高中英语新闻报道阅读阅读理解

New rules will let millions of Americans know where more of their food comes from. The law is known as COOL -- Country of Origin Labeling(标签).
American congress first passed the law in 2002. Stores have had to label seafood by country of origin since 2005. But industry pressure delayed other requirements until last week.
Products that must now be labeled include fresh fruits and vegetables, muscle meats and some kinds of nuts. But the rules are complex, and many foods are not included. For example, organ meats are free to be labeled. So are processed foods, including cooked or smoked foods.
The same food may sometimes have to be labeled and other times not. Fresh or frozen peas, for example, have to be labeled but not canned peas. Foods that are mixed with other foods are also excluded. Mixed nuts, for example, do not need to be labeled. The same is true of a salad mix that contains different things like lettuce and carrots. Or a fruit cup that combines different fruits. Also, the law doesn’t include restaurants and other food service organizations. Department of Agriculture officials say the law is really meant for larger grocery stores.
The United States has imported more and more food in recent years to save money and expand choices. Country-of-origin labeling has become more common lately but has still been limited in many stores.
Food safety is one reason why some shoppers pay close attention to where foods came from. For example, when a large number of people recently got sick from salmonella(沙门菌病), officials blamed peppers from Mexico. Yet the last big food scare involved spinach grown in California. But labeling is also a way for people to know they are getting what they want. Some want to buy local foods or foods from a particular country.
The country-of-origin labeling law gives stores 30 days to correct any violations(违反) that are found. Stores and suppliers that are found to be deliberately violating the law could be fined 1,000 dollars per violation. Federal inspectors are not to take action to enforce the law for six months to give time for an education campaign.
Some food safety activists say they are generally pleased with the law. They call it a good step that will give people more useful information.
Why has more and more food been imported to the United States in recent years?

A．It is economical and provides people with more choices.

B．Foreign food is of higher quality than native food.

C．Americans need more and more food recently.

D．The United States is short of food supply.

Consumers are more concerned about where foods come from because________.

A．they are curious about the origin of the food.

B．most of them are particular about the tastes

C．they are concerned about food safety

D．most of them are food safety activists

The new rules of the country-of-origin labeling law will come into effect________.

A．right now

B．in a month

C．in three months

D．in half a year

Which of the following can be inferred from the text?

A．Store owners are most likely to be the supporters of the law.

B．The government of America will possibly forbid importing peppers from Mexico.

C．Federal inspectors couldn’t take measures to enforce the law.

D．Most Americans prefer imported vegetables to the vegetables grown in local places.

Here is some news of the future.
March 20. 2035
There was a lot of news around the life extension drugs that hit the market a decade ago. They didn't promise that you would live forever. but they gave you a chance to extend your life an extra five to ten years. Even though the life expectancy rate at birth has increased greatly. the life expectancy for seniors hasn't improved that much. Basically. you have a greater chance to become a senior, but you will not have a much longer lifespan, and this is where the anti-aging drugs intend to kick in. So ,do the anti-aging drugs work? Well.  it is too early to tell. But the sales so far are very good.
April 19, 2035
Of the total US population of 378 million, people over 65 years of age now make up 20% for the first time. The senior ratio was only 4.1% by year 1900. and l2.4% 30 years ago.
The number of people above 65 compared to those of what is considered working ages. between 15 and 64. is currently 33.7%. This is up from l85% since year 2005. which means that for every retired person there are now two workers. compared to four workers 30 years ago. The number of people above the age of 80 has grown t0 23.8 million; making them 6.3% of the total population compared t0 3.6% in 2005.
April 12. 2040
Although introduced in the market only five years ago, 10% of all hydrogen fuel now sold in the US is of the environmentally friendly Re-Hydro label, produced through. eletrolysis  (电解) based on a source of 1OO% renewable energy. Several producers have turned to producing Re-Hydro. mainly because of lower tax. which also keeps the price of. Re-Hydro on the same level as regular  hydrogen. Most analysts believe that Re-Hydro will be the .dominating fuel in the future
The sales of the life extension drugs so far clearly show that         .
A. people have no faith in them        
B people want to give them a try
C. they work very well for seniors      
D. they have no effect on people's health
What can we learn from News 2?

