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[
"had to take another car to attend the meeting",
"rode on a bike to attend the meating",
"asked for a lift to go back home",
"borrowed a car to go back home"
] |
asked for a lift to go back home
|
According to Andrew, it never would have happened if he had not had a flat tire on Highway 10 last night at about 7:30. He was on his way to attend a three-day sales meeting when he had the flat. tyre. Unfortunately, he did not have a spare, so he pushed the car off the road, locked it up, and managed to thumb a ride back to Pine Grove. It was after eleven o'clock when he finally got home, and it was then that his real problems started.
When Andrew left home at about 5:30, he had told his wife not to expect him back until Thursday or Friday. Knowing that his wife was nervous about staying in the house alone at night, Andrew took the precaution of checking all the windows in the house to be sure they were locked, so that he could report to his wife that the house was secure. He convinced his wife that the house was burglar-proof, and that she would be perfectly safe, providing she bolted the front door as soon as he drove away.
Andrew's only thought as he made his way in the dark to his front door was how surprised his wife was going to be to see him, since he was not supposed to be back until Thursday or Friday. He had forgotten about the bolt on the front door. When he turned his key in the lock and the door wouldn't _ he remembered the bolt. And he remembered that he had carefully locked all of the windows.
Although Andrew didn't know it at the time, a next-door neighbor had seen him approaching the house and had watched him go up the steps to the front door. In the dark, it was impossible for the neighbor to recognize Andrew, and, besides, the neighbor knew that Andrew had gone out-of-town for a three-day meeting. As a matter of fact, Andrew had asked the neighbor to keep an eye on the house while he was gone.
Finding that he couldn't get in, Andrew began pounding on the front door to get his wife to open the door. According to Andrew, however, his wife is a very sound sleeper, and he knew it was going to be hard to wake her up. In the meantime, because of all the noise he had been making, the neighbor was convinced that somebody was trying to break into the house; so she called the police.
When we talked to Andrew at the country jail this morning, he said that he still didn't understand how the police managed to circle the house without his seeing them. He stated that he had decided the only way to get in was to break one of the dining room windows, and that he was about, to hurl his briefcase into the window to break it when two of the officers grabbed him from behind.
Andrew could not make the officers believe that he lived there; so they took him off to jail. Apparently, he did succeed in convincing them that they ought to wake up the woman in the house to check his story. But there was no answer when they knocked at the door. He tried to explain to them that his wife was a very sound sleeper, but they concluded there was nobody in the house.
|
As Andrew had a flat tyre on the way, he _ .
|
[
"two days",
"three days",
"four days",
"five days"
] |
four days
|
We spend hours, days and years of our lives in studying. But what do you think of your school? What is your ideal school like? Here is some designing from four children in different countries.
I'm Ma from China. My dream school has a swimming pool and two football fields. It also has a cinema, a restaurant and a shopping centre. Now my school has none of these and I think there should be more enjoyable things for pupils to do while they are studying.
I am Sonia from Italy. I'd like a room. We can go and play computer games and chat with friends there. Some older pupils in the school have this but I think there should be a place for everyone to go when they want to switch from the lessons.
I am Richard from the USA. I think it would be great to have a three days' holiday every week. We could have a long holiday. What fun! I also think school should start at ten o'clock, and finish at three o'clock in the afternoon.
I am Rebecca from Australia. My dream school would be big and roomy with a computer for every person in the school. I'd also like to have a music room. We can go and play instruments when we want.
|
Richard wants to go to school for _ a week.
|
[
"a guide in spanish on vaycay",
"a guide in braile on vaycay"
] |
a guide in spanish on vaycay
|
ask for help reading it
|
Which solution is correct?
|
[
"Not being exposed to dim red light when using computers.",
"Equipping their computer screens to put it more in the reddish light.",
"Living or working in low levels of light overnight.",
"Going to see doctors of clinical depression regularly for help."
] |
Equipping their computer screens to put it more in the reddish light.
|
Some colors people see late at night could cause signs of clinical depression . That was the finding of a study that builds on earlier study findings. They show that individuals who live or work in low levels of light overnight can develop clinical depression. Doctors use the word "clinical depression" to describe severe form of depression. Signs may include loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, low energy levels and thoughts of death or suicide.
In the new study, American investigators designed an experiment that exposed hamsters to different colors. The researchers chose hamsters because they are nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day and are active at night.
The animals were separated into four groups. One group of hamsters was kept in the dark during their night-time period. Another group was placed in front of a blue light, a third group slept in front of a white light, while a fourth was put in front of a red light.
After four weeks, the researchers noted how much sugary water the hamsters drank. They found that the most depressed animals drank the least amount of water.
Randy Nelson heads the Department of Neuroscience at Ohio State University. He says animals that slept in blue and white light appeared to be the most depressed. "What we saw is that these animals didn't show any sleep uneasiness at all but they did mess up biological clock genes and they did show depressive sign while if they were in the dim red light, they did not."
Randy Nelson notes that photosensitive cells in the eyes have little to do with eyesight. He says these cells send signals to the area of the brain that controls what has been called the natural sleep-wake cycle.
He says there's a lot of blue in white light. This explains why the blue light and white light hamsters appear to be more depressed than the hamsters seeing red light or darkness.
|
What can help people who work late at night to avoid being depressed?
|
[
"Because he felt he had more room for food.",
"Because he realized he was involved in the tradition.",
"Because he felt moved by the Old Gentlemen's generosity.",
"Because he didn't dare to tell the old man he had already eaten."
] |
Because he realized he was involved in the tradition.
|
There is one holiday in the year which is completely American, Thanksgiving Day. It is the day when everyone goes back home to spend the day with his family, to have the traditional Thanksgiving dinner of roast turkey, to talk about old times.
This is a story of Thanksgiving Day and of one man's efforts, under rather special circumstances, to carry on these traditions.
Old Pete took his seat this day on his usual bench in Union Square. Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years, Pete had taken this same seat exactly at one o'clock, and each time the same pleasant thing had happened. But this time Pete had come here more from habit than from hunger.
Certainly today Pete was not hungry. He had just had a dinner so enormous that he could hardly breathe. The buttons on his ragged shirt and coat were about to burst. He was so full of soup, oysters, roast turkey, apple pie, ice cream, and a dozen other rich foods that the November breeze and the first light fall of snow felt cool and pleasant to his face.
The meal had been completely unexpected. He had been passing one of the large homes on Fifth Avenue, where there lived two rich old ladies. It seems that it was their custom each Thanksgiving to place a servant at the front entrance with orders to bring in the first hungry looking person that passed and then give him a Thanksgiving dinner of everything he could eat. On this particular Thanksgiving Day, Pete had passed, the servant had brought him in, and, before Pete knew it, he was being served like a king with more food than he could eat.
Pete sat on the bench now, hardly able to move. He happened to look to the left and there in the distance he saw the Old Gentleman coming toward him. He wanted to get up and run, but he was so full of food that he stayed right there. Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years, the Old Gentleman had come here, and found Pete on this same bench, and then taken him to a restaurant and bought him a Thanksgiving dinner. It was a kind of tradition which the Old Gentleman, who had no family and lived alone, had tried to continue. The old man was tall and thin and sixty years old. He was aristocratic looking and he always dressed in black. His hair was whiter and thinner than it had been the year before, and he leaned more heavily on his cane than he used to.
"How do you do!" said the Old Gentleman. "I am glad to see that the changes of another year have permitted you to move in health through this beautiful world."
Each time the Old Gentleman had said exactly this same thing. It was part of the tradition. Old Pete, too, began to feel as though he himself was now a part of the tradition, and he therefore did not have the courage to tell the old man that he had already eaten. This dinner seemed to mean so much to the Old Gentleman.
"Thank you, sir," said Old Pete at last. "I'll go with you gladly. I'm very hungry sir."
Together the Old Gentleman and Pete walked south to the same restaurant where each year Pete had his Thanksgiving dinner. They sat at the same table. The Old Gentleman seemed pleased and happy. When the waiter brought dish after dish of food to Pete, the Old Gentleman sat quietly and smiled. Under the circumstance, Pete had to eat. It was part of the tradition, and so he ate like a hero. Soup, oysters, roast turkey, pie, he ate everything, although when he entered the restaurant even the smell of more food almost made him sick. At last Pete leaned back with the battle won.
"Thank you sir," he said, with some effort, " for a fine dinner."
They parted as they did each year at the door, the Old Gentleman going south, Pete north.
Around the corner, Pete stopped for a moment, felt a terrible pain in his stomach, then fell to the sidewalk unconscious. A little later an ambulance came. In the hospital they discovered that he had had an attack of indigestion.
An hour later, another ambulance brought the Old Gentleman to the same hospital. At first they thought it was also indigestion but later one of the nurses said,
"That nice old gentleman over there-- you wouldn't think that it was a case of starvation. Proud old family, I suppose. He told me that he hadn't eaten a thing for three days."
|
Why didn't Old Pete refuse the invitation from the Old Gentleman?
|
[
"Computers and the knowledge society",
"Features and meanings of the New Era",
"Service Industries in the Modern Society",
"Rapid Advancement of Information Technology"
] |
Features and meanings of the New Era
|
A new era is upon us. Call it what you will: the service economy, the information age, the knowledge society. It has changed the way we work. Already we're partly there. The percentage of people who earn their living by making things has fallen dramatically in the Western World. Today the majority of jobs in America, Europe and Japan (two thirds or more in many of these countries) are in the service industry, and the number is on the rise. More women are in the work force than ever before. There are more part-time jobs. More people are self-employed. But the breadth of the economic transformation can't be measured by numbers alone, because it also is giving rise to a basic new way of thinking about the nature of work itself. Long-held concepts about jobs and careers, the skills needed to succeed, even the relation between individuals and employers -- all these are being challenged.
We have only to look behind us to get some sense of what may lie ahead. No one looking ahead 20 years possibly could have foreseen the ways in which a single invention, the chip , would transform our world thanks to its applications in personal computers, digital communications and factory robots. Tomorrow's achievements in biotechnology, artificial intelligence or even some still unimagined technology could produce a similar wave of dramatic changes. But one thing is certain: information and knowledge will become even more important, and the people who possess it, whether they work in manufacturing or services, will have the advantage and produce the wealth. Computer knowledge will become as basic a requirement as the ability to read and write. The ability to solve problems by applying information instead of performing routine tasks will be valued above all else. If you cast your mind ahead 10 years, information services will be predominant . It will be the way you do your job.
|
Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?
|
[
"It's difficult for seniors who have a so-called healthy weight to have a long life span.",
"It's most dangerous for normal-weight people to continue to lose weight.",
"The two studies are based on and in agreement with previous studies.",
"The second one recommends overweight and obese adults work out and lose weight."
] |
The second one recommends overweight and obese adults work out and lose weight.
|
Is carrying a few extra pounds into your senior years healthy? Advice has been mixed. Now, two studies published this month attempt to better define the ideal weight for fitness and longevity for adults over age 60.
The main point is that you don't need to worry about being slightly overweight, as long as that extra weight is maintained at a consistent level. However, being very overweight is detrimental to health, and exercising to lose body fat and to gain muscle mass is always beneficial.
Determining the ideal weight for older people has been a pursuit, with researchers looking for what weight is not too thin, but not too fat. Studies have suggested that being slightly overweight can be protective.
For example, a 2001 study by researchers at Yale University found that moderately overweight senior adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 -- two points higher than the BMI of 25 that defines being overweight -- lived longer than seniors who were either thinner or heavier. There's a fine line here, though, because carrying extra pounds is a risk factor for many types of cancer and other diseases. And, according to the researchers behind the two new studies, the general public has misinterpreted the Yale findings to mean that being very overweight is healthy.
One new study, published this month in the American Journal of Epidemiology by researchers at The Ohio State University in Columbus, found that seniors who maintained a stable, slightly overweight status survived most probably over the 16 years surveyed. Those seniors who had a so-called healthy weight going into the study (a BMI between 18.5 and 25) and who gained weight, but stayed below BMI 25, had a slight possibility of surviving over the study period.
People in the obese group, with a BMI higher than 35 and who continued to gain weight, faced the worst among all the groups in the study. But next-to-last were normal-weight people who lost weight, but this was likely because they became sick, the researchers said.
The second study, appearing this month in the journal Obesity, was conducted by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., and supports intentional weight loss among senior adults. Whether weight loss is beneficial has been debated because of this concept that being overweight is protective.
In short, the researchers found that physical activity and weight loss for overweight and obese adults resulted in lower cardiovascular disease risk and improved mobility. This finding supports previous studies demonstrating that exercise builds muscle and bone strength, improves balance and coordination, prevents falls and enables seniors to enjoy a more active lifestyle, they said.
Hui Zheng of Ohio State, the lead author of first study, said that the negative effects of obesity on health are greatest for young people.
|
What can we learn from the two new studies?
|
[
"keep healthy and enjoy life",
"make friends",
"find a good job",
"make more money"
] |
keep healthy and enjoy life
|
In the world today, all of the people need recreation . We cannot work all the time if we are going to keep healthy and enjoy life.
Everyone has his own way of relaxing. Perhaps the most popular form is to take part in sports. There are team sports, such as basketball and football; There are also individual sports, such as swimming and running. Skating and mountain climbing are the most popular recreation for people who like to be outdoor.
Not everyone who enjoys sports likes to take part in them. Many people like watching them on TV or listening to them on the radio. So many people like some forms of indoor recreation, such as watching TV, singing and dancing.
It doesn't matter whether we like indoor recreation or take part in outdoor sports. It is important for everyone to relax from time to time, and enjoy some forms of recreation.
|
People want to take part in sports in order to _ .
|
[
"Chen Jianqing and her husband",
"Chen Jianqing and one of her partners",
"Chen Jingmin and a Hong Kong businessman",
"Chen Jingmin and one of his s"
] |
Chen Jianqing and one of her partners
|
Two Chinese living in South Africa were killed in a robbery on February 5, bringing the total number of Chinese killed in the country to four in less than a month.
Chen Jianqing, 35, from Southeast China's Fujian Province who ran a shop with her husband in a small town 45 kilometers away from South African capital prefix = st1 /Johannesburgwas shot dead.
"One of her business partners died later in the hospital, "the Chinese consulate officials in Johannesburg said yesterday."Local police are trying to find more information about the case.And we have told the victims' s and are helping them come to Johannnesburg," consul Wu Gang told China Daily. Chen's husband was injured during the robbery but did not suffer seriously ,said Wu.
The robbery happened at about 5:45pm local time and the armed robbers ran away after taking more than 50,000 South Afican rand (US$8,200)and some jewellery,Xinhua News Agncy reported.
The killing happened just three days after Chen Jingmin, a 23-year-old man from Qingdao, Shandong province, was shot dead north outside Johannesburg by armed robbers .On January 10, a Hong Kong businessman was attacked and robbed at his home in Johannesburg and died the next day in the hospital.All these happened just in less than a month.
According to records, there were more than 40 robberies attacking Chinese in South Africalast year ,in which eight were killed .More than 100,000 Chinese are doing various kinds of businesses inSouth Africa,according to a Chinese official in the country. An increasing number of them are becoming targers of robbers after buying big houses or expensive cars, the official said.
|
Who were killed on February 5 in a small town near Johannesburg?
|
[
"China is the original country of football.",
"China is a country with a long history in sports.",
"People in China used to play football well.",
"Women in China are good at football."
] |
China is a country with a long history in sports.
|
(part of Yanglan's speech in Beijing's bid for the 2008 Olympic games)
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen. Good afternoon!
Before I introduce our cultural programs, I want to tell you one thing first about 2008. You're going to have a great time in Beijing.
Many people are fascinated by China's sport legends in history. For example, back to Song Dynasty, about the 11th century, people started to play a game called Cuju, which is regarded as the origin of ancient football. The game was very popular and women were also participating. Now, you will understand why our women football team is so good today.
With a concept inspired by the famed Silk Road, our Torch Relay will break new ground, traveling from Olympia through some of the oldest civilizations known to man-Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Byzantine, Mesopotamian, Persian, Arabian, Indian and Chinese. Carrying the message "Share the Peace, Share the Olympics," the eternal flame will reach new heights as it crosses the Himalayas over the world's highest summit - Mount Qomolangma, which is known to many of you as Mt. Everest. In China, the flame will pass through Tibet, cross the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, travel the Great Wall and visit Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and the 56 ethnic communities who make up our society. On its journey, the flame will be seen by and inspire more human beings than any previous relay.
I am afraid I can not present the whole picture of our cultural programs within such a short period of time. Before I end, let me share with you one story. Seven hundred years ago, amazed by his incredible editions of a far away land of great beauty, people asked Marco Polo whether his stories about China were true. He answered: What I have told you was not even half of what I saw. Actually, what we have shown you here today is only a fraction of Beijing that awaits you.
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that Beijing will prove to be a land of wonders to athletes, spectators and the worldwide television audience alike. Come and join us.
Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you all.
|
In Yanglan's speech, she mentioned a game called Cuju, she implied that _
|
[
"one must count his chicken after they are hatched",
"it is foolish to make plans",
"one must depend more on what is in real life",
"one must make plans before they begin to work"
] |
one must depend more on what is in real life
|
Molly was a peasant girl. Her parents did not have much money and Molly did not have many nice clothes.
One day Molly's father said to her, "Molly, take this pot of milk to market and sell it. You may keep the money."
