The Norwegian Government is doing its best to keep the oil industry under control. A new law limits exploration to an area south of the southern end of the long coastline; production limits have been laid down (though these have already been raised); and oil companies have not been allowed to employ more than a limited number of foreign workers. But the oil industry has a way of getting over such problems, and few people believe that the Government will be able to hold things back for long. As one Norwegian politician said last week: “ We will soon be changed beyond all recognition.”
Ever since the war, the Government has been carrying out a program of development in the area north of the Arctic Circle. During the past few years this program has had a great deal of success. Tromso has been built up into a local capital with a university, a large hospital and a healthy industry. But the oil industry has already started to draw people south, and within a few years the whole northern policy could be in ruins.
The effects of the oil industry would not be limited to the north, however. With nearly 100 percent employment, everyone can see a situation developing in which the service industries and the tourist industry will lose more of their workers to the oil industry. Some smaller industries might even disappear altogether when it becomes cheaper to buy goods from abroad.
The real argument over oil is its threat to the Norwegian way of life. Farmers and fishermen do not make up most of the population, but they are an important part of it, because Norwegians see in them many of the qualities that they regard with pride as essentially Norwegian. And it is the farmers and the fishermen who are most critical of the oil industry because of the damage that it might cause to the countryside and to the sea.
The Norwegian Government would prefer the oil industry to ______.
A.provide more jobs for foreign workers |
B.slow down the rate of its development |
C.sell the oil it is producing abroad |
D.develop more quickly than at present |
The Norwegian Government has tried to ______.
A.encourage the oil companies to discover new oil sources |
B.prevent oil companies employing people from northern Norway |
C.help the oil companies solve many of their problems |
D.keep the oil industry to something near its present size |
According to the passage, the oil industry might lead northern Norway to ______.
A.the development of industry |
B.a growth in population |
C.the failure of the development program |
D.the development of new towns |
In the south, one effect to the development of the oil industry might be ______.
A.a large reduction on unemployment |
B.a growth in the tourist industry |
C.a reduction in the number of existing industries |
D.the development of a number of service industries |
Norwegian farmers and fishermen have an important influence because ______.
A.they form such a large part of Norwegian ideal |
B.their lives and values represent the Norwegian ideal |
C.their work is so useful to the rest of Norwegian society |
D.they regard oil as a threat to the Norwegian way of life |
A new pollen (花粉) study showed that drought was responsible for the extinction of civilizations more than 3,000 years ago during the Bronze Age.
The reason behind why the civilizations in and around modern-day Israel suddenly broke down more than 3,000 years ago has remained a mystery up until now. A new pollen study by Tel Aviv University researchers finally solved this Bronze Age mystery.
Prof. Israel Finkelstein showed that owing to serious climate changes, the entire world of the Bronze Age crumbled in a short period of time. The discovery was made on the basis of a high-resolution analysis of pollen grains taken from sediments (沉淀物) beneath the Sea of Galilee and the western shore of the Dead Sea.
Prof. Finkelstein received support from the European Research Council to conduct research aimed at reconstructing ancient Israel. Researchers of the part of the project that dealt with climate change extracted (提取) about 60 feet of samples of gray muddy sediment from the center of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. They had to drill through 1,000 feet of water and into 65 feet of the lake bed and were able to recover evidence dating over the past 9,000 years.
“Pollen is the most enduring organic material in nature,” explained Dr. Dafna Langgut, a pollen researcher who carried out the actual work of sampling. “These grains tell us about the plants that grew near the lake in the past and therefore prove the climatic conditions in the region.”
Researchers noted a sharp decrease in Mediterranean trees like oaks and pines in the Late Bronze Age. According to study experts, this could be because of repeated periods of drought. The droughts may have resulted in long famines, forcing people to migrate from north to south.
The underlined word “crumbled” in Paragraph 3 means _____.
A.settled | B.changed |
C.established | D.disappeared |
Prof. Finkelstein conducted the new pollen study to _____.
A.earn some money |
B.recreate ancient Israel |
C.learn more about local plants |
D.discover the ancient civilizations |
By conducting the study, scientists found _____.
A.Mediterranean trees were rare in the Early Bronze Age |
B.climate change was to blame for the lost civilization |
C.people in the Late Bronze Age starved to death |
D.droughts were rare during the Bronze Age |
The text is most probably taken from _____.
A.a travel magazine | B.a history textbook |
C.a newspaper report | D.an agricultural book |
It is generally believed that we are getting cleaned when we step under a shower. We are, but we’re also giving a home to lots of tiny little creatures we didn’t even know about. A showerhead carries thousands of bacteria called Mycobacterium.These can cause problems like coughs and tiredness, and a general feeling of poorliness (身体不舒服). When you turn on the water, the bacteria go from the showerhead onto and into your body.
