In the US and Britain, the slogan around colleges was “Save water. Shower with a friend.” Now, Wuhan University has come up with another system for the campus bathhouse. It charges students for the amount of time in a shower. Before entering the bathhouse, students pay for the amount of time they want in the shower with cash or their student ID card. The clock starts ticking the minute the tape is turned on. It pauses when a button is pressed for soap. An integrated circuit (IC) card reader at each tap shows the time. No money, no water. The benefits of the new system can be seen with the old system which charged 1 yuan for each person regardless of time in the shower. The university used about 320 tons of water daily under the old system, but only 160 tons now.
Many students use the new system but opinions on it are divided. Some students say it is uncomfortable, because bathing had become a sort of race. Many people using it for the first time are not sure how long they need to shower. Some might be embarrassed if their time is up and they’re still covered in soap. They have to ask the bathhouse worker to help them buy extra time.
“It’s a flaw in the system that you can not buy extra time on the ID card,” said Ren, a freshman in Wuhan University. The University is also considering some student’s suggestions that they be allowed to pay after they’ve finished the shower. Not surprisingly, some are complaining about losing the hour shower. But many students say the move helps them develop a water-saving sense.
Without the time limit, most students tended to shower for half to an hour in the bathhouse.
Some even used the hot water to wash their clothes. “In my experience, 10-20 minutes is enough,” said Dai Zhihua, a third-year student who usually takes 8 minutes.
A similar system has been installed in other universities. Shanghai Normal University introduced it at its Fengxiang Campus in September. The bathing fee there is 0.2 yuan per minute. One male student responded by setting a record with a two- minute shower. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Students pay for the amount of time they want in the shower. |
| B．The clock times all through while the student is bathing except when the bather pauses for soap. |
| C．If money runs out, there will be no water. |
| D．Having finished bathing, the student has to pay for it. |
The author’s attitude toward the students’ move is ________.
| A．critical | B．serious | C．appreciative | D．not mentioned |
Since the new system has performed, ____ of water can be saved.
| A．a quarter | B．one third | C．one half | D．two thirds |
It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
| A．the new operation can solve the water crisis |
| B．the new operation can raise students’ environmental awareness |
| C．a similar operation will be set in other universities |
| D．Most students spend less than half an hour showing in the bathroom. |
In which column can you find this passage?
| A．People. | B．Society. | C．Campus Life | D．Lifestyle |
Any introduction to Peking Opera would not be complete without telling of Mei Lanfang. During his stage life, he combined the traditions of the past with his own creations, shaping a style of his own and giving birth to “The Mei Lanfang School”. He was also the first artist to introduce Peking Opera to an overseas audience, making it popular to the world.
Mei Lanfang began his stage life at the age of 8. His teacher said he showed little hope because of his boring eyes. To improve this, he exercised them day after day. Thanks to his efforts, he managed to change his dull eyes into a pair of bright and expressive eyes and win national fame before the age of 20.
In over 50 years on the stage, Mei Lanfang played no less than 100 different characters in the performance. He also wrote many new plays, designing the dances himself. The many dances he created form part of the great treasure that he left to Peking Opera.
In 1930, Mei Lanfang started on a successful US tour. There his brilliant performances impressed the audience, making them realize that Peking Opera was a theatrical form of great value.Mei Lanfang was the first artist to introduce Peking Opera to ________.
| A．China | B．audience |
| C．the world | D．schools |
How long did it take Mei Lanfang to exercise his eyes into bright and expressive?
| A．About 8 years. | B．About 10 years. |
| C．About 12 years. | D．About 14 years. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．The history of Peking Opera. |
| B．Mei Lanfang’s early stage life. |
| C．The performance of Peking Opera by Mei Lanfang. |
| D．Mei Lanfang’s great contributions to Peking Opera. |
Martin had just finished high school. He would go to college at the far end of the city. He didn’t want to live there, and he didn’t want to take the bus either. So his father agreed to buy him a car.
His father spent all his summer teaching him how to drive, from the ABC to the XYZ. Thinking of the great feeling of driving a new car, Martin learned very quickly, and received his driver’s license just before his eighteenth birthday.
The second day, all the family, and their dog, went to a car shop. Martin spent almost all the morning going from one car to another. Finally he saw a red Blue Bird. He had a test drive on the open ground, and called out, “This is what I want, Dad!” When everything was done, they were ready to leave.
Martin climbed into the front seat. He said excitedly, “It’s my first day driving alone. Dad, Mom, and Poo! Enjoy it!”
His dad immediately took the back seat, right behind the new driver. Martin wondered why his father chose that seat, for his father always enjoyed looking in front.
So he said, smiling, “I’m sure you’re back there to have a change after all those weeks of sitting in the front seat teaching me how to drive.”
