It was a cold night in Washington, D.C. and I was heading back to the hotel when a beggar walked up to me. He asked if I would give him some money so he could get something to eat. After a short hesitation, I shook my head and kept walking. With helplessness, he said, “I really am homeless and I really am hungry! You can come with me and watch me eat!” But still, I kept on walking.
The incident bothered me for the rest of the week. In fact, I had money in my pocket and it wouldn’t have killed me to hand over a dollar or two even if he had been lying. On a freezing cold night, I wondered what would happen to a hungry man.
Flying back to my hometown, Anchorage, I couldn’t help thinking of him. I tried to find excuses for my failure to help. After all, government agencies, churches and charities were there to feed him. Besides, you’re not supposed to give money to beggars.
But I just couldn’t forget the incident and began to think I must do something. At that time, I was writing a garden column(专栏) for the local Daily News. Suddenly, I came up with an idea. Why not try to get all my readers to plant one row in their gardens donated to Bean’s? Bean’s Cafe, the soup kitchen which has volunteered to feed hundreds of hungry people every day for many years.
The idea began to take off. I began to receive more e-mails and calls from kind people. They tried their best to show their concerns about the hungry. Food was sent by different warm-hearted people and even those who only grew flowers sent their flowers. They are food for the spirit, which comforted me a lot.
Next year, the Garden Writers Association of America held their annual conference in Anchorage and after learning of Anchorage’s program, Plant a Row for Bean’s became Plant a Row for the Hungry. You can imagine how happy I was then.According to the passage, the reason why the author refused to give some money to the beggar probably is that ________.
A.he happened not to take money then |
B.he wasn’t fond of beggars |
C.he thought that the beggar was lying |
D.he didn’t like being bothered |
Why did the author can’t help thinking of the beggar ?
A.Because he felt he had done wrong for his failure to help him. |
B.Because he wanted to know whether the beggar had lied to him. |
C.Because he was worried that the beggar might die from hunger. |
D.Because some agencies, churches and charities should help the beggar. |
What does the underlined phrase “take off” in Paragraph 5 mean?
A.remove clothes. | B.leave suddenly. |
C.become successful. | D.come into being. |
What’s the correct order to record the author’s launch of the program “Plant a Row for the Hungry?”
① He ran into a beggar.
② He was regretful.
③ He came up with the idea of planting a row for Bean’s.
④ The Plant a Row for Bean's became Plant a Row for the Hungry.
⑤ He went back home.
⑥ Writers gathered in Anchorage.
A.①②③④⑤⑥. | B.①⑤②③④⑥. |
C.①②⑤③④⑥. | D.①②⑤③⑥④. |
How fit are your teeth? Are you lazy about brushing them? Never fear: An inventor is on the case. An electric toothbrush senses how long and how well you brush, and it lets you track your performance on your phone.
The Kolibree toothbrush was exhibited at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. It senses how it is moved and can send the information to an Android phone or iPhone via a Bluetooth wireless connection.
The toothbrush will be able to teach you to brush right (don’t forget the insides of the teeth!) and make sure you’re brushing long enough. “It’s kind of like having a dentist actually watch your brushing on a day-to-day basis,” says Thomas Serval, the French inventor.
The toothbrush will also be able to talk to other applications on your phone, so developers could, for instance, create a game controlled by your toothbrush. You could score points for beating monsters among your teeth. “We try to make it smart but also fun,” Several says.
Serval says he was inspired by his experience as a father. He would come home from work and ask his kids if they had brushed their teeth. They said “yes,” but Serval would find their toothbrush heads dry. He decided he needed a brush that really told him how well his children brushed.
The company says the Kolibree will go on sale this summer, for $99 to $199, developing on features. The U.S. is the first target market.
Serval says that one day, it’ll be possible to replace the brush on the handle with a brushing unit that also has a camera. The camera can even examine holes in your teeth while you brush.Which is one of the feature of the Kolibree toothbrush?
A.It can sense how users brush their teeth. |
B.It can track users’school performance. |
C.It can detect users’fear of seeing a dentist. |
D.It can help users find their phones. |
What can we learn from Serval’s words in Paragraph 3?
A.You will find it enjoyable to see a dentist. |
B.You should see your dentist on a day-to –day basis. |
C.You can brush with the Kolibree as if guided by a dentist. |
D.You’d like a dentist to watch you brush your teeth every day. |
Which of the following might make the Kolibree toothbrush fun?
