What will people die of 100 years from now? If you think that is a simple question, you have not been paying attention to the revolution that is taking place in bio-technology. With the help of new medicine, the human body will last a very long time. Death will come mainly from accidents, murder and war. Today’s leading killers, such as heart disease, cancer, and different colors t(遥远的) memories.
In discussion of technological changes, the Internet gets most of the attention these days. But the change in medicine can be the real technological event of our times. How long can humans live? Human brains were known to decide the final death. Cells are the basic units of all living things, and until recently, scientists were sure that the life of cells could not go much beyond 120 years because the basic materials of cells, such as those of brain cells, wouldn’t last forever. But the upper limits will be broken by new medicine. Sometime between 2050 and 2100, medicine will have advanced to the point at which every 10 years or so, people will be able to take medicine to repair their organs(器官).The medicine, made up of the basic building materials of life, will build new brain cells, heart cells, and so on—in much the same way our bodies make new skin cells to take the place of old ones.
It is exciting to imagine that the advance in technology may be changing the most basic condition of human existence, but many technical problems still must be cleared up (澄清) on the way to this wonderful future.
1.According to the passage, human death is now mainly caused by _______.
A.diseases and aging B.accidents and war
C.accidents and aging D.heart disease and war
2.In the author’s opinion, today’s most important advance in technology lies in ______.
A.medicine B.the Internet C.brain cells D.human organ
3.Humans may live longer in the future because ________.
A.heart disease will be far away from us
B.human brain can decide the final death
C.the basic materials of cells will last forever
D.human organs can be repaired by new medicine
4. We can learn from the passage that ______.
A.human life will not last more than 120 years in the future
B.humans have to take medicine to build new skin cells now
C.much need to be done before humans can have a longer life
D.we have already solved the technical problems in building new cells
Work is of great significance to individuals’ lives in America and people hold serious attitudes to work. When the early Protestant immigrants came to this country, they brought the idea that work was the way to God and heaven. This attitude, the Protestant Work Ethic(道德规范), still influences America today. Work is not only important for economic benefits, the salary, but also for social and psychological needs, the feeling of doing something for the good of the society. Americans spend most of their lives working, being productive.
For most Americans, their work defines them: they are what they do. What happens then, when a person can no longer work? Almost all Americans stop working at age sixty-five or seventy and retire. Because work is such an important part of life in this culture, retirement can be very difficult. Retirees often feel that they are useless and unproductive. Of course, some people are happy to retire; but leaving one’s job, whatever it is, is a difficult change, even for those who look forward to retiring. Many retirees do not know how to use their time or they feel lost without their jobs. Retirements can also bring financial problems. Many people rely on Social Security checks every month. During their working years, employees contribute a certain percentage of their salaries to the government. Each employer also gives a certain percentage to the government. When people retire, they receive this money as income. These checks do not provide enough money to live on, however, because prices are increasing very rapidly. Senior citizens, those over sixty-five, have to have savings in the bank or other retirement plans to make ends meet. The rate of inflation（通货膨胀）is forcing prices higher each year; Social Security checks alone cannot cover these growing expenses. The government offers some assistance(补助), Medicare(health care)and welfare(general assistance), but many senior citizens have to change their life styles after retirement. They have to spend carefully to be sure that they can afford to buy food, fuel and other necessities.
Of course, many senior citizens are happy with retirement. They have time to spend with their families or enjoy their hobbies. Some continue to work part time, others do voluntary work. Some, like those in the Retired Business Executives Association, even help young people to get started in new business. Many retired citizens also belong to “Golden Age” groups. These organizations plan trips and social events. There are many chances for retirees.
American society is only beginning to be concerned about the special physical and emotional needs of its senior citizens. The government is taking steps to ease the problem of limited income. They are building new housing, offering discounts in stores and museums and on buses, and providing other services such as free courses, food service, and help with housework. Retired citizens are a rapidly growing percentage of the population. This part of the population is very important and we must meet their needs. After all, every citizen will be a senior citizen some day.The author believes that work first became important to Americans because of _______.
| A．economy | B．religion | C．psychology | D．family |
The passage is mainly about _______.
| A．money and check |
| B．senior and junior |
| C．Protestants and Americans |
| D．work and retirement |
When Americans stop work, it’s difficult for them to _______.
| A．get Social Security checks |
| B．enjoy themselves |
| C．feel productive |
| D．be religious |
The 4G mobile phones have been made available for some time and are now on hot sale. Quite a few customers are attracted by the much quicker access to the Internet and some new fancy features or functions and some people just want to keep pace with fashion.
By today's standards, my mobile phone is pretty rubbish. It's a Nokia 1616. If that doesn't mean much to you (it's not the kind of phone you see advertised on television), all you need to know is that it's a small, not very heavy device with which you can send and receive telephone calls and text messages. It also has a very handy flashlight on the top for when you can't find your keys, or when you drop something on the floor in the cinema. Other than that, my phone doesn't do much. Well, it has an alarm, and it probably has a calculator and things like that, but it's nothing compared to a smartphone. Why would I want one of those?
