In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a great bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However, bridge building experts thought that this was an impossible project and told Roebling to forget it. But Roebling could not ignore the vision of this bridge. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an engineer, that the bridge could be built.
The father and son developed concepts of how it could be completed and how the difficulties could be overcome. After that, they began to build their dream bridge.
The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway (在进行中) a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was also injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which made him unable to walk or talk or even move.
Everyone had a negative comment since the Roeblings were the only one who knew how to build the bridge. In spite of these difficulties, Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge. It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was to move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving it, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. The project was underway again. For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed.
Today the Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory to the victory of one man's determination not to be defeated by circumstances. This is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical disability and achieves an impossible goal.
1.When John Roebling had the idea of building the bridge, ________.
A. his son supported him immediately
B. many experts thought it impossible
C. there was no bridge around New York
D. he persuaded the government to support him
2.What is the right order of the following statements?
a. The Roeblings talked about the possibilities of building the bridge.
b. Washington became disabled.
c. John Roebling believed that building the bridge was possible.
d. Washington's wife helped instruct the building.
A. a d c b B. b c d a C. c a b d D. a d b c
3.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A. the government did offer much help to building the bridge
B. to go to the long Island, we can go across Brooklyn Bridge now
C. Washington had only one finger after the accident
D. it took 13 years to complete the bridge
4.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. the Roeblings were devoted to their work
B. how the Brooklyn Bridge was built by the Roeblings.
C. a strong will is not to be defeated.
D. success lies in patience and hard work.
Many people look fondly at their school days. a lot of these memories are often attached to events that have little to do learning, many people are surprised by how much they miss being in the and actually learning something new.
Although most people feel that their lives would be by going back to school for further study, some people find that their busy schedules would make this . However, with the rise of technology like the , it is now easier than ever to continue feeding your mind without obligations like family and work. This is due to the rise of online education options.
Online education is a subset of what is known as electronic learning or e-learning. All that you need to successfully use online education is to a computer that has an internet . There are so many online education options, it is quite common for colleges to online education courses to assist people who are in distance education.
The main of online education is that it allows you to at your own pace and on your own time. Depending on the nature of the courses, online education will provide you with a certain time for you to compete it .
One of the biggest of online education is that it does not provide you with the face-to-face interaction with a teacher. But you can with other students through the use of discussion boards, messaging programs, and web-conferencing programs.
As people become busier, online education has in popularity. It has greatly improved the number of services it provides and is considered a great education option. So if you are busy but your mind is still more of a challenge, you may find that online education is the perfect food for your mind!
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Americans consider baseball as an American sport. They often refer to something being “as American as baseball and apple pie”. But is baseball really an American sport? And what are origins of baseball anyway?
The American game of baseball more than likely came from several European ball games. Russia had an early form of baseball and so did Germany and Romania. People in England played a game called “stool ball”. In this game, the pitcher(投手)tried to hit a stool(凳子)or chair with a ball and the batter(击球手)used a stick to keep the ball away. But American baseball was most likely based on another English game, which is called “rounders”. Players use a soft ball rater than a hard ball while playing rounders.
So when was the first real game of “baseball” played? It seems that it took place in the 1840s. The father of baseball was Alexander Cartwright, who organized a baseball club in New York. Cartwright developed 20 rules that distinguished baseball from previous ball games.
In 1858, the first organized baseball league—the National Association of Baseball players—was formed. This league began charging fans to watch the games. However, the players were all amateurs and did not get paid . In 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings began to pay their players. Since they could hire the best players, Cincinnati won 57 games and lost none in their first season. As a result, other teams decided to hire players too. By 1871, the National Association was the first professional baseball league.
Today baseball is liked very much in America. Top professional baseball players earn millions of dollars each year. There are two professional leagues—the National League and the American League. The best teams from these two leagues compete for the baseball championship every year.81.What do Americans think of baseball? (No more than 3 words)2’
82. Why was Alexander Cartwright called “the father of baseball ”?(No more than 16 words).3’
83. Where did the American baseball most probably come from?(No more than 5 words).2’
84.What does the passage mainly talk about?(No more than 5 words).3’
With the popularity of 3D movies over the past several years , there was no doubt that the technology would make its way into our homes, The question is: Is it really a technology that is going to stay with us , thus deserving an upgrade(升级) at this time?
Many families have recently bought a new TV set, and the idea of changing it just to take advantage of a technology in its infancy(初期)will put many people off the idea. Then there are the additional costs that come along with a 3Dset from needing to get a Blu-ray player that can process the signal to purchasing enough glasses for the entire family to be able to watch a program at the same time.
Another issue is that the glasses are expensive as well as complicated, and have also been known to cause headaches, none of which makes for a pleasant experience.
While manufacturers are working towards glasses-free technology, it just isn’t here yet, and it could be several years before it is commercially successful. That is one of main things that will keep 3D completely in the “fashion” zone for the time being . If the television manufacturers are willing to hold onto the idea until glasses-free choices are available—and they can reach a higher installed(安装)user base—this might very well catch on. Everyone needs to remember, however, that these are businesses, and they are in it to make money. If 3D isn’t selling at the rate they are comfortable with, then they will dump it and move on to the next thing.
Many homes are filled with products that didn’t catch on rapidly and companies ended up leaving them with no support. Do you have an HD DVD player? Remember how the MiniDisc was supposed to replace the CD? For now, it’s easy to see how 3D televisions could join this list of technologies.
There is one upside to the 3D television problem: They have beautiful 2D images. Even if 3D goes away, you still have a great –looking screen and beautiful images. If you are in the market for a new TV and you can afford to drop the couple extra hundred dollars to buy one, you can view it as guaranteeing your purchase in case the technology proves to be effective.We know from the text that 3D TV.
