An 11-year-old boy who has been compared to Spanish Impressionist (印象派画家), the great Pablo Picasso, is holding his first exhibition at Llangollen’s Gardening Show this weekend.
Hamad al-Humaidhan, who was born in Kuwait but now lives in Bath, Britain, had no previous knowledge of art history when he first picked up a brush.
But he began to paint his favourite football player, Cristiano Ronaldo, using Picasso’s trademarks (标志) —bright colours and impressionistic forms.
His father said, "I’ve got lots of books about Picasso and I showed them to Hamad but he didn’t know anything about Picasso —it’s just naturally the way he sees it and he just loves to paint."
His first painting of Ronaldo, done when he was just nine, was sold at auction (拍卖) in Bath for ￡650, which drew the attention of local art businessman Steve Turner. "A colleague sent me some pictures of Hamad’s work and I just couldn’t believe the size of it and how the colours blended (融合) together," he said. "He had talent and I thought Picasso had been reborn.""I’ve shown his work to private art collectors. They liked them very much and everyone was eager to buy, so the first six paintings have been snapped up. I bought two of them myself. The next set of his works will go on show for the first time at Llangollen, which will be the first opportunity for the public to see his amazing talent."
Hamad enjoys maths at school but ranks painting higher. "I think I prefer painting! It makes me relaxed and when I feel tired I just pick up a paint brush," he said. "I just close my eyes and see how it’s going to look and then I just paint it —I paint every day. I just love the colours and I want people to enjoy my paintings."
Now Hamad is nervously waiting for the opening of his exhibition.
What is the text mainly about?
| A．Hamad’s painting exhibition. |
B．Hamad and his talent for painting. |
C．The popularity of Hamad’s works. |
D．The similarities between Hamad and Picasso. |
From the text, we can learn that Hamad ________.
| A．began to learn painting when he was a boy |
B．has read many books about art history |
C．likes Cristiano Ronaldo very much |
D．knows a lot about Picasso |
According to the text, Hamad’s first painting of Ronal-do ________.
| A．has bright colours and impressionistic forms |
B．was bought by Steve Turner |
C．was completed five years ago |
D．is his favourite work |
What does the underlined phrase "snapped up"in the fifth paragraph probably mean?
| A．Shown to the public. | B．Bought very quickly. |
C．Cleaned up. | D．Hung up. |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．Steve Turner speaks very highly of Hamad. |
B．Hamad prefers maths to painting. |
C．Hamad’s works will be sold after the show. |
D．The public can see all Hamad’s paintings at the show. |
It is really a happy thing to look back on the days I spent with Jennie. We met in night school. After Jennie and I had completed the required courses, we started teaching in the same school. For a time we were just casual friends, but one day, when I was telling Jennie about my problem son, we discovered we were kindred (同类的) spirits. "He’s a difficult little character," I explained. Jennie looked thoughtful. "Maybe you’re only seeing him with your eyes." She was silent for a moment and then added softly, "It is only with the heart that one sees rightly." I stared at her. "You’re quoting (引用) that! It’s from The Little Prince, Saint-Exupery’s book for children, one of my favorites. You know it, too?" Jennie nodded. "I love it. I’ve read it so often. I’ve practically memorized it."
Now, when I think of Jennie, I recall that book because Jennie —more than anyone I know —possessed the gift of seeing with the heart.
From that moment of a treasured book shared, our friendship grew steadily. It wasn’t that I didn’t have an excellent relationship with my husband and son, but my mother had died shortly after my marriage, and I had neither sisters nor daughters. I realize, now, how I needed someone to share those little, seemingly unimportant things that add so much to life —things that must be shared to be fully appreciated.
And it was Jennie who helped me with my fourth-grade problem child. One day I was at my wit’s end. "What he needs is a good beating!" I exploded.
"He’s probably had plenty of those," Jennie said. "Maybe he just needs sincere praise for anything he does right, and a hug or two each day." I followed this suggestion, and eventually, because of Jennie, I discovered a lovable little boy.
Looking back, I have to admit that she taught me so much. The days I spent with her has become one of my happiest memories.What does the underlined part mean in the fourth paragraph?
| A．I was unsure of how to treat my son. |
| B．I decided to give up my job. |
| C．I faced financial difficulties. |
| D．I was very disappointed with myself. |
How did the author and Jennie’s friendship grow?
| A．They both were interested in children’s education. |
| B．They both liked a novel, The Little Prince. |
| C．They often chatted together about their families. |
| D．They both worked in the same school. |
We learn from the text that __________.
| A．the author has the gift of seeing with the heart |
| B．the author had no friends before meeting Jennie |
| C．the author had lost her mother before her marriage |
| D．the author seldom praised her son in the past |
How does the author feel about her family?
| A．No one listened to her seemingly unimportant things. |
| B．She didn’t get along well with her husband and son. |
| C．She once seldom spoke to her mother. |
| D．She felt quite lonely in her family. |
The text is mainly about _________.
| A．how to educate children properly |
| B．the fact that we should see nature differently |
| C．the influence of friendship in life |
| D．how friendship begins and develops |
His ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he appeared to know next to nothing. Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he inquired in the naivest way who he might be and what he had done. My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar system.
