The day before the deadline for this article,I had no clue what I was going to write about. I took my problem to the editor-in-chief, and.he said to me:“Don’t worry; you’re creative. ”
I’m not sure where the editor-in-chief reached the conclusion that I was “creative”. Maybe it was through the poems I wrote. Personally, I simply enjoy writing because it’s fun. There’s also the fact that I can’t draw or do anything else creatively, I’m equally sure that there are people in the boat on the other side who can make things look excellent, but can’t write a poem.
At this point you probably want to ask me what poetry and art have to do with engineering. For one, it makes you a more rounded person, making you a better engineer. More importantly, as an engineer, you will be faced with many problems every day. There are some that can be solved by consulting a textbook, but more often than not, you will need that thing in your brain to put together things in a completely original combination to solve the problem at hand.
Think of the wonderful things that creative engineers have done. Civil engineers have made the road more long-lasting so we don’t have to close them for repairs as often. Coming up with a new innovation (创新) is similar to writing a good poem. It’s not some-thing you plan to do. The critical moment comes unexpectedly in the middle of nowhere. You don’t think about what you’re doing, you simply do. After some mad struggling you take a look at the end product and say to yourself, “This is a masterpiece. ” This is perhaps the greatest personal satisfaction one can
experience.
So all you engineers out there get out and do something creative. I don’t care if it’s writing a poem or a computer program, just be natural and do something creative.This passage mainly deals with_______.
| A．the creativity of engineers | B．the power of editor-in-chief |
| C．engineering in general | D．a way of thinking |
In the author’s opinion, writing poems can_______.
| A．show one is creative | B．make him happy |
| C．bring him in lots of money | D．have an effect on one’s mental health |
According to the author, art can help an engineer to_______.
| A．find the solutions to problems | B．learn to write poetry |
| C．be courageous in face of challenges | D．get along well with others |
Coming up with a new innovation is similar to writing a good poem in that both are_______.
| A．logically developed | B．strictly planned |
| C．experience- based | D．naturally creative |
The greatest personal satisfaction of an engineer comes from_______.
| A．planning his work successfully | B．building things quickly |
| C．finishing his work innovatively | D．writing good poems naturally |
Ever since they were first put on the market in the early 1990s, gentically mondified (GM, 转基因) foods have been increasingly developed and marketed in many countries in the word,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 solutiorr?
Despite what it promiises,GM technology actually has not increased the production potential of any corp. In fact
Studies show that the most crown GM croo.
GM soybeans, has suffered reduced productivity. For instance, a report than analysed nearly two decades of research on mojor 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 companics 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. " The promise was that you could use less chemicals and boost production. But nether 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.
| 1． |
The author develops the second paragraph mainly.
|
| 2． |
What does the underlined word "boost " in the third paragraph probably mean?
|
| 3． |
GM companies promise farmers that they will benefit from.
|
| 4． |
Which of the following best describes the attitude of the author towards GM technology?
|
In early autumn I applied for applied for admission to college. I wanted to go nowhere but to Cornell University,but my mother fought strongly againsnst it. When she saw me studying a photograph of my father on the sports ground of Cornell,she tore it up.
“You can’t say it’s not a great university,just because Papa went there.”
“That’s not it at all.And it is a top university.”She was still holding the pieces in her hand. “But we can’t afford to send you to college.”
“I wouldn’t dream of asking you for money.Do you want me to get a job to help suppont you and Papa?Things aren’t that bad,are they?”
“No,”she said. “I don’t expect you to help support us.”
Father borrowed money form his rich cousins to start a small jewellery shop,His chief customers were his old college friends.To get new customers,my mother had to help.She picked up a long-forgotten membership in the local league of women,so that she cound get to know more people. Whether those people would turn into customers was another question. I knew that my Parents had to wait for quite a long time before their small investment (投资) could show returns.What’s more ,they had not wanted enough to be roch and successful ；otherwise they cound not possibly have managed their lives so badly.