This is a finding of Norman R. Pace and his team at the University of Colorado, in the US. The scientists investigated bacteria in all kinds of human environment, including showers.Pace's team looked at 45 showerheads in nine American cities. They discovered that 30 percent of them had large amounts of flying Mycobacterium.
But Pace said that they pose few threats to the health.Only those with a weak immune system might need to worry.He told the New York Times that the bacteria are not as unpleasant as might be thought.He said that having a shower is no more dangerous than anything else we do in the morning.
But for those who feel sick about the idea of all those microorganisms (微生物), he had some advice. Let the water run for 30 seconds before getting into the shower. Why? The number of bacteria is smaller than that when the water is just turned on. If that seems like a waste of water, he added that you could also change your showerhead every few months.
However, Pace had good news too. He has also been testing the air in US subways. Apart from iron particles (粒子), which are ground off the track by the wheels of trains, subway air is fresh. The reason is that a train’s movement pumps fresh outdoor air into the tunnels.
Pace explained that he wanted to understand the natural microbial environments of public places. This kind of knowledge might help discover the microbes to be used in a bioterrorist (生物恐怖分子) attack.
From the finding of Norman R. Pace, after taking a shower, we might cough or feel tired because .
A.it’s easy to get a cold when taking a bath |
B.the showerhead carries many bacteria causing illness |
C.we don’t get cleaned while showering |
D.we don’t get a weak immune system |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A.Hot water could kill most of bacteria in showerheads. |
B.Of 45 showerheads surveyed in nine cities, 30 carried large amounts of Mycobacterium. |
C.Changing showerheads is the only way to avoid microorganisms. |
D.Shower water contains much less bacteria after being left to run for 30 seconds. |
We can learn from the third paragraph that .
A.having a shower in the morning is more dangerous than at other time |
B.the bacteria always threat people’s health |
C.there is no reason to fear microorganisms for people with strong immune system |
D.it is better to do some exercise in the morning than have a shower |
The underlined word “pose” in the third paragraph probably means “______”.
A.cause | B.avoid | C.describe | D.promise |
What contributes to fresh air in US subways?
A.The train’s movement. | B.Iron particles. |
C.Train wheels. | D.Air conditioners on the trains. |
Cities need to put efforts to deal with pollution and clear the air.
Chinese cities will need to put efforts to clear up the sky when a new department to improve regional air quality is set up by 2015, according to the latest plan released by the State Council.
Besides the existing pollution control program for SO2, regional emission caps (区域排放上限) for other certain chemicals will be established in the three key air polluting areas— the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Coal-consumption caps will also be tried out in some areas, according to the plan.
“The plan is aimed at dealing with regional air pollution—such as acid rain and smog—which have become increasingly obvious in China in recent years and caused a severe threat to people’s health,” Zhang Lijun, vice-minister of environmental protection, said in an interview on Monday.
“The air quality in a city affects the regions nearby because pollutants (污染物) Can travel through the atmosphere,” said Chai Fahe, vice-director of Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences.
“So efforts to reduce air pollution in a single city, targeting a certain pollutant will not be enough,” Chai said.
Zhang said, “The country’s major industrial districts—the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region—have recorded more than 100 misty days annually in recent years.”
These three regions, home to at least 200 million people, occupy only 6. 3 percent of the country’s area but consume 40 percent of the country’s coal and produce half of its steel, according to official figures.
Studies also show that the visibility (能见度) in eastern regions of China has dropped by 7 to 15 km compared to that in the early 1960s, as a result of air pollution.
Liaoning province, the Shandong Peninsula, Wuhan in Hubei province and its surrounding area, the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan region in Hunan province, the Chengdu-Chongqing region, and the western coast of the Taiwan Straits are also listed as areas to carry out such regional air pollution control programs, according to the plan.
The new plan also requires an improved air quality system, which will measure the pollution levels. “The current system, which only measures some major pollutants, cannot reflect the true picture.” said Chai.
It will not be enough to reduce air pollution in a single city because .
A.air pollution has been becoming more and more serious in recent years |
B.air pollution like acid rain and smog is threatening people’s health |
C.air pollutants in a city can travel in the sky and affect nearby areas |
D.air pollutants stay in fixed places over the cities |
. Suppose the visibility in eastern regions of China was 130 km in the early 1960s, the visibility there nowadays is .
A.123 to 115 km | B.137 to 145 km |
C.123 to 145 km | D.115 to 137 km |
. The main purpose of the passage is .
A.to inform readers of the damage caused by air pollution |
B.to introduce the new plan to control air pollution |
C.to provide official figures of air pollution levels |
D.to point out the regions affected by air pollution |
. What does the underlined phrase“the true picture”in the last paragraph mean?
