At present, in many American cities expecially, many teachers in the public schools say they are underpaid. They point to jobs such as secretary or truck driver, which often pay more to start than that of a teacher. In many other fields, such as law, medicine, computer science, a beginning worker may make more than a teacher who has taught for several years.
Teaching has never been a profession that attracted people interested in high salaries. It is by history a profession that has provided rewards in addition to money—the satisfaction of sharing knowledge, of influencing others, of guiding young people. But in the past several years, there are more difficulties in teaching, for many, than there are rewards.
Unruly students, especially in big cities, large classes and a lack of support from the public in terms of money and understanding have led many public school teachers to leave the profession.
As a result, many of the best students, who would have chosen teaching as their life career in the past, are going into other fields.
Another reason for this change in teacher candidates is the changing status of women in the United States. Until the late 1960s and 1970s, one of the most popular choices for women was teaching. But as other professions, such as law and medicine opened up to women, women stopped pouring into teacher training programs. Thus, a major pool of excellent candidates for the teaching profession dwindled.
Bit by bit government officials and others realized that the status of the teacher had suffered. They talked about change. But the change in a vast society like the United States is not easy. People’s attitudes have formed over many years, and sometimes change takes many years.
1．The underlined word “that” in Paragraph 1 refers to “_________”.
A．money B．job C．secretary D．truck driver
2．What is the present situation of the teaching?
A．Teachers work harder and get underpaid.
B．Teahcers have no opportunities to work in other fields.
C．Teaching can attract best students to work as a teacher.
D．Teaching can provide rewards as well as high salaries.
3．Many public school teachers turn to other professions because_________.
A．the government doesn’t finacially support them
B．they have to work longer hours than a lawyer
C．their students refuse to listen to them
D．they are not fairly treated
4．The author believes that change in teachers’ status in the United States_________.
A．is not great B．is impossible
C．influences people’s attitude D．needs time
Jake O' Brien，one of the central characters in Sterling R．Walker's science fiction novel The Orphan Ship，has just received some bad news. The medical school he has been going to is closing down because of financial(财务的)problems；and to make matters worse，the only other medical program in the world also happens to be on another planet. Thus，in order to become a doctor，Jake packs his suitcase and jumps on board the passenger ship Atlanta to go to Mars!
When Jake and his cousin Lorina Murphy journey to Mars Station in search of educational opportunities，they never guess they will turn into life savers. But because of the extreme poverty and child exploitation(剥削)happening on Mars，these two cousins are forced to accept their true destiny(命运)．However，they are not alone in their efforts to save the poor “street kids”．Early in the story these two heroes are joined by the crew(船员)of the Ishmael，which in the course of the story，becomes a rescue ship and a safe place for over one hundred homeless children.
In this novel，there are different themes. While fighting the cruel people who sell the “street kids” of Mars Station，the colorful characters of The Orphan Ship also manage to fall in love，find wealth，and form lasting friendships.
The real power of the story comes from the characters' expression of fellow feeling—a feeling of understanding others because you have shared similar experiences. The characters in The Orphan Ship have a sense of social duty and spiritual commitment. For example，at one point in the story，shocked by the way the homeless children have been treated，Lorina notices “a pair of black children sitting under a streetlight begging food from passersby”．Yet “no one gave the children a second look.” Fortunately，however，Lorina and her newfound friends—the crew of the Ishmael，which soon becomes the “Orphan Ship”—do indeed care for the children of Mars Station，as they join forces to provide them safe passage to earth and also a home. In this way the theme of compassion is the centerpiece of the entire novel.Jake decides to go to Mars because ______.
| A．studying medicine is cheaper on Mars than on earth |
| B．the medical school on Mars is better than that on earth |
| C．Mars is the only place where he can realize his dream |
| D．his cousin encourages him to become a doctor on Mars |
What's Jake and his cousin's destiny?
| A．To save other people's lives. |
| B．To become the crew of the Ishmael. |
| C．To fail to get an education on Mars. |
| D．To make friends with homeless children. |
All the following are themes of the novel EXCEPT ______.
| A．friendship | B．spreading knowledge |
| C．finding wealth | D．love |
The underlined word “them” in the last paragraph refers to ______.
| A．passersby | B．Lorina's newfound friends |
| C．homeless children | D．the black |
Close your eyes for a minute and imagine what life would be like if you had a hundred dollars less. Also imagine what it would be like spending the rest of your life with you eyes closed. Imagine having to read this page, not with your eyes but with your finger-tips.
