Schedules (timetables), as the 21st century people know, simply did not exist in the 17th and 18th c
enturies. We are upset if a plane arrives an hour late. Our ancestors weren’t upset if an April ship didn’t show up until June. They began to worry in July and were often happy when it showed up in August. When a long-distance ship finally did get to the port, the whole city became busy and excited. Businessmen hurried down to check the goods they had ordered. The ship would probably stay in port for at least three days, often a week, to take on businessmen, give the sailors a rest, find out about the latest news, weather conditions, and so on.
Travel time could only be approximate (近似的). One never knew when the winds would be good. So even though “average(平均的) sailing time” was given, time could change considerably, shortening the voyage (travel by sea) by up to 25% or putting it off by up to 500% or more! The average run from England to Boston was about a month and a half, but there were also voyages of three months. One voyage in 1640 lasted six months!
Travel time is not the same in both directions, due to the winds and currents. This is especially true in the Caribbean, where winds are from the southeast the entire
year. Ships sailing west across the Atlantic spend longer than ships sailing east, and the contrary (opposite) winds can prevent a ship from actually making it to the harbor even if it gets close. One ship was held off the North Carolina coast for 17 days before being able to land! What can we learn from the first paragraph?
| A．No sailor was allowed to have fun when the ship reached land. |
| B．People in ancient times didn’t care about other people’s safety. |
| C．The ship would leave for a voyage when all of the preparations were made. |
| D．A long-distance ship would create a lot of excitement in the place where it landed. |
According to the passage, travel time can’t be fixed due to _____.
| A．the people at the port | B．average sailing time |
| C．the changeable climate | D．the businessmen and the sailors |
The underlined word “currents” in the third paragraph means ______.
| A．the movement of water | B．the movement of winds |
| C．direction of the traveling ship | D．travel time of ships |
What is the difference between a modern voyage timetable and the one from the 17th or 18th century?
| A．There were no exact timetables for traveling both in ancient and modern times. |
| B．Travel time was the same in both directions in ancient times while the modern one was not. |
| C．The modern voyage timetable is more exact than the ancient one. |
| D．The modern voyage timetable is only approximate while the ancient one was not. |
Why did the ships sailing west spend longer than ships sailing east in Caribbean?
| A．Because of the southeast winds the entire year. |
| B．Because sailors didn’t know when the winds blew. |
| C．Because travel time was not affected by wind. |
| D．Because sometimes the ship was held off by the wind. |
(NEW YORK)---Scientists have discovered small signs of awareness in some vegetative(植物人的) brain injury patients and have even communicated with one of them---findings that are beneficial to how to assess and care for such people.
The new research suggests that standard tests may ignore patients who have some consciousness, and that someday some kind of communication may be possible.
In the strongest example, a 29-year-old patient was able to answer yes-or-no questions by picturing specific scenes the doctors asked him to imagine.
“We were stunned when this happened,” said one study author, Martin Monti of the Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge. “I find it really amazing. This was a patient who was believed to be vegetative for five years.”
Ever since a research paper four years ago described obvious signs of awareness in a vegetative patient, families of patients have been demanding brain scans, said Dr. James Bernat, a spokesman for the American Academy for Neurology.
But experts said more study is needed before the specialized brain scans could be used in medical treatment. “It’s still a research tool,” Bernat said.
Experts also pointed out that only a few tested patients showed evidence of awareness. And they said it is not clear what degree of consciousness and mental abilities the signs imply.
They also noted that the positive signals appeared only in people with traumatic(外伤的) brain injury---not in patients whose brains had been lacking in oxygen, as can happen when the heart stops.
The new study used brain scanning called functional MRI, for 23 patients in a vegetative state and 31 that are minimally(极微地) conscious.
