The United States is the world's largest consumer of energy. We use electricity, gas and oil to light and heat our buildings and run our cars. The demand for power is growing. But we may not need to build new power plants or find more oil. The best way to increase our supply of energy is to be more efficient.
Did you know that when you leave your video-game console (游戏机操纵台) on, it consumes more electricity than two refrigerators? Or that those funny-looking, twisty bulbs (灯泡) use 75％ less power than traditional light bulbs? We have the tools to save money, reduce pollution and even help our planet, simply by wasting less energy.
As President, Barack Obama plans to make energy efficiency in American a major goal. He has promised to cut 15% of all energy used by the Federal Government. In a speech, he called for 75% of government office buildings to be updated for better efficiency. He pointed out that energy-efficient buildings and homes will save consumers billions of dollars on energy bills. An “extra benefit”, he added, will be “a cleaner, safer planet.”
Gas, coal and oil are called fossil fuels. Fossil fuels have been the world's main source of energy for hundreds of years. But burning them releases dirty gases, which cause pollution.
There are two main ways to save energy. The first is to use more efficient machines. Hybrid cars use less gas. New appliances are designed to use less electricity. Today's refrigerators are three times more efficient than those before 1973. Laptop computers consume much less energy than desktop computers.
The second is to use machines more productively. According to the US Department of Energy, in the average home, 75％ of the electricity used to power electronic equipment is standby power (备用电源) . That means power flowing to plugged-in appliances whether or not they are being used.
Homeowners can avoid wasting power by pulling the plug on appliances when they are not in use. Efficiency experts argue that today's best techniques could cut US oil and gas use in half, and reduce our electricity use by three-fourths.By referring to Obama's plan, the author mainly intended to say that _______
| A．the US government office buildings have wasted the most energy |
| B．Obama has decided to take the lead to cut down the use of electricity |
| C．it is time for the US to shoulder the responsibility for a cleaner planet |
| D．the US is determined to improve energy efficiency in the whole America |
It can be inferred from the text that ________.
| A．to build new power plants or find more oil is no longer useful |
| B．burning fossil fuels can lead to a growing demand for power |
| C．everyone can make a difference by wasting less energy |
| D．most of the electricity is wasted with appliances plugged-in |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．The world's largest consumer of energy |
| B．The world's energy efficiency movement |
| C．We need to find new energy |
| D．We have to be more energy efficient |
In 1981, there were more than 1.3 million elephants in Africa. But in 1991, that number was cut down to 600,000. African elephants are hunted for their valuable ivory tusks(象牙). More have been killed by poachers(偷猎者). Poachers are hunters who kill animals illegally
. An adult(成年) elephant eats as much as 300 pounds a day. In their search for food, elephants oft
en move great distances. When they cannot find the grasses they prefer, they may strip(剥光) the land of trees.
Today, the area in which elephants herds live is smaller than it used to be. Many areas in their path have been turned into farms. And some eleph
ants have been killed by f
armers for trampling(践踏)their crops.
What can we do here in our country about a threatened animal that lives so far away? Our government has passe
d a law to protect it. People cannot import or bring in items made from ivory or any part of the elephant’s body.
Most countries throughout the world have also stopped ivory imports. It is hoped that the ban(禁令) on the sale of ivory will help save the African elephant. But the world’s largest land animal needs other help. The countries where these animals live are often poor and unable to manage the herds. If the elephant is to survive, this animal is going to need our support for many years to come.The number of the elephant in Africa in 1991 was .
| A．the same as that ten years ago | B．more than that ten years ago |
| C．a little less than half of that in 1981 | D．a little more than half of that in 1981 |
African elephants have been killed mainly because _____.
| A．they eat a lot | B．they have beautiful tusks |
| C．poachers kill for fun | D．there are too many of them |
The areas where African elephants live are much smaller today because ___.
| A．they tend to live in herds |
| B．there are not so many of them today |
C．many of these areas have been t urned into farms |
| D．farmers have been killing them to save their crops |
It is mentioned in the passage that our country has ____.
| A．officially stopped ivory imports |
| B．banned the killing of elephants in Africa |
| C．threatened the elephants that live far away |
| D．helped the African countries where elephants live |
Which of the f
ollowing statements is TRUE?
| A．Poachers have a license(执照) to hunt for animals. |
B．Elephants do a lot of good for the farmers in Africa. |
| C．We live too far away to help to save the African elephants. |
D．The African elephant needs the world’s support for its s urvival |
It was on a warm day last summer. I was walking by the sea. The waves came and went. But I didn’t see them. I was lost in my thoughts.
