We can make mistakes at any age . Some mistakes we make are about money .But most mistakes are about people . “ Did Jerry really care when I broke up with Helen ?” “ When I got that great job , did Jim , as a friend , really feel good about it ? Or did he envy my luck ?” “ And was Paul friendly just because I had a car ?” When we look back , doubts like these can make us feel bad .
But when we look back , it is too late
Why do we go wrong about our friends , or our enemies ? Sometimes what people say hides their real meanings . And if we do not really listen , we miss the feeling behind the words . Suppose someone tells you , “ You are a lucky dog!” Is he really on your side? If he says , “ You’re a lucky guy(人,家伙) !” , that is being friendly . But “ a lucky dog?”There is a bit of envy in those words .What he may be saying is that he does not think you deserve (值得) your luck .
“ Just think of all the things you have to be thankful for ” is another phrase that says one thing and means another. It could mean that the speaker is trying to get you to see your problem . But this phrase contains the thought that your problem is not at all important .
How can you tell the real meaning behind someone’s words ? One way is to take a good look at the person talking . Do his words fit the way he looks ? Is what he says shown the tone of voice ? The look in his eyes ? Stop and think . The minute you spend thinking about the real meaning of what people say to you may save your another mistake .
60.When the writer recalls(回想) some of the things that happened between him and his friends, he ____.
A. feels happy, thinking how nice his friends were to him
B. feels he might not have understood his friends’ true feelings
C. thinks it a mistake to have broken up with his girl friend
D. is sorry that his friends let him down
61. When the writer talks about someone saying, “ You’re a lucky dog!” he is saying that____.
A. the speaker is just friendly
B. this sentence suggests the same as “ You’re a lucky guy!”
C. the word “dog” should not be used to apply to people
D. sometimes the words show that the speaker is a bit envious
62. This passage tries to tell you how to ____.
A. avoid mistakes about money and friends
B. get an idea of friendly people
C. avoid mistakes in understanding what people tell you
D. keep people friendly without trusting them
63. The writer suggests that _____ be trusted.
A. everybody B. nobody
C. all the people D. not all the people
Sri Lanka is known as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean”, and it is easy to see why. This little country never fails to please visitors.
Arrive
The national airline is Sri Lankan Airlines, which flies from Colombo to London and a couple of other European cities. The country’s main airport is Colombo Bandaranaike, located 29km north of the capital city.
Why now?
The best time to visit Sri Lanka’s southern beaches is from November to April. So by going early in the season, you’ll get the best weather. Also in November, Deepavali, known as “Diwali” or the “Festival of Lights”, is Sri Lanka’s main religious festival, celebrated throughout the country.
See
There is plenty to see in Sri Lanka. The ancient capital cities of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura are worth seeing, and so are many outstanding ruins. Other mustsees are the rock fortress (要塞) of Sigiriya, towering over the jungle as far as the eye can see, and Dambulla’s cave temple, the country’s largest and best preserved. Both are UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) Sites. Kandy is a picture-like town, which was the last stronghold of the Kandyan Kings. Today it is a cultural relic centre where age-old customs, arts, and crafts remain.
Do
Sri Lanka owns about 1,600km of beautiful palm-shaded beaches as well as warm, pure seas and colourful coral reefs. You can explore the underwater world, and surfing and diving are available too. Away from the shore, wildlife is a big draw for Sri Lanka, and Yala National Park is one of the best places in the world to see wild animals including leopards (豹) and elephants.
Taste
Sri Lanka is celebrated for its excellent food, with a particular emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables on menus everywhere. Fish and seafood are a big part of the local diet.
Did you know?
Sri Lanka is known for its tea, but it is also the world’s largest producer and exporter of cinnamon(肉桂).
Which of the following is a cultural relic centre of Sri Lanka?
A.Anuradhapura. | B.Kandy. | C.Colombo. | D.Polonnaruwa. |
If you want to know something about “Diwali”, you’d better go there in .
A.November. | B.May. | C.September. | D.October. |
We can learn from the passage that Sri Lanka .
A.is in the Pacific Ocean | B.is famous for its excellent food |
C.is the world’s largest producer of tea | D.has only flights to London |
The author wrote the article in order to .