Molly was very happy. She put the pot of milk on her head and started her journey to market. While she was walking alone she began to think. "I will get quite a lot of money for this milk," she thought. "What will I do with the money? I will buy a lot of eggs. I will take the eggs home with me. One of our hens will sit on them. Then there will be lots of little chickens. I will not sell the chickens. They will grow into hens. Then there will be more eggs. And these eggs will give me still more chickens. Soon I will have hundreds of hens. Then I will sell them all. They will bring me a lot of money. I will be rich. I will buy lots of new clothes. I will always wear nice clothes. Then a rich man will marry me. We will have a beautiful house, a big car and nice children..."
Molly was very happy. She jumped into the air. The pot of milk fell from her head onto the road. And that was the end of all her dreams.
In English there is a proverb. It says: Do not count your chickens before they are hatched .
|
The proverb: "Do not count your chicken before they are hatched." means _ .
|
[
"www.rg-chonang.com",
"www.theenglishprofessor.com",
"www.globalstudy .com/est",
"www.wfi.fr/volterre/weblinklearners.html"
] |
www.theenglishprofessor.com
|
Online English Web Sites
* www.english-zone.com----A site teaching English grammar; vocabulary and reading skills. Also lots of jokes.
* www.theenglishprofessor.com----ESL (="English" as a second language) links. "Learning English free" is its slogan. Very good at helping students improve their writing skills.
* www.globalstudy .com/est----Directory of "English as a Second Language" web sites in the United States; Canada; Australia; New Zealand; Great Britain and Ireland.
* www.netsurflearning.com----A free English course using materials from the web and catering for all levels. You can improve all kinds of language skills there.
* www.rg-chonang.com----Hundreds of ESL links for you to go to.
* www.wfi.fr/volterre/weblinklearners.html----A wide variety of English language resources links.
|
Which web site mainly helps you to improve your writing skills?
|
[
"He suggests that the man should have an e-mail.",
"The man doesn't have an e-mail. so he has succeeded.",
"The man could be more successful if he had an e-mail.",
"He can't imagine there exists someone who has no e-mail."
] |
The man could be more successful if he had an e-mail.
|
A jobless man applied for the position of "office boy" at Microsoft, The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.
"You are employed," he said. "Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application form to fill in, as well as the date when you may start."
The man replied, "But I don't have a computer or an e-mail."
"I'm sorry,"said the HR manager, "If you don't have an e-mail, that mean you do not exist. And the one who doesn't exist cannot have the job."
The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do. With only $10 in his pocket, he decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10kg tomatoes. He then sold the tomatoes from door to door . In less than two hours, he succeeded in making his money double. He repeated the
operation three times, and returned home with $60.
The man realized that he could survive in this way, and started earlier and returned late.
Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, h e bought a cart, then a truck and then he had his own _ to send food . Five years later, he became one of the biggest food sellers in The US.
He started to plan his family's future, so he called an insurance broker to Have a discussion. When the conversation was over, the broker asked him for his e-mail. The man replied again,"I don't have an e-mail."
The broker answered in surprise, "You don't have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded building an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had had an e-mail?"
The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I would be an office boy at Microsoft
,.
|
What does the insurance broker's answer mean?
|
[
"They trick the king's men into thinking they are fools.",
"They think ahead by putting their extra fish into a pond.",
"They make sure their donkeys are healthy enough to work.",
"They realize the importance of warm weather to their crops."
] |
They trick the king's men into thinking they are fools.
|
There's a small town in the central part of England called Gotham. Some say it's a town of fools. Others say all the villagers are wise. Let me tell you about the people of Gotham so you can decide for yourself.
Long ago, England was ruled by a cruel king named John. One day, the people of Gotham heard that King John and his men would soon be riding through their town.This worried the villagers, for they knew the greedy king would demand food and accommodation for his men. What's more, if he saw anything to his liking, he would surely take it.
A town meeting was called. After much discussion, the townspeople decided to cut down a number of huge trees to block the roads leading into Gotham. When King John and his men reached the outskirts of the village, they could not pass. Angry, King John ordered his men to go into the town and punish the villagers.
When the king's officers finally made their way over the trees, they found a village of fools. Some say that was because the people of Gotham had a plan--they had decided to act like fools since they had never heard of anyone being punished for being a noodlehead. Others say that's just the way they were.
In the village, the king's men encountered a man riding a donkey. The man was bent over because he carried a huge bag of grain on his own shoulders. He looked exhausted. One of the king's men approached him and asked, "Why, in heaven's name, are you carrying that bag? Why don't you just put it behind you on your donkey's back?"
"You see," replied the man from Gotham, "my donkey is feeling poor today. It's bad enough that she has to carry me, so I decided to lighten her burden by carrying the bag myself."
The king's men said, "But sir, don't you see that if you're riding on top of the donkey, she's
still carrying the weight of the bag?" The man didn't reply. He just looked at the king's men as if they were crazy and went on his way. The king's officers giggled at the foolishness of the man. Before long, they passed a pond where they found a number of villagers in the midst of a great argument. Two of them were holding a big eel. "Quiet down," commanded one of the king's men. "What's the problem here?"
One of the villagers stepped forward and said, "Last year we took all the extra fish we [caught and put them in this pond so they would multiply. But this year when we came back, all we caught was this one huge eel. Obviously it has eaten all of our fish! Since then, we have argued long and hard over how to punish this bad eel. But we have finally agreed on the perfect punishment. We are just about to drown the eel in this very pond!" The king's officers couldn't believe their ears. Drown an eel whose home is in the water? These men were sillier than the first man they met!
Before long, they reached the center of the village, where they were in for another surprise. There they found the rest of the townspeople building a towering stone wall. When the soldiers inquired what was going on, one of the villagers replied, "Every spring a cuckoo comes to live in our village. It always brings warm weather. When it leaves, the cold weather returns. Last year we decided that if we could get the cuckoo to stay here all year, we would always have warm weather. We built this stone wall, but it obviously wasn't high enough because the bird flew away. This year we're determined to build it so high that the cuckoo can't escape."
The king's officers had heard enough. They couldn't bring themselves to punish such stupid people. They returned to King John and told him all about the fools of Gotham. Whether it's fair or not, the people of Gotham have been known as fools ever since.
What do you think? Were the villagers of Gotham wise or foolish?
|
Based on the story, why might the townspeople be considered wise?
|
[
"Something that is both hot and interesting.",
"Something that brings you good source of income.",
"Something that will always exist in the future.",
"Something involving your strengths and interests."
] |
Something involving your strengths and interests.
|
In this fast-shifting world, there can be no guarantees attached to any particular job. But there is much that you can do to protect yourself from the change of society, by equipping yourself with the skills to manage your career more effectively. You need to be a career activist.
If you lost your main source of income tomorrow, could you find a different source to replace it? The most important thing in protecting yourself now and in the future is ensuring that you have choices. Don't let yourself be held back by a lack of skill development, or fear of change. Some people have been good performers in their own organization but discovered that they are stuck. Because they are so closely related to a particular company or industry, their skills are not readily transferred to other jobs.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket. If you limit yourself to one particular area or sector, you limit your opportunity, too. In a global market place, many jobs come and go quickly as changes in the stock market. Today's hottest job may not exist tomorrow. If you love computers, then this work represents a great choice. But don't enter a field just because you think that's where the hot jobs are; even if the job is available, it may not match well with your own skills and abilities. Start with entry of your own strengths and interests, then see where you may match up best in the job market.
|
What is the best job for you to choose according to the writer?
|
[
"he will miss his parents a little bit",
"there will be more seats in classrooms",
"he will have a quiet and peaceful break",
"the speed of the Internet will get faster"
] |
he will have a quiet and peaceful break
|
As most university students are packing their bags,boarding trains or flying home for the Spring Festival,some will stay behind to spend the holiday on campus.
Zhou Yunyun,22,a senior finance major at Jilin University,has decided that instead of traveling to Hainan province,he will kill the time by playing computer games with his online friends.
"I'm used to chatting and playing with them every day.It's just fun to make friends this way,"he said."When I returned home in past years,my relatives always asked me a lot of questions about my plans after graduation.They had high expectations of me,which made me feel stressed," said Zhou.
The campus,usually lively,will probably turn into a death town,with most restaurants,shops and student centers closed during the break.But there are also a few advantages,according to Jia Debao,2 1,a junior majoring in administration at China Agricultural University."I might feel a bit lonely,but at least I can stay away from my parents' complaining and enjoy the peaceful and quiet stay," he said."More importantly,I can enjoy the high speed of the Internet,I can always find empty seats in classrooms,and I don't have to wait to use the bathroorm" But education experts recommend students who stay on campus to come up with more interactive plans.That's because communication on the Internet can't replace real life interpersonal relationships.
Society has promoted a kind of" _ " or close-in culture among some young people, according to Shi Tongyu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He warned that this kind of lifestyle can damage students' mental and physical development.
"When you constantly stare at a computer screen and type on your keyboard,you gradually lose the ability to socialize and survive normally,"said Shi."A human's most important task is to survive,which cannot be completed by staying at home all the time. Instead,it must be achieved through real life experience and communication."
|
Spending the Spring Festival on campus for Jia Debao means _ .
|
[
"was too weak to stand still",
"fell down on the road",
"had a load on his head",
"didn't know how to cross the road"
] |
had a load on his head
|
Just two weeks ago, I was about to cross a busy road when I noticed an old grandpa with a heavy load on his head just a few meters from me. He looked very weak. A few minutes later, I realized I'd forgotten to cross the road. And he'd seen me looking at him.
I love my grandparents so much that whenever I see any old people I won't forget to smile at them. I couldn't let go of this grandpa, either. He came near me and handed me a note on which there was an address. I showed him the directions and said he would need a taxi as it was 3 pm on a hot summer's day. Anybody would faint dead in this weather and I didn't want him to walk all the way. But he looked disappointed.
I asked where he had come from. He replied weakly that he was from Chidambaram, about 240 kilometers from where we were. I was shocked because he looked like he could not even take 2 steps without falling. I called a taxi immediately and asked the driver to drop him at his place. The grandpa wasn't ready because he had no money. I paid for his journey and asked the driver to drop him off safely.
When I turned to look at the grandpa, who was leaving, tears filled my eyes and I didn't want to leave. Memories of my grandparents flashed in my mind, making me feel like crying. I said goodbye to the grandpa, and some happy tears dropped from his eyes.
|
The old man that the author noticed _ .
|
[
"bread",
"vegetables",
"chicken",
"salad"
] |
vegetables
|
David eats well every day. For breakfast, he has bread, eggs and milk. At school, he has vegetables and rice for lunch. After lunch, he eats an apple. In the evening, he has chicken and fruit salad at home. David _ milk, but Mom says it is healthy. So he drinks it every day. After eight in the evening, he doesn't have food. Every day, David does some sports to be healthy. He plays tennis in the morning and plays basketball after school.
,.
|
David has _ for lunch.
|
[
"mentioning certain cultural phenomena",
"mentioning his view at the very beginning",
"mentioning the opposite view at the very beginning",
"giving examples of cultural differences"
] |
mentioning certain cultural phenomena
|
Take a look at teenagers around, dressed in baggy-pants , drinking soft drinks such as coke, reading Japanese cartoons. Whether you are in Beijing, Wuhan or Hong Kong, you will get the same impression. But should we copy others or should we maintain our differences?
It sounds convenient that people around the world speak the same language, dress in the same style, eat the same food and play the same games. If the world was like this, you won't feel strange in any corner of world. But just imagine living in such a strange world. How dull and colorless it would be!
Different kinds of food that people can taste, the colorful and fashionable clothes that we dress in and different languages we speak are all part of the different cultures that our ancestors left us. These differences represent their creativity and talent. And we all enjoy different cultures in our daily lives. When you travel to other places, you want to see different things. When you talk to foreigners you expect to listen to interesting stories. These differences in culture are what make life colorful.
But the whole world is _ into a small village as globalization takes effect and many different cultures are disappearing. In most big cities around the world people wear the same clothes. Fast food stores are everywhere. Hollywood movies are kicking traditional performing arts out of our lives. The colors of our life are disappearing.
There is joke that even the panda and zebra want to live a colorful life. So let's take action to protect our colorful culture before it becomes as simple as black and white.
It's not difficult. Learning some folk songs, trying on a traditional clothing and even eating local food instead of going to KFC can help. And we're sure you will enjoy it.
|
The author starts the argument by _ .
|
[
"they live far away from town",
"they live a poorer life",
"they are busy with their work",
"they don't like to dress up"
] |
they are busy with their work
|
Urban citizens can enjoy a more colorful life than rural citizens.Townspeople are wellinformed because they have the easier access to news,while country people are uniformed because these districts are hard to get to.Urban traffic is so welldeveloped that the residents there often visit exhibitions and parks which are only a short bus ride away. For country people this is a major operation which involves considerable planning.Shopping,a necessary activity in everyday life is more convenient in the city than in the countryside. Townspeople can buy what they want at any time of a day.But rural residents go to town at most once a week.So after shopping they always stagger home loaded with heavy purchases. As for as meals and clothes concerned,townspeople are wellfed and welldressed as there is an adequate supply of goods.But rural residents are too busy to pay particular attention to them.It is for these reasons that more and more people are moving into the city and looking for a rest there.
On the contrary,some people are attracted by the rural area.Air pollution,noise and overcrowding which are the biggest problems confronting townspeople seem strange for rural residents.Medical studies have proved that rural residents can live longer than urban residents, because they are free from a polluted environment. In addition,the crime rate in the city is several times higher than in the countryside.As is known to all,the life in any city is much more expensive than in the countryside.So the safe, quiet and cheap life in the country appeals to(......)many city residents.
Either an urban or a rural area gives pleasure and trouble.But,I believe,the suburban area has the excellencies of both and is superior to both.As the automobile industry develops,more and more people will make their homes in suburban areas.
|
According to the passage,rural people are not as welldressed as urban citizens mainly because _ .
|
[
"the history of Hanukkah and how it is celebrated",
"why Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah",
"why Jewish people protect their traditions",
"the miracle of the holy oil in the Jewish temple"
] |
the history of Hanukkah and how it is celebrated
|
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival. It is celebrated on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev , which is usually sometime in December. It is often called the festival of lights. The festival celebrates the time, over 2,000 years ago, when the Jewish people fought against an emperor who would not let them follow their own traditions and religion. When the Jewish people won back their temple in Jerusalem, they found there was only enough holy oil to keep the sacred light burning for one day. However, to their surprise, this small amount of oil kept the light burning for eight days and nights, until the people had time to make more oil.
At the center of the Hanukkah celebrations is a candlestick (called a Menorah) that holds nine candles. On the first night of Hanukkah the first candle is lit, and each day this candle is used to light another candle, until on the eighth day, the last day, all the candles are lit. During Hanukkah, people go to the synagogue to pray and to remember the miracle of the holy oil. Hanukkah is a time for family and friends to come together. People exchange gifts and greeting cards, and children go to parties. Parents often give their children money at Hanukkah. Potato cakes, called latkes, are a traditional Hanukkah food.
|
The passage mainly tells us about _ .
|
[
"will feel happy with lots of friends",
"will not get on well with others",
"has no selfesteem at all",
"should read the new book on EQ"
] |
will not get on well with others
|
The first time that I had heard the term"EQ"was in the fall of 1995 when the book Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman, was widely covered by the American press. The widespread research presented in the book supported my own observations and doubts about life and emotions, and told me that I was on the right track to go after happiness. The research continues to confirm what I had concluded on my own: These feelings are extremely important to individual health, happiness, and social harmony. This might seem a bit obvious, but it was not always obvious to me.
I grew up in a family where we didn't talk about feelings. We talked about ideas, concepts and principles. As a result, I could tell you what I thought about everything, but I couldn't tell you how I felt about anything. After several failed relationships, I took time off to reflect on my life and realized I had made many decisions which resulted in unhappiness for myself and others. After studying the literature on emotions and feelings, I concluded that most of my poor decisions could be directly due to what is now called low emotional intelligence, or low EQ, for short. Previously, I struggled to find happiness through the traditional routes--material success. Now, however, I realize that:
There's not much point having either wealth or relationships if you aren't happy.
It is hard to be happy with others if you aren't happy yourself.
It is hard to be happy alone if you don't feel good about yourself, i.e. have high selfesteem and selfconfidence.
It is hard to have good feelings about yourself if you don't have good emotional management skills.
Emotional management skills, the main subject of EQ, are, therefore, one of the most basic elements of happiness.
|
A person who can't feel happy himself _ .
|
[
"She didn't like her new school.",
"She didn't get along well with her classmates.",
"She missed her family very much.",
"She didn't like her new teacher."
] |
She missed her family very much.
|
My problems started after I went to a boarding school. I was only 14, and at first I missed my family a lot. I often called them and cried on the phone. But after two weeks, I found I enjoyed being with my classmates at school. I had many friends who were boys. I thought of them as my best friends-but only friend. I never guessed my friendship with boys would become a problem.
Then, two months later, my friends told me that some teachers and girls said I was hanging out with boys all day long to get attention from them. A few months after that, the class teacher James asked the class to choose some students to join the Student Union. I thought I could win for I was doing well at school. I came first in the English and Math exams. A week later, the list came out and it didn't include me. James came to me and said, "Don't be sad. I know you're excellent! Maybe you're a little distant from the girls in our class. They don't know much about you, so some of them didn't choose you. It doesn't matter. Do your best to get on well with everyone and I think you'll make it next time. "
|
What was the writer's problem when she studied in the boarding school at first?
|
[
"is a fast runner",
"runs faster than any other animal on land",
"runs as fast as it can",
"is very fast for periods of time"
] |
runs faster than any other animal on land
|
The cheetah is best known for being the world's fastest land animal, reaching speeds of just over 110kph for short period of time. However, many people know little else about this wonderful animal. The word cheetah probably comes from a Hindi word spotted animal. It is very similar to other cats but also has some obvious differences. Its body is much leaner than most cats and it has much longer legs.
