It seems that every week someone becomes “the first” or “the youngest” or even “the first married couple” to do something that doesn’t seem to be very useful to the rest of us.
Why do they do it? Don’t they have better things to do with their time and money? And why should I be interested anyway? Human beings have already climbed the highest mountains, sailed across the oceans and flown around the world. Many of these things were done a long, long time ago. There just isn’t anything left to explore nowadays. I suppose there’s still a lot of the universe left, and the bottom of the ocean is still a bit of a mystery, but you need a lot of technology to explore areas like that. So, those people who feel the need for adventure can only do things that have been done before.
In May of this year a British man became the first person to walk alone from Canada to the North Pole. Personally, if I wanted to visit the Arctic, I’d rather go as a tourist on a cruise ship, with a helicopter trip to the North Pole included in the price. But OK, this man decided that he wanted to walk. The problem was that he went in the spring when the ice begins to melt and break up. So he got stuck on a longely piece of ice and a plane had to be sent in to rescue him.
These sorts of rescues are making many Australians angry with these record breakers. People trying to break sailing or rowing records get into trouble in the seas. So the Australian navy has to send ships to save them and this costs the government millions of dollars. I suppose we can’t just leave them to drown but we should give the bill to the people who are rescued.
According to the author, the so-called record breakers .
A.do not benefit other people at all |
B.inspire people to continue exploring |
C.are boring and should be stopped |
D.are usually not wealthy enough |
We can infer from the second paragraph that .
A.there are no high mountains for people to climb |
B.nothing is left for people to explore in the universe |
C.it’s beyond ordinary people to explore the unknown |
D.human beings could fly around the world long ago |
Many Australians are angry because the record breakers .
A.often get into trouble |
B.never use a cruise ship or a helicopter |
C.never pay their own costs |
D.satisfy their needs at the cost of others’ interest |
What is the writer’s attitude towards the record breakers?
A.Positive. | B.Negative. |
C.Uninterested. | D.Neutral(中立的). |
In a six-week study, experts found people who played online games designed to improve their cognitive(认知的) skills didn't get any smarter.
More than 8,600 people aged 18 to 60 were asked to play online brain games designed by the researchers to improve their memory, reasoning and other skills for at least 10 minutes a day, three times a week. They were compared to more than 2,700 people who didn't play any brain games, but spent a similar amount of time surfing the Internet and answering general knowledge questions. All participants were given a sort of I.Q test before and after the experiment.
Researchers said the people who did the brain training didn't do any better on the test after six weeks than people who had simply been on the Internet. On some sections of the test, the people who surfed the Net scored higher than those playing the games.
"If you're (playing these games) because they're fun, that's absolutely fine," said Adrian Owen, the study's lead author. "But if you're expecting (these games) to improve your I.Q., our data suggests this isn't the case," he said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
One maker of brain games said the company's games have been proven to boost brain power.
"Their conclusion would be like saying, 'I cannot run a mile in under 4 minutes and therefore it is impossible to do so," Aldrich said in a statement.
"There is precious little evidence to suggest the skills used in these games transfer to the real world," said Art Kramer, who was not linked to the study and has no ties to any companies that make brain training games.
Instead of playing brain games, Kramer said people would be better off getting some exercise. He said physical activity can spark(激发) new connections between nerves and produce new brain cells. "Fitness changes the building blocks of the brain's structure," he said.
. It can be inferred that the online brain games mentioned in the text are_____________.
A.costly | B.unreliable | C.illegal | D.effective |
. Which of the following statements is true about the experiment in the second paragraph?
A.The experiment lasted for a week. |
B.Age didn’t affect the result of the research. |
C.Every person played online brain games three times a day. |
D.People who didn’t play online brain games did better in I.Q test |
. What can we learn from the text?
A.Playing games which are fun can improve your I.Q. |
B.There is a lot of evidence to suggest skills can transfer to the real world. |
C.Do physical activity can boost your brain power. |
D.Playing online games can spark new brain cells |
The underlined sentence suggests that ___________.
A.The research was not linked to the study |
B.Those playing the games can score higher in the test |
C.playing the games can spark new connections between nerves |
D.This isn’t the case that these games can improve your I.Q. |
In our life, we face situations where we are either asked to choose between trust and disbelief. Many of us would say we have to choose trust over disbelief. Actually we are given intellectual(智力的) power to choose what we want, and what we choose certainly need not be the one that sounds pleasing. That is, we can choose both trust and disbelief, but we have to know when to choose between these two.
