(NEW YORK) A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two-year-old girl in Manhattan said he didn’t think twice before diving into the freezing East River.
Tuesday’s Daily News said 29-year-old Julien Duret from France was the man who left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday.
He lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Seaport museum. He handed the girl to her father, David Anderson, who had dived in after him.
“I didn’t think at all,” Duret told the Daily News. “It happened very fast. I reacted very fast.”
Duret, an engineer on vacation, was walking with his girlfriend along the pier(码头) when he saw something falling into the water. He thought it was a doll, but realized it was a child when he approached the river. Immediately, he took off his coat and jumped into the water.
When he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said. Fortunately, when she was out of the water, she opened her eyes.
Anderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from onlookers. Duret caught a taxi with his girlfriend shortly after.
The rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn’t realize his story of heroism had greatly moved New York until he was leaving the city the next morning.
“I don’t really think I’m a hero,” said Duret. “Anyone would do the same thing.”Why was Duret in New York?
| A．To meet his girlfriend. | B．To spend his holiday. |
| C．To work as an engineer. | D．To visit the Andersons. |
What did Duret do shortly after the ambulance came?
| A．He was interviewed by a newspaper. |
| B．He went to the hospital in the ambulance. |
| C．He disappeared from the spot quickly. |
| D．He asked his girlfriend for his dry clothes. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Duret thought twice before he jumped into the cold water. |
| B．Duret dived into the water before the girl’s father. |
| C．The rescue happened on the day Duret left for France. |
| D．Duret didn’t think he was brave enough to be a hero. |
What is probably the headline of this news report?
| A．A Careless Father | B．A Poor Girl |
| C．Warm-hearted Onlookers | D．Brave Frenchman Found |
Most children, even the youngest of children, are delighted to be around cats and dogs. But these pets carry plenty of germs and allergens（过敏原）, prompting researchers to ask: Are cats and dogs really safe for children？
A study finds that, contrary to many parents’ fears, owning cats or dogs does not increase a child’s risk of developing allergies, and in fact, may actually protect them. The study’s lead author, Dr. Dennic Ownby of the Medical College of Georgia, says that even he was “very surprised” by the results. Ownby and colleagues followed more than 470 children from birth to age 6 or 7, comparing those exposed to cats and dogs during their first year of life to those who were not.
By using skin-prick(刺) tests for detecting common allergies, the researchers found that, contrary to what many doctors had been taught for years, children who had lived with a pet were not at greater risk.
Even more remarkable, children who had two or more dogs or cats had an even greater reduction, up to 77 percent, in risk of allergies. Researchers suggest this protective effect may be the result of early exposure to lots of bacteria that are carried by dogs and cats. Exposing young children to these bacteria helps" exercise" their immune systems early in life so that they're better able to resist allergic diseases later.
There's something very important in that first year of life when the immune system is developing that we can retrain it away from an allergic response, said Dr. William Davis.
And while researchers are not encouraging parents to buy dogs or cats just to reduce a child’s allergy risk, they say if a family already has one or more animals, there's no need to get rid of them. Why do the researchers feel “very surprised” by the results of the study?
| A．Because the results are contrary to their expectation． |
| B．Because so many children are playing with cats and dogs． |
| C．Because parents are so much worried about their children． |
| D．Because children with animals may develop allergies easily． |
Compared with children who have pets，those who haven’t ______.
| A．will lose the chance to develop immune system |
| B．may suffer allergic diseases more often |
| C．will reduce the harm from bacteria |
| D．can keep doctors away |
It can be inferred from the passage that ______．
| A．pets are ill-treated by their owners |
| B．less families would like to own cats and dogs |
| C．keeping pets is a good way to keep children healthy |
| D．the results of the study can make families with pets feel at ease |
The underlined word “it” in the fifth paragraph refers to________.
| A．the early life | B．an allergic disease |
| C．immune system | D．something important |
What may be the best title of the passage?
