"The world's oceans are slowly getting more acidic,”say scientists. The researchers from California report that the change is taking place in response to higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The lowering of the waters’pH value is not great at the moment but could cause a serious threat to current ocean life if it continues, they warn. Ken Caldeira and Michael Wickett, from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, report their concerns in the journal Nature.
Increasing use of oil fuels means more carbon dioxide is going into the air, and most of it will eventually be absorbed by seawater. Once in the water, it reacts to form carbonic acid. Scientists believe that the oceans have already become slightly more acidic over the last century.
These researchers have tried to predict what will happen in the future by combining what we know about the history of the oceans with computer models of climate change．"This level of acidity will get much more extreme in the future if we continue releasing CO2 into the atmosphere," said Dr Caldeira. "And we predict the amount of future acidity will exceed（超过）anything we have seen over the last several hundred million years, let alone perhaps after rare disastrous events such as asteroid（小行星) impacts．”
However, it is not absolutely clear what that means for ocean life．Most organisms live near the surface, where the greatest pH change would be expected to occur, but deep-ocean life forms may be more sensitive to pH changes．Coral reefs and other organisms whose shells contain calcium carbonate（小行星) may be particularly affected if the water's acidity levels keep going up, the team predict. They could find it much more difficult to build these structures in water with a lower pH.
In recent years some people have suggested storing carbon dioxide from power stations in the deep ocean as a way of dealing with global warming．But Dr Caldeira said that such a strategy should now be re-considered. "Previously, most experts had looked at ocean absorption of carbon dioxide as a good thing-because in releasing CO2 into the atmosphere we warm the planet, and when CO2, is absorbed by the ocean, it reduces the amount of greenhouse warming.”According to Dr Caldeira,__________ .
| A．ocean absorption of carbon dioxide is a good thing |
| B．more oil fuels will be used in the near future |
| C．scientists may predict climate changes with computer models |
| D．the future situation of the amount of acidity is extremely serious |
f the water's acidity level keeps rising,_________ .
| A．ocean life whose structures contain calcium carbonate may be affected |
| B．the waters’pH value will become higher and higher |
| C．organisms living near the surface are more sensitive to pH changes |
| D．some disastrous events will occur more often than before |
Most experts once believed storing carbon dioxide in the ocean would reduce________ .
| A．the CO2 absorbed by the ocean | B．the amount of greenhouse warming |
| C．the acidity of the ocean | D．the gradual release of CO2 |
The purpose of this passage is to_________ .
| A．show people the findings of a research team | B．inform people of how acid the ocean is now |
| C．introduce Dr Caldeira and his team's research | D．warn people of the higher level of CO2 |
I really hadn’t meant to yell at them. But that grey afternoon saw it just as my son and daughter were making a terrible mess on the floor in the kitchen.
With a tiresome report to write, I felt bothered at my desk. Suddenly, it occurred to me that my kids were at fault. A voice inside me insisted that I do something quickly.
“Ok, you two here, what an awful thing you are attempting!” I was shouting angrily. I made for them, while it became evident that the boy wanted no part of me. “Get away from us!” he shouted back, there being an expression of support from his sister.
All of a sudden, I found the fault in myself. Quickly I shaped my hands into pincers(钳子) and crawled towards them, “Crabby（暴躁的） Daddy is here. Ha, Ha, Ha, he likes to yell at children, and then eat them!” My son continued to keep me away, but now he was laughing and crying at the same time. My mission to repair the damage caused by my yelling seemed to work well. Still, I regretted not having controlled myself first in a right way.
Need I let them know how badly they were acting by blaming? This is a lesson that serves myself. It only shows just how to get rid of something (ill-feelings, responsibility…) by blaming others. It’s not my “best self”.
