My bookshelves are full of dust — and with good reason. When it comes to cleaning that part of my home, I suffer from the most serious case of avoidance (回避反应症).
The thing is this: when I do set out to clean and re-organize my books, which seldom happens, I place myself into a really bad situation. No sooner do I take a title from the shelf, blow off the dust, and wipe down the cover than I find myself sitting on the floor with legs crossed and my back against the wall. Pretty soon books get piled up on my legs as I am reunited with old friends.
It is as if these books have voices, and each wants to say its piece. “Remember me? I was given to you when you went into the Navy, so that you would never lack for companionship,” one whispers. Another says, “I was your first book of poems, given to you before you learned to love poetry.” And a third, “I was the book that made history so attractive to you.”
Perhaps the greatest pleasure of re-organizing my books are the surprises — or better said, reunions — that occur. During my latest book-cleaning adventure, I found one that had fallen behind the shelf: “Tales of Edgar Allan Poe.” Not an unusual title, but the words written on the first page made it very special: “With Love from Mom and Dad, Christmas 1965.” What’s this? A book on the physics of lasers(激光). It is filled with mathematical statements, and I had bought it at a library sale when I was 12, not long after the laser had been invented. I couldn’t understand a bit of it, but I did learn what “laser” meant.
What I end up with when I empty my bookshelves is a cross-section (横剖面) of my personal history. It’s like a road cut where one sees all the layers of rock going back through time to the beginning of the simplest life forms. The books I’ve read — and kept — are not just old friends. They are my résumé.
50. What could be said about the author?
A. He is too busy to tidy up his bookshelves.
B. He considers his books treasured possessions.
C. He has made a lot of notes in his books.
D. He is a lover of science books.
51. By saying that his books have voices, the author means ________ .
A. they bring back happy memories
B. they are recorded in human voice
C. they say a lot about human history
D. they offer good topics for discussion
52. What does the author enjoy most from re-organizing his books?
A. Finding some missing books.
B. Putting books in good order.
C. Learning something new from the books.
D. Rediscovering interesting stories behind some books.
53. The underlined word “résumé” in the last paragraph probably means ______.
A. personal history B. precious notes
C. good companion D. simple life forms
Would you eat a ready meal from the fridge rather than cook from scratch? Have you been doing Internet shopping rather than going to the stores? What can’t you be bothered to do?
A study into how lazy British people are has found more than half of adults are so idle that they’d catch the lift rather than climb two flights of stairs.
Just over 2,000 people were quizzed by independent researchers at Nuffield Health, Britain’s largest health charity. The results were startling.
About one in six people surveyed said if their remote control was broken, they would continue watching the same channel rather than get up.
More than one third of those questioned said they would not run to catch a bus. Worryingly, of the 654 respondents with children, 64% said they were often too tired to play with them.
This led the report to conclude that it’s no wonder that one in six children in the UK are classified as obese before they start school. Dr Sarah Dauncey, medical director of Nuffield Health, said, “People need to get fitter, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of their families, friends and evidently their pets too. If we don’t start to take control of this problem, a whole generation will become too unfit to perform even the simple tasks.”
And Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, was shamed as the most indolent city in the UK, with 75% surveyed admitting they do not get enough exercise, followed closely by Birmingham and Southampton, both with 67%.
The results pose serious challenges for the National Health Service, where obesityrelated illnesses such as heart disease and cancer have been on a steady increase for the past 40 years and are costing billions of pounds every year.What do lazy British people probably choose to do?
A.Go to stores. | B.Catch the lift. |
C.Cook from scratch. | D.Climb flights of stairs. |
How many people surveyed don’t play with children because of tiredness?
A.About 419. | B.About 333. |
C.About 654. | D.About 1280. |
What is the potential result of more and more people, including children, getting obese?
A.People will not get enough exercise. |
B.People will not have enough money. |
C.People will not be able to do the easy job. |
D.People will not cure themselves of heart disease. |
What is the author’s attitude towards the finding of the study?
A.Indifferent. | B.Doubtful. |
C.Negative. | D.Supportive. |
Wilma Subra had no intention of becoming a public speaker. After graduating from college with degrees in chemistry and microbiology, she went to work at Gulf South Research Institute in Louisiana.
