Toyota recalls cars in safety alert.
Toyota is recalling more than two million cars in thief fears of sticking accelerator pedals, (踏板) just months after another major problem affected huge numbers.
The latest recall is due to potential problems with the pedal device that can cause the accelerator to become stuck.
The earlier issue affected 4.2m vehicles which we at the risk of the pedal becoming trapped under floor mats.
This time Toyota said in rare cases, the pedal mechanism were down, causing the accelerator to become harder to press, slower to return or, in some cases, stuck
It's said the problem appeared to be related to the potential build-up of condensation (压缩) on sliding surfaces in the accelerator system that helps drivers push down or release the pedal. A spokesman said the company did not yet have a solution to the latest problem but is working on it.
The recall affects the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2009-2010 Corolla, the 2009-2010 Matrix, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia. Of these, the Avalon, Camry and Tundra models -- encompassing (包含) about 1.7 million vehicles -- were also included in the previous pedal recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement that the problem is "a serious safety issue and we are pleased Toyota is taking immediate action to address it".
Toyota said drivers in the recalled vehicles whose pedals become stuck should firmly apply their brakes, drive the car to a safe location, shut off the engine and contact the nearest dealer.
Toyota's latest recall in November was blamed for several crashes, including an accident involving a Lexus that accelerated to more than 120 mph before crashing in San Diego, killing four people.
1. Why is Toyota recalling so many ears in the US?
A. To reduce price B. To reduce pollution
C. for the sake of safety D. For the sake of economy
2. Which statement is true according to the passage?
A. It's the first time for Toyota to recall cars
B. The reason of the latest recall is different from that of the earlier one
C. The Toyota company has found a good solution to the problem.
D. The recall only affects the cars made between 2009-2010
3. What shouldn't the driver in the recalled vehicles whose pedals get stuck do?
A. Turn on the car engine B. Get in touch with the nearest dealers immediately
C. Drive the ear to a safe location immediately D. Firmly apply their brakes
4. What can we infer from the The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's statement?
A. It's too dangerous for the company to recall the cars
B. It's a waste of money for the company to recall the cars
C. It's not hard to solve the safety problem.
D. It's a relief to see that the company can face the problem.
How I Turned to Be Optimistic
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt's house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see-—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to "the hard times."
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.How did the author get to know America?
| A． From her relatives. | B． From her mother. |
| C． From books and pictures. | D． From radio programs. |
Upon leaving for America the author felt_______.
| A．confused | B．excited | C．worried | D．amazed |
For the first two years in New York, the author _________.
| A．often lost her way |
| B．did not think about her future |
| C．studied in three different schools |
| D．got on well with her stepfather |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?
| A．She worked as a translator. |
| B．She attended a lot of job interviews. |
| C．She paid telephone bills for her family. |
| D．She helped her family with her English. |
The author believes that______.
| A．her future will be free from troubles |
| B．it is difficult to learn to become patient |
| C．there are more good things than bad things |
| D．good things will happen if one keeps trying |
In the US and Britain, the slogan around colleges was “Save water. Shower with a friend.” Now, Wuhan University has come up with another system for the campus bathhouse. It charges students for the amount of time in a shower. Before entering the bathhouse, students pay for the amount of time they want in the shower with cash or their student ID card. The clock starts ticking the minute the tape is turned on. It pauses when a button is pressed for soap. An integrated circuit(IC) card reader at each tap shows the time. No money, no water. The benefits of the new system can be seen with the old system, which charged 1 Yuan for each person regardless of time in the shower. The university used about 320 tones of water daily under the old system, but only 160 tons now.
Many students use the new system but opinions on it are divided. Some students say it is bad because bathing had become a sort of race. Many people using it for the first time are not sure how long they need to shower. Some might be embarrassed if their time is up and they’re still covered in soap. They have to ask the bathhouse worker to help them buy extra time.
“It’s a flaw in the system that you can not buy extra time on the ID card,” said Ren, a freshman in Wuhan University. The university is also considering some students’ suggestions that they be allowed to pay after they’ve finished the shower. Not surprisingly, some are complaining about losing the hour shower. But many students say the move helps them develop a water-saving sense.
Without the time limits, most students tended to shower for 30 to an hour in the bathhouse.
Some even used the hot water to wash their clothes. “In my experience, 10-20 minutes is enough,” said Dai Zhihua, a third-year student who usually takes 8 minutes.
A similar system has been installed in other universities. Shanghai Normal University introduced it at its Fengxiang Campus in September. The bathing fee there is 0.2 Yuan per minute. One male student responded by setting a record with a two-minute shower.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Students pay for the amount of time they want in the shower. |
| B．The clock times all through while the student is bathing except when the bather paused for soap. |
| C．If money runs out, there will be no water. |
| D．Having finished bathing, the student has to pay for it. |
The underline word “flaw” (Paragraph3) most probably means______.
| A．perfection | B．advantage | C．pity | D．fault |
Since the new system has performed, ______ of water can be saved.
| A．a quarter | B．one third | C．one half | D．two thirds |
It can be inferred from the passage that______.
| A．the new operation can solve the water crisis. |
| B．The new operation can raise students’ environmental awareness. |
| C．a similar operation has been set in other universities. |
| D．The university has saved a lot of water by using the new system. |
In which column can you find this passage?
| A．People. | B．Society | C．Campus Life. | D．Lifestyle. |
Winners Club
You choose to be a winner!
The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account(交易账户)where you receive a keycard so you can get to your money 24/7—that’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
It’s a club with impressive features for teenagers：
● No account keeping fees!
You’re no millionaire so we don’t expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!
