It’s amazing what a little free beer can accomplish. In 1997 the small Danish island of Samso, located in the Kattegat Strail, won a contest hosted by the Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy. Samso, then known for its dairy and pig farms, would become Denmark’s showcase for sustainable power, eventually going carbon-free. How that would happen, however, was far from clear, since the government initially offered no funding, tax breaks or technical expertise(专门知识).
Given that almost all its power came from oil or coal — and the island’s 4,300 residents didn’t know a wind turbine(风力发电机) from a grain silo(谷仓) — Samso seemed an strange choice. Soren Hermansen, though, saw an opportunity. A restless native son who grew up on a family farm, Hermansen was teaching environmental studies at a local school when he heard about Samso’s award. He volunteered to be the first — and only — participant. “I realized this could happen,” he says. “This was realistic.” He may have been the only one who thought so.
Hermansen knew Samso islanders were conservative, but that could be an advantage: once he convinced enough potential first movers to act, the rest would follow. So Hermansen showed up at every community or club meeting to campaign for the renewable-energy project. He pointed to the island’s unexplored potential for wind power and the economic benefits of making Samso energy-independent. He sometimes brought free beer.
It worked. The islanders bought shares in new wind turbines to build 11 large land-based turbines, enough to meet the entire island’s electricity needs. Not satisfied with that, they supported the construction of 10 huge offshore turbines,which provide power that the island’s dependence on cars and ferries needs. Today Samso isn’t just carbon-free — it actually produces 10% more clean electricity than it uses, with the extra power fed back into the national electricity network at a profit.
Hermansen has become a green angel, traveling from country to country telling the story of Samso’s success when he’s not at home running the Energy Academy, a research center for clean power. But he’s the first to say that the real credit belongs to the islanders,and that Samso’s lesson is that environmental change can only come from the ground up.What was Hermansen’t response to the Samso’s winning the contest?
A.He regarded it as a chance. |
B.He was not satisfied with the award. |
C.He thought it was strange. |
D.He thought it was reasonable. |
From the second paragraph we can learn that __________.
A.many Samso islanders participated in the green project actively |
B.most Samso islanders were against the renewable energy project |
C.Samso has a long history of making use of renewable energy |
D.at first people showed little interest in the renewable energy project |
Why did Hermansen show up at every community or club meeting?
A.It was his duty to keep the islanders informed of government policies. |
B.He wanted to convince the islanders to use clean power instead of oil or coal. |
C.He wanted to persuade the islanders to be involved in the wind power project. |
D.He wanted to share his beer with other islanders. |
What can we learn about Hermansen’s personality from the last paragraph?
A.He is practical. | B.He is courageous. |
C.He is modest. | D.He is ambitious. |
Like any good mother,when Karen found out that another baby was on the way,she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son,Michael,prepare for a new baby.They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl,and day after day,night after night,Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's stomach.
Finally,Michael's little sister is born.But she is in serious condition.With alarm in the night,the ambulance rushes the infant to the neonatal(初生的)intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital,Knoxville,Tennessee.The days go by.The little girl gets worse.The pediatric(儿科的)specialist tells the parents,“There is very little hope.Be prepared for the worst.”
Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot.They have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby,but now they plan a funeral.Michael,keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister,“I want to sing to her,”he says.
Karen makes up her mind.She will take Michael whether they like it or not.If he doesn't see his sister now,he may never see her alive.
She dresses him in an oversized suit and marches him into ICU.He looks like a walking laundry basket,but the head nurse recognizes him as a child and shouts,“Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed.Never disturb patients here.”The mother rises up strongly and said,“He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!”
Karen leads Michael to his sister's bedside.He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live.And he begins to sing.In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old,Michael sings:“You are my sunshine,my only sunshine,you make me happy when skies are gray...”Instantly the baby girl responds.The pulse rate becomes calm and steady.
The next day,the very next day,the little girl is well enough to go home! Woman's Day magazine called it“the miracle of a brother's song.”The medical staff just called it a miracle.Karen called it a miracle of God's love!
Never give up on the people you love.What may the underlined words“the infant”refer to?
A.The baby. | B.Karen. | C.Mary. | D.Michael. |
What do we know about the little sister after she was born?
A.She was driven to St.Mary's shop. |
B.A doctor came to see her in her house. |
C.She was very thin and couldn't speak. |
D.She was in great danger. |
Why did Karen firmly let little Michael see his sister in ICU?
