“Global warming could make humans shorter,” warn scientists who claim to have found evidence that it caused the world's first horses to shrink(收缩) nearly 50 million years ago. In fact, a team from the universities of Florida and Nebraska says it has found a link between the Earth heating up and the size of mammals – horses, in this case.
The scientists used fossils to follow the evolution of horses from their earliest appearance 56 million years ago. As temperature went up，their size went down, and vice versa（反之亦然）;“ At one point they were as small as a house cat,” said Dr Jonathan Bloch, curator（博物馆长） of the Florida Museum of Natural History, which was quoted by the "Daily Mail" as saying.
The scientists say that the current warming could have the same effect on mammals and could even make humans smaller."Horses started out small, about the size of a small dog . What's surprising is that after they first appeared, they then became even smaller and then dramatically increased in size, and that exactly corresponds to the global warming event, followed by cooling”
"It had been known that mammals were small during that time and that it was warm, but we hadn't realized that temperature specifically was driving the evolution of body size," Dr Bloch said in the "Science" journal.How did scientists find out the horses’ earliest appearance millions of years ago?
| A．searching the data on the net |
| B．sorting through the pictures of ancient times |
| C．using fossils to follow the evolution |
| D．analyzing the related images |
What can we infer form the passage?
| A．As temperatures went up, horses dramatically increased in size |
| B．The temperature has no effect on mammals’ evolution |
| C．As temperatures went up, horses’ size went down |
| D．In history, it used to be warm at early times , followed by a certain period of sharply cooling down. |
Which is the most closest meaning to the underlined words most probably mean _______.
| A．react to | B． be contradictory to |
| C．be consistent with | D． differ from |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Global warming is to disappear |
| B．The temperature on earth is to decrease |
| C．Global warming makes human shorter |
| D．Mammals are dying out. |
The dyed bun scandal (染色馒头丑闻) deals another blow to shoppers' confidence in buying food products, as well as the reputation of local sellers. Li Zhen reports on shoppers’ reactions in Shanghai.
An investigation by the municipal government revealed that Shanghai Shenglu Food Company produced more than 3,000 steamed buns daily. These were then sold across the city, including large supermarkets such as Hualian, Lianhua and Dia.
Fewer steamed buns were for sale at this Lianhua Supermarket. More than 32,000 buns were taken off store shelves when the scandal emerged.
Mr. Wang, Sales Manager of Lianhua Supermarket, said, “We removed the dyed steamed buns produced by Shenglu as soon as we learned of the incident. We gave customers who had bought the steamed buns from our outlets refunds with their receipts. Despite the scandal, our sales volume has been fine so far.”
However, most customers we met remained concerned about food safety. Steamed buns are a regular breakfast food for Ms. Gao. She used to buy them mostly from supermarkets because she felt it was in a clean and safe environment.
But now, she has second thoughts about buying the popular snack.
Ms. Gao, Shanghai shopper, said, “I can’t believe that even steamed buns from the supermarkets are no longer safe. The only places I trusted to shop at were major supermarkets and specialist shops. But now even there, product quality cannot be guaranteed. I really don't know where to buy my goods from in the future.
Shoppers at supermarkets who still bought steamed buns said they had few options. “I feel like giving up supermarkets. But I really don’t know where to do my food shopping. I can't make these things myself.” said Ms. Tang, Shanghai shopper.The colored buns were sold in some large supermarkets EXCEPT ______.
| A．Hualian | B．Lianhua | C．Shenglu | D．Dia |
What Ms. Gao and Ms. Tang said suggests that ______.
| A．they still trust major supermarkets when shopping |
| B．they will make food by themselves |
| C．they will never go to supermarkets |
| D．they feel confused about where to buy safe food |
The underlined word in the last paragraph can be replaced by ______.
| A．choices | B．ideas | C．hints | D．marks |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．Major supermarkets removed the dyed steamed buns. |
| B．Dyed steamed buns brought great loss to major supermarkets. |
| C．Famous supermarkets are involved in the bun scandal. |
| D．Dyed bun scandal hurts consumers’ confidence. |
Where can you most probably read the passage?
| A．In a fashion magazine. | B．In a newspaper. | C．In a guideline book. | D．In an official document. |
SYDNEY 2005-01-01 08:33—Mother of two, Jillian Searle, had to choose between her children when she made a life-or-death decision.
