, an exhibition called Dialogue Across Time and Space: Homage to Tang Xianzu and William Shakespeare is being held across 26 Chinese Cultural Centers in different countries from Sept 1 to December. Shakespeare's plays are always found in the British school curriculum, while Tang's best-known opera, The Peony Pavilion , continues to be performed worldwide. Both were "great men in the circle of world drama', according to Aoki Masaru, who put the work of Shakespeare and Tang together in his 1943 book A History of Chinese Literary Thought. Both shared a love for a journey of self-discovery. The difference is that Shakespeare's work shows people of all backgrounds and classes, while Tang's dramas come form a more aristocratic background. Tang's lines were sung mostly in family theaters. Shakespeare, however, had to sell tickets to whoever would buy them. That probably affected their writing styles. Though few can touch Shakespeare's range and richness of work, there is one area in which Tang's work may have been better. That's in the use of dreams, not only to tell a story, but also to explore ideas. The Peony Pavilion is set in the world of the characters' dreams, especially Du Liniang, the young lady who has not seen or gotten to know Liu Mengmei when she falls in love with him. After Liu has dreamed of her, he finds her portrait three years after her death and can't stop thinking about her. But for Du, a dream is a path to the freedom that young women of ancient China normally didn't have - the freedom to love someone without their families getting in the way. Shakespeare also famously used the stage to look at Philosophy in A Midsummer Night's Dream . But in a sense, the dream was Tang's stage. According to the article, dreams in Tang's work _ . A. represent Tang's love for freedom B. are only used to express Tang's support for aristocratic families C. make the characters seem mysterious and interesting D. reflect problems young women in ancient China had to face Answer: D. reflect problems young women in ancient China had to face Question: Every morning, the newspaper chief editor holds a meeting with the reporters. They discuss the main events of the day. Reporters are then sent to cover the events. As soon as the reporters know what to write about, they get down to work. They telephone people and fix a time for a face-to-face interview with them. Sometimes they do telephone interviews. Checking information is very important. They go to the newspaper's own library to look up any information that they need. This is called "doing one's homework". At the same time, the picture editor decides which photographs will be used for the next day's paper. All the people who work on a newspaper must be able to work fast. Reporters have to stop working on one story and start working at once on the important new one. They must find out the new information as quickly as possible. Later in the day, everything is put together at the news desk. Reporters return, type their stories into the computer and hand them to the editor. The chief editor decides which will be the most important story on the front page. Sometimes this will have to be changed if something more important happens late in the day. Other editors read the stories which the reporters have written and make any necessary changes. Finally, there is no more time left for adding new stories, and the time for printing the newspaper has come. This is done on fast-moving printing machines. The newspapers are then delivered by truck, plane or rail. Speed is important. People want to buy the latest newspaper; nobody wants to buy yesterday's. Word editors' work is to _ . A. help the chief editor with the morning discussion B. decide when and how the papers can be printed C. read the stories and make necessary changes D. get together information from reporters and photographers Answer: C. read the stories and make necessary changes Question: I will tell you the truth about plastic bags-the positive and the negative sides and provide a solution to this problem. Whether it is a shopping bag, a food bag or a trash bag, they are all made of plastic bags. Grocery store owners are very generous in using plastic bags. They place the fruit in one bag and drop the box of milk in another. Ever wonder why? The positive side of plastic bags Grocery stores, shopping centres, and restaurants are not thrifty in using and giving out plastic bags because they cost no more than a cent each, while a paper bag costs four cents. Plastic bags are produced so cheaply and massively that they are used by 80% of store owners. In addition, they are light and very easy to carry and store. The production of plastic bags has increased greatly over the last 20 years and producers of plastic bags are making large profits. However, the negative side of plastic bags is becoming well-known. More people are now getting worried that the earth is becoming a victim of the plastic bag success story. The negative side of plastic bags While production and consumption of plastic bags is good for business, it is not so for our Mother Earth. They have resulted in an increase in the amount of litter found floating in water or in the streets where we live. Plastic storage bags, after usage, usually go to landfills as trash bags. They make the oceans poison sea animals. They give off toxins when burned. They simply pollute the ground, air and water. That is the true cost of plastic bags, and it looks like it is more than a cent. These are very alarming concerns and proper action needs to be taken. According to Paragraph 3, plastic bag producers _ . A. are now worried that the earth will become a victim of plastic bags B. don't think they have done enough to popularize plastic bags C. have not realized the harm of plastic bags D. have succeeded in popularizing the use of plastic bags Answer: D. have succeeded in popularizing the use of plastic bags Question: What is an example of the fact that a thing is dead once it dies after having previously lived? A. a small squirrel falls from a tree and breaks its leg B. a panda stops eating and falls into a coma C. a dog is paralyzed and is unable to move D. a vibrant cat is deceased after being hit by a car Answer: D. a vibrant cat is deceased after being hit by a car Question: When car is close to the runner the illumination of the motorized entity is at a higher level because? A. moons gravity B. motion C. it is closer D. sun rotation Answer: C. it is closer
Question: Sarah lives in the country, and she loves playing in the river near her house. But her father gets a job in a big city, and he moves there with his family. Their new house has a garden, but the garden is very small. Sarah isn't happy. "Is there a river near here?" she asks her mother on the first morning. Her mother answers, "No, there isn't, but there is a nice park near here and there is a pool in it. We are going there this afternoon." Sarah is happy now. After lunch, Sarah and her mother go to the park. Sarah wants to walk near the pool, but there is a sign before it. Her mother reads it to her, "Warning : This pool is dangerous. 367 people fell into it." Sarah looks into the pool carefully , and she says, "But I can't see them." Why can't Sarah see the people in the pool? A. Sarah's mother doesn't let her see. B. She is too young. C. There are no people in the pool. D. Something is wrong with Sarah's eyes. Answer: C Question: Whenever someone begins to talk to me about how horrible it is to eat meat and suggests that a nice piece of tofu would be just as good, I just smile and show them those nice pointy teeth we all have in the corners of our mouths. They are called canines , and they are there only for the purpose of eating meat. When it comes to satisfying this kind of desire, soy food can never match a well-prepared tri-tip (also know as triangle beef steak ). Just the thought of the beef, burning on the grill with the smell of wood smoke gets the mouth watering and brings back memories of summer barbecues. When the knife cuts through the tri- tip, exposing the red meat bursting with juices, it's more than just cooking. It's a cultural event, showing we are at the top of the food chain, like no other food can. Nutritionally speaking, the tri-tip is one of the better cuts of beef. It is lower in fat than many other cuts, and the proteins you get from eating meat are more complete than those that come from vegetables, making meat a better choice for building and keeping up your muscle tissue healthy. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, one thing to be aware of with soy products in general is that while they are high in iron, a necessary mineral for the body, they also contain something that blocks the body's absorption of iron. We can cook them in various ways to make them tasty. Anyway, the tri-tip goes a lot better with ice-cold beer than a large piece of bean-curd cheese would, no matter how you cook it. I guess I should say at least e good thing about tofu. If you cook it just right, you can make it taste a little like the tri-tip, but only a little. Compared with tofu, the tri-tip is _ . A. more nutritious but poorer in proteins B. higher in iron and other useful minerals C. more beneficial for muscle development D. harder for eaters to take in its iron Answer: C Question: Question: Which program is in Guinness World Records as the world's longest running TV quiz show? Answer: "It's Academic." "It's Academic" is a Saturday morning program for high school students. The show has been broadcast in the Washington area for fifty years. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton competed on the show when she was a teenager. Teams from local schools are questioned about subjects like history, literature, math, science, religion, politics and sports. Sophie was a TV producer in the 1950s. She started "It's Academic" after local school officials asked her to create a program that showed outstanding students. The show's host, 84-year-old Mac McGarry, who has hosted "It's Academic" since the beginning, says, "When we first started, the young people from various countries were not evident so much. Now, each program presents young people from all over the world, at least descendants from people all over the world." Mac McGarry said, "Every time I look up, I see people who are just seventeen years old. And I think, 'Well, _ . They are full of enthusiasm. I really have to become more active to keep up with them.'" More than 20,000 students have appeared on the show. Mac McGarry has asked more than 200,000 questions and gotten more than a few funny answers. Kelly Reeder led the team from Rockville High School in Maryland last year. Her school has won the championship on "It's Academic" several times. She says, "We have put in a lot of effort over the years. It's a really huge honor to end up on the A Team. My friends who are on 'It's Academic' think it's cool that I'm the captain of the A Team, but my friends who are not on 'It's Academic' think it's kind of funny." By saying "I must not be growing older at all", McGarry means that she _ . A. will have to retire soon B. hopes to go on with the work C. feels younger together with teenagers D. worries about her health condition Answer: B Question: Here in the northeast Georgia mountains live an old man and his young grandson. A small sum of money given by the government is their only regular income. Man and boy walk up and down the highway daily collecting soft-drink bottles for resale. I stopped once, and tried to give the man a carton of empty bottles. Polite, but firmly, he refused my "charity". Exercising what I thought was the only reasonable matter. I was driving their part of road, throwing bottles out of the car window, when the flashing blue light of a Georgia State Patrol car filled my mirror. I took my lecture on litter laws, and then told the officer about the man and the boy. We could see the old man from where we were stopped, bending over to pick up a bottle. The officer warned me again, and told me to move on. As we both pulled onto the road, I looked in my mirror just in time to see two bottles sail out of the passenger window of the patrol car and land unbroken on the grass. Why do the old man and his grandson collect soft-drink bottles? A. They want to make the area clean and tidy. B. They want to recycle the soft-drink bottles. C. Local officials ask them to do so. D. Their income is not enough to support themselves. Answer: D Question: Paracutin was born in Mexico in February, 1943. At the end of one week Paracutin was 500 feet high, and it is now over 9,000 feet high. Today Paracutin is asleep. What is Paracutin? It was the first volcano in the world which was seen from its birth right up to the present day. On February 20, 1943, a peasant and his wife set out to work in their corn fields from the Mexican village of Paracutin. They were surprised to find the earth warm under their feet. Suddenly they heard noises deep in the earth and a small hole appeared in their field. In the afternoon there was a sudden loud noise and stones were thrown high in the air. The peasants ran from the field and turned to watch. They saw the birth of a volcano. Large quantities of stone and lava broke out and a little hill began to form. By evening this hill was 100 feet high and hot ashes were falling on the village. At night the strong light of the hot lava lit up the countryside. The trees near the village were killed and the villagers had to leave their houses. When the village was destroyed, its name was given to the volcano. The news quickly reached Mexico City, far to the east. Many people came to watch the scene. The volcano grew and grew for ten years and hundreds of square miles of forest were destroyed. Then Paracutin went to sleep. In this passage the writer is trying to _ . A. tell us an interesting happening B. explain a scientific theory C. make us believe something D. make up an interesting story Answer: A
I spend a lot of time backpacking and hiking the outdoors and there are two pieces of equipment that are with me on each trip: an Adventure Medical Kits Weekender and an Adventure Medical Kits Suture Syringe Kit. Both proved very helpful on my most recent adventures to the Wrangell in Alaska. On that day, we were "blessed" with rain, making our water crossing on the Dixie Pass very difficult. Our party of 12 had almost reached our destination when I slipped, severely gashing my knee open in the process. While I could not see the wound at first because of the rain pants I was wearing, I knew _ was severe. Blood was running freely and I made those standing nearby aware of the damage. They quickly came over to assist, pulled my pack off and removed the Weekender First Aid Kit and Suture Kit from it. Fortunately, one of my partners is a doctor called William, who has often performed this type of work in the operating room, not out in the wild. I seriously think he was more nervous about all this than me! I, of course, was more than happy that I did not have to stitch myself up. As a marine, I've had to do it before. Fortunately, the sky had cleared up about two hours before, so we had great sunlight to work with. The doctor worked quickly with the assistance of another fellow camper acting as a nurse and placed seven stitches into my knee once the wound had been cleaned up. Later that evening we used a syringe we set aside loaded with Iodine to clean the wound and then bandaged it again. The doctor was very impressed with the kits contents! I've already ordered another Suture Syringe Kit. I have to say the kits are worth their weight in gold! Thanks for the contents in the kits! Why did the author think that William was more nervous while performing the first aid than himself? A. Because William didn't know how to use the kits. B. Because the author didn't trust William. C. Because the author hurt himself severely. D. Because William had no experience of doing it in the wild. Answer: D. Because William had no experience of doing it in the wild. Albert engaged Bertha, an inexperienced actress, to do a small role in a new Broadway play for a period of six months at a salary of $200 a week. Bertha turned down another role in order to accept this engagement. On the third day of the run, Bertha was hospitalized with influenza and Helen was hired to do the part. A week later, Bertha recovered, but Albert refused to accept her services for the remainder of the contract period. Bertha then brought an action against Albert for breach of contract.Which of the following, if true, would adversely affect Bertha's rights in her action against Albert? A. Albert could not find any substitute except Helen, who demanded a contract for a minimum of six months if she was to perform at all. B. Helen, by general acclaim, was much better in the role than Bertha had been. 7 C. Albert had offered Bertha a position as Helen's understudy at a salary of $100 a week, which Bertha declined. D. Albert had offered Bertha a secretarial position at a salary of $300 a week, which Bertha declined Answer: A. Albert could not find any substitute except Helen, who demanded a contract for a minimum of six months if she was to perform at all. One day,Mr.Arnold was teaching a lesson,and things were going as normally as ever.He was explaining the story of mankind to his pupils.He told them that,in the beginning,men were nomads ;they never stayed in the same place for very long.Instead,they would travel about,here and there,in search of food,wherever it was to be found. And when the food ran out,they would move off somewhere else. He taught them about the invention of farming and keeping animals.This was an important discovery,because by learning to cultivate the land,and care for animals,mankind would always have food steadily available.It also meant that people could remain living in one place,and this made it easier to set about tasks that would take a long while to complete,like building towns,cities,and all that were in them.All the children listening were attracted by this story,until Lucy jumped up: "And if that was so important and improved everything so much,why are we nomads all over again,Mr.Arnold?" Mr.Arnold didn't know what to say. Lucy was a very intelligent girl.He knew that she lived with her parents in a house,so she must know that her family were not nomads;so what did she mean? "We have all become nomads again," continued Lucy."The other day,outside the city,they were cutting the forest down. A while ago a fisherman told me how they fish.It's the same with everyone:when there's no more forest left, the foresters go elsewhere,and when the fish run out, the fishermen move on.That's what the nomads did,isn't it?" The teacher nodded,thoughtfully. Really,Lucy was right. Mankind had turned into nomads. Instead of looking after the land in a way that we could be sure it would keep supplying our needs,we kept developing it until the land was bare.And then off we would go to the next place! The class spent the rest of the afternoon talking about what they could do to show how to be more civilized. The next day everyone attended class wearing a green Tshirt,with a message that said,"I am not a nomad!" And,from then on,they set about showing that indeed they were not.Every time they knew they needed something,they made sure that they would get it using care and control.If they needed wood or paper,they would make sure that they got the recycled kind.They ordered their fish from fish farms,making sure that the fish they received were not too young and too small.They only used animals that were well cared for,and brought up on farms. And so,from their little town,those children managed to give up being nomads again,just as prehistoric men had done so many thousands of years ago. Why would early humans travel about in the beginning? A. To experience different lifestyles. B. To go sightseeing in different places. C. To find what they could to feed themselves. D. To do more exercise to build themselves up. Answer: C. To find what they could to feed themselves. Few, if any, instruments shape national culture more powerfully than the materials used in schools. Textbooks are not only among the first books most people meet; in many places they are, along with religious texts, almost the only books they have. A study in South Africa showed that fewer than half of pupils had access to more than ten books at home. In 2010 a study by Egypt's government found that, apart from school textbooks, 88% of Egyptian households read no books. The degree to which a government keeps control of the textbooks used in classrooms is a good guide to its commitment to ideological control. Where that desire is strong, governments are likely to produce the textbooks themselves or define carefully what goes into them. America's State Department employs people to keep an eye on other countries' textbooks, in an effort to understand better how their people think and what their governments want them to think. Other countries probably do the same. Textbooks have long been a source of worry. After the attacks on America on September 11th 2001, some in both America and Saudi Arabia, including officials, supposed that Saudi Arabia's curriculum of intolerance was responsible, at least in part, for the emergence of al-Qaeda . Sometimes the requirements of the state are more clearly seen in what textbooks leave out. The world has long criticized Japan for the way its textbooks whitewash the country's history, in particular dressing up Japanese war crimes. The "New History Textbook", for example, which was submitted for government approval in 2000, played down Japan's aggression in the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-95 and the occupation of China in the 1930s and 1940s, and avoided mention of the use of sex slaves by its armies or the rape of Nanjing. In America most of the disputes about textbooks are home-grown. Liberals worry that their children are being taught a nationalistic version of history that emphasizes the wonders of industrialization and plays down slavery and the killing of Indian tribes. By contrast, Conservatives complain about inadequate education of love for their country and too much secularism . In 2010 the Texas board of education managed to remove Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, from the state's list of important revolutionary figures, apparently because of Jefferson's insistence on the separation of church and state. He was, however, swiftly restored. As long as textbooks are issued or approved by the state, they will remain a political issue. But as access to other textbooks is enjoyed more widely, some of the dominance they now enjoy will weaken. Governments will probably produce the textbooks themselves and decide the contents when_. A. people have strong desire to read B. governments hope to reform education C. governments want to control ideology D. governments expect to understand people better Answer: C. governments want to control ideology A young mother thought that it was very wrong to waste any food when there were so many hungry people in the world. One evening, she was giving her small daughter her tea before putting her to bed. First she gave her a piece of bread and butter, but the child said that she did not want it like that. She asked for some jam on her bread as well. Her mother looked at her for a few seconds and then said, "When I was a small girl like you. I was always given either bread and butter, or bread and jam, but never bread with butter and jam." Lucy looked at her mother for a few moments with pity in her eyes and said to her kindly, "Aren't you pleased to live a happy life this now?" Lucy's mother thought it was wrong to waste food because _ . A. the food was delicious B. it was hard to get food C. there were so many hungry people in the world D. the food was little to eat Answer: C. there were so many hungry people in the world
Before leaving work, Steve Lee likes to use his cell phone to turn on his heat and air condition system at home. So by the time he gets through traffic into his front door, the temperature inside is perfect. You may wonder what a so-called smart home can do inside. Lee works for a company called Smarthome. com, testing and living with many of his company's home automation gadgets , like this multifunction touch screen that controls devices around the house and even connects to the Internet traffic cameras. "I have cameras, and they follow all the way down the freeway to work, "said Lee with pride, "What's going on at home when you are away? No problem, install some wireless cameras and controllers and from any computer in the world with an Internet connection, you can watch your house. " "You can check on the house, and I can look at the temperature. Believe it or not, if I want to turn on lights ahead of time, I can, "added Lee. We sat in Steve's California kitchen and with the right password, turned on the kitchen counter lights at his boss' house in Wisconsin. Steve did have permission to log on . "If you do know the password and you want to play a trick on your wife, you could turn lights on and off remotely. " This new technology, which can automatically turn on water sprinklers when humidity is low, or turn off a pool pump when it is not in use, is no longer expensive. Several hundred dollars for a basic system is enough and it is not hard to install. Sure the convenience is nice but many people who like the security advantages like making sure kids are safe with the help of camera monitors and bedside alerts. "I can notice that maybe one of my children wakes up in the middle of the night once the light switch is turned on. " What a smart home can't do is get you a snack and you have to leave the couch for that. What can be inferred from this passage? A Steve's boss trusted him very much. B Steve doesn't like to play jokes on his family. C Steve could log on his boss' home because he had been given the key. D It's expensive and difficult to apply a basic smart home system. Answer: A. Steve's boss trusted him very much. If you put a buzzard in a pen six to eight feet square and entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be a prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of ten to twelve feet. Without space to run, it will not even attempt to fly, but remain a prisoner for life in a small prison with no top. The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkably nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is to _ about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully,until it reaches some slight height from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash. A bumblebee , if dropped into an open tumbler , will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but insists on trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists until it completely destroys itself. In many ways, there are lots of people like the buzzard, the bat and the bumblebee. They are struggling about with all their problems and frustrations, not realizing that the answer is right there above them. In which way are many people similar to a buzzard, an ordinary bat and a bumblebee? A They are overcoming all their problems and frustrations. B They are all content with the things as they are. C They choose to give in to problems and frustrations. D They do not seek new ways to deal with difficulties. Answer: D. They do not seek new ways to deal with difficulties. Human beings have a natural desire to explore the unknown. People with a strong interest in space like to say it is the last place left to explore. But scientists are warning that space exploration for long periods is not going to be easy. They say the human body is not designed to stay in space over an extended period. The New York Times recently published a report about scientists who are preparing astronauts for a trip to the Moon. The newspaper said the scientists want to make sure that their crews return home in good health. But there are many problems to be solved before people are ready for long trips to the Moon, an asteroid or even the planet Mars. Humans developed on a planet with a surface that is more than 70 percent water. Our bodies are also about 70 percent water. When there is no gravity that water moves up toward the head, raising pressure in the skull. Arms and legs grow weaker at what is called zero gravity because they no longer need to push against the force of gravity. Five years ago, astronauts who spent weeks in space reported a change in their eyesight. These astronauts were members of the crew on the International Space Station. Research showed a change in the shape of their eyes. Normally-round eyeballs had become flat during time in space. The research also showed that the right eye was affected more than the left, and that men were more affected than women. Scientists could not find an explanation for the differences. Bone loss was one of the problems first reported by astronauts returning to Earth after longer stays in space. So scientists designed exercise machines to use on the space station. Tests showed that the exercise equipment helped space travelers keep their bones almost as strong as when they left Earth. There are other health issues for astronauts who spend a long time in space. They may have problems eating and sleeping. But the biggest health issue is exposure to radiation. On Earth, human beings are protected by the atmosphere and the planet's magnetic field. In outer space, there is no such protection. What is the main idea of the passage? A Long periods in space will affect the health of astronauts. B Scientists are trying to find out how to protect astronauts. C Space is dangerous to human beings. D People shouldn't explore space. Answer: A. Long periods in space will affect the health of astronauts. Every now and then we hear about an event that has taken place. This information helps us prepare ourselves for any problem in the future. Current affairs serve different purposes for different people. Theses days, the importance of current affairs has risen. Most people focus on certain areas of information according to their needs and interests. There are certain areas like science and technology, which attract only a special kind of crowd, and thus have a lesser audience compared to fields like the entertainment industry. Science and technology are completely ignored by a common man, unless he or she happens to be "a techno-freak ". Yes, this is the word given to people who show interest in current affairs related to science and technology. However, they are the ones who have much more knowledge of the current world. Why is it so? Mainly because today's world is driven by science and technology. It is the techno-freaks that cause the development in science and technology, and thanks to them you can see a miracle of new inventions. The old way of living has been replaced by the high-tech modern way of living. It will be a world of robots in the near future. If somebody decides not to get to know about current affairs related to science and technology, he or she will be separated from the real world. We must stay abreast with the new inventions so that we can predict the future. For example, if you know the current conditions of science and technology of 2012 well, you will better understand what will take place in 2012. Therefore, you must gain enough knowledge on current affairs in science and technology. There are the Internet, newspapers and magazines to provide you with all the information of science and technology. What field attracts more people in the author's opinion? A Science and technology. B Robots and space travels. C Entertainment. D Information Technology. Answer: C. Entertainment. 2016 HSBC China Campus Recruitment COMMERCIAL BANKING Commercial Banking is at the heart of growth at HSBC, partnering with our business customers to help them move in the right direction by providing dedicated products and services. Commercial Banking Global Graduate Programme This programme appeals particularly to individuals who are self-starters, highly driven and passionate about growing commercial business. Over two years and involving four placements, each lasting six months, you'll gain broad experience in different areas of the bank. On completion, you'll then be ready to move into a specialist role. Commercial Banking Internship This eight-week internship gives you first-hand experience of how we provide our customers with solutions to support their growth ambitions. You'll learn about the foundations of Commercial Banking and the drivers of customer satisfaction. Perform well and you could secure a place on our global graduate programme. RETAIL BANKING AND WEALTH MANAGEMENT Retail Banking and Wealth Management caters to millions of customers worldwide through our branch network, call centers, internet and mobile banking. Retail Banking and Wealth Management Global Graduate Programme The two-year programme offers four rotations in customer-facing and head office roles , equipping you to become a future leader of our branches or contact centres , or one of our specialist teams. Retail Banking and Wealth Management Internship Your time on this eight-week internship will be split between a branch or contact centre and a role in one of our specialist teams in head office so you can appreciate the range and complexity of our business. Prove yourself and you could secure a place on our global graduate programme. Welcome to join HSBC! Please click here to submit online application before the deadline (30 Nov.2015). The advertisement aims to _ A sell a bank B give a brief introduction to HSBC C tell the readers some experience in bank management D encourage students to apply for a certain position in the bank Answer: D. encourage students to apply for a certain position in the bank
Expert Tricks on iPhone 5 We don't want to change your phone, we wanna make you say, wow, that is a bigger change than I expected. iPhone 5 in a result of that desire to surprise. It's been completely redesigned. For the first time ever, we've increased the size of display by making the screen taller but not wider. You can see more of your content without the need to scroll. We are making scrolling the thing of the past. iPhone 5 is more comfortable to use and reduces scrolling tiredness when you are reading long documents. Even with the larger display, iPhone 5 is the thinnest iPhone we ever built. To achieve the design this tall, we have to look at it and completely redesign the internal architecture. It's 18% thinner and 79.5% taller than the previous iPhone. It makes everything you do on iPhone 5 feels easier and just move your arm away. No more hidden menus, no confusing gestures. Everything is right at your fingertips. The panorama feature is simply awesome. The ultra-HD widescreen display let you get your entire shot in a single snap. You can also use your iPhone 5's innovative design for image stabilization. With an iPhone this tall, reception has never been better. You enjoy crystal clear clarity on even the longest calls. And of course, all your favorite applications are still available. In fact you will find your old favorites also benefit from the new handsome ultra-HD widescreen. We found while many previous iPhone owners were using Facetime, they only used it for the faces. That's why we are introducing Bodytime. Using iPhone 5's ultra-HD widescreen display, Bodytime let you see a person's entire body, allowing you to detect mannerisms and defects like never before. We look way beyond what our thoughts expect, it took all of our learning, all of our thinking to realize something so simple, so clear, and yet so tall. iPhone 5, the tallest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone. Which this new iPhone, you can do all the following EXCEPT _ . Answer: scrolling more quickly than before Because, like most of you, I began college in my teens, but after a year, I was offered my dream job at Universal Studios, so I dropped out. Well, I left college because I knew exactly what I wanted to do and some of you know, too -- but some of you don't. Or maybe you thought you knew but are now questioning that choice. Maybe you're sitting there trying to find out how to tell your parents that you want to be a doctor and not a writer. I told my parents if my movie career didn't go well, I'd re-enroll . It went all right. But finally, I returned for one big reason. Most people go to college for an education, and some go for their parents, but I went for my kids. I'm the father of seven, and I kept insisting on the importance of going to college, but I hadn't walked the walk. So, in my fifties, I re-enrolled at Cal State-Long Beach, and I earned my degree. Well, what you choose to do next is what we call in the movies the 'character-defining moment'. Life is one strong, long string of character-defining moments. And I was lucky that at 18 I knew what I exactly wanted to do. But I didn't know who I was. How could I? And how could any of us? Because for the first 25 years of our lives, we are trained to listen to voices that are not our own. Parents and professors fill our heads with wisdom and information, and then employers and tutors take their place and explain how this world really works. And I want to be clear that your intuition is different from your conscience. Here's the difference: Your conscience shouts, 'here's what you should do,' while your intuition whispers, 'here's what you could do.' Listen to that voice that tells you what you could do. Nothing will define your character more than that. Sticking to your character requires a lot of courage. And to be courageous, you're going to need a lot of support. And if you're lucky, you have parents like mine. I consider my mom my lucky charm. But look, if your family's not always available, there's backup. Do you remember that movie? It's a Wonderful Life? There's an actor's line in it: No man is a failure who has friends." And I hope you hold on to the friendships you're made here at Harvard. And among your friends, I hope you find someone you want to share your life with. The passage is most likely to be _ . Answer: a speech Once Dr. Mellinkoff invited me to join him at the hospital to discuss interesting cases(, ) with his students.The case at hand was a Guatemalan man, aged 34, who had a fever and many other medical problems.His condition was not improving, and there was not much hope he would live. Dr.: Mellinkoff asked to see the patient.He introduced himself in Spanish and, in a very gentle voice, asked how he felt.The patient smiled and said everything was all right.Then the doctor asked if he was able to eat.The patient said that he had no desire to eat. "Are you getting food you like?" The patient said nothing. "Do you get the kind of food you have at home?" The answer was no. The doctor put his hand on the man's shoulder and his voice was very soft. "If you had food that you liked, would you eat it?" "Yes, yes," the patient said. The change in the patient's appearance couldn't have been more obvious.Nothing was said, but it was easy to tell that a message had been sent and had also been received. Later, the doctor asked why the Guatemalan man wasn't getting food he could eat.One of the students said, "We all know how difficult it is to get the kitchen to make special meals." "Suppose," the doctor replied, "you felt a certain medicine was absolutely necessary but that our hospital didn't carry it, would you accept defeat or would you insist the hospital meet your request?" "I would probably insist," the student said. "Very well," the doctor said."You might want to try the same method in the kitchen.It won't be-easy, but I can help you.Meanwhile, let's get some food inside this man as fast as possible, and stay with it.Or he'll be killed by hunger.By the way, there must be someone among you who can speak Spanish.If we want to make real progress, we need to be able to talk with him." Three weeks later.Doctor Mellinkoff told me that the Guatemalan man had left the hospital under his own power.It takes more than medicine to help sick people; you also have to talk to them and make them comfortable. The patient had no desire to eat because _ . Answer: he was not satisfied with the food I'm telling Mother about a new girl in school,and she suddenly looks up and says,"Who're your two best friends?" I'm not sure what to say.I've been friends with Jill since I was three or so,and I really like Jaime,a friend in kindergarten."Well,what about Karen and Cindy?" She seems upset,like I hurt her feelings."But they're my sisters." "Yes,but they can still be your best friends.Friends may come and go,but your sisters will always be there for you." At the time,the idea of my two sisters being my closest friends seemed strange to me.We fought all the time over toys,food and attention.How could my sisters be my best friends?They weren't the same age as I.We all had our own friends in school.But my mother never let the three of us forget it:Sisters are lifelong friends.Her wish was to give us something that she never had.Growing up an only child,she longed for siblings .When she gave birth to three daughters,the fulfillment of her dream had only just begun.She'd given us each a gift and she wanted to make sure we did not take that gift for granted.She'd frequently tell us how lucky we were.She never showed favoritism to one daughter over the other.And when we were teenagers,Mom always punished us equally. We didn't always get along beautifully and fought just like any other siblings.But we realized that our mother was right.Today I share things with my sisters that I do with no one else.My sister Cindy and I ran the New York City Marathon together,sidebyside,even holding hands when we crossed the finish line.When my sister Karen got married,I was her maid of honor.The three of us trust each other with our greatest secrets. It was twentythree years ago that my mother first asked me who my two best friends were.Today she doesn't have to.She already knows. Twentythree years later,who became the author's best friends? Answer: Cindy and Karen. Camp memories last forever! We make sure they are unforgettable! Shadow Ridge Summer Camps offer so many exciting things for campers to do. Unlike other camp programs that include horses as a small part of their program, at Shadow Ridge horses are the program! We are 100% horse from stable management, nature walks, and track rides to bedroom furnishings. Horses help us achieve many of our aims. Girls can learn to develop responsibility, self-confidence and personal connections in their lives while having fun. Using horses as a wonderful tool for education, our camps offer an interesting place for growth and learning. Imagine each girl having her own horse to spend time with and a best friend to love and take care of. Each camper is responsible for a horse for a week. Our riding program provides a lot of riding and lesson time. Campers will learn how to take care of the horse and the track , as well as how to ride. Days are filled with horse-related activities to strengthen the connection between each girl and horse, as the girls learn to work safely around the horses. At Shadow Ridge we try to create a loving, caring family atmosphere for our campers. We have "The Bunkhouse" (4 girls), "the Wrangle Roost" (4 girls), and "The Hideout" (2 girls) in our comfortable 177-year-old farm house. All meals are home cooked, offering delicious and healthy food for the hungry rider. Our excellent activities create personalized memories of your child's vacation. Each child will receive a camp T-shirt and a photo album (usually 300 - 500 pictures) of their stay at camp. Our camps are offered during June, July and August 2007, for small groups of girls aged 13 -16 years, not only from Canada but also other parts of the world. We will send you full program description at your request. The program at Shadow Ridge mainly aims to help people _ . Answer: achieve an educational purpose
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. What caused milk prices in California to increase? Answer: Being short of rain. The telephone rang when Mrs. Gates was cooking lunch. Her son Bruce went to answer the phone. His aunt said she was coming to see them with her daughter that afternoon. Mrs. Gates was happy because she hadn't seen her sister for several months. She knew the girl liked bananas very much, but she was busy in the kitchen and couldn't go to buy any for her. She gave some money to Bruce and said, "Go and buy two kilos of bananas in the shop. " Bruce liked bananas, too. He went out happily. Half an hour later he came back with a bag in his hand. Mrs. Gates weighed the bananas and found they were half a kilo short. She took the bag to the shopkeeper and said, "I sent my little son for two kilos of bananas, but you gave him only one and a half kilos!" "Have you weighed your little son yet, madam?" asked the shopkeeper, "My scales are all right." Who went to answer the telephone when it rang? Answer: Bruce. Life is difficult. It is a great truth because once we truly understand and accept it, then life is no longer difficult. Most do not fully see this truth. Instead they complain about their problems and difficulties as if life should be easy. It seems to them that difficulties stand for a special kind of suffering especially forced on them or else on their families, their class, or even their nation. What makes life difficult is that the process of facing and solving problems is a painful one. Problems, depending on their nature, cause sadness, or loneliness or regret or anger or fear. These are uncomfortable feelings, often as painful as any kind of physical pain. And since life causes a lot of problems, life is always difficult and is full of pain as well as joy. Yet, it is in this whole process of solving problems that life has its meaning. Problems are the serious test that tells us success from failure. When we want to encourage the growth of human spirit, we encourage the human ability to solve problems, just as in school we set problems for our children to solve. It is through the pain of meeting and working out problems that we learn. As Benjamin Franklin said, "Those things that hurt, instruct ." It is for this reason that wise people learn not to fear but to welcome the pain of problems. According to the passage, we give school children difficult problems to solve in order to _ . Answer: encourage them to learn When do you think of a forest, what do you see? Just trees? Or do you see many other things, such as singing birds, colorful plants and wild flowers? The forest is a whole world of its own. It is full of many different living things . But even though they are all different, they have one thing in common: they all need each other in order to live on .The trees feed the forest "people" by making food in their leaves; by using sunlight to join water and minerals from the soil and air. Their deep network of roots joins the soil together and stops it from dying out, making it possible for living things to live in it. Human beings are like the living things in the forest. We need one another in order to live. We need the farmers to grow our food, railroad and truck drivers to bring it to our shops and clerks to sell it to us. We need people to prepare our food and cook it and others to take our waste things away. Then, of course, we need doctors, nurses, government leaders, mailmen, telephone operators, and many others. We also need other human beings in another way. We need people for friendship, to talk over our problems, exchange ideas. Think how lonely and unhappy you would be if you lived all alone. Life is a matter of giving and taking. We need to help other people as much as we need other people to help us. Think what a good feeling you have when you have done something for someone else. You know, being a volunteer is so great! ,. According to the writer, human beings need _ . Answer: all of the above There used to be a term that was used to describe someone who drove their vehicles down the highway while staring at the scenery. These drivers just drove slowly, taking their own sweet time, as if they had nothing to do and no place in particular to go. Thus, the expression, " _ ", was born. Consequently, a Sunday driver wasn't necessarily someone who was driving on a Sunday. A person could be a Sunday driver any day of the week. _ . The expression probably came about because there was a time when people would often decide to go for a relaxing drive on Sunday afternoons. A Sunday drive was a common occurrence years ago and especially on a nice warm sunny day. There were no stores open on Sunday because of the "blue laws", so you needed to be sure and fill up the gas tank and make any other needed purchases before Sunday arrived. Some of the states had strict blue laws that even prohibited some activities on Sunday. However, there is still a lot to be said for the slow, gentle life that once existed. It was a time when very few people worked on Sunday except for those professions vital to our well-being such as those in the medical profession. It was a day "set apart" that was used to rest, visit with neighbors and friends, or maybe go to grandma's house for supper. Today there are many who return to work and children who go back to school overly tired on Monday due to a lack of rest. Perhaps there would be less stress related illnesses if we really kept Sunday as a day of rest. What kind of activity was strictly prohibited on Sunday by the laws? Answer: Selling goods or services.
