E
In the atmosphere.carbon dioxide.acts rather like a one-way mirror or the glass in the roof of a greenhouse which allows the sun’s rays to enter but prevents the heat from escaping.
According to a weather expert’s prediction,the atmosphere will be 3°C warmer in the year 2050 than it is today, if man continues to burn fuels at the present rate.If this warming up took place,the ice caps in the poles would begin to melt, thus raising sea level several meters and severely flooding coastal cities.
Also,the increase in atmospheric temperature would lead to great changes in the climate of the northern hemisphere,possibly resulting in an alteration of the earth’s chief food growing zones.
In the past,concern about a man-made warming of the earth has concentrated on the Arctic because the Antarctic is much colder and has a much thicker ice sheet.But the weather experts are now paying more attention to West Antarctic,which may be affected by only a few degrees of warming,in other words,by a warming on the scale that will possibly take place in the next fifty years from the burning of fuels.
Satellite pictures show that large areas of Antarctic ice are already disappearing.The evidence available suggests that a warming has taken place.This fits the theory that carbon dioxide warms the earth.
However, most of the fuel is burnt in the northern hemisphere,where temperatures seem to be falling.Scientists conclude,therefore,that up to now natural influences on the weather have gone beyond those caused by man.The question is:Which natural cause has most effect on the weather?
One possibility is the variable behavior of the sun.Astronomers at one research station have studied the hot spots and ‘cold’ spots (that is,the relatively less hot spots)on the sun.As the sun rotates,every 27.5 days,it presents hotter or colder faces to the earth,and different aspects to different parts of the earth.This seems to have a considerable effect on the distribution of the earth’s atmospheric pressure,and consequently on wind circulation.The sun is also changeable over a long term:its heat output goes up and down in cycles,the latest trend being downward.
Scientists are now finding shared relation between models of solar weather interaction and the actual climate over many thousands of years,including the last Ice Age.The problem is that
the models are predicting that the world should be entering a new Ice Age and it is not.One way of solving this theoretical difficulty is to assume a delay of thousands of years while the solar effects overcome the inertia(惰性)of the earth’s climate.If this is right,the warming effect of carbon dioxide might thus be serving as a useful opposed balance to the sun’s fading heat.
72.It can be concluded that a concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would ______.
A.mean a warming-up in the Arctic
B.raise the temperature of the earth’s surface
C.prevent the sun’s rays from reaching the earth’s surface
D.explain the cause of great changes in the climate in the northern hemisphere
73.Although the fuel consumption is greater in the northern hemisphere, temperatures there
seem to be falling.This is _______.
A.mainly because the levels of carbon dioxide are rising
B.partly due to changes in the output of solar energy
C.possibly because the ice caps in the poles are melting
D.only due to the effect of the inertia of the earth’s climate
74.On the basis of their models , scientists are of the opinion that ________
A.the climate of the world should be becoming cooler
B.the new Ice Age will be delayed by the greenhouse effect
C.the man.made warming effect helps to increase the solar effects
D.it will take thousands of years for the inertia of the earth’s climate to take effect
75.If the assumption about the delay of a new Ice Age is correct , _________
A.ice would soon cover the northern hemisphere
B.the greenhouse effect could work in favor of the earth
C.the best way to overcome the cooling effect would be to bum more fuels
D.the increased levels of carbon dioxide could warm up the earth even more quickly
Whether you’re eating at a fancy restaurant or dining in someone’s home. Proper table manners are likely to help you make a good impression. According to a US expert, Emily Post, “All rules of table manners are made to avoid ugliness.”
While Henry Hitchings of the Los Angeles Times admits that good manners can reduce social conflict, he points out that mostly their purpose is protective - they turn our natural warrior-like selves into more elegant ones.
So where did table manners come from?
In medieval England, a writer named Petrus Alfonsi took the lead to urge people not to speak with their mouths full. And King David I of Scotland also proposed that any of his people who learned to eat more neatly be given a tax deduction (减除).
Disappointingly, that idea never caught on. It was during the Renaissance, when there were real technical developments, opinions of correct behavior changed for good. “None of these was more significant than the introduction of the table fork,” wrote Hitchings. “Gradually, as forks became popular, they brought the new way of eating, making it possible, for instance, to consume berries without making one’s fingers dirty.”
Forks were introduced to Britain in 1608 and 25 years later, the first table fork reached America. Yet while most of the essentials (基本要素) are the same on both sides of the Atlantic, there are a few clear differences between what’s normal in the US and what holds true in the UK. For example, in the US, when food needs cutting with a knife, people generally cut a bite, then lay aside the knife and switch the fork to their right hand. Then they pick up one bite at a time. By contrast, Britons keep the fork in the left hand and don’t lay the knife down.
Though globalization has developed a new, simpler international standard of table manners, some people still stick with the American cut-and-switch method.The Los Angeles Times noted, “They are hanging on to a form of behavior that favors manners above efficiency.”What does the story mainly talk about?