| A．How to protect your kids from allergies |
| B．Your pets may be helping your kids |
| C．Bacteria do good to your kids |
| D．Advantages of owning pets |
From New Delhi to Beijing，commuters（通勤者）spend a lot of time stuck in traffic．In the United States，Los Angeles（L．A．）and San Francisco tie for second place（并列第二）for having the worst traffic problems．Washington，D．C．is in first place with the worst traffic，according to the Texas A＆M Transportation Institute．
In L．A．．drivers spend sixty－one hours every year stuck in traffic．These drivers know all too well how bad the traffic can be．Professor Cyrus Shahabi also knows about traffic jams．He said，“It’s a prison of cars．There are too many cars，you can’t move around a lot．I live more than 65 kilometers from my office at the University of Southern California．in L．A．．I’m always late even with the help of a navigation（导航）system．I thought it would be appropriate to do something to solve it．”
Therefore，he and PhD student Ugur Demiryurek decided to develop an app for that．The ClearPath app claims to do what other navigation systems cannot．Professor Shahabi says his program uses historical data to predict traffic conditions even before the driver leaves the house．
ClearPath uses two and a half years worth of traffic data from 9，000 sensors（传感器）on the roads of L．A．．It also collects information on accidents．
Professor Shahabi says his system does more than just respond to current traffic conditions．With ClearPath，he says，a driver can enter what time he wants to leave on a specific time and date，and ClearPath will give the fastest route．It looks at the entire road network，including surface streets as well as highways，before the driver hits the road．
Ugur Demiryurek says they will launch the free ClearPath app for roads in L．A．in two months．In a year，he and Professor Shahabi hope to have ClearPath available nationwide and overseas once they can collect traffic data from other cities．
“I thought always that L．A．had the worst traffic，but now I know that Shanghai，Beijing，Seoul，Tokyo，believe it or not，Singapore，Hong Kong definitely are examples that can immediately use this．”The ClearPath app can mainly be used to __________．
| A．predict traffic conditions | B．kill the boring time |
| C．avoid the traffic accidents | D．collect the current news |
What do we know from Professor Cyrus Shahabi’s words in Paragraph 2?
| A．Living too far is his main reason for being late for work． |
| B．Many drivers broke the traffic rules on their way to work． |
| C．His invention was inspired by his experiences on his way to work． |
| D．The navigation system he used on his way to work is out of date． |
What does Paragraph 5 mainly tell us about ClearPath?
| A．Its working principal． | B．Its powerful function． |
| C．Its appearance． | D．Its safety． |
What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A．L．A．has the worst traffic problems in the world．
B．Around the world ClearPath has been used widely．
C．Many cities can provide the data to do the study．
D．ClearPath will have a big market in the future．
With the start of the new term, students around the country exchange their fun and fashionable clothes for boring school uniforms. But not all campuses are fashion deserts. Colorful sports shoes, school bags, T-shirts and even drink containers are breathing life into campuses.
“The uniform makes us look like a bunch of clones, especially when we are doing morning exercises on the playground,” and Qing Pei, a Senior 2 students from Shanghai Qibao High School. “But boys wear different sports shoes and girls have different decorations(装饰品) in their hair. These are the areas where you can express yourself,” said Qing.
Although it might be strange for boys to talk about fashion, they do care about what they wear in school, especially shoes, according to Qing.
“Nike and Adidas basketball shoes, although they are still the must-have items for many of my friends, are becoming out-of-date,” Qing added. He explained, “Since Liu Xiang ran so fast in Athens, running shoes are becoming popular in this autumn.”
“Still in fashion are the various baseball caps and American-style T-shirts with some English words printed on them,” said Qing. Besides sports shoes and T-shirts, styles and colors of schoolbags are another chance for students to express their taste in fashion. Some bags are made more eye-catching by decorating them with small dolls.
Other fashionable items are colorful drink containers, which are now popular with girls this term.
“Some teachers are surprised to see a teenager sucking a bottle like this at school and criticize it as childish regression(退化). But some girls just love it,” said Yang Rui, a Senior 3 student.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 mean?
| A．All the students are clones. |
| B．All the exercises are the same. |
| C．All the students look the same in uniform. |
| D．All the students have similar fashions. |
How do girls express themselves on campus?
| A．They wear different spots shoes. |
| B．They wear school uniforms. |
| C．They have different decorations in their hair. |
| D．They drink coffee from colorful drink containers. |
What are becoming fashionable for schoolboys according to the passage?
| A．Nike and Adidas basketball shoes. |
| B．Baseball caps and Korean-style T-shirts. |
| C．Colorful drink containers. |
| D．Running shoes. |
The writer wants to .
| A．call for people to pay attention to students’ wear |
| B．report students’ great love for fashion |
| C．criticize childish regression on campus |
| D．discuss about school uniforms |
A new study finds that more than 13 million deaths could be prevented in China over the next 40 years if the country had stronger anti-smoking measures. But the study's authors say China has not taken many steps to control the use of tobacco. The study was published in the British Medical Journal.