Swept up by mountainous tsunami (海啸) waves at a Thai resort ( 旅游胜地), she could not hold on to both her young sons and survive . Fighting to stay above the waters , she had to choose which one would have to take his chances in the swirling torrent (漩流).
“I knew I had to let go of one of them and I just thought I’d better let go of the one that’s the older,” she told Sky News television in a report broadcast on Thursday. She said she was accompanied by the two boys, Lachie, 5, and two-year-old Blake, and their father, Brad, who had watched the drama helplessly from their first-floor hotel room, when the waves struck. “And I was screaming, trying to find him, and we thought he was dead,” she told reporters on arrival back in Australia. Lachie was found alive about 2 hours later clinging to a door and, looked uninjured as his mother spoke to reporters.
British surfer (冲浪运动员) Martin Markwell is also a lucky man. He had always dreamed of catching that perfect wave –but when it finally came along, it was a nightmare. He was on his surfboard when he was swept up by a tsunami wave.
“It was really terrible because I was surfing, I was really surfing on a wave I wasn’t supposed to be on,” he said. “As an experienced surfer, when I saw the wave come I realized something was wrong, but I couldn’t escape because my surfboard was tied to my ankle.”
His wife Vicki and son Jake looked on in horror from a hotel balcony as he crashed towards the shore. Luckily , he stayed on top of his board until he reached the hotel , jumped off and got to safety as the ocean rolled back to feed a much larger tsunami wave on its way . The family regrouped and ran to safety just minutes before a giant tsunami wave 10 meters high.When the waves struck, the father Brad .
| A．reported the disaster to Sky News television |
| B．was watching a drama play on TV in the hotel |
| C．tried to find his son lost in the waters |
| D．watched things going on , unable to do anything |
The underlined word “him” refers to .
| A．an old man | B．Lachie | C．Brad | D．Blake |
Which of the following is wrong ?
| A．Lachie and Martin were both with their family members when the disaster happened. |
| B．Lachie and Martin both survived from the high waves when tsunami struck. |
| C．Lachie and Martin were both travelers from Europe on holiday in Thailand. |
| D．Lachie and Martin were both alive owing to their good luck. |
The best title of this news story would be .
| A．Narrow Escape | B．Disaster Caused by Tsunami |
| C．Exciting Surfing Experience | D．Struggle Against Tsunami |
Japan’ s nuclear crisis is also causing concerns in China. Worried shoppers rushed to stores and supermarkets in the country for salt, with the belief that it might protect them from potential nuclear radiation spreading from Japan.
Many rushed to buy to store as much iodized salt as possible because of the rumor that iodized salt could help prevent radiation poisoning spreading from Japan’ s Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Consumers also worried that the nuclear plumes might spread to China by air and sea, polluting food sources, including salt taken from the sea.
The wave of panic buying spread quickly across the country, driving up salt prices by five to ten fold in some cities.
Even regions rich in salt production, like Jiangxi Province，faced sudden shortages.
The government took measures to guarantee enough supply and to stabilize（稳定）the market. It also dismissed the nuclear rumors, saying the nuclear fallout was unlikely to reach the country, and that salt did not help to prevent radiation poisoning.
Local authorities have stepped in to stabilize the market, too. As well, state-owned salt companies have been urged to increase their supply.
Facing expanding market demand, distribution centers have taken extra measures to ensure they are well-prepared.