“You appear to be astonished, ” Holmes said, smiling at my expression. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it. You see, I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose: A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has difficulty in laying his hand upon it. It is a mistake to think that the little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it, there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you know before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”
“But the Solar System! ” I protested.
“What the deuce is it to me?” he interrupted impatiently.
One morning, I picked up a magazine from the table and attempted to while away the time with it, while my companion munched silently at his toast. One of the articles had a pencil mark at the heading, and I naturally began to run my eye through it.
Its somewhat ambitious title was “The Book of Life, ” and it attempted to show how much an observant man might learn by an accurate and systematic examination of all that came in his way. It struck me as being a remarkable mixture of shrewdness and of absurdity. The reasoning was close and intense, but the deduction appeared to me to be far-fetched and exaggerated. The writer claimed by a momentary expression, a twitch of a muscle or a glance of an eye, to fathom a man’s inmost thought. Deceit, according to him, was impossibility in the case of one trained to observation and analysis. His conclusions were as infallible as so many propositions of Euclid. So startling would his results appear to the uninitiated that until they learned the processes by which he had arrived at them they might well consider him as a necromancer.
“From a drop of water, ”said the writer, “a logician could infer the possibility of an Atlantic. So all life is a great chain, the nature of which is known whenever we are shown a single link of it. Like all other arts, the science of Deduction and Analysis is one which can be acquired by long and patient study, nor is life long enough to allow any mortal to attain the highest possible perfection in it. ”
This smartly written piece of theory I could not accept until a succession of evidences justified it. What is the author’s attitude toward Holmes?
[A]Praising.
[B]Critical.
[C]Ironical.
[D]Distaste. What way did the author take to stick out Holmes’ uniqueness?
[A]By deduction.
[B]By explanation.
[C]By contrast.
[D]By analysis. What was the Holmes’ idea about knowledge-learning?
[A]Learning what every body learned.
[B]Learning what was useful to you.
[C]Learning whatever you came across.
[D]Learning what was different to you. What did the article mentioned in the passage talk about?
[A]One may master the way of reasoning through observation.
[B]One may become rather critical through observation and analysis.
[C]One may become rather sharp through observation and analysis.
[D]One may become practical through observation and analysis.
Vocabulary
1.Thomas Carlyle 托马斯•卡莱尔 1795-1881美国作家、历史家、哲学家
2.jumble (up) 搞乱，使混乱
3.lay hand on (upon) sth. 抓住，找到
4.at best 最好的情况下
5.elbow out (off) 用胳膊肘挤出，推出
6.deuce =" devil" what the deuce is it to me?
这里表示福尔摩斯的厌恶心理。
义：这倒霉的词儿与我有什么关系？
7.while away the time 消磨/打发时间
8.shrewdness 机敏，敏锐，犀利
9.far-fetched 牵强附会，不自然
10.fathom 看穿/透，推测，探索
11.infallible 一贯正确
12.uninitiated 对某事无知的
13.Euclid 欧几里德（古希腊数学家）
14.necromancer 巫师
The pound new Library of Birmingham（LoB）will be the most visible sign of the way the city is accepting the digitalization（数字化）of everyday life.
Set to open in 2013, the £188 m LoB is already beginning to tale shape next to the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, with which it will share some equipment.
As digital media（媒介）is important to its idea. the project is already providing chances for some of the many small new local companies working at the new technologies.
Brian Gambles, the LoB project director, says it is about giving people the right tools for learning, “The aim is to mix the physical with the digital. Providing 24-hour services which can be used through many different ways. It is important to enable us to reach more people, more effectively.”
The digital library will, he says, be as important as the physical one, allowing the distant use of the services, making sure that it is never closed to the public.
Even before the LoB is complete, the public has been able to go online to visit the Virtual（虚拟的）LoB, designed by Baden, the Birmingham virtual worlds specialists. Not only have the public been able to learn about LoB, but the virtual one has also enabled those working on the LoB to understand the building and how it will work before it even opens.
Two other small Birmingham-based digital companies are working on the LoB projects. Substrat, a digital design company, is developing what it calls “enlarge reality” project. It is about the use of an exciting smart phone, an important part of the LoB which is in the early stages of development is an online library of figures of the city being built by a digital content company in Cahoots, in which users will be encouraged to add to and comment on the material.
Gambles says: “Technology will enable us to make the library’s content and services open to citizens as sever before.”