People sometimes make a cheetah a leopard because they both have spots, but in fact they are very different. A leopard is far heavier and more powerful, but also much slower. The cheetah's spots cover most of its body except for its stomach and throat. The cheetah's tail has spots and these become rings at the end of the tail.
An adult cheetah weighs between 35-65 kilograms and is about 80 centimeters high at the shoulder. The cheetah's head is quite small and the eyes are quite high up. A black line runs from each eye down to its mouth and makes it look a little sad. It has high shoulders that help it to walk so gracefully.
Cheetahs are very fast but they are not very strong. They are not good fighters and will run away rather than fight another animal to protect their food. If they make a kill, it is sometimes taken away from them by stronger animals such as lions and leopard. These animals will kill their young if they get the chance. The cheetah is not a threat to humans at all. It will not attack humans and prefers to stay away from occupied areas.
|
Many people know that the cheetah _
|
[
"Wal-Mart Stores",
"Your uncle's family",
"Yuanmingyuan Imperial Garden",
"High school"
] |
Wal-Mart Stores
|
Chinese New Year Celebration is the most important celebration of the year. Chinese people may celebrate the Chinese New Year in slightly different ways but their wishes are almost the same; they want their family members and friends to be healthy and lucky during next year.
Chinese New Year Celebration usually lasts for 15 days. Celebratory activities include Chinese New Feast, firecrackers, giving lucky money to children, the New Year bell ringing and Chinese New Year Greetings. Most of Chinese people will stop the celebrating in their home on the 7th day of New Year because the national holiday usually ends around that day, however celebrations in public areas can last until the 15th day of New Year.
It is the money given to kids from their parents and grandparents as New Year gift. The money is believed to bring good luck, ward off monsters; hence the name "lucky money". Parents and grandparents first put money in small, especially-made red envelopes and give the red envelopes to their kids after the New Year's Feast or when they come to visit them on the New Year. They choose to put the money in red envelopes because Chinese people think red is a lucky color. They want to give their children both lucky money and lucky color.
|
Where can we meet some celebrations in the 13th day of the New Year in China?
|
[
"teenagers",
"parents",
"policemen",
"teachers"
] |
teenagers
|
Hello, everyone. Because of the high rate of school violence in some areas, teenagers' safety becomes a serious problem. We are planning to set up an organization named School Watch to make sure that students have a safe environment. Please be part of our plan!
What is School Watch?
School Watch is a volunteer project in our school. It helps us stop violence and improve the quality of school life. It will keep yourself and your schoolmates safe. The other members of School Watch care for you and your classroom and you do the same for them.
Is it for everyone?
Anybody can become a member of School Watch because everyone has something to offer.
What else can it do?
School Watch makes it possible for us not only to help each other but also to make friends with each other. Some members may offer to help schoolmates who have problems with their homework.
Who is the Best School Watcher?
Our school will look for the Best School Watcher and give him or her lots of prizes. You could be the one!
How do you start?
To be part of this plan, the only thing you need to do is to talk to the director of the plan in your grade. If you want to get more information, check the official website atwww. schoolwatch. com.
|
The members of School Watch are probably _ .
|
[
"We can get discounted Tours and Attraction Passes",
"We can get some information of new tours and programs",
"We can have our Passes in hand when starting off.",
"We can enjoy a family vacation with leg work."
] |
We can enjoy a family vacation with leg work.
|
Every day we are adding more and more vacation ideas, destinations, tours, and articles. As you explore our website,you will find there is an ever-growing collection of things that will help make your vacation easier and more affordable.
We change our featured destinations very frequently so be sure to keep coming back to see what new ideas we have for your family vacation.We feature a different state,park, and city destination on the front page of the website.These change frequently, so be sure to sign up for our newsletter so you can be sure to keep up with all the new information.
Another great feature we are offering is Guest Articles.These may come from a travel professional,author, parent or child about their travel ideas or offers.These informative articles are great to read and are perfect for discovering valuable tips and tricks for the travel less stressful.Plus,in many articles you will discover some hidden gems that you probably miss if you did not know about them.
One of the best things about our website is our ability to get you discounted Tours and Attraction Passes to the places you want to go most.This is a fantastic way to plan ahead and have your tours and passes paid for and pick them up before you leave your home.Now that is a helpful way to go.These programs can save you over 50%of what you could expect to pay when you arrive.And,we are adding new tours and programs every week.Be sure to check it out.
You can be sure we are working hard for you so that you can relax on your vacation. Let us do all the leg work for you so you can simply enjoy your family vacation!
|
Which isn't the benefit that the website brings to us?
|
[
"twenty-four tablets a day.",
"eight tablets a day.",
"six tablets a day.",
"three tablets a day."
] |
six tablets a day.
|
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,"
|
The directions on this medicine bottle clearly warn the patient not to take more than _ .
|
[
"[email protected]",
"139-1188-6524",
"130-1117-1326",
"139-1002-5516"
] |
130-1117-1326
|
Weekend one-day out
A walk along the Wall -- Beijing Hikers is organizing a hike in a village along the Great Wall in Changping District, north of downtown Beijing. The walk will take around three hours covering a distance of 10 kilometres.
Time: 8:30 a.m-4:30p.m, Dec.4
Cost: 200 yuan (US $25) per adult, 150 yuan (US $18.50) for under-12s.
Meeting place: 8:30a.m. in front of Starbucks at Lido Holiday Inn, Jiangtai Lu
To sign-up (one day before the hike) and more information, contact Huijie at [email protected] or 139-1002-5516.
Skiing and hot springs -- Cycle China plans a day's skiing fun at a resort around Beijing followed by an outdoor hot spring bath for your sore body.
Cost: 350 yuan (US $43.40) & Time: 8:30 a.m-6:30p.m, Dec.4
Location: Meet at the office of Cycle China, opposite to the east gate of Jingshan Park, Xicheng District.
For more information and reservation, email [email protected] or call 139-1188-6524.
Horse riding -- This is a trip to a professional horse-riding club with well-trained bilingual instructors, offering lessons to people who love riding and those willing to learn more. The club is located in Hebei Province next to the Kangxi Grassland.
Time: 1:30 a.m-4:30p.m, Dec.4
Cost: 330yuan (US $40.74) including one hour's riding, transportation, guide, lunch
To sign-up and more information, contact Lucy at 8580-5080, 130-1117-1326 or [email protected].
|
If you are interested in the knowledge about horse-riding, you'll contact _
|
[
"know the car's condition",
"ensure the robber's safety",
"play a fair game with the robber",
"know the car's position and direction"
] |
know the car's position and direction
|
It's illegal for the police to attach a GPS unit to your car without your permission, as the U.S. Supreme Court settled in 2012.But if the police are in hot pursuit of a bank robber or other escaping criminals that threaten public safety, a GPS tracker is acceptable. But exactly how can the police GPS track a car that is moving fast?
The answer to that question comes from StarChase,a new police technology being used by a small but growing number of law enforcement agencies.It allows the police to fire 4.5-inch glue-covered GPS bullet-like projectiles from an air gun fixed in their police cars.If the GPS tracker makes contact with the escaping robber's car, it'll stick no matter how fast the vehicle is going.That way, the police will have a constant read on the car's location and heading.Aside from simply apprehending criminals,it's believed this new technology could help save lives.If the police successfully fire a GPS unit at a speeding criminal,they can pull back from a high-risk chase.Chases can be incredibly dangerous to all involved,including innocent bystanders and other drivers.Once the GPS bullet connects,there's no need for the chase any longer.
Now,predictably,a GPS-loaded gun isn't cheap. Police departments need to pay about $5.000 per vehicle for the technology,and individual GPS bullets cost as much as $250 each.That may sound expensive,but remember:The alternative is often thousands of dollars in property damage,and great human cost in injury and lost life.According to Star Chase,their GPS bullet system has an apprehension rate of 80%without any report of inury or property damage.If you'd like to learn more about the StarChase system,Popular Mechanics has just published a good article about it.There's also plenty more information available at the company's website.
|
When the GPS bullet sticks to the escaping robber's car,the police can _
|
[
"To put the garden fence right.",
"To put them away.",
"To help him understand something.",
"To make him lose patience."
] |
To help him understand something.
|
Once a boy often made trouble. His mother gave him many nails . She told him to hammer(,)one in the garden fence every time he lost his patience and fought with someone. The first day he hammered 27 nails. In the following weeks he learned how to control himself better and the number of nails hammered became smaller and smaller. He learned it was easier to control himself than to hammer nails.
The day finally came when he didn't hammer any nails. He went to tell his mother about it. Then his mother told him to pull off a nail from the fence each time he didn't lose his patience. After some days he told his mother that all the nails had been pulled off, so she took him to the fence and said to him, "You've behaved well, but look at all the holes in the fence. The fence will never be again like it was before. When you fight with someone, you leave wounds in him like these. The trouble may be over, but the wounds will always be there."
So, learn to control yourself before you hammer the nail in the fence. Try not to leave any holes in your past.
|
Why did the mother give her son nails?
|
[
"go down",
"cause more rain",
"get worse",
"kill more people"
] |
get worse
|
Ternang, Mon, more than 10, 000 people were made homeless in Ternang after six days of continuous heavy rain. The wooden bridge across the river has been swept away, . The town is cut by flood waters. At the fifth mile Jalan Tengku, the water is not two metres deep. It is closed to all traffic. Motorists going south are advised to use Jalan Hisamuddin. Flooding first appeared at mid - afternoon yesterday along the river banks. People moving to higher ground were just in time to escape from the flood. Most of the people had to leave their possessions behind. Helped by the army, police, Red Cross Society, the whole town was moved out of danger. They are new houses near the town ofprefix = st1 /Tulang. "Everything possible is being done to help the unfortunate people, " a government official said, " In fact, money, food and clothing have begun to come in from organizations and people. "
According to the latest reports it is still raining heavily at Ternang. The whole town is expected to be totally covered. So far nobody has been reported dead.
|
The flood is expected to _ .
|
[
"the 1960s",
"the 1970s",
"the 1980s",
"the 1990s"
] |
the 1970s
|
Today, whether or not you follow the latest trends, one's fashion and choice of dress is a reflection of one's individual style and tastes. Can you still remember how you dressed at the start of China's opening-up? Today's program is one of a special series commemorating the 30th anniversary of reform and opening-up in China. In these two episodes we focused on fashion and style and were honored to invite two special guests to join us in studio--Ms. Zhang Ling from Raffles-BICT Inter-national College and Alex from Esquire magazine.
When we talk about fashion, color is absolutely crucial. A color can reflect the mood of an individual person or the spiritual temperament of entire society or age. Mrs. Zhang and Alex talked about the colors which have left the greatest impression on them. In the 1960s and 70s, blue and grey were the dominant colors at the time and people had limited choices to dress up. But fast forward to the present, you will find no difficulty in choosing from array of vivid colors in the market.
We also gave our guests a list of keywords--traditional brands, jeans, DIY, international brands, personal dress for them to choose from in order to represent the fashion of their generation. We find out that for every keyword our guest chose, there was a special story behind it. Some of the stories brought us back to old times--we even brought some vintage clothing from the 60s and 70s up on stage and invited some audience members to try them on.
When we mention fashion, we must mention brand. With increasing disposable income and purchasing power of the Chinese, many luxury brands have flocked into China. However, you could imagine in 1980s, when the first inter-national brand came to China, it unveiled a fashion storm among the Chinese.
|
China's opening-up dates back to _ .
|
[
"they consider every thing as an invention",
"they are full of energy",
"they enjoy solving their own problems",
"they look for problems and try to solve them in a new and better way"
] |
they look for problems and try to solve them in a new and better way
|
You may think that inventions are far away from your everyday life. But in fact, almost everyone can invent. It's just that they do not recognize that their idea could be the start of an invention.
Once inventors see their ideas have some practical value, they don't let them slip away.
For example, the inventor of the dishwasher, American Josephine Cochrane, loved to give dinner parties. But she found it took too long to wash her dishes by hand and too many of them broke. She decided that a machine could do the job faster and with fewer mistakes. So, in 1886, she set out to make one for herself.
Like Cochrane's, most inventions are created to solve a problem. So, the first and most important step is to find the problem.
You can start by looking at what is wrong with things you use now. You can ask grandparents or neighbours if they remember ever saying: "I wish someone would invent something for..." Or you can look at people in different areas such as on the street, or at school. Then you might notice situations or things in need of improvement.
Remember to record your ideas and work. This will help you develop your invention and protect it when it is completed.
The next step is to think about possible solutions. An invention is a new way of solving a problem. So think of many, varied, and unusual ways.
You can often come up with a solution for a problem by looking at it from a different angle or thinking about it in a new way.
Example 1 -- instead of thinking of shoes as protecting your feet from the ground, think of using something to protect the ground from your feet.
Example 2 -- instead of thinking about how you can carry oranges home from a store, think of how they can come to you by delivery or growing your own.
Example 3 -- instead of experimenting with only one solution, can you put two or three solutions together, or arrange them in different orders?
And if one solution doesn't work, can it be put to other uses? That was how yellow post-it notes (N) came about -- a "failed" adhesive experiment proved a weak adhesive had good uses too!
After all, most inventions are not brand new. They do not come out of nowhere, but come out of things or ideas that already exist.
And the hardest part of inventing, even for a lot of inventors, is coming up with a problem and finding a solution. Once you have an idea, you can always get help building your invention.
This problem-solving technique can also work in your everyday lives. So, why not try it in your studies, in your relationship with others, or even in the way you look at the world?
|
What makes inventors different from other people is probably that _ .
|
[
"on TV",
"at home",
"in the playground",
"in the Capital Stadium"
] |
in the Capital Stadium
|
Xiao Qing is a schoolboy. His brother works in a hospital of Beijing. This summer his brother lets him come to Beijing. Xiao Qing is very happy. He comes to the hospital for the first time.
One evening, Xiao Qing's brother gives him a ticket for a football match. It begins in the Capital Stadium at eight clock in the evening.
Xiao Qing likes to watch football matches very much, but he doesn't know the way to the Capital Stadium. He asks a young man at the bus stop, "How much is the ticket to the Capital Stadium?" "Three yuan." Answers the young man.
Xiao Qing finds only two yuan in his pocket. He has to run to the next stop. When the bus comes to the stop, he sees the young man again. He asks the young man, "Now how much is the ticket?"
"Four yuan," the young man says with a smile. " You run in a contrary direction."
|
Xiao Qing wants to watch the football match _ .
|
[
"by recording higher level brain activity",
"by comparing people's memories of their dreams with an electronic visualization",
"by asking about people after their dreams",
"by linking certain neurons with specific objects or concept"
] |
by asking about people after their dreams
|
Scientists think it will be possible to record people's dreams and then interpret them, according to a new report.
They claim to have developed a system which allows them to record higher level brain activity.
Dr Moran Cerf told the journal Nature: "We would like to read people's dreams."
Previously the only way to access people's dreams is for psychologists to ask about them after the event and try to interpret them.
Dr Cerf hopes to eventually compare people's memories of their dreams with an electronic visualization of their brain activity.
He told the BBC: "There's no clear answer as to why humans dream. And one of the questions we would like to answer is when do we actually create this dream?"
The scientist believes his latest research shows that certain neurons or individual brain cells are linked with specific objects or concepts.
He found that a particular neuron lit up when a volunteer thought about Marilyn Monroe.
If a database was built up identifying various neurons with concepts, objects and people it would allow them to "read the subject's minds", according to Dr Cerf.
However, Dr Roderick Oner, a clinical psychologist and dream expert, said that this kind of visualisation would be of limited help when it came to interpreting the "complex dream narrative".
In addition to get a detailed picture of individual neurons subjects had to have electrodes implanted deep in the brain using surgery.
The Nature researchers used data from patients who had electrodes implanted to monitor and treat them for brain seizures .
However, Dr Cerf said he hoped that it would be possible at a later stage to monitor people without invasive surgery. He said it would be "wonderful" to be able to read the minds of _ patients who are unable to communicate.
|
According to the passage, psychologists try to interpret people's dreams _ .
|
[
"read A Child's History of the World to each other",
"learned A Child's History of the World together",
"each had a copy of A Child's History of the World",
"used A Child's History of the World to improve their writing"
] |
learned A Child's History of the World together
|
A Child's History of the World
Our Price: $28.00
Item #: 010821
ISBN: 978-8-8828-7028-7
Grades: 4--Adult
Product Description
V. M. Hillyer, the first headmaster of Calvert School, spent many of his school years studying only American history. Believing that studying world history would broaden children's horizons and give them a better understanding of the world and history in general, he set out to write an understandable and comprehensive world history children could enjoy. A Child's History of the World functions to familiarize young children with some historical events and people of significance while reading like a good story. The subjects are covered in chronological order, from the beginning of the world through the end of the Cold War. This gives the child a linear view of world history that allows the details to be filled in later. A Child's History of the World is a basic reader and is not intended to be used as a supplementary reader.
Customer Reviews
This is a must-have book. It is a complete and engaging curriculum that is easy to use and understand. My girls are so close in age I was able to use it with all three at once and they loved it. And it's inexpensive! Love the way it is written.
Katrena R. from Shingle Springs, CA
This is a great book. Everyone (elementary/primary aged) should have this book in their homeschooling library. My kids (ages 4-9) have all enjoyed this book. It is engaging and well written for young ones. There is a lot of information packed into this book and it is presented in a way that is not boring for kids. It is kind of like The Story of the World.
