B
As a teenager of the digital era, it is really hard to say no to fantastic electronic gadgets(电子产品). Many of us can’t get through a day without using our mobile phones or checking our e-mails. No matter if we’re “@home”, “@school” or“@play”, living without technological toys seems more and more unthinkable.
However, although gadgets bring convenience, many of us can start to feel stressed out by them. And, a lot of electronics are fairly expensive. Fashionable gadgets come and go in the digital age in the blink of any eye. So, think twice before you pulling out your wallet.
Here are some of the most popular gadgets and their pros and cons:
Pros: Laptops have made our lives much easier. You can take your books, movies, music and homework everywhere.
Cons: They cost at least 4,000 yuan! If you only want to share photos or games with your friend, then a flash memory stick is a great cheap alternative.
Pros: As well as carrying your favourite music, a video MP3 player can play up to 150 hours of movies and TV programmes.
Cons: The price—sometimes more than 2,000 yuan—is the first concern. Secondly, though music is really important to young people, ask yourself if video is really necessary. A regular MP3 player is a lot cheaper. And remember, don’t let the loud volume damage your hearing.
Pros: New mobile phones combine traditional functions with a digital camera, MP3 player and even a radio. Some can also send and receive e-mails.
Cons: Always trying to keep up with the latest model can be a waste of money. There are always new, improved phones coming out. Don’t be a fool. Do you really need all these functions? Think twice before you buy.
60. According to the writer, which of the following statements is true?
A. Teenagers can’t live through a day without fantastic electronic gadgets.
B. Teenagers can hardly live happily without electronic gadgets.
C. Teenagers’ life is full of expensive electronic gadgets.
D. It’s all but impossible for many teenagers to live without fantastic electronic gadgets.
61. What conclusion can we draw from the passage?
A. Never buy the most updated gadgets.
B. You should buy the gadgets with as many functions as possible.
C. We needn’t always pay the most part to buy the most up-to-date gadgets with many functions.
D. Never buy the latest model, it’s much too expensive.
62. Choose the statement most similar in meaning to the underlined sentence in Paragraph2.
A. Fashionable gadgets are updated in the digital times in a flash.
B. Fashionable gadgets are transported everywhere in the digital age in the blink of any eye.
C. People keep buying and throwing away expensive fashionable gadgets in the digital age in the blink of any eye.
D. People use all kinds of fashionable gadgets all the time in the digital age.
63. What do the words “pros and cons” mean in the selection?
A. Agreements and disagreements.
B. The views that are favoured and not favoured by people.
C. Benefits and bads.
D. Advantages and disadvantages.
Ever since they were first put on the market in the early 1990s, genetically modified (GM, 转基因) foods have been increasingly developed and marketed in many countries in the world, mainly on the basis of their promise to end the worldwide food crisis. But can GM technology solve world hunger problems? Even if it would, is it the best solution?
Despite what it promises, GMtechnology actually has not increased the production potentialof any crop. In fact,studies show that the mostwidely grown GM crop, GM soybeans, has suffered reduced productivity. For instance, a report that analysed nearly two decades of research on major GM food crops shows that GM engineering has failed to significantly increase US crop production.
Something else, however, has been on the rise, While GM seeds are expensive, GM companies tell farmers that they will make good profits by saving money on pesticides（杀虫剂）. On the contrary, US government data show that GM crops in the US have produced an overall increase in pesticide use compared to traditional crops. “Thepromise was that you could use less chemicals and boost production. But neither is true,” said Bill Christison, President of the US National Farm Coalition.
At the same time, the authors of the book World Hunger: Twelve Myths argue that there actually is more than enough food in the world and that the hunger crisis is not caused by production, but by problems in food distribution and politics. These indeed deserve our efforts and money. Meanwhile, the rise in food prices results from the increased use of crops for fuel rather than food, according to a 2008 World Bank report.
