Ladies and Gentlemen, some strange, wild and wonderful stories colored the news in 2010, you may like them.
● A Copenhagen bus company has put "love seats" on 103 of its buses for people looking for a partner. "Even love at first sight is possible on the bus," said a spokesman for the company to explain the two seats on each bus that are covered in red cloth and a "love seat" sign.
● Shoppers at an international luxury fair in Italy, found a cell-phone-equipped golden coffin(棺材)among the items on display. The phones will help "the dead" contact relatives if they have been buried alive by mistake.
● A man in New York came up with a disarming(手无寸铁的)way to perform his latest bank heist , approaching the clerk’s window with a large bunch of flowers and handing over a note saying “give me the money!”
● An Englishman who lost all his legs and arms in an electrical accident successfully swam across the Channel, a challenge he had been preparing for two years. The whole cost is 400 dollars.
● A set of artificial teeth(假牙) made for Britain's war-time prime minister Winston Churchill known as "the teeth that saved the world" sold for nearly 18,000 pounds (21,500 euros, 24,000 dollars) at auction(拍卖).
● A British woman caused an Internet hate campaign after she was caught on camera dumping(抛弃)a cat in a rubbish bin. She was fined 250 pounds (400 dollars, 280 euros) after pleading guilty.
● The BBC apologized completely and without any doubts after a radio presenter jokingly announced that Queen Elizabeth II had died.
● Two Australian men needed surgery(手术)after shooting each other in the bottoms during a drinking session to see if it would hurt and they were charged 400 dollars separately.
● A Kuwaiti MP(议员) suggested state-aid for male citizens to take second wives, in an effort to reduce the large number of unmarried women in the oil-rich state.
What is special about the coffin in the second news?
A.It is golden. | B.It has a cell phone. |
C.It is new. | D.It has many items. |
What is the probable meaning of the underlined word “heist” in the third news?
A.robbery | B.love | C.discussion | D.repair |
Who has to spend 400 dollars to do the surgery?
A.A British woman who dumped a cat in a rubbish bin. |
B.One who bought Winston Churchill’s artificial teeth. |
C.An Australian man who was shot in bottom to test the hurt. |
D.An Englishman crossing the Channel without legs and arms. |
What happens to a teenage kid when the world he thought he knew suddenly changes? Find out in Little Brother by American author Cory Doctorow. It is a fascinating book for a new generation of sci-fi readers.
Marcus Yallow, 17, from San Francisco is much more comfortable in front of a computer than obeying the rules of society. Smart, fast and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting (骗过) his high school's monitoring system. This way he and his friends get to head off to play a popular online game in real life.
While they are playing, a bomb explodes on the Bay Bridge. Marcus stops a military (军队的) vehicle to get help for his injured friend, but this simple act throws him into a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secret prison. There he is treated as a possible terrorist(恐怖分子). He is eventually let go after four days, but his injured friend disappears.
When he returns, Marcus discovers that there are many "security measures" in place and that now all citizens are treated like potential terrorists. While some consider this government action necessary for public safety, Marcus sees this as a complete destruction of the rights he is supposed to have as a citizen.
He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him with only one thing to do: to take down the DHS himself. He helps organize a large network called Xnet to spread the truth, anonymously (匿名地).
The book presents a young man who is irresponsible, but learns about himself, and grows, in the course of the story. As part of this learning and growing he becomes aware of very serious issues about his society.
What kind of article does this passage belong to?
A.A fascinating story. | B.A book review. |
C.News report | D.A TV programme |
Marcus Yallow was sent to prison because ________.
A.he killed his friend |
B.he bombed a military vehicle |
C.he did something that a possible terrorist could do |
D.his injured friend disappeared |
From the second paragraph we can infer that _________.
A.Marcus Yallow is much more comfortable obeying the rules of society |
B.Marcus Yallow is smart, fast and wise in real life |
C.Marcus Yallow always plays online games in real life |
D.Marcus Yallow is expert at the network world |
As Apple tries to maintain its growth and success in China, the world's largest smart-phone market is becoming even more critical. Apple's shares(股份) fell sharply as the company's earnings for the holiday quarter through December disappointed investors.