A.let readers know what is famous in Sri Lanka |
B.introduce the picturesque landscape of Sri Lanka |
C.let people get more travel information about Sri Lanka |
D.make Sri Lanka well known throughout the world |
For some minutes, all was quiet in the street. Then, from across the street, someone came walking at a slow pace.
It looked like a man of middle height, dressed in a big raincoat, a soft hat and rubber soled boots or shoes, and making little sound while walking: at most a soft, sliding sound. No one was in sight. It was a street with two rows of about fifty small houses, and there were three lamps on either side. The lamp nearest the child’s house could be seen clearly, but the others were almost hidden by the smoky air. A car passed the end of the street and its lights showed faintly, but clearly enough the wrinkled skin of a woman’s small face. The car disappeared as the woman, wrapped up in her coat, reached the doorway of the child’s house.
She put a key into the lock quickly, pushed the door open and stepped inside, then close the door without looking round. She began to breathe hard.
She leaned against the door for a moment, then straightened up as if with an effort, and walked towards the door of the front room, the passage leading to the kitchen, and the narrow staircase. She hesitated outside the door, and then went up the stairs, quickly but with hardly a sound. There was enough light from the narrow hall to show the four doors leading off a small landing. She pushed each door open in turn and shone a torch inside, and the light fell upon beds, walls, furniture, a bathroom band basin, a mirror which flashed brightness back; but this was not what the woman was looking for. She turned away and went downstairs and hesitated again at the foot of the stairs, then turned towards the kitchen. Clearly there was nothing there, or in the small wash-room, that she wanted. Two rooms remained; the front room and a smaller one next to it. She opened the front room door. After a moment, she saw the child’s bed and the child.
The lights of the car passing the end of the street showed that _______.
A.a woman was walking by herself up the street |
B.a man was walking up the street |
C.a man was driving by himself up the street |
D.a woman was driving the car |
When she got into the house, the woman ______.
A.went upstairs at once | B.seemed tired |
C.started breathing again | D.felt excited |
What the woman was looking for was _______.
A.furniture | B.a bathroom-basin |
C.a room | D.a child |
From the description above we can see that the woman was _______.
A.old and earnest | B. energetic and cold |
C.young and powerful | D. weak and hopeless |
Some British and American people like to invite friends for a meal at home. You should not be upset (不安的) if your English friends don't invite you home. It doesn't mean they don't like you!Dinner parties usually start between 7p.m.and 8p.m., and end at about 11p.m. Ask your host (主人) what time you should arrive. It's polite to bring flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine as a gift.
Usually the evening starts with drinks and snacks (小吃). Do you want to be extra (特别地) polite? Say how much you like the room, or the pictures on the wall. But remember — it's not polite to ask how much things cost.
In many families, the husband sits at one end of the table and the wife sits at the other side. They eat with their guests.
You'll probably start the meal with soup or something small, then you'll have meat or fish with vegetables, and then dessert (甜点心) followed by coffee. It's polite to finish everything on your plate and to take more if you want it.
Did you enjoy the evening? Call your hosts the next day, or write them a short “Thank you” letter. British and American people like to say “thank you” all the time!
An English friend doesn't invite you to his or her dinner, which ____.
A.means he or she doesn't like you | B.means he or she likes you |
C.doesn't mean he or she likes you | D.doesn't mean he or she doesn't like you |
You are going to attend a dinner party and ____.
A.you'd better bring a certain present with you |
B.you must leave home for it at 7 p.m. |
C.you should ask your host when you should leave |
D.you must arrive before 8 p.m. |
It's impolite _____.
A.to say that you like the host's room very much |
B.for a guest to ask the host the price of the things in the room |
C.for a guest to have drinks and snacks before the evening |
D.for the host and the hostess (女主人) to sit and eat with their guests |
In which order will you eat or drink the following things at a meal?
A.Snacks, vegetables, meat, coffee. |
B.Coffee, drinks, soup, fish, vegetables, dessert. |
C.Soup, meat with vegetables, dessert and coffee. |
D.Drinks, soup, something small, fish and vegetables. |
What is the proper way to express your enjoyment of the evening?
A.Before leaving for home, you should say, “Thank you for inviting me.” |
B.When you shake hands with your host, you should say, “I did enjoy the evening.” |
C.You can write a “Thank you” letter to your host after that. |
D.You should finish everything on your plate and take more if you want it. |
Lichens (地衣) are difficult to see. They don’t move. They often mix into the living place. You might not even recognize one if you are looking right at it.
