How many coins nave you got in your pocket right now? Three? Two? A bent one?
With a phonecard you can make up to 200 calls without any change at all.
(1) What do you do with it?
Go to a telephone box marked(you guessed it) “phonecard”.Put in your card, make your call and when you’ve finished, a screen tells you how much is left on your card.
(2) Now appear in a shop near you.
Near each Cardphone place you’ll find a shop where you can buy one. They’re at bus, train and city tube stations(地铁).
Many universities, hospitals and clubs. Restaurants and gas stations on the highway and shopping centres. At airports and seaports.
(3) No more broken payphones.
Most broken payphones are like that because they’ve been vandalized(故意破坏). There are no coins in Cardphone to excite thieves’ interest in it. So you’re not probably to find a vandalized one.
Get a phonecard yourself and try it out ,or get a bigger wallet.
The passage is most probably ________ .
A.a warning |
B.a note |
C.an advertisement(广告) |
D.an announcement |
There are three sections(部分) in the passage. Which section do you think is about why phonecards are good?
A.Section 1. | B.Section 2. |
C.Section 3. | D.None. |
Choose the right order or the steps under“How do you use a phonecard”.
a. Put in your phonecard.
b. Look at the screen to find out how many calls you can still make.
c. Go to a telephone box marked “Phonecard”.
d. Make your call.
A.a, b, c, d | B.c, a, d, b |
C.a, d, c, b | D.c, d, a, b |
The long, lonely voyage of the Japanese ghost ship is over.
A US Coast Guard cutter poured cannon fire(开炮) into an abandoned Japanese ghost ship that had been floating since last year’s tsunami, sinking the ship into waters more than 305 meters deep in the Gulf of Alaska and removing the danger it created to shipping and the coastline on Thursday.
The cutter’s guns tore holes in the 164-foot Ryou-Un Maru, and then it began to take on water and lean to one side. In about four hours, the ship disappeared into the sea, said Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow.
The ship had no lights or communications system, and its tank was able to carry more than 7,570 liters of diesel fuel. Officials, however, didn’t know exactly how much fuel was aboard.
“It’s less risky than it would be running into shore or running into other ships,” coast guard spokesman Paul Webb said.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency studied the problem and decided it was safer to sink the ship than let the fuel evaporate and pollute the sea environment.
Ryou-Un Maru was probably among the first wave of the 1.5 million tons of garbage of refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, roofs and fishing nets heading toward North America since last March when a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck Japan.
As the coast guard was ready to fire on the ship, a Canadian fishing ship, the 19-meter Bernice C, claimed the rights to save the ghost ship in international waters.
Plans to sink it were paused so the Canadian crew could have a chance to take the stricken ship. A Canadian official with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press that the Bernice C was unable to drag it.
Then the Canadian boat left, and once it was about 10 kilometers from the Japanese ship, the Coast Guard began to fire, first with 25 mm shells, then a few hours later with ammunition twice that size.
State officials have been working to test the danger of garbage including materials affected by a damaged nuclear power plant, to see if Alaska residents, seafood or wild animals could be affected.Which of the following is NOT the reason for sinking the Japanese ship?
A.It had no lights or communications system. | B.It might be washed up onto the shore. |
C.It was a danger to other passing ships. | D.The oil it carried could pollute the sea. |
The plan to fire on the Japanese ghost ship was paused because ________.
A.the ghost ship was beyond the reach of the Coast Guard’s guns |
B.the shells were not powerful enough to sink the ghost ship |
C.state officials worried the ghost ship might give out radiation |
D.a Canadian fishing boat wanted to save the ghost ship |
Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
A.Japanese ghost ship arriving at US | B.Tsunami garbage heading to US |
C.Cannon fire sinking Japanese ghost ship | D.Japanese ghost ship polluting the Pacific |
Motorists over the age of 75 face compulsory tests of their eyesight and ability to drive under proposals being considered by ministers.
The biggest overhaul of motoring law in a generation could also lead to all drivers having to give assurances(保证)of their fitness to get behind the wheel every 10 years.
