City officials are hoping to use the power of dog droppings. San Franciscans already recycle more than 60% of their dogs’ droppings, but in this dog-friendly town, such wastes make up nearly 4% of residential waste, or 6,500 tons a year.
Within the next few months, Norcal Waste, a company that collects San Francisco’s wastes, will begin a trial program under which it uses biodegradable (生物分解的) bags and dog-waste carts to pick up droppings at a popular dog park.
The droppings will be thrown into a machine called a methane digester (沼气处理机), which is basically a tank in which bacteria feed on droppings for weeks to create methane gas.
The methane could then be piped directly to a gas stove, a steam heater, an air turbine or anything else powered by natural gas. It can also be used to produce electricity.
Someone doubts whether this plan is practical. But Norcal Waste spokesman, Robert Reed points to San Francisco’s creative food composting (混合肥料) program, which began 10 years ago. It is a proof that an unusual idea can work in this forward-thinking city. Norcal Waste collects 300 tons of food left over after meals per day from homes and restaurants and changes it into a rich fertilizer sold to grape farms and organic farms.
Methane digesters are nothing new. The technology was introduced in Europe about 20 years ago, and more than 600 farm-based digesters are in operation there. Nine are in use on California cow farms, and chicken and pig farms elsewhere in the United States also use them.
“The main obstacle is probably getting communities around the country the courage to collect dog droppings, to give value to something we’d rather not talk about,” Brinton, a recycling and composting consultant, said. “San Francisco is probably the king of pet cities. This could be an advantage of it, which is very important.”
Some other experts believe energy production from dog droppings must become more attractive economically before it gets popular. Landfill space is relatively cheap, and natural gas and electricity also remain fairly inexpensive. However, Reed said confidently, “Now, the city authorities asked us to look at dog waste specifically.”
61. How many dogs’ droppings can be recycled at present per year in San Francisco?
A. About 6,500 tons. B. About 169,000 tons.
C. About 260 tons. D. About 3,900 tons.
62. It can be inferred from the passage that .
A. there are many pets that are treated well in San Francisco
B. Norcal Waste is a company of refuse (垃圾) treatment, which collects dog wastes only
C. most of the farms in Europe use Methane digesters
D. Brinton doesn’t feel optimistic about the collection of dog droppings in San Francisco
63. The underlined word “obstacle” in Paragraph 7 most probably means .
A. interest B. effect C. difficulty D. purpose
64. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. San Francisco is a city full of innovation.
B. Dog droppings can be changed into methane gas in several days.
C. It is the first time to utilize animal waste in San Francisco.
D. Utilizing dog droppings presently is more economical than the landfill.
65. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
A. Animal wastes collection by Norcal Waste
B. Changing dog droppings into energy
C. Methane digester technology in San Francisco
D. A dog droppings composting program
The smartphone has become the centerpiece of many students' digital lives.
Yes, it can be a distraction(困扰，分心), but it is also an incredible tool that can transform classroom learning and late-night studying.
Professors and students are starting to explore what the smartphone can contribute to learning-and there is a whole host of apps（设备） to help that process along. There are also plenty of apps to help students with the less academic parts of college life.
To download any of these apps, search the iTunes App Store or Android Market. iOS apps are built for Apple's mobile platform and can run on the iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad.
Skype
Cost: Free
Platform: Android, BlackBerry, iOS
More and more smartphones now ship with front-facing cameras that make them great video chat tools.
There are several competitors here ---- including Apple's FaceTime ----but Skype is still the best cross-platform tool for keeping in touch with faraway friends and family. Users on either end can be on a computer, smartphone.
Grades 2
Cost: Free
Platform: iOS
This app is a sophisticated tool for calculating grades. Students can use it to figure out what grade they'll need on a test to achieve their target grade and also keeps track of overall GPA, weighted by each class's credit count.
Students can also enter due dates for assignments as reminders.
The app is free and supported by ads, but users can pay $1 inside the app to turn them off.
Snoozerr Recordings
Cost: 99 cents
Platform: iOS
This is a great tool for logging long lecture classes or smaller study sessions(授课时间）． It records audio and pairs that with time-stamped pictures that the student takes of presentations--- say, equations（方程）on a blackboard----or of his or her own notes.
When the student wants to review, he or she can use the pictures as a visual guide to what the instructor was saying and replay that section.
TED
Cost: Free
Platform: iOS
This app is great for the student in everyone. It compiles（编辑）video from hundreds of presentations at technology, entertainment and design----a conference that features short speeches focused on new ways of thinking.
Presenters often speak about technology, social good or education and challenge societal norms.
It's a great way to spend an hour or so hearing from some of the world's leading minds for free. All of the videos are also available at www.ted.com.