Lichens live on rocks, branches, houses, and even metal street signs. You can find these colorful organisms (微生物) almost everywhere — from deserts to rainforests, and from Antarctica to Africa. They’ve traveled in outer space, and some scientists think there might even be lichens on Mars.
What you probably don’t realize is that a lichen is more than a single thing. It includes two different types of living organisms: a fungus (菌类) and an alga (藻类). Neither of these organisms is a plant, so the lichen isn’t a plant either.
Through photosynthesis (光合作用), the alga gets the sun’s energy to make food for the fungus, which is the place for the alga to live in. However, the alga cannot leave the fungus.
Around the world, scientists have found tens of thousands of types of lichens. Many may not even have been discovered yet. As scientists continue to find new kinds of lichens, they are also working to understand how they are connected to one another. By putting together a lichen family tree, they hope to understand why so many different types of lichens have grown in so many places around the world.
Many researchers are trying to understand basic facts about the organisms and their connections. Researchers are also using lichens to examine the health of the environment.
What do we know about lichens according to the passage?
A.They will die if they leave Earth. |
B.There are more lichens than plants on Earth. |
C.They look similar to the environment around them. |
D.They are too small to be easily seen by people. |
What does the second paragraph mainly talk about?
A.The way lichens live. |
B.The natural environment of lichens. |
C.The way lichens work as organisms. |
D.The family tree of lichens. |
Which of the following statements is NOT the scientists’ purposes of studying lichens?
A.To understand basic facts about them. |
B.To creat a lichen family tree. |
C.To understand how lichens are related to each other. |
D.To understand why lichens can live in different places. |
We can know from the passage that __________.
A.lichens can be used to better understand the environment |
B.lichens don’t have any differences in colors or sizes |
C.lichens don’t use photosynthesis like a green plant |
D.scientists have discovered every kind of lichen |
When you want to go shopping, decide how much money you can spend on new clothes. Think about the kind of clothes you really need. Then look for those clothes you really need. Then look for those clothes on sale.
There are labels(标签) inside all new clothes. The labels tell you how to take care of your clothes. The label for a shirt may tell you to wash it in warm water. A sweater label may tell you to wash in cold water. The label on a coat may say “dry clean only”, for washing may ruin this coat. If you do as the directions on the label, you can keep your clothes looking their best for a long time.
Many clothes today must be dry cleaned. Dry cleaning is expensive. When buying new clothes, check to see if they will need to be dry cleaned. You will save money if you buy clothes that can be washed.
You can save money if you buy clothes that are well made. Well-made clothes last longer. They look good even after they have been washed many times. Clothes that cost more money are not necessarily better made. They do not always fit better. Sometimes less expensive clothes look and fit better than more expensive clothes.
If you want to save money, you had better buy clothes that ________.
A.don’t fit you | B.don’t last long | C.need to be dry cleaned | D.can be washed |
The labels inside the clothes tell you ________.
A.how to keep them looking their best | B.how to save money |
C.whether they fit you or not | D.where to get them dry cleaned |
The first thing for you to do before you buy clothes is ________.
A.to look for well-made clothes | B.to see how much money you can spend on it |
C.to know how to wash them | D.to read the labels inside them |
The best title for the passage should be ________.
A.Buy Less Expensive Clothes | B.Taking Enough Money When Shopping |
C.Being a Clever Clothes Shopper | D.Choosing the Labels inside New Clothes |
There is much more to growing up in a bilingual(双语的) family than learning two languages, and the cultural influences from both cultures are just as important.
In July we had a curious incident that shows the slight differences between cultures. My son has already changed a few of his baby teeth and since we lived in Italy we decided to go with the Italian version(版本) of the Tooth Fairy, which is not a fairy(仙女) but a little mouse. So last year when he lost his first tooth we had a visit from the little mouse who took the tooth away and left a rather good amount of coins --- when he lost the second tooth a few days later, however, the amount was significantly less! That in itself caused quite a few questions, but the real questions started when in July during a visit to the UK another tooth left my son’s mouth in Tooth Fairy land! The grandparents made a real problem out of it --- it was their first grandson’s tooth they got to say Goodbye to, so it was Tooth Fairy and rather generous, too!