A．Many Americans will find it hard to find a job .

B．It's very hard for seniors to pass the age of 80.

C．The US population has been increasing rapidly since 2005.

D．The US population has been aging rapidly since 2005.

We can know from the passage that the fuel of the Re-Hydro label is______.
A. expensive           B cheap            C.green           D. dangerous
What can we infer from News 3?

A．Re-Hydro will be widely used in the future.

B．The government discourages the production of Re-Hydro.

C．Producers are not interested in producing Re-Hydro.

D．Re-Hydro is more expensive than regular hydrogen.

With only a click of the mouse, rumors can be forwarded between microblogs very quickly. As an example, recently, perceptive netizens discovered that some photos displayed on microblogs depicting Beijing’s June rainstorm had actually been fabricated.
Sina.com is one of the major internet portals(门户网站) in China with hundreds and thousands of users, and a majority of celebrities and renowned citizens have their microblog accounts on this portal. As recently as six months ago, the website decided to establish a specialized team to verify rumors and provide accurate information for its users. Tan Chao is in charge of the team.
“Before I took the job, I usually couldn’t identify what information was real and what was fake. But during the rumor verification process, we discovered that a lot of information was false, including fake photos, fake news stories and rumors that had been spread through microblogs.”
It‘s not just website portals which are taking on fact-checking responsibilities, but also a number of civic-minded netizens, who recently set up a Rumor Verification Federation on Sina.com’s microblog system to help netizens identify fake information online.
　　Dianzizheng is the team leader of the federation. He says they’ve publicized more than 150 pieces which refute rumors, which attracted more than 10 thousand visitors within two months.
　　“We live in an age of new media, so we can’t use the old methods to verify rumors. We can’t wait for the media to verify the facts with related administrative departments and then release a formal announcement. We can’t allow rumors to run rampant and then deal with it, we need to fight rumors while they’re spreading. I think that this is the best way to deal with rumors nowadays.”
　　Some experts say this demonstrates the advantages of the internet compared to other traditional media. The open platform allows information to be examined and clarified by netizens. But experts like Ding Wenguo, President of the Journalism and Communication College at the China University of Political Science and Law says this self-correction function of the internet is still quite limited.
　　“It’s still quite difficult to tell which information is true in such an open environment by just reading a number of different opinions on the same issue. This is something which we need to pay attention to. If society is deluged with too much false information, and it’s allowed to spread in such a fast manner, then people will be suspicious of all kinds of information including important information from authorities. It also exacerbates(恶化) problems relating to social communications and mutual-understanding, which in turn harms society as a whole.”
　　Experts suggest that the government should react more quickly in the internet age. Once a rumor begins to spread, administrative departments should make announcements as early as possible to dispel rumors before they lead to bad outcomes.
Sina.com decided to found a specialized team to ____.

A．limit the number of microblogs

B．advance the development of microblogs

C．prevent the spread of rumors on the Internet

D．urge the government to react quickly to the rumors

Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A．All the rumors have been spread through microblogs.

B．Sina.com is the most popular Internet portal in China.

C．The photos displayed on microblogs might be fake.

D．Traditional media tend to get rumors examined and clarified.

The underlined word "fabricated" in the first paragraph can be replaced by "__". 

A．dug out

B．made up

C．got round

D．given away

What is the best way to prove rumors on microblogs?

A．Examining and checking while they are spreading.

B．Substituting the Internet for traditionally media.

C．Shutting down the website immediately.

D．Making announcements after they are spread.

The writer cited Ding Wenguo's words in Paragraph 8 to __. 