We should all realize that we are living in a world which is unfortunately mixed with people of various types. We have been given the power of judging who we are working with and who we are partnering with. We cannot give an excuse for believing a scheming(诡计多端的)person, just because he looked or sounded nice, unless we consider ourselves mentally unskillful.
This world was there before us and it does not owe us a single thing. We are asked to take care of ourselves and our belongings. Trust, too, has to be saved for the deserving(值得的) people. When we give trust universally to all, we end up troubled by the undeserving common cheat. People say trust is life. True! But only wisely exercised trust is life.
When we start a conversation with someone, the first things that we usually notice would be their dress, behavior, style and their language. What sometimes we all forget to look at is the person’s intention. Now how to look at a person’s intention is a lesson everybody has to learn for themselves in their own way -- there is no single standard for it. But it is certainly possible to discover the purpose if we seek a little bit more.
Certainly a false offer of friendship or guidance cannot stand undiscovered for long; we are therefore called to exercise disbelief over trust at least momentarily till we find out that we certainly are in agreement with a mutual(相互的)good-willed person.
The world teaches you lots of lessons and if we are willing, we can learn all that we want.
In the first paragraph, the author ________.
A.concentrates on the reason why we make different choices |
B.focuses on how to choose between trust and disbelief |
C.suggests that trust should be wisely exercised |
D.implies that people are forced to make the choice |
. We can infer from the passage that _________.
A.people who we are working with are in fact those who we are partnering with |
B.the first thing we notice tends to mislead our judgment |
C.the mentally healthy people will not judge a person by his looks |
D.the standards of looking at a person’s intention are not various |
. The underlined sentence means __________
A.trust and disbelief go hand in hand with each other. |
B.disbelief is necessary if you aren’t wise |
C.trust is established if two people know each other |
D.doubt may serve as the precondition for trust |
Which of the following can serve as the best title for the passage?
A.Trust or Disbelief? | B.Trust Is Life. |
C.Trust over Disbelief? | D.Disbelief over Trust? |
While surfing television channels over the weekend,a scene from a family classic of last year portraying the now-so-familiar sorry state of retired parents being ill-treated by their children and families caught my attention. I wondered why the description of this relationship had not changed much over the many years! Even though the same movies and soaps accurately capture several other social changes around us — from value systems to new found economic freedom to the importance of technology and the changing approach to consumerism(消费主义) — are these creative efforts far from the truth in telling us that an average retiree is still struggling?
Look around and you will agree that the post-retired lifestyle for an ex-salaried class people is often a pale shadow of their last working years. Even self employed people, who have handed over the responsibility to the next generation, are no exception. Did the average middle class not save enough through his working years?
Socially, we already know that the Indians are taught the benefits of start saving early on in life. Household savings data supports this social behavior — India has the highest rates of savings among various economies and is far ahead of the west. Yet, tragically, a lifetime of savings does not seem to provide enough for a comfortable retirement!
A closer look at the pattern of what we do with our financial savings may tell us a bit more. Over half of households’ financial savings is put into a “safe” deposit, followed by large portions in insurance, pension, provident funds(福利基金) and the rest in physical currency. Less than a tenth goes into “risky” assets(资产) like stocks. While there might be nothing, in particular, worrisome in this investment pool, one has to consider inflation(通货膨胀). The real value of savings, over a few decades, may actually be lower than the starting point.
What had not changed much over the many years according to the passage?
A.Value systems | B.The poor situation of retirees |
C.Economic freedom | D.Approach to consumerism |
Which of the following statements about saving in India is right?
A.the concept of saving has been well received by Indians. |
B.the amount of the savings ranks number one across the world. |
C.long-standing savings can help the retirees live a care-free life. |
D.saving early can not benefit people at all. |
What can be inferred according to the last paragraph?
A.Half of the financial savings in stocks can be accepted. |
B.The real value of saving must be lowered in a few years. |
C.A loss of savings may hardly be avoided. |
D.Inflation can be avoided on condition that you consume instead of saving. |
What’s the best title of the text?
A.Retirees being treated unfairly |
B.Is saving enough |
C.Saving in India |
D.How to deal with saving |
Goats are being hired to do the work of people near SanDiego. The fires that occurred in Hillborbough four years ago destroyed thirty homes, most of which have been rebuilt. While people were rebuilding the homes, the grasses and bushes were growing back. The area is now so overgrown in bushes that there is again a major danger of fire.
