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[
"3",
"4",
"2",
"5"
] |
5
|
Treasure Island isn't a true story, _
armed to the teeth and ready to go treasure hunting. But you will find, as you read this book, that
although pirates can be murderous and treacherous ,they can also be cowardly, superstitious, and easily led. As it turns out, that is fortunate for Jim Hawkins.
It's a brilliant story. Billy Bones, a retired seaman, comes to live at the Admiral Benbow inn. Jim is just a boy, but he can see that Billy Bones is a nervous man, always on the look-out for strangers arriving at the inn. And well he might be nervous, because he carries with him in his battered old sea-chest a map drawn by Captain Flint himself giving the whereabouts of all Flint's buried treasure! Captain Flint! -the most feared pirate ever to travel the high seas.
Well,Flint is dead, but there are plenty of men who served with Captain Flint still alive who will feel they have a fair claim to the treasure. The map, though, ends up in the possession of Jim Hawkins---(it's a near thing, read the book to see how that happens)
Jim tells the secret in the local doctor, who quickly joins forces to acquire a ship and crew to sail for Treasure Island
There's a famous scene where Jim, hiding in the apple barrel on deck, discovers that mutiny is planned. It's a bad moment. The numbers suggest that the pirates are going to have it all their own way. There are nineteen mutineers and seven honest men, including Jim. And now, you will have to read the book for yourself. This is a fantastic tale of cheat, bravery and cowardice. I don't know how things would have turned out if it hadn't been for Jim Hawkins. For it is Jim who single-handedly steals the Hispaniola from under the very noses of the pirates and sails her round the island to a secret beaching place.
And do you know what happens to Long John Silver, the greatest double-crosser of them all? No? Well, don't expect me to tell you. Don't be nervous of reading a 'classic'. I know it was published a long time ago, but that doesn't mean it is difficult to read. There is one piece of advice I will give, though. I don't think this book is ever out of print---there are hundreds of different copies around. If you can, choose a copy with large enough print to be able to read comfortably, and exciting illustrations. It makes all the difference.
Go ahead! Read the book. I think you'll love it.
|
How many characters are mentioned in this passage?
|
[
"Because they feel little time left and value time.",
"Because they are busy making friends, and surfing the Internet.",
"Because they have to spend lots of time dealing with different problems in their life.",
"Because they only want to earn more money."
] |
Because they have to spend lots of time dealing with different problems in their life.
|
If you're in your 30s, it is possible to defend your skin and body against the visible signs of growing older. 30s-this is when your youthful looks will start to slowly _ Time is the biggest issue for most men and women at this age because they struggle to balance work, relationships and young families.
Unfortunately, juggling these parts of your life will start to show through fine lines and dull, tired skin. "This is the time to learn relaxation techniques like thinking and deep breathing to help reduce stress", says Helga Hefner, global educator of Aveda. Sleep is your best weapon during these years. A full eight hours of sleep is necessary for skin to look and perform its best and uninterrupted is the best type..
"Always make sure the head is raised above the body," says Dr Daniel Maes, senior vice-president of Estee Lauder Global Research and Development. This helps to avoid an accumulation of blood to the face and you will wake less puffy. If you sleep in an awkward position, you will wake with puffy eyes and lines on your face because of the constriction blood flow to the skin. Try and train yourself to sleep on your back, too, or you may notice lines forming on one side of your face. A lack of sleep is also linked to weight gain-the longer you are awake the more fuel your body will think it needs, so you may find yourself with an increased appetite. If you are struggling with sleep, try adding aromatherapy oils such as lavender or ylang ylang to your pillows or a bath before bed.
|
Why are most men and women in their 30s busy?
|
[
"Many animals species have died out.",
"More traffic accidents happen every day.",
"The air we breathe may be polluted.",
"It is much easier for us to watch meteor showers."
] |
The air we breathe may be polluted.
|
As the population of the planet increases, so does the number of homes, businesses, parking lots, schools, airports and roadways. All these structures use electricity and need to be lighted. Humans demand these lights. They want their homes more comfortable and they want their streets safe. The problem is that researchers are finding that all the light is having a negative effect on humans and wildlife as well.
Less than 10 years ago I drove to a thinly populated section of my town, lay down in the middle of the road and watched an attractive meteor shower . The area was short of homes, street lights and traffic. If I did that today, I wouldn't be able to see the meteor shower as well. Due to the increase in street lights, I would surely be run over by a car.
Nowadays scientists are finding light pollution can be almost as bad as carbon dioxide pollution. If you've ever taken a flight at night, the view is beautiful, but you must remember that all the light you see wastes electricity. The crew of the space shuttles see an even bigger picture of how extensive the wasted electricity is worldwide.
One of the saddest parts of light pollution is that most of it is unnecessary and most of the outdoor light that we use is wasted. One only needs to look at a row of street lights to see how much of the light shines upwards and lights the sky; a total waste of electricity.
Additionally, somewhere electricity needs to be produced, and the production of electricity creates pollution by releasing greenhouse gases. This affects the air we breathe and our quality of life.
Scientists are also studying the effects of light pollution on wildlife. Thousands of birds die each year when they crash into highly lighted buildings, as they become puzzled by the light. It has been long known that tiny baby sea turtles become lost and follow lights on the shore instead of heading towards the sea.
Fortunately, light pollution is one of the easiest sources of pollution that can be corrected without a negative effect. Following some guidelines and a little searching on Google can give you many ideas on how to reduce your contribution to light pollution.
|
Which of the following is the effect of light pollution?
|
[
"will remain tiny all the time",
"is a devoted scientist",
"is not fit to be a scientist",
"passed out there and then"
] |
is a devoted scientist
|
I sometimes wonder if old Finchley has the right personality to be a research scientist. He keeps asking when he'll be coming back. After all, it was his own fault. Nobody tries out what has just been invented on themselves any more but Finchley. Well, he must have pumped about a thousand cc into himself before I noticed he was clearly becoming smaller.
It was funny watching him, because his clothes remained the same in size. They simply piled up around him so that he looked like a small boy in his father's clothes. But he kept getting smaller and smaller. As my colleague Dawson and I watched him, he disappeared! All we could see was Finchley's clothes on the floor. They looked so strange, because the lab coat was on top, shirt and trousers inside and, I suppose, underclothes inside again. It gave me a strange feeling, and I think Dawson was a bit shaken, too.
Dawson was sitting on his chair in front of a microscope he'd been using to examine a family of mites . He looked through the scope kind of absently again, and was nearly scared to lose awareness when he found old Finchley waving back from the other end.
It seems as if Finchley had taken a free ride on a dust mite and landed on the land of the mite family. Of course, we didn't know till Finchley told us later. But anyhow, as I said, Dawson nearly passed out. He jumped off his chair and pointed at the microscope, too shocked to speak.
|
It can probably be concluded that Finchley _ .
|
[
"customers only gave small tips",
"some customers had strange ideas about tipping",
"the store didn't allow the box boys to take tips",
"he didn't want to fight with the customers"
] |
the store didn't allow the box boys to take tips
|
I'm seventeen. I had worked as a box boy at a supermarket in Los Angeles. People came to the counter and you put things in their bags for them and carried things to their cars. It was hard work.
While working, you wear a plate with your name on it. I once met someone I knew years ago. I remembered his name and said, "Mr Castle, how are you?" We talked about this and that. As he left, he said, "It was nice talking to you, Brett." I felt great, he remembered me. Then I looked down at my name plate. Oh, no. He didn't remember me at all, he just read the name plate. I wish I had put "Irving" down on my name plate. If he'd have said, "Oh yes, Irving, how could I forget you?" I'd have been ready for him. There's nothing personal here.
The manager and everyone else who were a step above the box boys often shouted orders. One of these was: you couldn't accept tips. Okay, I'm outside and I put the bags in the car. For a lot of people, the natural reaction is to take a quarter and give it to me. I'd say, "I'm sorry, I can't." They'd get angry. When you give someone a tip, you're sort of being polite. You take a quarter and you put it in their hand and you expect them to say, "Oh, thanks a lot." When you say, "I'm sorry, I can't." They feel a little _ . They say, "No one will know." And they put it in your pocket. You say, "I really can't." It gets to a point where you almost have to hurt a person physically to prevent him from tipping you. It was not in agreement with the store's belief in being friendly. Accepting tips was a friendlything and made the customer feel good. I just couldn't understand the strangeness of some people's ideas.
One lady actually put it in my pocket, got in the car, and drove away. I would have had to throw the quarter at her or eaten it or something.
I had decided that one year was enough. Some people needed the job to stay alive and fed. I guess I had the means and could afford to hate it and give it up.
|
The box boy refused to accept tips because _ .
|
[
"getting the most work done",
"dividing the work up systematically",
"each ant helping with all the tasks",
"each ant doing what it can do best"
] |
dividing the work up systematically
|
Through a series of experiments an American scientist has gained an understanding of the social structure of the most complex of ant societies. The ants examined are the only creatures other than man to have given up hunting and collecting for a completely agricultural way of life. In their underground nests they cultivate gardens on soil made from finely chopped leaves. This is a complex operation requiring considerable division of labour. The workers of this type of ants can be divided into four groups according to the size. Each of the groups performs a particular set of jobs.
The making and care of the gardens and the nursing of the young ants are done by the smallest workers. Slightly larger workers are responsible for chopping up leaves to make them suitable for use in the gardens and for cleaning the nest. A third group of still larger ants do the construction work and collect fresh leaves from outside the nest. The largest are the soldier ants, responsible for defending the nest.
To find out how good the various size-groups are at different tasks, the scientist measured the amount of work done by the ants against the amount of energy they used. He examined first the gathering and carrying of leaves. He selected one of the size-groups, and then measured how efficiently these ants could find leaves and run back to the nest. Then he repeated the experiment for each of the other size-groups. In this way he could see whether any group could do the job more efficiently than the group normally undertaking it.
The intermediate-sized ants that normally perform this task proved to be the most efficient for their energy costs, but when the scientist examined the whole set of jobs performed by each group of ants it appeared that some sizes of worker ant were not ideally suited to the particular jobs they performed.
|
The organization of the ants has the effect of _ .
|
[
"3",
"4",
"5",
"6"
] |
5
|
A little boy went to a farmer who had some puppies to sell and said, "I want to buy one of your puppies." Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. "I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look."
"Sure," said the farmer. Then he called his dog, "Here, Dolly!"
Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight.
As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else moving inside the doghouse. Slowly, another little ball appeared. This one was much smaller than the others. Down the ramp it slid . Then in a somewhat awkward manner the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up...
"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the slow dog.
The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs will."
With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of trousers. There was a steel brace running down both sides of his leg. It was joined to a specially made shoe. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see, sir, I don't run very well myself, and he will need someone who understands."
The world is full of people who need someone who understands.
|
How many puppies did the farmer have in all?
|
[
"stranger flower plants",
"More animals",
"more varieties of rainforests",
"more visitors"
] |
more varieties of rainforests
|
Asia has many wild places. The following national parks are among the most famous in Asia. People come to visit them from near and far in order to appreciate the unique qualities of the land and everything on it. Have you ever visited any of these Asian national parks?
Jiuzhai Valley National Park, China
The extraordinarily beautiful park is famous for its fascinating blue-green lakes, waterfalls and its unique wildlife. Located in the Minshan Mountain, Sichuan Province, it is a breathtaking park because of its scenery and it is also home to nine Tibetan villages, over 220 bird species as well as a number of endangered animals and plants, such as giant pandas, Sichuan golden monkeys and numerous _ . This park was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
Khao Sok National Park, Thailand
This extraordinary park is several miles away from Phuket , yet its remoteness prevents it from being visited. Even so, it is well worth a visit as scientists have noted that is rainforest stretches are not only longer than those of the Amazon, but also more divers . Animals like tigers, Asian elephants, and macaaues make their home here. Everyone who visits the park, however, seems to want to have a look at the amazing Rafflesia, one of the strangest flowering plants on earth; it smells like smelly meat when it blooms.
Nikko National Park, Japan
It is lovely to visit this park all the year round with its waterfalls and picturesque Lake Chuzenji. And it is especially worth visiting in autumn when the leaves change from green to deep red and orange. Set with UNESCO protected shrines and temples, the park is a unique mixture of natural and man-made attractions. With various routes perfect for adventurous hikers, a visit to the Nikko National Park is not to be missed.
If you want to know more information about Asian famous national parks, you can log in http://www.travel.Amerikanki.com. If you want to enjoy all the above, welcome to call 050-24689120, and we can give a reasonable price.
|
Compared with Amazon, Khao Sok National Park has _ .
|
[
"Fridays",
"Saturdays",
"Sundays",
"Mondays"
] |
Saturdays
|
Guitar Player Wanted
Are you a lover of music? Can you play the guitar? Can you sing or dance? Welcome to our Sunshine Rock Band. Please call Mike at 5487-6598 or send an email [email protected].
Hot Club
Do you like to play table tennis? Do you want to play it well? Mr. Zhang is a good teacher. You cancome here every Saturday afternoon from 2:30 to 5:30.
Telephone: 8665-7868
Address: Room105, Lantian Hotel.
Swimmer Wanted
Can you swim? Do you like children? Can you teach them to swim on Sundays? Come and join us. Call Joe at 8472-9999 for more information.
Summer Job
Do you like to talk with people? Do you like to write stories? Would you like to work for a magazine? Then come and work as a reporter. Please call Karen at 5561-8823.
,.
|
You want to learn to play table tennis. Then you can go to Lantian Hotel on _ .
|
[
"It is spread when an e-mail account is opened.",
"It is spread through on-line chatting.",
"It is spread through e-mail.",
"It spreads from web site to web site."
] |
It is spread through e-mail.
|
In today's world, we rely on computers as never before.They are used for everything from ordering a pizza to running hospitals and military defense systems.Banking and credit card information is stored and accessed by computers.So what happens when a computer gets infected with a virus? One effect is that people's access to their e-mail accounts is cut off.A more serious possible consequence is that billions of dollars could be lost.
A virus is a computer program that copies itself onto other programs and infects them. Similar to an easily spread disease, a computer virus goes from computer to computer, either adding to or changing the tasks a program is designed to do.
The first computer viruses were created in the mid '80s and had varying effects.Some caused files to be deleted, or made the letters on the screen appear to fall off.Others displayed a specific message once the computer was turned on.
Viruses today are much more widespread and dangerous than ever before.Perhaps the most damaging to date has been the "I Love You" virus."I Love You" appeared in May 2000 and has possibly been the most destructive virus in terms of monetary loss.
The virus is released when an attachment to a fake e-mail message is opened.By changing the names of files on computers, "I Love You" makes them difficult to access.It also searches for important personal information, including passwords, which it sends to a web site for others to see.
It is estimated that more than 45 million people in 20 countries have had their computers infected by the "I Love You" virus.Some say the cost of repair and lost business has been more than US$10 billion.
If you own a computer, it is important to keep it in good health by installing an anti-virus program.If updated frequently, it will protect your e-mail access-not to mention your wallet.
|
How does "I Love You" virus spread?
|
[
"Everyone should show how they love their family members.",
"It's hard to get on well with family members.",
"It's important to keep peace in the family.",
"We should try our best to stop our children from fighting."
] |
Everyone should show how they love their family members.
|
One night I was sitting in my room half-listening as my 15-year-old brother Tommy fought with my 12-year-old brother Kevin. I didn't pay attention when Kevin rushed up the stairs with the hurt on his face.
About 20 minutes later, as I was walking upstairs I heard Kevin crying inside the bathroom. I knocked on the door and asked, "Hey Kevin, do you want to talk?"
No answer.
I tried again, "Why don't you come out of there?"
Again, no answer.
So, joking around, I grabbed a stack of cards and a pencil and wrote, "If you don't want to talk, we can write notes to each other."
An hour later I was still sitting on the floor outside the bathroom with two stacks of cards in front of me. One was blank and one was cards from Kevin on which he had translated all his _ feelings into words for me. As I read one of Kevin's notes, tears came to my eyes. It said, "Nobody in this family cares about me. I'm not the youngest, and I'm not the oldest. Tommy thinks I'm silly and Dad wishes he had the other Kevin as a kid because he's better at basketball. And you're never around to even notice me."
Tears came to my eyes as I wrote back to him. "You know Kevin, I really do love you and I'm sorry I don't always show it. I am here for you and you are loved in this family."
There was no answer for a while, but then I heard a tearing sound coming from inside the bathroom. Kevin, who had run out of cards wrote on a torn paper cup. "Thanks."
I wrote back "For what?" it returned to me with "Loving me" on it.
Since then, I try my best to never only half-notice my family members any more. Kevin and I have a closer relationship now. And sometimes when one of us notices that the other is upset, we'll smile and say "Write it on a paper cup."
|
What does the writer want to tell us?
|
[
"how to tell the real meaning behind our words",
"what to do when you listen to others talking",
"how to avoid mistakes when communicating with people",
"why we must know the wrong we will do"
] |
how to avoid mistakes when communicating with people
|
We can make mistakes at any age. Some mistakes we make are about money. But most mistakes are about people.