A．draw a conclusion	B．support an argument
C．introduce a topic	D．describe a scene

MONTAGNE: In the summer of 2011, the world first heard of a small island in Norway under the most terrible of circumstances. Utoya Island was a youth camp run by Norway's Labor Party. One day in July, a heavily armed, right-wing extremist stepped onto the island and began shooting at random. Sixty-nine people died, over 100 were wounded; almost all, young people. This month, artist Jonas Dahlberg was appointed to create a memorial. He described to us the experience he imagines for those who come to the island.
DAHLBERG: You start your walk through a forest of evergreens on a wooden pathway. After a while, this pathway starts to go down into the landscape.
MONTAGNE: Down into the landscape, and into a short tunnel. When you come out, you are unable to go any farther. You can't get to the tip of the island because it has been cut off. So all you can do is look across a narrow channel of water at what is now a wall of polished stone, carved with the names of the dead.
DAHLBERG: It becomes almost like a gravestone. You cannot reach it. It's close enough to be able to read, but it's forever lost for your possibility to reach.
MONTAGNE: It's being called a memory wound. Exactly what do you mean by that?
DAHLBERG: During my first site visit, the experience of seeing those gunshots—and you can see it was like being in an open wound. And it took me to a stage of deep sadness where it was hard to breathe. So I didn't want to illustrate loss; I wanted to make actual loss. It's just a cut through the island.
MONTAGNE: On the day of the massacre, just hours before launching his shooting on the island, the killer set off a bomb in downtown Oslo, leaving eight people dead. As those events were unfolding, artist Jonas Dahlberg had been out with his brother, and stopped in at a seaside village.
DAHLBERG: In the harbor, it was silent, and this is the higher end of summer. So, it's normally a very lively place. And it was total silence there; and it was a very, very strange feeling in the whole small village. And it's totally impossible to grasp what is going on. And then it just kept on. It's still almost impossible to understand it. It's also one of the reasons why it's so important with memorials for these kind of things. It's to maybe help a little bit to understand what was happening. So it's not just about remembering. It's also about trying to just understand.
MONTAGNE: Artist Jonas Dahlberg designed the memorial for the 69 who died at a youth camp on Utoya Island. The attack was the deadliest in Norway since World War II. That memorial will open in 2015. And to see a virtual version of what it will look like, go to our website, at npr.org. This is Renee Montagne at NPR news.
Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Utoya Island was the only bloody shooting spot planned by the killer.

B．Utoya Island used to be a youth camp site and now has been reduced to total silence.

C．Dahlberg and his brother witnessed the shooting on Utoya Island.

D．Visitors to Utoya Island can touch the names of the victims carved on the polished stone.

By the underlined phrase “a memory wound”, Dahlberg means all the following EXCEPT that ________.

A．the artist plans to slice through the end of an island to make actual loss

B．memorials are supposed to be not only about remembering but helping people to understand what was happening

C．this memorial shows the gunshots vividly to the visitors for them to understand what was happening

D．the space between is meant to symbolize how those who were killed are gone but are not forgotten

Which of the following pictures shows the design of the memorial?

A．	B．
C．	D．

A sixth of undergraduates in Beijing this year have registered at driving school. The students, mostly from majors such as business management or international trade, will finish their driving courses within 20 days or so.
　　Training costs have dropped to 2, 600 yuan for students, according to the Haidian Driving School in Beijing. The price is not really low, but students will accept it, seeing it as an investment （投资）in their future. Familiarity with the operation of computers and fluent English are the basic skills graduating students need to find a job. But a driver’s permit has become another factor.
　　“In the job market, owning a driver’s permit sometimes strengthens a graduating student’s competitiveness for a good position, ”says Zhou Yang, an undergraduate at the China University of Political Science and Law.
　　Cars will become a necessary part of many people’s lives in the coming years, and it is difficult to get a permit out of campus because of the pressures on working people’s time. “Having a fulltime job after graduation offers limited time to learn to drive. We senior students have plenty of spare time, plenty of opportunity to learn. ”Zhou says.
　　Xu Jian, an official at the driving school, said undergraduates were very able and serious, and could grasp in an hour what ordinary people took four hours to learn. In this driving school, middle-aged people, young women and college students are the main customers.
　　To get a driver’s permit, a beginner is now required to have at least 86 hours’ practice before the final road test.
The undergraduates are learning to drive because ________.