The creative projects of World Food Program (WFP) focused on preventing hunger from taking hold in the future and breaking the cycle of hunger. Here are some of the ways in which we work to prevent hunger in the future: School Meals As well as directly addressing hunger, School Meals projects encourage families to keep their children in school and help them build better futures. If children aren't hungry they will concentrate on their lessons. With a solid education growing children have a better chance of finding their own way out of hunger. These projects benefit girls especially. For more information: www.wfp.org/schools meals. Food for Assets WFP's Food for Assets projects provide the hungry with food to lay the foundation for a better tomorrow. When poor farmers no longer have to worry about the next meal, they have the time and energy to build irrigation systems that can increase production. Similarly, Food for Training projects allow the poor to devote time to learning skills that will sustain them economically in the future. For more information: www.wfp.org/food-assets. HIV/AIDS WFP uses its food rations to reduce the blow of HIV and AIDS. The agency distributes its rations to people living with HIV and AIDS, so they can keep providing for their families for longer and have time to transfer vital knowledge and skills to the growing number of AIDS children--the next generation of food providers in developing countries. For more information: www.wfp.org/hiv-aids. Purchase for Progress WFP buys large amounts of food in developing countries. It has this purchasing power and uses it to help poor farmers contact reliable markets where they can get competitive prices for their produce. With secure markets, farmers will be encouraged to produce more and innovate .The knock-on effect is producing more food for everyone. For more information: www.wfp.ofp/purchase-progress. AIDS children can benefit from food rations in that _ . Answer: they can learn more skills from their parents London's Chinese community dates back to the 18th century, when a small number of Chinese sailors moved to the city to work in Lime house, east London. As time went on, other Chinese people came to this area and Lime house began to be known as "Chinatown". At the start of the 20th century, there were just 545 Chinese people in Britain. However, this situation changed greatly after the Second World War. At this time, many farmers in Hong Kong lost their jobs, and decided to move to London. In the 1950s, a small Chinese restaurant opened in central London. Many British people visited it and said that Chinese food was wonderful. Suddenly, Chinese restaurants started opening in every part of the city. Instead of too little work, the new Chinese immigrants now found that they had too much. Most of the new immigrants enjoyed their life and the chances they were offered. Many asked their friends and relatives to join them from their hometowns, and a lot of families were reunited again at this time. As time went by, London's Chinese community became more and more successful. The sons and daughters of the first restaurant workers, encouraged by their parents, studied very hard at school and university. And most of them could get highly-paid jobs. As a result, increasing numbers of Chinese families left Chinatown and moved to the more expensive places. Chinatown, however, is still as lively as ever, and a must see place for every visitor to London. From the passage, we can learn that the first members of "China town" were _ . Answer: early Chinese sailors If you go to Beijing and Shanghai, you can see the same and the different _ between them. In some ways they look the same, in some ways they look different. Both of them have tall buildings and wide streets, although some buildings in Shanghai are taller than in Beijing. They are both important in China. Beijing is the capital of China, there are more places of interest there, but Shanghai is the biggest city in China. Now they are becoming more and more important in China. Shanghai is the _ city in China. Answer: biggest Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, regardless of the territory on which they are located. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is _ in an international treaty called the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972. UNESCO's World Heritage mission is to: encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage; encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List; encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites; help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training; provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger; support States Parties' public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation; encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage; encourage international cooperation in the conservation of our world's cultural and natural heritage. Which of the following statements about heritage is NOT true? Answer: It is exceptional because of its universal application. Why doesn't the unemployment rate ever reach zero? Economists, who generally believe that supply tends to meet demand, have long thought about this question. Even in good times, i.e. not now, there are people who can't find work. And even in bad times, i.e. now, there are job openings. With over 14 million people out of work and looking for a job, you would think every available job would be filled. But that's not the case. Not now and not ever. On Monday, the Nobel Prize committee awarded the prize for economics to the three scholars who have done the most to explain this phenomenon. Two of the winners are Americans, Peter Diamond of MIT and Dale Mortensen of Northwestern. The third winner is Christopher Pissarides, who teaches at the London School of Economics and was born on Cyprus. Like most of economics, what they have found about why the jobless and ready-employers don't find each other seems obvious. You have to find out there is job opening you are interested in. Employers need to get resumes . It takes a while for both employers and employees to make the decision that this is what they want. And these guys came up with a frame-work to study the problem of why people stay unemployed longer than they should and what can be done about it. So what would today's Nobel Prize winners do to solve the current problem of the unemployed? And does the awarding of the prize contribute to the politicians' lowering joblessness? Speaking from his north London home, Pissarides told The Associated Press the announcement came as "a complete surprise" though his work had already helped shape thinking on both sides of the Atlantic. For example, the New Deal for Young People, a British government policy aimed at getting 18-24-year-olds back on the job market after long periods of unemployment, "is very much based on our work," he said. "One of the key things we found is that it is important to make sure that people do not stay unemployed too long so they don't lose their feel for the labor force," Pissarides told reporters in London. "The ways of dealing with this need not be expensive training - it could be as simple as providing work experience." According to the writer, which is true about finding jobs? Answer: It is possible to find a job even in times as bad as now.
John was a very naughty boy. He liked playing tricks on people. Sometimes he would call Mrs. Walker at the hat store and roar at her on the phone. Sometimes he would leave his wet blanket on the sidewalk so that it would squish under people's feet when they walked past. Sometimes he would moo at his sister, June, to annoy her. One time he even painted his friend Jack's bedroom purple without asking. This upset Jack very much. Jack did not want his bedroom to be purple. Jack liked his bedroom blue and white, like his favorite sport's team. Whenever Jack was sad his dog, Scamp, was also sad. John's naughty actions really hurt Jack's feelings so he tried to hide from John. John found Jack anyway. "Why are you hiding from me?" asked John. "You were naughty. You painted my bedroom without asking. You even made Scamp sad and now his tail won't wag." John felt very bad about hurting his friend's feelings. He wanted to make his friend happy again. The problem was he was out of paint. John thought long and hard. He had an idea! He ran to his house and grabbed his favorite toy, his yellow dinosaur. He handed it to Jack. "I'm sorry about your room. I won't do anything like that again. I can't fix it right now, but you can have my dinosaur until I fix your room." Jack accepted John's apology and both boys were happy. Scamp could wag his tail again. How did John hurt Jack's feelings? He painted his bedroom purple. This happened several years ago.But it has stuck with me so I wanted to share it. Every day on my way to work I would buy a newspaper from an elderly gentleman on the corner of the street.He would always smile and say,"Good morning."His smile always made my day. Most of the people who sell these papers are homeless or poor and they do it to make a few bucks. One day Charlie wasn't there!Someone else was in his place! This other guy told me Charlie was in the veterans' hospital. It troubled me all day long.All I could think about was Charlie being alone in the hospital.I never knew he was a veteran who had served our country.I just knew his smile always made my day. I asked my girlfriend if she would go with me to visit him and she agreed.When I showed up in Charlie's room he began to cry.He told us he had been feeling very lonely and was convinced no one would ever visit him.He said that we were his only visitors. We told him we were glad to do it and thanked him for all that he had done for others. I never saw Charlie after that,although I heard he moved to California.That was thirty years ago but I haven't forgotten my smiling friend.A big thankyou to those who serve our country and protect us and thank you Charlie,wherever you are! What troubled the writer all day? He knew Charlie was in hospital. I am a manager who is in charge of taking care of the elderly and many of my clients live out of state. This year, a very sweet old lady that I care for, Alice, had gone through a particularly rough time. She had been in hospital twice. In November I was finally able to get her back to her "home" into an "assisted living facility" . Alice has dementia and thought her daughter was coming to visit her on Christmas day and that they were going to have the whole family together like the old days. When she finally realized that the happy moment was not going to happen, she was so _ . Knowing that her daughter was coming after Christmas was not enough to cheer her up, I hated the idea of her being alone on the holiday! On Christmas Eve, I gave her a surprise by asking if she would like to go to a candlelight service at church that night. Instead of taking her to my church, I took her to her old neighborhood church where all her friends were. We got there early and I got each of us a seat where her friends could see her as they came in. The plan worked out very perfectly. All of her friends seemed to be there and rushed over to greet her and sit with her. The candlelight service was a beautiful, tearful affair and Alice got a lot of hugs and love from her old and new friends there. The truth of the story is that I am the one who got the best gift:the smile on Alice's face and the feeling that I made a difference. From the text we know that Alice _ . expected to spend Christmas with her daughter Nowadays they are giving homework even during the holidays and I hate that very much. But I think there is a reason for it. Homework is given so that we can remember whatever we have learnt. Regular drilling and repetition make perfect. But teachers have started to give too much homework. Anything in excess is bad. Jane What's the use of just homework without allowing children to get an insight into the subject? It just makes them bookworms but nothing else. Homework such as writing some things 5 times at home will just make them memorize things but not put them into use. I regret to say that teachers find it easy to bundle the children with homework rather than making them get interested to understand what they learn. The same trend continues even in college. I find that most of the so-called high scorers are unable to answer simple things in an interview. Sally It is OK to give homework. But it should be given less. We are spending most of our time in school and at least we must be free in our home. If you give homework, we will be very tired and we wouldn't be able to pay attention to extra-curricular activities, which in turn may affect our physical and mental health. So please give less homework to us. Johnson It is part of our work to give students homework. There will be some punishments if we won't do our work. So I have to do that though I know such a teacher is not liked by students. Who thinks that too much homework may do harm to students' physical and mental health? Sally. Valentine's Day is named for Saint Valentine, an early Christian churchman who reportedly helped young lovers.Valentine was killed for his Christian beliefs on February 14 more than 1,700 years ago, but the day that has his name is even earlier than that. More than 2,000 years ago, the ancient Romans celebrated a holiday for lovers.As part of the celebration, girls wrote their names on pieces of paper and put them in a large container.Boys reached into the container and pulled one out.The girl whose name was written on the paper became his lover or sweet heart for a year. Lovers still put their names on pieces of paper and they send each other Valentine' s Day cards that tell of their love.Sometimes they also send gifts, like flowers or chocolate candy.Americans usually send these gifts and cards through the mail system.But some used another way to send this message.They have it printed in a newspaper.The cost is usually a few dollars.Some of the messages are simple and short, "Jane, I love you very much." Others say more.This one, for example, "Don, roses are red.Violets are blue.I hope you love me as much as I love you.Forever, Mary." Most of the newspapers that print such messages are local, but USA Today is sold throughout the United States and 90 other countries as well.This means someone can send a Valentine message to a lover in a far-away city or town almost anywhere in the world.These messages cost 80 dollars and more.An employee of USA Today says readers can have a small heart or rose printed along with their messages this year.Will this kind of Valentine' s Day message reach the one you love? Well, just make sure he or she reads the newspaper. Which is true about Valentine's Day according to the text? Love messages may appear in newspapers.
I will never forget that unusual day!I kept hearing a strange noise while I was driving down a mountain in my car,so I stopped on the dirty road to check.There was a little green head looking at me in my backpack."What are you doing there,little frog?''I said to myself.Well,you can imagine my surprise when I heard this frog answering me in the voice of a frog."Madam.I love to travel so much that I just can't control myself when I see a backpack." I just looked at him with my mouth open and didn't know what to say. "Oh, dear Madam,"continued the frog,"I am Mongy.Nice to meet you!" "Nice to meet you,too!You can call me Christa.How is it possible that I can hear you,Mongy?" "You wanted to get to know nature and the living things in the world,and you started paying attention to nature.Most people never pay attention to nature,so they only listen when they are young.But you heard the voices of nature calling you.You went even further than that and you tried to get along well with nature.That's why you can hear me now.'' It was at this moment that my life changed and I suddenly knew what my destiny would be from that day on. The writer was _ when she heard the strange noise. Answer: My wife and I spent two weeks in London last year. We went there in the autumn. We think it is the best season to visit England. The weather is usually good and there aren't too many tourists in October. We stayed in a small hotel in the West End. It was convenient as we did most of our sightseeing on foot. Taxis were too expensive, we couldn't understand the bus routes, and my wife didn't like traveling under the ground. She said it made her feel sick. We went to look at the places which all tourists visit. We saw Buckingham Palace. We went shopping in Oxford Street and spent too much money. What we liked most, though, was going to the theatre. We didn't have the chance to see such wonderful plays at home. A lot of people say English food is bad. We didn't think so. It is true that most of the restaurants are French or Italian or Chinese, but we had some very good meals. In fact, we enjoyed our holiday so much that we have already booked again for this year. We are going to take our umbrellas, though. I'm sure we'll need them sometimes. Which of the following is NOT true about the couple? Answer: Which of these activities is most likely to have a positive impact on the environment of Earth? Answer: Maybe you've heard of many musical bands, but have you heard of Little Big Town, a country musical group? There are four members in this band, Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet. They had a hard time when they began their band at first, but they didn't give up. Now it becomes very popular. "We take care of each other and we take care of the music," Karen Fairchild once said after one of their shows. As a fan of this band, I once had a chance to hang out with the members of Little Big Town. We talked about their hard beginning. At that time, they even didn't have their own stage. Fairchild also told me how the four of them were together when they were in trouble. Not only did they stand together on stage but also in their daily life. For example, they were right there when Phillip Sweet was caring for his daughter for the first time. They encouraged Kimberly Schlapman when they found her husband _ . At that time Kimberly was very sad to lose her husband. "When we have lived such a hard life together, it bonds us tightly," Phillip Sweet said. "We find true happiness is the joy of doing what we do for a living. We love the hard beginning. We also love the wonderful future." What does the writer want to tell us? Answer: China Daily Oct.11,2008-TheMinistry Of Health has called for more awareness from the public on the mental health of the young as part of efforts to mark World Mental Health Day which fell on Friday. More than 15 percent of Chinese youths have been found with mental problems and about 30 million young people under 17 are suffering from depression,the Shanghai-based Wenhui Daily reported.The World Health Organization estimates that before 2020,the rate of children with mental problems will increase to 50 percent ,and mental problem will become a major factor behind deaths and illness in the young worldwide. Dang Xianhong,the spokesperson for the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau,said rapid social change is one of the reasons behind the rising number of youngsters with psychological problems.If these mental dispenses are not addressed on time, science of crimes,drug-taking and other dangerous behaviors are expected to rise.Experts said mental diseases could be caused by many factors,such as the inability to handle interpersonal relations well, unstable emotions and pressures from an overload of studies.A number of experts have also said the one child policy is another reason leading to poor mental health in the young.Children are said to be too "spoiled" and "selfish" in a one child family. It's reported that schools in many cities are rolling out measures to help students maintain their mental well-being.Yin Jingmiao, a teacher of the Beijing No,105 Middle School,told China Daily that the school invites psychologists to provide counseling to students three times a month."Students can be arranged to have 40-minute counseling sessions." Yin said."The school also gives lectures on mental health to senior grade students before they take the national college entrance exams to help ease any anxiety arising from the tests." Which of the following can be the best title for the passage? Answer:
Question: There are robots all around us,Some do very complicated jobs like flying airplanes and driving subway trains. And some do a simple job. When an automatic washing machine is switched on, water pours in. The machine waits until the water is hot before washing the clothes. It does this by "feedback". Information about what is happening is "feedback"into the robot to tell it what to do next. Our eyes,ears and other senses are our feedback. They tell us what is going on around us. So robots are like people in two ways:They work and they have feedback. There are robots all around, making our lives easier. Some of them, like the pocket calculator, can work much more quickly than human beings can. And they rarely make mistakes. In some ways robots are better than people. They work quickly, but do not make mistakes. They do not get bored doing the same job over andover again. And they never get tired. Robots are very useful in factories. They can be taught to do many different jobs. First their electronic brains must be shown how the job is done. A person moves the robot's"arm"and"hand"through each part of the job. The robot's brain remembers each move. When the robot is put to work on its own, its brain controls the rods, wheels and motors which move its arm. When the robot is needed for a new job, its electronic memory is"wiped clean."Then it is taught how to do its new task. If the robot's hand stops working, or if something gets in the way, it cannot do the next part of the job. So it stops and signals for help, then a human engineer repairs it. The most"intelligent"robots can move and see. Their eyes are cameras. Their metal fingers can feel shapes and even find out how hot and cold objects are. These robots have computer brains, linked to their eyes and fingers, which control their actions. Since people like what robots do, what do you think this means for the future? A. More and better robots will be built. B. People will stop making robots. C. There will be laws against using robots. D. Robots will benefit nobody. Answer: A. More and better robots will be built. Question: OK, I admit it: emoticons are popular. Some people even think they are fun. Many seem unable to get through an e-mail or Instant Message chat sentence without using one. Some feel that they add feeling and character to otherwise cold digital communications. Some people, such as a Hollywood scriptwriter John Blumenthal, however, _ the use of emoticons as "infantile just like the people who use them". He believes that words themselves should be enough. "If you're funny, happy or sad, that should be apparent from the comment that goes before the emoticons," he argues. In the eyes of Blumenthal, the use of emoticons is a gender issue. "Men don't use emoticons very much. Maybe not at all," he said, "Teenage girls and women seem to use them a lot. Maybe there's an emoticon gene." It's an interesting opinion, but it is not shared by all. In an interview with The New York Times, Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at the University of California, said that emoticons are popular because our brains are programmed "to seek out representations of humanity". He believes that they are popular not because they are shortcuts for the lazy, but because they bring in something beyond language. They satisfy our needs to be with and communicate with people. All of these arguments may be somehow right. Each one of us will choose to communicate in our own way. I tried to use one once and felt like I was stealing into a primary school class that I had no place being in. I'd rather let my words do the talking. Friends, however, send me messages and e-mails full of emoticons. I have no problem with this. I don't regard any of my friends as lazy or immature. It's just a question of individuality. What is the main point of the article? A. Advice on language used over the Internet. B. Arguments over the use of emoticons. C. The history of the use of emoticons. D. Reasons for the popularity of emoticons. Answer: B. Arguments over the use of emoticons. Question: Bali is a small prefix = st1 /islandofIndonesia, with an area of only 5,632 square kilometers. It lies to the east ofJavaIslandclosely. It is a pretty island that has many mountains and a pleasant climate. For a long time Bali was cut off from much of the world. The people of Bali were happy and had a peaceful way of life. They were not allowed to fight. At one time there had been terrible wars on Bali. Then the people decided it was wrong to fight and have wars. They made rules to keep apart those people who wanted to fight. Bali was divided into seven small kingdoms. The land around each kingdom was kept empty, and no one lived there. Since the kingdoms did not share the same borders, the people could not fight about them. On Bali, even the young were not allowed to fight. If two children started a fight over a toy, someone stopped them. When two boys argued, they would agree not to speak to each other. Sometimes they did not talk to each other for months. This gave the boys a chance to forget their anger. Families who were angry with each other also promised not speak to one another. Their promise was written down, and the whole village knew about it. If they broke their promise, they had to offer presents to their gods. According to the passage, why did the people of Bali love peace so much? A. The people of Bali were kind enough B. Bali was cut off from the world. C. The people of Bali thought it wrong to fight. D. There had never been wars on Bali. Answer: C. The people of Bali thought it wrong to fight. Question: The world shares him and London claims him, but Stratford-on-Avon intends to spend 2016 celebrating Shakespeare as their man: the bard of Avon, who was born there in 1564, and died there 400 years ago. Stratford remained hugely important throughout Shakespeare's life, argues Paul Edmondson, the head of learning and research at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. "People have seen Shakespeare as a Dick Whittington figure, who turns his back on Stratford and his family, goes to London to earn his fortune and only comes back to die," he said. "But Stratford is where he bought land and property, where he kept his library, where he lived and read and thought. We are going to spend the year re-emphasizing the importance of Shakespeare, the man of Stratford." The anniversary of the death of the most famous and the most performed playwright in the world will be marked across Britain and the globe. Macbeth is about to open in Singapore, Romeo and Juliet in Brussels. Shakespeare's Globe is completing the first world tour, in which it has taken Hamlet to almost every country. North Korea is still holding out, though. The Globe director recently jokily claimed Shakespeare as a true Londoner. Stratford, however, will be insisting that the town made and educated Shakespeare. "His old school room in Stratford-on-Avon where Shakespeare learned 'small Latin and less Greek' --as kindly laughed at by his friend Ben Johnson--will open its doors, scarred by centuries of naughty schoolboys, to mark 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death," said Paul Edmondson. Shakespeare bought the splendid New Place, the second best house in the town, when he had made his fortune on the London stage. "You don't buy a house like New Place and not live there," Paul said. He believes that after Shakespeare bought it, all his thinking time was spent there, and that the late plays, including The Tempest, were at least planned in his library and probably written there. What can be a suitable title for the text? A. Bard of London B. Man of Stratford C. Life of Shakespeare D. Plays of Shakespeare Answer: B. Man of Stratford Question: Jack threw the papers on my desk. "Next time you want to change anything, ask me first," he said. I had changed a long sentence and corrected its grammar -- something I thought I was paid to do. Several days later, he made me angry again. I went to his office, prepared to lose my job if need be, but not before I let the man know how I felt. "What?" he said nervously. Suddenly I knew what I had to do. "Jack, the way you've been treating me is wrong. And it's wrong for me to allow it to continue," I said. "I want to make you a promise. I will be a friend." The next day I brought some cakes to Jack's office. Every time I saw Jack in the hall, I smiled at him. After all, that's what friends do. One year after our talk, I was told that I had breast cancer . When I was in hospital, my friends tried to find the right words to say, but no one could. The last day of my hospital stay, the door opened and Jack walked over to my bed. "Tulips ," he placed some bulbs beside me and said, "If you plant them when you get home, you'll be there to see them when they come up." Tears filled my eyes. In a moment when I prayed for just the right words, a man with few words said the right thing. After all, that's what friends do. Now, I have seen those tulips push through the soil every spring for over ten years. What did the author mean by saying "that's what friends do"? A. Friends must help each other to correct mistakes. B. Friends should give advice to each other at the right time. C. Friends should treat each other with respect and kindness. D. Friends should do anything for each other. Answer: C. Friends should treat each other with respect and kindness.