Why do we go wrong about our friends? Sometimes people hide their real meanings when they say something. And if we don't really listen, we miss the feeling behind the words. Suppose someone tells you, "You're a lucky dog." That's being friendly. But "lucky dog"? There's a bit of envy in those words. Maybe he doesn't see
himself. But "lucky dog" puts you down a little. He may mean you don't deserve your luck.
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? Do his words agree with the tone of voice? His posture ? The look in his eyes? Stop and think. If you spend the minute thinking about the real meaning behind one's words, it may save another mistake.
|
This passage is about _ .
|
[
"It is another kind of diploma mill.",
"It's impossible for the school to be competitive.",
"It will never get the approval from the Ministry of Education.",
"Its independence from the government may benefit the education reform."
] |
Its independence from the government may benefit the education reform.
|
Will Nanfang University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen announce a new beginning for China's higher education reform? It's too early to answer. But its presence is challenging the Ministry of Education. Even without the approval of the ministry it seems that the school is determined to move forward and enroll 50 students, so-called child prodigies , to begin classes on March l, 2011.On graduating in 2015, these students will receive a diploma unauthorized by the Ministry of Education----unlike the students of their age from the state-run universities.
The school is committed to modeling itself on Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, but if the government will not approve the school, the situation could cause a lot of trouble for those 50 students if they want to do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions. Other schools could turn their applications down for their unauthorized diplomas.
The difficulties, however, have not frightened students and their parents away. On Dec.18, 2010 more than 1,000 students and their parents visited Nanfang University of Science and Technology for interviews.
Private investment marks the school out from other higher learning institutions in the nation. Not a penny comes from the government. So the government will have no voice in how the school will be run.
The Ministry of Education has published a comprehensive plan for education reform and development between 2011 and 2020.The goal is to make China's higher education internationally competitive. To accomplish this goal, the government should have the courage to let the educators who have big ideas try them out. The ministry should have applauded the independence. The school in Shenzhen has shown and encouraged more to do likewise.
Education reform in China has reached a new and crucial stage. Nanfang University of Science and Technology has a long way to go to prove itself competitive rather than a diploma mill.
|
What does the author think of Nanfang University of Science and Technology?
|
[
"Education",
"Intelligence",
"Persistence",
"Experience"
] |
Persistence
|
As you are probably aware,the latest job markets news isn't good:Unemployment is still more than 9 percent,and new job growth has fallen close to zero.That's bad for the economy,of course.And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now.But it actually shouldn't matter to you nearly as much as you think.
That's because job growth numbers don't matter to job hunters as much as job staff-turnover data.After all,existing jobs open up every day due to promotions,resignations,and retirements.(Yes,people are retiring even in this economy.)In both good times and bad,staff-turnover creates more openings than economic growth does.Even in June of 2007,when the economy was still booming along,job growth was only 132,000,while staff-turnover was 4.7 million!
And as it turns out,even today--with job growth near zero--over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.
I don't mean to imply that overall job growth doesn't have an impact on one's ability to land a job.It's true that if total employment were higher.it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from(and compete for).And it's true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening,regardless of whether it's a new one or not.
But what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don't is their ability to stay motivated.They're willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills;be creative about where and how to look;learn how to present themselves to potential employers;and keep going,even after repeated rejections.The Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn't hunted for it within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.
So don't let the headlines fool you into giving up.Four million people get hired every month in the U.S.You can be one of them
|
What is the key to finding a job according to the author?
|
[
"The names of their parents",
"His appearance",
"Her friends advice",
"Their talk with each other"
] |
The names of their parents
|
Having spent five years searching for her older brother, Miss Lund was unbelievable to think she had been working in the same building for five months.
Mr.Philips, 33, and Miss Lund last saw each other almost twenty years ago after their father, also called Stephen, 56, lost contact with his son from a previous relationship.Miss Lund, only five at that time, moved to India with her father and mother Rose, while Steven lived with his mother in Wolverhapton.
By the time Miss Lund and her parents returned to Leeds, the family had lost all contact with Mr.Philips.On turning 18, Lund started to track down her long-lost half brother, even asking customers at the shop where she worked.But despite checking on Internet sites such as Friends Reunited and MySpace, it wasn't until the pair started working together at Loop Customer Management where she went on asking everyone if they knew a Stephen Philips that she tracked him down in March, 2007.
She couldn't believe it when she was told someone by that name worked there.After she checked on the Internet database, it suggested he wasn't her brother as his name Steven instead of Stephen.Then a friend came up to her and said Steven's surely her brother.They checked parents' names and it turned out they were related.She wanted to scream but they were at work so they just hugged and chatted.
Mr.Philips, a father of four children, said he was delighted, adding: "I never thought we would meet again.I can't wait to get to know my sister.We have so much to know."
|
What made Miss Lund finally believe Mr.Philips was her brother?
|
[
"in the same school",
"in the hospital",
"in the factory",
"in different schools"
] |
in different schools
|
There are four people in the twins' family. They are the twins, their father and their mother.
The twins' names are Lucy and Lily. They are fourteen. They are in the same class in NO.1 Middle School. They are very good students. They not only work very hard but also sing very well. They want to join the music club. Lucy wants to play the piano. Lily can play the guitar.
Their father, Mr. King, is a teacher. He teaches English in a school near his home. Their mother, Mrs. King, is a teacher, too. She teaches Chinese. Mr. and Mrs. King are in different schools. But they have the same hobby--play the guitar.
|
Their parents work _ .
|
[
"she is afraid that Allie will leave",
"she has nothing to speak Allie",
"she doesn't prepare how to speak to her",
"Allie is crying and can't speak a word"
] |
she is afraid that Allie will leave
|
My daughter Allie is leaving for college in a week. Her room is cluttered with shopping bags filled with blankets, towels, jeans, sweaters. She won't talk about going.
I say, "I'm going to miss you," and she gives me one of her looks and leaves the room. Another time I say, in a voice so friendly it surprises even me: "Do you think you'll take your posters and pictures with you, or will you get new ones at college?"
She answers, her voice filled with annoyance, "How should I know?"
My daughter is off with friends most of the time. Yesterday was the last day she'd have until Christmas with her friend Katharine, whom she's known since kindergarten. Soon, it will be her last day with Sarah, Claire, Heather... and then it will be her last day with me.
My friend Karen told me, "The August before I left for college, I screamed at my mother the whole month. Be prepared."
I stand in the kitchen, watching Allie make a glass of iced tea. Her face, once so open and trusting, is closed to me. I struggle to think of something to say to her, something meaningful and warm. I want her to know I'm excited about the college she has chosen, that I know the adventure of her life is just starting and that I am proud of her. But the look on her face is so mad that I think she might slug me if I open my mouth.
One night -- after a long period of silence between us -- I asked what I might have done or said to make her angry with me. She sighed and said, "Mom, you haven't done anything. It's fine." It is fine -- just distant.
Somehow in the past we had always found some way to connect. When Allie was a toddler , I would go to the day- care center after work. I'd find a quiet spot and she would nurse -- our eyes locked together, reconnecting with each other.
In middle school, when other mothers were already lamenting the estrangement they felt with their adolescent daughters, I hit upon a solution: rescue raids. I would show up occasionally at school, sign her out of class and take her somewhere -- out to lunch, to the movies, once for a long walk on the beach. It may sound irresponsible, but it kept us close when other mothers and daughters were floundering. We talked about everything on those outings -- outings we kept secret from family and friends.
When she started high school, I'd get up with her in the morning to make her a sandwich for lunch, and we'd silently drink a cup of tea together before the 6:40 bus came.
A couple of times during her senior year I went into her room at night, the light off, but before she went to sleep. I'd sit on the edge of her bed, and she'd tell me about problems: a teacher who lowered her grade because she was too shy to talk in class, a boy who teased her, a friend who had started smoking. Her voice, coming out of the darkness, was young and questioning.
A few days later I'd hear her on the phone, repeating some of the things I had said, things she had adopted for her own.
But now we are having two kinds of partings. I want the romanticized version, where we go to lunch and lean across the table and say how much we will miss each other. I want smiles through tears, bittersweet moments of reminiscence and the chance to offer some last bits of wisdom.
But as she prepares to depart, Allie's feelings have gone underground. When I reach to touch her arm, she pulls away. She turns down every invitation I extend. She lies on her bed, reading Emily Dickinson until I say I have always loved Emily Dickinson, and then she closes the book.
Some say the tighter your bond with your child, the greater her need to break away, to establish her own identity in the world. The more it will hurt, they say. A friend of mine who went through a difficult time with her daughter but now has become close to her again, tells me," Your daughter will be back to you."
"I don't know," I say. I sometimes feel so angry that I want to go over and shake Allie. I want to say, "Talk to me -- or you're grounded!" I feel myself wanting to say that most horrible of all mother phrases: "Think of everything I've done for you."
Late one night, as I'm getting ready for bed she comes to the bathroom door and watches me brush my teeth. For a moment, I think I must be brushing my teeth in a way she doesn't approve of. But then she says, "I want to read you something." It's a pamphlet from her college. "These are tips for parents."
I watch her face as she reads the advice aloud: "'Don't ask your child if she is homesick,' it says. 'She might feel bad the first few weeks, but don't let it worry you. This is a natural time of transition. Write her letters and call her a lot. Send a package of goodies...' "
Her voice breaks, and she comes over to me and buries her head in my shoulder. I stroke her hair, lightly, afraid she'll bolt if I say a word. We stand there together for long moments, swaying. Reconnecting.
I know it will be hard again. It's likely there will be a fight about something. But I am grateful to be standing in here at midnight, both of us tried and sad, toothpaste smeared on my chin, _ .
|
The author doesn't say anything to Allie when they are standing together because _ .
|
[
"Food served in the US is the best of a11.",
"Schools should try to satisfy the needs of students.",
"Schools serve different foods from country to country.",
"School children all over the world dislike their school food."
] |
Schools serve different foods from country to country.
|
It seems school children all over the world complain about their school food.Cherie Blair,the wife of Prime Minister Tony Blair,said that she would prepare a packed lunch for her son if school dinners do not improve. So what do students of your age eat for lunch at school?
Japan
High schools have canteens,which serve everything from noodles to rice,but not burgers and chips.Other children bring food from home such as cold rice balls,meat or fish,pickles and vegetables.
The United States
A typical menu from a US school is made up of a hamburger with fried potatoes or roast chicken,lettuce and pickles,fruit and cookies.School lunches must also provide at least one-third of the daily dietary
allowances of protein ,vitamin A.vitamin C,iron,calcium,and calories .
Australia
Meat pies,sausage rolls and hotdogs are all traditional dishes in Australian school shops.But as the nation pays more attention to children's health,healthier foods have started to find their way onto school menus.
Many schools have used a traffic light system.The sale of red-labelled foods including pastries,chocolate and soft drinks,is served only twice a week.Healthier green-labelled foods such as sushi,sandwiches,corn and watermelon,however are served every day.
In some schools.students have a choice of up to 89 foods to choose from,including popcorn and rice.
South Africa
Most of South Africa's schools do not serve meals at all.Classes end at 1:30 pm and students get their own lunches.Many students bring food from home,usually sandwiches.
Fast food and fried food sell the best among students,which has led to a rise in obesity among children.But as more people began to realize the fact that being too fat may cause different diseases,some schools in towns have led the way towards better nutrition .Now students at these schools are provided with lunches of porridge with vegetables,such as cabbages,onions,beans,carrots and tomatoes.
|
What is the main idea of the passage?
|
[
"electronic products",
"Olympic buildings",
"Spring Festival Gala",
"fake Cellphones"
] |
fake Cellphones
|
The Chinese word "Shanzhai" literally means a small mountain village, but it's now used to describe products that have names similar to famous ones.
It became an accepted name for fake goods after "Shanzhai Cellphones" produced by small workshops in southern China became popular in the mainland market over the past two years.
Besides "Shanzhai" electronic products, there are "Shanzhai" movies, "Shanzhai" stars and even a "Shanzhai" Spring Festival Gala , a copy of the 25-year-old traditional show presented by CCTV on Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve.
"Shanzhai" has become a culture of its own, standing foranything that _ something famous,which has caused a public debate over whether it is healthy or sick being a copycat.
In southwestern China's Chongqing, a "Shanzhai"-version "Bird's Nest" built by farmers with bamboo attracts wide attention and the "Shanzhai"-version "Water Cube" is popular with tourists. Both are copies of the famous Olympics places in Beijing.
Xie Xizhang, a literature critic, said that taking the "Shanzhai" Gala as an example, when the traditional CCTV program becomes less and less attractive to the audience, the "Shanzhai" version appears naturally to attract people.
"In spite of its poor techniques and operation, 'Shanzhai' culture meets the demands of common people and could be a comfort to their minds," Xie said.
Tian Huiqun, a professor at Beijing Normal University, said that "Shanzhai" culture never copies classic things, only products in fashion. In that sense, it's like a computer virus without meaning.
Though controversial, "Shanzhai" culture is a challenge as well as a motivation, said Xie, according to the newspaper.
Tian said different kinds of cultures developing together are an ideal situation and they are for the public to choose.
|
The Chinese word "Shanzhai" may have its origin in _ .
|
[
"Miss Gao",
"Miss Lin",
"Sue",
"Ann"
] |
Miss Lin
|
It's six forty in the morning. The children are coming into the classroom.
A girl is opening the windows. Some are laughing and talking. Some are listening to them. Some are reading books. Some are doing their homework.
Miss Lin is standing behind the teacher's desk. She is writing on the blackboard. Sue and Anna are wearing their new dresses today. Ann is cleaning her desk. Mike is helping her. They all look happy.
What are Bill and Bob doing? Oh, dear! They are still playing basketball.
|
The teacher is _ .
|
[
"street vendors help the poor to learn English and Japanese.",
"the demand for school is growing in Vietnam.",
"free learning of English and Japanese are provided in Vietnam.",
"students in Vietnam are very poor."
] |
street vendors help the poor to learn English and Japanese.
|
In Vietnam, two members of a family of street vendors are finding a way to help the poorest students in Hanoi. Pham Minh Dap and his brother are providing the students with mostly free English and Japanese lessons at a learning center they created. The men want to help people who would not normally have a chance to learn a foreign language.
Some education experts in Vietnam say such knowledge may help college graduates get jobs. The country's economy has improved. But many graduates continue to have a hard time finding employment. Local media reported ten percent of university graduates do not have a job.
Earlier this year, 24-year-old Pham Minh Dap and his brother established a school they call "Stand By You". Volunteers teach poor students English and Japanese. Many classes are free. Students with some language knowledge pay 25 to 50 cents per class. Mr. Dap pays about $ 500 to rent the language center space and for other costs. He gives about $ 150 from his earnings as a street Vendor and private language teaching. His brother gives the same amount from the money he earns as a secretary. Friends provide the rest. Mr. Dap and many of his family members have sold things outside HoaBinh Park in the center of Vietnam's capital for five years. They come from a village of rice farmers in Thanh Hoa Province.
Twenty-four-year-old Pham THi Trang is one of 600 students at the language school. She is finishing her university studies. Her parents work in a market in a village in Ha Nam Province. She says life is hard in the city. She earns about $50 a month from a part-time job, and her parents give her $ 75. But this is not enough to live on. She has said she has to be very careful with money so she can pay her bills.
Demand for the school is growing. About 1,000 people are on a waiting list to enter. Ten people have offered to teach for free. And Mr. Dap says he is hoping to raise money to pay for a bigger place. He wants to open more classes.
|
The main idea of the passage is _ .
|
[
"Are They Wearing the Same Clothes?",
"A Boy or a Girl?",
"What's Wrong with the Boys?",
"What's Wrong with the Girls?"
] |
A Boy or a Girl?
|
One day an old man went for a walk in a park in Washington and when he was tired, he sat down on a chair by a swimming pool. A young person was standing on the other side of the pool.
"Oh!" the old man said to the person sitting next to him. "Do you see the person with the loose clothes and long hair? Is it a boy or a girl?"
"A girl," said his neighbor. "She is my daughter."
"Oh!" the old man said quickly. "Please forgive me. I didn't know that you were her mother."
"I'm not," said the person. "I'm her father."
|
Which can be the best title for the passage?
|
[
"Encourage ourselves to rise above them.",
"Be ready to lose our belief.",
"Run away before they come.",
"Use the nature's power to hide ourselves."
] |
Encourage ourselves to rise above them.
|
Do you know what an eagle does when a storm is coming?
The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it opens its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is flying above it.
The eagle does not shirk the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.
When the storms of life come to us--- and all of us will experience them--- we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief, like an eagle does. The storms do not have to beat us. We can use the nature's power to lift us above them.
We are able to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can fly above the storm.
Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we face them.
|
What should we do when the storms of life come to us?
|
[
"At 3:00 pm on Thursday",
"At 7:00 pm on Sunday",
"At 11:00 am on Tuesday",
"At 8:00 am on Wednesday"
] |
At 3:00 pm on Thursday
|
Do you have any books on your bookshelf for many years? Instead of throwing them away, here is another way for you to consider. If you have books that you do not read anymore, you can share them with others. You can take the books to Share and Read. Share and Read offers used books in different categories , such as storybooks, children books, language books, cook books and computer books, etc. All the books are sold at low prices. Share and Read also aims to help poor children in China. The money raised will be donated to help build schools in rural areas.
