WHAT happens to a teenage kid when the world he thought he knew suddenly changes? Find out in Little Brother by American author Cory Doctorow. It is a fascinating book for a new generation of sci-fi readers.
Marcus Yallow, 17, from San Francisco is much more comfortable in front of a computer than obeying the rules of society. Smart, fast and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting (骗过) his high school's monitoring system.This way he and his friends get to head off to play a popular online game in real life.
While they are playing, a bomb explodes on the Bay Bridge. Marcus stops a military vehicle to get help for his injured friend, but this simple act throws him into a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secret prison.There he is treated as a possible terrorist. He is eventually let go after four days, but his injured friend disappears.
When he returns, Marcus discovers that there are many "security measures" in place and that now all citizens are treated like potential terrorists. While some consider this government action necessary for public safety, Marcus sees this as a complete destruction of the rights he is supposed to have as a citizen.
He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him with only one thing to do: to take down the DHS himself. He helps organize a large network called Xnet to spread the truth, anonymously (匿名地).
The book presents a young man who is irresponsible, but learns about himself, and grows, in the course of the story. As part of this learning and growing he becomes aware of very serious issues about his society.What kind of article does this passage belong to?
A.A fascinating story | B.A book review |
C.News report | D.A TV programme |
The underlined word destruction in the passage means .
A.damage | B.reward | C.ruin | D.protection |
Marcus Yallow was sent to prison because .
A.he killed his friend |
B.he bombed a military vehicle |
C.he did something that a possible terrorist could do |
D.his injured friend disappeared |
From the second paragraph we can infer that .
A.Marcus Yallow is much more comfortable obeying the rules of society |
B.Marcus Yallow is smart, fast and wise in real life |
C.Marcus Yallow always plays online games in real life |
D.Marcus Yallow is expert at the network world |
At the end of the book, Marcus Yallow .
A.is supposed to be more irresponsible |
B.becomes aware of very serious issues about his society |
C.presents a young man who is irresponsible |
D.plays a popular online game in real life |
Our library offers different types of studying places and provides a good studying environment.
Zones
The library is divided into different zones. The upper floor is a quiet zone with over a thousand places for silent reading, and places where you can sit and work with your own computer. The reading places consist mostly of tables and chairs. The ground floor is the zone where you can talk. Here you can find sofas and armchairs for group work.
Computers
You can use your own computer to connect to the wi-fi specially prepared for notebook computers; you can also use library computers, which contain the most commonly used applications, such as Microsoft Office. They are situated in the area known as the Experimental Field on the ground floor.
Group-study Places
If you want to discuss freely without disturbing others, you can book a study room or sit at a table on the ground floor. Some study rooms are for 2-3 people and others can hold up to 6-8 people. All rooms are marked on the library maps.
There are 40 group-study rooms that must be booked via the website. To book, you need an active University account and a valid University card. You can use a room three hours per day, nine hours at most per week.
Storage of Study Material
The library has lockers for students to store course literature. When you have obtained at least 40 credits, you may rent a locker and pay 400 SEK for a year’s rental period.
Rules to be Followed
Mobile phone conversations are not permitted anywhere in the library. Keep your phone on silent as if you were in a lecture and exit the library if you need to receive calls.
Please note that food and fruit are forbidden in the library, but you are allowed to have drinks and sweets with you.Library computers on the ground floor .
A.help students with their field experiments |
B.contain software essential for schoolwork |
C.are for those who want to access the wi-fi |
D.are mostly used for filling out application forms |
A student can rent a locker in the library if he .
A.can afford the rental fee |
B.attends certain courses |
C.has nowhere to put his books |
D.has earned the required credits |
What should NOT be brought into the library?
A.Mobile phones. | B.Orange juice. |
C.Candy. | D.Sandwiches. |
Cleverness is a gift while kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy – they’re given after all. Choices can be hard.