I have often been told that the big advantage of having a smartphone is that "you can do everything with them!" But when was the last time you saw someone doing "everything" with a smartphone? Okay, so they may have an endless list of functions, but generally they are used for checking social networking sites, playing games, and receiving and replying to emails. I'm happy just doing all of those things at home on my laptop.
As far as I can tell, the best thing about having a smartphone is that you can be connected to the internet all the time. Don't get me wrong. I love the internet, but I just don't see the point of constantly being online. I can't remember the last time I received a Facebook update which was so urgent that I had to read it as soon as it appeared, and I can't imagine ever having a job which was so important that I would need to read work-related emails immediately. I would think that if someone needed me urgently, they would just ring me rather than send an email. And my trusty Nokia can manage that.
One of the most peculiar effects of the smartphone is, in my opinion, the newly-found addiction to maps and navigation (导航) systems. Is there anything more boring than knowing exactly where you are all of the time? How do you get to know an area if you don't get lost there a few times? And if you are dependant on online maps, what happens to those great places you find just by chance? You can't exactly find out from Google maps the journey from“here”to “that hidden cafe with the tasty-looking cakes", or to "that pond next to the church which looks really pretty in the evening sun. " It is, of course, true that we all occasionally need to be pointed in the right direction, but I find that there are often real life humans you can ask.
There are many benefits of having a very basic mobile phone, like the fact that it cost me about twenty pounds, and that I don't have to worry too much about it being stolen. But the main benefit has to be the fact that it provides me with the word “greatest excuse for my bad habits”. Whether it's turning up late to events, or getting lost on a trip, or missing buses or trains, or forgetting about an appointment at work, I'm pretty sure I'm covered with the following explanation "I'm really, sorry I don't have a smartphone."The writer uses his Nokia 1616 mainly to __________.
| A．play online games |
| B．do calculating work |
| C．make calls and text messages |
| D．check social network sites |
It can be inferred from the above passage that__________.
| A．work-related emails should be answered immediately |
| B．a Facebook update is usually very important |
| C．smartphones should always be connected to the net |
| D．a laptop and a smartphone share many functions |
According to the passage, if you use navigation systems, you may __________.
| A．find a boring trip actually exciting |
| B．miss some really wonderful places |
| C．be persuaded to eat in a certain café |
| D．be misled to a totally wrong place |
To the writer, one benefit of having a basic mobile phone is that__________.
| A．it can be used as an excuse for his bad habits |
| B．it can often be found back after it is stolen |
| C．it can remind him of important appointments |
| D．it can save him the trouble of catching trains |
Farming is moving indoors, where the sun never shines, where rainfall is irrelevant(不相干的)and where the climate is always right. The perfect crop field could be inside a windowless building with controlled light, temperature, wetness, air quality and nutrition. It could be in a New York high-rise or a sprawling complex (综合楼) in the Saudi desert. It may be an answer to the world’s food problems.
The world is already having trouble feeding itself. Half the people on Earth live in cities, and nearly half of those--about 3 billion--are hungry or ill-fed. Food prices, currently increasing, are buffeted by dryness, floods and the cost of energy required to plant, harvest and transport. And prices will only get more unstable. Climate change makes long-term crop planning uncertain. Farmers in many parts of the world are already using water available to the last drop. And the world is getting more crowded: by mid-century, the global population will grow from 6. 8 billion to 9 billion.
To feed so many people may require expanding farmland at the expense of forests and wilderness, or finding ways to completely increase crop output.
Gertjan Meeuws has taken the concept of a greenhouse a step further, growing vegetables and house plants in enclosed(封闭的) and regulated environments. In their research station, water flows into the pans when needed, and the temperature is kept constant. Lights go on and off, creating similar day and night, but according to the rhythm of the plant.
A building of 100 square meters and 14 layers(层) of plants could provide a daily diet of 200 grams of fresh fruit and vegetables to the entire population of Den Bosch, about 140, 000 people. Their idea is not to grow foods that require much space, like corn or potatoes.
Here sunlight is not only unnecessary but can be harmful. Plants need only specific wavelengths of light to grow. Their growth rate is three times faster than under greenhouse conditions. They use about 90 percent less water than outdoors agriculture. And city farming means producing food near the consumer, and there’s no need to transport it long distances.What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us?
| A．The climate is worse and worse. |
| B．The city people live a hard life. |
| C．The world has difficulty feeding its people. |
| D．The world’s population is increasing fast. |
The underlined word “buffeted” in Paragraph 2 means“”.
| A．badly affected | B．prevented |
| C．demanded | D．well achieved |
It can be inferred from the text that Gertjan Meeuws’s farming.
| A．helps save sea water a lot |
| B．suits different conditions |
| C．is completely different from greenhouse agriculture |
| D．suits the production of corn |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．Development of indoor farming. |
| B．Great Revolution in farming. |
| C．Advantages of indoor farming. |
| D．Sunless, rainless indoor farming. |
The dirty, homeless man sat on the pavement, staring at the stones. He thought back more than twenty years to when he was a boy living in a small red brick house on this very street. He recalled the flower garden, the swing his dad made, and the bike he had saved up for months to buy.