The city council asked for offers to remove the bushes. The lowest bid they received was $50,000-----and that was if the city provided breakfast and lunch for the workers for thr six weeks it would take to clear the overgrown area. The city only wanted to give unlimited coffee and a piece of bread a day for each person. When that offer was rejected, the city asked for help on its website.
A sheepherder(养绵羊的人) in Montanta and a goatherder(养山羊的人) in San Bernardino read about the city’s plight (困境)while surfing the Web on their laptops. They both offered to do the job for $25,000. The council chosed the goatherder because he lived closer. When he was told that the city dump(垃圾场) was overflowing , the gotherder said, “No problem. My goats will eat everything in your dump, except the car engines, of course.” So ,for another $5,000, the city killed two birds with one stone. If all goes well, they will invite the goatherder and his “family” back every three years. The goatherder said that he would probably visit San Diego while his goats were in the dump. “I want to go there by plane, I just hope we don’t crash. My goats will miss me a lot.” He said.
Why did the city council want to remove the bush?
A.Because the fires in hillborbough destroyed 30 homes. |
B.Because people wanted to build their homes there. |
C.Because the overgrown bushes could cause fires again. |
D.Because two sheeherder offered to do the job. |
The goatherder was chosen to do the job because
A.He offered to do it for the lower price |
B.It was easier to transport his goat |
C.Goats can do the job better than the job |
D.The city wanted to raise more goats |
According to the passage,
A.the sheepherder offered to do the job for $50.000 |
B.the lowest bid to remove the bushes was $50,000 |
C.the sheepherder and the goatherder were both addicted to surfing the Internet. |
D.hiring goats to do the job saved the government lots of money. |
we can infer from the passage that
A.the city will remove the bushes in this area regularly |
B.the goatherder asked for $50,000 to kill the birds with stones. |
C.the goatherder was invited to San Diego to do some sightseeing. |
D.the city council was not kind to the people who worked for it. |
Bamboo (竹子) is one of nature’s most surprising plants. Many people call this plant a tree, but it is a kind of grass.
Like other kinds of grass, a bamboo plant may be cut very low to the ground, but it will grow back very quickly. A Japanese scientist reported one bamboo plant which grew 1.5 meters in 24 hours! Bamboo grows almost everywhere in the world except Europe. There are more than 1, 000 kinds of bamboo.
Not all bamboo looks the same. Some bamboo plants are very thin. They may only grow to be a few centimeters wide while others may grow to more than 30 centimeters across. This plant also comes in different colors, from yellow to black to green.
Bamboo has been used to make many things such as hats and kitchen tools. Because it is strong, bamboo is also used to build buildings.
Many Asian countries have used bamboo for hundreds of years. They often use bamboo for buildings and supporting new buildings and bridges while they are being built.
In Africa, poor farmers are taught how to find water using bamboo. These African countries need cheap way to find water because they have no money, and their fields often die from no rain and no water. Bamboo pipes (管子) help poor farmers bring water to their thirsty fields without spending a lot of money.
How is bamboo like grass?
A.It grows quickly. | B.It’s wood. |
C.It is easy to cut. | D.It is very thin. |
Though you can see bamboo everywhere, it doesn’t grow __________.
A.in China | B.in Europe |
C.on mountains | D.in Africa |
Why is bamboo used by African poor farmers?
A.It is cheap. | B.It has different colors. |
C.It is strong. | D.It has been used by Asians. |
In Asia, bamboo has been used for __________.
A.a short time | B.about 100 years |
C.many hundreds of years | D.many thousands of year |
It’s 2035. You have a job, a family and you’re about 40 years old. Welcome to your future life. Getting ready for work, you pause in front of the mirror, “Turn red,” you say. Your shirt changes from sky blue to deep red. Tiny preprogrammed electronic(智能电子元件) is rearranged in your shirt to change its color. Looking into the mirror, you find it hard to believe that you are 40. You look much younger. With amazing advances in medicine, people in your generation may live to be 150 years old. You’re not even middle-aged.
As you go into the kitchen and prepare to pour your breakfast cereal into a bowl, you hear: “To lose weight, you shouldn’t eat that,” from your shoes. They read the tiny electronic code(电 子源码)on the cereal box to find out the nutrition details. You decide to listen to your shoes. “Kitchen, what can I have for breakfast?” A list of possible food appears on the counter as kitchen checks its food supplies.