I got the idea to start Amazon 16 years ago. I came across the fact that the Internet usage was growing at 2,300 percent per year. I’d never seen or heard of anything that grew that fast, and the idea of building an online bookstore with millions of titles was very exciting to me. I had just turned 30 years old, and I’d been married for a year. I told my wife MacKenzie that I wanted to quit my job and go to do this crazy thing that probably wouldn’t work since most start-ups don’t, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. MacKenzie told me I should go for it. As a young boy, I’d been a garage inventor. I’d always wanted to be an inventor, and she wanted me to follow my passion.
I was working at a financial firm in New York City with a bunch of very smart people, and I had a brilliant boss that I much admired. I went to my boss and told him I wanted to start a company selling books on the Internet. He took me on a long walk in Central Park, listened carefully to me, and finally said, “That sounds like a really good idea, but it would be an even better idea for someone who didn’t already have a good job.” That logic made some sense to me, and he convinced me to think about it for 48 hours before making a final decision. Seen in that light, it really was a difficult choice, but finally, I decided I had to give it a shot. I didn’t think I’d regret trying and failing. And I suspected I would always be haunted by a decision not to try at all.
After much consideration, I took the less safe path to follow my passion, and I’m proud of that choice. For all of us, in the end, we are our choices.What inspired the author with the idea of building an online bookstore?
A.His dream of being an inventor. |
B.The support of his wife. |
C.The greatly increasing usage of the Internet. |
D.Millions of exciting titles. |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined sentence?
A.The idea of not trying would keep coming to his mind and disturb him. |
B.He would be very excited if he tried it out. |
C.He would be always having a doubt if he didn’t try. |
D.The decision not to try the online bookstore would terrify him. |
We can know from the passage that _______.
A.the boss thought the idea was suitable for the author |
B.the author wanted someone else to try the idea |
C.the author might not regret if he failed the idea |
D.the author might go back to his boss if he failed |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Cleverness and Kindness | B.The Starting of Amazon |
C.Following My Passion | D.We Are What We Choose |
Eating at a slow speed may help reduce hunger, the U.S. researchers said on Monday. Previous research suggests that the ability to control energy intake may be affected by the speed at which we eat, and a high eating rate may damage the relationship between the sensory signals and processes that control how much we eat.
In order to learn more about the link between eating speed and energy intake, researchers examined how eating speed affects calories consumed during a meal in both normal-weight subjects as well as overweight or obese subjects.
In the new study, a group of normal-weight subjects and a group of overweight or obese subjects were asked to consume two meals in a controlled environment. All subjects ate one meal slowly, took small bites, chewed thoroughly, and paused and put the spoon down between bites, and ate a second meal quickly, took large bites, chewed quickly, and did not pause and put the spoon down.
At the conclusion of the study, the researchers found only normal-weight subjects had a statistically significant reduction in caloric consumption by eating slowly. “A lack of statistical significance in the overweight and obese group may be partly due to the fact that they consumed less food during both eating conditions compared to the normal-weight subjects,” Professor Meena Shah said, “it is possible that the overweight and obese subjects felt more self-conscious, and thus ate less during the study.”
Despite the differences in caloric consumption between the normal-weight and overweight and obese subjects, the study found some similarities. Both groups felt less hungry later on after the slow meal than after the fast meal, which indicates that greater hunger suppression(抑制)among both groups could be expected from a meal consumed more slowly. Also, both the normal-weight and overweight or obese groups consumed more water during the slow meal. “The higher water intake during the slow eating condition may have affected food consumption,” said Shah. According to Shah, slowing the speed of eating may help suppress hunger levels and “may even improve the enjoyment of a meal”.
The findings were published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.What does the previous study have in common with the new one?
A.There is a link between eating speed and energy intake. |
B.Eating at a slow speed may help feel hungry. |
C.Eating too fast may damage your stomach. |
D.Eating rate may affect processes controlling how much we eat. |
What should the subjects do during the research?
A.Both groups could totally eat the meals at any speed as they liked. |
B.Both groups had to consume one meal in controlled eating conditions. |
C.Both groups were asked to eat one meal slowly while the other quickly. |
D.One group should eat slowly while the other one quickly. |
What caused the lack of statistically significant reduction in the overweight and obese group?
