You don’t have to ask Barack Obama what it is like to be a president-elect.Chances are you can be one, too, and it won’t take more than 30 years’ efforts to achieve that.
A new computer game, Commander in Chief, offers the chance to step into the president’s shoes and see whether you can do a better job running the country than he can.
The video game will be available on January 20, the day Obama is sworn in (宣誓就职) as president.
So what will you do in the game?
Like Obama, your early task is to select members of the Cabinet(内阁)from 250 personality types.Then you immediately face internal(国内的)and external(对外的) challenges.Every decision you make has an in-game consequence.
“You can put your own political theories into action and see the domestic(国内的)and international effect,” said the lead designer Louis-Marie Rocques.
Internal decisions involve managing budgets, security, education, health care and discussion over many proposed laws.You also have to respond to critics.Every decision has a consequence, which changes the political environment.For example, raising taxes will raise criticisms and protests while lowering taxes means you will have less money to play with.
What about external decisions? Well, you have to deal with military issues, global economics, trade agreements, and spending time lobbying(游说)other presidents.You can determine the course of world events by invading(侵略)a neutral country, or toppling(推翻)an unfriendly country but then you must face the economic, political, and military consequences.
Don’t want to be president of the US? The game also lets you become virtual(虚拟的)leader of other countries including France, Germany, Spain and Russia.
68.The purpose of writing this passage is mainly to .
A.show you how hard it is to be the newly-elected president, Barack Obama
B.explain why the video game is so popular among American citizens
C.introduce to you one special computer game, Commander in Chief
D.inform how designers developed the interesting computer game
69.Which of the following items belongs to internal affairs in the game?
A.Managing budgets, responding to critics and military issues.
B.Managing budgets, raising taxes and trade agreements.
C.Health care, discussing proposed laws and lowering taxes.
D.Education, security and lobbying other countries.
70.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Those who want to be a president one day will get a taste of their private life.
B.The first task in the game is to form the Cabinet consisting of 250 members.
C.The video game has hit the stores in America and enjoys sales success.
D.Like a real president, the players will face challenges at home and abroad
Ethiopia has greatly reduced its death rates for children under the age of five years during the last two decades, new UN statistics show. The report says Ethiopia has cut the number of child deaths, by two thirds or so, to 68 per 1,000 births compared to that in 1990.
The government owed the improved figures to its growing economy. Despite the reduction, the UN Children's Fund said Ethiopia needed to do much more to improve health facilities(设施) for pregnant women.
Ethiopia is one of Africa's poorest states, although it has experienced rapid economic growth in recent years and is one of the continent's leading coffee producers. Its economy centers around agriculture, which in turn relies on rainfall.
The BBC's Emmanuel Igunza in the capital, Addis Ababa, says Ethiopia was once representative of poor nutrition in Africa. But the latest UNICEF(联合国儿童基金会) figures show Ethiopia is one of the few African countries on the path to realizing the development goal of reducing child death rates, he says.
Ethiopia's Health Minister Kesetebirhan Admasu said increasing family incomes had helped improve people's health. "This has also resulted in better nutrition for children and women; this has translated into better medical conditions —— all these have a direct or indirect influence on the survival of children," he told BBC Africa. He said the government has also been "aggressively expanding its primary health care network".
"We have now 93% coverage(覆盖) of one health centre for 25,000 people, which basically means one health facility within a 7km area," he said.How many in 1000 births would die in Ethiopia in 1990?
A.about 680 | B.about 330 | C.about 68 | D.about 200 |
Which of the following statements is true?
A.Ethiopian children benefit from its fastest economy growing. |
B.Ethiopia has a long way to go to improve health facilities. |
C.Ethiopia is the economic center because of its rich rainfall. |
D.Ethiopia has already become a rich state in Africa. |
What do we know according to the latest UNICEF figures?
