When elephants retire, many head for the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tenn. They arrive one by one, but they tend to live out their lives two-by-two. "Every elephant that comes here searches out someone that she then spends most all of her time with," says sanctuary co-founder Carol Buckley. It's likely having a best girlfriend, Buckley says - "Somebody they can relate to, they have something in common with."
Debbie has Ronnie. Misty can't live without Dulary. Those are pachyderm-pachyderm pairs. But perhaps the closest friends of all are Tarra and Bella. Tarra, an 8,700 pound Asian elephant; Bella, a stray dog, are closest friends.
Bella is one of more than a dozen stray dogs that have found a home at the sanctuary. Most want nothing to do with the elephants and vice versa. But not this odd couple. "Bella knows she's not an elephant. Tarra knows she's not a dog," Buckley adds. "But that's not a problem for them." "When it's time to eat they both eat together. They drink together. They sleep together. They play together," Buckley says.
Tarra and Bella have been close for years — but no one really knew how close they were until recently. A few months ago Bella suffered a spinal cord injury. She couldn't move her legs, couldn't even wag her tail. For three weeks the dog lay motionless up in the sanctuary office. And for three weeks the elephant held vigil: 2,700 acres to roam free, and Tarra just stood in the corner, beside a gate, right outside that sanctuary office. "She just stood outside the balcony - just stood there and waited," says Buckley. "She was concerned about her friend." Then one day, sanctuary co-founder Scott Blais carried Bella onto the balcony so she and Tarra could at least see each other.
"Bella's tail started wagging. And we had no choice but to bring Bella down to see Tarra," Blais says.
They visited like that every day until Bella could walk. Today, their love — and trust — is stronger than ever. Bella even lets Tarra pet her tummy - with the bottom of her enormous foot. They harbor no fears, no secrets, no prejudices. Just two living creatures who somehow managed to look past their immense differences.
Take a good look at this couple, human beings. Take a good look at the world. If they can do it — what's our excuse?The underlined part “Those are pachyderm-pachyderm pairs.” in Para. 2 means ______.
| A．both of the pairs are elephants. |
| B．both of the pairs look strange. |
| C．animals there have different kinds of friends. |
| D．they are friends of the same kind. |
The last paragraph infers that _____________.
| A．different animals can become closest friends. |
| B．people should learn something from each other. |
| C．people all over the world should cooperate. |
| D．People all over the world should become the closest friends. |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Unlikely friends. | B．Lasting friendship. |
| C．Unselfish love. | D．Magic nature. |
The United Nations climate talks in Doha, Qatar, continued into their second week, Wednesday, as delegates from nearly 200 countries struggle to craft a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol, the global agreement on climate change that expires at the end of this month.
The negotiations are deadlocked （陷入僵局）over demands by poorer nations for financial help in coping with climate change.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on delegates at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change to speed up their work on an agreement to address a warming planet.
“Let us be under no illusion（幻想）, this is a crisis, a threat to us all, our economies, our security and the well-being of our children and those who will come after," he said. "No one is immune to climate change, rich or poor.”
Delegates from nearly 200 countries --- rich and poor --- are in Doha to extend the Kyoto Protocol, the 1997 global climate change agreement that expires （到期）at the end of this month, and to begin to forge a new agreement to replace it.
Two issues block the way forward. Developing countries are demanding that industrialized nations fulfill their pledges(保证)under Kyoto to reduce their climate-changing industrial emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and to put new, larger emission curbs on the table.
The developing nations, led by China, are also insisting that rich nations provide more aid to poorer countries to help them cope with the effects of climate change, including rising sea levels and more violent storms.
In Doha Wednesday, Tim Gore, a climate change policy advisor for Oxfam International, a confederation of groups working on social justice issues, applauded efforts by England, Germany and Sweden to increase their climate aid and expects other nations to follow.
