Is it possible to persuade mankind to live without war? War is an ancient custom which has existed for at least six thousand years. It was always evil and usually foolish, but in the past the human race managed to live with it. Modern skill has changed this. Either man will stop war, or war will stop man. For the present, it is nuclear weapons that cause the greatest danger, but bacteriological( 细菌的 ) or chemical weapons may, before long, offer an even greater threat. If we succeeded in stopping war, there would be no danger for us. To do this, we need to persuade mankind to look upon international questions in a new way, not by contests of force, in which the victory goes to the side which is most skillful in massacre (大屠杀 ),but by arbitration (仲裁)in accordance with agreed principles of law. It is not easy to change old mental habits, but this is what must be attempted.
There are those who say that the adoption of this or that ideology (意识形态)would prevent war. I believe this to be a complete error. All ideologies are based upon beliefs without proof which are, at best, doubtful, and at worst, totally false. Those people who believe them are willing to go to war in support of them.
The movement of world opinion during the past two years has changed very largely such as we can welcome. It has become a common belief that nuclear war must be avoided. Of course, very difficult problems remain in the international world, but the spirit in which they are being approached is a better one than it was some years ago. It has begun to be thought, even by the powerful men who decide whether we shall live or die, that agreements should be reached even if both sides do not find these agreements wholly satisfactory. It has begun to be understood that the important conflict (冲突) nowadays is not between East and West, but between Man and the Hbomb.From the first paragraph we can know that ____.
A.we may face greater threat from weapons |
B.bacteriological or chemical weapons are less dangerous than nuclear weapons |
C.man’s idea of victory has changed |
D.dangerous weapons are forbidden in modern society |
According to the author,______.
A.it is impossible to live without war |
B.the difference between East and West will lead to war |
C.war must be stopped if man wants to survive |
D.war will be stopped by modern skill |
The author believes that the only way to stop war is to____.
A.stop nuclear weapons |
B.settle international issues through agreements |
C.destroy bacteriological and chemical weapons |
D.let the stronger side take over the world |
The last paragraph suggests that______.
A.nuclear war will definitely not take place |
B.real agreements have been now reached |
C.world opinion is still divided on nuclear war |
D.man is beginning to realize that nuclear war is his greatest enemy |
Which of the following words can best describe the author’s feeling in writing this passage?
A.Disappointed. | B.Doubtful. | C.Worried. | D.Hopeful. |
London—coffee protects mice from radiation and could get the same way in humans, according to Indian scientists.
Scientist at India’s Bhabha Atomic Research Center discovered that mice injected with caffeine (咖啡因)remained alive after high doses(剂量)of normally lethal radiation.
Although the study was limited to animals, Kachadillilli George, head of the research team, believes the findings could have implications (something suggested ) for humans .
“It does suggest that coffee might have some beneficial effects in protecting against radiation,” he told New Scientist magazine late last month.
George and his team injected 471 mice with caffeine and left them uncovered to 7.5 grays of gamma radiation(伽玛射线),enough to kill most mice. But 25 days later 70 percent of the mice that had received 80 milligrams(毫克)of caffeine per kilogram of body weight were still alive.
On the contrary all 196 mice that had been left uncovered to the same radiation but had not been given any caffeine died.George and his team drew the conclusion from.
A.the magazine | B.their invention | C.the experiment | D.their experience |
From the news, we knowcan be protected from radiation.
A.both mice and humans | B.only mice |
C.only humans | D.neither humans nor mice |
From paragraph 5, we know 30 percent of the mice died 25 days later. The reason was probably that.
A.these mice had been given only 80 milligrams of caffeine |
B.these mice hadn’t been injected with caffeine |
C.these mice were very big and strong |
D.these mice hadn’t been given enough caffeine |
Which is the best title of the article?
A.Human and Mice | B.New Radiation Defense—Coffee |
C.Deadly Radiation—Gamma Radiation | D.Mice Died of Caffeine |
In paragraph 2,the underlined word “ lethal ”means.
