Electric ears are dirty.In fact, not only are they dirty, they might even be more dirty than their gasoline-powered cousins.
People in California love to talk about "zero-emissions vehicles", but people in California seem to be clueless about where electricity comes from. Power plants mostly use fire to make it. Aside from the new folks who have their roofs covered with solar cells, we get our electricity from generators. Generators are fueled by something---usually coal, oil,but also by heat generated in nuclear power plants. There are a few wind farms and geothermal plants as well, but by far we get electricity mainly by burning something.
In other words, those "zero-emissions" cars are likely coal-burning cars. It's just because the coal is burned somewhere else that it looks clean. It is not. It's as if the California Greens are. covering their eyes---"If I can't see it, it's not happening." Gasoline is an incredibly efficient way to power a vehicle; a gallon of gas has a lot of energy in it.But when you take that gas (or another fuel) and first use it to make electricity, you waste a nice part of that energy, mostly in the form of wasted heat---at the generator, through the transmission lines, etc.
A gallon of gas may propel your car 25 miles. But the electricity you get from that gallon of gas won't get you nearly as far---so electric cars bum more fuel than gas-powered ones. If our electricity came mostly from nukes; or geothermal,or hydro, or solar, or wind,then an electric car truly would be clean. But for political, technical,and economic reasons,we don't use much of those energy sources.
In addition,electric cars' batteries which are poisonous for a long time will eventually end up in a landfill.And finally, When cars are the polluters, the pollution is spread across all the roads. When it's a power plant, though, all the junk is in one place. Nature is very good at cleaning up when things are too concentrated, but it takes a lot longer when all the garbage is in one spot. What does "clueless" mean in paragraph 2?
| A．People are seeing the California Greens everywhere. |
| B．People in California love to talk about zero-emissions vehicles. |
| C．People in California love to have their roofs covered with solar cells. |
| D．People there have no idea that so far electricity mainly comes from burning |
coal, oil,etc. What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Electric cars are not clean at all |
| B．Electric cars are better than gasoline-powered ones. |
| C．People cast doubts on electric cars' batteries. |
| D．Gasoline is an efficient way to powera vehicle. |
The electricity we get from a gallon of gas may make our ear run
| A．not less than 25 miles | B．more than 25 miles |
| C．no more than 25 miles | D．not more than 25 miles |
According to the passage, electric cars .
| A．do not burn fuel and more environmentally-friendly |
| B．are toxic because it is difficult for nature to clean it up when their batteries are buried in one spot. |
| C．are very good at cleaning up when things are not too concentrated |
| D．are poisonous for a long time and will eventually end up in a landfill |
It can be inferred from the passage that
| A．being green is good and should be encouraged in communication |
| B．electric cars are not clean in that we get electricity mainly by burning something |
| C．zero-emissions vehicles should be chosen to protect our environment |
| D．electric cars are now the dominant vehicle compared with gasoline-powered |
cousins
B
Modern Manners
Philip Howard answers your questions on contemporary etiquette (礼仪)
Philip Howard,
When my friend and I (two ladies of a certain age) go out to have a meal, she always leaves an extremely large tip. At times, the tip will equal the amount of one of the main dishes—sometimes it comes to about 30 per cent of the bill. I feel 15—20 per cent is adequate for services offered and depending on the type of restaurant. At a cafe I would like to leave 15 per cent or a bit more depending on the service and etc. A larger tip would be appropriate if we are in a big city or a nicer place. My friend says “Well, I am sure they are not driving a Mercedes (奔驰汽车).” Well, neither am I, and how does she know? Who is correct and how can I make changes? I might add I do truly feel tipping should be based on good service, and also if you frequent a place and know the staff a larger tip is OK. I would never hesitate to tip a waitperson. I always leave to the higher side.
Yours,
Barbara Bade
Barbara Bade,
Americans are more generous tippers than the British. I suspect that 10 per cent for a tip is about normal in the UK. Tipping is a strange survival in our age of supposed equality and minimum wages. Your friend has a generous nature and deep purse. I do not see why you cannot let her tip whatever she wants, and do your own thing. I agree that a tip should be a reward for good service and general good feeling. If the service is rotten and the meal a disaster, we should withhold a tip and explain why we are doing so. Few of us have the chutzpah (厚颜) to do this. Sensible restaurants have a box for tips, so that they are shared out among the staff, including those in the kitchens whom we do not see. (I trust that the management does not receive the money as extra profit.) I look forward to the day when waiters and other servants are paid a good enough living wage, so that they do not have to depend on the generosity of strangers to survive. To wait at table is just as honorable a way to earn a living in this wicked world. If you are pleased with the meal and cheerful service, you should tip as handsomely as your purse affords. I don’t suppose that your waiter / waitress is driving a Mercedes, even in the States.
