Areyoualwaysbusy?Isyourschedul-优题课

If California were not already so famous for Sillicon Valley(硅谷) and Hollywood, it might be well－known for the groups of water－technology firms in its San Diego County. The reverse－osmosis (RO) spiral module, the technique that supports turning seawater and waste－water into drinkable stuff, began in San Diego in 1964. Today dozens of firms in the area supply many of the world's approximately 13，000 RO plants in places from the Persian Gulf and Israel to Australia and China.
Southern California itself, however, has not so far been a big user of its own technology. This is surprising, given that the whole American south－west faces a water problem. But now as the climate gets warmer and the population increases, there is more agreement that the existing infrastructure, consisting of vast pipes that carry water from the Sacramento Delta in the north and the Colorado River in the east, will not be enough. In places such as San Diego, which has inadequate and salty groundwater and currently imports 90% or its water, the answers must be greater conservation, reusing as much water as possible, and getting most of the rest from the sea.
The first part, conservation, has been widely accepted by the public. San Diego today uses less water with a larger population than it did in 1989, the year water consumption peaked. The second part, water recycling has been a hard sell, because of an unpleasant factor. Americans still use the term “toilet－to－tap” for recycling, even though properly treated waste－water is nowadays completely clean. Singapore made its programme acceptable in part by renaming it as NEWater.
This is where desalination comes in, which means taking the salt out of salt water. A firm called Poseidon Resources is now close to building the biggest desalination plant in America behind a power station by the beach in Carlsbad. The power plant sucks in 304m gallons of seawater a day for cooling, so Poseidon plans to change 104m gallons a day by using the RO spiral module.
Lots of people like the idea. Once fully running in 2015, the plant could produce 10% of the region's water. And there are plans for more desalination plants. Many places would need to take much less water from the endangered Colorado River. But a few people hate it a lot. Joe Geever, an expert in biology, says desalination uses too much energy and that Poseidon plant would kill too much sea life. He understands that there is a role for desalination, he says, but would rather not have it right there, right now, and on this scale.
Which of the following is WRONG about the RO spiral module according to the passage?

A．This technology is not widely used in its birthplace.

B．Today there are about 13，000 RO plants in the Persian Gulf, Israel, Australia and China.

C．This technology can be used in desalination plants to make sea water drinkable.

D．It is a promising water treatment technology welcomed by a lot of people.

How many solutions to the water problem in San Diego are mentioned in the article?

A．2.

B．3.

C．4.

D．5.

What can we infer from the article?

A．The Colorado River is the main water source for California.

B．Americans still use the term “toilet－to－tap” for recycling water.

C．NEWater serves as a brand for recycled clean water in Singapore.

D．Poseidon Resources stands for the power station by the beach in Carlsbad.

What is Joe Geever's attitude toward building a large desalination plant at present?

A．Supportive.

B．Negative.

C．Optimistic.

D．Vague.

Catch yourself daydreaming while washing the dishes again? If this happens often you probably have a pretty capable working memory and a sharper brain, new research suggests.
This mind wandering, it seems, actually gives your working memory a workout. Working memory is the mental work space that allows the brain to juggle multiple thoughts at the same time. The more working memory a person has, the more daydreaming they can do without forgetting the task at hand.
Researchers studied groups of people from the University of Wisconsin－Madison community, ranging in age from 18 to 65. The volunteers were asked to perform simple tasks, like pressing a button every time they took a breath or clicking in response to a letter popping up on a computer screen; these tasks were so easy that their minds were likely to wander, the researchers figured.
The researchers checked in periodically, asking the participants if their minds were on task or wandering. When the task was over, they measured each participant's working memory capacity by having them remember letters while doing math questions. Though all participants performed well on the task, the researchers noticed that the individuals who indicated their minds had wandered more than others also scored higher on the working memory test.
“What this study seems to suggest is that, when circumstances for the task aren't very difficult, people who have additional working memory resources allocate them to think about things other than what they're doing，” said Jonathan Smallwood, a study researcher of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitve and Brain Science.
When our minds run out of working memory, these off－topic thoughts can take the main stage without us consciously meaning them to; for instance, arriving at home with no memory of the actual trip, or suddenly realizing that they've turned several pages in a book without understanding any of the words.
“It's almost like your attention was so absorbed in the mind wandering that there wasn't any left over to remember your goal to read，” study researcher Daniel Levinson, said in a statement.
People with overall higher working memory were better able to stay focused when the task at hand required it. Those who had low working memory often had their thoughts drift away from the task, and did less well at it.
The findings add to past research suggesting these mind drifts can be positive moments. For instance, daydreaming has often been associated with creativity—researchers think that our most creative and inventive moments come when daydreaming. It's likely that the most intelligent among us also have high levels of working memory, Levinson noted.
The word “juggle” in the second paragraph can be replaced by “________”．

A．handle

B．search

C．understand

D．distribute

What can be concluded from Jonathan Smallwood's words?