The sales of the iPhone, which include both the iPhone 5 and older models, came in at the low end of analysts' expectations, while the company's income plan for the second quarter was below analysts' forecasts, though Apple is known to give conservative (保守的) forecasts.
Som'6 analysts have said that for Apple to regain its growth, the company.needs a more aggressive strategy for markets, or more specifically for China, where the market for smart phones has been expanding more rapidly than anywhere else. In China, demand is particularly great for inexpensive phones that run on Android(安卓) operating system, sold by many Chinese phone makers as well as South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co.
But Apple says it's already enjoying strong growth in China. "We saw big growth in iPhones,"Chief Executive Tim Cook said. He said that the company has been quickly expanding its sales channels in China, including the number of Apple stores. "This isn't nearly what we need, we're not even close to that, but we're making great progress. " he said.
In China, a big missing piece for Apple is China Mobile Ltd. , the biggest local telecom carrier that doesn't yet sell the iPhone. Earlier this month, Mr. Cook met China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua in Beijing and discussed cooperation, stirring hopes that the world's largest mobile carrier may soon start offering the iPhone.
Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is working on a lower-end iPhone that could launch as early as this year. But one possible challenge for Apple in China is that low-pricod Android-based phones are getting better in terms of quality. A report from CLSA in late November showed that many smart-phones sold at about 1,000 yuan ( $160) came with higher-reso-lution screens, better cameras and more powerful processors than phones at that price did a year earlier.
Apple's shares dropped sharply because in December__
A.the iPhone wasn't popular in China |
B.its product quality was widely criticized |
C.the earnings for the holiday quarter was disappointing |
D.the investors were not satisfied with Apple's management |
What can we learn from the passage?
A.Apple tends to offer a lower sales forecast. |
B.China Mobile Ltd began to team up with Apple. |
C.Cook is pessimistic about what Apple did in China. |
D.Apple didn't take measures to develop Chinese market. |
The author uses the report from CLSA to prove
A.their prices are actually lower than a year earlier |
B.Apple in China has ability to deal with any problem |
C.low-ended Android-based phones are progressing fast |
D.the promotion of lower-end iPhone will face a challenge |
The main purpose of the passage is to show the readers __
A.Apple.'s high popularity in China |
B.the challenge Apple faces in China |
C.the approaching failure Apple will suffer in China |
D.Apple's aggressive strategy in its market expansion |
TOKYO, Japan (AP) – Japan is very serious about robotics (机器人技术). If the droids are going to fit in, they probably need to learn the Japanese custom of serving tea. Fortunately, researchers at the University of Tokyo are exploring just that. In a show this week, a humanoid(有人特点的)with camera eyes made by Kawada Industries Inc. poured tea from a bottle into a cup. Then another robot on wheels delivered the cup of tea in an experimental room that has sensors embedded in the floor and sofa as well as cameras on the ceiling, to simulate(模仿)life with robot technology.
“A human being may be faster, but you’d have to say ‘Thank you,’” said University of Tokyo professor Tomomasa Sato. “That’s the best part about a robot. You don’t have to feel bad about asking it to do things.”
Sato believes Japan, a rapidly aging society where more than a fifth of the population is 65 or older, will lead the world in designing robots to care for the elderly, sick and bedridden(卧床不起的).
Already, monitoring technologies, such as sensors that automatically turn on lights when people enter a room, are becoming widespread in Japan.
The walking, child–size Asimo from Honda Motor Co. greets people at showrooms. NEC Corp. has developed a smaller companion robot–on –wheels called Papero. A seal robot available since 2004 can entertain the elderly and others in need of fuzzy companionship.
Sato says his experimental room is raising awareness about privacy questions that may arise when electronic devices(设备)monitor a person’s movements down to the smallest detail.
On the bright side, the tea – pouring humanoid has been programmed to do the dishes.
What is the best title of this passage?
A.“Thank You” Will Never Be Needed in Japan |
B.Monitoring Technologies Are Widespread in Japan |
C.Robot Is Designed to Care for the Elderly. |
D.Robot technologies are widespread in Japanese daily life. |
The underlined word “embedded” in the first paragraph probably means .
A.fixed | B.established | C.settled | D.rooted |
According to Professor Sato, .