The underline part “its idea” in Paragraph 3 refers to the idea of____.
| A．the equipment | B．the project |
| C．the digital media | D． the physical library |
While visiting the Virtual LoB, the public can_____.
| A．get a general idea of the LoB |
| B．meet many world-famous experts |
| C．learn how to put up a library building |
| D．understand how the specialists work on the project |
Which of the following is true of the LoB when it opens?
| a. It offers better learning tools b. It reaches users in different ways c. It provides users with smart phone d. It allows users to enrich its material e. It gives non-stop physical and digital services |
A. a, b, d B. a, c, e C. b, c, d D. b, d, e
This text is most probably taken from .
| A．a put book | B．a library guide |
| C．a handbook | D．a newspaper report |
Make some noise on May 7 for Music Monday.People in the U．S. and Canada will be celebrating the day by singing and playing musical instruments together.
Music Monday is the first day of National Wanna Play Music Week，which runs from May 7 to 13.The National Association of Music Merchants(NAMM) organizes the weeklong celebration every year.This marks the seventh year the organization is teaming up with Canada’s Coalition for Music Education(CME)，the group that started Music Monday.
“It’s a day to fill the skies with music and bring young people together in song，” CME Executive Director Holly Nimmons said.
The CME started Music Monday in 2005.It is held every year on the first Monday of May.It was created to help people realize the importance of music education programs in schools and in communities.The day also celebrates the benefits of playing music for people of all ages.
NAMM researches the effects of music on children.They found that playing music has positive effects on thinking skills and on confidence.It also teaches selfdiscipline(自律) and helps kids bond with their peers(同龄人)．“Learning musical skills can also help in your studies of other subjects，such as math，reading and language，” Lora Bodmer，who works at NAMM，said.
Their studies show that music can also help people form friendships and connect with different groups.Nimmons says anyone can join in on the day，not just those who are musically gifted.“I think that we all have the music in us，and it’s a matter of confidence，” she said.“Sing with other people or beat drums，just enjoy the music.”
Participants can turn on the radio to join the fun.Each year a song is assigned to Music Monday.This year the song is “Tomorrow Is Coming” by Luke Doucet.The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation(CBC) will be playing the tune at 1 p．m. Eastern Time.People across North America will play or sing the song at the exact same time.The performance is meant to connect people through melody(旋律)．More than 700,000 students took part in the concert last year.
Schools，afterschool programs，organizations，groups and individuals throughout the U．S. and Canada can all participate in Music Monday.Students who would like to share in the celebration should let their teachers or organization leaders know.But NAMM also encourages people to pick up any instrument and play anytime on the day.What can we learn about Music Monday?
| A．National Wanna Play Music Week begins on Music Monday. |
| B．People can’t sing every day except on Music Monday. |
| C．Music Monday will last at least seven days. |
| D．Students can enjoy music on Music Monday freely. |
The purpose of National Wanna Play Music Week is to ________.
| A．advise young people to learn music |
| B．help students to learn music better |
| C．get schools and communities closely united |
| D．call on people to pay more attention to music education |
Which of the following may be the benefit of music to kids?
| A．Kids can get rid of many bad habits. |
| B．Kids are most likely to do well in their lessons. |
| C．Kids would like to play with other friends more. |
| D．Kids will get on well with their parents at home. |
What do the last two paragraphs mainly tell us?
| A．How people will celebrate Music Monday. |
| B．What students should do on Music Monday. |
| C．Why a theme song is chosen for Music Monday. |
| D．Where the celebration of Music Monday will be held. |
Scientists discovered 163 new species in Southeast Asia’s Greater Mekong region last year，but all are at risk of extinction due to climate change，the WWF said in a report released Friday.
The newly discovered creatures include a birdeating frog with fangs (毒牙)，a bird that would rather walk than fly and a gecko (壁虎) whose alien appearance inspired the report’s title of “Close Encounters”，the conservation group said.
The report was released ahead of major UN talks on climate change in Bangkok next week，which are being held before a makeorbreak summit in Copenhagen this December.
“Some species will be able to adapt to climate change，and many will not，potentially resulting in massive extinction，” Stuart Chapman，director of the WWF Greater Mekong program，said in the report.“Rare and endangered species like those newly discovered are especially vulnerable (易受伤害的) because climate change will further shrink their already restricted habitats，” he said.
“The new discoveries in 2010 include 100 plants,28 fish,18 reptiles,14 amphibians,2 mammals and a bird，”the WWF report said.The area spans Cambodia，Laos，Myanmar，Thailand，Vietnam and China’s Yunnan Province.
“Among the new species is the birdeating fanged frog，which remains hidden in a protected area of Thailand despite the fact that scientists are studying there for 40 years，” the report said.
The tigerstriped pit viper was discovered accidentally on an island off the coast of Vietnam when a scientist was looking for a lizard and his son pointed out that his hand was on a rock right next to the snake’s fangs.“We caught the snake and the gecko and they both proved to be new species，” researcher Lee Grismer of La Sierra University in California was quoted as saying in the report.The leopard gecko，found on another Vietnamese island，has the coloring of a leopard and bizarre orange，catlike eyes and thin legs.