Patrice T. from Seattle
|
According to Katrena R, her children _ .
|
[
"The Death of Alexander.",
"The Greed of Alexander",
"Three Wishes of Alexander",
"The Life of Alexander"
] |
Three Wishes of Alexander
|
There is a very instructive incident involving the life of Alexander, the great Greek king. Alexander, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. With death staring him in his face, Alexander realized how his conquests, his great army, his sharp sword and all his wealth were of no consequence. So, he lay helplessly waiting to breathe his last. He called his generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon, I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail."
"My first desire is that," said Alexander, "My physicians alone must carry my coffin." After a pause, he continued, "Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected." The king continued, "My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept hanging out of my coffin." Alexander's favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. "Oh King, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled. But tell us why do you make such strange wishes?"
At this Alexander took a deep breath and said, "I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learnt. I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure any body. They are powerless and cannot save a person from the _ of death. So let people not take life for granted.
The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to the graveyard is to tell people that not even a bit of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is just a waste of time to chase wealth.
And about my third wish of having my hands hanging out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty-handed into this world and empty-handed I go out of this world." With these words, the king closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last.
|
What would be the best title for the passage?
|
[
"positive",
"impressed",
"negative",
"touched"
] |
negative
|
A round of applause, please, for the Indian man who recently sang for 80 hours straight, setting a new Guinness world record. It's an impressive feat, to be sure, but let's just hope he still has a voice.According to Indian newspapers, Rajesh Burbure has been told to keep silent for several days so his vocal cords can heal.
It was reported that Burbure and his family are in a celebratory mood. "It's a proud moment for all of us," his wife told DNAIndia.com.
I, on the other hand, am unable to share their enthusiasm.Don't get me wrong: I hope the 35-year-old Burbure lives forever, sells a million records and becomes an international celebrity.But his record--singing for 80 hours straight--is about as meaningful as most of the other curious but crazy feats listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Granted, I'm not qualified to speak on the subject.I've got no world records to my name, and I never expect to have any.Then again, maybe I am qualified to speak for those of us who have better things to do than train for years to sing an 80-hour medley of pop songs.
But let's not just pick on poor Burbure.He's not the only person chasing meaningless accolades .The Guinness Book of World Records is full of the names of people who at one time grew the longest hair, or built the biggest bicycle, or baked the largest cheesecake.
To all of these enterprising souls I ask, simply, "What was it all for?"
Congratulations! For all of your painstaking effort, you became a footnote in a thick book that no one reads, except for you and the person who will eventually surpass you, with one more hour of singing, a few more centimeters of steel or a few more pounds of cheese.
After all, records are made to be broken.
|
The author's attitude to some Guinness world records is _ .
|
[
"they are both low in quality",
"they are both produced in factories",
"people enjoy both in their spare time",
"they are both good to people's health"
] |
they are both low in quality
|
You may know about " junk food" like French fries. But do you know about "junk sleep"?
Recently, a British survey found that electronic products in teenagers bedrooms are affecting their sleep.
The survey was done among 1,000 British kids from 12 to 16. It found that thirty percent of them got just 4 to 7 hours sleep every day. But doctors say they need 8 to 9 hours.
Almost a quarter of the kids said they fell asleep more than once a week while watching TV, listening to music or using other electronic products.
"This is very worrying." Said Dr Chris Idzikowski, a British expert, "We call it 'junk sleep', It means you don't get enough sleep and the quality of the sleep is bad, too. If you don't get good rest, you don't perform well in school the next day."
The survey found that 40 percent of the kids felt tired each day, with girls between 13 and 16 feeling the worst. Nearly all the teenagers have a phone, Mp4 or TV IN THEIR BEDROOM. And many of them have all three.
|
"Junk food" and "junk sleep"are similar to each other in the way that _ .
|
[
"Gold makes people unhappy",
"More gold, more happiness",
"Gold is not the thing that makes life happy",
"People feel happy if they have not gold"
] |
Gold is not the thing that makes life happy
|
King Midas used to love gold. One day he met a fairy who allowed him to make a wish for something. The king replied at once , ''I love gold . I want everything I touch to change into gold". ''Very well , tomorrow morning, everything you touch will turn into gold ."Saying this, the fairy disappeared.
The king waited excitedly till the next morning. To his joy, everything he touched changed immediately into gold. ''I'm the richest man in the world now." He shouted.
Soon Midas became hungry. He sat down at his table. All the foods and drinks turned into gold in his hand. ''I'm dying of hunger." He cried.
Just then his daughter came running in . ''Why are you so sad, dad?" she asked, putting her arms around him. There and then she became a golden statue. The king loved his daughter very much .Seeing this, he began to cry. He looked up and suddenly saw the fairy before him. ''Don't you like the golden touch?" asked the fairy. ''Please take it away," begged the king, ''give me back my daughter." ''Well, you have learned your lesson. Go and wash in the river. Then the golden touch will be gone." The king ran quickly to the nearby river.
|
What do you think the story tries to tell us?
|
[
"Chelsea Clinton is the second daughter of Bill Clinton",
"Chelsea Clinton is in favour of her parents' careers",
"Chelsea Clinton always follows her mother's advice",
"Jenna Bush Hager is a correspondent for \"NBC Nightly News\""
] |
Chelsea Clinton is in favour of her parents' careers
|
Chelsea Clinton, the 31-year-old daughter of former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, is stepping into her own spotlight.
According to the New York Times, NBC has hired Clinton to become a full-time special correspondent for NBC News. Her feature stories will reportedly be used in the "Making a Difference" series, which _ on "NBC Nightly News". The sections attract people who volunteer to improve the lives of others in their communities.
When Bill Clinton won the presidency in 1992, the first lady asked the press to keep Chelsea out of the public eyes. As a young adult, Chelsea continued to avoid media attention in order to attend college and quietly enter the business world. Once her mother decided to run for the presidency in 2007, however, Chelsea made hundreds of public appearances, mostly on college campuses, to support the campaign. More recently, she has worked for New York University and promoted her father's latest book. She is currently pursuing a doctor's degree at Oxford.
Clinton is the second daughter of a president hired by NBC News; Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former President George W. Bush, works as a correspondent for NBC's "Today" show.
|
According to the text, we can conclude that _ .
|
[
"read in a quiet place",
"have group discussions",
"take comfortable seats",
"get their computers fixed"
] |
read in a quiet place
|
Guide to Stockholm University Library
Our library offers different types of studying places and provides a good studying environment.
Zones
The library is divided into different zones. The upper floor is a quiet zone with over a thousand places for silent reading, and places where you can sit and work with your own computer. The reading places consist mostly of tables and chairs. The ground floor is the zone where you can talk. Here you can find sofas and armchairs for group work.
Computers
You can use your own computer to connect to the wi-fi specially prepared for notebook computers; you can also use library computers, which contain the most commonly used applications, such as Microsoft Office. They are situated in the area known as the Experimental Field on the ground floor.
Group-study Places
If you want to discuss freely without disturbing others, you can book a study room or sit at a table on the ground floor. Some study rooms are for 2-3 people and others can hold up to 6-8 people. All rooms are marked on the library maps.
There are 40 group-study rooms that must be booked via the website. To book, you need an active University account and a valid University card. You can use a room three hours per day, nine hours at most per week.
Storage of study material
The library has lockers for students to store course literature. When you have obtained at least 40 credits , you may rent a locker and pay 400 SEK for a year's rental period.
Rules to be followed
Mobile phone conversations are not permitted anywhere in the library. Keep your phone on silent as if you were in a lecture and exit the library if you need to receive calls.
Please note that food and fruit are forbidden in the library, but you are allowed to have drinks and sweets with you.
|
The library's upper floor is mainly for students to _ .
|
[
"He summed up the causes of the failure in his life.",
"He planned to help his mother find her birth parents.",
"He recalled the fond memories of being with his mother.",
"He prepared himself to go to university for further studies."
] |
He recalled the fond memories of being with his mother.
|
Mum, it's me. Hopefully, this Mothering Sunday you will get to hear those three words. I will, of course, try to phone you. I hope we will be able to speak for the allowed 10 minutes. But I suspect many inmates will be using the phone, so if I don't call and if we don't speak, then this is what I would have said:
It's not your fault that I am here. I know that deep in your heart you have questioned whether my current circumstance is somehow your fault, if the reckless stupidity of my past is somehow a failure on your part. It is not. Only one person is to blame, only one person should hurt -- me. You have always taught me that when the room goes dark, you can wait for the lights to be switched back on or you can search in the dark and turn the light on yourself. You are my light. You always have been and always will be. There is nobody I admire more, nobody I have strived harder to please in my life, which is why my current failure hurts me so much.
I am so sorry that I will not be there to see you, but I want you to know that now, as always, you are here with me. In my darkest hours, and in the coldest loneliness of my past few months, my mind has so often wandered to the past, to when it was you and me -- and I have been able to smile. Yours is the strength that I draw upon.
A parent's job is to make sure that they pass on the best of themselves to their children. You have done that. It is the inner you in me that will get me through _ .
I have failed you so epically, but you have never failed me. If I think back to the tears I shed when Dad left, all those years ago, I see you through their misty glaze. You holding me and you telling me we'd be OK, and we will be. We are and always will be the best team.
Childhood heroes such as footballers, actors and rock stars are _ . If the job's done right, a child's heroes should be their parents -- you are mine. The strength you showed after the divorce from Dad to find your biological parents, to go to university and get your teaching qualifications, to begin your life again, is the strength that I draw on now. It is the belief in myself, it is the belief you have in me, that tells me that once I am released I can and will rebuild my life. I will make you proud again. I will make you happy to have me as your son. Yours is the will that gets me through every day.
I don't believe you can judge a person for the mistakes they make, as we all make them, but you can judge them for what they do afterwards. And after this, when it is all over, you will still have a son with the same hopes and dreams. They have not diminished. If you can dream it, then you have to believe it can happen -- right?
So this Mothering Sunday, please think back to that morning in the 80s, the first Mother's Day without Dad, when a six-year-old me got up early and made breakfast for you. Do you remember it? Could you ever forget? A slice of bread a doorstep thick and a wedge of cheese equally dense. You didn't have to eat it, but you did, chewing every dry mouthful. I know now why you forced yourself -- because it had been made with love. Well, things don't change this year -- this letter is that bread and cheese (it sure has plenty of the cheese!).
I love you so much. I am sorry I have let you down, but you have taught me that we will always pick ourselves up and become better than we were before. Thank you for everything and this year, more than ever:
Happy Mothering Sunday.
Love, your son
|
What did the author do in the loneliness of his past months?
|
[
"She was badly hurt.",
"She missed her parents.",
"She got altitude sickness.",
"She didn't like the food in Tibet."
] |
She got altitude sickness.
|
Yang Yunjing is a tour guide volunteer in Tibet. She went there five times as tour guide . Her parents and friends couldn't understand why she chose the hard work. But facing all the confusion( ), Yang just smiled and said, "Tibet is full of charm ."
When Yang finished her studies at the university three years ago, she had two choices: being an exchange student in Germany, or volunteering for Tibet. Finally, she chose the latter . Her father said, " I'll support( ) you. But no matter what happens, you have to face it on your own."
When Yang went to Tibet for the first time, she got a " gift" -- altitude sickness( ). She had to be in hospital, but she didn't tell her parents about it. During her volunteer work, she did a great job because she worked very hard.
One day when she returned to her room at night, she got a call from another tour guide volunteer. She told her that a woman of the group was badly hurt when climbing the mountains. Hearing that, Yang went to the hospital quickly and decided to stay there and look after the woman.
Yang learnt a lot from the volunteer experience." As long as I think of the sky there, I can laugh it off, no matter what difficulties I may meet," she said.
|
What happened to Yang Yunjing when she first went to Tibet?
|
[
"Hollywood stars' ads cannot go up in Venice",
"the mayor of Venice is expecting new advertising",
"the Dotter Group may stop its restoration work for lack of funds",
"people can buy Bulgaria or Coca-cola on the Bridge of Sighs"
] |
the mayor of Venice is expecting new advertising
|
According to legend, the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy, which connects the Palazzo Ducale to an ancient prison, got its name because the walk across it gave prisoners on their way to jail a final chance to appreciate the beauty of the city.
The view from the bridge today, however, is more likely to be of a giant billboard selling Bulgari or Coca - cola. Beyond the billboards, monuments are being restored. The money comes from advertising profits.
But when the Coke billboards went up this summer on buildings near the Piazza San Marco, which is at the historic heart of Venice, there was a public debate.
"We can't commercialize everything," said Alessandra Mottola Molfino, a Venetian. "The lesson that goes out is that a price is for everything."
"We couldn't stay quiet," said Maria Camilla Bianchini d'Alberigo, president of a heritage protection association. "Too much is too much."
There needed to be rules, she added, rules that prevent the advertising billboards clashing with the monuments of the city.
City of officials, however, argue that without these ads, the city could not afford to maintain its heritage. Many have been damaged by centuries of wear and are even a threat to public safety.
"I can't turn down the image of bottle when there are pieces of the Palazzo Ducale falling to the ground," said Renata Codello, a Cultrue Ministry official.
The Culture Minister has a budget of about $ 47 million (315 million yuan) for restoration of monuments, but Italy has a rich architectural heritage, and funds are always tight.Of that amount,
$ 1.8 million was given to the entire Vector region, which includes Venice.
Two years ago, the city signed an agreement with the Dotter Group, a company responsible for the restoration of the Bridge of Sighs and the Palazzo Ducale.It allows it to sell ad space.
But there is a condition in the agreement: The ads should not offend public taste,
In August, Venice banned US actress Julianne Moore's Bulgrari ad from a billboard in the Piazza San Marco.
The photo shows a naked Moore covered with lion cubs, handbags and jewelry, Mayor Giorgio Orsoni called the image too racy and unsuitable for the Piazza San Marco.
"I take account of the fact that Venice is part of the real world... but we cannot accept these Hollywood-style images.There arc intelligent sponsors, and we need to come up with advertising that suits Venice, not Times Square," he said in a speech.
|
It can be inferred from the passage that
|
[
"escaped from the emperor to live quietly",
"worked hard at practice drawing roosters",
"was invited to other places to draw roosters",
"drew piles and piles of paper to make a living"
] |
worked hard at practice drawing roosters
|
In ancient times, there was a painter. He was good at painting flowers and birds. But he never stopped practicing until he became very famous.
An emperor of China also loved paintings,especially roosters . So he asked the famous painter to paint a rooster for him. He wanted the rooster to be the best among all his collections.
The painter promised to do so. The emperor waited and waited for one year.,but he didn't get the picture. He couldn't waited to see the painter. He became angry and wanted to kill him. So the painter hurried into the palace with paper,paint and a brush. In five minutes, a perfect rooster was on the paper.
After seeing this,the emperor became much angrier. "Since you can paint a rooster in five minutes, why did you keep me waiting for over a year?"he asked.
"Your Majesty ,"said the artist. "I will let you know why.But you'll have to come with me. " he invited the emperor to his house. There, there were piles and piles of paper. On every piece of paper was a painting of a rooster.
"Your Majesty ,"said the painter. "It took me more than one year to improve my painting skill in order to paint a perfect rooster for you.
|
In fact, during the whole year the painter _
|
[
"Good walking shoes.",
"A pair of glasses.",
"A sleeping-bag.",
"Food and water."
] |
A sleeping-bag.
|
Trip 1 Black bear Count
There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them. The entire trip will last three hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: Free When: May 8
Trip 2 Garland Valley
Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland but is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: $15 When: May 8, May 15
Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure
Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley, part of the National Park. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip. The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours.
Cost: $12 When: May 8, May 15, May22
Equipment to be needed:
Please bring enough water and food for all walks.
Wear good walking shoes---no high heels.
Wear a hat for day walks.
Dress warmly for night walks.
Children must be with an adult.
Make sure your flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks.
Follow all instructions from guides during the walks. The mountains are a dangerous place.
Bookings:
Bookings for the above trips can be trade by telephone (893 m 4847) or on the Internet at www. Blue mountain tour. com
|
Which of the following is NOT necessary for the three trips?
|
[
"the car driver is too cruel",
"animals can also show love",
"the two dogs are brothers",
"friends are the best in the world"
] |
animals can also show love
|
We can't live without love and we know what love is, but we don't say only humans know what love is. Yes, it's impossible for animals to do some things because of their physical body. However, sometimes some of them might be able to show us the love that we have forgotten on our "busy road", just like the following story.
A dog, was knocked down by a car and died in the middle of the road. Later, another dog ran beside the body of the dead dog and he tried to wake his friend up using his legs. When his effort to wake up his friend failed, he tried to push his friend to the roadside. But his friend was too heavy for him to push.
Though traffic was busy and dangerous, he wouldn't want to go away from his friend, just standing beside his friend shouting and crying.
A lot of people saw this story and were very touched . Even a dog can show his loyalty and love to his friend, what can our humans do?
|
We learn _ from the passage.
|
[
"present the view that the first animals played an active role in oxygenating oceans",
"introduce two opposite opinions on how the first animals oxygenated oceans",
"analyze how atmospheric oxygen stepped up the evolution of oceanic animals",
"explain how oceanic oxygen determines the amount of atmospheric oxygen"
] |
present the view that the first animals played an active role in oxygenating oceans
|
The evolution of the first animals may have oxygenated Earth's oceans. New research
led by the University of Exeter challenges the long held belief that oxygenation of the atmosphere and oceans was a precondition for the evolution of complex life forms.
The study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, builds on the recent work of scientists in Denmark who found that sponges the first animals to evolverequire only small amounts of oxygen.