A row of small holes soon caught my eyes. They lay in the sandy earth by the side of a road. In a minute I would have stepped on them.
What are these holes? I wondered. It had an answer soon. A fat, hairy insect crawled up from the earth. It had a wide tail. It was using the tail to dig in the ground.
The insect moved round and round in one spot(地点). Soon it had made another hole. When it was finished, the insect hid at the bottom. It covered its head with sand.
By now my thoughts of the early morning had gone. This new hole and the insect were all my world. So I sat quite still by the side of the road. And I waited.
As I watched, a small ant crossed the road. It passed my foot, a
nd then it crossed the sandy earth. In a little while it reached the edge of the hole. I saw it start to fall in. The ant tried to turn back. But it couldn’t.
And then I knew. I knew why the holes were there. For just then the fat insect came up out of the hole. It ate the ant who was trapped there.
Later I learned the insect’s name. It’s called ant lion. It digs holes to catch ants.
I’ll never forget that day. The holes looked so small to me. But to the ant and the ant lion they were the whole world.
I took my walks by the sea that summer. But I never aga
in learned as much as I did on the one. What did the ant lion use to dig holes?
| A．Its tail | B．Its feet. | C．Its head | D．Its whole body |
Why did the ant lion hide in the hole?
| A．To keep the sun away | B．So no one would catch it. |
| C．So the ant wouldn’t see it | D．To ke ep warm. |
Why did “I” sit down by the side of the road?
| A．To think | B．To eat her lunch |
| C．To watch the little holes | D．To catch ants. |
Why did the ant lion dig the holes?
| A．To play a game | B．To catch its food |
| C．To hide its eggs | D．To hide from its enemy |
Why did “I” never forget that day?
| A．Learned something | B．Had a nice time |
| C．Saw the ant lion whenever she took a walk | |
| D．Felt sorry for the ant. |
Dick was a twenty-year-old man. His father was a teacher and taught chemistry in a middle school and his mother worked in a shop. They lived a happy life until his parents died one night when suddenly an earthquake broke out. Luckily his sister took him to see their aunt in the city and they did not stay at home. Everything was destroyed in the earthquake and the two children got into trouble. Thanks to their aunt who was not rich enough, they grew up but they lived a ha
rd life. His sister was so sad that she became a nun(修女). After he finished middle school, he was introduced to an owner of a hotel and began to work there.
One day the young man fell to the ground while he was cleaning a window on the second floor. He was sent to the hospital and the doctor loo
ked him over. One of his legs was broken and he had to be in hospital. He said to the nur
se, “I’m a poor man, madam. Arrange a third-class ward(病房) for me, please.”
“Can’t anybody help you?”
“No, madam,” answered Dick. “I have only a sister. She’s a nun and she’s poor, too.”
“I don’t think so,” the nurse said angrily. “Nuns usually marry God. And God is the richest in the world, you know!”