Wang Yun, the General Manager of Beijing Salt Industry Corporation, said, “Our storage reserves can guarantee a two-month supply for the Beijing market.”People made panic purchases of salt for the reasons EXCEPT______________.
| A．salt might protect them from potential nuclear radiation |
| B．nuclear radiation might pollute food sources |
| C．nuclear radiation might pollute salt taken from the sea |
| D．there would be a shortage of salt on the market |
The underlined word “fold” in the third paragraph means _______.
| A．times | B．prices | C．quantities | D．means |
What measures did the government take for the panic buying?
| A．Enough salt would be offered to each house. |
| B．It admitted that salt could stop nuclear radiation. |
| C．Authorities urged state-owned salt companies to increase the supply. |
| D．Those who spread the rumor were all arrested and punished. |
What is the purpose of the writer to give the example of Beijing Salt Industry Corporation?
| A．To tell readers that there is a salt company in Beijing. |
| B．To make people believe that the supply of salt is enough. |
| C．To call on panic people to buy enough salt. |
| D．To prove what the government did was right. |
Sydney—Mobile phone has become a problem for middle schools. Some middle schools in Australia have banned（禁止）students from carrying mobile phones during school hours.
Mobile phone use among children has become a problem for the school this year. Several children have got mobile phones as Christmas gifts, and more students want them.
Mary Bluett, an official, said mobile phone use is a distraction（分心）to students during school hours and it also gives teachers so much trouble in their classrooms. Teachers were also saying that sometimes students might use phone messages to cheat during exams.
She said some schools had tried to ban mobile phones. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t get in touch with their children.
Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, but if there was a good reason, they could leave their phones at school offices. They also said there were many reasons why the students should not have mobile phones at school: they were easy to lose and were a distraction from studies.
Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones, but they think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones. Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones ____________.
| A．because they are students | B．when they are at school |
| C．because they are young | D．when they are free |
We know from the passage that some children get mobile phones from ____________.
| A．the makers and sellers | B．some other strangers |
| C．their parents and friends | D．some mobile phone users |
Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t during school hours.
| A．get in touch with their children | B．leave their mobile phones |
| C．help the teachers with their work | D．use their mobile phones |
The underlined word “they” in the fifth paragraph refers to ____________.
| A．many teachers | B．some messages |
| C．mobile phones | D．some students |
The topic mainly talked about in the text is ____________.
| A．why the students should not use mobile phones in some Australian schools |
| B．when the students of some Australian schools can use their mobile phones |
| C．whether the Australian students can have mobile phones at school |
| D．how some parents feel when their children should not carry mobile phones |
BEIJING——China will further open its financial sector in “an active and safe” way, the country’s central bank vowed on Friday.
“China will gradually broaden the chance for the participation of foreign capital in the domestic financial market,” said the People’s Bank of China in a report. “We will strengthen the connections between China’s financial market and international ones by attracting more foreign capital in Renminbi-denominated financial products,” the report said.
Meanwhile, channels will also be expanded to allow Chinese investment in foreign financial markets.
The bank said it would ease restrictions on enterprises and individuals possessing and using foreign currencies and increase the number of qualified foreign institutional investors and the value of their investment quotas(份额). “We will make use of the financial market to achieve balanced international payments,” said the bank.
Last year, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) raised the annual quota for individuals buying foreign currency from US $ 20,000 to US $ 50,000.
“China will work hard for a more efficient and vigorous financial market that can better serve international needs,” the bank said.
The country will adjust its financial market rules so they are accepted around the world, encourage reforms and promote more flexible, diversified ways of trading, according to the bank.
China fully opened its financial market to foreign capital on December 11 last year, ending a five-year transitional (过渡的) period after entering WTO.The passage is
| A．a piece of news | B．an advertisement | C．a poster | D．an explanation |
China is working hard to
| A．reduce the interest rate of foreign currencies | B．increase the interest rate of foreign currencies |
| C．bring in more foreign investment by promising to further open its financial sector | |
| D．adjust its financial markets to resist the invasion of foreign investment |
To further open financial sector, China has taken many measures EXCEPT
| A．Giving more chances to the participation of foreign capital |
| B．Strengthening the connections between China and other countries by the leaders’ paying visits to each other’s countries |
| C．Broadening the quotas of enterprises and individuals possessing and using foreign currencies |
| D．Opening its domestic financial market step by step |
We can draw a conclusion that
| A．China’s financial market will be conquered by foreign one |
| B．China will create a more active and various way of trading and its market will become stronger |
| C．China will end the transitional period of opening financial sector in five years |
| D．China will be blind to the foreign investment |
LONDON (Reuters Life!) ---- Forget about talking your children into considering life as a doctor or a teacher and start training them for the talent show.
