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The massive 8.8 quake, the seventh strongest in recorded history, hit Chile and should have shortened the length of an Earth day by 1.26 milliseconds, More impressive is how much the quake shifted the Earth’s axis（地轴）.
The computer mode! Used to determine the effects of the Chile earthquake effect also found that it should have moved the Earth’s figure axis by about 8 cm. The Earth’s figure figure axis is not the same as its north-south axis, which Earth turns around once every day at a speed of about 1,604 kph. The figure axis is the axis around which the Earth’s mass is balanced. It is offset（偏离） from the Earth’s north-south axis by about 10 meters.
Strong earthquakes can change Earth’s days and its axis. The 9.1 Sumatran earthquake in 2004, which set off a deadly tsunami（海啸），should have shortened Earth’s days by 0.0068 milliseconds and shifted its axis by about 7cm.
One Earth day is about 24 hours long. Over the course of a year, the length of a day normally changes gradually by one millisecond, It increases in the winter when Earth more slowly, and decreases in the summer.
The Chile earthquake was much smaller than the Sumatran quake, but its effects on the Earth are larger because of its location. The fault（断层） responsible for the 2010 Chile quake also cuts through Earth at a larger angle that the Sumatran quake’s fault. This makes the Chile fault ore effective in moving the Earth’s mass vertically and hence more effective in shifting the Earth’s figure axis.
The findings are based on early date available on the Chile earthquake. The Chile earthquake has killed more than 700 people and cause widespread damage in the South American country.
64．What’s the biggest problem caused by the Chile quake?
A．It is the seventh strongest in recorded history.
B．It should have shortened the length of an Earth day.
C．It shifted the Earth’s axis.
D．It made the day longer on Earth.
65．Comparing the Sumatram earthquake with the Chile earthquake, we know that__________.
A．the Sumatram earthquake had more effect on Earth
B．the location of the Chile earthquake is responsible for its larger effects on Earth.
C．the Sumatram earthquake was less destructive
D．the Chile earthquake fault changed the Earth’s mass
66．What does the word “it” in the 4th paragraph refer to?
A．The leng of a day. B．The axis.
C．One millisecond. D．The change of the day.
3D cinema has been around since the early 20th century, but Hollywood brought the technology back in 2007. Many thought it was just a trick to make more money. But then came Avatar, the first must-see movie in 3D.
But since Avatar, 3D cinema has struggled. In 2010, several 3D movies bombed at the box office. And by late 2010, some people said the technology was dead. Of course, this isn’t the first time Hollywood has struggled technology. Although sound was added to movies in the late 1920s, it took audience time to get used to the new technology. But in the end, sound and color became the standard. James Cameron, director of Avatar, thinks we’re going through the same process with 3D.
Some day cinemas are charging too much for 3D movies. In the Us, seeing a 3D movie can cost up to $7.5 more than seeing it in 2D. Also, a recent study at California State University has found audience don’t actually enjoy movies in 3D any more than in 2D. Walter Murch, a famous movie editor, wrote in 2011 that human beings have no ability to process 3D images. Watching a 3D movie confuses our brain and this is why some people get headaches.
But James Cameron disagrees. In fact, he recently predicted that in five years all movies will be in 3D. And there are signs that 3D is fighting back. More 3D movies were put on the market in 2012 than ever before. The Lion King 3D recently made over $150 million at the box office, and Cameron’s Titanic 3D made even more.
Who knows what the future holds for 3D? Steven Spielberg recently said, “ I’m hoping 3D gets to a point where people don’t notice it because then it just becomes another tool and helps tell a story.”The underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 probably means that in 2010, 3D movies ________.
| A．were not successful | B．became popular |
| C．developed quickly | D．were of poor quality |
The example of sound and color is used mainly to show that ______.
| A．Hollywood tends to absorb what is new |
| B．3D technology takes time to be accepted |
| C．Hollywood struggles with new technology |
| D．high technology helps to make better movies |
In Walter March’s opinion, 3D movies_______.
| A．bring movie makers great profits. |
| B．are more expensive than 2D movies. |
| C．do great harm to people’s health. |
| D．are unsuitable for people to watch. |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．Avatar was the first 3D movies. |
| B．3D cinema has existed for years. |
| C．Titanic 3D has made the most money. |
| D．2012 witnessed the coming of 3D’s time. |
Old Bear
Kevin Henkes (2008), under 40 pages
Target Audience: Preschoolers
Price: $3.8
Content: It is snowing really hard and Old Bear is getting ready for his long nap. As he sleeps, he dreams of being a cub again and enjoying the wonders of nature. He dreams about summer, fall, winter and spring and how each season brings him so much joy! The illustrations (插图) show the beauty of the seasons that Old Bear dreams about. Great book!