A.It can be used to update mobile phones. |
B.It can be used to play mobile phone games |
C.It can send messages to other users |
D.It can talk to its developers. |
What is Paragraph 5 mainly about?
A.How Serval found out his kids lied to him. |
B.Why Serval thought brushing teeth was necessary. |
C.How Serval taught his kids to brush their teeth. |
D.What inspired Serval to invent the toothbrush |
What can we infer about Serval’s children?
A.They were unwilling to brush their teeth |
B.They often failed to clean their toothbrushes. |
C.They preferred to use a toothbrush with a dry head. |
D.They liked brushing their teeth after Serval came home. |
What can we learn about the future development of the Kolibree?
A.The brush handle will be removed. |
B.A mobile phone will be built into it. |
C.It will be used to fill holes in teeth |
D.It will be able to check users’ teeth |
Elizabeth Freeman was born about 1742 to African American parents who were slaves. At the age of six months she was acquired, along with her sister, by John Ashley, a wealthy Massachusetts slaveholders. She became known as “Mumbet” or “Mum Bett.”
For nearly 30 years Mumbet served the Ashley family. One day, Ashley’s wife tried to strike Mumbet’s sister with a spade. Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. Furious, she left the house and refused to come back. When the Ashleys tried to make her return, Mumbet consulted a lawyer, Theodore Sedgewick. With his help, Mumbet sued(起诉) for her freedom.
While serving the Ashleys, Mumbet had listened to many discussions of the new Massachusetts constitution. If the constitution said that all people were free and equal, then she thought it should apply to her. Eventually, Mumbet won her freedom---- the first slave in Massachusetts to do so under the new constitution.
Strangely enough, after the trial, the Ashleys asked Mumbet to come back and work for them as a paid employee. She declined and instead went to work for Segdewick. Mumbet died in 1829, but her legacy lived on in her many descendants(后裔). One of her great-grandchildren was W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the founder of the NAACP, and an important writer and spokesperson for African American civil rights.
Mumbet’s tombstone still stands in the Massachusetts cemetery where she was buried. It reads, in part: “She was born a slave and remained a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years. She could neither read nor write, yet in her own sphere she had no superior or equal.”What do we know about Mumbet according to Paragraph 1?
A.She was born a slave |
B.She was a slaveholder |
C.She had a famous sister |
D.She was born into a rich family |
Why did Mumbet run away from the Ashleys?
A.She found an employer |
B.She wanted to be a lawyer |
C.She was hit and got angry |
D.She had to take care of her sister |
What did Mumbet learn from discussions about the new consititution?
A.She should always obey her owners’ orders |
B.She should be as free and equal as whites |
C.How to be a good servant |
D.How to apply for a job |
What did Mumbet do after the trial?
A.She chose to work for a lawyer |
B.She found the NAACP |
C.She continued to serve the Ashleys |
D.She went to live with her grandchildren |
Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers. Braincomputer interface (BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines.
Recently, two researchers, Jose Millan and Michele Tavella from the Federal Polytechnic School in Lausanne, Switzerland, demonstrated (展示) a small robotic wheelchair directed by a person's thoughts.
In the laboratory, Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right hand. He could even talk as he watched the vehicle and guided it with his thoughts.
“Our brain has billions of nerve cells. These send signals through the spinal cord (脊髓) to the muscles to give us the ability to move. But spinal cord injuries or other conditions can prevent these weak electrical signals from reaching the muscles.” Tavella says. “Our system allows disabled people to communicate with external world and also to control devices.”
The researchers designed a special cap for the user. This head cover picks up the signals from the scalp (头皮) and sends them to a computer. The computer interprets the signals and commands the motorized wheelchair. The wheelchair also has two cameras that identify objects in its path. They help the computer react to commands from the brain.
Prof. Millan, the team leader, says scientists keep improving the computer software that interprets brain signals and turns them into simple commands. “The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can be grouped in two categories: communication, and controlling devices. One example is this wheelchair.”
He says his team has set two goals. One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology they can benefit from. And the other is to guarantee that they can use the technology over long periods of time.BCI is a technology that can ________.
A.help to update computer systems |
B.link the human brain with computers |
C.help the disabled to recover |
D.control a person's thoughts |
How did Tavella operate the wheelchair in the laboratory?