A survey of British parents showed the aspirations (志向) of their children are greatly different from what they dreamed about when considering who they wanted to be when they grew up.
Although astronaut (宇航员) still remains fairly high on the list of careers (事业) kids dream about these days, others like doctor and teacher have been taken the place of by the desire (欲望) to win good name and money as a sporting hero, pop star or actor.
The parents of children aged 5 to 11 said the choice of lawyer had dropped by only one place on a top 10 list to sixth, while teacher had dropped to ninth from top in the last 25 or more years.
The survey for British TV channel “Watch” found a great difference between the genders (性别) of today’s young people when compared with their parents’ dreams 25 years or more ago.
Playing professional football, being an astronaut and joining the firefighting service topped the boys’ choices, while girls are more likely to be dreaming of taking to the stage as a pop star or actress or joining the medical profession.
When asked what they would like their children to do for a living, today’s parents still like the academic (学术的) professions (职业), with law and medicine scoring highly, while being a boss came third.
Parents also praised job happiness above wealth (财富) when it comes to their hopes for their children.
Nearly 70 percent of the parents surveyed thought that they failed to follow their dreams when it came to their career, with 37 percent thinking it was caused by a lack of aspiration and not having the necessary conditions.
1. From the passage we know that most parents still hope that in the future their children can take up ______.
A. jobs such as musicians, singers and dancers
B. jobs related to academic professions like lawyers and doctors
C. jobs in which they will not be endangered
D. jobs wh
ich will be well paid only
2. The first paragraph is to advise parents to ______.
A. change their children’s dreams B. correct their children’s dreams
C. follow their children’s dreams D. forget their children’s dreams
3. According to the survey for British TV channel “Watch”, which of the following is the boys’ best career choice?
A. A pop star B. An actor C. A doctor D. A firefighter
4. What can be learnt from the passage?
A. Parents’ hope for their children’s career did not change too much.
B. Parents pay much attention to the income of their children.
C. Less than half of the parents who were surveyed didn’t follow their dreams.
D. Most parents didn’t have the necessary conditions to realize their dreams.
5. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Many reasons cause the change of children’s dreams.
B. Parents’ dreams are different from children’s.
C. Parents are changing their own dreams.
D. Children’s dreams are always changing.
Sydney 2005-01-01 08:33 --- mother of two, Jillian Searle, had to choose between her children when she made a life-or-death decision.
Swept up by mountainous tsunami（海啸）waves at a Thai resort ( 旅游胜地), she couldn't hold on to both her young sons and survive. Fighting to stay above the waters, she had to choose which one would have to take his chances in the swirling torrent ( 漩流 ).
“I knew I had to let go of one of them and I just thought I’d better let go of the one that's the older,” she told Sky News Television in a report broadcast on Thursday. She said she was accompanied by the two boys, Lachie, 5, and two-year-old Blake, and their father, Brad, who had watched the drama helplessly from their first-floor hotel room, when the waves struck. “and I was screaming, trying to find him, and we thought he was dead,” she told reporters on arrival back in Australia.
Lachie was found alive about 2 hours later clinging (扳住) to a door and, looked uninjured as his mother spoke to reporters.
British surfer ( 冲浪运动员) Martin Markwell is also a lucky man. He had always dreamed of catching that perfect wave-- but when it finally came along, it was a nightmare (噩梦). He was on his surfboard when he was swept up by a tsunami wave.
“It was really terrible because I was surfing. I was really surfing on a wave I wasn't supposed to be on.” he said. “As an experienced surfer, when I saw the wave come, I realized something was wrong, but I couldn't escape because my surfboard was tied to my ankle（脚踝）.”
