Have you got a Facebook account? Are you thinking of getting one? Jamie Simmonds has just signed up. Let’s see how she’s getting along.
My Diary
MONDAY: I’m officially a Facebooker. I find a few people I used to know and I’ve soon got seven friends. I’ve never felt so popular! I wonder if my old university flatmate Steve is on here…What do you know! He is! Maybe Facebook has its uses.
TUESDAY: I’ve received lots of nice welcoming messages on my wall. Later, I meet up with Steve for a drink after not seeing him for five years. We get on really well! Then, he uses his Facebook app for iPhone to suggest me as a friend to some other former classmates. Some of them even come to the pub and it’s just like old times – possibly a bit too much like old times. During the night, photos are uploaded to Facebook.
WEDNESDAY: Disaster! My mum’s on Facebook! Has she seen the photos of me dancing on the table from last night? Has she shown them to dad? Oh. And I have a friend request – mum again!
THURSDAY: There’s a message from my boyfriend, “so, it’s over then, ;is it?” Evidently I haven’t changed my settings to show I’m “in a relationship”, and I haven’t even added him as a friend. Ah, well, I wonder what my ex-boyfriend is doing… Whoops! I accidentally type his name into my status box instead of the search ‘ and now every one can see it on their news feed.’
FRIDAY: Time to update my status:“Work is boring. Can’t wait for the weekend!” Yeah, that about sums it up. Oh, look, I’ve received a comment! Someone must feel the same way. Lots of my friends now“like” this status.
SATURDAY: Good news! I’ve got 100 friends But wait! Someone’s “un-friended” me! I look through my “friend list” to try to work out who it was. Why did they do that? Am I really such a terrible person? I never knew Facebook could be this cruel.
SUNDAY: Wake up. Check my Facebook page. Make coffee. Check my Facebook page again. Get ready to leave. Change my mind and check my Facebook page … again. I am becoming addicted to it! I think it’s time to end it all before it takes over my life. I delete my account. Back to good, old, simple e-mails. Oh, look, I’ve got a message: A friend invited you to join Twitter. . .
In July 2010, Facebook had more than 500 million active users. The average Facebook user has 130 friends. Facebook is translated into more than 70 different languages. The world spends 700 billion minutes a month on Facebook. Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook page says he’s a Harvard graduate, even though he actually dropped out to focus on Facebook. The site is valued at between $7.9 and $11 billion. Why did Jamie’s boyfriend ask her whether she had broken up with him?
| A．He had seen photos of Jamie dancing on the table. |
| B．She showed in her facebook that she was still not dating anyone. |
| C．Her boyfriend was angry that she refused to add him as her friend. |
| D．He saw the name of her ex-boyfriend on his news feed. |
Which of the following is conveyed in this article?
| A．Visiting Facebook website took up a large part of Jamie’s time and energy. |
| B．Jamie is enthusiastic about her present job. |
| C．Facebook was created by a Harvard graduate, Mark Zuckerberg. |
| D．Compared with Facebook, Twitter is a better choice for Jamie. |
What does the word“un-friend” mean in“Someone’s ‘un-friended’ me!”?
| A． Being unfriendly to others. |
| B． Having a quarrel with somebody. |
| C． Removing a name from the friend list. |
| D． Ending friendship with somebody. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage ?
| A．Steve was Jamie’s boyfriend in the university. |
| B．People all over the world spend 700 billion minutes a week on Facebook. |
| C．Jamie’s mother has seen the photos of her dancing on the table. |
| D．Jamie felt enthusiastic about Facebook at first. |
It can be learned from the passage that the writer’s attitude towards Facebook is ______ .
| A．approval | B．objective | C．negative | D．positive |
Do you know how to prepare for and survive a major earthquake? According to Department of Conservation scientists, it is important to have the right answer to that question.
How to Be Prepared
Electricity, water, gas and telephones may not be working after an earthquake. The police and fire departments are likely to be tied up. You should be prepared to fend for yourself at least three days,preferably for a week. You’ll need food, water and so on. It’s also a good idea to decide ahead of time how and where your family will reunite if separated during a quake. You might choose an out-of-the-area friend or relative that family members can call to check on you.
________
If you’re indoors, stay there. Get under a desk or table. The kitchen is a particularly dangerous spot. If you’re in an office building, stay away from windows and outside walls and do not use the elevator. If you’re outside, get into the open. Stay clear of buildings, power lines or anything else that could fall on you. If you’re driving, move the car out of traffic and stop. Avoid parking under or on bridges or overpasses.