A.causing death | B.lively | C.exciting | D.rich |
Most lives saved from sinking ferryCao Min couldn’t believe she was experiencing exactly what she had seen years ago in the film “Titanic”.
Cao and her two children from Anhui Province were traveling on board the “Liaoludu 7”on February 22.They were among the first people on the ship who were rescued by lifeboats. Cao’s one-year-old son was the youngest passenger on board.
The “Liaoludu 7”was traveling in the Bohai Straits(渤海海峡)from Lushun in Liaoning Province to the port city of Longkou in Shandong Province. It suddenly lost its power at 2:30 pm and tilted(倾斜)on its side. With 81 people on board, the ferry(渡船)began to sink.
“I was so scared that my legs couldn’t move forward. They kept shaking even when I was asked to jump onto a “ lifeboat.” Cao recalled.
Upon receiving the urgent appeal, China Marine Search and Rescue Center(中国海上搜救中心)immediately informed the State Council(国务院).The center sent eight lifeboats to the sinking ship and asked for help form the Ministry of Agriculture, the Navy and nearby fishing boats.
After more than four hours of fighting against strong winds and freezing ocean water, the passengers were recovered. All but four survived. These four died after spending too long in the freezing waters, according to a spokesperson for the Beijing-based center.
(From 21st Century, Mar.3, 2003)How many people survived the disaster?
A.4 | B.81 | C.85 | D.77 |
Who do you think were the first people rescued?
A.Women and children | B.Women | C.Children | D.Men |
Which of the following is Not true?
A.The accident happened from Longkou in Shandong Province to Lushun in Liaoning Province. |
B.The fighting of the people on board against the strong winds and freezing ocean water lasted several hours. |
C.Cao and her children fortunately were saved. |
D.But for the State Council, the passengers and the crew would have lost their lives. |
For years and years people have been saying that the railways are dead. “ We can do without railways.” People say…as if motorcars and planes have made the railways unnecessary. We all keep hearing that trains are slow, that they lose money, and that they’re dying .But this is far from the truth: in these days of expensive oil, the railways have become highly competitive with motorcars and planes. If you want to carry people or goods from place to place, they are cheaper than planes. And they have much in common with planes. A plane goes in a straight line and so does a railway. What is more, it takes you from the heart of a city into the heart of another. It doesn’t leave you up as a plane does, miles and miles from the city center. It doesn’t hold you up as a car does, in endless traffic jams, and a single train carry goods which a plane or a motorcar could never do.
Far from being dead, the railways are very much alive. Modern railway lines give you a smooth, untroubled journey. Where else can you eat well, sleep in comfort, feel safe and enjoy the scene while you are traveling at speed at the same time? And we are only at the beginning, for we have just entered the age of super-fast trains, trains traveling at 150 miles an hour and more. Soon we will be wondering why we spent so much on motorcars we can’t use because we have not enough money to buy the oil and planes we can’t fly for the same reason..Some people think the railways are unnecessary for many reasons except that.
A.planes and motorcars have taken the place of trains |
B.oil is expensive today |
C.trains are slow |
D.railways lose money |
According to the writer, which of the following is Not true?
A.It is cheaper to travel by train than by plane. |
B.The railway station is usually at the center of the city. |
C.When you get off the plane you will find yourself right in the city center. |
D.No motorcar or plane can carry as many goods as a train does. |
The writer thinks that the railways, far from being dead, are very much alive because.
A.we can have a smooth and untroubled journey |
B.we’ll not have enough money to fly in planes |
C.we can now travel in super-fast train |
D.all of the above |
The best title for this passage may be””
A.Not the End but the Beginning |
B.Which is the Best: Train, Motorcar or Plane |
C.Trains are More Competitive than Motorcars or Planes |
D.Oh, Super-fast Trains |
The Republic of Vanuatu is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. It was one of the poorest nations in the region. Within the last five years, however, it has become a hot spot for adventure travelers. In 2006 it was voted the happiest place on Earth. The reason is not that Vanuatu are the richest but that Vanuatu has white-sand islands, clear waters, the world’s most accessible live volcano, great diving and food that grows faster than it can be picked.
