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Rules in the reading room Hello, everyone. Welcome to the school reading room. We hope you have a good time here. Before you go into the reading room, there are some rules you need to keep. 1.The reading room is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday. 2. Don't take your bag into the reading room. 3. Don't talk loudly in the reading room. 4. Don't take any food or drink into the reading room. 5. Take only one book at a time. After you finish reading the book, you must put it back and then you can take another one. Don't take many books to your seat. 6. Before you leave, you must the book to the bookshelf. You can't take any book out of the reading room. How long is the reading room open every day? A. Ten hours. B. Nine hours. C. Seven hours. D. Eight hours. Answer: B AFRICAN MANGO FAQs Q : How do I use AFRICAN MANGO? A : It's simple... Just take one rapid - release capsule , 3 times daily before meals (i.e., 30 minutes before breakfast, lunch, and dinner.) 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However, in order to achieve your best weight-loss results, we highly recommend incorporating fun lifestyle exercises (like walking, tennis, etc.) and replacing high-calorie foods with healthy nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and lean proteins. Also, drinking more water daily speeds weight loss, according to a new study from Viginia Tech University. Q : When I place my order, it's a one-time-only transaction , right? A : Yes. Rest assured. When you shop with us, you can shop with confidence and peace of mind. Every order placed with us is 100% safe and secure. Our site is scanned and tested daily by McAfee SECURE. "The McAfee SECURE" trust mark (see the upper-left corner of our website) only appears when the website has passed their intensive, daily security scan. What's more, our customers never have to worry about being enrolled in auto-reship or auto-rebilling scams . Each and every order placed with us is a one-time-only transaction. CONSUMER TIP: Beware of sites that offer "free trials", which claim to charge only a small fee for shipping. However, more often than not, these "free trials" websites will continue to charge your card for regular monthly shipments if you don't return your "free trials" within 10 to 14 days. As the Official Website of African Mango, we offer only the purest, most effective African Mango available. What's more, as an accredited business, we do not engage in auto-rebilling, auto-reshipping, or any other business practices that are considered morally unacceptable. Your results, and your satisfaction, are 100% guaranteed. How can we buy African Mango securely? A. We can place an order securely with the help of search engine. B. The official web site is your best choice. C. McAfee SECURE promises the security of your order. D. Many web sites providing "free trials" service are considered to be secure. Answer: B Many years ago, children who had good manners kept quiet if their parents were talking with other persons. Today, well-mannered children have more freedom. Sometimes good manners in one place are bad manners in other place. Suppose you are a visitor in the prefix = st1 /landofMongolia. Some friends ask you to eat with them. What kind of manners do they want you to have? They want you to give a loud "burp" after you finish eating. Burping will show that you like your food. In some countries, if you give a loud burp, you are told to say, "Excuse me, please." In many places people like to eat together. But in some parts of Polynesia, it is bad manners to be seen eating at all. People show their good manners by turning their back on others while they eat. What are good manners like in an East African town? The people try not to see you. They are being polite. You may see a friend. He may not see you at all. If you're polite, you will sit down beside him. You will wait until he finishes what he is doing. Then he will talk to you. Suppose you visit a friend in Arabia. You should walk behind the tents until you come to his tent. If you pass in front of the other tents, you will be asked into them. The people will ask you to eat with them. And it is bad manners if you say no. Which of the following sentences is not true according to the passage? A. Well-mannered children should always keep quiet. B. Eating with others is bad manners. C. Good manners are different from one place to another. D. People always want others to bother them. Answer: C Lisa Pina never thought she would need the fire safety training she received during her apprenticeship as a union painter and dry waller. On Friday morning,she was thanking God she had _ . On Thursday night,while Pina was babysitting her granddaughter,nephew and two nieces in her sister's apartment,she smelled smoke and realized the apartment building was on fire. When her 4yearold granddaughter Ilean Garcia began saying,"We're going to die,"she knew she had to act.Pina,39,first sealed the door,and then told all four children to get on the floor. After calling 911,she told the children to start singing and promised them all treats as soon as they reached safety. "I said,'OK,we're going to lie down and we're all going to play a game,'" Pina said. "We all started singing our ABCs and 123s.I was just trying to make it fun." Pina patiently waited,and a few minutes later,Riverside County sheriff's deputies arrived. Pina,Ilean,8yearold Gabriel Parga,5yearold Aubreyana Parga and 4yearold Meriyah Parga were all trapped on the second floor as flames filled the first story. Pina did the only thing she could. She opened the window and dropped the children,onebyone,into the arms of the sheriff's deputies about 15 to 20 feet below. "I just needed to keep the kids calm so they wouldn't be afraid,"Pina said."I was deathly afraid inside,but I couldn't let them know that."[Not long after dropping the children out of the window,firefighters arrived with a ladder and rescued her. Ten people were treated at the scene for suffering smoke,but nobody was seriously injured. According to the text,we know that _ . A. Lisa Pina was the last one to be rescued B. the fire didn't cause any injury C. the children were sent to hospital after the fire D. during the fire Lisa Pina wasn't afraid at all Answer: A When you cough or sneeze, please turn your head away from others and cover your mouth with the full part of your hand. Afterwards, you should say," Excuse me." This is a rule I set for my students. It is so simple, but many kids have never been told to do _ . In fact, I notice adults cough and sneeze in public without putting a hand over the mouth. I hate traveling by underground in New York during cold and flu season, because it is certain that someone is going to stand right behind me and cough or sneeze on my neck. One important thing I point out to the kids is that after they sneeze or cough on their hand, they should wash their hands as soon as possible. Otherwise, they will be passing those _ along to everything and everyone they touch. In order to help the students remember this rule, I tell them about an old story. It says that when you sneeze, evil spirits jump into your body. If you don't cover your mouth, the spirits will enter, but if you cover your mouth, you will keep them out, We say "God bless you" when someone sneezes, and in Germany you should say "Gesundheit". That means "Good health to you." Both expressions are said that if you didn't cover your mouth in time and the spirits were able to enter your body. The kids love finding out the origins of these expressions and it encourage them to put the advice to use more often. According to the article, the writer would like the kids _ . A. to be polite to adults B. to be in better health C. to have good manners D. to do well in exams Answer: C The color of what is an inherited characteristic? A. vision organ B. wallpaper C. blood D. dirt Answer: A Telemedicine is the name for when doctors give advice to patients by telephone or the Internet, or when health care providers in rural areas connect with specialists in big cities. Telemedicine has existed for a long time, but the rise of smart phones, tablets and webcam-equipped computers is raising telemedicine to new levels. Some health care systems in the United States now offer Virtual Urgent Care, patients see a doctor by video chat without having to leave home. Diana Rae is a nurse educator in the western state of Washington. She recently showed how Virtual Urgent Care works. She used an iPad tablet and skype -- the video chat service. Doctor Green has the patient describe her symptoms, then the doctor performs a physical exam by demonstrating what he wants her to do. Doctor Green decides that the problem is a silence infection. For medicine, he prescribes an antibiotic. He says about 3 out of 4 patients have health problems that can be treated like this --through Virtual Urgent Care, that means a video chat could replace a visit to the doctor's office. The Franciscan Health System is based in Tacoma, Washington. Franciscan charges $35 for this kind of virtual house call, that is much less than the cost of going to an emergency room, a doctor's office or an urgent care clinic. After trying the video conference, Diana Rae says, "I would've paid twice that for the convenience of getting taken care of without having to sit in a waiting room, wait, and get exposed to everyone else's germs." Franciscan has a deal with a company called Carena to add virtual urgent care by Skype or phone. Carena is one of several companies doing this kind of work around the country. But a company official says state rules have not kept progress with developments in telemedicine. The workers who provide virtual urgent care must be separately licensed in each state where the company does business. For now, that means Carena doctors can treat patients in Washington state and California for example, but not in neighboring Oregon or Idaho. By mentioning what Diana Rae says, the author wants to show _ . A. he finds it convenient to see a doctor by using a video chat B. he sings high praise for this kind of treatment form C. he must be tired of waiting too long in the hospital D. it should be very unhealthy while staying in hospital Answer: B An arid sandy place has very little A. sustenance B. sand C. sun D. heat Answer: A On 17 March 2003, Robin Cook, Leader of the House of Commons and former Foreign Secretary, resigned from the Cabinet in protest against the coming war in Iraq. His resignation speech inspired the first long applause in the history of the House and marked the end of the ministerial career of one of Labor's most brilliant politicians. For the previous two years, Robin Cook kept a diary, a personal record of the life of Labor's second term, a diary that forms the center of the narrative . The Point of Departureis Robin Cook's plain account of this extraordinary period in our political history, the most important political publication of the decade. Though surprised by his abrupt dismissal as Foreign Secretary, he became determined to bring about some changes in Parliamentary democracy that he believed was essential if Parliament was to move into the 21stcentury. As Tony Blair told him, "This is the job for you." Drawing on first-hand experiences in the Commons and the Cabinet, of encounters in conferences, and late night conversations, we follow his gathering disillusionment as the political compass of the government changes to directions which he believes to be completely mistaken: from its failure about Lords reform and its unwillingness to provide leadership for social change, to a foreign policy which has led us away from our responsibility in Europe, into closer relationship with the most right-wing government in American history, and participation in Bush's war on Iraq. This is the story of a government in power and the tensions between those who govern. But above all it is a story of a politician who truly wanted to bring democracy closer to the people, but who saw a government increasingly separated from the values of himself and his party, and who developed a growing belief that on Iraq, its position was morally, diplomatically and politically wrong. Robin Cook first entered Parliament as MP for Edinburgh Central in 1974. He held a number of senior positions in Opposition -- Shadow Foreign Secretary, Shadow Health and Social Services Secretary -- before becoming Foreign Secretary in 1997. In 2001 he was appointed Leader of the House of Commons, a position from which he resigned in March 2003 in protest against the coming war in Iraq. Robin Cook resigned from his post because he _ . A. couldn't accept the government's decision to join in the coming war in Iraq B. wanted to have more time to keep his diary C. was not allowed to make any changes to Parliamentary democracy D. was not satisfied with the job Tony Blair gave him Answer: A As we all know, getting benched in sports is usually a bad thing. But at one school in Florida, a girl has taken a bench and turned it into something entirely different - a place to find friends. It's called the Friendship Bench. And it's the brainchild of a sixth grader at Palm Bay Elementary - a girl named Acacia Woodley. Acacia's attitude toward life might be summed up best by a question she recently asked members of the Brevard County School Board - "what if we spend as much time putting the spotlight on kindness as we do on cruelty?" It's a philosophy Acacias has learned to live her own life -despite having a lot of people would consider a handicap. She was born without a right hand. And her left hand did not form properly. But Acacia says that she has not stopped her from achieving her goals. "You need to believe in your dreams. If you don't believe in you dreams, I can definitely tell you that they are not going to come true." She said. Acacia came up with the idea for the Friendship Bench after seeing kids getting bullied at school. She says she has also experienced bullying herself - kids whispering about her or picking on her because she is different. "Some people say they feel sorry for me. I tell them not to," she said. "I don't care that I'm different. I like being different." The Friendship Bench looks like a lot of other benches. It has arm sets and a place to lean on. But there are also words painted on it - words such as "hope", "respect", "listen" and "dream". Acacia put the benches together with the help from her mother and brother. Any time a kid feels he or she needs a friend, all that kid needs to do is sit on the bench. It is then up to the other kids - or grown-ups - to fill that need. "It's a perfect idea," Palm Bay Elementary Principal Lori said. "It's something we've needed so badly." The Friendship Bench has been such a success at Palm Bay Elementary that other schools are now interested in installing one too. "There's a saying in my teacher's classroom," Acacia said. "It says, 'it you can dream it, you can achieve it.'" Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? A. Acacia has also suffered from other kids' bullying. B. The kids who sit on the bench feel they need friends. C. Grown-ups are allowed to offer their help to the one in need. D. The Friendship Bench is different from others in the arm sets. Answer: D
India has a very vast history and heritage. The country has witnessed some of the most important events in the past and every event has an effect of its own on the culture, religion, lifestyle, and economy of the country. This is one of the leading reasons why tourists prefer India to travel and explore. Historical tours in India provide everything that a traveler expects from his/her journey. These historical tours give an opportunity to study and explore Indian history. Historical tours of India generally consisted of four phases: ancient, medieval , modern India and contemporary India. Some of the historical travel packages are: Forts and Palaces The rich cultural past of India is reflected in the countless forts and palaces across the country. Most of the forts were constructed as a defense device to keep the enemy away and palaces were made on the names of the kings and queens. Some of the famous forts and palaces are: Agra Fort (Agra), Fatehpur Sikri (Agra), Hawa Mahal (Jaipur), Amber Fort (Jaipur), City Palace (Jaipur), Gwalior Fort (Gwalior), Mysore Palace (Mysore), Red Fort (Delhi), etc. India Heritage Tours The main purpose of India Heritage tours is to make Indians as well as tourists familiar with the rich Indian legacy . The heritage of the country is at least 5000 years. Some of the heritage tours are: medieval heritage, Rajput heritage, Golden Triangle, splendid Gujarat, etc. South India Historical Tours The Southern India is known for its diversity and there are many places, which attract tourists, not only from the country but also from all around the world. The famous tourists' destinations in South India include Goa, Cochin, Kerala, Munnar, Periyar, Kottayam and the list goes on and on. Most forts were built in order to A. honor the kings B. act as a palace for queens C. keep enemies away D. attract tourists Answer: C Barry and Kim are twin brother and sister. But they like different sports. Barry likes soccer. He is in the school soccer club, and he plays soccer every day. He has 9 soccer balls in his bookcase. He also likes volleyball. He has 2 white volleyballs and 2 blue volleyballs. But Kim doesn't like soccer or volleyball. She likes tennis. Tennis is interesting. She is in the school tennis club and she plays tennis every day. She has 7 tennis balls and 2 tennis rackets in her room. She also likes baseballs. She has 5 baseballs: 2 green baseballs and 3 yellow baseballs. ,. What club is Kim in? A. The school soccer club. B. The school volleyball club. C. The school tennis club. D. The school baseball club. Answer: C International students studying in the UK The UK has a long history of welcoming international students to study in its universities and colleges. In the UK last year there were over 104,000 international students. Choosing which university or college to go to was like a life-changing decision. Do as much research as possible so that you choose the right course for the right reason. How to apply for higher education All applications for higher education courses are made using our online application system, which is available 24 hours a day. You fill in the application form online and it does not need to be completed all at once. Please see the When to Apply page to check the dates by which we should receive your completed application. Choosing a higher education course to study Try to do a lot of research when deciding which courses to apply for. You will probably want to find out even more before you accept an offer of a place on a course. When you accept an offer of a place, make sure that all of your questions have been answered. Ask teachers if there is anything to prepare before the course starts. They may suggest that you look at certain books on the course reading list or that you improve your computer skills. Other help and advice Unistats is a website that can help you to research subjects and universities before deciding where to apply. You can compare subjects, compare universities and explore useful information about getting a job after graduation. Unistats has statistical information on universities, colleges, subjects and teaching style. Yougo is a student-only networking site where you can meet other applicants online and talk about what you hope to study and the university you hope to attend. If you have any questions, please call us at 0044-330-333-0230. We can learn from the passage that it is a wise idea to _ . A. learn basic computer skills in the UK when possible B. get to know as many teachers as possible in the UK C. do much research before choosing a college major D. borrow certain books before going abroad to study. Answer: C What does the word"youth" mean to you? Many define it as a precious time in their life when they are young ,when fun ,passion,and imagination seem limitless.But for most high school students,youth is a time of determination and willpower for achieving their goals. This is vividly shown in Mark of Youth,a movie that opened on Feb 5.Mark of Uouth tells the story of four Senior 3 students in a top high school in the days leading up to the national cooege entrance examination. Each character represents a differet type of student,ranging from the most mischievous to the most motvated .Like most teenagers ,they enjoy carefree moments and like to talk about their schoolmates.But the rension of the approaching exam,probably their first life-changing event,is common-they must memorize seemingly endless English words and Chinese poems,work through piles of aractice test papers,and improve their scores despite the increasing pressure. But life exists beyond campus.That the college entrance examination is coming up doesn't mean they can escape family changes,such as when one character's parents get divorced or another's father is arrested.Can these four young people handle their problems and eventually make it to their ideal universities despite their on -and -off campus stress? The story is set in Hubei Huanggang Middle School,known for its students'outstanding performances on the big exam.The four students are played by the actors who played in the reality shows Happy Boys and Happy Girls.HongKong actor Alex Fong plays their teacher. Students may look more fashionable in Mark of Youth than in real life,but it is the story about the final year of high school that many viewers relate to. "The film is very inspiring,"said Senior 2 student Yao Lingqian,16,from Leshan Foreign Language School in Sichuan proveince."A total commitment to hard work ,though it ca be lonely and no fun at all,will leave precious marks on my youth." And for Senior 3 student Gao Jing ,the film has given her optiomism."The characters taught me that what you score is not the only important thing.The way you approach the exam matters the most,"said the 17-year-old from Zhenping County No 1 High School in Nanyang,Henan province. "The film really reflects senior 3students'life."Zhang Ping ,a teacher from a senior high school in Qingdao,commented. What kind of belief does the film convey? A. Youth is a wonderful thing. B. We youth should face challenge with smile. C. Entrance examination is very important in our life. D. The entrance examination isn't so terrible. Answer: B Working women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, and 51 percent of professional workers, like doctors, lawyers, nurses and accountants, are female. While climbing the career ladder can be rewarding, it often comes with one big downside: weight gain! New research published this week in the International Journal of Obesity shows that working women are more likely to be overweight, and the more you work, the more pounds you're likely to pile on. Like many women, I work... a lot! As a self-employed nutrition communications specialist, I sit at my desk, in front of a computer, for hours on end. Sitting alone is one of the worst things you can do for your health, and it's directly linked to being overweight and increased fatness, so the fact that women in the workforce gain weight isn't that surprising. If you work, you have less time to move around. Obesity researchers are revealing many other ways that employment is harmful to your diet and waistline. In the International Journal of Obesity study, some 9,276 Australian women aged 45-50 had their body weight and employment status monitored for two years. Results? Those who worked more than 35 hours were likely to gain weight compared to those who worked fewer hours or were out of the workforce. What's more, the more hours a woman worked in a week, the more weight she gained. The authors of the Australian study attribute weight gain among working women to inactivity, lack of time for food preparation, more use of prepared foods, high levels of stress, lack of sleep and consuming more alcohol. I'll also add in travel, meals eaten out and working at night as other factors that I can find to make balancing work with a healthy diet a challenge. A woman who works as an accountant is more likely to _ . A. gain more weight B. have more time to move around C. work a full time job D. keep a balanced diet Answer: A The current Ebola outbreak in western and central Africa has infected at least 3,069 people, including 1,552 dead, making it the largest outbreak in history. Ebola is a deadly virus --about 60 percent of people infected with it have died. How is Ebola doing its harm? When a person becomes infected with Ebola, the virus damages the body's immune cells, which defend against infection, said a researcher at Lancaster University. But if a person's immune system can stand up to this attack, then he is more likely to survive the disease. The patients that survive it best are those who don't get such a bad disadvantage in immune system. But if the body isn't able to get rid of this attack, then the immune system becomes less able to regulate itself. This means the immune system is more likely to run out of control, leading to a drop in blood pressure, multi-organ failure and eventually death. What are the common symptoms of the disease? Fever. Headache. Joint and muscle aches. Weakness. Diarrhea. Vomiting. Stomach pain. Lack of appetite. Chills. Rash. Redness in the eyes. Hiccups. Cough. Sore throat. Chest pain. Difficult breathing or swallowing. Bleeding inside and outside of the body. How to prevent the spread of Ebola? Ebola can be spread primarily via direct contact with patients, specifically the blood and fluids of an infected patient. We should avoid contact with infected patients and objects such as clothing, bedding, and needles used by them. Avoid areas where infections have been reported. For now, the disease has only been confirmed in central and West Africa, four cases in America and Europe. Avoid eating wild-caught bush meat. Researchers have suspected that the disease came to humans via animals, probably through the meat of primates . If you're in an area where the disease has been reported, avoid purchasing, eating, or handling wild game to stay on the safe side. Wear protective medical clothing if you're around infected patients. Extreme caution is necessary. Hospital workers must use masks, gloves, goggles, and gowns, which needed to be worn at all times if you're around infected patients. How Do People Survive Ebola? Doctors don't know for certain who will survive Ebola, and there is no specific treatment or cure for the disease. Although in the minority, some people do recover from infection. Our suggestions include: Maintain your electrolytes and body liquid. Sports drinks can be used. Monitor your blood pressure and control it if necessary. Dropping blood pressure may be a serious sign of infection. Breathe in an oxygen-rich environment. Quickly address any symptoms of infection. Be honest about when and where you're feeling pain. What is NOT mentioned as the symptom of Ebola? A. Fever and chills. B. Swallowing difficulty. C. Loss of blood. D. High blood pressure. Answer: D Every year there is a Spring Festival in China. Usually it is in January or February. It is the most important festival in China. So before it comes, everyone has to prepare things. They buy pork, beef, chicken, fruits and many other things. And they often make a special kind of food--"dumplings". It means "come together". On the day before the festival, parents buy new clothes for their children. Children also buy presents for their parents. On the Spring Festival Eve , all the family members come back to their hometown. This is a happy moment. Some sing and dance, some play cards and others get the dinner ready. When they enjoy the meal, they give each other the best wishes for the coming year. They all have a good time. ,,. (5 ,2,10) Which is the most important festival in China? A. Mid-Autumn Festival. B. Spring Festival. C. Children's Day. D. Teachers' Day Answer: B Based on cultural traditions and the changing face of contemporary British communities, the Festival of Muslim Cultures joins young people from Muslim and non-Muslim backgrounds together through the creation of innovative , high quality cultural activities. We have been working with arts and educational institutions across the UK to promote the mainstreaming of Muslim cultures within UK everyday life. The Festival was created out of the need to encourage a better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims, to promote respect for Muslim cultures and to show how culture creates the pathways that connect us all together. The program launched with a visit by the Festival's patron , the Prince of Wales, to the exhibition "Palace and Mosque" in Sheffield and since then there have been more than 100 events that have ranged from a Somali community day in Cardiff at the National Museum of Wales to a late-night Dance with Radio Tarifa (from Spain) and Dimi Mint Abba (form Mauritania) in the Royal Albert Hall and from a home-grown play in Nottingham about the Kashmir earthquake to the exhibition"Beyond the Palace Walls" at the Royal Museum Edinburgh of Islamic art from the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. We are now working on a number of long-term projects which stay true to our commitment to promoting Muslim cultures through arts collaborations and build on the extensive network of local, national and international partners that Festival has created. These include a three-year national program that connects young Muslims to their local cultural institutions; a UK Muslim cookbook; an exhibition of the Ottoman architect Sinan; and a project for schools around the 1000-year old story "The Animals' Lawsuit against Humanity". For more information about the Festival, please click on another page: Who's Who. Which is NOT the purpose of holding the Festival of Muslim Cultures? A. To promote people's respect for Muslim cultures. B. To show to people how cultures join the people together. C. To try to change the beliefs of various religions. D. To make Muslims and non-Muslims understand each other better. Answer: C Today, most people follow a routine, such that they are caught in a cycle of running around the clock without getting any breathing space to enjoy a satisfying life. If you could only take a pause and inspect your routine with a new outlook, you would find that it is actually easy to make some positive changes in life. Making time for yourself is one such positive change. Waking up early gives you ample time to exercise, have your breakfast peacefully, look after your garden, and then get on with the rest of your day. Morning time can be effectively used for planning the day ahead. As a result, you will get enough time to plan your schedule in a better manner. By maintaining a diary of daily tasks, you offer yourself enough time to prepare your schedule, besides not leaving out the important things that need to be done. By writing down the daily activities at hand, you can make necessary changes to the next day's schedule effectively. You don't have to spend hours in a gym every day to stay fit and healthy. In fact, even if you devote just around 20 to 30 minutes daily to exercises like stretching and walking, it can work wonders. Well, the option of using public transport to save time, at first glance, may not seem to be a good idea. However, by using public transit, you will get the time to read books or make those important calls. You would be amazed to know how reading transforms your thought process and personality as a whole. When you get habitual to watching TV, you waste so much time doing nothing constructive. Many a time, you are not really interested in watching TV. In such cases, you need to break free of this habit and invest your precious time in something worthwhile. Paint something or play a game of chess with your kids. This way, you not only make quality time for yourselves, but also create a positive environment at home. Internet surfing, these days, is one of the top time-wasting activities around. Internet users, over time, get habitual to surfing the Internet purposelessly. In fact, Internet surfing is a kind of addiction which many of us find difficult to get rid of. Thus, reducing the amount of time you are on the Internet is one way to save time for yourself. A fast-paced life should not be an excuse that is used not to look after yourself. In fact, such a lifestyle should be the very reason for you to treat yourself with great care and make more time for yourself. What is the passage mainly about? A. Good habits one should develop in a fast-paced life. B. Tips on enjoying a satisfying and happy life. C. The importance of making positive changes. D. Easy ways to set aside time for yourself. Answer: D A. Dear Mrs. Web Dear Mrs. Web provides free personal advice and opinions for you. She receives and answers worldwide e-mail questions . She will offer you some new suggestions on your problems, like study project, problems in making friends... Dear Mrs. Web welcomes all questions and suggestions. You can receive the reply usually in 48 hours. Her e-mail address is mrsweb @ advice com B. Help Line Volunteers Every year thousands of old people are in need of our help. The Help Line provides a heartwarming. helpful, kind support and free information service for the English-speaking aged people. We are in need of volunteers who are :good listeners, warm-hearted and patient; excellent English speaker; can work 10 hour every week. Please call us at 0241-85902 or e-mail us at [email protected]. C. Save the Earth Club Earth club is for any student in Green School. Earth Club's goal is to help keep the school, neighborhood and city cleaner by encouraging recycling, highway clean up, and river, lake and school campus clean up. We hope to improve the environment and encourage others to do the same. We also need to discuss some real solutions to save the earth. Earth Club meets 2-4times a month. Come and join us! D. The King Sweeper "My great, great grandfather invented the carpet sweeper 125years ago. This King Sweeper is by far the best. I invite you to try it in your home. You'll find it used daily in hospitals, restaurants, offices and homes throughout the world. This is just the thing to keep your carpet soft , clean and fresh. Only for $59.99! We are so sure that you will be satisfied with the results of using our product. E. Trendy Sunglasses They can protect your eyes when driving, gardening or reading in the sun. It can make your life easier and happier, and make you look smarter! $20.99 each or 2 for$39.99! Save the Earth Club is _ to help improve environment. A. a world club B. a city club C. a school club D. a neighborhood club Answer: C
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. What do you think the text is mainly about? A. What kind person Michael Scofield is. B. Miller's unusual path to fame and fortune. C. Why Fox's Prison Break became a huge hit. D. How special Miller is in the entertainment field. Answer: B Running is becoming popular these days. Many of us run for health. Doctors say many health problems come from these bad habits: eating and drinking too much, smoking and not taking enough exercise. Doctors tell us. "Eat and drink less, don't smoke, and exercise more." Running is a good way of exercise because it helps to build a strong heart. It also helps most people lose weight. One 68-year-old woman runs three times a week. "I love to eat." She says. She runs to lose _ Running is good for health in other ways, too. Many runners say running keeps colds and other small health problems away. "Running is my doctor." says one man. Running can also help people to relax. So today men and women of all ages enjoy running. .The writer mainly tells us _ . A. how to run B. how to lose weight C. runningis a good way to keep healthy D. running is better than doctors Answer: C Many people go to work each day to a job they hate.The harmful feelings influence their entire life,putting a negative cloud over the home, their friends and many of their other activities.There is a better way to live your 1ife.Meaningful purpose is a driving force that adds enthusiasm to your days.Here are a few steps to get the new career rolling: Do some self-analysis.Ask yourself--What really matters to me? What problem or wrong would I like to fix? What do I enjoy? Where are my interests and hobbies? What are my priorities? What is my secret passion? What do I want to do with the rest of my life? Reviewing these questions can give you new insight to where you want to go. Use your unique genius and talents.Every person is born with a unique set of natural abilities.Talents,such as managing,creating,researching,training others,drawing,can all seem like easy work because you have a natural ability for them.True happiness comes from combining your natural talents,developing and excelling in them,and working in a field,job,industry that you have a passionate interest in. Make a decision.Only action can change your life.Read a book.Take vocational tests.Use a good career--management professional.Do some career exploration and gather all the information you need.Then make a decision and go forward.Outline the action steps to reach your career goal.Finding meaning,passion and purpose every day you go to work is the wonderful reward, so don't wait any longer.Begin right now and set in motion to live a happier,more satisfying life. The purpose in writing this passage is to_. A. persuade people to work hard B. show some wrong-doings at work C. direct people to choose their career D. deal with troubles people may meet at work Answer: C Many science fiction stories tell about explorers arriving in a new world. The explorers then use some kind of high-tech device to test for breathable air or signs of life. But here on Earth, science fiction is becoming reality through a new sampling technology called environmental DNA, or e-DNA for short. Scientists can use it to identify rare or invasive species, study bio-diversity or estimate fish populations with just a little air or water. Ryan Kelly is an ecologist at the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs at the University of Washington in Seattle. He works in a laboratory there with other researchers. They study the genetic material released by living creatures. "Essentially we can take a sample of soil or air -- and in our case -- water, and we can sequence(to arrange the order of genes)the DNA out of it and tell you what is there." Ryan Kelly says he and his research team are studying water samples collected from Puget Sound. He says the cost of gene sequencing has "been reduced greatly in recent years." That makes DNA testing more widely available. Environmental DNA can be used in two ways. One is to identify the creatures that live in a certain place. The other is to confirm the presence or lack of a specific creature. Caren Goldberg heads the new e-DNA lab at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. She is one of the first biologists in the northwestern United States to take the technology from the testing phase to actually using it. "It is extremely useful for species that are really hard to find. I have spent many hours looking for species that I was pretty sure were there -- looking under rocks, looking in water, doing all kinds of surveys." Caren Goldberg sees e-DNA as a way to get answers more efficiently, safely and with less destruction compared to traditional survey techniques. Until recently, scientists depended on diving deep, netting or using an electric current to temporarily catch fish. "We're absolutely at this point where proof-of-concept has been established. I don't think everyone necessarily is ready for it yet, but I think the majority of people are." This newer way to identify what lives in the environment is becoming popular around the world. Animal experts in Vietnam are using the e-DNA to find the last, wild Yangtze giant softshell turtles. One researcher on the Caribbean island of Trinidad is using the sampling technology to find endangered golden tree-frogs. And in Madagascar, it is being used to identify amphibian diseases. Ms. Goldberg has used e-DNA testing to confirm the local extinction, disappearance, of a leopard frog in the American state of Idaho. She has also been asked to document the spread of the New Zealand mud-snail in the state of Washington. The creature has been found in lakes and other waterways across the state. Now, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management wants Caren Goldberg to look for the Columbia spotted frog in two other western states. The rare amphibian is a candidate for the federal government's threatened species list. Scientists working with the technology say they do not expect robots to replace field biologists anytime soon. But the old-fashioned field work could soon be more targeted. A related research goal is to show how long environmental DNA can last and how far it can travel in different environments. The passage can be sorted as a(n) _ . A. science fiction B. experiment report C. science report D. bio-diversity discovery Answer: C Jeff Keith has only one leg. When he was 12 years old, Jeff had cancer . Doctors had to cut off most of his right leg. Every day Jeff puts on an artificial leg . With the plastic artificial leg Jeff can ride a bicycle, swim, and play soccer. He can also run. Jeff made a plan with his friends who had plastic legs, too. They decided to run across America. When he was 22 years old, Jeff Keith ran across the United States from the east to the west. He started running in Boston. Seven months later, he stopped running in Los Angeles. He ran 3,200 miles. Jeff stopped in cities on the way to Los Angeles. In every city people gave Jeff money. The money was not for Jeff, but for the American Cancer Society. Jeff is _ , but he can do many things. He is studying to be a lawyer . Jeff says, "People can do anything they want to do. I want people to know that. I ran not only for disabled people. I ran for everybody." ,. It took Jeff _ to run from Boston to Los Angeles. A. about four and a half months B. over two hundred days C. almost twenty-five weeks D. less than half a year Answer: B With the crazy smog going on in China, businessmen are now ready to grope for your wallet. "Smog economy" is stimulating a shopping _ on certain products against the terrible weather. Now let's see what we have on the list to help us through the crisis. 1. Masks Well, I would say you had better stay indoors to save your lives. PM 2.5 just surged up to 750 in Beijing recently. 3M just sold 220,000 masks of a kind. No.1 best-selling products! 2. Air purifiers This kind of products is rarely seen in Chinese households in the past. They have become a necessity now. I do like these little gadgets, but they are just too expensive. 3. Oxygen inhalers I didn't realize oxygen inhalers also get a cut in the smog economy. As a matter of fact, your oxygen uptake has nothing to with relieving the impact of smog. It might even lead to oxygen poisoning when you inhale too much oxygen. So don't get greedy. 4. Salt lamps Compared to oxygen inhalers, salt lamps are even worse. Some stores are selling the products at several hundred yuan, saying that they can release negative ions , reduce radiation levels and purify the air. The lamps mainly contain sodium chloride. The boiling point of sodium is about 800 degrees centigrade and that of candle is 500. So how on earth can negative ions be released at only 500 degrees? 5. Plants that absorb smog Yeah, right. Plants Vs Smog. It is scientifically justified that some plants do absorb pollutants from the air. Money plants and calla lilies are among the best-sellers in the market. Even if they don't work, it's good to have some plants in the house anyway. Salt lamps are useless, because _ . A. it may cause poisoning B. it actually can't release the negative ions C. it reduces radiation level and makes the air dirty D. the prize is very high Answer: B The Coalition for the Homeless is an organization that seeks to _ the needs of the homeless population in the United States. It is a network of offices, some of which provide food and houses for the homeless population, and some of which fight for the passing of laws that would give every American the right to a place to call home. According to the Coalition's studies, of over two hundred million people living in the United States, up to three million are homeless--and the number is still growing. Since the late 1970s, fast-rising house prices, large cuts in government supported housing programs, and economic recession have make it impossible for many Americans to meet housing costs. Sadly, this has resulted in a number of persons being forced to leave their homes and/or unable to find new affordable homes. According to another research, families with children appear to be the fastest-growing part of the homeless population, making up 39% of it. The old idea of a homeless person, that of the single man who gets drunk all the time, is no longer true. A much larger part of the population now finds itself homeless. Even worse, once a person becomes homeless, he often finds it impossible to find a job, since most employers require anyone who wants a job from them to provide a home address on a job application. The word " address" in the first line probably means " _ ". A. talk about B. write to C. fight for D. deal with Answer: D Work is a part of living --my grandparents understood that. They lived and worked on a farm that has been in my family for 150 years. They raised chickens for eggs , pigs and cattle for meat . Cows were kept for milk and the cream, from which Grandma made butter and cheese. What little yard they had became a garden. The Depression, therefore, didn't make much change in their lives. But it did bring an unending flow of men out of work, drifting from job to job, to the farm. The first to show up at the door of the kitchen was a man in rags. He took off his hat and quietly explained that he hadn't eaten for a while. Grandpa stood watching him a bit , then said , "There's a stack of firewood against the fence behind the barn . I've been needing to get it moved to the other side of the fence . You have just about enough time to finish the job before lunch ." Grandma said a surprising thing happened. The man got a shine in his eyes and he hurried to the barn at once. She set another place at the table and made an apple pie. During lunch, the stranger didn't say much, but when he left, his shoulders had straightened. "Nothing ruins a man like losing his self-respect," Grandpa later told me. Soon after, another man showed up asking for a meal. This one was dressed in a suit and carried a small old suitcase. Grandpa came out when he heard voices. He looked at the man and then offered a handshake." There is a stack of firewood along the fence down behind the barn I've been meaning to get it moved. It'd sure be a help to me . And we'd be pleased to have you stay for lunch." The fellow set his suitcase aside and neatly laid his coat on top. Then he set off to work. Grandma says she doesn't remember how many strangers they shared a meal with during those Depression days-or how many times that stack of wood got moved. When he was asked to move a stack of firewood, the first man who asked for a meal got a shine in his eyes for he was glad that _ . A. he had found a good job B. he would have something to eat C. he would no longer suffer from the Depression D. he would get what he wanted without losing his self-respect Answer: D Bill, Frank and Dave were three brothers. Every year they sent their mother expensive gifts on her birthday,. They liked to show her how rich they were. The eldest brother. Bill, had a lot of money and he wanted his mother to have the most expensive gifts, but he didn't know what to buy. So he put an ad in the newspaper. "Wanted-the greatest gift for my mother." About a week before his mother's birthday a man came to his office. He brought a big bird. "This bird." the man said, "can speak ten languages and sing some pop songs." "Really? I'd like to listen to it," Bill said. The man made the bird talk in French and tell a joke in Japanese. Then the bird sang a beautiful song. Bill was very happy and paid nine thousand dollars for the bird. The next day Bill sent the bird to his mother with a birthday card. The day after his mother's birthday he called his mother. "Well, mother" he asked, "What do you think of the bird?" "Oh, it's very delicious, dear." said his mother. How many languages could the bird speak? A. Five B. Seven C. Fight D. Ten Answer: D Miep Gies, the woman who hid the Dutch girl Anne Frank's diary from the Nazis to become one of the world's most-read books, died after a brief illness at the age of 100. It was Gies who guarded Anne's diary, and presented it to the girl's father, Otto, when he returned from the Auschwitz concentration camp at the end of World War II--the only one of his family to survive. In her diary, Anne Frank wrote about her teenage life hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam from 1942 to 1944, when the Nazi police discovered her and her family's hiding place. The diary, first published in 1947, has been translated into 70 languages. Anne Frank expressed a great wish to live on after death. Miep Gies saw it as her duty to help in making this happen. Born in Vienna in 1909, Gies moved to the Netherlands at the age of 11. In 1933, she began working for Otto Frank at his trading company. At great risk to her own safety, she and four other helpers brought food and supplies to the Frank family hiding in a secret office building for more than two years. When she turned 100, _ . "I'm not a hero," she said. " It wasn't something I planned in advance. I simply did what I could to help." Every day she received letters from all over the world with questions about her relationship with Anne Frank and her role as a helper. Gies received many honors for her role, including from the Netherlands, Germany and Israel. When did Miep Gies move to the Netherlands? A. In 1909. B. In 1920. C. In 1933. D. In 1947. Answer: B
If you go to England, you may want to visit Big Ben. Big Ben is not the name of a man but a name of the clock in London. It has a long history of about 150 years. It is at the north end of the Palace of Westminster . The big clock has four faces. So you can read the face of the chock everywhere.The hands of it are about four meters long.When the new year comes, it _ to welcome the start of the new year. There are also many fireworks over the clock tower. The big clock makes a very loud sound "Ding dong.Ding dong"-the clock gives the sound every 15 minutes of an hour. What is Big Ben? A. A man B. A tower C. A clock D. A plane Answer: C Sunday is more like Monday than it used to be. Places of business that used to keep daytime "business hours" are now open late into the night. And on the Internet, the hour of the day and the day of the week have become irrelevant . A half century ago in the United States, most people experienced strong and precise dividing lines between days of rest and days of work, school time and summer time. Today the boundaries still exist, but they seem not clear. The law in almost all states used to require stores to close on Sunday; in most, it no longer does. It used to keep the schools open in all seasons except summer; in most, it still does. And whether the work week should strengthen its legal limits, or whether it should become more "flexible," is often debated. How should we, as a society, organize our time? Should we go even further in relaxing the boundaries of time until we live in a world in which every minute is much like every other? These are not easy questions even to ask. Part of the difficulty is that we rarely recognize the "law of time" even when we meet it face to face. We know as children that we have to attend school a certain number of hours, a certain number of days, a certain number of years--but unless we meet the truant officer , we may well think that we should go to school due to social custom and parents' demand rather than to the law. As adults we are familiar with "extra pay for overtime working," but less familiar with the fact that what constitutes "overtime" is a matter of legal definition. When we turn the clock forward to start daylight-saving time, have we ever thought to ourselves: "Here is the law in action"? As we shall see, there is a lot of law that has great influence on how we organize and use time: compulsory education law, overtime law, and daylight-saving law -- as well as law about Sunday closing, holidays, being late to work, time zones, and so on. Once we begin to look for it, we will have no trouble finding a law of time to examine and assess. What is the main idea of the passage? A. Our life is governed by the law of time. B. How to organize time is not worth debating. C. New ways of using time change our society. D. Our time schedule is decided by social customs. Answer: A The Count of Monte Cristo ( French: Le Comte de Monte Cristo ) is an adventure novel by French author Alexandre Dumas. Completed in 1844, it is one of the author's most popular works, along with The Three Musketeers. Like many of his novels, it is expanded from plot outlines suggested by his co-author Auguste Maquet. The story takes place in France, Italy, islands in the Mediterranean, and in the Levant during the historical events of 1815-1838. It begins from just before the Hundred Days period, when Napoleon returned to power after his exile , and goes through to the time of Louis Philippe of France. The historical setting is a fundamental element of the book. It is an adventure story primarily concerned with themes of hope, justice, revenge , mercy and forgiveness, and is told in the style of an adventure story. It focuses on a man who is wrongfully imprisoned, escapes from prison, gains a fortune and sets about getting revenge on those responsible for his imprisonment. However, his plans have terrible consequences for the innocent as well as the guilty. Dumas got the idea for The Count of Monte Cristo from a true story, which he found in a memoir written by a man named Jacques Peuchet. Peuchet related the story of a shoemaker named Pierre Picaud, who was living in Paris in 1807. Picaud was engaged to a rich woman, but four envious friends falsely accused him of being a spy for England. He was imprisoned for seven years. During his imprisonment a fellow prisoner told him a treasure hidden in Milan. When Picaud was released in 1814, he took possession of the treasure, returned under another name to Paris and spent ten years plotting his successful revenge. The book is considered a literary classic today. According to Luc Sante, " The Count of Monte Cristo has become a fixture of western civilization's literature, as inescapable and immediately identifiable as Mickey Mouse, Noah's flood, and the story of Little Red Riding Hood. " What can we know about the hero of The Count of Monte Cristo? A. He is a man of strong will seeking justice. B. He was exiled when Napoleon came to power. C. He carries out his revenge to regain his fortune. D. His revenge benefits the innocent as well as the guilty. Answer: A Two best friends lived in a small town. They grew up together and did everything together. One boy was named James, and he was a cute, fat kid who was always picked on. And then the other boy was named Alex, and he was handsome and cool. They were opposites, but they didn't care. Alex would always protect James from the bullies because James was weak. One day, James was being teased by the bullies, Gordon and Johnny, but Alex wasn't there to save him. James didn't know what to do and was scared. But then he remembered all of the times Alex stood up for him. James looked up to Alex and he thought of him as his hero. James wanted to protect himself and not have Alex always come to help. So this time, James got up and was brave. He stood up to Gordon and Johnny and told them that he wasn't scared. The bullies didn't know what to do and then gave up. They went away to look for more fun things to do. Alex saw the whole thing and was proud of James for being brave. Now James and Alex protect each other and stand up for each other. They still are the best of friends. Why was Alex proud of James? A. Alex was proud because James was brave. B. He was proud because he was his hero. C. He was proud because he was weak. D. He was proud because he was scared. Answer: A Three hundred and sixty five turns of the earth is A. double half a calendar year B. a very long time C. almost half of a lifetime D. more than two years Answer: A Thunderbird Lodge in Canyon de Chelly A one-night stay at the historic lodge starts at $59 for a single room and the lodge offers half-day tours of Canyon de Chelly ( $41 for adults and $32 for children aged 12 and under). Time: May 31, 2009 ~ Nov. 1, 2009 Details: Hotel taxes are an additional 17.1 percent Contact: 800/679-2473, tbirdlodge.com CALIFORNIA Zephyr Cove Resort at Lake Tahoe A three-night stay in a lakeside cabin for two people, an Emerald Bay sightseeing for two, free breakfast and lunch. Rates are $299 per couple - saving of up to $400. Details: Hotel taxes are included Time: Through Dec. 15, 2009 Contact: 800/234-8946, zephyrcove.com NEVADA Montelago Village at Lake Las Vegas A one-night stay at the mediterranean-style Montelago Village, 17 miles from Las Vegas. Rates start at $65 per person including ice-skating fees and skate rentals. Details: Hotel taxes are an additional 12 percent Time: Nov. 17, 2009~Jan. 15, 2010 Contact: 866/399-2753, montelagovillage.com YELLOWSTONE Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel A two-night stay, breakfast daily, full day ski rental, unlimited ice-skating and skates and a book of Yellowstone photos. Rates start at $119 per person. A one-night stay at the hotel starts at $65. Details: Hotel taxes are an additional 8 percent Time: Jan .1, 2010~May 2, 2010 Contact: 866/439-2473, travelyellowstone.com If a couple and their 14-year-old son want to have a half-day tour of Canyon de Chelly on Oct. 13, 2009, they should pay _ . A. $114 B. $123 C. $177 D. $189 Answer: B An example of weathering is A. sand B. sharp boulders C. tall trees D. coral reefs Answer: A It seems that politicians around the world are thinking about the health of their countries. While in China, Chen Zhu has announced his plans for a universal health service and reform across health services. Gordon Brown, the UK Prime Minister, has also announced he is planning to make some changes in our health service. The crux of Mr. Brown's proposals are related to giving the NHS (National Health Service) a greater focus on prevention, rather than just curing patients. He is planning to introduce increased screening for common diseases such as heart disease, strokes, and cancer, for example, breast cancer. In Britain there are 200,000 deaths a year from heart attacks and strokes, many of which might have been avoided if the condition had been known about. Initially, the diagnostic tests will be available for those who are vulnerable, or most likely to have the disease. One example is a plan to offer all men over 65 an ultrasound test to check for problems with the main artery , a condition which kills 3,000 men a year. The opposition have criticized Mr. Brown's proposals, saying that they are just a trick, and claiming that there is no proper timetable for the changes. They also say that Mr. Brown is reducing the money available for the treatment of certain conditions while putting more money towards testing for them. The NHS was founded in 1948, and is paid for by taxation. The idea is that the rich pay more towards the health service than the poor. However in recent years there has been a great increase in the use of private healthcare, because it's much quicker. NHS waiting lists for operations can be very long, so many people who can afford it choose to pay for medical care themselves. The author of this passage intends to tell us _ . A. the NHS should be reformed right away. B. more and more people are dying from diseases. C. the plan to reform the NHS in the UK. D. the criticism of Mr. Brown's proposals. Answer: C If you need to spend time on the road,it's important to find ways to keep safe on your feet. Don't suppose it's your right of way. Yes, you might be crossing at the right place, at the right time, within the crosswalk area, but you are still exposed to danger. It could be a distracted driver, or a cyclist with a loose sense of traffic rules, so you could still get hurt. You can be in the right legally, but that won't be much help when you're in the hospital. Follow pedestrian signals. Just as drivers aren't supposed to speed up to beat a light when crossing through an intersection, pedestrians need to take the same care when obeying their own signals. If the hand is flashing and the countdown is into single digits ,stay where you are. Trying to outrun the flashing hand is unsafe,especially as cars try to clear the intersection before the light turns red. Give drivers enough time to stop when crossing. Don't suppose that drivers will jam on their brakes when you hit the crosswalk signals. Some provinces, such as Alberta, issue a ticket if you don't give drivers enough time to brake. Cross quickly. Once you've followed all of the other rules, and it is safe to cross the street, don't then just wander along in front of six lanes of traffic. There's no need to run or jog, but respect the drivers who respected you enough to stop for you. In what case would pedestrians in Alberta be fined? A. Racing against time with drivers. B. Following crosswalk signals. C. Crossing the crosswalk area. D. Walking outside six lanes. Answer: A If you struggled to get up for work on Wednesdays, there could be a good reason--it is the day our mood reaches its lowest point. Monday has traditionally been thought of as the most depressing day of the week but according to psychologists, midweek gives more cause for concern in reality. Wednesday represented the lowest point in the week as people were furthest away from the weekend that has either just gone or is coming up and often feel too tired to go on with work. However, psychologists have found that, on average, people's moods remain about the same on each day throughout the week. To start their research, the University of Sydney scientists asked around 200 people what they thought their mood would be on each day of the week. Most said their worst moods were on Monday mornings and evenings but they became increasingly cheerful as the week went on, with their best moods falling on Friday and Saturday mornings and evenings. When asked why they believed that Friday and Saturday were best, respondents said they saw them as less-structured days when they could choose how to spend their time. The psychologists then asked a further 350 people how they felt each day. They found that, on average, people's moods remained about the same on each day throughout the week.Mondays were not as depressing as they had feared and Fridays and Saturdays were not as exciting as predicted. Professor Charles Areni, who led the study, said the day-of-the-week stereotypes stem from a cultural belief that people are generally happier when they are free to choose their activities compared to when they are engaged in paid work. In reality, he said, weekends do not often see moods change because they are frequently dominated by productive activities that may require large amounts of energy and begin to feel tired like work. "Day-of-the-week stereotypes like Monday morning blues and Thank God It's Friday are largely illusions," he said. Which of the following is the finding of the research mentioned in the passage? A. All of the people asked admitted that on Monday they had the worst moods. B. Saturday and Sunday were the best because people could plan their time freely. C. There was no sharp difference in people's moods between each day of the week. D. Different people had different ideas about which day was the worst in a week. Answer: C
Martha was busy with her job. She believed she had to work harder because she loved her father who was sick with cancer. She had to provide for his expensive medicines. Her brothers and sisters meanwhile stayed with their father most of the time. They bathed him, sang for him, spoon-fed him or simply kept him company. One day Martha was hurt. She overheard her father telling her mother, "All our children love me except Martha." "How can this be?" Martha thought. "Am I not the one killing myself in my work to have money to pay for his medicines? My brothers and sisters do not even provide their share in the expenses." One night, as Martha was as usual late in going home, she saw her father was lying awake. She walked close to his bedsides. Her father held her hands and said, "I miss you. I don't have much time. Stay with me." And she stayed with her father holding his hand the whole night. The next morning Martha said to everybody, "I have taken a leave of absence. I would like to be with father. I will bathe him and sing for him from now on." Her father had a beautiful smile. He knew Martha loved him, too. As children, we need the presence of our loved ones. Adults need no less. I have observed my mother's orchids . When she is away for a long time, they are unhealthy and many of them wither . But when she is around , they bloom with beautiful flowers. My mother does nothing special . She just spends her time looking after them. After staying with her father for one night, Martha _ . A. decided to give up her job B. understood what her father really needed C. realized her father loved her most D. loved her father more than before Answer: B Early childhood Teacher Children's Preschool is a non-profit,parcot cooperative child care center located in the East Rock neighborhood of new Haven.We are looking to hire an experienced teacher fo 25-30 hours per week.As a teacher,you will have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children by providing them with a safe and nurturing environment that encourages their social,emotional,physical,and intellectual development. Requirements: Bachelor's degree in early childhood education required. Experience working with children ages 3 to 5 years old. Knowledge of NAEYC and CT Benchmarks. Can bring to this position maturity, responsibility, and a sincere interest in working with children. Strong interpersonal and organaizational skills. Knowledge of various resources for curriculum ideas and the skills to apply that information in directing daily activiities. Send cover letter, resume and educational philosoghy. Contact: Kathy Phone: (203)777-2491 City: New Haven Zip: 06511 English Teacher---Private Middle School SUMMARY IECC(Islamic Education Guidance Center) is located in Toronto, ON, Canada. We are looking for an instructor is preferably female who is comfortable working in an Islamic environment as the school is situated within a Mosque. This individual must provide high-quality instruction to students and work collaboratively with the school leader, colleages, students, parents and the board to accompish or surpass the a cademy's educational goals. Work as a collaborative team member to carry out the academy curriculum and accompish short and long term academy goals. Requirements State teacher license/certification. Bachelor's degree with subject area emphasis and/or courswork and/or experience necessary to be considered high qualified for the grade/subjects to be taught. Demonstrated commitment to young people's learning success and achievenment. Demonstrated proficiency in a teaching/tutoring capacity as acquired through past experience in tutoring, teaching or other education-related experience, evidence of successful experience in student and parent relations. Contact: Sherikh Bashir M. Nur [email protected] or [email protected] with resume, references, and acquired certifications. If you are interested in teaching preschool children,you may contact by _ A. telephone or letter B. email C. letter or email D. telephone or email Answer: A In a few years, most people will know that a healthy, happy, loving family is a joy and it is a necessary part for building a strong society. But there are still some people who don't believe family life can be an enjoyable experience. Some people already accepted the idea of the "me generation" so they fail to understand that there is a time in life when they have to give up their time to something more valuable. At a time when adults need to think about the needs of their family, they will be doing other important things. Some people will spend too much time working for a more powerful car or a bigger house so that they can proudly say that they have them. Some will be doing dangerous things so that they may tell their stories to their friends, and others will recite things like " I must become the best I can be." or "I don't want to be at the bottom." The needs of their family will be forgotten and they never seem to have time for the family. Many people have not experienced a strong helpful perfect family life, so they have never discovered its worth. Many people have always experienced family life as a flight, so they can't find time and energy for work. But it is really very important that we all expect good family relations. We need to realize and value the importance of what can be achieved by loving each other in the family. It is also important for our society to encourage family members to create happiness. What does the writer expect family life to be like? A. Happy experience. B. A strong society C. Too much work D. A flight Answer: A Among the soldiers of King Philip there was a poor man who had done some good deeds. He had pleased the king in many ways, and so the king believed in him. One day this soldier was on a ship at sea when a great storm came up. The winds drove the ship upon the rocks, and it was broken. The soldier was thrown upon the shore ; and he would have died there if it had not been for the kind care of a farmer who lived nearby. When the soldier was well enough to go home; he thanked the farmer for what he had done, and promised that he would repay him for his kindness. But he did not mean to keep his promise . He did not tell King Philip about the farmer. He only said that there was a fine farm by the seashore, and that he would like very much to have it for his own. "Who owns the farm now?" asked Philip. "Only a useless farmer, who has never done anything for his country," said the soldier. "Very well, then," said Philip "You have served me for a long time, and you shall have your wish. Go and take the farm for yourself." And so the soldier drove the farmer from his house and home. He took the farm for his own. The poor farmer was hurt seriously. He went ly to the king, and told the whole story from beginning to end. King Philip was very angry when he learned that. He sent for the soldier in a great hurry, and when he had come, he had these words burned in his forehead: "The Ungrateful Man". According to this story, the soldier _ . A. liked to do good deeds B. was brave in the battle C. satisfied the king once D. did fishing for the king Answer: C Mark Twain's works are enjoyed worldwide. His real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens and he was born on November 30th, 1835, in the village of Florida, Monroe County, Missouri. After his father's death in 1847, Twain was apprenticed to a printer and wrote for his brother's newspaper. Later, Twain worked as a licensed Mississippi riverboat pilot, adopting his name from the call ('Mark twain!'--meaning by the mark of two fathoms) used when sounding river shallows. After the Civil War, Clemens brought an end to the steamboat traffic and moved to Virginia City. On February 3, 1863, 'Mark Twain' was born when he signed a humorous travel account with his new name. In 1864, Twain went to San Francisco to work as a reporter. He traveled in France and Italy and his experience were recorded in 1869 in the Innocents Abroad, which brought him wide popularity, and made fun at both American and European prejudices and manners. In 1870 he married Olivia Langdon. Together they relocated to Harford a year later. Meanwhile, Twain continued to lecture in the United States and England. Between 1876 and 1884 he published several masterpieces, including Tom Sawyer, the Prince and the Pauper, Life on the Mississippi, and Huckleberry Finn. In the 1890s, Twain lost most of his earnings in financial speculations and in the downhill of his own publishing firm. The death of his wife and his second daughter brought a sense of gloom in the author's later years, which is seen in writings and his autobiography. Twain died on April 21st, 1910. Which of the following works made Mark Twain begin to be popular? A. Huckleberry Finn B. The Prince and the Pauper C. The Innocents Abroad D. Life on the Mississippi Answer: C Teachers spend countless years trying to make history come alive for their students. But, prefix = st1 /USDirector Shawn Levy attempts to do this on film in the recently released Night at the Museum. The film is adapted from Milan Trenc's book of the same name. It brings to life a world where dinosaurs wander the earth, a former president rides again, warlike early Asians return, and cowboys and Roman soldiers seek to bring back their old goals. The familiar comedy star Ben Stiller acts as a luckless dreamer named Larry Daley. He takes a position as night watchman at the New York Museum of Natural History. On Larry's first night, he's left alone by the three aging guards he's replacing. They fail to inform him of the museum's rather unusual nightlife. Soon Larry finds himself chased down the hallways by the very lively skeleton of a dinosaur, in the middle of a confrontation with Asian warriors. He is caught in a territorial battle between a cowboy and a Roman general and meets face-to-face with former USpresident Teddy Roosevelt, played by Robin Williams. They are each from an exhibit that has come to life through the magic of a priceless Egyptian tablet. While the film fails to develop very much in some areas (for example, Larry's troubled relationship with a son), it does have enough special effects, and jokes to engage the audience. Bottom Line: Definitely not Oscar-worthy, but a great way to relax during a holiday. Which of the following is NOT true? A. The film has the same name as the book. B. Larry Daley is a character in the film. C. Teddy Roosevelt was once a USpresident. D. All magic Egyptian tablets are on exhibition. Answer: D "Last week was Road Safety Week at Jason's school. All the students had to take part in a talk on road safety which was given by a police officer. The following is what the police officer said. " "Most traffic accidents shouldn't happen. They happen because people are careless. A frequent cause of traffic accidents is speed. Some people drive too quickly. This means that if they have to stop suddenly, they cannot stop quickly enough to avoid hitting other vehicles or people. You need to remember this when you are crossing the street or walking along the sidewalk. " "It's not only drivers who cause accidents, however. People on foot-pedestrians, and bicycle riders often cause accidents, too. Pedestrians sometimes walk out into the street without looking. You should always look on both sides before stepping into the street. " "Do any of you ride a bike? Bicycle riders can cause accidents by changing directions suddenly or without warning other road users. Before you turn left, for example, you should check behind you to make sure there aren't any cars, trucks or buses coming. You should show with your left hand to tell that you want to turn left. You should not turn until the street is clear. " "The rules of the road are very simple. If we learn them and obey them, we should not have accidents any more. " Why do most traffic accidents happen? A. Because people stop their cars suddenly. B. Because people don't know the rules. C. Because people don't care if they have an accident. D. Because people are careless. Answer: D I believe you can do your best. Not being the best but toughing the limits of what you're capable of. I gained this belief from my third grade teacher, the most special, honored, trustworthy, and loved person in my life. Mr. Myrus was always perfectly dressed and spoke with the belief that talking to eight-year-olds didn't mean he had to sacrifice proper statements or grammars. And he was demanding but he wasn't unreasonable or cruel. He simply felt that no matter what your best was, you should achieve it. As luck would have it, I met him again as my eighth grade math teacher. I was not, nor ever will be, gifted in math. I remember my struggles in class. "I don't know the answer," I would say, "I can't do it!" "Perhaps you don't know the answer," he would say quietly. "Do you think we might figure it out together? How do you know what you can do until you try?" Mr. Myrus lived around the corner, and I would often stop by to talk while he worked in his garden. I knew there was someone who let me know that if I had really tried, that was enough. "Don't be so hard on yourself," he'd say. "Stop blaming yourself. Did you try your best? Well, then you're not a failure," he often told me these words. Mr. Myrus died in 1978. I had never thought about his death. He was too young. I felt sorry. But when I think about him now, I don't feel so sorry. He taught me to be kind, not only to others, but to myself. He taught me my own value. He taught me about honor, about truth, and about doing my best--and that all feelings and beliefs have dignity and deserve respect. And of all the things I know, this I believe: We can't all be "the best", but we can, each of us, be our best, and I know that's true because Mr. Myrus told me that. The author thought he was a lucky dog because _ . A. he had got a great belief from his teacher B. Mr. Myrus had taught him for eight years C. Mr. Myrus became his teacher a second time D. he developed a good relationship with Mr. Myrus Answer: C TUVALU, a tiny country in the Pacific Ocean, has asked for help as it will be swallowed up by the sea. Storms and huge waves are a constant threat and none of Tuvalu's nine little islands is more than five meters above sea level.Salt water is already entering the country's drinking water supply, as well as damaging plants that produce fruit and vegetables.Without urgent help, the country's days are numbered. But Tuvalu is not the first place to face sinking into the sea.Venice, a historic city in Italy best known for its canals, has sunk about 24cm over the past 100 years.Experts say that it will have sunk another 20-50cm by 2050.A century ago, St.Mark's Square, the lowest point city, flooded about nine times a year.Nowadays, it happens more than 100 times.While Venice is slowly sinking into the mud on which it stands, global warming causes Tuvalu's rising sea level. The average global temperature has increased by almost 0.5 centigrade degrees over the past century; scientists expect it rise by extra 1-3 degrees over the next 100 years. Warmer weather makes glaciers melt, and adds more water to the ocean.The warmer temperatures also make water expand, so it takes up more space, causing the sea level to rise.The sea level has risen about 10-25 cm in the last 100 years. The main cause of global warming is human pollution.Through burning coal, oil and gas, people have been increasing the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as CO2.This adds to the power of the greenhouse effect, making the planet even warmer. Many scientists believe that, if the warming is not stopped, there will be huge climate changes.The sea level could rise by one meter this century. Should this come true, the sea would swallow up millions of homes and the world will be flooded with "climate refugees" looking for somewhere to live. Which of the following is False according to the passage? A. The sea level has risen about 10-25 cm in the last 100 years for warmer temperatures. B. The average global temperature has risen by 1-3 centigrade degrees over the past 100 years. C. The warmer temperature causes the sea level to rise. D. There will be huge climate changes unless the warming is stopped. Answer: B One day a tiger caught a fox in the forest . Before the tiger eat him , the fox said, "You can't eat me, I'm king of the forest. If you eat me , all the other animals in the forest will be angry with you." The tiger didn't believe him. The fox said, "If you don't believe me, then take a walk with me in the forest. You can see whether they are afraid of me." The tiger thought it was a good idea, so they started together. The fox walked in front and the tiger went behind. When the other animals saw the tiger coming, they ran away as fast as they could. The fox called out, " Mr Tiger, you see, all the animals are afraid of me." The tiger said, "Yes, you are quite right." He let the fox go . The fox walked _ the tiger. A. in front of B. in the middle of C. behind D. beside Answer: A
Do Americans have morals ? That's a good question. Many people insist that ideas about right and wrong are merely personal opinions. Some voices, though, are calling Americans back to traditional moral values. William J. Bennett, former U.S. Secretary of Education, edited the Book of Virtues in 1993 to do just that. Bennett suggests that great moral stories can build character. The success of Bennett ' s book shows that many Americans still believe in moral values. But what are they? One of the most basic moral values for Americans is honesty. The well-known legend about George Washington and the cherry tree tells this value clearly. Little George cut down his father's favorite cherry tree while trying out his new axe. When his father asked him about it, George said honestly, "I can not tell a lie. I did it with my axe." Instead of punishment, George received his father's praise for telling the truth. Sometimes American honesty-being open and direct-can offend people. But Americans still believe that "honesty is the best policy." Another virtue Americans respect is perseverance. Remember Aesop's fable( )about the rabbit and the turtle that had a race? The rabbit thought he could win easily, so he took a nap. But the turtle finally won because he didn't give up. Sympathy may be the queen of American virtues. The story of "The Good Samaritan" from the Bible describes a man who showed sympathy. On his way to a certain city, a Samaritan man found a poor traveler lying on the road. The traveler had been beaten and robbed. The kind Samaritan, instead of just passing by, stopped to help this person in need. In no way can these brief descriptions cover all the moral values honored by Americans. Responsibility, loyalty, courage, gratitude and many others could be discussed. In fact, Bennett's bestseller-over 800 pages-highlights just 10 virtues. Even Bennett admits that he has only covered the surface. But no matter how long or short the list is, moral values are invaluable, they are the foundation of American culture-and any culture. When you break a vase at home, will you tell your parents according to American morals? A. Yes, because parents won't beat children. B. Yes, because honesty is more important than offense. C. No, because parents will feel hurt. D. No, because it is not an important matter. Answer: B The Most Scenic Drives in America Price: $25.00 Description: This book includes 120 easytofollow maps, 400 breathtaking photos, fascinating facts, tips, suggested side trips and much more. What Works What Doesn't: The Bottom Line on Everything Health Price:$31.96 Description: Now, with What Works What Doesn't, you can stop wasting time and money on products, treatments and approaches that don't work, and start getting real results from strategies that do. Strange Stories, Amazing Facts of America's Past Price: $34.96 Description: If you ever thought history was dull and our forefathers stodgy, here is a book to change your mind.This is America at its most fascinating--more than 600 true stories as gripping as a whodunit, as fast paced as a spy chase, as atmospheric as a historical novel--guaranteed to give many hours of reading pleasure. How To Write Your Life Story Price: $26.95 Description: Discover how easy it is to write your own life story! This fascinating and practical guide leads you through the process of creating your own personal memoir. Plus, find out how to use photos and other mementos to add even more meaning to your story. Disease Free Price: $31.96 Description:Stop Disease Before it Starts. Doctors estimate that at least 60% of chronic disease cases could be avoided entirely, and Disease Free shows you how. Detailed prevention plans for more than 90 conditions help you sidestep everything from heartburn to high blood pressure, colds to cancer. Complete Guitar Course Price:$30.00 Description: Learn to play in 20 easytofollow lessons! This deluxe handbook is packed with everything you need to learn from choosing the right guitar for you, to basic fingering, chords, and techniques. Handsomely designed in full color1 and jammed with practical tips, this comprehensive course will have you making beautiful music in no time at all! Care Free Plants Price:$34.96 Description: This book reveals the secret to great gardening: working smarter, not harder. Discover how you can spend less effort, save money, and still end up with more time to enjoy your beautiful garden. With this book in hand, the dream is within easy reach. If Tom has less than 30 dollars, he can buy _ . A. The Most Scenic Drives in America or How To Write Your Life Story book. B. How To Write Your Life Story or Complete Guitar Course book. C. The Most Scenic Drives in America book only. D. Complete Guitar Course book. Answer: A Jack's mother is ill. His father goes to New York and the boy has to look after her. He gets up early this morning, cooks breakfast for his sister and gives his mother some medicine and water and then goes to school. On the way to school, Jack meets Bob, one of his friends. Bob asks, "Are you late this morning, too?" "Yes, I am." "I'm sure Mr. Brown will be angry at us," says Bob, "We can't go to school." "Where are we going, then?" "To the zoo. There are many monkeys in it. We'll have a good time there." "We can't do that," says Jack, "or we'll fall behind our classmates. Mr. Brown is good. He wants us to be good, too." Bob thinks Jack is right and they go to school. Jack is late for school because _ . A. he gets up late. B. he goes to the zoo. C. he meets Bob. D. he looks after his mother and sister. Answer: D Single people, especially women, are stigmatized in our society: We're all familiar with the image of a sad, lonely woman eating ice cream with her cats in her pajamas on Saturday night. But about 45 percent of US adults aren't married and around one in seven lives alone. This might be you. Research shows that young people's expectations about their marital status (e.g. the desire to be married by 30 and have kids by 32) have little or no relationship to what actually happens to people. So, go with the flow. And, if you're single, you're in good company. Single people spend more time with friends, volunteer more, and are more involved in their communities than married people. Never-married and divorced women are happier, on average, than married women. So, don't buy into the myth of the miserable singleton. If you do get married, keep going with the flow. Relationship satisfaction, financial security, and happy kids are more strongly related to flexibility in the face of life's challenges than any particular way of organizing families. The most functional families are ones that can bend. So partnering with someone who thinks that one partner should support their families and the other should take responsibility for the house and children is a recipe for disaster. So is being equally rigid about non-traditional divisions of labor. It's okay to have ideas about how to organize your family but your best bet for happiness is to be flexible. Buying a home is often taken for granted as a stage on the path to adulthood. But the ideal of universal home ownership was born in the 1950s. It's a rather new idea.With such a short history, it's funny that people often insist that buying a house is a fool-proof investment and the best way to secure retirement. In fact, buying a house may not be the best choice for you. The mortgage may be less than rent, but there are also taxes, insurance, and the increasingly common Home Owners Association (HOA) fees. You may someday sell the house for more than you bought it but, if you paid interest on a mortgage, you also paid far more than the sale price. You have freedom from a landlord, but may discover your HOA is just as controlling, or worse. And then there's the headache: renting relieves you from the stress of being responsible for repairs. It also offers a freedom of movement that you might cherish. So be wise and consider all your options. The passage mainly tells us _ . A. how to have a happy family B. what's the life of American youth C. what American youth should know for living a happy life D. why American youth should be wise when making decisions Answer: C One day, a teacher asked her students to list the names of their classmates on two pieces of paper, leaving a space after each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of them. That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the names and the words of each student on a separate piece of paper. On Monday she gave each student the list. Before long, the students were smiling. "I never knew that I meant anything to anyone! And I didn't know others liked me so much." most students said. No one ever mentioned anything about the paper in class again, but it didn't matter. The students were happy with themselves and one another. Several years later, one of the students, Mike would graduate from Harvard University and his teacher and some former classmates attended the commencement . Mike came up to her. "I want to show you something," he said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. He carefully took out two pieces of notebook paper to the teacher without looking at the paper. "Thank you so much for doing that." Mike said. All of Mike's former classmates started to gather around. Charlie said, "I put mine in my album." I think we all treasured our lists." Marilyn said. Tears rolled down the eyes of the teacher. We may encounter so many people in our lives, and it's a precious joy to see the good in all those journeys. After receiving the list, every student felt _ . A. sad and surprised B. pleased and surprised C. excited and pleased D. pleased and touched Answer: B I decided to have dinner in the hotel, for I arrived late one night on a business trip. As I was finishing my meal, an elderly couple came in to dine. They were holding hands and had lovely smiles on their faces. They sat three tables from me. I was amazed at the love they showed for each other. It seemed to strike home all the more, because it was shortly after ending a 20-year marriage and I still had pain in my heart. My waiter was also their waiter. As I paid my bill, I inquired as to what their bill was. He informed me, and I gave him $40 to pay their bill. He asked if I knew them and I told him "No, I just wanted to repay them for the love that they were showing to each other," and then I departed. The next day I entered the restaurant to dine before my departure. After I had been seated, the waiter who served me the night before told me that the strangest thing happened after I left the restaurant. When the elderly couple went to pay for their meal, they were informed that it had been paid. When they inquired who had done this, the hostess told them they had no idea who I was, just retelling what I said. The couple were amazed. They looked around, asked for the bill of two young couples who were seated together, paid their bill and departed, saying "Love begets Love" to the amazement of the hostess and waiter. I smiled and said "That's nice," and proceeded to order my meal. About 45 minutes later, I finished my meal and was about to head out, but my waiter was nowhere to be found. I waited and waited and finally walked over to the hostess stand and explained that I needed to pay for my meal and hurry to the airport. She smiled and explained that I would not have to pay for my meal, because both the waiter and she felt compelled to pay my bill due to the joy that was brought to the faces of the elderly couple and the amazement of the young couples. When I told her that they didn't have to do that, she said with a smile "Love begets Love." What can be inferred from the story? A. The love between the elderly couple deeply touched the writer who was single. B. The young couples paid the bill of other customers in the restaurant. C. The waiter left on purpose and made the writer stay alone to test him. D. The writer did all this to prove his belief in love. Answer: A It looks like a scene from the thriller movieJaws,but these photos of a huge shark swimming with swimmers were in fact taken in Britain. The amazing pictures,which showed that the basking shark was swimming friendly with swimmers,were taken at Porthcurno beach,Cornwall,where the basking shark was swimming just yards off shore. The single 14foot giant was feeding in the shallow waters off the scenic area,and quickly became curious about the swimmers and surfers sharing the water. Though it came within touching distance,the swimmers and surfers were in no danger. The large sharks are plankton feeders-unlike the man-eating Great White fromJaws. Beach-goer Rachel Hosken,who took the pictures,said that several basking sharks had been seen in the area."It is one of the few I have ever seen around this year and it was great to see," she said excitedly."There are usually more of them by now,but for some reason there are fewer around than normal at this time of year. I think more have been spotted in deeper waters,but the particular one in the pictures seems to have taken a liking to this spot. I have seen it a few times." Known as the gentle giant of the sea,the basking shark is the second largest fish in the sea,only weighing lighter than the whale shark. They can grow to over 36 feet (11 meters) and weigh up to seven tons (7,000 kilograms) and feed on a diet of plankton and small fish. Basking sharks normally begin to appear in May and June. Why didn't the basking shark attack the swimmers or surfers? A. Because it was not hungry. B. Because it was too far from them. C. Because it isn't a man-eating shark. D. Because it enjoyed swimming with them. Answer: C One 7.0 kg bowling ball is lifted to a storage shelf 1.0 m above the floor. A second 7.0 kg ball is lifted to a storage shelf 2.0 m above the floor. Which of the following best explains why the measured force of gravity on each ball is nearly identical? A. The final potential energy of each ball increased. B. The amount of work required to lift each ball is identical. C. The distance of each ball from Earth's center of mass is almost identical. D. The gravitational force of each ball on the other cancels out the force of Earth's gravity. Answer: C If you are having trouble falling asleep, you are in good company. About 65% of Americans said they have sleeping problems a few nights each week, according to a recent study by the National Sleep Foundation. Sleeping too little can lead to a higher risk of becoming fat and getting depressed . But before you go to a doctor for advice, it is worth examining your sleeping habits one more time. Some of your favorite evening habits may have something to do with the sleeping problems. Setting a Bright Alarm Clock The light of your bright alarm clock can prevent you from falling asleep. You can make your room as dark as possible. Cover the bright numbers with a book or consider buying a small travel clock. Your cellphone alarm may also do the trick. Counting Sheep When you just can't fall asleep, it's useless to stay in bed to count sheep. If you've been trying to fall asleep for more than 30 minutes, the National Sleep Foundation suggests you get up to do some reading or watch TV for a while. Such activities will make you sleepy. Before you know it, you'll be going back to bed really tired. Exercising Late at Night? Daytime workouts will keep you full of energy for hours. That's why you don't want to exercise within three hours of _ . Fierce physical activity raise your body temperature and pumps your energy level--both are bad for a good night's sleep. What can we learn from the first sentence of the passage? A. It's not good to fail to fall asleep at night. B. People in a good company often have sleeping problems. C. There are many people who have sleeping problems. D. You should find someone to talk to if you can't fall asleep. Answer: C It was one of those terribly hot days in Baltimore. Needless to say, it was too hot to do anything outside. But it was also scorching in our apartment. This was 1962, and I would not live in a place with an air conditioner for another ten years. So my brother and I decided to leave the apartment to find someplace indoors. He suggested we could see a movie. It was a brilliant plan. Movie theaters were one of the few places you could sit all day and--most important --sit in air conditioning. In those days, you could buy one ticket and sit through two movies. Then, the theater would show the same two movies again. If you wanted to, you could sit through them twice. Most people did not do that, but the manager at our theater. Mr. Bellow did not mind if you did. That particular day, my brother and I sat through both movies twice, trying to escape the heat. We bought three bags of popcorn and three sodas each. Then, we sat and watched The Music Man followed by The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. We'd already seen the second movie once before. _ had been at the theater since January, because Mr. Bellow loved anything with John Wayne in it. We left the theater around 8, just before the evening shows began. But we returned the next day and saw the same two movies again, twice more. And we did it the next day too. Finally, on the fourth day, the heat wave broke. Still, to this day I can sing half the songs in The Music Man and recite half of John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart's dialogue from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance! Those memories are some of the few I have of the heat wave of 1962. They're really memories of the screen, not memories of my life. In which year did the author first live in a place with an air conditioner? A. 1952 B. 1962 C. 1972 D. 1982 Answer: C
When I was at University I studied very hard. But a lot of my friends did very little work. Some did just enough to pass exams. Others didn't do quite enough. Fred Baines was one of them. He spent more time playing than working in the library. Once at the end of the term, we had to take an important test in chemistry. The test had a hundred questions. Beside each question we had to write "True" or "False". While I was studying in my room the night before the test, Fred was watching TV. Fred usually worried a lot the night before a test. But on that night he looked perfectly calm. Thenhe told me of his plan. "It's very simple. There are a hundred questions and I have to get fifty correct to pass the test. I'll just toss the coin to decide the answers. That way, I'm sure I'll get half the questions right." The next day, Fred came happily into the exam room. As he sat tossing a coin for half an hour he marked down his answers. Then he left, half an hour before the rest of us. The next day, he saw the chemistry professor in the corridor. "Oh, good," he said to the teacher, "Have you got the result of the test?" The teacher reached into his pocket and took out a coin. He threw it into the air, caught it in his hand and looked at it. "I'm terribly sorry, Fred," he said, "You failed!" Fred came happily into the exam room because _ . A. he had got ready for the exam B. he knew the answers already C. one excellent student would help him D. he had his special way to finish the exam Answer: D As soon as you meet, or even see, a person, you form an impression of him based on his posture, gesture and facial expressions. This is why it is important to make a good first impression on the person who will be interviewing you. Within the first 60 seconds of meeting you, the interviewer will have formed an impression about what type of person you are and what kind of employee you would become, and 55% of this will be based only on your body language. Here are some tips to make you that impression a good one. First of all, relax. Think positive thoughts and you are more likely to come across as a positive, confident person during the interview. Dress smartly, as your appearance is one of the first things an interviewer will notice you. Stand up straight, and walk in with your shoulders back and your head up. Try to avoid slowing down as you walk into the room because this suggests fear and uncertainty. Shake hands with the interviewer firmly. You should have a positive handshake and a warm smile. Open your coat or jacket as you sit down shows that you, too, are open. Posture is important. You should be sitting well back in your seat. Sit up straight and lean forward slightly, but not too much. Sitting at too much of an angel expresses discomfort and distrust. Two of the most common signals are crossing your arms and legs, so try to avoid them. Another important issue is eye contact. Looking someone in the eye shows confidence in yourself and trust in the other person. However, don't overdo it, as too much eye contact or starring will make the other person uncomfortable. Use more eye contact when listening than when talking, and when you look away, look down. Looking up at the ceiling will make you seem bored and rude. If you lean forward too much, it means _ . A. you are very bored B. you are too nervous C. you don't have confidence D. you don't trust others Answer: D David and Sue went to their Auntie's house to visit on Saturday morning. She had some new ducklings in the pond that they wanted to see. They went out to the pond and on the way they saw a frog. They also saw a boat in the water. They saw a water lily. They looked in the water until they saw the mother duck and her ducklings. They were different colors. Six of them were brown and yellow. Four of them were only yellow. Two ducklings were brown. There was one that was white. They were all very fuzzy. They went back to the house to tell Auntie Beth about the ducklings. She was cooking on the stove. She asked Sue to get some eggs. She asked David to get some butter. Auntie Beth poured some milk into a bowl of flour. She made them a cake. "I'm so glad you've come to visit me," Auntie Beth said. Sue told her about the things they saw at the pond. David said, "We saw a frog. Don't forget the frog. It was my favorite." It was a good visit. What was David's favorite thing at the pond? A. boat B. duckling C. water lily D. frog Answer: D An exertion on a thing that is going against the thing's intended direction, when in motion will A. melt it B. oppose it C. speed it up D. burn it Answer: B Dear friends, My name is Tony. I am English. I am thirteen years old this year. I am tall, and I am good at playing football. I am in Grade Seven. There are thirty boys and twenty girls in my class. We are learning Chinese in our school. Our Chinese teacher is Mr. Wu. He is a little short, but he is very strong. He is very nice to us. I have some good friends in my class. Tom is a tall boy and has short black hair. He is good at playing football, too. Alice is short and she loves wearing red dresses. She is good at English. Shelly has long hair. She can speak Japanese and she likes running. We all study hard. What about your school and your friend? Please write soon. Yours, Tony Which country is Tony from? A. America. B. England. C. China. D. Japan. Answer: B Which event would most likely result in more food for organisms that are scavengers? A. Fish die and sink to the bottom of a pond. B. Trees take up and store water with roots. C. Beavers build a new dam and lodge. D. Plants get more sunshine and water. Answer: A I became a stand- up comic at 12:45 yesterday afternoon when I walked onto a comedy club stage and did a "bit". It was an audition in which people had exactly two minutes each to perform for a producer. I am not a comic, have never appeared onstage, am awkward before many people, and have no social skills. But I have written some funny things in the newspapers, and I figured that if you can write funny, you can be funny. That was my first mistake. Good stand - up comics improve their acts over months if not years, practicing before bathroom mirrors or their friends. I developed the key skill the morning I went on. I also brought a box of plastic beads , because I figured they could be useful. For the first few seconds, I was simply staring forward, mouth open, expressing the concept:"Uuungh". Finally I said, "This is my first performance as a stand - up comic. It's a kind of a special moment for me. I'd like to take this opportunity to say something to my mother, who was an inspiration to me throughout my life. My mother passed away a few years ago, but I feel she is still with me. All the time, wherever I go, I feel her presence. Day in and day out. So I would like to say this to her. LEAVE ME ALONE, MA!" Some people actually laughed. Then I said, "Anyway, this really is my first time onstage, and I'm pretty nervous because I'm not all that funny and I have a really bad stage presence. But I've been working on the problem. A long time ago a Greek guy named Demosthenes had the same problem I have, and he became a great speaker by sticking pebbles in his mouth, so I thought I would (and here I began putting the beads in my mouth) try that. See, the idea is that if you can talk through the pebbles ( now I was putting them in by the handful) you can learn to talk better and wfnm fmuff frmphm grphnm . . ." More laughter. I looked at my watch, said something that might have sounded like "My time is up," and left to somewhat spirited applause. What the audience did not know was that I was quietly choking on a slippery bead. After giving the performance, the author probably felt A. the audience was stupid B. being a comic is never easy C. he would make a great comic D. he should have brought more beads Answer: B Hunting The days of the hunter are almost over in India. This is partly because there is practically nothing left to kill, and partly because some steps have been taken, mainly by banning tiger-shooting, to protect those animals which still survive. Some people say that Man is naturally a hunter. I disagree with this view. Our earliest forefathers, who at first possessed no weapons, spent their time digging for roots, and were no doubt themselves often hunted by meat-eating animals. I believe the main reason why the modern hunter kills is that he thinks people will admire his courage in overpowering dangerous animals. Of course, there are some who truly believe that the killing is not really the important thing, and that the chief pleasure lies in the joy of the hunt and the beauties of the wild countryside. There are also those for whom hunting in fact offers a chance to prove themselves and risk death by design; these men go out after dangerous animals like tigers, even if they say they only do it to rid the countryside of a threat. I can respect reasons like these, but they are clearly different from the need to strengthen your high opinion of yourself. The greatest big-game hunters expressed in their writings something of these finer motives .One of them wrote. "You must properly respect what you are after and shoot it cleanly and on the animal's own territory . You must fix forever in your mind all the wonders of that particular day. This is better than letting him grow a few years older to be attacked and wounded by his own son and eventually eaten, half alive, by other animals, Hunting is not a cruel and senseless killing - not if you respect the thing you kill, not if you kill to enrich your memories, not if you kill to feed your people." I can understand such beliefs, and can compare these hunters with those who hunted lions with spears and bravely caught them by the tail. But this is very different from many tiger--shoots I have seen, in which modern weapons were used. The so--called hunters fired from tall trees or from the backs of trained elephants. Such methods made tigers seem no more dangerous than rabbits. What is the author's view on the tiger-shoots he has seen? A. Modern hunters lack the courage to hunt face-to-face B. Modern hunters should use more advanced weapons C. Modern hunters like to hunt rabbits instead of tigers D. Modern hunters should put their safety first Answer: A Hello, my name is Mike.I am from England. I am a new student in Jason School. I am in Class 2, Grade 1. I go to school 5 days a week and there are 6 classes a day. There are 25 students in my class. I am very happy to meet them. English is my favorite lesson. Miss Green is my English teacher. She is 27 years old. I like having her class. There is a computer in my classroom. Miss Green likes playing English songs on the computer in her class and we like these songs. Now I can sing many English songs. There are some pictures in the classroom because some students like drawing pictures and they draw very well. I like my classroom and my new school. Welcome to my school! How many classes are there in the school a day? A. Five. B. Six. C. Seven. D. Eight. Answer: B A man plugs his television into an outlet behind a cabinet. He sees that the television may now be turned on so that he can watch his favorite show. The man knows that by hooking the t.v. cord into the outlet A. he completed a lap B. he made a good deal C. he invented new circuits D. he completed a circuit Answer: D
Dolphins are our friends. They can use tools to solve problems although they don't have hands. For example, scientists have ever found that a dolphin can make a shy eel come out of its hole with a dead fish. Dolphins use different sounds to exchange information with each other. Scientists in Hawaii have developed a sign language to give instructions to dolphins, and the results are amazing. They find that dolphins not only understand the meaning of individual words, but also understand the importance of word order in a sentence. Most animals enjoy playing -- but dolphins seem to like making their games as challenging as possible. On a beautiful day in 1997, scientists at a beach watched a little dog going into the sea and swimming towards the dolphins. To their surprise, the dolphins came up to the dog and then started throwing it into the air. The dog seemed to enjoy the "game" and continued playing with the dolphins for more than an hour. Dolphins live in a very different world from ours, but they are very good at our "IQ tests" . For example, they will jump out of the water when they hear a whistle noise. They do this because they will get a fish as a prize. There is still much to learn about these cute problem-solvers, but it is certain that watching a dolphin show is fun. ,. (5) Why do the dolphins jump out of the water when they hear a whistle noise? A. Because they want to get a fish as a prize. B. Because they enjoy playing on the water. C. Because they want to play with other dolphins. D. Because the dolphin keepers want them to come out. Answer: A A group of frogs were travelling through the woods. Two of them, Nick and Jack, fell into a deep pit . All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told Nick and Jack that they were as good as dead. Nick and Jack ignored what the other frogs said and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their strength. The other frogs went on telling them to stop, and that they were as good as dead. Nick listened to them and gave up. Finally, he fell down and died. Jack continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the frogs around the pit shouted at him to stop the pain and just die. Jack jumped even harder and finally got out. When he was out, the other frogs asked, "Did not you hear us?" Jack explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him all the time. From the story we know _ died in the end. A. Nick B. Jack C. Nick and Jack D. all the frogs Answer: A Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) members met in Beijing from November 5 to 11 to discuss the future of APEC and the overall development of the Asia-Pacific area. APEC, which was set up in 1989,is a forum for 21 member countries to develop free trade and economic cooperation throughout the Asia-Pacific area. Though Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation came to a successful close, the "APEC Blue" has become popular in Beijing, even in China. A clear blue sky in Beijing is difficult to see during the smog season, so Beijingers gave it a name: "APEC Blue". "Oh, how beautiful the autumn sky is and how fresh the air is!" This is how most Beijingers feel during APEC. "I hope the APEC Blue will remain, and I believe, through the efforts we continue to make, it will." A lot of environmentally friendly ways were taken to reduce the Beijing smog during the APEC meeting, including limiting the number of cars on the road, stopping some factories in neighboring cities and so on. Perhaps we can learn something from London, where the Great Smog killed 4,000 people :in four days in 1952. Britain then passed its first air pollution act, which required that all power plants in London should be shut down, factories must build taller chimneys, and the heating system must be improved. In order to keep "APEC Blue", Beijing plans to build air corridors to blow away pollution. Not all agree with this way. Song Guojun, a professor of _ at Renmin University, believes that this way will not solve the problem at its root, and only by controlling the source of pollution will Beijing see bluer skies. APEC has been set up for _ years. A. 21 B. 1989 C. 25 D. 6 Answer: C Everybody is familiar with Christmas music; its played everywhere. Whether it's the music from a grocery store or random songs on the radio, holiday music remains to flood in the air from the day after Thanksgiving to the beginning of December. Christmas music gets extremely over- played through the Holiday season. "'I think the common seasonal Christmas music is annoying because it keeps being played over and over."said junior Devin McFarland. The Christmas music still played today is what she heard in her childhood. Some famous Christmas songs have never been changed. The original music is played so much that in some cases people dream about or even sing Christmas music in their sleep. She wishes that there was a wider variety of songs. She likes the newer Christmas songs that bands either re- make or write themselves. "They have a fresher sound to Christmas songs, and they add their own characteristics to them so that they are more like their own songs. " McFarland explained. Christmas is known as a happy and homecoming festival, so the holiday season is meant to be spent happily with your family. It is recognized that the music media wants to get the point across and add to the festival atmosphere. But isn't the music being pushed to the public too much? Most grocery stores play the music non-stop ,Christmas song after Christmas song, disgusting the customers who don't like that kind of music. You can walk through stores and attempt turning off the music, but sometimes it's impossible to do so. On the other hand, almost everyone has witnessed random persons walking along happily and either singing or whistling to the tune of the song that's played throughout the store. Why does Devin think common seasonal Christmas music is annoying? _ . A. Because the music is played at random B. Because it has become more commercial C. Because the music is played too much D. Because everyone is familiar with Christmas Answer: C The "Thumbs-Up" While Western culture has become used to the thumbs-up as a positive signal (probably coming from World War II pilots using the signal to communicate that they were "good to go" with ground crews), there are cultures where a thumbs-up may land you in trouble. In West Africa, as well as Greece, Italy and Middle East, the thumbs-up is pretty much the biggest insult . Rather more charming is a thumbs-up in Germany and in parts of Japan --they just see it as the hand signal for the number one. The "A-OK" This sign is mainly used by divers to mean "OK"(to prevent being confused with the thumbs-up sign, which means "rise"). Basically the meaning comes out as "great", or "completely fine". However, in a few countries in Europe, people may think you're telling them that you think they're a 'zero'. The "V Sign" The sign comes in two formats: one with the palm faced outwards, and one with the palm inwards. In America they mean the same thing --"victory". However, if the outside of your hand is facing your target, you're giving somebody a long-established insult in Great Britain and many English-speaking countries such as Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. Winston Churchill famously used the "incorrect" version of the V sign during the early years of the war, turning the outside inside later. The V sign is also considered rude in Italy. The "Corna" The corna hand gesture has most recently been adopted by fans of rock and heavy metal music.Nowadays many Americans use the gesture simply to mean "rock on", or in support of the University of Texas in Austin (known as the "Hook'em Horns"). Today it is still popular in Spain, Brazil and Slovakia . Historically, however, the symbol possibly dates back to Ancient Greece. Which of the following signs doesn't have an insulting meaning? A. The "Thumbs-Up". B. The "A-OK". C. The "V Sign". D. The "Corna". Answer: D I am my mother's third girl. When I was born, the doctor gently explained to my mother that my left arm was missing, below the elbow(,). Then he gave her some advice, "Don't treat her any differently from other girls." And she did! There were five girls in our family and we all had to help out. Once when I was about seven, I came out of the kitchen, "Mum, I can't peel potatoes. I only have one hand." "You get back to peel potatoes, and don't ever use that as an excuse for anything again!" Of course I could peel potatoes--with my good hand and my other arm. "Jenny, if you try hard enough," she said, "you can do anything." Once in the second grade, our teacher had each of us race across the monkey bar . When it was my turn, I said no. some kids laughed. I went home crying. The next afternoon Mum took me back to the school playground. "Now, pull up with your right arm," she advised. She praised me when I made progress. I'll never forget when I was crossing the bar, the kids were standing there with their mouths open. It was the way with everything. Mum had the courage to face anything. and she taught me I could, too. How many younger sisters do I have? A. Two. B. Three. C. Four. D. Five. Answer: A Allan is eight this year and he's in Grade Two. The boy is clever and can answer all the questions in class. But he hates to stay in the classroom for more than half an hour. He would not listen to the teachers when class is soon going to be over. Or he touches his deskmate's head, or he makes faces. He often makes the whole Class laugh. His teachers tell his parents about it. He has to make a promise that he won't do that again. But soon he will forget it. The teachers think he does well in his lessons and don't mind it. One Saturday evening Allan finished his homework as soon as he had supper. He turned on the television, but there was no football match on TV. He found all the programmes were not interesting and turned it off. He saw his sister Mabel doing her homework in her bedroom. He decided to play a joke on her. He found an earthworm in the garden and put it in her clothes. The girl was so frightened that she cried out for help. Their mother heard this and went in to find out what had happened there. Of course, the boy was punished for it. The next morning Mabel gave her mother a card and said, "Merry Mother's Day. Mum!" The woman was happy and thanked her daughter. But Allan had nothing to give his mother as a present. He felt sorry and said, "Don't be angry with me Mummy. I've forgotten it. " "It doesn't matter, dear," said his mother. "The best present is to be a good boy. Don't be naughty , my son, or your child will be naughty, too! " Hearing this, the boy began to laugh and said. "You've told me the truth today, Mummy!" Allan does well in his lessons, so _ . A. his teachers aren't angry with him B. his teachers let him leave the classroom C. he can make faces in class D. he can play a joke on his deskmate Answer: A A typical lion tamer in people's mind is an entertainer holding a whip( ) at a chair. The whip gets all of the attention, but it's mostly for show. In reality, it's the chair that does the important work. When a lion tamer holds a chair in front of the lion's face, the lion tries to focus on all four legs of the chair at the same time. With its focus divided, the lion becomes confused and is unsure about what to do next. When faced with so many options, the lion chooses to freeze and wait instead of attacking the man holding the chair. How often do you find yourself in the same position as the lion? How often do you have something you want to achieve (e.g. lose weight, start a business, travel more)--only to end up confused by all of the options in front of you and never make progress? This upsets me to no end because while all the experts are busy debating about which option is best, the people who want to improve their lives are left confused by all of the conflicting information. The end result is that we feel like we can't focus or that we're focused on the wrong things, and so we take less action, make less progress, and stay the same when we could be improving. It doesn't have to be that way. Anytime you find the world waving a chair in your face, remember this: All you need to do is focus on one thing. You just need to get started. Starting before you feel ready is one of the habits of successful people. If you have somewhere you want to go, something you want to accomplish, someone you want to become...take immediate action. If you're clear about where you want to go, the rest of the world will either help you get there or get out of the way. Why does the lion tamer use a chair? A. To entertain the audience. B. To show off his skills. C. To get ready for a fight. D. To trick the lion. Answer: D A father was sitting at his desk and looking at his bills when his little son rushed in and said, "Dad, because today is your birthday and you're 40 years old, I'm going to give you 40 kisses, one for each year!" When the boy started kissing, the father shouted, "Oh, Andrew, don't do it now. I'm too busy!" The boy soon became silent as tears fell down from his big blue eyes. Feeling sorry, the father said, "You can finish the kisses later ." The boy said nothing but quietly walked away. That evening the father said, "Come and finish the kisses now, Andrew!" But the boy didn't. Unluckily, a few days later, the boy had an accident and died. His sad father wrote,"If only I could tell him how sorry I am for my thoughtless words and how much my heart is hurt." Love is a two-way street. We must warmly accept any loving acts, or others will take it as a "No" and it may leave a scar . If we don't have love, our life will lose its true meaning. If we are too busy to give and receive love, we are too silly! Nothing is more important than loving the people who are important to us. Which of the following is NOT true? A. Andrew's father was busy looking at his bills on his birthday. B. Andrew was killed in an accident on his father's birthday. C. Andrew's father asked him to give him the kisses later. D. Andrew's father felt sorry after the accident happened. Answer: B Computer games have been criticised for quite some time over a whole range of issues. Some people say they are overly violent and encourage violent behaviour particularly in children. Others say that they make children unsociable and are bad for their eyes. Some have even attributed falling standards of literacy and a lack of interest in reading on them. Now, however, it seems that computer games have also become a feminist issue. Game manufacturers have, for some time, been looking to increase the number of female game players. The vast majority of computer games still sell to a mainly male market. Perhaps this is because the violent nature of many of the games appeals more to males or perhaps because many of the main characters in the games are male. Manufacturers' attempts to produce more female characters increase their share of the female gaming market which has met with serious criticism from many women's groups. While heroines such as Lara Croft of the Tomb Raider game are seen as providing positive role models of strong women, many believe that the character's unrealistic Barbies are subconsciously setting unattainable standards in the minds of young women. Perhaps a stronger criticism is that although many games now include female characters, their role is often secondary and they support the main, male, action characters within the games. Of course the nature of many of the games remains violent and destructive and this in itself could well continue to put off female gamers. There are now, however, a number of web sites springing up on the World Wide Web to help women deal with this issue. Sites such as Game Girlz, Women Gamers and Game Gal offer game reviews, articles, discussion forums and even employment opportunities for women interested in becoming part of the rapidly expanding games industry. The games are reviewed by women from a very female perspective. Some rate the games from one to ten across a range of criteria which include the appearance of the female characters, the degree of intelligence attributed to them in the game and even the marketing attitude adopted by the company. The sites are obviously looking for games that move away from the very male dominated and violent nature of the majority of computer games. Many of them review games that are more constructive and developmental. Although the common fantasy themes of knights, witches and goblins still exist within these games, the aims are often very different. Instead of destroying opposing armies,the aim of the game can be to make peace with them. With this increased degree of awareness and involvement from women in the games industry many positive changes could be made that could encourage more women and young girls to become enthusiastic about technology. Perhaps we may even find more male gamers moving away from the traditional violent and destructive games towards the more positive values promoted by these more feminine role models, after all Tomb Raider is still one of the most popular computer games on the market, but perhaps that's too much to ask. Manufacturers want to produce more female characters in order to _ . A. increase sales in the male market B. help women learn how to play computer games C. encourage more women to buy computer games D. increase the number of male game players Answer: C
A new term might be the best time to make new friends, but it can be hard to begin the first conversation. Below are four useful ways. Take a look. Search for common interests. Talking about shared interests, such as sports and popular talent shows, is the easiest way to make a successful talk with someone. Welcome the silence. In fact, sometimes silence is needed in order to continue a conversation. Remember that if you say something, the other person may need time to understand it. Keep it positive . To make great small talk, you should keep things fun. You should be cheerful and able to laugh over things that aren't very interesting. These will make the other person want to keep talking to you. Take it as a learning experience. Every time you meet someone from other places, it's a good chance to learn something new. You can learn more about their cultures and nations. These make you a more interesting person to talk to as well. How many ways are mentioned to start a conversation in the reading? A. Only one. B. Three. C. Four. D. Five. Answer: C Once a baby cries, the parents will go to see what happened as soon as possible. According to a new study, a baby's cry can make adults react very quickly, even if they are not related. Oxford University researchers used the classic game whack-a-mole for the study. Whack-a-mole requires people to hit one of nine buttons . The players must react as quickly as they can to whichever of the buttons lights up at random . It is a game that requires speed and accuracy ( ). The study included 40 men and women volunteers aged 19 to 59. Some of them had sons or daughters but none had a baby at the time. They played whack-a-mole after listening to different sounds, including babies crying, the crying of adults in trouble and birdsong played at a similar pitch to the babies' cries. The volunteers' scores were higher after listening to the sound of crying babies. Men and women had similar scores overall. The results showed that a crying baby gets special attention. "Few sounds make people react quite like the cry of a baby," said Morten Kringelbach of Oxford's psychiatry department, who led the study. "For example, it's almost impossible to ignore(,) crying babies on planes. This is true even though there are so many other noises around." He added that a baby's cry can increase adults' heart rate and blood pressure. This is understandable, because in the course of human evolution , taking care of babies has always been an important job for adults. When a baby is hungry or feeling bored or unwell, it will cry. As a result, human brains and bodies develop a special reaction to a baby's cry. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE? A. There were 80 volunteers who took part in the study. B. The youngest volunteer was 19 and the oldest was 59. C. Some volunteers had babies at that time in the study. D. The volunteers were affected by the sound of a baby's cry. Answer: B A scientist studies the remains of two extinct animals to learn more about how they lived. She determines that one animal was a carnivore and the other was an herbivore. Which of the following did the scientist most likely compare to make this conclusion? A. the number of bones in the animals B. the size of the animals C. the body covering of the animals D. the skull of the animals Answer: D An old man walked slowly into a restaurant with his cane . His old jacket and shoes made him unusual that day. A young waitress named Mary watched him move towards a table by the window. She ran over to him, and said with a smile, "Here, sir. Let me give you a hand." Without saying a word, he gave her a smile. She pulled the chair away from the table and helped him sit down. Then she put his cane against the table so that he could reach it. In a soft, clear voice, he said, "Thank you, miss." "You're welcome, sir," she replied. "I'll be back in a moment, and if you need anything, just wave at me!" After he had finished a good meal. Mary brought him the change. She handed him his cane, and walked with him to the front door. Holding the door open for him, she said, "Come back and see us, sir!" The old man turned around and smiled. When Mary went to clean his table, she was shocked. Under the plate, she found a business card, a 100-dollar bill and a note. The note said, "Dear Mary, I respect you very much, and you respect yourself, too. It shows the way you treat others. You have found the secret of happiness." In fact, the old man was the owner of the restaurant. That was the first time that she, or any of his waitresses, had seen him. Mary was shocked when she found a business card, a 100-dollar bill and a note _ . A. on the chair B. on the ground C. under the bowl D. under the plate Answer: D NEW YORK (AP) -- The investigation into the disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz has gone through decades and countries, from basements to rooftops and seemingly everywhere in between. No one has ever been charged criminally -- and the little boy with sandy brown hair and a toothy grin was declared dead in 2001. This week, the six-year-old boy who went missing from the Soho area of New York City in 1979 is back in the news. Police and the FBI are investigating a possible lead into the 33-year-old case of Etan Patz, the first missing child to appear on the side of a milk box. The child disappeared on the way to school on the morning of May 25, 1979. It was the first time he was allowed to walk the two blocks to the bus stop alone. A tip seemed to have led officials to the basement of a building on the corner of Prince and Wooster streets, about a block and a half from where Etan had lived with his family. The name Etan Patz has become a hot topic on Twitter as people _ . Shirley Brady noted: "As mom to a 6 years old in Soho, it's still held out by locals as cautionary tale ." Another wrote, "Boy who disappeared on his way to school in 1979 has been REOPENED! Crazy." One wondered, "Why is FBI and NYPD searching for a kid that disappeared in 1979?" Good question. This is a case that Stuart Gra Bois, as an assistant U.S. lawyer under Rudolph Giuliani, followed for years. It became the most famous missing-person case in New York City, turned a nationwide spotlight on missing children, and created headlines around the globe. No one was ever stated guilty of the crime. The case led to the creation of National Missing Children's Day, marked on May 25, the day the blond-haired, blue-eyed child went missing. The case has even pointed to a suspect, charged with child molester Julio Antonio Ramos, who is currently in prison. Patz's babysitter had been dating the man, and Ramos did know the kid, but has denied taking him away. New evidence in the case suggests another suspect who lived in the apartment at the time: a local handyman named Othniel Miller, who gave Etan $1 for helping him the night before the disappearance. The man's name had come up in an earlier investigation, but he was a friend of the Patz family, and the NYPD did not follow the lead. Investigators plan to be at the site, 127 B Prince St., which is now a Lucky Brand jeans store, for the next two to three days to search for human remains. The Associated Press reports that the excavation has been the result of a recently ordered review of the case by Manhattan's police. We can learn from the passage that _ . A. People air the same view about the case on the Internet B. People reject the reopening of the case of the missing boy C. The missing-person case still has a long-lasting influence on people D. Twitter is the only place for people to discuss about missing-person cases Answer: C Much older than the Great Wall, Stonehenge is one of the world's most fascinating, but least understood historical sites. Every year, thousands of tourists come to admire Stonehenge's beauty and to wonder about how and why it was built. Scientists have dated the site, which is located in prefix = st1 /England, to around 3000 BC. The stone circle was constructed in a number of stages over hundreds of years. It took millions of man hours to raise the heavy stones. Though there are many theories, it is still a mystery how stone-age man dragged such heavy stones over 380 kilometers from where they were made. Prehistoric people had only basic wooden tools. To move the stones they probably used tree trunks to roll them along. Some historians believe that Stonehenge was a temple, the site of ancient sacrifices . Others believe it was a burial place or perhaps even a giant sundial to tell the time. Whatever their ancient use was, the stones have always been a source of fascination for British people. One record from 1135 said the great stones were carried to Englandby giant magical creatures! In modern times Stonehenge has become a huge hit with tourists. According to the passage, it is possible that prehistoric people _ . A. spent many hours building the stone circle B. moved the stones with simple wooden tools C. built the stone circle for no purpose D. dragged stones with the help of machines Answer: B If I were recreating water going in and out, I would need to make sure A. I paint the water orange B. I include the animals C. I use the sun for gravity D. I repeat it twice Answer: D As we enjoy the summer ocean waves along the beaches, we may think nervously about Steven Spielberg's Jaws and the great fear that sharks inspire in us. Yet we are happy to see global efforts to protect the declining number of sharks. The world has realized that we need the species, like sharks, to keep a balanced ecosystem. Sharks, in particular, are "in" these days. Thanks to good public policy and famous stars such as Jackie Chan and Ang Lee, killing sharks for fin soup is no longer cool. The demand for shark fins has been rising for decades, threatening sharks with extinction -- up to 100 million sharks are killed each year just for their fins. But we have started to _ the trend, particularly in many areas of the United States and overseas where restaurants once proudly provided delicious shark fins on the menu. In California, a ban on the sale and possession of shark fin soup has gone into effect this year through the efforts of Wild Aid and other organizations. Overseas marketing and public efforts featuring posters on public transportation systems and TV ads have been underway for the past few years. These efforts all show signs of success, on both the supply side and the demand side of trade in shark fins. Actually, stopping the killing of sharks is part of a broader movement to stop the killing of wild animals and the buying and selling of wildlife products. These products come from hunting elephants, tigers and rhinos, besides killing marine life. Whether it is shark fin soup or ivory piano keys, killing animals is big business. The hunting of elephants in search of ivory tusks for luxury goods has become a full-scale war. The decrease of African elephant populations is alarming. Together with international partners, the United States is leading the worldwide effort to reduce demand for high-end products that rely on killing animals. What can we infer from the passage? A. People have kicked the habit of having shark fin soup. B. Shark fins will not be available any more in restaurants. C. Global efforts have succeeded in stopping killing wild animals. D. More animals for high-end products will be saved. Answer: D Grasshoppers are having to change their song -- one of the iconic sounds of summer -- to make themselves heard above the noise of road traffic, ecologists have discovered. The study, published in the British Ecological Society's journal Functional Ecology, is the first to show that human-made noise affects natural insect populations. Animals use sound to communicate for many reasons, including marking out territory, warning of predators and finding mates, and although previous research shows birds, whales and even frogs change their calls in noisy environments, the impact of human-made noise on insects has been neglected until now. Ulrike Lampe and colleagues from the University of Bielefeld in Germany caught 188 male bow-winged grasshoppers, half from quiet locations and half from beside busy roads. The grasshoppers use their song to attract mates. The team then studied the differences in the two groups' songs in the laboratory. To encourage them to sing they exposed the males to a female grasshopper, and then recorded their courtship songs. Analysis of almost 1,000 recordings revealed grasshoppers living beside noisy roads produced different songs to those living in quieter locations. According to Lampe: "Bow-winged grasshoppers produce songs that include low and high frequency components. We found that grasshoppers from noisy habitats increase the volume of the lower-frequency part of their song, which makes sense since road noise can mask signals in this part of the frequency spectrum ." The team's findings are important because traffic noise could be upsetting the grasshopper's mating system . "Increased noise levels could affect grasshopper courtship in several ways. It could prevent females from hearing male courtship songs properly, prevent females from recognizing males of their own species, or _ females' ability to estimate how attractive a male is from his song," Lampe explains. Having discovered that human-made noise affects insect communication, the researchers now want to learn more about how the mechanism works, and whether the grasshoppers adapt to noise during their development as larvae , or whether males from noisy habitats produce different songs due to genetic differences. The bow-winged grasshopper is a common species in Central Europe. Adults occur mainly between July and September, preferring dry grasslands. Around 1.5 cm long, they vary in colour from green and browns to red and purple. The male's song consists of 2 second-long phrases that increase in amplitude towards the end. The beginning of a phrase is characterized by slower ticking sounds that increase in speed and amplitude, leading to a buzzing sound towards the end of the phrase. A courtship song usually includes 2 phrases. Which of the following could be the main idea of the passage? A. Bow-winged grasshoppers use their songs to communicate. B. Grasshoppers change their songs to adapt to the noisy environment. C. Grasshoppers' songs include both low and high frequency components. D. Bow-winged grasshoppers are a common species in Central Europe. Answer: B A load of dirt, mud, water and debris can come toppling down from a higher place if A. skies are clear B. cats are playing C. leaves are budding D. weather is poor Answer: D
The food in America is different from (......) that in China. The American people eat a lot of potatoes. They like to eat them every day. They often eat bread. They eat it with cheese, butter or jam . Cheese and butter are made from milk. The American people drink a lot of milk. They put it in the tea. They also drink coffee. And they like meat or fish with vegetables. After the meal, they have something sweet,it's dessert. They don't drink _ in America. A. milk B. tea C. coffee D. rice porridge Answer: D Many people may not believe it, but this is what is happening: polar bears are dying out! They are dying because they are losing a great deal of habitat due to human incursion and global warming. They are dying because of starvation as well. With the sea ice they depend on for survival shrinking, it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to find food. An ecosystem is highly dependent on all of its parts, and removing even a single species can result in serious consequences. Polar bears are at the top of the predators where they live. They play an important part in the ecosystem. They feed on seals, fish and deer. Several other animals depend on the kill of polar bears. The failure to save polar bears might result in loss of these predators. In addition, all large predators perform a very important function in their habitat: helping to control the populations of other species. When an animal group loses its natural predators, its population will rise rapidly, having a direct result in population decrease of other groups. A huge boom in population of Arctic seals would have a direct effect on the prey of seals, and could reduce numbers of certain types of fish. This could also have a direct effect on humans, who might have to compete with Arctic seals for food supplies from fish. Lack of polar bears could eventually affect human food supply. Human beings shall save polar bears to ensure the food supply. There is no doubt that we should save polar bears. However, there is still another question: can they be saved? This is a matter that scientists debate because of rapid degradation of the polar bear' environment in recent years due to warming temperatures. It is estimated that if the bears cannot adapt to changing climates, they might die out before the end of the 21stcentury, with about 50% of the animals disappearing by 2050. So time is running out! There are some things that may help slow down global warming and help delay extinction of polar bears. These include finding new energy sources that don't give off greenhouse gases and not making any more incursions into polar bear's territory. We can infer that _ . A. nothing can prevent the extinction of polar bears B. drilling for oil in the Arctic should be encouraged C. polar bears can surely adapt to changing climates D. using solar energy is good for saving polar bears Answer: D Hello, my name is Gina. John, Anna and I are good friends. We are in the same grade. But they are in Class Five and I am in Class Three. We get up at 7:00 and go to school at 7:30. In the morning we have four lessons. We have English every morning. John and Anna have English at 10:00 in the morning and I have _ at 11:00. English is my favorite subject. Math is their favorite. And we all like P.E. In the afternoon, we have three lessons. At 2:30 we have the art lesson in the same classroom. After school we often play soccer. We all like soccer. Sometimes we watch TV at my house. We don't play any computer games. John has _ lessons a day. A. four B. five C. six D. seven Answer: D Many cities have subways and underground public transportation to take locals and tourists alike rapidly around the city.However, there's something different about riding a London subway.It may not look different, but the historical value of one of England's most popular forms of transportation is enough to make riding the subway a must when visiting London.With a little under 300 different stations, the subway can take you almost anywhere you need to go. Riding a London subway, a person from other countries will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other.In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times.That's not rudeness --people are just too busy to bother looking. Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they're certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet thinking.Nor are they reading a book.New technology has replaced quiet habits.Today the only acceptable form of book on the London underground is an e-book. Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters .Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40,000--yes, that's 40,000 " _ " have been designed. Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers.One "app", called iShoot, is a game that features tanks.Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination.iSteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone.You can then write in the "steam" on your phone screen. For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be the distraction of choice.It's not just teenagers who "plug in" to their music-iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages. And if games, e-books and music aren't enough to keep you occupied, then perhaps you would prefer a film? The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV shows or films on the way to work.With all these distractions, it's amazing that people still remember to get off the train. The main idea of the passage is that _ . A. London commuters are unfriendly to strangers B. Apple has earned a lot of money from selling 40,000 apps C. technology is changing how London commuters spend their traveling time D. riding a London subway is a must when visiting London Answer: C Forget hard work and perseverance. Getting ahead is as simple as tidying your desk. According to a leading expert, having a cluttered environment reflects a cluttered mind, but the act of tidying up can help you be more successful. The advice comes from Jayne Morris, the resident"life coach" for NHS Online, who said it is no good just moving the mess around. In order to clear the mind, unwanted items must be thrown away to free your "inner world", she said. Ms Morris, who claims to have coached celebrities to major business figures, said:"Clearing clutter from your desk has the power to transform your business. " How? Because clutter in your outer environment is the physical sign of all the clutter going on inside of you. " Clearing clutter has a chain effect across your entire life, including your work. Having an untidy desk covered in clutter could be stopping you achieving the business success you want. " She is sure cleaning up will be helpful even though some of history's biggest achievers lived and worked in messy conditions. Churchill was considered untidy from a boy throughout his life, from his office to his artist's studio,and the lab where Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin was famously untidy. Among the recommendations is that simply tidying a desk at work and an overflowing filing cabinet will instantly have a positive impact on "your inner world. " Anything that is no longer used should not be put into storage but thrown away completely. Keeping something in the loft, garage or other part of the house, does not help because it is still connected to the person "by tiny energetic li.nes", Ms Morris. claims. She said, "The things in your life that are useful to you, that add value to your life, that serve a current purpose are charged with positive energy that refreshes you and enriches your life. But the things that you don't ever use and don't need anymore have the opposite effect on your energy. Things that no longer fit or serve you, use up your energy. " Which of the following statements does Ms Morris agree to? A. Changing the position of staff frequently will help to build up a clear mind. B. A tidy office will lead to a success in your business affairs in no time. C. To have a free mind, we need to throw away unneeded items at times. D. You can pack up your things in garage or loft to cheer you up. Answer: C Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province, has issued smog warnings for three days since Monday because of serious air pollution. The lingering smog forced construction sites to stop work and primary and middle schools to suspend outdoor activities. From Monday through Wednesday, the city's air quality index reading remained high, with the highest reading at 323, with PM2.5, or particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns, as the main pollutant, according to the city's meteorological bureau. Any reading over 300 is considered "seriously polluted". The city experienced at least eight heavily polluted days in the first two weeks of December, with the air quality index reading reaching a high of 440, China News Service reported. Among those affected was a square dancing team in Jiang'an district, which had to stop daily practices after several members fell ill. Square dancing is a common open-air fitness practice across China, with most of the participants middle-aged or elderly women. Media reported the leader of one dancing team had to go to a hospital after she had an asthma attack on Dec 11. Identified only as Fang, 65, the dance team leader said she decided to suspend the practices after she learned her illness was caused by smog, and after several other members also fell ill, the report said. The city plans to invest 28 billion yuan ($4.61 billion) in air pollution control by 2017. The plan says the city will boost the development of clean energy vehicles for public transportation and remove all of the current 140,000 heavy-polluting vehicles from Wuhan's roads by the end of 2016. The city authorities will firstly develop _ in the future. A. green transportation B. environmentally friendly energy C. heavy vehicles D. transport network Answer: A Scientists are learning new things about Antarctica, the coldest place on Earth. For example, the Antarctic ice sheet is shrinking. A new study found that summer ice loss in parts of Antarctica was at its highest level in 1,000 years. The study showed that Antarctic ice was melting mostly from below ice shelves, where the water is warmer than the ice. Eric Rignot is an earth system expert at the University of California, Irvine. He also works for the American space agency, NASA. There he serves as senior research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, also in California. He says ice melting from below is responsible for 55 percent of the shelf loss from 2003 to 2008. That is a much higher rate than scientists thought earlier. Professor Rignot and his team used satellite observations, radar and computer models to measure features above the ice to learn what was going on below. The measurements show differences from one area to the next around the continent. The major ice shelves are called Ross, Filchner and Ronne. They make up two-thirds of Antarctica's ice shelves. But they are responsible for only 15 percent of the melting ice. The professor says even small changes, like changes in ocean flow driven by wind, can make a huge difference in the melting of the ice shelf. Sixty percent of the Earth's fresh water is held in the huge Antarctic ice sheet. Professor Rignot says the study will help experts predict how the continent reacts to warmer ocean waters and helps to cause rising sea levels around the world. The study was published in the journal Science. What's the main idea of the passage? A. the Antarctic ice sheet is shrinking B. the coldest place on earth C. the major Antarctica's ice shelves D. the Atlantic Ocean are changing Answer: A A while ago, when I was a young 25- year-old, I traveled across the United States on a journey to make a film. During this trip, I ended up in Seattle where I met Laddie McCrea. Laddie was a hobo . He was about 60-70 years old and looked 100. Laddie had shoulder length white hair covered with weeds from the previous night's bedding. His clothes were a living journal of evenings in the shrubs and days in the sun. Laddie stank of alcohol and garbage. www.ks5u.com When I first met Laddie, he was standing on a busy downtown Seattle sidewalk. He greeted every passer-by with a smile, a pleasant greeting and an extended palm. Each day, society was rushing past Laddie - either unaware of his existence or avoiding him - a smelly, begging bum. I found Laddie to be an excellent character for my movie, so I paid him to allow me to stand in the background and film him. I spent three days hidden among the crowd, filming Laddie. Most of the time he was unaware of my existence. Each day he stood in a busy section of town greeting the world with a smile and an extended palm - just earning enough change for the evening's night cap . One special day, as I watched from a bench off in the distance, a young girl, around 6 or 7, with a pretty dress and her hair in a ponytail, approached Laddie from behind and tugged on his shirt. Laddie turned to the girl, who then reached up and handed him something. At that, Laddie showed his happiness and reached in his pocket, gave her something and the girl ran back to her parents excitedly showing them what she had received. I was so curious about the exchange that I was dying to go immediately to Laddie and ask him what took place, but in order to get candid shots, I knew I couldn't make my presence known. Later that afternoon when I finished my shoot, I spent some time with Laddie and asked about the event. Laddie replied: "The little girl came to me and gave me a quarter, so I gave her two quarters in return because I wanted to show her that when you are charitable, you will receive more than you give." Which of the following is TRUE about Laddie according to the article? A. He had a habit of writing in journals. B. He was an old man who was fond of drinking and smoking. C. He enjoyed his life because he earned quite a lot from begging. D. He smiled to passers-by even though most of them ignored him. Answer: D We all waste food, you and me, every day, millions of tons of it.In China, enough food is wasted in restaurants every year to feed 200 million people.And the amount of food wasted by Chinese consumers is increasing fast.So our nation is being encouraged to stop wasting food. So what should Chinese consumers do to prevent food waste? Keep a kitchen diary All of us should keep a kitchen diary, and we can know that how much food we waste at home.The first thing for us to do is to stop throwing away food that we can still eat.We should eat everything we buy and if we cannot, we should buy less. Buy only what we need We should ask for smaller portions in stores.We should also check how much food we have before buying more.We shouldn't bring much food we don't need home even if large posters ask us to do so. Develop the habit of packing food Chinese consumers are generous and friendly.In restaurants, often too much food is ordered and served.So when ordering out, we are supposed to exclude the food in the order if we don't plan to eat it.And order smaller servings in restaurants and take home what we cannot finish. Don't put it off! Let's stop food waste today! As teenagers, what should we do to stop food waste? A. Have a balanced diet. B. Eat less food to keep fit. C. Keep the balance of nature. D. Have a good habit of clearing the plate. Answer: D Teachers and parents usually call attention to the pictures when they read storybooks to preschool children. But a new study tells that calling attention to the words and letters on the book may lead to better readers. The two-year study compared children who were read to this way in class with children who were not. Those whose teachers most often discussed the words showed clearly higher skills in reading, spelling and understanding. Shayne Piasta, a professor of teaching and learning at Ohio State University, says most preschool teachers would need only a small change in the way they teach. They already read storybooks in class. The only difference would be increased attention to the printed words. Ms. Piasta says if you get children to pay attention to letters and words, _ that they will do better at word spelling. But she says studies show that very few parents and teachers do this in a systematic way. They watched more than three hundred children aged four and five in classrooms in Ohio and Virginia. The children came from poor families and were poor in their language skills. They may become bad readers when they enter primary schools later. Professor Justice says children's language skills can be improved by discussing with him or her when you are reading a book to a child. There are different ways that adults can talk to children about the letters and words on the page. They can point to a word and discuss the shape of it with a finger. They can point out a word: "This is 'dog'." They can discuss the meaning of the word or how the words tell the story. And they can also show how words are written left to right in English. The writer wants to tell us that _ . A. preschool children should have higher discussing skills B. parents should make a plan to teach their children reading C. teachers should help children pay attention to printed words D. languages skills should be discussed with preschool children Answer: C
Dad was always full of advice, but one of the biggest lessons he taught me one summer was about having a strong work ethic . When my brother and I were growing up, we mowed yards during the summer to earn pocket change. Dad was our salesman. He told our neighbors about our service and offered a price they could not refuse. My brother and I got $ 10 per yard. I later found out that our friends were charging $ 20 or more for the same amount of work. Every time we headed out to mow lawns , Dad was there to watch. I used to wonder why he came with us. He stood supervising our work in the heat when he could have been inside relaxing with air conditioning and an icy drink. One day we were cutting our next-door neighbor's yard, he always waited until the grass was knee-high to call us over. To make matters worse, we had an old lawn mower. This particular afternoon, I was finishing up and was tired and sweaty. I was just about to cut off the lawn mower when I saw Dad pointing to one piece of grass. He yelled, "You missed a piece." I frowned, hoping he would let it slide and let me go home. He kept pointing. So, tired and disappointed, I went back to cut that piece of grass. I said to myself, "That one piece isn't hurting anyone. Why won't he just let it go?" But when I reached adulthood, I understood his message ---When you're running a business, the work you do says a great deal about you. If you want to be seen as an entrepreneur with honesty, you must deliver a quality product. That single blade of grass meant the job was not done. Other neighbors took notice of the good work we did and we soon got more business. We started out with one client, but by the end of the summer we had five. What would be the best title for the passage? A. Father's Story B. Honesty C. Family Matters D. Supervising Answer: B Antarctica is in the most southern part of the world. It is like nowhere else on the earth. It is much larger than Europe, and nearly twice the size of Australia. Antarctica is the coldest and windiest place in the world, even colder and windier than the North Pole. In summer, the sun shines for twenty-four hours a day, but in winter it's completely dark for about three months. Very few plants grow there, but there is some wildlife, including whales, seals and penguins. When Captain James Cook traveled around Antarctica in the 1770s by ship, he found no one living there. Today, a few scientists work in Antarctica, but they only spend a short time there. Many scientists are studying the _ , which is getting thinner and thinner worldwide. The biggest "hole" is above Antarctica, and weather there is getting warmer. Scientists think that this cold and lonely place can teach us a lot about the earth and how to keep the earth safe. How many kinds of animals are mentioned in the passage? A. Two. B. Three. C. Four. D. Five. Answer: B Different people have different skin colours. Some have black skin, some have yellow skin, and some have white skin. There was a woman in Alaska. Her skin was orange in colour. It was almost the colour of orange juice. How did this woman become orange? She ate lots of tomatoes, carrots and pumpkins. She ate too many orange things. That's why she turned orange. The woman didn't want to be orange. She went to the doctor. The doctor said,"Stop eating orange things. Eat some green things." The woman did so, and she wasn't orange any more. The woman was orange because _ . A. she ate oranges only B. she ate too many orange things C. she had too much orange juice D. she liked that colour skin Answer: B Our village carpenter , John, came one day and made a dining table for my wife. He made it just the right size for the space between the two windows. When I got home that evening, John was drinking a cup of tea and writing out his bill for the job. My wife said to me quietly,"That's his ninth cup of tea today. "But she said, in a loud voice,"It's a beautiful table, dear, isn't it?" "I'll decide about that when I see the bill. "I said. John laughed and gave me his bill for the work. I read: One dining table 10 November, 1998 Cost of wood $17. 00 Paint $1. 50 Work, 8 hours ( $1 an hour ) $8. 00 Total $36. 50 When I was looking at the bill, John said, "It's been a nice day, hasn't it?Quite sunny. " "Yes. "I said. " I'm glad it's only the tenth of November. " "Me, too. "said John. "You wait -- it'll be a lot colder by the end of the month. " "Yes,colder -- and more expensive! A dining table will be $20 more expensive on November 30, won't it, John?" John looked hard at me for half a minute. Was there a little smile in his two blue eyes?I gave his bill back to him. "If there isn't too much trouble, John," I said,"please add it up again. You can forget the date..." I paid him $26. 50 and he was happy to get it. Why did John talk about the weather when the writer was looking at the bill? A. Because he didn't want the writer to go through the bill carefully. B. Because it was really a fine day. C. Because he wanted the writer to check the bill carefully. D. Because he wanted to tell the writer what the weather was like. Answer: A Dear friends, My name is Tony. I am English. I am thirteen years old this year. I am tall, and I am good at playing football. I am in Grade Seven. There are thirty boys and twenty girls in my class. We are learning Chinese in our school. Our Chinese teacher is Mr. Wu. He is a little short, but he is very strong. He is very nice to us. I have some good friends in my class. Tom is a tall boy and has short black hair. He is good at playing football, too. Alice is short and she loves wearing red dresses. She is good at English. Shelly has long hair. She can speak Japanese and she likes running. We all study hard. What about your school and your friend? Please write soon. Yours, Tony Who is Mr. Wu? A. He is Tony's English teacher. B. He is Tony's father. C. He is Tony's friend. D. He is Tony's Chinese teacher. Answer: D Bury trip--June 18th,2016 We will be leaving the Perse School at 13:45.Please be at the school gate 10minutes early.If you are late,you may miss the bus and not be able to go!If you miss the bus,you won't get your money back.The bus is planned to arrive in Bury at 14:30,although this depends on traffic.You will have free time to walk around and we will meet at the same location where we arrived at 17:15to return to the Perse School by about 18:00. Things to do Visit the Abbey The Abbey is the min of a church which was built more than 1,000years ago.There are many nice gardens in it.And next to the Abbey,there is a big new church. Have a drink in the Nutshell This little bar is famous in Britain because it is officially the smallest bar in the country.Good things are put in small bags,and the Nutshell serves some of the area's finest beer,as well as fascinating photos. Have a look at a beer shop At the Greene King shop you can taste and buy some of the local beer,as well as food such as potato chips.There are also clothes available to buy. Several places are listed,but feel free to plan your own visit. The material is probably _ . A. a report B. a diary C. an introduction D. a notice. Answer: D My name is Tom. I'm nine. This is my mother.Her name's Linda Johnson. Her telephone number is 13052864515.And this is my father.His name is Mike Johnson. His phone number is 13120884699.And this is my sister.What's her name?Her name is Mary. Look!The boy is my brother Nick. Mary is eight and Nick is six. Father's telephone number is _ . A. 13120884699 B. 13120884966 C. 13052864515 D. 13120889466 Answer: A A guy is trying to choose a spot to build his house. He chooses a place that will cause the least environmental change in an area, so he builds in A. a town B. a jungle C. a desert D. a forest Answer: A One of the biggest accomplishments in sports in the last hundred years was the 4-minute mile. Running a mile in under 4 minutes was a huge barrier in sports. Once it was broken by one person, lots of athletes tried to break it too. For years, people thought that running a mile in less than 4 minutes was just _ impossible. It was common knowledge that nobody on earth could physically run a mile in under 4 minutes. Professional runners had been trying for years, training to beat that time, but had failed every time. In 1952, a British man by the name of Roger Bannister set a goal for himself: to be the first person to run a mile in under 4 minutes. He trained intensely, and 2 years later, Bannister finally broke 4-minute barrier. And you know what? Soon after that, more and more people began to run the mile in under 4 minutes. New world records were set almost every year following Bannister's sub-4-minute-mile. Nowadays, even a high school student can reasonably run a 4-minute mile. In about 50 years, the 4-minute mile went from impossible to professional to amateur. But I guess I'm not really answering the question here: what on earth does this have to do with learning Japanese? When you have a goal in mind, mental barriers can be huge obstacles to overcome, and learning Japanese is no different. But if you're devoted enough and make your goal your top priority , you might be surprised at what you can do. Put everything else aside for a while, just go for it and see what you can achieve. After all, if somebody can accomplish something that people thought was physically impossible, then maybe learning Japanese isn't so hard after all. According to the passage, we can know that _ A. all the high school students can run the mile in under 4 minutes B. high school students try to break records in the sports field C. learning Japanese is not difficult at all D. mental barriers are the biggest ones when achieving goals Answer: D In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh treated the poor message runner like a prince when he arrived at the palace, if he brought good news. However, if the exhausted runner had the misfortune to bring the pharaoh unhappy news, his head was cut off Shades of that spirit spread over today's conversations. Once a friend and I packed up some peanut, butter and sandwiches for an outing. As we walked light-heartedly out the door, picnic basket in hand, a smiling neighbor looked up at the sky and said, "Oh boy, bad day for a picnic. The weatherman says it's going to rain." I wanted to strike him in the face with the peanut butter and sandwiches. Not for his stupid weather report, but for his smile. Several months ago I was racing to catch a bus. As I breathlessly put my handful of cash across the Greyhound counter, the sales agent said with a broad smile. "Oh that bus left five minutes ago." Dreams of head cutting! It's not the news that makes someone angry. It's the unsympathetic attitude with which it's delivered. Everyone must give bad news from time to time, and winning professionals do it with the proper attitude. A doctor advising a patient that she needs an operation does it in a caring way. A boss informing an employee he didn't get the job takes on a sympathetic tone. Big winners know, when delivering any bad news, they should share the feeling of the receiver. Unfortunately, many people are not aware of this. When you're tired from a long flight, has a hotel clerk cheerfully said that your room isn't ready yet? When you had your heart set on the toast beef, has your waiter merrily told you that he just served the last piece? It makes you, as traveler or diner, want to land your fist fight on their unsympathetic faces. Had my neighbor told me of the upcoming rainstorm with sympathy, I would have appreciated his warning. Had the Greyhound salesclerk sympathetically informed me that my bus had already left, I probably would have said, "Oh, that's all right. I'll catch the next one." Big winners, when they hear bad news, deliver bombs with the emotion thebombarded person is sure to have . What is the main idea of the text? A. Delivering bad news properly is important in communication. B. Helping others sincerely is the key to business success. C. Receiving bad news requires great courage. D. Learning ancient traditions can be useful. Answer: A
My name is Jenny . I have a sister and a brother, Rose and Paul. We like apples very much. Rose and I like hamburgers. But I don't like salad. Paul doesn't like broccoli. But Rose does. My parents like tomatoes and French fries. _ doesn't like salad. A. My sister B. My brother C. My father D. Jenny Answer: D Parents whose children show a special interest in a sport feel very difficult to make a decision about their children's careers. Should they allow their children to train to become top sportsmen and sportswomen? For many children it means starting schoolwork very young, and going out with friends and other interests have to take a second place. It's very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train five hours a day, even at the weekend, when most of his or her friends are playing. Another problem is of course money. In many countries money for training is available from government for the very best young sportsmen and sportswomen. If this help can not be given, it means that it is the parents who have to find the time and the money to support their child's development and sports clothes, transport to competitions, special equipment, etc. All can be very expensive. Many parents are worried that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age. Some doctors agree that young muscles may he damaged by training before they are properly developed. Professional trainers, however, believe that it is only by training when young that you can reach the top as a successful sports person. It is clear that very few people do reach the top, and both parents and children should be prepared for failure even after many years of training. This passage is most probably taken from _ . A. a letter B. an advertisement C. a personal diary D. a newspaper Answer: D David bought a new house and wanted to start a garden in his backyard. He asked his friend Anthony to go with him to the store. David and Anthony went to the store on Saturday to pick out soil and seeds. They went into the big store and passed by many other things like jewelry, books, and movies, and then they reached the garden section. The store's garden section was huge! They had vegetable seeds, plant seeds, and flower seeds. David wanted to grow cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, corn, and potatoes. Anthony helped him find those vegetable seeds. The next day, David started to plant the seeds. In a few weeks, there were lots of vegetables growing in his garden! He began to pick the vegetables and use them when he cooked. He also gave them away as gifts to his family and friends. They loved his vegetables! Soon, David wanted to make his garden even bigger. He went back to the garden store and bought seeds to plant more vegetables. Soon his whole backyard was full of delicious vegetables! What did David buy at the store? A. Jewelry. B. Seeds. C. Movies. D. Books. Answer: B Convenience Foods Instead of buying only fresh foods, Americans nowadays buy many more convenience foods. These are foods which are ready partly or completely prepared. Many of them are frozen, such as frozen dinner, heat-and-serve French fries, and frozen pizzas. There are also many canned convenience foods, such as ready-made spaghetti, soups, stews and vegetables Convenience foods save time and trouble. They are popular with people who are busy or who don't like to cook or wash dishes. But they often cost more than fresh, unprepared foods and many contain man-made additives. Also, many people feel they don't taste as good as home-cooked foods. Health Food and Co-ops In the 1960s, a "back-to-the-earth" movement was started by young people in the United States. The movement was a reaction against the harmful effects of technology. From the movement came a new understanding of food and health. Many people now prefer natural and organic foods to the prepared foods sold in health foods stores and in food co-ops, which are small stores where customers help manage the store. In co-ops, food is usually not packaged. Customers bring their own bags and jars and scoop their food out of boxes or baskets. The Diet Craze These days Americans are more and more concerned with their weight. Perhaps as many as 70 million Americans are on weight-dollar business. American supermarkets sell a variety of diet food such as soft drinks, diet candy, and diet salad dressings. Dieters also spend money on diet pills, exercise machines, and jogging suits . Each year dozens of new diets are popularized. They have such names as the Miracle Diet, the Nine-day Wonder Diet, and the East 24-hour Diet. There is even one called the Ice Cream Diet, which advises the dieters to eat only ice cream for lunch and dinner! For dieters who cannot lose weight on their own, there are many well-organized diet groups, which offer help and encouragement. Which is the writer's opinion on American diets? A. They are all effective to people B. They are of no effect on people C. The Ice Cream Diet is the best D. Not all of them are believable Answer: D One day an Australian farmer,Joe,saw a bright light in the sky. The light came nearer and nearer and suddenly Joe realized that it was a spaceship. The spaceship landed in a field nearby. The door of the spaceship opened and two strange beings climbed out. They seemed to be half man and half bird. Joe was afraid of them. He tried to run away. But the spacemen walked towards him,picked him up and carried him into the spaceship.They put wires from a machine onto his head and they they began to speak to him in English. They asked him questions about earth."We' re from Venus ,"they said,"But it is getting very hot there. A lot of our people are dying and we have not much time left. We are trying to find a new home." After some time they freed Joe and at last the spaceship took off and disappeared. Joe told his friends about the spacemen,but no one believed his story. "You wi ll believe me one day,"Joe told them."The spacemen will come back again." ,. According to the passage,which sentence is RIGHT? A. The aliens took away Joe B. It is getting very cold on Venus C. A lot of people on Venus are dying D. Not all the people believed Joe Answer: C My father quit driving in 1927, when he was 25 years old.So my brother and I grew up in a household without a car.In 1951,when my brother turned 16, my parents bought a used 1950 Chevrolet from a friend.Since my parents didn't drive, it more or less became my brother's car. Having a car but not being able to drive didn't bother my father, but it didn't make sense to my mother.So in 1952, when she was 43 years old, she learned to drive.For the next 45 years or so, until she was 90, my mother was the driver in the family. After my father retired when he was 70, he almost always accompanied my mother whenever she drove anywhere, even if he had no reason to go along.One day my father said to me, "Do you want to know the secret of a long life?" "I guess so," I said, knowing it probably would be something bizarre . "No left turns." he said. "What?" I asked. "No left turns," he repeated."Think about it.Three rights are the same as a left and that's a lot safer.Several years ago, your mother and I read an article that said most accidents that old people are in happen when they turn left in front of oncoming traffic.As you get older, your eyesight worsens.So your mother and I decided never again to make a left turn." "You're kidding!" I said, and I turned to my mother for support."No." she said. "Your father is right.We make three rights.It works." But then she added: "Except when your father _ ." "Loses count?" I asked. "Yes," my father admitted, "that sometimes happens.But it's not a problem.You just make seven rights, and you're okay again." I couldn't resist."Do you ever go for 11 ?" I asked. "No," he said "If we miss it at seven, we just come home and call it a bad day. Besides, nothing in life is so important it can't be put off another day or another week." My mother was never in an accident all through her life. When did the parents have their first son according to the passage? A. In 1952. B. In 1951. C. In 1935. D. In 1927. Answer: C Life in Britain today Food British people like good food, and more than half of them go to a restaurant every month. Fast food is also very popular---30% of all adults have a burger every three months, but 46% have fish and chips! Sports British people don't do a lot of sport. Only 17% of people go swimming every week. 9% go cycling and 8% play golf. Only 6% people play football (but 32% go to watch it). Cinema and TV Films are very popular in Britain, and about 60% of people between 15 and 24 go to the cinema every month. At home, men watch TV for about three hours every day--half an hour more than women. Holidays British people love going on holidays. Most of these holidays aren't in the UK---27% are in Spain, 10% are in the U.S, and 9% are in France. Maybe this is because the weather in Britain is terrible! British women watch about _ of TV every day. A. 2 hours B. 3 hours C. 2.5 hours D. 4 hours Answer: C How the Grand Canyon was created remains one of the geology's greatest mysteries. Some evidence suggests that the process was a gradual one in which the Colorado River (which runs through the canyon) slowly cut deeper and deeper into the ground over millions of years. But volcanic rock samples taken from the canyon now suggest that the canyon was down-cut instead. Down-cutting is when a flood of water rushes over a landscape with enough force to cut deeply into the ground and leaves behind a canyon. Such a flood is usually released when a natural or man-made dam bursts. Robert Webb, a research geologist, says natural dams seem to have formed and broken across the Colorado River several times during the last million years. The dams were built when lava from the eruptions of nearby volcanoes flowed into the river. The lava hardened into hard rocks and blocked the river, causing it to back up and form a lake. Each time the lake grew so huge that it broke the rock dam, releasing a flash flood that furthered the down-cutting process and deepened the canyon. Down-cutting is not just an earthly event. Satellite photos sent back from Mars suggest that the process has happened there, too, say many other researchers. The photos, taken by the Mars Global Surveyor, indicate that an enormous lake existed on Mars 3.5 billion years ago. The lake spilled into a large nearby hole. One edge of the hole broke, releasing a flash flood that quickly carved out a grand canyon. The existence of down-cutting on Mars is just one more piece of evidence that the cold, dry planet was once warm and wet. In the past, deep canyons were believed to have formed _ . A. as a result of a sudden break of volcanoes B. due to river flows over millions of years C. owing to the burst of artificial dams D. thanks to our ancestors' creative work Answer: B Trip 1 Black Bear Count There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them. The entire trip will last three hours. Bookings necessary. Cost: Free When: May 8 Trip 2 Garland Valley Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland but is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary. Cost: $ 15 When: May 8, May 15 Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip can only be seen at night. The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours. Cost: $ 12 When: May 8, May 15, May 22 Equipment to be needed: Please bring enough water and food for all walks. Wear good walking shoes--no high heels. Wear a hat for day walks. Dress warmly for night walks. Children must be with an adult. Make sure your flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks. Follow all instructions from guides during the walks. The mountains are a dangerous place. Bookings: Bookings for the above trips can be done by telephone (893 - 4847) or on the Internet at (www. bluemountaintour, com) Which of the following is NOT necessary for the three trips? A. Good walking shoes. B. A pair of glasses. C. Food and water. D. A sleeping bag. Answer: D The London Pass is the final sightseeing package that has been specially tailor-made for visitors to the city. It allows holders to make the most out of their trip ,saving them both time and money .With the London Pass you will get the following : Free entry to your choice of over 60 popular attractions, tours, sights and museums A useful 160' page Guidebook about the attractions plus helpful tips about the city Ability to skip the lines at the selected attractions to save time Optional Travel card to cover all of your transport needs The London Pass Saves You Money London can be an expensive city , and its tourist attractions are no exception .However, go sightseeing with a London Pass you could make some great savings. Take a look at the normal gate price for some popular London attractions: Tower of London x19.00; Thames River Cruise x19.00; Windsor Castle x17.00; London Bridge Experience x23.00 ; St Paul's Cathedralx15.00. Visiting those five attractions will cost well overx89. With a London Pass , these and many more attractions won't cost you a penny . The London Pass Saves You Time London is a popular destination, therefore ,attractions and sights do get very busy . Waiting in line can sometimes take hours from your sightseeing experience--that's why London Pass holders get to skip the queue at key attractions such as Tower of London, Windsor Castle and London Bridge Experience . Also, the map of London and the information about the city's public transportation system available in our Guidebook help plan the perfect sightseeing itinerary to maximize your time in the city. Practical Information Adult ticket: From x43.00 Address: Charing Crous Road, London ,WC2H OEP THL ; 01664 485020 With a London Pass ,you are expected to spend_when visiting Tower of London and Windsor Castle. A. x43.00 B. . x36.00 C. . x 89 D. .nothing Answer: D
A woman wants to make sure that she can physically look back over memories of a day, as they progress, whenever she wants, so she A. brings a phone B. brings a camera C. brings a book D. brings a lunch Answer: B On Monday night, back on the way home from school, I was suddenly faced with a big snow storm which I had never met before. The traffic was moving at 5 mph on the freeway where it usually requires at least 60 mph. The road is very slippery. Sometimes the car is out of control, slipping to the other side. I finally managed to drive to the Issaquah. However, I still got stuck in the traffic on an uphill way to my home. Why I lived in the house on the top of the hill? I had no choice but left my car in the road. Fortunately, there was a nice guy coming to help me drive the car to the parking lot so that I would not get a ticket from the policeman. When he first opened my car door and asked me if I needed any help, I thought I saw an angle. No kidding, I was totally frustrated at that moment until I saw the guy. After waiting in the parking lot for almost 3 hours, my husband's cousin finally managed to come to "rescue" me by his four-wheel drive car and sent me to my in-laws' home because the road to my house was closed. When I got to my bed in the end, it was over midnight. I spent almost 5 hours outside instead of 20 minutes as usual. But I was lucky, because I knew later that some people spent 7 or 10 hours to go home, and just by walking rather than by driving. This strong snow storm has messed up the traffic of Seattle and I get an unforgettable experience from it. The author has probably come to the US to _ . A. visit her friends B. see her s C. attend in an advanced study D. accompany her husband Answer: C Don Ritchie, a famous Australian man. For nearly 50 years, he successfully stopped 160 people from killing themselves at a cliff called 'the Gap' - with just a kind word and a smile. Ritchie had served in the Royal Australian Navy during World War II. In 1964, he moved into a house on Old South Head Road. He began saving strangers soon after. Ritchie was a real gentleman who purposely chose to live right across the street from 'the Gap', just because he wanted to continue saving lives. He would wake up every morning and look out of the window for anyone standing too close to the edge of the cliff. If he saw someone and thought they might jump, he would simply walk over with a smile and say, "Is there something I could do to help you?" That sounds very simple, but it worked - Ritchie tried to have a talk with these people and ended up inviting them back to his house for tea or breakfast. In 2006, Ritchie was given the Medal of the Order of Australia for all his saving lives. In 2010, he and his wife were named Woollahra Council's citizens of the year and in 2011, he was given the Local Hero Award for Australia by the National Australia Day Council. In a situation where most would turn a blind eye, Don has taken action. With such simple actions Don has saved a number of lives. Don's story touched the hearts of all Australians and challenged us to rethink what it means to be a good neighbor. When was he given the Local Hero Award for Australia? A. In 1964. B. In 2006. C. In 2010. D. In 2011. Answer: D Students make weather observations outside the school building, and then they record their observations. Which observation should be recorded as a fact? A. The air feels very cold. B. The wind is blowing at 5 m/s. C. It is nicer than the day before. D. It looks like it might warm up later. Answer: B If you think American cooking means opening a package and throwing the contents into the microwave oven , think again. On the one hand, it's true that many Americans have cold cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and instant dinners. From busy homemakers to working people, many Americans enjoy the convenience of fast food that can be ready to serve in 10 minutes or less. On the other hand, many Americans realize the importance of cooking skills. Parents -- especially mothers -- see the importance of training their children -- especially daughters. Most Americans think that there's nothing better than a good home-cooked meal. _ . Probably every cook has his or her own way of cooking. But there are some basic skills that most people follow. For example, baking is a main method of preparing food in America. For that reason, Americans would find it next to impossible to live without an oven. American cooks pay special attention to the balance of foods, too. In planning a big meal they try to include meat, a few vegetables, some bread and often a dessert. They also like to make sure the meal is colorful. Having several different colors of food on the plate usually makes for a healthy meal. For those who need guidance in their cooking, or for those who have just run out of ideas, recipes are a great help. Recipes list all the ingredients for a dish (generally in the order used), the amount of each to use, and a description of how to put them together. This passage mainly tells us that _ . A. Americans like to have several different colors of food on the plate B. without an oven, Americans find it impossible to live conveniently C. Americans pay special attention to recipes and nutritious meals D. Americans usually have fast food, but they pay special attention to cooking as well Answer: D Mr. John and Mr. Brown work in the same office. One day Mr. John says to Mr. Brown, "I will have a small party in our house on Monday evening. Would you and your wife like to come?" Mr. Brown says, "Thank you very much. I'd love to, but let me ask my wife first." So Mr. Brown goes to the other room and telephones his wife. Then he comes back and looks very worried. "What's the matter?" asks Mr. John. "Is your wife there at home?" "No," answers Mr. Brown. "She isn't there. My small son answers the telephone. I say to him, 'Is your mother there, David?' and he answers 'No, she isn't in the house. ''Where is she?' I ask, 'She is somewhere outside.' 'What's she doing?' 'She is looking for me.'" ,. Mr. Brown speaks to _ in the telephone. A. Mr. John B. Mrs. Brown C. his son D. himself Answer: C Strange things happen when you travel, because the earth is divided into twenty-four zones. The time difference between two zones is one hour. You can have days with more than twenty-four hours and days with fewer than twenty- four hours. You can have weeks with more than seven days and weeks with fewer than seven days. If you make a five-trip across the Atlantic Ocean , your ship come into a different time zone every day. As you come into each zone, the time changes one hour. If you travel west, you set your watch back. If you travel east, you set it ahead. Each day of your trip has either twenty-five or twenty-three hours. If you make a trip by ship across the Pacific Ocean , you cross the International Date Line. This is the point where a new day begins when you cross the line, you change one full day. If you travel east, today becomes yesterday, if you travel west it is tomorrow. If we cross the Atlantic Ocean, we_. A. change one full day B. set our watch back C. set our watch ahead D. set our watch back or ahead Answer: D Will Nanfang University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen announce a new beginning for China's higher education reform? It's too early to answer. But its presence is challenging the Ministry of Education. Even without the approval of the ministry it seems that the school is determined to move forward and enroll 50 students, so-called child prodigies , to begin classes on March l, 2011.On graduating in 2015, these students will receive a diploma unauthorized by the Ministry of Education----unlike the students of their age from the state-run universities. The school is committed to modeling itself on Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, but if the government will not approve the school, the situation could cause a lot of trouble for those 50 students if they want to do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions. Other schools could turn their applications down for their unauthorized diplomas. The difficulties, however, have not frightened students and their parents away. On Dec.18, 2010 more than 1,000 students and their parents visited Nanfang University of Science and Technology for interviews. Private investment marks the school out from other higher learning institutions in the nation. Not a penny comes from the government. So the government will have no voice in how the school will be run. The Ministry of Education has published a comprehensive plan for education reform and development between 2011 and 2020.The goal is to make China's higher education internationally competitive. To accomplish this goal, the government should have the courage to let the educators who have big ideas try them out. The ministry should have applauded the independence. The school in Shenzhen has shown and encouraged more to do likewise. Education reform in China has reached a new and crucial stage. Nanfang University of Science and Technology has a long way to go to prove itself competitive rather than a diploma mill. What does the author think of Nanfang University of Science and Technology? A. It is another kind of diploma mill. B. It's impossible for the school to be competitive. C. It will never get the approval from the Ministry of Education. D. Its independence from the government may benefit the education reform. Answer: D If you're finding it tough to land a job, try expanding your job-hunting plan to include the following: Set your target. While you should always keep your options open to changing your mind , you should also be sure to target exactly what you want in a job. A job-hunt with a clear target will surely help you achieve better results than an aimless one. Schedule plenty of interviews. Use every possible method to get interviews-answering ads, using search firms , getting in touch with companies directly , surfing the Web, and networking( ). Even if a job is not perfect for you, every interview can become one of your positive experiences. Follow up Even if someone does not hire you ,write them a thank -you note for the interview. Then, some weeks later, send another brief letter to explain that you still have not found the perfect position and that you will be available to interview again if the original position you applied for--or any other position , for that matter -is open. Do this with every position you interview for, and you may just catch a break! Make it your full-time job You can't find a job by looking sporadically( ) . You have to make time for it. If you're unemployed and looking , devote as much time as you would to a full -time job. If you have a job while you're looking, figure out an organized schedule to maximize your searching time. Network vertically( ) In the search stage of your job hunt , talk to people who are on a level above you in your desired industry. They'll have an accurate and deep understanding that people at your level won't have , and will be in a good position to hire you or recommend you to be hired . Keep your spirits up Looking for a job is one of the toughest things you will ever have to do, keep up your confidence , continue your efforts, and think positively, and eventually you will get a job you want. From the passage , it can be learned that to get a job , one should absolutely avoid _ . A. having as many interviews as possible B. looking without a clear target C. applying for the same position a second time D. changing his goal set previously Answer: B People in cities all over the world shop in supermarkets. When you enter the supermarket, you see shelves full of food. You walk in the aisles, pushing your shopping cart. You probably hear soft, slow music in the supermarket. This kind of music is playing to relax you and make you walk slowly. Thus, you will probably stay longer and buy more food. Where do you go in the supermarket when you first arrive? Many people go to the meat section first. This area of the store has many different kinds of meat. Some kinds are expensive and others are not. Usually, some kinds of meat are on sale. So it has a special low price. The manager of the store knows where the customers usually enter the meat section. The meat on sale is usually at the other end of the section, away from where the customers enter. If you want to buy this specially priced meat, you have to walk by the more expensive meat first. Maybe you will see something that you want to buy before you reach the cheaper, inexpensive meat. Then you will spend more money in the meat section. The diary section sells milk that is low in fat. Some supermarkets sell three different containers of low-fat milk. Each container looks different, but each contains the same product. One says "1% fat", one says "99% fat free" and one says "low-fat" in big letters and "1%"in very small letters. If you look carefully you can see that all the milk has the same amount of fat, and each container is the same size. The prices of all these three should be the same. However, in many stores these three containers of milk would each have a different price. The store will make more money if a customer chooses the milk that costs the most. Most of the food in supermarkets is very attractive. People often stop to look at the products in attractive containers. But remember, many products will say, "Buy me!". Stop and think which ones are the best value for your money. Supermarket managers make the food attractive so _ . A. it is cheap B. the customers will buy more C. it is expensive D. it is in the diary section Answer: B
