The first part of a new science-fiction series (系列剧)was shown on NBC last night. Star Trek is about a spacecraft(宇宙飞船)which travels faster than the speed of light. The show is developed from three ideas about the 22nd century. First, we’ll find other life forms great tools which will make amazing things possible.
Let’s think about these predictions. If we find life forms on other planets, will they be intelligent? I hope so. But we human beings might not be friendly – I don’t think we’ll believe in the idea of peace one hundred years from now. But this is science fiction, so we can be optimistic! And Star Trek’s idea of life in the future is ‘communicators’. And we will be ablt to have conversatins with people who are on because you’ll have an electronic notebook. And if you get ill, the doctor won’t have to examine you – a machine will ‘read’ your body. The strangest manchine includes a ‘teleport’ which will take people to a different placein a second!
The ideas are interesting, and in my opinion there’s only one problem with star trek: the acting. The TV company (公司)will have to get better actors. If they do that, the show might be a success. If the acting doesn’t improve, Star Trek won’t last for more than one series. Of course, my prediction may be wrong. I can’t see into the future!
What is Star Trek?
A.A TV play. | B.A popular song. |
C.A spacecraft. | D.An alien. |
What does the underlined word “optimistic” mean?
A.Lucky and happy. | B.Hopeful and confident. |
C.Helpful and creative. | D.Thankful and popular. |
What’s the writer’s opinion about Star Trek?
A.The life forms on other planets are stupid. |
B.Interesting ideas make a new series popular. |
C.The new series might not be successful without better actors. |
D.Our life in the future might be different with the help of aliens. |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.Aliens on Other Planets. | B.The Idea of Human Life. |
C.A Science Fiction. | D.A New Series about Future. |
Be honest. That’s all you have to do on Honesty Day. It would be great if we were all honest every day of the year. It’s good that there is a day to encourage honesty. M. Hirsh Goldberg started Honesty Day. He chose the last day of April because the first day is April Fool’s Day, which celebrate lies. On Honesty Day, anyone may ask you any question and you should give a true and honest answer. That means that you have knowledge of Honesty Day.
M. Hirsh Goldberg wrote a book on telling lies. He said in his book that almost all person lie about 200 times a day. In our daily life, a typical(典型的)life for a man is “I did not drink that much” and for a woman is “Nothing is wrong, I’m fine.” It is found that nurses are the most honest people, while sales people and politicians(政客)are the biggest liars.
Every Honesty Day, M. Hirsh Goldberg hands out prizes to honest people.
M. Hirsh Goldberg started Honesty Day to ______.
A.celebrate lies | B.encourage honesty |
C.ask questions | D.hand out prizes |
Which of the following is Honesty Day?
A.April 1st | B.April 10th |
C.April 20th | D.April 30th |
According to the passage, ______ are the most honest people.
A.nurses | B.sales people |
C.politicians | D.all men |
The underlined word “liars” probably means “______”.
A.获利者 | B.说谎者 |
C.影响着 | D.领导者 |
Violent winds swept the ocean, and waves thundered to shore, shaking the lookout tower at Pea Island Rescue Station. Surfman Theodore Meekins was on watch that evening of 11 October 1896. A hurricane had struck the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and the tide was so strong that beach patrols(巡逻)had been canceled. Still, Meekins paid close attention to the horizon. This was the type of weather that could blow ships hundreds of miles off course.
Offshore, the ship E.S. Newman was caught in the storm. The captain, whose wife and child were on the ship, feared the Newman would soon break up. He made the decision to beach his ship, then fired a signal, praying that someone onshore would see it.
Meekins, whose eyes were trained to cut through rain and surf mists, thought he saw the signal, but so much spray (水雾) covered the lookout windows that he could hardly make sure. Still, he took no chances. After summoning (召集) the station keeper, Captain Richard Etheridge, Meekins set off a coston signal, a signal made by using lamps of different colors. Together, the two men searched the darkness for a reply. A few moments later, they saw a flash of light to the south and knew a shop was in distress (遇险). Even before the return signal burned out, Etheridge had summoned his men and begun rescue operations.