After an Earthquake
Check for fire. If you smell gas, shut off the main gas valve(阀). If there’s sign of damage to electricial wiring, shut off the power at the control box. If the phone is working, only use it in case of emergency(紧急情况). Avoid driving if possible to keep the streets clear for emergency vehicles. Be careful that things may fall out of cupboards when the door is opened, and also that chimneys can be weakened and fall with just a touch. Listen to the radio for important information and instructions. Remember that aftershocks, sometimes large enough to cause damage in their own right, generally follow large quakes. If you leave home, leave a message telling your friends and family your location.
The underlined phrase“tend for’’ in the second paragraph probably means“ ________’’
| A．look for | B．take care of | C．be proud of | D．think of |
Which of the following would be the best subtitle for the third paragraph?
| A．Before an Earthquake | B．After Making Preparations |
| C．While Staying at Home | D．During an Earthquake |
What should you do when an earthquake happens?
| A．You should stay away from the kitchen. |
| B．You should drive on a bridge. |
| C．You should turn off the power. |
| D．You should listen to the radio frequently. |
What will probably happen after a big earthquake?
| A．The local people’s life will return to normal in a week. |
| B．There will be more earthquakes in a short time. |
| C．There won’t be any earthquakes in a short time. |
| D．The local people will stay at home waiting for help. |
Most people who experience bad service while traveling, shopping, or dining out do no complain. They accept bad services or products without making a sound. Why? Many feel complaining won’t do any good. In fact, they’re wrong, because companies don’t want their customers unhappy. Not sure you can do it? Here are some ways to use when things go wrong.
1.If you have a complaint, do something about it right away. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to get your complaint solved.
2.First, complain to the servers. If they are not going to solve your problem, then ask politely to speak to a manager. And if that doesn’t work, you can always request to speak to the manager’s manager!
3.Demand a discount(折扣). Let’s say you were promised a hotel room with an ocean view, but got a view of a brick wall instead; if you were promised a seat in the front of a plane, but got a seat in the back. You should do something about both of these situations. Ask a special discount.
4.Don’t be passive. Offer ways you think the company can satisfy you.
5.Insist on the price you were told. If you are refused, get a manager’s name and telephone number, and promise to follow up with a letter and a telephone call.
6.If all else fails, wait until you get home and take action. Call the company’s head office, and speak to the most powerful person possible. Then follow up your call with a letter of complaint. If necessary, call the customer protection office in your city and complain.
According to the text, people don’t complain because________.
| A．they think complaining doesn’t work |
| B．they consider it wrong to complain |
| C．they don’t want to waste their time |
| D．they don’t want to become unpopular |
To complain about something, you should________.
| A．wait until you come back home |
| B．prepare for a long time |
| C．talk to the manager directly |
| D．try to solve the problem actively |
What might be the best title for the text?
| A．Get what you should get |
| B．Complain as you please |
| C．Take action to deal with problems |
| D．Avoid trouble and don’t complain |
Bend over, take a deep breath and drink some water! This is just one of the hundreds of tips you might get if you have the hiccups(打嗝). Hiccups are so mysterious. We really don’t know why they start and why they stop.
Everyone has a favorite cure for a case of the hiccups. Some people think that a good scare is necessary to get well. Others eat a teaspoon of sugar. Still others drink a glass of water with a knife in it.
An American man named Jack O’Leary claimed to have hiccupped 160 million times over a period of eight years. He tried 60,000 cures, but none of them worked. Finally he prayed to Saint Jude, the saint of Hopeless cases, and his hiccupping stopped immediately.
It took a British plumber eight months to cure his hiccups. People from all over the world wrote him letters with suggestions for getting well. He tried them all, but the hiccups continued. Finally, he drank a “secret’’mixture someone had sent him. By that evening his hiccups were gone. Why did these cures work for these two men? No one really knows. But people who have studied many cases of hiccups have an idea. Hiccups usually go away if you believe in the cure.
________might be the best cure for hiccups.
| A．Special pills | B．A spoonful of salt | C．Cold water | D．What you believe in |
The plumber spent________in stopping his hiccups.
| A．4 hours | B．2 days | C．8 months | D．8 years |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．We know why the hiccups start, but we don’t know how to stop them. |
| B．Saint Jude is an expert in curing the hiccups. |
| C．The British plumber drank a secret mixture given by an experienced doctor and then became well. |
| D．Some people think that a good scare is a cure for a case of hiccups. |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．Different ways to stop hiccups | B．What makes hiccups happen |
| C．How to get hiccups | D．Jack O’Leary’s hiccups |
Walking down a path through some woods in Georgia, I saw a small pool of water ahead on the path．I angled my direction to go around it on the part of the path that wasn't covered by water or mud．As I reached the pool, I was suddenly attacked! Yet I did nothing for the attack．It was so unpredictable and from somewhere totally unexpected．I was surprised as well as unhurt though I had been struck four or five times．I backed up a
foot and my attacker stopped attacking me．Had I been hurt I wouldn't have found it amusing．And I was laughing．After all, I was being attacked by a butterfly!
