Googlefight is a simple service available on the Internet which offers you the chance to compare two different items and see how many hits they get on the Google search engine. The seemingly simple device has proved invaluable to users, especially to help win arguments.
For example, imagine that you and your friends are arguing about who are the most popular music or movie stars, you can decide the argument by writing the names in the Googlefight boxes. Let’s say that you are arguing about Jackie Chan and Jet Li. You will quickly discover that Jet Li is mentioned 16 million times on Google pages, whereas Jackie Chan is mentioned a mere 12 million times! In this unscientific way, you can claim victory for one Star over another.
But teachers have come up with ways of using Googlefight which are much more useful from an academic point of view, particularly when it comes to studying languages. You can, for example, find out the frequency of two words with the same meaning, and deduce (推断) from the answers which one is more common. For example, let’s take the words “buy” and “purchase”, which mean the same thing (although “buy” is only a verb and “purchase” is both a verb and a noun). It is immediately clear from Googlefight that “buy” is much more commonly used, with a massive three and a half billion hits, compared to only one billion occurrences for the more formal word.
But the real value of Googlefight to the language learner is in determining which is the more common of two phrases. For example, “raining cats and dogs” is an old-fashioned English expression about the weather. Do English speakers still use it? Or are they more likely to say “pouring down”? Googlefight suggests the latter. “Pouring down” has 898,000 Google hits, whereas “raining cats and dogs” only has 326,000.
With phrases, it’s important to remember that you need to use quote marks to make the search more accurate. For example, if you type in the similar phrases “look after” and “take care of “ without quote marks, the second phrase seems to be more common, but with quote marks, the result is reversed.What is Googlefight?
| A．A fight between two people on Google. |
| B．A way to make sure you win an argument. |
| C．A website showing how many hits two different things have. |
| D．A list of all the websites on Google. |
Language teachers find it useful because _______.
| A．there are a lot of words on Googlefight |
| B．it can tell them which of the two words with the same meaning appears more often |
| C．some words mean the same thing |
| D．common words have a billion hits |
What must you remember to do if you are checking phrases by Googlefight?
| A．Make sure they mean be same thing. |
| B．Make sure they are different. |
| C．Remember to put quote marks round the phrase. |
| D．Don’t put quote marks round the phrase. |
Which statement is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Googlefight is effective to determine the more common of two phrases. |
| B．Googlefight is a scientific way to decide an argument. |
| C．Quote marks can make the search more accurate. |
| D．Googlefight is invaluable to help win arguments. |
The preventive measures for forest fires include some preemptive(抢先)methods that can help reduce the risks of fires and control their severity and spread，and thus, maintain ecological balance and protect resources．Close monitoring of forest fires caused by natural factors can help prevent their spread to a large extent．To contain forest fires，fire departments usually use water and chemical fire retardants(抑制剂)that can be dropped from planes and helicopters．To control the spread of a wildfire．firefighters usually create a control line by removing all fuel from an area so that the fire cannot travel across it．
Controlled burns are often employed by government authorities to reduce fuel buildup，and clean up the fallen leaves，and thus，prevent the spread of forest fires to a vast area．Regular controlled burns can also help maintain biodiversity(生物多样性)，as the smoke and heat produced in the process can facilitate(促进)the growth of seeds of certain plant species．Apart from these，responsible human behavior can help reduce the number of forest fires to a great extent．In fact，we can reduce the number of wildfires dramatically by not leaving behind any source of fire in the forest.
Forest fires can affect climate and weather to a great extent，besides causing severe damage to valuable trees．Wildfires can increase the level of greenhouse gases(water vapor, carbon dioxide，etc)，and therefore increase pollution and global warming．However, they are also an important part of the ecosystem，and many plants depend on the heat and smoke generated by wildfires for their growth and reproduction．But large wildfires can cause extensive damage to the ecosystem，which again highlights the importance of effective control and prevention of forest fires·What may be the best title for this passage?
