By Jerilyn Watson Broadcast: February 14, 2010.
Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA, in VOA Special English. I’m Steve Ember. And I’m Faith Lapidus. February fourteenth is Valentine’s Day. So this is a good time to play some love songs as we explore the subject of dating.
VOICE ONE: Valentine’s Day is a special time for love. Millions of people will receive flowers, chocolate or some other gifts. Others might get just a phone call or an electronic message from someone they care about. Still others would be happy just to have someone special in their life on Valentine’s Day.
VOICE TWO: Traditionally, there are many ways for people to meet. Some meet at work. Others meet by chance. Still others look for help from services that bring people together. Friends and family members might offer to help. They might plan a blind date. This is a meeting between two people who have never seen each other before. A lot of people try to improve their chances by looking in places where people with similar interests go, such as a place of religion, a bookstore, health club and sports team where men and women play together.
VOICE THREE: Internet dating services had been growing sharply through the end of 2009. But people do no always tell the truth about themselves online. And they do not exactly tell about their age, for example, they might offer an old picture instead. People who meet through computer services may not have to give their full name or e-mail address at first. Relationships that begin over the Internet do sometimes lead to marriage. Yet there is a risk anytime strangers meet. It could be a danger, or simply an unpleasant surprise. A young woman in Washington D.C was angry after seeing a date she met over the Internet. In his picture , he looked twenty-five or thirty years old. In reality, she said, he was old enough to be her father.
72. The topic of the VOA broadcast program is probably________.
A. Valentine’s Day B. how to make friends in daily life.
C. dating between men and women D. how to keep your marriage.
73. In VOICE TWO, which of the following ways of dating is NOT mentioned by the speaker in the text?
A. Meeting by chance or at work
B. Meeting with the help of media
C. Meeting with the help of the services
D. Meeting with the help of friends and family
74.The speaker think Internet dating may be a risk, danger, or simply unpleasant surprise because___________.
A. people can’t know each other’s real name
B. people can’t know each other’s address
C. the computer don’t give their full name or e-mail address at first
D. people don’t always tell the truth about themselves online.
75.From the text, we can infer that the speaker is likely to _______dating online.
A. appreciate B. hate C. suggest D. hold a negative attitude
“China is expected to complete its first exploration (探索) of the moon in 2010 and will found a moon base just as we did on the North and South Poles,” Ouyang Ziyuan, head of China's moon exploration program, promised during national science and technology week.
After its first man in space, China plans a space laboratory, a lunar orbiter to look for valuable elements and minerals, robot landings on the moon and then the human touchdown.
The price of space exploration is enormous. Russia and the US, the only two countries to have achieved manned flight, are struggling to keep their new investment, the international space station.
But China, which has a long tradition in physics, mathematics and engineering, finds its doctoral graduates welcomed in the US and Europe for decades. And it has been able to learn from 40 years of pioneering successes and mistakes by the USSR and the USA.
Space flight is a gamble and the stakes (赌注) are high. If successful, China could become a member of the world's most exclusive club, set up a second home on the moon and get a powerful hand at the strategic bargaining table.
Two designers from the Shenzhou III project said that 12 astronauts now are undergoing intensive training. One more unmanned space flight is planned before the first manned launch.
Experts say that the Shenzhou spacecraft already provides China with a space vehicle capable of mounting（发起）a lunar program. Chinese scientists have also predicted that Mars will be the next target after the moon.According to Ouyang Ziyuan ________.
| A．China has founded a base on the moon |
| B．China has founded one base on the North and South Poles |
| C．China will set up a base on the moon in 2010 |
| D．China has already finished founding a moon base |
The underlined word “touchdown” in the second paragraph means “________”.
| A．landing | B．relation | C．connection | D．behaviour |
Which one of the following is NOT right according to this passage?
| A．A second home is going to be built on the moon in 2010. |
| B．China's first man has landed the moon in space. |
| C．People from only two countries have been to the moon till now. |
| D．Twelve Chinese astronauts are being trained for the manned flight to the moon. |
We think that the Chinese astronaut will succeed in landing the moon in 2010 because ________.