“No,” Dad replied, “Do you remember what you did to me all those years when I took you to and from school? I am sitting here to hit and kick the back of your seat all the way!”Which of the following is NOT the reason why Martin’s father agreed to buy him a car?.
| A．Martin would go to college and it was far from home. |
| B．Martin preferred living at home to living at college. |
| C．Martin didn’t want to take the public transport. |
| D．Martin was able to learn how to drive very quickly. |
In which order did Martin do the following things?
a. He finished his high school. b. He test-drove driving the new car.
c. He got his driver’s license.d. He decided to buy the Blue Bird.
e. He kicked the front seat while his father was driving.
| A．e—a—c—b—d | B．a—c—b—d—e |
| C．e—c—a—b—d | D．a—c—d—b—e |
How would the whole family probably feel on their way back home?
| A．Angry | B．Sad |
| C．Cheerful | D．Shocked |
With the development of modern science and technology, the functions of cellphones have changed greatly.The only difference may be that they fit in your pocket and you pay by the minute to use them. Some of the things a cellphone can do for you will be available this year:
Surf at speed
Cellphones that let you use the Web have been around for years. So, what's new? Well , faster third-generation (3G) networks that let you surf at anywhere.Possible choices are from IJG Electronics VX 8000 and Motorola V1150.Listen as you go.
There is no doubt that it is about to change. Sony Ericsson’s new W8001 can hold around 150 songs in its 500 MB memory. And Samsung's SPH-V5400 even comes with a l. 5 GB hard drive. Mobile phones may eventually replace miniMP3 players, especially for teens. Say cheese.
Camera cellphones are not new either but most of them have limitations: around l- megapixel (百万像素 ) . However new technology has made 2-megapixel units more common ,and 3-megapixel units are showing up soon. Some 2-megapixel models, like Sony Ericsson's K7501, offer limited zoom and focus controls.Portable TV.
You say you like "watching TV"? That’s what Samsung MMA700 wants to give you. The new model lets users watch popular TV programmes~ for a fee. Other choices are Nokia's 6620, Sanyo's MM740 and NEC's N940.
The above are just a handful of what you ' ll see in the coming months. Further down the road, your mobile phone may play a host of other roles, such as mobile credit card, position locator and so on. So what is there that a cellphone can't do?
| A．The NEC model lets you watch public TV - no fee. |
| B．Without a cellphone, you can do nothing in your daily life. |
| C．Nowadays, new cellphones are much cheaper than old ones. |
| D．Today's do-it-all mobiles have a lot in common with the computer. |
E. This then allows a carrier to send video, music, and games to your phone.
F. Others, like LG's recent A7110, can even capture 30 minutes of full-motion video.
G. The problem with most cellphone MP3 players is that they hold only a handful of songs.
Suppose you are working as a manager in a famous company in China, and you will be sent to New York for a further study soon, but you don't think your English is good enough. So you are looking for a place where you can improve your English, especially your spoken English.
Here are some advertisements about English language training from newspapers. You may find the information you need.
What is special about the 2lst Century English Training Centre?
| A．Its teaching quality is better. |
| B．It is the nearest to the city center. |
| C．Its courses are more advanced. |
| D．It requires an entrance examination. |
Which school will you choose if you are busy in the daytime?
| A．Global English Center and Modern Language School. |
| B．Global English Center and the International House of English. |
| C．Modern Language School and the 2lst Century English Training Centre. |
| D．The 2lst Century English Training Centre and the International House of English. |
If you prefer to have English course on weekends, which telephone number will you call?
| A．67353019. | B．67705272. |
| C．67801642. | D．67432308. |
London has become a cycle friendly zone after the launch of a new bike hire scheme. It has been designed to encourage more people to cycle in and around central London.
So how does it work? First you have to sign up to the scheme to be sent a key. The key will unlock one of the bikes, which are kept at docking stations in and around central London. You have to pay an access fee for the key and then you pay as you go, for the length of time you use the bike.
Transport for London, which runs the scheme, is hoping to have 6,000 bikes and 400 docking stations in place by the end of the year. The new hire system is hoping to ease congestion (拥挤 ) in London and is expected to create up t0 40 ,000 extra cycle trips a day into the city centre. London Mayor Boris Johnston launched the scheme and said London had been 6ifilled with thousands of gleaming machines that will transform the look and feel of our streets and become as commonplace on our roads as black cabs and red buses".
However, there have been a few problems since the scheme was launched last Friday. On the first day some people found they couldn't dock their bike properly and their usage of the bike had not registered. Transport for London did admit they had been expecting a few "teething problems" and have said they wouldn't charge for the first day as a "gesture of goodwill". Some other people have criticized the lack of docking stations and locks for the bikes as well as the price it costs to hire the bicycles.
Despite the comments, the green-thinking London Mayor still seems very positive about things, saying, "My campaign for the capital to become the greatest big cycling city in the world has taken a big pedal-powered push forwards. "London Mayor Boris Johnston launched the new bike scheme in order to______.
| A．reduce the air pollution of the city |
| B．deal with the city's traffic problems |
| C．increase employment opportunities |
| D．encourage the citizens to take exercises |
If you want to hire a bike, in which order will you do?
a. pay for the key to a bike
b. sign up as a member to get a key
c. cycle in and around central London
d. pay for the bike according to the time you use it
| A．b→a→c→d | B．b→d→c→a |
| C．d→c→b→a | D．d→b→c→a |
All the following are the problems of the scheme EXCEPT_____.
| A．the high cost to hire a bike |
| B．docking the bikes properly |
| C．not registering their usage of the bikes |
| D．not charging for the first day of the scheme |
From the passage, we can infer that_______.
| A．the cycling revolution is not successful |
| B．all the citizens in London support the scheme |
| C．the London Mayor is confident in the scheme |
| D．the scheme will be cancelled because of the problems |