People who have a fear of ugly insects will want to stay far away from Lake Tawakoni State Park in north Texas, US. A giant spider web was recently found there. The thick web is swarming with millions of little spiders. Stretching across several acres it blankets a number of trees, bushes and even the ground. While the web may make some people nervous, it has become a big attraction for others-especially for unlucky insects. "At first, it was so white that it looked like fairyland," said Donna Garde, the park's manager. "Now it's filled with so many mosquitoes that it's turned a little brown." Most spiders work alone, which is why the discovery of the huge web has caused such a stir. Scientists across the country have been debating its origin. Some spider experts' say the monstrous web may have been weaved by social spiders. Social spiders work together to build larger webs to catch small insects. However, those webs take years to build. Park officials say this web was formed in just a few months. Others say it could be the work of millions of tiny ballooning spiders. These types of spiders 'fly' by throwing out thin threads of silk, which they use to ride air currents . In 2002, a similar giant web made by ballooning spiders was discovered in a field in Canada. Texas entomologist Herbert Pase says the giant web is very unusual. "From what I'm hearing, it could be a once-in-a-life-time event," he said. But John Jackman, an entomologist and professor at Texas A&M University, disagrees. Jackman says he hears reports of similar webs, like the one in Canada, every few years. "There are a lot of folks that don't realize spiders do that," he said. "Until we get some samples sent to us, we won't know what species of spider we're talking about." Park officials expect the web to last until fall when the weather gets cooler. That's when the spiders begin dying off in the park. What is the main reason for scientists' excitement and argument about the giant web? A. Most spiders work alone, which makes it hard to understand how the web formed. B. The huge web causes too many mosquitoes to be killed, which is unbelievable. C. No similar discoveries have ever been made throughout the world so far. D. The web forces people to stay far away from Lake Tawakoni State Park. Answer: A How do you get across a river? A bridge is the best way. In some places, there are no bridges. People use the ferry . A ferry is a boat that takes people and cars across the river. Both ends of a ferry look the same. The ferry never has to turn around. It docks at one side of the river. People and cars get on. At the other side, the ferry docks again. The people and cars get off. Other cars and people get on. And then the ferry goes back across the river. In many places, bridges are now taking the place of ferries. In 1964, the longest bridge in the world was built in New York over Now York Bay . It is called the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. This bridge has two roads, one over the other. Each road is wide enough for six lanes of traffic. We can infer that _ according to the passage. A. the shortest bridge in the world was built in New York B. it may be faster to cross rivers on bridges than on ferries C. there is a bridge over every river in the United States D. we don't need ferries any more Answer: B When John Milton , writer of "Paradise Lost" ,entered Cambridge University, in 1625, he was already skilled in Latin after seven years of studying it as his second language at St. Paul's School,prefix = st1 /London. Like all English boys who prepared for college in grammar schools ,he had learned not only to read Latin but also to speak and writer it smoothly and correctly .His pronunciation of Latin was English ,however ,and seemed to have sounded strange to his friends when he later visited Italy. Schoolboys gained their skill in Latin in a bitter way. They kept in mind the rules to make learning by heart easier. They first made a word-for-word translation and then an idiomatic translation into English .As they increased their skill ,they translated their English back into Latin without referring to the book and then compared their translation with the original .The schoolmaster was always at hand to encourage them. All schoolmasters believed Latin _ . After several years of study ,the boys began to write compositions in imitation of the Latin writers they read. And as they began to read Latin poems ,they began to write poems in Latin .Because Milton was already a poet at ten ,his poems were much better than those painfully put together by the other boys. During the seven yearsMiltonspent at university ,he made regular use of his command of Latin. He wrote some excellent Latin poems ,which he published among his works in 1645. What does the passage mainly tell about? A. How John Milton wrote "Paradise Lost". B. How John Milton studied Latin. C. How John Milton became famous. D. How John Milton became a poet. Answer: B Mrs. Green is going to give a birthday party for Mary. Mary is her daughter. She is going to be ten years old. A lot of friends of Mary's are going to come to the party. There are twenty girls of them. Mrs. Green is getting ready for the party. Mrs. White is helping her. "That's a big nice cake," Mrs. White says to Mrs. Green. "Thank you very much." Mrs. Green is going shopping now. She is going to buy fruit for the party. She buys lots of pears, apples, oranges and bananas. Then she goes home. It's five o'clock in the afternoon. Everything is ready. Now the first girl is arriving. The party is going to begin in thirty minutes. What does Mrs. Green buy these apples for? A. The twenty girls B. The party C. Mrs. White D. Mary Answer: B Energy is very important in modern life. People use energy to run machines, heat and cool their homes, cook, give light, and transport people and products from place to place. Most energy comes from fossil fuels--petroleum, coal, and natural gas. However, burning fuels causes pollution. Also, if we don't find new kinds of energy, we will use up all the fossil fuels in the twenty-first century. Scientists are working hard to find other kinds of energy for the future. What might these sources of energy be? Energy from the wind All over the world, people use the power of the wind. It turns windmills and moves sailboats. It is a clean source of energy, and there is lots of it. Unfortunately, if the wind does not blow, there is no wind energy. Energy from water When water moves from a high place to a lower place, it makes energy. This energy is used to create electricity. In Brittany, France, for example, waterpower produces enough energy to light a town of 40,000people. Waterpower gives energy without pollution. However, people have to build dams to use this energy. Dams cost a lot of money, so water energy is expensive. Energy from the earth There is heat in rocks under the earth. Scientists use this heat to make geothermal energy. San Francisco gets half of the energy it needs from geothermal power. This kind of energy is cheap, but it is possible only in a few places in the world. Energy from the sun Solar panels on the roofs of houses can turn energy from the sun into electricity. These panels can create enough energy to heat an entire house. Solar power is clean and there is a lot of it in sunny places. But when the weather is bad, there is no sunlight for energy. What does this passage mainly talk about? A. Advantage of the energy from nature. B. The future of the energy. C. Scientists have been working hard to research other kinds of energy. D. Energy is the most important power in the word. Answer: C Life's coincidences can be good or bad, but they always surprise us. I moved to Anderson in 2004 from a small town in New York. One day I stopped at a red light and was behind a car with a license plate that read "Pearl Harbor Survivor". My father was a Pearl Harbor survivor, so I jumped out of my truck and tapped to his window. He rolled the window down and I asked if he was a Pearl Harbor survivor. "Yes," he said. The lights turned green so I got back in my truck, turned left and went home straight. Then, I said to myself, "Why didn't I get his name and phone number?" I went to the local Legion Post and asked if there was a Pearl Harbor survivor here on their roster . They told me yes and his name was Bronsil Metz. I looked up his name in the phone book and gave him a call. However, I failed to reach him anyway. I then drove to his address. With no answer to the door, I left a note saying that I would like to speak with him. The next day Metz called me back and we arranged to meet at his house. I gathered my father's picture albums and drove to his house the next morning. My father passed away years ago, so I was filled with excitement about talking to someone with similar experiences. We two went through the albums. As I turned the pages, he started pointing out the people he knew as well as those familiar buildings. My father was a great record keeper, so after Metz named people in some pictures, I took the photos out and on the back, in my father's handwriting, were the names, _ that Metz did really know the people. At that moment, I was stunned . Which of the following is NOT true according to the text? A. The author met Bronsil Metz in a small town in New York. B. The author was surprised to find a Pearl Harbor survivor. C. The information of some retired soldiers can be found in Legion Post. D. The author's father kept some picture albums about Pearl Harbor. Answer: A Sophia Richardson: Both my parents are really important to me. My parents are really more than friends. They're the people I can open up and talk to. Talking to them is like talking to one of my friends. They've been there for me and given me good advice on a lot of my problems. Stacey Avnes: My Jewish big sister is important to me. Her name is Lauren. We've been together for two years. My mom is a single and she is very busy. Lauren is someone who helps me deal with all this stuff because she's someone I can talk to. She's like a second mom to me and also a best friend. If I have any problem, I can call her and she'll come and pick me up and we'll go to the park and talk. Jean Park: It's my uncle who is important to me. When I'm with him, I'm grateful for the small things--- being alive and healthy; having a good family and friends. He's also very grateful for the small things and gives back to his community. Melaku Shierfaw: My father is important to me. He came here from a rich family in Africa. But when he came, he didn't take any money and started fresh. He showed that he could do everything by himself without the help of others and he's successful. It shows that I can do anything as long as I try. Kalin Scott- Wright: My great grandmother is in charge of our whole family. She was born in 1920. I know she went through a lot in her life. She was a very strong woman and she raised my mom and took her in. She had a kind spirit and loved me and my brother. She'll always be there for me although she's not alive any longer. From his father, Melaku has learnt that _ . A. not everyone can be successful B. money is not important in one's life C. one should never ask others for help D. he can do anything as long as he tries Answer: D LOS ANGELES - Jesus Ibarra was puzzled by the elderly man. He was obviously much older than other students at prefix = st1 /CentralAultHigh School. And he was an Anglo on a campus where most students are Latins, Blacks, and Asian - Americans. "I asked myself what he was doing here," said Ibarra, 21, of Los Angeles. "I thought he was a visitor. The first time I talked to him, I asked a question in English, and he answered in Spanish. I thought he was white and Jewish. I never imagined that he would speak Spanish." Jacob Blitzstein surprised his fellow students all the time. He isn't some _ man, though he wears his neat gray beard and conservative (traditional) clothes. Blitzstein is warm and gregarious (enjoys being with others). He likes to hear a good joke and loves to tell a good story. He is determined, especially when it comes to realizing his dream. Recently, that dream came true. At a graduation ceremony attended by two of his children and three grandchildren, Blitzstein, 81, graduated from high school. After Principal Lanny Nelms handed him the diploma and announced his age, Blitzstein waved to the audience and cried. And why not? He's probably the oldest CentralHigh Schoolgraduate since the school opened in 1974. According to theLos Angelesdistrict spokesman, although no records of such things are kept, Blitzstein is the oldest graduate he's ever heard of. Earning his diploma took 10 years, during which the retired store owner suffered heart attack and ill health, and lost his wife and two brothers. He kept to his task for a reason. "School is the best medicine you can have," he said. "You have something on your mind - a goal." With his diploma in hand, Blitzstein states that _ . "You know something ? I'm going to college," He told a visitor recently. He has checked out West Los Angeles and Santa Monicacommunity colleges and hopes to move from there to a four-year school. "It's not a joke," he said. "If I live to the year 2008, maybe I'll be a doctor." What was Jacob Blitzstein's dream? A. To be the oldest graduate. B. To graduate from high school. C. To surprise his fellow students. D. To invite his children to attend his ceremony. Answer: B Which lists the diameter of the planets in order from smallest to largest? A. Venus, Earth, Mercury, Mars B. Earth, Mars, Venus, Mercury C. Mars, Mercury, Earth, Venus D. Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth Answer: D Do you get angry when your friends sing loudly while you are trying to work or when your best friend does not wait for you after school? If you do,you need to take control of your feelings.Getting angry with others can cause you to 1ose friends. Gary Egeberg,an American high school teacher,has written _ to help you control your feelings.It tells how to stay cool when bad things happen. The book says that getting angry only makes problems worse.It can never make them better. "Getting angry is not a natural way to act,"the book says.It is just a bad habit,like smoking. The book says you can control your anger easily-all you have to do is to tell yourself not to be angry. The book gives many tips to help you if you get angry easily.Here are the top three. Keep a record.Every time you get angry,write down why you are angry.Look at it later and you will see you get angry too easily. Ask your friends to stop talking to you when you get angry.This will teach you not to be angry. Do something different.When you get angry,walk away from the problem and go somewhere else.Try to laugh. Gary Egeberg is someone who _ . A. knows how to control your feelings B. makes a living by writing books C. is fond of keeping wild animals D. gets angry easily with his students Answer: A
Believe it or not, if you do not use your arms or your legs for a long time, they become weak. When you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows that. Yet many people do not seem to know that memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by using it. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong. If a friend says that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame, and few of us know that it is just his own fault. Have you ever found that some people can't read or write but they have better memories? This is because they cannot read or write and they have to remember things; they cannot write them down in a little notebook. They have to remember days, names, songs and stories; so their memory is the whole time being exercised. Some people can't read or write, but they usually have better memories, because _ . A. they have saved much trouble B. they have saved much time to remember things C. they can't write everything in a little notebook D. they have to use their memories all the time Answer: D To get cash out in the 21st century, you won't need a bank card, a PIN or even have to move a finger. You will simply have to look the cash machine straight in the eye, declares National Cash Registers, a multinational company that makes automated teller machines, or ATMs. NCR has shown its first example machine that is believed to be the future of banking. Instead of asking you for your PIN on a screen, the Super Teller-Stella for short, asks you orally through a loudspeaker to look straight ahead while an infrared camera turns to your head, then your eye, and finally takes an infrared photograph of your iris . For identification purposes, an iris picture is better than a fingerprint, with around 256 noticeable characteristics compared with 40 for fingerprints. This means that the chances of someone else being recognized in your place is about 1 in 1020. Once you've been identified, Stella greets you by name and says: "Would you like cash or a statement?" An infrared port allows the machine to send a bank statement straight to your pocket computer. What does this passage mainly talk about? A. A new medical instrument B. A new type of talking machine C. A new type of cash machine D. National Cash Register Answer: C A bowling ball with a mass of 8.0 kg rolls down a bowling lane at 2.0 m/s. What is the momentum of the bowling ball? A. 4.0 kg x m/s B. 6.0 kg x m/s C. 10.0 kg x m/s D. 16.0 kg x m/s Answer: D It has been said that Lincoln was always ready to join in a laugh at himself. There is one particular story that he always told with great delight. In his early days as a lawyer, Lincoln went from town to town to hear and judge legal cases. During one of these trips, he was sitting in a train when a strange man came up to him. The stranger looked at the tall clumsy lawyer and said that he had something he believed belonging to Lincoln. Lincoln was a bit puzzled. He had never seen the man before. He didn't see how a total stranger could have something of his. Lincoln asked how this could be. The stranger pulled out a penknife and began to explain. Many years before, he had been given the pocketknife. He had been told to keep it until he was able to find a man uglier than himself. Lincoln's eyes always _ when he reached this part of the story. The story always brought smiles to the faces of those who heard it. The tale itself was funny. But even more delightful was the fact that a man as great as Lincoln could still laugh at himself. This passage is about _ A. a stranger and his strange knife B. Lincoln's favorite story C. meeting stranger in a train D. Lincoln's favorite penknife Answer: B In the future your automobile will run on water instead of gas! You will be able to buy a supercomputer that fits in your pocket! You might even drive a flying car! For each prediction that has come true today, several others have missed by a mile. Many of these predictions didn't consider how people would want to use the technology. Or if people really needed it in their lives or not. Let's look at some predictions from the not - too - distant past. Robot Helpers Where's the robot in my kitchen? Nowhere, of course. And he's probably not coming anytime soon. Robots do exist today, but mostly in factories and other Manufacturing environments. Back in the 1950s, however, people said that by now personal robots would be in most people's home. So why hasn't happened? Probably because robots are still too expensive and Clumsy. And maybe the idea of robots cooking our dinners and washing our clothes is just too _ . At home we seem to be doing fine without them. Telephones of tomorrow? In 1964 an American company introduced the video telephone. They said by the year 2000 most people would have a video phone in their homes. But of course the idea hasn't caught on yet. Why? The technology worked fine, but it overlooked something obvious: peoples desire for privacy. Would you want to have a video phone conversation with someone after you just stepped out of the shower? Probably not - it could be embarrassing! Just because a technology is available doesn't always mean people will want to use it. And finally, how about that crazy prediction of the flying car? It's not so crazy anymore! But a flying car remains one of the most fascinating technology ideas to capture our imagination. Keep watching the news - or perhaps the sky outside your window - to see what the future will bring. What does the author think of the flying car? A. It is too difficult to imagine. B. It is too crazy an idea. C. It is likely to be made. D. It is often reported in the news. Answer: C Empathy lets us feel another person's pain and drives us to help. Do any other animals feel empathy? Scientists recently found that rats do, too. Most people don't like rats. In many people's eyes, rats are only bad. But Jean Decety and his partners at the University of Chicago did an experiment. It showed that rats are kind, warm-hearted animals. They can feel each other's pain. Scientists placed pairs of rats in plastic cages for two weeks. During this time they got to know each other. Then they put one of the rats from each pair into a small container in the cages. The small container had a door. It was so designed as to fall to the side when the free rat touched it. Many of the trapped rats squeaked to show their discomfort. The other rats of the pairs could see their suffering friends clearly. In most pairs, the free rats would become very worried about their friends. They kept trying to save their friends again and again throughout the month. Scientists put the rats' favorite chocolate in the cages, but the rats didn't eat it until they had saved their friends successfully. Scientists also found that female rats seemed to act more empathetic than male rats. "The results are the first to show that rats take action in response to another's trouble," Decety said. "Monkeys and chimpanzees have similar behavior. But unlike those animals, rats can be ready used in laboratory studies. They will help us to learn which parts of the brain lead to empathy and helping behavior and whether empathy is natural." Which of the following animals were NOT mentioned in the passage? A. Monkeys. B. Chimpanzees. C. Rats. D. Cats. Answer: D In America, parents tend to encourage their children to develop their potential to the fullest extent. Fathers and mothers frequently teach their children both ambition and the confidence necessary to work toward their goals. American parents are always active in concentrating on what their kids can do, not what they can't. As a result, millions of American boys and girls grow up hoping to become actors and athletes, diplomats and doctors. Many of them even want to become president. American parents often encourage their children to become involved in extra activities of all types at school, such as student government, sports and music. They believe that only through taking part in these activities can their children become mature young adults. As we all know, schoolwork is important. But parents should realize that the social skills their children learn form natural conversations with each other are as important as schoolwork and the skills they will need in the future work. What's more important in their work is that their children should have a sound knowledge of physics or the ability to communicate effectively. As a rule, Chinese parents don't educate their children about the same kind of ambition and confidence as Americans do, nor do they encourage the same level of participation in extra activities. Children are typically advised to study hard and pass exams. They have to spend a lot of time in doing much schoolwork every day. It is a great waste of time to do so. Now more and more Chinese parents have recognized that they should pay attention to developing the potential of their children. I hope that leaders in Chinese educational circles should take some measures to develop the potential of their children. I am very confident about it. From the passage, we know the American parents pay much more attention to _ . A. the social skills than Chinese parents B. their children's studying hard and well C. what their children want but they can't D. extra activities than schoolwork Answer: A Strong winds have the ability to uproot large trees in a wooded area. Which of these organisms would most likely benefit from this change in a habitat? A. a bee colony that needs a hive B. a bird that needs to build a nest C. a squirrel that needs to find shelter D. a plant that needs sunlight to grow Answer: D A person wants to get better acquainted with dogs, since they have a serious fear of them. This fear was probably A. scared B. inherited C. rare D. learned Answer: D You may hear about earthquakes, but do you know what to do before, during and after an earthquake? Here is some advice for you: Before an earthquake It is necessary to prepare yourself and your family. All family members should know how to turn off gas, water and electricity and know useful telephone numbers ( doctor, hospital, police and 119 etc.). Never put heavy things over beds. During an earthquake It is important for each of you to stay calm. If you are indoors, quickly move to a safe place in the room such as under a strong desk or table. The purpose is to protect yourself from falling things. Stay away from windows, large mirrors, heavy fumiture and so on. If you are cooking, turn off the gas. If you are outdoors, move to an open area like a playground. Move away from buildings, bridges and trees. If you are driving, stop the car as soon as possible, staying away from bridges and tall buildings, stay in your car. After an earthquake ONCE the shaking has stopped, DO NOT run out of the building at once. It is better to wait and leave when it is safe. Check around you and help the people who are in trouble. If your building is badly broken, you should leave it. If you smell or hear gas, get everyone outside and open windows and doors. If you can do it safely, turn off the gas. Report it to the gas company. When an earthquake happens, _ can help you deal with it. A. keeping quiet B. staying calm C. looking outside D. moving indoors Answer: B
Mrs. Jackson was a rich woman. She had many friends. She liked cooking very much and she often invited her friends to her big house. One day, she invited some of her friends to lunch. She wanted very much to try a new way of cooking a fish, and she was very pleased with herself when the dish was ready. The fish was very hot, so she put it near the open window to make it cool. But five minutes later, when she came back for it, she was surprised to see her neighbor's cat, Mike, eating the fish. She was in time to stop the cat before it was too late. That afternoon everything was good and all her friends liked the fish very much. They talked until four o'clock. Then they said goodbye and left. At the end of that afternoon, when she was alone again, Mrs. Jackson was very tired but happy. She was sitting in the chair just near the window. Then through the window, she was surprised to see her neighbor's cat dead in the garden! Why, the fish must be bad! What would happen to her friends? She telephoned her family doctor at once. The doctor told her to call each of her friends to see him at the hospital. At last, the danger was over. Once again, Mrs. Jackson was alone in her chair in the sitting-room, still tired but no longer happy. Just then the telephone rang. It was her neighbor. "Oh, Mrs. Jackson, Mike is dead. He was killed by a car and put in your garden...". ,. Which is NOT true according to the passage? A. Mrs. Jackson had lots of friends. B. One of her friends killed the cat. C. Her friends enjoyed the fish very much. D. All her friends were all right. Answer: B At the end of my senior year of high school, I got a job working at a local coffee shop.I thought the job would be easy and stress-free.I pictured myself pouring the best coffees, making delicious doughnuts , and becoming friends with regular customers. I wasn't expecting the people with enormous orders, the women who complained that the coffee was much too creamy , or the men who wanted their iced coffees remade again and again until they reached perfection.I couldn't seem to please anyone. One rainy day, one of my regular customers came in looking upset.He said he felt like getting in bed, pulling the sheets up over his head, and staying there for a few years.I knew exactly how he felt. Before he left, I handed him a bag along with his iced coffee.He was surprised, since he hadn't ordered anything but coffee.I had given him his favorite type of droughnut. "It's on me," I told him."Have a nice day." He smiled and thanked me before heading back out into the rain. The next day, it was still raining.I spent my afternoon hanging out the window handing people their orders.I was completely wet and freezing cold.Worse, no one was tipping that day.Every time I looked into our empty tip jar, I grew more depressed. In the evening, the customer from the day before drove up to the window.He handed me a pink rose and a note.He said that not many people took time to care about others and he was glad there were still people like me in the world.With a friendly wave, he drove away. I ran to the back of the shop and read the note.It read: Christine, Thanks for being so sweet, kind and thoughtful yesterday.It is so nice to meet someone who's indeed nice.Please don't change your ways! Have a great day! -Hank After that, whenever I felt depressed or sick of coffee, I thought of Hank and his kindness.Then I would smile, hold my head up high, clear my throat and ask politely, "How can I help you?" The man felt thankful for the writer because _ A. she was indeed kind to him in a time of need B. she knew exactly how the man felt C. she offered him coffee and food for free D. she comforted him by sharing his pain Answer: A There were smiling children all the way. Clearly they knew at what time the train passed their homes and they made it their business to stand along the railway, wave to complete strangers and cheer them up as they rushed towards Penang. Often whole families stood outside their homes and waved and smiled as if those on the trains were their favorite s. This is the simple village people of Malaysia. I was moved. I had always traveled to Malaysia by plane or car, so this was the first time I was on a train. I did not particularly _ the long train journey and had brought along a dozen magazines to read and reread. I looked about the train. There was not one familiar face. I sighed and sat down to read my Economics. It was not long before the train was across the Causeway and in Malaysia. Johore Baru was just another city like Singapore, so I was tired of looking at the crowds of people as they hurried past. As we went beyond the city, I watched the straight rows of rubber trees and miles and miles of green. Then the first village came into sight. Immediately I came alive; I decided to wave back. From then on my journey became interesting. I threw my magazines into the waste basket and decided to join in Malaysian life. Then everything came alive. The mountains seemed to speak to me. Even the trees were smiling. I stared at everything as if I was looking at it for the first time. The day passed fast and I even forgot to have my lunch until I felt hungry. I looked at my watch and was surprised that it was 3:00 pm. Soon the train pulled up at Butterworth. I looked at the people all around me. They all looked beautiful. When my uncle arrived with a smile, I threw my arms around him to give him a warm hug . I had never done this before. He seemed surprised and then his weather-beaten face warmed up with a huge smile. We walked arm in arm to his car. I looked forward to the return journey. What did the author remember most fondly of her train trip? A. The friendly country people. B. The mountains along the way. C. The crowds of people in the streets. D. The simple lunch served on the train. Answer: A When the man's wife died, their youngest baby was 2 years old. They had six other children -- three boys and three girls, aged from 4 to 16. The man's parents and his wife's parents came to visit. "We've been talking about how to make this work," they said. "There's no way you can take care of all these children and work to make a living. So, we've decided to place each child with a different uncle and aunt." The man refused. Over the next few weeks, he moved the family to a tiny town and opened a small business. His business developed quickly. He was happy to see people and serve them. He became popular with people for his pleasant personality and excellent customer service. People came from far away to do business with him. And the children helped both at home and at work. The children grew up and got married. Five of the seven went off to college. The children's success was a source of pride to the father. Then came grandchildren. No one enjoyed grandchildren more than this man. As they became toddlers , he invited them to his workplace and his small home. They brought each other great joy. Finally, the youngest daughter, who was 2 years old when the mother died, got married. With his life's work done, the father died. This man's work had been the lonely but joyful task of raising his family. This man was my father. I was the 16-year-old, the oldest of seven. ,. (5,2,10) The man's parents and his wife's parents came to his house to _ . A. suggest placing each child with a different aunt and uncle B. talk about finding a new wife for him C. give him money to support the family D. help take good care of his children Answer: A Can you swim? Do you like swimming? Well, how can you learn to swim? I think the best way is to go into the water and learn. I'm afraid you'll never learn to swim just by reading books about Swimming or looking at others swimming. It's the same with the English study. We must practice, practice and practice. Listening and speaking are very important for beginners. We can listen to English programs on radio. You may just understand a few words. It doesn't matter. Just be relaxed, try to catch every word. Somebody may be a good listener, but he is afraid to speak because he's afraid of making mistakes. You know we sometimes make mistakes when we speak Chinese. Don't be afraid. We must be brave. If you really want to learn English well, you must try to speak with everyone as long as he knows English. When there's nobody to talk with, you can talk to yourself in English. It's interesting and also a good way to practice your spoken English. Remember, the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you'll make. Reading and writing are more important for senior school students. First we must choose the books we're interested in. A lot of reading will improve your language sense. This is very important. It's easier said than done. Well, let's do more practice from now on. I'm sure you'll learn English well in this way. ,A, B, C, D,. (10) What's the best way to learn to swim? A. Reading books about swimming. B. looking at others swimming. C. Going into the water and learning. D. Listening to others' advice. Answer: C Once upon a time all feelings went to an island for a vacation, and each was having a good time. Suddenly, a warning of a strong storm was announced ,so all rushed to their boats. Yet, Love did not wish to run away quickly. There was so much to do. But as the clouds darkened, Love realized it was time to leave. But there were no boats to spare. Love looked around with hope. Just then Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love shouted, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you." Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful boat for help, But Vanity said with a cold voice, "No, I can't take you with me. My boat will get dirty with your mummy feet." Sorrow passed by after some time. Again, Love asked for help. But it was useless. "No, I can't take you with me. I am so sad. I want to be by myself." When Happiness passed by a few minutes later, Love again called for help. But Happiness was so happy that it hardly concerned about anyone else. Love was growing restless and hopeless. Just then somebody called out, "Come, Love, I will take you with me." Love did not know who was being so kind, but jumped onto the boat happily. After getting off the boat, Love met Knowledge. Love asked, "Knowledge, do you know who was so kind to give me a lift when no one else wished to help?" Knowledge smiled, "Oh, that was Time," "Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is." Which word has the same meaning as "Sorrow"? A. Worry B. Anger C. Sadness D. Smile Answer: C For my grandmother's 70th birthday, my family and I visited South Korea. While there, I was attentive to Korean high schools and students. I was surprised by how different Korea's public high schools are from America's. Korean high schools can be all-girls, all-boys or co-ed unlike our standard co-ed high schools. There are three grades: "go 1" (10th), "go 2" (11th) and "go 3" (12th). ''Go" is the first syllable of the word "go-deung-hakkyo", which, simply translated, is "high school". In America, unless you want to go to a private school, you don't have to take an entrance exam. In Korea, however, students must take a test to get in because of the many choices of schools. Another difference I couldn't help but notice was the students' appearance. With very few exceptions, all wear uniforms. A name tag with the student's name, grade and homeroom number must also be worn. Girl's skirts can't be above the upper part of the knee, and it is forbidden to dye your hair or wear accessories except small earrings. There are strict regulations for appearance to achieve neatness, and it seems the only freedom students have is with their choices of hair style, socks and shoes. The final difference was the _ of the classes. There may be 40 students in a classroom, but the number can be less or even more, depending on the population of the town or city. Although there are many students per classroom, they are very close, which I think is a result of not changing classrooms for different subjects. There are no levels in the subjects and the teachers are the ones who switch classrooms. They just have ten-minute breaks between subjects. In each class, students are ranked by their grades. This causes strict competition, and Korean students do a lot of studying. To help them, all schools have extra study classes after school. One other fact that helped me appreciate living in America is that Koreans have school on Saturdays. Although it's only a half day, I think I speak for most Americans when I say we could never imagine ourselves in school on a Saturday. Korea's public high schools are clearly different from America's. I had imagined them to be just like our schools, but now I have a clear picture of how different they are. It seems that the writer _ . A. is familiar with the education system of high schools in Korea B. is fond of Korean students' appearance C. prefers the high school life of America to the one of Korea D. feels it common to have lessons on weekends Answer: C Do you know Xishuangbana? It's a very beautiful place. It lies in Yunnan. The Dai people live there. Their homes are wonderful. The houses are very big and have long legs to hold them up. Sometimes those legs are over two metres tall. It can be very hot in Yunnan. But the Dai people do not need air conditioners to keep cool. Their houses usually have two floors. One half of the second floor is the living room. The living room has a balcony. The other half of the second floor is their bedroom. There is a long corridor between the living room and the bedroom. You must always take off your shoes before you go into a Dai family's house. They like to keep their houses clean. The bed is made of bamboo . The family's tables, chairs and cupboards are all made of bamboo too. It often rains in Yunnan. Pigs and chickens live on the first floor, because it is a good place to stay _ . The writer doesn't tell us _ . A. how many floors the Dai people's house has B. the things in the Dai people's house C. the rooms in the Dai people's house D. why it's cool in the Dai people's house Answer: D If your preschoolers turn up their noses at carrots or celery, a small reward like a sticker for taking even a taste may help get them to eat previously disliked foods, a UK study said. Though it might seem obvious that a reward could encourage young children to eat their vegetables, the idea is actually controversial, researchers wrote in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. That's because some studies have shown that rewards can _ and cause children to lose interest in foods they already liked, said Jane Wardle, a researcher at University College London who worked on the study. Verbal praise, such as "Brilliant! You're a great vegetable taster," did not work as well. The study found t hat when parents gave their small children a sticker each time they took a "tiny taste" of a disliked vegetable, it gradually changed their attitudes. The children were also willing to eat more of the vegetables-either carrots, celery, cucumber, red pepper, cabbage or sugar snap peas-in laboratory taste tests, the study said. Researchers randomly assigned 173 families to one of these groups. In one, parents used stickers to reward their children each time they took a tiny sample of a disliked vegetable. A second group of parents used verbal praise. The third group, where parents used no special vegetable-promoting methods, served as a "control". Parents in the reward groups offered their children a taste of the "target" vegetable every day of 12 days, Soon after, children in the sticker group were giving higher ratings to the vegetables-and were willing to eat more in the research lab, going from an average of 5 grams at the start to about 10 grams after the 12-day experience. The turnaround also seemed to last, with preschoolers in the sticker group still willing to eat more of the once disliked vegetable three months later. Why didn't the verbal praise work? Wardle said the parents' words may have seemed "insincere" to their children. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true? A. Most children are born to dislike carrots or celery. B. It remains a question whether rewarding is a good way to get children to eat vegetables. C. Oral praise wokrs quite well in encouraging children to eat vegetables. D. Children in the sticker group will never lose interest in eating vegetables. Answer: B Running is becoming popular these days. Many of us run for health. Doctors say many health problems come from these bad habits: eating and drinking too much, smoking and not taking enough exercise. Doctors tell us. "Eat and drink less, don't smoke, and exercise more." Running is a good way of exercise because it helps to build a strong heart. It also helps most people lose weight. One 68-year-old woman runs three times a week. "I love to eat." She says. She runs to lose _ Running is good for health in other ways, too. Many runners say running keeps colds and other small health problems away. "Running is my doctor." says one man. Running can also help people to relax. So today men and women of all ages enjoy running. Doctors tell us _ . A. not to smoke B. not exercise C. to drink much D. to eat much Answer: A
Ransom Myers of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia warned, using solid science and careful analysis, of the dangers of overfishing. _ and he wasn't afraid to report bad news. As the Guelph Mercury reported, the 54-year-old biologist, originally from Mississippi, was known for his research and warnings about the extinction of marine life around the world. He developed a passion for marine protection during his days in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, where he worked for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans at a time when the industry was watching the collapse of the cod fishery. He became, says the Guelph Mercury, a lone, unpopular voice in the discussion about the cause of the collapse, insisting overfishing was the main factor. The world was spending its energy fighting over the few fish left instead of cutting catch limits before it was too late. He warned governments, the fishing industry and consumers, that unless commercial fishing was reduced, many large marine species would become extinct, leading to economic disruptions, food shortages, and lasting damage to marine ecosystems. He said his conclusions were shocking because people had lost sight of the true effect of the declines and they did not look back far enough in history. In other words, he said, "We've forgotten how big fish used to be and how many of them once lived in the sea." According to Ransom Myers, the reason why people found his conclusions shocking was that _ . A. they didn't have a good knowledge of the living habits of fish B. they could still catch a great many big cod C. they didn't know the great differences between the present and the past marine fishery D. they thought his research was not based on a detailed analysis Answer: C The Hampton Inn Boone hotel is in the attractive Blue Ridge Mountains, just minutes from four ski areas. Our hotel is less than three miles from Appalachian State University, Boone Mall, and Boone Golf Club. Within those same three miles, you can eat at the historic Dan'l Boone Inn, Makoto's Japanese Steakhouse and many others. Guest Accommodations Hampton Inn is a value-priced hotel. Here you'll find clean, fresh, comfortable rooms standard with a coffee maker, iron and ironing board, and wonderful in-room movie channel. Enjoy good local calls and no surcharge for using a calling card. Guests also enjoy the following items: high speed internet access in every room, wireless internet access in the lobby and public areas, coffee and tea in the lobby 24 hours a day, and USA Today(R) copies (available from Monday to Friday). prefix = st1 /Hamptonalso offers a 24-hour front desk, message and fax service. If you're not 100% satisfied, we don't expect you to pay. That's our promise.Directions & Transportation From Hwy 221 S. - Follow 221 S. to Newland and make a left on to Hwy 105 at entrance to GrandfatherMountain. The hotel is 15 miles on the right. From Hwy 321N --Follow 321 N. into Boone. Turn left onto Hwy 105 at the Wendy's. The hotel is one block down on the left. From Hwy 321S - Turn right onto Hwy 105. The hotel is one block on left. Hotel Policies: Check-In: 3:00PM / heck-Out: 11:00AM Pets: No Pets Allowed The main purpose of writing this text is to _ . A. introduce the advanced equipment in a hotel B. share some information about a good hotel C. attract more people's attention to a hotel D. announce a travelling plan Answer: C An engineer must calculate the potential energy of a roller coaster car at the top of an incline. Which information would best help the engineer determine the potential energy of the car? A. the distance the roller coaster car must travel B. the mass of the roller coaster car at full capacity C. the average weight of an empty roller coaster car D. the direction that the roller coaster car is traveling Answer: B Hair has always been an important sign of beauty. This is especially true for women. Next to the face, hair is one of the main qualities people look for when they consider a woman's beauty. Whether long or short, curly or straight, hair often gets a lot of attention. Each hair on a person's head grows from a single tube-like hole in the skin called a follicle. People are born with all of the hair follicles they are ever going to have. The average person has about one hundred thousand hair follicles. _ begin to form around the third month of pregnancy. Each hair grows independently of other hairs. There are three periods of hair growth. Not all hairs experience the same period of growth at the same time. The period of active growth is called Anagen. During this period, hair grows at a rate of about three tenths millimeters a day, or one centimeter a month. About 85 percent of hair follicles are going through this process at any given time. This period can last from two to six years. The Catagen period of hair growth comes next. It is then that hair growth begins to slow down. This period usually lasts two or three weeks. Finally, hair growth comes to a complete stop and the hairs begin to fall out. This period is known as Telogen. It affects about 15 percent of all hairs at a time. On average, a person loses between 50 and 100 hairs every day. Since each hair grows at a different rate, this process is overlooked. Once the Telogen period has ended, the hair growth process begins again. When some hairs are experiencing the period of Telogen, they _ . A. grow very quickly B. slow down their growth C. stop growing D. affects other hairs' growth Answer: C Teenage life is interesting, adventurous and difficult. Teenagers have to go through many problems. It may probably be a family problem or a school problem. It is important to learn how to deal with those problems. Be grateful of your parents' support. When you have a problem, ask your parents to support you. When a child is thirteen, he feels like he has grown up. As a part of a family, teenagers do not want their parents to involve in their personal activities and they think they are able to be independent . It is very normal and parents should also cooperate with their kids. They should try to get to know what their child needs. Sometimes a child may be hesitating to tell something but they should try to know what the matter is. Parents' support is the greatest support for a teenager. Learn to live in society. Society plays a very important role in everyone's life. What teenagers see from society has a big influence on their characters. As a teenager, you should know what is wrong and what is right. Never be impatient in making a decision. Always keep cool and calm , take advice from your parents and you will make a good decision. Don't let the bad things of society influence you. Instead, get to learn good things from society. Learn from school. School is like a second home. We learn a lot from our school, and at the same time, it is the hardest part of a teenager's life. First are the studies. You should know what you want to do. Don't come under pressure in making choices. Learn to take your own stand . If you don't do well in exams, don't feel broken. Be strong-minded and spend more time on your studies. *Share your problems with your friends. Your friends are always ready to help. If you are confused in your life, talk about what all you've done and what you want to do with your friends. What does the passage mainly tell us? A. How to cooperate with teenagers. B. How to get help from parents. C. How to face problems as a teenager. D. How to be independent in school. Answer: C World's Best Places to Visit We hope the following places can help you choose where to go on your next vacation. Zurich From swimming in Lake Zurich in summer to skiing the Alps in winter, Zurich attracts visitors year-round. As a fairytale city, Zurich is set on the banks of both a river and a lake, with the snow-topped Swiss Alps rising in the background. Clean cobblestone streets hug a hilly land and medieval church tops reach heavenward. Despite its reputation for being the center of old-school international banking and a capital for chocolate, Zurich is also a very modern city that chooses to enjoy life at an unhurried pace. Travelers desiring a real experience should strive to do the same. The City of Angels The City of Angels, the Entertainment Capital of the World--Los Angeles needs no introduction. But its notoriety both helps and hurts its reputation. The traffic on the "101" will tire you out just as much as an evening at a lively West Hollywood club. And your dislike at the thick smog over the city will ruin your enjoyment of a sunset overlooking Santa Monica Beach. To appreciate Los Angeles, visit the area more than once and get advice from locals. Prague A prosperous and busy city, Prague now attracts more tourists than ever. But its picturesque downtown veils both a dark legacy and a resilient past; in its 1,100 years, Prague has survived numerous overthrows, invasions, fires and floods. It's this reputation for survival and perseverance that has made the Czech capital so fascinating. Today, its storied churches, narrow streets, hilltop castle and statue-lined bridges create the scene of an urban fairy tale. Even the most tired traveler would have trouble resisting this city's charms. Puerto Rico Pick a vacation experience you're looking for, and Puerto Rico can help. Puerto Rico is an old town with a lot of historic architecture and cobblestone streets. Look no further than Old San Juan and its El Morro fortress.Consider the bioluminescent bays of Culebra and Vieques. Puerto Rico is a global destination with high-end shopping and exciting nightlife. Yellowstone More than 3,000 square miles of nature's finest canyons, hot springs and rocky cliffs are an easy sell for outdoors enthusiasts. Geothermic wonders like the Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful and Yellowstone Lake are not to be missed at this national park. With dramatic peaks and lakes, Yellowstone is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise. Multicolor1ed pools go around hot springs; green forests weave past wide meadows; and hot springs launch streams of steaming water toward the sky. With so much unspoiled natural beauty, there's no doubt that the park is indeed extraordinary. While you go across the park's 3,000-plus square miles of mountains, canyons, and waterfalls, be prepared to share the trails with permanent residents like buffalo, elk and sometimes even grizzlies. What prevents you from enjoying the sunset in the city of Angles? A. Santa Monica Beach. B. The heavy traffic on the "101". C. The thick smoke and fog over it. D. The lively West Hollywood club. Answer: C In the early part of the twentieth century, racism was widespread in the United States. Many African Americans were not given equal opportunities in education or employment. Marian Anderson (1897-1993) was an African American woman who gained fame as a concert singer in this climate of racism. She was born in Philadelphia and sang in church choirs during her childhood. When she applied for admission to a local music school in 1917, she was turned down because she was black. Unable to attend music school, she began her career as a singer for church gatherings. In 1929, she went to Europe to study voice and spent several years performing there. Her voice was widely praised throughout Europe. Then she returned to the US in 1935 and became a top concert singer after performing at Town Hall in New York City. Racism again affected Anderson in 1939. When it was arranged for her to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC, the Daughters of the American Revolution opposed it because of her color. She sang instead at the Lincoln Memorial for over 75 000 people. In 1955, Anderson became the first black soloist to sing win the Metropolitan Opera of New York City. The famous conductor Toscanini praised her voice as "heard only once in a hundred years". She was a US delegate to the United Nations in 1958 and won the UN peace prize in 1977. Anderson eventually triumphed over racism. According to this passage, what did Marian Anderson do between 1917 and 1929? A. She studied at a music school. B. She sang for religious activities. C. She sang at Town Hall in New York. D. She studied voice in Europe. Answer: B The Bedouin people think most highly of people who show loyalty. To them loyalty does not mean that one is devoted to a country, a place, or a leader. Loyalty means being faithful to one's family and tribe . The Bedouin people take pride in their ancestors . They do not admire a hero from an ordinary or poor family as much as one who comes from an honored family. They particularly respect those who have received a good name from their ancestors and then have passed it on to their children. A man's position among the black-tent people depends upon his ancestors, relatives, and fellow tribesmen. If they are honored, he is also honored. If they are disgraced, he too is disgraced. Therefore one carefully guards the honor of his family, his lineage ,and his tribe. A man can protect his family's honor by being brave and generous and by giving protection to those who ask for it. He also guards it by carefully watching the women of his family. A Bedouin woman cannot bring honor to her family, but she can bring disgrace. Even if a woman only looks as if she has done wrong, she may be killed. The honor of her family depends upon her virtue . It can be inferred from the passage that a Bedouin man will feel disgraced if he _ . A. does not succeed in business B. needs to ask for help from his brothers C. does nothing when a member of his family is badly treated D. does not help a stranger who asks for assistance Answer: C Scientists have written a report on the future of trade and industry. They talk about the role robots will play in industry. What is a robot?Basically ,it is a machine which is designed to do the work of a human being. It is usually controlled by a computer. Once it has been given a set of things to do,it will do the job on its own. Nowadays,Britain has 120 robots at work in industry. This compares badly with other industrial countries. In Japan,there are 4,000 robots in use. In the USA there are 2,000 and in Germany there are 500. According to the report,the government must help people understand how robot technology can be used. Also,people must be educated to know how important this new technology is. The designing of new robots will be very important in the future. The report says that special robot centres should be set up where people who design robots and people who will use them work together. The assembly work of the future will be complex . So firms must develop robots to do it. Today, _ is using the most robots for industry. A. Britain B. the USA C. Japan D. Germany Answer: C If touring in a large group isn't fit for you and the idea of driving yourself doesn't attract you, a small group journey with the Great New Zealand Travel Company might be just the answer. Panorama -- 24 Days Discover why New Zealand remains one of the world's most popular destinations. This _ , 24-day journey offers you a wide choice of things to do and places to see. You will enjoy plenty of time to sightsee, relax and experience the lifestyle that is in New Zealand. Departure Dates: Jan. 12, 26; Feb. 9, 23 Price: NZ$10,715 Nikau -- 13 Days This 13-day journey from Auckland to Christchurch lets you experience the true diversity of this beautiful country. History, culture, scenery and adventure, they all feature on this trip to give you a brief insight into the land. Departure Dates: Jan. 2, 23; Feb. 2, 16 Price: NZ$5,680 Southern Adventure -- 11 Days Enjoy a South Island holiday with exciting sightseeing and activities, including the world-famous whale-watch at KaiKoura and a wildlife tour on Akaroa Harbour. This tour will take you on a journey of discovery. Departure Dates: Jan. 17, 31; Feb. 7, 24 Price: NZ$5,820 Northland -- 4 Days The Bay of Islands is a great place and should not be missed if time permits. You will visit the Northland region, the birthplace of New Zealand as we know it today. See the oldest Maori and European Settlements in the country and take an eco-cultural trip into the Waipoua Forest. Enjoy free time to learn more of the early days of the nation. Departure Dates: daily Price: NZ$2,015 Tourists who are interested in wild animals should choose _ A. Panorama -- 24 Days B. Nikau -- 13 Days C. Southern Adventure -- 11 Days D. Northland -- 4 Days Answer: C
Do you prefer British English or American English? Here are opinions from our readers. Andy: Well, being in British for 3 years now from New Zealand I've come to realize that a lot of British people pronounce words how Americans do. But in saying that, I guess the more educated British people do not pronounce words the way some Americans do. So, I prefer Educated British English. Bill: Well, I am studying English and I think British sounds funny and I prefer Americans sounds. Although I can tell that everyone else in my class loves British pronunciation and thinks American English is less pretty or even ugly. I don't agree at all, though. Cindy: At first British English accent sounds better and wonderful but then it gets annoying, so I love American English. Dale: I prefer the British accent. It sounds like someone reading a poem. I just like the pronunciation of the British people, very clear and sounds like music! British accent is more musical. Edward: When I listen to the BBC announcers, I notice that they're exploding the letters out, not pronouncing them. And some British people from the North of England or Scotland speak with strange accents. I mean it is difficult to understand their English. Frank: As a matter of fact, English for International Communication is very much like American accent. I love the American accent. Which reader didn't state clearly which pronunciation he or she preferred? A. Andy B. Bill C. Cindy D. Edward Answer: D Every year we have many holidays, such as summer holidays. May Day and so on. How do you spend during these holidays? Do you like to travel during them ? Can you book holidays or make travel plans on line? Now let me tell you how to do it. First,you should look up the places that you want to visit online. Then you can decide on which way to travel according to the prices online. If you go to other countries, you'd better take the plane. If you visit some places of interest near your hometown, you can take the train or bus there. Of course, you can drive a car. Next, you can get in touch with some travel companies ,and talk something about travel with them. And you can find the best place to stay at the best price. Finally, you can enjoy happy holidays with the help of the travel company. Which of the following is RIGHT? A. When you want to travel, you can make the plan online. B. If you want to travel, you must have a computer at first. C. If you visit your grandmother, you have to drive you car. D. The passage mainly tells how to travel online. Answer: A Scientists in Argentina have created the world's first cow to own two human genes that will enable it to produce human-like milk, which is matchless up to now. It is a breakthrough in the area of clone. Genetic engineering was used to introduce the "mothers' milk" genes into the animal before birth, according to the National Institute of Agribusiness Technology in Buenos Aires. As an adult, the cloned cow "will produce milk that is similar to humans" in what will prove "a development of great importance for the nutrition of infants", it said in a statement. "The cloned cow, named Rosita ISA, is the first one born in the world that owns two human genes that contain the proteins present in human milk," the statement said. In April, scientists in China published details of research showing that they had created GM Holstein dairy cows which produced milk containing proteins found in human breast milk. But the Argentine team says the Chinese only introduced one human gene, whereas their research involved two genes meaning the milk will more closely resemble that of humans. Rosita ISA was born on April 6 and was delivered by Caesarean section because she weighed around 100 pounds, roughly twice the normal weight of Jersey cows. Adrian Mutto, from the National University of San Martin said "Our goal was to raise nutritional value of cows' milk by adding two human genes, the protein lactoferrin and lysozyme, which can provide newly-born babies with anti-bacterial and anti-viral protection." Cristina Kirchner, President of Argentina, said that the scientific institute "makes all proud." She also revealed that she had rejected the "honor" of having the cow named after her. "They came to tell me that the name is Cristina, but what woman would like to have a cow named after her? It appeared to me to be more appropriate to call it Rosita." Lactoferrin and lysozyme in milk _ . A. are good for babies' health B. help provide more milk from cow C. can increase the production of milk D. can offer more proteins in cow milk Answer: A We can't deny that trees are useful to man in three very important ways: they provide him with wood and other products, they give him shade, and they help to prevent drought and floods. Unfortunately, in many parts of the world man has not realized that the third of these services is the most important. In his eagerness to draw quick profit from the trees, he has cut them down in large numbers, only to find that without them he has lost the best friends he had. Two thousand years ago a rich and powerful country cut down its trees to build warships, with which to gain itself an empire. It gained the empire but, without its trees, its soil became hard and poor. When the empire fell to pieces, the country found itself faced by floods and starvation. Even though a government realizes the importance of a plentiful supply of trees, it is difficult for it to persuade the villager to see this. The villager wants wood to cook his food, and he can earn money by making charcoal or selling wood to the townsman. He is usually too lazy or too careless to plant and look after trees. So unless the government has a good system of control, or can educate the people, the forests will slowly disappear. This does not only mean that the villagers' sons and grandsons have fewer trees. The results are even more serious. For where there are trees ,their roots break the soil up, allowing the rain to sink in and also bind the soil, thus preventing it being washed away easily, but where there are no trees, the soil becomes hard and poor. The rain falls on hard ground and flows away on the surface, causing floods and carrying away the rich topsoil, in which crops grow so well. When all the topsoil is gone, nothing remains but worthless desert. It's a great pity that _ . A. man is only interested in building empires B. man is eager to profit from trees C. man hasn't realized the importance of trees to him D. man hasn't found out that he has lost all trees Answer: C Howie put his plants under a plant light. What was he helping his plants do by providing light? A. make food B. attract insects C. release pollen D. grow roots Answer: A TWENTY-FIVE years ago director Stephen Spielberg captured the hearts of Western audiences with his family classic.E.T.Now his Hong Kong director Stephen Chow is trying to do the same trick in China. Chow's latest movie CJ7(<<>> ),in cinemas now,is a heart-warming story about a poor migrant worker and his son.When a strange alien enters their lives,father and son learn a lesson about the value of family.Chow hopes his movie will help to make family films more popular in China. Family films have been the main part of the Hollywood market for the last 40 years.They have given audiences movies like E.T., Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park.However, there are few of these movies in China, where expensive history films are more popular. A family film is not simply a children's movie.It is a film that is not only suitable for children, but appeals to the whole family. According to Raymound Zhou,a famous film critic,these films are rare in China because "very few families go to the cinema together".Because of this,there is little demand for movies that appeal to the whole family. However, in the West,it is common for the family to sit down and watch a movie together.Tim Bridges, from London,says:"I love it at Christmas when I sit down and watch a movie with my family." All family films contain similar messages about being honest, remaining positive and learning there is more to life than money.According to the American movie reviewer,Dave Johnson, this is because "When parents watch a movie,they want their children to be learning good values". Just like when the alien in Spielberg's E.T.phones home to make contact with his family, Chow will hope Chinese audiences are tuned in and ready to receive his family movie message. What is the family film,according to the passage? A. A kind of film that is about history. B. A kind of film in which the characters are animals. C. A kind of film that is meant for both children and adults D. A kind of film that is about families Answer: C Companies can increase the money with which they run their business in a number of ways. One way is borrowing money, and another way is buying things with the agreement that payment would be made later. There are also other processes for providing money for use by a company. Two of these processes are described here. One process the company may use is to issue bonds . Bonds are a special kind of promissory note. They are issued in different values, in the forms of money used in different countries, such as the pound in prefix = st1 /Englandor the euro in Europe. These bonds can easily be sold again to other people or to other companies. The company that issues the bonds promises to pay a particular amount of money as interest regularly for a certain period of time. This continues until when the company has to pay back the principal of the bond. Payments of principal and interest must be made on time whether the company has been earning money or not. If these payments are not made on time, it means that the company has not done what it agreed to do and can be sued(,). Another process companies may use is to issue other forms of promissory notes called stocks . Bonds and stocks are opposite methods of providing money for a company. The people who buy stocks provide money that is earned and take part in deciding how the company will conduct its business. They must also take part in the losses. The people who own stocks receive dividends only after the company has paid all of its debts to the people who own bonds. On the other hand, the persons who own bonds have no right, according to the law, to help decide how the company will handle its business, unless it is bankrupt or in danger of becoming so. It can be inferred from this passage that _ . A. to issue bonds is a better way than to issue stocks B. stockholders can sue the company when it is bankrupt C. bondholders have the same rights as stockholders D. investing in stocks has more risk than in bonds Answer: D Some children are natural born bosses. They have a strong need to make decisions, manage their environment, and lead rather than follow. Stephen Jackson, a Year One student, "operates under the theory of what's mine and what's yours is mine," says his mother. "The other day I bought two new Star Wars light sabers . Later, I saw Stephen with the two new ones while his brother was using the beat-up ones." " Examine the extended family, and you'll probably find a bossy grandparent, aunt, uncle or cousin in every generation. It's an _ says Russell Barkley, a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. Other children who may not be particularly bossy can gradually gain dominance when they sense their parents are weak, hesitant, or in disagreement with each other. Whether it's inborn nature or developed character at work, too much control in the hands of the young isn't healthy for children or the family. Fear is at the root of a lot bossy behavior, says family psychologist John Taylor. Children, he says in his book From Defiance to Cooperation, "have secret feelings of weakness" and "a desire to feel safe." It's the parents' role to provide that protection. When a "boss child" doesn't learn limits at home, the stage is set for a host of troubles outside the family. The overly willful and unbending child may have trouble obeying teachers or coachers, for example, or trouble keeping friends. It can be pretty lonely as the top dog if no one likes your bossy ways. "I see more and more parents giving up their power," says Barkley, who has studied bossy behavior for more than 30 years. They bend too far because they don't want to be as strict as their own parents were. But they also feel less confident about their parenting skills. Their kids, in turn, feel more anxious. The study on bossy behavior implies that parents _ . A. should give more power to their children B. should be strict with their children C. should not be so anxious about their children D. should not set limits for their children Answer: B Smart home applications can share all kinds of helpful information with homeowners. There appears a new housing platform which can detect the stress on electricity -- and the stress on the heart. "There is a growing population of elderly people, and there are statistics to show that more and more of them are going to live alone in the home," said Johann Siau, a senior lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K., who was leading the InterHome project. The system was originally designed to provide remote access to a house so owners could be more energy-efficient. In a small type of the system, set-in controller devices connect securely to the Internet. The owner can then monitor them with a cell phone or computer. User feedback helps the system adapt to routines, saving on electricity. While thinking about responding to user behavior and an increasingly elderly population, the researchers decided to add wristband technology that senses important organs of the body such as body temperature and pulse, Siau said. "If someone were to fall, it would detect the fall and it would immediately start the monitor of the pulse to see if the person has gone into shock ," he said. The wristband communicates with the home system wirelessly. Data from the band can be securely transmitted to the home network and accessed by authorized users. "We're working on trying to reduce it to a level where it could potentially be a wrist-sized product," Siau said. But he warned that the technology presented new challenges. "When you start using that on a larger scale, you have issues of privacy or security," he said. Siau said the InterHome home system isn't intended to invade privacy. "We're thinking about the elderly people who are living alone with no one looking after them," he said. "Hopefully this will be able to decrease some concerns and possibly save a few lives." The researchers are now trying to make the wristband _ . A. more sensitive B. be connected with the Internet C. available for common people D. suitable to wear on the wrist Answer: D If you really want to go green, here's good news: eating green is good for you. The very foods with a high carbon cost---meat, pork, dairy products, processed snacks---also tend to be filled with fat and calories. A green diet would be mostly vegetables and fruits, whole grains, fish and lean meats like chicken---a diet that's eco- and waistline-friendly. Eating green can be healthier and beneficial to the climate. It may be hard to believe that a meal at McDonald's produces more carbon than your trip to a far away place. More than 37% of the world's land is used for agriculture, much of which was once forested. Deforestation is a major source of carbon. The fertilizer and machinery needed on a modern farm also have a large carbon footprint, as does the network of ships and trucks that brings the food from the farm to your plate. The most efficient way to reduce the carbon footprint of your menu is to eat less meat, especially beef. Raising cattle takes a lot more energy than growing the equivalent amount of grains, fruits or vegetables. What's more, the majority of cattle in the U.S. are fed on grain and loads of it---670 million tons in 2002---and the fertilizer used to feed that creates separate environmental problems. Focus on eating lower on the food chain, with more plants and fruits and less meat and dairy. It's simple. We can change today what goes into our bodies for the health of our planet and ourselves. In the author's opinion, the most efficient way to reduce carbon is to _ . A. eat more vegetables than meat B. stop raising the cattle C. plant more grains D. use less fertilizer Answer: A
The ratio of an object's mass to its volume is its A. area. B. perimeter. C. density. D. weight. Answer: C Although English is not as old as Chinese , it is spoken by many people around the world every day. English speakers are always creating new words and we are often able to know where most words come from. Sometimes, however, no one may really know where a word comes from. Did you ever think about why hamburgers are called hamburgers, especially when they are not made with ham? About a hundred years ago, some men went to America from Europe. They came from a big city in Germany called Hamburg. They didn't speak good English, but they ate good food. When some Americans saw them eating round piece of beef, they asked the Germans what it was. The Germans didn't understand the question and answered, "We come from Hamburg." One of these Americans owned a restaurant, and had an idea. He cooked some round piece of bread and started selling them. Such bread came to be called "hamburgers". Today, "hamburgers" are sold in many countries around the world. Whether this story is true or not, it certainly is interesting. Knowing why any word has a certain meaning is interesting, too. This reason, for most English words, can be found in any large English dictionary. Hamburg is _ A. a kind of food B. a round piece of beef C. the name of a village D. a city in Germany Answer: D Over the last six years I have learned what patience is. Growing up I did not have this virtue and it is a very important virtue to have. Now I can see that if you are patient you will almost always get what you want if you are supposed to have it. I gained patience when I lost my freedom. I knew that I would eventually get it back in time. I was locked up in prison for a period of six years because at 19 years old I was playing with a handgun and I accidentally shot and killed my friend. The first couple of years was the hardest.I was always stressed out about everything.Time was dragging by because I was always paying attention to it.While I was locked up,Tom who I talked to helped put this virtue in me.He told me that it was possible that he would never make it home but that being patient and believing that one day he would was what had made him feel better.After a while I realized why he said a lot of things to me.Once I stopped paying attention to the days and just kept in mind that I would get freedom,it seemed that my time passed quickly. Now I am home and can see that patience paid off for me. I now use this virtue in my daily activities. I know that sometimes life gets hard and that it will pay in the end to stay patient and not to get discouraged. So if you are having a hard time in life,be patient and it will eventually work out one way or another. During the first few years when he was in prison the writer _ . A. made a couple of good friends B. thought time passed too slowly C. felt his life was full of unexpected things D. was very nervous and frightened Answer: B Frog eggs hatch into tadpoles, and then tadpoles gradually develop into frogs. This process is known as A. adolescence. B. crossbreeding. C. regeneration. D. metamorphosis. Answer: D Helen Keller was a US author and public speaker who became blind and deaf at the age of 19 months. Anne Sullivan became her teacher in 1887 and taught her to read, write, use sign language and speak. Keller received degree from Radcliffe College in 1904 and spent the rest of her life encouraging others with difficulties like hers to overcome them. Her books include The story of My Life (1902) and Out of the Dark(1913). Her life was the subject of the play The Miracle Worker When she was 19 _ old, Helen Keller became blind and deaf. A. days B. years C. months D. seconds Answer: C His parents were out and dropped him at the babysitter's house at 12 o'clock. Lunchtime had past, but later the babysitter fixed him a dinner of some kind of brown meat. Under the meat was a slice of dry toast. Timmy didn't like the dinner and wished he had spaghetti or pizza. Even if it wasn't what he wanted, the meal filled his tummy and stopped the hunger pains. Timmy was bored and wanted something to do, but he didn't have any toys. All he had was some paper, his toothbrush and toothpaste. He wished he was home where he had left his favorite toy race car and train. The house was quiet and nighttime was near. He pretended he was camping. It was 8 o'clock and the streetlight came on and shined through the curtain, making scary shadows on the wall. He looked through the trash in the babysitter's extra room but couldn't find anything useful. If he at least had some markers or crayons he could draw some pictures, but he didn't even have a pencil. Timmy thought for a bit and found he could make a toy boat. He folded the paper into a mighty ship. In his imagination the little boat was in a storm on a dark sea. Danger was all around. The imaginary men on his paper boat were facing the storm bravely and sailed into safety as he was falling asleep. What did Timmy have for dinner? A. spaghetti B. hamburger and fries C. pizza D. Meat and toast Answer: D My son was a second-grader. He went to school by bus every day. He was the first student on in the morning, as we were farthest from school, and the last student off in the evening. I was a teacher myself and it was a comfort to realize the school staff were all working as hard as I was to provide a safe learning environment. One day I came home from work and waited for my son to get home for a long time. Then I called the school. "Perhaps he's just a bit late," said the secretary. "I will call the driver to see if those children are home." A few minutes later, I answered the phone to hear that the other students were home. Then I called his friends' parents, to see if perhaps he had gotten off at their stop to play. The answers were all "No." By that time, it was dark and I was scared. My home was in the mountain areas, and it was said that a wolf had come up somewhere. My husband wasn't at home, so I forced myself to calm down and decided to go out to look for him. I was about to go out when the telephone rang; it was from the driver. "He's okay," I heard. "He was asleep on the seats in the back, under a couple of jackets. Since it's dark, can he spend the night with my family?" I was relieved and agreed. Since my son had a great adventure, the school started giving a copy of the list to the driver, so he could check off the children's names when they got off the bus. I think highly of the school for taking the cautionary step ahead; it is a sign of their concern for students, parents, and staff. At first the secretary thought _ . A. the author's son was still at school B. the school bus would arrive in a while C. the author's son was at his friend's home D. there might be something wrong with the school bus Answer: B The world is not only hungry, it will also be thirsty for water. About 97% of water on the earth is sea water, or salty water. Man can only drink or use the other 3% of the fresh water which comes from rivers, lakes and underground. The sea is very big. Look at the map of the world, there is more sea than land. It covers quarters of the earth, it looks very beautiful when the sun is shinning on it. But it can be terrible when there is a strong wind. Some parts of the sea are very deep. There is one place near Japan. It's nearly 11 kilometers high. If we put that mountain into the sea at that place, there would be 2 kilometers of water above it! The sea is salty. There is one "sea" called the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is not a sea. It's a big lake in the Jordan Valley. It's the saltiest. It's near the city of Jericho. It's about 80.kilometres long, between 4.8 and 17.7 kilometers wide. The river Jordan runs into the Dead Sea. The sun is not there and the water is salty. Fish can't live in the Dead Sea and plants can't grow near it. People can't swim well in the Dead Sea, but they can float on the water. The water is very blue and the air is clean. In winter, people come to the Dead Sea to enjoy the sunshine. The passage tells us the sea covers _ of the earth. A. 3% B. 25% C. 75% D. 97% Answer: C 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. _ is called warm-up exercise. A. Playing ball games B. Swimming C. Bending and stretching D. weight lifting Answer: C While many women are busy with planning their bridal showers , a baby shower usually comes as a complete surprise. A baby shower is a party where a pregnant woman is "showered" with gifts and good wishes. A baby shower is usually given by a close female friend or a relative of the mother-to-be. Sometimes co-workers of a pregnant person will also hold a baby shower for her. The baby shower is usually given when the mother-to-be is between 6 and 9 months pregnant. _ the date of a baby's birth isn't always exact. Sometimes a baby shower can also happen after the baby is born. A baby shower can be held in someone's home or outside, like in a restaurant or a catering hall. Traditionally only women are invited to a baby shower. However, more and more baby showers are also including the father-to-be. Like a bridal shower, a mother-to-be will register a wish list of things she wants at one or several stores. This list usually includes things the mother wants for her baby like clothes, diapers and even furniture. This way friends and family members can go to the stores and buy something from the list. Registering helps make sure that there aren't repeat items, like 30 bottles when a new mom only needed 15. At a baby shower, people can give cards with wishes for the new baby and mom. Most of these cards also include money or gift cards to help the mom-to-be buy whatever else she needs for the baby. Sometimes there are games as well. In one game everyone guesses the date of the baby. Another game lets people taste baby food and guess the flavor. Who was only invited to a baby shower traditionally? A. Men. B. Children. C. Women. D. Pregnant women. Answer: C
There are a great number of people in the world while few people are great.I think there is probably only one great person out of 10,000 at best,and most probably much less than that. The reason why there are only few of them is that most people do not pay the price of greatness.There are so many people who want to be great,why only very few of them actually pay the price? The answer to the question explains the difference between the almost 100% people who want to be great and the much less than 0.01% who actually be so.The reason is that the road to greatness is full of pains. Greatness requires sacrifices and there is no sacrifice without pain.The kind of sacrifices required for greatness is the ones that make the process continuously painful for long time.If you only want to be good it may be painful just every now and then,and many people can still handle it.But being great is a total difference.The pain is much deeper and it is continuous,so very few people can endure this kind of pain.Most people naturally choose things that bring pleasures to them.It's unnatural to choose pain over pleasure,let alone doing it continuously for long time.But that's what I believe is the secret to greatness: The secret to greatness is choosing pain over pleasures continuously for long time. If one person only wants to be good,what will he/she face? A. Occasional pains. B. Continual work. C. Constant pains. D. Various difficulties. Answer: A Older people who have low expectations for a satisfying future may be more likely to live longer, healthier lives than those who see brighter days ahead, according to new research "Our findings showed that being overly optimistic in predicting a better future was associated with a greater risk of disability and death within the following decade," said Frieder R. Lang, the leading researcher of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany." Pessimism about the future may encourage people to live more carefully, taking health and safety measures." Lang and colleagues examined data collected from 1993 to 2003 for the national German Socio-Economic Panel, an annual survey on approximately 40,000 people from 18 to 96 years old. The researchers divided the data according to age groups: 18 to 39 years old, 40 to 64 years old and 65 years old and above. Through mostly in-person interviews, the participants were asked to rate how satisfied they were with their lives and how satisfied they thought they would be in five years. Five years after the first interview, 43 percent of the oldest group had underestimated their future life satisfaction, 25 percent had predicted accurately and 32 percent had overestimated , according to the study. The researchers calculated that each increase in overestimating future life satisfaction was related to a 9.5 -percent increase in reporting disabilities and a 10- percent increase in risk of death. Because a darker outlook on the future is often more realistic, older adults' predictions of their future satisfaction may be more accurate, according to the study. In contrast, the youngest group had the sunniest outlook. "We argue, though, that the analysis may depend on age and available resources. These findings shed new light on how our perspectives can either help us take action or prevent us from taking action that can help improve our chances of a long, healthy life," Lang said. According to the study, older people predicted their life satisfaction more accurately because _ . A. they demanded less materially B. they were more satisfied with their lives C. they had a deeper insight into life D. their outlook on the future was more realistic Answer: D Which would increase atmospheric carbon by the lowest degree? A. trees B. humans C. cattle D. dogs Answer: A When Brody Roybal was a baby, he didn't have legs. But that didn't make him feel sad or stop him from trying sports. He tried different kinds of sports. When he tried sled hockey at the age of 7, he loved it. " That was it," says Roybal. He is now 15 and a student in a high school in Chicago. " It's all I wanted to do." Roybal joined a sled hockey team. At the age of 12, he started playing in an adult team. It was much harder for him, but he still worked hard. Now Roybal is a player of the sled hockey team in his country. O' Connor, manager of the team, says Roybal is very good. " Everybody dreams of going to the Olympic Games and winning the game," O' Connor says. " That's something that I couldn't do, but Roybal can. He is lucky and he can go to the next Olympics." It's true that when God closes a door, he opens a window for you. From the passage we know Roybal is a _ boy. A. lively B. kind C. hard-working D. sad Answer: C While the rest of his family was happily feasting during Spring Festival, Zu Xinming, a Senior 2 student in Shaanxi province, was frowning. "Every time my s leave after dinner, almost half of the dishes are unfinished," he said, and we throw away a lot of food. Nowadays in China, food waste is a widespread problem. Each year, Chinese people throw away the equivalent of about 50 million tons of grain, an amount which could feed 200 million people, according to Xinhua News Agency. One reason is that people are unaware of the issue. "Some of my friends don't care at all when they can't finish the food on their plates," said Zu, "and they even throw it away if they don't like the taste." Gong Tao, an official from the Communist Youth League of China Committee of Central South University in Hunan province, is worried about the decreasing awareness of food waste on his campus in recent years. "Students don't know how much hard work others go through in order to provide their food," Gao told China Education Daily. One deeper factor is the Chinese cultural value of "face". In a Chinese banquet setting, the host feels great shame when guests' plates are empty. "Serving lots of food is the Chinese way of showing respect to guests and displaying generosity," Yu Changjiang, a sociologist at Peking University, told Xinhua. Huge public spending on government banquets is also worsening the situation. Government banquets at the taxpayer's expense have become "a major source of waste", commented People's Daily. The good news is that people are already beginning to take action. On Jan 16, 10 restaurants with 749 outlets in Beijing joined an "eating up" campaign promoted by Xu Xiake, deputy director of China Land and Resources News. These restaurants have begun serving half-sized meals and small dishes. So, how can you help reduce food waste? Discuss with your family regularly about your food preferences and how much you want to eat. Eat all of the food on your plate and in your bowl. And each week, help your parents clean the fridge so that all of the food gets eaten before it goes to waste. How many reasons are mentioned in the passage for the food waste problem in China? A. 5 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4 Answer: C Body language is the quiet, secret and most powerful language of all! It is said that our body movements communicate about 50 percent of what we really mean while words only express 7 percent. So, while your mouth is closed, your body is just saying. Arms. How you hold your arms shows how open and receptive you are to people you meet. If you keep your arms to the sides of your body or behind your back, this suggests you are not afraid of taking on whatever comes your way. Outgoing people generally use their arms with big movements, while quieter people keep them close to their bodies. If someone upsets you, just cross your arms to show you're unhappy. Head. When you want to appear confident, keep your head level. If you are a monitor in class, you can also take on this position when you want your words to be taken seriously. However, to be friendly in listening or speaking, you must move your head a little. Legs. Your legs tend to move around a lot more than normal when you are nervous or telling lies. If you are at interviews, try to keep them still. Posture .A good posture makes you feel better about yourself. If you are feeling down>> you normally don't sit straight, with your shoulders inwards. This makes breathing more difficult, which can make you feel nervous or uncomfortable. Mouth. When you are thinking, you often purse your lips. You might also use this position to hold back an angry comment you don't wish to show. However, it will probably still be noticed, and people will know you're not pleased Face. When you lie, you might put on a false face. But that expression would crack briefly, allowing displays of true emotions such as happiness, sadness, disgust and fear to come through. When someone is keeping his arms behind his back, he tries to tell you that . A. he is not afraid B. he is outgoing C. he is angry D. he is cool Answer: A Since 1936, many female space explorers have followed Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova. Let's look at the missions of four important female astronauts to find out what astronauts do in space. In 1983, Sally Ride became the first American women in space. Her team carried out scientific experiments in space and put two communications satellites in space. Satellites make it possible for us to communicate instantly with each other across the world through TV, radio, and telephones. In 1984, Kathryn Sullivan became the first American women to walk in space. During her mission, she discovered important information about the sun's energy and how it affects the climate in very hot and very cold places on Earth. She also took photographs of Earth and measured air pollution. In 1992, Mae Jemison became the first African-American in space. During her mission, she did scientific experiments using the weightless atmosphere. In space, there is no gravity, so everything floats! Dr. Jemison's experiments gave important information about the human body to produce better medicines and healthcare. In 2012, Liu Yang became the first Chinese women in space. She did experiments in space medicine, which look at how astronauts can survive and stay healthy in space. The conditions in space are very hard on the body and space medicine helps astronauts work safely. Liu Yang's mission aimed at _ . A. providing information about environment B. protecting astronauts' health in space C. improving communication on Earth D. testing the weightless atmosphere Answer: B Maple City has an ordinance that prohibits the location of "adult theaters and bookstores" (theaters and bookstores presenting sexually explicit performances or materials) in residential or commercial zones within the city. The ordinance was intended to protect surrounding property from the likely adverse secondary effects of such establishments. "Adult theaters and bookstores" are freely permitted in the areas of the city zoned industrial, where those adverse secondary effects are not as likely. Storekeeper is denied a zoning permit to open an adult theater and bookstore in a building owned by him in an area zoned commercial. As a result, Storekeeper brings suit in an appropriate court challenging the constitutionality of the zoning ordinance. Which of the following statements regarding the constitutionality of this Maple City ordinance is most accurate? A. The ordinance is valid, because a city may enforce zoning restrictions on speech-related businesses to ensure that the messages they disseminate are acceptable to the residents of adjacent property. B. The ordinance is valid, because a city may enforce this type of time, place, and manner regulation on speech-related businesses, so long as this type of regulation is designed to serve a substantial governmental interest and does not unreasonably limit alternative avenues of communication. C. The ordinance is invalid, because a city may not enforce zoning regulations that deprive potential operators of adult theaters and bookstores of their freedom to choose the location of their businesses. D. The ordinance is invalid, because a city may not zone property in a manner calculated to protect property from the likely adverse secondary effects of adult theaters and bookstores. Answer: B Honesty comes in many forms. First there's self-honesty. Is what people see the real article or do you appear through smoke and mirrors? I find that if I try to be something I'm not, I feel unsure of myself and take out a part from my PBA (personal bank account). I love how singer Judy Garland put it, "Always be a first-class version of yourself, instead of a second-class version of somebody else." Then there's honesty in our actions. Are you honest at school, with your parents, and with your boss? If you've ever been dishonest, I think we all have. Try being honest, and notice how well it makes you feel. Remember, you can't do wrong and feel right. This story by Jeff is a good example of that: In my second year of study, there were three kids in my math class who didn't do well. I was really good at it. I would charge them three dollars for each test that I helped them pass. I'd write on a little piece of paper all the right answers, and hand them off. At first I felt like I was making money, kind of a nice job. I wasn't thinking about how it could hurt all of us. After a while I realized I shouldn't do that anymore, because I wasn't really helping them. They weren't learning anything, and it would only get harder down the road. Cheating certainly wasn't helping me. It takes courage to be honest when people all around you are getting away with cheating on tests, lying to their parents, and stealing at work. But, remember, every act of honesty is a deposit into your PBA and will build strength. Which of the following can best explain Judy Garland's words? A. Be your true self rather than follow others. B. Don't copy others or you can't be the first class. C. Make efforts to be the first instead of the second. D. Don't learn from others unless they're excellent. Answer: A 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 puzzled 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 visit Herpin, expecting _ . A. to cure him of his sleeplessness B. to find that his sleeplessness was not really true C. to find out why some old people didn't need any sleep D. to find a way to free people from the need of sleeping[ Answer: B
In the year Shakespeare died in 1616, New England was born. This was in fact four years before any English speakers permanently settled in _ But in 1616 it was already the subject of the bookA Description of New England, by that busy explorer and promoter Captain John Smith, who had visited the land two years before. According to Smith, New England owes its name to Sir Francis Drake. Not that Drake ever saw or talked about New England, but in sailing around the world he stopped in 1597 at a place on the Pacific coast of North American and called it Nova Albion, the Latin for "New England". Following Drake's lead, Smith called the area at a similar latitude on the Atlantic coast by the same name, translated into plain English. The very words New England show the direction of Smith's thinking. This was to be an extension of Old England, not a new kind of community. The map in his book gives only English names for the places of New England, and he provides a special list showing thirty American Indian names replaced by English ones: Accormack by Plymouth, Massachusets River by Charles River, Kinebeck by Edenborough, to list a few. Some of those changes succeeded. But what finally happened after the Plymouth colonists landed four years later has turned out differently than Smith had imagined, for Indian names as well as English ones still cover the new England area. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A. Sir Francis Drake first used the name New England B. The name New England was given by Captain John Smith C. New England and Old England refer to the same land D. English speakers began to settle in New England in 1612 Answer: B Americans Spend Their Free Time In Various Ways America is a country of sports--of hunting,fishing and swimming,and of team sports like baseball and football.Millions of Americans watch their favorite sports on television.They also like to play in community orchestras ,make their own films or recordings,go camping,visit museums,attend lectures,travel,garden,read,and join in hundreds of other activities.The people also enjoy building things for their homes,sewing their own clothes,even making their own photographs.They do these things for fun as well as for economy. But as much as Americans enjoy their free time,the country is at the same time a"self-improvement" country.More than 25 million adults continue their education,chiefly by going to school in the evening, during their own free time,at their own expense.Added to the time spent on personal activities,Americans a1so devote a great amount of their time to the varied needs of their communities.Many hospitals,schools,libraries,museums,parks,community centers,and organizations that assist the poor depend on the many hours citizens devote to these activities,often without any pay. Why do they do it? There are several answers.The idea of cooperating and sharing responsibility with one another for the benefit of all is as old as the country itself. When the country was first founded in 1776,it was necessary for the settlers to work together to live.They had crossed dangerous seas and risked all they had in their struggle for political and religious freedom.There remains among many Americans a distrust of central government.People still prefer to do things themselves within their communities,rather than give the government more control. Sometimes people offer their time because they wish to accomplish something for which no money is paid,to do something that will be of benefit to the entire community.It is true that some people use their _ because they are truly interested in the work;or they are learning from the experience. No matter what the reason is,hundreds of thousands of so-called leisure hours are put into hard,unpaid work on one or another community need. The writer mentions the foundation of the country in order to indicate _ . A. the reason for Americans' willingness to cooperate and share responsibility B. the American people's determination to live C. the American people's love for freedom D. the early history of America Answer: A So far, there have been so many successful men and women in the world. And it's no surprise for many of us to dream of doing business when we grow up. However, Moziah Bridge tells us quite different story. Moziah Bridges is now the CEO of his Mo's Bow's company. He has already earned $200,000 by selling bow ties and other men's fashion accessories . The boy designs all the bow ties together with seven other workers in the company, including his mother and grandmother. "Mo is the CEO of the company, but I am the CEO of Mo," Bridges' grandma said. About four years ago, when Bridges went shopping for bow ties, he found they were in ugly" black and red. He wanted a change. So he asked his grandma to teach him to sew and finally he developed the talent of creating bow ties. Though his very first bow tie didn't look nice, the young sewer kept on practicing. He used colorful cloth with different pictures. Then his parents and friends started to like his works. At first he tried to sell them online to several stores in the south. Soon Mo's bow ties became popular. With the help of Dayond John, CEO of the famous US clothes brand FUBU, Bridges built his own company. Not only did Daymond John provide money for him, but also produced Bridges to the circle of fashion and business industries. Now the 13-year-old's business has developed rapidly. So you can just start now! You don't have to wait till you're older. If you have a dream, go for it! Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Brides taught himself how to sew. B. Bridges' first bow tie looked nice C. Mo's Bow's Company develops slowly. D. Daymond John really helped Bridges a lot. Answer: D My sister and I grew up in a little village in England. Our father was a struggling lawyer, but I always knew he was special. He never criticized us, but used praise to bring out our best. He'd say, "If you pour water on flowers, they flourish . If you don't give them water, they die." I remember as a child I said something unkind about somebody, and my father said, "Any time you say something unpleasant about somebody else, it's a reflection of you." He explained that if I looked for the best in people, I would get the best in return. From then on I've always tried to follow the principle in my life and later in running my company. Dad's also always very understanding. At 15, I started a magazine. It was taking up a great deal of my time, and the headmaster of my school gave me a choice: stay in school or leave to work on my magazine. I decided to leave, and Dad tried to _ the decision at first, as any good father would. When he realized I had made up my mind, he said, "Richard, when I was 23, my dad persuaded me to go into law. And I've always regretted it. I wanted to be a biologist, but I didn't pursue my dream. You know what you want. Go fulfill it." As it turned out, my little publication went on to become Student, a national magazine in the U.K.. My wife and I have two children, and I'd like to think we are bringing them up in the same way Dad raised me. What can be a suitable title for the text? A. Be nice to others B. My Respectable Father C. My Happy Childhood D. Go Fulfill Your Dream Answer: B Babies are born yogis. Once we were all able to pull our toes up by our ears and laugh about it. Then we aged, got injured, and began carrying stress in our shoulders and back. In short, we lost our balance. Yoga is an ancient practice that helps create a sense of union in body, mind, and spirit. It brings us balance. I was seriously out of balance when I started practicing yoga in 1999. I had plantar facilities in both feet, and my doctor had warned me against all the things I loved to do: walking, hiking, and playing tennis. I was desperate for exercise. Yoga became my salvation and even enhanced my other fitness activities. I practice yoga at least twice a week, but I consider yoga to be part of my daily life because after a while you no longer just practice yoga--you love it. Yoga becomes part of your physical life. Your body grows stronger, more toned, and more flexible as you move from one pose to the other. I spent a week in Mexico at a yoga retreat, and it was the first vacation on which I lost weight. "Rather than building muscle, yoga builds muscle tone," says Shakta Kaur Khalsa, author of the K.I.S.S. Guide to Yoga. "Because yoga helps maintain a balanced metabolism , it also helps to regulate weight. Additionally, yoga stretches muscles lengthwise, causing fat to be removed around the cells." I do yoga poses throughout the day. After hours at my computer, I stretch my stiff shoulders and arms. When I need a boost of energy, I do energizing poses. When I am feeling exhausted at the end of the day, I do restorative poses. Yoga becomes part of your mental life. Yoga teaches you to focus on breathing while you hold the poses. This attention to breath is calming; it dissolves stress and anxiety. I use yogic breathing on the tennis courts, in the dentist's chair, and in traffic jams. You should always leave a yoga practice feeling energized, not tired. If you feel tired after yoga, it means you spent the time "fighting" yourself, trying to force yourself into poses. In yoga, you "surrender" to the pose by letting go of the tension. Yoga becomes part of your spiritual life. Yoga is practiced by people from all religions; it is not restricted to any religious group. Yoga teaches "right" living in how we deal with ourselves and others. As I work on a difficult pose, I learn patience, forgiveness, and the value of gentleness. Yoga advocates proper eating, but you don't have to be a vegetarian to practice yoga. People feel tired after yoga because _ . A. they consume energy in practicing yoga B. they respond well to yoga poses C. they spend too much time on yoga D. they force themselves into yoga poses Answer: D Judie is a good student. She usually gets up at half past six in the morning. She does morning exercises for half an hour. Then she reads English from 7:00 a. m. to 7:30 a. m. She has breakfast at home. She goes to school at 7:45 a. m. She has four classes in the morning. She usually has lunch at school, but on Sundays she has lunch at home with her family. She has three classes in the afternoon. She goes home at 5:00 p.m. She usually has dinner at about 6:00 p.m. Then she does her homework from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. She doesn't like watching TV in the evening. How many classes does Judie have a day? A. Four classes. B. Six classes. C. Seven classes. D. Eight classes. Answer: C "I like your smile, but unlike you put your shoes on my face". A charming way of saying "Keep off the grass". But could you figure it out? Or this: "Wash Clothing Store" for laundry. They are both typical Chinglish, a combination of English vocabulary and Chinese grammar. Expressions such as "people mountain people sea", means extremely crowded, and "give you some color to see", meaning a punishment, are widely known and recognized. Chinglish has been attracting global attention in recent years as China grows rapidly in status on the world stage, attracting both fans and detractors . The Beijing Speaks Foreign Languages Programme and English First China Company, a language trainer known as EF Education, jointly launched a campaign to root out poor grammar and misused vocabulary in downtown Beijing. They argue Chinglish is an embarrassment that we should let it die out at all costs. "It is meaningful to allow the capital to show its most beautiful historical and cultural heritage to the world." Michael Lu, vice-president of EF Education said, "since the launching of the campaign, foreign teachers and students had been very keen to volunteer participation."He believed signs were very important in public services. "The signs in some old buildings confused foreign visitors. Chinglish, although the target of much criticism, has also won supporters who regard it as an interesting way for foreigners to learn how Chinese people think and express themselves. "Many Chinglish logos carry Chinese elements and they will enrich the English language," 32-year-old Oliver Radtke said. He had even published a book "Chinglish: Found in Translation," on the subject. About 50,000 copies of the book have been sold since it was published in 2007. Some Chinese university experts also side with Chinglish. "English has absorbed elements from other languages such as French and Spanish in its growth, and the emergence of Chinglish again testifies to the language's vitality and inclusiveness," said Shi Anbin, an associate professor of Tsinghua University. What Shi Anbin said means _ . A. there are many French and Spanish words in English B. English is the language with vitality and inclusiveness C. Chinglish enriches English and shouldn't be got rid of D. Chinglish has greater effect on English than French and Spanish Answer: C My name is Kitty. I have a very big and nice room and I have a great school things collection. My brother's room is near my room. He is Mike. And he has a big sports collection. I have twenty erasers, ten pencils, nine rulers and eight pens in my schoolbag. My brother has two baseballs, four soccer balls and five basketballs under his bed. Does Mike have a great sports collection? A. Yes, he does. B. No, he doesn't. C. We don't know. D. No, I don't. Answer: A Fixtures, Inc., in a signed writing, contracted with Apartments for the sale to Apartments of 50 identical sets of specified bathroom fixtures, 25 sets to be delivered on March 1, and the remaining 25 sets on April 1. The agreement did not specify the place of delivery, or the time or place of payment. Make the following assumptions. On March 1, Fixtures tendered 24 sets to Apartments and explained, "One of the 25 sets was damaged in transit from the manufacturer to us, but we will deliver a replacement within 5 days." Which of the following statements is correct? A. Apartments is entitled to accept any number of the 24 sets, reject the rest, and cancel the contract both as to any rejected sets and the lot due on April 1. B. Apartments is entitled to accept any number of the 24 sets and to reject the rest, but is not entitled to cancel the contract as to any rejected sets or the lot due on April 1. C. Apartments must accept the 24 sets but is entitled to cancel the rest of the contract. D. Apartments must accept the 24 sets and is not entitled to cancel the rest of the contract. Answer: D While in college, Tim started to look for easy ways to make money. One of the opportunities he saw was gambling . He started learning about all forms of gambling. He got lucky enough to make $9,000, but sadly it didn't last long and over the next year he lost all of that money. It was at this point that Tim realized that he needed to stop gambling and focus on learning about finance. One day, he was talking to one of his friends about creating a business, and his friend turned him onto Quick Sprout. So he started reading every blog post on Quick Sprout in the hope that he could learn about how to become a successful businessman and meet some people through Quick Sprout that he could partner up with. A year ago Tim read a blog post on Quick Sprout about another businessman by the name of Timothy Sykes. Tim visited Timothysykes.com and learned about his Millionaire Challenge program that taught people how to buy and sell penny stocks . Tim thought it would be worth giving a try. Tim spent the next few months learning from Timothy Sykes on how to trade stocks. After he felt that he had learned enough, he wanted to start trading. Within the first 6 months of using what he learned in the Millionaire Challenge program, he made over $40,000. At one point he even made $11,000 in 15 minutes. Over the next 12 months Tim is on track to make even more money. So far things are looking good and he is already ahead of schedule. The Millionaire Challenge program has worked out so well for him and he is now starting to enjoy the finer things of life. Tim decided to learn about finance when _ . A. he first entered the college B. he was lucky enough to earn $9,000 C. he learned about all forms of gambling D. he lost all the money he got from gambling Answer: D
When we can see well, we do not think about our eyes often. It is only when we can notsee perfectly that we come to see how important our eyes are. People who are nearsighted can only see things that are very close to their eyes. Many people who do a lot of close work, such as writing and reading, become nearsighted. Then they have to wear glasses in order to see distant things clearly. People who are farsighted face just the opposite problem. They can see things that are far away, but they have difficulty reading a book unless they hold it at arm's length. If they want to do much reading, they must get glasses too. Other people do not see clearly because their eyes are not exactly the right shape. This, too, can be corrected by glasses. Some people's eyes become cloudy because of cataracts . Long ago these people often became blind. Now, however, it is possible to operate on the cataracts and remove them. When night falls, colors become fainter to the eyes and finally disappear. After your eyes have grown used to the dark, you can see better if you use the side of your eyes rather than the centers. Sometimes, after dark, you see a small thing to one side of you, which seems to disappear if you turn your head in its direction. This is because when you turn your head, you are looking at the thing too directly. Men on guard duty sometimes think they see something moving to one side of them. When they turn to look straight at it, they can not see it any more, and they believe they were mistaken. However, this mistake happens because the center of the eye, which is very sensitive in daylight, is not as sensitive as the sides of the eye after dark. People who are farsighted _ . A. can do a lot of close work without glasses B. can only see things that are very close to their eyes C. have difficulty reading a book if they hold it at arm's length D. can correct their eyes by glasses Answer: D Passage 4 How dangerous it would be if there was a fire! Today is in winter. It's time for us to learn a lot more about fire, especially what to do if we are caught in a fire: 1. Shout out If you smell smoke or see fire, shout out "Fire!" Shout as loudly as you can, because people may be asleep. 2. Call 119 Never try to put the fire yourself, even if it is a very small one! Get help from your parents or call 119. 3. Keep down close to the floor If there is a lot of smoke in your room, keep down close to the floor. 4. Test the door Test the door before you open it. If the door is cool, open it carefully. If the door is hot, do not open it! Try to find a different way out. 5. Get out If you can, get out of your home as soon as possible. 6. Don't use the lift Never use the lift during the fire. It may also go wrong. 7. Don't go back Never go back into a burning building! Why shouldn't you use the lift when a fire breaks out? A. Because taking the lift is so slow B. Because the fire can burn you C. Because the lift is too crowded D. Because the lift may not work Answer: D The moon looks bigger than the stars at night. But in fact, it is smaller than any other stars. The moon looks big to us, because it is closer to us than any stars. The moon goes around the earth. It makes one trip about four weeks. The moon is a round ball and looks beautiful. Now people know quite a lot about the moon. There is no air or water on the moon, so there are not any trees or animals, or people on it. The moon gets its light from the sun, but some places on the moon are quite dark. It's very hot on the moon during the day, but it's very cold at night. The moon gets its light from _ . A. the sun B. the star C. air D. the earth Answer: A November 9 is a time for us to learn a lot more about fire . This is what to do in a fire: 1.Shout out. Shout as loudly as you can, because people may be asleep. 2.Call 119. Never try to put out a fire yourself. Tell 119 where you are and what is on fire. 3.Keep down close to the floor. There is less smoke down there, so it's easier to breathe and see where you are going. 4.Test the door. If the door is cool, open it carefully. If the door is hot, do not open it! Try to find a different way out. 5.Get out. Do not stop to pick up anything. A fire can become very big in a few seconds! 6.Don't use the lift. Always use the stairs. The lift may go wrong and keep you inside. 7.Don't go back .Even if you have left your pet or favorite toy inside, do not go back for it. Animals have a very good sense of smell. They often get out of buildings before people. Which of the following is not right according to the passage? A. If the door is hot, try to find a different way out. B. Don't use the lift. C. People often get out of buildings before animals. D. Do not stop to pick up anything. Answer: C Many people cannot start their day without first having a cup of coffee or tea.These drinks help them think clearly and feel more awake.This is because of caffeine,which helps to give a jump start to the nervous system.Now,a report says it may also boost long-term memory. Mike Yassa is a neurobiology professor.He and other researchers wanted to know if caffeine could improve a person's memory.He explains,"After you learn anything,it takes some time for that memory to strengthen.And over the first 24 hours is actually where most of the forgetting happens.So that is where we wanted to intervene with caffeine and see if we can help reduce this forgetting." They took 160 caffeine-free people and showed them pictures of everyday objects. These people were asked if the objects could be found inside the house, or outdoors.Then some of the subjects were given a caffeine pill.The others were given a placebo--a pill containing nothing. 24 hours later,the subjects were shown the exact same images from the day before.They were also shown images with slight differences,and some completely new images. Both groups correctly identified the exact same and completely new pictures.But those who took the caffeine pill were better at spottingthe pictures that were slightly different. Professor Yassa says their answers helped to show the effects of caffeine on memory. And we find that if they are on caffeine they are much more likely to make the right decision." The amount of caffeine the researchers used in the study was similar to one cup of strong coffee.The researchers did not see any improvement to memory from smaller doses of caffeine or when it was given an hour before viewing the images. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. Most forgetting occurs within the first 24 hours. B. Forgetting can be positively affected by caffeine. C. The subjects were given different pills. D. Yassa was disappointed with the result. Answer: D You wouldn't steal a car. You would never rob a bank or pick someone's pocket. But you may be another kind of thief. If you have ever bought a disc for 15 yuan or less, then you have helped to rob artists or musicians of their intellectual properly rights . Last Thursday was World Intellectual Property Day. Activities to tell people about intellectual property rights were held around the country. Intellectual property includes inventions, literary and artistic works, names, and pictures. They are of little value if they are not read, seen and used. While the cost of copying discs is very small, authors, singers and actors have to spend a lot of money and time making a new product. That's why they have the right to make money from their work. So buying pirated music of Jay Chou and Jolin Tsai is like stealing from them, paying them no respect for their hard work. If Jay Chou cannot make money from his work, he may not make anything else. But those who make pirated goods are becoming rich without doing any hard work. The authors should ask for a fair price for their work. Earlier this year there was much talk about how much KTV clubs should pay the music companies for using their songs. The copyright fee also should be fair to the users. That's good for the music's popularity and society as well. What is the best title for the article? A. Rob a Bank B. Copyright Fees C. Say No to pirated Music D. World Intellectual Property Day Answer: C During the night, Murphy broke into a house with the intention of stealing a typewriter. On not finding a typewriter, she became angry, poured lighter fluid onto a couch, and set it on fire. The flames destroyed the couch and also burned a portion of the ceiling in the room. In a common law jurisdiction, Murphy is guilty of A. burglary only. B. arson only. C. burglary and attempted arson. D. burglary and arson Answer: D I shook hands with my father in the truck, and for a long time he looked straight ahead and didn't say a word.But I knew he was going to say a little to me."I can't tell anything." he finally said."I never went to college, and none of your brothers went to college.I can't say don't do this and do that, because everything is different and I don't know what is going to come up.I can't help much with money either, but I think things will work out." He gave me a new check-book ."If things get pushing, write a small check.But when you write one, send me a letter and let me know how much.There are some things we can always sell." In four years all the checks I wrote were less than a thousand dollars.My part-time jobs such as reading to the blind student and sitting with the teachers' kids filled in the _ . "You know what you want to be, and they'll tell you what to take," my father went on."When you get a job, be sure it's honest, and work hard." I knew that soon I would be alone in the big town, and I would be missing the cool winds and a life where your thinking was done for you. Then my dad reached down beside his seat and brought the old, broken Bible that he had read so often, the one he used when he wanted to look something up in a friendly quarrel with one of the neighbours.I knew he would miss it.I knew, though, that I must take it. He didn't say read this every morning.He just said," This can help you if you will let it." Did it help? I got through college without being a burden on the family.I have been able to make money since. What kind of book did the Bible seem to be to the writer's father? A. It was a book which told you how you should get on well with others. B. There were many good examples for you to copy in it. C. It was a book that told you how to get a good job and a good future. D. It was a good book that could help you when you were in trouble. Answer: D At Christmas,1871,Edison,the famous American scientist,got married to Mary. Lots of their friends came to their wedding ceremony . At about two in the afternoon,Edison suddenly thought out a good way to solve the problem on the automatic telegraph after the wedding. So he said to the bride ,"I'll have to go to the factory because I have something important to do. Then I'll come back to have dinner with you."The bride had no way but to agree. On the night of the festival, other families were full of joy while the bride stayed in the house alone,just looking out of the window. How lonely she was! A worker went into the lab and said as soon as he saw Edison, "My goodness! I have never seen a bride-groom like you. It's already twelve now!"Edison was greatly surprised. "Twelve? Too bad! I said I would have dinner with Mary." he said as he ran downstairs. That's how hard Edison worked.He gave all his life to the invention of lights, films and over two thousand other things. A new invention came into being every fifteen days. After the wedding, Edison hurried to go to the factory because _ . A. he forgot his wedding ceremony B. he had something to do with the bride C. he thought out a good way to solve the problem on the automatic telegraph D. he could make out a new automatic telegraph Answer: C Now, I'm studying in the US. I find there are some differences between schools in the US and in Vietnam. One big difference is the clothes students wear at school and how they look. In my country, all the students should wear uniforms when they go to school. Boys aren't allowed to have long hair. Girls aren't allowed to have long or colored nails . Another difference is about the rules for parents. In Vietnam, when we begin a new school year, our parents have to go to a meeting in our class. If they don't go to that meeting, their children won't have a grade or a report card from school. However, in the US, there aren't such strict rules above. In Vietnam, a class is only 45 minutes and we have only five classes each weekday. When the bell rings, the students just sit in their own classroom. They can't move to a different one, but students can in the US. In Vietnam, students can't go to work because they can't find a job if they're under18. But in the US, many students work after school. This helps them make money. More importantly, this helps them become more _ . They're able to do things by themselves in their own way, without asking other people for help. What are the girl students allowed to do in the writer's country? A. To keep their hair long. B. To have long nails. C. To color their hair. D. To color their nails. Answer: A
At my school, we have a lot of interesting activities after class. Among these activities, I like the English Party best. Every September, we have an evening party. It starts at 8:00 pm. The students do different things at the evening party. Some sing English songs with our foreign friends. Some girls dance. Some other people play the piano, the violin and the drums when they are singing or dancing. Also, we play some interesting games together. Everyone is happy and has a good time at the party. Usually, the party lasts three hours, but we feel the time is too short. Happy hours always pass so quickly. : What do people NOT do at the party? A. Sing B. Dance C. Play chess D. Play games Answer: C If you are not comfortable with school learning, there is another option for you--cyberschool. Cyberschool can also provide a comprehensive teaching service that offers academic guidance and assistance. This is in order to promote the learning process and create a formal, wellstructured environment for learning to take place. The center for Education Reform says the United States has 67 public "cyberschools" and that is about twice as many as two years ago. The money for students to attend a cyberschool comes from the governments of the states where they live. Some educators say cyberschools receive money that should support traditional public schools. They also say it is difficult to know if students are learning well. Other educators praise this new form of education for letting students work at their own speed. These people say cyberschools help students who were unhappy or unsuccessful in traditional schools. They say learning at home by computer ends long bus rides for children who live far from school. Whatever the judgment of cyberschools, they are getting more and more popular. Children get free equipment for their online education. This includes a computer, a printer, books and technical services. Parents and students talk with teachers by telephone or by sending emails through their computers when necessary. Even though cyberschools are therefore not technically a school, mostly they offer a fully complete and comprehensive program that covers a full school day to children up to Grade 9, after which schooling is no longer mandatory . What do we know from the text about students of a cyberschool? A. They have to take long bus rides to school. B. They are usually under Grade 9. C. They receive money from their government. D. They do well in traditional schools. Answer: B It might not come as a surprise that China fell behind Western countries in a recent UN report on global happiness. China was only ranked 112th happiest country out of 156 in the UN's World Happiness Report in April. The happiest country, it seems, is Denmark, closely followed by three more northern European countries- Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands. But apart from income and lifestyle differences, there are also cultural reasons for this divide. They show that Chinese people and Westerners have different perceptions of happiness. According to a survey conducted by CCTV, income levels most affected Chinese people's sense of well- being (55.5 percent), followed by health (48.9 percent) and quality of marriage or love life (32 percent). It seems that all these criteria are lagging in China, and that the obvious explanation for greater happiness in the West is higher incomes. But not so, says Professor John Helliwell, an American economist at the University of British Columbia and coauthor of the UN report. According to Helliwell, low-income individuals may experience an initial jump in happiness when their money increases, but this feeling decreases as they adapt to their new circumstances. He stresses the example of the US, where, despite GDP figures rising consistently for the past 50 years, happiness has been steadily declining. This is because people desire more than money and material wealth. "To be happy, we need to feel connection, trust and meaningful relationships," explains Helliwell. Dr Deborah Swallow, a UK expert on cultural diversity however, believes there are some differences in the perceptions of happiness in the West and China. "For North Americans and Europeans, happiness tends to be defined in terms of personal achievement, and is best predicted by self-esteem" she says. "For East Asians, happiness tends to be defined in terms of interpersonal connectedness, and is best predicted by how well involved the self is in a social network." Living standards are not necessarily the last word on happiness, as suggested by China's Urban Happiness Ranking 2012, released by the Hong Kong-based China Institute of City Competitiveness in July. According to the survey's results, Qingdao in Shandong province is China's happiest city with a score of 95.08. Surprisingly, China's first-tier cities scored ly low, with Shenzhen ranking 94th, Beijing 96th and Shanghai in 99th position. You might read the passage in a _ column of a newspaper. A. Society B. Education C. Medicine D. Culture Answer: A Visitors to _ and _ , above, helped make New York City the country's favorite tourist destination last year. (Photo By Henny Ray Abrams/Associated Press) ks5u Associated Press-----The number of visitors to New York City fell last year for the first time since 2001, but falls in tourism elsewhere across the United States made it the most popular destination in the country for the first time in almost two decades, tourism officials said on Monday. Mayor Michael R. Bloombergpainted the 3.9 percent drop -- an estimated 45.3 million visitors -- as a victory, saying that during the recession the city had expected losing as much as 10 percent of its tourists. The city expects to recover most of the loss this year and remains on track to hit its long-standing goal of 50 million yearly visitors by 2012, the mayor said. "We have made our city cleaner, safer and more exciting than ever," Bloomberg said at a news conference at a Brooklyn restaurant. "I do think we'll continue to see even more tourists on our streets as the economy improves, and I think that we'll continue to develop better than other cities." Though many travelers stayed home simply because money was tight, the reducing number in international visitors could result from swine flu fears and concerns over border security measures, Bloomberg said. Still, the Statue of Liberty, which reopened its crown to tourists, reported a jump in the number of visitors. So did other New York City attractions. And the city's entertainment and hotel industry -- which provides one-tenth of the city's private jobs -- actually grew in 2009. "The lodging industry really is using discounting to motivate demand," he said, adding that the price drops have importantly _ "the city's ability to keep the level of tourism that it's had." Declines in tourism across America could be due to the following reasons except _ . A. expensive hotel price B. fear of swine flu C. border security D. lack of moneyks5u Answer: A Assume for the purposes of these questions that you are counsel to the state legislative committee that is responsible for real estate laws in your state.. The committee wants you to draft a statute governing the recording of deeds that fixes priorities of title, as reflected on the public record, as definitely as possible. Which of the following, divorced from other policy considerations, would best accomplish this particular result? A. Eliminate the requirement of witnesses to deeds. B. Make time of recording the controlling factor. C. Make irrebuttable the declarations in the deeds that valuable consideration was paid. D. Make the protection of bona fide purchasers the controlling factor Answer: B Dear Reader, Today I'm going to ask you to support Wikipedia with a donation. Sounds unusual: Why does one of the world's five most popular websites ask for financial support from its users? Wikipedia is built differently from almost every other top 50.We have a small number of paid staff, just twentythree. Wikipedia content is free to use by anyone for any purpose. Wikipedia is run by the nonprofit Wikipedia Foundation, which I founded in 2003. Wikipedia's driven by a global community of more than 150,000 volunteers, all devoted to sharing knowledge freely. More than 275 million people come to our website every month to access information, free of charge and free of advertising. Your donation helps us in several ways. Most importantly, you will help us cover the increasing cost of managing global traffic to one of the most popular websites on the Internet. Funds also help us improve the software that runs Wikipedia, making it easier to search, easier to read, and easier to write for. We're bent on growing the free knowledge movement worldwide, by employing new volunteers, and building strategic partnerships with institutes of culture and learning. Wikipedia is different. It's the largest encyclopedia in history, all written by volunteers. Like a national park or a school, we don't believe advertising should have a place in Wikipedia. We want to keep it free and strong, but we need the support of thousands of people like you, for your donation will help keep Wikipedia free for the whole world. Thank you! Jimmy Wales From the letter we can know donations will help do the following for Wikipedia EXCEPT _ . A. take on some new volunteers B. develop an effective new software C. access free knowledge more easily D. cover the increasing cost of management Answer: B Adam and Bailey, brothers, operated an illicit still. They customarily sold to anyone unless they suspected the person of being a revenue agent or an informant. One day when Adam was at the still alone, he was approached by Mitchell, who asked to buy a gallon of liquor. Mitchell was in fact a revenue officer. After Adam had sold him the liquor, Mitchell revealed his identity. Adam grabbed one of the rifles that the brothers kept handy in case of trouble with the law, and shot and wounded Mitchell. Other officers, hiding nearby, overpowered and arrested Adam. Shortly thereafter, Bailey came on the scene. The officers in hiding had been waiting for him. One of them approached him and asked to buy liquor. Bailey was suspicious and refused to sell. The officers nevertheless arrested him. Adam and Bailey were charged with conspiracy to violate revenue laws, illegal selling of liquor, and battery of the officer. On the charge of battery, which statement concerning Adam and Bailey is true? A. Neither is guilty. B. Both are guilty. C. Adam is guilty but Bailey is not, because the conspiracy had terminated with the arrest of Adam. D. Adam is guilty but Bailey is not, because Adam's act was outside the scope of the conspiracy Answer: B Sedimentary rock may be a result of A. metal B. old silt C. grass D. hay Answer: B People give gifts on many occasions. At weddings ,people give gifts such as tea sets and tableware . When someone has a baby, people express their wishes by giving gifts of baby clothes and food. In western countries, food and drinks are the most traditional gifts for friends. For example, a bottle of champagne is perfect for Christmas. In some Asian countries like China and Japan, tea and wine are common gifts. Greeting cards are excellent gifts for friends and family around the world. Here are some popular gifts for Christmas and New Year. Let's have a look. A message in a bottle--If you want to send a birthday message or a thank- you note, why not write on a piece of paper and put it inside a glass bottle? The person who receives this special gift will remember the words forever. A Christmas stocking--People will look forward to seeing it each Christmas. It is a very traditional and useful Christmas gift. Many people hang the stocking up in their rooms as a decoration. A necklace with a name--This is a special and popular gift among mothers and young people. For example, a mother can put her child's name on the necklace. It seems that the necklace can bring her child close to her heart. Mrs. Green likes the necklace with her child's name because _ . A. it can bring good luck to her B. it is a traditional and useful gift C. it is a fashionable gift for parents D. it may make her child close to her heart Answer: D I spent my last vacation trekking in Nepal, a small country in the Himalaya Mountains of Asia. On a trekking vacation, you walk for long distances through the mountains. There are very few roads in Nepal, so trekking is the best way to travel. It's best if you hire a guide . The guides know the best paths to take and they also help trekkers with their bags. Our guide even cooked our food for us. Every day, we trekked for about four hours before lunch, and about two hours in the afternoon. At the end of the day's trek, we sat around a campfire and talked about the things we saw. Then we went to sleep in large tents. Every morning, our guide brought breakfast to our tent. It was great. At the end of the trip, I didn't want to go home! Which statement is NOT true? A. Nepal is in Asia. B. The guide cooked the food. C. There are many roads in Nepal. D. You can eat breakfast in your tent. Answer: C
Cars are an important part of life in the United States. Without cars most people feel that they are poor. And even though a person is poor, he doesn't really feel poor when he has a car. Perhaps you have heard of Henry Ford. He first started making cars in large numbers. Perhaps he didn't know how much the car was going to be to American culture . The car made the United States a nation on wheels . And it helped make the United States what it is now. The car has become popular in the United States. The Americans like to move around in cars. With a car people can go to any place without spending a lot of money. Henry Ford started making cars in large numbers because _ . A. he wanted to change the American culture B. he knew cars would be make only in the United States C. he thought Americans would like his cars best D. he knew more and more people would buy cars Answer: D Mr. Jones and Mr. Brown worked in the different office . One day Mr. Jones said to Mr. Brown ,"We are going to have a small party at our house next Wednesday evening . Would you and your wife like to join us ?" Mr. Brown said ,"Thank you very much . That is very kind of you . We are free that evening . I think , but I will telephone my wife and ask her . Maybe she wants to go somewhere else that evening ."So Mr. Brown went to the other room and telephoned . When he came back , he looked very sorry . "What is the matter ?"said Mr. Jones ."Did you speak to your wife ?" "No ,"answered Mr. Brown ,"She wasn't there , my small son answered the telephone . I said to him ,'Is your mother there , David ?'and he answered ,'No , she is not in the house ,''Where is she then ?'I asked .'She is somewhere outside .''What is she doing ?''She is looking for me .'" A small party will be held _ . A. at David's house B. at Mr. Brown's house C. in the office D. at Mr. Jones' house Answer: D A rocket began countdown . It was a common sound in the 1960s. But this was not just another countdown. It was the beginning of a historic event. It was the countdown of Apollo 11 -the space fligh that would carry men to the first landing on the moon. In the spaceship at the top of the rocket were three American astronauts whose names would soon be known around the world: Neil Armstrong. Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins. Neil Armstrong was the commander of the spaceship. Edwin Aldrin was the pilot of the moon lander. The astronauts gave it the name the Eagle. Michael Collins was the pilot of the command module , Columbia. He would wait in orbit around the moon while Armstrong and Aldrin landed and explored the surface. On Earth, all activity seemed to stop. President Richard Nixon gave federal government workers the day off to watch the moon landing on television. Around the world, 500 million people watched the television report. Countless millions more listened on their radios. Armstrong and Aldrin started the lander rocket engine. It slowed the spacecraft and sent it down toward the landing place. It was in an area known as the "Sea of Tranquility ". The moon lander, controlled by a computer, dropped toward the airless surface of the moon. 140 meters from the surface, the astronauts look control of the lander from the computer. They moved the Eagle forward, away from a very rocky area that might have caused a difficult landing. It took the astronauts more than three hours to complete the preparations for leaving the lander. It was difficult - in the Eagle's small space - to get into space suits that would protect them on the moon's surface. Finally, Armstrong and Aldrin were ready. They opened the door. Armstrong went out first and moved slowly down the ladder. At 2:56 on July 20th, 1969, Neil Armstrong put his foot on the moon. "That's one small step for man,"he said, "one giant leap for mankind." The "Eagle" in the passage is _ . A. a rocket B. a spaceship C. a moon landere D. a command module Answer: C My name is Frank White. I'm fifteen years old. I was born on May 13th, 1996. Mike is my good friend. His birthday is on May 15th. He is only 13 years old now. Every year on May 14th, we have a birthday party together in our school. We often have a pop concert . I play the guitar. He plays the drum. Many friends come to our party. We are very happy. Frank's birthday is on _ . A. May13th B. May14 th. C. May 15 th . D. May 16 th. Answer: A A little boy named Jimmy and his best friend Jeremy are walking home from school one day in the cold. They walk and talk about how different kindergarten is from the first grade. Jimmy and Jeremy are in different classes and they do different things. Jimmy's teacher has the kids do lots of arts and crafts making sock puppets, pasting pictures and many other things. Jeremy wishes he was in the same class as Jimmy because they are best friends and he likes doing arts and crafts. Jimmy tells Jeremy that they are going to be best friends even if they are in different classes, this makes Jeremy feel better. Jimmy remembers that Jeremy's birthday party is next week and he gets excited. Jimmy has the idea to make Jeremy a birthday cake with the help of his mother. They finally arrive at the corner where Jimmy lives and they promise to meet up the next morning for the walk to school. Jeremy lives three houses down and he races home. Who is going to have a birthday party? A. Jeremy B. teacher C. Jonny D. Jimmy Answer: A A written contract was entered into between Bouquet, a financier-investor, and Vintage Corporation, a winery and grape-grower. The contract provided that Bouquet would invest $1,000,000 in Vintage for its capital expansion and, in return, that Vintage, from grapes grown in its famous vineyards, would produce and market at least 500,000 bottles of wine each year for five years under the label "Premium VintageBouquet." The contract included provisions that the parties would share equally the profits and losses from the venture and that, if feasible, the wine would be distributed by Vintage only through Claret, a wholesale distributor of fine wines. Neither Bouquet nor Vintage had previously dealt with Claret. Claret learned of the contract two days later from reading a trade newspaper. In reliance thereon, he immediately hired an additional sales executive and contracted for enlargement of his wine storage and display facility. ""For this question only, assume the following facts. Soon after making its contract with Bouquet, Vintage, without Bouquet's knowledge or assent, sold its vineyards but not its winery to Agribiz, a large agricultural corporation. Under the terms of this sale, Agribiz agreed to sell to Vintage all grapes grown on the land for five years. Agribiz's employees have no experience in wine grape production, and Agribiz has no reputation in the wine industry as a grape producer or otherwise. The Bouquet-Vintage contract was silent on the matter of Vintage's selling any or all of its business assets. If Bouquet seeks an appropriate judicial remedy against Vintage for entering into the VintageAgribiz transaction, is Bouquet likely to prevail? A. Yes, because the Vintage-Agribiz transaction created a significant risk of diminishing the profits in which Bouquet would share under his contract with Vintage. B. Yes, because the Bouquet-Vintage contract did not contain a provision authorizing a delegation of Vintage's duties. C. No, because Vintage remains in a position to perform under the Bouquet-Vintage contract. D. No, because Vintage, as a corporation, must necessarily perform its contracts by dlegating duties to individual Answer: A One day when I came home at lunch time the Jonas Brothers, Kevin, Joe, and Nick, were at my door. I jumped out of my Range Rover and started screaming. I ran up to them and just started hugging them and crying. I had no clue what was going on. They were just smiling and laughing. I was speechless and I was just staring at them. We stood there in dead silence for a couple of minutes. I finally picked up courage to say, "Hey, would you all like to come in?" They told me yes and that they had something to tell me. I brought them in and asked them why they came to my house. They told me, "We need you for something. We would like you to join the band; we want you to be our background dancer. You will also be a dancer for Miley Cyrus." Hearing their words, my jaw dropped in amazement. We kept talking for a while. I skipped school for the rest of the day, because it was the Jonas Brothers! We sat and watched television for a while, and then I went to my room and got ready. Then later that day we went and got lunch and went to a movie. We had to go to private places to go to the movie and eat because of all of the fans, but we had a great time! They brought me home that night and told me that they would see me tomorrow. Once I got home and got out of the car, Nick got out too and walked me to the door! He told me goodnight and gave me a hug and went back to the car. That night I could hardly go to sleep, but I finally did. The next morning I woke up and got ready really quickly. Then the Jonas Brothers' driver came and picked me up in their black Range Rover. I got in the back seat and by surprise Nick was there with flowers and chocolate. I asked him, "What is this?" He said, "It's for you! I want to surprise you! Today we are going to go to the studio and you are going to start learning everything for the tour this year. Kevin and Joe are already at the studio, I just want to come here and pick you up. After that I have something special planned for us!" "I don't have any clothes to wear, except for the clothes that I am wearing to practice," I said. He told me, "It's okay, we are going shopping to find outfits for our special date." We went shopping for our clothes and I got to pick anything I wanted and Nick paid for all of it. Then that night we went and ate at a restaurant right by the beach. After dinner, we went and walked on the beach. It was amazing! That night he took me home and walked me to my door and we said goodnight. I then went in and went to bed right away. The next few months I went to the studio with them about every day. It was a lot of hard work, but once the tour started, it paid off. I had the best time of my life. Once the tour was over, I got more into the acting and dancing business, I then became famous. Miley Cyrus and I became best friends and I also was a background dancer for her. Miley, the Jonas Brothers, and I were all best friends and we pretty much grew up together. Now, Miley and I are still best friends, and Nick Jonas and I are married. We are still famous and have the best time of our life. At first sight of the Jonas Brothers the author was really . A. satisfied B. puzzled C. thrilled D. interested Answer: C Realco Realtors acquired a large tract of land upon which Realco developed a mobile home subdivision. The tract was divided into 60 lots, appropriate utilities were installed, and a plat of the entire tract, including a Declaration of Restrictions, was properly drawn and recorded. The Declaration of Restrictions included the following: "3. Ownership and/or occupancy are restricted to persons 21 years of age or over, one family per lot." As the separate lots were sold, the deed to each lot included the following provision: "As shown on recorded plat [properly identified by page and plat book reference] and subject to the restrictions therein contained." One of the lots was purchased by Dawson, who now resides in a mobile home on the lot together with his wife and two children, aged 11 and 13. Other lot owners in the subdivision brought action against Dawson to enjoin further occupancy by the children under 21 years of age. If judgment is for Dawson, the issue that most likely will determine the case will be whether A. the mobile home is treated as personalty or realty. B. the restriction constitutes an unlawful restraint on alienation. C. enforcement of the restriction is considered a violation of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. D. the terms of the restriction are expressly repeated verbatim in Dawson's dee Answer: C Deserts are generally A. sweltering B. cold C. tepid D. frigid Answer: A On a Saturday morning earlier this September, the world got its first look at the Strati. This electric vehicle is unlike any other currently on the road. It rolls on four wheels, but its body and chassis weren't built in a factory. Instead, Strati's designers used a technology called 3-D printing. It created those parts of the car in one piece, from the ground up. "Compared to a typical vehicle on the road, the Strati definitely looks different," says Greg Schroeder, a senior research engineer at the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich. He did not work on the new car. His organization studies trends and changes in the auto industry. It took 44 hours to print the new car at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago. Over the next few days, the car's designers installed additional parts. These included the car's engine, brakes and tires. Then, early on September 13, Jay Rogers climbed into the car, started its engine and drove the vehicle onto the street. Rogers helped found Local Motors. It's the Arizona-based company behind the Strati. Two weeks later, his team printed a second Strati, and just as fast, at a fair in New York City. Justin Fishkin, a local Motors official, sees the Strati as a window into the future. Today, car buyers are limited in their choice of a vehicle. They can order only what car companies have already designed. But in the future, he says, you may be able to design your own car online and then get it printed to order. Manufacturing experts say 3-D printing has begun to revolutionize how they make things. The technology has been around for decades. But these machines used to be so expensive that only large companies could afford them. In the last few years, though, that has changed. Many of the machines are now inexpensive enough for small companies--or even individuals --to own. Some local libraries make them available to the public. High Schools are beginning to use them in classrooms. Wide access to these printers means people can now design and print a wide variety of new things. The car's printer is a one-of-a-kind device. The technology behind the 3-D printer used in Chicago is an example of additive manufacturing. This process builds solid objects, slice by slice, from the bottom up. ("Strati" means layers, in Italian.) A mechanical arm moves a _ from one side to another, back and forth. As it moves, the nozzle deposits a liquid--often melted plastic or metal (but it could be food, concrete or even cells) --that quickly hardens or bonds to become solid or semi-solid. This creates a single, thin layer. Once a layer is complete, the printer starts depositing the next one. "There's a lot of interest in 3-D printing in the auto industry," says Schroeder. Right now, the technology is particularly useful for building models of cars or car parts. To compete with current auto manufacturers, the 3-D printer would have to increase in a hurry, Schroeder says. By contrast, he notes, a Ford F-150 pickup truck rolls off an assembly line at a rate of roughly one per minute. To print as many Stratis would require many more printers. Schroeder says he doesn't see 3-D printing soon taking over for such high-volume manufacturing. But, he adds, "Who knows what will happen in the long term?" Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee designed the 3-D printer used in Chicago. Lonnie Love, a research scientist at the lab, led the effort. Additive manufacturing often is slow and expensive. It also may produce materials that are unreliable, Love says. So for two years, his team searched for ways to make 3-D printing better. They built new machines and tested them over and over. All of that work paid off: their new machine is fast and uses less expensive material than earlier printers. In addition, it prints a plastic embedded with fibers of carbon to produce a stronger material. This helps ensure the material won't crack or break under pressure. Which of the following can be the best title for this passage? A. 3-D Printers Are Coming B. 3-D Printers Are Becoming Well- Known C. 3-D Printers Are Becoming Cheaper D. 3-D Printers Are Making Cars Answer: D
Statue of Liberty Basics: Statue of Liberty Phone:212-363-3200 Statue cruise phone:877-LADY-TIX Nearest subways to Statue of Liberty :4/5 to Bowling Green; N/R to Whitehall Street;1 to South Ferry (you must be in the first 5 cars of the train to exit at South Ferry). Follow the signs to Castle Clinton to buy tickets for the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. There is plenty of room for running around and relaxing on Liberty Island. For children 7-12 there is a Junior Ranger Program available. Pick up a free booklet on Liberty Island. Admission to Liberty State Park is free, but you must buy a ferry ticket to get there. Statue Cruises Ferry Ticket Prices: Adult:$13; Senior Citizens (62+) $10; children (4-12)$5; Children 3 and under free. You can buy your tickets for the ferry online at http//:www.statuecruises.come/ferry-service/welcome.aspx. Ferry ticket included with the New York Pass----- present New York Pass in Castle Clinton bookstore for ticket. Statue of Liberty Tour Hours Ferries to the island leave from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Liberty Island closes at 6 pm and the last ferry returns to Battery Park by 6:30. Schedules are updated and revised frequently, so please check the official ferry schedule. Statue of Liberty Tour Reservation Climb the Crown of the Statue of Liberty with a Crown Ticket, which costs an additional $3 and includes access to the Museum and Pedestal as well. Museum/ Pedestrian Tickets are free (with ferry ticket purchase). Order your tickets in advance: 877-LADY-TIX or online when you purchase your ferry ticket. Tour tickets are time specific. In order to catch the last ferry back to downtown, you should _ . A. take the ferry back by 4:30 B. arrive at Battery Park by 6:30 C. check first in case of any change D. take the first ferry to the island at 8:30 Answer: C Samuel Osmond is a 19-year-old law student from Cornwall, England. He never studied the piano. However, he can play very difficult musical pieces by musicians such as Chopin and Beethoven just a few minutes after he hears them. He learns a piece of music by listening to it in parts. Then he thinks about the notes in his head. Two years ago, he played his first piece Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. He surprised everyone around him. Amazed that he remembered this long and difficult piece of music and played it perfectly, his teachers say Samuel is unbelievable .They say his ability is very rare, but Samuel doesn't even realize that what he can do is special. Samuel wanted to become a lawyer as it was the wish of his parents, but music teachers told him he should study music instead. Now, he studies law and music. Samuel can't understand why everyone is so surprised. "I grew up with music. My mother played the piano and my father played the guitar. About two years ago, I suddenly decided to start playing the piano, without being able to read music and without having any lessons. It comes easily to me ---I hear the notes and can bear them in mind---each and every note," says Samuel. Recently, Samuel performed a piece during a special event at his college. The piece had more than a thousand notes. The audience was impressed by his amazing performance. He is now learning a piece that is so difficult that many professional pianists can't play it. Samuel says confidently," It's all about super memory---I guess I have that gift." However, Samuel's ability to remember things doesn't stop with music. His family says that even when he was a young boy, Samuel heard someone read a story, and then he could retell the story word for word. Samuel is still only a teenager. He doesn't know what he wants to do in the future. For now, he is just happy to play beautiful music and continue his studies. Everyone around Samuel was surprised because he _ . A. received a good early education in music B. played the guitar and the piano perfectly C. could play the piano without reading music D. could play the guitar better than his father Answer: C When Julia Rhodes is asked what she does for a living,she says she is a "wind farmer".While her job is operation manager for wind farm owner RES-Gen:Rhodes is responsible for making sure their l4 wind farms in the UK and Ireland are using the power of the wind to produce power for homes and businesses. RES-Gen is a division of leading renewable energy group Renewable Energy Systems(RES),a UK-based company with global operations. RES was one of the pioneers of wind energy technology.It built the UK's second wind farm in l992.Since then:RES has built more than 40 wind farms across four continents. Rhodes graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in manufacturing engineering. Following that,she received a master's degree in renewable energy systems technology specializing in wind energy. Rhodes has worked in the wind sector ever since, providing technical support for two leading wind farm developers before joining RES in 2001. RES's projects are continually monitored by computer and checked remotely on a daily basis.Regular servicing is carried out by contractors ,usually every six months. Rhodes always has a top--level view of how well the wind turbines are operating. Rhodes is a supporter of wind--energy engineering.She also works closely with other departments to keep good relations with the communities around RES's wind farms.The open days and government officials' visits show that wind power is popular and that wind projects-are viewed positively. Renewable energy is a growing sector with attractive career prospects. For Rhodes.as the RES wind farms expand,the team that she manages is expected to increase.She enjoys working for a company with strong engineering roots and a highly respected track record .Her job as a wind farmer is challenging and enjoyable."It's great knowing that you are helping to bring about a clean.environment and are contributing to the global community." What can we learn about RES from the text? A. It built the UK's first wind farm in 2001. B. It plays a leading role in the wind sector. C. It is an important branch of RES--Gen. D. It provides regular servicing for its contractors. Answer: B No matter in China or in Canada among my friends, they all talk about the hot TV program "Where are we going, Dad?" at present. They all like the family education between fathers and children. They like to talk about the funny kids best. Of all the kids, I like Shitou best. Shitou is a boy from Beijing. He is brave and clever. He likes to make some New Year's plans with his father's help. He makes some New Year's plans for himself. He wants to start an exercise program, so he is going to take more exercise and eat less fast food. Making a soccer team is one of his dreams because he likes playing soccer with his friends. He also plans to improve his English. He is going to chat in English online with Kimi, the son of Lin Zhiying . Kimi is really good at _ Shitou also decides to take up a hobby. Can you guess what the hobby is ? It is to learn the shadow play ! He is so interested in it that he thinks it's really cool to play it. His father says that this plan may be too difficult to keep. However, Shitou promises to make it come true. According to the writer's friends, the TV program" Where are we going, Dad? "is about _ . A. some friends from Canada B. traveling around the countries C. stories about Chinese and Canadians D. family education between children and fathers Answer: D Almost one - fourth of all personal spending in theprefix = st1 /United Statestakes place during the holiday season. There are gifts to give this month for Christmas, Hanukkah and the African American celebration of Kwanzaa. The traditional shopping season began last Friday, after Thanksgiving Day. Personal spending represents two-thirds of the economy, so holiday sales are especially important. Reports on November results have just come out. Wal-Mart is the biggest seller in the world. The company had expected growth of two to four percent in November, fueled by sales on "Black Friday." The day after Thanksgiving is called that. Storekeepers used to record profits in black ink and losses in red ink. A day in the black means a return to profit. The National Retail Federation estimated in September that holiday sales would increase four and one-half percent this year. Holiday sales increased five percent last year, after poor sales the year before. The business group estimated that Americans will spend 220,000 million dollars this season. It says they spent just over 10 percent of that last weekend. Also, it says more Americans for the first time this season plan to use a debit card than a credit card for purchases. A debit card, also called a check card, is linked to the money that a person has in a bank. In other words, users must have the money before they can spend it. About thirty - five percent of shoppers said they would mainly use debit cards, compared to 30 percent for credit cards. Financial experts say this change might mean that more people want to keep to a budget this holiday season. From the passage, it can be inferred that_. A. holiday sales seem to increase year by year B. credit cards and debit cards are the same thing C. it is the first year that people have used debit cards for purchases D. storekeepers used to record profits in red ink and losses in black ink Answer: A Dec. 24, 1848 Dear Johnston, Your request for eighty dollars, I do not think it best to satisfy now. At the various times when I have helped you a little, you have said to me, "We can get along very well again," but in a very short time I find you in the same difficulty again. Now this can only happen by some fault in your behavior. What that fault is, I think I know. You are not lazy, and still you are an idler . I doubt whether since I saw you, you have done a good whole day's work, in any other day. You do not very much dislike to work, and still you do not work much, merely because it does not seem to you that you could get much for it. This habit of uselessly wasting time is the whole difficulty; it is vastly important to you, and still more so to your children, that you should break this habit. It is more important to them, because they have longer to live, and can keep out of an idle habit before they are in it, easier than they can get out after they are in. You are now in need of some ready money; and what I suggest is, that you shall go to work hard, for somebody who will give you money for it. Let father and your boys take charge of your things at home-prepare for a crop, and make the crop, and you go to work for the best money wages, or to pay back any debt you owe. And to secure you a fair reward for your labor, I now promise you that for every dollar you will, between this and the first of May, get for your own labor, I will then give you one other dollar. By this, if you hire yourself at ten dollars a month, from me you will get ten more, making twenty dollars a month for your work. Now if you will do this, you will soon be out of debt, and what is better, you will have a habit that will keep you from getting in debt again. But if I should now clear you out, next year you will be just as deep in as ever. You say you would almost give your place in Heaven for $ 70 or $80. Then you value your place in Heaven cheaply, for I am sure you can with the offer I make you get the seventy or eighty dollars for four or five months' work. You say if I furnish you the money you will deed me the land, and if you don't pay the money back, you will deliver possession-Nonsense! If you can't now live with the land, how will you then live without it? You have always been kind to me, and I do not now mean to be unkind to you. On the contrary, if you will but follow my advice, you will find it worth more than eight time eighty dollars to you. Affectionately Your brother A. Lincoln What's the problem with Johnston, according to Lincoln? A. He was very lazy. B. He wasted time a lot. C. He couldn't get much from work. D. He disliked working. Answer: B On July 15, in a writing signed by both parties, Fixtures, Inc., agreed to deliver to Druggist on August 15 five storage cabinets from inventory for a total price of $5,000 to be paid on delivery. On August 1, the two parties orally agreed to postpone the delivery date to August 20. On August 20, Fixtures tendered the cabinets to Druggist, who refused to accept or pay for them on the ground that they were not tendered on August 15, even though they otherwise met the contract specifications. Assuming that all appropriate defenses are seasonably raised, will Fixtures succeed in an action against Druggist for breach of contract? A. Yes, because neither the July 15 agreement nor the August 1 agreement was required to be in writing. B. Yes, because the August 1 agreement operated as a waiver of the August 15 delivery term. C. No, because there was no consideration to support the August 1 agreement. D. No, because the parol evidence rule will prevent proof of the August 1 agreement. Answer: B Barak Obama(.), a black man, is the president of the United States now. He was born on August 4th, 1961, in Hawaii and has lived in many places. His mother was from Kansas and his father was from Kenya . Obama went to Columbia University in New York and got a law degree at Harvard University in Massachusetts . His wife is Michelle Obama(.). She also worked as a lawyer and later worked for the University of Chicago . They have two young daughters. Obama wrote a book Dreams from My Father. " I always live in the dream of my father and American people, " Obama once said. He was born in a poor family. And his grandparents looked after him very well when Obama was young. He also lived and worked in Africa . Then he got good education in Harvard University. On November 4th, 2008, he became the new president of America for the next four years. ,,. Which is the best title of this passage? A. Education of a President B. Dreams from My father C. Life of Barack Obama D. Barack Obama and His Wife Answer: C M: Hi, Ann! Tomorrow will be August 1st. When is your holiday going to start? W: Very soon. I'm going to leave the day after tomorrow. M: How long are you going to be away? W: About two weeks. M: Where are you going? W: I'm going to the beach this time. M: Are you going to stay alone? W: No. I will stay in a hotel with my friends. M: Oh, good. It's hard to find a place to stay at the beach in August. W: That's right. And in a few days, I will swim every day, play beach ball, lie in the sun and just take it easy. M: Don't tell me about that. It sounds so great! W: What about you, John? Where are you going to spend your holiday? M: I don't know. I should think about it. Do you think Ann will have a wonderful holiday? A. Yes, she will. B. No, she won't. C. I don't think so. D. I think so. Answer: D I'm lying on my back in my grandfather'sorchard , looking up at the branches above me. It is one of the last days of summer. Already the days are shorter and the nights are cooler. Some kinds of apples are alreadyripe . Others will be ready to pick soon. I think of my grandmother's apple pie, and how I used to make it with her. She died last year, before the apple harvest, and I have not had her pie since then. I really miss her. I hear bees busily humming about, visiting the late summer flowers. The gentle hum of their wings nearly sends me to sleep. The sky is as blue as my grandfather's eyes. Above me, big white clouds ran across the sky like pieces of cotton blowing in the wind. School starts in another week, and time seems to have slowed down. "Sophie!" calls my grandfather. "Is that you?" I stand up, take his hand, and tell him all about my day as we walk through the orchard. We talk about apples, and bees and Grandma. He tells me that he misses her too. He puts his rough, brown farmer's hand around my shoulder and pulls me close. " You know, Sophie," he says, " I spent the morning in the attic , and you'll never guess what I found. It's the recipe for Grandma's apple pie. I used to help her make it sometimes. I can't do it all alone, but you used to help her too. Maybe between the two of us, we can work it out. Want to try?" " But it won't be the same without Grandma," I tell him. "That's true," he says, "but _ . Still, I don't think that she would want us never to have another apple pie. What do you say?" I nod yes, and we walk towards home...toward an afternoon in the farmhouse kitchen, making Grandma's famous apple pie. Both Sophie and her grandfather used to _ . A. help Grandma make apple pies B. spend summer afternoons in the orchard C. enjoy fresh fruit in the farmhouse kitchen D. walk alone among the apple trees Answer: A
Can it be true that Australian men spend more time during the week brushing their teeth than they do alone with their children? A new study from the University of the New South Wales has discovered that during the working week, Aussie fathers only spend an average of just over a minute each day alone with their children. Australian mothers, on the other hand, spend three hours a week looking after their children -a much greater disparity than in other countries like America, Denmark, Italy and France, where couples divide the child-care more evenly. These findings will upset those who want to shake off the perhaps unfair image of the Australia as a land of old-fashioned male chauvinism . According to the study, Australian fathers appear to like the fun aspects of parenthood, but shy away from the drudgery. So while they tend to be happy taking the kids to the park or to sports events, they are unlikely to participate regularly in feeding, bathing, or taking the kids to school. In short, parenting is seen as a woman's job and a man's hobby in Australia. Many people believe that in Europe the last twenty years have seen the arrival of the so-called "new man"--the man who is willing to share the housework and child-care. The "new man" never misses his children's school plays and he always gets home in time to read their bedtime story. Indeed, a questionnaire conducted in the UK indicated that almost 70% of British women thought that men were as good at raising children as women. In Australian parenting, _ . A. both fathers and mothers take it as a hobby B. neither fathers nor mothers spend enough time on child-care C. parents don't share the same amount of child-care D. fathers don't like the kids at all Answer: C Walt Disney is credited for creating such wonderful things as Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. However, he cannot take the credit for creating other well-loved characters, such as Cinderella and Snow White. _ are almost automatically associated with Disney because Disney turned old fables into cartoon movies. The original Cinderella varies very much from the Disney version we know today. It started off with the girl mourning her mother's death and going to her tomb three times a day. In addition, there were only birds that helped Cinderella; there was no such thing as a fairy godmother or helpful mice, nor was there mention of a horse and carriage. The stepsisters were cruel: they always threw Cinderella's food into the ashes of the fire and made her sleep on the ashes on the floor, hence her name. In the original story, the king's ball actually lasted for three days. With the help of the birds, the girl, beautifully dressed, danced with the prince on all three nights and the prince fell in love with her. However, she broke away from him to rush back home each night. On the last night, the prince placed soothing sticky on the stairs; as Cinderella made her escape, a shoe got stuck on it. Here now is where the story becomes unpleasant: when the prince went to the house looking for the girl whose foot fit the shoe, the wicked stepmother told one of her two daughters to cut off her big toe to fit into the shoe. The daughter did as told. So the prince took her away to be his bride. But when they passed the tomb of Cinderella's mother, the birds called out to the prince, "Turn and peep, there's blood in the shoe; the shoe is too small, the true bride waits for you." ZXXK Realizing he had been tricked, the prince returned the daughter to her mother. The other then had to cut off part of her heel in order to fit into the shoe, with the same result. Only Cinderella's foot fit perfectly and so the prince chose to marry her. The story ends with the wedding day: as Cinderella's two stepsisters followed her, pretending to be devoted to her so that they could enjoy the king's riches, two birds flew by and plucked out their eyes. Because of their wickedness and falsehood, they had to spend the rest of their days blind. The original Cinderella is so different from the Disney version. Thank goodness Disney made such changes; it indeed was a wise move. The moral of the original story is that _ . A. a wicked person cannot escape punishment. B. a devoted person certainly deserves respect. C. a well-behaved child earns a great reward. D. a dishonest child cannot get mother love. Answer: A Many years ago, Norman Cousins was seriously ill. He was given six months to live. His chance for recovery was 1 in 500. He could see the worry, depression and anger in his life contributed to his disease. He wondered, "If illness can be caused by negativity , can health be created by positivity ?" He decided to make an experiment of himself. Laughing was one of the most positive activities he knew. He watched all the funny movies he could find. He read funny stories. He asked his friends to call him whenever they said, heard or did something interesting. His pain was so great that he could not sleep. Laughing for 10 solid minutes, he found, relieved the pain for several hours so he could sleep. He fully recovered from his illness and lived another 20 happy and healthy years. Laughing is necessary to our health. If we're not well, laughing helps us get well; if we are well, laughing helps us stay that way. So, if you like laughing, do it as often as you can. Use whatever makes you laugh--movies, books, jokes or friends. The people around you may think you're strange, but sooner or later they'll join in even if they don't know what you're laughing about. Which of the following is TRUE about his illness? A. There was little possibility to cure his disease. B. He had been happy before he was ill. C. His disease resulted from his hard work. D. His disease made him sleepy all the time. Answer: A Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport If You've Lost Personal Belongings On Board --Contact the airline's representatives At the Airport --Contact: --Sheremetyevo Police Department ......+7(495)578-22-55 --Unclaimed luggage storage room in Terminal C ......+7(495)578-23-26 --Unclaimed luggage storage room in Terminal D ......+7(499)500-65-52(domestic flights) ......+7(495)753-86-41(international flights) When collecting Lost and Found items, you shall have an identification document, a boarding pass or a ticket, and also indicate the place where the items were lost and prove they are yours. If Your Luggage Is Lost or Damaged Before leaving the arrival area, please turn to the Lost and Found counter to file a report. The written claim shall be submitted to the airline company not later than seven days from the time when the luggage was to be collected. If your luggage is not found within twenty-one days of the time when the claim was filed, you have the right to claim damages in the amount of not more than 600 rubles per kilogram. Amount refunded for the hand luggage lost through the fault of an airline is not more than 11, 000 rubles regardless of its weight. Amount refunded for damaged luggage is calculated based on the same tariffs . Keep your flight documents (a ticket, boarding pass, luggage tag, and delayed luggage report filed at the airport) until the end of the procedure for searching for your luggage. Current information on luggage-tracing results ......+7(495)578-76-65 Lost and Found service of Aeroflot Russian Airlines ......+7(495)544-33-25(from 9:00- 20:00) +7(495)753-86-41(24 hours) For further information please contact the airline. How much money can you claim if your 20-kilomgram hand luggage is lost? A. 600 rubles. B. 11,000 rubles at most. C. 12,000 rubles at least. D. 12,000 rubles at most. Answer: B A dead skunk in the middle of the road would be most appealing to A. a giraffe B. a politician C. a vulture D. a whale Answer: C Taking a picture of your tongue with a mobile phone could soon instantly tell you how healthy you are. Researchers believe the images can reveal important information about a patient's health and even give them early warning of serious illness. A team at the University of Missouri is developing a system that can analyze pictures using a 5,000-year-old Chinese principle, which is based on the flow and balance of positive and negative energies in the body, and uses the tongue as a key to learning about a person's physical health, or "zheng" according to Chinese medicine. "Within a year, our goal is to create an application for smart phones that will allow anyone to take a photo of their tongue and learn the status of their zheng," said Dong Xu, chair of MU's Computer Science Department in the College of Engineering and the co-author of the latest study. The software analyzes images based on the tongue's color and coating to distinguish between tongues showing signs of "hot" or "cold" zheng. Shades of red and yellow are associated with hot zheng, whereas a white coating on the tongue is a sign of cold zheng. "Hot and cold zheng doesn't refer directly to body temperature," said Xu, "Rather, it refers to a series of symptoms associated with the state of the body as a whole." For the study, 263 gastritis patients and 48 healthy volunteers had their tongues analyzed. The gastritis patients were classified by whether they showed infection by a certain bacteria as well as the intensity of their gastritis symptoms. In addition, most of the gastritis patients had been previously classified with either hot or cold zheng. This allowed the researchers to test the accuracy of the software's analysis. "Our software is able to classify people based on their zheng status. And as we continue to work on the software we hope to improve its ability," said another co-author Ye Duan, "Eventually everyone will be able to use this tool at home using webcams or smart phone applications, which will allow them to monitor their zheng and get an early warning about possible _ ." The software mentioned in the passage is based on _ . A. the latest development of smart phones B. a traditional Chinese medical principle C. the changes in one's flow and energy D. symptoms related with the state of the body Answer: B Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class a fun assignment--to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful. Most of the class might be considered economically disadvantaged, but still many would celebrate the holiday with turkey and other traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the subjects of most of her student's art. And they were. But Douglas made a different kind of picture. Douglas was a different kind of boy. He was the teacher's true child of misery, frail and unhappy. As other children played at recess, Douglas was likely to stand close by her side. One could only guess at the pain Douglas felt behind those sad eyes. Yes, his picture was different. When asked to draw a picture of something for which he was thankful, he drew a hand. Nothing else. Just an empty hand. His abstract image _ the imagination of his peers. Whose hand could it be?One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer, because farmers raise turkeys. Another suggested a police officer, because the police protect and care for people. And so the discussion went--until the teacher almost forgot the young artist himself. When the children had gone on to other assignments, she paused at Douglas' desk, bent down, and asked him whose hand it was. The little boy looked away and murmured, "It's yours, teacher." She recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked with him here and there, as she had the other students. How often had she said, "Take my hand, Douglas, we'll go outside." Or, "Let me show you how to hold your pencil." Or, "Let's do this together." Douglas was most thankful for his teacher's hand. Brushing aside a tear, she went on with her work. In fact, people might not always say "thanks". But they'll remember the hand that reaches out. What's the purpose of the assignment the teacher gave her students? A. To celebrate Thanksgiving Day. B. To show gratitude for others. C. To improve students' art level. D. To make the festival fun. Answer: B When I was 11, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings . Week by week her list grew: I was very thin, I wasn't a good student, I talked too much, I was too proud, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. In the end, I became so angry that I ran to my father with tears in my eyes. He listened to me quietly, then he asked. "Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn't you ever wonder what you're really like? Well, you now have that girl's opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said." I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn't change (like being very thin), but a good number I could--and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I go to fairly clear picture of myself. I brought the list back to Dad. He refused to take it." That's just for you," he said. "You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you'll find it will be of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don't shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do." Daddy's advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I'veneverhadabetterpieceofadvice. Which do you think would be the best title for this passage? A. The Best Advice I've Ever Had B. NotanEnemy,buttheBestFriend C. My Father D. MyChildhood Answer: A A tropical rain forest contains many tall trees. Smaller plants with large leaves grow at the base of the tall trees. The large leaves are most likely an adaptation of the plant due to which condition? A. lack of sunlight B. lack of oxygen C. lack of water D. lack of food Answer: A On November18, 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the world famous violinist, came on stage to give a concert at Lincoln Centre in New York City. If you have ever been to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is not easy for him. He got polio as a child, and has to walk with the aid of two crutches now. That night Perlman walked slowly to his chair. Then he sat down and began to play. But, suddenly, one of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it break---it broke with a loud noise. People thought to themselves, "He would have to get up to either find another violin or find another string for this one." But he didn't. Instead, he waited a moment, closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra began, and he played from where he had stopped. He played with such passion and such power. Of course, everyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work with just three strings. But that night Itzhak Perlman refused to know that. You could see him changing and recomposing the piece in his head. When he finished, there was a silence in the room. Then people rose and cheered. We were all on our feet, doing everything we could to show how much we appreciated what he had done. He smiled and then he said in a quiet tone, "You know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can make with what you have left." His words have stayed in my mind ever since I heard them. That is also the way of life. Perhaps our task in this quickly changing world in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have, and then, when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we have left. The audience rose and cheered _ . A. to show they are satisfied with Perlman's performance B. to thank the orchestra for their passionate performance C. to ask Perlman for another performance D. to express their appreciation of Perlman's creative mind Answer: D