Other changes under consideration include issuing(发放)daylight driving licenses for motorists with night blindness, together with stricter checks on all drivers whose medical condition brought a threat to other road users.
It is understood that the proposals will be part of a review of the law governing the medical fitness of drivers that will be announced publicly by the summer.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is dealing with a rising number of motorists who are concerned that they have conditions---from failing eyesight to epilepsy---that could affect their driving.
In 2006, the DVLA dealt with 600,000 motorists whose physical ability to drive needed to be recertified(重新认证), a 20 per cent rise on the previous year. With an ageing population, the biggest challenge is dealing with the rising number of elderly motorists. By 2021, there will be an estimated three million drivers over the age of 70 on Britain’s roads.
Drivers must renew their licenses at the age of 70 and every three years thereafter. The applicant is legally required to tell the DVLA of any conditions that could weaken their ability behind the wheel.
Ministers have ruled out a compulsory maximum age for driving but will instead rely on tightening up the checks on motorists over the age of 75. The most likely option would be tests to ensure motorists were fit to drive. They would include an eyesight test and a cognitive(认知) test that would prove a driver's ability to react to road signs, driving conditions, pedestrians and vehicles.
However, checks are likely to be tightened at all ages. The strictest controls are expected to be imposed(强制) on motorists of any age who have had a heart attack or stroke. They could have to produce a doctor's approval to resume(重新得到)driving. Anyone making a false declaration would be guilty of a criminal offence.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The new motoring law will come into effect by the summer. |
B.Drivers over the age of 75 must renew their licenses every three years. |
C.Doctors will decide whether one can get their driving licenses. |
D.Drivers at all ages will be expected to provide their medical condition. |
What is the biggest challenge to the traffic safety in Britain according to the writer?
A.Ageing population. | B.Increasing number of cars. |
C.Increasing number of elderly motorists. | D.Driving conditions. |
The underlined word “overhaul” in Paragraph 2 means _______.
A.change | B.consideration | C.concern | D.challenge |
What can be learned from the passage?
A.There will be more and more aged drivers in Britain. |
B.Anyone can get a driving license as long as he/she is in good health. |
C.Health tends to decline as one gets old |
D.It will be guilty to make a false declaration. |
A yoga master made a shocking statement that Abraham Lincoln had been a Himalayan yogi in a past life.Lincoln delivered a proclamation setting up Thanksgiving as an American holiday in 1863.Research throws light on a possible Hindu (印度的)origin for the American celebration of Thanksgiving.
"The holiday of Thanksgiving has a Hindu origin," says Richard Salva, author of a book on the reincarnation (转世)of Abraham Lincoln entitled Soul Journey: From Lincoln to Lindbergh which is based on a statement by the great master of yoga, Paramhamsa Yogananda, who declared that Abraham Lincoln had been a Himalayan yogi in a past life, and that he was reborn as the famous pilot, Charles Lindbergh.
“During my search for signs of a past-life yoga practice,” SaIva said, “I noticed that President Lincoln repeatedly chose Thursdays as national days of prayer, fasting (禁食),and thanksgiving.This was interesting, because Thursday is considered a holy day — a day for prayer, fasting, and spiritual reflection — among Hindus, who call it “guru day”.”
“Lincoln also set aside time on Thursdays to grieve(哀悼) for his son,Willie, who died in Washington.Clearly, Thursdays had a spiritual significance in Lincoln's mind.
In his book, Richard Salva presents more than 500 connections between Lincoln, Lindergh, and the ancient spiritual science of yoga. The connections run through every aspect of the human condition and provide convincing evidence that Lincoln had had a Hindu past life.
More than one out of every five Americans today believes in reincarnation—yet few are aware of how past-life patterns affect them. Soul Journey tries to fill this gap, by offering a substitute experience of reincarnation. Through clear and persuasive similarities between the lives of Lincoln and Lindbergh, the book discovers how the hidden laws of fate and reincarnation impact the events of his or her daily life. It addresses other issues, such as the secret spiritual history of America's greatest president, including his past life as a Himalayan yogi; the hidden clues that reveal past lives; the greatness he achieved; and the spiritual principles behind the yoga postures that millions now practice.Based on Richard Salva’s view, ______.