A.the robot serves tea much faster than a human being |
B.the robot does anything like human beings |
C.tea – serving robot helps to form laziness of the aging society |
D.tea – serving robot doesn’t need any reward for the service |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.A robot can imitate people to complete complicated tasks. |
B.A robot has been programmed to clean the dishes. |
C.All the problems in the aging society can be solved by robots. |
D.The number of aging people is increasing rapidly in Japan. |
We can infer from the passage that .
A.people are afraid of being monitored by robots. |
B.the technology of robots has been highlighted in Japan. |
C.robots can completely take the place of human beings. |
D.people’s privacy should be strictly protected |
Authorities in Shanghai said Thursday night that another person has died from H7N9 bird flu, bringing the death toll to five around the country. The city has reported six infections (感染) to date, and four have died, said the Shanghai Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission. Of the rest two, there was a four-year-old, the agency said. The baby was recovering from mild illness, it added. The person died at Huashan Hospital on Wednesday and was confirmed infected with the H7N9 bird flu on Thursday.
Also on Thursday, the commission reported the city's third death from the H7N9 bird flu. The case involved a 48-year-old man surnamed Chu, a poultry (家禽) transporter from Rugao in neighboring Jiangsu Province. He developed symptoms(症状) of cough on March 28. After having a fever on Monday, he went to a private clinic for treatment. The man then sought help in the Tongji Hospital in Shanghai in the early hours of Wednesday after his condition worsened. Chu died three hours after being admitted to the hospital. He was confirmed infected with the H7N9 virus on Thursday. Eight people who had close contact with him have shown no abnormal symptoms.
So far, China has confirmed 14 H7N9 cases -- six in Shanghai, four in Jiangsu, three in Zhejiang and one in Anhui, in the first known human infections of the lesser-known type of bird flu. Of all, four died in Shanghai and one died in Zhejiang. China's Ministry of Agriculture said Thursday the H7N9 avian flu virus has been detected from pigeon (鸽子) samples collected at a marketplace in Songjiang District of Shanghai.
After gene sequence analysis, the national avian flu reference laboratory concluded that the H7N9 virus found on pigeons was highly congenetic with those found on persons infected with H7N9 virus. China's health authorities have promised transparency(透明) and cooperation (合作) to the World Health Organization in regards to human infections of the new type of bird flu. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that no human-to-human transmission of H7N9 has been discovered.
What does the underlined word “confirmed” probably mean?
A.said | B.doubted | C.proved | D.made |
What does the news report mainly about?
A.How many people died of H7N9 bird flu |
B.How the development of the H7N9 bird flu vaccine (疫苗) is going on |
C.What measures the government has taken to stop the spreading of H7N9 |
D.The new outbreak of the H7N9 bird flu |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the news report?
A.H7N9 bird flu has killed four people in Shanghai and one in Zhejiang. |
B.H7N9 virus is not one that spreads from human to human |
C.So far, China has confirmed 14 deaths from the H7N9 bird flu |
D.The government agreed to cooperate with WHO in regards to the H7N9 |
What can we infer from the second paragraph?
A.Chu, a poultry transporter is the city’s third death from the H7N9 bird flu |
B.Chu developed symptoms of cough and a fever |
C.Chu died three hours after being admitted to a private clinic |
D.Eight people who had close contact with him haven’t been infected with H7N9 |
A growing number of college students are applying to take entry tests for medical and dental (牙科的) schools among increasing graduate unemployment in Korea.
“I’ve decided to apply for the test to enter a medical college to become a doctor, changing from my original plan to prepare for a lawyer qualification exam in order to get a more stable job in the future,” said a 24-year-old college graduate, Lee, who majored in business administration during his undergraduate schooling.
The new medical and dental school system is getting popularity, attracting an increasing number of students every year since its appearance in 2004, as it is open to all college graduates regardless of their previous majors.
The Education Development introduced the new medical and dental education system, in which college students with bachelor’s degrees are allowed to study medicine or dentistry by taking the Medical Education Test (MET) and Dental Education Test (DET).
Ten medical schools and six dental colleges that have used the new system have received 4,377 applications (申请) for the entrance exams.