His wife Vicki and son Jake looked on in horror from a hotel balcony (阳台) as he crashed towards the shore. Luckily, he stayed atop his board until he reached the hotel, jumped off and got to safety as the ocean rolled back to feed a much larger tsunami wave on its way. The family regrouped and ran to safety just minutes before a giant tsunami wave 10 meters high. When the waves struck, the father Brad _______.
| A．reported the disaster to Sky News Television |
| B．was watching a drama on TV in the hotel |
| C．tried to find his son lost in the waters |
| D．watched things going on, unable to do anything |
The underlined word “him” in the third paragraph refers to _______.
| A．an old man | B．Lachie | C．Brad | D．Blake |
It's not true that Lachie and Martin _______.
| A．were both accompanied by their family when the disaster happened |
| B．both survived from the high waves when tsunami struck |
| C．were both travelers from Europe on holiday in Thailand |
| D．were both alive owing to their proper judgment and determination |
The best title of this news story would be_______.
| A．Narrow escape | B．Disaster caused by tsunami |
| C．Exciting surfing experience | D．Struggle against tsunami |
STRANGERS parties go wild these days. The main idea of them is to never let the people know who their matches are until the last minute. These are some popular practices that are storming the world’s youth on this V-day.
Speed dating
It’s exactly what the name implies. Complete with a timer, a whistle and 50 willing singles, speed dating is not the traditional dinner and a movie type of first date. Singles pay US $35 for three minutes with more than two dozen future dates. They ask questions and try to get to know each other. At the sound of a whistle, they do the same thing all over again―25 times in all.
Lock and key party
Women are given a lock and men are given a key, upon arriving at the party. Each key and lock has several matches. One can hunt for his/her later-to-be sweetheart in various groups, and try out the key or lock. Each time a lock and key match the pair are entered into a ballot (票数） for top prizes!
Dinner in the dark
Waiters wearing night vision glasses guide the guests through the pitch-black dining room. They are seated at the table and familiarized with the wine glass and plate. Food is handled with the fingers. People will not see the food they are eating or the guests at their table until the dessert course. At that moment, dining partners will appear.
Message party
Have A Cocktail, Leave A Message! When you arrive, you get a tag with a number and a pad of post-it notes. If you see someone you like, write a message on the message board. But wait… You’ve got a message… Go and collect it! You can make new friends and win lots of gifts. The more messages you leave on the bulletin board, the more chances you have of winning prizes. What do you think the similarities of these parties are?
A．All the parties have very  strict rules for their members. |
| B．If you want to go to any of the parties, you have to buy a ticket. |
| C．All the parties are aimed at strangers who want to be lovers. |
| D．All the parties are suitable not only for the young but for the old. |
In which party does a participant have to be careful with the time?
| A．Speed dating. | B．Lock and key party. |
| C．Dinner in the dark. | D．Message party. |
If you go to the Dinner in the dark, ________.
| A．you have to wear night vision glasses |
| B．you have to eat with your hands |
| C．guests eat all the courses in the darkness |
| D．your dining partners will help you choose the food |
How many of the parties offer gifts or prizes?
| A．1. | B．2. | C．3. | D．4. |
More American people take their troubles with them on holiday, according to a new survey. Although 40 percent said that the main reason for going away is to escape pressure (压力) from work, almost all said they worry more than they do at home. Only four in every 100 said that they are happy and free of care.
The most common worry is burglary ( 入室盗窃) , with four out of 10 worrying about their homes being broken into while they’re abroad．More than a quarter fear they will feel crazy with some other noisy and rough holiday-makers and 22 percent worry they may be attacked or their possessions will be missing. One in five think the car may break down; and the same number worry about the chances of bad weather.