“Those announcements are truly welcome. And they shine a spotlight on those that have remained silent: the U.S., Canada, Japan, even Australia," Gore said. "But we need to be very clear as well that those types of announcements made in press conferences can be no substitute for clear commitments in the text that poor countries have come here to negotiate.”What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．China plays an important role in The United Nations climate talks in Doha, Qatar. |
| B．The United Nations climate talks in Doha, Qatar, continued into their second week, Wednesday. |
| C．Developing countries want rich nations to pay for climate change. |
| D．Ban Ki-moon called on delegates at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change to speed up their work on an agreement to address a warming planet. |
What did United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in Paragraph 4 mean?
| A．Climate change will do harm to all the countries in the world. |
| B．There is no hope to deal with the problem. |
| C．Illusion（幻想）is a crisis, a threat to us all. |
| D．Ban Ki-moon called on delegates to cope with a warming planet. |
What does the underlined word in Paragraph Five forge mean?
| A．put aside | B．deal with | C．call off | D．work out |
Which of the following is Not true?
| A．Climate change includes rising sea levels and more violent storms. |
| B．All the industrialized nations will carry out their promises under Kyoto to reduce their climate-changing industrial emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and to put new, larger emission curbs on the table. |
| C．Tim Gore thought highly of the efforts by England, Germany and Sweden to increase their climate aid and expects other nations to follow. |
| D．The U.S., Canada, Japan, even Australia didn’t make announcements to be responsible for the climate changes. |
Cotton farmers in some Indian villages are busily buying Coca-Cola and Pepsi, believing that the sugar in the fizzy(有 泡 沫 的 ) drinks kills pests.
Farmers say scientists advised them to mix pesticides with a sugary juice to control pests, and they found the mixture cheaper and more effective than pure chemicals— although soft drink makers and scientists dismissed the remarks. N. Hamunayya, who has become a famous person in his village in the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, said his crop survived an attack of pests which had resisted other pesticides. “We found that all the colas had uniform effect on pests. The pests became dead and fell to the ground, ”he said. He said the drinks had all the elements they needed : they were cheaper, sticky, fizzy, and attracted ants, which ate the young of the pests. But Thinupathi Reddy, assistant director of the Regional Agri-Research Station, Guntur, says tests had proved such results wrong. “We conducted some field trials on cotton crop at our research station. There was no obvious productivity or destruction of pests, ”he says.
Statements from Pepsi and Coca-Cola said there was “ no scientific basis” for this practice. But their dealers are enjoying increasing sales. Mantan Wall, who sells soft drinks in 17 villages in the region, said sales rose up, thanks to the farmers. “ For the 10 days between August and September I had successful business. Instead of just 30 cases( each containing a dozen one-litre bottles) of cola, I started selling almost 200 cases, ”he said. “ We expected the sales to drop after the news over pesticide residues(残 留 ) in the cola drinks. Now I have to keep extra supply for the cotton farmers, ”he said.
In February, an Indian environment group made a report saying drinks made by Coca-Cola and Pepsi contained pesticides and called for tougher safety standards. The U. S firms strongly rejected the findings of the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment and said their products were safe.The writer’ s purpose of writing this passage is to .
| A．tell an interesting incident |
| B．warn people that some drinks might be dangerous to health |
| C．suggest using Coca-Cola to kill pests. |
| D．announce a new discovery of Coca-Cola |
The drink makers would not accept the fact that their drinks could kill pests because .
| A．they thought it went against science |
| B．they believed that the farmers didn’t tell the truth |
| C．they might fear that it could bring harm to their business |
| D．they insisted that no poison was left in their products |
The underlined part in Para. 3 “ this practice” probably refers to .
| A．testing the mixture |
| B．selling more drinks in India |
| C．mixing the drinks with the pesticide |
| D．attracting ants to eat the young pests |
The drinks can kill pests because .
| A．there is some pesticide left in them |
| B．they are sticky and fizzy |
| C．they have elements that kill pests |
| D．they made the pesticide more effective |
Unemployment in Europe has recently hit record highs. Although Denmark has been protected from economic problems thanks to its low public debt, qualified (有资格的) professionals are still finding it tough to get a job. Danish marketing firm Reputation Copenhagen has come up with a way of helping academics get noticed -- putting them on display (展示) in storefront windows.
Many highly-trained professionals, ranging from former CEOs to lawyers and tax experts, are currently finding it increasingly difficult to find proper employment on the Danish job market. Some of them have been trying for years, leaving their resumes (简历) with dozens of companies, without ever hearing back from them, and are now at a point where they are willing to try anything, even putting themselves in display windows like goods, hoping to get noticed.
Alexander Peitersen, managing director of Reputation Copenhagen, came up with the idea of using his company's office as a storefront for the campaign (活动), as there are many businesses nearby that might be interested in the talents on display. So he set up a small desk, put up the “an available academic is sitting here” sign and asked the unemployed to just sit in the windows like goods. It seems like a pretty desperate measure, but at least it works. According to the agency's website, three of the jobseekers in their window display got a job in a day or two.
