When important events are happening around the world, most people turn to traditional media sources, such as CNN and BBC for the news.However, during the war in Iraq in 2003, many people followed the war from the point of view of an unknown Iraqi citizen who called himself “Salam Pax ” .(Salam Pax means peace)
Salam Pax wrote a diary about everyday life in Baghdad during the war, and posted it on his website.Pax’s online diary was a kind of website known as a “blog”.Blogs are online diaries, usually kept by individuals, but sometimes by companies and other groups of people.They are the fastest growing types of website on the Internet.
A blog differs from a traditional website in several ways.Most importantly, it is updated much more regularly.Many blogs are updated every day, and some are updated several times a day.Also, most blogs use special software or websites, which can help ordinary people easily set up and start writing their own blogs.
There are many different kinds of blogs.The most popular type is an online diary of links where the blog writer surfs the Internet and then posts links to sites or news articles that they find interesting , with a few comments about each one .Other types are personal diaries, where the writer talks about their life and feelings.Sometimes these blogs can be very personal.
There is another kind of blogging, called “moblogging ”, short for “ mobile blogging ”.
Mobloggers use mobile phones with cameras to take photos, which are posted instantly to the Internet.The use of mobile phones in this way made the headlines in Singapore when a high school student posted a movie he had taken of a teacher shouting at another student on the Internet.Many people were shocked by what the student did, and wanted phones with cameras to be banned from schools.
Many people think that as blogs become common, news reporting will rely less on big media companies, and more on ordinary people posting news to the Internet.They think that then the news will be less like a lecture, and more like a conversation, where any one can join in.Which statement about Salam Pax was true?
A.He worked for CNN. |
B.Salam Pax was not his real name |
C.He was famous as a host in BBC |
D.He used a mobile phone ![]() |
What is the biggest difference between blogs and traditional websites?
A.Blogs are updated much more often | B.Blogs contain links to other websites |
C.Blogs use special software | D.Blogs contain personal information |
According to the passage, which statement ab
out the future is most likely ? In the future …
A.everyone will have a blog |
B.large media companies will be unnecessary |
C.people will be able to learn the news from other points of view |
D.blogging technology will be banned |
What is the passage mainly about ?
A.the history of the Internet | B.new types of media |
C.the war in Iraq | D.the increase of using computers |
The University of Wales, Bangor has been rated the top university in the UK for the help and support provided for students by the Times Higher Education Supplement.We want to make sure all our students are happy and that they enjoy their time here in Bangor. We realize that you may need some support during your time here to solve some personal problems or difficulties.
Our Student Services Centre and the Students’ Union can offer the following:
● An advice service that is free and confidential.
● You’ll have a personal teacher in your department.
● A Peer Guide will welcome you to Bangor during your first week and answer any question you might have.
● Student Services and Security are on call during the day and there is a warden (管理人) on call at evenings and weekends at all our halls of residence.
● Personal support and advice on a variety of problems through the Students’ Union Welfare Advice Centre.
● Nightline, a confidential support service run during the night by students for students.
● A team of staff volunteers are available to deal with any serious incident which happens outside normal university hours.
● Health care in daily surgeries where you don’t need an appointment. You will need to register with a local General Practitioner (全科医师). We also have a nurse who can make visits to your place when necessary.
● An adviser for international students.
● A room where local postgraduate students who live at home and travel to the university each day, can spend their free time.
The university welcomes applications from disabled students and aims to provide equal opportunities for all. For more information please see our Student Services pages.The passage is mainly about _______ at the University of Wales, Bangor.
A.health service and welfare | B.education and training |
C.the student service organizations | D.the daily life of students |
The University of Wales, Bangor is well-known for _______.
A.the care and support offered to students |
B.its super teachers and star students |
C.its attention to disabled students |
D.teaching quality and achievements |
The following are all services offered by the Student Services Centre and the Students’ Union EXCEPT that _____.
A.a personal tutor can help you in your department |
B.Student Services and Security works around the clock |
C.you can ask for personal support and advice on a variety of problems |
D.a free career center can help you find a job |
The author’s main purpose of writing the passage is to ________.