AroundMe
Cost: Free
Platform: Android and iOS
This app uses a smartphone's GPS to find nearby locations by category such as banks, gas stations, bars, coffee shops, restaurants and supermarkets---- all the college staples(主要产品).In which section of a newspaper could you find this article?
| A．Science & Tech. | B．Entertainment. | C．Life. | D．Tourism. |
What might be the best title for the text?
| A．How to Improve College Students' Studies |
| B．How to Download Computer Games |
| C．How to Choose the Latest Smartphone |
| D．Five Tech Tools for College Students |
Many college students use Grades 2 mainly for _____.
| A．chatting | B．calculating |
| C．hearing speeches | D．recording lectures |
If you want to use your smartphone to find a nearby supermarket, you should download _____. .
| A．TED | B．AroundMe | C．Skype | D．Grades 2 |
ios means _____.
| A．TED | B．VCS | C．OS | D．ECX |
We lived in a very quiet neighborhood. One evening I heard a loud crash in the street. Earlier that evening my wife had asked me to go to the store to get some soft drinks. It seemed like this would be a good time to let my teenage daughter Holly practice her driving, so I sent her to the store in my truck. At dinner my son talked about how much he liked my truck. I enjoyed having it, but I said, "Guy, my heart is not set on that truck. I like it but it is just metal and won't last forever. Never set your heart on anything that won't last." After hearing the loud noise, the whole family ran outside. My son shouted, "Dad! Dad! Holly crashed your truck."
My heart sank and my mind was flooded with conflicting thoughts. Was anyone hurt? Who else was involved? As I ran to the door, I heard a voice in my heart say, "Here is a chance to show Holly what you really love. She'll never forget it."
The accident had occurred in my own driveway. Holly had crashed my truck into our other vehicle, the family van. In her inexperience, she had confused the brakes and the gas pedal (油门). Holly was unhurt physically but when reached her, she was crying and saying, “Oh, Dad, I'm sorry. I know how much you love this truck." I held her in my arms as she cried.
Later that week a friend dropped by and asked what had happened to my truck. I told her the whole story. Her eyes moistened（润湿） and she said, "That happened to me when I was a girl. I borrowed my dad's car and ran into a log that had fallen across the road. I ruined the car. When I got home, my dad knocked me to the ground and began to kick me."
Over 40 years later, she still felt the pain of the night. It was a deep wound on her soul. I remember how sad Holly was on the night she crashed our truck, and how I comforted her. One day, when Holly thinks back on her life, I want her to know that I love her a thousand times more than any piece of property. I repaired the van, but the dent (凹陷） in my truck is still there today. Every day it reminds me of what really matters in my life.What caused the crash?
| A．The brakes weren't working. |
| B．Holly stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brakes. |
| C．Holly was drinking a soft drink while driving. |
| D．The car got a fiat tire and Holly lost control. |
What happened to the author's friend after she ruined her dad's car?
| A．She suffered physical pain for a long time. |
| B．She lost the courage to drive. |
| C．Her father kicked her out of the house. |
| D．Her father was violent towards her. |
Which of the following descriptions is true according to the passage?
| A．When the author first learned about the crash, he regretted sending his daughter to the store. |
| B．The author allowed his daughter to use his truck because his son was too young to drive. |
| C．When the author saw the crash, he was sorry for the damage to his beloved car. |
| D．By comforting his daughter, the author showed how much more he loved her than his truck. |
What does the underlined sentence imply?
| A．The wound recovered after 40 years. |
| B．Her soul was deeply hurt. |
| C．The hurt caused by her father affected her all the time. |
| D．Parents shouldn't beat their children. |
The main idea of the story is that ______.
| A．love is more important than possessions |
| B．parents should never let a teenager drive |
| C．there is no point blaming someone after an accident |
| D．we should always forgive others' mistakes |
Near the village, there is an old famous temple. Some people want to build new houses where the temple now stands, because they can find no other area to build them, while others disagree with them. They meet to decide how to solve the problem. Here are their opinions about it.
The expert wants to protect the temple and believes that there are some interesting things buried in the ground. If it is destroyed or moved, people may never learn about how people lived in the past.
The businessman thinks that the houses should be built. History is important, but we must think about the future. The village needs development and building new houses will offer jobs to hundreds of people.
Villager A says, “We should build the new houses because we need houses to live in.”
Villager B says, “We should protect the temple because it can attract many tourists to come for a visit. If the temple is destroyed or moved, we will lose a lot of business.”