The Greater Mekong region has proved a rich area for scientists.The WWF said in December 2010 that it had found 1,068 new species there between 1997 and 2009.What is special about the newly discovered bird?
| A．It usually walks. |
| B．It likes walking and flying. |
| C．It can eat other birds. |
| D．It can eat frogs. |
Stuart Chapman believes that________.
| A．most of the newly discovered species can adapt to climate change |
| B．climate change can cause massive extinction of the newly discovered species |
| C．the newly discovered species are not so vulnerable to climate change |
| D．many species have already died out because of climate change |
When Lee Grismer discovered the tigerstriped pit viper，he probably felt________.
| A．frightened | B．disappointed |
| C．excited | D．puzzled |
What does the passage mainly tell us?
| A．The Greater Mekong region is a rich area for scientists. |
| B．Many rare species remain to be discovered in the Mekong region. |
| C．Scientists have discovered many new species in the Mekong region. |
| D．Climate change threatens Mekong new species. |
If you are ever planning to buy a telescope and want to get yourself involved in astronomy it is always a good idea to know a bit of the sky.Get acquainted with a few constellations(星座) so that it will be easier for you to spot the constellations when you are using your telescope.
It’s a good idea to buy a few magazines on astronomy to help you to get familiar with the constellations in the sky and also read a few reviews on the different types of telescopes in the market.This will help you gather all the information that is out there regarding telescopes and what people have to say about them.
It’s advisable to go in for a pair of binoculars(双筒望远镜) before you buy your first telescope so that you can get used to spotting constellations before your view of the sky is narrowed down.This will also help you know if you really want to get involved in astronomy.Many people buy a costly telescope and then discover that they’re not actually interested in astronomy.
Experience has no substitute，and there certainly is nothing better than using different telescopes before you buy one.This will help you to get the feel of all the types of telescopes and you will know which one is easier for you to use.A large aperture(光圈) refractor(折射) may give you an excellent image but you may not be able to keep a steady hand while using it resulting in a blurry image.
There are three types of telescopes that are available in the market.If you want a more elegant looking telescope you can always choose to buy a fine brass telescope.It’s good to become acquainted with each type before going for the plunge of a first telescope.The first type of telescope is the refractor telescope，which uses lenses to gather light to a focus at the eye piece.The use of lenses helps the telescope have a superior image.A refracting telescope is not as portable as the other two types of telescopes and so you will have to buy one with a small aperture.
The second type of telescope is the Reflector.Made by Sir Isaac Newton，this telescope functions by focusing the light back at the front of the tube，which is where the eyepiece sits，by using parabolic(抛物线的) mirrors and another smaller mirror to deflect the light.There is no added color in the image caused by refraction of light since this telescope does not use lenses.These are the cheapest of all telescopes and are more portable than refractors.According to the text，a telescope is intended to be bought for ________.
| A．getting experience |
| B．watching stars |
| C．studying the climate |
| D．learning about a bit of the sky |
What can we learn from Paragraph 2?
| A．One must know something about astronomy and telescopes. |
| B．One can’t buy a telescope without buying several astronomy magazines. |
| C．One should check the telescopes in the market and try to find a better one. |
| D．One must be familiar with new information of astronomy and space instruments. |
Why does the author advise buying a pair of binoculars first?
| A．The telescope is too expensive. |
| B．The binoculars are easier to use. |
| C．You may gain plenty of experience in astronomy. |
| D．Your view will be narrow by using a pair of binoculars. |
What do we know about the refracting telescope?
| A．It looks very elegant. |
| B．It refracts light by an eye piece. |
| C．It has clear images without any lenses. |
| D．It is not convenient to take along for its size. |
The NSA(美国国家安全局) and GCHQ(英国政府通讯总部) are tapping popular smart phone apps such as Angry Birds to gather the enormous amounts of very personal data those bits of software collect—including age, gender, marital status, income, education level and more, according to new reports from the New York Times and The Guardian.
Citing secret documents provided by Edward Snowden, former NSA staff, the reports detail efforts to gain data collection from cell phone carriers and smart phones by tapping into “leaky”(有漏洞的) apps themselves.
Both spy agencies showed a particular interest in Google Maps, which is accurate to within a few yards or better in some locations and would clearly pass along data about the area where phone owner is.
“It effectively means that anyone using Google Maps on a smartphone is working in support of a GCHQ system,” reads a secret 2008 report by the NSA's sister spy agency, according to the New York Times.
More surprising is the wide range of apps that the agencies search for data, including innocent-seeming apps such as Angry Birds. One document in particular from GCHQ listed what information can be found from which apps, mentioning Android apps but suggesting the same data was available from the iPhone platform.
Angry Birds maker Rovio Entertainment of Finland said it had no knowledge of any NSA or GCHQ programs for tapping into its users’ data.