A.show that the university treats all students equally |
B.inform students with disabilities about the university |
C.attract more students to the university to study |
D.introduce student organizations of the university |
School violence is in the headlines again after recent shootings at schools in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Colorado. After hearing the news, it’s natural for students — no matter how old they are or where they go to school — to worry about whether this type of incident may someday happen to them.
So how safe are schools? It’s actually safer to be in a school than in a car. Twice as many 15-to-19-year-olds die in car accidents than in shootings (and that’s all shootings, not just the ones that happen in schools). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 1% of all homicides (杀人罪) among school-age children happen on school grounds or on the way to and from school. So the vast majority of students will never experience violence at school.
However, some schools have re-evaluated their safety needs in response to the concerns of families and communities. Some now require that guests check in at the office or have more guards on duty. Some schools have fixed metal detectors. Another thing that helps make schools safer is greater awareness of problems like bullying and discrimination. Many schools have practiced programs to fight these problems and to help teachers and administrators know more about protecting students from this type of violence.
The cause of school violence isn’t easy to understand. There is no single reason why students become violent. Some are just copying behavior they’ve seen at home, in the streets, or in video games, movies, or television. There’s one thing experts do agree on, though: Having access to guns or other weapons makes it easier for some people to lash out against the things or people they don’t like.Which of the following statements can prove that schools are safe?
A.About 99% of 15- to-19-year-olds are safe at school. |
B.Fewer students have died in car accidents than in shootings. |
C.Students shot to death at school are half of all students. |
D.Fatal shootings of students are less than 1% of all homicides. |
After schools have re-evaluated their safety needs, ________.
A.families will be more concerned about schools |
B.communities will be responsible for schools |
C.teachers will pay more attention to shootings |
D.administrators will arrange to have more guards on duty |
From the last paragraph we can conclude that ______.
A.experts have found no reason for school violence |
B.students with weapons are easily upset about things |
C.school violence could be copied from violence in society |
D.no single reason makes students violent |
We could probably see this passage in ______.
A.an analysis report | B.a realistic novel |
C.a case investigation | D.a news journal |
McGill Comedy Club
Important meetings today. Discussion on putting on Blazing Saddles. Union room 302, 3-4pm. New members (both actors and non-actors, living and dead) are welcome.
History Students’ Association
Prof. Michael Cross of Dalhouseie University will be speaking on “Unskilled Labor on Rivers and Canals in Upper Canada, 1820-1850: The beginning of Class Struggle” at 10am. in Peacock 230.
Design Mirror Sale
All types and sizes of design mirrors priced to please. Sale today in Union room 108.
McGill Teaching Assistants’ Association
A general meeting, for all the Tas will be held at 4pm. in peacock 116.
Women’s Union
Important general meeting at 6pm. Union room 423. Speaker on “Importance of Deciding Basic Goals of the Women’s Union.” Everyone ----old, new and those interviewed, please attend.
Film Society
Last meeting of the term for all members. All managers are required to be present at 6pm. sharp, Union room 434.
Canadian University Students Overseas
CUSO presents “Guess Who’s Coming to Breakfast” at 7pm. newman Centre, 3848 Peel. Find out about CUSO here and overseas. Everyone welcome.Which of the following is the name of a play?
A.Blazing Saddles. | B.Guess Who’s Coming to Breakfast. |
C.Important of Deciding Basic Goals of the Women’s Union. | |
D.Unskilled Labor on Rivers and Canals in Upper Canada, 1820-1850. |
If you are interested in arts, where can you go for a visit?
A.Peacock 116 | B.Union room 423 |
C.Union room 108 | D.Newman Centre, 3848 Peel |
Which of the following will occupy Union room 423?
A.Film Society. | B.Canadian University Students Overseas |
C.Women’s Union | D.Design Mirror Sale |
Where can you probably find this text?