We welcome all quality books. We do not want textbooks, magazines and dictionaries. Just make sure that your books are in good condition before giving them to us.
Address: 201 Riverside Main Street
Working hours: Thursdays to Sundays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Hotline: 7654-4321
We look forward to seeing you at Share and Read!
|
When can you take books to Share and Read?
|
[
"Homework is linked to academic achievement.",
"Homework can equip students with life skills.",
"Homework leads to the loss of kids' creativity.",
"Homework might improve kids' grades in exams."
] |
Homework might improve kids' grades in exams.
|
The old saying that practice makes perfect seems to make no sense when it comes to schoolwork. Many educators today are looking for evidence to support the case for homework, but are coming up empty-handed.
Mary Jane Cera is the academic administrator for the Kino School, and she maintains a no-homework policy across all grades. The purpose of the policy is to make sure learning remains a joy, not a thing that discourages social time and creative activity.
At the Kino school, Cera says children often choose to take their favorite parts of school home. "A lot of what we see kids doing is practicing music with their friends, and taking experiments home to show their parents," she says. Surveys of Kino graduates suggest that the early control they are given over their education continues to serve them well into college.
"One of the reasons that we continue to assign much homework is our obsession with tests, although we can agree on the importance of kids doing better on tests through proper homework to some degree,"says author Alfie Kohn. In his book The Homework Myth, Kohn points out that no study has ever found a relation between homework and academic achievement and that if kids have no choice in the matter of homework, they're not really exercising judgment, and are instead losing their sense of self-control.
However, many supporters of homework argue that life is filled with things we don't like to do, and that homework teaches self-discipline, time management and other non-academic life skills.
Wherever the homework debate goes next, it's worth taking a moment to examine if we're doing the right thing about our children's education. The good news is -- it's never too late to start.
|
What would Kohn probably agree with?
|
[
"Takes a bus.",
"Drives a car.",
"Drives a bus",
"On foot"
] |
Drives a car.
|
One Saturday, Bob decides to take a drive through the countryside. After a few hours, he sees a dog walking behind a man on the side of the road. As the car comes near them, the dog jumps into the road. Of course, the car hits the poor animal and kills it.
Bob stops his car and walks up to the man. "I'm very sorry," he says. "Is there anything I can do? Will $10 help?"
"Oh, but...," says the man.
"I should tell you..."
"Stop! You're right. Maybe $10 isn't enough! That dog was your best friend!"
Bob then takes $30 out of his pocket and gives it to the man. Then he thanks the man and drives away.
After Bob leaves, the man looks down at the dog and says: "I wonder whose dog that is."
|
How does Bob go through the countryside?
|
[
"take two tablets before going to bed.",
"take less than two tablets before going to bed.",
"stop taking the medicine.",
"ask advice of a doctor."
] |
take less than two tablets before going to bed.
|
Read the following directions on a bottle of medicine:
"Take two tablets with water, followed by one tablet every eight hours, as required, For maximum night-time and early morning relief, take two tablets at bed - time, Do not take more than six tablets in twenty-four hours.
For children six to twelve years old, give half the amount for a grownup. For children under six years old, ask for your doctor's advice.
Reduce the amount if nervousness, _ , or sleeplessness occurs,"
|
If one cannot sleep, it is suggested that he _ .
|
[
"Old English",
"English",
"North-West English",
"North-West Europe"
] |
North-West Europe
|
_ .The old English language, or old English, is quite different from Modern English.If we do not study old English, we can't understand it.Some of the words are the same, but many are not used now.The story of the English language begins some time after the year 400 AD.At this time, some people came to England from North-west Europe.There were many groups of people.They were called Angles , Saxons and Jutes ,whose language, old English, is like some of the modern language of North-West Europe.In old English, the ending had many meanings.They showed past time and present time and many other things.In Modern English, most of these endings are gone.This is the biggest difference between Old and Modern English.
|
Old English was first used by the people from _ .
|
[
"It just tells the driver to turn once at a time.",
"It gives the driver the overview.",
"Its screen is too small to be seen clearly.",
"It is only suitable for passive drivers."
] |
It just tells the driver to turn once at a time.
|
Global Positioning Systems are now a part of everyday driving in many countries.These satellitebased systems provide turnbyturn directions to help people get to where they want to go.However,they can also cause a lot of problems,send you to the wrong place or leave you completely lost.Many times,the driver is to blame.Sometimes a GPS error is responsible.Most often,says Barry Brown,it is a combination of the two.
Barry Brown is with the Mobile Life Centre in Stockholm,Sweden.He told us about an incident involving a friend who had flown to an airport in the eastern United States.There he borrowed a GPSequipped car to use during his stay.Mr Brown says,"They just plugged in an address and then set off to their destination.And,then it wasn't until they were driving for thirty minutes that they realized they actually put in a destination back on the West Coast where they lived.They actually put their home address in.So again,the GPS is kind of 'garbage in garbage out'."
Mr Brown says this is a common human error,but what makes the problem worse has to do with some of the shortcomings,or failures,of GPS equipment.He says,"One problem with a lot of the GPS units is they have a very small screen and they just tell you the next turn.Because they just give you the next turn,sometimes that means that it is not really giving you the overview that you would need to know that it's going to the wrong place."
Mr Brown says,"One of the things that struck us,perhaps the most important thing was that you have to know what you're doing when you use a GPS.There are these new skills that people have developed.There are these new competencies that you need to have to be able to use a GPS because they sometimes go wrong.This goes against a common belief that GPS systems are for passive drivers who lack navigational skills."
Barry Brown says to make GPS systems better we need a better understanding of how drivers,passengers and GPS systems work together.
|
Which of the followings is one of the shortcomings of GPS equipment?
|
[
"People who surf the Internet are good workers.",
"Not everyone surfs the Internet for fun during office hours.",
"Surfing the Internet for fun during office hours increases productivity.",
"The Internet is becoming more and more important in people's life."
] |
Surfing the Internet for fun during office hours increases productivity.
|
Surfing the Internet for fun will make you a better employee, according to an Australian study.
The University of Melbourne study shows that people who use the Internet for their own reasons at work are about 9 percent more productive than those who do not. Study author Brent Coker said, "Surfing the Internet at times helps increase workers' attention."
"People need to relax for a bit to get back their attention," Coker said on the university's website. "Having a short break, such as a quick surfing of the Internet, helps the mind to rest itself, leading to a higher total Internet attention for a day's work, and as a result, increases productivity ," he said.
According to the study of 300 workers, 70 percent of people who use the Internet at work surf the Internet for their own reasons during office hours. Among the most popular surfing activities are searching for information about products, reading online news, playing online games and watching videos. "Firms spend a lot of money on software to _ their workers from watching videos, using social networking sites or shopping online," said Coker. "That's not always a good idea."
However, Coker said the study looked at people who surfed the Internet in moderation , or were on the Internet for less than 20 percent of their total time in the office. "Those who spend too much time surfing the Internet will have a lower productivity than those without." he said.
|
What does the University of Melbourne study mainly show?
|
[
"encourage students to nod off in class",
"explain the influence of sleep on memory",
"show students ways to improve memory",
"introduce students two types of memory"
] |
explain the influence of sleep on memory
|
It turns out that nodding off in class may not be such a bad idea after all, as a new study has shown that going to sleep shortly after learning new material is the best way to remember it.
According to US lead author Jessica Payne, a psychologist at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, nodding off after learning something new is like "telling" the sleeping brain what to remember.
Along with colleagues, she studied 207 students who habitually slept for at least six hours per night.Participants were casually selected to study declarative , semantically related or unrelated word pairs at 9am or 9pm, and returned for testing 30 minutes, 12 hours or 24 ours later.
Declarative memory refers to the ability to remember facts and events with awareness, and can be broken down into episodic memory (memory for events) and semantic memory (memory for facts about the world).People routinely use both types of memory every day--recalling where we parked today or learning how a colleague prefers to be addressed.
At the 12-hour retest, memory overall was better following a night of sleep compared to a day of wakefulness.
At the 24-hour retest, with all subjects having received both a full night of sleep and a full day of wakefulness, subjects' memories were better when sleep occurred shortly after learning, rather than following a full day of wakefulness.
"Our study confirms that sleeping directly after learning something new is beneficial for memory.What's new about this study is that we tried to shine light on sleep's influence on both types of declarative memory by studying semantically unrelated and related word pairs," Payne said.
"Since we found that sleeping soon after learning benefited both types of memory, this means that it would be a good thing to practise any information you need to remember just before going to bed.In some sense, you may be 'telling' the sleeping brain what to remember."
|
The research led by Jessica Payre tries to _ .
|
[
"a Youtheater",
"an art museum -",
"a natural history museum",
"a hands-on science museum"
] |
a natural history museum
|
Are you looking for some new and exciting places to take your kids to? Try some of
these places:
. Visit art museums. They offer a variety of activities to excite your kids' interest. Many
offer workshops for making hand-made pieces, traveling exhibits, book signings by children's favorite writers, and even musical performances and other arts.
. Head to a natural history museum. This is where kids can discover the past from
dinosaur models to rock collections and pictures of stars in the sky. Also, ask what kind of workshops and educational programs are prepared for kids and any special events that are coming up.
. Go to a Youtheater. Look for one in your area offering plays for child and family
visitors. Pre-show play shops are conducted by area artists and educators where kids
can discover the secret about performing arts. Puppet making and stage
make-up are just a couple of the special offerings you might find.
Try hands-on science. Visit one of the many hands-on science museums around the
country. These science play-lands are great fun for kids and grown-ups alike. They'll
keep your child mentally and physically active the whole day through while pushing
buttons, experimenting, and building.. When everyone is tired, enjoy a fun family
science show, commonly found in these museums.
|
If a child is interested in the universe, he probably will visit
|
[
"he can practice his English",
"he can make many friends there",
"he loves Britain",
"he can play with the world's best players there"
] |
he can play with the world's best players there
|
Great young stars make Chinese people proud, like Yao Ming in the NBA, and Liu Xiang in track and field . Now maybe we can add one more name: Ding Junhui.
The teenage player has become China's hero at snooker .
Two days after his 18th birthday, Ding reached the top of the 2005 World Snooker China Open on Sunday. He's the second youngest ever to win a world ranking title !
In the final, Ding beat the world champion 9:5. He came from far behind to win.
"I didn't feel nervous because I just looked at it as a practice match," said Ding. "I was able to learn from the other players."
Ding doesn't talk much. Besides snooker, he hasn't many outside interests. He says he doesn't want anyone to beat him at snooker.
He has been in Britain since he was 16. He can play with the world's best players there. He practices many hours a day.
"Every game is so different for me. I have to think a lot before I win. That's why I enjoy snooker so much," he said.
|
Ding has been in Britain since he was 16 so that _ .
|
[
"Robert Plomin confirms genes have something in common",
"Howard Gardner thinks intelligence includes various factors",
"Michael Rowe approves of a strong link between IQ and career",
"Tony Buzan agrees geniuses exercise brain to improve intelligence"
] |
Howard Gardner thinks intelligence includes various factors
|
What exactly is intelligence? There aren't any easy answers.Despite the progress that has been made in genetics and psychology, human intelligence has remained one of the most controversial areas of modern science,until now, that is, for the discovery of a gene linked to intelligence has made the experts think again.
Robert Plomin of the Institute of Psychiatry in London and his colleagues in the US have been looking into genetic make-up.From their research, they have discovered that a slightly different gene is more common in those with a high IQ.Plomin analyzed DNA from two groups of 51 children aged between 6 and 15.What he found was that the first group had an IQ of 136, putting them in the top 5% of the population, while the other group had an average IQ of 103.An analysis of their genes showed that 32% of children in the higher group had the gene in question, while only 16% in the second group did.However, there is a lot more research to be done, and Plomin himself is cautious at this early stage.He suggests that there are probably many genes that contribute to intelligence, rather than just one. Several studies have shown a strong link between IQ and career success, although some psychologists remain unconvinced about this.Professor Michael Rowe, who has written a book called Genius Explained, is one of these."The people with the highest IQs are not usually the ones who do best in their careers."
Many psychologists now believe that when it comes to intelligence, IQ isn't everything.Many alternative views have been put forward recently.One example is the idea of multiple intelligences, which was developed in the 1980s by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner. _ offers a much broader view than the IQ theory, including creativity and communication skills as relevant factors in intelligence.
Tony Buzan, brain expert and author of Master your Memory, is enthusiastic about this belief, arguing that true geniuses do indeed appear to combine high levels of each type of intelligence.He lists Alexander the Great, Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein as examples.At the same time, Buzan believes that everyone can develop their intelligence, only if they take the trouble to exercise their brain.Perhaps there's hope for us all!
|
What can we learn from the passage?
|
[
"He thinks they are lucky.",
"He is bored with them.",
"He wants to learn from them.",
"He believes their success is a bad thing."
] |
He thinks they are lucky.
|
It is said that usually people learn from their experiences and the mistakes they make throughout their lives. This is correct because life teaches us what is correct to do and what is not.
Let's consider a mistake that one has made while trying to learn to drive. It is true that, for a beginner, it is common to make mistakes, but after doing something wrong once, twice or three times, it is quite impossible to make the same mistake a fourth time. Everyone tries their best in order to improve their skills and they will be very pleased to notice that these improvements really happen.
On the other hand, being successful in everything he does, one cannot know what failure means. He would always see only the best side of things and it would be difficult for him to face the difficulties to come in the future. Here we can mention the case of a very successful football player, who has known what fame is from the very beginning of his career. We have to admit that most of his luck originates from the great talent that he was born with. But some fellow players can also work to achieve the same thing because they make mistakes in their games and they learn from each mistake that they make.
In the end, we can say that one needs to make mistakes in life in order to better appreciate things. And at the same time, mistakes teach us how important it is to fight for something we wish for in life. Of course, moments of happiness will come in return when we see the changes or improvements.
|
What is the author's attitude towards someone that is always successful at something?
|
[
"driving the bus",
"talking to the people",
"listening to him",
"doing nothing"
] |
talking to the people
|
It is a fine Saturday morning. Lily and Lucy get up at six thirty. They want to go to the Great Wall with their mother. At seven fifty they are in a big bus to the Great Wall. There are forty people in it. Some of them are Americans, some are English. There are two Chinese in the bus, too. One is a woman. She is driving the bus. The other is a young man. He's now talking about the Great Wall in English. They are listening to him. At about nine o'clock, they get to the Great Wall.
|
The young Chinese man is _ .
|
[
"A man and a girl",
"Two men",
"A woman and a girl",
"A man and a boy"
] |
A woman and a girl
|
Charlie was spending his summer holidays by the sea. One day he climbed over some rocks. He was looking for some crabs for supper. He took off his shorts and put them on a rock.
The afternoon went quickly. Time was flying by. Look! The sea was coming in fast. It was over some of the rocks now.
Charlie looked up. "It's getting late. Oh dear! Look at the sea. Where are my shorts now?" he thought. He saw them on a rock.
Oh dear! The rock was an island! Now he must swim and got them.
Charlie jumped into the sea and started swimming. He reached the rock and put his shorts on his head. Then he started swimming back. Oh no! The sea was too strong for Charlie. It was pulling him away from the beach.
"Help!" he called. "I can't get back. "
Luckily, a boat was coming by. The people in the boat saw Charlie and heard his call for help.
"Are you all right?" asked the woman in the boat.
"No! I can't swim back. The sea is too strong. "
The woman stopped the boat and she and a girl pulled Charlie into the boat. He threw his shorts into the boat too. Then they turned the boat Bound and took Charlie back to the beach.
"That was lucky," said the woman.
"Thank you very much," said Charlie.
"Be careful next time," said the woman. "The sea is usually very strong near these rocks. "
"Next time, I'm going to keep my shorts in my bag," said Charlie. "Better safe than sorry!"
|
Who saved Charlie? _ .
|
[
"teamwork requires more use of computers than that of human beings",
"teamwork will be completely replaced by computers",
"the concept of teamwork is still alive and no longer the same as the past",
"high technology would make teamwork a thing of the past"
] |
the concept of teamwork is still alive and no longer the same as the past
|
Are you a team person? Are you at your best as part of a small, tightly united group of dedicated workers? If so, the future may _ for you than you think.
High technology, some predicted, would make team work a thing of the past. That's happening in those areas of business and data processing where one person and a computer can replace a team of workers.
But, elsewhere, teamwork is very much alive. High technology has led to a new type of teamwork in a number of fields, including advertising, scientific research, engineering design, architecture and ocean exploration. Through computer networking, scientists, engineers and technicians at different locations---often thousands of miles apart---can work on the same project at once. They can exchange ideas, try out different designs and test their results.
Examples? An engineering team can now design and try out a robot system, a new manufacturing process, or an entire factory before it is built. An architectural team can do the same with a building or a bridge. A medical team can simulate a dangerous operation before performing it on a patient.