A．People who often have daydreams probably own a pretty capable working memory.

B．On the working memory test, people with wandering minds will get high score.

C．Absorbed in the mind wandering, your attention left no space for your goal.

D．Dealing with some easy jobs, people with higher working memory will daydream.

What is the best title of the passage?

A．Mind drifts are always positive.

B．Daydreaming is good for the mind.

C．Creative moments come with working memory.

D．The more daydreaming, the more effectively one works.

Dear NMAI(National Museum of the American Indian) Supporter，
Old stereotypes(思维定式) die hard. And when it comes to the way Native Americans have been viewed throughout history and continue to be viewed today, the stories about life in Indian Country are sadly overshadowing the truths. Most Native Americans don't live in tipis(圆锥形帐篷), and we don't greet one another by saying, “How.”
To combat misconceptions like these, I need help from people who understand there's more to Native American cultures than the offensive cartoons that you see in movies and television.
I think that you might be one of these people.
Please join NMAI today and enjoy exclusive benefits like our full－color quarterly magazine American Indian, and Members－only discounts at all Smithsonian, NMAI Museum Stores, and at our Zagat－rated Mitsitam Native Foods Café.
Plus, through this email, you can take advantage of our special price of $22－more than 10% off our regular membership charge.
With your support, the National Museum of the American Indian can tell the story both past and present of Native life and culture in North, Central, and South America.
In just one visit to either of our Museums in Washington, DC, or New York City, you can watch a performance by traditional Native dancers... attend a lecture by a leading voice from the world of Native literature... spend an afternoon taking an informative audio tour of the Museum's distinctive grounds... and try your hand at Native crafts like pottery and beadwork. And for those who are unable to visit the museums in person, much of our extensive collection of more than 800，000 objects is cateloged on our website.
Only with your generosity can we share the Native story, awaken children to an interest in Native culture, and bring the Museum experience to people who can't travel to our Museums in person.
By joining the Museum today, you will take the first step in putting an end to the old stereotypes and long－held prejudices that have contributed to an incomplete picture of Native traditions and accomplishments.
Sincerely，
Kevin Gover
Director
What is the author's intention in writing this letter?

A．To call for more people to join in volunteer work.

B．To carry out researches on Native Americans.

C．To invite more people to be members of the museum.

D．To raise more donations for the museum.

Which of the following statements describes the life and culture of Native Americans correctly?

A．They are good at pottery and beadwork.

B．Most of them live in tipis.

C．They greet others by saying, “How.”

D．They like designing offensive cartoons.