For the lifesavers, the rescue of the Newman was nothing unusual. Over the years, so many ships had foundered off the Outer Banks that sailors called the region the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Noting the dangerous surf and wind conditions, Captain Etheridge quickly decided the surf boats would be impossible to control. Instead, he decided to use another way to help the survivors.
The crew set off on the long journey down the beach to the scene of the wreck (海滩). Captain Etheridge hoped to fire a line from a gun to the ship’s mast (船桅). After the ship’s crew dragged the line onboard, the surfmen would fire a second line and carry survivors safely to shore.
The surfmen crossed three miles of sand to reach the ship Newman. The water was freezing, and the men often sank up to their knees in sand. Captain Etheridge noted in his diary that “the voice of gladdened hearts greeted the arrival of the station crew,” but that “it seemed impossible for them to do anything under such circumstances. The work was often stopped by the sweeping current.”
Even when the rescue equipment proved useless, Etheridge refused to give up. Choosing two of his strongest surfmen, he tied rope lines around their waists and sent them into the water. The two men, holding a line from shore, walked with huge effort as far as they could before diving through the waves. Nearly worn out while swimming against the tide, they finally made it to the shore.
The first to be rescued were the captain’s wife and child. With the two passengers tied to their backs, the surfmen fought their way back to shore. Taking turns, Etheridge and his crew made ten trips to the Newman, saving every person onboard. It was 1:00 a.m. when the crew and survivors finally made it back to the station.
That night, as the exhausted survivors lay sleeping and his lifesaving crew rested, Captain Etheridge picked up his pen, and in the light of an oil lantern, wrote with satisfaction that all the people onboard had been saved and were “sheltered in this station”—words he would remember for many years to come.
The beach patrols were canceled because ________.
A.Meekins paid enough attention to the horizon |
B.there was too much spray on the windows |
C.the winds and tide were too strong |
D.there was no ship near the station |
The underlined word “foundered” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “___________”.
A.stopped | B.sank | C.sailed | D.arrived |
What was the author’s main purpose in writing the passage?
A.To warn sailors of the dangers of hurricanes. |
B.To create a story describing a rescue at sea. |
C.To inform people about Richard Etheridge. |
D.To record the details about the Newman. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.The newman was very dangerous before Richard Etheridge and his team members saw the signal. |
B.A terrible hurricane took place off the coast of North Carolina and threatened the lives of many sailors. |
C.At no other time in American history have so many shipwrecked passengers survived such a violent storm. |
D.All the passengers of a shipwreck were rescued because of heroic the efforts of a special leader and his crew. |
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 (负面的) 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(影像) 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 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.
We can learn from the passage that people under pressure tend to ______.
A.keep rewards better in their memory |
B.recall consequences more effortlessly |
C.make risky decisions more frequently |
D.learn a subject more effectively |
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 |
The research has proved that in a stressful situation, ______.
A.women find it easier to fall into certain habits |
B.men have a greater tendency to slow down |
C.women focus more on outcomes |
D.men are more likely to take risks |
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 is mine and what's yours is mine,” says his mother. “The other day I bought two new Star Wars light sabers (剑). 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 inheritable trait,” says Russell Barkley,a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. Other children who may not be particularly bossy can gradually gain dominance (支配地位) 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 of 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 coaches,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.”
Bossy children like Stephen Jackson_________.
A.make good decisions | B.show self-centeredness |
C.lack care from others | D.have little sense of fear |
The underlined phrase “inheritable trait” in Paragraph 2 means ___________.
A.inborn nature | B.developed character |
C.accepted theory | D.particular environment |
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 |
What is the passage mainly about?
A.How bossy behavior can be controlled. |
B.How we can get along with bossy children. |
C.What leads to children's bossy behavior. |
D.What effect bossy behavior brings about. |
China has become Volvo's third largest market, with more of its car models to go on sale in the world's largest auto(汽车) market this year, Chief Executive Office (CEO) of Volvo Cars China said in Tianjin.
Alexander Klose, CEO of Volvo Cars China, told Xinhua at the Ninth Tianjin International Automobile Trade Show, being held from Friday to Wednesday.
Klose said Volvo Cars had entered a new time of fast development, adding that its sales volume in China roared in 2010.