Professor Tim Lenton of the University of Exeter, who led the new study, said: "We argue that the evolution of the first animals could have played a key role in the widespread oxygenation of the deep oceans. This in turn may have
the evolution of more complex, mobile animals."
Critical to determining oxygen levels in the deep ocean is the balance of oxygen supply and demand. Demand for oxygen is created by the sinking of dead organic material into the deep ocean. The new study argues that the first animals reduced this supply of organic matterboth directly and indirectly.
Sponges feed by pumping water through their bodies, "digesting" the tiny particles of organic matter, and thus helping oxygenate the shelf seas that they live in. By oxygenating more of the bottom waters, the first animals actually increased the removal of the essential nutrient phosphorus in the ocean. This in turn reduced the productivity of the whole ocean ecosystem, lowering oxygen demand and thus oxygenating the deep ocean.
A more oxygen-rich ocean created ideal conditions for more complex mobile animals to evolve, because they have a higher requirement for oxygen. These included the first predatory animals with guts that started to eat one another, marking the beginning of the type of food webs we are familiar with today.
Professor Simon Poulton of the University of Leeds, who is a co-author of the study, added: "This study provides a possible mechanism for ocean oxygenation without the requirement for a rise in atmospheric oxygen. It therefore questions whether the long-standing belief that there was a major rise in atmospheric oxygen at this time is correct. We simply don't know the answer to this at present, which is ultimately key to understanding how our planet evolved to its current habitable state. Geochemists need to come up with new ways to explain oxygen levels on the early Earth."
|
The main purpose of the passage is to _ .
|
[
"Japanese",
"Americans and Chinese",
"Japanese and Americans",
"Chinese and Japanese"
] |
Japanese and Americans
|
There are some special traditions in Hawaii . People there are very friendly and always welcome visitors . They give visitors a lei , a long necklace of beautiful fresh flowers . Men wear bright flowered shirts , and women often wear long flowered dresses .
In Hawaii you may find some traditional Chinese , Japanese and Philippine holidays . Of course , many holidays are from the United States . People call Hawaii the Aloha State . Aloha means both "hello" and "good--bye". It also means "I love you " .
Usually when people from different countries , races or traditions lives together , there are serious problems . But in Hawaii there are few problems , people have learned to live together in peace .
Hawaiians earn most of their money from tourists , most of whom come from the mainland and from Japan . The families of the first people who came from the U.S. mainland own the important banks and companies . Japanese are also starting business and buying more and more land .
|
Most of the rich men in Hawaii are _ .
|
[
"a magazine",
"a newspaper",
"a film",
"a TV program"
] |
a TV program
|
A Bite of China
Are you an eating-lover? Do you want to eat every delicious food in the world? Then do you watch the popular program A Bite of China? It's a TV program on Chinese delicious food which has been produced by CCTV. Is there any holiday that isn't celebrated with special festival food? Here are several traditional Chinese foods:
Noodles are a symbol of long life in Chinese culture. They are as much a part of Chinese birthday celebration as a birthday cake with its candles lit in many western countries. Since noodles mean long life, it is considered very unlucky to cut it off.
Although westerners sometimes may be very sorry to see fish lying on the plate, in China a whole fish is a symbol of richness. In fact, at a party it is a tradition to serve the whole fish last, pointed towards the most valued guest. Fish also has a special meaning because the Chinese word for fish, yu, sounds like the word for richness or plenty, and it is believed that eating fish will help your wishes come true in the year to come.
A very popular dish during the Dragon Boat Festival is Zongzi. This tasty dish is made of rice dumplings with meat, peanuts or other delicious food in bamboo leaves. The tradition of Zongzi is meant to remind us of a great man, Qu Yuan in Chinese history.
|
A Bite of China is _ .
|
[
"Siblings hated fighting and loved playing.",
"Siblings in some families fought frequently.",
"Sibling fights led to bad sibling relationships.",
"Siblings learned to get on together from fights."
] |
Siblings learned to get on together from fights.
|
How is it that siblings can turn out so differently? One answer is that in fact each sibling grows up in a different family. The firstborn is, for a while, an only child, and therefore has a completely different experience of the parents than those born later. The next child is, for a while, the youngest, until the situation is changed by a new arrival. The mother and father themselves are changing and growing up too. One sibling might live in a stable and close family in the first few years; another might be raised in a family crisis, with a disappointed mother or an angry father.
Sibling competition was identified as an important shaping force as early as in 1918. But more recently, researchers have found many ways in which brothers and sisters are a lasting force in each others' lives. Dr. Annette Henderson says firstborn children pick up vocabulary more quickly than their siblings. The reason for this might be that the later children aren't getting the same one-on-one time with parents. But that doesn't mean that the younger children have problems with language development. Later-borns don't enjoy that much talking time with parents, but instead they harvest lessons from bigger brothers and sisters, learning entire phrases and getting an understanding of social concepts such as the difference between "I" and "me".
A Cambridge University study of 140 children found that siblings created a rich world of play that helped them grow socially. Love-hate relationships were common among the children. Even those siblings who fought the most had just as much positive communication as the other sibling pairs.
One way children seek more attention from parents is by making themselves different from their siblings, particularly if they are close in age. Researchers have found that the first two children in a family are typically more different from each other than the second and third. Girls with brothers show their differences to a maximum degree by being more feminine than girls with sisters. A 2003 research paper studied adolescents from 185 families over two years, finding that those who changed to make themselves different from their siblings were successful in increasing the amount of warmth they gained from their parents.
|
What was found about fights among siblings?
|
[
"has become a very important part of education only in China.",
"is very important in school education in some foreign countries.",
"is the only part of the school project for teenagers around the world.",
"needs students to finish at least 1,000 hours of community work."
] |
is very important in school education in some foreign countries.
|
Li Ruyan, 13 and his classmates in Shanghai did something special last summer. They worked in groups with traffic police at different crossroads in the city. Holding small red flags, the students helped keep order and stopped people from jaywalking .
As part of the school project. Li's school has encouraged its students to do more community work.
After the half day of exhausting work Li told himself not to jaywalk anymore.
"I think through community work we get to help others and, more importantly, we grow a sense of responsibility ," he said.
Community service is an important part of education for teenagers around the world. In the US and Canada, high school students need to finish 40 hours of community service before graduation. For those Americans who have finished 1,400 hours of community work, they can be awarded nearly $ 5, 000(33, 000 yuan).
Chinese students today do more community work, too. For example, starting from 2010, Sichuan high school students have been asked to do 10 days of community work. It will become part of their school grade.
Qian Lijun, 16, and her classmates in Suzhou, Jiangsu went to a local elder care home this winter. They put Spring Festival couplets on the walls and cheered up the people living there.
Li Xiaotian, 15, of Anshan said he used to clear flyers from telephone poles with his classmates. They brought tools, towels and buckets and worked for three hours under the summer sun. "It was tiring, but seeing the clean poles without ugly ads -- we really felt proud," he said.
|
Community service _ .
|
[
"8.",
"7.",
"6.",
"5."
] |
6.
|
Living a healthy lifestyle lies in forming the right eating habits. Here are some of the good habits you can develop when it comes to healthy eating.
Drink plenty of water. You must drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. You may need even more water if you are in a hot environment or if you are exercising.
Eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A recent study has shown that those who eat breakfast will consume an average of 100 calories less during the day than their colleagues who skipped breakfast. They will also be able to concentrate better.
Don't skip lunch. If you do so, your blood sugar level will drop and your metabolism will slow down. When you get home you are starving and eat everything you can find.
We all need to snack from time to time, but please choose your snacks carefully. In fact, it's a good idea to eat two healthy snacks besides your three main meals. Choose healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables, low fat yogurt, cottage cheese with apple sauce, and so on.
Eat your fruit and vegetables. We should eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Take a piece of fruit for a snack, add some banana and _ to your favourite breakfast cereal, have a salad with lunch, and eat at least one vegetable at dinner each night.
Do not eat your dinner too late. Try to eat dinner at least 3 hours before you go to bed. This will give your body a chance to digest most of the food before you rest for the next 8 hours. Plan dinner for the week ahead of time and make sure you have everything you need in the house so other family members can get a head start on dinner if you have a late meeting at the office.
|
How many good eating habits are mentioned in the passage?
|
[
"He attached importance to the workers' safety.",
"His safety measures were not of practical value.",
"He built the first suspension bridge in the world.",
"He demanded strong measures to ensure the safety of the bridge."
] |
He attached importance to the workers' safety.
|
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California is one of the world's most beautiful bridges. It is also one of the most visited places in the world. Vehicles cross the bridge an average of 41 million times each year. More than 1,800 hundred million vehicles have used the bridge since it opened more than 70 years ago.
The bridge was painted "International Orange" because that color went well with the natural surroundings. The color also is easier to see in the heavy fog that often covers the area. But the Golden Gate Bridge was not named for its orange color. It was named for the body of water that it crosses, the Golden Gate Strait.
The Golden Gate Strait is the entrance to the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. The Golden Gate Bridge links the city of San Francisco with Marin County,California.
Planning for the bridge began in the 1920s when the area around San Francisco was growing. People living in the area needed another way to get to the city besides small ferries .
Joseph Strauss was the chief engineer for the project. Work began in 1934. Mr.Strauss demanded the strongest safety protections in the history of bridge building. These included the first use of "hard hats" to protect the workers' heads and special glasses to protect their eyes.
A special safety net was suspended under the bridge. This net saved the lives of 19 men during the construction. However, 11 other workers were killed when they fell from the bridge through the net. Still, this was a new safety record for the time.
The Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937. It extends 1,280 meters across the water. The total length is 2,737 meters. It was the largest suspension bridge in the world until 1964. That is when the Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened in New York City. Today, the Golden Gate Bridge is the ninth longest suspension bridge in the world.
|
What do we know about Joseph Strauss?
|
[
"Wild time for children",
"Benefits of wild time",
"More space for children",
"Adventures of children"
] |
Wild time for children
|
Today,we are told,children don't spend enough time in the fresh air.Many of them are addicted to a screen either on a computer or a TV--they seem to be living in a virtual world.They have lost touch with nature.
But now 400 organizations in the UK,from playgroups to the National Health Service,are encouraging children to have some"wild time".They want kids to swap at least 30 minutes of watching TV or playing computer games for time playing outside.Activities such as building dens, climbing trees, rummaging for conkers and playing hide and seek are just some of the things kids can do. Even if they live in a city,they can go on adventures in the garden or the park.
Children often need a helping hand from mum and dad.They need to be shown what to do and where to go.Andy Simpson from National Health Service says,"We want parents to see what this magical wonder product does for their kids' development,independence and creativity,by giving wild time a go".
So despite the complicated world that young people grow up in now,it seems that going back to basics and experiencing"nature's playground"is what modern children need.David Bond from Project Wild Thing says,"We need to make more space for wild time in children's daily routine,freeing this generation of kids to have the sort of experiences that many of us took for granted".
This might sound a bit old fashioned to you or maybe,like me,it's made you think about sticking on your boots,getting outdoors and reliving your childhood.There's no age limit on enjoying yourself!
|
What is the best title of the text?
|
[
"Adam awoke to strange sounds coming from his bedroom closet.",
"David heard the noise coming from Adam's closet.",
"Adam jumped into David's bed.",
"David grabbed a flashlight from his desk drawer."
] |
David heard the noise coming from Adam's closet.
|
Bump! Bump! Scratch!
Adam opened his eyes and pulled the covers up to his chin. He stared around his room, searching the darkness for the thing that was making those scary sounds. The closet door moved as something banged on it from the inside.
"Who's there?" Adam asked in a shaky voice. The closet slowly began to open. Adam jumped out of bed and ran to the closet door, slamming it shut with his palms. He grabbed his desk chair and propped it against the door handle. Then he ran out of his room and down the hall. His brother's door was wide open, and Adam jumped onto David's bed.
"Adam?" David asked in an annoyed voice. "What are you doing in here?"
Adam caught David's arm. "There's something in my closet!""You probably had a bad dream. Go back to bed." Adam yanked the blankets off the bed. "It wasn't a dream. I was awake, and the closet door started opening by itself!"David sighed. "Fine. But when we don't find anything, you have to promise to leave me alone for the rest of the night."Adam nodded.
David reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a flashlight. Then they headed to Adam's room. Adam stopped in the doorway. He could hear something scratching his closet door."Do you hear that?" Adam asked. David nodded.
He walked over to Adam's bed and pulled the case off one of the pillows. He opened the pillowcase. "You open the door very slowly, and I'll grab whatever it is." Adam slid the chair to the side and pulled the closet door open a crack. Something banged against the door, trying to force it open. Adam took a deep breath and opened the door a few more inches. A small furry creature ran right into the pillowcase.
"I got it!" David said, closing the pillowcase and holding it in the air."What is it?" Adam moved closer as David peeked inside. David put the pillowcase on the bed and an orange cat climbed out. Adam scooped the cat up. "Apricot? How did you get trapped in my closet?"David laughed. "The poor cat. If I was locked in your closet with your stinky shoes, I'd be banging on the door to get out, too!"
|
What happened right after David went into Adam's room?
|
[
"British people",
"Americans",
"children",
"teachers"
] |
Americans
|
A student is learning to speak British English. He wonders : Can I communicate with Americans? Can they understand me? Learners of English often ask: What are the differences between British and American English? How important are these differences?
Certainly! there are some differences between British and American English. 'There are a few differences in grammar. For example, speakers of British English say "in hospital" and "Have you a pen?" Americans say "in the hospital!" and "Do you have a pen?". Pronunciation is sometimes different. Americans usually sound theirs in words like "bird" and "hurt". Speakers of British English do not sound theirs in these words. There are differences between British and American English in spelling and vocabulary. For example, "colour" and "honour" are British, "color" and honor" are American.
These differences in grammar, pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary are not important, however. For the most part, British and American English are the same language.
|
Most _ say "Do you have a watch?"
|
[
"friends always get together",
"friends write to each other",
"people can have a week's holiday",
"people go from one country to another"
] |
friends always get together
|
There is a one-day holiday in most western countries on New Year's Day. The real celebration begins on New Year's Eve-the night before New Year's Day. There are several interesting customs in the west, and there are many differences in different countries.
Though Christmas is a good time for families to get together, New Year's Day is a time for some western people to be with friends. On New Year's Day, there are always parties. At such parties, there is food, drinks and dances until New Year comes
At midnight, people often say "Happy New Year! "to each other. In many western countries, _ are let off at midnight and some people like to shout aloud to drive away evil spirits.
|
In the west, _ on New Year's Day.
|
[
"They opened a restaurant together.",
"They volunteered for a campaign.",
"The helped each other with homework.",
"They collected money from customers in restaurants."
] |
They volunteered for a campaign.
|
Qi Haoran, a Junior One student, was quite busy over the past winter vacation - and not just with homework.Qi, together with 10 other classmates made a volunteer group to call on people to join the Clean Your Plate Campaign .
The 11 students went to many restaurants and told people the importance of saving food. "Excuse me, do you know that 950 million people around the world still haven't got enough to eat? Could you please not waste food?" They would say this kind of thing hundreds of times every day.
The Clean Your Plate Campaign began on the Internet in January.It _ people to reduce food waste.
China in these years had serious problems with wasted food.CCTV reported in January that the food Chinese people waste every year is enough to feed 200 million people for a year.
Chinese people are well known for being hospitable and generous.Many even feel that they lose face if their guests have eaten all their food.
Luckily the campaign has got the support of many.In a restaurant in Xinjiang, the owner gives the guests who have eaten up all that they ordered a sticker.People can enjoy a free meal when they have 10 stickers.More than 750 restaurants in Beijing have begun to offer smaller dishes and encourage their guests to take leftovers home.
To reduce food waste is a big task, and it needs time.It's important that everyone does their bit, just like Qi.Did you finish your meals today?
|
What did the 11 students do in the winter vacation?
|
[
"the police should do more to protect people",
"\"Watch\" schemes are not very useful in reducing crime",
"the \"Neighborhood Watch\" schemes have been successful",
"it is hard to have any privacy in a \"Neighborhood Watch\" area"
] |
the "Neighborhood Watch" schemes have been successful
|
The "Neighborhood Watch" scheme all started a few years ago in the quiet village of Mollington after a number of burglaries in the village and the surrounding area. The villagers came up with the idea that they themselves could keep an eye on their neighbors' possessions while they were away on holiday. Since then, and with the support of the government and police, more than 50,000 "Neighborhood Watch" schemes have been set up all over the country.
The object of each "Watch" group is to reduce the opportunities that criminals have in any particular street or area. Each villager who is a member of the scheme will call the police whenever they see something suspicious. It is the police who actually check out each report and look into what is happening. Villagers who are part of the "Watch" are not supposed to act as police or put themselves in danger.
When a new "Neighborhood Watch" scheme is set up in an area, one benefit is that most burglars dare not take a chance on breaking into someone's house because they know that there is a high risk of being seen by neighbors keeping a lookout. Burglars also know that people are more likely to have fitted good locks to their doors and windows.
Another benefit is that, since the "Neighborhood Watch" schemes came into existence, there is growing evidence of a new community spirit. It is bringing people together as never before, and encouraging people to care for each other. New friendships are being made, and contact is often established with old people living on their own, who are often the most frightened and the most at risk.
|
In general, the author seems to think that _ .
|
[
"Block of blood vessels.",
"Organ rejection",
"Heart damage.",
"Side effect of the drugs"
] |
Heart damage.
|
French surgeons have performed what they said on Wednesday was the world's first partial face transplant--- giving a new nose, chin and lips to a woman attacked by a dog.
Specialists from two French hospitals carried out the operation on a 38-year-old woman on Sunday in the northern city of Amiens by taking the face from a brain-dead woman, who had hanged herself just hours before the operation. Her family agreed on the operation.