“Ready for your trip to space?” you ask your son and daughter. In 2005 only specially trained astronauts went into space—and very few of them. Today anyone can go to space for day trip or longer vacation. Your best friend even works in space. Handing your children three strawberries each, you add, “The doctor said you need these for space travel.” Thanks to medical advice, vaccination shots(防疫针) are a thing of the past. Ordinary foods contain specific vaccines. With the berries in their mouths, the kids head for the front door.
It’s time for you to go to work. Your car checks your fingerprints and unlocks the doors. “My office. Autopilot,” you command. Your car drives itself down the road and moves smoothly into traffic on the highway. You sit back and unroll your e-newspaper. The latest news downloads and fills the viewer. Looking through the pages, you watch the news as video films rather than read it.
What changes the color of your shirt?
A.The mirror. | B.The shirt itself. | C.The counter. | D.The medicine. |
How do the shoes know that you shouldn’t eat the breakfast cereal?
A.By pouring the breakfast into a bowl. |
B.By listening to the doctor’s advice. |
C.By testing the food supplies in the kitchen. |
D.By checking the nutrition details of the food. |
The strawberries the children eat serve as ______.
A.breakfast | B.lunch | C.vaccines | D.nutrition |
How is the text organized?
A.In order of time | B.In order of frequency. |
C.In order of preference(偏爱). | D.In order of importance |
In today's world, almost everyone knows that air pollution(污染)and water pollution are harmful to people's health. However, not all the persons know that noise is also a kind of pollution, and that is harmful to human health, too.
People who work and live under noisy conditions usually become deaf(聋). Today, however, scientists believe that 10 percent of workers in Britain are being deafened by the noise where they work. Many of the workers who print newspapers and books, and who weave(织)cloth become deaf. Quite a few people living near airports also become deaf. Recently it was discovered that many teenagers in America could hear no better than 65-year-old persons, for these young people like to listen to pop music and most of pop music is a kind of noise. Besides, noise produced by jet planes or machines will make people's life difficult and unpleasant, or even make people ill or even drive them mad.
It is said that a continuous noise of over 85 decibels(分贝)can cause deafness. Now the governments in many countries have made laws to control noise and make it less than 85 decibels.
In China, the government is trying to solve not only air and water pollution problems but also noise pollution problems.
The text is mainly about _________ .
A.air pollution | B.noise pollution |
C.water pollution | D.world pollution |
According to the text, a continuous noise of _______ decibels can make people deaf.
A.less than 85 | B.less than 65 |
C.more than 85 | D.about 65 |
10 percent of the workers in Britain are being deafened because_______________ .
A.they are too busy to listen to others' talk |
B.they often listen to pop music |
C.they live near airports |
D.they are working in noisy places |
The government of China is trying to solve ____________ .
A.air, water and noise pollution |
B.only air and water pollution |
C.only water pollution |
D.only air pollution |
The Andrew Romay Immigrant Support Program (ISP) at the International Center provides a welcoming place for immigrants where they can build the skills they need to fully participate in the professional and social life of their new country.
About the Program
The Andrew Romay Immigrant Support Program (ISP) at the International Center provides an integrated (综合的) set of educational, cultural, and professional activities at ICNY to help immigrants:
●improve their English
●develop the networks they need to achieve their goals and fully participate in American life
●find a welcoming "home away from home"
Participants have access to a wide-range of programming, including:
●more than 40 weekly classes in English language and American culture
●practical and career-skills workshops
●opportunities to explore New York City and the nearby area through trips and tours
ISP is particularly focused on helping newly arrived immigrants at a critical point in their lives.Recent arrivals in financial need receive one-year scholarships and low-cost meals.ISP is funded by Andrew Romay and a sum of money from the Open Society Institute.
If you are interested in applying for ISP, please fill out our online application or contact ISP Program Manager, Elaine Roberts at (212)255-9555 or at eroberts@intlcenter.org.
Resources for Current ISP Members
RECOMMENDED CLASSES
●Intermediate level:Introduction to Writing & Interviewing Skills on Wednesday, from 11 am-l2:l0pm.
●High Intermediate/Advanced: Tips for Success at Work and Beyond on Tuesday, from 2-3:25pm.
●Advanced: Career Skills Workshop on Wednesday, from 6-8pm. Sign-up required.
●For all levels: Interviewing Skills Workshop on Saturday, from 11 am. - 2 pm. Sign-up required.
