Research shows that much of our predisposition （倾向） towards determination, sociability and self - control and sense of purpose is in our genes．In fact, our DNA plays a bigger role in influencing these traits （ characteristics）than our upbringing （儿童期的教养）and the company we keep．Taken together, these aspects of personality can make the difference between success and failure, say the Edinburgh University researchers．
They questioned more than 800 pairs of twins about their attitudes to life to tease apart the influences of nature and nurture．Comparing identical twins, who share all their DNA and their up bringing, with non-identical twins, who have a shared background but are no more genetically alike than other brothers and sisters, is a technique often used by researchers to quantify the influence of genetics．
The results, published in the Journal of Personality, showed that genes play a much bigger role than lifestyle, with self-control particularly etched （铭刻） into our DNA．
Our genes a222so largely determine how determined and persistent we are．This is important in terms of success, as someone who refuses to give up is more likely to achieve their dreams than someone who throws in the towel at the first hiccough．
Researcher Professor Timothy Bates said, "Ever since the ancient Greeks, people Lave de hated the nature of a good life and the nature of a virtuous life．Why do some people seem to manage their lives, have good relationships and cooperate to achieve their goals while others do not? Previously, the role of family and the environment around the home often controlled people' s ideas about what affected psychological well-being．However, this work emphasizes a much more powerful influence from genetics．"
However, those who haven' t been dealt a helpful hand of genes shouldn' t he too depressed．The professor says a sense of purpose is the key and advises those who are eager for success to focus their thoughts on making a difference．What does the result of the research indicate?
| A．Our DNA is the only factor to decide our traits． |
| B．Our DNA plays a decisive role, in achieving success． |
| C．Education plays little part in the formation of our character． |
| D．Society has Little effect on us in our personality． |
The underlined part in Paragraph 4 refers to someone who ．
| A．is born successful | B．determines to make a difference |
| C．makes great effort | D．admits defeat easily |
Timothy Bates mentions the ancient Creeks in order to indicate that ．
| A．some people can live a good life because they can manage their lives |
| B．people haven't made it clear yet what is the key personality trait（持点,特征） to be a success |
| C．in ancient Greece the role of family and the environment was ignored |
| D．the relationship between personality and success has always been people's concern |
According to the passage, the key personality trait is ．
| A．determination | B．kindness | C．politeness | D．sociability |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．How do people work hard? | B．Why can some people succeed? |
| C．DNA determines success or failure | D．Several factors determine personality |
Being safe in your everyday life needs knowledge(知识)．If you remember the following information，your life will be much safer．
Always notice the environment around you．You shouldn’t walk alone outside．Make sure where the public phones are．If anything dangerous happens，you can find them easily．
Your bag should be carried towards the front of your body instead of putting it on your back．When a bus is full of people, it is easy enough for a thief to take away the things in the bag on your back．
If you are followed by someone whom you don’t know, cross the street and go to the other way，let the person understand that you know he or she is after you．Next，don’t go home at once．You are safer in the street than you are alone in your home or in a lift(电梯)．
If you have to take a bus to a place far away, try to get to the stop a few minutes earlier before the bus leaves．This stops other people from studying you．On the bus，don’t sit alone．Sit behind the driver or with other people．Don’t sleep．Which of the following is NOT safe when you are out?
| A．Go home alone late at night． |
| B．Make sure where the public phones are． |
| C．Don’t get to the bus stop too early． |
| D．Always notice the environment around you． |
When you are followed by someone on your way home，you shouldto make yourself safe．
| A．run home |
| B．find a lift and go in |
| C．turn back and walk towards him or her at once |
| D．cross the street and go to the other way |
What can you learn from the text?
| A．How to notice the environment around you. |
| B．How to be safe in your everyday life. |
| C．How to cross the street. |
| D．How to use the public phones. |
BEIJING—As China scrambles to respond to the choking smog that has blanketed Beijing in recent weeks, authorities in several major cities are experimenting with carbon trading platforms. The schemes are one effort to get control over greenhouse gases in an economy still hungry for cheap energy.
It has been a persistent concern in recent years, but the spiking pollution levels in January are sparking a public outcry.
Emissions from coal-fired electricity plants and busy factories are part of the problem that officials hope to get control over through carbon trading platforms. Seven cities are expected to open carbon markets later this year, including Tianjin.
“The government has decided to start with programs because the carbon trading is something new to China,” said David Tang, secretary of the board of the Tianjin Carbon Exchange. “So we want to have a number of programs to explore the use of the market.” said Tang.
China wants to launch a national carbon trading program by 2016. If it is successful, analysts say, the program would be one of the largest in the world and would help the country meet its target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 45 percent within seven years.
The platforms allow companies to earn credits for lowering greenhouse gas emissions, which can then be traded. If it works, it would encourage for-profit businesses to invest in green technology.
As public concern builds pressure for the government to find a solution, Wu Changhua, greater China director of the Climate Group, says there is a broad shift under way in how Chinese weigh their quality of life.
