TheWriters’Strike：MakingtheBes-优题课

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

Why does the satellite move around the world at the same speed as the Earth rotates?

A．In order to take photographs

B．In order to stay in a certain position in the orbit

C．In order to move away from its orbit

D．In order to send television pictures．

What does the underlined word “This” in the 3^rd 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．

Cancer researchers urged people on Wednesday to take more vitamin D to lower risk of cancer, saying studies showed a clear link. “Our suggestion is for people to increase their intake (吸入，摄入), through diet or a vitamin supplement,” Dr. Cedric Garland said in a telephone interview.
Garland's research team reviewed 63 studies, including several large long-term ones, on the relationship between vitamin D and certain types of cancer worldwide between 1966 and 2004. “There's nothing that has this ability to prevent cancer,” he said, urging governments and public health officials to do more to fortify (增强) foods with vitamin D. Garland is part of a University of California at San Diego Moores Cancer Center team that published its findings this week online in the American Journal of Public Health. Vitamin D is found in milk, as well as in some fortified orange juice, yogurt and cheeses, usually at around 100 international units（IU）a serving. “People might want to consider a vitamin supplement to raise their intake to 1000 IUs per day” Garland said, adding that it was well within the safety guidelines established by the National Academy of Sciences.
The authors said that taking more vitamin D could be especially important for people living in northern areas, which receive less vitamin D from sunshine.
“African Americans, who don't produce as much of the vitamin because of their skin colour, could also benefit significantly from a higher intake,” the authors said.
According to the passage, people are advised to take more Vitamin D, because__.

A．it is nutritious	B．it can’t harm people’s health
C．it can lower cancer risk	D．it is not taken enough every day

Which of the following can not help people get more Vitamin D?

A．Have some sunshine	B．Have more meat
C．Have more fortified cheese	D．Have a vitamin supplement

Who can Garland probably be?

A．A health researcher	B．A doctor
C．A scientist	D．A public health official

Which of the following food can lower people‘s chance of getting cancer?

A．Milk	B．Fortified orange juice
C．Fortified yogurt	D．All of the above

People from which area should take more Vitamin D according to the passage?

A．Asian people	B．African people
C．American people	D．European people

Many drivers say the large digital billboards flashing ads every few seconds along Bay Area freeways are just too bright and too distracting. And they may be right.
A Swedish study published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention concludes that digital billboards hold the gazes of drivers longer than two seconds. Previous studies have shown that anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road for that length of time increases the risks of a crash. “This study proves what is common sense when it comes to digital billboards,” says Mary Tracy, president of Scenic America, a national nonprofit group that seeks to limit billboards. “Bright, constantly changing signs on the sides of roads are meant to attract and keep the attention of drivers, and this study confirms that this is exactly what they do.”
The Federal Highway Administration allowed digital signs for the first time in 2007 after concluding they did not pose a significant danger. But a follow-up report is pending (待定的) and could be released this year. California has no law banning the billboards, and is one of 39 states that allows them. “We would need to review more research, so it’s too early to call for a ban,” says Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association. “There is a role for digital messaging, such as conveying urgent information and other safety messages.”
There are more than 1,800 digital billboards nationwide, more than double the number five years ago. While no data indicate an increase in accidents due to the Bay Area signs, many drivers are opposed to them.
“Monstrosities” is what Merlin Dorfman of San Jose calls them, while insurance agent David Whitlock says he has found them a major distraction. “They’re much too bright at night,” he says. “When the advertisement switches from a bright color to a darker one, your eyes cannot adjust fast enough, and you end up losing sight of the roadway.”
Officials with sign companies could not be reached for comment, but Bryan Parker, an executive vice president for Clear Channel Outdoor, told USA Today last year that “there’s no doubt in my mind that they are not a driving distraction.”
Which of the following is TRUE?

A．The brightness of digital billboards is harmful to people’s eyes.

B．The Federal Highway Administration banned digital signs in 2013.

C．There is evidence indicating an increase in accidents duo to digital billboards.

D．Digital billboards are used to convey messages.

What do we learn from the text?

A．Scenic America is an organization that is in favor of digital billboards.

B．Drivers in the Bay Area are against the digital billboards.

C．California has banned digital billboards.

D．There were about 1,800 digital billboards nationwide five years ago.

What is Bryan Parker’s attitude towards digital billboards?

A．Supportive.	B．Indifferent.
C．Opposed.	D．Uncertain.

What is the main idea of the text?

A．Studies have shown digital billboards pose a danger to drivers.

B．People’s eyes cannot adjust fast enough to the brightness of digital billboards.

C．A study says flashing digital billboards are too distracting.

D．Experts doubt it is necessary to limit digital billboards.

We are most likely to find the text in the ________ section of a magazine.