It was Monday. Mrs Smith's dog was hungry, but there was not any meat in the house.Considering that there was no better way, Mrs. Smith took a piece of paper, and wrote the following words on it "Give my dog half a pound of meat. " Then she gave the paper to her dog and said gently:" Take this to the butcher and he's going to give you your lunch today." Holding the piece of paper in its mouth, the dog ran to the butcher's. It gave the paper to the butcher. The butcher read it carefully, recognized that it was really the lady's handwriting and soon did it as he was asked to. The dog was very happy, and ate the meat up at once. At sunset, the dog came to the shop again. It gave the butcher a piece of paper again. After reading it. he gave it half a pound of meat once more. The next day, the dog came again exactly at noon. And as usual, it brought a piece of paper in the mouth. This time, the butcher did not take a look at paper, and gave the dog its meat, for he had regarded the dog as one of his regular customers . However, the dog came again at four o'clock. And the same thing happened once again. At six o'clock,, it came for more meat, and brought with it a third piece of paper. The butcher felt a bit puzzled. He said to himself, "This is a small dog. Why does Mrs Smith feed it with so much meat today?" Looking at the piece of paper, he found that there was a piece of blank paper. He laughed and phoned Mrs Smith. From the story, we can reach a conclusion that the dog was _ . A. honest and loyal B. brilliant C. amusing D. amazing Answer: C Your living room Feng shui is all about balance. Try to arrange sofas and chairs in a square around a circular table. Avoid an L-shaped arrangement as this leaves a missing corner. The centre of the living room should be left clear. Make sure there is a lot of light, which will promote good energy. Put plants in the corners of the room, as they attract good energy and will energize your health, but not ones with sharp leaves such as yuccas or cactus. Fresh flowers also bring good energy, but throw them away as soon as they begin to die, and don't have dried flowers. Mirrors are vital because they reflect energy. Round or oval ones are best, but they should not be opposite each other, nor should they reflect a door, otherwise your good fortune will go out of it. To promote harmony between the members of your family, have photos of them around the room, preferably smiling. If you want to find a partner, energize the south-west corner of your living room or bedroom by placing a floor light at least 1.75m high there, and turn it on every evening. Surround yourself with decorations and objects in pairs, such as ducks or birds. To avoid blocking the positive energy in the room, keep everything tidy. Don't accumulate too many unnecessary things. Take a look at every object, and ask yourself, "Do I really need it? Do I really like it?" If the answer is no, get rid of it. Your bedroom You should have the head of your bed placed against a wall, as this gives you a sense of security. Avoid having a bed under a window, as you are exposed to danger and bad energy from outside. If this is impossible, use blinds or heavy curtains to cover the window. Never sleep in a place where you can't see the door--you should always be able to see someone who's coming in. Avoid hanging pictures or lights above your bed, as this leads to a subconscious feeling of threat. Don't put mirrors opposite the bed either, as they "break up" the image, and therefore the relationship reflected in them. Keep lighting low and soft, and decorate preferably with dark colors. Do not hang paintings of fierce animals, abstract subjects, or water in the bedroom. Water is very good elsewhere, but in the bedroom it suggests financial loss. Make sure you never put plants in the bedroom, and don't have a TV facing the bed, or at least cover it when it is not in use. Your study Don't use the same room for your bedroom and your study, as the different energies will be in conflict. If you have to do this, try to separate the areas either symbolically with plants, or with a screen. Put away piles of files or unfinished work--don't leave them on your desk. Being tidy promotes positive energy. Wherever you study make sure your desk is in the north-east corner, especially if you are preparing for exams, as this area symbolizes education. A bookcase is bad feng shui, as its sharp corners generate negative "arrows", and if you have one you ought to put a climbing plant on it to avoid this effect. Cupboards are better than open shelves. Which do you think is the best title for the passage? A. Feng shui--a magical power. B. How does positive and negative energy come to you? C. Change your room to change your life. D. How to reorganize your furniture. Answer: C Which is true? A. hot coffee will stay hot forever B. hot coffee is cold C. hot coffee can injure due to its temperature D. hot coffee prevents getting hot enough to burn Answer: C M: Hi, Ann! Tomorrow will be August 1st. When is your holiday going to start? W: Very soon. I'm going to leave the day after tomorrow. M: How long are you going to be away? W: About two weeks. M: Where are you going? W: I'm going to the beach this time. M: Are you going to stay alone? W: No. I will stay in a hotel with my friends. M: Oh, good. It's hard to find a place to stay at the beach in August. W: That's right. And in a few days, I will swim every day, play beach ball, lie in the sun and just take it easy. M: Don't tell me about that. It sounds so great! W: What about you, John? Where are you going to spend your holiday? M: I don't know. I should think about it. When is Ann going to leave for her holiday? A. August 1st. B. August 2nd. C. August 3rd. D. August 4th. Answer: B The trip to the United State opened my eyes to the fact that there are a lot of similarities as well as differences between American youth and French youth. The first difference is in appearance. Going around in the U.S., I found that American youth do not really care about their appearance. In the morning, they choose something in their closet and wear it with another thing, often of different colors and styles, without wondering whether their choices make them look strange. The reason behind this is that they don't care what people look like, but are just interested in their ideas. I think it's great, but it also causes problems. Since they don't care about their appearance, they don't really care about their weight. Often they get fat without realizing it. There are differences in relationships too. When the American youth fall in love, they don't really think of the future. Also, there are differences in the rules concerning behavior that is allowed. In some _ , the French are more accepting. For example, in America it is generally unacceptable to make physical display of love. Lovers, actually, can't kiss or hold each other everywhere they want. People think that not showing love in public places is a way to respect others. On the contrary, the French youth can do almost everything they want. As for other types of relationships, there are also big differences. Americans act differently from French people in front of unknown people. When an American girl, for example, arrives in front of people she has never met before, she will talk with them, trying to create a kind of tie between her and this new circle of people. The French girls will just think about rather than really do this kind of thing because they are too shy and lacking in self-confidence. To finish, I noticed that in American classes, when pupils want to say or ask something, they just do it. In general, they don't really care how the others will judge them. In France, it's not the same case. If somebody wants to ask something, he/she will think about it before speaking up. I appreciate the freedom in Americans' behavior, ideas, and ways of expressing themselves. It can be inferred from the passage that French youth may think more about _ . A. their relationship's future B. their public images C. their physical displays D. their lover's ideas Answer: A Why are first ladies so important in the United States? They are unpaid and have no official work? There are several reasons, but the most important reason is that they are role models for other women in the United States. Jacqueline Kennedy was the best first lady in the US. Although she wasn't an actress, model or singer, she was a fashion and cultural icon who charmed people wherever she went. If you are looking for someone who is as charming as Jacqueline Kennedy, it will be hard to find anyone more suitable than Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping. If you were writing a novel and trying to describe the perfect mixture of personal history, capabilities, confident lady for a character, you'd come up with someone like Peng. Born into a family in Shandong province, she joined the People's Liberation Army at the age of 18, doing pretty well in singing military songs. But she is not only famous for her voice and great achievements, but also for her charity efforts. She has, among other things, worked as a member of World Health Organization to fight against AIDS, and has done much for 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The media reported Peng's trip with her husband. This was Xi's first foreign trip as president. The trip shows that she can be a role model for Chinese women, especially young Chinese women at home and abroad. In the past, China has not had a tradition of first ladies like in the US. Now that China has a higher position on the world stage, it can have its first first lady! And Peng Liyuan is the perfect person with whom to begin. Which is NOT right according to the passage? A. Peng Liyuan is as charming as Jacqueline Kennedy. B. Peng Liyuan wrote military songs from the age of 18. C. The writer thinks Peng Liyuan is the most suitable first first lady. D. Peng Liyuan is famous not only for her voice and great achievements, but also for her charity work. Answer: B What does it mean to cry over a book? "I'm a reader who did not weep," Ruth Graham, a well-known critic, wrote. "Does this make me heartless? Or does it make me a grown-up?" Tears have played a surprisingly important part in the history of the novel. Readers have always asked about the role that emotion plays in reading: What does it mean to be deeply moved by a book? Which books are worthy objects of our feelings? In different times, people answered those questions in different ways. In the early eighteenth century, when the novel was still a new form, crying was a sign of readers' virtue. "Sentimental" novels, full of touching scenes, gave readers an occasion to exercise their "finer feelings." Your tear proved that you were likely to feel the suffering of others. At that time, sentimental novels were hugely popular, but also easy to attack. Tears, after all, had no necessary connection to actual virtue, and they could be not true As the critic John Mullan points out, by the end of the eighteenth century, the word "sentimental" had acquired a new meaning -- "addicted to low emotion" -- bringing it closer to the meaning that it has for us today. In the nineteenth century, the meaning of tears evolved in two different directions. Some writers sought to waken "higher" feelings in their readers: Victorian sentimentalists wrote touching scenes in an effort to inspire social and political reform. However, the "sensation" novel, a different type of Victorian best-seller, showed that tears could be enjoyable in themselves. Sensation novels were the leaders of the modern thriller and mystery. Heavy on secrets, and madness, they were known for creating physical "sensations" in their readers -- trembling, a fast beating heart, and tears. But these were tears without moral purpose or effect. Today's debate about crying while reading looks back on all of this history. The debate, in fact, is about why books matter to us, and what reading is "for." Talking about what makes us cry is a way of talking about ourselves. What's the best title for the text? A. Sentimental novels & sensation novels B. Crying while reading through centuries C. The history of the novel D. Why books matter to us Answer: B Some dances gain more popularity than others because they can be performed to different kinds of music and the steps change accordingly. One such dance is waltz . There is a basic form for waltz, which you can see in this drawing of a dancing couple. The man places one arm around the woman's waist and she places her opposite hand on his shoulder. Then, they stretch their other arms out from their bodies and clasp hand. If someone tries to teach you a formal kind of dancing, chances are your teacher will start with the waltz. Have you ever tried to dance like this? There are lots of different kinds of waltz, all performed to different types of waltz music. The music might be fast or slow but what they all have is a regular one-two-three, one-two-three rhythm. The traditional form is the old-school waltz in which dancers turn all the time with a hopping , springy step. This waltz has a slow, smooth, gliding step. There's also the Mexican waltz, which moves much faster. Listen to this Mexican waltz music and you can imagine how fast the dancers had to move. Formal dancing has even become a profession, with people entering competitions. Have you ever seen a formal dance competition? Today, ballroom dancing is almost considered a competitive sport; professionals perform different dances, each with strict rules. Everything from where the dancers place their hands to how they move is judged. In the glide waltz, dancers are judged by how smoothly they move. " I can dance with a glass of water on my head," is a well known sentence used by skilled dancers in the old days. In the past, some people learned how to dance by reading books, while others studied with a teacher called the "dancing master." How do people learn to dance today? When a couple are dancing, _ . A. the girl places one arm around the man's waist B. the man puts one hand on the girl's shoulder C. they stand face to face with one of their hands held together D. the man puts one arm around the girl's waist and the other on her shoulder Answer: C Jack was so excited about getting a new backpack because his old one had a broken zipper and a hole in the bottom. Jack's elder brother took him to buy a new backpack. There were so many cool ones. How would he ever decide? He saw blue ones--his favorite color. He saw ones with his favorite action hero on the front. And then Jack saw a backpack with a black square design. When he opened it, he saw it had a hidden, secret small bag. He liked it, which made it different from others. "This is the one," he said, then carried it to the check-out counter. That evening, Jack carefully filled his new backpack with his school things. He put his special pen in the secret small bag. The next day in English class, Mr. Mack said, "Let's write an essay about earthquakes!" Jack looked for his pen in his backpack, but he couldn't find it! He through his desk and his pockets, but no pen. Jack asked if anyone had seen his pen, but no one had. Mr. Mack lent him a pencil, but Jack was feeling anxious because he lost his pen. When he got home, Jack told his brother he couldn't find his favorite pen. His brother said, "You must have put it in that secret small bag." Jack laughed and said, "That small bag was so secret that I forgot all about it." Jack decided to buy that backpack because _ . A. it had his favorite color B. he liked the black square design C. the secret small bag made it special D. his brother suggested he get that one Answer: C Every year the Greens go to the beach for a week's vacation. There are many interesting things to do at the beach. The children play games on the sand. Sometimes they build sandcastles . There are saltwater swimming pools. The children can swim safely in these pools and the water is always clean. There is an esplanade . This is a long road by the beach. There are many cafes and restaurants on the esplanade. There is also a park beside (......) the beach. This is a place that many people like to go to. The Greens always stay at the same hotel. They usually have the same rooms. These rooms are at the front of the hotel. There is a good _ of the sea from their windows. The children are a little sad when the vacation is over because they don't want to leave. According to the story, which of the following is TRUE? A. The Greens stay in the rooms at the front of the hotel. B. If they want to see the sea, they must go to the beach. C. They won't go to the beach next year. D. There are no restaurants by the beach. Answer: A
Too many people want others to be their friends, but they don't give friendship back. That is why some friendships don't last very long. To have a friend, you must learn to treat your friend the way you want your friend to treat you. Learning to be a good friend means learning three rules: be honest; be generous;be understanding. Honesty means being honest. It is where a good friendship starts. Friends must be able to trust one another. If you don't tell the truth, people usually find out. If a friend finds out that you haven't been honest, you may lose your friend's trust. Good friends always count on one another to speak and act honestly. Generosity means sharing and sharing makes a friendship grow. You don't have to give your friend your lunch money or your clothes, or enjoy your hobbies and interests together. Naturally you will want to share your ideas and feelings. These can be very valuable to a friend. They tell your friend what is important to you. By sharing them, you help your friend know you better. Sooner or later everyone needs understanding and help with a problem. Something may go wrong at school. Talking about the problem can make it easier to solve . Turning to a friend can be a first step in solving the problem. So to be a friend, you must listen and understand. You must try to put yourself in your friend's place, so you can understand the problem better. No two friendships are ever exactly alike . But all true friendships have three things in common . If you plan to keep your friendships, you must practice honesty,Generosity and understanding. Some friendships don't last very long because _ . A. there are too many people who want to make friends B. they don't know friendship is something serious C. those who give others friendships receive friendships from others D. they don't return friendship to each other. Answer: D When I was 15, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my short-comings . Week by week her list grew. I was skinny , I talked too loud, I was too proud, and so on. I put up with her as long as I could. At last, I ran to my father in tears and anger. He listened to my outburst quietly. They he asked, "Are the things she says the true or not?"True? I wanted to know how to strike back. What did truth have to do with it? "Mary, didn't you ever wonder what you are really like? Well, you now have that girl's opinion. "Go and make a list of every thing she said and mark the points that are true. You needn't pay attention to the other things she said. I did as he told me and discovered to my surprise that about half the things are true. Some of them I couldn't change(like being skinny), but a good number I could and suddenly wanted to change. For the time in my life I began to get a quiet clear picture of myself. I brought the list back to Daddy, but he wouldn't take it."That's just for you,"he said."You know better than any else the truth about yourself, once you hear it. But you've got to learn to listen, not close your ears in anger or hurt. When someone says something about you, you'll know if it's true or not. If it is ,you'll find it will echo inside you." "I still don't think it very nice of her to talk about me in front of everybody." "Mary, there is one way you could stop others talking about you ever again, and criticizing you--just say nothing and do nothing. But then, if you do that, you'd find you were nothing. You wouldn't like that now, would you?""No, I admitted " The writer's father thinks _ . A. if one says nothing and does nothing, people will praise him. B. one should not do anything because others will talk about him. C. it is not good to talk about others. D. everyone is talked about by others. Answer: D Twelve years ago, when I was 50,I wondered what 60 or 70 would be like? I looked around and saw only one style of living. It's not fair, I thought. Young people have so many styles to choose from, but older people have just one choice. So I decide to do something about it , something practical. I worked on my fitness by joining exercise classes in town. A few years later, my husband and I moved to a retirement community, and I wanted to teach aerobic classes. The community center wouldn't give me a room to teach in, so I had to walk around and find any available empty room. One day, the community center staff came to me and asked if I would help with the entertainment for a Hawaiian luau they were putting on. I said yes. Then I talked five other ladies into dancing with me. We performed the hula and a war chant and brought the house down. Someone had a camera and took pictures, and then sent them to our local paper. We got requests for more engagements, which in turn led to more publicity and yet more engagements. Soon we had invitations from all over the country. The Dancing Grannies were born! I think the real secret of the Dancing Grannies is out attitude. I was raised extremely poor ---no-food poor. If we wanted toys we had to make things up to play with ,so I learned early to be very creative. And you know,I think being poor was one of the best things that ever happened to me because I learned to look for treasures. That's what I'm still doing today--looking for the treasure in growing old. I'm getting better and better. It's true that _ have to be treated a bit differently, with a little care, but they still have a beauty of their own. What did the writer think of the living style of the older people when she was 50? A. Unsatisfying B. Favorable C. Pleasant D. Practical Answer: A Which sequence lists the levels of organization in the human body from simplest to most complex? A. organ system -> tissue -> cell -> organ B. tissue -> cell -> organ -> organ system C. organ -> organ system -> tissue -> cell D. cell -> tissue -> organ -> organ system Answer: D The role of a newspaper is to present and comment on the news. It is vital for keeping people well-informed on current affairs. In most Western countries, journalists try to shape the ideas and opinions of their readers, since in Western countries all newspapers are independent of the government. Some newspaper owners support liberal ideas including economic policies that help poor people. Other owners want policies such as lower taxes for rich people and less money to be given to poor people. You can almost judge the political ideas of a person in the West by looking at the newspaper he reads. All newspapers report national and international news. They give the facts but also provide opinions on controversial issues in the editorials and columns of opinion. The readers of the newspaper can also comment on these editorials or articles. There are many informative articles too as well as reviews of new films and books, etc. These are very important, for if a film or book gets good reviews it will often become more successful. All these articles require many journalists who are experts in different areas of life. All these articles come together and are checked by the chief editor of the newspaper. When he or she has made a decision on the articles, the newspaper is prepared for printing. All this work means that the journalists must work together as a team because there is a lot of pressure when you work in a newspaper office. There are constant deadlines and articles have to be fitted round advertisements, photographs and much, much more. Which is true about the journalists in Western countries? A. There's no time limit for their report articles. B. They have no right to influence the readers' opinions. C. A newspaper can come out with just a journalist working individually. D. Journalists must submit their articles before the due date. Answer: D Monday.....oh, I don't like Monday because I will have to go back to school again after the weekend. Tuesday is not so bad. I usually play tennis with my friends after school. On Wednesday evening I don't go out. I stay at home and do my homework. I like Thursday because the next day is Friday. I always go out on Friday -maybe to the cinema. I love the weekend. On Saturday I stay in bed until lunchtime, and I sometimes go to the shops in the afternoon. In the evening we go to a club--there are good bands there every Saturday. Then on Sundays I go to my friend's house or she comes to mine. I usually visit my grandmother for an hour in the afternoon. Then the weekend is over and it's Monday.... And I feel bad again! The writer thinks Tuesday is not so bad because _ A. he can play tennis with his friends B. he has no homework to do C. he has a P.E. class D. he is free Answer: A In just two months, the latest buzzword from the Internet, diaosi, has spread so much that it can be found everywhere--from online forums to micro blogs. Many people even call themselves diaosi. It's not the first time a term has gone popular on the Internet in China. However, why is the word so viral that is has become a cultural phenomenon? Here, we tell you something you want to know about it. Where it began The word originated in Baidu. Com's Tieba (a top Chinese bulletin board system) of soccer player Li Yi. There, fans of Li, who are called yisi in Chinese, not only talk about soccer but complain about their lives, work and relationships. Yisi, who are known for their rude and dirty language, were given the name diaosi by others who have seen their posts. What a "diaosi" is like The word diaosi was coined first by single, young men who feel they have dead-end lives. Generally, men in this category don't earn enough, are not good-looking, and have difficulty winning promotion . Unlike their upper-class contemporaries , they lack influential families, useful social networks for their careers, and most importantly, suitable women to marry. "I'm just a diaosi, poor and plain-looking. Who will marry me?" The sigh can be heard, which is half self-mockery , half reality. Many young men call themselves diaosi because they feel they are among the lowest classes of the society. "Diaosi" culture reflects social changes According to Zhu Chongke, a professor in the School of Asia-Pacific Studies at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, the popularity of this word diaosi stems from the fact that is was created by common people and thus resonates with a huge population. "Labeling yourself a diaosi offers a way for people to mock themselves and relieve pressure, hence it spread quickly," he told Xinhua Agency. "The attitude is basically: 'I already have little to lose, so why don't I mock myself for gun?'." The phenomenon reflects a larger social issues. These young people have no influential family background, no chances of receiving promotion at work or no economic strength to find a proper woman to marry. It reflects a deep sense of loss. Which of the following is NOT true? A. It's not the first time a term like "diaosi" has gone popular on the Internet. B. The name "diaosi" was given by those people who are among the lowest classes. C. Many young people call themselves diaosi because they have a deep sense of loss. D. Calling yourself diaosi can probably mock yourselves and release pressure. Answer: B In spite of ill health and a physical incapacity that threatened her career, Carson McCullers completed a novel in the summer of 1961 that made the best-seller list before its official publication; date by virtue of prepublication sales. In an interview at her home, the noted novelist looked back on some of her problems of recent years and spoke without emotion of her latest book, Clock without Hands, her first in fifteen years, "For many years I had been thinking of the novel and finally wrote it this passed year. ""The tall, frail novelist, forty-three years old in 1961, suffered a series of strokes in her twenties that left her partially incapacitated, and she also admitted that a mental block kept her away from writing for many years after the strokes. Mrs McCullers once wrote that "writing is a wandering, dreaming occupation. " But beyond the admission that she works" very hard" at her writing, she is shy about discussing her work. She is remote from literary fashions, and she has never learned to intellectualize her art, but she reads her critics and takes them seriously. Clock Without Hands depicts Mrs McCullers' native South and the slow passing of the old way of life through the lives of a dying pharmacist , a white judge and former congressman, his rebellious grandson, and two Negroes. Among her earlier noted works are Member of the Wedding, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, and Ballad of Sad Cafe. Mrs McCullers' comments about Clock without Handswere _ . A. enthusiastic B. defensive C. shy and self-conscious D. unemotional Answer: D 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) What is the best title of this passage? A. Different people have different hobbies. B. How to make friends C. Reading is important D. Ways of traveling Answer: A Twenty years ago, Americans were a rare sight in China. But decades later, things have changed greatly. Americans are found in every Chinese province and region and in all walks of life. Much of this change is due to the increasing exchange and improving relationship between the two countries, but what attracts many here is China's rapid development and the huge opportunities that have arisen with that development. Erik Nilsson has been working for the English newspaper China Daily as a reporter for five years since his graduation from Central Michigan University. Although his original plan was to become a conflict zone reporter in Latin America, he decided to stay at China Daily Robert Brownell, a former IT engineer with Microsoft in Seattle, is now teaching in China and appreciates the different atmosphere in the school. His actions are a lot less restricted here than they would be in the U.S. "For good students, I can give them candy," he explains. "But in American schools, if you give food to students, they have to be sealed and tested. In China I can pat them on the back and raise my voice. But in America, everything is regulated so much, you just can't do anything." Kodi Keith Avila, the 30-year- old Hawaiian is running a business English school, New York Minutes, in Beijing. Avila first came to China in 2007 on a scholarship program as a student of University of Hawaii. It was encouragement from his professor that finally convinced him to go to China. "He thought China would overtake other countries in trade, consumption and technology," Avila said."I saw many good opportunities for personal careers or business development in China. So many limousines Audi, Mercedes-Benz, so many businessmen and skyscrapers. One can get a business license in China as long as one has a good business plan"he told China Today. "I came to China because I am interested in Chinese medicine. Learning Chinese language will help me learn Chinese medicine," Caponigro told China Today. She is not alone among Americans in becoming more and more fascinated with Chinese culture. After graduation, Erik Nilsson first planned to _ . A. work as an English newspaper editor B. work for China Daily C. become a conflict zone reporter in America D. cover his reports in Latin America Answer: C
What sport do you like best? Daniel: I like basketball best. I often watch NBA. I play basketball every day. I am short, but I am strong. I am a good basketball player in our school. Lucy: Ping-ping is my favourite sport. I am a Chinese and Chinese ping-pong players are the best in the world. I want to be a good ping-pong player too. I often play it every afternoon. Tom: I am tall and strong. I like football best. My father is a football player. I often watch my father play football. My father often teaches me to play football. I play with my father and others in the park every day. What does Tom's father do? A. A teacher. B. A doctor. C. A policeman. D. A football player. Answer: D Gauri Nanda sees a wearable computer as a handbag -- one that's built out of four-inch squares and triangles of fiber, with tiny computer chips embedded in it. It looks, feels and weighs like your typical leather purse. That's where similarities end: This bag can wirelessly keep track of your belongings and remind you, just as you're about to leave the house, to take your wallet. It can review the weather report and suggest that you grab an umbrella. This purse can even upload your favorite songs onto your scarf. Sure, a computing purse and scarf set may seem like the stuff of science fiction. But these devices, part of next generation of wearable computers, could become commonplace within a few years. DuPont created new super strong fibers that can conduct electricity and can be woven into ordinary-looking clothes. And the chipmaker developed chip packaging allowing wearable computers to be washed, even in the heavy-duty cycle. As a result, these new wearable devices are different from the heavy and downright silly versions of the recent past, which often required users to be wrapped in wires and type on their stomachs. Unlike their predecessors, these new wearable computers also make economic sense. When her bag becomes commercially available in two to three years, Nanda expects it will cost around $150, which is the price of an average leather purse. Here's how the bag works: You place a special radio-signal-transmitting chip on to your wallet. A similar radio in your purse picks up the signal and notifies you that you've forgotten to take your wallet. In turn, sensors on your purse's handles will notify the computer that you've picked up the purse and are ready to go. _ Indeed, more people will want to cross that bridge in the coming years -- making for a booming market for wearable computers that don't like something out of science fiction. According to the passage, these new wearable computers _ . A. require users to operate on the stomach B. pick up the signals through wires and chip C. are being applied in some different areas now D. are smarter but more expensive than the old ones Answer: C Most young people like to go to rock concerts these days. They like the loud and exciting sound of the music and they enjoy the excitement of a big concert. Rock stars usually have a different style. Their music is exciting and different, and the way they dance and dress makes them popular with young people. The words of rock songs are usually quite simple, but the music itself is complex . But some rock stars have problems after they become famous. They don't know what to do when they suddenly succeed, and often they start to drink or to take drugs . Then their health becomes bad. Some like Elvis Presley , died very young because of drugs. _ simple. A. The words of rock songs are B. Rock stars are C. The styles of rock stars are D. Rock music is Answer: A The poachers had finally found a buyer for their stolen _ .At the meeting with the buyer,they brought out a bag,inside which was a terrified one-year-old baby gorilla.The poachers had killed the little female's parents and captured her in the forests of Congo, Africa.Then they took her across the border into Rwanda, with the intention of selling her as a pet. However,the buyer did not bring any money.He brought the police.The poachers were arrested on the spot but the police knew the orphan was still in danger.They had rescued baby gorillas before and understood that they needed to act quickly.They rushed the young gorilla to the nearby Mountain Gorilla Rescue Centre.The vets there realized that she had not been given enough food or water, but they were much more worried about something else.The baby gorilla,which was later named Dunia,had not been getting enough touch. "Baby gorillas simply don't survive without their mother's constant body contact," says Chris, a vet."They give up the will to live."The project's staff immediately began holding and hugging Dunia,the little baby gorilla. Dunia resisted attention at first, shying away from people who reached for her. "She needed contact, but there is no reason that she should trust people after what she'd been through,"says Christ."Humans had killed her family." Although she became stronger a month after she was recued, her appearance revealed the psychological stress she carried inside--much of her hair had fallen out.That was a delayed reaction to the combined terrible experiences of losing her parents and being kept with a poor diet by the poachers. After six months of loving care, a good diet, and a comfortable home at the centre, Dunia was looking and acting like a healthy, happy young gorilla should. Dunia was afraid of her caretakers at first because _ . A. she was a shy baby gorilla B. humans had been cruel to her family C. she hated to be touched D. she had given up the will to live Answer: B Which can be fully toggled back and forth A. steam and rain B. batter and cake C. wood and ash D. food and feces Answer: A Bea, a five-year-old girl, was born with a severe illness which means she has to be kept away from other children of her age, because her body is so weak that she would be unable to fight off a common cold. Bea was diagnosed with this disease when she was five months old. Since then, the hospital has become her second home, medicines for food, and all kinds of treatments her friends. Bea received a very special treatment when she was four years old, which would allow her to be like a normal child if successful. After that, she spent two weeks in ICU before living for four months on a separate ward . Bea was allowed home in February but still needed a special tube in her nose to send in medicines every two days. Her parents clean the house from top to bottom every two days and hoover each morning to make sure Bea is free from any possible bacteria. Anna, Bea's mother, said, "she is weak but so strong. We've never seen any child stronger than her. It seems as if nothing in the world could beat her. We really hope to send her to school next year." She used to drive on the local playground, but Bea was only allowed to watch sitting in the car. "It was heartbreaking to see Bea staring at the running and laughing children there. She never stopped fighting the disease. I know she's dying for such a normal life." Hearing of Bea's story, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has paid for a play park to be built in her back garden. "Bea is very brave and she has encouraged many children like her," said the chairman of the foundation. What makes Bea so brave to fight against this serious disease A. Her parents' encouragement and care. B. Her dream of owning a play park. C. Her wish to become a normal child. D. Her doctor's skills and experience. Answer: C Scout Bassett is often asked if she hopes to have normal legs. Bassett answers, "No. When you lost a leg, it teaches you to appreciate little things - like being able to walk and run." Born in England, Bassett was left at an orphanage due to terrible burns. Her right leg was cut off above the knee. She felt hungry all the time. When she was old enough to get around, she was forced to clean floors, feed babies and wash dishes. And she had to do all that with an artificial leg that didn't work well. When she was 7, a family in Michigan adopted her, giving her an improved artificial leg. It was OK for everyday activities, but she couldn't play soccer or basketball. When she was 14, she got a high-tech leg made for sports. "I remember being terrified because that was my first time," she said. Scout Bassett was waiting nervously for the race to start when the athlete Sarah Reinertsen came up and said, "I've been doing this for a while. Let me help you." Reinertsen, who lost her leg when she was 7, works with an organization called the Challenged Athletes Foundation to help people like Scout Bassett. She lost that first race, but gained confidence from Reinertsen. Training hard, she improved her strength and skill. She even took up golf and tennis. Now, living in Califomia, Bassett runs competitively and finds time to share her story with school groups. She said, "Some people think they having nothing in common with me. I want to say everyone has challenges - maybe with homework or friends. No matter what it is, everything you need is inside your heart. Take small steps and you will reach your dream." When Bassett got her first improved artificial leg, she could A. take part in sports race B. do some daily activities C. play basketball with her family D. run as competitively as normal people Answer: B My 9-year-old daughter, Susan and 5-year-old son, Robbie went to the shopping centre with me. As we got there, we saw a big sign. It said, "Petting Zoo". The kids jumped up and asked, "Daddy, can we go?" Both my wife and I were out of work. However, I said, "Sure", giving them a quarter each. They went away, leaving only fifty cents left in my pocket. A petting zoo is an enclosure for kids to play with little animals while parents shop. A few minutes later, I saw Susan walking along behind me. I was surprised and asked why. She said sadly, "Well, Daddy, a ticket for Petting Zoo costs fifty cents. So I gave Robbie my quarter." Then she said my family motto , "Love is Action!" I knew no one loves little animals more than Susan. She often watched my wife and me do and say "Love is Action!", and now she had put _ it _ into her lifestyle. It had become part of her. She knew not only "Love is Action!", but also "Love is Sacrificial Action!" I was moved. We went back to the Petting Zoo. Susan stood with her hands and chin resting on the fence and just watched Robbie feeding the animals. I had fifty cents burning a hole in my pocket. I put my hand into my pocket and took out the money. Sure, I must do that! What is the best title for this passage? A. A Petting Zoo B. A Fantastic Shopping Centre C. Try Your Best to Help Others D. Love Is Sacrificial Action! Answer: D Some problems are difficult to solve.But there are a lot of number expressions that can help.For example, if we put two and two together , we might com e up with the right answer.We know that two heads are better than one.It is always better to workwith another person to solve a problem.Some problems have only one solution.You cannot be of two minds over this.But with any luck , we can solve the problem in two shakes of a lamb' s tail.In other words, we could have our answers quickly and easily. Sometimes we can kill two birds with one stone.That is , we can complete two goals with only one effort or action.But we must remember that two wrongs don' t make a right.If someone does something bad to you, you should not do the same to him. If you are going out with your girlfriend , or boyfriend , but you don' t want another friend to go a long on your date, you can just say to your friend : two' s company , three' s a crowd. When I was a young child in school , I had to learn the three R' s.These important skills are reading , writing and arithmetic.These three words do not all start with the letter " R".But they have the sound of " R".My teacher used to give three cheers when I did well in maths.They gave praise and approval for a job well done. Some of my friends were confused and did not understand their school work.They were at sixes and sevens.In fact , they did not care if they finished high school.But they were happy when they completed their studies and graduated from high school.They were in seventh heaven.They were on cloud nine.Nine times out of ten students who do we'll in school find good jobs.Some work in an office doing the same things every day at nine-to-five jobs.You do not have to dress to the nines , or wear your best clothes , for this kind of work. If you solve a problem without any difficulty , you can also say that you can do it_. A. in seventh heaven B. on cloud nine C. at sixes and sevens D. in two shakes of a lamb' s tail Answer: D How to eat healthfully can be especially complex for working women who often have neither the desire nor the time to cook for themselves (or for anyone else ).Registered dietitian Barbara Morrissey suggests that a few simple rules can help. "Go for nutrient-dense foods,"she suggests,"foods that contain a multiple of nutrients. For example,select whole wheat bread as a breakfast food,rather than coffee cake. Or drink orange juice rather than orange drink,which contains only a small percentage of real juice--the rest is largely colored sugar water. You just can't compare the value of these foods, the nutrient-dense ones are so superior,"she emphasizes. Morrissey believes that variety is not only the spice of life,it's the foundation of a healthful diet. Diets which are based on one or two foods are not only almost impossible to keep up the strength,they can be very harmful, she says, because nutrients aren't supplied in enough amounts or balance. According to Morrissey,trying to find a diet that can cure your illnesses,or make you superwoman is _ ." As women,many of us are too concerned with staying thin,"she says,and "we believe that vitamins are some kind of magic cure to replace food." "We need carbohydrates,protein and fat-they are like the wood in the fireplace. The vitamins and minerals are like the match,the spark,for the fuel,"she explains." We need them all,but in a very different proportions . _ ." Orange juice is different from orange drink because _ . A. it contains only a small percentage of real juice B. it is natural,nutritious and prepared from real oranges C. it is largely orange-colored sugar water D. it produces nothing but calories Answer: B
Kincaid looked at his watch: eight-seventeen. The truck started on the second try, and he backed out, shifted gears, and moved slowly down the alley under hazy sun. Through the streets of Bellingham he went, heading south on Washington 11, running along the coast of Puget Sound for a few miles, then following the highway as it swung east a little before meeting U.S Route 20. Turning into the sun, he began the long, winding drive through the Cascades. He liked this country and felt unstressed stopping now and then to make notes about interesting possibilities for future expeditions or to shoot what he called "memory snapshots." The purpose of these causal photographs was to remind him of places he might want to visit again and approach more seriously. In later afternoon he turned north at Spokane, picking up U.S. Route 2, which would take him halfway across the northern United States to Duluth, Minnesota. He wished for the thousandth time in his life that he had a dog, a golden retriever, maybe, for travels like this and to keep him company at home. But he was frequently away; overseas much of the time and it would not be fair to the animal. Still, he thought about it anyway. In a few years he would be getting too old for the hard fieldwork. "I must get a dog then." He said to himself. Drives like this always put him into a sentimental mood. The dog was part of it. Robert Kincaid was alone as it's possible to be--an only child, parents both dead, distant s who had lost track of him and he of them, no close friends. He thought about Marian. She had left him nine years ago after five years of marriage. He was fifty-two now, that would make her just under forty. Marian had dreams of becoming a musician, a folksinger. She knew all of the Weavers' songs and sang them pretty well in the coffeehouse of Seattle. When he was home in the old days, he drove her to the shows and sat in the audience while she sang. His long absences--two or three months sometimes--were hard on the marriage. He knew that. She was aware of what he did when they decided to get married, and both of them had a vague(not clear) sense that it could all be handled somehow. It couldn't when he came from photographing a story in Iceland and, she was gone. The note read, "Robert, it didn't work out, I left you the Harmony guitar. Stay in touch." He didn't stay in touch, neither did she. He's signed the divorce papers when they arrived a year later and caught a plane for Australia the next day. She had asked for nothing except her freedom. What can you know about Marian? A. She died after five years of marriage. B. She was older than Kincaid. C. She could sing very well and earned big money. D. She was not a professional pop singer. Answer: D Musa teaches English at Chunmiao Primary School in Wuhan. He had never heard of China's idol of selflessness before he arrived in the country, but this unusual young man from Nigeria is carrying on the good work of China's hero soldier. Musa's week begins with a crowded two-hour bus ride for a flag-raising ceremony at Chunmiao Primary School with old classrooms for the children of migrant workers on the outside parts of Wuhan.An hour later, he steps in front of a room full of expectant students, some of whom recently organized a dance exhibition for their foreign teacher. The dance showed the spirit of Lei Feng (1940-1962), a soldier who was idolized across China for his selflessness. It was especially meaningful to Musa because the students call him "foreign Lei Feng". "I know Lei Feng, he is a good man. Everyone should learn from Lei Feng," he says. Born to a family of diplomats in 1985, he is the second of nine children and the eldest son. Musa was expected to become a diplomat like his father, who worked in Canada from 2007.In 2008, Musa was picked by Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to study in China for a master's degree in sociology . With the hope of joining the foreign service, he then went on to study for a doctor's degree in international relations at Central China Normal University. Some students organized a dance exhibition to _ . A. say good bye to their foreign teacher B. show their wish to learn English C. remember China's hero soldier D. honor their foreign teacher Answer: D Teenagers shouldn't eat too much junk food. Teenagers shouldn't eat food with too much salt. Salt can cause high blood pressure in the future. Teenagers should eat food with less fat, oil and sugar. Teenagers need to eat some fruits and vegetables every day. Fruits and vegetates are rich in vitamins and have little fat. Teenagers need to drink more milk. Milk will help their bones grow. Teenagers need to eat breakfast every day. This is good for their bodies and minds. In this passage, doctors thinks that teenagers should eat more _ . A. food with no vitamins B. fat and sugar C. Vegetables and fruits D. salt and oil Answer: C Mike likes the man. Mike is a gray, winter glove the man found in the snow. The man likes to bring lost gloves home. He puts them in a box. The gloves are warm and safe in the box. They also get to meet new friends when the man finds them and puts them in the box. Mike has made many new friends since the man found him. He has become good friends with Roger, Katie, and Jane. Two of them, Roger and Katie, were found in the snow, like Mike. Jane was not. She was found in a pile of leaves. Roger is a bright orange glove, Jane is a pink mitten, and Katie is a pink glove with purple fingers. Jane also has a friend named Rich. He is a large, black glove who the man found in a building. Mike has met him, but they are not good friends yet. They all like to play tag and talk about how much they like their new lives. Mike is really happy the man found him and he made so many new friends. Who was found in a pile of leaves? A. Jane. B. Mike. C. Katie. D. Rich. Answer: A It's September, and we're back to school. It's good to see all my teachers and friends again. They all look fine. We are in Grade Eight this year. We are going to have some new subjects. My name is Wu Ming. Wei Fang and I are in the same class. I'm not very good at Chinese, but Wei Fang says she's going to help me. I think I can do better than last year. I like English very much. This year I'm going to do more speaking. Zhang Hong also likes English, but he needs some help. I'm going to help him. This term I'm going to work for the wall-newspaper. My classmates say I draw well. I like it, too. I'm going to do my best this year. The teachers and students look _ A. special B. fine C. clever D. strong Answer: B Some scientists say that animals in the ocean are increasingly threatened by noise pollution caused by human beings. The noise that affects sea animals comes from a number of human activities. Such noises are added to natural sounds. These sounds include the breaking of ice fields, underwater earthquakes, and sounds made by animals themselves. Decibels measured in water are different from those measured on land. A noise of one hundred and twenty decibels on land caused pain to human ears. In water, a decibel level of one hundred and ninety-five would have the same effect. Some scientists have planned to set a noise limit of one hundred and twenty decibels in oceans. They have found that noises at that level can frighten and confuse whales. A team of American and Canadian scientists discovered that loud noises can seriously hurt some animals. The research team found that powerful underwater explosions were causing whales in the area to lose their hearing. This seriously affected the whales' ability to exchange information and find their way. Some of the whales even died. The explosions had caused their ears to bleed and become infected. Many researchers whose work depends on ocean sounds disagree to a limit of one hundred and twenty decibels. They say such a limit would mean an end to important industrial and scientific research. Scientists do not know how much and what kinds of noises are harmful to ocean animals. However, many scientists suspect that noise is a greater danger than they believed. They want to stop noises from harming creatures in the ocean. As to the influence of noises on whales, which of the following statements is TRUE? A. They are deaf because of noises. B. Noises at a certain level may hurt them. C. They are easily confused by noises. D. Noises will limit their ability to reproduce. Answer: B Repeated exposure to extremely loud sounds can reduce hearing ability by direct damage to which structures? A. the sensory neurons in the ears B. interneurons between the ears and the brain C. the sound-processing center in the brain D. motor neurons applying commands from the brain to the ears Answer: A Hi! I'm a Chinese girl. My name is Liu Wei. My English name is Sally. I'm twelve. I'm in Class 8, Grade 1. My English teacher is Mr. Lee. He is from New York. He is a good teacher. I don't know how old he is. My good friend is Jane. She is from Canada. She is in Class 8, Grade 1, too. She is eleven. Who's Linda? She is Jane's sister. Her name is Linda. She is six. Linda is _ . A. Chinese B. a boy C. from Canada D. 11 Answer: C Range At present,there are five network firms---China Telecom,China Unicom,Jitong Communications,China Netcom and China Mobile---that are allowed to operate IP services in China.Each company has its advantages in service. Charge As the Ministry of Information Industry co-ordinates,the charges of IP calls of the five companies are the same,0.30 yuan per minute for DDD calls.4.80 yuan per minute for IDD calls,2.50 yuan for calls from the mainland to Hong Kong,Macao,and Taiwan,and 1.50 yuan from Shenzhen to HK,Zhongshan and Zhuhai to Macao.IP callers don't enjoy discounts on holidays. China Telecom has the widest coverage.All cities in China with telephone access and most countries in the world are open to China Telecom's IP card. China Unicom's IP card can reach 29 cities nationwide and more than 130 countries and regions worldwide.Jitong IP can access 12 cities in China and over 70 countries and regions worldwide. China Netcom's IP card can reach 14 cities in China and 149 countries and regions in the world. China Mobile's IP card is open to only six cities nationwide but can access more than 200 countries and regions worldwide. Voice quality China Telecom realizes its IP service by the public Intermet,therefore net congestion and voice delay may sometimes disturb conversations.The other four companies have their private data networks,which help to increase transmission speeds and improve voice quality. Other services China Telecom,Jitong and China Mobile offer account transfer services.Users can transfer the remaining sum of money on one card to another card. Jitong and Netcom Link their services with bank cards.One can enjoy IP's service without an IP card.Bank card users can make IP phone calls with their bank card numbers,so they needn't buy new IP cards and remember the new numbers again and again. As for customer service,China Telecom,China Unicom and China Mobile provide free hot line service,while Jitong and Netcom charge for their services. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage? A. China Unicom charges IDD calls more than the other four firms. B. China Mobile's coverage is the least of the five firms. C. China Telecom accesses many more cities nationwide than the other four. D. China Netcom is the only one to be allowed to operate IP service. Answer: C A human who goes long periods of time without nourishment will experience A. Starvation B. Perspiration C. Fullness D. happiness Answer: A
Peter Onruang, a Hollywood businessman, has paid $310,000 to clone his best friend Wolfie, a lovely dog. He said, "Wolfie was more than just a pet to me." Wolfie died two years ago, at the age of 15. But long before she and her sister Bubble passed away, Onruang had plans to bring them back to life. Onruang said, "I buried them at home. Each time I visit them, I say, 'Hi, I'm making a new body for you.'" Finally, Onruang found the South Korean biotechnology company RNL Bio, which can and will clone animals. Onruang collected his dogs' stem cells , and then he started a website MyFriendAgain.com, so he could earn and save the $310,000 that the cloning would cost. The new dogs should look identical to Wolfie and Bubble. When the cloning process is done, Onruang may end up with several clones of each dog. But Onruang admits he's still not sure that they will be exactly the same. Scientists cloned the first animal, a sheep named Dolly, in 1996 in Scotland. That project has raised ethical questions about where science should draw the line. Another question is whether such technique will lead to a day when humans could be cloned. "If I had an opportunity to clone myself, I would do it readily," Onruang said. "Because it's me, I'm raising myself. I have already known exactly my strengths and weaknesses. This person is going to be the new and improved me, and will live the life I've always wanted to live." Onruang started the website MyFriendAgain.com in order to _ . A. encourage more people to clone their pets B. draw people's attention to cloning C. raise money to pay for the cloning D. collect his dog's stem cells Answer: C King Midas used to love gold. One day he met a fairy who allowed him to make a wish for something. The king replied at once , ''I love gold . I want everything I touch to change into gold". ''Very well , tomorrow morning, everything you touch will turn into gold ."Saying this, the fairy disappeared. The king waited excitedly till the next morning. To his joy, everything he touched changed immediately into gold. ''I'm the richest man in the world now." He shouted. Soon Midas became hungry. He sat down at his table. All the foods and drinks turned into gold in his hand. ''I'm dying of hunger." He cried. Just then his daughter came running in . ''Why are you so sad, dad?" she asked, putting her arms around him. There and then she became a golden statue. The king loved his daughter very much .Seeing this, he began to cry. He looked up and suddenly saw the fairy before him. ''Don't you like the golden touch?" asked the fairy. ''Please take it away," begged the king, ''give me back my daughter." ''Well, you have learned your lesson. Go and wash in the river. Then the golden touch will be gone." The king ran quickly to the nearby river. The fairy allowed the king to make a wish because _ . A. she hoped to make the king the richest in the world B. She loved gold too C. She wanted to teach the king a lesson D. She wanted to turn the king's daughter into gold Answer: C At least eight babies in East China'sprefix = st1 /AnhuiProvincehave died since last year. they died of serious deficiency disease which happened to them because of fake milk powders. More than 100 other babies in Fuyang, mostly between three and five months old, are still in poor nutrition after drinking different kinds of cheap milk powders produced in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and Beijing. The baby victims were born healthy, but they became thinner and thinner, and had large heads for their bodies after fake milk powders were fed to them. "My girl, the first child of mine, died when she was only four months old after drinking the 'Haobaobei'milk powder."said Zhang Linwei, a 32-year-old villager of the Wangzhuang Village in Fuyang. Zhang found that his daughter got ill after the girl didn't want to drink the milk powder any more half a month before. "Before that , I though my daughter's face was becoming fatter and fatter because she was fed well and grew fast."the baby's father said. The girl died nine days later after she was sent to hospital and all of the family's savings were spent on her medical treatment. "It is like a terrible dream. I never thought that my baby would _ like this ."he said. Zhang said he tried to telephone and write to the producer of the milk powder by the address on the packing bag but never made it. "The fake milk powders only have 5-6 per cent protein and the lowest is has only 1 per cent. For babies, drinking such fake milk powder is no different from drinking water,"Zhang Fangjun, said a medical expert with the Fuyang People's Hospital. "Such so-called milk powders cannot afford any nutrition for babies' growth," Zhang said. The best title for the passage may be_. A. Serious Deficiency Disease B. Sick Babies in Fuyang C. Fake milk powders 'kill' babies D. Big Head Disease Answer: C Another source of pollution may be A. throwing things in the ocean B. buying a new solar panel C. biking instead of driving the car D. using old food as compost for the plants Answer: A Hamsters are lovely small animals which are similar to mice, and some people like to keep them as pets. They need to eat a balanced diet, or they can become very sick. That's why hamsters should be fed healthy foods. Most pet stores sell hamster mix. This is a combination of foods that are just right for hamsters. Some hamsters are picky eaters. They don't eat anything they don't like, so you have to find a hamster mix that your hamster will like. Most hamsters only eat a few tablespoons a day. You should feed them at the same time every day, or you can just keep your hamster's bowl full. Remember to clean the bowl at least once a week. Hamsters also drink a lot of water, so be sure to keep the water supply full and fresh. Just like people, hamsters like treats. Besides the hamster mix, you can sometimes feed your hamster seeds, nuts, and some other people food. You should never feed your hamster anything unless you are sure that it is safe for hamsters. Feed your hamster carefully, and always take good care of your pet! What's the passage mainly about? A. Where to keep hamsters. B. When to buy hamsters. C. What to feed hamsters. D. Why to raise hamsters. Answer: C John Doe, the owner of a milk container manufacturing firm, sought to focus public attention on the milk packaging law of the State of Clinton in order to have it repealed. On a weekday at 12 noon, he delivered an excited, animated, and loud harangue on the steps of the State Capitol in front of the main entryway. An audience of 200 onlookers, who gathered on the steps, heckled him and laughed as he delivered his tirade. Doe repeatedly stated, gesturing expressively and making faces, that "the g ddamned milk packaging law is stupid," and that "I will strangle every one of those g ddamned legislators I can get hold of because this law they created proves they are all too dumb to live." After about 15 minutes, Doe stopped speaking, and the amused crowd dispersed. There are three relevant statutes of the State of Clinton. The first statute prohibits "all speech making, picketing, and public gatherings of every sort on the Capitol steps in front of the main entryway during the hours of 7:45 a.m. 8:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m. 12:15 p.m., 12:45 p.m. 1:15 p.m., and 4:45 p.m. 5:15 p.m. on Capitol working days."". The "Capitol steps" statute is probably A. constitutional both on its face and as applied to Doe. B. constitutional on its face, but unconstitutional as applied to Doe. C. unconstitutional on its face, because it applies to all working days. D. unconstitutional on its face, because it concerns the State Capito Answer: A Most people agree that it's important to have a sense of humor. Having the ability to laugh can help one overcome anxiety, and make better decisions in difficult situations. People with a well-developed sense of humor appear to be happier, and some are healthier as well. This suggests that having a sense of humor is good for you. Humorless people may find themselves being treated as a fool, and become anxious and upset. A sense of humor also plays an important role in human relationships. However, not everyone has a sense of humor. People with developmental disabilities can sometimes have no sense of humor, or have a very strange one. A number of factors affect a person's sense of humor, with the age probably being the main one. Young children are often highly amused by simple jokes or shows, while teenagers prefer to enjoy the ironic events. Educational level, culture, and religious faith also affect one's sense of humor. While Christians, for example, may have a deep appreciation of jokes about the Bible, others may find them disrespectful. Many people believe that a sense of humor is something that develops on its own, and that you cannot teach someone to understand why jokes, certain comments, situations or events are funny. However, things can be done to _ one's sense of humor. Children, for example, benefit from being told jokes and encouraged to laugh, although some children's jokes might seem rather strange to adults. If you have children, try to encourage them to tell jokes and think about what makes things funny. And it will help them develop a sense of humor. According to the passage, which of the following isn't talked about in our passenger? A. Culture. B. Age C. Educational level. D. Family backgrounds. Answer: D In the traditional marriage, the man worked at a job to earn money for the family. Most men worked in an office, a factory, or some other place away from the home. Since the man earned the money, they paid the bills. The money was used for food, -clothes, the house, and other family needs, the man made most of the decisions. He was the boss. In the traditional marriage, the woman seldom worked away from the house. She stayed at home to care for the children and her husband. She cooked meals, cleaned the house, washed the clothes, and did other housework. Her job at home was very important. In recent years, many couples continues to have a traditional relationship of the kind. The man has a job and earns the money for the family. The woman stays at home and cared for the children and the house. Many Americans are happy with the kind of marriage. But some other Americans have a different impression of marriage and family responsibilities. There are two important differences in male and female roles now. One is that both men and women have many more choices. They may choose to marry or to stay single. They may choose to work or stay at home. Both men and women may choose roles that are comfortable for them. A second difference in male and female roles is that within marriage many decisions and responsibilities are shared. The husband and wife may choose to have children, or they may not. If they have children, the man takes care of them some of the time, all of the time or not at all. The woman may want to stay at home and take care of the children, or she may vant to go to work. Men and women now decide these things together in a marriage. Many married people now share these decisions and responsibilities of their families. In recent years _ . A. young couples refuse the traditional relationship B. the woman has a job and earns the money for the family C. the woman doesn' t stay at home and care for the children and the house D. the role of men and women has begun to change Answer: D At first Kate thought the Romanian girl could not speak and understand English. Nadia would not reply to anything Kate said. Kate was in charge of showing Nadia around on her first day at Buck Minister Grade School. Kate could not figure out why the school had put Nadia in a class where she could not understand what people were saying. "Why did they do this?" Kate wondered aloud. "I mean, you can't learn if you can't understand the teacher." Nadia's voice was a whisper (speaking in a very low voice). "I understand English. I will learn." Nadia's English was perfect. Kate was _ . She couldn't understand why Nadia did not like to speak. Then she realized that moving to a new country probably wasn't the easiest thing to do. There were hundreds of unfamiliar and unusual things to learn - all at the same time. "There're a lot of new things to learn, huh?" said Kate. Nadia nodded rapidly. In a quiet voice she replied, "Many things people say, I do not understand. I have been speaking English and Romanian all my life, but I do not know what some children are saying. For example, yesterday a boy asked if I could help him find the USB port on a thin black box he was carrying. Isn't a port a place for ships? It made no sense to me." "Don't worry." said Kate. "You'll figure everything out in time. You see, that thin black box was a computer. A USB port is a place where you can connect other machines to a computer." Nadia and Kate were quiet after that. They took notes while the teacher gave a maths lesson. To Kate's surprise, Nadia put up her hand and offered to answer the questions at the blackboard. Nadia handled every question the teacher gave her. Some of the questions were really difficult, and no one understood what was going on except Nadia and the teacher. When the teacher said that Nadia answered everything correctly, the whole class clapped their hands. Nadia was smiling when she sat back down next to Kate. "Some things," she said in a normal voice, "are the same all over the world." Which of the following statements is TRUE? A. Nadia was better at maths than other students. B. Nadia found some of the maths questions difficult. C. Nadia was encouraged to answer questions in class. D. Nadia understood the maths teacher better than other teachers. Answer: A Mr Smith likes to be exact . One day when he is walking in the street ,a woman comes and asks him, "Excuse me, where's the nearest bookshop?" "The nearest bookshop? You have to cross a bridge and then turn to the right. When you see a post office, turn left. You can see a shop between a bank and a school on your right." "Is it far?" "No, it is not far. You can go there on foot." "Is the bridge long?" "Yes, it's about thirty metres." The woman thanks him and goes towards(, ) the bridge. Suddenly she hears someone running after her."Stop!" Mr Smith shouts."I'm sorry. I just remember the bridge is forty metres long. If you go thirty metres and then turn to the right as I told you, you will fall into the river." The bridge is _ long. A. 10m B. 20m C. 30m D. 40m Answer: D
Bored? Don't know what to do with your time? Get your friends or family together, go to the park or go hiking, do something fun --just don't turn on your TV. The 10th annual TV-Turnoff Week starts on Monday. The TV-Turnoff Network, a nonprofit organization, began the program in 1994 to get children and adults to watch less television so that their time is spent doing more productive things. This year, millions of people will participate and find much more interesting things to do besides sitting in front of the television. Experts are convinced that watching too much TV keeps kids from participating in healthy physical activities. The average household has a television on for 7 hours and 40 minutes a day! Kids spend more time watching TV than they spend in school. Turning off the TV gives you a chance to be with your family and friends. Going without it frees up valuable time that could be spent reading a good book, writing, drawing, or discovering something else that may interest you. There are many organizations that support TV-Turnoff Week, including The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, YMCA, Girl Scouts USA, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America.Even First Lady Laura Bush is a supporter. "Television is no substitute for a parent. It doesn't help develop language skills; it's simply background noise," says Mrs. Bush. Even kids who may not have liked going without TV have discovered the benefits. "I really didn't like TV-Turnoff Week except I did notice that my grades went up and I was in a good mood all week," said Drew Henderson, a student in Donora, Pennsylvania. Laura Bush must be _ . A. the first woman to support TV-Turnoff Week B. the wife of American President C. the first woman to organize TV-Turnoff Week D. the first lady in the Boys and Girls Clubs of America Answer: B Nearly all kids have had the same experience. They are eating in a restaurant with their parents. They finished the spaghetti minutes ago. Now, they are bored. Their little brother is kicking them under the table. He is also complaining about the desserts . Yet their parents are still eating and talking...and talking...and talking. "Be patient." One parent says. "We'll have dessert soon." All kids know what happens next. After dessert, their parents drink coffee. Then they talk some more. Again, the children must wait. They have been in school all day and would rather be running and playing. Instead, they must sit in a chair and stare at a wall. Going to a restaurant doesn't have to be this way. Many restaurants say they are "family-friendly". Family restaurants, such as fast-food restaurants should play areas for children. At these restaurants, almost every play area is a big room full of climbing equipment. The room is usually, packed with happy kids. Parents can eat while the children play. Everyone is happy. The real problem begins when families want to eat a fancier meal . The parents don't want to hurry through the meal but talk to each other. They do not have bored children pestering them about leaving. That's no fun for kids either. For them, going to a nicer restaurant means just one thing: sit still and be quiet. On family blogs across the Web, dozens of parents post the same question all the time; are there any nicer restaurants with play areas for kids? Research shows that some nicer restaurants do have play areas. In warmer cities, it is easier for restaurants to build play areas outside. For example, at one restaurant kids can sail tiny little motor boats in a small, shallow pond. Parents can sit on a beautiful yard and watch the kids play. Some nicer restaurants even have indoor play areas. Research also shows that these restaurants serve more than just burgers, chickens and fries. So, it's possible for a restaurant to provide both food and a place where kids can play. These restaurants seem to be popular, too. For some, families must have reservation days in advance. For others, families might be forced to wait in long lines. Clearly, quality food and safe play areas are both good for business. Why do children get unhappy at the restaurant? A. Because they can't join in their parents' talk. B. Because the dessert isn't served in time. C. Because they can do nothing but wait. D. Because the food there isn't delicious. Answer: C It was the first day of class. Two of her new ESL (English as a Second Language) classmates wanted to know where Tara was from. They were both from Korea. Because Tara looked Korean, one of the women asked Tara, in English, if she was from Korea. Tara replied, "No, I'm not." Then the women took turns asking Tara if she was from Japan, or Thailand, or China. To each question, Tara answered them a simple no. Laughing, one woman said to the other, "She's not from anywhere!" The two went to their desks, talking to each other in Korean. The next day, the teacher divided the students into groups of four. The students in each group asked introductory questions of each other. A student in Tara's group asked her, "Where are you from?" Tara answered that she was from Korea. The two women who had questioned Tara the day before were sitting only a few feet away. Both of them heard Tara's answer. "Aha!" they both _ , "You ARE from Korea!" Tara smiled and said yes. Then she apologized to both of them for lying the day before. She told them that she had not wanted to get into a Korean conversation with them. It had been her experience that many ESL students continued to speak their mother language in ESL class, and Tara had not come to ESL class to practice her Korean. In her opinion, ESL students should try to speak English only. "I agree." said Rose. "You're 100 percent right." agreed Jenny, "Rose and I must stop speaking Korean to each other. Right,Rose?" Rose nodded,and then said something in Korean. All three women laughed. The next half a year, Tara became friendly with both women, although she never spoke a word of Korean to them during class or break. From the passage, we can infer that _ . A. Tara said she was from Korea because she knew the student in her group was also from Korea B. Tara said she was from Korea because she wanted to make friends with the student in her group C. Tara said she wasn't from Korea because she didn't want Rose and Jenny to speak Korean with her the following days D. Tara said she wasn't from Korea because she didn't like Rose and Jenny and wasn't willing to speak Korean with them Answer: C When one loves one's Art, no service seems too hard. Joe was a man with a genius for art. Delia did things in six octaves promisingly. Joe and Delia became in love with one of the other, or each of the other, as you please, and in a short time were married - for (see above), when one loves one's Art no service seems too hard. They began housekeeping in a flat. It was a lonesome flat, but they were happy; for they had their Art, and they had each other. Joe was learning painting in the class of the great Magister - you know his fame. His fees are high; his lessons are light - his high-lights have brought him fame. Delia was studying under Rosenstock - you know his reputation as a disturber of the piano keys. They were mighty happy as long as their money lasted. After a while, Art flagged . Everything going out and nothing coming in, money was lacking to pay Mr. Magister and Rosenstock their prices. When one loves one's Art, no service seems too hard. So, Delia said she must give music lessons to make the ends meet. For two or three days she went out looking for pupils. One evening she came home overjoyed. "Joe, dear," she said, cheerfully, "I've a pupil. And, oh, the loveliest people! General - General Pinkney's daughter Clementina - on Seventy-first street." "That's all right for you, Dele," said Joe, "but how about me? Do you think I'm going to let you work while I play in the regions of high art? " Delia came and hung about his neck. "Joe, dear, you are silly. You must keep on at your studies. It is not as if I had quit my music and gone to work at something else. While I teach I learn. I am always with my music." "All right," said Joe. "But I may sell some of my pictures as well." The next few weeks, they both busied themselves with their own business and brought back a ten, a five, a two and a one - all legal tender notes - and laid them beside each others' earnings. One Saturday evening Joe reached home first. He spread his $18 on the table and washed what seemed to be a great deal of dark paint from his hands. Half an hour later Delia arrived, her right hand tied up in a shapeless bundle of wraps and bandages . "How is this?" asked Joe. Delia laughed, but not very joyously. "Clementina," she explained, "insisted upon a Welsh rabbit after her lesson. In serving the rabbit she spilled a great lot of it, boiling hot, over my wrist. Nothing serious, dear." "What time this afternoon did you burn your hand, Dele?" "Five o'clock, I think," said Dele. "The iron - I mean the rabbit came off the fire about that time." "Sit down here a moment, Dele," said Joe. "What have you been doing for the last few weeks, Dele?" he asked. She braved it for a moment or two with an eye full of love and stubbornness, but at last down went her head and out came the truth and tears. "I couldn't get any pupils," she wept. "I got a place ironing shirts in that big Twenty-fourth street laundry . A girl in the laundry set down a hot iron on my hand this afternoon. I think I did very well to make up both General Pinkney and Clementina. What made you ever suspect that I wasn't giving music lessons?" "I didn't," said Joe, "until tonight. And I wouldn't have then, only I sent up this cotton waste and oil from the engine-room this afternoon for a girl upstairs who had her hand burned with a smoothing-iron. I've been firing the engine in that laundry for the last few weeks." "And then you didn't ..." said Delia And then they both looked at each other and laughed, and Joe began: "When one loves one's Art no service seems ..." But Delia stopped him with her hand on his lips. "No," she said - "just 'When one loves.'" Which of the following does NOT give readers a clue that the couple were telling white lies? A. Delia said she must give music lessons to make the ends meet. B. Joe washed what seemed to be a great deal of dark paint from his hands. C. Delia's right wrist was tied up in a shapeless bundle of wraps and bandages. D. "The iron - I mean the rabbit came off the fire about that time" said Dele. Answer: A Baby girls make their way directly for dolls as soon as they can crawl, while boys will head for cars, a study has shown. The findings, the first to show differences in very young babies, suggest there is a biological basis to their preferences. Psychologists Dr Brenda Todd from City University London carried out an experiment involving 90 babies aged 9 months to 36 months. The babies were allowed to choose from seven toys. Some were typically boys' toys ---- a car, a digger, a ball and a blue teddy. The rest were girls' toys: a pink teddy, a doll and a cooking set. They were placed a meter away from the toys;and could pick whichever toy they liked their choice and the amount of time they spent playing with each toy were recorded. Of the youngest children (9 to 14 months), girls spent significantly longer playing with the doll than boys, and boys spent much more time with the car and ball than the girls did. Among the two and three-year-olds, girls spent 50 percent of the time playing with the doll while only two boys briefly touched it. The boys spent almost 90 percent of their time playing with cars, which the girls barely touched. There was no link between the parents' view on which toys were more appropriate for boys or girls, and the children's choice. Dr Brenda Todd said, "Children of this age are already exposed to much socialization. Boys may be given 'toys that go' while girls get toys they can care for, which may help shape their preference. But these findings agree with the former idea that children show natural interests in particular kinds of toys. There could be a biological basis for their choices. Males through evolution have been adapted to prefer: moving objects, probably through hunting instincts , while girls prefer warmer colors such as pink, the colour of a newborn baby." Baby boys and girls have different toy preferences probably because _ . A. baby boys are much more active B. baby girls like bright colours more C. their parents treat them differently D. there is a natural difference between them Answer: D In traditional Chinese medicine, the body, mind and spirit cannot be divided and so the unique whole-body treatment in Tui Na can also be a useful treatment correcting any imbalances in the body's energy before symptoms and disease can develop. It also works to bring back emotional peace as well as physical health. This is why after a Tui Na treatment many people "feel good". Many people in China use Tui Na regularly to keep healthy and to deal with some specific illnesses. Tui Na is performed on the clothed body and the patient is either lying on a couch or sitting on a chair. Therapists , by using a variety of movements, will control the intensity and direction of pressure in an exact way. The unique rolling movement in Tui Na is one of the most difficult movements to learn and students have to practice sometimes for many months on a rice bag before they are allowed to practice on the human body. Stress Tui Na is of course very useful for treating stress. It spreads the energy around the whole body. It is believed that Tui Na moves the strong energy in the tight muscles to the weaker areas, thus making a more balanced body. When your energy flowing inside your body is balanced, you feel relaxed and comfortable. Tui Na is especially useful for _ shoulders and tight neck muscles. Emotions In Traditional Chinese Medicine each major organ is linked to an emotion. By balancing the energy in the organ, the related emotion will be calmed. When your emotions are out of control, you would usually turn to your doctor or perhaps a psychotherapist . But perhaps some people would not like to be seeing a psychotherapist or feel nervous about discussing their problems with others. With Tui Na, one does not need to tell the therapist anything one does not want to. The treatment of Tui Na can deal with the problem itself. But if one does need to pour out his/her worries or troubles, an active dialogue between the psychotherapist and the patient will help to get a better effect. Organs & Emotions Each major organ -- the heart, the stomach, the liver , the lungs, and etc.--are linked to a relevant emotion. The heart is linked to joy, excitement and sadness. If the heart is out of balance, the patient may dream a lot at night and often forget something important in the day. The stomach is connected with too much thinking or worrying about anxiety. When the stomach is out of balance there is often a lack of energy. The patient often feels very tired and has no interest in doing anything at all. The liver is linked to anger. In Chinese medicine, the eyes are connected with the liver, and many people who suffer from anger often suffer from eye problems. The lung rules decision-making and too much energy here can lead to rashness , while if there is too little, it can bring about indecision. When there is a history of depression with a patient, it may have effect on the liver. ks5u Tui Na can help release most of the discomfort and it is used in almost all the hospitals in China and very popular among Chinese people. It is a useful and valuable method for the balance of your energy flowing, when emotional and physical health is out of balance. Tui Na is one of the remaining secrets of Chinese medicine. When the stomach is out of balance, _ . A. the patient will suffer from eye problems B. the patient will have a lot to worry about C. the patient will have nothing to do D. the patient will not feel like doing anything Answer: D Snooker is a big sport in China.It is said that there are 300 million snooker players in China, so it's not surprised that some of the world's best players come from China.Ding Junhui is one of them. When Ding Junhui was eight years old, there were not many snooker clubs.His father often played with his friends on a table in the street,and one day Ding Junhui played with one of his father friends and beat him.His father,a shoe salesman,discovered that his son was talented at snooker.He then took Ding Junhui to China's nation snooker training center in Dongguan,Guangdong Province.There.they lived in a room of five square meters.When they ran out of money.Ding's father phoned his wife and told her to sell their house. After years of hard training,Ding turned professional in 2003 and became China's No.1.In 2005.more than 100 million people watched Ding Junhui win the 2005 World Snooker China Open.Since then, snooker has become more and more popular in China. "When I was a small boy, snooker was not in the top 10 favorite sports in China,"Ding says."Table tennis was top, followed by soccer, basketball and badminton.Now,basketball is top,but snooker is surely in the top five." Ding Junhui and his father lived a _ life when he was training in Dongguan. A. rich B. colorful C. hard D. modern Answer: C Paula Radcliffe, chasing a third London marathon title , says she has became a stronger person after her terrible experience at the 2004 Athens Gaines. Radcliffe, who failed to complete the Olympic marathon and the 10,000m last August, said: "Athens made me a stronger person and it made me care less about criticism " "In the past I wanted to please everyone, but now I am going to listen even more to the people around me." She didn't care about criticism made at the weekend by Liz McColgan, who felt Radcliffe should have rested and let her body recover after her failure inprefix = st1 /Athens. "Liz is someone I look up to but she hasn't spoken to me since last year and if she really eared for me, I'm sure she would have contacted me." Instead Radcliffe won the New York City marathon just 11 weeks afterAthens. "In New York I wasn't in my best state but I did know I was good enough to win the Radcliffe insisted her only goal in Sunday's race would be winning a third title and not chasing world records. However, RadcIiffe has not ruled out m the future chasing her "final" world record time and questioned sayings that marathon runners have the ability in their career to produce only four or five world-class times. "I don't think that -- although _ ," said. RadcLiffe. "That changes from person to person." Radcliffe is sure she can better her winning London 2003 performance at some point in the future. Following a successful three-month training period in theUnited States, the 31-year-old will chase a third title on Sunday after her first victory in 2O02 and again 12 months later. Radcliffe clocked a time of 2:18:56 in her first 42.2-kdnmetre race three years ago. Afterwards she set a "mixed course" mark of 2:17:18 five months later In Chicago before lowering that to a time of 2:15:25 m the 2003Londonevent. What can we learn from Radcliffe's story? A. Practice makes perfect. B. Well begun is half done. C. A friend in need is a fried indeed. D. Where there is a will there is a way. Answer: D High heels, coffee cups and dogs have been regarded as three of the most dangerous things to have in a car. The seemingly harmless items have been responsible for more than 13 million crashes and near misses on Britain's roads. While men were responsible for the greater number of accidents reported, women played their part by driving in high heels. Putting fashion over function meant 44 percent of female motorists had been prevented from using the pedals correctly by their high heels--with those aged 25 to 34 accounting for most of the incidents reported. Those keen for a caffeine kick while driving can also create an accident if they leave empty coffee cups lying around their vehicle. Twenty percent of those surveyed admitted they had crashed their car or had a near miss after a deserted coffee cup or empty drink bottle rolled under their brake pedal . However, it is not just wearing and eating that cause a threat from inside the car, man's best friend could also cause a catastrophe if not safely secured. One in eight motorists claimed to have had a scrape or near miss on the road due to their dog's wandering freely, climbing into the front seat or trying to escape through the windows. The accidents meant drivers took their eyes off the road for more than three seconds each time, according to the poll of 2,000 British motorists. The survey has found drivers will pick up an average bill of PS261.47 for the damage caused by every crash. Londoners were the most at risk of an accident closely followed by motorists in the West Midland and Wales. Janet Connor, a managing director, said many accidents could be avoided if people cleaned their cars regularly, as one in ten drivers involved in crashes admitted to driving inside a mountain of debris. She said, "The possible dangers and distractions outside the car are well known but as the evidence suggests, those within the car are often forgotten." Those who like drinking coffee often have accidents because _ . A. the coffee may make them feel faint B. the coffee may make the car smell terrible C. the deserted coffee cups may make the brake fail D. the deserted coffee cups may look the same as brake pedals Answer: C Google works miracles Google is a daily miracle to millions of people. You can type almost anything into the space provided, and soon it wil come up with hundreds, if not thousands, of references . It is said that you can get into billions of websites through Google. Yahoo becomes giant Yahoo was the first wonder of the Web, and in many parts, it still is. It started in January 1994 when two Californian graduate students, Jerry Yang and David Filo, started building a database of links , mainly for their personal use. Well before the end of the year, it had become known as the Yahoo we know today. Ebay enables everyone to buy and sell Ebay, which carries out online auctions , is one of the most important Internet companies. It has, for example, opened up a global marketplace in which people from Beigjing, San Francisco, Moscow or Buenos Aires can bid against each other for products (new or old )put up auction by someone in London. Amazon makes buying a new experience For regular users, amazon has made itself the shortest possible path between wanting and buying. With amazon you can get something more cheaply and perhaps more quickly. The search engine and one-click ordering system let you find and order something in seconds.But this is not the whole story. Amazon also uses technology very cleverly to keep you on the site, and to make you buy more. If you have something old to sell online ,you can click onto _ . A. amazon B. Yahoo C. Ebay D. Google Answer: C
A young American doctor was sleeping when suddenly his doorbell began to ring. It was already midnight, but what could the doctor do? He had to get up, put on his coat and go downstairs. When he opened the door, he saw a man standing with a hat in his hand. "How do you do?" said the man. "Can you come at once to a place out of town? It's quite far but you have a car and I can show you the way." "Certainly," said the doctor. "I'm quite ready. I can come at once." After a few minutes the car was standing at the front door, the man got into the doctor's car, and they drove off. They drove on for a long time. Then the man said, "Here we are. This is my home. Now I can pay you and you can go back to the town." "I must see the patient. How can I go back without seeing the patient?" "There is no patient," explained the man. "Nobody is ill. I live here, you see, and I must get home from a town, There are no taxis this time of the night, but a doctor often _ , so excuse me. Here is money. Thank you, doctor. Good night." ,. How did they go away? A. on foot B. by car C. by bus D. by bike Answer: B According to a new survey, students' safety has become a big problem. Nearly 50% of students say they are worried about robbery on the way to and from school. Now in main big cities in China, some schools have taught an unusual lesson: self-protection. Students like this lesson because there are no exams or boring classes. And they can learn how to save lives and know how to get away from danger before it really happens. Chen Haoyu, a teacher at Beijing No. 25 Middle School, gives young students advice on how to deal with danger. If you are robbed Keep calm if you can not cry for help or run away. Give the robber your money. Try to remember what the robber looks like and tell the police later. If you are in a traffic accident If a car hits you, you should remember the car number. If it is a bicycle, try to call your parents before you let the rider go. This is because you don't know how seriously you are hurt. If it is raining hard and there is lighting Don't stay in high places and stay away from trees. If there is a fire Get away as fast as yon can. Put wet things on your body and try to find an exit . Do not take the lift. If someone is drowning If you can't swim, don't get into the water. Cry out for help. Remember that danger is never as far away as you think. Take care of yourself at all time! What will you do if a bicycle hurts you? A. I will remember the bicycle number. B. I won't let the rider go until I call my parents. C. I will let the rider go before I call my parents. D. I will let the rider go because I know how seriously I am hurt. Answer: B what process is adulthood categorized under? A. the living term B. a plant feeding C. the entertainment circuit D. a chemical reaction Answer: A There once was a little girl named Odette who lived in a wooded forest. One evening she was getting a ride home from school in her grandpa's truck she saw smoke rising from a fire far in the distance. Odette was worried about the fire and the danger facing all the animals that live in the forest. She immediately rushed home and waited for her mother, a doctor to come home. While she was waiting for her mother to come home she ate some popcorn and talked to her grandpa about the smoke. Odette's grandpa, Harvey told her that fires are almost always put out by hard working fireman. Odette feels better knowing that brave firefighters are out there bravely trying to save the forest and the animals that live there. She grabs her favorite stuffed animal, a monkey and says a prayer for her treasured forest and then falls asleep on the couch. She wake up to the friendly face of her smiling mother who tells her that the fire is safely put out. What is the girl worried about? A. school B. bear C. stuffed animal D. fire Answer: D Since IQ testing began a century ago, women have been as much as five points behind, leading psychologists to suggest genetic differences between the male and the female. That gap has been narrowing in recent years and this year women have moved ahead. The finding has been made by James Flynn, a world-famous expert on IQ tests. "In the last 100 years, the IQ scores of both men and women have risen but women's have risen faster," said Flynn. " This is a result of modernity. The complex modern world is making our brains adapt and raising our IQs." One possible explanation is that women's lives have become more demanding as they multitask between raising a family and doing a job. Another might be that women have a slightly higher potential intelligence than men and are only now realizing it. Flynn also made the great discovery that scores in western countries increased by roughly three points a decade, which means people today get 30 more points than those living 100 years ago and that IQs can be improved. Flynn conducted new IQ tests in western European countries, America, Canada, New Zealand, Argentina and Estonia, which showed that the gap between men and women had become very small. In New Zealand, Estonia and Argentina, women scored slightly higher than men. Maybe because of this, many women have exchanged the role with their husband in family life. Helena Jamieson, 33, works a full-time job and her husband, Luke, 37, is a stay-at-home father. Helena said, "I'm definitely the more intellectual person in the relationship and I'm at work full-time rising up the career ladder while he is raising our daughter." She added, "In the past, men would look down on me, thinking that I was a woman and not as smart as them. But today, things have changed. I think women probably always know secretly deep down that they are the more intelligent ones-but as the gentler sex, we were just quiet about it in the past and let men believe that they ruled the world." The main idea of the passage is that_. A. wives now serve as breadwinners while husbands raise children B. people today are much smarter than those living 100 years ago C. in western countries, women scored higher than men in IQ tests D. women's IQ has risen faster and has even gone beyond men's Answer: D If the number of trees significantly decreases, the atmosphere's level of which gas might significantly increase? A. nitrogen B. carbon dioxide C. carbon monoxide D. hydrogen Answer: B Far from the land of Antarctica , a huge shelf of ice meets the ocean. At the underside of the shelf there lives a small fish, the Antarctic cod. For forty years scientists have been curious about that fish. How does it live where most fish would freeze to death? It must have some secret. The Antarctic is not a comfortable place to work and research has been slow. Now it seems we have an answer. Research was begun by cutting holes in the ice and catching the fish. Scientists studied the fish's blood and measured its freezing point. The fish were taken from seawater that had a temperature of -1.88degC and many tiny pieces of ice floating in it. The blood of the fish did not begin to freeze until its temperature was lowered to -2.05degC. That small difference is enough for the fish to live at the freezing temperature of the ice-salt mixture. The scientists' next research job was clear: Find out what in the fish's blood kept it from freezing. Their search led to some really strange thing made up of a protein never before seen in the blood of a fish. When _ was removed, the blood froze at seawater temperature. When it was put back, the blood again had its antifreeze quality and a lowered freezing point. Study showed that it is an unusual kind of protein. It has many small sugar molecules held in special positions within each big protein molecule. Because of its sugar content, it is called a _ . So it has come to be called the antifreeze fish glycoprotein, or AFGP. Why can the Antarctic cod live at the freezing temperature? A. The seawater has a temperature of - l.88degC B. It loves to live in the ice-salt mixture. C. A special protein keeps it from freezing. D. Its blood has a temperature lower than -2.05degC Answer: C As dangerous as sharks may have seed to people after watching Jaws, which was released on June 20,1975, the recent disastrous decrease in their numbers show that people have proven far more dangerous to sharks. This disastrous decline is due in large part to commercial fishing of sharks. "The market for shark fins in East Asia opened up thanks to changes in their economy, increasing their ability to spend money on things such as shark fin soup," Burgess said. However, the biggest worry for sharks and their relatives, the skates and rays, which are suffering a similar fate, "is how they are killed incidentally when fishermen try and take other fish--the problem of bycatch ," Burgess explained. "They may be thrown back afterward, but they're still dead." The key of the problems behind bringing sharks back is that "they're not the same as other fish," Burgess said, "Sharks are slow growing and slow to reach maturity. Sharks are live bearers, which means females keep their young in their body just like us, but instead of nine months, it takes 12 to 18 months or more in sharks. Also, sharks generally can't give birth again until a year after they've given birth--sometimes they're on a three-year cycle. So once you get a shark population knocked down, this 'life in the slow lane' means that recovery is measured in decades rather than years."\ Burgess said, "I'm on the recovery team for it, but the recovery plan for that is over the course of 100 years. So I won't see them recover, nor will you, nor will your children. That's what it means when these animals go down--they're down a long time." Any measures aimed at saving sharks must not only consider byeatch, "which is the real killer right now," but also encourage interactional cooperation, Burgess said. "Sharks are very migratory, and many species cross borders," he said. "We can protect them only by getting many govemment to come aboard. That's the hardest part about this." The text mainly tells us _ . A. shark fins are valuable B. sharks are dangerous C. bycatch brings bad effects D. sharks are in danger Answer: D It was unusually quiet in the emergency room on December 25. I was nurse on duty that day. I didn't think there would be any patients, sighing about having to work on Christmas. Just then five bodies showed up at my desk, a pale woman and four small children. "Are you all sick?" I asked suspiciously. "Yes," she said weakly and lowered her head. But when it came to descriptions of their presenting problems, things got a little vague. Two of the children had headaches, but the headaches weren't accompanied by the normal body language of holding the head or trying to keep it still. Two children had earaches, but only one could tell me which ear was affected. The mother complained of a cough but seemed to work to produce it. Something was wrong, but I didn't say anything but explained that it might be a little while before a doctor saw her. She responded, "Take your time; it's warm here." On a hunch , I checked the chart after the admitting clerk had finished registering the family. No address---they were homeless. The waiting room was warm. I looked out at the family huddled by the Christmas tree. The little one was pointing at the television and exclaiming something to her mother. The oldest one was looking at an ornament on the Christmas tree. I went back to the nurses' station and mentioned we had a homeless family in the waiting room. The nurses, grumbling about working Christmas, turned to compassion for a family just trying to get warm on Christmas. The team went into action, much as we do when there's a medical emergency. But this one was a Christmas emergency. We were all offered a free meal in the hospital cafeteria on Christmas Day, so we claimed that meal and prepared a banquet for our Christmas guests. We needed presents. We put together oranges and apples in a basket. We collected from different departments candies, crayons and other things available that could be presents. As seriously as we met the physical needs of the patients that came to us that day, our team worked to meet the needs, and exceed the expectations, of a family who just wanted to be warm on Christmas Day. Later, as the family walked to the door to leave, the four year old came running back, gave me a hug and whispered, "Thanks for being our angels today." Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Something was wrong with one of the children's heads. B. The pale woman forgot to write the address. C. The author did not understand the truth. D. The children's mother told a lie. Answer: D Being the head of a high school for many years, I grew tired of budget meetings, funding cuts, and many other administrative chores . I started to dream of retirement. Sitting in traffic on a weekday morning, I would find my mind wandering. I would imagine spending time with my grandchildren, quiet evenings with my wife, traveling, or rediscovering some great books. I told myself that I wouldn't sign myself up for any committees, any classes, or anything requiring a schedule. My first day of retirement came at last! I cooked a great breakfast for my wife and me, leisurely read the paper, cleaned a bit of the house, and wrote a few letters to friends. On the second day, I cooked breakfast, read the paper... On the third day, ... This is retirement? I tried to tell myself that it was just the transition , that those golden moments were right round the corner, and that I would enjoy them soon enough. But something was missing. A former colleague asked a favor. A group of students was going to Jamaica to work with children in the poorest neighborhoods. Would I interrupt my newfound "happiness" and return to the students, just this once? One trip. That's all. My bags were packed and by the door. The trip was very inspiring. I was moved not only by the poverty I saw but also by the sense of responsibility of the young people on the trip. When I returned home, I offered to work one day a week with a local youth organization. The experience was so positive that I was soon volunteering nearly full-time, working with students across North America to assist them in their voluntary work. Now, it seems, . Some days I am the teacher, other days I am the student. These young people have reawakened my commitment to social justice issues by challenging me to learn more about the situation in the world today, where people are still poor and suffer because of greed, corruption and war. Most important, they have given me the opportunity to continue to participate in helping to find solutions. In return, I help them do their charitable projects overseas. I've gone from running one school to helping oversee the construction of schools in twenty-one countries! Why did the writer decide to go to Jamaica? A. He wasn't satisfied with his retired life. B. He couldn't refuse his colleague's favor. C. He was concerned about the people there. D. He missed his students in that country. Answer: A
Wang Lin's Diary Oct.8th,Sunday October 1st is our National Day.It was Sunday.In the morning,our teacher took us to the park.Oh,many people were there.We could see flags and flowers everywhere.We saw people dancing in the park everywhere.We had a good time. This morning I did some cleaning.Then I went to school.In the class,our teacher told us a very interesting story.It was about a French scientist Ampere.Once he was walking in the street when he began to work on a problem on a"blackboard"with a piece of chalk.But it was not a blackboard.It was the back of a carriage .Ampere didn't notice it at all.How hard he worked at his problem! In the evening,it became cloudy.It's going to rain tomorrow,I think. Wang Lin's teacher and his classmates went to the park on _ . A. October 1st B. October 2nd C. Wednesday D. Monday Answer: A Things Your Pilot Won't Tell You You may not be getting the airline you paid for. You may go to an airline website and buy a ticket, and get onto an airplane that has a similar name painted on it, but half the time, you're really on a regional airline.The regionals aren't held to the same safety standards as the majors: their pilots aren't required to have as much training and experience, and the public doesn't know that. --Captain at a major airline If you're a nervous flier, book a morning flight. The heating of the ground later causes bumpier air, and it's much more likely to thunderstorm in the afternoon. --Jerry Johnson , pilot, Los Angeles The smoothest place to sit is often over or near the wing. The bumpiest place to sit is in the back.If you're in the middle, you don't move as much. --Patrick Smith, pilot, and author of Cockpit Confidential Sit in the front if you want fresher air. The general flow of air in any airplane is from front to back.So if you're really concerned about breathing the freshest possible air or not getting too hot, sit as close to the front as you can.Planes are generally warmest in the back. --Tech pilot at a regional airline, Texas You never know where the safest seat is. There is no safest place to sit.In one accident, the people in the back are dead; in the next, it's the people up front. --John Nance, aviation safety analyst and retired airline captain, Seattle I've been struck by lightning twice. Most pilots have.Airplanes are built to take it.You hear a big boom and see a big flash and that's it.You're not going to fall out of the sky. --Charlotte, pilot for a regional earner,.North Carolina People don't understand why they can't use their cell phones. Well, what can happen is 12 people will decide to call someone just before landing, and I can get a false reading on my instruments saying that we are higher than we ideally are. --Jim Tilmon, retired American Airlines pilot, Phoenix The best seats for those who need fresh air are _ . A. in the front B. in the middle C. in the back D. near the wing Answer: A In the gym of Croxteth Community School, Liverpool, 50 boys have completed a course on boxing that is seen as a pilot for its return to state schools. The Schools Amateur Boxing Association (SABA) has developed the Kid Gloves scheme ( ),a -non-contact version of the sport where outside coaches teach a range of basic skills. Chris Andrews, assistant secretary of the SABA, said the scheme was regarded as a way of changing the decline in boxing in state schools which began 25 years ago. Safety fears and the poor image of professional boxing had accelerated the sport's decline. Concern was worsened by incidents such as the death of the professional boxer Bradley Stone. But the Croxteth example was winning more supporters. Mr. Andrews said the idea was particularly well received in the north-east of England. "The interest shown so far has been enormous," he said. "I believe that boxing will come back into schools. A video has been produced to promote boxing in schools, and a bid has been made for a Sports Council grant ." He said, "I think there is a genuine recognition that there are aspects to boxing, if it is controlled and properly run, that really are very beneficial for children. This scheme takes away the dangers. I hope boxing can be promoted throughout the country in a more coordinated way." Such an idea horrifies such groups as the British Medical Association (BMA) and the British Safety Council, both critics of the idea. Dr Jeffrey Cundy, the joint author of a BMA report on boxing, accepted that the scheme in Liverpool was non-contact, but he was still opposed. He said, "We feel that children should still not be introduced to boxing, because they will then be encouraged to take up an activity which is uniquely dangerous when actual contact takes place." He added, "There is a whole range of sports which will teach the discipline that comes from boxing without the dangers. We see this reintroduction in schools as an unhealthy development." At the 800-pupil Croxteth school, Steve Stewart, head of PE, said boxing had helped to improve self-confidence, self-discipline, self-awareness and self-respect in those taking part. Everybody could get involved and, because all were starting from scratch, the improvements could be quickly seen. Certificates were presented to the pupils at the end of the course by Paul Hodgkinson, a local boxer who is a former world champion. Next year, the course will be repeated and if possible girls will be allowed to take part following requests from them. Gerry Thompson and Tony Curry, both 12,have enjoyed the boxing sessions and say they will both join a local boxing club. "I thought it was brilliant," said Gerry. "I would rather be a professional boxer than a footballer. It's more enjoyable*" The Kid Gloves scheme is developed by SABA primarily to _ . A. provide more fun for students B. encourage students to be better-behaved C. help students gain a sense of achievement D. promote the boxing course in a less dangerous way Answer: D Young people and older people do not always agree.They sometimes have different ideas about living,working and playing.But in one special programme in New York State,adults and teenagers live together in a friendly way. Each summer 200 teenagers and 50 adults live together for eight weeks as members of a special work group.Everyone works several hours each day.They do so not just to keep busy but to find meaning and fun in work.Some teenagers work in the forests or on the farms near the village.Some learn to make things like tables and chairs and to build houses.The adults teach them these skills. There are several free hours each day.Weekends are free,too.During the free hours some of the teenagers learn photo-taking or drawing.Others sit around and talk or sing.Each teenager chooses his own way to pass his free time. When people live together,they should have rules.In this programme the teenagers and the adults make the rules together.If someone breaks a rule,the problem goes before the whole group.They talk about it and ask,"Why did it happen?What should we do about it?" One of the teenagers has said something about it,"You have to stop thinking only about yourself.You learn how to think about the group." In one special programme in New York State,young and older people . A. don't work well together B. are friendly to each other C. teach each other new ways of building houses D. spend eight weeks together,working as farmers Answer: B Nancy is an English school girl. She studies in a middle school. She has a little brother. His name is John. John is only four. Nancy likes him very much. Today is Sunday. Nancy wants to do her homework. She takes out her pencil-box and opens it. "Oh, dear! Where's my pen?" She can't find her pen. She goes to ask her brother in his bedroom. "John! I can't find my pen. Can you see it? Oh, what are you doing with my pen? " "I'm writing to my friend, Peter." John answers. "But how can you? You don't know how to write! " "It doesn't matter. Peter can't read. " John says. ,. Which is NOT right? A. Nancy finds her pen in John's room. B. John can't write. C. John is writing with her sister's pen. D. Peter can read. Answer: D If you want to become a better reader, what should you know about speed of reading? Some people read very rapidly , while others read very slowly. But which one is better? The rapid reader may be a good reader when he reads a storybook for fun. But he may not be able to slow down enough to read directions carefully. He may read so rapidly that he does not take time to understand fully the ideas and information which are important to remember. The slow reader may be a good reader when he reads directions for making something. But he may spend too much time in reading a simple story which is meant to be enjoyed but is not important enough to be remembered. So, you see, either a rapid reader or a slow reader is not really a good one. If you wish to become a better reader, here are four important things to remember about speed of reading. 1. Knowing why you are reading will often help you to know whether to read rapidly or slowly. 2. Some things should be read slowly throughout. Examples are directions for making or doing something, science and history books, and Maths problems. You must read such things slowly or remember each important step and understand each important idea. 3. Some things should be read rapidly throughout. Examples are simple stories for enjoyment, letters from friends and bits of news from hometown papers. 4. In some of your reading, you must change your speed from fast to slow and slow to fast, as you go along. You will need to read certain pages rapidly and then slow down and do more careful reading when you come to important ideas. What is the important thing you should keep in mind about speed of reading? A. To read as fast as you can. B. To fit your reading speed to your needs. C. To read as slowly as possible. D. To keep your reading at a certain speed. Answer: B Mrs Green lives in a small village . Her husband is dead ,but she has one son .His name is Jack . He is twenty-one .He worked in the shop in the village and lived with his mother , but then he found a job in a faraway town named Green Sea .He went and lived there .Mrs Green was not happy about it . Last Sunday ,Mrs Green was angry .She got on a train and went to her son's house in Green Sea . Then she said to him,"Jack ,why do you never telephone me ?" Jack laughed , "But ,mother ,you don't have a telephone ." "No,"she answered, "I haven't , but you have one !" Jack didn't telephone his mother because _ . A. he didn't like her B. he could see her every day C. he had no telephone D. his mother had no telephone Answer: D I'm a teacher. But there are days, like today, when I wonder why. The results of an English quiz taken by my fifth-graders were depressing. Despite my best efforts, the world of pronouns remains a mystery to them. How I wish there were a way to make the study of our language as exciting as a computer game, so the glazed looks would not appear in their eyes at the mention of the word "grammar." I remember my husband's words: "Why don't you quit? You'd probably make more money by doing something else, and you wouldn't have papers to grade every night." Tonight I have a stack of papers to grade, which I promised my students I would return tomorrow. But a friend, whom I haven't seen in a year, is visiting from Belgium, and I told her I would keep this evening free. Sitting in traffic behind a distant stoplight, it's hard not to replay the day. A voice reports the body of a local youngster, missing for weeks, has been identified. This missing child has had a deep effect on my students. They wondered, "If it happened to her, could it happen to me?" My children had found the answer themselves. They got out their pencils, markers and made cards. Cards were written with words of compassion and love for a mother and father they didn't know. Cards were filled with red hearts, golden crosses, flowers and angels. Their cards, intended to comfort others, comforted the children themselves by leading them past the anxiety, back into the world of security that should be theirs. And then I remember why I'm still teaching. It's the children. They're more important than a lifetime filled with quiet evenings and more valuable than a pocket filled with money. My classroom, a child-filled world of discovery, of kindness and of caring is the real world. It's time to call my friend. I have promises to keep. She'll understand. After all, she's a teacher. The students' attitude to the missing child's parents might be that of _ . A. doubt B. unconcern C. sympathy D. tolerance Answer: C We often think of future.We often wonder what the world would be like in a hundred years' time. Think of space, perhaps a permanent station on the moon will have been set up.Perhaps people will be able to visit the moon as tourists.Cheap rockets for space travel will have been developed, permitting long journeys throughout the solar system .When that time comes, people will be taking holidays in space and visiting other planets.Great progress will have been discovered for the most terrible of all diseases--cancer.Pollution is a problem we must solve.In a hundred years' time it will have been controlled. All the world will have been developed--even Antarctica.There will be large cities in Antarctica.We already have supersonic flight, but in a hundred years' time we will have supersonic land travel as well. We will have used up most of earth's land to build our cities, so floating cities will have been built.The Japanese already have plans for cities of this kind.And there will be cities under the sea.The first of these will have been completed. The best title for the passage is _ . A. Travel in the Future B. Future Life C. Where to Live in the Future D. Space Travel Answer: B Strong Museum Hours Monday---Thursday: 10:00 am---5:00 pm Friday: 10:00 am---8:00 pm Saturday: 10:00 am -- -5:00 pm Sunday: 11:00 am---5:00 pm Closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Museum Shop is open during regular museum hours. The Museum Library is open during Monday---Friday: 10:00 am---5:00 pm. The Skyliner Restaurant is open during regular museum hours from Monday to Saturday, and from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm on Sunday. Admission Adults: $7.00 The aged and students with ID: $6.00 Strong Museum offers a 50% discount to groups of 20 or more. Strong Museum usually opens _ except on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. A. Monday to Thursday B. every day C. every weekday D. at weekends Answer: B
True Manliness "Please, mother, do sit down and let me try my hand,"said Fred Liscom, a bright active boy, twelve years old. Mrs. Liscom, looking pale and worn, was moving languidly about, trying to clear away the breakfast she had scarcely tasted. She smiled and said, "You, Fred, you wash dishes?" "Yes, indeed, mother," answered Fred. "I should be a poor scholar if I couldn't, when I've seen you do it so many times. Just try me." A look of relief came over his mother's face as she seated herself in her low rocking chair. Fred washed the dishes and put them in the closet. He swept the kitchen, brought up the potatoes from the cellar for the dinner and washed them, and then set out for school. Fred's father was away from home and as there was some cold meat in the pantry , Mrs. Liscom found it an easy task to prepare dinner. Fred hurried home from school, set the table, and again washed the dishes. He kept on in this way for two or three days, until his mother was able to resume her usual work. He felt amply rewarded when the doctor, who happened in one day, said, "Well, madam, it's my opinion that you would have been very sick if you had not kept quiet." The doctor did not know how the "quiet" had been secured, nor how the boy's heart bounded at his words. Fred had given up a great deal of what boys hold dear, for the purpose of helping his mother, coasting and skating being just at this time in perfection. Besides this, his temper and his patience had been severely tried. He had been in the habit of going early to school and staying to play after it was dismissed. The boys missed him and their curiosity was excited when he would give no other reason for not coming to school earlier, or staying after school, than that he was "Wanted at home." "I'll tell you," said Tom Barton, "I'll find him out, boys-see if I don't!" So, one morning on his way to school, he called on Fred. As he went around to the side door, he walked lightly and somewhat nearer the kitchen window than was ly needful. Looking in, he saw Fred standing at the table with a dishcloth in his hand. Of course he reported this at school, and various were the greetings poor Fred received at recess ."Well, you're a brave one to stay at home washing dishes!""Girl boy!" "Pretty Bessie!""Lost your apron, haven't you, Polly!" Fred was not wanting either in spirit or in courage, and he was strongly tempted to resent these insults and to fight some of his tormentors . But his consciousness of right and his love for his mother helped him. While he was struggling for self-mastery, his teacher appeared at the door of the schoolhouse. Fred caught his eye, and it seemed to look, if it did not say, "Don't give up! Be really brave!" He knew the teacher had heard the insulting taunts of his thoughtless schoolmates. The boys received notice during the day that Fred must not be taunted in any manner. They knew that the teacher meant what he said; and so the brave little boy had no further trouble. The following facts showed Fred's true manliness EXCEPT that _ . A. he exercised self-control when facing the insults from his classmates. B. he voluntarily did the housework when his mother was sick. C. he gave up a great deal of what boys held dear for the sake of his mother, D. he was free from further trouble thanks to his teacher's help. Answer: D Like many other small boys, I was fascinated by cars, not least because my oldest brother was a bit of a car guy and subscribed to cool magazines like Car and Driver and Motor Trend. Every so often, one of those magazines would run an article on the "Car of the Future". They featured unconventional styling and things like small nuclear reactors as power sources. Yet, frankly, my car doesn't do anything that my brother's Studebaker didn't do. It goes, it stops, it burns gasoline, it plays music. I still have to steer it, and it still runs into things if I don't steer it carefully. But guess what? All of these things are subject to change in the not-so-distant future. It will still go and stop, but it may not burn gasoline, I may not have to steer it, and it may be a lot better at not running into things. Airbags aren't the be-all and end-all in safety. In fact, considering the recent news about people occasionally being killed by their airbags in low-speed collisions ,they obviously still need some development. But they aren't going away, and in fact, you can expect to see cars appearing with additional, side-impact airbags, something some European car manufacturers already offer. Better than systems to minimize injury in the event of an accident, however, are systems that minimize the likelihood of an accident happening in the first place. Future cars may be able to eliminate many of the major causes of accidents, including drunk-driving, tailgating and sleepiness. Cars could be equipped with sensors that can detect alcohol in a driver's system and prevent the car from being started, for example. Many accidents are caused by people following the car in front too closely. As early as next year, you'll be able to buy cars with radar-equipped control systems. If the radar determines you're closing too quickly with the car in front, it will ease up on the throttle . For city streets, expect other radar devices that will give advance warning that the car in front of you has slowed abruptly and you should step on the brakes-or that may even brake for you. Will cars eventually be able to drive themselves? There's no reason to think it won't be technically possible, and Mercedes is working on a system that can brake, accelerate and steer a vehicle down a highway on its own. Nobody really expects people to give up all control to their cars, but such systems could be used as failsafe systems to keep cars on the road and bring them safely to a stop even if the driver suddenly became disabled. According to the author, what will future cars do if the sensors detect alcohol in the driver's system? A. They will give a warning in advance. B. They will brake automatically. C. They will ease up on the throttle. D. They will not start. Answer: D A scientist working at her lab bench and a six-old baby playing with his food might seem to have little in common.After all,the scientist is engaged in serious research to uncover the very nature of the physical world,and the baby is,well, just playing...right?Perhaps,but some developmental psychologists have argued that this"play"is more like a scientific investigation than one might think. Take a closer look at the baby playing at the table.Each time the bowl of rice is pushed over the table edge,it falls in the ground---and, in the process, it belongs out important evidence about how physical objects interact ; bowls of rice do not flood in mid-sit, but require support to remain stable. It is likely that babies are not born knowing the basic fact of the universe; nor are they ever clearly taught it. Instead, babies may form an understanding of object support through repeated experiments and then build on this knowledge to learn even more about how objects interact. Though their ranges and tools differ, the baby's investigation and the scientist's experiment appear to share the same aim(to learn about the natural world ), overall approach (gathering direct evidence from the world), and logic (are my observations what I expected?). Some psychologists suggest that young children learn about more than just the physical world in this way---that they investigate human psychology and the rules of language using similar means. For example, it may only be through repeated experiments, evidence gathering, and finally overturning a theory, that a baby will come to accept the idea that other people can have different views and desires from what he or she has, for example, unlike the child , Mommy actually doesn't like Dove chocolate. Viewing childhood development as a scientific investigation throws on how children learn ,but it also offers an inspiring look at science and scientists. Why do young children and scientists seem to be so much alike? Psychologists have suggested that science as an effort ---the desire to explore, explain, and understand our world---is simply something that comes from our babyhood. Perhaps evolution provided human babies with curiosity and a natural drive to explain their worlds, and adult scientists simply make use of the same drive that served them as children. The same cognitive systems that make young children feel good about feel good about figuring something out may have been adopted by adult scientists. As some psychologists put it, "It is not that children are little scientists but that scientists are big children." What is the author's tone when he discusses the connection between scientists' research and babies' play? A. Convincing. B. Confused. C. Confidence. D. Cautious. Answer: D Mike gets up at half past seven. He has an egg and some milk for breakfast. Then he goes to school. When he is on his way to school, he is thinking, " I tell my teacher that my mother is ill on Mon---day. I tell him my bike doesn't work on my way to school on Tuesday. What should I say to--day? Mike thinks it over, but he doesn't have a good idea. "May I come in?" says Mike at the door. "Oh, my boy," says Mr. Brown. "Please look at the clock on the wall. What time is it now?" "It's eight ten," says Mike. Mr. Brown is not happy and says, "You are late for class three times this week. If all the students are like you, the clock is no use, I think." " You are wrong, Mr. Brown," says Mike. "If I don't have the clock how do I know I am late for school?" What time does Mike get to his classroom today? A. At 7:30 B. At 8:10 C. At 8:20 D. At 8:30 Answer: B BALTIMORE. MARYLAND--An old postcard changed the lives of an eleven-year-old boy and a very sick woman. The postcard had a picture of the steamship Titanic. The Titanic was the largest ocean ship in the world. It hit an iceberg and sank on April 14. 1912. More than 1,500 of the 2,200 people on the ship were killed. The postcard was passed from one person to another for more than 80 years. Then it appeared at a card show for people who liked to collect postcards. An eleven-year-old boy, Joey Russell, came to the show with his grandfather. His grandfather knew everything about the Titanic and its trip from England to New York. "Let's buy that postcard." he told Joey. "It will be important someday." Two years later, Joey's grandfather took him on a special trip. They went on a trip to the North Atlantic ocean to watch as workers pulled the Titanic up from the bottom of the ocean. Joey put his special postcard in his bag for the trip. On the ship, Joey met Edith Haisman. This woman was on the Titanic when it sank. She was one of the people who were _ Joey pulled the postcard out of his pocket. "Please sign this, Mrs. Haisman." he said. She was happy to write her name on the back of the postcard. When Joey got home, he put the postcard away and forgot about it, Then Kate Shelley, one of Joey's friends, told him that her mother was very sick. She needed an operation, but there was a problem. The operation was very expensive, and the family needed $80, 000 to pay for it. Friends and relatives tried to help. But where could they get so much money? Then when Joey went to see the new movie "Titanic", he had an idea. "Millions of people are seeing this movie and reading about the Titanic." Joey thought. He remembered the old postcard with Edith Haisman's signature on it. "Maybe I can sell it for some money. Then I can help Kate's mom." Joey told his mother and father about his idea to help Mrs. Shelley. His parents helped him try to sell the postcard to the person who would pay the most money for it. Joey's story was on television and in newspapers. Joey and Kate even went to New York to be on a national TV show. After the show, many people called in to offer money for the Titanic card. Someone bought it for $60. 000. Joey's kind heart and the old Titanic postcard worked together to save a woman's life. When did Joey Russell have the idea of selling his old postcard for money? A. When Kate Shelley told him of her mother's sickness. B. When he went to see the new movie "Titanic". C. When he was reading the new book of Titanic. D. When he remembered Mrs. Haisman's signature on his card. Answer: A People smile at times. However, the meaning of a smile in different cultures may be different. Depending on different cultures, smiling can express joy and amusement, but it can also show embarrassment . People in the United States smile a lot. Every one smiles at each other in order to show they are open and friendly. However, in China, smiling is not only an expression of happiness, but also a way to avoid being embarrassed. Chinese people like smiling when they are embarrassed in order to avoid embarrassment. Smiling is a kind of good will but not sneer . For example: When a child falls down from a bike, the adults in China may smile, which is a kind of gentle encouragement and not a kind of impolite laugh. When a person from the United States might blush with embarrassment or become offensive , a Chinese might blush with smile. To avoid serious misunderstanding, people who engage in intercultural communication should be able to understand the meaning of smiling properly. In China, seeing a child falls off a bike, an adult will smile in order to _ . A. laugh at him B. avoid his own embarrassment C. avoid embarrassment and encourage the boy D. show his politeness Answer: C Annette Kellerman was born in Australia in 1887.She had polio and could not walk easily.She had to wear metal supports on her legs to stand up on her own.To make her legs stronger,her mother took her for swimming lessons every week.Swimming made her legs so strong that when she was 15 she was able to throw away her supports. Her family was poor so she got work acting as a mermaid.She wore a long tail and fish swam around her.People paid to come and see her. In 1900 Annette swam in the Paris Olympics and won two gold medals. The next year she tried to swim across the Channel.She was the first woman to try to do it though she had to stop after swimming for six hours. In 1915 Annette went to Hollywood and was the star of two films. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A. she was successful in swimming across the Channel B. In 1901 she tried to swim across the Channel but later she had to stop. C. She wasn't able to throw away her supports at the age of fifteen. D. She swam across the Channel for only six days Answer: B A Bite of China Are you an eating-lover? Do you want to eat every delicious food in the world? Then do you watch the popular program A Bite of China? It's a TV program on Chinese delicious food which has been produced by CCTV. Is there any holiday that isn't celebrated with special festival food? Here are several traditional Chinese foods: Noodles are a symbol of long life in Chinese culture. They are as much a part of Chinese birthday celebration as a birthday cake with its candles lit in many western countries. Since noodles mean long life, it is considered very unlucky to cut it off. Although westerners sometimes may be very sorry to see fish lying on the plate, in China a whole fish is a symbol of richness. In fact, at a party it is a tradition to serve the whole fish last, pointed towards the most valued guest. Fish also has a special meaning because the Chinese word for fish, yu, sounds like the word for richness or plenty, and it is believed that eating fish will help your wishes come true in the year to come. A very popular dish during the Dragon Boat Festival is Zongzi. This tasty dish is made of rice dumplings with meat, peanuts or other delicious food in bamboo leaves. The tradition of Zongzi is meant to remind us of a great man, Qu Yuan in Chinese history. Fish has a special meaning in Chinese culture mainly because _ . A. it is served last at a party B. it is pointed to the valued guest C. it sounds like the word yu in Chinese D. it is so delicious that all Chinese people like it Answer: C London Thursday July 26(Reuters)--Ian Johnstone missed his girlfriend so much that he flew back to Britain from Australia to propose to her.The problem is that she flew in the opposite direction. He and Amy Dolby even managed to miss each other when they sat in the same airport waiting-room in Singapore at the same time to wait for connecting flights. Dolby,heartbroken when she arrived at Johnstone's Sydney apartment to find he had flown to London,told the Times:"It was as though someone was playing a cruel joke on us.He is the most romantic person I have ever known.I think our problem is that we are both quite impulsive people.We are always trying to surprise each other." After an 11,000-mile flight across the globe,she was greeted by Johnstone's astonished flatmate asking what she was doing there. "The terrible truth dawned when I found that Lan's rucksack and most of his clothes were missing.I sat on the end of his bed and cried my eyes out.And that really annoyed me,"she said. Johnstone,a 27-year-old bricklayer,had taken a year off to travel round Australia.But he was missing Dolby,a 26-year-old secretary,so much he got a job on a Sydney building site and started saving for a surprise. He then flew home to Britain and went to her apartment armed with an engagement ring,champagne and flowers. "I really missed Amy and I'd been thinking about her all the time.I thought she was winding me up when she phoned me from Australia."he said. Johnstone then asked Dolby to marry him on the phone."I didn't know whether to laugh or cry but I accepted,"she said. Dolby was given a short tour of Sydney by Johnstone's friends and Johnstone had to stay in Britain for two weeks because he could not change his ticket. When Johnstone asked her to marry him on the phone,Dolby didn't know whether to laugh or cry because she had a mixed feeling of_. A. excitement,anger and shyness B. sadness,happiness and surprise C. love,hatred and nevousness D. cheer,regret and annoyance Answer: D When a handheld video game runs out of power, all you have to do is plug it in and charge it up. Within a few years, some of you might do the same thing with mom's car. Automobile companies are developing vehiclesthat will plug into electricsockets , just like many laptops, digitalcameras, cell phones and small video game players do. Called "plug-inhybrids ," these cars will get most of their power from electricity. Their drivers will rarely haveto stop at gas stations. The technology is more than just cool. In our automobile-filled world, plug-in vehicles could reduce the amount of gasoline we use. That gas is made from crude oil, which has been kept rising in cost. Plus, driving around in these hybrids may even help the environment. Gas-burning cars produce a lot of carbon dioxide, a type of greenhouse gas. These gases stay in the atmosphere, where theytrapheat and cause global warming. The first company-produced plug-in hybrids could hitthe roads by 20l0. But engineers still have a lot of work to do to make the technology practical and inexpensive. Batteries are the biggest challenge. In the plug-in-hybrid world, Li-ion batteries are getting the most attention. These batteries can store a large amount of energy in a small package, and they last a ly long time between charges. Li-ion batteries are standard in laptops, cell phones, heart devicesand similarportabledevices. But because cars are so big and heavy, it would still require a suitcase-sized Li-ion battery to power about l2km of driving. What's more, the batteries are extremely expensive. "A car filled with batteries could go a long distance," says Ted Bohn, an electrical engineer in prefix = st1 /Chicago. "But it couldn'thaul any people, and it would cost $l00,000." So researchers need to figure out how to make batteries smaller and cheaper, among other questions. "The answers don't exist yet," Bohn says. "As a kid I thought someone someplace knows the answer to everything. All of these questions haven't been decided. That's what engineering is about -- making a guess, running tests and fine-tuningresults." Which is true according to the passage? A. Plug-in hybrids will do no harm to the environment. B. Li-lion batteries in laptops can be used on plug-in hybrids. C. Some companies can produce plug-in hybrids now. D. Drivers of plug-in hybrids will spend less money on gasoline. Answer: D
Dave Smith is 12. He has a sister .Her name is Jenny .She is 8. Dave has a dictionary .It is blue .The dictionary is in his black backpack .He has a computer game and he likes it .Jenny has a watch .It is red .She likes it very much. She has a good pencil case ,too .It's white . Her pencil ,ruler ,eraser and pen are in the pencil case. Her pencil case is in her yellow backpack. What color is Jenny's backpack? A. It's black B. It's red C. It's green D. It's yellow Answer: D The Exterminating Angel Director: Luis Bunuel Country/Date : Mexico/1962 (black and white) Introduction : A party is organized in a high class society house. Many people are drinking and eating. It's getting late, but nobody is leaving. Even though the door is open, people seem to be locked in the house. They can't leave either the day or on the following days. So a rescue began. The Net Director: Irwin Winkler Country/Date: U.S.A./1995 Introduction: Angela Bennettt is a computer programmer who has devoted her life to computers and the Internet. She spends hours and hours in front of the screen. She does everything over the Internet, and she has some close friends in a chat room, though she has never talked to her neighbors. Kung Fu Panda Director : Mark Osborne & John Stevenson Country/Date : U.S.A./2008 Introduction: The leading character is a panda whose name is Po. He is lazy first but he has a great dream----to be a kung fu master. To make his dream come true, he goes to a faraway temple to learn kung fu from a master. However, one of his brothers, Tai Long wants to become the kung fu master, killing many of his brothers even the master. So Po fights against Tai Long and defeats him, The film is good especially for kids. Life is Beautiful Director: Roberto Benigni Country/Date : Italy/1998 Introduction: In 1939, during World WarII in Italy, Guido, a hopeful man, the main character fell in love with Dora, and they got married. Five years later, their lives changed. Guido and Joshua were taken by the Nazis to a concentration camp and Dora also went there with her husband and son. At that place, Guido tried his best to save his son's life in a special way. What can we learn about Life is Beautiful? A. It's about a rescue of people who can't leave a house. B. The story is set in World WarII. C. It was made in America in 1995. D. The main character is absorbed in computer. Answer: B The Louvre Museum is one of the largest, oldest, most important and famous museum in the world. It is famous for holding several of the world's most valuable works of art. Its collections' number is over 380,000 objects, though not one of the world's largest collections, arguably one of the finest. The art treasures of the Louvre Museum cover 5,000 years and are displayed in over 10 kilometers of galleries. The oldest artifact in the museum is 9,000 years old. Mona Lisa(1503-1506), painted by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. The artist's use of very deep space in the background with a half-length portrait is typical of Renaissance painting style. This painting hangs in the Louvre, Paris. It is one of the most famous collections in the Louvre. On November 8th, 1793, the Louvre was opened as a public museum. It is open from 9 am to 6 pm all days except Tuesdays. The entrance fee is 7.5 before 3 pm. It is free under 18 years old. The Louvre Museum in Paris had a record number of visitors in 2005. About 7.3 million people visited the art museum in 2005. Which of the following statements leads us to the conclusion that The Louvre Museum is popular? A. The art treasures of the Louvre Museum cover 5,000 years. B. It is famous for holding several of the world's most valuable works of art. C. The Louvre Museum in Paris had a record number of visitors in 2005. D. The entrance fee is 7.5 before 3 pm. Answer: C When people search online, they leave a trail that remains stored on the central computers of firms such as Google, Yahoo and Microsoft. Analyzing what we're looking for on the Web can offer a remarkable understanding of our anxieties and enthusiasms. UK writer John Battelle wrote on his blog, "This can tell us extraordinary things about who we are and what we want as a culture." Google's experimental service Google Trends, for example, compares the numbers of people searching for different words and phrases from 2004 to the present. According to these graphs, sometimes people's interests are driven obviously by the latest news: when the Spice Girls, a pop group, announce a reunion, there's an immediate rush to find out more about them. Other results are strikingly seasonal: people go shopping online for coats in winter and sandals in summer. The most fascinating possibility is that search data might help predict behavior. Perhaps we search for a political candidate's name when we are thinking about voting for him or her. This information could clearly be useful to a marketer - it's already how Google decides which ads to show on its search results pages - or to a political campaign manager. Marissa Mayer, a Google vice-president, argues that Google Trends correctly "predicted" George Bush's victory over John Kerry in the 2004 election. The graph clearly shows that Bush continued his lead over Kerry, in terms of search volumes, even when polls suggested _ . However, that's not always the case. For instance, the same approach predicted Hillary Clinton would beat Barack Obama in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 turned out to be wrong in the end. On the whole, the author holds a view towards the search trail that _ A. it is necessary to make rules about collecting the search trails B. people are in danger of letting out their personal information C. the search data is very useful to understand people in society D. search trails might cause a lot of disorder. Answer: C Angie went to the library with her mother. First she had to turn in the books she was returning at the return desk. They said hello to the man there. He took their books. Then they went into the adult reading room. Angie sat in a brown chair at the table. She made a drawing of her mother. Her mother found a large red book. Then they went to the Mystery section. Angie sat in a blue chair. She drew a picture of her brother. Her mother found the book. It was a green book. Finally it was time to go to the children's room. It was Story Hour. Miss Hudson was there to read to all the children. She read a book about friendship. After the story Angie sat in the red chair and began drawing. They were drawing pictures of friends. Angie drew a picture of her best friend Lilly. Miss Hudson hung the pictures on the wall. Then Angie and her mother picked out 8 books to read at home. They checked the books out and went home. Where did Angie's mother find the book? A. the adult reading room B. the Children's room C. the return desk D. the Mystery section Answer: D Edison often said, "1 will discover what the world needs, then I will try to invent it." It is true that he did more than any other man of his time in inventing things. He made more than one thousand inventions in his life and all these have changed our way of living. Edison was one of the greatest inventors in the world. When Edison died in 1931, someone said people should turn off all the lights in their homes, streets and factories for several minutes in honor of this great man. Of course it was impossible to do so. And this shows what Edison's inventions mean to people's life. Edison _ in inventing new things. A. took all his time B. paid all his money C. spent his most time D. spent his most money Answer: C 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 of 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". What does the author of the Atlantic article believe? A. Little Free Libraries are more popular than e-reader downloads. B. E-reader downloads are undoubtedly beneficial. C. Little Free Libraries are physical and human. D. The Internet has helped to spread Little Free Libraries. Answer: C Mom's birthday present? It may be a difficult thing for some people, but for me, it is an easy thing. Mom loved flowers, so every year I sent her flowers. Actually she had a bed of irises in the backyard of her small, Indiana farm. They were beautiful. "Take some," she said, "Dig some up and plant them on the side of your own house." But in my yard they became lacking in energy. A year passed, then two, but not one flower appeared. I cut back all their green leaves. I was tired of seeing them so lonely. Finally, I dug the irises up and threw them away. About that time Mom died unexpectedly. My sister and I sold the farm. I never went back to see the irises. I just couldn't bear seeing another family living in our home--Mom's home. Autumn came, then winter. The following spring, as Mom's birthday approached, I struggled with the question of how to remember her. I stared out the window and saw a few stubborn irises in my side yard sprouting , --tall, thin but flowerless. Because of seeing them, I decided to order flowers as I always did on Mom's birthday, and send them to my sister. I wished so badly I could still send flowers to Mom. But that was impossible. In the morning of Mom's birthday, I was in my car ready to work. Something in the yard caught my eye. The irises! One had bloomed with flowers, big, showy and purple, as lovely as they ever had been on Mom's farm. I smiled and turned my eyes upward. I could no longer send flowers to Mom. But somehow, she'd been able to send them to me. What troubled the author? A. She didn't know how to grow irises. B. She regretted they had sold Mom's farm. C. She didn't know what to do in memory of Mom. D. She couldn't bear others living in Mom's home. Answer: C Perhaps the only test score that I remember is the 55 when I was in high school. The test was the final for a course. I remember waiting anxiously as my teacher Mr. Right passed out our papers one by one. It was a rather difficult test. I heard my classmates groaning , and I could tell by the groans that the scores weren't looking good. Mr. Right put my paper on my desk. There in big red numbers, circled to draw attention, was my score, 55! I lowered my head, and covered the score up quickly. A 55 is not something that you wanted your classmates to see. "The scores were not very good, none of you passed," Mr. Right said. "The highest score in the class was a 55." A 55. That's me! Suddenly my sad look didn't look so bad. I had the highest score. I felt a lot better. I walked home alone that day with the low but high score. My father knew that I had a big test that day and asked me as soon as I got home, "How did you do in your test?" "I made a 55," I said. A frown now stood on my father's face. I knew I had to explain immediately. "But Dad, I had the highest score in the class," I proudly stated. I thought that explanation would make a difference. "You failed!" my father replied. "But it's the highest!" I insisted. "I don't care what scores others had, but you failed. What matters is what you do!" my father firmly said. For years, my father was always that way. It didn't matter what others did, it only mattered what I did and that I did it excellently. We often don't understand the wisdom of good parents until we ourselves stand in the parents' shoes. My father's words have carried me throughout life. Which is the best title of the passage? A. The Final Test B. That's Me! C. My Strict Teacher D. Scores, Important? Answer: D For years, there has been a bias against science among clinical psychologists . In a two-year analysis to be published in November inPerspectives on Psychological Science, psychologists led by Timothy B. Baker of the University of Wisconsin charge that many clinical psychologists fail to "provide the treatments for which there is the strongest evidence of effectiveness" and "give more weight to their personal experiences than to science." As a result, patients have no guarantee that their "treatment will be informed by ... science." Walter Mischel of Columbia University is even crueler in his judgment. "The disconnect between what clinical psychologists do and what science has discovered is an extreme embarrassment," he told me, and "there is a widening gap between clinical practice and science." The "widening" reflects the great progress that psychological research has made in identifying the most effective treatments. Thanks to strict clinical trials, we now know that teaching patients to think about their thoughts in new, healthier ways and to act on those new ways of thinking are effective against depression, panic disorder and other problems, with multiple trials showing that these treatments -- the tools of psychology -- bring more lasting benefits than drugs. You wouldn't know this if you sought help from a typical clinical psychologist. Although many treatments are effective, relatively few psychologists learn or practice them. Why in the world not? For one thing, says Baker, clinical psychologists are "very doubtful about the role of science" and "lack solid science training". Also, one third of patients get better no matter what treatment (if any) they have, "and psychologists remember these successes, believing, wrongly, that they are the result of the treatment." When faced with evidence that treatments they offer are not supported by science, clinical psychologists argue that they know better than some study what works. A 2008 study of 591 psychologists in private practice found that they rely more on their own and colleagues' experience than on science when deciding how to treat a patient. If they keep on this path as insurance companies demand evidence-based medicine, warns Mischel, psychology will "discredit itself." In Mischel's opinion, psychology will _ . A. destroy its own reputation if no improvement is made B. develop faster with the support of insurance companies C. work together with insurance companies to provide better treatment D. become more reliable if insurance companies won't demand evidence-based medicine Answer: A
Peter: Let's play computer games! Barry: That sounds interesting, but I don't have a computer. Peter: Well, do you have a volleyball? Barry: Yes. Peter: Then let's play volleyball. Barry: Oh, volleyball is so difficult. Peter: OK, let's watch TV. Barry: That sounds boring. Hmmm, let's play soccer! Do you have a soccer ball? Peter: No, I don't. Barry: Oh, well, do you have a basketball? Peter: Yes, I do. Let's play basketball! Barry: That sounds fun! Who wants to play computer games? A. Peter B. Barry C. Peter and Barry D. Nobody Answer: A Do you suppose Darwin, one of the greatest scientists of all time, really did fools' experiments? Or did he do experiments that were so simple and basic that other people just thought they were foolish? Sometimes, people think they already know the answer to a question or the solution to a problem. Sometimes, they really do know an answer or a solution, but without thinking they are important. Charles Darwin didn't settle for just thinking he knew something. And, he believed all things could be important however simple they seemed to be. Suppose you drop sheets of paper that are of exactly the same size and shape. If you drop them at the same time in the same place, they will fall in the same way. Now make one of the sheets of paper into a tight little ball and let it drop along with the other sheets. What happens? You have done an experiment that is so simple that you might think it couldn't be worth anything. But this simple experiment is important. It explains part of our present day understandings of physics ideas that were worked out long ago by Galileo and Newton. And these understandings set aside some of ancient Greek physics. Scientist sometimes stops to look at very simple things and to think very hard about them. Even the simplest idea, which we might think is foolish, can shake the foundations of science. The author of the passage tries to_. A. convince us that Charles Darwin, Galileo and Newton are the greatest scientists in the world B. draw the conclusion that basic sciences are simple things C. prove that two sheets of paper, with the same size and shape, will fall at the same speed D. draw our attention to everyday happenings around us Answer: D Bob and Frank are good friends.They often go to the movies together on weekends.Bob's favorite actor is Jackie Chan.He has an action movie,Who Am I.It's very exciting.Frank likes the actor Rick Smith.He really likes his movie Black September.Frank thinks it's a very success ful thriller .Bob and Frank are Americans,but they both like Beijing Opera.They think they can learn about Chinese history from it. Bob and Frank often _ together on weekends. A. go to school B. go to the park C. are good friends D. go to see movies Answer: D "Life is speeding up. Everyone is getting unwell." This may sound like something someone would say today. But in fact, an unknown person who lived in Rome in AD 53 wrote it. We all love new inventions. They are exciting, amazing and can even change our lives. But have all these developments really improved the quality of our lives? Picture this. You're rushing to finish your homework on the computer. Your mobile phone rings, a QQ message from your friend appears on the screen, the noise from the television is getting louder and louder. Suddenly the computer goes blank and you lose all your work. Now you have to stay up all night to get it done. How happy do you feel? Inventions have speeded up our lives so much that they often leave up feeling stressed and tired. Why do you think people who live far away from noisy cities, who have no telephones, no cars, not even any electricity often seem to be happier? Perhaps because they live simpler lives. One family in the UK went "back in time" to see what life was like without all the inventions we have today. The grandparents, with their daughter, and grandsons Benjamin, 10 and Thomas, 7, spent nine weeks in a 1940s house. They had no washing machine, microwave , computer or mobile phones. The grandmother, Lyn, said, "The more things you have, the more difficult life becomes." The boys said they fought less. Probably, they said, because there was less to fight over, such as their computer. Benjamin also noticed that his grandmother had changed from being a "trendy , beer-drinking granny", to one who cooked things. The writer uses the quote at the beginning of the story to _ . A. tell us a truth about our lives B. tell us what life was like long time ago C. point out what causes such a thing to happen D. point out some problems we will meet in the life Answer: A I entered St Thoma's Hospital as a medical student at the age of 18 and spent five years there . I was an unsatisfactory student , for my heart , as you might have guessed , was not in it . I wanted , I had always wanted to be a writer , and in the evening , after my high tea , I wrote and read . Before long , I wrote a novel , called " Liza of Lambeth", which I sent to a publisher and was accepted . It appeared during my last year at the hospital and had something of a success . It was of course an accident , but naturally I did not know that . I felt I could afford to give up medicine and make writing my profession ; so, three days after I graduated from the school of medicine , I set out forprefix = st1 /Spainto write another book. Looking back now , and knowing as I do the terrible difficulties of making a living by writing , I realize I was taking a fearful risk . It never even occurred to me . The next ten years were very hard , and I earned an average of PS100 a year . Then I had a bit of luck . The manager of the Court Theatre put on a play that failed ; the next play he arranged to put on was not ready , and he was at his wits' end.He read a play of mine and , though he did not much like it , he thought it might just run for the six weeks till the play he had in mind to follow it with could be produced . It ran for fifteen months . Within a short while I had four plays running in Londonat the same time . Nothing of the kind had ever happened before . I was the talk of the town . One of the students atSt Thomas's Hospital asked the eminent surgeon with whom I had worked whether he remembered me . " Yes, I remember him quite well , " he said . " One of our failures , I'm afraid ." The author wanted to be a writer because _ . A. his heart was not in medicine. B. he found it easier to make a living by writing C. he liked taking risks D. he was interested in writing Answer: D A "talking kitchen" teaches students how to cook French dishes and speak French. Researchers at New Castle University have developed the French Digital Kitchen. Professors Paul Seedhouse and Patrick Olivier led the project. Professor Seedhouse says that it works like a satellite navigation system in a car. The kitchen equipment and tools use motion sensor technology similar to the Nintendo Wii game system. The sensors help a computer guide the students through instructions in French. The system can tell whether you've done what you were asked to do or not. For example, the system tells you to take some butter and cut it with a knife. There's a sensor on the package containing the butter so it can tell where the butter's being moved. The sensor in the knife not only knows that the knife is moving, but it also knows what motion the knife is making. So it can tell whether the knife is being used. And so it doesn't go on to the next stage of the program unless you've done what it tells you to do. Students can ask the computer to repeat the instructions or translate them into English. There are vocabulary lessons before and after the cooking. Professor Seedhouse became interested in the idea after he visited a talking kitchen designed for a different purpose. "It was actually for communicating with people who suffer from dementia " .And so, for example, it can speak to those people and tell them that they've left the cooker on and they should turn it off." If a person doesn't follow the instructions while cooking, _ . A. the computer will keep repeating the instructions B. the instructions will be translated into English C. the next stage of the program will be changed D. the further instructions will not be given Answer: D Anna was excited about starting her first day in the new school. However, when she first walked past the students in the school, her excitement turned to fear, and then to loneliness over the next few days. "Why didn't anyone say 'hi' to me or invite me to his or her lunch table? Is it because of my clothes or my hair?" she wondered. Almost every day during the first week, Anna stayed alone, thinking that there must have been something wrong with her or that nobody saw her at all! What caused Anna's problem? The reason was that nobody knew her. Most people don't like talking with strangers . So it's your job to volunteer to make contact with people who you want to know. The easiest way to catch their attention is to notice them first. Make eye contact with them and smile at them. When you smile at them, you are doing your best to show your kindness to them, and they are sure to understand that you are saying, "Hey, how's everything going?" In this way, you are taking the first step towards the road to friendship. When Anna realized this, she started talking to her classmates. Guess what happened? It really worked. She had made two friends by the end of the month. In fact, saying "hi" or making friends with strangers is not hard. And the joy it brings you is really great. So try to open your heart to strangers! What can you learn from the passage? A. Teenagers can't get along well with each other. B. Loneliness is a common problem these days. C. Opening our heart to strangers can help us get friends. D. It's hard to take the first step towards the road to friendship. Answer: C Now throwing shoes at President Bush is a popular game on the Internet. It turns out that there are times when it's good to throw shoes. After leaving his office in the center of the city, a young man bought a new car and drove it from the city to his home. He was very happy and the car ran very fast. Suddenly, a shoe hit the car door . The man got very angry. He jumped out of the car and caught a boy who still had a shoe in his hand. "Who are you? Why did you do that?" the young man shouted at the boy. "I'm sorry. But I don't know what else to do. My sister has been hurt. I cried for help but nobody stopped," the boy said. The man looked around and saw a girl by the road. Her leg was bleeding . "She is my sister. She wanted to cross the road but fell out of her wheelchair. She is too heavy for me. I can't get her back into the _ . "The man was moved. He helped the bleeding girl back into her wheelchair. "Thank you. You're so kind," said the little boy. Life speaks to our hearts. Sometimes we don't have time to listen and it will throw a shoe at us. Who threw a shoe at the car? A. A small boy B. A bleeding girl C. A young man D. An old lady Answer: A Sometimes Karen likes to go to the library. Her friend Michael also likes the library, but her other friend James does not like the library. Karen and Michael like to read about different things. They can learn about things that they don't know much about. They also like to read fun and exciting stories. The librarian, Mr. Hernandez, knows Michael and Karen, because they are in the library a lot. He knows what kind of books they like. When the library gets new books, he tells Karen and Michael about any books that he thinks they would like. James only goes to the library when he has to read a book for class. Mr. Hernandez does not know very much about James, because James does not go to the library often. Karen's favorite books are about airplanes, cars, and trains. She like reading about how fast they can go, and about the workers who build them. When she grows up, she is going to buy a fast car and travel to different states. Michael likes books about dinosaurs, cowboys, and fireworks. When he grows up, he is going to buy a costume and dress up like a cowboy. Why does Mr. Hernandez know what kind of books Michael and Karen like? A. Because they are in the library a lot. B. Because Karen told him that she liked dinosaurs. C. Because James told Mr. Hernandez what books Karen and Michael like. D. Because Michael told him that he liked fireworks. Answer: A By way of a gift, Pat executed a deed naming his daughter, Marian, as grantee. The deed contained descriptions as follows: (1) All of my land and dwelling known as 44 Main Street, Midtown, United States, being one acre (2) All that part of my farm, being a square with 200-foot sides, the southeast corner of which is in the north line of my neighbor, Julia Brown. The deed contained covenants of general warranty, quiet enjoyment, and right to convey. Pat handed the deed to Marian, who immediately returned it to her father for safekeeping. Her father kept it in his safe deposit box. The deed was not recorded. The property at 44 Main Street covered 7/8 of an acre of land, had a dwelling and a garage situated thereon, and was subject to a right of way, described in prior deeds, in favor of Jack, a neighbor. Pat owned no other land on Main Street. Jack had not used the right of way for 10 years, and it was not visible on inspection of the property."The description of part of Pat's farm A. is sufficient if consideration has been paid. B. is sufficient because no ambiguity therein appears on the face of the deed. C. could be enforced if the deed contained a covenant of seisin. D. is insufficient because of vagueness Answer: D
My 17-year-old daughter went off to college and having her away from home brought back memories of watchingPeter Pan when she was little. In the classic TV production, one scene in particular impressed me: when Mrs Darling puts her children into bed. As she turns off the last of the night lights, she takes one last look at the bedroom and says, "Dear night lights, protect my sleeping children." As a mother, I know how much she loves her children. It has been several weeks since we took our daughter to college and she seems to be adjusting well after a short period of homesickness. For us, though, it's another story. Like most parents, I love checking in on my children at night. But now she's gone, and I find nighttimes the hardest. I miss her most at night. In my neighborhood, most of the parents whose kids are off to college are dealing with similar _ . My husband is filled with anxiety. One friend talked about getting this sick feeling in her stomach as she prepared for the college drop-off. We complained that many of us were too busy to truly enjoy being with our children while we had them. For us moms, seeingToy Story 3only made the sadness worse as we watched the character Andy, who is the same age as our kids, say goodbye to his childhood as he prepares to leave for college. And it's not just "first-time" parents like me. Two moms who have kids already well into college said the separation didn't get any easier. "You feel like something has been taken away from inside you," said one of them. I imagine things will get easier with time, especially as I see my daughter adjust to college life. Meanwhile, as I keep my cellphone close to me in bed and text my daughter goodnight and sweet dreams every night, I like to think that messages serve as a night light that keeps her safe. The writer was deeply impressed by the scene inPeter Pan because _ . A. she watched the scene with her daughter B. the scene was very exciting and interesting C. the scene taught her and her daughter a good lesson D. the scene showed a mother's deep love for her children Answer: D Why do men live a shorter life than women? The latest research indicates that men's hearts going into a rapid decline when they reach middle age could be the cause. The research of ageing on the heart has shown that women's _ may be linked to the fact that their hearts do not lose much pumping power with age. "We have found that the power of the male heart falls by 20-25 percent between 20 and 70 years of age," said the head of the study, Samantha of Liverpool John Moores University in the UK. "Within the heart there are millions of cells which make it beat.Between the ages of 20 and 70, one-third of those cells die and are not replaced in men ," said Samantha."This is part of the ageing process." What amazes scientists is that the female heart suffers very little loss of these cells.A healthy 70-year-old woman's heart could work almost as perfectly as a 20-year-old one's. "This gender difference might give the reason why men live shorter than women,"said Samantha.They studied over 250 healthy men and women between the ages of 17 and 80, who are mainly healthy persons so as to reduce the influence of disease."The team has yet to think about why ageing suffers a greater loss on the male heart," said Samantha. But there is also good news -- men can enjoy the health of their hearts with regular exercise.Samantha stressed that women should also take regular exercise to stop their leg muscles getting weaker as they age. The text mainly talks about _ . A. men's heart cells B. women's ageing process C. the gender difference D. hearts and long life Answer: D Rain, who was born on June 2, 1982 in Seoul, South Korea, is a popular singer with a very deep and rich voice. Jung Ji Hoon is his real name, known as the "Michael Jackson of Korea" for his amazing dancing skills. Rain is very modest and friendly, even a little shy. He released his first album Bad Guy in 2002, which caused a sensation. It took him to all the major award ceremonies, and many of them honored him with Best New Award. His following album How to Run from the Sun was successful, and his third album It's Raining topped the charts for weeks. Rain is not only a singer but also an actor, who has given impressive performances in two TV series, Sang Doo! Let's go to school(<<,>> )in 2003 and Full House(<<>> )in 2004. Rain's leading role in Full House made him win Best Actor Award at the KBS Acting Awards and also deeply touched the hearts of many Asian female fans. At the same time it made him become one of the most popular Korean actors in Asia. Now Rain is very popular in China. It's Raining has already sold more than 100,000 copies in China. Rain received the "Korean Artist of the Year" award at the MTV -- CCTV Mandarin Music Honors held on July 24, 2005 at the Workers Stadium in Beijing, China. His recent Beijing concert caused a great hit, creating "Korean Fever" in China. Which of the following is the passage most likely from? A. Textbooks for senior school students. B. Entertainment newspapers. C. Textbooks for music students. D. A book written for Michael Jackson. Answer: B Lakes, ponds, and beaches mean summer fun and cool relaxation from hot weather. But water also can be dangerous for kids if you don't take great care. Nearly 1,000 kids die each year by drowning. Here are some tips to keep your kids safe in the water: At the Lake or Pond Don't let little kids swim alone without adult supervision-- lakes or ponds may be shallow near the bank and are suddenly deep sharply further out from shore. Ponds and lakes may hide jagged rocks, broken glass, or rubbish. Make sure kids wear foot protection; even in the water, they should wear socks or water shoes. Watch out for weeds and grass in the water that could trap a leg or arm. Most boating accidents, particularly among teenagers, are related to alcohol . Be sure teens know about the dangers of alcohol, on and off the water. At the Beach Teach kids to always swim when and where a lifeguard is on duty. Unlike the calm waters of a swimming pool, the beach has special dangers like currents and tides . Check with the lifeguard when you arrive to find out about the water conditions. Tell kids never to stand with their back to the water because a sudden wave can easily knock a child over. Teach kids that if they're caught in a dangerous wave, they should swim parallel to the shore or should tread water and call for a lifeguard's help. Whether at the lake or at the beach, teach your child to get out of the water during bad weather, especially lightning. In which column of a magazine can you find this passage? A. Education B. Science C. Entertainment D. Sports Answer: A Since the first Earth Day started on April 22, 1970, people around the world have been encouraged to protect the environment and natural resources.Gaylord Nelson started this holiday.On the first Earth Day, 20 million people took part in Earth Day events. Earth Day activities can include learning something about technology like cars that are more environmentally friendly and special houses that save energy and water.An organization called the Earth Day Network encourages people to use clean energy which doesn't pollute the environment.Most of our energy comes from fossil fuels that are found underground. Coal, oil and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels.Fossil fuels come from plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. Burning fossil fuels to create energy pollutes the air and water. Many scientists think that burning fossil fuels also increases the temperature of the earth. To reduce the use of fossil fuels. scientists are experimenting with hydrogen-powered cars. These cars don't pollute the air like gas-powered cars. Some scientists guess that by 2025, fossil fuels will run out.When people can no longer use gasoline, they may use fuel cells instead. Fuel cells use hydrogen to create energy. People do not need to worry about hydrogen running out, because it is renewable and replaceable. In Washington, D.C., a few people drive cars that run on fuel cells. When these cars need more energy, drivers can go to a hydrogen pump.The first hydrogen pump for the public opened in November 2004, marking an important step toward a cleaner environment. Which of the following is not mentioned? A. Scientists are producing more hydrogen-powered cars. B. Some people drive fuel-cell cars in Washington. C. Fossil fuels come from plants and animals. D. We can learn about environmentally friendly technology from Earth Day activities. Answer: A Goodwill welcomes the proven talent of retired soldiers and military family members to its workforce. As Goodwill expands its social enterprise and life-changing mission services, America's heroes and their families are helping us strengthen communities. Goodwill is uniquely intended to connect retired soldiers and military family members with their next careers. Goodwill links retired soldiers and their families with a broad array of career and financial fitness services as they transition from the military into hometowns and careers across the country. Services include but are not limited to financial education, housing assistance, primary health care, meal service, transportation, and connection to rehabilitation services . In 2011, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr Jill Biden carried out the Joining Forces plan to connect service men and women retired soldiers and their husbands or wives with the resources they need to find jobs. In April of that year, Goodwill set a new plan going, Goodwill for America's Heroes and Their Families, to expand its face-to-face career and family strengthening services. From April 2011 through March 2013, Goodwill has employed 1,856 retired soldiers and their families, and provided services to 99,386 retired soldiers and their families. And our commitment continues. With the support of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Goodwill launched Vested in Retired Soldiers in the communities of Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles and San Antonio to help military retired soldiers and their families connect with the education, training and support services they need to succeed on the homefront. Goodwill also launched an initiative known as Operation: GoodJobs, as funded by the Walmart Foundation, which provides a complete career assessment and an individualized development plan that include a range of family needs, from basic needs like nutrition, shelter and child care, to specific job training identified in the assessment process for participants and their families. The initiative currently exists in Austin, Houston and Tacoma, and will add additional markets in 2014. What does the Bank of America Charitable Foundation have in common with the Walmart Foundation? A. They both provided retired soldiers with a career assessment. B. They both provided retired soldiers with certain services. C. They both provided Goodwill plans with some money. D. They both provided them with a personal development plan. Answer: C Death rates for heart disease in Britain have dropped by more than 40 percent in a decade,UK scientists will report today. Wide uptake of cholesterol--busting statin drugs ,healthier lifestyles and better medical practices have seen a huge reduction in deaths caused by heart attacks,stroke and other cardiovascular problems. However,heart disease remains Britain's biggest killer. The new study,by experts at Oxford University,shows there has been a 44.4 percent drop in death rates among men in the UK and a 43.6 percent drop among women linked to heart problems in the ten years to 2011. The team compared death rate associated with cardiovascular disease across Europe.They found that Britain has one of the best records in Europe,with 342 deaths as a result of heart disease per 100,000 men in 2011,and 232 per 100,000 women. Some nations-including Ukraine,Macedonia and Moldova--see more than 1,000 heart deaths per 100,000 of the population. Overall,heart disease causes 45 percent of all deaths across Europe,but only 27 percent in the UK.The study,led by Dr Nick Townsend,showed that cardiovascular disease is mainly a disease of old age. But researchers said that across Europe _ still causes more than 1.4million deaths in those aged under 75 and nearly 700,000 deaths in under 65s.Dr Townsend said:'Cardiovascular disease results in 49 percent of deaths among women and 41 per cent among men.' From the text we can know _ . A. heart disease no longer threatens the British B. the heart death rate among British men is lower than among women C. the old mainly dies of stroke in Europe D. the heart death rate in Ukraine is higher than in Britain Answer: D Once upon a time, there was a poor man. One day, after working for hours, he had a rest under a tree in the middle of the field. Just then, he saw a terrible snake coming out of an anthill . The man thought that the snake might be the god of the field. He did not give it anything, so he could not get anything from the field. At once he went to bring a bowl of milk and offered the milk to the snake. "God of the field! I didn't know that you live here. That's why I never gave you anything. Please _ me. " Then he went home. The next day, when the man came, he found a gold coin in the bowl near the anthill. From then on, the man gave milk to the snake and found gold coins. One day the man was so busy that he couldn't send milk to the snake. So he asked his son to take care of the snake. The son brought milk to the anthill and gave it to the snake. The next day, when he came back, he found a gold coin in the bowl. After taking the gold coin, he thought, "This anthill must be full of gold coins. I would kill the snake and take them all." The next day, the son came to the field with milk and a stick. He gave the milk to the snake and hit it with the stick. The snake escaped the stick and bit the boy to death. The son died because _ . A. the snake didn't offer him any gold coins B. his father was too busy to take care of him C. he didn't give the snake any milk. D. he wanted to get all the snake's gold coins. Answer: D Last week the American Medical Association voted, for the first time, to declare obesity a disease. How should the rest of us respond? When we meet obese people, should we cast them a knowing glance of concern and ask how they are doing? Should we send flowers and "get well soon" cards to obese family members and friends? Should the U.S. declare war on obesity, as we once did on cancer? If obesity truly is a disease, then over 78 million adults and 12 million children in America just got classified as sick. Yet many sensible people know that declaring obesity a disease is a mistake. Simply put, obesity is not a disease. To be sure, it is a risk factor for some diseases. Yet everyone who is obese does not get sick, and many normal-weight people do not stay healthy. I have known slim people who took good care of themselves throughout their lives yet fell ill and died young. Others who exhibited no particular interest in their health and did not watch their weight lived to an old age. In most cases, we simply cannot tell from a person's weight what lies ahead for them in life. Consider Winston Churchill. Though average in height, Churchill weighed up to 250 pounds. He smoked cigars and drank ly heavily. He did not work out. Yet he became perhaps the most important statesmen of the 20th century and one of the greatest politicians in history. He lived to age 90. Is obesity bad for people? For some, especially patients who are extremely overweight, the answer is almost certainly yes. Would many overweight people benefit from exercising more and eating less? Again, the answer is likely yes. But this does not make obesity a disease. Many people are not harmed by carrying extra pounds, some may actually benefit from it. For these reasons, we should be careful before labeling obese people diseased. What is the author's attitude towards the American Medical Association's declaration on obesity? A. Favorable B. Uncaring C. Disapproving D. Friendly Answer: C The kiwi bird The kiwi bird is a flightless bird,about the size of a chicken. It sleeps during the day and is active at nighttime. It has a long beak that is onethird the length of its body, and its beak actually has nostrils at the end. The kiwi is the only bird with this feature. Another unique feature of the kiwi is that it has no tail. It has thick brown hairlike feathers. This bird has many physical features unlike any other bird on earth. Kiwi birds have been called a genetic leftover. Their characteristics seem very odd to us probably due to the fact that they haven't evolved much at all. They are suspected to be about 8 million years old. That's 7 million years older than humans. Due to New Zealand's isolated environment, it has been safe from predators and hasn't needed to do much adapting. They just hang around. With its long beak, the kiwi digs up and chows down on worms. A kiwi is almost blind; it can see about six feet at night and around two feet during the day,so when it comes to hunting the kiwi is not well equipped.It uses the nostrils on its beak to find its food and then picks up the worms with its beak. The kiwi bird is native of New Zealand.It is the island country's national bird, and is rare anywhere but here and a few Pacific island neighbors. Of course,it is available for viewing at certain zoos.It has stayed in its native land due to the facts that it is an isolated island and that kiwis can't fly. Kiwi birds are extremely unique in the bird world. Though they are the size of chickens, they lay eggs the size of ostrich eggs, weighing around a pound each.Their enormous eggs are the largest in the bird world, compared to their bodies. These birds were named after their distinctive shrill cry "keewee keewee". What plays a key role in looking for food? A. Its long beak. B. Its eyes. C. The nostrils. D. Its tail Answer: C