The Qs & As
Son: Mum, how is the little mouse going to smell my tooth all this way? (as the story goes the little mouse smells a milk tooth and comes to collect it)
Me: No dear, it won’t! We are in England now so the Tooth Fairy will come.
Son: Oh, is she stronger than the little mouse? (I knew where this was going)
Me: She is very strong, and she is magic.
Son: What does the Tooth Fairy bring? (straight to the point)
Me: I am not sure. We’ll find out maybe a nice message.
Son: So is the little mouse coming too?
Me: No, it won’t make it all the way from Italy.
Son: But why don’t they have little mice in England?
Me: Because here the Tooth Fairy collects all baby teeth and she’s too fast, so the little mouse would always get there late.
Son: Oh!?
Italian kids are supposed to believe ________ will come and collect the milk teeth.
A.a little mouse |
B.Tooth Fairy |
C.their parents |
D.the grandparents |
The author thought Tooth Fairy would be rather generous because ________.
A.Italian parents often give much money for their kids’ lost baby teeth[ |
B.she knew Tooth Fairy was more generous than the little mouse |
C.she knew the grandparents would give her son a big gift |
D.English people are usually more generous than Italians |
Hearing “Oh, is she stronger than the little mouse?”, the author knew her son was actually worried about ________.
A.the tooth fairy’s health |
B.the little mouse’s coming |
C.the amount of coins he could get |
D.the story his grandparents know |
By telling this story, the author intends to say it’s important to _________ in a bilingual family.
A.make kids know the folk stories |
B.help kids choose one of the cultures |
C.teach kids two languages |
D.keep the balance of both cultures |
The holiday's upon us. Finally, after months of study, you have some time to yourself. so, why not read a book? Well, some people will say, "Why bother with books? We have the Internet and other media that offer a lot more colorful entertainment. Books are history!" But don't be fooled. There's still a lot to be said for reading.
One clear reason is that a well-chosen book is a wonderful source of vocabulary, so long as you have a good dictionary, of course. Believe me, it's far easier to get new English words and phrases from a book or article than it is from the TV or the Internet.
But an even more important point is that books give you something that modern media simply can not. The average webpage is picture-heavy and the text is often designed to make it as easy to read as possible. While "easy" may be attractive, unfortunately it's little use for many long-term development of reading skills and the general language level. For that, there's still no substitute (替代品)of a book.
But perhaps the best single reason is that simply choosing what you read and doing it independently means that it's something you do by yourself. You can choose what you want to read. It's hard work, but something down the line, you will find that what once seemed like a duty is now a pleasure. We asked three bookworms -- an English teacher, a book editor and a film critic - to pick some favorite reads for you.
How many reasons for reading a book does the author mention in the passage?
A.One | B.Two | C.Three | D.Four |
According to this passage, we basically need a ______ in reading.
A.computer | B.dictionary | C.notebook | D.pencil |
In the author's opinion, reading on the Internet may ________
A.develop long-term reading skills | B.improve the general language ability |
C.not take the place of reading books | D.be an effective way of reading |
The passage is written mainly to ____________.
A.share the pleasure of reading books | B.advise readers to read books |
C.stress the importance of reading online. | D.help readers to choose good books. |
People from East Asia tend to have more difficulty than those from Europe in distinguishing facial expressions--and a new report published online in Current Biology explains why.
Rachael Jack, University of Glasgow researcher, said that rather than scanning evenly(均匀的) across a face as Westerners do, Easterners fix their attention on the eyes.
“We show that Easterners and Westerners look at different face features to read facial expressions,” Jack said.“Westerners look at the eyes and the mouth in equal measure, whereas Easterners favor the eyes and neglect (忽略) the mouth.”
According to Jack and her colleagues, the discovery shows that human communication of emotion is more complex than previously believed.As a result, facial expressions that had been considered universally recognizable cannot be used to reliably convey emotion in cross-cultural situations.
The researchers studied cultural differences in the recognition of facial expressions by recording the eye movements of 13 Western Caucasian and 13 East Asian people while they observed pictures of expressive faces and put them into categories: happy, sad, surprised, fearful, disgusted, angry, or neutral.They compared how accurately participants read those facial expressions using their particular eye movement strategies.
It turned out that Easterners focused much greater attention on the eyes and made significantly more errors than Westerners did.“The cultural difference in eye movements that they show is probably a reflection of cultural difference in facial expressions,” Jack said.“Our data suggest that whereas Westerners use the whole face to convey emotion, Easterners use the eyes more and the mouth less.”