UPCOMING EVENTS
To see a list of upcoming events, visit our News & Events page.
OTHER RESOURCES
If you would like helpful resources on topics such as ESOL, healthcare, housing, or finding a job, please visit our Member Resources page.
The main purpose of ISP is to ____.
A.help new immigrants set up a home away from home |
B.equip new immigrants with the skills needed |
C.provide support for new immigrants in financial need |
D.help old immigrants at a critical point |
You can become a member of ISP by ____.
A.visiting News & Events page |
B.surfing Member Resources page |
C.contacting Andrew |
D.contacting Elaine |
Which class best suits Tracy, who hopes to improve her
interviewing skills but is busy on weekdays?
A.Intermediate level. | B.High Intermediate/Advanced. |
C.Advanced. | D.For all levels. |
New media has been growing fast and influencing people’s lives in ways few things have done before. In 2010, China’s new media industry witnessed explosive development. But with “new” comes uncertainties and challenges. The following are brief reviews on the development of China’s new media and outlooks on its future.
I. Micro-blogging (微博)
Short and convenient, micro-blogs also experienced “a big bang” in China last year, with the number of micro-bloggers at China’s popular portal(门户网站) sina.com.cn almost doubling in less than six months. Afterwards, the other three major web portals, including sohu.com, qq.com and 163.com, each set up their own micro-blogging services. With more government officials and entities(实体) registering, China’s micro-blogging services are expected to play a more important role in connecting the public and the governments in 2011.
第一节 Search Engines
Baidu’s position in the search engine market would face fierce challenges from sohu.com,
Microsoft’s Bing and goso.cn from the People’s Daily. Xinhua is also preparing to start its search engine together with China Mobile, a leading company in mobile networks. Goso and Xinhua both have the advantage of providing content, while Bing has a big edge in technology and funds. They are expected to pose threats(威胁) to Baidu in 2011.
第二节 Internet of Things
IoT refers to a network of real-world objects linked by the Internet and interacting through on-line services. China set up its first IoT research center in Shanghai in March 2010.Within the same week, Premier Wen Jiabao stated in the annual government report that it would “accelerate the research and development, as well as application of the Internet of Things. ”
However, some experts say China’s IoT is still in an early stage, and it’ll take a long time for it to let the public enjoy its full functions.
40. What is the text mainly about?
A. Some major media in China.
B. China’s new media and its future.
C. The development of China’s on-line services.
D. China’s early-stage IoT and its major functions.
How many web portals are mentioned in Paragraph 2?
A.Two. | B.Three. | C.Four. | D.Five. |
Which of the following will be Xinhua’ s partner to start a search engine?
A.Baidu. | B.Sohu.com. | C.Goso.cn. | D.China Mobile. |
What does the underlined part “a big bang” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.a deafening sound | B.an explosive development |
C.a terrible damage | D.a demanding challenge |
Tuvalu, north of Fiji, is a tiny country in the Pacific Ocean.
Storms and huge waves are a constant threat and none of Tuvalu's nine little islands is more than five metres above sea level. Salt water is already entering the country's drinking water supply, as well as damaging plants that produce fruit and vegetable.It fears it will be swallowed up by the sea. 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 in the 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, Tuvalu's rising sea level is caused by global warming.
The average global temperature has increased by almost 0.5 centigrade degree over the past century; scientists expect it to rise by an extra 1-3 degrees over the next 100 years.
Warmer weather makes glaciers melt, adding 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 10-25cm in the last 100 years.
People have been increasing the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as CO2, through burning coal, oil and gas. 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 metre this century.
Should this come true, millions of homes would be swallowed up by the sea and the world will be flooded with "climate refugees" looking for somewhere else to live.
We can infer from Paragraph 2 that ______.
A.Tuvalu is in danger of being swallowed up by the sea |
B.all Tuvalu’s islands are about five meters above the sea level |
C.drinking water in Tuvalu has been destroyed |
D.Tuvalu is often flooded by storms and waves |
The author uses Tuvalu and Venice as examples in order to explain ______.
A.they are the first places sinking into the sea |
B.they are both sinking into the mud where they stand |
C.they will disappear in the future |
D.their trouble is caused by global warming |
What does the underlined word “refugees” mean?
A.People forced away from their homeland. |
B.Sudden changes caused by world climate. |
C.Animals whose lives are closely connected with weather. |
D.Bad effect of climate changes. |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the text?