With existing medical knowledge and skills, two-thirds of the world’s 42 million blind should not have to suffer. Unfortunately, rich countries posses most of this knowledge, while developing countries do not.
ORBIS is an international non-profit organization which operates the world’s only flying teaching eye hospital. ORBIS intends to help fight blindness worldwide. Inside a DC-8 aircraft, there is a fully-equipped teaching hospital with television studio and classroom. Doctors are taught the latest techniques of bringing sight back to people there. Project ORBIS also aims at promoting peaceful cooperation(合作) among countries.
ORBIS tries to help developing countries by providing training during three-week medical programs. ORBIS has taught sight-saving techniques to over 35,000 doctors and nurses, who continue to cure tens of thousands of blind people every year. ORBIS has conducted 17 plane programs in China so far. For the seven to ten million blind in China, ORBIS is planning to do more for them. At the moment an ORBIS is working on a long-term plan to develop a training center and to provide eye care service to Shanxi Province. ORBIS needs your help to continue their work and free people from blindness.
For just US$38,you can help one person see; for $380 you can bring sight to 10 people; $1,300 helps teach a doctor new skills; and for $13,000 you can provide a training program for a group of doctors who can make thousands of blind people see again. Your money can open their eyes to the world. Please help ORBIS improve the quality of life for so many people less fortunate than ourselves.The first paragraph is intended to ______.
| A．introduce a new way of reading |
| B．advise the public to lead a simple life |
| C．direct the public’s attention to the blind |
| D．encourage the public to use imagination |
What do we learn about existing medical knowledge and skills in the world?
| A．They are adequate |
| B．They are not equally distributed |
| C．They have not been updated. |
| D．They have benefited most of the blind |
ORRIS aims to help the blind by ______.
| A．teaching medical students |
| B．training doctors and nurses |
| C．running flying hospitals globally |
| D．setting up non-profit organization |
What can be the best title for the passage?
| A．ORRIS in China | B．Fighting Blindness |
| C．Sight-seeing Techniques | D．ORRIS Flying Hospital |
Larry was on another of his underwater expeditions(探险)but this time, it was different. He decided to take his daughter along with him. She was only ten years old. This would be her first trip with her father on what he had always been famous for.
Larry first began diving when he was his daughter’s age. Similarly, his father had taken him along on one of his expeditions. Since then, he had never looked back.. Larry started out by renting diving suits from the small diving shop just along the shore. He had hated them. They were either too big or too small. Then, there was the instructor. He gave him a short lesson before allowing him into the water with his father. He had made an exception. Larry would never have been able to go down without at least five hours of theory and another similar number of hours on practical lessons with a guide. Children his age were not even allowed to dive.
After the first expedition, Larry’s later diving adventures only got better and better. There was never a dull moment. In his black and blue suit and with an oxygen tank fastened on his back, Larry dived from boats into the middle of the ocean. Dangerous areas did not prevent him from continuing his search. Sometimes, his was limited to a cage underwater but that did not bother him. At least, he was still able to take photographs of the underwater creatures.
Larry’s first expedition without his father was in the Cayman Islands. There were numerous diving spots in the area and Larry was determined to visit all of them .Fortunately for him, a man offered to take him around the different spots for free. Larry didn’t even know what the time was, how many spots he dived into or how many photographs he had taken. The diving spots afforded such a wide array of fish and sea creatures that Larry saw more than thirty varieties of creatures.
Larry looked at his daughter. She looked as excited as he had been when he was her age. He hoped she would be able to continue the family tradition. Already, she looked like she was much braver than had been then. This was the key to a successful underwater expedition.In what way was this expedition different for Larry?
| A．His daughter had grown up. |
| B．He had become a famous diver. |
| C．His father would dive with him. |
| D．His daughter would dive with him. |
What can be inferred from Paragraph2?
| A．Larry had some privileges. |
| B．Larry liked the rented diving suits. |
| C．Divers had to buy diving equipment. |
| D．Ten-year-old children were permitted to dive. |
Why did Larry have to stay in a cage underwater sometimes?
| A．To dive into the deep water. |
| B．To protect himself from danger. |
| C．To admire the underwater view. |
| D．To take photo more conveniently. |
What can be learned from the underlined sentence?
| A．Larry didn’t wear a watch. |
| B．Larry had a poor memory. |
| C．Larry enjoyed the adventure. |
| D．Larry was not good at math. |
Protagoras was among the great teachers of ancient Athens. He taught many subjects, including the laws of argument(辩论) and the right use of language. It is said that he was the first teacher to accept money for his services.