The Diaoyu islands have a long history as part of China's territory , belonging to the country since ancient times. They are located to the northeast of China's Taiwan Island, The total landmass of these islands is about 5.69 square kilometers. Since the Japanese government "bought" the Diaoyu Islands, the tension between China and Japan about the islands has gone up. Several major Shanghai travel agencies have decided to stop organizing tours to Japan and advised Japan-bound tourists to make other plans, becauese of the Diaoyu Islands issue . The Shanghai China CYTS Outbound Travel Service Co. Ltd. stopped the tour to Japan and will gradually stop receiving tourist bookings to Japan after the National Day holiday, according to Liu Xin, the company's manager. The Shanghai branch of the China Travel International Ltd. also said it was advising people who wanted to visit Japan to change their plans. In fact, tourists had already begun to ask for cancellation of their tours to Japan because they were worried about their safety. Last year, more than 100,000 tourists from Shanghai went to Japan on organized tours. That made Japan the second most popular tour place for travelers from the city, only after Thailand. This passage may be _ . A. an ad B. a piece of news C. a poster D. a survey Answer: B My husband had just bought a new washing machine for me. I decided to use it the other day and I washed a lot of things. Everything worked well, but I found one of my husband's socks missing. I looked everywhere for it, but I couldn't find it anywhere. The next morning, I got ready for school as usual. When the bell rang, the students came in, I greeted them and told them what we were going to do that day. When I turned around to write on the blackboard, the class burst out laughing. They laughed and laughed. They laughed so much, in fact, that I was afraid the headmaster would be in and see all this. I asked the class to stop, but the more I talked, the more they laughed. I decided to pay no attention to them and continued to write on the blackboard. When I did this, they laughed even more. Finally, the teacher who was in the next room came in to see what all the laughter was about. When he came in, he started laughing, too! "Good heavens," I said. "Will someone please tell me what is so funny?" "Oh, God," said the teacher. "You have a brown sock stuck to the back of your skirt!" So that's how I found my husband's missing sock. "Oh, well," I said to the class," Let's just say you have had an unforgettable lesson on static electricity ." Why couldn't she find one of her husband's socks? A. Because some students had hidden it. B. Because her husband had taken it away C. Because she had left it in the classroom D. Because she never expected that it would stick to her skirt Answer: D As more women in the United States move up the professional ladder, more are finding it necessary to made business trips alone. If you are married, it is a good idea to encourage your husband and children to learn to cook a few simple meals while you are away. They will be much happier and probably they will enjoy the experience. If you will be eating alone a good deal, choose good restaurants. In the end, they will be much better for your digestion. You may also find it useful to call the restaurant in advance and tell them that you will be eating alone. Finally, and most importantly, prepare your travel needs as a businesswoman; this starts with lightweight luggage which you can easily manage even when fully packed. Take a folding case inside your suitcase; it will come in extremely handy for dirty clothes, as well as for business papers you no longer need on the trip. And make sure you have a briefcase so that you can keep required papers separate. Obviously, experience helps, but you can make things easier on yourself from the first by careful planning, so that right from the start you really can have a good trip! It can be inferred from the passage that _ A. a greater percentage of women are advancing professionally in the US than in the past B. professional men refuse to go on business trips with women C. businesswomen become successful by showing a willingness to travel alone D. husbands are encouraged to learn to cook while their wives go on business trips Answer: A Young people are perhaps better-known for spending money than saving it. But some new banking websites are seeking to change that. These websites offer young people the information and tools they need to watch over their money. The websites also let the users share their financial experiences with other young people. Nineteen-year-old Alix Scott has been working at a store this summer. She is saving money to pay for college next year. "I have to save for all my college money because my parents can't afford to co-sign on loans. So, I have to rely on my own savings." But instead of putting her money in a local bank, Miss Scott began using SmartyPig, a web-based banking service. SmartPig was developed by Michael Ferrari with a friend in 2007. It is really all about helping people save for very specific goals, such as a wedding, a vocation or an IPhone. MICHAEL FERRARI said : "For example, you want to save five thousand dollars for a vacation in three years. SmartyPig will actually calculate how much money you need to save every month. You don't have to move from your existing bank, we'll actually go in and withdraw those funds on the day you specify every month and we'll put it into your SmartyPig account, where it'll earn interest, as well." SmartyPig also enables outsiders to add money to the accounts of its users. "Perhaps a holiday is coming up or your birthday is coming up, and rather than getting a gift, your friends, your family can actually contribute to any of your SmartyPig goals."Mr.Ferrari said. He believes that as technology continues to develop, more and more people will use the electronic banking sites. A growing number of young people have shown an interest in online banking sites like SmartyPig. They say they like the ease of operation and services the sites offer. These personal finance websites offer tools that help users follow their spending, set up a budget, and combine their investments. And they all involve social media, which interests young adults who are already at ease about sharing their personal information online. What do we know about SmartyPig? A. It was created in 2008. B. It offers the best rate. C. It was founded by Michael Ferrari alone. D. It is a tool for helping consumers save money. Answer: D This is a talk by a London taxi driver. "I've been a taxi driver for nearly ten years. Most London taxi drivers have their own taxis." "It's a nice job most of time. You meet a lot of people. I always work at night, because there is too much traffic during the day. I live twenty miles outside London and I go to work at 5:30 in the afternoon." "I usually go home between 2 and 3 in the morning." "Some very strange things happened late at night .The other day I was taking a woman home from a party .She had her little dog with her. When we got to her house, she found that she had lost her key. So I waited in the car with the dog while she climbed in through the windows." "I waited and waited. After half an hour of ringing the bell I decided to find out what was going on .I tied the dog to a tree and started to climb in through the window. The next thing I knew was that the police came. They thought I was a thief. Luckily the woman came downstairs.She must have gone to sleep and forgotten about me and the dog!" The driver climbed in through the window to A. get money from the woman B. return the dog to the woman C. phone the police D. see what was happening in the house Answer: D My husband, my four-month-old daughter and I set out on a five-day driving journey from California to Washington. We had to stop frequently because our little child needed to stretch from the car seat. One of our stops, once we crossed the Oregon border, was at a Black Bear Diner. Walking towards the front door we noticed a gentleman standing at one side. He was clearly untidy, without shoes and wearing worn clothing. We passed right by him and opened the restaurant door. Then something told me to go back. Holding my daughter, I turned around and said to the gentleman, "Sir. Are you hungry?" He said, "Yes." I then asked, "May we buy you something to eat?" He responded with, "Sure, I can order something myself." My husband opened the door and the gentleman went straight to the counter. I told him to order whatever he wanted. The manager of the restaurant came over quite quickly and looked frightened. I spoke before he had an opportunity to. "This gentleman will have lunch with us today," I said. "Please add his order to our bill." The manager said with a frown , "Okay." We turned to our table and the gentleman said, loudly and quickly, "Thank You!" We were seated and upon completing our meal we were handed our bill. I asked my husband what the gentleman had ordered. One fresh orange juice, one coffee, one breakfast combination with a side of hash browns. When we left the restaurant I looked for the gentleman but didn't see him, but that very small act just _ . I hope in some small way we were able to add some joy to his life, even if only for a few minutes. The manager of the restaurant looked frightened because _ . A. the man was not friendly B. he had fired the man before C. the man had stolen something from the restaurant D. he was afraid the man wouldn't afford to pay the food Answer: D In the kitchen of my mother's houses there has always been a wooden stand with a small notepad and a hole for a pencil. I'm looking for paper on which to note down the name of a book I am recommending to my mother. Over forty years since my earliest memories of the kitchen pad and pencil, five houses later, the current paper and pencil look the same as they always did. Surely it can't be the same pencil? The pad is more modern, but the wooden stand is definitely the original one. "I'm just amazed you still have the same stand for holding the pad and pencil after all these years." I say to her, walking back into the living-room with a sheet of paper and the pencil. "You still use a pencil. Can't you afford a pen?" My mother replies a little sharply. "It works perfectly well. I've always kept the stand in the kitchen. I never knew when I might want to note down an idea, and I was always in the kitchen in those days." Immediately I can picture her, hair wild, blue housecoat covered in flour, a wooden spoon in one hand, the pencil in the other, her mouth moving silently. My mother smiles and says, "One day I was cooking and watching baby Pauline, and I had a brilliant thought, but the stand was empty. One of the children must have taken the paper. So I just picked up the breadboard and wrote it all down on the back. It turned out to be a real breakthrough for solving the mathematical problem I was working on." This story--which happened before I was born--reminds me how extraordinary my mother was, and is, as a gifted mathematician. I feel embarrassed that I complain about not having enough child-free time to work. Later, when my mother is in the bathroom, I go into her kitchen and turn over the breadboards. Sure enough, on the back of the smallest one, are some penciled marks I recognize as mathematics. Those symbols have travelled unaffected through fifty years, rooted in the soil of a cheap wooden breadboard, invisible exhibits at every meal. What is the author's original opinion about the wooden stand? A. It has great value for the family. B. It needs to be replaced by a better one. C. It brings her back to her lonely childhood. D. It should be passed on to the next generation. Answer: B San Francisco's Chinatown is the biggest and oldest in the country. It's the third most visited tourist destination in the city. It's also the city's most densely populated neighbor- hood. So why are. businesses in Chinatown struggling? In this week's paper, I outline some of the reasons for why Chinatown's crowded streets and busy shops might be declining. Underneath the surface, Chinatown is falling. And the city, local organizations and businesses are trying to figure out what they can do to turn things around. While numbers of people visit Chinatown, they don't stay long and they don't spend a lot of money. And beyond annual festivals,1ike Chinese New Years, this month's Moon Festival and last month's Sunday Streets - which drew about 15,000 t0 20.000 people - the neighborhood has a hard time attracting locals. Can you remember the last. time you went to Chinatown ?If you can't, You're not alone. Locals told me that Chinatown doesn't have much to offer them - that the stores are all the same. There are some good eating joints, people said, but they don't know how to find them. Some people even told me that they sometimes go to extreme measures to avoid the neighborhood altogether. But when asked if the-v would like to see Chinatown gone, the answer was always a strong no. Locals are hopeful that things will get better and traffic will increase when the Central Subway is complete. But chat's not for another five years. at least. And if' new shops or restaurants don't make their way into Chinatown. the same problem of attracting locals will exist. Not that Chinatown's going to die. The dragon still has some fire in its belly. And many people are rooting for positive change. The question is, how does Chinatown change without losing the very importance of what makes it unique? It can be inferred from the passage _ . A. the Central Subway is under construction B. Chinatown has to make way for subway C. many restaurants have been closed down D. the locals hope Chinatown will be extinct Answer: A Amy is short-sighted, so she wears glasses. But she doesn't wears glasses when she is with her fried, Jack. When Jack comes to her house to take her out, she takes her glasses off. When she gets bake ,she puts on the glasses. One day, Amy's mother asks her ,"Why don't you wear your glasses when you are with Jack? He takes you to see many ;lovely places in his car, but you can't see anything clearly."Amy says, "He thinks I look more lovely when I'm not wearing my glasses and I think he looks better, too." Amy doesn't wears glasses when _ . A. she studies at school B. she is at home C. she goes shopping with her mother D. she is with Jack Answer: D A person's nose is important for breathing and smelling. The nose is also used in many popular expressions. Some people are able to lead other people by the nose. For example, if a wife leads her husband by the nose, she makes him do whatever she wants him to do. Some people are said to be hard-nosed. They will not change their opinions easily. And many people will never pay through the nose, that is, they will not pay too much money for something. It is always helpful when people keep their nose out of other people's business.The opposite of this is someone who noses around all the time. This kind of person is interested in other people's private matters. He is considered nosy. And my teacher often says, "If you put your heart into it, the answers should be right under your nose. " It means something can be found or seen easily. As for ear, there are also some expressions. When I want to say something to you, I hope you are all ears and listen carefully. I also advise you to keep your ear to the ground. This means to be interested in what is happening around you and what people are thinking. Another expression about ear is to play it by ear. Someone is able to play a song or a piece of music by remembering the tune and not by reading the music. There are many other expressions about different parts of our body. For example, if someone is playing a joke on you, you can say, "You are pulling my leg. " And to turn your hand to something means to begin to do something. If a child does something wrong, we say he will get it in the neck, or he will be punished. On April Fools'Day, what may some people try to do? A. They may turn their hand to us. B. They may think of ways to pull our legs. C. They will get it in the neck. D. They will nose around all the time. Answer: B
Hearst Castle is in California, America. A person called William Randolph Hearst built it between 1922 and 1939, at a cost of more than $30 million. Last year, I had a trip to that castle. I spent the whole day looking around. But there was much to see, and a day wasn't enough. Hearst Castle has four houses. The main house, "Casa Grande", is the biggest one. Visitors can live in the other three ones. Many of them are Hollywood film stars, and they often come to the parties there. At Hearst Castle, there are also beautiful gardens and two swimming pools, one inside and a larger one outside. I loved the one outside, the "Neptune Pool". It was a pity that we couldn't go swimming there! The guide told us that Mr. Hearst travelled around Europe with his mother at the age of ten and looked at paintings and castles. He never forgot that tour and wanted his house to look like a castle. When Mr Hearst died in 1951, his family gave Hearst Castle to the people of California. Now it's a museum. Which of the following sentences is TRUE? A. Hearst Castle in California was cheap to build. B. Hearst Castle is on a mountain near the sea. C. Many Hollywood film stars come to Hearst's parties. D. After Mr. Hearst died, his family lived at Hearst Castle. Answer: C A student is learning to speak British English. He wonders : Can I communicate with Americans? Can they understand me? Learners of English often ask: What are the differences between British and American English? How important are these differences? Certainly! there are some differences between British and American English. 'There are a few differences in grammar. For example, speakers of British English say "in hospital" and "Have you a pen?" Americans say "in the hospital!" and "Do you have a pen?". Pronunciation is sometimes different. Americans usually sound theirs in words like "bird" and "hurt". Speakers of British English do not sound theirs in these words. There are differences between British and American English in spelling and vocabulary. For example, "colour" and "honour" are British, "color" and honor" are American. These differences in grammar, pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary are not important, however. For the most part, British and American English are the same language. American English and British English are different in _ . A. spelling B. pronunciation C. grammar D. all of the above Answer: D The oddness of life in space never quite goes away. Here are some examples. First consider something as simple as sleep. Its position presents its own challenges. The main question is whether you want your arms inside or outside the sleeping bag. If you leave your arms out, they float free in zero gravity, often giving a sleeping astronaut the look of a funny balled dancer. "I'm an inside guy," Mike Hopkins says, who returned from a six-month tour on the International Space Station. "I like to be wrapped up." On the station, the ordinary becomes strange. The exercise bike for the American astronauts has no handlebars. It also has no seat. With no gravity, it's just as easy to pedal violently. You can watch a movie while you pedal by floating a microcomputer anywhere you want. But station residents have to be careful about staying in one place too long. Without gravity to help circulate air, the carbon dioxide you exhale has a tendency to form an invisible cloud around you head. You can end up with what astronauts call a carbon-dioxide headache. Leroy Chiao, 54, an American retired astronaut after four flights, describes what happens even before you float out of your seat,"Your inner ear thinks your're falling . Meanwhile your eyes are telling you you're standing straight. That can be annoying--that's why some people feel sick." Within a couple days --truly terrible days for some --astronauts' brains learn to ignore the panicky signals from the inner ear, and space sickness disappears. Space travel can be so delightful but at the same time invisibly dangerous. For instance, astronauts lose bone mass. That's why exercise is considered so vital that National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) puts it right on the workday schedule. The focus on fitness is as much about science and the future as it is about keeping any individual astronauts return home, and, more importantly, how to maintain strength and fitness for the two and a half years or more that it would take to make a round-trip to Mars. One of the NASA's major concerns about astronauts is _ . A. how much exercise they do on the station B. how they can remain healthy for long in space C. whether they can recover after returning home D. whether they are able to go back to the station Answer: B Weather has a strong effect on people. It influences health, intelligence and feelings. In August, it is very hot and wet in the southern part of the United States. People there easily have heart trouble and other kinds of health problems during this month. In the Northeast and the Middle West, it is hot at some times and very cold at other times. People in those states will have heart trouble after the weather changes in February or March. The weather can also influence intelligence. For example, in a 1983 study by scientists, the IQ scores of some college students were very high during storm, but after the storm, their scores were low. Storms can increase intelligence. Very hot weather, on the other hand, can decrease it. Students in many schools of the United States often do badly in exams in the hot months of the year(July and August). Weather also has a strong effect on people's feeling. Winter may be a bad time for thin people. They usually feel cold during these months. They might feel depressed during cold weather. In hot summer weather, on the other hand, fat people may feel unhappy. At about 65F, people become stronger. Low air pressure makes people feel free, but it also increases forgetful- ness. People leave more bags and umbrellas on buses and in stores on low pressure days. There is a"perfect weather"for work and health. People feel best at a tempera- ture of about 64F with 65 percent humidity . Are you feeling sick, sad, tired, forgetful, or very intelligent today? The weather may be the reason. Intelligence may be lower _ . A. during a storm B. when it is sunny C. on a very hot day D. when you take in an exam Answer: C Boxing is a fist fighting sport between two matched combatants wearing padded gloves. A boxer's primary aim is to land as many blows as possible to the head and torso of the opponent, using strength and speed to dominate the contest. One of the oldest sports still practiced, boxing dates back to thousands of years ago. Today the sport is popular in many parts of the world and encompasses both amateur and professional matches. For most of the 20th century boxing attracted huge fan and media attention in the United States. Some boxing champions became legendary, larger-than-life figures, such as Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, and Muhammad Ali. Criticized to varying degrees throughout its history for its violent nature and high injury rate, boxing has somehow always managed to survive----and even thrive----as a sport. Modern boxing regulations are based upon the 12 rules set out by British boxing officials in the mid-19th century. These rules became known as the Marquess of Queensberry Rules, named after the 8th Marquess of Queensberry, John Sholto Douglas, who sponsored and published them. In addition to in-the-ring rules, modern boxing also has specific regulations regarding eligibility for the fighters themselves. The modern rules for professional and amateur boxing differ, but both types of contests are divided into time periods called rounds. In professional boxing, each round lasts three minutes; in amateur boxing, two minutes. A one-minute rest period between rounds is standard. Amateur contests consist of three rounds; professional contests may consist of up to 12 rounds. A bell is usually sounded by a timekeeper to begin and end each round. A key step in making boxing safer and more respectable was the introduction of gloves, ending brutal bare-knuckle competition. Boxing gloves are heavily padded to soften the impact of the blow and to protect the hands of the boxer. As an added protection, the hands are taped before being placed in the gloves, which are essentially huge mittens. Professional gloves usually weigh between 170 and 226g; amateur gloves average 226 to 340g. Which of the following facts about boxing is NOT mentioned in the passage? A. The time set for a round. B. The weight of gloves. C. The size of boxing rings. D. The signal to begin and end each round. Answer: C If you try to explain to someone, without using pictures, how to build the building that you have designed, it would take an enormous amount of writing and might end up with a very funny-looking building. The architect uses pictures called details to show how many hundreds of parts go together to form a complete building. This type of drawing is called drafting and is done by people called draftsmen. Draftsmen make up the largest group of the architectural offices' work force. Because of the wide range of duties they perform, draftsmen are sometimes called architectural technicians. In a typical office, there are not only career draftsmen but also architectural graduates working as junior draftsmen to learn the trade. Career draftsmen are usually graduates from a two-year junior college called technical school. There was a time when architectural office used young people right out of high school as tracers. Their job was to trace over the other people's details while learning to be a draftsman. This is no longer possible with the fast-pace of architects' offices today although a junior draftsman is given guides by the more experienced employees. So a good comprehensive architectural drafting course is a must before anyone seeks a job with an architectural firm. The job of the draftsmen is to translate the ideas and directions of architects, designers and engineers into complete and accurate working drawings. These become the plans and details used in the actual construction of a building. The project must be shown in great detail and drawn very clearly, so there is no chance for misunderstanding by the contractors . Every line and figure has an effect on the finished product. As you can see, the draftsman is a key member of the architectural team. Of course, a junior draftsman is not expected to produce a complete set of working drawings. Depending on the size of the office and difficulty of the project, draftsmen may work in groups. The group leader coordinates the group and works closely with the project architect while the drawings are being produced. Working conditions are mostly very pleasant as draftsmen's work is intense and many people depend on accurate work. Each draftsman has a large combination drawing board and desk with various drawing aids. Almost without exception, members of the architectural team have at one time in their careers worked as draftsmen. This is essential to an architect education and most architects never get very far away from the drafting board. According to the passage, career draftsmen are usually _ . A. experienced architects B. architectural designers C. high school graduates D. graduates of technical schools Answer: D I grew up in Jamaica Plain. My best friend Rose and I used to dream about raising a family of our own someday and living next door to one another. Our dream remained alive through school and beyond. Rose was my maid of honor when I married Dick. Later, Dick was stationed in Alaska and we moved. Rose was sad to see me leave, but wished me the best of luck. We remained in touch for a few years before we lost track. I thought of her several times over the years. All of my children now have families of their own, and Dick passed away a few years ago. Basically, a lifetime has passed. Then one day, near my 80th birthday, I received a phone call "Hi Natalie, it's Rose," the voice on the other end said, " I don't know if you remember me, but we used to be best friends in Jamaica Plain when we were kids." We have spent hours on the phone catching up. 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. Her husband died 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 description of 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 similarities between our two lives are a coincidence either. I think shows that we didn't just call each other best friend; we truly were best friends 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 starts the connection between two people. 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, It can pass the tests of time and long distance between one another and will never disappear From the passage we may know that the author _ . A. lived next door to Rose in her childhood B. was Rose's maid of honor when she was married C. lost touch of Rose since she moved to Alaska D. missed her friend although they lost contact Answer: D Why is setting goals important? Because goals can help you do, be, and experience everything you want in life.Instead of just letting life happen to you, goals allow yourself to make your life happen. Successful and happy people have a vision of how their life should be and they set lots of goals(both short-term and long-range)to help them reach their vision.By setting goals you are taking control of your life.It's like having a map to show you where you want to go.Think of it in this way.There are two drivers.One has a destination in mind(her goal) which is laid out for her on a map.She can drive straight there without any wasted time or wrong turns.The other driver has no goal or destination or map.She starts off at the same time from the same place as the first driver.But she drivers aimlessly around, never getting anywhere , just using up gas and oil.Which driver do you want to be? Winners in life set goals and follow through on them.They decide what they want in life and then get there by making plans and setting goals.Unsuccessful people just let life happen by accident.Goals aren't difficult to set, and they aren't difficult to reach.It's up to you to find out what your goals,ideals and visions really are.You are the one who must decide what to pursue and in what direction to aim your life. Research tells us that when we write a goal down we are more likely to achieve it.Written goals can be reviewed regularly, and have more power.Like a contract with yourself, they are harder to neglect or forget. Also when you write your goals in a particular way you are able to make yourself continuously aware of situations that will bring you nearer to your goals. If people want to reach their goals, they should _ . A. write down their goals B. sign a contract with other people C. face the difficulties in front of them D. discuss with others and ask for their help Answer: D Introduction Blenheim Palace is one of the Europe's largest and greatest palaces. It was built between 1705 and 1722 as a reward of the British government to John Churchill, 1stDuke of Marlborough, for defeating King Louis XIV's army at Blenheim, a small Bavarian village on the Danube River. The palace was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, which displayed strength and arm glory. It is the largest non-royal building in England and is now listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Winston Churchill In 1874, the palace was the birthplace of the duke's most famous _ . Winston Churchill, who was to become the UK's Prime Minister (some would say Britain's greatest 20th-century politician ) and Nobel prize winner for literature. It is also in Blenheim that Winston got married to Clementine Hozier in 1908. A lasting exhibition is devoted to the man's life, work and writings. Winston and his wife are buried in Bladon Church within the palace. Opening Hours & Admission Blenheim is still the home of the 11th Duke of Marlborough and is therefore not open all year round (although the park is). The palace opens its doors to visitors from 12 February to 11 December. Entry to the palace, park and gardens cost PS11.50 during the low season and PS13 during the peak season (Easter weekend and from 28 May to 11 September), or PS6/PS8 for the park and gardens only. The park is open all-year round from 9am to 4:45pm (last entry). Admission is PS2.50 for adults and PS1.50 for children. Note that numerous discounts exist for seniors, students, children and groups. Please refer to the official website for more details. Why can not people visit Blenheim Palace all the year round? A. They are too busy to afford the time. B. Repairs are badly needed for the palace. C. Some seasons are not convenient for visitors. D. The 11th Duke of Marlborough still lives there. Answer: D The concept of health holds different meanings for different people and groups. These meanings have also changed over time. This change is no more evident than in Western society today, when notions of health and health promotion are being challenged and expanded in new ways. For much of recent Western history, health has been viewed in the physical sense only. That is, good health has been connected to the smooth mechanical operation of the body, while ill health has been attributed to a breakdown in this machine. Health in this sense has been defined as the absence of disease or illness and is seen in medical terms. In the late 1940s the World Health Organization challenged this physically and medically oriented view of health. They stated that health is a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being and is not merely the absence of disease (WHO, 1946). Health and the person were seen more holistically (mind / body / spirit) and not just in physical terms. The 1970s was a time of focusing on the prevention of disease and illness by emphasizing the importance of the lifestyle and behaviour of the individual. Specific behaviours which were seen to increase risk of disease, such as smoking, lack of fitness and unhealthy eating habits, were targeted. Creating health meant providing not only medical health care, but also health promotion programs and policies which would help people maintain healthy behaviours and lifestyles. While this individualistic healthy lifestyle approach to health worked for some (the wealthy members of society), it was of little benefit to people experiencing poverty, unemployment, underemployment or who had little control over the conditions of their daily life. During the 1980s and 1990s there has been a growing swing away from seeing lifestyle risks as the root cause of poor health. While lifestyle factors still remain important, health is being viewed also in terms of the social, economic and environmental contexts in which people live. This broad approach to health is called the socio-ecological view of health. At the Ottawa Conference in 1986, a charter was developed which outlined new directions for health promotion based on the socio-ecological view of health. This charter, known as the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, remains as the backbone of health action today. In exploring the scope of health promotion it states that: Good health is a major resource for social, economic and personal development and an important dimension of the quality of life. Political, economic, social, cultural, environmental, behavioural and biological factors can all favour health or be harmful to it. (WHO, 1986) From the passage, we can infer that _ . A. good health means not having any illness B. health has different meanings for different people in different periods C. health has always been viewed in terms of the social, economic and environmental contexts in which people live D. health has always been considered a major resource for social, economic and personal development and an important dimension of quality of life Answer: B
The whole world is helping tsunami victims. Students in the U.S. are also taking part. A friend of mine suggested that we organize a relief effort for the victims. We are officers of the American Red Cross at Yale (I'm the chairperson). After sending a letter to the other members of the Red Cross, I received a large number of responses from students interested in helping. We decided to organize a charity concert to raise money for tsunami-ravaged areas. All ticket earnings will go directly to our parent organization, the American Red Cross. Currently, we're in the process of inviting Yale's numerous song, dance, and chamber music groups to perform at the concert. So far, we've had a great response from these groups and volunteers have continued to pour in with their ideas and feedback. When I checked my inbox this morning, I had 56 tsunami fundraiser-related emails waiting for me. Although, everyone is still on winter vacation and away from school, we have the Internet to link up Yalies from around the globe. We share ideas not on the latest video games, but on how best to provide help. The Red Cross at Yale is not alone in its aid effort. Student organizations across campus are working hard to raise funds and provide help to those who need it. Yale's South Asian Society (SAS) and the Asian American Students Alliance (AASA), which is an umbrella organization for many other groups including the Sri Lankan Students Association, are organizing charity dinners. The food will be donated by restaurants from around campus. Every last penny of the earnings will be donated to a non-profit organization providing aid to South Asia. After some discussion with the SAS and AASA, our groups have decided to plan our two events together. Students can attend the benefit dinner then go to the charity concert. There is no doubt in my mind that both events will have a fantastic turnout. The author keeps in touch with Yalies to _ . A. ask them to offer help B. inform them the latest news C. ask them to join in the concert D. ask them to work for the Red Cross Answer: A What will you be doing when you are 26 years old? Studying at university or working for a living? Take a look at what Albert Einstein was doing at the age of 26. 100 years ago, Einstein was working in Switzerland. His hobby was physics. Without much money or help, he wrote five papers for a physics magazine. Three of these greatly changed the study of physics and our understanding of space, time, light and matter . His most famous work is on the Theory of Relativity . Einstein was given the Nobel Prize for his discoveries. Although he also did many other things later, the years 1905 has been called Einstein's "Year of Wonders". It has been 100 years since then. Because of this, the UN has named 05 the World Year of Physics. Today, over fifty years after Einstein's death, a question is asked, " Will there ever be another Einstein?" It may take a long time. After all, Einstein was born more than 200 years after Sir Isaac Newton, another great scientist. Besides, physics is a different field now, and education is different, too. Even if you can't be the next great scientist, it is still helpful to remember some of the things that made Einstein great. He thought independently and read widely. He left with us a formula for life: If A is a success in life, then A="X+Y+Z." X is work, Y is play, and Z is keeping your mouth shut. Why hasn't there been another scientist as great as Einstein? A. Because the study of physics is not enough. B. Because it is hard to make important discoveries as Einstein did. C. Because people don't work hard any more. D. Because physics is getting more and more difficult. Answer: B According to a survey, only 4% of the people in the world are left-handed. Why? One theory centers on the two halves of the brain. For example, the left half and the right half, each of which functions differently. Medical science believes that the left half of the brain dominates over the right half. The foundation of this theory is the fact that nerves from the brain cross over at neck-level to the opposite side of the body, and nerves from the other side of the brain reciprocate . The end result is that the opposite sides of the body are controlled by the opposite sides of the brain. The dominant left half of the brain, which kindly supplies the right half of the body, theoretically makes it more skillful in reading, writing, speaking, and working, and makes most people right-handed. Lefties, however, whose right half of the brain dominates, work best with the left side of their bodies. Theory number two focuses on the _ nature of the body. Examples of the asymmetry, which flows from head to toe, are that the right side of our faces differs slightly from the left, that our legs differ in strength, or that our feet vary in size. One aspect of this asymmetry is that for most people the right hand is stronger than the left. There is no doubt that all exist in a "right-handed society", which produces most basics, including scissors, doorknobs, locks, screwdrivers, automobiles, buttons on clothing, and musical instruments for the 96%. Left-handed people make up for the unfairness by being members of an elite society, which includes many of the greatest geniuses, including Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? A. Left-handed people are better at speaking B. Left-handed people are believed to have stronger left halves of the brains C. Right-handed people are cleverer than left-handed people D. Right-handed people work best with the right side of their bodies Answer: D Dr Asim Syed, 32, has performed more than 100 operations at London's Hammersmith Hospital in the country's busiest transplant unit, but never imagined that he would one day become a donor himself. He stepped forward when was told his 64-year-old mother might be dead within months unless she got a new kidney . The worried surgeon brought her to London to be cared for at his hospital. However, it was not all plain sailing. Tests showed Dr Syed was the wrong blood group, so the only way was to go through a special blood-washing process. He consulted colleagues about that, but they didn't agree, because the risk of rejection is still too high. Dr Syed and his mother were then advised to consider a new way of donating and receiving, called an organ-paired. That is, Dr Syed donated his kidney to an unknown person and another donor in the chain was a successful match for his mother. The chain of three transplants took place at the same time on July 31 with Dr Syed's kidney going to a recipient in the Midlands and Mrs. Syed receiving her kidney from a person in the south of England. Just hours after donating his own kidney, Dr Syed found himself recovering in bed next to his mother. Mrs Syed said, "When I came round from my operation Asim was in the next bed and the first thing he said was, 'Mum now all your worries are over.' Tears fell down." Now mother and son are recovering well with Dr Syed already back at work. Mrs. Syed is staying with him for several months while the hospital monitors her progress. He said, "I did what anyone would do when they see a relative suffering disease. Although I wasn't able to help mum directly, by agreeing to be part of a chain, I was also very happy." What can be inferred from the text? A. The hospital still needs improving. B. Dr Syed has love and devotion to his parents. C. The expense in the hospital is too high to afford. D. Dr Syed donated his kidney to his mother directly. Answer: B dry wood easily what? A. scorches B. freezes C. evaporates D. melts Answer: A Bob is eleven years old. One day, his friend Jenny said to him, "I'm going to have a birthday party on Saturday. Bob, can you come?" Bob asked his mother, and his mother said, "Yes, you can go. " On Saturday afternoon, his mother said to him again, "Now, Bob, when you go to the party, you must be polite , and don't ask for food until someone gives it to you. " "All right, Mom. " Bob said, and he went to Jenny's house by bike. There were many children at the party. They played games for about an hour, and then Jenny's mother gave them some food, but she forgot Bob and didn't give him any. After a long time, he took up his plate and said loudly, "Does anyone want a nice clean plate?" How old is Bob? A. Nine. B. Ten. C. Eleven. D. We don't know. Answer: C The managing editor is usually the person in charge of the day-to-day editorial process of a newspaper. He or she makes sure that the newspaper comes out on time each day and that costs are kept within a budget. He or she is usually responsible for hiring and firing newsroom staff, and serves as the spokesperson for the newspaper. The managing editor may also be involved in story, photo and graphics selection, assignments, laying out pages, and editing copy and writing headlines. The news editor is in charge of the news pages of the newspaper. He or she makes decisions on which stories are used and which are not. The news editor and his or her assistants also lay out pages of the paper. The copy editor edits wire and local stories and writes headlines. The copy editor is often the last person to see a story before it actually appears in print. The city editor makes sure that the news in the city is covered and that as many local stories as possible get into each edition. The city editor monitors the local general assignment, beat and specialty reporters. The state editor supervises reporters who cover communities and areas outside the city but still within the circulation area of the newspaper. The national editor _ reporters in bureaus in cities outside the circulation area of the newspaper. Most newspapers rely on the wire services for national news, but some have correspondents who work in other cities and report to the national editor. What is mainly discussed in this passage? A. How newspapers are made. B. People in a newspaper newsroom. C. How news is collected and edited. D. People in charge of the newspaper industry. Answer: B Teens want structure in their lives, which means they want their lives well-planned. To begin building structure, teens need love and trust. They need to know their parents arc there to give them needed love and support .Teens want to be sure that nothing can prevent parents from shouldering their responsibility for them -- not their growing maturity ,misbehavior, nor anger at something they have done. Teens want parents to keep control while allowing them to make some decisions. There are some ways you can help your teens create reasonable structure and remain close. One way is to spend time together. Parents often mistake their teens' increased interest in friends for a disinterest in the family. Teens would like to spend more time doing things with their parents, but watching TV is not counted as spending time together. As your teens mature, it is important for you and your teens spend time alone together, one to one. Your teens need time to talk to you alone without any other family member present. Talk with your teens about their interests and concerns. Make sure you really show interest in what is happening. When talking with your teens, give full attention and do not stop them. The way to help your teens become adults is to let your teens into your world. Sharing your emotions and concerns with your teens is important. Avoid causing needless worry. Trust your teens. Don't expect the worst. Hope for the best. Telling your teens you don't like their friends will cause the teens not to bring their friends home. If something should go wrong, believe that your teens didn't do it on purpose. It is very important that you treat your teens with respect. Teens need the same respect adults show for total strangers. Don't talk down to your teens. You need to be supportive o f your teens. What may be a small problem to you may be troubling to your teens. Teens don't have the experiences that adults have had. Let the teens know that you understand how much it hurts when something happens that is upsetting or hurtful to them. As they mature, they can look back at some problems they had and laugh at having been upset by something that now seems unimportant. The most important things to remember are: talk with your teens, listen to their worries and offer suggestions when needed. This will help your teens to live a well-organized life. What is the best title of the passage ? A. Training Teens to Become Responsible Adults. B. Helping Teens to Build Reasonable Structure. C. Improving the Relationship with Your Teens. D. Stepping into Your Teens' Secret Word. Answer: B American schools begin in September after a long summer holiday. There're two terms in a school year. The first term is from September to January, and the second term is from February to June. Most American children begin to go to school when they're five years old. Most students are seventeen or eighteen years old when they finish high school. High school students take only five or six subjects each term. They usually go to the same classes every day, and they have homework for every class. After class, they do a lot of interesting things. After high school, many students go to college . They usually have to pay a lot of money. So, many college students work after class to get money for their studies. After high school, many students go to _ . A. cities B. work C. college D. town Answer: C Can you understand the beginning of this article? "My smmr hols wr CWOT. B4, we usd 2go2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & 3 kds FTF." The Scottish teacher who received it in class had no idea what the girl who wrote it meant. The essay was written in a form of English used in cell phone text messages. Text messages (also called SMS2) through cell phones became very popular in the late 1990s. At first, mobile phone companies thought that text messaging would be a good way to send messages to customers, but customers quickly began to use the text messaging service to send messages to each other. Teenagers in particular enjoyed using text messaging, and they began to create a new language for messages called texting. A text message is limited to 160 characters, including letters, spaces, and numbers, so messages must be kept short. In addition, typing on the small keypad of a cell phone is difficult, so it's common to make words shorter. In texting, a single letter or number can represent a word, like "r" for "are," "u" for "you," and "2" for "to." Several letters can also represent a phrase, like "lol" for "laughing out loud." Another characteristic of texting is the leaving out of letters in a word, like spelling "please" as "pls." Some parents and teachers worry that texting will make children bad spellers and bad writers. The student who wrote the essay at the top of this page said writing that way was more comfortable for her. (The essay said, "My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend, and their three kids face to face.") Not everyone agrees that texting is a bad thing. Some experts say languages always evolve, and this is just another way for English to change. Other people believe texting will disappear soon. New technology for voice messages may soon make text messages a thing of the past. Why aren't some people worried about the effect of texting? A. Not many people use texting. B. Spelling in English is too difficult. C. Teenagers quickly become bored with texting. D. Texting will disappear because of new technology. Answer: D
Perez sued Dawson for damages arising out of an automobile collision. At trial, Perez called Minter, an eyewitness to the collision. Perez expected Minter to testify that she had observed Dawson's automobile for five seconds prior to the collision and estimated Dawson's speed at the time of the collision to have been 50 miles per hour. Instead, Minter testified that she estimated Dawson's speed to have been 25 miles per hour. Without finally excusing Minter as a witness, Perez then called Wallingford, a police officer, to testify that Minter had told him during his investigation at the accident scene that Dawson "was doing at least 50." Wallingford's testimony is A. admissible as a present sense impression. B. admissible to impeach Minter. C. inadmissible, because Perez may not impeach his own witness. D. inadmissible, because it is hearsay, not within any exception Answer: B As I drive about the Sois in rural Thailand I catch little glimpses of things that barely register on the mind as the scenery flies by; strange things, beautiful things, sad things, interesting things. I wish I could hold on to these scenes; explore them in detail. I wish that I had the time to stop and investigate further as I'm driving by, but time is a commodity worth more than all the moneys in the world. I wish I had more. I once had a guy wave to me as I passed him. He yelled out something, almost in greeting, as if he knew me. I wonder if we knew each other once, in another place, another time, and he recognized my soul as I drove by in the truck, and just had to yell a hello. I wish I had stopped and said hello too. I saw two young girls, dressed in school uniforms. White blouses, blue skirts, books in hand. They were holding hands, talking, walking down the road, jostling(,)each other with their shoulders and teasing each other as they strolled along. As I passed the one closest to the truck looked up. She was close enough to touch almost. Her smiling face, her clear eyes and golden smooth skin are there in my mind's eye now. I can see her as if she were standing next to me. Once in a while her face just pops into my head. Why? Why is she still there? Sometimes I think maybe I'm a bit mad. I stopped at a road stop on a corner one time. An old lady standing by the roadside walked over to the truck and put her hand on my arm and smiled at me. Her palm was so cool. It must have been a hundred degrees out that day. She said something in Thai and giggled and walked away. Who was she? Why did she touch me? Why was her hand so cool? Why did I just sit there and let her touch me? I didn't flinch away. It was almost as if I knew her, and we were just saying a quick hello. Her cool touch almost seemed familiar; like my long dead grandmother's soothing cool touch remembered from when I was just a little boy. I need more time. I need to stop the truck more often, and just say hello. Things glimpsed along the road are often far more interesting and wonderful than that which seems to consume our daily lives. Slow down. Stop the truck. Get out, and say hello. What kind of life does the writer normally lead? A. Busy. B. Tiring. C. Meaningless. D. Boring. Answer: A The evidence for harmony may not be clear in some families. But it seems that four in five young people now get on with their parents, which is the opposite of the popularly- held image of unhappy teenagers locked in their room after endless family quarrels. An important new study into teenage attitudes surprisingly shows that their family life is more harmonious than it has ever been in the past. "We were surprised by just how positive today's young people seem to be about their families, "said one member of the research team. "They're expected to be rebellious and selfish but actually they have other things on their minds; they want a car and material goods, and they worry about whether school is serving them well. There's more negotiation and discussion between parents and children, and children expect to take part in the family decision-making process. They don't want to rock the boat. " So it seems that this generation of parents is much more likely than parents of 30 years ago to treat the children as friends. "My parents are happy to discuss things with me and willing to listen to me, "says 17-years-old Daniel Lazall. "I always tell them when I'm going out clubbing. As long as they know what I'm doing, they're fine with it. "Susan Crome, who is now 21, agrees. "Looking back on the last 10 years, there was a lot of what you could call negotiation. For example, as long as I'd done all my homework, I could go out on a Saturday night. But I think my grandparents were a lot stricter with my parents than that. " Maybe this positive view of family life should not be unexpected. It is possible that the idea of teenagers' rebellion is not rooted in real facts. A researcher comments, "Our surprise that teenagers say they get along well with their parents comes because of a brief period in out social history when teenagers were regarded as different beings. But that idea of rebelling and breaking away from their parents really only happened during that one time in the 1960s when everyone rebelled. The normal situation throughout history has been a smooth change from helping out with the family business to taking it over. " The study shows that teenagers don't want to _ A. share family responsibility B. cause trouble in their families C. go boating with their family D. make family decisions Answer: B It never occurred to Sun Yukun that the decision he made four years ago would have an impact on his career. When the 22-year-old entered college in 2009, he decided not to change his rural residence to a students' collective one. But when he finished college and was offered a job with a state-owned enterprise in Beijing, Sun was told that he couldn't accept the offer unless he had an urban hukou (household registration record). This time, he had no choice but to change his residence status. Transferring hukou to a university became optional in 2003, and many students are confronted with the dilemma of whether to do so or not. Professionals suggest they make the decision based on their current situation and future plans. 'I regret transferring my hukou' Wang Jinbi, 20, is an accounting major at Beijing Union University. Coming from Chifeng, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, she transferred her hukou when she enrolled at university. "I didn't think it was a big deal," Wang says. "Since I'm registering under an urban hukou, it doesn't matter whether it's in Beijing or Inner Mongolia, I thought." What Wang didn't expect, however, is that she would regret her decision later. "After two years of study, I've figured out my future plans. I want to return to my hometown and make a living there," she says. That means Wang needs to transfer her hukou back again, which she worries will be a troublesome procedure. "I have a friend who graduated last year. She spent a lot of time and energy transferring her hukou back to her hometown again due to complicated paperworks," says Wang. Guidelines for transferring hukou Wang's experience is not uncommon. Many students don't know what their decision means for their future. In order to help these students, Xie Yongqiang, from the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Justice, posted a guideline for transferring hukou on a micro blog. According to Xie, students should firstly think about where they're going to stay. "If you like the city where you're studying and are considering staying there after graduation, then you should transfer your hukou," he wrote. Students should also transfer their hukou if they intend to participate in an exchange program. According to Ju Haojie, deputy director of the household registration department at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, when applying for exchange programs, it saves a lot of trouble if students have a collective hukou registered under the university. But Xie also made suggestions for students with a rural registration. "If your family has land and a house, it's possible that you'll get a share of compensation in the event of a forced relocation. For those students, I would recommend them not to transfer their hukou," he wrote. This doesn't affect students in terms of receiving medical insurance and other benefits at university. 'I want to stay in Beijing' Sometimes, students abandon their rural hukou for the prospect of a better future. Tang Yanwei is one of them. The 23-year-old from Yantai, Shandong province, had a rural hukou but transferred it after enrolling at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture. Although there are a lot of preferential policies for rural residents, for Tang, an urban hukou in Beijing is attractive. "I want to stay in Beijing, so a students' collective Beijing urban hukou is a promising start," he says. "I'll do anything that could help me stay here. After all, there's no turning back for me now." Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. Sun Yukun thinks the decision he made four years ago would have an effect on his career. B. Wang Jinbi regrets transforming her hukou and she wants to stay at home. C. Xie Yongqiang says if someone likes the city where they're studying and are considering staying there after graduation, then he should transfer Hukou. D. Tang Yanwei wantsto stay in Beijing, so he transforms his hukou. Answer: A Barefoot Traveler is a tour agent that specializes in diving holidays,tailor-made to your own needs.The most popular destinations include Bonaire,Tobago,the Bahamas, Maldives,Oman,Seychelles and Thailand. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff,who are qualified divers themselves,will be able to advise you on the best destinations for your requirements. Whether you want to learn to dive,further your diving qualifications,continue to discover the underwater world,or simply relax on the beach,we are here'to help organize your holiday. We are happy to satisfy single travelers and offer special discounts . Group discounts are offered to groups of eight or more travelers and tailor-made packages are available for Dive Clubs. We also offer a series of diving liveaboard choices throughout the Caribbean.Indian Ocean and South East Asia.Liveaboards are very popular scuba diving holidays for those who want to access the best diving sites. Our barefoot luxury holiday brand is for those trying something a little more special,whether it's your honeymoon,anniversary or simply for more discerning travelers.We have a selection of 4 and 5 star levels which are the best in luxury holidays. What's the author's purpose in writing this passage? A. To give some advice on diving. B. To introduce the popular destinations. C. To teach diving skills. D. To attract tourists. Answer: D Come and see the Indian elephants and new tigers from America. The bears are waiting to meet you, and the monkeys from china are waiting to throw things at you. The lovely dogs from Australia are waiting to laugh at you. The giraffes from Zambia are waiting to look down on you. Tickets Adults :$2.00 Children : Over 12: $1.00 Under12: Free Opening time 9:00 am- 4:00pm(from Saturday to Thursday) 10:00am-3:00pm (Friday) Keep the zoo clean! Don`t touch , give food or go near the animals. How many kinds of animals are mentioned in the passage? A. Four B. Five C. Six D. Seven Answer: C The tragic death of celebrity Wang Bei has made people aware of the risks of cosmetic surgery, which is becoming increasingly popular. A survey on the reaction to Wang's death, conducted by Tencent, which runs China's most popular instant-messaging service, received more than 600,000 responses, as of press time Monday.Forty-one percent of respondents expressed sorrow over her death, saying, "It's a pity she died at such a young age." Some 31 percent said she should have been more cautious and less vain, while 10 percent were enraged at the hospital that conducted the surgery.The remaining 18 percent were indifferent. A common thread of online discussion is why someone considered beautiful was so dissatisfied with her looks.Some netizens said Wang was a victim of society's unrealistic ideal of beauty: double eyelids, an aquiline nose and the pointed chin typical of Western celebrities.Others said her death underscores the limits to which people will go to achieve fame and fortune.Young people, see cosmetic surgery as the key to wealth and love. "They want to improve their appearance to find better opportunities at work and in marriage," says Ding Xiaobang, a plastic surgeon with the Peking Union Medical College Hospital."We're living in a highly competitive society.People regard appearance as a weapon and a means of empowerment...Most of them tell me, 'I don't care how much I spend, just make me look beautiful'." In the past decade, Ding says he Has seen a growing number of patients, like Wang Bei, who are young and naturally good-looking.The surgeon attributes this trend to people becoming richer, the standards of beauty changing, competition and frustration. "Some are frustrated with life and use surgery as a way to try and recover," lie says. The surge in demand for plastic surgery has resulted in a rise in the number of unauthorized business establishments and surgeons conducting such procedures. Meanwhile, experts say, young and beautiful people who still seek plastic surgery need to address their self-awareness issues and be more accepting. "They've built their identity around the admiration of others and fail to establish a system to assess themselves," says Zhu Wenbo, a psychologist with Blue Bay Psychological Consulting Center in Chengdu."People's opinions always change, so this is not a reliable way to evaluate oneself." What kind of people is regarded as a beauty nowadays? A. a person with single eyelid, an aquiline nose and a pointed chin B. a person with double eyelids, an aquiline nose and a pointed chin C. a person with double eyelids, a snub nose and a pointed chin D. a person with double eyelids, a snub nose and a chubby chin Answer: B In far northern prefix = st1 /Mongolia, the living of the smallest ethnic group in the country--the Tsaatan community depends on a kind of animal reindeer. An American named Morgan Keay visited the Tsaatan community when she was studying in Mongoliain 2002. Local leaders told her that the animals were not healthy and the number of reindeer was. getting too small to support the community. Back in the United States, Morgan Keay and a friend who had also studied inMongoliastarted an organization. They named it Itgel the Mongolian word for "hope". The Itgel Foundation has helped bring foreign scientists to Mongoliato research and treat reindeer diseases. They also helped Tsaatan workers build a community and visitor center. The building includes guest rooms for tourists. The Tsaatan not only work as guides, they now provide services for travelers. The community works in partnership with international tour operators, who had formerly been in control of the services. People in the community designed the center, which they also own and manage. Before the visitor center was built, families earned an average of 100 dollars a year. Now Morgan Keay says the average is 3 to 4 times that. Money also goes into a community account. Four years ago the Tsaatan had fewer than 500 reindeer. Now the herd has already reached 900. Morgan Keay says the Tsaatan are becoming economically independent for the first time. The Mongolian government is now considering a development plan written by the community that deals with education, health, the environment and economics. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text? A. Tte Tsaatan used to control the services for travelers to the community. B. Morgan Keay is a Mongolian devoted to environmental conservation C. The Mongolian government had designed a development plan for the community. D. Money got from the visitor centre is managed by the community now. Answer: D Hetty Robinson learnt all about money when very young. As a child, she read the financial pages of the newspaper to her rich father. Her father died when Hetty was 30, and she inherited $1 million. When she herself died in 1916, she left almost $100 million to her two children. Hetty made her money on the New York stock exchange. She was a financial genius. She made money so easily that people called her the Witch of Wall Street. But although she was one of the richest women in the world, she counted every cent and spent as little as possible. She didn't own a house, because she didn't want to pay taxes. So she and her children lived in cheap hotels. She spent almost nothing on clothes, and always wore the same long black dress. She washed it herself, but to save soap she only washed the bottom of the dress, where it touched the ground. Other people had their own offices, but Hetty used a desk in the bank where she kept her money, because it didn't cost anything. She sat in the bank and ate her sandwiches while she bought and sold stocks and shares. If the bank complained, she just moved all her money to another bank. Hetty's family paid the price for her meanness. When she was 33 she married a millionaire, Edward Green, and they had two children. But Green lost all his money, so she left him. When her son, Ned, injured his knee, Hetty didn't want to pay for a doctor, so she took him to a free hospital for poor people. Unfortunately the doctor knew Hetty was rich and he asked for money. Hetty refused and took the boy away. His leg got worse and two years later doctors removed it. But eventually Ned got his revenge . At the age of 81, Hetty had an argument with a shop assistant about the price of a bottle of milk. She became so angry that she had a heart attack and died. So Hetty's meanness finally killed her. Ned inherited half his mother's fortune, and he spent it all on parties, holidays and expensive jewellery. What fact can be learned about Hetty Robinson from the passage? A. She was nice to her son. B. She died from extreme anger. C. She worked for a bank. D. She came from a poor family. Answer: C My mother fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56. She held out long enough to meet the first of her grandchildren and to hold him in her arms. But my other children will never have the chance to know her and experience how loving and gracious she was. We often speak of "Mommy's mommy," and I find myself trying to explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if the same could happen to me. I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is that I carry a "faulty" gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer. My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman. Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much as I could. I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex. On April 27, I finished the three months of medical procedures. During that time I have been able to keep this private and to carry on with my work. But I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience. Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people's hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. But today it is possible to find the way out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action. My own process began on February 2. The operation took eight hours. Then I woke up with tubes in my breasts. It did feel like a scene out of a science-fiction film. But days after surgery I can be back to a normal life. There have been many advances in this procedure in the last few years, and the results can be beautiful. I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a surgery operation was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made. My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don't need to fear they will lose me. It is a comfort that they see nothing that makes them scared. They can see my small scars and that's it. Everything else is just Mommy, the same as she always was. And they know that I love them and I will do anything to be with them as long as I can. On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman. For any woman reading this, I hope it helps you to know you have options. I want to encourage every woman, especially if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, to seek out the information and medical experts who can help you through this aspect of your life, and to make your own informed choices. I acknowledge that there are many wonderful holistic doctors working on alternatives to surgery. My own regimen will be posted in due course on the Web site of the Pink Lotus Breast Center. I hope that this will be helpful to other women. I choose not to keep my story private because there are many women who do not know that they might be living under the shadow of cancer. It is my hope that they, too, will be able to get gene tested, and that if they have a high risk they, too, will know that they can take measures. Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of. What message does the writer want to convey? A. People can do more than they think. B. Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. C. Women should face their diseases bravely. D. All things are difficult before they're easy. Answer: C
Charles Dickens (1812-1870), the great nineteenth century English novelist, was born near Portsmouth. His father ran heavily into debt and when he was twelve, he had to go and work in a factory for making boot polish. The only formal education he received was a two-year schooling at a school for poor children. In fact, he had to teach himself all he knew. He worked for a time as junior clerk in a lawyer's office. After that, he worked as a reporter in the law courts, and later in parliament, for London newspapers. His career as a writer of fiction began in 1833 with short stories and essays in periodicals, and in 1837 his comic novel The Pickwick Papers made him the most popular author at his time in England. He was a great observer of people and their places because he was attracted by life and conditions in mid-nineteenth century London. He wrote 19 novels all his life and in many of them, Dickens gave a realistic picture of all classes of England society, showing deep sympathy for the poor and unfortunate, exposing the injustice and inhumanity of the bourgeoisie . Many of his novels like Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Nicholas Nickleby, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities and so on drew attention to the unsatisfactory social conditions that existed in England over a hundred years ago. Dickens criticized capitalist society from the point of view of bourgeois humanism. He wished to see improvement in the living conditions of the poor, but failed to find any effective means to achieve that end. Which of the following novel made Dickens the most popular writer at his time in England? A. Oliver Twist B. The Pickwick Papers C. A Tale of Two Cities D. Great Expectations Answer: B Nursing at prefix = st1 /BethIsraelHospitalproduces the best patient care possible. If we are to solve the nursing shortage, hospital administration and doctors everywhere would do well to follow Beth Israel's example. At Beth Israel each patient is assigned to primary nurse who visits at length with the patient and constructs a full-scale health account that covers everything from his medical history to his motional state. Then he writes a care plan centered on the patient's illness but which also includes everything else that is necessary. The primary nurse stays with the patient through his hospitalization, keeping track with his progress and seeking further advice from his doctor. If a patient at Beth Israel is not responding to treatment, it is not uncommon for his nurse to propose another approach to the doctor. What the doctor at Beth Israel has in the primary nurse is a true colleague. Nursing at Beth Israel also involves a decentralized nursing administration; every floor, every unit is a self-contained organization. There are nurse managers instead of head nurses; in addition to their medical duties they do all their own hiring and dismissing, employee advising, and they make salary recommendations. Each unit's nurses decide among themselves who will work what shifts and when. Beth Israel's nurse-in-chief ranks as an equal with other vice presidents of the hospital. She is also a member of the Medical Executive Committee, which in most hospitals includes only doctors. Which of the following is the character of the nursing system at Beth Israel Hospital? A. The doctor gets more active professional support from the primary nurse. B. Each patient is taken care of by a primary nurse day and night C. The primary nurse writes care plan for every patient D. The primary nurse keeps records of the patient's health conditions every day. Answer: A Nobody knows for certainty all the details of the life of Aesop. However, scholars have been working to established some facts and this is the brief story of Aesop as it is accepted today. Aesop was born a slave around the year 620 B.C. InAncient Greece, it was a privilege and tradition of freedmen to be interested in public affairs, so Aesop worked hard to raise himself from a servile slave's position to a high position of renown. He was a thinker and philosopher and eventually became widely admired. Aesop was a smart man and a good speaker. He liked to learn and to also teach people, so he traveled through many countries. He came to Sardis, the capital of the famous king Croesus of Lydia who was a patron of learning and learned men. Croesus was so impressed by Aesop that he invited Aesop to permanently reside at Sardis. The king hired Aesop to do diplomatic government work such as trying to establish peace between the various republics of Greece. Aesop reconciled the inhabitants of these cities by telling his wise fables. It was on one of these ambassadorial missions that Aesop was killed. Croesus had sent him to Delphi with lots of gold which was to be distributed among the citizens. After talking with the people of Delphi, Aesop got so mad at the citizens because of their covetousness. He refused to divide the money and instead sent it back to his master. The Delphians were so mad they executed Aesop as a public criminal. As it often happens in Greek history, the Delphians were visited by a series of calamities as a sort of retribution for Aesop's death. This is where the phrase "the blood of Aesop" originated. The saying means "wrongful deeds will not go unpunished". In memory of Aesop, a statue was erected in Athens. The statue was created by the famous Greek sculptor, Lysippus. The phrase "the blood of Aesop" probably means " _ ". A. No pains, no gains. B. Well begun is half done. C. It's no use crying over spilt milk. D. Wrongful deeds will not go unpunished. Answer: D On Christmas Eve a few years ago an English couple received a very special telephone call. It was only a 20-second call but it was very important. The Haydens' 15-year-old daughter had disappeared six months before. On Christmas Eve she rang them. "I'm phoning to wish a happy Christmas," she said, "I love you." Ronals and Edwine Hayden were so happy that they started a special telephone service called "Alive and Well". The service helps parents to get in touch with children who have run away from home. Young people can phone "Alive and Well" and leave a message for their parents. The telephones are answered by answering machines. So no one can speak to the child of making him return home. Parents of runaway children who are under eighteen can ask the police to bring their children home, so children do not want to tell their parents where they are. Through "Alive and Well" they can telephone their parents without worrying about this or giving out their addresses. The Haydens and their helpers write down the tape recorded telephone messages and connect the address given. Many of the 30,000 British teenagers who have left home are probably in London. For only two pence they can go into a telephone coin box and call their parents. They can dial 5675339 and stop a parent's worry: Is he dead or alive? If you ring "Alive and Well", _ . A. you will get the information you want B. your message will be passed over to your parents C. the police will bring you home D. your parents will know where you are Answer: B In Jane Austin's time, unmarried girls were always closely guarded, and hardly allowed to be alone with a young man; and during the Victorian period (just the period after Jane Austin) exposure of the body in particular was thought to be most immoral, Victorian ladies wore dresses reaching down to their feet, long in the sleeve and high at the neck. Since then, ways of dressing as well as times have changed. Girls were no longer guarded, and they can do more or less what they like. And yet among all these astonishing changes, one thing has remained much the same for most people, and that is the same of becoming a mother before being married. If this does happen, there often comes a quick marriage with the responsible man. If this is impossible, the affair may bring considerable shame to the girl's parents as well as to herself. It is now quite normal for a girl, once past the age of about fifteen, to go out with a boyfriend, and although her parents will probably insist that she come home at a certain time, beyond this they depend on her or look after herself. Kisses between young men and women are now considered to be perfectly normal, but although times have changed so much, most people still believe that a woman should not become a mother before being married. From the article, we learn that _ . A. an unmarried girl must come back home for the night. B. it is good for a girl of 15 to have a boyfriend. C. the unmarried girl who has a baby needn't get married at once. D. a girl of 15 has the right to be alone with her boyfriend. Answer: D Earth Day is on April 22nd.People say thanks to the Earth and learn ways to keep the Earth safe and clean.But saving the Earth is not just for grow-ups.Kids are also taking an active part in it. The American writer and filmmaker Lynne made a film called Young Voices for the Planet.It lists a lot of stories about different kids who help to keep our environment clean. Team Marine, US A group of students at Santa Monica High School started an organization called Team Marine.They tell people why plastic bags are bad for sea animals and environment.In 2011, they successfully made lawmakers in their city stop people using plastic bags. Felix, 15, Germany In 2007, a 9-year-old boy, Felix, started a club,Plant for the Planet.It encourages children around the world to plant trees in their own countries.Felix helped plant 25 million trees in Germany and 120 million trees worldwide. Alec, 17, US When he was 12, Alec set up Kids VS Global Warming.It teaches kids about weather change and ways to stop the world getting warmer and warmer.Alec travels widely to encourage people to help stop global warming.He has given more than 70 talks across the country. Olivia, 13, US When Olivia was 11, she heard about the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.She painted 500 pictures of birds to raise money for the clean-up.She raised more than $200,000 to protect birds and other wild animals. The passage is mainly about how _ . A. kids are saving the Earth B. parents are planting trees C. students are raising money D. grow-ups are using plastics bags Answer: A Health officials issued a waring over common energy-saving lghtbulbs after research showed some types could potentially harm the skin and may even raise the risk of cancer. A study by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) found that some eco-friendly lightbuulbs release levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation that are above recognized safety limits. The agency urged people who work with lamps nearby to avoid spending more than one hour within a foot of the eco-friendly bulbs. The warning was directed at those using desk lamps for long periods, such as jewellery makers, and others who might have lights close to their faces, such as car mechanics. John O'Hagan, a scientist at the HPA's centre for radiation, chemical and environmental dangers, began tests on the ligthbulbs after patient groups raised concern about them. Among the groups were patients with a skin disease called lupus, which makes people highly sensitive to light. The tests measured UV light from the lamps and found the highest levels of UV radiation, measured 2cm from the lightbulbs, were _ to being outside in direct sunlight in the summer. The most immediate risk from the lightbulbs is a reddening of the skin similar to sunburn, but there is also a small increased risk of skin cancer associated with this, again similar to that of sunburn. The risk of health problems from the lightbulbs was not so high that people should remove them from their homes. People are advised to avoid using open lightbulbs for long close work until the problem is sorted out. It has confirmed that the government will not be reviewing its strategy on introducing energy efficient lightbulbs. In the next part, the author would most probably further explain _ . A. why people needn't remove the lightbulbs from their homes B. how researchers have planned to sort out the problem C. how the government has responded to HPA's discovery D. how long people should work close to the open lightbulbs Answer: C Experiments aboard the spaceship Columbia have disproved a theory on the human nervous system which won an Austrian professor a Nobel prize 79 years ago. West German astronaut Ulf Merbold disproved the theory during tests aboard the spaceship yesterday. His discovery is connected with the workings of the inner ear, the body's balance mechanism . In l914 Professor Robert Barany won the Nobel prize for Physiology and Medicine when he announced that temperature differences affected the inner ear and caused the eyes to blink . His theory was accepted by scientists. But Merbold carried out tests to find if the theory was correct and shocked himself and space officials when he proved it wrong. According to Barany's theory the eyes would blink when cold air was blown into one ear and hot air blown into the other. But if this theory was correct such a movement would be impossible in zero gravity . Both Merbold's eyes continually blinked when the test was carried out. Barany's theory declared to prove _ . A. how our hearing mechanism works B. why we constantly move our eyes C. that eye movement is affected by temperature D. how hearing reacts Answer: C The 2016 Rio Olympic Games have come to an end. Without doubt, many Chinese sports fans sat in front of the TV and cheered our athletes on, hoping that they would get as many gold medals as possible. But sometimes our desire for gold medals can result in the sadness of failure. When Liu Xiang, China's track hero, pulled out of the Beijing Olympics due to injury, he greatly disappointed many Chinese sports fans. But things are different now. In the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, we saw a healthier and more _ Chinese attitude toward the sportspeople, fully in line with the Olympic spirit. China didn't win any gold medals on the first day. But, instead of criticizing the athletes who failed to finish on top of the podium , the majority of fans were happy with their efforts. "Reacting in the right way when an athlete misses out on gold shows the maturity of a person, and is also a challenge for a country to face up to in the process of development," commented CRI. Swimmer Fu Yuanhui won fans' hearts, even if she only won a bronze medal in the 100m backstroke final. Her fans on her Sina Weibo micro blog have increased 100,000 to over 6 million. Many sports fans appreciated her straightforward character and attitude toward competition. "The warm support from Internet users shows that public attitude toward competitive sport and the Olympics have gotten to a higher level," said an article in the People's Daily. People like Fu Yuanhui because of her _ . A. kindness to the fans B. winning a bronze medal C. attitude to competition D. Weibo mirco blog Answer: C There is a sign at a Korean university asking tourists not to step into the grass to take photos. The sign is not written in Korean or English; it is written in Chinese. These signs, and signs in other countries warning Chinese tourists about their behavior, have shamed many Chinese who worry about the image of the country. Over 70 million Chinese tourists made overseas trips last year and spent $102 billion, more than the $84 billion spent by American and German tourists. For many Chinese tourists, it was their first trip abroad and they didn't know about foreign ways. And some of these tourists took their bad habits from China with them. Wang Yang, a Chinese deputy prime minister , said, "They(the tourists) speak loudly in public, carve words or numbers on tourist attractions, cross the road when the traffic lights are still red and spit anywhere. It damages the image of the Chinese people and has a very bad influence." Before you travel to a foreign country, it's important to learn some things about the country and its culture. You are guests in the country and it's important to respect your hosts. As more and more Chinese visit foreign countries, their behavior will certainly change and those shameful signs will, hopefully, disappear. What would be the best title for the passage? A. Signs Shame Overseas Chinese Tourists B. Foreign Culture Makes Bad Influence C. Foreign Countries Attract Chinese Tourists D. Chinese Tourists Like Foreign Culture Answer: A
Alibaba started taking the lead in China, simply enough, by connecting big Chinese manufacturers with big buyers across the world. Its business-to-business site, Alibaba.com allowed business to buy almost everything. Alibaba's advantage wasn't hard to identify: size. Alibaba is just big, even by Chinese standards. Its marketplaces attract 231 million active buyers, 8 million sellers, 11.3 billion orders a year--and _ It encourages people to use its markets--not charging small sellers a percentage of the sale. If you want a quick look into the influence of Alibaba on daily Chinese life, take my experience. I moved to Beijing almost a year ago and quickly got tired of visiting small stores across the crowded, polluted city of 20 million people in search of new electronics, bathroom furnishings, and anything else my wife wanted. "You're looking for what exactly? Why not try _ ? " my Chinese teacher asked me one day. With that, my wonderful new relationship with Alibaba began. Alibaba's original business-to-business model now is secondary to consumer buying. Chinese retail buying makes up 80% of Alibaba's profit, and leading that group is Taobao, with 800 million items for sale and the most unbelievable selection of things you'll ever find. TMall.com is Alibaba's other big site, where you can find brand name goods from Nike and Unilever near the lowest prices. What I have a hard time explaining to friends and family back in the U.S. is how China has gone beyond traditional shopping--big-box retailers especially --in favor of online purchases on Taobao and a few other sites. In smaller towns than Beijing, where big retailers have not yet traveled, shopping online is shopping, and shopping is Taobao. I have a list of some of my recent purchases on Taobao for a sense of how extensive the marketplace is. Almost everything arrived a day or two after ordering with free shipping. I'm not even a big buyer, because I need friends to help me search the Chinese-language site. When I was searching my purchase history on my Chinese teacher's iPad, which helps me buy goods, I looked through with great difficulty about 10 of her purchases for every one of mine. What is the passage mainly about? A. Shopping online is TaoBao. B. The influence of shopping online goes beyond traditional shopping. C. Alibaba greatly influences people's daily purchase in China. D. How the author purchases online in China. Answer: C The quality of water supply in southern Beijing has been improving in recent years, an official said. In addition to improvements in the network of pipes, the government has been upgrading three recycled water plants in the south of the capital, said Zhao Lei, spokesman for the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform. "The transformation of the three plants has increased the recycled water processing capacity by 160,000 cubic meters per day," he said. In addition, the city is also speeding up the construction of sewage treatment plants to further recycle the sewage, Zhao said. Zhang Xiang, a researcher from Nature University, an environmental protection NGO in Beijing, said recycled water use should be promoted, especially in water-scarce cities such as Beijing. Setting up more recycled water plants in the capital will not only promote efficient water use, but also reduce costs because recycling water is much cheaper than transferring it over long distances, he said. According to the Beijing Water Authority, the capital will set up 46 more recycled water plants citywide in the next three years while upgrading 20 sewage treatment plants. The treatment rate of domestic sewage in downtown Beijing will reach 98 percent by the end of 2015, it said. The capital's recycled water is mainly used for industry, landscaping and cleaning, Zhang said. Many new communities in southern Beijing are equipped with a network to recycle water. In the past, people were not enthusiastic about using recycled water. However, as the government has boosted the quality of recycled water and set up more recycled water plants, more residents are gradually accepting it. Residents in southern Beijing will also enjoy more clean energy, as the government will replace traditional coal-burning stoves with electric radiators as part of a three-year plan to develop southern Beijing from 2013 to 2015. Since 2010, Beijing has taken measures to develop its southern areas. Earlier efforts have seen the region, which used to rely heavily on low-end industries such as cement factories and small coal mines, being turned into a bustling commercial center and home to many educational institutions. which statement is true according to the passage A. Recycled water will be mainly used for drink. B. As usual, recycled water is accepted by people. C. Traditionally people in southern Beijing use coal-burning stove for cooking. D. The water Transferred over long distance is cheaper than recycled water. Answer: C Rimm and Hill were fooling around with a pistol in Hill's den. Rimm aimed the pistol in Hill's direction and fired three shots slightly to Hill's right. One shot ricocheted off the wall and struck Hill in the back, killing him instantly. The most serious crime of which Rimm can be convicted is A. murder. B. voluntary manslaughter. C. involuntary manslaughter. D. assault with a dangerous weapon Answer: A Before summer ends, you might want to consider reading The Shaping of A Christian Home by Elizabeth Elliot. She writes beautifully of her family summer cottage in Franconia, Maine. She mentions that every family should have a place to get away together. The summer of my fourteenth year, Dad and Mom planned a wonderful family vacation that I'll never forget. We took a road trip in our 1969 Chrysler. We camped through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and back home by way of Washington D.C. To save money, we stayed in a tent and cooked our own meals on a camp stove. It was a wonderful vacation. Whenever we could, we talked Dad into staying at a campground with a swimming pool. We camped in a large tent big enough to sleep eight average-sized people who didn't mind sleeping close enough to hear one another breathe. It wasn't a cottage in Franconia, but served a similar purpose for our family. Most nights I slept in my own small tent. Each night I went to sleep listening to the music or sleep to the sound of frogs. In Maine, we didn't have a cottage in the mountains or a house on the lake. I doubt if we ever will. But I have happy memories of a family vacation, looking into a campfire, swimming with my brothers and my sister and walking under the stars. We can learn from the passage that the author _ . A. spent much money on the holiday B. preferred to live close to the nature C. enjoyed watching the stars in the sky D. hated staying with too many people Answer: B Spring is an inviting season for outdoor activities. But be careful--the warm weather is also a hotbed for viruses and disease. This March, the influenza A(H7N9) virus hit Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It was reported that by April 11 at least 35 people had been infected with the H7N9 virus, and nine of them had died. The influenza A (H7N9) virus is one type of influenza A H7 viruses. Influenza A H7 viruses normally spread among birds. This is the first time human infections with H7N9 viruses have been reported in China. Earlier reports were about H5N1 and H1N1. All the three viruses are influenza A viruses but they are not the same. H7N9 and H5N1 are animal influenza viruses that could infect people. However, H1N1 viruses can be divided into two groups. One group can normally infect people and the other normally infects animals. Also, H1N1 can spread from human to human, but H7N9 probably can't, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Most people infected with H7N9 looked like they had the common flu. Some people had bad pneumonia . They suffered from a fever, a cough and shortness of breath. But don't be afraid - it is not easy to be infected with the virus. One of the possible reasons is close contact with sick poultry waste. People may also be infected through breath, according to National Health and Family Planning Commission. Here are some tips from the WHO that can protect you from being infected. Wash your hands with soap and running water before you eat, after you use the toilet, and after touching animals or animal waste. When coughing or sneezing cover your mouth and nose with a mask ,tissue or a sleeve. Get a good rest and do exercises, which will help make your body strong enough to stand up to the virus. Which is NOT true about protecting us from being infected by animal influenza viruses? A. Wash our hands with soap and running water before we eat, after we use the toilet, and after touching animals or animal waste. B. When we cough or sneeze we should cover our mouths and noses with a mask,tissue or a sleeve. C. We should get a good rest and do exercises to make our bodies strong enough. D. We should try to eat much and sleep much as possible as we can. Answer: D There are more than 100 million cars in the United States. An ordinary car gets less than 15 miles from each gallon of gas. It travels about 10,000 miles each year. In that time, it uses about 650 gallons of gas. In all , automobiles use up some 70 billion gallons of gas a year. That comes out to be four-and-a-half million barrels a day. The importance of saving gas, then, cannot be stressed too much. Let's say, the fuel used by each car could be cut back just 15 percent. This could be done by making fewer trips each day. It could be done by keeping the automobiles in good shape. It could be done through better driving habits. If these were done, the nation's use of fuel would fall by close to two-thirds of a million barrels per day. Everyone can help to save gas. One way is to ride buses. Some could walk to work. Others could ride their bikes. Another way is to share a ride. People could share cars. About one-third of all cars are used for going to and from work. You can go shopping with a friend from time to time. If two people use a car instead of two, they all save. Driving stress would be less, too, with fewer cars on the road. The savings on gas around the nation would come to more than one-half million barrels a day. Still another way to save is by cutting out trips one does not need to take. Can you find one car trip per week that could be done by telephone? Can you combine trips? If each car travelled 10 miles less each week, they could save three-and-a-half billion gallons of gas a year. This comes to nearly 5 percent of the total passenger cars demand for gas. The way people drive decides how much fuel they save. Careful drivers may get 20 percent more miles per gallon than ordinary drivers. They obey the 55-mile-per-hour speed limit. If just one gallon of gas were saved each week for each car in the country, a total of five-and-a-half billion gallons could be saved a year. Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the text? A. Drivers should change their driving habits and keep their cars in good shape. B. The importance of saving fuel is seldom ignored. C. Saving gas is important and could be done in several ways. D. People should use fewer automobiles and make good use of telephones. Answer: C FORBES CHINA's annual celebrity list is based on income and appearances in magazines, newspapers, TV shows and online. Stars from the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong are included. And here are some of the winners: Jay Chou Taiwan singer, actor and director unveiled his 12th studio album, Opus 12, last December (Another "12''). New flick in the works: The Rooftop, being filmed in Taiwan and the mainland, which he stars in and also directs. 3. Andy Lau Now in his 50s, the evergreen Hong Kong star of song and film stayed popular last year with the movie Blind Detective. Lau's sixth film with Hong Kong actress Sammi Cheng is in the works. Jackie Chan Hong Kong movie industry icon last year released what may be his last action film CZ12, or Chinese Zodiac, which he wrote and directed. 5. Zhang Ziyi Popular actress had hit romantic comedy last year with My Lucky Star, which she also produced. Appears in this year's star-laden The Grandmaster kung fu movie, directed by Hong Kong's Wong Kar-Wai and also starring Tony Leung. 7. Yang Mi Actress was named most popular female singer in mainland China last year in a joint CCTV-MTV event. Last year's flicks included Love in the Buff, Beijing Love Story and Wu Dang. Has endorsement deals with Pepsi and cosmetics brand Wetcode. 8. Huang Xiaoming Actor turned up in several successful films last year, including Love in the Buff, An Inaccurate Memoir and White-Haired Witch. Promotes Baleno, Tissot, Olay. 10. Lin Chi-ling Taiwan TV hostess, model and actress. Most recent success: romantic comedy Say Yes, which took in more than $30 million in China. Who is the director of the Grandmaster ? A. Tony Leung B. Wong Kar-Wai C. Zhang Ziyi D. Jackie Chan Answer: B on which of these days would it be least convenient to take fast drive? A. a really sleety day B. a really hot day C. a really clear day D. a really cloudy day Answer: A Dear Editor; Why do newspapers carry so many advertisements for electronic equipment? Last Sunday I counted ads for seven kinds of televisions and thirteen kinds of radios in the Atlanta Journal. Besides that, there were pages and pages of ads for Citizens' Band radios and tape recorders. Don't you realize what electronic equipment is doing to our daily life? Everywhere you go you may hear loud musician advertisements over radios; this continual noise is ruining our ears. Husbands don't talk to wives any more; they are always watching the news or a ball game. Children ruin their eyes (not to mention their minds) with endless hours of watching not only the programs for children but those for grown-ups as well. And worse, hidden microphones find out about our private lives, and computers keep records of personal information about us. Enough is enough! I think you should limit the amount of advertising of electronic equipment in the Atlanta journal. Otherwise it will make life unbearable for us all. Electronic equipment causes all the following problems except that _ . A. personal information is given to strangers. B. Children ruin their eyes. C. News of the world is given to all citizens D. Family members don't talk to each other Answer: C The legal age for drinking alcohol in the Unite States is twenty-one. Underage drinking is a crime but also a common part of college social life. This week in our Foreign Student Series, we look at alcohol rules at American colleges and universities. These rules differ from school to school, but many schools have been moving to strengthen their rules. The United States has more than 17,000,000 students in higher education. Each year, 1700 of them die from alcohol-related road crashes and other injuries. 600,000 more are injured while under the influence of alcohol. And almost 700,000 are attacked by another drunken. One behavior that college officials are trying to prevent is too much drink. Some researchers have found that students who think binge drinking is normal often think extremely how much other students really drink. A person can die of alcohol poisoning. At Oklahoma University, a nineteen-year-old student died from drinking heavily at a party in 2005. Now alcohol is banned from all sorority houses and university housing. Student organizations can serve alcohol at events but only on Friday and Saturday nights. Other new requirements include an alcohol education program that first-year students take online. The rules govern behavior on campus and off. With a first violation ,students pay seventy-five dollars and their parents are told. They must also take an alcohol education class. For a second "strike", they have to pay one hundred fifty dollars. A third strike means that they have to be suspended school for at least one semester. Since 2005,363 students have had a first strike. 30 have had a second strike-and only one hasn't allowed to go to school for one semester. The president at Oklahoma tells us the aim is not just to punish but to change the behavior and culture at the university. Every year the number of the students who die or are injured because of alcohol in the USA adds up to about _ . A. 17,000,000 B. 1,301,700 C. 601,700 D. 1300,000 Answer: C
You're jogging at a steady pace, enjoying your favorite music through your headphones. Your breath is short and your heart is pumping. Your legs feel like they couldn't carry you any faster. And then you hear the groan of a zombie over your right shoulder. You must run or be eaten. The zombie apocalypse isn't upon you. You're just taking part in the latest fitness craze--Smartphone apps that make a fun and interactive game out of your daily workout. Software developers are taking advantage of Smartphone's advanced technology--GPS, accelerometers , MP3 players--to create "immersive" fitness games that appeal to both desperate and reluctant exercises. It's part of an overall trend in the fitness industry toward making your daily workout "a fun experience rather than something you have to do," said Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. "We are attempting more "play" opportunities as opposed to working out, basically getting people to move and having fun while they are doing it," Matthews said. One popular fitness game app, Zombies, Run!, places you in the role of a supplies runner for a walled community trying to survive against the walking dead. During your run, the game's surprising complex story unfolds through your headphones. You "pick up" supplies for the community as you jog along. At certain intervals, you're warned that zombies are nearby, and if you don't pick up the pace, you'll have to pitch some supplies to keep from being caught. The game doesn't end once your jog is over. After your workout, you can use the supplies you picked up during your running to fortify your community. The GPS statistics from your run are uploaded automatically to the game's website, so you can review your average speed and the estimated calories you burned. Teemo, Nexercise and Fitocracy all allow you to post your latest workout to share with friends. Some games have you work with friends to reach a common goal--completing a relay race, for example--while others encourage competition. "That's another big area, having that social component," Matthews said, "Having social support of some kind is a critical factor in adhering to an exercise program. For some people, having that friendly competition or the feeling of being on a team can help them stay motivated." The general tendency in the fitness industry is to _ . A. exercise while listening to music B. do sports and play games at the same time C. make your daily exercises funny and interesting D. show the average speed and the calories immediately Answer: C June and I were both poor when we were young. At that time, June always said, " If I got rich, I would buy a bigger apartment and a new wardrobe ." Of course, she said this just for fun and she never imagined that she would really become rich. A few years ago, June was surprised and excited when she came into a fortune from her uncle, who had been single. After receiving it, she made a shopping list. On it she wrote down all the ways she could use to spend the money. Every time I told her not to spend all of the money and to save some, she would always say impatiently , " I know, I know!" One day, when I was in June's home, she passed a piece of paper to me. "I thought over your suggestion for several nights. I've decided how to use the money. I hope my money will be helpful to those who need help," she said. I was pleased to hear what she said. Then I took the paper and only saw the two words written by her: Charity and Family. I smiled and played a joke on her, "Don't you want to move to a new apartment? That is what you have been dreaming of." "Actually, I have been looking forward to it, but now it doesn't seem so important to me anymore," she answered with a smile. When I was about to put the paper on the table, I found there were still a few words. June had written: and a new wardrobe. From the passage we can know that _ . A. the writer told June to give the money to the poor B. the writer helped June buy a new apartment C. June's parents didn't have any brothers at all D. June was poor when she was young Answer: D There's a "culture of walking and texting" on the Utah Valley University campus, according to conversations with students, but that's not the main reason Matt Bambrough, the creative director at UVU, came up with an idea to paint a "texting lane" on a staircase leading up to the Wellness Center. According to Bambrough, it's first and foremost a design project--the texting lane was a tongue-in-cheek reference to the college-wide epidemic of kids walking around with their faces buried in their iPhones. "You have 18-24-year-olds walking down the hall with smart phones. You're almost bound to run into someone somewhere; it's something we're dealing with in this day and age," Bambrough said. "But preventing collisions isn't the reason we did it--we did it to arouse the students' attention. It's meant to be there for people to look at and enjoy." Still, when talking to Utah Valley students, it sounds like texting and walking can be quite the annoyance. Robbie Poffenberger, an assistant news editor at the UVU Review, said that most collisions he witnesses aren't human-on-human; rather, it's generally human-on-inanimate-object. "They walk into barriers--chairs on the side of the hallway, or railings," Poffenberger said, "I'm sure they're fairly embarrassed." What do we learn about the "texting lane" from the text? A. It is a special campus culture in Utah Valley University. B. It is used to encourage the campus culture. C. It is painted on a staircase leading to everywhere. D. It is popular with students in universities. Answer: A My goddaughter, Shari, owns The Berry Factory in Sacramento, California, and her mother, Joan, and I were helping with the Valentine's Day rush of 2011. We'd been preparing hundreds of berries, arranged gift baskets and packaged orders to be shipped around the country. By the end of the day and I were exhausted. Shari didn't seem tired. That was what Shari liked doing especially when she gave someone else something. I'd seen her give away berries to everybody--parking attendants, mail carriers, hairdressers. "For me?" they'd say, breaking into a smile. As a "thank you", Shari took us out for dinner. But there was a 45-munite wait at her favorite restaurant. "No big deal. There's another place just up the road," she said, driving us there. This time we walked right in. While the waitress took our drink orders Shari reached into her handbag, pulling something out. "I want you to have these," she said, handing the waitress a box of chocolate-dipped strawberries. "Will she love those berries!"I said to myself. But the waitress seemed extremely surprised. She hardly let out a "Thank you" before grabbing the box and rushing into the kitchen. A few minutes later, the waitress returned with our iced tea. " I apologize," she said. " It's just ...my best friend and I made an agreement to send each other something every Valentine's Day. But she passed last year. I didn't know how I'd get through this day without her. Then you handed me that box." "I'm so sorry to hear that," said Shari. " It's not much, but I hope you can enjoy them." "Oh, I will," the waitress said. " See, every year we always sent each other the same thing: a box of chocolate-dipped strawberries bought from our favorite store, The Berry Factory." Why did the waitress apologize to Shari? A. Because she had a bad service to Shari B. Because she didn't express her thanks to Shari C. Because she didn't pay for the strawberries D. Because she didn't take Shari's drink order Answer: B On Friday, June 20th, 29 dogs along with their owners came to Santa Rosa, California. They came there to take part in an unusual competition--one that seeks out and honors the World's Ugliest Dog. Now in its 26th year, the competition is one of the biggest attractions at the annual Sonoma County Fair. Among the leading competitors were Cupcake, who was adopted from a local dog rescue center in January and Shorty, who would have been put to sleep if its owner, Jason, wasn't kind enough to pick it up. Also competing was 11-year-old veteran Grovie. Described by his owner as short and funny, the Chinese pug is a local resident who has taken part in this contest several times. Then there was 2002 "World's Ugliest Dog" and "Ring of Champions" winner, Rascal. The 7lbs naturally hairless dog with very few teeth comes from an impressive background . His grandfather, Chi Chi, holds the Guinness World Record for winning the title "World's Ugliest Dog" seven times! But all these impressively "ugly" dogs had no chance against Peanut. The two-year-old dog was badly burnt in a fire which caused him to lose his lips, most of his body hair and eyelids. Besides winning the title, $1,500 USD in cash and a large trophy , the first time winner also enjoyed an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City where he made scheduled appearances on the Today Show and the Jimmy Kimmel Show. The competition is a great way to honor these dogs, many of whom get their unusual looks because of human abuse . But most importantly, it raises awareness about their adoption by showing the world that ugliness does not prevent dogs from becoming very loving pets. Who play the biggest role in the competition mentioned in Para. 1? A. The dog owners who are good at keeping dogs. B. The people who have adopted dogs. C. The dogs that have unusual skills. D. The dogs that look very ugly. Answer: D Generations of children who sat through endless lessons of "chalk and talk" in front of a bossy teacher can take some relief. But the "chalk and talk" method helped them achieve better exam results. Modern classroom techniques may make school days a good deal happier, but contentment is not the road to success in examinations, according to university researchers. Their three-year study, monitoring the progress of 2000 teenagers, tried to measure the influence of the "boredom factor" in 17 selected schools in the north of England. The researchers also found that the old-fashioned approach of teachers ordering pupils about is still alive and producing results. Their conclusions were welcomed yesterday by educationists who were worried by the shift to less formal lessons. The pupils in the latest study were asked to award teachers marks to measure how frequently they followed or ignored today's fashion for "child-centred" education. A five-point scale was given to spot the teachers who always told them what they should know and what to write down. "It was significant and not anything you would get by chance or accident. Certainly, when you compare the pupil's interest and attitude to school, there is a quite definite and highly significant difference," one of the researchers said. But the rankings were turned upside down when the team of four researchers looked at how the children did in examination. The sort of methods now frowned upon actually improve the final grades. The researchers said,"There is nothing wrong with old-fashioned, didactic teaching in the fight place, even if it isn't the flavor at the moment." However, he insisted the best teachers had always mixed the two techniques to match the needs of pupils, although certain examinations forced some to concentrate more on dictation and learning by rote . University researchers have discovered that _ . A. modern teaching methods provide students with entertainment B. students taught by modern techniques are happy and successful C. traditional teaching methods help students score higher D. students like old teaching better than modern teaching at school Answer: C No one should be forced to wear a uniform under any circumstance. Uniforms are controlling the human spirit and totally unnecessary in a democratic society. Uniforms tell the world that the person who wears one has no value as an individual but only lives to function as a part of the whole. The individual in a uniform loses all self-worth. There are those who say that wearing a uniform gives a person a sense of identification with a larger, more important concept. What could be more important than the individual himself? If an organization is so weak that it must rely on cloth and buttons to inspire its members, that organization has no right to continue its existence. Others say that the practice of making persons wear uniforms, say in school, gets rid of all envy and competition in a matter of dress, such that a poor person who cannot afford good-quality clothing is not to be looked down upon by a wealthy person who wears expensive clothing. Those persons ignore the concepts as freedom of choice, motivation, and individuality. If all persons were to wear the same clothing, why would anyone struggle to be better? It is only a short step from forcing everyone to drive the same car, have the same type of food. When this happens, all motivation to improve one's life is removed. Why would parents bother to work hard so that their children could have a better life than they had when they know that their children are going to be forced to have exactly the same life as they had? Uniforms also hurt the economy . Right now, billions of dollars are spent on the fashion industry yearly. Thousands of people are employed in designing, creating, and marketing different types of clothing. If everyone were forced to wear uniforms, artistic personnel would be unnecessary. Salesmen would be extra as well. Why bother to sell the only items that are available? The wearing of uniforms would destroy the fashion industry which in turn would have a wave effect on such industries as advertising and sales promotion. Without advertising, newspapers, magazines, and television would not be able to remain in business. Our entire information and entertainment industries would collapse. The last word of the passage "collapse" probably means _ . A. fail B. rise C. disappear D. struggle Answer: A There's a time to get angry, and it's best for your child if you do. Let's say your child hits a playmate with a toy hard enough to make the other child cry. How can you teach your child to feel sorry so he or she won't do it again? Researchers say the best way for parents to react is to show their anger and to let the child know exactly why they are mad. Many parents believe that it is best to control their feelings and to wait until they're calm before scolding their children. But the mother or father who explains reasonably to a child , "Peter was crying because you hit him," is not likely to attract much attention. Young children need to be scolded immediately, and strongly, before they'll take criticism to heart. When your young child does something wrong, scold him or her seriously at once. At the same time be sure to tell the child clearly what he or she has done wrong. An angry reaction without an immediate explanation does little good. Forbidding a child to play outside or not allowing him to watch TV as a punishment works well-but only when taken together with an explanation. Make sure your child understands that although his or her wrongdoing has made you angry, you still love him or her. Use simple, direct words such as, "You hurt peter. How would you feel if he hit you? You must never, never hurt people." If your voice expresses strong feeling clearly, your message will carry enough weight. What do many parents think they should do with the wrongdoer? A. Calm themselves down before scolding him. B. Hide their feelings when talking to him. C. Explain immediately why he was wrong. D. Speak strongly and angrily to him. Answer: A Life is like a train ride. We get on. We ride. We get off. We get back on and ride some more. There are accidents and there are delays .At certain stops, there are surprises. Some of these will change into great moments of joy; some will result in bad results. When we are born and we first get on the train, we meet people who we think will be with us for the whole journey. Those people are our parents. Sadly, this is far from the truth. Our parents are with us when we completely need them. They, too, have journeys they must complete. We live on with the memories of their love, support and so on. There are others who get on the train and who finally become very important to us. These people are our brothers, sisters and friends, whom we will learn to love and take care of. Some people regard their journey as a pleasant tour. They will just go happily along. Others will _ many upsets, tears and losses on their journey. Some others will stay on to offer a helping hand to anyone in need. Some people on the train will leave a deep impression when they get off. Some will get on and get off the train so quickly that they will hardly leave a sign. We will sometimes be upset that some passengers, whom we love, will choose to sit in another compartment and leave us to travel on our own. Then again, there's nothing that says we can't look for them anyway. But when we find them, we may not even be able to sit next to them because that seat will already be taken. That's okay... everyone's journey will be filled with hopes, dreams, challenges, difficulties and goodbyes. Which of the following is NOT true? A. Some people will just go on their journey happily all the way. B. Parents are the people who will be with us for the whole journey. C. Some surprises will become great moments of happiness in life. D. Anyone that we love is very important to us on the journey of life. Answer: B If your child has mobile internet access, it will be more difficult to monitor and control his or her internet use. Kids are turning to the internet for everything from hanging out with friends to shopping, which makes it harder for parents to keep track of their online activities. Fortunately, there are many choices for controlling what your kids see on their computers, laptops, and mobile devices. Content blockers and filters are great tools to use for younger kids. They allow you more control over where they go and what they do online. A content blocker can block some unhealthy websites or limit a child's search to the kind of sites. A content filter can scan sites and pictures and block those sites that contain certain words, key phrases, or content. Consider tracking software for older teenagers. This software enables you to see which sites your children have visited, tracking their path online. This tool gives young people more freedom to explore the Internet, but it also allows you to check that they are using the internet responsibly. Let your teenagers know that you trust them, but that you will be regularly checking that they are visiting appropriate sites online. Even if you use content blockers, filters, and trackers, you know that a lot of kids figure out ways to get around these, so it's important to remain alert . Remember that not all adult sites can be identified by blocker, filter, or tracker software. That's why it's important to talk to your kids about what to do when something inappropriate or scary comes up. Nothing can replace involvement and supervision by adults. Keep monitoring how your kids use the internet on a regular basis without getting into the role of internet traffic police. How should parents monitor and control younger kids' internet use? A. With tracking software B. With tracking software and content blockers and filters C. With content blockers and filters D. With filters and trackers Answer: C
Most young architects--particularly those in big cities--can only dream about working in a building of their own. And making that dream come true often means finding a building no one else seems to want, which is exactly what happened to David Yocum and his partner, Brain Bell. Their building is a former automobile electrical--parts firm in Atlanta. From the outside, it looks too old, even something horrible, but open the door and you are in a wide, open courtyard, lined on three sides with rusting walls. In 2000, Yocum and Bell found this building in the city's West End. Built in 1947, the structure had been abandoned years earlier and the roof of the main building had fallen down. But the price was right, so Yocum bought it. He spent eight months of his off-hours on demolition , pulling rubbish out through the roof, because it was too dangerous to go inside the building, The demolition was hard work, but it gave him time to think about what he wanted to do, and "to treasure what was there--the walls, the rust, the light," Yocum said. "Every season, more paint falls off the walls and more rust develops. It's like an art installation in there--a slow-motion show." Since the back building had been constructed without windows, an all-glass front was added to the building to give it a view of the courtyard, and skylights were installed in the roof. The back of the building is a working area and a living room for Yocum and his wife. A sort of buffer zone between the front and the back contains a bathroom, a kitchen and a mechanical room, and the walls that separate these zones have openings that allow views through to the front of the studio and the courtyard beyond. Yocum and Bell, who have just completed an art gallery for the city, feel that the experience from the decoration of their building, focusing on the inside rather than the outside, has influenced their work. It has also given these architects a chance to show how they can make more out of less. The main idea of the passage is that _ . A. people can learn a lot from their failures B. it is worthwhile to spend money on an old building C. people should not judge things by their appearance D. creative people can make the best of what they have Answer: D Need for closure is a psychological term that describes a person's desire for a firm answer to a question. Our need for closure is our natural preference for definite answers over confusion and uncertainty. Every person has their own baseline level of need for closure. It likely evolved via natural selection. What I find really fascinating is how our need for closure is affected by the situation we're in. Our need for closure rises when we have to act rather than just observe, and it matters much more when we're rushed, or bored, or tired. Any stress can make our discomfort with uncertainty increase, and a high need for closure negatively influences some of our most important decisions: who we decide to trust, whether we admit we're wrong and even how creative we are. In hiring, for instance, a high need for closure leads people to put far too much weight on their first impression. It's called the Urgency Effect. In one experiment, psychologists tried to lower people's need for closure by telling them, right before participants are about to make various judgments of a job candidate, that they'll be responsible in some way for them, or that their judgments have serious consequences. In making any big decision, it's not enough just to know that we should take our time. We all know that important decisions shouldn't be rushed. The problem is that we don't keep that advice in mind when it matters. So, one of the best solutions is to formalize the reminders. Before making important decisions, write down not just advantages and disadvantages but what the consequences could be. Also, think about how much pressure you're under. If your need for closure is particularly high that day, it's even more important to think twice. How does "need for closure" probably come into being? A. By accident. B. By nature. C. By acquiring. D. By imitating. Answer: B When the TV viewer turns on his set, what sort of programs does he have to choose from? You might think there would be more programs devoted to entertainment than to anything else, but that's not the case. In most countries, fewer than 20% of broadcasting hours are devoted to entertainment. U.S. figures are high----34.8% , and the unloving Canadians are even higher with 44%. Except Canada and Italy, all countries give more broadcasting time to education than to either information (news , documentaries and so on) or entertainment programs. Of course, few educational broadcasts take place during peak viewing times. In Japan though , more than 60%of broadcasting time is taken up with education of one kind of anther----just another example of the businesslike Japanese philosophy. In the U.K., the figure is 56.4% . the Italians have fewer educational programs than anyone else. They don't go in for entertainment either. Only about ten percent of viewing time is devoted to dramas and serials, quiz shows, music, sports etc. You will find more news information programs on Italian TV than anything else. That's understandable in a country experiencing social and political changes. Italians rely on TV to tell them what's going on---and events are happening almost too fast to follow. The percentage of time the U.S. devoted to news and documentary programs is much smaller. After education, most TV time is given to entertainment. Many of these programs are shown around the world. In the United States, _ . A. TV programs are shown for world audience to watch B. Most of TV broadcasting hours are give to entertainment C. Educational programs are shown during peak viewing times D. TV broadcasting hours devoted to education are more than those devoted to entertainment Answer: D KFC , one of the most famous fast-food chains, saw its reputation in China shaken because of "quick chicken". Recent years, KFC has ever shocked us more than once because of its food safety, which made itself in severe trust crisis. Now it greatly surprised us again owing to the poultry incident. We could never believe it should have cheated us again and again. In fact, as a well-known restaurant chain, KFC's business records at China's is not very good. There's no doubt that the very incident has made things worse and worse. However, what surprised us is that although a series of misdeeds had reduced KFC's reputation, its business is increasing. What's more, KFC just made a so-called apology after what had happened, the content of which is not responsible at all for the public. As a matter of fact, this is not an ordinary chance incident. Recent years have seen so many food-safety problems in China, such as wasted oil, lean meat powder , melamine , which has done great damage to people's life. We don't know what can be eaten and how much harmful food we have eaten. Now it is not wars and natural disasters but everyday food safety that has been a great risk to human health. So what can be done to prevent our health from being damaged? To begin with, the related departments should strengthen laws to stop such illegal products from being produced. In addition, it would be a good idea to call on the media to perform its further function to monitor the businesses, factories and traders. Besides, everybody should be made aware of the risks of harmful food and only in this way can people improve their self-protection. In a word, everyone should play a role in making our food safer and better in quality. Meanwhile, the government and the related departments should take their responsibilities for people's health. From the passage, we learn that after the "quick chicken" incident _ . A. KFC was closed B. KFC apologized to the public though it was not sincere C. no people went to KFC D. there is no longer chicken in KFC Answer: B A new report says promising children money to pass exams does not help exam grades. The report says parents could be wasting their money by using cash to get their kids to study more. However, the promise of a trip somewhere nice could encourage students to try harder and do better at school. Researchers from the University of Bristol (in England) and the University of Chicago (in the USA) looked at how promises of cash and tickets to events affected students' studying and learning. Over 10,000 pupils took part in the research throughout the year 2012. There was an improvement in classwork and homework, but this did not result in better test scores. Lead researcher Dr Simon Burgess suggested the research looked at the wrong areas. He said it had not looked at the things that really got students to increase their effort. He added that: "Clearly, some pupils have a lot of goals and believe that education is a way of getting what they want out of life, but there are kids who think that working hard doesn't make a difference." He said these children think exam success is "all in your genes" because of their family background. Education expert Dr Kevan Collins said good teachers were better than promises of rewards to get children to study, especially for children from low-income families. He wrote: "What really makes the difference is how students are taught." What do some students think is because of "your genes"? A. genetics B. money C. exam success D. ability at English Answer: C The pull of gravity on Earth is a direct result of the A. mass of Earth. B. magnetic field of Earth. C. rotation of Earth on its axis. D. weight of Earth's atmosphere. Answer: A We all think that we see things as they really are. But according to a new report in Psychological Science, if we really want something, that strong wish may influence how we view our surroundings . Psychological scientists Emily Balcetis from New York University and David Dunning from Cornell University did a set of studies to see how our strong wish affects perception. In the first experiment, people who voluntarily took part in the study had to estimate how far a water bottle was from where it was sitting. Half of the volunteers were allowed to drink water before the experiment, while the others ate salty cookies, thus becoming very thirsty. The results showed that the thirsty volunteers estimated that the water was closer to them than volunteers who drank water earlier. Our strong wish for certain objects may also lead to behavioral changes. In a separate experiment, the volunteers threw beanbags towards the gift cards (worth either $25 or $0) on the floor, winning the card if the beanbag landed on it. Interestingly, the volunteers threw the beanbag much farther if the gift card was worth $0 than if it was worth $25 -- that is, they underthrew the beanbag when attempting to win the $25 gift cards, because they viewed that the gift cards as being closer to them. These findings show that when we want something, we actually view it as being physically close to us. When we see a goal as being close to us, it encourages us to keep on going to successfully gain it. The findings from the study seem to suggest the importance of _ . A. doing separate experiments B. having clear goals C. developing normal senses D. building self-confidence Answer: B Steven drives a school bus, but his bus isn't the same as other school buses because there aren't any children on it. There are only dogs. Steven's bus takes dogs to school at 8:00 in the morning and brings them back home at 5:30 in the afternoon. Steven takes the dogs to a dog school. There he teaches the dogs to do many things: sit down, stand up, bring the shoes to the master, keep the master from danger . Many dogs go to Steven's school--big dogs, small dogs, old dogs, young dogs. Steven says that young dogs can learn more quickly. Which kind of dogs is easy to teach? A. Young dogs. B. Old dogs. C. Strong dogs . D. Big dogs. Answer: A Mr and Mrs Green had different ideas about where to go that weekend.Mrs Green wanted to go to Florida to see her sister,but Mr Green didn't want to go there.He wanted to go to Maine."Maine is a little cold,"said Mrs Green."I like swimming,but the water in Maine is usually not warm enough." "Florida's too far,"said Mr Green."We don't have enough time to drive there.It'll take us more than two days." Just then,the phone rang.Mr Green answered the phone.It was Mr Green's mother."Is that Jim?Please come in the shortest time.I need help.I'm calling from the hospital in Boston." They stopped their talking and in no time they both went there. What does Mrs Green like to do on weekend? A. Go swimming. B. Drive to Maine. C. See her parents. D. Visit her friends. Answer: A The effects of air pollution on natural conditions have been a disturbing problem for many years. Some scientists hold the view that the air inside houses may be more dangerous than the air outside. It may even be one hundred times worse. Most scientists agree that every modern house has some kind of indoor pollution, which can cause a person to feel tired, to suffer eye pain, headache and other problems. Believe it or not, some pollutants can cause breathing diseases of blood and even cancer. What made us feel relieved is that there's growing concern about the problem now. It is true that when builders began constructing houses and offices they did not want to waste energy. they built buildings that prevented or limited the flow of air between inside and outside. For the same purpose, man-made building materials were employed to build houses, which are now known to let out some harmful gases. Facing the serious challenge, scientists have been searching for a way to handle the problem. To everyone's delight, they discovered a natural pollution control system for building--green plants, though they do not really know how plants control air pollution. Scientists suppose that a plant's leaves absorb or take in the pollutants and in exchange gives out oxygen through its leaves and tiny organizations on its roots. Therefore they recommend that all buildings should have one large plant or several small plants inside for every nine square meters of space. Because studies indicate that different plants absorb different chemicals, the most effective way to clean the air is to use different kinds of plants. In conclusion, having green plants inside your house can make it a prettier and healthier place. Why not try? Which of the following statements is TRUR? A. Outside air pollution is more harmful than the air inside. B. Scientists have discovered how plants control air pollution C. Indoor air pollution may cause diseases including cancer. D. Only large plants can absorb harmful gases indoors. Answer: C
Deep into the night, the bus pulled in to a Howard Johnson's restaurant and everybody got off the bus except Vingo. The young people began to wonder about him , trying to imagine his life. One of the girls sat beside him and introduced herself. After a long time, slowly and painfully, he began to tell his story. He had been in prison in prefix = st1 /New Yorkfor the last four years, and now he was going home. "Well, when I was in prison I wrote to my wife. I said, 'Martha, I understand if you can not stay married to me'. I said I was going to be away for a long time, and that if she couldn't stand it , if the kids kept asking questions, if it hurt her too much, well, she could just forget me . Get a new young man---she's a wonderful woman---and forget all about me. I told her she didn't have to write to me and she didn't. Not for the three and a half years." "Last week, when I was sure freedom was coming through, I wrote to her. I told her that if she had a new young man, I would understand. But if she didn't, if she would take me back, she should let me know. We used to live in the town,Brunswick, and there's a great big oak tree just as you come into the town. I told her if she would take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree, and if she didn't want me, forgot me, no handkerchief and I'd keep going on through." Soon all the others were in it. When they were 20 miles fromBrunswick, the young men took over window seats on the right side, waiting for the approach of the great oak tree. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face into the ex-con's mask. Then it was 10 miles, and then 5, and the bus became very quiet. Then suddenly all of the young people were up out of their seats, screaming and shouting and crying, doing small dances. All except Vingo. Vingo stopped "looking, tightening his face into the ex-con's mask..., " because_. A. he was excited to think of his wife. B. he was ashamed for what he had done. C. he was afraid to see the handkerchief and his wife. D. he was afraid that he might not see the yellow handkerchief on the oak tree. Answer: D On the first day of school I brought my camera to school. I gave the students a piece of 8 x11 cardboard , and asked them to write their names on both sides. As they finished, I asked them to get into groups of three to four students and took photographs of them holding their name cards. After school, I developed the film and printed two sets of photos. That evening, I started to match the names with the faces. I kept one set of pictures at home for about a week so that I could review their names each night. On the second day of school, I put up the other set of photos as a bulletin board , with a title such as "Presenting Room 108, ..." The kids loved it! After I had learned all of their names I brought the second set back to school and stuck them onto an 8 x11 sheet of paper. I placed it in the classroom for other teachers. The cardboard name cards that were made on the first day were collected and put on a shelf. From time to time, they were given back to the students and placed on their desks so that guests or supply teachers could identify all of the students. I've been doing this with my grade 7 students for the last nine years and they liked it. It's fun to bring the photos out again at the end of the school year to see how much they have all changed in ten months. The writer of the passage might be a _ . A. head teacher B. monitor C. photographer D. supply teacher Answer: A London, April 28---The Man Group, a British hedge fund, is betting that investors will want to read more than the latest how-to- get -rich-quick business book. In a five-year deal worth roughly $3.6 million announced last week, Man has agreed to sponsor the Booker Prize for Fiction, which will be renamed the Man Booker Prize. Since creating the award in 1969, Booker P.L.G., a British food group, in June 2000, executives began considering attracting outside sponsors. Man will be the first of these. Bill Grimsey, the chief of the Big Food Group, saw little business sense in a link between a food supplier and a literary prize, explained Dotti Irving, a spokeswoman for the Booker Prize foundation. Such dissimilarities have not reduced Man's enthusiasm for the prize which is expected to be open for the first time to American authors. David Browne, a spokesman for Man, said most of the firm's investors are high-net-worth individuals who appreciate literature. "The people who buy hedge funds," Mr. Browne said, "also read." Under the new agreement, authors will get more money. The winner of the annual prize, to be awarded in October, will receive $73,000 , up from $30,000 the Australian writer Peter Carey won last year for his novel "True History of the Kelley Gang." The six short-listed authors will each receive $3,600, up from $1,500. Having a hedge fund as a backer apparently has its perks. . The article is mainly about _ . A. the disagreement between two groups B. the Booker Prize Foundation C. the Big Food Group D. The new development of Booker Prize Answer: B The Best Shopping In Sydney Sydney is one of the world's biggest cities and has something for everyone when it comes to shopping. You will find excellent Australian products alongside the best that the world has to offer. At the bottom of Sydney Tower, you can shop in 160 of Sydney's favorite stores including 16 jewelry stores and many gift and fashion shops. It's all at Westfield Centerpoint. Tel: 9231-9300 SOVEREIGN HILL This prize-winning living museum is where Australia's history comes alive! Visit daily or stay for the night and experience life of the Fold Rush days. A wonderful nightly sound and light show, Blood on the Southern Cross, tells the story of the famous Eureka Uprising. Enjoy shopping along with real life character and entertainment. 4-star hotel and breakfast. Tel: 5331-1944 ANCHORAGE RESTAURANT Come and enjoy our delicious Cantonese seafood right on the water's edge in the historic fishing port of Williamstown with views of the city center across Port Phillip Bay. Open 7 days a week. Lunch: Sunday to Friday11:00am--2:00pm Dinner: Monday to Saturday 5:00am--10:30pm Tel: 9397-6270 or 9397-7799 COOK'S COTTAGE Built by James and Grace Cook, parents of Captain James Cook, Cook's Cottage stands proud in the Fitzroy Gradens as a reminder of life in the eighteenth century, and as a celebration and commemoration of the life and travels of Captain James Cook. Open 9:00am--5:00pm daily, and until 5:30 pm during the summer. Information: 9419-4677 Where can you spend the night in a tour? A. Cook's cottage. B. Westfield Centerpoint C. Sydney Tower D. Sovereign Hill Answer: D "Love your neighbor as yourself"is a saying familiar to most of us. It means that you must have he ability to love and accept yourself in order to form and keep satisfying relationship with others self-esteem means accepting yourself for who you really are, and believing that you are indeed a worthwhile person who is deserving of love and respect from others. Self-esteem is our sense of how good we feel about ourselves. It is based on our judgment of ourselves, not on other people's assessment, but simply on our own. Our self-esteem is not dependant on our talent. Some very ordinary people feel very good about themselves, while other extraordinarily high achievers hold low opinions of themselves. Self-esteem is the primary key to long-term stress management. Why? The first three sources of stress are: predictable life event, unexpected changes and build-up of daily stresses, These are much easier to handle when we believe in ourselves, A positive, healthy self-esteem gives us the "hardiness" to deal with the difficulties of life, and to see them as challenges to be met, rather than threats to be feared. The forth category of stress is entirely the result of a low self-esteem. It is the category of stress that is most common and tiring over the long run. This kind of stress cannot be overcome, or even changed, until the self-esteem problems that cause it are corrected. Learning to love yourself for who you are is the key to overcoming stress. Self-esteem comes form the self, and cannot be promoted by others. A person who feels that his self-esteem comes from the approval of those around him or her is bound to self-destruct , One cannot keep the level of "performance" required to please everyone else, especially if that performance disagrees with who you are and is simply a _ that makes you popular with the world. When the applause is gone, there is nothing left. Only those who can feel the strength of knowing who they are and those who can feel good about that will survive the stresses of life. Self-esteem is the basis of contentment and positive living. What is self-esteem? A. A kind of positive lifestyle. B. The impression we have on other people. C. Our sense of how good we feel about ourselves. D. Our understanding of how we are seen by others. Answer: C August has always been difficult for me. It is the time when I realize that the books my English teacher assigned to me are not going to read themselves and that I have a difficult month in front of me. You might think that I don't want to spend my summer reading, but that's not the problem: I love reading. On the first day of my summer holidays this year, I went to the library and got "A Gathering of Old Men" by African-American writer Ernest Gaines. I enjoyed it very much. I read all the magazines that my parents subscribe to and spend about 30 minutes every day with the morning paper. So why do I hate summer reading for school? Because the books on summer reading lists are often slow-going and just uninviting. Teachers and librarians don't understand that summer reading can be entertaining as well as educational. They choose books that a friend of my mother's calls "spinach books": good for you, but not much fun to take in. Every summer, I read them, hate them and get bitter about the experience. This bitterness started three years ago when I was about to begin high school. As preparation, my English teacher told me to read "The Age of Innocence" by American author Edith Wharton. I'm sure there are many people who enjoyed "The Age of Innocence"--some might even say it's their favorite book. But I don't think any of these people read it as a 14-year-old boy on his summer vacation. "The Age of Innocence" is the story of a forbidden romance in prefix = st1 /New York100 years ago. At 14, my only experience with romance was my love for baseball. I couldn't imagine being in love, much less being in love in 1900. "The Age of Innocence" was totally different to my life. Most of my required summer reading has been like that--books written in a style that plays up the adjectives and plays down the verbs. I guess teachers don't think exciting plots make for "good literature". To me, though, a good writer describes events and characters in a way that makes the reader want to know what happens next. If I were making up a summer reading list, it would include "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" by George V. Higgins, "The Right Stuff" by Tom Wolfe, and "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer. These are all books that have literary value but, just as important, can also entertain kids on vacation. If the teachers could stand a little fun in the books they assign, my Augusts would be a lot more enjoyable. The author listed such books as "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" because he thinks _ . A. they can change his opinion B. he can learn a lot more from them C. they are of literary value, and enjoyable D. he has to do as teachers tell him to Answer: C Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. This is an old English saying. Do you know it before? It says that we must go to bed early and get up early in the morning. Then we should be healthy. We should also be rich (wealthy) and clever (wise). This is true. The body must have enough sleep to be healthy. Children of a young age should have ten hours' sleep every night. Children who don't have enough sleep can't do their work very well. They will not be wise and they may not become wealthy! The body also needs exercise. Walking, running, jumping, swimming and playing games are all exercise. Exercise keeps the body strong. Exercise also keeps the blood moving around inside the body. This is very important. Our blood takes food to all parts of our body. The head also needs blood. Exercise helps us to think better! Which of the following is not true? A. Exercise is good for a person's head B. A student should have 10 hour's sleep. C. It's good for you to get up early and go to bed early. D. If you have enough blood, you'll be wise Answer: D The smell of fresh air is becoming something of a distant memory, thanks to our increasing use of fragrance . From air fresheners to scented candles, we live in a world of scent. Recent figures show seven in ten people use air fresheners or scented candles to keep our homes smelling sweet. Yet recent records suggest that perfumed products could affect our health, causing problems including allergies , headaches and asthma . One leading expert believes nearly a third of people suffer health effects from being exposed to scents. A major problem is so-called "contact" allergy--where perfumes and scented products cause eczema when they come into contact with the skin. About one in 20 is thought to be affected by fragrance allergy. "Often it may not be immediately obvious that you have developed a fragrance allergy," says Dr. Baron. "You don't react immediately. Gradually, as you are exposed more and more, the body increases its reaction, until it becomes noticeable to you." People with pre-existing eczema are particularly vulnerable . "The eczema worsens in areas in contact with perfumes," says Dr. Baron. "But even those without allergies can be at risk of fragrance allergy." You can become suddenly allergic to perfumes and personal care products that you have been using for years. "Even if you know which fragrance causes a problem, it can be difficult to avoid, as most personal care products -soap, shampoo, sun cream and washing powder--contain fragrances," says Dr. Baron. And strong scents can also cause headaches. Fragrances activate the nose's nerve cells, stimulating the nerve system associated with head pain. To minimize risk, sufferers are advised to minimize the contact. "Fragrance suggest cleanliness - yet people are smelling a potentially dangerous chemical mixture," says Anne Steinemann, professor of the University of Washington. "We often use them to mask one problem - as with air fresheners - but create a greater one - adding poisonous chemicals to the air." Which of the following questions does the text NOT answer? A. Which products contain fragrance? B. What's the influence of fragrance in the air? C. What are the air fresheners made up of? D. How are headaches caused by fragrance? Answer: C I'm an English girl. My name is Rose White. I'm short but my hair is long. I have a round face and my mouth is small. Now I'm a student in No. 5 High School. I have a good friend. Her name is Liu Xing. We are in the same class. She is from China. She has big eyes. But her mouth is small. ,. Liu Xing has a _ mouth. A. small B. long C. short D. wide Answer: A A teenager who is preparing to go to high school has probably heard all kinds of different things about high school freshmen from his parents , fiends , or old brothers and sisters. The change from middle school to high school can seem like a frightening experience for teens going into high school , but it is not always so hard as it may seem. Usually , middle school students can get used to high school life within a few months of their freshman year. A few tips for high school freshmen are as follows. Grades are important . While it is important for a student to try to do his best in school , the grades that he gets in high school are even more important , since they are what colleges will look like when considering his application for their school . Classes . The classes a freshman takes throughout his whole high school can help them a lot when he gets ready to go to college or look for a job . Some special classes allow students to get college credits while they are still in high school in some countries . Most high school classes will have more homework than middle school classes and this can be a hard adjustment at first . Being prepared . Middle school classes might not request students to prepare very much before they attend them . But high school teachers will expect students to get everything ready before the class begins .It is also important for students to study for tests and do all homework that is required during class. Making good choices. Most high school students have more freedom than middle school students, but what a student does with this freedom is very important to his future life for many years after high school is over. Peer pressure , while it can be good sometimes, is often a problem with younger teens .It is important for a teen to make good choices throughout his high school career so that he can be successful later on in his life . High school is a memorable experience for teenagers .They should not be afraid of becoming a freshmen . After studying for a period of time , they will surely enjoy it. The passage suggests that _ . A. The teens don't always have a problem with peer pressure B. If a teen makes good choices in his high school , he will surely succeed in later life C. The life in high school is less difficult than it looks D. A teen needn't be worried about his high school life because everything will be exactly the same as before. Answer: C
Plants need green leaves to make food. A plant needs sunlight and carbon dioxide from the air for making food and it also needs water and salts from the soil to make food too. There are certain cells in the leaves which change carbon dioxide and water into sugar. To do this the cells needs energy, which they get from the sunlight. Green leaves make food for the whole plant. A red leaf can make food too because under the red color1ing of the leaf there are food----making cells. There are no leaves which are completely yellow, for they can't make food. The plant makes sugar for its food. In sunlight green leaves make a lot of sugar. The veins can't carry all this sugar away, so the leaves change the sugar into starch , which is kept and so stored in the leaves. At night, the starch changes back to sugar. It is then carried away from the leaves. Some of the sugar is used as food by the plant while the rest is stored as starch. In some plants, food is stored in the roots, in others it is stored in the stem and in leaves, fruits and seeds. To make food, plants need a lot except _ . A. the air B. the soil C. the green leaves D. dead leaves Answer: D It was a hot summer day. My dad and I were getting ready to go out for a ride on the boat with my friend Katie and the dog when the phone call came, the call that made that bright, beautiful day a cold, dark, gloomy one. I had just put on my suit, shorts, and tank top, and packed my bag with sunscreen and everything else I would need for the day. I ran into my parents' room to find Dad. When I saw him on the phone, he was crying. I'd never seen my dad cry before. My heart sank. What possibly could have happened? "Max, I'm so sorry," I heard him say. That's when it hit me. I knew that Suzie had died. Max has been my dad's best friend for years. Suzie, his daughter, had a rare disease that mainly affected her body. Her brain was OK. She knew what was going on; she knew that she had problems and was different from other kids. Once she told her dad that she wished she could die and be born in a different body. Yet although she couldn't live a normal life ,she was still happy. When Suzie and I were little, we spent quite a bit of time together. As we grew up, we grew apart. She lived in New York, and I lived in the Midwest. When Suzie was ten she had to live in a hospital in Virginia. About eight months before she died, Max gave us her number at the hospital and we talked at least twice a week until the end. Suzie was always so excited to talk to us and wanted to know every detail about my life. She wanted to know everything I did and every thing I ate. _ After we found out about her death, we made our plans to go to New York for the funeral. When she was alive, I sent her a Beanie Baby and she sent one back to me. I had bought her another one but never had the chance to send it to her, so I took it to put in her casket . Her funeral was very different from any funeral I'd ever been to. After they lowered her casket, each one of us put a shovelful of dirt over her. I remember crying so hard, I felt weak. My cheeks burned from the tears. My whole body was shaking as I picked up the shovel, but I'm glad I did it. When Suzie and I first started calling one another, I thought it would be more of a burden on me, but I was completely wrong. I learned so much from her. She gave me more than I could ever give to her. I will never forget her or the talks we had. I now know that I must never take anything for granted especially my health and the gift of life. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text? A. Suzie was the only person helping the author with difficulties. B. The author feared that she might also get the same disease as Suzie. C. The author benefited a lot from talking on the phone with Suzie. D. The author didn't understand Suzie was her true friend until Suzie's death. Answer: C There was a king who gave his daughter a beautiful diamond necklace. The necklace was stolen and his people in the kingdom searched everywhere but could not find it. So the king asked to search for it and put a reward for$50,000 for anyone who found it. One day, a clerk was walking home along a river when he saw something shinning in the river and when he looked, he saw the diamond necklace. He decided to try and catch it to get the $50,000 reward. He put his hand in the river and tried to catch the necklace, but somehow missed it and didn't catch it. He took his hand out and looked again and the necklace was still there. He tried again. But strangely, he still missed the necklace! He came out and started walking away, feeling sad. Just then, an old man walking by saw him, and asked him what was the matter. The clerk didn't want to share the secret with him, thinking he might take the necklace for himself, so he refused to tell him anything. The old man could see this man was troubled. He again asked the clerk to tell him the problem and promised that he would not tell anyone about it. The clerk told him about the necklace and how he tried and tried to catch it, but kept failing. The old man then told him that perhaps he should try looking upward, toward the branches of the tree, instead of in the river. The clerk looked up and true enough, the necklace was hanging on the branch of a tree. He had been trying to take a reflection of the real necklace all this time. The clerk tried to get the diamond necklace to _ . A. make the king happy. B. keep it for himself. C. get the big reward. D. sell it at a high price. Answer: C In the last few years the Internet has become a widespread phenomenon around the world. People have started to use the computers just like they used to watch TV. Whenever we get hungry, we simply order a pizza through the Internet and while we are waiting for the food, we can send an important business e-mail concerning some sales for tomorrow. It is, in fact, very comfortable to just simply sit down and have a chat with somebody from South Africa about fishing and get some important advice. Sometimes when you are sad and are feeling lonely, if you go on the Internet, you can find good entertainment that will keep you busy. To make a long story short, we just don't have the time to communicate with people in person anymore. Besides, there is so much information easy to get on the Internet that when we start surfing, we find it hard for us to get away from the computer. There are a lot of people who are addicted to TV and watch it 5 to 7 hours a day, while recently addiction to the Internet has become a very serious problem. You might think that these kinds of things could never happen to you, but it is not really true. To prevent yourself from getting addicted, the most important thing is to make sure that you are not spending too much time in front of the screen. Although it might seem to be easy to pull yourself away from the Web, it is simply not the case. You might have to make an effort to place some limits on yourself. From the passage, we can infer that the writer _ . A. has once been addicted to the Net B. is completely against surfing the Net C. knows how to surf the Net efficiently D. thinks the Net brings bads and goods Answer: D England is the largest country in Britain. Its capital is London, which is on the Thames. The port of London is one of the greatest ports in the world. Ships from all countries go up and down the Thames. They bring food to the people of Britain. Then they take British machines and other things back to the ports from which they come. There are many scenic spots in the West of England. The lakes here are the most beautiful in England. There are trees, flowers and green grass round them. The water is almost always very still,and you can see the green hills ,the brown mountains and everything else round the lake upside-down in the water. There are boats on all the larger lakes, which take people from one side to the other. There are always a lot of boats on the lakes in summer. Travelers from many countries of the world go to the west of England in summer. There are boat races on the largest lakes, and people from many places in Great Britain and Europe come to see them. Young people travel from one place to another on their bicycles, or walk from one lake to another. The port of London _ . A. only takes business within the country B. is greater than the others in the world C. is the busiest in the world D. plays an important part in transportation Answer: D Stephen used to work in a company. Unfortunately , he got serious heart disease . He couldn't work for a long time. Thinking he could still do something for others, he decided to be a volunteer at a Children's Hospital. Stephen loved children very much. With his love, he did his job well. Sometimes he lost his children. They died. At that time, he would tell these sad parents that he would soon be with their children in heaven and he would take care of them. His words seemed to help those parents. There was a girl who could not walk because of a disease. She couldn't do anything and she was very sad. What was worse, the doctors said that they could do little for her. Stephen decided to try to help her. He started visiting her, bringing paints, brushes and paper. He put the brush in his mouth and began to draw. He didn't use his hands at all. Only his head would move. He always told her that she could do anything she wanted. At last she began to draw with her mouth. She and Stephen became friends. By and by, the little girl was getting better and better. She was allowed to leave the hospital. One day. to Stephen's great surprise, she walked to see him on her own feet! She gave him a picture she had drawn. At the top, it read: "Thank you for helping me walk. It's all because of your love." Love can sometimes be more powerful than doctors and medicines. Love makes our world more beautiful and colorful. Stephen died a few days after the girl gave him the picture. How did Stephen help the little girl in the hospital? A. By visiting her. B. By bringing her a lot of presents. C. By offering his love. D. By drawing a lot of pictures for her. Answer: C Parents should stop blaming themselves because there's not a lot they can do about it. I mean the teenager problem. Whatever you do or however you choose to deal with it, at certain times a wonderful, reasonable and helpful child will turn into a terrible animal. I've seen friends deal with _ in all kinds of different ways. One strict mother insisted that her son, right from a child, should stand up whenever anyone entered the room, open doors and shake hands like a gentleman. I saw him last week when I called round. Sprawling himself on the sofa in full length, he made no attempt to turn off the loud TV he was watching as I walked in, and his greeting was no more than a quick glance at me. His mother was ashamed. "I don't know what to do with him these days," she said. "He's forgotten all the manners we taught him." He hasn't forgotten them. He's just decided that he's not going to use them. She confessed that she would like to come up behind him and throw him down from the sofa onto the floor. Another good friend of mine let her two daughters climb all over the furniture, reach across the table, stare at me and say, "I don't like your dress; it's ugly." One of the daughters has recently been driven out of school. The other has left home. "Where did we go wrong?" her parents are now very sad. Probably nowhere much. At least, no more than the rest of that unfortunate race, parents. What is the author's opinion about the sudden change in teenage children? A. Parents should work more closely with school teachers. B. Parents should pay still sore attention to the change. C. Parents have no choice but to try to accept it. D. Parents are at fault for the change in their children. Answer: C In America, after middle school comes high school, which includes grades 9 through 12. Students are required to take compulsory subjects like English, social studies, math, science, and physical education. In addition, they choose among elective subjects to complete their high school education. Electives include subjects in technology, music, art, and foreign languages. Each student in the school has their own locker for books and personal items. This convenience saves students from carrying textbooks, and allows students a small space they can decorate with(......)posters and favorite objects. Cheating in any form is strictly prohibited in American schools. And in fact, high school students usually don't cheat. If they are caught cheating, they will have to face severe punishment. Each school holds certain yearly activities for all school students, such as homecoming , prom night , holiday celebrations, etc. Most high schools have at least one sports team that competes in local games, and all students are encouraged to take part in athletics. Schools often offer football, baseball and softball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and soccer. Some may even have sports like golf, swimming, gymnastics and cross-country skiing. Many high school students have part-time jobs by the age of 15 or 16, some even earlier. Their first jobs are often babysitting or cutting lawns , but later they will likely get a job at a fast-food restaurant, video store, or clothing shop. Sixteen years old is legal driving age in most states, and students usually want to own a car as soon as they can. Some parents allow their children to drive a family car, and may even buy a car as a graduation present. Others prefer that their sons and daughters earn enough to buy a used car. Many teenagers feel it's necessary to own a car, and will do whatever it takes to be able to drive. Which statement is right according to the passage? A. Cheating is strictly banned(. only in American high schools. B. Teenagers in America can be allowed to drive after sixteen years old. C. Schools encourage all students to take part in sports. D. English, social studies, math, science, and physical education are elective subjects. Answer: C If a day has passed, so has A. most of a month B. most of thirty hours C. most of a week D. most of a year Answer: B Little Peter is a boy of nine. He began to go to school when he was six, and now he is in Grade Three. He lives not far from the school, but he is often late for class. He likes watching TV in the evening and goes to bed late, so he can't get up on time in the morning. This term, Mrs. Black, Peter's aunt, teaches music in Peter's school. She is strict with Peter and often tells the boy to obey the school rules and come to school on time. Yesterday morning, Peter got up late. When he hurried to school, it was a quarter past eight. His aunt was waiting for him at the school gate. "You are ten minutes late for the first class, Peter," Mrs. Black said angrily. "Why are you often late for class?" "Every time, when I get to the street corner , I always see a guidepost . It says SCHOOL--GO SLOWLY!" Peter is in school for _ years. A. one and a half B. two C. three D. six Answer: C
Win a trip to the OREGON COAST----- Dare to Explore the Pacific Ocean. Build the biggest sand castle on the beach. Search tide pools for sea life. Watch the bright orange sunset over the ocean. Whether you've been to the Pacific Ocean before or have only closed your eyes and imagined it, we want to know how you would explore the Oregon Coast if you had the chance to go this summer. JUDGING 1. Clear relationship between the Essay and the Drawing 40%. 2. Creativity and skill in design and form of the Drawing 40%. 3. Expression of the passion to draw and explore 10%. 4. Journalistic quality, uncluttered nature and overall quality of the Essay 10%. PRIZE By entering, you will have the chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the OREGON COAST. Activities will include: Kite flying, studying beautiful sea creatures, searching for sea life on a boat, science exploration at a science center and roasting over a beach campfire. Who may enter: The competition is open to kids aged 6-14. TEAM: Entries must be postmarked no later than July 31, 2010. How to enter Surf traveloregon.com/kids to download and print out an entry form. Be sure to mark whether you have to or have not been to the Pacific Ocean in the form. Create a drawing of the Pacific Ocean on a piece of paper using a pen or paints. Write an article of 100 words or less to explain why you want to go, what you think you would see, and what you would explore if you have never been to the Pacific Ocean, or describe your favorite memories from your last visit. Send to Dare to Explore the Pacific Ocean, NG1145 17th street NW, WashingtonD.C.20036. What information can you get from the passage? A. Your article should be at least 100 words. B. Every kid can take part in the competition. C. You should mark the drawing with your name. D. You must send the drawing before July 31, 2010. Answer: D On May 23rd the United States Department of Agriculture will meet to discuss the pressing topic of wild pigs. These beasts, which number 6 million or so, are an increasing bother. At their worst, they can damage crops, spread diseases, attack humans and kill farm animals. And things are getting worse: a study show that they are likely to double in number over the next 3 years. Why is it so hard to control wild pigs? Introduced to America in the 16th century, and related to the wild pigs found in Europe, wild pigs can be found in 75% of all states. No single law exists to control them and regulations differ between states: while in Missouri they can only be shot if met by chance, in Texas hunting is actively encouraged. A "pork chopper" law allows Texan hunters to shoot wild pigs from helicopters, and some people in Louisiana have even built their own pighunting drone . As well as being popular with hunters, wild pigs are cheaper for game raisers to breed than deer. In Michigan and Pennsylvania suggested bans on the private breeding of pigs for hunting have caused quarrels between game raisers and wildlife officials. Wild pigs' double nature----considered pests by farmers, but valued by hunters----makes it hard to pass laws to control them. Two other factors also contribute. Nearly 70% of land in America is privately owned. And it is difficult for lawmakers to impose breeding and hunting laws on private landowners. Secondly, it is hard to define a wild pig. In some states, laws are being introduced to redefine the term "wild animal" to keep out wild pigs. This is good news for those raising pigs for hunting, but less are to those who consider them pests whose number should be limited. Meanwhile, discussions continue over how to deal with this problem. Why do the game raisers prefer raising wild pigs to deer? A. It's difficult to raise deer. B. Wild pigs are in large numbers. C. Deer are not popular with hunters. D. They can benefit more from wild pigs. Answer: C Spider webs are one of the most fascinating examples of animal architecture. The most beautiful and structurally ordered are the round webs. The main function of the web is to stop and hold flying insects,long enough for the spider to catch them. In order to do so,the threads of the web have to stand the forces from large and heavy insects as well as environmental forces from wind and rain for at least a day in most cases. The round web is found to have two main characteristics. The first is its geometry,which consists of an outer frame and a central part from which threads radiate outward. Enclosed in the frame are capture spirals winding round and round from the web center out to the frame. The whole web is in tension and held in place by anchor threads,which connect the frame to the surrounding plants or objects. The second and perhaps most important characteristic is the material with which it is built. Spider silk is a kind of natural material that gives this lightweight fiber a strength comparable to that of steel, while at the same time making it very elastic . Two types of silk threads are used in the web. One is highly elastic and can stretch to almost twice its original length before breaking and, for most types of spiders, is covered in glue. This type is used in the capture spiral for catching and holding insects. The other is stiffer and stronger,and is used for the radius,frames and anchor threads,which allows the web to stand forces and to keep its structural strength through a wide range of environmental conditions. Which of the following best describes the threads used in the capture spiral? A. Natural and lightweight. B. Strong and stiff. C. Smooth and elastic. D. Strong,sticky and elastic. Answer: D There once was an old man aged 50,who had a lazy son aged 30. The son couldn't earn his own living , and still lived on his old father for food and clothing. The old man was very worried about him. So he took him to the fortune teller to have his fortune told.The father and son both believed what the fortune teller said --the father would live to 80 and the son to 62. After they found out how long they were going to live, the son was very sad. His father comforted him, "Don't be so sad! You are only 30 now, and still have 32 years of good days _ you." "I'm not worrying about my own age. It's your age which causes me great worry," the son said. The father was greatly moved and said, "Don't worry about me so much. I've got 30 years _ me too." "I'm not worried about your age either," said the son. "I have found out that you will die two years earlier than I. So who will I depend on in the two years after your death?" The son was worried about his father because _ . A. he liked his father very much B. he would have no money to buy food and clothing if his father died C. his father was getting older and older D. His father would get less and less money Answer: B Greenpeace is a global group that tries to change people's ideas and behaviour to protect the environment. Now it is inviting people to take part in the"Kids for Forests" project. This project tries to help to save ancient forests. Small children, teenagers, teachers and schools from all over the world are joining the project. Everyone can do a little to help the forests, and every little bit of help is important! Over 80% of the ancient forests have already been destroyed. There are only seven big ancient forests that are still intact today. Thousand - year - old trees are cut down just to make everyday goods. Children and young people all over the world are saying"No" to the devastation of ancient forests. They together with Greenpeace have set up"Kids for Forests".The project is working in more than 15 different countries in Europe, Asia, North America and South America. And by the way, this is not the first time that"Kids for Forests" has stood up for the protection of ancient forests. In 2001 and 2002, more than 35,000 children and young people fought to save ancient forests all over the world. Young people all over the world are standing up to protect our ancient forests,and you can,too. Go and join them now! What does Greenpeace try to do? A. To help poor children. B. To protect the environment. C. To change people's ideas. D. To change people's behaviour. Answer: B Most of us would like to have glowing skin, especially as we get older. The good news is that you don't have to wait until summer to catch some sun rays. Scientists have found eating plenty of fruit and vegetables is by far the best way to achieve a healthy, golden glow. Dr. Ian Stephen said, "Most people think that the best way to improve their skin color is to get a suntan . But our research shows that eating lots of fruit and vegetables is actually more effective." The team first assessed the skin color of people in relation to their diet. Those who ate more fruit and vegetables a day were found to have a more golden, yellow skin color. Those with a healthy glow had a higher presence of carotenoids , which play a role in the immune system. Carotenoids are commonly found in fruit and vegetables such an yellow and red peppers, spinach, apricots and melons. The team then studied the relation between skin tone and attractiveness. They used specialist software to operate the skin color on the images of 51 faces to simulate more or less carotenoids and suntans. Participants were then asked to adjust the skin color to make the faces look as healthy as possible. Given the choice between skin color enhanced by suntans and skin color enhanced by carotenoids, people preferred the carotenoids skin color. The study shows that not only do people use skin color to judge how healthy other individuals are, but they are accurate when they make those judgments. While this study focus on Caucasian faces, it suggests this phenomenon may exist across cultures, since similar preferences for skin yellowness are found in an African population. Which statement is TRUE according to the text? A. Carotenoids are only found in the fruit. B. Carotenoids are important in the immune system C. Carotenoids can be improved by catching sun rays. D. Carotenoids are the only factor that affects the skin color. Answer: B SYDNEY 2005-01-01 08:30--Mother of two, Jillian Searle, had to choose between her children when she made a life--or--death decision. Swept up by mountainous tsunami waves at a Thai resort, she could not hold on to both her young sons and survive. Fighting to stay above the waters, she had to choose which one would have to take his chances in the swirling torrent. "I knew I had to let go of one of them and I just thought I'd better let go of the one that's the older," she told Sky News television in a report broadcast on Thursday. She said she was accompanied by the two, Lachie, 5, and two--year--old Blake, and their father, Brad, who had watched the drama helplessly from their first-floor hotel room, when the waves struck." And I was screaming, trying to find _ , and we thought he was dead."she told reporters on arrival back in Australia. Lachie was found alive about 2 hours later clinging to a door and looked uninjured as his mother spoke to reporters. British surfer Martin Markwell is also a lucky man. He had always dreamed of catching that perfect wave--but when it finally came along, it was a nightmare. He was on his surfboard when he was swept up by a tsunami wave. "It was really terrible because I was surfing, I was really surfing on a wave I wasn't supposed to be on,"he said. "As an experienced surfer, when I saw the wave come I realized something was wrong, but I couldn't escape because my surfboard was tied to my ankle." His wife, Vicki and son Jake looked on in horror from a hotel balcony as he crashed towards the shore. Luckily, he stayed atop his board until he reached the hotel, jumped off and got to safety as the ocean rolled back to feed a much larger tsunami wave on its way. The family regrouped and ran to safety just minute before a giant tsunami wave 10 meters high. When the waves struck ,the father Brad _ . A. reported the disaster to Sky News television B. was watching a drama on TV in the hotel C. tried to find his son lost in the waters D. watched things going on, unable to do anything Answer: D Say Yes to Reading Write a one-page report titled "The Best Book I Read This Year" and enter it in the Boy's Life 2012 "Say Yes to Reading!" contest. The book can be fiction or nonfiction. But the report has to be in your own words-- 500 words tops. Enter in one of these three age categories : * 8 years old and younger * 9 and 10 years old * 11 years old and older First-place winners in each age category will receive a $100 gift certificate good for any product in the Boy Scouts official retail catalog . Second-place winners will receive a $75 gift certificate and third-place winners a $50 gift certificate. Everyone who enters will get a free patch . In coming years, you'll have the chance to earn different patches. The contest is open to all Boys' Life readers. Be sure to include your name, address, age and grade in school on the entry. Send your report to: Boys' Life Reading Contest S306 P.O. Box 152079 Irving, TX 75015-2079 Entries must be postmarked by Dec. 31, 2012 and must include entry information and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Winners of the 2011 reading contest will be announced in the July 2012 issue of Boys' Life magazine. And the 2010 first-place winners are: 8 YEARS OLD AND YOUNGER Tyler Bergmann chose "Can You Keep a Secret?" by PJ Petersen as his favorite book. "It talks about honesty and the importance of being trust-worthy, which really matter between friends," Tyler writes. 9 AND 10 YREARS OLD Nathaniel Griffis read "The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones" by Rick Riordan. Writes Nathaniel: "As I read, I learned about places I have never been and things I have only imagined." 11 YEARS OLD AND OLDER Devin MacGoy, 12 chose "The Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Grane. "A reader can take away many lessons," Devin writes. Who learns something about friendship from reading a book? A. Tyler Bergmann B. Nathaniel Griffis C. Devin MacGoy D. PJ Petersen Answer: A South Africa hosted the fifth BRICS Summit in March 2013,which completed the first cycle of BRICS summits,BRICS is an acronym for the powerful grouping of the world's leading up-and-coming economies,namely Brazil,Russia,India,China and South Africa.The BRICS aims to achieve peace,security,development and cooperation.It also seeks to contribute to the development of humanity and build a more stable and fairer world. The industry leaders from the business communities of the five countries agreed that the BRICS countries will actively support industrialization on the African continent in order to contribute significantly to its development and to expand trade links between Africa and BRICS.The global economic situation,though improving,continues to remain uncertain with the Euro-crisis a major concern.The task ahead is to build on these developments and BRICS countries remain committed to the cause of promoting sustainable growth.Greater economic cooperation among BRICS countries can be significantly important,which will prove beneficial for global economic growth. According to Dr.Rob Davies,South African Minister of Trade and Industry,the African continent is recognized as the second fastest growing continent after Asia.There are four drivers of the economic growth in African continent.These are the boom in mineral products in the African continent,the development of the service industries,the benefit of not having the financial crisis,and infrastructure development.Davies also adds that other BRICS countries have advantage of large populations providing big home markets for their products.The South African population is small compared to other BRICS countries,but if you add up numbers on continent then you have a critical mass that can support the new industrial wave in Africa:That is why the South African needs to create large trading blocks across large parts of African continent. Which of the following is the driver of the economic growth in Africa? _ . A. The development of business industry B. Protective exploration in mineral products C. The recovery of the infrastructure D. The benefits of having no financial crisis Answer: D A person wanting to continue to use a man-made box will A. throw it in the trash B. put it in the garbage C. burn it in a fire D. find new uses for it Answer: D
Carnival does not take place only in Louisiana. There are many celebrations around the world. In Brazil, the celebration is supposed to go on from the Saturday before Mardi Gras to Mardi Gras Day, but in some Brazilian cities the celebration can last seven or eight days. Just like New Orleans, not many important things are decided in Brazil from New Year's Day to Mardi Gras Day because everyone is preparing for or celebrating carnival. Most Brazilian parades have a subject, which could be political or historical. The parades had to have a subject related to Brazil until 1996. Some cities in Brazil do not have a street carnival, but they might have an indoor party. Bolivia has carnival parades for children and then more parades for adults. The children dress up in costumes and march in the streets. The adults make traditional dance groups and dance in the streets. But the main part of Bolivia's carnival is getting wet. Almost everyone gets wet from water balloons and water buckets. In Oruru, Bolivia, their carnival is held in the last ten days of the carnival season. People there join in dancing, but their main carnival event is a ceremonial parade that lasts for twenty hours and parades for four kilometers. Over 20,000 dancers are involved as well as 10,000 musicians. This parade attracts at least 400,000 people. The carnival in Venice, Italy is often regarded as the most carefully prepared carnival and lasts ten days before Lent . Many events are held in the canals including shows, concerts, dances and water processions . The official ending to the celebration is the party held in St. Mark's Square. What's the best title for the passage? A. Ways of Carnival B. Carnival Parades C. Carnivals around the World D. History of Carnival Answer: C We've all experienced a "good cry". Shedding some tears can often make us feel better and help us put things in perspective. But why is crying beneficial? And is there such a thing as a "bad cry"? The researchers analyzed the detailed accounts of more than 3,000 recent crying experiences and found that the benefits of crying depend entirely on the what, where and when of a particular crying episode . The majority of persons reported improvements in their mood following a short period of crying. However, one third reported no improvement in mood and a tenth felt worse after crying. Criers who received social support during their crying episode were the most likely to report improvements in mood. Research to date has not always produced a clear picture of the benefits of crying, in part because the results often seem to depend on how crying is studied. The researchers note several challenges in accurately studying crying behavior in a laboratory setting. Volunteers who cry in a laboratory setting often do not describe their experiences as making them feel better. Rather, crying in a laboratory setting often results in the study participants feeling worse; this may be due to the stressful conditions of the study itself, such as being videotaped or watched by researchers. This may produce negative emotions, which neutralize the positive benefits usually connected with crying. However, these laboratory studies have provided interesting findings about the physical effects of crying. Criers do show calming effects such as slower breathing, but they also experience a lot of unpleasant stress, including increased heart rate and sweating. What is interesting is that bodily calming usually lasts longer than the unpleasant. The calming effects may occur later and overcome the stress reaction, which would account for why people tend to remember mostly the pleasant side of crying. Research has shown that the effects of crying also depend on who is shedding the tears. For example, individuals with anxiety or mood disorders are least likely to experience the positive effects of crying. In addition, the researchers report that people who lack insight into their emotional lives actually feel worse after crying. The passage is mainly about _ . A. the types of crying B. the way of crying C. the psychology of crying D. the causes of crying Answer: C Grant Wood's American Gothic caused a stir in 1930 when it was exhibited for the first time at the Art Institute of Chicago and awarded a prize of 300 dollars. Newspapers across the country carried the story, and the painting of a farmer and a younger woman posed before a white house brought the artist instant fame. In 1930, Grant Wood, an American painter with European training, noticed a small white house built in the small southern Iowa town of Eldon. Wood was so fascinated by it that he decided to paint the house along with the kind of people he thought should live in that house. In the painting, the farmer is modeled on his dentist. Dr. Byron McKeeby. His younger sister Nan served as a model for the woman (imagined to be the farmer's wife or daughter). Wood wanted to give a description of the traditional roles of men and women as the man is holding a pitchfork symbolizing hard labor. Each element was painted separately; the models sat separately and never stood in front of the house. The Gothic style of the house inspired the painting's title. American Gothic remains one of the most famous paintings in the history of American art. The painting has become part of American popular culture. Some believe that Wood used it to satirize the narrow-mindedness that has been said to characterize Midwestern culture. The painting may also be read as a praise of the moral virtue or rural America or even as a mixture of praise and satire. American Gothic is one of the few images to reach the status of cultural symbol, along with Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. From the passage we can infer Iowa is in _ . A. the southern town of Eldon B. the Midwest of the United States C. a European country D. the city of Chicago Answer: B Even a child knows that nodding the head means "Yes". But some people will probably be puzzled when they first come to India. When they talk to an Indian, he often shakes his head. They might think that the Indian does not like what he said, but _ he is expressing agreement. The Indians have a habit of shaking their heads slightly when they talk to somebody. It doesn't mean "No", but "Yes". If a person doesn't know this, it might cause misunderstanding. At one time a foreigner in Indian told his driver who was an Indian to take him to his office. The driver shook his head. The foreigner repeated his request and the driver shook his head again. At last, the foreigner shouted angrily, "Drive me to my office at once!" The driver said in a low voice, "Yes, sir," smiling and shaking his head again at the same time. Generally speaking, nodding the head means _ , and shaking the head means _ . A. Yes; No B. No; Yes C. Yes; Yes D. No; No Answer: A I was eleven years old, waiting for my exam at Saraswati Vidyalaya, my school in Nagpur. "No. 12, please come forward." Kirti, a very fat girl from my class, stepped ahead. I heard my classmates laughing and so I tried to stop them with my eyes. But my good intentions were mistaken. The next morning, my teacher, Mrs. Kamble, told me, "Ashwini, I've received a complaint about you." I was shocked. The girl I was protecting thought I'd been laughing at her. I tried to explain but the teacher refused to hear me out. She punished me by making me stand by the door. I knew I was right. Such punishment to a class topper was simply unheard of. But, slowly, my pride disappeared. Instead of being angry, I understood the other students who have been punished at times. For the first time, I felt humbled . Three years later, I was in the math class. Mr. Prabhuraman, wrote an equation -- one he'd taught us the day before -- on the blackboard. "Anyone who doesn't know how to solve this," he said, "please leave the class at once." I knew I could solve only the first two steps. But my pride made me stay there. Unfortunately, the one who was asked to solve it was me. I just stood there, chalk in hand, trying not to look foolish. I prepared myself for a good talking-to , but Mr. Prabhuraman told me kindly, "Go back to your seat." Today, two decades later, those incidents have made me think. One teacher punished me for something I didn't do; the other forgave me for something I did wrong. Both experiences had an effect on me. They remind me that no matter what you accomplish , you must always be humble. Why did Ashwini refuse to leave the class? A. He felt it would make him lose face. B. He could work out the equation. C. His teacher believed in his ability. D. His teacher never asked him any questions. Answer: A Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, or fear which may occur in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience. It is most commonly seen in school situations, like stand-up projects and class speeches. It has numerous forms: heart beating fast, trembling hands and legs, sweaty hands, dry mouth etc. In fact, most of the fear occurs before you step on stage. Once you're up there, it usually goes away. Thus, it is a phenomenon that you must learn to control. Try to think of stage fright in a positive way. It heightens your energy, adds color to your cheeks. With these good side effects you will actually look healthier and more physically attractive. Many of the top performers in the world get stage fright so you are in good company. Stage fright may come and go or decrease, but it usually does not disappear permanently. You must concentrate on getting the feeling out and present what you have prepared calmly. Remember "Nobody" ever died from stage fright. But, according to surveys, many people would rather die than give a speech. If that applies to you, and you are an unlucky guy who is with stage fright the whole time, try out some of the strategies as follows to help get yourself under control. Realize that you may never overcome stage fright, but you can learn to control it, and use it to your advantage. Strategies are as follows when the program begins: 1) If legs are trembling, lean on table or shift legs or move. 2) Don't hold notes. The audience can see them shake. Use three-by-five cards instead. 3) Use eye contact. Look at the friendliest faces in the audience. Remember nervousness doesn't show one-tenth as much as it feels. Before each presentation, make a short list of the items you think will make you feel better. Don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations. You never know which ones will work best until you try. Use these steps to control stage fright so it doesn't control you. Once you are used to stage fright, you will find you on the road to a great speech-maker. Which of the following is true? A. Top performers usually suffer from stage fright. B. Stage fright may stay with a person for a life time. C. Nobody would rather die than give a speech. D. No one can overcome or control stage fright. Answer: B Every day when Cora Castle, 14, from Indiana, US goes back home, she opens her computer and logs into a website called Fuel Up to Play 60. She puts on what she has eaten and what kind of activities she has played that day. Then the site decides whether Castle has eaten healthily and done enough exercise. All the seventh graders in Castle's school have done the same thing since the year started. It's part of their health class. If the site finds her habits are unhealthy, it will give her advice. If she does something good, the website will give her a star. Her health teacher set up a competition to see which student could get the most stars from the website. Castle has got 30 stars so far. Cameron Bartlett said she liked tracking the food and activities. "This is the first year we've done it," she said. "It's really interesting to see all of the different choices that we have." The seventh grade health class is coming to an end. They won't be in health class, but the students all said that they would go on to take part in the Fuel Up to Play 60. "There's lots of bad food out there that we've all been eating," Bartlett said "This really helps all of us eat healthier food." The passage is mainly about a website for helping people _ . A. win in competitions B. eat more healthy food C. do enough exercises D. have good living habits Answer: D I am an American boy. My name is Jerry Black. You can call me Jerry. I have a sister, Ginny. We are twins. But we are very different( ). I have a long face with a high nose, and she has a round face with a small nose. I like football. But she likes basketball. I like loud music. She likes light music. My father is a doctor in a hospital. My mother runs a clothing shop. We have another family member, Beibei. She is a lovely dog. She will have a puppy soon. There are _ people in Jerry's family. A. four B. five C. three D. six Answer: A Beijing Restaurant _ SOUPS :Tofu soupY=10. 00 Bone soupY=15. 00 Chicken soupY=20. 00 STAPLES:Fried riceY=8. 00 Fried noodlesY=10. 00 Hot dogY=4. 00 Meat pieY=10. 00 SandwichY=10. 00 HamburgerY=10. 00 MAIN COURSES:Roast chickenY=30. 00 Italian pizzaY=9. 00 Indian curriesY=15. 00 Pork and cabbageY=15. 00 Cheese pieY=10. 00 BeefY=15. 00 Beijing Roast DuckY=50. 00 SausageY=15. 00 DESSERTS :Fruit saladY=8. 00 Pear pancakeY=6. 00 Apple pieY=6. 00 Ice creamY=4. 00 DRINKS :CokeY=5. 00 CoffeeY=5. 00 TeaY=3. 00 Apple juiceY=3. 00 BeerY=10. 00 WineY=30. 00 MilkY=3. 00 LemonadeY=4. 00 If you have twelve yuan, what can you buy in this restaurant? A. Four ice creams. B. A bottle of wine. C. An apple pie and a pear pancake. D. A sandwich and a hot dog. Answer: C Australia, the last continent, was discovered by ships belonging to some European nations in the seventeenth century. These nations were less interested in changing it into a colony than in exploring it. As in the early history of the United States, it was the English who set up the settlements in Australia. This history and the geography of these two British colonies have some other things in common as well. Australia and the United States are about the same in size, and their western lands are both not rich in soil. It was the eastern coast of Australia and American that the English first settled, and both colonies soon began to develop towards the west. However, this westward movement took place more because the English were searching for better land than because the population was increasing. Settlements of the western part of both countries developed quickly after gold was discovered in America in 1849 and in Australia two years later. Although the development of these two countries has a lot in common, there are some striking differences as well. The United States gained its independence from England by revolution while Australis won its independence without having to go to war. Australia, unlike the United States, was firstly truned into a colony by English prisoners and its economic development was in wheat growing and sheep raising. By 1922, for example, Australia had fifteen times more sheep than it had people, or almost half as many sheep as there are people today in the United States. Yet, in spite of these and other main differences, Australia and the United States have more in common with each other than either one has with most of the rest of the world. In the early 1920s, _ . A. Australia had one fifteenth as many people as sheep B. there were more sheep in Australia than in the United States C. the population in Australia was greater than that of the Untied States D. the Untied States had twice as many sheep as people Answer: A
