The TV shows a baby’s pram (婴儿车) rolling off a train platform as the mother makes a mad rush to save her son, but she is too late and it falls onto the rails in front of an incoming train. This heart-stopping scene happened yesterday at Ashburton station in Melbourne, Australia. But the story has a happy ending: the six-month-old baby survived with just a cut on his forehead, although the pram was dragged about 35 metres by the braking train. The nurse Jon Wright said the boy just “needed a feed and a sleep” and didn’t need to stay in hospital.
“Luckily, he was strapped (绑) into his pram at the time, which probably saved his life. I think the child is extremely lucky, ” Wright told the Herald Sun newspaper after the baby was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Fortunately the train was already slowing down to stop at the station so it stopped quickly when the driver put on the brakes as soon as he saw the pram fall in front of him. Rail firm Connex is to look into how the pram rolled off the platform. The accident came one day after Connex started a child safety awareness activity warning parents to keep babies strapped into their prams at all times while on platforms.
The accident happened at the same time as the “balloon boy ”story in the US, in which a six-year-old Colorado boy was reported to be trapped in a flyaway balloon. However, he was later found hiding in the family’s garage. Many people believe that it had all been a publicity stunt by the parents. No such doubts surround the baby on the train platform.In the accident, the baby .
| A．almost fell onto the rails |
| B．needed to stay in hospital |
| C．was badly injured by the train |
| D．was pulled a long distance in the pram by the train |
The child was not killed most probably because .
| A．the mother strapped him into his pram |
| B．the platform is not very high |
| C．he was well fed and asleep |
| D．the mother rushed to save him |
Why could the train stop quickly?
| A．Because it had just begun to move. |
| B．Because it was moving slowly at that time. |
| C．Because the mother took measures quickly. |
| D．Because the driver saw the pram fall. |
The underlined word “stunt” in the last paragraph probably means .
| A．something silly | B．something funny |
| C．something done to attract attention | D．something done to avoid bad luck |
Britain’s seed bank, the only one in the world aiming to collect all of the planet’s wild plant species, has reached its goal of banking 10 percent by 2010.
The Millennium Seed Bank Project, run by Kew Gardens—one of the oldest botanical gardens—will officially deposit the 24,200th species on Thursday, a pink, wild banana from China.
More than 50 countries are now on board with Kew's giant task but vast places of the globe, including India and Brazil, still need to join in and donate seeds, director Paul Smith said.
The seed bank is one of the largest and most diverse in the world with more than 1.5 billion seeds. Its goal is to help protect the planet’s bio-diversity during a time of climate change.
The wild banana seed is under threat of extinction(灭绝) in southwest China from agricultural development. It is a vital food source for Asian elephants and important for growing bananas for human consumption.
Stored at minus-20 degrees centigrade, so they can last for thousands of years, the seeds await the day that scientists hope never comes—when the species no longer exist in the wild.
It is a race against time, Smith said, because in the last decade alone, 20 plants held in the bank have already been wiped out in the wild. He estimates that between a third and a quarter will become extinct this century.
"It is urgent a
nd it is happening now. An area, the size of England, is cleared of primary vegetation（植被）every year." Smith said.
Because most of the world's food and medicines come from nature, protecting wild plant species is quite important, scientists say. There are already many other seed banks safeguarding food crops, which only account for 0.6 percent of plant diversity.
For Kew's next goal—to collect a quarter of wild varieties by 2020—the botanists need 10 million pounds a year, or a further 100 million pounds on top of the 40 million they have already been granted.What’s the final purpose of the Britain’s seed bank?
| A．To collect enough money for the project. | B．To safeguard food crops. |
| C．To protect wild plants from extinction. | D．To help scientists study wild plants. |
The wild banana seed in China is in danger because of _______.
| A．the expanding of farming work | B．the climate change in this area |
| C．the large number of Asian elephants | D．human’s large consumption |
We can learn from the passage that _______.
| A．the seeds in the bank can be used now and then all over the world |
| B．India and Brazil haven’t joined in the Seed Bank Project at present |
| C．there is only one seed bank in the world at present |
| D．the wild plants in places like India and China will never die out |
What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 7 refer to?
| A．The extinction of plant species. | B．The Millennium Seed Bank Project. |
| C．Britain’s seed bank. | D．Kew Gardens’ next goal. |
Which of the following information isn’t mentioned in the passage?
| A．The global partnership of collecting wild plant species. |
| B．The temperature condition of the conservative wild plant species. |
| C．The government’s financial support for the seed bank project. |
| D．Scientists’ concern on the extinct wild plant species. |
The amount of carbon taken in by growing plants increased from 1982 through 1999 as
temperatures rose and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased. But a new study
in Friday ’ s edition of the journal Science found a drought - related decline in such plant growth
from 2000 to 2009，even though temperatures continued to climb.
As drought caused by warming reduces the land ’ s ability to take in carbon，the result could
be more carbon dioxide left in the atmosphere，and thus more warming，Zhao Maosheng from the
University of 
Montana explained in a telephone interview.
“This is a pretty serious warning that warmer temperatures are not going to endlessly improve
plant growth ’” co - author Steven Running，also from the University of Montana ’ said in a
statement. “ We see this as a bit of a surprise，and potentially significant on a policy level because
previous interpretations suggested global warming might actually help plant growth around the
world, “ he said.
Instead, he and Zhao found a small but measurable decline of about 1%，compared to a6%
increase in the past decade.
Their study，based on the data collected by NASA satellites，found that north areas continued
to increase plant growth，thanks to warmer temperatures and a longer growing season.