Of course, computer-assisted team effort doesn't end with investigation and simulation. It now usually continues into actual design, manufacturing and testing. "Computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacture (CAM) are breaking down barriers between traditional design and manufacturing functions," explains Dr. Prakash Rao, an engineering manager at General Electric. "Interdisciplinary teams and engineers follow a product from concept to production. Everything is interconnected like a network."
Sometimes a computer-aided effort can extend beyond production. A team that produces robots may use them to explore space and ocean depth. For high-technology team work, the future seems limitless.
|
According to the passage, the writer believes that _ .
|
[
"Flowers, money and cards.",
"Flowers, money and chocolate.",
"Flowers, cards and chocolate.",
"Money, cards and chocolate."
] |
Flowers, cards and chocolate.
|
Now people in England, the US and many other countries celebrate Mother's Day. Mother's Day is on the second* Sunday of May*. On this day, children give flowers, cards, chocolate and other things to their mothers, but they don't give money to them. And they also make presents for their mothers. And some of them get up early to cook breakfast for their mothers. They also help their mothers do housework. They want to show their love to their mothers. They know if* they have no mothers; they can't live a happy life.
Many people in China celebrate this festival for their mothers because they want to show* their love to their mothers too. In every Chinese family, the mother looks after* the children, does the housework and cooks meals for the family, so she is quite _ and she is always busy in the family. Now more and more people celebrate Mother' Day in China.[:Zxxk.Com]
|
What presents do mothers usually get on Mother's Day?
|
[
"advise young people to learn music",
"help students to learn music better",
"get schools and communities closely united",
"call on people to pay more attention to music education"
] |
call on people to pay more attention to music education
|
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 and helps kids bond with their peers ."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 .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.
|
The purpose of National Wanna Play Music Week is to _ .
|
[
"Frank was serious.",
"Frank was outgoing.",
"Frank was funny.",
"Frank was smart."
] |
Frank was smart.
|
Today I took Frank to have a training class . We got there earlier than most of the other dogs and _ .
Mr. Brown helped us teach our dogs some skills . When the dog did it, he said, "Good dog!" He was a serious man but he laughed a lot with dogs. He said Frank was smarter than other dogs.
Next to Frank was also a smart dog. His name was Sam. His short legs made him look funny, but he could run faster than many of the bigger dogs. His owner was a quiet girl and looked a little shy. So I said hello to her first. I hoped she could be my friend.
At the end of the class, Mr. Brown told me that Frank did the best this class and he would give him a ball.
|
What did Mr. Brown think of Frank?
|
[
"It was baked for Sharon only.",
"The neighbor had tasted it.",
"It was made from zucchini.",
"It might not taste good."
] |
It might not taste good.
|
It's that time of year when people need to lock their cars. Is it because there are many criminals stealing cars? Not indeed. Rather, it's because of good-hearted neighbors who want to share their harvest.
Sharon recently had a good year for tomatoes. She and her family had eaten and canned so many that they'd begun to feel their skin turn slightly red. That's when she decided it was time to share her blessings. Eventually she found a neighbor willing to have the tomatoes."Feel free to take whatever you want,"Sharon told her. Later that day, Sharon found that her garden had indeed been harvested. She thought it a good way to help someone and the food didn't go to waste.
A few days later, the neighbor knocked at the door, holding a loaf of bread:"I want to thank you for all of the tomatoes, and I have to admit that I took a few other things and hoped you wouldn't mind."Sharon couldn't think of anything in her garden that had been worth harvesting and said so."But you did,"the neighbor said."You had some of the prettiest zucchini."
Sharon was confused. She hadn't even planted any zucchini. But her neighbor insisted that there were bright green zucchini. Sharon's curiosity got the better of her and she had to go to see where the zucchini had grown. When the neighbor pointed at the long green vegetables, Sharon smiled."Well, actually, those are cucumbers that we never harvested, because they got too big, soft and bitter."
The neighbor looked at Sharon, shock written all over her face. She hesitated a few times, and then smiling, held out the bread, part of a batch she had shared all over the neighborhood,"I brought you a loaf of cucumber bread. I hope you like it."
|
Which is true about the loaf of bread?
|
[
"announcement",
"advertisement",
"science research",
"news report"
] |
news report
|
ARIEL, West Bank: A suicide bomber blew up near Israeli soldiers outside a Jewish settlement in the West Bank yesterday, killing at least three people and wounding about 30
Ron Nachman, mayor of the settlement of Ariel. "Soldiers were among the casualties . "People on the spot said the bomber blew up after soldiers eating at a food stand in a petrol station at the entrance of the settlement found him. According to some people on the spot accounts reported by Israeli media, a soldier shot and wounded the bomber, who then exploded.
The Magen David Adorn ambulance service said at least three people were killed and at least 30 wounded in the blast , which set the bomber burning at Ariel, about 25 kilometers east of Tel Aviv.
A fire brigade official said: "The bomber was still burning when we got there and we put out the fire immediately."
Meanwhile, a blast shook homes in Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp early yesterday, damaging buildings but causing no injuries, Palestinian sources said. They said the bomb was planted outside the home of a member of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction in Ain el-Hilwch camp, and exploded while the family was sleeping.
|
It can be concluded that the passage is most probably part of a(n) _ .
|
[
"people are encouraged to grow plants on their roofs",
"special lanes are designed to solve traffic jams",
"people make good use of solar and wind energy",
"people are provided with a pleasant place to live"
] |
people are provided with a pleasant place to live
|
We humans live in different parts of the world, but we have the same "mother". She gives us everything we need in our daily life. She is our Mother Earth.
April 22 is Earth Day. The theme of this year is "Green Cities".
A green city is a healthy and pleasant place for people to live, according to the United Nations.
A green city can get its energy from renewable sources like solar and wind power. Also, it is connected by clean public transportation. Moreover, a green city is made up of facilities that can save energy and reduce waste.
Around the world, many cities and countries have done well to build themselves in a green way.
Chicago is well known for its green roof program. These roofs are covered with plants. The plants get a great amount of rainwater. Later, the water evaporates to help make the air cool and clean. So far, there are about 360 green roofs in Chicago, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Curitiba, Brazil, has great transportation. It opened the world's first bus rapid transit (BRT) system in 1974. BRT runs on special lanes. This makes sure that buses are on time even in traffic jams. With the help of BRT, the city has the lowest level of air pollution in Brazil. Today, many other countries have copied BRT, including China and Mexico.
Singapore is home to the first zero-energy building in Southeast Asia. Zero energy means a building is able to create more energy than it uses. Zero-energy buildings work with solar panels mainly on roofs. These panels can make electricity which powers the buildings. By 2030, Singapore plans to build 80 percent of its buildings like this.
|
From the passage, we learn that in the three cities _ .
|
[
"MiMi buys food ,fruit and drinks.",
"MiMi can't sing and dance.",
"MiMi feels shy in front of his friends.",
"Friends sing\"Happy birthday\"to him ."
] |
MiMi can't sing and dance.
|
Hi,I'm Mimi. I'm four years old. I enjoy listening to music very much. I can sing and dance. This is a photo of me at my birthday party. I look very cool because it is my birthday today.It is favorite day of this year.I get up early and I'm ready for my birthday party.I have a lot of animal friends .iIcall them to my home on the phone. Then I take a bus to go shopping. I buy some food ,friut and drinks in the super market.At 7:0p.m,the party begins.All my friend asks me to sing some songs for them .I'm shy in front of them but I feel happy.Look! I'm playing guitar.They are listening tomy songs They clap their hands from time to time.at last ,all my friends walk to me and sing." Happy birthday" to me.How happy my birthday is !And my friends have a good time .
|
Which is Not true?
|
[
"She is afraid of hurting her friends.",
"She does not understand true friendship.",
"Her family experience stops her from doing so.",
"She does not put her needs first."
] |
Her family experience stops her from doing so.
|
A letter to Edward, a columnist
Dear Mr Expert:
I grew up in an unhappy and abusive home. I always Promised myself that I'd get out as soon as possible. Now, at age 20,I have a good job and a nice house, and I'm really proud of the independence I've achieved.
Here's the problem: several of my friends who still live with their parents wish they had places like mine -- so much so that they make mine theirs.
It started out with a couple of them spending the weekends with me. But now they seem to take it for granted that they can shou up any time they like. They bring boyfriends over, talk on the phone and stay out forever.
I enjoy having my friends here sometimes-- it makes the place feel comfortable and warm-- but this is my home, not a party house. I was old enough to move out on my own, so why can't I seem to ask my friends to respect my privacy ?
Joan
Edward's reply to Joan
Dear Joan:
If your family didn't pay attention to your needs when you were a child, you probably have trouble letting others know your needs now.
And if you've gathesed yourfriends around you to rebuild a happy family atmosphere ,you may fear that saying no will bring back the kind of conflict you grew up with-- or destroy the nice atmosphere you now enjoy. You need to understand that in true friendship it's okay to put your own needs first from time to time.
Be clear about the message you want to send. For example, "I really love your company but I also need some privacy. So please call before you come over."
|
According to Mr Expert, why can't Joan tell her friends her feelings?
|
[
"a photo",
"a language",
"a diary",
"a camera"
] |
a camera
|
Do you remember the things happened many years ago ? Do you remember all the names of your friends? Do you have a good memory ?
A good memory is a great help in learning language . Everybody learns his own language by remembering what he learns when he is a little child. And some children , who live abroad with their parents ,seem to learn two languages more easily . In native school it is not easy to learn a second language because the pupils have so little time for it . and they are busy with other subjects . A man's mind is like a camera, but it takes photos not only of what we see but of what we feel ,hear, smell and taste . When we take a real photo with a camera ,there is much to do before the photo is finished and ready to show to our friends . In the same way there is much work to do be done before we can keep a picture forever in our mind . Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us .
,.
|
From the passage ,we know that one's mind is like _ .
|
[
"he expected to get married to the woman",
"she made him think of his ex-wife and kid",
"she asked him whether he could give a hand",
"he felt sorry for being unable to support his family"
] |
she made him think of his ex-wife and kid
|
Robert is a boss who hires me as a helper. He has lost his home and now has to live back at home, with his mother, at 46.
We had a job in Fort Bending. Robert bought me breakfast there. As we were leaving ,a man walked to us asking if he could get some work from Roberts' company. Robert explained there was no work for the man and the man started to walk away. As I looked from the leaving man back to Robert, l saw Robert getting Out some money and went after the man to give it to him. I asked Robert, "Why did you do that?" Robert said _
After a very long, hard day, we stopped at a Quick Trip for a soda. I got through the check out ahead of Robert and went back out to the work truck. Beside the truck was a woman in a car. She had 3 kids and asked me if I could help-she had been _ now where to go with her children-they were living in the car. I told her I was also hurting in these times-sorry I could not. Robert came out. opened the work truck and we got in I told him about the lady I didn't even finish the story when Robert was out. his door- around the truck and giving the women money to help her and her kids out. When Robert returned I asked, "Why did you do that, she didn't even ask you". He said "I have an ex-wife and a kid-if they need help and I am not able, someone will help them"
|
Robert helped the woman because _ .
|
[
"making a comparison.",
"presenting training findings.",
"analyzing facts.",
"setting down rules."
] |
presenting training findings.
|
As many people hit middle age, they often start to notice that their memory and mental attention are not what they used to be. We suddenly can't remember where we put the keys just a moment ago, or an old friend's name, or the name of an old band we used to love. It happens to most of us, but is it unavoidable?
Scientists are increasingly showing that there's actually a lot that can be done. It turns that the brain needs exercise in much the same way as our muscles do, and the right mental workouts can improve our basic cognitive functions.
Now, a new San Francisco Web-based company has taken it a step further and developed the first "brain training program" designed to actually help people improve and regain their mental sharpness. Called Lumosity, it was designed by some of the leading experts from Stanford University. Lumosity is far more than an online place to exercise your mental skills. That's because they have combined these exercises with a Web-based program that allows you to systematically improve your memory and attention skills.
Apparently it works. One study showed students improved their scores on math tests by 34 percent after using Lumosity for six weeks, greater gains than those made by other students in the same class, who were not training with the Lumosity program. The company says its users have reported clearer and quicker thinking, improved memory for names, numbers, directions, increased alertness and awareness, high mood, and better concentration at work or while driving.
|
The author explains the training results by _
|
[
"To urge awareness on mental health of the young.",
"To give the details of the problems the Chinese youth are facing today.",
"To recommend that schools should invite more psychologists to help solve the mental problems among the youth.",
"To show us the causes of the mental problems among students."
] |
To urge awareness on mental health of the young.
|
The Ministry of Health has called for more awareness from the public on the mental health of the young,as part of efforts to mark World Mental Health Day.
More than 15 percent of the Chinese youth have been found with mental problems,and about 30 million young people under 17 are suffering from depression,the Shanghai-based Wenhui Daily reported.
The World Health Organization estimated that before 2020,the rate of children with mental problems will increase to 50 percent,and mental problems will become a major factor behind death and illness in the young worldwide.
Deng Xiaohong,the spokesperson for the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau,said rapid social change is one of the reasons behind the rising number of youngsters with psychological problems.
If these mental diseases are not _ on time,occurrence of crime,drugtaking and other dangerous behavior are expected to rise.
Experts said mental disease could be caused by many factors,such as the inability to handle interpersonal relations well,unstable emotions and pressure from the overload of study. A number of experts have also said the one-child policy is another reason leading to poor mental health in the young.
Children were said to be too "spoiled" and "selfish" in one-child families. Schools in many cities were reported to roll out measures to help students maintain their mental well-being. Yin Jingmiao,a teacher of the Beijing No. 105 Middle School,told China Daily that the school invites psychologists to provide counseling to students three times a month. "Students can be arranged to have 40-minute counseling sessions," Yin said. The school also gives lectures on mental health to senior grade students before they take the national college entrance exams,to help ease any anxiety arising from the tests.
|
What is the purpose of the passage?
|
[
"To teach in college.",
"To run his own shops.",
"To earn a degree in arts.",
"To work in a big factory."
] |
To run his own shops.
|
It was on the early afternoon of a mid-October day in 2012. Bismark Mensah, who came to America several months ago, was collecting carts outside a Walmart in Federal Way. It was a part-time job for him. He earned $9.05 an hour in charge of getting carts out of the parking lot.
He was used to finding stuff in carts that customers had somehow forgotten -- keys, credit cards, wallets. And he turned them into a customer service. But a particular item stood out. It was a white envelope with a clear window in the middle, and there was a lot of cash in it, around $20,000. Mensah turned them into customer services.
Because of what he did that afternoon, Mensah is now the winner of Walmart's national 2013 "Integrity in Action Award".
Bismark Mensah says that since the story ran, he has become the model the youth in Ghana (his native country).
He is now employed full-time at the Federal Way Walmart, earning $10.95 an hour, up from the $9.05 an hour he earned working part-time.
Mensah, 33, no longer collects carts and such. He is in the backroom, dealing with inventory . "I want to learn everything about operating a store like Walmart store," he says. He plans to return to Ghana to run some shops owned by his family. He also plans to go to college and earn a degree in business administration.
|
What's Mensah's future plan?
|
[
"The Mangrove Rivulus fish can live out of water as long as other animals if it has something to eat.",
"Millions of years ago, animals began to live onto land from water.",
"Lungfish found in Australia, Africa and South America can live out of water in a not active way.",
"The walking catfish found in Southeast Asia can stay on land for hours at a time."
] |
The Mangrove Rivulus fish can live out of water as long as other animals if it has something to eat.
|
A fish that lives in America can live out. of water for months at a time, similar to how animals got used to land millions of years ago, a new study shows.
The Mangrove Rivulus, a kind of little fish, lives in small pools of water. When their living place dries up, they live. on the land, said Scott Taylor, a researcher in Florida.
The fish can grow as large as three inches. They group together and breathe air through their skin before they can find water again.
The new scientific discovery came during a trip.
"We were travelling for fun. and one day I kicked over a log and the fish came out," Taylor told reporters by telephone. He said he would make his study on the fish known to the public in an American magazine early next year.
In lab tests, Taylor said he found the fish can live up to 66 days out of water without eating.
Some other fish can live out of water for a short period of time. The walking catfish found in Southeast Asia can stay on land for hours at a time, while lungfish found in Australia, Africa and South America can live out of water, but only in a not active way. But no other known fish can be out of water as long as the Mangrove Rivulus and keep active, according to Patricia Wright, a biologist at a Canadian University.
More studies of the fish may tell how animals changed over time.
"These animals live in conditions similar to those millions of years ago, when animals began to move from water onto land," Wright said.
|
Which one of the sentences below is not true?
|
[
"The material wealth and general contentment are strongly connected with each other.",
"The more one's wealth is, the happier he will be.",
"Many people have wrong concept towards the relation between love and money.",
"Money can solve all the problems."
] |
Many people have wrong concept towards the relation between love and money.
|
There is a Web site called the "World Database of Happiness." It combines and analyzes the results of hundreds of surveys from around the world that have been conducted on life satisfaction. Most of the findings are predictable, but a few are surprising.
