Flying over a desert in an airplane, two scientists looked down with trained eyes at trees and bushes.After an hour’s flight, one of the scientists wrote in his notebook, "Look here for probable metal." Walking across hilly ground, four scientists reported, "This ground should be searched for metals." From an airplane over a hilly wasteland a scientist sent back by radio one word "Uranium".
None of the scientists had X-ray eyes: they had no magic powers for looking down below the earth’s surface.They were merely putting to use one of the newest methods of locating minerals in the ground -- using trees and plants as signs that certain minerals may lie under the ground on which the trees and plants are growing.
This newest method of searching for minerals is based on the fact that minerals deep in the earth may affect the kind of bushes and trees that grow on the surface.
At Watson Bar Creek, a mineral search group gathered bags of tree seeds.Boxes were filled with small branches from the trees.Roots were dug and put into boxes.Each bag and box was carefully marked.In a scientific laboratory the parts of the forest trees were burned to ashes and tested.Each small part was examined to learn whether there were minerals in it.
Study of the roots, branches and seeds showed no silver.But there were small amounts of gold in the roots and a little less gold in the branches and seeds.The seeds growing nearest to the tree trunk had more gold than those growing on the ends of the branches.
If the trees indicated that there was no gold in the ground, the scientists wouldn’t spare money to pay for digging into the ground.Scientists were flying over a desert or a hilly wasteland or a mountain region to _____.
A.train their eyes | B.study the trees |
C.look for gold | D.search for minerals |
The study of trees, branches and roots indicated that ______.
A.there were larger amounts of gold in the branches far from the tree trunk than in the seeds |
B.there were smaller amounts of gold in the tree roots deep in the ground than in the branches |
C.there were larger amounts of gold in the seeds growing closer to the tree trunk than in the seeds farther from it |
D.there were larger amounts of gold in the branches than in the leaves on the ends of the branches |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as part of a tree that can help the searchers?
A.leaves | B.roots | C.branches | D.seeds |
Which of the following might be the best title for this passage?
A.Scientists searching for treasure with special equipment. |
B.New methods of doing geological study. |
C.Gold could be found in trees and plants. |
D.A new method of searching for minerals. |
Sydney—Mobile phone has become a problem for middle schools. Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones during school hours.
Mobile phone use among children has become a problem for the school this year. Several children have got mobile phones as Christmas gifts, and more students want them.
Mary Bluett, an official, said mobile phone use is a distraction (分心的事) to students during school hours and it also gives teachers so much trouble in their classrooms. Teachers were also saying that sometimes students might use phone messages to cheat during exams.
She said some schools had tried to ban mobile phones. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t get in touch with their children.
Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, but if there was a good reason, they could leave their phones at school offices. They also said there were many reasons why the students should not have mobile phones at school: they were easy to lose and were a distraction from studies.
Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones, but they think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones.
60. Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones________.
A. because they are students B. when they are free
C. when they are at school D. because they are young
61. We know from the passage that some children get mobile phones from________.
A. the makers and sellers B. some other strangers
C. their parents and friends D. some mobile phone users
62. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t _______ during school hours.
A. use their mobile phones B. leave their mobile phones
C. help the teachers with their work D. get in touch with their children
63. The underlined word “they” in the fifth paragraph refers to________.
A. many teachers B. some messages
C. mobile phones D. some students
Until late in the 20th century most Americans spent time with people of different generations. Now middle-aged Americans may not keep in touch with old people until they are old themselves.
That's because we group people by age. We put our three-year-olds together in day-care centers, our 13-year-olds in schools and sport activities, and our 80-year-olds in senior citizen homes. Why?
We live far away from the old for many reasons. Young people sometimes avoid the old to get rid of fears of aging and dying. It is much harder to watch someone we love disappear before our eyes. Sometimes it`s got hard that we stay away from the people who need us the most.
Fortunately, some of us have found our way to the old. And we have discovered that they often save the young.
A reporter moved her family into a block filled with old people. At first her children were disappointed. But the reporter baked banana bread for the neighbors and had her children deliver it and visit them. Soon the children had many new friends, with whom they shared food, stories and projects. "My children have never been lonely, "the reporter said.
The young, in turn, save the old. Once I was in a rest home (养老院)when a visitor showed up with a baby, she was immediately surrounded. People who hadn't gotten out of bed in a week suddenly were ringing for a wheelchair. Even those who had seemed asleep woke up to watch the child. Babies have an astonishing power to comfort and cure.
Grandparents are a special case. They give their grandchildren a feeling of security and continuity. As my husband put it "My grandparents gave me a deep sense that things would turn out right in the end." Grandchildren speak of attention they don't get from worried parents. "My parents were always telling me to hurry up, and my grandparents told me to slow down," one friend said. A teacher told me she can tell which pupils have relationships with grandparents: they are quieter, calmer and more trusting.
67. Now in an American family, people can find that___________.
A. children never live with their parents
B. not all working people live with their parents
C. aged people are supported by their grandchildren
D. grandchildren are supported by their grandparents
68. Seeing a baby, the old people got excited because _______.
A. they had never seen a baby before B. the baby was clever and beautiful
C. the baby brought them the image of life D. the baby's mother would take care of them
69. Why are some children quieter, calmer and more trusting ?
A. Because they have relationships with their grandparents.
B. Because their worried parents ask them to act like that.
C . Because they have nothing to worry about.
D. Because their teachers ask them to act like that.
70. Which of the following can show the fact that the old often save the young?
A. The old can become friends of the children and the children may not feel lonely.
B. The old get excited when they see a baby.
C. The old can cure the young when they are sick.
D. Babies have an astonishing power to comfort and cure.
BCAA
I will never forget what my old headmaster taught me. Normally when you are only 15 years of age you do not remember most of the things that are taught by your teachers. But this particular story is one such lesson that I will never forget. Every time I drift off course, I get reminded of this story.
