A Chinese couple tried to name their baby “@”, saying the character best represents their love for the child, according to an official trying to standardize the national language. The unusual name stands out especially in Mandarin, which has no alphabet (字母表) and instead uses tens of thousands of multistroke (多笔画的) characters to represent words. “The whole world uses it to write emails, and translated into Chinese it means ‘love him’,” the father explained, according to the deputy chief of the State Language Commission Li Yuming.
While the @ symbol is familiar to Chinese email users, they often use the English word “at” to sound it out. With a drawnout “t”, this sounds something like “ai ta”, or “love him”, to Mandarin speakers. Li says the name is an extreme example of people’s increasingly adventurous approach to Mandarin, as commercialization and the Internet break down conventions (习俗).
Another couple tried to give their child a name that in English sounds like “King Osrina”.
Li did not say if officials accepted the “@” name. But earlier this year the government announced a ban on names using Arabic numerals (阿拉伯数字) and foreign languages. Sixty million Chinese face the problem that their names use ancient characters so uncommon that computers cannot recognize them and even fluent speakers are left scratching their heads, said Li, according to a report on the government website. One of them is the former Premier Zhu Rongji, whose name has a rare “rong” character that gives newspaper editors headaches.
Why did the Chinese couple try to name their baby “@”?
A.Because they wanted their baby to have a special name. |
B.Because they wanted their baby to have an international name. |
C.Because the @ symbol is familiar to email users all over the world. |
D.Because the @ symbol sounds something like “ai ta”, which means “love him” in Chinese. |
It can be inferred that ___________.
A.Li Yuming is in favor of the baby’s name |
B.many Chinese people use Arabic numerals in their names |
C.a majority of the Chinese people are having longer names |
D.there is little possibility for the “@” name to be officially accepted |
The underlined part in the passage probably means___________.
A.even native speakers find it hard to accept these strange names |
B.even native speakers can’t find these characters in their computers |
C.even those who are expert at Chinese can’t recognize these characters |
D.even those who are expert at Chinese find it hard to accept these names |
The former Premier Zhu Rongji is mentioned in the passage because ________.
A.people often mispronounce his name |
B.there is an uncommon character in his name |
C.he often made newspaper editors annoyed during his term in office |
D.he once stressed the importance of standardizing Chinese characters |
The passage is mainly about ___________.
A.how Chinese parents name their babies |
B.the importance of standardizing Chinese characters |
C.a ban on names using Arabic numerals and foreign languages |
D.the problems caused by uncommon characters used in Chinese names |
Will you be playing some music at work?
Music is particularly popular in the medical profession, especially among surgeons(外科医生). A recent survey shows that 90% of surgeons in the UK put music on the sound system in the theatre during operations. Plastic surgeons(整形外科医生)play the most music; it appears that ear, nose, and throat specialists the least.
But it isn’t only in surgeries(外科手术) where music is popular. In another recent survey, one-third of the 1,613 people said they listen to music while working. And 79% of them said that humming(哼歌)along improves their job satisfaction or productivity.
Is listening to music at work a good idea? Yes, say the experts. Many surgeons say that music helps to create a “calm atmosphere”, and a third of them added that it avoids getting bored! Also, listening to music raises the levels of a brain chemical that can help people focus. Office workers say it improves job satisfaction. Several studies suggest that it’s also good for hospital patients. Those listening to music through headphones during surgery require less anesthetic(麻醉剂), up to 50% less in some cases, and recover more quickly afterwards. “Sure, music reduces anxiety before surgery,” says Zeev Kain, an anesthetist at Yale University.
So, what type of music should we be listening to? Surgeons from the previous survey preferred rock, pop music and classical. And hip-hop is popular too. However, whatever the kind, it appears that self-selected music is the best choice. Pennsylvania State University research showed that when people chose their own music there was more stress reduction(下降). And other researchers found that when listening to self-selected music, surgeons did the maths faster and more accurately than when they were listening to music chosen for them.The underlined word “theatre” in Paragraph 2 probably means ________.