A.The importance of proper table manners . |
B.The development of table manners in Western countries. |
C.Some unwritten rules of table manners in the US and UK. |
D.Differences between American and British table manners. |
The underlined phrase “caught on” in the passage probably means ______.
A.worked in practice | B.became popular |
C.drew attention | D.had a positive effect |
Which of the following events influenced people’s table manners most according to the article?
A.The introduction of forks. |
B.The tax deduction policy. |
C.The rise of the Renaissance. |
D.Petrus Alfonsi’s efforts in promoting table manners. |
What can we conclude from the article?
A.British and American table manners are completely different from each other. |
B.American people pay more attention to their table manners than British people do. |
C.With globalization, the American cut-and-switch method has been abandoned in the US. |
D.British people’s way of using a knife and fork may be more efficient than American people’s. |
Homework and stress are rarely reduced inside the classroom. Meanwhile, outside the classroom, the pressure is on to find scholarships for college.
According to Braintrack, a higher education database with worldwide reach, more than 3 billion US dollars (18 billion yuan) in private scholarships are awarded to college students annually. Average awards range from $2,000 to $3,000.
The scholarship application process is similar to the college application process: forms to be completed, test scores and transcripts to be sent, essays to be written and often interviews to be prepared for.
A few great places to start looking for scholarships are: www.fastweb.com, www.finaid.org and www.collegexpress.com.Check out the annual scholarship guidebooks Scholarships, Grants & Prizes by Peterson’s and the Ultimate Scholarship Book: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes by Gen Tanabe and Kelly Tanabe.
Be selective. Thoroughly research the qualifications required by each of the scholarships. Don’t waste your time applying for those that are need-based if you can’t produce the appropriate documents.
Research past recipients (接受者). Check out the websites of the organizations sponsoring the scholarships. Many post the biographies of past recipients. You don’t need to have cured cancer, but if you don’t think your résumé (履历) measures up to the past winners’, you might be better served by moving onto the next scholarship on your list. Prepare for the interview.
You’ll want to dazzle them with your personality, but above all you’ll want to be prepared. Find someone you trust to conduct a similar interview with you – someone who will be honest with you and provide valuable suggestions.
Let your personality shine through in your essays. The essays are the best way for students to share who they are, where they’ve come from, what they’ve overcome and so on. Tell your story in an interesting and persuasive way. And if you do have an interview, send a thank-you note afterward.
By Lee BiererWhat is the author’s main purpose in writing the article?
A.To explain where to find scholarships for US colleges. |
B.To inform readers of the scholarship application process. |
C.To introduce some typical scholarships offered by US colleges. |
D.To give tips on applying for US college scholarships. |
If you want to learn about past recipients of a scholarship, you can use __.
A.www.collegexpress.com |
B.the annual scholarship guidebooks published by Peterson’s |
C.the websites of the organizations sponsoring the scholarships |
D.The Ultimate Scholarship Book: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes |
The underlined word “dazzle” in Paragraph 7 is closest in meaning to ___.
A.influence | B.impress | C.guide | D.present |
To increase your chance of winning a scholarship, you are advised to ____.
A.apply for as many scholarships as you can |
B.tell an interesting story in your essay |
C.do a similar interview to help you prepare for the real one |
D.have a talk with past recipients and try to talk like they do |
Dear Dad,
Today I was at the shopping mall and I spent a lot of time reading the Father’s Day cards. They all had a special message that in some way or another reflected how I feel about you. Yet as I selected and read, it occurred to me that not a single card said what I really want to say to you.
You’ll soon be 84 years old, Dad, and you and I will have had 55 Father’s Day together. I haven’t always been with you on Father’s Day but I’ve always been with you in my heart.
You know, Dad, there was a time when we were separated by the generation gap. You stood on one side of the Great Divide and I on the other.
The Father-Daughter Duel shifted into high gear ( 档位) when you taught me to drive the old Dodge and I decided I would drive the '54 Chevy whether you liked it or not. The police officer who sent me home, after you reported the Chevy stolen, didn't have much tolerance for a stubborn 16 year old, while you were so tolerant about it, Dad, and I think that was probably what made it the worst night of my life.
Our relationship greatly improved when I married a man you liked, and things really turned around when we began making babies right and left. Somewhere along the line, the generation gap disappeared. I suppose I saw us and our relationship as aging together, rather like a fine wine.
But the strangest thing happened last week. I was at a stop sign and I watched as you turned the corner in your car. It didn't immediately occur to me that it was you because the man driving looked so elderly and fragile behind the wheel of that huge car. It was rather like a slap in the face delivered from out of nowhere. Perhaps I saw your age for the first time that day.
I guess what I'm trying to say, Dad, is what every son and daughter wants to say to their Dad today. Honoring a father on Father's Day is about respect and sharing and acceptance and tolerance and giving and taking. It's about loving someone more than words can say, and it's wishing that never had to end.
I love you, Dad.