A.In a school magazine. | B.In a national paper. |
C.In a guide book. | D.In a university daily newspaper. |
There are many types of reports. A report is simply an account of something that has happened. The commonest are new reports. We get them in newspapers, over the radio and on television. Sometimes cinemas also show us newsreels(新闻影片).
The main purpose of a newspaper is to provide news. If you examine a newspaper closely, you will find that there are all types of news: accidents, floods, fires, wars, fashions, sports, books, etc. The news covers everything that happens to people and their surroundings. Sometimes there are news items which are very amusing.
A news report is usually very short, except when it is about something very important, but it contains a lot of information. It is also written in short paragraphs. The first paragraph is, in fact, a summary of the news item. It gives all the necessary information—what, when, where, how and why. The other paragraphs give full details of the subject. There may also be interviews with people. The words actually spoken by them are within inverted commas(引号).
Often there are photographs with the news to make it more interesting.In this passage, which of the following is mentioned as sources of new reports?
A.Cinemas, television and Internet. | B.Television, Internet and newspapers. |
C.Internet, newspapers and cinemas. | D.Radios, television and newspapers. |
According to this passage, the main purpose of a newspaper is to ________.
A.earn money | B.make the readers happy |
C.provide news | D.draw attention |
We can learn from this passage that news reports ________.
A.are never amusing | B.are always written in short paragraphs |
C.are always written in the first paragraph | |
D.give details of events in the first paragraph |
The soldiers had just moved to the desert, and as they had never been in such a place before, they had a lot to learn.
As there were no trees or buildings in the desert, it was, of course, very hard to hide their trucks from enemy planes. The soldiers were, therefore, given training in camouflage. They were shown how to paint their trucks in irregular patterns with pale green, yellow, and brown paints, and then to cover them with nets to which they had tied small pieces of cloth.
The driver of the biggest truck had a lot of trouble camouflaging it. He spent several hours painting it, preparing a net and searching for some heavy rocks with which to hold the net down. When it was all finished, he went for lunch.
When he came back from his meal, he was surprised and worried to see that his camouflage was completely spoilt by the truck’s shadow, which was growing longer and longer as the afternoon advanced. He stood looking at it, not knowing what to do.
Soon an officer arrived, and he, too, saw the shadow, of course.
“Well,” he shouted to the poor driver, “What are you going to do about it? If an enemy plane comes over, the pilot will at once know that there is a truck there.”
“I know, sir,” answered the soldier.
“Well, don’t just stand there doing nothing!” said the officer.
“What shall I do, sir?” asked the poor driver.
“Get your spade and throw some sand over the shadow, of course!” answered the officer.From this passage you can know ________.
A.there were a lot of trees where the soldiers were stationed |
B.the soldiers were staying in an area far from the enemy planes |
C.the soldiers knew nothing about desert |
D.the soldiers had lived in desert before |
Which of the following is right?
A.The nets with which they covered their trucks were made of small pieces of cloth. |
B.The soldiers tied small pieces of cloth to the nets with which they covered their trucks. |
C.The nets covering the trucks were painted pale green, yellow and brown. |
D.The trucks were tied to the nets with small pieces of cloth. |
The soldier was surprised and worried because ________.
A.his truck had cast a shadow in the sun and the enemy plane would find it. |
B.the shadow of his truck was growing longer at noon |
C.it was late in the afternoon, and he could not get rid of the shadow |
D.his newly-painted truck was in the shadow |
What do you think of the ending of the story?
A.It is quite reasonable that the officer ordered the soldier to cover the shadow with sand. |
B.We’ll laugh at the officer’s order because it is where the humor lies. |
C.Though the officer’s order sounded wise, the soldier couldn’t cover the shadow. |
D.The soldier managed to cover the shadow with sand |
What do you think of the ending of the story?
A.It is quite reasonable that the officer ordered the soldier to cover the shadow with sand. |
B.We’ll laugh at the officer’s order because it is where the humor lies. |
C.Though the officer’s order sounded wise, the soldier couldn’t cover the shadow. |
D.The soldier managed to cover the shadow with sand |