A.By controlling his muscles. |
B.By talking to the machine. |
C.By moving his hand. |
D.By using his mind. |
Which of the following shows the path of the signals described in Paragraph 5?
A.scalp→computer→cap→wheelchair |
B.computer→cap→scalp→wheelchair |
C.scalp→cap→computer→wheelchair |
D.cap→computer→scalp→wheelchair |
The team will test with real patients to ________.
A.make profits from them |
B.prove the technology useful to them |
C.make them live longer |
D.learn about their physical condition |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A.Switzerland, the BCI Research Center |
B.New Findings About How the Human Brain Works |
C.BCI Could Mean More Freedom for the Disabled |
D.Robotic Vehicles Could Help to Cure Brain Injuries |
Winter is a very special time in Northern Norway. Winter also means skiing, and Narvik can offer some of the best skiing in Norway. The view and light change frequently and no two days are the same. For many people, the northern lights are an unforgettable sight, and in Narvik the sky is especially clear and great for watching at night.
The tourist season lasts from February to April, although May can be fascinating too, often with fantastic dry snow and an unbelievable light lasting well into the evening.
Ski hire
It is possible for adults and children to hire skiing equipment such as snowboards. All equipment is prepared for us. If you would like to book your equipment, please email Narvikfjellet.
Cross-country skiing
There are 12 kilometers of cross country ski run in Narvik. You need to bring your own skis as there is no cross-country hire. However, equipment can be bought at local sports shops in and around Narvik.
Off-piste skiing(非场地滑雪)
In order to explore Narvik’s off-piste opportunities you need to know the dangers when choosing routes. It is suggested that you bring necessary equipment such as a shovel(雪铲)and a GPS locator. Ask Narvikfjellet for an experienced guide. With a guide you can explore Narvik’s special off-piste areas in a safe manner.
Sometimes it is nice to do something different and not everybody enjoys skiing. Then you can go horse-riding, or visit the local museums.
Price examples for the 2012--2013 season
Time |
Children(8-15years) |
Adults |
1 day |
NOK 230 |
NOK 325 |
3 days |
NOK 590 |
NOK 835 |
5 days |
NOK 815 |
NOK 1,170 |
7 days |
NOK 970 |
NOK 1,375 |
Children 0-7 years can enjoy the service for free |
In Northern Norway, the tourist season may last ______.
A.one month | B.two months |
C.three months | D.four months |
What can we know from the passage?
A.You can book skiing equipment through the Internet. |
B.You are provided with skiing equipment for free. |
C.Narvik is located in the south of Norway. |
D.Narvik is open to adults and children over eight. |
If Mr. and Mrs. Smith stay in Narvik with their six-year-old daughter for three days in 2012,they should pay ______.
A.NOK 1,160 | B.NOK 1,425 |
C.NOK 1,670 | D.NOK 2,260 |
Ask someone what they have done to help the environment recently and they will almost certainly mention recycling. Recycling in the home is very important of course. However, being forced to recycle often means we already have more material than we need.
We are dealing with the results of that over-consumption in the greenest way possible, but it would be far better if we did not need to bring so much material home in the first place. The total amount of packaging increased by 12% between 1999 and 2005. It now makes up a third of a typical household’s waste in the UK. In many supermarkets nowadays food items are packaged twice with plastic and cardboard. Too much packaging is doing serious damage to the environment. The UK, for example, is running out of it for carrying this unnecessary waste. If such packaging is burnt, it gives off greenhouse gases which go on to cause the greenhouse effect. Recycling helps, but the process itself uses energy. The solution is not to produce such items in the first place.
Food waste is a serious problem, too. Too many supermarkets encourage customers to buy more than they need. However, a few of them are coming round to the idea that this cannot continue, encouraging customers to reuse their plastic bags, for example. But this is not just about supermarkets. It is about all of us.
We have learned to associate packaging with quality. We have learned to think that something unpackaged is of poor quality. This is especially true of food. But is also applies to a wide range of consumer products, which often have far more packaging than necessary.
There are signs of hope. As more of us recycle, we are beginning to realize just how much unnecessary material are collecting. We need to face the wastefulness of our consumer culture, but we have a mountain to climb.The author uses figures in Paragraph 2 to show _______.
A.the tendency of cutting household waste |
B.the increase of packaging recycling |
C.the rapid growth of super markets |
D.the fact of packaging overuse |
According to the text, recycling ______.