China signed the World Health Organization's international treaty on tobacco control in 2003. But it has not put in place many of the WHO ideas to help people stop smoking. Experts say following these ideas could cut smoking by 40 percent before the year 2050. Without stronger anti-smoking measures, there could be 50 million tobacco-related deaths in the country over that time.The authors of the study used a computer program called "SimSmoke" to make their predictions.
David Levy works at Georgetown University's Lombardi Cancer Center in Washington, DC. He says China has one third of the world's cigarette smokers. More than half of the men in China smoke. Mr. Levy says people often begin smoking without knowing it will harm their health. He says people in some countries smoke because it makes them feel important.
"Smoking, you know, once it gets established and in many of the low- and middle income countries, you know there's a kind of a prestige initially to smoking."
The WHO plan calls for a ban on smoking in all public places. It also calls for countries to place health warnings on cigarette containers and offer programs to help people stop smoking. And, it says, there should be high taxes on tobacco.
Experts say a 75 percent increase in cigarette taxes could save about 3.5 million lives. They say an end to cigarette advertising could save two million lives. After signing the WHO agreement, China placed a 12 percent tax on cigarettes. But the government did not force Chinese smokers to pay the tax.
One of the authors of the new study is Teh-we Hu. He is a professor of public policy economics at the University of California Berkeley. Professor Hu says China's culture and society are changing. He says President Hu Jintao supports a ban on smoking in public. The president also wants people to stop giving cigarettes as gifts to officials and employers. Mr. Hu says the most effective anti-smoking measure in China would be a large increase in the cigarette tax. But he does not expect that to happen soon.To prevent people from smoking，which is wrong about the WHO plan？
| A．The WHO plan calls for a ban on smoking in all public places. |
| B．The WHO plan calls for countries to place health warnings on cigarette containers. |
| C．The WHO plan calls for offering programs to help people stop smoking. |
| D．The WHO plan calls for there should be low taxes on tobacco. |
If China has stronger anti-smoking measures, about ________ lives could be saved over the next 40 years.
| A．3.5 million | B．more than 13 million | C．50 million | D．40 million |
What does the underlined phrase “put in place” mean in Chinese?
| A．carry out | B．put something in the correct place | C．stop | D．begin |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
| A．After signing the WHO agreement, China placed a 75 percent tax on cigarettes. |
| B．Experts say a 12 percent increase in cigarette taxes could save about 3.5 million lives. |
| C．Experts say using stronger anti-smoking measures could cut smoking by 40 percent before the year 2050. |
| D．After signing the WHO agreement, China has taken many steps to control the use of tobacco. |
HOUSTON (AP) --- A 10-year-old boy fatally shot his father Friday, striking him several times as he sat in the front seat of a SUV to pick up the boy from his mother's home for a weekend visit.
The incident happened about 3pm on a cul-desac（死胡同）in the 1700 block of Cedar Cove Court, said Sgt. Williams of the Harris County Sheriff's Department.
An investigation found that Rick James Lohstroh, 41, was shot by his son, who was sitting in the back seat of the man's Toyota 4-Runner, said Sgt. Williams. The shooting took place outside the home of Lohstroh's ex-wife, where the boy lives with his mother and a 7-year-old brother.
"We're not certain of anything until we finish our investigation," Williams said. "The information we have at this time is that the 10-year-old did fire the weapon."
The mother and the 7-year-old were inside the house when the shooting occurred, said Williams.
Williams said the gun belonged to the boy's mother. After firing shots through the back seat, the boy exited the back of the vehicle and continued to fire at the car.
The man died on the way to Memorial Herman Hospital.
Lohstroh was a doctor at the University of Texas Medical Branch.
The man and woman shared custody（监护）of the children.
Williams said the mother and the boy were still in the home talking to investigators Friday night.
Neighbors described the family as being quiet and keeping to themselves.
Justin Gray, 17, was walking in the neighborhood when he heard gunshots. "We've had a suicide in this neighborhood once, but never anything like this," Gray said.The best title for the news should be __________.
