Imagine, one day, getting out of bed in Beijing and being at your office in Shanghai in only a couple of hours, and then, after a full day of work, going back home to Beijing and having dinner there.
Sounds unusual, doesn't it? But it's not that unrealistic, with the development of China’s high—speed railway system. And that’s not all. China has an even greater high-speed railway plan—to connect the country with Southeast Asia, and eventually Eastern Europe.
China is negotiating to extend its own high·-speed railway network to up to 17 countries in 10 to 15 years, eventually reaching London and Singapore.
China has proposed three such projects. The first would possibly connect Kunming with Singapore via Vietnam and Malaysia. Another could start in Urumqi and go through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and possibly to Germany. The third would start in the northeast and go north through Russia and then into Western Europe.
If China’s plan for the high-speed railway goes forward, people could zip over from London to Berlin in under two days.
The new system would still follow China’s high-speed railway standard. And the trains would be able to go 346 kilometers an hour, almost as fast as some airplanes.
China’s bullet train(高速客车),the one connecting Wuhan to Guangzhou, already has the World’s fastest average speed. It covers 1,069 kilometers in about three hours.
Of course, there are some technical challenges to overcome. There are so many issues that need to be settled, such as safety, rail gauge(轨距),maintenance of railway tracks. So, it’s important to pay attention to every detail.
But the key issue is really money. China is already spending hundreds of billions of yuan on domestic railway expansion.
China prefers that the other countries pay in natural resources rather than with capital investment. Resources from those countries could stream into China to sustain development.
It’ll be a win-win project. For other countries, the railway network will definitely create more opportunities for business, tourism and so on, not to mention the better communication among those countries.
For China, such a project would not only connect it with the rest of Asia and bring some much-needed resources, but would also help develop China’s far west. We foresee that in the coming decades, millions of people will migrate to the western regions, where the land is empty and resources unused. With high-speed trains, people will set up factories and business centers in the west once and for all. And they’11 trade with Central Asian and Eastern European countries.China’s new high-speed railway plan will be a win-win project because .
| A．China will get much-needed resources and develop its western regions |
| B．China and the countries involved will benefit from the project in various ways |
| C．China will develop its railway system and communication with other countries |
| D．the foreign countries involved will develop their railway transportation, business and tourism |
According to the passage, the greatest challenge to the new high-speed railway plan is .
| A．technical issues |
| B．safety of the system |
| C．financial problems |
| D．maintenance of railway tracks |
Which of the following words best describes the author’s attitude towards China’s high-speed railway plan?
| A．Critical. | B．Reserved. | C．Doubtful | D．Positive. |
Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
| A．New Railway Standards |
| B．Big Railway Dreams |
| C．High-speed Bullet Trains |
| D．International Railway Network |
When you think of all the ways your body can get hurt---falling off a bike, stepping on a nail, being bitten by a crazed dog---the aches and pains that come from sitting at a computer may not seem like much.
But more doctors are getting worried about just that. If you sit at a PC the wrong way, the nerves and muscles in your back, neck and arms can get out of line.
Ergonomics is the study of how people work and how jobs and equipment can be designed so that people are safer and more comfortable in the things they do---whether that’s working on a factory assembly line or sitting in front of a computer.
The monitor
You should not have to tilt（倾斜） your neck up or down to lock at the screen. Your eyes should be level with the top of the screen.
How far away should you sit? Reach your arm out so your fingertips just touch the screen.
The keyboard
It should be directly in front of you. Don’t unfold the legs on the bottom of the keyboard so that it tilts up toward you---it should be as flat as possible, or even tilted away from you. You want your wrists “neutral,” which means straight, not bent. This puts less strain on your nerves and muscles.
Arms should be close to the body. Don’t look at your fingers as you type. Use a document holder to hold papers at the same level as the monitor. Keep the mouse on the same level as the keyboard and close by--- so you don’t have to reach for it.
The chair
Your feet shouldn’t dangle---the blood will pool in your feet. They should rest flat on the floor, or on phone books, if necessary. Your back needs support. Roll up a towel and stick it there.
The Body
If you think of your body as a collection of right angles when you sit at a computer, you should be just fine.
