Britons stranded（搁浅）at sea or in flooded homes could find a real-life prince riding to their rescue. Prince William announced on Monday that he is to train to be a full-time pilot with the Royal Air Force's Search and Rescue Force (SARF).
William, who is currently a Lieutenant（中尉）in the Army's Household Cavalry Regiment（皇家骑兵团）, will transfer to the RAF and begin an 18-month training course in January 2009.
If successful, he will become a fully operational Search and Rescue pilot in 2010, flying Sea King helicopters at one of the six SARF units based in Britain.
"The time I spent with the RAF earlier this year made me realize how much I love flying," the prince, who spent two weeks with a SARF team while on work experience in 2005, said in a statement.
"Joining Search and Rescue is a perfect opportunity for me to serve in the Forces operationally, while contributing to a vital part of the country's Emergency Services."
It means he will follow a similar career to that of his uncle, Prince Andrew, who was a Sea King helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands war.
The Search and Rescue teams' main duty is to recover RAF personnel but in peacetime they mainly respond to civilian emergencies, dealing with more than 1,000 calls a year.
The units deal with incidents ranging from helping those trapped by sudden major floods to rescuing people lost while out walking on hills.
William, who has spent the last year on secondment（借调）to the various branches of the military to prepare for his future role as head of the armed forces, received his RAF wings （飞行勋章）following a four-month stint（持续的工作）with the service earlier this year.
However, his time with the RAF was clouded when the Defense Ministry was forced to fend off criticism for allowing the prince to fly military helicopters to a bachelor party for his cousin and to the family home of his girlfriend Kate Middleton. Prince William wanted to be a full-time pilot because _____.
| A．he liked flying |
| B．he would like to do something in the country’s Emergency Services |
| C．many Britons were in danger at sea waiting for rescue |
| D．he had much experience in flying |
According to the passage, _____.
| A．the Falklands war broke out in 2005 |
| B．Prince William served in the Army’s Household Cavalry Regiment in 1982 |
| C．Prince Andrew is serving in SARF now |
| D．William would finish his training course in June 2010 |
It can be inferred from the passage that______.
| A．the RAF is an army that rescues its soldiers during wartime |
| B．either Andrew or William is interested in flying |
| C．there are many floods happening in Britain |
| D．the prince saving the people in danger is no longer fairy tale |
The author’s opinion on William’s joining RAF is ______.
| A．enthusiastic | B．doubtful | C．negative | D．pessimistic |
What is the purpose of the author by mentioning what the prince had done before in the last paragraph?
| A．The author wants to say that Prince William pays much attention to his family and friends |
| B．The author suggests that the Defense Ministry was criticized when William flew for his private business |
| C．William had a hard time when he went against his leaders |
| D．The author has the worry that Prince William is likely to get the Defense Ministry into trouble again. |
In the Central Valley of California, famers are reducing crop size because they do not have enough water. Last year, California had the least amount of rain since officials began keeping records. And it may be just as bad this year.
Reservoirs are areas where water is stored. In California, some reservoirs are empty. The amount of snow in the Sierra Mountains is 75 percent below normal. This mountain snow melts in the spring and fills rivers. The water is used by farmers. But now, farmers are warning of the possibility of another “Dust Bowl”, like the one of 1930s. Severe droughts and dust storms covered American farmlands and few crops grew.
Dan Errotabere is a third generation California farmer. He grows tomatoes, walnuts, garlic and other crops in Fresno County. He says the federal agency that controls the amount of water released from dams and rivers has stopped giving him water. He and other farmers say officials are not correctly administering the water system. “The last couple of years-dry years, along with severe environmental restrictions—has now presented us with a zero allocation year”, said he.
Farmer may not be able to plant crops on more than 200,000 hectares of farmland in the Central Valley this spring. Mr. Errotabere will plant crops on just 80 percent of this farmland. He has enough work for only 15 of his 25 workers.
Federal and state officials sometimes reduce the amount of water to farmers even in years with normal rainfall levels. The officials must supply water to the Sacramento River Delta which is home to several endangered species.