Having stopped, laughing, I took a step forward．My attacker rushed me again．He charged towards me at full speed, attempting to hurt me but in vain．For a second time, I took a step backwards while my attacker paused．I wasn't sure what to do．After all, it's just not everyday that one is attacked by a butterfly．I stepped back to look the situation over．My attacker moved back to land on the ground．That's when I discovered why my attacker was charging me only moments earlier．He had a mate and she was dying．
Sitting close beside her, he opened and closed his wings as if to fan her．I could o
nly admire the love and courage of that butterfly in his concern for his mate．He had taken it up on himself to attack me for his mate's sake （缘故）, even though she was clearly dying and I was so large．He did so just to give her those extra few precious moments of life, should I have been careless enough to step on her．His courage in attacking something thousands of times larger and heavier than himself just for his mate's safety seemed admirable．I couldn't do anything other than reward him by walking on the more difficult side of the pool．He had truly earned those moments to be with her, undisturbed．
Since then, I've always tried to remember the courage of that butterfly whenever I see huge barriers facing me..
Why did the writer change his direction while walking down a path?
| A．To get close to a butterfly. | B．To look over the bad situation. |
| C．To escape a sudden attack. | D．To avoid getting his shoes dirty. |
.
What made the man feel funny?
| A．Making the attacker pause. | B．Being attacked by a butterfly. |
| C．Being stepped on by his mate. | D．Discovering the energetic butterfly. |
.
From this experience the man learned.
| A．what he should do when faced with trouble |
| B．people should show sympathy to the weak |
C．how he should deal with a ttacks |
| D．people should protect butterflies |
.
Which of the following words can best describe the butterfly?
| A．Careless． | B．Amusing． | C．Courageous． | D．Aggressive. |
New technology that can “ see ” through clothing and detect what ’ s underneath can now be used to scan crowds, making it a potentially effective tool to prevent terrorist attacks in public places.
The Thru Vision T5000 camera picks up Terahertz rays ，or T-rays, which are naturally sent out by all objects and can pass through clothes or even walls. The camera can then detect metallic and nonmetallic objects hidden under clothing on still or moving subjects without showing any body detail.
While similar technology is seen at airports around the world, the T5000 is designed to be used in large, open areas. With a range of 25 meters, the T5000 can screen people in public places, thus avoiding bottle-necks at border crossing or security checkpoints. It also means people can be screened without knowing it.
The technology develops from British astronomers ’ work in studying dying stars. Astronomers use T-ray cameras to see through dust and clouds in space. The company sees uses for its camera at other sites where political or business activities take place.
For privacy concerns，Thru Vision Chief Executive Clive Beattie said the image produced by the camera did not show detailed parts of the body. ” It's almost a shining light bulb(灯泡）.“ Beattie said. "You don' t see the detail that people might be concerned about. “ In London' s busy Piccadilly Circus—which is already filled with closed -circuit surveillance (监视）cameras— reaction to the new technology was mixed. Some said the camera was going too far and violating privacy，but others said they are willing to put safety before privacy concerns. “ There ’ s surveillance everywhere anyway, “ said one commuter. “I don' t think it’ s much of a difference. I don' t care that they can see through me because they can see me anyway.“
Some experts said the privacy violation of the camera was not worth the benefit. “ What we should consider is how much we want to lose our privacy in order to obtain a sort of national security，” said David Murakami Wood，director of the Surveillance Studies network，which deals with surveillance and privacy problems. “ In most cases this isn' t real security—it ’ s a sense of safety that has very little real effect. ”.
What can we learn about T5000?
| A．It can detect metallic and nonmetallic objects underneath. |
B．It can see through  clothing or walls by sending out T-rays. |
| C．It was first used to observe stars by astronomers. |
| D．It is widely used at airports around the world. |
.
What is the most probable purpose of the new invention?
| A．To improve people ’ s life standard. | B．For scientific research. |
| C．For commercial benefits. | D．For safety reasons. |
.
Which is most probably the opinion of people on using the new camera?
| A．Some agree to its use as it is new technology to protect privacy. |
| B．Some agree to its use because safety is the most important. |
| C．Some don' t agree to its use because it makes no difference. |
| D．Some people don' t care because they know little about it. |
.
What' s the main idea of the last paragraph?
| A．Safety is more important than privacy. |
| B．T5000 is more beneficial than harmful. |
| C．T5000 does not really provide security. |
| D．It's not worth giving up privacy for safety. |