“In wilderness(荒野) is the preservation of the world.” This is a famous saying from a writer regarded as one of the fathers of environmentalism. The frequency with which it is borrowed mirrors a heated debate on environmental protection: whether to place wilderness at the heart of what is to be preserved.
As John Sauven of Greenpeace UK points out, there is a strong appeal in images of the wild, the untouched; more than anything else, they speak of the nature that many people value most dearly. The urge to leave the subject of such images untouched is strong, and the danger exploitation(开发) brings to such landscapes(景观) is real. Some of these wildernesses also perform functions that humans need—the rainforests, for example, store carbon in vast quantities. To Mr. Sauven, these “ecosystem services” far outweigh the gains from exploitation.
Lee Lane, a visiting fellow at the Hudson Institute, takes the opposing view. He acknowledges that wildernesses do provide useful services, such as water conservation. But that is not, he argues, a reason to avoid all human presence, or indeed commercial and industrial exploitation. There are ever more people on the Earth, and they reasonably and rightfully want to have better lives, rather than merely struggle for survival. While the ways of using resources have improved, there is still a growing need for raw materials, and some wildernesses contain them in abundance. If they can be tapped without reducing the services those wildernesses provide, the argument goes, there is no further reason not to do so. Being untouched is not, in itself, a characteristic worth valuing above all others.
I look forward to seeing these views taken further, and to their being challenged by the other participants. One challenge that suggests itself to me is that both cases need to take on the question of spiritual value a little more directly. And there is a practical question as to whether wildernesses can be exploited without harm.
This is a topic that calls for not only free expression of feelings, but also the guidance of reason. What position wilderness should enjoy in the preservation of the world obviously deserves much more serious thinking.John Sauven holds that________________.
A.many people value nature too much |
B.exploitation of wildernesses is harmful |
C.wildernesses provide humans with necessities |
D.the urge to develop the ecosystem services is strong |
What is the main idea of Para. 3?
A.The exploitation is necessary for the poor people. |
B.Wildernesses cannot guarantee better use of raw materials. |
C.Useful services of wildernesses are not the reason for no exploitation. |
D.All the characteristics concerning the exploitation should be treated equally. |
What is the author’s attitude towards this debate?
A.Objective. | B.Disapproving. | C.Sceptical. | D.Optimistic. |
Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
A.![]() |
B.![]() |
C.![]() |
D.![]() |
CP: Central Point P: Point Sp: Sub-point(次要点) C: Conclusion
February 4, 2012 saw the take-off of a new rising NBA star-Jeremy Lin.
Among professional basketball players, Jeremy Lin's background is not typical. He graduated from Harvard University, which sends few players to the NBA, and he is the only Chinese-American NBA player.
Lin's enjoyment of basketball actually began in Taiwan. When Lin's father moved to U.S., his interest in the sport only grew and he passed on this love of basketball to his son, introducing him to the game at the age of five. The young Lin spent much of his youth playing basketball for fun.
In high school, Lin dreamed of playing in the NBA. When he applied for college, he was not offered a single sports scholarship. However, after his admission to Harvard, he was offered a place on its college basketball team.
During Lin's time at Harvard, his basketball career began to speed up. He scored 1,482 points, making him one of the highest scorers in Ivy League history.
When he graduated, no professional teams offered Lin a contract, but he was invited to play in the NBA Summer League. He played well and ended up eagerly signing a contract with the Golden State Warriors.
At first,playing in professional games filled Lin with excitement. He treasured opportunities to meet players he had been watching on TV for years. But slowly, the excitement wore off and was replaced by anxiety. In a few very difficult months, he was cut by two teams before the New York Knicks picked him up.
But he had the courage and determination to stick to his dream, so he put himself into hard training to get ready for his opportunity to come. Then his moment arrived on February 4, 2012,on which his excellent performance made him famous overnight. After that, he led the Knicks to their fifth straight victory. Knicks fans developed the nickname for him "Linsanity" (林发疯). Time magazine released its 2012 list of the 100 "Most Influential People in the World", Jeremy Lin included.WhichofthefollowingisoflittlehelpinLin’ssuccess?
A.hisfather’sinfluence | B.hisdevotiontobasketball |
C.hisyearsofhardwork | D.hisgraduationfromHarvardUniversity |
Whatdoesthephrases"woreoff"inseventhparagraphprobablymean?
A.arose | B.disappeared | C.grew | D.remained |
WhichofthefollowingstatementsisTRUEaccordingtothepassage?
A.Linlearnedtoplaybasketballwhenhewaseight.
B.Linwasexcitedforprofessionalgamesanddidagoodjobatthebeginning.
C.BeforeLintherewasnoChinese-AmericanNBAplayers.
D.LinisthemostoutstandingplayerinNBA.Itcanbeinferredfromthepassagethat______.