Peitersen says he came up with the idea after realizing human resource managers get hundreds of job applications every day, which look more or less the same, and that creative thinking is required in order to increase the chances of finding employment. Apart from companies interested in qualified job-seekers, the campaign has also attracted the attention of both local and international media.Which of the following words can be used to describe Peitersen?
| A．Independent. | B．Creative. | C．Sensitive. | D．Cautious. |
Some job-seekers are willing to put themselves in the windows to display in that ______.
| A．they think it is fashionable |
| B．their parents ask them to |
| C．it’s increasingly difficult to get hired |
| D．they find it’s interesting |
It can be Inferred that ______.
| A．no companies show interest in the qualified job-seekers in the windows |
| B．both local and international media don't agree with the campaign |
| C．human resource managers have to reply to hundreds of applicants |
| D．to some degree the window displays help people find jobs |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．Job-seekers are displayed in the windows hoping to get hired. |
| B．The rate of unemployment in Europe has recently become hitter. |
| C．It is hard for qualified professionals to get a job. |
| D．Denmark has avoided economic problems due to its low public debt. |
What happens inside the skull of a soccer player who repeatedly heads a soccer ball? That question motivated a challenging new study of the brains of experienced players that has caused discussion and debate among soccer players, and some anxiety among those of us with soccer-playing children.
For the study, researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York selected 34 adults, men and women. All of the volunteers had played soccer since childhood and now competed year-round in adult soccer leagues. Each filled out a detailed questionnaire developed especially for this study to determine how many times they had headed a soccer ball in the previous year, as well as whether they had experienced any known concussions (脑震荡) in the past.
Then the players completed computerized tests of their memory and other learning skills and had their brains scanned, using a complicated new M.R.I. technique which can find structural changes in the brain that can’t be seen during most scans.
According to the data they presented at a Radiological Society of North America meeting last month, the researchers found that the players who had headed the ball more than about 1,100 times in the previous 12 months showed significant loss of white matter in parts of their brains involved with memory, attention and the processing of visual information, compared with players who had headed the ball fewer times.
This pattern of white matter loss is “similar to those seen in traumatic (外伤的) brain injury”, like that after a serious concussion, the researchers reported, even though only one of these players was reported to have ever experienced a concussion.
The players who had headed the ball about 1,100 times or more in the past year were also generally worse at recalling lists of words read to them, forgetting or fumbling the words far more often than players who had headed the ball less.The passage is most probably a______.
| A．news report |
| B．research report |
| C．story for soccer players |
| D．text for doctors |
In which way can we find the structural changes in the brain?
| A．Computerized test. | B．Questionnaire.. |
| C．Scanning. | D．M.R.I. technique. |
From the passage we can conclude that frequent heading may have_____.
| A．significant effect on brain |
| B．little effect on one’s brain |
| C．nothing to do with the brain injury |
| D．one’s memory improved |
The underlined word "fumbling" is closest in meaning to______.
| A．remembering | B．misunderstanding |
| C．recalling | D．missing |
As many as 4 out of every 1,000 infants born today have permanent hearing loss. When parents learn that their child has hearing loss, they are faced with many difficult decisions. These decisions can include choosing therapies and schools, as well as finding financial help for hearing aids or cochlear implants (人工耳蜗). Help Me Hear Foundation is a public charity that gives the gift of hearing to deaf children from families existing on very low incomes around the world. The foundation offers life-changing services for impoverished families, and provides real help for children with hearing impairment who may otherwise be left behind in schools or society due to their lack of hearing.
Help Me Hear Foundation believes that a child’s first years of development are critical. Being able to hear is vital to human, and Help Me Hear Foundation seeks to provide a positive lasting impression on society through its programs. Help Me Hear Foundation has many goals, including relieving the burden on communities with hearing-impaired infants and children, and strengthening the social structure of families and neighborhoods.
Recipients of Help Me Hear Foundation’s benefits receive state-of-the-art hearing devices that otherwise would cost thousands of dollars per child over the course of their lifetime. The Foundation raises money through donations for hearing aids and cochlear implants, which saves recipients and their families on average over $50,000 on related expenses.
The Foundation tries to be a transparent charity, and wants to be a catalyst for allowing deaf and hearing-impaired children to develop in a typical fashion alongside their peers.