A.an operating room |
B.a rest room for surgeons |
C.a waiting room in a hospital |
D.a building where shows are performed |
The surveys mentioned in the passage show ________.
A.music is popular in some professions |
B.most surgeons in the UK are fond of singing |
C.office workers learn a lot from listening to music |
D.fewer than half of the people listen to music at work |
What are the advantages of listening to music at work? ________.
①improving memory
②keeping people relaxed
③improving job satisfaction
④improving eyesight
A.①④ | B.①② | C.②③ | D.②④ |
How should you choose music for work time according to the passage? ________.
A.Turn to the surgeons for help |
B.Make your selection by yourself |
C.Rock, pop music and classical are always good choices |
D.The most popular music should be taken into consideration |
The passage is mainly about ________.
A.how to choose music wisely |
B.where to find the best music |
C.the popularity of music in hospitals |
D.the benefits of listening to music at work |
Roughly half of college students will have some degree of depression at some point during their time in school. Even more startling, 6.2 percent of college students surveyed in 2012 considered suicide and 1.3 percent attempted it, according to an American College Health Association study released this spring. If you’re feeling depressed on campus, you may find the following tips helpful.
Exercise: Physical activity releases endorphins – chemicals that produce an overall positive feeling within the body, which fight depression naturally. Mental health experts claim that exercise is a solution to those feeling mild or moderate depression. However, for those severely depressed, simply doing sports is not enough.
Use school counseling services: Campuses don’t employ mental health experts simply to throw thousands of dollars down the drain. Their job is to help students, so experts recommend you use them. Most students, however, are hesitant to take a trip to their college’s counseling center, fearing being laughed at by peers. As a result, some schools like Texas Christian University, are testing students for mental health problems when they get sick and visit the campus health clinic.
Take advantage of technology: Staying in touch with family members and friends from childhood and high school has become easier than ever with the coming of Facebook and video chat services like Skype. While mental health experts insist that it’s important to make friends in your new environment and be involved in the college community, it’s also significant to keep in touch with the people you knew before college.
Go to sleep: Following a fairly regular sleep pattern can defend you against depression. In college, many students’ sleep patterns are irregular thanks to late-night studying and partying, which is harmful to their mental health. Research strongly suggests that sleep is the key to learning and memory formation.According to the passage, physical activity __________ .
A.is regarded as the best way to fight depression |
B.contributes to the release of endorphins |
C.can’t help the seriously depressed students |
D.improve people’s ability to learn and memorize |
It can be inferred from the 3rd paragraph that __________ .
A.employing mental health experts on campus is a waste of money |
B.students with mental health problems can’t get on well with others |
C.going to college’s counseling center for help requires a lot of courage |
D.sick students in Texas Christian University must take psychological tests |
Taking advantage of technology is encouraged because it ____
A.enables students to get involved in college life |
B.helps students stay in contact with others |
C.offers students a way to make new friends |
D.provides a way to avoid getting bored |
which of the following can NOT help one reduce depression?
A.Taking exercise regularly every week |
B.Chatting with old friends with Skype |
C.Turning to mental health experts for advice |
D.Holding parties deep into the night to relax |
The iPhone, the iPad, each of Apple’s products sounds cool and has become a fad (一时的风尚). Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter “i” – and many other brands are following suit. The BBC’s iPlayer – which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet –adopted the title in 2008. A lovely bear – popular in the US and UK – that plays music and video is called “iTeddy”. A slimmed-down version of London’s Independent newspaper was launched last week under the name “i”.
In general, single-letter prefixes (前缀) have been popular since the 1990s, when terms such as e-mail and e-commerce first came into use.
Most “i” products are targeted at young people and considering the major readers of Independent’s “i”, it’s no surprise that they’ve selected this fashionable name.
But it’s hard to see what’s so special about the letter “i”. Why not use “a”, “b”, or “c” instead? According to Tony Thorne, head of the Language Center at King’s College, London, “i” works because its meaning has become ambiguous. When Apple uses “i”, no one knows whether it means Internet, information, individual or interactive, Thorne told BBC Magazines. “Even when Apple created the iPod, it seems it didn’t have one clear definition,” he says.