A.helps control the greenhouse effect |
B.means burning packaging for energy |
C.is the solution to gas shortage |
D.leads to a waste of land |
What can be inferred from Paragraph 4?
A.Unpackaged products are of bad quality. |
B.Supermarkets care more about packaging. |
C.It is improper to judge quality by packaging. |
D.Other products are better packaged than food. |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A.Fighting wastefulness is difficult. |
B.Needless material is mostly recycled. |
C.People like collecting recyclable waste. |
D.The author is proud of their consumer culture. |
We know that sugary sodas aren’t good for our bodies. Now it turns out that they may not be good for our minds, either. A new study of more than 260,000 people has found a link between sweetened soft-drinks and depression, and diet sodas may be making matters worse.
Americans drink far more sodas than people in other countries— as much as 170 liters per person per year. But the impact of this study isn’t limited to the United States. “Sweetened drinks, coffee and tea are commonly consumed worldwide and have important physical consequences. And they may have important mental-health consequences as well,” study author Dr Honglei Chen said in a statement.
The study studied 263,925 people between the ages of 50 and 71. Researchers followed their consumption of drinks like soda, tea coffee, and other soft drinks from 1995 to 1996 and then. 10 years later, asked them if they had been diagnosed with depression since the year 2000. More than 11,3000 of them had.
Participants who drank more than four servings of sodas per day were 30 percent more likely to develop depression than participants who did not drink sodas at all. People who stuck with fruit punch(鸡尾酒), had a 38 percent higher risk than people who didn’t drink sweetened drinks. And all that extra sugar isn’t the actual problem. Researchers say that the artificial sweetener aspartame may be to blame.
The study found a link but could not surely determine whether sodas and other sweet soft drinks cause depression. Still, the results “are consistent with a small but growing body of evidence suggesting that artificially sweetened beverages may be linked to poor health outcomes.”
But there’s a bright side for those who can’t live without their daily sodas. Adults who drank coffee had a 10 percent lower risk of depression compared to people who didn’t drink any coffee, according to the study. “Our research suggests that cutting out or down on sweetened diet drinks or replacing them with unsweetened coffee may naturally help lower your depression risk,” said Chen.What has the new study of more than 260,000 people found?
A.Sugary sodas aren’t good for the physical health of old people. |
B.Americans have a special tooth for sweet foods. |
C.Sweetened soft-drinks may increase the risk of depression. |
D.Sweetened soft-drinks have important physical consequences. |
What do we know about the process of the study?
A.About twenty-six thousand people participated in it. |
B.The oldest participants were below 80 when the study was over. |
C.Most of the participants had depression when the study was over. |
D.The study lasted more than ten years from the beginning to the end. |
It is implied in the passage that ______.
A.more research is needed to confirm the new findings |
B.the new findings aren’t consistent with any previous findings |
C.cutting one’s sodas intake will surely reduce one’s depression |
D.the new findings won’t have an impact on people’s drinking habits |
What should you drink in order to reduce the risk of depression?
A.Sodas. | B.Unsweetened coffee. |
C.Sugary coffee. | D.Fruit punch. |
Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her three-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's tummy.
The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen. But complications arise during delivery. Finally, Michael's little sister is born. But she is in serious condition. With siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushes the infant to the intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital.
The little girl gets worse. The doctor tells the parents, "There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst." Karen and her husband have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby — now they plan a funeral.
Michael, keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister, "I want to sing to her," he says. But kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. However, Karen makes up her mind. She will take Michael whether they like it or not.“If he doesn't see his sister now, he may never see her alive.” She dresses him in an oversized scrub suit and marches him into ICU. The head nurse recognizes him as a child and bellows, "Get that kid out of here now! " The mother, the usually mild-mannered lady glares steel-eyed into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm line. "He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!" Karen tows Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. And he begins to sing.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray”
Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate becomes calm and steady.
"You never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away "
The ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten's purr.
Keep on singing, Michael. Tears conquer the face of the bossy head nurse as well as Karen.
Funeral plans are scrapped. The next, day — the very next day — the little girl is well enough to go home!
NEVER GIVE UP THE ONE WE LOVE!How did Michal’s feel when he knew that he was going to have a sister?
A.indifferent. | B.worried. |
C.expectant. | D.disappointed. |
The doctor recommended the family ___________.