A. A Boy Shot His Father
B. Shooting Kill a Father
C. An Unbelievable Tragedy
A Ten-Year-Old Boy's Cruelty Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the news?
| A．The father is not responsible for the boy. |
| B．The family don't like being linked to their neighbors. |
| C．The boy lives with Rick James Lohstroh. |
| D．The boy has no brother or sister. |
What can we infer from the text?
| A．The tragedy happened because the boy had seen too many films showing violence. |
| B．The boy killed his father because he hated it that he deserted his mother. |
| C．Such things often occurred in this neighbourhood. |
| D．The boy's parents got divorced(="separated)." |
The reason why the boy shot his father __________.
| A．is clear | B．can't be made out | C．is unknown | D．is quite simple |
The underlined word "suicide" most probably means __________.
| A．the act of killing the lives of a whole family |
| B．an instance of deliberately killing oneself |
| C．the situation of getting on smoothly with others |
| D．the peaceful surroundings |
This is VOA. The National Cryptologic Museum is on Fort George G. Meade, a military base near Washington, DC. The method of hiding exact meanings is called coding. People have used secret codes throughout history to protect important information. The National Cryptologic Museum celebrated 60 years of cryptologic excellence in 2012. One event there marked the sixtieth anniversary of the National Security Agency. Two former NSA workers shared their memories of operating a code machine called Sigaba.
In 1940, an American woman named Genevieve Grotjan found some information being repeated in Japanese coded messages. Her discovery helped the United States understand secret Japanese diplomatic messages. After the United States understood the code, it was possible to study messages from the Japanese ambassador to Germany and to his supervisors in Japan.
Understanding these messages helped the United States prepare for a possible war in the Pacific with Japan. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, an American Naval officer named Joseph Rochefort struggled to understand the Japanese navy code. He worked on the American base at Pearl Harbor. It was early in 1942. The American naval commander in the Pacific Ocean was Chester Nimitz. His forces were much smaller than the Japanese Naval forces. And the Japanese had been winning many victories. Joseph Rochefort had worked for several months to read the secret Japanese Naval code called JN-25. If he could understand enough of the code, he would be able to give Admiral Nimitz very valuable information.
From the beginning of 1942, the Japanese code discussed a place called "AF." Joseph Rochefort felt the Japanese were planning an important battle aimed at "AF." After several weeks, he and other naval experts told Admiral Nimitz that their best idea was that the "AF" in the Japanese code was the American-held island of Midway. Admiral Nimitz said he must have more information to prepare for such an attack.
The Navy experts decided to trick Japan. They told the American military force on Midway to broadcast a false message. The message would say the island was having problems with its water-processing equipment. The message asked that fresh water be sent to the island immediately. This message was not sent in code.
Several days later, a Japanese radio broadcast in the JN-25 code said that "AF" had little water. Joseph Rochefort had the evidence he needed. "AF" was now known to be the island of Midway. He also told Admiral Nimitz the Japanese would attack Midway on June 13.The battle that followed was a huge American victory. That victory was possible because Joseph Rochefort learned to read enough of the Japanese code to discover the meaning of the letters "AF."
One American code has never been broken. Perhaps it never will. It was used in the Pacific during World War Two. For many years the government would not discuss this secret code. Listen for a moment to this very unusual code. Then you may understand why the Japanese military forces were never able to understand any of it.
The code is in the voice of a Native American. The man you just heard is singing a simple song in the Navajo language. Very few people outside the Navajo nation are able to speak any of their very difficult language.
At the beginning of World War Two, the United States Marine Corps asked members of the Navajo tribe to train as Code Talkers.
The Cryptologic Museum says the Marine Corps Code Talkers could take a sentence in English and change it into their language in about 20 seconds. A code machine needed about 30 minutes to do the same work.
The Navajo Code Talkers took part in every battle the Marines entered in the Pacific during World War Two. The Japanese were very skilled at breaking codes. But they were never able to understand any of what they called "The Marine Code."
The Cryptologic Museum has many pieces of mechanical and electric equipment used to change words into code. It also has almost as many examples of machines used to try to change code back into useful words.The NSA was founded__________.
| A．in 1940 | B．1942 | C．in 1952 | D．in 2012 |
According to the passage, which one is not right?
| A．“Cryptologic” implies containing some hidden information |
| B．The US decoded “AF” and won the victory in Midway Islands |
| C．Both Rchefort and Nimitz were American navy commanders |
| D．The US Marine Corps was fallen for in Midway Islands battle |
The Americans used the Navajo language in their coding system during the Second World War for the reason that .
| A． unusual language was successfully used for codes |
| B．it was commonly used in coding system worldwide |
| C．the United States Marine Corps invented it then |
| D．it was the most beautiful language in the world |
This passage is probably adapted from ____________.
| A．an evening paper | B．a science fiction |
| C．a broadcasting program | D．a travel guidebook |
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.
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 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 communitiesMatthew 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 |
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