“However, thanks to Apple, the term is now associated with portability (轻便) .”adds Thorne.
Clearly the letter “i” also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs, and we love personalized products for this reason.
Along with “Google” and “blog”, readers of BBC Magazines voted “i” as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last decade.
But as history shows, people grow tired of fads. From the 1900s to 1990s, products with “2000” in their names became fashionable as the year was associated with all things advanced and modern. However, as we entered the new century, the trend inevitably disappeared.People use iPlayer to __________.
A.listen to music | B.make a call |
C.watch TV programs online | D.read newspapers |
We can infer that the Independent’s “i” is aimed at __________.
A.young readers | B.old readers |
C.fashionable women | D.engineers |
The underlined word “ambiguous” means “__________”.
A.popular | B.uncertain |
C.definite | D.unique |
Nowadays, the “i” term often reminds people of the products which are __________.
A.portable | B.environmentally friendly |
C.advanced | D.recyclable |
The writer suggests that __________.
A.“i” products are often of high quality |
B.iTeddy is alive bear |
C.the letter “b” replaces letter “i” to name the products |
D.the popularity of “i” products may not last long |
Television has turned 88 years old on September 7, 2015, and it has never looked better. In its youth, television was a piece of furniture with a tiny, round screen showing unclear pictures of low-budget programs. In spite of its shortcomings, it became popular. Between 1950 and 1963, the number of American families with a television jumped from 9% to 92% of the population.
As the audience got larger, the technology got better. Television sets became more reliable through the 1960s. The reception (接收效果) improved. The picture improved. The major networks started broadcasting programs in color.
Even greater improvements were coming according to Sanford Brown, who wrote an article for the Post in 1967. Surprisingly, just about every prediction he made in the article became a reality. For example: All sets in the not-distant future will be color instruments. He also predicted that TV sets would become smaller, simpler, more reliable and less expensive and may forever put the TV repairman out of work. Smaller sets do not, of course, mean smaller screens. TV engineers expect screens to get much bigger. However, today’s 3-D TV is even farther away, if it’s coming at all. There is some doubt whether the public would be eager to pay for it, in view of people’s cold reception given to 3-D movies.
But the technology with the greatest potential, according to Brown, was cable television (有线电视), which was still in its early stages then. As he predicted, the future of cable television was highly interactive (互动的). It wasn’t cable television that gave Americans their electronic connection to the world, however. It was the Internet. He even foresaw the future office: using picture phones, big-screen televisions for conferences, and computers providing information at the touch of a button.
Brown ever said, “The future of television is no longer a question of what we can invent. It’s a question of what we want.”What can we infer about television sets in the 1960s?
A.They were very popular with Americans. |
B.The reception showed no improvement. |
C.They showed black-and-white pictures. |
D.They were out of order now and then. |
Which of the followings did Sanford Brown fail to predict?
A.Television’s good quality. |
B.The invention of 3-D TV. |
C.The future office’s model. |
D.The potential of cable TV. |
What is the text mainly about?
A.The shortcomings of television. |
B.The bright future of television. |
C.The development of television. |
D.The invention of television. |
As Internet users become more dependent on the Internet to store information, are people remember less? If you know your computer will save information, why store it in your own personal memory, your brain? Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.
In a recent study, Professor Betsy Sparrow conducted some experiments. She and her research team wanted to know the Internet is changing memory. In the first experiment, they gave people 40 unimportant facts to type into a computer. The first group of people understood that the computer would save the information. The second group understood that the computer would not save it. Later, the second group remembered the information better. People in the first group knew they could find the information again, so they did not try to remember it.
In another experiment, the researchers gave people facts to remember, and told them where to find the information on the Internet. The information was in a specific computer folder (文件夹). Surprisingly, people later remember the folder location (位置) better than the facts. When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called "transactive memory (交互记忆)".