Question: Many years ago in a small village, an old man was hired to clear the spring up on the mountain. He patrolled the spring every day, and swept away all the leaves and other things that would dirty the fresh flow of water. Soon, beautiful swans came to the clear spring, and the village became a popular attraction for visitors. Years passed. One evening the town leaders held a meeting. As they looked at the salary list, one of them said, "Why do we keep this old man on year after year? I don't think we need him or his work." Later, the old man was asked to leave. For several weeks, nothing changed. By early autumn, the leaves began to fall off the trees, and the spring was covered with leaves. A few days later, the water was much darker. Only a few months after the old man left, all the swans left, as did the tourists. Disease reached deeply into the village. Quickly, the leaders held a special meeting. Realizing their mistake, they rehired the old man. Then within a few weeks, the spring began to clear up. Soon new life returned to the village. So, my friends, do you see? No matter how small your work or your life seems to be, never _ it. Anything we can do will make a difference. The leaders decided to ask the old man to leave because they thought _ . A. his work was unnecessary B. he did his work carelessly C. he was too old to do the job D. he could do other better jobs Answer: A. his work was unnecessary Question: Do you have imagination? Do you like to solve problems? Can you? If so, you could be the next great inventor. "But I'm just a kid",you might be! Don't worry about a little thing like age. For example, one famous inventor-- Benjamin Franklin--got his start when he was only 12. At that young age, he created paddles for his hands to help him swim faster. Finally his creation led to what we know is called flippers! So you don't have to be adult to be an inventor. One thing you do need, though, is something that kids have plenty of: curiosity and imagination. Kids are known for looking at things in new and unique ways. So what should you do if you have what is a great idea for an invention? Talk to a friend or family member about it. Get input from others about your idea. Then ask them to help you create a working model--called a prototype of your idea. Once you have a prototype, you can test it. Sometimes your idea turns out to be not as great as you thought. At other times, though, you realize it is a good idea and your prototype can help you figure out how to make it even better. If your idea is really a good one, an adult can help you contact companies that might be interested in it. You will also want an adult's help to get a patent for your idea, so that it is protected and can't be stolen by someone else. If you need some inspiration, consider these kids and their inventions: Jeanie Low invented the Kiddie Stool when she was just 11. It's a folding stool that fits under the kitchen sink. Kids can unfold it and use it to reach the sink all by themselves. At the age of 15, Louis Braille invented the system named after him that allows the blind to read. Chelsea Lanmon received a patent when she was just 8 for the "pocket diaper ",a new type of diaper that includes a pocket for holding baby wipes and powder. By saying "But I?m just a kid",you probably mean you. A. are too young to achieve anything B. can do anything though you are young C. are old enough to become an inventor D. have to learn knowledge from other people Answer: A. are too young to achieve anything Question: China's government has issued a severe weather warning after the heaviest snowfalls in decades. The country is experiencing transport delays and power cuts as millions of people prepare to make long journeys home for the Chinese New Year. This report from Quentin Summerville: China hasn't experienced weather this bad in decades. And as the country prepares for Chinese New Year, the disruption couldn't come at a worse time. Over 100,000 people are stranded in Guangzhou railway station in the south. It may climb to as many as 600,000 as more people arrive to make their journeys home for the Spring Festival. Travellers have been evacuated to nearby sports stadiums and exhibition centres. Across China around nineteen airports have shut because of the weather. Around half the provinces in the country have had to start rationing power , according to the state media. The government has suspended coal exports in favour of home consumption. At least a dozen people died over the weekend because of heavy rains and the snowfall. The Spring Festival is China's most important holiday when people journey home to be with their families. For millions of the country's migrant workers it's their only holiday. Some two billion journeys were made during the festival last year, making it the largest migration of people on the planet. And even without the severe weather, conditions on overcrowded trains and buses are terrible. The holiday stretches China's transport system to its very limits Choose the best title for this passage. A. Heavy snow hits China B. Chinese New Year in snow C. China's terrible translation system. D. An accident Answer: A. Heavy snow hits China Question: Register in person, by phone 264-8833, or by mail. Use form given. 178 IN Winchester St, Chicago Basic Photography This is an eight-hour course for beginners who want to learn how to use a 35mm camera. The teacher will cover such areas as kinds of film, light, and lenses . Bring your own 35mm camera to class. Course charge: $50. Jan.10,12,17,19, Tues. & Thurs. 6:00~8:00 p.m. Marianne Adams is a professional photographer whose photographs appear in many magazines. Understanding Computers This twelve-hour course is for people who don't know very much about computers, but need to learn about them. You will learn what computers are, what they can and can't do, and how to use them. Course charge:$75. Equipment charge:$10. Jan.14,21,28, Sat. 6:00~10:00 p.m. Joseph Saimders is Professor of Computer Science at New Urban University. He has over twelve years of experience in the computer field. Typing This course on week-days is for typing. You are tested in the first class and practice at one of eight different skill levels. This allows you to learn at your own speed. Each program lasts 20 hours. Bring your own paper. Course charge:$125. Materials charge:$25. Two hours each evening for two weeks. New classes begin every two weeks. This course is taught by a number of business education teachers who have effectively taught typing courses before. Oil Painting Oil paint is easy to use once you learn the basics. When you enroll in this oil painting course, you will learn to draw and paint using many oil painting techniques under complete guidance and instruction. Together--with the teacher's knowledge and your passion--we'll unlock your creativity and develop your potential! Course charge: $35. Jan. 5,12,19,26, Thurs. 2:00---5:00pm. Ralf Ericssion has taught beginners to masters and he has learned that everything builds on just a few basic concepts that he will show you here. Of all the courses mentioned in the text, the shortest one is _ . A. Understanding Computers B. Basic Photography C. Oil Painting D. Typing Answer: B. Basic Photography Question: During a lab investigation, students were asked to determine the best way to clean up an oil spill using different materials. Investigation Materials • filter paper • foam sponge • metal wire screen • thin sock filled with hair The students tested the materials by placing each material into separate buckets containing oil and water. They recorded their observations on which material absorbed the most oil. Why would the students' teacher ask them to repeat their tests? A. to determine if water and oil can be separated B. to learn more about how to protect wildlife during an oil spill C. to improve the chances of obtaining accurate oil cleanup results D. to increase the total amount of oil removed from each container Answer: C. to improve the chances of obtaining accurate oil cleanup results
Question: Some time ago I discovered that one of my chairs had a broken leg. I didn't think there would be any difficulty in getting it mended, as there are a lot of antique shops near my home. So I left home one morning carrying the chair with me. I went into the first shop expecting a friendly reception. I was quite wrong. The man wouldn't even look at my chair. The second shop, though slightly more polite, was just the same, and the third and the fourth...So I decided that my approach must be wrong. I entered the fifth shop with a plan in my mind. I placed the chair on the floor and said to the shopkeeper, "Would you like to buy a chair?" He looked it over carefully and said, "Yes. How much do you want for it, sir?" "Twenty pounds,"I said, "OK,"he said. "I'll give you twenty pounds." "It's got a slightly broken leg,"I said. "Yes, I saw that, it's nothing." Everything was going according to plan and I was getting excited. "What will you do with it?" I asked. "Oh, it will be easy to sell once the repair is done." "I'11 buy it." I said. "What do you mean?" "You've just sold it to me." he said. "Yes, I know but I've changed my mind. I am sorry. I'll give you twenty-seven pounds for it.""You must be crazy. "he said. Then, suddenly the penny dropped. "I know what you want. You want me to repair your chair." "You're right."I said. "And what would you have done if I had walked in and said, 'Would you mend this chair for me?'" "I wouldn't have agreed to do it," he said. "We don't do repairs, not enough money in it and too much trouble. But I'll mend this for you, shall we say for a fiver?" He was a very nice man and was greatly amused by the whole thing. Why didn't the shops want to repair the chair? A. It's too difficult to repair. B. The writer didn't want to offer enough money. C. No one in the shops could mend it. D. There was too much trouble and too few profits in mending a chair. Answer: D. There was too much trouble and too few profits in mending a chair. Question: People are busy working every day, so they do not have enough time to do exercise. As a result, many people become too fat or too thin. To keep our bodies healthy, we have to do exercise every day. There are many kinds of exercises. Bending and stretching helps us move easily. Before we play ball games or swim, it is better for us to do bending and stretching exercises first. This kind of exercise is something called warm-up exercise. Running is also a good exercise. If we cannot run fast, we can jog. Jogging means running slowly Again, before we run or jog, we must do warm-up exercise. Also, we should not run or jog in busy streets. The air there is often dirty. Some people like weight lifting because it can make their bodies strong. Also, we need to do warm-up exercise before weight lifting. Before we _ , we must do warm-up exercise. A. run B. jog C. work D. run or jog Answer: D. run or jog Question: Some disabled people use a special card when they park their cars. These are called disabled placards, which are removable signs that can be hung from the rear-view mirror of a car. These placards are only supposed to be for disabled people. These placards are meant to help disabled people in a number of ways. They allow the person to park in special parking spaces. They can also be used when disabled people are being dropped off or picked up. Disabled people can even use them to park without having to pay. Parking officials think that some people are cheating. Not all people who have these placards are disabled. Today, one in sixteen drivers in California carries the sign. There are a lot more people who have disabled placards today than ten years ago. An official from the DMV says that there are many reasons for the increase. As people get older, they may develop health problems and need to have one. There are also other reasons why more drivers have them today. Finally, there are a number of people who have them that should not. Last year the DMV cancelled more than 25,000 permits. They found that lots of people who had the disabled placards had died. These permits are no longer valid. Some people are worried that the system is being abused. They are worried that access to the program could be limited because of the misuse. More rules could make it harder for people with real disabilities to get these placards. What do we know about placards? A. They are all used by disabled people. B. They are cards designed by disabled people. C. They can help disabled people park their cars. D. They allow disabled people to drive anywhere. Answer: C. They can help disabled people park their cars. Question: local plant varieties are the best for improving the local A. social status B. environs C. satellite reception D. future Answer: B. environs Question: Drinking wine in moderation improves the IQ and may boost mental agility in old people,according to Japanese researchers. A study of the effects of alcohol on the middle aged and elderly found the average IQ of men who drink wine (whether made from grapes or rice) was 3.3 points higher than that of men who do not imbibe. Similarly,the IQ of women drinkers showed an improvement of 2.5 points over their teetotal sisters.The findings are part of an ongoing study by Japan's National Institute for Longevity into the links between human intelligence and what we eat and drink. The tests measured general knowledge,powers of judgment and concentration in drinkers and non-drinkers over 40,all living in Aichi prefecture,central Japan,and sharing the same income level-roughlyPS50 000 a year--and educational background.All were university graduates. But while wine-drinkers appeared to be brighter,the same was not true of those who drank deer,shochu (a local gin) and whisky. "The benefits of wine and sake (rice wine) in raising IQ could be due to substances they contain,such as polyphenol,which are believed to slow the ageing process," Hiroshi Shimokata,head of epidemiology research,said. It was premature to conclude,he added,that drinking wine or sake slowed the deterioration of brain functions in the elderly,or warded off senility.The research does,however,suggest that this is one way to stay mentally alert longer. But there is a sobering caveat:drinking too much may make you dimmer."People who drink more than 540 milli-litres (a little over a pint) of sake or wine a day had lower intelligence quotients than those who did not drink at all,"Hiroshi Shimokata said."Moderation is very important." According to the passage,which of the following is NOT wrong? A. Every wine drinker's IQ is 3.3 points higher than that of men who don't drink. B. The IQ of women drinker is 2.5 points lower than that of the non-drinking women. C. Drinking beer and whisky cannot improve one's IQ. D. Drinking wine can only do good to the IQ of rich old people. Answer: C. Drinking beer and whisky cannot improve one's IQ.
A sure way to destroy your chances of learning how to write skillfully is to believe that writing is a "natural gift" rather than a learned skill. People with such an attitude think that they are the only ones for whom writing is unbearably difficult. They feel that everyone else finds writing easy or at least tolerable. Such people often say, "I'm not any good at writing" or "English was not one of my good subjects." They imply that they simply do not have a talent for writing while others do. The result of this attitude is that these people try to avoid writing, and when they do write, they don't try their best. Their writing fails chiefly because they believe that they don't have the "natural talent" needed to write. Unless their attitude changes, they probably will not learn how to write effectively. A realistic attitude about writing must build on the idea that writing is a skill. It is a skill like driving, typing, or cooking; and, like any skill, it can be learned. If you have the determination to learn, you will develop your writing skills by practicing extensively. Many people find it difficult to do the active thinking that clear writing demands. It is frustrating to discover how much of a challenge it is to transfer thoughts and feelings from one's head onto a sheet of paper. But writing is not an automatic process: We will not get something for nothing -- and we should not expect to. For almost everyone, skillful writing comes from hard work -- from determination and sweat. The good news is that the skill of writing can be mastered, and if you are ready to work, you will learn what you need to know. Why do some people think writing is difficult? Answer: They don't think writing can be learned. Bad teeth can be painful and even be deadly. Infections of the gums and teeth can release bacteria into the blood system. Those bacteria can increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke and worsen the effects of other diseases. And adults are not the only ones at risk. For example, a 12yearold boy died when a tooth infection spread to his brain in 2007 in Washington. Experts said it might have been prevented had he received the dental care he needed. Experts say good dental care starts at birth. Breast milk, they say, is the best food for the healthy development of teeth. Breast milk can help slow bacterial growth and acid production in the mouth. But dentists say a baby's gums and early teeth should be cleaned after each feeding by using a cloth with a little warm water. Experts say if you decide to put your baby to sleep with a bottle, give only water. When baby teeth begin to appear, you can clean them with a wet toothbrush. Dentists say it is important to find soft toothbrushes made especially for babies and to use them very gently. The use of fluoride to protect teeth is common in many parts of the world. For example, it is often added to drinking water supplies. The fluoride mixes with enamel , the hard surface on teeth, to help prevent holes from forming. But young children often swallow toothpaste when they brush their teeth. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry notes that swallowing fluoridated toothpaste can cause problems. So young children should be carefully watched when they brush their teeth. And only a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste, the size of a pea, should be used. Parents often wonder what effect finger sucking might have on their baby's teeth. Dental experts generally agree that this is fine early in life. Most children stop sucking their fingers by the age of four. If it continues, experts advise parents to talk to their children's dentists or doctors. Because it could _ the correct development of permanent teeth. Dentists say children should have their first dental visit at least by the time they are one year old. They say babies should be examined when their first teeth appear--usually at around six months. According to the passage,what is the function of fluoride? Answer: Keeping holes on teeth from forming. An emperor was almost eighty years old and knew it was time to choose his successor . Instead of choosing one of his children, he decided on something different. He called all of the young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you." The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued, "I am going to give each one of you a seed today. One special seed. I want you to plant it and come back one year later with what you have grown from this seed. I will then judge the plants, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!" One boy named Ling received a seed like the others. He went home and planted the seed in a pot, watering it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. A year finally went by and all the youths brought their plants to the emperor. Ling thought he should be honest about what had happened. So he took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the plants grown by other youths. They were beautiful, in all shapes and sizes. When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. Suddenly, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave you all boiled seeds which would not grow." From the text we know that Ling was _ . Answer: honest Most American students go to traditional public schools.There are about 88, 000 public schools, all over the US.Some students attend about 3000 independent public schools called charter schools. Charter schools are self-governing.Private companies operate some charter schools.They are similar in some ways to traditional public schools.They receive tax money just as other public schools do.Charter schools must prove to local or state governments that their students are learning.These governments provide the schools with the agreement called a charter that permits them to operate. Charter schools are different because they do not have to obey most laws governing traditional public schools.Local, state, or federal governments cannot tell them what to teach.Each school can choose its own goals and decide the ways it wants to reach them.Class size is usually smaller than in traditional public schools. The Bush Administration strongly supports charter schools as a way to re-organize public schools that are failing to educate students.But some education agencies and unions oppose charter schools.One teachers' union has just made public the results of the first national study comparing the progress of students in traditional schools and charter schools. The American Federation of Teachers criticized the government's delay in releasing the results of the study, which is called the National Assessment of Educational Progress.Union education experts say the study shows that charter school students performed worse on math and reading tests than students in regular public schools. Some experts say the study is not a fair look at charter schools because students in those schools have more problems than students in traditional schools.Other education experts say the study results should make charter school officials demand improved student progress. If a private company wants to operate a charter school, it must _ . Answer: get the government's permission The following card includes a brief summary and a short assessment of a research paper. It can provide a guide for further reading on the topic. Trevor, C. O., Lansford, B. and Black, J. W., 2004, "Employee turnover and job performance: monitoring the influences of salary growth and promotion", Journal of Armchair Psychology, vol. 113, no.1, pp. 56-64. In this article Trevor et al. review the influences of pay and job opportunities in respect of job performance, turnover rates and employees' job attitude. The authors use data gained through organizational surveys of blue-chip companies in Vancouver, Canada to try to identify the main cause of employee turnover and whether it is linked to salary growth. Their research focuses on assessing a range of pay structures such as pay for performance and organizational reward plans. The article is useful as Trevor et al. suggest that there are numerous reasons for employee turnover and a variety of differences in employees' job attitude and performance. The main limitation of the article is that the survey sample was restricted to mid-level management, thus the authors indicate that further, more extensive research needs to be undertaken to develop a more in-depth understanding of employee turnover and job performance. As this article was published in a professional journal, the findings can be considered reliable. It will be useful additional information for the research on pay structures. The research paper published is primarily concerned with _ Answer: factors affecting employee turnover and performance
In early summer, one of the most popular fruit is strawberry . It is said strawberry is the "Queen of fruit" as it has many nutritious elements. But many people feel that the strawberry in the current market tastes different as many strawberries are artificially grown and some even have a scent of pesticides . So finding naturally-grown strawberries is a hot issue. There are some places where you can not only find tasteful strawberries, but also enjoy picking them. Tianxing Strawberry- Picking Garden As one of the biggest strawberry-growing areas, Tianxing is known for its healthy fruits. The strawberries here are pesticide-free with no artificial coloring. And now the farm has a special offer that you can get a kilogram of strawberries for only 12 yuan. Here, visitors can have fun picking strawberries as well as taste their freshness. And if you are a newcomer, you can get a discount card and enjoy an extra 20 percent discount on your purchase. Address: Xinzhuang Village, Xingshou Town, Changping District, Beijing. Tel: 13910667270 Taolin Strawberry Garden This garden is not as famous as the first one, but it is a quiet place and relaxing. The strawberries here are much cheaper than those sold in markets. It only costs 6 yuan per kilogram.You can also buy freshly-picked lettuce and Tonghao, a green vegetable. You can have fun picking strawberries in person, but you can't taste them for free. Address: Linzhuang Village, Xingshou Town, Changping District, Beijing. Tel: 010--88413840 Baihe Green Strawberry Garden Baihe Town is the biggest strawberry-picking area. Known for the freshest and healthiest strawberries, this place is named as the "Hometown of Strawberries". The price for this fruit is about 12 yuan per kilogram. And you can bargain with the local sellers for further discounts. Address: Zhaotun Village, Baihe Town, QingpuDistrict, Shanghai. Tel: 13803456780 You should pay Tianxing Strawberry- Picking Garden _ yuan if you buy 10 kilograms with a discount card. 96 Scientists have long believed one way to stop the Earth's atmosphere from warming is by planting more trees. The idea is that more trees take in or absorb some of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a gas released by cars, factories and other human activities. The gas traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere, which warms the planet. However, two new studies have found that trees may not be as helpful in reducing carbon dioxide as had been thought. The first study was done at Duke University in prefix = st1 /Durham,North Carolina. Researchers pumped extra carbon dioxide into a test area where pine trees were growing. The trees grew thirty-four percent faster during the first three years. However, in time, the trees slowed to about their normal growth rate. The scientists say this is because trees need other nutrients, such as nitrogen. In the second study, researchers from Duke and Bowdoin College in Brunswick,Maineexamined the soil around trees. They discovered that as the leaves broke down into the soil, all the carbon was not trapped in the soil. Much of it was released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Forest planting has been a part of negotiations on a world agreement to reduce greenhouse gases that scientists believe cause global warming. The United States,Canada,Japanand some other industrial countries have supported the idea. But this new research suggests the idea is not as effective as environmental activists had thought. Scientist Ram Oren of Duke University led the study on tree growth. He says that earlier estimates on the ability of forests to absorb carbon dioxide were overly hopeful. Some scientists not involved in the studies say the research provides some of the first evidence on how trees react to carbon dioxide. Other scientists say the research disputes(......) a belief among some coal and power companies. The companies say that rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will not create harmful global warming. Instead, they say _ will increase forests and other plants. Why did the researchers do the TWO studies? To prove that trees may not be as helpful in reducing carbon dioxide as had been thought. When people travel in another city or country ,they sometimes stay in the homes of the local people. This is called _ . It is a great experience because you can meet people from a different country or city and learn something new about that place . I am Wan Li from China. I came to the UK with my friends for a short visit . we are living with an English couple ,Mr. and Mrs.Green ,in the west of London. They have a wonderful four -bedroom house . This is a new house . It has two bathrooms and a garden with many beautiful flowers. I have a bedroom of my own . There are some shopping centres and restaurants near the house, and the house is close to an underground station. It takes about thirty minutes to get to the centre of London. I think a homestay may be a good choice for you if it is your first time to visit abroad . The local people are friendly and willing to help. If you happen to celebrate the holidays with them, you will get to know more about western culture and customs. How long does it take Wan Li to get to the centre of London from the west of London? Thirty minutes In the modern world more and more people meet the problem of identity.The most interesting example is that of a so - called " _ ", which refers to an American who has an Asian face but holds Western values. In Shanghai, there now live a group of people from abroad.They look no different from the locals and speak fluent Chinese or even Shanghai dialect, but when it comes to writing Chinese characters, they are almost illiterate .Jack is such an example.He never learned to read or write Chinese characters, which he finds mysterious and difficult.From time to time, he files to the US as he does not feel Shanghai is where he comes from."But when I am in the States, I feel that's not my home either," he said. At De Gaulle Airport in France, there is a Swiss man who has been living in the waiting - room for a long time because he lost h is passport during his travels.He was refused entry into several countries.But when he was eventually allowed to return to Swizerland, he refused to leave the airport.His reason was very simple--"I am sure who I am.I need no acknowledgement from others," he said during an interview.For th is reason he was honored by the Western media as "the Hero of identity." As the Internet becomes more and more popular, the problem of identity becomes more serious.In a virtual world, people can have different addresses registered with different names.In the Internet chat room, even one's gender is hard to determine.It seems that in the glohal village, people are saying hello every day to each other without knowing whom they are talking to. What will be the next crisis of identity? With the development of cloning technology, it might be: who is the real "I"? A "banana" in the passage is in fact an _ . America - born Asian The publication of "Harry Potterandthe Half-Blood Prince" gladdens booksellers across China. The British and American editions were No. 1 and No. 3 respectively on the sales chart of the Beijing Xidan Book Building last week. The book's poster is highlighted and news about the book can often be heard on the radio. Why is the book so attractive to children? With curious mood, the author got a copy of "Harry Potter". Originally, I wanted to glance over it and made some criticisms. But, out of expectation, the author has been deeply attracted by the magic world. On the other hand, one cannot help asking: _ Harry Potter"? The Chinese nation has a history of 5, 000 years, which cannot be regarded as short and its culture as not profound. With a vast market of youngsters, China did publish many books popular among children. However, why are the present works not as good as those imported? There come two major reasons: Firstly, quite a number of children's books are of strong sense of teaching, and lack interest and entertainment. Children often have a feeling of being "educated". No wonder they don't like them. Secondly, children's reading materials involving "idiom stories" and "Chinese talents' stories", though always in different covers, are usually much the same or plagiarized . One knows the ending as early as in the beginning. In final analysis, the authors of the books seldom take children's requirements into consideration. As a matter of fact, each child has his own wonderful imagination. They long to understand the world and nature. Similarly they have their own choices. They dislike similar stories, even if the stories are excellent. First-class reading for children should be very interesting, which contains knowledge and the essence of national culture, which are presented in children's language. Market is a touchstone for products. The theory also holds true for cultural products. It is hoped that the authors of children's books can learn something from the good market of "Harry Potter" and write out more and better books loved by children. What's the feeling of the writer when he finishes reading "Harry Potter"? He is shocked by the book, meanwhile he is worried about our books.