The survey also showed that the stay-at-home Americans are no more. Three out of every five want to have a holiday abroad, a great increase from the figures only three years ago. The hotel holiday is still a winner, with about one third of all Americana preferring to go on a self-catering ( 自助 ) holiday.The underlined word “survey” in the first paragraph most probably means ______.
| A．research | B．review | C．exhibition | D．examination |
According to the text, about ____ of people worry more on holiday than when they are at home.
| A．25% | B．40% | C．80% | D．95% |
The third most common worry of American holiday-makers is that they may ______.
| A．be attacked or lose their possessions |
| B．have problems with their cars on the road |
| C．have bad weather on holiday |
| D．get mixed with some rough fellow holiday-makers |
Where do American holiday-makers like to stay most?
| A．At a hotel. | B．In a quiet place. |
| C．At a friend's house. | D．Where they can cook for themselves. |
Chinese tennis player Li Na didn’t win the Australian Open Championship on Saturday, but she still made the history books.
Li, who lost to Kim Clijsters of Belgium in three sets (3-6, 6-3, 6-3), is the first player from China to make it to a Grand Slam final.
The boss defeated a bit of the feel-good story for China and for Li, who on Thursday defeated No. 1 player Caroline Wozniacki in the semifinals in Melbourne. Li is ranked fifth.
In an interview Li said she was proud of her effort. “I think I play great tennis,” she said. “ I mean, she plays better than me. After the match, I make a joke: tennis should only play one set.”
Bai Yan, a member of China’s men’s national team member and Li Na’s friend, said the loss was disappointing, but still a bright starting point.
“To tell you the truth I feel a little bit down, all of us. But you know she is still the best, and she’s still our hero in everybody’s eyes,” said Bai. “This is just the start.”.
Win or lose, Li’s appearance in the Australian Open finals was seen as a major victory for tennis in China, where badminton and table tennis rules.
Fans across China gathered to watch the match. Li’s mother joined fans at a restaurant in her hometown of Wuhan. In Bejing, fans crowded together to watch China’s national tennis match.
“ Tennis is still relatively a new sport in China,” said Michael Chang, the Chinese-American who was the first Asian grand slam champion, in an interview with CNN. “ To be able to see Li Na have as much success as she has… this could be the start of something very special for tennis in China.”
“Li will definitely change the sport of tennis in China and that is a great thing,” Chang said. What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．Chinese tennis star Li Na’s tennis career. |
| B．A fierce tennis match at Australian Open. |
| C．Chinese tennis star made history at Australian Open. |
D．Chinese tennis r emained to be tested and challenged. |
Which is true according to the passage?
| A．Li Na’s failure let the Chinese down. |
| B．Li Na ranked fifth at Australian Open. |
C．LI Na’s mother attended the mat ch with her. |
| D．Li Na made a new starting point of China |
What’s the meaning of the u
nderlined words “tennis should only play one set” (Para 4)?
| A．Li Na was not satisfied with the rule of tennis match. |
| B．Li Na was not satisfied with her own performance. |
| C．Li Na had a bad opinion of Clijsters. |
| D．Li Na took pride in her effort. |
According to what Chang said in the last two paragraphs, we can imply that ________.
| A．it’s normal that Li Na failed because tennis is a new sport in China |
| B．Li Na has the advantage to change tennis sport in China |
| C．China still falls behind other countries in tennis sport |
| D．Li Na has great difficulty in defeating others because of weak ability |
The Washington post – NASA’s newest space habitat looks sort of like a kids’ moon bonce, a big, bright, inflatable globe that could be lots of fun to play in. Soon astronauts on the International Space Station could get the chance to try . The expandable habitat made by Bigelow Aerospace recently passed NASA’s strict certification requirements and is scheduled to be flown to the station in September.
Called the BEAM ( Bigelow Expandable Activity Module), the habitat would be attached to the space station, where it would stay for two years. While there, it would be tested to see how it handles the rigors of space – the radiation, the station’s movement and even how it stands up to the debris (碎片) flying around in orbit.
The private Las Vegas company, founded by millionaire real estate mogul(地产大亨) Robert Bigelow, won a $17.8 million contract from NASA to provide the module to the space station.