According to Sparrow, we are not becoming people with poor memories as a result of the Internet. Instead, computer users are developing stronger transactive memories; that is, people are learning how to organize huge quantities of information so that they are able to access it at a later date. This doesn't mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing.The passage begins with two questions to ______.
A.introduce the main topic |
B.show the author's altitude |
C.describe how to use the Interne. |
D.explain how to store information |
What can we learn about the first experiment?
A.Sparrow's team typed the information into a computer. |
B.The two groups remembered the information equally well. |
C.The first group did not try to remember the formation. |
D.The second group did not understand the information. |
In transactive memory, people ______.
A.keep the information in mind |
B.change the quantity of information |
C.organize information like a computer |
D.remember how to find the information |
What is the effect of the Internet according to Sparrow's research?
A.We are using memory differently. |
B.We are becoming more intelligent. |
C.We have poorer memories than before. |
D.We need a better way to access information. |
This summer, Monika Lutz’s life took an unusual turn. Instead of heading off to college, the high school graduate packed her bags for a Bengali jungle. Lutz, like a growing number of other young Americans, is taking a year off. Gap(间隔) years are quite common in Britain and Australia, but they are just beginning to catch on in the U.S. Lutz, who grew up in Boulder, Colo., has put together a 14-month schedule that includes helping deliver solar power to some communities in India and interning (实习) for a fashion designer in Shanghai---experiences that are worlds away from the lecture halls and university dormitories that await other students. “I could not be happier,” she says.
Why are students attracted to the gap-year concept? According to new survey data from Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson, education-policy experts and co-authors of The Gap-Year Advantage, the most common reason for this is to avoid burnout. “I felt like I was focused on college as a means to an end,” says Kelsi Morgan, an incoming Middlebury College freshman who spent last year interning for a judge in Tulsa, Okla., and teaching English at an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. The hope is that after a year out of the classroom, students will enter college more energized, focused and mature. That can be an advantage for colleges too. Robert Clagett, dean of admissions at Middlebury, did some research a few years ago and found that a single gap semester was the strongest predictor of academic success at his school.
Most experts recommend securing a spot in college before taking a gap year and warn against using the time off to lengthen your resume. “Most admissions folks can see right through that,” says Jim Jump, the academic dean of St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Va. But for students like Lutz, who, after getting rejected from five Ivies, decided to take time off, a gap year can help focus interests. Lutz now plans to apply mostly to non-Ivies that have strong marketing programs. “This experience has really opened my eyes to the opportunities the world has to offer,” she says.
But at least one education expert doesn’t want schools spreading the gap-year message. In a study that followed 11,000 members of the high school class of 1992 for eight years after graduation, Stefanie DeLuca, a sociology professor at Johns Hopkins University, found that, all things being equal, those who delayed college by a year were 64% less likely to complete a bachelor’s degree than those who didn’t. DeLuca did not say whether these students voluntarily started college late, but at the very least, her work indicates that taking a gap year doesn’t guarantee success. “I’m not going to say that time off does not have benefits,” says DeLuca. “But I think we should not be so enthusiastic.”
The students take gap years mainly because ______.
A.they want to be more unusual |
B.they want to refresh themselves |
C.some experts advise them to do so |
D.their parents think it good for them |
According to Lutz, the gap year has made her more ______.
A.energetic | B.relaxed |
C.practical | D.enthusiastic |
Stefanie DeLuca probably agrees that ______.
A.students should think twice before taking gap years |
B.taking gap years enables students to achieve success |
C.schools should encourage their students to take gap years |
D.taking gap years increases students’ chances of getting a good job |
What’s the author’s attitude towards gap years?
A.Sceptical. | B.Positive. |
C.Disapproving. | D.Objective. |
The first part of a new science-fiction series (系列剧)was shown on NBC last night. Star Trek is about a spacecraft(宇宙飞船)which travels faster than the speed of light. The show is developed from three ideas about the 22nd century. First, we’ll find other life forms great tools which will make amazing things possible.
