Your dog is as smart as any two year old, according to a new study. Dogs bring much happiness to their owners, and even improve human health. Most two year olds keep us busy in life — an important part of living a long and happy life. According to Stanley Coren, Ph.D.of the University of British Columbia, our dogs are smarter than we thought.
Dr.Coren reviewed many studies to find out that dogs are as smart as 2 to 2.5 year olds. Forget about one word orders — according to Coren, the smartest dogs can learn up to 250 words. Most dogs understand an average of 165 words. “The upper limit of dogs” ability to learn language is partly based on a study of a Border Collie (博得牧羊犬) named Rico who showed knowledge of 200 spoken words, and ‘fast-track learning’, which scientists believed to be found only in humans and language-learning apes(猿)。
Dogs are also great at tricking. During play, they have the ability to trick humans and other dogs in order to get treats. “And they are nearly as successful in tricking humans as humans are in tricking dogs, saysCoren.
Dogs can also count to four or five, which might explain how they know when their toys are missing. Coren explains,“Their astonishing flashes of smartness and creativity are reminders that they may not be Ensteins, but are sure closer to humans than we thought.”
Animals can do much to keep us happy, health, and protect us from harm. Stories of dog heroes can be found using a simple Internet search. Pets teach us sense of duty, keep us from loneliness, and can help with treatment of the disabled. Dogs are smarter than we thought — as smart as a two year old.
How do dogs bring happiness and health to humans according to the author?
A.By doing funny tricks. |
B.By keeping humans busy. |
C.By serving their owners. |
D.By playing with their owners. |
What makes Rico special?
A.He seldom uses one word orders. |
B.He uses words like a 2.5 year old. |
C.He is Corn’s favorite subject for study. |
D.He shows a high level of language ability. |
What does Dr. Coren say about a dog’s counting ability?
A.It is as good as an ape’s. |
B.It is close to human’s. |
C.It leaves a lot to be studied. |
D.It helps them keep their toys. |
For someone interested in knowing more stories about dogs, the author suggests that he.
A.train a dog |
B.search the Internet |
C.watch a two year old |
D.visit a hospital for the disabled |
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 fmdings 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 asmeasured 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 |
It can be inferred from the study _____________.
A.smoking won’t affect skin protected from the sun |
B.smoking will do damage to skin rather than other organs |
C.smokers over 65 usually won’t worry about their skin |
D.the age of smokers is not connected,with the result of the test |
When your skin is exposed to sunlight long,it becomes all of the following but _________.
A.flexible | B.coarse |
C.rough | D.discolored |
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 |
Somali pirates(海盗) robbed three Thai fishing ships with 77 sailors on board nearly l,200 Miles off the Somali coast,the farthest-off-shore attack to date,an officer said Tuesday.
Pirates have gone farther south and east in answer to increased patrols(巡逻)by warships off the Somali shore. The robbing of the three ships Sunday was about 600 miles outside the normal operation area for the international force,said a spokesman.
The spokesman said the attack so far out at sea was a clear sign that the international patrols against pirates were having a “marked effect on pirate activity in the area”.
“Once they start attacking that far out,you’re not even really talking about the Somali basin or areas of water that have any connection with Somalia,” said an officer,Roger Middleton. “Once you’re that far out,it's just the Indian Ocean,and it means you’re looking at trade going from the Gulf to Asia,from Asia to South Africa.”
"This is the farthest robbing to date. They are now operating near the Maldives and India,” said another officer.
The three ships--the MV Prantalay 11,12,and l 4—had 77 members on board in total.All of them are Thai, the spokesman said. Before the Sunday robbing,pirates held l l ships and 228 sailors.
Pirates have increased attacks over the past year in hopes。f catching more dollar payments. Because of increased patrols and defenses on board ships,the success rate(率)has gone down,though the number of successful attacks has stayed the same year over year.
The pirate attack reported in the text happened .
A.far out in the Indian Ocean |
B.in the normal patrol area |
C.near the Somali, coast |
D.in the south of Africa |
According to the text, which can best describe the situation of the pirate problems?