Up to the end of September, Volvo's global sales volume was up 12.5 percent year on year(同年比), compared with 52 percent year-on-year rise in China, he said.
Two new Volvo sales centers opened in Beijing within merely one week in early October, about two months after east China's ZhejiangGeely Holding Group Co acquired(购得)the Swedish brand from the US auto giant Ford for $1.5 billion in early August.
Klose said he was confident of seeing tremendous(巨大的) growth in China's auto market in the next five years. "As the Chinese government has increased the tax rate for large displacement (排量)cars already, we now have a lot of cars below three liters(升), and I think we'll stick to that strategy, as you can see now the XC60 which was introduced today is just two liters," he said.
"As the technology advances, we'll probably even see 1.6 liter engines or 1.5 liter engines in the future," he added.
Volvo Cars is not the only automaker hoping to take advantage of China's rapidly growing auto market.
Bentley, the famous British luxury(豪华) carmaker, will open a new sales center in China at Tianjin Thursday, which is the 11th one in China, according to a press release(新闻发布) by Shanghai-based Zenith Integrated Communications Corp (Zenith) Saturday at the auto show.
Zenth is the public relations agent of Bentley in China. The automaker has sold 421 limousines(大型豪华轿车) to China in 2009, and the goal for 2010 is 777, the release said.
The word underlined in the third paragraph would probably be___.
A.shouted loudly | B.increased in large numbers |
C.reduced rapidly | D.burned brightly |
From this passage we can infer that ___.
A.The Ninth Tianjin International Automobile Trade Show was held from Friday to Wednesday. |
B.Volvo Cars is a world-famous carmaker in Britain. |
C.Of all the auto sales volume Volvo sales volume is only number one in China |
D.Volvo sales centers are developing very fast in China recently |
The text is mainly about____.
A.China Becomes Volvo's 3rd largest market |
B.Volvo Cars in China |
C.Volvo Sales Volume in China |
D.Carmakers in China |
How many carmakers are mentioned in this passage which opened and will open new sales centers in China recently?
A.One | B.Two | C.Three | D.Four |
If you exhibit positive characteristics such as honesty and helpfulness, the chances are that you will be thought as a good-looking person, for a new study has found that the perception (认知) of physical attractiveness is influenced by a person's personality.
The study, which was led by Gary W.Lewandowski, has found that people who exhibit negative characteristics, such as unfairness and rudeness, appear to be less physically attractive to observers.In the study, the participants viewed photographs of opposite-sex individuals and rated them for attractiveness before and after being provided with information about their personalities.
After personality information was received, participants also rated the probability of each individual' s becoming a friend and a dating partner.Information on personality was found to significantly change the probability, showing that cognitive (认知的) processes modify (修改) judgments of attractiveness.
"Thinking a person as having a desirable personality makes the person more suitable in general as a close relationship partner of any kind," said Lewandowski.
The findings show that a positive personality leads to greater expectation of becoming friends, which leads to greater expectation of becoming romantic partners and, finally, to being viewed as more physically attractive.The findings remained consistent regardless of how "attractive" the individual was formerly thought to be or of the participants' current relationship status.
"This research provides a positive outcome by reminding people that personality goes a long way toward determining your attractiveness; it can even change people's impressions of how good-looking you are," said Lewandowski.
In the study the participants were required to _____.
A.try to make friends with each other |
B.try to prove positive characters make people more attractive |
C.exhibit negative characters such as unfairness and rudeness |
D.rate one's attractiveness by photos before and after knowing her or his personality |
What's the CORRECT order of how cognitive processes modify judgments of attractiveness?
a.find a person with a positive personality
b.view the person more physically attractive
c.want to make friends with the person
d.want to be his/ her romantic partner
A.a→c→d→b | B.d→c→b→a | C.c→b→a→d | D.a→d→c→b |
Which of the following is WRONG according to the passage?
A.The research reminds people to pay more attention to the personality. |
B.Personality can change people's impressions of one's appearance. |
C.The judgment of one's attractiveness always stays unchanged. |
D.Positive personality may lead to more friends. |
The passage is written in a(n) _____ tone.