Let’s think about these predictions. If we find life forms on other planets, will they be intelligent? I hope so. But we human beings might not be friendly – I don’t think we’ll believe in the idea of peace one hundred years from now. But this is science fiction, so we can be optimistic! And Star Trek’s idea of life in the future is ‘communicators’. And we will be ablt to have conversatins with people who are on because you’ll have an electronic notebook. And if you get ill, the doctor won’t have to examine you – a machine will ‘read’ your body. The strangest manchine includes a ‘teleport’ which will take people to a different placein a second!
The ideas are interesting, and in my opinion there’s only one problem with star trek: the acting. The TV company (公司)will have to get better actors. If they do that, the show might be a success. If the acting doesn’t improve, Star Trek won’t last for more than one series. Of course, my prediction may be wrong. I can’t see into the future!What is Star Trek?
A.A TV play. | B.A popular song. |
C.A spacecraft. | D.An alien. |
What does the underlined word “optimistic” mean?
A.Lucky and happy. | B.Hopeful and confident. |
C.Helpful and creative. | D.Thankful and popular. |
What’s the writer’s opinion about Star Trek?
A.The life forms on other planets are stupid. |
B.Interesting ideas make a new series popular. |
C.The new series might not be successful without better actors. |
D.Our life in the future might be different with the help of aliens. |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.Aliens on Other Planets. | B.The Idea of Human Life. |
C.A Science Fiction. | D.A New Series about Future. |
Small seating in the economy-class(经济舱) sections of airplanes is not just uncomfortable but potentially life-threatening. Space has become so tight that passengers cannot protect themselves in the event of a crash.
A report on a long distance flight from the doctors of Vienna stated that only 10% in economy class could adopt the recommended brace position on the plane’s safety tips in case of emergency, and they were the smallest of the group. And 30% of their fellow passengers traveling in first class could adopt the position, which is internationally recognized as improving the chances of survival in the event of a crash. The authors of the report are now calling for greater space between seat rows to increase safety.
A spokesman for British Airways (BA), which is responsible for safety on all British planes, opposed the idea that small seating was a threat(威胁) to passengers. “We don’t think it is a safety matter,” he said, “We have high safety standards and all UK aircraft meet them.” In the past month, both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic introduced sleeper seats, stressing the outstanding comfort in the front of the planes. But that space gained is space lost in economy.
Until recently, economy class was at least “bearable”—with an 86-centimeter seat. Scheduled Airlines such as BA and KLM gave passengers enough leg room and comfortable seats. But the arrival of new, weight-saving seats caused economy class to take a turn for the worse. Extra rows have been put into the plane, with the result that the average seat now is 79 centimetres. Singapore Airlines has become the latest carrier to narrow down its seats. It announced free wine for economy passengers last September, but at the same time reduced leg room by 8 centimetres.
Economy class on Scheduled Airlines is now often little better than economy on Qatar Airways. Some Qatar Airways even offer the chance to upgrade—at a price—to seats which, at 89-91 centimetres, are roomier than those of most Scheduled Airlines.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Scheduled Airlines produced new comfortable seats for economy class. |
B.Doctors from Vienna said less space between seats could cause danger. |
C.Spokesman for BA declared that narrow seat space was a threat. |
D.Qatar Airways offered larger seats with no more charge. |
What might be the author’s attitude towards reducing the space of economy seats?
A.Neutral. | B.Sceptical. | C.Supportive. | D.Disapproving. |
Where does the passage most probably come from?
A.A biography. | B.A book review. |
C.A magazine. | D.A realistic novel. |
A 8.2-magnitude(震级)earthquake struck off the coast of northern Chile late on Tuesday, cutting power and leading to small landslides and a tsunami (海啸). Four men and one woman died —two who suffered heart attacks and three who were crushed(压死). About 300 prisoners escaped from the northern port city of Iquique in the immediate aftershock (余震).