As part of her job, she conducted field research on toxic (poisonous) substances in the environment, often in minority communities located near large industrial polluters. She found many families were being exposed to high, sometimes deadly levels of chemicals and other toxic substances. But she was not allowed to make her information public.
Frustrated by these restrictions, Subra left her job in 1981, created her own company and has devoted the past two decades to helping people fight back against giant industrial polluters. She works with families and community groups to conduct environmental tests, interpret test results, and organize for change.
Because of her efforts, dozens of toxic sites across the country have been cleaned up. And one chemical industry spokesperson calls her “a_top_gun” for the environmental movement.
How has Subra achieved all this? Partly through her scientific training.Partly through her commitment to environmental justice. But just as important is her ability to communicate with people through public speaking. “Public speaking,” she says, “is the primary vehicle I use for reaching people.”
If you had asked Subra before 1981 “Do you see yourself as a major public speaker?”, she would have laughed at the idea. Yet today she gives more than one hundred presentations a year. Along the way, she’s lectured at Harvard, testified before Congress, and addressed audiences in 40 states, as well as in Mexico, Canada, and Japan.What did Wilma Subra study for her job before 1981?
A.Chemistry and microbiology. |
B.Families affected by toxic chemicals. |
C.Toxic substances in the environment. |
D.Minority communities near industrial polluters. |
Why did Wilma Subra quit her job in 1981?
A.She wanted to create her own company. |
B.She preferred freedom to restrictions. |
C.She hoped to work with families and communities. |
D.She was forbidden to inform the public of toxic pollution. |
Wilma Subra is called “a top gun” in the 4th paragraph for ________.
A.her scientific training |
B.her efforts to fight against pollution |
C.her help in closing down dozens of toxic sites |
D.her strong belief in environmental justice |
What does Wilma Subra think of “public speaking”?
A.She values it. | B.She laughs at it. |
C.She is against it. | D.She has no idea of it. |
Time |
Event |
Location |
Audience |
10:15 a.m. on Wednesday |
BABY_AND_ME Babies from birth to 18 months old and their parents/caregivers can enjoy great books, lively songs, and rhymes, and meet other babies in the neighborhood. This program is limited to 35 participants. |
Muhlenberg Library, Community Room |
Children, Infant (0-18 months) |
10:30 a.m. on Wednesday |
OPEN_LAB Are you having trouble with your email? Don’t know how to cut and paste? Never touched a computer? This is the time and place for you to get ahead with 21st century technology! Bring your technology questions and/or your wireless enabled device and get oneonone assistance, discover online tutorials, improve your skills, exceed the limits of your imagination! |
St. George Library Center, TechConnect Lab |
Adults |
10 a.m. on Thursday |
I_NEED_A_DOCTOR:_HEALTH_INFO_ONLINE Learn to find consumer health information online, including doctors’ credentials, hospital information, drug side effects, conventional and alternative medical treatments of diseases, diets, weight loss, nutrition and exercises, and how to evaluate these websites. |
Kips Bay Library |
Adults |
12 noon on Thursdays |
No talking, no cell phone, and no noise are required in our quiet study room. This room is open thanks to our volunteers, and is subject to their availability. If you are interested in keeping the quiet study room open more hours, please see a staff member about becoming a volunteer! Quiet Study Hours: Mondays 12-5, Tuesdays 1-5, Wednesdays 1-5, Thursdays 12-5, Fridays 10-3, Saturdays 10-3. Subject to cancellation /change of hours without prior notice. |
67th Street Library |
50+, Book Lovers, Business people |
Who will probably take part in the event “BABY AND ME”?
A.Book lovers. | B.Businessmen. |
C.Infants. | D.Adults 50+. |
Where will you go if you want to learn about computer technology?
A.Muhlenberg Library. | B.St. George Library Center. |
C.Kips Bay Library. | D.67th Street Library. |
In which event can you work as a volunteer?