A.The main cause of global warming is human pollution. |
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. |
According to the passage, the root cause of global warming is _______.
A.the burning of coal, oil and gas | B.the position change of the solar system |
C.human pollution | D.carbon dioxide emission |
The strong fear of high school math is lost here among the blue light of computer screens and the sounds of typing keyboard.
A fanfare (喇叭声) plays from a speaker as a student passes a chapter test.Nearby another student is watching a video lecture.Another works out a math problem in her notebook before clicking on a multiple-choice answer on her screen.
Their teacher at Agoura High School, US, Russell Stephans, sits at the back of the room, watching as scores pop up in real time on his computer grade sheet.One student has passed a level, the data shows; another is retaking a quiz.
"Whoever thought this up makes life so much easier," Stephans says.
This textbook-free classroom is by no means the norm(常态), but it may be someday.Slowly, but in increasing numbers, schools across the US are replacing the heavy and expensive textbook with its lighter and cheaper cousin: the digital textbook.
A digital textbook can be downloaded, projected and printed, and can range from simple text to a course filled with multimedia and links to Internet content.Some versions (版本) must be purchased; others are "open source" —free and available online to anyone.
Some praise the technology as a way to save schools' money, replace outdated books and better engage students.Others say most schools don't have the resources to join in, or they question the quality of open-source content.
Paper books still hold the highest percentage of the US textbook market, with digital textbooks making up less than 5 percent, according to analyst Kathy Mickey of Simba Information, a market research group.
But that is changing, as grade schools follow the lead of US universities and schools in other countries, including South Korea and Turkey.
California made the largest embrace (拥抱) of digital textbooks this summer when it approved 10 free high school math and science titles developed by college professors.The state left the choice to use them up to individual schools.
"The textbooks are outdated, as far as I'm concerned, and there's no reason why our schools should have our students pull around these old-fashioned and heavy and expensive books," Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said this summer.
But some disagree with the idea that digital textbooks will improve education quality.
"Keep in mind that with open-source materials, you have to ask: 'Where are they coming from?'" said Jay Diskey, executive director of the Association of American Publishers' school division."Is it a trusted source? Is it based on real research?"
Diskey said traditional textbooks offer a comprehensive course, while some open-source texts provide only bits and pieces."There can be quite a difference of content and accuracy," he said."In many cases, you get what you pay for."
The writer's purpose in writing the passage is to ____ .
A.explain how to use digital textbooks |
B.predict the future of paper textbooks |
C.describe the current use of digital textbooks and present arguments about it |
D.explain the difference between paper textbooks and digital ones |
What is Schwarzenegger's opinion of traditional textbooks?
A.He is against getting rid of them. |
B.He wants to have them replaced with digital ones. |
C.Soon they will no longer be used. |
D.He believes that they are to blame for the poor quality of education in California |
Diskey holds the view that .
A.the government shouldn't strengthen the use of open-source digital texts |
B.digital textbooks make up for the shortcomings of traditional textbooks. |
C.paper textbooks and digital ones both have advantages |
D.traditional textbooks have more reliable content |
According to the text, which of the following is TRUE?
A.Math is easier with the use of computers. |
B.It is believed that digital books will replace traditional ones. |
C.Textbook-free classes are the main form of teaching in the US schools. |
D.Not all people are in favor of replacing paper textbooks with digital ones. |
From a very early age,some children exhibit better
self-control than others.Now,a new study that began with about 1,000 children in New Zealand has tracked how a child’s low self-control can predict poor health,money troubles and even a criminal record in their adult years.
Researchers have been studying this group of children for decades now.They observed the level of self-control the youngsters displayed.Parents,teachers,even the kids themselves,scored the youngsters on measures like“acting before thinking”and “Persistence in reaching goals.”
The study led by Moffitt of Duke University and colleagues followed 1,000 children from birth to age 32 in Dunedin,New Zealand.
“The children who had the lowest self-control when they were age three to ten,later on had the most health problems in their 30s,” Moffitt said, “and they had the worst financial situation.They were more likely to have a criminal record and to be raising a child as a single parent on a very low income.”Moffitt explained that self-control problems were widely observed,and weren’t just a feature of a small group of misbehaving kids.
Moffitt said it’s still unclear why some children have better self-control than others,though she said other researchers have found that it’s mostly a learned behavior,with relatively little genetic influence.But good self-control can be set to run in familles because children with good self-control are more likely to grow up to be healthy and prosperous parents.But the good news,Moffitt said,is that self-control can be taught by parents,and through school curricula that have been shown to be effective.