Yours,
Philip Howard
60. We can learn from the first letter that Barbara prefers ___________.
A. changing her own ideas on how to tip waiters
B. leaving a bigger tip to the familiar waitpersons
C. eating at a café rather than in a nice restaurant
D. saving as much money as possible for herself
61. It can be inferred that Barbara’s friend tips waiters heavily ________.
A. to show that she is well off B. because they are thought to be poorly paid
C. to show that she is generous D. because they have offered her full service
62. Besides quality of service, Philip regards __________ as principles of tipping.
A. taste of food and amount of one’s money
B. taste of food and the number of servants
C. generosity of strangers and the number of servants
D. amount of one’s money and generosity of strangers
第二部分阅读理解（共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
A
President Barack Obama has apologized for a gaffe (失言) in which he described his bowling skills as akin to participants in the Special Olympics, a sports program for people with intellectual disabilities.
Obama made the mistake during an interview on Thursday night on “The Tonight Show” with host Jay Leno, the first time a sitting U.S. president had been on the show.
Talking about living in the White House, Obama said he had been practicing his bowling in the home’s bowling alley and had scored a 129 out of a possible 300.
It was an improvement on the embarrassing 37 he had rolled during a stop on the presidential campaign trail a year ago. “It’s like—it was like Special Olympics or something,” Obama said.
The Special Olympics is a global nonprofit organization serving some 200 million people with intellectual disabilities, with a presence in nearly 200 countries worldwide.
Soon after the Jay Leno interview, Obama telephoned Special Olympics chairman Tim Shriver to apologize.
Shriver told ABC’s “Good Morning America” television show that Obama had apologized “in a way that I think was very moving” and that he said “he did not intend to humiliate (羞辱) the population, didn’t want to embarrass or give anybody any more reason for pain or kind of suffering.”
Shriver said people should gain a lesson from the incident.
“I think it’s important to see that words hurt. Words do matter. And these words in some respect, can be seen as humiliating or a put-down to people with special needs, do cause pain. And they do result in stereotypes,” Shriver said.
White House spokesman Bill Burton said Obama “made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to look down upon the Special Olympics.”
“He thinks that the Special Olympics are a wonderful program that gives an opportunity to shine to people with disabilities from around the world,” Burton said.
56. What does the underlined word “akin” in Paragraph 1 mean?
A. skillful B. similar C. appealing D. superior
57. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Obama loves sports and is especially gifted at bowling.
B. Obama apologized for his remarks via ABC’s TV show.
C. The Special Olympics are for various disabled people.
D. The Special Olympics don’t intend to make any money.
58. What does Shriver mean by saying people should gain a lesson from the incident?
A. Disabled people cannot be humiliated. B. One should be careful with his words.
C. An apology for wrong words is wanted. D. Words matter even more than actions.
59. The passage is mainly about ________.
A. Obama receiving a TV interview B. Obama looking down on the disabled
C. Obama apologizing for his gaffe D. Obama being attacked for his words
D
It had been a long time since I had been to Jacksonville, Florida.I had driven to town hoping to see the old barber shop where my hair had been cut as a child.
I parked my truck and decided to try and locate a telephone to see if the Florida Barber College had moved to a new location.
After walking about a block I saw an open shoe store.I walked inside and asked if I could use their telephone book.Unable to find a listing for the Barber College, I picked out the number of a local beauty salon, hoping they might tell me if the barber college was still in business.The number was busy, so I decided to wait and try again in a few minutes.
As the salesman and I stood talking the front door opened and a young man about twenty came into the store pushing himself in a wheelchair.“I need a new pair of shoes,” said the customer.As he turned the corner, there was a blanket across his lap.I was shocked to see that the young man had no legs.
“A gift for a friend?” I asked the boy.“No,” he replied.They are for me,” he continued, with a smile on his face.I just smiled back and watched to see what would happen next.
“What type of shoe would you like?” asked the clerk.“How about a pair of cowboy boots?”The man pointed to the back wall where three or four pairs of boots were displayed.The salesman, sharply turning, headed off to the backroom.
“Isn’t this fun?” the boy asked me.I moved my hand to let him know that I did not understand his question.“When I was a kid, my parents used to buy me a new pair of shoes every year.That was such a wonderful feeling.Something I have never forgotten.The smell of the leather and the pride I felt when I walked around the store showing off my new shoes.”
The salesman came walking down the aisle with a large box.He sat it down on the floor, took out one boot and handed it to the young man.The boy closed his eyes.He placed the boot against his nose, and drew in a large breath.I did not know what to say as tears began to fall on the young man’s cheeks.“What type of accident did you have?” I asked him.“Farm accident,” he said, as he tried to clear his voice.
“Do you want the cowboy boots?” the salesman asked him.
“Oh, yes!” he answered.
“I see buying a new pair of shoes still gives you that good feeling you talked about,” I told the young man, as I smiled.