Sensing phantom phone vibrations is a strangely common experience. Around 80% of us have imagined a phone vibrating in our pockets when it's actually completely still. Almost 30% of us have also heard non-existent ringing. Are these signs of madness caused by digital culture? Not at all. In fact, phantom vibrations and ringing indicate a fundamental principle in psychology. Psychologists use a concept called Signal Detection Theory to guide their thinking about the problem of perceptual judgments. Working through the example of phone vibrations, we can see how this theory explains why they are a common and unavoidable part of healthy mental function. When your phone is in your pocket, the world is in one of two possible states: the phone is either ringing or not. You also have two possible states of mind: the judgment that the phone is ringing, or the judgment that it isn't. Obviously you'd like to match these states in the correct way. True vibrations should go with "it's ringing", and no vibrations should go with "it's not ringing". Signal detection theory calls these faithful matches a "hit" and a "correct rejection" But there are two other possible combinations: you could mismatch true vibrations with "it's not ringing" (a "miss"); or mismatch the absence of vibrations with "it's ringing" (a "false alarm"). This second kind of mismatch is what's going on when you imagine a phantom phone vibration. What does that mean in terms of your phone? We can assume that people like to notice when their phone is ringing, and that most people hate missing a call. This means their perceptual systems have adjusted their bias to a level that makes misses unlikely. The unavoidable cost is a raised likelihood of false alarms of phantom phone vibrations. The trade-off between false alarms and misses also explains why we all have to put up with fire alarms going off when there isn't a fire. It isn't that the alarms are badly designed, but rather that they are very sensible to smoke and heat and biased to avoid missing a real fire at all costs. The outcome is a rise in the number of false alarms. These are inconvenient, but nowhere near as inconvenient as burning to death in your bed or office. The alarms are designed to err on the side of caution. According to the writer, the sense of phantom phone vibration is_. Answer: common and unavoidable America's No.1 health problem? A report published by the American Institute of Stress claims the biggest threat to health today is neither cancer nor AIDS. The report says: "It has been estimated that75-90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems" It is no exaggeration to say that people today are being attacked by stress. According to the National Consumers League, " Work is the top source of stress for adults who have problems and stress in their lives (39%),followed by family (30%).Other sources include health (10%), concern about the economy (9%)and concern about international conflict and terrorism (4%)." However , stress is hardly unique to the United States .A British survey in 2013 estimated that "over half a million individuals in Britain believed in 2012 that they were experiencing work -related stress at a level that was making them ill ." As a result of "work -related stress, depression or anxiety ,"there are "an estimated thirteen and a half million reported lost working days per year in Britain ."\ The picture is no less bleak in mainland Europe .According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work , "work-related stress has been shown to affect millions of European Workers across all types of employment sectors ." One survey revealed that there are "about 41 million workers affected by work-related stress each year." What about Asia ? A report issued by a conference held in Tokyo concluded: " Job stress is a common concern among many countries in the world , both developing and industrialized countries ." The report observed that "several countries in East Asia , including China and Korea, have rapidly industrialized and economically grown .These countries now have a lot of concerns on job stress and its harmful effects on workers' health." Which of the followings is NOT true? Answer: Stress is always from working and living pressure. I remember my math teacher Mr.Young very well. He stood out because the kids made fun of him. He was missing one of his fingers, and always pointed at students with his middle finger. I was not very good at English and math. No matter how hard I tried, I just could not figure out why I did not understand what all the other kids found so easy to learn. One day, I was told that if I got one more E on my report card, I would be taken to the "big prison for kids". I tried really hard for weeks. I just couldn't understand how to make different parts of members into whole things. The day before report cards were to come out, I knew that Mr.Young would give me an E, just like he always did. I went to Mr. Young and told him that the orphanage was going to send me to the big prison if I got another E on my report card. He told me there was nothing he could do; it would be unfair to the other kids if he gave me a better grade than I had actually earned. I smiled at him and said, "Mr.Young, do you know how the kids make fun of you because you're missing your finger?" He looked at me, moved his mouth to one side and said nothing. "They shouldn't do that to you because you can't help not having a finger, Mr.Young.Just like I can't help not being able to learn numbers and stuff like that." I said. The next day, when I got my report card, I tucked it into one of my books. While on the school bus, I opened it: Geography, B+; Mechanical Drawing, C-; English, D-; History, C-; Gym, B+; Art, C; Math, D-. That math grade was the most favorite one I ever received, because I knew that someone in the world finally understood what it was like for me to be missing a finger inside my head. Where may the boy live according to the passage? Answer: In an orphanage. The Bowler family had a very unusual experience this year. It was one of more than 400 families who applied to 1900 house, a reality TV show which took a typical family back a hundred years to see how people lived in the days before the internet, computer games and even electricity. The Bowler family spent three months in a London home without a telephone, computers, TV, or fast food. The bowlers wore clothes from 1900, ate only food available in England at that time, and cooked their meals on a single stove. Paul Bowler still went to work every day in a then uniform. The children changed their clothes on the way to and from school and their classmates didn't know about their unusual home life. Joyce stayed at home, cooking and cleaning like a typical housewife of the time, though everything took three times as long. So does Joyce think that people's lives were better in the old days? "I think people in the old days had just as many troubles and worries," Joyce said. "And I don't think their life was better or worse, there were lots of things back then that I'm happy I don't have to deal with nowadays, but on the other hand life was simpler." "We had a lot more time with our family, and it was hard being nice to each other all the time," eleven-year-old Hilary said. So what did the Bowler family miss most about modern life while living in the 1900 house? Paul, 39: "telephone and a hot shower" Joyce, 44: "a quick cup of tea from a kettle you could just turn on" Hilary, 11: "rock CD" Joseph, 9: "hamburger and computer games" While the Bowler family was living in 1900 house, _ . Answer: the mother spent more time on housework Carnivores' only source of what comes from other animals Answer: sustenance
Step into an American preschool classroom today and you are likely to fall into a so-called print-rich environment,every surface colorfully decorated with instructional posters,classroom rules,chedules,and mottos,few of which a 4-year-old can understand in fact. Besides the confusing things on classroom walls,teaching methods and curriculums have changed recently,by which more time is spent on what's called "seat work"workbooks and worksheets--but less time devoted to music and art.School--readiness skills are essential for the youngest learners to move on to a subsequent stage. As a result, expectations that may arguably have been reasonable for 5-and 6-year-olds, such as bemg able to sit at a desk and using pencil and paper,are now directed at even younger children, who lack the motor skills and attention span to be successful. However,parents of preschoolers tend to _ these changes,because they fear that the old--fashioned pleasures of unhurried learning have no place in today's highly competitive world.The stress is obvious:Pick the "wrong" preschool and your child might not go to college.She might not be employable. She might not even be allowed to start first grade! As preschoolers are learning so much academic knowledge at earlier ages,they seem somehow less curious and less engaged.Some teachers say that more children today seem to lack the language skills.The real focus in the preschool years should not be just on vocabularv and reading,but on talking and listening.By talking with adults, and one another,they pick up information,learn how things work and solve puzzles that trouble them.For our littlest learners,what could be more important than that? Which of the statements does the author probably agree with? A Younger children can fully understand the instructional things in classrooms. B 3-and 4-year-olds shouldn't be expected too much in school readiness skills. C More time should be spent on"seat work'' instead of music and art. D Even 5-and 6-year-olds have good motor skills and attention span. Answer: B. 3-and 4-year-olds shouldn't be expected too much in school readiness skills. Fencing or Not Wildlife fences are constructed for a variety of reasons including to prevent the spread of diseases, to protect wildlife from poachers , and to help manage small populations of threatened species. Human-wildlife conflict is another common reason for building fences. Wildlife can damage valuable farm animals and crops. Some species carry diseases of agricultural concern, and a few threaten human lives. At the same time, people kill wild animals for food, trade, or to defend lives or property, and human activities destroy wildlife habitat . Separating people and wildlife by fencing can appear to be a _ beneficial way to avoid such harmful effects. But in a paper in the journal Science, published recently, some scientists argue that fencing should only be used if worse comes to worst. According to the scientists, although fencing can have conservation benefits, it also has costs. When areas of wildlife habitat are changed into islands, the resulting small and isolated populations tend towards extinction, and the resulting loss of larger-bodied species can affect interactions between species in ways that cause further local extinctions. Therefore, scientists are asking that conservationists carefully weigh up the biodiversity costs and benefits of new and existing fences. In addition to fences' ecosystem-wide impact, the scientists don't think they always achieve their specific aims. Construction of fences to reduce human-wildlife conflict has been successful in some places but the challenges of appropriate fence design, location, construction, and protection mean that fences often fail to deliver the anticipated benefits. In some places, fences also provide poachers with a ready supply of wire for making traps. A variety of alternative approaches, including better caring for farm animals, community-based crop-guarding, insurance and wildlife-sensitive land-use planning are suggested to reduce conflicts between people and wildlife without the need for fencing. Some projects working with local people and government agencies in Indonesia have shown that human-elephant conflict can be dramatically reduced without using fences. The scientists conclude that as climate change increases the importance of facilitating wildlife mobility and conserving landscape connectivity, fence removal may become an important form of climate change preparation, and so fencing of wildlife should be avoided whenever possible. According to the scientists, what will fencing influence _ ? A Land building. B Species diversity. C Human population. D Wildlife's body size. Answer: B. Species diversity. 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,wh0 were probably able to convince the federal government to back it.The federal budget has allocated$.25 million to support the awards open to emerging artists that have 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.the 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 people.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 1 was discovered'" Which of the following would be the best title for the text? A Canada--the Capital of the World in Arts B A CanadaPrize for Arts MayTake Placeby 2010 C The Nobel Prize in Arts will Come into Being D David Pecaut Takes Charge of a CanadaPrize for Arts Answer: B. A CanadaPrize for Arts MayTake Placeby 2010 BEIJING (AP) -- Sandstorms whipping across China shrouded cities in an unhealthy cloud of sand Monday, with winds carrying the pollution outside the mainland as far as Hong Kong and Taiwan. It was the latest sign of the effects of desertification: Overgrazing, deforestation, urban sprawl and drought have expanded deserts in the country's north and west. The shifting sands have gradually moved onto populated areas and worsened sandstorms that strike cities, particularly in the spring. Winds blowing from the northwest have been sweeping sand across the country since Saturday, affecting Xinjiang in the far west all the way to Beijing in the country's east. The sand and dust were carried to parts of southern China and even to cities in Taiwan, 1600 miles (2600 kilometers) away from Inner Mongolia where much of the pollution originated. The sandstorm in Taiwan, an island 100 miles (160 kilometers) away from the mainland, forced people to cover their faces to avoid breathing in the grit that can cause chest discomfort and _ problems even in healthy people. Drivers complained their cars were covered in a layer of black soot in just 10 minutes. In Hong Kong, environmental protection officials said pollution levels were climbing as the sandstorm moved south. Twenty elderly people sought medical assistance for shortness of breath, Hong Kong's radio RTHK reported. The latest sandstorm was expected to hit South Korea on Tuesday, said Kim Seung-bum of the Korea Meteorological Administration. The sandstorm that raked across China over the weekend caused the worst "yellow dust" haze in South Korea since 2005, and authorities issued a rare nationwide dust advisory. Grit from Chinese sandstorms has been found to travel as far as the western United States. China's Central Meteorological Station urged people to close doors and windows, and cover their faces with masks or scarves when going outside. Sensitive electronic and mechanical equipment should be sealed off, the station said in a warning posted Monday on its Web site. State television's noon newscast showed the tourist city of Hangzhou on the eastern coast, where graceful bridges and waterside pagodas were hidden in a mix of sand and other pollution. In Beijing, residents and tourists with faces covered scurried along sidewalks to minimize exposure to the pollution. A massive sandstorm hit Beijing in 2006, when winds dumped about 300,000 tons of sand on the capital. The passage tells us that the sandstorms mainly came from _ . A Xinjiang B Hangzhou C Beijing D Inner Mongolia Answer: D. Inner Mongolia Every year 2.2 million tons of oil are spilled ( , ) into the ocean. Actually, this only amounts to a small percentage of the total 1.6 billion tons of oil shipped around the world each year.However, this spilled oil has terrible effects on ocean life, including the coastlines where the off washes up onto shore. Some of the largest spills in history were caused by oil tankers running into each other or by an oil tanker sailing into shallow water and hitting the bottom of the ocean. After these spills, officials try to discover who or what was at fault to help prevent similar accidents in the future. One of the worst oil spills in history occurred along the Alaskan coastline in 1989. In this accident, 42,000 tons of oil spilled from a tanker which resulted in terrible damage to this sensitive natural area. In this spill, the tanker's captain, who was tired from overwork and drinking alcohol, had gone to take a rest. He gave control of the ship to the third mate. The third mate was unfamiliar with the path the ship took, and he ran the ship onto Blighe Reef. Blighe Reef is a natural underwater rock wall near the Alaskan coast. Damaged by the reef, the ship leaked oil out into the ocean. More than 1,600 kilometers of coastline were affected by the oil spill. Some scientists who studied nature in the area guessed that 580,000 birds and 5,500 otters died when the oil from the spill covered their skin. As well, smaller shellfish and other sea creatures were later eaten by seals, whales, and other animals. The most oil ever spilled was actually dumped on purpose as an act of ecological warfare. The term ecological warfare means to fight by doing harm to nature in the area under attack. In 1990, Iraq sent soldiers into Kuwait and set off the Persian Gulf War. As part of the Iraq war plan,900,000 tons of oil were let out into the Persian Gulf Way Iraq. This oil covered 1,500 square kilometers of water in the Persian Gulf. The oil also damaged 650 kilometers of the coastline of both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In some places, oil floating on the water was measured to be 43 centimeters thick. Water birds, water plants, and baby fish were all seriously affected by the oil. The long-term effects of this act on the food chain in the area are bound to cause problems tar into the future. _ was responsible for dumping oil into the Persian Gulf. A The United States B Kuwait C Saudi Arabia D Iraq Answer: D. Iraq
Plants use chlorophyll to Ryan and Adam love to play basketball. They like it better than soccer and baseball. Their other friend, Jared, has his own basketball hoop. He got it for his ninth birthday. Ryan got a football for his birthday and Adam got a skateboard. They like their presents, but think the basketball hoop is better. They play basketball at Jared's house with him and any other kids who show up. Alex and Brady come almost every day and Josh, Ty, and Max come sometimes. Next year, they all get to play on a basketball team. They get to play at their school. They are very excited about that and can't wait to play on a real team. For now, they are practicing a lot and are trying to get really good. They play every day they can. They are trying to be as good as the NBA players they watch on TV. They dream of someday playing in the NBA. They are sure it is going to happen. What sport do Ryan and Adam love to play? Everyone needs safe drinking water, but about 1.1 billion people have no access to clean water. Most of the world's water is salty ocean water or frozen polar ice. By 2050, the world's population could grow from 6.7 billion to more than 9 billion. All of those people will need water to drink. But the bad news is that some areas of the world are growing drier because of climate change. The total area of the Earth's surface classified as very dry has doubled since the 1970s. Sadly, the precious resource is still misused in industry, in farming and at homes. Therefore, the world is facing a crisis over water. "You do the math, and it gets a little scary," says Stuart Minchin, a water expert in Australia. "We're waking up," he says. "But not fast enough." In southern Australia, farmers have been hit hard. They can't irrigate their fields well enough. The Australian government has launched a $1.3 billion project to improve Australia's irrigation system to stop the crop production dropping further. Australians have serious water worries, but it could be worse. They don't have to fear that when they turn on the tap, nothing will come out. That's the case in India. Many people in New Delhi, the capital, go without clean water for days. City leaders have taken stricter measures to save water. Users pay a very high but affordable price for it. Homeowners who waste water are given large fines. There are 1.9 million people who live in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now it has grown by more than 300,000 people since 2002. But it uses less water today than it did seven years ago. Which of the following is NOT a reason for a water crisis? One day a lady saw a mouse running across her kitchen floor. She was very afraid of mouse, so she ran out of the house, got into a bus and went to the shops. There she bought a mousetrap. The shopkeeper said to her, "Put some cheese in it and you will soon catch that mouse." The lady went home with her mousetrap, but when she looked in her cupboard, she could not find any cheese in it. She did not want to go back to the shop, because it was very late, so she cut a picture of some cheese out of a magazine and put that in the trap. Surprisingly, the picture of the cheese was quite successful! When the lady came down to the kitchen the next morning she found a picture of a mouse in the trap beside the picture of the cheese The lady bought a mousetrap to_. St James's Palace has announced that while Miss Middleton will wear a wedding ring. Prince William has chosen not to. Rings are typically exchanged by couples during their wedding to represent commitment to each other. Does it matter if husbands don't wear a wedding ring? Prince William's father wears one, his grandfather doesn't and their decisions weren't seen as strange. But reactions to Prince William's decision show that wedding rings for husbands are now the norm. One young man, who spoke to the BBC, thinks William is setting a bad example, saying: "I think it's disgraceful . It's a tradition. You have to wear a ring really. And for someone of the royal family to do that, it's not right. " Broadly speaking, modem husbands tend to wear their wedding rings as a symbol of loyalty and faithfulness. So not wearing one can seem unusual or even dishonest to some, although men haven't always worn them. The wearing of wedding rings has been the done thing for centuries among wives but only became common practice among husbands during World War II. Men fighting overseas usually wore them as a reminder of wives and families back home. Wearing rings is a safety issue for men in certain manual jobs. But how does William explain his decision? A royal officer has said he "isn't one for jewelry". According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
Lily is ten years old . One morning her good friend MeiMei says to her, " Next Friday is my birthday. Would you like to come to my birthday party?" Lily says " Yes, I would like to". On Friday, Lily asks her mother, " Can I go to MeiMei's birthday party" "Yes, but you must be polite .and I want you to sing a song for your friend." "Ok. Mum" Lily answers and goes to MeiMei's home on foot. Then she buys a toy for MeiMei. At the party there are many children. Some are dancing . Some are talking. Some are playing cards. And Lily is singing an English song .There are some apples , oranges , bread , and a big birthday cake with eleven candles on it . The children sit around the cake. MeiMei makes a silent wish, and then blows the candles out in one breath. The children have a good time. Then Lily goes home by bus. What is on the table? Answer: Can dolphins talk? Maybe they can't talk with words, but they talk with sounds. They show their feelings with sounds. Dolphins travel in a group. We call a group of fish a "school". They don't study, but they travel together. Dolphins talk to the other dolphins in the school. They give information. They tell when they are happy or sad or afraid. They say "welcome"when a dolphin comes back to the school. They talk when they play. They make a few sounds above water. They make many more sounds under water. People cannot hear these sounds because they are very, very high. Scientists make tapes of the sounds and study them. Sometimes people catch a dolphin for a large aquarium . People can watch the dolphins in a show. Dolphins don't like to be away from their school in an aquarium. They are sad and lonely . Dolphins There are many stories about dolphins. They help people. Sometimes they save somebody's life. Dolphin meat is good, but people don't like to kill them. They say that dolphins bring good luck. Many people believe this. People can't hear the dolphin's sounds because _ . Answer: Post your problems on the blog and get other bloggers' advice! My problem is my parents. They never stop going on about how I should keep my room tidy, keep my hair tidy and wear smart clothes. They even make me do the washing-up after dinner every night! None of my friends have got such tenable parents. What should I do? Helen, USA Hi, Helen. I think you should do what your parents ask. They're much older than you and you should respect them. It's their house you live in and their money you spend. Emily, Australia Helen, why should your parents do all the housework? You should help around the house. -it's only fair. I don't think you should change your appearance though. Teenagers should look like teenagers. Simon, England Simon suggests that Helen should _ . Answer: As the world watched the twin towers of theprefix = st1 /WorldTradeCentercome under attack, a common phrase was repeated:" It looks like a movie." But this time there was no superman to save the people or the famous building. The attack destroyed one of the world's highest skyscrapers and left 5,000 people dead or missing. Movie fans have become used to such events after years of Hollywood films showing disasters, terrorism and danger, The Empire State Building, the White House, New York City and even the American president himself have all been threatened by terrorist attacks in these exciting films. The film"True Lies", released in 1994 is considered to be a good example of this kind of movie. The special effects, including explosions and missiles, make the action look like a real thing. "Independence Day"in 1996 took this type of movie one step further by blowing up the White House. This science fiction movie is about a war between human beings and aliens from another planet. In the movie, the WorldTradeCentertowers are destroyed. Violence has become a major part of Hollywood movies. And this is what people enjoy. Soon after the attacks, many famous film companies stopped the planned releases of some of their new movies, especially if their films showed terrorist attacks or plane crashes. "Swordfish" was top of the American box office in June, 2001. But the movie's story was frighteningly similar to the Sept.11 disaster. The film would have been stopped in American and British cinemas after the attack. But it's unlikely thatHollywoodwill stay quiet for long. It is already waiting for the feeling inAmericato calm down. What is the main subject of the newspaper article? Answer: "Hey! That isn't fair! Knights can't fly! Only wizards like me can! And maybe also witches." Bobby yelled. "Yes! They can, too!" Frank said, "They're the most powerful and you can't stop me from flying!" "Well, if you fly, then I can fight with a sword, too. It's only fair," Bobby said back. "No! They can't! They aren't even strong enough to pick up a sword. They can't even pick up a knife, they're so weak! I don't even know what you're talking about. You're crazy, aren't you?" Frank pointed his finger at Bobby and ran at him with the sword made out of cardboard. Bobby jumped out of the way as quickly as he could! Bobby then pointed a finger at Frank. "FREEZE!" Frank stopped in place. "Hey, you can't use the freeze spell. How can I fight you if I can't move? I'm going to tell mom." "I can use any spell I want! I can use Freeze, Trap, and Fly! I can do any of them! I'm also telling mom that you think you can fly and you can't. You're a stupid knight with no brains. I have all the brains here." Bobby crossed his arms over his chest and stomped a foot on the ground. "You take that back! I'm the smartest knight there is and I'll get you any day!" Suddenly, Frank pulled Bobby to the ground. "Take it back right now!" "BOYS! What's all the noise?" Mom asked. "Bobby called me stupid!" Frank yelled. "Frank is trying to fly!" Bobby cried. "Oh boy." Mom laughed. What was Bobby? Answer:
Players Wanted Are you good at playing basketball? Can you play ping-pong or soccer? Can you swim very well? If so, you are welcome to join our school sports team. Please call Victor at 8863543 or send an email to sports@ yahoo.com. Dancers Wanted Can you dance? Do you like kids? Can you help them with dancing on weekends? Come and join us. Call Tom at 3854922 for more information. Chess Club Do you like playing chess? Mr. Wang can teach you. He gives lessons here every Friday afternoon.Tel: 8358939 .Add: Room 102 in School's P. E. Building. Let's Learn Japanese Can you speak Japanese? Do you want to learn Japanese? Join the Japanese club now. Time: 2:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m.( from Monday to Friday ) Call Mary at 6253928. Alice wants to learn Japanese. When should she go to the club? Answer: Apparently,we are safe neither at home nor in the business office.We use water in both places,but the research shows that chemicals added to our local water supply to kill harmful bacteria can have unwanted side effects.These chemicals can cause potential harm through drinking and in seemingly harmless activities as cleaning one's house.They are released(set free)from water by daily actions like water running out of tap,spraying from garden pipes,or splashing in dishwashers and washing machines.As the water is moving.these chemicals are released into the air and then breathed in. Once inside our bodies, they start to affect our health. Does this mean we should stop bathing? No, say the scientists, but _ . Activities at home such as the burning of coal, cooking oil, or even candles release carbon monoxide and particulates such as cigarette ashes which have been proven as harmful to health as working or living near heavy traffic. New tugs, bedding, and even clothing give off that"new smell, "which is a sure sign of chemicals. In the office, newly applied paint, newly purchased telephones and other telecommunications equipment, and computers release polluting chemicals, too. As offices and homes often have inadequate ventilation , these chemicals can build up to become health problems. Their poisonous effects are only now being slowly recognized. These facts suggest that, at a minimum, proper airing of newly purchased goods with an obvious chemical smell is a wise warning. Home and office windows should be opened during good weather. Even one's car needs to be ventilated as well while in the garage. We need further research to understand better other potential health dangers, too. For example, the effects of overcrowding of schools (carbon dioxide build-up ), the factory work environment ( an endless list of potentially dangerous substances ), and even home heating and cooling (the air conditioner may be our enemies, not our friends) have only recently started to come to light. Until we understand the effects of our new technological environment better, we can only hope that"there is no place like home." What is the purpose of the passage? Answer: Owens contracted to sell a tract of land, Overlea, to Painter by general warranty deed. However, at the closing Painter did not carefully examine the deed and accepted a quitclaim deed without covenants of title. Painter later attempted to sell Overlea to Thompson, who refused to perform because Owens had conveyed an easement for a highway across Overlea before Painter bought the property. Painter sued Owens for damages. Which of the following arguments will most likely succeed in Owens' defense? Answer: Have you lost your marbles ? Don't worry! You can buy more from Harli Jordean. Harli Jordean, the 8-year-old kid, soon to be 9, is just too lovely. He was born in Stoke Newington, London in spring 2003. He started up an Internet marble company where he sells the toys. And recently the 8-year-old student was written into the record books for being the youngest founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of an Internet company. Harli's love for marbles got rolling when he was 6. According to Tina, Harli's mother, he loved the colcorful toys so much that he would go to sleep talking about marbles and the first thing in the morning he did was talking about marbles. And his family started calling him "the Marble King". "I like the patterns and designs of marbles. You can collect hundreds of different color1s, shaps, and sizes. It's fun," Harli told WR News. "And I really enjoy looking at them, touching them, holding them, studying them and playing them with my friends." Harli Jordean's marble company has a long history. After losing his marbles to an older boy, Harli and his mom turned to the Internet for ordering more marbles. However, they couldn't find a Web site that sold the toys. That gave Harli an idea-to start a Web site where people could find different types of marbles. With his family's help, Harli created a Web site that sells marbles and marble accessories. His collection includes tiny and large marbles, along with clear and color1ful ones. Since starting his business, Harli has learned how to work with marble suppliers and fill orders. In the past two years, he's received orders from customers around the world. Some of the countries where he has sold the most marbles are Brazil, Italy, and the United States. Most kids just love marbls! So how does Harli feel about being the world's youngest CEO? "It feels marvelous . I like having my own company. I like being the boss," he says. "It really ...surprised me and probably ... my teachers too. I don't think they believed me when I used to say to them 'I have a marble business'!" What can be the best title of the passage? Answer: Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the cold swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he did not realize an alligator was swimming towards the shore. His mother in the house, looking out of the window, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In fear, she ran towards the water, yelling to the son as loudly as she could. It was too late. The alligator reached him. From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator got his legs. That began an incredible tug of war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother would not let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, ran from his truck, and shot the alligator. Amazingly, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His leg were extremely scarred by the animal's attack, and on his arms were scratches from mothers' fingernails where she had tried to hang on to the son she loved. The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs . And then, he proudly said to the reporter: "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom would not let go." You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from alligator, or anything quite so dramatic . But the scars of a painful past. Some of those scares are ugly and have caused us deep regret. But some wounds, my friend, are because someone has refused to let go. In your struggle, maybe someone has been there holding on to you. By saying, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too," the boy really wanted to show _ . Answer:
A primary school in Wuhan has used new desks and chairs to prevent students from getting short sight. The desks and chairs make students have the correct posture, especially when reading and writing. Each desk has an adjustable steel bar. The bar can help students keep their eyes at least 30cm from books. Zhang Jianming is headmaster of the primary school. She said the new desks and chairs were provided by an eye care centre in the city. The school carried out a survey last September. It showed that about 7 percent of its 1,093 students said they suffered from short sight. The new desks and chairs have already improved the students' posture, but both teachers and students might need more time to get used to them. Yang Lihua is head of the Wuhan Youth Eye Care Center. She said the desks and chairs were introduced to 19 schools on a trial basis. "During our research into short sight, we noticed that the number of students with short sight was increasing. This is because parents are teaching their children to read and write at a very early age without paying enough attention to their posture," she said. Feng Junying is a doctor at Beijing Jingshan School. "I think the new desks and chairs in Wuhan will certainly be helpful," she said. "But bad reading habits at school are not the only reason for short sight. Children are using mobile phones and iPads when they are very young. This can be another reason for short sight at a young age." According to the passage, the adjustable steel bar can help the students keep their eyes _ from books. Answer: 32cm "In my country, men usually go to restaurants on their own. They always take their shoes off before they go in. Then they usually sit on the floor around a small, low table. In the evening they often sing songs." "You usually take chocolates or flowers. But you always take an odd number of flowers, and you remove the paper before you give them to the hostess. You can also send flowers before you arrive. you don't usually take wine except when you visit very close friends." "We always offer our guests something to drink when they arrive, tea, coffee or perhaps water or soft drinks. We think it is polite to accept a drink even if you're not thirsty. If you visit someone you always stay for a few drinks. When you have had enough to drink, you tap your cup or put your hand over it. If you say no, your host will insist that you have more to drink." "People's private lives are very important so they never ask you personal questions about your family or where you live or your job. They never talk about religion or matters of finance, education or politics, but usually stay with safe subjects like the weather, films, plays, books and restaurants." "It's difficult to know when to leave, but an evening meal usually lasts about three or four hours. When the host serves coffee, this is sometimes a sign that the evening is nearly over, but you can have as much coffee as you want." "If the invitation says eight o'clock then we arrive exactly at eight. With friends we know well, we sometimes arrive about fifteen minutes before." "Obviously it depends on the occasion, but most dinner parties are informal. The men don't usually wear a suit, but they may wear a jacket and tie. Women are usually smart but casual." The writer of the passage is probably _ . Answer: Japanese Death begins for a leaf the second it Answer: is released Doubt usually comes along when companies talk very proudly how socially responsible they are, but Nike's decision to publish its entire list of contract suppliers on the Internet is harder to ignore. Nike's move opens a new front in companies' efforts to face their critics. As Nike states in its latest corporate responsibility report, it is often hard to confirm exactly what is happening at about 800 factories that make its footwear and clothing under contract, many of which are remote. Nike is hoping other companies will publish their factory lists, too. Hannah Jones, Nike's vice - president for corporate responsibility, says Nike would like to see the best - run contract factories using their social position as suppliers to the big brands to try to get more work. Nike's approach moves corporate responsibility into its third age. The first age was corporate philanthropy - companies donating money to various community projects. The $170, 000,000 that Wal - Mart gave in charitable donations last year is a good example. Of course, some critics oppose even this form of corporate generosity , arguing that companies should concentrate on making profits, leaving it to shareholders to decide what charitable donations to make. Corporate responsibility's second age was reputation management and risk avoidance. Second - age corporate responsibility supporters believe agreement with the wider community can warn a company of future risks in advance. Nike is now trying to go a stage further. The company says it sees corporate responsibility as a way of improving its performance rather than just protecting its reputation. Factories which ensure that workers are registered for social - security benefits often become more productive as a result. Attention to one aspect of staff management often leads to improvement in others. If other companies publish supplier lists, they can together work out common standards, Nike says. At present, different companies have different standards, which make life difficult for the many factories that produce for more than one brand. If other companies published suppliers' locations, they could work out common standards and save money by relying on one another's checks. What effect could Nike's action have on its contract suppliers? Answer: They will get donations from big brands easily. Has a doctor ever given you a note to take to the chemist for some medicine? Are you able to read the note easily? Some doctors write clearly , but most doctors do not. Chemists have more chances to read doctors' notes, but sometimes doctors write so badly that even the chemist can't read them. One day a lady wrote to a doctor inviting him to have dinner at her house. The doctor wrote an answer, but he didn't write clearly and the lady couldn't read it. "What shall I do?" she said to her husband, "I don't know whether he is coming or not. I don't want to give him a telephone call and say that I can't read his writing." Her husband thought a moment, then he had an idea. "Thank you," said his wife. "That's a very good idea." She went to the chemist's shop and gave the doctor's note to the chemist. The chemist looked at it very carefully. Then he said politely, "Could you wait a moment, madam?" He went to the back of the shop. After a few minutes he returned carrying a large bottle. He gave the bottle to the lady and said, "Three times a day and one spoonful at a time." It isn't _ for us to read the notes written by most doctors. Answer: easy
Which tool should be used to compare the growth of an algal colony growing in a petri dish? a hand lens Welcome to the zoo Day open : Fees : Monday to Friday Adults : $ 8. 00 10:00 am~6:00 pm Ages 8~14: $ 3. 00 Saturday to Sunday Ages 15~18 : $ 6. 00 8 :00 am~8 :00 pm Under 8 : Free Try our train ride for $ 2. 00 per person! ,. The zoo opens _ . every day It's not the flashiest car in the world. Not even close. But the 1971 Volkswagen named Helios can do something most cars can't: nm on solar energy - energy from the sun's light and heat! Joshua Bechtold, 14, and the other students at the Riverside School in Lyndonville, Vermont, worked many months to getHeliosready for the 1999 American Tour de Sol ( "Sol" is the Latin word for "sun"). They named their car after Helios, the sun god in Greek mythology . The 4-year-old Tour de Sol encourages the use of "green", or environmentally friendly, cars to help reduce pollution and save energy. It' s not a race. Cars are judged on fuel efficiency rather than speed. In the week-long event, 44 cars took the 350-mile tour from Waterbury, Connecticut, to prefix = st1 /Lake George,New York. Of the 23 student cars, Helios was the only one built by middle school students. A teacher droveHelios, but the children talked with people wherever they stopped along the mad. "That was my favorite part," says Anna Browne, 15. "We explained how the car runs." Due in part to old, inefficient batteries , Heliosfinished fourth - out of four - in its kind, the sun-powered class. "We were there for the fun of it," Anna says. "We're proud ofHelios," says Ariel Gleicher, 14. "It's a car that's good for the environment." How many sun-powered cars took part in the race? 4. Every five minutes my children ask me for the "latest thing". They tell me that all their friends have it already and they can't live without it. Our house is full of Game Boys, Play Station CDs and a million other "latest things". But, the one "latest things" we have refused to buy is a mobile phone. Our twelve-year-old son wants one, and we've said "no". He says he'll only use it for texting and he really needs it for emergencies. We don't want him to have a mobile phone, because it may be bad for children's health. Unfortunately, when I say, "As your father, I don't want you to have a mobile phone, because you might get a brain tumour ," he tells me that he doesn't mind. Why do twelve-year-old boys only want things that are bad for them? We've already told him that he can't listen to rap music--the words are disgusting . And I've said no to beer with his meals. Right now I'm saying no to everything. Then a few weeks ago he asked for something called a BB gun. He says everybody's got one. Of course they have. He shows me a website full of them and tells me it only fires plastic pellets . Finally, I say yes. I can't believe I've said no to phones and yes to guns. In October our son becomes a teenager, and I pray that research will find that mobile phones are safe...even better, that young people may become less moody--and more interested in personal hygiene . Until _ , I'm saying no. Which of the following is NOT the reason why the father said yes to a BB gun for his son? The father thinks that his son can't live without the gun. We can slow down aging. That is the message Dr. Shen Ziyin wants to give the world. And the Chinese doctor claims that he has found an answer to the problems of aging. His solution is a herbal medicine to slow the process of aging. Dr. Shen Ziyin has been trained in Western medicine. At the same time he studied traditional Chinese medicine. And, he has been working for the past forty years to put together the best of both and find a cure for aging. He has taken a hint from the ancient Chinese medicine system called "Shen". According to Shen, it is the kidney which adjusts the functioning of the body as well as its aging process. It is responsible for the level of activity that the human bodies go through. Studies conducted by Dr. Shen show that herbal medicine based on the Shen system slows the aging process, says a report in the Telegraph newspaper. We notice that when people grow old, they have reduced strength, loss of hair, backache, weakness, wrinkles and so on. This happens because when people grow old, their bodies produce T-cells. These T-cells contain a particular substance called Fas. Fas makes the cells in the body destruct themselves. So the only way to slow down aging is to slow the production of T-cells in the body. This can happen if people eat low calorie food. Then the body is not active enough to produce extra T-cells. But, is going hungry all the time a good price to pay for staying young? This is where Dr. Shen's herbal medicine comes in. But how effective it will be, only time can tell. How did Dr. Shen find the solution to the problem of aging? By combining both Western and Chinese medicine.
