The invention of the electric telegraph gave birth to the communications industry. Although Samuel B. Morse succeeded in making the invention useful in 1837, it was not until 1843 that the first important telegraph line was constructed. By 1860 more than 50,000 miles of lines connected people east of the Rockies. The following year, San Francisco was added to the network.
The national telegraph network strengthened the ties between East and West and contributed to the rapid expansion of the railroads by providing an efficient means to monitor schedules and routes. Furthermore, the extension of the telegraph, combined with the invention of the steam-driven rotary printing press by Richard
M. Hoe in 1846, revolutionized the world of journalism. Where the business of news gathering had been dependent upon the mail and on hand-operated presses, the telegraph expanded the amount of information a newspaper could supply and allowed for more timely reporting. The creating of the Associated Press as a central wire service in 1846 marked the arrival of a new era (纪元) in journalism.
71. The main topic of the passage is .
A. the history of journalism B. the origin of the national telegraph
C. how the telegraph network contributed to the expansion of railroads
D. the contributions and development of the telegraph network
72. The word "gathering" in line 11 refers to .
A. people B. information
C. objects D. substances
73. The author's main purpose in this passage is to .
A. compare the invention of the telegraph with the invention of the steam-driven rotary press
B. propose new ways to develop the communications industry
C. show how the electric telegraph affected the communications industry
D. criticize Samuel B. Morse
74. This passage would most likely be found in a .
A. U.S. history book B. book on trains
C. science textbook D. computer magazine
75. It can be inferred from the passage that .
A. Samuel Morse did not make a significant contribution to the communications industry
B. Morse's invention did not immediately achieve its full potential (潜力)
C. the extension of the telegraph was more important than its invention
D. journalists have the Associated Press to thank for the birth of the communications industry
Be aware of those who use the truth to deceive. When someone tells you something that is true, but leaves out important information that should be included, he can create a false impression. For example, someone might say, “I just won a hundred dollars on the lottery. It was great. I took that dollar ticket back to the store and turned it in for one hundred dollars!” This guy’s a winner, right? Maybe, or maybe not. We then discover that he bought two hundred tickets, and only one was winner. He’s really a big loser! He didn’t say anything that was false, but he omitted important information on purpose. That’s called a half-truth. Half-truths are not technically lies, but they are just as dishonest.
Untrustworthy candidates in political campaigns often use this tactic. Let’s say that during Governor Smith’s last term, her state lost one million jobs and gained three million jobs. Then she seeks another term. One of her opponents runs an advertisement, saying “During Governor Smith’s term, the state lost one million jobs!” That’s true. However an honest statement would have been, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state had a net gain of two million jobs.”
Advertisers will sometimes use half-truths. It’s against the law to make false claims so they try to mislead you with the truth. An advertisement might boast, “Nine out of ten doctors recommend Yucky Pills to cure nose pimples(粉刺).” It fails to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Corporation.
This kind of deception happens too often. It’s a sad fact of life: Lies are lies, and sometimes the truth can lie as well.Which statement is true according to the article?
| A．Whenever people tell the truth, they may lie |
| B．You cannot trust lottery agent. |
| C．All governors help their states. |
| D．The truth can be used in dishonest ways. |
The author clearly wants people ___________.
| A．to think carefully about what they read and hear |
| B．to vote for female candidates |
| C．not to believe advertisements of any kind |
| D．not to trust any politician |
Governor Smith’s opponents wanted __________.
| A．to make her a liar | B．to beat her in the campaign |
| C．to get jobs in the government | D．to detect her lie |
The city of Rome has passed a new law to prevent cruelty to animals. All goldfish bowls are no longer allowed and dog owners must walk their dogs.
This comes after a national law was passed to give prison sentences to people who desert cats or dogs.
“The civilization of a city can be measured by this,” said Monica Carina, the councilor behind the new law.
The newspaper reported that round bowls don’t give enough oxygen for fish and may make them go blind.
“Rome has tried to protect fish more than anywhere else in the world. It stands out for recognizing that fish are interesting animals that deserve over respect and pity every bit as much as dogs and cats and other animals,” said Karin Robertson, a director of the People for the Ethical treatment of Animals.
Lat year a law was passed in Italy that gives people who desert pets big fines and prison sentences. Since then local governments have added their own animal protection rules.
The northern city of Turin passed a law in April to give pet owners fines of up to $598 if they do not walk their dogs three times a day.
The new law in Rome also says that owners mustn’t leave their dogs in hot cars or cut their dogs’ tail to make them look lovelier. The law also gives legal recognition to the “cat ladies” who feed homeless cats. The cats live all over the city from ancient ruins to modern office car parks. The new law passed in Rome will _________.
| A．help improve fishing environment |
| B．guarantee better conditions for goldfish |
| C．stop people from catching goldfish |
| D．discourage keeping goldfish at home |
People in Rome believe that the civilization of a city can be judged by _________.
| A．exchanges with other cities |
| B．Protection of ancient ruins |
| C．awareness of animal protection |
| D．recognition of animal lovers |
People may break the law in Turin if they _____________.
| A．keep their dogs or cats in cars | B．feed homeless animals in car parks |
| C．raise their cats near ancient ruins | D．shut their dogs home all day long |
Free energy is everywhere around us. There are many ways to make and collect energy from various sources like sun, wind and water. People also realize that everyday stuff can be a source of energy too. For example, riding a bike, running or just walking, etc. We simply have to change our way of thinking if we want to change the world.
So comes the idea of solar roadways. Are they the road of future? Why use roads just for driving and collecting tolls (过路费)? Why don’t we use them for collecting energy?
The US Department of Transportation recently awarded $100,000 to Solar Roadways to build the first ever Solar Road Panel. So how do these future roads work?
