Almost 55,000 people who have had a major impact on British society are profiled in a new 60-volume book that has taken 12 years to compile.
It has cost more than ￡25 million and taken 10,000 writers to update the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
Murder victims Stephen Lawrence and James Bulger are among those joining the likes of Queen Victoria and Gandhi.
The new version of the dictionary, which was founded in 1882, costs ￡7,500 and takes up 12 feet of shelf space.
Projects director Robert Faber said Stephen Lawrence was included because his death triggered "dramatic developments in British policing and social policy".
Women make up 10% of the entries - double the previous share - and include Queen Elizabeth I, Dusty Springfield, Linda McCartney and Virginia Woolf, whose father compiled the first edition.
Alongside the famous names are lesser known individuals such as the inventor of snooker, army reservist (预备役军人) Neville Chamberlain.
Stephen Lawrence and James Bulger were both included because of the "overwhelming soul-searching (真挚的自我反省、深思) and examination of education and social policy" which followed their deaths.
Mr Faber said: "These are not just people who were killed but people who had an impact. Jill Dando is there as much for her career but also because her death became a public event.
"So many of these people have seized the public imagination and have contributed to public debate."？
|
It can be inferred that Jill Dando _____.
| A．died in a case of murder which drew the public much attention |
| B．isn’t included in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |
| C．is the director of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |
| D．is included in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography only for her death |
_____ are collected in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
| A．Those who were murdered in history | B．Those who have shaped Britain |
| C．Those who are famous all over the world | D．Those who live in Britain |
How much does a volume of the new version cost on average?
| A．More than ￡25million. | B．More than ￡400, 000. | C．￡7, 500. | D．￡125 |
Since the beginning of history, man has been attracted by the idea of living forever, of winning the fight against death and disease. So far, this has only remained a dream. Many people have wondered whether it would be possible to find a way to preserve human bodies, and what would be the best way.
It has long been known that meat of fruit can be kept fresh for long periods by freezing; in ancient China, for example, food was stored with ice to keep it fresh. This method could also be useful for preserving humans.
However, most living beings that exist under warm conditions die when frozen. This is because of the harmful effects of freezing ice crystals(晶体), which not only are larger than the volume(体积) of the water originally in the cells, but also form sharp cutting shapes that harm the cells.
In the 1940s Dr B.J. Luyet and a group of scientists in England were working on the problem of freezing cells without damaging them. Since the harm caused by ice crystals was the main cause of damage, Luyet suggested removing some or all of the water from the cells before freezing them.
Using living cells form chicken, Luyet and his assistants discovered that they could partly dry the chicken cells, using a mixture of the white part of an egg and glycerin (丙三醇). Some success was obtained. The chicken cells were dried, frozen for a period of time, and then carefully unfrozen. Almost all the cells recovered when they reached normal temperatures.
Since then, the cooling of whole animals to a temperature far below freezing point for later unfreezing has become more of a possibility, and the glycerin method would probably be used to accomplish this. When this can be done completely and successfully, science will have moved much closer to its aim of freezing and storing incurable patients until the day they can be cured. What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．Easy but practical ways to remove water from living cells. |
| B．The possibility of preserving human bodies by freezing. |
| C．The practice of preserving food by freezing. |
| D．The harmful effects of freezing. |
The idea of freezing human bodies to preserve them ______________.
| A．has already been realized |
| B．was invented in ancient China |
| C．has its roots in the way of storing food |
| D．is widely accepted by the scientific world |
According to the text, freezing _________________.
| A．is harmful to living cells |
| B．is the best way of preserving food |
| C．reduces the volume of water in living cells |
| D．is a way of removing water from living cells |
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
| A．It is impossible to have whole animals frozen. |
| B．It remains unknown how to unfreeze frozen animals. |
| C．Freezing incurable patients for later treatment is still an idea. |
| D．The glycerin method has already been adopted to treat patients. |
Twenty years ago, Americans were a rare sight in China. But decades later, things have changed greatly. Americans are found in every Chinese province and region and in all walks of life. Much of this change is due to the increasing exchange and improving relationship between the two countries, but what attracts many here is China’s rapid development and the huge opportunities that have arisen with that development.
Erik Nilsson has been working for the English newspaper China Daily as a reporter for five years since his graduation from Central Michigan University. Although his original plan was to become a conflict zone reporter in Latin America, he decided to stay at China Daily
Robert Brownell, a former IT engineer with Microsoft in Seattle, is now teaching in China and appreciates the different atmosphere in the school. His actions are a lot less restricted here than they would be in the U.S. “For good students, I can give them candy,” he explains. “But in American schools, if you give food to students, they have to be sealed(密封)and tested. In China I can pat them on the back and raise my voice. But in America, everything is regulated so much, you just can’t do anything.”
Kodi Keith Avila, the 30-year- old Hawaiian is running a business English school, New York Minutes, in Beijing. Avila first came to China in 2007 on a scholarship program as a student of University of Hawaii. It was encouragement from his professor that finally convinced him to go to China. “He thought China would overtake other countries in trade, consumption and technology,” Avila said.“I saw many good opportunities for personal careers or business development in China. So many limousines Audi, Mercedes-Benz, so many businessmen and skyscrapers. One can get a business license in China as long as one has a good business plan”he told China Today.
