WILD WEATHERMAN
Name: Sam Champion
Hot job: TV Weatherman
Where: ABC-TV, New York City
When you were a child, did you plan to forecast wind, rain, and snow on TV?
I wanted to be a foreign journalist. I took courses in weather science at Eastern Kentucky University, but I majored in broadcasting news.
How did you finally become a weatherman?
My first job in the early 1980s was at the local TV station in Paducah, Kentucky. I did everything from turning on the lights in the morning to writing and delivering morning news. I put together weather forecasts, and became interested in them.
Back then, how did you forecast weather?
Independent companies collected computer information that showed, for example, how a single weather system might split into snow or snow mixed with rain. The information was often opposite and the job of a weatherman was to study the information and make the best educated guess about the storm.
Has weather forecasting changed much with new technology?
Advanced computers, satellites, and Doppler radar (sound waves used to track storms) have made forecasting more exact. But we still know very little about how weather is shaped. So far, we just have theories.
Any advice for children who’d like to become weather scientists?
To me, weather is the most exciting field in the world. There are still so many more questions about weather than answers. After all, if we can’t foresee floods or hurricanes, how safe a society are we? Weather forecasting is wide open for scientists who love to solve puzzling problems. The next generation of meteorologists (weather scientists) will unlock many of Earth’s weather secrets. So get a general knowledge of Earth science, and study meteorology in college.
Thanks, Sam.
40. Judging from the writing style, the text is _________.
A. a diary B. an interview C. a news story D. an announcement
41. As a child, ABC-TV’s Sam Champion wanted to be a____________.
A. space scientist B. weatherman C. news reporter D. meteorologist
42. Present weather forecasting technology___________.
A. has made weather report more exact than ever
B. is still not perfect
C. hasn’t changed much in the last 50 years
D. both A and B
43. The study of weather science is called____________.
A. meteorology B. forecasting C. geography D. Earth science
Many people write to newspaper and magazines to express their opinions. Letters to the editor must carry the writer’s full name, address and telephone number, although the information is not necessary for publication. This requirement to provide personal particulars is a clear indication that writers are held responsible for what they say. When a writer wants his voice heard, he needs to claim ownership of his voice. Responsibility is the name of the game.
“People today prefer living together to putting their signatures on a marriage certificate because they refuse to accept responsibility for the relationship,” said social worker Ken Yip, “and this is what is causing a lot of family problems.” When we sign a paper, for example, a business contract or a bank document, the signature is a seal of consent, an agreement to take the matter seriously. Most governments and many organizations will not process written complaints if they do not bear the writer’s signature. The absence of a signature, they explain, tells us that the writer cannot be too serious and therefore does not deserve a reply.
There are people who wish to remain anonymous(匿名的) for various reasons. Multi-billionaire Mr. King donates generously to charity several times a year. He gives simply because he wants to help but not for the publicity his donations may bring, and he does not want his good deeds to make news. In other cases, people insist on anonymity because they are afraid of the consequences of revealing their identity. Crime witnesses may be willing to assist the police, but most are unwilling to give their names when reporting a crime.
Name or no name? The answer is very personal and lies in how much we want to get involved. We all have a name. It is a matter of responsibility to use it when we make a statement, a claim or an accusation. We all want to honor our own name, and it is only by stamping our expression of an opinion with our own name that we honor what we say.What does the writer mean by saying “Responsibility is the name of the game”?
| A．Writers need to provide their personal information in the game. |
| B．Publication must bear the writer’s full name, address and phone number. |
| C．Writers should be responsible for their names. |
| D．Names are required to indicate writers’ responsibility for what they say. |
The second paragraph suggests that a paper without a signature may _______.
| A．not get a reply |
| B．help to end a relationship |
| C．be accepted all the same |
| D．become a family problem |
Some people don’t want their names known because they are ________.