"The patient is in an excellent state and the transplant looks normal," the hospitals said in a brief statement after waiting three days to announce the pioneering surgery.
The woman had been left without a nose and lips after the dog attacked her last May, and was unable to talk or chew properly. Such injuries are "extremely difficult, if not impossible" to repair using normal surgical techniques, the statement said.
The statement did not say what the woman would look like when she had fully recovered, but medical experts said she was unlikely to _ the woman who had been the source of her new face.
The operation was led by Jean-Michel Dubernard, a specialist from a hospital in Lyon who has also carried out hand transplants,
Skin transplants have long been used to treat burns and other injuries, but operations around the mouth and nose have been considered very difficult because of the area's high sensitivity to foreign tissue.
Teams in France, the United States and Britain had been developing techniques to make face transplants a reality
There was a short-term risk for the patient if blood vessels became blocked, a medium-term danger of her body rejecting the new skin and a long-term possibility that the drugs used could cause cancers.
Experts say that although such medical advances should be celebrated, the transplant had thrown up moral and ethical issues. Little is known about the psychological effect of the transplant.
|
Which of the following is NOT one of the risks of the operation?
|
[
"It's hopeful.",
"It's interesting.",
"It's tiring.",
"It's dangerous."
] |
It's interesting.
|
Have you seen a yellow-and-black salamander ? How about a scarlet frog? Scientists haven't spotted either species in more than 20 years. What happened to them? Are the creatures still out there, or are they extinct?
Those are questions that scientists hope to answer. They recently set out around the world in search of those and other long-missing amphibians. An amphibian is an animal that spends part of its life in water and part on land. Frog, toads , and salamanders are amphibians.
The experts are looking for about 100 species. They are searching at least 14 countries on five continents. They will look for the salamander in North America. They hope to find the scarlet frog in South America. They're also looking for species in Africa, Asia and Australia.
Scientists are hopeful that they'll find the amphibians--and soon! If the creatures are out there, they may need help. Many amphibians are endangered. The animals face many dangers including pollution and diseases. People cut down the forests where they live.
"If researchers can find the missing creatures, they might be able to figure out how to save them," explains expert Robin Moore. He began searching for the amphibians earlier this month.
"This search will tell us a lot about how amphibians are doing," Moore told WR News. "I don't know what we will find, but that makes the search even more exciting."
Lost in the Wild
Scientists' hunt for missing amphibians is under way. Read about some of the species they hope to find.
Turkestanian salamander
This salamander is a mystery to scientists. Experts found a few of them more than 100 years ago, but none have been seen ever since.
Gastric brooding frog
Experts first discovered this frog in 1914 in eastern Australia. It may be extinct because of disease and habitat loss.
Rio Pescado stubfoot toad
Last sighting: 1995, in South America
Scientists hope to find this spotted toad in rivers and rainforests in Ecuador. The animal faces threats including pollution and disease.
|
What does Moore think of the search for endangered amphibians?
|
[
"Y=2",
"Y=4",
"Y=10",
"Y=20"
] |
Y=10
|
Mrs. Smith is Jim's mother. She loves her family very much. She often buys food, fruit and clothes for Jim and his father. Now many clothes are on sale at good prices.
Mrs. Smith comes to the store and she wants to buy some clothes. It has sweaters in all colors for Y=15 each and sports shoes for only Y=28. Mrs. Smith likes the red sweater and she buys one for herself. She buys a pair of sports shoes for her son. The T-shirts in the store are just Y=18! She buys a white one for Mr. Smith. And that's not all. The socks, in all colors, are Y=2 each. She buys five pairs.
|
Mrs. Smith spends _ on the socks.
|
[
"become happier",
"become healthier",
"become lighter",
"become younger"
] |
become happier
|
After our hospital visit, my husband and I needed cheering up, so we thought we would treat ourselves to a big breakfast at our favorite restaurant. While we were waiting for our meals, we decided to use all our small change and make our wallets light, so we counted it out as we waited.
I vaguely remember seeing a man sitting nearby. When our meals arrived, we found a note. It read," Your breakfast has been paid for. Hope you have a lovely day."
It was a wonderful surprise as nothing like that had ever happened to us. He must have thought we could hardly pay the bill. We looked around to thank him, but he had left. As retirees ,we were grateful for the help like this, but it was the kindness of a total stranger that meant so much more to us.
|
The old couple went to restaurant for a big breakfast in order to _ .
|
[
"Push themselves even if they want to take a break.",
"Don't eat fast food while studying.",
"Remind themselves willpower is not limited.",
"Stay in a comfortable and quiet place."
] |
Remind themselves willpower is not limited.
|
There is some unwelcome news for students preparing for exams and officers putting in long hours-----you don't need the break as much as you may think that makes you feel less tired.
Scientists have long assumed that willpower is a limited resource, which is why you feel the need to have a rest, have a snack and come back to a task when you're feeling better. They argued that the only way to restore willpower was by rest, food or entertainment.
But psychologists have challenged this theory, saying weak willpower is all in your head. They found that people's beliefs in willpower determine how long and how well they'll be able to work on a tough mental exercise. "If you think of willpower as something that's limited, you're more likely to be tired when you perform a difficult task," said Prof.Veronika Job. "'But if you think of willpower as something that is not easily used up, you can go on and on."
The researchers designed four experiments to test students'-beliefs in willpower. After a tiring task, those, who believed or were led to believe that willpower is a limited resource, performed worse on standard concentration tests than those who thought of willpower as something they had more control over. They also found that leading up to final exam week, students who believed the limited resource theory ate junk food 24 percent more often than those who believed they had more control in resisting temptation .
Mr. Job said. "The theory that willpower is a limited resource is interesting, but it has had unintended consequences. Students who may already have trouble studying are being told that their power of concentration is limited, and they need to take frequent breaks. But a belief in willpower as a non-limited resource makes people stronger in their ability to work through challenges.'"
The findings could help people who are" battling temptation. Willpower isn't driven by a biologically based process as much as we used to think. The belief in it is what influences your behavior.
|
Which of the following best helps the students to prepare better for their exams?
|
[
"Top Danger for Lions: Hunting",
"Controlling the Mckong",
"A Day in New York",
"Amazing Amazon"
] |
Top Danger for Lions: Hunting
|
GEOGRAPHICNews Video Photogaphy The Magazine Environment Travel Adventure Television
Main Stories
Controlling the Mekong
The 5000km long Mekong River provides China with fresh when it flows and electricity when it's dammed.
Dolphin Intelligence
300 of these social animals have been studied for over 30 years by Dr. Denise Herzing.Find out what she discovered about dolphin communication and what dolphins say.
A Day In New York
It was once a city that people scared. Now tourists are visiting New York each year. Join Robert Jones as he explores just what the Big Apple has to offer and what interesting activities can be done in a day.
Photography
The Magic of Night Markets
All around the world, street markets come to life at night.While people can shop for T-shirts and toys, the real attraction is the different kinds of food that somehow become even more delicious after dark.
Visions of Earth
Look through visions of the world as seen through photographers' eyes.
Amazing Amazon
Incredible images of the wildlife of the Amazon rainforest.
Most Read This Week
1.Top Danger for Lions-Hunting
2.A Day in New York
3.Photo of the Day Best of May
4.Making the Picture You Want
5.Photos That Take You to Mexico
6.The Week's Best Space Picture
Special Offer. Order Today!
Print and Electronic Delivery. Just $25 a year for 12 copies.Orders outside the USA must add 20%
|
What has been the most popular story on the website this week?
|
[
"rain",
"fine",
"windy",
"Cloudy"
] |
fine
|
Today is fine.The sky is blue.Now it'snine o'clock in the morning.There's a sports meeting in the forest on the big mountain.
Look,a horse,a panda and a cat are running.Over there a dog and two tigers are jumping.Two monkeys are climbing the trees.Four birds are flying around and singing.
There's some other animals there, too.The elephants are standing.A monkey in sitting on an old elephant.The monkey has a flay in his hand.polly is sitting in the tree.A fox, ababy panda and some small animals are sitting under the tree.They are all watching.
|
What's the weather like today?
|
[
"Driving Classes.",
"Driving Learning.",
"Driving Course.",
"Driving Experience."
] |
Driving Course.
|
In America, drivers' education is part of the regular high school curriculum. Every student in his or her second year of high school is required to take a class in driver's education. However, unlike other courses, it is not given during the regular school year. Instead it is a summer course.
The course is divided up into two parts: class time for learning laws and regulations and driving time to practice driving. Class time is not unlike any other class. The students have a text from which they study the basic laws they must know to pass the written driving test that is given to anyone wanting to get a driver's license.
Driving time is a chance for the students to get behind the wheel (steering wheel) and practice starting steering, backing up, parking, switching lanes, turning corners, and all the other maneuvers required to drive a car. Each student is required to drive a total of six hours. The students are divided up into groups of four. The students and the instructor go out driving for two hour blocks of time. Thus, each student gets half an hour driving time per outing. The instructor and "driver" sit in the front seats and the other three students sit in the back.
Drivers Ed cars are unlike other cars in which they have two sets of brakes, one on the driver's side and one on the other side where the instructor sits. Thus, if the student driver should run into difficulties the instructor can take over. The car also has another special feature. On the top of the car is a sign that reads: STUDENT DRIVER. That lets nearby drivers know that they should use extra caution because the student driver is a beginning driver, not very experienced and prone to driving slowly.
After the student has passed the driver's education course and reached the appropriate age to drive (this age differs in every state but in most cases the person must be 16 years old), they can go to a designated state office to take their driver's test, which is made up of an eye examination, a written test, and a road test. The person must pass all three tests in order to be given a driver's license. If the person did well in his or her driver's education class, he or she will pass the test with flying colors and get a driver's license.
|
Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
|
[
"Yes,it is.",
"No.It's a warm spring day.",
"No.It's a warm winter day.",
"Yes.It is a warm spring day."
] |
No.It's a warm spring day.
|
Li Ming is staying with the Wang family for the weekend.Today it is warm and fine.The family are having dinner in the garden.They often have dinner in the garden on a warm and fine spring day.Now Mr and Mrs Wang are sitting at the table with Li Ming under a tree.
"It's great to have dinner out here on such a lovely day,"Mrs Wang says."What's the weather like in your hometown,Li Ming?"Mr Wang asks."It's not very warm in spring.But I like the spring there best,"Li Ming says."Help yourself to some cakes,Li Ming,"Mrs Wang says."Thanks,"says Li Ming."The cakes are very nice.I enjoy the dinner very much."
|
It's not a cold spring day,is it?
|
[
"Sheep and birds",
"Snow.",
"Many people.",
"Forests."
] |
Sheep and birds
|
Hello Sandy,
We have just returned form our holiday. We went with our friends,Edward Smith and his wife Tina, to the Yorkshire Moors. It is a beautiful natural park. There are lots of places to walk on the tops of the hills,miles of grassland with no people,just sheep and birds.
Edward had just come out of hospital and he could not walk as far as before. However, this meant that we walked in the mornings, and then stopped at a restaurant for lunch each day before returning to the place we lived in. Edward and I slept in front of the fire all afternoon, while the ladies went for another walk. Very pleasant!
I took lots of photos from the place we lived in, across the valley below us, of the morning sunrise, and the mist in the valley. Also, in England, the old steam-powered trains are very popular. I took many photos of the train.
Yesterday we had the first snow of this winter. It is very early. We usually have snow in January. It rained all day, then snowed in the evening .Today we have bright sunshine! Both Jenny and I are well. I don't know if I told you, in the last e-mail , that Jenny is now working in a hotel. Although she has to work hard, people there are nice, and she is enjoying the work.
Please write to us to tell us your news.
Yours, Victor
|
What can they see on the tops of the hills?
|
[
"a guidebook to a museum",
"any kind of books",
"a newspaper or a magazine",
"an encyclopedia"
] |
a newspaper or a magazine
|
"Who has more questions, a teacher or a student?"About this question a great learned man told his students that nobody does but a teacher.
The students got puzzled. With a smile, the teacher drew the circles."Within the larger one is my knowledge of things and within the smaller one is yours. Out of the circles is still unknown to both of us. Since mine is larger, as you can see, the line that marks out the circle is longer. That makes it clear that who has more chances to face something still unknown."
|
We can often find such an article in _ .
|
[
"Because its streets are crowded with visitors.",
"Because there are latest style from Paris, Italy, or New York.",
"Because there are different goods in different stores they can meet the needs of the visitors and shoppers.",
"Because women want very much to go there and buy bracelets and rings."
] |
Because there are different goods in different stores they can meet the needs of the visitors and shoppers.
|
The lower East Side is neither rich nor beautiful, but it can be a good place to shop.
On Sundays, its streets are crowded with visitors and shoppers like these. They are trying to find a coat or a pair of shoes at a good price.
Most people prefer to shop in the big department stores like Macy's, Gimbel's, or Bloomingdale's because there they can find clothing, furniture, toys, and food in one store.
Some people like the smaller stores of Greenwich Village or other areas when they are looking for an unusual present.
Some streets have only one kind of stores. Bracelets and rings shine in the windows of Canal Street, and wedding dresses fill the stores of Grant Street. There are streets for furs, and, in one area, there are 600 shops for antiques!
Fifth Avenue is the most famous place to shop, and it is usually the most expensive. There you can find the latest styles from Paris, Italy, or New York. You can spend thousands of dollars on Fifth Avenue, or you can just _ and admire the sights for free.
|
Why does the writer say that the lower East Side can be a good place to shop?
|
[
"About 24 million.",
"About 29 million.",
"About 25 million.",
"About 9,980,000."
] |
About 29 million.
|
Canada, the second largest country in the world, lies in the north of America. The population of Canada is about 29 million and the capital is Ottawa. The country covers about 9,980,000 square kilometers and six of the world's 24 time areas as well.
There are two official languages spoken in Canada: French and English. Many people can speak both English and French. More than 60% of Canadians speak English as their language. About 25% of the Canadians speak French. In one province of Canada where French is the common language, the programmes on TV and radios as well as the teaching in schools are all in French. Today, Chinese has become the first inofficial language in Canada.
Canada's climate is not as cold all year around as some may believe. In winter, temperatures fall below freezing point throughout most of Canada. In summer, the southern provinces often experience high levels of temperatures that can reach over 30degC regularly. The weather in Canada is just like the weather in China. It is rather cold in the north while it is fairly warm in the south. Winters in the north last long with snow for half a year. As the cold northern climate, only one-fifth of the land is suitable for farming.
As it is known to all, Canada has one-third of the world's supply of fresh water. It has many great lakes. There are five great lakes in the south. And there are many others, especially in the north. It is also rich in natural resources, such as coal, oil, natural gas of which Canadians make use to produce energy.
People of northern Canada are called Inuit , who came from Asia and settled in Canada about 4,000 years ago. They used to travel around from place to place with teams of dogs which pulled their baggage. Now, they seldom move. There are about 2,500 Inuit in all. The government has started a new school project in which Inuit teach their own young children. So it is hoped that the way of Inuit life will be kept alive for more centuries.
|
How many people are there living in Canada?
|
[
"her poor eyesight",
"her old age",
"lack of interest",
"her family"
] |
her poor eyesight
|
Mary Cassatt is one of the first great women American painters. At first her father did not want her to become an artist. But she followed her dreams and became an artist.She was born on
May 22, 1844, and lived in Europe for several years as a child.
Her family returned to the United States and, at age 16, Mary attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Four years later she decided she couldn't learn anything fresh and practical in Philadelphia, so she returned to Europe. There she studied the skills of the masters in Rome, Seville, Antwerp, and Paris.
Mary received the chance of a lifetime at the age of 33 when the famous French painter, Edgar Degas, asked her to join a group of painters that included now-famous artists like Manet and Renoir. Their style of painting is called Impressionism. They used primary colors and short brush strokes in their work. They recognized Mary 's spirit and powerful talent and invited her to exhibit in the Impressionist art shows.
Mary painted what she saw: gardens, and paintings of persons , especially of mothers and children involved in everyday living. One of her paintings, "Young Mother and Two Children," was given to the White House in 1954 where it hangs today.
Mary never married and, in 1877, her parents and sister moved to Europe to join her. Mary devoted much of her time to them for the next 18 years to their care. Mary painted until 1914 when her failing eyesight made it impossible to continue. She spent the later years of her life in Paris. She died in 1926 at the age of 82. Unfortunately,all her life, she refused to accept students.
|
Mary Cassatt stopping painting because of _ .
|
[
"It is her favorite country.",
"She likes Mexican sugary drinks.",
"She tries to show a tax can help a lot.",
"It produces all kinds of sugary drinks."
] |
She tries to show a tax can help a lot.
|
Over the years, many cities and states have tried to put a tax on sugary drinks. Last week, Berkeley, California succeeded. The city in northern California will charge a penny-per-ounce tax on most sugary drinks. The tax is expected to raise more than $1 million every year to fight against obesity .
Makers of sugary drinks are against the tax. They say picking out one product will not solve the obesity problem in America. They also argue that a tax is an attack on personal freedom. "Families should be able to make the choice for their kids without the government stepping in," said Chris Gindlesperger, a spokesperson for the American Beverage Association .
Gindlesperger says that the fight against obesity is more successful when the government partners with industry. He shows how the beverage industry worked with President Bill Clinton's administration is the 1990s. They introduced water, milk, and fruit juice into a large number of schools, which took the place of sugary drinks. More recently, the beverage industry listened to First Lady Michelle Obama's suggestion that labels on sugary drinks be clearer. Containers of up to 20 ounces will show the total calories on the front.