Half-Minute Horrors
Susan Rich (2009), 120~160 pages
Target Audience: Intermediates (4th~ 6th grade)
Price: $9.6
Content: Looking for a scary book that is also quick to read? How about a one-paragraph tale of terror or a simple drawing that will make your skin crawl? This book is a collection of very short stories, pictures and cartoons from an impressive group of authors and illustrators.
Leaves
David Ezra Stain (2007), under 40 pages
Illustrated by David Ezra Stain
Target Audience: Toddlers, Preschoolers
Price: $3.4
Content: It’s Little Bear’s first year. Fall has come to his island. When the leaves begin to fall, he wonders what to do. However, after following his instinct and sleeping through the winter, he awakens in spring to find everything blooming once again.
Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’
Eileen Spinelli (2003), under 40 pages
Illustrated by Megan Lloyd
Target Audience: Preschoolers
Price: $3.5
Content: The Tappletons (bears) are gathered together for their big Thanksgiving feast. However, all is not going well during the preparations. The turkey slides out of the house, down a hill and into a pond. There are no pies at the bakery and the lettuce for the salad has been given to the rabbits. As they sit down for the feast, Grandmother reminds them that although they have nothing to eat, they can still be thankful that they have each other.What can we learn from the book Thanksgiving at the Tappletons?
| A．We should always keep things in order. |
| B．We should try to make more delicious food on Thanksgiving. |
| C．If we don’t work hard, there will be no food. |
| D．Family love is the most important thing. |
If you like reading horror stories, which book would you like?
| A．Old Bear. |
| B．Half-Minute Horrors. |
| C．Leaves. |
| D．Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’. |
Who are the main readers of these books?
| A．Adults. |
| B．Old people. |
| C．Little children. |
| D．Middle school students. |
Where can you probably find this passage?
| A．In a travel guide. |
| B．In an advertisement. |
| C．In a science textbook. |
| D．In an official report. |
Let us suppose it is now about A.D. 2060. Let’s make believe(假设；虚构) it is about sixty years from now. Of course, things have changed and life is very different.
Voyages to the moon are being made every day. It is as easy to take a holiday on the moon today as it was for the people in 1960 to take a holiday in Europe. At a number of scenic spots on the moon, many hotels have been built. The hotels are air-conditioned, naturally. In order that everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the moon, every room has at least one picture window. Everything imaginable is provided for entertainment(娱乐) of young and old.
What are people eating now? People are still eating food. They haven’t yet started to take on heir(继承) supply of energy directly as electrical current or as nuclear power. They may some day. But many foods now come in pill form, and the food that goes into the pill continues to come mainly from green plants.
Since there are several times as many people in the world today as there were a hundred years ago, most of our planet’s surface has to be filled. The deserts are irrigated with water and crops are no longer destroyed by pests. The harvest is always good.
Farming, of course, is very highly developed. Very few people have to work on the farm. It is possible to run the farm by just pushing a few buttons now and then.
People are now largely vegetarians(素食者). You see, as the number of people increases, the number of animals decreases. Therefore, the people have to be vegetarians and we are healthier both in our bodies and in our minds, and we know the causes and cure of disease and pain, and it is possible to get rid of diseases. No one has to be ill any more.
Such would be our life in 2060.According to the passage, what will be on the moon in about A.D. 2060?