As a matter of fact, scientists see better ways to feed the world. Another World Bank report concluded that GM crops have little to offer to the challenges of worldwide poverty and hunger, because better ways out are available, among which “green” farming is supposed to be the first choice.The author develops the second paragraph mainly.
| A．by classification | B．by comparison |
| C．by example | D．by process |
What does the underlined word “boost” in the third paragraph probably mean?
| A．Control. | B．Evaluate | C．Obtain. | D．Increase. |
GM companies promise farmers that they will benefit from ______________.
| A．practicing “green” farming |
| B．use of less chemicals |
| C．fair distribution of their crops |
| D．using more crops for fuel |
Which of the following best describes the attitude of the author towards GM technology?
| A．Optimistic | B．Defensive | C．Disapproving | D．Casual |
More than one in eight U. S. adults finds it hard to stay away from the Internet for several days at a time and about one in eleven tries to hide his or her online habit, according to a study showed on Tuesday.
The study by researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine in California found one in eight adults admitted they needed to spend less time online, saying this showed "problematic Interact use" is present in a sizable portion (部分)of the population.
The study involved a nationwide telephone survey of 2,581 respondents in the spring and summer of 2004 with researchers then examining the data and preparing the report which appears in the October issue of CNS Spectrums.
The survey found that 68.9 percent of respondents were regular Internet users and 13.7 percent of the users found it hard to stay offline for several days at a time.
It found 12.4 percent often stayed online longer than intended, more than 12 percent said they saw a need to cut back on their Internet use, and 8.7 percent tried to conceal (隐瞒) "non-essential "Internet use from family, friends and employers.
A smaller number, 8.2 percent, said they use the Internet to escape problems or a bad mood, while 5.9 percent felt their relationships suffered because of too much Internet use.
One report published earlier this year said that 5 percent to 10 percent of the population likely will experience Internet addiction (上瘾).
It said signs include a disregard for health or appearance, lack of sleep and reducing physical activities and social communications with others, as well as dry eyes and juries of hands and fingers.From Paragraph 2, it tells us _______.
| A．how to use the interact is a terrible problem to adults |
| B．how surfing the net has caused a bad result to people |
| C．why to throw off the Internet addiction becomes a hot problem |
| D．why so many adults want to spend less time on the interact |
Those who try to hide their habit of addition to the Interact make up of the respondents.
| A．12.4% | B．8.7% | C．5.9% | D．13.7% |
According to the researchers, which statement is true?
| A．Online habit of people has been a dangerous problem to society. |
| B．All of the Interact users have terrible psychological problems to solve. |
| C．The internet is more harmful to people than good. |
| D．We have to pay attention to negative effects from the internet. |
For five days, Edmonton's Downtown Park is transformed into one huge stage where artists are able to share their talents, and where people are able to celebrate and enjoy themselves. Since its beginning in 1980, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival has been commemorating（纪念）the true feeling of what folk music is all about and that's the traditional togetherness（友爱）that is felt when people gather to share stories and feelings through song．
This year will be the sixth year when volunteer Riedel will be offering up her time to the festival. "People coming off a busy spring and summer have a moment of relaxation ," Riedel said．"It's really east to relax, and it's great seeing family and friends have fun together．" These families and friends all come from all different kinds of musical tastes．People who take pleasure in Blues are there, so are people who love Bluegrass．This festival does its best to develop everyone's musical interests．
With so many years of experience, the festival has become a well-oiled machine, and does whatever it can to make attendees feel as possible．There are free water stations throughout the venue（举办地）for people to fill up their travel cups．When people buy food, reusable dishes are given a $2 plate fee, but that is returned when the plate is brought back．
The festival has completely sold out of tickets, and in record time．But with big names such as Van Morrison and Jakob Dylan, it’s easy to see how that was going to happen．There is no parking area during the festival, so using the Park & Ride system or Edmonton Transit is highly recommended．A bike lock-up area is provided and will be available Thursday until Sunday one hour before the gates open until 45 minutes after the gates close．
The Edmonton Folk Music Festival begins on Wednesday, Aug．4 with Van Morrison playing the special donation fund （基金）concert, and will finish up on Sunday, Aug．8．The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is held mainly to ___________．
| A．gather people with different musical tastes |
| B．remind people of the real sense of folk music |
| C．exhibit good voices of great talents in folk music |
| D．collect old stories of folk music |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Riedel has volunteered for the festival for at least 5years． |
| B．It’s hard for people to appreciate Blues． |
| C．It costs people a little to fill up their cups from water stations． |
| D．People have to pay $2 for a plate of food． |
We can learn from the passenger that____．
| A．people can get tickets easily for the festival |
| B．the Edmonton Folk Music Festival is well organised. |
| C．driving one’s own car to the festival is highly recommended |
| D．bikes are available at the festival from Wednesday to Sunday |
What would the best title for the passenger?