The Solar Road Panels will contain embedded (嵌入的) LEDs which “paint” the road lines from beneath to provide safer nighttime driving as well as to give drivers instant instructions such as detour (绕行) ahead. The road will be able to sense wildlife on the road and can warn drivers to “slow down”. There will also be embedded heating elements in the surface to prevent snow and ice buildup, providing safer winter driving.
Replacing asphalt (沥青) roads and parking lots with Solar Roadway Panels will be a major step toward stopping climate change. Fully electric vehicles will be able to recharge along the roadway and in parking lots, finally making electric cars practical for long trips.
We just can’t wait to see more of these roads all over the world in the near future.The first paragraph serves as a(n)______.
| A．argument | B．comment | C．explanation | D．background |
Which of the following is NOT true of LEDs?
| A．They color the road lines. |
| B．They are embedded in the Solar Road Panels. |
| C．They are beneficial for nighttime driving. |
| D．They can provide instant instructions. |
When some animals are on the solar road, what will the road do?
| A．Guide them to a safer place. | B．Remind drivers to drive slowly. |
| C．Frighten them away from the road. | D．Advise drivers to choose another way. |
From the text, we can know that the Solar Road Panels can______.
| A．provide heat for drivers in winter |
| B．guide drivers who get lost on the highway |
| C．melt snow and ice soon in winter |
| D．help drivers see the road clearly in the sun |
Mom noticed that something was wrong when I started getting so thirsty, I’d have a lot to drink before bed, which was unusual for me. One time, I opened a big container of apple juice and kept refilling my glass. Before I knew it, I’d drunk the entire container! My mom call my doctor. I then had a few blood tests, and the results were certain ------ I had diabetes, which meant that the amount of sugar in my blood was very high. That can be dangerous, so I had to learn how to control my blood-sugar level.
My eating habits had to change in a big way. With diabetes, I can’t eat a lot of sugar or carbohydrates. I have to figure out exactly how much sugar I plan to eat, and then I get an injection of insulin before the meals to help my body process the food. Also, I test my blood-sugar level often. I’m always trying to keep my blood sugar at a healthy level. The level can drop when I exercise, but that doesn’t keep me out of gym class or off the basketball court ------ I just keep some juice boxes around to boost my blood sugar if I need to.
It’s a lot of work ------ and not a lot of fun ------ to keep track of everything, but I’ve gotten used to my new habits. I was a little scared at first because I wasn’t sure how my life would change. Once I knew what I needed to do, though, it wasn’t a big deal. My life is different now from what it was before, but it has become completely regular to me.The first paragraph is mainly about ______.
| A．who found the author had diabetes |
| B．the author’s life before having diabetes |
| C．how the author was found to have diabetes |
| D．the author’s eating habits before having diabetes |
The insulin injected into the body before the meals can ______.
| A．change people’s eating habit | B．help process the food |
| C．hasten the growth of organs | D．prevent high blood level |
What did the author do after knowing she had diabetes?
| A．She stopped playing basketball in the gym. |
| B．She controlled her blood-sugar level strictly. |
| C．She stopped eating food with natural sugar. |
| D．She tested her blood-sugar level before every meal. |
What does the underlined word “boost” in Paragraph 2 mean?
| A．Increase. | B．Control. | C．Absorb. | D．Test. |
What’s the author’s attitude towards her having diabetes now？
| A．Worried. | B．Frightened. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Positive. |
Kids Fishing Photo Contest
Welcome to catch the excitement of your child on film while fishing and enter his or her picture in the yearly Kids Fishing Photo Contest! The contest is sponsored（主办，赞助） by Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) in celebration of National Fishing Week!
The winning pictures are those that best catch the theme （主题）“kids enjoying fishing”. Winners will receive different fishing-related prizes. Winning pictures will also be posted on the VDGIF website and may be used in all kinds of VDGIF publications. There is no need to be a professional photographer. Any photo will do.
Contest Rules
Children in the photographs must fall into one of the following age groups when the picture is taken: 1---5, 6---10.
Photos must not be more than 1 year old.
Photos must be taken in Virginia.
Children in a boat must be wearing a life jacket.
Only one photo submission（提交） per child.
Submit photo on photograph quality paper, no CD’s accepted.
Photos must not be bigger than “4*6” size.
Please stick a piece of paper to the back of the photo including: name, age, address, phone number and location where the photograph was taken.
Photos must be postmarked on or before June 19, 2011.
Judging will take place in July and winners will be posted on the VDGIF website.
Prizes will be sent directly to the winning children.
This contest isn’t open to immediate family of VDGIF employees and sponsors. Immediate family members refer to children, relatives or others living in the same household with a VDGIF employee or sponsor.
To Enter:
Send your photo, with the child’s name, age, phone number and address to:
2011 Kids Fishing Photo Contest
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
P.O. Box 11104
Richmond, VA 23230 – 1104The purpose of the contest is to ______.
A encourage people to take more pictures
B help people realize the importance of fishing
C celebrate a national fishing-related activity
D encourage people to go fishing with kidsWhich of the following photos can enter the contest?
A A photo which was taken in Boston in 2009.
B A large photo which was postmarked on July 11, 2011.
C A photo which was taken in Virginia on Sept. 23, 2010.
D A photo on which there is a 12-year-old girl.What can be known about the prize of the contest?
A Winners will get a great deal of money.
B Winners will be allowed to travel in Virginia for free.
C Winners’ works will be seen on any website.
D Winners’ works may appear on the covers of VDGIF publications.According to the contest rules, ______.
A the result of the contest will be unknown before July, 2011
B all Americans have the right to take part in the contest
C photos can be sent to the sponsors in the form of email
D the Smiths with only one child can enter the contest with two photos