A.get ready for the worst result. |
B.wait for the hope in the near future. |
C.prepare much more money for the infant. |
D.prepare for another chance in other hospitals. |
Which word can best replace the underlined word in Paragraph 4?
A.pointed. | B.yelled. |
C.whispered. | D.ignored. |
What happened when Michael sang to his little sister?
A.The little baby responded to his song and woke up immediately. |
B.The baby heard the song and burst into tears. |
C.The baby’s physical signs disappeared eventually. |
D.The baby recovered from the dangerous state of coma gradually. |
How far would you be willing to go to satisfy your need to know? Far enough to find out your possibility of dying from a terrible disease? These days that’s more than an academic question,as Tracy Smith reports in our Cover Story.
There are now more than a thousand genetic(基因的)tests,for everything from baldness to breast cancer,and the list is growing.Question is do you really want to know what might eventually kill you? For instance,Nobel Prize-winning scientist James Watson,one of the first people to map their entire genetic makeup, is said to have asked not to be told if he were at a higher risk for Alzheimer’(老年痴呆症).
“If I tell you that you have an increased risk of getting a terrible disease,that could weigh on your mind and make you anxious,through which you see the rest of your 1ife as you wait for that disease to hit you.It could really mess you up.”Said Dr.Robert Green,a Harvard geneticist.
“Every ache and pain,”Smith suggested,could be understood as“the beginning of the e nd.”“That’s right.If you ever worried you were at risk for Alzheimer's disease,then every time you can’t find your car in the parking lot,you think the disease has started.”
Dr.Green has been thinking about this issue for years.He led a study of people who wanted to know if they were at a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s.It was thought that people who got bad news would,for lack of a better medical term,freak out.But Green and his team found that there was “no significant difference”between how people handled good news and possibly the worst news of their lives.In fact,most people think they can handle it.People who ask for the information usually can handle the information,good or bad,said Green.The first paragraph is meant to _________________.
A.ask some questions | B.introduce the topic |
C.satisfy readers,curiosity | D.describe an academic fact |
Which of the following is true of James Watson?
A.He is strongly in favor of the present genetic tests. |
B.He is more likely to suffer from Alzheimer's disease. |
C.He believes genetic mapping can help cure any disease. |
D.He doesn’t want to know his chance of getting a disease. |
According to Paragraphs 3 and 4,if a person is at a higher genetic risk,it is ____________.
A.advisable not to let him know |
B.impossible to hide his disease |
C.better to inform him immediately |
D.necessary to remove his anxiety |
The underlined part“freak out”in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to _____________.
A.break down | B.drop out |
C.leave off | D.turn away |
The study led by Dr.Green indicates that people ________________.
A.prefer to hear good news |
B.tend to find out the truth |
C.can accept some bad news |
D.have the right to be informed |
Researchers have developed new software using smart phones’GPS and imaging abilities that determine the exact location of distant objects as well as monitor the speed and direction of moving objects.The software could eventually allow smart phone-armed soldiers to target the location of their enemies.On the home front,the software could be used by everyone,including golfers judging distance to the green and biologists documenting the location of a rare animal without disturbing it.
“The great advantage of a Smartphone is that it provides so many tools in a single,readily available,relatively inexpensive package,”said Qia Wang,a doctoral student who led the development of the software.“For example,on the battlefield,a soldier needs a rangefinder,compass,GPS and other tools to get information before calling in an air strike.With our software,the soldier can have all those instruments in one device that can be purchased off the shelf.When that soldier returns from War,she can use the same Software to protect her family by clocking a speeder near her children’s school and catching the criminal on video.”
Wang and his colleagues developed their software to locate and track:
Targets of known size—when the size of the target is known.a single image is enough to pinpoint the target’s location.
Targets of unknown size—If the exact size of a target is unknown,the software uses two images to triangulate the location of the target·
Moving targets—By taking a short video of a moving target,the smartphone software can calculate how fast the target is moving and in what direction it is going.
“Currently,our software is limited by the physical abilities of smartphone hardware,but the devices are improving rapidly,”Wang said.“We expect that improvements in GPS accuracy,battery life and camera resolution will allow our software to make even more accurate observations.”.From Paragraph 1 we can know that the new software can_______.
A.determine the speed of moving objects |
B.1ocate objects in the distance exactly |
C.defend soldiers against their enemies |
D.help biologists protect rare animal |
.The example given by Qia Wang is meant to ________________.