Applicants are getting younger compared with those in their 20s representing 76.9 percent of the total. The tests might be easier for students with biology and chemistry majors, but graduates from other majors are also applying for the tests.
Under the existing medical and dental education system, students should take a two-year premedical course followed by a four-year medical course.
Students graduating under the new medical or dental education system are given master’s degrees, while those graduates who studied under the previous system have bachelor’s degrees.
Why do more and more Korean students apply for medical schools?
A.Because doctors are highly respected in Korea. |
B.Because they want to get a more stable job. |
C.Because medicine is easier to learn than other subjects. |
D.Because the medical education system is reasonable. |
Students in the old system may spend _______ years at college to get bachelor’s degrees.
A.two | B.four | C.six | D.seven |
We can learn from the passage that _______.
A.it takes a longer time to get the master’s degree in the old system |
B.students may find it a lot easier to get a bachelor’s degree in medicine |
C.graduates from other majors like history are not allowed to apply for those schools |
D.the new system are not so popular as expected because of its high unemployment |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.New Medical and Dental School System Is Carried Out in Korea |
B.Korean College Students Have a New Job Choice |
C.Korean College Students Rush to Medical and Dental Schools |
D.Doctors Are Becoming Popular in Korea |
There are many famous museums throughout the world where people can enjoy art, Washington, D.C. has the National Gallery of Art(美术馆); Paris has the Louvre; London, the British Museum. Florida International University(FIU) in Miami also shows art for people to see. And it does so without a building, or even a wall for its drawings and paintings.
FIU has opened what it says is the first computer art museum in the United States. You don't have to visit the University to see the art. You just need a computer linked to a telephone.
You can call the telephone number of a University computer and connect your own computer to it. All of the art is stored in the school computer. It is computer art, produced electronically (采用电子手段) by artists on their own computers. In only a few minutes, your computer can receive and copy all the pictures and drawings.、
Robert Shostak is director of the new computer museum. He says he started the museum because computer artists had no place to show their works.
A computer artist could only record his pictures electronically and send the records, or floppy discs(软盘), to others to see on their computers. He could also put his pictures on paper. But to print good pictures on paper, the computer artist needed an expensive laser(激光) printer.
Robert Shostak says the electronic museum is mostly for art or computer students at schools and universities. Many of the pictures in the museum are made by students. Mr Shostak said the FIU museum will make computer art more fun for computer artists because more people can see it. He says artists enjoy their work much more if they have an audience. And the great number of home computers in America could mean a huge audience for the electronic museum.
The main purpose of this text is to give information about ______.
A. famous museums throughout the world.
B. a computer art museum in Miami, U.S.A.
C. art exhibitions in Florida Intentional University
D. latest development in computer art
To see the art in FIU museum, your special needs include ______.
A.floppy discs |
B.a computer and a printer |
C.pictures and drawings on paper |
D.a computer connected to the museum by telephone line |
What are stored in this museum?
A.Paintings drawn by means of computer. |
B.Different styles of paintings. |
C.Drawings done by art students of FIU. |
D.Old paintings. |
The museum was started when ______.
A.Robert Shostak wanted to do something for computer scientists |
B.Robert Shostak wanted to help computer artists |
C.art students needed a place to show their works |
D.computer scientists wanted to do something about art |
The words "an audience" in the last paragraph here refer to ______.
A.art students |
B.owners of computers |
C.exhibits in the museum |
D.those who can enjoy art |
An Italian couple are to become the world's oldest divorcees, after the 99 - year – old husband found that his 96 - year - old wife had an affair(婚外情)in the 1940s.
The Italian man, called by lawyers in the case as Antonio C, was looking through an old drawer when he made the discovery a few days before Christmas.
In spite of the time that had passed since the affair, he was so upset that he immediately asked his wife of 77years, named as Rosa C, whether it was true, and demanded a divorce.
Stricken by the guilt, she reportedly admitted everything but was unable to persuade her husband to reconsider his decision, though her children also did much more work.
She wrote the letters to her lover during a secret affair in the 1940s, according to court papers released in Rome this week, which made people know the truth.
The couple are now preparing to split; though the marriage they built has lasted over nearly eight decades- they have five children, a dozen grandchildren and one great – grand child.