| A．hesitant to make a donation |
| B．unwilling to draw public attention |
| C．afraid of an accusation |
| D．ready for involvement |
The passage is mainly about _______.
| A．honor and writers |
| B．identity and signature |
| C．signature and responsibility |
| D．anonymity and signature |
There are quite a few advantages of wearing school uniforms．The idea may seem disagreeable at first，but 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 an orderly learning environment．Having students dressed in uniforms may teach them how to present 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 school uniforms is easy and needs less hesitation and consideration．No matter what the school's policy is，there are only specific essential 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 when students are limited in their choices，so there shouldn’t be any trouble about choosing an outfit the day and getting ready quickly．Some students may not like the lack of individuality 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．Teachers think that wearing school uniforms __________．
| A．helps students put more effort into their studies |
| B．makes students feel less pressure in study |
| C．is just a tradition that students should follow |
| 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 should be worn every day |
| B．parents will have to go to the bank many times |
| C．a school uniform doesn’t cost a lot of money |
| D．parents who work in a bank can afford the uniform |
We can infer from the text that school uniform __________．
| A．will be more fashionable in the future |
| B．are not popular with fashion designers |
| C．were not accepted by parents in the past |
| D．will be designed by students themselves |
Electric cars are dirty. In fact, not only are they dirty, but they might even be more dirty than their gasoline-powered cousins.
People in California love to talk about “zero-emissions (排放) vehicles”, but people in California seem to be clueless about where electricity comes from. Power plants mostly use fire to make it. Apart from the few people who have their roofs covered with solar cells, we get our electricity from generators (发电机). Generators are fueled by something----usually coal, oil, but also by heat generated in nuclear power plants. There are a few wind farms and geothermal (地热) plants as well, but by far we get electricity mainly by burning something.
In other words, those “zero-emissions” cars are likely coal-burning cars. Because the coal is burned somewhere else, it looks clean. It is not true. It's as if the California Greens are covering their eyes----“If I can't see it, it's not happening.” Gasoline is an incredibly (极其) efficient way to power a vehicle; a gallon of gas has a lot of energy in it. But when you take that gas (or another fuel) and first use it to make electricity, you waste a nice part of that energy, mostly in the form of wasted heat--at the generator, through the transmission lines, etc.
A gallon of gas may drive your car 25 miles. But the electricity you get from that gallon of gas won't get you nearly as far---so electric cars burn more fuel than gasoline-powered ones. If our electricity came mostly from wind or geothermal, or solar, then an electric car truly would be clean. But for political, technical, and economic reasons, we don't use much of those energy sources.
In addition, electric cars' batteries which are poisonous for a long time will eventually end up in a landfill (垃圾填埋场). And finally, when cars are the polluters, the pollution is spread across all the roads. When it's a power plant, though, all the junk is in one place. Nature is very good at cleaning up when things are not too concentrated, but it takes a lot longer when all the garbage is in one spot.Which of the following words can replace “be clueless about” in Paragraph 2?
| A．be familiar with. | B．fail to understand. |
| C．be curious about. | D．show their interest in. |
The electricity we get from a gallon of gas may make our car run _________.
| A．at least 25 miles | B．more than 25 miles |
| C．less than 25 miles | D．as far as 25 miles |
In the author’s opinion, compared with cars using gas, electric cars are more __________.
| A．harmful | B．expensive |
| C．efficient | D．environmentally-friendly |
It can be inferred from the passage that __________.
| A．electric cars’ batteries are no longer poisonous in the landfill |
| B．electric cars are not clean since we get electricity mainly by burning something |
| C．zero-emissions vehicles should be chosen to protect our environment |
| D．now electric cars are used more than their gasoline-powered cousins |
Being lonely in the crowd might seem ridiculous. But according to a recent survey, the situation is all too common. Loneliness and other anxiety problems – worrying about life’s pressures – can even lead to self-murder.