A student, Evalthus, heard of this famous teacher and asked him to give him lessons. However, Evalthus didn’t want to pay for his lessons at once, and after some discussion it was finally agreed between them that Evalthus should pay only if he won his first case in the court. For if he won, it would prove that he had been taught well.
The lessons began and Evalthus proved himself to be a good student. But he refused to pay Protagoras anything at the end of his studies.
Protagoras therefore took Evalthus to the court and told the judges that he wanted his money. He explained that he must be paid whether he won or lost the case. “Whatever you decide,” he declared(宣称)to the judges, “ I must be paid. For if you decide in my fovor , then I win the case, and so I must be paid . But If you decide against me, then Evalthus has won his first case in the court; according to our agreement, he must pay his lessons. Therefore I shall get my money whatever happens.”
The Athenian judges found no fault in it, so they asked Evalthus to reply.
“No, it’s quite clear,” said Evalthus, “ that I need not pay. If the judged decide in my favor, then I have won the case, and I need not to pay. But if Protagoras wins, then I have lost my first case. Therefore, according to our agreement, I do not have to pay. So I need not pay in any event.”
As both arguments appeared to be faultless, the judges were unable to come to a decision. They therefore ordered the two men to appear before them again one hundred years later.Evalthus would pay Protagoras _______________.
| A．before he started his lessons |
| B．after he finished his lessons |
| C．after the court decided against him |
| D．after the court proved that he was taught well |
What do we know about Protagoras?
| A．He won the judges’ favor in the end and got his money. |
| B．He was probably the first teacher to accept money for his lessons. |
| C．He didn’t teach Evalthus well because Evalthus didn’t pay. |
| D．He was not confident of his winning the case in the court. |
Why did the judged ask Protagoras and Evalthus to come to the court one hundred years later?
| A．They couldn’t make a decision. |
| B．They needed to think it over again. |
| C．They wanted to make fun of them. |
| D．They wanted more money from them. |
What is probably the best title for the text?
| A．A Smart Student---- Evalthus |
| B．A Great Teacher---Protagoras |
| C．Come Here One Hundred Years Later |
| D．A Fight Between Teacher and Student |
We already know the fastest, least expensive way to slow climate change: Use less energy. With a little effort, and not much money, most of us could reduce our energy diets by 25 percent or more—doing the Earth a favor while also helping our wallets.
Not long ago, my wife, PJ, and I tried a new diet—not to lose a little weight but to answer an annoying question about climate change. Scientists have reported recently that the world is heating up even faster than predicted only a few years ago, and that the consequences could be severe if we don’t keep reducing emissions(排放) of carbon dioxide(CO2) and other greenhouse gases that are trapping heat in our atmosphere.
We decided to try an experiment. For one month we recorded our personal emissions of CO2. We wanted to see how much we could cut back, so we went on a strict diet. The average US household(家庭) produces about 150 pounds of CO2 a day by doing common-place things like turning on air-conditioning or driving cars. That’s more than twice the European average and almost five times the global average, mostly because Americans drive more and have bigger houses. But how much should we try to reduce?
For an answer, I checked with Tim Flannery, author of The Weather Makers:How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth. In his book, he had challenged readers to make deep cuts in personal emissions to keep the world from reaching extremely important tipping points, such as the melting(融化) of the ice sheets in Greenland or West Antarctica. “To stay below that point, we need to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 percent, ”he said.
Good advice, I thought. I’d opened our bedroom windows to let in the wind. We’d gotten so used to keeping our air-conditioning going around the clock. I’d almost forgotten the windows even opened. We should not let this happen again. It’s time for us to change our habits if necessary.Why did the author and his wife try a new diet?
| A．To take special kinds of food. |
| B．To respond to climate change. |
| C．To lose weight. |
| D．To improve their health. |
The underlined words “tipping points” most probably refer to “”.
| A．freezing points | B．burning points |
| C．melting points | D．boiling points |
It can be inferred from the passage that.
| A．it is necessary to keep the air-conditioning on all the time |
| B．it seems possible for every household to cut emissions of CO2 |
| C．the average US household produces about 3, 000 pounds of CO2 a month |
| D．the average European household produces about 1, 000 pounds of CO2 a month |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Saving Energy Starts at Home |
| B．Changing Our Habits Begins at Work |
| C．Changing Climate Sounds Reasonable |
| D．Reducing Emissions of CO2 Proves Difficult |