How often do you use your car? Can you use your car less often? Do you know the following facts in the UK?
• About 50% of all car journeys are just for fun.
• Over 80% people go to work by car.
• 25% car journeys are under two miles.
• 70% car journeys are under five miles.
WALKING & CYCLING
Instead of using the car for short journeys, why not walk or ride a bicycle? Walking is a most popular form of exercise—it’s healthy and it can save you money. If you work nearby, try walking or cycling instead of driving.
BUSES
Bus companies are using new buses: some run on new fuels which produce less pollution; some have easier access for disabled and old people. There are special traffic lanes (行车道) to make bus journeys easier and more reliable. So do something to help solve the pollution problem—let the bus take you to work and your children to school.
TRAINS
All car journeys, long or short, can be hard work. For some trips it is wiser to take the train. Leave your car at home and walk, cycle or take a bus to and from the station. Train travel is fast, safe and comfortable. Train tickets are not always expensive; some are quite cheap at discount.How many of car journeys are just for fun in the UK?
| A．25%. | B．About 50% | C．70%。 | D．Over 80%. |
The writer believes that ________ can give children valuable road experience.
| A．walking to school | B．travelling by train |
| C．taking new fuel buses | D．having car journeys for fun |
What is the main purpose of this passage?
| A．To teach people how to use the buses. |
| B．To encourage people to travel by train. |
| C．To advise people to use cars less often. |
| D．To tell people to obey traffic rules. |
If you have a chance to go to Finland, you will probably be surprised to find how “foolish” the Finnish people are.
Take the taxi drivers for example. Taxis in Finland are mostly high-class Benz with a fare of two US dollars a kilometer. You can go anywhere in one, tell the driver to drop you at any place, say that you have some business to attend to, and then walk off without paying your fare. The driver would not show the least sign of anxiety.
The dining rooms in all big hotels not only serve their guests, but also serve outside diners. Hotel guests have their meals free, so they naturally go to the free dining rooms to have their meals. The most they would do to show their good faith is to wave their registration card to the waiter. With such a loose check, you can easily use any old registration card to take a couple of friends to dine free of charge.
The Finnish workers are paid by the hour. They are very much on their own as soon as they have agreed with the boss on the rate(价钱). From then on, they just say how many hours they have worked and they will be paid accordingly(相应地).
With so many loopholes(漏洞) in everyday life, surely Finland must be a heaven to those who love to take “petty advantages”. But the strange thing is, all the taxi passengers would always come back to pay their fare after they have attended to their business; not a single outsider has ever been found in the free hotel dining rooms. And workers always give an honest account of the exact hours they put in. As the Finns always act on good faith in everything they do, living in such a society has turned everyone into a real “gentleman”.
In a society of such high moral practice, what need is there for people to be on guard against others?While taking a taxi in Finland, ________.
| A．a passenger can go anywhere without having to pay the driver |
| B．a passenger pays two US dollars for a taxi ride |
| C．a passenger can never be turned down by the taxi driver wherever he wants to go |
| D．a passenger needs to provide good faith demonstration(证明) before leaving without paying |
We know from the passage that big hotels in Finland ________.
| A．are mostly poorly managed |
| B．provide meals for any diners |
| C．provide free wine and charge for food |
| D．provide meal for only those who live in the hotels |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．The workers in Finland are paid by the hour. |
| B．The workers are always honest with their working hours. |
| C．The workers and their bosses will make an agreement in advance about the pay. |
| D．The bosses in Finland are too busy to check the working hours of their employees. |
The word “those” in the last but one paragraph probably refers to _______.
| A．people who are dishonest |
| B．people who often have meals in big hotels |
| C．people who often take taxis |
| D．people who are worthy of trust |
B
It is common and usual to see people freak out when they face challenges in their life. We all pass in different life problems and challenges. No one is free of life problems. Only a dead man faces no problem. As long as you are alive, challenges are everywhere.
How do you face problems and challenges in your life? Problems and challenges are the building blocks of your personality. They make you who you are. Besides, whether what happened in your life builds or destructs you depends on how you look at it. If you take your problems as troubles, they will be troubles and may cause destruction. If you take them as constructive tools, you are going to be built up on them.