A.make an advertisement |
B.describe the software briefly |
C.show the benefits of the software |
D.present the functions of smartphones |
.How does the software calculate the speed of a moving object?
A.By taking a short video. | B.By locating its position. |
C.By taking a single image. | D.By measuring real-life size. |
.What’s Qia Wang’s attitude towards the future of the software?
A.Casual. | B.Optimistic. |
C.Cautious. | D.Flexible |
.What is the best title of the text?
A.Qia Wang,a Talented Doctoral Student |
B.Use Smartphones to Their Full Potential |
C.Targeting and Tracking With Smartphones |
D.Smartphone-armed Soldiers on the Battlefield |
Many years ago,a French naturalist,the Count de Buffon,wrote some books about natural history.The books were a great success even though some critics did not like them.Some critics said,“Count Buffon is more of a poet than a scientist.”
Thomas Jefferson did not like what the Count had said about the natural wonders of the New World.It seemed to Jefferson that the Count had spoken of natural wonders in America as if they were unimportant.
This troubled Thomas Jefferson.He too was a naturalist,as well as a farmer,inventor,historian,writer and politician.He had seen the natural wonders of Europe.To him,they were no more important than those of the New World.
In 1788,Thomas Jefferson wrote about his home state,Virginia.While writing,he thought of its natural beauty and then of the words of the Count de Buffon.At that moment.Jefferson created a new word—belittle.He said.“The Count de Buffon believes that nature belittles her productions on this side of the Atlantic.”
Noah Webster,the American word expert,liked this word.He put it in this English language dictionary in 1806,“Belittle—to make small,unimportant.”
Americans had already accepted Jefferson’s word and started to use it.In 1797,the Independent Chronicle newspaper used the word to describe a politician the paper supported.“He is an honorable man,”the paper wrote,“so let the opposition try to belittle him as much as they please.”
In 1872,a famous American word expert decided that the time had come to kill this word.He said,“Belittle has no chance of becoming English.And as more critical writers of America,like those of Britain,feel no need of it,the sooner it is forgotten,the better.”
This expert failed to kill the word.Today.belittle is used where the English language is spoken.Why did Thomas Jefferson disagree with the Count de Buffon?
A.The Count said something silly about the Atlantic. |
B.The Count wasn’t a true scientist in natural history. |
C.The Count was a poet from a different country. |
D.The Count belittled the natural wonders in America. |
We can infer that Jefferson created the word“belittle”out of his ___________.
A.anger | B.excitement |
C.kindness | D.responsibility |
From the text we can know that ______________.
A.all critics thought little of the Count de Buffon |
B.Europe has better wonders than the New World |
C.the word“belittle”survived from disagreements |
D.word experts can change the future of a new word |
Which of the following is true of the word“belittle”?
A.It is gradually accepted by people. |
B.It was invented by the Count de Buffon. |
C.It was used to describe nature. |
D.The Independent Chronicle made it popular. |
What is the main idea of the text?
A.How the word“belittle”came into being. |
B.The argument about natural wonders. |
C.Every word has a long history behind. |
D.Noah Webster supported Jefferson’s idea. |
As the new semester begins,millions of college students across the country are trying hard to remember how best to write a paper-or,more likely,how best to delay that paper.
Procrastination is the thief of time and a lot of students suffer from it.They can spend whole days in the library doing nothing but staring into space,eating snacks,surfing the Internet,watching videos and looking at their pretty peers sitting around them,who,most likely,are doing nothing either.
Paralyzed by their habit to procrastinate,they write micro blogs about their fears,asking their online friends if they sometimes have the same issue.But this does nothing to solve their problems.
According to a recent report by the BBC,95 percent of us procrastinate at some point and 20 percent of the world’s population are procrastinators,complicating their lives with their continual delaying of tasks.
Procrastinators like to find excuses to justify their behavior,but BBC columnist Rowan Pelling says they are all wrong.Many procrastinators tell themselves they are perfectionists who work best under pressure.Pelling says this is nonsense,as work done at the last minute is more likely to have mistakes than work done on time.
She says the behavior of procrastinators often makes them feel flustered and ashamed,inconveniences others,and annoys loved ones.
Fortunately,social seientists have made tireless efforts to understand this behavioral shortcoming and offer strategies to control it.Piers Steel,a Canadian social scientist and author of The Procrastination Equation,believes humankind is“designed”to procrastinate.Nevertheless,he suggests a couple of good ways to get through the task at hand.