A.More goods on board are lost. |
B.Pirate attacks happen in a larger area now. |
C.The number of attacks has stayed the same these years. |
D.Pirate attacks are as serious as before along the Somali coast. |
Which is true about the warship patrols according to the text?
A.The patrols are of little effect. |
B.The patrols are more difficult. |
C.More patrols are quite necessary even in Asia. |
D.The patrols only drive the pirates to other areas. |
. How many sailors were held by the pirates up to the time of the report?
A.228. | B.77. | C.383. | D.305. |
In the past ten years, America’s National Basketball Association (NBA) has grown increasingly dependent on the rest of the world to supply players.
When Michael Jordan and Larry Bird won gold in Barcelona in 1992, the Americans were praised for teaching the world how to play basketball. This season, however, 20 percent of NBA rosters(花名册) will be filled by non-Americans. NBA commissioner David Stem happily embraces the trend. On a visit to Paris in October, Stern outlined his vision for the future, which is likely to see Europe hosting NBA games by 2010.
The NBA is now planning to take China by storm.
“Our experience in China has been that it is going to be explosive in its growth,” said Stern. The strategy(战略,策略) in China is television. “We’ve made 14 deals in China with local and national networks on cable and satellite.” The success of Chinese centre Yao Ming has paved the way for the NBA marketing blitz in China. The NBA, which is broadcasted in more than 200 countries in 42 languages, will put that to the test in October 2004 when the Houston Rockets play two pre-season games against the Sacramento Kings in Beijing and Shanghai. The NBA knows that it needs a global market to compensate for tough times on home soil.
“It doesn’t matter where the players come from, all the NBA teams now know that they have to scout(寻找,觅得) internationally,” said Terry Lyons, the NBA’s vice-president of international public relations. “It has increased the level of competition here.” As Frenchman Tony Parker and Argentine Emanuel Ginobili showed in winning championship rings with the San Antonio Spurs last season, many people can earn the respect of their American peers. Others, such as the Houston Rockets’ Chinese centre Yao Ming — number one draft pick in 2002 — and the Detroit Pistons’ 18-year-old Serb Darko Milicic — number two overall in this year’s draft — are icons(偶像)in-waiting. It is the ultimate(最后的,根本的) revolution — the rest of the world teaching the US how to play basketball.
According to the report, .
A.Michael Jordan is still playing a very important role in NBA |
B.the part played by the foreign players in NBA will be great |
C.Yao Ming is to play two pre-season games in NBA |
D.European countries will host the 2004 NBA games |
The underlined phrase “take China by storm” has the meaning of _______ ___.
A.NBA intends to make China its “marketing center” |
B.NBA is planning to set up some training centers in China |
C.there’ll be a big storm when NBA comes to China to play against the Sacramento Kings |
D.the NBA’s live basket games will be broadcasted on all the TVs in China |
What seems to be the biggest change that is happening to NBA?
A. NBA is expecting more foreign players to join the league.
B. China’s rapid development in sports affects NBA.
C. Yao Ming has taken the place of Michael Jordan.
D. The NBA will stop teaching the world how to play basketball.
When the writer talked of “home soil”, he was referring to _ _.
A.farms in the States |
B.native Americans |
C.the NBA training center |
D.the USA |
Which of the following can be used as the best title for the passage?
A.The Non-American Basketball Players |
B.NBA Is Coming to China |
C.The Foreign Ties That Bind the NBA |
D.NBA Is Making Big Progress |
The shocking disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has captured the attention of millions around the world as the search for the airplane and its passengers and crew continues. What happened to the flight’s 239 passengers and crew after the plane left Kuala Lumpur on Saturday? It is becoming an increasingly desperate question as the days pass.
But it’s hardly the first mystery of its kind. Here are some half-solved and unsolved airline mysteries that kept investigators clueless for years.
Air France Flight 447: An Airbus A330 flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris plunged into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009, killing all 228 passengers and crew on board. But it took a full five days for search and rescue teams to find the wreck(残骸)and another three years for investigators to report that ice crystals had caused the autopilot (自动驾驶仪) to disconnect. The bodies of 74 passengers remain unrecovered.