Every student in Australia must wear their school uniforms when they are at school.There are many kinds of uniforms such as suits,dresses,shorts,skirts,shirts,T-shirts and so on. Class usually begins at 8:00 a.m.in most Australian schools,and sometimes it begins at 10:00 a.m.You needn't go to class with your schoolbag,you can put it in your own cabinet and only take a few books.There are many subjects:English,Maths,Biology,Geography,History,Physics,Chemistry ,Music,Computer,PE,Chinese Drama and so on.In a computer class,each student sits at a table and does their work.They are very quiet.The teacher goes around them to give directions to them.One class is about two hours.At noon all the students have lunch at school.Their lunch is sandwiches and some fruit. In the afternoon there's only one class.School ends at 3:30 P.m.Some students can swim or play ball games until 5:30 P.m.Then they must go home.They seldom do homework,even the students in Grade Eleven.This is the school life of the Students in Australia. In a computer class,each student is very _ . A. quiet B. noisy C. happy D. sad, Answer: A It's easy to see how to help others, but what about those whose needs aren't so obvious? This story may have happened a while back, but it was a lesson which has stayed with me and helped me ever since. It was Thanksgiving and I was volunteering with my parents at a shelter for the poor. We stood behind the counter dishing out hot food to whoever came in. most of our dinners looked like they had been having hard times, their clothes old, worn and dry. In short, they looked poor! Then, a man came in, who looked anything but poor. He was well dressed, wearing an expensive suit. I wondered what he was doing there and my jaw dropped in amazement when he joined the line for food. The closer he came to my service station, the more I muttered. What was this man doing? I wanted to know. Surely he wasn't gong to take food. Then my mother quietly took me to one side. She said, "You have assumed that the needs of the people who come here must be purely physical: hunger, inadequate shelter and needs are emotional? What if he needs comfort, friends, or just to be among other human beings?" her words hit me like a ton of bricks! I felt like I should apologize to the man, but I didn't. About a week later the shelter received a large donation from an anonymous source. I can't help but wonder if it came from that man. Now, whether I meet others, I remember my mother's words and try to send kindness and blessings to them, regardless of how they look. Needs aren't always visible. But kindness always makes a difference. When the man waited in line, how did the author feel? A. Surprised B. Pitiful C. Excited D. Angry Answer: A The best time to have an all-day BBQ in the northern hemisphere is A. December 21st B. the winter solstice C. end of June D. sometime in January Answer: C A gunman opened fire in Orlando's Pulse nightclub early morning Sunday , killing approximately 50 people and injuring another 53 . Clubbers were enjoying an evening at Pulse , which describes itself as " the hottest gay bar in Orlando , " when shots started to go off around 2 am. A hostage situation occurred , and didn't end until authorities used a vehicle armed to teeth to break down the door of the building and kill the gunman at around 5 am . Sunday morning's attack surpasses the shootings at Virginia Tech in 2007 and Sndy Hook Elementary School in 2012 to become the worst mass shooting in US history . Authorities have identified the shooter as 29-year-old Omar Saddiqui Mateen from Fort Pierce , about 120 miles southeast of Orlando . CNN reports Mr. Mateen was previously trained as a security guard . The federal government and FBI " have suggestions the individual has leanings towards Islamic terrorism , but right now we can't say definitely , " says Ron Hopper , assistant special agent of FBI's Orlando bureau . But Mateen's connection to Islamic terrorism has not been proven , leading authorities to also investigate the shooting as a possible hate crime against the LGBT community . The Orlando blood donation facility tweeted that the bank was in " urgent need " of donations Sunday morning following the shooting . But within hours , they announced their bank was at capacity due to the long lines of volunteers who showed up to donate . However , after the initial tweet at 10:40 Sunday morning , criticisms of the United States' stand on blood donation by the LGBT community resurfaced on social media from those who wanted to help but were prohibited due to their sexuality . " It's legal to buy an AR-15 assault rifle . It's illegal for a gay man to donate blood to victims of the massacre . The world makes no sense . " said John Barcus . ( LGBT : a community of four types of people ; lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender .) According to the passage , the gunman _ . A. had prejudice against the LGBT community B. had a close relationship with terrorist groups C. had some basic skills of fighting and shooting D. had planned the attack for a long time in advance Answer: C In the West, advertisements are the fuel that makes mass media work. Many TV stations, newspapers, magazines, radio stations are privately owned. The government does not give them money. So where does the money come from? From advertisements. Without advertisements, there would not be these private businesses. Have you ever asked yourself what advertising is? Through the years, people have given different answers to the question. For some time it was felt that advertising was a means of "keeping your name before the public". And some people thought that advertising was "truth well told". Now more and more people consider it in this way: Advertising is the paid, non-personal, and usually persuasive presentation of goods, services and ideas by some certain sponsors through various media. First, advertising is usually paid for. Various sponsors pay for the advertisements we see, read, and hear over the various media. Second, advertising is non-personal. It is not face-to-face communication. Although you may feel that a message in a certain advertisement is aimed directly at you, in fact, it is directed at large groups of people. Third, advertising is usually persuasive. Directly or indirectly it asks people to do something. All advertisements try to make people believe that the product, idea, or service advertised can benefit them. Fourth, the sponsors of the advertisement must show their names. From the advertisement, we can see if the sponsor is a company, or a single person. Fifth, advertising reaches us through old and modern mass media. Included in the old media are newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and films. Modern media include emails, matchbox covers, and boards on top of buildings. The passage seems to say that different ideas about what advertising is are given due to _ . A. the change of time B. the subject of the advertisements C. people's age difference D. people's different opinions Answer: A Which statement describes the location of our Sun in the universe? A. Our Sun orbits Earth in the Andromeda galaxy. B. Our Sun orbits Earth in the Milky Way galaxy. C. Our Sun is the center of a solar system in the Milky Way galaxy. D. Our Sun is the center of a solar system in the Andromeda galaxy. Answer: C The story is about two old people named David and Rosy Jackson. Both of them had very bad memories. For example, Rosy would forget to cook dinner or take vegetables home after paying for them. David would show up for work on Sundays, thinking it was Monday. One winter they were to take a long plane trip. When they arrived at the airport, there were only ten minutes left. In that situation, anyone would get into the plane right away. But David and Rosy didn't do so. They went to buy some flight insurance instead. Immediately after they put a two-pound note into a machine, their policy came out. "Who would get the money if the plane crashed, I wonder?" asked Rosy. "My mother, of course," her husband replied. "We should post the policy to her. Now, be quick! Give me a stamp, will you?" he said to Rosy. "The plane is going to take off in another minute." David put the stamp on the envelope, dropped it into a postbox, and suddenly he let out a cry. What do you suppose happened to him? He had posted their plane tickets to his mother. This passage tells us that David and Rosy _ . A. were always short of time B. always did everything in a great hurry C. were very forgetful D. usually worked on Sundays Answer: C It was around 9 pm. Before heading to dinner in Jayanagar T Block, I was told by my wife that the rickshaw fare would be 40 rupees. Anyhow I had 150 rupees in my pocket. My wife said that if the drivers of rickshaws see out-of-town travelers, they'll scam them one way or another. At a crowded stop, a young girl extended her hand through the iron bars on the side of our rickshaw to ask for some money. After we refused, or rickshaw driver started his remarks on giving. "Giving is good. Every human should give. But we should know how to give." The rickshaw driver continued, "Most of these kids are trained by some guy who keeps all the money. It's run like a business. All of us should give, but this is just not the right place to give." He talked a bit more before we arrived. I asked about the fare. "39 rupees," he said. Now, most people who get cheated end up saying, "Well, you know, I don't mind paying extra if it is a good guy but I refuse to be cheated." I gave him 40 rupees, and he gave me a 1 rupee coin in return (Most folks would just round up). So I put the coin in my wallet, and took out a 100 rupee note. "Can you do me a favor?" "Of course, sir," he replied politely. "We were talking about art of giving. You seem to know how and where to give. Can you put the 100 rupees to good use somewhere?" "Give me your address and I'll make sure I get a receipt of where I gave," He replied without hesitation. I didn't understand him at first. Then I smiled and told him, "I trust you." So on the way back, instead of taking a bus to my place, I walked for the whole distance since I didn't have enough money. It was almost 1 a.m and I had to wake up at 6 a.m the next day. But I still walked. From the talk, we can learn that the rickshaw driver was _ . A. well-educated B. generous C. selfish D. honest Answer: D Much older than the Great Wall, Stonehenge is one of the world's most fascinating, but least understood historical sites. Every year, thousands of tourists come to admire Stonehenge's beauty and to wonder about how and why it was built. Scientists have dated the site, which is located in prefix = st1 /England, to around 3000 BC. The stone circle was constructed in a number of stages over hundreds of years. It took millions of man hours to raise the heavy stones. Though there are many theories, it is still a mystery how stone-age man dragged such heavy stones over 380 kilometers from where they were made. Prehistoric people had only basic wooden tools. To move the stones they probably used tree trunks to roll them along. Some historians believe that Stonehenge was a temple, the site of ancient sacrifices . Others believe it was a burial place or perhaps even a giant sundial to tell the time. Whatever their ancient use was, the stones have always been a source of fascination for British people. One record from 1135 said the great stones were carried to Englandby giant magical creatures! In modern times Stonehenge has become a huge hit with tourists. Tourists are interested in Stonehenge mainly because _ . A. it has something to do with the Great Wall B. they know nothing about its history and site C. nowhere else can they find a stone circle D. most of its history remains a mystery Answer: D Once upon a time, two men were walking in the forest. One was thin and tall, and very bad too. The other was fat and short, and very honest. The tall man said to the short man, "We are good friends. If any beast comes, I'll help you." The short man said, " Of course, we are good friends. We will help each other." At that time, a bear came to them. The tall man climbed up the tree quickly to hide himself in the branches and forgot his promise to the short man. But the fat man couldn't climb the tree. He said to his friend, "Help me! Help me! I can't climb up. Look! The bear is coming!" The tall man said, "No! No! No! You can't stay with me. The tree is not strong." The bear was coming. The short man lay down under the tree, pretending to be dead and holding his breath. The bear smelled around his body. It doesn't touch the dead. After the bear went away without harming the short man, the tall man came down and asked the short man, "What did the bear whisper in your ear when it was close to you?" The short man answered, "the bear told me not to believe such a selfish friend like you. And it also said that a friend in need is a friend indeed." From the passage, we can know _ . A. the bear didn't eat people B. the bear could talk to the people C. the bear ate up the short man D. the bear didn't hurt the short man Answer: D
Have you ever noticed advertisements which say "Learn a foreign language in 6 weeks, or your money back! From the first day your pronunciation will be excellent. Just send..." and so on? Of course, it never happens quite like that. The only language that is easy to learn is one's mother tongue. And think how much practice that gets! Before the Second World War people usually learnt a foreign language in order to read the literature of the country. Now speaking a foreign language is what most people want. Every year millions of people start learning one. How do they do it? Some people try at home, with books and records of tapes; some use radio or television programmes; some use computers and network; others go to evening classes. If they use the language only 2 or 3 times a week, learning it will take a long time, like learning a foreign language at school. A few people try to learn a language fast by studying for 6 or more hours a day. It is clearly easier to learn the language in the country where it is spoken. However, most people cannot afford this, and for many it is not necessary. They need the language in order to do their work better. For example, scientists and doctors chiefly need to be able to read books and reports in the foreign language. Whether the language is learnt quickly or slowly, it is hard work. Machines and good books will help, but they cannot do the student's work for him. Learning a foreign language is a hard job _ . A. only for scientists and doctors B. only for the students at school C. for those people at home D. for most people Answer: D Every morning Amma gets up at ten to seven. She brushes her teeth, takes a shower and gets dressed . Then she goes to the kitchen and makes breakfast. She usually has orange juice and bread for breakfast. After breakfast, she reads the newspaper. At seven forty--five she leaves home and goes to work by subway. Amma gets up at _ . A. 6:50 B. 7:00 C. 7:10 D. 10:00 Answer: A One day, a little boy comes into a shop and says to the shop worker, "I want to buy twelve exercise books of 6 cents each and nine pencils of 10 cents each. How much is that altogether ?" The shop worker writes these numbers down on a piece of paper and thinks for a minute. Then she says, "1 dollars 62 cents." "If I give you ten dollars, how much money will I get back?" "You will get 8 dollars 38 cents for _ Here you are. These are the things you want." "No, thank you. I don't want to buy anything." The boy looks at the piece of paper and says politely, "This is my math homework. Thank you. Can I take it away?" The little boy is _ . A. bad but strong B. difficult but friendly C. stupid but kind D. naughty but clever Answer: D The deep sea is one of the most mysterious places on earth. Scientists rarely go there. Those few do discover new species all of the time. Many places of the deepest parts of the ocean, where it's forever dark, can light up. Now, a teen's research has shown new light on how one of these swimming animals behaves in darkness. The giant flashlight fish lives in the Indian Ocean as well as in tropical parts of the central and western Pacific. It lives at depths of up to 400 meters, (about 1,300 feet). But not always. Sometimes it lives in coral reefs in shallow waters. In those shallow waters, the blackish-blue fish comes out only at night. Reef-dwelling members of this species tend to be smaller than those living in deeper waters. Those biggies can grow to lengths of 35meters (14inches). That may not sound like a giant, but they are the largest of their type of fish. The giant flashlight fish gets its name from a small glow-in-the-dark patch found in a packet of tissue under each eye, explains Caroline Edmonds. She is a 13- year-old student from Fountain Valley, Calif. There, she attends Talbert Middle School. She said that the eye pockets in these fish contain light-producing bacteria. These bacteria and their host fish have built a relationship that helps both. The fish use the bacteria as a way to communicate with creatures around them. The bacteria gain nutrients from the fish and a safe place to live. When a fish wants to " flash" its light, it turns the bacteria-filled pocket toward the outside of its body, Caroline explains. When a fish wants to hide its light, it turns the pocket back toward the inside. According to her data, the fish flash most often when they are being fed. They flash least often late at night, when they are resting. We can infer from the passage that Caroline Edmonds _ A. is probably on a research team. B. has learned about the fish in the library. C. has always focused on her studies at school. D. is one of the most famous American scientists. Answer: A Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival Where: Becket, Massachusetts When: Jun.15---Aug.24 Each summer, this influential dance center presents a number of classes and performances by more than 50 companies from around the world. Highlights in this season include the Dance Theater of Harlem's production of Alvin Ailey's "The Lark Ascending", which opens the festival. Many events are free. Ticketed performances start at $22. Jacobspillow.org. Moab Music Festival Where: Moab, Utah When: Aug.29---Sept.9 This area is better known for mountain biking than for music . But since 1992, it has hosted a private festival that brings classical, jazz, Latin and other types of music to the land. This year there will be 16 concerts, including three "Grotto Concerts", where guests take a 45-minute boat ride down the Colorado River to performances. Events start at $25. Moabmusicfest.org. Cheyenne Frontier Days Where: Cheyenne, Wyoming When: July19---28 There is something for everyone at this 117-year-old festival, from an "Indian village" and Old West museum to country concerts. But the competition is still the main attraction, with cowboys and cowgirls competing for major money in the world's largest outdoor stage. Competition tickets start at $18, and concert tickets at $23. Cfdrodeo.com. The Glimmerglass Festival Where: Cooperstown, New York When: July6---Aug.24 Each summer, opera lovers from around the country (and the world) travel to upstate New York to watch productions that include stars like Nathan Gunn and Ginger Costa-Jackson. This year's performances include Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman" and Verdi's "King for a Day", in honor of the 200th birthdays of both composers. Tickets start at $26. Glimmerglass.org. If you want to enjoy a "Grotto Concert", which date suits you best? A. September 4. B. July 19. C. August 24. D. June 15. Answer: A Lidong came on November 8 this year. It is the Chinese word for one of the 24 solar terms . It means the beginning of winter. As the weather gets colder and there is less sunlight, people are more likely to get sick. Adults in the US usually have two to four colds each year. Young children suffer from six to eight colds per year, especially in winter months, according to the American Lung Association. One of the best ways to keep healthy during winter is to stay warm. There are many ways to stay warm. A living room should be around 18-21 C, and you can also use a hot water bottle or at least 16 C. blanket to keep warm while in bed. Getting plenty of exercise is always a good idea. Take a walk on a sunny afternoon, do a long distance run or skip rope. These things keep your blood moving and your metabolism fired up. Food gives us energy and helps to warm us from the inside. High-protein foods, like fish and meat, provide a lot of energy. Add some things to your winter dishes, such as ginger, pepper and garlic. These things can make you warm. A winter coat warms you up from the outside. Add several layers of thin clothing, for example, a shirt and a thin sweater, to stay even warmer. Clothes made from wool are usually very warm. How to make winter days colorful? Is it too cold to play outside? Don't worry. Here are some tips for having fun at home. Give it a try! # Enjoy a movie with your parents. There are a lot of choices, such as Spy Kids. You can also talk about the movie with your parents after it's over. # Cook a meal with your parents. You can cook some simple dishes, such as scrambled eggs with tomato. You may need your mother's help for the first time. # Clean your bedroom. You need to sweep the floor, tidy your desk and make your bed. By doing this, you really help your mother a lot. # Read your favorite book. Reading is not only helpful for your writing ability, but can also help to build your character. The writer writes the passage by _ . A. doing research B. making a survey C. giving examples D. having interviews Answer: C James and Mary Green were walking to their car one evening after having seen a movie. As they were passing a dark alleyway, Daves leaped out brandishing a gun. He pushed Mary against the wall of a nearby building, held the gun to her head, and demanded money from James. James handed over his cash. Daves grabbed the cash and ran away. Which of the following, listed in descending order of seriousness, is the most serious crime for which Daves may be convicted? A. Robbery from James Green. B. Larceny from James Green. C. Assault on James and Mary Green. D. Assault on Mary Green Answer: A Taxes, Taxes and More Taxes Americans often say that there are only two things a person can be sure of in life; death and taxes. Americans do not have a corner on the "death" market, but many people feel that the United States leads the world with the worst taxes. Taxes consist of the money which people pay to support their government. There are generally three levels of government in the United States: federal , state, and city; therefore, there are three types of taxes. Salaried people who earn more than a few thousand dollars must pay a certain percentage of their salaries to the federal government. The percentage varies form person to person. It depends on their salaries. The federal government has a graduated income tax, that is, the percentage of the tax (14 to 70 percent) increases as a person's income increases. With the high cost of taxes people are not very happy on April 15, when the federal taxes are due. The second tax is for the state government: New York, California, North Dakota, or any of the other forty-seven states. Some states have an income tax similar to that of the federal government. Of course, the percentage for the state tax is lower. Other states have a sales tax, which is a percentage charged to any item which you buy in that state. For example, a person might want to buy a packet of cigarettes for twenty-five cents. If there is a sales tax of eight percent in that state, then the cost of the cigarettes is twenty-seven cents. This figure includes the sales tax. Some states use income tax in addition to sales tax to raise their revenues . The state tax laws are various and confusing. The third tax is for the city. This tax comes in two forms: property tax (people who own a home have to pay taxes on it) and excise tax, which is charged on cars in a city. The cities use these funds for education, police and fire departments, public works and municipal buildings. Since Americans pay such high taxes, they often feel that they are working one day each week just to pay their taxes. People always complain about taxes. They often protest that the government uses their tax dollars in the wrong way. They say that it spends too much on useless and impractical programs. Although Americans have different views on many issues, they tend to agree on one subject: taxes are too high. Why should the American people usually pay three types of taxes? A. There are three levels of government--federal, state and city-to support the United States. B. There are three kinds of taxes to pay--graduated income tax, sales tax and property tax.. C. They earn different salaries: high, middle, and low. D. Tax laws in different states are different. Answer: A A new study, conducted by British company Mindlab International, has found that listening to music at work increases accuracy and speed,The Telegraphreported. Perhaps, some parents disagree with this idea, saying, "Switch off the music and concentrate!" Well, if that's the case with your parents, you might now be able to convince them that you have science on your side. The company gave 26 participants a series of different tasks for five days in a row, including spell checking, mathematical word problems, data entry, and abstract reasoning. The participants completed these tasks while listening to music or no music at all. The results showed that while music was playing, 88% of participants produced their most accurate test results and 81% completed their fastest work. David Lewis, chairman of Mindlab International, toldThe Telegraph, "Music is a very powerful management tool if you want to increase not only the efficiency of your workforce but also their emotional state... _ are going to become more positive about the work." However, you may have a list of your favorite songs, but not all kinds of music match all homework. For maths or other subjects involving numbers or attention to detail, you should listen to classical music, the study found. In the study, pop music enabled participants to complete their tasks 58% faster than when listening to no music at all. If you are reviewing your English writing, pop music is the best choice, as it is the best kind for spell checking. It cut mistakes by 14%, compared to listening to no music. After finishing your homework, do you often take time to check your answers? Maybe, some dance music is suitable for you. When you review your English writing, what kind of music is the best choice? A. Classical music. B. Dance music. C. Pop music. D. Rock music. Answer: C Three Japanese tourists taking a holiday in Australia got stuck when their GPS told them they could drive from the mainland to an island, failing to mention the 15 kilometres of water and mud in between. As they drove their hired car from Moreton Bay in Queensland to nearby North Stradbroke Island, they started to notice the firm gravel surface they were driving on giving way to the renowned bay mud.However, being confident that their GPS would direct them to a road soon, they decided to plough on, managing to travel around 500 metres before their Hyundai Getz was up to its axles tires in mud.To make matters worse, the tide started to come in and soon forced them to seek help and abandon the vehicle.Just four hours later the car was trapped in two metres of water ---- to the great amusement of onlookers on the shore and passengers on passing boats and ferries. Yuzu Noda, 21, said she was listening to the GPS and "it told us we could drive down there.It kept saying it would navigate us to a road.But we got stuck...there's lots of mud." She and her travel companions Tomonari Saeki, 22, and Keita Osada, 21, instead had to give up their plans for a day trip to the island and headed back to the Gold Coast of a lift from the RACQ tow truck driver who was called to the trapped car.No such luck for the hired car though - after assessing the situation, no attempt was made to recover it.The students from Tokyo, who are due to return home tomorrow, said the experience would not put them off returning to Australia for another visit."We want to come back to Australia again.Everyone is very nice, even today." Ms Yuzu said. Remaining excited, Mr. Tomonari joked that the car may have got stuck because it was built in Korea."Maybe if it was Japanese it would be okay," he said.He added, "It has rained every day on our six day holiday.Hopefully next time we come back it will be sunny." The car was covered by insurance, but the tourists will have to pay up to about $1500 in extra charges. According to the passage, which of the following is true? A. The car was left where it was trapped. B. The passengers saved these students in the end. C. Mr. Tomonari got very frustrated after the journey. D. The car was covered by insurance so they didn't have to pay any money. Answer: A
Chicago's children's Hospital is the lucky receiver of a surprise $18million gift from Gladys Holm.She once was a secretary who never earned more than $15000 a year and never married.She lived alone in a small flat in Chicago,and was a volunteer at the Children's Hospital.She was called the "Teddy Bear lady" because she brought toy animals to sick children on her regular visits.But Miss Holm,who died in 1996 at the age of 86 ,was also a long-time buyer of stocks .Over the years,she saved money that rose up to $18 million ,which she left to the Children's Hospital .It was the largest single donation in the hospital's 115-year history.The hospital president,Jan Jennings,was shocked when she heard the news "when Miss Holm's lawyer called to tell me how much that money was,I asked him to repeat it ,since I was certain I had misheard." Why did Gladys Holm fell so strongly about the Children's Hospital? Jennings said the hospital first touched Miss Holm's heart nearly 50 years ago,when doctors there saved the life of her friend's daughter.She never forgot the happiness she felt all those years ago. Holm's gift will be devoted to heart disease research.People at the hospital said they regretted that they couldn't thank Miss Holm for the surprising gift. Why did Jan Jennings ask the lawyer to repeat what he said? A. she never expected Miss Holm would donate anything. B. she want to make sure who Gladys Holm was C. she had seldom received donations before D. she thought there was a mistake Answer: D Moving to a new town or even a new neighborhood is stressful at any age, but a new study shows that frequent moves in childhood are related to poorer well-being in adulthood, especially among people who are more introverted or neurotic . The researchers tested the relationship between the number of childhood moves and well-being in a sample of 7108 American adults who were followed for 10 years. "We know that children who move frequently are more likely to perform poorly in school and have more behavioral problems," said the study's lead author Shigehiro Oishi. "However, the long-term effects of moving on well-being in adulthood have been overlooked by researchers." The study's participants, who were between the ages of 20 and 75, were contacted in 1994 and 1995 and were surveyed again 10 years later. They were asked how many times they had moved as children, as well as about their psychological well-being, personality type and social relationships. The researchers found that the more times people moved as children, the more likely they were to report lower life satisfaction and psychological well-being at the time they were surveyed. The research also showed that those who moved frequently as children had fewer quality social relationships as adults. The researchers also looked to see if different personality types affected frequent movers' well-being. Among introverts, the more moves participants reported as children, the worse off they were as adults. "Moving a lot makes it difficult for people to keep long-term close relationships." Said Oishi. "This might not be a serious problem for outgoing people who can make friends quickly and easily." The findings showed neurotic people who moved frequently reported less life satisfaction and poorer psychological well-being than people who did not move as much and people who were not neurotic. However, the number and quality of neurotic people's relationships had no effect on their well-being, no matter how often they had moved as children. In the article, Oishi thinks this may be because neurotic people have more negative reactions to stressful life events in general. "We can guess that moving often creates more stress," Oishi said. "But we need more research on this link before we can conclude that moving often in childhood can, in fact, be dangerous to your health in the long-term." It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A. adults should take more care over their kids B. neurotic people are likely to move frequently C. children who move frequently behave well in school D. personality types are related to frequent movers' happiness Answer: D Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on neighboring farms fell into conflict . It was the first serious one between them in 40 years of farming peacefully side by side. In the end, they fell apart. One morning, a man with a carpenter's toolbox came for some work. The elder brother said, "I just have a job for you. Look at the farm across the creek . My younger brother lives there. It was he who used his bulldozer to dig the creek last week to spite me. So I want you to build me a fence, an 8foothigh fence, in order not to see his place any more." The carpenter smiled and said, "I see. I'll try to do a job that satisfies you." Then the elder brother went downtown. At sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide! To his surprise, there was no fence there at all! Instead, there was a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work! He saw his younger brother coming to him with the hands outstretching. The brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hands. They turned to see the carpenter lift his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other work for you," said the elder brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but I have so many more bridges to build." What was the life like for the two brothers before the conflict? A. They lived a poor life. B. They lived in peace. C. They never spoke to each other. D. They lived on the same farm. Answer: B 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! From the passage, we can infer that the kits are _ . A. useless B. extremely useful C. troublesome D. not essential Answer: B When I was eight years old, I had a big accident. I get scared even now when I think about that time. There were many people skating near my house, and seeing them skate so wonderfully, I couldn't wait to have a try, just a piece of cake, I thought . I went with a friend who was very skillful. He spent a long time teaching me how to skate , but I still didn't learn much , which made him very angry. Finally , he left me and skated all around. I skated alone and soon got bored because I kept falling down so I took off my skates and just walked around on the ice in my shoes. It was cold and my feet were frozen. Suddenly, I stepped on something that was not hard. What was it ? It was a weak place in the ice . When I stepped there, I sank under the ice. I thought that I was going to die, but I did my best to grab something to get out from under the ice. I would have climbed out myself by grabbing the edge of the ice, but at that time I was only a child of eight . I cried out. Fortunately, someone helped me. He grabbed my arms and pulled me up. Those several minutes seemed a year to me. I thanked him. At that time, my friend came back. I was annoyed at him because he was supposed to take care of me, but he didn't. He was embarrassed. When I took a taxi home, the taxi driver was surprised and asked what had happened. I didn't want to say anything because I was tired and scared. Since then, I have never touched skating. What effect did the accident have on the writer? A. He broke away from his irresponsible friend. B. He didn't dare to skate any longer C. He fell ill because of staying under ice too longer. D. He lost interest in all kinds of sports. Answer: B A scientist reads about an experiment conducted by a researcher.The scientist conducts the same experiment and collects data but this data contradicts what was published by the researcher. What should the scientist do since the data from the two experiments is contradictory? A. Repeat the experiment to check the data collected. B. Contact the researcher who first performed the experiment. C. Contact the scientific journal that published the experiment. D. Disregard the data collected since the experiment was published. Answer: A If a snake bites you, take a photo with your mobile phone! It may save your life. This is the surprising advice of a British cook. One day Henry Jackson was working in a restaurant kitchen. He picked up a dish from the table, and suddenly a snake appeared... and bit him on the hand. A few days earlier, the snake came to the restaurant from Asia in a box of bananas. It climbed out of the box and hid under the dish. "I went to try to pick it up and it bit me again. I threw it across the kitchen, and it landed in the fridge. So I closed the door," Mr. Jackson said. Anyway, Mr. Jackson stayed cool and he took a photo of the snake with his mobile phone. Soon his hand began to ache and he went to hospital. Then his chest began to hurt. Doctors couldn't say what was wrong because they didn't know what kind of snake it was. Then Mr. Jackson remembered his mobile phone photo. The doctors sent it to London Zoo. When they knew the kind of snake, they could give Mr. Jackson the right medicine, and he left hospital the next day. "So my advice is this: if a snake bites you, pick up your phone. Take its photo first and then show the photo to the doctors," suggests Mr. Jackson. "Oh, and if the snake doesn't smile for its photo, don't worry." The doctor gave Mr. Jackson the right medicine when _ . A. the snake bit him B. he left the hospital the next day C. Mr. Jackson sent the photo to the hospital D. London zoo told them what kind of snake it was Answer: D People in South Korea who feel they can no longer bear the stress of everyday life now can choose to stay in a prison to relax and think deeply. In a society where pressure to do well in school and find highly-paid jobs is intense, a former lawyer came up with an extreme relaxation idea. Kwon Yong-seok created the "Prison Inside Me"--a stress-reduction center with a punishment theme. People come here to cut themselves off from the outside world and pay to be kept in 60-square-foot (5.6-square-meter) cells . Located on the outskirts of Hongcheon, about 58 miles (93 km) northeast of Seoul, "Prison Inside Me" came to life after Mr. Kwon voluntarily asked to spend time behind bars for "healing reasons," but his request was turned down. "I didn't know how to stop working back then," he said. "I felt like I was being swept away against my will, and it seemed I couldn't control my own life." So, Kwon and his wife Roh Ji-hyang decided to take matters into their own hands, and designed and built a prison-like spiritual center. The construction was completed in June last year and cost about 2 billion won ($19 million). The facility includes 28 cells, furnished with only a toilet, a sink and a small table, where guests can spend time alone, thinking about life and enjoying private thinking periods. Moreover, guests can also join group thinking periods in the hall, where they are given instructions on how to free themselves from what Mr. Kwon calls the "inner prison" to find inner peace. According to the Wall Street Journal, hundreds of stressed South Koreans are checking in at the stress-reduction facility to think about their lives and regain control of it. A two-night stay at "Prison Inside Me" costs 150,000 won ($146). Mr. Kwon and his wife explained that at the beginning they had a different plan for the "relaxation center," and imagined a longer stay for their guests, but, given that people weren't able to take more time off, they had to reduce the length of stays to just two days. Park Woo-sub, a guest at "Prison Inside Me," said the experience helped him a lot. "This is my third time in prison. Being kept in a prison makes me hard to breathe, but it also offers time to focus only on me and spend some quiet time with myself." Others said the experience would have been more helpful if the conditions had been poorer, like in a real prison. Which of the statements is true? A. people in South Korea prefer living under great pressure B. Mr. Kwon had intended to let guests stay at "Prison Inside Me" for over two days C. most people in South Korea can not afford to stay at "Prison Inside Me" D. the 28 cells are well furnished, but with no toilets in them Answer: B "Mobile phone killed my man," screamed one headline last year. Also came claims that an unpublished study had found that mobile phones could cause memory loss. And a British newspaper devoted its front page to a picture supposedly showing how mobile phones could heat the brain. For anyone who uses a mobile phone, these are worrying times. But speak to the scientists whose work is the focus of these scares and you hear a different story. One of the oddest effects comes from the now famous"memory loss" study. Alan Preece and his colleagues at the University of Bristol placed a device that imitated the microwave radiation of mobile phones to the left ear of volunteers. The volunteers were good at recalling words and pictures they had been shown on a computer screen. Preece says he still can't comment on the effects of using a mobile phone for years on end. But he rules out the suggestion that mobile phones have an immediate effect on our cognitive abilities. "I'm pretty sure there is no effect on short-term memory," he says. Another expert, Tattersall, remarked that his latest findings have removed fears about memory loss. One result, for instance, suggests that nerve cell synapses exposed to microwaves become more -- rather than less -- receptive to undergoing changes linked to memory formation. An even happier outcome would be that microwaves turned out to be good for you. It sounds crazy, but a couple of years ago a team led by William Adey at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in California found that mice exposed to microwaves for two hours a day were less likely to develop brain tumours when given a cancer-causing chemical. "If _ doesn't certainly cause cancer in animals and cells, then it probably isn't going to cause cancer in humans," says William. And while there's still no absolute evidence that mobile phone use does damage your memories or give you cancer, the conclusion is: don't be afraid. According to the scientists, _ . A. there is no evidence that mobile phones cause illness in people B. the more people use mobile phones, the healthier they'll be C. mobile phone users are less likely to develop cancer D. mobile phones' radiation is the same as the general radiation Answer: A Everyone knows there are many English expressions about clothes. There is no need to keep it a secret, or to keep it under your hat. In fact, if I keep talking, soon enough you will start to think I am an old hat about this -- a real expert. Do not be fooled, though. My friends sometimes call me a wolf in sheep's clothing. This is someone who acts like a good person, but is really a bad person. I'm not really a bad person. But I do love clothes. It is always fun to get dressed up. I look great in my best clothes. When I put them on, I feel decked out. You might say when I wear my best clothes, I am dressed to the nines or dressed to the teeth. In fact, my husband says I look dressed to kill. Of course, I would never kill anyone. But, there is something special about putting on clothes that are pleasing to the eye. My best clothes are not modern or fashionable. Maybe someday they will come into fashion. But I really do not care. They certainly look better on me than my birthday suit. Did you know that everyone has a birthday suit? You wear it when you are wearing no clothes at all. Babies are born wearing their birthday suits. I am very careful with my clothes. I handle them with kid gloves. I try not to get them dirty or torn. Most of my clothes fit like a glove. They fit perfectly. But when I eat too much, I feel like my clothes might burst at the seams. My clothes feel too restrictive and tight. Some of the clothes I like best are hand-me-downs. My older sister gave them to me when she no longer wanted them. Hand-me-downs are great because clothes often cost too much money. I live on a shoestring. I have a very small budget and little money to spend on clothes. However, my sister has a lot of money to spend on clothes. Maybe someday the shoe will be on the other foot. The opposite will be true. I will have a lot of money to buy clothes and my sister will get hand-me-downs from me. I admit I dream of being rich. I dream that someday I will be able to live like a rich person. I will know what it is like to walk in another person's shoes. Some of my friends got rich by riding someone else's coat tails. They are successful today as a result of someone else being successful. But, I believe you should never criticize others for something you would do yourself. What is said about someone else can also be said about you. Remember, if the shoe fits, wear it. What's the main idea about the passage? A. A clothes expert. B. English expressions about clothes. C. How to dress perfectly. D. My best clothes. Answer: B
Peter was a boy of 14. His parents went to gambling day and night. Nobody cared about him. He always failed in his exams. So his teachers didn't like him, and nor did his classmates play with him. Peter often slept in class because his heart was not in school. He almost gave himself up. One day, Miss Jerry, a new teacher, came to Peter's class. She was a smiling, beautiful woman. Peter was in love! For the first time in his young life, he couldn't take his eyes off his teachers; yet, still he failed. It was Miss Jerry's class. She was asking a question. "I'd like the smartest boy to answer my question." Then she said loudly, "Peter, please!" Peter was surprised. And he stood up without a word. "Just try it! I believe you can!" After school, Miss Jerry had a long talk with Peter. She told him that she cared about him and believed in him. Peter thought a lot that evening. From then on he arrived at school on time every day. Miss Jerry helped him with his homework in the afternoon. She even cooked delicious food for him. She told Peter, "Nothing is impossible if you put your heart in it." Later, Miss Jerry gave another exam. Peter did it with all his heart. He was very excited to find that he had passed the exam. Now Peter discovered that not only could he learn well, but he could do it well. A change took place in Peter's heart. Which may be the best title for the passage? A. Parents' Day B. A Lazy Boy C. A Boy's Change D. A Strict Teacher Answer: C Archery is one of the oldest sports that are still beingpracticed today. The bow and arrow dates as far back as the Old StoneAge, and is the most widely used weapon in human history. While there is recorded evidence of archery competitions taking place in China more than 3,000 years ago, the modern sport of archery most likely originated in England during the 14th century. Then the sport began to develop fast and there were a few different styles of shooting, some of which developed into what we see today in the sport of archery. There was clout shooting, in which arrows were held high into the air with the purpose of hitting a target which was laid flat, not vertical. The aim was to land the arrow as close to the target as possible. This variety of shooting is still practiced today, often with traditional bows. "Roving marks", another style, saw players shooting at a target, only to shoot at a new target from the location of the previous target. It is said that this is the oldest form of competitive archery, and was practiced by Henry VIII. Finally, there was butt shooting, in which butts held targets, which the players would shoot at. This is the ancestor of modern-day Olympic target shooting. Archery was a part of the second Olympic Games, which was held in 1900. It was dropped after 1920, however, because rules varied too much between nations. Archery was brought back into the Olympics in 1972. This was after enough nations had formed archery governing bodies affiliated with the Federation Internationale de Tir l'Arc, which was founded in Paris in 1931, to standardize rules for international competitions. From its early history to modern times, archery has always been a competitive sport. Surely, many years from now archery will continue to be a popular sport reaching across age gaps and national borders, uniting archery lovers from all over the world. What can we learn about clout shooting? A. It can not be seen nowadays any more. B. It is the oldest form of competitive archery. C. Arrows have to land on the centre of a target. D. Players should shoot at a target that lies down. Answer: D NEW YORK-- The band Atomic Tom has scored an Internet hit with its self-created video to the song Take Me Out. In the video, the band members ride a New York City subway while performing entirely on iPhones, with applications linked with mini-battery powered broadcasters for each instrument. Singer Luck White says the production was a top-secret operation. "We didn't tell anyone about this. It was completely top-secret from our family, from our friends, from management, from everybody. So the first time that people saw this video was last Friday when we put it on YouTube,"explained White. It has been watched by more than 2 million on YouTube since debuting last week. "All I've wanted to do for the past few days is just stare at the YouTube page and keep refreshing it to see how far it will go, " said Espiritu, the lead guitarist of the band. "The Internet changed everything,"Espiritu said. "It's kind of an exciting time because it forces everyone to adjust and be creative and find new ways to get your name out there." The idea for the video came from Espiritu's 24-year-old brother Benjamin, who's hoping to go to film school. " I've seen a lot of these music applications, and they're kind of fascinating to me,"Benjamin Espiritu said. " I thought: 'What would happen if iPhones kind of took over the world? If there could actually be a band that played straight through with iPhones, what would that look like?'" So they shot the video --with iPhones also serving as video cameras. The band also tried Union Square but were stopped during playing because they didn't have a permit. " _ ,"Espiritu said. "We've seen the jump." Their album has been in the top 10albums on iTunes. Will their fans start cheering for iPhone-only performances? "We've gotten the most exposure and teh most fans that we've ever gotten through this, so I wouldn't be surprised if fans are going to want to see that.: Espritu said. What would be the best title for this text? A. Atomic Tom's iPhone Subway Performance B. Take Me Out--Atomic Tom's New Song C. A band's performance through YouTube D. A Band's iPhone single Take Me Out Hits Big Answer: D Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other big cities are great places to live in. There are many interesting things to see and do. You can go to different kinds of museums, see all kinds of plays and films. You can also buy things from all over the world. But there are serious problems in big cities, too. It's expensive to live there, and there are too many people in some places of big cities. Every student can study at good schools and receive good medical care . But sometimes these people can't find work or good places to live in. Also it is hard to keep the cities safe and clean. Some people enjoy living in big cities, others do not. Before they move to a big city, they should think about the problems living there. This passage doesn't tell us that _ . A. Beijing is an interesting place for people to live in B. usually people can get very dirty. C. to keep big cities clean enough is not easy. D. big cities have a lot of serious problems. Answer: A As we know, most of the material things in our daily life have to be bought with money. But money is not all powerful. Money can't buy many things such as time and true love. There are 24 hours in a day. Sometimes when we are very happy, we wish that the period of happiness would last longer. But no matter what we do, or how much money we are willing to pay, we cannot make a day last longer than 24 hours. On the other hand, when we are unhappy, money cannot make the unhappy time pass away more quickly. True love is another thing which money cannot buy. Suppose we have someone who really loves us very much. Once he dies, he can give us no more love. Can our money raise him from death and make him love us as before? Here we can see very clearly that money cannot buy us love. Money can buy us diamond things, beautiful clothes, but never time and love. So money, after all, is not all powerful. Through the passage the writer wants to tell people not to _ . A. make money B. waste money C. save money D. worship money Answer: D As altitude increases, the air temperature will do what? A. rise B. go up C. nosedive D. elevate Answer: C Amusement parks make most of their money from admission fees paid by guests attending the park. Other sources include parking fees, food and drink sales and souvenirs. Practically all amusement parks operate using one of two admission principles: Pay-as-you-go In this form, a guest enters the park at little or no charge. The guest must then buy rides one by one, either at the attraction's entrance or by buying ride tickets. The cost of the attraction is often based on its complexity or popularity. The park may allow guests to buy unlimited admissions to all attractions within the park. A pass is then shown at the attraction entrance to gain admission. Disneyland opened in 1955 using the pay-as-you-go form. Initially, guests paid the ride admission fees at the attractions. Soon, the problems of dealing with so many coins led to the development of a ticket system that, while now out of use, is still part of the amusement-park vocabulary. In this new form, guests bought ticket books that contained a number of tickets, with "A," "B" and "C." Rides and attractions using an "A-ticket" were generally simple, with "B-tickets" and "C-tickets" used for the larger, more popular rides. Later, the "D-ticket" was added, then finally the now-famous "E-ticket," which was used for the biggest rides, like Space Mountain. Smaller tickets could be traded up for use on larger rides. Disneyland, as well as the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, gave up this practice in 1982. The advantages include: guests pay for only what they choose to experience attraction costs can be changed easily The disadvantages include: guests may get tired of spending money almost continuously guests may not spend as much on food or souvenirs What is the passage mainly about? A. Attractions of amusement parks . B. Admission fees of amusement parks. C. Admission principles of amusement parks. D. Sources of income of amusement parks. Answer: C Americans have always been hungry for the holidays. After all, a big Thanksgiving feast is one of our country's oldest traditions, older than America itself. Thankfully, the spirit behind Thanksgiving has never changed, either. It has always been a special time to be thankful for the blessings of the past year. The feast that has become known as the First Thanksgiving was actually a harvest festival celebrated in December of 1621. That's when English settlers in Plymouth, Massachusetts, gave thanks for the progress they had made after a harsh winter in their new country. Guests at outdoor tables gobbled up ducks, geese turkeys, clams, eels, fish, wild plums, corn bread and other goodies. About 90 Native Americans also came and brought five deer to add to the feast. The festival lasted for three days. Thanksgiving customs spread and expanded along with the rest of America. After the American Revolution, George Washington proclaimed that the first national Thanksgiving would be on November 26, 1789. In the decades to follow, however, people celebrate Thanksgiving locally and with no official date. A women's magazine editor named Sarah Josepha Hale wanted to change this. After years of trying hard to get support, she finally persuaded President Abraham Lincoln to proclaim the last Thursday in November 1863 as a national day of Thanksgiving. It stayed that way for 75 years afterward until 1939, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt set it one week earlier. He wanted to lengthen the shopping period before Christmas to encourage gift-buyers and help businesses. So Congress ruled that, after 1941, Thanksgiving would be an official federal holiday falling each year on the fourth Thursday of November. This year we celebrated Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26. What does the passage mainly talk about? A. The history of Thanksgiving. B. The food on Thanksgiving. C. The meaning of Thanksgiving. D. The activities on Thanksgiving. Answer: A When sugar is added to water, it blends in such as in which drink? A. milk B. lemonade C. juice D. tea Answer: B It's so difficult to follow the _ of a 2-year-old. One moment he's beaming and friendly; the next he's sullen and weepy, often for no apparent reason. These mood swings, however, are just part of growing up. They are signs of the emotional changes taking place as your child struggles to take control of actions, impulses, feelings and his body. At this age, your child wants to explore the world and seek adventure. As a result, he'll spend most of his time testing limits, his own, yours and his environments. Unfortunately, he still lacks many of the skills required for the safe accomplishment of everything he needs to do, and he often will need you to protect him. When he oversteps a limit and is pulled back, he often reacts with anger and frustration, possibly with a temper tantrum . He may even strike back by hitting, biting and kicking. At this age, he doesn't have much control over his emotional impulse . So his anger and frustration tend to erupt suddenly in the form of crying, hitting or screaming. It's his only way of dealing with the difficult realities of life. He may even act out in ways that unintentionally harm himself or others. It's all part of being 2. It's not uncommon for toddlers to be angels when you're not around, because they don't trust people enough to test their limits. But with you, your toddler will be willing to try things that may be dangerous or difficult, because he knows you'll rescue him if he gets into trouble. Whatever protest pattern he has developed around the end of his first year will probably persist for some time. For instance, when you're about to leave him with a sitter, he may become angry and throw a tantrum in anticipation of the separation. Or he may cry and cling to you. Or he could simply become subdued and silent. Whatever his behavior, try not to overreact by scolding or punishing him. The best tactic is to reassure him before you leave that you will be back and, when you return, to praise him for being so patient while you are gone. Take comfort in the fact that separations should be much easier by the time he's 3 years old. Which of the following is true? A. A 2-year-old doesn't know how to express his anger and frustration. B. A 2-year-old often intentionally harms himself or others. C. A 2-year-old depends on his parents to do everything new and challenging. D. A 2-year-old trusts his parents more than other people Answer: D
As the first woman Chancellor in German's history, Angela Merkel topped magazine's list of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.She has even been compared to Margaret Thatcher and many people called her "Iron Lady". Merkel was born in Hamburg, West Germany, on July 17, 1954.Six weeks after she was born, her family moved to Templin. As a small child, Merkel quickly learned to speak but took longer to walk. "I was a stupid person when it came to moving?" Merkel said. "A normal person could do something naturally, but I had to think about it in my mind and practice." As a teenager, she was the top student and graduated from high school with perfect marks. In 1973, Merkel went to the University of Leipzig, where she studied physics. At 32, she got her doctor's degree in physics. She _ _ in 1989.In her first big political job as Minister for the Environment in 1994, her scientific background and strong will proved very useful. In 2005 she became Germany's Chancellor. She has been reelected to a second term as German Chancellor on September 27, 2009. Through her political career, Merkel's persistence and patience helped her a lot. "She's bright and openminded," said Hubert Markl. "She is the person who wants to know exactly what is going on, and how never giving up will influence our society and future." What's the author's attitude toward Angela Merkel? A. Admiring. B. Thankful. C. Pitiful . D. Dull. Answer: A My nephew, Adam, turned 19 on Monday. He's a good kid and makes the whole family laugh. He wears his baseball cap backward, his shorts baggy and his T-shirts loose. In short, I hate the way he looks. To me, it seems as if everything is about to fall off at any moment. He makes me nervous. But he's still a teenager. I think that's the way he's supposed to look. Cooler than cool. I was on the Harvard campus recently and was surprised how almost everyone looked like Adam, just as they did on the Georgetown campus the week before with baggy shorts far below the knees. It's a uniform, of course, just as there was a uniform when I went to college. Fashion is a changeable thing. _ has made fools of us all over the years. In my college years, everyone wore frayed bell-bottoms, tie-dye shirts and hair to the shoulders. But I predict the "uniform" that's likely to cause the most shame for its wearers 30 years from now will be the exposed-tummy look brought to us by Britney Spears. I'll admit. Britney's exposed-mid-waist looks pretty good in those short jeans. Just a piece of skin. Firm, flat, brown. Unfortunately, the look has been picked up by young women from Malibu to Maine, young women who do not have Britney Spears' firm, flat, brown skin. As my mother has asked a thousand times: Don't these girls have mirrors? The author thinks that the clothing fashion _ A. is reasonable B. is changing rapidly C. excites everyone D. costs too much Answer: B Pupils work harder in lessons if they are taught by a man, a study has claimed. Male teachers are more likely to improve pupils' self-esteem and are judged by pupils to be more fair, according to a study published by the Department for Education. But there is a significant shortage of male teachers, especially in primary schools, with reports last month indicating that almost one in three primaries has an all-female teaching staff. The latest figures heightened fears that schools are becoming dominated by women and children are being denied access to male role models in the classroom. Researchers at the London School of Economics and Westminster University conducted an experiment in which each of 1,200 pupils in 29 schools was given PS2. They could use the money to "buy" up to 10 questions at a cost of 20p each, which they then had to answer. If they were right they were given an extra 20p, but if they were wrong they lost 20p. Boys and girls who had a male teacher chose on average almost half a question more than those taught by women, indicating that they had a more positive outlook on the rewards of effort, the the study said. Researchers wrote: "One of the most significant results featured in this experiment is the positive effect of male teachers on effort. The experiment suggests that higher ability pupils either believed that the teacher would reward them more favorably or had a preference for working hard to please the teacher." According to the Good Teacher Training Guide, 86 per cent of new teachers entering primary schools are female, along with 62 per cent of those entering secondary schools. Professor Alan Smithers, of Buckingham University, said: "This is an interesting and somewhat surprising finding, but it does underline the importance of having a good mix of male and female teachers in classes." It can be inferred that _ . A. one third of primaries has an all female staff B. if a student is taught by a man teacher, he will think that if he works harder he will make greater progress C. 86 per cent of new teachers entering primary schools are female D. this finding is interesting and surprising Answer: B As a recipe for losing weight, taking a slice of chocolate cake at breakfast would seem an unlikely fantasy. A team from Tel Aviv University found that eating pudding as part of a balanced 600-calorie breakfast that also included proteins and carbohydrates , could help dieter to lose more weight---and keep _ off in the long run. Attempting to avoid sweets entirely can create a psychological addiction to these same foods in the long term. So adding desserts to breakfast can control craving throughout the rest of the day. Over the course of a 32-week-long study, participants, who added desserts to their breakfast lost about 40 pounds more than a group that avoided such foods. What's more, they kept off the pounds longer. A meal in the morning provides energy for the day's tasks, aids in brain functioning, and kick-starts the body's metabolism , making it decisive to weight loss and maintenance. And breakfast is the meal that most successfully regulates ghrelin, the hormone that increases longer. While the level of ghrelin rises before every meals, it is controlled most effectively at breakfast time. The researchers hoped to determine whether meal time and composition had an impact on weight loss in the short and long term, or whether it was a simple matter of the caloric count. Adding some desserts in your breakfast diet properly will _ . A. make you gain more fat B. make you become slim more easily C. help improve your psychological health D. help develop your craving for more delicious food Answer: B This week in our Foreign Student Series,we discuss rules about getting a job while studying in the United States. International students are permitted to work for the college or university they attend or for a business at the school.But the business must directly provide a service to students.You could work at the bookstore,for example,but not for a construction company that is building something on campus .Also,a foreign student cannot displace an American citizen in a job.International students can work twenty hours a week while attending classes;more during school breaks.You can work until you complete your studies. Foreign students normally cannot take a job that has no connection to their school.But the government may give permission if students are suddenly faced with a situation that is out of their control.Examples include large medical bills. The loss of financial aid or an unexpected change in the financial condition of their source of support.Students must also meet other conditions.They must have attended their American school for at least one year.Government approval is given on a case-by-case basis.Students must re-apply after a year if they want to continue all off-campus job. Foreign students who will be attending graduate school can apply for some jobs before they come to the United States.A good example is a university job like a teaching or research assistantship.Some schools pay their assistants.Others provide free education in return. Many do both.Graduate assistants might teach, give tests,grade work, assist professors with research and hold office hours.Many universities now provide language training to foreign teaching assistants to help them improve their English.Some schools require foreign students to pass an English speaking test before they arc permitted to teach. International student offices at schools have to provide information on students each term to the Department of Homeland Security.Students who violate the terms of their visa--for example, By working off-campus without permission--could be sent home. This passage is mainly about_. A. what age the regulations of getting a job while studying in the prefix = st1 /US B. how international students can find a part-time job C. how international students can get financed by the government D. what kind of jobs are offered for foreign students Answer: A In the Harry Potter films, Hermione Granger is better than her male friends and is considered the brightest pupil in her grade. Isn't it often the same in schools of our real world? A great many boys fall behind their female classmates. "It's surprising but true that most of the top students have been girls since primary school. Girls are class leaders, club presidents and the top ones in exams," said Wang Feixuan, 15, who studies at a Chengdu school. By any measure, Wang herself is a high-achiever. She is a top student, a team leader in her school's sports club and a winner in national English and IT competitions. But why do so many girls _ their male peers ? In Sun Yunxiao's latest book Save Our Boys, he points out that the education system is "more suited to girls, who are good at memorizing and like to sit quietly and read." Yet he also says that girls have to do so much more when they compete with males for honors, top universities and later good jobs. They can feel great pressure nearly every day. This seems to be the same in most countries in the world. Young women in the United States are also reported to feel the same pressure to be perfect. "Let's look at what we ask of our teenage girls," says an American professor Stephen Hinshaw in an interview. He thinks that it's no longer enough that a girl does well in school and is a caring friend. On the TV, on the Internet, and everywhere, girls see images of impossible perfection . Today's young women must be good learners, good athletes, and fill their after-school lives with other activities. But they're also asked to have the styles and looks of popular stars. "Be pretty, sweet and nice. Be athletic, competitive and get straight. Be impossibly perfect." Stephen Hinshaw sums up. The passage suggests that _ . A. our society asks far too much of teenage girls B. teenage girls shouldn't be so perfect at school C. boys are always lazy ones rather than girls D. American girls have less pressure than Chinese girls Answer: A Every people has its own way of saying things, its own special expressions. Many everyday American expressions are on colors. Red is a hot color. Americans often use it to express heat. They may say they are red hot about something unfair. When they are red hot they are very angry about something. The small hot tasting peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hots for their color and their fiery taste. Fast loud music is popular with many people. They may say the music is red hot, especially the kind called Dixieland jazz. Pink is a lighter kind of red. People sometimes say they are in the pick when they are in good health. The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the twentieth century. It probably comes from the fact that many babies are born with a nice pink color that shows that they are in good health. Blue is a cool color. The traditional blues music in the United States is the opposite of red hot music. Blues is slow, sad and soulful. Duke Ellington and his orchestra recorded a famous song - Mood Indigo - about the deep blue color, indigo. In the words of the song: "You ain't been blue till you've had that Mood Indigo." Someone who is blue is very sad. The color green is natural for trees and grass. But it is an unnatural color for humans. A person who has a sick feeling stomach may say she feels a little green. A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green. Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as a friend has, like a fast new car. That person may say he is green with envy. Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or greenbacks. Dollars are called greenbacks because that is the color of the back side of the paper money. The color black is used often in expressions. People describe a day in which everything goes wrong as a black day. The date of a major tragedy is remembered as a black day. A blacklist is illegal now. But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to unpopular organizations. Suppose a Mr. Brown says he is very happy because his three children are all in the pink, this means all his children are _ . A. lucky and wealthy B. gentle and modest C. fit and healthy D. creative and energetic Answer: C " Yeah! Auntie is here! " screamed my husband's niece and nephew together. " Let me get the door!" " No, let me !" Each one's goal was to get there first and open the door for their Auntie, Me! I couldn't get enough of them, of their youthful love of life, and their excitement every time I visited! To be honest, it was partially because of the Surprise Travel Bag that I carried in. It was a tradition that I started when they were young. Each time I went to see them, I would take a large bag filled with toys, coloring books, candy, magic markers and "games". The contents were different but the rules were not. They included: one may get a turn to choose what activity we would do; another may take a turn to go first when we played a game; ..... We shared the treats after the games and cleaned up after we played . Then, sadly, they watched the Surprise Travel Bag go away with their Auntie. Now my niece and nephew have grown into young adults. They spend most of their visits listening to their iPods, messaging on their phones.... I completely forgot that I had put my two Surprise Travel Bags in the basement until my husband found them this weekend. I held the bags tightly in my arms, remembering our laughter and fun-filled get-togethers. My big decision now is to whom I will pass the Surprise Travel Bags so that the fun that the bags help to create can continue. What would be the best title for the passage? A. The Surprise Travel Bags B. How to Play with Children C. Travel with My Surprise Travel Bag D. My Family Life Answer: A Sometimes life makes more sense when you look at it in reverse . That's certainly been true for me. Last Christmas, at 39, I caught a disease which attacked my knees and eyes. At its worst I could hardly walk or see. For months I' d have to crawl across the floor to use the bathroom or get a drink of water when my husband wasn't home. For a while I could only see shapes and colors so I couldn't drive. My parents kept begging me to let them come out to stay with me in Los Angeles, but our apartment is small and I knew there was nothing they could really do to help me. For the excellent health insurance my husband had through his job, I was receiving the best medical care possible. My only problem was that I couldn't drive to my doctors' appointments and I didn't want my husband to keep missing work to drive me. Three days after I explained this to my parents, a check came from them with a note saying this was "taxi money". Several months later another check showed up from my brother to help make up our income since I wasn't able to work. It probably goes without saying that I was extremely grateful to have family members who could and would support me during the hard time. In terms of my day-to-day existence, I live in a village within Los Angeles called Brentwood so I was able to walk to the local post office, market, bank, and library. But once there, I had to depend on the kindness of strangers to help me. Los Angeles is a big city, but I lived in a village with a wonderful community of people who were kind and patient. Slowly I became well. Life was good again and I thought I had a clear understanding of the blessings this illness has provided. Why did the author not want her husband to drive her to her doctors' appointments? A. Her husband didn't drive well. B. Her husband was too busy. C. She didn't want to affect his work. D. Her doctor was far away from her. Answer: C The Personnel Handbook of Green City contains all of that city's personnel policies. One section of the handbook states that One section of the handbook states that "where feasible and practicable supervisors are encouraged to follow the procedures specified in this Handbook before discharging a city employee." Those specified procedures include a communication to the employee of the reasons for the contemplated discharge and an opportunity for a pretermination trial-type hearing at which the employee may challenge those reasons. After a year of service, Baker, the secretary to the Green City Council, was discharged without receiving any communication of reasons for her contemplated discharge and without receiving an opportunity for a pretermination trial-type hearing. Baker files suit in federal district court to challenge her discharge solely on constitutional grounds. Which of the following best describes the initial burden of persuasion in that suit? A. The Green City Council must demonstrate that its personnel handbook created no constitutionally protected interest in city employment or in the procedures by which such employment is terminated. B. The Green City Council must demonstrate that Baker's termination was for good cause. C. Baker must demonstrate that state law creates a constitutionally protected interest in her employment or in the procedures by which her employment is terminated. D. Baker must demonstrate that she reasonably believed that she could work for Green City for as long as she wished. Answer: C
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is awarded for a novel written by a writer from the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland and it aims to represent the very best in contemporary fiction. The prize was originally called the Booker-McConnell Prize, which was the name of the company that sponsored it, though it was better-known as simply the 'Booker Prize'. In 2002, the Man Group became the sponsor and they chose the new name, keeping 'Booker'. Publishers can submit books for consideration for the prize, but the judges can also ask for books to be submitted that they think should be included. Firstly, the Advisory Committee gives advice if there have been any changes to the rules for the prize and selects the people who will judge the books. The judging panel changes every year and usually a person is only a judge once. Great efforts are made to ensure that the judging panel is balanced in terms of gender and professions within the industry, so that a writer, a critic, an editor and an academic are chosen along with a well-known person from wider society. However, when the panel of judges has been decided, they are left to make their own decisions. Meanwhile, the prize sponsor has no further right to take part in any more. The Man Booker judges include critics, writers and academics to maintain the consistent quality of the prize and its influence is such that the winner will almost certainly see the sales increase considerably, in addition to thePS50,000 that comes with the prize. Why is the prize named the Man Booker Prize? A. Because the prize is given to writers from the Commonwealth. B. Because the prize was known as simply the 'Booker Prize'. C. Because the prize is sponsored by the Man Group and they kept the name. D. Because the prize is aimed to award the very best contemporary fiction. Answer: C At present, too much carbon dioxide makes the earth warmer and warmer and causes terrible effect to human beings. To save our planet, to save ourselves, a new lifestyle called low-carbon life becomes popular. Low carbon means low energy and no waste. It is necessary for everybody to learn to live a low-carbon life. To live a low-carbon life, we'd better save energy as possible. Turn off the lights and TV whenever they are not needed. If possible, use cold water to wash clothes or dishes. Take a short shower and try to take a cold one when the weather gets warm. Don't do the cooking with electricity. To live a low-carbon life, we should eat less meat. Everybody knows eating too much meat makes people fat and easy to have heart disease, but maybe you don't know keeping animals for food produces even more carbon dioxide than all the cars in the world, and being a vegetarian can help reduce one and a half tons of carbon dioxide a year. Maybe _ is a little difficult, but it's really necessary. To live a low-carbon life, we are supposed to do less shopping. When we go shopping, we may drive a car or take other transportations. On the one hand, these machines pollute the air and waste energy. On the other hand, most of us always buy some useless things because of some advertisements. It is not only a waste of money but also causes trouble to the earth, because as you know, making everything will produce carbon dioxide more or less. There are many other ways to live low-carbon life, such as recycling things, planting trees and reusing textbooks. If we can keep it a habit in our daily life, the earth will become a safer planet for us to live on. ,. We can _ to save energy in our daily life. A. use less electricity B. go to sleep with lights on C. wash clothes with hot water D. drive car to work Answer: A An English traveler found himself in a northern European country with a little money to buy the ticket for the travel back home. As he knew that it would take him only two days to get to England, he thought that he would be all right without food. So he bought a ticket and went on board. He closed his ears to the lunch bell. When dinner time came, he refused to go to the dining hall, saying that he was not feeling well. The next morning, he didn't go to breakfast and at lunch time he again stayed in his room. At dinner time he was so hungry that he could not stand it any longer. "I'm going to eat, " he said, "even if they throw me into the sea. " At dinner he ate everything in front of him at the table, then he worried about the coming trouble. "Bring me the bill," he said. "there isn't any bill. " Was the answer. "On the ship the money for the ticket includes meals. " The traveler regretted when he heard this. . The English traveler knew he would _ in two days. A. be back home B. buy some food to eat C. travel everywhere in Europe D. enjoy himself in the ship Answer: A Mr. and Mrs. Jones never go out in the evening, but last Saturday Mrs. Jones said to her husband , "There is a good film at the cinema tonight. Shall we go and see it?" Mr. Jones was quite happy about it. So they went, and both of them enjoyed the film very much. When they came out of the cinema, it was 11 o'clock. They got into their car and began driving home. It was quite dark. Mrs. Jones said," Look, a woman is running along the road very fast and a man is running after her. Can you see them?" Mr. Jones said, "Yes, I can." He drove the car slowly near the woman and said to her, "Can I help you?" "No, thanks," said the woman, but she did not stop running. "My husband and I always run home after the cinema. Because whoever gets home late are going to do the dishes." Mr. and Mrs. Jones _ . A. often stay at home in the evening B. often go out in the evening C. often go out to have supper D. often go to the cinema in the evening Answer: A We've all heard about the power of positive thinking, but a recent study found that people who think they're getting fit actually get more positive benefits from activity, according to a Reuters Health article. The study examined hotel housekeepers over a period of four weeks. Some of the housekeepers were told that their work duties gave them enough activity to meet the Surgeon General's health guidelines . Another group of housekeepers were told nothing. After four weeks, the housekeepers who believed their work activity counted as exercise lost weight and body fat, and their blood pressure went down. The results of this study suggest that it's important to understand and believe in the positive benefits of your activity. So here are a few things to think about the next time you exercise: Just thirty minutes of quick walking each day can greatly reduce your risk of a heart attack. Even your housework -- like yard work and house cleaning -- can help you burn calories and increase your fitness levels. Weight bearing activity just a few times a week can build bone density and reduce your chances of developing osteoporosis . Three 10-minute workouts throughout the day are just as good to your health as one long workout. Moderate amounts of exercise have been linked to lower rates of heart disease, stroke and even cancer. Strength training can help make daily activities like carrying bags or laundry feel easier. Regular exercise will reduce stress, keep you in a good mood and improve the quality of your sleep. The housekeepers who were told their work would keep them fit _ . A. found it hard to finish their work on time B. lost weight and enjoyed better health C. had little sense of humor D. gained weight after the work Answer: B When I was in college,I was always very passionate about music and I was proud to be a member of our band.However,I almost gave up because of my fear of playing solos . One day two years ago my director informed me that he wanted me to be the featured soloist in a piece of music.Of course I was terrified,but he encouraged me that everything would be OK,and that he believed me and knew that I could do it.Up until four days before the concert,I could not make it through the solo.I would always seem to get discouraged before I played it. I decided to ask my director for help thinking that he would tell me that I didn't have to do it and that he was still proud of me.All he said was"You just have to believe yourself."I didn't think trying his advice would hurt,so I started the next morning differently.Instead of wondering how I could mess up,I imagined myself playing through my solo with confidence and I kept on telling myself that I could do it. The strange thing was...it worked!After that day I played the solo without any mistake.When the big concert came,although I was a little nervous,I knew that I could do this.I didn't know what was going to happen,but I realized that the only person that was holding me back from being my best,was myself.I believed myself.I thought things would go a little more differently than they had in the past.Of course,I played the solo wonderfully and I gained acclamation from all the audience. Always do the thing that you fear the most,don't get discouraged if you fail,and just keep on trying harder. The author played the solo wonderfully in the concert because _ . A. the director directed him personally on the stage of the concert B. he happened to play it well without any mistake C. he became confident with the encouragement of the director D. the director played the solo together with him on the stage Answer: C FBI agents, without a warrant and without permission of Mexican law enforcement or judicial officers, entered Mexico, kidnapped Steven, an American citizen wanted in the United States for drug smuggling violations, and forcibly drove him back to Texas. Thereafter, the agents, again without a warrant, broke into the Texas home of Joan, wanted as a confederate of Steven, and arrested her. Steven and Joan were both indicted for narcotics violations. Both moved to dismiss the indictment on the ground that their arrests violated the Fourth Amendment. The court should A. grant the motions of both Steven and Joan. B. grant the motion of Steven and deny the motion of Joan. C. grant the motion of Joan and deny the motion of Steven. D. deny the motions of both Steven and Joan. Answer: D Summer Term in the School of Life will start on Friday 25 January 2015, in Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia and will become the first international school to open its doors. To make everyday life rich, the writer Alain de Botton has worked hard at getting the best ideas and the School of Life is his brainchild . Since it began in London in 2009, more than 50,000 people have taken part in its programs and its new way of life-long learning is now well-known all over the world. Summer Term in the School of Life is a 10-week project offering a selection of the UK's most popular programs, led by Australia's thinkers. "We are very excited to start the School of Life in Australia. We can't wait to start receiving our first guests ," says Alain de Botton. Summer Term will include different classes, workshops and other special events held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 25January and 31 March. The conversation Cafe onsite will serve up a daily conversation menu, light food and of course, delicious coffee. "There has been a growing need among Australians to deal with the problems in life like love, creativity, work, money, nature and death. The School of Life Australia will provide a space for us to explore these subjects," says Sara Tiefebtun, Project Director of the School of Life Australia. Program details for the School of Life Australia's Summer Term will be announced in December 2013. For more information sign up to our mailing list at: Updates will also be shared regularly on Twitter and Facebook . The School of Life will start to _ . A. make more friends in Australia. B. serve up a daily conversation menu. C. improve the quality of everyday life. D. offer the UK's most popular programs Answer: C Maybe you have ever seen a cross. A cross can be a piece of jewelry or an image in a painting. But do you know the cross is a very popular symbol for Christmas? It came from the story of Jesus' death on the cross two thousand years ago in Jerusalem. Jesus was Jewish,and at that time Jewish people were under Roman rule. Jesus was badly punished because he declared to be the Son of God and the King of Jews. Surely,the Son of God could have saved himself from the death!But the Bible says that Jesus had a reason to die that day. It was in God's purpose that it would happen. Christians call the day that Jesus died "Good Friday". At first,it is hard to understand how a terrible day could ever be called good. Well,the story does not end there. Jesus died and he was buried. But three days later,Jesus was alive,and the whole world was changed. Today,Christians everywhere remember this important time. They celebrate Easter. Easter is the day that Jesus rose from the dead. After his death on the cross,Jesus' body was placed in a tomb. On the third day from then,God raised him from the dead. Jesus stayed on earth physically for several weeks. Many people saw him. Easter is the happiest time of year for Christians because they believe that Jesus had victory over death and evil and that now he lives with God the Father in heaven. But before celebrating Easter, Good Friday should be remembered. Jesus died a horrible and painful death. He suffered, though he did nothing wrong. Christian believe that Jesus was God's substitute for humans, because humans all do wrong. He died because of humans and he died for humans. Christians often wear crosses around their necks or hang them in their homes because they believe it is a very important sign. The cross helps them remember how much God loves them. It helps them remember how much his Son had to suffer. Seeing a cross always makes them think of Jesus' death, and what it means. In Christians'belief,for what reason did God want Jesus to die? A. God wanted "Good Friday" and "Easter"mainly to be remembered by humans B. Jesus did something wrong by claiming himself the Son of God C. God wanted His Son Jesus to live with him in heaven D. God loved humans despite human's wrong--doing,so he asked his beloved Son to die in human's place Answer: D Discover News magazine of science devoted to the wonders and stories of modern science, written for the 41-45 ADBCA Cover Price: $59.88 Price: $19.95 ($1.66/issue) You Save : $39.93 (67%) Issues : 12 issues/12 months Self Published by Conde Nast Publications Inc., Selfis a handbook devoted to women's overall physical and mental health. Every issue contains usable articles such as "Style Lab", in which wearable clothes are mixed and matched on non-models and the "Eat-Right Road Map", with tips on how to eat properly. Cover Price: $ 35.86 Price: $15.00 ($2.5/issue) You Save: $ 20.86(58%) Issues: 6 issues/12 months In Style In Style is a guide to the lives and lifestyles of the world's famous people. The magazine covers the choices people make about their homes, their clothes and their free time activities. With photos and articles, it opens a door to these people's homes, families, parties and weddings, offering ideas about beauty, fitness and in general, lifestyles. Publisher: The Time Inc. Magazine Company. Cover Price: $47.88 Price: $23.88($2.38/issue) You Save: $24.00(50%) Issues: 10 issues/12 months Wired This magazine is designed for leaders in the field of information engineering including top managers and professionals in the computer, business, design and education industries. Published by Conde Nast Publications Inc., Wiredoften carries articles on how technology changes people's lives. Cover Price : $ 59.40 Price : $ 10.00 ($1.00/issue) You Save: $49.40(84%) Issues: 10 issues/12 months Which of the following magazines is published monthly? A. Discover B. Self C. In Style D. Wired Answer: A
Kids will often ignore your requests for them to shut off the TV, start their chores , or do their homework as a way to avoid following your directions. Before you know it, you've started to sound like a broken record as you repeatedly ask them to do their assignments, clean their room, or take out the trash. Rather than saying, "Do your chores now", you'll be more effective if you set a target time for when the chores have to be completed. So instead of arguing about starting chores,just say, "If chores are't done by 4 p.m, here are the consequences." Then it's up to your child to complete the chores. Put the ball back in their court. Don't argue or fight with them,just say, "That's the way it's going to be." It shouldn't be punitive as much as it should be persuasive. "If your chores aren't done by 4 p.m, then no video game time until chores are done. And if finishing those chores runs into homework time, that's going to be your loss." On the other hand, when dealing with homework, keep it very simple. Have a time when homework starts, and at that time, all electronics go off and do not go back on until you see that their homework is done. If your child says they have no homework, then they should use that time to study or read. Either way, there should be a time set aside when the electronics are off. When a kid wears his iPod or headphones when you're trying to talk to him, make no bones about it; he is not ignoring you, he is disrespecting you. At that point, everything else should stop until he takes the earplugs out of his ears. Don't try to communicate with him when he's wearing headphones--even if he tells you he can hear you. Wearing them while you're talking to him is a sign of disrespect. Parents should be very tough about this kind of thing. Remember, mutual respect becomes more important as children mature . When the kid is doing his homework,parents _ . A. should provide him with a good learning environment B. can do whatever they like C. can stay aside watching TV D. must switch off the power Answer: A When you are little, the whole world feels like a big playground. I was living in Conyers, Georgia the summer it all happened. I was a second grader, but my best friend Stephanie was only in the first grade. Both of our parents were at work and most of the time they let us go our own way. It was a hot afternoon and we decided to have an adventure in Stephanie's basement. As I opened the basement door, before us lay the biggest room, full of amazing things like guns, dolls, and old clothes. I ran downstairs, and spotted red steel can. It was paint. I looked beyond it and there lay even more paint in bright color1s like purple, orange, blue and green. "Stephanie, I just found us a project for the day. Get some paintbrushes. We are fixing to paint." She screamed with excitement as I told her of my secret plans and immediately we got to work. We gathered all the brushes we could find and moved all of our materials to my yard. There on the road in front of my house, we painted bit stripes of color1s across the pavement . Stripe by stripe, our color1s turned into a beautiful rainbow. It was fantastic! The sun was starting to sink. I saw a car in the distance and jumped up as I recognized the car. It was my mother. I couldn't wait to show her my masterpiece. The car pulled slowly into the driveway and from the look on my mother's face, I could tell that I was in deep trouble. My mother shut the car door and walked towards me. Her eyes glaring, she shouted, "What in the world were you thinking? I understood when you made castles out of leaves, and climbed the neighbors' trees, but this! Come inside right now!" I stood there glaring hack at her for a minute, angry because she had insulted my art. "Now go clean it up!" Mother and I began cleaning the road. Tears ran down my cheeks as I saw my beautiful rainbow turn into black cement. Though years have now passed, I still wonder where my rainbow has gone. I wonder if, maybe when I get older, I can find my rainbow and never have to brush it away. I guess we all need sort of rainbow to brighten our lives from time to time and to keep our hopes and dreams color1ful. It can be learned from the passage that parents should _ . A. encourage children to paint B. protect rather than destroy children's dreams C. discover the hidden talent in children D. value friendship among children Answer: B Chinese New Year Celebration is the most important celebration of the year. Chinese people may celebrate the Chinese New Year in slightly different ways but their wishes are almost the same; they want their family members and friends to be healthy and lucky during next year. Chinese New Year Celebration usually lasts for 15 days. Celebratory activities include Chinese New Feast, firecrackers, giving lucky money to children, the New Year bell ringing and Chinese New Year Greetings. Most of Chinese people will stop the celebrating in their home on the 7th day of New Year because the national holiday usually ends around that day, however celebrations in public areas can last until the 15th day of New Year. It is the money given to kids from their parents and grandparents as New Year gift. The money is believed to bring good luck, ward off monsters; hence the name "lucky money". Parents and grandparents first put money in small, especially-made red envelopes and give the red envelopes to their kids after the New Year's Feast or when they come to visit them on the New Year. They choose to put the money in red envelopes because Chinese people think red is a lucky color. They want to give their children both lucky money and lucky color. Which way is not mentioned in the passage below to celebrate New Year? A. Set off fireworks B. Come over relatives C. Receive presents D. Get lucky money Answer: C We can express our feelings and needs by using body language. Cats can do that too. The ways that cats use their tails to show their feelings and needs are interesting. Unlike dogs, which generally wave their tails to express good feelings, cats use their tails to send a lot of signals. When a cat waves its tail strongly from side to side, it may be a sign for us to leave it alone, or we may get scrathed . Throwing a little toy for the cat to play with can get it relaxed. When a cat holds its tail upwards with a slight move, it means the animal is very happy to see its owner. We all like to cuddle inside our bed, and cats do that thing, too. Much as little children like to wrap (......) their arms around their Teddy Bears, cats like to wrap their own tails around their bodies to get a sense of safety while asleep. If we notice a cat sleeping in such a position, we should not break its peace. Usually the tip of the cat's tail doesn't draw our attention. But its particular position may also show the cat's feelings. For example, a cat holding the tip of its tail pointed downwards may try to say that it is not feeling comfortable. So at this point, the cat not only feels angry, but also unsafe. This may again be a sign for us not to upset the cat in any way. In conclusion, cats use their tails in many different, sometimes funny ways to send us messages, and we can learn to know more. According to the text, in which way are cats different from dogs? A. Cats draw more attention from humans than dogs. B. Cats are friendlier to humans than dogs. C. Cats have more feelings than dogs. D. Cats show more feelings with tails than dogs. Answer: D Several years ago ,Masaru Ibuka ,chairman of Sony ,was at a company planning a meeting. Suddenly he hdd a brilliant idea. He stopped the meeting and asked everyone present what would happen if Sony removed the recording function and 'speaker and sold headphones with a tape player instead. Almost everyone thought he was crazy. Still ,Ibuka kept thinking about his idea and worked at improving it The result, of course, turned out to be the wildly successful Sony Walkman. Good ideas often start with a seemingly silly question. Bill Bowerman was making breakfast one day. As he stood there making waffles for his son, he wondered what would happen if he poured rubber into his waffle iron. Later ,he tried it and the result looked something Like the bottom of most sports shoes we see today. Still, when he took this idea to several existing shoe companies, he was laughed at In fact, every single company turned him down. Though rather discouraged, Bowerman insisted and went on to form his own company, making NBKE athletic shoes. Sometime good ideas grow out of frustration .When Fred Smith was a student at Yale University, he had some paperwork that he needed to have delivered across the country the next day. Smith was amazed to find out that overnight delivery was impossible. He sat for a long while ,lost in thought Why couldn't there be a reliable overnight mail delivery service? He decided to design one. Smith did just that and turned his design into a class project His business professor gave him only a C for his efforts. However, Smith was not through. He improved the idea in that class project and finally turned them into one of the first and most successful overnight mail service in the world -- FedEx. We know that each of these ideas led to a very successful product or service that has changed the way many of us live. The best questions are usually open-ended and are often silly, Children aren't afraid to ask such questions ,but adults frequently are. Think how different the world might be if people never asked " silly" questions! What do the three persons mentioned in the passage have m common? A. They were all determined about carrying out their ideas. B. They were good at answering other people's silly questions. C. They started their own company after discussing with others. D. They had a very clear plan for their new ideas at the very start Answer: A Food is very important.Everyone needs to eat well if he wants to have a strong body.Our minds also need a kind of food.This kind of food is knowledge . When we are very young,we start getting knowledge.Kids like watching and listening.Color pictures especially interest them.When kids are older,they enjoy reading.When something interests them,they love to ask questions. Our minds,like our bodies,always need the best food.Studying on our own brings the most knowledge. If someone is always telling us answers,we never learn well.When we study correctly and get knowledge on our own,we learn more and understand better. We start getting knowledge _ . A. when we are old B. when we are very young C. when we are pupils D. when we are parents Answer: B If you have a little child , who hates sitting in a child seat, then the FreedomRide is the answer to your problem/ Would you want to be stuck in an unchangeable position every time you're in the car? No. You Wouldn't! When an adult, sits in a car for any length of time, we stretch, we change the position, we move our legs, and shift constantly. We do this automatically, and without thinking. But kids in a traditional car seat can't do this. They are stuck in one position, and they can't move. We move because the circulation of blood needs to be restored in our legs as we sit in the same position for any extended length of time. In a traditional car seat, the child can't move to reduce the pain, so it pts them in a bad mood. The FreedomRide lets them have a little freedom, and still be safe. The 5-point Harness give them additional safety over a traditional child car seat. I am the Webmaster for islandbreeze.com, and when JoeySafe asked us to redo their web site, I was attracted by this system. That is because I have two small children, both girls, age 3 and 4 and we obviously, use car seats. I lived in Southern California, and every couple of months, my wife, the girls and I, go to see grandma who lives in Nevada. It's a 5-hour drive, so the FreedomRide works well. Our trips are so much better now, especially, since there is more room in the car without the car seats. The FreedomRide really did make it easier to go on trips. The only thing you need when you use the Joeysafe instead of your old child seat is a pillow. Besides, mu kids want to take a pillow anyway! As a dad, I feel safe driving with the kids in the FreedomRide. I am a very safety oriented person. The FreedomRide is likely to be designed for _ . A. a person hating sitting in the car for long B. an adult who often drives a traditional car C. a child requiring some freedom in the car D. a driver whose car has no seats within at all Answer: C Filmmaker Jennifer Nelson had to pay $1,500 to have "Happy Birthday to You" sung in the movie she's making. The money went to Warner Music Group, a company that claims to own the copyright on the song. A copyright is the legal right to use or sell a creative product such as a song, a TV show, a book, or a work of art. Warner has claimed the copyright for "Happy Birthday to You" since 1988. "I never thought the song was owned by anyone," Nelson said in an e-mail to The New York Times. "I thought it belonged to everyone." Nelson's movie is a documentary -- a film that uses pictures and/or interviews with people to create a factual report of real-life events -- and is actually about the history of the "Happy Birthday" song itself. Two sisters named Mildred and Patty Hill wrote a song called "Good Morning to All" in 1893. Over a short period of time, people began to sing the words "happy birthday to you" in place of the original lyrics to the tune of the Hill sisters' song. A number of history experts say that there is no record of who actually wrote the "Happy Birthday to You" lyrics . Historians also say there is no way to know when the general public began singing the "Happy Birthday" song, but they believe it was being sung by the public long before it was printed and owned by a company. Nelson's lawyers say this piece of music's history proves that "Happy Birthday to You" belongs to everyone in the general public. That would mean Warner Music Group has no right to charge anyone a fee to sing the song in any setting. Experts estimate that Warner/ Chappell, the publishing division of the Warner Music Group, has made about $2 million a year from licensing fees for "Happy Birthday to You." Nelson's lawyers are asking a court in New York City to order Warner/Chappell to return fees they have collected over the past four years for use of the "Happy Birthday" song. According to Nelson's lawyers, to sing the "Happy Birthday" song, people _ . A. should pay the Hill sisters B. should pay Warner Music Group C. need not pay for any purpose D. need not pay except for commercial use Answer: C When you watch TV and play video games you make global warming worse! It may seem hard to believe, but when electricity is made, so are greenhouse gases . This means that every time you use electricity you help make global warming worse! Cars are also making global warming worse. They burn fossil fuels in their engines, and send lots of greenhouse gases into the air. Global warming may be a big problem, but we can all help stop it. People can try to drive their cars less. Or even get ones that run on sunlight! You can also help. Let's try one of these top ideas: (1) Try to use less electricity. Turn off lights, your television, and your computer when you've stopped using them. To make electricity, fossil fuels are burned in big factories. But burning fossil fuels also makes greenhouse gases. You should also try to watch less TV. (2) Plant trees. Not only is it a fun thing to do, but it is also a great way to lower the number of greenhouse gases in the air. Trees take carbon dioxide out of the air when they grow. (3) Don't throw away your rubbish, try to recycle it. If rubbish is not recycled, it is put in the ground. There it rots and makes a greenhouse gas called methane .So try to recycle cans, bottles, plastic bags and newspapers. It'll make you feel great! And it'll help the Earth. _ will make global warming worse. A. Methane B. Cans C. Newspapers D. Bottles Answer: A Pasteurization kills A. mammary glands B. illness causing agents C. bottles D. women Answer: B
Dear Tom, I don't have a good time at my new school.There are too many rules at my school.We have to get to school at seven o'clock every morning.We can't play games in the classroom after class.We can't listen to music in the hallways.I don't like playing the piano,but I have to learn the piano in the music class.And we have to wear uniforms at school.We also can't eat outside.and we have to eat in the dining hall.The food there is awful.I can't stand the rules here.I never have fun.What can I do? Bob What does Bob have to do at 7:00? A. Read English. B. Play games. C. Eat breakfast. D. Get to school. Answer: D The aims of the Illustrators Exhibition,staged as part of the Bologna Children's Book Fair,organized by BolognaFiere and held from 19 to 22.March 2012,are to bring illustrators and publishers together and to promote illustrators and their works among publishers. QUALIFICATIONS Individual illustrators or groups of illustrators of any nationality, if they were born before 31st December l994,whose artwork is intended for use in children's books,are qualified to enter the Exhibition, either directly or through publishing houses or schools. Please state in the application form whether you are entering work for the Fiction or Non-fiction Category.Illustrators may only enter one category. Artwork previously presented to the Exhibition may not be re-entered. The confirmation form must be filled in and a photograph attached, then presented together with illustrations no later than 26 September 2011. SHIPMENT Entries may be delivered by post,express delivery service or by hand.From abroad,please use the following forms:Form "A" for registered mail or post by air;Form "B" if using an international forwarding agent or airline. To avoid deiays, material should not be sent by normal post.Material should be sent "carriage paid",including any customs and delivery costs. BolognaFiere may not be held responsible for the non-arrival or late arrival of artwork.All published works must be accompanied by a declaration bearing the ISBN number,publisher's name and address. REQUIREMENTS The illustrations (i.e. the size of the sheet) must not exceed the following dimensions: Fiction:3242cm(or 4232cm) Non-fiction:5070cm(7050cm) Illustrations in larger formats will not be considered,nor will they be returned by BolognaFiere.The illustrations must be on paper or flexible board,maximum thickness 2mm(for scanner separation purposes). SELECTIONPROCESS All artwork received by the stated deadtine and meeting the specified requirements will be examined and selected by an international group(whose decision is final),inclnding five members(from publishing houses and art schools) appointed each year by BolognaFiere. ANNUAL Each illustrator selected by the Committee will be granted two pages in the Annual,for the reproduction of all or some of the illustrations as well as a space for the bibliography . BotognaFiere has the fight to choose the works to be published in the Annual and to make complete or partial reproductions. EXHIBITIONS ABROAD After the Bologna event,the illustrator Exhibition will travel to Japan under the supervision of JBBY.The illustrator exhibition may afterwards be transferred to other venues in other countries,The Exhibitions of illustrations held abroad follow the same rules and regulations as the illustrator Exhibition,and the provision of the regulations are extended to tile organizers of the exhibitions held abroad. RETURN OF ARTWORK All the works will be returned to their owners by BolognaFiere by the end of July 2012. The Illustrators' works will not be considered if they _ A. are received after the day of 26 September 2011 B. are smaller than the size 32*42cm C. are thinner than 2mm D. don't meet the demands of the international cxperts Answer: A French surgeons have performed what they said on Wednesday was the world's first partial face transplant--- giving a new nose, chin and lips to a woman attacked by a dog. Specialists from two French hospitals carried out the operation on a 38-year-old woman on Sunday in the northern city of Amiens by taking the face from a brain-dead woman, who had hanged herself just hours before the operation. Her family agreed on the operation. "The patient is in an excellent state and the transplant looks normal," the hospitals said in a brief statement after waiting three days to announce the pioneering surgery. The woman had been left without a nose and lips after the dog attacked her last May, and was unable to talk or chew properly. Such injuries are "extremely difficult, if not impossible" to repair using normal surgical techniques, the statement said. The statement did not say what the woman would look like when she had fully recovered, but medical experts said she was unlikely to _ the woman who had been the source of her new face. The operation was led by Jean-Michel Dubernard, a specialist from a hospital in Lyon who has also carried out hand transplants, Skin transplants have long been used to treat burns and other injuries, but operations around the mouth and nose have been considered very difficult because of the area's high sensitivity to foreign tissue. Teams in France, the United States and Britain had been developing techniques to make face transplants a reality There was a short-term risk for the patient if blood vessels became blocked, a medium-term danger of her body rejecting the new skin and a long-term possibility that the drugs used could cause cancers. Experts say that although such medical advances should be celebrated, the transplant had thrown up moral and ethical issues. Little is known about the psychological effect of the transplant. Which of the following is NOT one of the risks of the operation? A. Block of blood vessels. B. Organ rejection C. Heart damage. D. Side effect of the drugs Answer: C the Earth rotating on its axis causes the sun to appear to move across the sky during what? A. dark hours B. sunlight deficient C. night D. waking hours Answer: D The woman's college had a very small car-park, and as several of the teachers and students, and many of the students' boy-friends, had cars, it was often difficult to find a place to park. The head of the college, whose was Baker, therefore had a special place in the car-park for her own car. There were white lines round it, and it had a notice saying, "Reserved for Head of College." One evening, however, when Miss Baker got back to the college a few minutes before the time by which all students had to be in, she found another car in her parking place. There were two people in it, one of her girl-students and a young man. Miss Baker knew that the young man would have to leave very soon, so she decided to ask him to move his car a bit, so that she could park hers in the proper place for the night before going to bed. As the young man's car was close to the railings, Miss Baker had to drive up beside it on the other side, opened her own window and tapped her horn lightly to draw attention to the fact that she was there. The girl, who had her head on the boy's shoulder, looked around in surprise. She was even more surprised when she heard Miss Baker say, " Excuse me, but may I change places with you?" Which of the following is NOT true ? A. The girl misunderstood what miss Baker said. B. The young man was the girl's boy-friend. C. There was a small car-park in the college. D. The girl noticed her headmaster and felt greatly surprised Answer: D Recently a man came to me, because he was told that there is fluid around his heart. After trying many drugs which were of no use to reduce the fluid, the doctor told him the only other choice was to have an operation. He refused because he knew that every illness has a mental cause and that if he had the operation but did not clear the mental cause, the fluid would return. At last, he searched the Internet to find a metaphysical healer , and he found me. The mental cause of his disease was an experience of breaking up five years ago with several friends, whom he had known for over twenty years. This experience broke his heart. Not knowing how to "mend" his broken heart, his body created a "repair" by surrounding his heart with fluid to protect it from the sad feelings. Our work focused on reminding him of the feelings of being loved and forgiving his friends. Months later, his hearts was mended and the fluid disappeared. He left my office after the final session with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. The key is: to create a healthy body, you must be healthy not only in body, but also in mind. To be mentally healthy, you need to build up strong relationships. Creating strong relationships will insure that you are accompanied by a network of loving persons. _ is important for building a support system that lifts your spirits. Even when you are alone, you will not feel lonely or upset. Strong relationships are not spaceships----they are not hard to build. Which of the following views may the writer agree to? A. Old friendship is easy to lose. B. A good friendship is a useful medicine C. The best doctor is your own body D. It needs many efforts to build relationships Answer: B Vitamin D helps bones and muscles grow strong and healthy. Low levels of vitamin D can lead to diseases such asrickets , mainly found in children. The thinning of bone is a common problem as people, especially women, get older. But more and more research is suggesting that vitamin D might also help prevent many diseases. The easiest way to get vitamin D is from sunlight. The sun'sultraviolet rays react with skin cells to produce vitamin D. But many people worry about getting skin cancer and skin damage from the sun. As a result they stay out of the sun. Also, darker-skinned people produce less vitamin D than lighter-skinned people. The amount also decreases in older people and those living in northern areas that get less sunlight. Not many foods naturally contain vitamin D. Foods high in this vitamin include oily fish andfish liveroils . Farmed fish have only about one-fourth as much vitamin D as wild fish. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese and egg yolks. But most of the vitamin D in the American diet comes from foods such as milk. Research in the last several years has shown that low levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of heart attacks in men and deaths from some cancers. More doctors are now having their patients tested for their vitamin D levels. But as research continues, some experts worry that if people take too much vitamin D, it might act as a poison. Also, skin doctors warn people to be careful with sun exposure because of the risk of skin cancer. Which of the following people produce the least amount of vitamin D? _ A. Elderly darker-skinned people. B. Young lighter-skinned people. C. Elderly lighter-skinned people. D. Young darker-skinned people. Answer: A What could be an example of a thermal conductor A. a penny B. grass C. a wood block D. cotton Answer: A Game: Describe and guess In Describe and guess, players take turns choosing a Word Brick and then describing one of the words on the brick without saying the actual word. The goal is to get the other players to guess the word. Instructions Have students(the players)sit in groups of 3-5 and give each group some Word Bricks. In their groups,players take turns choosing one Word Brick.Each player shoud not let anyone else see his or her brick. Each player examines both sides of his or her Word Brick and chooese one of the words. In turns,each player describes his or her word without saying that word.The other players guess until one guesses the word. After all of the players'words have been guessed,do steps 2-4 again with new Word Bricks. End the game after the specified amount of time. "Player Talk" in Describe and guess The player picks a brick with the word one on one side and the on the other side.He or She chooses to describe the. Describer:Okay,this is a small word. It's very common in English. Guesser 1:Is it and? Describer: No.We often use it before the word sun,ocean and weather. Guesser 2: The. Describer: Right The second part is to _ . A. tell you about another game B. teach some word stories C. show how to play the game D. teach some small words Answer: C Is there someone you hate? Well, maybe you don't really hate them. But you get really angry every time you think of them. If you don't let this anger go, it can turn into bitterness Bitterness appears when we can't forgive someone who has hurt us or made us angry. Someone might say or do something that hurts us. But Instead of controlling the anger, we keep it deep inside. Before long, a bitter feeling begins to grow. We may think we're hurting that person by criticizing him or her often, but we're really only hurting ourselves. Bitterness can not only lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, but also hurt our relationships with friends and family members. No one enjoys being around an anger person for very long. If you see bitterness in your life, here are some ways to deal with it. Accept it Instead of trying to your anger, make it clear to yourself and accept it. See your anger for what it is and quickly deal with it. Stop making excuses for it You may feel you have a right to be anger. You may think you're right and the other person is wrong. You may even secretly enjoy making the other person look bad. But in the end, bitterness hurts you much more than the other person. The bitterness will hold you back, and the other person will go on with his or her life. Forgive and forget it You probably can't completely put the anger out of your mind. But you can decide to forgive the other person. Forget it and move on. You'll enjoy better health and peace of mind. ,, The best way to deal with the bitterness is to _ . A. make the person who hurts us look bad B. hate the person who hurts us very often C. accept that you are hurting the other person D. forgive the person who hurts us and forget it Answer: D
Water is of vital importance in a healthy diet and lifestyle. There are many health benefits of drinking water .It helps get _ out of our systems. It aids in the delivery of oxygen and nutrients .In fact, nearly every system in our bodies depends on water for proper functioning .But how can we tell whether the water we're drinking is healthy? As to tap water, it's relatively easy .If your water comes from a governmental source , the suppliers are required by law to provide annual water quality reports .If you have a well, you can have an authorized lab test your water .It may cost $100 or more, but it's a small price to pay for peace of mind . When it comes to bottled drinking water, it can be more difficult to know what you're getting .Start by checking the label or the bottle cap. Some may tell you that the water comes from a governmental source or "community water system", which means tap water .If the label doesn't give any information, you can call the bottler and ask .But don't be surprised if you get the runaround and are transferred to several different departments .Some states have a bottled water program that tracks bottled drinking water and can tell you the origin of the water as well as other information . Safe and healthy drinking water has become big business .Thousands of companies are competing for your hard earned cash , and some are not always honest about what their products offer .The initial investment in a home drinking water filtration system can seem expensive at first , but over time , it is usually less expensive than bottled drinking water .And with a water filter , you at least know where the water you drink comes from and how it is treated . Before going out and spending your hard earned money on bottled drinking water , it's a good idea to do some research .You're likely to find that a drinking water filtration system or purifier is a healthier choice and provides the best value as well . What's the author's attitude towards drinking bottled water? A. Concerned B. Indifferent C. Positive D. Opposed Answer: A In the past, friendships were greatly limited by time, space and attention; increasing home and workplace mobility has made it even harder to keep social relations over time. Through a combination of user controls, new technologies and changing standards of social behavior, Facebook is freeing us from these limitations, making friendships more accessible, pleasant and diverse than ever before. First, Facebook allows you to find and rediscover friends and then reminds you of these connections, so that you are less likely to fall out of touch with the long-lost school friend, or the family member in a different country. 'Second, Facebook creates an environment that allows you to interact easily with others : you can share your photos,videos,links and thoughts with your friends, and respond to what they share in turn. Third, Facebook's unique technical system helps you to discover your friends,most valuable stories. These technologies allow people to keep and enrich friendships that they might otherwise have been unable to keep. The effect of this is very great. A recent study by Keith Hampton for the Pew Internet and American Life Project discovered that users of social networking websites have larger, more diverse social circles, online and offline. This outcome comes at no cost to one's closest relationships, which are kept in person and over the phone. Instead, the hour that the average user spends each day socializing on Facebook comes at the expense of less social activities, such as the three or so hours a day the average person spends watching television. Time may limit our ability to keep social ties, but our desire for social communication is limitless. Just as boats have allowed us to cross oceans and vehicles have allowed us to move mountains, Facebook is a tool that allows us to stay more deeply connected with a larger and more diverse set of friends. What will social networking websites do? A. Increase the diversity of social relations. B. Share the hours of watching television. C. Restrict personal friendship. D. Limit social activities. Answer: A During the seasons of fine weather, kids can play outside, happy and active. But when winter comes around, it is wet, windy and cold. Since they can't go outside to play, kids get restless and miserable. Fun activities for kids are pretty much necessary at that time of year, and they need to be kept entertained. One way to do this is to have an indoor treasure hunt, where children can look for clues and then get to the treasure. Treasure doesn't even need to be much, because just the activity is fun enough. Art activities are always fun, and if you start off with some paper in different colors they can draws shapes on the back, cut them out and stick them on the white paper to make all sorts of things. Cardboard boxes, stuck together and then painted, can be made into buildings or robots. You can keep all boxes in a bag in the loft. Then you have something you can draw on when the weather is bad and the children need to play indoors. Dressing up is another fun indoor activity. Why not read a book to them and then ask them to act it for you? That can keep them busy and develop their imagination. When you encourage children to use their imagination, you are giving them confidence in themselves, in their own creative abilities; by suggesting they put on a play you are encouraging them to work together and develop teamwork skills. The best way to help your kids have fun when it is rainy outside is to let them come up with some ideas. When you feel that they are old enough, let them write their ideas on a piece of paper and you can pick an idea that you find practical. That way, every day can be fun! The indoor treasure hunt is an activity in which kids _ . A. would like to get much treasure B. are eager to find something C. are forced to stay indoors D. try to help each other. Answer: B Some people have a very poor sense of direction. Unluckily, I am one of them. I have visited a place many times but I may still get lost there the next time. When I was a little girl, I never dared to ask strangers the way. And so I used to walk around in circles and hope that by chance I would get to the place I was going to. Now, I am no longer too shy to ask people for directions, but I often receive helpless or even wrong information. So I try to avoid giving people wrong directions. If anyone ever asks me the way somewhere, I would say, "Sorry, I am a stranger here." Once on my way to work I was stopped by a man. He asked me if I could tell him the way to the Friendship Building. I gave him my usual reply. But just as I walked on only a few steps. I realized that he had asked the way to my office building. However, I had no time to turn back and look for him. I was rushing to meet with someone at my office and I didn't want to keep him waiting. When I just got to my office, the secretary showed in the man who had asked me for directions. Imagine how _ I was and how surprised he was when we saw each other at the first sight. The Friendship Building is the place where the writer _ . A. lives B. studies C. works D. teaches Answer: C My name is Lydia. I come from Beijing. I'm a Chinese girl. This year my parents work in London. Do you know London? It's a big city in England. My parents teach Chinese in a school. I'm in the same school with them. I'm in Class Four, Grade Seven. My teachers are nice to me. I can play football and swim. Sally is my sister. She lives in Beijing with my grandparents. She studies in a primary school . She is in Class Three, Grade One. She likes singing. But she can't sing English songs well. I often write to her, but she can't. I _ her very much. Lydia is in _ now. A. Beijing B. London C. New York D. Shanghai Answer: B The famous director of a big and expensive movie planned to film a beautiful sunset over the ocean, so that the audiences could see his hero and heroine in front of it at the end of the film as they said goodbye to each other for ever. He sent his camera crew out one evening to film the sunset for him. The next morning he said to the men, "Have you provided me with that sunset?" "No, sir," the men answered. The director was angry. "Why not?" he asked. "Well, sir," one of the men answered, "we're on the east coast here, and the sun sets in the west. We can get you a sunrise over the sea, if necessary, but not a sunset." "But I want a sunset!" the director shouted. "Go to the airport, take the next flight to the west coast, and get one." But then a young secretary had an idea. "Why don't you photograph a sunrise," she suggested, "and then play it backwards? Then it'll look like a sunset." "That's a very good idea!" the director said. Then he turned to the camera crew and said, "Tomorrow morning I want you to get me a beautiful sunrise over the sea." The camera crew went out early the next morning and filmed a bright sunrise over the beach in the middle of a beautiful bay. Then at nine o'clock they took it to the director. "Here it is, sir," they said, and gave it to him. He was very pleased. They all went into the studio. "All right," the director explained, "now our hero and heroine are going to say goodbye. Run the film backwards so that we can see the 'sunset' behind them." The "sunset" began, but after a quarter of a minute, the director suddenly put his face in his hands and shouted to the camera crew to stop. The birds in the film were flying backwards, and the waves on the sea were going away from the beach. Why did the director want to send his crew to the west coast? A. Because he changed his mind about getting a sunset. B. Because he was angry with his crew. C. Because he wanted to get a scene of sunset. D. Because it was his secretary's suggestion. Answer: C This would be associated with a lack of sunlight: A. a wide sandy desert B. carbonic acid in groundwater C. a tropical beach scene D. a rice plantation in the North Answer: B The English language is different from any other language. Yet English words do not stay the same. The language is always changing. We need new words for new inventions and new ideas. Different words come into use, or older words are used in a new way. English can change by borrowing words from other languages. Tomato was borrowed from Mexico and pajamas from Indian. The word coffee came from Turkey, and tea came from China. Now new space and science words are being borrowed from other countries, too. New words are also made by adding two words together. Strawberry, popcorn, and grandfather are words made up of two parts. Sometimes new words are shorter forms of older words. The word photo was made from photograph by cutting off the end of the longer word. Plane was made by cutting off the front part of airplane. Smog was made by using only the first two and last two letters from the words smoke and fog. The names of people and products can become new words. Our sandwich was named after a man named Sandwich. Scotch Tape, Band-aid and Jello were names made up by the companies that first made the products. ,. The word "photo"is an example to show that _ A. the English language is always changing very fast. B. English is not as perfect as some other languages C. sometimes new words are shorter forms of older words D. English can change by borrowing words from other languages Answer: C Whether you are fitness fan or plan to go eco-friendly, you have a countless number of bikes to choose from. Here are some tips on how to choose bikes for women. Firstly, if you have decided to buy a bike, let me congratulate you! This is because you are kind to the environment. Before you go to a store to buy a bicycle, first know your need. Once the basic need is determined, then go into the small details like the frame size (Too small frames can increase the risk of the knee injuries while too large ones can be uncomfortable, so it has to be just right to suit your body frame.),brakes, chains, its efficiency and the technology employed. Don't forget the budget ! Experts say that you should be ready to spend at least 500 dollars, because anything less than that would not probably be the best. ks5u There are a range of bikes to choose from. However, it's important to choose the correct one that fits a woman perfectly. This is because women usually tend to have a shorter torso and longer legs than men of the same height and so does the arm size vary. Moreover, the strength of the back needs to be considered too. Therefore, you have to find the best that suits your body type and gives you a comfortable ride. In choosing a bike, women should first consider _ . A. the materials used B. their body frames C. the technology employed D. their personal needs Answer: D My favourite shop is called' Model World'. It is on the second floor of Happy Plaza, near to Pizza Club. It is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. Model World' sells all kinds of models. It has model soldiers, cars, boats, airplanes, space shuttles and even dinosaurs. It has models for young children and models for adults . Some models have just about twenty pieces, and others have over 2,000 pieces. You can also buy paints and glue and other things there. The staff at ' Model World' is very nice. They are very interested in making models. They will give you advice, and answer all of your questions. The prices are not low but they are not high. My best buy was a model of a helicopter. It cost $ 30 but it had over 400 pieces. It was really fun to make. If you are interested in models, you should visit this shop. The writer wrote the passage to tell us about _ A. his favourite model B. his favourite shop C. how to make models D. why it was fun to make models Answer: B
Michelle , a famous lady , has found that over 25% students are too fat in her country . It's a very serious problem . So she stats a health program to deal with it . The health program is to reduce the amount of fat students today and in the future . The program will get families , schools , news papers , magazines and TVs to join together and deal with the students _ so that students will be at a healthier weight . The program includes : Food stores should sell healthier foods . Schools should serve healthier meals with less fat and should also offer gym classes . The lady is trying to fight the students' obesity all over the country because it can cause illnesses and higher cost . She wants the students to eat right, exercise more and control their weight . She also wants the students to understand it is important to have less sweet food , and drink water , milk and fresh juices , but not to choose cokes . The health program is really helpful to the students today and in the future . As she says , we can't always build the future for our youth , but we can built youth for the future . What is the main idea of the passage ? A. The lady introduces health drinks . B. The lady cares about food cost . C. The lady fights obesity in students . D. The lady feels worried about the height . Answer: C Every country has its own way of cooking.Ameri can people have their own way of cooking,don't they?Most people in the United states like fast food,but if you think that American people don't 1 ike cooking,you are wrong.It's true that most Americans eat fast food for their breakfast and lunch,but they also think cooking is interesting.Parents see the importance of teaching their children how to cook,and most Americans say that home--cooked meals are the best. Americans have their own way of cooking.For example,baking is the most popular way of cooking in America.Most American families have ovens .American cooks pay attention to the balance of food.When planning a big meal,they try to cook meat,a few vegetab]es,some bread and sweet food.They also like to make the meal look beautiful.There are so many kinds of colorful foods,so the meal is healthy and look beautiful,too. How does an American cook balance different kinds of food? A. He cooks a lot of meat. B. He cooks meat,regetables,bread and sweet food for a big meal. C. He makes the food delicious. D. He cooks a lot of vegetables. Answer: B If you try to explain to someone, without using pictures, how to build the building that you have designed, it would take an enormous amount of writing and might end up with a very funny-looking building. The architect uses pictures called details to show how many hundreds of parts go together to form a complete building. This type of drawing is called drafting and is done by people called draftsmen. Draftsmen make up the largest group of the architectural offices' work force. Because of the wide range of duties they perform, draftsmen are sometimes called architectural technicians. In a typical office, there are not only career draftsmen but also architectural graduates working as junior draftsmen to learn the trade. Career draftsmen are usually graduates from a two-year junior college called technical school. There was a time when architectural office used young people right out of high school as tracers. Their job was to trace over the other people's details while learning to be a draftsman. This is no longer possible with the fast-pace of architects' offices today although a junior draftsman is given guides by the more experienced employees. So a good comprehensive architectural drafting course is a must before anyone seeks a job with an architectural firm. The job of the draftsmen is to translate the ideas and directions of architects, designers and engineers into complete and accurate working drawings. These become the plans and details used in the actual construction of a building. The project must be shown in great detail and drawn very clearly, so there is no chance for misunderstanding by the contractors . Every line and figure has an effect on the finished product. As you can see, the draftsman is a key member of the architectural team. Of course, a junior draftsman is not expected to produce a complete set of working drawings. Depending on the size of the office and difficulty of the project, draftsmen may work in groups. The group leader coordinates the group and works closely with the project architect while the drawings are being produced. Working conditions are mostly very pleasant as draftsmen's work is intense and many people depend on accurate work. Each draftsman has a large combination drawing board and desk with various drawing aids. Almost without exception, members of the architectural team have at one time in their careers worked as draftsmen. This is essential to an architect education and most architects never get very far away from the drafting board. What can we learn about draftsmen from the passage? A. They all work in groups with a project architect. B. They are the main members of the architectural team. C. They provide labor and building materials. D. They give guides to inexperienced architects. Answer: B When my friend Lesa was diagnosed with cancer, another friend and I went to the hospital to spend some time with her. We bought her a small toy and named him Lemon-Aide. We gave Lemon-Aide to Lesa and told her he was to go with her to all of her treatments to remind her that we were thinking of her and caring about her even though we could not always be with her. When the treatments were completed, she said when someone else needed him she would pass him along. A few months later,much to my surprise, it was me that she passed him to. Lemon-Aide went with me to all of my treatments. One day while waiting for my doctor I decided we could market the idea to fight cancer. Lesa thought it was a great idea so we founded the organization that came to be known as Lemon-Aide' s Friends, Inc. We designed our organization to remind people fighting cancer that there are people who love and care about them all the time. Today we have totally 5013 volunteers. The money raised is donated to cancer patients who do not have insurance. The physicians on our Board of Advisors determine how and where our money is donated. Lemon-Aide is for men, women, and children of all ages and to date has been sent to 34 states and 33 countries to provide smiling support for people fighting cancer. When life gave us lemons we made Lemon-Aide, a soft smiling toy that represents love, support, and encouragement. Lesa was given a small toy because _ . A. he represented her organization B. he could help weaken her pain C. she would think of her friends D. her friends tried to comfort her Answer: D A scientist who developed a way to calculate how much water is used in the production of anything from a cup of coffee to a hamburger was awarded the 2008 Stockholm Water Prize. Professor John Anthony Allan of the University of London in Britain won the award for introducing the idea of "virtual water ", a calculation method that has changed the nature of trade policy and research. Allan has written seven books and published more than 100 papers. The Stockholm International Water Institute said this idea is now embedded in the production of foods and industrial products. The institute said Allan's work had made a big effect on global trade policy and research, especially in water-scarce regions. "The improved understanding of trade and water management issues on local, regional and global scales are of the highest value for the successful and sustainable use of water resources," it said. "People do not only use water when they drink it or take a shower," the institute said. "Behind the morning cup of coffee, there are 140 liters of water that was used to grow, produce, package and ship the beans." That is about as much water as a person in England uses on average for all daily drinking and household needs. "For a single hamburger, about 2,400 liters of water are needed. In the USA, the average person uses nearly 7,000 liters of virtual water every day." It said that was more than three times the average use of a Chinese person. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. The average American uses about 7,000 liters of water a day. B. The average Chinese uses nearly 2,300 liters of virtual water a day. C. An Englishman usually drinks about 140 liters of coffee a day. D. A hamburger usually contains about 2,400 liters of water. Answer: B We all, at one time or another, have pretended to be a rock star, singing and dancing along to our favorite song. Most of us have done this in the privacy of our own room when we were kids and as adults, in the privacy of our homes. Me? I love to do that when I drive! I turn on the radio, find a song that I can sing along too and pretty soon my arms are in the air and I am moving along to the rhythm. Most of the time, I do this on my way to work. Yes, that is true, I will be in my nice work clothes, jamming while driving or stopped at a traffic light I get weird looks from some people and others laugh. Personally, I love to get lost in the rhythm of a song which leads me to share with you the importance of being silly! The definition for the word silly, according to the dictionary is: stupid, foolish and nonsensical. I know many people do not want to look foolish. So they walk around all serious, which in all honesty, is foolish! No one is perfect, I repeat: no one is perfect. I don't care how educated, how thin, how beautiful, how simple, how frugal , how rich, and so on...No one is perfect! So why pretend to be something you are not? Life is so short. You never know when this beautiful journey will be over, so why waste a single second on being so full of rigidity ? Here is a quote by Souza, that I think says it all and is a great recipe for life: "Dance as though no one is watching you, Love as though you have never been hurt before, Sing as though no one can hear you, Live as though heaven is on earth." When we were kids, we had no idea of what limitations were and we had no care in the world so we could do things without worrying about how we appeared to others. However, as we grew up, we lost that childlike innocence. So don't lose the child that still lives within you. The next time you feel down, go turn on your favorite song, and sing and dance along like there is no tomorrow or watch something that makes you laugh. Laughter is the best medicine to whatever ails (......) you and nothing is better than laughing so hard that your stomach hurts. Trust me, you will feel a whole lot better, and who doesn't want to feel good? According to the text, what does the writer usually do? A. He repeats the words of songs. B. He sings songs on his way to work. C. He dances in his own home. D. He shares music with other drivers. Answer: B There are two kinds of physical activity which require special training. The first demands exact careful movements of the muscles. This kind of activity must be strictly controlled because even a slight movement in the wrong direction will lead a mistake. To type quickly, for example, a person needs training; the slightest movement of a finger in the wrong direction may cause a spelling mistake. A dancer who has to dance on the point of her shoes or turn around on one foot must be trained for a long period of time before she can sense her own center and balance herself. You may have seen a girl walking on a rope across an empty space, which, too, requires a lot of practice. The second kind of physical activity needs greater strength or extra effort. Most of us get tired if we try to run half a mile without stopping, but a specially-trained person can do this without much effort. Three years ago, some scientists carried out experiments, which produced meaningful and unexpected results. They wanted to find out whether a certain amount of physical exercise would injure those suffering from heart problems. They selected some male patients and trained them in continuous bicycle riding. They were surprised to find that the harmful effect of given amount of physical effort was actually less on the hearts of these trained patients than on those of the patients who were not similarly trained. This is important because it shows that regular physical exercise enables us to make better use of the oxygen we breathe in and that this training, in fact, reduces the amount of work our hearts do. Many tasks which are hard for untrained people are not hard at all for trained people. What must a dancer do before she can balance herself? A. She must dance on the point of her shoes. B. She must receive long-time training. C. She must turn around on one foot. D. She must perform again and again. Answer: B How much paper do you use every year? Maybe you can't answer this question quickly. In 1900 the world's use of paper was about one kilogram for each person in a year. Now some countries use 50 kilograms of paper for each person in a year. But countries like America, England and Sweden certainly use more paper than other countries. Paper was first made in China about 2000 years ago. It was made from the hair-like parts of certain plants. Paper was not made in southern Europe until about the year 1100. In 1500, a German named Schaeffer found out that one could make the best paper from trees. After that the forest countries of Canada, Sweden, America, Finland became the most important ones in paper making. When we think of paper, we think of newspapers, books and writing paper. But there are many other uses. Only half of the paper is used for books and things like that. Paper is very good for keeping you warm. Houses are often insulated(, ) with paper. You may see some men asleep on a large number of newspapers. They're insulating themselves from the cold. In Finland the temperature is sometimes -40 centigrade (C). The farmers wear paper boots in the snow. Nothing could be warmer. Each year more and more things are made of paper. We have had paper cups and plates for a long time. But now we hear that chairs, tables and even beds can be made of paper. With paper boots and shoes, you can wear paper hats, paper dresses and paper raincoats. When you have used them away and buy new ones. People have made paper boats, but they haven't made paper planes or cars. Just wait they perhaps will. What should the best title of passage be? A. Paper and Its Uses B. Paper and Its History C. Paper Was First Made in China D. How Much Paper Is Used in A Year Answer: A The great white shark is the largest shark and is probably the most well-known and feared shark. The great white shark is gray or bluish above and white below. The largest Great Whites can reach lengths of 22 feet and weigh up to 5,000 pounds. The Great White has massive teeth, which are positioned in rows. When the Great White attacks, it bites its prey and shakes its head back and forth. The serrated teeth act as a saw and literally tear the victim apart. Actually the Great White Shark often swallows many of its own teeth in an attack. Great Whites employ several hunting skills depending on the prey. Most of the time, the shark will remain still underwater before attacking its prey from underneath. In the case of hunting some kinds of seals, the impact of the shark is so powerful that it knocks both the shark and the seal clear out of the water. With larger prey such as elephant seals, the shark will simply take a huge bite out of it and wait for it to bleed to death. When hunting dolphins, the shark will attack from above, to avoid detection from the dolphin's echolocation. Interestingly, a Great White Shark has never been observed giving birth. However, pregnant females have been caught. The Great White Shark is known to be ovoviviparous. Females give birth to eight or nine pups that are already about five feet in length upon birth, which is different from other egg-laying animals. Despite the fear of Great White Sharks, at least in part generated by Steven Spielberg's 1975 movie, Jaws, Great White Sharks do not target humans as prey. Most attacks are attributed to mistaken identity. Sharks can easily mistake humans for seals. Many human injuries caused by Great White Sharks are cases of test-biting. If a shark is unsure about a floating object, it often gives it test bite to determine what kind of object it is. While such bites do little damage to buoys and other objects, they obviously can cause serious damage on the human body. Which of the following is true? A. Great White Sharks have teeth that act like saws. B. Great White Sharks only live up to 40 years. C. Most sharks can reach lengths of 22 feet. D. Most sharks are gray or bluish below and white above. Answer: A Trying to leave work at the office is proving to be a challenge for many British workers,with research showing that heavy workloads,conflicts and bosses all make an appearance in dreams. Work-related issues are the number one topic featuring in dreams,with colleagues invading shut.eye time more than celebrities.More than 20 per cent surveyed admitted that they regularly dream about their boss.One in three dreams about work when they are stressed in their job and a quarter stated that they dream about a colleague if there was a conflict with them earlier that day. Of the 2,000 people surveyed,20 per cent dreamed more if they were under pressure or stressed.The research found that the average person dreams most nights,with only 12 per cent saying they never dream.However, dreams often leave people confused,with 52 per cent saying they do not make sense and 60 per cent wishing they could know what they mean. Commenting on the survey carried out by One Poll for Premier Inn hotels,dreams expert Davina MacKail said:"Whether we are asleep or awake.a problem with a colleague or stress at work can really affect us.More than half of the nation stated that their dreams don't make sense so I have worked with Premier Inn to make a Dream Dictionary to help dreamers to understand why they dream what they do and what those dreams mean." A spokesman for Premier Inn said:"It is really important to try to unwind after a hard day at work but that is easier said than done if something is playing on your mind." The survey shows that most people _ . A. dream more under pressure B. never dream at all C. don't understand their dreams D. interpret their dreams well Answer: C
Christina is an American girl. She is a good student. Every morning she gets up at 6:00. She has her breakfast at home. Then she wears her uniform and goes to school. She studies hard every day. She eats in the dining room when she is in school. After school, she does her homework first, then she cleans the room and helps her mother with the dinner. Before she goes to bed, she usually reads some books. Then at 10:00 p. m. she goes to bed. She thinks she is happy every day. What do you think of her? Christina is a (an) _ girl. A. English B. Chinese C. American D. Japanese Answer: C With only about 1, 000 pandas left in the world, China is desperately trying to clone the animal and save the endangered species . That's a move similar to what a Texas A & M University researchers have been undertaking for the past five years in a project called "Noah's Ark". Noah's Ark is aimed at collecting eggs, embryos , semen and DNA of endangered animals and storing them in liquid nitrogen . If certain species should become extinct, Dr. Duane Kraemer, a professor in Texas A & M's College of Veterinary Medicine, says there would be enough of the basic building blocks to reintroduce the species in the future. It is estimated that as many as 2,000 species of mammals, birds reptiles will become extinct in over 100 years. The panda, native only to China, is in danger of becoming extinct in the next 25 years. This week, Chinese scientists said they grew an embryo by introducing cells from a dead female panda into the egg cells of a Japanese white rabbit. They are now trying to implant the embryo into a host animal. The entire procedure could take from three to five years to complete. "The nuclear transfer of one species to another is not easy, and the lack of available(capable of being used) panda eggs could be a major problem," Kraemer believes. "They will probably have to do several hundred transfers to result in one pregnancy (having a baby). It takes a long time and it's difficult, but this could be groundbreaking science if it works. They are certainly not putting any live pandas at risk, so it is worth the effort," adds Kraemer, who is one of the leaders of the Project at Texas A& M, the first-ever attempt at cloning a dog. "They are trying to do something that's never been done, and this is very similar to our work in Noah's Ark. We're both trying to save animals that face extinction. I certainly appreciate their effort and there's a lot we can learn from what they are attempting to do. It's a research that is very much needed. " From the passage we know that _ . A. Kraemer and his team have succeeded in cloning a dog. B. scientists try to implant a panda's egg into a rabbit. C. Kraemer will work with Chinese scientists in clone researches. D. about two thousand of species will probably die out in a century. Answer: D An American woman Anna Jervis was the first person to decide that mothers should have a holiday in their honor each year. Miss Jarvis started her campaign in 1906 in her home city Philadelphia. She wrote thousands of letters to congressmen ,city officials, teachers and newspaper publishers, proposing an official holiday for mothers. She traveled all over America, trying to get support for the idea. Her battle went on for years. In 1914 the Congress declared the second Sunday in May each year as Mother's Day. Anna Jarvis wanted Mother's Day to be a simple event. She thought children could honor their mothers by spending some time with them as an act of love and respect. However, the holiday turned out to be a major event for department stores, flower shops and greeting card industry, which Miss Jarvis didn't like. Americans spend millions of dollars on gifts for their mothers on this day. Younger children often try to prepare and serve breakfast for their mothers. Fathers may offer to take care of children so that mothers can enjoy themselves. The holiday becomes an important time for family fathering. On Mother's Day, department stores, flower shops _ . A. are closed B. have fewer customers C. are full of people D. only have women customers Answer: C We are naturally drawn to friends and colleagues with familiar voices, scientists have found.People prefer those who have a similar accent,intonation and tone of voice to themselves , they discovered. Previous research has focused on how masculine or feminine a voice sounds.Men with deeper voices and women with slightly higher voices were thought to sound more attractive,because they suggest a bigger or a smaller body. But the new study,published by a linguistics expert in Canada,suggests there is a more complex mechanism at play.Dr Molly Babel, from the University of British Columbia in Canada, said,"The voice is an amazingly flexible tool that we use to construct our identity.Very few things in our voices are changeless,so we felt that our preferences had to be about more than a person's shape and size.'' She recorded 30 volunteers' voices and asked each to rate the others' attractiveness on a scale of one to nine.Each participant was from western America,with similar accents.The people we assessed were all in the same dialect group,but they showed that dialect to different degrees. "We seem to like people who sound like we sound,we like people who fit within what we know,"Dr Babel said.She also found that breathy voices in women-typified by the famous American actress Marilyn Monroe-were seen as more attractive. The breathy tone,caused by younger and thinner vocal cords ,implied youthfulness and health A creaky voice,suggesting a person has a cold,is tired or smokes,was seen as unattractive.The participants preferred men who spoke with a shorter average word length and deeper voices. The linguist,whose work is published in the journal PLOS One,said,"Once you're outside of a certain range of familiarity,novel and exotic sounding voices might become more attractive.We also have to keep in mind we find some accents more preferable than others because of social fixed ideas." Dr. Molly Babel mentions Marilyn Monroe in order to _ . A. evaluate a creaky voice B. explain her new findings C. challenge previous research D. promote the actress's reputation Answer: B Whenever there's a terrible storm, there are plenty of sad stories. Many people lost their houses, their cars and their pets. But sometimes these stories have happy endings too. A family in New Jersey, US, had a cat named Vivien. She is very smart. She could even draw with her wet paws on the floor. They all love her very much. When hurricane Sandy hit America in October, they moved to a safer place-13km away from home. Sadly Vivien went missing. The whole family were worried about her. They put up posters on the Internet to look for her. All the nine family members searched wherever they thought she could stay, but they didn't find it. The family thought Vivien was gone forever. But six months later, Vivien showed up at their house, according to Yahoo News. They considered her return as a wonder. No one can be sure where Vivien was for all that time. Many animals are good at finding their way home. People usually say that dogs and cats find their way home through using their sense of smell. But that doesn't explain how Vivien found her way back. Hurricane Sandy blew away the normal smells of home. "I wish she could talk," said her owner. What can be the best title for the passage? A. A Terrible Storm B. A Clever Pet C. A Smart Owner D. A sad story Answer: B Intellectual property (IP) is a product of the mind that has commercial value. The concept dates back to 1623, when the first patent law to protect IP rights was passed. IP rights protect an artist from having his/her creative ideas copied by another. For example, if somebody generated an idea for a novel, that idea is protected by IP rights. If someone else wishes to represent the idea or develop it further, he/she must consult the original artists, who will normally be rewarded financially for its use. Back in the 17thcentury, IP rights were primarily carried out to protect newly developed manufacturing processes against stealing, but today intellectual property rights are also enjoyed by those who create music, art and literature. In recent years, IP rights have been the focus of a great deal of discussion because of a technology which looks set to weaken them altogether: the Internet. Many years ago, if you wanted a recoding of a song, you would have to purchase it from a music store; if a novel, from a book store. In those days, IP rights were easily protected since it was very difficult to obtain intellectual property without paying for it. However, a lot of IP, including songs, films, books and artwork, can be downloaded today free of charge using the internet. This practice has now taken the world by storm, dramatically affecting the way in which we view IP rights. What do we know about the Internet according to the passage? A. It does not affect the way we understand IP rights. B. It sells songs and films. C. It makes IP rights harder to protect. D. It prevents the production of artwork. Answer: C I have a friend named John Roberts who owns a horse ranch in San Ysidro.The last time I was there he shared a story with me. "It is a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer. When he was a senior,he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up." That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings,the stables and the track. "The next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, 'See me after class.'" "The boy went to see the teacher after class and asked, 'Why did I receive an F?'" "The teacher said, 'This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you'll have to pay large stud fees. There's no way you could ever do it.' Then the teacher added, 'If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.'" "The boy went home and asked his father what he should do. His father said, 'Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.'" "Finally,after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He stated, 'You can keep the F and I'll keep my dream.'" John continued, "I tell you this story because you are sitting in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace." He added, "If I had changed my paper at that time, maybe we would not have the chance to be here talking about the dreams ." What was the boy's goal described in his seven-page paper? A. to own a horse ranch B. to be a senior trainer C. to build many buildings D. to buy many horses. Answer: A My horse,Treasure,is my hero because she helped me discover how to relate to her.In the process,she " fixed " my relationship with my husband and my children. When I got her,she was 2 years old, _ . She was not going to accept any kind of instructions from me. In the interest of not getting myself killed,I started to read and educate myself on ways to manage a high-spirited horse. I discovered natural horsemanship ,a method of training that focuses on communication.In order to communicate with another person,you must be understood.The very definition of understanding is two or more persons share the same idea. This simple definition had a big influence on me.I realized that communication is a two-way street! When I started to adopt horsemanship in my life,I noticed a change in the way other people related to me.My husband,when I stopped ordering him around,became happier and more helpful.My children,when I practiced being fair,firm and most of all,considerate,were motivated to act sooner,at a polite request instead of the orders from me. I think the most valuable life skill I learned from my horse is that pressure motivates. As soon as I applied these basic skills to my daily activities, I started to notice positive changes. My children were more considerate of each other.and started to ask first,without telling.I became aware of my position as a role model. Today,five years later,I have the perfect horse.I also have very polite kids and a very happy husband.There's nothing in the world that can compare to being loved by ones you love most---even if it all started with the attitude of a very special horse. . What can we infer from the passage? A. Treasure was worth a lot of money. B. When the author got Treasure, she was a perfect horse. C. Before the author got Treasure, she didn't love her husband. D. Treasure's coming helped the author's family to get along better. Answer: D I grew up in a small town in South Canada. Every autumn, there was a week-long fair in the town. Thousands of people from other towns came to sell and buy things. It was the most exciting time of the year. When "Fairtime" came, my grandma became the busiest person of the family. Grandma was a kind, well-educated old lady. She was good at cooking. During "Fairtime", relatives would come to live in her house and have meals there. Grandma was always happy to look after them. Year after year, many people moved to big cities. There was no longer "Fairtime". Grandma became very old and was going a little blind. My parents and I did our best to make her life as comfortable as possible. I was at high school then. What I often did at home was to help Grandma with the daily newspaper's crossword puzzle. However, she didn't look happy. She often sat in her room for hours, without saying a word. To attract people to move back, the Town Hall decided to reopen the Fair. One day, when I came back from school, I saw Grandma wearing her glasses, washing the dishes in the kitchen. With a big smile on her face, she looked excited and a lot much younger. She told me that her two of her cousins would come. "They said they missed hometown and wanted to enjoy my food again." Grandma said happily. "They will stay here for one week and we can have a big party. That must be the busiest week I've had in years!" I suddenly realized that Grandma didn't want to be looked after. She wanted to be "useful", appreciated and helpful. The Town Hall reopened the Fair to _ . A. make Grandma happy B. help people find jobs C. attract people to move back D. help the people become richer Answer: C It was almost four o'clock in the morning when the fire broke out."We watch one window blow out,and then another,and heard people shouting,"says Stanley,21,a junior from Westfield State College in Massachusetts.Students were throwing ropes made from bed sheets out their windows,and a couple of them were trying to climb down. Almost all the hotel's 502 rooms were filled with college students from across the United States who were spending their holiday here in Acpulco,Mexico.As the smoke thickened,Moreno ran upstairs to where other Westfield students were rooming."Some people had no idea what was going on,"he says."I was shouting at the top of my voice.I made sure I hit every door."At the same time,Stanley was downstairs helping people get through the smokefilled hall.There he joined forces with Nalewanski who had just come back from his own night out. "Let's go."Nalewanski says.He and Stanley wet their shirts in the bathroom and wrapped them around their mouths and noses so they could breathe.Then they ran up the stairs. Nalewanski and Stanley found Moreno on the fourth floor.They all ran upstairs and down the corridors on every floor,hitting every door hard. In the end,no one was seriously injured.Even more unbelievable,all the Westfield students made it back to Massachusetts later that same day. Westfield president Evan Dobelle says,"I have a great deal of pride in these young men and they were able to react in such an emergency." According to the passage _ might not have woken up people during the fire. A. Evan Dobelle B. Nalewanski C. Stanley D. Moreno Answer: A
Think about the last time you felt afraid. Was it a fear of height? Did you oversleep on a weekday and fear you'd get into trouble at the office? In any case, you know what it feels like to feel fear. But one woman doesn't the woman, code-named "UM", gave her first-ever interview after years of being studied by a team of researchers. The woman is given a code name because the researchers want to protect her from anyone who would take advantage of her inability to feel afraid. UM can't tell you what fear is because she's never experienced it. "I wonder what it's like to actually be afraid of something," she said. The formal name for the disease is Urbach-Wieth disease, which is characterized by a hoarse voice,small bumps around the eyes, and calcium deposits in the brain. In the case of UM,the disease has transformed the part of her brain that controls the human response to fear. In the interview, UM talks about an event in her life where she was held at knifepoint and gunpoint, "I was walking to the store,and I saw a man on a park bench.He said. "Come here,please," so I went over to him. He grabbed me by the shirt,put a knife to my throat and told me he was going to cut me. I told him, "Go ahead and cut me," I wasn't afraid at all. And for some reason,he let me go." Doctors who have been studying UM's condition for years have been trying different things that could strike fear into her. They finally figured something out--increasing UM's carbon dioxide levels.Extra carbon dioxide concentration in the blood is known to cause fear and panic in health individuals. Increasing UM's carbon dioxide levels did manage to give her a fright. Why is the woman with Urbach-Wieth disease given a code name? A. To tell her case from other patients B. To respect her privacy C. To meet the researchers' demands D. To ensure her safety Answer: D Life in the future is different from now. There are not any paper money in the future. People use their _ when they go shopping. There are not so many stores. At weekends, people needn't go out. They usually do some shopping at home on the Internet. Children don't get up early to go to school. They have lessons at home on the Internet, too. Teachers teach their students and give them homework on the Internet. Children give the homework to their teachers on the Internet, too. People don't need to do much work. There are more robots . Robots do hard work for people. Parents don't cook or wash clothes. A cooking robot cooks breakfast. In fact, robots do all the housework for us. There are more holidays. Parents spend much time with their children. They spend a lot of time travelling around the world. I think life in the future is very interesting. Do you think so? Teachers teach their students _ in the future. A. in the classroom B. over the radio C. on TV D. on the Internet Answer: D Welcome to the future. It's year 2050 and Scotland is now powered completely by"clean"energy. Homes have entire roofs made of solar materials, rooms are kept warm by wallpaper, and people go to and from work in electric and hydrogen( ) cars. Oil is still being found in the North Sea, but it's not now only used to keep aircraft flying. And a new 500---mile underwater link with Iceland has been built to catch heat from the hot springs. There's still a role for king coal--but _ are now environment---friendly. People will be able to import the electricity they need and export any excess they make through rooftop windmills . New technology will store electricity better and provide it on demand. Heat exchangers will provide heating and hot water. Harmful carbon dioxide waste is being piped offshore to St Fergus and from there into some of the remaining oil--producing fields to be stored safely without entering the atmosphere. Gas remains the preferred energy source of industry and is now shipped in liquid form. But hydrogen is imported through pipelines from France and from a geothermal plant in Iceland. Hydrogen--fuelled cars have become popular. Electric bikes are common in cities using the new urban two--wheel network. Electric vehicles have become common, and their performances have been improved because of the developments in electrical drive technology like high--temperature super conducting motors. Many people leave their vehicles in a giant park where they can be recharged from the national electrical system . Oilseed rape is widely grown to fuel some motors . The means of transport people use in 2050 do not include _ . A. windmills B. electric bikes C. hydrogen--fuelled cars D. aircraft Answer: A Joanne "Jo" Rowling was born on 31 July 1965, pen name, is a British novelist, best known as the writer of the Harry Potter books. The Harry Potter books are world famous. People bought more than 400 million copies. They have become the best-selling book series in history.Rowling finished the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 1997. Later Jo published 6 more -- the last, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 2007. Jo is said to be the twelfth richest woman in the UK. In October 2010, Jo was named the "Most Influential Woman in Britain. She finished the first novel _ . A. in 1997 B. in 2007 C. in 2010 D. in 1965 Answer: A A heavier object A. requires less force to move B. requires minimal effort to move C. requires more muscle power to shift D. requires a light touch to move Answer: C _ In order to reduce air pollution and oilshortages, automobile manufacturers have announced their plans to develop hybrid vehicles for the Chinese market. Toyota's hybrid car Prius will be ready to drive in China this week. Let's have a look at the new car. Any vehicle is a hybrid when it combines two or more sources of power. Hybrid cars run off a rechargeable battery and gasoline. Hybrid cars have special engines, which are smaller than traditional gasoline engines. They run at 99 percent of their power when the car is cruising . A specially designed battery motor provides extra power for running up hills or when extra acceleration is needed. Step into a Prius, and turn on the engine. The first thing you notice is how much quieter it is than a traditional car. At this point, the car's gasoline engine is dormant . The electric motor will provide power until the car reaches about 24 km/h. If you stay at a low speed, you are effectively driving an electric car, with no gasoline being used, and no waste gas gives off. The onboard computer makes the decision about when to use a gas engine, when to go electric, and when to use a combination of the two. If you go over 24 km/h, when you step on the gas pedal , you are actually telling the computer how fast you want to go. The electronic motor recharges automatically using a set of batteries. When driving at high speed, the gasoline engine not only powers the car, but also charges the batteries. Any time you use the brake, the electric motor in the wheels will work like a generator and produce electricity to recharge the batteries. As a consequence, the car's batteries will last for around 200,000 miles. Which of the followings is NOT true? A. The hybrid cars reduce air pollution and oilshortages. B. The car's gasoline engine doesn't work until it reaches about 24 km/h. C. This kind of car is completely controlled by an onboard computer. D. A specially designed battery motor provides extra power when needed. Answer: C LEEDS, England--- A Leeds University psychology professor is teaching a course to help dozens of Bristons forgive their enemies. "The hatred we hold within us is a cancer," Professor Ken Hart said, adding that holding in anger can lead to problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease. More than seventy people have become members in Hart's first 20-week workshop in London--- a course he says is the first of its kind in the world. These are people who are sick and tired of living with a memory. They realize their bitterness is a poison they think they can pour out, but they end up drinking it themselves, said Canadian- born Hart. The students meet in groups of eight to ten for a two-hour workshop with an adviser every fortnight. The course, ending in July, is expected to get rid of the cancer of hate in these people. "People have lots of the attitudes towards forgiveness," he said. "People confuse forgiveness with forgetting. Forgiveness means changing from a negative attitude to a positive one." Hart and his team have created instructions to provide the training needed. "The main idea is to give you guidelines on how to look at various kinds of angers and how they affect you, and how to change your attitudes towards the person you're angry with," said Norman Claringbull, a senior expert on the forgiveness project. Hart said he believes forgiveness is a skill that can be taught, as these people "want to get free of the past." According to the passage if you're angry with somebody, you should _ . A. try your best to defeat him or her B. break off relations with him or her C. persuade him or her to have a talk with you D. relax yourself by not thinking of him or her any more Answer: D To be punctual is important for us because people rather expect us to be on time for appointments. But it seems not easy to be on time every time. Here are some useful methods to help you be punctual. Plan your route. If your destination is unfamiliar, go online the night before to map out your route and see how long it's going to take. Then you will know when you have to leave the house. Do as much as possible the night before. Make your mornings less stressful by doing what you can the night before to make your time enough. Get your clothes ready. Set the breakfast table. Make your lunch if you need to take it. Make a time table. You need to make a time table if you have lots of things to do in a day. For example, the time you get up, the time you leave the house, and the time you wait for the bus. You also need to estimate how long it takes. Give yourself a gift of being early. If you plan to get to your destination 15 minutes early, you'll probably never be late again. Being early seems a waste of time. But you can do something you love. Read the newspaper, read your favorite blogs and even call a friend. It really can be a gift. What don't you need to do to make your mornings less stressful? A. Get your clothes ready. B. Set the breakfast table. C. Make a time table. D. Make your lunch. Answer: C On May 23,1989, Stefania Follini came out from a cave at Carlsbad, New Mexico. She hadn't seen the sun for eighteen and a half weeks. Stefania was in a research program, and the scientists in the program were studying body rhythms . In this experiment Stefania had spent 130 days in a cave, 30 feet in depth. During her time in the cave, Stefania had been completely alone except for two white mice. Her living place had been very comfortable, but there had been nothing to fell her the time. She'd had no clock or watches, no television or radio. There had been no natural light and the temperature had always been kept at 21degC. The results were very interesting. Stefania had been in the cave for over four months, but she thought she had been there for only two. Her body clock had changed. She hadn't kept to a 24-hour day. She had stayed awake for 20-25 hours and then had slept for 10 hours. She had eaten fewer meals and had lost 17lbs in weight as a result! She had also become rather depressed . How had she spent her time in the cave? As part of the experiment she'd done some physical and mental tests. She'd recorded her daily activities and the results of the tests on a computer. This computer had been specially programmed for the project. Whenever she was free, she'd played cards, read books and listened to music. She'd also learned French from tapes. The experiment showed that our body clocks are affected by light and temperature, For example, the pattern of day and night makes us wake up and go to sleep. However, People are affected in different ways. Some people wake up naturally at 5:00 am, but others don't start to wake up till 9:00 or 10;00 am. This affects the whole daily rhythm. As a result, the early risers are at their best in the late morning. The late risers, on the other hand, are tired during the day and only come to life in the afternoon or evening! Where does the text probably come from? A. A novel B. A news story C. A pet magazine D. A travel guide Answer: B Have you ever noticed what happens to an idea once you express it ? Just talking about it or writing it down causes you to make it clear in your own mind. How can you use this to increase your brain power? Start writing. By putting thoughts into words, you are telling yourself the logic behind what you think, feel,or only partly understand. Often,explaining a thought is the process of understanding.In other words, you increase your brain power by exercising your"explain power". Another benefit of writing is that it helps you remember. Many,if not most,highly productive people are always taking notes.You can try keeping it all in your head,but if you keep a journal of your ideas the next time you're working on a big project, you'11 probably have more success. Want to understand a topic? Write a book about it.That's an extreme example, but if you are learning something new,write a letter to a friend about it,and you will understand it better. Want to invent something? Write an explanation of the problem---why you want to solve it,and why it is worth solving, and you're half-way there. Writers don't always write because they clearly understand something beforehand. Often,they write about something because they want to understand it. You can do the same. Writing will help bring you to all understanding. Give it a try. If a writer writes something, it means that he or she _ . A. has understood it very well B. needs to understand it better C. wants to remember it in his or her mind D. is testing his or her new ideas Answer: B