“Yes it does.” he said “And I may have someone, and his feet to share it with some day.”
67. Why did the young man want to buy a new pair of shoes?
A. Because he bought a pair every year.
B. Because he wanted to send a new pair to a friend.
C. Because he hoped to keep it for memory.
D. Because he enjoyed the feeling of possessing a new pair.
68. The author writes about the barber shop at the beginning of the article in order to _______.
A. introduce the background of the story
B. see if the Barber College had moved to a new location
C. find a listing for the Barber College D. pick out a local beauty salon
69. How did the author feel when he saw a young man without legs buying a pair of shoes?
A. Unexpected. B. Proud. C. Sympathetic. D. Superior.
70. What can you conclude from the passage?
A. The young man was a stubborn person. B. The author was a man of understanding.
C. The cowboy boots were fashionable then. D. The disabled envied much those healthy.
C
Shaping the Future of TV
Nobody can predict the future of TV with any certainty but some major figures in the industry have recently put forward their thoughts on what will shape TV of the future.
The shaping of a personalized television future is starting to take place, says Intel. The chip giant, who makes the processors found in most personal computers, states that by 2015 there will be just over 12 million devices using IPTV services that will be capable of connecting to over 500 billion hours of TV & video.
This supports the idea to make television a more social, personalized and readily accessible device available anywhere through IPTV services. As more and more people consume TV & video through various mediums, there is now a greater need to distribute and manage this content.
As such, companies like TV Genius are accepting this announcement made at Intel’s Developer Forum (IDF) in the USA by their chief technology officer, Justin Rattner.
With such a variety of content likely to become available, technology firms will need to assist in making personalized TV recommendations more readily accessible.
Mr. Rattner, speaking to the BBC said, “TV will remain at the centre of our lives and you will be able to watch what you want and where you want. We are talking about more than one TV-capable device for every man and woman on the planet. People are going to feel connected to the screen in ways they haven’t in the past.”
One way in which this will happen will also be assisted by a more united service of material combining including video content, internet content, broadcast content, and personal content.
This content will become much more accessible through remote devices like mobile phones using IPTV technology. This means that users will be able to watch their favorite programs away from the traditional media hub, the home.
63. The author uses the passage mainly to ________.
A. recommend a new type of TV B. introduce a possible shape of future TV
C. describe the function of future TV D. support the new type of TV
64. We know from the passage that the future TV might have major features like _______.
a. being capable of connecting to many more hours
b. changing the shape very easily c. receiving programs at any place
d. displaying the advanced materials
e. using services accessing the Internet, video, radio, etc
A. a, b, c B. c, d, e C. a, c, e D. b, c, e
65. The underlined word “this” in the third paragraph refers to __________.
A. Intel, the chip giant B. TV and video
C. readily accessible device D. Widely used IPTV services
66. We can infer from the passage that _________.
A. the present TV will disappear in the near future
B. the future TV will have a beautiful look
C. people are developing the technology of TV very quickly
D. people will spend more time watching TV at home
B
The followingpassage is a healthy prescription (处方) of how we can approachlife. It is not about being famous or being wealthy or aboutourgoodlooks. Truly,it is all about love. There are times when we feel as if we are separated from the rest. This feeling creates a mental prison. Therefore,we should try to work hard tointernally (内在地)liberate ourselvesby widening our circle of pity to accept all living things.
“Open your heart to others andtry to understand,
When someone reaches for you, hold out to them your hand,
Follow your heart,nomatter what otherpeople say,
Do things that make you able to smile throughout your day,
Treat other people, the way you would like them to treat you,
Do what you know is right andto your heart and self stay true,
Remember what life isall about, it is how you make people feel,
What you do, where you go, and making dreams become real,
Helping people through, in hard times of pain and strife,
What you do for others, is what is important in this life.
Look deeper anddon’t judge people by what ison the outside,
It iswhat is inside that counts and what people often hide,
Care, help, love, be honest, and be kind,
Withpurity and goodness within yourself,it ishappiness you willfind.
Do all you can in the time you have, you won’t always be around,
Recapture the joy of little things, that once were easily found,
And if you can do all this and live a life of love,
You willbe helped through life, by all those up above.”
I will leave you with the inspiring words ofour late genius, Albert Einstein:
“There are two ways to live life. One is as though nothing is a miracle (奇迹). The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
60. The passage is mainly about ______.
A. living a life of love B. helping those in need
C. taking back the joy of life D. separating ourselves from others
61. According to the passage, which statement is true?
A. Treating others the way others treat you is right for your life.
B. Making your dream become real is selfish in your life.
C. Judging people by what is inside counts.
D. Doing what you can makes yourself happy.
62. The underlined sentence in the last paragraph probably means _________.
A. Different ways of life lead to completely different results
B. Life is not always full of miracles
C. There are two kinds of miracles in life
D. Looking for miracles in life helps people find happiness