A.The major pollutants. |
B.The key polluted areas. |
C.The major polluted cities. |
D.The pollution levels. |
A father with Parkinson's disease was arrested as he watched the Olympic cycling road race because he failed to smile or look as if he was enjoying himself.
Mark Worsfold, a martial arts trainer and former soldier, claims that he was thrown to the floor and handcuffed just as cyclists passed by. His worried wife Nicola only found out he was being held after she reported him missing when he did not turn up for their daughter's ninth birthday party. The 54yearold man had his fingerprints, DNA and mugshot taken before being questioned about why he did not appear to be enjoying the event on July 28. Police said Mr. Worsfold, who was held for over five hours, was arrested because of his manner,his state of dress and his being too near to the course. A spokesman added that the arrest was necessary to avoid a breach(破坏) of the peace because he was standing near a group of protesters(抗议者).
But Mr. Worsfold, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2010, said that one of the symptoms of the disease is muscle rigidity, which can cause his face to become expressionless. “I was sitting minding my own business”, he told a local newspaper. “Before I knew anything the police grabbed me off this sevenfoot wall, threw me to the floor and handcuffed me, so all I saw of the cycle race was between the feet of people from the pavement. It could have been done better. I was arrested for not smiling. I have Parkinson's disease.”
Mr. Worsfold has since asked for a letter of not being guilty from police. The officers who made the arrest have apologized to him.
Which word can be used to replace the underlined word “mugshot” in the second paragraph?
A.Clothes. | B.Photos. | C.Measures. | D.Tools. |
Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Worsfold's wife was immediately informed of his being arrested by the police. |
B.Worsfold was arrested because he was extremely dangerous. |
C.Worsfold enjoyed the cycle race though he saw it between the feet of people from the pavement. |
D.Worsfold was arrested because of his clothes as well as his facial expression. |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.The officers must have been punished for Worsfold's arrest. |
B.Worsfold has an expressionless face and probably looks strong. |
C.The officers apologized to Worsfold after one day's arrest. |
D.Worsfold was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years ago. |
It was reported last week that developers could take photos from Apple mobile and Google Android devices without the phone owners knowing that the images were being taken. In Apple’s case, developers can also obtain the location information for each photo.
Senator(参议员) Charles Schumer said in a telephone interview that his office had spoken with officials at both Apple and Google on Monday.
“We asked them if they could find a way on their own to prevent Apple from having access to private information,” Mr. Schumer said. “They were friendly and open to the idea that this ought to be changed.”
On Sunday, Mr. Schumer said that he planned to send a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking the agency to investigate Apple and Google after the privacy concerns came to light. Claudia Bourne Farrell, an F.T.C. spokeswoman, said the agency had received the letter but she could not comment further.
“It worries people to think that one’s personal photos, address book, and who knows what else can be obtained and even posted online without permission,” Mr. Schumer wrote in his letter to the F. T.C. “If the technology exists to open the door to this kind of privacy invasion, then surely technology exists to close it, and that’s exactly what must happen.”
Mr. Schumer said if Apple and Google could not come to an agreement to fix the problem, then he would be forced to take the issue further.
He said other companies had been willing to work with his office to fix issues. “I’m optimistic that we can get this changed without any regulation,” he said. “If it’s not changed, then we’ll turn to the F.T.C., and if that doesn’t work then we’ll consider legislative approach.”
The F.T.C. has warned companies to try to be more vigilant(警醒的) in their efforts to protect consumers when it comes to privacy.
The senators spoke with officials at both Apple and Google_______.
A.to urge them not to invade consumers’ privacy. |
B.to discuss whether it is illegal to have access to private information. |
C.to stop them from developing the technology of taking photos. |
D.to keep them from obtaining the location information for each photo. |
Which of the following statements is True?
A.Privacy invasion from Apple has existed for a long time. |
B.Mr. Schumer takes the privacy concerns caused by Apple and Google seriously. |
C.Privacy invasion from Google has existed for a long time. |
D.Apple and Google have decided to make a change. |
Mr. Schumer’s letter to the F.T.C. mainly shows that the technology to open the door to privacy invasion_______.
A. causes privacy invasion to happen frequently.
B. can be used if permitted.
C. causes people to worry about the safety of their personal information.
D. causes personal information to be posted online without permission.
Where can we read about the passage?
A.In a newspaper. | B.In a magazine. |
C.In a science report. | D.In a textbook. |
You have probably heard of the Mozart effect. It’s the idea that if children or even babies listen to music composed by Mozart, they will become more intelligent. A quick Internet search reveals plenty of products to assist you in the task. Whatever your age there are CDs and books to help you taste the power of Mozart’s music, but when it comes to scientific evidence that it can make you more clever, the picture is more mixed.