China has long put economic growth ahead of environmental concerns, making it the world’s biggest polluter. Carbon trading supporters hope that the markets could be one way to curb pollution and keep the economy growing.Which of the following is TRUE about carbon trading platforms?
| A．They are used to trade various resources. |
| B．They caused the choking smog in China. |
| C．They have been in existence for many years in China. |
| D．The choking smog may promote their development. |
The underlined word in Paragraph 1 means “ ______”.
| A．to make blanket | B．to cover something | C．to make something empty | D．to be like a blanket |
Tang’s attitude towards carbon markets is ______.
| A．unknown | B．indifferent | C．optimistic | D．pessimistic |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．China will have built a national carbon trading program by 2016. |
| B．Chinese have lived a life of high quality in all aspects. |
| C．The markets could slow the development of economy. |
| D．Standards of life will be changed in China. |
What's the main idea of this passage?
| A．The choking smoke in China. | B．The urge for carbon trading platforms. |
| C．Greenhouse gases. | D．The world’s biggest polluter. |
The January fashion show, called Future Fashion, exemplified how far green design has come. Organized by the New York-based nonprofit Earth Pledge, the show inspired many top designers to work with sustainable fabrics for the first time. Several have since made pledges to include organic fabrics in their lines.
The designers who undertake green fashion still face many challenges. Scott Hahn, a cofounder with Gregory of Rogan and Loomstate, which uses all-organic cotton, says high-quality sustainable materials can still be tough to find. “Most designers with existing labels are finding there aren’t comparable materials that can just replace what you’re doing and what your customers are used to,” he says. For example, organic cotton and non-organic cotton are virtually indistinguishable once woven into a dress. But some popular synthetics, like stretch nylon, still have few eco-friendly equivalents(等同物).
Those who do make the switch are finding they have more support. Last year the influential trade show Designers & Agents stopped charging its participation fee for young green entrepreneurs who attend its two springtime shows in Los Angeles and New York and gave special recognition to designers whose collections are at least 25% sustainable. It now counts more than 50 green designers, up from fewer than a dozen two years ago. This week Wal-Mart is set to announce a major initiative aimed at helping cotton farmers go organic: it will buy transitional cotton at higher prices, thus helping to expand the supply of a key sustainable material. “Main-stream is about to occur,” says Hahn.
Some analysts are less sure. Among consumers, only 18% are even aware that eco-fashion exists, up from 6% four years ago. Natalie Hormilla, a fashion writer, is an example of the unconverted consumer. When asked if she owned any sustainable clothes, she replied, “Not that I’m aware of.” Like most consumers, she finds little time to shop, and when she does, she’s on the hunt for “cute stuff that isn’t too expensive.” By her own admission, green just isn’t yet on her mind. But thanks to the combined efforts of designers, retailers and suppliers—one day it will be.What is said about Future Fashion?
| A．It inspired leading designers to start going green. |
| B．It showed that designers using organic fabrics would go far. |
| C．It served as an example of how fashion shows should be organized. |
| D．It convinced the public that fashionable clothes should be made durable. |
According to Scott Hahn, one big challenge to designers who will go organic is that ________.
| A．much more time is needed to finish a dress using sustainable materials |
| B．they have to create new brands for clothes made of organic materials |
| C．customers have difficulty telling organic from non-organic materials |
| D．quality organic replacements for synthetics are not readily available |
We learn from Paragraph 3 that designers who undertake green fashion ________.
| A．can attend various trade shows for free |
| B．are readily recognized by the fashion world |
| C．can buy organic cotton at favorable prices |
| D．are gaining more and more support |
What is Natalie Hormilla’s attitude toward eco-fashion?
| A．She doesn’t seem to care about it. |
| B．She doesn’t think it is sustainable. |
| C．She is doubtful of its practical value. |
| D．She is opposed to the idea very much. |
What does the author think of green fashion?
| A．Green products will soon go main stream. |
| B．It has a very promising future. |
| C．Consumers have the final say. |
| D．It will appeal more to young people. |
CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Bay Village Branch, 502 Cahoon Road, 440-871-6392.
The Egyptian Pyramids, 7 p. m. Sept. 17. Join us as Don King, a long-time student of Egyptology,
discusses the pyramids and presents the possible theories of the construction, design and mysteries surrounding
these ancient wonders.
Join us as local Bay Village resident, Tom Bell, discusses his book “My Dad Is a Freak: a Memoir”, 7
p.m.Sept. 27.
Fairview Park Branch, 21255 Lorain Road, 440-333-4700 or cuyahogalibrary. org.
Dress for Success, 7 p. m. Sept. 17. First impressions count. Some job recruiters(招聘人员) use
appearance to determine self-esteem, respect, confidence and organizational skills. Learn how to dress to
emphasize your strengths and improve your employ ability. Registration required.
Music Study Groups, 1:15—2:45 p. m. Wednesdays, Sept. 19—Nov. 28. Explore current concert music
performed by The Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall through informal lectures and listening. Classes are
designed for both new and experienced music lovers and are led by Dr. Rose Breckenridge.
Practical Herbs, 7 p. m. Oct. 3. Famous doctor Sarah Hurt will talk about growing, drying and storing
herbs and how to use them. Registration required.