“Today is the first step, but it’s a big step,” said Bigelow’s George Zamka. Replace the space station or make it larger. It also hopes to build the habitats on the moon. Its B330 module would be even bigger, with 330 cubic meters of internal (内部的 ) space. The modules could be connected. Creating research facilities, the company says, or even space hotels.
In an interview ,NASA’s William Gerstenmaier, said he was eager to see how the module performs , and said he was especially pleased “ to see how the private sector can step up and help us meet our requirements.” The module will be flown to the space station by SpaceX, the first commercial company to resupply the space station.
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．NASA’s space habitats flown to the station. |
| B．NASA’s space habitat it the station. |
| C．NASA’s new expandable space habitat. |
| D．NASA’s newest inflatable globe. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．NASA’s newest space habitat is a kids’ moon bounce. |
| B．Astronauts of Bigelow Aerospace could get the chance to try the space habitat. |
| C．NASA was founded by Robert Bigelow. |
| D．The B330 module to be built on the moon would be with an inside space of 330 cubic meters. |
The underlined word “rigors” in Paragraph 2 refers to “_________”.
| A．difficulties | B．environments |
| C．movements | D．changes |
The passage is most probably taken from ________.
| A．a newspaper | B．a booklet |
| C．a magazine | D．a science fiction |
The city of Rome has passed a new law to prevent cruelty to animals. All goldfish bowls are no longer allowed and dog owners must walk their dogs.
This comes after a national law was passed to give prison sentences to people who desert （抛弃）cats or dogs.
“The civilization of a city can be measured by this,” said Monica Carina, the councilor behind the new law.
The newspaper reported that round bowls don’t give enough oxygen for fish and may make them go blind.
“Rome has tried to protect fish more than anywhere else in the world. It stands out for recognizing that fish are interesting animals that deserve over respect and pity every bit as much as dogs and cats and other animals,” said Karin Robertson, director of the People for the Ethical treatment of Animals.
Last year a law was passed in Italy that gives people who desert pets big fines and prison sentences. Since then local governments have added their own animal protection rules.
The northern city of Turin passed a law in April to give pet owners fines of up to $598 if they do not walk their dogs three times a day.
The new law in Rome also says that owners mustn’t leave their dogs in hot cars or cut their dogs’ tail to make them look lovelier. The law also gives legal recognition to the “cat ladies” who feed homeless cats. The cats live all over the city from ancient ruins to modern office car parks.The new law passed in Rome will _________.
| A．guarantee（保证）better conditions for goldfish |
| B．help improve fishing environment |
| C．stop people from catching goldfish |
| D．prevent keeping goldfish at home |
People in Rome believe that the civilization of a city can be judged by _________.
| A．exchanges with other cities |
| B．Protection of ancient ruins |
| C．recognition of animal lovers |
| D．people’s awareness of animal protection |
People may break the law in Turin if they _____________.
| A．keep their dogs or cats in cars |
| B．shut their dogs home all day long |
| C．raise their cats near ancient ruins |
| D．feed homeless animals in car parks |
Cheating is nothing new. But today, education and administrations are finding that examples of academic dishonesty on the part of students have become more frequent--- and are less likely to be punished---than in the
past. Cheating appears to have gained acceptance among good and poor students alike.
Why is student cheating on the rise? No one really knows. Some blame the trend on a general loosening of moral values among today’s youth. Others have attributed(归因于) increased cheating to the fact that today’s youth are far more practical than their idealistic ancestors. Whereas in the late sixties and early seventies, students were filled with visions about changing the word, today’s students feel great pressure to survive and succeed. In interviews with students at high schools and colleges around the country, both young men and women said that cheating had become easy. Some suggested they did it out of hate for teachers they didn’t respect. Others looked at it as a game. Only if they were caught, some said, would they feel guilty. “People are competitive,” said a second-year college student named Anna, from Chicago. “There is an potential fear. If you don’t do well, your life is going to be ruined. The pressure is not only from parents and friends but from yourself. To achieve. To succeed. It’s almost as though we have to surpass people to achieve our own goals.