Problems are everywhere. No one can avoid them. And they are good too. They open up a different look and opportunity if you are willing to see. When you face troubles, do not frustrate or freak out. Just cool yourself to think in a different direction. Think in a positive way. Every problem has its own good as well as bad sides. Focus on the good one. Look at the bright side.
Besides, there is always a good person, perhaps your mom or dad, or one of your friends, right beside you, who can turn everything into your best if you are willing to turn to them. No matter what happens, they will be there to help you. Trust them and they will never let you down. All you need to know is that you are loved wherever you are.What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “freak out” in Paragraph 1?
| A．feel shy. | B．stay calm. |
| C．keep silent. | D．feel upset. |
In Paragraph 2, the writer implies(暗指) that ______.
| A．problems cause troubles |
| B．attitude is everything |
| C．challenges can be avoided |
| D．personalities are built on failures |
What’s the writer’s purpose to write the passage?
| A．To encourage. | B．To compare. |
| C．To prove. | D．To explain. |
What can be the best title of the passage?
| A．How to Avoid Problems |
| B．Challenges Are Everywhere |
| C．Face Your Challenges Bravely |
| D．You Are Loved Wherever You Are |
It was the end of my junior year, the weekend before prom (毕业舞会). I was riding with some friends, and a bottle was passed around the car. Everyone was taking swigs(一大口). When the bottle got to me, I thought:“What should I do?”I took a swig. It was the biggest mistake of my life. I had to drive home later that night.
I went back to my car, got in and drove off. At a stop sign I saw a policeman sitting in the parking lot across the street. His headlights were turned on, and I knew he was going to follow me. Then he flashed his lights at me. All I could think was: “Oh no, that swig!”
I pulled over and waited for him to come to my door. It felt like forever. “Can I see your license and registration, please, Miss?” I gave them to him. He took them and went back to his car for a while. When he returned, he asked if I had been drinking.
“No,” I said. He asked me to step out of my car.
“Walk heel to toe down the white line, please.” I passed the test. Next he had me stand on my left foot, lift my right foot and hold it for 30 seconds. I’m not the most coordinated (动作协调的) person and I can’t even walk and chew gum at the same time, so, needless to say, I didn’t pass. Then he asked me to take a breathalyzer test.
That was where I messed up. I told him I didn’t want to and didn’t understand why I had to. The officer asked me three more times, and I continued to refuse. He told me to turn around and place my hands behind my back. He arrested me right then and there.
The policeman drove me to a police station 20 minutes from my home. He called my parents and told them where I was.
I went to court two months after that, charged with refusing to obey an officer. I got a $700 (4,340 yuan) fine and 40 hours of community service. I’ll be on probation (缓刑) for a year, and I’ll have to take the driving test again. I lost my license for a whole year.
This was a huge learning experience for me. It opened my eyes to how easy it is to make a stupid decision. I want everyone reading this to know that it’s not right to drink and drive. It definitely isn’t worth losing your license over.From the first paragraph, we can conclude that the author __________.
| A．didn’t remember she had to drive home later when riding with her friends |
| B．wished she had refused to drink that night |
| C．felt just one mouthful would not affect her driving |
| D．lost her driving license on the way |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?
| A．The author was in jail for 40 hours and had to do community service. |
| B．The author thought her punishment shouldn’t be so serious. |
| C．The author was really sorry that she had made a serious mistake. |
| D．The author believed she would have avoided punishment if she had obeyed the policeman. |
What is the main purpose of the article?
| A．To warn people against driving after drinking. |
| B．To explain how policemen test drivers. |
| C．To show that severe punishment works. |
| D．To blame the author’s thoughtless friends. |
D
What's driving the rise of obesity in the United States? A group of economists argued in a recent study that big-box grocers, warehouse clubs and fast-food restaurants are key contributors to the county's obesity epidemic(流行病).
General economic factors, ranging from unemployment to income, as well as the financial
or time costs of eating and physical activity account for 43 percent of the rise in obesity, according to a recent study published by the US National Bureau of Economic Research, as the adult obesity rate in the United States has surged from 13 percent in 1960 to 35 percent in 2012.
"Supercenter/warehouse club expansion and increasing numbers of restaurants are the leading drivers of the results," the study concluded. "We show that supercenter/warehouse club density increases the probability of weight loss attempts, raising the possibility that cheap food from these retailers triggers self- control problems."
The study suggests that the rise of supercenters and warehouse clubs, like Walmart and Costco, may impact Americans' eating habits as they make calorie-rich food cheaper and more accessible, and save customers a lot of time.