Amelia Earhart: Ace (王牌) pilot Amelia Earhart disappeared in her twin-engine monoplane Electra over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe. No trace of her plane was ever found even after a multi-million dollar search effort, and Earhart was officially declared dead in 1939.
Flying Tiger Line Flight 739: A U.S. military flight left Guam in 1962 with more 90 personnel headed for the Philippines, but it never arrived. The pilots never issued a distress call, and 1,300 people involved in the U.S. military search never found any trace of wreckage.
British South American Airways: It took more than 50 years to find any trace of the 11 people aboard a 1947 flight that disappeared in the Andes Mountains. A pair of Argentineans rock climbers discovered engine wreckage in the Andes in 1998, and an army expedition later found human remains as well.
Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571: A flight headed to Santiago, Chile carrying 45 passengers and crew crashed into the Andes Mountains in poor weather in 1972, killing twelve people. In the meantime, eight were killed in an avalanche (雪崩) that hit the plane’s wreckage where they were taking shelter, and the rest stayed alive by eating the flesh of the dead before they were finally found more than two months after disappearing out of the sky.
The underlined word “plunged” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _____.
A.jumped | B.broke |
C.flew | D.dived |
What can we learn from Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571? _____.
A.12 people were lost until now. |
B.25 people were rescued instantly. |
C.The rest who stayed alive killed 8 people. |
D.8 were killed by a fall of a large mass of snow down a mountainside. |
From the passage, what could have led to British South American Airways crash? _____.
A.The bad weather. | B.Not mentioned. |
C.The ice crystals. | D.The lightening. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? _____.
A.Earhart was declared dead by the authorities two years later. |
B.The bodies of Flight 447 had all been found after three years. |
C.Two Argentineans rock climbers discovered the dead in the Andes. |
D.Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 was regarded as the largest air crash. |
The passage has been written to _____.
A.introduce the loss of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 |
B.explain how to avoid airplane disappearances as a pilot |
C.tell readers mysterious airplane disappearances in Aviation History |
D.call on people to protect themselves |
Three Central Texas men were honored with the Texas Department of Public Safety's Director's Award in a Tuesday morning ceremony for their heroism in saving the victims of a serious twocar accident.
The accident occurred on March 25 when a vehicle lost control while traveling on rainsoaked State Highway 6 near Baylor Camp Road. It ran into an oncoming vehicle, leaving the occupants trapped inside as both vehicles burst into flames.
Bonge was the first on the scene and heard children screaming. He broke through a back window and pulled Mallory Smith, 10, and her sister, Megan Smith, 9, from the wreckage.
The girl's mother, Beckie Smith, was not with them at the time of the wreck, as they were traveling with their body sitter, Lisa Bowbin.
Beckie Smith still remembers the sickening feeling she had upon receiving the call informing her of the wreck and the despair as she drove to the scene.
Bozeman and Clemmons arrived shortly after Bonge and helped rescue the other victims and attempted to put out the fires.
“I was nervous,”Bozeman said. “I don't feel like I'm a hero. I was just doing what anyone should do in that situation. I hope someone would do the same for me.”
Everyone at the accident made it out alive, with the victims suffering from nonlifethreatening injuries. Mallory Smith broke both femurs, and Megan had neck and back injuries. Bowbin is still recovering from a broken pelvis, ankle and foot.
The rescuers also were taken to the hospital and treated for cuts and smoke breathing, Bonge said.
In addition, Bozeman got to meet accident victim Anthony Russo in the hospital after the accident, where Russo presented him with a glass frame inscribed with “Thank you”, Bozeman said. Those involved in that fateful encounter on Highway 6 credited God blessing for bringing them together.
“Whatever the circumstances, Tuesday's ceremony provided a time to be grateful for those who put their lives on the line for the lives of complete strangers,”Beckie Smith said,“We're calling it The Miracle on Highway 6.”
What's the main idea of the passage?
A.Three persons were awarded for rescuing victims in a car accident. |
B.Three ordinary people were regarded as great heroes. |
C.Several victims were carried to safety from the burning cars. |
D.A car accident occurred on rainsoaked State Highway 6. |
Who saved Megan Smith from the damaged car?