Germany's mystery English-speaking "forest boy" is said to be having trouble adjusting to conventional life. Source close to the case claim he is having difficulty sleeping in a proper bed and wants to return to the wild. Other creature comforts , such as soap, hot showers, and running water, are also " unsettling" the youngster. Known only as Ray, and believed to be around 17, the boy is thought to have spent at least five years sleeping rough in woods south of the German capital. He handed himself into officials on September 5, and was carrying a rucksack ,tent and sleeping bag. He told police his father had recently died after a fall and he had buried him in a shallow grave. He then walked north for a fortnight for help until he got to the German capital. Despite the bizarre nature of the story, police have said it is credible. The source said it was " unsurprising" the teenager found a soft bed so unusual if he had been sleeping rough for so long. "He has indicated that he would be far more comfortable on the forest floor and would prefer to return there to sleep," the source added. The boy claimed that his father had taken him into the woods south of Berlin after his mother, Doreen, died in a car crash. Now detectives have begun a search for the grave, or any other place where Ryan's body might be lying. The boy is unable to tell them exactly where he buried his father, but claimed he " followed his compass northwards". In the meantime, they are trying to make Ray a ward of court, so that an official can be appointed to make important decisions on his behalf. DNA, fingerprint and dental records can also then be handed to Interpol so that his records can be checked against those of missing children. A police spokesman confirmed that a search had started for Ryan's grave after the boy said that he was buried under the stones " two weeks south of Berlin". Police are puzzled by the case, but say that everything Ray has told them so far adds up. Officials believe the teenager could be British because he speaks English but only basic German. The British Consul is also working with police to try to solve the mystery. Ray, who is 5 feet 11 inches, with blond hair, is in good physical shape and had no signs of abuse apart from a small scar that was at least 3 years old. What still remains mysterious about this boy? A. His parent's names. B. His state of health. C. His nationality. D. The languages he speaks. Answer: C Learning English is one of the few things I have been doing consistently over the past 16 years.Like most Chinese students, I started learning English because it was a compulsory course in my middle school.More importantly, English was a central subject for the college entrance exam. At that time, studying English was not a pleasant experience for me.There was no fun in the process of learning.The focus of our English education was getting a good mark in exams.And nobody told me that the real meaning of studying mother language was communication. When I became a university student, I spent nearly half of my time on English.In fact , more than 90 percent of the job offer ads in Shanghai list " proficiency as a main requirement. How did I improve my English? People told me that TOEFL was very helpful and useful.As a result, I took a TOEFL training course and studied like mad.After six months' preparation, I took part in the exam and got a high score.Later on, I had a chance to further my study in Britain.I soon discovered that all of my past English learning had been futile .When I first went shopping in a local supermarket, I really could not understand what the cashier was saying at all. It was then that I realized I had totally missed the point.Instead of just passing exams, the main function of learning English or any other language is communication.What is more, language does not exist independent of culture.Hence, mechanical memorization helps very little in communication.That's why I was still unable to freely express myself after learning English for many years.By no means am I talented in any foreign language.I am still learning English.Why? First and foremost, my job requires me to use English everyday.Secondly, English helps me to have access to more information.Thirdly, as a bookworm, English gives me a chance to dive into the huge pool of inspiring English books.Last but not least, it is such a great experience to write in another language.Indeed, English has become part of my life. How can we master English well? A. We need more mechanical memorization. B. We should read and recite more books. C. We should study English as well as its culture and use it more. D. We can study hard in classrooms and houses and get high marks in exams. Answer: C My school is not big but beautiful. There is a garden in the school. There are many flowers in the garden. The flowers are colorful-they are all kinds of colours. In the center of the garden, there is a pool. The fish are swimming in it. They look very happy and free. There are two teaching buildings around the garden. There are 18 classrooms in it. And there are also many other rooms in it -- music room, reading room, language lab and library. There are all kinds of books in the library, such as storybooks, cartoon books and magazines. You can read them after class. The playground is behind the teaching building. We do morning exercises on the playground every day. On the playground, you can play sports--running, playing basketball and playing badminton. I like my school very much. What colours are the flowers? A. They are all kinds of colours. B. They are red, yellow and green. C. They are beautiful. D. They are sweet-smelling . Answer: A Tina was not like many of her classmates. She didn't listen to popular music or watch many movies, and she wasn't interested in nice clothes. When she got together with her friends, they wanted to listen to rock and pop music. When Tina asked if they would like to try classical music, they all looked at her strangely."Classical music is for old people, " one of her friends said. Tina was worried that something was wrong with her. She decided to talk to her father. As she entered his study , her father could feel something was wrong. "Dad, am I strange?" she asked her father."Of course not, " he answered. "Why do you ask that?" "Because I don't like the same things as my classmates do. They want to listen to Mariah Carey's music. I like Yo Yo Ma's." "I can understand, Tina, it's all right _ You don't have to copy what other people do. Everybody has different tastes. Some of them are popular, and others aren't. "After talking with her father, Tina felt better. She realized that being different made her special. It was an important lesson for her to learn. Why did Tina talk with her father? A. Because she wanted to tell him about Yo Yo Ma. B. Because she wanted to talk about her problem. C. Because she wanted to know about her friends. D. Because she wanted to give him some ideas. Answer: B It is important to know another language and how to communicate without words when you are in another country. Before saying anything, people communicate with each other by using gestures . However, many gestures have different meanings, or no meaning at all, in different parts of the world. In the United States, nodding your head up and down means "yes", while in some pats of Greece and Turkey, it means "no". In the southeast of Asia, it is a polite way of saying "I heard you". Today in the USA, when someone puts his thumb up, it means "Everything is all right." However, in Greece it is bad. Also putting your clasped hands up above your head means "I am the winner." It is the sign which players often make. In Russia it is the sign of friendship. In the USA, holding your hand up with the thumb and index finger , and the other three straight means "Everything is OK." In France, it means "You are worth nothing." It is also important to make eye communication. If you look down when talking to an American, he or she may feel that you are shy, or you are trying to hide something. Besides these, you should also know there are some topics that can not be talked about, such as age, weight and marriage. You can talk about the weather, work, sports, food, where one lives and news of the day. What does this sentence mean "....your action can speak louder than your words" ? A. What you do is better than what you say. B. You try your best to be polite. C. You are better understood by your gestures than through your words. D. What you say is better than what you do. Answer: C Electronic waste, or e-waste, refers to electronic products that are no longer usable. This can include TVs, cell phones and computers and other office electronics, electronic toys and videos machines. Today, the average turnover rate for a computer in the United States is every two years, according to the environmental group, Greenpeace. The group's Dai Yun says e-waste is a global problem. "The electronic industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The high speed of growth in this industry means more and more electronic products are being wasted and thrown away. If no one decides to retrieve the old products and process them properly, the electronic waste will sweep over the earth like the huge wave behind me and pollute the Earth seriously." Greenpeace works out that 20 to 50 million tons of e-waste are produced globally each year. The components in many electronic products contain harmful chemicals that pollute ground water and the environment. At present , the U.S. has no federal law for the disposal of e-waste although a few states have e-waste recycling programs in place, but there is no law. The U.S. exports much of its e-waste to third world countries, such as India and China, where workers took apart computers for valuable parts, hoping to sell them for money. But harmful wastes expert, Dr. Bakul Rao, says that's a dangerous practice. "From now on, the recyclers are not very educated. All they know is they can retrieve copper or gold out of it. So, the easiest way to do that is leach it out in an acid or burn it off to retrieve it. So, that's where they don't know how to deal with it, neither do they have any health systems in place. So, their exposure is more." What is the purpose of writing the passage? A. To attract more people's attention to e-waste. B. To call on people not to throw away e-waste anywhere. C. To tell people what e-waste is and how to deal with it well. D. To warn people to break away from the electronic industry. Answer: A I'm Ann. I am twelve. My birthday is on May 11th. I am a student. I am in No. 3 middle School. I have a good friend. Her name is Alice. She is twelve, too. We are not in the same class. We have the same English teacher. Her name is Monica. We all like her. Kate is Alice's sister. Oh, today is November 11th. It's Kate's birthday. I will buy her a birthday card. When is Ann's birthday? _ . A. May 8th B. May 11th C. November 11th D. November 12th Answer: B . As the world's largest terrestrial carnivore ,the polar bear is the king of the great white north. Adult males can measure more than 9 feet in length and weigh between 770 and 1,430 pounds. The bear's body and neck are elongated, and the head is narrow and long with small, rounded ears. Polar bear populations can be found in northern Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia, and there have been reports that polar bear tracks have been found as far north as the North Pole. The 5,000,000-square-mile range of the polar bear circles the Arctic and contains stretches of open water where seals are easily caught. Polar bears live on the annual Arctic sea ice that provides a platform from which they can hunt. They hunt seals on the sea ice by breaking into seal dens in the sea ice. The dens aren't visible from above,but seeing is less important than smelling to a polar bear -- with their keen sense of smell,polar bears can sense the breathing holes of seals in their dens beneath the snow and ice. As the southern edge of the Arctic ice cap melts in summer, polar bears are stranded on land and spend their summers fasting ,living off body fat stored from hunting in spring and winter. It might come as a surprise that this species faces an uncertain future. Climate change is causing the disappearance of sea ice from which polar bears hunt seals. Sea ice in the Arctic is melting earlier and forming later each year. With about 22,000 polar bears living in the wild,the species is not endangered at the moment, but its future is far from certain. People have reached an agreement that controls the hunting of polar bears and directs each nation to protect their habitats, but it does not protect the bears against the biggest man-made threat to their survival : global warming. If current warming trends continue, scientists believe that polar bears may disappear within 100 years. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A. the polar bear is an endangered species at present B. we should protect seals in order to keep the food chain in the Arctic C. the polar bear can be found near the North Pole and the South Pole D. people will do something to protect polar bears Answer: D Emma Hart Willard (1787--1870) was an American pioneer educator. In her time, colleges and universities were open only to men, and women were not permitted to attend. Emma received advanced education at home from her father and became a school teacher at twenty. She continued to teach at school for several years after her marriage. Then began offer college lessons in her home to women students. Later she founded a school in New York State, which was the first school that offered higher education in the US for women. Emma Willard also tried to persuade New York State to pass a law to allow women to attend public colleges and universities, though that did not come about until after her death. Some years later people remembered her for her life-long efforts and elected her to the US Hall of Fame in 1905. Emma received advanced education at home because _ . A. universities were only for men at that time B. her father did not trust the schools C. her family was poor when she was young D. she was too shy to go to a public college Answer: A It was June 15, and in two days I would be turning thirty. I was not sure about entering a new decade of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me. My daily routine included going to the gym for a workout( ) before going to work. Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym. He was seventy nine years old and in terrific shape. As I greeted Nicholas on that particular day, he noticed I wasn't full of my usual vitality and asked if there was anything wrong. I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty. I wondered how I would look back on( )my life once I reached Nicholas's age, so I asked him, "What was the best time of your life?" Without hesitation, Nicholas replied, "Well, Joe, this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question: When I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me and I was _ by my parents, that was the best time of my life. When I was going to school and learning the things I know today, that was the best time of my life. When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my efforts, that was the best time of my life. When I met my wife and fell in love, that was the best time of my life. The Second World War came, and my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America, that was the best time of my life. When we came to Canada and started a family, that was the best time of my life. When I was a young father, watching my children grow up, that was the best time of my life." "And now, Joe, I am seventy nine years old. I have my health, I feel good and I am in love with my wife just as I was when we first met. This is the best time of my life." Why was the writer anxious? A. He wasn't full of his usual vitality. B. He didn't see his old friend Nicholas. C. He was feeling anxious about turning thirty. D. He didn't like his friend's answer about the best time. Answer: C
My parents taught me not to waste food. My mum always found ways to make leftovers taste good. I went to YiLan to learn about some of their special food. As I was there, I learned about the food and the history of the area. I learned that they don't waste food, either, and they use leftovers! Many years ago, there was not enough food for everyone. People learned to cook and eat almost everything. They had to think of ways to make special dishes. One of these dishes is kao zha.It made with leftovers like meat, soup, oil and fat. That might not sound very good, but it does taste good. Today, kao zha is a special dish at big banquets . Another famous dish is called zao bing. It's made with fruit, meat and other things. I really liked it! But I didn't want to eat too much. It has a lot of fat in it. I smelled something burning and I saw smoke, so I found another special food of the YiLan area duck meat. The duck meat is put in a big oven to cook it. Smoke keeps the meat fresh. I don't usually eat meat, but this duck meat was delicious! It tasted sweet. YiLan is a great place with delicious food. I hope I can come back again! There are _ kinds of special foods mentioned in the passage A. two B. three C. four D. five. Answer: B Two recent studies have found that punishment is not the best way to influence behavior. One showed that adults are much more cooperative if they work in a system based on rewards. Researchers at Harvard University in the United States and the Stockholm School of Economics in Sweden did the study. They had about two hundred college students play a version of the game known as the Prisoner's Dilemma. The game is based on the tension between the interests of an individual and a group. The students played in groups of four. Each player could win points for the group, so they would all gain equally. But each player could also reward or punish each of the other three players, at a cost to the punisher. Harvard researcher David Rand says the most successful behavior proved to be cooperation. The groups that rewarded it the most earned about twice as much in the game as the groups that rewarded it the least. And the more a group punished itself, the lower its earnings were. The group with the most punishment earned twenty-five percent less than the group with the least punishment. The study appeared last month in the journal Science. The other study involved children. It was presented last month in California at a conference on violence and abuse. Researchers used intelligence tests given to two groups. More than eight hundred children aged two to four the first time they were tested. More than seven hundred children aged five to nine. The two groups were retested four years later, and the study compared the results with the first test. Both groups contained children whose parents used physical punishment and children whose parents did not. The study says the IQs--or intelligence quotients--of the younger children who were not _ were five points higher than those who were. In the older group, the difference was almost three points. Murray Strauss from the University of New Hampshire worked with Mallie Paschall from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Professor Strauss has written extensively about physical punishment of children. He says the more they are spanked, the slower their mental development. He also looked at average IQs in other nations and found them lower where spanking was more common. Which could be the best title of the passage? A. Punishment B. The Best Way to Influence Behavior. C. Punishment or Reward: Which Works Better on Behavior? D. Two Recent Studies. Answer: C Three wishes A man and his wife were very poor. They kept hoping for new clothes and good food. The man enjoyed eating, and he especially liked cakes. One night an old woman came to their house and told them she would let them have three wishes. They could wish for anything they wanted. The man had just finished eating a piece of bread for his dinner, but he was still hungry. He said, "I wish I had a big cake!" Suddenly a cake appeared on his plate. "You fool!" His wife cried. "You could have wished for a house full of wonderful food, but you wished for a cake. I wish that cake was on the end of your foolish nose! " Immediately the cake stuck to the end of his nose. Then the man and his wife started blaming each other. "It's your fault!" the man cried. "No, it's your fault!" she answered. What could they do? The cake was still stuck to the husband's nose. "Oh!" the wife cried. "I wish none of this had ever happened!" Immediately the cake was gone, and the man was saying, "I'm still hungry. How I wish I had some cakes! " But of course nothing happened. The wrong statement of the following is _ . A. the man made his wishes before dinner B. the wife made two wishes, which worked C. the wife wanted her husband to wish for more than a big cake D. the man wished that the cake were not on his nose Answer: A Two little children come to a big city. Their names are Mike and Bob. They live with their father and mother. Their family is very rich. They have a driver and lots of servants. Mike and Bob are going to a new school. Their father says to them, "Mike and Bob, don't say we are rich at school." So they go to school. Their teacher says, "Hi, boys and girls. Today we write a composition about your family. " So all the children write something about their families. This is Mike's composition. "My name is Mike. My family is poor. My father and my mother are poor. Our driver is very poor and all the servants are very poor. " , . They have _ . A. a driver B. some servants C. two sisters D. Both A and B Answer: D To me, music is food and water. I can't live without it. I know this is not true for everybody. Many people don't listen to music and they can get along quite well. But music is everywhere in our life. For example, when you watch films or TV plays, do you find them interesting if there is no music? You would find them _ . And when you are waiting for the train or the plane, you would like music because it makes the time seem shorter. It is true that music is everywhere in our life. Some people like to sit by the sea and listen to the sound of the sea. Some enjoy listening to the singing of birds. Those sounds are some kinds of music. So music has meaning for everyone in some way or other. Of course, it has special meaning for people like me. We spend our lives playing or writing music. Someone said, "Through music, a child goes into a world of beauty, learns to take care of others and makes his mind and body strong." Music is an important part of our lives. Listening to music can _ when you are waiting for the train. A. make time fly quickly B. help you save time C. make time short D. make you feel time passes more quickly Answer: D What is the density of a 64-g iron cube that displaces 8 mL of water? A. 512 g/mL B. 32 g/mL C. 8 g/mL D. 4 g/mL Answer: C Mitsuaki recently arrived in the United States to enter university.He wants to do well in his studies and fit the new culture.But Mitsuaki has a problem.It's not his teachers.It's not even his English ability.His problem is that he doesn't have a car.Mitsuaki has already discovered a basic fact of American culture: Driving is a way of life. There are different transportations in America.Many cities have taxis, buses and subways. But most people find it the easiest to drive, even if they do have to deal with heavy traffic. Nowadays busy families often have more than one vehicle.Many people think their car as a status symbol.But no matter what their social status are, people without wheels feel stressed. When Mitsuaki first arrived, he was amazed at how young many American drivers there were.Young people in America often get their driver's license around age 16 by passing a written test and a driving test.Before they can get their license, they have to take a driver education course, For teenagers, being able to drive is important. It's hard to find an American teenager without one. Mitsuaki finally decides that he needs a car. His host family helps him find a good used car to buy. But before he gets his license and starts driving, he has to understand the American style of driving, He also needs to learn some of the basic rules of the road that good drivers follow. Driving to Americans is what flying to birds.It's almost part of their nature.For many Americans, being behind the wheel is like their natural home.But if they don't drive carefully, they can become an endangered animal. Which is the easiest transportation in the USA? A. Taxis B. Planes C. Cars D. Buses Answer: C Since 1936, many female space explorers have followed Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova. Let's look at the missions of four important female astronauts to find out what astronauts do in space. In 1983, Sally Ride became the first American women in space. Her team carried out scientific experiments in space and put two communications satellites in space. Satellites make it possible for us to communicate instantly with each other across the world through TV, radio, and telephones. In 1984, Kathryn Sullivan became the first American women to walk in space. During her mission, she discovered important information about the sun's energy and how it affects the climate in very hot and very cold places on Earth. She also took photographs of Earth and measured air pollution. In 1992, Mae Jemison became the first African-American in space. During her mission, she did scientific experiments using the weightless atmosphere. In space, there is no gravity, so everything floats! Dr. Jemison's experiments gave important information about the human body to produce better medicines and healthcare. In 2012, Liu Yang became the first Chinese women in space. She did experiments in space medicine, which look at how astronauts can survive and stay healthy in space. The conditions in space are very hard on the body and space medicine helps astronauts work safely. Who collected important information about air pollution? A. Valentina Tereshkova. B. Sally Ride. C. Kathryn Sullivan. D. Mae Jemison Answer: C Spain is famous for its tomato festival, called La Tomatina. It happens in a small town Hanoi on the last Wednesday of August every year. During the festival there are all kinds of activities, but the most exciting part is the tomato fight. It takes place at the end of long celebration . You are encouraged to throw tomatoes in the fight. There're many stories about how the festival began. One of the stories goes that during the 1940's, some friends started a tomato fight, while another story is about a local band. Anyway, everyone in Bunol seems to have a different story. Before the tomato fight, there are parades ,musical bands, street parties and so on. On the day of the fight, shopkeepers cover their windows and doors in order to keep away from the tomato fight. At the same time, thousands of tourists and local people come to the town square together. Then large trucks full of tomatoes arrive. From theback of the large trucks, a great town band start to throw tomatoes at others. Then the crowds fight back, throwing the tomatoes at anything and anyone. Soon the streets are in the sea of red tomato juice. Everyone is supposed to obey a small number of rules: You must squash the tomato before throwing it and you are allowed to throw nothing but tomatoes. It is usually over in less than half an hour. Everyone then sets off to the river to clearup. Sounds like fun! The best title of the passage can be _ . A. Travel in Spain B. The Tomato Festival in Spain. C. The History of Spain D. Rules of the Tomato Festival Answer: B Taylor Swift was born on December 13, 1989, in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. Swift's family ran a farm. "I had her sitting on a small horse when she was nine months old," said Swift's mother. "If my dream had gone well, she'd be in a horse show right now." The only obvious forerunner of Swift's musical talent was her grandmother, an opera singer. That talent showed itself early: when the family went to see a Disney musical film, Swift would come out of the theater singing all the songs correctly. At the age of 11, she sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a Philadelphia 76ers game. The experiences during her pre-teen years encouraged the creativity to go with Swift's talent. As a child, she attended the academically competitive Wyndcroft School in Pottstown, but then switched to public schools in Wyomissing. Although it was her hometown, she didn't know any of her classmates, and she was terrified. Swift began to understand the storytelling feature of country songs, and put her feelings into songs of her own. One of her future hits, "The Outside", was written when she was only 12. "I wrote that about the scariest feeling I've ever felt: going to school, looking at those faces, and not knowing who you're gonna talk to that day," she said. "In the music, I could never feel the kind of rejection that I felt in middle school." Swift's parents quickly realized that they had someone special on their hands. They sold their farm when she was 13 and moved the family to Hendersonville, Tennessee.[:Z+xx+k.Com] Swift had the ability, above all, to put feelings into words with accuracy far beyond her years. In "Our Song" she wrote, "Our song is the slamming screen door, going out late, tapping on your window." In the summer of 2006, "Tim McGraw" came out, and almost from the beginning the 16-year-old Taylor Swift was a star. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text? A. Swift sang for a Disney movie at a young age. B. "The Outside" came out when Swift was only 12. C. Life in Wyndcroft School encouraged Swift's creativity. D. She tells her stories in her music. Answer: D
A green container with white arrows in a circle indicate it's a receptacle for A. trash that can be used for a new purpose B. excess and unused portions of soylent green C. radioactive nuclear waste materials D. hazardous biological materials and waste Answer: A Somali pirates robbed three Thai fishing ships with 77 sailors on board nearly l, 200 Miles off the Somali coast, the farthest-off-shore attack to date, an officer said Tuesday. Pirates have gone farther south and east in answer to increased patrols by warships off the Somali shore. The robbing of the three ships Sunday was about 600 miles outside the normal operation area for the international force, said a spokesman. The spokesman said the attack so far out at sea was a clear sign that the international patrols against pirates were having a "marked effect on pirate activity in the area". "Once they start attacking that far out, you're not even really talking about the Somali basin or areas of water that have any connection with Somalia," said an officer, Roger Middleton. "Once you're that far out, it's just the Indian Ocean, and it means you're looking at trade going from the Gulf to Asia, from Asia to South Africa. " "This is the farthest robbing to date. They are now operating near the Maldives and India," said another officer. The three ships--the MV Prantalay 11, 12, and l 4--had 77 members on board in total. All of them are Thai, the spokesman said. Before the Sunday robbing, pirates held l l ships and 228 sailors. Pirates have increased attacks over the past year in hopes. of catching more dollar payments. Because of increased patrols and defenses on board ships, the success rate has gone down, though the number of successful attacks has stayed the same year over year. Which is true about the warship patrols according to the text? A. The patrols are of little effect. B. The patrols are more difficult. C. More patrols are quite necessary even in Asia. D. The patrols only drive the pirates to other areas. Answer: B One day a man saw an old lady standing by her expensive car,clearly in need of help.So he stopped his old truck and got out.Although he was smiling,the old lady was worried.Was he going to hurt her ?He didn't look safe. The man could see that she was frightened,so in his friendliest voice he said," I'm here to help you,madam.Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm ?By the way,my name is Bryan Anderson."Bryan quickly fixed the car and the lady thanked him.Then she asked how Much she should pay him. But Bryan wanted no money.He was just giving a hand to someone in trouble.This was normal for him.He said,"If you really want to repay me,next time you see someone in need ,help them and think of me." After saying goodbye,the lady continued down the road until she reached a small care where she decided to stop for something to eat.As the pretty waitress took her order,the lady noticed she was nearly eight months pregnant .Although the waitress looked tired,she was very kind.As the lady was going to pay the$1 0 bill she remembered Bryan's words. She paid with a hundred--dollar bill.But when the waitress returned with the change,the lady was gone.On the table she saw a small note.There.were tears in her eyes when she read it:"Somebody once helped me the way I'm helping you.If you want to pay me back,continue being kind to others."Under the note were nine more$1 00 bills. Was the old lady an angel ?The waitress was so excited that she called her husband to tell him the news."Bryan*Bryan Anderson my dear*you're not going to believe what just happened..." What can we learn.about the old lady from the story? A. She was never kind to others. B. She was usually quite careless. C. She was probably very rich. D. She was not a very good driver. Answer: C Giving Back Fair Way The Westborough High School golf team had taken the official photos with the state prize, The other teams, disappointed, were on the bus heading home. And then Westborough instructor Greg Rota noticed something wrong on one of the score cards. A 9 had been recorded as a 7. They were not the state prize winner; Wobum High had won. "None one have known, said Wobum's instructor, Bob Doran. For Rota, it wasn't a difficult decision: "The prize wasn't ours to take:? Coin Stars "College students are lazy. but they also want to help," says University of]Pennsyivania graduate. Dan Hork. So she made it easy, placing cups in rooms where students could leave their spare coins, and handing out cups to first-year students to keep in their rooms. Her "Change for Change" effort has collected$40,000 for charities, which were decided upon by students . Never Forgotten A school in Massachusetts received a $ 9. 5 million check from Jacques LeBermuth. But it took officials several days of digging to discover his connection to the school, Records showed the LeBermuth came from Belgium and studied in the school in the 1920s. When his family fell on hard times, he was offered free room and board. LeBermuth became a trader, owned shares of AT&T and lived off the earnings until he died at age 89. What did Greg Rota probably do in the end? A. Returned the prize to the organizer, B. Apologized to Wobum High School. C. Took photos of the state prize. D. Had a meeting with Doran Answer: A Last week,Chicago became the first city in the US to join the "Lights Out Plan".People turned off the lights in the city's tallest buildings,so that thousands of birds could get to their winter homes.Every year in autumn,some birds fly over Chicago on their way to the south,and come back the next spring. Lights mean danger to birds.Birds find their way by looking at the stars in the sky.Lights in tall buildings are so bright that birds may mistake them as stars.This means they can not find the right way to go home. This month,about 300 types of birds are flying over Chicago to go back to the south to live through the cold winter.Birds fly to warmer places for a few reasons.Many birds cannot live in the cold,so they fly to warmer places.But there are other reasons,too.Birds need to look for food in the south.Another reason is that they want to have baby birds.Many birds like to have their baby birds in the same "house" they lived in last year,so they fly back there. There are about 9,000 kinds of birds in the world,and about 600 kinds of birds _ .Some birds can fly a very long way.Sometimes they fly to other countries.We have fewer birds today because there are fewer places for birds. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. All birds fly to warmer places every year. B. Some birds have to fly to warmer places in autumn. C. Some birds can fly a long way to other countries. D. About 600 kinds of birds migrate in the world. Answer: A A single night of taking the drug Ecstasy can cause serious brain damage and speed up the start of Parkinson's disease , scientists say. Just two or three Ecstasy tablets can permanently destroy brain cells that affect movement and reasoning, according to American research that links the drug to Parkinson's for the first time. A study by a team at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, involving squirrel monkeys and baboons found that both species suffered permanent damage to key cells, which are lost in Parkinson's, after receiving three low doses of Ecstasy at three-hour periods. The study is particularly important because baboons are one of the best animal models for the human brain. George Ricaurte, who led the research, said that the widespread abuse of drug might have caused severe damage. "The most troubling result is that young adults using Ecstasy may be increasing their risk of developing Parkinsonism as they get older." Alan Leshner, a former director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, said, "This study emphasizes the multi-aspect damage that Ecstasy causes to users. We've long known that repeated use damages brain cells. But this study shows that even very occasional use can have long-lasting effects on many different brain systems. It sends an important message to young people: don't experiment with your own brain." Janet Betts, a mother whose teenage daughter Leah died after a single Ecstasy tablet in 1995, said, "This comes as no surprise. But people can't see the effects at first, and they say it won't happen to them. We'll see the symptoms later, just as we have with smoking." The article is intended to _ . A. explain the bad effects of drugs on people's health B. warn young people of the risk of taking the drug Ecstasy C. persuade people out of such bad habits as smoking and using drugs D. tell us the links between the drug Ecstasy and the animal models Answer: B A young woman was walking through a supermarket to pick up a few things when she noticed an old man following her around.Thinking nothing of it,she _ him and went on shopping.After she got what she wanted,she went to checkout line,but the old man got in front of her. "Pardon me!" he said,"I'm sorry if my staring at you has made you feel uncomfortable ,it's just because you look like my granddaughter,who just died recently.And I miss her very much." "I'm very sorry,"said the young woman."Is there anything I can do for you?" "Yes." the old man said."As I'm leaving,can you say 'Good-bye,grandpa' to me? It would make me feel so much better." "Sure,"answered the young woman. As the old man was leaving,she called out."Bye-bye,grandpa!" When she stepped up to the checkout counter ,she saw that her total was $178.50. "How can that be?" she asked."I only bought a few things!" "Your grandpa said you would pay for him," said the clerk. According to the passage we can know that _ . A. the young woman is a careless person B. the young woman is as clever as the old man C. the young woman was pleased to pay for the old man D. the young woman didn't know the old man at all Answer: D One billion teenagers and young adults around the world are in the face of losing their hearing by listening to loud music. This is according to the World Health Organization. Few things can make people happy and full of energy like good music. Many people believe louder is better if you are listening to rock and roll. But if you really listen to the music loudly, even really good music, it can hurt your hearing badly. If a person takes a subway to go from one place to the other for half an hour in the morning and a half an hour in the evening, and every day has to _ on his audio device because there is so much of noise of the train and everything around, and is listening to for one hour every day, his hearing is going to be hurt seriously in a few years, in a couple of years time, for sure. There can be many kinds of unsafe levels of sound. It depends on how loud the sound is and how long you listen to it. Unsafe can mean noise levels of 85 decibels for eight hours a day or 100 decibels for just 15 minutes. There are simple ways to protect people from unsafe sound levels. Young people who wear earplugs during concerts can enjoy music at 90 decibels as much as they can at 110 decibels. But earplugs may not look very cool. The fact that earplugs may look un-cool may be true today, but if there is nothing wrong with your hearing in the future may be true and wearing earplugs may actually be cool. Another common suggestion is to turn down the volume on your personal audio devices. The World Health Organization also advises young people to limit their use of such devices to less than one hour a day. Besides, the World Health Organization reminds people to use technology, such as smart audio devices keep listening levels safe. The levels of sound is safe or not depends on _ . A. what kind of music is and where you listen to it B. how loud the sound is and how long you listen to it C. how clear the sound is and how often you listen to it D. how much the audio device is and how long you keep it Answer: B Reading books has long been a way to relax.However,in this modern age of computers,the Internet,DVD movies and MP3 players,the simple act of reading a book has taken a back seat.People want something more interactive than just pages to turn.We seem to be turning away from the joy of reading a good book,but there is an answer. Audio books have been around for a long time.But most people think that audio books are just for people with eyesight problems.This is one of their uses,of course,but it is far from the full story. Audio books are in the form of either cassette tapes or CDs.The beauty of them is that the whole story is read often by well-known actors and actresses.It is like having your own play.There are many kinds of audio books,so you are sure to find one that suits your tastes.The really good thing of listening to an audio book is that you can listen to it wherever you want to. Audio books do not just tell stories--they also provide language lessons.Imagine learning to speak a number of key Japanese phrases while you do the ironing,or learning basic French while doing the housework.Audio books can be found in most big bookstores,as well as over the Internet.There are books for people of all ages,including kids.If you are a member of a local library,you will also find audio books to borrow,so you can try one and decide if you really want to buy one. In the writer's opinion,which of the following is a really good thing of audio books? A. They can be found in most big bookstores. B. They are much cheaper than printed books. C. They can be listened to anywhere you like. D. They can be borrowed from libraries. Answer: C Christmas,Easter and Birthday parties can be difficult times for grandmothers and parents as they rush around trying to arrange the perfect celebration or making everyone as happy as possible! What's better than a birthday party that makes your grandchild smile throughout or a celebration that impresses relatives and close friends? That is why Granny Look has supplied in this section,one of the most comprehensive guides to making these special occasions that happen perhaps once a year a real success. From a selection of Advent Calendars to party planning or Christmas-stocking fillers we have all the possibilities covered so that your children and grandchildren will really have a memorable time with attractive gifts and original ideas. Bring that festive spirit to all those traditional days,and ensure you are always ready for any possibility. Granny Look's extensive links are bound to make every special occasion an entirely different experience from the year before and allow everyone to feel entertained and content. _ LOOK no further!! Granny Look helps the family to prepare in time for FATHER CHRISTMAS. Give SANTA CLAUS some ideas.He can fill all the children's Christmas-stockings with goodies! Unique Christmas gifts for children-stocking fillers. A Granny Look favorite! _ All children love the build-up to CHRISTMAS! What is better than choosing one of Granny Look's selection of Advent Calendars! Here you will find a list of websites to buy traditional or fun Advent Calendars for children at Christmas time. A Granny Look favorite! _ LOOKING for a SPECIAL BIRTHDAY GIFT? Explore Granny Look's selection of PRESENTS,PARTY PLANNING,PARTY TOYS and PARTY GAMES for your Children and Grandchildren's BIRTHDAYS. Plan and organize the KIDDIE'S PARTIES ahead of time!! Don't forget the PERSONALISED INVITATIONS! _ LOOK and BOOK now!! Granny Look's selection of CHRISTMAS GIFTS for children. Some guides to "What's on in your area"...for the kids.PANTOS,SHOWS,THEATRES...at Christmas time! UNIQUE Christmas gifts for Children.Spend QUALITY TIME with your Children's Children this FESTIVE SEASON! From the text,we know that "Granny Look" is _ . A. a person who guides you to make your yearly celebration a real success B. a magazine that helps the family to prepare for special occasions C. a company that sells all sorts of products on the Internet D. a website that helps you to prepare for special occasions Answer: D
One fine day, an old couple around the age of 70, walks into a lawyer's office. Apparently, they are there to file a divorce. Lawyer was very puzzled, after having a chat with them, he got their story. This couple had been quarreling all their 40 years of marriage nothing ever seems to go right. They hang on because of their children, afraid that it might affect their up-bringing. Now, all their children have already grown up, have their own family, there's nothing else the old couple have to worry about, all they wanted is to lead their own life free from all these years of unhappiness from their marriage, so both agree on a divorce. While they were signing the papers, the wife told the husband. "I really love you, but I really can't carry on anymore, I'm sorry." "It's OK, I understand." said the husband. Little did she know that, over the years, the husband has been trying all ways to please her, little did she know that drumsticks were the husband's favorite. Little did he know that she never thought he understands her at all, little did he know that she hates drumsticks even though all he wants is the best for her. That night, both of them couldn't sleep, toss and turn, toss and turn. After hours, the old man couldn't take it anymore, he knows that he still loves her, and he can't carry on life without her, he wants her back, he wants to tell her, he is sorry, he wants to tell her, "I love you." He picked up the phone, started dialing her number. Ringing never stops. He never stops dialing. On the other side, she was sad, she couldn't understand how come after all these years, he still doesn't understand her at all, she loves him a lot, but she just can't take it any more. Phone's ringing, she refuses to answer knowing that it's him. "I want to keep it this way, if not I will lose face. "She thought. Phone is still ringing. She has decided to pull out the cord. Little did she remember, he had heart problems. The next day, she received news that he had passed away. She rushed down to his apartment, saw his body, lying on the couch still holding on to the phone. He had a heart attack when he was still trying to get through her phone line. The old couple wanted to file a divorce because _ . A. they had no child. B. their children didn't like them. C. they didn't understand each other actually. D. the old man didn't love the old woman. Answer: C Sixteen years ago a boy gave me an important gift. It was a smile. It was the early autumn of my first year at a middle school, and my old school was far away. As a result, no one knew who I was. I was very lonely, and afraid to speak to anyone. Every time I heard the other students talking and laughing, I felt my heart break. I couldn't talk with anyone about my problems. Then one day, when my classmates were talking happily with their friends, I was sitting at my desk unhappily as usual. At that moment, a boy entered the classroom. I didn't know who he was. He passed by me and then turned back. He looked at me, with a smile. Suddenly, I felt the touch of something bright and friendly. It made me feel happy and warm. That smile changed my life. I started to talk with other students and made friends. Day by day, I became closer to everyone in my class. The boy with the lucky smile has become my best friend now. One day I asked him why he had smiled, but he couldn't remember doing so! It doesn't matter because all the dark days have gone. I believe that the world is what you think it is. If you think it is lonely, you might always be alone. So smile at the world and it will smile back. Where does she now think her feeling of unhappiness came from? A. From her old school. B. From her parents. C. From herself. D. From her classmates at the new school. Answer: C Eureka, Inc., inventor of the LBVC, a laser-beam vegetable chopper, ran a television ad that described the chopper and said, "The LBVC is yours for only $49.99 if you send your check or money order to Box 007, Greenville. Not available in stores." Gourmet, who owned a retail specialty shop, wrote Eureka, "What's your best firm price for two dozen LBVCs?" Eureka sent a written reply that said in its entirety, "We quote you for prompt acceptance $39.99 per unit for 24 LBVCs." Gourmet subsequently mailed a check to Eureka in the appropriate amount, with a memo enclosed saying, "I accept your offer for 24 LBVCs."For this question only, assume the following facts: Eureka shipped 24 LBVCs to Gourmet after receiving his check and memo, and with the shipment sent Gourmet an invoice that conspicuously stated, among other things, the following lawful provision: "These items shall not be offered for resale at retail." Gourmet received and read but disregarded the invoice restriction and displayed the 24 LBVCs for resale. Eureka has a cause of action against Gourmet for breach of contract only if A. Eureka, as inventor of the LBVC, was not a merchant. B. the invoice restriction was a material alteration of preexisting terms. C. Eureka's written reply that quoted $39.99 per LBVC but did not contain a restriction on retail sales, was not an offer that Gourmet accepted by ordering 24 LBVCs. D. Gourmet was consciously aware when taking delivery of the goods that the television ad had said, "Not available in stores. Answer: C Astin left her car at Garrison's Garage to have repair work done. After completing the repairs, Garrison took the car out for a test drive and was involved in an accident that caused damages to Placek. A statute imposes liability on the owner of an automobile for injuries to a third party that are caused by the negligence of any person driving the automobile with the owner's consent. The statute applies to situations of this kind, even if the owner did not specifically authorize the mechanic to test drive the car. Placek sued Astin and Garrison jointly for damages arising from the accident. In that action, Astin crossclaims to recover from Garrison the amount of any payment Astin may be required to make to Placek. The trier of fact has determined that the accident was caused solely by negligent driving on Garrison's part, and that Placek's damages were $100,000. In this action, the proper outcome will be that A. Placek should have judgment for $50,000 each against Astin and Garrison; Astin should recover nothing from Garrison. B. Placek should have judgment for $100,000 against Garrison only. C. Placek should have judgment for $100,000 against Astin and Garrison jointly, and Astin should have judgment against Garrison for 50 percent of any amount collected from Astin by Placek. D. Placek should have judgment for $100,000 against Astin and Garrison jointly, and Astin should have judgment against Garrison for any amount collected from Astin by Placek. Answer: D The sharp drop in world oil prices has led oil companies in the United States to dismiss thousands of workers. Some companies have also delay new oil drilling and exploration projects. The drop in oil prices has also affected small service companies and even stores that do business with oil companies in big producer states like Texas. But the drop in oil prices has not been bad for everyone. Oil platform workers are often called roughnecks. In Texas, many roughnecks have lost their jobs because of the drop in oil prices. The effect of falling prices has been worse in states like Alaska and North Dakota. That is because production costs are higher there than they are in the Eagle Ford area of south-central Texas. Adam Perdue is an economist at the University of Houston's Institute for Regional Forecasting. He has been studying the effect of falling oil prices in Texas. He says oil company exploration and production budgets are being cut between 10 and 50 percent, with most of them being cut by a third. He thinks the lower spending will affect the local economy. The economic slowdown will affect companies that manufacture pipes and other equipment for oil exploration and production. It will also have an effect on trucking companies that supply sand and chemicals, and other small businesses that serve the energy industry. But low oil prices are good for chemical companies. They use hydrocarbons found in oil to make fertilizer, plastic and other products. Adam Perdue says a new chemical plant project near Houston will provide jobs for many skilled workers "A lot of these roughnecks that are gonna lose their jobs out there in the field are gonna be able to come home and, and, and get a welding job or a construction job." he says. But some oil industry experts believe prices will rise again in about six months when the oversupply of oil is reduced. Why is the effect of falling prices worse in North Dakota? A. Roughnecks there have lost their jobs. B. The oil production there costs more. C. Oil platform there has been closed. D. Oil prices there have fallen more sharply. Answer: B Getting close to active or erupting volcanoes can be dangerous. But for Michael Rampino, it's all in a day's work. Rampino is a volcanologist, a scientist who studies volcanoes and how they affect our planet. Rampino has been close to red-hot lava flows in Hawaii and explosive volcanoes in Indonesia. He knows when to get close to an active volcano and when to back away. Rampino wasn't always a volcanologist. He worked for NASA for seven years. He studied rocks until he began to research climate change and the effects that volcanoes have on climate. He became interested in the subject. "Once I started working with volcanoes," Rampino said, "I was _ ." Rampino is a professor at New York University. As part of his job, he travels to areas where volcanoes have been active. "Active" means they have erupted within the past few centuries and probably will erupt again. Rampino studies the deposits of ash and other materials from the eruptions. The ash may hold clues to what happened to the Earth in the distant past. It may also help scientists predict what could happen to Earth's climate in the future. Rampino doesn't work alone. He works with a team of scientists who use computers to stimulate the effects volcanoes have on Earth's atmosphere. Being a volcanologist may be hard work, but it's also fun. "It's cool traveling the world studying volcanoes," Rampino says. When he talks to students about his work, he tells them that his goal is "to understand the events that have shaped Earth's history." In which part of a newspaper could we find this text? A. Climate. B. History. C. People. D. Business. Answer: C Sitting across from a German couple and a Chinese mother and child, we were waiting at the Guilin airport for our delayed flight to Shanghai In this last week of our travel-study tour, my husband and I were savoring this mini-break by reading. While surrounded by languages I couldn't understand, it was an American accent that my attention was pulled from my book It also pulled the attention of three rows of people seated around us as the American barked, "Coming through! Coming through!" At the same time, an oversized man pulling an oversized carry-on turned down our row. His wheeled bag caught the foot of the German maa Turning to see what snagged his luggage ,the American bellower yanked his bag hard enough that it crossed over the man's feet It was then that my horror struck. There was no "I'm sorry; no "Excuse me" 5 no "Pardon me" coming from this countryman of mine. While this wasn't the first or last incident where I sighted impolite, ill-mannered, rude Americans in China, each produced similar feelings. First, I was embarrassed that someone from my country was creating a negative impression of Americans. My second reaction was a desire to apologize. I wanted to explain to the ChiiKse woman and her child, the German couple next to her, and everyone nearby that this was not typical American behavior. I wanted them to know "we" were all not like that I never got to explain, or to apologize. Language differences made that option impossible, and rational thinking made it inappropriate. But there turned out not to be a need The German man caught my eye and with a bit of head-shaking, smiling and eye rolling* which I returned, it was clear he knew we were Americans and was expressing that there was "no need" to apologize for "universal idiot behavior". Every time the author saw some Americans' bad behavior in China, she always felt _ A. uneasy and sorry B. scared and disappointed C. proud and comfortable D. nervous and miserable Answer: A DoSomething.org is the country's largest non-profit organization for young people and social change. They provide some scholarships to reward teens who are social action leaders in their community. You may be interested in the following ones. 1. $2,000 Fight Climate Change like a Ninja Scholarship Ninjas release 86% less CO2 than the average person. Why? Because ninjas use a green form of transport ---- parkour . DoSomething.org wants to teach you their ways of going green---- and offer the chance for a $2,000 scholarship. Submit one of your friends' phone numbers. You'll both receive a text message with ways to protect the planet, and you'll be entered for the scholarship. Bonzail! 2. $3,000 Puppy Mills are Bad Scholarship Use your phone to fight for millions of puppies born in abusive factory farms. Share a text messaging game on puppy mills with 6 friends and you'll be entered to win a $3000 scholarship. Millions of puppies are born in horrible conditions each year, so puppy mills can make a profit. Invite your friends to step into the shoes of a pet store employee who discovers their store supports puppy mills. To enter for the $3,000 scholarship, visit www. Dosomething.org/puppy and submit six friends' phone numbers. 3. $5,000 Safe Driving Scholarship When you text while driving at 55 mph, your eyes go off the road for the length of an entire football field. Tell your friends about the danger of texting while driving to enter to win a $5000 scholarship. After entering, we'll send you a free pair of "thumb socks" ---- a physical reminder to stop texting while driving. Send us a picture of you with your thumb socks and you'll double your chance of winning the $5,000 scholarship. What do the scholarships mentioned in the passage have in common? A. They are provided by DoSomething.org. B. They offer a small gift to every attendant. C. They require attendants to be top students. D. They require attendants to play a message game. Answer: A I never saw my father home from work late or ill, nor did I ever see my father take a "night out with the boys". He had no bobbies but just took care of his family. For 22 years, since I left home for college, my father called me every Sunday at 9:00 am. He was always interested in my life-how my family was doing. The calls even came when he and my mother were in Australia, England or Florida. Nine years ago when I bought me first house, my father, 67 years old, spent eight hours a day for three days, painting my house. He would not allow me to pay someone to have it done. All he asked, was a glass of iced tea, and that I hold a paintbrush for him and talk to him. But I was too busy, for I had a law practice to run, and I could not take the time to hold the paintbrush, or talk to my father. Five years ago, my 71-year-old father spent five hours putting together a swing set for my daughter. Again, all he asked was that I get him a glass of iced tea, and talk to him, But again, I had laundry to do, and the house to clean. The morning on Sunday, January 16, 1995, my father telephoned me as usual, this time he had seemed to have forgotten some things we had discussed the week before. I had to get to church, and I cut the conversation short. The call came at 4:40 am. That day my father was sent to hospital in Florida. I got on a plane immediately, and I vowed that when I arrived, I would make up for the lost time, and have a nice long talk with him ad really _ . I arrived in Florida at 1:00 am, but my father had passed away at 9:12 pm. This time it was he who did not have time to talk, or time to wait for me. In the years since his death I have learnt much about my father, and even more about every single day. We know from the reading that the father _ . A. liked to paint houses B. had no friends around him C. was not healthy in his youth D. thought of his family as his all Answer: D After a busy day of work and play, the body needs to rest. Sleep is necessary for good health. During this time, the body recovers from the activities of the previous day. The rest that you get while sleeping enables your body to prepare itself for the next day. There are four levels of sleep, each being a little deeper than the one before. As you sleep, your muscles relax little by little. Your heart beats more slowly, and your brain slows down. After you reach the fourth level, your body shifts back and forth from one level of sleep to the other. Although your mind slows down, from time to time you will dream. Scientists who study sleep state that when dreaming occurs, your eyeballs begin to move more quickly (Although your eyelids are closed). This stage of sleep is called REM, which stands for rapid eye movement. If you have trouble falling asleep, some people recommend breathing very deeply. Other people believe that drinking warm milk will help make you _ There is also an old suggestion the counting sheep will put you to sleep! During REM, _ . A. your eyes move quickly B. you dream C. you are restless D. both A and B Answer: D
Luggage We ask you to keep what you bring with you down to one mediumsized suitcase per person on board the bus. Seat Arrangements Special needs for particular seats can be made on most bus breaks when booking, but since arrangements are made on a firstcomefirstserved basis, early booking is advisable. When bookings are made with us, you will be offered the best seats we have on the bus at that time. Travel Documents When you have paid your deposit , we will send you all the necessary documents, so that you receive them in good time before the bus break departure date. Certain documents, for example, air or boat tickets, may have to be kept and your driver or guide will then give them to you at the proper time. Special Diets If you need a special diet, you must tell us at the time of booking and provide us with a copy of the diet. This will be passed on to the hotel or hotels on your bus break. However, on certain bus breaks, the hotels used are tourist class and they may not be able to prepare special diets. Any extra costs must be paid to the hotel yourself before leaving the hotel. Programs Some of our hotels arrange extra programs which include music, dancing and film shows, etc. They are all offered by the hotel, but not guaranteed . Your air tickets _ . A. will be sent to you at your departure point B. will be kept by yourself C. will be given to you with other documents D. may be held by your bus driver until you need them Answer: D Having a bit of a temper tantrum , whether at home or in the classroom, is as harmful as you can get and only serves to discourage your teenagers. What they really need at this stage in their lives are words that build them up according to their needs that it may benefit them-that is, words of encouragement, affirmation and a good deal of praise. The benefits to them and us as parents and teachers are quite amazing-harmony, peace and love. When I left my last school where I had been a casual for eight years, I received "thank you" notes from the students. I think these notes illustrate what teenagers want and need from their parents and teachers. Some of the notes mention kindness, patience, thoughtfulness, encouragement and fun. Teenagers value these qualities and what I found was that the more I relaxed and enjoyed their company, the less I had to discipline them. Below I've included a few excerpts from the notes to let the kids speak for themselves. These are teenagers speaking from the heart and show what, according to teenagers, they need and value. Each note began, "Thank you for..." * making each student in the school happy * putting up with us every time you get us (i.e. having patience) * Always giving every student a chance and treating everyone like an adult giving lots of merits and making every lesson fun and enjoyable * Being very kind & for giving me lots of (merit) stickers * You make working be fun * Being a patient and thoughtful teacher Patience is needed as well as kindness, thoughtfulness, a sense of humor and fun and the ability to listen more than talk. When we praise and value our teenagers, the results are nothing short of miraculous. Why does the author mention the "Thank you" notes _ ? A. Because he wants to show himself off B. Because he wants to tell parents and other teachers what teenagers really need C. Because he wants to show that his students are all kind and polite D. Because he doesn't want to leave that school Answer: D Not everyone can sit around and daydream while twirling hair or worrying about how they are going to style it for school pictures or a special event. Some kids have no hair at all due to illness. Locks of Love is an organization that helps kids deal with their hair loss by providing real hair wigs from donors. Jessica Moon, a photo editor, donates her hair whenever she cuts it, waiting each time for it to grow the necessary 10 inches. "I don't miss my hair at all," Moon said. "And it grows really quickly." At Locks of Love, the focus is on helping kids who have gone bald and feel embarrassed to go out in public to go on with the activities they normally enjoy. Lauren Kukkamaa, who works for the organization, believes that it is important for kids to live out their lives as normally as possible. "Many times, a lot of children feel embarrassed by their baldness, " she said. "They have low self-confidence, so they may want to stop playing sports or going to summer camps. When they get the hair wigs, they feel confident to start doing these things again." "For a donor, I think it's a very personal donation," said Kukkamaa. "You're giving of yourself. If you're looking for a way to get involved and give back, I think it's a great opportunity for someone." Moon, who first donated her hair when she was 15 after she found out her father had cancer, said donating is a good way to make a difference. "The best part is that it's helpful for someone and it does make a difference for patients who need the hair," she said. What would be the best title for the text? A. You can make a difference B. Bald kids are very poor C. Donating your hair D. Wearing real hair wigs Answer: C My name is Mary Green. I live in a new house with my parents. There is a beautiful and a small room for me. I like it very much. Now let me tell you something about my new house. My new house is on a busy street. There is a big, new and clean park across from my house. I can see the flowers in it from my room. We often take a walk in the park after dinner every evening. There is a big supermarket near my house. It is between a hospital and a cinema. We can buy fruits, vegetables and food in the supermarket. They are good but cheap. My school is near my house. So I always go to school on foot. I like my new house. Do you like it? How is the park? A. old B. big C. dirty D. small Answer: B My House My mother moved a lot when she was growing up on account of Grandpa being in the army. She hated having to adjust to new schools and make new friends. That's why I thought she was joking when she put forward the idea of moving. But she was completely serious. "For just the two of us," my mother said, "an apartment in the city will suit our needs much better." Personally, I think she's lost her mind. I guess I can understand why she would want to move, but what about me and what this house means to me? I suppose if you looked at my house, you might think it was just another country house. But to me it is anything but standard. I moved into this house with my parents ten years ago. I can still remember that first day like it was yesterday. The first thing I noticed was the big front yard. To me it seemed like an ocean of grass--I couldn't wait to dive in. The backyard was full of gnarled (, ) and scary trees that talk on windy nights. But I grew to like them and the shadows they cast in my room. My father and I even built a small tree house, where I often go to remember all the wonderful times we had before Father's death. This house is special--maybe only to me--but special nevertheless. It's the little seemingly insignificant things that make this house so special to me: the ice-cold tile floors that make me tremble on midnight snack runs; the smell of my father's pipe that still exists; the towering bookcases of my mother; the view outside my bedroom window. This house holds too many memories, memories which would be lost if we gave it up. How did the author let us feel that the house was special to her? A. By arguing whether the house was standard. B. By explaining why the house suited their needs. C. By describing the s D. By comparing the differences between country and city life. Answer: C If you go to Brisbane, Australia, you can easily get a small book called Discover Brisbane free. The book tells you almost everything in Brisbane: the restaurants, the shops, the cinemas, the streets, the buses, the trains, the banks, etc. Here is something about banks on page 49: ANZ Banking Group Cnr. Greek && Queen Sts .................. 228 3228 Bank of New Zealand 410 Queen Street ........................... 221 0411 Bank of Queensland 229 Elizabeth Street ........................ 229 3122 Commonwealth Banking Group 240 Queen Street ........................... 237 3111 National Australia Bank Ltd 225 Adelaide Street ........................ 221 6422 Westpac Banking Corp 260 Queen Street ........................... 227 2666 Banking hours are Mon.-Thu. 9:30 am to 4 pm. Fri. 9:30 am to 5 pm. All banks close Sat. Sun. && Public Holidays. Australia has a decimal currency with 100 cents to the dollar. Notes available are: $100, $50, $20, $10, $5 Gold coins are: $2 && $1 Silver coins are: 50, 20, 10&&5 cent Copper coins are: 2 && 1 cent _ seems to be the most important street in Brisbane. A. Greek Street B. Elizabeth Street C. Queen Street D. Adelaide Street Answer: C The weekend is usually a time of rest. But today's Chinese teenagers can't rest during the weekends. According to a survey , 24% of the Junior students in Beijing have classes at the weekend. Over 40% of the Junior 3 students have less than eight hours of sleep each night. Ji Ping, a Junior student in Guangzhou, has to get up at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. Then she has a whole day of classes. On Sunday she gets to extra classes for Maths and English. But she doesn't complain . She says that all her classmates work hard on Sunday. Liu Yang is from Dalian. As a Junior 2 student, his weekends are less busy. But he always spends Saturday in school. On Sunday, after finishing homework, he plays basketball. He feels happy because he still has time to do the things he likes. A few students are lucky. Yang Qing, a Junior 3 student from Zibo, Shangdong, is one of them. At weekends, she usually gets up at 8:00. Then she spends some time doing homework. After that she is free to do what she likes. "Don't push yourself too much. Learning well at school is easy," she said. And she is a top student in her class. What does Liu Yang do after finishing homework on Sunday? A. He plays basketball. B. He plays football. C. He reads books. D. He does housework. Answer: A Surfing--the art of riding a wave on a pointed board--is the wildest, fastest natural water sport known to man. In recent years, it has developed into a major sport around the world, from Australia to South Africa. Australians brave men--eating sharks to ride the green waves Down Under, Hawaiian experts risk(...) their lives on huge, thirty foot swells against the wind of Oahu; Californians of all ages go out the year-round. In the winter, surf-riders put on life-suits to ride grave waves so cold that their flesh turns blue. Surfing is no sport for weak persons. Swimming a quarter of a mile or more, and pushing a surfboard out to where the swells are just right for riding, can be real work. Then, at exactly the right moment, you climb up the wave and go fast across the face of a powerful swell with the white water jumping at your feet. The huge wave bites at your shoulder, threatening at any moment to smash your flat. In the next several seconds, a cool head and lightning--quick action back to the pressure of the attacking wave will bring your board under control for that great ride down the back of the great, green mountain of water. Once on the beach, you know why surfing is growing in popularity as an international sport, and you're glad to be a member of this new water world. In order to experience what real surfing is, _ . A. you must first swim a quarter of a mile to warm your body B. you will first ride on a board to reach the swells C. you must first put on your life-suits before doing surfing D. you must first swim to the swells with your board Answer: D 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." At first McElrah began singing and dancing in public in order to _ . A. make a living B. entertain the public C. rise to fame D. encourage herself Answer: D Is there a magic cutoff period when children become responsible for their own actions? Is there a wonderful moment when parents can become lookers-on in the lives of their children and shrug , "It's their life," and feel nothing? When I was in my twenties, I stood in a hospital passage waiting for doctors to put a few stitches in my son's head. I asked, "When do you stop worry?" The nurse said, "When they get out of the accident stage. " My mother just smiled gently and said nothing. When I was in my thirties, I sat on a little chair in a classroom and heard how one of my children talked continually and disturbed the class. As if to read my mind, a teacher said. "Don't worry, they all go through this stage and then you can sit back, relax and enjoy them" My mother just smiled gently and said nothing. When I was in my forties, I spent a lifetime waiting for the phone to ring, the cars to come home, the front door to open. A friend said, " They're trying to find themselves, Don't worry, in a few years, you can stop worrying. They'll be adults. " My mother just smiled gently and said nothing. By the time I was 50, I was sick and tired of being weak. I was still worrying over my children, but there was a new wrinkle, there was nothing I could do about it. My mother just smiled gently and said nothing. I continued to suffer from their failures, and be absorbed in their disappointments. My friends said that when my kids got married I could stop worrying and lead my own life. I wanted to believe that, but I was haunted by my mother's warm smile and her occasional "You look pale. Are you all right?" Call me minute you get home. Are you depressed about something ?" Can it be that parents are sentenced to a lifetime of worry? One of my children became quite anxious about me recently, saying, "Where were you ? I've been calling for three days, and no one answered. I was worried. " I smiled a warm smile . The torch has been passed. The author mentioned her ages of twenties, thirties, forties and fifty in order to show _ . A. the hard times she experiences in her life B. the different stages of her children C. the support she received from her mother D. she had been worrying about her children in her life Answer: D
If you watch the sky for about an hour after the sun goes down , you may see some " moving stars". But they're not really stars. They're man--made satellites . And the biggest of all is the International Space Station(ISS). From May to July is the best season to watch the ISS flying over the earth. And people can see it with their eyes. The ISS is the biggest satellite and scientists want to live on it. They think that the best way to learn more about space is to live there. When the space station is finished , it will be like a city in space. People will stay and study there with many of the things they have at home. Laboratories, living rooms and power stations are being built. The ISS is the most expensive space program. Billions of dollars are being spent on it every year. Scientists hope that the ISS will be _ for future space exploration . "The ISS will help us understand the human body better, explore space and study the earth. It can help us make life on the earth better, " said Kathryn Clark , an ISS scientist. Sixteen countries are part of the program: the US, Russia, Canada, Japan, Brazil and 11 European countries. China isn't an ISS country , but it has helped with some of the experiments. In 2003 , China sent some rice up to the ISS to find out what space would do to it. ,. Where do you most possibly find the passage? A. A TV guide. B. A storybook. C. A science magazine. D. A travel diary. Answer: C Every day, 15-year-old Martha wrote on the Internet about the meal she ate at school. She also took pictures of the food. However, Martha was very honest about the food. She did not just describe the food. She judged the taste and health of the food. Martha also began to use her blog for an important reason. She began to raise money for the organization Mary's Meals in the East African country of Malawi. It provides food for children in schools for free. Martha encouraged her readers to send money to Mary's Meals to help build a kitchen. But then, Martha began to have a problem. Many people read her blog. She became big news. The news stories showed that the food at Martha's school was not always healthy. And that made some people angry. So the school officials decided to stop Martha's blog. They said that she could not take her camera to school. But an amazing thing happened. Many people began sending messages of support across the Internet. Martha's story was even bigger than before. Now the officials had to change their minds. A few days later, Martha was again writing her blog. But more than that, people had sent a lot of money for the Malawi school children. Martha had hoped to raise about 10,000 dollars. But the total reached 100,000 dollars and still kept on growing! Martha's blog also helped to improve meals at her school. One day she wrote: As we waited for dinner we were told that we are allowed to eat as much fruit and bread as we want. No one knows what will happen to Martha's blog in future. But already this little girl has helped to change the eating experience of many children just by sharing on the Internet pictures of her school meals. Martha wrote about her school meals on her blog to _ . A. invite students to judge the food B. show the terrible taste of the food C. express her opinion about the food D. ask the school to improve the food Answer: C In December of l 992.I was a happy husband and father of two young children.A month later,I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia . After two years of chemo that helped control the disease,my body was weak and lifeless.I felt as if I were a puppet who needed help to lift his arms or hold up his head. I began to run.After six months my strength had come back.On one of my runs,one where I felt I could run forever,I decided I was going to try to run a marathon. After telling my Dad about my plan,he told me of a program that trains people to run a marathon,while raising funds for Leukemia research at the same time.So that summer,through the Leukemia Society's Team in Training program,I started to train for the Marine Corps Marathon.During mile after mile of uncertainty,the day finally came to run the marathon. On October 27,1996,at 8 A.M.,along with l9,000 other brave souls I started on a 26.2-mile journey that I will never forget. I first saw my wife Patty at the six-mile mark . She seemed happy that I was still looking as if I knew what I was doing,and having a good time doing it.At Mile l7,my mind was going back to those two horrible years that tried to bring my family and me down.I saw her again.The concern in her face told me she knew I was starting to struggle.I felt as if we were thinking the same,nine more miles and these last few years will be behind us. That thought alone pulled me forward.Mile 22,23,slowing but going,24,25,then there it was.The Iwo Jima War Memorial.I have seen nothing so grand and inspiring in my life.Three hours and forty-one minutes after I started,I crossed what I think has to be the most fitting finish line in all of road racing! That night the Leukemia Society gave me a pin at a post-race party that simply says,"Leukemia 26.2". If God wills,my cancer may once again take away my hair and my strength,maybe even my life.But it can never take away my pin,or the fact that I am a marathoner . Why does the writer think the finish line is the most fitting? A. Because running a marathon is the most suitable sport for him. B. Because the memorial is the most powerful construction he has seen. C. Because he considers it a victory over his disease to finish the race. D. Because 26.2 miles is the most reasonable distance for road racing. Answer: C A Russian, a Cuban, an American businessman and an American lawyer were on a train traveling across England. The Russian took out a large bottle of vodka, gave each of the men a drink and then threw the rest half bottle of vodka out of the window. "Why did you do that?" asked the American businessman. "There's too much vodka in my country," said the Russian, "And really we have more than we will ever use." A little later, the Cuban passed around fine Havana Cigars. Then he threw his out of the window. "I thought Cuba is not a rich country," the businessman said. "But you threw that very good cigars out of the window!" "Cigars," the Cuban answered, "are the cheapest in my country. We have more of them than we know what to do with." The American businessman sat quietly for a moment. Then he got up, caught the lawyer by the arm and threw him of the window. The four people are traveling by _ . A. bus B. air C. train D. sea Answer: C The high noise of modern life may affect speech and language development in the very young, according to a study that found the auditory parts of the brains of young mice are slower to organize properly in the presence of continuous sounds. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, reared a group of rats in an environment of continuous background noise and found that their brain circuits that receive and interpret sound did not develop at the same rate as animals that were raised in a quieter environment. Edward F. Chang and Michael Merzenich, co-authors of the study appearing in the journal Science, said that the continuous noise delayed the organization of auditory neurons during a critical two-to-three-week period after the rat pups were born. For rats not exposed to the noise, the auditory cortex neurons during this period gathered into a smaller area and began developing a selective response to sounds. But for the noiseexposed rats, this organization was slowed, causing a delay in the development of the ability to discriminate specific sound tones. The researchers said it took three or four times longer for the rats raised in a noisy environment to reach the basic bench marks of auditory development seen in the rat pups not exposed to noises. Although the rat is not a perfect model for what happens in humans, the authors note, the study does suggest that high levels of noise might possibly affect some language learning in babies. "These findings suggest that environmental noise, which is commonly present in contemporary child-rearing environments, can potentially contribute to auditory and language-related development delays,"the authors wrote in Science. The authors noted that although the brain development was delayed in rats exposed to the noise, their brains did eventually mature normally. The result of the research mainly tells us that noise _ . A. delays brain development B. stops baby growth C. affects speech and language D. destroys brains Answer: A EVERY so often, a sensational story hits the media about the kind of role models influencing UK teenagers. Youth culture celebrates too many bad examples, the reports say, and the finger of blame is often pointed at celebrities who drink or take drugs, or who are seen as sexually casual. Yet according to parents and educationalists the media itself is partly to blame. They argue that television, newspapers and magazines are obsessed with celebrity lives and over-promote a "celebrity culture" in which reality show stars are respected purely because they are on television. Meanwhile child psychologists warn of the negative effects of unsuitable role models, claiming that young people are being brainwashed into wanting to become famous overnight. They are taught to value physical appearance over personal achievement and set themselves impossible goals. According to a 2010 Home Office study, too many girls think that they have to look "sexy" and "hot" like their idols , and when they can't achieve this, they lose self-esteem or suffer from depression and eating disorders. But perhaps young people today are not as easily influenced as we think. The Girls' Attitudes Survey by Girlguiding UK (2011), for example, showed that young girls aged 11 to 21 questioned the media's description of women. Over half of the respondents disagreed with the statement that "girls and young women are portrayed fairly in the media". A Scout Association survey, of over a thousand 13- to 18-year-olds, showed that teenagers see their parents and siblings as far more positive role models than celebrities, and while many youngsters list celebrities like Kate Moss and Katie Price as role models, others list high achievers like David Beckham, Paralympian swimmer Eleanor Simmons, and grandparents who fought in the Second World War. What's the best title of the passage? A. Role Modles B. Celebrity Culture C. Media Influence D. Psychological Recognition Answer: B Imagine being given the opportunity to wake up to lions, eat your meals with monkeys, and even share your bath with bears, all from the comfort of a unique new lodging experience. The Jamala Wildlife Lodge opened its doors in January 2015, which was set up in an effort to educate visitors about aiding the survival of many of the world's endangered species. "It's great for the animals; they're going to get more space. It's great for the viewing public; they're going to get more things to see. It will be great for tourism and just for the local community," Said Richard Tindale, the owner and operator. Spreading across three locations in the National Zoo, the 18 rooms, which range from giraffe tree houses to jungle bungalows, offer a fantastic experience with wildlife The Giraffe Treehouse The Giraffe Treehouse is set among the giraffe enclosures , and the Jungle Bungalows are luxurious individual suites which are next to either lion, cheetah , brown bear, or Malaysian sun bear enclosures. The Ushaka House Housing up to 26 people, the Ushaka House is built around the monkey enclosure and has a built-in aquarium which offers private views of some of the zoo's sharks. The Burley Griffin House Only meters from the edge of Lake Burley Griffin, the indoor and outdoor entertaining areas have splendid views across the lake to Black Mountain. The Shark House The Shark House has its own little jetty and it comes out over the shark tank here and so the people who stay in the room will be able to go to their bedroom and pat the shark. Location Located in the heart of Australia's political capital, the Jamala Wildlife Lodge at the National Zoo and Aquarium is just ten minutes from Canberra's central Business District. Which of the following is TRUE about the Iamala Wildlife Lodge? A. The Jamala Wildlife Lodge lies in the heart of Canberra. B. The Jamala Wildlife Lodge has a very long history. C. The Jamala Wildlife Lodge is outside the National Zoo. D. The Jamala Wildlife Lodge has altogether 26 houses. Answer: A One of the first things that Jim discovered while living with the Greens was that there were different television channels in Britain, the BBC broadcasts on two channels: BBC1 and BBC2. There is a mixture of serious and light programmes on BBC1; there are mainly serious programmes on BBC2. ITV is an independent channel which carries advertisements . There are no advertisements on the BBC, so everyone must pay some money to the BBC each year. There are both serious and light programmes on ITV. Because of the different channels, it is not surprising that you often see each member in Mg. Green's house wants to choose his or her own favorite channel. This is the sort of thing you hear: "There's sports programme on ITV." "What's that, children?" "We were wondering if we could watch the sports programme on ITV." "But I was wondering whether to watch the other programme on BBC1." And so on. The children like ITV; mother prefers BBC1; father prefers BBC2. Jim hasn't made up his mind. We can conclude that Jim_. A. is a member of the Greens B. had no idea whether to watch TV C. was once a guest in the Greens D. prefers ITV to the BBC Answer: C The mobile phone rule is just common polite behavior. Most people today have a mobile phone. In fact, many people can't imagine how they ever get along without them. However, many people also complain about mobile phone users. People complain about other people loudly discussing personal matters in public places. They complain when mobile phones ring in movie theaters and concert halls. They complain about people driving too slow, and paying no attention to where they are going because they are talking on a mobile phone. And they complain about people walking around talking to people who aren't there. Whenever a new communication technology becomes popular, it changes the way in which society is organized. Society has to invent rules for the polite way to use the new devices . Our rules of politeness for mobile phones are still evolving(;). The mobile phone rule applies to most public places. Always try to have your phone ring as low as possible or put your mobile phone on the vibration mode, so _ does not distract the people around you. The basic mobile phone rule includes: 1. Switch it off: Turn it off when you have meetings, worship, and so on. 2. Be brief: When you get a call and you're with friends, keep the call short. 3. Permission: Often, it is correct and polite behavior to inform others at the beginning of the meeting that you are expecting an important call and get their permission. 4. Be polite: Don't scream -- speak in a lower-than-normal voice. 5. Don't distract: Avoid talking where you may be distracting to others. 6. Driving: It is not only very dangerous, but also unlawful in most countries to drive and talk on your mobile phone. What is the best title for this passage? A. How to use a mobile phone. B. Mobile phone rule. C. The disadvantages of mobile phones. D. Mobile phones -- making them work for us. Answer: B Rules for the University Entrance Examination You must be at the examination center ten minutes before the examination starts. If you are more than ten minutes late, you may not enter the examination center. The examination takes place at the same time in different states. You must have proof of your name and grade as well as official examination number. Show these when you come to the examination center. Depending on which examination you are taking, you may bring certain items into the examination center. Mathematics examinations may allow you to use electronic calculators . Other subjects may allow you to use dictionaries and other reference material. Please read the notes sent with your timetable carefully. You must bring your own pencils. None will be provided for you. The following items are not allowed in the examination center: walkmans and radios, head sets, any food or drink, schoolbags, electronic equipment (unless specifically permitted for various subjects), and mobile phones. Once in the center, you must sit at the desk with your examination number on it. When you sit down, place your examination number at the top comer of your desk. You must remain silent during the examination. You must not disturb other people who are taking the test. If you need a drink or toilet break, you should raise your hand and wait for the supervisor to speak to you. You will be given water or the supervisor will take you to the bathroom. You are not allowed to talk with anyone during the break. You must write your answers in the official answer sheet. Your supervisor will provide extra paper if you wish to make notes. You may leave the examination room at any time if you do not plan to return. If you finish early and want to leave, please move well away from the examination center. The supervisor will warn you fifteen minutes, five minutes and one minute before the end of the examination. When the supervisor says that the time is up, you must put down your pencil and wait at your desk until you paper is collected. What can be provided for you during the exam? A. Pencils. B. Food and drink. C. Extra paper. D. Calculators. Answer: C
Read the following interview with Dr John Bass, an international shark specialist who has spent many years studying sharks: First of all, doctor, are all sharks dangerous? No, they aren't. There are about 250 different kinds of sharks, but fewer than 30 of them are dangerous to humans. Certain sharks are very aggressive and we should fear them, but the danger of shark attacks is much lower than most people think. So which sharks are dangerous? The Great White shark is the most dangerous. Then there is the Tiger shark, which other sharks are afraid of, and the Blue shark. Both of them are very fast and dangerous. Which are the biggest and smallest sharks? The Whale shark is the biggest shark in the world. It grows up to 15 m in length and weighs as much as six large cars. The smallest shark, which is found near prefix = st1 /Japan, could fit into the palm of your hand because it is only 15-20 cm long. Do all sharks have teeth ? Yes, they do. Most sharks have hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of sharp teeth. These are arranged in rows of four or more. They fit quite loosely in the jaw. When the front ones break off or fall out, spare teeth move forwards from the rows behind: Sharks get a new set of teeth every two weeks. In 10 years, a Tiger may lose as many as 24,000 teeth! That's lots of teeth! What kind of food do sharks eat? Most sharks feed on small fish, and they keep the oceans healthy by eating sick and injured fish. However, hungry sharks will eat almost anything, including smaller sharks and even rubbish. Inside one Tiger shark which was found, there was a tin can, a bicycle tyre , a leather wallet and an alarm clock! And how do sharks find their food, doctor? A shark's sense of smell is excellent. It will follow the smell of blood across thousands of metres of ocean. They also see well, and they have good hearing. Sharks can feel movement in water very easily too, and it is possible for them to feel a fish moving as far as 30 m away. A shark's best sense which helps it most in finding food is its sense of _ . A. taste B. sight C. smell D. hearing Answer: C Archaeology, like many academic words, comes from Greek and means, more or less, "the study of old things". So, it is really a part of the study of history. However, most historians use paper evidence, such as letters, paintings and photographs, but archaeologists learn from the objects left behind by the humans of long ago. Normally, _ are the hard materials that don't break down or disappear very quickly--things like human bones and objects made from stone and metal. It is very unusual to find anything more than the hard evidence of history--normally, the bacteria in the air eat away at soft materials, like bodies, clothes and things made of wood. Occasionally, things are different. In 1984, two men made an amazing discovery while working in a bog called Lindow Moss, in the north of England. A bog is a very wet area of earth, with a lot of plants growing in it. It can be like a very big and very thick vegetable soup--walk in the wrong place and you can sink and disappear forever. The men were working when one of them saw something sticking out--a human foot! Naturally, the men called the police, who then found the rest of the body. Was it a case of murder? Possibly--but it was a death nearly two thousand years old. The two men had found a body from the time of the Roman invasion of Britain. Despite being so old, this body had skin, muscles, hair and internal organs--the scientists who examined him were able to look inside the man's stomach and find the food that he had eaten for his last meal! Why was this man so well preserved? It was because he was in a very watery environment, safe from the bacteria that need oxygen to live. Also, the water in the bog was very acidic. The acid preserved the man's skin in the way that animal skin is preserved for leather coats and shoes. How did he die? Understandably, archaeologists and other scientists wanted to know more about the person that they called "Lindow Man". His hands and fingernails suggested that he hadn't done heavy manual work in his life--he could have been a rich man. They found that he hadn't died by accident. The archaeologists believe that he was sacrificed to three different gods. According to the passage, which of the following statements is right? A. "Lindow Man" was named after the person who first found him. B. Historians usually use paper evidence, while archaeologists use hard evidence. C. "Lindow Man" was found by two archaeologists in the south of England. D. "Lindow Man" was good at work by hand. Answer: B The Beijing Hutong (old lane) areas have a very special and important position in the rich history and culture of Beijing. While visiting the Beijing Hutong, you can appreciate the dramatic changes that the rest of Beijing has undergone. You can see evidence of the history of Beijing, experience the old way of life and experience traditional Beijing culture. The Beijing Hutong is made up of lanes or alleys formed by lines of pre-modern quadrangles (siheyuan), four-sided dwelling compounds or quadrangles consist of one-story courtyard houses, which make up old Beijing, and feature typical Chinese residential architecture. Beijing road classification was once s follow: A 36-foot-wide road was called a standard, street, an 18-foot-wide one was a small street and a 9-foot-wide lane was named a hutong. In fact, the Beijing Hutongs are unclassifiable by the traditional standard, ranging from 40 centimeters to 10 feet in width. The longest hutong has more than 20 turns. It is easy to get lost in the maze of winding lanes hat is the hutong, with the gray-tiled houses and deep alleys crossing each other, all identical in appearance, with many blind hutongs or culdesacs. Hutongs were first named as such in the Yuan Dynasty(1271-1368), with its Mongolian rulers having an influence on the Chinese language. However, siheyuan or quadrangles have probably been around much longer. The name of a hutong represents its origin, location or history. It is in the gray-tiled deep lanes that families play, travel, buy goods, gossip and connect. In beijingers'eyes, hutong means a period of history, a cordial lifestyle and even an "encyclopedia of Beijing". When urban construction threatens the existence of these hutongs, Beijingers become worried. Beijing still has about 400 000 residential quadrangles now, mainly distribute over the East, West, Xuanwu and Chongwen districts. The municipal government has marked a number of these compounds for protection. If you would like to have a glimpse into Beijing' Yesterday, you are highly recommended to have a short adventure trip to the Hutongs. Beijing Hutong Tour (Rickshaw Hutong, Bike Hutong and Walk Hutong) is organized by Beijing Xinhua International Tours. Where can this passage be found? A. In tourist handbooks. B. In geographic magazines. C. In history books. D. In books about Chinese culture. Answer: A John Denver has got international fame as a pop star, songwriter, actor and environmental activist ( ). Songs like Take Me Home, Country Road, Rocky Mountain High and Annie's Song have become very popular. But less than thirty years ago, John Denver was a young man with little more than a fine voice, a guitar, and a dream. Growing up in conservative family, he was not believed to drop out of college and head to Los Angeles, where the music scene was flowering. Nor was he believed to succeed. In Take Me Home, John Denver talked about the story that shaped his life, with the story of the rich inner journey of a shy Midwestern boy. With honesty and cleverness, he wrote about his childhood, the feeling of moving to Los Angeles as the 60s came, his first lucky breaks, his first songwriting success with leaving on a Jet Plane and finally got a world fame. He also wrote about his relationship with his first and second wife, as well as his parents, his children, his partners through his life and his friends. Honest and rich in the book that only a natural-born storyteller could write so well, Take Me Home is very good from the beginning to the end. It's like spending a few days with a good friend. From this passage, we can conclude that _ . A. John Denver's family didn't want him to leave college B. he often had trips when he was a shy boy C. he moved to Los Angeles with his parents D. his family believed he would succeed Answer: A Enough "meaningless drivel". That's the message from a group of members of the UK government who have been examining how social media firms like LinkedIn gather and use social media data. The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee's report, released last week, has blamed firms for making people sign up to long incomprehensible legal contracts and calls for an international standard or kitemark to identify sites that have clear terms and conditions. "The term and conditions statement that we all carelessly agree to is meaningless drivel to anyone," says Andrew Miller, the chair of the committee. Instead, he says, firms should provide a plain-English version of their terms. The simplified version would be checked by a third party and awarded a kitemark if it is an accurate reflection of the original. It is not yet clear who would administer the scheme, but the UK government is looking at introducing it on a voluntary basis. "we need to think through how we make that work in practice," says Miller. Would we pay any more attention to a kitemark? "I think if you went and did the survey, people would like to think they would," says Nigel Shadbolt at the University of Southampton, UK, who studies open data. "We do know people worry a lot about the inappropriate use of their information." But what would happen in practice is another matter, he says. Other organisations such as banks ask customers to sign long contracts they may not read or understand, but Miller believes social media requires special attention because it is so new. "We still don't know how significant the long-term impact is going to be of unwise things that kids put on social media that come back and bite them in 20 years' time," he says. Shadbolt, who gave evidence to the committee, says the problem is that we don't know how companies will use our data because their business models and uses of data are still evolving. Large collections of personal information have become valuable only recently, he says. The shock and anger when a social media firm does something with data that people don't expect, even if users have apparently permission, show that the current situation isn't working. If properly administered, a kitemark on terms and conditions could help people know what exactly they are signing up to. Although they would still have to actually read them. The writer advises users of social media to _ . A. think carefully before posting anything onto such websites B. read the terms and conditions even if there is a kitemark C. take no further action if they can find a kitemark D. avoid providing too much personal information Answer: B Your kids learn a lot from their friends--things you can't teach them, no matter how much you want to. Probably the most important thing kids learn is how to have peer relationships. As a parent, you can't do this, because you and your child aren't equals. For example, when you're sitting on your family room floor and your very young child asks you to pass him the blocks, you probably hand them right over. If your child is sitting with a peer and asks the same thing, though, he might not get what he wants. To succeed, your child will need to learn strategies for getting what he wants. For example, he might simply yank the toy out of his friend's hand. If he does that, he may learn that it's not the best way of getting what he wants because it leads to fighting and time-outs. The successful child will learn that he needs to negotiate a trade, to wait patiently, or to find something else equally fun to play with. Friends also provide emotional support, something that is part of the foundation of healthy adulthood. You can't be with your child on the elementary school playground or at the high school dance. Your child's friends will be the ones to _ her, to include her in games, and later, to tell her she looks great even if her lousy prom date wanders off instead of dancing with her. Friends also help your children learn. Friends solve problems together, imitate each other, and pass on knowledge . Some experts believe that the single biggest predictor of your child's success later in life is her ability to make friends. In fact, they claim it's even more important than IQ and grades. This doesn't mean that the kids who are most popular in school do the best later on in life. What matters is not the number of friends a child has but rather the quality of the relationships. This is good news for those of us who hate to think that popularity really is the Holy Grail of childhood and adolescence. While it's true that popularity has many advantages, and that many popular kids really are nice people--and not just the best dressed or best looking--it's better to have a few good friends than to have the admiration of the masses. In the author's opinion, _ is more important than being popular for kids. A. getting high grades B. having some real friends C. developing a good habit D. knowing how to dress themselves up Answer: B Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida and has a large number of shopping malls to suit different tastes for tourists and guests to shop. Here are some great places where you can shop in Jacksonville. Gateway Town Center The venerable Gateway Town Center is one of Jacksonville's oldest shopping malls, providing an eclectic mix of exciting stores and fun amusements! Gateway Town Center is located at 5184 Norwood Avenue and owns a mixture of retail boutiques , like Footlocker and Ashley Stewart. You can visit Gateway Town Center Mondays through Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 6:00. St. Johns Town Center The newest and trendiest shopping destination in the city is St. Johns Town Center. This center has all your national favorites like Dillard's, Barnes & Noble and Target as well as a great restaurant selection. St. Johns Towns Center is open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sundays. Regency Square Shopping Center On 9501 Arlington Expressway stands the Regency Square Mall. Children like riding on the mall's mini train while adults like to shop and socialize. Movie fans will like knowing that the Regency Square Mall has a 24 screen AMC theater. You can visit this mall from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and Sundays from noon to 6:00 p.m. River City Marketplace River City Marketplace located in Jacksonville is the largest shopping mall in the city with 70 shops including such stores as Lowes, Wal-Mart Super Center, Pet Smart and Old Navy. All these shops can be found at the open-air plaza. The mall's 14 screen Hollywood theaters are a great attraction for movie buffs. River City Marketplace's hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sundays. Children would like to visit Regency Square Shopping Center probably because _ . A. they can buy a lot of wonderful toys B. they can take the mini train there C. they can play their favorite computer games D. they can make many friends Answer: B When Mencius was a little boy, his father died. Mencius and his mother were quite poor. One day Mencius returned home from school and found his mother making some cloth. It was very beautiful and expensive. "How much of the book have you read today?" Mencius' mother asked him. "I haven't read any of it yet." Mencius replied, "I played with some friends of mine in the fields." When his mother heard this, she picked up a pair of scissors and cut the cloth. "Why did you cut your cloth?" Mencius asked, "It was beautiful but now you've wasted it." "You have wasted your time," his mother said, "now I have wasted mine. Look what terrible things we have done." Mencius learnt a lot from this lesson. After that, he always studied hard. ,. Why Mencius and his mother were quite poor? A. Because his father died when Mencius was a child. B. Because his father was ill in bed. C. Because his mother cut the cloth. D. Because the cloth his mother made was very cheap. Answer: A 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. The disadvantages of our books are the following except _ . A. they have little sense of interest and entertainment B. many of our books are of the same C. the authors didn't pay much attention to the children's tastes. D. Our authors never know what our children need. Answer: D Almost no young people today know who the cartoon character Oswald the Rabbit is, but they certainly recognize his successor, Bugs Bunny. Oswald, Bugs, and hundreds of other characters were created by Walt Disney, perhaps the most famous cartoonist in history. Born in prefix = st1 /Chicagoin 1901, Walt Disney always wanted to be an artist. After returning from World War I, in which he drove an ambulance, Disney worked as a commercial artist. He enjoyed drawing cartoons more than anything else, and decided to try his hand at a technology that was new at the time, moving pictures. In the 1920's, he produced several films where he made cartoon characters move as if by magic. The technique Disney used was painstaking. He made hundreds or even thousands of repeated drawings of the same character. In each drawing, the character was changed just a bit. A film was taken of the series of drawings, and when it was shown, the characters appeared to move. The process, called animation, is still used today, although computers have made the process much easier. In 1928, Disney created his most famous character, Mortimer Mouse, who we know today as Mickey. The mouse starred in a cartoon called Steamboat Willie, which was unusual because it involved the use of a sound track. Within the next few years, Disney invented many of his other characters. The list of Disney's animation successes is long and memorable. It includes Pinocchio, Dumbo, Bambi, Cinderella, and Peter Pan. Perhaps his most remarkable animated film is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Created in 1937, it was an immediate success. Today, more than fifty years later, it is still one of the most popular films for children. What makes the film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfsso remarkable? A. It was a little success when created. B. It took more than a year to make it. C. It was made at a time when there were no computers. D. It has remained popular for more than fifty years. Answer: D
I have spent almost a third of my life in China, living and working in this beautiful country. In a sense, China has been and is still my second home But in those past years I had never been to Quzhou. Some days ago, for the first time in my Chinese life, I stepped into the beautiful city of Quzhou. My impressions of Quzhou city were as I always thought: green countryside, rainy sky, wet air. That was what I imagined for years the south of China would be. When we finally arrived, I was impressed by the elegant city. Next day we were taken to visit some places not far away from the city. I was not aware of the direction of our short trip, but when we arrived at Lanke Mountain and got out of the car, I thought that we had been taken to a fairyland : the light rain over the green and thick plants, the silvery sky like a heavy blanket and the mystery of this mountain made me feel like being part of a picture. Jiulong Lake was our next step. The mystic atmosphere of this place was so strong that I decided to watch the view standing at the top when I stepped into the small boat to sail upstream. Sometimes we were so close to the mountain that we could clearly see the red soil under the plants. _ The final leg of the day's journey was a primary school. We were welcomed by the smiles on the faces of many young pioneers. The energy of the hundreds of kids made me feel younger for a while, so educated, so polite and so warm that I had no doubt about the future generations of Quzhou people. The people seem to me the best of Quzhou and they will remain in my memories forever. The writer visited _ places the next day in Quzhou. A. two B. three C. four D. five Answer: B We say that a person has good manners if he or she is polite, kind and helpful to others. Everyone likes a person with good manners. But no one likes a person with bad or careless manners. Yes, but what are good manners? How do I know what to do and what not to do? Here are some examples of the things that a well-mannered person does or does not do. He never laughs at people when they are in trouble. Instead, he tries to help them. When people are waiting for a bus, he stands in line and takes his turn. He never pushes to the front of the line. On the bus, he offers his seat to an older person or a woman with a child in the arms. If he gets in someone's way, he says "excuse me". He says "please" when he makes a request , and he says "thank you" when he receives something. He doesn't stop other people when they are talking. He does not speak with his mouth full of food when he is eating. A person with good manners thinks of _ . A. others before himself B. himself before others C. no one but himself D. others as well as himself Answer: A A Letter from Steve Jobs August 24, 2011 To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community, I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come. So I resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board feels fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee. As far as my successor goes, I strongly suggest that we name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple. I believe Apple's brightest days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role. I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you. Steve More Information: Steve Jobs (February 24, 1955--October 5, 2011) was an American businessman, designer and inventor. He is best known as the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc. Unluckily, in 2003, Jobs was diagnosed with a pancreas neuroendocrine tumor . Although the cancer was treated in the first place, he appeared thinner as his health fell. On medical leave for most of 2011, Jobs finally made a decision to resign as Apple CEO in August that year. Shortly after that, on October 5, he died. He continues to receive honors and public attention for his influence in the technology and music industries. Which of the following statement is NOT true? A. After receiving the medical treatment, Jobs was in good health again. B. Tim Cook was a friend and co-worker of Jobs. C. People will remember and honor Jobs for his influence in the technology and music industries. D. Jobs believed that Apple would have a bright future. Answer: A If you go to visit London, you'll see a lot of buses and cars on the road. You'll also see many bikes because more people travel by bike. Why? There are many reasons. First, it is very cheap to buy a bike, and it is quick, too. You often need to wait for a bus for half an hour. When the bus comes, there are so many other buses and cars on the roads, so the bus moves very slowly. I travel to work by bus for about four years. I often arrive at work late and feel tired. Then one day, a friend of mine says, "I go to work by bike. Why don't we travel together?" "Because my bike is old, and there are so many buses and cars on the roads. I'll feel frightened." I answer. "Don't be afraid, if you follow me and we ride slowly, you'll be fine." he says. Later, I buy a new bike. We go slowly, but we arrive at work quickly. I spend 40 minutes going by bus, but only half an hour by bike! Now I love riding a bike. And I feel healthy. Many people think my idea is good and maybe you'll see more bikes on the road in the future. Maybe you will see more _ on the roads in London. A. cars B. buses C. trains D. bicycles Answer: D Nearly eight hundred million people in this world cannot read or write,most of them in developing countries.Two-thirds are women and girls. John Wood who started the Room to Read campaign ,has opened1650 schools and 15000 libraries in some of the world's poorest communities .He said that from the beginning,Room to Read's goal was to reach 10 million children around the world in the poorest countries. In 1998,on a three-week vacation journey in Nepal,Wood met a local headmaster who invited him to visit his school in a far mountain village.The experience changed Wood's life. "This headmaster had 450 students at the school,but he didn't have any books," Wood said."He had a library that was empty." Wood promised to fill the library shelves and returned to the village one year later with some of his friends with 3000 books.And that was just the start.Later,Wood used some of his personal money to start Room to Read. He believes that world change begins with educated children.Today,the programme can be found in10 countries across Asia and Africa. Wood believes the key to the program's success is local support.While Room to Read gives away money and provides books,communities offer land and parents help build the school.Agnes,a Room to Read teacher in Zambia who also runs the library,is proud to say the literacy' at her school has improved. Room to Read's biggest challenge is the huge need. Hundreds of communities have asked for literacy prograrnmes.One way of Room to Read's success is that it will achieve Wood's goal of reaching 10 million kids by 2015,five years earlier than it is planned. When John Wood travelled in Nepal in 1998,he _ . A. visited many local schools B. sent many books to local children C. started the Room to Read campaign D. met a man who changed his life Answer: D Jim is a young farmer. He was once put into prison( ). One day, he got a letter from his mother. " I'm so worried about our farm,"she wrote."it's time to plant potatoes. I can't dig ( ) all the fields( ) by myself." Jim read the letter and became sad. " What can I do?" he thought. Then he had a good idea. He wrote to his mother," don't dig the fields. There is much money in the earth. Don't plant potatoes until I come home." Some days later, Jim got another letter from his mother. It said, " Two days ago, about ten men came to our farm and dug all the fields. I can't understand it. It seemed that they were looking for something. What should I do?" Jim smiled when he read his mother's letter. He wrote a letter to his mother at once. It was very short. Guess what it would say. In the letter to his mother, Jim told his mother not to _ . A. dig the fields B. dig for the money C. ask others for help D. go to the prison to see him Answer: D Daniel Hillel developed drip irrigation techniques. The techniques make farming possible in places where there is not enough water. Because of this, he won this year's World Food Prize. Hillel is using the techniques in his orchards near his home in Israel. Irrigating drop by drop -- called drip irrigation -- has changed agriculture by greatly reducing the amount of water needed. Farmers now rely on it in places from Spain, to Africa, to America. "We in California grow about 50 percent of the fruits and vegetables of the continental United States," says Jan Hopmans from University of California at Davis. "And these drip irrigation techniques make it possible." Hillel got his start in dry land farming in Israel's Negev Desert in the 1950s. "The key was making good use of water," he says. "There's much land. Water is limited." These farmers did not have the advantage of running irrigation water through channels to their crops. So Hillel and others gave plants just what they needed and just where they needed it. "The idea is to use water little by little," Hillel says. It worked so well that Hillel was soon traveling around the world, showing others how to do it. Experts say drip irrigation's importance is growing, as climate change and rising population make water supplies become few in many parts of the world. "This is where water use, climate change and crop production all meet at one point," Hillel says. "And this has been really the essence of my career." A career whose importance can be measured drop by drop. The writer considers Daniel Hillel's career to be _ . A. worthy of respect B. worthy of understanding C. brief D. hard Answer: A Reading to oneself is modern activity which was almost unknown to the learned in the early days of the history, while during the fifteenth century the term "reading" undoubtedly meant reading aloud. Only during the nineteenth century did silent reading become popular. One should be careful, however, of supposing that silent reading came about simply because reading aloud is distraction to others. Examination of reasons connected with the historical development of silent reading shows that it became the usual mode of reading for most adult reading tasks mainly because the tasks themselves changed in character. The last century saw a gradual increase in literacy and thus in the number of readers. As readers increased, so the number of listeners dropped, and thus there was some reduction in the need to read aloud. As reading for the benefit of listeners grew less common, so came the popularity of reading as a private activity in such public places as libraries, trains and offices, where reading aloud would disturb other readers in a way. Towards the end of the century there was still heated argument over whether books should be used for information or treated respectfully, and over whether the reading of material such as newspapers was in some way mentally weakening. Indeed this argument remains with us still in education. However, whatever its advantages, the old shared literacy culture had gone and was replaced by the printed mass media on the one hand and by books and magazines for a specialized readership on the other. By the end of the century students were being advised to have some new ideas of books and to use skill in reading them which were not proper, if not impossible, for the oral reader. The social, cultural, and technological developments in the century had greatly changed what the term "reading" referred to. The development of silent reading during the nineteenth century showed _ . A. a change in the nature of reading B. a change in the position of literate people C. an increase in the number of books D. an increase in the average age of readers Answer: A I am in my father's house in Connecticut, sitting at a crowded table with my brother, my two sisiters and all our partners, talking about a tree. "He doesn't want it cut down." My sister says when my father has gone to bed and none of us speaks of the tree in his presence. "He says he usef to climb it when he was a boy." When I was last here, a year and a half ago, for my father's 90th birthday, Hurricane Irene drove seawater into the roads. The large tree that hangs over the houses swayed alarmingly, but it stayed up. Last October, Hurricane Sandy acused a great deal of damage. Six months on, many of the surrounding houses are on sale, but the tree that hangs over the house still stands. "That tree," my brother says, "has survived the two worst storms of the last 100 years." Though my brother thinks highly of the amazing staying power of the tree, my sister says that the tree should never have been planted: it stops light from reaching the house. My other sister's partner says that all trees fall down eventually. There is plenty of evidence for what he says: throughout the neighborhood, the ramains of similarly sized trees lie on their sides, with their roots in the air. During this discussion, I offer to pay a quarter of whatever is required to remove the tree. "A guy I talked to," my brother says, "told me it could cost us$10,000." As night wears on, the discussion becomes increaslingly meaningless. There is no point in reaching any kind of agreement, since the decision is not for us to make. It's my father's tree, and he has refused to cut down the only thing in the neighborhood older than him. What is the author's opinion about the tree? A. He admires its amazing staying power B. He thinks it should never have been planted C. He would like to have it removed D. He wants to sell it for some money Answer: C Some say everyday miracles are predestined ----the right time for the appointed meeting. And it can happen anywhere. In 2001, 11-year-old Kevin Stephan was a bat boy for his younger brother's Little League team in Lancaster, New York. It was an early evening in late July. Kevin was standing on the grass away from the plate, where another youngster was warming up for the next game. Swinging his bat back and forth, giving it all the power an elementary school kid could give. The boy brought the bat back hard and hit Kevin in the chest. His heart stopped. When Kevin fell to the ground, the mother of one of the players rushed out of the stands to his aid. Penny Brown hadn't planned to be there that day, but at the last minute, her shift at the hospital had been changed to see her son's performance. She was given the night off. Penny bent over the senseless boy, his face already starting to turn blue, and giving CPR, breathing into his mouth and giving chest compressions. And he _ in the end. After his recovery, he became a volunteer junior firefighter, learning some of the emergency first-aid techniques that had saved his life. He studied hard in school and was saving money for college by working as a dishwasher in a local restaurant in his spare time. Kevin, now 18, was working in the kitchen when he heard people screaming, customers in confusion, employees rushing toward a table. He hurried into the main room and saw a woman there, her face turning blue, her hands at her throat. She was choking. Quickly Kevin stepped behind her, wrapped his arms around her and clasped his hands. Then, using skills he'd first learned in Scouts. The food that was trapped in the woman's throat was freed. The color1 began to return to her face. "The food was stuck. I couldn't breathe," she said. She thought she was dying. "I was very frightened." Who was the woman? Penny Brown. Why did Penny Brown change her shift and was given the night off that night? A. She was invited to give the players directions B. She volunteered to give medical services C. She was a little worried about his son's safety D. She came to watch her son's game and cheered him Answer: D
Loyal, aged 60, who had no plans for early retirement, had worked for Mutate, Inc., for 20 years as a managerial employee-at-will when he had a conversation with the company's president, George Mutant, about Loyal's post- retirement goal of extensive travel around the United States. A month later, Mutant handed Loyal a written, signed resolution of the company's Board of Directors stating that when and if Loyal should decide to retire, at his option, the company, in recognition of his past service, would pay him a $2,000per-month lifetime pension. (The company had no regularized retirement plan for atwill employees.) Shortly thereafter, Loyal retired and immediately bought a $30,000 recreational vehicle for his planned travels. After receiving the promised $2,000 monthly pension from Mutate, Inc., for six months, Loyal, now unemployable elsewhere, received a letter from Mutate, Inc., advising him that the pension would cease immediately because of recessionary budget constraints affecting in varying degrees all managerial salaries and retirement pensions. In a suit against Mutate, Inc., for breach of contract, Loyal will probably A. win, because he retired from the company as bargained-for consideration for the Board's promise to him of a lifetime pension. B. win, because he timed his decision to retire and to buy the recreational vehicle in reasonable reliance on the Board's promise to him of a lifetime pension. C. lose, because the Board's promise to him of a lifetime pension was an unenforceable gift promise. D. lose, because he had been an employee- at-will throughout his active service with the company. Answer: B Where do you like to live? For this question, different people have different answers. Some people like to live in a city because there are many shops and supermarkets. They think it is convenient to buy things. But some people think it is good to live in a quiet town because they don't like the dirty air in the big city. They dislike pollution in the city. Today, some people like travelling, so they would like to buy house cars. House car is both a house and a car. You can't buy it with a little money. There is a driving area in the car. You can do lots of things in the car. There is a bed and a lamp in the bedroom. You can make dinner in the kitchen. You can also find a fridge and a sink in it. You can listen to music and watch TV in the sitting room. If you are tired, you can have a shower or a bath in the bathroom. You can do most things you want to do. Life is travelling. Do you want to live in this kind of car? From the passage, what can you know? A. You can't have a comfortable life in the town. B. You can do anything you like in the house car. C. It is difficult to buy all the things in the city. D. Different people like to live in different places. Answer: D In the fall of 1985. I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming at a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench somewhere. Twenty-one years later I am later I am still a bright-eyed dreamer and one with quite a different tale to tell. My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college an the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that goal. But one year after I started college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for her. It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait. Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopt and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. To lay eyes on him was fantastic---and very emotional. A year later came our second adopted boy. Then followed son No. 3. In 2003, I gave birth to another boy. You can imagine how fully occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of 81. Our home was a complete zoo---a joyous zoo. Not surprising, I never did make it back to college full-time. But I never gave up on the dream either. I had only one choice: to find a way. That meant talking as few as one class each semester. The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to stay home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to quit, But I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives. In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years to get my college degree! I am not special, just single-minded. It always struck me that when you're looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you're in the midst of it, it just seems normal. Everything you want won't arrive in your life on one day. It's a process. Remember;little steps add up to big dreams. When the author went to Howard University, her dream was tobe A. a writer B. a teacher C. a judge D. a doctor Answer: C SHANGHAI - Health experts in Shanghai are calling for more protection for young children as the latest research shows about half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke. About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in families, 50 percent in public places, and almost 6 percent on public transportation, shows a research released by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center on Tuesday. "Not only adults but also children and newborn babies are at risk for the adverse effects of passive smoking," said Tang Jingyan, a doctor at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center. "Actually, those young children whose bodies are still growing and developing are more sensitive to the effects of secondhand smoke." Research has shown that children who are exposed to secondhand smoke will suffer from more colds, coughs and sore throats, and they are more likely to suffer from bronchitis, pneumonia and will have a higher risk of developing cancer. Doctors even suggested that children suffering passive smoking are more likely to have behavioral problems and may not develop mentally as quickly as their peers. Other research by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center has found that more than 80 percent of child patients in the center live in a smoke-filled household, where one or both parents smoke. "Though doctors have stressed the harm of passive smoking over and over, it is still hard to reach a totally 'smoke free' home," said a pediatrician named Zhang Yiwen, noting that parents are often tempted to smoke even though they have learned the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. China has 540 million people suffering from passive smoke, 180 million of them younger than 15.The age of smokers is also getting lower, earlier reports said. "There are more young smokers than before.You can see young people wearing a school uniform and carrying a schoolbag light a cigarette on the street.Some of them are even female students," said Jing Xingming, a professor of children's developmental behavior at the center. "Children like to imitate adults, especially their parents.If parents often smoke at home, it is very likely children will develop a smoking habit, which can cause a vicious circle," Jin said. Reports from the Ministry of Health said China has about 350 million smokers, of whom 15 million are underage smokers.Also, around 40 million of the country's 130 million children aged between 13 and 18 had tried smoking, and 15 million had become addicted to tobacco. Which of the following disease may not be connected with secondhand smoking? A. Cancer. B. Behavioral problems. C. Sore throats. D. Coughs. Answer: B Seth A. DeShane, 14, pronounced dead late Thursday at the family home, which was destroyed in the fire. "He really saved his aunt," said the Rev. Kris Dietzen, pastor at Cambridge Lutheran church. "He woke his aunt up and told her the Christmas tree was on fire." "He got her out of the house. She thought he (Seth) was behind her, but he went back inside." Dietzen said that when Seth's aunt realized the boy had gone back inside, she tried to get back in herself, but by then the smoke was so thick and the fire so intense, she had to leave the house. "She ran to a neighbor's farm, and they proceeded to call 911," Dietzen said. The fire is being blamed on malfunctioning lights on the Christmas tree on the first floor, Chief Edward Bole of the Cambridge Fire Department, said. The front half of the two - story home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived. Choose the best title for the story. A. Teen dies trying to save cats from fire B. Teen saved his aunt. C. A fire destroyed the building D. The boy hailed as a hero. Answer: A The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers.It has been made to help you better manage your money.The Winners Club is a transaction account where you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24/7 --that's 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! It's a club with impressive features for teenagers: No account keeping fees! You're no millionaire so we don't expect you to pay large fees.In fact, there are no accounts keeping or transaction fees! Excellent interest rates! You want your money to grow.The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two deposits without taking them out in a month. Convenient Teenagers are busy --we get that.You may never need to come to a bank at all.With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet.You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account.This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job! Mega magazine included Along with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money.There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members. The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers.And it is so easy to join.Simply fill in an application form.You will have to get permission from your parent or guardian (so we can organize that cool key-card) but it is easy.We can't wait to hear from you.It's the best way to choose to be a winner! What is the purpose of this passage? A. To set up a club. B. To provided part-time jobs. C. To organize key-cards D. To introduce a new banking service. Answer: D How should one invest a sum of money in these clays of inflation ? Left in a bank it will hardly keep its value, however high the interest rate. Only a brave man, or a very rich one, dares to buy and sell on the Stock Market. Today it seems that one of the best ways to protect your savings, and even increase your wealth is to buy beautiful objects from the past. Here I am going to offer some advice on collecting antique clocks, which I personally consider are among the most interesting of antiques. I sometimes wonder what a being from another planet might report back about our way of life. "The planet Earth is ruled by a mysterious creature that sits or stands in a room and makes a strange ticking sound. It has a face with twelve black marks and two hands. Men can do nothing without its permission, and it fastens its young round people's wrists so that everywhere men go they are still under its control. This creature is the real master of Earth and men are its slaves ." Whether or not we are slaves of time today depends on our culture and personality, but it is believed that many years ago kings kept special slaves to tell the time. Certain men were very clever at measuring the time of clay according to the beating of their own hearts. They were made to stand in a fixed place and every hour or so would shout tire time. So it seems that the first clocks were human beings. However, men quickly found more convenient and reliable ways of telling the time. They learned to use the shadows cast by the sun. They marked the hours on candles, used sand in hour- glasses, and invented water-clocks. Indeed, any serious student of antique should spend as much time as possible visiting palaces, stately homes and museums to see some of the finest examples of clocks from the past. Antique clocks could be very expensive, but one of the joys of collecting clocks is that it is still possible to find quite cheap ones for your own home. After all, if you are going to be ruled by time, why not invest in air antique clock and perhaps make a future profit ? According to the passage, collecting antique clocks _ . A. can hardly keep the value of your savings B. will cost much of your savings C. may increase your wealth D. needs your bravery Answer: C As a professor I have grown accustomed to the opinion regarding American education. We are repeatedly told that American schools are failing, that colleges are not teaching, and that the students of today are not as good as the students of the past. There are, of course, problems with the education system. Because of economic inequality some schools are significantly better than others and the ideas of equality of education and equality of opportunity are cruel jokes. However, the mere fact that there are some serious problems does not mean that all the _ claims are true. One stock claim is that America has fallen behind the world in education in terms of performance on various tests. While the fact that America is behind other countries is a point of concern, there are at least three points worth considering here. The first is the above-mentioned economic inequality which will tend to result in poorer performance when taking the average for America. The second is that many countries have put considerable effort into improving their education systems and hence it is worth considering that America's decline is also due to the improvement of others. The third is the matter of the measures-- do they, in fact, present an accurate picture of the situation? I am not claiming that the data is bad. I am merely raising a reasonable concern about how accurate our picture of education is at this time. Another stock claim is that American students are doing badly on standardized tests. While there is clearly value in assessment, it is reasonable to consider whether or not such tests are a proper and adequate measure of education. It is also worth considering whether the puzzle with these tests is itself causing damage to education. That is, as teachers teach for the test and students learn for the test, it might be the case that what is being taught is not what should be taught and what is being learned is not what should be learned. The passage is written mainly to _ . A. defend American education B. show dissatisfaction with American education C. explain why American students do badly on tests D. offer advice on American education reform Answer: A Jean--Francois Millet (October 4,1814----January 20, 1875) was a French painter and one of the founder of the Barbizon School in rural France. Born of a peasant family, Millet was encouraged by his father to study art in Cherbourg, France. He can be categorized as part of the movement called "naturalism" . His understanding of the peasant' hard life was perfectly expressed in his choice of subject and natural preference for powerful but simple drawing and coloring. One of the most well--known of Millet's paintings, The Gleaners(<<>> ),first came in a vertical composition painted in 1854,and then there came the horizontal version in 1856, which is now preserved in the Musee d'Orsay. It depicts women bending over in the fields to collect the leftover's from the harvest, and it is a monumental composition devoted to the working class. Previously, servants were depicted in paintings as obedient to a noble or a king, and picking up what was left of the harvest was regarded as one of the lowest jobs in Millet;s times. However, Millet offered these women as the heroic focus of the picture. Besides, in the painting, light lights up the women's shoulders as they carry out their work. Behind them, the field that stretches into the distance is bathed in golden light, under a wide , magnificent sky. The forms of the three figures, standing against the lighter field, show balance and harmony. As for the painting The Gleaners, _ . A. it is originally a horizontal composition B. it is based on the effort of Musee d'Orsay C. it presents women in the field as the chief focus D. it shows how women are stopped from working in the field Answer: C It's a nightmare for Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST): within a week,two students committed suicide by jumping off dorm buildings.,:,. Officials from the university are _ to give interviews.. "We had a hard time calming down students who were shocked at the suicides," said Zhang Jingyuan,one official of HUST. "Media coverage may arouse some students' negative emotions again.Suicide can be contagious," Zhang said.,",. " The university reacted promptly to the first suicide on October 23.1023,. Advisors and class leaders conducted dorm-to-dorm checks to find students suffering depression.Then psychologists offered one-on-one counseling to them.,. ,. Notice boards publicizing tips for identifying peers' mental problems and offering help were set up in front of dorm buildings.Leaflets carrying similar information were handed out to each dorm.,. . However,the second suicide came seven days later.,,. Both students were described as men of few words.Their schoolmates didn't see anything to indicate suicide.,. . Zhang revealed that the two students had been bothered by mental disorders.But the school didn't know this until the students' close friends outside school and their parents unveiled the truth after the suicides.,. ,. According to Zhang,there are only three full-time counselors working in the university's counseling center for its 60,000 students.He complained: "It's unrealistic to rely only on counselors to detect students' mental problems.",,. :",. " Effective prevention comes from long-term education for life instead of temporary intervention to meet an emergency,said Hu Yi'an.Hu delivers a course of lectures on life and death at Guangzhou University.He worries that universities have paid little attention to education for life.,, . . . "Education for life helps students respect and love life so they won't resort to ending their lives when they have difficulties," said Hu.", ,,," . According to Hu,the principles can be incorporated into everyday teaching.,. Hu is also concerned that some universities are conveying discriminatory message that will hold back students from seeking help.. When HUST conducted the dorm-to-dorm examination,students with poor academic performance were paid special attention.In March,Peking University also released a controversial policy,which required teachers to have a chat with students "with biased thinking".,. ,,"". However,Hu suggested that students step out of their comfort zone to seek real-life communication. Which measure the university took to the first suicide is incorrect? A. Conducting checks to find out the students' depression. B. Offering counseling to the students. C. Setting up notice boards publicizing tips for identifying peers' mental problems and offering help. D. Handing out leaflets to each student. Answer: D
Qi Haoran, a Junior 1 student at High School Attached to Harbin Institute of Technology, was quite busy over the past winter vacation--and not just with homework. Qi, together with 10 other classmates made a volunteer group to call on people to join the Clean Your Plate Campaign . The 11 students went to many restaurants and told people the importance of saving food."Excuse me, do you know that 950 million people around the world still haven't got enough to eat? Could you please not waste food?"They would say this kind of thing hundreds of times every day. China in recent years has experienced serious problems with wasted food. CCTV reported in January that the food Chinese people waste every year is enough to feed 200 million people for a year. It's a tradition that Chinese people offer lots of food when they invite others to dinner. Many even feel that they will lose face if their guests have eaten all their food. Luckily the campaign has got the support of many. In a restaurant in Xinjiang, the owner gives the guests who have eaten up all that they ordered a sticker. People can enjoy a free meal when they have 10 stickers. More than 750 restaurants in Beijing have begun to offer smaller dishes and encourage their guests to take leftovers home. Wasting food is a serious problem around the world, not only in China. It's said that 2 billion tons of food ends up as waste every year in our country. This is as much as half of all the food in the world. The UN Environment Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization held a"Think, Eat, Save" program on January 24 to help reduce food waste. To reduce food waste is a big task, and it needs time. It's important that everyone does their bit, just like Qi. Did you finish your meals today? The Clean Your Plate Campaign calls on people to _ . A. do volunteer work B. work part time in restaurants C. stop wasting food D. wash their plates after dinner Answer: C 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? Why does Frank tries his best to save money? A. Because his family is very poor. B. Because his parents don't give him any pocket money. C. Because he thinks it's not easy for his parents to make money. D. Because he is very mean. Answer: C When I was five years old. I took a boat out on the river and went fishing by myself. I really wanted to catch a fish! But they were not biting. I stayed in my boat for three days, waiting. A few times, I thought I felt a fish at the end of the line. The first time I pulled in my catch, it was not a fish; it was an old bag. The second time, it was a shoe. Finally, at the end of the third day, I felt a strong pull at the end of the line. The pull was so strong they my boat raced around and around. I needed all my power just to hold onto the fishing rod. I pulled, and I pulled and I caught the biggest fish that ever swam on the Earth! It was heavier than everyone in this room put together! Then something terrible happened! After I pulled the huge fish into my boat, I saw that the boat was going under water! Water was coming into the boat from all sides! I was not a very good swimmer, so I was scared. Although it was the hardest choice I ever made. I had to let the fish go. I pushed it back over the side of the boat, and we waved good-bye to each other as it swam away. How long did the writer spend in his boat? A. Two days. B. Two hours C. Three days D. Three hours Answer: C You had me at "Hello"! It turns out our opening words speak volumes--people take less than a second to form an impression of someone's personality based on their voice alone. We know that our voices can convey information about our sex, age, even body strength and certain personality characteristics, but Phil McAleer at the University of Glasgow and his colleagues wondered whether we make an instant impression. To find out, they recorded 64 volunteers as they read a passage. They then picked the word "hello" and asked 320 listeners to mark the voices for personality characteristics--including trust, dominance and attractiveness. Although it's not clear how accurate such immediate judgements are, what is obvious is that we all make them, and very quickly. "We were surprised by just how similar people's marks were," says McAleer. It makes sense that decisions about personality should happen really fast, says McAleer. The impression that our voices convey appears to be related to several factors, such as sex differences and age groups, especially the pitch of voice on the top. For example, the pitch of a person's voice influenced how reliable they seemed. "A guy who raises his pitch becomes more trustworthy," says McAleer. "Whereas a girl who changes from a high to a low pitch is seen as more trustworthy than a girl whose voice goes up at the end of the word." It is possible to change some of these aspects of your voice, he says. "It has been said that Margaret Thatcher and the Queen were both trained to make their voices appear more dominant." Some aspects, though, can't be changeable. "The methods used in this paper are familiar, but the conclusions are new and very interesting," says Jody Kreiman, a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles. The way the study links personality to attractiveness and reproductive fitness makes sense biologically, she says. The team hope that their work can be used to help create artificial voices for people who have lost their own due to a medical condition, as well as creating lovely and charming voices for satnavs , and other robotics. "You might also use this kind of work to find the right person to front a team," says McAleer, "you don't want a really unreliable voice running your call centre." The impression that voices convey is affected most by . A. body strength B. sex differences C. age groups D. pitch of voice Answer: D What would make it to your list of top 10 country songs? This article talks about the classic songs that make the cut... Ring of fire Sung by Johnny Cash, Ring of Fire remains as powerful a song today as it was when it was written and sung in the 1960's. Johnny Cash's singing, together with June Carter's lyrics , makes it on any list of top 10 country songs. Sweet Dreams Sweet Dreams was released after Patsy Cline's death in a plane crash. It reflects her emotional style. The song is a good sample of one of the most successful and talented musicians of the 20th century. Written by Don Gibson, this country song is an all-time classic, and one of the most popular country songs around. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry Sung by Hand Williams, this soul stirring country song is still loved by millions of fans worldwide, because of the spirit its lyrics convey and Williams' beautiful voice. Many artists have recorded their own versions, but nothing comes close to the magical original . Coat of Many Colors Dolly Parton's single from the album of the same name, describing the poverty of her youth, is widely regarded as one of her best works, and also one of the best country songs ever. Coat of Many Colors made it to Time Magazine's "100 Greatest Albums of All Time" list. Calypso Although John Denver's Country Roads, Annie's Song and Rocky Mountain High are perhaps more famous. Calypso with its powerful notes and lyrics remains my favorite John Denver country song of all time. The kiss Faith Hill's foot tapper make it to the number one slot on the Country Charts in both the US and Canada. Although her single Breathe is also amazing, This Kiss may well be one of the top 10 country songs of all time. Which of the following songs of John Denver does the writer like best? A. Calypso B. Annie's Song C. Country Roads D. Rocky Mountain High Answer: A What's going to happen in the future? Will robots take over our planet? Will computers become smarter than us? Not likely. But here are some things that scientists say are most likely to happen 10 to 30 years later from now, according to the BBC. 1.Digital money We used to pay with cash for everything we bought. Now when we swipe our bus pass or use a credit card to shop online, money is spent without us even seeing it. In fact, we are already using one type of digital money. You have to admit that using a card is much easier than searching your pockets for change. It is also safer than carrying a lot of cash. When ATM cards were first introduced, they were not accepted everywhere. But now it's hard to live without them. People in Sweden completely stopped using cash last year, according to the Associated Press, and the US might be next. 2.Bionic eye It's no longer something only in a scifi movie. People who are blind may have a chance to get their sight back--by wearing bionic eyes. A blind eye can no longer sense light, but a bionic eye can use a camera to "see" the environment and send data directly to the brain. Although the bionic eye that's out now only allows patients to see lights and unclear shapes, a highresolution version could be just a few years away. 3.Selfdriving cars Everything is going automatic these days--washing machines, ticket selling machines and even cars. Unlike a human driver, a selfdriving car won't get _ by a phone call, the radio or something outside the window. Sensors and cameras on the car would allow it to stick strictly to the rules of the road and keep a safe distance from other cars. This would greatly reduce the number of road accidents. You could even take a nap while the car drives itself. Many vehicle companies are now planning selfdriving cars. "By 2040, driverless vehicles will be widely accepted and possibly be the dominant vehicles on the road," said Jeffrey Miller, professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, US, in Wired magazine. Jeffrey Miller's attitude towards selfdriving cars is _ . A. optimistic B. pessimistic C. doubtful D. cautious Answer: A A car converts gasoline into motion and heat through what? A. explosive charisma B. cooling C. incineration D. warming Answer: C Since I was a child, I called my father my Kong, after King Kong. I believed that he was just as strong as the giant ape . As he faced death, _ . Two months after he passed away, my sister called to ask if I would like to go see Lisa Williams, a well-known witch . I was familiar with Lisa from her show on Lifetime, and since I was eager to get a sign from my father, I agreed to go. I took my father's gold watch and listened as Lisa helped audience members communicate with their loved ones. "I have a grandfather-like figure with me and he is speaking about his granddaughter Jilly," she announced. The audience was quiet; no one raised a hand. I nudged my sister and whispered to her that this was Dad ,for my third child and my father had a deep bond(,) and he called her Jilly. Although I sensed his presence, I wasn't confident enough to raise my hand. I needed something a bit more concrete, something undoubted. "This man is letting me know he had cancer," she continued. I nudged my sister harder and assured her this was our father. Lisa went on to say that this person died in June (my father had died June 8th). There was swelling of the legs. "Important information," she called out. My heart beat fast . I jumped up when she asked, "Who is holding his watch?" I waved the watch in the air. "He wishes you congratulations." My fourth child was born three weeks after my father died. I was in shock and could not believe I was getting a chance to hear from him, yet I knew our bond was strong enough that he could come to the world. She banged on her chest like an ape and apologized, saying, "I don't know why but he wants me to do this like Tarzan." It didn't resonate with me until my sister called out "King Kong!" I was convinced. No way could this woman have ever known a detail unless Dad was communicating through her. Each bit of information she gave us was just as meaningful. She ended our session by informing us that he would send us coins. The very next day I found six coins in various places; they seemed to have come out of nowhere. Even in death he is my Kong, and he remains important in my life. What's the best title of the passage? A. Information from Lisa Williams B. Miraculous Messages from Heaven C. Strange Things in the Party. D. Unforgettable memories Answer: B Only children are happier than those with brothers or sisters, according to a new research which shows _ rivalry can have a serious effect on a child's emotion. Over half of the children surveyed said they had been bullied by a sibling, and one in three said they had been hit,kicked or pushed by a sibling, others complained of name-calling and having their belongings stolen. Other reasons for only children being much happier include not having to compete for parents' attention or share bedrooms with a sibling, said Gundi Knies, a researcher on the project. Dr. Ruth Koppard, a child psychologist, said, "In an average home, the more children, the less privacy for each child. Some love sharing a bedroom with a sibling but they would rather choose to do it than have to do it". Homes with just one child make up nearly half of all families in Britain. The study, to be published on Friday, questioned 2,500 young people. It also found that seven out of 10 teenagers are "very satisfied" with their lives. This article mainly tells us _ . A. why the families don't want to have more than one child. B. the reasons why only children are happier than those with brothers or sisters. C. sibling rivalry can have a serious effect on a child's emotion. D. homes with just one child make up nearly half of all families in Britain. Answer: B He was 11 years old and went fishing every chance he got from the dock at his family's cabin on an island in the middle of a New Hampshire lake. On the day before the bass season opened, he and his father were fishing early in the evening, catching sunfish and perch with worms. Then he tied on a small silver lure and practiced casting. The lure struck the water and caused colored ripples in the sunset, then silver ripples as the moon rose over the lake. When his pole doubled over, he knew something huge was on the other end. Finally, he very gingerly lifted the exhausted fish from the water. It was the largest one he had ever seen, but it was a perch . The boy and his father looked at the handsome fish. Then the father lit a match and looked at his watch. It was 10 P.M.--- two hours before the season opened. He looked at the fish, then at the boy. "You'll have to put it back, son," he said. "Dad!" cried the boy. "There will be other fish," said his father. "Not as big as this one," cried the boy. He looked around the lake. No other fishermen or boats were anywhere around in the moonlight. He looked again at his father. Even though no one had seen them, nor could anyone ever know what time he caught the fish, the boy could know everything by his father's clear voice that the decision could not be changed. He slowly worked the hook out of the lip of the huge bass and lowered it into the black water. The creature swished its powerful body and disappeared. The boy suspected that he would never again see such a great fish. That was 34 years ago. Today, the boy is a successful architect in New York City. His father's cabin is still there on the island in the middle of the lake. He takes his own son and daughters fishing from the same dock. He was right. He has never again caught such a magnificent fish as the one he landed that night long ago. But he does see that same fish---again and again---every time he comes up against a question of ethics . When does the architect (the father's son) think of that perch put back? A. When he takes his own son and daughters fishing from the same dock. B. When he builds many famous buildings. C. When he pays a visit to his old father. D. When he faces some problems about ethics. Answer: D
New findings suggest that brainy card games such as contract bridge may temporarily raise production of a key blood cell including in fighting off illness. After 90 minutes of play, bridge players had increased levels of immune cells, according to the research reported last week. A researcher, Diamond, studied bridge players from a women's bridge club. She chose bridge players because the game includes skills stimulating a part of the brain called the dorsolateral cortex. Earlier animal research suggests that this part of the brain may play a role in the immune system. The findings are based on blood samples drawn from 12 women players. Their blood samples showed a rise in levels of white blood cells called T cells after they played bridge for 90 minutes. T cells are produced by the thymus gland and used by the immune system against diseases. The T cell count jumped significantly in eight of the bridge players, and slightly in the other four. The findings contribute to the field of neuroimmunology , whose name reflects the fact that the nervous system and the immune system are not considered separate and isolated systems. What isn't clear is whether the help to the immune system from an activity like contract bridge is lasting or temporary. It is also not clear whether the increase in T cells could finally be targeted against special illnesses. A T cell is _ cell. A. a brain B. a white blood C. a red blood D. a kind of dangerous blood Answer: B In a lab investigation, students use Brand X batteries in a flashlight and Brand Y batteries in a radio. After two hours, the flashlight stops working, but the radio continues to work. As a result, the students conclude that Brand Y batteries last longer. Which statement about the conclusion of the investigation is most accurate? A. The conclusion is valid because they tested two different brands. B. The conclusion is invalid because the test had multiple variables. C. The conclusion is valid because they conducted the investigation in a lab. D. The conclusion is invalid because the real names of the batteries were hidden. Answer: B We can achieve knowledge either actively or passively . We achieve it actively by direct experience, by testing and proving an idea, or by reasoning. We achieve knowledge passively by being told by someone else. Most of the learning that takes place in the classroom and the kind that happens when we watch TV or read newspapers or magazines is passive. Conditioned as we are to passive learning, it's not surprising that we depend on _ in our everyday communication with friends and co-workers* Unfortunately, passive learning has a serious problem. It makes us tend to accept what we are told even when it is little more than hearsay and rumor . Did you ever play the game Rumor? It begins when one person writes down a message but doesn't show it to anyone. Then the person whispers it, word for word, to another person. That person, in turn, whispers it to still another, and so on, through all the people playing the game. The last person writes down the message word for word as he or she hears it. Then the two written statements are compared Typically, the original message has changed. That's what happens in daily life. The simple fact that people repeat a story in their own words changes the story. Then, too, most people listen imperfectly. And many enjoy adding their own creative touch to a story, trying to improve on it, stamping it with their own personal style. Yet those who hear it think they know. This process is also found among scholars and authors:A statement of opinion by one writer may be re-stated as fact by another, who may in turn be quoted by yet another; and this process may continue, unless it occurs to someone to question the facts on which the original writer based his opinion or to challenge the interpretation he placed upon those facts. According to the passage, passive learning may occur in _ . A. doing a medical experiment B. solving a math problem C. visiting an exhibition D. doing scientific reasoning Answer: C Originally,making 3-D film was a way for filmmakers to draw viewers away from television.Over time,3-D film dipped in and out of the entertainment industry depending on the ups and downs of the market. By the end of the twentieth century,3-D entertainment was most popular at amusement park attractions,including Disneyland and Universal Studios.Eventually,in l995,digital film revolutionized the film making industry when Disney Pixar's Toy Story(1995)brought life-like animation and computer graphics to the big screen.The movie's animation embodied the latest technology in computer animation until the release of Oscar winning Up(2009),which featured pop-out 3-D effects. Finally,in December 2009,Avatar changed the flourishing landscape of 3-D film.Avatar boasts exceptional special effects.Cameron began developing Avatar in l995 and applied new techniques in 2006,where actors' physical movements are transferred to animated characters on the computer screen.Later,in movie theaters,Cameron showcased his final product in Real--D Cinema,the world's most popular digital 3-D projection system. In a review,blogger Ben Patterson was _ by the overall presentation of Avatar.He said it was pretty much impossible tell what was digital effect and what was live action. could be the best title of this passage. A. 3-D film Draws Eyes B. 3-D film at Disneyland C. Avatar in Real-D Cinema D. Revolution and entertainment Answer: A The worst earthquake in 40 years shook South Asia on Sunday, starting with horrible waves that swept entire villages into the sea. At least 20,000 people in six countries were killed in the disaster, and millions were left homeless. The quake shook deep beneath the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It was felt more than 3000 miles away in East Africa, where heavy tides kept fishermen at home and resorts closed. It was as if the sea had struck the land. Residents of Sri Lanka, a small island country off the coast of India, ran to the hills to find safety from the tsunami. Many took their radios, televisions, and other valuables with them. The disaster hit Sri Lanka hardest. Of its 20million people, 1 million lost their homes, and 10000 died. "The water simply raised itself up and huge waves came ashore," wrote eye-witness Peter Thomas from India. "It was moving very fast. The force broke the glass walls of a restaurant on the beach here and damaged hundreds of boats." In some places, the _ struck with no warning. "The weather was fine with no clouds," wrote an eye-witness in Indonesia. "Suddenly the seawater just hit the city. In some parts the water was up to chest level." A massive effort to help the affected countries is already underway. Leaders from around the world have promised to help, and teams of aid workers and doctors are rushing to the sea. "The United States stands ready to offer all the help to those nations most affected." Said White House spokesman Trent Duffy. Organizations from the Red Cross to the International Monetary Fund have started fund-raising drives to make up the costs of rebuilding. Where would you probably see this passage? A. In a textbook. B. In a newspaper. C. In a travel guide. D. In a dictionary. Answer: B Once upon a time, people wrote letters mostly with pen and paper. But the Internet has changed all that. Among computer users today, between 50 and 90 percent of written letters take place through e-mail. That's much different from the days when everyone relied on "snail mail" . More and more new e-mail users are asking, "How can I write better e-mail message?" Here are six tips for you. (1) Who are you writing to? Who are you writing to? A friend, a classmate, a teacher or a boss? Be sure the tone of your e-mail message is right for the receiver. Using slang or abbreviations may be all right for your friends. But business letters should use full names and complete sentences. (2) Be direct. Readers of e-mail have little patience. Say what you want to say directly. (3) Use short sentences. E-mail is quicker and more convenient than snail mail. It's also much easier to throw away. Don't use long sentences. Make your sentences short and clear. (4) Give enough details . A terrible e-mail message reads like this: "Did you get my e-mail?" Someone reading this will wonder, "Which e-mail? Sent when? About what?" Today's e-mail users sometimes get many messages every day, so be sure your messages have enough details to be understood. (5) Use the subject line well Readers see what's in the subject line of your message before anything else. Don't say "Hi, from Wang Peng"------ they can see who sent the message from the address. A short, direct explanation of the content of your message will get you a faster answer. (6) Don't be too slow to answer. Remember that in the world of e-mail, things happen fast. If you take longer than a week to answer someone's message, it may be too late. If you get an e-mail, you should answer it _ . A. any time you like B. within a week C. in two weeks D. in the same day Answer: B Two new whale sharks arrived at the world's largest aquarium on Friday. Both whale sharks, the world's largest fish, arrived at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta after 6 a.m. The pair had been flown 8,000 miles from Taipei, Taiwan. They will join the aquarium's three whale sharks--the only ones on display outside of Asia. " We re the only people in the world that can claim three times, " aquarium director Jeff Swanagan said, " Each time we learn more and more." The two young males were given Asian names. One is Taroko, named after Taroko Gorge, a national park in Taiwan. The other is Yushan, which means "Jade Mountain", and is named after a mountain in Taiwan. The sharks were flown from Taiwan on a plane in 20-foot-long tanks with oxygen machines and other equipment to keep the water suitable for them. They arrived at about 3:30 a.m. in Atlanta, where their tanks were moved to two trucks and driven to the aquarium surrounded by some of Atlanta police cars with their blue lights flashing. They were lowered into their new home--as Norton and two females, Alice and Trixie, circled nearby, seemingly curious about the new arrivals. It is difficult to tell the age of the whale sharks, but at least one of the new arrivals is believed to be the smallest the aquarium has got. They are believed to be the aquarium's youngest whale sharks yet. How many sharks live with the two new sharks? A. One B. Two. C. Three. D. Four. Answer: C My name is Jeff. I'm English. But now I live in China. I am a student. This is my classroom. Fifteen small desks and thirty chairs are in the classroom. They are for classmates and me. A big desk is in the classroom, too. It's for my teacher. A clock is on the back wall of the classroom. Next to the clock is a map. It's a map of China. My classroom is nice and clean. I like _ very much. What's on the back wall of the classroom? A. A clock B. A map C. A map and a clock D. A picture Answer: C Reading is a good hobby for all kinds of reasons. First, reading is fun. You can always keep yourself happy if you like reading. You will never feel bored or tired. Next, you can read a book anywhere-- in a car, on a plane, or even in the bathroom. All you need is a book! Another good reason for reading is that it is useful. If you read as a hobby, you will get better and better at it. And you will read faster and find it easier to understand what you read. As you reading skills improve, you will probably find your schoolwork becomes much better. Some people say that reading is out of date . This is not true. You can read on computers, and the better you read, the better your computer skills will be. Good readers may become writers, too. They always have more things to write about. Reading is a wonderful hobby. Why not start reading right now? Reading can always keep yourself _ . A. bored B. tired C. sad D. happy Answer: D After we finished thirteen miles of hiking, we were tired and our muscles ached as we made our way back to New England. The car ride to the airport followed by a two-hour flight left our legs more worse condition than they were when we first came off the mountain we just climbed. When we heard that two seats in first class on our next flight were available for a bit higher price, we jumped at the opportunity. Our spirits lifted immediately. After all, flying first class was a new experience for us, and we would end our adventure in comfort and style. As we boarded the plane, we noticed that the stewardess was working non-stop to ensure the comfort of the first class passengers. She could not walk by a seat without receiving an order. How much she must love her job! She smiled kindly at each one while attending to their needs. As the stewardess walked by our seats near the end of the flight, I looked at her and said, "Thank you and I hope you have a great night." She stopped, bent down, looked at me and said, "Excuse me." I repeated my words and she smiled in a rather funny way, almost as if I had asked her a question that she did not know how to answer. After a few moments she returned to our seats. "I can tell you work with the public," she said. "Why do you think so?" I asked. She answered very quietly, "Because you are the only passenger here to say something nice to me tonight and I really appreciate your kindness." The sense of belonging to the elite group of people in first class disappeared as we heard her words. Our first class seats offered us more than a comfortable ride. We were reminded that without kindness, we would be flying in no class. Why did they choose to take a first class flight? A. Because they were extremely tired B. Because they wanted to go back as soon as possible C. Because the tickets were cheaper D. Because they wanted to enjoy the first class service. Answer: A
Bob always took the newspaper to Grandpa White's home before going home. Grandpa White's was at the end of the road. Bob liked Grandpa White. He was often waiting for him near the front gate with sweets or a nice cake. Besides, He often asked Bob about things he was doing, what he was going to do for the summer and what he liked to do. The thing that Bob didn't like about Grandpa was his never-ending stories about his boyhood in California. Bob was never asked to hear about Grandpa's boyhood, but he couldn't get away. After Grandpa's wife died in October, Bob could see that Grandpa was lonelier than ever. He would often join Bob halfway along the road and walk along with him as he gave out the newspapers. Grandpa seemed to have all day, and Bob was often late giving newspapers to his customers . Bob didn't want to complain, but the customers were unhappy. When he took the newspaper to Grandpa White, Bob would often receive _ . A. old newspaper B. sweets or a cake C. some money D. stories Answer: B Derrius Quarles, 19, had an unhappy childhood. But the Chicago teen didn't give up. He tried his best and won $1 million in college scholarships ! Now Derrius is a successful college student with a bright future. When Derrius was 4, his father was killed. His mother couldn't take care of him because of taking drugs. Derrius and his 9-year-old brother sometimes had to steal food to eat. Derrius felt different from other kids. In seventh grade, Derrius went to live in a foster home . His foster parents weren't nice to him. They told him that he'd never be anything in life. Derrius didn't do his best in school. The summer after ninth grade, that changed. Derrius had signed up for a biology class. He didn't go to class the first day. On the second day, he showed up late. His teacher took him outside. She told him he was smart, but that he was wasting his potential . The talk inspired him and he planned to prove that he could be anything if he worked hard enough. Adults at a summer program helped Derrius find out about scholarships he could earn to pay for college. In his senior year, Derrius filled out lots of applications. He told his friends, "You're not going to see me for a long time." Derrius's hard work paid off. He won more than $1 million in scholarships! He has a lot to be proud of. But he's most proud of helping others. Derrius gives speeches to teens, telling them how to find scholarships. In high school, Derrius got help buying a computer. He wanted to help others who needed them. Last year, he gave two laptops to high school students. There's a lot of work in his future. Derrius doesn't mind -- hard work has got him where he is today. He knows can take him anywhere. What kind of person do you think Derrius is? A. Lazy but kind-hearted. B. Selfish and naughty. C. Confident but troublesome. D. Determined and generous. Answer: D If you really want to go green, here's good news: eating green is good for you. The very foods with a high carbon cost---meat, pork, dairy products, processed snacks---also tend to be filled with fat and calories. A green diet would be mostly vegetables and fruits, whole grains, fish and lean meats like chicken---a diet that's eco- and waistline-friendly. Eating green can be healthier and beneficial to the climate. It may be hard to believe that a meal at McDonald's produces more carbon than your trip to a far away place. More than 37% of the world's land is used for agriculture, much of which was once forested. Deforestation is a major source of carbon. The fertilizer and machinery needed on a modern farm also have a large carbon footprint, as does the network of ships and trucks that brings the food from the farm to your plate. The most efficient way to reduce the carbon footprint of your menu is to eat less meat, especially beef. Raising cattle takes a lot more energy than growing the equivalent amount of grains, fruits or vegetables. What's more, the majority of cattle in the U.S. are fed on grain and loads of it---670 million tons in 2002---and the fertilizer used to feed that creates separate environmental problems. Focus on eating lower on the food chain, with more plants and fruits and less meat and dairy. It's simple. We can change today what goes into our bodies for the health of our planet and ourselves. According to the passage, eating green will _ . A. protect the animals from being killed B. promote the development of agriculture C. help us lose weight and keep self-confidence D. be good for our health and make a change for the climate Answer: D It had been snowing very hard for days. Jigs and Reads had nothing to eat for a day. They know that things weren't right at home. So yesterday morning they wanted to go out. Bob helped them get out through a window, because the snow was so deep outside that he couldn't open the door. Last night, they didn't come back. Bob said to himself, "They are only five months old. This weather will kill them." But just then Bob heard them calling him. He looked out and could not believe ----they were drawing a big hare through the snow. They dropped it through the window into Bob's hands. A hare for dinner. They know that things weren't right at home. It means that they know _ . A. Bob had no food to give them B. Bob could open the door C. it wasn't very cold outside. D. they were too young to eat anything Answer: A In almost every big university in the United States football is a favorite sport. American football is not like soccer. Players sometimes kick the ball, but they also throw the ball and run with it. They try to take it to the other end of the field. They have four chances to move the ball ten yards. They can carry it or throw it. If they move it to the end of the field, they receive six points. This is called a touch--down. It is difficult to move the ball. Eleven men on the team try to stop the man who has the ball. If the man does not move the ball ten yards, his team kicks the ball to the other team. Each university wants its team to win. Thousands of people come to watch. They all yell for their favorite team. Young men and women called cheerleaders come on the field to help the people yell more. They dance and jump while they yell. Each team plays ten or eleven games each season. The season begins in September and ends in November. If a team is very good, it may play another game after the season ends. The best teams play again on January 1st, the first day of the New Year. Many people go to see these games and many others watch them on television When do the best teams play again? A. At Christmas. B. Before the season ends. C. On New Year's Day D. On the last day of season Answer: C 1.Know the fire exit and plan two ways out. 2.If you hear the smoke alarm or smell smoke, Shout "Fire! Everyone out!" to awaken anyone still asleep and to let others know there is a fire. 3. Feel the door with the back of your hand if there's a fire. If it's hot, use the window if possible. A warm door may mean there is a fire outside. If the door is cool, open it slowly, then crawl out of the building. *If heat and smoke come in when you open the door, close it tightly, and find another way out. 4. Don't hide! Go outside! Never hide under beds when there is a fire. 5. Stay low and crawl below the smoke to safety. Smoke goes up with the warm air and the air below is fresher. 6. Don't stop to put on your clothes or look for valuables . 7. Don't go back into a burning house for any reason. 8.Wait for your family at a meeting place outside, such as a big tree or the entrance( ) of the housing estate , to know everyone is safe. 9. If you can't escape from a room because of a fire outside, put wet clothing, towels, or blankets at the bottom of the door to keep the smoke out. 10.Open your window and ask for help if you can't escape through the door. 11. Stop, Drop and Roll if your hair or clothes are on fire. Shout for help, but don't run. Running makes fire burn faster. Stop where you are. Drop to the ground while covering your face with your hands to protect it. Roll over and over until the fire is out. ,A, B, C, D ,. (5,2,10) If the door is hot, _ A. open it slowly, then crawl out of the building. B. use the window if possible C. open it and walk out of the building D. wait it cool then open it Answer: B A great French writer says that we should help everyone as much as possible because we often need help ourselves. The small even can help the great. Then he tells a simple story. An ant is drinking at a small stream and falls in. She tries to reach the side but makes no progress at all. The poor ant, almost exhausted, is still doing her best when a bird sees her. Moved with pity the bird throws a blade of grass into the water. It supports the ant like a boat, and the ant reaches the bank. When she is having a rest in the grass, she sees a man walking along barefooted and carrying a gun in his hand. He wants to kill the bird nearby. When he raises his gun to fire, the ant bites him in the foot. So he stops to look down and the bird flies away quickly. It is an animal much weaker and smaller than herself that has saved her life. The French writer tells the story in order to show _ . A. how an ant saved a bird B. how brave the ant was C. how clever the ant was D. even the small can help the great Answer: D Plants expel a gas that A. is poisonous to humans B. is used to make balloons rise into the air C. humans exhale as well D. our circulatory system spreads to our body from our lungs Answer: D Dear Tom, I don't have a good time at my new school.There are too many rules at my school.We have to get to school at seven o'clock every morning.We can't play games in the classroom after class.We can't listen to music in the hallways.I don't like playing the piano,but I have to learn the piano in the music class.And we have to wear uniforms at school.We also can't eat outside.and we have to eat in the dining hall.The food there is awful.I can't stand the rules here.I never have fun.What can I do? Bob I don't have a good time at my new schoolhas the same meaning as" _ ". A. I am not good at learning B. I have a good time at my new school C. I am not a good student D. I never have fun at my new school Answer: D Thirteen, for me, was a challenging year. My parents divorced and I moved to a new town with my father, far from my old family and friends. I was terribly lonely and would cry myself to sleep each night. To ease my sadness, my father purchased an old horse for me at a local auction. I named him Cowboy. Cowboy was without a doubt the ugliest horse in the world. But I didn't care. I loved him beyond all reason. I joined a riding club and suffered rude comments and mean snickers about Cowboy's looks. I never let on about how I felt, but deep inside, my heart was breaking. The other members rode beautiful, registered horses. When Cowboy and I entered the events where the horse is judged on appearance, we were quickly _ . No amount of preparation and love would turn Cowboy into a beauty. My only chance to compete would be in the speed events. I chose the jumping race. One girl named Becky rode a big brown horse in the race events. She always won the blue ribbons. Needless to say, she didn't feel threatened when I competed against her at the next show. She didn't need to. I came in next to last. The stinging memory of Becky's smirks made me determined to beat her. For the whole next month I woke up early every day and rode Cowboy five miles to the arena . We practiced running and jumping for hours in the hot sun and then I would walk Cowboy home totally exhausted. All of our hard work didn't make me feel confident by the time the show came. I sat at the gate and sweated it out while I watched Becky and her horse charge through the course and finish in first place. My turn finally came. I put on my hat, rubbed Cowboy's neck and entered the arena. At the signal, we dashed toward the first fence, jumped it without trouble and raced on to the next one. Cowboy then flew over the second, third and fourth fences like a bird and I turned him toward the finish line. As we crossed the line the crowd was shocked into silence. Cowboy and I had beaten Becky and her fancy horse by two seconds! I gained much more than a blue ribbon that day. At thirteen, I realized that no matter what the odds, I'd always come out a winner if I wanted something badly enough to work for it. Why was the writer not confident of victory? A. He was an inexperienced rider. B. He had not practiced enough. C. He believed he was unpopular with the crowd. D. He thought his horse wasn't as good as the others. Answer: D
An experimental treatment that causes AIDS patients to develop a dangerously high fever has shown promise as a way of prolonging and improving the patients' life.Called the Biologic-HT System, the new treatment lets doctors extract the blood of a patient and heat it before circulating it back into the body. The heated blood causes the patient's body temperature to rise above 42 degrees Celsius. In people with AIDS, that increase in temperature kills some heat-sensitive HIV, the virus, most doctors say, causes AIDS. Heating the blood of AIDS patients has been tried before, say doctors. But during previous attempts, the treatment induced deadly chemical changes in the blood. The Biologic-HT System prevents those changes from happening, allowing the heat to kill viruses with few ill side effects. The new heat treatment cannot be considered a cure for Aids, says president of the company that makes the system. He says the treatment doesn't kill all traces of the virus. However, it kills enough virus particles to give a patient's immune system a reprieve in its deadly duel with HIV. Tests of the Biologic-HT treatment began on 36 patients earlier this year. The treatment takes about four hours, and the patient normally feels well enough to leave the hospital or clinic the following morning. So far, the patients who have had the treatment say they feel better and have developed no new opportunistic infections--disease that strike people with damaged immune systems. The patients also have experienced about a 50 percent increase in the number of T cells in their bodies. T cells are key disease-fighting cells of the immune system and the main target of HIV. According to the passage, the new treatment _ . A. can kill all the HIV viruses B. cannot eliminate the viruses completely C. can double the number of disease-fighting cells D. can reconstruct the patient's immune system. Answer: B When Frida Kahlo's paintings were on show in London,a poet described her paintings as "a ribbon around a bomb".Such comments seem to suggest Kahlo had a big influence on the art world of her time.Sadly,she is actually _ today than she was during her time. Born in 1907 in a village near Mexico City,Kahlo suffered from polio at the age of seven.Her spine became bent as she grew older.Then,in 1925,her back was broken in several places in a schoolbus accident.Throughout the rest of her life,the artist had many operations,but nothing was able to cure the terrible pain in her back.However,the accident had an unexpected side effect.While lying in her bed recovering,Kahlo taught herself to paint. In 1929,she got married to Diego Rivera,another famous Mexican artist.Rivera's strong influence on Kahlo's style can be seen in her early works,but her later works from the 1940s,known today as her best works,show less influence from her husband. Unfortunately,her works did not attract much attention in the 1930s and 1940s,even in her home country.Her first onewoman show in Mexico was not held until 1953.For more than a decade after her death in 1954,Kahlo's works remained largely unnoticed by the world,but in the 1970s her works began to gain international fame at last. (2012*,C) What is the author's attitude toward Kahlo? A. Devotion. B. Sympathy. C. Worry. D. Encouragement. Answer: B As for visiting Walt Disney World. People usually have trouble in arranging. The following will give you some practical suggestions on paying a valuable visit to the famous park. When to go? While it's always busy, Disney World is slightly slower between mid-January and March. It's summer when the visitors , combined with the heat and humidity , are crowded. Your best choice is either early in the morning or late in the day--- often you can enjoy more rides in the first or last two hours of the day than you can the entire rest of the day combined. Where to stay? The question: to stay on Disney World Resort property or not. Disney World offers three resort pricing: Deluxe , Moderate, and Value, with good facilities and in-hotel attractions. That said, they all offer "Extra Magic Hours"(early access to the theme parks), guaranteed entry when the parks are over-crowded, and frequent shuttle service to the many attractions. Off-property hotels will have shuttle transfers, but often at less regular intervals ,wasting more time in transport. You'll also need a rental car, which adds to the expense, making up for saving in the hotel rate. The "Magic Your Way Package" is a good value if you have a large family. What to do? Make use of the "Fast Pass" , which , for no extra cost, allow you to insert your entrance ticket into a particular machine at the attraction and receive a schedule ride time a little later on. For example, use your Fast Pass ticket at a ride just before getting lunch. Once you're done eating, you can return to the ride and jump right on during the busiest time of day. At the Animal Kingdom, the animals are most active either early or late in the day, so plan accordingly. Thankfully _ is fit for the least busy times of day in the park. Study the map of the park the night before to plan your visit. You'll save time by knowing where things are and where you're headed. Visitors who use Fast Pass tickets _ A. can get discounts on tickets B. will have a well-planned ride time C. will often be checked at the exit D. have to pay more for their tickets Answer: B The State of Aurora requires licenses of persons "who are engaged in the trade of barbering." It will grant such licenses only to those who are graduates of barber schools located in Aurora, who have resided in the state for two years, and who are citizens of the United States. Which of the following is the strongest ground on which to challenge the requirement that candidates for barber licenses must have been residents of the state for at least two years? A. The privileges and immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment B. The due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment C. The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment D. The obligation of contracts claus Answer: C Student Services Students' Union Every University has a Students' Union. If students are the lifeblood of a university, the Union is surely its beating heart. For students, by students A Students' Union is run by students and acts independently. At the end of each academic year, it will find six students to hold a sabbatical position managing the Union for the coming year. That the six successful sabbatical officers have only recently experienced issues affecting students ensures that your needs are very well understood. Letting your hair down Although the University is spread across a fairly wide area, the Union is centrally located and is only a short walk from any of the main buildings. This makes it very easy to catch up with friends who might be on a different course. At night, the place really comes alive - we have three different bars to suit every occasion. The venues are student-only so you can be sure of meeting people with a similar outlook and we throw in a transport service to make sure you get home safely. The Union also organizes various formal balls throughout the year, with the highlight being the end-of-year ball. Supporting you Beyond having fun, we also make sure some of the more serious issues are effectively dealt with. If you have a problem with your course, another sabbatical officer is trained to help you. Being independent from the University means we can represent and support you to the best of our ability, and once you reach university you may find that you become aware of more national or political issues. From the passage, we can learn that _ is the most wonderful program of every year. A. making friends B. dancing in a bar C. the match of the end-year ball D. electing the officers Answer: C MSF stands for Medicines Sans Frontiers. It's also known as Doctors Without Borders . Medicines Sans Frontiers is French. This organization was set up by some French doctors in 1971. Since then, MSF has sent trained doctors all over the world to help people who have suffered from disasters, such as wars and illness. Now, about 3,000 doctors and nurses work for MSF. And over 27,000 doctors have volunteered for MSF so far. The organization received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999. All kinds of doctors can volunteer for MSF. They need to be ready to go almost anywhere in the world and, of course, they should face difficulties. Most of MSF's work is in Africa. When MSF chooses doctors for a task, they have to go for at least six months. When doctors have completed a few tasks and become experienced, they might be sent on an emergency task following a disaster, such as an earthquake. But why would doctors leave a comfortable life and a good pay to join MSF? Some of them say the experience they have is a great help in their life. And they say that it's great to give others a helping hand. MSF needs support. They get donations from the government and businesses. But 80% of its donations come from doctors themselves. Which of the following is NOT TRUE? A. Some MSF doctors received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 B. MSF has a history of over 40 years. C. About 3,000 doctors and nurses work for MSF. D. An MSF doctor usually goes for a task for at least half a year.. Answer: A Zambia is a country in southern Africa. More than half of the population is very poor, and companies pay people very little money for their work. One woman named Sylvia Banda had a dream to become a successful businesswoman and build her own brand . So, after finishing high school, Banda went to college to learn how to start a food company. She studied hard and spent her free time coming up with ways to make money, including making food and selling it to friends. In 1987, when Banda was 24 years old, she decided to start her own restaurant. She borrowed a room and used food, and pans from her own kitchen. The first day, her restaurant did not have any chairs or tables, but she was able to sell all of the food that she had made. After counting the money, she was surprised that she had made more in one day than most people make in one month. From that small restaurant, Banda built a large company called the Sylva Group. It now has hundreds of people working for it and is worth over a million dollars. Besides restaurants, the company has now built hotels and a college in Zambia, and it also sells many kinds of packaged foods. After reaching her goal of starting her own business and becoming rich, Banda decided to work to improve the lives of other Zambians. She does this in a number of ways. For one, her restaurants use vegetables and other products made in Zambia, and by doing so, Banda can support the farmers. Her college also teaches farmers ways to make their farms better, which helps them make more money. The college also helps young Zambians get skills to start their own businesses. Through hard work, Banda has been able to improve both her life and her country. What can be learnt about The Sylva Group? A. It is the name of a small restaurant in Zambia. B. It has become a valuable company that has many workers. C. It builds hotels and restaurants outside of Zambia. D. It pays for its workers to go to college. Answer: B Book 1Elixirwritten by Eric Walters Twelve-year-old Roth becomes a friend of Dr. Banting and his assistant, Mr. Best, who are doing research on a cure for diabetes . She finds herself torn between her sympathy for the animals being experimented on and her friendship with Banting and Best. Book 2George Washington Carver written by Elizabeth Macleod Meet the "Peanut Specialist", George Washington Carver, the inventor and professor who made over 325 products out of peanuts. Through his agricultural research, he also greatly improved the lives of countless black farmers in the southern United States. See also Macleod's Albert Einstein: A Life of Genius. Book 3The Inuit Thought of It: Amazing Arctic Innovations written by Alootook Ipellie & David MacDonald Explore more than 40 ideas necessary to Inuit survival. From ideas familiar to us today to inventive concepts that shaped their lives, celebrate the creativity of a remarkably intelligent people. Also see other books: The Chinese Thought of It by Tingxing Ye and A Native American Thought of It by Rocky Landon and David MacDonald. Book 4 Made in Canada: 101 Amazing Achievements written by Bev Spencer What things do we use daily that have a Canadian connection? Here are 101 common things that were invented in Canada or by a Canadian, including the Blackberry, alkaline batteries and the Blue Box recycling program. Book 5Newton and the Time Machinewritten by Michael McGowan Ten-year-old boy Newton has invented a time machine to see dinosaurs up close. But it disappears on a test run with his two huge friends, King Herbert and Queen Certrude, can he save them before time runs out? If you are interested in native Americans, you may read the book by _ . A. Elizabeth Macleod B. Eric Walters C. Rocky London & David MacDonald D. Bev Spencer Answer: C Nowadays many people have to work very hard in order to live a better life. And the hard they work, the less they pay attention to their health. But it's very important for us to keep healthy in our everyday life. Here are some ways for you to follow. First, you should have a healthy diet. It's necessary to eat enough fish and vegetables, as they contain many kinds of vitamin you need every day. Do not eat too much fat, such as butter or anything too fatty. Too many sweets can do harm to your teeth, so you'd better not eat too many sweets or chocolates and keep off coffee. Second, good habits can help you keep fit. Doing regular exercise is certainly a good way to ensure that your body is healthy. After a day's work, an eight-hour sleep is needed. And avoid working or studying too hard. The best title might probably be _ . A. keep fit B. live a better life C. eat more fruit D. study too hard Answer: A I got my first driver's license in 1953 by taking driver education in my first year at Central High School in Charlotte,North Carolina.Four years later when it was time to renew my license I was a married woman.Henry and I were living in Baltimore,Maryland.Two weeks before my 20th birthday,Henry drove me to the motor vehicle office on a hot July afternoon.When I got to the office and showed to the man behind the counter my North Carolina driver's license,ready to renew,the man told me that I was under age by Maryland law since I was not yet 21."Mr. Henry Smith,your husband,will have to sign for you," he said. I argued,pointing to a very large belly of mine,"I am married.I am having a baby.Why should I have to have someone sign for me to drive?"He answered coldly."It's the law,madam." Henry encouraged me to calm down,just go ahead and get the license and be done with it."No,"I said.I refused to have him sign for me.So I left without a Maryland license. I called the North Carolina Motor Vehicle office and renewed my NC license by mail--using my name Susan Brown.And thus it was for the next twelve years.Since Henry was in the army I could drive under my home state license.By the time Henry left the army we were once again living in Maryland,and I had to take the Maryland driver's exam.Since then I just go in and renew every four years--sign the name Susan Brown,have my new picture taken, and walk out with a license to drive. Susan got her first driver's license _ . A. before she got married to Henry B. when she was twenty years old C. after she finished high school D. when she just moved to Maryland Answer: A