North Olmsted Branch, 27403 Lorain Road. 440-777-6211 or cuyahogalibrary. org.
Job Club, 1:30—3 p. m. Tuesdays. Join Jim Hansen for helpful tips on resumes, job search strategies and
interviewing. Anyone who is job hunting or looking to change careers is welcome.
War of 1812, 7—8:45 p. m. Sept. 17. This year marks the 200th anniversary. Professor Catherine Rokicky
From Cuyahoga Community College will give a presentation about the war, and immediately following we’ll
discuss the book “Mr. and Mrs. Madison’s War: America’s First Couple and the Second War of Independence”
by Hugh Howard. Registration required.
Olmsted Falls Library, 7850 Main St. , Olmsted Falls. 440-235-1150 or cuyahogalibrary. org.
Family Story-time, 7—7:30 p. m. Wednesdays, through Nov. 27. Join us for rhymes, songs, finger-plays
and a story or two. For children ages birth through age 8 with their caregivers.
Huntington Practice SAT Test, 10 a. m. to 1 p. m. Sept. 15. Follow up, 4—5 p. m. Sept. 26. Get ready for
college by taking a practice SAT exam. Discuss strategies to improve your score, and get tips on preparing for
the real exam. Registration required.
Imaginative Illustrations, 11 a. m. to noon Sept. 29. A hands-on drawing program where children exercise
their imagination while experiencing some basic techniques of cartooning. Grades K-5. Registration required.There are many activities for you to choose on Sept. 17 EXCEPT ___________.
| A．listening to a speech which is about the war |
| B．attending a discussion about ancient Egyptian pyramids |
| C．attending a program about how to reduce exam anxiety |
| D．learning about how to leave a good first impression on others |
If you want to study some medical knowledge, you can call ___________.
| A．440-871-6392 | B．440-333-4700 | C．440-777-6211 | D．440-235-1150 |
If you want to learn how to educate your children, you should contact ___________.
| A．Bay Village Branch | B．Fairview Park Branch |
| C．North Olmsted Branch | D．Olmsted Falls Library |
In order to help yourself find a new job soon, you’d better go to___________.
| A．Bay Village Branch and Fairview Park Branch |
| B．North Olmsted Branch and Olmsted Falls Library |
| C．Fairview Park Branch and Olmsted Falls Library |
| D．Fairview Park Branch and North Olmsted Branch |
It is learned from the passage that ___________.
| A．you can study music for more than one month in Fairview Park Branch |
| B．you can get the information about the four branches on the Internet |
| C．you can choose to take part in all the mentioned events in the afternoon |
| D．both Don King and Catherine Rokicky are college professors |
Throughout the history of the arts, the nature of creativity has remained constant to artists. No matter what objects they select, artists are to bring forth new forces and forms that cause change-to find poetry where no one has ever seen or experienced it before.
Landscape(风景) is another unchanging element of art. It can be found from ancient times through the 17th-century Dutch painters to the 19th-century romanticists and impressionists. In the 1970s, Alfred Leslie, one of the new American realists, continued this practice. Leslie sought out the same place where Thomas Cole, a romanticist, had produced paintings of the same scene a century and a half before. Unlike Cole who insists on a feeling of loneliness and the idea of finding peace in nature, Leslie paints what he actually sees. In his paintings, there is no particular change in emotion, and he includes ordinary things like the highway in the background. He also takes advantage of the latest developments of color photography(摄影术) to help both the eye and the memory when he improves his painting back in his workroom.
Besides, all art begs the age-old question: What is real? Each generation of artists has shown their understanding of reality in one form or another. The impressionists saw reality in brief emotional effects, the realists in everyday subjects and in forest scenes, and the Cro-Magnon cave people in their naturalistic drawings of the animals in the ancient forests. To sum up, understanding reality is a necessary struggle for artists of all periods.
Over thousands of years the function of the arts has remained relatively constant. Past or present, Eastern or Western, the arts are a basic part of our immediate experience. Many and different are the faces of art, and together they express the basic need and hope of human beings. The underlined word “poetry” most probably means __________.
| A．an object for artistic creation | B．a collection of poems |
| C．an unusual quality | D．a natural scene |
Leslie's paintings are extraordinary because .
| A．they are close in style to works in ancient times |
| B．they look like works by 19th-century painters |
| C．they draw attention to common things in life |
| D．they depend heavily on color photography |
What is the author's opinion of artistic reality?
| A．It will not be found in future works of art. |
| B．It does not have a long-lasting standard. |
| C．It is expressed in a fixed artistic form. |
| D．It is lacking in modern works of art. |
What does the author suggest about the arts in the last paragraph?
| A．They express people's curiosity about the past. |
| B．They make people interested in everyday experience. |
| C．They are considered important for variety in form. |
| D．They are regarded as a mirror of the human situation. |
Which of the following is the main topic of the passage?
| A．History of the arts. |
| B．Basic questions of the arts. |
| C．New developments in the arts. |
| D．Use of modern technology in the arts. |