A．they like to drive cars

B．they need this skill to find a good job

C．they will not have any time to learn to drive after they have found a full-time job

D．most of them will be able to buy cars in the future

Which of the following is likely to be Xu Jian’s opinion of students learning to drive?

A．It is better to learn it at college than at work.

B．Young people have an advantage in learning to drive.

C．It is a waste of money and time to learn to drive.

D．They will spend three times more time to learn to drive than usual.

Which of the following can be the best headline for the passage?

A．Students Learn to Drive.

B．Students Pay Less to Learn to Drive Now.

C．It is Better to Learn to Drive at Colleges.

D．Welcome to the Driving School.

London Underground
The world’s first subway was built in London in 1863. At the time，the government was looking for a way to reduce traffic problems in the city of London. The poor areas of the city were so crowded with people that it was almost impossible for horse carriages to get through. The city officials were interested in trying to make it possible for workers to live outside of London and travel easily to work each day. If people had a cheap and convenient way that they could depend on to go to and from work， they would relocate their homes outside of the city. This  would  help ease(减轻) the pressure of too many people living in the poor parts of London. From these problems，the idea of the London Underground，the first subway system，was born.
The plans for building the Underground met with several problems and delays，but the fast track was finally opened in January 1863. A steam train pulled the cars along the fast underground track which was 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) long. About 30，000 people got on the subway the first day. Riders were treated to comfortable seats (standing up while the train was moving was not allowed)， and pleasant decorations inside each of the cars. However， the smoke from the engine soon filled the air in the tunnels with ash and soot(煤灰)， as well as chemical gases. Fans had to be put in the tunnels later to keep the air clean enough for people to breathe. Even with its problems，riding in the Underground did catch on. It carried 9 million riders in its first year.
What led the British government to build the London Underground？

A．Traffic jams and pollution.

B．Population and pollution.

C．Overcrowding and traffic jams.

D．The poverty and subway problems.

How did the London Underground solve the smoke problem？

A．It made the tunnels larger.

B．It put fans in the tunnels.

C．It cleaned the chemical gases in the tunnels.

D．It reduced the number of passengers riding in the train.

The underlined phrase “catch on” most probably means “______”.

A．be troublesome	B．become popular and fashionable
C．keep up with	D．seize

Which of the following is TRUE？

A．To relocate the workers’ homes outside London，the government built the subway.

B．There were so many problems and delays that in 18th century the first subway opened.

C．The subway greatly eased the pressure of traffic.

D．There were not enough seats for the passengers the first day the subway opened.

Musa teaches English at Chunmiao Primary School in Wuhan. He had never heard of China’s idol (偶像) of selflessness before he arrived in the country, but this unusual young man from Nigeria is carrying on the good work of China’s hero soldier.
Musa’s week begins with a crowded two-hour bus ride for a flag-raising ceremony (仪式) at Chunmiao Primary School with old classrooms for the children of migrant (移民) workers on the outside parts of Wuhan.An hour later, he steps in front of a room full of expectant (期盼) students, some of whom recently organized a dance exhibition for their foreign teacher.
The dance showed the spirit of Lei Feng (1940-1962), a soldier who was idolized (作偶像) across China for his selflessness. It was especially meaningful to Musa because the students call him “foreign Lei Feng”.
“I know Lei Feng, he is a good man. Everyone should learn from Lei Feng,” he says.
Born to a family of diplomats (外交官) in 1985, he is the second of nine children and the eldest son. Musa was expected to become a diplomat like his father, who worked in Canada from 2007.In 2008, Musa was picked by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to study in China for a master’s degree in sociology (社会学硕士学位). With the hope of joining the foreign service, he then went on to study for a doctor’s degree in international relations at Central China Normal University.
The students Musa teaches at Chunmiao Primary School are __________.

A．native children in Wuhan

B．children of workers from outside Wuhan

C．children from different foreign countries

D．children from poor families

Musa is called “Foreign Lei Feng” because __________.

A．he is doing good deeds as Lei Feng did

B．he is teaching English at a primary school

C．he is loved and respected by the students

D．he helps the students dropping out of school

Some students organized a dance exhibition to __________.