A.Lindidn’thaveasmoothroadinNBA.
B.LingotaneasyentryintoNBA.
C.Lindidn’tshowhisbasketballtalentsinHarvardUniversity.
D.NBAprefersgraduatesfromHarvardUniversity.
Bicycle Safety
Operation Always ride your bike in a safe, controlled manner on campus(校园). Obey rules and regulations. Watch out for walkers and other bicyclists, and always use your lights in dark conditions.
Theft Prevention Always safely lock your bicycle to a bicycle rack---even if you are only away for a minute. Register(登记) your bike with the University Department of Public Safety. It’s fast, easy, and free. Registration permanently records your serial number, which is useful in the possible recovery of the bike stolen.
EquipmentBrakes Make sure that they are in good working order and adjusted properly.
Helmet A necessity, make sure your helmet meets current safety standards and fit properly.
Lights Always have a front headlight---visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike. A taillight is a good idea.
Rules of the Road
Riding on Campus As a bicycle rider, you have a responsibility to ride only on streets and posted bicycle paths. Riding on sidewalks or other walkways can lead to a fine. The speed limit for bicycles on campus is 15mph, unless otherwise posted. Always give the right of ways to walkers. If you are involved in an accident, you are required to offer appropriate aid, call the Department of Public Safety and remain at the scene until the officer lets you go.
Bicycle Parking Only park in areas reserved for bikes. Trees, handrails, hallways, and sign posts are not for bicycle parking, and parking in such posts can result in a fine.
If Things Go Wrong
If you break the rules, you will be fined. Besides violating rules while riding bicycles on campus, you could be fined for:No bicycle registration---------------------------------------------------$25
Bicycle parking banned--------------------------------------------------$30
Blocking path with bicycle ---------------------------------------------$40
Violation of bicycle equipment requirement -------------------------$35
Registration of your bicycle may help you _____________.
A.get your serial number | B.find your stolen bicycle |
C.receive free repair services | D.settle conflicts with walkers |
According to the passage, what bike equipment is a free choice for bicycle riders?
A.Brakes. | B.A helmet. | C.A taillight. | D.A headlight. |
If you lock your bicycle to a tree on the campus, you could be fined _________.
A.$25 | B.$35 | C.$40 | D.$30 |
What is the passage mainly about?
A.A guide for safe bicycling on campus. | B.Directions for bicycle tour on campus. |
C.Regulations of bicycle race on campus. | D.Rules for riding motor vehicles on campus. |
Are you sometimes a little tired and sleepy in the early afternoon? Many people feel this way after lunch. They may think that eating lunch is the cause of the sleepiness. Or, in summer, they may think it is the heat. However, the real reason lies inside their bodies. At that time – about eight hours after you wake up – your body temperature goes down. This is what makes you slow down and feel sleepy. Scientists have tested sleep habits in experiments where there was no night or day. The people in these experiments almost always followed a similar sleeping pattern (模式). They slept for one long period and then for one short period about eight hours later.
In many parts of the world, people take naps(小睡) in the middle of the day. This is especially true in warmer climates, where the heat makes work difficult in the early afternoon. Researchers are now saying that naps are good for everyone in any climate. A daily nap gives one a more rested body and mind and therefore is good for health in general. In countries where naps are traditional, people often suffer less from problems such as heart disease.
Many working people, unfortunately, have no time to take naps. Though doctors may advise taking naps, employers do not allow it! If you do have the chance, however, here are a few tips about making the most of your nap. Remember that the best time to take a nap is about eight hours after you get up. A short sleep too late in the day may only make you feel more tired and sleepy afterward. This can also happen if you sleep for too long. If you do not have enough time, try a short nap – even ten minutes of sleep can be helpful.Why do people feel sleepy in the early afternoon according to the text?
A.They eat too much for lunch. |
B.They sleep too little at night. |
C.Their body temperature becomes lower. |
D.The weather becomes a lot warmer. |
If you get up at 6:30 am, what is the best time for you to take a nap?
A.About 12:30 pm. | B.About 1:30 pm. |
C.About 3:30 pm | D.About 2:30 pm |
What would be the best title for the text?
A.Just for a Rest | B.All for a Nap |
C.A Special Sleep Pattern. | D.Taking Naps in Warmer Climate. |
One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk.He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase.I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store.
On the outside was a dark-skinned young man in his early twenties.His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, bright smile covered his face.I gave in immediately.The power of that broad smile dissolved all bitterness within me, and I felt the muscles in my own face happily responding.
"Beautiful day, isn't it?" I remarked, passing.Then I turned back."I really owe you a debt of thanks," I said softly.
His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer.A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby.The woman stepped forward and volunteered, "Sir, but he doesn't speak English.Do you want me to tell him something?" In that moment I felt transformed.The young man's smile had made a big person of me.My friendliness and good will toward all mankind stand ten feet tall.
