Apparently,we are safe neither at home nor in the business office.We use water in both places,but the research shows that chemicals added to our local water supply to kill harmful bacteria can have unwanted side effects.These chemicals can cause potential harm through drinking and in seemingly harmless activities as cleaning one’s house.They are released(set free)from water by daily actions like water running out of tap,spraying from garden pipes,or splashing in dishwashers and washing machines.As the water is moving.these chemicals are released into the air and then breathed in. Once inside our bodies, they start to affect our health.
Does this mean we should stop bathing? No, say the scientists, but we should put all pollution into perspective. Activities at home such as the burning of coal, cooking oil, or even candles release carbon monoxide and particulates such as cigarette ashes which have been proven as harmful to health as working or living near heavy traffic. New tugs, bedding, and even clothing give off that“new smell, ”which is a sure sign of chemicals. In the office, newly applied paint, newly purchased telephones and other telecommunications equipment, and computers release polluting chemicals, too. As offices and homes often have inadequate ventilation (通风), these chemicals can build up to become health problems. Their poisonous effects are only now being slowly recognized.
These facts suggest that, at a minimum, proper airing of newly purchased goods with an obvious chemical smell is a wise warning. Home and office windows should be opened during good weather. Even one’s car needs to be ventilated as well while in the garage.
We need further research to understand better other potential health dangers, too. For example, the effects of overcrowding of schools (carbon dioxide build-up ), the factory work environment ( an endless list of potentially dangerous substances ), and even home heating and cooling (the air conditioner may be our enemies, not our friends) have only recently started to come to light. Until we understand the effects of our new technological environment better, we can only hope that“there is no place like home.”What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
A.The air we breathe in is harmful. |
B.Chemicals are released in the running water. |
C.Chemicals are added to the drinking water. |
D.The water in everyday use is unsafe. |
.In Paragraph 2, the underlined sentence means that .
A.homes and offices should be aired often |
B.any pollution should be taken into consideration |
C.bathing should be done with caution |
D.we should prevent any pollution from doing harm to us |
What is the purpose of the passage?
A.To call on us to guard our water. |
B.To show us that no place is like home. |
C.To make us aware of the pollution around us. |
D.To argue that neither homes nor offices are safe. |
Chinese girl looking for language exchanger
Posted Feb 10, 2010 16:25 by Sophia
Tag: Seeking Language partners Guangzhou Sex: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Chinese
I am a Chinese girl in my 20’s, can speak and write in English, but I’d like to make some improvement. People always look for making it better, right?
Meanwhile, I also like to meet more friends if we really have some topics to share.
And if you are in Guangzhou or visit here, I am more than willing to show you around in my spare time.
Reply to happycora@hotmail.com or call 15015704625
Tianhe nice apartment for share
Posted Feb 24, 2010 16:47 by Vivian
Tag: Seeking roommates Guangzhou Tianhe District Up to 2000 RMB
I have a room available for rent in a shared apartment in Central Tianhe district.
The room has a big window with a nice view. The apartment itself is on the 22th floor of a new secure building on Tianhe Bei Lu, about 10 minutes walk from metro stations(地铁站) on lines 1 and 3, as well as buses and other transportation methods very close.
If you are interested, please feel free to phone me (Vivian) on 13145751201 (message preferred), or email me on vivian_liu2003@hotmail.com.
Business Interpreter/Guide
Posted Feb 26, 2010 08:46 by Sony
Tag: Business Services Guangzhou Baiyun District
Dear Foreign Friends, I am a professional interpreter, now looking for a Freelance interpreter job urgently. Please read my CV at below:
Name: Sony Song
Gender: Male
Age: 22 years old
Education: Studied English in Da Shan Foreign Language College
Birth: 9th Oct 1987, Luohe city, Henan province, China.
Ability: Speak fluent English, know Guangzhou city very well, can also guide you to Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Dongguan, Shunde, Macao, Hongkong, etc.
Contact Detail: E-mail/MSN: sonysong4@hotmail.com; cell phone: 15112015812
Looking for flat
Posted Mar 11, 2010 14:03 by Lucy
Tag: Apartments wanted Guangzhou
Hello,
This is Lucy coming from Peru and looking for a short term flat, from 15th April until 4th May 2010. If somebody can give some information, send me pictures, price and address.
Email: lucitamaron@hotmail.com; cell phone: 13800013900
Thanks a lot in advance! If foreigner wants to learn some Chinese and make friends; he / she can call _________.