The phrase “the Mozart effect” was made up in 1991, but it was a study described two years later in the journal Nature that sparked real media and public interest about the idea that listening to classical music somehow improves the brain. It is one of those ideas that sound reasonable. Mozart was undoubtedly a genius himself; his music is complex and there is a hope that if we listen to enough of it ,we’ll become more intelligent.
The idea took off, with thousands of parents playing Mozart to their children, and in 1998 Zell Miller, the Governor of the state of Georgia in the US, even asked for money to be set aside in the state budget so that every newborn baby could be sent a CD of classical music. It was not just babies and children who were exposed to Mozart’s music on purpose, even an Italian farmer proudly explained that the cows were played Mozart three times a day to help them to produce better milk.
I’ll leave the debate on the impact on milk yield to farmers, but what about the evidence that listening to Mozart makes people more intelligent? More research was carried out but an analysis of sixteen different studies confirmed that listening to music does lead to a temporary improvement in the ability to handle shapes mentally, but the benefits are short-lived and it doesn’t make us more intelligent.
What can we learn from paragraph 1?
A.Mozart composed many musical pieces for children. |
B.Children listening to Mozart will be more intelligent. |
C.There are few products on the Internet about Mozart’s music. |
D.There is little scientific evidence to support Mozart effect. |
Why did many people believe in the idea of Mozart Effect?
A.Because a study described it in the journal Nature. |
B.Because Mozart himself was a genius. |
C.Because Mozart’s music is enjoyable. |
D.Because Mozart’s music makes people relaxed. |
The underlined sentence in paragraph3 suggests that .
A.people were strongly against the idea |
B.the idea was accepted by many people |
C.Mozart played an important part in people’s life |
D.the US government helped promote the idea |
What is the author’s attitude towards the Mozart effect?
A.Favorable | B.Objective |
C.Doubtful | D.Positive |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Listening to Mozart , necessary? | B.What music is beneficial? |
C.What is the Mozart effect? | D.To be or not to be? |
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 |
Police fired tear gas and arrested more than 5,000 passively resisting protestors Friday in an attempt to break up the largest antinuclear demonstration ever staged in the United States. More than 135,000 demonstrators confronted police on the construction site of a 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant scheduled to provide power to most of southern New Hampshire. Organizers of the huge demonstration said, the protest was continuing despite the police actions. More demonstrators were arriving to keep up the pressure on state authorities to cancel the project. The demonstrator had charged that the project was unsafe in the densely populated area, would create thermal pollution in the bay, and had no acceptable means for disposing of its radioactive wasters. The demonstrations would go on until the jails and the courts were so overloaded that the state judicial system would collapse.
Governor Stanforth Thumper insisted that there would be no reconsideration of the power project and no delay in its construction set for completion in three years. “This project will begin on time and the people of this state will begin to receive its benefits on schedule. Those who break the law in misguided attempts to sabotage the project will be dealt with according to the law,” he said. And police called in reinforcements from all over the state to handle the disturbances.
The protests began before dawn Friday when several thousand demonstrators broke through police lines around the cordoned-off construction site. They carried placards that read “No Nukes is Good Nukes,” “Sunpower, Not Nuclear Power,” and “Stop Private Profits from Public Peril.” They defied police order to move from the area. Tear gas canisters fired by police failed to dislodge the protestors who had come prepared with their own gas masks or facecloths. Finally gas-masked and helmeted police charged into the crowd to drag off the demonstrators one by one. The protestors did not resist police, but refused to walk away under their own power. Those arrested would be charged with unlawful assembly, trespassing, and disturbing the peace.
What were the demonstrators protesting about?
[A] Private profits.
[B]Nuclear Power Station.
[C] The project of nuclear power construction.
[D] Public peril.
Who had gas-masks?
[A] Everybody.
[B]A part of the protestors.
[C] Policemen.
[D] Both B and C.
.Which of the following was NOT mentioned as a reason for the demonstration?
[A] Public transportation.
[B]Public peril.
[C] Pollution.
[D] Disposal of wastes.
.With whom were the jails and courts overloaded?
[A] With prisoners.
[B]With arrested demonstrators.
[C] With criminals.
[D] With protestors.
What is the attitude of Governor Stanforth Thumper toward the power project and the demonstration?
[A] stubborn.
[B]insistent.
[C] insolvable.
[D] remissible.
Vocabulary
1.tear gas 瓦斯
2.passively resisting protestor 不抵抗的抗议者
3.stage 发起,举行,上演
4.break up 驱散,终止
5.cordon 警戒线,警戒
6.nuke (美俚)核武器,核电站
7.defy 公然蔑视/反抗
8.canister 罐,筒,榴霰弹筒
9.islodge 赶走
10.charge 冲锋,向前冲
11.trespass 非法侵入,扰乱
试题篮
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