A.subjective | B.objective | C.sceptical | D.negative |
Who are the intended readers of this passage?
A.People with positive characteristics. |
B.Good-looking people. |
C.People with negative characteristics. |
D.General people. |
Zhu Haoyu, 18, a history major, wears his iPod everywhere on campus. The freshman has it going out for a walk, visiting the library or lying in bed. However, he found that his habit is like displaying a big “Do not disturb ”sign for himself.
As time slips away, he has begun to regret not having conversed much with his peers around . “As I put the little buds (耳机) into my ears, I’m immersed in a universe of my own, forgetting all troubles in the real world,” said Li.
The MP3 player is one of a number of gadgets (小玩意)—starting with the Sony Walkman, which led to the iPod, iPhone and iPad —that give people the ability to shut themselves off from world around them.
Youngsters delight in handset (手持的) technology. In public, students chat on their cell phones, stopping only to talk briefly to friends. On buses or trains it’s common to see youngsters with PlayStations instead of playing poker or sharing jokes or games. And during airline flights, people watch episodes (连续剧) of US TV dramas on their iPads, rather than talking.
The BBC News magazine recently published an article saying that headphone wearing culture is making us anti-social. “Half of humankind is wired to a parallel universe that leaves them ignoring their surroundings and fellows,” wrote Tom de Castella.
Actually, it’s a decade since Apple unveiled the iPod, which promised “1,000 songs in your pocket”. In 2007 more than half of Western residents were using an iPod or MP3 player.
Entertainment is on offer in all surroundings, not just at home. But in the meantime, it has created barriers between us. Many people subscribe to the view that the headphone culture is creating a “spoilt, selfish generation that lacks civic(公民的)culture”.
However, many users of portable MP3 players argue that the device, as a mind drug, helps them relieve stress by escaping for a while. It is also said to be able to help some students concentrate on work or study. “If you want to get away from the hucksters (小贩) on the way, just start listening to your player,” said Liu, a freshman. “They do not approach people with headphones on.” This might also mean he’s blocking those who want to ask him for the directions.
Experts, however, say that short contacts or mini conversations with strangers are helpful to our mind. Many experts warn that it is dangerous to lose touch with people in our lives.
Zhu Haoyu found that his wearing the iPod .
A.disturbed others |
B.made it easy for him to keep in touch with others |
C.made it easy for him to visit the library |
D.made others unwilling to talk to him |
The underlined word “immersed” can be replaced by .
A.lost | B.involved | C.engaged | D.interested |
What is the main idea of the fourth paragraph?
A.Students are always busy chatting on their cell phones in public. |
B.Young people are fond of portable listening or visual devices. |
C.Young people like to watch US TV dramas on their iPads. |
D.People like to enjoy the networking. |
Which of the following is not true?
A.Headphone wearing culture makes people ignore their surroundings and fellows. |
B.Apple released the iPod ten years ago. |
C.There are still many people support the headphone culture. |
D.It’s dangerous to have conversations with strangers. |
What is the writer’s attitude towards the headphone culture ?
A.Agreeable. | B.Critical. | C.Doubtful. | D.Neutral. |
As a senior, my future is always on my mind. To be exact, thoughts of the future have kept me up countless nights and made me worry enough to do poorly on more than one test. Because of this, words of wisdom are a source of comfort. Steve Jobs gave a speech to Stanford’s graduating class in 2005 and his words resound repeatedly in my mind whenever I think about my future.
It wasn’t always like that, though. It started when I became a junior, when college came into view. It’s the first big step to making your life your own. So when Jobs discussed his life as a student, some fears were eased. He, too, felt the need to attend college to make something of himself. He faced what many are extremely afraid of: uncertainty. His lack of understanding caused him to stop attending college and focus on what he felt was important. His story had a happy ending, of course, since he certainly turned out well.
This doesn’t mean that students shouldn’t attend college, but rather that they shouldn’t worry so much. You’ll get where you need to go, even if your path is a bit more winding(蜿蜒的)than you’d like.
Jobs talked about the hardships in his work. His love of his work helped him carry on and he got where he was meant to be, which restates the point: don’t panic.