Long-term solutions include conservation, recycling waste water and, building “desalinization(脱盐) enters”. These center remove salt from seawater so it can be used on farms. Farmers say better administration of the state’s water system could also help solve the crisis.The farmers in California grow fewer crops due to.
| A．water shortage | B．water pollution |
| C．government policy | D．species protection |
There is no water in some reservoirs because .
| A．snow didn’t melt in time | B．dust storms covered them |
| C．water supply was cut off | D．the snowfall dropped sharply |
What do we know about Dan Errotabere?
| A．He isn’t content with the officials of water system. |
| B．He can do nothing but ask for help from the government. |
| C．He has to employ more workers to work for him. |
| D．He plans to cut down the majority of his crops. |
The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refers to .
| A．salt | B．seawater |
| C．waste water | D．desalinization |
What’s the main idea of the text?
| A．Annual rainfall in California decreases. |
| B．Water use in California is not reasonable. |
| C．Lack of water affects California crops. |
| D．Action is taken to rid drought in California. |
There are quite a few advantages of wearing school uniforms. The idea may seem disagreeable at first, considering all the positive effects coming from wearing uniforms you would be more likely to enjoy them.
Teachers love school uniforms because it helps provide and orderly learning environment. Having students dressed in uniforms may teach them how to resent themselves in a neat and professional manner. It gives students the opportunity to learn how to dress like young ladies and gentleman. And they can focus their attention on academics rather than style.
Purchasing (购买) school uniforms is easy and needs less hesitation and consideration. No matter what the school’s policy is, there are only specific essential (基本的) pieces to the wardrobe (服装) that are necessary, so it won’t break the bank. A few wardrobe items can last a long time. Parents could also enjoy an easy morning, as it will take less time to choose a set of clothes for the school day.
Students wearing uniforms will feel less pressure about what to wear or not to wear when their classmates are dressed similarly. Getting dressed before school becomes less of a chore (琐事) when students are limited in their choices, so there shouldn’t be any trouble about choosing an outfit for the day and getting ready quickly. Some students may not like the lack of individuality (个性) with a uniform, but some school dress code policies may offer them the opportunities to show their unique styles.
Uniforms today are also becoming trendier and can be seen in many areas of pop culture. Celebrities (名人) and fashion designers are using uniforms as inspiration for new looks which also appeal to students.What would be the best title for the text?
| A．How to dress properly |
| B．The history of school uniforms |
| C．The advantages of school uniforms |
| D．How to deal with pressure in school |
Teachers think that wearing school uniforms ________
| A．is just a tradition that students should follow |
| B．makes students feel less pressure in study |
| C．helps students put more effort into their studies |
| D．makes students lose their independence and identity |
The underlined part “it won’t break the bank” in paragraph 3 probably means “_______”
| A．a school uniform doesn’t cost a lot of money |
| B．a school uniform should be worn every day |
| C．parents will have to go to the bank many times |
| D．parents who work in a bank can afford the uniform |
We can infer from the text that school uniforms _______
| A．are not popular with fashion designers |
| B．were not accepted by parents in the past |
| C．will be designed by students themselves |
| D．will be more fashionable in the future |
The author’s attitude towards students’ wearing school uniforms is ________
| A．negative | B．supportive |
| C．doubtful | D．unclear |
Unemployment in the United States is still high at 6.7 percent. But for job seekers, especially those with college educations, researchers say findings a job can be as logging on to a computer. It used to be that looking for a job meant hurrying around, knocking on doors and turning to ads. But that’s changing, thanks to the Internet. A new report says, for college graduates, looking for a job is getting easier. More than 80 percent of the jobs are available online.
At the height of the depression(萧条), when U.S. unemployment peaked at 10 percent, just a little more than two million jobs were being posted each month. But as the recovery takes hold, the job picture looks increasingly bright.
That’s great news for Hamilton. Only once has he ever applied in person for a job at a shopping mall. He said,“I think my generation—the idea of going door to door, out knocking and saying, hey are you hiring?—like that—doesn’t exist anymore…those days are gone, just go online.”
Kim Dancy recently graduated with a master’s degree in Public Policy. She found her dream job as an education policy researcher. But she says finding the perfect job online takes a lot of perseverance. She said, ”It can be really frustrating and it takes a long time, but if you applied for enough positions and really do your homework you will get somewhere.
The report’s findings suggest careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math provide the greatest opportunities, with salaries that range between $30—$45 an hour. But for maximum income and satisfaction, workers must be prepared to move and change jobs at least every five years. The highest unemployment rate in the depression in the U.S. was___
| A．10% | B．6.7% | C．6% | D．7% |
In what way does Hamilton find his job in most cases?
| A．Applying in person | B．Searching papers |
| C．Turning to the Internet | D．Going door to door |
What can we learn from Dancy’s experience?
| A．Job applicants should do much housework |
| B．Online job—hunting calls for perseverance |
| C．Only online can an applicant find a job |
| D．Finding a dream job is really exciting |
How can you get a high salary according to the text?
| A．By hurrying around | B．By sticking to your work |
| C．By surfing the Internet | D．By switching jobs regularly |
The best title of this text probably is____
| A．Searching for jobs online | B．College education online |
| C．Unemployment in the US | D．Economic recovery in the US |
Many experts say that Billy Wilder changed the history of American movies. He is often called the best movie maker Hollywood has ever had.