| A．China will ask for help from the USSR and the USA |
| B．two countries have set up a space station on the moon |
| C．China has a large population in the world |
| D．China has its tradition technology and advanced scientists |
We can infer from this passage that.
| A．China’s robot landing in the moon has been successful |
| B．the USSR and the USA don’t allow Chinese people to land on the moon |
| C．Chinese scientists show great interest in exploring Mars now |
| D．it is impossible for the Chinese people to land on the moon |
The Antarctic Icecap is the largest supply of fresh water，representing nearly 2％of the world’s total of fresh and salt water. As can be seen from the table below, the amount of water in our atmosphere is over 10 times as much as the water in all the rivers taken together. The fresh water actually available for human use in lakes and rivers and the accessible ground water amount to only about one-third of 1％of the world’s total water supply.
| Surface area(sq mi) |
Volume(cu mi) |
Percentage of total |
||
| Salt water |
||||
| The oceans |
139,500,000 |
317,000,000 |
97.2％ |
|
| Inland seas and saline lakes |
270,000 |
25,000 |
0.008 |
|
| Fresh water |
||||
| Freshwater lakes |
330,000 |
30,000 |
0.009 |
|
| All rivers(average level) |
－ |
300 |
0.0001 |
|
| Antarctic Icecap |
6,000,000 |
6,300,000 |
1.9 |
|
| Arctic Icecap and glaciers |
900,000 |
680,000 |
0. 21 |
|
| Water in the atmosphere |
197,000,000 |
3,100 |
0. 001 |
|
| Ground water within half a mile from surface a mile from surface |
－ |
1,000,000 |
0. 31 |
|
| Deep-lying ground water |
－ |
1,000,000 |
0. 31 |
|
| Total (rounded) |
－ |
326,000,000 |
100.00 |
|
What’s the best title of this passage?
| A．Fresh Water in the World | B．Water Supply of the World |
| C．Salt Water of the Earth | D．Protection of the Water in the World |
It can be seen from the table______.
| A．humans will have to use sea water in the future |
| B．there is enough fresh water for man to use |
| C．Water in the atmosphere is the least |
| D．the sea water takes up 98％of the water on earth |
The fresh water that humans can use is _________.
| A．about 1,086,700 cu mi | B．about 6,300,000 cu mi |
| C．about 680,000 cu mi | D．about 2,000,000 cu mi |
Where does the majority of fresh water exists?
| A．In Arctic Icecap and glaciers. | B．In Deep ground. |
| C．In the Antarctic Icecap. | D．In the atmosphere. |
What are the two places where equal amount of fresh water is stored?
| A．Freshwater lakes and all rivers(average level) |
| B．Antarctic Icecap and water in the atmosphere |
| C．Ground water within half a mile from surface and Deep-lying ground water. |
| D．Deep-lying ground water and Arctic Icecap and glaciers |
Believing overweight among school children is the result of bake sales, the Education Department of New York declared that bake sales will be banned all through the states, as a part of their new “wellness”policy.
The ban gives a harder time to schools tying to earn money，because of budget difficulties. Bake sales have proven to be highly profitable toward schools with young people because the start-up costs are very small. Allie，a Roslyn High School freshman , agrees that bake sales are needed for school supplies.“l think it’s wrong for schools to ban bake sales because a lot of schools need the money to be raised. Our school could really use the money for new uniforms.”Allie also commented on the bake sales apparent cause of child overweight. “I feel that it is the student’s choice to eat the baked goods. lf they want it, let them have it．”Jessica，another Roslyn High School freshman, had a different opinion.“I feel that children can not always stay away from items such as cupcakes. It might be better if the amount of bake sales were limited, and only allowed students to buy one item.”
