People want action on noise, a recent public meeting in Brisbane showed. Some want technical improvements such as quieter air conditioners or better sound barriers around major roads. Others want tougher laws to restrict noise from building sites or to require owners to take responsibility for barking dogs. But the highest priority (优先) was a noise complaints system that works.
Brisbane City Council receives more complaints about noise than all other problems put together. So it conducted survey and found that about half its citizens are upset by noise in one form or another—traffic, mowers, pool pumps, air conditioners or loud parties. This inspired the Council to bring together more than 100 citizens one evening to talk through solutions to the problem.
The meeting found the present noise complaints system bizarre. Depending on the problem, responsibility for noise can lie with the Council, the Environment Protection Authority, one of three government departments or even the police. So complaints often feel they are getting the run-round. When the people at the meeting were asked to vote for changes, the strongest response was for a 24-hour, noise hotline to be the first port of call for all complaints.
The meeting also favored regulatory measures, such as tougher minimum standards for noise in appliances like air conditioners. This even makes economic sense, as noise is a waste of energy—and money. Other measures the meeting supported were wider buffer zones around noisy activities and controls to keep heavy traffic away from residential areas（居民区）.
1. According to the passage, what do people want most?
A. Tougher laws. B. Technical improvements.
C. An effective noise complaints system D. Tougher minimum standards for noise
2. What does the underlined word bizarre in the second paragraph mean?
A. reasonable B. wonderful C. strange D. responsible
3. How many regulatory measures against noise are mentioned in the last paragraph?
A. 3. B. 4. C. 2. D. 5.
4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Tougher minimum standards for noise in appliances are necessary.
B. Traffic, mowers, pool pumps, and air conditioners are all the sources of noise.
C. 90% of the residents are annoyed by noise.
D. Heavy traffic should be kept away from residential areas according to the meeting.
5. Brisbane City Council brought together citizens to talk through solutions to the noise problem mainly due to .
A. the result of the survey carried out by itself
B. a noise complaints system that works
C. people asking for tougher laws on noise
D. requirements of an effective noise complaints system
Its often interesting to take a look at some of the lists that arrive toward the end of the year such as top devices, best gadgets, most desirable high-tech gift and more. Apart from cell phones and tablets, and Apple and Samsung products, this year many other gadgets made it on the most wanted list from Yahoo Tech and the most searched list from Bing. com. Read on to find out what they are.
Wireless headphone
Portable Bluetooth headphones represent the next evolution in headphone technology. If you have a compatible smartphone with Bluetooth, the obvious benefit is that you can get rid of the wires snaking from your backpack or pocket. Many of the wireless headphones in the market also have a built-in microphone for taking calls hands-free.
Product to buy: Beats Studio Wireless
Features: Signature look, and powerful audio performance with intense bass and high-mid boosting, plus plenty of accessories.
Price: 1898 yuan
Smartwatch
The primary advantage of a smartwatch over traditional watches is that they reduce how often you have to pull your phone out of your pocket. With it, the information on your smartphone goes straight to your wrist, and you can decide first if they are worth dealing with.
Product to buy: Pebble smartwatch
Features: Understated design, with easy setup and instant information, and customizable watch faces, plus synes（同步）with Android or IOS.
Price: $99 (about 612 yuan)
Portable Bluetooth speaker
Bluetooth speakers are steadily growing in popularity because they let you take the party anywhere. They can be paired with your music device, and they are able to withstand incidental bumps. Though small in size, Bluetooth speakers provide a steady soundtrack for even the lengthiest bacchanalia (狂欢)。
Product to buy: Logitech UE Boom
Features: Water and stain resistant, 360-degree sound, 15 hour battery life, with a variety of color patterns.
Price: 1499 yuan
Fitness band
Basically, fitness bands are smartwatches without the watch. They keep track of your exercise progress and, at the same time, allow you to monitor vitals such as your heart rate, calories burned and amount of time spent exercising. Some even monitor your sleep patterns.