Lipitor is a prescription medicine. Along with diet and exercise, it lowers "bad" cholesterol in your blood. It can also raise "good" cholesterol. Lipitor can lower the risk of heart attack in patients with several common risk factors, including family history of early heart disease, high blood pressure, age and smoking. WHO IS LIPITOR FOR? Who can take LIPITOR: * People who cannot lower their cholesterol enough with diet and exercise. * Adults and children over 10. Who should NOT take LIPITOR: * Women who are pregnant, may be pregnant, or may become pregnant. Lipitor may harm your unborn baby. * Women who are breast-feeding. Lipitor can pass into your breast milk and may harm your baby. * People with liver problems. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF LIPITOR Serious side effects in a small number of people: * Muscle problems that can lead to kidney problems, including kidney failure. * Liver problems. Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver before you start Lipitor and while you are taking it. Call your doctor right away if you have: * Unexplained muscle pain or weakness, especially if you have a fever or feel very fired. * Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing. * Stomach pain. Some common side effects of LIPITOR are: * Muscle pain. * Upset stomach. * Changes in some blood tests. HOW TO TAKE LIPITOR DO: * Take Lipitor as prescribed by your doctor. * Try to eat heart-healthy foods while you take Lipitor. * Take Lipitor at any time of day, with or without food. * If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. But if it has been more than 12 hours since you missed dose, wait. Take the next dose at your regular time. Don't: * Do not change or stop your dose before talking to your doctor. * Do not start new medicines before talking to your doctor. Which of the following is a common side effect of taking Lipitor? A. Face swelling. B. Upset stomach. C. Kidney failure. D. Muscle weakness. Answer: B When I first began to work with international students, I asked someone at a lunch, "What brings you here today?" Looking at me like I was a bit crazy, he answered, " The bus." That was my first realization that no matter how good a speaker is, there are phrases that will always tend to cause confusion to non-native speakers. These idiomatic phrases add color and interest to any language and are worth learning if you want to talk fluently with native speakers. "By no stretch"----The speaker is referring to something that's very hard to achieve or realize, even with great effort, as in "It was not a good meal, by any stretch of the imagination." Which means that _ . "Half dead"----An expression of extreme tiredness, having nothing to do with actual health. Commonly used at the end of a long and tiring day. "By the book"----This means that an action should follow the rules exactly. It also describes the nature of someone who won't deviate from a set of rules no matter what the situation is. "More power to you"----This isn't a wish for you to have better electricity from the power company----it's a statement, usually slightly ironic , that the speaker thinks that you are unlikely to do a task, but you should try if you think you can complete it. It generally means the speaker has no intention of helping you achieve your goal neither will they discourage you from attempting to reach it. For example, "I don't think you can meet that deadline, but more power to you." "As easy as pie"----A reference that something is as simple or easy as eating a delicious dessert, or that it requires little effort to successfully achieve. In chatting, this phrase does not refer to the process of cooking or eating. If a person daren't do things in a creative way, you may describe him by using " _ ". A. by no stretch B. by the book C. as easy as pie D. the breaker of rules Answer: B Inside the pleasingly fragrant cafe, So All May Eat(SAME) in downtown Denver ,the spirit ofgenerosityis instantly noticeable :donation box stands in place of a cash register. Customers here pay only what they can afford, no questions asked.A risky business plan, perhaps, but SAME Cafe has done one unchangeable thing in the Mile High City for six years: Open only at midday, the restaurant allows poor local customers who cannot pay to work as volunteers instead. They can act as waiters and waitresses, and dishwashers, or look after the buildings and equipment for the cafe. It's based on trust, and it's working all right", says co-owner Brad Birky, who started the cafe in 2006. Previously volunteering at soup kitchens, the Birkys were dissatisfied with the often unhealthy meals they served there. "We wanted to offer quality food in a restaurant where everyone felt comfortable, regardless of their circumstances," Birky says. SAME's special lunch menu changes daily and most food materials are natural and grown by local farmers. The cafe now averages 65 to 70 customers (and eight volunteers) a day. And the spirit of generosity behind the project appears to be spreading. In early 2007,one volunteer who had cleared snow for his meals during t he long winter said goodbye to the Birkys, He said he was going to New Orleans to help with the hurricane clearing up," says Birky. What can we learn about the soup kitchens the Birkys previously worked for? A. They refused to have volunteers. B. They offered low quality food. C. They provided customers with a good environment. D. They closed down because of poor management. Answer: B Silvia Garcia,a black woman.applied for a job at a small company.One question on the application form was"Who else lives at your home address?"Ms.Garcia did not answer this question.She left the space blank. The boss,Jeff Erler, was a very religious man.He had started the company himself and felt that his employees were like his family.Mr Erler interviewed Ms.Garcia personally,He noticed that she had marked"single" on her application and he was surprised that she was not married at her age.When he mentioned this to her, she just laughed and did not answer.He decided that she was a very nice woman.He also needed to hire members of minorities,so he hired her. Ms.Garcia did very well in the company.In a few months she got a rise and was happy with the additional money.However, seven months after Mr.Erler hired her, he overheard a conversation in the dining hall.Two other workers were talking about her and "the guy she's living with." Mr Erler called Ms.Garcia into his office that afternoon.He questioned her about her living situation and she admitted that she was living with her boyfriend.Mr Erler told her that he was very sorry, but he did not want immoral people to work in his company.At first,she could not believe that Mr.Erler was serious.She told him that he had no right to call her immoral because she was living with her boyfriend.She said that as long as she was a good worker, her personal life was her own business and that he could not make judgments about it.However, Mr.Erler fired Ms. Garcia. The main reason for Ms.Garcia's being out of work is _ . A. her nationality B. her race C. her poor working relations D. her way of life Answer: D Las Vegas cab driver Gerardo Gamboa thought someone must have left a bag of chocolates in the back seat of his vehicle,but it turned out to be $300,000 in cold hard cash. Now,Gamboa is winning honors for honesty after turning in the money he found Monday.The money was returned to an unidentified poker player working in a club.Yellow Checker Star Transportation named Gamboa its driver of the year and rewarded him with $l,000 and a dinner for two at a restaurant. A message left Wednesday to interview Gamboa at the cab company wasn't immediately returned. Gamboa told the Las Vegas Review-Journal he had another passenger by the time he began wondering what kind of chocolates were in the brown paper bag.He cast a glance inside the bag at a traffic light. "I told my passenger,'You are my witness on this,'"the 13-year taxi driver told the Las Vegas Sun,"and then immediately called my company." Gamboa took the six bunches of $100 bills to the company's main office,where Las Vegas police and the club officials returned it to the poker player. Gamboa saidthemangave him a $5 tip after a trip from the Cosmopolitan Resort to the Palms Place Tower,and Gamboa then drove to the Bellagio Resort,where a doorman helping a passenger into the car noticed the bag. It took several hours to check the identity of the owner and return the cash.He took Gamboa's information,but didn't leave a reward. "If he doesn't give me anything,that's OK,"Gamboa told the Sun."I'm not waiting for any kind of return.I just wanted to do the right thing,and I appreciate what the company did for me." What can be inferred from the text? A. The driver will ask the poker player for $l,000. B. It was 3 days before the poker player got back the money. C. The driver meant to keep back the money at first. D. The driver feels he should return the lost money. Answer: D Guilin is my favorite city in China because of its beauty, its waterways, its cafes, and most of all because I met my wife there. It is her hometown and we will both retire there in a few years. Not only is Guilin a fascinating city, but there are many interesting places to visit within a short drive from there. The Ling Canal is the oldest canal in the world. It was built about 2,200 years ago and connects two major river systems, the Yangtze and the Pearl River. The Longsheng Rice Terraces is another manmade wonder that was built around 650 years ago.I have some photos of both of these places in my China Daily homepage Albums. The Gudong Waterfall Park is another attraction that is worth visiting. The hike to the top of all these waterfalls isn't very difficult and if you want, you can take a ride to the bottom on a personal rail car that you control the speed with a _ If you want, you can also climb up some of the waterfalls with the help of chains that are placed for the convenience of amateur climbers . I have only been in Guilin during the winter and spring, but my wife tells me it gets pretty hot in the summer time. That's OK because I grew up in the Midwest of the US where it gets very hot and humid during the summer months. But in Guilin almost everything is within walking distance and if you need to go further the buses come by every 5 minutes on the busy streets and every 10-15 minutes just about everywhere else. There are plenty of taxis, too, and most trips are only 6 yuan. It's a perfect place to retire. What's the weather like in summer in Guilin? A. Very hot. B. Quite humid. C. Rather hot. D. A little cool Answer: C DEAR Daughter, We have not seen you for a while now, so I thought we might check in. Did you fall off the edge of the Earth? Your mother worries, you know, and I am just curious. Well, I am more than curious. I feel abandoned. Apparently you've dumped us for your career. I can understand that, because you've always had a wonderful work ethic . Look, obviously your long absence has confused us. As we go about our daily routines, your mother and I are distracted - both by your absence and our pride in your career. The other day, I entered my work password into the microwave, then stood there cursing it for not working. And I was so off my game that I actually used that cholesterol-free mayo your mother insisted on buying in an effort to drive me from the house. Listen, a lot has happened since you've been away. Abraham Lincoln was shot. We had two more children - a princess, now 23; a boy, now 12. Yesterday I bought a very clean 2001 Camaro car from an older woman. Your mother is not happy about this. She says it is the kind of muscle car driven by ex-convicts when they examine your house at 2 am. In response, I tell her it was the car of my dreams (when I was 18). So that's where your long absence has left us. Your long absence is not so bad, though we miss your roaring laughter ... the way your cheeks flush when you eat Thai food. How you always march too hard into the house, like a Scotsman stepping on snakes. Each evening, your mother now waits by the window the way she did when you used to step off the bus in first grade, your hair full of rubber bands. Bet that drove you crazy even then, her running out on the porch like you'd just returned from a month-long journey to the moon. Look, parents are not easy people. But should the urge ever hit you, feel free to stop by some time. Our house is your house. Our hearts are yours too. And your mother is still waiting by the window. Love, Dad From the article, we can conclude that the author is _ . A. humorous B. inspiring C. serious D. patient Answer: A "Confidence" is probably one of the most noticeable traits in the Americans. They show confidence in the way they talk, the way they smile, the way they dress and the way they walk. Living and competing with all these confident American students, I find it extremely important to be confident as an international student and instructor. As a student, being confident means you should never hesitate to raise your hand whenever a question or a point comes to your mind. Don't mind if it sounds simple or silly. Otherwise you will never get a chance to speak in class at all. What's worse, the professors may think you are not prepared for the discussion or you do not have your own opinion on the issue--this is the last comment any graduate would like to receive. Being confident for me as a foreign instructor means calmly asking the student to repeat what he or she has said if I did not get it. Pretending to understand what you actually did not may just bring yourself embarrassment or even disgrace. But the time I most need to be confident is when my students come to my office and bargain about the grades I have given for their speeches. (The course I'm teaching here is Public speaking). Modesty is a trait highly valued in China, but it won't be of much help here if you want to survive and succeed in a good American graduate program. The author is most likely to feel embarrassed if _ . A. he asks a student to repeat what he has said B. the students bargain with him C. he pretends to know what he doesn't D. he has to give a speech Answer: C It was raining as I ran out of the church, eager to get home and play with the gifts Father Christmas sent me. Across the street was a gas station, which was closed for Christmas, but I noticed a family standing under the narrow overhang to keep dry. I wondered briefly why they were there but then forgot about them as I couldn't wait to see my gifts. Once I got home, there was hardly any time to enjoy my gifts. My grandparents were still waiting for us to have Christmas dinner together at their house. As we drove down the highway, I noticed that the family was still there. The closer we got to my grandparents' house, the slower the car went. Suddenly, my father U-turned and said, "I can't stand it!" "What?" asked my mother. "It's those people back there at the gas station, standing in the rain." When my father pulled into the station, I saw there were five of them: the parents and three children--two girls and a small boy. Then we learned that the family was waiting for the bus to Birmingham, where the man planned to find a job. "Well, that bus won't come along for several hours. Winborn's just a few miles away, and there is a shed with a cover there," my father advised. "I will run you up there." Then they climbed into our car,. My father looked back and asked the children if Father Christmas had found them. Three sad faces gave him his answer. "Well, Father Christmas said he was having trouble finding you, so he just left your toys at my house this morning. Let's go to get them first," my father said. All at once, the three children's faces lit up. When we arrived at our house, one girl spied a lovely doll, that little boy took a ball, and the other girl picked up something else. That was the Christmas when I learned the joy of making others happy. We can learn from the text that the author's father _ . A. knew that family very well B. got lost on the way to Winborn C. sent that family to Birmingham D. was happy to help those in trouble Answer: D Some people make you feel comfortable. You can easily spend an hour with them and feel as if you have known them your whole life. These people, who can make others feel relaxed, have great people skills and if we observe them we can learn a lot. How do they do it? Here are several ways to put others at ease so you can make friends quickly. First of all, good talkers ask lots of questions. Almost anyone, no matter how shy he or she is, will answer a question put to him or her. One well-known businesswoman says: "At business lunches, I always ask people what they did that morning. It's a common question, but it will get things going." From there you can move on to other matters - sometimes even to really personal questions. How he or she answers will let you know how far you can go. Second, once good talkers have asked questions, they listen to the answers. This point seems obvious, but it is important to remember that your questions should have a point and help you understand what sort of person you are talking to. In order to find this out, you really have to listen carefully. Real listening means not changing the subject of conversation. If someone sticks to one topic, you can take it as a fact that he or she is really interested in it. Real listening also means not just listening to the words, but also to how the person is speaking. What is their tone of voice? If they sound bored then it might be time for you to change the subject. Finally, good talkers know how to end a conversation. If you're saying goodbye to someone, shake his or her hand and say: "I've really enjoyed meeting you." And if you want to see that person again, don't keep it a secret. Let them know, and they will walk away feeling as if they've known you their whole life. What is the article mainly about? A. The skills needed to be a good talker. B. What to do when making friends. C. How to be a good listener. D. How to start a conversation with a stranger. Answer: A
A Most of us feel upset if we miss just one meal, and if we try to go without food for 12 hours we would really be uncomfortable. But there are some people who seem able to "fast" for very long periods. Various records are claimed for long fast, but in most cases there is no medical proof and so the records are doubtful. One South African woman claimed that she lived for 102 days on nothinig but water and soda water. There are great differences among living things in the ability to survive without food. For example , a tick , which lives on animals, may survive a whole year. Warm-blooded animals use up their stores of food in the body more quickly. In fact, the smaller and more active the animal, the more quickly it uses up its reserves. A small bird starves to death in about five days, a dog in about twenty. In general, we can say that a warm-blooded creature will die when it has lost about half its normal weight. This matter of weight is important. Man and other creatures live in a state of metabolic equiplibrium which means maintaining the body weight once a certain point has been reached. This regulation of body weight is done by thirst, hunger, and appetite. When your blood lacks nutritional materials, this registers in the hunger center of the brain and you feel "hungry". The body is crying out for any kind of fuel(food). And it is our appetite that sees to it hat we chooose a mixed diet, which is the kind the body needs. From the passage we can infer that the author _ . A. believes the South African woman very firmly B. does not believe the South African woman at all C. is not certain whether the South African woman's claim was true. D. is doubtful whether there was such a South African woman Answer: C "What's in a name?" According to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, there is not too much. "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." But Shakespeare may have been wrong. In most cultures, names matter a great deal. Americans choose names for their children with care. Parents usually think about the impression a name gives, not its meaning. Most Americans would consider a "Jennifer" more attractive than a "Bertha", for example. The last name, or, surname, must also be considered when choosing a first and middle name. A name like Lester Chester Hester would sound poetic, but odd. Parents would avoid names that remind them of people they don't like. On the other hand, people might name their children after a respected elderly or even a famous person. The popularity of certain names can change with each new generation. Names that were once common, like Fanny or Elmer, sound old-fashioned today. But other names---like John and David, Mary and Sarah---have stood the test of time and continue to be favorites. People in America don't always call their friends and s by their given names. Instead, they often use nicknames. Sometimes nicknames are short forms of a longer name. For instance, a girl named Elizabeth may be called Lisa, Beth or Betsy. As children grow up, they may decide for themselves which nickname they wish to be called. Some people just go by the initials of their first and middle names, like B.J. or R.C. And of course, people may call their children or their sweethearts other special nicknames. Often they have a "sweet" flavor, like Honey or Sugar. What's in a name? A word of significance. So if you're choosing an English name for yourself, take care to choose a good one. A made-up name could sound strange to native English speakers. And a translation of your Chinese name may not make an appropriate name, either. But a good name can leave a positive and lasting impression. As an American politician once said, "In real life, unlike in Shakespeare, the sweetness of the rose depends upon the name it bears." The author is most likely to name a newly born baby girl _ . A. Bertha B. Fanny C. Yunyun D. Elizabeth Answer: C It takes less than six seconds to leave a first impression. It is said that we ought not judge a book by its cover, but come on, isn't it the color, the design, the layout, and the title that draw us to pick up a book we've never heard of before? Notice what your assumptions are about a person when you are first introduced to her or him. Something that most of us don't take notice of is how we stand or walk. Let's say you are going for a job interview. Within seconds you have already said a lot about yourself by the way you walk. The majority of us walk around everyday without paying any attention to what we are saying even though we are not uttering a word. There is a lot that can be said about body language from the clothes you wear to the gestures you make. I took notice of this topic recently as I recalled something about changing my posture to improve my level of confidence. I was about to venture on a new project, which would take me out of my comfort zone. My gremlins were having a field day with me uttering all kinds of reasons why I couldn't do a good job with this new opportunity. I tucked in my tummy , put my shoulders back , held my head high , and took a walk. Soon thereafter, I felt so much better. I approached the project with new possibility. Wow, what a difference ! Try it ! The ability to capture your audience when you walk into a room is sure to start you off on the right foot when going on an interview. Non-verbal signals have five times the impact of verbal signals. So you can count on losing your audience when you walk in with head down dragging your feet regardless how much you try to change it. The author probably believes that _ . A. non-verbal signals are more important than verbal signals B. non-verbal signals are not so easy to catch C. we mainly rely on verbal signals during an interview D. we shouldn't pay too much attention to our non-verbal signals Answer: A Earning a black belt in martial arts and being issued a pilot's license are both impressive accomplishments that take year of effort to achieve, but 30-year-old Jessica Cox has done both despite being born without arms. In spite of all difficulties , but with strong faith and the help of her family ,Cox put herself through high school and then college, typing papers with her toes, She became the first armless black belt in American Taekwondo Association and now has two black belts, She got her driver's license and then, astonishingly, her pilot's license in 2008, The achievement earned her a place in the Guinness Would Records, which recognized her for becoming the first person without arms to fly an airplane. Now Cox is the subject of a new documentary, Rightfooted, Which Cox says the hopes will inspire disabled young people around the world, "Had I watched a film similar to this one earlier, in my life ,I know it would have make a difference." Cox says in a trailer for the documentary. The young woman says her current goal is to become a motivational speaker, particularly for chileren born without arms , She says she believes her message can reach millions of people working to overcome a variety of disabilities. As the next step, she has been invited by non-governmental organization Handicap International to work with disabled children in Ethiopia Cox is extremely excited for the opportunity, She hopes that sharing her story will inspire children with disabilities and encourage Ethiopians to include all children in school because in Ethiopia only one percent of children with disabilities are educated and their parents do not think they can benefit from going to school, She also hopes to meet with government officials to inspire change. What's the purpose of the documentary Rightfooted? A. To inspire all young people with disabilities B. To tell the story of Cox's life and her desire C. To show how important one's foot is D. To show how Cox works in Ethiopia Answer: A The lower East Side is neither rich nor beautiful, but it can be a good place to shop. On Sundays, its streets are crowded with visitors and shoppers like these. They are trying to find a coat or a pair of shoes at a good price. Most people prefer to shop in the big department stores like Macy's, Gimbel's, or Bloomingdale's because there they can find clothing, furniture, toys, and food in one store. Some people like the smaller stores of Greenwich Village or other areas when they are looking for an unusual present. Some streets have only one kind of stores. Bracelets and rings shine in the windows of Canal Street, and wedding dresses fill the stores of Grant Street. There are streets for furs, and, in one area, there are 600 shops for antiques! Fifth Avenue is the most famous place to shop, and it is usually the most expensive. There you can find the latest styles from Paris, Italy, or New York. You can spend thousands of dollars on Fifth Avenue, or you can just _ and admire the sights for free. How many kinds of shops or stores on the lower East Side are mentioned in the passage? A. Four. B. Five. C. Six. D. Seven. Answer: A Uncle Wang is fifty. He has two sons, Wang Lei and Wang Fei. They are twins. They are twenty -two. Wang Lei likes making things. He makes many different things. Today he's making a machine. He wants to ride the machine like a bike and fly it like a plane. Wang Fei doesn't like making things at all. He likes reading and watching TV very much. He plays table tennis on Saturdays and Sundays. Wang Lei and Wang Fei like playing football a lot. Uncle Wang likes his two sons very much. They love each other, too. Wang Lei likes _ . A. reading B. watching TV C. making things D. flying kites Answer: C When an ant dies, other ants take it out of the nest, often within an hour after its death. This behavior interests scientists and they wonder how ants know for sure--and so soon--that another ant is dead. One scientist recently came up with a way to explain this ant behaviour. Dong-Hwan Choe is a biologist, a scientist who studies animals and plants. He found that ants have a chemical on the outside of their bodies that signals to other ants, "I'm dead--take me away" when it is dead. But there's a question to answer: As we know, if an ant is dead, it stops moving. But when an ant is sleeping or knocked unconscious, it is also not moving. However, other ants don't move the living ant out of the nest. How do they know this ant is not dead? Choe found that ants have another chemical on their bodies, which tells nearby ants something like, "Wait--I'm not dead yet" when it is not dead. Choe suspects that when an ant dies, the chemical that says, "Wait I'm not dead yet" quickly goes away. When other ants detect the "dead" chemical without the "not dead yet" chemical, they move away the body. To test his theory , Choe and his team put different chemicals on ants. When the scientists used the "I'm dead" chemical, other ants quickly moved the treated ant away. When the scientists used the "Wait--I'm not dead yet" chemical, other ants left the treated ant alone. Choe believes this behavior shows that the "not dead yet" chemical _ the "dead" chemical when picked up by other ants. And that when an ant dies, the "not dead yet" chemical fades away. Other nearby ants then detect the remaining "dead" chemical and remove the body from the nest. Understanding this behavior can help scientists figure out how to stop ants from invading new places and causing problems. Which of the following descriptions about Dong-Hwan Choe is right? A. Choe did this study in order to stop ants from invading new places. B. Choe is a biologist who is only interested in animals, especially in ants. C. Choe first came up with an idea to explain this ant behavior,and then did some tests to prove his theory. D. Choe did the research on this ant behavior on his own Answer: C To the Editor, I have been reading your newspaper, theHometown Gazette, for the past two years, ever since I moved to Smithville. We moved here from New York City, so I am accustomed to reading excellent newspapers such asThe New York Times. In fact, we still have theTimesdelivered on Sundays. The entire family enjoys reading the recipes in the newspaper, as well as the Styles section. TheTimesis great, but theGazetteis another story. I've never read an article that doesn't contain at least three or four spelling or grammatical errors. For instance, in last week's issue, you misspelled the word "secretary" used a singular verb with a plural noun, and used "it's" as a possessive . And that was just in the lead story! In case you never went to elementary school, "it's" means "it is". It's not a possessive adjective! It's a pity that this tiny little hick town has only one newspaper, because I' d like to have an alternative to the rag you publish. I find it hard to believe your news stories. If you can' t spell correctly, how can you get your facts right? I've been meaning to get this off my chest for some time. Please cancel my subscription . And buy yourself a dictionary. Sincerely, Jane Z. Jones Which statement of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A. The writer once lived in New York City, so he was used to reading newspapers like The New York Times. B. The entire family enjoys reading the Styles section in the local newspaper. C. The writer has long been planning to express his dissatisfaction with the local newspaper. D. It is obvious that the editors of the newspaper are not very careful about their work. Answer: B If someone wants to use a natural gas in order to assist something necessary, they can A. use it to bathe in B. eat it to die quickly C. freeze it to make ice cubes D. ignite it to warm their body Answer: D On school nights, lots of kids have to do their reading before they are allowed to watch TV. Pretty soon, you might get to do both at the same time, in true Harry Potter style. Several companies are racing to produce electronic paper and ink, complete with colors and moving imagines . One idea would be to create a newspaper like The Daily Project in the Harry Potter books. Its pages would hold video clips of baseball games instead of just black-and-white photos. Electronic paper is not a new idea. A company in Massachusetts called E ink, for example, has been working for years on such a technology. Little electricity determines whether each microsphere looks black or white at any given time. Together, microspheres make up words and imagines. The techniques seems promising for creating still imagines that can be changed when needed, but the process is too slow for good videos. Scientists in the Netherlands now report a new type of e-paper technology. By using layers of oil, the requirements. They can also make images which change fast enough to meet standard video requirements. They can also make brilliant colors,. So far, however, each image is smaller than the fingernail. For now, reading and watching TV will have to return two separate activities. Keep your eyes open, though, in the future, TV watching and reading might be part of the same work. Several companies are racing to _ . A. Make the Harry Potte _ TV program B. create a newspaper like the The Daily Project C. provide baseball games for kids D. produce electronic paper with colors and moving images Answer: D
Here are four of my friends. Get to know them and their interesting experiences. I'm Mark. I'm 12. I have learned a lot about cycling and cycled about two hundred miles with my friends. We all felt very excited. My name is Sam. I'm one year older than Mark. I have entered a competition. At last, I won it and the prize was a seven---day holiday to my favourite country --America. You can call me Linda. I'm the same age as Mark. I have been to Hong Kong Disneyland with my parents. I was excited to see so many cartoon characters because I often dreamed about them. John is my name. I'm one year younger than Sam. I have learned to ride a horse because I thought it was exciting. Before I learned it, I fell off the horse many times. But that was very interesting for me. There are _ children at the age of 12. A. five B. two C. three D. Four Answer: C Five years ago, I met her in a shopping center. I was walking through the shop when I saw her. Then she came back to my house with me. After that, we became friends. Once she had to go into hospital to have an operation on her leg. I was worried about her and looked after her every day. I made breakfast for her. I was not good at cooking, but she never complained. I also helped her take showers. I have no idea why we can be good friends, because she is quite different from me. I like writing, reading and playing computer games. But she loves outdoor activities. She likes playing balls best. She also loves sleeping. She will run all around the house to lick my face if someone shouts "Kiss for Dad." That is the only name she knows me by--Dad, though I call her by many names--Pickle, Missile and Little. But her real name is Pixar. This week she turns seven years old. Where did the writer met Pixar? A. On the street. B. In a hospital. C. In a shopping center. D. In an animal center. Answer: C Every year we have many holidays, such as summer holidays. May Day and so on. How do you spend during these holidays? Do you like to travel during them ? Can you book holidays or make travel plans on line? Now let me tell you how to do it. First,you should look up the places that you want to visit online. Then you can decide on which way to travel according to the prices online. If you go to other countries, you'd better take the plane. If you visit some places of interest near your hometown, you can take the train or bus there. Of course, you can drive a car. Next, you can get in touch with some travel companies ,and talk something about travel with them. And you can find the best place to stay at the best price. Finally, you can enjoy happy holidays with the help of the travel company. With travel company's help, you can _ during travel. A. play basketball B. have good food C. have a good time D. make many friends Answer: C 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. What is the topic of the passage? A. Why writing is important. B. Whether writing is a born gift. C. Benefits of essay writing. D. How to improve writing skills. Answer: B For many years, artists have flocked to Paris, France, to paint or to learn to paint. Perhaps artists first went there because of the city's beauty. They went to paint pictures of the broad, tree-lined streets, the great churches, and the graceful river bridges. The artists felt comfortable in Paris because the people of the city had always enjoyed art. Paris had great art museums, filled with famous paintings and statues from many countries. And the people of Paris had always welcomed new ideas. In this city, artists felt free to experiment with new ways of painting. As soon as famous artists painted in Paris, students came to learn from them. People came to buy paintings. People called art dealers set up galleries where paintings were bought and sold. Others kept shops that sold artists' paints and supplies. Students and artists who were not yet famous could live in Paris for very little money. They learned by studying great art in the museums, and they learned from one another. They held art fairs, hanging their paintings outdoors along the streets. Today, New York City and Florence, Italy, are also famous art centers. But the world's main art exhibits are still held in Paris. Important judges of art live there. Most of the new ways of painting that have started in the last hundred years began in Paris. So artists and art dealers still go to Paris because it is the world's leading art center. Which of the following statement is not a reason why so many artists prefer to stay in Pairs? A. Pairs is a beautiful city B. The French are willing to accept any new things. C. All the museums are free of charge in Pairs. D. Artists can make an easier life in Pairs. Answer: C A student was going to spend his holiday in a cool mountain village. That evening he stayed at an inn near the railway station . Before going to bed, he went to the boss of the inn and said, "Excuse me, sir. Will you please wake me up at a quarter to five tomorrow morning? I'll take the five o'clock train." "Oh, sorry, sir," the boss said in a hurry, "I'm afraid I can't. I won't be able to get up so early." The student was disappointed . When he began to return to his room, be stopped and asked, "Have you got an alarm-clock ? Maybe it can help me." "Wait a minute, then." The boss said and brought out an alarm-clock. "Here you are, sir." "Thank you very much." The student said happily. But he found it was rusty when he had a look at it. And it sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. He asked, "Will it ring in time?" "I don't know, either." said the boss, "But it doesn't matter. You just give it a good shake at a quarter to five. And it will ring on time." The student stayed at the inn because _ . A. it was in the cool mountain village he was going to B. the boss of the inn was kind to him C. the boss could wake him up at the right time D. it was near the railway station Answer: D "When an American asks me this question, it's like a wall of ice crashing down between us." my Moscow-born friend Galina said. The question is "How are you?". The answer Americans give, of course is, "Fine." But when Russians hear this they think one of two things: you are experiencing a rare moment of fineness or you are lying. Ask a Russian, "How are you?" and you will hear, for better or worse, the truth. I have experienced many painful minutes of silence after my grandmother made her stock response: "Terrible," to which she might add, "Why? Because being old is terrible and I am very old." "'Fine' makes Russians think that Americans have no soul," I explained recently to an American-born friend. "That they just want to go home, eat a frozen dinner in front of the TV, and wait out the hours before going to work to make money again." He laughed, "You know, there's something to that." The thing most Russians don't realize is that, in English, "How are you?" isn't a question at all, but a form of "hi", like the Russian "privyet!" Psychologists at the University of Michigan have shown that, while Russians are, indeed, easier to be depressed than Americans, their open acceptance of bad experiences might be healthier. Recently, when I looked through a few American guides on traveling to Russia, I was disappointed to find that they all suggested that tourists adopt the American approach to "How are you". When you ask a Russian "how are you" the Russian will _ . A. answer "fine" B. tell you the truth C. make no answer D. get angry and walk away Answer: B Australian scientists say an organic compound used by Indian women to paint dots or bindi on their foreheads could hold the key to a breakthrough in cancer treatment. Rose Bengal was first used in the early 1900s as a dye for food, textiles and cosmetics. But now it is proving to be a useful weapon in the fight against skin cancer. Television advertisements constantly warn of the dangers of overexposure to the fierce sun. Among them is the possibility of the disease melanoma , a type of skin cancer. More than 1,200 Australians die every year from the disease. Initial trials of a solution of Rose Bengal injected into some melanoma cells have had a 75 percent success rate in controlling the disease. Professor John Thompson, the director of the Melanoma Unit at the University of Sydney, says this organic dye could become a powerful cancer-fighting treatment. "We believe it works by getting into the tumor cells and causing them to self-destruct. But the exact mechanism by which it works is not totally clear. It's not useful for people who have a primary melanoma. The treatment of primary melanoma is surgical excision ,"he said. "It's useful to inject tumors for people who have recurrences; when the primary treatment has failed and when recurrence in the area, or at more distant sites has occurred." About 90 percent of Australians who develop melanoma survive thanks to early diagnosis and treatment. If left untreated, however, the disease can be fatal. Convincing younger people in Australia about the dangers of overexposure to the sun is a battle campaigners are constantly waging. Veronica Manock, a 21-year-old student, had two major operations to remove a cancerous tumor from her leg. "I've had a lot of friends who just said 'I thought it was just, you know, I'll get a mole cut out and that's it', whereas I don't think people realize how much danger they're putting themselves into and how easy it is to stop something like this happening to you just from doing little things,"said Marock. Other researchers in Australia are investigating genetic treatments to skin cancer. There is a pressing need for such research to produce effective treatments. Australians, the majority of whom are fair-skinned , are four times more likely to develop a melanoma than people in Canada, the United States or Great Britain. The main reason for Australia's high rate in skin cancer is _ . A. the overuse of cosmetics B. overexposure to the sun C. the color of their skin D. the lack of prevention Answer: B Mountain lions live in mountainous areas of the western prefix = st1 /United States. Lately, however, people have reported seeing them in quiet neighborhoods all across the country! Usually considered shy and seldom seen, these lions are becoming more noticeable. In addition, the lions appear to be moving east. They were even reported in the suburbs of Boston, Philadelphia, andChicago. It seems certain that these "Kings of the mountains" are moving. Why? Scientists are not sure. Some think that as the mountain lion population increases in the west, younger wild cats are leaving the area. These cats are searching for new homes and new places for food. "The young males are looking for new homes," says Lynn Sadler, who is the director of the Mountain Lion Foundation in Sacramento,Calif."People tend to create too many barriers, such as buildings, fences, roads, and noise. As the mountain lions seek new places and food and water sources, these barriers get in their way." The sightings have made people increasingly watchful . Sometimes the "mountain lions" that people report seeing turn out to be large dogs or even house cats. But at least a few of the meetings have been real. The building of new roads, the growing of suburbs and the growing popularity of outdoor activities are all increasing the chances that people in various parts of the country may meet up with a mountain lion. Because many people are concerned about the reappearance of the American lion, an expert outlined some ways they can avoid attracting the wild cats: Never leave pets or pet food outside; properly care for farm animals; and plan public land use to enable the lions to move safely from one place to another. "To be fair," says the expert, "mountain lions are trying to regain their homes. They were here first. Now we need to find ways we can live together." Mountain lions are moving probably because _ . A. the suburbs of big cities are peaceful and quiet B. more roads are being built into the mountains C. the number of the lions increases in the west D. young lions are seeking new partners Answer: C Which of the following represents the process of photosynthesis? A. C_{6}H_{12}O_{6} -> 6CO_{2} + 6H_{2}O B. 6CO_{2} + 6H_{2}O -> C_{6}H_{12}O_{6} +6O_{2} C. 2H_{2}O -> 2H_{2} + O_{2} D. 2H_{2} + O_{2} -> 2H_{2}O Answer: B
More and more people are trying to learn English than any other language in the world. English is the world language of politics and international business. It becomes the international language of science, medicine, sports, travel and so on. In most schools in Asia, English is taught as the main foreign language. School children in China and Japan begin to learn English at an early age. English is the official language of more than seventy-five countries including Britain, Canada, the United States and Australia. Many different languages are spoken in some countries. However, English is often used as an official language to help people communicate with each other. India is a good example. English is the common language in this country, but at least twenty-four languages are spoken there. Do you know the history of English? Old English took many words from the French language. Most English words came from French, especially those words used for describing the law and the government, such as "damage"," prison "and " marriage". Then, English became what language experts called Middle English. The history of English continues as Middle English, and then it becomes Modern English, and it is spoken today. ,. Before becoming Modern English, English was called _ by language experts. A. Middle English B. Old English C. Early English D. American English Answer: A Some people have travelled to Canada while others may have just heard of it . As is known to all, the Canadian red and white maple leaf flag is officially called The National Flag of Canada. The Canadian flag shows a stylized red maple leaf with 11 points on a white background, with red borders down each side. The Canadian flag is twice as long as its width. The white square containing the red maple leaf is the same width as the flag. Canada is a very large country, too. It is the second largest country in the world.By contrast, it has a very small population. There are only about 29 millinon people there. Most Canadians are of British or French origin, and French is an official language as well English. About 45 % of the people are of British origin, that is, they or their parents or grandparents, etc, come from Britain. Nearly 30 % are of French origin. Most of the French-Canadians live in the province of quebec. Over the years people have come to live in Canada from many countries in the world. They are mostly from European countries and also from China, as well as other Asian countries. However , Canada was not an empty country when the Europeans began to arrive. Canadian-Indian lived along the coast, bythe rivers and lakes and in forests. Today there are only 350,000 Canadian-Indians in the whole country, with their own language. In the far north live the Inuits. There are only 27, 000 Canadian-Inuits. Their life is hard in such a harsh climate. What is the populatin of Quebec? A. More than 29, 000.000 B. About 30% of the total population. C. Over 45% of th etotal population D. Less than 30% of the French-Canadians. Answer: B Have you ever heard of Jinjiang Hotel? It is on our busiest street. It's the best place to live in if you travel here. The hotel is only 0.5 kilometer from the biggest supermarket and the subway. It has three kinds of rooms for different people to use. The first kind is standard room, that is two beds with a bathroom. It offers you the air conditioner, the television and the telephone. Second is the single room, that has only one bed. Though it has only one bed, you can enjoy yourself, for the bed is really comfortable and the environment is really good. The last one we call commercial room. That is served for businessmen. The commercial room has the best quality. It also provides 24-hour hot water. You can have free tea in the afternoon. Imagine how nice as you drink tea as talking about your business with your partners. If you want to eat something, please just call 123, the food will arrive in ten minutes. One great thing is that it is very safe here because we have a few strong guards working day and night, so I'm sure you will have a great time living here. If you live in Jinjiang Hotel, you can _ easily. A. go to a movie B. go shopping C. see a doctor D. have fast food Answer: B Animals get energy for growth and repair from A. soil B. food C. water D. air Answer: B Ad 1 April Fool's party On Friday, April 1, Inner Affair goes back to the days of funk! Classic Tunes from the 70's and 80's by DJs Den & Sion, 9pm till late. Tickets: Free entrance for those in costume, otherwise 50 yuan (US$6) Time/Date: 9 pm, April 1 Place: Inner Affair, 1/F Qiankun Dasha, 6 Sanlitun Xiliujie, Chaoyang District Tel: 8454-0321 Ad 2 The "worst" party Organized by ozone productions, the party is set to be "the worst ever", with the lamest music from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Special prizes will be awarded to the worst dressed or for bad fashion sense. Tickets: Free entrance Time/Date: 9 pm, April 1 Place: Pula Pula, Tianze Lu, Oriental Seven Colours Plaza, Chaoyang District Tel: 6466-8575 Ad 3 La Nuit Francaise Again on the 2nd Thursday of the month La Nuit Francaise will be held at Le Rendezvous. The monthly event is an opportunity for all French people and everyone interested in France or speaking French to gather together. The evening features three glasses of wine for participants and a special exhibition. Time/Date: 7 to 10 pm, April 14 Place: Le Rendezvous, 3 Gongti Beilu, across from the Pacific Century Plaza, Chaoyang District Tel: 6462-9110 Ad 4 Marco V Dutch DJ Marco V drops by Banana for a gig which is supported by Hong Kong's DJ Spark. Marco V has been around for many years, as an inventive, style blending deejay and a successful and devoted producer. His spinning is energetic, crowd pleasing and never sees an empty dance floor. He was ranked No. 15 in this year's international DJ MAG DJ Top100. Tickets: 40 yuan (US$4.80) in advance, 50 yuan (US$6) at the door, both including a free drink Time/Date: 10 pm to 4 am, March 31, April 1 Place: Banana, in the lobby of the Scitech Hotel, 22 Jianwai Dajie, Chaoyang District Tel: 6528-3636 Which of the following is NOT true of Ad 1 and Ad 2? A. The two parties will be held on the same day. B. Both ads give the contact number. C. The entrance fees of the two parties will not be charged. D. Some old music will be played at the parties. Answer: C Over the holidays, I took my three young children into a fancy chocolate shop to buy a gift. I was feeling pretty good until halfway home when I looked in the rearview mirror and noticed my 7-year-old son playing with a plastic toy. "Um, where did you get that, Alex?!" "Did you buy it?" "Did I buy it?" "Did you take it?!" Long story short: He had stolen the toy. I kept my cool--even when he said, "but it was only a $1.50, mom!"--and explained why it was unacceptable to take things we didn't buy. I also said he would be returning to the store to apologize and return the item. A few hours later, I marched my son back to the store with two dollars from his pocket money. I stood by the door as he walked sheepishly to the counter and told the clerk that he had taken something without paying for it, that he was sorry and that he would pay for it now. (The toy could not be returned now because Alex had broken it.) Tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched him fidget nervously and search the clerk's face for a sign of approval. Fortunately, the clerk at the chocolate shop was gracious. She told my son he had done the right thing and when she caught my eye, I smiled in thanks and we left. I told my son that I was proud of him and to remember how awful the experience felt. Why didn't they return the toy at last? A. Because it had been broken. B. Because Alex wanted to keep it. C. Because the clerk at the shop refused to accept it. D. Because the writer was nervous. Answer: A My name is Sam. I'm tall. I have a round face and big eyes. I have a good friend. His name is Tom. He is short. He has red hair and big eyes. His favorite actor is Jackie Chan, and he thinks Jackie Chan is strong and cool.Our Chinese teacher is Miss Zhang. She is from Shanghai. She is 25 years old. She has long, black hair. She's Tom's favorite teacher. ,. . (5,2,10) _ have / has big eyes. A. Sam B. Tom C. Sam and Tom D. Jackie Chan Answer: C William Butler Yeats, a most famous Irish writer, was born in Dublin on June 13, 1865. His childhood lacked the harmony that was typical of a happy family. Later, Yeats shocked his family by saying that he remembered "little of childhood but its pain". In fact, he inherited excellent taste in art from his family--both his father and his brother were painters. But he finally settled on literature, particularly drama and poetry. Yeats had strong faith in the coming of new artistic movements. He set himself the fresh task in founding an Irish national theatre in the late 1890s. His early theatrical experiments, however, were not received favorably at beginning. He didn't lose heart, and finally enjoyed success in his poetical drama. Compared with his dramatic works, Yeats's poems attract much admiring notice. The subject matter includes love, nature, history, time and aging. Though Yeats generally relied on very traditional forms, he brought modern sensibility to them. As his literary life progressed, his poetry grew finer and richer, which led him to worldwide recognition. He had not enjoyed a major public life since winning the Nobel Price in 1923. Yet, he continued writing almost to the end of his life. Had Yeats stopped writing at age 40, he would probably now be valued as a minor poet, for there is no other example in literary history of a poet who produces his greatest works between the ages of 50 and 75. After Yeats' death in 1939, W. H. Auden wrote, among others, the following lines: Earth, receive an honored guest: William Yeats is laid to rest. Let the Irish vessel lie Emptied of its poetry. According to the passage, what do we know about Yeats's life? A. Yeats founded the first Irish theater B. Yeats stuck to modern forms in his poetry C. Yeats began to produce his best works from the 1910s D. Yeats was not favored by the public until the 1923 Noble Prize Answer: C Computers can injure you. Most other injuries happen suddenly. For example, if you fall off a bike and break your arms, it happens very quickly. But computer injuries slowly. You probably know how to ride a bike safely. Now learn to use a computer safely. Your eyes Too much light can injure your eyes, so never sit too close to a computer screen. Your eyes should be at least 50 centimeters from the screen. Remember to look away from it sometimes. This gives your eyes a rest. When you use a computer, the window should be on your left or your right. If it is behind you, the light will reflect on the screen. If the window is in front of you, the sun and the screen will both shine into your eyes. Your hands and wrists Hand and wrist injuries can happen because the hands and wrists are moved in the same way hundreds of times. If you use a keyboard for a long time, follow these three rules: 1) Rest your wrists on something. 2) Keep your elbows at the same height as the keyboard. 3) Stop something and exercise your hands, wrists and fingers in a different way. Your back Some people sit for many hours in front of a computer. If you sit in the wrong way, you can injure your back or your neck. So you should sit with your back straight. The top part of the screen should all be in front of your eyes. Your forearms, wrists, hands and the upper part of your legs should all be parallel to the floor. If you are sitting for a long time, get up every 30 minutes and exercise your arms, legs and necks. Enjoy your computer, but use it safely. It is good for your back and neck if you sit _ . A. in the right way B. for many hours C. with the screen below your eyes D. with your back leaning forward Answer: A safety goggles are used for protecting the eyes during A. sleeping B. persuits of knowledge C. dancing D. singing Answer: B
Does solving a math problem give you a headache? Doyou feel nervous when you sit a math exam? For most students, math can be tough but scientists have proved that math problems can actually trigger physical pain. Scientists came to his conclusion with an in-depth experiment, which was published in the Public Library of Science One journal. They began by finding out how much participants fearmath. Those involved were asked a series of questions such as how they feel when they receive amathtextbook orwhenthey walkinto amathlesson. Based on their answers, participants were divided into groups. One group was made up of peoplewhowere particularly afraid ofmath and participantsinthe other group weremore comfortablewiththesubject. Both groups were then given either math tasks or word tasks. When a math task was going to come next, a yellow circle would appear but when a word task was soon to come, a blue squarewould beshown. Using a brain-scan machine, scientists noticed that whenever people from Group One saw ayellow circle, their brain would respond in a way similar to when their bodyis feeling pain. It waslike the pain they would fee, for example, if they burnt their hand on a hot stove. But theyreactedlessstrongly whenthey knew that they would befaced with awordtask. However, scientistssaw no strong brainresponsefrom peopleinthesecond group. Math can be difficult, and for those with high levels of mathematics-anxiety (HMA), math is associated with tension, apprehension and fear. "When you are really thinking about the math problems, your mind is racing and you are worrying about all the things that could go wrong," explained Ian Lyons from University of Chicago, US, leader of the study. "The higher a person's anxiety of a maths task, the more he activated brain regions associated with threat detection, andthe experience of pain." More interestingly, the brain activity disappeared when participants actually started dealingwiththemathtasks. "This means that it'snot that mathitself hurts; rather, the anticipation ofmathis painful,"Lyonssaid. Based on the study, scientists suggested that things could be done to help students worry less andmove past theirfear ofmath,which might meanthey perform betterintests. Inthefirst stage,scientistsask participantssome questionsto _ . A. seewhethermath hurts B. findout how muchthey fear math C. observe how their brainresponse D. test their endurance of pain Answer: B China is the first developing country to host the Olympic Games in modern Olympic history. It hopes to learn from other countries that have held Olympic Games. As well as new buildings, the government wants more people to work in all the services in Beijing. There are a lot more people in the city, because of all the visitors to the Olympics. The city also need more places to eat and drink, because visitors eat out a lot. The government says the Beijing Olympics are "green", "hi-tech" , and "the People's Olympics". They want everyone to feel part of the Olympics. So the Chinese people have prepared for the Olympics too. Many people learn English to work as guides in 2008. The Beijing organizers make sure everything that is built for the Olympics can be used after the Games are over. So the Chinese people work for the Olympics and they can benefit from the Olympics too. When the Olympics are over, the people of Beijing can use the swimming pools and other Olympics sports centers. What does "the People's Olympics" mean? A. It means that everyone in China will be a player in the Olympic Games. B. It means that everyone in China feels part of the Olympics. C. It means that all the Chinese people are rich enough to go to Beijing and watch the Olympic Games. D. It means that the Chinese people can make money. Answer: B BERLIN -- With the crisis in Japan raising fears about nuclear power, Germany and Switzerland said on Monday that they would reassess the safety of their own reactors. Doris Leuthard, the Swiss energy minister, said Switzerland would put off plans to build nuclear plants. She said no new ones would be permitted until experts had reviewed safety standards. Germany will put off "the recently decided extension of the running time of German nuclear plants," Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters. "This moratorium will run for three months and it will allow for a thorough examination of the safety standards of the county's 17 nuclear power plants. The European Union called for a meeting on Tuesday of nuclear safety authorities to assess Europe's preparedness. Germany's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, called for a new risk analysis of the country's nuclear plants, particularly regarding their cooling systems. He is the leader of the Free Democratic Party, which strongly supports nuclear power. A previous government, led by the Social Democrats, passed a law in 2001 to close all the country's nuclear plants by 2021. But Mrs. Merkel's government changed that decision last year to extend the lives of the plants by an average of 12 years. In Switzerland, Doris Leuthard said she had already asked to analyze the exact cause of the problems in Japan and draw up new or tougher safety standards "particularly in terms of seismic safety and cooling." In Russia, the Prime Minister said his government would "draw conclusions from what's going on in Japan." The author mentions all the following EXCEPT _ . A. The moratorium in Germany will give time to examine the nuclear plants safety standards. B. Switzerland will not build new nuclear plants unless they meet the experts' safety standards. C. The Social Democrats in Germany shares the same view with the Free Democratic Party. D. Russia will try to learn something from the nuclear power crisis in Japan. Answer: C During the 1800s, African Americans worked long days in the fields of the American South.To ease their labor, they sang "field hollers" that they had brought from Africa.One person sang a line.Then a group of workers repeated it.The songs' words told of the hardships that people suffered.African Americans sang "shout spirituals", or joyous religious songs.They clapped their hands and stomped their feet to the music. After the Civil War, the music changed dramatically.African American music, from ballads to church music, took new forms.It also adapted dance music, called "jump-ups".which had great rhythm. Banjos became popular.A blues singer usually played a call and response with the banjo.By the early 1900s, the guitar had replaced the banjo as the main blues instrument. Northern Mississippi - called the Delta - was the center of the blues tradition.By the 1920s, the Delta had many clubs, so-called juke joints.African Americans listened and danced to music in these clubs.Some of the greatest blues men and women performed there. Blues have a soulful sound that is easy to recognize.The musical notes are often "bent".That is, they are changed slightly to give a song more strength.Whatever their origin, these bent notes most often define the blues. Lyrics are the words of a song.Blues lyrics describe everyday life.The lyrics, often about relationships between men and women, are often very intense and personal.They tell about sorrow and overwork.They tell about finding or losing love, having money or being broke, being happy or sad and lonely.The lyrics may use humor to describe life's trials and joys.They almost always use the rhythms of everyday speech.A typical blues stanza, or group of lyrics, has three lines.The second line repeats the first line.The third line has different words. By the 1940s, large numbers of African Americans had left the Delta and moved north to work. Many settled in Chicago.There, a new kind of "electric", or "Chicago" blues began.Many of its themes were the same, but these blues had "wailing" electric guitars and harmonicas.The music had a steady, strong drumbeat.The loud, driving Chicago blues was excellent dance music.Chicago blues led to the birth of a new music style-rock and roll. African Americans probably moved to Chicago because _ . A. the South was too hot in summer. B. they liked the Chicago blues. C. there were more jobs there. D. they wanted to create a new music style. Answer: C There are seven continents in the world. Among them, Antarctica is the most special one. It is a world of snow and ice all year round. China has sent many scientists there. They try to find resources under the icy land and study climate change and sea biology. What do they eat? Scientists don't have many choices on what they eat. About 60% their food is frozen food. It is easy to heat . Meat is common on the menu, while vegetables are not usual. Fresh vegetables are hard to grow in the cold weather. Therefore, people often eat dried and canned vegetables. How do they sleep? In Antarctica, summer lasts from November to March. During this time, Antarctica faces the sun and gets sunlight 24 hours of the day. In order to get some sleep,scientists cover the window with black cloth to make "night". How do they work? People can wear warm clothes to be against the cold weather, but they can do little with the strong wind. Sometimes, the wind is even stronger than a typhoon. It can easily blow people away. So there are ropes that connect some research stations. People can hold these ropes to keep balance in strong winds. How do they keep in touch with others? There are no cables or Internet on the frozen continent. So mobiles and computers don't work there. Scientists usually use two-way radios to communicate at work. If they want to say hello to family and friends, they can use the satellite phones. What kind of vegetables do they usually eat? A. Fresh vegetables B. Green vegetables only C. Dried and canned vegetables D. They go down the ice to work. Answer: C "Last week," Dr. P said "I was invited to a doctors' meeting at the R. Hospital. In one of the rooms a patient, an old man, got up from his bed and moved slowly towards me. I could see that he hadn't long to live, but he came up to me and placed his right foot close to mine on the floor." "Frank!" I cried with surprise. He couldn't answer as I knew, but he tried to smile, all the time keeping his foot close to mine. My thoughts raced back more than thirty years--to the dark days of 1941, when I was a student in London. The scene was an air-raid shelter , in which I and about a hundred other people slept every night. Among them were Mrs. West and her son Frank, who lived nearby. Sharing wartime problems, we got to know each other very well. Frank interested me because he was not normal . He had never been normal, ever since he was born. His mother told me he was 37 then, but he had less of a mind than a baby has. Mrs. West, then about 75, was a strong, able woman, as she had to be of course, because Frank depended on her completely. He needed all the attention of a baby. One night a policeman came into our shelter and told Mrs. West that her house had been all destroyed. That wasn't quite true, because the West went on living there for quite some time. But they certainly lost nearly everything they owned. When that kind of thing happened, the rest of us helped the unlucky ones. So before we separated that morning, I stood beside Frank and measured my right foot against his. They were about the same size. That night, then, I took a spare pair of shoes to the shelter for Frank. As soon as he saw me, he came running--and placed his right foot against mine. After that, he always greeted me in the same way. Dr. P placed his foot against Fran's before he left the shelter. A. to find out if Frank could put on his shoes B. to be friendly towards Frank C. to see if Frank's feet were normal D. to teach Frank to greet people in a special way Answer: A like many other fruit,Cherries are packed with antioxidants that may help to prevent cancer and heart disease,as well as slow the aging process.Perhaps you've heare about the controversy between the FD(Food and Drug Administration)and the cherry industry and wondered what it was all about.Are cherries not as healthy to eat as you thought they were?Should you stop eating cherries?The answer is no. The controversy is over certain health claims made by the cherry industry and those who sell products made from cherries,such as pills,capsules and juice,not the health benefits of cherries themselves. While many scientific studies have demonstrated the health benefits of cherries, the FDA says that makers of products containing cherries cannot claim that their products prevent, treat or cure a specific disease such as cancer. For the general population, however, the bottom line is that there is no reason not to eat cherries. There are two types of cherry: sweet and sour . Sweet cherries are often sold fresh in grocery stores. Sour cherries are canned and used in pies, and dried to be made into fruit snacks and juice. Like most other fruit,cherries are fat-free, low in calories and high in certain minerals and vitamins. They can be eaten raw, cooked or juiced; if you want year-round cherry enjoyment, they are also easy to can and enjoy at your convience. Most scientific research has centered on the health benefits of sour cherries. Sour cherries are among the top fruit as far as antioxidant levels go. According to one study, eating 20 sour cherries a day could provide the same pain relief that aspirin does. Researchers in Texas recently discovered that sour cherries contain high levels of melatonin , something produced by the body that is thought to help slow the aging process as. well as control sleep. Cherries may lower blood sugar levels and help to significantly reduce pain due to muscle damage. Which of the folrowing benefits of cherries are NOT mentioned in the passage? A. They can help control sleep if canned. B. They can help slow the process of aging C. They lower the blood sugar level. D. They help relieve the pain of some diseases. Answer: A One day an out of work mimic is visiting the zoo and attempts to earn some money as a street performer. As soon as he starts to draw the crowd,a zoo keeper grabs him and drags him into his office. The zoo keeper explains to the mimic that the zoo's most popular attraction,a gorilla ,has died suddenly and the keeper fears that attendance at the zoo will fall off. He offers the mimic a job to dress up as the gorilla until they can get another one. The mimic accepts. So the next morning the mimic puts on the gorilla suit and enters the cage before the crowd comes. He discovers that it's a great job. He can sleep all he wants,play and make fun of people and he draws bigger crowds than he ever did as a mimic. However,eventually the crowds tire of him and he tires of just swinging on wires. He begins to notice that the people are paying more attention to the lion in the cage next to his. Not wanting to lose the attention of his audience,he climbs to the top of his cage,crawls across a partition ,and dangles from the top to the lion's cage. Of course,this makes the lion very angry,but the crowd loves it. At the end of the day the zoo keeper comes and gives the mimic a raise for being such a good attraction. Well,this goes on for some time-the mimic keeps taunting the lion,the crowds grow larger,and his salary keeps going up. Then one terrible day when he is dangling over the angry lion he slips and falls. The mimic is terrified. The lion gathers itself and prepares to attack. The mimic is so scared that he begins to run round and round the cage with the lion close behind. Finally,the mimic starts screaming and yelling,"Help me,help me!"But the lion is quick and attacks. The mimic soon finds himself flat on his back looking up at the angry lion and the lion says,"Shut up,you idiot!Do you want to get us both fired?" What does the mimic feel about the new job at first? A. He likes it because he has enough freedom in the job. B. He likes it but he prefers to working as a mimic. C. He doesn't like it for people do not respect him. D. He doesn't like it because he gets little pay. Answer: A A man called his son in New York the day before Christmas and said, "I have to tell you your Mom and I are going to divorce ! Thirty years is quite a long time." "Dad, what are you talking about?" the son cried. The father said:"We are sick of each other. I don't want to talk about it anymore. You call your sister in Chicago and tell her about the news." When the daughter got the news, she is very surprised at it. "What? They are getting divorced." She shouted, "I'll stop them." She called her father immediately, and cried to her father," Don't do anything until I get home. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Wait for us, please." The old man hung up his phone and turned to his wife. "OK" he said, "they're coming for Christmas and paying their own way." Who called the father in this story? A. The sick man B. The wife C. The son D. The daughter Answer: D Everyone knows that exercise is important.We all need to _ .Doctors say it is good for us.it makes your heart and body _ .When the daytime comes, we must get up. This is the time for exercise. Exercise means doing things with the body. Children who often exercise are more alert .This means they do better in tests and schoolwork than those who don't exercise. There are _ ways to exercise.You can walk, run, swim, skate, or play ball games, Make sure you exercise in the following ways:you have to like what you're doing. Exercise enough but not too much.it's best to exercise _ each week .Thirty minutes each time is enough.Try all kinds of thing until you find one, two or even three sports that feel right for you. You can exercise at _ .They have a lot of equipment there. The equipment will help exercise your arms, legs and other parts of body to make you fit.Some people buy equipment for their homes.But it is very expensive. Exercising can be fun.Friends can exercise together at a fitness center, or they can Play sports together.How do you exercise? How long should we do exercise is do it _ . A. An hour B. Half an hou C. 20 minutes D. 40 minutes Answer: B
The endangered Florida manatee is a large, aquatic mammal that feeds on sea grasses in brackish water. Due to where they like to feed, manatees are vulnerable to injuries from boat propellers. If speed zones requiring boats to maintain a low speed are placed in areas where manatees are known to congregate, which will most likely occur? A. less water pollution in manatee habitats will occur B. manatees will seek alternate food sources C. new manatee predators will surface D. manatee populations will increase Answer: D Something's not quite right with the climate.While global CO2emissions have continued to swell, the global temperature rise has leveled off.Meanwhile, satellites and other observational tools indicate that the net heat retained by the planet has continued to increase, and that excess energy should be pushing up surface temperatures.But it's not. In fact, up to half the heat energy that was expected to fuel global wanning since 2003 has gone " missing.M Kevin Trenberth and John Fasullo of the National Center for Atmospheric Research ( NCAR) wonder where that heat may have gone--and what it could mean for the future of the climate. One possibility is that some of our measurements could be off.Although scientists have a lot of confidence in their ability to measure CO2buildup and the energy balance in the atmosphere--the data used in the measurements comes from multiple sources, all of which, Fasullo says, "tell the same story"--our data on ocean temperatures isn't as good."Keeping track of temperature over the whole oceans isn't that easy," says Fasullo. So, it is likely that the missing heat is being trapped deep in the ocean, well below the 900m to 1,500m range of our surface sensors.But despite their vastness, the deep oceans have a limit, says Fasullo, who thinks they won't behave as a heat sink over the long term."That's not what we've seen over long time scales in the past," he says."We clearly know the ocean can't absorb the heat indefinitely. Overall, the missing heat doesn't change expectations for future climate change, because the heat won't stay missing forever.Eventually it will resurface and impact the climate system, and the recent and deceptive reprieve from rapid warming we've enjoyed will come to an expected end.When that will happen is unknown, but better science can give us a clearer idea."At the end of the day, the system will come back to balance, and that suggests temperature will end up increasing," says Fasullo.So it's still up to us to do something about it. According to Fasullo's report, we can conclude that _ . A. the measurements of heats in ocean may not be exact B. the global temperture rise has dropped down C. it still needs higher technical tools for measuring missing heat D. scientists have enough confidence in measuring CO2emissions Answer: A Dear Daddy, You've been gone for six years and I've had time to think. Now I'm ready to write this letter to you. For a long time after Mom died, I thought I liked her more because I didn't like your attitude and I thought that her softer side was more desirable. In my 15-year-old's mind, I thought you could have stopped my mother from drinking herself to death. Instead, you were off playing tennis and working. Later, I realized that no one could make someone stop drinking. Support is important, but at the end of the day, it is a choice. You were just doing your best. What I have learned is that I am much like you. You taught me self-confidence. I know if I am prepared to work hard enough for something, I will be successful. This is no small thing. What I've realized since you died is that you were always there for me. You fought to ensure that I got my place on the Quebec badminton team that I had earned. When I got divorced , you came up to see if I had what I needed to take care of the boys and you paid off my car. You taught me not to spend money I don't have. I've always kept to that rule. It has served me well. We always had a good home to live in, nice vacations, and everything we needed and most of what we wanted. You were not a perfect parent and neither am I. My children are much more thankful than I ever was. I am thankful that I had you as my dad. I am still Daddy's girl and I am proud of it. We can know the writer's father _ . A. always put his family in first place B. didn't understand his daughter C. didn't treat his daughter well D. died six years ago Answer: D Here's how you can take the taxi in Japan From train station or airports , go to the _ and wait there. In the street, look for a taxi that has a red light in the front window. It means the taxi has no passengers . ( If the light is green, the taxi has passengers. ) When you see an empty taxi, wave your hand and call it. The back door opens automatically , so stand back and wait until the door opens. Get in the taxi and tell the driver where you want to go. Before you get out of the taxi, pay it. *Wait until the door opens and get out of the taxi. Before you get in the taxi, you should _ . A. open the front door B. open the back door C. wait until the back door opens D. wait until the front door opens Answer: C If you're networking and nothing is happening, you might need to evaluate how you're doing it. Maybe you show up at each event and still feel challenged by the process. You aggressively talk to people, give out your cards, call endlessly to schedule an appointment but have no real success from your efforts. To help you gain a different future, here are ten habits you should avoid. Ineffective networkers: 1. Lack patience. They expect immediate results and want business now, not tomorrow. 2. Constantly "selling" something. They see dollar signs every time they shake hands with someone. 3. Too many choices. If they offer a variety of products, they might try too hard to tell about all of them. Offering too much information sends a confusing message making it difficult for people to send referral . Opportunities are all around us but when you're networking, only focus on one. 4. Change positions too often. If they move from company to company or do something totally different, it might be difficult for people to keep up with them. 5. Lack manners and respect. They interrupt others, talk with food in their mouth, aren't very polite and appear unprofessional. They call people during dinner or on the weekends without thinking whether the occasion is suitable. 6. Distribute too many cards and sales literature. They come while loading with brochures, flyers , catalogues and samples. 7. Focus on themselves. Too much self promotion can leave the other person to feel unappreciated. Every sentence begins with "I" and is all about their business. 8. "Talking" instead of "giving". They don't realize what other people sense when they are being very selfish. Others may think that they are being taken advantage of. 9. Lack authenticity and personal values. They may create unrealistic expectations and not deliver on their promises. Sometimes doing things without integrity possibly twists the truth. 10. Poor communication and interpersonal skills. They have trouble speaking effectively, building relationships and following up. Networking is a process that is an investment of time and money. If you find you're doing any of these habits, consider learning how to improve on these and maximize your results while networking. You'll start to get better at connecting with people and obtain more referrals. According to the second habit, we shouldn't _ when we are networking. A. sell things B. talk about dollars C. pay attention to money only D. shake hands with everyone Answer: C It is obvious that television brings us not only advantages but also disadvantages . At first, television is both a convenient channel of amusement, and a ly cheap one. If we have a TV set in the family, we are not necessary to go to the cinema or theatre to enjoy programme with expensive tickets. All that they have to do is press a button with a finger, and they can watch all the programmes they like, such as TV talk shows , movies, opera and so on. But some people think of it as a danger. When we watch TV, we don't need to do anything . We do not even have to leave our sofa because we have a remote control in our hand. We don't need to make any judgment or statement about it. We are totally passive and don't use our head to think hard about some matters. As we all know, television keeps us informed about world events--including all the events in society, science and politics .We can get a good idea of the most remote countries and the strangest customs in their country. Of course the radio performs this service too, but the effect of the programme is not better than on the television. Everything we enjoy on the television is much more vivid and realistic. However, in turn there is a great danger. Usually we cannot resist the television screen, because it has a great harm for us. We have been so accustomed to enjoying the screen, so dependent on its pictures. But when our TV sets are out of order, we are surprised to find that we have much more time to do things. And at this time we actually begin to have a talk to each other again. It is really worth thinking. Of course the arguments about the advantages and disadvantages of television are on the go.We can not simply say television itself is good or bad. The truth is that how we use it determines its true value to our society. According to the passage , whether TV is good or not depends on _ . A. its quality B. people's attitude towards it C. how we use it D. when we use it Answer: C Prague is an ancient European city, featuring one of the most magnificent Old Towns in Europe, along with delicious food, inexpensive shopping and friendly people. Prague is also famous as being home to one of the most famous 20th century writers, Franz Kafka. The famous Czech beer is also one of the reasons to visit Prague. The narrow streets of the older parts of the town are appealing the visitors to take nice long walk and settle in some of the many restaurants, which offer top-quality foods at a low price. The buildings there are mostly tower-shaped,and so Prague is called "city of a hundred ." Mauritius Also known as the Paradise on Earth, Mauritius lies about 560 miles (900 km) east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. It is a place of magnificent natural beauty coupled with excellent customer service, which makes for an unforgettable romantic experience at the edge of the world's warmest ocean. There are lots to see and do in Mauritius: the coral reefs surrounding the island offer stunning beauty and great underwater adventures to those who want to dive into the precious waters. The nature of Mauritius mostly resembles that of Paradise, allowing every couple visiting this island to feel like Adam and Eve. That is an experience nobody would want to miss! Cyprus The very name Cyprus, it has been said, glitters with an age-old myth. Today, history and hedonism are comfortably mixed on the island. Some five-star resorts within walking distance of well-preserved Greek and Roman ruins offer the convenience the modern traveler has come to expect. Cyprus features a romantic history, as it was Anthony's gift to his beloved Cleopatra during the glorious days of the Roman Empire. Maybe that is why you feel always a little special once you set foot on Cyprus. For more information about many other most romantic places in the world, just log on at http://www.jurgita.com. What is the main purpose of the author? A. To attract more visitors. B. To tell traveling experiences. C. To sell information on line. D. To introduce historical places. Answer: A For families on vacation,a playground provides a welcome break from sightseeing.It can also provide a glimpse into the local culture,from the setup of the park to the ways families interact.Here are the designs that live up to that challenge. Fruit and Scent Park, Stockholm Is there a picky eater on a steady diet of chicken fingers and cheese? Perhaps a trip to Sweden's Fruit and Scent Park will change his or her culinary tune.This playground features a banana slide,an orange seesaw,pear huts,a watermelon jungle gym and a pair of cherry swings,all designed by public artist Johan Ferner Strom.Now,who can say you can't play with your food? Nishi Rokugo Park, Tokyo Located between central Tokyo and the city of Kawasaki,Nishi Rokugo combines recycled rubber tires with traditional playground equipment.In total,more than 3,000 tires of different sizes are used to create tunnels,bridges,tall sculptures for climbing and,of course,tire swings.There's little shade,so you can visit here in the early morning or late afternoon for the most comfortable weather, and be sure to wear your play clothes. $?Bicentennial Children's Park, Santiago,Chile Set a top San Cristobal Hill,the Bicentennial Children's playground in Metropolitan Park was built to celebrate 200 years of Chilean independence and improve the lives of Santiago citizens.Dozens of slides are built into the slope,creating a design completely complementary of the surrounding landscape.Fountains offer some relief from the sun,and ample seating gives parents a place to relax. What is mainly talked about in the text? A. Programs designed for culture exchange. B. Theme parks attracting most tourists. C. Creative sites for family to hang out. D. Top museums around the world. Answer: C Whether we should allow marine parks to stay open has been widely debated in our community recently. A variety of different arguments have been put forward about it. Smith, a sociologist, argued that dolphin parks provide the only opportunity for much of the public to see marine mammals. As this argument goes, most Australians live in cities and never get to see these animals. Marine parks allow the average Australian to appreciate our marine wildlife. However, in fact, there are many places where they can be seen in the wild. Moreover, these places do not charge an overpriced entry fee -- they are free. Dr. Alison Lane, the director of the Cairns Marine Science Institute, insists that we need marine parks for scientific research. She argues that much of our knowledge of marine mammals comes from studies which were undertaken at marine parks. The knowledge which is obtained at marine parks can be useful for planning for the preservation of marine mammal species. However, Jones, a zoologist, explains that park research is only useful for understanding captive animals and is not useful for learning about animals in the wild. Their diets are different, they have significantly lower life lengths and they are more likely to have a disease. In addition, marine mammals in dolphin parks are trained and this means that their patterns of social behaviour are changed. The Marine Park Owners Association holds that marine parks attract a lot of foreign tourists. This position goes on to state that these tourists spend a lot of money, increasing our foreign exchange earnings and assisting our national balance of payments. However, foreign tourists would still come to Australia if the parks were closed down. Indeed, surveys of overseas tourists show that they come here for a variety of other reasons and not to visit places like Seaworld. Tourists come here to see our native wildlife in its natural environment and not to see it in cages and concrete pools. They can see animals in those conditions in their own countries. In a word, perhaps an agreement cannot be reached now. However, a question does deserve our consideration: If we continue with our past crimes against these creatures, how will our future generations view us? The author tries to persuade readers to accept his argument mainly by _ . A. pointing out the problems with keeping the marine parks B. using evidence he has collected at the marine parks C. discussing the advantages of animals' natural homes D. questioning the way the animals are studied Answer: A As a solo artist,Brightman has sold 26 million albums and two million DVDs in 34 countries. Her musical styles put opera, pop and jazz together. She is popular in the States but not here(Britain)--the image of her and her second husband, Andrew Lloyd Webber(he much older, she his muse) seems for ever frozen. The 47-year-old singer talks about the new album Symphony that came out of a "very dark time", including her decision to give up trying to have children. "People have suggested I could adopt," Brightman says. "But work is central to my life now. And so I am going to put it to one side. After a while not having children becomes the normal and perhaps that might sound alarming, to parents especially, but I have never known anything different. I'm not hurt by not having children. My life and career are incredibly rich." Talking about growing up in a large family in Berkhamsted (father a property developer who later committed suicide), she says: "I was gifted as a child, and very musical. I seemed to be good at anything to do with the arts. At 5 I understood the music I was dancing to and had an eye for costume." She first appeared in a West End musical at 11 and hated boarding school. Brightman led the saucy dance troupe Hot Gossip and had her first hit with I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper in 1978. At 18 she married a music manager called Andrew Graham Stewart. "I was probably in love but I can't remember. Girls change such a lot between 18 and 22. It didn't really work out." In 1981 she was _ by Lloyd Webber. She became his leading lady in Song and Dance, Requiem and Phantom of the Opera. They married in 1984. Brightman says she felt hostility "from the beginning. I haven't tried to understand it. I've done very well everywhere else, especially the UK, where I now live. I just accept it for what it is. The more you are away from Britain, the more you appreciate it. But I don't miss it, although I miss my family. Our profession can be uncomfortable but I enjoy what I do. I get on with it." Brightman decided to give up having children because _ . A. she could adopt one B. her life and career were unbelievably rich without children C. she felt it normal not to have children D. she was too busy Answer: C
Most people are writing blogs . Others are reading them. The word " blog" is a short way of saying Web log almost like QQ Zone . Many popular Web sites now offer free, easy ways to create personal Web pages and fill them with writings and pictures. Blogs offer people a place to show their writings and feelings over the Internet. They can also be helpful to connect people with others. A blog has both good and bad points, of course. People choose to write what they think in blogs, for they know that their friends will read what they write. If you are feeling sad one day and write your feelings in your blog, your friends may quickly write back to _ you or offer their help. Blogs help people keep good friendship and let them know what their friends are doing. But the problem is that anyone can read what you write in your blog. If you are not satisfied with a friend during school, and you write something bad about him in your blog, your friend read the blog and get angry. So we have to be careful of what we write. In many ways, a blog and a diary are almost the same. So what makes a blog different from a diary? The biggest difference is that a blog is more public than a diary. What's the main idea of this passage? A. Most people like using blogs. B. The differences between a blog and a diary. C. The advantages and disadvantages of blogs. D. Blogs offer people free space to show their writings and feelings. Answer: C Which is nonmagnetic? A. nail B. washing machine C. traffic cone D. refrigerator Answer: C You're going to high school, aren't you? Maybe you don't know what to do. Well, here's a list of the top six things to do when you're in high school. These things will give you ideas of what your high school life could be like. Here you go! Find your passion and what kind of person you are: Whether it's dance, basketball, or drawing, the important thing is that you have found something you are interested in. Talk to people you wouldn't usually talk to: Meet new people, find new friends and even talk to the people you don't like. It will show what a great person you are. You never know what will happen after high school. Take part in at least one contest: This will give you tears of laughter, happiness and memories. Get a job: This will help you see what it's like to have responsibility .It can also help you make a little money to spend on yourself. Take a trip with your friends: It doesn't matter where you go or what you do, the memories will happen on the way and go on till the final place. Do your best at school: Don't ever get lazy. Working hard now will help you in the future. The writer gives you advice that you should talk to the people you don't like because _ . A. you will feel sorry if not B. it will show how great you are C. you can show how clever you are D. you can make your study better Answer: B "I don't want to buy a traditional yearbook. I can keep and share memories of my high school on the Internet."You may often hear this from many American high school students now. Instead of buying a book, more and more students choose to sign up at My Yearbook.com. My Yearbook.com was created by two teenagers, Catherine Cook and her brother, 18-year-old David Cook, in 2005. They built it up to about 950,000 members in a year. The site allows people to create a profile with separate sections for high school, college, graduate school and professional life. Students who sign up are linked to other people at their school. Acting as their own editors, they can select friends from their classmates. The site also connects students through clubs and spprts pages. Like other so-called social-networking sites, it allows members to show photos and post messages. Students can do lots of things that old-fashioned yearbooks can't offer, including hearing music and watching videos. Catherine and David developed the idea because they thought that their own yearbooks weren't good enough and were too expensive. "We just think yearbooks are obsolete," said Catherine Cook, 16."If you think about it, all you're going to do with it is put it on the shelf and never really look at it." Many American teenagers want different things out of their yearbooks than their parents did. They like the idea of creating an online yearbook. That is the reason why My Yearbook.com is becoming more and more popular. Some people, however, still wonder if this free website can ever truly replace the traditional printed book of high-school memories-even for the generation that have grown up with the Internet. Some students would like to be the users of the My Yearbook.com as well as buy a traditional yearbook. The"war" between the tradition and the new technology will never end. Everyone is free to choose what he prefers and even has both. What can be the best title for the texft? A. Going online for yearbooks B. How to select yearbooks C. Two clever students in America D. A famous social-networking site Answer: A One day, a young man was cleaning out his late grandfather's belongings when he came across a bright red envelope. Written on the front were the words, "To my grandson." Recognizing his grandfather's handwriting, the young man opened the envelope. A letter inside read: Dear Ronny, Years ago you came to me for help. You said, "Grandpa, how is it that you've accomplished so much in your life? You're still full of energy, and I'm already tired of struggling. How can I get that same enthusiasm that you've got?" I didn't know what to say to you then. _ , I figure that I owe you an answer. So here is what I believe. I think a lot of it has to do with how a person looks at things. I call it "keeping your eyes wide open". When you meet up with challenges, welcome them. They'll leave you wiser, stronger, and more capable than you were the day before. When you make a mistake, be grateful for the things it taught you. Resolve to use that lesson to help you reach your goals. And always follow the rules, even the little ones. When you follow the rules, life works. If you think you ever really get by with breaking the rules, you're only fooling yourself. It's also important to decide exactly what you want. Then keep your mind focused on it, and be prepared to receive it. But be ready to end up in some new places, too. As you grow with the years, you'll be given bigger shoes to fill. So be ready for endings as well as challenging beginnings. Sometimes we have to be brave enough to move from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Life isn't just reaching peaks. Part of it is moving from one peak to the next. If you rest too long in between, you might be tempted to quit. Leave the past in the past. Climb the next mountain and enjoy the view. Remember that your choices will create your successes and your failures. So consider all the pathways ahead, and decide which ones to follow. Then believe in yourself, get up, and get going. And be sure to take breaks once in a while. They'll give you a renewed commitment to your dreams and a cheerful, healthy perception of the things that matter the most of you. Most important of all, never give up on yourself. The person that ends up a winner is the one who resolves to win.Give life everything you've got, and life will give its best back to you. Love always, Grandpa The young man's grandpa may agree _ . A. how a person looks at things has nothing to do with one's future B. we should be thankful for what mistakes teach us C. successful life is just reaching peaks D. it's not so important to decide exactly what you want Answer: B I have a pen pal in Canada. His name is Simon. He lives in Ottawa, Canada. He is twelve years old. He also studies in a middle school. Simon lives in a happy family. His father is a policeman and his mother is a bank clerk . Simon and his parents like exercising. They almost exercise every day. Simon's father is tall. He is good at playing basketball. Simon's mother likes playing volleyball. Simon usually gets up at 6.30 am. He eats his breakfast at home. Then he goes to school. It's kind of far from the school to his home, so he usually has his lunch at school. Usually, Simon does his homework four times a week. Simon likes watching TV. He usually watches TV for about one hour every day. He goes to bed at nine. How many people are there in Simon's family? A. Two. B. Three. C. Four. D. Five. Answer: B Hiking is not only one of the best forms of physical exercise, but it is also one of the best forms of mental relaxation. It is good for all ages and especially good as a family and group activity. Since there are so many different kinds of hiking, it is not possible to give any general rules to follow. Short and frequent hikes, needing no planning or special equipment, are enjoyed by most people. Keep in shape by walking at a fast pace for at least 15 minutes every day. Climbing stairs instead of using a lift and running not too far are also good ways of keeping in shape. On any hike nothing is more important than good, comfortable shoes. The things you take might include matches in a waterproof box, a knife, compass, map first aid items and flashlight. Cameras may be taken, but don't load with too much. On longer hikes keep a comfortable, steady pace and take rest stops often. Drink only safe water. If in doubt, boil the water. Don't go along the busy roads. When you have to use a road, keep as far over on the left as possible. Leave word at home or some other place as to where you are going and when you plan to return. On almost any hike, a map is a good idea. If going into a strange place, a detailed map is most useful. Take along a field guide on flowers, birds, rocks, or other subjects depending upon your interests. This can add greatly to the enjoyment and educational value of your hike. The author mostly talks about _ . A. general rules for hiking in mountainous areas B. steps to be taken against dangerous animals C. general things that should be paid attention to in hiking D. all the things that are needed in hiking Answer: C Have you ever been ill? When you are ill,you must be unhappy because your body becomes hot,and there are pains all over your body. You don't want to work,you stay in bed,feeling very sad. What makes us ill? It is germs . Germs are everywhere. They are very small and you can't find them with your eyes,but you can see them with a microscope. They are very small and there could be hundreds of them on a very small thing. Germs are always found in dirty water. When we look at dirty water under the microscope,we shall see them in it. So your father and mother will not let you drink dirty water. Germs aren't found only in water. They are found in air and dust. If you cut your finger,if some of the dust from the floor goes into the cut ,some of the germs would go into your finger. Your finger would become big and red,and you will have much pain in it. Sometimes the germs would go into all of your body,and you would have pain everywhere. Which of the following is NOT true? A. Germs can be found both in water and in the air. B. Germs can go into your finger if it is cut. C. If your temperature is not OK,there must be germs in your body. D. If your finger isn't cut,there aren't any germs on it. Answer: D Traffic lights are very important for us. I think you know this. But do you know how they were born? Garrett A. Morgan was the father of traffic lights. He was an American. His family was very poor. He left school at the age of 14. He was clever. He always looked for better ways to do things. And he liked to make new things. At that time, every American wanted to have a car. The streets were full of cars. The traffic was really bad. "Why not put three lights at each corner ? They should be red,green,and yellow," Morgan said , " Let them tell cars to go or stop." He made a timer to change the lights. So we have traffic lights today . Garrett A.Morgan was the father of traffic lights. He came from. A. Canada B. England C. America D. Japan Answer: C Now and then we all get ill. Then we usually go to see a doctor. Doctors know a lot about what makes us ill. They may give us something to take. The medicine often makes us well again. But sometimes the doctor's medicine doesn't work. A sick person does not get well. The pain doesn't go away. There was such man. He was in hospital, but he wasn't well. Then he found a new "doctor" inside himself. This "doctor" was his own sense of humor . He saw funny films. He read funny books. And he liked to learn something interesting. Laughing took away his pain. Then he was able to sleep and rest. His own happy feeling helped him to feel well again. And he told his story in a book. He said that laughing was his best "medicine". His doctor thought so, too. Another man was ill, and he had a terrible pain in his back. The doctors could not stop it from hurting. So the man began to "picture" his pain. In his head he "drew" a picture of a dog. He imagined it as a real dog. And it was biting his back. It was hurting him. Then the man talked softly to the dog. He put his hand on the dog's head. He made friends with the dog. And his pain went away! These stories may surprise you. But more and more people are getting well in this way. So call on the "doctor" inside your own head. And stay happy and well! We can stay happy and well by _ . A. visiting the "doctor" inside our own heads B. drawing a picture of a dog C. going to see a doctor as often as possible D. taking more medicine Answer: A
A new study has found that the best way to make yourself feel happier is to think of something good that happened to you the day before. Volunteers who were asked to remember a pleasant event from past 24 hours began to feel happier right away.Other activities such as saying "Thank you" and smiling also made volunteers feel happier, but not as much. Professor Richard Wiseman of Hertfordshire University planned the study.He got 26,000 people to go online to try out a few different activities to make them feel happier.They were told to be nice, remember a pleasant event from the day before, give thanks or smile for 15 seconds twice a day.The volunteers did these activities for one week. The result showed that thinking about one good thing that had happened the day before worked the best for making people happier.(146 words) The text may probably be taken from _ . A. a personal anecdote B. sports news C. a history novel D. brief news Answer: D Once, there was a woman who had so many problems, so many worries, so many troubles... that at times she felt she had more troubles than anyone else in the world! She was depressed. She thought she could never overcome her troubles, so she decided to end her life. That night she went to sleep early and she planned to commit suicide the next morning. But that night she had a dream... She found herself in a large cave, surrounded by gray bundles of all shapes and sizes. Walking toward her was a woman with flowing long white hair. "Who are you?" asked the dreamer, "and what is this place?" "This is the cave of bundles of troubles and I am the keeper of the cave." "Bundles of troubles?" "Yes," the keeper explained, "each person who walks on the earth carries a bundle of troubles on their left shoulder." The dreamer turned to look and there was a gray bundle on her left shoulder--it had been there all the time and she never noticed! "If you wish," the keeper continued," you can take your bundle down and exchange it for another." "Really?" The woman lowered the bundle from her left shoulder. Oh, it felt so good to put it down. Then she picked up a beautiful bundle. The keeper said, "Why don't you open it and look inside?" So the woman opened it and looked inside. "But these are the same troubles I brought here!" The keeper of the cave smiled softly and nodded. "That's usually what happens, but do not despair, for there is another bundle on your right shoulder that should help lighten your load." The woman turned and saw another bundle on her right shoulder. It had been there all the time and she never noticed! The woman took it down and opened it. Inside were her talents, her gifts, her hopes and opportunities. The woman felt her heart filled with joy and she looked up to thank the keeper of the cave, but she was gone; all were gone. And she found herself sitting up in her own bed with the morning sun streaming through the window, shining on her face. What do you think happened to the woman when she woke up? A. She still felt depressed. B. She committed suicide. C. She looked for the keeper of the cave. D. She didn't want to end her life any more. Answer: D Bill, Frank and Dave were three brothers. Every year they sent their mother expensive gifts on her birthday,. They liked to show her how rich they were. The eldest brother. Bill, had a lot of money and he wanted his mother to have the most expensive gifts, but he didn't know what to buy. So he put an ad in the newspaper. "Wanted-the greatest gift for my mother." About a week before his mother's birthday a man came to his office. He brought a big bird. "This bird." the man said, "can speak ten languages and sing some pop songs." "Really? I'd like to listen to it," Bill said. The man made the bird talk in French and tell a joke in Japanese. Then the bird sang a beautiful song. Bill was very happy and paid nine thousand dollars for the bird. The next day Bill sent the bird to his mother with a birthday card. The day after his mother's birthday he called his mother. "Well, mother" he asked, "What do you think of the bird?" "Oh, it's very delicious, dear." said his mother. What did Bill put in the newspaper? A. A show B. A magazine C. An ad D. A report Answer: C Can plants eat people? Probably not,but there are many plants that eat meat.Some of them are big.And they can eat small animals.One famous meat-eating plant is the Venus flytrap . The Venus flytrap is a very strange plant.It grows in dry parts of the United States.Its leaves are like the pages of a book.They can open and close very quickly.Inside the leaves,there are three small hairs.If a fly touches one of the hairs,the leaf closes quickly.The fly cannot get out.In about half an hour,the leaf _ the fly until it is dead.Then,the plant covers the fly.Slowly,the plant eats the fly. Why do plants do it? Most plants get what they need from the sun,the air,and the ground.In some places,the ground is very poor.It doesn't have all these important things, especially nitrogen .Animal meat has a lot of nitrogen, so some plants eat meat to get what they need.Let's hope that some of the bigger plants don't get the same idea ! The Venus flytrap is a kind of _ . A. plant B. animal C. food D. meat Answer: A Mr. Zhang, our geography teacher, held a map of the world and asked us where we would like to travel. Li Ming said, "I like countries with an interesting history, such as China, Egypt, Greece and Italy. They are all old countries with a long history. You can see many old buildings in these countries, such as the Great Wall, the Pyramids and the Acropolis ." The teacher asked, "Do you want to go to places with beautiful beaches?" Yang Ying said, "Of course. It's pleasant to visit places with fine weather and beautiful beaches. For example, the U.S.A., Australia and Malaysia have beautiful beaches." Shanshan said, "I know many countries in Southeast Asia have beautiful beaches. But I like visiting countries where the people are very friendly and helpful to visitors." Mr. Zhang said, "Remember: hotel, food and souvenirs always cost us much money. So we should make a good plan before we go to visit other countries." ,. How many countries were mentioned in the passage? A. 4. B. 5. C. 7. D. 8. Answer: C Back to the Future With the help of a local inventor's time machine, Marty travels back to the 1950s. There his 80s hipness stands out, and he inadvertently interferes with the fledgling romance of his parents-to-be. Can Marty keep them together? He'd better, or his own future will fade away. Featuring: Christopher Lloyd, Michael J.Fox. A universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 55 min. Beethoven's 2nd In this sequel to the popular Beethoven, our canine hero falls for Missy, who soon has puppies. Missy's greedy owner, Regina, who sees only money in the little purebreds, separates mom and pups from Beethoven. His owners rescue the puppies, but Regina still has Missy. Featuring: Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt. A Universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 26 min. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Despite the popularity of his treats, candy maker Willy Wonka shuts himself inside his factory. But then Willy holds a contest, offering five lucky children the chance to see his company. Poor but pleasant Charlie Bucket finds a ticket, as do four less-deserving children. Featuring: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore. A Warner Bros. Release, 1 hr. 56 min. Cinderella Man Based on actual events, this film follows the life of Jim Braddock, a boxer in New York City during the Great Depression. After a series of losses, Braddock is forced into retirement. But he never gives up his boxing dream, and neither does his manager. Featuring: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger. A Universal Pictures release, 2 hr. 14 min. Liar Liar Lawyer Fletcher Reede has never told the truth in his life. Then his son makes a birthday wish that his dad would stop lying for 24 hours. Suddenly, Fletcher's mouth spouts everything he thinks. His compulsion brings disaster to courtroom, where he must defend a client whose case was built on lies. Featuring: Jim Carrey, Justin Cooper. A Universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 25 min. Willy Wonka is _ . A. a boxer who suffers a series of losses B. a lawyer who has never told the truth C. a man who runs a chocolate factory D. a man who invents a time machine Answer: C Today I want to introduce a writer Greg Mortenson to you, especially one of his works called Three Cups of Tea. It has been one of the best sellers. Why can it be so popular? Greg Mortenson was born in the state of Minnesota and grew up near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Mortenson later became a nurse. He loved to climb K2 in Pakistan, the second highest mountain in the world. One day, he failed to reach the top of K2, and he became separated from his climbing group on the way down. He was very tired, sick and lost. He had no food, water or shelter . Mortenson reached a poor village called Korphe in the Karakoram mountains of Pakistan. The villagers had never seen a foreigner before. They provided food and a place for him. Mortenson became friends with the villagers and he wanted to see their school. But they had no school. He promised to return and build a school for the children of the village. This was not easy. He had to return to the United States, ask people for money, buy materials in Pakistan, send them to the village and build the school. But he finally carried out his promise after more than three years. That first school in Korphe was so successful that he decided to continue building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It _ to be a great act. Three cups of Tea is about many interesting people Mortenson met and the problems he faced. I think he is really wonderful. He should be the pride of his country. Three Cups of Tea is _ . A. a book B. a kind of drink C. a kind of cup D. a programme Answer: A Almost nothing we do in this world is done in isolation. At work or at play, you'll find yourself in groups, working with other people: your team at work, a meeting with fellow workers, your family, a holiday with friends, a group of students working together, a group of neighbors wanting to make changes. It is now realized that being able to work successfully with other people is one of the main keys to success, partly because we need to do it so often. In almost every situation where you're in a group, you will need a skilled leader. All groups need leaders and all successful groups have good leaders. Groups without leaders or with weak leaders almost always break down. Members of a leaderless group often begin to feel disappointed and helpless. Time is wasted and the tasks are not achieved. There are often arguments and nervousness between people as there is nobody to keep the goals clear. Some people are natural leaders. The well-known cook, Antonio Carlucci says, "True leaders are born and you see them in kitchens." They're people who are strong, fair, and humorous. Although a lot of people agree that there are some natural-born leaders, most people now know that leadership can also be taught. Experienced teachers can train almost anyone how to be a successful leader. Good leaders don't make people do things in a controlling way. You can learn how to join others, encouraging the whole group to work towards a common goal. Successful leaders also need to be calm and wise. They need to be able to work out good solutions and make perfect judgments under pressure. Lastly, and probably most importantly, good leaders need to be sensitive*, confident and be able to get on well with different kinds of people. Groups with _ leaders will often cause arguments at meetings or between people. A. good and strong B. no or weak C. skilled but helpless D. good and natural Answer: B Economics is the study of how societies with limited resources decide what to produce, how to produce and for whom to produce. What, how, and for whom to produce are problems all over the world because human needs are practically unlimited, but all societies have only limited quantities of resources that can be used to produce goods or services. A knowledge of basic economics is important for understanding both the problems and opportunities that will face the world economy in the 21st century. As a student of economics, one will have the chance to discover how commerce , government policies, and day-to-day decisions made by consumers affect his living standards. The study of economics can help him understand the influence of such events as the move to free markets in prefix = st1 /PolandandRussia, or of ups and downs in interest rate and the foreign exchange rate. Economics is influenced by developments in the many different areas of business, politics, science, nature, religion and history. And whether or not one is aware of it, economics is an important part of his life. From a practical point of view, one's study of economics will help improve his decision-making skills. He learns a logical way to compare different courses of action. As he studies the concept of opportunity cost, for instance, he will discover that every choice he makes has both a benefit and a cost. Suppose someone decides to get a part-time job so he can earn enough money to buy a car. He will have the benefit of owning the car, but he will pay a cost in terms of the leisure hours he gives up for working so as to pay for the car and keep it in good condition. After weighing his choice in cost-benefit terms, he may decide he does not need a car any more. According to the passage, economics is studied to _ . A. get more resources for human beings B. put human needs under some control C. satisfy the unlimited human needs with the limited resources D. produce better goods and services for all human beings Answer: C My old digital camera broke down, so I wanted to buy a new one. Being the cautious type, I fancied a reliable brand. So I went on the Net, spent 15 minutes reading product reviews on good websites, wrote down the names of three top recommendations and headed for my nearest big friendly camera store. There in the cupboard was one of the cameras on my list. And it was on special offer. Oh joy. I pointed at it and asked an assistant, "Can I have one of those? " He looked perturbed . "Do you want to try it first?" he said. It didn't quite sound like a question. "Do I need to?" I replied, "There's nothing wrong with it." This made him look a bit offended and I started to feel bad. "No, no. But you should try it," he said encouragingly, "compare it with the others. I looked across at the others: shelves of similar cameras placed along the wall, offering a wide range of slightly different prices and discounts, with each company selling a range of models based around the same basic box. With so many models to choose from, it seemed that I would have to spend hours weighing X against Y, always trying to take Z and possibly H into account at the same time. But when I had finished, I would still have only the same two certainties that I had entered the store with: first, soon after I carried my new camera out of the shop, it would be worth half what I paid for it; and second, my wonderful camera would very quickly be replaced by a new model. But something in the human soul whispers that you can beat these traps by making the right choice, the clever choice, the wise choice. In the end, I agreed to try the model I had chosen. The assistant seemed a sincere man. So I let him take out my chosen camera from the cupboard, show how it took excellent pictures of my fellow shoppers... and when he started to introduce the special features, I interrupted to ask whether I needed to buy a carry-case and a memory card as well. Why do we think that new options still offer us anything new? Perhaps it is because they offer an opportunity to avoid facing the fact that our real choices in this culture are far more limited than we would like to imagine. It can be inferred from the passage that in the writer's opinion, _ . A. we waste too much money on cameras B. cameras have become an important part of our daily life C. we don't actually need so many choices when buying a product D. famous companies care more about profit than quality Answer: C
Let me tell you my pen friend Ivan. He is 12 years old. He likes playing football. He usually play football with his friends at weekends. Ivan lives with his father and mother in a city in France. They have a dream home with five rooms, a swimming pool and a garden. They often have a party in the garden at weekends. They like to help their neighbours. His home is not near his school, so Ivan takes a bus for an hour and then walks for 10 minutes to school. There is a Basketball Club near his school. He likes play basketball in the club. Ivan's father is a worker. He is busy. Ivan's mother is a doctor. She is nice to the patients. Ivan wants to be a teacher when he grows up. I want to be a teacher, too. Every month Ivan writes two letters to me. He'll come to Suqian next year. We'll meet then. How old is Ivan when he comes to Suqian? A. He is 11. B. He is 12. C. He is 13. D. He is 14. Answer: C Art lovers around the world have thought about this question for so many years: what is the secret behind the Mona Lisa's smile? However, they can ask Mona Lisa herself in the interactive exhibition in Beijing. This exhibition brings the 500-year-old painting to life. Now Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting can move her head and wave her hand in 3D, and even answer questions. She can answer the questions about her life, her age and so on. But when she talks she doesn't speak Italian but Chinese like: "Da jia hao, wo jiao Mengna Lisha. Hen gao xing jian dao ni men." The new, digital picture of Mona Lisa is the center piece of the World Classic Interactive Arts Exhibition in Beijing. You can also see other world-famous paintings such as Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. Last Supper is another picture that they made alive with 3D. In this picture, Jesus can walk and talk with his believers . It took the organizer Wang Hui and over 400 digital artists in South Korea two years to make the picture, at a cost of around 50 million yuan. He says, "What's special about it is that it's the first time to use computer technology to make her speak and move." So what does the Mona Lisa say if you ask her why she is smiling? From the passage we know _ . A. Mona Lisa can also sing in Chinese B. 3D made Mona Lisa move and speak C. 3D made Leonardo da Vinci alive in the exhibition in Beijing. D. in the picture Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci can walk in his room Answer: B Seattle, Washington ,is nicknamed "Rain city", but it's snow that is making it famous. On January 12,2013, Seattle residents set the Guinness World Record for the biggest snowball fight More than5,800 people showed up to throw snowballs at one another at the Seattle Centre. It didn't snow in Seattle on that day, but there was snow in a small comer of the city-enough to make a lot of kids' dreams come true. Trucks carried 34 loads of snow from Snoqualmie Pass, an hour away in Washington's Cascade mountain range to the Seattle Center It took 162,000 pounds of the white stuff to build the winter wonderland. The goal! To break the Guinness World Record for the biggest snowball fight The event was also a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs. Seattle businessman Neil Bergquist took three months to organize the playful battle. He wanted to raise money for kids by remembering what it was like to feel like a kid' Although Seattle residents aren't used to snow, they succeeded in getting enough people to come out and play About 6,000 tickets were sold online. Participants were given bar-coded wristbands when they arrived The wristbands were scanned as participants entered and left the location, so Guinness counted the number at all times. There were 130 judges for the official minute-and-a-half snowball fight Anyone not throwing snowball wasn't counted in the total To raise money for the Clubs, companies paid for space to build snow fonts ( ). A Guinness official confirmed the count of 5,834 people. Seattle beat the previous world record of about 5,400 at a 2010 snowball fight in South Korea "We had much fun set a Guinness record, raised some money for kids, and everyone had a chance to act like a 'kid for a day," said Bergquist The exact number of the participants throwing snowballs was known by _ . A. adding up the sold tickets B. counting the real fighters C. checking the bar-coded wristbands D. counting those entering the location Answer: B Dear Deidre, I am 17. Further education is not for me. I want to be out seeing the world in the army. My mum and dad say they will cut me off and have nothing to do with me if I go into the military. They have other plans for me. My friends all laugh at me and say I won't ever get on. I know I am not the fittest guy in the world but I thought that would come with the training. I am now asking myself if I should just give up my lifelong ambitions and get the sort of job my parents approve of. I don't want to look back with regrets but sometimes I think maybe they are right and know more than me. Samson Dear Samson, It's your life and your future. Your parents mean well, and may be fearful of what could happen to you if you are posted to a danger zone, but you must decide this by yourself. At least talk to an army recruitment office about what is involved and about how fit you need to be. Do your research. Find out everything you can about what choices you will have. Then go for it. Start a sensible eating and exercise plan right away. If you are motivated you can get reasonably fit in a few weeks. Tell your parents and friends you want to give it a try. If you still feel it's right for you, then apply. If it isn't for you, at least you won't regret for the rest of your life. Parents and friends may say, "I told you so", but you will know that you've followed your dream and made up your own mind about the sort of career for you. Talk to At East which is an independent and confidential organization providing advice and support for those who are in the military and those who would like to be. They can explain when you are allowed to leave and how much attention you have to give. Deidre The advice that Deidre offers to Samson doesn't include _ . A. seeking some advice from an army recruitment office B. deciding his life and future by himself C. consulting At Ease on what to do D. turning his dream of joining the army into reality Answer: D Hi! I am Jack. I am thirteen years old. I'm an English boy. Now I'm in China with my parents. I go to a middle school in Tianjin. This is my school day. I get up at half past six. I go to school at seven o'clock and I go to school in my dad's car. I want to walk to school, but the school is far from my home. I usually eat breakfast in the car. School starts at half past seven in the morning. We have five lessons in the morning and we have four lessons in the afternoon. I go home at six o'clock. I eat dinner at seven o'clock. I do my homework at half past seven. After that, I play the guitar. I go to bed at nine thirty. This is my school day. It is happy! Jack _ after finishing his homework. A. eats dinner B. watches TV C. plays the guitar D. plays with his friends Answer: C Children and teenagers who spend lots of time in front of screens-especially TVs-are easier to get more weight as they age .according to a new study. The findings agree with research suggesting all that inactive sitting and always watching advertisements may lead to poor eating habits. Researchers used results from a long-term study of children Who took surveys every other year. Children were between ages 9 and 16 when the study started. Out of 4,300 girls in the Study. 17 percent were overweight or obese .Twenty-four percent of the 3 .500 boys were also above a healthy weight The surveys included questions about their height and weight as well as how much time they spent watching TV and DVDs and playing computer and video games. From one survey to the next, each one-hour increase in children's daily TV watching was in connection with an increase of about 0.1 points on a body mass index(BMI) , which measures weight in connection with height. That's a difference of about half a pound per extra hour of TV. "The weight of the evidence is so strong that television watching is connected with unhealthy changes in weight among youth,"says Jennifer Falbe . Who led the study while at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. "It's important for parents to know all the obesity-causing screens that really should be limited in their children's lives, Falbe says. " When children watch TV. There are many food advertisements on TV that might lead them to eat a cookie or drink a soft drink. " What's mare .she says . " You can get into a hibernating state on the sofa. Even if children are sitting down while playing a computer game. for example. they might be a bit more active." Which of the following statements can be the best title for the text? A. A new study on screens. B. TVs do harm to children. C. The less TV time ,the fatter. D. Too much screen time leads to obesity. Answer: D At the beginning of the World Series of 1947, I experienced a completely new emotion, when the National Anthem was played. This time, I thought, it is being played for me, as much as for anyone else. This is organized major league baseball, and I am standing here with all the others; and everything that takes place includes me. About a year later, I went to Atlanta, Georgia, to play in an exhibition game. On the field, for the first time in Atlanta, there were Negroes and whites. Other Negroes besides me. And I thought: What I have always believed has come to be. And what is it that I have always believed? First, those imperfections are human. But that wherever human beings were given room to breathe and time to think, those imperfections would disappear, no matter how slowly. I do not believe that we have found or even approached perfection. That is not necessarily in the scheme of human events. Handicaps, stumbling blocks, prejudices -- all of these are imperfect. Yet, they have to be dealt with because they are in the scheme of human events. Whatever obstacles I found made me fight all the harder. But it would have been impossible for me to fight at all, except that I was sustained by the personal and deep-rooted belief that my fight had a chance. It had a chance because it took place in a free society. Not once was I forced to face and fight an immovable object. Not once was the situation so cast-iron rigid that I had no chance at all. Free minds and human hearts were at work all around me; and so there was the probability of improvement. I look at my children now, and know that I must still prepare them to meet obstacles and prejudices. But I can tell them, too, that they will never face some of these prejudices because other people have gone before them. And to myself I can say that, because progress is unalterable, many of today's dogmas will have vanished by the time they grow into adults. I can say to my children: There is a chance for you. No guarantee, but a chance. And this chance has come to be, because there is nothing static with free people. There is no Middle Ages logic so strong that it can stop the human tide from flowing forward. I do not believe that every person, in every walk of life, can succeed in spite of any handicap. That would be perfection. But I do believe -- and with every fiber in me -- that what I was able to attain came to be because we put behind us (no matter how slowly) the dogmas of the past: to discover the truth of today; and perhaps find the greatness of tomorrow. I believe in the human race. I believe in the warm heart. I believe in man's honesty. I believe in the goodness of a free society. And I believe that the society can remain good only as long as we are willing to fight for it -- and to fight against whatever imperfections may exist. My fight was against the barriers that kept Negroes out of baseball. This was the area where I found imperfection, and where I was best able to fight. And I fought because I knew it was not doomed to be a losing fight. It couldn't be a losing fight--not when it took place in a free society. And in the largest sense, I believe that what I did was done for me -- that it was my faith in God that sustained me in my fight. And that what was done for me must and will be done for others. The best title of this passage may be " _ ". A. Nothing matters except fighting B. Success lies in hard work C. Freedom is everything D. Free Minds and Hearts make a difference Answer: D What should a student do when a glass beaker shatters during a laboratory experiment? A. Notify the teacher. B. Sweep the pieces into a pile. C. Pick up the pieces and throw them away. D. Leave it until the experiment is complete. Answer: A In Japan, Luffy is more popular than Harry Potter.Luffy is the main _ of One Piece .The book came out in 1997. One Piece tells the adventures of Monkey D.Luffy, a 17-year-old boy.He gets supernatural abilities by eating fruit.Luffy's dream is to find the world's biggest treasure, One Piece.Then he wants to become the next Pirate King. To make his dream come true, Luffy has to reach the end of the most dangerous ocean: the Grand Line.Luffy travels with a group of pirates called the Straw Hats.On his way, more people join the group.It even includes a cook, a soldier and a musician.They also help Luffy fight with other pirates on the way. Many Chinese teenagers are One Piece fans.Yang Peiqi, 14, of Shenzhen, says he thinks reading One Piece is great fun and also he likes the themes of the story-dreams and friends. Which of the following sentences is NOT true according to the passage? A. The Straw Hats is a group of pirates. B. Yang Peiqi is a fan of One Piece. C. Luffy wants to find One Piece. D. In China, Luffy is more popular than Harry Potter. Answer: D "Avoid the rush hour" must be the slogan of large cities all over the world. Wherever you look it's people, people, people. The trains which leave or arrive every few minutes are packed. The streets are so crowded; there is hardly room to move on the pavements. It takes ages for a bus to get to you because the traffic on the roads has almost come to a standstill. Even when a bus does at last arrive, it's so full, it can't take any more passengers. The smallest unexpected event can bring about conditions of complete chaos. The strange thing is not that people stand these conditions, but that they actually choose them in preference to anything else. Large modern cites are too big to control. People living there are forced by their environment to take a wholly unnatural way of life. They lost touch with the land and rhythm of nature. It is possible to live in such an air-conditioned existence in a large city that you can hardly tell the season. A few flowers in a public park may remind you that it is spring or summer. All the simple, good things of life like sunshine and fresh air are hard to find. Even the distinction between days and nights is lost. The funny thing about it all is that you pay dearly to live in a city. The demand for accommodation is so great that it is often impossible for ordinary people to buy a house of their own. The cost of living is also very high. Just about everything you buy is likely to be more expensive than it would be in the country. Besides, the crime rate in most cities is very high. If you think about it, they're not really fit to live in at all. Can anyone really doubt that the country is what man was born for and where he truly belongs? The reason for things to be more expensive in a city than elsewhere is that _ . A. city people have to pay higher to live in a city B. there is a greater demand for things in a city C. things are better in a city than elsewhere D. people in a city are much more wealthy Answer: B
Li Peng is a good student. On weekdays he gets up at six in the morning. He has breakfast at home. Then he reads English from 6:30 to 7:00. He goes to school at seven. He has four classes in the morning. He has lunch at school, but on Sundays he has lunch at home with his family. He has three classes in the afternoon. He leaves school at 5:00. He often has dinner at home. In the evening he sometimes watches TV. Sometimes he does his homework. He goes to bed at ten o'clock every night. When does Li Peng get up on weekdays? A. At five thirty. B. At six. C. At six thirty. D. At seven. Answer: B High in the sky, a group of birds fly past. The 5-foot-tall creatures are whooping cranes, the tallest birds in North America noted for its loud call. The wild animals appear to be following much larger birds. But those aren't birds at all. They are three-wheeled aircraft called trikes , and the pilots flying them are wearing white helmets and white gowns. That plan might sound like a stupid idea, but it's not. The pilots are from an organization called Operation Migration. They are helping the whooping cranes learn to migrate, or move from one area to another when the seasons change. The cranes are endangered. In 1941,the species had dwindled to roughly 20 birds because of hunting and habitat loss. US wildlife officials counted 149 whooping cranes in November 1995,the most since the American government began taking censuses in the 1930s.Today,about 380 remain. In the fall, whooping cranes are supposed to migrate south. However, many of them don't know how. "With so few birds left, young whooping cranes typically don't have parents around to teach them," explains pilot Joe Duff. That's where the trikes come in. Each October, pilots dress up as whooping cranes and take to the skies in Wisconsin. The young birds follow them because they think the trikes are big whooping cranes. It takes about three months to reach south--with plenty of rest stops on the way. The pilots lead the cranes to refuges, or protected areas, in Florida. This spring, the birds will migrate north by themselves--no trikes needed! "It's nice because you know the birds are going to make it," Duff told WR News. The three-wheeled aircraft serve as . A. adult cranes B. food suppliers C. temporary habitats D. hunting tools Answer: A An African-born British scientist received an environment research prize for showing how bees can be used to reduce conflict between people and elephants. Lucy King's work proved that beehive "fences" can keep elephants out of African farmers' fields. The animals are scared of bees, which can bite them inside their long noses, and flee when they hear buzzing . Dr King's work offers an intelligent solution to an age-old challenge, while providing further confirmation of the importance of bees to people and a really clever way of preserving the world's largest land animal for current and future generations. Working in Kenya, Dr King and her team showed that more than 90% of elephants will flee when they hear the sounds of buzzing bees. Afterwards, they also found that elephants produce a special sound to warn their fellows of the danger. They used the findings to construct barriers where beehives are woven into a fence, keeping the elephants away from places where people live and grow food. A two-year project involving 34 farms showed that elephants trying to go through the fences would shake them, disturbing the bees. Later, the fences were adopted by farming communities in three Kenyan districts , who also made increased amounts of money from selling honey. As Africa's population grows, competition for space between people and elephants is becoming more serious, and there are _ on both sides. The same is true in parts of Asia. Sri Lanka alone sees the deaths of an estimated 60 people and 200 elephants each year from conflict. Lucy King now wants to see whether the Kenyan technique will work in other parts of Africa and perhaps, eventually, in Asia. Dr King's solution is described as "intelligent" because _ . A. it successfully keeps elephants out of African farmers' fields B. the fences were adopted by farming communities in three Kenyan districts C. more than 90% of elephants flee when they hear the sounds of buzzing bees D. it protects crops, produces honey and preserves the elephant at the same time Answer: D Which force causes rocks to roll downhill? A. gravity B. friction C. erosion D. magnetism Answer: A When building houses, people used to think about not only the climate of the areas but also the building materials and the fashions for their houses. However, since electricity became more and more expensive , people began to pay much more attention to the energy they could get for their houses and the new ways they could find to protect their houses from both cold and heat. Now, houses of an old yet new type have been widely built. In some parts of the world, people share their houses with their _ . During cold weather, they gather their cows, goats, or other animals and keep them on the first floor of their houses. The reasons are that the animals can be protected from the cold and that they can help to heat the houses as well. The body heat given off by the animals rises to the second floor of the houses, where people live. By sharing their houses with their livestock, people gain a source of heat. People who live in or near cities do not usually keep livestock. However, home builders use the fact that heat rises. This _ can be used in building houses in these areas, instead of keeping livestock on the first floor builders fill it with large rocks. As they are open to the sun's rays during cold weather, these rocks take in heat. They also give off the heat, and, of course, the warm air rises into the living areas of the houses. So these houses are energy saving. House building becomes a great challenge to building designers and energy engineer. They try to meet this challenge by learning from old traditions and by using modern technology. And someday in the future, people will be able to live in more energy saving houses. People in some areas gain a source of heat by _ . A. keeping their livestock downstairs B. protecting their livestock from the cold C. sharing their houses only with their cows D. living on the second floor with their livestock Answer: A "A very disruptive six-year-old child kicked my legs and clawed at my hand," said one teacher. " I broke up a fight and was kicked between my legs," said another. Many people have heard stories like this. But the situation is more worrying still and it involves parents. Every child, regardless of the circumstances into which they are born, has the right to achieve their potential, regardless of their parents' wealth and class. And we recognize that, as a nation, it is a long way to achieve this goal. But with rights come responsibilities and what worries people is that we are in danger of ignoring the latter. Far too many children are behaving badly at school, even to the point of being violent to staff. This is terrible enough, but it is hard to be surprised since many children are just mirroring the behaviour of their parents. My members tell me that parents also come into school often and threaten staff and some staff have been attacked by a pupil's parents. One father encouraged his child to start a fight on the playground before school started. A primary teacher reported that a parent shouted at him. We need to have a serious and sensible debate about the roles and responsibilities of parents and the support that they can reasonably expect of schools and teachers. Children will not learn how to behave as social beings if they are stuck in front of the TV for hours every day. They need their parents to show an interest in them and to spend time with them, helping them to play with their peers and to learn the rules of social behavior. Children are now arriving at school socially undeveloped, increasingly unable to dress themselves, unable to use the toilet properly, unable to hold a knife and fork and unused to eating at a table, Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, writes in today's Observer. Instead of taking responsibility themselves, too many parents expect teachers to control their children's behaviour and wellbeing, she adds. Bousted says one mother blamed staff when she discovered that her 16-year-old son was smoking. We are in danger of becoming a nation of _ . The bedroom, once a place to sleep, has become the living space for the young. Spending hours in front of computer screens, on social networking sites or being immersed in computer games, children and young people spend little time with their parents. Parents are unable to monitor just what their children are watching. Schools cannot right the wrongs of society and teachers cannot become substitute parents. Both parties need to work together. Parents must be helped and given confidence to take back control. They are responsible for setting boundaries for their children's behaviour and sticking to those boundaries. They are responsible for setting a good example to their children and for devoting that most precious of resources -- time -- so that children come to school ready and willing to learn. In the opinion of the writer, what problem do people ignore? A. The violence in the school B. The study pressure of students. C. The responsibilities of the students D. The right to achieve students' potential. Answer: C Hobbs was an orphan . He worked in a factory and every day he got a little money. Hard work changed him thin and weak. He wanted to borrow a lot of money to learn to paint pictures, but he did not think he could pay off the debts.One day the lawyer said to him, "One thousand dollars, and here is the money." As Hobbs took the package of notes, he was very dumbfounded . He didn't know where the money came from and how to spend it. He said to himself, "I could go to find a hotel and live like a rich man for a few days; or I give up my work in the factory and do what I'd like to do: painting pictures I could do that for a few weeks, but what would I do after that? I should have lost my place of the factory and have no money to live on. If it were a little less money, I would buy a new coat, or a radio, or give a dinner to my friends. If it were more, I could give up the work and pay for painting pictures. But it's too much for one and too little for the other." "Here is the reading of your uncle's will ," said the lawyer, "telling what is to be done with this money after his death. I must ask you to remember one point. Your uncle has said you must bring me a paper showing exactly what you did with his money, as soon as you have spent it." "Yes, I see. I'll do that." said the young man. What Hobbs really loved to do was _ . A. working in the factory B. living in a fine hotel C. painting pictures D. saving the money Answer: C The leaders of Russia and China vowed to support each other's fight against Muslim separatists and urged peaceful solutions in Iraq, during a meeting in Beijing's Great Hall of the People on December 2, 2002. Russian President Vladimir Put in and China's Jiang Zemin signed a joint declaration calling for a "multipolar world". His two - day visit comes shortly after the conclusion of the 16th Patry Cogress which elected the new CPC leadership. Put in said that Russia wants to "work hard" with the new generation of Chinese leaders. The Treaty of Good =" Neighbourliness" and Friendly Cooperation, signed in July last year, has provided a solid legal foundation for lasting friendship for generations to come, according to Jiang, "China and Russia will be good neighbours, friends and partners forever." The Russian Government, in return, said it would continue to give priority to relations with China in its foreign policies. Put in spoke on the morning of Dec. 3rd at Peking University and took questions from students on his understanding of Chinese literature, Russian reform and NATO enlargement. He said a growing number of young people in Russia are interested in Chinese literature and one of his daughters is learning Chinese. It is implied, in the sentence"Put in said that Russia wants to'work hard'with the new generation on Chinese leaders", that _ . A. Russia will co - operate closely with China B. There are many differences between Russia and China C. Put in knew little of the new generation of Chinese leaders D. It will be long before Put in gets to know the new generation of Chinese leaders Answer: A It was Monday. Mrs Smith's dog was hungry, but there was not any meat in the house.Considering that there was no better way, Mrs. Smith took a piece of paper, and wrote the following words on it "Give my dog half a pound of meat. " Then she gave the paper to her dog and said gently:" Take this to the butcher and he's going to give you your lunch today." Holding the piece of paper in its mouth, the dog ran to the butcher's. It gave the paper to the butcher. The butcher read it carefully, recognized that it was really the lady's handwriting and soon did it as he was asked to. The dog was very happy, and ate the meat up at once. At sunset, the dog came to the shop again. It gave the butcher a piece of paper again. After reading it. he gave it half a pound of meat once more. The next day, the dog came again exactly at noon. And as usual, it brought a piece of paper in the mouth. This time, the butcher did not take a look at paper, and gave the dog its meat, for he had regarded the dog as one of his regular customers . However, the dog came again at four o'clock. And the same thing happened once again. At six o'clock,, it came for more meat, and brought with it a third piece of paper. The butcher felt a bit puzzled. He said to himself, "This is a small dog. Why does Mrs Smith feed it with so much meat today?" Looking at the piece of paper, he found that there was a piece of blank paper. He laughed and phoned Mrs Smith. The butcher didn't give any meat to the dog _ . A. until he made sure the words were really written by Mr Smith B. when he found there was no words on the paper C. before he was paid by the lady D. because he sold out all the meat Answer: A Why do human beings still risk their lives under ground and doing one of the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs in the world? It's an increasingly urgent question, given the recent mining accidents in Sago. W. Va. and Huntington, Utah. A small group of engineers and robotics experts look forward to a day in the not-too-distant future when robots and other technology do most of the dangerous mining work. Robotic technology, in particular, holds much promise, McAteer says, especially when it comes to mapping mines and rescuing trapped miners--the special operations of the mining industry. One of the first mining robots was developed five years ago at Canegie-Mellon University's Robotics Institute. It was called Groundhog. It used lasers to "see" in dark tunnels and map abandoned mines - some of the most dangerous work in the business The latest design is called Cave Crawler. It's a bit smaller than Grondhog, and even more advanced. It can take photos and video and has more sensors that can discover the presence of dangerous gases. The robot has a real sense of logic, which is hard to believe. If it comes across a thing in the way it gets confused. It has to think through the process and where to go next, and sometimes it _ just like a real person. The greatest problem, though, is cost. The money of the earliest research project was provided by the government, but that money has dried up, and it's not clear where future money will come from. Partly for that reason, and partly because of advances in safely, mining is not nearly as dangerous as it was in the past. Since 1990,fatalities have declined by 67 percent and injuries by 51 percent, according to the National Mining Association. Some experts predict that robots in the mines will serve much of the same function that they do in the automotive industry. The robot do the most boring and dangerous jobs, but don't eliminate the need for human workers. What can be the best title for the text? A. Mining Accidents in America B. Robots in Mines C. Cave Crawler, the Latest Robot D. The Future of Robots Answer: B
Vascular plants have tissue called xylem. Which of these is transported by the xylem? A. food made by the plant B. water needed by the plant C. pollen for plant reproduction D. carbon dioxide for photosynthesis Answer: B Which resource has the most potential for production of renewable electric energy? A. coal B. oil C. natural gas D. geothermal Answer: D A good joke can be the hardest thing to understand when studying a foreign language. As a recent article in The Guardian newspaper noted, "There's more to understanding a joke in a foreign language than understanding vocabulary and grammar." Being able to understand local jokes is often seen as an incredible ice-breaker for a language learner eager to form friendships with native speakers. "I always felt that humor was a ceiling that I could never break through," Hannah Ashley, a public relations account manager in London, who once studied Spanish in Madrid. Told The Guardian, "I could never speak to people on the same level as I would speak to a native English speaker. I almost came across as quite a boring person because all I could talk about was facts." In fact, most of the time, jokes are only funny for people who share a cultural background or understand humor in the same way. Chinese-American comedian Joe Wong found this out first-hand. He had achieved huge success in the US, but when he returned to China in 2008 for his first live show in Beijing, he discovered that people didn't think his. Chinese jokes were as funny as his English ones. In Australia, meanwhile many foreigners find understanding jokes about sports to be the biggest headache. "The hardest jokes are related to rugby because I know nothing about rugby," said Melody Cao, who was once a student in Australia. "When I heard jokes I didn't get, I just laughed along." In the other two major English-speaking countries, the sense of humor is also different. British comedian Simon Pegg believes that while Britons use irony-basically, saying something they don't mean to make a joke-every day, people in the US don't see the point of using it so often. "British jokes tend to be more subtle and dark, while American jokes are more obvious with their meanings, a bit like Americans themselves," he wrote in The Guardian. What can we guess about Hannah Ashley? A. She feels confident in using Spanish. B. She believes that one had better rely on facts when speaking a foreign language. C. She thinks that Spanish people do not have much of a sense of humor. D. She feels that not being able to share their humor makes her seem boring to Spanish people. Answer: D A primary school teacher who left a class of 25 pupils in tears after she told them Santa Claus did not exist has been fired. When excited youngsters became _ as they talked about Santa,the supply teacher said out suddenly,"It's your parents who leave out presents on Christmas Day." The class of sevenyearolds at Blackshaw Lane Primary School,Royton,Greater Manchester burst into tears and told their parents when they arrived home. Mothers and fathers then complained about the incident and were sent a letter by the school saying the teacher,who only worked at the school for one day last week,has been disciplined . The school has now said it will not hire her again. One father said,"My son came home and said that his teacher had told the class that Santa doesn't exist and it's their mum and dad that put out presents for them. Obviously,they were all talking about Christmas and being a bit rowdy. She just came straight out with it." "My son was in tears and so was everyone else in the class--especially as it was so close to Christmas. I thought it was wrong. He was crazy about it. He's only seven years old and it's part of the magic of Christmas to him." "We told him that she did not believe in Father Christmas because of her religion and he's fine now." "The father described the incident as 'shocking' and believed it was done with malicious intent .A lot of parents were angry and complained to the school. The teacher,who was supplied by Rochdale and Oldham Supply Agency,is still listed and will work with other schools,"the agency said. However,the head teacher in Angela McCormick refused to comment on the incident. The sevenyearold children cried because of _ . A. their teacher's leaving B. the letters by the school C. something about Santa Claus D. the presents left out by the parents Answer: C Chinese consumers' crazy appetite for luxury goods and services appears unstoppable, with just 2 percent of the Chinese population responsible for one-third of the world's luxury items. As China's economic miracle develops, the market opportunities for all sorts of luxury goods and services are increasing. Luxury consumption in China now extends way beyond well - known car. Clothing and jewelry brands. For example, the luxury jet market in China is the fastest - growing in the world, even _ that of the United States, with a market share of 25 percent. This trend appears to continue, with 20 to 30 percent growth expected in China, compared with only 2 to 3 percent in the US. But more important, China's luxury jet market growth represents a major development in the private consumption of luxury items. China's high - quality red wine market also provides evidence of the growth in private consumption of luxury goods. In 2013, China became the largest market for red wine in the world, even overtaking the French, with 1. 86 billion bottles consumed in China last year. Over the past five years, China's red wine consumption has grown 136 percent. According to my ongoing consumer research in this area while working at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, public consumption of such expensive global luxury brands such as Prada and Armani is easily explained by the desire to "gain face" and publicly display social climbing through material possesses. On the other hand, it is "self-reward" that lies behind consumer motivation in this area. Chinese consumer, who have experienced rapid financial and economic gains appear particularly prone to the need to reward themselves for their success. But this has little to do with "gaining face" and impressing others and much more to do with the need for personal contentment. Finally, the growth in private luxury consumption in China is set to continue in part due to the maturity of the Chinese consumer and advancement of Chinese consumer culture generally. What do you think the author would most probably be? A. A news reporter, B. An accountant. C. A professor. D. A conductor. Answer: C "Your homework is to collect sounds and take them down," Mrs. Olson said before class was over. She handed out sheets of paper shaped like giant ears. On his way home, Colin glared out of the school-bus window. Not fair, he thought. How could he collect enough sounds on his family's farm? If only he lived in the town. He got off the bus when it stopped at his mailbox. But he wasn't in the mood to wave as it drove away. "I'm home!"Colin called when he pushed open the gate. He threw his schoolbag down on a kitchen chair. "How was school?" His mother asked, walking in with his baby brother on her shoulder. "I've got homework," Colin complained. "Eat something before _ " His mother gave him the animal biscuits. Colin ate two tigers, three lions, and a seal, then drank some milk. Astrid, Colin's dog, woofed as Colin walked toward the barn .Her young dogs were yipping. Colin placed dog food into their pan. In the chicken house, Colin hurried two hens from their nests.He put their warm eggs into his jacket. The black cow napped in the sun. Colin woke her when he poured corn into her pan. "Moo, thank you!"she seemed to say. Colin put the eggs in the kitchen, then climbed to his tree house as usual. He could see Dad's beehives by the field. Six hives usually meant plenty of humming noise. But today he couldn't hear it over the chattering sound of the sparrows,How could a person think? "QUIET!"Colin shouted. Suddenly, he sat up straight. Cows mooed and young dogs yipped. Chickens crackled in their yard. When Astrid began woofing below, Colin smiled broadly. "I hear you!"he called. He hurried down from the tree. What will Colin most probably do next? A. Walk Astrid. B. Gather honey. C. Draw a giant ear. D. Record the sounds. Answer: D As Michael put each finger on the white laces of the football like his dad had shown him he thought about his school trip to the zoo tomorrow. He could not wait to get to the zoo and most of all could not wait to see his favorite animal, the lion. Aiming the football at the tire swing that hung in his back yard, he remembered the second thing his dad had taught him about throwing a football which was making sure his shoulder and the football were in a straight line before he threw it. He watched the football sail toward the tire, right as his mom called him in for dinner. His mom had made his favorite food, hotdogs. He sat in the kitchen and watched as ketchup fell on to his plate as he ate his hotdog. His mom told him that in order to get his after dinner treat he would have to eat his corn, carrots, and drink all of his milk too. That night as his mom tucked him in to bed he starred out the window and wondered if the lions at the zoo were looking up at the moon too. Michael, wondered if his best friends Joe, Nick, and Ryan were as excited as he was about going to the zoo the next day. He closed his eyes and went to sleep. The next day he hopped from one foot to the other as his class lined up to get on the bus that would take him to the zoo. On the bus he sat with Ryan. The bus driver started the engine and turned the big steering wheel leading them out on to the road. Finally, at the zoo Michael began to imagine how cool it would be to finally get to see the lion cage. First his class went to see the monkeys and then headed over to see the long necked giraffes. As their teacher announced that they would then be going to see the elephants, we wondered if he would ever get to see the lions. Finally after learning about the elephants it was time to see the lions. The lion stood on a huge rock and swung its long tail from side to side. The lion licked his lips with its long pink tongue and Michael wondered if it was thinking about having a class full of kids for its lunch. What was the name of the main character in the story? A. Joe B. Nick C. Ryan D. Michael Answer: D Oleksander Pylyshenko is either very fearless,very foolish... or both. The 40-year-old zookeeper from the Ukraine recently spent five weeks in a cage with Katya, a 200-kilo African lioness. Why? Well for a start, he wanted to raise awareness of the treatment of animals in captivity. Secondly, he hoped to break the Guinness World Record for time spent living in a cage with a lion. And thirdly? "I wanted to show my children what kind of man I am," said Oleksander. For 36 days, Oleksander and Katya shared the cage together. They ate hunks of meat thrown into the cage by Oleksander's wife, and slept side by side on a bed of hay. Oleksander did have a few more creature comforts than his feline flatmate - he built himself a shower and toilet inside the enclosure. But he didn't use any soap as the sharp scent is upsetting to lions. And as if living with the king of the jungle wasn't dangerous enough, Katya was also pregnant at the time. She gave birth during Oleksander's stay. Wild animals are very protective of their young but the zookeeper said Katya trusted him completely. Oleksander' wife, Olena, was also very trusting. "when he first told me about the plan I was very scared. But I decided to support my husband." Once the five weeks was up, Oleksander stepped out of the cage and declared the experiment a success. He told a Russian news agency, "Katya taught me a lot about honesty and kindness." Also, a representative from Guinness World Records confirmed that Oleksander ahd beaten the previous record by three weeks. But the parting was also bittersweet. "Katya was very sad to see me go," Oleksander noted. Oleksander's wife, on the other hand, was very happy to have her husband back. [(<<>> 20121 "Into the Lion's Den" )] What's Oleksander's wife's attitude toward his stay with a lion in a cage? [ ] A. indifferent B. objective C. opposed D. supportive Answer: D Decision-making under Stress A new review based on a research shows that acute stress affects the way the brain considers the advantages and disadvantages, causing it to focus on pleasure and ignore the possible negative consequences of a decision. The research suggests that stress may change the way people make choices in predictable ways. "Stress affects how people learn," says Professor Mara Mather. "People learn better about positive than negative outcomes under stress." For example, two recent studies looked at how people learned to connect images with either rewards or punishments. In one experiment, some of the participants were first stressed by having to give a speech and do difficult math problems in front of an audience; in the other, some were stressed by having to keep their hands in ice water. In both cases, the stressed participants remembered the rewarded material more accurately and the punished material less accurately than those who hadn't gone through the stress. This phenomenon is likely not surprising to anyone who has tried to resist eating cookies or smoking a cigarette while under stress -at those moments, only the pleasure associated with such activities comes to mind. But the findings further suggest that stress may bring about a double effect. Not only are rewarding experiences remembered better, but negative consequences are also less easily recalled. The research also found that stress appears to affect decision-making differently in men and women. While both men and women tend to focus on rewards and less on consequences under stress, their responses to risk turn out to be different. Men who had been stressed by the cold-water task tended to take more risks in the experiment while women responded in the opposite way. In stressful situations in which risk-taking can pay off big, men may tend to do better, when caution weighs more, however, women will win. This tendency to slow down and become more cautious when decisions are risky might also help explain why women are less likely to become addicted than men: they may more often avoid making the risky choices that eventually harden into addiction. According to the research, stress affects people most probably in their _ . A. ways of making choices B. preference for pleasure C. tolerance of punishments D. responses to suggestions Answer: A Yao Beina was not only a popular singer but also an energetic and warm-hearted angel. She donated her corneas to two men after her death. Yao was born in a music family in September 1981 in Wuhan. She started to learn music at the age of 4, and she sang her first song on the stage when she was 9. Yao did quite well in singing, so she took part in the 13th Youth Singing Competition and won the first prize. She became well-known to the pubic after making some songs for the hit TV drama The Legend of Zhenhuan , and the mandarin version of Let It Go from Disney's Frozen . In July 2013, she competed in The Voice of China II and finally got the second place in Na Ying's team. She had won many music prizes. Yao Beina was unlucky to be diagnosed with breast cancer . She had a successful operation in 2011. She has fought against the illness for about four years while keeping singing, but sadly she failed. Although she's gone, her fans will remember her beautiful voice and kindness forever. Yao was born in a _ family in September 1981 in Wuhan. A. doctor B. farmer C. music D. teacher Answer: C
There's no better place to be than beside the seaside in the summer. And even in Britainyou can still find beaches away from the crowds with golden sand. COMPTON BAY, ISLE OF WIGHT This wide sandy beach is on the south west coast, between Freshwater and Brook and is part of the TennysonHeritageCoast. There are striking views of the white cliffs further along the coast. A coastal path passes behind the beach, and you can enjoy scenic cliff top walks in either direction. Accommodation: Sandpipers Hotel (01983 758150, www.sandpipersh.tel.com) with doubles fromPS10pp. KINGSGATE BAY,KENT Around the beach round a bend in the coastal road from Ramsgate is white cliffs with KingsgateCastledominating the whole landscape. It is fairly isolated, with few facilities, but is perfect for summer bathing or for bracing winter walks. Accommodation: Fayreness Hotel (0188 86866, www.fayreness.com) with doubles with breakfast fromPS69. 15pp. RINGSTEAD BAY, DORSET A picturesque 210ft crescent of pebbles with clean water that's a perfect escape from some of the busier beaches around Weymouth. You reach it by passing through the village of Upton,then along a narrow country road. Next to the car park is a well stocked shop. The cliffs behind RingsteadBayare an excellent place for fossil hunting. Accommodation: Glenburn Hotel (01305 832318, www.glenburnhotell.com) with doubles fromPS7 9 including breakfast. BRANSCOMBE.DEVON Lying on the EastDevonHeritageCoast, Branscombe has good facilities with toilets and a car park close to the beach, as well as a small picnic area. A well stocked shop sells the most attractive dairy ice cream. Next to the shop is the Sea Shanty restaurant--open every day until 5 p.m. during the summer. Accommodation: The Mason's Arms, Branscombe Village (01297 680300, www.masonsarms.co.uk) with doubles fromPS6 5 pp with breakfast. If you want to know more information about Branscombe, which website can you refer to? _ A. www.fayreness.com B. www.masonsarms.co.uk C. www.glenburnhotel.com D. www.sandpipershotel.com Answer: B Americans wear black for mourning while Chinese wear white. Westerners think of dragons as monsters. Chinese honor them as symbols of God. Chinese civilization has often shown such polarities with the West, as though each stands at extreme ends of a global string. Now in the University if California, Berkeley, a psychologist, has discovered deeper polarities between Chinese and American cultures--polarities that go to the heart of how we reason and discover truth. His findings go gar toward explaining why American cultures seem to be aggressive and Chinese cultures so passive, when compared to each other. More importantly, the research opens the way for the peoples of the East and the West to learn from each other in basic ways. The Chinese could learn much from Western methods for determining scientific truth, said Kaiping Peng, a former Beijing Scholar, who is now a UC Berkley assistant professor of psychology. And Americans could profit enormously from he Chinese tolerance for accepting contradictions in social and personal life, he said. "Americans have a terrible need to find out who is right in an argument," said Peng. "The problem is that at the interpersonal level you really don't need to find the truth, , or maybe there isn't any." Chinese people, said Peng, are far more content to think that both sides have advantages and disadvantages, because they have a whole awareness that life is full of contradictions. They do far less blaming of the individual than do Americans, he added. In studies of interpersonal argument, for example, when subjects were asked to deal with contradictory information resulting from conflict between a mother and a daughter or a student and a school, Peng found that Americans were "non-compromising, blaming one side -- usually the mother -- for the causes of the problems, demanding changes from one side to attain a solution and offering no compromise" in dealing with the conflict. Compared to this angry, blaming American method, the Chinese were paragons of compromise, finding fault on both sides and looking for solutions that moved both sides to the middle. The main idea of the passage is _ . A. polarities between American and Chinese cultures B. extreme ends of the string C. different attitudes towards the aged D. different manners in social occasions Answer: A Competition. It's a simple word, yet a very complex word that covers many angles when it comes to how gasoline prices are determined. It seems so easy to explain, but don't let that trick you--it's incredibly difficult to explain and adequately understand. Say you're on a Sunday afternoon drive, and notice a gas station near you charging $3.50. Down the road a few miles, that price could easily be 10 or more cents higher or lower. The question is "how" or "why" is that? Think of it this way. Are you more likely to get a better deal on a car if there are two similar car dealers next to each other? Perhaps, because the dealers are too close. Say there is a third similar car dealer miles away. Is he going to be at the same level of competition and sell his cars for the same price as the two dealers next to each other? Likely not. He may charge more or less. Maybe people don't know there are two other dealers down the road. Maybe the dealer is almost outside of the city and the land value isn't as high, so his taxes aren't as high. These situations do take place at gas stations. And more factors can impact what a station will charge. Timing can greatly impact what price a station charges as well! Many motorists fail to realize that the price a station pays for gasoline changes daily. If one station gets lucky and buys gas on Monday and the cost goes up Tuesday, the station that bought on Monday doesn't necessarily have to raise prices like the station that bought on Tuesday. Maybe the station that got caught buying for a higher price on Tuesday will pass that higher cost on by raising its gas price. Perhaps the difference is what brand the station is---branded stations usually pay a slightly higher cost for their gasoline. In return for paying a higher cost, those stations are guaranteed first supply in case of emergency situations. Independent stations don't pay as much, but aren't guaranteed supply. While competition sounds easy to understand, there are always a large number of factors that could influence what one station charges. Keep in mind how many variables there are next time you fill up. According to the passage, branded stations _ . A. spend less money on their gasoline B. have more staff than independent stations C. charge less for high quality oil D. offer a steady oil supply Answer: D Time out Cover Price: PS2.35 Save up to 42% Time out -- London's arts and entertainment weekly. This magazine offers the best listings and reviews of arts, music, films and nightlife, and it is a necessary guide to the entertainment capital of the world. If you're not using Time out, you're losing out on London. School Sport Magazine Cover Price: PS4.40 School Sport Magazine is the only publication of its kind to celebrate the sporting achievements of schools, pupils and teachers in the UK. The purpose of the magazine is to report sporting news and record national and regional school sporting events as well as interviews with famous sport stars about their own sporting schooldays. Five issues a year. Time Cover Price: PS2.70 Save up to 76% Every week, Time keeps you well informed of world news, covering all the matters that affect your life, from political struggles to scientific progress, environmental problems, and what's new in business, fashion and arts. Its feature articles give you brief but true information and unique insights from world-leading journalists. Time is a great magazine, which can help you develop a truly global perspective. FourFourTwo Cover Price: PS3.90 Save up to 25% FourFourTwo is a monthly football magazine for grown-up readers. Feature articles and wonderful action photographs will keep you attracted. You can read interviews with big name football stars, from today, tomorrow and yesterday. You'll love it! The author's purpose in writing this passage is to _ . A. advertise four best-sellers B. introduce four popular magazines to readers C. ask readers to decide which of the four magazines is the best D. get more people to buy these magazines Answer: D Astronomers recently found another ring around the planet Saturn -- and it's the biggest one yet. This newly discovered ring stretches about 15 million miles across, which makes a loop big enough to fit a billion Earths inside. It may be even bigger and reach 22 million miles across at its diameter . Saturn's new ring is now the biggest known ring in the solar system. This ring, like Saturn's other rings, is not one solid piece of rock. Instead, it is made up of millions or billions of tiny rocks that orbit the planet all together and give the appearance of a unified ring. Unlike the more visible rings, however, this big one is mysterious -- the pieces are far apart, and the ring cannot be seen from the surface of the Earth. If all the pieces were stuck together, they'd be slightly bigger than a rock a half-mile wide. Astronomers suspect that the newly discovered ring gets its material from Saturn's outermost moon, Phoebe. For example, the dust in the ring circles Saturn in the same path and the same direction as Phoebe. Plus, the surface of Phoebe is marked with holes and places where rock has been knocked away, the result of collisions between Phoebe and other moons and rocks. These collisions could have sent dust out into space to become part of the big ring. The discovery of the ring could help explain other mysteries surrounding Saturn and its dozens of moons. The moon called Iapetus, for example, is two-toned: one side is gray; the other more reddish. Iapetus is within the newly discovered ring, but it orbits in the opposite direction. As a result, some researchers say, debris from the ring may have coated and color1ed one side of Iapetus as it moved through space, and left the other side alone. "The cause of Iapetus' strange color1 distribution ... has been a puzzle that now seems solved," said Joseph Burns, a scientist. But not everyone agrees. Some think the ring alone may not be able to explain Iapetus' funny color1ing. The purpose of the passage is to _ . A. compare the moons of Saturn B. analyze why Saturn has so many rings C. describe a newly discovered ring of Saturn D. explain Iapetus' funny color1ing Answer: C To get an extra 14 years of life, don't smoke, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and drink alcohol in a proper amount.That is according to a study published this Monday in the Public Library of Science Medicine Journal. After tracking more than 20,000 people aged 45 to 79 years in the United Kingdom from about 1993 to 2007, Kay-Tee Khaw of the University of Cambridge and his colleagues found that people who adopted these four healthy habits lived all average of 14 years longer than those who didn't. "We've known for a long time that these behaviors are good things to do, but we've not seen this benefit before, "said Susan Jebb, head of Nutrition and Health at Britain's Medical Research Council."The benefit was also seen regardless of whether or not people were fat and what social class they came from." Study participants scored a point each for not smoking, regular physical activity, eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and moderate alcohol intake. Public health experts said they hoped the study would inspire governments to introduce policies helping people to adopt these changes.But because the study only observed people rather than testing specific changes, it would be impossible to conclude that people who suddenly adopted these healthy behaviors would surely gain 14 years. "We can't say that any person could gain 14 years by doing these things, "said Dr.Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert at the World Health Organization."The 14 years is an average across the population of what's theoretically possible." "Most people know that things like a good diet matter and that smoking isn't good for them, "Susan Jebb said."We need to work on providing people with much more practical support to help them change." Which of the following DOESN'T belong to the four healthy habits? A. Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. B. Do proper exercise in the morning every day. C. Drinking alcohol in the proper amount every day. D. Having a cigarette before going to bed every day. Answer: D Writers used to approach publishers to have their work read by the public. Now they can simply post them and find millions of instant audience. After breaking up with her boyfriend, Bao Jingjing started "making up" a love story simply to distract her attention. Her story of a girl suffering the pain like hers progressed quickly, attracting many readers. When Bao stopped writing as she reunited with her boyfriend, she was urged to continue, as readers wanted to know what happened next. Bao finished it soon. It became so popular that it was turned into a best-seller. _ , Bao's novel was later adapted into a successful movie. Bao's story is only one of many Internet novels that have landed deals for physical books, TV shows and films. Unlike traditional writers who buried themselves in their books for years, some young writers like Bao have got readers rapidly online and find overnight success. Bao admits her success was unexpected. She still remembers how surprised her parents were when she proudly gave them her copyright earnings. Online literature forums are platforms for grassroots writers to succeed. In recent years, Zhang Wei, known as "Tangjiasanshao", has earned 177 million yuan by his fingers though working as an author was beyond his dreams. He topped the list of wealthiest Chinese Internet novelists twice and was the only online writer to be listed on the 2014 Forbes "Chinese Celebrity List". He admits that he is one of the few writers at the top of the pyramid while most online writers remain unknown. However, he urged that his success can be achieved by others, as long as "they write hard enough". The author mentioned Zhang Wei's example mainly to _ . A. introduce another online writer to the readers B. show the example of another online writer's success C. encourage readers to become online writers D. express his admiration for online writer Zhang Wei Answer: B Think about what you usually have for a meal: Is it a hamburger? What about vegetables? Would it surprise you to learn that what you eat can affect the whole planet? It can--in a big way. Scientists attending the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Chicago presented new studies showing how food and its production affect the globe and its warming climate. It is generally believed that global warming is caused by the large amounts of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. One of these greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide. What does this have to do with food? A big part of the carbon dioxide comes from the process of making and eating food, the scientists reported in Chicago. The production of meat contributes to a lot of that carbon dioxide. The process of making a hamburger, for example, requires a lot of energy. A cow has to be fed and raised on farmland, and cow manure is a major source of methane --an especially powerful greenhouse gas. By the time a hamburger is finally served on a dinner plate, it has done great harm to the environment. The message from the research is clear: We can greatly reduce the production of greenhouse gases by eating less meat. All kinds of meat, the scientists reported, are harder on the planet than vegetables. To grow and eat a pound of potatoes, for example, sends less than one-quarter pound of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases into the air. So shifting our diet to less meat and more vegetables ,as it turns out, may do the world some good. Generally speaking , people believe that global warming is caused by _ . A. cutting down too many trees. B. releasing too many greenhouse gases. C. growing too many vegetables. D. raising too many cows. Answer: B A young girl is calling a neighbor a superhero because of what he did when she was trapped beneath a car. Nick Harris said he didn't know where he found the strength, but somehow he managed to lift a car off the 6yearold girl last week,earning himself the title of superman. "I just think it' s a Christmas miracle,"Harris said. Harris said he has tried time and again to recreate the surprising show of strength because instinct sent him running to the 6yearold' s aid. "I just ran over there,saw the tire on her,and lifted the car up to get her out from underneath the car,"Harris said. "I don't know how I did it. I've tried three or four times since then." Harris was dropping off his daughter at Eugene Field Elementary Friday morning when he saw a car back out of a driveway,pinning the girl under its tire. That girl turned out to be his daughter's best friend. "I was expecting her to have bad injuries,"Harris said. "I've had broken toes, because a car just backed over my foot. And here this whole car was on top of her. I wasn't expecting it to turn out as wonderful as it did." The first grader was flown to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City by an air ambulance ,but didn't have to stay long. "They all call me superman now,"Harris said. "I'm just a dad. I'm just a dad that was in the right place at the right time. And I was finally able to help and I did something good." What can we learn about Harris? A. He was fond of the movie Superman. B. He had the accident while backing his car. C. He drove the injured girl to the nearby hospital. D. He was once run over on the foot by a car. Answer: D Here's one number to keep in mind during your next cell phone conversation: 50. A new experiment shows that spending 50 minutes with an active phone pressed up to the ear increases activity in the brain. This brain activity probably doesn't make you smarter. When cell phones are on, they emit energy in the form of radiation that could be harmful, especially after years of cell phone usage. Scientists don't know yet whether cell phones are bad for the brain. Studies like this one are attempting to find it out. The 47 participants in the experiment may have looked a little strange. Each one had two Samsung cell phones attached to his or her head -- one on each ear. The phone on the left ear was off. The phone on the right ear played a message for 50 minutes, but the participants couldn't hear it because the sound was off. With this set-up, the scientists could be sure they were studying brain activity from the phone itself, and not brain activity due to listening and talking during a conversation. After 50 minutes with two phones strapped to their heads, the participants were given PET scans. The PET scan showed that the left side (the side with the phone turned off) of each participant's brain hadn't changed during the experiment. The right side of the brain, however, had used more glucose, which is a type of sugar that provides fuel to brain cells. These right-side brain cells were using almost as much glucose as the brain uses when a person is talking. This suggests that the brain cells there were active -- even without the person hearing anything. That activity, the scientists say, was probably caused by radiation from the phone. Henry Lai, who works at the University of Washington in Seattle, is uncomfortable with the data related to cell phones. Holding a cell phone to your ear during a conversation is "not really safe," Lai told Science News. Lai is a bioengineer at the University of Washington in Seattle. He wrote an article about the new study for a journal, but he did not work on the study. Bioengineers bring together ideas from engineering and biology. For those who don't want to wait to find out for sure whether cell phones are bad for the brain, there are ways to talk more safely. You can have short and sweet conversations, use a speakerphone or keep the phone away from your head. Which of the following statement is true? A. Scientists are sure that cell phones are bad for the brain. B. In the experiment, the left side of the brain used more glucose. C. Radiation from the phone probably causes the change in the brain. D. Henri Lai wrote a lot of articles about this new study. Answer: C