A.They were told not to eat a lot. |
B.In the study they had no appetite to eat. |
C.They lost consciousness in the study. |
D.They ate less food on purpose. |
What is the passage mainly about?
A.New research findings about how to control eating rate. |
B.A study about the link between eating speed and energy intake. |
C.One may feel less hungry later on after the slow meal than after the fast meal. |
D.Water intake may have affected food consumption. |
China is the biggest market in the world, and many countries such as Germany, the USA, the UK and Russia do a lot of business in China. Let’s have a look at some important tips to help you be successful when dealing with these nationalities.
First, you must be punctual (准时的) with Germans. Even 5 minutes late makes a bad impression. Being punctual is also very important in the USA. In the UK, it’s important to be punctual for business meetings, but nobody expects you to be on time for a social event. Half past seven really means a quarter to eight, or even eight o’clock! With Russians, you should always be on time, though it is not unusual for them to be one or even two hours late!
It is best to dress formally and wear dark colours when you meet people from all the four countries. In Russia, designer clothes are very common. Don’t be surprised if you go to an office in the UK on a Friday and find everyone wearing jeans. Many companies have “dress down Friday”, when people wear casual (随便的) clothes.
In Germany, first names are only used by family members and close friends, so be prepared to use titles and last names. In the USA you will usually be invited to use first names almost immediately. The British are quite informal and using first names in business is more and more common, especially among younger people. In Russia, however, nobody uses first names, so use titles and last names.
In conversation, the British and the Americans value humour, and both like to talk about sport. The weather is also a good topic of conversation with the British and the Americans, but avoid talking about politics. In Russia, say positive things about their country, but avoid making complaints. The Germans, however, prefer to get straight down to business!
So, use these tips, and you will be on your way to a successful international business career!Which color should you NOT wear when meeting a person from the USA?
A.Dark blue. | B.Gray. | C.Black. | D.White. |
All of the following statements are true EXCEPT ______.
A.you can say something funny when you talk to an American |
B.you can use his first name when you talk to an Englishman |
C.you must be on time when you meet people from each of the four countries |
D.people wear whatever they like on Friday in some companies in the UK |
When you talk to a Russian, you can ______.
A.complain about something |
B.say something negative about his country |
C.say something good about his country |
D.point out some disadvantages in politics |
The tips in this passage are probably given to people from ______.
A.China | B.the USA | C.Germany | D.the UK |
Computer programmer David Jones earns $35,000 a year designing new computer games. Yet he cannot find a bank ready to let him have a credit card(信用卡).Instead he has been told to wait another two years until he is 18.The 16-year-old works for a small firm in Liverpool where the problem of most young people of his age is finding a job. David’s firm releases(推出)two new games for the fast growing computer market each month.
But David’s biggest headache is what to do with his money. Even though he earns a lot,he cannot drive a car,take out a mortgage(抵押贷款),or get credit cards. David got his job with the Liverpool-based company four months ago,a year after leaving school with six O-levels and working for a time in a computer shop.“I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs”,he said. David spends some of his money on records and clothes and gives his mother 50 pounds a week. But most of his spare time is spent working.
“Unfortunately,computing was not part of our studies at school”,he said,“But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time. I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school. Most people in this business are fairly young,anyway”.David added,“I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement is a possibility. You never know when the market might disappear.”In what way is David different from people of his age?
A.He often goes out with friends. |
B.He lives with his mother. |
C.He has a handsome income. |
D.He graduated with six O-levels. |
What is one of the problems that David is facing now?
A.He is too young to get a credit card. |
B.He has no time to learn driving. |
C.He has very little spare time. |
D.He will soon lose his job. |
David was able to get the job in the company because _____.
A.He had done well in all his exams. |
B.He had written some computer programs. |
C.He was good at playing computer games. |
D.He had learnt to use computers at school. |
Why did David decide to leave school and start working?
A.He received lots of job offers. |
B.He was eager to help his mother. |
C.He lost interest in school studies. |
D.He wanted to earn his own living. |