One particular part of his speech stayed with me. Steve Jobs quoted(引用)the saying “Stay hungry, stay foolish” and it has become my motto. Staying foolish is realizing that you are still a fool, no matter how much you’ve learned or experienced. There is always more to explore. Staying hungry is wanting to find those things about which you are still uneducated.
Steve Jobs’s level of success is attainable, and I aim to prove that. With the will power to go into the world living every day like it’s my last and allowing the future to take care of itself, I will do great things. In the last moments of my life, I’ll be proud of what I have done and hope to have all the wisdom a person could wish for.
The author felt worried when _________.
A.he had to take tests at school |
B.he thought about his future |
C.he had lots of sleepless nights |
D.he searched for words of wisdom |
It is suggested in Paragraphs 1 and 2 that _________.
A.Steve Jobs didn’t attend college |
B.Steve Jobs failed because of his decision |
C.the author is a college student |
D.the author cares much about his future |
What did the author gain from Jobs’s speech?
A.Courage to drop out of school. |
B.Confidence in defeating Jobs. |
C.Interest in computer industry. |
D.Bravery to face uncertainties. |
What did NOT Steve Jobs encourage students to do in his speech?
A.Have the desire to learn more. |
B.Be content with what they know. |
C.Stay calm in the face of hardships. |
D.Be modest so as to learn more. |
The passage is mainly about _________.
A.the wisdom drawn from a speech |
B.the most impressive quote in life |
C.a memorable meeting with Jobs |
D.an experience of a speech |
If women are mercilessly exploited year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.
Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and soon.
No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn’t at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.
When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Does the constantly changing fashion of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanged styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide.
The writer would be less critical if fashion designers placed more stress on the of clothing
___ .
A.comfort | B.appearance | C.cost | D.suitability |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.Fashion designs should not be encouraged since they are only welcomed by women. |
B.The constant changes in women's clothing reflect their strength of character. |
C.The fashion industry makes an important contribution to society. |
D.New fashions in clothing are created for the commercial exploitation of women. |
By saying “the conclusions to be drawn are obvious”, the writer means that _____.
A.women’s inconstancy in their choice of clothing is often laughed at |
B.women are better able to put up with discomfort |
C.men are also exploited greatly by fashion designers |
D.men are more reasonable in the matter of fashion |
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 defensive(防卫的) 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.
The purpose of the first impression is to tell readers __________.
A.what a good first impression is |
B.how to make a good first impression |
C.how long it takes to make a first impression |
D.the importance of making a good first impression |
Which of the following does the author advise you to do when you are being interviewed?
A.Cross your arms or legs |
B.Open your coat or jacket when sitting down |
C.Go into the room more slowly than usual |
D.Avoid looking at the eyes of the interviewer directly |
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 |
What is the best title for the passage?
A.How to use body language to win an interview |
B.How to answer questions in an interview |
C.How to understand body language |
D.How to deal with an interviewer |
Many people say pennies are not worth saving. After all, a penny is only worth a cent. But one unusual penny turned out to be worth a lot more when a coin collector paid $1.7 million for it earlier this month.
The coin is one of a kind. It is the only penny that the Denver mint(铸币厂) made out of copper, instead of steel, in 1943. Because it is unique, it is also very valuable. No penny has ever sold for so much money.
The Changing Penny
The Lincoln penny first appeared in 1909. For 34 years, the one-cent coin was made out of copper. Then, in 1943, the penny changed. World War II was going on, and copper was needed for equipment. So for one year, pennies were made out of steel instead. At least most of them were.
Only a few coins were made out of unused copper. There are three main mints, or places where coins are made, in the United States. Of the known copper pennies from 1943, twelve were made in the Philadephia mint, and five were made in the San Francisco mint. Only one was made in the Denver mint.
Nobody knows for sure why a copper penny was made at the Denver mint in 1943, coin dealers Andy Skrabalak told Time for Kids. “There is a rumor that a mint employee made the coin in the middle of the night.”
A Special Set
The coin collector who bought the $1.7 million penny wants to remain unknown. But the reason for the trade is known. He already had two copper pennies from 1943 – one from the San Francisco mint and one from the Philadephia mint. To complete the set, he needed the Denver penny. The three coins will go on display at a coin exhibition in Tampa, Florida.