| A．Control and Prevention of Forest Fires |
| B．How to Keep Ecological Balance |
| C．Effects of Forest Fires |
| D．Methods of Fire Spread Control |
Firefighters get rid of all fuel in all area in order to ____________．
| A．keep close monitoring of forest fires |
| B．prevent the forest fire from occurring |
| C．protect the animals there |
| D．stop the wildfire from spreading |
The government arranges some controlled burns to_______________．
| A．burn the rubbish and keep the forest clean |
| B．help keep ecological balance of nature |
| C．reduce fuel buildup and limit forest fires spread |
| D．provide reasonable conditions for some plants’growth |
A controlled forest fire may play a positive role because ________________.
| A．a new forest will appear soon |
| B．it promotes the development of some seeds |
| C．nature keeps its balance only by wildfires |
| D．it makes the trees grow faster than before |
The last paragraph tells us that _______________．
| A．the greenhouse gases are caused mainly by wildfires |
| B．wildfires have both positive and negative effects |
| C．people should be aware of the necessity of wildfires |
| D．all the valuable trees disappear owing to wildfires |
Scientists have been puzzled by the phenomenon that migrating birds fly not just in groups all the time, but in "V" formations and they have tried to figure out what benefit birds get from this particular formation. Now, a research group from University of London may have found the answer ― migrating birds fly in a "V" to save energy, according to a study published in the journal Nature.
When a bird flaps(振翅) its wings, it stirs the air around it and causes it to move indifferent directions. Scientist found in the study that the air creates an upward-moving wave at the tips of the wings, which means that if a bird flies around the wingtips of another bird, it can get a boost（抬高） from the rising air and therefore use less energy to stay in the air.
Apart form the "free ride" strategy, scientists were also surprised to observe that migrating birds timed their wing beats and adjusted their positions in a very precise way to maximize the lifting effect while avoiding areas where the air move downward.
"They're able to sense what's going on from the bird in front, where this 'good air' is coming from and now how to position themselves perfectly in it," lead researcher Steven Portugal told BBC.
In fact, the "V" formation has long thought to help birds fly more efficiently(效率搞地). A previous study showed that birds' heart rates went down when they were flying together in a "V" formation. Jet fighters were also found to be able reduce their energy use by up to 18% by staying near the wingtips of other jet fighters. Both of these findings led scientists to suspect that the "V" formation had an efficiency purpose, but until now they still lack proof.
"For scientists, the new study provides an insight into an interesting natural phenomenon. But it could mean even more for aircraft companies — helping them understand how they can imitate that with their plane formations to save fuel, said Portugal."What is the author's purpose in writing this article?
| A．To explain how birds benefit from migration. |
| B．To introduce how migrating birds find their way. |
| C．To tell some applications of migrating birds' "V" formations. |
| D．To report new findings about migrating birds' "V" formations. |
According to the recent study, when birds migrate .
| A．they don't change their lead birds during the whole journey |
| B．they fly in "V" formations to protect themselves against enemies |
| C．they form the shape of a "V" to make best use of the lifting effect |
| D．the air they stir around makes it hard for the birds behind to fly fast |
What is the significance of the new study according to this article?
| A．It might inspire aircraft companies to think of ways to improve efficiency. |
| B．It has proved that the "V" formation can improve in efficiency in many fields, |
| C．It has led scientists to discover that birds' heart rates go down when they fly in a "V". |
| D．It shows that the best formation of jet fighters in battle should be a "V" formation. |
The underlined word "imitate" in the last paragraph most probably means "".
| A．use | B．copy | C．change | D．learn |
Scientists in UK have grown a living human "brain". The team at Aston University created tiny bunch of cells which act like a mini nervous system.
They believe it could help find a cure for worse mental conditions like Parkinson’s disease. Professor Michael Coleman is leading the research program. He explained, "We are aiming to be able to study the human brain at the most basic level, using an actual living human cell system. Cells have to be alive and operating efficiently to enable us to really understand how the brain works. "The experiment involves changing cells from a cancer tumour (肿瘤）and making them behave like brain cells.
Although far from finished, researchers hope the false brain cells will give them a greater understanding of how real brains work. This, in turn, could significantly further research into conditions which affect the brain. Neil Hunt, chief leader of the research group, said, "It is still very early days, but in the future the research could lead to a useful tool for looking into dementia (痴呆)."