The discovery of the letters was the final problem for their marriage which had already run into difficulty-10 years ago the husband briefly left their house in Rome and moved in with one of his sons, only to return a few weeks later.
The Italian thought the fierce split resulted from the couple's southern blood 一 he is originally from Olbia in Sardinia: while his wife was born in Naples. The couple met during the 1930s when Antonio served as a young officer.
The case appears to set a new record, at least for the age of the oldest figures – the previous oldest couple to divorce were Bertie and Jessie Wood, both aged 98, from the UK.
That pair ended their 36 - year marriage in 2009 when they were both two years away from their l00th birthdays.They got married in Elstree, Hertfordshire, in 1972, having both ended previous marriages, before moving to Falmouth, Cornwall four years later.
Which is true according to the text?
A.To find his wife' affair, Antonio C looked through an old drawer. |
B.Rosa C' lover may be Bertie. |
C.Rosa C admitted what she did because she was sorry for her guilt. |
D.The Italian thought the fierce split resulted from the discovery of the letters. |
Which word can replace the underlined one in passage5?
A.advertised | B.announced | C.concluded | D.expressed |
Which of the following best describe Antonio C?.
A.a childish man | B.a rude man |
C.a romantic man | D.a stubborn man |
The marriage of Antonio C and Rosa C .
A.may come to an end because the husband sticks to his decision |
B.appears to set a new record |
C.may have lasted over 36 years |
D.began in the 1930s before both ending previous marriages |
This passage may come from .
A.a text book | B.a newspaper |
C.a history book | D.an advertisement |
Sunny countries are often poor. A shame, then, that solar power is still quite expensive. Eight19, a British company by Cambridge University, has, however, invented a novel way to get round this. In return for a deposit of around $10 it is supplying poor Kenyan families with a solar cell able to generate 2.5 watts of electricity, a battery that can deliver a three amp(安培) current to store this electricity, and a lamp whose bulb is a light-emitting diode(二极管). The firm thinks that this system, once the battery is fully charged, is enough to light two small rooms and to power a mobile-phone charger for seven hours. Then, next day, it can be put outside and charged back up again.
The trick is that, to be able to use the electricity, the system's keeper must buy a scratch card—for as little as a dollar—on which is printed a reference number. The keeper sends this reference, plus the serial number of the household solar unit, by SMS to Eight19. The company's server will respond automatically with an access code to the unit.
Users may consider that they are paying an hourly rate for their electricity. In fact, they are paying off the cost of the unit. After buying around $80 worth of scratch cards—which Eight19 expects would take the average family around 18 months—the user will own it. He will then have the option of continuing to use it for nothing, or of trading it in for a bigger one, perhaps driven by a 10-watt solar cell.
In that case, he would go then through the same process again, paying off the additional cost of the upgraded kit at a slightly higher rate. Users would therefore increase their electricity supply steadily and affordably.
According to Eight19's figures, this looks like a good deal for customers. The firm believes the average energy-starved Kenyan spends around $10 a month on oil—enough to fuel a couple of smoky lamps—plus $2 on charging his mobile phone in the market-place. Regular users of one of Eight19's basic solar units will spend around half that, before owning it completely. Meanwhile, as the cost of solar technology falls, it should get even cheaper.
The underlined word “get round” in the first paragraph can be replaced by _______ .
A.make use of | B.come up with | C.look into | D.deal with |
What should the user do when the electricity in the battery is used up?
A.Buy a scratch card. | B.Recharge it outside. |
C.Buy another solar cell. | D.Return it to the company. |
How much would users pay for the cell and scratch cards before they own a 2.5-watt solar cell?
A.Around $10. | B.Around $80. | C.Around $90. | D.Around $180. |
It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ____________.
A.Kenyan families would find it difficult to afford the solar cell |
B.using the solar cell would help Kenyan families save money |
C.few Kenyan families use mobile phones for lack of electricity |
D.the company will make a great profit from selling solar cells |
What might be the most suitable title for the passage?
A.Solar Energy: Starting from Scratch. |
B.Eight19: a creative British Company. |
C.Kenyan Families: Using Solar Energy for Free. |
D.Poor Countries: Beginning to Use Solar Energy. |
BEIJING – Alarmed by the overreaching ambitions of many Chinese provinces to grow at all cost, China’s top economic chief is calling on officials to calm down and spare a thought for the environment.
