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 |
He was the baby with no name. Found and taken from the north Atlantic 6 days after the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, his tiny body so moved the salvage（救援）workers that they called him “our baby. ” In their home port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, people collected money for a headstone in front of the baby's grave, carved with the words: “To the memory of an unknown child. ” He has rested there ever since.
But history has a way of uncovering its secrets. On Nov. 5, this year, three members of a family from Finland arrived at Halifax and laid fresh flowers at the grave. “This is our baby,” says Magda Schleifer, 68, a banker. She grew up hearing stories about a great-aunt named Maria Panula, 42, who had sailed on the Titanic for America to be reunited with her husband. According to the information Mrs. Schleifer had gathered, Panula gave up her seat on a lifeboat to search for her five children -- including a 13-month-old boy named Eino from whom she had become separated during the final minutes of the crossing. "We thought they were all lost in the sea," says Schleifer.
Now, using teeth and bone pieces taken from the baby's grave, scientists have compared the DNA from the Unknown Child with those collected from members of five families who lost relatives on the Titanic and never recovered the bodies. The result of the test points only to one possible person: young Eino. Now, the family sees: no need for a new grave. "He belongs to the people of Halifax," says Schleifer. "They've taken care of him for 90 years. "
Adapted from People, November 25, 2002The baby travelled on the Titanic with his___________.
| A．mother | B．parents | C．aunt | D．relatives |
What is probably the boy's last name?
| A．Schleiferi | B．Eino. | C．Magda. | D．Panula. |
Some members of the family went to Halifax and put flowers at the child's grave on
Nov. 5__ .
| A．1912 | B．1954 | C．2002 | D．2004 |
This text is mainly about how______________.
| A．the unknown baby's body was taken from the north Atlantic |
| B．the unknown baby was buried in Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| C．people found out who the unknown baby was |
| D．people took care of the unknown baby for 90 years |
Chinese writer Mo Yan has won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature, announced the Swedish Academy in Stockholm on Thursday. The win makes Mo Yan the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel in its 111-year history. Informed of his win today, the author, who was having dinner at home, was “overjoyed and scared”.
Born in 1955 to parents who were farmers, Mo Yan — a pen name for Guan Moye, grew up in Gaomi, Shandong province in eastern China. At the age of 12, he left school to work, first in agriculture, later in a factory. In 1976 he joined the army and during this time began to study literature and writing.
He published his first book in 1981, but found literary success in 1987 with Hong Gaoliang Jiazu, which was successfully filmed in the same year, directed by famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou. In his writing, Mo Yan draws on his youthful experiences and on settings in the province of his birth and his works show the life of Chinese people as well as the country’s unique culture and folk customs. Mo Yan is known as a productive writer. In addition to his novels, he has published many short stories and essays on various topics. Despite his social criticism, he is seen in his homeland as one of the most famous contemporary authors. Dozens of his works have been translated into English, French, Japanese and many other languages.
The awarding ceremony will be held on December 10. The winner will win a medal, a personal diploma and a cash award of about $1 million. How did Mo Yan feel when he was told about the news?
| A．Excited and proud. | B．Worried and cautious. |
| C．Happy and surprised. | D．Uncertain and shocked. |
One of Mo Yan’s characteristics of writing is that he ________.
| A．writes about topics he is familiar with |
| B．focuses on social problems in the country |
| C．describes his characters in a unique way |
| D．explains difficult matters in simple words |
What’s the best title for this passage?
| A．How Mo Yan Gets Nobel Prize |
| B．An Introduction to Nobel Prize |
| C．Mo Yan Wins Nobel Prize in Literature |
| D．A World Famous Writer, Mo Yan |
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． |
March 22, 2011---Most restaurants in the United States offer their customers a glass of tap water at no charge with their meal, but this week many restaurants are asking dinners to pay a dollar, or more, for a glass of water. Cards on their tables explain that this small amount helps bring clean water to children around the world. It’s called the UNICEF Tap Project.
“UNICEF’s Tap Project is really all about bringing attention to the fact that over 900 million people around the globe do not have access to good, clean, healthy drinking water,” says Cary Stem, who heads the US Fund for UNICEF. She adds that water-borne illness is the second-highest cause of preventable childhood death in the world.
“Each and every day approximately 4,100 children die just because they don’t have that access - 4,100 every single day.”
The public service campaign encourages people to help change that statistic with a simple, affordable action: paying a dollar to get a glass of tap water at a restaurant.
“One dollar buys enough good, clean water for a child for 40 days,” Stem says.