A.Clemmons. | B.Anthony Russo. | C.Bozeman. | D.Bonge. |
Which of the following can be used to describe Bozeman?
A.Kind. | B.Modest. | C.Excited. | D.Smart. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Luckily, no one received too serious injuries in the accident. |
B.All the victims received slight injuries in the accident. |
C.The rescuers were taken to the hospital to visit the victims. |
D.The injured will soon recover from their injuries. |
It can be inferred from what Beckie Smith said that____.
A.she regarded the accident as a wonder |
B.she was frightened by the serious accident |
C.she thought highly of the rescuers |
D.she called on others to learn from the rescuers |
Five boys are suspected of starting a fire that destroyed their school on the eve of the new term. Police said yesterday that five boys — one aged 11, two 12-year-olds, one aged 13 and one 15 — arrested on suspicion of starting the fire had been released until later this month. Parents said the five pupils all attended St Mary’s.
Pupils witnessed their schoolwork being destroyed in the fire at Leyland St Mary’s Catholic Technology College in Lancashire. The 1950s science block was reduced to the ground in Sunday’s fire, which created clouds of smoke visible for miles. It is reported that the library and sports hall were also destroyed beyond repair. Strong winds and a shortage of water prevented 125 firemen trying to bring it under control. Firefighters were expected to remain at the scene until late this afternoon. Staffs were due to attend the school yesterday for an inset(培训)day, and pupils pupils were to return for lessons after the holidays today.
St Mary’s head teacher Kathy McNicholas fought back the tears as she watched her school go up in flames last night. She said, “This is so upsetting to watch. It’s heartbreaking. It’s very distressing for the staff and the children. Everyone had been looking forward to coming back for the new school year.” Finding somewhere around 730 children won’t be easy. A few of the staff have turned up to see if there is anything they can do and they have all been shocked and saddened by what has happened. “It’s tragic because we have only just had a lot of refreshment work done to the school during the summer break. It was a big investment. The community around here very much looks after its school.”
Plans were being drawn up to provide alternative classrooms for 730 children, with parents warned to keep them at home for at least the rest of the week.
Which part of St Mary’s Catholic Technology College was burned to the ground in the fire?
A.The library. | B.Sports hall. |
C.The science block. | D.The passage doesn’t tell us. |
The underlined word “distressing” in the third paragraph can be replaced by “ ”.
A.excited | B.surprised |
C.annoyed | D.embarrassed |
From the whole passage, we can know that .
A.the education of England is worse |
B.St Mary’s Catholic Technology College had no trouble finding enough classrooms |
C.a shortage of money prevented more than 100 firemen controlling the big fire |
D.the pupils had to stay at home before the alternative classrooms were found |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
A.Five boys started a fire that destroyed their school. |
B.The firemen failed in controlling the fire. |
C.The staff and the children were upset. |
D.The school planned to take measures to solve the problem. |
Disease, poverty, hate, love-Charles Dickens' stories opened his readers' eyes to the most important themes of his age.Two hundred years on, his stories still speak volumes across the world, proving that Dickens' legacy (遗产) was far greater than just "great literature".
February 7 marks the 200th anniversary of the writer's birthday.To mark this date, BBC writer Alex Hudson listed six things Dickens gave the modern world.Let's take a look at two of them.
A while Christmas
Dickens is described as "the man who invented Christmas" -not the religious festival, but the cultural aspects that we associate with the festive (喜庆的) season today.
In the early 19th century, Christmas was barely worth mentioning, according to critic and writer Leigh Hunt.The committee which ran the Conservative Party even held ordinary business meetings on Christmas Day - unthinkable in the West nowadays, when everyone, but the most necessary workers takes at least three days off.
Many people believe that Dickens' popular depictions(描绘) of the festive period became a blueprint for generations to come.In his classic novel, A Christmas Carol, he not only put forward the idea of snow at Christmas,but also painted a picture of glowing warmth-“home enjoyments, affections and hopes".
In his biography of Dickens, Peter Ackroyd wrote, "Dickens can be said to have almost single-handedly created the modern idea of Christmas."