"Rovio doesn't have any previous knowledge of this matter, and have not been aware of such activity in 3rd party advertising networks," said Saara Bergstrom. "Nor do we have any involvement with the organizations you mentioned."
Mobile photos uploaded to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter appear to be a particularly rich source of information for the spy agencies as well. Metadata in the photos is briefly available. The NSA and GCHQ are able to tap into that metadata to collect a wealth of key data points about a person’s life.
“NSA does not profile everyday Americans as it carries out its foreign intelligence mission,” the agency told the Times in response to questions about the program.
During a Monday press conference, White House press secretary Jay Carney stressed that same position. "As the president said in his Jan. 17 speech, to the extent data is collected by the NSA, through whatever means, we are not interested in the communications of people who are not valid foreign intelligence targets（情报目标） and we are not after the information of ordinary Americans," he said.American and British spy agencies were both particularly interested in the information gathered from_________.
| A．Google Maps | B．Twitter | C．Angry Birds | D．Facebook |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The iPhone platform is more reliable than that of Android. |
| B．The New York Times interviewed Edward Snowden secretly. |
| C．It is difficult for common users to protect their personal information. |
| D．A document from NSA listed what information can be found from which apps. |
What did Jay Carney’s words imply?
| A．NSA didn’t gather any worthy information from Americans. |
| B．NSA would stop its foreign intelligence mission in the future. |
| C．NSA and White House shared different attitude towards the affair. |
| D．NSA collected information with the permission of White House |
Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
| A．Angry Birds Give You Away |
| B．NSA Gather Information from Apps |
| C．Reports from the New York Times |
| D．Documents from Edward Snowden |
First lady Michelle Obama turns 50 on Friday, Jan. 17, 2014.
Michelle Obama has spent the first half-century of her life breaking barriers and checking off a series of firsts. Now, as she reaches her milestone birthday Friday, the nation will be watching to see in what other areas she will leave her mark.
Five years after moving into the White House, and without a re-election campaign to worry about, she has more room to relax in her role and, political watchers say, possibly become more vocal (声音的) on political issues in the three years left in office.
So far, critics have complained about Michelle’s silence on issues where they expected to hear her voice: Last year, at the start of her husband's second term, she disappointed advocates for tighter gun-control measures after she failed to push harder on the issue in response to the massacre (残杀) at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. She also disappointed some feminists (女权主义者) who wanted her to defend their causes instead of falling back on her self-described role as the nation’s “mom-in-chief.” Nor did she handle racial issues during her second term, as some had expected.
“The most important thing to remember is, whether you are black, white or Hispanic, you’re the first lady and the president of all the people in the United States. That’s a huge melting pot, so to reinforce (强化)that she's African American over anything else would not be wise,” said Anita McBride, who directs programming and national conferences on the legacies (遗产) of America’s first ladies and their historical influence at American University.
Valerie Jarrett, a top White House adviser and a close friend of the Obamas, said the first lady doesn't want to “spread herself too thin.”
“She really wants to have a maximum impact and to do that in fewer areas,” Jarrett told the Associated Press. “That, she said, “is better than trying to take on every single possible cause.”
But Robert Watson, a Lynn University professor, said he expects Obama to “go a little harder at issues” over the next several years. “Second-term first ladies usually feel more at ease to speak more forcefully about issues close to their heart,” he said.
Myra Gutin, a Ryder University communications professor and frequent lecturer on first ladies, said she expects Obama to continue making both of them a priority in her remaining years in the White House, given their success. Michelle launched the “Let’s Move” campaign in 2010. It in particular has gained widespread support, ranging from the National Football League to the Sesame Street franchise (特许), which even gave permission to the produce industry to use its licensed characters for free on fruits and vegetables.
“There’s no such thing as a traditional first lady, not anymore in this technology-filled world. Is Mrs. Obama cutting edge? Is she an activist? No. As first ladies go, I think she’s been politically careful because she does not want there to be a major flare-up that would require her husband to use his political capital to clean up,” she said. “But she’s not exactly just sitting in the White House pouring tea and having receptions, either.”Critics were disappointed with Michelle because _______.
| A．she didn’t put gun-control measures into effect |
| B．she failed some feminists to stand out to be a career woman |
| C．she didn’t solve some racial problems |
| D．she failed to voice her opinion on some issues |
According to the professors or advisers, which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．It’s not wise to reinforce Michelle is African American over anything else. |
| B．It’s better for Michelle to have a maximum impact than to take on every possible cause. |
| C．It's expected for Michelle to go a little harder at issues. |
| D．It’s a tradition for first ladies to stay out of political issues. |
What does the underlined phrase “spread herself too thin” in Paragraph 6 mean?
| A．Try to do a lot of work at the same time. |
| B．Get very tired. |
| C．Try to improve physical fitness. |
| D．Move herself away from others. |
In Paragraph 9, the campaign “Let’s Move” might be aiming to help people _______..
a. gain widespread support
b. become more physically active
c. have access to healthier foods
d. raise awareness about gun control
| A．a, c | B．a, b | C．b, c | D．c, d |
When Steve Jobs was born on Febuary24,1955, in San Francisco , California, his unmarried mother decided to put him for adoption because she wanted a girl. So in the middle of the night, his mother called a lawyer named Paul Jobs and said, “We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?” But his mother told his future parents to promise that they would send Jobs to college. After Steve Jobs graduated from high school, he went to college but decided to drop out because it was so expensive that he had to sleep on the floor in his friends’ rooms.