The first one is obvious:Break the task down into small pieces and work your way through them methodically.
The second is clever:Give a trusted friend a sum of money and tell them that if you don’t complete the task you have undertaken by a specific time,they can keep it or donate it to a cause you hate..What does the underlined word“Procrastination” in the second paragraph refer to?
A.A bad habit of putting work or tasks off. |
B.A thief who steals time and money in college. |
C.A college student who learns nothing. |
D.A study way of doing nothing in the library. |
.Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
A.College students can have their papers written if they delay them. |
B.Many students don’t know what to do in the library. |
C.Students can’t solve their procrastination by writing micro blogs. |
D.20%of the procrastinators make their life complicated. |
.According to Rowan Pelling,we can learn that procrastinators ____________.
A.can find reasonable excuses for their behavior |
B.are able to work best under pressure |
C.are more likely to avoid mistakes at work |
D.may upset themselves and their loved ones more frequently |
.Which of the following may Piers Steel support?
A.Human beings are not born to be procrastinators. |
B.Complete your tasks or work step by step. |
C.Give your trusted friend money and ask him to help you finish your tasks. |
D.You can’t control procrastination but you can avoid it. |
.What’s the best title of the text?
A.Who steals my time? |
B.The solutions to procrastination |
C.I’ll do it tomorrow,I swear! |
D.Don’t do nothing! |
In Singapore,most of us love window-shopping while some others enjoy having a picnic at East Coast Park or Changi Beach on sunny days.Singaporeans are never bothered by the occasional thunderstorm.However,we know that if it rains for long continuous periods,there will be more serious effects.Just recently the main shopping street of Orchard Road was flooded and some part of Bukit Timah was impassable(不能通行的)to traffic.People reacted by writing in to the newspaper to complain about this! We forget that other countries suffer much worse effects.
Elsewhere,heavy tropical(热带的)storms often result in floods that ruin crops especially in Thailand and Malaysia.This in turn usually means that the price of rice and vegetables here in Singapore will rise because we import these products from them.If there is a typhoon or tsunami,thousands of lives are lost too.This happened in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand in 2004 and It serves to remind us of how Mother Nature can cause great damage.
Weather patterns in general have changed dramatically in recent years.Scientists believe that global warming and the resulting melting of the polar ice-cap has caused the level of the ocean to rise.This in turn causes flooding of low-lying areas in countries where the land is rather flat and some parts of which is below water level.It is believed that human activities have caused Mother Nature to show her extreme anger,so it is now important that we really work together to cut down on harmful activities,for example,illegal logging(伐木)or irresponsible forest-burning to clear land for farming..From Paragraph 1,we can see that most Singaporeans love ______________.
A.making complaints | B.going out for picnics |
C.doing window-shopping | D.traveling along the coast |
.What will happen in Singapore if there are floods in its neighboring countries?
A.Heavy tropical storms will follow shortly. |
B.The price of rice and vegetables will go up. |
C.Many people will write in to the newspaper. |
D.More rice and vegetables will be imported. |
.The underlined word“it”in Paragraph 2 refers to ___________.
A.the arrival of heavy tropical storms |
B.the import of rice and vegetables |
C.the rising price of rice and vegetables |
D.the loss of lives in natural disasters |
.What’s the right order of the following events?
a.global warming
b.the rise in ocean level
c.harmful human activities
d.the flooding of low-lying areas
e.the melting of the polar ice-cap
A.c→a→e→b→d | B.a→c→e→b→d |
C.c→a→b→e→d | D.d→a→c→b→e |
.What should we do in order not to make Mother Nature angry?
A.Clear more land for farming. |
B.Reduce harmful human activities. |
C.Bring down the price of food. |
D.Improve the quality of weather. |
At some time in your life you may have a strong desire to do something strange or terrible. However, chances are that you don’t act on your impulse(冲动), but let it pass instead. You know that to take the action is wrong in some way and that other people will not accept your behavior.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon of taboo behavior is how it can change over the years within the same society, how certain behavior and attitudes once considered taboo can become perfectly acceptable and natural at another point in time. Topics such as death, for example, were once considered so upsetting and unpleasant that it was a taboo to even talk about them. Now with the publication of important books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say Goodbye, people have become more aware of the importance of expressing feelings about death and, as a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo subject.