The technique could also provide a way to carry on animal test and is being supported by the Humane Research Trust (HRT). The scientists predict that over the next ten years a million people will develop dementia. Professor Coleman believes their findings could change this. He said，"We hope our research will provide scientists with a new and highly relational human experimental model to help them understand the brain better and develop new drugs to control the related disease. However, the biggest challenge at present is that we are greatly short of fund, which will slow our research."UK scientists grow a living human "brain" in order to ______.
| A．study the structure of human brain |
| B．make use of living human cell system |
| C．discover how human brain really works |
| D．separate cells from a cancer tumour |
According to Neil Hunt, research into brain cells ______.
| A．will get finished as early as possible |
| B．will make people discover dementia |
| C．will affect the brain growth in many ways |
| D．will help to treat some diseases in nerve system |
From the last paragraph，we can know that ______
| A．the technique provided by HRT is immature |
| B．animal tests are no longer allowed by law |
| C．a million people suffer from brain diseases |
| D．the research program lacks financial support |
The text is intended to ______.
| A．tell us about a breakthrough in medical research |
| B．introduce a research program in human's brain |
| C．introduce the progress of drugs for dementia |
| D．tell us about health problem in nerve system |
What’s the purpose of the author in writing the text?
| A．To introduce his favorite food to the readers． |
| B．To introduce some steakhouses in New York． |
| C．To provide guidance on eating in America． |
| D．To offer some advice on running restaurants． |
Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
| A．All the four restaurants are open on weekends． |
| B．Bruno is the owner of Peter Luger’s Steakhouse． |
| C．The beef in AJ Maxwell’s is from South Dakota． |
| D．You can enjoy family hospitality in Ben and Jack’s． |
If you don’t like having dinner indoors，you can go to _____________．
| A．Aged—New York City | B．Club A Steakhouse |
| C．Ben and Jack’s on 5th Ave | D．AJ Maxwell’s Steakhouse |
If you have to drive，you are NOT advised to go to ____________．
| A．255 5th Avenue，New York | B．240 East 58th St．，New York |
| C．2398 Broadway，New York | D．57 West 48th Street，New York |
What do the four restaurants have in common?
| A．Restaurant style． | B．Privacy protection． |
| C．Minimum expense． | D．Seafood service． |
We offer a full range of services to make your IKEA experience more complete:
Old Kitchen Removing Service
Are you going to buy a brand-new kitchen in IKEA? So how to do with your old kitchen at home? Don’t worry! IKEA is now providing professional dismantling and removing service for old kitchen to you. By this service you can have your new kitchen at home easily. (For service detail and charge please go to the staff of kitchen department.)
Transport Service
Need a way to get your new home-furnishings home? You can rent a transport or hire us to deliver it for you. Just talk to our Customer Service department for details.
Return Policy
As long as the items are undamaged, unassembled and unused, you could return them in their original package within 60days (IKEA FAMILY member within 180days) together with your original receipt/invoice (bank card POS receipt is needed if you have paid this way), we will refund you the same way as you have paid.
Sorry, we cannot accept exchange or return of food, plants, liquid bathing products, AS-IS products, customized products, kitchen electrical appliance and all products that have already been cut, sewed or painted.“The exchange and return policy above applies only to the products purchased from IKEA stores in mainland China.”
IKEA Restaurant/Café
The restaurant/cafe serves both classic Swedish dishes and local favorites, and is one of the most popular areas of the whole IKEA store. Shopping at IKEA is fun and offers great value, but can also be hard work, so stop by and treat yourself to a refreshing drink and a bite to eat.The underlined word “dismantling” refers to ______.
| A. taking apart |
B. making up |
| C. picking up |
D. leaving off |
What can we learn from Return policy?
| A．Any product bought can be returned if they are undamaged. |
| B．The store pay back your money in cash whatever way you use. |
| C．The valid time for return service is within 180 days. |
| D．The return service only goes for IKEA stores in mainland China. |
Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage?
A. Your new kitchen is available in an easy way.
B. The furniture can be transported to your house.
C. They have flexible payment choices.
D. You can enjoy delicious food in IKEA.The passage is probably taken from ______.
| A. a guide |
B. a travel book |
| C. a newspaper |
D. a magazine |