I was torn between the desave to help them and change,their lives,and the determinstion not to repeat their mistakes.I had a strong belief in my power to go what I wanted.After months of hard study I won a full college scholarship（奖学金）.My father could hardly contain his pride in me,and my mother eventually gave in before my success.The author was not allowed to go to Cornell University mainly because
his father grduated from the university
his mother did not thinks it a great university
his parents needed him to help support the family
his parents did not have enough money for himThe father srarted his small shop with the money from
| A．a local league | B．his university |
| C．his relatives | D．his college friends |
Why did the mother renew her membership in the league?
| A．To help with her husband’s business | B．To raise money for her son |
| C．To meet her long-forgotten friends | D．To better manage her life |
According to the text,what was the author determined to do in that autumn? To get a well-paid job for himself
To improve relations with his mother
To go to his dream university
To carry on with his father’s business
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, 1987, 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 Belgrum. Her services were recognised 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 taugh 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 Frederio joliot?
| A．At the Curie Institute. | B．At the Cniversity 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．In 1926. |
In which of the following aspects was Irene Cuire 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. |
If you want to join Live Card to save money on tickets, you can call.
| A．0844 847 2484 | B．0800 587 5007 |
| C．0844 499 6699 | D．0161 245 6609 |
How can you pay for a ticket when you book by post?
| A．By visiting the website of a post office. |
| B．By going to your local bank in person. |
| C．By enclosing your Live Card in an envelope. |
| D．By providing your credit card information. |
What benefit can group bookers enjoy according to the text?
| A．Delayed payment for tickets. | B．Invitations to opening nights. |
| C．Reduced booking fees by phone | D．Generous discounts on tickets. |
Skeptics are a strange lot. Some of them refuse to admit the serious threat of human activities to the environment, and they are tired of people who disagree with them. Those people, say skeptics, spread nothing but bad news about the environment. The “eco-guilt” brought on by the discouraging news about our planet gives rise to the popularity of skeptics as people search for more comforting worldviews.
Perhaps that explain why a new book by Bjorn Lomborg received so much publicity. That book, The Skeptical Environmentalist, declares that it measures the “real state of the world” as fine. Of course, another explanation is the deep pockets some big businesses with special interests. Indeed, Mr. Lomborg’s views are similar to those of some Industry-funded organizations, which start huge activities though the media to confuse the public about issues like global warming.
So it was strange to see Mr. Lomborg’s book go largely unchallenged in the media though his beliefs were contrary to most scientific opinions. One national newspaper in Canada ran a number of articles and reviews full of words of praise, even with the conclusion that “After Lomborg, the environmental movement will begin to die down.”
Such one-sided views should have immediately been challenged. But only a different review appeared in Nature, a respected science magazine with specific readership. The review remarked that Mr. Lomborg’s “preference for unexamined materials is incredible (不可信的)”。
A critical (批判的) eye is valuable, and the media should present information in such a way that could allow people to make informed decisions. Unfortunately, that is often inaccessible as blocked by the desire to be shocking or to defend some special interests. People might become half-blind before a world partially exhibited by the media. That’s a shame, because matters concerning the health of the planet are far too important to be treated lightly. According to the passage, which of the following may be regarded as “skeptics”?
| A．People who agree on the popularity of “eco-guilt”. |
| B．People who disbelieve the serious situation of our planet. |
| C．People who dislike the harmful effect of human activities. |
| D．People who spread comforting news to protect our environment. |
Which of the following can be a reason for the popularity of Lomborg’s books?
| A．Some big businesses intend to protect their own interests. |
| B．The book challenges views about the fine state of the world. |
| C．The author convinces people to seek comforting worldviews. |
| D．Industry–funded media present confusing information. |
The author mentioned the review in Nature in order to_____.
| A．voice a different opinion |
| B．find fault with Lomborg’s book |
| C．challenge the authority of the media |
| D．point out the value of scientific views. |
What is the author’s main purpose in writing the passage?
| A．To encourage the skeptics to have a critical eye. |
| B．To warn the public of the danger of half–blindness with reviews. |
| C．To blame the media’s lack of responsibility in presenting information. |
| D．To show the importance of presenting overall information by the media. |