A. BABY AND ME.
B. OPEN LAB.
C. I NEED A DOCTOR: HEALTH INFO ONLINE.
D. QUIET STUDY ROOM.
Road rage is commonly seen or often happens in our daily lives. There have been countless stories about this new and scary phenomenon, considered a type of aggressive driving. While drunk driving remains a critical problem, the facts about aggressive driving are surely as disturbing. For instance, last year alone, 41, 907 people died on the highways. Of those deaths, it’s estimated that about two-thirds were caused at last in part by aggressive driving behavior.
Why is this phenomenon occurring more than ever now? Experts have several theories, and all are probably partially correct. One suggestion is sheer overcrowding. In the last decade, the number of cars on the roads has increased by more than 11 percent, and the number of miles driven has increased by 35 percent. However, the number of new road miles has only increased by 1 percent. That means more cars in the same amount of space; and the problem is magnified in urban areas.
Also, people have less time and more things to do. With people working and trying to fit extra chores and activities into the day, stress levels have never been higher. Stress creates anxiety, which leads to short tempers. These factors, when combined in certain stations, can spell Road Rage.
You may think you are the last person who would drive aggressively, but you might be surprised. For instance, have you ever yelled out loud at a lower driver, sounded the born long and hard at another car, or sped up to keep another driver from passing? If you recognize yourself in any of these situations, watch out!
Whether you are getting angry at other drivers, or another driver is visibly upset with you, there are things you can do to avoid any major conflict. If you are easily influenced by road rage, the key is to discharge your emotion in a healthy way. If you are the target of another driver’s rage, do everything possible to get away from the other driver safely, including avoiding eye contact and getting out of their way.Last year on the highways, .
A.approximately two thirds of drivers were killed by road rages |
B.road rage remained the No. 1 killer and took 41,907 people’s lives |
C.more people were killed by aggressive driving than by drunk driving. |
D.drunk driving was a problem more serious than aggressive driving. |
As a cause of aggressive driving, which of the following is not included?
A.Drivers’ stress and anxiety. |
B.Rush hour traffic. |
C.Increasing number of cars. |
D.Overcrowded roads. |
Which of the following shows the main idea of the last paragraph?
A.The bad results of road rage |
B.How to discharge your emotion properly. |
C.The practical ways to escape any fight on roads |
D.People easily influenced by road rage |
In this information age, there are plenty of mindless activities to keep a child busy. Yet despite the competition, my 8-year-old daughter Alice wants to spend her leisure time writing short stories. She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competition which she won last year.
As a writer, I know about winning contests---and about losing them. I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection letter from the publisher. I also know the pressure of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories. What if she doesn’t win the contest again? That’s the strange thing about being a parent. So many of our own past scars and destroyed hopes can resurface in our children.
A revelation(启示) came last week when I asked her, “Don’t you want to win again?” “No,” she replied, “I just want to tell the story of an angel going to first grade.”
I had just spent weeks correcting her stories as she spontaneously(自发地)told them. Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts and endings for her tales. The story about a fearful angel starting first grade was quickly “guided” by me into the tale of a little girl with a wild imagination taking her first music lesson. I had turned her contest into my contest without even realizing it.
Staying back and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks. Because I know very little about farm animals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, I had to accept the fact that I was co-opting my daughter’s experience.
While stepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that I will quickly follow with more steps, putting myself far enough away to give her room but close enough to help if asked. All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices.What do we know about the author’s own writing experience?
A.She was constantly under pressure to write more. |
B.Her road to success was full of pain and frustrations. |
C.Most of her stories had been rejected by publishers. |
D.She did not quite live up to her reputation as a writer. |
Why did Alice want to enter this year’s writing contest?
A.She wanted to share her stories with readers. |
B.She had won a prize in the previous contest. |
C.She believed she possessed real talent for writing. |
D.She was sure of winning with her mother’s help. |
The underlined sentence probably means that the author was .
A.trying not to let her daughter enjoy her own life |
B.helping her daughter develop real skills for writing |
C.making sure that her daughter would win the contest |
D.trying to get her daughter to do the thing as the author wished |
What does the writer mean to tell us in the last two paragraphs?
A.Children need more room to develop. |
B.Parents should co-opt children’s experience. |
C.Children should be provided enough help. |
D.Parents need to remind their children of their own choices. |