We have to search for our “best self” when with our children. They don’t need perfect parents, but they do need parents who are always trying to get better. Here, I am reminded of the words of a great thinker. “When a man lives with God, his voice shall be as sweet as the murmur of the brook (stream)…” Then, in our lifetime, couldn’t we always speak to our kids in such a sweet voice since most of us consider them as the most precious in the world? And before we reach this level, what should we do when we come across various difficult cases with our children? Which of the following made the author aware of his fault?
| A．No obvious reason. | B．The boy’s yelling back. |
| C．His self-awareness. | D．The girl’s shouting back. |
According to the passage, the author will _________ in another similar situation.
| A．play a crab again like this time | B．apologize to kids in a sincere way |
| C．avoid blaming kids in a hurry | D．beat them up about such things |
What will the writer go on to write about in the next paragraph(s)?
| A．How to behave ourselves properly when kids are at fault. |
| B．How to play with our children in a more interesting way. |
| C．How to deal with the housework with children around us. |
| D．How to persuade children to do what they are told to. |
What does “the boy wanted no part of me” in the third paragraph mean?
| A．The boy was happy because I loved them. |
| B．The boy was curious because I wanted to help them. |
| C．The boy was very happy for I was angry. |
| D．The boy didn’t want me to join them. |
Scientists in Mexico have just begun a new study of one of the world’s biggest pyramids: the Pyramid of the Sun, north of Mexico City. They’re putting lots of small, high-tech machines under the pyramid to try to unlock some of its secrets. For thousands of years, people have tried to uncover the secrets of the pyramids.
The people who built the pyramids made lots of secret doors and rooms to stop robbers from finding the treasures inside. However, there always have been some smart thieves in history. Now, almost all of Egypt’s pyramids have been robbed, including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, which is the largest pyramid in the world. It is the only one of the ancient wonders of the world that is still standing.
In AD 820, an Arab king named Abdullah AL Manum got a group of workers to dig their way into the Great Pyramid and have a look. Inside the pyramid, they found three rooms—the Queen’s Chamber, the Grand Gallery and the King’s Chamber. But to their surprise, the men didn’t find the treasures they wanted. The Queen’s and King’s Chambers were both empty! Where were the King’s mummy and his treasures? Had someone already taken them away? The huge stone doors at the pyramid’s entrance were still closed when AL Manum’s men went inside. How had the thieves got in and out?
Since then, many people have gone inside the Great Pyramid to have a look or to try to take things. But still, no other chambers or walkways have been found.
In 2002, an American team made the most recent visit to the Great Pyramid. Scientists sent a robot into the pyramid, but they only found a mysterious locked stone door. The first two paragraphs were written to show that ____.
| A．ancient Egyptian emperors were cruel |
| B．the Pyramid of the Sun is an unusual historic building |
| C．construction workers led a hard life in ancient Egypt |
| D．the secrets of the pyramids remain to be uncovered |
What is the purpose of making some secret doors to the pyramids? _______.
| A．To try to unlock some of its secrets |
| B．To stop robbers from finding the treasures inside |
| C．To refuse some visitors all over the world into it |
| D．To tell the truth to the people in the future |
Which of the following is NOT true to the Great Pyramid of Khufu? ______.
| A．It is the largest pyramid in the world. |
| B．It is the only one of the ancient wonders that is still standing. |
| C．Abdullah AL Manum took the King’s mummy and his treasures away |
| D．Scientists found a mysterious locked stone door to the Great Pyramid |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．The Pyramid of the Sun |
| B．The Great Pyramid of Khufu |
| C．A Mysterious Locked Stone Door |
| D．Unlocking the Doors of History of the Pyramid |
“Yes, I’ll be ready at nine in the morning. Goodbye, dear, and thanks again.” It had not been an easy telephone call for Mrs. Robson to make. Her daughter had been very kind, of course, and had immediately agreed to pick her up and drive her to the station, but Mrs. Robson hated to admit that she needed help. Since her husband died ten years ago, she had prided herself on her independence. She had continued to live in their little house, alone.
This evening, however, she was standing at her living-room window, staring out at the SOLD notice in the small front garden. Her feelings were mixed. Of course, she was sad at the thought of leaving the house, as it was full of so many memories. But at the same time she was looking forward to spending her last years near the sea, back in the little seaside town where she had been born. With the money from the sale of the house, she had bought a little flat there. She turned from the living room window, and looked round at the room. One or two pieces of furniture remained, covered with sheet. All her pictures had been taken from the walls. There was a small fish tank, with two goldfish in it. When asked why, her husband used to say: “It’s nice to have something alive in the room.” Since he had passed away, she had always kept some goldfish, and always had “something alive in the room”.