Some people say a tax is a _ way to help reduce obesity in the U.S. "There is clear evidence that taxes result in less consumption of sugary drinks," says Dr. Rachel Johnson, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. She points to Mexico as an example. The country put up a tax on sugary drinks in January, and sales have already dropped by 10%. What's more, sales of healthier drinks have increased. Bottled water sales are up by 13%. Milk sales are up by 7%.
Another purpose of the tax is to raise money to fight childhood obesity. Money will be used to build playgrounds, create educational materials, and increase the sales of the healthier foods. "We've already helped reduce obesity to some degree," says Dr. Johnson. "I'm confident that we're going to see even bigger progress soon."
|
Why does Johnson talk about Mexico?
|
[
"What is sign language?",
"The advantages of knowing sign language.",
"The relation of American sign language and English.",
"Ways of learning sign language."
] |
Ways of learning sign language.
|
Why should you learn Sign Language? Do you want to improve your communication with a family member or friend who is deaf? Do you want to be able to communicate with deaf people in general? Would you like to advance in your career by being able to communicate in ASL? Do you want to be a Sign Language interpreter?
Sign language is not just a random collection of gestures but a full-blown language in its own right, complete with its own grammatical rules. Each country or region has its own sign language, as different from each other as English is from Spanish. Each version of sign language is somewhat linked to the spoken language in its region. For example, American sign language does share similarities with English, even though it is its own language.
The advantages of knowing sign language in addition to a spoken language are many. Communication becomes possible on many levels with the deaf community, with other people either hearing or not in any of the above situations, as well as many more.
While other languages take years to learn, American Sign Language can be taught in a much shorter time period. It is one of the easiest languages to learn because most of the signs were developed to mimic the actual word or phrase it is representing. Even the alphabet signs look like the letters of the English alphabet.
American Sign Language, or ASL, is the third most used language in the United States. Used by the deaf community, interpreters, and friends and family of the deaf. There are a lot of sites on the internet that not only shows you the sign with video, but will help you practice reading signs as well.
Teaching even hearing babies sign language seems to be the fashion in recent years and for good reason. Communicating in sign language is fun and natural as babies naturally use body gestures in early communication. Teaching baby sign language actually appears to enhance the learning of verbal skills and brain development of the children involved.
|
Which of the following topics is not discussed in the passage?
|
[
"He mended books.",
"He cleared out cupboards.",
"He washed dogs.",
"He cleaned windows."
] |
He washed dogs.
|
James shook his money box again. Nothing! He carefully counted the coins that lay on the bed. $24. 17 was all that he had. The bicycle he wanted was at least $90! How was he going to get the end of the money?
He knew that his friends all had bicycles. It was hard to hang around with people when you were the only one without wheels. He thought about what he could do. It was no use asking his parents, for he knew they had no money to save.
There was only one way to get money, and that was to earn it. He would have to find a job. But who would hire him and what could he do? He decided to ask Mr. Clay for advice, who usually had opinions on most things.
"Well, you can start right here," said Mr. Clay. "My windows need cleaning and my car needs washing. "
That was the beginning of James' part-time job. For three months he worked every day after finishing his homework. He was amazed by the different kinds of jobs that people found for him to do. He took dogs and babies for walks, cleared out cupboards, and mended books. He lost count of the number of cars he washed and windows he cleaned, but the money increased and he knew that he would soon have enough for the bicycle he was eager to have.
The day finally came when James counted his money and found $94. 32. He wasted no time and went down to the shop to pick up the bicycle he wanted. He rode proudly home, looking forward to showing his new bicycle to his friends. It had been hard working for the money, but James knew that he valued his bicycle far more since he had bought it with his own money.
|
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
|
[
"Because only your friends can read your blog.",
"Because no one can read your blog.",
"Because only you can read your blog.",
"Because anyone can read your blog."
] |
Because anyone can read your blog.
|
Most people are writing blogs . Others are reading them. The word " blog" is a short way of saying Web log almost like QQ Zone .
Many popular Web sites now offer free, easy ways to create personal Web pages and fill them with writings and pictures. Blogs offer people a place to show their writings and feelings over the Internet. They can also be helpful to connect people with others.
A blog has both good and bad points, of course. People choose to write what they think in blogs, for they know that their friends will read what they write. If you are feeling sad one day and write your feelings in your blog, your friends may quickly write back to _ you or offer their help. Blogs help people keep good friendship and let them know what their friends are doing. But the problem is that anyone can read what you write in your blog. If you are not satisfied with a friend during school, and you write something bad about him in your blog, your friend read the blog and get angry. So we have to be careful of what we write.
In many ways, a blog and a diary are almost the same. So what makes a blog different from a diary? The biggest difference is that a blog is more public than a diary.
|
Why do you have to be careful of what you write?
|
[
"The French Revolution broke out.",
"The national economy was developing rapidly.",
"The government wasn't well run.",
"King Louis XIV was in power."
] |
The national economy was developing rapidly.
|
The French Revolution broke out in 1789. At the time France was in a crisis. The government was badly run and people's lives were miserable. King Louis XIV tried to control the national parliament and raise more taxes. But his effort failed. He ordered his troops to Versailles. The people thought that Louis intended to put down the Revolution by force. On July 14, 1789, they stormed and took the Bastille, where political prisoners were kept. Ever since that day, July 14 has been the French National Day. Louis tried to flee the country in 1792, to get support from Austria and Prussia. However, he was caught and put in prison. In September 1792, the monarchy was abolished _ . In the same year, Louis was executed. A few months later his wife, Marie also had her head cut off. The Revolution of France had frightened the other kings of Europe. Armies from Austria and Prussia began to march against France. The French raised republican armies to defend the nation. The Revolution went through a period of terror. Thousands of people lost their lives. In the end, power passed to Napoleon Bonaparte.
|
Which did not happen in 1789?
|
[
"PS180",
"PS160",
"PS170",
"PS175"
] |
PS175
|
Here is the tour that's voted "3rdbest tour in London" on the Best Things to Do-TripAdvisor! Hairy Goat is the best and most original tour company in London.
Do you like walking around a city and discovering something that makes a great photo? London is full of interesting photo chances and maybe you need someone to lead you to them.The tour is perfect for team events,families,groups of friends and school or college classes.
Bring A fully charged camera and plenty of memory cards or film,a drink and wear comfortable walking shoes.Dress for three hours' walking outside.
Price PS45 per adult (18yrs and over),PS40 per child (12-15yrs) and full-time students (student ID required).Some tours to be booked and paid in advance.Please call or email for details.Please follow the links on the website or call Corinna at +44(0)7540832771.
Meet in front of the Royal Exchange Building at Bank Underground Station.Take Exit 3 or 4 from the underground station.
When See the website for scheduled dates.
Duration Three hours,at a comfortable walking pace.
Finish By an underground station within the city.Location varies daily.
|
A family of four,including a son of 19 and a daughter of 13,should pay _ .
|
[
"He brings you some happiness.",
"He helps you feel less lonely.",
"He helps you get over the difficulties.",
"He helps you cheat in the exam."
] |
He helps you cheat in the exam.
|
People seem to have a natural need for friends and with good reasons. Friends increase your enjoyment of life and relieve feelings of loneliness. They even can help reduce stress and improve your health. Having good friends is especially helpful when you are going through any kind of hard time such as when you are experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, or depression.
When you are with good friends you feel good about yourself, and you are glad to be with them. A fiend is someone who--
l you like, respect, and trust, and who likes, respects and trusts you
l doesn't always understand you, but accepts and likes you as you are, even as you grow and change
l allows you the space to change, grow, make decisions, and even make mistakes
l listens to you and shares with you both the good times and the bad times
l respects your need for secrets, so you can tell them anything
l lets you freely express your feelings and emotions without judging, teasing, or criticizing you
l accepts the limitations you have put on yourself and helps you to remove them
A person once said, "Friendship is a continuing source of bonding ,releasing, and creating in yourself and with the other person. There is an emotional bond between the two people."
A good friend or supporter may or may not be the same age or the same sex as you, and may not have the same educational, cultural, or religious background, or share interests that are similar to yours. Friendships also have different depths. Some are closer to the heart and some more superficial, but they're all useful and good.
|
Which of the following is NOT a function of a friend?
|
[
"his father didn't like him",
"he hoped his father would spend some time with him",
"he was quite satisfied with his family life",
"he had the dream to run a company in the future"
] |
he hoped his father would spend some time with him
|
I don't think a day goes by when I don't think of my father. He died twenty-one years ago when I was twenty-six. He was a good man , but I hardly saw him around home, for he ran a big company. I secretly wished something could bring him closer to me.
It wasn't until he became seriously ill that we really got to know each other and had a place in each other's lives. After his near death and many operations, I was trained as his nurse to take care of him. Although the job seemed boring and tiring in certain people's eyes, I liked it. Taking care of him seemed to reduce the pain of his absence from my younger life. I enjoyed his company and attention and, though through a sad situation, I was finally getting my fill .
Now I am a dad myself, but certainly not a _ as my father. Although I work away from my home, I always have my meals with my family. Father's Day is coming I still have the pencil holder made from a decorated tin sitting on my desk. It's a gift from my only son. Each year, the gift is something different and each year, I couldn't care less about the gift itself. You see, the gift I enjoy is the pleasure of my son's company and knowing that we have a place in each other's lives.
At heart , all men know their fathers are important. Want a great Father's Day? Tell your dad you love him and give your kid a hug today-before Father's Day actually arrives.
|
When the writer was a kid, _ .
|
[
"war and energy",
"the future of hydrogen as an energy resource",
"the disadvantages of oil",
"How to end war"
] |
the future of hydrogen as an energy resource
|
What if we could replace oil with a fuel which produced no pollution and which everybody had equal access to? The good news is that we can. In fact, we are swimming in it--- literally.
Hydrogen is one of the building blocks of the universe. Our own sun is basically a big, dense cloud of the stuff. And hydrogen can be used to create electricity for power, heat and light.
The problem is that hydrogen is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It does not exist as a material on its own, but is always part of something else. So it has to be separated before it can be used.
Most commercial hydrogen in use now is created from natural gas. As oil will start to run out in around the year 2030, it makes sense to produce as much hydrogen as possible as soon as we can. But natural gas supplies will also begin to run out soon after. Another source is needed.
Researchers are now using electricity to make water into hydrogen. Companies are working on the problem in their own areas. The first commercial hydrogen "fuel cells" for computers and mobile phones have already come on to the market. Auto companies have also invested over US $2 billion in the production of hydrogen fuelled cars.
The nations of a hydrogen fuelled planet would not fight over energy recourses. There would be a great reduction in pollution. The only by-product of creating hydrogen is pure drinking water--- something that is very scarce in many parts of the world. But that is not where the good news ends. Once the costs of producing hydrogen have been brought down, it will possibly provide power for a third of the Earth's population that has no electricity.
And electricity creates wealth. In South Africa over the last decade there has been a large programme of electrification. Thanks to the programme, people do not have to spend their days looking firewood to burn for heat. And with electric light, they can work long into the night.
Some scientists see radical changes in the way the human race co-operates. Hydrogen creates electricity, and is also created by _ . With dual use fuel cells, everyone who consumes energy could also produce it. Late at night, a man drives home in London and connects his car into the "world-wide hydrogen web," which it supplies with electricity. A few hours later, a man in Beijing uses that electricity to power the hydrogen cell in his car. Hydrogen could be the first democratic energy source.
Like all dreams of the future, it seems very far away. But the threat of war and terrorism in the Middle East has made governments and businesses more aware of the need to end oil dependency and spend more time and money on hydrogen resource. So maybe the threat of war is not a completely bad thing for the future of the human race.
|
What is the passage mainly about?
|
[
"He was very unhappy.",
"He didn't believe it.",
"He was delighted.",
"He had mixed feelings."
] |
He had mixed feelings.
|
My father had returned from his business visit to prefix = st1 /Londonwhen I came in, rather late for supper. I could tell at once that he and my mother had been discussing something. In that half-playful, half-serious way I knew so well, he said,"How would you like to go to Eton?"
"You bet. " I cried quickly catching the joke. Everyone knew it was the most expensive, the most famous of schools. You should be entered at birth, if not before. I understood my father. He disliked any form of showing off. He always knew his proper station in life, which was in the middle of the middle class; our house was medium-sized; he had avoided joining Royal Liverpool Golf Club and went to a smaller one instead; though once he had got a second-hand Rolls-Royce at a remarkably low price, he felt embarrassed driving it, and quickly changed it for an Austin 1100.
This could only be his delightful way of telling me that the whole boarding school idea was to be dropped. Alas! I should also have remembered that he had a liking for being different from everyone else, if it did not conflict with his fear of drawing attention to himself.
It seemed that he had happened to be talking to Graham Brown of the London office, a very nice fellow, and Graham had a friend who had just entered his boy at the school, and while he was in that part of the world , my father thought he might just as well phone them. I remember my eyes stinging and my hands shaking with the puzzlement of my feelings. There was excitement, at the heart of great sadness.
"Oh, he doesn't want to go away. " said my mother. "You shouldn't go on like this. " "It's up to him. " said my father. "He can make up his own mind."
|
What was the writer's reaction to the idea of going to Eton?
|
[
"introduce an Internet website called \"blog\"",
"introduce a short way of saying \"web log\"",
"tell readers about blogs",
"tell readers how to write blogs"
] |
tell readers about blogs
|
A "blogger" is a person who writes on an Internet website called a "blog". The word "blog" is a short way of saying "web log", or "personal website". Anyone can start a blog, and they can write about anything they like.
There are millions of blogs on the Internet today. They provide news, information and ideas to the people who read them.They contain links to other websites.And they provide a place for people to write their ideas and react to the ideas of others.
A research company called Perseus has studied more than 3,000 web logs. It says that blogs are most popular with teenage girls. They use them to let their friends know what is happening in their lives. The study also says that more than 100,000 bloggers stopped taking part in the activity after a year.
However, some people develop serious blogs to present political and other ideas. For example, the Republican and Democratic parties in the southern state of Kentucky recently started their own blogs. And American companies are beginning to use blogs to advertise their products.
At thesame time, some long-standing blogs have ended. Last week, blogging leader Dave Winer closed his free blog service "weblogs.com". He said the site became too costly to continue. He started the blog four years ago, and thousands of people had written on it. They are now upset because they did not know that the site was closed.
One blog that is still going strong is called Rebecca's Pocket.Rebecca Blood created the website in 1999. She wrote about the history of blogs on the site.That article led to a book called The Weblog Handbook.It has been translated into four languages so far.
Miss Blood says Rebecca's Pocket gets about thirty thousand visitors a month.She writes about anything and everything ---- politics, culture and movies. She recently provided medical advice. And she wrote about how to prevent people from being stolen from online bank accounts.
|
The text is mainly written to _ .
|
[
"showing his proudness of his son's growth",
"complaining about the price of the haircut",
"expressing his thanks to the shopowner's kindness",
"counting his expense on his son's haircut"
] |
showing his proudness of his son's growth
|
David's Haircut
When David steps out of the front door he is blinded for a moment by the white, strong sunlight and reaches for his dad's hand automatically. It's the first really warm day of the year, an unexpected heat that bridges the gap between spring and summer. Father and son are on their way to the barbershop, something they have always done together.
Always, the routine is the same. "It's about time we got that mop of yours cut," David's dad will say, pointing at him with two fingers, a cigarette caught between them. "Perhaps I should do it. Where are those scissors, Janet?" Sometimes his dad runs after him round the living room, pretending to cut off his ears. When he was young, David used to get too excited and start crying, scared that maybe he really would lose his ears, but he has long since grown out of that.
Mr Samuels' barbershop is in a long room above the chip shop, reached by a steep and worn flight of stairs. David follows his father. He loves the barbershop -- it's like nowhere else he goes. It smells of cigarettes and men and hair oil. Sometimes the smell of chips will climb the stairs along with a customer and when the door opens the waiting men lift their noses together. Black and white photographs of men with various out-of-fashion hairstyles hang above a picture rail at the end of the room, where two barber's chairs are fixed to the floor. They are heavy, old-fashioned chairs with foot pumps that screams as Mr Samuels adjusts the height of the seat. In front of the chairs are deep sinks with a showerhead and long metal pipe attached to the taps, not that anyone seems to use them. Behind the sinks are mirrors and on either side of these, shelves overflowing with all types of plastic combs, shaving mugs, scissors, cut throat razors, hair brushes and, 10 bright red bottles of Brylcreem , piled neatly in a pyramid. At the back of the room sit the customers, silent for most of the time, except when Mr Samuels breaks off from cutting and smoke his cigarette, sending a stream of grey-blue smoke like the tail of kite twisting into the air.
When it is David's turn for a cut, Mr Samuels places a wooden board covered with a piece of red leather across the arms of the chair, so that the barber doesn't have to bend to cut the boy's hair. David scrambles up onto the bench.
"Hey, young man, you're shooting up, you won't need this soon, you'll be able to sit in the chair," the barber says.
"Wow," says David, turning round to look at his dad, forgetting that he can see him through the mirror. "Dad, Mr Samuels said I could be sitting in the chair soon, not just on the board!"
"So I hear," his father replies, not looking up from the paper. _
"At least double the price," said Mr Samuels, winking at David.
Finally David's dad looks up from his newspaper and glances into the mirror, seeing his son looking back at him. He smiles.
"Wasn't so long ago when I had to lift you onto that board because you couldn't climb up there yourself," he says.
"They don't stay young for long do they, kids", Mr Samuels declares. All the men in the shop nod in agreement. David nods too.