New York Education advisors are having trouble coming up with substitute product for students to sell. A plan of advertising healthier foods has come into play. However the department needs to consider if students will go for items like vegetables. Allie and Jessica don’t think so.“Students might not like the healthier foods. This way, the schools are gaining less money.”Allie shares. Another plan to think about is the idea of not selling food products altogether. Alternate programs are being conducted throughout New York schools，such as walk-a-thons, as a healthy way for students to earn money for their schools．The new “wellness”policy is declared in order to_______．
| A．help schools out of budget difficulties |
| B．reduce child overweight caused by bake food |
| C．help students save money spent on food |
| D．reduce the price of bake food sold in schools |
Which of the following statement about Allie is true?
| A．He is rich in experience about the bake sales at schoo1. |
| B．He agrees to carry out the bake sales ban at schools. |
| C．He attaches great importance to the school's income. |
| D．He attaches too much importance to students' health. |
According to Jessica, the cupcakes____________
| A．Don't belong to the bake sales | B．Should't be banned at school |
| C．Mustn't be sold at schools | D．can be fully replaced by vegetables |
Which is both healthy and profitable way for schools to earn money?
| A．The bake sales. | B．The vegetables sales |
| C．The walk-a-thons. | D．The food product sales． |
We can infer from the passage that schools in New York always______.
| A．sell baked food to students | B．free students to choose food |
| C．find ways to earn money | D．offer chances to earn money |
I remember my first Christmas party with Grandma．I remember the day when my big sister dropped the bomb: “There is no SantaClaus,” she laughed．“Even dummies know that!”
I fled to Grandma because I knew she always told me 21 ．After I told her everything, she said “No Santa Claus? Don’t believe it. Now, 22 your coat, and let’s go.”
“Go? Go where?” I asked．
“Where” 23 to be the General Store．As we walked through its doors, Grandma 24 me ten dollars．That was a lot in those days．“Take this money and buy something for 25 needs it．I’ll wait for you in the car．”
The store seemed big and 26 , full of people hurrying to finish their Christmas shopping．For a few moments I just stood there, 27 , holding that bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for．
Suddenly I thought of Bobbie who sat right behind me．I remembered he didn’t have a coat．I fingered the bill with growing 28 ．I would buy Bobbie a coat．
“Is this a Christmas present for someone?” the lady behind the 29 asked me kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down
“Yes,” I replied shyly．“It’s…for Bobbie.”
The nice lady smiled at me．I didn’t get any 30 , but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas．
That evening, Grandma helped me 31 the coat and wrote, “To Bobby, From Santa Claus” on it．Then she 32 me over to Bobbie’s house．
Grandma parked down the street from Bobbie’s house, and she and I crept 33 and hid in the 34 ．Then Grandma gave me a sign．“All right, Santa Claus, get going．”
I took a deep 35 , dashed for his front door, threw the present down, pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety．Together we 36 breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open．Finally it 37 , and there stood Bobbie．
Forty years haven’t dimmed the thrill of those 38 spent shivering, beside my grandma, in Bobbie’s bushes． 39 , I realized: Santa was alive and well, and we were 40 his team．
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A recent survey made by BUPA, an international healthcare provider, shows that 54 percent of Chinese people aged between 45 and 54 consider themselves old, while 28 percent say that the thought of getting old upsets them. 25 percent are afraid of getting old, and a third worry about life in old age.
BUPA made the survey among 12,262 people from 12 countries over 2 months, starting in June 2010. The survey shows that 72 percent of international participants(参加者) aged over 65 don’t feel old and that 67 percent still feel healthy. On the other hand, 65 percent of Chinese feel old even before reaching 60. About one third of those surveyed in China said they have enough savings(存款), and 46 percent are insured(参加保险). Around 60 percent of the Chinese participants hope they will be taken care of by family members.
According to the survey, the French hold the most positive attitude towards getting old, with 32 percent of them considering age 80 and up old. 17 percent of Brazilians look forward to old age, compared with 3 percent globally. Indians are not bothered by old age, as 70 percent said that they don’t feel that they will be affected by old age and 71 percent say they have already made preparations for this stage of life. The illnesses that most people around the world are worried about are cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.According to the survey, many Chinese people surveyed feel old before they are ______.
| A．50 year old | B．60 years old |
| C．70 years old | D．80 years old |
Most of Chinese people surveyed expect help from _________.
| A．the government | B．family members |
| C．insurance companies | D．healthcare providers |
Who are the youngest at heart according to the survey?
| A．The Indians. | B．The Brazilians |
| C．The French | D．The Chinese |
Why are the Indians not afraid of getting old?
| A．Because they have got ready for old age. |
| B．Because old people are respected in India. |
| C．Because getting old means enjoying life. |
| D．Because they will get more help from society. |