If the stars in the sky above your home vary from month to month, Answer: ATLANTA, Georgia--- Alternative medicine --- including yoga, meditation, herbs and the Atkins diet ---appears to be growing in popularity in the United States, perhaps because of dissatisfaction with conventional care, the government said Thursday. More than a third of American adults used such practices in 2002, according to the government survey of 31,000 people, the largest study on non-conventional medical approaches in the United States.If prayer is included, about 62 percent of U.S.adults used some form of alternative medicine. The results seem to indicate more people are turning to alternative medicine, though the 2002 survey could not be directly compared to previous studies because of differences in size and survey methods, health officials said. The top alternative therapies included prayer (43 percent of adults) , natural products(19 percent), meditation(8 percent)and diets such as Atkins, Ornish, or the Zone (4 percent).More people also are using natural products such as herbs or enzymes to treat chronic or recurring pain , said Richard Nahin of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health. "Many conditions are not easily treated with conventional medicine," Nahin sad. "It may be the public that is turning to complementary and alternative medicine because it's not getting relief from conventional medicine." But people should not be turning away from conventional treatments that are proven safe, said Dr.Stephen Straus, director of the alternative medicine center. "People are making individual decisions to neglect those therapies and we have concerns about those choices," he said. Health officials said they were concerned that 13 percent of those surveyed said they turned to alternative medicine because regular medicine is too expensive. "It needs to be explored ---we need to find out whether they were insured or not" Nahin said. Health officials also were surprised that 6.6 percent of those surveyed used the supplement kava , which has been associated with liver disease. "People make the assumption that because something is natural that it's safe" Nahin said. "But a number of studies have shown that natural products can be unsafe when used inappropriately or with other drugs." He said people considering using alternative medicine should consult their doctor first. What can probably be inferred from the passage? Answer: Do you dream of being a reporter or an editor? Are you a good writer who loves the news? If so, then you may have what it takes to be a winner in the TFK Kid Reporter Talent Search. We're looking for 12 students from around the nation to be members of the TFK Kid Reporter Team for the 2008-2009 school year. Next year's team will continue the tradition of reporting local and regional news stories for TIME FOR KIDS magazine and TIME FOR KIDS online. Professional journalists from TIME magazine and TIME FOR KIDS will select this exclusive team. In the past, TFK kid Reporters have Interviewed national leaders, celebrities and other newsmakers. Written news stories, reviews and opinion pieces for TIME FOR KIDS. Appeared on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Today and The Tonight Show with another famous kid Jay Leno to talk about their work. How to Enter Get the official rules at time for . Entries must be postmarked by Dec. 20, 2008. Good luck! If you want to become a TFK Kid reporter, you must _ . Answer: Snow falls in the Earth's extreme North and South throughout the year. However, the heaviest snowfalls have been reported in the mountains of other areas during winter. Snow is even known to fall near the Equator ,but only on the highest mountains. Snow contains much less water than rain, but much of the water the world uses comes from snow. Melting snow provides water for rivers, electric power stations and agricultural crops. In the western United States, mountain snow provides up to seventy-five percent of all surface water supplies. Snowfall helps to protect plants and some wild animals from winter weather. Fresh snow is made largely of air trapped among the snow crystals . Because the air has trouble moving, the movement of heat is limited. Snow also influences the movement of sound waves. The surface of the snow takes in, or absorbs, sound waves. As snow grows older or if there have been strong winds, it can become hard and flat. Then, the snow,s surface will help to send back sound waves. Snow may be beautiful, but it can be deadly. It is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people. Many people die in traffic accidents on roads covered with snow and ice or from being seriously stuck in the winter storm. Others die from heart attacks caused by too much physical activity out in the cold. People may not be able to avoid living in areas where it snows often. However, they can avoid becoming victims of snowstorms. People should stop driving and stay at home until the storm has passed. People living in these areas should carry emergency supplies in their vehicle. These include food,emergency medical supplies,and extra clothing to stay warm and dry. Mountain snowfall _ . Answer: A single parent took their child on a trip. The trip was to the playground. The child had a fear of the playground, because she had dug a hole and it had made her trip once. The parent put the child on the sofa and put her shoes on, telling her that it would be alright, and they would be back home by nine. At the playground, the child met a witch. The witch had a piggy with her. The witch stood in the middle of the street. She had a broom. The child wondered what there was to sweep at the playground. Instead, the witch made a chicken, and gave some of it to the child. The witch was saying that it was a gift for her. She thought a gift would help the child with her fear. The child ate the chicken. Then she asked the witch a question. She asked what the witch had a broom for. The witch laughed. She told the girl it was to fly with. The girl did not believe her. The witch sat on her broom and flew away. In the distance, a dog howled. Why was the child afraid of the playground? Answer:
For all the dinner table, a glass of milk seems to be a constant, at least it was when I was growing up. It was widely believed that milk was integral in building strong bones and teeth. There's no doubt that dairy products , and milk in particular, are high in protein and calcium, and most milk products are supplemented with Vitamin D and A. While it's well known that our bones need calcium, some studies suggest that high calcium intake doesn't necessarily lower a person's risk for fractures . A Harvard study found that people who drank two or more glasses of milk had no greater protection from breaking a bone than those who drank a glass or less a week. There's no doubt that we need calcium. Some anti-dairy supporters claim that dairy can lead to heart disease. Much of this claim is based on high fat and high dairy products, like cheeses and creams, which may indeed contribute to cardiovascular problems. Some studies have linked high milk intakes with a risk of prostate cancer; this seems to be caused by high-fat dairy products, not dairy in general. Although milk was always regarded as one of the most important thing we need for our bones, yet least promoted, factors involved in strengthening bones. Perhaps we should think of dairy as less like a nutrient and more like a food. If you like it, eat it. If not, find _ . Because some claims may not be completely true, when I eat a cream, I'm not thinking about calcium, protein, or any such thing I'm thinking delicious. We can learn from the text that _ . A. All the claims are not completely true. B. High milk intakes can lead to cancer. C. It's necessary for you to reduce milk intakes. D. Give up milk for your health. Answer: A The world itself is becoming much smaller by using modern traffic and modern communication. Life today is much easier than it was hundreds of years ago, but it has brought new problems. One of the biggest problems is pollution. To pollute means to make things dirty. Pollution comes in many ways. We see it, smell it, drink it and even eat it. Man has been polluting the earth. The more people, the more pollution. Many years ago, the problems was not so serious because there were not so many people. When the land was used up or the river was dirty in one place, man moved to another place. But this is no longer true. Man is now slowly polluting the whole world. Air pollution is still the most serious. It's bad for all living things in the world, but it is not the only one kind of pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us angry more easily. Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. They stop people from burning coal in houses and factories in the city, and from putting dirty smoke into the air. Pollution by SO2 is now the most dangerous kind of air pollutions. It is caused by heavy traffic. We are sure that if there are fewer people driving there will be less air pollution. The earth is our home. We must take care of it. That means keeping the land, water and air clean. And we must take care of the rise in pollution at the same time. : _ , our world is becoming much smaller. A. Because of the rise in pollution. B. Thanks to the development of traffic and communication C. Because the earth is blown away by the wind every year. D. Because the earth is being polluted day and night. Answer: B To identify the percent chance of a trait being passed down we need at least A. one box B. two boxes C. three boxes D. four boxes Answer: D When someone says, "Well, I guess I'll have to go to face the music," it doesn't mean he is planning to go to a concert. It is something far less pleasant, like being called in your boss to explain why you did this and did that, and why you did not do this or that. Terrible music, indeed, but it has to be faced. At some time or another, every one of us has had to "face the music", especially as children. We can remember father's angry voice: "I want to talk to you!" And only because we did not obey him. What an unpleasant business it was! The phrase "face the music" is known to every American, old and young. It is at least one hundred years old. Where did the expression come from? The first explanation came from the American novelist James Fenimore Cooper. He said, in 1851, that expression was first used by actors while waiting in the wings to go on stage. After they got their clue to go on , they often said, "It's time to go to face the music." And that is exactly what they did face the orchestra which was just below the stage. An actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of the audience that might be friendly, or perhaps unfriendly, especially if he forgot his . But he had to go out. If he did not, there would be no play. So "face the music" came to mean: having to go through something, no matter how unpleasant the experience might be, because you knew you had no choice. The passage tells us that the expression was first used by _ . A. children B. novelists C. actors D. audience Answer: C Keeping our water pure is by no means an easy task but it is something that must be done. Hong Kong once prided herself on being the "Fragrant Harbour". However, these days, it is not certain if Hong Kong's harbour could still be called "fragrant". For, like many other places, Hong Kong has not been spared water pollution. A visit to Tolo and Victoria Harbour, or any of the beaches in Hong Kong is enough to make one aware of the ugly truth that Hong Kong waters are indeed polluted. The great threat to our water is bacteria pollution. Another great source of water pollution is poisonous chemicals. These substances, which are found in industrial waste and agricultural pesticides, make up unseen dangers that enter biological food chains. Pollution control is a continuing problem for the government. It is believed that the most effective form of control is legislation . Most importantly, the present laws on pollution should be given more force. On the other hand, no amount of legislation can effectively control pollution unless those concerned are properly educated about the danger posed by pollution. While a great majority of Hong Kong citizens and residents seem to be greatly concerned about ways to control water pollution, it is discouraging to note that there are, in our midst, some people who remain apathetic about the problem. In a recent radio programme conducted on what people in the streets thought about the water pollution problem, one apparently unconcerned person said, "What do I care about water pollution? I don't drink polluted water. As long as the water I drink is not polluted, I'm not bothered. Water pollution is too big a problem and let's leave it to the government." If all residents in Hong Kong will take such an indifferent attitude, all the government's attempts to control pollution, let alone the anti-pollution legislation, will prove useless. The best form of pollution control each citizen can employ is to be aware of his surroundings. We hope that someday, the problem of water pollution in Hong Kong will cease to alarm us. The writer quotes the words in the programme to show us that a block to the solution of the problem is _ . A. people's lack of education B. people's I-don't-care attitude C. people's wait-and-see attitude D. people's over-dependence on the government Answer: B
"REMOVE from friends." This is no ordinary button. One click and I have the power to erase a person from my life. In late fall, I had around 400 friends on Facebook. Today, I have 134. Click. Make that 133. When Facebook first entered my life in 2005, I panicked(, ) that my friend count was too low. If I wasn't properly connected, how would anyone see my clever quote ? Who would wish me a happy birthday? I accepted and sent out friend requests without a second thought and soon accumulated 391 friends. There is an appeal to being able to communicate with someone or just "thumbs up" a photo rather than make real conversation. "It's comforting and it's easy," said Larry Rosen, a psychology professor at California State University, who studies the way people communicate online." There's a sense of belonging in it. It's a sense of community in a generation where community has sort of disappeared." However, I don't talk to half of these people in the online community. There are some I would avoid if I met them on the street. Click. 132. I decided to rid my account of any "friend" that...well, wasn't. Sound easy? You try it. Look at who you're dealing with: family, friends, classmates, crushes , acquaintances... With every click of the "Remove from friends" button, you risk burning a bridge, losing a contact and missing an opportunity. So every time I go to click the button, my heart hurts. However, I'm not the only one who has experienced a Faceboook friend refreshing. The New Oxford American Dictionary announces its "Word of the Year" each year, and last year, "unfriend" made the cut (though I'll still stick with "defriend"). When I started my mission , _ . Most were surprised by how easily they could cut hundreds of connections without thinking twice. "Oh my God, I defriended like 600 people today. I feel so good!" my friend Sarah messaged. Dana, a close friend from high school, and I battled it out to see who could get our counts lower. She wins at 123. To some, it's poor "netiquette " to defriend. But to me, it's the stage of life when we hold onto the people who count, the people who impact you. According to the article, what happens when you click the "Remove form friends" button? A. A message is sent out to your online friends. B. You accept someone as your online friend. C. You send out a friend request to people. D. The number of your online friends is reduced. Answer: D Once home to the world's largest trading port,East London is a lovely and cultural place to visit.Here are some of the places of interest there. Aquarium Beachfront,Esplanade,East London Tel:705 2637 Open daily:9 a.n5 p.m. Fish Feeding:daily at 10:30 a.m.and 3:00 p.m Seal Show:daily at 11:30 a.m.and 3:30 p.m.(Performances are only 10 minutes long.) Fees:adults-PS9,children(3--16 years)PS5,school /groupsPS3 per person- This is the o1dest aquarium in the country.It is also a large office for Tourism in East London,supplying booklets and information to the public* Border Birders Club is one of the programs here.This is a super birding club where the whole family can have a nice Saturday walk around,looking at different types of birds and talking with the friendly members along the way.For more information,look for the notice on the nonce boards outside the Beacon Bay Library and at the Aquarium or call 735 2195* Calgary Transport Museum 13km from East London on N6 to Stutterheim Tel:730 7244 Open daily:9 a.m.4 p.m. Closed:Friday&Christmas Day Fees:adults-PS5,childrenPS3. Fine collection of restored horse drawn vehicles,carts,wagons,buggies ,a gypsy caravan and governess cart. Museum--The East London Museum Upper Oxford Street(Entrance and parking in Dawson Road) Tel:743 0686 Fax:743 3127 Open:Monday--Friday 9:30 a.m.5 p.m.;Saturday 2p.m.5p.m.:Sunday &Public Holidays 11 a.m.4 p.m. Fee:adultsPS5,childrenPS2,school groups&scholars in uniform are free. Go on a wonderful adventure into the past.Best known as the home of the Coelacanth &world's only Dodo Egg,the museum also has an excellent display about the rich and color1ful Culture of Xhosa,living in South Africa.There is also a Museum Cafeteria with refreshments. How much would a couple with one child pay to go to The East London Museum? A. PS7 B. PS12 C. PS13 D. PS23 Answer: B I have always loved kids. However, the children here at Shanti Bhavan are unlike any that I have ever met. They have a strong drive and determination and are thankful for the wonderful opportunity they have been given. While at Shanti Bhavan, I taught 3 graders writing, language, and literature, 8 , 9 , and 10 graders public speaking, 9 and 10 graders basketball, and piano lessons. I found teaching the children was the most rewarding experience of my life. They are really fast learners and really have an interest in knowledge. It was easy to get on with such polite, well-mannered, and hard-working students. They dream big and I only hope that I can continue to be a part of helping them achieve their goals. As far as my day-to-day living went, I was perfectly comfortable here and came to consider it as a second home. My room was clean and comfortable and the staff could not have been nicer. In addition, I really appreciated the support of all the teachers. They were so welcoming and kind that it truly cleared away my fears and culture shock. They often gave me advice and befriended me and I owe much to them for their warmth. I honestly feel that Shanti Bhavan is the most beautiful place on earth. It has love and learning, and I am very sad to be leaving. I am looking forward to my return to this newly found family as soon as possible. Thank you so much Miss Beena and Mrs. Law for all of your love and support. The experience that I worked with them will always come into my mind. This has been the greatest experience of my life. What does the author think of the students at Shanti Bhavan? A. Generous B. Clever C. Brave D. Funny Answer: B I grew up in Jamaica Plain, an urban community located on the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. In the 1940's it was a wholesome, specific little community. It was my home and I loved it there; back then I thought I would never leave. My best friend Rose and I used to collectively dream about raising a family of our own someday. We had it all planned out to live next door to one another. Our dream remained alive through grade school, high school, and even beyond. Rose was my maid of honor when I got married in 1953 to the love of my life, Dick. Even then she joked that she was just one perfect guy short of being married, thus bringing us closer to our dream. Meanwhile, Dick aspired to be an officer in the Marines and I fully supported his ambitions. I realized that he might be stationed far away from Jamaica Plain, but I told him I would relocate and adjust. The idea of experiencing new places together seemed somewhat romantic to me. So, in 1955, Dick was stationed in Alaska and we relocated. Rose was sad to see me leave, but wished me the best of luck. Rose and I remained in touch for a few years by regular phone call but after a while we lost track of one another. Back in the 1950's it was a lot more difficult to stay in touch with someone over a long distance, especially if you were relocating every few years. There were no email addresses or transferable phone number and directory lookup services were available at best. I thought of her several times over the years. Once in the mid 1960's ,when I was visiting the Greater Boston area, I tried to determine her whereabouts but my search turned up empty-handed. Jamaica Plain had changed drastically in the 10 years I was gone. A pretty obvious shift in income demographics was affecting my old neighborhood. My family had moved out of the area, as did many of the people I used to know. Rose was nowhere to be found. 52 years passed and we never spoke. I've since raised a family of five, all of whom now have families of their own, and Dick passed away a few years ago. Basically, a lifetime has passed. Now here I am at the doorstep to my 80th birthday and I receive a random phone call on an idle Wednesday afternoon. "Hello?" I said. "Hi Natalie, it's Rose," the voice on the other end replied. "It's been so long. I don't know if you remember me, but we used to be best friends in Jamaica Plain when we were kid" she said. We haven't seen each other yet, but we have spent countless hours on the phone catching up on 52 years of our lives. The interesting thing is that even after 52 years of separation our personalities and interests are still extremely similar. We both share a passion for several hobbies that we each picked up independently several years after we lost touch with one another. It almost feels like we are picking up right where we left off, which is really strange considering the circumstances. Her husband passed away a few years ago as well, but she mailed me several photographs of her family that were taken over the years. It's so crazy, just looking at the photos and listening to her describe her family reminds me of my own; a reasonably large, healthy family. Part of me feels like we led fairly similar lives. I don't think the numerous similarities between our two lives are a coincidence either. I think it shows that we didn't just call each other best friend we truly were best friend and even now we can be best friends again. Real friends have two things in common: a compatible personality and a strong-willed character. The compatible personality is what initiates the connection between two people and a strong-willed character at both ends is what maintains the connection. If those two ingredients are present in a friendship, the friendship is for real, and can thus sustain the tests of time and prolonged absence without faltering. Which was not the reason for their loss in touch? A. At that time ,there were no advanced communication methods B. The job of the writer's husband was changeable C. There were no such services for them to keep the same number when moving D. They hadn't written to each for a long time Answer: D Every year landslides {} cause 25 to 50 deaths and $1.5 billion in damage in the United States.They account for 15 percent of the deaths from natural disasters in Europe.And in December, a single event killed more than 200 people in the Philippines.Sending workers to stabilize mountainsides using steel bars and cement can help prevent disaster, but it introduces new difficulties.Shaking drills produce harmful dust and loosen heavy, dangerous debris ."It's quite a risky job," says Giorgio Pezzuto of D'Appolonia, an engineering company in Italy. D'Appolonia, working with eight other companies, may have an answer: a three-ton robot called Roboclimber."The idea is to operate a machine far away that can drill without a human being on board,'" says Pezzuto, manager for the project, which is supported by the European Commission.Engineers claim that the machine will be faster and cheaper than manual labor.The robot, a large radio-controlled four-legged mechanical spider , has cost at least $2 million so far.The final product should be able to climb unstable mountainsides, drill holes, insert bars and cement, and collect data on the slope' s stability.Testing should begin in May. What does the robot look like? A. A human being. B. A spider. C. A truck. D. A drill. Answer: B
Which of these involves the formation of a new chemical substance? Answer: In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition . Some value it highly , believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity . Others say that competition is bad ; that it sets one person against another ; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people . I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied on how well they performed at tennis and other skills . For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs. In their single-minded pursuit ( )of success , the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten . However ,while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed , others take an opposite attitude .In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players , they strongly blame competition . Among _ are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society . Teaching these young people . I often observe in them a desire to fail . They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success . By not trying , they always have an excuse : "I may have lost . but it doesn't matter because I really didn't try . "What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot . Such a loss would be a measure of their worth . Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves . Both are based on the mistaken belief that one's self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others . Both are afraid of not being valued . Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve can we discover a new meaning in competition . What does this passage mainly talk about ? Answer: How are a tree and grass alike? Answer: Second Life is a 3D online world in which computer users can create a new life and live a different life. Second Life is one of the most popular new online games. But unlike other games, Second Life is not about winning or losing. Second Life is technically a computer game. But people involved in it do not consider it a game because the players create everything. Second Life is more for socializing and creating communities. Users of Second Life are called residents( ). To take part, they must create an avatar, or an electronic image of themselves. Some avatars look like humans, while others look like animals or imaginary creatures. Inside the Second Life world, residents live in different versions of themselves. They build homes, run businesses, buy and sell things, work, play, and attend schools. They even have relationships and get married. Second Life was created in 2003 by Linden Lab in San Francisco, California. Linden Lab controls the website where the ever-changing world is being created. There are now about one million people around the world who are active to Second Life. The number has grown quickly since the beginning of the year when there were about one hundred thousand users. The average age of people involved with Second Life is about thirty. However, Linden Lab has recently created Teen Second Life for young users. Second Life has its own economy and its own money, called Linden dollars. Millions of dollars are made and spent each month in Second Life. Users can enter Second Life for free. But they must pay for a membership if they want to own land or buy and sell goods and services. Recently, several major companies have become involved with Second Life. They want to be part of the growing business world that exists within the made-up reality. Why do some big companies want to join in Second life? Answer: I was 20 years old when my mother passed away. It was the first real blow that life had dealt me, and I thought I would never recover. Then, by the time the following spring came, the pain was almost bearable and again I could find pleasure in the miraculous reward of nature. At first, I went to the cemetery with trepidation. But then, amazingly, by tending her grave and decorating it with flowers, I was ridding myself of the painful memories. The years passed. I moved from Kaposvar, Hungary, the town where I had been born and had spent my youth. So did my siblings. We only came together on feast days, especially on All Souls' Day in the cemetery. Father lived with me for many years, to a ripe old age. Now that he, too, rests beneath the white marble stone, I go even more eagerly to the cemetery. While I tend my parents' grave site, again I am with them in thought. One day I noticed a modest grave site behind my parents' plot. It lay among the magnificent granite and marble markers of the other graves, its very simplicity _ . Ivy had covered the site and its only decoration was a simple wooden cross on which was written in copper letters a name, and that she lived 22 years. Whenever I went by, the plot and its surroundings looked cared for and neat, and each time I felt curious about this mysterious woman who had lived all of 22 years. Once I saw an elderly man leaving from there. I concluded that perhaps he had come to visit his wife. In 1996 I was preparing for All Souls' Day in the cemetery when again I caught sight of him, tending the grave. Tall, somewhat bent, he was well passed middle age. We nodded to each other and continued our work. Occasionally I stole a glance at my neighbor. When I noticed that he hadn't got the tools for a proper cleanup, I offered him mine, which he gratefully accepted. After this, it seemed only natural to engage him in conversation. I asked him whose grave it was. This was his answer: "My mother's. She died young, in 1912 when I was only a year-and-a half old. I really never knew her. I made her that cross and the copper letters." Then he went on:"No one comes to visit this grave but me because I was her only child. She died of pneumonia. My father remarried and my stepmother only cared for her own children. So then I always came here to my mother, whether in sadness or in joy. Later, life took me far afield, but I never forgot this grave. For me it was the same as the family home is for others. I always came home here." "With the years passing, it is getting more difficult for me to come, but as long as my legs will carry me, at least twice a year I visit my mother. I'm in my 80s. so who knows how long I can still make it." In stunned silence I listened. Tears clouded my eyes as I realized that I had never seen such boundless love. How much easier is my lot, I thought, for at any moment I can reach into my storehouse of memories and draw out the joyful or sad vignettes that bind me to my parents with a thousand threads. What memories might this kindly old gentleman harbor? Perhaps a face from an ancient faded photograph of his mother. What a great attachment throughout his long life must have led him back again and again to the resting place of that young woman whose motherly love he could never truly savor , only forever feels its enormous lack. We said good-bye. I was deeply moved because I knew that I had been given a great gift. I had been allowed a glimpse of the royal and long-lasting affection that bound a simple and noble-hearted man to his mother. I decided I would tend the grave together with that of my parents, where, finally, the aged child will have met his youthful mother. The author stole a glance at her neighbor because _ . Answer:
Disposing of waste has been a problem since humans started producing it.As more and more people choose to live close together in cities,the waste-disposal problem becomes Increasingly difficult. During the eighteenth century,it was usual for several neighboring towns to get together to select a faraway spot as a dump site.Residents or trash haulers would transport household rubbish,rotted wood,and old possessions to the site.Periodically some of the trash was burned and the rest was buried.The unpleasant sights and smells caused no problem because nobody lived close by. Factories,mills,and other industrial sites also had waste to be disposed of.Those located on rivers often just dumped the unwanted remains into the water.Others built huge burners with chimneys to deal with the problem. Several facts make these choices unacceptable to modern society.The first problem is space Dumps,which are now called landfills,are most needed in heavily populated areas.Such areas rarely have empty land suitable for this purpose.Property is either too expensive or too close to residential neighborhoods.Long-distance trash hauling has been a common practice but once farm areas are refusing to accept rubbish from elsewhere,cheap land within trucking distance of major city areas is almost nonexistent. Awareness of pollution dangers has resulted in more strict rules of waste disposal. Pollution of rivers,ground water,land and air is a price people can no longer pay to get rid of waste. The amount of waste,however,continues to grow. Recycling efforts have become commonplace,and many towns require their people to take part.Even he most efficient recycling programs,however,can hope to deal with only about 50 Percent of a city's reusable waste. During the 18th century,people disposed their waste in many ways EXCEPT for _ . Answer: recycling it Nearly 300 miles long, up to 18 miles across and 4000 vertical feet down, the 8th new wonder: the splendid Grand Canyon . Viewing its glory, President Theodore Roosevelt called the Grand Canyon "a natural wonder, ly unparalleled throughout the rest of the world". He urged Americans to preserve what he described as the "wonderful greatness, the nobleness, the great loneliness and the beauty of the canyon". More than a hundred years later, it's still easy to see why almost 5 million annual visitors call the Grand Canyon a wonder. The canyon stretches as far as the eye can see. Some 5 or 6 million years ago, the Colorado River rushed through this land, carving out the massive canyon we see today, exposing even older layers of rock previously buried. Geologists say some are 2,000 million years old. Native Americans were the first people to make these rocky walls as their homes about 12,000 years ago. Today the Hualapi and Havasupai Indians live deep in the canyon, balancing age-old traditions with modernity. There are no roads to this village; mules carry the mail here. But at the same time, the tribes are designing a skywalk that promises an excellent view over the canyon early next year. The bald eagle, wild and endangered American icon is another longtime resident of the Grand Canyon. Which of the following statements about the bald eagle is NOT true according to the passage? Answer: The bald eagle is a kind of tame bird. When I was six years old, my mom told me that I could find anyone's number in the phone book. I used to look through the phone book for hours trying to find Michael Jordan's phone number. When I couldn't find it, I just dialed seven numbers. When someone answered, I'd ask, "Is that Michael Jordan?" Obviously, I always had the wrong number. A year later I started playing basketball at my local recreation center. It was very big. I never thought in my wildest dreams that a basketball court could be inside a building. The recreation center had a special smell in it, sort of like hot rubber. I guessed it was from the shoes hitting the floor so fast and hard. The atmosphere on the court was carefree. Our biggest excitement of the day was when we actually made a shot. We celebrated wins over ice cream at a fast food restaurant. I got good at it, and my confidence grew. I played it all the time until the sixth grade. As soon as junior high school came, I stopped playing basketball and focused on school. When senior high school started, I tried out for the school team and made it. We worked hard. Every week we did 300 push-ups and 300 sit-ups on our own. Our coach encouraged the sit-ups to keep stomach power, because it gave us so much control when we were playing basketball. If we didn't want to do the sit-ups and push-ups, we could practice dribbling and shooting more. It's just us, the ball, the court and the net. But don't take my word for it. See for yourself. After all, I'm just one kid playing the game. The author's coach encouraged them to do sit-ups because _ . Answer: it helps keep stomach power Mr. and Mrs. Jackson worked in the same workplace. The man was skillful and could make all kinds of parts and repair the machines. The boss liked him and paid him more than his workmates. But he had to give all his money to his wife and she bought the food, clothes and drinks for him. He was angry with her but couldn't say anything. All the men in the workplace were afraid of their wives and they felt sorry for each other. It was March 8 and all the women had a day off. The men could say all they wanted. They said they had to do all the housework at home but the women always spent much money on their clothes. And they didn't think it was fair that women had their own festival but they didn't. The more they said, the angrier they became. They decided to write a letter to the UN and advised them to rescind the" Women's Day". And they asked Mr. Jackson to do it. The man agreed and began to write it at a table. Just at that moment when Mr. Jackson finished it, his wife came in. She had left her key in the workplace and came to look for it. The man hurried to hide the letter. But it was too late. She made him hand it to her. Having read it, the woman returned the letter to him and said with a smile, "How can you post it to the UN if I don't supply you the money for buying a stamp?" Mrs. Jackson returned the letter to Mr. Jackson because _ . Answer: she thought he couldn't post it without any stamps We live in a very competitive world. Everybody seems to be competing with someone at some level. Each week we spend hours playing or watching others compete in sporting activities all over the world. We cannot help being impressed by the level of excellence that these people achieve. In sport and business, competition encourages excellence in performance. Where there is no competition, improvement in performance is less likely. Some level of competition is a have-to in all aspects of life. The following story makes this point. As two friends are hiking in the forest they come across a huge, ferocious and obviously hungry bear. Its next meal has just come into sight, and they are it! The first friend calculates that the bear will catch them in 27.3 seconds. At that point, she panics, realizing there is no escape. She faces her friend, with the fear of death in her eyes. To her amazement, she observes that her friend is not scared at all. On the contrary, her friend is quickly but calmly taking off her hiking boots and putting on running shoes. "What do you think you're doing?" the first hiker says to her companion. "You'll never be able to run faster than that bear". "That's true," says the companion, "but all I have to do is escape, faster than you." We all compete when the motivation is strong enough. However, competition is not the real purpose of life. Fulfilling the measure of our creation can only be achieved individually. Most of time, we are not in competition with any other person, so we do not have to compare ourselves with others. There is only one person that can fulfill our role and that is us. This means that others cannot beat us to the finish line because there is no race. This is not to say that others do not have a similar role to us, but it is never the same. This is important to understand if we are going to enjoy life. Every human being is unique and cannot be cloned. In this, I am not referring to the body, only to the spirit, soul, or the essence of a person. Why is the story of two friends told in the passage? Answer: To support the author's own argument on competition.