Your hips should be at a 90-degree angle to your back. That takes the pressure off the spine. And your knees should bend at a 90 degree angle so your feet are flat.The passage mainly talks about.
| A．avoiding pains caused by using PC | B．the science of ergonomics |
| C．illness caused by a computer | D．how to keep fit |
The underlined word “ergonomics” most probably means ______ in Chinese.
| A．管理学 | B．人机工程学 | C．机械工程学 | D．经济学 |
How high should a monitor be placed according to the passage?
| A．As high as your arms. |
| B．A little higher than your eyes. |
| C．A little lower than your eyes. |
| D．At the same level as your eyes. |
How shouldn’t a keyboard be placed?
| A．Tilting away from you. | B．Tilting up toward you. |
| C．Flat. | D．Not mentioned. |
How should you place your foot?
| A．Rest them on a phone book. | B．Rest them on the floor. |
| C．They should rest flat. | D．They should dangle. |
I hated dinner parties. But I decided to give them another shot because I’m in London. And my friend Mallery invited me. And because dinner parties in London are very different from those back in New York. There, “I’m having a dinner party” means “I’m booking a table for 12 at a restaurant you can’t afford and we’ll be sharing the cheque evenly, no matter what you eat.”
Worse, in Manhattan there is always someone who leaves before the bill arrives. They’ll throw down cash, half of what they owe, and then people like me, who don’t drink, end up paying even more. But if I try to use the same trick, the hostess will shout “Where are you going?” And it’s not like I can say I have somewhere to go : everyone knows I have nowhere to go.
But in London, dinner parties are in people’s homes. Not only that, the guests are an interesting mix. The last time I went to one, the guests were from France, India, Denmark and Nigeria; it was like a gathering at the United Nations. In New York, the mix is less striking. It’s like a gathering at Bloomingdale’s, a well-known department store.
For New Yorkers, talking about other parts of the world means Brooklyn and Queens in New York. But at Mallery’s, when I said that I had been to Myanmar recently, people knew where it was. In New York people would think it was a usual new club.What does the word “shot” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
| A．Choice. | B．Try. | C．Style. | D．Goal. |
What does the author dislike most about dinner parties in New York?
| A．There is a strange mix of people. | B．The restaurant are expensive. |
| C．The bill is not fairly shared. | D．People have to pay cash. |
What does the author think of the parties in London?
| A．A bit unusual. | B．Full of tricks. |
| C．Less costly. | D．More interesting. |
What is the author’s opinion of some New Yorkers from her experience?
| A．Easygoing.. | B．Self-centred. |
| C．Generous. | D．Conservative. |
What is the main idea of this article?
| A．The author hated dinner parties. |
| B．The author prefer dinner parties in London to those in New York. |
| C．The difference between London and New York. |
| D．Mallery invited the author to a party. |
Many job opportunities are offered to those who wish to work. It helps if you know more than one language. There are good jobs for interpreters and typists who know English and another language.
There are many good jobs in government. In most cases, you must be a citizen of this country, and you must take a civil service examination. These examinations are open to everyone, regardless of race, religion, or color.
For many civil service jobs you need a high school diploma. The person who does not have a high school diploma can get one. There are several ways. You can study high school subjects at home and then take special tests. If you pass the tests, then you get a diploma. Or you can go to night school. There are classes that prepare you to take special tests to earn a diploma.
You can attend a night school that grants a high school diploma if you complete certain courses. If you do this, you do not have to take the special tests. Be as well trained as you can. Get as much training as you can. Opportunity knocks at every door. Be sure that when it knocks at your door you are ready.From the passage, we know that an interpreter’s job must have something to do with_________.
| A．money | B．languages | C．opportunities | D．diploma |
In order to get a government job, you must take a certain__________.
| A．course | B．trip | C．test | D．service |
The passage suggests that _________.
| A．any citizen can try to get a government job |
| B．civil service jobs are offered only to foreigners |
| C．training programs are often poorly organized |
| D．anyone who wishes to work can get a good job |
We can see that.
| A．one can work on a high school diploma at home |
| B．typists who know English get a good pay |
| C．well-trained people are often out of work |
| D．job opportunities will help you to know more than one language |
Which of the following is not true? If you want to get a high school diploma, you need.
| A．to study at home and pass special tests |
| B．to go to night school to prepare you to pass special tests |
| C．to attend a night school and complete certain courses |
| D．to get as much training as you can and be always ready |
What is the nature of the scientific attitude, the attitude of the man or woman who studies and applies physics, biology, chemistry, geology, engineering, medicine or any other science?