Product to buy: Fitbit Flex
Features: Long battery life (five days), with silent vibrating alarm, and wireless syncing to smartphones.
Price: 898 yuanAccording to the first paragraph, a smartphone that __________ is a compatible one.
| A．goes with other devices |
| B．has a large capacity |
| C．represents technological evolution |
| D．has signature look |
How much money is he likely to spend on some of the products if a man is an enthusiastic musical fan?
| A．3397 yuan | B．1510 yuan |
| C．2397 yuan | D．2510 yuan |
Which of the following words can best summarize the common feature of the above products?
| A．Wearable | B．Cheap |
| C．Android | D．Wireless |
Which of the following statements is Not True according to the passage?
| A．Smartwatch and Fitness band are similar products to some extent. |
| B．Beats Studio Wireless features plenty of accessories. |
| C．All the products can sync with Android or iOS |
| D．Tablets are on the most wanted list of high-tech products of this year |
The world has a fast growing population and people need more land for houses, factories, highways, and so on. The farmland is decreasing with each passing day. How to meet the need of feeding the growing population? One way is to introduce some high-output gene into a crop to enable it to produce more. Biologists over the years have discovered genes which can raise output of the crops, resist pests, improve taste, etc.
However, in many western countries there is widespread concern over the safety of “Genetically Modified”(GM) (转基因) foods, because they think there may be serious problems of environment, health, safety, morality and so on.
As a scientist I must admit GM foods involve great risks to humans. In fact in Europe they’re called “Frankenstein foods” by many. Frankenstein is a character in a novel. He was a very clever scientist. He created a monster（怪物）, which eventually killed him.
Soybeans﹙大豆﹚ can be made into many foods. However, it’s hard to trace them. Therefore, it’s very important we have to make sure the soybean, if genetically modified, is free from any poisonous matter harmful to human beings. For this we need very good testing. We do have some testing on some animals, but no completely satisfactory testing has ever been made so far. Theyre entirely new, and their problems are entirely unknown. It takes time to develop persuasive tests to know whether theyre harmful to us or not.
We may not be able to tell what may happen if we take GM foods. Some of them may be resistant to antibiotics (抗生素). Then many of the medicines we have today will have no effect on people eating GM foods.
A more likely case is the GM foods may contain genes some people are allergic﹙过敏的﹚to.
GM products have already come into our lives, but most people even know nothing about it.
At least we have to be clear about what we are eating. The China Consumers Association is calling for labeling (标注) on GM foods so that consumers will know before they buy them. The chief purpose of developing GM foods is to_______.
| A．make the foods much tastier |
| B．make the foods much cheaper |
| C．feed the fast growing population |
| D．kill pests on the crops |
From the passage we can infer that .
| A．Frankenstein was a scientist creating GM foods |
| B．GM foods are very popular in Europe |
| C．Frankenstein foods can make people clever |
| D．many Europeans reject GM foods |
The underlined phrase trace them in Paragraph 4 probably means.
| A．find their market | B．find their origins |
| C．raise their quality | D．enjoy their taste |
Which of the following is TRUE about GM foods?
| A．The testing shows GM soybean foods are free from poisonous matter. |
| B．GM foods problems have been known after testing on animals. |
| C．GM foods prove to be safe to humans after some testing on animals. |
| D．Sometimes consumers can hardly tell GM soybeans from natural ones. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．People should be informed of which foods are GM foods. |
| B．People eating GM foods will suffer from food allergies. |
| C．As GM foods are safe at present, theyre certainly safe later on. |
| D．GM foods make antibiotics fail to function properly. |
Michelle Obama, Kate Moss and Samantha Cameron are three of the most stylish﹙时髦的﹚ women on the planet because they have their daughters rather than their style. A new research has shown that women with daughters tend to be more stylish than mothers of sons; a fact partly because of the style advice their daughters offer as they get older.
78 percent of women over the age of 50 say they would be more than happy to let their daughters choose a complete outfit﹙全套衣装﹚ for them. However, just five percent of women say they would turn to their sons for style advice, while 28 percent believe that mothers of boys are less fashionable than women with girls.
