Now, it’s time for some brief news items.
Teens Go Online
Some 13 million European children under 18 use the Internet for schoolwork, games and music according to research done by Nielsen’s “Net-rating”. The study covered Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Experts advised parents to limit the time their kids spend on line and keep them away from chat rooms.
Chat to the magic Mum
British author J. K. Rowling, mother of magic boy Harry Potter, will do an Internet interview about her new book “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” on June 26. Before the event, children are invited to send their questions about Harry to the website. The book will hit stores in the US and UK on June 21 and will arrive in China in August.
School Soldiers
Russian school students will have to do basic military training in their final year of school, the government has decided. The lesson will include learning to fire guns, marching drills and how to deal with a chemical, nuclear or biological attack. The activity is seen as part of a drive toward the education of their love for their country.
Is it hard for you to get up early and get ready for classes? Some students at Winter Park High School just roll out of bed in their pajamas (睡衣) and go to class in their own bedrooms, Of course, their teachers and classmates do not see them because all their class work is on the computer. The Florida High School, the state’s only online school, has 250 students who are taking classes at home by computer. Students in this first online program take classes in algebra (代数), American government, chemistry, computer, economics, and web-page design. They also have to go to regular school to attend other classes.In the first news item, which country is NOT covered in the research?
| A．Britain. | B．France. | C．Sweden. | D．Spain. |
What is the second news item mainly about?
| A．J. K. Rowling will have an Internet interview. |
| B．Children will meet Harry Potter’s mother. |
| C．The Harry Potter book will be available on the Internet. |
| D．The Harry Potter book will arrive in China in early June. |
Why will Russian school students have basic military training?
| A．To get ready for a military parade. |
| B．To learn to protect themselves. |
| C．To gain some military knowledge. |
| D．To develop their love for the country. |
The news from Florida can be given a title “____________”.
| A．Get up Late | B．Online School | C．Magical Computers | D．No Teachers |
Mark Thompson, the BBC’s director general, is expected to announce on Thursday that the BBC will quit its entire west London home -- possibly selling the land to Chelsea football club -- as part of main plans that will see more staff moved out of the capital to Salford and elsewhere．
The move is at the heart of the BBC’s long-awaiting cost-cutting strategy（策略）which will see nearly 2,000 more jobs going at the public broadcaster, and some original programming，such as daytime shows on BBC2, eliminated to save money．
Several thousand people are employed at the west London sites，including Thompson himself and the bosses of all the BBC’s television channels．The employees are expected to be relocated（重新安排）to Broadcasting House in central London, Salford, or elsewhere．
The BBC has been broadcasting at various locations in the Shepherd’s Bush area since moving into Lime Grove in 1949．It then switched to the Television Centre in 1960，and more modern offices at nearby White City．But it is now open to selling the site, and the broadcaster has had talks about attracting Premier League clubs Chelsea or Queen’s Park Rangers as buyers．Both clubs are looking for new homes．
Earlier leaks（透露）suggest that the BBC will seek to cut spending on sports where the corporation has already decided to share coverage of Formula 1 with Sky TV -- and imports，such as Mad Men and The Killing．BBC4 is expected to focus on “arts and archive（档案）”, but Thompson has long ruled out closing any channels or radio stations．BBC1 and Radio 4 will be protected，but there are expected to be some cuts to local radio programs, which will see stations share shows outside breakfast and drive-time hours．
The corporation is already committed to remove TV Centre by 2015, but because parts of the building are listed, the football clubs have expressed an interest in the BBC’s White City offices instead，which could be knocked down. The White City building is where Thompson and the broadcaster's commercial division, BBC Worldwide, are based．
BBC sources say the 2,500 job losses being proposed（提议）include the 650 cuts to the World Service already announced, with up to l,000 coming from BBC News．It is understood that some staff who have only just made the move to Salford could see their jobs at risk. Salford is now home to Radio5 Live, children’s programs such as Blue Peter, and sports output including Match of the Day．Why is the BBC planning to quit its west London home?