If you join NMAI, you can enjoy the following benefits except ________．

A．free full－color quarterly magazine American Indian

B．Members－only discounts at all Smithsonian

C．Members－only discounts for buying in NMAI Museum Stores

D．a free meal at Zagat－rated Mitsitam Native Foods Café

Regular membership fee of the NMAI is about ________．

A．$30

B．$20

C．$15

D．$25

Time was running out, and Mark Dickinson wasn't sure whether he'd get to see his dying 2－year－old grandson one last time. A long line at Los Angeles International Airport's security checkpoint had kept him from getting to his gate on time.
His grandson Caden would be taken off life support in a matter of hours in Denver, Colorado, with or without his grandfather's presence, according to CNN affiliate KABC.
“I was kind of panicking because I was running late, and I really thought I wasn't going to make the flight，” Dickinson told KABC.
That's when a pilot from Southwest Airlines stepped up and held the flight at the gate until Dickinson arrived. The pilot was standing by the air bridge waiting for him when Dickinson arrived in socks, so rushed that he just grabbed his shoes at security and ran through the terminal.
“I told him, ‘Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciated that.’ And he said, ‘No problem. They can't leave without me anyway，’”Dickinson told KABC.
Authorities say Dickinson's grandson, Caden Rodgers, suffered a head injury after his mother's boyfriend threw him across the room. The boyfriend reportedly told police he was drunk and high on marijuana(大麻) at the time. The child later died and the boyfriend has been charged with first－degree murder, according to the Aurora Sentinel.
Thanks to the pilot, Dickinson made it to Colorado in time to say goodbye to his grandson. Most airlines would punish any staff member who holds up a flight, according to consumer advocate Christopher Elliott, who broke the story of the sympathetic pilot on his blog. However, a Southwest spokeswoman said the pilot's actions were praiseworthy.
“You can't hold a plane for every late customer, but I think we would all agree that these were extenuating(可以原谅的) circumstances and the pilot absolutely made the right decision，” Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said. “I don't think you could ask for a better example of great service for our customers.”
According to the passage, which is the correct order of the following events?
a. The pilot held the plane for Dickinson.
b. People read the story of the pilot on the Internet.
c. Caden suffered a head injury.
d. Dickinson was waiting in line at the security checking point.
d. Marilee McInnis praised the pilot's actions.

A．d，c，a，b，e

B．c，a，d，b，e

C．c，d，a，b，e

D．d，a，b，c，e

Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．The security staff prohibited Dickinson from getting to his gate on time.

B．The plane couldn't leave without Dickinson according to the regulations.

C．Dickinson made it to see his grandson one last time.

D．Christopher Elliott holds the view that all the airlines should advocate similar actions.

What can we infer from the passage?

A．The boyfriend of Caden's mother hates him very much.

B．The boyfriend has been accused of first－degree murder.

C．Many pilots enjoy writing blog.

D．Dickinson had to take off his shoes at the security cheekpoint.

In writing this passage, the author mainly tells us a story about ________．

A．an unlucky man from Los Angeles making his flight

B．a poor boy being killed by his mother's boyfriend

C．Southwest Airlines' decision not to punish a pilot who held up the flight

D．a pilot holding the flight for a man going to see his dying grandson

Sports account for a growing amount of income made on the sales of commercial time by television companies. Many television companies have used sports to attract viewers from particular sections of the general public, and then they have sold audiences to advertisers.
An attraction of sport programs for the major U. S. media companies is that events are often held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons—the slowest time periods of the week for general television viewing. Sport events are the most popular weekend programs, especially among male viewers who may not watch much television at other times during the week. This means the television networks are able to sell advertising time at relatively high prices during what normally would be dead time for programming.
Media corporations also use sports to attract commercial sponsors that might take their advertising dollars elsewhere if television stations did not report certain sports. The people in the advertising departments of major corporations realize that sports attract made viewers. They also realize that most business travelers are men and that many men make family decisions on the purchases of computers, cars and life insurance.
Golf and tennis are special cases for television programming. These sports attract few viewers, and the ratings(收视率)are unusually low. However, the audience for these sports is attractive to certain advertisers. It is made up of people from the highest income groups in the United States, to certain advertisers. It is made up of people from the highest income groups in the United States, including many lawyers and business managers. This is why television reporting of golf and tennis is sponsored by companies selling high-priced cars, business and personal computer, and holiday trips. This is also why the networks continue to carry these programs regardless of low ratings. Advertisers are willing to pay high fees to reach high-income consumers and those managers who make decisions to buy thousands of “company cars” and computer, with such viewers, these programs don’t need high ratings to stay on the air.
Television sport programs on weekend afternoons .

A．result in more sport event

B．get more viewers to play sports

C．make more people interested in television

D．bring more money to the television networks

Why would weekend afternoons become dead time without sport programs?

A．Because there would be few viewers

B．Because the advertisers would be off work

C．Because television programs would go slowly

D．Because viewers would pay less for watching television

In many families, men make decision on .

A．holiday

B．sports viewing

C．television shopping

D．expensive purchases

The ratings are not important for golf and tennis programs because .

A．their advertisers are carmakers

B．their viewers are attracted by sports

C．their advertisers target at rich people

D．their viewers can afford expensive cars

What is the passage mainly about?

A．Television viewers are determined by male viewers

B．Rich viewers contribute most to television companies

C．Sports are gaining importance in advertising on television

D．Commercial advertisers are the major sponsors of sport event

A．like eating in restaurants	B．have little time
C．prefer home-cooked meals	D．want to save money