Satellites are an important part of our ordinary lives.For example, the information for weather forecasts is sent by satellite.Some satellites have cameras which take photographs of the Earth to show how clouds are moving.Satellites are also used to connect our international phone calls.
Computer connections of the World Wide Web and Internet also use satellites. Many of our TV programs come to US through satellites.Airplane pilots also sometimes use a satellite to help them find their exact location.
We use satellites to send television pictures from one part of the world to another.They are usually 35,880 kilometers above the equator.Sometimes we can see a satellite in the sky and it seems to stay in the same place.This is because it is moving around the world at 11,000 kilometers an hour—exactly the same speed that the earth rotates.A satellite must orbit the Earth with its antennae(天线)facing the earth.Sometimes, it moves away from its orbit,So there are little rockets on it which are used to put the satellite back in the right position.This usually happens about every five or six days.
Space is not empty! Every week, more and more satellites are sent into space to orbit the Earth.A satellite usually works for about 10-12 years.Satellites which are broken are sometimes repaired by astronauts or sometimes brought back to Earth to be repaired.Often,very old or broken satellites are left in space to orbit the Earth for a very long time.This is very serious because some satellites use nuclear power and they can crash into each other.Which of the following is NOT done by satellites according to the passage?
| A.Sending information for weather forecast | B.Taking photographs of the Earth |
| C.Sending TV pictures | D.Providing food for airplane pilots |
What’s the speed the earth rotates at?
| A.35,880 kilometers per hour | B.335,880 kilometers per hour |
| C.11,000 kilometers per hour | D.110,000 kilometers per hour |
What does the underlined word “This” in the 3rd paragraph refer to
?
| A.A satellite |
| B.A little rocket |
| C.A satellite seems to stay in the same place in the sky |
| D.The satellite puts the rockets in the right position |
Which is true of satellites?
| A.A satellite usually works for about 10-12 years. |
| B.Every time a satellite gets broken,it is brought back to the Earth to be repaired. |
| C.A broken satellite is never left in space. |
| D.They often crash into each other. |
Most people feel lonely sometimes, but it usually only lasts between a few minutes and a few hours. This kind of loneliness is not serious. In fact, it is quite normal. For some people, though, loneliness can last for yeas. Now researchers say there are three different types of loneliness.
The first kind of loneliness is temporary(暂时的). This is the most common type. It usually disappears quickly and does not require any special attention. The second kind, situational loneliness, is a natural result of a particular situation-for example, family problem, the death of a loved one, or moving to a new place. Although this kind of loneliness can cause physical problems, such as headaches and sleeplessness, it usually does not last for more than a year.
The third kind of loneliness is the most severe. Unlike the second type, chronic(长期的)usually lasts more than two years and has no specific cause. People who experience habitual loneliness have problems socializing and becoming close to others. Unfortunately, many chronically lonely people think there is little or nothing they can do to improve their condition.
Psychologists agree that one important factor in loneliness is a person's social contacts, e.g. friends, family members, co-workers, etc. we depend on various people for different reasons. For instance, our families give us emotional support, our parents and teachers give us guidance, and our friends share similar interests and activities. However, psychologists have found that, though lonely people may have many social contacts, they sometimes feel they should have more. They question their popularity.
Psychologists are trying to find ways to help habitually lonely people for two reasons: they are unhappy and unable to socialize and there is a connection between chronic loneliness and serious illness such as heart disease. While temporary and situational loneliness can be normal, healthy part of life, chronic loneliness can be a sad, and sometimes dangerous condition.How would you treat temporary loneliness according to the passage?
| A.Talk to friends | B.Just ignore it |
| C.Go to see a doctor | D.Ask your teachers for guidance |
"It" in the last sentence of the second paragraph refers to _____.
A. temporary loneliness B. situational loneliness
C. a new place D sleeplessnessThe topic of the 4th paragraph is that____.
| A.one problem of loneliness is a person's social contacts |
| B.we depend on various person for different reasons |
| C.lonely people don't have many social problems |
| D.lonely people don't have many friends |
Why do psychologists want to help chronically lonely people?
| A.Chronic loneliness can cause family problems | B.Chronic loneliness can cause serious illness |
| C.Chronic loneliness can not be overcome | D.A, B and C are all correct |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A.Three Kinds of Loneliness | B.Loneliness and Diseases |
| C.Loneliness and Social Contacts | D.Chronic Loneliness |
Laptop(便携式)computers are popular all over the world. People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptop connect people to their work place. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.
Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do school work anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1,500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are a part of a $10million computer program at Westlake, a 110-year old college. The students with laptops will also have access to the Internet. In addition, they will be able to use e-mail to "speak" with their tethers, their classmates, and their families. However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fa
st-food restaurant or under the trees-anywhere at all!
Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptop use in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable. As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. In addition, the portable computers can connect students to not only Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State higher-education officials are studying how laptops can help students. State Officials also are testing laptop programs at other universities, too.
At Westlake College, more than 60 percent of the staff use the computers. The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons. As one Westlake teacher said, "Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we're giving students a window on the world. They can see everything and do everything. "The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to____.
| A.use for their schoolwork | B.access the Internet |
| C.work at home | D.connect them to libraries |
Why is the word "speak" in the second paragraph in quotation mark(引号)?
| A.They don't really talk | B.They use the computer language |
| C.Laptops have speakers | D.None of the above reasons is correct |
Which of the following is true about Westlake College?
| A.All teachers use computers | B.1,500 students have lapt ops |
| C.It is an old college in America | D.Students there can do everything |
A window on the world in the last paragraph means that students can____.
| A.attend lectures on information technology | B.travel around the world |
| C.get information from around the world | D.have free laptops |
What can we infer(推断)passage?
| A.The program is successful | B.The program is not workable |
| C.The program is too expensive | D.We don't know the result yet |
I came to study in the United States a year ago. Yet I did not know the American society until I was injured in a car accident because after the accident I had to see a doctor-and go to court(法庭).
After the accident, my roommate called a doctor for me. I was very grateful and determined to repay him one day. But the next day, he asked me to pay him $200 for what he had done. I was astonished. He had good reason to charge me, he said. And if I wanted to collect money from the person who was responsible for my injury, I'd have to have a good lawyer. Now that he had helped me to find a good doctor, it was only fair that I should pay him.
But every time I went to see the doctor, I had to wait about 50 minutes. He would see two or three patients at the same time, and often stop treating one so as to see another. Yet he charged me $115 each time. The final examination report consisted of ten lines, and it cost me $215.
My lawyer was all smil
es the first time we met. But after that he avoided seeing me at all. he knew very well the other party was responsible for the accident, yet he hardly did anything. He simply waited to collect his money. He was so irresponsible that I decided to dismiss(解雇)him. And he made me pay him $770.
Now I had to act as my own lawyer. Due to my inexperience, I told the insurance the date I was leaving America. Knowing that, they played for time, … and I left without getting a cent.
My experiences taught me two things about America: firstly, in a country like America money is everything. It is more important than friendship honour or professional morality(职业道德). Secondly, foreigners are still being unfairly treated. So when we talk about America, we should see both its good and bad sides.The author's roommate offered to help him because_____.
| A.he felt sorry for the author |
| B.he thought it was a chance to make some money |
| C.he knew the doctor was a very good one |
| D.he wanted the author to have a good lawyer |
A good doctor is essential for the author to____.
| A.be properly treated |
| B.talk with the person responsible for the accident |
| C.recover before he leaves America |
| D.eventually get the responsible party to pay for his injury |
The word " charge " in the passage means____.
| A.be responsible | B.accuse | C.ask as a price | D.claim |
Both the doctor and the lawyer in this passage are very___.
| A.friendly | B.greedy | C.professional | D.busy |
What conclusion can you draw from this story?
| A.Going to court is something every common in America |
| B.One must be very careful while driving a car |
C.There are more bad sides in America than good sides |
| D.Money is more important than other things in the US |
The famous director of a big and expensive movie planned to film a beautiful sunset over the ocean, so that the audiences could see his hero and heroine in front of it at the end of the film as they said goodbye to each other for ever. He sent camera crew out one evening to film the sunset for him.
The next morning he said to the men, "Have you provided me with that sunset? "
"No, Sir," the men answered.
The director was angry. "Why not? " he asked.