"Dickensian" poverty
Dickens was one of the first to take an honest look at the underclass and the poor of Victorian (the period during British Queen Victoria's reign from 1837 to 1901) London.
He helped popularize the term "red tape" to describe situations where people in power use needless amounts of bureaucracy (官僚作风) in a way that particularly hurts the weaker and poorer members of society.
"Dickensian" has now become a powerful word for describing an unacceptable level of poverty.In 2009, when the president of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in the UK wanted to talk about deprivation in some areas, of Britain, she did not use words like "terrible" or "horrific", but rather described it as "life mirroring the times of Dickens".
What is the main idea of the article?
A.Charles Dickens' impact on the world. |
B.An introduction to Charles Dickens' classic novels. |
C.Charles Dickens' amazing characters. |
D.Why Charles Dickens is popular across the world. |
Why is Dickens called "the man who invented Christmas"?
A.Because he created the religious festival. |
B.Because one of his novels helped to shape Christmas celebrations. |
C.Because many of his novels have something to do with Christmas. |
D.Because he was the first man to have proposed celebrating Christmas. |
According to the article, the phrase “red tape” refers to __.
A.rules or procedures that are required to accomplish a task |
B.a situation in which poor members of society are hurt |
C.conflict between people in power and weaker people |
D.pointlessly time-consuming official procedures |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.Dickens is still popular today in Britain. |
B.everyone takes at least three days off at Christmas. |
C.Dickens invented Christmas |
D.Dickens gave the modern world six things. |
It’s not often a tomato is described as so sweet ‘whenever people see it they just want to hug it’—but this was no ordinary piece of fruit.
The heart-shaped tomato was grown by the retired worker, Rod Matless, who said he was surprised when he noticed it in his field. Mr Matless, 69, who had a heart attack a few years ago, was so taken aback by the fruit that he decided to sell it and donate(捐赠) the money to the British Heart Foundation. The 64g tomato was bought for £16 on eBay by a woman from Wales—who said she planned to give it to someone special.
Mr Matless, of Wymondham, near Norwich, said: ‘I spent a couple of days thinking about what to do with it and I wasn’t really sure, but this seems like a good use. I hope it will do someone somewhere a bit of good’. He added: ‘It’s very sweet—whenever people see it they just want to hug it.’ But with the tomato’s freshness a key factor(因素), Mr Matless was up against the clock to send it to its new owner before it went bad. He said: ‘I didn’t want to send someone something horrible(特别糟糕的). I probably could have raised a bit more money with more time but I was worried about it.’
‘It will certainly make a nice present for a loved one. I hope that they like it and I’m glad I got to help. It’s all been very good fun and I’ve really enjoyed growing this very special tomato.’
We can learn from the text that the tomato grown by Rod Matless ________.
A.is very big | B.is very sweet |
C.is very special | D.is good for health |
The underlined part “taken aback by” in Paragraph 2 means ________.
A.happy about | B.nervous about |
C.surprised by | D.frightened by |
According to the text, the main problem for Rod Matless was ______.
A.how to advertise the tomato |
B.how to keep the tomato fresh |
C.how to get a good price for the tomato |
D.how to find a good owner for the tomato |
What is the main purpose of the text?
A.To advise people to eat tomatoes. |
B.To introduce a heart-shaped tomato. |
C.To encourage people to buy Rod Matless’s tomato. |
D.To describe a kind-hearted person—Rod Matless. |
Picture the scene: You come home after work feeling too exhausted to cook –only to find a delicious meal worthy of a Michelin-starred restaurant waiting for you. It sounds like a fantasy, but it could be about to come true thanks to a robot chef developed by British scientists.
Those scientists have come up with a set of robotic arms so smart that they are capable of cooking meals all by themselves. The device will be sold from as early as 2017 as part of a purpose-built high-tech kitchen.
Scientists at Moley Robotics spent almost 18 years developing the hands. According to its creators, the arms can chop, stir, whisk and baste well enough to recreate almost anything you would care to eat, whether it is a simple home-cooked supper, or a complicated creation designed by a world-class chef. The hands move a little slowly, hovering strangely above the work surface whenever they are not busy, but they imitate human movements closely enough that they can do things such as wiping a spoon on the edge of a pan to prevent drips.