The next morning, as her train was pulling out of the station, Mrs. Robson called to her daughter, “Kate, you won’t forget to collect the goldfish, will you? The children will love them. It’s…”
“I know,” Kate interrupted gently. “It’s nice to have something alive in the room.” But in the little house, the two goldfish had stopped their circling. They were floating on the water, in the room with silent walls.According to the passage, we know that Mrs. Robson ________.
| A．was a person who liked to be alone |
| B．was not able to help herself |
| C．did not like asking people for help |
| D．wanted to live without her husband |
On her last night in the house, Mrs. Robson was feeling __________.
| A．a bit sad but not totally unhappy |
| B．happy but unable to help herself |
| C．proud and sad |
| D．in poor spirits |
Mrs. Robson was going to __________.
| A．be in hospital | B．live with her daughter |
| C．meet her husband | D．live where she was born |
The little house meant a lot to Mrs. Robson because________.
| A．it was full of pets and plants |
| B．many friends and relatives visited it |
| C．it had a long and unforgettable history |
| D．an important part of her life was spent there |
The parents of a troubled teen may feel unsure as to whom to turn to in order to find help for their child. They may feel as if they have exhausted all of their options, and sometimes they are on the verge of giving up. But there is hope. Schools for troubled teens offer discipline and in some cases, drug treatment programs that can provide important life skills, and more importantly, a fresh start.
The following is a list of the most effective types of schools for troubled teens. Not every facility is a match for every child, but by knowing the differences between them, parents can make a better educated decision about where to send their teenager.
Boarding Schools
When a child is unable to deal with the relative freedom of a standard school day, boarding schools might be a good choice. At boarding schools, the child lives in a dorm setting, where almost every minute of the day is scheduled by school administrators.
Treatment Centers
When a teenager has an addiction to drugs or alcohol, a residential center that specializes in young people is an outstanding way to help them break the cycle of addiction. Treatment centers feature individual and group counseling to help identify the root causes of the drug problem and help develop the life skills needed to stay clean when the program is over.
Wilderness Programs
Designed to help improve the discipline and self-reliance of the child, wilderness programs send kids back to nature. By placing them in a foreign and sometimes uncomfortable setting, wilderness programs hope to improve children’s behavior. Programs generally include hikes, exercise programs and team building exercises.
Boot Camps
Boot camps are the most extreme style of school for troubled teens. These facilities are modeled after actual military boot camps, where the individual must get into shape, work as part of a team, and follow a long, hard set of rules and regulations. However, boot camps might not be the best choice for a teen with a drug addiction.Whowouldbetheintendedreadersofthepassage?
| A．Teachers. | B．Parents. | C．Students. | D．Experts. |
As the author suggests, schools for troubled teens______.
| A．can be a good choice for some desperate parents |
| B．can completely help and change troubled teens |
| C．are becoming popular with teens in trouble |
| D．care more about discipline than life skills |
According to the passage, boarding schools_____.
| A．provide children with more freedom |
| B．have their students’ time managed carefully |
| C．pay much attention to team building exercises |
| D．can make children feel safer |
What’s the purpose of this passage?
| A．To introduce schools for troubled teens. |
| B．To show some problems of troubled teens. |
| C．To teach parents how to educate their children. |
| D．To remind parents to care for their children. |
I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car．I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work．
Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum．From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money．There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered．This was one of those “don't want to be bothered times”．
“ I hope he doesn't ask me for any money,” I thought．
He didn't．He came and sat on the edge of the pavement in front of the bus stop but he didn't
look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus．After a few minutes he spoke．
“That's a very pretty car,” he said．
He was in rags but he had an air of dignity around him．His badly-grown blond beard kept more than his face warm．
I said, “thanks,” and continued wiping off my car．He sat there quietly as I worked．The expected plea（乞求） for money never came．As the silence between us widened, something inside said, “ask him if he needs any help．” I was sure that he would say “yes” but I held true to the inner voice．
“Do you need any help?” I asked．
He answered in three simple words that I shall never forget．We often look for wisdom in great men and women．We expect it from those of higher learning and achievements．I expected nothing but an outstretched dirty hand．He spoke the three words that shook me．
“Don't we all?” he said．Why did the writer parked his car before the mall?
| A．Because he wanted to pick up his wife． |
| B．Because he wanted to show off his car． |
| C．Because he wanted to wipe off his car． |
| D．Because he wanted to do some shopping． |
Which has the closest meaning to the underlined word "bum" in Paragraph 2?
| A．dustman | B．driver | C．beggar | D．robber |
Which is the best title for this text?
| A．A good husband | B．Didn't he need help? |
| C．Don't we all? | D．One should be generous |