A．say good bye to their foreign teacher

B．show their wish to learn English

C．remember China’s hero soldier

D．honor their foreign teacher

Before he came to China, Musa ___________.

A．taught English in his country

B．did what Lei Feng did in the countryside

C．knew nothing about Lei Feng

D．was interested in Chinese dance

What can we learn about Musa from the last paragraph?

A．He studies Chinese in a China’s University.

B．He has an elder sister in his big family.

C．He was a foreign official in Canada.

D．He got a doctor’s degree in a China’s University.

Thousands of puffins(海鹦) live in Maine and on islands in the Gulf of Maine. But the puffins may be in danger. Last summer, the percentage of laid eggs that successfully produced baby puffins took a dive. Scientists also found a decline in the average body weight of the adult and baby puffins on Machias Seal Island, home to the area’s largest colony. Over the winter, dozens of the seabirds from the region were found dead, likely from starvation.
What’s causing the puffin trouble? Scientists think it may be a shortage of food. With ocean temperatures rising, fish populations have moved around. Normally, puffins’ primary food source is herring, a type of fish. A lack of herring in the area could be causing the problem.
Butterfish from the south have become more abundant in the Gulf of Maine and could be a new food source for birds. But Steve Kress says butterfish may be too big and round for baby puffins to swallow.
Puffins spend most of their lives at sea. They come ashore to breed each spring and return to the ocean in August. The chicks swim to sea about 40 days after hatching. Puffin populations stretch across the North Atlantic, from Maine to northern Russia.
Maine’s puffin population has been at risk in the past. In the 1800s, they were hunted for their food, eggs and feathers. By 1901, only one pair of puffins remained in the state. Thanks to the help of local lighthouse keepers and seabird restoration programs, the state’s puffin population has been restored to more than 2,000 birds.
Scientists aren’t sure what will happen to the Gulf of Maine’s puffins. The birds may move further north. Kress says he hopes the Gulf population will sustain itself and then he continued. “You never know what climate change will bring,” Kress said. “Historically fish could move out and more southerly fish could move in, and puffins may adapt to the new fish. Only they will know how the story will unfold.”
The underlined phrase “took a dive” means _______.

A．increased

B．arose

C．reduced

D．changed

In the scientists’ opinion, ________ is contributing to the puffin trouble.

A．a lack of herring	B．environmental pollution
C．the increase of birds	D．the huge size of butterfish

It can be inferred from the passage that _______.

A．Maine’s puffin once nearly became extinct

B．Maine’s puffins’ eggs were of high prices

C．baby puffins grew up quickly

D．the number of Maine’s puffins is worrying

Judging from Kress’s words in the last paragraph, we know ________.

A．climate change matters little

B．there is cause for concern

C．the new fish won’t harm puffins

D．puffins may move to the south

How is the second paragraph mainly developed?

A．By giving examples.	B．By making comparisons.
C．By following time order.	D．By asking questions

My heart was pounding faster while the drums were beating. It was my third year in the running. “And our winner…Miss Red Cliff 2008 is Number 183!”
I stood there, frozen. My mom brought me back to reality: “That’s you, Mariah!” As I walked to the speaker, the former Miss Red Cliff took the crown(花冠) from her head, and placed it on mine. My family surrounded me, taking pictures and congratulating me. Then my family and I danced around the arena(竞技场) with our heads held high. People came up to shake my hand and gave me flowers, kisses and hugs. Finally, with determination I had reached my goal—to travel on the pow-wow(a meeting of native Americans) trail in honor of my community.
Before I became Miss Red Cliff, I had to get to know someone well before I became sociable, but later I wasn’t like that anymore. That year I traveled to many pow-wows in Michigan, Canada and many other places. People told me that I was a respectful and responsible young lady. I felt very confident that I was doing a good job.
Being Miss Red Cliff was one of the best times in my teenage years. I hope one day I will watch my daughters or granddaughters dance behind the flag holders as they hold the Miss Red Cliff title.
Why did Mariah stand still when she heard the result?

A．She couldn’t believe the fact that she had won the Miss Red Cliff title.

B．She didn’t remember her number.