A. Many tourists. B. Many other animals.
C. Many plants. D. A sea.What will people eat then according to the passage?
| A．Biscuits in pill form. | B．Foods in pill form. |
| C．Foods in water form. | D．Foods in gas form. |
The passage tells us that in 2060, ________ on the earth than now.
| A．there are fewer population | B．there are more pests |
| C．there is less water | D．the crops are getting better |
Why are people largely vegetarians in 2060?
| A．Because they don’t eat meat . |
| B．Because doctors advise them not to eat meat. |
| C．Because the number of animals decreases. |
| D．Because all the animals have died of diseases. |
Many artists late in the last century were in search of a means to express their individuality. Modern dance was one of the ways some of these people sought to free their creative spirit. The beginnings of modem dance were happening before Isadora Duncan, but she was the first person to bring the new dance to general audiences and see it accepted and acclaimed.
Her search for a natural movement form sent her to nature. She believed movement should be as natural as the swaying of the trees and the rolling waves of the sea. Her great contributions are in three areas.
First, she began the expansion of the kinds of movements that could be used in dance. Before Duncan danced, ballet was the only type of dance performed in concerts. In the ballet the feet and legs were emphasized, with virtuosity (技巧高超) shown by complicated, codified positions and movements. Duncan performed dance by using all her body in the freest possible way. Her dance stemmed from (源自) her soul and spirit. She was one of the pioneers who broke tradition so others might be able to develop the art.
Her second contribution lies in dance costumes (服装). She discarded corset, ballet shoes, and stiff costumes. These were replaced with flowing clothes, bare feet, and unlimited hair. She believed in the natural body being allowed to move freely, and her dress displayed this ideal.
Her third contribution was in the use of music. In her performances she used the symphonies (交响乐) of great masters, including Beethoven and Wagner, which was not the usual custom.
She was as exciting and eccentric in her personal life as in her dance.. The best title for the passage would be“_________”.
| A．Dance in the Twentieth Century |
| B．Artists of the Last Century |
| C．Natural Movement in Dance |
| D．A Pioneer in Modern Dance |
According to the passage, nature meant_________ to Duncan.
| A．something to conquer | B．a model for movement |
| C．a place to find peace | D．a symbol of disorder |
The paragraph following the passage most probably discusses_________.
| A．Duncan’s further contribution to modern dance |
| B．The music customarily used in ballet |
| C．other aspects of Duncan’s life |
| D．audience acceptance of the new form of dance |
Several days ago, a Beijing-based IT company fired about 400 people overnight. No one had expected the job cuts, which broke with traditional ways of letting go of workers in China. Moreover, what was special about this case was that the day before the 400 were fired, they all received from their boss a gift—the book “Who Moved My Cheese?”
The book—a bestseller in the US—is being used by men and women to deal with changes in their lives and work. Some large organizations, including Coca-Cola, Kodak and General Motors, ask their employees to read it in order to encourage them to be active towards changes.
Cheese is something related to everyone’s livelihood-Our jobs, the industries we work in, relationships and love as well.
With China’s official entry into the WTO, the whole nation will face up to more changes and challenges. So what we should do once this “cheese” on which we are so dependent is moved?
“Whatever challenges and changes we meet, we should face up to them bravely,” Jiang Hengwei, a civil servant said after reading the book.
Professor Zhang Yang in Renmin University of China agrees. “We should change our way of thinking. The coming competitive foreign companies and products provide us with great chances to learn from them and improve our own products to meet international standards and be more competitive.”
“With hard work and wisdom, we will create a much larger and better piece of cheese.” Zhang smiled confidently.. The whole passage is about_________.
| A．a bestseller in the US |
| B．what people think about China’s entry into the WTO |
| C．the change in people’s attitude towards changes and challenges |
| D．how a book influences the Chinese workers |
The company in Beijing gave each of the 400 fired workers a copy of “Who Moved My Cheese ”in order to_________.
| A．be more competitive with foreign firms |
| B．find an excuse for their job cuts |
| C．let the workers make a living on their own |
| D．encourage the fired workers |
. The word “cheese” in the passage can refer to_________.
| A．something we depend on |
| B．a most important kind of food |
| C．change or challenge |
| D．way of life |
. From what Heng wei and Professor Zhang Yang said, we can know that____________.
| A．they have different opinions on changes and challenges |
| B．people are not afraid of competition from foreign companies |
| C．the Chinese people are ready to face any changes and challenges |
| D．they are both greatly encouraged by the book |