Mr Oleynik, who is leading the project, said, “All the things which are possible with the hand are possible here. There is no limitation. A lot of people want to go to Michelin-starred restaurants, but they are quite expensive and may be quite far from the home. This is an opportunity for people to enjoy very good food, and for a reasonable price. ”
The only cuisine that is off the robot’s menu at the moment is sushi, which requires extremely steady pressure and nimble fingers to make, but the team plan to conquer that as well by the time it goes on sale.
People go to Michelin-starred restaurants in order to______.
A.appreciate car tires. | B.enjoy delicious meals |
C.see the new robot chefs | D.escape from work |
What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A.British scientists | B.The robot chef’s arms |
C.Cooks at restaurants | D.Household wives |
Which kind of food CAN’T the robot chef cook at present?
A.Bread | B.Beef | C.Sushi | D.Sandwich |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.Hands of a robot chef can perform exactly like a cook. |
B.Robot chefs are available at shopping malls. |
C.Michelin-starred restaurants are suitable for many people. |
D.It is uncertain when the robot can cook all kinds of food. |
The Great Fire of London started in the very early hours of September 2 ,1666. In four days it destroyed more than three-quarters of the old city, where most of the houses were made of wood and close together. Over one hundred people became homeless, but only a few lost their lives.
The fire started on Sunday morning in the house of the King's baker (面包师) in Pudding Lane. The baker, with his wife and family, was able to get out through a window into the roof. A strong wind blew the fire from the bakery into a small hotel next door. Then it spread quickly into Thames Street. That was the beginning.
By eight o'clock three hundred houses were on fire. On Monday nearly a kilometer of the city was burning along the River Thames. Tuesday was the worst day. The fire destroyed many well-known buildings, old St Paul's and the Guildhall among them.
Samuel Pepys, the famous writer, wrote about the fire, "People threw their things into the river. Many poor people stayed in their houses until the last moment. Birds fell out of the air because of the heat."
The fire stopped only when the King finally ordered people to destroy hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire. With nothing left to burn, the fire became weak and finally died out.
After the fire, Christopher Wren, the architect (建筑师), wanted a city with wider streets and fine new houses of stone. In fact, the streets are still narrow, but he did build more than fifty churches, among them the new St Paul's.
The fire caused great pain and loss, but after it London was a better place: a city for the future and not just of the past.
It seems that the writer of the text was most sorry for the fact that _____.
A.some people lost their lives |
B.the birds in the sky were killed by the fire |
C.many famous buildings were destroyed |
D.the King's bakery was burned down |
Why did the writer cite (引用) Samuel Pepys?
A.To give the reader a clearer picture of the fire. |
B.Because Pepys also wrote about the fire. |
C.To show that poor people suffered most. |
D.Because Pepys was among those putting out the fire. |
How was the fire put out according to the text?
A.The King and his soldiers came to help. |
B.All the houses made of wood in the city were destroyed. |
C.People managed to get enough water from the river. |
D.Houses standing in the direction of the fire were pulled down. |
Sina Weibo, one of the country’s most popular micro-blogging sites, has launched a paid service. For a 10 yuan ($ l.57) monthly fee, users get a membership on their Sina Weibo accounts.
According to Xu Yuanyuan, a member of the marketing team at Sina, the move is to guarantee a more convenient and safer environment for users. But despite the company’s efforts to increase income, it seems that most of its 300 million users still prefer the free version.
The premium membership (高级会员) plans ,announced by the company on Monday, brought about negative comments from its users .
“The current service is good enough for me”, said a Beijing-based micro-blogger. “I don’t really need those value-added services and it might be a waste of money. I might consider paying for it if some more features are added.”
Dong Xu, an analyst with consulting firm Analysis International, said that Sina shouldn’t expect a great increase in income brought by the new services. The free services are enough for most users, Dong said. “The company has been making attempts at different profit models since last year. A potential source of income could be gaming. Games and advertisements are so far the two biggest sources of income.” she said.