The collector who sold the penny is also keeping his name a secret. It took four years to convince him to give up the rare coin. Now that he has finally donating all of the money to charity.
Why is the Lincoln penny worth over one million dollars?
A. Because it has a history of thirty-four years.
B. Because it was made out of a rare material.
C. Because it was made on one night of 1943 by the Denver mint.
D, Because it was the only coin Denver mint made out of copper in 1943.
Before the Lincoln penny was sold, people thought one-cent coins __________.
A.were worth collecting for selling later |
B.were surely valuable if not made out of steel |
C.wouldn’t be sold for large amounts of money |
D.were only useful for some coin museums |
At least how many copper coins were made in 1943?
A.Five | B.Twelve | C.Seventeen | D.Eighteen |
What can we learn about the collector who sold the penny?
A.He already had two copper pennies from 1943. |
B.He wanted to complete the set of copper pennies. |
C.He didn’t want to sell his penny in the beginning. |
D.He was a well-known coin dealer in Tampa, Horida. |
How is it that siblings (兄弟姐妹) can turn out so differently? One answer is that in fact each sibling grows up in a different family. The firstborn is, for a while, an only child, and therefore has a completely different experience of the parents than those born later. The next child is, for a while, the youngest, until the situation is changed by a new arrival. The mother and father themselves are changing and growing up too. One sibling might live in a stable and close family in the first few years; another might be raised in a family crisis, with a disappointed mother or an angry father.
Sibling competition was identified as an important shaping force as early as in 1918. But more recently, researchers have found many ways in which brothers and sisters are a lasting force in each others’ lives. Dr. Annette Henderson says firstborn children pick up vocabulary more quickly than their siblings. The reason for this might be that the later children aren’t getting the same one-on-one time with parents. But that doesn’t mean that the younger children have problems with language development. Later-borns don’t enjoy that much talking time with parents, but instead they harvest lessons from bigger brothers and sisters, learning entire phrases and getting an understanding of social concepts such as the difference between “I” and “me”.
A Cambridge University study of 140 children found that siblings created a rich world of play that helped them grow socially. Love-hate relationships were common among the children. Even those siblings who fought the most had just as much positive communication as the other sibling pairs.
One way children seek more attention from parents is by making themselves different from their siblings, particularly if they are close in age. Researchers have found that the first two children in a family are typically more different from each other than the second and third. Girls with brothers show their differences to a maximum degree by being more feminine than girls with sisters. A 2003 research paper studied adolescents from 185 families over two years, finding that those who changed to make themselves different from their siblings were successful in increasing the amount of warmth they gained from their parents.
The underlined part “in a different family” (in Para. 1) means “_______”.
A.in a different family environment |
B.in a different family tradition |
C.in different family crises |
D.in different families |
In terms of language development, later-borns ________.
A.get their parents’ individual guidance |
B.learn a lot from their elder siblings |
C.experience a lot of difficulties |
D.pick up words more quickly |
What was found about fights among siblings?
A.Siblings hated fighting and loved playing. |
B.Siblings in some families fought frequently. |
C.Sibling fights led to bad sibling relationships. |
D.Siblings learned to get on together from fights. |
The word “feminine” (in Para. 4) means “_______”.
A.having qualities of parents |
B.having qualities of women |
C.having defensive qualities |
D.having extraordinary qualities |
TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TEENSGIVING?
TEENSGIVING is an exciting yearly event where hundreds of New York City teens gather together annually for a remarkable day of community service. This year, TEENSGIVING in SRING 2010 participants will once again better New York City and impact thousands of lives!
When is TEENSGIVING in SPRING2010?
SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010
Where is TEENSGIVING?
All over New York City. Everyone will meet at the 92nd Street Y (92nd and Lexington) at 9:00 AM for the event kick-off. Then, all TEENSGIVING volunteers will disperse across the city to work with our partnering agencies where they will make a HUGE difference and have fun!
Who participates in TEENSGIVING?
Hundreds of teenagers from around the city. Teens come from the 92nd Street Y, various city schools, youth groups, and organizations in the area. In addition, many adult volunteers (aged 21 and older) will donate their time to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.