The quake struck at about 8:46 p.m. local time, some 60 miles northwest of Iquique. It had a depth of 12.5 miles. Chile’s National Emergency Office asked coastal residents to leave for safe places. “The fact is, we will know the extent of the damage as time goes by and when we inspect the areas in the light of day,” Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet said early on Wednesday. “The country has faced these first emergency hours very well.”
Residents in the port city of Antofagasta walked calmly through the streets to higher ground as traffic became heavy in some places. “Many people are fearful after experiencing the powerful earthquake in 2010, so they immediately rushed to higher ground when they heard the tsunami warning,” said a government official.”There have been lots of aftershocks and communications have been cut off in many of the affected areas. So people are waiting in the dark hills, not knowing what is to come, and hoping they will be able to return to their homes safely.”
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center sent our several tsunami warnings, but called off all of them by early Wednesday.
Tsunami waves of more than six feet caused by the earthquake washed ashore on the coast of Pisagua. Iquique, with a population of more than 200,000, saw seven-foot waves.The earthquake resulted in _____.
A.300 prisoners being trapped |
B.five people being crushed |
C.many cars being damaged |
D.some other natural disasters happening |
How did the whole country respond to the earthquake when it happened?
A.They were so fearful that they were in a panic. |
B.They went into the streets immediately. |
C.They acted very calmly. |
D.They drove to higher ground after hearing the warning. |
What difficulty did people in the hills face?
A.The weather was terrible. |
B.The communications were cut off. |
C.They got lost in the hills. |
D.Their houses were destroyed. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true, according to the passage?
A.The government had estimated(估计)the damage of the earthquake by early Wednesday. |
B.The tsunami waves in Pisagua were more than six feet high. |
C.Several tsunami warnings had been called off by early Wednesday. |
D.The earthquake happened in the evening and it had a depth of 12.5 miles. |
What is the best title for the passage?
A.Chile Deals with Emergency Well. |
B.Tsunamis Caused by Aftershocks in Chile. |
C.A Powerful Earthquake Strikes off the Coast of Chile. |
D.Tsunami Warnings Work Well in Chile.. |
Many of the problems facing today’s world aren’t news to us. The environment is in dire need of help because it’s being damaged, hunger is widespread throughout the world, and workers in the Third World Countries are continuously being exploited. Therefore, individuals across the globe need to band(团结)together for a cause and use their collective efforts to make all the difference in the world.
For instance, one person recycling a can or a bottle doesn’t seem like much. But if every household in a given city was to recycle and conserve energy, that city could make a huge positive impact on environmental damage. Similarly, there are countless ways to help fight world hunger—whether it’s to donate money to a dedicated worldwide charity, donate canned goods to your local charity, or even make lifestyle changes like going vegetarian. World hunger is a massive problem—but it doesn’t mean individuals themselves can’t make a difference.
Worker exploitation is another huge problem. All across the world—particularly in the Third World Countries—workers are forced to labor long hours, with close to no pay. Yet these workers continue to show up to such a way of life, because they have no other options.
So, how can people like us help fight such a big problem? Simply raising awareness of the products you buy in stores—from clothing to food—is a massive start. For example, if you see two similar products side by side in a food shop, but one of them is labeled “fair trade”, you’ll know immediately that the workers who labored to produce that product were given a fair price for their goods. And true, fair trade products might cost a little bit more, but buying them is a significant start to help fight worker exploitation.
In short, each of us should be socially conscious to make a difference to widespread social problems.What problems facing today’s world are mentioned in the first paragraph?(no more than 8 words)
How can a city make a huge positive impact on environmental damage? (no more than 5words)
What should be done to fight world hunger? (no more than 8 words)
Why do workers in the Third Countries still continue to work long hours despite little pay? (no more than 6 words)
How is the product which is labeled “fair trade” different from other products? (no more than 10 words)
Technological change is everywhere and affects every aspect of life, mostly for the better. However, social changes are brought about by new technology are often mistaken for a change in attitudes.
An example at hand is the involvement of parents in the lives of their children who are attending college. Surveys (调查) on this topic suggests that parents today continue to be “very” or “somewhat” overly-protective even after their children move into college dormitories. The same surveys also indicate that the rate of parental involvement is greater today than it was a generation ago. This is usually interpreted as a sign that today’s parents are trying to manage their children’s lives past the point where this behavior is appropriate.