Needy families can obtain information on specific services, and find out about deafness education by visiting the Help Me Hear Foundation’s website. The website offers helpful information on how hearing aids work, and how hearing aids ease many of the learning and language challenges that hearing-impaired children deal with on a daily basis.Help Me Hear Foundation was probably set up to _____.
| A．build schools for deaf children |
| B．research deaf children’s behavior |
| C．protect deaf children from being ignored |
| D．offer real help to poor deaf children |
We learn from the text that _____.
| A．the local government is in charge of the foundation |
| B．the work of the foundation depends on donations |
| C．even blind children can turn to the foundation |
| D．poor deaf African children cannot get help from the foundation |
Visit the foundation’s website, and you will learn about _____.
| A．the function of hearing aids |
| B．the specific services the foundation needs |
| C．the challenges that children face every day |
| D．the prices of a variety of hearing aids |
For whom is the text most probably written?
| A．Poor parents who have deaf children. |
| B．Doctors who want to improve skills. |
| C．Students who cannot see the blackboard clearly. |
| D．Teachers who have deaf children in their class. |
The author writes the text mainly to _____.
| A．tell how to avoid permanent hearing loss |
| B．explain how hard a life deaf children live |
| C．introduce Help Me Hear Foundation |
| D．advise people to give money to Help Me Hear Foundation |
Note: 1gigawtt =" 1000" megawatts
SAN FRANCISCO — Apple is cleaning up its manufacturing operations in China to reduce the air pollution caused by the factories that have assembled （装配） hundreds of millions of iPhones and iPads during the past eight years.
The world's most valuable company is working with its Chinese suppliers to eventually produce 2.2 gigawatts of solar power and other renewable energy.
The commitment announced Wednesday represents Apple's latest attempt to prevent the popularity of its devices and digital services from increasing the carbon emissions that are widely believed to change the Earth's climate.
Apple Inc. estimates （估计） 20 million tons of greenhouse gas pollution will be avoided as more of its suppliers rely on renewable energy between now and 2020. That's like having four million fewer cars on the road for a year.
Panels capable of generating （生产） about 200 megawatts of solar power will be financed by Apple in the northern, southern and eastern regions of China, where many of its suppliers are located. The company is teaming up with its Chinese suppliers to build the capacity for the remaining 2 gigawatts of renewable energy, which will be a mix of solar, wind and hydroelectric power.
Foxconn, which runs the factory where the most iPhones are assembled, is pledging to contribute 400 megawatts of solar power as part of the 2-gigawatt commitment. The solar panels to be built by 2018 in China's Henan Province are supposed to produce as much renewable energy as Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory consumes while making iPhones.
Apple has made protecting the environment a higher priority since Tim Cook replaced the late Steve Jobs as the company's CEO four years ago.
"Climate change is one of the great challenges of our time, and the time for action is now," Cook said in a statement. "The transition to a new green economy requires innovation, ambition and purpose."
Apple just completed projects in China that generate 40 megawatts of solar energy to cover the power required by its 24 stores and 19 offices in the country. All of Apple's data centers, offices and stores in the U.S. already have been running on renewable energy.
"When you look at all the air pollution in China, all the manufacturing that is done there has a lot to do with it, so this is a significant step in the right direction," said Gary Cook, a senior analyst for Greenpeace, a group devoted to protecting the environment.
Apple also has a financial motivation to help make China a better place to live. The greater China region is Apple's second biggest market behind the U.S. Tim Cook has made it clear that he wants the company to make even more progress as rising incomes enable more of China's population to buy smart phones and other gadgets.
Apple can easily afford to go green. The company had $203 billion in cash at the end of June. This story has been reflected to correct that Apple and its suppliers haven't set a timetable for producing the 2.2 gigawatts of renewable energy in China.The commitment announced Wednesday shows that ______.
| A．Apple wanted to change its public image eagerly |
| B．Apple wanted to contribute to protecting the environment |
| C．Apple wanted to cut down its expenses by using renewable energy |
| D．Apple wanted to stop the popularity of its product from polluting the environment |
It is estimated that with Apple's new commitment, ______.
| A．There will be four million fewer cars on the road for a year |
| B．20 billion tons of greenhouse gas pollution will be avoided |
| C．Much of its greenhouse gas pollution will be avoided between now and 2020 |
| D．China will become Apple's second biggest market behind the US |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Apple has enough cash in store for switching to renewable energy supply. |
| B．The 2 gigawatts of renewable energy will be a mix of solar, wind and electric power. |
| C．Apple's data centers, offices and stores already have been running on renewable energy. |
| D．Apple will eventually produce 2.2 gigawatts of solar power and other renewable energy. |
What is Gary Cook's attitude towards Apple's commitment?
| A．Optimistic | B．Supportive |
| C．Doubtful | D．Indifferent |
Where is this passage probably taken from?
| A．A science report. | B．A textbook. |
| C．An advertisement. | D．A newspaper. |
Hello, Listeners. Welcome to Henton Hospital Radio. Before our music programme at four, I’m going to repeat some of our hospital rules.