It was a normal Monday morning, and he was making a speech to the students on important things in life and about devoting ourselves to what is important to us. This is how the story went:
An old man lived in a certain part of London, and he would wake up every morning and go to the subway. He would get the train right to Central London, and then sit at the street corner and beg. He would do this every single day of his life. He sat at the same street corner and begged for almost 20 years. His house was dirty, and a stench(恶臭)came out of the house and it smelled horrible. The neighbors could not stand the smell any more, so they asked the police officers to clear the place. The officers knocked down the door and cleaned the house. There were small bags of money all over the house that he had collected over the years.
The police counted the money, and they soon realized that the old man was a millionaire. They waited outside his house to tell the good news to him. When he arrived home that evening, he was met by one of the officers who told him that there was no need for him to beg any more as he was a rich man now, a millionaire. He said nothing at all; he went into his house and locked the door. The next morning he woke up as usual, went to the subway, got into the train, and sat at the street corner and continued to beg. Obviously, this old man had no great plans, dreams or anything important for his life. We learn nothing from this story other than staying focused on the things we enjoy doing.
59. The headmaster told the story to the students to__________.
A. make the students relaxed in the lesson B. remind the students to think deeply
C. show how poor the old man was D. encourage the students to become rich
60. After hearing what the officer said, the old man_________.
A. believed the officer was playing a joke on him. B. didn't know many people respected him a lot.
C. was very angry to find his house broken into. D. was not so excited as the officer had expected.
61. What did the author learn from the story?
A . One should devote himself to his dream. B. The old man was foolish not to stop begging.
C. What the headmaster taught was very important.
D. People must have a plan before taking action.
62. Which word can best describe the author's attitude towards the old man?
A. Pity. B. Disappointment. C. Respect. D. Anger.
63. We know from the passage that ___________________.
the author had a big dream at the age of 15.
B. the headmaster was popular with the students.
the old man begged every day without stopping.
D. the neighbors took great pity on the old man.
BDACC
Blue Collar
Graduates from China's " blue-collar " vocational schools have an employment rate of 95. 6 percent, but many lose their jobs because of unrealistic expectations, according to a senior official with the Ministry of Education(MOE).
MOE figures show a total of 3. 64 million students graduated from vocational schools last year, of whom 3. 48 million found jobs. The employment rate for these students was 95. 6 percent.
"The employment rate for blue-collar workers has stayed high since 1999 and above 90 percent since 2002," Wang Jiping, the MOE's deputy head of vocational education section, said on Wednesday. "However, the figure is not the cause for optimism because it only indicates that people get employed. "
He said many students find jobs, but are unable to stay in the posts for reasons such as overly high expectations for salaries or poor performance.
Wang said vocational school graduates needed more guidance to find jobs that could use their skills and meet "rational" demands for wages (工资), so that they can stay in the posts.
"The government is to set up a national information platform to better show market demand for blue collar talents", he said.
MOE figures show 73. 23 percent of the 3. 64 million graduates from vocational middle schools found jobs in companies and factories, 10 percent started their own businesses, and 16. 37 percent went on to further study.
Wang said the demand for highly skilled workers boosted the development of vocational education. _____________ , the MOE called for vocational schools to set up more market-oriented training courses with which students could easily find jobs.
55. Many vocational school graduates lose their jobs for the following reasons EXCEPT _________according to the text.
A. their high expectations for salaries B. their poor performance
C. their lack of working experience D. their unrealistic expectations
56. The underlined word boosted in the last paragraph can be replaced by _______.
A. improvedB. prevented C. ended D. started
57. Among the vocational school graduates last year about ________took up their own business.
A.540,000 B360,000 C.150,000 D.70,000
58. Which of the following is the best sentence to be put into the blank of the last paragraph?
A. To develop vocational education B. To build up graduates' own business
C. To offer graduates more jobs D. To meet the demand
Most people think the first pies were made by early Romans. They may have learned about pie making from the Greeks. These pies were sometimes made in"reeds (芦苇叶)", which were used for the purpose of holding the filling (馅 ), and were not eaten.
The Romans spread the word about pies around Europe and the word"pie"became a popular word in the 14th century. The first pie recipe (食谱) was also published by the Romans.
Pies first appeared in England as early as the twelfth century. The early pies were mostly meat pies. There was actually more crust(皮)than filling. Often these pies were made from fowl ( 家禽) and the fowl's legs were left to hang over the side of the dish and used as handles. Fruit pies were probably first made in the 1500s. It is said that Queen Elizabeth I made the first cherry pie.
Pie came to America with the first English settlers. The early settlers cooked their pies in long narrow pans. As in the Roman times, the early American pie crusts were often not eaten, but simply used to hold the filling during baking(烘焙).
Over the years, pie has become what it is today --- "the most traditional American dessert". Pie has become so much a part of American culture that we now often use the phrase "as American as apple pie".
51. Which people might probably first grasp the skill to make pies?
A. The Romans. B. The Greeks. C. The Englishmen. D. The Americans.
52. Which of the following is NOT true about pies?
A. English settlers brought pies to America.
B. Early Romans ate not only pies but also the crusts.
C. The Romans first published pie recipe.
D. The word “pie ” became popular because of the Romans` efforts.
53. What can best show pies have become part of American culture?
A. Americans use long narrow pans to cook pies.
B. People use "as American as apple pie" to show something about American characteristics.
C. Americans don't eat crusts but use them to hold the filling during baking.
D. Pies are the most traditional American dessert.
54. The best title of this passage is "______________".
A . The History of Pies B. Pies, the Delicious Food
C. Pies, American Dessert D. How to Make Pies