A.Because he could make his sister alive. |
B.Because his sister would be sent to a far hospital. |
C.Because his sister was going to die soon. |
D.Because his father wanted to take him away. |
What do we know about the head nurse?
A.The head nurse was careful. | B.The bead nurse was rude. |
C.The head nurse was responsible. | D.The head nurse had no sympathy. |
What is the general idea of the text?
A.A boy's singing saved his sister's life. |
B.The little girl is well enough to go home. |
C.Michael's little sister is born with a serious disease. |
D.No children are allowed to enter the intensive care unit. |
In America,Virginia Beach has all the elements of a classic seaside resort:brilliant beaches,a lively boardwalk,plenty of restaurants and nightspots,and amusement rides sure to appeal to kids.Many believe Virginia Beach is at its best in the off-season,when the town is less crowded but the weather is still mild.
Meanwhile,some safety tips should be followed,enjoying the happiness and excitement the beach offers.
The number l safety tip concerns ocean safety:pay attention to Flag conditions posted on the lifeguard stands.Lifeguards post a red flag to warn when the ocean water is dangerous.Take them seriously! Tourists from land-locked regions are particularly easily attracted by the magic of the waves.However,a calm ocean can become risky without warning.Make sure you swim near a lifeguard.Swimming without lifeguard protection is almost five times as great as drowning at a beach with lifeguards.
Never swim alone.Many drownings involve single swimmers.When you swim with someone else,if one of you has a problem,the other may be able to get help,including signaling for assistance from others.
Don't fight the current.The facts show that some 80% of rescues by lifeguards at ocean beaches are caused by currents.These currents are formed by surf and gravity,because once surf pushes water up the slope of a beach,gravity pulls it back.This can create concentrated rivers of water moving offshore.If you are caught in a rip current,don't fight it by trying to swim directly to shore.Instead,swim parallel to shore until you feel the current relax,then swim to shore.Most rip currents are narrow and a short swim parallel to shore will help bring you to safety.When coming to Virginia Beach,children can enjoy the happiness of the following except .
A.walking on the road made of wood | B.joining the nightspots |
C.having interesting rides | D.skiing in the sea |
Many people believe the best time to visit Virginia Beach may be.
A.after autumn school term beginning | B.in the slimmer vacation |
C.during the Christmas holiday | D.in the cold winter |
Swimming in the sea you'd better not swim.
A.with a friend | B.within the sight of the lifeguard |
C.with the current | D.as far as you like |
From the passage,we can know.
A.one in five persons swimming in the sea is drowned |
B.if one with lifeguard were drowning,five persons without lifeguard would be |
C.some 80%people drowning by the currents are rescued by lifeguards |
D.some 20%drowning by the currents are rescued by life guards |
The passage mainly tells us.
A.some safety tips when swimming in the sea |
B.the happiness and excitement the beach offers |
C.Virginia Beach has all the elements of a classic seaside resort |
D.the dangers for tourists from land-locked regions to swim in the sea |
The United States is the world's largest consumer of energy. We use electricity, gas and oil to light and heat our buildings and run our cars. The demand for power is growing. But we may not need to build new power plants or find more oil. The best way to increase our supply of energy is to be more efficient.
Did you know that when you leave your video-game console (游戏机操纵台) on, it consumes more electricity than two refrigerators? Or that those funny-looking, twisty bulbs (灯泡) use 75% less power than traditional light bulbs? We have the tools to save money, reduce pollution and even help our planet, simply by wasting less energy.
As President, Barack Obama plans to make energy efficiency in American a major goal. He has promised to cut 15% of all energy used by the Federal Government. In a speech, he called for 75% of government office buildings to be updated for better efficiency. He pointed out that energy-efficient buildings and homes will save consumers billions of dollars on energy bills. An “extra benefit”, he added, will be “a cleaner, safer planet.”
Gas, coal and oil are called fossil fuels. Fossil fuels have been the world's main source of energy for hundreds of years. But burning them releases dirty gases, which cause pollution.
There are two main ways to save energy. The first is to use more efficient machines. Hybrid cars use less gas. New appliances are designed to use less electricity. Today's refrigerators are three times more efficient than those before 1973. Laptop computers consume much less energy than desktop computers.