● Excellent interest rates!
You want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two deposits without taking them out in a month.
● Convenient
Teenagers are busy — we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet...You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your parttime job!
● Mega magazine included
Along with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.
The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You will have to get permission from your parent or guardian (so we can organize that cool keycard)but it is easy. We can’t wait to hear from you. It’s the best way to choose to be a winner!The Winners Club is a bank account intended for________.
| A．parents | B．teenagers | C．winners | D．adults |
Which of the following is TRUE about the Winners Club?
| A．Special gifts are ready for parents. |
| B．The bank opens only on work days. |
| C．Services are convenient for its members. |
| D．Fees are necessary for the account keeping. |
The Winners Club provides magazines which________.
| A．encourage spending |
| B．are free to all teenagers |
| C．are full of adventure stories |
| D．help to make more of your money |
If you want to be a member of the Club，you must________.
| A．be an Internet user | B．be permitted by your parent |
| C．have a big sum of money | D．be in your twenties |
What is the purpose of this text?
| A．To set up a club. |
| B．To provide parttime jobs. |
| C．To organize keycards. |
| D．To introduce a new banking service. |
Outside our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a seemingly ancient woman waited beside the door with her hand outstretched. Every day I put my hand in hers as our eyes met. She never failed to return my smile, my grasp, and my greeting.
On the last day of our visit, I found myself alone on a busy corner across the street from our hotel. Bicycles and motorbikes rushed in front of me. As I hesitated on the sidewalk, I felt a hand on my elbow and looked down to see the smile of my small beggar friend looking up at me. She nodded her head toward the street, indicating that she would take me across. Together, we moved slowly into the chaos.
Then we moved on toward the sidewalk, where she pulled my face down to hers, kissed me on both cheeks, and then left, still smiling and waving back to me.
Traveling in poorer nations, I have witnessed a variety of ways to deal with beggars. The most common response of tourists faced with the poverty-stricken is to ignore them and focus their eyes elsewhere. I have seen people push away an outstretched hand in angry annoyance. A few may drop a few coins into the hand in a hurry, hoping that other ragged pursuers won’t immediately appear on the scene.
For many reasons, giving money is not the best response to an outstretched hand. Many world travelers have discovered that the greatest gift they can give is their time and respect. Everyone needs recognition, to be seen as worthy of being known, to feel appreciated and loved. And I believe that everyone is worthy and worth knowing.The woman beggars helped the author go across the busy street because __________.
| A．the author gave her material assistance |
| B．the author treated her kindly and friendly |
| C．the author would help her as a reward |
| D．the author was a foreigner |
From the story, what position of the beggars in the author’s mind might be?
| A．equal | B．superior | C．lower | D．valuable |
In common cases, people will do the following things to the beggars EXCEPT for ________.
| A．pretending to see nothing |
| B．handing out some money |
| C．refusing them angrily |
| D．greeting them normally |
According to the author, the most important things beggars really need are _________.
| A．mercy and pity | B．money and food |
| C．smile and greeting | D．attention and respect |
The purpose of the passage is to _________.
| A．show how poor the beggars are in Vietnam |
| B．offer some advice on dealing with begging |
| C．express what we should offer the beggars |
| D．describe an experience with a beggar |
Whether we’re 2 years old or 62, our reasons for lying are mostly the same: to get out of trouble, for personal gain and to make ourselves look better in the eyes of others. But a growing body of research is raising questions about how a child’s lie is different from an adult’s lie, and how the way we deceive changes as we grow.
“Parents and teachers who catch their children lying should not be alarmed. Their children are not going to turn out to be abnormal liars,” says Dr. Lee, a professor at the University of Toronto and director of the Institute of Child Study. He has spent the last 15 years studying how lying changes as kids get older, why some people lie more than others as well as which factors can reduce lying. The fact that children tell lies is a sign that they have reached a new developmental stage. Dr. Lee conducted a series of studies in which they bring children into a lab with hidden cameras. Children and young adults aged 2 to 17 are likely to lie while being told not to look at a toy, which is put behind the child’s back. Whether or not the child takes a secret look is caught on tape.
For young kids, the desire to cheat is big and 90% take a secret look in these experiments. When the test-giver returns to the room, the child is asked if he or she looked secretly. At age 2, about a quarter of children will lie and say they didn’t. By 3, half of kids will lie, and by 4, that figure is 90%, studies show.
Researchers have found that it’s kids with better understanding abilities who lie more. That’s because to lie you also have to keep the truth in mind, which includes many brain processes, such as combining several sources of information and faking that information. The ability to lie — and lie successfully — is thought to be related to development of brain regions that allow so called “executive functioning”, or higher order thinking and reasoning abilities. Kids who perform better on tests that involve executive functioning also lie more.What’s the purpose of children telling lies?
| A．To help their friends out. |
| B．To get rid of trouble. |
| C．To get attention from others. |
| D．To create a popular image. |
The underlined word “deceive” in Paragraph 1 can be replaced by “”.
| A．tell lies | B．handle troubles |
| C．raise questions | D．do research |
From the second paragraph we can know that .
| A．which factors can reduce lying |
| B．why some lie more than others |
| C．it is normal for kids to tell lies |
| D．how lying changes as kids grow |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
| A．children’s lies are the same as adults’ |
| B．the better kids are, the more they lie |
| C．the older kids are, the more they lie |
| D．kids always keep the truth in their mind |
What is NOT included in the passage?
| A．The reasons why kids tell lies. |
| B．Which kind of kids tells more lies. |
| C．Experiments about lying of young kids. |
| D．What to do with lying children. |