Before a new type of airplane goes into service, every part of it is tested again and again. But there are two tests that are more important than all the others.
The first is called the "tank test". A modem airplane must fly very high in the sky. Air must be pumped into the plane so that the passengers can breathe. The metal structure （结构）of the plane has to be very strong for this reason. When the plane is filled with air, the air presses against the skin of the plane inside. The pressure （压力） on a small window is like a huge foot that is trying to get out. If a small part of the plane were to fail, the plane would explode in the sky. To test the structure of the plane, the plane is lowered into a huge tank or container of water. Then it is filled with air. The pressure inside the plane is greater than it ever will be when it is high up in the air. Finally, there is an explosion. This does not cause so much damage inside the water tank as it would anywhere else. Engineers can discover which part of the plane has broken. Then that part is made stronger.
The most dangerous test happens when the new plane is going through test flights in the air. The test pilot must find out exactly what happens when the engines （发动机） are all shut off at once. The plane begins to fall like a stone. It is the pilot’s job to find out how he can get control of the plane again. These two tests are examples of how planes are made safe before they ever carry passengers.
68. By doing the "tank test", the engineers can find out _______.
A. the amount of air in the plane
B. the strength of the plane structure
C. the pressure inside and outside the plane
D. the power of the airplane engines
69. What will happen to the plane under the "tank test"?
A. It will be broken. B. It will be made stronger.
C. It will be filled with water. D. It will be tested by pilots,
70. According to the text, why are test flights most dangerous?
A. The plane may explode in the air.
B. The pilot may lose control of the plane.
C. The engines may be damaged.
D. Too much air may get into the plane.
71. What might be the most suitable title for the text?
A. Two Important Tests on Airplanes
B. The Importance of Flying Safely
C. The Danger of Testing Airplanes
D. How Airplanes Are Made and Tested
A team of scientists from University of Freiburg in Germany are developing a shoe with a sensor to automatically tie its laces(鞋带)that could be taken off when users click their heels together．
It’s been 26 years since we saw them magically tightening Marty McFly’s Nike boots in the film Back to The Future．
Now，self-tying shoelaces could actually become a reality this year，proving right one of the film’s fantastical predictions for what 2015 would be like．
Engineers have designed a shoe that can automatically lace up，adjusting itself to the shape of your foot．
Simply slip the controller on and pressure sensors will tell the ‘smart shoe’ when your foot is in position，triggering(触发)a tiny motor in the heel that pulls the laces tight.
When you want to take off the shoes，you click your heels together twice and the motor will release a spring(弹簧)in the shoe’s tongue，which loosens the laces enough for you to slip them off．
And the invention doesn’t even need to be plugged in to charge or have its battery replaced because it runs on power generated by the swing of your foot as you walk.
Engineer K1evis Ylli，of the Institute for Micromachining and Information Technology in southern Gemany，said the shoes could help a variety of different people.
“One focus is that it could be used in shoes for elderly people who have mobility problems，”he said．“But it could also work for children，or as a lifestyle product．”．
The design，which is still in a prototype(雏形)stage，cleverly gets the energy of the foot’s swing when opposing magnets in each shoe move past each other. It then uses that power to charge a battery．An hour of walking is enough to tighten the laces once，and it requires no energy to undo the shoes because that relies on the spring alone.Which of the following can be the best title of the text?
| A．A fantastical prediction |
| B．A great invention in Germany |
| C．A shoe with self-tying laces |
| D．A popular lifestyle product |
What can we learn about the shoes?
| A．They can automatically take off． |
| B．They can adjust themselves to your foot． |
| C．They need to be charged once． |
| D．They have been in design for 26 years． |
From the last paragraph we can know ____________．
| A．the shoes have been put into use |
| B．the shoes need power to take off |
| C．the shoes promise to be popular |
| D．how the shoes work to produce energy |
Amazon just released its list of the 10 best-selling books of 2014，and chances all you’ve already seen people reading them on the train．It's not too late to read—or reread—the bestsellers of the year．The following are the top four of them．
“The Invention of Wings”by Sue Monk Kid
Set in the south in the early 1800s，this Oprah Book Club book follows the complicated relationship between Handful，a slave，and Sarah，her owner，as they grow up together from childhood．Their confusing friendship，in the face of politics and societal norms，becomes a beautiful and difficult thing to watch as it changes over time．
“Gray Mountain”by John Grisham
When the economic recession(萧条)causes Samantha Kofer to lose her Wall Street law firm job．she takes a job at a legal aid clinic in Virginia until she can hopefully get back to big law．But while her new job，for the first time，puts her front and center in the court room，it also puts her in terrible danger．
“All the Light We Cannot See”by Anthony Doerr
This National Book Award Finalist follows both Marie—Laure，a blind French girl living with her father during World War II，and Werner，a German orphan with a skill for building and fixing radios．As their paths cross，this moving story will question how life and art are influenced by war．
“Twenty Seconds Ago(Jack Reacher，#19)”by Lee Child
After years of being out of the Army，Jack Reacher is pulled back into service at the CIA and State Department after someone tried to shoot the president of France．In Child’s latest Jack Reacher installment(系列丛书)，Reacher finds himself face to face with all old enemy and old memories．If you prefer emotional(情感)stories，you’ll choose _______________.