The second is to use machines more productively. According to the US Department of Energy, in the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power electronic equipment is standby power (备用电源) . That means power flowing to plugged-in appliances whether or not they are being used.
Homeowners can avoid wasting power by pulling the plug on appliances when they are not in use. Efficiency experts argue that today's best techniques could cut US oil and gas use in half, and reduce our electricity use by three-fourths.By referring to Obama's plan, the author mainly intended to say that _______
A.the US government office buildings have wasted the most energy |
B.Obama has decided to take the lead to cut down the use of electricity |
C.it is time for the US to shoulder the responsibility for a cleaner planet |
D.the US is determined to improve energy efficiency in the whole America |
It can be inferred from the text that ________.
A.to build new power plants or find more oil is no longer useful |
B.burning fossil fuels can lead to a growing demand for power |
C.everyone can make a difference by wasting less energy |
D.most of the electricity is wasted with appliances plugged-in |
What would be the best title for the text?
A.The world's largest consumer of energy |
B.The world's energy efficiency movement |
C.We need to find new energy |
D.We have to be more energy efficient |
Welcome to Job Serve
The World's 1st Internet Employment Service
1. Display your grades. Grades are still important to potential employers.
2. Communicate well with others. No matter what career path you choose to follow—from nurse to computer programmer—you should have solid written and oral communication skills to get a job.
3. Have enough computer knowledge. It is the information age; you need to be able to show solid computer knowledge that is related to your field.
4. Put your best resume (个人简历) forward. A resume should be a short and clear, error-free, reader-friendly, one-page document that can be easily looked through.
5. Research. Take the time to learn about the company you are targeting by visiting its website or researching the company at the library.
6. Use examples. Using detailed examples from school and internships (实习) to answer questions about your experiences and to paint a clearer picture of your strengths and skills for the employer.
7. Smile! It is hard to smile when you are on the hot seat — but a smile during an interview shows enthusiasm for the position and the company. Potential employers might think of a non-smiling face as a lack of interest.
8. Show your thanks. A thank-you note following a phone or a face-to-face interview reinforces (增强) your interest in the position and the company. You can give the potential employers a good impression if you _________.
A.write a face-to-face note | B.show enthusiasm |
C.prepare a long and free resume | D.paint your own picture |
What does the underlined words “you are on the hot seat” probably mean?
A.The seat is very hot. | B.Everybody else is laughing at you. |
C.Nobody else is helping you. | D.You are in a difficult situation. |
We can infer from the passage that ________.
A.It is unnecessary to visit the website of the company you are interested in. |
B.You have to be an expert on computer to get a job. |
C.It is hard to find a job if you cannot write well and communicate well. |
D.A resume can be a several-page document if you have a lot to show to the company. |
New York City consists of five parts: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. The population is about 7.5 million and there are 1.5 million in Manhattan alone.
Manhattan, the center of the city, is on the island between the Hudson River and the East River. Most of the famous buildings such as the Empire State and the United Nations and other skyscrapers are in Manhattan. Some of its districts are: Broadway, which has many theatres and cinemas, Fifth Avenue, with stores and apartments, Greenwich Village, where many artists and writers have lived, and Central Park, with a skating rink (溜冰场). From Manhattan you have to cross to the other parts of New York City through a tunnel or over a bridge. The bridge from Brooklyn to Staten Island is the longest in the world.
New York is the second biggest port in the world and it has two airports. The people who live there come from all over the world and speak many different languages. There are 324,000 Germans and 390,000 Poles as well as people from Greece, Scotland, Ireland, Italy and Romania. People call one district "Little Italy" and another "China town". The most important part of New York is _______.
A.Hudson River | B.East River |
C.Bronx and Staten Island | D.Manhattan |
The Empire State is ______.
A. a state of the U.S.A. B. a country
C. a skyscraper D. a district in New York If you are going to do some shopping in Manhattan, you will go to _______.
A.Broadway | B.Fifth Avenue |
C.Greenwich Village | D.Central Park |
From the article we understand ________.
A.Staten Island and Brooklyn are separated by the sea |
B.Staten Island and Brooklyn are one landmass |
C.Manhattan and Queens are one landmass |
D.Brooklyn and Queens are separated by the sea |
Many ________ live in the New York.
A.people from Poland and China |
B.children from Brooklyn and Staten Island |
C.people from Germany and Italy do not |
D.children from Greece and Romania do not |