At 20, he and a friend(Steve Wozniak) started a company in a garage on April 1, 1976. Jobs named their company ----Apple in memory of a happy summer he had spent as an orchard (果园) in Oregon.
After 10 years of hard time and failures, starting from two kids working in a garage, Apple computer eventually grew into a big company with over 4000 employees.
At 30, Jobs , however, was fired from the company he co-founded. But after he had to leave the company, Apple was under heavy pressure from rival (对手) Microsoft and in 1996 posted billions of dollars in losses. Apple needed Steve Jobs and he was appointed as Apple’ CEO in1997. Under his leadership, Apple returned to profitability and introduced new products such as the iPod, the iPhone and the iPod.
Steve Jobs once said, “Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick, Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking.Which of the following is right according to paragraph 1?
| A．Jobs’ unmarried mother adopted him. |
| B．Paul Jobs was a college teacher. |
| C．Jobs’ finished his education. |
| D．Jobs’ unmarried mother wanted a girl. |
Steve Jobs didn’t finish his college education because he ______.
| A．wanted to start a company. |
| B．had financial problems. |
| C．took no interest in his major. |
| D．hated to share rooms with his friends. |
It can be inferred that Apple____.
| A．was founded in Oregon |
| B．developed from a garage |
| C．had a difficult beginning |
| D．had a successful beginning |
What can we learn from what Steve Jobs said?
| A．Interest is key to success. |
| B．Hope helps us succeed. |
| C．Attitude is everything. |
| D．Courage goes with confidence. |
Most people know precious gemstones (宝石) by their appearances. An emerald flashes deep green, a ruby seems to hold a red fire inside, and a diamond shines like a star. It’s more difficult to tell where the gem was mined, since a diamond from Australia or Arkansas may appear the same to one from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, recently, a team of scientists has found a way to identify a gemstone’s origin.
Beneath the surface of a gemstone, on the tiny level of atoms and molecules（分子）, lie clues (线索) to its origin. At this year’s meeting of the Geological Society of America in Minneapolis, Catherine McManus reported on a technique that uses lasers (激光) to clarify these clues and identify a stone’s homeland. McManus directs scientific research at Materialytics, in Killeen, Texas. The company is developing the technique. “With enough data, we could identify which country, which mining place, even the individual mine a gemstone comes from,” McManus told Science News.
Some gemstones, including many diamonds, come from war-torn countries. Sales of those “blood minerals” may encourage violent civil wars where innocent people are injured or killed. In an effort to reduce the trade in blood minerals, the U.S. government passed law in July 2010 that requires companies that sell gemstones to determine the origins of their stones.
To figure out where gemstones come from, McManus and her team focus a powerful laser on a small sample of the gemstone. The technique is called laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Just as heat can turn ice into water or water into steam, energy from the laser changes the state of matter of the stone. The laser changes a miniscule part of the gemstone into plasma, a gas state of matter in which tiny particles（微粒）called electrons separate from atoms.
The plasma, which is superhot, produces a light pattern. (The science of analyzing this kind of light pattern is called spectroscopy.) Different elements（元素）produce different patterns, but McManus and her team say that gemstones from the same area produce similar patterns. Materialytics has already collected patterns from thousands of gemstones, including more than 200 from diamonds. They can compare the light pattern from an unknown gemstone to patterns they do know and look for a match. The light pattern acts like a signature, telling the researchers the origin of the gemstone.
In a small test, the laser technique correctly identified the origins of 95 out of every 100 diamonds. For gemstones like emeralds and rubies, the technique proved successful for 98 out of every 100 stones. The scientists need to collect and analyze more samples, including those from war-torn countries, before the tool is ready for commercial use.