The hospital can sleep 800 patients. There’re 8 beds in each ward (病房). The visiting hours are in the afternoon from 2:30 to 3:30 and in the evening from 7:00 to 8:00. But remember only two people can see you at the same time. Sorry about that, but you can see what would happen if we didn’t have these rules.
The other rules are about our hours. We start quite early---you might not be used to that. We wake you at 6 o’clock, and breakfast is at 8 o’clock, lunch is at noon.
There’s tea at 3:30 and supper is at 6 o’clock.
You can see the non-smoking sign---we don’t allow smoking in the wards. I’m sure you understand why. However, if you do need to smoke, there are some smoking rooms where it is allowed.
You will find the radio switch on the wall near your bed, with your own headphones, if you want to listen. It’s our own hospital radio wishing you a quick recovery.Who do you think the listeners might be?
| A．Patients. | B．Visitors. |
| C．Doctors | D．Nurses |
Which is Not allowed in the hospital?
| A．Listening to the hospital radio. |
| B．Visiting patients in the morning. |
| C．Smoking in smoking-rooms. |
| D．Getting up early in the morning. |
What programme will follow this radio talk?
| A．Hospital rules. | B．A weather report. |
| C．A free talk. | D．A music programme. |
MUMBAI – Indian commandos battled into the early hours of Friday to end a multiple hostage crisis in Mumbai after suspected Islamic militants killed 125 people across the city．
Officials said they had almost totally cleared the luxury Taj Mahal hotel where gunmen had been held up for more than 24 hours．
Indian security forces personnel released hostages from Nariman House in Mumbai．Thirty-nine people were rescued from the five-star Oberoi hotel, where "mopping up（清理火场）" operations were still underway, police said．
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the militants had come from "outside the country．”
The Press Trust of India said one Pakistani militant had been arrested, although Pakistan's government fiercely denied any involvement．
Indian media reports said between six and nine foreign nationals were among the dead in Mumbai -- including a Japanese businessman, an Australian, a Briton , a German and an Italian．
At least five gunmen had been shot dead and one captured, police said．Fourteen security personnel were also killed, including the head of Mumbai's anti-terror squad．
To draw maximum international attention, the militants used small groups to attack a total of about a dozen targets in India's financial hub , including the main railway station, a hospital and a restaurant popular with tourists．
An unknown group calling itself the Deccan Mujahedeen claimed responsibility, with one gunman telling an Indian TV channel by phone that the outfit（装备）was of Indian origin and motivated by the treatment of Indian Muslims．
Up to 327 people were reported wounded．
The main Bombay Stock Exchange was closed until further notice, as were shops, schools and businesses．
Prime Minister Singh said the aim had clearly been to spread panic by choosing high profile（知名度高的）targets and "indiscriminately（随心所欲地）killing foreigners．"
Witnesses said the gunmen had been very particular in their choice of hotel hostages．"They said they wanted anyone with British and American passports," said one British guest at the Taj Mahal hotel．The following statements are NOT true except ________．
| A．thirty-nine hostages were rescued from the Taj Mahal Hotel |
| B．fourteen gunmen were killed in Nariman House |
| C．the target of the attack was obviously on Britons and Americans |
| D．an American was among the killed foreigners |
The best title of this passage can be _______．
| A．Hostages Released by Indian Commandos |
| B．Mumbai Under Terrorist Attack |
| C．Islamic Militants Attacking Westerners in Mumbai |
| D．Unfortunate Britons and Americans in Mumbai |
The Hunan Satellite TV (HNTV) show “Where are we going, Dad?” is a big hit. Many famous stars brought their children to a strange village alone, and they had to spend 72 hours with their children there. The program fully showed us a modern version of the “how to be a good father”. As the young parents today are too busy to take care of their children, this new form of“Lost on the way”played by nanny (保姆式的) daddy and cute kids triggered（触发）a lot of people’s emotional resonance（共鸣）. Both the kids and their parents will find that their hearts are being drawn closer. But this kind of feeling has just proved that there is a big spiritual barrier between the modern parents and children.