From the first two paragraphs we learn that .
A.the research has been carried out for five years |
B.self-control in kids tends to determine their future |
C.self-control was assessed by children’s intelligence |
D.children’s self-control is almost the same at early age |
Children with low self-control are more likely to .
A.become wealthy in later life | B.get good school performance |
C.have better financial planning | D.adopt negative behaviors |
According to Moffitt, .
A.only good genetic factors can shape their lives in the future |
B.scientists know well why some children have better self-control |
C.self-control in childhood has nothing to do with criminal activity |
D.willpower as a child really influences people’s chances of adulthood |
What can be inferred from the passage?
A.Self-control cannot be taught in schools. |
B.The study is restricted within few participants. |
C.It’s never too late to deal with self-control problems. |
D.Good parenting can improve self-control and life success. |
.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
A.Child’s self control predicts future health,success |
B.Kids are encouraged to take risks at an early age |
C.Children’s development cannot be changed by teachers |
D.How to teach the kids a bit of self-control in schools |
Football is, I believe, the most popular game in England: one has only to go to the important matches to see this. Rich and poor, young and old, one can see them all there, shouting for one side or the other.
To a stranger, one of the most surprising things about football in England is the great knowledge of the game which even the smallest boy seems to have. He can tell you the names of the players in most of the important teams. He will tell you who he expects will win such a match, and his opinion is usually as good as that of men three or four times his age.
Most schools in England take football seriously-much more seriously than nearly all European schools, where lessons are all very important and games are left for the children themselves. In England it is believed that education is not only a matter filling a boy’s mind with facts in the classroom: education also means the training of character; and one of the best ways of training character is by means of games, especially team games; where a boy or girl has to learn to work with others for his or her team, instead of working for oneself alone. The school therefore plans games and matches for its students. Football is a good team game. It is good both for the body and the mind. That’s why it is every school’s game in England.
In passage 1, by “this” the author means ________.
A.people often go to football games. |
B.people, rich and poor, young and old, play football |
C.football is the most popular game in England |
D.people usually shout at each other in a football match |
In England, a boy’s opinion of a match is often ________.
A.three or four times better than that of adults | B.more than that of adults |
C.as good as that of adults | D.worth considering three or four times than adults |
In England, education means_______.
A.filling a boy’s mind with stories | B.more than the teaching of knowledge |
C.the teaching of knowledge only | D.training character by means of football games |
People tend to become more personal and hide less of themselves when using email . Researchers from Open University in Britain have found in a recent study that there are good reasons for this .
The team of researchers asked 83 pairs of students , all strangers to each other , to solve a problem . They had to discuss this question : If only five people in the world could be saved from a world disaster , who should they be ? The pairs of students had to talk over the problem either face to face or by computers . Dr. Johnson said , “They told their partners four times as much about themselves when they talked over the Internet as when they talked face to face . When the computers were fitted with cameras so that students could see each other , this limited the personal side of the conversation.”
Generally the information was not extremely personal . It was mainly about things such as where they went to school, or where they used to live . But some students discussed their love stories , and personal childhood experiences .
Dr. Johnson believes that emailing encourages people to focus on themselves . And when they do this , they become more open , especially if there are no cameras. “If you cannot see the other person, it becomes easier to talk about yourself . This is because you are not thinking what the other person is thinking of you. So emailing has become the modern way of talking,” said Dr. Johnson. However , this style of talking is not entirely new . “In the 19th century people started to use the ‘telegraph’ to communicate . Now the same kind of thing has happened and people ended up speaking more freely .”
Dr. Johnson thinks that emailers need to know about these effects of emailing , especially when they start work in a company . “If you don’t know about it , you could find yourself saying more about yourself than you wanted to .”
The subject discussed in this passage is .
A.how people open up when emailing | B.how people do research studies |
C.how to communicate at work | D.how to discuss and solve a problem |
The reason that some couples talked freely about themselves is that .
A.they didn’t talk about very personal things | B.they couldn’t see each other |
C.the cameras on the computers were turned on | D.they had to discuss a question |
What do the underlined words (in para. 4) refer to ?
A.The telegraph | B.The computer | C.Emailing . | D.Face-to-face talk . |
.In the writer’s opinion , one should .
A.focus on oneself when emailing | B.talk more freely in email than usual |
C.discuss any subject that one wants to | D.consider how one uses email at work |
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