In short, the data show that facial expressions are not universal signals of human emotion.From here on, examining how cultural factors have diversified these basic social skills will help our understanding of human emotion.Otherwise, when it comes to communicating emotions across cultures, Easterners and Westerners will find themselves lost in translation.
The discovery shows that Westerners ________.
A.consider facial expressions universally reliable |
B.pay equal attention to the eyes and the mouth |
C.have more difficulty in recognizing facial expressions |
D.observe the eyes and the mouth in different ways |
What were the people asked to do in the study?
A.To get their faces impressive. | B.To make a face at each other. |
C.To observe the researchers' faces. | D.To classify some face pictures. |
What does the underlined word "they" in Paragraph 6 refer to?
A.The researchers of the study. | B.The participants in the study. |
C.The data collected from the study. | D.The errors made during the study. |
In comparison with Westerners, Easterners are likely to ______.
A.read facial expressions more correctly | B.examine the eyes more attentively |
C.study the mouth more frequently | D.do translation more successfully |
Not many years ago, a wealthy and rather strange old man named Johnson lived alone in a village in the south of England. He had made a lot of money in trading with foreign countries. When he was seventy-five, he gave £ 12,000 to the village school to buy land and equipment for a children’s playground.
As a result of his kindness, many people came to visit him. Among them was a newspaperman. During their talk, Johnson remarked that he was seventy-five and expected to live to be a hundred. The newspaperman asked him how he managed to be healthy at seventy—five. Johnson had a sense of humor. He liked whisky and drank some each day. “I have an injection (注射) in my neck each evening.” he told the newspaperman, thinking of his evening glass of whisky.
The newspaperman did not understand what Johnson meant. In his newspaper he reported that Johnson was seventy-five and had a daily injection in his neck. Within a week Johnson received thousands of letters from all over Britain, asking him for the secret of his daily injection.
Johnson became a rich man through _________.
A.doing business. |
B.making whisky. |
C.cheating. |
D.buying and selling land. |
The gift of money to the school suggests that Johnson __________.
A.had no children. |
B.was a strange man. |
C.was very fond of children. |
D.wanted people to know how rich he was. |
Many people wrote to Johnson to find out __________.
A.what kind of whisky he had. |
B.how to live longer. |
C.how to become wealthy. |
D.in which part of the neck to have an injection. |
The newspaperman ____________.
A.should have reported what Johnson had told him. |
B.shouldn’t have asked Johnson what injection he had. |
C.was eager to live a long life. |
D.should have found out what Johnson really meant. |
When Johnson said he had an injection in his neck each evening, he really meant that ______.
A.he liked drinking a glass of whisky in the evening. |
B.he needed an injection in the neck. |
C.a daily injection in the evening would make him sleep well. |
D.there was something wrong with his neck. |
Douglas Grace talks about his ideal city of the future.
I see the city of the future in three zones——inner, middle and outer. In the inner zone there will be no private cars. Public transport will be free and there will only be ambulances, fire engines, taxis and police cars. This inner zone will be the residential(住宅的) and recreational(娱乐的) area of the city. People will live there and go out to enjoy themselves——to cinemas and restaurants. There will be parks and open spaces, trees and lakes, schools and universities. This way, when people are at home, they can go out easily and safely.
Just outside the inner zone there will be big car parks for all private cars.
The banks and most of the shops and hospitals will be in the middle zone. These are things that people don’t need every day.
All the factories and offices will be in the outer zone. People will travel out of the center to work, and back to the center in the evenings. The inner zone will be cleaner and better to live in and there will be more space for industry on the outside.
This is my ideal city of the future—— a very beautiful place!But I don’t really think things will ever be like that!
Where will people live and go out to enjoy themselves?
A.In the middle zone. |
B.In the inner zone. |
C.In the outer zone. |
D.In the inner and middle zone. |
Where will big car parks be?
A.Just outside the middle zone. |
B.Just inside the middle zone. |
C.Just outside the inner zone. |
D.Just inside the inner zone. |
What will be in the middle zone?
A.The banks,hospitals and schools. |
B.The banks,hospitals and police stations. |
C.The banks,schools and car parks. |
D.The banks,hospital and most of the shops. |
Where will the factories and offices be?
