The trend in everyday conversation is to use grandiose(夸大的)words．“Outstanding” is the
new “good,” “amazing” is the new “OK, ” and “huge” is the new “big.”
I was in a restaurant in Washington D．C．last weekend and every question I asked was answered with exaggeration．
Me：How is the salmon?
Sever：Fantastic!
Me：Does it come with rice?
Sever：Absolutely!
Would a “good” and a “yes” have been enough? Of course!
My father is an average-sized man．He hasn’t gained weight or height for the past 30 years. Therefore, his size remains the same．However，in the same amount of time，his T-shirt size has gone from small to medium to large to extra large．
The reason for the exaggerated word is clear：we are bored with our lives. We want the next
—next thing now．Immediately!
And we also want others to think that we still care，that we can still be delighted，that we know that everything is just great．Even when deep inside we know it can’t be．Everything can’t be great．
I’m not a scientist，so many methods of proof leave little to be desired，or a lot to be desired，or an immensity(无限)．
Listen to the voices around you．Listen to your own voices．There is nothing on the radio that is good or bad，weather is either beautiful or horrible．
Listen，the next time when someone asks you something and you agree，because when you
could simply say “yes”, instead you will say “absolutely’’ or “without doubt ” or “Oh，yeah，unquestionably ---- absolutely without doubt."
Have people forgotten what it is like to be OK? Simply OK with what they have and who they are? If everything is outstanding，if everything is the most amazing thing ever，is anything ever amazing at all?By telling his experience in the restaurant，the author intends to ________．
| A．show his interest in exaggerated words |
| B．prove that exaggerated words are widely used |
| C．blame the restaurant for using exaggerated words |
| D．tell us the food in the restaurant is extremely good |
What do we know about the author’s father?
| A．He has gained height and is now a tall man． |
| B．He likes following the fashion in clothing． |
| C．His weight is getting greater and greater． |
| D．The size of his T-shirt is described in exaggerated words． |
．So many people like using exaggerated words because_________．
| A．they are not satisfied with being normal |
| B．they don’t want to be looked down upon by others |
| C．they want to be different from others |
| D．they are brave in telling their true feelings |
According to the passage，if you approve of something，you’d better say “________”．
| A．fantastic | B．perfect | C．OK | D．absolutely |
Far from the land of Antarctica, a huge shelf of ice meets the ocean. At the underside of the shelf there lives a small fish, the Antarctic cod.
For forty years scientists have been curious about that fish. How does it live where most fish would freeze to death? It must have some secret. The Antarctic is not a comfortable place to work and research has been slow. Now it seems we have an answer.
Research was begun by cutting holes in the ice and catching the fish. Scientists studied the fish’s blood and measured its freezing point.
The fish were taken from seawater that had a temperature of -1.88°C and many tiny pieces of ice floating in it. The blood of the fish did not begin to freeze until its temperature was lowered to -2.05°C. That small difference is enough for the fish to live at the freezing temperature of the ice-salt mixture.
The scientists’ next research job was clear: Find out what in the fish’s blood kept it from freezing. Their search led to some really strange thing made up of a protein never before seen in the blood of a fish. When it was removed, the blood froze at seawater temperature. When it was put back, the blood again had its antifreeze quality and a lowered freezing point.
Study showed that it is an unusual kind of protein. It has many small sugar molecules (分子) held in special positions within each big protein molecule. Because of its sugar content, it is called a glycoprotein. So it has come to be called the antifreeze fish glycoprotein, or AFGP.Why can the Antarctic cod live at the freezing temperature?
A. The seawater has a temperature of -1.88°C.
B. It loves to live in the ice-salt mixture
C. A special protein keeps it from freezing.
D. Its blood has a temperature lower than -2.05°C.What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 5 refer to?
| A．A type of ice-salt mixture. |
| B．A newly found protein. |
| C．Fish blood. |
| D．Sugar molecule. |
What does “glyco-” in the underlined word “glycoprotein” in the last paragraph mean?
| A．sugar | B．ice | C．blood | D．molecule |
What is the best title of this passage?
| A．Discovery of the AFGP. |
| B．A special fish living in Antarctica. |
| C．The ice shelf around Antarctica. |
| D．Protection of the Antarctic cod. |
If you were to walk up to Arthur Bonner and say, “Hey, Butterfly Man,” his face would break into a smile. The title suits him. And he loves it.
Arthur Bonner works with the Palos Verdes blue butterfly, once thought to have died out. Today the butterfly is coming back — thanks to him. But years ago if you’d told him this was what he’d be doing someday, he would have laughed, “You’re crazy.” As a boy, he used to be “a little tough guy on the streets”. At age thirteen, he was caught by police for stealing. At eighteen, he landed in prison for shooting a man.