Patients are said to be in a vegetative state if they are tested and found unable to do such things as move on command or follow a moving object with their eyes. Minimally conscious patients show signs of awareness, but they are minimal and discontinuous. What is the practical use of the research?
| A．It leads to studying how to cure vegetative patients. |
| B．It attracts society to pay more attention to vegetative patients. |
| C．It helps doctors know whether patients are vegetative or not. |
| D．It drives the government to care about vegetative patients. |
What does the underlined word “stunned” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
| A．Relaxed | B．Amazed | C．Excited | D．Worried |
One is considered vegetative if _______________.
| A．his eyes can’t follow a moving thing | B．his brain only has a little oxygen |
| C．he has a traumatic brain injury | D．his heart stops beating |
The passage mainly deals with ________________.
| A．how to recognize a vegetative patient | B．the significance of a new scientific finding |
| C．how family members look after a vegetative patient | |
| D．the latest findings on awareness in some vegetative patients |
Researchers who study relationships have discovered that a big difference between those who make new friends easily, and those who don’t, is that socially successful people tend to make eye contact with their conversation partners much more frequently than those who are less successful socially. In fact, you may be able to become much more socially successful by making this one simple change to your behavior.
Most Americans prefer to have a lot of eye contact when they are talking with someone. When a person doesn’t make eye contact with them, they tend to think that the person is hiding something or the person doesn’t believe in himself/herself.
When you are having a conversation and you want to leave a friendly impression, be sure to keep looking at that person frequently while you are talking. If it really bothers you to look directly into another person’s eyes, you can gaze generally at, not above, the eyebrow area or the bridge of the nose; this is close enough to the eye region that you will appear to be looking at the person’s eyes. But neither the hair or the shoulders have the same effect. Don’t stare at other people too intensely, otherwise, you will look aggressive(攻击性).
Keep the majority of your focus on the other person. If you glance around the room too much, or look too frequently at other people, your conversation partner may guess that you are looking around for someone else you would rather talk with.
You can lighten your nervousness by smiling more often, nodding, and by gazing at the entire face as well as the eyes. In addition, you can frequently look away for very short periods.
When people get the sense that you are really paying attention to them, they will be much more likely to want to have conversations with you!Which of the following is NOT the impression left by those who don’t make eye contact during the talk?
| A．They are not telling the truth. | B．They are bored with the partner. |
| C．They are lacking in confidence | D．They are angry and ready to attack. |
Besides the eyes of the partner, during the talk, you can look at his/her ___________.
| A．hair | B．shoulders | C．the bridge of the nose | D．area above the eyebrows |
From the passage, we can learn that ____________________.
| A．looking away during conversation should always be avoided. |
| B．looking at a person frequently can give him/her a good impression. |
| C．many Americans feel like being stared at for a long time. |
| D．all successful people are good at making eye contact. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．How to make yourself socially successful |
| B．How to use eye contact to make a good impression |
| C．How to make friends with the people around you |
| D．How to leave a good impression during a talk |
Dear Michelle,
My mother is not a good example for me and my sister. She smokes, stays out late, and she curses. I love her but I am ashamed of her. I do not want to bring home my friends because she does not act like any of the other mothers. She says I am a loser because I sit at home and I study. I wish I could live in another family that is normal, but that will not be for another 5 years when I am 18 and legal. What am I supposed to do until then?
Prisoner of a Crazy House
Dear 7th Grade,
I am glad that you love your mother because the rest of your feelings about her may change as you mature and get older.
While it is true that your mother’s smoking, partying and cursing bring you shame, the fact that you want to stay separate from her doing is notable and very smart. It shows that you are a winner, not a loser.
I am guessing, therefore, that you do not bring shame to yourself, and that is a good thing. So, keep it that way and keep away from your mother’s habits.
In the meantime, get the best grades as possible and join clubs and after-school activities. Offer social service on weekends and visit with your friends at their homes.
Unfortunately, you are not alone. Many teens live in homes with immature, misguided, selfish parents. Those kids often feel lonely and separate from the rest of their friends because of their parents’ terrible deeds.
Yet, despite this, some of these very teens grow up to be just fine. They develop good friendships with nice kids, do well in school, and often find a teacher of guidance advisor who makes all the difference!
Do it, Miss Winning 13-year-old, and keep looking forward to your own fine future. Maybe by then your mother may even see the light and realize how surprising you really are.
Best luck!