John is an American boy. His family is in China now. John likes chocolates very much. But his mother doesn't give him any. They are not good for him, she thinks. But John has a very nice grandfather. The old man loves him very much, and sometimes he buys John some chocolates. Then his mother lets John eat them. She wants to make the old man happy. One Sunday evening John says in his room, "Please, God. Make them give me a big box of chocolates tomorrow. It's my birthday." His mother says, "God can't hear you, my boy." "I know, but my grandfather is in the next room. He can hear." ,. Who often buys some chocolates for John? A. His grandfather. B. God. C. His mother. D. Himself . Answer: A. His grandfather. The Taj Mahal is a love story, a sad and beautiful one. If it didn't exist, we would easily imagine that the story of its construction was simply a fairy tale. Three hundred years ago, there lived an Indian emperor called Shah Jahan. His wife was a beautiful and bright woman whom he loved greatly. Her title was Mumtazl Mahan: its shortened form Taj Mahan, means "pride of the palace". In the year 1630 this beloved wife of the emperor died. He was so brokenhearted that he thought of giving up his throne. He decided out of his love for his wife, to build her the most beautiful tomb that had ever been seen. He summoned the best artists and architects from India, Turkey, Persia and Arabia and finally, the design was complete. It took more than twenty thousand men working over a period of 18 years to build the Taj Mahan, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The building itself stands on a marble platform 29 meters square and 6-7 meters high. Towers rise from each of the four corners. The Taj itself soars another 61 meters into the air. It is an eight-sided building made of white marble. The emperor planned to build an identical tomb of black marble for himself on the other side of the river connected by a silver bridge. However his son put him into a prison in the palace before he could finish, and for the rest of his life, he could only gaze across river at the tomb of his beloved wife. The emperor _ . A. died soon after Taj Mahan died B. was killed by his son C. was beloved by his people D. died after 1648 Answer: D. died after 1648 In Europe, many people make friends between their countries through town twinning. Town or city twinning means two towns in different countries agree and decide to become "twins" with a sister-city relationship. The people find pen friends in the twin town. They exchange newspapers and stamps. The school teachers discuss teaching methods with the teachers in the twin town. Officials visit the twin town for celebrations. Ordinary people travel to the twin town, too, but not very often if it is far away. Sometimes, schools even exchange their classes for two or three weeks! For example, German middle school students study for a while at the school in their twin town in Britain, staying with British families. A few months later, their British friends come to study in Germany. Many British towns are so pleased with the results of the twinning that they set out to find more than one twin town! Tonbridge, a small town in Kent, for example, has twin towns in both Germany and France. Richmond near London has relationships with Germany, France and even a town in a Balkan country! Town twinning can help make friends. It helps students improve their language skill, and also helps people to understand the differences between nations. Which is the best title for the passage? A. Town Twinning B. Friendly Towns C. Exchanging Teachers and Students D. Peace and Understanding Answer: A. Town Twinning Traveling to every part of the world gets easier, but how well do we know and understand each other. Here's a simple test. Imagine you are planning to hold a meeting at four o'clock. What time should you expect your foreign business friends to arrive? If they are Germans, they'll arrive on time. If they are Americans, they'll probably be 15 minutes early. If they are Englishmen, they'll be 15 minutes late, and you should allow up to an hour for the Italians. The British seemed to think since the English language was widely used in the world, people would always understand what they do. However, they found they were completely wrong. For example, the British are happy to have a business lunch and discuss business matters and have a drink during the meal. The Japanese prefer not to work while eating. Lunch is a time for them to relax and get to know each other and they don't drink at lunchtime. The Germans like to talk business before dinner. The French like to eat first and talk afterwards. They have to be well fed and watered before they discuss anything. By giving us the two examples, the writer means to show us that _ . A. different countries have different cultures in different parts of the world B. the Germans are more serious and have good living habits C. the Italians are careless people and they are never on time for everything D. the French people are very lazy. They prefer eating and drinking more Answer: A. different countries have different cultures in different parts of the world Sometimes birds A. dance to attract predators B. hide seeds from other birds by burying them C. hide seeds in hollow trees to eat during the winter D. cause the spread of plants by pooping hard objects found in fruit Answer: D. cause the spread of plants by pooping hard objects found in fruit
Radio, TV, film, and new video technology bring to mind visions of bright, exciting, high-paying careers. Many young people are attracted to wonder: Is there a place for me in the broadcast media field? People in the business warn that the road to a successful broadcast media career can be very rocky. They point out that getting started in the field is often difficult. To begin with, competition for most broadcast jobs can be fierce. Then, once on the job, the pressure is often big. Many jobs in broadcasting require long working hours, including nights and weekends. In most cases, the salaries are not very high. What can you do to prepare for a career in broadcast media? Getting some kind of broadcasting experience during high school or college can be extremely important. Because the field is so popular, many employers are in a position to select beginners with developed skills. You can start by becoming familiar with media while still in high school. If there is a media resource department in your school, volunteer to do anything. If there is no media department, take photos of games and social events. Work on the drama productions or write for the school newspaper. Many beginners in broadcasting start at small local radio or TV stations. Such stations are usually more willing than the networks to take on people with little or no experience. Here, you have a chance to be involved in many aspects of the broadcast industry and get trained on the job. A student who follows the advice in the article would _ . Answer: gain experience Mr. Smith is well known in Washington because of his many social blunders. He always likes to attend the various social functions because he wants to expand his circle of friends. Whenever he is invited, he goes, unless he is ill. Recently he received an invitation to a fashionable banquet. Although he did not know the hostess, he accepted the invitation. He was secretly very pleased, because he felt that his reputation as a desirable guest was growing. When he arrived at the banquet hall, he found that about one hundred people had been invited. He began to move a-round the hall. He spoke to other guests whether he knew them or not. He soon realized that he had never met any of the other people present, although they seemed to know each other. At dinner he was seated beside a very dignified woman. The woman tried to be friendly even though she had never met Mr. Smith before. She spoke politely whenever he spoke to her. Between the first and the second course of the meal, she, turned to Mr. Smith and said, "Do you see that gray-haired man at the end of the table? The one with glasses." "Ah, yes. Who is he?" "He's the Secretary of the Interior!" she replied. Mr. Smith said, "So that's the secretary of the Interior! I' m afraid that I find very little to admire about him, although he is the Secretary." The woman stiffened and did not reply. Mr. Smith continued in spite of her coldness. "I really can't see how he received his appointment unless he is perhaps a relative of the President." "It hardly matters whether you like the Secretary or not," she said. "He was chosen because the President thought he was the man for the job. If he does the job well, you should have no complaint." "That's just it," persisted Mr. Smith. "No one does the things he does, unless he is a complete fool!" "Sir!" said the woman in all her dignity. "Do you know who I am?" "No," replied Mr. Smith. "I am the Secretary's wife," she said coldly. Mr. Smith was shocked, but he went on in spite of his embarrassment. "Madam, do you know who I am?" "No, I don't," the woman replied. "Thank goodness!" exclaimed Mr. Smith, as he quickly left the table. Why is Mr. Smith well known in Washington? Answer: He always makes foolish mistakes on social occasions. Medical experts say most Americans do not get enough sleep. They say more Americans need to take a nap--that is to rest for a short time in the middle of the day. They give people advice to sleep lightly before continuing with other activities.The experts say naps might improve health by reducing pressure . Some western companies have supported the idea of napping for many years. They ask people to leave work, go home and have a nap before returning. In the United States, some companies let workers rest simply in their offices. They believe this can help workers make fewer mistakes and also increase the amount of work that a person can do. Sleep experts say it is likely that people make more mistakes at work than at other times. They say people should not carry out important tasks when they feel sleepy. And they say the best thing to do is to take a nap. About twenty minutes of rest is all you need. Experts say this provides extra energy and can increase your effects until the end of the day. But experts said that a nap should last no more than twenty to thirty minutes. A longer nap will put the body into deep sleep and waking up will be difficult. The best title of the passage is _ . Answer: taking a nap during the day Frank is my friend. His family is rich. His parents always give him lots of pocket money. But Frank thinks his parents work very hard and it's not easy for them, so he always tries his best to save money. He has some good ways to do it. Frank likes reading. He has lots of books. He tells me he often buys books online, because they're cheaper. And when he has free time, he often goes to bookstores or libraries to do some reading. Frank has a bike. He usually goes to school by bike instead of taking a bus. Sometimes when it rains or snows, he walks. These two ways help Frank keep healthy and save some money. Frank brings a bottle of water to school every day. When other students drink juice, he enjoys his water. He thinks water is the cheapest but the best drink. Some students think Frank is mean. But I don't think so. I think he is right. What do you think of him? What does Frank bring to school every day? Answer: Water. Four years ago my sweet mom went to be with her Lord.She did it her way. I got the call at work, and 1 headed home quickly.Mom and Dad lived on a small farm that they had owned since I was seven.I hated going there every weekend.There was nothing for a young girl to do but watch the one station on the old TV set, if the weather allowed reception. My mom, on the other hand, loved the peace and quiet of the land and loved to work in the garden among her flowers and vegetables.The place was rustic , with no indoor heat.We had a big wood stove in the kitchen that did its best to heat the little farmhouse, but it always seemed cold and too quiet to me. In the evenings, my mom and I would sit for hours singing in the little kitchen.I sang the melody and Mom larmonized.Her favorite song was "Moon River" and we sang it over and over. Momtold me stones about how when I was a little girl, I could sing before I could talk.She loved to tell how my playpen sat in the kitchen next to the radio and there was one song I particularly loved called "Ivory Tower". As time passed, I had my own children and went to visit them every week or two.The kids loved the farm and the tractor rides with my dad.But I still hated the silence of the farm.While my mom loved to sit at her kitchen table and look out at her garden and flowers and retell all the old stories, I missed the hustle and bustle of my life at home.But I sat there listening quietly as she . Now, I sat back in the silence and the silence was deafening so I finally leaned over to turn on an old radio.Music always comforted me, My heart skipped a beat."Moon River" was playing on the radio.I sat there, with a tear running down my cheek, as I listened to every familiar note. Then the radio announcer of this old station came on." Here's one we haven't heard in a while," and an unfamiliar song began.I began to cry harder as I heard the words sung over the airwaves."Come down; come down from your Ivory Tower..." The writer didn't like staying in the farm for the following reasons EXCEPT that _ . Answer: she could only sing one song in the small farm
HONG KONG,Sept .12,2005-Hong Kong Disneyland,the 11th theme park of Walt Disney Co.,opened here on Monday morning.Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong,Donald T&-mg Yam-kuen,chief executive of Hong Kong-Special Administrative Region(HKSAR),and Tung Chee-hwa,attended the opening. The Hong Kong Disneyland project, worth 3.5 billion US dollars,was jointly funded by Walt Disney Co.and the HKSAR government.Some 16, 000 people attended the opening.The park estimates that it will attract 5.6 million visitors in its opening year and is expected to draw up to 7.4 million annually after 15 years.About 40 percent of the visitors are expected to come from the mainland,Disney has said. Walt Disney officials claimed that choosing Hong Kong as the first place of China to build Disneyland bas three major reasons:Hong Kong people are wonderful,Hong Kong is a beautiful city and Hong Kong is the richest city in China* "Hong Kong Disneyland is the first Disney theme park that,. modeled so c1osrly to the first Disneyland in California,"Jay Rasulo,president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts,said.Hong Kong Disneyland is smaller than the other parks at only 121 hectaresa fact that Disney tries not to point out.Some of the thousands of guests who got a sneak peak at the park in the past month complained that it was too small,and Disney has plans to expand it. the project was announced in 1999 and construction began in 2003.Disney, other part are Tokyo,Paris and. the U.S. states of prefix = st1 /Californiaand Florida. The company confirmed that Disney had been talking to the government in Shanghai about opening a park that wouldn't open until at least 2010. According to this passage,which of the following statements is time? A Hong Kong Disneyland costs 3.5 billion yuan. B Maybe Walt Disney Co.will build a new Disneyland in Shanghai. C Hong Kong Disneyland will attract 5.6 million visitors every year. D Hong Kong Disneyland is the same as Disneyland in California. Answer: B Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy. After all, you probably sing or whistle when you are happy. Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy. However, they sing most of the time for a very different reason. Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory. Do you know what a 'territory' is? A territory is an area that an animal, usually the male, claims as its own. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same species are welcome. Your yard and house are your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger enter your territory and threaten you, you may shout. Probably this is enough to frighten him away. If so, you have actually scared the stranger away without having to fight him. A bird does the same thing. But he expects an outsider almost any time, especially at nesting season. So he is screaming all the time, whether he can see an outsider or not. This screaming is what we call a bird's song, and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away. Birds sing loudest in the spring when they are trying to attract a mate and warn others not to enter the territory of theirs. You can see that birds have a language of their own. Most of it has something to do with attracting mates and setting up territories. Some scientists believe that most of the time bird's singing is actually _ . A showing they are happy B a way of warning C showing they are angry D a way of greeting Answer: B There is more rain when the sky is A gray B red C blue D white Answer: A The most common problem that worries all of us today is the fear of insecurity. _ With every new turn of events our self-confidence takes a blow. _ There are several reasons that affect a person's self-confidence. The most important reason is lack of success. Not being able to succeed affects one's self-confidence greatly. This is when one begins to doubt his own ability. In many cases one's self-confidence is low when he feels rejected by society. For example, a person who loses his job _ other people for fear of being questioned about his work. However, this isn't right at all. One needs to think along positive lines in spite of failures. After all it is your life and you have every right to live your life as you wish. The challenge lies in not allowing your self-confidence to decrease. _ When success doesn't come to you, you should not allow your self-belief to be affected. Always keep in mind that success is sure to come in time. So, there is nothing wrong with your ability. Whenever lack of success causes you to doubt your ability, don't forget to remind yourself that quick success does not last long. Also remember not to compare yourself to others. These tips will do a world of good to your confidence. In order to be self-confident, you need to have a lifestyle that is right for you. Create one and live a life as you want to. Leave others to themselves. In the author's opinion, it's important that one _ . A should not forget his failures B should follow others' advice C should not lose heart D should believe life Answer: C David likes to eat in KFC. He often eats a chicken hamburger and French fries. Most people working in KFC know David very well. Sometimes they often ask him, "How many times do you eat chicken hamburgers and French fries a week?" David will answer, "Three times a week." "Why do you like KFC better?" They ask. "Because every time I can get a small toy car." People around him laugh and say, "Why don't you go to the toy store ? " "Because in the toy store they don't have KFC." Why do people working in KFC know David? A Because he often eats chicken hamburgers. B Because he often gets a toy car. C Because he often makes people laugh. D Because he often goes there. Answer: D
My name is Bill. I come from China. Now I am in Grade Eight. I have to get up very early in the morning , because my home is very far from the school. After breakfast, I take the subway to get to school. This term, I have a new subject . It's physics. I like it best. I think it is very easy and interesting. I have physics classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. They are all my favorite days. Mr.White is my physics teacher. He is now forty years old . Now he is in front of the blackboard. What's he doing now ? "Where is my physics book ? I am looking for it ." My deskmate , Mike , stands up and says , "Sir , it's in your hand ." We all laugh . Mr. White is very forgetful . ,. Bill gets to school _ every morning. You might have noticed that the cost of food has gone up.In fact the price of wheat and rice has nearly doubled in the past few years.It's thought that right now,850 million people--that's more than 10 times the population of the UK--are short of food because it's too expensive or there's not enough of it. The price of basic food such as wheat and corn has stayed the same for quite a long time,about 30 years.But as the world's population is getting bigger,there's more pressure to feed more people,plus there's less land and water to go round. Another reason is climate change.Droughts and floods make it hard to grow crops like rice and grain.The price of oil has gone up and that makes it more expensive for farmers to run their tractors and to transport the food they make.And lots of fields are being used to grow crops to make other things that can't be eaten--which is bad news for hungry people. The main losers are poor people who live in cities in poor countries,who are facing higher prices for food.Some people are doing well out of the food crisis though.Farmers in rich countries like the US,Canada and Australia are getting record prices for their harvests. World leaders are meeting in the Italian capital Rome to talk about the problem of rising food prices.Some countries are helping out with the cost of foods and international aid agencies have called for more money for food production in poor countries. What does the food crisis mean to farmers in Canada? Do you have any skiing equipment you are no longer need? A ski school in the far north of India could put it to good use. In March we published a photo story about the extraordinary Zsnskar region in northern India,which is cut off from the outside world for more than seven months of the year,and only accessible via a frozen river.We also included information about the limited use of skiing in the region and the recent creation of the Zanskar Ski School: "Despite the difficulties of travelling through the region when the snow comes,skiing hasn't traditionally been used as a means of transport by the locals,largely because trees don't grow here,so there is little in the way of raw materials from which to make skis.In 1995,a group of British scientists in the region noticed the lack of skis and one of them returned to set up the Zanskar Ski School in Padam.The school provides lessons for a small fee and rents skis to the local people.Among the benefits that the school hopes to bring are improved education--children often find it difficult to get to school through the deep snow--and the possibility of offering ski tours to tourists in the future.So far,more than 300 local people have received training,and local doctors and policemen regularly borrow skis." But,what we weren't able to include in the article is that the ski school is always on the look out for old skiing equipment--particularly of a size suitable for children--and,I thought.now the European ski season is drawing to a close,there might be a few of you out there who have some old equipment you'd like to see go to a good home.If that's the ease you can get in touch with the school via their website www.zanskarskischooL.org. What can be the best title for the text? Do you want to live a happier, less stressful life? Try laughing for no reason at all. That's how millions of people start their day at Laughter Clubs around the world and many doctors now think that having a good laugh might be one of the best ways to stay healthy. The first Laughter Club was started in Mumbai, India, in 1995 by Dr. Madan Kataria."Young children laugh about 300 times a day. Adults laugh between 7 and 15 times a day," says Dr. Kataria. "Everyone is naturally good at laughing -- it's the common language. We want people to feel happy with their lives." There are now more than 500 Laughter Clubs in India and over 1,300 in the world. Many doctors are also interested in the effects of laughter on our health. According to a 5-year study at the UCLA School of Medicine in California, with laughing there is less stress in the body. Laughter improves our health against illness by about 40%. So what happens at a Laughter Club? I went along to my nearest club in South London to find out. I was quite nervous at the beginning of the class, to be honest, I wasn't interested in laughing with a group of strangers, and I was worried about looking silly. Our laughter teacher told us to clap our hands and say "ho ho ho, ha ha ha" while looking at each other. However, our bodies can't tell the difference between real laughter and unreal laughter, so they still produce the same healthy effects. Surprisingly, it works! After ten minutes everybody in the room was laughing for real and some people just couldn't stop! At the end of the class I was surprised by how relaxed and comfortable I felt. So if you're under stress, then start laughing. You might be very pleased with the results. The first Laughter Club was started in _ . Which of these best defines communicable diseases?
You make decisions, year after year, never lasting for more than a few days ending up lost and in the same place you started. Allow me to suggest some tips that may help you stick to your decisions creating long- lasting positive change in your life. Telling other people about your plan can help in many ways. First, it is always easier to stick to a decision when you have other people supporting you. Your friends are less likely to tempt you with whatever it is you are trying to control if they know that you made a decision about it. Telling other people about your decision is also helpful in that it keeps us to the pressure on you to try and stick to you plan of action. Choose a measurable and specific decision. Instead of deciding to "look better" or "have a better relationship with so and so", choose a more definable decision. Deciding to "eat a vegetable every day" or "go out for coffee once a week with John" is much easier to track and assess than a general decision to "be a better person". Build a reward system. Connected to the last tip of choosing a measurable and specific decision is that when you do accomplish this specific behavior you decided to do, give yourself small rewards along the process. For example, for every week of healthy eating treat yourself with something special. Creative visual aids. A colleague of mine decided one year for his New Year's decision to be more frugal. He decided to try and save money by lowering his monthly bills. So he posted a copy of his highest electric bill by his heater so that every time he wanted to raise the temperature he would see the high electric bill reminding him to be more cautious about his energy consumption. Why does the writer advise telling your plan to other people? Sitting is art that isn't getting passed along. People these days feel as though they have to be doing something. If they are not working, they are jogging, or playing tennis or golf, or taking courses to improve their minds or bodies -or they are parked in front of the TV. Sitting in front of the TV isn't sitting - it's watching. People used to sit a lot. You would walk down the street or drive down the road, and there they would be, out on the doorsteps, sitting. You could go down to the store and sit on the bench out front in the summer or around the fire in the winter. There were sitting benches out in the town square. At the garage, there were straight-backed chairs. There among the oilcans and tries and spare parts, you could kick back and sit. Houses used to have sitting rooms, where the grown ups would go after Sunday dinner. Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Aunt Ruby would sit and digest the fried chicken and talk about Aunt Ethel's illness, and how well the minister did today. Outside, the children would play, and the afternoon would pass by in a comfortable haze . That sort of thing looks like doing nothing. A recharging battery doesn't look as if it's doing anything either. Sitting restores your soul if you want to enjoy a truly full life, don't just do something -sit there. What message does the author try to get through to us ? Imagine life without the Internet -- not being able to chat with your friends or look up information for your homework or research project. That is the reality for nearly two-thirds of our world's population, either because they cannot afford WiFi access or are located in remote, inaccessible areas. Now Google has decided to do something about that. Google's Project Loon will attempt to send balloons high up into our earth's atmosphere in 2015. Each balloon will be equipped with a mini computer and a WiFi radio that will send Internet signals over the places it is floating over. The network equipment on Google balloons will communicate with a special antenna attached to each user's home. These antennae are in turn connected to a local Internet Service Provider. Each balloon will also communicate with each other to hand over signals as one floats out of an area, and another floats in. The balloons are 15 meters wide and made of a material that is three times thicker than the plastic bag at the supermarket. This helps them defend themselves against cold temperatures and changing air pressure. Google balloons will circle the earth at a height of 20 kilometers-- in a layer of our atmosphere known as the stratosphere . This is higher than the altitude at which planes fly. Once the balloons reach the desired altitude after being released from the earth, they will ride on air currents. What keeps these balloons from flying away? They will be controlled by people at the Project Loon command center. A pump operating on solar power will fill the balloon with gas to raise it or let gas out to lower it, based on instructions. This allows the balloon to float on different air currents which are moving either clockwise or anti-clockwise. There is no doubt that this technology can bring education to many children, weather information to farmers, and communication to natural disaster areas. However, one big question remains -- will some countries be comfortable with balloons above their heads? There could be concerns about spying and other problems. What would be the best title for the text? When we talk about intelligence,we do not mean the ability to get a good score on a certain kind of test,or even the ability to do well in school. These are at best only indicators of something larger,deeper,and far more important. By intelligence we mean a style of life,a way of behaving in various situations. The true test of intelligence is not how much we know to do,but how we behave when we don't know what to do. The intelligent person,young or old,meeting a new situation or problem,opens himself up to it. He tries to take in with mind and senses everything he can about it. He thinks about it,instead of about himself or what it might cause to happen to him. He grapples with it ly,imaginatively,resourcefully ,and if not confidently,at least hopefully;if he fails to master it,he looks without fear or shame at his mistakes and learns what he can from them. This is intelligence. Clearly its roots lie in a certain feeling about life,and one's self with respect to life. Just as clearly,unintelligence is not what most psychologists seem to suppose,the same thing as intelligence,only less of it. It is an entirely different set of attitudes. Years of watching and comparing bright children with the not-bright,or less bright,have shown that they are very different kinds of people. The bright child is curious about life and reality,eager to get in touch with it,embrace it,unite himself with it. There is no wall,no barrier,between himself and life. On the other hand,the dull child is far less curious,far less interested in what goes on and what is real,more inclined to live in a world of fantasy. The bright child likes to experiment,to try things out. He lives by the maxim that there is more than one way to skin a cat. If he can't do something one way,he'll try another. The dull child is usually afraid to try at a11. It takes a great deal of urging to get him to try even once;if that try fails,he is through. Nobody starts off stupid. Hardly an adult in a thousand,or ten thousand,could in any three years of his life learn as much. Grow as much in his understanding of the world around him,as every infant learns and grows in his first three years. But what happens,as we grow older,to this extraordinary capacity for learning and intellectual growth?What happens is that it is destroyed,and more than by any other one thing,it is destroyed by the process that we misname education--a process that goes on in most homes and schools. The writer believes that "unintelligence" is_. Such chronic diseases as heart disease, stroke, cancer and lung disorders are the most leading causes of death in the world. Yet health experts say these conditions are often the most preventable. The World Health Organization (WHO) points out chronic diseases lead to about 17 million early deaths each year. The United Nations (UN) agency expects more than 380 million people to die of chronic diseases by 2015. About 80% of the deaths will happen in developing nations. Chronic diseases now cause two-thirds of all deaths in the Asia-Pacific area. In ten years it could be almost three-fourths. People are getting sick in their most economically productive years. In fact, chronic diseases are killing more middle-aged people in poorer countries than in richer ones. The WHO estimates that chronic diseases will cost China alone more than 500,000 million dollars in the next ten years. That estimate represents the costs of medical treatment and lost productivity. Russia and India are also expected to face huge economic losses. According to a WHO report, deaths from chronic diseases have increased largely as the result of economic gains in many countries. Until recently infectious and parasitic diseases have been the main killers in Asia and the Pacific but they are no longer the major cause of death in most countries. As many as 80% of the deaths from chronic diseases could be prevented, health officials say. An important tool for governments is to limit the marketing of alcohol and tobacco to young people. Also, more programs are needed to urge healthy eating and more physical activity. The UN aims to reduce chronic-disease deaths by 2% each year by international action through 2015, that's to say, 36 million lives could be saved, including 25 million in Asia and the Pacific. According to the passage, chronic diseases _ .