Edward Wynne, editor of a magazine blames the rise in academic dishonesty in the schools. He claims that administrators and teachers have been too hesitant to take action. Dwight Huber, chairman of the English Department at Amarillo sees the matter differently, blaming the rise in cheating on the way students evaluated. “I would cheat if I felt I was being cheated,” Mr. Huber said. He feels that as long as teachers give short-answer tests rather than essay questions and rate students by the number of facts they can memorize rather than by how well they can combine and process information, students will try to beat the system. “ The concept of cheating is based on the false belief that the system is legal and there is something wrong with the individual who’re doing it,” he said, “That’s too easy an answer. We’ve got to start looking at the system.” Educators are finding that students who cheat________.
| A．have poor academic records |
| B．use the information in late years |
| C．can be academically weak or strong |
| D．are more likely to be punished than before |
Which of the following statements reflects the information in the passage?
| A．The pressure students faced with is partly the reason causing the student cheating. |
| B．Only the educational system and administrators are to blame for the rise in the cheating. |
| C．The 1960s vision of changing the world helped students never make mistakes. |
| D．Punishment for cheaters has always been severe in this country. |
The phrase “the individuals” in Line 8, Para 3 refers to _________.
| A．students who practice cheating |
| B．parents who put pressure on their children. |
| C．school administrators who approve of short-answer tests. |
| D．teachers who are too hesitant to take actions against cheating. |
The author probably would agree with the point of view that _________.
| A．students who cheat should be driven out of school |
| B．parents alone must take responsibility for the rise in student cheating |
| C．the educational system is sound, and students must follow every rule |
| D．the educational system in this country would benefit from a thorough evaluation |
Some of the best-known names in the entertainment industry have taken part in an unprecedented telethon to help victims of the terrorist attacks in the United States.
The benefit(义演), called “America: a Tribute to Heroes,” was sponsored by all four major U.S television networks, ABC,CBS, FOIX and NBC. It was broadcast by three-dozen television, cable and radio networks across the country and aired live to more than a hundred countries around the world.
Hollywood stars joined music entertainers in asking listeners and viewers to pledge cash donations to charities helping the victims of the September 11th attacks.
Actors, including Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, tom Cruise and Clint Eastwood, told stories of heroic acts by people who tried to save others from the burning World trade Center and the Pentagon. Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali made a rare public appearance in show of support. The appeals alternated with performances by such popular entertainers a Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, Steve Wonder, Paul Simon and the rock band U—2. They appeared on stages in New York, Los Angeles and London, decorated with hundreds of burning candles.
Singer Billy Joel sang “ New York State of Mind” with a New York City firefighter’s hat on his piano. Sting dedicated his song “ Gragile” to a friend who died in the World Trade Center. Stevie Wonder condemned hatred in the name of religion before singing his song “ Love’s in Need of Love today”. Pledge phones were manned by dozens of other celebrities, including Jack Nicholson, Meg Ryan, Whoopic Goldberg, Cindy Crawford, Al Pacino and Sylvester Stallone.
Organizers say the two-hour telethon raised millions of dollars. All participants, from stars to stagehands, worked without pay.Those who appeared on stages were ______.
| A．some best-known names in the USA |
| B．some famous singer, film stars and other music entertainers |
| C．People who tried to save others from the burning World trade Center and the Pentagon. |
| D．Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali and Hollywood stars |
The underlined word “ telethon” most probably means ______.
| A．a performance to raise money |
| B．a concert held by some television networks |
| C．a television program which lasts a long time |
| D．a television program for entertainment |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Four major U.S. television networks broadcast the benefit |
| B．The former heavy weight champion Muhammad Ali sang a song to show his support |
| C．Billy Joel, wearing a firefighter’s hat, played the piano for the listeners and viewers |
| D．The organizers, stars and people who worked for the benefit didn’t get any money for themselves. |
The best title for the news report is ______.
| A．U.S Telethon Raises Money for Attack Victims |
| B．Best-known names Pledge Donations |
| C．Seeking More Support |
| D．More People Join |
试题篮
()
粤公网安备 44130202000953号