| A．The BBC wants to earn more money． |
| B．The BBC would like to support British football sport． |
| C．The BBC is planning to save money for new programs． |
| D．The BBC has to cut down its cost． |
The underlined word “eliminated” in the second paragraph means“_________”．
| A．set aside | B．cut out | C．sold out | D．put on |
What will happen if the BBC moves its home ?
| A．Some original programmes will be adjusted． |
| B．All the BBC staff will have to work outside London． |
| C．More people will be employed for new programs． |
| D．Some TV channels or radio stations will be closed． |
From the passage，we can learn that ________．
| A．the BBC will cover Formula 1 on its own as usual |
| B．the football clubs are likely to buy some of the BBC’s offices |
| C．the BBC’s commercial division will be open to selling the sites |
| D．the BBC’s offices are all in the White City of London |
Beijing today, first published in May, 2001, is the capital’s only English weekly newspaper and is published with the help of the Information Office of the Beijing Municipal Government and run by Beijing Youth Daily. Its readers include English-speaking foreigners living in Beijing and local Chinese who have great interest in English or take English as a working language.
The paper’s main content deals with metropolitan life, explaining the differences and similarities between Eastern and Western culture. Its culture and lifestyle part is regarded as a guide to metropolitan life in Beijing.
The paper has 24 pages in four main sections:
NEWS: Select stories that discuss cultural differences.
COMMUNITY: Reports on developments related to foreigners in the city and a platform(平台)by which they can communicate with a bigger audience.
CULTURE and LIFESTYLE: Highlights from international lifestyle and fashion trends in Beijing
STUDY: Cheerful and humorous pieces to help English-language students improve their skills
Beijing Today circulates 50,000 copies published every Friday. It is one of Beijing’s most authoritative(权威的) English media sources, and is sold at post newsstands and distributed in hotels, apartment complexes, etc.
Price: 2 yuan per issueWhich of the following sections would be the best choice to exchange thoughts with others？
| A．NEWS | B．COMMUNITY | C．CULTURE and LIFESYLE | D．STUDY |
If you want to subscribe to Beijing Today for half a year, you need to pay ________.
| A．52 yuan | B．24 yuan | C．104 yuan | D．48 yuan |
What CANNOT you read in Beijing Today?
| A．News abou foreign cultural festivals |
| B．fashion trends in Paris. |
| C．Discussions with foreigners |
| D．Skills in improving English |
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
A
Chinese and Nigerian media should pay more attention to their own growing roles and strive to present a reliable image of China to African audiences and vice versa(反之亦然). Agreement on this important step in ongoing cooperation between the two sides was reached by media representatives attending a media forum on September 19 in Abuja, Nigeria.
The agreement comes in the wake of increasing attention being paid by the international community on Africa's deepening relationship with China. "This presents an important opportunity for media in China, Nigeria and other African countries. We should seize the moment to expand cooperation between Chinese and Nigeria media, increase our say, and contribute to cooperation between China, Nigeria and Africa as a whole," said Li Wufeng, Vice Minister of the State Council Information Office at the China-Nigeria Media meeting.
The media meeting was jointly held by the State Council Information Office, the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, and the Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria. It formed part of the "Experience China" program, which aims to increase cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between China and other parts of the world.
In the past, due to poor communication facilities, China and African countries could only learn about each other through third parties, in particular Western media, which may have given rise to and perpetuated misunderstandings.
"China is still not a constant feature or subject on the front page and prime time in the news media in Nigeria unless there are disasters and alleged human rights abuses to be reported," said Martins Oloja, Editor of The Guardian.
Major Western media continue to promote a Cold War mentality and view Sino-African ties through the lens of geopolitics, framing everything as competition between East and West, Chinese and Nigerian media professionals said at the forum. Some Western media outlets accuse China of ignoring mutually beneficial solutions or sustainable development of African people, while robbing the continent of its natural resources.
"Nigerians cannot expect Aljazeera or BBC to report on Africa, and indeed Nigeria and China relations, the way we want," said Oloja.