Other micro-blogging service providers have not yet followed suit. Fang Gang, vice-president of rival Sohu, said via e-mail on Tuesday that Sohu’s micro-blogging service will never charge users. “It’s good news for us. Users can come to our website if they have to pay for services (at Sina).” Fang said.
Most of Sina Weibo’s users .
A.aren’t satisfied with its free version |
B.show no interest in its paid services |
C.are looking forward to new services |
D.think highly of its new paid version |
What’s Dong Xu’s attitude towards Sina Weibo’s new services increasing income?
A.Negative. | B.Confident . |
C.Indifferent. | D.Positive . |
Why did Fang Gang consider Sina Weibo’s charging its users good news?
A.Because Sina will make more money. |
B.Because Sina will lose the whole Weibo market. |
C.Because Sohu will attract more users. |
D.Because Sohu will offer free services. |
What can be inferred from the text?
A.Most of Weibo websites will charge their users. |
B.Sina Weibo’s new move will be a great success. |
C.Sina Weibo’s users will enjoy more services. |
D.A large number of Weibo users like playing games. |
What can be the best title for the text?
A.Sina Weibo Faces Great Challenges |
B.Sina Weibo Launches Paid Services |
C.Sina Weibo Expects Income Increase |
D.Sina Weibo Becomes More Convenient |
While small may be beautiful, tall is just plain uncomfortable it seems, particularly when it comes to staying in hotels and eating in restaurants.
The Tall Persons Club Great Britain (TPCGB), which was formed six months ago to campaign for the needs of the tall, has turned its attention to hotels and restaurants. Beds that are too small, showe heads that are too low, and restaurant tables with hardly any leg-room all make life difficult for those of above average height, it says.
But it is not just the extra-tall whose needs are not being met. The average night of the population has been increasing ye the standard size of beds, doorways, and chairs has remained unchanged.]
“The bedding industry says a bed should be six inches larger than the person using it, so even a king-size bed at 6′6″(6 feet and 6 inches) is falling short for 25% of men, while the standard 6′3″ bed caters for less than half of the male population.” Said TPCGB president Phil Heinricy, “seven-foot beds would work fine.”
Sililarly, restaurant tables can cause no end of problems. Small tables, which mean the long-legged have to sit a foot or so away from them, are enough to make tall customers go elsewhere.
Some have already taken note, however. At Queens Moat Houses′Caledoman Hotl in Edinburgh, 6′6″beds are now put in as standard after requests for longer beds from taller visitors, particularly Americans.
What is the purpose of the TPCGB campaign?
A.To provide better services. |
B.To rebuild hotels and restaurants. |
C.To draw public attention to the needs of the tall. |
D.To attract more people to become its members. |
Which of the following might be a bed of proper length according to Phil Heinricy?
A.7′2″. | B.7′ | C.6′6″ | D.6′3″ |
What may happen to restaurants with small tables?
A.They may lose some customers. |
B.They may start businesses elsewhere. |
C.They have to find easy chairs to match the tables. |
D.They have to provide enough space for the long-legged. |
What change has already been made in a hotel in Edinburgh?
A.Tall people pay more for larger beds. |
B.6′6″beds have taken the place of 6′3″beds. |
C.Special rooms are kept for Americans. |
D.Guest rooms are standardized. |
British author JK Rowling was at the release of her latest Harry Potter book called “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” at the Natural History Museum in London, Friday July 20, 2007.
J.K. Rowling has been spotted at cafes in Scotland working on a detective novel, a British newspaper reported Saturday.
The Sunday Times newspaper quoted Ian Rankin, a fellow author and neighbor of Rowling's, as saying the creator of the "Harry Potter" books is turning to crime fiction.
"My wife spotted her writing her Edinburgh criminal detective novel," the newspaper quoted Rankin as telling a reporter at an Edinburgh literary festival.
"It is great that she has not abandoned writing or Edinburgh cafes," said Rankin, who is known for his own police novels set in the historic Scottish city.