C．She didn’t like the former Miss Red Cliff.

D．She thought someone had made a mistake.

Each year, Miss Red Cliff is elected so as to       .

A．represent her community to attend the pow-wows

B．dance around the arena with her families and friends

C．receive flowers, kisses and hugs from people

D．sing an honor song with the crown on the head

What can we learn about Mariah from the passage?

A．She loved to travel around.

B．She felt proud to be Miss Red Cliff 2008.

C．She was a sociable and responsible young lady.

D．She had tried to win this competition for years.

What is the main idea of this passage?

A．Mariah couldn’t believe it when she failed in the competition.

B．Mariah hoped to see more people in her family become Miss Red Cliffs.

C．Mariah’s success was all due to her families’ caring and encouragement.

D．It was a rewarding and unforgettable experience to become Miss Red Cliff.

Was the London Olympics a success? Many people hold different opinions．However, one thing is certain, London could win a gold medal for hosting the“greenest”Games ever, BBC News reported．
Previous Olympic hosts have been criticized for the environmental damage they have caused through construction, waste and transport．But things had to be different in London．
What is most impressive is that London considered the construction of the Olympic Park as an opportunity to clean up polluted areas．2 million tons of polluted soils were removed and 200 old factory buildings were torn down, according to sustainablebusiness．com．But that’s not all．99 percent of the debris（废瓦砾）were reused to build the Olympic Park．
As well as using recycled materials, all gymnasiums were built with green building techniques．The Olympic Stadium is the lightest one ever built, which minimized the amount of steel and concrete needed．Also, the handball field has lighting pipes on the roof that reduce electricity use by 40 percent．
The effort that London made to deal with waste also deserves praise．Water used for drinking and watering plants was from collected rainwater or recycled wastewater．In this way, about 30-40 percent less water was used in total．Waste food package were either recycled or processed and turned into renewable energy．
As one of the best connected places in Europe, London tried to solve traffic jams by encouraging the use of public transport．For example, it had trains deliver half of the building materials, instead of cars, which greatly reduced carbon emissions（排放）．
The clean anti-doping result also added to the greenness of the Games．Only one athlete tested positive for a banned drug on the day of competing, which is why the IOC President, Jacques Rogge, has praised anti-doping efforts at the London Games．
To make the Olympic Park green, London ________．

A．recycled 2 million tons of polluted soil

B．applied green building techniques to the construction

C．built the Olympic Stadium mostly with recycled materials

D．removed 99 percent of the debris from the city

The underlined word“minimized”in the fourth paragraph probably means ________．

A．increased as much as possible	B．made use of
C．reduced as much as possible	D．took little notice of

What can we conclude from the article?

A．The London Olympics cost less than the other Olympics ever held．

B．London has possessed the most advanced techniques to deal with waste．

C．Public transport is made good use of in London during the Olympic Games．

D．The anti-doping result in the London Olympics turned out to be dissatisfactory．

Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．The effort that London made to deal with waste isn't worthy of praise．

B．In terms of holding the greenest Games, the London Olympics was a success．

C．London tried to solve traffic jams by encouraging the use of private cars for free．

D．The IOC President, Jacques Rogge was unsatisfied with the anti-doping efforts at the London Games．

Something that makes sense is happening in Washington, D.C! Public school kids surrounded by museums and monuments are putting the ready-made learning tools to use — and actually learning. 
A trip to see painter Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series is one of almost 200 trips that Wheelock will organize this year through the nonprofit group Live It Learn It. “For many kids, school is disconnected,” says one of four full-time workers and tour leaders. “With the program, they see how what they are learning is connected to their communities.”
Seven years ago, Wheelock changed a job as a lawyer for one as a four-grade teacher. When he learned that D.C.’s public schools ranked behind those of other cities in many ways, he knew he had to do something different. He took his class to Capitol Hill for a lesson on the three branches of government — and saw his students’ interest develop quickly.
With seed money from a local couple, Wheelock developed detailed lesson plans for trips to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Lincoln Memorial. The group also has classes for trips to the Anacostia River, boat rides to historical forts. Word spread, and now fourth, fifth, sixth graders from the neediest public schools in the District participate.
“I’m not brave enough to take my class to a museum for over an hour!” says teacher Cathy McCoy, gesturing toward her students. “But look With Live It Learn It, what the kids learn today they’ll remember for a lifetime.”
Matthew Wheelock once had an occupation as a _______.