We all know that science plays an important role in our societies. However, many people believe that our progress depends on two different aspects of science. The first aspect is the application of the machines, products and systems of knowledge that scientists and technologists develop.The second is the application of the special methods of thought and actionthat scientists use in their work.
What are these special methods of thinking and acting? First of all, it seems that a successful scientist is curious - he wants to find out how and why the universe works. He usually pays attention to problems which he notices have no satisfying explanation, andlooks for relationships even if the data available seem to be unconnected. Moreover,he thinks he can improve the existing conditions and enjoys trying to solve the problems which this involves.
He is a good observer, accurate, patient and objective and uses the facts he observes to the fullest. For example, trained observers obtain a very large amount of information about a star mainly from the accurate analysis of the simple lines that appear in a spectrum(光谱).
He does not accept statements which are not based on the most complete evidence available. He rejects authority as the only basis for truth. Scientists always check statements and make experiments carefully and objectively.
Furthermore,he does not readily accept his own idea, since he knows that man is the least reliable of scientific instruments and that a number of factors tend to disturb objective investigation.
Lastly,he is full of imaginationsince he often has to look for relationships in data which are not only complex but also frequently incomplete. Furthermore,he needs imaginationif he wants to guess how processes work and how events take place.
These seem to be some of the ways in which a successful scientist or technologist thinks and acts.Many people believe that science helps society to progress through_________
| A．knowledge only. | B．more than one aspect. |
| C．technology only. | D．the use of machines. |
Which of the following statements about a curious scientist is TRUE?
| A．He doesn’t find confidence and pleasure in work. |
| B．He is interested in problems that are explained. |
| C．He makes efforts to investigate potential connections. |
| D．He looks for new ways of acting. |
According to the passage, a successful scientist would NOT_______________.
| A．easily believe in unchecked statements. |
| B．easily criticize others' research work. |
| C．always use his imagination in work. |
| D．always use evidence from observation. |
Which word can be used to describe the data that a good scientist uses?
| A．complete | B．objective | C．complicated | D．accurate |
Zoe Chambers was a successful PR(Public Relations) consultant and life was going well — she had a great job, beautiful flat and a busy social life in London. Then one evening in June last year, she received a text message telling her she was out of work. “The first two weeks were the most difficult to live through.” she said. “After everything I’d done for the company, they dismissed me by text! I was so angry and I just didn’t feel like looking for another job. I hate everything about the city and my life.”
Then, Zoe received an invitation from an old school friend, Kathy, to come and stay. Kathy and her husband, Huw, had just bought a farm in north-west Wales. Zoe jumped at the chance to spend a weekend away from London, and now, ten months later she is still on the farm.
"The moment I arrived at Kathy's farm, I loved it and I knew I wanted to stay." said Zoe. "Everything about my past life suddenly seemed meaningless."
Zoe has been working on the farm since October of last year and says she has no regrets. "It's a hard life, physically very tiring." she says. "In London 1 was stressed and often mentally exhausted. But this is a good, healthy tiredness. Here, all I need to put me in a good mood is a hot bath and one of Kathy's wonderful dinners."
Zoe says she has never felt bored on the farm. Every day brings a new experience. Kathy has been teaching her how to ride a horse and she has learnt to drive a tractor. Since Christmas, she has been helping with the lambing — watching a lamb being born is unbelievable, she says, "It's one of the most moving experiences I've ever had. I could never go back to city life now."When working as a PR consultant in London, Zoe thought she lived a ______life.
| A．satisfying | B．tough | C．meaningless | D．boring |
The most important reason why Zoe went to visit Kathy's farm is that______.
| A．Zoe lost her job as a PR consultant |
| B．Kathy persuaded her to do so |
| C．Zoe got tired of the city life |
| D．Zoe loved Wales more than London |
How docs Zoe feel about the country life according to the passage?
| A．Tiresome and troublesome. |
| B．Romantic and peaceful |
| C．Mentally exhausting but healthy |
| D．Physically tiring but rewarding. |
Which of the following is closest to the main idea of the passage?
| A．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| B．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| C．A misfortune may turn out a blessing. |
| D．Kill two birds with one stone. |