Zhang Ping, who heads China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the central economic planning agency, said only five or six of China’s 30 provinces are targeting annual economic growth of 8 percent or 9 percent.
The remaining provinces are aiming for growth rates of more than 10 percent this year, with some wanting to double economic output in the coming five years.
“China has a planned energy supply of about 4 billion cubic tons of coal equivalent (等量的) for the next five years, and this is not enough to meet demands for economic growth to double,” he was quoted as saying on the news portal Sina. com.
Beijing is increasingly concerned with the ambitions of Chinese provinces across the country to chase high growth despite the central government’s urgent request for a more moderate and sustainable (可持续的) pace of expansion.
Years of rapid economic growth have taken a toll on China’s environment, with Beijing trying to remove some of the damage now. It has an annual growth target of 7 percent for the next five years, well down from last year’s 10 percent.
Zhang said Beijing has asked local governments to take into account the supply of “energy, environment, water and land” to set more reasonable growth target.
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The supply of the coal in China is not sufficient for the next five years. |
B.Zhang Ping is an expert and economic chief from www. sina.com. |
C.Few Chinese provinces are aiming for economic growth rates of less than 10%. |
D.Many Chinese provinces are alarmed by Beijing. |
The underlined phrase “taken a toll on” in the sixth paragraph means “_______”.
A.improved | B.done damage to | C.restored | D.attached importance to |
The general idea of the whole passage can be that _________.
A.China’s economy is increasing at a fast speed. |
B.China’s top chief lays more emphasis on the environment |
C.economic high growth should go hand in hand with environment concern. |
D.all Chinese provinces should slow down their economic growth rates |
What could be the best title for the news?
A.Economic Development | B.Energy Supply |
C.Environment | D.Sustainable Development |
Two more cases of H7N9 bird flu virus have been detected in Zhejiang province, including a man who died last week, authorities said on Wednesday.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that a 38-year-old patient surnamed Hong from Hangzhou, the provincial capital, who died in hospital on March 27, had the virus.
Hong was infected on March 7 while working in neighboring Jiangsu province. He returned home on March 18, according to the Zhejiang health department.
The other patient, surnamed Yang, is a 67-year-old man. He developed a cough and fever on March 25 and was admitted to hospital on Tuesday.
None of the people who came into close contact with the patients have developed symptoms of the flu, the health department said.
On Sunday, two men in Shanghai died from H7N9. A woman in Anhui province and four men in Jiangsu province remain in criticalcondition, which makes a large number of people scared to death.
All patients had fevers and coughs in the early stages before developing pneumonia(肺炎) and breathing difficulties, China's health authorities said.
Experts say genetic analysis shows that the H7N9 virus can be treated with Tamiflu, an antiviral drug that may slow the spread of influenza(流感,家畜流行性感冒) in the body.
Wang Xianjun, head of the Shandong provincial center of disease control, said H7N9 is sensitive to neuraminidase-inhibiting medicine such as Tamiflu, Qilu Evening News reported on Wednesday.
There are no effective vaccines(疫苗) for H7N9 as yet, Wang said, but using Tamiflu may be effective in the early stages.
According to this passage, the most cases of H7N9 bird flu virus have been detected in ______.
A.Zhejiang province | B.Anhui province |
C.Shanghai | D.Jiangsu province |
From the whole passage we can learn that_______.
A.two men in Shanghai and a woman in Zhejiang province died from H7N9. |
B.the H7N9 virus can be cured with an antiviral drug called Tamiflu. |
C.all the patients infected with H7N9 had fevers and coughs in the early stages. |
D.only one patient has died from H7N9 in Anhui. |
The underlined word in the sentence “…four men in Jiangsu province remain in critical condition” may be close to ______ in meaning.
A.very serious and dangerous | B.extremely important |
C.quite healthy | D.not serious or dangerous |
The passage is mainly about _____.
A.the medicine for H7N9 |
B.the spread of H7N9 and an antiviral drug |
C.the number of patients who died from H7N9 |
D.people who came into close contact with the patients of H7N9 |
The ISS project is a partnership of five - the US, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada.