A．teacher

B．printer

C．leader

D．lawyer

According to the first two paragraphs, public school kids in Washington D.C. _______.
A. like to have school disconnected
B. are warmly welcomed by museums and monuments
C. are making the resources at hand available
D. are learning by going to different communities
Matthew Wheelock started the new change for the reason that _______.
A. he saw his students’ interest develop quickly
B. more graders from the neediest public schools wanted to participate  
C. D.C.’s public schools ranked behind in many ways
D. a local couple sponsored him a sum of seed money
What will the lessons be like with Live It Learn It in Cathy McCoy’s opinion?

A．Eye-catching.

B．Challenging.

C．Forgettable.

D．Impressive.

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.

“Holding girls back from an education is robbing them of their dignity (尊严),” says Mariam, a teacher, in an interview with Action Press.
“I feel proud when I tell people that I’m from Swat in Pakistan, with its green and mountainous valley. But I don’t feel proud about the number of women and girls where I’m from who are still being unable to enjoy the right for an education.
“I have taught many students — including Malaya, the young education activist who was shot in the head as travelling to school in Pakistan after campaigning for girls’ education. Among them I see the dignity that education can offer. This is why I have long been devoted to teaching, and why I am doing what I can to make sure that all girls have the chance to go to school.
“At the Khushaal school and college in Mingora, many girls are prevented from going to school because of poverty and fights. However, the most common reasons for girls not attending classes are cultural. People fear that females will become too independent if educated. Instead, parents prefer to marry off girls early. Girls and young women are considered a financial burden if left dependent on their parents.”
“In the school where I have been teaching for over ten years, I have seen how this discrimination plays out. Parents regard an educated and independent female as being too clever for her own. Even if parents agree to give a girl an education, a limit is set to the number of years for her to attend classes and it is common for girls to make it through only primary school. This is why I have been working tirelessly to change these damaging views and cultural practices. These are crimes against humanity (人道),which I have no choice but to strongly accuse of.”
“Malala was right to fight for her education.” says Mariam, who will be in New York with UNESCO (联合国教科文组织), delivering a speech calling for world leaders to make sure every child gets a chance to go to school.
What does Mariam take pride in?

A．Her dignity from education.

B．Her lifelong devotion to teaching.

C．Her hometown with fantastic scenery.

D．Her experience as a speech maker.

What is the major reason to prevent girls from going to school?

A．The constant fights across the country.

B．The lack of financial support for schooling.

C．The limited time allowed to attend classes.

D．The traditional views on females’ social role.

What will Mariam appeal for in her speech?

A．Accusing of the shooting of the schoolgirl.

B．Sex balance among children of school age.

C．Equal access for boys and girls to education.

D．Independence of girls with a good education.

Which of the following is true about Mariam？

A．Malala event motivated her to work years for children.

B．She spoke in favour of Malala’s action in the interview.

C．A press invited her to attend a conference in New York.

D．She started a campaign with Malala for females’ freedom.