The TV shows like “Children are hard to support!”, “Where are we going, Dad?”, “hot mom” and “cute kids” are becoming more and more popular. All of these show the new parents’ confusion in children’s education and the appeal for the balance between career and family.
In real life, on the one hand, the young parents feel helpless because they are too busy to accompany their children under the pressures of work and life; on the other hand, they continue to do so. The data collected by HNTV show that nearly two-thirds of their audience are female, among whom 36% are aged from 25 to 34. We can imagine such a scene that one evening a young mother is watching the show with her young children, while her husband is still at work or trapped in socializing, or maybe is just playing computer games in the bedroom. The story of a child without the company of father is still going on. In fact, it is sometimes the same to mothers. In a modern family, it is often the old who take the responsibility for raising a child. The participation of mother in the children’s education is also very low.
It is just this kind of confusion where the parents have gone in the modern family education, and where the parents will guide their children to go that “Where are we going, Dad?” shows us. If a child wants to grow up healthily and safely into a modern citizen with independent personality and free spirit, it is very important for him or her to follow the parents who serve as their first teacher. Maybe this is the real reason why such kind of TV programs could get hot. The truth is that children will go where their parents go, and society will go where the children go.Which of the following can be inferred in the passage?
| A．Parents shouldn’t entirely leave the education of children to the old. |
| B．36% of the audience of the program are female aged from 25-34. |
| C．The program shows us the confusion where the parents and children will go to play. |
| D．In a modern family it is often mothers who are responsible for raising a child. |
In raising a child in modern society, parents should ________.
| A．play computer games with their children |
| B．break down the barrier between children and teachers |
| C．balance well between family and career |
| D．keep their children at home to avoid socializing |
What attitude towards modern family education does the author express in the passage?
| A．Optimistic. | B．Proud. |
| C．Negative. | D．Worried |
Which one is the best title of the passage?
| A．Confusion behind “Where are we going, dad?” |
| B．Modern Education is Important |
| C．Nanny Daddy and Cute Kids |
| D．New Problems in Modern Children’s Education |
Last Friday a storm swept through two villages in the New Territories，destroying fourteen homes. Seven others were so badly damaged that their owners had to leave them，and fifteen others had broken windows or broken roofs. One person was killed，several were badly hurt and taken to hospital，and a number of other people received smaller hurt. Altogether over two hundred people were homeless after the storm.
A farmer，Mr. Tan，said that the storm began early in the morning and lasted for over an hour.
“I was eating with my wife and children，”he said，“When we heard a loud noise. A few minutes later our house fell down on top of us. We tried our best to climb out but then I saw that one of my children was missing. I went back inside and found him，safe but very frightened.”
Mrs. Woo Mei Fong said that her husband had just left for work when she felt that her house was moving. She ran outside at once with her children.
“There was no time to take anything，”she said，“A few minutes later，the roof came down.”
Soldiers helped to take people out of the flooded area and the welfare department （福利机构） brought them food，clothes and shelter. How many homes altogether were damaged in the storm？
| A．Fourteen | B．Twenty-one |
| C．Twenty-nine | D．Thirty-six |
Where was Mr. Tan when the storm first began？
| A．He was in bed. | B．He was inside the house. |
| C．He was outside the house. | D．He was on the roof. |
The underlined word “shelter” in this passage means ______.
| A．something to eat | B．something to wear |
| C．somewhere to study | D．somewhere to stay |
Which of he following may be the best title for this passage？
| A．A Terrible Storm | B．A Lucky Woman |
| C．Good Soldiers | D．Clever People |
The Washington post – NASA’s newest space habitat looks sort of like a kids’ moon bonce, a big, bright, inflatable globe that could be lots of fun to play in. Soon astronauts on the International Space Station could get the chance to try . The expandable habitat made by Bigelow Aerospace recently passed NASA’s strict certification requirements and is scheduled to be flown to the station in September.
Called the BEAM ( Bigelow Expandable Activity Module), the habitat would be attached to the space station, where it would stay for two years. While there, it would be tested to see how it handles the rigors of space – the radiation, the station’s movement and even how it stands up to the debris (碎片) flying around in orbit.