MichelleThe kids asks for advice on how to _________.
| A．make her mother change | B．grow up in her present situation |
| C．get along well with her mother | D．start a new family with her sister |
Michelle doesn’t call her letter receiver a “Prisoner of a Crazy House” possibly because she ________.
| A．tries to be polite | B．doesn’t write to that kid alone |
| C．knows that’s a girl in Grade 7 | D．wants to cheer up the kid |
Michelle advises the girl to ___________.
| A．try talking to her mother | B．get used to the habits of her mother |
| C．stick to her attitude towards her mother | D．improve her relationship with her mother |
What does Michelle express by the paragraphs beginning with “Unfortunately” and “Yet”?
| A．Many parents act terribly | B．You’re not speaking for yourself |
| C．Parents’ manners make little difference | D．Don’t worry too much about your problem |
Getting ready for a big test? Want to get some extra energy for your next sports event? Or do you just need to relax? Match the mood you’re in( or the mood you’d like to be in) to the descriptions below and find out what color may help.
Feeling tired: Red can help you meet the demands of a busy day. If you’ve got a tough day ahead, try wearing a red sweater or painting your fingernails a rich red to boost(增加) your energy.
Feeling tense or depressed: Green may give you a sense of peace. Take a long walk through a tree-filled park or read a book in a grassy area.
Wanting to use your creativity: Violet(紫罗兰色) helps increase creativity. Think of a creative project you’d like to start and use the color violet as your main theme.
Experiencing lack of interest: Yellow helps to improve thought process and mental sharpness. Start keeping a diary on yellow notepaper, and get some sunlight on your face.
Needing to boost your imagination: Indigo(靛蓝色) strengthens dream activity. Put on your favorite pair of jeans and a pair of indigo sunglasses.
Feeling sad, self-conscious, nervous: Orange may help start your emotions and make you more social. Buy yourself an orange book bag or purse and carry it with you on the days when you’re feeling low.
Having trouble sleeping: Blue helps calm your nerves and brings relaxation. Buy some blue sheets for your bed and curl up with your favorite magazines for a relaxing night. If you’re trying to calm yourself down, you may ________.
| A．wear a red sweater | B．walk through green fields. |
| C．put on a pair of jeans | D．buy a yellow bag |
Which of the following is most helpful in producing unique artwork?
| A．Red | B．Green | C．Violet | D．Orange |
According to the passage, orange____________.
| A．helps fire one’s imagination | B．helps you deal with people easily |
| C．helps have a good rest | D．helps save energy |
If you want to be in high spirits, which colors may help?
| A．Red and yellow | B．Yellow and blue |
| C．Green and violet | D．Blue and green |
Greece is one of the most beautiful countries of the world．Millions of tourist visit this place every year．In Greece the bus is the most convenient and preferred means of traveling．There are intercity buses operated by KTEL that interconnect various cities of Greece,!! and there are international buses operated by OSE that connect Greece to other European cities.
Every tourist must visit Greece at least once in life．This country is really a vacation heaven．It is the perfect blend（融合） of history and art with adventure and romance．You car| dive into deep[
blue waters, climb up the mountains or enjoy ancient architecture and history．
Buses in Greece are cheap and very comfortable．All bus stations display schedules of buses on every route．Conductors and drivers are very polite and helpful．Travelers never face any rouble locating and boarding buses to their destinations．Tourists can always ask the conductor to inform them about their stop, so that they can get down at the right stop．Everyone here is more than happy to help tourists．
Athens, me capital of Greece, has three bus terminals(终点站）．Buses to different parts of Greece leave from different terminals．Air-conditioned express buses also operate between major cities．They are faster and more comfortable than other buses．Tourists can choose guided Greece bus ^our．These tours are the perfect way of exploring this great country． |
Buses in Greece are also a great way of saving bucks on the journey．The long-distance bus system is very cheap．Buses save a lot of money to cover long distances, cheaper than taxis or cars． They are also the best means of interacting with local people．You can sit next to a native of Greece and get some information about the place．The company KTEL offers bus services _____．
| A．to different cities in Greece | B．from Greece to other countries |
| C．to tourist attractions in Greece | D．from Greece to its bordering countries |
It can be inferred from Para．3 that the Greeks are _____．
| A．generous | B．hard-working |
| C．economical | D．warm-hearted |
If you are a tourist to Greece from overseas, you’d better choose _____．
| A．taxis | B．cars |
| C．guided Greece bus tours | D．air-conditioned express buses ; |
The underlined word "bucks" in the last paragraph probably refers to _____． ;
A．money B, energy C．time D．troubleWhile taking long-distance buses, you can _____．
| A．know more about the bus schedules |
| B．make friends with the conductors |
| C．learn more about bus systems in Greece |
| D．learn something about the place you’re visiting |