He was known for making movies that offered sharp social comment. Wilder was one of first directors to do this. Between the middle 1930sand the 1980s,Billy Wilder made almost fifty movies. During that time he received more than twenty nominations(提名) from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He won six of the Oscar awards. His movies have been seen by people around the world.
In 1944,Billy Wilder made the film Double Indemnity. Some critics said this movie established him as one of the greatest Hollywood directors. Wilder directed The Lost Weekend in 1945.Ray Milland plays the part of an alcoholic writer in the movie. It shows that alcohol rules his life, yet he does not admit it. He hides alcohol in his home and says he is not drinking.
In 1950, Wilder made Sunset Boulevard. This movie told of an aging actress in silent movies. She plans to return to movies though facing many problems. In 1954, Billy Wilder became an independent producer. The next year, Wilder’s first movie as an independent filmmaker was a huge success. It was The Seven Year Itch. In this movie, a married mail wants to cheat on his wife with some of hisfriends.In1959,
Wilder made a funny movie that was very popular. It was Some Like It Hot. It tells about two jazz musicians being chased by criminals. They decide to wear women’s clothes and join a band in which all the musicians were women.
Wilder died in March,2002. He was ninety-five. A current Hollywood producer said: “Billy Wilder made movies that people will never forget.”The text is mainly about_______.
| A．the background of American movies |
| B．the development of American movies |
| C．Wilder’s attitude to American movies |
| D．Wilder’s achievements in American movies |
What was Wilder famous for according to Paragraph 2?
| A．His unique style of making movies. |
| B．Sharp remarks on society in his movies. |
| C．More than twenty awards he received. |
| D．Almost fifty movies he produced himself. |
Which of the following made Wilder among the greatest Hollywood directors?
| A．Double Indemnity | B．Sunset Boulevard |
| C．The Lost weekend | D．Some Like It Hot |
When was The Seven Year Itch made?
| A．In 1944 | B．In 1945 | C．In 1954 | D．In 1955 |
The text is developed mainly______.
| A．by following time order | B．by making comparison |
| C．by analyzing exact data | D．by giving instructions |
Scientists from England’s Newcastle University have discovered that bacteria have the ability to detect smells, according to a study by the university on Sunday.
The team of scientists, led by Dr. Reindert Nijland, discovered that bacteria can detect certain types of smell- producing chemicals, including ammonia (氨) that is produced by other bacteria. Once they sense the smells from other kinds of bacteria, the bacteria will gather together to form a colony (集群) and form a layer of slime (粘液) in order to force the competitors out of their area. The response decreases as the distance between the two bacterial colonies increases.
That slime, also known as biofilm, is one of the primary causes of infection on many medical implants(移植物). Biofilms also slow down ships and are believed to cost the marine industry millions of dollars annually. However, they can also be used to clean up spilled oil floating on the sea, as they grow strong on it.
“This is the first evidence of a bacterial ‘nose’able to detect potential competitors,” Dr. Nijland said in the August 15 statement, which confirms that bacteria possess qualities similar to four of the five senses that humans enjoy (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell), the others being touch, taste, and sight.
“The fact that bacteria formed slime when exposed to ammonia has important significance for understanding how biofilms are formed and how we might be able to use them to our advantage,” he added.
Their findings were published in Sunday’s edition of biotechnology journal, and could change the way scientists look at how each of the senses developed over time.
“It was thought for a long time that smell existed only in complex living creatures,” Dr. Nijland said. “Now we see that bacteria are able to do the same, so the indication is that the ability may have developed even earlier.”We learn from the text that biofilms _____.
| A．may cause oil to spill |
| B．can be used to benefit humans |
| C．are the major causes of infection |
| D．are more likely to be found on ships |
Which of the following describes bacteria correctly?
| A．They can talk. |
| B．They cannot see |
| C．They cannot hear. |
| D．They can imitate others. |
The findings may help scientists know more about ______.
| A．how bacteria reproduce |
| B．the development of the senses. |
| C．how to control bacterial infection. |
| D．the complex relation of living creatures |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
| A．Bacteria can produce ammonia |
| B．Bacteria have a sense of smell |
| C．Why are biofilms so annoying? |
| D．How do bacteria communicate? |