A.In the outer zone. |
B.In the middle zone. |
C.In the inner zone. |
D.In the middle and inner zone. |
Douglas Grace is probably .
A.a painter |
B.a builder |
C.a town planner |
D.a dentist |
Austin Children’s Museum
This 7,000-square-foot museum aims to entertain and educate children up to age 9. In its Global City exhibit, people can go shopping for groceries, order lunch at a diner, pretend that they’re doctors or construction workers, and more. In other fun exhibits, they learn about Austin’s history, explore the world of water, and experience life on a large Texas farm.
Open time: From Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 a.m.~5:00 p.m.
On Sunday, 12:00 a.m.~5:00 p.m.
Address: 201 Colorado St, Austin, Texas 78701
Phone: 512-4722499
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Founded in 1899, it is the world’s oldest children’s museum, featuring interactive exhibits, workshops, and special events. The Mystery of Things teaches children about cultural and scientific objects and Music Mix welcomes young virtuosos (名家).
Open time: From Wednesday to Friday, 2:00 p.m.~5:00 p.m.
On Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m.~5:00 p.m.
Address: 145 Brooklyn Ave, Brooklyn, New York 1213
Phone: 718-7354400
Children’s Discovery Museum
This museum’s hand-on exhibits explore the relationships between the natural and the created worlds, and among people of different cultures and times. Exhibits include Streets, a 5/8-scale copy of an actual city, with streets lights, and waterworks, which shows how pumps can move water through a reservoir system.
Open time: From Monday to Saturday, 10:00 a.m.~5:00 p.m.
On Sunday, from noon. Closed on holidays.
Address: 180 Woz Way, Guadalupe River Park, San Jose, California 95110
Phone: 408-2985437
Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
This museum is the largest of its kind. Exhibits cover science, culture, space, history, and explorations. Among them are the Space Quest Planetarium (additional fee), the 33-foot-high Water Clock, the Playscape gallery for preschools, and the Dinosphere exhibit, along with hand-on science exhibits.
The largest gallery, the Center for Exploration, is designed for ages 12 and up.
Open time: From Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m.~5:00 p.m.
Closed on Thanksgiving Day and December 25.
Address: 3000 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, Indiana 46208
Phone: 317-3343322
Suppose that December 25 is Tuesday, which of the following museums can you visit?
A.Austin Children’s Museum. | B.Brooklyn Children’s Museum. |
C.Children’s Discovery Museum. | D.Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. |
If you want to see how pumps can move water through a reservoir system, you should visit the museum in _____.
A.Texas | B.New York | C.California | D.Indiana |
After entering the museum you need to pay an additional fee to see _____.
A.the Center for Exploration | B.the Space Quest Planetarium |
C.the Global City exhibit | D.Waterworks |
Which of the following is not exhibited in Children’s Museum of Indianapolis?
A.culture | B.history | C.explorations | D.special events |
The purpose of writing this passage is to _____.
A.ask adults to visit museums |
B.compare some museums and decide which one is the best |
C.introduce some museums and encourage parents to visit them with their children |
D.introduce some exhibits and museums to foreigners |
It was once thought that air pollution affected only the area immediately around large cities with factories and/or heavy automobile traffic. Today, we know that although these are the areas with the worst air pollution, the problem is actually worldwide. On several occasions over the past decade, a heavy cloud of air pollution has covered the entire eastern half of the United States and led to health warnings even in rural areas away from any major concentration of manufacturing and automobile traffic. In fact, the very climate of the entire earth may be affected by air pollution. Some scientists feel that the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in the air resulting from the burning of fossil fuels (coal and oil) is creating a “greenhouse effect" - holding in heat reflected from the earth and raising the world's average temperature. If this view is correct and the world's temperature is raised only a few degrees, much of the polar ice cap will melt and cities such as New York, Boston, Miami, and New Orleans will be under water.
Another view, less widely held, is that increasing particulate (废气排往空中而形成的微粒、颗粒) matter in the atmosphere is blocking sunlight and lowering the earth's temperature ─ a result that would be equally disastrous. A drop of just a few degrees could create something close to new ice age and would make agriculture difficult or impossible in many of our top farming areas. At present we do not know for sure that either of these conditions will happen (though one recent government report prepared by experts in the field concluded that the greenhouse effect is very likely). Perhaps, if we are very lucky, the two tendencies will offset each other and the world's temperature will stay about the same as it is now.