What projects do participants do at the agencies?
Sample projects include painting park benches, planting gardens, visiting and playing with underprivileged children, assembling craft kits for children in hospitals, assisting at animal shelters, working at soup kitchens, delivering meals and celebrating with families at homeless shelters.
Do I get anything for participating in TEENSGIVING?
Yes! Everybody benefits! Teen volunteers will receive *6 hours* of community service credit, good towards honor society, high school graduation and college application requirements. Adult volunteers will be “thanked” with a light breakfast, a gift certificate for their troubles, and the satisfaction of helping our city’s youth contribute to their community. In addition, all teen and adult volunteers will receive a cool TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 T-shirt.
This sounds awesome! How do I register for TEENSGIVING in SPRING2010? Interested teens and/or adults should e-mail the TEENSGIVING Coordinator Josh Hyman at jhyman@92Y.org(subjet:TEENSGIVING) to receive more information and to register for this fantastic event!
**Teens can also contact their school’s Community Service Advisor**
TEENSGIVING is sponsored by the 92nd Street Y.
TEENSGIVING is an event which is held ______.
A.fromtimetotime | B.onceeveryyear |
C.everytwoyears | D.twiceayear |
Teenagers may do all the following in the event EXCEPT ____
A.wateringflowers |
B.cooking |
C.cleaningstreets |
D.takingcareofanimals |
An adult volunteer may get ____ for his time devoted to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.
A.communityservicecreditandaT-shirt |
B.ahighschoolcertificateandalightbreakfast |
C.aT-shirtandagiftcertificate |
D.agiftcertificateandcommunityservicecredit |
The writer’s purpose in writing this passage is to _______.
A.informreadersofsomefrequentlyaskedquestions |
B.introduceTEENSGIVINGinSPRING2010toreaders |
C.encouragereaderstoaskmorequestionsaboutTEENSGIVING |
D.callonreaderstoparticipateinTEENSGIVINGinSPRING2010 |
Paparazzi, or "paps", are photographers who take pictures of famous people when they are not at the center of public attention. Paps are different from professional photographers or journalists because they never take ordinary photos.
The goal for paparazzi is to get pictures that no one else will get and then sell the pictures to the buyer who offers the most money —normally a small newspaper, magazine or website.
There is no law against paparazzi taking pictures in public places. However, there are laws that protect certain individuals. For example, child protection laws stop improper (不合适的) pictures of anyone under 16 from being published.
There is also no law that stops paparazzi from following celebrities (名人) and taking their pictures either. However, if paps are secretly following them and taking pictures of their faces, they could get into trouble.
Most paparazzi hang out on streets and hot spots for celebrities, waiting for the opportunity to take a picture of a star. Many stay on the streets until the early hours of the morning when celebrities are leaving nightclubs and looking a little worse for wear. However, some have other ways to make sure they get pictures. Many paps are in contact with "informers" who know the locations of celebrities at any given time. They then pass the information on to paparazzi. An informer could be anyone —from a restaurant waiter to a salesman.
Most of the time, paparazzi get a bad reputation for following celebrities. But sometimes stars or their managers will contact paps themselves and tell them exactly where and when they will go.
What a love-hate relationship between paparazzi and celebrities!
Which of the following things paparazzi might do would be against the law?
A.Taking pictures of famous people in public places. |
B.Getting unsuitable pictures of a 10-year-old actress published. |
C.Following a famous woman singer secretly and taking her pictures. |
D.Hanging out at the places where celebrities often appear. |
In order to earn big money a pap has to ________.
A.get the only first-hand pictures |
B.sell the pictures to a big newspaper |
C.make friends with famous people |
D.know the locations of celebrities |
The fifth paragraph mainly tells us ________.
A.how paparazzi get the pictures |
B.how dangerous paparazzi’s job is |
C.how much paparazzi pay for the pictures |
D.how paparazzi contact informers |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.Paparazzi always take pictures when famous people are tired. |
B.Stars hate paparazzi and don’t want to be followed. |
C.Paparazzi and famous people rely on each other sometimes. |
D.Informers might get paparazzi into trouble. |
试题篮
()