Scientists like Barbara Dutrow, a mineralogist from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, find the technique exciting. “This is a basic new tool that could provide a better fingerprint of a material from a particular locality,” she told Science News. We learn from Paragraph 1 that __________________.
| A．an emerald and a ruby are names of diamonds. |
| B．it’s not difficult to tell where the gem was mined. |
| C．appearances help to identify the origin of gemstones. |
| D．diamonds from different places may appear the same. |
Why did the U.S. government pass law that requires companies selling gemstones to determine the origins of their stones?
| A．To look for more gemstones. |
| B．To encourage violent civil wars. |
| C．To reduce the trade in blood minerals. |
| D．To develop the economy. |
Which of the following facts most probably helps McManus and her team in identifying the origin of stones?
| A．Heat can turn ice into water or water into steam. |
| B．Gemstones from the same area produce similar light patterns. |
| C．Laser can changes a miniscule part of the gemstone into plasma. |
| D．Materialytics has already collected patterns from thousands of gemstones. |
From the last two paragraphs, what can be inferred about the laser technique?
| A．It is ready for commercial use. |
| B．People can use the new tool to find more gemstones. |
| C．It can significantly reduce the gemstones trade in blood minerals. |
| D．It will bring about a revolutionary change in identifying the origin of minerals. |
The author wrote this passage mainly to ________.
| A．tell us how to identify the origin of diamonds. |
| B．introduce a laser technique in identifying a stone’s origin |
| C．prove identifying the origin of gemstones are difficult |
| D．attract our attention to reducing trade in blood minerals |
Sex prejudices are based on and justified by the ideology(意识形态) that biology is destiny. According to this ideology, basic biological and psychological differences exist between the sexes. These differences require each sex to play a separate role in social life. Women are the weaker sex both physically and emotionally. Thus, they are naturally suited, much more so than men, to the performance of domestic(家庭的) duties. A woman’s place, under normal circumstances, is within the protective environment of the home. Nature has determined that women play caretaker roles, such as wife and mother and homemaker. On the other hand, men are best suited to go out into the competitive world of work and politics, where serious responsibilities must be taken on. Men are to be the providers; women and children are “dependents”.
The ideology also holds that women who wish to work outside the household should naturally fill these jobs that are in line with the special capabilities of their sex. It is appropriate for women, not men, to be employed as nurses, social workers, elementary school teachers, house-hold helpers, clerks and secretaries. These positions are simply an extension of women’s domestic role. Informal distinctions between “women’s work” and “men’s work” in the labor force, according to the ideology, are simply a functional reflection of the basic differences between the sexes.
Finally, the ideology suggests that nature has worked her will in another significant way. For the human species to survive over time, its members must regularly reproduce. Thus, women must, whether at home or in the labor force, make the most of their physical appearances.
So goes the ideology. It is, of course, not true that basic biological and psychological differences between the sexes require each to play sex-defined roles in social life. There is enough evidence that sex roles vary from society to society, and those role differences that do exist are largely learned.
But to the degree people actually believe that biology is destiny and that nature intended for men and women to make different contributions to society, sex-defined roles will be seen as totally acceptable.According to the biology-is-destiny ideology, women_______.
| A．cannot compete with men in any field |
| B．are suited more to domestic jobs than men |
| C．are sensitive enough to be a good caretaker |
| D．are too weak to do any agricultural work at all |
Those who have prejudices against women think that_______.
| A．women shouldn’t go out for work |
| B．women should earn money to add the family income |
| C．women going out for work should only do “women’s work” |
| D．women should take jobs to drill the special capabilities of the sex |
The author thinks that the positions women hold outside_______.
| A．are determined by what they are better suited to |
| B．grow out of their household responsibilities |
| C．represent their breakthrough of sex discrimination |
| D．are physically and emotionally suitable to them |
What does the underlined sentence imply?
| A．Sex roles are socially determined |
| B．Sex roles are emotionally and physically determined |
| C．Sex roles are biologically and psychologically determined |
| D．Sex roles are determined by education people take |
For many of us, a little time with our smartphones or iPads before sleep is the highlight of the night. But would you still think it is relaxing if you knew that it damages or destroys your sleep? Scientists say that's exactly what it does.
In ancient times, when there were no lamps, telephones or smartphones, the sun was the main source of light. When the sun went down, our brains took that as a signal to start producing melatonin(褪黑素), a chemical that helps us sleep.
However, a healthy amount of melatonin can only be produced in complete darkness.Any light in your bedroom—even the one on the alarm clock or the charging indicator on your cellphone—could disturb the process, not to mention something as bright as smartphone and iPad screens. We tend to hold these much closer than a television or laptop, which allows them to shoot far more light straight into our eyes.
“This is particularly worrisome in populations such as young adults and adolescents, who already tend to be night_owls，” said researcher Brittany Wood at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.“Lack of sleep among teens is leading to depression, selfharm, low concentration and poor performance at school，” she added.
While all lights are the enemy of sleep, not all colors of light have the same effect. Our eyes are particularly sensitive to blue light, which is common during the day. Most of the light coming from electronic screens is blue light and it fools our brain into thinking it's still daytime. By contrast, orange or red light has less influence on melatonin production, because our brains recognize it as a signal that the day is ending, according to The Telegraph.