However, greater parental involvement does not necessarily indicate that parents are failing to let go of their “adult” children.
In the context (背景) of this discussion, it seems valuable to first find out the cause of change in the case of parents’ involvement with their grown children. If parents of earlier generations had wanted to be in touch with their college-age children frequently, would this have been possible? Probably not. On the other hand, does the possibility of frequent communication today mean that the urge to do so wasn’t present a generation ago? Many studies show that older parents - today’s grandparents - would have called their children more often if the means and cost of doing so had not been a barrier.
Furthermore, studies show that finances are the most frequent subject of communication between parents and their college children. The fact that college students are financially dependent on their parents is nothing new; nor are requests for more money to be sent from home. This phenomenon is neither good nor bad; it is a fact of college life, today and in the past.
Thanks to the advanced technology, we live in an age of bettered communication. This has many implications well beyond the role that parents seem to play in the lives of their children who have left for college. But it is useful to bear in mind that all such changes come from the technology and not some imagined desire by parents to keep their children under their wings.The surveys inform us of ______.
A.the development of technology |
B.the changes of adult children’s behavior |
C.the parents’ over-protection of their college children |
D.the means and expenses of students’ communication |
The writer believes that ______.
A.parents today are more protective than those in the past |
B.the disadvantages of new technology outweigh its advantages |
C.technology explains greater parental involvement with their children |
D.parents’ changed attitudes lead to college children’s delayed independence |
What is the best title for the passage?
A.Technology or Attitude |
B.Dependence or Independence |
C.Family Influence or Social Changes |
D.College Management or Communication Advancement |
Which of the following shows the development of ideas in this passage?
When we see well, we do not think about our eyes very often. It is only when we cannot see perfectly that we realize how important our eyes are.
People who are near-sighted can only see things that are very close to their eyes. Everything else seems blurry. Many people who do a lot of work, such as writing, reading and sewing become near-sighted. People who are far-sighted suffer from just the opposite problem. They can see things that are far away, but they have difficulty in reading a book unless they hold it at arm’s length. If they want to do much reading, they must get glasses, too.
Other people do not see clearly because their eyes are not exactly the right shape. They have what is called astigmatism (散光). This, too, can be corrected by glasses. Some people’s eyes become cloudy because of cataracts (白内障). Long ago these people often became blind. Now, however, it is possible to operate on the cataracts and remove them.
Having two good eyes is important for judging distances. Each eye sees things from a slightly different angle. To prove this to yourself, look at an object out of one eye; then look at the same object out of your other eye. You will find the object’s relation to the background and other things around it has changed. The difference between these two different eye views helps us to judge how far away an object is. People who have only one eye cannot judge distances as people with two eyes.
We should take good care of our eyes .
A.only when we can see well |
B.only when we cannot see perfectly |
C.even if we can see well |
D.only when we realize how important our eyes are |
The underlined word blurry in the second paragraph probably means .
A.obvious | B.possible | C.clear | D.unclear |
Having two eyes instead of one is particularly useful for .
A.seeing at night |
B.seeing objects far away |
C.looking over a wide area |
D.judging distances |
People who suffer from astigmatism have .
A.one eye bigger than the other |
B.eyes that are not exactly the right shape |
C.a difficulty that can be corrected by an operation |
D.an eye difficulty that cannot be corrected by glasses |
The Washington post – NASA’s newest space habitat looks sort of like a kids’ moon bonce, a big, bright, inflatable globe that could be lots of fun to play in. Soon astronauts on the International Space Station could get the chance to try . The expandable habitat made by Bigelow Aerospace recently passed NASA’s strict certification requirements and is scheduled to be flown to the station in September.
Called the BEAM ( Bigelow Expandable Activity Module), the habitat would be attached to the space station, where it would stay for two years. While there, it would be tested to see how it handles the rigors of space – the radiation, the station’s movement and even how it stands up to the debris (碎片) flying around in orbit.