"Food's gotten cheaper and more readily available, so we eat more of it. It's really simple," said Charles Courtemanche, co- author of the study and a health economist at Georgia State University, in an interview with National Public Radio (NPR). "At least a sizable portion of the rise in obesity can be characterized as response to economic incentives."
Obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of at least 30, leads to adverse health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressures and stroke.
Obesity has become a major public health concern in the United States as the nation has one of the highest obesity rates in the world, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).What does the underlined word “trigger”mean?
| A．Cause. | B．Raise. |
| C．Solve. | D．Explain. |
From the passage we can infer _____.
| A．the writer are opposed to fast-food restaurants . |
| B．43 percent of the Americans are overweight. |
| C．America people begin to be concerned about obesity problem. |
| D．calorie-rich food are becoming much more expensive. |
As reasons for obesity , which of the following hasn’t been mentioned in the passage?
| A．Unemployment. | B．Physical activity. |
| C．Eating time. | D．Genes. |
What is the writer’s purpose to write this passage?
| A．To do research into people’s eating habit. |
| B．To analyze the reasons for people’s becoming fat. |
| C．To tell people calorie-rich food is bad for health. |
| D．To introduce the boom of big-box grocers. |
In which column of a newspaper can you find this passage?
| A．Anecdote. | B．Life. |
| C．Business. | D．Science. |
C
Not enough American students want to be engineers, mathematicians, or scientists. The Obama administration wants to change that. They are spending money to do it. The government will invest three billion dollars in the education of young Americans in science, technology, engineering, and math. The four areas together are known as STEM.
Many jobs in the STEM fields will open in the coming years. The U.S. government's investment aims to increase the number of Americans who can take those jobs.
Yet girls appear far less interested in STEM subjects than boys. Only 25 percent of STEM students are girls.
Camsie McAdams is at the U.S. Education Department. She says girls simply do not feel welcomed in STEM subjects. Ms. McAdams says young women look at industries such as engineering and computer science and see most of the leaders are men.
Debbie Sterling is an engineer. She invented a construction toy for girls. The name of the toy is "Goldie Blox." Ms. Sterling hopes Goldie Blox will help girls develop spatial skills. Spatial skills help engineers and builders to think about objects in three dimensions.
To interest girls, Sterling created the character "Goldie." Goldie does not care about beauty or clothes. Goldie tells stories, solves difficult problems and creates pretend worlds.
Experts say parents should do more than just buy toys to interest their girls in STEM subjects. They should also provide a good education. At school, girls should participate in projects that require teamwork and creative thinking.
Women in scientific and technical jobs are also working to encourage young women to explore STEM. One is Anu Tewary. She studied Applied Physics and worked for technology companies. After she had a daughter, she started Technovation Challenge. The challenge is an international competition for young women from 10 to 18 years old.
Technovation offers girls the opportunity to learn how to start a company and become high-tech entrepreneurs. Since 2009, over 2,500 girls from 28 countries have developed 650 mobile phone applications. They learned to launch start-up companies through Technovation.
There's a good chance that soon, more young women using mobile phones will also be developing programs for them.Why don’t the girls take jobs related to STEM subjects?
| A．Because they are less intelligent than boys. |
| B．Because they are forbidden to. |
| C．Because they lack interest and certain skills. |
| D．Because they are not welcomed. |
What should parents do to interest girls to enter STEM field?
| A．Just buy some toys for them. |
| B．Encourage them to take these subjects. |
| C．Explain to them the advantages of these subjects. |
| D．Attract them by giving them some rewards. |
The character "Goldie" can help _____.
| A．to improve the ability of telling stories |
| B．to develop spatial skills |
| C．to learn some knowledge of dressing up |
| D．to enlarge vocabulary |
Which statement is the writer likely to agree with?
| A．Girls are as intelligent as boys. |
| B．Jobs in the STEM fields aren’t available for girls. |
| C．The government is satisfied with the current situation in STEM. |
| D．Girls are looked down upon in jobs related to STEM. |
Which of the following is right about Technovation Challenge?
| A．It was founded by the government. |
| B．It is intended for girls of all ages. |
| C．It helps girl to overcome difficulties in their life. |
| D．It gives girls chances to learn knowledge about technology companies. |