“The tap project has expanded since it began five years ago with 300 restaurants in New York City. This year, Stem says, about 3,000 restaurants across the country are participating in the campaign. We raised about $2.5 million over the last five years of this campaign,” says Stem. “Last year, we raised over $1 million for the first time. This year we’re hoping to top that.”
Stem credits the continued success of the campaign to an army of volunteers who support the tap project and raise money in their communities.
The UNICEF Tap Project is promoting its efforts with a simple motto: when you take water, give water. Currently, UNICEF works in more than 100 countries around the world to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities in schools and communities.
Stem hopes that, by participating in the project, more Americans will realize that what they often take for granted is a precious and scarce resource in many other parts of the world.Restaurants began to charge for tap water to _______.
| A．increase their profit |
| B．urge customers to save water |
| C．raise people’s awareness of the world water problem |
| D．collect money for those without access to safe water |
We can learn from the text that the Tap Project ________.
| A．began in New York City |
| B．was started by volunteers |
| C．is hoping to collect $2.5 million this year |
| D．provides help for 1,000 countries in the world |
It can be learned that _______.
| A．the Tap Project began in 2006 |
| B．America suffers a serious problem |
| C．4,100 children die of water pollution every year |
| D．water-borne illnesses are the biggest killer of children |
How does Cary Stem feel about the work of the Tap Project?
| A．Concerned | B．Hopeful | C．Disappointed | D．Angry |
One of the world's richest men has taken a close interest in one of man's most basic functions: visiting the toilet．Bill Gates's charitable organization, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is looking for inventors to design the loo of the future, which, they hope, would improve sanitation for millions of people around the world.
So, what's wrong with the traditional flush toilet? Firstly, it wastes a huge amount, of potential drinking water．Secondly, they are more likely to cause pollution．This is a real problem in many areas of the developing world, where, according to United Nations estimates, unsafe sanitation causes half of all hospitalizations．Younger people are particularly at risk．Illnesses which cause diarrhea are responsible for the deaths of about 1．5 million children a year．Finally, standard lavatories simply aren't practical in remote areas．
The challenge set by Bill Gates was to come up with a latrine which works without running water, electricity or aseptic tank．It also needed to operate for less than 5 cents．28 designs were displayed at the recent Reinvent the Toilet Fair．in Seattle, USA．Among them was one which turned human waste into electricity using microwaves, another which converted human waste into charcoal, and yet another which used urine for flushing．
But the winner was a solar-powered design which generated hydrogen gas and electricity．The team from the California Institute of Technology（CIT）picked up a prize of $ 100,000.
But clearly Bill Gates doesn't feel he's flushing money down the toilet．After the Seattle event he said, "We, couldn't be happier with the response we've gotten," Gates has even pledged $370 million more to the future toilet project．They hope to field test more, prototypes over the next three years．Why is Bill Gates paying people to invent new toilets?
| A．Because he wants to test people's sense of creativity． |
| B．Because he thinks the traditional ones are out of fashion |
| C．Because he wants to improve sanitation for many people． |
| D．Because he can't design this kind of things himself． |
Which of the following is NOT a problem with the traditional flush toilet?
| A．They are too complicated to use. | B．They waste too much water |
| C．They might cause diseases． | D．They are not always practical. |
The underlined word "latrine" in the third paragraph might have similar meanings to the word "__ " in the text．
| A．sanitation | B．loo | C．diarrhea | D．prototype |
The team from CIT won the prize because their design .
| A．can change human waste into electricity |
| B．can turn human waste into charcoal |
| C．can use urine for flushing |
| D．can produce power with solar energy |
If someone "flush money down the toilet", they are .
| A．wasting money for nothing |
| B．being angry with their work conditions |
| C．showing—off their wealth |
| D．expressing their great determination |
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. |
Mainland couples who give birth to a second child in Hong Kong will be fined forbreaking the family planning policy a senior official has warned． As more women flock to Hong Kong to give birth to their second child，Zhang Feng，family planning department director of Guangdong Province，stressed that this violated Chinaspolicies． “And those who are government employees will even be dismissed from their posts．”he said．
''It doesn't matter if they give birth to their second child on the mainland or in other countries and regions, they have violated the country's policies and the province's regulations''.
He said that some families had been punished in the past few months after having a second child in Hong Kong, but gave no details.
Zhang made his remarks when a Hong Kong newspaper carried a controversial notice claiming residents' medical services had been affected by the growing number of mainland women who arrive in the city to give birth and gain right of abode (居住) there.
