InGermany,Englishexpressionsar-优题课

Industrial pollution is not only a problem for the countries of Europe and North America but also an extremely serious problem in some developing countries. For these countries, economic growth is a very important aim. They want to introduce industries, and so they put few controls on the industries which cause pollution.
Cubatao, an industrial town of 85 000 people in Brazil, is an example of the connection between industrial development and pollution. In 1954, Cubatao had no industry. Today it has more than twenty large factories, which produce many pollutants(污染物). The people of the town are suffering from the poisonous matter in their environment and the bad effects can be clearly seen. Birth shortcomings are extremely common. Among children and adults, lung problems are sometimes twelve times more common in Cubatao than in other places.
It is true that Brazil, like many other countries, has laws against pollution, but these laws are not enforced strictly enough. It is cheaper for companies to take no notice of the laws and pay the fines(罚款) than to buy the expensive equipment that will reduce the pollution. It is clear, therefore, that economic growth is more important to the government than to the health of the workers. However, the responsibility(责任) does not completely lie with the Brazilian government. The example of Cubatao shows that international companies are not acting in a responsible way either. A number of the factories in the town are owned by large companies from France, Italy, and the U. S. They are doing things in Brazil that they would not be able to do at home. If they caused the same amount of pollution at home, they would be severely(严厉地) punished or even put out of business.
1. Why don’t developing countries have strict pollution controls?
A. The new industries they want to introduce do not cause much pollution.
B. Pollution is not a serious problem for developing countries.
C. They don’t realize the balance of nature will be destroyed by some pollutants.
D. If they put stricter controls on industry, fewer companies would build new plants in developing countries.
2. What is the author’s purpose in taking Cubatao as an example?
A. To show that industry can develop very fast in developing countries.
B. To show that the pollution problem in Brazil is extremely serious.
C. To show that industrial growth can cause pollution problems for developing countries.
D. To show that pollution is killing many people and destroying the whole economy of Brazil.
3. How is the health of the population of Cubatao?
A. There are more heart diseases among people who live near chemical factories.
B. More people suffer from lung diseases because of poisonous matter.
C. Their health is affected by pollutants the same way as that of other Brazilians.
D. Babies there are found not as bright as those who live in other places.
4. Why do some foreign companies like to set up their plants in Brazil?
A. The investment(投资) environment in Brazil is suitable for them.
B. They will not be severely punished if they cause pollution in Brazil.
C. They can make much money because they do not have to pay Brazilian workers much.
D. They can act in an irresponsible(不负责任的) way in Brazil because there are no pollution laws there.

“Congratulations, Mr. Jones, it’s a girl.”
Fatherhood is going to have a different meaning and bring forth a different answer from every man who hears these words. Some feel proud when they receive the news, while others worry, wondering whether they will be good fathers. Although there are some men who like children and may have had considerable experience with them, others do not particularly care for children and spend little time with them. Many fathers and mothers have been planning and looking forward to children for some time. For other couples, pregnancy(怀孕) was an accident that both husband and wife have accepted willingly or unwillingly.
Whatever the reaction to the birth of a child, it is obvious that the change from the role of husband to that of father is a difficult task. Yet, unfortunately, few attempts have been made to educate fathers in this re-socialization process. Although many good books have been written about American mothers, only recently have some books discussed the role of a father.
It is argued by some writers that the transition to the father’s role, although difficult, is not nearly as great as the transition the wife must make to the mother’s role. The mother’s role seems to require a complete transformation of daily routine and adaptation to a new life, on the other hand, the father’s role is less demanding and immediate. However, even though we have mentioned the fact that growing numbers of women are working outside the home, the father is still thought by many as the breadwinner in the household.
1. According to the author, being a father _______.
A. brings a feeling of excitement to some men
B. has a different meaning for those who have daughters
C. makes some men feel proud and others uneasy
D. means nothing but more responsibilities.
2. It is stated in the passage that ________.
A. some parents are not prepared to have a child
B. young couples do not like children at all
C. working couples do not have much time to take care of their children
D. many parents look forward to having a boy as their first child
3. The transition to the mother’s role requires that the wife _______.
A. changes her life style in a quite different way
B. makes a complete change in her everyday life to deal with the new situation
C. stays at home to take care of the baby
D. helps her husband in his re-socialization process
4. Some writers argue that with respect to the change of roles, fathers, compared with mothers, _______.
A. have to do more in the household
B. have to make more difficult adaptations
C. have an easier job to do
D. can usually do a better job

The Internet has led to a huge increase in credit-card (信用卡) fraud. Your card information could even be for sale in an illegal web site(非法网站).
Web sites offering cheap goods and services should be regarded with care.
On-line shoppers who enter their credit-card information may never receive the goods they thought they bought. The thieves then go shopping with your card number — or sell the information over the Internet. Computers hackers(黑客) have broken down security(安全) systems, raising questions about the safety of cardholder information. Several months ago, 25, 000 customers of CD Universe, an on-line music retailer(零售商), were not lucky. Their names, addresses and credit-card numbers were posted on a Web site after the retailer refused to pay US $157, 828 to get back the information.
Credit-card firms are now fighting against on-line fraud. Mastercard is working on plans for Web — only credit card, with a lower credit limit. The card could be used only for shopping on-line. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep from being cheated(欺骗).
Ask about your credit-card firm’s on-line rules: Under British law, cardholders have to pay the first US $78 of any fraudulent(欺骗性的) spending.
And shop only at secure sites; Send your credit-card information only if the Web site offers advanced secure system.
If the security is in place, a letter will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. The Website address may also start https: //—the extra “s” stands for secure. If in doubt, give your credit-card information over the telephone.
Keep your password(密码) safe: Most on-line sites require a user name and password before placing an order. Treat your passwords with care.
1. What do most people worry about the Internet according to this passage?
A. A lot of stolen credit-cards were sold on the Internet.
B. Fraud on the Internet.
C. Many Web sites are destroyed.
D. Many illegal Web sites are on the Internet.
2. What is the meaning of “fraud”?
A. Cheating. B. Sale. C. Payment. D. Safety.
3. How can the thieves get the information of the credit card?
A. The customers give them the information.
B. The thieves steal the information from Web sites.
C. The customers sell the information to them.
D. The thieves buy the information from credit-card firms.
4. How many pieces of advice does the passage give to you?
A. Four. B. Three. C. Five. D. Six.
5. You are shopping on the site: http: // www. Shopping. com, and you want to buy a TV set, what does this article suggest to do?
A. Order the TV set at once.
B. Do not buy the TV set on this site.
C. E-mail the site your credit-card information.
D. Tell the site your password and buy the TV set for you.