One of the newest taboos in American society is the topic of fat. Unlike many other taboos, fat is a topic that Americans talk about constantly. It’s not taboo to talk about fat; it’s taboo to be fat. The “in” look is thin, not fat. In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, trim executives to sell their image as well as their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy and lacking in energy, self-discipline, and self-respect. In an image-conscious(注意形象的) society like the U.S., thin is “in”, fat is “out”.
It’s not surprising, then, that millions of Americans have become obsessed with staying slim and “in shape”. The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, the only reason for America’s fascination with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the critical importance of diet and exercise for personal health. As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style of North Americans has changed dramatically during the course of the last century. Modern machines do all the physical labor that people were once forced to do by hand. Cars and buses transport us quickly from point to point. As a result of inactivity and disuse, people’s bodies can easily become weak and vulnerable to disease. In an effort to avoid such a fate, millions of Americans are spending more of their time exercising. From the passage we can infer taboo is .
A.a strong desire to do something strange or terrible |
B.a crime committed on impulse |
C.behavior considered unacceptable in society’s eyes |
D.an unfavorable impression left on other people |
Based on the ideas presented in the passage we can conclude “being fat”in American society.
A.will always remain a taboo |
B.is not considered a taboo by most people |
C.has been a taboo long before |
D.may no longer be a taboo some day |
The topic of fat is many other taboo subjects.
A.the same as | B.different from |
C.more boring than | D.less often talked about than |
In the U.S., thin is “in”, fat is “out”, this means .
A.thin is “inside”, fat is “outside” |
B.thin is “diligent”, fat is “lazy” |
C.thin is “youthful”, fat is “spiritless” |
D.thin is “fashionable”, fat is “unfashionable” |
The main reason the passage gives for why so many Americans are exercising regularly is.
A.their changed life-style |
B.their eagerness to stay thin and healthy |
C.their appreciation of the importance of exercise |
D.the encouragement they have received from their companies |
Google has started Google Science Fair (GSF) 2014, its annual online competition for bright, creative and ambitious teenagers who want to change the world with science. While the project is led by Google, it also has the support of the Lego Group and world-famous publications National Geographic and Scientific American. The competition is open for students aged 13 to 18, who can sign-up now, form a team and begin working on a submission(提交申请).
The winner will be rewarded with a ten-day exploration to the Galapagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavor, as well as a VIP tour of “Spaceport America” in New Mexico. Google is also throwing in a $50,000 scholarship and $10,000 for the winner’s school to purchase cutting-edge science lab equipment.
Google suggests that each project should be “an in-depth investigation of a science question or engineering problem” but otherwise, it’s up to students to pick and develop an idea that follows the competition rules.
Completed projects need to be submitted by May 12, 2014 at 11:59 PDT. Google will announce the regional competitors in June, ahead of global finalists in August and the competition winners in September.
Interested? Here are the rules.
If you want to enter the competition as an individual, you should register first. Complete requested information about yourself and your project in the registration section before creating your project. You may edit this later. Click the box stating that you have read, accept, and agree to be bound by these Official Rules and Terms.
Upon completion of registration you may begin working on your project. The project must follow the technical, creative, and legal entry requirements set out in these Official Rules and the Googlesciencefair.com Site. You will be required to complete all sections of the Project Site.
You may begin working on your project after completing the registration process, however, you may not submit it for judging until you have requested and received parental consent (允许). Once you have done this, your parent or guardian will receive an email from Google with instructions on how they can give their consent for you to participate. The project will not be judged unless this consent is received. From the first paragraph, we can learn that .
A.GSF is a science competition |
B.teenagers should form a team |
C.every teenager can take part in it |
D.GSF is organized by Google alone |
If you win in the competition, you will get the following except .
A.a ten-day exploration to the Galapagos Islands |
B.a tour of “Spaceport America” in New Mexico |
C.a sum of scholarship of $50,000 |
D.a school equipped with advanced science labs |
If you plan to enter GSF alone, .
A.you should create your project as the first step |
B.you needn’t follow the official rules at all |
C.you should provide some personal information |
D.you should start your project before registration |
What is mainly discussed in the last paragraph?
A.Parental consent. | B.Submission time. |
C.Registration process. | D.Project requirements. |
The main purpose of the passage is to .
A.explain problems on how to enter GSF |
B.provide information about GSF |
C.persuade teenagers to enter GSF |
D.tell us the importance of GSF |
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