According to statistics revealed by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, about 88,000 babies were born in Hong Kong in 2010, but more than 41,000 or 47 percent, were to mainland couples, including a large number from Guangdong.
Hong Kong has limited the number of mainland women permitted to give birth in the city at 34,000 this year.
The issue also has caused calls for an amendment to Hong Kong's Basic Law so that babies born to mainland women are no longer granted permanent right of abode.
''I support Hong Kong government's decision to reduce or limit the number for mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong.'' Zhang said.
China introduced its family planning policy in 1979 to limit births in the world's most populous nation, although the rules have been relaxed in recent years.Which of the following is true?
| A．Zhang Feng is family planning department director of Guangdong Province. |
| B．Many government employees have been dismissed from their posts. |
| C．Those who give birth to a second child in Hong Kong will be fined. |
| D．It doesn’t matter if they give birth to their second child on the mainland. |
What does the word ''violated'' mean in the second paragraph?
| A．was obeyed | B．went against | C．was for | D．was dismissed |
Zhang Feng said that______.
| A．few families had been punished after having a second child in China |
| B．about 88,000 babies were born in Hong Kong in 2010 |
| C．he agreed to reduce or limit the number for mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong |
| D．the residents' medical services in Hong Kong had been affected |
From the passage we can infer______.
| A．in 2010 most of the babies born in Hong Kong belonged to mainland couples |
| B．babies born to mainland women in Hong Kong can't get permanent right of abode now |
| C．the number of mainland women permitted to give birth in Hong Kong has been reduced |
| D．the family planning policy in China is as strict as before |
Which is NOT the reason why some people want to give birth to a second child in Hong Kong?
| A．They want to gain right of abode there for their babies. |
| B．They want to escape being punished for breaking the family planning policy. |
| C．They want their babies to enjoy the good medical services in Hong Kong. |
| D．They want to cause calls for an amendment to Hong Kong's Basic Law. |
President Barack Obama has complained about the loss of privacy that comes with being leader of the United States, regretting the loss of simple pleasures such as a long walk or a trip to the car wash or supermarket．
"I just miss - I miss being anonymous," he said"I miss Saturday morning, rolling out of bed, not shaving, getting into my car with my girls, driving to the supermarket, squeezing the fruit, getting my car washed, taking walks. I can't take a walk． "
His dream, he said, was to "go through Central Park and watch folks passing by．．．spend the day watching people --- I miss that"．
Faced with angry criticism for playing more golf than most previous occupants of the White House, he explained that the sport was simply the best way of getting away from it all． "It's the only excuse I have to get outside for four hours." he told Hearst magazines．
Though he said he enjoyed his life in the White House, he felt disappointed with some of the ways of Washington, which he has failed in his pledge to change, such as the "kabuki dance" （日本歌舞）among political parties before serious policy discussions begin． His comments may be seen as vindication （证实） by critics who have accused him of appearing too detached（漠然）, and being slow to engage in vital issues such as Libya and the near shutdown of the US government last week．
Since arriving at the White House in January 2009, Mr.Obama has already racked up （打）60 rounds of golf in office, more than George W Bush did in his eight years．
In terms of ability, Golf Digest magazine has ranked Mr.Obama eighth out of the 18 presidents who played the game since it became established in the early 20th century． What do the second paragraph and the third paragraph mainly tell us?
| A．Obama likes living a busy life． |
| B．Obama used to spend most of his time with his family． |
| C．Obama wishes to enjoy simple pleasures． |
| D．He used to wash his car himself． |
According to Obama, he plays golf to .
| A．release his pressure | B．keep fit |
| C．balance his work | D．show his ability |
We can infer from the passage that Obama is kabuki dance．
| A．curious about | B．interested in |
| C．content with | D．tired of |
Which of the following statements is from the critics?