The database makes it clear that there is not a strong connection between material wealth and general contentment. It is a cliche to say that money can't buy happiness, but the old saying seems to be supported by research. Many people still cling to the belief that gaining riches will be the answer to all their problems, yet they are probably mistaken.
Studies have been carried out on people who acquired sudden wealth, such as lottery winners. In most cases, after the initial joy had worn off, people were not left with a sense of lasting happiness. In fact, they tended to revert to the way they felt before they became rich. Previously contented people continue to be contented, while those who were miserable before sink back into misery.
If material wealth does not bring happiness, then what does? Perhaps happiness has something to do with where you live. The authorities at the World Database on Happiness have surveyed levels of happiness in different countries. Apparently, people in America, Canada, and Singapore are very happy; people living in India and Russia, not surprisingly, are not happy.
Other surveys consistently point to the importance of relationships. Family relationships in particular seem to be the key to long-term contentment. The Web site suggests that falling in love and having children are two of the situations that bring the greatest happiness.
Nowadays people look to technology as an alternative source of satisfaction. People increasingly spend more time alone watching TV or surfing the Internet rather than spending time with family. Can technology truly make people happy? It is too difficult to tell, but one thing is sure: If the Web site's research is accurate, time spent with your family is a better investment than time spent making money.
|
Which description is right according to the passage?
|
[
"the music style and stars they loved",
"their attitude towards paying money for dinner",
"the decreasing number of young women smoking",
"the time they meet up with people and have evening out"
] |
their attitude towards paying money for dinner
|
A night out in Tokyo is much the same as a night out in Milan these days, according to a survey about socialising, conducted amongst 16 to 34-year-olds around the world. Wherever you live, a typical night out is spent eating burgers, seeing American films or listening to English-language music in clubs and bars. Individual differences do survive but American culture is everywhere.
Differences in the social behavior of the two sexes are also disappearing. Most people surveyed felt that it was 'perfectly normal' for groups of young women to go out alone, that it was 'equally acceptable' for young women to smoke and drink, and that a couple should split the bill when they go out together. For most young people these were the biggest differences between their own generation and their parents'.
Interestingly, however, most young people interviewed said that parents are still stricter with daughters than sons about where they go and who they go with. Overall, only 10 per cent thought that parents treat their sons and daughters equally, and almost no one thought parents were stricter with their sons!
Important national differences appear, however, when it comes to time-keeping. In the Far East and Eastern Europe a night out starts --- and finishes --- much earlier: there seven o'clock was the average time for meeting up with friends. For many Southern European and South Americans, on the other hand, an evening out doesn't even start until ten or eleven o'clock, by which time many of their South Korean or Japanese counterparts are safely home in bed!
Parents' rules reflect this. Most Japanese parents expect their teenagers home by ten o'clock or even earlier, whereas in Europe it is more likely to be eleven or twelve o'clock. The most surprising findings came from Argentina, however, where it is apparently quite normal for 15 and 16-year-olds to stay out all night. But then perhaps this is because their parents have less to worry about --- 80 percent of Argentine youngsters claimed that they rarely or never drink alcohol!
|
One of the biggest differences between young people and their parents lies in _ .
|
[
"drew the whole world's attention in 1960",
"were conveyed all over the world gradually",
"have been in circulation during the past year",
"are of great benefit to today's busy parents"
] |
are of great benefit to today's busy parents
|
Adult color1ing books have been in circulation for a few years now, and actually the first adult color1ing book was published in 1960, however, during the past year they've really taken the world by storm.
Many adults can benefit and enjoy these popular color1ing books, particularly today's busy parents. Here are some fun and calming reasons you might want to purchase one or two of your own.
As parents, we tend to get caught up in the daily routine of getting our families hurriedly out the door for school and work each day--only to fall into bed exhausted and then get up and do it all over again the next day. We may not have much time to devote to a hobby, but if you grab yourself an adult color1ing book, you can get your creative juices flowing in a matter of minutes.
Parenting is wonderful but it's also full of daily stress that naturally go along with the job. Whether it be at the end of a busy day or you have a few free minutes while the baby naps, picking up a box of freshly, sharpened color1ed pencils and your favorite color1ing book can take your mind off your "to do" list and transport you to a whole other world--one where you can be free to just enjoy the rainbow and simply embrace a little unwinding time.
Whether you choose to delight in color1ed pencils or an old-fashioned box of crayons, all you'll need to grab is either one and your favorite color1ing book. So if you're in the car while your son's finishing up soccer practice, or in the reception area waiting to have your teeth cleaned, your color1ing supplies are a breeze to take along and help you pass the time in a color1ful way.
Another benefit to taking up color1ing is that it can also become a family affair. Sitting together with your kids and color1ing is a great way to spend some quality time together, regardless of whether or not you stay within the lines!
|
These popular color1ing books _ .
|
[
"prefer to have a driving license",
"have more accidents while driving",
"are somehow prevented from driving",
"are the only driver in the family"
] |
prefer to have a driving license
|
It has always been said that women are not good drivers, because they simply don't have very good driving ability. On the other hand, most car accidents happen to men; very few happen to women.
From this, we can see that women are much more careful while driving. Another very interesting fact that we should point out is that in the past, women preferred to let their husbands be the only driver in the family rather than have a driving license. Somehow they were prevented from making this step in their lives, but nowadays there are many women that want to pass their driving tests from an early age.
However, we have to admit that men are more skillful drivers than women, but this does not mean that a woman cannot become a good driver by accumulating experience. So more and more teenagers and women around the age of thirty now want to pass their driving tests. While taking their driving lessons, they also have a number of special lessons with their parents or somebody in the family that has a driving license, this is just to improve their driving abilities and help them to pass the tests more easily.
To conclude, we can say that women are not such bad drivers. They just need more experience than men in order to be able to drive well. And on the other hand, there are a number of women that show better driving skills than the men around them.
|
Compared with the past, nowadays many women _ .
|
[
"forming the habit of taking sleep-producing drug.",
"keeping good habits.",
"staying up late night.",
"eating something at bedtime."
] |
keeping good habits.
|
Enough sleep is important to health. The amount of sleep needed depends on the age of the person and the conditions in which sleep takes place. The young may need more sleep than the old, but usually eight hours are enough for the health of grown-ups. Some can do with less than this amount, but others may need more. Every person knows his own need. It is then a matter of good judgment to satisfy his need. Sleep should always be enough to make one bring back his strength and get ready for a day's work.
Fresh air is necessary to sound sleep. It is not without reason for some people to think that it is practicable to sleep in the open air. When one can keep himself warm, out-of-door sleeping probably gives the body its most complete relaxation .
Ability to sleep is largely a habit. The conditions referred to only lead to sleep. Out-of-door exercises, a good habit of regular hours and the avoidance of late eating and worry, which are largely within the control of any person, are all helpful to sound sleep.
A bath at bedtime, neither hot nor cool but of body temperature, may be helpful to sleep. Sleep-producing drug should never be taken except when suggested by a doctor.
|
If you want to have a good sleep, _ is helpful.
|
[
"He has no difficulty adapting to the common life.",
"He is about 17 years old now.",
"He suffered great hardship in the forest.",
"He has spent 10 years in woods."
] |
He is about 17 years old now.
|
Germany's mystery English-speaking "forest boy" is said to be having trouble adjusting to conventional life.
Source close to the case claim he is having difficulty sleeping in a proper bed and wants to return to the wild. Other creature comforts , such as soap, hot showers, and running water, are also " unsettling" the youngster. Known only as Ray, and believed to be around 17, the boy is thought to have spent at least five years sleeping rough in woods south of the German capital.
He handed himself into officials on September 5, and was carrying a rucksack ,tent and sleeping bag. He told police his father had recently died after a fall and he had buried him in a shallow grave. He then walked north for a fortnight for help until he got to the German capital.
Despite the bizarre nature of the story, police have said it is credible. The source said it was " unsurprising" the teenager found a soft bed so unusual if he had been sleeping rough for so long. "He has indicated that he would be far more comfortable on the forest floor and would prefer to return there to sleep," the source added.
The boy claimed that his father had taken him into the woods south of Berlin after his mother, Doreen, died in a car crash.
Now detectives have begun a search for the grave, or any other place where Ryan's body might be lying. The boy is unable to tell them exactly where he buried his father, but claimed he " followed his compass northwards". In the meantime, they are trying to make Ray a ward of court, so that an official can be appointed to make important decisions on his behalf.
DNA, fingerprint and dental records can also then be handed to Interpol so that his records can be checked against those of missing children. A police spokesman confirmed that a search had started for Ryan's grave after the boy said that he was buried under the stones " two weeks south of Berlin". Police are puzzled by the case, but say that everything Ray has told them so far adds up.
Officials believe the teenager could be British because he speaks English but only basic German. The British Consul is also working with police to try to solve the mystery.
Ray, who is 5 feet 11 inches, with blond hair, is in good physical shape and had no signs of abuse apart from a small scar that was at least 3 years old.
|
Which of the following statements about " forest boy" is TRUE?
|
[
"A growing number of people are going to the cinema.",
"People are richer with the development of economy.",
"More comedies are made than serious films.",
"People have to pay more to watch a movie."
] |
People are richer with the development of economy.
|
In spite of the uncertainty of the economy, the movie industry has been stricken by a box-office outburst. Suddenly it seems as if everyone is going to the movies, with ticket sales this year up 17.5 percent, to $1.7 billion.
And it is not just because ticket prices are higher. Attendance has also jumped, by nearly 16 percent. If that pace continues through the year, it would amount to the biggest box-office increase in at least two decades.
Americans, for the moment, just want to hide in a very dark place. People want to forget their troubles, and they want to be with other people. Helping feed the outburst is the mix of movies, which have been more audience-friendly in recent months as the studios have tried to adjust after the discouraging sales of more serious films.
As she stood in line at the 18-screen Bridge theater complex here on Thursday to buy weekend tickets for _ : The 3D Concert Experience," Angel Hernandez was not thinking much about escaping reality. Instead, Ms. Hernandez, a Los Angeles parking lot attendant and mother of four young girls, was focused on one very specific reality: her wallet.
"Spending hundreds of dollars to take them to _ is ridiculous right now," she said. "For $60 and some candy money I can still be a good mom and give them a little fun."
A lot of parents may have been thinking the same thing Friday, as "Jonas Brothers" sold out more than 800 theaters, and was expected to sell a powerful $25 million or more in tickets.
The film industry appears to have had a hand in its recent good luck. Over the last year or two, studios have released movies that are happier, scarier or just less
depressing than what came before. After poor results for a rush of serious dramas built around the Middle East, Hollywood got back to comedies.
|
Which of the following is not a reason for the improvement of the movie industry?
|
[
"They could earn much, but they had to work hard.",
"Many of them earned money in a dishonest way.",
"They were all from poor families.",
"They were all thin, young boys."
] |
Many of them earned money in a dishonest way.
|
Pulling heavy suitcases all day in the summer is hard work, especially when you're a thin 14-year-old.That was me in 1940-the youngest and smallest baggage boy at New York City's Pennsyl-vania Railway Station.
After just a few days on the job, I began noticing that the other fellows were overcharging passengers. I'd like to join them, thinking, "Everyone else is doing it."
When I got home that night, I told my dad what I wanted to do." You give an honest day's work," he said, looking at me straight in the eye." They're paying you. If they want to do that, you let them do that."
I followed my dad's advice for the rest of that summer and have lived by his words ever since.
Of all the jobs I've had, it was my experience at Pennsylvania Railway Station that has stuck with me. Now I teach my players to have respect for other people and their possessions. Being a member of a team is a totally shared experience. If one person steals, it destroys trust and hurts everyone. I can put up with many things, but not with people who steal. If one of my players were caught stealing, he'd be gone.
Whether you're on a sports team, in an office or a member of a family, if you can't trust one another, there's going to be trouble.
|
What can be inferred about the baggage boys?
|
[
"It's all right to try more before settling down.",
"It's better to take adult responsibility earlier.",
"It involves too much effort to rise vertically.",
"It's ridiculous to call her generation \"arrogant\"."
] |
It's all right to try more before settling down.
|
A few months ago as I wandered through my parents' house, the same house I grew up in, I had a sudden, scary realization. When my parents bought the house, in 1982, they were only two years older than I am now. I tried to imagine myself in two years, ready to settle down and buy the house I'd still be living in almost 30 years later.
It seemed ridiculous. On a practical level, there's no way I could afford to buy a house anytime soon. More importantly, I wouldn't want to. I'm not sure where I'll be living in two years, or what kind of job I'll have. And I don't think I'll be ready to settle down and stay in one place.
So this is probably the generation gap that divides my friends and me from our parents. When our parents were our age, they'd gotten their education, chosen a career, and were starting to settle into responsible adult lives.
My friends and I - "Generation Y" - still aren't sure what we want to do with our lives. Whatever we end up doing, we want to make sure we're happy doing it. We'd rather take risks first, try out different jobs, and move from one city to another until we find our favorite place. We'd rather spend our money on travel than put it in a savings account.
This casual attitude toward responsibility has caused some critics to call my generation "arrogant", "impatient", and "overprotected". Some of these complaints have a point. As children ,we were encouraged to succeed in school, but also to have fun. We grew up in a world full of technological innovation: cellphones, the Internet, instant messaging, and video games.
Our parents looked to rise vertically --starting at the bottom of the ladder and slowly making their way to the top, on the same track, often for the same company. That doesn't apply to my generation.
Because of that, it may take us longer than our parents to arrive at responsible, stable adulthood. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. In our desire to find satisfaction, we will work harder, strive for ways to keep life interesting, and gain a broader set of experiences and knowledge than our parents' generation did.
By Ariel Lewiton
|
Which of the following might the author agree with?
|
[
"two corneas",
"all organs",
"heart",
"kidney"
] |
two corneas
|
Not only a popular singer was Yao Beina, but also she was an energetic and warm-hearted angel. She had her corneas donated to two men who needed them, which helped them see the world clearly again.
Yao was born in a music family on Sept. 26, 1981 in Wuhan. She started to learn the piano at the age of 4, and she sang her first song on the stage when she was 9 years old. Yao did quite well in singing, so she took part in the thirteenth Youth Singing Competition and won the first prize.
She became well-known to the public after making a series of songs for the hit TV drama "The Legend of Zhenhuan" in 2012, and the mandarin version of "Let It Go" from Disney's "Frozen". In July 2013, she competed in The Voice of China II and finally got the second place in Na Ying's team. She had won a lot of music awards before she was famous.
Yao Beina was unfortunate to be diagnosed with breast cancer and had a successful operation in 2011. Since then, she has fought against the disease for about four years while keeping singing, but sadly she failed. She originally thought of donating all of her organs to save others' lives, but failed to do it because of her serious illness.
She's gone, even though she had never stopped struggling with cancer. Heaven just got another beautiful angel, with her beautiful voice and kindness.
|
Yao Beina had her _ donated to save others.
|
[
"became angry",
"called the police",
"turned around and escaped",
"turned around and fought back"
] |
became angry
|
There's a man in the habit of hitting me on the head with an umbrella.At first I couldn't stand it;now I'm used to it.
I don't know his name.I know he's average in appearance,wears a gray suit.and has a common face one hot morning,when 1 was sitting off a tree-shaded bench in Palermo Park,reading the paper,suddenly I felt something touch my head.It was the very same man who now,as I'm writing.keeps striking me with an umbrella.
On that occasion I turned around filled with anger.He just kept on hitting me.I asked him if he was crazy.He didn't even seem to hear me.Thell I threatened to call a policeman.Calmly.cool as a cucumber,he stuck with his task.After a few moments of hesitation,and seeing that he was not about to change his attitude,I stood up and hit him on the nose.The man fell down.But he immediately got back on his feet,obviously with great effort,and without a word again began hitting me on the head with the umbrella.His nose was bleeding and,at that moment.Ifelt sorry for him I felt regret for having hit him so hard.After all,the man wash't exactly hitting me;he was merely tapping me lightly with his umbrella,not causing any pain at all.Of course.those taps were extremely bothersome.As we all know,when a fly lands on your forehead,you don't feel any pain;what you feel is annoyance well then,that umbrella was one huge fly that kept landing on my head time after time.
Convinced that I was dewing with a madman.I tried to escape.But the man followed me,wordlessly continuing to hit me.So I began to run(I should point out that not many people run as fast asI do).He took off after me.trying to land a blow.The man was out of breath so that I thought,if I continued to force him to run at that speed,he would drop dead fight then and there*
|
When the man began to strike the author with an umbrella,the author
|
[
"To help trade expeditions.",
"To locate a precise place.",
"To cross the lines of the nearest point.",
"To identify how far a place is."
] |
To locate a precise place.
|
Where on Earth are you? Navigators use lines of latitude and lines of longitude to locate places. Lines of latitude run east and west around Earth. On a map or globe, these lines appear as running sideways or horizontally. Lines of longitude run north and south around Earth. These lines go up and down or vertically on a map or globe. These lines create an imaginary graph paper on the Earth. They make it possible to find an absolute, or exact, location on Earth. They even allow us to give an absolute location to a place out in the middle of the ocean.