Love,
JennyHow did Jenny probably feel on the night she was sent home by the police?
A.Disappointed. | B.Nervous. | C.Guilty. | D.Frightened. |
We can learn from the passage that Jenny and her father_________.
A.kept in touch by writing each other |
B.are separated due to the generation gap |
C.have been getting along very well |
D.had a hard time understanding each other |
Why did Jenny feel strange when she saw her father last week?.
A.She seldom saw him driving that huge car. |
B.She had never realized his being old and weak. |
C.She didn't expect to meet with him there. |
D.She had never seen him driving so slowly before. |
Jenny wrote his father this letter to _________
A.tell him about their conflicts | B.say sorry for her being stubborn |
C.express her gratitude to him | D.remind him of the early incident |
Europe’s deadly outbreak of a rare form of E. coli bacteria (大肠杆菌) has brought new attention to food safety issues. One of the problems when people get sick from food is that the simplest question is often difficult or even impossible to answer. Just what did the people eat that made them sick?
Of course, one way to avoid these medical mysteries is to keep dangerous organisms out of the food supply. This is easier said than done, but scientists keep looking for new ways.
Scientists in the United States have developed an experimental system that uses a high-tech optical scanner. The system is designed to identify the presence of contaminants(致污物) like soil or animal waste on fresh produce. These can be sources of E. coli. E. coli bacteria naturally live in the intestines(肠) of humans and many animals. Most kinds of E. coli are harmless but some can make people sick.
The new scanner can also show damage and imperfections that might make the produce unappealing to shoppers.
Scientists designed the system at a Department of Agriculture research center in Beltsville, Maryland. Moon Kim of the Agricultural Research Service led the team.
MOON KIM: “We were requested, we were asked, to develop a method to detect contamination in produce. So we started with the apple as the model sample.”
The scanner uses a high-speed camera placed over the conveyer belt that moves the produce along. As the apples move along the belt, the scanner captures images of each piece of fruit.
Moon Kim says the team hopes the system will be available before long.
MOON KIM: “We are targeting for development in commercial plants for the next several years.”
The scanner can direct a sorting machine to separate the bad apples from the good ones. The system is currently able to show the surface of only half the apple as it speeds by. The inventers hope to improve the process so it can show the whole surface.What is the main topic of the text?
A.Bacteria. | B.A high-tech scanner. |
C.A camera | D.Food safety. |
E. coli bacteria ______.
A.broke out all over the world | B.comes from soil or animal waste |
C.is extremely harmful to health | D.does not cause illness |
The high-tech scanner ______.
A.can help to sort out different fruits |
B.make the produce appeal to shoppers |
C.can only capture images of the whole apple |
D.can identify the presence of contaminants |
What can be inferred from the text?
A.The scanner needs to be improved. |
B.The scanner will be available in the next several years. |
C.Moon Kim is unwilling to develop the scanner. |
D.The scanner is connected to a sorting machine. |
Until the 1980s, the American homeless population is mainly made up of older males. Today, homelessness strikes much younger part of society. In fact, a 25-city survey by the U. S. Conference of Mayors in 1987 found that families with children make up the fastest growing part of the homeless population. Many homeless children gather in inner cities; this transient(变化无常的) and frequently frightened student population creates additional problems — both legal and educational — for already overburdened urban school administrators and teachers.
Estimates of the number of homeless Americans range from 350,000 to three million. Likewise, estimates of the number of homeless school children vary radically. A U.S. Department of Education report, based on state estimates, states that there are 220,000 homeless school-age children, about a third of whom do not attend school on a regular basis. But the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that there are at least two times as many homeless children, and that less than half of them attend school regularly.
One part of the homeless population that is particularly difficult to count consists of the “throwaway” youths who have been cast of their homes. The Elementary School Center in New York City estimates that there are 1.5 million of them, many of whom are not treated as children because they do not stay in family shelters and tend to live by themselves on the streets.
Federal law, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, includes a section that addresses the educational needs of homeless children. The educational provisions(规定) of the McKinney Act are based on the belief that all homeless children have the right to a free, appropriate education.It is implied in the first paragraph that ____.
A.the writer himself is homeless, even in his eighties |
B.many older homeless residents are going on strike in 25 cities |
C.there is a serious shortage of academic facilities |
D.homeless children are denied the opportunity of receiving free education |
The National Coalition for the homeless believes that the number of homeless children is _____.
A.350,000 | B.1,500,000 | C.440,000 | D.110,000 |
One part of the homeless population is difficult to estimate. The reason might well be ____.
A.the homeless children are too young to be treated as children |
B.the homeless population is growing rapidly |
C.the homeless children usually stay outside school |
D.some homeless children are deserted by their families |
The McKinney Act is mentioned in this passage in order to show that ___.
A.the educational problems of homeless children are being recognized |
B.the estimates on homeless children are hard to determine |
C.the address of grade-school children should be located |
D.all homeless people should have free education |