“I knew it had hurt my mom,” Bonner said after he got out of prison. “So I told myself I would not put my mom through that pain again.”
One day he met Professor Mattoni, who was working to rebuild the habitat (栖息地) for an endangered butterfly called El Segundo blue.
“I saw the sign ‘Butterfly Habitat’ and asked, ‘How can you have a habitat when the butterflies can just fly away?’” Bonner recalls. “Dr. Mattoni laughed and handed me a magnifying glass (放大镜), ‘Look at the leaves.’ I could see all these caterpillars (蝴蝶的幼虫) on the plant. Dr Mattoni explained, ‘Without the plant, there are no butterflies.’”
Weeks later, Bonner received a call from Dr. Mattoni, who told him there was a butterfly that needed help. That was how he met the Palos Verdes blue. Since then he’s been working for four years to help bring the butterfly back. He grows astragalus, the only plant the butterfly eats. He collects butterflies and brings them into a lab to lay eggs. Then he puts new butterflies into the habitat.
The butterfly’s population, once almost zero, is now up to 900. For their work, Bonner and Dr. Mattoni received lots of awards. But for Bonner, he earned something more: he turned his life around.
For six years now Bonner has kept his promise to stay out of prison. While he’s bringing back the Palos Verdes blue, the butterfly has helped bring him back, too.When he was young, Arthur Bonner ___.
| A．broke the law and ended up in prison |
| B．was fond of shooting and hurt his mom |
| C．often laughed at people on the streets |
| D．often caught butterflies and took them home |
Bonner came to know the Palos Verdes blue after he ___.
| A．found the butterfly had died out |
| B．won many prizes from his professor |
| C．met Dr. Mattoni, a professor of biology |
| D．collected butterflies and put them into a lab |
From the last sentence of the text, we learn that raising butterflies has ___.
| A．made Bonner famous | B．changed Bonner’s life |
| C．brought Bonner wealth | D．enriched Bonner’s knowledge |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
| A．A Promise to Mom | B．A Man Saved by Butterflies |
| C．A Story of Butterflies | D．A Job Offered by Dr. Mattoni |
Nuclear energy has always been controversial. But since the tsunami and nuclear disaster in Fukushima (Japan) last year the issue is back in the headlines. And the world is divided— some countries are planning more nuclear plants, while others have promised to shut theirs down.
After Fukushima, Germany decided to switch off all its nuclear plants by 2022. Switzerland and Italy are also phasing out nuclear power. But France and the United States remain staunch supporters of atomic energy. In fact, almost 80% of France’s electricity comes from nuclear power, the highest percentage in the world. And in the US, the Obama administration said it “continues to support the expansion of nuclear power, despite the crisis in Japan.”
Nuclear supporters claim nuclear power can help the environment. Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear power doesn’t create greenhouse gases. So, pro-nuclear countries argue that nuclear power allows them to generate energy without contributing to climate change. Britain’s chief scientific adviser (John Beddington) supports this view. He recently said that the world doesn’t have the luxury of ignoring nuclear energy.
Nuclear power is also relatively cheap. Renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro and wind power may be clean, but they’re expensive; and right now, they require a lot of investment. This higher cost of using “green energy” is usually passed onto the consumer. So, while many people may prefer their energy to come from a renewable source, not so many are prepared to pay higher energy bills. This is of particular concern while the world economy is in such bad shape.
The main argument against nuclear energy is that it isn’t safe. For a start, nuclear waste is very difficult to dispose of, and remains toxic to humans for thousands of years. And even before Fukushima, there were several high-profile nuclear disasters. The most famous is probably the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, in the Ukraine. The radiation from the meltdown spread all over Europe, affecting thousands.
The nuclear energy issue is very complex. And it doesn’t look like it’ll be resolved anytime soon. As a Japanese commentator recently said, “it’s been a bad year for the ‘nuclear village’, but I don’t think they’re down and out yet.” The battle continues.Which of the following may NOT be the advantage of nuclear energy over other energy sources?
| A．Nuclear energy doesn’t produce any greenhouse gases. |
| B．Nuclear energy can help prevent the climate damage. |
| C．Nuclear energy is more environmental-friendly than other green energy sources. |
| D．Nuclear energy can save the consumers some money, compared to other renewable energies. |
What does the underlined word “this ” refer to in paragraph 4?
| A．The fact that many people prefer to use the green energy sources while unwilling to pay higher bill. |
| B．The cost of using renewable sources |
| C．The fact that the nuclear power is cheaper. |
| D．The investment of renewable energy sources |
In the 5th paragraph, the author takes the case of Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine to _______.
| A．convince the reader that nuclear waste is difficult to get rid of. |
| B．explain that nuclear waste may remain harmful to humans for thousands of years. |
| C．persuade the world not to use nuclear energy. |
| D．support the idea that nuclear energy is not safe. |
We can learn from the last paragraph that _______.