“Women who don’t have daughters become less interested in style as they grow older but having a daughter may keep alive her interest in looking great,” comments psychologist Honey Langcaster-James. “And, because of their close relationship, they also have a source of support and encouragement when it comes to their style decisions.”
More than a quarter of women believe that Mums who have sons are less fashion-conscious than Mums with daughters. The most common reasons for this are that daughters are more critical, offer good advice and inspiration, and add an element of competition to look the best while sons don’t seem to care and aren’t as strict as daughters.
Interestingly, although mothers tend to rely on their daughters’ style tips, their confidence isn’t reciprocated﹙互换﹚, with 40 percent of women between the age of 19 and 34 saying they wouldn’t allow their mothers to shop for them as what their mothers would choose for them would not be as good as they expected.
And although they might not appreciate the fashion advice, the research, which was conducted by online retailer Gray & Osbourn, showed that daughters do still need their mothers with 71 percent saying they chat to their female parent every day.
“In short, the research shows just how important relationships are between mothers and daughters,” added Langcaster-James, “and just how much women appreciate an honest and trustworthy opinion.”The opening paragraph is mainly to show .
| A．mothers like to follow their childrens advice |
| B．women with children are often less stylish |
| C．girls influence their mothers style decision |
| D．boys are actually better advisors than girls |
Which of the following may Langcaster-James agree with?
| A．Mothers without daughters show less interest in style. |
| B．Its hard for boys to get along well with their mothers. |
| C．Daughters usually love their mothers more than sons do. |
| D．Girls are more independent than boys in some ways. |
It can be inferred from the passage that girls .
| A．show more interest in science than boys |
| B．are good at encouraging other people |
| C．can help a lot to solve family problems |
| D．care more about what their mothers wear |
By saying their confidence isnt reciprocatedin Paragraph 5, the author means that .
| A．some women dont like to choose clothes for their mothers |
| B．some women arent sure what to wear when attending a party |
| C．some women would not like to follow their mothers style advice |
| D．some women often show no confidence in themselves |
What does the author mainly tell us in the passage?
| A．It confuses many parents how to talk with their kids. |
| B．Mothers of girls are more fashionable than those of boys |
| C．It is important for parents to respect their childrens choice. |
| D．Daughters prefer to talk with their mums instead of dads. |
Meryl Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film. She is regarded as one of the most talented actresses of all time. The following is a list of movies that Meryl Streep has been involved with:
Kramer vs. Krammer (1979)
In the film, Meryl plays a mother caught up in a custody dispute (拘留纠纷). Her co-star, Dustin Hoffman, said, “She’s extraordinarily hardworking. I think she thinks about nothing else but what she’s doing.” Meryl won her first Oscar for her performance in this film.
Sophie’s Choice (1982)
Meryl plays Sophie, a Polish war survivor. To prepare for the role she learned to speak German and perfected a Polish accent. Film critic Roger Ebert said, “This is one of the most astonishing and yet one of the most natural performances I can imagine.” Meryl won her second Best Actress Oscar for her performance.
Out of Africa(1985)
Meryl is Karen Blixen, a Danish woman living in Kenya in the early 20th century. The story follows Karens attempts to run a coffee plantation and her love affair with big-game hunter Denys. The film is based on the memoirs(回忆录) of the real Karen Blixen.
A Cry in the Dark (1995)
This is based on the true-life case of the disappearance of baby Azaria. Meryl plays Linda Chamberlain, a mother who is wrongly accused of killing her own child. After spending four years in prison, it was found that wild dogs had taken away the baby. Meryl won Best Actress at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival.
The Bridge of Madison County (1995)
This movie is based on one of the biggest bestsellers of the 20th century (the book sold 50 million copies worldwide). Meryl plays Francesca Johnson, an Italian war bride living in 1960s Iowa. It’s about her brief affair with photographer Robert Kincaid.