Someone commented, "This past decade’ s net decline in earthly productivity suggests that a
complex relationship between temperature, rainfall, cloudiness, and carbon dioxide, probably in
combination with other factors such as nutrients(营养）and land management，will determine
future patterns and trends in productivity.，，From the first paragraph, we can learnin
the recent decade or so.
| A．the emission(排放)of carbon hasn’ t been reduced |
| B．draught has been causing loss of soil and water |
| C．carbon dioxide levels have been rising |
| D．the rise of temperature doesn' t promote the plant growth |
Zhao Maosheng really worried that.
E.more and more land will be abandoned
F.the climate becomes warmer and warmer
G.the emission of carbon dioxide increases
H.draught further reduces the number of the plantsSteven Running made his statement to.
I.confirm Zhao' s views on the influence of temperature rise
J.urge the government to take necessary measures
K.warn the people to strengthen the plant protection
L.support Zhao* s views on lhe plant productionWe can infer from the passage that.
| A．global warming will determine the future productivity |
| B．various factors play a key role jointly on future productivity |
| C．earthly productivity actually increased in the past decade |
| D．temperature rise has had no effect on future producticity patterns |
The Japanese economy is at a standstill，Japan ’ s government has said, as concerns about the
strong yen(曰元）continue to grow. The recovery in the economy was “pausing"，the CabinetOffice said in a monthly statement.
It is the most negative that the government has been about the economy in nearly two years.The rising yen and a slowdown in global demand for Japanese exports were blamed for the setback.
In recent months, the government has insisted that the economy is “picking up". But it saidit now expected the economy to Femain weak for some time, with “weakening" exports a chiefconcern. It said shipments to Asia in particular were becoming weaker, further hitting exportersthat are already suffering from the strong yen.
The yen remains near a 15 - year high against the US dollar, despite the financial interfer-ence (干预）in the currency markets last month for the first time in six years.
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan(菅直人）has also passed a $ 63 billion stimulus(剌激）package in an effort to protect exporters who have seen the poor exchange rate eat into their prof-its. At the close of markets in Tokyo，the yen was trading at 81.44 yen to the dollar, just off thehigh of 81.27 yen.
"If the economy turns out as expected, we may end up describing the current situation as asoft patch，” one of die government officials said ’ “ But if it comes under further downwardpressure,
it could end up slipping into recession(衰退）.”The Japanese government think the current bad economy situation is partly due to.
| A．the decline of the strong yen | B．the unsatisfactory exports |
| C．the government' s mistaken policy | D．the decline in the quality of goods |
In recent months, the government has a(n) attitude towards the economy situation.
| A．shocking | B．negative | C．optimistic | D．aggressive |
From the passage we know the government has taken measures mainly to.
| A．protect the foreign markets | B．protect profits of its hitting exporters |
| C．monitor the yen exchange rate | D．stimulate domestic demands |
The passage could probably be found in.
| A．government white paper | B．a science fiction |
| C．a travel journal | D．a newspaper report |
If you intend to apply for admission to this college, you need to .
| A．complete your high school studies |
| B．go through the online application procedure |
| C．attend the exams held by the college |
| D．I), visit the college admission advisers |
Once admitted, most of the students can get.
| A．student loans | B．part - time jobs |
| C．different scholarships | D．free financial support |
The strength of their school learning environment mainly lies in.
| A．innovation and teamwork | B．application and school - based |
| C．cooperation and competition | D．task - based and school - based |
The advertisement is designed for.
| A．US applicants only | B．singaporean students only |
| C．international students | D．All potential applicants |
It is commonly believed among many Chinese that Westerners who take “Yes’，and “No” by their facial expressions are more straightforward than Chinese. Normally Westerners don * t have to adopt Chinese ways like sweeping the floor or constantly checking the clock to indicate to a guest that it’ s time to leave. They don’ t have to hesitate in saying “No” when they are not able to, or don’ t want to, offer help to a friend in need. There is no embarrass
ment attached to this behavior. But it is too simple to conclude that Westerners are more direct speakers than the Chinese.
There are many occasions when the way Westerners express themselves makes Chinese look more straightforward and honest. When I was a fresh international student，the director of our program once asked students in an e-mail what we thought about a young professor. I simply said ’ “She seems to know a lot but doesn* t know how to teach. ” And the director replied with “Thank you for being honest. ”
Only years later when I better understood the new culture，I realized why I had gone too far. If that question were asked now，the reply would have three paragraphs devoted to the qualities of the professor before the last line came out — ” There are some gaps in her teaching method. ” Still tough, but at least it wouldn't be considered rude.
Indeed, the reserved social norms and the deeply - rooted “face issue" make honest speaking risky in China ； Americans have their own ways of being polite. This results partly from political correctness. It also results from several generations of people who have been told they have done well even when they have failed. It may not be unfair to suggest that many Americans are oversensitive and obsessed with a perfect self image.
So，the next time you hear about indirect Chinese，it would be worth challenging the source and pointing out that the cultural comparisons are much more complex. But maybe you should do it in a roundabout way，to be polite.The passage mainly aims to •
| A． tell us something about culture distinctions |
| B． remind us of the conflicts between cultures |
| C． ask us to take positive attitudes to Chinese cultures |
| D． keep us informed of the various communications |
According to the passage, the young professor lacked .
| A． confidence in her job | |
| B． teaching experience | |
| C． interaction with her students m |
D．responsibility for her students |
The underlined words “obsessed with" (para.4) probably means .
| A．satisfied with | B．proud of | C．addicted to | D．stuck in |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
| A． the writer has a good knowledge of American culture |
| B． Americans are much more straightforward than Chinese |
| C． the new professor was very angry with the writer' s comments |
| D． different culture backgrounds make cultures comparison complicated |