"Well, Sir, " one of the men answered, "we are on the east coast here, and the sun sets in the west. We can get you a sunrise over the sea, if necessary, but not a sunset."
"But I want a sunset!" the director shouted. "Go to the airport, take the next flight to the west coast, and get one. "
But then a young secretary had an idea. "Why don't you photograph a sunrise, " she suggested, "and then play it backwards? Then it'll look like a sunset."
"That's a very good idea! " the director said. Then he turned to the camera crew and said, "Tomorrow morning I want you to get me a beautiful sunrise over the sea. "
The camera crew went out early the next morning and filmed a bright sunrise over the beach in the middle of a beautiful bay(海湾). Then at nine o'clock they took it to the director. "Here it is, Sir, " they said, and give it to him. He was very pleased.
They all went into the studio(摄影棚). "All right, " the director explained, "now our hero and heroine are going to say goodbye. Run the film backwards so that we can see the 'sunset' behind them. "
The "sunset" began, but after a quarter of a minute, the director suddenly put his face in his hands and shouted to the camera crew to stop.
The birds in the file were flying backwards, and the waves on the sea were going away from the beach.One evening, the director sent his camera crew out____.
| A.to watch a beautiful sunset | B.to find an actor and an actress |
| C.to film a scene on the sea | D.to meet the audience |
Why did the director want to send his crew to the west c
oast?
| A.Because he changed his mind about getting a sunset | B.Because he was angry about his crew |
| C.Because it was his secretary's suggestion. | D.Because he wanted to get a scene of sunset |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A.The crew had to follow the secretary's advice. |
| B.If you want to see a sunrise, the east coast is a place to go. |
| C.The camera crew wasn't able to film the scene the first day |
| D.The director ordered his crew to stop filming the "sunset" |
The director wanted to film a sunset over the ocean because_____.
| A.it went well with the separation of the hero and heroine |
| B.when they arrived at the beach it was already in the evening |
| C.it was more moving than a sunrise |
| D.the ocean looked more beautiful at sunset |
After the "sunset" began, the director suddenly put his face in his hands____.
| A.because he was moved to tears |
| B.as he saw everything in the film moving backwards |
| C.as the sunrise did not look as beautiful as he had imagined |
| D.because he was disappointed with the performance of the hero and the heroine |
It seems that every week someone becomes “the first” or “the youngest” or even “the first married couple” to do something that doesn’t seem to be very useful to the rest of us.
Why do they do it? Don’t they have better things to do with their time and money? And why should I be interested anyway? Human beings have already climbed the highest mountains, sailed across the oceans and flown around the world. Many of these things were done a long, long time ago. There just isn’t anything left to explore nowadays. I suppose there’s still a lot of the universe left, and the bottom of the ocean is still a bit of a mystery, but you need a lot of technology to explore areas like that. So, those people who feel the need for adventure can only do things that have been done before.
In May of this year a British man became the first person to walk alone from Canada to the North Pole. Personally, if I wanted to visit the Arctic, I’d rather go as a tourist on a cruise ship, with a helicopter trip to the North Pole included in the price. But OK, this man decided that he wanted to walk. The problem was that he went in the spring when the ice begins to melt and break up. So he got stuck on a longely piece of ice and a plane had to be sent in to rescue him.
These sorts of rescues are making many Australians angry with these record breakers. People trying to break sailing or rowing records get into trouble in the seas. So the Australian navy has to send ships to save them and this costs the government millions of dollars. I suppose we can’t just leave them to drown but we should give the bill to the people who are rescued.According to the author, the so-called record breakers.
| A.do not benefit other people at all |
| B.inspire people to continue exploring |
| C.are boring and should be stopped |
| D.are usually not wealthy enough |
We can infer from the second paragraph that.
| A.there are no high mountains for people to climb |
| B.nothing is left for people to explore in the universe |
| C.it’s beyond ordinary people to explore the unknown |
| D.human beings could fly around the world long ago |
Many Australians are angry because the record breakers.
| A.often get into trouble |
| B.never use a cruise ship or a helicopter |
| C.never pay their own costs |
| D.satisfy their needs at the cost of others’ interest |
What is the writer’s attitude towards the record breakers?
| A.Positive. | B.Negative. |
| C.Uninterested. | D.Neutral(中立的). |