| A．the Japanese commentator is positive about the future of nuclear energy. |
| B．the nuclear energy issue will be soon settled. |
| C．a battle will break out in the future. |
| D．Japan is considering to build a nuclear village in the future. |
What is the author's purpose of writing the passage?
| A．To highlight the danger of using nuclear energy. |
| B．To introduce some serious nuclear disasters. |
| C．To show the argument between nuclear supporters and protesters. |
| D．To give some advice on how to use nuclear energy safely. |
BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's economic planning agency Thursday announced a rise in minimum rice purchase prices this year to encourage farmers to grow more grain.
A statement on the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) website said the government would continue the policy of minimum purchase prices in major rice-growing regions in 2011. The rises in the minimum rice purchase price had been approved by the State Council, China's Cabinet, said the statement.
The purchase prices for japonica rice will rise 21.9 percent to 128 yuan (19.4 U.S. dollars) per 50 kilograms, while prices for early and middle-late rice will increase 9.7 percent and 10.3 percent to 102 yuan and 107 yuan per 50 kg respectively.
Rice and wheat are two major grain crops in China.
The State Council pledged Wednesday to step up efforts to boost grain production as drought continues to wreak havoc in north China's wheat growing regions.
China's main wheat-growing regions, including Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Anhui, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu and Jiangsu provinces, have been plagued by drought since October last year.
Drought has affected about 7.73 million hectares, or 42.4 percent, of the total winter wheat crop area in the country's eight key producing provinces, the Ministry of Agriculture said Wednesday.
China's grain output rose 2.9 percent last year to 546.41 million tons, marking the seventh consecutive year of growth.When was this news probably written?
| A．In 2011 | B．In 2010 |
| C．In February, 2011 | D．On Wednesday, 2011 |
What is the purchase price for japonica rice before it wise according to the passage?
| A．105 yuan per 50 kilograms |
| B．128 yuan per 50 kilograms |
| C．102 yuan per 50 kilograms |
| D．107 yuan per 50 kilograms |
What is the meaning of the underlined word in the fourth paragraph?
| A．completely | B．Honorably |
| C．separately | D．exactly |
Which of the following sentences is true according to the passage.
| A．A raised purchase price will encourage farmers to grow more rice. |
| B．The plan hasn’t been approved by the State Council, China's Cabinet. |
| C．Drought continues to hit the wheat growing regions in the north of China. |
| D．There are 8 grain producing provinces affected by the drought. |
Which may be the headline of this news?
| A．China’s minimum rice purchase prices raised to boost production |
| B．A Steady rice purchase prices to ensure rice production |
| C．The Chinese government pays more attention on rice production |
| D．China’s grain output steadily increases |
One evening I was on my daily evening return from London to my home. I had got into the habit of sitting in the last carriage at the platform, so I could get off near to the station exit at my end. One evening before getting off the train, I found a purse. I opened the purse and thought this must be my lucky day, for the purse contained some ￡80 in cash. Looking further into the purse, I found credit cards, and house keys and a name and address. My first thought when seeing the cash was to pocket it, and throw the other contents away.
Now I am not a basically dishonest person, but had developed a hardened attitude over the years that most people were dishonest in some way, and my own personal experience had been that whenever I lost anything of value, that was the last I ever saw of it. And since I was a construction worker at that time, I had been the victim of a great deal of stealing during my working life.
Almost as I read the name and address, I had a picture of that woman being struck with terror, when she realized she had lost her purse, and could not get into her home, had no money, and, would have thoughts of someone spending on her credit cards, not to mention the trouble of canceling all the cards.
In that same moment I decided to hand the purse over to the train guard. So I told him I would like to see it returned to its rightful owner. He told me would be sent to the lost property office. I arrived at my station and started to walk the five minute journey to my home all the while feeling very pleased with myself that I was going to bring a great deal of happiness to someone I did not know.The author liked to sit in the last carriage because ________.
| A．sitting in the last carriage was safer |
| B．he was always almost late for his train |
| C．he could get out of the station sooner after getting off |
| D．he likes chatting with the train guards there |
What can we know from the Paragraph 2?
| A．The author thinks he is a dishonest person in nature. |
| B．The author thinks not all the people are honest all the time. |
| C．The author often lost things in the past. |
| D．The author always got his lost things of great value back. |
Which of the following in the purse attracted the author most?
| A．The cash. | B．The house keys. |
| C．Credit cards. | D．The name and address of the owner. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The owner of the purse is one friend of the author's. |
| B．The author often did some stealing during his work time in the past. |
| C．The author's feeling guilty at heart urged him to return the purse. |
| D．The author's house is near the station. |