“Well, then,” Dick said with a smile. “Please arrange a first-class ward for me and post the bill(账单) to my brother-in-law(姐夫).Dick’s parents died _____.
| A．in an accident | B．in the war | C．in the earthquake | D．from the disease |
Dick and his sister escaped from the earthquake because ____.
| A．they played outside | B．they were in a safe place |
| C．their parents saved them | D．the aunt saved them |
The sister and brother lived a hard life because ____.
| A．they lost all | B．they were too young |
| C．they were hurt in the earthquake | D．they had to look after themselves |
After Dick finished middle school, ____.
| A．he stayed at home | B．he began to look for a job |
| C．he broke his leg | D．he began to work in the hotel |
Which of the following is true?
| A．The nurse would arrange a third-class ward for Dick. |
B． The nurse would arrange a first-class ward for Dick. |
| C．The nurse would post Dick’s bill to God. |
| D．Dick had a rich brother-in-law. |
What does “getting along” with your teacher mean? “Getting along” means that both you and your teacher have a way of communicating and getting what you need from the relationship. In your teacher’s opinion, he or she wants to make sure that you are paying attention, being polite, and trying your best to learn. In your opinion, you want a teacher who is respectful to you, answers your questions, and tries to help you learn. You can get along and learn without being friends with your teacher, although it’s nice if that happens.
In every school, kids will say that some teachers are mean or strict, but don’t judge a teacher until you are in his or her class and can see for yourself. A strict teacher may be someone who feels strong about getting his or her job done — teaching you the subject you are supposed to learn. It’s also important to remember that making mistakes is a part of learning. By pointing out your mistakes and helping you correct them, a teacher is teaching you. Remember, in most cases, your teacher is on your side.
Even if a teacher isn’t your favorite, you can still have a successful relationship, especially if you carry out your responsibilities as a student. Here are some of those responsibilities:
●Attend class ready to learn. Be prepared for class with the right pencils and books.
●Listen carefully when your teacher is talking.
●Do your best, whether it’s classroom work, homework, or a test.The main idea of this passage is about _______.
| A．learning from your teacher |
| B．making friends with your teacher |
| C．getting along with your teacher |
| D．understanding your teacher |
If you get along with your teacher, _______.
| A．your teacher will have to answer your questions |
| B．both of you will benefit from the relationship |
| C．your teacher will have to be respectful to you |
| D．you will have to try your best to learn |
What does the underlined sentence in the second paragraph mean?
| A．Your teacher is teaching you to learn the subjects. |
| B．The teacher has the responsibility to be strict with students. |
| C．Pointing out your mistakes is also a way for a teacher to teach. |
| D．The teacher is there to help you. |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT the responsibility of a student?
| A．Learning by making mistakes. | B．Attending class ready to learn. |
| C．Listening to your teacher carefully. | D．Trying your best to learn. |
Washington, April 4----- The United States has more than 90 million families for the first time, but each contains fewer people on average than ever, the Census Bureau(统计局) reported today.
The 90,031,000 families in the United States averaged 2.64 members each as of last July 1.“The reason is, in effect, changes in the age structure,” explained Campbell Gibson, a population researcher for the bureau. Most Americans born in the great explosion of births are now in their 20’s and 30’s when they most likely to set up families, he said.
The fact that many are doing so increased the number of families from 80.4 million in 1980 t0 88.8 million in 1986 and past the 90 million mark last summer.
At the same time, the average number of people per family dropped from 2.75 in 1985 to 2.65 in 1986 and then to 2.64, Mr Gibson said.
By comparison, the 1970 Census found the average family contained 3.14 people. Families averaged more than four people in 1939 and more than five in 1880.
The growing number of ever---- smaller families is still going on, but Mr Gibson pointed out that family growth was not the same as population increase in the 1970’s.
The same age factors that are increasing the number of families also happened then, but in the 1970’s the proportion(比例) of families in each age group was also growing.
That hasn’t continued in the 1980’s for a number of possible reasons, Mr Gibson said. For example, in the 1980’s more young people have chosen to remain home with their parents instead of setting up housekeeping on their own, as many did in the 1970’s.
This could be caused by the increasing cost of housing, he said. Delays in marriage while young people go to work and school, have also been widely reported as a factor, but it was not the only factor for the family changes.The smaller figure of families reported here is _________.
| A．1980 | B．80,400,000 | C．2.64 | D．90 million |
What’s the reporter’s attitude towards the present situation?
A. People should get married at later age.
| A．reason | B．something that proves be true |
| C．advantage | D．something that helps to bring about a result |