A.is easy to operate |
B.has been fully developed |
C.has many products attached to it |
D.has already replaced normal TV sets |
What’s the main idea of paragraph 4?
A.3D is fashionable and expensive. |
B.It’s hard for 3D to be commercially successful. |
C.Television manufacturers’ only purpose is to make money. |
D.It’s impossible to create glasses-free technology at the moment. |
The examples of the HD DVD player and CD are to show.
A.they are not necessary |
B.they are bound to be replaced |
C.3D TV might not be here to stay |
D.3D technology needs improving |
The underlined word “upside” in the last paragraph probably means.
A.solution | B.exception | C.character | D.benefit |
What’s the author’s opinion on 3D TV?
A.He is critical of it.
B. He thinks highly of it.
C.It is more effective than expected.
D. It has more beautiful images than 2D.
Emilio and Michi spread the colorful tablecloth on the table. They made room for Drew, who was carrying a dish. “Watch out,” Drew warned. “This is pretty hot.”
A moment later, Kent and Alyssa added another hot dish to the table. “That smells so good!” said Michi. “Are most of the parents here yet? I’m hungry.”
Kent looked through the doors that led into the hallway. “I think Ms. Milano and Mr.Hasselbach just finished giving them the garden touring. They should be heading into the cafeteria next.”
The students of Jefferson Middle School in Saint Louis, US had spent all afternoon preparing for the evening meal. They did their best to transform the lunchroom into a beautiful dining area for their families.
As the families found their seats, Ms. Milano asked Drew, Emilio, and Michi to join her at the front of the room. She said, “I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate Drew, Emilio and Michi for their wonderful idea. A year ago, they first came to me with the plan for starting a garden at Jefferson. I wondered whether it would work, but they had thought through everything. Any time I had a question about how we would make this work, they had an answer prepared. As you can see, they were absolutely correct. About three-quarters of the food you will be enjoying came from the school garden. The students prepared the entire meal themselves.”
Ms. Milano handed Drew, Michi and Emilio a box each. They opened their box as Ms. Milano continued. “As a thank-you to these students for their creative idea and hard work, they have each received a stepping stone(垫脚石)for the garden. Their names and date appear on the stones.”
She turned to them. “Students for years to come will be enjoying the garden that you helped create,” she said. “We thought it would be appropriate for them to have a reminder of our garden’s founders.”
They held up their stepping stones and smiled as the crowd clapped. “And now,” said Ms Milano, “please help yourself to some of the mouthwatering food our young chefs have prepared. Dinner is served!”What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A.The students’ parents. | B.New students. | C.Teachers. | D.The school chefs. |
According to the text, the food served on the table
A.was served as a lunch |
B.was cooked by the students |
C.was prepared to thank the kids |
D.was entirely from the school garden |
What was Ms. Milano’s original attitude toward starting a garden at school?
A.She was doubtful about it |
B.She felt it was worth a try |
C.she was strongly against it |
D.She thought it a wonderful idea. |
Why did Ms. Milano give stepping stones to Drew, Michi , and Emilio?
A.They have good cooking skills. |
B.They are the best students of the school. |
C.They have made the school more beautiful. |
D.They are the founders of the school garden. |
What would be the best title of the text?
A.A school garden | B.Garden chefs | C.Creative students | D.A delicious meal |
Watercress is positively packed with healthy vitamins and minerals. The writings of both the Romans and the Ancient Greeks record the consumption of watercress by all classes. Hippocrates, “the father of medicine”, was so convinced that watercress was a great healer that he built his first hospital next to a stream so that he could grow a plentiful supply of the shiny green leaves for his patients. The Romans chewed watercress in large quantities, believing that it would cure baldness. They, too, looked with favor on watercress as a salad.
Watercress sandwiches were traditionally a breakfast item in nineteenth-century Europe. The most basic type of watercress sandwich has two pieces of white bread with a mixture of butter and watercress greens . A nickname(绰号)for the vegetable, in fact, was “poor man’s bread”, because watercress was often eaten on its own for breakfast by families that could not afford the bread to go with it.
Watercress is a member of the mustard(芥菜) family. It contains vitamins C(66mg per 100g), K and A, and is also a valuable source of minerals such as iron, potassium, copper and calcium. The mustard oils in its silky leaves and stems(茎)contain an ingredient known as PEITC. Recent research has proved that PEITC can prevent the growth of cancer cells and, in some cases, actually destroy them.
The best watercress has silky green leaves without any marks and has undamaged stems, The older the plant, the darker are its leaves and the thicker its stems. This means a higher concentration of oils and vitamins. Young watercress, on the other hand, may be harvested after only twenty-eight days growth and has a milder taste. It is best to eat watercress fresh and raw , to keep more of its valuable nutrients, but it can be lightly cooked and used as an alternative to spinach—another dark green vegetable—in various recipes. From soups to salads, watercress is now considered around the world as a natural and healthy super food.From paragraph 1, we can learn that________.
A.watercress is usually grown in wet areas |
B.the ancient Greeks only used watercress for medicine |
C.watercress is the most ancient vegetable known to man |
D.the Romans rubbed watercress on their heads to cure baldness |
The underlined word “it” in paragraph 2 refers to “_________”.
A.butter | B.watercress | C.breakfast | D.bread |
Which of the following is TRUE about watercress?
A.It belongs to the same family as spinach.
B.It contains mustard oils only in leaves.
C.It can help guard against cancer.
D.It is rich in vitamins C and B.Compared with older watercress, young watercress .
A.has lighter green leaves |
B.contains more minerals |
C.is better for medical use |
D.is more suitable for eating raw |
What would be the best title for the text?
A.The history of watercress | B.watrcress, a medicinal plant |
C.Watercress, the amazing food | D.New findings about watercress |