A．international culture	B．traffic and safety
C．fashion and travel	D．personal health

Gallows humor（黑色幽默）seem like a mistake, or at least in poor taste. But psychologists say that gallows humor can be an important way to relieve stress. “Humor makes you feel in control and it can give you that feeling that everything is okay even when it's not,” says James M. Jones, a psychology professor at the University of Delaware.
Psychologists say that just because you're laughing doesn't mean you’re wasting time. Occasional teasing among colleagues, particularly if it revolves around things associated with the job, can boost creativity, departmental cohesiveness（凝聚力）and performance.
“There are a lot of stressors out there,” says Ed Dunkelblau, a psychologist with the Institute for Emotionally Intelligent Learning in Chicago. “But gallows humor is a way of making difficult things a little less difficult.”
This is true as long as the humor is used for the right purpose. The main point of it should be inspiring people --- not laughing at them. “Anything that would lift morale（士气）in terms of the company would be good humor,” says Thierry Guedj, a professor of business and psychology at Boston University. “Before you say or do anything, think about, ‘How is this helping my employees’ morale?’”
You want to give your employees and co-workers a sense of belonging, so don’t make observations that are aggressive. Most obviously, Dr Guedj says, don’t make comments about people’s physical appearance, or faith. If you have any doubt, it's appropriate, don't go through with it.
Or you can take aim at the one person you know won't be offended（冒犯）:Yourself. “If there's going to be a joke or story, it should be you,” Mr. Dunkelblau says. For example, if you're a marketing manager reviewing a failed campaign that you led, begin with a line like, “The guy who gave permission to this deal might just be looking for work next week.”
“People with the ability to laugh at themselves can give other people permission to laugh at themselves too,” Mr. Jones says. “And if you can laugh at yourself, you feel better about yourself.”
According to the text, gallows humor has the following functions EXCEPT ________.

A．improving performance

B．reducing pressure

C．leading to a big mistake

D．making people more creative

What is Ed Dunkelblau’s attitude towards gallows humor?

A．Negative.

B．Positive.

C．Uncertain.

D．Neutral.

Which of the following would Dr. Guedj most probably agree with?

A．Gallows humor allows people to laugh at others.

B．Gallows humor is the basic source of morale.

C．Anything that may lift morale can be called gallows humor.

D．Gallows humor may sometimes be used for the wrong purpose.

When people use gallows humor, they should ________.

A．show a sense of belonging

B．observe who is aggressive

C．try to avoid irritating others

D．doubt about the result of humors

What can we infer from the text?

A．Laughing at ourselves can help relieve the stress of others.

B．People tend to laugh at others rather than themselves.

C．People who laugh at themselves are hard to be friends with.

D．People can’t avoid offending others with gallows humor.

I was reading these interesting stories behind a group of great logos in the world. Personally Nike is my favorite one – it’s so simple. And I liked the stories behind them, which made me forget all other things. McDonald’s, Apple, Mercedes Benz and Adidas own great logos as well, and they are among my favorites.
Nike
In the Greek myth, Nike is the goddess of victory and the source of inspiration for soldiers. This logo represents the wing in the famous statue of the Greek goddess. Nike’s logo was designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971 for $ 35, and was registered as a trademark in 1995.
McDonald’s
The logo was designed in 1962 by Jim Schindler to resemble the archshaped(拱形的) signs on the side of the company’s then walk-up hamburger stand. Later on, the two golden arches were combined together to form the M. The McDonald’s name was added to the logo in 1968.
Apple
There are different stories behind Apple’s logo. The first logo was a reference to the religious story of Adam and Eve, in which the apple represented the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. One year later, the second logo was designed in 1977 by Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne, and it described Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. This logo didn’t stay long. One year later it was replaced almost immediately by graphic designer Rob Janoff’s “rainbow apple”, a rainbow-colored silhouette(轮廓)of an apple with a bite taken out of it. And then the rainbow-colored apple was replaced by the one-colored logo in 1998. It has not been changed so far.
Mercedes Benz
The Mercedes Benz logo, which was originally created by Gottlieb Daimler in 1909, consists of a simple description of a three-pointed star that represents its rule of the land, the sea and the air. The company was founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. Mercedes is the name of Maybach’s elder daughter, while Benz came as a result of a combination with Benz, Cie and DMG in 1926.
Adidas
The Adidas logo, which was created by the founder of the company Adi Dassler, represents mountains, pointing towards the challenges that are seen ahead and goals that can be achieved. The logo was used for the first time in 1967.
What does the author think of the stories of the great logos?

A．They are attractive.	B．They are practical
C．They are boring.	D．They are out of date

What does Nike’s logo stand for?

A．The statue of the Greek goddess.

B．The wing of the Greek goddess.

C．The goddess of victory.

D．The source of inspiration for soldiers.

We can learn that Apple’s present logo is ______.

A．Newton’s sitting under an apple tree

B．the rainbow-colored bitten apple

C．the religious story of Adam and Eve

D．a bitten apple with only one color

______ stands for the rule of the land, the sea and the air.

A．The Mercedes logo	B．The Adidas logo
C．Nike’s logo	D．Apple’s logo

Which of the following time orders describes the births of the great logos?

A．McDonald’s – Apple – Nike – Mercedes Benz.

B．Nike– Mercedes Benz – McDonald’s – Apple.

C．Mercedes Benz –McDonald’s – Nike – Apple.

D．Nike– McDonald’s – Apple – Mercedes Benz.