With a population of about 221,000, Vanuatu has 113 languages, which is a result of 3,000 years of immigration from many Pacific countries. There are three official languages: English, French, and Bislama. Bislama developed from South Pacific English, a simplified language that traders and other foreigners used it to communicate with speakers of the many local languages.
Most of the islands are mountainous and of volcanic origin. There are several active volcanoes in Vanuatu, including Yasur on the island of Tanna, one of the world’s most accessible volcanoes. If you’ve ever fancied getting close to a volcano, here’s your chance.
Vanuatu Post’s Underwater Post Office has quickly become one of the busiest post offices for postcards in the world! Visitors from around the world want to experience the world’s first underwater post office. The Post Office is only 50 meters offshore and at just three meters below the surface, very appealing to the young and young at heart. Since opening in 2003, the underwater post office has received about 100,000 visitors. They have posted one of the waterproof(防水的)postcards available in Vanuatu; these cards are collected regularly by one of Vanuatu Post’s four trained divers. The underwater branch is manned daily for usually about an hour, longer with demand.Vanuatu was voted the happiest place on Earth because _______.
A.it’s the poorest nation in the region |
B.it’s Vanuatu that are the richest |
C.it’s a favorite place for adventurers |
D.it’s blessed with abundant nature |
From the text, _______ led to over one hundred languages spoken in Vanuatu.
A.immigration | B.location | C.dialects | D.foreigners |
Which of the following is true about Vanuatu?
A.Bislama developed from local Pacific French. |
B.Yasur is one of the live volcanoes in Vanuatu. |
C.Vanuatu has more than 113 official languages. |
D.Underwater Post Office has opened for 5 years. |
Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?
A.Working at the underwater branch | B.Great diving in amazing Vanuatu |
C.A hot spot for adventure travelers | D.The busiest post office on Earth |
What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
A.Various languages. | B.Underwater diving. |
C.Food in Vanuatu. | D.History of Vanuatu. |
Owning a smartphone may not be as smart as you think. They may let you surf the Internet, listen to music and take photos wherever you are, but they also turn you into a workaholic(工作狂).
A study suggests that, by giving you access to emails at all times, the smartphone adds as much as two hours to your working day. Researchers found that Britons work an additional 460 hours a year on average as they are able to respond to emails on their mobiles. The study shows the average UK working day is between 9 and 10 hours, but a further 2 hours is spent responding to or sending work emails, or making work calls.
Almost one in ten admits spending up to three hours outside their normal working day checking work emails. Some workers say they are on call almost 24 hours a day. Nearly two-thirds say they often check work emails just before they go to bed and as soon as they wake up, while over a third have replied to one in the middle of the night. The average time for first checking emails is between 6 am and 7 am, with more than a third checking their first email in this period, and a quarter checking them between 11pm and midnight.
Ghadi Hobeika, marketing director of Pixmania, said: “The ability to access millions of applications has made smartphones invaluable for many people. However, there are disadvantages. Many companies expect their employees to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and smartphones mean that people cannot get away from work. The more constantly in touch we become, the more is expected of us in work . ”With a smartphone the average UK working day is _______.
A.2 hours | B.9 to 10 hours | C.11 to 12 hours | D.24 hours |
It could be inferred from the text that the British people _______.
A.prefer to check emails in the morning |
B.are crazy about different smartphones |
C.shorten their normal working hours |
D.work extra hours with smartphones |
What does Ghadi Hobeika feel about smartphones?
A.They are unimportant for most of people. |
B.They have disadvantages for some companies. |
C.They make it impossible for people to rest. |
D.They are useful to improve a work ability. |
Where can we most probably read this text?
A.In a science fiction. | B.In a newspaper. |
C.In a travel magazine. | D.In a storybook. |