“Yes,” my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, “tell him I said, ‘Thank you!’”
“Thank you?” The woman seemed slightly puzzled.
I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave."Just tell him that," I insisted."He'll understand.I am sure!"
Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning.From that day on, I became smile-conscious, and I practice the art diligently anywhere and everywhere, with everybody.nWhy did the author leave the store angrily?
A.He couldn't buy what he wanted. |
B.The clerk treated him unkindly. |
C.The clerk didn't speak English. |
D.The store's goods were too dear. |
By saying "I felt the muscles in my own face happily responding"(in Para. 2), the author means __.
A.he smiled back at the young man | B.he did not want to smile |
C.he would thank the young man | D.he was still in a bad mood |
.The author asked the woman to say "Thank you!" to the young man because the young man.
A.had helped the author before | B.taught the author how to smile |
C.taught the author a valuable lesson | D.was a kind employee of the store |
.In the passage, the author seems to suggest that we should _____.
A.be generous to strangers | B.practice smiling every day |
C.help people in trouble | D.smile at other people |
Violent winds swept the ocean, and waves thundered to shore, shaking the lookout tower at Pea Island Rescue Station. Surfman Theodore Meekins was on watch that evening of 11 October 1896. A hurricane had struck the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and the tide was so strong that beach patrols(巡逻)had been canceled. Still, Meekins paid close attention to the horizon. This was the type of weather that could blow ships hundreds of miles off course.
Offshore, the ship E.S. Newman was caught in the storm. The captain, whose wife and child were on the ship, feared the Newman would soon break up. He made the decision to beach his ship, then fired a signal, praying that someone onshore would see it.
Meekins, whose eyes were trained to cut through rain and surf mists, thought he saw the signal, but so much spray (水雾) covered the lookout windows that he could hardly make sure. Still, he took no chances. After summoning (召集) the station keeper, Captain Richard Etheridge, Meekins set off a coston signal, a signal made by using lamps of different colors. Together, the two men searched the darkness for a reply. A few moments later, they saw a flash of light to the south and knew a shop was in distress (遇险). Even before the return signal burned out, Etheridge had summoned his men and begun rescue operations.
For the lifesavers, the rescue of the Newman was nothing unusual. Over the years, so many ships had foundered off the Outer Banks that sailors called the region the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Noting the dangerous surf and wind conditions, Captain Etheridge quickly decided the surf boats would be impossible to control. Instead, he decided to use another way to help the survivors.
The crew set off on the long journey down the beach to the scene of the wreck (海滩). Captain Etheridge hoped to fire a line from a gun to the ship’s mast (船桅). After the ship’s crew dragged the line onboard, the surfmen would fire a second line and carry survivors safely to shore.
The surfmen crossed three miles of sand to reach the ship Newman. The water was freezing, and the men often sank up to their knees in sand. Captain Etheridge noted in his diary that “the voice of gladdened hearts greeted the arrival of the station crew,” but that “it seemed impossible for them to do anything under such circumstances. The work was often stopped by the sweeping current.”
Even when the rescue equipment proved useless, Etheridge refused to give up. Choosing two of his strongest surfmen, he tied rope lines around their waists and sent them into the water. The two men, holding a line from shore, walked with huge effort as far as they could before diving through the waves. Nearly worn out while swimming against the tide, they finally made it to the shore.
The first to be rescued were the captain’s wife and child. With the two passengers tied to their backs, the surfmen fought their way back to shore. Taking turns, Etheridge and his crew made ten trips to the Newman, saving every person onboard. It was 1:00 a.m. when the crew and survivors finally made it back to the station.
That night, as the exhausted survivors lay sleeping and his lifesaving crew rested, Captain Etheridge picked up his pen, and in the light of an oil lantern, wrote with satisfaction that all the people onboard had been saved and were “sheltered in this station”—words he would remember for many years to come.The beach patrols were canceled because ________.
A.Meekins paid enough attention to the horizon |
B.there was too much spray on the windows |
C.the winds and tide were too strong |
D.there was no ship near the station |
The underlined word “foundered” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “___________”.
A.stopped | B.sank | C.sailed | D.arrived |
What was the author’s main purpose in writing the passage?
A.To warn sailors of the dangers of hurricanes. |
B.To create a story describing a rescue at sea. |
C.To inform people about Richard Etheridge. |
D.To record the details about the Newman. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.The newman was very dangerous before Richard Etheridge and his team members saw the signal. |
B.A terrible hurricane took place off the coast of North Carolina and threatened the lives of many sailors. |
C.At no other time in American history have so many shipwrecked passengers survived such a violent storm. |
D.All the passengers of a shipwreck were rescued because of heroic the efforts of a special leader and his crew. |