An article in China Daily gave no reason for this other than the usual blaming of the post-80s generation. According to a high level official, young people suffering from discouragement are mostly “spoiled and have not been taught to be independent, responsible and express ‘thank-you’.” Well, how do you like that? First, I don’t think China’s youth are exactly spoiled. They certainly have more things than their parents did, but a lot of the money spent on them is for their education including various extra classes.
Discouragement and anxiety are now the fastest growing challenges in modern societies. We sense a lack of close friends who can talk to honestly and openly. In 1985, a US study found that one in ten people did not have such a friend. In 2006, it was one in four. It’s easy to see the connection between loneliness and discouragement. But what actually causes this increasing loneliness?
Surely, with Internet social networking sites such as Kaixin, we have more friends than ever. A new study has shown that the more time teenagers spend in front of computers, the less close they are to friends and family. Kaixin or QQ may be fun but it lacks meaning, compared to personal connections in the real world.
And then there are those endless online games popular with young Chinese but increasingly there are more interesting choices. For example, new sports such as skateboarding are starting to catch on（流行） in bigger cities, as is playing music in a band. These creative hobbies are done in a group and thus friendship can be stronger. Hopefully young people will also be drawn out of the Internet cafes and interactive computer games that in fact fail to recreate a real and interactive experience.According to the high level official, it is easy for teenagers lacking independence and responsibility to _______.
| A．become spoiled |
| B．play endless online games |
| C．suffer from loneliness and anxiety |
| D．refuse to express gratitude |
What does the writer think of the Internet social networking site Kaixin?
| A．Open but ridiculous. |
| B．Honest and responsible. |
| C．Real and fun. |
| D．Interesting but meaningless. |
It can be inferred in Paragraph 3 that _______.
| A．it’s now more difficult for people to find close friends to have an honest chat with |
| B．parents focus mostly on children’s education rather than the personality building |
| C．young people have no idea of expressing appreciation because of being spoiled |
| D．teenagers will recreate a real and interactive experience to strengthen friendship |
According to the text, which of the following can help us avoid being lonely in the crowd?
| A．To stay long in Internet cafes. |
| B．To focus on extra courses. |
| C．To give up our own hobbies. |
| D．To play music in a band. |
Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the cold swimming hole behind his house.
In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he did not realize an alligator（短吻鳄）was swimming towards the shore. His mother in the house, looking out of the window, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In fear, she ran towards the water, yelling to the son as loudly as she could.
It was too late. The alligator reached him.
From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator got his legs. That began an incredible tug of war（拔河）between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother would not let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, ran from his truck, and shot the alligator.
Amazingly, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His leg were extremely scarred by the animal’s attack, and on his arms were scratches (抓痕) from mothers’ fingernails where she had tried to hang on to the son she loved.
The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs . And then, he proudly said to the reporter: “But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom would not let go.”
You and I can identify with (理解) that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from alligator, or anything quite so dramatic . But the scars of a painful past. Some of those scares are ugly and have caused us deep regret.
But some wounds, my friend, are because someone has refused to let go. In your struggle, maybe someone has been there holding on to you.Upon seeing the alligator getting close to her boy, the mother ________ .
| A．dived into the cool water at once |
| B．was too afraid to move |
| C．shouted a warning to her boy |
| D．got ready to fight the crocodile |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
| A．There were scars on the boy’s arms and legs. |
| B．The mother won the “match” because of her strength. |
| C．A farmer scared the alligator away by hitting it in the eyes. |
| D．A crocodile attacked the boy when he and his mother were swimming. |
By saying, “But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too,” the boy really wanted to show ___________.
| A．how deep the scars were |
| B．what a brave boy he was |
| C．how recently he had survived an attack |
| D．how great his mother was |
According to the author, how are we all similar to the boy in the story?
| A．We can be brave and never let go of our loved ones. |
| B．We may be faced with danger in our lives. |
| C．We may have to depend on the kindness of strangers. |
| D．We may have scars that come from pain and love. |