Mutually objective coverage will generate more cooperation and better understanding between China and Nigeria, said Li Xiaohua, a representative from China. org.cn, a leading multi-language website in China.What is the purpose of this media forum on September 19 in Abuja?
| A．More international community should pay attention to Africa’s deepening relationship with China. |
| B．People should seize the moment to expand cooperation between China and African countries. |
| C．Chinese and Nigerian media should pay more attention to their own growing roles and strive to present a reliable image to each other. |
| D．Let more Chinese people know about the culture of Africa. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word in paragraph 4?
| A．defeated | B．continued |
| C．disappeared | D．decreased |
Which of the following is right?
| A．The State Council Information Office and "Experience China" program attended this China-Nigeria Media meeting. |
| B．In the past, China and African countries could learn about each other very well. |
| C．Chinese people and Chinese events has been well reported through African media. |
| D．Nowadays, some African media still cannot give the true stories of China. |
What is the attitude of the major western media towards the Sino-African relationship?
| A．They think highly of it. |
| B．They report it as it is. |
| C．They view it through the angle of geopolitics. |
| D．They view it as a competition between two countries. |
What is the best title for this passage?
| A．Having a bigger say |
| B．A Media Forum between China and Nigeria |
| C．Helping the African Media |
| D．Improving our report in Africa |
The government of Norway is planning to build an unusual storage center on an island in the Arctic Ocean. The place would be large enough to hold about two million seeds. The goal is to present all crops known to scientists. The British magazine New Scientist published details of the plan last month. The structure will be designed to protect the world’s food supply against nuclear war, climate change and other possible threats. It will be built in a mountain on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen. The mountain is less than one thousand kilometers from the North Pole, the northernmost position on earth.
An international group called the Global Crop Diversity Trust is working on the project. The director of the group, Cary Fowler, spoke to New Scientist. He said the project would let the world rebuild agriculture if, in his word, “the worst came to the worst”. Norway is expected to start work next year. The project is expected to cost three million dollars. Workers will drill deep in the side of a sandstone mountain. Temperatures in the area never rise above 0ºC. The seeds will be protected behind walls a meter thick and high-security door.
The magazine report says the collection will represent the products of ten thousand years of farming. Most of the seeds at first will come from collections at seed banks in Africa, Asia and Latin America. To last a long time, seeds need to be kept in very low temperatures. Workers will not be present all the time. But they plan to replace the air inside the storage space each winter. Winter temperatures on the island are about eighteen degrees below 0ºC. The cold weather would protect the seeds even if the air could not be replaced.
Mr. Fowler says the proposed structure will be the world’s most reliable gene bank. He says the plant seeds would only be used when all other seeds are gone for some reason. Norway first proposed the idea in the 1980s. But security concerns delayed the plan. At that time, the Soviet Union was meeting in Rome of the Food and Agriculture Organization.
The project is meant to ______.
| A．increase the world’s food output in the future |
| B．carry out some scientific experiments on plant genes |
| C．protect crop seeds from dying out in case of possible disasters |
| D．build an exhibition centre of the world’s plant seeds |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the above passage?
| A．The government of Norway will perform the project alone. |
| B．Seeds to be collected there were produced ten thousands years ago. |
| C．Spitsbergen is chosen because it is free of the threat unclear war forever. |
| D．Temperature is a major consideration when choosing the storage place. |
We can infer from the text that _______.
| A．People will get newly-developed seeds from the center every year. |
| B．The storage center will greatly promote world agriculture |
| C．Norway had meant to build the storage centre about 30 years before. |
| D．There haven’t been any seed storage centers in the world before. |
What is probably the best title of the passage?
| A．The Best Place to Store Seeds |
| B．Noah’s Ark（诺亚方舟）of Plant Seeds in Plan |
| C．Concerns of World Food Supply |
| D．A New Way to Feed the World |
A Smashing tradition: MIT Students Drop Piano
One of the highlights of the school year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology only lasts a few seconds but has a big influence. Residents of an MIT dormitory dropped an upright piano from their roof on 26th April to celebrate the last day students can drop classes without having them appear on their college report.