In 1865, a creative engineer, John Roebling, decided to build a bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However, bridge experts throughout the world thought that this was impossible and told Roebling to forget the idea. However, Roebling thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington that the bridge in fact could be built. With great excitement and inspiration, and great hardships before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge in 1869. 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. prefix = st1 /Washingtonwas injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move. In spite of his handicap,Washingtonwas never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever. Now all he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By touching his wife's arm with that finger, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife. For 13 years Washingtontapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, telling the engineers what to do, until the bridge was finally completed. As a result of an accident, Washingtonlost the following abilities EXCEPT _ A speaking B walking C writing D thinking Answer: D Traveling by train is usually not easy in China. It can be hard to get a ticket. When you're traveling to the railway station, you look at your watch, for you are afraid you will miss your train. But there is good news for people traveling between Beijing and Shanghai. Construction on the express railway between the two cities started just before the Spring Festival of 2008. When it is finished by 2013, taking a train will be as easy as taking a bus. "There will be trains every several minutes. Buying a ticket, getting through the checkpoint and taking your seat, will take just 10 minutes," said an engineer. There may be high-speed trains running at 350 kilometers an hour. The travel time between the two cities will _ from 10 to about 5 hours. The trains will carry twice the present number of passengers. The new line will be 1,318 kilometers long and go across specially built bridges. It will run along side the present line. There will be 21 stations in Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Anhui and Jiangsu. "The cost of traveling by the express railway may be around 800 yuan. That will be more expensive than an ordinary train, but cheaper than by air." Said Zhang Xiaoling, a Jiangsu government official. According to Zhang, the higher price is caused by the large cost of the railway project. At about 200 billion yuan, the project may be even more expensive than the Three Gorges Project . What can be the best title of the passage? A An enormous project. B Train tickets will get more expensive C Specially built bridges D Beijing--Shanghai express railway Answer: D Welcome to Franklin Hotel! We will make your stay here as enjoyable as possible. We hope we will give you the best service. Room Service: You can use the service 24 hours a day. Dining Room: You can have three meals a day in the dining room. Breakfast is from 8:00 to 9:30. Also the room waiter may bring breakfast to your room at any time after 7:00. If you need, please fill in a card and hang it outside your room before 6:00. Lunch is from 12:00 to 14:00. Dinner is from 18:30 to 20:30. Telephone: There is a telephone in your room. Dial "0" before you make a call. We will tell you to wait a moment if the lines are busy. Shop: The hotel shop is open from 9:00 to 17:30. Coffee House: You can drink coffee here at the following times: 12:00 to 14:00, 20:00 to 23:30. Other services: There is a cinema in the hotel. A film begins at 19:00 on Sundays and Wednesdays. Hot water is offered 24 hours. If you want to have a two-hour business talk in the coffee house, what time may you go there? A 10:00 B 11:30 C 12:00 D 13:00 Answer: C USA Today Subscription Options: 2 months (43 issues)$50. 00 6 months (130 issues)$152. 00 1 year (260 issues)$275. 00 Shipping is always free. Giving a gift? Add the magazine to your cart, and on the next page check the box marked "this will be a gift". You can also find this option if you enter "edit your shopping cart". Enter your gift receiver's address during the checkout process. After placing your order, look for the "Send Magazine Gift Notification" on the order confirmation page, or go directly to the Magazine Subscription Manager. In Magazine Subscription Manager, you'll see gift notification options to the right of each magazine you've bought. You can schedule a gift email or print a gift note. Product Description USA Today" provides you with daily information of the top News, Money, Sports and Life news across the country and around the world with fair and honest reports, powerful pictures, and a quick, simple format. The Nation's NO.1 newspaper keeps you knowing a thing or two with news influencing your life. Privacy &Security In order to complete the deal, we will share the name, billing and shipping address and other order information about your purchase with the publisher or magazine seller. Your name and address will also be shared with a circulation-auditing organization. We may share your email with the publisher, but you can know how it will be used in Subscription Manager. We will not share your credit card information. What should people do first if they want to get a gift? A Send an email or print a note. B Enter "edit your shopping cart". C Enter the gift giver's address. D Add the magazine to their cart. Answer: D In the US, elementary and middle schools are advised to give students two and a half hours of physical activity a week. That is what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association recommend. They say high schools should provide about four hours of physical activity each week. Yet many schools across the country have reduced their physical education programs. Criticism of the cuts has led in some places to efforts to give students more time for exercise, not less. The future health of Americans may depend on it. A study reports that life expectancy has fallen or is no longer increasing in some parts of the United States. The situation is worst among poor people in the southern states, and especially women. Public health researchers say it is largely the result of increases in obesity,smoking and high blood pressure. They also blame differences in health services around the country. In 2006, a study found that only 4% of elementary schools provided daily physical education all year for all grades. This was true of 8% of middle schools and 2% of high schools. The study also found that 22% of all schools did not require students to take any P. E. One problem for P. E. teachers is that schools are under pressure to put more time into academic subjects. Also, parents may agree that children need exercise in school. Yet many parents today still have bad memories of being chosen last for teams because teachers favored the good athletes in class. But experts say P. E. classes have changed. They say the goal has moved away from competition to personal performance, as a way to build a lifetime of activity. These days, teachers often lead activities like weight training and yoga. Some parents like the idea of avoiding competitive sports in P. E. class. Yet others surely dislike that idea. _ . The best title of the passage is _ . A Physical education aims for active lives B The future health of Americans C 22% of all schools in the US don't require students to take any P. E. D Avoid competitive sports in P. E. Answer: A
Have you ever walked outside thinking it was one temperature but quickly discovered it felt colder? That is because of the "wind chill" effect. Wind chill is how cold people and animals feel when they are outside, not the actual temperature on the thermometer . It is based on how quickly your body loses heat when it is exposed to wind and cold. When the wind is strong, your body quickly loses heat, making the temperature of your skin drop. When scientists first started calculating wind chill, they used research conducted in 1945 by explorers to Antarctica who measured how quickly water froze outside. But water freezes faster than exposed skin, so the wind chill index based on that data wasn't accurate. In 2001, the US government began to measure wind chill more precisely by testing how quickly people's skin froze. Twelve volunteers were placed in a chilled wind tunnel. Equipment was stuck to their faces to measure the heat flow from their cheeks, forehead, nose and chin while they walked three miles per hour on a treadmill . The experiment revealed how quickly exposed skin can be damaged, particularly unprotected areas like your fingers, toes, the tip of your nose and your ear lobes. In fact, 40 percent of your body heat can be lost through your head! Signs you might have frostbite are when the skin turns white or pale and you lose feeling in that area. The information collected from the volunteers helped scientists work out the math to compute wind chill. It involves wind speed and air temperature. If, for example, the temperature outside is zero degrees Fahrenheit and the wind is blowing at 15 miles per hour, the wind chill is calculated at 19 degrees below zero. At that wind chill temperature, exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes. You can find a calculation table at www.nws.noaa.gov/om/windchill/index.shtml. Experts advise in cold weather that you wear loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing, worn on top of each other. Air caught between the clothes will keep you warm. The best cold-weather coats have head coverings made of woven material that keep out water. So next time the temperature drops and you want to play outside, listen to your parents when they tell you to wrap up warm! What factors influence wind chill? Women turn to online shopping Women have jumped ahead of men for the first time in using the Internet to do their holiday shopping, according to a study published last week in the US. For years men have been more likely to shop on the Internet than women, but during the 2004 holiday season, 58 percent of those making online purchases were women. "It shows how mainstream the Internet is becoming," said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project group, which carried out the study. Rainie said it was only a matter of time before women shoppers caught up with men. This is because women traditionally make decisions about spending. Users were more likely to shop online to save time. Internet users between the ages 18 and 29 were responsible for some of the most dramatic increase in the online gift-buying population this time around. However, three- quarters of the US Internet users did not buy holiday gifts online in 2004. They worried about credit card security, or just compared online prices with off-line prices, then dashed off to the shops to get the best deals. " But even if shoppers don't buy online , websites are becoming promotion tools for stores," said Dan Hess, vice president of ComScore Networks Inc. Hess said that actually most stores' websites can make customers fully believe the security of their credit card numbers. And most are able to ensure that gifts arrive on time. " It's all about making the shopping experience more efficient, more reliable and more comfortable." Hess said. What can we know from the passage? Jon woke up knowing that today was finally the day. It was his birthday! He had been waiting for this day all year long. He was super excited to get all his presents and hoped he finally got the basketball he wanted. As he ran outside, he saw his parents weren't even awake yet! He looked at the clock and it was still only six in the morning. He tried to wake up his parents, but they told him to go back to sleep. Jon went back to his bed and laid there until it was finally time to open presents. His parents were brushing their teeth and taking a shower, so Jon waited outside where the presents were. He saw that he had three gifts from his parents waiting for him. He had really hoped there was a basketball. The first gift he opened was a new pair of pants his mom had bought for him. The second gift he opened was a picture of his favorite basketball player to hang on his wall. Jon was starting to feel nervous as there was only one gift left! He wished and wished with all his might for a basketball. The last box was a square shape. If it was a basketball, surely it would have been round! He opened the box and saw that it really was a basketball! His parents had put it in a box so it wouldn't be clear. He was so happy he hugged his parents and told them thank you. His parents brought the cake out and he ate cake, holding on to his basketball the whole time. There was pizza and ice cream and chips, but Jon was too full and wanted to play with his new ball right away! What did Jon do after he got his basketball In 1918, after four years of war which had left millions of people dead, the people alive began to look for a better and happier world. The cinema supplied an answer. For little money, people could forget their unhappy lives and dream of better ones. In the years between 1918 and 1939, going to the cinema became the most popular family free-time activity. Hollywood in America, made more films than any other film center in the world. The warm climate and long hours of sunlight meant that film-making was easy and quite cheap. This was also a rich part of America and there were many businessmen who wanted to make money from the film industry. At first short cowboy films were popular because they added excitement and adventure to people's lives. Later comedy films were made so that people could laugh and forget their troubles. Charlie Chaplin was probably the most liked of all comedy actors. Cinema became the most popular in people's free time because _ . My wife and I spent two weeks in London last year. We went there in the autumn. We think it is the best season to visit England. The weather is usually good and there aren't too many tourists in October. We stayed in a small hotel in the West End. It was convenient as we did most of our sightseeing on foot. Taxis were too expensive, we couldn't understand the bus routes, and my wife didn't like traveling under the ground. She said it made her feel sick. We went to look at the places which all tourists visit. We saw Buckingham Palace. We went shopping in Oxford Street and spent too much money. What we liked most, though, was going to the theatre. We didn't have the chance to see such wonderful plays at home. A lot of people say English food is bad. We didn't think so. It is true that most of the restaurants are French or Italian or Chinese, but we had some very good meals. In fact, we enjoyed our holiday so much that we have already booked again for this year. We are going to take our umbrellas, though. I'm sure we'll need them sometimes. Generally speaking, the couple _ the trip to London.
What is a unit for measuring heat energy? A. kg B. m C. s D. F Answer: D Uncle Wang works in a book shop in the middle of the city. The shop is not far from his home. It is about one kilometer away. So Uncle Wang seldom goes to work by bus. He usually goes bike there by bike, sometimes on foot .It takes him twenty minutes to get there by bike and forty minutes on foot. Today his bike is broken. He wants to walk there. Now he is having breakfast. He leaves home at 7:50 and he walks to work twenty minutes earlier. His work starts at 8:30 in the morning and finishes at 4:45 in the afternoon. Where is the book shop ? A. In the middle of the city . B. In a town . C. Far from his home . D. We don't know . Answer: A Which creature would be safest from predators in its natural underground habitat? A. moles B. lizards C. eagles D. sardines Answer: A Can we make animals work for us? Some scientists think that one day we can teach animals to do a lot of things for people. They say that in a film or on TV you may see elephants, monkeys, dogs or some other animals doing a lot of things. If you watch carefully, you may find those animals are always given a little food to eat after they have done something. Scientists say that people can teach many different animals to do some easy work if they know they will get something to eat. We all know elephants can carry large logs and dogs can look after houses. And we can even teach animals to work in factories. In America, for example, people use apes to help make cars. Scientists think that those big monkeys may, one day, drive trains. Now people are trying to let them do something just like man. We can use dogs to _ . A. drive trains B. help make cars C. keep the houses safe D. carry logs Answer: C 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. " Test anxiety has been recognized as _ . A. an excuse for laziness B. the result of poor study habits C. a real problem D. something that cannot be changed Answer: C
Convenient location 5 minutes from Washington ,D.C. and one block to Crystal City Metro, Crystal City Underground. Alexandria. Free Parking, free Deluxe Continental breakfast and complimentary Hotel Shuttle Service to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. 14000 Jefferson Davis Hwy(endurance on S. Eads St.) Phone (703) 979-3722 DAYS INN ARLINGTON Days Inn Arlington is located two miles from the Pentagon ,Lincoln Memorial .There is a restaurant which serves American style food ,plus two meeting rooms and an outdoor pool. Complimentary shuttle service runs to the Rosslyn Metro Station. Complimentary parking is available on the property .An experienced staff welcomes our guests. Phone(703)525-0300 THE HIGHLANDER MOTOR INN Comfortable rooms at moderate prices. Convenient location only minutes away from Washington area attraction. Near VA Square Metro Station and Ballston Commons Shopping Centre. Free continental breakfast, free parking. Phone(703)524-4300 HYATT REGENCY CRYSTAL CITY Conveniently located next to Washington National Airport and two miles from Washington D.C. Complimentary Shuttle to and from National Airport, metro, local restaurants and shopping .Experience a view to remember at our rooftop restaurants "Chesapeake Grill". Call for Reservations. Phone(073)418-12341 Which hotel is close to airports? A. Days Inn Arlington B. Hyatt Regency Crystal City C. The Highlander Motor Inn D. Americana Hotel Crystal City Answer: B This site contains 100 original short stories about life in America. These stories are written for ESL(English as a second language ) learners who are, at least, high beginners. We want to help ESL students learn English as quickly and effortlessly as possible. Learning should be interesting, not boring. We hope that learners will find that these stories are of some help to improve their English. The stories have interesting topics and are easy to understand. Each story comes with an audio narrative so that learners can listen as they read. The audio requires downloading the free Real Player. Each story contains a search for pictures, definitions, and pronunciation." Following each story are four sets of exercises, and each containing 10 items. Exercise A is "Yes / No Questions". The learner is asked questions like, "Does Sara have children?" The learner can then type in, "Yes, she does." Then the learner can check whether it's the right answer or not. Exercise B is "Wh-Questions". The learner is asked questions like, "Where does Sara live?" The learner can then type in, "She lives in Pasadena." Then the learner can check his answer. Exercise C is "Ask Questions". The learner is given an answer like, "They have two children." The learner must then type in a question like, "How many children do they have?"The learner can then check to see whether he is correct or not. Exercise D is "Dictation". The learner listens to a sentence. Most of the sentences duplicate the sentences in the stories. The learner types the dictation and then checks to see whether he is correct or not. Work on the site is in progress. Help us make it better as the years go by. We welcome all comments, suggestions, complaints, new ideas, and questions. Click here to send us emails. Where does this passage come from? A. A newspaper. B. A magazine. C. A website. D. A research report. Answer: C Music notes fly through my ears. Soft sounds float in the air, as if they are floating on water. Music is like a paintbrush, painting sounds in the sky. A warm sun shining bright, clouds drifting far away in the night, to the sounds of music. Music is nature's friend, as one paints our earth, and the other fills our hearts. What may be the best title for this poem? A. Painting B. Music C. Sunshine D. Warmhearted Answer: B Now let's look ourselves as a species in relation to ecosystem balance.Modern scientists believe that humankind, like other animals, evolved through millions of years of changes and adaptations to the environment and that our most direct evolutionary ancestor was probably an earlier species of the primate(monkey, ape) group. Despite this similarity with other creatures, however, the evolution of humankind differs from that of other species in one important and unique way. In other species, evolution has led to specialization, both in the species abilities and in its place within the environmental structure. For example, the giraffe is much adapted to feeding on treetops, but it is also specialized and thus limited to feeding on trees and shrubs. Only with great difficulty can it bend down to graze on the ground. Similarly, the anteater is extremely well adapted to eating ants but is unable to catch or eat other animals. The same is true for countless other species. For humankind it is opposite. Our evolution had led to a very generalized ability. Our highly developed intelligence and ability to make and handle tools mean that we can do almost anything. Humans evolved in such a way that we are able to move into every environment on Earth and even into space. No natural competitor offers great resistance, and other natural enemies such as disease have been controlled. Said another way, we see in humankind a great imbalance between biological potential and environmental resistance. The result is the rapidly increasing world population, frequently referred to as the population explosion. Further, to support our growing population, natural ecosystems are being increasingly displaced by human habitations, agriculture, and other human supporting activities. According to the author, imbalance between biological potential and environ mental resistance has resulted in _ . A. the population explosion B. the destruction of human habitations C. the growth of natural ecosystem D. the specialization of humans Answer: A On warm summer days with little or no wind, the air temperature in cities can be up to ten degrees higher than that of the surrounding countryside. This is a phenomenon commonly referred to as the "urban heat island" effect. This phenomenon happens when pavement, buildings, and other infrastructure replace natural land cover. _ Unlike soil, paved areas contribute to runoff, which means that as paved areas increase, the amount of water available for evaporation decreases. Moreover, urban areas have fewer trees and less natural vegetation which help to control the heat by providing shade and blocking solar radiation. The surfaces of leaves also provide water for evaporation which cools the air, further worsening the heat island effect. In particular, during summer, more energy is required to cool the insides of building and for refrigeration, thereby creating additional heat output. This in turn leads to higher ambient air temperatures, which can also significantly increase the formation of urban smog in an area, _ local air quality. Such a situation may directly affect public health with individuals more likely to suffer from heat exhaustion and the effects of asthma . Which of the following is not a cause of the urban heat island effect? A. The lack of trees B. The demand for refrigeration C. The blocking of solar radiation D. The construction of infrastructure. Answer: C
Newspapers are very important in our daily life. Many people begin their day by reading the paper. In this way they learn what is going on in the world. Sometimes, however, they didn't have the time to read the news carefully and must be pleased with a quick look at the front page. At other times they may be in such a hurry that they have time only to have a quick look at the headlines . There are newspapers to please every reader. In big cities there are many types with several different editions every day. In some towns there are fewer newspapers and perhaps only one edition each day. In some places the paper is printed weekly. Most papers have several editions , especially on Sundays when the edition is larger than usual. There are, besides the front page with the most important news, the sports news, the amusement page, a business page and so on. Reading the headlines, people can know _ . Answer: what the passages are about In the modern world more and more people meet the problem of identity.The most interesting example is that of a so - called " _ ", which refers to an American who has an Asian face but holds Western values. In Shanghai, there now live a group of people from abroad.They look no different from the locals and speak fluent Chinese or even Shanghai dialect, but when it comes to writing Chinese characters, they are almost illiterate .Jack is such an example.He never learned to read or write Chinese characters, which he finds mysterious and difficult.From time to time, he files to the US as he does not feel Shanghai is where he comes from."But when I am in the States, I feel that's not my home either," he said. At De Gaulle Airport in France, there is a Swiss man who has been living in the waiting - room for a long time because he lost h is passport during his travels.He was refused entry into several countries.But when he was eventually allowed to return to Swizerland, he refused to leave the airport.His reason was very simple--"I am sure who I am.I need no acknowledgement from others," he said during an interview.For th is reason he was honored by the Western media as "the Hero of identity." As the Internet becomes more and more popular, the problem of identity becomes more serious.In a virtual world, people can have different addresses registered with different names.In the Internet chat room, even one's gender is hard to determine.It seems that in the glohal village, people are saying hello every day to each other without knowing whom they are talking to. What will be the next crisis of identity? With the development of cloning technology, it might be: who is the real "I"? What does the passage mainly talk about? Answer: The crisis of identity. Cheerleaders arc part of athletic competitions throughout the United States. As their name says they lead the crowd in cheering for the team it likes best. About five years ago. cheerleaders were considered to be simply entertainers. Today there is much more Cheerleading in America which has become another form of athletic competition. Cheerleaders today are expected to be gymnasts and dancers. They 'are expected to be quick and strong. Many . cheerleaders are better athletes than the boys and girls on sports teams. High school cheerleading especially has become more difficult. The students must be in top physical shape. They must be able to jump high, turn circles in the air and lift each other. Teachers say this is the result of the influence of college cheerleaders. High school students watch college football and basketball games on TV. They see how the cheerleaders throw each other into the air and perform difficult athletic movements. They want to do the same thing. There is one big difference between the two groups. however. College cheerleaders in America are young men and women. The men do most of the lifting. At most high schools only girls are cheerleaders. It's very difficult for them to hold others on their shoulders and throw them into the air. There are a number of ways high school cheerleaders are improving their skills. They are exercising and lifting weights to increase their strength. And they are attending camps during the summer holidays to learn new techniques. Cheerleaders test their skills by taking part in competitions against cheerleaders from other schools. just like other athletes. Coaches at some high schools say this new kind of athletic cheer leading has caused some problems . They say girls who were soccer and basketball players are now competing for places on a cheer leading team. As more girls attempt to become cheerleaders, sports teams suffer from a lack of good players. What is the main idea of this passage? Answer: What makes good cheerleaders and how they work. BEIJING -- The launch of a new manned space mission brings China closer to the establishment of a permanent space station, international experts say. Chinese taikonauts, Jing Haipeng, 50, and Chen Dong, 37, were _ into space onboard Shenzhou-11 at 7:30 am Monday and will spend 30 days in the Chinese space laboratory Tiangong-2.The launch marks a key step toward China's plan to eventually operate a permanent space station. The successful launch of the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft is another step forward to put China among leading players in space technology, said Alexander Zheleznyakov, a Russian expert on history of space flights. China's experimental space lab will help provide solutions for spacecraft of different functions to approach and anchor, and for a long-term operation of life support system, said Zheleznyakov. Shenzhou-11 is scheduled to anchor on Wednesday with Tiangong-2, which is part of China's plan to build a permanent space station by 2022. China can now test technologies for cargo spacecraft anchoring, life support system operation and water recycling to ensure a long-term continuous operation of its space station in the future with less dependence on renewal from the Earth, he said. If all goes well, China will launch the unpiloted Tianzhou-1 cargo ship next spring to autonomously tie up with Tiangong-2. Tianzhou-1 will be capable of automatically transferring rocket fuels, a vital requirement for space station grouping and maintenance, according to a report by Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). "That will further their anchoring abilities needed for the larger space station," Johnson Freese was quoted." Tiangong-2 is supposed to be able to stay in orbit for two years or longer, so that's taking them (Chinese) really close to 2019 or so. I think this will be their last big technology test phase before going to their large space station," said Freese. Which of the following is designed to automatically transfer rocket fuels? Answer: Tianzhou-1. An astronomer is making a case for launching pop singer Justin Bieber into suborbital space aboard a private rocket ship. The idea is not to rid the world of the Canadian teenager -- he would come back down to Earth eventually, after all -- but rather to help jump-start the emerging suborbital spaceflight industry. It would generate a lot of public interest, which would help commercial spaceflight pick up some much-needed momentum, said Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute in Mountain View, California. "If there's more interest, there are more customers. If there are more customers, there's more technical development. It's a positive feedback loop, and obviously that's good." Such missions would return to Earth without completing a full lap around the planet. Instead, the flights would hit the edge of space about 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth, experience a few minutes of weightlessness, then re-enter the atmosphere and land back at a spaceport. None of these firms are ready to fly customers yet, but some are getting close. For instance, Virgin Galactic hopes to begin powered test flights of its SpaceShipTwo vehicle later this year, with commercial operations perhaps beginning in 2013 or 2014. It is SpaceShipTwo that reportedly grabbed the attention of Beyonce and Jay-Z. Virgin Galactic has collected deposits from nearly 500 customers willing to pay $200,000 for a ride aboard SpaceShipTwo, and both Virgin and XCOR have inked deals to fly scientists and their experiments on research flights. So a suborbital market already exists -- but Shostak is thinking about ways to make it grow. A celebrity launch isn't Shostak's only idea. Suborbital firms should also promote their activities aggressively via social media, Shostak said, and they should make sure their spaceships are bristling with cameras both inside and out, to give the public dramatic views of every mission. Some observers view commercial suborbital spaceflight as a potentially transformative industry, saying it could serve as a stepping stone to the exploration and exploitation of space on an unprecedented scale. While the industry's success is far from assured, Shostak offered some reason for optimism: The American public remains keen on space. What can we infer from the text? Answer: The space trip is still in preparation.