| A．The president lost lots of privacy, but he loves the life in the White House |
| B．There are always unnecessary procedures among political parties． |
| C．The president seems to be indifferent towards some really important issues |
| D．The president is really a great golf player． |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Obama's favorite pastime． |
| B．Obama’s complaints about lack of privacy as president． |
| C．The public's criticism of Obama． |
| D．Obama’s regrets for being the U．S．president． |
MUMBAI – Indian commandos battled into the early hours of Friday to end a multiple hostage crisis in Mumbai after suspected Islamic militants killed 125 people across the city．
Officials said they had almost totally cleared the luxury Taj Mahal hotel where gunmen had been held up for more than 24 hours．
Indian security forces personnel released hostages from Nariman House in Mumbai．Thirty-nine people were rescued from the five-star Oberoi hotel, where "mopping up（清理火场）" operations were still underway, police said．
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the militants had come from "outside the country．”
The Press Trust of India said one Pakistani militant had been arrested, although Pakistan's government fiercely denied any involvement．
Indian media reports said between six and nine foreign nationals were among the dead in Mumbai -- including a Japanese businessman, an Australian, a Briton , a German and an Italian．
At least five gunmen had been shot dead and one captured, police said．Fourteen security personnel were also killed, including the head of Mumbai's anti-terror squad．
To draw maximum international attention, the militants used small groups to attack a total of about a dozen targets in India's financial hub , including the main railway station, a hospital and a restaurant popular with tourists．
An unknown group calling itself the Deccan Mujahedeen claimed responsibility, with one gunman telling an Indian TV channel by phone that the outfit（装备）was of Indian origin and motivated by the treatment of Indian Muslims．
Up to 327 people were reported wounded．
The main Bombay Stock Exchange was closed until further notice, as were shops, schools and businesses．
Prime Minister Singh said the aim had clearly been to spread panic by choosing high profile（知名度高的）targets and "indiscriminately（随心所欲地）killing foreigners．"
Witnesses said the gunmen had been very particular in their choice of hotel hostages．"They said they wanted anyone with British and American passports," said one British guest at the Taj Mahal hotel．The following statements are NOT true except ________．
| A．thirty-nine hostages were rescued from the Taj Mahal Hotel |
| B．fourteen gunmen were killed in Nariman House |
| C．the target of the attack was obviously on Britons and Americans |
| D．an American was among the killed foreigners |
The best title of this passage can be _______．
| A．Hostages Released by Indian Commandos |
| B．Mumbai Under Terrorist Attack |
| C．Islamic Militants Attacking Westerners in Mumbai |
| D．Unfortunate Britons and Americans in Mumbai |
The Hunan Satellite TV (HNTV) show “Where are we going, Dad?” is a big hit. Many famous stars brought their children to a strange village alone, and they had to spend 72 hours with their children there. The program fully showed us a modern version of the “how to be a good father”. As the young parents today are too busy to take care of their children, this new form of“Lost on the way”played by nanny (保姆式的) daddy and cute kids triggered（触发）a lot of people’s emotional resonance（共鸣）. Both the kids and their parents will find that their hearts are being drawn closer. But this kind of feeling has just proved that there is a big spiritual barrier between the modern parents and children.
The TV shows like “Children are hard to support!”, “Where are we going, Dad?”, “hot mom” and “cute kids” are becoming more and more popular. All of these show the new parents’ confusion in children’s education and the appeal for the balance between career and family.
In real life, on the one hand, the young parents feel helpless because they are too busy to accompany their children under the pressures of work and life; on the other hand, they continue to do so. The data collected by HNTV show that nearly two-thirds of their audience are female, among whom 36% are aged from 25 to 34. We can imagine such a scene that one evening a young mother is watching the show with her young children, while her husband is still at work or trapped in socializing, or maybe is just playing computer games in the bedroom. The story of a child without the company of father is still going on. In fact, it is sometimes the same to mothers. In a modern family, it is often the old who take the responsibility for raising a child. The participation of mother in the children’s education is also very low.
It is just this kind of confusion where the parents have gone in the modern family education, and where the parents will guide their children to go that “Where are we going, Dad?” shows us. If a child wants to grow up healthily and safely into a modern citizen with independent personality and free spirit, it is very important for him or her to follow the parents who serve as their first teacher. Maybe this is the real reason why such kind of TV programs could get hot. The truth is that children will go where their parents go, and society will go where the children go.Which of the following can be inferred in the passage?
| A．Parents shouldn’t entirely leave the education of children to the old. |
| B．36% of the audience of the program are female aged from 25-34. |
| C．The program shows us the confusion where the parents and children will go to play. |
| D．In a modern family it is often mothers who are responsible for raising a child. |
In raising a child in modern society, parents should ________.
| A．play computer games with their children |
| B．break down the barrier between children and teachers |
| C．balance well between family and career |
| D．keep their children at home to avoid socializing |
What attitude towards modern family education does the author express in the passage?
| A．Optimistic. | B．Proud. |
| C．Negative. | D．Worried |
Which one is the best title of the passage?
| A．Confusion behind “Where are we going, dad?” |
| B．Modern Education is Important |
| C．Nanny Daddy and Cute Kids |
| D．New Problems in Modern Children’s Education |
“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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