Rowling famously wrote initial drafts of the Potter story in the Scottish city's cafes. Back then, she was a struggling single mother who wrote in cafes to save on the heating bill at home.
Now she's Britain's richest woman - worth $1 billion, according to Forbes magazine - and her seven Potter books have sold more than 335 million copies worldwide.
In an interview with The Associated Press last month, Rowling said she believed she was unlikely to repeat the success of the Potter series, but confirmed she had plans to work on new books.
"I'll do exactly what I did with Harry - I'll write what I really want to write," Rowling said.
What is JK Rowling famous for?
A. detective novels |
B. crime fiction |
C. Harry Potter books |
D. love stories |
Which of the following is Not rue about Ian Rankin?
A. He is a writer famous for police novels. |
B. Most of the stories in his novels happened in the historic Scottish city. |
C. It was Rankin himself who witnessed JK Rowing writing her Edinburgh criminal detective novels. |
D. He told the British newspaper The Sunday Times about JK Rowling’s novels. |
Why did Rowling like to write the “Harry Potter stories” in the cafes?
A. Because she was a romantic woman and the atmosphere in the cafes gave her lots of inspiration. |
B. Because she was a single mother at that time and she wanted to find a husband there. |
C. Because her children were so naughty at home and she had to go to a quiet place for her writing. |
D. Because she thought that writing in a cafes could help her save some money. |
What can we learn from the passage?
A. The seven Harry Potter series made JK Rowling a success. |
B. JK Rowling had made enough money so she decided to stop writing. |
C. Rowling planned to write new books because Harry Potter was not exactly what she wanted. |
D. Ian Rankin and his wife earned money by telling reporters news about JK Rowling. |
What is the best title for the passage?
A. Harry Potter and JK Rowing |
B. Ian Rankin, A Neighbour of JK Rowling |
C. A Successful Woman JK Rowling |
D. JK Rowling writing Detective Novels |
BEIJING, March 9—The central government will require an additional three years of use for official vehicles for ministers and governors to reduce the costs of purchasing new cars, media have reported.
The new rule has been applied among all Party and government departments nationwide, the Beijing News reported on Tuesday. The new rule has not yet been made public, said Li, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee.
Under the old rules, the cars used by minister-level officials could be replaced as often as every five years, Li said. These officials will also retain the same cars when they assume new posts, he added.
The new rule also reiterated(重申) that officials ranking below minister-or governor-levels should not be allocated(分配) cars. The cars possessed by their departments should be used on demand.
“It violates(违反) the rules for lower-ranking-even county-level-officials to be allocated cars, “Li said.
Purchases of vehicles for official use have been heavily investigated, as they account for a large expenditure of public funds every year.
A survey on the Web news www. ifeng. com found 64 percent of respondents believed the new rule will be difficult to implement(执行实施) because it is related to officials’ interests.
“Local government departments had halted approvals for requests for such vehicles and had started to work on new quotas under the new rules.” Li said.
“The future reform of official vehicle use will introduce market mechanisms and monetization.”
Premier Wen Jiabao said in the annual government work report on Saturday that expenditures on such vehicles will not increase in 2011 compared with a year ago.
Beijing’s standing deputy mayor Ji Lin last week said the municipal government will release the number of vehicles for official use in the capital as early as at the end of this month.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Finance had published a rule regulating the budgets for such vehicles.
What is the purpose of the new rule allocating vehicles among officials?
A.To promote a low-carbon lifestyle. |
B.To cut down the present huge expenditures of purchasing cars. |
C.To make good use of the budgets for official cars. |
D.To solve the problem of severe traffic jam. |
How often could the care used by minister-level officials be replaced according to the new rule?
A.Every 3 years. | B.Every 5 years. |
C.Every 8 years. | D.Every 10 years. |
What about the officials ranking below minister-or governor-levels in terms of official vehicles?
A.They can still possess special cars. |
B.They can use their own private cars. |
C.They can use cars whenever officially necessary. |
D.They can be allocated second-hand cars. |
What is the public’s attitude toward the new rule’s fulfillment?
A.Skeptical. | B.Optimistic. |
C.Indifferent. | D.Passive. |
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