The private Las Vegas company, founded by millionaire real estate mogul(地产大亨) Robert Bigelow, won a $17.8 million contract from NASA to provide the module to the space station.
“Today is the first step, but it’s a big step,” said Bigelow’s George Zamka. Replace the space station or make it larger. It also hopes to build the habitats on the moon. Its B330 module would be even bigger, with 330 cubic meters of internal (内部的 ) space. The modules could be connected. Creating research facilities, the company says, or even space hotels.
In an interview ,NASA’s William Gerstenmaier, said he was eager to see how the module performs , and said he was especially pleased “ to see how the private sector can step up and help us meet our requirements.” The module will be flown to the space station by SpaceX, the first commercial company to resupply the space station.
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．NASA’s space habitats flown to the station. |
| B．NASA’s space habitat it the station. |
| C．NASA’s new expandable space habitat. |
| D．NASA’s newest inflatable globe. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．NASA’s newest space habitat is a kids’ moon bounce. |
| B．Astronauts of Bigelow Aerospace could get the chance to try the space habitat. |
| C．NASA was founded by Robert Bigelow. |
| D．The B330 module to be built on the moon would be with an inside space of 330 cubic meters. |
The underlined word “rigors” in Paragraph 2 refers to “_________”.
| A．difficulties | B．environments |
| C．movements | D．changes |
The passage is most probably taken from ________.
| A．a newspaper | B．a booklet |
| C．a magazine | D．a science fiction |
C
NEWS BRIEF
● "New labels to show calories
The US government ruled that all food establishments(场所) should put the calorie information of their foods on their menus. Within a year chain restaurants, like fast food KFC, will have to say clearly on their menus how many calories their fried chicken wings, fries, and other items contain. Amusement parks, movie theaters and supermarkets will also have to follow the rules. The move is designed to fight against the problem of obesity(肥胖) in the US.
● Antibiotics leading to world problem
The entire world is facing this problem; antibiotic resistance. And the resistance will lead to the deaths of 10 million people across the world by 2025, predicted a new report released by the UK government. Antibiotics are used to destroy or slow the growth of harmful bacteria in our bodies. But overuse and misuse of them can encourage bacteria to develop new ways of overcoming antibiotics, which makes it increasingly difficult for humans to fight diseases.
●___________________________________
Australia is the world's most expensive destination for international students, according to a study done by Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC). They have to spend an average of $ 42,000 ( about 258 ,000 yuan) a year to study at Australian universities. Singapore is not far behind, with an average yearly cost of $ 39,229, followed by the US at $ 36,564 and the UK at 35,045. However, Australia's education quality only ranks joint fourth with Canada, well below the US, the UK, and Germany. In addition, international students studying in Germany only have to pay about one-sixth the cost of studying in Australia.
● New Games sports may be added
The International Olympic Committee has canceled the 28-sportcap for future summer Olympics But each summer Games will still only be allowed 10, 500 athletes and 310 events. Countries that could host the games will discuss plans with the committee during a new invitation stage before bidding. They are also allowed to hold events outside their own countries and get financial support from the committee. No changes will be introduced for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.The news brief covers ______________.
| A．medicine, disaster, finance, events |
| B．health, medicine, education, sports |
| C．service, health, education, events |
| D．business, medicine, economy, sports |
The underlined word "antibiotics" in Line 7 refers to ___________.
| A．serious diseases |
| B．varieties of resistance |
| C．harmful bacteria |
| D．medical drugs |
Which of the following fits in the blank best in the news brief?
| A．Australian study most expensive |
| B．The cost of studying overseas |
| C．International students in Australia |
| D．Australia's education quality |
Which of the following statements is best supported by the news brief?
| A．Some events may be held outside the host country in future summer Olympics |
| B．It is Australia's best education quality that will cause students to make a wise choice. |
| C．It is necessary for the UK government to try hard to encourage using lots of antibiotics. |
| D．Popcorn sold in cinemas in the world will soon have calorie information labels. |
FIVE Americans swept the three Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology (生理学) or Medicine last week. It was the first American sweep of the Nobel science prizes since 1983.
It’s rare for Americans not to receive any of the science prizes, especially in recent years. In 2004, seven Americans were among the 10 laureates (获奖者) for the science prizes. Last year, the figure was five out of 10.
The huge sums of money invested in scientific research is one factor that has helped many Americans to win awards. Another reason is the vast number of researchers working in the US. American universities also often have a more “creative university environment”where people can focus on research for a long period without any pressure, said Anders Liljas, member of the Nobel Committee.