As pointed out at the beginning of the passage, people used to think that air pollution ______.
A.caused widespread damage in the countryside |
B.affected the entire eastern half of the United States |
C.had damaging effects on health |
D.existed merely in urban and industrial areas |
As far as the greenhouse effect is concerned, the author ______.
A.shares the same view with the scientists |
B.is uncertain of its occurrence |
C.rejects it as being ungrounded |
D.thinks that it will destroy the world soon |
The underlined word “offset" in Para. 2 could best be replaced by______.
A.slip into | B.make up for | C.set up | D.catch up with |
This passage is mainly concerned with ______.
A.the greenhouse effect | B.the burning of fossil fuels |
C.the potential effect of air pollution | D.the possibility of a new ice age |
Children are losing the ability to play properly because they are being given too many toys and games, according to new research.
The studies show that children, especially those under five, are often overwhelmed and actually play less than those with fewer toys. It may even harm their development. The studies show that giving children too many toys or toys of the wrong type can actually be doing them harm. They get overwhelmed and cannot concentrate on anything long enough to learn from it.
The conclusions have been backed up by British research looking at children with relatively fewer toys, whose parents spend more time reading, singing or playing with them. It showed such children surpass(胜过) youngsters from richer backgrounds, even those who could use computers.
Some parents notice the ill effect early. Orhan Ismail, a researcher saw a change for the worse in Cameron, his 10-month-old son, after he was given a lot of toys last Christmas.
Ismail said, “ If there are too many toys in front of him, he will just keep flitting around them and then end up going off and finding something like a slipper to play with. Now we just get out one or two toys and hide the rest in a box.”
Alexander and her husband also decided to limit the toys their 6 daughters play with. She believed many toys restrict children’s imaginations. She said, “ A Barbie can only work as a Barbie. But a cardboard box can become anything. The only limitations are in the child’s mind.”
Experts hesitate to put a figure on the number of toys children should have, but many believe two dozen is enough for children of preschool age.
In the writer’s opinion, a Barbie _____.
A.can attract more attention from children than a cardboard box |
B.can work more than a Barbie |
C.may become anything else such as a cardboard |
D.may keep children from further imaginations |
Which of the following is TRUE about toys given to children?
A.too many toys will help children develop wide interests. |
B.One or two toys at a time will help children concentrate. |
C.Only wrong types of toys do harm to children. |
D.The proper number of toys given to the children depends on their ages. |
It may NOT be a good idea to ____.
A.spend more time reading or playing with children |
B.choose right types of toys for children |
C.ask experts for the exact number of necessary toys |
D.put out one or two toys and hide the rest |
Saturday, March 24th
We have arrived in the hot, wet city of Bangkok. This is our first trip to Thailand. All the different smells make us want to try the food. We are going to eat something special for dinner tonight. The hotel we are staying in is cheap, and very clean. We plan to stay here for a few days, visit some places in the city, and then travel to Chiang Mai in the North.
Tuesday, March 27th
Bangkok is wonderful and surprising! The places are interesting. We visited the famous market which was on water, and saw a lot of fruits and vegetables. Everything is so colorful, and we have taken hundreds of photos already! Later today we will leave for Chiang Mai. We will take the train north, stay in Chiang Mai for two days, and then catch a bus to Chiang Rai.
Friday, March 30th
Our trip to Chiang Rai was long and boring. We visited a small village in the mountains. The village people here love the quiet life—no computers or phones. They are the kindest people I have ever met.
They always smile and say “hello”. Kathy and I can only speak a few words of Thai, so smiling is the best way to show our kindness. I feel good here and hope to be able to come back next year.
It seems that visitors_________ in Bangkok.
A.often felt hungry | B.could always find cheap things |
C.couldn’t take any photos | D.enjoyed themselves |
Which of the following is TRUE?
Chiang Mai is a beautiful city in the south of Thailand.
The writer left Chiang Mai for Chiang Rai on a bus.
Chiang Rai is a boring city in the mountains.
The writer traveled alone in Thailand.
The people in the village_________.
A.are friendly to others | B.like to speak English |
C.are very weak | D.hope to live in the cities |
What can be the best title for the whole diary?
A.My first Travel | B.The outside World |
C.Travelling in Thailand | D.A country on the Train |
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