Lines of latitude tell us how far north or south of the Equator we are. Sailors have used primitive navigation tools, like astrolabes, since ancient times. The astrolabe uses the sun and stars to find an approximate location. Using such tools, they have been able to approximate their distance from the equator. Although their instruments may not have been the high quality we have now, they were incredibly accurate for their time.
Lines of longitude tell us how far east or west of the prime meridian we are. Sailors constantly looked for new ways to increase their navigation skills. Still, it wasn't until the 18th century that they were able to measure degrees of longitude. They would have been very envious of the technology available to us today.
When we use lines of latitude and longitude together, we can get a very precise location. If we want to identify the absolute location of a point, we look where the latitude and longitude lines cross nearest to that point. We use the coordinates for that point as its address. Many maps today include degrees of latitude and longitude.
|
Why do maps include degrees of latitude and longitude?
|
[
"In a theme park",
"In a paint company",
"In a pet food company",
"In a Build-A-Bear Workshop."
] |
In a Build-A-Bear Workshop.
|
The Most Unusual Jobs
Pet Food Tester .
Yes, it's a thing and yes it's totally gross . But Mark Gooley ---the owner of a pet food company, eats dog food for a living. He eats everything from doggie treats and chewy bones to liver mixture.
Teddy Bear repair Engineer
When your favorite toy loses an arm, or suffers a bad injury, it is upsetting. But now you can get help in the Build-A-Bear Workshops, the teddy bear repair engineers repair your favorite teddy bears and get them back to themselves.
Water slide Tester
Monday morning surely seems more enjoyable if you spend your working week slipping down water slides in a theme park, especially in summer.
You might also spend your lunch break on a roller coaster, eating a hot dog for lunch.
Working holiday, am I right?
Paint Watcher
You may have heard some people say they'd "rather watch paint dry" than do something they don't want to do. Well, if they really mean it, the chance is there---- studying the drying time and effects of paint as a full-time job for a paint company.
|
Where can you get help if your favorite toy loses an arm?
|
[
"meeting people",
"wearing different clothes",
"working nights and weekends.",
"A and B"
] |
A and B
|
I'm Larry. I'm really good at selling things. I also love helping people. But I'm not so good at solving problems. I think I'd like to be a salesman or detective .
I'm Anita. I really like doing things with my hands. I also enjoy working with wood. I don't enjoy working in the same place every day, and I hate being in noisy places. I think I'd like to be a factory worker or a carpenter .
I'm Jill. I'm good at explaining things and I really like children. I can't stand working long hours. I think I'd like to be a doctor or a teacher.
I'm Maria. I'm really interested in meeting people, and I enjoy wearing different clothes every day. I'm not so good at organizing my time and I can't stand computers. I am going to be a model.
I'm Jim. I enjoy helping people, but I can't stand working nights and weekends. I want to be a nurse or a social worker.
|
Maria likes _ .
|
[
"in Bolivia, people speak Spanish",
"Pat's student who dreamed in English was actually good at English",
"Pat has already learned much Spanish",
"in Latin America, the newspapers and magazines are in English"
] |
in Bolivia, people speak Spanish
|
When Pat Jones finished college, she decided to travel around the world and see as many foreign places as she could while she was young. Pat wanted to visit Latin America first, so she got a job as an English teacher in a school in Bolivia. Pat spoke a little Spanish, so she was able to communicate with her students even when they didn't know much English.
Once, A sentence she had read somewhere struck her mind: if you dream in a foreign language, you have really mastered it. Pat repeated this sentence to her students and hoped that some day she would dream in Spanish and they would dream in English.
One day, one of her worst students came up and explained in Spanish that he had not done his homework. He had gone to bed early and had slept badly.
"What does this have to do with your homework?" Pat asked.
"I dreamed all night, Miss Jones. And my dream was in English."
"In English?" Pat was very surprised, since he was such a bad student. She was even secretly jealous . Her dream was still not in Spanish. But she encouraged her young student, "Well, tell me about your dream."
"All the people in my dream spoke English. All the newspapers and magazines and all the TV programs were in English."
"But that's wonderful," said Pat. "What did all the people say to you?"
"I am sorry, Miss Jones. That's why I slept so badly. I didn't understand a word they said. It was a nightmare ".
|
From the passage we can infer that _ .
|
[
"The Golden Gate is the longest bridge in the world.",
"So far about 1000 people killed themselves from the Golden Gate.",
"It took the workers 52 months to build the Golden Gate.",
"San Francisco had a population of about 750,000 in 1987."
] |
San Francisco had a population of about 750,000 in 1987.
|
The orange towers of the Golden Gate Bridge-probably the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed bridge in the world-are visible from almost every point of elevation in San Francisco.
The only cleft in Northern California's 600-mile continental wall, for years this mile-wide strait was considered unbridgeable. As much an architectural as an engineering feat, the Golden Gate took only 52 months to design and build. Designed by Joseph Strauss, it was the first really massive suspension bridge, with a span of 4200ft, and until 1959 ranked as the world's longest. It connects the city at its northwesterly point on the peninsula to Marin County and Northern California, and was designed to with-stand winds of up to a hundred miles an hour and to swing as much as 27ft. Handsome on a clear day, the bridge takes on an eerie quality when the thick white fogs pour in and hide it almost completely.
You can either drive or walk across. The drive is the more thrilling of the two options as you race under the bridge's towers, but the half-hour walk across it really gives you time to take in its enormous size and absorb the views of the city behind you and the head-lands of Northern California straight ahead. Pause at the midway point and consider the seven or so suicides a month who choose this spot,260ft up, as their jumping-off spot. Monitors of such events speculate that victims always face the city before they leap. In 1995,when the suicide toll from the bridge had reached almost 1000,police kept the figures quiet to avoid a rush of would-be suicides going for the dubious distinction of being the thousandth person to leap.
Perhaps the best loved symbol of San Francisco, in 1987 the Golden Gate proved an auspicious place for a sunrise party when crowds gathered to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. Some quarter of a million people turned up (a third of the city's entire population);the winds were strong and the huge numbers caused the bridge to buckle, but fortunately not to break.
|
Which of the following is TRUE?
|
[
"Travelers Insurance Company provides services of accident insurance.",
"An important person of the firm has just had an accident.",
"Accident Insurance will protect the important person from accident.",
"Unfortunately the important person has become disabled."
] |
Travelers Insurance Company provides services of accident insurance.
|
Suppose a key man in your firm had just met with a terrible accident. The doctor tell you that this man upon whom you depend for directing sales, checking your books or for performing some other important roles, will be laid up for months, You'd have to replace him, wouldn't you? And probably at a pay about equal to his ?
Then you'd be faced with double paying for one job because stopping the pay of an injured man would simply be out of the question.
You can prevent this kind of unproductive outgo on your payroll by providing your key man with the protection of Travelers Business Accident Insurance!
This insurance provides total medical expense and a weekly income in case a key man is disabled for some time. Should the disability prove everlasting, an income for life is certainty. Why not make out a list of your key men now? Then get together with Travelers Insurance Company, and let us tell you how little it costs to apply this much needed protection to your business.
Write and we'll serve you!
|
What is really true according to the above?
|
[
"They are the necessities of bio-printing.",
"They only contain proteins and glucose.",
"They can be placed in the traditional printers.",
"They are available in our local drugstores."
] |
They are the necessities of bio-printing.
|
Three-dimensional printers are fast becoming everyday devices in the United States. Three-D printers are used to make everything from automobile parts to bone replacements for human patients. American research scientists are now working on creating replacements for living tissue.
Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina have been working on creating and manufacturing living tissue since 2003.This process is called biofabrication . It requires special printing equipment and a special kind of ink.
Traditional printers require ink to produce an image or design on a piece of paper. For their three-D printer, the South Carolina researchers prepare complex nutritious solutions they call bio-inks. Bio-inks are made of proteins and glucose , which normally provides energy for most cells of the body. The researchers also add living cells taken from the animal that will receive the new, printed tissue. The bio-inks are then added to a device that researchers call the Palmetto bio-printer.
Sarah Grace Dennis is one of the researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina. She says new technology, like the Palmetto bio-printer, is a great help to the biofabrication process.
The bio-inks are placed in three dispensers , containers, inside the printer. Lasers control both the position of the printing surface and the places where the bio-ink is released.
Michael Yost is a leader of the research team. He says the printing process is fully automated-- machine-operated. He says that the Palmetto bio-printer makes it possible to create complex tissue types.
The researchers say bio-printing is still experimental. But they hope in a few years they may be able to print tissue to replace damaged human organs.
But there are still some problems which need to be solved. Some scientists worry about how to get blood to the replacement tissue. The flow of blood is important to keep the printed tissue alive.
Michael Yost hopes that more people will believe in the benefits of biofabrication.
"Tissue biofabrication is a reality, and it is a reality now, and if you come here and you get to see it. You will get to see it. You can't touch it, but you will see it and think this is real. And this is really human."
|
What can we know about the bio-inks?
|
[
"It makes the cities more beautiful.",
"It gives people larger backyards.",
"It is money-saving.",
"It is bird-friendly."
] |
It is bird-friendly.
|
Australian cities can keep their native wildlife -- but only if they can kick their habit of urban sprawl . That's the finding of a new study by leading Australian environmental researchers Jessica Sushinsky, Professor Hugh Possingham and Dr Richard Fuller of The University of Queensland.
"While urban development usually reduces the number of birds in a city, building more compact cities and avoiding urban sprawl can slow these reductions greatly," says lead author Jessica Sushinsky. "Compact housing development leaves birds' homes untouched, leading to fewer losses of birds."
The researchers surveyed native and wild birds in Brisbane's urban areas, including living and industrial areas, public parks and gardens, major roadways and airports. They then used statistical modeling to find out what will happen to the birds as the city grows. The first setting was compact growth -- where multiple homes are built on land that previously had only one house. The second setting was sprawling growth -- a familiar pattern where homes are built here and there beyond the city's current boundaries.
The team's forecasts showed that a much greater diversity of species was lost over 20 years in the sprawling setting compared to the more compact setting. "Urban sprawl resulted in the disappearance of many urban-sensitive birds -- birds that only live in areas where there is native vegetation , such as parklands and woodlands," Ms Sushinsky says.
"On the other hand, we found the city with the compact development attracted more birds because it kept more of its parks and green areas."
Now the Queensland Government has adopted the more compact urban growth strategy, which, Dr Richard Fuller says, is good news for Australia's native birds. These birds are environmental specialists -- they need a particular environment to do well. "While compact development means smaller backyards, it can also make our entire cities more biodiverse," according to Dr Fuller. "The study shows that we should hold on to our green spaces instead of clearing them for sprawling development."
This is the first time science has modeled the effects of different urban growth strategies on birds, the researchers say. "Statistical models like these are important because they help us to understand the ecological consequences of a particular decision," says Dr Fuller.
|
Why is compact urban growth better than the sprawling strategy?
|
[
"it is the biggest building in the world",
"so many visitors had been there",
"it was made of iron and glass",
"it was burnt down at last"
] |
it was made of iron and glass
|
Perhaps the most extraordinary building put up in the nineteenth century was the Crystal Palace which was built in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The Crystal Palace was different from all the other buildings in the world, for it was made of iron and glass. It was one of the biggest buildings of all the time and a lot of people from many countries came to see it. Plenty of goods were sent to the exhibition from all parts of the world. There was also a great deal of machinery on show. Though in those days, traveling was not as easy as it is today, steamboats carried thousands of visitors across the Channel from Europe. On arriving in England, they were taken to the Crystal Palace by train. There were six million visitors in all, and the money from the exhibition was used to build museums and colleges. Later the Crystal Palace was moved to the South London. It remained one of the most famous buildings in the world until it was burnt down in 1936.
|
The Crystal Palace was famous to all because _ .
|
[
"eating habits",
"living places",
"learning activities",
"communication methods"
] |
communication methods
|
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|
"Dolphin Intelligence" is probably a story about dolphins' _ .
|
[
"often have urine with unusual smell",
"probably smoke cigarettes in their life",
"can easily make dogs lie down",
"are likely to die within nine years"
] |
often have urine with unusual smell
|
Dogs are known for their sense of smell.They can find missing people and things like bombs and illegal drugs.Now a study suggests that the animal known as man's best friend can even find
bladder cancer.
Cancer cells are thought to produce chemicals with unusual odors .Researchers think dogs have the ability to smell these odors, even in very small amounts, in urine .The sense of smell in dogs is thousands of times better than in humans.
The study follows reports of cases where, for example, a dog showed great interest in a growth on the leg of its owner.The man was later found to be skin cancer.
Carolyn Willis led a team of researchers at Amersham Hospital in England.They trained different kinds of dogs for the experiment.The study involved urine collected from bladder cancer patients, from people with other diseases and from healthy people.
Each dog was tested 8 times.In each test there were 7 samples for the dogs to smell.The dog should signal the one from a bladder cancer patient by lying down next to it.Two cocker dogs were correct 56 percent of the time.But the scientists reported an average success rate of 41 percent.
The British Medical Journal published the research.In all, 36 bladder cancer patients and 108 other people took part.During training, all the dogs reportedly even identified a cancer in a person who had tested healthy before the study.Doctors found a growth on the person's right kidney .
Carolyn Willis says dogs could help scientists identify the combined chemicals produced by bladder cancer.That information could then be used to develop machines to test for the chemicals.The team also plans to use dogs to help identify markers for other kinds of cancer.
|
According to the text, people who suffer bladder cancer _
|
[
"Xinjiang's annual goods ability can increase nearly four times",
"the new railway technology may help more railway lines to be built abroad",
"the high-speed railway lines can't be built across the bone-dry sands",
"the old railway lines can only carry goods now"
] |
the new railway technology may help more railway lines to be built abroad
|
The new high-speed railway line between Urumqi,capital of the Xinjiang Uygur self-governing region,and Lanzhou,capital of Gansu province,has cut train travel time by half to less than 12 hours.
The dramatic improvement will benefit many families planning reunions for Spring Festival.
"For the first time,I feel home is not that far away after all,"said Liang Shaofu as he boarded a high-speed train in Urumqi with six members of his family.
The 35-year-old left Lanzhou to set up a dry fruit business in Xinjiang eight years ago,and he has now settled in Urumqi.
The 1,776-km line,which passes through Qinghai province and is the country's first high-speed railway to be built in a high-altitude region,came into service on Dec 26.
"We normally drive home for Spring Festival to avoid the difficulties of buying seven train tickets for the whole family during the peak season,"Liang said."Driving can be very tiring and dangerous sometimes,so one year we even decided not to go back to Lanzhou simply to avoid the trip."
More than 600,000 passengers traveled on the line during its first month,and the Urumqi Railway Bureau said the introduction of high-speed services will ease transport pressure during the Spring Festival peak season.
The existing usual railway line could no longer support Xinjiang's development.All passenger trains will gradually shift to the new link,leaving the old one to be used for goods.As a result,Xinjiang's annual goods ability could reach 200 million metric tons from the current 70 million.
The line passes through areas that experience high winds,and it also crosses parts of the deserted Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the bone-dry sands of the Gobi Desert.
The project could help China to promote its high-speed railway technology abroad,said Ma Xi zhang,director of the Lanzhou-Xinjiang railway project's _ management department in Xinjiang.
|
From the passage we can learn _ .
|
[
"Three",
"Four",
"Five",
"Six"
] |
Four
|
Every year, thousands of young Europeans set off to explore their continent by train in the summertime. It is a necessary part of growing up and often the first time many Europeans travel without their parents. Now you too can share this adventure.
There are so many places you can not afford to miss while travelling in Europe: the Eiffel Tower of France, windmills of the Netherlands and the Colosseum of Rome. How do young people afford to visit everything they want?
The answer lies with the Eurail Pass. This ticket allows a traveller unlimited journeys by rail in European countries which are members of the scheme. Ambitious Chinese travellers can buy the ticket in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
The most popular type of Eurail Pass amongst young people, according to Zhao Jiaji, from China Air Service Ltd, is the Eurail Selectpasses. With this you can design your own trip by selecting three, four or five neighbouring countries from a total 18 nations including Liechtenstein, Monaco, Hungary and Romania.
"There is plenty of choice with this pass: in total this range offers over 400 different combinations of countries to choose from!" said Zhao.
The Eurail Selectpass gives 5 to 10 travel days within a 2-month period.
For more flexibility there are the Eurail Passes which allow you to take trains in 17 countries on any day you like. It is valid for a period of either 15 or 21 days, one, two or three months.
If you just want to travel in one or two countries to learn more about the local culture, Eurail Pass also offers two-country passes such as Spain-Portugal, France-Switzerland and Belgium-Luxemburg. And countries like Britain, France and Germany offer a kind of Eurail Pass which allows unlimited train travel in their country.
Before buying the Eurail Pass, you should know some tips to save money. The 2nd class train travel ticket is cheaper than 1st class. And youths under 26 years old or groups of 2 or more people traveling together can enjoy discounts.