At the moment, no program for its use nor any money has been put in place to support the platform beyond 2015.
One of the biggest issues stopping an agreement on station-life extension(延长期) is the human spaceflight examination ordered by US President Barack Obama.
The Americans are developing a new vision for space exploration, and the rockets and spacecraft they will need to start it. The future of US joining in the ISS is closely tied to the result of the examination.
Mr Dordain, the European Space Agency's (Esa) Director General, said no one partner in the ISS project could alone call an end to the platform. A meeting would be held in Japan later in the year where he hoped the partners could get something clearly going forward. He said it was also necessary the benefits(成效) were increased and the costs were reduced. Increasing the benefits could include finding new uses for the station.
Esa has called for ideas on how to use the ISS as a platform for Earth observation(观测站). Mr Dordain said the agency had received about 20 very good proposals.
On the issue of reducing costs, there were many ideas on the table, he explained.
He also questioned whether it was necessary for the station to have six astronauts at all times. If there were periods when little maintenance(维修) was required or the experiment load was light, could the ISS run on a smaller group of people, he suggested.
Construction of the space station should finish this year. Next month, two components built in Europe - a connecting node and a robotic control room - will be flown to the platform by the US shuttle Endeavour.
Tranquility and the Cupola, as they are known, will complete the non-Russian side of the ISS.
Why will America joining in the ISS be tied to the result of the examination?
A.Because America is the greatest power among them |
B.Because America provides most of the money |
C.Because they need America’s rockets and spacecraft |
D.Because Obama ordered the human spaceflight examination |
According to Mr Dordain, how should they do to reduce costs?
A.To find new uses for the station |
B.To make little maintenance |
C.To reduce the experiment load |
D.To have fewer astronauts sometimes |
Where do you think you can read this passage?
A.In a story book | B.In a handbook |
C.In an advertisement | D.In a newspaper |
Experts say the temperature in Eyjafjallajokull's hole appears to have fallen to 100C, meaning it is now producing steam, not magma(岩浆).
But officials warned that it was too early to say whether the eruption was over completely.
Ash clouds from the volcano grounded thousands of flights last month.
Steinunn Jakobsdottir, a geophysicist from the Icelandic Meteorological Office, told the BBC that the volcano was "kind of not active for the moment".
"The history of the volcano is such that it calms down and then it gets energy again," she said.
"There are still earthquakes under the volcano, and the small earthquake is still not quite down to what it was before the eruption."
'Difficult to say'
Magnus Gudmundsson, of Iceland University, flew over the volcano on Sunday and said information from heat cameras showed the temperatures at the crater had fallen below 100C.
But he told the AFP news agency that nothing was promised and that the previous eruption at the volcano had lasted 13 months, from 1821-23.
"It stopped and started again several times with different intervals(间隔), so it's difficult to say, difficult to give a timeline," he said.
He also said it was impossible to say whether the neighbouring Katla volcano - a much larger mountain - might also erupt.
At the height of its activity, the volcano sent out huge clouds of ash, which led to airlines grounding their planes for fear it could interfere with plane engines.
It was the biggest action of closing airspace in Europe since World War II, and affected at least 10 million passengers worldwide.
What do expert think Eyjafjallajokull is like now?
A.Magma is still coming out |
B.The hole appears about 100 degrees C |
C.The eruption was not over |
D.It is very cold. |
How do expects know the temperature in Eyjafjallajokull's hole?
A.By taking photos | B.By taking its temperature |
C.By going close to it | D.By driving past it |
What does Steinunn Jakobsdottir think of Eyjafjallajokull?
A.It will erupt again soon |
B.It will be sleeping |
C.Another mountain might also erupt |
D.It’s uncertain |
What do you think the main idea is?
A.the biggest action of closing airspace in Europe |
B.the temperature in Eyjafjallajokull's hole |
C.The Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland |
D.The earthquake in Iceland |
The organization representing British universities has expressed concern about the potential effect of tuition fees(学费)after figures showed a drop of more than 6% in student applications with less than a month to go before the deadline for 2013 applications.