| A．Folk Music of Blues |
| B．One Festival Family for All |
| C．Festival for family Gathering |
| D．Edmonton’s Downtown Park |
Most people know that Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, and the first person to win it twice. However, few people know that she was also the mother of a Nobel Prize winner.
Born in September, 1887, Irene Curie was the first of the Curies’ two daughters. Along with nine other children whose parents were also famous scholars, Irene studied in their own school, and her mother was one of the teachers. She finished her high school education at the College of Sévigné in Paris.
Irene entered the University of Paris in 1914 to prepare for a degree in mathematics and physics. When World War I began, Irene went to help her mother, who was using X-ray facilities（设备）to help save the lives of wounded soldiers. Irene continued the work by developing X-ray facilities in military hospitals in France and Belgium. Her services were recognized in the form of a Military’s Medal by the French government.
In 1918, Irene became her mother’s assistant at the Curie Institute. In December 1924, Frederic Joliot joined the Institute, and Irene taught him the techniques required for his work. They soon fell in love and were married in 1926. Their daughter Helene was born in 1927 and their son Pierre five years later.
Like her mother, Irene combined family and career. Like her mother, Irene was awarded a Nobel Prize, along with her husband, in 1935. Unfortunately, also like her mother, she developed leukemia because of her work with radioactivity（辐射能. Irene Joliot-Curie died from leukemia on March 17, 1956.Why was Irene Curie awarded a Military Medal?
| A．Because she received a degree in mathematics. |
| B．Because she contributed to saving the wounded. |
| C．Because she won the Nobel Prize with Frederic. |
| D．Because she worked as a helper to her mother. |
Where did Irene Curie meet her husband Frederic Joliot?
| A．At the Curie Institute. |
| B．At the University of Paris. |
| C．At a military hospital. |
| D．At the College of Sevigne. |
When was the second child of Irene Curie and Frederic Joliot born?
| A．In 1932. | B．In 1927. | C．In 1897. | D．In1926. |
In which of the following aspects was Irene Curie different from her mother?
| A．Irene worked with radioactivity. |
| B．Irene combined family and career. |
| C．Irene won the Nobel Prize once |
| D．Irene died from leukemia. |
No one wants to look stupid or do the wrong thing at a new job. It is important to make the right impression from the very first day. You will face new people. You will be in a new place.
It may be difficult to know what to do. Here are five tips to help you make it through the first days at a new job:
1. First impressions can last forever. Make sure you make a good one. Before your first day, find out if your new job has a dress code (rules about what you can wear to work). If so, be sure to follow it. No matter what, always be neat and clean.
2. Get to work on time.
3. Pay attention to introductions. One of the first things that your supervisor may do is to introduce you to co-workers. These co-workers will be important to you. They are the ones who will answer your questions when the boss is not around.
4. Ask plenty of questions. Make sure that your supervisor has told you what is expected of you. If he or she has not told you your duties, ask for a list. Set daily and weekly goals for yourself.
5. Never be the first one to leave. Observe(观察) what your co-workers do around quitting time (下班时间). It does not look good for you to be eager to leave.Before you arrive at work on the first day, you should __________.
| A．dress in a right way | B．introduce yourself |
| C．know your duties | D．know your co-workers well |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．You should be the first one to arrive at work. |
| B．You should ask your co-workers about your duties. |
| C．You should not be eager to go back home after work. |
| D．You are required to arrive 15 minutes earlier |
According to the passage, your supervisor is most likely your _____________.
| A．visitor | B．teacher | C．workmate | D．leader |
What is the best title for this passage?
| A．Getting a New Job. | B．Tips on How to Work. |
| C．The First-day Work. | D．The Importance of Co-workers. |