A.Hindus started the holiday of Thanksgiving |
B.the Americans copied Thanksgiving from Hindus |
C.Charles Lindbergh had been a Himalayan yogi |
D.Thanksgiving had Hindus roots |
We can draw a conclusion from the passage that ______.
A.in India all the prayers are done on Thursday |
B.in India Thursday is a religious day |
C.Abraham Lincoln was once a famous pilot |
D.Paramhamsa Yogananda once taught Lincoln yoga |
When it came to the comparison between Lincoln and Lindbergh, the author held a ______ attitude.
A.neutral | B.doubtful | C.negative | D.positive |
In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity, others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.
I have taught many children who held the belief that their self – worth relied on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life – and – death affairs. In their single – minded pursuit (追求) of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.
However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try.” What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self – respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve (缓解) can we discover a new meaning in competition.What does this passage mainly talk about?
A.Competition helps to set up self – respect. |
B.Competition is harmful to personal quality development. |
C.Opinions about competition are different among people. |
D.Failures are necessary experiences in competition |
Why do some people favor competition according to the passage?
A.It improves personal abilities. | B.It builds up a sense of duty. |
C.It pushes society forward. | D.It encourages individual efforts. |
The underlined phrase “the most vocal” in Paragraph 3 means ___________.
A.those who try their best to win |
B.those who value competition most highly |
C.those who rely on others most for success |
D.those who are against competition most strongly. |
Which point of view may the author agree to?
A.Fear of failure should be removed in competition. |
B.Competition should be encouraged. |
C.Winning should be a life – and – death matter. |
D.Every effort should be paid back. |
Surgical teams accidentally leave clamps, sponges and other tools inside about 1,500 patients nationwide each year.
The mistakes largely result not from surgeon tiredness, but from the stress arising from emergencies or complications(并发症) discovered on the operating table, the researchers reported.
The study found that emergency operations are nine times more likely to lead to such mistakes, and operating–room complications requiring a change in procedure are four times more likely.
It also happens more often to fat patients, simply because there is more room inside them to lose equipment, according to the study.
Two–thirds of the mistakes happened even though the equipment was counted before and after the procedure, in keeping with the standard practice.
Most lost objects were sponges, but also included were metal clamps and electrodes(电极). In two cases, 11–inch retractors (牵引器) metal strips were forgotten inside patients. In another operation, four sponges were left inside someone. When there is significant bleeding and a sponge is placed in a patient, it can sometimes look indistinguishable from the tissue around it.
The lost objects usually lay around the abdomen (腹腔) or hips but sometimes in the chest. They often caused tears or infections. Most patients needed additional surgery to remove the object. In other cases, patients even sensed nothing about the object, and it turned up in later surgery for other problems.
To prevent such mistakes from happening, Loyola University Medical Center is becoming one of the first hospitals in the country to use sponges outfitted with bar codes. The new system was brought to Loyola through the efforts of the hospital’s operating room nurses.
Another effective way is to X–ray patients after surgery to reduce the likelihood of objects being left inside patients.In which of the following situations are objects most likely to be left inside a patient?
A.The nurses are counting the equipment and the patient is being X–rayed. |
B.The surgeons are doing the last operation of the day, and everyone is exhausted. |
C.unexpected happens and some changes must be made in the procedure. |
D.A complex operation is going on according to the plan made by many experts. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.Such mistakes happen more often to fat patients. |
B.1,500 patients suffer from the mistake all over the world every year. |
C.X–ray examination can help to find the lost objects. |
D.The mistake largely results from stress rather than tiredness. |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.Surgical teams aren’t to blame for the mistakes. |
B.Some people never know there is something left inside their body. |
C.Most mistakes happen because equipment isn’t counted after the procedure. |
D.Only some small objects may be left inside the patients. |
What is the best title for the passage?
A.Never Trust Anyone | B.A Mistake in the Operating Room |
C.Carelessness and Mistakes | D.Tips for Patient Safety |