About 200 onlookers watched as the piano crashed into a second piano, a baby grand, positioned on the ground six stories below for a better smash. People scrambled (争先恐后) for souvenir pieces-keys, hammers, strings and splinters. The tradition began in 1972 at the Baker House dormitory and has been observed irregularly until 2006 when it became an annual event.
Crafton Family Comes Back Home after 7 Years at Sea
While most of us will love to go on a vacation for a week or two on a small private sailboat, without doubt, spending seven precious years on sea is something most of us will never imagine or dare to do. However, that is what an American family has done. Tom Crafton and Kathy Crafton along with their three children have traveled across the world on their 43-foot sailboat named Nueva Vida. Over the past seven years the family had sailed 30,000 miles and visited more than 20 different countries. The family has recently come back to their homeland.
_____________________________________________
Living in the limelight（聚光灯）can be difficult but as these splendid pictures show for one bear the tourist train never stops. This arctic animal loves nothing more than an audience and will even climb out of his snowy bed to give the crowd a wave. The funny poses(姿态) of the friendly polar bear were caught on camera by Swedish photographer, Hams Strand.Which of the following is true about the first incident?
| A．The typical style of celebration has been kept alive every year since1972. |
| B．Another small piano on the ground is meant to hold the falling one. |
| C．The students dropped the piano in celebration of their graduation. |
| D．The tradition became an annual event for MIT students several years ago. |
The writer thinks Crafton family’s seven-year sailing is ______.
| A．unusual | B．strange | C．common | D．doubtful |
What would be the best subtitle for the third incident?
| A．The Limelight Makes Polar Bear Live Hard |
| B．Splendid Pictures of Polar Bear Attract Tourists |
| C．The Tourist Train Would Stop without Polar Bear |
| D．Polar Bear Says Hello to Tourists with a Friendly Wave |
The passage is probably taken out of ______.
| A．a novel | B．a magazine | C．a diary | D．a report |
Mother-of-three Carmen Blake called her midwife(助产师)to ask for an ambulance when she went into labor unexpectedly with her fourth child.
But the 27-year-old claims she was refused an ambulance and told to walk the 100m from her house in Leicester to the city’s nearby Royal Infirmary(医院).
Her daughter Mariah was delivered on a pavement outside the hospital by a passer-by, just before ambulance crews arrived.
Ms Blake said she started going into labor at about 7:15 am on Sunday, August 2. She said, “I phoned up the Royal Infirmary, it’s just across the road.
“I went into the bath and realized she was gong to come quickly. I didn’t think I’d be able to make it out of the bath, so I phoned the maternity(妇产科的) ward back and told them to get an ambulance out.”
They said they were not sending an ambulance and told me I had had nine months to sort out a lift.
Experienced mother MS Blake today said she knew she had to get herself out of the bath and try to get to the hospital.
Eventually MS Blake and her friends enlisted the help of a physiotherapist(理疗师) who happened to be passing on her way to work. She dialed 999 and helped deliver baby Mariah while waiting for emergency services.
Ms Blake said despite the happy ending she was upset she was told to make her own way to the hospital as, being an experienced mum, she knew she did not have the time.
Today a government spokeswoman said, “We are disappointed that Ms Blake was not happy with the advice and care she received and will of course investigate any complaint. We are pleased that both Ms Blake and her daughter are well and healthy.” Carmen Blake, the 27-year-old mother, gave girth to her new child Mariah .
| A．in the city’s Royal Infirmary |
| B．in the ambulance on her way to hospital |
| C．out of the bath at home |
| D．in the street on her way to hospital |
The underline3d phrase “went into labor” in the first paragraph probably means .
| A．felt worried | B．felt tired | C．gave birth to | D．went to sleep |
It can be inferred that .
| A．there were not enough ambulance in the Royal Infirmary |
| B．the story ended with a sad ending |
| C．the maternity ward said Ms Blake only needed a lift |
| D．the maternity ward said Ms Blake ought to call earlier |
Carmen Blake accused the Royal Infirmary of .
| A．failing to send an ambulance to help her |
| B．having killed her newly-born baby |
| C．not taking good care of her and her baby |
| D．refusing to admit her into the hospital |
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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