A.15015704625 | B.13800013900 | C.13145751201 | D.15112015812 |
To share a department where the traffic is quite convenient, you may send text message to ________.
A.Sophia | B.Vivian | C.Lucy | D.Sony |
What do the four advisers have in common?
A.All of them speak both Chinese and English. |
B.All of them are in their twenties. |
C.All of them are Guangzhou citizens. |
D.All of them are hotmail users. |
The information above can be probably found_________.
A.in a magazine | B.in a newspaper |
C.at a website | D.in a guidebook |
Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Phones
Nowadays, nearly everyone has a mobile phone. In our daily lives we make phone calls to others, and we need to send messages to exchange information. Now, you can surf the Internet by using your mobile phone. I have to say that I enjoy using my phone, but I am worried at the same time: Is it healthy and safe to use?
Mobile phones have many advantages. Firstly, we keep in touch with people by using them. Because of our busy life, we have little time to meet friends and our beloved ones. Thanks to mobile phones, we can tell them how everything is going. When an emergency happens, we can call for help using our phones. It is convenient and important in our lives.
But every coin has two sides and it is the same with mobile phones. As people are used to making phone calls, they are spending less and less time with their family and friends. Phones give them more excuses to stay out of reach. Because of the convenience, the love and care between people has changed into a few words in a message or a phone call. For students, there are more chances to get distracted(分心的) from their lessons. When I was in middle school, I often looked out of the window to rest my eyes, but now I spend those moments on my phone.
In the end, I hope you can think about the advantages and the disadvantages, and use your mobile phone correctly. We humans created mobile phones, and we should keep them under control.According to the second paragraph, we spend little time with friends because .
A.we have mobile phones | B.our lives are comfortable |
C.we are shy | D.we are always busy |
What does the underlined word “emergency” in the second paragraph probably mean?
A.A worrying and dangerous situation |
B.An expected event. |
C.An important thing. |
D.A funny and exciting moment |
Which of the following ways of expressing love and care is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A.Visiting each other. | B.Making phone calls |
C.Sending messages. | D.Writing letters. |
What’s the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A.To tell us the disadvantages of using mobile phone. |
B.To advise us to use mobile phones correctly. |
C.To list all the advantages of using mobile phones. |
D.To explain why many people don’t use mobile phones. |
A serious problem for today’s society is who should be responsible for our elderly and how to improve their lives. It is not only a financial problem but also a question of the system we want for our society. I would like to suggest several possible solutions to this problem.
First, employers should take the responsibility for their retired employees. To make this possible, a percentage of profits should be set aside for this purpose. But when a company must take life-long responsibility for its employees, it may suffer from a commercial disadvantage due to higher employee costs.
Another way of solving the problem is to return the responsibility to the individual. This means each person must save during his working years to pay for his years of retirement. This does not seem a very fair model since some people have enough trouble paying for their daily life without trying to earn extra to cover their retirement years. This means the government might have to step in to care for the poor.
In addition, the government could take responsibility for the care of the elderly. This could be financed through government taxes to increase the level of pensions(养老金). Furthermore, some in-situations should be created for senior citizens, which can help provide a comfortable life for them. Unfortunately, as the present situation in our country shows, this is not a truly viable answer. The government can seldom afford to care for the elderly, particularly when it is busy trying to care for the young.
One further solution is that the government or social organizations establish some working places especially for the elderly where they are independent.
To sum up, all these options(选择) have advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that some combination of these options may be needed to provide the care we hope to give to our elderly generations.According to the passage, how can the government help to improve the lives of retired people?
A.Set aside some profits to help people with problems after they retire. |
B.Increase savings levels of people during their working years. |
C.Increase the discounts for food and transport for the old. |
D.Increase the level of pensions. |
The underlined word “viable” in the fourth paragraph most probably means “______”.
A.impossible | B.practical | C.perfect | D.obvious |
What is the writer’s main purpose in writing this article?
A.To point out the need for government support for old people. |
B.To make general readers aware of the problems of retired people. |
C.To discuss some possible solutions to an important social problem. |
D.To instruct retired people on how they can have a happier life. |
Book 1Elixir written by Eric Walters
Twelve-year-old Roth becomes a friend of Dr. Banting and his assistant, Mr. Best, who are doing research on a cure for diabetes (糖尿病). She finds herself torn between her sympathy for the animals being experimented on and her friendship with Banting and Best.