Mamma Mial(2008)
This is a romantic comedy based on the stage musical Mamma Mial, featuring the music from 1970s Swedish pop group ABBA. Meryl plays Donna Sheridan, a hotel owner on the Greek island of Kalokairi. Mamma Mial made over U.S. $ 600 million worldwide. Apparently, Meryl had seen the musical in 2001 and was completely absorbed in it. She had no idea that seven years later she’d be in the movie version.For which of the following films did Meryl have to learn a new language?
| A．Kramar vs. Kramar |
| B．A Cry in the Dark |
| C．Sophies Choice |
| D．The Bridges of Madison County |
Which of the following films are based on true-life stories?
| A．Out of Africa & A Cry in the Dark. |
| B．Kramer vs. Kramer & Sophies Choice. |
| C．Sophies Choice & The Bridge of Madison County. |
| D．The Bridges of Madison County & Mamma Mia |
It can be learned from the text that the movie Mamma Mial .
| A．was first shot in 2001 |
| B．probably has audiences screaming with laughter |
| C．has won Meryl a lot of awards |
| D．is based on a popular book |
What do we know about Meryl?
| A．She enjoyed the musical Mamma Mial greatly. |
| B．Her first film was Kramer vs. Kramer. |
| C．She has won one Oscar to date. |
| D．Shes more interested in films than TV programs. |
What can be inferred from the text?
A. Mamma Mial is about the story of the pop group ABBA.
B. The Bridges of Madison County was set in Italy.
C. Roger Ebert thinks Meryls best film is Sophies Choice.
D. Dustin Hoffman speaks highly of Meryl.
In one of the old buildings near our school，one could see an old man sitting by a large window on the first floor．His name was James．During the three years at schoo1, I had hardly ever found him missing from his usual position．
He was a high-ranking government official and lived happily with his wife．Once there was a bus accident，in which a number of passengers were seriously injured and were taken to the hospital for treatment．James was responsible for the rescue operation．It was a big hospital，but James was shocked to notice how ill-equipped it was．There were no enough life-saving drugs and life—supporting equipment． The injured and their companions had to struggle there．James attempted to help．However，though he emptied his pockets，many of them died that day．
That was a turning point in his life．He made a decision to devote his life to helping others， particularly the poor and needy patients and their companions．He began spending much of his income on these people．Since this required a lot of time and energy，he found it difficult to fulfill his official duties and therefore chose to retire，which，in turn，reduced his income considerably．
His wife was deeply worried. Most of the time，James was out and paid least attention to home affairs．Meanwhile，as he was spending a lot helping others，she had to struggle even to meet the household expenses．Though she was not opposed to his helping the poor，she urged him not to overlook his own life and home，but it had no effect on him．One day they had a heated argument and in the end she left him，never to return．Though he continued with his work，this was a great blow and did serious harm to his health and enthusiasm and was soon forced to stay indoors．That was when he took his position by the window，spending his time looking outside．
A few weeks after my graduation，I returned to school，only to find the buildings gone．I heard that they were torn down．All the people left except James．He refused to go and the next morning，he was found at his usual place by the window，dead．What changed James’ view towards life?
| A．The difficulties in his career． |
| B．The deaths in the bus accident． |
| C．The bad conditions in the hospital． |
| D．The responsibilities in the operation． |
James chose to retire in order to____________________.
| A．take care of the injured passengers |
| B．find a better job to increase his income |
| C．spare more time and energy to help others |
| D．stay away from the difficult official duties |
James’ wife left because_________________________．
| A．she was strongly against his deeds |
| B．James paid too little attention to his work |
| C．her work to support their daily life was too tiring |
| D．James failed to keep a balance between charity and home |
The underlined word this in Paragraph 4 refers to ____________.
| A．His decision to retire |
| B．The departure of his wife |
| C．The argument with his wife |
| D．His devotion to helping others |
What is possibly the reason why James sat by the window every day?
| A．He expected his wife to return. |
| B．He looked forward to going out. |
| C．He desired to watch the students. |
| D．He attempted to know the outside life. |