“I came to China because I am interested in Chinese medicine. Learning Chinese language will help me learn Chinese medicine,” Caponigro told China Today. She is not alone among Americans in becoming more and more fascinated with Chinese culture. After graduation, Erik Nilsson first planned to __________.
| A．work as an English newspaper editor | B．work for China Daily |
| C．become a conflict zone reporter in America | D．cover his reports in Latin America |
From Robert Brownell’s story, we know that ________.
| A．He couldn’t find a job and had to come to China |
| B．School teachers share more freedom in China than in the U.S. |
| C．American teachers are not allowed to give food to their students |
| D．American classes are more fun and lively |
Kodi Keith Avila stays in China running his business because ______.
| A．he is on a scholarship program as a student of University of Hawaii |
| B．he was encouraged and seized the business opportunity |
| C．he has provided the start-up capital |
| D．his professor convinced him to run a school |
Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
| A．The Fascinating Chinese Culture |
| B．China--- A Jobseekers’ Wonderful Place |
| C．Starting Business in China |
| D．Americans Following Their Dreams to China |
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Hurry! Call us now to get this cheap flight deal. Call Southall Travel 24/7 to book cheap flights.If you like to enjoy the most sunshine of the year, you’ll probably book the ticket to ．
| A．San Francisco | B．New York | C．Chinatown | D．Los Angeles |
What is special about San Francisco is that you can_________.
| A．enjoy wonderful nights | B．visit famous squares |
| C．see famous plays | D．ride a horse-drawn carriage |
How can you book the flight tickets?
| A．By phone. | B．On the Internet | C．With a personal visit. | D．Through a hotel. |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To introduce three famous cities. | B．To attract tourists to book flights. |
| C．To introduce some travel experts. | D．To recommend tourist activities. |
When someone has deeply hurt you, it can be extremely difficult to let go of your grudge. But forgiveness is possible and it can be surprisingly helpful to your physical and mental health. Indeed, research has shown that people who forgive report more energy, better appetite （胃口） and better sleep patterns. "People who forgive show less anger and more hopefulness," says Dr. Frederic Luskin, who wrote the book Forgive for Good. “So it can help save on the wear and tear, and allow people to feel more energetic."
So when someone has hurt you, calm yourself first. Take a couple of breaths and think of something that gives you pleasure: a beautiful scene in nature, someone you love. Don’t wait for an apology. "Many times the person who hurt you may never think of apologizing," says Dr. Luskin. "They may have wanted to hurt you or they just don't see things the same way. So if you wait for people to apologize, you could be waiting a very long time.” Keep in mind that forgiveness does not necessarily mean accepting the action of the person who upset you. Mentally going over your hurt gives power to the person who brought you pain. Instead, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you. Finally, try to see things from the other person' s perspective. You may realize that he or she was acting out of ignorance(无知), fear even love. To gain perspective, you may want to write a letter to yourself from that person’s point of view.The word “grudge” in the first paragraph most probably means _________.
| A．understanding | B．forgiveness | C．anger | D．pity |
What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?
| A．Forgiveness keeps yourself from being hurt. | B．Forgiveness helps stay mentally healthy. |
| C．Forgiving others does good to your health. | D．Forgiving yourself is the biggest challenge. |
According to the writer, what is the best way to calm down after being hurt?
| A．Try to figure out why you get hurt. |
| B．Writer a letter to person who hurt you. |
| C．Persuade yourself to accept what others have done to you. |
| D．Think about pleasant things and forget about the hurt. |
Dr. Luskin advises us not to wait for an apology after being hurt because ______.
| A．people seldom want to apologize | B．we’d feel worse accepting others' apology |
| C．we are not patient enough | D．people don’t mean it when they apologize |
I get off the bus and walk a few blocks. I stop when I get to a garage-like place and walk to the metal door with brown paint. I turn the knob(把手)and walk in. A thousand eyes look at me as I take my place at the end of the long line. When I finally get up to the window, I hand the officer my ID. “I’m here to visit Mr C. Yes, I’m his daughter.”
I learn that line by heart. The officer hands me a piece of paper with my name as the visitor and my father’s as the prisoner. It tells me which floor to go to. As I get on the elevator, a rush of excitement runs through me. Then I go to the eighth floor, look around and see the faces I see here every Sunday and Thursday.
There he is. I stand on tiptoe(脚尖)to get a better view since I can hardly see him. He doesn’t look like my father. He’s got a beard now and he looks a lot weaker. He’s the dad that I see through a window. My dad who is separated from the world. The only place he now knows is his room in the prison. When I look deep into his eyes, I see emptiness and pain.
It’s difficult to hear him through the thick glass and over everyone else who is trying to talk. We try to carry on a normal conversation about simple things including my day and what I’m doing in school, but we mostly talk about how we can’t wait until he gets out. After an hour my time is up. We say our good-byes and love-yous.
I get on the bus to go home. My favorite place is where my father is—prison. I know, how can prison be anyone’s favorite place? But it is because my father is there. It’ll no longer be my favorite place once he gets out, though—home will be.The author goes to the prison_________.
| A．to talk with the officer | B．to visit her father |
| C．to get a piece of paper from the officer | D．to pay a visit to her favorite place |
It can be inferred from the passage that the author’s father is ____________.
| A．working there for a long time | B．just in prison for a short while |
| C．still healthy and strong in prison | D．seldom keeping in touch with people outside |
What does the author mainly talk of with her father?
| A．Her behavior in school. | B．Simple things in everyday life. |
| C．Difficulty and trouble in her life. | D．The feeling of expecting him home. |
What can we know from the passage?
| A．The author’s father will never go home. | B．The author meets her father once a week. |
| C．The author’s favorite place will change. | D．The author hates her father. |