A.Many African countries have high child death rates now. |
B.Ethiopia is the only country that has reduced child death rates. |
C.Ethiopia is the most successful in reducing child death rates. |
D.Ethiopia was once known for its poor nutrition in Africa. |
What Kesetebirhan Admasu said shows that_______.
A.agricultural incomes have helped improve all the people's health in Africa |
B.now the health care network is perfect in Ethiopia |
C.93% of the 25,000 people enjoy health centers in Ethiopia |
D.the government has been taking active measures to improve people's health |
This parable(寓言)is told of a farmer who owned an old mule(骡子). The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule praying for whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing(评估)the situation, the farmer sympathized(同情)with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together , told them what had happened, and asked them to help pour dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out his misery.
At the beginning, the old mule was crazy! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shovelling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he would shake it off and step up!
This he did, blow after blow. “Shake it off and step up… shake it off and step up… shake it off and step up!” He repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!
It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly(胜利地)over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him actually helped him… all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity(逆境).
That’s life! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity.
The adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the very real potential to benefit us! Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that amateurs(生手)built the boat. Professionals built the Titanic.Why did the farmer decide to bury the mule in the well?
A.Because he thought the mule was of little use. |
B.Because he didn’t like the praying made by the mule. |
C.Because he thought the well couldn’t be used any longer after the accident. |
D.Because he didn’t want to see the mule suffer more in the well. |
What does the underlined sentence in the second paragraph mean?
A.The mule became calm | B.The mule became quiet. |
C.The mule suddenly had an idea | D.The mule lost heart. |
Who saved the mule at last?
A.The farmer | B.The farmer’s neighbors |
C.The farmer and his neighbors | D.The mule himself |
What lesson can we learn from the passage?
a. One should give up something of little use.
b. One should depend oneself when in trouble.
c. One should show mercy to others who are in trouble.
d. There must be something that one can do well no matter what he is.
e. Be self-determined and never give up, and one can succeed in the end.
A.a, b, e | B.b, d, e | C.a, c, e | D.b, c, e |
Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists are finding may help us all make better choices. Here are some of their amazing discoveries to help you make up your mind.
Consider your emotions. You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision making, but in fact they’re a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain’s emotional center is active. University of Southern California scientist, Antonio Damasio, has studied people with damage to only the emotional parts of their brains, and found that they were unable to make basic choices about what to wear or eat. Damasio thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choices, which we use to help the present decision making.
However, making choices under the influence of an emotion can greatly affect the result. Take anger, for example. A study by Nitika Garg of the University of Mississippi and other scientists found the angry shoppers were more likely to choose the first thing they were offered rather than considering other choices. It seems anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.
All emotions affect our thinking and motivation, so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there’s one emotion that seems to help us make good choices. The American researchers found that sad people took time to consider the various choices on offer, and ended up making the best choices. In fact many studies show that people who feel unhappy have the most reasonable view of the world.According to the text, what may help us make better decisions?
A.To think about happy times. |
B.To make many decisions at a time. |
C.To stop feeling regretful about the past. |
D.To learn about the process of decision-making. |
Damasio’s study suggests that ______.
A.emotions are the enemy of decision making |
B.our brain has nothing to do with decision making |
C.people with physical damage find it hard to make up their minds |
D.our emotional memories of past choices can affect present decisions |
Why are angry shoppers more likely to choose the first thing they are offered?
A.They often forget their past choices. |
B.They make decisions without much thinking. |
C.They tend to save time when shopping. |
D.They are too angry to bargain. |
What do we learn from the text?
A.Emotions are a part of decision making. |
B.Sad people always make the worst choices. |
C.No emotion seems to help us make good choices. |
D.Only sad feelings affect our thinking and motivation. |
I was appreciating my family photos on my computer, admiring my two beautiful babies, when I found a disturbing trend: my laptop was in almost all the pictures. There was my daughter, 8 months old, playing at my feet while I was typing away on the couch. There was me and my son, with the laptop at my side as I held him in my arms.