Book 2 George Washington Carverwritten by Elizabeth Macleod
Meet the “Peanut(花生)Specialist”, George Washington Carver, the inventor and professor who made over 325 products out of peanuts. Through his agricultural research, he also greatly improved the lives of countless black farmers in the southern United States. See also Macleod’s Albert Einstein: A Life of Genius.
Book 3 The Inuit Thought of It: Amazing Arctic Innovations
written by Alootook Ipellie & David MacDonald
Explore more than 40 ideas necessary to Inuit survival. From ideas familiar to us today to inventive concepts that shaped their lives, celebrate the creativity of a remarkably intelligent people. Also see other books: The Chinese Thought of It by Tingxing Ye and A Native American Thought of It by Rocky Landon and David MacDonald.
Book 4 Made in Canada: 101 Amazing Achievementswritten by Bev Spencer
What things do we use daily that have a Canadian connection? Here are 101 common things that were invented in Canada or by a Canadian, including the Blackberry, alkaline(碱性) batteries and the Blue Box recycling program.
Book 5Newton and the Time Machine written by Michael McGowan
Ten-year-old boy Newton has invented a time machine to see dinosaurs up close. But it disappears on a test run with his two huge friends, King Herbert and Queen Certrude, can he save them before time runs out?Which of the following best describes Roth’s feeling in Book 1?
A.Painful. | B.Curious. | C.Frightened. | D.Disappointed. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Animals are mentioned in Book 1 and Book 5. |
B.Book 3 introduces 40 inventive concepts. |
C.Alkaline batteries were invented by Dr. Banting. |
D.George Washington Carver was a black farmer in the US. |
In Book 5, King Herbert and Queen Gertrude are________.
A.Newton’s human friends |
B.the names of the time machine |
C.two dinosaurs |
D.the inventions of the time machine |
If you are interested in native Americans, you may read the book by ________.
A.Elizabeth Macleod | B.Eric Walters |
C.Rocky London & David MacDonald | D.Bev Spencer |
Have you ever been to the beautiful country of Holland and its capital Amsterdam? Anyone who has traveled to Amsterdam would probably agree on one thing: Amsterdam’s story is a tale of two cities — one during the day and a completely different one at night.
When the sun is up, this largest city in the Netherlands sits quietly on the Amstel River. You can rent a bicycle, visit the Van Gogh or Anne Frank museum, or take a water taxi. But when the sun goes down, the partying begins. In the big clubs and in the coffee shops, tourists gather to talk politics and smoke.
Several areas of the city clearly show the two worlds that rule Amsterdam. And they’re all within a short cab ride of each other. For example, Dam Square attracts daytime sightseers to its festivals, open markets, concerts and other events. Several beautiful and very popular hotels can be found there. And there’s the Royal Palace and the Magna Plaza shopping mall. But at night party-seekers come to the square. Hip hop or funk music (疯狂音乐) is heard there. So if you come, be ready to dance. The clubs don’t shut down until 4 am.
And while you’re there, check out the various inexpensive ways to tour the city. Don’t worry about getting lost. Although Dutch is the official language, most people in Amsterdam speak English and are happy to help you with directions. And you’ll notice that half the people walking around in the streets are on bicycles they rent. Amsterdam also has a well-planned canal system. For about 10 dollars, you can use the canal bus or a water taxi to cruise (巡游) the “Venice of the North”.
The city has a historic past. One impressive (印象深刻的) place to visit is the Anne Frank House on Nine Street. It was there that the young Jewish girl wrote her famous diary during World War II. Visitors can view Anne’s original diary and climb behind the bookcase to the room where she and her family hid from the Nazis for two years. What means of transport is not available to visitors in Amsterdam?
A.A carriage. | B.A bicycle. |
C.A canal bus. | D.A water taxi. |
What can you learn about by visiting the Anne Frank House?
A.The wonderful past of Amsterdam. |
B.The experience of a beautiful girl survivor. |
C.The life of Jewish during World WarⅡ. |
D.The suffering of the Dutch in wars. |
The passage is intended to_______.
A.call up people’s memories of World WarⅡ |
B.tell readers what A Tale of Two Cities is about |
C.instruct visitors what to do and see in Holland |
D.offer readers some information about Amsterdam |
This passage is most likely taken from _______.
A.a private diary | B.a test paper | C.a travel journey | D.a history book |