Asking yourself to keep your hands off your smartphone before bedtime might seem unreasonable, but you should at least remember to dim the screen or hold it farther away from your eyes. You could also wear a pair of orange sunglasses that take away the harmful blue light.According to the passage, we can know ________.
| A．it's a good habit to play with smartphones or iPads late into night |
| B．scientists suggest we should avoid using smartphones or iPads |
| C．darkness makes a great impact on the amount of melatonin |
| D．the sun was the only source of light in ancient times |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The darker it is, the more melatonin will be produced. |
| B．The lighter it is, the more melatonin will be produced. |
| C．The more melatonin you have, the worse you'll sleep. |
| D．The more electrical equipment you have, the more melatonin will be produced. |
The underlined part in Paragraph 4 refers to those ________.
| A．who are young adults or adolescents |
| B．who don't perform well in school |
| C．who are addicted to a television or laptop |
| D．who are short of sleep at night and perform poorly in daily life |
In the writer's opinion, which is a correct suggestion?
| A．You should go to bed when the sun goes down. |
| B．You should use an orange or red light electronic screen. |
| C．You should wear a pair of blue sunglasses when sleeping. |
| D．You should avoid blue light as possible as you can before bedtime. |
What's going to happen in the future? Will robots take over our planet? Will computers become smarter than us? Not likely. But here are some things that scientists say are most likely to happen 10 to 30 years later from now, according to the BBC.
1．Digital money
We used to pay with cash for everything we bought. Now when we swipe(刷) our bus pass or use a credit card to shop online, money is spent without us even seeing it. In fact, we are already using one type of digital money.
You have to admit that using a card is much easier than searching your pockets for change. It is also safer than carrying a lot of cash.
When ATM cards were first introduced, they were not accepted everywhere. But now it's hard to live without them. People in Sweden completely stopped using cash last year, according to the Associated Press, and the US might be next.
2．Bionic(能力超人的)eye
It's no longer something only in a scifi movie. People who are blind may have a chance to get their sight back—by wearing bionic eyes.
A blind eye can no longer sense light, but a bionic eye can use a camera to “see” the environment and send data directly to the brain.
Although the bionic eye that's out now only allows patients to see lights and unclear shapes, a highresolution(高清晰度的) version could be just a few years away.
3．Selfdriving cars
Everything is going automatic these days—washing machines, ticket selling machines and even cars. Unlike a human driver, a selfdriving car won't get distracted by a phone call, the radio or something outside the window. Sensors and cameras on the car would allow it to stick strictly to the rules of the road and keep a safe distance from other cars. This would greatly reduce the number of road accidents. You could even take a nap while the car drives itself.
Many vehicle companies are now planning selfdriving cars. “By 2040, driverless vehicles will be widely accepted and possibly be the dominant vehicles on the road，” said Jeffrey Miller, professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, US, in Wired magazine.The underlined word “distracted” in the article is closest in meaning to “________”．
| A．directed | B．discouraged |
| C．attacked | D．disturbed |
Jeffrey Miller's attitude towards selfdriving cars is ________.
| A．optimistic | B．pessimistic |
| C．doubtful | D．cautious |
Which section is the article most likely to be found in the newspaper?
| A．Learning Kit | B．Campus Trends |
| C．Entertainment | D．Technology |
A device that stops drivers from falling asleep at the wheel is about to undergo(接受) testing at Department of Transport laboratories and could go on sale within 12 months.
The system, called driver Alert, aims to reduce deadly road accidents by 20%--40% that are caused by tiredness. Airline pilots can also use it to reduce the 30% of all pilot-error accidents that are related to fatigue（疲劳）.
Driver Alert is based on a computerized wristband. The device, worn by drivers or pilots gives out a sound about every four minutes during a car journey. After each sound the driver must respond by squeezing the steering wheel(方向盘). A sensor in the wristband detects this pressing action and measures the time between the sound and the driver’s response.
Tiredness is directly related to a driver’s response time. Usually, a watchful driver would take about 400 milliseconds to respond, but once that falls to more than 500 milliseconds, it suggests that the driver is getting sleepy.
In such cases the device gives out more regular and louder sounds, showing that the driver should open a window or stop for a rest. If the driver’s response continues to slow down, the sounds become more frequent until a nonstop alarm warns that the driver must stop as soon as possible.
The device has been delivered to the department’s laboratories for testing. If these tests, scheduled for six months’ time, are successful, the makers will bring the product to market within about a year.How should a driver respond to the sounds from Driver Alert?
| A．By sounding a warning. |
| B．By touching the wristband. |
| C．By checking the driving time. |
| D．By pressing the steering wheel. |
We can learn from the text that the driver needs to stop for a break when his response time is ________
| A．about 400 milliseconds | B．below 500 milliseconds |
| C．over 500 milliseconds | D．about 4 minutes |
When the driver gets sleepy while driving, Driver Alert ______.
| A．moves more regularly |
| B．stops working properly |
| C．opens the window for the driver |
| D．sounds more frequently and loudly |
According to the text, Driver Alert ______.
| A．aims to reduce tiredness-related accidents |
| B．has gone through testing at laboratories |
| C．aims to prevent drivers from sleeping |
| D．has been on sale for 12 months |
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