I’d heard about the Internet addiction before, but always assumed I was something limited to socially challenged guys who played too much World of Warcraft (a computer game). Now it seemed my Internet “habit” is slowly but surely crossing the line. Sometimes I find myself up at midnight, surfing the Web while my family are sleeping. I read news, keep up with friends and write my blog … just for something to do.
It turns out that I’m not the only mama who is addicted to the computer. These moms are contributing to a growing global addiction. There’s a movement among psychiatrists (doctors who specialize in mental diseases) to recognize the Internet addiction as an official mental disorder. And a recent Stanford University national survey found that 14 percent of Internet users find it hard to stay away from it for several days at a time; 9 percent try to hide their “unnecessary Internet use” from their loved ones; 8 percent admit they use the Web as a way to escape problems.
You’re likely not the kind of addict who doesn’t bathe and abuses drugs to help her stay “up” for more online time. You may have noticed, though, that going online has become a necessary part of your life, which, at least, means a load of clothes go unwashed.
It may also mean you’re missing much time with you baby – something you probably do care about.From Paragraph 1, we can conclude that _______.
A.the author was busy taking care of her babies |
B.the author’s job had something to do with computers |
C.the author was not good at taking photos of her babies |
D.the author looked after her babies while using the computer. |
The author used to think that the Internet addiction is ________.
A.using the web at midnight | B.keeping up with friends online |
C.spending too much time online | D.being addicted to computer games |
In medical terms, the Internet addiction is ________.
A.a personal life habit | B.a way to escape problems |
C.an official mental disorder | D.the unnecessary use of the Internet |
What does the author want to express in the last but one paragraph?
A.Many women still can control their online time. |
B.The Internet addiction influences housewives’ lives a lot. |
C.Going online has become a necessary part of women’s lives. |
D.Many people don’t realize that they are addicted to the Internet. |
Anyone for kimchi(韩国泡菜)? Around 2,000 women made the traditional dish last week in Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea(ROK).
More than 270 tons of kimchi were produced and handed out to needy neighbours.
In the ROK, kimchi is more than a dish to be eaten with every meal, even though Koreans are said to eat about 40 pounds(around 18kg) of kimchi per person each year.
According to Korean.net, the country’s official multilingual website, kimchi represents
“the spirit” of the Koreans.
Kimchi traditionally has a rosy color. Korea.net says: “The color red wards off (避开) evil spirits. The color represents the spirit of the Korean people and kimchi is more than just a food. It’s a culture.”
A meal without kimchi is unthinkable. So what is kimchi?
Joan Raymond, food writer for US website health.com, writes: “It’s a reddish, fermented (发酵的) cabbage dish , made with a mix of garlic salt, vinegar, chili peppers and other spices.
It is served at every meal, either along with or mixed with rice and noodles. It is part of a high-fiber, low fat diet, which has kept obesity(肥胖) at bay.”
Kimchi is used in everything from soups to pancakes and as a topping (配料) on pizza and burgers.
Health.com named kimchi in its list of the world’s top five healthiest foods as it is rich in vitamins, aids digestion and may even reduce the risk of cancer.
A study conducted by Seoul National University claimed that chickens infected with the H5N1 virus (bird flu) recovered after eating food containing the same bacteria found in kimchi.
When Koreans pose for photos, they say “kimchi”, instead of “cheese”.According to the article, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.Kimchi contains something that can kill the H5N1 virus. |
B.Kimchi is rated as the healthiest food in the world. |
C.Kimchi is a cultural treasure for Koreans. |
D.Each person eats 40 pounds of kimchi per month. |
What does the underlined phrase “keep... at bay” mean?
A.predict | B.prevent | C.overcome | D.develop |
What does the article mainly talk about?
A.The nutritional value of kimchi. |
B.Ways of making kimchi. |
C.The origin of kimchi. |
D.Kimchi and what it means to Koreans. |