For more information, please check out http://www.tt-europe.com.
|
How many major kinds of Eurail passes are introduced here?
|
[
"The author's friends laughed at her for having such a strict mother.",
"The author's mother set timetables for her children whenever they went out.",
"Some of the children weren't able to go to college because of their mean mother",
"As a parent, the author is following her mother's example."
] |
As a parent, the author is following her mother's example.
|
I had the meanest mother in the world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal , eggs or toasts. While others had Cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different from other kids' too. But at least I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mother as I did.
My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, then we be gone one hour or less---not one hour and one minute. And she always insisted upon us telling the truth. Now you can see how mean she was.
The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We had to wash the dishes, make beds, and learn to cook. We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath, while the other kids always wore their clothes for days. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.
Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed, "sick" like our friends did, and miss school. Our marks in school had to be up to par. Our friends' report cards had beautiful color1s on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother, being as different as she was, would settle for nothing less than ugly black marks.
As the years rolled by, we were one by one put to shame. We were graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a drop-out.
My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You're right, our mean mother. She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults.
Now I am trying to raise my three children. I am filled with pride when my children call me mean. Because, you see, I had the meanest mother in the whole world.
|
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
|
[
"they say \"no\" at a suitable time",
"they say \"no\" as much as possible",
"they are afraid of saying \"no\"",
"they make others angry at them"
] |
they say "no" at a suitable time
|
Listen carefully, working people, we would like to tell you something that could save your precious time and money! Best of all, it is free!
It's "no".
What do you ask? We'll say it again: "No".
Sweet and simple "no".
Say "no" at your office and see how quickly that pile of work on your desk disappears.
"Saying 'no' to others means you are saying 'yes' to yourself, " said Leslie Charles, a professional speaker from East Lansing, Michigan.
"Time is precious. People are spending money buying time. And yet we are willing to give up our time because we can't say 'no'."
Susie Watson, a famous writer, said people who always say "yes" need to say "no" without guilt or fear of punishment. "I would rather have someone give me a loving 'no' than an obligated 'yes', " she said.
Susie Watson says she feels "no" obligation to give an explanation when she says "no" either socially or professionally. Does she feel guilty about it? "Not at all, " said Watson, who is director of advertising and public relations at Timex Corp in Middlebury, Conneticut. "Most people are afraid of saying 'no'... My advice is to say 'yes' only if you don't mean 'no'."
Watson said "no" is the most effective weapon against wasting time. "Every year there are more demands on your time... Other people are happy to use up your time, " Watson said. Time saving appears to be "no's" greatest friend.
"No" can be your new friend, a powerful tool to take back your life. "No" may even take you further in the business world than "yes".
"No" is power and strength. "No" now seems completely correct. "Saying 'no' isn't easy. But finally it's greatly liberating," Charles said. But, he added, a "no" project needs to be worked on every day because it is hard to change long-term habit.
But, he also warns: "Don't go to extremes. Don't find yourself saying 'no' to everything. In return you should learn to hear 'no'."
|
In Watson's opinion, people can save much time on condition that _ .
|
[
"To inform us of the next total lunar eclipse.",
"To tell us about a rare celestial event.",
"To alert us of the natural disaster.",
"To draw people's attention to the news."
] |
To tell us about a rare celestial event.
|
SAN FRANCISCO -- In the western U.S., Hawaii and elsewhere across the globe, moon watchers were treated on Saturday to a rare celestial phenomenon: a total lunar eclipse .
For about 50 minutes starting at 6:06 a.m. PST, the moon was completely blocked by the Earth's shadow.
With only some indirect sunlight able to reach it after passing through the Earth's atmosphere, the moon took on a reddish weak light. Since the atmosphere scatters blue light, only red light strikes the moon, giving it a dark red color1.
Dally Sam, who runs a public relations firm in Hawaii, said it had been cloudy and rainy, but the weather cleared just in time for the eclipse.
Around 3 a.m., he awoke, as he usually does, and remembered to step outside the house in time to catch the beginning of the eclipse about a half hour later. No one else in the neighborhood was up then.
"It was turning that dark red color1," Sayre, aged 47, said, "I'd better get a camera. To be able to see it just right outside our house was really cool."
At the local observatory in Los Angeles, some 300 people, many holding coffee cups in the cold morning air, sat with blankets and chairs on the observatory's great grass land.
"It's really a celestial festival out here," John Peter, aged 39, told the Los Angeles Times as he set up his camera.
Lying on a slope north of downtown near the Hollywood sign, the place offers clear views of the sky. Observatory officials reminded the crowd when the eclipse began and big applause burst when the celestial event ended.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon goes through the long shadow cast by the Earth and is blocked from the sunlight that brightens it. ks5u
|
What is the main purpose of the passage?
|
[
"smile is good for health",
"good manners are very important",
"hard working can make us successful",
"we shouldn't believe in others"
] |
good manners are very important
|
There was once a boy called Jim in a village .Whenever Jim asked people to do things,no one would listen to him.He was sad.So Jim asked a wizard to solve the problem by using magic.The old wizard tried a lot of spells,but didn't work..
A young man heard about the problem .He went to Jim and said that he knew the solution .He gave Jim two small pieces of paper."These are two spells ,my boy.Use the first before you ask others to do something,and use the second when they have done it.A smile is also necessary,"the young man said.Jim was happy and tried to use the spells.When he asked people to do something.he said "Please"before his words and "Thank you"after they had done it.People were very surprised that Jim could be polite .Soon ,they became happy to do what Jim asked them to do.The wizard was surprised ,and asked the young man about the spells."It's not magic.When I was a child,my teacher told me that with good manners you could get anything you want.And he was right.Jim only needed good mannersto get what he wanted."
|
We can learn from the passage that _ .
|
[
"Optimistic.",
"Approving",
"Anxious.",
"Tolerant."
] |
Anxious.
|
Increased use of the Internet and mobile phones are undermining pupils' capacity for independent study and promoting poor grammar, it was claimed.
Cranfield School of Management found almost six in 10 schoolchildren were copying information directly from websites for homework tasks without properly reading it.
More than a quarter thought it was an acceptable practice, even though they know it was considered plagiarism .
The study, based on a sample of around 260 pupils aged from 11 to 18 at a secondary school in the Midlands, raised fresh concerns that modern technology was having a destructive effect on young people.
Andrew Kakabadse, professor of international management development at Cranfield, said, "Our research shows that technology obsession prevent spelling skills, encourages plagiarism, and disturbs classroom learning.
"Despite school policies restricting mobile phone usage, students use the phone frequently, with the majority making calls from the toilets. The mobile phone continues to be a main channel of social communication during the school day."
The report revealed that so-called "text-speak" was increasingly finding it was into pupils' school work.
Three in 10 students admit to using text message shortcuts, such as "r u ok" in essays and classroom tasks.
It followed a study earlier this year that found almost half of teachers failed to understand some pupils' writing because it was so full of confusing language. Phrases such as "innit" and "Gr8" were regularly found in school work, it was claimed.
The Cranfield study found that mobile use was so common that many pupils chose to ignore school rules on phones.
More than a third said they would use their mobile in class, while nearly three quarters said they would not even make an excuse to leave class to answer a phone call.
|
What's the attitude of the author to the problem?
|
[
"To increase the service prices.",
"To express thanks to the customer.",
"To preserve the customer's confidence.",
"To explain the causes of the poor service."
] |
To preserve the customer's confidence.
|
Dear Ms Morris,
We have come to know of an unfortunate incident you had with our customer service department and we would like to deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to you by the customer service manager's behavior. We have noted down your complaint (number 797329SA) and would like to let you know that strict action will be taken against the employee. He is a new employee with little experience and so his attitude towards his job was over enthusiastic and he lacked proper judgment.
We are by no means excusing his behavior but I would like to request you not to take any legal action against the company as we are very sorry for what happened. To express our appreciation, please accept the offer of free servicing of all products of our company that you own for up to three years. We will also make sure that the faulty air conditioner is replaced by us at no extra cost so that you do not face any further problem.
Once again, we are very sorry for the incident. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Yours sincerely,
Nate Borges
Dear sir,
I should like to apologize for the inconvenience caused to you due to poor Internet connectivity. I understand that you require the Internet all through the day as all your business deals are done online and since last week your work has been affected a great deal.
We are continually working towards providing the best possible services to our customers. You have been using our service for the last three years and are aware of the excellent quality of service offered by us. However, this time due to some major technical fault the Internet service was interrupted and our customers in your part of the city are facing our poor Internet connectivity problems.
The issue is likely to be solved within the next two days; kindly bear with us until then. Once again I apologize for the poor service.
Yours faithfully,
David Johns
|
Why does David Johns mention their level of service in the past?
|
[
"If you'd like to enjoy songs, you'll face the music.",
"When actors have to face the music, it means they have to go on stage to perform, however changeable the situation is.",
"When you have to face the music, it is probable that you have met something unpleasant.",
"If a child does something against his parent's will, maybe he'll face the music."
] |
If you'd like to enjoy songs, you'll face the music.
|
When someone says, "Well, I guess I'll have to face the music," it doesn't mean he is planning to go to a concert. It is something far less pleasant, like being called in by your boss to explain why you did this and did that, and why you did not do this or that. Terrible music indeed, but it has to be faced. At sometime or another, every one of us has had to "face the music", especially as children. We can remember father's angry voice, "I want to talk to you!" And only because we did not obey him. What an unpleasant business it was!
The phrase "face the music" is known to every American, old and young. It is at least one hundred years old. Where did the expression come from?
The first explanation came from the American novelist, James Fenimore Cooper. He said, in 1851, that expression was first used by actors while waiting in the wings to go on the stage. After they got their clue to go on, they often said. "It's time to face the music." And that was exactly what they did - facing the orchestra which was just below the stage.
An actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of the audience that might be friendly, or perhaps unfriendly, especially if he forgot his lines. But he had to go out. If he did not, there would be no play. So the expression "face the music" came to mean "having to go through something, no matter how unpleasant the experience might be, because you knew you had no choice."
|
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
|
[
"She ate too much steak.",
"She weighed too much.",
"The doctor did not know.",
"She could not walk very quickly."
] |
She weighed too much.
|
Ellen Parker was worried about her health. She could not walk very quickly and it was
difficult for her to climb stairs. She was soon out of breath.
"I suppose I had better go to the doctor," she thought.
She went to the doctor and told him her problem.
"I'm not at all surprised, "he said. "It's clear what your problem is."
He examined her and then gave her some advice.
"If you don't do what I say, Mrs. Parker," he said, "you will have a heart attack. It could
kill you."
Ellen was very worried as she left the doctor's. She knew that she had to take his advice but
that it would not be easy and it would take time.
The next day she went shopping. The first shop she went into was a butcher's shop .
"I'd like ten pounds of steak , please," she said.
"Certainly, madam," the butcher replied and went into the cold room and found a large
piece of steak. He brought the huge piece of meat back into the shop and placed it on the scale
.
"That's just under ten pounds," he said.
"That's big enough," Mrs. Parker said.
The butcher worked out the price.
"At $4. 99 a pound that will$49. 50, please. Would you like me to cut it up into
smaller pieces for you?"
"Oh, I don't want to buy the meat," Mrs. Parker said.
"If you don't want to buy it," the butcher replied angrily, "why did you ask me to get it for
you?"
"My doctor told me that I am overweight and have to lose ten pounds. I wanted to see what
ten pounds of flesh looked like."
|
What was Ellen Parker's real problem?
|
[
"Playing soccer frequently.",
"Tests of their memory.",
"White matter loss.",
"Information processing."
] |
White matter loss.
|
What happens inside the skull of a soccer player who repeatedly heads a soccer ball? That question motivate a challenging new study of the brains of experienced players that has caused discussion and debate among soccer players, and some anxiety among those of us with soccer-playing children.
For the study, researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York selected 34 adults,men and women. All of the volunteers had played soccer since childhood and now competed year-round in adult soccer leagues. Each filled out a detailed questionnaire developed especially for this study to determine how many times they had headed a soccer ball in the previous year, as well as whether they had experienced any known concussions in the past.
Then the players completed computerized tests of their memory and other learning skills and had their brains scanned, using a complicated new MRI technique which can find structural changes in the brain that can't be seen during most scans.
According to the data they presented at a Radiological Society of North America meeting last month,the researchers found that the players who had headed the ball more than about 1,100 times in the previous 12 months showed significant loss of white matter in parts of their brains involved with memory,attention and the processing of visual information, compared with players who had headed the ball fewer times.
This pattern of white matter loss is "similar to those seen in traumatic brain injury" , like that after a serious concussion, the researchers reported,even though only one of these players was reported to have ever experienced a conc ussion.
The players who had headed the ball about 1,100 times or more in the past year were also generally worse at recalling lists of words read to them, forgetting or _ the words far more often than players who had headed the ball less.
|
What is likely to be the cause of memory loss?
|
[
"ignored by the children",
"driven away for no reason",
"abandoned because it was too noisy",
"accepted by every family member"
] |
accepted by every family member
|
A few months before I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around to welcome me into the world a few months later.
As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special position. My parents were complementary instructors:Mom taught me the words, and Dad taught me to obey them. But the stranger... He was our storyteller. He would keep us _ for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies .
If I wanted to know anything about politics,history or science,he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind.
I now know that my early concepts about relationship were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom blamed...and NEVER asked to leave.
More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in but is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you were to walk into my parent's room today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures. His name?
We just call him..."TV".
He has a younger sister now. We call her "Computer".
|
When the stranger came to live with our family, he was _ .
|
[
"Yes.she did.",
"Her uncle knew.",
"Maybe she knew.",
"No,she didn't."
] |
No,she didn't.
|
It was Mary's birthday.Her uncle wrote a letter and told her he would like to send her some chickens.She was very happy because she liked eggs and chicken."I can keep the chickens for their eggs or eat them,"she thought.
When the chickens arrived the next day, they were all in a box.Mary took the box off the truck and began to carry it into her garden,but the box of chickens was so heavy that she dropped it.The chickens all ran out.They ran here and there.Mary spent hours in trying to find them.
A few hours later her uncle came.He asked."Did the chickens arrive safely?" "Yes,but I dropped the box.The chickens ran everywhere.It took me the whole morning to look for them,"Mary said.
"Did you find them all?" asked her uncle."I hope so,"Mary answered,"But l only caught eleven of them" "That's very interesting.I only sent you six."her uncle laughed.
|
Did Mary know how many chickens her uncle sent her?
|
[
"different exams can be taken in the same room",
"one doesn't need to rush to the registration officer for taking an exam",
"it will be much easier to pass an examination",
"one can take an exam almost at any time of the year"
] |
it will be much easier to pass an examination
|
Just the mention of the TOEFL, GRE and GAMT exams brings a thought of long hours of dull paper work. But that idea is becoming increasingly out of date. As planned, computerized tests will begin next year which will bring a series of changes from test psychology to scoring techniques.
From computer - equipped rooms, examinees will answer the questions on a computer. If they are sure about their choices, they can pass to the next question by pressing the entry "next". Then another question will be randomly selected from a vast test item bank and appear on the screen. After answering all the questions, examinees can choose the entry "quit" if they are not satisfied with their performance, or "score" if they want to see the result. Scores will be calculated immediately and appear on the screen. By that point, student's marks are official--there is no going back.
Since they greatly shorten the painful waiting process-which used to be two or three months, computerized tests have won worldwide popularity. Besides, there will be no rushing to the registration offices( )for these exams. Computerized tests will be given every workday in an exam center with all three kinds of tests being held in the same room. All test takers need to do is to call the exam center and book their seats for a particular day.
In addition it will become technically possible to apply new testing procedures. In the past,each examinee had the same set of test items despite differences in their ability. Under a computerized system, however, if the computer judges an answer is right, a question of a relatively difficult nature will follow. But if an examinee continues to give wrong answers and is judged as un-qualified by the computer system, he will be automatically _ the chance to go further in the test.
|
Under a computerized system, all of the following would be possible except that _ .
|
[
"7(495)578-76-65",
"7(495)544-33-25",
"7(499)500-65-52",
"7(495)753-86-41"
] |
7(495)578-76-65
|
Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport
If You've Lost Personal Belongings
*On Board --Contact the airline's representatives
*At the Airport --Contact:
--Sheremetyevo Police Department ......+7(495)578-22-55
--Unclaimed luggage storage room in Terminal C ......+7(495)578-23-26
--Unclaimed luggage storage room in Terminal D
......+7(499)500-65-52(domestic flights)
......+7(495)753-86-41(international flights)
When collecting Lost and Found items, you shall have an identification document, a boarding pass or a ticket, and also indicate the place where the items were lost and prove they are yours.
If Your Luggage Is Lost or Damaged
Before leaving the arrival area, please turn to the Lost and Found counter to file a report. The written claim shall be submitted to the airline company not later than seven days from the time when the luggage was to be collected.
If your luggage is not found within twenty-one days of the time when the claim was filed, you have the right to claim damages in the amount of not more than 600 rubles per kilogram. Amount refunded for the hand luggage lost through the fault of an airline is not more than 11, 000 rubles regardless of its weight. Amount refunded for damaged luggage is calculated based on the same tariffs .