| A．The Invention of Wings and Gray Mountain |
| B．All the Light We Cannot See and Twenty Seconds Ago |
| C．The Invention of Wings and All the Light We Cannot See |
| D．Twenty Seconds Ago and Gray Mountain |
What is Samantha Kofer?
| A．A lawyer． | B．A doctor． |
| C．A merchant． | D．An official． |
Which book has won the top honor?
| A．The Invention of Wings |
| B．All the Light We Cannot See |
| C．Gray Mountain |
| D．Twenty Seconds Ago |
What type of writing is this text?
| A．A test report． | B．An announcement. |
| C．A book review． | D．Introduction of books． |
Exhausted，covered in mud and desperately hungry，a team of Swedish athletes sat down for a meal as they prepared to take on a dangerous 20-mile trek through the Ecuadorian rainforest．
As they opened their canned meat，a tired Mikael Lindnord noticed a miserable stray dog staring at him out of the corner of his eye．
Feeling sorry for him，he fed the dog a meatball and thought nothing of it，but as the team stood up to continue their race the animal started to follow them—and he didn’t stop．
As the group of four navigated the final two stages of the 430-mile Adventure Racing World Championship，the dog befriended them and was eventually given the name Arthur．
Every tiring task the team face，Arthur would do the same．He swam alongside them while they kayaked down rivers，dragged himself up hills during hikes and pulled through knee—deep mud during treks．
Even when the team tried to get rid of their new member out of concerns for his safety—he refused to leave．This meant when he was tired they stopped for a break and when he got stuck in the mud they pulled him out．
After six days the team finished the race，and the dog had suffered．They therefore decided to take him to a vet(兽医)while still in South America to have him checked out．
During that time Lindord thought to himself that after their experience，they could not leave Arthur，so he decided to adopt him and take him back to Sweden．He applied to the Swedish Board of Agriculture and was made to wait to see if his application was successful．After a tense few days，the team arrived at the airport with Arthur and boarded the plane with him back home．
Lindord said：“I came to Ecuador to win the World Championship．Instead，I got a new friend．”After meeting the dog，the team ______________．
| A．abandoned the dog immediately |
| B．fed the dog with enough food |
| C．adopted the dog for convenience |
| D．continued the race with the dog |
Why did the team try to get rid of the dog during the race?
| A．They were concerned about his safety． |
| B．They couldn’t afford the race with him． |
| C．The dog was a burden to the team． |
| D．The dog couldn’t follow the team successfully． |
Which of the following can best describe the team?
| A．Friendly and caring． |
| B．Helpful and generous． |
| C．Risky and harsh． |
| D．Cautious and sensitive． |
What can we infer from the text？
| A．The dog was sad to have suffered from the race． |
| B．The team won the World Championship many times． |
| C．Lindord was overjoyed to befriend the dog． |
| D．The team felt tense to take Arthur to the airport． |
There are 67 counties in the state of Alabama. Each county is rich with history and its own unique stories. Colbert County, located in the northwest corner of the state, has its share of exciting stories and claims to statewide fame. The county was created on February 6, 1867, and Tuscumbia became the county seat (the town in which the offices of the county government are located).
One of the most famous residents of Tuscumbia was Helen Keller. Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880. Her home was a white frame cottage built by her grandparents. Since ivy (常春藤) grew everywhere, the house was called Ivy Green. It was here, at the water pump in the backyard, that Keller learned the word “w-a-t-e-r” with the help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan. Visitors to Ivy Green can walk under boxwood trees that are 150 years old. The home has furniture that the Keller family used. It also has Keller’s Braille (盲文) books and her original Braille typewriter.