New hope for AIDS patients?
AMERICAN scientists Craig Mello (top) of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Andrew Fire (above) of Stanford University School of Medicine won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine last Monday. Their discovery is a process that researchers hope to use to silence disease-causing genes (基因). It offers new ways for disease treatment.
Scientists now hope to develop a new technique that could be used to treat diseases, such as cancers, AIDS and Parkinson’s disease.
Like father, like son?
AS the son of a Nobel Prize winning professor, Roger D. Kornberg (left) had a lot to live up to. But, nearly half a century after his father, won his award, Kornberg, 59, a Stanford University professor, won his own last Wednesday: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry. His research into how cells read their genes is very important. It could help lead to the development of new drugs to fight cancer (癌症), heart disease and other illnesses, experts said.
First light of the universe
TWO Americans won the Nobel Prize in Physics last Tuesday for measuring the oldest light in the heavens. It is considered as “one of the greatest discoveries of the century”. It convinced (使确信) scientists that the Big Bang theory (大爆炸理论) of the universe’s origin is correct. George F. Smoot (top), 61, of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, and John C. Mather (above), 60, of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre, will share the US$1.4 million prize for their work. Beginning in 1989, they measured weak light that originated (源于) as early as 380,000 years after the Big Bang.What does the underlined word “swept” in Paragraph 1 mean ?
| A．cleaned by brushing | B．crossed completely |
| C．spread quickly | D．took each of the winning |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Craig Mello and Andrew Fire have found the way to cure cancers, AIDS and Parkinson’s disease.
B. Roger D. Kornberg’s father once won a Nobel Prize.
C. George F. Smoot will get US$1.4 million prize for his work.
D. Roger D. Kornberg is the youngest of the Nobel Prize owners of this time.The passage is probably taken from________.
| A．a science report | B．a news report |
| C．a history lecture | D．an advertisement |
The end of the World Cup does not mean the end of international competition, in Brazil this year. A major football event will happen in the South American country later this month, but with teams of robots playing the game, which is known as soccer in the United States. The robot teams are guided by teams of humans from around the world. The event is known as RoboCup.
Technology students at the University of Pennsylvania are trying for their fourth victory at the competition, which is held this year in the coastal city Joao Pessoa. The students have won the last three RoboCup competitions.
Watching robots play football is similar to watching children play the game. The kicks are not good, there's a lot of falling down, and people are there to guide and support the team members. Jian Qiao Li is one of the leaders of the University of Pennsylvania team.
He says one goal he has for the robot team is to make sure the machines can find the goal and the ball. He also wants the robots to be able to know where they are on the playing field. And he wants the team to be able to better control the walking and kicking abilities of the robots.
Qin He is another leader of the robot team. She says the abilities of the robots increase every year. Ms. He says the US team is meeting its goals. The robots know the differences between the colors green and red, and they can decide where to go and where the ball is on the playing field. She says if there are three robot players on the field at the same time, they will communicate with each other to decide the different responsibilities for each robot.
U. S. Team member Christopher Akatusuka hopes for another victory in Brazil. The team has won the RoboCup the past three years in the Netherlands, Mexico and Turkey.
“They have every good team player right now. As long as their detection is good, I think they'll be very competitive; we just hope to compete against the real good German teams eventually, because the Germans always do very well, ” says Akatsuka.
Mr Akatsuka says RoboCup is an exciting technology competition.
“Each team develops their own software; basically it's a competition of who has the best software, who has the best decision—making at a given point... it’s really exciting, ” says Akatsuka.
The event begins July 19th and ends July 25th. Some RoboCup participants hope to develop a team of robots that can play against humans by 2050.According to the first paragraph, Robocup _____.
| A．is held every four years |
| B．is played by robots |
| C．is a symbol of World Cup's ending |
| D．is a celebration of World Cup |
The robots' performance of playing the game is _______ .
| A．marvelous | B．awkward |
| C．flexible | D．awesome |
The same goal for the robots that Jian Qiao Li and Qin He mention is _______ .
| A．to locate the ball | B．to communicate with each other |
| C．to play at will | D．to distinguish colors |
Akatsuka's final hope for his robot team is ______ .
| A．to invent the best software |
| B．to win the championship in Brazil |
| C．to make the best decision |
| D．to compete with humans |
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