In the mirror he sees a little head sticking out of a long nylon cape. Occasionally he steals glances at the barber as he works. He smells a mixture of smelly sweat and aftershave as the barber moves around him, combing and cutting, combing and cutting.
David feels like he is in another world, noiseless except for the sound of the barber's shoes rubbing on the plastic carpet and the click of his scissors. In the reflection from the window he could see through the window, a few small clouds moved slowly through the frame, moving to the sound of the scissors' click.
Sleepily, his eyes dropping to the front of the cape where his hair falls softly as snow and he imagines sitting in the chair just like the men and older boys, the special bench left leaning against the wall in the corner. He thinks about the picture book of Bible stories his aunt gave him for Christmas, the one of Samson having his hair cut by Delilah. David wonders if his strength will go like Samson's.
When Mr Samuels has finished, David hops down from the seat, rubbing the itchy hair from his face. Looking down he sees his own thick, blonde hair mixed among the browns, greys and blacks of the men who have sat in the chair before him. _
They reach the pavement outside the shop. "I tell you what, boy, let's get some fish and chips to take home, save your mum from cooking tea," says David's dad and turns up the street.
The youngster is excited and catches his dad's hand. The thick-skinned fingers close gently around his and David is surprised to find, warming in his father's palm, a handful of his own hair.
|
Saying "I expect Mr Samuels will start charging me more for your hair then", David's dad is _ .
|
[
"feel tired because of Thanksgiving",
"prepare for the coming Black Friday",
"spend their holidays in the stores",
"wait for online retailers' discounts"
] |
wait for online retailers' discounts
|
Some good news for online holiday shoppers: bargain-hunting binges will drive prices down as web-based retailers compete to offer bigger discounts, marketing researchers predict.
A recent survey by Shopzilla found that nearly 84 percent of online retailers would offer Cyber Monday discounts, up 12 percent from last year. Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Thanksgiving, is the online response to Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when stores are traditionally flooded with customers, some of whom camp at the entrances overnight to take advantage of discounts.
However, in the current economic climate, online retailers have felt pressure to offer sales and discounts even before Black Friday. But how online retailers decide to offer those big savings isn't a simple matter of trying to attract the consumers who are watching their wallets, Bohlmann of Sabanci University in Istanbul says. Online stores will also pay attention to the deals their competitors are offering, potentially leading to price wars between certain retailers to attract all those potential bargain-hunting customers.
Online shoppers can be divided into two types, Bohlmann said, --switchers and --loyals. Switchers compare prices between retailers and go for the cheapest one, while loyals stick to one brand or store. It almost doesn't matter what price you charge.
Online retailers will look at the percentage of switchers and loyals they have in order to decide whether to offer discounts. The more switchers they have, the more likely they will offer discounts. But retailers don't just look at the percentage of their own customers; they also look at the competition.
If one online store has a higher percentage of loyals than the competitor, it can afford to keep prices higher. On the contrary, if it has a higher percentage of switchers than the competitor, it might want to lower prices.
|
According to the text, on Cyber Monday, customers often _
|
[
"[substeps] Take advantage of a walking tour if you want to see historic sites with the help of a guide. The twisting, narrow streets of venice might be frustrating and overwhelming if you have never been there before.",
"If you don't have a good map, use your smart phone or cash from your bank account to start walking. Crowds can be incredibly hectic and there is no guarantee you'll find any fine restaurants or shops for walking.",
"Tourist maps will show you pictures of areas open to tourists, and guides can provide you with locations that you would not otherwise have thought of. Germany, italy and the italian coast make plenty of good travel sites.",
"Both eurobus and airbus carry bus or train passes, but their routes are private and much less expensive. Even if you do not drive, walk one or two to get around venice."
] |
[substeps] Take advantage of a walking tour if you want to see historic sites with the help of a guide. The twisting, narrow streets of venice might be frustrating and overwhelming if you have never been there before.
|
[header] How to get around venice on the cheap [title] Walk as much as you can. [step] Venice is a walking city, with streets that are built for pedestrians only. All you need is a good map, or a willingness to get lost as you wander.
|
What happens next?
|
[
"He is a Mississippian.",
"He is a first-time hunter.",
"He will share out the alligator meat.",
"He fought the alligator for 12 hours."
] |
He will share out the alligator meat.
|
Hunters in Mississippi broke a state record for the heaviest alligator ever killed, kicking off the hunting season with two big catches.
Dustin Bockman of Wisconsin and two hunting friends caught the 727-pound 13-foot-long beast on Sunday, beating last year's record-setter by 26 pounds, according to the state's Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
"We're going to cook it for sure." he told Gulf Live.
"There's plenty for me and everybody else."
He and his team of hunters followed the huge creature for 12 hours until they could get close enough to shoot him with a crossbow.
"He would go to the bottom and sit like a piece of wood. You could do anything with him," Bockman said.
The hunters then had to figure out how to drag the beast's dead body into their boat.
It look four hours of pulling at which point they rested on a sandbar and called friends for help.
First-time hunter Beth Trammell initially broke the record when she caught a 723-pound 13-foot gator with a team of six hunters, but Bockman stole her thunder hours later.
She was shocked at her gator's size. "It took about four hours to get it in the boat," she said. "We had to ask another boat to help us out it was so big."
She said that she, too, was going to eat the beast and use it for decoration.
"I think my brother-in-law is going to get the head mounted." she said.
Alligators nearly died out in Mississippi in the 1960s, but a conservation helped the creature recover to the point that hunting is now legal.
|
Which of the following is true about Dustin Bockman?
|
[
"have the ship repaired",
"join the other Germans",
"get help from the French",
"get away from the British"
] |
have the ship repaired
|
The report came to the British on May 21, 1941. The German battleship Bismarck, the most powerful warship in the world, was moving out into the Atlantic Ocean. Her task: to destroy the ships carrying supplies from the United States to war-torn England.
The British had feared such a task. No warship they had could match the Bismarck in speed or in firepower. The Bismarck had eight 15-inch guns and 81 smaller guns. She could move at 30 nautical miles an hour. She was believed to be unsinkable.
However, the British had to sink her. They sent out a task force headed by their best battleship Hood to hunt down the Bismarck. On May 24, the Hood found the Bismarck.
It was a meeting that the German commander Luetjens did not want to see. His orders were to destroy the British ships that were carrying supplies, but to stay away from a fight with British warships.
The battle didn't last long. The Bismarck's first torpedo hit the Hood, which went down taking all but three of her 1,419 men with her.
But in the fight, the Bismarck was a bit damaged. Her commander decided to run for repairs to France, which had at that time been taken by the Germans. The British force followed her. However, because of the Bismarck's speed and the heavy fog, they lost sight of her.
For two days, every British ship in the Atlantic tried to find the Bismarck, but with no success. Finally, she was sighted by a plane from Ireland. Trying to slow the Bismarck down so that their ships could catch up with her, the British fired at her from the air. The Bismarck was hit.
On the morning of May 27, the last battle was fought. Four British ships fired on the Bismarck, and she was finally sunk.
|
Luetjens tried to sail to France in order to _ .
|
[
"ugly girls like to spread gossip online",
"ugly girls easily become victims of online gossip",
"gossip-makers can regret what they do",
"online gossip is mainly some jokes on others"
] |
gossip-makers can regret what they do
|
High school students have always spread gossip in the halls, on the walls and on the phone. Now it's on the Internet, too. On various message boards, kids write about whom they hate, whom they think have fallen in love with each other and record other often hurtful things that may or may not be true.
Sixteen-year-old Jessica remembers once when some kids at her school wrote cruel things about her on the web. "They were just making fun of me," she says. They said she's really ugly, she's this, she's that, blah-blah-blah.
Jessica's 11-year-old sister, Emma, admits she's used the web to write bad things about another girl, though she regrets it now. "After a while, you may feel like, how could I have been so mean? Or, why did I do that?" she says.
Experts say gossip on the Internet can be more harmful than the old fashioned kind. It lasts longer and is taken more seriously. And, unlike ugly words on the bathroom wall, there's no way to get rid of it.
If your kids are victims of online gossip, Dr. Commanday suggests putting the gossip in to perspective . "Point out to them how what's being said on the screen differs from what everyone knows about you as a person," Dr. Commanday says.
You can also try what worked from Emma: keep your kids off the offensive website! "When she was using it all the time, her name was there all the time. People were writing things about her," explains Patti Thrift, Emma's mother, "Since she has no longer had access to that, she's no longer a topic of conversation."
|
From the examples of Jessica's sister, we can learn that _ .
|
[
"Half an hour",
"One and a half hours",
"An hour",
"Two hours"
] |
An hour
|
Name: Poodle
Missing since: June 3, 2015
Produce: Young(2 years old), curly hair, shy
Last seen: Wuyi Square
Please contact :Sarah 839-6722 or [email protected]
Please do not run after the dog. It may run in fear.
Lost and found items will be displayed in the school hall.
On Friday, June 15, 2015
During lunch 12:30-1:30
Parents: If you know that your child has lost something , please remind him or her.
You are also welcome to have a look.
|
How long will the display last?
|
[
"It's a little hard for people to book a room in the inn.",
"The inn can serve the guests according to their tastes.",
"Many young couples prefer to hold their weddings there.",
"Everyone would like to have their breakfast in the inn."
] |
The inn can serve the guests according to their tastes.
|
Our historic1740 Shenandoah Valley Bed and Breakfast is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the beauty and history of the Valley. Once a haven against Indian attacks on the Virginia frontier and later Stonewall Jackson's headquarters during the Valley Campaign of 1862, our Shenandoah Valley inn(small hotel) now welcomes travelers looking for comfortable bed and board and friendly welcome.
On Route11,the Old Valley Turnpike, only two miles from Interstate 81 at Woodstock, the inn has a country atmosphere on five private acres along the Shenandoah River. The inn offers 12 guest rooms, a well-equipped meeting room for small managing meetings, many common areas, and lovely grounds to host sendoffs and family gatherings.
A hearty Inn at Narrow Passage breakfast will get your day off to a great start! If you have special food needs, tell us ahead of time, and we will try to have just what you need.
"We had a wonderful four-day stay. Quiet and peaceful with the warmth of fireplaces in the room and bar to comfort and relax you. Ed and Ellen make you feel like family. Breakfast was outstanding." A visitor said.
After a busy day of hiking or sightseeing, return for a cool drink on the porch in summer or hot, spiced tea by the fire in winter. In the evening, walk down to the river to feed the ducks, or maybe spend a little time fishing.
We hope you'll be able to visit us soon. We'll do all we can to make your stay a happy one.
|
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
|
[
"a sense of humor",
"being kept busy",
"belief in God",
"good genes"
] |
good genes
|
When Jean Calment entered the world in 1875, telephones and automobiles still lay in the future. Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso were not yet born. The Eiffel Tower was 14 years from being built. As a teenager, she met Vincent Van Gogh, near her home in Arles, in the south of France. He was "very ugly, ungracious, impolite, sick--I forgive him, they called him loco." She recalled. When she died last week at age 122, she was the world's oldest person. (There were others who claimed to the title, but only Calment had the official documents to prove her age)
Each February 21, her birthday, she would share the secrets of long life. Some years it was "a sense of humor", others it was "keeping busy". "God may have forgotten me," she once explained. The truth probably was that she had good genes. Her mother reportedly lived to be 86 and her father 94.
Her life had its sadness: she outlived her husband, her only daughter and her grandson. According to a friend, she was _ "If you can't do anything about it," she reportedly said, "don't worry about it."
In her last years she was nearly blind and deaf, but her health remained good. She ate a few bars of chocolate each week and continued smoking until a few years ago, when she could no longer light her own cigarettes. She never lost her sense of humor. On her 110thbirthday, she commented, "I have only ever had one wrinkle, and I am sitting on it." Her longevity made her famous. Her spirits made her eternal
|
The author believes that Calment's longevity is mainly due to _ .
|
[
"Its author bases her writing on careful research.",
"It includes many pictures of various species.",
"It is intended to present Darwin's life story.",
"It was published in honor of Charles Darwin."
] |
It is intended to present Darwin's life story.
|
Many people enjoy an adventure story. Others like mysteries that lead the reader to an exciting discovery. The story of the young British naturalist Charles Darwin combines both of these. That is why the author and illustrator Rosalyn Schanzer chose to write the children's book "What Darwin Saw". The book was published just in time for the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth on February 12, 1809.
Rosalyn Schanzer carefully gathered Darwin's thoughts and observations from his diaries, letters and books. Many of the words in the book are Darwin's own. She also traveled to the Galapagos Islands and South America. She researched some of the places Darwin had visited on his trip on the ship, the Beagle in the 1830s. She took thousands of pictures, which helped her create the book's beautiful and color1ful drawings. These pictures show young readers what led Darwin to form his great discovery: the evolution of species through natural selection.
"What Darwin Saw" tells of the adventures of a young man who traveled around the world as a scientist. The voyage of the Beagle took Charles Darwin to South America, where he rode horses with cowboys and met Native Americans in Argentina. He reported the eruption of the Osorno Volcano and experienced an earthquake in Chile. Darwin's observations showed him that environments can change very quickly and a great deal over time.
Rosalyn Schanzer brings to life the clues that suggested to Darwin that living things evolve, or change, over time. She illustrates the unusual tortoises, birds and lizards that Darwin studied in the Galapagos Islands. She shows how Darwin came to understand that these island animals had differences, developed over time, that helped them survive. And she explains the theory of evolution through natural selection in a way that both children and adults will enjoy.
|
Which of the following statements is NOT true about "What Darwin Saw"?
|
[
"A friend in need is a friend indeed.",
"Where there is a will, there is a way.",
"A misfortune may turn out a blessing.",
"Kill two birds with one stone."
] |
A misfortune may turn out a blessing.
|
Zoe Chambers was a successful PR(Public Relations) consultant and life was going well -- she had a great job, beautiful flat and a busy social life in London. Then one evening in June last year, she received a text message telling her she was out of work. "The first two weeks were the most difficult to live through." she said. "After everything I'd done for the company, they dismissed me by text! I was so angry and I just didn't feel like looking for another job. I hate everything about the city and my life."
Then, Zoe received an invitation from an old school friend, Kathy, to come and stay. Kathy and her husband, Huw, had just bought a farm in north-west Wales. Zoe jumped at the chance to spend a weekend away from London, and now, ten months later she is still on the farm.
"The moment I arrived at Kathy's farm, I loved it and I knew I wanted to stay." said Zoe. "Everything about my past life suddenly seemed meaningless."
Zoe has been working on the farm since October of last year and says she has no regrets. "It's a hard life, physically very tiring." she says. "In London 1 was stressed and often mentally exhausted. But this is a good, healthy tiredness. Here, all I need to put me in a good mood is a hot bath and one of Kathy's wonderful dinners."
Zoe says she has never felt bored on the farm. Every day brings a new experience. Kathy has been teaching her how to ride a horse and she has learnt to drive a tractor. Since Christmas, she has been helping with the lambing -- watching a lamb being born is unbelievable, she says, "It's one of the most moving experiences I've ever had. I could never go back to city life now."
|
Which of the following is closest to the main idea of the passage?
|
[
"was sitting at the table along",
"he wore his new clothes",
"used the table cloth as a napkin",
"took the restaurant for a barber's shop"
] |
used the table cloth as a napkin
|
A poor farmer had never left his small village. After he made a lot of money, he decided to spend a holiday in an excellent hotel in a big town.
When lunchtime came on his first day there, he went to eat it in the restaurant of the hotel in his new clothes. The headwaiter showed him to the table, took his order and went away. When he returned and looked at the farmer again, he was surprised. The farmer had tied his table cloth round his neck.
The headwaiter immediately told another waiter to go to the farmer and tell him that people mustn't do such a thing in his restaurant. So the waiter went to the farmer and said in a friendly voice, "Good morning, Sir. Would you like a haircut.?"
|
To his surprise, the headwaiter found that the farmer _ .
|
[
"2000.",
"2003.",
"2004.",
"2005."
] |
2004.
|
Since around the later part of the 1950s, society started to realize that tobacco cigarettes caused health problems. As research progressed along with increasing numbers of people that developed lung cancer, emphysema, and other smoking related illnesses, cigarette smoking has become less accepted and popular. Unfortunately, the nicotine contained in cigarettes is one of the most addictive substances on the planet and makes quitting smoking one of the hardest things to do. In 2003, Chinese pharmacist, Hon Lik invented the electronic cigarette as a safer, and cleaner way to breathe in nicotine after his father, a heavy smoker, passed away from lung cancer attributed to smoking tobacco cigarettes.
Hon Lik applied for his first patent on the electronic cigarette in 2003 and afterwards introduced e-cigs to the Chinese market in the following year through his employer, Golden Dragon Holdings. Golden Dragon Holdings later changed the company's name to "Ruyan" in order to better match the company's name(Ruyan means "almost like smoke")to the new product. Since the renaming, the Ruyan company has continued e-cigarette development and grown to be one of the largest global e-cig manufactures.
Dr.Sam Han, CEO of Cixi E-CIG Technology, Inc, Ltd. also has a number of e-cig related inventions, including four patents in the United States and two in China that are electronic cigarette and e-liquid technology related. Similar to Hon Lik's father. Dr. Han was a heavy smoker for more than 40 years before beginning to work on electronic cigarette technologies in order to help himself and others make the shift to vapor smoking. Dr.Han continues to market and conduct R&D in e-cig related techonologies to this date.
After the successful deployment of Ruyan and Cixi E-CIG electronic cigarettes in China and Asia, the products started to be sold in significant quantities on the Internet.
|
Since when have Chinese smokers have been able to buy Hon Lik's electronic cigarettes according to the passage?
|
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