Spring Park is Tuscumbia’s most popular park and favorite tourist attraction. This park has the world’s largest manufactured waterfall called Coldwater Falls. The Spring Park Light and Water Show is an amazing sight to see. It takes place every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at sundown. The water appears to dance to music and colored lights. The music played during the show is recorded by singers and musicians from Alabama.
Fame Recording Studios is in the city of Muscle Shoals in Colbert County. The studio is the first successful recording studio in Alabama. It is best known for creating “Southern rock,” “Southern soul,” and “county soul.” Well-known performers like Aretha Franklin and musical groups such as Alabama and Lynyrd have made recordings at this studio.
Visitors can continue to explore music in Alabama by visiting the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia. Built in 1990, this site recognizes the musical talents of more than 500 Alabama residents in a wide variety of musical styles, including country and rhythm and blues.
Truly, Colbert County has a lot of wonderful locations to visit. Guests will not be disappointed in a visit to this delightful place.Which of the following is TRUE about Alabama and music?
| A．Alabama musicians have established exhibits for visitors. |
| B．There are a great many talented musicians in Alabama. |
| C．Music is the most important industry in Alabama. |
| D．Alabama residents enjoy listening to music. |
How many locations related to music in Colbert County are mentioned in the text?
| A．1. | B．2. | C．3. | D．4. |
The author writes the text mainly to persuade the reader __________.
| A．to learn from Helen Keller |
| B．to visit businesses in Alabama |
| C．to stop for a visit in Colbert County |
| D．to listen to Southern styles of music |
The text is most probably taken from __________.
| A．a story book | B．a book review |
| C．a personal diary | D．a travel magazine |
| NEMS |
NEWRI Environmental Master of Science |
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| NEWRI: Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute |
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| Be a leader in environmental science and engineering through the NEMS programme |
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| NEWRI Environmental Master of Science (NEMS) is a primary graduate education and research programme conducted by Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU’s) NEWRI, with summer attachment at Stanford University. It aims to train engineers and scientists to meet the increasing environmental challenges for Asia and the wider region. |
NEWRI-Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute NEWRI is enabling Singapore to be a global center of environmental science and technology in providing technological solutions to the world. It is committed to environmental and water technologies through its ecosystem of education, research and developmental activities. NEWRI is trying its best to pull together NTU’s water and environment-related centers and institutes, gathering one another’s strengths for the benefit of industry and society. |
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| Master of Science Applications ● Applications open now and close on 30 May 2013 for Singapore applicants. ● Graduates having relevant engineering or science background, including final-year students, are invited to apply. ● Applicants are required to have a certificate of GRE. Further information and application materials are available at the Website: http:// www. Cee.ntu.edu.sg/Graduate/NEMS |
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| Highlights of Programme: ★ Students spend a full summer term at Stanford taking regular courses and continue with the rest of their academic programme at NTU. ★ It is a 12-month full-time course in environmental science & engineering. ★Students under NEMS will have opportunities to do research projects under NEWRI as well as to continue for the Doctor’s degree. ★ Graduating students receive the NTU degree and a certificate from Stanford for their summer attachment. |
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| Scholarship for tuition grants and living expenses at both Stanford and NTU are available |
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| Enquiry contact: Ms Christian Soh Tel：(65) 6861 0507 Fax:(65) 68614606 Email: nems@ntu.edu.sg Information on other graduate programmes available at： www.ntu.edu.sg/cee/program/postgrad.asp |
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If one wants to apply for the NEMS programme, it is essential for him to __________.
| A．make contact with Ms Soh |
| B．have passed the GRE test |
| C．possess a university diploma |
| D．major in engineering or science |
Students admitted to the NEMS Programme __________.
| A．are required to obtain a Doctor’s degree |
| B．will first have regular courses at Stanford |
| C．needn’t be released from their regular jobs |
| D．can receive degrees of both NTU and Stanford |
What’s the main purpose of the NEMS programme?
| A．To offer scholarship for tuition grants and living expenses. |
| B．To strengthen the cooperation between NTU and Stanford. |
| C．To introduce Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute. |
| D．To train experts on environmental science and engineering. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．30 May 2012 is the deadline for NEMS application. |
| B．Applicants for NEMS should have relevant work experience. |
| C．Other centers and institutes for environmental and water technologies also exist in NTU |
| D．Singapore is the global center of environmental science and technology. |