Right is right. Right? Of course. But is left wrong? Well, the Romans used to think so. They thought left-handed people were mistakes of nature. Latin, the language of the Romans, had many words that expressed this view. Some words we use today still have this meaning. The Latin word “dexter” means “right”. The English word “dexterous” comes from this word. It means “handy” (clever with hands). So, right is handy. But the Latin word for left is “sinister”. The English word “sinister” comes from this word. Sinister means “evil” (very bad). Is it fair to call right-handed people handy and left-handed people evil? Well, fair or not, many languages have words that express such beliefs. In old English, the word for left means “weak”. That isn’t much of an improvement over “evil”.
Not very long ago, children were often forced to write with their right hands. Doctors have since found that this can be very harmful. You should use the hand you were born to use.
People who use their left hands are just starting to get better treatment. But why they get all these bad names in the first place? One reason may be that there are not as many left-handed people as there are right-handed people. There is one left-handed person for every five right-handed ones. People who are different are often thought to be wrong. But attitudes do seem to be changing. Fair-minded right-handed people are finally starting to give left-handed people a hand.
1. What does the passage lead us to believe when one writes?
A. He can only use his right hand.
B. He can only use his left hand.
C. He can use either his left hand or his right hand.
D. He can use both his left hand and his right hand.
2. The last sentence of this article means ________.
A. Fair-minded right-handed people want to change the habit of the left-handed people
B. Fair-minded right-handed people are starting to help the left-handed people
C. Fair-minded right-handed people are starting to use left hand to write and so on
D. Fair-minded right-handed people are starting to give up using their left hands
3. After we read the article we can certainly know that _______.
A. left-handed people have been treated poorly
B. the number of the left-handed people is larger than that of right-handed people
C. right-handed people are much cleverer than left-handed people
D. left-handed people are less smart but hardworking
4. Which of the following is NOT right, according to the article?
A. At one time, left-handed people were forced to use their right hands.
B. Left-handed people today are being treated better than those in the past.
C. There are not as many left-handed people as there are right-handed people today.
D. “Dexterous” comes from Latin, means “evil” and English “sinister” means “handy”.

With only about 1, 000 pandas left in the world, China is desperately trying to clone(克隆) the animal and save the endangered species(物种). That’s similar to what Texas A＆M University researchers have been undertaking(负责) for the past five years in a project called “Noah’s Ark”.
Noah’s Ark is aimed at collecting eggs, embryos(胚胎), semen and DNA of endangered animals and storing them in liquid nitrogen(氮). If certain species should become extinct, Dr. Duane Kraemer, a professor in Texas A＆M’S College of Veterinary Medicine, says there would be enough of the basic building blocks to reintroduce the species in the future.
It is estimated that as many as 2, 000 species of mammals, birds and reptiles will become extinct in over 100 years. The panda, native only to China, is in danger of becoming extinct in the next 25 years.
Chinese scientists said they grew an embryo introducing cells from a dead female panda into the egg cells of a Japanese white rabbit. They are now trying to implant the embryo into a host animal.
The entire procedure(过程) could take from three to five years to complete.
“The nuclear transfer(核子移植) of one species to another is not easy, and the lack of available(capable of being used) panda eggs could be a major problem,” Kraemer believes. “They will probably have to do several hundred transfers to result in one pregnancy(having a baby). It takes a long time and it’s difficult, but this could be groundbreaking science if it works. They are certainly not putting any live pandas at risk, so it is worth the effort,” adds Kraemer, who is one of the leaders of the Project at Texas A＆M, the first-ever attempt at cloning a dog.
“They are trying to do something that’s never been done, and this is very similar to our work in Noah’s Ark. We’re both trying to save animals that face extinction. I certainly appreciate their effort and there’s a lot we can learn from what they are attempting to do. It’s a research that is very much needed.”
1. The aim of “Noah’s Ark” project is to_______.
A. make effort to clone the endangered pandas
B. save endangered animals from dying out
C. collect DNA of endangered animals to study
D. transfer the nuclear of one animal to another
2. According to Professor Kraemer, the major problem in cloning pandas would be the lack of _______.
A. available panda eggs B. host animals
C. qualified researchers D. enough money
3. The best title for the passage may be _______.
A. China’s Success in Pandas Cloning
B. The First Cloned Panda in the World
C. Exploring the Possibility to Clone Pandas
D. China — the Native Place of Pandas Forever
4. From the passage we know that _______.
A. Kraemer and his team have succeeded in cloning a cat
B. scientists try to implant a panda’s egg into a tiger
C. Kraemer will work with Chinese scientists in clone researches
D. about two thousand of species will probably die out in about a century