Which habitat on Earth would probably 28 add the greatest amount of water to the water cycle through evaporation? A. cold lake B. desert sand C. warm ocean D. mountain rock Answer: C People who offer love, listening and help to others may be rewarded with better mental health themselves, according to a new study of churchgoers in the September/October issue of Psychosomatic Medicine. The study is one of the first to track the positive health benefits of altruistic behavior, says Carolyn Schwartz, Sc.D. of the University of prefix = st1 /MassachusettsMedicalSchool. "The findings really point up how helping others can help oneself," Schwartz says. Schwartz and his workmates analyzed the information collected by the Presbyterian Church for 2,016 church members. The members were asked about how often they "made others feel loved and cared for" and "listened to others", and how often they received this attention in return. The members also answered the questions about their mental and physical health. Most of the church members were in good physical and mental health to begin with, experiencing only normal levels of anxiety and depression. While the researchers did not find any significant differences in physical health clearly related to giving and receiving help, they concluded that giving help was a better predictor of good mental health than receiving help. But feeling crushed by others' demands can have negative psychological effects, according to the researchers. "Although our findings suggest that people who help others experience better mental health, our findings also suggest that giving beyond one's own resources is related with worse reported mental health," Schwartz says. Church leaders, older people, women and those who took satisfaction from prayer were more likely to be helpers rather than receivers, according to the study. People who give help to others may be less likely to focus inward on their own anxieties and depression or more likely to see their own troubles in mind, leading to better mental health, say the researchers. Alternatively, it may be that "people who are functioning well psychologically are better able and hence more likely to give help," Schwartz says. What conclusion can we draw from the passage? A. It's more blessed to give than to receive. B. Well begun, half done. C. Where there is a will, there is a way. D. Every advantage has its disadvantage. Answer: A Joe lives in a big city with his mother and father. His father is called Tony, and his mother's name is Clarissa. He likes to go to all the stores and look at the things inside. Sometimes if Joe sees something he likes, his parents buy it for him. Last week, they were in a store and Joe saw a ball that he wanted. Joe's father bought it for him, and Joe was very happy. Joe's grandmother doesn't live in the city. She lives on a farm. Her name is Hazel. Sometimes Joe's parents take him to visit his grandmother. There are not many stores around where she lives. But Joe is always excited to see her, because there are many things there that are not found in cities. The first time he saw a cow, Joe was scared, because he had never seen a cow in the city. There are always a lot of animals near Joe's grandmother's house. Sometimes there are chickens and pigs and ducks. Joe's favorite animal is Max. Max is Hazel's dog. He is a friendly dog. He doesn't bark at the other animals. Sometimes Joe and Max play with a ball. Max likes to play with Joe. Sometimes Max doesn't like strangers, but Max has seen Joe a few times, so now they are friends. Hazel is a very good cook. She always makes Joe's favorite breakfast: eggs, pancakes, and bacon. Sometimes Joe's mother makes the same meals for him, but Hazel's food is always better. Joe is sometimes sad when he leaves Hazel's house. But he knows that he is going to return, so he is not sad for long. Why does Joe like to visit his grandmother? A. There are things there that are not found in cities. B. Clarissa is a very good cook. C. His parents might buy him something that he likes. D. Max and Joe enjoy scaring the cows. Answer: A Once a great boxer ,Tom Black, went to a restaurant for supper. He took off his coat and left it at the door, but he was afraid that somebody would take it away. So he took out a piece of paper and wrote on it,"The great boxer, Tom Black, has left his coat here.He'll be back in a few minutes."He put the paper on his coat and went to have his dinner. When he returned, however, his coat was not there. He just found a piece of paper in its place. It said,"A great runner has taken away you coat, and he will never come back again." ,A, B, C, D(10) Who was Tom Black? A. A great runner. B. A great boxer. C. A P.E. teacher. D. A great thinker. Answer: B Most people around the world are right-handed. This also seems to be true in history. In 1799, scientists studied works of art made at different times from 1,500 B.C. to the 1950s. Most of the people shown in these works are right-handed, so the scientists guessed that right-handedness has always been common through history. Today, only about 10% to 15% of the world's population is left-handed. Why are there more right-handed people than left-handed ones? Scientists now know that a person's two hands each have their own jobs. For most people, the hand is used to find things or hold things. The right hand is used to work with things. This is because of the different work of the two sides of the brain. The right side of the brain, which makes a person's hands and eyes work together, controls the left hand. The left-side of the brain, which controls the right hand, is the centre for thinking and doing problems. These findings show that more artists should be left-handed, and studies have found that left-handedness is twice as common among artists as among people in other jobs. No one really knows what makes a person become right-handed instead of left-handed. Scientists have found that almost 40% of the people become left-handed because their main brain is damaged when they are born. However, this doesn't happen to everyone, so scientists guess there must be another reason why people become left-handed. One idea is that people usually get right-handed from their parents. If a person does not receive the gene for right-handedness, he / she may become either right-handed or left-handed according to the chance and the people they work or live with. Though right-handedness is more common than left-handedness, people no longer think left-handed people are strange or unusual. A long time ago, left-handed children were made to use their right hands like other children, but today they don't have to. What is the hand for most people used to do? A. It's used to find or hold things. B. It's used to work with things. C. It's used to make a person's eyes work together. D. It's the centre for thinking and doing problems. Answer: A Dealing with conflict in the workplace is rarely easy. Hurt feelings and anger can lead to lower employee morale as well as a loss of productivity and a poor work environment. As a manager. you should find some ways yourself to solve the conflict. The goal is to build a team-centered workforce. You can use role-reversal methods to help each employee understand how the other feels. This model works best when there are only two parties involved. You can hold a meeting with annoyed workers in your office. You might say. "Jane, explain to me how you would feel if Nancy went to lunch with your clients ( ) without telling you?" Or. "Nancy, how would you respond if Jane came to me with complaints about you, but hadn't tried to talk to you about them first? " Workers often respond better to praise than criticism. By publicly drawing attention to employees who have healthy work relationships. you can increase the awareness for those who encourage any conflict. Avoid mentioning teams or departments that are being troubled by conflict. Instead. focus on the teams that work well together You might say. " _ ," or -Special thanks to the finance department for their teamwork in making sure that the quarterly reports were accurate" And help your employees see that differences can be good and don't necessarily lead to anger or disagreement This is one of the best ways to settle workplace conflicts. You can meet with employees and try to stress the value of different techniques. This lets all parties know that their own styles can be effective. You might say. " I know you disagree on how to market our services. but when you combine Jim's email marketing with Joe's personal one-on-one phone calls, you can increase sales. The two of you go well together. " Or. "I know you have different styles for interacting with clients. but Sally's take-them-out-for-coffee approach works well together with Ann's formal business meeting style Both are necessary for building relationships and getting work done. " To build a team-centered workforce, employers _ . A. should learn to be considerate B. should be divided into two parties C. shouldn't go out with clients alone D. should learn to accept public criticism Answer: A How to deal with 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 led to 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 the most efficient recycling programs, however, can hope to deal with only about 50 per cent of a city's reusable waste. The most suitable title for this passage would be_. A. Places for Disposing Waste B. Waste Disposal Problem C. Ways of Getting Rid of Waste D. Waste Pollution Dangers Answer: B In the past , people shopped for fruits, vegetables, bread and meat at small food stores and at open markets. Before there were _ , it was difficult to keep food fresh for a long time, so people shopped almost every day. Life today is very different from the past. Refrigerators keep food fresh, so people don't have to shop every day. People also have very busy lives. They have time to shop for food only once or twice a week. People shop for food in different kinds of places--in small stores, at large supermarkets and sometimes at wholesale stores that sell food and other things at very low prices. Some people even shop on the Internet. They order food online, and the company sends it to their home. And in many places around the world, people still shop at open markets. So people in different places like to shop for food in different ways. What's the main idea of this passage? A. The different ways to shop food in the past and now. B. The different stores to sell food in the past and now. C. All kinds of foods at very low prices on the Internet D. Keeping food fresh for a long time in the refrigerators. Answer: A Top lists are lecturing people on everything from "100 places to visit" to "100 books to read ". Aren't you just tired of being told what to do with your time? Now you have a list to end all lists! Take a look at the following two examples from the list of "101 things not to do": Swim with Dolphins ? Swimming with dolphins is one of the world's most profitable tourist activities. However, every dolphin will welcome having their busy, tiring day interrupted by tourists screaming and pushing around them in the water. Worse yet, when dolphins get too near to the boats loaded with tourists, they could get caught up in ropes and killed by propellers . Here's a little secret. Dolphins look like smiling at you, but actually they're just opening their mouths. Go to See the Mona Lisa? There must be something about the mysterious smile. The 6 million people who visit the lady in the Louvre every year can't all be wrong, after all. But they can be quite annoying, standing in front of you, holding up their cameras to prevent you from seeing anything. In fact, it is hard for you to see the painting clearly because you have to stay away from it for security reasons. After queuing for hours, many tourists can remain in front of the painting only for 15 seconds at most. If the mysterious lady in the picture knew her fate, she wouldn't just be smiling, she'd be laughing. So, still long to see the Mona Lisa? If you want to find out more about the list, read Visit and buy the book at a 20% discount. According to the passage, swimming with dolphins _ . A. is the world's most popular tourist activity B. gives fun to both tourists and dolphins C. will make tourists busy and tired D. can cause danger to dolphins Answer: D We can not live a modern life without traveling. The fastest way of traveling is by air. With a plane one can travel in one day to places which it took a month or more to get to a hundred years ago. Traveling by train is slower than by plane, but one can see the country he is traveling through. Modern trains have comfortable seats and dinning-cars. They make even the longest journey enjo yable. Some people prefer to travel by sea when possible. There are large luxury liners or river boats .They are not as fast as trains or planes, but traveling by sea is a very pleasant way to spend a holi day. Many people like to travel by car. They can make their own timetable. They can travel hundred s of miles a day, just as their wish. They can stop wherever they want to see something interestin g or to enjoy a good meal at a good restaurant, or to spend the night at a hotel. That is why peopl If we travel by car, we can _ . A. enjoythelongestjourney B. travelonlyfiftymilesaday C. makeourowntimetable D. traveltoaveryfarplaceinafewminutes. Answer: C
When a blue light is shone on a yellow banana, what color does the banana appear to be? A. blue B. yellow C. green D. black Answer: D Mrs Smith is going shopping with her son.They are looking for presents for Mr Smith's birthday.They drive to the shop mall on Baker Street. Mrs Smith goes to the Electrical Shop on the third floor. When the woman gets to the counter,she finds the camera she wants to buy is sold out.She finds another kind of camera,but it is too expensive.Then she finds a compact camera. That is a small camera.There is a discount on it.but she does not know if her husband likes it.So she decides not to buy that one. Tom goes to the Men's Clothing Shop on the first floor.The boy is looking for a jumper for his father.He has only $ 10 in his pocket and it's not enough.Then he waits for his mother to come.At last,they buy the jumper for Mr Smith. What shop does Mrs Smith go to first? A. The Men's Clothing Shop. B. The Women's Clothing Shop. C. The Camera Shop. D. The Electrical Shop. Answer: D We should feel grateful in our heart when we accept anything others sacrifice for us. However, we often unconsciously do the opposite, which may not be regarded as returning kindness with ingratitude, but have the equal power to harm each other. In particular, the closer the relationship is, the more determined we are. Jennifer, my friend Randy's mother, is already over 70, poor eyesight and weak legs. But due to her character, she chose to live alone in the suburbs. No matter how busily Randy works, he would go there to visit her once or twice every week. That day as soon as he parked his car, Randy smelt the delicious smell of meat coming from her mother's house. His mother said, "Your birthday is coming next week, so I'm preparing pork trotters for you!" Seeing the steaming delicious trotters, he couldn't help complaining, "I don't like these things at all, so fatty." On his way back, he called me, saying that he felt sorry. In fact, he longed to thank his mother and eat up that bowl of trotters. But he felt sorry that it took her too much time and energy. If he didn't stop her strictly, he was afraid the same thing would continue. He would rather not eat trotters any more than have his mother overwork. I understand how he felt exactly. Each of us has done like that. Because of feeling sorry for others' sacrifice, we purposely harden our heart against accepting others' favor and even criticize them severely in order to frighten their goodness away and make them never do that again. This method may work, but it will hurt each other's feelings. It's not wrong logically, but we always neglect another sound deep in our heart: because we're afraid we can't repay them, we're unwilling to shoulder others' goodness. So we reduce its value and refuse it severely. But to destroy others' goodness is also to deny you. According to the author, we sometimes say "no" to others' favor so that _ . A. they can be frightened away B. they won't continue doing that C. we needn't repay them later D. we won't feel sorry for their sacrifice Answer: B A Narrow Escape Shortly after the war, my brother and I were invited to spend a few days' holiday with an uncle who had just returned from abroad. He had rented a cottage in the country, although he hardly spent much time there. We understood the reason for this after our arrival: the cottage had no comfortable furniture in it. Many of the windows were broken and the roof leaked , making the whole house wet. On our first evening, we sat around the fire after supper listening to the stories our uncle told of his many adventures in distant countries. I was so tired after the long train journey that I would have preferred to go to bed; but I could not bear to miss any of my uncle's exciting stories, He was just in the middle of describing a rather terrifying experience he had once had when there was a loud crash from the bedroom above, the one where my brother and I were going to sleep. When we got to the top of the stairs and opened the bedroom door, a strange sight met our eyes. A large part of the ceiling had fallen right on to the pillow of my bed. The uncle disliked the rented cottage for the reason that _ . A. there were no beds in it B. the windows were broken and the roof leaked C. it was too old for him to live in D. it was very rainy in the area Answer: B Students across the country are finding ways, with the help of devoted teachers, to raise funds for causes near and dear to their hearts. While kids raise funds for bird habitats and heart health, they learn lessons that will help them succeed in school -- and in life. Feathered Friends To collect money for an important nature fund and use skills right out of a science textbook, The Branch School of West Houston, Texas, took to the fields and forests to find more than 45 species of birds in their Bird-A-Thon's largest annual fundraising event and the world's biggest bird watching competition. Teams earn pledges for each donation to benefit the 40-year-old Houston Audubon (houstonaudubon.org), a chapter of the National Audubon Society. The 24th Houston Audubon Bird-A-Thon raised over $56,000 to promote the conservation and appreciation of birds and wildlife habitat. Bonus: In identifying specific species, students learn about habitats, ecology, and preservation, all while getting exercise. Jump Rope for Heart This program has raised a lot of money for AHA (the American Heart Association). French Road Elementary of Rochester, New York, topped the 2012 list of participating schools in Jump Rope for Heart, a jump-rope-a-thon, with $67,432. A "Wall of Honor" stands at one end of the gym, each paper heart bearing the name of a patient for students to see as they jump in honor of that child. The program, organized by physical education teachers, earned pledges per jump. Bonus: Per jump pledges offer students practice with multiplication and money handling skills, with science and health, too! What do we know about the Bird-A-Thon? A. It has been held for 40 years. B. It is a worldwide competition. C. It aims to protect 45 species of animals. D. It allows students to get close to nature. Answer: D If electrical current is running A. the wire may be hot to the touch B. the wire may be cool to the touch C. the wire is automatically grounded D. the wire is automatically water safe Answer: A A new satellite is travelling 1.5 million kilometers over a 110-day period to enter an orbit of the sun. It is called DSCOVR--the Deep Space Climate Observatory. It will replace a satellite that has been observing space weather. DSCOVR will begin its work during the worst of the 11-year-long solar cycle. This is a time when extreme weather on the sun can have the greatest effect on planet Earth. DSCOVR will gather information about a continuing flow of particles from the sun. We are protected from these particles by the Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere. But we are not fully protected from what scientists call Coronal Mass Ejections. These are strong storms that can happen on the sun's surface. Thomas Berger is the director of the Space Weather Prediction Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. He says these ejections are much more dangerous than solar particles. He says the Coronal Mass Ejections are extremely large magnetic clouds that are expelled from the sun at extremely high speeds. He says when they impact Earth, it is like a hurricane impacting Earth in terms of space weather. Violent space weather can make electric systems stop working. It can block satellite signals to Earth. It can interfere with radio signals and air travel. Mr. Berger says we cannot stop the ejections from affecting us, but we can prepare for them if we know when they will happen. When the DSCOVR satellite records an ejection, it will release a warning. Mr. Berger says the warning will provide NOAA about 15 to 60 minutes to let people know that a very strong storm is coming in to the Earth. He says that is enough time for power grid operators to take protective action. He says it is also enough time for workers to place satellites on a safe operating method if necessary. Mr. Berger says scientists would like even more time, of course. He says researchers are developing instruments that will give an earlier warning. The warnings from DSCOVR will be for the whole planet. But Mr. Berger says a new system may be able to give more-targeted warnings. He says future models will be able to tell exactly what part of the world will be more at risk from a solar storm. That means that, for the first time, humans will get both a warning that a magnetic storm is heading towards Earth and information about where it is likely to hit. According to Thomas Berger, _ ? A. the Coronal Mass Ejections are expelled from the sun at extremely low speeds B. the ejections can be stopped from affecting us C. ejections are far more dangerous than solar particles D. 15 to 60 minutes is not enough for power grid operators Answer: C The Swiss army knife is a popular device that is recognized all over the world. In Switzerland, there is a saying that every good Swiss citizen has one in his or her pocket. But the knife had poor beginnings. In the late nineteenth century, the Swiss army issued its soldiers a gun that required a special screwdriver to take it apart and clean it. At the same time, canned food was becoming common in the army. Swiss generals decided to issue each soldier a standard knife to serve both as a screwdriver and a can opener. _ was a lifesaver for Swiss knife makers, who were struggling to compete with cheaper German imports. In 1884, Carl Elsener, head of the Swiss knife manufacturer(maker) Victorinox, seized that opportunity with both hands, and designed a soldier's knife that the army loved. It was a simple knife with one big blade , a can opener, and a screwdriver. A few years after the soldier's knife was issued, the "Schweizer Offizier Messer," or Swiss Officer's Knife, came on the market. Interestingly, the Officer's Knife was never given to those serving in the army. The Swiss army purchasers considered the new model with a corkscrew for opening wine not "essential for survival," so officers had to buy this new model by themselves. But its special multi-functional design later launched the knife as a global brand. After the Second World War, a great number of American soldiers were stationed in Europe. And as they could buy the Swiss army knife at shops on army bases, they bought huge quantities of them. However, it seems that "Schweizer Offizier Messer" was too difficult for them to say, so they just called it the Swiss army knife, and that is the name it is now known by all over the world. Who gave the name "the Swiss army knife" to the knife discussed in the passage? A. Carl Elsener. B. Swiss generals. C. American soldiers. D. German businessmen. Answer: C A good relationship between students and teachers makes the classroom a very inviting place. When you like your teachers, it's easier to pay attention to their explanations and improve your marks. When you consider your teachers as friends, you'll certainly have more respect for them. When your teachers consider you to be a friend, they'll feel more open in class and that will probably influence the classroom in a positive way. Now here are some tips to develop a friendly relationship with your teachers: Ask questions. If you have any questions about that subject, ask them. Show them that you're interested in their subjects. That will make them notice you. But never ask questions that you already know the answers to. If your teachers realize that you are not asking real questions, they might think that you're not actually trying to learn, but only trying to make an impression. Talk about non-school subjects. When you see one of your teachers in the hall, greet him/her and ask if he/she is going to that concert or if he/she has seen that movie. That way you'll show that you consider him/her as a reined. Some teachers don't like to have friendly relationships with students, but most of them are happy to chat with their students. After a while, they may start to talk with you about non-school subjects in the classroom. The rest is totally up to you; it is very easy to develop a friendly relationship with any of your teachers. If you want to be friends with your teachers, just treat them as friends, but don't forget that no matter how good friends you are, they will still be your teachers and deserve your respect. When you ask a teacher questions you already know the answers to, _ . A. you may make a fool of yourself trying to be smart B. it means that you should not be above asking questions C. you are actually trying to make fun of your teachers D. it shows that you're trying to pretend to know everything Answer: A Are you going into skiing? Is winter your favorite time of year? If you like snow and ice, maybe you should stay at Ice Hotel in Quebec, Canada. But, you can only check in at this hotel during the winter. Why? Because this hotel is built every December. It has 32 rooms and 80 people can stay there each night. The hotel even has a movie theatre, art gallery, and church. Of course, all of these parts of the hotel are made of ice. In fact, all the furniture, art, lights, and even plates and drinking glasses are made out of ice. Because this hotel is so unusual, it is becoming very popular. People from all over the world come to the Ice Hotel to look at the fantastic ice art, drink and eat from designed ice dishes and experience the unique atmosphere. Some couples have even gotten married in the hotel's ice church. But all these guests keep their winter coats on! Because of all the ice, the temperature inside the hotel is always between -2degC and -5degC. Surprisingly, sleeping is not a problem in the freezing cold hotel rooms. Every guest gets a special cold weather sleeping bag and some fur blankets. These keep the room cozy until morning. In which part of the hotel would you probably find "plates"? A. The church. B. The restaurant. C. The rooms. D. The art gallery. Answer: B
At the time, I would go out in the evening with my parents. But this time I had borrowed a bicycle from a friend of mine. I didn't know why, but once I was on my own bicycle, a kind of free feeling flooded through me. The faster I rode, the faster I wanted to go! Far ahead, I rode as if my life depended on it, head down, hands grasping the handbars. I meant to get to Jinghai Bar as fast as I could. . . Oh! My hands! Don't come any closer. . . Don't touch me! That poor doctor just couldn't get my gloves off. Each time he took a step towards me, I broke into painful shouting. Much later, I discovered that I had crashed heavily with another bicycle, and I hadn't spoken one word of sense for at least three hours! After some time, my mother arrived at the hospital, her face as white as a sheet, and gave me a hug , only then did the doctor begin to stitch my head wound, not only did he merrily cut off a long lock of my hair, but used no anaesthetic either! Later, I seemed to hear faraway voices saying that my right hand was broken. I almost burst into tears. How would I ever play the piano again? What did the writer think of the doctor? A. Friendly. B. Cruel. C. Hard-working. D. Kind. Answer: B Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other big cities are exciting places to live. There are many interesting things to see and to do. You can go to different kinds of museums, plays and movies. You can also go to supermarkets to buy things from all over the world. But there are serious problems in big cities, too. The cost of living is high, and there are too many people in some big cities. Every year many people move to the cities because there are more chances to find jobs, to study at good schools, and to receive good medical care. But sometimes these people cannot find work or a good place to live. Also, too many people in a small space make it hard to keep the cities safe and clean. Some people enjoy living in big cities. Others do not. Before people move to big cities, they should think about the problems of living there. Which is NOT mentioned in the passage? A. Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are all big cities. B. Some people enjoy living in big cities. C. People have more chances to find jobs in big cities. D. Big cities are not as good as small cities. Answer: D On May 23, Shenzhen introduced new rules in order to prevent the "Chinese style of crossing the road". "Chinese people cross roads without thinking about traffic lights, so long as they are part of a group of people," said a post on Sina Weibo. A CCTV news program showed that in only an hour, more than 600 people jumped red lights when crossing a road in Shijiazhuang, Hebei. Many people say that they jaywalk because the red light lasts too long. Such an opinion is supported by a research group at Tongji University. _ did research on people's waiting times at different road crossings for three years. They found that Chinese people would wait for 70 to 90 seconds before they lost their patience. "People are likely to ignore the light when the waiting time is longer than they can bear," said Ni Ying, a member of the research team. However, a survey on Sina Weibo suggested that people jaywalk mainly because they ignore rules. "I always obey traffic rules. Time is important but safety should come first," someone wrote on his Weibo. Many countries give out punishments to jaywalkers. In Singapore, the maximum can be three months in prison . Some Chinese cities have started taking some actions, too. For example, the first three people in a jaywalking group will be fined 50 yuan in Shijiazhuang. But calling on people to obey rules is more important. To completely solve the problem, everyone should understand the importance of obeying the traffic rules. How long will Chinese people wait for to cross the road before they lose patience? A. About five minutes. B. Less than one minute. C. Less than one and a half minutes. D. More than ten minutes. Answer: C Not everyone can afford their own vehicle,and with the high demands of consumers and incredible expectations of today g leading engineers,public transportation needs all the improvement it can get. Nowadays,there aren't many comfortable alternatives to owning your own car,unless you're happy with inaccessible and expensive rental Pars.To fight against this.the City Car appeared and it's stackable electric car with room for two.Saving the burden of paying for gas and spending times searching for parking in a crowded city, the City Car would be an ideal and inexpensive form of transportation with easy storage. But for those of you that want to stick to trains on tracks,China's 3 D Express Coach is the answer.Unlike trains that must run far from shopping areas or even stay underground because there's simply no room for tracks,the Express Coach runs on rails positioned above the freeway.With more Express Coaches, public transportation would be more time-efficient and energy-efficient. Have you heard of the Nano car? The Tata Nano from India is ten percent of the cost of most new cars.Because of its current lack of an airbag and difficult access to the trunk,the Nano does not meet certain safety standards in other countries but after improvements are made,you may be able to buy a new car for less than$3.000 and enjoys its fit in a motorcycle parking space. The pioneer of hybrid cars,the Toyota Prius,is the shining model of the alternatively fueled vehicle.Due to the Prius' great success,the Lexus RX 450h,Honda Insight and Ford Fusion Hybrid quickly followed.A hybrid car alternates gas and electric power,but contains a complete electric motor.When you drive a hybrid,it's mostly run electrically,but some gasoline powers the generator . Cars like these are no longer imaginary.They are being planned and built,making them not just a fantasy anymore. Which of the following is NOT true about the City Car? _ . A. It's an electric car B. It can be stacked C. It can take more than two passengers D. It g a cheap mode of transportation Answer: C Everyone has a dream. Some are good dreams. Some are bad dreams. Here are some kids talking about their dreams they had last night. Lucy: In my dream, I saw my favorite band EXO singing a wonderful song. One of the main singer Lu Han wore special clothes and sang songs only for me. The songs were so beautiful that it touched my heart. I hope I didn't wake up this morning. Kelly: Last night I dreamed I was an astronaut. I flew a rocket around the earth. The sky was so blue and the white clouds were here and there. I felt I was like a bird. I even sang a song because I was so happy. John: I had a really bad dream last night. I invited lots of friends to my home to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. All the preparations were ready. Turkey was in the oven. Other food was on the table. Guests were happy and ready to enjoy the meal. However, someone shouted "Oh, my God!" All the guests disappeared . I didn't know what happened. I was scared so much. Emma: I dreamed I became a pediatrician.. I could be a doctor for all small kids. It was really wonderful. I tried my best and saved many kids. Parents came to thank me. How happy I was! From the passage, we know that _ A. People only have good dreams. B. John had a good dream. C. Emma saved many parents in her dream. D. Kelly dreamed she was an astronaut. Answer: D Today is our Open Day. Our parents come and see our school on this day. Our school is very big and beautiful.There are five buildings in our school. Look! The office building is on your right. Our teachers work in it. Behind the building, there are two classroom buildings and a school library. In the library there are all kinds of books. Our big playground is on the left of these buildings with lots of trees around it. Every day, many students play football, basketball and tennis. We have a good time on the playground after school. We also have a school hall behind the playground next to the library. We meet our parents and have parties in the school hall. Today, after school, we have a welcome party for our parents. I think our parents will like our school, too. We meet our parents _ . A. in the teaching building B. in the library C. on the playground D. in the school hall Answer: D What does planting native plants has a positive impact on? A. markets B. territory C. winds D. economies Answer: B They found that young people who often use social media are more likely to suffer from sleep disorders than those who use social media less. The researchers set out to examine the connection between social media use and sleep among young adults. Levenson, who led the study, noticed that these young adults are possibly the first "generation to grow up with social media." The researchers wanted to find out how often young people used social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Histogram, etc. For the study, they gave questionnaires to nearly 1,800 adults, aged 19 to 32. On average, members of the study group used social media sites one hour a day. They also "visited various social media accounts 30 times per week." Thirty percent of the study's participants reported having serious problems with sleeping. Those people who used social media a lot were three times more likely to have a sleep disorder. And those who spent the most time on social media were two times as likely to suffer from sleep disorders. Levenson said the number of times a person visits social media is a better predictor of sleep problems than overall time spent on social media. If this is true, she adds, then practices that stop such behaviors may be most effective. What is the passage mainly about? A. How should young adults use social media correctly? B. Social media is keeping young adults awake. C. Social media have great effects on young adults. D. How should young adults have a good sleep? Answer: B According to a recent survey, British teenagers are damaging their health by not getting enough sleep because they are prevented from doing so by electronic gadgets in their bedrooms. According to the Sleep Council, "junk sleep" could compete with eating unhealthy junk food as a main worrying lifestyle for parents of teenage children. Among the l, 000 students aged 12 t0 16 who were tested in the survey, 30 percent just slept for 4 to 7 hours a day. Almost a quarter said they fell asleep, more than once a week, while watching TV, listening to music or using other electronic gadgets. "This is a quite worrying trend ", said Dr Chris Idzikowski of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre. "What we are seeing is the appearance of terrible junk sleep - sleep that is of neither the length nor the quality it should be." Nearly each of the teenagers had a phone, music system or TV in his or her bedroom, with around two-thirds owning all three. Almost one in five of the teenage boys said the quality of their sleep had been influenced by leaving their TVs or computers on. The survey also found that 40 percent of youngsters felt tired each day, with girls aged 15 to 16 feeling the worst. "Teenagers need to wake up to the fact that to perform well. They need to do something about their sleep. I'm shocked that so few teenagers have noticed ," said Idzikowski. Among the students tested in the survey, about _ of them fell asleep while using their electronic gadgets. A. 200 B. 250 C. 300 D. 400 Answer: B One evening two young men were walking in the street together. They tried to find a chance to steal something. The clock struck twelve. Most of the people went to bed. Quickly they came to a house and it seemed that everyone in the house had fallen asleep. Standing at the front gate, one said in English to the other in a low voice, "You wait here. I'll go around to the back door and then get into the house. "Suddenly out of the house ran a dog, barking at them. The two men were very frightened and ran away as fast as they could. Finally, they stopped at a lonely place. The man said breathlessly, "It's too bad. I hadn't expected that the dog could understand English. " The dog ran out of the house and barked at them only because _ A. it understood English B. it knew them C. it found someone outside D. Both B and C Answer: C
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. According to the passage, in which situation do we make mistakes about time? A. We have a math test when we fall down from a high place. B. We have trouble telling what time it is after a 20 minutes' nap. C. We have many problems left in the test paper, but the time is up. D. We go to school on the school bus as usual on weekdays. Answer: C Sports, drama, and all kinds of organizations keep students busy during high school. Where do they get the money to do these things? Not everyone gets it from parents. Most have to work for at least some of the money to pay for these activities. Some adults question if high school students should have jobs. I say yes, they undoubtedly should. Some people worry that teens with after-school jobs will have difficulty finding time for schoolwork. Actually, having a job helps teens make better use of their time. Many jobs take only a couple of hours on weeknights. According to an article, 86 percent of high school students have an after-school, weekend or summer job and students who work between 10 and 20 hours per week during the school year get higher grades than those who do not work at all. Instead of considering working after school a , it should be looked at as real-world education. Other people think that work adds too much stress , which may be somewhat true, but whether having a job or not, there is always stress. Better to learn how to deal with busy schedules in a controlled environment like high school than to be out on your own and alone in the future, experiencing stress for the first time. I personally would be worried about the teenager who has to become independent without having any experience of working. The biggest reason teens should work is that it is a healthy way of making money. There are many things teens need to pay for and they cannot do it if they don't have a job. Not all parents can pay for these activities. My dad told me, "Having a job is a good way to save up for things you are going to need or want to do. You get a lot more out of things if you pay for them yourself." The sooner kids make money, the sooner they can learn how to use money wisely. If they are not allowed to work in high school, they may have a hard time in the future. Teens should, without a doubt, be allowed to work on school nights. What does the passage mainly talk about? A. What money means to teens. B. Why teens should work after school. C. Whether parents should help teens find jobs. D. How teens get money for after-school activities. Answer: B During the past Spring Festival, many children may have received red packets from their families. But Xing Pu, a 40-year-old economist, is asking the government to give red packets to every Chinese citizen. Xing suggested the government give out 1,000 Yuan to each Chinese since the government income has increased rapidly in recent years. He said his suggestion would allow everyone to directly enjoy the fruits of the country's economic success, help the lower-income groups deal with rising prices and increase consumption around the country. Recent years have seen the government carry out a series of pro-poor and pro-rural policies, including increasing spending on public healthcare and calling off the agricultural tax. But the lower-income group still needs more help while being hit hard by an 11-year high in prices and recent snowstorms. Xing said while making the draft, he has borrowed many ideas from practices in countries like the United States and Singapore. Earlier this year, the governments of the two nations offered cash handouts to their citizens as the result of a surplus in government income. As for in China, "We can even encourage the rich to donate their 1,000 Yuan red packet to the poor," said Xing. Although Xing's suggestion has gained wide support among ordinary Chinese on the Internet, many other economists criticized it as unpractical. Even Xing himself admitted he made the suggestion without any careful calculation. But they agreed with Xing's point that the growing economic pie should be shared among the people. "To better use the increase of money, handing out money is not a solution that holds good for all time. It could be better to improve the public service or cut the price of energy use in daily life," said Qiao Xinsheng, an economic professor. Xing Pu suggested that the government give out 1,000 Yuan to each Chinese because _ . A. the poor should get help from the rich B. the government should help the rich C. the growing economic pie should be shared among the people D. the government doesn't know how to use the money Answer: C Trying to recover from a devastating economic crisis, Spain is considering moving the country's clock back by one hour. Many people regard long afternoon naps and late dinners as perfect aspects of the Spanish way of life. Until the 1940s, Spain was on the same time as Britain and Portugal. In World War II, Spain and Portugal moved the clocks forward to align them with Nazi Germany. The same happened in Portugal. After the defeat of Hitler, Portugal returned to Greenwich Mean Time, but Spain did not. "The fact that for more than 71 years Spain has not been in its proper time zone means we sleep almost an hour less than the World Health Organization recommends," lawmakers in the Spanish Parliament wrote in a proposal."This has a negative effect on productivity, absenteeism, stress, accidents and school drop-out rates." Last September, a parliamentary commission recommended that the government turn back the clocks by one hour and introduce a regular eight-hour workday. For the time being, the Spanish government is treating the campaign seriously but it hasn't taken any action yet. Spain's time zone issue explains why everything in Spain happens later, from meal times to broadcast entertainment (primetime doesn't start until 10 pm). Many urban Spaniards complain of a never-ending workday that begins in the morning but is interrupted by a traditional late-morning break and then again by the midday siesta--a two-hour long lunch and nap that usually start at 2 pm. If workers return to their desks at 4 pm, they end up working late into the evening. Under the proposed new schedule, the lunchtime break would be cut to an hour or less. The interruption-filled Spanish workday would be replaced by something closer to a 9-to-5 schedule. Ignacio Buqueras, president of the Association for the Rationalization of Spanish Working Hours, told The New York Times that changing the Spanish schedule would be good news for working mothers. It would also allow families more free time together and boost Spain's economic recovery. Maria Angles Duran, a sociologist with the Spanish National Research Council, is skeptical that changing the time zone will reverse low productivity, which she attributes more to the structure of the service-oriented economy. But she agreed that a more normal work schedule would help women, who often complain that their husbands deliberately schedule meetings in the early evening. "For men, this is perfect," Duran said, "They arrive home and the children have already had their baths! Timetables can be used as a sort of weapon." We can learn from the passage that _ . A. an eight-hour workday is soon to be put into practice in Spain B. people are used to working late into the evening in Spain C. heavy workloads require a two-hour nap for working people D. the current workday pattern does not win much favor among city workers Answer: D President Barack Obama speaks as he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping over international security issues during the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, March 31, 2016. While they report slow progress over major disagreements, what do average citizens in those countries think about each other? A study by the Pew Research Center offers some answers. Only 38 percent of Americans said they have a positive view of China, according to a 2015 Pew survey. And in China, only 44 percent of people surveyed gave the United States a positive rating. Americans expressed concern about the large amount of U.S. debt held by China and the loss of jobs to China. Last year, the U.S. Treasury Department said China held $1.2 trillion in U.S. government debts. People polled in China said they believe the United States is trying to prevent China from becoming as powerful as the U.S. The views reflect some of the tensions between the nations' leaders. The United States has been strongly against China's construction of artificial islands and military facilities along the disputed South China Sea. And there have been disagreements over how to respond to recent North Korean nuclear and missile tests. A joint statement from U.S. and China after Thursday's Obama-Xi meeting said both countries agreed to work together on nuclear security. The Obama administration said China has agreed to sanctions to protest recent North Korean nuclear tests. But Xi expressed opposition to a new missile defense system for South Korea, according to Chinese media reports. Such a system is being considered by U.S. and South Korean leaders to protect South Korea from a North Korean attack. At the start of his meeting with Xi, Obama said, "Of great importance to both of us is North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons, which threatens the security and stability of the region." Xi said China and the United States "have a responsibility to work together." As for issues dividing the two nations, Xi said both sides could "seek active solutions through dialogue and consultation." The two leaders met during a 53-nation conference on nuclear security in Washington, D.C. Both American and Chinese governments agree on _ . A. a new missile defense system for South Korea B. what to do with recent North Korean nuclear and missile tests C. the cooperation on nuclear security D. territorial disputes in the South China Sea Answer: C Little Mike's grandmother died weeks ago. He missed her very much. One afternoon Mike went to the city park where his grandmother used to go. There he saw an old lady. She looked very kind. She was sitting there, watching pigeons . Little Mike went up and sat next to her. He took out his food and drinks and gave some to her. She smiled at him. Her smile was very sweet and Mike wanted to see it again. She seemed to understand him, so once again she smiled. Mike was very happy. They sat there all the afternoon, eating and talking. As it was dark, Mike got up to leave. Before he left, he hugged the old lady and she gave him her sweetest smile. When Mike got home, his mother was surprised by the happy look on his face. " I met an old lady in the park. Her smile was like the smile I used to see on Grandmother's face." The old lady also returned to her home happily. She told her son she had food and drinks with a little boy. " He was as lovely as Bill." She said. Her son was surprised, because he had never been so happy since Bill, her grandson, died weeks ago. The old lady's smile showed _ . A. she hated to meet the boy B. she wanted to get some drinks C. she missed her son D. she liked the little boy Answer: D Bob was a homeless boy who lived in a house for homeless children. He always felt lonely and sad. He felt he was a nobody in this world. One day, he said to Mr. White, head of the house, "Why did my parents bring me to this world? What value do I have now?" Mr. White gave Bob a stone and said to him, "Take it to the market, but don't sell it no matter how much money they pay you. Bob took the stone to a market called Green Market. A man wanted to buy it for 100 pounds, and Bob wouldn't sell it. Later, another buyer would pay more for the stone, but Bob still wouldn't sell it. The next day in Center Market, the people would buy it at a much higher price. But Bob wouldn't sell it. The third day, Bob took the stone to Street Market. This time, the people there offered a price which was ten times higher than that in Green Market. But Bob wouldn't sell it. Bob couldn't understand. He asked Mr. White, " Why did they pay me so much money for just a stone?" " Even for a stone, if you think it valuable, it will be valuable, " said Mr. White. ,. How many times did Bob go to the market?. A. Only once. B. Only twice. C. Three times. D. Four times. Answer: C I grew up knowing I was different, and I hated it. I was born with a cleft lip, and when I started to go to school, my classmates were constantly laughing at me. I couldn't even blow up a balloon. When my classmates asked, "What happened to your lip?" I'd tell them that I'd fallen as a baby and cut it on a piece of glass. Somehow it seemed more acceptable to have suffered an accident than to have been born different. Then I entered the second grade, and Mrs. Leonard's class. She was round and pretty. Everyone loves her. But no one came to love her more than I did. And for a special reason. The time came for the yearly "hearing tests". I was nearly unable to hear anything out of one ear. So I cheated. I had learned to watch other children and raised my hand when they did during group testing. The "whisper test" required a different trick: each child would go to the door of the classroom, turn sideways and cover one ear with a finger. And the teacher would say something very quietly from her desk, which the child would repeat. Then the same thing was done for the other ear. Nobody checked to see how tightly the untested ear was being covered, so I pretended to cover mine. My turn came. I turned my bad ear to her, covering the other ear with my finger, and then gently backed my finger out enough to be able to hear. I waited, and then heard the words that God had surely put into her mouth; seven words that changed my life forever. Mrs. Leonard, the pretty teacher I loved, said softly, "I wish you were my little girl." The author's classmates were always laughing at her because she _ . A. was born different B. went to school at an old age C. could not blow up a balloon D. failed to win her teacher's love Answer: A An elderly woman died and several other passengers were critically injured when a crowded Virgin express train crashed in Cumbria last night. A huge rescue operation involving RAF helicopters and dozens of ambulances arrive. After passengers were trapped in the train for more than four hours because fallen power line poles made access for emergency workers difficult. Authorities reported up to 80 injuries. Thirteen people were taken to hospital in a" _ or serious condition." Between 180 and 200 passengers were on the 5:15pm Virgin service from London Euston to Glasgow Central when all nine carriages left the rails between Oxenholme and Tebay. Witnesses said that the train shook violently before toppling over into an embankment with at least four carriages overturning. Early this morning, authorities confirmed an elderly woman had died and some other passengers had suffered injuries including back strains, head wounds and broken bones. Ruth Colton, a passenger on the train, said she was reading a book when the journey became uncomfortable. It seemed that the train was being beaten by heavy winds,"as if we were on a plane". The accident brought concerns that Britain's busiest rail route would be crippled for some time. The line between Preston and Carlisle was postponed as Virgin Trains promised a rapid investigation into the "serious incident"--the company's first big crash. It is understood that the investigation will examine whether there was an obstacle on the track and the possibility of speeding or mechanical breakdown. The driver, who was injured, will be interviewed and a black-box recorder installed in the train will be examined. What made the rescue come so late? A. It's not accessible to reach the accident spot. B. No enough helicopters and ambulances could be found at that time. C. It was too far from hospital to Cumbria. D. No one called the emergency center. Answer: A Some birds build nests in the spring. This nest building is a seasonal adaptation that occurs to help the birds A. fly south B. find food C. protect their young D. survive the winter Answer: C
Sixty-year-old grandmother, Fiona McFee, is going to stop working next year and she decided to realize a childhood dream and sail around the coast of Scotland in a small boat. Although the inside of the boat is very _ it has no running water or electricity. Fiona says she can live without these things but she plans to take her small CD player, her hot water bottle and a bag of books to make sure life isn't too uncomfortable. We asked her if she was afraid of being at sea for so long. She said, "Well, I'm going to take a good compass . Anyway I'm not afraid of death because I love the sea---I just hope it loves me." Fiona certainly has plenty of energy; in her spare time, she enjoys playing the piano, rock-climbing, canoeing and dancing. Although she is sixty, she doesn't want to have a quiet and peaceful life. "I'm looking forward to having fun in the rest of my life and that's exactly why I'd like to be a sailor for a while." The best title for this passage is _ . A. Life Begins at Sixty B. A Round Coast Sail C. An Old Woman Sailor D. An Unusual Hobby Answer: A Mr and Mrs Smith had always spent their summer holidays in New Jersey in the past, staying in a small inn at the foot of a hill. One year, however, Mr. Smith made a lot of money in his business, so they decided to go to London and stay at a really good hotel while they went touring around that famous city. They flew to London and arrived at their hotel late one evening. They expected that they would have to go to bed hungry, because in that small inn in New Jersey, no meals were served after seven. They were therefore surprised when the man who received them in the hall asked whether they would take dinner there that night. "Are you still serving dinner?" asked Mr Smith. "Yes, certainly, sir," answered the man. "We serve it until half past nine." "What are the times of meals then?" asked Mr Smith. "Well, sir," answered the man, "We serve breakfast from seven to half past eleven in the morning, lunch from twelve to three in the afternoon, tea from four to five, and dinner from six to half past nine." "But that hardly leaves any time for us to see the sights of London!" said Mrs Smith. They decided to go to a really good hotel because _ . A. it was famous B. it was difficult to find a cheap hotel C. it was near many interesting places D. they now had enough money Answer: D Sure,you've watched extreme pet sports on Animal Planet. But did you know that there's a whole world of athletic activities for dogs right in our area? There are some reasons for considering taking part in such activities. Such sports strengthen the close feelings between dog and owner,and also benefit your pup's body and mind." Dogs that are tied with chains often have behavioral problems," says Lee Morgan. "They love to go out and play as much as we do." Of course,many of these sports require some amount of practice,and some breeds are simply better at certain activities than others .But all dogs can participate in the following games. Frisbee Dogs This sport requires you to throw as many Frisbees as your dog can catch in a 60second time period. The further out your dog catches the Frisbee,the more points you rack up. Extra points are awarded if your pet catches the Frisbee while it's still in the air. Mid Atlantic Disc Dogs (MADDogs) hosts local competitions and offers informal instruction in local parks or even in people's backyards. Flyball Dogs The sport has been around since 1970s.Flyball is a relay race with four dogs in a team. Each must jump four hurdles spaced with 10 feet apart and then land on a springloaded box that shoots out a tennis ball. The dog must then catch the ball and run back over the four hurdles. Once that's done,the next dog can go. The first team that successfully completes the course wins the competition. There are a number of local teams,including 4 Dog Night,which holds classes for beginners and intermediate players and is always looking for new team members. The Beltway Bandits is another team,based in Leesburg,that hosts private classes and competitions. Dogs that are always tied with chains often have behavioral problems because _ . A. there are no close feelings between dog and owner B. many of them lack enough sports or exercises C. there are no local athletic activities or sports for dogs D. dogs love to go out and play as much as human beings Answer: D Today, due to numerous medical and scientific advances, people are living longer than ever before. But you have to be good to your body, mind, and soul. The following tips are a good start for getting you on your way to living a long and healthy life. Eat a balanced diet -- one that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fiber and low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. A well-balanced diet can provide your body with the essential nutrients needed to achieve and maintain optimum health. Be physically active -- try to incorporate 30 minutes of activity into your day, every day. The options are endless; start walking on the beach in the mornings, try jogging with a friend, or go for a bike ride in the afternoons. Make sure you choose activities that you enjoy, that way you'll be more likely to make them a habit. Get regular preventive check-ups --see your doctor regularly; remember your doctor is your partner in health care. By having regular check-ups, you may be able to catch small problems before they become big ones. Be safe -- use common sense and be streetsmart . Don't put yourself in situations that are questionable. Always wear your seatbelt and bike helmet. Don't go for a run, walk, or jog at night by yourself. Keep your home well lit and free of things that could make you fall. Stay in touch with family and friends -- get to know your neighbors. Take the time to be involved with your community. By creating a strong social network, you will not only have friends to celebrate with when good things happen, but also a support system in difficult times. Keep a positive attitude -- studies have shown that people who have a positive attitude tend to live longer, and lead healthier and happier lives. Try to find the humor in life. And remember to laugh. In this passage, the writer wants to tell us _ . A. the importance of living a long and healthy life. B. the tips of living a long and healthy life. C. the reasons of living a long and healthy life. D. the meaning of living a long and healthy life Answer: B One of the most popular ways to explore Boston is on a Boston Duck Tour or a Super Duck Tour. Every spring, these vehicles take visitors to the streets and waterways of downtown and have proven to be a popular way to visit many of this city's historical sights. What Each of the two tours provides history and information about some of the city's most popular attractions, including the Prudential Tower, Faneuil Hall, the Museum of Science, the Charles River, and Boston Harbor. Where Boston Duck Tour leaves at two locations in Boston. Eighty-minute tours depart from the Prudential Center and the Museum of Science, while evening tours, lasting 50 minutes, depart from the New England Aquarium. Super Duck Tour leaves a Gate 1, the main entrance to the Charlestown Navy Yard. When Boston Duck Tour operates from late March to late November and tours depart every 30-60 minutes depending upon the season. Tours begin at 9 a.m. daily. The last tour from the Museum of Science and the Prudential Center leaves an hour before sunset. Super Duck Tour operates from late March to late December. Boston Duck Tour Adults:$32 Students/Seniors:$27 Children ages3-11:$22 Children under 3:$10 Super Duck Tour Adults:$35 Students/Seniors:$31 Children ages3-11:$23 Children under 3:$12 Super Duck Tour also offers a pair of combination packages that include next-day trolley rides and a Charles River Beat Cruise. See our web site for details. More information: To contact Boston Duck Tour,call 617-267DUCK(3825),email [email protected], or visit www.bostonducktours,com. To contact Super Duck Tour, call 877-34 DUCK (343-8257), email info@ superducktours.com, or visit www.superducktours,com. We can learn form this passage that _ . A. Boston Duck Tour in not in business in April B. in summer tours usually begin at 8 a.m. C. the last tour leaves an hour after sunset D. you can get some trolley rides on a Super Duck Tour Answer: D There is much discussion today about whether economic growth is desirable. At an earlier period, our desire for material wealth may have been justified. Now, however, this desire for more than we need is causing serious problems. Even though we have good intentions, we may be producing too much, too fast. Those who criticize economic growth argue that we must slow down. They believe that society is approaching certain limits on growth. These include the fixed supply of natural resources, the possible negative effects of industry on the natural environment, and the continuing increase in the world's population. As society reaches these limits, economic growth can no longer continue, and the quality of life will decrease. People who want more economic growth, on the other hand, argue that even at the present growth rate there are still many poor people in the world. These proponents of economic growth believe that only more growth can create the capital needed to improve the quality of life in the world. Furthermore, they argue that only continued growth can provide the financial resources required to protect our natural surroundings from industrialization. This debate over the desirability of continued economic growth is of vital importance to business and industry. If those who argue against economic growth are correct, the problems they mention cannot be ignored. To find a solution, economists and business community must pay attention to these problems and discuss them with one another. Those who want more economic growth believe that continued economic growth _ . A. is essential to the well-being of society as a whole B. can provide the solution to many of our social problems today C. can protect our environment from being polluted by industry D. can provide us with more natural resources for industrialization Answer: A When spring comes, some wildflowe come out in the ditches along the highway where I travel daily to work., I've noticed one special blue flower. It blooms only in the morning hours. For the afternoon sun is too hot for it. Every day for nearly two weeks, I see those beautiful flowers. This spring, I started a wildflower garden in our yard,. I can look out of the kitchen window while doing the dishes and see the flowers. Every day I drove past the flowers thinking "I'll stop on my way home and dig them." "See. I don't want to get my good clothes dirty." Whatever the reason, I never stopped to dig them. One day on my way home from work. I was sad to see the pretty blue flowers were gone. I thought to myself. "You wanted too long. You should have done it when you first saw them blooming this spring." A week ago we were shocked and sad to learn that my oldest sister-in-law was badly ill. She is 20 years older than my husband and unfortunately, because of age and distance, we haven't been as close as we all would have been. I couldn't help but see the connection between the pretty blue flowers and the relationship between my husband's sister and us. I do believe that God has given us some time left to plant some wonderful memories that will bloom every year for us. And yes, if I see the blue flowers again. You can bet I'll stop and transplant them to my wildflower garden. The writer didn't stop to dig the wildflowers because _ . A. The flowers were not beautiful enough B. She was always too busy C. She wanted her sister to dig them D. She didn't pay enough attention to them Answer: D My grandfather was a teacher. He was the headmaster of a school for boys between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. I know that he was a kind and gentle man at heart, because when I was young (and he was old), he gave me presents and seated me on his knees, and told me stories. But I believe the boys at his school were afraid of him. At school, when he walked into a classroom full of noisy boys, those boys went red in the faces, and looked down at their shoes. If a boy brought him poor, careless work, which was not the best that boys could do, my grandfather picked up the boy's work and threw it across the classroom, shouting, "Do it all again, and bring it back early in the morning!" If the boy was late, or if he forgot to bring the work, he had to do it again. My grandfather never forgot. He was a very different man at school, from the man I saw day by day in his own home. He was a different man at home because _ . A. he didn't get angry at home B. he was not as gentle as at home C. he didn't throw work at school like he did at home D. he didn't get angry at school like he did at home Answer: A The opening of the Sherlock Holmes Museum to the public on March 27, 1990, was an event that should have happened several decades ago. Baker Street is, after all, one of the world's most famous streets because of its long association with the great detective. Thousands of people all over the world write to Sherlock Holmes, they form clubs and societies in his honor, and they celebrate his anniversaries. Now it is also possible to see where and how he lived in Victorian times! Here visitors will recognize familiar objects mentioned in the stories. You can take as many photographs as you want (the maid will be pleased to assist) and when you are ready to leave, a ride home in a horse-drawn carriage will complete your 19th century experience! Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson lived at 221b Baker Street from about 1881 to 1904. Apartment 221b was on the first floor of a lodging house, which they rented from a Mrs Hudson. The famous study that Holmes and his friend Dr Watson shared for almost 25 years is on the first floor overlooking Baker Street. We know from Doctor Watson's descriptions that their sitting room overlooking Baker Street was "illuminated(, ) by two broad windows" and that it was quite small. Doctor Watson's bedroom was on the second floor next to Mrs Hudson's room and it overlooked an open yard at the back of the house. These rooms are used today for exhibits, where center stage is taken by a magnificant bronze bust of Mr Holmes. Visitors can browse through literature, paintings, photographs and newspapers of the period. Memorabilia from the adventures and a selection of letters written to and from Mr Holmes are also on display. The museum's large and attractive souvenir shop is located on the ground floor. Here you will find a unique collection of gifts, objects of art, figures, busts, prints, books, playing cards, T-shirts, -novelties of every description available exclusively to museum visitors. According to the article, we can conclude that Sherlock Holmes' admirers _ . A. expect replies from him B. made the opening of the museum possible C. treat him as if he were a real person D. often adapt his books into films or plays Answer: C Dear God, I am a boy. I live in a poor village. My Parents used to be farmer but now they are working in a big city. They want to build a new house. Our old house is _ It becomes wet after a heavy rain. I think our new house must look clean and smart. I don't mind if it is big or small. It is not in the centre of the city or near the sea. _ lies in a peaceful valley. There are flowers and grasses around the house. My father can ride his horse to look after his sheep; my mother can milk her cows. My brother's cat is lying in the sun while I am reading under the tree. How beautiful! Our new house has three bedrooms. There is a bedroom for my mother and father , one for me and one for my brother. There is a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. There is a small balcony in front of the house, and a armchair stands there quietly. There are some plants on the balcony, too. My family will be very happy in the new house. God, tell me, can my dream come true? What should I do for that? Sincerely yours, Amos Which of the following is NOT ture? A. Amos lives in a poor village. B. Amos want to have a big house. C. Amos' parents are working in a big city. D. There is a balcony in front of Amos' dream home Answer: B
You are what you eat Keeping better eating habits can help you reduce disease. A healthy eating plan means choosing the right foods to eat and preparing foods in a healthy way. _ Do you often change your toothbrush? Maybe you think it is not necessary. A study shows old toothbrushes bring disease. You should often change your toothbrush. Exercise Swimming, running, skating, skiing, dancing, walking and some other activities can help you stay healthy. You should exercise at least three times a week and for twenty minutes or more each time. Do it. Plan out your life You should have breakfast before you go to school. Have a proper meal for lunch. Follow a healthy diet. ,. At least how long should you exercise each time? A. Twenty minutes. B. Fifteen minutes. C. Ten minutes. D. Five minutes. Answer: A Whenever we turn on the TV or radio, read the newspapers, surf the Internet, we'll be surrounded by the word "diet" everywhere. We have so easily been attracted by the promise of diet products that we have stopped thinking about what diet products are doing to us. We are paying for products that harm us psychologically and physically. It's obvious that diet products weaken us psychologically. They allow us to jump over the thinking stage that our weight problems lie not in actually losing the weight, but in controlling the consumption of fat. All we have to do is to swallow or recognize the word "diet" in food labels. What's more, diet products have greater psychological effects. Every time we have a zero-calorie drink, we are telling ourselves that we don't have to work to get results.Diet products make people believe that gain comes without pain, and that life can be without resistance and struggle. As a matter of fact, the danger that diet products bring not only lies in the psychological effects they have on us, but also in the physical harm they cause. Diet foods and diet pills contain zero calorie. oaly because the diet industry has created chemicals to produce these wonder products, And they can indirectly harm our bodies because consuming them instead of healthy foods means we are stopping our bodies having basic nutrients. Diet products may not be nutritional, and the chemicals that go into diet products are potentially dangerous. Losing weight lies in the power of minds, not in the power of chemicals. Think twice before buying diet products. Once we realize this, we will be much better able to resist diet products, 3rd therefore, prevent the psychological and physical harm that comes from using them. Diet products indirectly harm people physically because such products A. are over-consumed B. are short of basic nutrients C. lack chemicals D. provide too much energy Answer: B Central Sports Centre. City Road. All Stars vs Rockets, Saturday 8: 30 p.m. $12 Northerners vs Tigers, Sunday noon $14 BUSHWALKING : Meet at Wanda Station, Saturday 9:00 a.m. sharp for 3-hour walk to Canary Mountains. $7, ph 341-5432 Meet at Westley Station, Sunday 9:00 a.m. sharp for a full day walk to Wombak Valley. $5, ph 341-8643. Bring your own lunch. FOOTBALL: St Martins Sports Centre St Martins vs Doonsberg, Saturday 2:00 p.m. $8 Eastside Central vs Light Hill, Sunday 2:00 p.m. $8 Neill Park Recreation Centre Neill Park vs Robinson, Saturday 2:00 p.m. $11 Essen vs Springwood, Sunday 2:00 p.m. $11 LAWN BOWLS : Tans Town B.C Tans Town vs White Vale, Saturday 9:00 p.m. $10 Wake Hill B.C. Wake Hill vs Colls, Saturday 2: 00 p.m. $9 The purpose of the passage is to let people _ . A. compare the prices of the matches B. find the nearest place to watch a match C. know the sport matches and come to watch them D. spend their money on these matches wisely Answer: C Football is America's most popular sport, and by football I don't mean soccer. American football is a unique sport with its own rules, regulations, and fans. Being a football fan means something different than being a fan in other sports; football fans have their own culture and customs. Since football is a violent, contact sport, its games are played infrequently. Usually fans have to wait an entire week before they can see their favorite team play again. This means that football fans take advantage of the days they can cheer for their teams. One custom that football fans have is called tailgating. Tailgating describes when a big group of people gets together before a game and has a small party. Tailgating usually lasts a few hours and involves lots of good food and beverages. It is most common to grill food at a tailgate, especially hamburgers, hotdogs, sausages, and any other type of meat. It is not unusual to see people drinking lots of beer, throwing footballs around, talking to (or arguing with) other fans, etc. Tailgating happens for other sports too, but it is much more important to football fans. Sports fans in every country have unique and strange ways to celebrate their favorite teams and players. Football in America is no different. What is tailgating? A. When a group of people celebrates because their favorite team won a game. B. A party that only some fans are invited to. C. A pre-game activity where people gather together and enjoy themselves. D. A custom where people eat, drink, and party during a game. Answer: C All rocks are composed of A. fossils B. cells C. metals D. minerals Answer: D In the ancient Arabic story called Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, the young hero Ali Baba said "Open Sesame" and a door to hidden treasures was opened to him.The old story had a special meaning for Ma Yun.He drew inspiration from _ for Alibaba.com - Chinese largest e-commerce website. In 1995, Ma Yun was working for a US trading company when he was introduced to the Internet."I know nothing about computers and has never touched a keyboard," he said.He searched the word "beer" and nothing came up about Chinese products. Ma Yun had an idea.Why not build a large Internet market to connect customers with companies from all over the world? They could do business online in that way.That was how Alibaba began.His company grew quickly.But that didn't mean everything went smoothly.In 2000, many Internet companies failed including Alibaba.But later, he was successful because he managed to attract investment into his company."You should stick to your dream," he said."Everyone thought I was daydreaming when I started.But the most important thing is that we believe in our dream from past to today and tomorrow.Of course we made many mistakes, but we never give up." Ma Yun is also smart.For him, success in business is like trying to catch a rabbit.If there are nine rabbits, focus on catching one - don't try to catch them all," he said."Change your ways if you need to, but don't change the rabbit.Get one first, put it in your pocket and then catch the others." What happened to Ma Yun in 2000? A. He founded his own company. B. His company grew quickly and smoothly. C. His company failed like many others. D. He was successful though he had no investment. Answer: C Jeff Green has a bad habit. He can not look after his things well. Look, this is his room. His things are _ . Look at his desk. Some things are on it. They are notebook, CDs, video tapes, rulers and erasers. He doesn't put his rulers and erasers in his pencil box. Look, some of his sports collections are on the desk and chair. It's eight in the morning, and Jeff is in bed. It's Sunday. He doesn't go to school. Oh, what's under the bed? A soccer ball. He likes playing soccer. He can not play volleyball well. His schoolbag is under the bed. Why is his bag under the bed? We don't know. What's that under the sofa? It is one of his socks. Where is the other one? We can't see it. Jeff needs to ask his parents to find it, I think. Why is Jeff in bed at 8 a.m.? A. Because he wants to play soccer. B. Because it is Sunday. C. Because he doesn't like school. D. Because this is his habit. Answer: B While drunken driving may be on the decline, traffic safety experts remain puzzled over how to deal with another alcohol related danger: drunken pedestrains. Pedestrians struck and killed by cars often are extremely drunk. In fact, they are intoxicated more frequently and with higher blood alcohol levels than drunken drivers who are killed in accidents, various studies have shown. Forty percent of adult pedestrians involved in fatal crashes have a blood alcohol level of at least 0.10 which by law in most states signifies intoxication compared to only 25 percent of drivers in deadly accidents, according to recent federal data. Some types of pedestrain accidents have been declining nationally, especially those involving children, but the number of adult pedestrians who are drunk when killed in traffic has remained ly steady at 2500 a year. The total number of pedestrians killed annually in U.S. traffic accidents is at least 7000, or one of every seven highway accidents resulting in death. "We're dealing here, we think, with a very severe drinking problem that leads to a severe highway safety problem," said Richard Blomberg, president of Dunlap and Associates Inc, in Norwalk, Coon. w.w.^w.k.&s.5u.c.#om.... Blomberg, whose consulting company found a very high rate of alcohol involvement in a controlled study of pedestrian accidents in New Orleans, was among several researchers who spoke on the topic at the annual meeting of the Research council's Transportation Research Board(TRB) in Washington in January. Pedestrian accidents have not received enough attention in the past, according to Kay Colpitts, who chairs the board's committee on pedestrians. Few methods exist to monitor walking habits, she said, and researchers have been mystified about how to prevent disasters. According to recent federal data, drunken drivers with an over 0.10 blood alcohol level in deadly accidents . _ A. are 15 percent less than drunken adult walkers with the same level B. are 2500 a year C. are at least 7000 in US traffic accidents D. make up one seventh of highway accidents Answer: A Nobody wants to be called a helicopter parent,who manages to be responsible for whatever a child does, however small a matter is--but parents want to protect their kids.At least no playing with sticks means no risk of lost eyes. Yet as Gever Tulley points out in Fifty Dangerous Things(You Should Let Your Children Do),children who grow up as safe as possible become adults who aren't adventurous,highly adaptable,or confident.Sometimes you have to fall out of a tree to figure out how to climb one the right way,and learning that you can accomplish such a thing on your own teaches you that you can be self--sufficient. With Fifty Dangerous Things,Gever Tulley,has written a handbook of activities that are,yes,dangerous at some level-like playing with fire,breaking glass,and opening batteries.The book is a blueprint to help parents and children explore the world,and ensure the children grow up,with a little common sense and a lot of curiosity. Both the advice and the warnings are down to earth.Yes,there are risks,but Tulley provides good ways to learn to avoid them through your own skill.It takes work to raise a child who can use a table saw or build a campfire.But with this book in hand,it'll be a satisfying adventure. We see a child climbing a tree and the first thing we think of is how they might fall and be disabled for life.We seldom say,"Look at how well Sarah is climbing that tree!" When we protect children from every possible source of danger,we also prevent them from having the kinds of experiences that develop their sense of self--reliance,their ability to deal with risks,and their sense of accomplishment. In Gever Tulley's view,_. A. children should grow up in a completely safe environment B. doing dangerous things can be harmful to some degree C. children should keep away from dangerous environment D. dangerous activities can make adaptable children Answer: D Mid-IB at a glance The summer vacation is the time to consolidate your learning and prepare for the year ahead. In July and August Oxford Study Courses will once again hold its Mid-IB Summer School for students half way through their IB Diploma . We'll be back giving another generation of IB students a unique opportunity to sample a way of life enjoyed by students at famous universities. Students who have completed the first year of their IB Diploma can join us and we can help them prepare for their important second year. Students can choose how many subjects they study. Each subject is studied for one week. You can attend up to 5 weeks. The Mid-IB Summer School is held at Cambridge University in the UK (between June 20th and August 1 st) and at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)in Boston, USA (between July 6th and July 25th). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Student comments "The classes have shown me new approaches to learning. I have also learned how to approach exam questions and now feel confident in doing so." * "It was cool creating tight and close relationships with other students from around the world, realizing we all had a connection to each other." * "I really enjoyed the level of independence, although I felt like people were watching out for us. I also felt like an Oxford student!" * "I have enjoyed the learning style and the course work has been extremely beneficial academically." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Enjoy the summer Our Summer School gives you an action-packed social scene with visits to the fun places in the area, organized sports and social events, and advice on how to enjoy your free time in these amazing cities with your new friends. Welcome to contact us at [email protected] or on +44(0)1865 521802! Which of the following about the Mid-IB Summer School is true? A. It begins in July. B. It provides only academic courses. C. It is held in three universities. D. Students attending will study for 5 weeks. Answer: C
Happy birthday! Do birthday really make people happy? Of course they do. _ Birthdays celebrate the day when we were born. Besides, that extra candle on the cake suggests another year of growth and maturity --or so we hope.We all like to imagine that we are getting wiser and not just older.Most of us enjoy seeing the wonder of growth in others, as well.For instance, seeing our children develop and learn new things makes us feel proud.For Americans, like people in most cultures, growing up is a wonderful process.But growing old? _ That is a different story. Growing old is not exactly for people in youth-oriented American culture.Most Americans like to look young, act young and feel young. As the old saying goes, "You're young as you feel." Older people joke about how many years young they are, rather than how many years old.People in some countries value the aged as a source of experience and wisdom.But Americans seem to favor those who are young, or at least "young at heart". _ Economically, "senior citizens" often try just to get by.Retirement at the age of 65 brings a sharp decrease in personal income.Social security benefits usually cannot make up the difference.Older people may suffer from poor nutrition , medical care, and housing. Some even have the experience of age discrimination . American sociologist Pat Moore once dressed up like an older person and wandered city streets.She was often treated rudely--even cheated and robbed.However, dressed as a young person, she received much more respect. Unfortunately, the elderly population in America is increasing fast.Why? People are living longer.Fewer babies are being born.And middle-aged "baby boomers" are rapidly entering the group of the elderly.America may soon be a place where wrinkles are "in".Marketing experts are already noticing this growing group of consumers. Growing up is a wonderful thing because _ . A. people can celebrate their birthdays. B. people can become more and mature and wiser. C. people can receive many presents. D. people will feel younger at heart. Answer: B An experienced teacher is offering private lessons in English. Please email me at the address below and tell me: Your age Reasons for learning English Your level of English Areas that you need to focus on - grammar, listening, speaking, reading, writing, etc. Mrs. Daniels( daniels _ [email protected]) From: Li _ [email protected] To: daniels _ [email protected] CC...: Subject: English Lessons Dear Mrs. Daniels, I recently saw your advertisement on the university website offering private English lessons. I'm very interested in your private lessons and would like some more information. I am a student at Aston College here in Hong Kong studying English, so my language level is already quite good. However, I feel that I need to improve my listening and speaking skills. This is because I'm planning to study at London University in England next year and I think your lessons will help me to live and study abroad. Could you send me some more information about the lessons offered, such as where and when they will be held and how much they cost? Also, I would like to know whether you teach students in groups or one-on-one. I would be glad to supply any further information you might need. Regards, Li Hua Li Hua wants to take the lessons to improve his _ . A. listening and writing B. writing and speaking C. listening and grammar D. listening and speaking Answer: D Luggage We ask you to keep what you bring with you down to one mediumsized suitcase per person on board the bus. Seat Arrangements Special needs for particular seats can be made on most bus breaks when booking, but since arrangements are made on a firstcomefirstserved basis, early booking is advisable. When bookings are made with us, you will be offered the best seats we have on the bus at that time. Travel Documents When you have paid your deposit , we will send you all the necessary documents, so that you receive them in good time before the bus break departure date. Certain documents, for example, air or boat tickets, may have to be kept and your driver or guide will then give them to you at the proper time. Special Diets If you need a special diet, you must tell us at the time of booking and provide us with a copy of the diet. This will be passed on to the hotel or hotels on your bus break. However, on certain bus breaks, the hotels used are tourist class and they may not be able to prepare special diets. Any extra costs must be paid to the hotel yourself before leaving the hotel. Programs Some of our hotels arrange extra programs which include music, dancing and film shows, etc. They are all offered by the hotel, but not guaranteed . If you need a special diet, you should _ . A. tell the hotel when you arrive B. pay extra money C. tell the bus company when booking D. book a tourist class hotel Answer: C The Internationa1 Space Station allows astronauts to live in space for extended amounts of time, enabling them to explore the outside universe and conduct many experiments. However, nothing like that exists for our oceans, and thanks to the high water pressure, ocean researchers are able to explore what lies undersea for very short periods of time. They are therefore never able to fully explore the deep inside areas of our oceans. However, if French architect Jacques Rougerie has his way, that will change soon. Jacques has designed a ship that will allow researchers to spend a long period of time observing the sea life and conducting experiments. The huge l67ft. ship, named 'Sea Orbiter', consists of two areas--one above the water where the scientists and crew will live, and a lower pressurized deck , where scientists will be able to spend as much time as they wish. Since it is powered by sea currents and wind, he expects it to drift along the oceans slowly, taking about two years to _ the globe. Jacques will make their life as comfortable as possible in the ship. Besides being equipped with the latest sailing tools and communication equipment, the ship will also have a gym, a television and a DVD player! And these guys will not be eating freeze-dried food like astronauts. Instead, Jacques, an accomplished chef, plans on cooking them delicious meals every day. The biggest problem to this giant ship is the cost, which is expected to be over $500 million--per ship! However, Jacques, who strongly believes that the secrets of our oceans may be the key to solving global warming and a vital supply for food and medicine in the future, is confident he will be able to convince governments all over the world to help out, and expects to start construction on not one, but four or five of these amazing ships soon! Why can't ocean researchers explore the deep oceans for a long time? A. Because they can't stand the high water pressure. B. Because it's too cold in deep ocean. C. Because time for experiments is too limited. D. Because it's dangerous to observe the sea life. Answer: A What requires nutrients for survival? A. buildings B. rocks C. badgers D. clouds Answer: C There are a lot of things that happen to me in China but would certainly never happen in the US. One of those things is being called "strong". The first time was last December. I was walking across the high school campus in Guangzhou where I taught when a student in a gray scarf waved hello. I smiled and waved back, but then she stopped and called my name. "You're so strong!" She smiled and pointed at what appeared to be my arm. I looked down at my arms. Let's get one thing clear: I'm a very skinny guy. Once, while rehearsing for a high school talent show, I was told by the teacher in charge that I couldn't participate in the men's shirtless dance routine because my visible rig cage would frighten the audience. "I'm so what?" "You're so strong!" _ repeated. "Um, thanks!" I didn't know what else to say, so we both waved goodbye. The next morning I stepped into my oral English classroom only to be greeted instantly by a unanimous "Waaa!" of shock and admiration. "What?" I asked. "You're so strong!" shouted a boy from the back of the class. "Okay, will someone tell me what that means?" I was curious as to the real reason for such praise. So I turned to the monitor, gesturing for him to speak. "We just mean, you look very strong today," he offered earnestly. "What?! You mean like this?" I curled my arm like a bodybuilder. "No! But it's so cold, and you're only wearing a shortsleeve shirt." Oh, I got it. My "strength" had less to do with my muscle and more to do with my apparent ignorance of the cold weather. Which of the following is the best title for this passage? A. The Chinese Culture or the Western Culture B. Am I Strong or Do I Need a Sweater C. How I Can Get Stronger in Winter D. How We Can Tell Two Different Cultures Apart Answer: B BEIJING - China's National Tourism Administration (NTA) said Saturday that 215 Chinese tour groups in Japan were safeandsoundafter a _ 8.8-magnitude earthquake jolted the country's eastern coast Friday. A total of 4,578 Chinese tourists were staying in Japan at the time of the quake. By Saturday noon, all the 215 tour groups that they booked with had contacted domestic travel agencies, with no death or injury reported, said the NTA upon information from local tourism authorities. The NTA has activated the emergency response system and issued a travel alert for Japan and countries along the Pacific Rim, it said in a statement on its website. The NTA has also called for travel agencies to protect the security of Chinese tourists in Japan and keep in touch with the Chinese embassy and consulates in Japan, as well as China's tourism authorities. Chinese tour agencies had started to bring back tourists from the quake-hit Japan and many trips had been called off. China CYTS Tours, one of China's major travel agencies, had promised a full refund for trip cancellation and offered to bear the extra expense for tourist protection in disasters and unrest. A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck the east coast of Japan's main Honshu Island at 1:46 pm Beijing Time Friday, which had triggered huge tsunami along Japan's Pacific coast and caused hundreds of deaths and catastrophic damage. Where are we likely to find this passage? A. In a tour guided book. B. In a geography book. C. In a book. D. In a newspaper. Answer: D What do American middle school students like to be in the future? Some students say they want to be doctors or singers. Some want to be bank clerks or office workers. But Kelly Brown, 13, wants to be a vegetarian chef. It is a new and interesting job. Kelly Brown wants be a chef because she doesn't eat things from animals. Now she has a problem. She can't find any vegetarian chefs on the computer, so she says she will be the first vegetarian chef, and also the best one in the U.S.A.. Kelly Brown has a website for herself and other people. It is www.theveggiechef.net. She makes cooking videos. "I don't like to cook with things from animals," she says. "When I want one egg, I just put in water and arrowroot. It *tastes the same as an egg." Now her website is very popular and it helps many people a lot. Every day about 3,000 people learn to cook a healthy meal there. To thank her for helping animals, the organization PETA calls her a "Kind Kid". Do you want to be a vegetarian chef like Kelly Brown? Kelly Brown is a 13-year-old student from _ . A. England B. Australia C. Canada D. the USA Answer: D Perhaps the most famous theory, the study of body movement, was suggested by Professor Ray Birdwhistell. He believes that physical appearance is often culturally programmed. In other words, we learn our looks ---- we are not born with them. A baby has generally informed face features. A baby, according to Birdwhistell, learns where to set the eyebrows by looking at those around-family and friends. This helps explain why the people of some areas of the United States look so much alike, new Englanders or Southerners have certain common face features that cannot be explained by genetics . The exact shape of the mouth is not set at birth, it is learned after. In fact, the final mouth shape is not formed until well after new teeth are set. For many, this can be well into grown-ups. A husband and wife together for a long time often come to look alike. We learn our looks from those around us. This is perhaps why in a single country area people smile more than those in other areas. In the United States, for example, the South is the part of the country where the people smile most frequently. In New England they smile less, and in the western part of New York State still less. Many southerners find cities such as New York cold and unfriendly, partly because people on Madison Avenue smile less than people on Peachtree Street in Atlanta, Georgia. People in largely populated areas also smile and greet each other in public less than people in small towns do. Ray Birdwhistell can tell what area of the United States a person is from by _ . A. how much he or she laughs B. how he or she raises his or her eyebrows C. what he or she likes best D. the way he or she talks Answer: A Not long ago, the only time you could see a robot was when you were reading a novel or watching a movie such asStar Wars . Today, however, a lot of things in science stories have been science facts. Robots are starting to appear in our everyday lives. These robots have different sizes, shapes, and colors. But they all have the same type of man-made "brain". Leading the robot revolution are industrial robots that work in factories. Industrial robots can do different kinds of jobs that are often boring and sometimes dangerous. Robots are also coming to American homes, though not as quickly as they are entering factories. These robots aren't as friendly and bright as those you saw in Star Wars.But, their makers say, today's home robots "walk", sense objects in their way (and sometimes knock into them), and even carry objects (which they sometimes drop). Well, nobody is perfect. We may laugh at home robot today, but some day they may see and hear better than humans do. We humans can only see certain wavelengths of light, and hear certain sounds. That's because the abilities of our eyes and ears are limited. Robots, however, need not have the same limits as we have. Robot may also be equipped with devices that pick up information humans can't. To understand what their sensing devices pick up is a hard job. Remember, man--made brains handle information, including all kinds of data, as zeroes and ones. Imagine the difficulty in trying to explain to a robot what a football looks like--using only zeroes and ones. Robots may deal with information that humans can't. Which of the following is not one of the reasons? A. They do not have so many limits as humans do. B. They have man-made brains. C. They may be equipped with a special kind of sensing device. D. They handle information by using zeroes and ones. Answer: D
There are some highlights in April in Shanghai. Live Music - Late Night Jazz Enjoy real American jazz from Herbie Davis, the famous trumpet player. He's coming with his new 7 - piece band, Herbie's Heroes. Herbie is known to play well into the early hours, so don't expect to get much sleep. This is Herbie's third visit to Shanghai. The first two were sold out, so get your tickets quickly. Place: The Jazz Club Dates:15 - 23 April Price:Y=80 Time: 10:00 p.m. till late! TEL:6466 - 8736 Scottish dancing Take your partners and get ready to dance till you drop. Scottish dancing is fun and easy to learn. Instructors will demonstrate the dances. The live band, Gordon Stroppie and the Weefrees, are also excellent. Place: Jack Stein's Dates: every Monday Price:Y=60 including one drink Time: 7:00 - 00:00 p.m. TEL:6402 - 1877 Exhibitions - Shanghai Museum There are 120,000 pieces on show here. You can see the whole of Chinese history under one roof. It's always interesting to visit, but doubly so at the moment with the Egyptian Tombs exhibition. There are lots of mummies and more gold than you've ever seen before. Let us know if you see a mummy move! Place: Shanghai Museum Price:Y=30(Y=15 for students) TEL:6888 - 6888 Dates: daily Time: Monday - Friday 9:00 a. m. - 5:00 p. m., Weekends 9:00 a. m. - 9:00p.m. Dining - Sushi chef in town Sushi is getting really big in Shanghai. In Japan, it's become an art form. The most famous Sushi 'artist' is Yuki Kamura. She's also one of the few female chefs in Japan. She'll be at Sushi Scene all of this month. Place: Sushi Scene in the Shanghai Hotel Dates: all month Price: Y=200 Time: lunchtime TEL: 6690 - 3211 For a full listing of events, see our website. Which is not true about the ads? A. Yuki Kamura will stay in Shanghai in April for a whole month. B. A family of parents with 15 - year - old twins should pay 75 yuan for the Shanghai museum admission. C. You will probably be taught to dance if you go to Jack Stein's. D. American jazz from Herbie Davis is popular in Shanghai. Answer: B Mr Brown and Mr Green are in the garden. They are neighbours. Mr Green asks, "What's the matter?". Mr Brown says, "My house is too small! I want a big house!". Mr Green is very clever. He has a good idea. "Buy a dog!" says Mr Green. "A dog?" says Mr Brown. "That's a funny idea! Well, OK." So Mr Brown buys a dog. He puts it in the bedroom. "This dog is very big!" says Mr Brown. "And my bedroom is very small." The next day, Mr Brown is still sad. "My house is too small," says Mr Brown. "Buy a horse!" says Mr Green. So Mr Brown buys a horse. He puts it in the bathroom. Mr Brown says, "This horse is very big. And my bathroom is very small." Mr Brown is not happy. He says to the dog and horse, "Now go away!" After that, Mr Brown is very happy. "My house is not too small! My house is wonderful!" Where does Mr Brown put his dog? A. In the garden. B. In the bathroom. C. In the bedroom. D. In the living room. Answer: C City enacted an ordinance banning from its public sidewalks all machines dispensing publications consisting wholly of commercial advertisements. The ordinance was enacted because of a concern about the adverse aesthetic effects of litter from publications distributed on the public sidewalks and streets. However, City continued to allow machines dispensing other types of publications on the public sidewalks. As a result of the City ordinance, 30 of the 300 sidewalk machines that were dispensing publications in City were removed. Is this City ordinance constitutional? A. Yes, because regulations of commercial speech are subject only to the requirement that they be rationally related to a legitimate state goal, and that requirement is satisfied here. B. Yes, because City has a compelling interest in protecting the aesthetics of its sidewalks and streets, and such a ban is necessary to vindicate this interest. C. No, because it does not constitute the least restrictive means with which to protect the aesthetics of City's sidewalks and streets. D. No, because there is not a reasonable fit between the legitimate interest of City in preserving the aesthetics of its sidewalks and streets and the means it chose to advance that interest. Answer: D Which of the following allows materials to enter and leave a cell? A. cell wall B. mitochondria C. vacuole D. cell membrane Answer: D There are some vegetables in the garden and a big tree near the vegetables. They don't like each other, because vegetables drink much water, and the tree can't have enough water to live. He is very angry about that. So he wants to teach vegetables a lesson . On a very hot day, the big tree doesn't share its shadow with vegetables. It makes vegetables very hot. But there is not enough water to drink. So they soon become very dry. At that time, the gardener comes to see these vegetables. He is very sad, because all the vegetables are dry. Then he starts to build a new one. The vegetables and the big tree can't drink water any more. The big tree feels very sad, because he uses a wrong way to teach the lesson. When does the tree teach the vegetables a lesson? A. On a very cold day. B. On a very hot day. C. On a very warm day. D. On a very windy day. Answer: B Elderly women who eat foods higher in potassium are less likely to have strokes and die than women who eat less potassium-rich foods, according to new research in the American Heart Association. "Previous studies have shown that potassium consumption may lower blood pressure. But whether potassium intake could prevent stroke or death wasn't clear," said Smoller, professor of the department of population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. Researchers studied 90,137 women, aged from 50 to 79 for an average 11 years. They looked at how much potassium the women consumed, as well as if they had strokes, including ischemic strokes , or died during the study period. Women in the study were stroke-free at the start and their average dietary potassium intake was 2,611 mg/day. Results of this study are based on potassium from food, not supplements. The researchers found: Women who ate the most potassium were 12 percent less likely to suffer stroke in general and 16 percent less likely to suffer an ischemic stroke than women who ate the least. Women who ate the most potassium were 10 percent less likely to die than those who ate the least. Among women who did not have high blood pressure, those who ate the most potassium had a 27 percent lower ischemic stroke risk and 21 perc ent reduced risk for all stroke types, compared to women who ate the least potassium in their daily diets. Among women with high blood pressure, those who ate the most potassium had a lower risk of death, but potassium intake did not lower their stroke risk. "Our findings suggest that women need to eat more p otassium-rich foods. You won't find high potassium in junk food. Some foods rich in potassium include white and sweet potatoes, bananas and white beans." The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that women eat at least 4,700 mg of potassium daily. "Only 2.8 percent of women in our study met or went beyond this level. The World Health Organization's daily potassium recommendation for women is lower, at 3,510 mg or more. Still, only 16.6 percent of women we studied met or went beyond that," said Smoller. While increasing potassium intake is probably a good idea for most elderly women, there are some people who have too much potassium in their blood, which can be dangerous to the heart. "People should check with their doctor about how much potassium they should eat," she said. The study was observational and included only elderly women. Researchers also did not take sodium intake into consideration, so the potential importance of a balance between sodium and potassium is not among the findings. Researchers said more studies are needed to determine whether potassium has the same effects on men and younger people. Which of the following figure meets the daily potassium intake recommendation of the World Health Organization? A. 4,000 mg B. 3,500 mg C. 3,000 mg D. 2,500 mg Answer: A Around six weeks ago, Kaileen came running into the house, just getting off the bus from school. She was all excited about a story about homeless pets because of Hurricane Katrina and all that was going on to help them. She said that this information came from her animal newspaper (your KIND News). Kaileen has a great love and compassion for animals, so her excitement did not surprise me. Her next ideas, however, did. She said that we should go around right then to our neighbors and collect all their change to send to the animal shelters . I thought this was a school project, but in fact, it was not. This was what Kaileen wanted to do on her own! Well, it warmed me all over. To see your child so willing to help others just lets you feel that maybe you had done something right in raising her. Anyway, I told her to make a card and send it out to our neighbors first. With the help of her older brother, Kaileen soon made a lovely card that asked our neighbors to help these pets by giving their spare change. She gave them a few days and a date she would come by to pick up any donations . Well, I had to go out and buy a donation box. Kaileen collected $279.50!!! I just thought you would like to know how KIND News had touched a little one's heart and given her the idea to show her compassion for animals. Thank you -- we really enjoy your paper. What was the author's feeling about Kaileen's idea? A. Pleased and excited. B. Surprised and moved. C. Tired and sad. D. Worried and angry. Answer: B In department stores and closets all over the world, they are waiting. Their outward appearance seems rather appealing because they come in a variety of styles, patterns, materials, and color1s. But they are eventually the biggest deception that exists in the fashion industry today. What are they? They are high heels -- a woman's worst enemy (whether she knows it or not). High heel shoes are the downfall of modern society. Fashion myths have led women to believe that they are more beautiful or stylish for wearing heels, but in reality, heels succeed in creating short as well as long term troubles. Women should fight the high heel industry by refusing to use or purchase them in order to save the world from unnecessary physical and psychological suffering. For the sake of fairness, it must be noted that there is a positive side to high heels. First, heels are excellent for aerating lawns . Anyone who has ever worn heels on grass knows what I am talking about. A simple trip around the yard in a pair of those babiesgets rid of all the need to call for a lawn care specialist, and provides the perfect-sized holes to give any lawn oxygen without all those messy blocks of dirt lying around. Second, heels are quite functional for defending against oncoming enemies, who can easily be scared away by threatening them with a pair of these sharp, deadly fashion items. Regardless of such practical uses for heels, the fact remains that wearing high heels is harmful to one's physical health. Talk to any podiatrist , and you will hear that the majority of their business comes from high-heel-wearing women. High heels are known to cause problems such as misshapen feet and torn toenails. The risk of severe back problems and twisted or broken ankles is three times higher for a high heel wearer than for a flat shoe wearer. Wearing heels also creates the threat of getting a heel caught in a narrow sidewalk gap and being thrown to the ground--possibly breaking a nose, back, or neck. And of course, after wearing heels for a day, any woman knows she can look forward to a night of pain as she tries to comfort her aching feet. It can be inferred from the passage that women should _ . A. see through the very nature of fashion myths B. refuse to buy the products of the fashion industry C. go to a podiatrist regularly for advice D. avoid following fashion too closely Answer: A Peter is thirteen years old. He is in Grade Two this year. He likes to play football and watch football matches. And he often reads newspapers. He does his best to know when and where there is going to be a football match. Now Peter is having lunch. He is listening to the radio , too. He is very happy because there is going to be a football match this afternoon. But he has to have English and Chinese lessons. He thinks hard and finds a way."Hello, Mrs. Black,"Peter says to his teacher on the telephone. "Peter is ill in bed. He wants to ask for half a day's leave .""Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," says Mrs. Black. "But who is that?""It's my father, Mrs. Black," says Peter. Peter is a _ . A. middle school student B. Young Pioneer C. worker D. teacher Answer: A A mother in Australia was told by a doctor that her new born son was dead but she helped to bring him back to life by holding the baby against her body. She used a method known as a kangaroo care. The child, named Jamie ,was born after only 27 weeks with his twin sister, Emily, in a hospital in Sydney. Her birth went well ,but his was a different story. The doctor struggled for 20 minutes to save Jamie before announcing him dead. "His little arms and legs were just falling down away from his body." Kate Ogg said ,"I took off my coat and put him on my chest with his head over my arm." She and her husband, David ,said to the child as she continued to hold him for nearly 2 hours. During that time, the two-pound baby showed the sign of life. She said , "I told my mum ,who was there, that he was still alive. Then he held out his hand and grabbed my finger. "Their tiny baby grew stronger and stronger in his mother's arms, and their final goodbye turned into a hello. The doctor at first ignored the baby's movements, but when he put the stethoscope to his chest, his mouth was wide open and he said ,"It's my fault, It's a miracle( ). "The kangaroo care helps the baby keep body warmth" Dr Pinchi Srinivasan said, "It also regulates heartbeat and breathing rates and is believed to help weight gain and improve sleeping habits. Fathers can also use kangaroo care. The key to the method is skin-to-skin contact." The practice began in less developed nations. It has become a recognized pracitce in helping premature babies. The techniques is good for babies, and is used in many baby care centers. According to the paassage, premature babies refer to babies that are born _ . A. with diseases B. before their time C. dead D. heavy Answer: B
Many children use the Internet to get useful knowledge and information, and to relax in their free time. But some of them are not using it in a good way. Here are some rules to make sure you are safe and have fun on the Internet. Make rules for Internet use with your parents. For example, when you can go online, for how long and what activities you can do online. Don't give your password to anyone else, and never give out the following information: your real name ,home address, age, school, phone number or other personal information. Check with your parents before giving out a credit card number. Never send a photo of yourself to someone in e-mail unless your parents say it's OK. Check with your parents before going into a chat room. Different chat rooms have different rules and attract different kinds of people. You and your parents will want to make sure it's a right place for you. Never agree to meet someone you met on the Internet without your parent's permission. Never meet anyone you met online alone. Always remember that people online may not be who they say they are. Treat everyone online as if they were strangers. If something you see or read online makes you uncomfortable, leave the site. Tell a parent or a teacher right away. Treat other people as you'd like to be treated. Never use bad language. Remember that not everything you read on the Internet is true. The writer tells children to _ . A. send their own photos to him. B. make rules for Internet use with parents. C. believe everything they read on the Internet D. give out their personal information Answer: B A mother is _ , crying, yelling all she can in that dark corner. There was nobody tohear her yell and not a soul to calm her, because outside her house is a long winding lonely road.The wind was at rest and the leaves didn't rustle, silence filling the air. Loneliness was alreadykilling her, but no one knows what made her cry? Losing something you love with all your heart isn't really the pain you can ever overcome.Radha lost her baby, her only means to live. She saw her child getting killed and the accidentwas terrible. One lonely night, she was walking down the street to get a breath of fresh air withher child hugged tight in her arms. The whole time she walked with her child in her arms, the only thing that worried her wasAryan's future. She was imagining and feeling every day of the child's growthand figuringwhat she would have in store for him. But who knows what's in store for us tomorrow, life canchange in a second. On that deserted road, were a few streetlights barely enough? It was this one light that couldbe seen from a distance,but as it came closer it got brighter and brighter. That light changedRadha's life into darkness forever. A speeding car came down that road. The driver came with a full speed throwing beer bottles out of his half open window. He was definitely drunk,and the speed took, everything in its path. Just then, there was a loud cry, and silence set in again. But the mother wasn't hurt. She opened her eyes, unable to focus her eyes, and didn't seeAryan. After a few minutes when her sight cleared up she looked all over in a panic for her baby,but alas! ... The child hadn't even seen life. Simple, don't drink and drive. _ life, _ Which of the following statements is TRUE of Radha? A. She had expected much of Aryan. B. She got her eyes injured in the accident. C. She was hit by one bottle on the arm. D. She had everything ready for Aryan's future. Answer: A Which of the following is most likely to make a person shiver? A. being in a gym B. being in a sauna C. being in a fridge D. being in a pool Answer: C I stood up to speak and my mind went blank .Has this ever happened to you? You may be nervous in front of an audience .You may be worried that you didn't prepare enough, You may have forgotten some of your facts. What can you do? Sometimes people prepare too much and become terrified if they can't remember the words they have practised. It is a good idea to bring some notes to help you organize, but don't memorize your speech. If you "go blank",begin by explaining the purpose of your speech, and the test will probably follow. A good way to make to made a good speech is _ A. to memorize the speech B. to organize the audience well C. to have some brief motes at hand D. to have the audience take notes Answer: C What's your opinion about gun control in the US? Figures tell a different story: Countries that allow their citizens to carry guns seem to have more killings than those that do not allow them. It's easy to kill with a gun. The media is filled with violence. People, especially young people, watch television. Having a gun does not cause someone to kill. The problem is within that person's mind. Controlling guns will not control killing. Changing the mindset will, however. --- Bobby Walker, U.S. Guns are deadly to all others who are near or know someone who has one. People don't understand the danger it holds, and don't realize what will happen just by cleaning it of if a younger child gets a hold of it. This weapon is dangerous and we don't need teens, kids, anyone to have them. Society can get along without guns. ---Ann Miller, U.S I have a very large farm near Austin, Texas, USA. Because it is far from the city, I need to protect my property and cattle from thieves and wild dogs. The wildlife, such as coyotes and puma , can feed on deer, mice, rabbits--they don't bother me and I don't bother them. I lost 45 animals to thieves that cut a fence. This will never happen again. You ask if I would shoot--of course--that's why I carry a gun. --- Texas Rancher, U.S Some people think guns are very bad because they lead to violence. In my opinion, when people kill themselves or others, they do not have any feelings because they do not know anything about love, sympathy , and promise. The only way those persons can get these feelings is when they keep close to family, friends and people who matter to them. Now, having a gun is not a problem: the problem is what the people feel when they use one. ---Connie Faille, Colombia The relationship between the Texas Rancher and coyotes can be described as _ A. peaceful B. difficult C. dangerous D. changeable Answer: A I prefer Lynne Truss's phraseology: I am a grammar "sticker". And, like Truss - author of Eats, shoots & Leaves - I have a "zero tolerance" approach to grammar mistakes that make people look stupid. Now, Truss and I disagree on what it means to have "zero tolerance". She thinks that people who mix up basic grammar "deserve to be struck by lightning, hacked up on the spot and buried in an unmarked grave", while I just think they deserve to be passed over for a job - even if they are otherwise qualified for the position. Everyone who applies for a position at either of my companies, iFixit or Dozuki, takes a compulsory grammar test. If job hopefuls can't distinguish between "to" and "too", their applications go into the bin. Of course, we write for a living. iFixit.com is the world's largest online repair manual , and Dozuki helps companies write their own technical documentation, like paperless work instructions and step-by-step user manuals. So, it makes sense that we've made a strong strike against grammar errors. But grammar is relevant for all companies. Yes, language is constantly changing, but that doesn't make grammar unimportant. Good grammar is credibility, especially on the Internet. And, for better or worse, people judge you if you can't tell the difference between "their" "there" and "they're". Good grammar makes good business sense - and not just when it comes to hiring writers. Writing isn't in the official job description of most people in our office. Still, we give our grammar test to everybody, including our salespeople, our operations staff, and our programmers. Grammar signifies more than just a person's ability to remember high school English. I've found that people who make fewer mistakes on a grammar test also make fewer mistakes when they are doing something completely unrelated to writing - like stocking shelves or labeling parts. It is the same with programmers. Applicants who don't think writing is important are likely to think lots of other things also aren't important. What's the author's "zero tolerance" approach to these job seekers who mix up basic grammar? A. They should be left out for a job. B. They have to correct their mistakes. C. They aren't qualified for their jobs. D. They must be severely punished. Answer: A On the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar , which is Wednesday this year, all Chinese celebrate one of their traditional festivals, the Dagon Boat Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival. Their celebrations include eating zongzi, rice wrapped in bamboo leaves in the shape of a pyramid, racing dragon boats and sticking _ on their doors. In 2007, the central government decided to add the Dragon Boat Festival, together with two other traditional festivals - Tomb Sweeping Day and Mid Autumn Festival - to the list of public holidays According to tradition, our ancestors believed the hot weather in midsummer might cause different kinds of diseases . So, to keep off diseases and drive out evil were the main purposes of the Dragon Boat Festival. Parents used colorful threads to make necklaces and bracelets for children, gave them beautiful embroidered bags , painted the Chinese character for "king" (wang) on their foreheads to drive away bad luck. The Dragon Boat Festival was also called "kids festival" in some places. Spending such happy hours with parents, young children began to understand the festival as well as the traditions and culture behind it. Repeating the customs year by year makes it possible for kids to learn the traditions, accept it and pass it on when they become adults. What is the main purpose of the Dragon Boat Festival according to tradition? A. To keep off diseases and drive out evil and bad luck. B. To spend happy time with parents. C. To make necklaces and bracelets for children. D. To have a long holiday with family members. Answer: A Ben was the illegitimate, unacknowledged child of Fred. Fred died intestate, leaving neither spouse nor any children other than Ben. The state's law of intestate succession provides that an unacknowledged illegitimate child may not inherit his father's property. The spouse, all other blood relations, and the state are preferred as heirs over the unacknowledged illegitimate child. Ben filed suit in an appropriate court alleging that the state statute barring an illegitimate child from sharing in a parent's estate is invalid, and that he should be declared lawful heir to his father's estate"In challenging the validity of the state statute, Ben's strongest argument would be that A. there is no rational basis for preferring as heirs collateral relatives and even the state over unacknowledged children, and therefore the law violates the equal protection clause. B. he has been deprived of property without due process because his fundamental right to inherit has been compromised without a compelling state need. C. it violates the privileges and immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. D. it is a denial of procedural due process because it does not give the unacknowledged illegitimate child an opportunity to prove paternity Answer: A Tom grows the nicest vegetables and fruits, and the most beautiful flowers in his village. Plants grow in Tom's garden all through the year.Tom cuts some flowers for his sitting-room table and eats some fruits and vegetables, but he sells most of them in the market. His vegetables, fruits and flowers are so wonderful that they sell much more quickly in the market than those of other villages. How does Tom grow these beautiful plants? He is so lazy that he just sits under his orange tree with his radio. He listens to music all day. That is quite true. Tom plants things in spring, summer, autumn and winter. After that he sits with his radio. And everything grows. It is the music that does work. Tom knows more clearly that music makes the biggest vegetables and fruits and the most beautiful flowers. Plants love music as much as people. Tom _ most of the things in his garden. A. sells B. eats C. keeps D. gives Answer: A Two little children come to a big city. Their names are Mike and Bob. They live with their father and mother. Their family is very rich. They have a driver and lots of servants. Mike and Bob are going to a new school. Their father says to them, "Mike and Bob, don't say we are rich at school." So they go to school. Their teacher says, "Hi, boys and girls. Today we write a composition about your family. " So all the children write something about their families. This is Mike's composition. "My name is Mike. My family is poor. My father and my mother are poor. Our driver is very poor and all the servants are very poor. " , . Did Mike say they are rich? A. Yes, he did. B. No, he didn't. C. Yes, he was. D. No, he wasn't. Answer: B
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The term is most commonly used to refer to those eight schools considered as a group. The term is also connected with academic excellence, selectivity in admissions, and social elitism . The term became official, especially in sports terminology, after the formation of the NCAA Division I athletic conference in 1954, when much of the nation polarized around favorite college teams. "IV" was used because originally the league consisted only of four members. The use of the phrase is no longer limited to athletics, and now represents an educational philosophy inherent to ( ,)the nation's oldest schools. In addition, Ivy League schools are often viewed by the public as some of the most prestigious universities worldwide and are often ranked amongst the best universities in the United States and worldwide. The eight institutions are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University. All of the Ivy League's institutions place near the top in theU.S. News & World Reportcollege and university rankings and rank within the top one percent of the world's academic institutions in terms of financial endowment . Seven of the eight schools were founded during America's colonial period; the exception is Cornell, which was founded in 1865. Ivy League institutions, therefore, account for seven of the nine Colonial Colleges chartered before the American Revolution. The Ivies are all in the Northeast geographic region of the United States. All eight schools receive millions of dollars in research grants and other subsidies from federal and state government. Undergraduate enrollments among the Ivy League schools range from about 4,000 to 14,000, making them larger than those of a typical private liberal arts college and smaller than a typical public state university. Ivy League university financial endowments range from Brown's $2.01 billion to Harvard's $26 billion, the largest financial endowment of any academic institution in the world. What is special about Cornell University in the League? A. It is the oldest one. B. It was founded by colonists. C. It has the smallest endowment. D. It is the youngest one. Answer: D Last Saturday on the way to the mall, two children, a boy and a girl, came running towards me with bottles on their hands, asking if I wanted bottled water. It was a surprising gesture. I was wondering if they were doing fund-raising. I knelt and asked them where their parents were and how much a bottle of water cost. Then two adult women came up to me explaining what the children were doing. "We are teaching the children to give without anything in return. We are teaching people to accept without giving in return. " Two mothers had bought bottled water and placed a sticker on all bottles with five different quotes : 1. Smile at everyone. You'll never know when someone may need it. 2. If Plan A does not work, there are 25 more letters in the alphabets. 3. Have a thirst for life. Every day is filled with possibilities. 4. In your thirst for knowledge, be sure you don't drown in all the information. 5. Dig your well before you're thirsty. The bottle I have has quoted No.5. A sudden change of attitude opened up between me, the mothers and the children. We are no longer strangers to each other. We were having such a great time chatting and I ended up helping them give away the rest of the bottled water. One young lady was so thankful that she happily accepted the water and said it was the best thing that happened to her all day since she had a bad day at work. A man refused and walked away saying "no thanks". A couple kept on bowing to us in gratitude. When it was all done, the children and I were giving each other high-five. It was so much fun. I think I had more fun doing this than the mothers and the children. How did the author feel when he was offered bottled water? A. Embarrassed B. Surprised C. Excited D. Disappointed Answer: B The average American child spends three to five hours a day watching TV. In 1961, the average child began to watch television at age three; however, today it is nine months. Yet, most parents think that television has bad influence on their children. For example, in the early 1970s, my parents believed that my bad eyesight was the result of sitting too close to the screen, and they therefore made my stay at least six feet from it. Today, most people have no such worry, but many new ridiculous sayings have appeared: TV makes kids stupid. Many children watch more educational programs when they are pre-schoolers. When they grow up, they can read more books and have much better ideas to solve difficult problems than other children. TV makes kids violent. The real story is not so simple. Hundreds of studies show that watching violence on TV makes children more aggressive . But a study of over 5,000 children also finds that some positive programs make children kinder. The problem is that kids are increasingly watching shows with violence instead of those suitable for their age. Sitting around watching TV makes kids overweight. An experiment finds that when children watch less television, they do lose extra weight; however, reducing their television time does not make them more active. The real problem lies in snacking . A widespread habit for kids, and junk-food advertisements. TV helps kids get to sleep. The opposite is true. The more television children watch, the more likely they are to have irregular sleep and nap patterns. Allowing kids to watch television is part of the problem, not the solution. What is the purpose of this text? A. To increase people's knowledge of watching TV. B. To warn parents of the disadvantages of watching TV. C. To explain the bad influences that watching TV has on children. D. To correct parents' wrong ideas of television's effect on children. Answer: D Your peers are people your age or close to it who have experiences and interests similar to yours. You and your friends make dozens of decisions every day, and you influence each other's choices and behavior. This is often _ --- it's human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group. Sometimes, though, the stresses in your life can actually come from your peers. They may pressure you into doing something you're uncomfortable with, such as shoplifting, doing drugs or drinking, or taking dangerous risks when driving a car. The pressure to conform can be powerful and hard to resist. A person might feel pressure to do something just because others are doing it. Peer pressure can influence a person to do something that is relatively harmless--- or something that has more serious consequences. People may feel pressure to conform, so they fit in or are accepted, or so they don't feel awkward or uncomfortable. When people are unsure of what to do in a social situation, they naturally look to others for cues about what is and isn't acceptable. The people who are most easily influenced will follow someone else's lead first. Then others may go along, too --- so it can be easy to think, "It must be OK. Everyone else is doing it. They must know what they're doing." Before you know it, many people are going along with the crowd --- perhaps on something they might not otherwise do. Responding to peer pressure is part of human nature --- but some people are more likely to give in, and others are better able to resist and stand their ground. It's not always easy to resist negative peer pressure. But when you do, it is easy to feel good about it afterwards. And you may even be a positive influence on your peers who feel the same way --- often it just takes one person to speak out or take a different action to change a situation. This passage is mainly about _ . A. thoughts on peer pressure B. different types of peer pressure C. ways to deal with peer pressure D. the influence of peer pressure on people Answer: A Plants need iron to grow. What parts of plants take in iron? A. roots B. flowers C. stems D. leaves Answer: A 169 junior 1 students at No. 35 Middle School of Shenyang took their first noteacher exam. After the teacher handed out the exam paper, he left the room and never came back. A student collected the papers when the exam ended. "That test was not only a test of knowledge, but also a test of moral . We wanted to show students how important honesty is," said Cai Wenguo, the school's headmaster. The school says no cheating happened in the test. Next year, it wants 80% of its exams to be without teachers. But students have different ideas. "I was happy and excited during the exam because my teachers trusted me," said Lang Yudan, a 13yearold girl in Class 11. "Schools must trust students a lot not to use invigilators . But I think it is too early. Some students will cheat if there are no invigilators. And the students will not be able to ask for help when needed," said Hua Sha. "I don't like having invigilators in exams. When they walk around the classroom, they make me nervous. I would get higher marks without them in the room because I would feel more relaxed," Liu Qingxi said. "I think it's very important to have invigilators in exams. Many students want to check their answers with each other after they have finished papers. And they can also keep the classroom in order when something unusual happens. They may make me nervous, but I still think we need them," Shangguan Yuan said. Not using invigilators may be a good idea. But before using it, schools must tell students the importance of honesty and try to find ways to solve something unusual in exams. No. 35 Middle School of Shenyang held a noteacher exam to _ . A. let the students have a good test B. teach the students in a better way C. help all the students pass the exam D. find whether the students were honest Answer: B Meet the "Tutor Kings and Queens" "If you want to be a top tutor, it definitely helps if you are young and attractive. Students look at your appearance," said Kelly Mok, 26, a "tutor queen" at King's Glory, one of Hong Kong's largest tutorial establishments. Richard Eng from Beacon College, a former secondary school teacher, is often credited with being the first of Hong Kong's "star tutors". "In school all the teachers look the same, there's no excitement," he said. The celebrity tutor phenomenon is a result of the huge growth in outofschool tutoring in Asia. It is fuelled by highly pressured examination systems and ambitious parents wanting their children to secure places at top universities and highstatus secondary schools. In societies where success _ good exam results, parental anxiety converts into a "steady stream of revenue " for tutoring establishments, according to a study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The tutoring industry, or "shadow education" as the ADB calls it, has become very widespread in Asia, fed by the growth in universities and the rising proportion of school leavers aiming for university. Hong Kong University's professor Mark Bray, one of the authors of the ADB study, said a staggering 72% of finalyear school students in Hong Kong now go to private tutors. It's not just Hong Kong. Tutoring has "spread and intensified in Asia and become more commercialized," said Professor Bray. In South Korea, 90% of primary school children attend such classes. In China, New Oriental Education and Technology has grown to become one of the largest tutoring schools in Asia with around 2.4 million students this year. In South Korea, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India, tutorial schools use star tutors to attract even more students. What Professor Bray says in this passage means that _ . A. the number of school leavers is increasing B. tutoring may improve achievement for individual students C. star tutors have attracted 2.4 million students D. more and more students in Asia go to private tutors Answer: D Do you know about a series of books that say they are "for dummies"? These American selfhelp books have been translated into more than thirty nine languages including Chinese,Arabic,Russian,French,German,Greek and Spanish. "Dummy" is a word for a stupid person.The dummies books are not really for stupid people.They are designed to show people how to do something they may never have tried before,like painting a house or learning a language.The books all say in a funny way that they are for dummies,such as World History for Dummies,Rabbits for Dummies,Chinese Cooking for Dummies,and Wedding Planning for Dummies.The first such book,DOS for Dummies,was published in 1991.It helped people learn how to use the DOS operating system for computers.Since then,more than one hundred fifty million dummies books have been sold. The dummies.com website explains the idea behind the books.It says that they show people can be taught to do anything.First they can make fun of ideas that are difficult to understand.Then they show how the information can be interesting and easy.The publishers say that the books do not provide more information than necessary.They give readers just enough information to do what they want.They say that the dummies books give the best and easiest way to do something.And the books use simple and easy language. There are more than one thousand different dummies books.A report in New York Times says that the top-selling dummies books are those that explain technology and personal finance. The publishers say that the best-selling dummies books are those providing information many people need-like information about diseases,education and cooking.People interested in opera,car repair and wine can also find dummies books to help them.And there are even more dummies books to come.The publishers say that they publish about two hundred new dummies books every year. The dummies books have been popular because _ . A. they provide just what is needed and are easy to understand B. they provide abundant information on the concerning subject C. people can learn to do anything with just one copy D. people can save lots of money through self-teaching Answer: A Computers are very important to modern life. Many people think that in the future computers will be used a lot in everyday's life. It is thought that we won't have to go shopping because we will be able to get most things which are sold in shops on the Internet. There will be fewer books because we will be able to get all texts from computers. The Internet will be used to play games, see films and buy food. Most telephone calls will be made by computers, too. Some people are glad about these new ways of shopping and communicating . Others do not think that computers will replace our old ways. Let's take books for example. Some people think that one day we won't read books made of paper. Instead, we will buy and read books using computers. We will read texts on small pocket computers. The computers will keep many different books in them at the same time. We won't need to turn lots of pages and paper will be saved. Computerized books will be used more and more. Is Internet shopping such a pleasure as going to the shop? Many people say it is not. It is a pleasure to go into shops and look at things you want to buy. It is also unlikely that many people will want to read large texts on our computers. Because paper books will perhaps be more friendly. Maybe computers won't change these two habits . The title for this passage is " _ " A. Computers Will Do Everything For Man B. Computers Are The Future C. How Computers Change Our Habits D. Will Computers Replace Shops And Books Answer: D Nowadays people are troubled by the violence that spreads throughout the media. Movies, television and video games are full of gunplay and bloodshed, and one might reasonably ask what's wrong with a society that presents videos of violence as entertainment. Viewing large amounts of violent television and video games may well contribute to violent behavior in certain individuals. The trouble comes when researchers downplay uncertainties in their studies or overstate the case for causality . Skeptics were dismayed several years ago when a group of societies including the American Medical Association tried to end the debate by issuing a joint statement: "At this time, well over 1,000 studies... point to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children." Freedom-of-speech advocates accused the societies of catering to politicians, and even disputed the number of studies (most were review articles and essays, they said). When Jonathan Freedman, a social psychologist at the University of Toronto, reviewed the literature, he found only 200 or so studies of television-watching and aggression. And when he weeded out "the most doubtful measures of aggression", only 28% supported a connection. The critical point here is causality. The alarmists say they have proved that violent media cause aggression. But the assumptions behind their observations need to be examined. When labeling games as violent or non-violent, should a hero eating a ghost really be counted as a violent event? And when experimenters record the time it takes game players to read "aggressive" or "non-aggressive" words from a list, can we be sure what they are actually measuring? The intention of the new Harvard Center on Media and Child Health to collect and standardize studies of media violence in order to compare their methodologies, assumptions and conclusions is an important step in the right direction. Another appropriate step would be to tone down the criticism until we know more. Several researchers write, speak and testify quite a lot on the threat posed by violence in the media. That is, of course, their privilege. But when doing so, they often come out with statements that the matter has now been settled, drawing criticism from colleagues. In response, the alarmists accuse critics and news reporters of being deceived by the entertainment industry. Such clashes help neither science nor society. What does the writer think of the debate concerning the relationship between the media and violence? A. He more than agrees with the views held by the alarmists. B. It should come to an end since the matter has now been settled. C. The past studies in this field have proved to be misleading. D. More studies should be conducted before conclusions are drawn. Answer: D
Simon and Garfunkel once famously sang "I am a rock, I am an island". It's a great song, but is simply isn't true! For whatever reason, we all seem afraid to ask for help, even from those closest to us, regardless of whether we need or deserve it. There's something in our society than seems to dictate that we have to do it all by ourselves ---- either the views that we'll be seen as weak, or just simply pride. This, however, doesn't seem to be true of successful people. They haven't bought into the fallacy that asking for help is wrong. They know the truth that great things are achieved when people cooperate. We all have different skills, knowledge and experiences. Each person you know is a whole new set of untapped reference material and expertise. So if you want to get hold of it and use it, all you have to do is ask them. People are rarely unwilling to assist ---- it's in our nature to be part of communities. A good example I sometimes use in seminars is to pick a delegate at random and ask him how many people he knows in total. The usual answer is somewhere between 200 and 500. For the sake of this illustration, let's select the lower figure and call it 200. Then I ask the person how many people each of those people knows. On the assumption that they have similar-sized circles, they almost certainly know at least 200 people each. On this basis, the people within one degree of separation(1:)for a person who knows 200 people comes to 40,000 ---- can you imagine the size of that experience and knowledge pool? Looking as it this way, giving your friends, family and colleagues the opportunity to help you open your resource bank to thousands of people. That's a whole army of potential volunteers all waiting to be praised! So, next time you need help, don't suffer in silence. Pick up the phone or mention it to a friend. You'll be pleasantly amazed at what you can achieve together. Based on this text successful people often have spirit of _ . A. self-confidence B. teamwork C. making efforts D. taking risks Answer: B Computer programmer David Jones earned $ 150,000 a year designing new computer games, yet he cannot find a bank prepared to let him have a check card . Instead, he has been told to wait another two years until he is 18. He works for a small firm in Liverpool, where most young people of his age are finding jobs. David's biggest headache is what to do with his money. Though he has high payment, he cannot drive a car, or get credit cards. David got his job four months ago, a year after leaving school with six O-Levels and working for a time in a computer shop. "I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs," he said. "I suppose $150,000 sounds a lot but I hope it will come to more than that this year." He spends some of his money on records and clothes, and gives his mother $20 a week as he lives with his parents. But most of his spare time is spent working. "Unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school," he said. " But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time. I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school. Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway. I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement is a possibility. You never know when the market might disappear. He left school after taking six O-Levels because _ . A. he was afraid of getting too old to start computing B. he didn't enjoy school C. he wanted to work with computers D. he wanted to earn a lot of money. Answer: C News One: The first quantum communications satellite developed by China is expected to launch in July of this year. It means that a quantum communications network will be formed, and quantum communication between the satellite and the ground will be achieved for the first time anywhere in the world. News Two: Shanghai Disney Resort opened in a trial run last week to prepare for its official opening on June 16. A one-day visit to the resort for a family of three will cost at least 2,600 yuan, which covers entrance ticket and three meals as well as shopping, while a two-day trip will cost no less than 6,000 yuan in total, which is too expensive for most visitors. News Three: More and more people get interested in running. The number of runners is increasing, and the economics of running is growing with it. Runners are always going to need shoes and they are always going to be looking for races. Both of these markets have just developed during the past 30 years or more. News Four: Overweight students at Nanjing Agricultural University are having a special sports course. The more weight they lose, the higher marks they will get. The course is not for everyone, but just for the students who needs to lose weight to keep healthy. There are 3 or 4 specially designed sports classes every week and each class lasts 90 minutes. From the passage we can learn that _ . A. there are fewer and fewer people interested in running B. the economics of running develops fast, because of the growing number of runners C. every one at Nanjing Agricultural University can enter the special sports course D. the students having the special sports course will get higher marks if they study harder Answer: B Two more cases of H7N9 bird flu virus have been detected in Zhejiang province, including a man who died last week, authorities said on Wednesday. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that a 38-year-old patient surnamed Hong from Hangzhou, the provincial capital, who died in hospital on March 27, had the virus. Hong was infected on March 7 while working in neighboring Jiangsu province. He returned home on March 18, according to the Zhejiang health department. The other patient, surnamed Yang, is a 67-year-old man. He developed a cough and fever on March 25 and was admitted to hospital on Tuesday. None of the people who came into close contact with the patients have developed symptoms of the flu, the health department said. On Sunday, two men in Shanghai died from H7N9. A woman in Anhui province and four men in Jiangsu province remain in _ condition, which makes a large number of people scared to death. All patients had fevers and coughs in the early stages before developing pneumonia and breathing difficulties, China's health authorities said. Experts say genetic analysis shows that the H7N9 virus can be treated with Tamiflu, an antiviral drug that may slow the spread of influenza(,) in the body. Wang Xianjun, head of the Shandong provincial center of disease control, said H7N9 is sensitive to neuraminidase-inhibiting medicine such as Tamiflu, Qilu Evening News reported on Wednesday. There are no effective vaccines for H7N9 as yet, Wang said, but using Tamiflu may be effective in the early stages. According to this passage, the most cases of H7N9 bird flu virus have been detected in _ . A. Zhejiang province B. Anhui province C. Shanghai D. Jiangsu province Answer: D A concert under the theme of the 28-year-old charity song Let the World Be Filled with Love is set to bring 100 celebrated singers to perform in Quanzhou in southeast China's Fujian Province next month. The concert is set to cover 10 cities including Beijing. Quanzhou is the first stop of the touring schedule. The song Let the World Be Filled with Love was written by famous Chinese singer and songwriter Guo Feng. It was performed by a chorus of 100 singers during a concert for world peace that year. The song also made Guo Feng famous. The concert is organized by China TV Artists Association. It aims to improve local charity programmes. The concert has so far received positive feedback from some of the biggest names from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, including Hollywood actor Jackie Chan. It is well known that Jackie Chan has made great contributions to the music scene for years with songs like A Hero Never Dies and Don't Go Home. He sang the theme song to the film Fairy Tale with Kim Hee Sun. Between shooting films and joining in public activities all over the world, it took Chan about a year to finish an album. By joining in charity activities, Jackie Chan has provided scholarships for needy students and helped injured performers and their families. So far, he has been involved in over 100 public welfare projects in 52 cities in over 30 countries. The charity song Let the World Be Filled with Love was written in _ . A. 1986 B. 1988 C. 1992 D. 1997 Answer: A Newspapers in the United States earn most of their money from selling space for advertising. The rates they charge are tied to the number of readers. But the number of people who buy newspapers has been falling for years. And this traditional business model had not worked very well on the Internet, especially in a bad economy. Many newspaper companies have large debts from buying other papers. Some papers have recently closed or declared bankruptcy or reduced their operations. Newspapers are looking for new ways to reinvent themselves and new ways to earn money. That includes giving new consideration to an old idea-charging for at least some of the material that most papers now publish online for free. Internet access to newspapers means that more people may read the news, which is good for society. But good reporting costs money. The question is how much people are willing to pay for news that they have got used to receiving for free. The look of American newspapers changed after USA Today arrived in 1982. Most of the stories were short. There was heavy use of color1 and images. People who compared it to television did not necessarily mean that as praise. But the new design succeeded and influenced many other papers. Now newspapers are looking to redesign themselves for an increasingly online world. Millions of people would rather read papers like USA Today and The New York Times for free on the Web than pay for a printed version. Publishers who chose that business plan might regret it now, but they might not have had much choice. Survival means changing as conditions change. Like any other business, newspapers have to balance their needs with the need of their customers. American newspapers earn most money from _ . A. advertising products B. selling newspapers C. publishing stories D. reporting news Answer: A I'm a Chinese girl. My name is Li Ying. I'm twelve. I'm in No. 1 Middle school . Chen Hong is my friend . She is nine. Mr Wu is my Chinese teacher and Miss Zhao is my English teacher. Li Ying is a _ girl. A. Chinese B. English C. Japanese D. England Answer: A A young lady was driving alone through the street. It was dark and rainy. Suddenly she saw an old woman by the side of the road, holding up her hands as if she wanted a lift . "I can't leave her out in this weather," the young lady said to herself. She stopped her car and opened the door. "Do you want a lift?" she asked. The old woman nodded and got on the car. After a while, she said to the old woman, "Have you been waiting for a long time?" The old woman shook her head, "Strange" the young lady thought. She tried again, "Bad weather, isn't it?" The old woman nodded. Then the young lady noticed the old woman's hands, which were large and hairy. Suddenly she realized the woman was a man! She was frightened at first. Then she stopped the car. "I couldn't see out of the rear screen ,"she said, "Would you mind cleaning it for me?" "The old woman" nodded and opened the door. As soon as "she"got out of the car, the frightened young lady drove off as fast as she could. When she got home, she noticed "the old woman" had left her handbag behind, she picked it up and opened it. Inside there was a gun. The young woman asked the old woman to clean the rear screen in order to _ . A. see more clearly B. drive fast and well C. make her speak D. make her get out and drive off Answer: D Change Has Come to America November, 04, 2008, Barack Obama Hello, Chicago. If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen. A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain. Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead. I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden. And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House. To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them. And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America. To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way. To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done. But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you. How many people did the writer thank in his speech? A. 5 B. 6 C. 7 D. 8 Answer: B If you do not use your arms or your legs for some time, they will become weak; when you start using them again, they will slowly become stronger again.Everybody knows that .yet many people do not seem to know that memory works in the same way.When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by using it. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong.If a friend says that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his own fault.But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame, and few of us know that it is just his own fault.Have you ever noticed that some people can't read or write but usually they have better memories? This is because they cannot read or write so they have to remember things; they cannot write them down in a little notebook.They have to remember days, names, songs and stories; so their memories are being exercised the whole time.So if you want to have a good memory, learn from these people:Practise remembering. One has a poor memory mainly because _ . A. his father or mother may have a poor memory B. he does not use his arms or legs for some time C. his memory is not often used D. he can't read or write Answer: C
Guangzhou (Xinhua)----12 people were killed and 20 injured early yesterday morning when they jumped from a burning train car into the path of an oncoming goods train in Southern China. When No. 247 Wuchang----Guangzhou passenger train was passing the Dayaoshan Tunnel in Guangdong Province, South China at 00 :17 hours yesterday, a fire caused by passengers' smoking broke out on No. 17 car. They wanted to extinguish fire. As the train stopped some frightened passengers jumped from windows. 12 people were crushed to death and 20 others injured by a northward passing goods train(No. 1766). When did the accident happen? A. At 00:17 am. B. At 00:17 pm. C. At seventeen past one. D. At seventeen to one. Answer: A A person in a cold environment that needs to produce heat could A. think B. jog C. want D. smell Answer: B Lynn was a young French Canadian girl who grew up in the farming community. At the age of l6, her father thought that she had enough schooling and forced her to drop out of school to contribute to the family income. In l922, with limited education and skills, the future didn't look bright for Lynn. Her father demanded that Lynn find a job as soon as possible, but she didn't have the confidence to ask for a job. One day, Lynn gathered her courage and knocked on her very first door. She was met by Margaret Costello, the office manager. In her broken English, Lynn told her she was interested in the secretarial position. Margaret decided to give her a chance. Margaret sat her down at a typewriter and said, "Lynn, let's see how good you really are." She directed Lynn to type a single letter, and then left. Lynn looked at the clock and saw that it was 11:40 a.m. Everyone would be leaving for lunch at noon. She thought she should at least attempt the letter. On her first try, she got through one line but made four mistakes. She pulled the paper out and threw it away. The clock now read 11:45. "At noon," she said to herself, "I'll move out with the crowd, and they will never see me again." On her second attempt, things didn't get any better. Again she started over and finally completed the letter, full of mistakes, though. She looked at the clock: 11:55--five minutes to freedom. Just then, Margaret walked in. She came directly over to Lynn, and put one hand on the desk and the other on the girl's shoulder. She read the letter and paused. Then she said, "Lynn, you're doing good work!" Lynn was surprised. She looked at the letter, then up at Margaret. With those simple words of encouragement, her desire to escape disappeared and her confidence began to grow. She thought, "Well, if she thinks it's good, then it must be good. I think I'll stay!" Lynn did stay at Carhartt Overall Company...for 51 years, through two world wars and 11 presidents--all because _ had the insight to give a shy and uncertain young girl the gift of self-confidence when she knocked on the door. What can we learn from Lynn's story? A. Encouragement makes a difference. B. Honesty is the best policy. C. Virtue leads to success. D. Time waits for no man. Answer: A Last week I took a journey deep into space, to the end of the solar system, and was pulled into a black hole. Then I took a trip to Brazil and experienced surviving an airplane crash in the jungle. After that, I joined some divers and went to the bottom of the ocean to see strange blind creatures that have never seen sunlight. For a break, I took part in some car racing and then skied down some of the most difficult mountains in the world. I ended my travels by meeting face to face with a dinosaur, the terrible T-Rex, and survived the experience! I did all this in one great day at Futuroscope. Opened in 1987, Futuroscope is one of the largest space age parks in the world. This science and technology-based theme park in France uses the most advanced technology. Its 3-D cinemas and giant movie screens provide brand new experiences of the earth and beyond. Visitors can get close to parts of the world they have never experienced, going to the bottom of the ocean, flying through the jungle or visiting the edges of the solar system. The amazing, up-to-date information together with many opportunities for hands-on learning makes the world come to life in a completely new way for visitors. Learning centers throughout the park let visitors try their own scientific experiments, as well as learn more about space travel, the undersea world and much more. I bought tickets for myself and my friends at the park's entrance, but tickets are also available online. Futuroscope is not only for indiviudals, but is also the perfect mix of fun and learning for class outings. Classes or other large groups that let Futuroscope know their plans in advance can get the group admission rate. For anyone coming from out of town, Futuroscope has many excellent hotels, most of which provide a shuttle service to the park. If driving, Futuroscope is within easy reach of the freeway. Plan your trip well before starting, since Futuroscope has so many shows, activities and great souvenir shops that it is difficult to see them all. Come ready to walk a lot--be sure to wear some comfortable sneakers or other walking shoes! What is Futuroscope? A. A theme park for children in America. B. A theme park that provides only fun and excitement. C. A theme park that provides people with outstanding experience without leaving the earth and the present time. D. A theme park that uses the most advanced technology to take people out of the earth and the present time. Answer: C In many businesses, computers have largely replaced paperwork, because they are fast, and do not make mistakes. And they are honest. Many banks say that their business is "untouched by human hands" and therefore safe. But they have no thought that the growing number of computer crimes show they can be used to steal. Computer criminals don't use guns. And even if they are caught, it is hard to punish them because there is often no proof. A computer cannot remember who used it. It simply does what it is told. The head teller at a New York City bank used a computer to steal more than one and a half billion dollars in just four years. No one noticed this because he moved the money from one account to another. Each time a customer whose money he had stolen questioned the balance in his account, the teller said it was a computer mistake, then replaced the missing money from someone else's account. This man was caught at last. Some workers use the computer's power to punish their bosses they consider unfair. Recently, a large company fired its computer record assistant for reasons that were connected with her personal life rather than her job. She was given thirty days notice. In those thirty days, she stole all the company's computerized records. Most computer criminals have been common workers. Now police wonder if this is "the tip of iceberg". As one official says, "I have the feeling that there is more crime out there than we are catching. What we are seeing now is all so poorly done. I wonder what the real experts are doing--the ones who really know a computer works." The head teller covered up his crimes _ . A. because no one had questioned him B. because he had stolen money carefully C. by moving money through computers D. by lying to the police Answer: C Calculus Book for sale! Thomas' Calculus-- Weir, Hass, & Giordano 11thedition Brand new, never been used but I will let it go for used price. Bookstore sold at $150. Call me and let me hear your offer. Tel: 773-885-6604 READING IS GOOD FOR YOU, PEOPLE! Why don't more people read today? I have so many great books for sale. If you are interested in any of these GOOD BOOK DEALS, email me or call me at 650-759-7174 to pick them up. All the Days Of My Life(So Far), by Alison Sweeney $5 All Our Yesterdays, by Robert B.Parker $1 The Meaning of Everything, by Simon Winchester $5 Exploring Language, by Gary Goshgarian $5 The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery $1 Jack at Sea, by Philippe Dupasquier $1 "The Children's Classics" Book Set --$200 This is a book set that I'd love to keep, but just don't have any extra room on my already crowded bookshelf. It is an old, traditional set. The set is in excellent condition. There are nine titles in the set (see list below). I honestly have no idea what this set is worth, but I've been told I should sell the set for well over $200, so make me an offer and we'll see what we can do. Please contact me by email if you are interested: [email protected] Book Titles Black Beauty(276 pgs) Tom Sawyer(272 pgs) Treasure Island(270 pgs) Heidi(278 pgs) Alice in Wonderland(276 pgs) Andersen's Fairy Tales(278 pgs) Arabian Nights (276 pgs) Robin Hood(278 pgs) *King Arthur(274 pgs) The purpose of the text is to _ . A. introduce some new books on sale B. advertise some books to the readers C. explain the benefits of reading books D. persuade the readers to read more interesting books. Answer: B THERE are natural disasters that humans can predict. There are others whose timing is difficult to know. What happened in Indonesia last month fell into the latter group. On October 25, a tsunami caused by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in the Mentawai islands of West Sumatra, Indonesia hit shores and damaged whole villages. By last Friday, it had left about 450 dead and forced around 15,000 people to leave their homes. Tsunami is Japanese for "harbor wave". It is usually caused by a sudden rise or fall of part of the Earth's crust under the ocean. It is most common in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Normally a tsunami is a series of waves. The waves can be very long - as much as 100 kilometers - and be as far as one hour apart. They are able to cross oceans without losing much energy. When the ocean is deep, tsunamis can travel unnoticed at speeds of up to 800 kilometers an hour. They can cross a whole ocean in a day or less. The wave may only be a few meters high but when they are near the shore and reach shallow water, they build up height very quickly. Some witnesses in the Mentawai islands reported seeing up to 6-meter high waves crash onto the shore. Failed alert system Many countries set up early warning systems in their waters in the hope of giving people enough time to escape to higher ground in the event of a tsunami. But Indonesia's warning system, completed with German aid, stopped working about a month ago because of disrepair , according to the country's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency. As a result, not a single siren sounded after the earthquake. However, it was unclear if the sirens could have made a difference because the islands affected were so close to the epicenter that the tsunami would have reached them within minutes. What is the main point of the article? A. A tsunami that hit Indonesia. B. The tsunami warning system in Indonesia. C. A recent tsunami and an earthquake in Indonesia. D. The reasons why the tsunami affected Indonesia badly. Answer: A By Road Around the World Nickname: Walker Email: [email protected] When to travel: May 2011-Aug 2011 Who am I: I am 55. From my childhood, have this dream to go around the world by hitch hiking. However this is now changed and I want to go by road. My travel plans: Going throughout the world and study various people, culture, habits. Who am I looking for: A female companion, and she must have similar interest as me. Just for fun Nickname: Stream Email: [email protected] When to travel: Jan 2011-Dec 2011 Who am I: Young slim girl, looking to see Asia with anyone who wants to travel. My travel plans: I most prefer a white man in his late30's to have fun with me as he travels either on business or leisure trips Whom am I looking for: Someone who is honest, friendly; good sense of humor, adventurous. 22yr old Australian looking for travel companion Nickname: Angela Email: alyssia _ [email protected] When to travel: March 2011 Who am I: a lovely girl, with fun, honest, caring. My travel plans: I will be traveling to Europe cities, then the world! Who am I looking for: An extremely fun and entertaining male/female, middle-aged, someone that I can enjoy every travel moment with. Fun and maybe more Nickname: Sunnygirl Email: [email protected] When to travel: Jun2011-Aug2011 Who am I: Slender African girl in her late 20's. Quite charming, loving, pretty,fun to be with. My travel plans: Nothing in mind for sure, just looking to come with you. Whom am I looking for: Looking for a white male between 40-50 years, someone who is full of energy and lively. Who's to travel for the shortest time with a companion? A. Sunny girl B. Angela C. Stream D. Walker Answer: B Some scientists have suggested that it might in some cases be ethically acceptable to clone existing people. One possibility is generating replacement for a dying . All such possibilities, however, raise the concern that the clone would be treated as less than a complete individual, because he or she would likely suffer from limitations and expectations based on the family's knowledge of the genetic "twin." Those expectations might be false, because human personality is only partly determined by genes. The clone of an extrovert could have a quite different way of behavior. Clones of athletes, movie stars, or scientists might well choose different careers because of chance events in early life. Some people have also put forward the belief that couples in which one member is infertile might choose to make a copy of one or the other partner. But society ought to be concerned that a couple might not treat naturally a child who is a copy of just one of them. Because other methods are available for the treatment of all known types of infertility, the traditional choice seems more appropriate. None of the suggested uses of cloning for making copies of existing people is ethically acceptable to my way of thinking, because they are not in the interests of the resulting child. It should go without saying that I am strongly opposed to allowing cloned human embryos to develop so that they can be tissue donors. In spite of this, it seems clear that cloning from cultured cells will offer important medical opportunities. Predictions about new technologies are often wrong: societal attitudes change; unexpected developments occur. Time will tell. But biomedical researchers looking into the potential of cloning now have plenty to do. What is the author's attitude towards cloning technology? A. It should be condemned. B. It has medical potential for scientists to explore. C. It should wait till people's views change. D. It was unethical from the very beginning. Answer: B "If you run for more than five minutes at any time, you might need a pair of running shoes." Advises Stephen Pribut, a US sports expert. Running shoes are highly technical footwear. The provide stability while bearing up to three times the wearer's body weight. But it's not easy to find the right pair. Finding the right running shoes is something of an art, or a science and a feel. The science part begins with the shape of the arch of your foot, which anyone can find out at home with this quick experiment: Put your foot in water and place it on a piece of brown paper. If you see a "C" shape on the paper when you remove your foot, you have a rare high arch. If the shape looks more like a rectangle, that means you have flat feet. See something in between? That's a normal arch. Conveniently for shoppers, shoe companies nowadays divide their shoes in three categories: neutral ( for high arches), stability ( for normal or low arches) and motion control (for flat arches). So you'll know which type suits you. At this point, most people would just grab an appealing shoe and try it on, But professionals would do a few quality-control tests. First, you bend the shoe toe to heel to see where it bends. If it's not at the forefoot---where the foot actually be bends, be afraid. Then you grip both ends and twist in opposite directions. If you can twist it like a tower, it means there's zero support. Finally, you squeeze he heel in both directions. A stable heel won't _ . Now you need to check the mold that shapes the inside of the shoe: whether its wide or narrow in the mid-foot, how it sits on the heel and how roomy the toe box is. It's wise to make the shoe purchase in the late afternoon, to allow for any swelling that your feet do throughout the day. Toes also decide sizing choices. The rule is that you need a finger's width from your longest toe (whether that's your big one or not) to the end of the shoe. What is the main idea of this passage? A. Advantages of wearing running shoes fitting you. B. Ways to get to know about the shape of the arch of your foot. C. Advice on how to choose the right pair of running shoes. D. Best time to buy a pair of running shoes. Answer: C
English is a language spoken all around the world. There are more than 42 countries where the majority of the people speak English. Most native speakers of English are found in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand. In total, for more than 375 million people, English is their mother tongue. An equal number of people learn English as a second language. These people will perhaps speak the language of their own country at home with their family, but the language of the government, schools, newspapers and TV is English. However, the number of people who learn English as a foreign language is more than 750 million. Everywhere in the world children go to school to learn English. In China, students learn English at school as a foreign language, except for those in hong Kong, where many people speak English as a first or a second language. In only fifty years, English has developed into the language most widely spoken and used in the world. English is the working language of most international organizations, international trade and tourism. English is also the language of global culture, such as popular music and the Internet. You can listen to English songs on the radio or use English to communicate with people around the world through the Internet. With so many people communicating in English every day, it will become more and more important to have a good knowledge of English. In China we are learning English as a . A. first language B. second language C. foreign language D. mother tongue Answer: C Have you ever been afraid to talk back when you were treated unfairly? Have you ever bought something just because the salesman talked you into it? Many people are afraid to assert (,) themselves.Dr.Robert Albert, author of STAND UP, SPEAK OUT and TALK BACK, thinks it is because their self-respect is low."There's always a superior around--a parent, a teacher, a boss who knows better.'' But Albert and other scientists are doing something to help people assert themselves. They offer assertiveness training courses, A.T.for short.In the A.T.course people learn that they have a right to be themselves.They learn to speak out and feel good about doing so.They learn to be confident without hurting other people. In one way, learning to speak out is to get rid of fear.A group taking an A.T.course will help the _ person to lose his fear.But A.T.uses an even stronger motive to share the need.The timid person speaks out in the group because he wants to tell how he feels. Whether or not you speak up for yourself depends on your self-respect.If your face is more important than you, you may feel less of a person.You start to doubt your answers to problems.However, once you get to feel good about yourself, you can learn to speak out. Why don't many people feel good about themselves? A. Because some people have a low self-respect. B. Because talented people can be found all the time. C. Because the advice from salesmen is always persuasive. D. Because people don't like to exchange ideas with others. Answer: A Antarctica is in the most southern part of the world. It is like nowhere else on the earth. It is much larger than Europe, and nearly twice the size of Australia. Antarctica is the coldest and windiest place in the world, even colder and windier than the North Pole. In summer, the sun shines for twenty-four hours a day, but in winter it's completely dark for about three months. Very few plants grow there, but there is some wildlife, including whales, seals and penguins. When Captain James Cook traveled around Antarctica in the 1770s by ship, he found no one living there. Today, a few scientists work in Antarctica, but they only spend a short time there. Many scientists are studying the _ , which is getting thinner and thinner worldwide. The biggest "hole" is above Antarctica, and weather there is getting warmer. Scientists think that this cold and lonely place can teach us a lot about the earth and how to keep the earth safe. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Antarctica is much bigger than Australia in size. B. Scientists spend a long time in Antarctica. C. There is no plant growing in Antarctica. D. In winter, it's dark for about 70 days in Antarctica. Answer: A Chicco Red Bullet Balance Training Bike Price: $32.99 & FREE Shipping($49.99) Soft tires & Help the child gain balance. Recommended for ages 3+years. Seat Pets Car Seat Toy Price: $19.97 & FREE Shipping on orders over $35($19. 99) Seat Pets are seat belt attachments that provide comfort and support to your child's neck and head. Each Seat Pet has three pockets, designed to store all of the things that kids need when they're in the car. Seat Pets are 21'' long and are made of high-quality machine-washable material. Easily attaches to seat belts. Fisher-Price Infant to Toddler Swing in Red Price: $19.97 & FREE Shipping on orders over $35($26. 99) The Infant to Toddler Swing is an outdoor swing that spans the development of a child from infant to toddler. The tray holds toys or snacks and lifts up out of the way for easy in and out. This swing is as friendly to parents as it is to kids and now it can be reclined for use with infants as young as six months. Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car Price: $44. 88 & FREE Shipping (You Save:$59. 99) The Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car helps your little ones develop gross motor skills by encouraging babies to crawl around the car. In addition, babies will enjoy busy activities and sing-along songs. Stationary car encourages babies to sit up, crawl, pull up, stand and move all around. Introduce babies to letters, numbers, colors, first words, greetings & more. For ages 6-36 months old. Where can we most probably find the passage? A. In a parenting magazine. B. In a fashion guide. C. In a health report. D. In a storybook. Answer: A In the early nineteen fifties, researchers found that people scored lower on intelligence tests if they spoke more than one language. Research in the sixties found the opposite. So which is it? Researchers presented their newest studies last month at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The latest evidence shows that being bilingual does not necessarily make people smarter. But researcher Ellen Bialystock says it probably does make you better at certain skills. She says bilingual people are often better at controlling their attention--a function called the executive control system. Ms Bialystock is a psychology professor at York University in Toronto, Canada. She says the best method to measure the executive control system is called the Stroop Test. A person is shown words in different color1s. The person has to ignore the word but say the color1. The problem is that the words are all names of color1s. Her work shows that bilingual people continually practice this function. They have to, because both languages are active in their brain at the same time. They need to limit one to be able to speak in the other. This mental exercise might help in other ways, too. Researchers say bilingual children are better able to separate a word from its meaning, and more likely to have friends from different cultures. Bilingual adults are often four to five years later than others in developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Foreign language study has increased in the United States. But linguist Alison Mackey at Georgetown University points out that English-speaking countries are still far behind the rest of the world. In England, like in the United States, bilingualism is seen as something special and unique and something to be commented on and perhaps work towards, while in many other parts of the world being bilingual is just seen as a natural part of life. Bilingual children are more likely to _ . A. be healthier than others B. make more friends from different countries C. develop dementia or Alzheimer's disease D. recognize a word from its meaning Answer: C Dave and John were playing catch in the living room. Rose told them that was dumb, but she did not stop them. She kept writing in her notebook. If they wanted to get in trouble, then they could. It was not her responsibility. Dave told John to go long. Dave did not have good aim and missed John's hands when he threw the ball. Instead he hit the lamp and knocked it over. He was glad he did not hit the dishes. Nor did he hit the cat. John was not glad that he hit the lamp, but was glad that the lamp was not broken. When John's dad came home, he was very happy that John came clean about the lamp even when it was not broken. After telling them off for playing inside, John's dad made them all a cake. The cake had lemon frosting, which was Dave's favorite. Rose cannot eat lemon, so she let Dave have her slice. He chose to take Rose's cake home to his Bro. Dave thanked her a lot. Who thought it was dumb to play inside? A. John B. Rose C. Dave's Bro D. Dave Answer: B If you come to Beijing, there are many interesting places to go. Lao She Teahouse is one of them. People built Lao She Teahouse in 1988. It is a special place in Beijing to show the life of old Beijing people in old times. It got its name from the famous writer ----Lao She. 'Remembering the past' is the idea of the teahouse and 'showing traditional folk arts' is its style, so here is a nice place in Beijing for foreigners to come as a guest and know about Chinese culture today. Many people like Chinese old cultures and arts. Every day visitors from different places around the world come here to enjoy programs such as traditional opera, cross talk and story-telling in Beijing. By watching these, they can know much about Chinese folk arts. Lao She was famous as _ . A. a writer B. a manager C. a doctor D. a teacher Answer: A A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and loved the boy very much. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for work so he asked the wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. The mother, preoccupied in the kitchen, totally forgot the matter. The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle and, fascinated with its color, drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages . When the child fell down, the mother hurried him to the hospital, where he died. The mother was shocked. She was terrified how to face her husband. When the father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just four words. The husband just said 'I am with you, Darling'. The husband's totally unexpected reaction is active behavior. The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life. There is no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if he had taken time to keep the bottle away, this would not have happened. No point in attaching blame. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was comfort and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her. If everyone can look at life with this kind of viewpoint, there would be much fewer problems in the world. Take off all your envies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears and you will find things are actually not as difficult as you think. Sometimes we spend time asking who is responsible or whom to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know. By this way we miss out some warmth in human relationship. What did the writer intend to tell us about life? _ . A. Think of nothing and life will be easy B. It is always useless finding who is responsible C. Let go the negative side and we can enjoy life. D. Life should give way to responsibility Answer: C London has a new magazine. But it's not printed on paper. Everyone who has a television can receive it because it is on TV. In order to read this magazine you have to have a _ . Each page of it is numbered, so you only have to dial the number to choose which subject you want to read about. There's a wide choice--- everything is included from cooking to the latest sports news. If you want to read the news, the first thing you have to do is to turn to the index page which has an easy-to-remember page number, 100 for example. Then you start choosing what you want to read. The news is on pages 101 to 109, so you push out the numbers and the news appears written across your screen. Perhaps you want to go out in the afternoon, so you press 181, and a brightly colored weather map appears on the screen. But the weather is terrible so you decide to go shopping and dial 162 for a list of the week's best bargains. But should you drive or take the train ? To answer the question you only have to press 189 for the traffic report. It's very simple to use. But probably the best thing about the service is that it's being updated all the time. Journalists type new material directly onto the screen and whole pages of the magazine can be replaced in minutes. London has already had three services. One, transmitted by ITV, is called ORACLE, while the other two, on BBC, are called CEEFAX, because they let you see facts. Although CEEFAX and ORACLE have been operating for some time, they have not been well publicized. BBC engineers do not think that their idea will ever replace books and newspapers because they can be taken with you everywhere. But many people agree that this is a breakthrough as great as the invention of printing, which could change not just our reading habits but our whole way of life. What is unusual about the mew magazine in London? A. You can find any subject you want in it. B. No paper is used to print the magazine. C. There 1,000 page numbers in the index. D. The speed of transmitting is astonishing. Answer: B Robert Kohout, 39, was working outside his home last October when he heard a frightening noise. He turned round and saw Walter Graham's car sinking into 8 feet of water of the inground swimming pool a little distance away from his yard. Kohout immediately called to Graham's wife, Evelyn, to phone 911. Then he ran back to his house to get Terence Reif and Glenn Fajardo to help, who were at work inside the house. "There was no time for second thoughts," said Reif, a farmer's son. "The only thing to do is to get in the pool." The car doors were locked. Graham, 73, was unconscious, and his was rapidly filling with water. Reif struggled to break the driver's side window with a hammer but had trouble getting it done underwater. Finally, some four minutes after the car had fallen into the pool, the glass was broken. By then, Graham was floating at the top of the flooded passenger compartment. The three men pulled Graham out through the broken glass. He wasn't breathing and his heart stopped beating, so they performed mouth-to-mouth . The rescue team arrived in no time. Doctors supplied him with advanced life support on the way to the hospital. "These people were getting to Graham through the glass," said Dr. Jeff. "All three acted without regard for their own safety." Added Evelyn Graham, "they were truly angels, watching over us". Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? A. Angels around Us B. The underwater Car C. Rescue Team in Time D. Safety First Answer: A

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