Question: Almost 80% of the Americans have stated their opposition to cloning pet animals such as cats and dogs, yet companies still try to make a business out of selling cloned pets. Pet cloning has been promoted as a way to "bring back" or "copy" a beloved companion animal. However, studies have shown that cloning remains an experimental technology with many failures. Behind each lovely picture of a cloned cat or dog lie hundreds of animals that were kept in lab cages, receiving bad treatment to produce just that one cloned animal. For all that, you end up with a cloned animal who is unlikely to appear like the original physically or behaviorally and may experience serious health problems. Also, while pet cloning companies are charging customers up to $150,000 for a cloned pet, millions of homeless animals of the same species are available in US animal shelters for around $100. Unfortunately, most of these animals are killed for lack of adopting homes. With No Pet Cloning campaign, the American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS) tries to protect both animals and people from harm. They campaigned until the US companies that sold cloned animals closed their doors. First it was Genetic Savings & Clone Inc. and then it was BioArts International. When BioArts was closed, its owner, Lou Hawthorne, finally had to _ the problems of pet cloning. According to Hawthorne, he has seen numerous failures during his pet cloning attempts, "One clone----which was supposed to be black and white----was born greenish-yellow where it should have been white (we still have no good explanation for how that happened)." The AAVS is educating the public about the animal suffering and is seeking regulation of cloning activities. They will continue to take the lead in protecting animals from the threats of pet cloning. According to the passage, companies keep on selling cloned pets to _ . A. carry on scientific studies B. get economic interests C. protect pet animals D. comfort animal lovers Answer: B Question: People express their personalities in their clothes, their cars, and their homes. Our diets can also show our personalities because we might choose certain food to tell people something about us. For example, some people mainly enjoy high quality food, such as caviar and lobster , and they eat only in expensive restaurants - never in cafeterias or bars. They know about the "better things in life". Some people choose not to eat meat. Vegetarians often have more in common than just their diet. Their personalities might be similar too. For instance, vegetarians in the United States and Canada may be creative people, and they might not enjoy competitive sports or jobs. They worry about the health of the world, and they are probably strongly against the war. Some people eat mostly fast food. One study shows that many fast-food eaters have a lot in common, but they are very different from vegetarians. They are competitive and good at business. They are also usually in a hurry. Many fast-food eaters might not agree with this description of their personalities, but it is a common picture of them. Some people also believe that people of the same astrological sign have similar food personalities. Aries (born under the sign of Aries, between March 21 and April 20) usually like spicy foods, with a lot of onions and pepper. People with the sign of Taurus (April 21 to May 22) prefer healthful fruits and vegetables, but they often eat too much. Sagittarius (November 22 to December.22) like traditional food from many different countries. What is your food personality? From the passage, we can draw a conclusion that _ . A. food is just a mirror of the human history B. we can know a person from what he eats C. people are particular about the food they eat D. what people eat may change their personalities Answer: B Question: Dear Uncle Horton, We just want to let you know what a great weekend we had with you while we were in Boise. You are a fantastic guide and it was so nice of you to have taken us out for a tour of the city. The sights were beautiful and our two girls loved the Discovery Centre very much. They are still talking about it. We are not sure when we'll meet again, but we hope it won't be too long. Please let us know of any plans you might have to visit New York. We would love you to visit us and we hope to have the pleasure of taking you around New York City. Thanks again for a truly great weekend. Much love, Dick and Kate Dear.Mum, Happy Mother's Day! Since I have my own kid, I have got to know how hard mothering is. Thank you for being so patient with me through my ups and downs. I hope I can be as good a mother to Lily as you are to me. Thanks for being such a good mum. Whether you come to visit me or we talk on the phone, l always feel we're so close. You're always my best friend. I hope you know how much I love you! Helen ,. There are at least _ people in Dick's family. A. six B. seven C. four D. five Answer: C Question: Suppose you are reading a book. Suppose, too, you suddenly close your eyes. Can you still see the book? "Of course not," you will say. But can you tell why? You would probably say, "When I close my eyes my eyesight cannot get out of my eyes to get to the book. " But this explanation is wrong. You cannot see any object unless light from that object gets into your eyes. Some of the things you see give off light of their own. The sun, the stars, a lighted lamp are examples of that can be seen by their own light. Such things are luminous. Most of the things you see are not giving off light of their own. They are simply reflecting light that falls on them from the sun or some other luminous body. The moon, for example, does not give off any light of its own. It is non-luminous. You see it because sunlight falls on it and some of it reflects in your direction. So moonlight is only second-hand sunlight. When you look at a book, it sends to your eyes some of the light which falls on it, and you see the book. If light could be kept out from where you are so that there would be no light for the book to reflect, then you could not see the book even with your eyes wide open. Light travels so fast that the time in which it travels from the book you are reading to your eyes is so short as if there were no time at all. Light reaches us from the moon, which is about 380,000 kilometres away, in only a little more than a second. The word "luminous" means _ . A. visible B. lighted C. giving off light D. sunlight Answer: C Question: As we know, Human beings each have unique brains. The brain is of the greatest importance to the body. It is the boss of the body.Your eyes,ears,nose,and skin tell your brain what is going on around you.Other parts of your body tell your brain what is going on inside of you.Your brain takes in the signals.It tells your body what to do with them.When you touch fire,your skin tells your brain that your finger is too hot.Your brain tells you to move your finger.All these happen very fast.Your brain also controls your breathing,blinking,and heartbeat.It controls your feelings and thoughts too. Humans have the most developed brain of all animals.Yet it is not the largest brain.The human brain weighs three pounds.The brain of an elephant weighs 11 pounds.So the largest brain is not always the best brain.In people,a larger brain does not mean a clever person. What is the main idea of this passage? A. The human brain works very fast. B. The largest brain is not always the best brain. C. The brain controls the body. D. The best brain is the largest brain. Answer: C
A 44-year-old Swedish man, Peter Skyllberg, was found in a car buried under snow, at the end of a forest track more than 1 km from a main road in northern Sweden. He survived for two months without food by eating handfuls of snow. But how long can people go without food? Skyllberg had been inside the car since 19 December, 2011. Experts believe it's possible for the human body to survive without food for up to two months. Last year, a 56-year-old woman from British Columbia survived nearly 50 days in the Nevada wilderness on sweets and water after being stranded in the mountains while her husband went in search of help. In fact there're many causes that can influence a person's ability to survive, such as the way the body's metabolism slows down to keep energy. When the body stops getting food, it has to live on the stored sugars. When this runs out, fat is then turned into the second energy supply. After the fat runs out, the body must take recycled protein from the system and finally from the muscles. But this is very expensive fuel for the body. It's like being in a cold house and burning furniture instead of firewood. However, the muscle loss slows the body's work, causing it to burn calories at a slower rate. Being trapped into a small space would have helped Skyllberg keep precious calories. The car was covered in snow, creating what some experts have described as an "igloo effect" on the car. A person's mental state can play a key role in how long they survive, according to Stephen Joseph, a professor at the University of Nottingham. "In dangerous situations survival depends on personalities. Some might lose hope, while others are more hopeful." says Joseph. "Hope is probably a big key to this." Which of the following shows the right order of human body getting energy when there is no food? Answer: Sam, a dog, was left behind in Colorado while his owners, Mr. And Mrs. Green moved to Southern California. They did not give the dog up. They found him a very nice home before they moved. They would have let Sam accompany them, but they were afraid the dog's presence would make it difficult for them to rent a house when they reached their _ . The Green family lived in Colorado for less than a year. Before that, they had lived in the same neighborhood in California to which they returned. So Sam had been there before, but only for a short time when he was young. Several months after the Greens left Colorado, after they were comfortably settled back in California, they heard a scratch at the door. They couldn't imagine who might be there. It never occurred to them that it might be Sam, because they were sure he was happily set up with his new family back in Colorado. When they opened the door, the Greens saw a dirty, tired dog with very hurting feet. The animal looked a little bit like Sam, but no one could believe that Sam could have walked 840 miles on his own. The tired dog spent the night under the family car. The next day, when he was more rested, he performed some of his old tricks. The Greens knew they had their own dog back. The story suggests that _ . Answer: Hands-on experience is still attractive to many buyers, although online ordering is popular in the UK today. Oxford Street London is shoppers' paradise, and most visitors head for Oxford Street. Halfway along is Sel-fridges, one of the world's first department stores where the architecture and window dressing impress even before you go in. There are at least four other major stores on this street, plus Europe's largest music shop. In December the atmosphere is especially festive because of the Christmas lights which are always lighted by a politician, a great sportsman, or a super star. Kensington High Street A fashionable area for shopping is Kensington High Street. One of its department stores even has a roof garden--good for relaxing between purchases. There's also an organic food superstore. Borough Market You can't visit London and not go to a supermarket. One of the oldest and best for food is probably Borough Market on the south bank of the Thames. Get off the underground at London Bridge and wander among fresh fish stalls, bakeries, and fruit and vegetable sellers. You can also buy specialist food to take away, like cheeses, pork pies, mustard and chutney. More places for bargains Portobello Road on a Saturday is your best choice for jewelry or collector's items. It's a short walk from the subway station at Notting Hill Gate and you never know what you will find. For clothes, Camden Market is the place. It gets a little crowded at the weekends, though. Convent Garden offers great experience for the simple pleasure of looking at jewelry and gifts. To enjoy food, you can go to _ . Answer: Way back in 1662,John Evelyn,a brilliant Englishman known for his detailed diaries,wrote about disastrous effects of coal-burning on the city of London .In it,he described an _ scene of smog.air filled with "Columns and Clouds of Smoke''given out by small industries and residences that burned coal for fuel. I found the description in the 2003 book When Smoke Ran like Water,by epidemiologist and environmental advocator Devra Davis.In it,Davis looks back at several historic pollution events and their disastrous effect on human human health-and at how these phenomena were often Ignored or even actively covered up by then people in charge at that time. As Davis points out,John Evelyn was ahead of his time when writing about how London's polluted air affected the well-being of its residents.It wasn't until nearly 300 years later,after what became well-known as the Great Smog of 1952,that the government began to address the problem in a systematic way. For four days.Between December 5th"and 9th",due to all accident of the weather pattern,the city was buried in a heavy fog .People were still burning coal for fuel,and low-grade coal at that time, because 0f wartime condition.A temperature inversion trapped the smoke from the city's fires, creating a black cloud in which people could barely find their way down the most familiar streets Some tried to protect themselves,but most people simply went about their business. But l952's fog was far worse than any other in memory.In the same week of the previous year, 1852 people had died in London;inl952,that number was 4703 And the deaths didn't stop when the weather changed and the fog lifted.Davis and her colleagues analyzed data from the next several months and found that about 13000 more people died between December and March than one would have predicted from historical averages Many of them died of pneumonia .The government,she writes.Tried to blame a bad flu season.Her detailed analysis found that explanation simply did not pan out. Davis writes that even today in this country ,we still have not completely absorbed the lessons of similar events.Sixty years the killer fog lifted in London,people are dying preventable deaths and suffering life.changing illnesses,simply because they must breathe the air of the cities where they live One of the reasons for the Great Smog of l952wasthat---- Answer: Now many people like the game Angry Birds. Here is a piece of good news for them--soon there will be a lot of Angry Birds-themed activity parks around the world. The first two parks opened in Finland last year, and a few other parks are going to open in the UK. However, people still don't know when and where Angry Birds-themed activity parks will open in the UK. "As a kind of online game, it is popular with people of all ages. It's really an interesting game. And the parks will be interesting places for everyone around the world," said Peter Vesterbacka, an officer of Angry Birds Company. He also said, "We want to make Angry Birds a part of pop culture. We're just getting started." Angry Birds-themed activity parks have many interesting places for children to play. They like _ very much. People can see the characters and colors from the game in the park. People can also play the Angry Birds game on large screens in the park. The company wants to invite people to not only play it on the sofa, but to go out, move around and have fun. So everyone will be happy in Angry Birds-themed activity parks. From the passage, we can know _ . Answer:
Question: I try not to be biased but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His social worker assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee. He was short, a little fat, with the smooth facial features and thick-togued speech of Down's Syndrome . I thought most of my customers would be uncomfortable around Stevie, so I closely watched him for the first few weeks. I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my regular trucker customers had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot. After that, I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table. Our only problem was persuading him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled. Money was tight, and _ . That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work. He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a heart surgery. His social worker said that people with Downs Syndrome often had heart problems at an early age and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months. A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery, and doing fine. Frannie, my head waitress, did a little dance when she heard the good news. Belle Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at her and asked, "Okay, Frannie, what was that all about?" "We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay." "I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?" Frannie quickly told Belle Ringer and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie's surgery, then sighed: "Yeah, I'm glad he is going to be OK," she said. "But I don't know how he and his Mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is." Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables. After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand. "What's up?" I asked. "I cleared off that table where Belle Ringer and his friends were sitting after they left, and I found this. This was folded and tucked under a coffee cup." She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed "Something For Stevie". That was three months ago. Today is New Year's day , the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His placement worker said he had been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, I arranged to have his mother bring him to work, met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back. I took him and his mother by their arms. "To celebrate you coming back, breakfast for you and your mother is on me." I led them toward a large corner booth. I could feel and hear truck customers and the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. We stopped in front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups and dinner plates, all sitting slightly on dozens of folded paper napkins. "First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess," I said. Stevie looked at me, and then pulled out one of the napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table. Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed on it. I turned to his mother. "There's more than $10,000 in cash and checks on that table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. Happy Thanksgiving!" While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table. Why did the author have doubts about hiring Stevie? A. Stevie was not that reliable. B. Stevie was mentally disabled C. Stevie was too short and fat. D. Stevie was bad-tempered Answer: B. Stevie was mentally disabled Question: The American newspaper has been around for about three hundred years. In 1721, the printer James Franklin, Benjamin's older brother, started the New England Courant,and that was what we might recognize today as a real newspaper. He filled his paper with stories of adventure, articles on art, on famous people, and on all sorts of political subjects. Three centuries after the appearance of Franklin'sCourant,few believe that newspapers in their present printed from will remain alive for long. Newspaper companies are losing advertisers ,readers, market value, and in some cases, their sense of purpose at a speed that would not have been imaginable just several years ago. The chief editor of theTimessaid recently, "At places where they gather, editors ask one another, 'How are you?', as if they have just come out of the hospital or a lost law case." An article about the newspaper appeared on the website of theGuandian, under the headline "NOT DEAD YET." Perhaps not, but the rise of the Internet, which has made the daily newspaper look slow and out of step with the world, has brought about a real sense of death. Some American newspapers have lost 42% of their market value in the past three years. The New York Times Company has seen its stock drop by 54% since the end of 2004, with much of the loss coming in the past year. A manager at Deutsche Bank suggested that stock-holders sell off their Times stock. The Washington Post Company has prevented the trouble only by changing part of its business to education; its testing and test-preparation service now brings in at least half the company's income. Which of the following found a new way for its development? A. The Washington Post. B. The Guardian. C. The New York Times. D. New England Courant. Answer: A. The Washington Post. Question: In the US, the most popular way to welcome the new year is with a big party. Some parties are at private homes. But in recent years, it has become more and more common for Americans to go to a hotel or eating-place on the night of December 31st. There, they can eat a big dinner, drink champagne, and dance to orchestra music. Most New Year's parties are usually noisy. People shout and sing. And often, guests blow on small noisemakers when the new year arrives at midnight. This tradition of noise making is believed to start centuries ago. People thought that loud sounds would drive away the bad spirits of the old year. The biggest, noisiest New Year's party in the US takes place in Times Square in New York. Thousands of people gather there. Some of them ring bells and set fireworks. Others blow whistles of car horns . And at twelve o'clock, they begin to cheer as an electric sign in the shape of a red apple lights up on top of a tall building. The Times Square celebration includes another well-known American tradition. Since 1929, the band of musician Guy Lombardo has given a concert on New Year's Eve. Guy Lombardo died in 1977. But, Bill Lombardo, has kept the tradition alive with a band concert at a New York city hotel. When the crowds in Times Square start cheering the arrival of the new year, television cameras show the band playing the song Auld Lang Syne. In 1929 a concert on New Year's Eve was given by _ . A. the band of Guy Lombardo B. the band of Bill Lombardo C. the band of Johann Strauss D. the band of Elvis Aaron Presley Answer: A. the band of Guy Lombardo Question: Human wants seem endless, When a starving man gets a meal, he begins to think about an overcoat; when a manager gets a new sports car, he dreams of country clubs and pleasure boats dance into view. The many wants of mankind might be regarded as making up several levels. When there is money enough to satisfy one level of wants, another level appears. The first and most basic level of wants is food. Once this want is satisfied, a second level of wants appears: clothing and some sort of shelter. By the end of World War II these wants were satisfied for a great majority of Americans. Then a third level appeared. It included such items as cars and new houses. By 1957 or 1958 this third level of wants was fairly well satisfied. Then in the late 1950s a fourth level of wants appeared: the "life-enriching" level. While the other levels mean physical satisfaction--the feeding, comfort, safety and transportation of the human body--this level means mental needs for recognition, achievement and happiness, It includes a variety of goods and services many of which could be called "luxury" items. Among them are vacation trips, the best medical care and entertainment. Also included here are fancy foods and the latest styles in clothing. On the fourth level, a greater percentage of consumers spending goes to services, while on the first three levels more is spent on goods. Will consumers raise their sights to a fifth level of wants as their income increases, or will they continue to demand luxuries and personal services on the fourth level? A fifth level probably would be wants that can be achieved by community action. Consumers may be spending more on taxes and crime. After filling our stomachs, our garages, and our minds, we now may seek to ensure the health and safety to enjoy more fully the good things on the first three levels. It can be inferred from the passage that by the end of World War II most Americans _ A. were very rich B. were very poor C. Had the good things on the first three levels D. didn't own cars Answer: D. didn't own cars Question: Walker, a pedestrian, started north across the street in a clearly marked north-south crosswalk with the green traffic light in her favor. Walker was in a hurry, and before reaching the north curb on the street, she cut to her left diagonally across the street to the east-west crosswalk and started across it. Just after she reached the east-west crosswalk, the traffic light turned green in her favor. She had proceeded about five steps farther across the street to the west in the crosswalk when she was struck by a car approaching from her right that she thought would stop but did not. The car was driven by Driver, 81 years of age, who failed to stop his car after seeing that the traffic light was red against him. Walker had a bone disease, resulting in very brittle bones, that is prevalent in only 0.02 percent of the population. As a result of the impact Walker suffered a broken leg and the destruction of her family heirloom, a Picasso original painting that she was taking to her bank for safekeeping. The painting had been purchased by Walker's grandmother for $750 but was valued at $500,000 at the time of the accident. Walker has filed suit against Driver. Driver's attorney has alleged that Walker violated a state statute requiring that pedestrians stay in crosswalks, and that if Walker had not violated the statute she would have had to walk 25 feet more to reach the impact point and therefore would not have been at a place where she could have been hit by Driver. Walker's attorney ascertains that there is a statute as alleged by Driver, that his measurements are correct, that there is a state statute requiring observance of traffic lights, and that Driver's license expired two years prior to the collision"If Walker establishes liability on the part of Driver for her physical injuries, should Walker's recovery include damages for a broken leg? A. No, since only 0.02 percent of the population have bones as brittle as Walker's. B. No, unless a person of ordinary health would probably have suffered a broken leg from the impact. C. Yes, because Driver could foresee that there would be unforeseeable consequences of the impact. D. Yes, even though the extent of the injury was not a foreseeable consequence of the impact Answer: D. Yes, even though the extent of the injury was not a foreseeable consequence of the impact
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 " Little Free Libraries attract readers most in that _ . Answer: they may give readers a sense of discovery With America's national debt continuing to climb, Congress is constantly debating ways to save money. The Dollar Coin Alliance, a lobbying group, says billions could be saved if dollar coins were used instead of paper bills. But many people won't use them. The U.S. government tried to push dollar coins again in recent years, but then suspended almost all production in 2011. American likes paper dollars, but Jim Kolbe, co-chairman of the Dollar Coin Alliance, thinks switching to the coin is worth it. "The coin does cost more to produce, roughly on the neighborhood of 17 cents versus the 5 or 6 cents that a paper dollar costs to produce," he said. "However, the coin lasts 35 years, and it's made of mostly recycled metals, and the paper has to be produced from new materials, and we shred 3 billion of those every year because they wear out." For years, the former Arizona congressman has been pushing legislation that would prop up the dollar coin by phasing out the greenback -- a move that has met resistance from both politicians and the public. But today, he said, _ and a recent poll indicates 61 percent of Americans like the idea. "When they learn of the savings that can be involved with this, they will support the idea of substituting the coin for the paper dollar," he said. Major savings Kolbe points to a study by the Government Accountability Office, which investigates how the government spends taxpayer dollars. The GAO estimates taxpayers would save more than $4 billion over 30 years, and that figure could be much higher. That appeals to taxpayer Christy Thompson, who said, "I'd probably say, yes, we need to do it." But plenty of people aren't convinced, including Kim Doering of Alexandria, Virginia. "It's easier to carry the paper bill than a bunch of coins. They're louder; they're heavier in your pocket," she said. Washington, D.C. restaurant owner Sue Fouladi doesn't like the idea of having more dollar coins in her cash register. "It's very inconvenient," she said. "If I don't have a choice, then I'll do it, but I'll be a very unhappy person." Adding to the problem is that the gold- and silver-colored metal coins are about the same size as the 25-cent quarter. Robert Blecker, an economics professor at American University in Washington, says the dollar coins should be a different size and thickness. "And if we can design a dollar coin that's not so big and bulky, probably Americans would like it better," he added. But that doesn't bother college student Emily Sturgill. "Sometimes they fit into your pocket easily and you don't have to worry about them slipping out, like a dollar bill would if you brought your keys or your phone out," she said. What's the best title of the passage? Answer: Dollar Coins or Paper Bills "ABC"and "Banana Persons" You may know the English letters A, B and C. But do you know there are people called "ABC"? You may like eating bananas. But do you know there are people called "banana persons"? If you don't know, I will tell you. They are Chinese people like you and me, but they aren't in China.Why do people call them like that? "ABC" means American-born Chinese. An "ABC" is a Chinese, but was born in the United States. Sometimes, people also call them "banana persons". A banana is yellow outside and white inside. So when a person is a banana, he or she is white (American) inside and yellow (Chinese) outside. They are born in America and they live in America for a long time. Even their nationality is American. So they think like Americans and do things like Americans. But they still have Chinese blood . Their parents, grandparents or even great-grandparents were from China.They all have black eyes and black hair. So they look like us Chinese people. For example, we all know the famous scientist C.N.Yang. He is an "ABC" and he is a "banana person". We like him, although his nationality isn't Chinese. What colour are their eyes and hair? Answer: Their eyes and hair are black. Sigmund Freud was a world-famous doctor of Vienna . He was also a man full of humour. Once, at his 70th birthday party, a friend asked Freud if he could put his work into several words."Well,"said Freud, "we take the sick out of their trouble and return them to the common suffering." As a devoted son, Freud often visited his old mother. His mother usually spent her summer in a small mountain town in Austria. The King Josef usually spent his summer there, too. One day in the summer, a band was playing a lively tune when Freud's mother was sitting at the window and watching the people singing and dancing on Main Street. The old woman had a poor memory. She heard the band playing, but forgot it was the King's birthday. Freud was visiting his mother on her 95th birthday. He told his mother, "Mama, the band is playing for your birthday."She believed him and had a wonderful day. Freud's mother felt very happy on her 95th birthday because _ . Answer: she believed that the band was playing for her birthday I'm Marie. I work in a nursing home and my job is to look after the old people. Alice is one of them. She's a very nice old woman. This year, Alice had a difficult time. She went to hospital twice. In November, I finally could get her back to her "home". Alice hoped that her daughter could come to visit her on Christmas Eve because she wanted to be with her family, like the old days. But her daughter was coming after Christmas, so she was very sad. I also felt sad because she would be alone on the holiday! On Christmas Eve, I took her to a candlelight service at church that night. I didn't take her to my church. I took her to the church in her old neighborhood. We got there early and I let her sit near the door, so people could see her when they came in. Soon some of her friends came to the church and they all talked to her and sat with her. Alice got a lot of love from her old and new friends there. She said she loved the gift like this. That night, I thought I got the best gift: the smile on Alice's face. . What is the best title of the passage? Answer: The best Christmas gift.
Every object tells a story. Even the most ordinary objects can present to us powerful images. Sometimes it is the ordinary nature of these objects that actually makes them so extraordinary. Such is the case with an old leather shoe in a museum in Alaska. At first glance it does not look like much. It is a woman's shoe of a style popular in the 1890s. But what is unique about this shoe is where it was found. It was discovered on the Checkout Pass, the famous trail used by the people seeking gold in Alaska. Who it belonged to or why it was left there is not known. Was it perhaps dropped by accident as the woman climbed up the 1500 stairs carved outface? Or did she throw away goods that she didn't need in order to travel lighter? Over 100, 000 people with "gold fever" made this trip hoping to become millionaires. Few of them understood that on their way they would have to cross a harsh wildness. Unprepared for such a dangerous journey, many died of starvation and exposure to the cold weather. The Canadian government finally started requiring the gold seekers to bring one ton of supplies with them. This was thought to be enough for a person to survive for one year. They would carry their supplies in backpacks each weighing up to fifty pounds; it usually took at least 40 trips to get everything to the top and over the pass. Whoever dropped the shoe must have been a brave and determined woman. Perhaps she was successful and made it to Alaska. Perhaps she had to turn back in defeat. No one will ever know for sure, but what we do know is that she took part in one of the greatest adventures in the 19th century. The ordinary woman's leather shoe is considered unusual because _ . A it was an important clue to life in the past B it was found on a famous trail C it at one time belonged to a VIP D it was a fashionable shoe at that time Answer: B. it was found on a famous trail Today is November 8th. It's Gina's birthday. She is twelve. Jim , Kate and Bill are her friends. They want to buy some presents for Gina. They go to the shop near the school. There are a lot of things in the shop. They buy a big cake , two boxes of color pencils , a pencil-box and some nice exercise books. They want to buy two dolls for Gina. But all the dolls are too dear . How old is Gina today? A 12 B 13 C 11 D 10 Answer: A. 12 People who cannot tell all colors apart are said to be color-blind. Most color-blind people can see yellows and blues, but confuse reds with green. It is very rare for a person to be blind to all colors, but they may see everything in shades of black, white and gray. It is interesting to point out that many color-blind people don't even realize that they are color-blind, they don't know that the colors they are seeing and naming are not the actual colors that people with normal vision can see. This can be dangerous when a color-blind person confuses the red and green of a traffic light. Color blindness is thought to be inherited and although doctors have tested color blindness, there is no cure to treatment for it. There are four cards here, and each has two colors. Which card's colors do you think a color-blind person can tell correctly? A Red, Green B Green, Yellow C Red, Brown D Brown, Yellow Answer: D. Brown, Yellow 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?" Ma cycled to a hotel near the West Lake _ . A to do morning exercises B to work as a guide C to chat with foreigners D to work part time Answer: C. to chat with foreigners Debate: Can stricter gun control laws decrease the rate of crimes involving guns? Yes, because with fewer weapons, you get fewer crimes. Take a look at the crime rates of countries like the United Kingdom. Their crime rate is very low, compared to ours here in the United States. Just by simply putting stricter laws in place on who can own them, it will greatly reduce the crimes involving guns. Posted by: 5h4yGlory Past Practice There was an assault weapon ban back in 1994 under Bill Clinton. Shootings and crime did not go down for the 10 years when this law was in effect. Criminals do not follow rules. The law only affects those who try to obey the law to arm them to protect themselves. Posted by: jb1988 Wake up, you Americans! It's hardly surprising that America has one of the highest gun related murder rates of all countries! And of course guns don't kill people, but the more people own guns, the easier it is to get access to one, the higher the chance of people using it to kill somebody is! In Germany, we have really strict gun laws and only a few people own guns, and obviously we don't need them. There's no reason that a normal citizen would need a gun! Guns are made for one reason only: killing. Posted by: cstephie13 More gun control laws, fewer shootings On the same day as the Sandy Hook tragedy, a man in China entered a primary school with a knife and injured 22 students on December, 14. However, nobody was killed. Compare that to the 26 students and teachers killed at Sandy Hook in Connecticut with a powerful gun. We must learn something from this tragedy. Posted by: Jasonx986 Gun violence goes up with more gun control Criminals will take advantage of the situation. They will do whatever they want and take whatever they want and kill whoever gets in their way. They will get guns illegally. Crime rates go up as a result of more gun control, because criminals know you don't have one, and they will kill you as they like. There is no point in banning guns! Posted by: eebnflow We can infer that jb1988 _ . A is against gun control laws B was working under Bill Clinton C is in favor of gun control laws D has a gun Answer: A. is against gun control laws
Question: Jenny measures the outside temperature as 16 degrees Celsius (°C), 61 degrees Fahrenheit (°F). She observes precipitation falling from the clouds in a solid form. What type of precipitation is Jenny most likely observing? A. hail B. rain C. sleet D. snow Answer: A Question: Paul and George wanted to get something to eat for lunch. Sam and Ralph went to school lunch room, but Paul and George wanted to leave and get something outside. They both go to the same school and have the same lunch period, which is how they know each other. They are allowed to leave school for 1 hour for lunch. They get together and rule out pizza, pasta, spicy food and chips. They also want to go somewhere close because they only have an hour. They know there are two places that have burgers and fries close by. Paul loves burgers and George loves fries. Paul says that Great Burger has good burgers. George says that Best Burger has good fries. They now have a problem. "How are we going to pick where we are going to go?" says George. Paul answers "Let's go to Great Burger today and tomorrow let's go to Best Burger." George, being a good friend, says OK. They leave school and go to eat burgers and fries. Who has the best burgers, says Paul? A. Best Burger B. School C. Good Burger D. Great Burger Answer: D Question: It was a cold and wet night. Over the radio came the message to deal with an accident in one of the side streets of the city. The scene of the accident wasn't far away and we arrived after 10 minutes. Two cars had crashed. Two women were lying on the street and one driver was still in the car. The driver was quite drunk and kept shouting to us. He didn't get badly hurt. A young woman died at once when the two cars crashed. I was holding the other woman and tried to stop the bleeding, but at last I had to watch her die in my arms. Three months later, I saw the driver in court and found him to be a normal person. He was sorry for his actions. In the end, he was put into the prison for several years. A man isn't a man if he drinks 10 beers in an hour. A man is a man when he knows his limit and takes responsibility . When he can stay away from wine, he can drive more safely. At that time, the man driver was _ . A. drunk B. badly hurt C. happy D. singing Answer: A Question: About ten men in every hundred have the trouble of color blindness in some way. Women are luckier, only about one in two hundred is affected in this matter. Perhaps, after all ,it is safer to be driven by a woman. There are different kinds of color blindness. For example, a man cannot see deep red. He may think that red, orange and yellow are all shades of green. Sometimes a person can't tell the difference between blue and green. Only a few unlucky men may see everything in shades of green-- a strange world indeed. Color blindness in human beings is a different thing to explain. In only one eye there are millions of very small things called "cones " . These help us to see in the bright light and to tell differences between colors. These are also millions of "rods" ,but these are used for seeing when it is nearly dark. They show us shapes but not colors. Some insects have favorite colors. Mosquitoes like blue but do not like yellow. A red light will not attract insects, but a blue light will. Human beings also have favorite colors. Yet we are lucky. With the help of the cones in our eyes, we can see many beautiful colors by day, and with the help of the rods we can see shapes at night. We can attract and kill mosquitoes by using a _ light. A. red B. yellow C. blue D. green Answer: C Question: If someone wants to see if breath is moist, they can A. watch some grass grow B. breathe on a tissue C. hold in a sneeze D. look at paint dry Answer: B
Nowadays, more and more teenagers use smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices more than ever before. And the amount of time they spend on these devices is only likely to increase in the future. But are all these changes good? We sometimes call children who are able to use mobile devices and technology easily digital natives. They can text, email, get Wi-Fi, and download. Some experts say that long periods of time spent chatting to friends online, playing video games and listening to mp3s, for example, may possibly change how their brains work. Then there is the question of privacy. All this online activity creates a digital footprint. Every time we share a photo or a post on social media, and every time we search for something on the Internet, information about our activity is stored somewhere. Our inability to control what happens to our children's digital footprint and their personal privacy has big possibilities. It might become normal for companies to ask their employees for their social media qualifications. We are also becoming more aware that companies and governments may be able to 'listen in' on our communications. So it is important to make our children aware of the possible results of over sharing. Another area where the digital world may have a big effect is in education. One worry is that kids who spend a lot of time online at home are sometimes unable to socialize properly with other children when they are at school. Other experts point out that, when it comes to children and technology, the children are the experts, not the teachers. They say that we should stop seeing online as 'bad' and offline as 'good' and there is evidence of innovative work in some schools. So, do we really need to rescue our children from the dangers of the digital world? All the following may happen to our digital footprints EXCEPT _ Answer: Your lucky Day This is a fortune-telling song, It is popular among English Children. Parents use it to teach their young children the days of the week. The song uses the day of the week a child was born on to tell the child's future. Monday's child has a beautiful face. Tuesday's child is full of grace. Wednesday's child fears no foe. Thursday's child has a long way to go. Friday's child is happy and loving Saturday's child works hard to make a living. But the child is born on Sunday is Beautiful, happy and good in every day. Some people think that the year or the month or the day on which we were born is important. They think that these things tell us about our futures, Some people think that we all make our luck in life. What do you think? Who likes the song? Answer: Understanding the process of making career choices and managing your career is a basic life skill that everyone should understand. Your career decisions have such a profound effect on all aspects of your life. It's important to have the knowledge and resources needed to make smart, informed decisions. Whether you are looking for a new job, aiming to take the next step at your current job or planning your retirement options, you are making career decisions. Using good resources and the guidance of a career counselor can help you to make those decisions well. Many people mistakenly believe that choosing a career is a one-time event that happens some time in early adulthood. However, career management is actually a life-long process, and we continue to make consequential career choices over the years. When people want to take action in their career, career management and job search are about so much more than writing a good resume. If you learn about and act on the following areas of career management, you'll be rewarded throughout your career. Your interests, abilities, values, personal needs and realities should all be taken into account in any career decision making process. You spend countless hours at work, and it impacts your life in so many ways; it makes sense that you should be fully informed before making such profound decisions. Do you know how many different career choices are available to you? Both The Dictionary of Occupational Titles (American) and The National Occupational Classification (Canadian) list well over 20,000 different job titles. So unless you've actively explored a variety of career options, there's a very good chance that there are great possibilities available to you, and you don't even realize they exist. Match your understanding of yourself with your understanding of possible career options. Once you have developed a good understanding of yourself, you will be able to combine that self-knowledge with your career and labor market research to determine potential careers that are a great fit for you. When you've made a well informed decision, then you're ready to make it happen. Making use of good career guidance and resources will help you to acquire the education, skills, and experience needed to get the job and learn and implement effective job search strategies. Time spent understanding your needs, researching your career options and developing outstanding job search skills, guided by great career resources, is a powerful investment in your future. How many tips does the author give on career management? Answer: Parents are fuelling bad behavior among their children by attempting to "buy" their love with expensive gifts nowadays. Over recent decades we seem to have created a "must have" culture among our young people. Many mothers and fathers believe they are "failing as parents" if they are unable to ensure that their children have the latest toy, electronic devices (the lap-top, cellphones, Game Boy, etc.) along with their friends. In many cases, families also feel pressured to enroll children in "'every interest club or after-school activity that is available" to fill up their time like most of the other children. But experts warned that the move might affect "precious family time" negatively. Graham Gorton, chairman of the Independent Schools Association, said that parents spent too much time filling their children's lives, which had a series of negative effects on "the very precious family time that exists". "It seems that those times when a whole weekend without planned work was seen as a luxury and a perfect opportunity to spend time together and share those valuable moments of childhood are long gone," Mr. Gorton said. "As a child I only once said that phrase that parents feared 'I'm bored'. Immediately my mother took action and produced a list of jobs and then insisted that I complete every one of them. Though l didn't think cleaning all the floors could really get rid of my boredom, I enjoyed the feeling of staying at home with my mother and brothers." Earlier this year, some researchers suggested that relatively wealthy parents were sometimes guilty of failing to teach basic social skills to children. "Often, it's the rich middle classes that buy off their children through the computer and the TV. That then sets them apart from their family, and then the parents are surprised when their child isn' t coming to school." From the passage we can infer that _ . Answer: An American educational expert, Frederick M. Hess, says that a long summer vacation doesn't make sense in today's world. This summer, 50 million kids will spend much time talking online, watching TV, playing video games and asking older brothers or sisters to take them to the supermarket. They will also be putting their academic futures at risk. During much of the 20th century, many Americans worked in factories that did not need a college degree but still offered a high salary. Also, in the 19th century, there was no air condition. And poor hygiene meant that crowded schools had health risks. Things have changed. For today's students, academic skills are key to future success. Many countries don't give kids an American-style summer vacation. They offer no more than seven consecutive weeks of vacation. Most American school districts offer up to 13 weeks. To compete in global marketplace, Americans must be prepared to go up against international competitors. Summer vacation also causes challenges for today's families. In the 1960s, more than 60% of families had a stay-at-home mum. Now, two-thirds of American children live families where every adult works. For these families, summer vacation can be more burden than break. Someone must watch the kids. But the biggest problem may be how summer vacation hurts academic achievement. Scientist have found that disadvantaged students lose important ground in the summertime. A school year can allow time-limited teachers to conduct richer and more imaginative lessons. Schools would have more time for sports, languages, music and the arts. Before the 20th century, a long summer vacation might _ . Answer:

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