Imagine, one day, getting out of bed in Beijing and being at your office in Shanghai in only a couple of hours, and then, after a full day of work, going back home to Beijing and having dinner there.
Sounds unusual, doesn’t it? But it’s not that unrealistic, with the development of China’s high-speed railway system. And that’s not all. China has an even greater high-speed railway plan-----to connect the country with Southeast Asia, and eventually Eastern Europe.
China is negotiating to extend its own high-speed railway network to up to 17 countries in 10 to 15 years, eventually reaching London and Singapore.
China has proposed three such projects. The first would possibly connect Kunming with Singapore via Vietnam and Malaysia. Another could start in Urumqi and go through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and possibly to Germany. The third would start in the northeast and go north through Russia and then into Western Europe.
If China’s plan for the high-speed railway goes forward, people could zip over from London to Beijing in under two days.
The new system would still follow China’s high-speed railway standard. And the trains would be able to go 346 kilometers an hour, almost as fast as some airplanes.
China’s bullet train (高速客车), the one connecting Wuhan to Guangzhou, already has the world’s fastest average speed. It covers 1,069 kilometers in about three hours.
Of course, there are some technical challenges to overcome. There are so many issues that need to be settled, such as safety, rail gauge (轨距), maintenance of railway tracks. So, it’s important to pay attention to every detail.
But the key issue is really money. China is already spending hundreds of billions of yuan on domestic railway expansion.
China prefers that the other countries pay in natural resources rather than with capital investment. Resources from those countries could stream into China to sustain development.
It’ll be a win-win project. For other countries, the railway network will definitely create more opportunities for business, tourism and so on, not to mention the better communication among those countries.
For China, such a project would not only connect it with the rest of Asia and bring some much-needed resources, but would also help develop China’s far west. We foresee that in the coming decades, millions of people will migrate to the western regions, where the land is empty and resources unused. With high-speed trains, people will set up factories and business centers in the west once and for all. And they’ll trade with Central Asian and Eastern European countries.
China’s new high-speed railway plan will be a win-win project because ____________.

A．China will get much-needed resources and develop its western regions

B．China and the countries involved will benefit from the project in various ways

C．China will develop its railway system and communication with other countries

D．the foreign countries involved will develop their railway transportation, business and tourism

According to the passage, the greatest challenge to the new high-speed railway plan is___________.

A．technical issues	B．safety of the system
C．financial problems	D．maintenance of railway tracks

Which of the following words best describes the author’s attitude towards China’s high-speed railway plan?

A．Critical.	B．Reserved.
C．Doubtful	D．Positive.

Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A．New Railway Standards

B．Big Railway Dreams

C．High-speed Bullet Trains

D．International Railway Network

CHICAGO(Reuters)-Smoking not only can wrinkle(皱纹)the face and turn it yellow—it can do the same to the whole body, researchers reported on Monday.
The study, published in the Archives of Dermatology, shows that smoking affects the skin all over the body-even skin protected from the sun.
“We examined non-facial skin that was protected from the sun, and found that the total number of packs, of cigarette smoked per day and the total years a person has smoked were linked with the amount of skin damage a person experienced, ”Dr. Yolanda, who led the study, said in a statement.
“In participants older than 65 years, smokers had significantly more fine wrinkling than nonsmokers. Similar findings were seen in participants aged 45 to 65 years. ” Yolanda’s team added in their report.
The researchers tested 82 people, smokers and nonsmokers, taking pictures of the inner right arms. They ranged, in age from 22 to 91 and half were smokers. In dependent judges decided how wrinkled each person’s skin was.
When skin is exposed to sunlight, especially the face, it becomes coarse(粗糙的). Wrinkled and discolored with a pale yellow tint, Yolanda's team wrote.
Several previous studies have found that cigarette smoking led to premature(过早的)skin aging as measured by facial wrinkles, the study said, but little has been done to measure the aging of skin not exposed to light.
The report did not discuss die mechanism involved but previous research has found that cigarette smoke, among other things, causes blood vessels(血管)beneath the skin to constrict(紧缩), reducing blood supply to the skin.
Smoking can also damage the connective tissue(组织)that supports both die skin and the internal organs.
The best title for this passage would be ______________.

A．The danger of smoking

B．Smoking causes skin aging

C．Quit smoking for health

D．A survey of smokers

According to the passage, how wrinkled a person’s skin is doesn’t relate to ___________.

A．the number of cigarettes a person smokes

B．the kind and characteristics of skin

C．how long a person smokes

D．how long skin is under sunlight

From the passage smoking results in skin aging mainly because ____________.

A．it will lower blood supply to skin

B．it can make you feel tired

C．it can make skin come off

D．it can make blood run faster

The main purpose of the passage is to ____________.

A．inform people about the study of skin

B．advise people how to protect skin

C．warn people not to smoke again

D．introduce a new way of avoid skin aging