The village leader thinks that he has a duty to make life better for the villagers. They need jobs and new houses. He also thinks the cultural site (遗迹) is important and they should be careful with it as well.The expert doesn’t want to _______ the old famous temple.
| A．rebuild | B．protect | C．pull down | D．fall down |
The businessman thinks building houses there can _______.
| A．help the village develop |
| B．attract many tourists to come for a visit |
| C．help people learn about how people lived in the past |
| D．help people learn about the interesting things buried in the ground |
_______ agree that they should build new houses there.
| A．The expert and the village leader |
| B．The businessman and Villager |
| C．Villager A and Villager |
| D．Villager B and the businessman |
The village leader thinks _______.
| A．they should destroy the temple |
| B．they needn’t build new houses |
| C．They should build the temple to make life better |
| D．they should not only build new houses but also be careful with the temple |
According to the passage, which of the following is RIGHT?
| A．It’s difficult to satisfy everyone. |
| B．The cultural site is not so important. |
| C．It’s easy to make a decision on the problem. |
| D．The villagers will lose their jobs with the development of their hometown |
For the British, the home is a private place in which he or she goes to hide away from the troubles of life. It is very seldom that one would be invited to a British person’s home. It is rude to knock on a person’s door if you are not invited. If you are invited, don’t ask to see more than the downstairs that your British host invites you into. Never ask how much the house or any of the items in it cost.
To the American, most of them want their home to be a place where they can entertain (款待) and share their lives with their friends. They may be delighted to give you a full tour of their houses. They may also be pleased when you show your interest and pleasure in their houses.
Both British and American people will engage in quite a bit of chat and a drink or two before the meal is served. After the first mouthful, you should say how delicious the food is and ask something about it. Remember, never eat with your mouth open and make very little noise while eating. It would be nice of you to help your host in any way. Maybe offer to pour some drinks or clear up after the meal.British people _______ invite friends to their home.
| A．often | B．always | C．seldom | D．never |
If your British friend invites you to his home, you can ____.
| A．see anything you like |
| B．ask how much his house is |
| C．ask the cost of any of the items in it |
| D．only see the downstairs that you are invited into |
When you show your interest and pleasure in American people’s house, they may be _____.
| A．angry | B．happy | C．sad | D．worried |
What does the underlined “engage in” mean in Chinese?
| A．陷入 | B．参与 | C．回避 | D．限制 |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．Some manners on visiting British and American people’s home. |
| B．Different table manners between British and American people. |
| C．Different ideas about the home between British and American people |
| D．Different ideas about how to get along well with neighbors between British and American people. |
How to Get What I Want?
There’s an expression: “What you see is what you get.” My grandfather used to say: “If you looked at a tree long enough, it will move.” We see what we want to see. Psychologists tell us that nothing controls our lives more than our self-image. We live like the person we see in the mirror. We are what we think we are. If you don’t think you’ll be successful, you won’t. You can’t be it if you can’t see it. Your life is limited to your vision. If you want to change your life, you must change your vision of your life.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was not that famous in 1976 when he met with a newspaper reporter. The reporter asked Schwarzenegger: “Now that you’ve retired from bodybuilding, what do you plan to do next?” Schwarzenegger answered very calmly and confidently: “I’m going to be the No. 1 movie star in Hollywood.” The reporter was shocked and amused at Schwarzenegger’s plan. At that time, it was very hard to imagine how this muscle-bound bodybuilder, who was not a professional actor and who spoke poor English with a strong Austrian accent, could ever hope to be Hollywood’s No. 1 movie star!
So when the reporter asked Schwarzenegger how he planned to make his dream come true, Schwarzenegger said: “I’ll do it the same way I became the No. 1 bodybuilder in the world. What I do was create a vision of who I want to be, and then I start living like that person in my mind as if it were already true.” Sounds almost childishly simple, doesn’t it? But I worked! Schwarzenegger became the No. 1 highest paid movie star in Hollywood. Remember: “If you can see it, you can be it.”
There’s a successful businessman who often wears a shirt with these words on it: “Don’t just pursue your dreams. Chase down and tackle! ” you only get one life to live, so why not live the best life possible? So you can be fully satisfied at what you see and get.What did Arnold Schwarzenegger do before he became a Hollywood star?
| A．He worked for a newspaper. |
| B．He was a man working on bodybuilding. |
| C．He worked in a small film company. |
| D．He was a businessman. |
Why was it hard for the reporter to believe that Schwarzenegger would become a star one day?
| A．Because he was not famous. |
| B．Because he was not professional and spoke poor English. |
| C．Because he was good at nothing except bodybuilding. |
| D．Because he only spoke English fluently. |
What did Schwarzenegger plan to do to make his Hollywood star dream come true?
| A．He continued to build his body. |
| B．He went to make more movies. |
| C．He lived a life like a movie star. |
| D．He tried his best to meet the movie directors. |
What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 mean?
| A．Have a dream and make it come true. |
| B．Stop your dream and find realistic things to do. |
| C．You can just daydream alone. |
| D．There’s nothing to do in the world but dream. |