Keep your flight documents (a ticket, boarding pass, luggage tag, and delayed luggage report filed at the airport) until the end of the procedure for searching for your luggage.
Current information on luggage-tracing results ......+7(495)578-76-65
Lost and Found service of Aeroflot Russian Airlines
......+7(495)544-33-25(from 9:00- 20:00)
+7(495)753-86-41(24 hours)
For further information please contact the airline.
|
Which number will you probably dial to see whether your lost luggage has been found?
|
[
"Dogs, Dangerous To Children",
"Children Should Know Behaviors Around Dogs",
"Doctors, Treat Dog Bites Correctly",
"Never Leave Children Unsupervised With Dogs"
] |
Never Leave Children Unsupervised With Dogs
|
"Children should not be left unsupervised to play with a dog." say experts in this week's British Medical Journal. Their advice is part of a review aimed at doctors who deal with dog bites.
"Dog bites and maulings are a worldwide problem, particularly in children." write Marina Morgan and John Palmer. Every year 250,000 people who have been bitten by dogs attend minor injuries and emergency units in the United Kingdom, and half of all children are reportedly bitten by dogs at some time, boys more than girls.
Accurate death figures are difficult to obtain, but in the past five years, two to three cases a year have made news headlines.
Based on the latest medical evidence, _ advise doctors how to examine and treat a patient presenting with a dog bite. They discuss the risk of infection and when to refer to specialist care. For travelers bitten abroad, they suggest assessing the risk of rabies .
In terms of prevention, they suggest that children should be taught to treat dogs with respect, avoid direct eye contact, and not tease them. They should be taught not to approach an unfamiliar dog; play with any dog unless under close supervision; run or scream in the presence of a dog; pet a dog without first letting it sniff you; or disturb a dog that is eating, sleeping, or caring for its babies.
"Dog owners also need to change their behavior", says Rachel Besser, a children's doctor and lifetime dog owner, in an article.
"It is clear that not all dog owners appreciate that children should not be left unsupervised with a dog", she says. Just as some parents are obliged to take parenting classes, she would like to see compulsive classes for expectant dog owners to teach them about the responsibilities of dog ownership. Educational programs are also needed to teach children about some precautionary behaviors around dogs.
Finally, she would like to see animal doctors advising dog owners about bite prevention, and doctors promoting bite prevention when treating patients who have been bitten by dogs.
|
Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
|
[
"doing criminal investigations",
"deciding faraily law",
"clearmg wrongly accused people",
"telling twins apart"
] |
telling twins apart
|
It happened one morning 20 years ago. A British scientist Alec Jeffrey came across DNA fingerprinting: He identified the patterns of genetic material that are unique to almost every individual. His discovery changed everything from the way we do criminal investigations to the way we decide family law. But the professor of genetics at the University of Leicester, UK, is still surprised, and a bit worried, by the power of the technology he released upon the world.
The patterns within DNA are unique to each individual, except identical twins, who share the same pattern. The ability to identify these patterns has been used to convict(...) murderers and to clear people who are wrongly accused. It is also used to identify the victims of war and settle disputes over who is the father of a child.
Jeffrey said he and his colleagues made the discovery by accident while tracking genetic variations . But, within six months of the discovery, genetic fingerprinting had been used in an immigration case, to prove that an African boy really was his parents' son.*In 1986, it was used for the first time in a British criminal case: It cleared one suspect after being accused of two murders and helped convict another man.
DNA testing is now very common. In Britain, a national criminal database established in 1995 now contains 2.5 million DNA samples. The U.S. and Canada are developing similar systems. But there are fears about the stored DNA samples and how they could be used to harm a person's privacy. That includes a person's medical history, racial origin or psychological profile. "There is the long-term risk that people can get into these samples and start getting additional information about a person's paternity or risk of disease," Jeffrey said.
DNA testing is not an unfailing proof of identity. Still, it is considered a reasonably reliable system for determining the things it is used for. Jeffrey estimates the probability of two individuals' DNA profiles matching in the most commonly used tests at one in a billion.
|
According to the text, DNA testing can NOT be used in _ .
|
[
"report a medical emergency",
"show us how to change a car tire",
"warn us of the danger in the town",
"tell us about a midnight assistance"
] |
tell us about a midnight assistance
|
Liz had been bleeding for a long time! She was my closest professional colleague and good friend at the time when we worked in an IT company. It was her first day back at work after an operation and I thought she should have taken a few more days to recover.
Realizing that we couldn't stop the bleeding, we headed to the emergency room and spent hours there waiting to be seen. After the treatment, I drove her to my apartment. I had to leave her in my apartment while I dashed off to take a final exam for a very important course I was taking. Upon my return, we decided Liz was in a good enough condition to sustain a trip back from my Northern Virginia apartment to her home in Maryland.
Although it was nearly midnight and we were both exhausted, we still decided to set off. Unfortunately, in a not particularly safe part of town, we heard my car make a strange noise, and then ti was shaking violently as we drove along. Quickly, I stopped the car in the road and found a tire had blown out. Not knowing how to change a tire and feeling scared, I was trying out to figure out what to do next. Liz, weak from losing all that blood all day and weighing only about eighty pounds to begin with, came out and tried to help me. I had to scream at her to get back in the car and relax.
Within seconds, a taxi pulled up behind us. A huge man appeared and began walking toward us. I felt that the blood drained out of my face and I nearly fainted in fear.
"Got a flat tire, girls?" he asked.
"Yes," I answered in a trembling voice.
In no time at all, the man changed the tire for us and rushed off back to his taxi. He refused any payment and did not even tell me his name. He would never know how badly we needed his services that particular evening. And I, with a grateful heart, will never forget his kindness.
|
The passage is intended to _ .
|
[
"to explain why it is cruel to kill bugs",
"to convince people that insects are nutritious",
"to describe the beneficial contributions of insects",
"to make people aware of endangered insect species"
] |
to describe the beneficial contributions of insects
|
If you look outside, you probably will see some kind of insect. If your first instinct is to kill it, take a moment to think about all of the benefits insects provide to the environment.
Entomologists, scientists who study insects, estimate that there are more than 800,000 species of insects found throughout the world. Only a few hundred of these insects are considered harmful. Mosquitoes, for example, are considered harmful. They bite humans and other animals, and their bites can cause skin pain and spread disease. Desert locusts also are considered harmful because they destroy crops causing billions of dollars in damage each year.
However, the number of helpful insect species far outweighs the number of harmful species. Some insects make up a vital part of the food chain. Many different birds, reptiles, fish and even plants eat insects. There are also about 500 insects that people in various parts of the world eat. These insects are considered delicious food and prized for their high protein, mineral, and vitamin content. Other insects produce valuable commercial products such as silk, wax, and honey.
Of all the insects, perhaps the most important are those that travel from flower to flower and pollinate the plants they visit. Agriculture around the world would be very different without the bees, butterflies, moths, flies and wasps that pollinate many crops. In fact, nearly one-third of the food you eat depends on plants that are pollinated by insects!
While it is true that some species of insects harm or annoy us, _ . You may be destroying one of the hundreds of thousands of insects that provides many benefits to human beings.
|
The main purpose of this passage is _ .
|
[
"five",
"eight",
"seven",
"Four"
] |
five
|
This is Bruce's Noodle House. We have different kinds of noodles. A large bowl of noodles with mutton is only 4 dollars, and 3 dollars for a medium bowl. Each bowl of beef noodles is just 3.5 dollars. And a large bowl of chicken noodles is 2 dollars. Each bowl of pork noodles is just 3.5 dollars. One dollar is for a large bowl of vegetable noodles.
Come and enjoy the delicious noodles here! If you order any meat noodles, fruit is free . If you are too busy to come. Please call us at 2888998, and you will get the food in half an hour. Our Noodle House is open for 24 hours a day, from Monday afternoon to Sunday.
|
Bruce's Noodle House sells _ different kinds of noodles.
|
[
"His books were widely read by children.",
"His books were interesting and helpful to adults.",
"He made great contributions-to contemporary literature.",
"He wrote a number of horror books for young adults."
] |
He made great contributions-to contemporary literature.
|
A Paul Zindel's death on March 27,2003 ended the brilliant life of a famous writer.
Not only did Paul Zindel win a Pulitzer Prize as well as an Obie Prize for his 1970 play The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, but he was one of the earliest writers in the field of contemporary literature for young adults . The Pigman, published in 1968. is still one of the most well-known and widely-taught novels in the genre, the American Library Association has named it one of the 100 Best of the Best books for Young Adults published between 1967 and 1992, and Zindel's autobiography. The Pigman and Me, was among the 100 Best of the Best Books published for teenagers during the last part of the twentieth century. Six of Zindel's books, in fact, have been voted the Best Books for Young Adults, and most of his recent horror books--such as The Doom Stone and Rats--have been chosen as Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Clearly, he was a writer who knew how to interest contemporary children. Recognizing that, the American Library Association in 2002 honored Paul Zindel with the Margaret A. Edwards Prize for his lifetime achievements , and later that same year he was presented with the ALAN Prize for his contributions to Young Adult Literature. With his passing, young readers, teachers, and librarians have lost a great friend.
|
Why was Paul Zindel honored with the Margaret A. Edwards Prize?
|
[
"prove that all animals survive by depending on each other",
"tell us that sharing exists everywhere in the world",
"show us the mutual relationship between sea life",
"give us some examples of sharing among plants and animals"
] |
give us some examples of sharing among plants and animals
|
Sharing not only exists between humanbeings.As is often seen that some plants and anima1s live close together, and they depend on each other. They are usually very different from their partner, and yet all live easier lives because of each other. It is nature's idea of sharing.
An example of a partnership is the shark and pilot fish. The pilot fish is a little fish only about nine inches long. He would be. helpless if he hung around by himself in the mighty ocean. He makes up for his size with his smartness. He cleverly swims along beside the shark. When the shark eats, the pilot fish gets the leftovers. And the pilot fish needn't worry about his safety. The shark also gets benefits from this relationship. The pilot fish cleans food scraps and insects from the shark's hide.
Another example of depending on each other is the sea anemone and striped clown fish. The sea anemone looks like a flower and has petals that contain poisonous stinging cells. When small fish swim into the petals, the anemone traps and paralyzes them. However,the striped clown fish is able to swim into the poisonous petals without being harmed. When he is in danger, he quickly swims into the sea anemone and is unable to be seen by his enemies. To pay for his safety,the clown fish brings food to the anemone. He also guides other fish into the anemone's deadly trap.
Large mammals such as the ox, antelope, rhinoceroses and African buffalo form such a relationship with the red-billed ox-peeker. They provide daily meals for the bird. In fact the bird eats insects. The various large mammals act as a restaurant with a varied menu for the ox-peeker. What do they get in return from the bird? Free beauty treatments!
Some plants live together in a beneficial relationship of symbiosis. The fungus does not have chlorophyll that plants need to make food. However, green algae does contain chlorophyll. It is, therefore, able to feed the fungus along with itself. But nothing is free! The fungus repays it by protecting the algae. Since it takes in and stores water, it can provide the algae with a non-ending water supply.
|
The author wrote this passage mainly to _ .
|
[
"trees and flowers",
"a playground",
"students",
"teachers"
] |
a playground
|
This is my school. There are many trees and flowers in it. The teaching building is big and tall. There is a big playground in our school..It is very nice to have it . After 4:30 in the afternoon, many students come to the playground to play football and some students play table tennis in the table tennis room.
There are 1,200 students in 30 classes in our school. The students all like to study. The teachers in our school are very good. They help the students to study and sometimes play with them .All the students like them, too.
|
It's very nice for this school to have _ .
|
[
"in case of an orange alert, we had better not go outside",
"the case of the girl with lung cancer was little' linked to air pollution",
"cancer levels in Beijing are rising due to heavy air pollution",
"it is widely agreed that pollution shortens life spans very slightly"
] |
in case of an orange alert, we had better not go outside
|
Leaders of the World Health Organization say they are concerned about the air quality and
health efiects on citizens during a recent outbreak of heavy pollution in Beijing.Still,they said they
were unsure of the exact amount the air pollution takes on any person's body,casting doubts on
local reports tying the area's dirty air to particular cases of illness.
Speaking at a briefing on Tuesday,the WHO's Western Pacific regional director,
Shin Young--Soo,cited reports about poor air quality causing lung cancer in recent weeks.
"The WHO is skeptical of the information,"she said."We're cautious of whether the illness is related
to air po11ution. We know it has an impact on health,but we don't know how much."
The officials didn't cite particular reports.The comments follow a number of articles since late
last year connecting some cases of diseases like lung cancer with pollution,.including one in
November regarding an 8-year-old girl.
The health impact of Beijing's gray skies has been on the minds of many over the past week. Local
authorities on Tuesday preserved an orange alert the city's second highest pollution-warning
level--and again warned people to stay indoors.Experts widely agree that small particulates
known as PM2.5 carry significant short-and long-term health risks,particularly with children.Other
studies find a certain link between pollution and shorter life spans.
Chinese state media have noted a rise in cancer levels in Beijing,without specifying
whether the new cases are the main result of pollution,smoking,other sources or some combination.
Bernhard Schwartlander,the organization's China chief,said he is concerned and has been in
contact with national authorities."There is no easy solution,"Dr. Schwartlainder said,adding that
solving the problem requires managing industry and the economy.WHO leaders advised citizens.to
stay indoors and limit exposure to the harmful particulates.When asked if wearing a face mask has
any proven efficacy in preventing health effects of air pollution,Dr. Schwartlainder said,"Whatever
you do,it's better than nothing."
|
We can learn from the passage that_.
|
[
"built her own house with different materials",
"made all accessories herself for her house",
"learned to become a house designer",
"made a living by writing books"
] |
made a living by writing books
|
My mother is taking a tour of the new house via Skype. I leaned the laptop so she can see where she's going,pleased that our Internet connection in Zimbabwe is holding. "This is the living room," I say. Then I tell mydaughter,s;Show Grandma the bed for the mummy and the daddy. " From a continent away, Grandma gave herapproval.
Mum had a dollhouse,too. My grandmother,a single mother, did not have enough money to buy my mother areal dollhouse. So Mum made do,laboring over her square cookie tin for years. She stuck patterns on the bright walls : tin cans of jam and bags of flour to make sure the dolls' store was overflowing.
My mother passed her love of life in miniature( ) on to me very early. At age 5,1 made chests of drawers for my dollhouse bedroom from matchboxes glued together. Unlike my mother,l was given some ready-made doll furniture and accessories. My mother encouraged me,always responding to my calI,"Come to see what I've made Lrur IIly clollhuuse ! "
I spent hours writing a book with the unoriginal but certainly accurate title " How To Make Dolls' House Furniture". The book was lost in a household move. But the satisfying feeling of filling up blank pages with my
own ideas stayed with me,pushing me into a career centered on words.
My daughter turned 3 recently, and last month I put a strong empty cardboard box,about the size of a tea tray ,in Cassia's bedroom. I searched the shops for dollhouse furniture. But an afternoon's searching yielded only a pink plastic toilet and sink. It doesn't matter,l told myself. I showed Cassia how to make plates for her table from coloured buttons. Fascinated, she collected black stones.
What my mother gave me was much more than a fascination with tiny things :It was the ability to view things from a new perspective , to put oneself in another person's shoes , and to solve problems with whatever is at hand.
|
We can infer that the writer _ .
|
[
"made his turn to start back pitifully",
"was skillful in freestyle in the game",
"swam faster than the average swimmer",
"was not capable enough to win the medal"
] |
was not capable enough to win the medal
|
While watching the Olympics the other night, I came across an unbelievable sight. It was not a gold medal, or a world record broken, but a show of courage.
The event was swimming and started with only three men on the blocks. For one reason or another, two of them false started, so they were disqualified. That left only one to compete. It would have been difficult enough, not having anyone to race against, even though the time on the clock is important.
I watched the man dive off the block and knew right away that something was wrong. I'm not an expert swimmer, but I can tell a good dive from a poor one, and this was not exactly medal quality. When he resurfaced, it was evident that the man was not out for gold - his arms were waving in an attempt at freestyle. The crowd started to laugh. Clearly this man was not a medal competitor.
I listened to the crowd begin to laugh at this poor man who was clearly having a hard time. Finally he made his turn to start back. It was pitiful. He made a few desperate strokes and you could tell he was worn out.
But in those few awful strokes, the crowd had changed.
No longer were they laughing, but beginning to cheer. Some even began to stand and shout "Come on, you can do it!" and he did.
A clear minute past the average swimmer, this young man finally finished his race. The crowd went wild. You would have thought that he had won the gold, and he should have. Even though he recorded one of the slowest times in Olympic history, this man gave more heart than any of the other competitors.
Just a short year ago, he had never even swum, let alone race. His country had been invited to Sydney.
In a competition where athletes remove their silver medals feeling they have somehow been cheated out of gold, or when they act so proudly in front of their competitirs, _ .
|
From the passage we can learn that the young man _ .
|
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