The private Las Vegas company, founded by millionaire real estate mogul(地产大亨) Robert Bigelow, won a $17.8 million contract from NASA to provide the module to the space station.
“Today is the first step, but it’s a big step,” said Bigelow’s George Zamka. Replace the space station or make it larger. It also hopes to build the habitats on the moon. Its B330 module would be even bigger, with 330 cubic meters of internal (内部的 ) space. The modules could be connected. Creating research facilities, the company says, or even space hotels.
In an interview ,NASA’s William Gerstenmaier, said he was eager to see how the module performs , and said he was especially pleased “ to see how the private sector can step up and help us meet our requirements.” The module will be flown to the space station by SpaceX, the first commercial company to resupply the space station.
What would be the best title for this passage?
A.NASA’s space habitats flown to the station. |
B.NASA’s space habitat it the station. |
C.NASA’s new expandable space habitat. |
D.NASA’s newest inflatable globe. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.NASA’s newest space habitat is a kids’ moon bounce. |
B.Astronauts of Bigelow Aerospace could get the chance to try the space habitat. |
C.NASA was founded by Robert Bigelow. |
D.The B330 module to be built on the moon would be with an inside space of 330 cubic meters. |
The underlined word “rigors” in Paragraph 2 refers to “_________”.
A.difficulties | B.environments |
C.movements | D.changes |
The passage is most probably taken from ________.
A.a newspaper | B.a booklet |
C.a magazine | D.a science fiction |
Success is often measured by the ability to overcome adversity(逆境). But it is often the belief of others that gives us the courage to try.
J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter book series, began writing at age 6. In her biography(传记), she remembers with great fondness when her good friend-Sean became the first person to encourage her and help her build the confidence that one day she would be a very good writer.
“He was the first person with whom I really discussed my serious ambition(志向) to be a writer. He was also the only person who thought I was bound to(注定)be a success at it, which meant much more to me than I ever told him at the time.”
Though there were many difficulties, Rowling continued her writing, particularly fantasy stories. But it wasn’t until l990 that she first came up with the idea about Harry Potter. As she recalls(回忆), it was on a long train journey from London to Manchester that “the idea of Harry Potter simply fell into my head. To my great disappointment, I didn’t have a pen with me, and I was too shy to ask anybody if I could borrow one. I think, now, that this was probably a good thing, because I simply sat and thought, for four (delayed train) hours, and all the details came up in my brain, and this thin, black-haired, bespectacled(戴眼镜的)boy who didn't know he was a wizard became more and more real to me.”
That same year, her mother died after a ten-year fight with serious diseases, which deeply affected her writing. She went on to marry and had a daughter, but separated from her husband shortly afterwards.
During this time, Rowling was diagnosed with depression(诊断患有抑郁症). Unemployed, she finished her first novel in area cafes, where she could get her daughter to fall asleep. After being refused by l2 publishing houses, the first Harry Potter novel was sold to a small British publishing house.
Now with seven books that have sold nearly 400 million copies in 64 languages, J. K. Rowling is the highest earning novelist in history. And it all began with her friend’s encouragement as well as her ambition to write.Who believed J. K. Rowling was to be a good writer?
A.Her friend Sean. | B.Her mother. |
C.Her daughter. | D.Her husband. |
Rowling first came up with the idea about Harry Potter________.
A.at the age of 6 | B.on a train journey |
C.after her mother’s death | D.in her secondary school |
She felt disappointed on the train because_________.
A.her train was delayed for four hours |
B.she didn’t have a pen with her |
C.her mind suddenly went blank |
D.no one would offer her help |
It can be concluded from Paragraph 5 and 6 that Rowling is_________.
A.open-minded | B.warm-hearted |
C.good-natured | D.strong-willed |
The text mainly tells us_________.
A.adversity makes a good novelist |
B.the courage to try is a special ability |
C.you can have a wonderful idea everywhere |
D.encouragement helps one succeed |
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