The man shrugged impatiently, for the brightness of those pictures hurt him, and his memory traveled on another ten years. He had a job by then, plenty of friends and started to come home less. He did not really want to remember those years, nor the day when, because of debts, he had gone home planning to ask for money. He felt embarrassed, but he knew exactly where his dad kept the money. When his parents stepped out of the room, he took what he wanted and left.
That was the last time he had seen them. Ashamed, he went abroad, and his parents knew nothing about the years of wandering or time in prison. But locked in his cell he often thought of home. Once free, he would love to see his parents again, if they were still alive, and still wanted to see him.
When his prison time was up, he found a job, but couldn’t settle. Something was drawing him home. He did not want to arrive penniless, so he hitchhiked most of the long journey back. But less than a mile from his destination he started to feel sick with doubt. Could they ever accept this man who had so bitterly disappointed them?
He spent most of that day sitting under a tree. That evening he posted a letter which, although short, had taken him hours to write. It ended with:
I know it is unreasonable of me to suppose you want to see me ... so it’s up to you. I’ll come early Thursday morning. If you want me home, hang a white handkerchief in the window of my old bedroom. If it’s there, I’ll come in; if not, I’ll wave good-bye and go.
And now it was Thursday morning and he was sitting on the pavement at the end of the street. Finally he got up and walked slowly toward the old house. He drew a long breath and looked.
His parents were taking no risks. ________________________________________
The man threw his head back, gave a cry of relief and ran straight through the open front door.Why did the man shrug impatiently (paragraph 2) while he was thinking of his childhood?
| A．The thoughts made him angry. |
| B．He felt he had wasted time. |
| C．He was anxious to go home. |
| D．The sweet memory caused him much pain. |
Why did it take him hours to write the letter?
| A．He doubted if his parents still lived in that house. |
| B．He had much news to tell his parents. |
| C．He felt ashamed to ask for forgiveness. |
| D．He was longing to return home and felt excited. |
Which of the following best fits into paragraph 8?
| A．Every inch of the house was covered in white. Sheets, pillowcases and table clothes had been placed on every window and door, making it look like a snow house. |
| B．The house before him was just as he remembered: the red bricks, the brown door and nothing else. |
| C．A colorful blanket was over the front door. On it, in large letters, was written, “Welcome home, son”. |
| D．A police car was parked in the drive way, and two officers stood at the front door. |
The best title of the passage is _______.
| A．Sweet Memory | B．White Handkerchief |
| C．Abandoned(被放弃的) Son | D．Leaving Home |
Opening week specials at Munchies Food Hall
At the corner of Green and Brown Streets in the city
Monday 7th of January until Sunday, 13th of January, 2014
Feast until you’re full!
Come down to Munchies this week to enjoy the special dishes on offer at all of our food outlets. Order from the following:
·Succulent chicken rice ·Spicy satay beef
·Delicious noodle dishes ·Plump park chops
·Seafood specialties ·Crunchy vegetables
·Sweet tropical fruit
Halal food is available at the stall Malay Food Heaven
Win Prizes and Gifts!
·Spend $ 20.00 or more and win instant prizes from our lucky draw box.
·Collect a free party balloon and whistle for each young diner.
·Enjoy a free meal if you are the first customer of the day at any of our stalls.
·Win a holiday to Western Australia. A free raffle ticket is given with every receipt. Just fill in your information and place your entry in the box provided.
Winner to be announced in The Straits Times on the 15th of January.
Join in the Fun!
Between 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm each evening until the 10th of January, your favorite Channel 3 television actors and singers will entertain you:
·May Lee ·Jackie Chen
·Kim Yap ·Kamal
Autograph sessions will follow each performance! And who will be our extra special mystery star? Come down on Saturday at noon to find out.The prices at Munchies are__________.
| A．lower than usual |
| B．bargain prices for the opening |
| C．lower for two people |
| D．lower if you spend $ 21.00 |
Every receipt comes with a _________.
| A．free raffle ticket | B．lucky draw coupon |
| C．free meal | D．balloon and whistle |
I will find out who has won the trip to Western Australia when I _________.
| A．watch Channel 3 television |
| B．come down to Munchies at noon |
| C．read The Straits Times on the 15th of January |
| D．attend the lucky draw at Munchies Food Hall |