Data from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) showed there were 265,784 university applications by UK-based candidates up to 17 December, 6.3% down on the parallel period in the admissions cycle the year before. While this is less than the 8.4% year-on-urea fall seen in earlier Ucas figures, released in mid-November, the coming January deadline makes it ever more likely that the total 2013 applicant figure will see a second sizeable fall following the introduction of annual fees of up to £9,000.
Nicola Dandridge, the chairman of Universities UK, said : “However, we must be concerned about any drops in the numbers applying to university and in particular, we must look closely at how the increase in graduate contributions in England may be affecting the decisions of promising students. However ,the December figures show a drop in numbers across the UK, suggesting that it is not only a question of tuition fees in England putting off from applying.”
A report of the Uncas figures to mid-December shows a 6.5% fall for applicants in England and 11.7% for those in Wales, with smaller drops of 3.9% for Scotland and 0.5% for Northern Ireland. Scottish students at home institutions pay on fees, while those from Northern Ireland have fees capped to £3,575 for Northern Irish universities.
Dandridge added: “No one should be put off applying to university because of worries about finance.”
“It is important that no one is put off applying to university because they do not have information about the student support available to them. Most new students don’t need to pay directly. There will be more financial support for those from poorer families and everyone will make lower loan repayments than they do now once they are in well paid jobs.”
A drop of more than 6% for 2013 applications is probably the effect of .
A.the increased tuition fees |
B.the approaching deadline |
C.the concern from applicants |
D.the difficulties with applications |
Compared with the previous year, the fall in student applications is .
A.3.9% | B.6% | C.6.3% | D.8.4% |
Why is the fall for application the smallest in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
A.Because they have more financial support. |
B.Because the tuition is much cheaper for them. |
C.Because the education is better there. |
D.Because the universities are free for them. |
Which of the following is true?
A.The application for universities is on a rise continuously. |
B.The fall for applications is due to family problems. |
C.The education in Scotland and Northern Ireland is worse. |
D.The rise of tuition fees has an effect on applications. |
The last paragraph tells us that .
A.everyone should apply to university |
B.students may get financial supports |
C.lower loan repayments is unavailable |
D.most new students will not pay fees |
A grave of a man dating back to around 2300 BC was found by archaeologists in England On May 3, 2002. Buried with him were the tools of a hunter or warrior. There was a bone pin that may have been from a piece of clothing such as a leather coat. He carried a copper knife on his breast. The most amazing find was two gold earrings. That would have made him a man of distinction. Only a few centimeters from his head were two pots made of clay, tools and materials to make arrows, a bow and a dozen arrows for hunting and a second, smaller copper knife. Next to them lay a cushion stone, upon which the man could work metal.
His grave is the richest of any found from that period, because this man was buried with two gold earrings which are the oldest gold ever found in Britain (dated to 2470 BC). Besides, he was buried three miles from Stonehenge. Archaeologists tend to believe he was a member of a powerful class who might have organized the construction of Stonehenge.
Stonehenge was begun around 3000 BC. In about 2300 BC the huge stone circles were built. The biggest stone weighed approximately 20 tons. But the smaller blue stones, still weighing 4 tons on average, came from west Wales. It is not yet known how these were conveyed over a distance of 380 km. It is also a mystery how early man was able to construct Stonehenge without the use of modern construction machines and lorries.
He is an example of people who brought culture and new techniques from the European mainland to Britain. In terms of technical development people were going from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age and then to the Iron Age.
Which are not included in the things that are found in the grave of a man?
A.Tools, a bone pin, a bow and a cushion stone |
B.A copper knife and two gold earrings. |
C.Two pots, arrows and materials to make arrows. |
D.some chicken and grains. |
The man buried in the grave might be ______ at that time.
A.A poor man | B.a kind-hearted man | C.a rich man | D.an ordinary man |
Why is the man buried in the grave called the "king of Stonehenge" ?
A.He was buried three miles from Stonehenge. |
B.He had the oldest gold ever found in Britain. |
C.He might be a member of a powerful class who might have organized the construction of Stonehenge. |
D.All of the above. |
We can infer that _______ .
A.how Stonehenge was built |
B.the King of Stonehenge was from France |
C.Stonehenge was built through several ages |
D.Stonehenge was built because of war |
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