Are you a team person? Are you at your best as part of a small, tightly united group of dedicated workers? If so, the future may hold more for you than you think.
High technology, some predicted, would make team work a thing of the past. That’s happening in those areas of business and data processing where one person and a computer can replace a team of workers.
But, elsewhere, teamwork is very much alive. High technology has led to a new type of teamwork in a number of fields, including advertising, scientific research, engineering design, architecture and ocean exploration. Through computer networking, scientists, engineers and technicians at different locations---often thousands of miles apart---can work on the same project at once. They can exchange ideas, try out different designs and test their results.
Examples? An engineering team can now design and try out a robot system, a new manufacturing process, or an entire factory before it is built. An architectural team can do the same with a building or a bridge. A medical team can simulate (模拟) a dangerous operation before performing it on a patient.
Of course, computer–assisted team effort doesn’t end with investigation and simulation. It now usually continues into actual design, manufacturing and testing. “Computer–aided design (CAD) and computer–aided manufacture (CAM) are breaking down barriers between traditional design and manufacturing functions,” explains Dr. Prakash Rao, an engineering manager at General Electric. “Interdisciplinary teams and engineers follow a product from concept to production. Everything is interconnected like a network.”
Sometimes a computer–aided effort can extend beyond production. A team that produces robots may use them to explore space and ocean depth. For high–technology team work, the future seems limitless.The underlined part “hold more” most probably means to .
| A．maintain more chances | B．give more rights |
| C．make more regulations | D．store more information |
According to the passage, the writer believes that .
| A．teamwork requires more use of computers than that of human beings |
| B．teamwork will be completely replaced by computers |
| C．the concept of teamwork is still alive and no longer the same as the past |
| D．high technology would make teamwork a thing of the past |
The examples given by the writer in Paragraph 4 serve .
| A．to prove high technology has a promising future |
| B．to explain his idea of new type of teamwork is reasonable |
| C．to show that it tends to be an end to teamwork soon |
| D．to indicate the computer—assisted team effort just means investigation and simulation. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Many fields of science and technology are now using computers effectively. |
| B．No details are given in the passage about barriers between traditional design and manufacturing functions. |
| C．Experts from different fields have to cooperate to develop a product from concept to production. |
| D．High technology is nothing but a new type of teamwork plus CAD and CAM. |
The author’s attitude to towards the introduction of the computer to teamwork is of .
| A．objection | B．indifference | C．support | D．doubt |
In the year 480 BC the Greek allies (联军) faced invasion by the King of Persia, Xerxes, who commanded a huge army of about half a million men. When the Persian army marched into northern Greece, the Greek states, led by Athens and Sparta, were ill equipped to deal with the threat. The Persians were well supplied with food and weapons. Their army included infantry, cavalry, and a large navy. It seemed that they would easily defeat the Greeks.
The Greek allies decided to send 10,000 men northwards to slow down the Persians, while the rest prepared to defend their homelands. A group of 300 best Spartan soldiers were chosen to lead the force going north, with Leonidas in command. Leonidas realized that the only hope of slowing the Persians would be to block the narrow passage of land at Thermopylae. The Pass of
Thermopylae was the route between the mountains and the sea, and was so narrow that only a few men could get through at a time.
When the Persian army arrived at Thermopylae, they found Leonidas' tiny army opposing them. The Persians attacked, but could not get through. They attacked again and again, but each time they were driven back by the Greeks, led by the fearless Spartans. Leonidas' plan worked well until a Greek traitor called Ephialtes went m Xerxes. He told the Persian king about a goat's path in the mountains that would take the Persian army past Thermopylae. When Leonidas saw the enemy crossing the mountains, he realized that he could no longer hold Thermopylae. He sent all the Greek soldiers except the 300 Spartans back to their homelands.
The Spartans waited for the 500,000 Persians at the goat’s path. Although hopelessly outnumbered, the Spartans fought bravely. They all died, but the other Greeks were able to get home to strengthen the defenses.
61. Compared with the Persian army, the Greek allies were very________.
A. powerful B. wise C. weak D. foolish
62. The Pass of Thermopylae was very important for the Greeks because __
A. it was easy to hold but hard to attack
B. only very small boats could get through it
C, it was a secret pass unknown to the Persians
D. a huge number of soldiers could be stationed there
63. Why did Leonidas send most of his soldiers back to their homelands?
A. Because their homelands were under attack.
B. Because he found they were not brave enough.
C. Because the Persians gave up attacking Thermopylae.
D. Because he found it impossible to hold Thermopylae.
64. Which of the following is NOT ture according to the passage?
A. Leonidas was a great commander.
B. The Persians failed to pass Thermopylae.
C. Ephialtes betrayed his own country.
D. The 300 Spatans would be regarded as heroes by the Greeks.
65. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. The Greek Allies B. The Goat’s Path C. The King of Persia D. Xerxes and Ephialtes
Nick Campbell sat at the side of the road and wondered what to do next. He looked at the second-hand Harley Davidson he’d bought from a back-street garage back home in Miami at the beginning of his trip six weeks before.
For years he had dreams of crossing the United States from east to west by motorbike and he’d finally decided that it was now or never. He’d given up his job, sold his car and set off for the journey of his dreams. He’d been lucky, or so he thought, to find this old Harley Davidson and had bought it for a very reasonable price------it had cost him just $600. But five kilometers from Atlanta, he had run out of luck. The motorbike had broken down.
He pushed the bike into town and found a garage. The young mechanic told him to leave the bike overnight and come back the next day. The following morning, to his surprise, the man asked if the bike was for sale. “Certainly not,” he replied, paid his bill and hit the road.
When he got to Kansas the old machine ran out of steam again. This time Nick thought about selling it and buying something more reliable, but decided to carry on. When the bike was going well, he loved it.
However, in Denver, Colorado the bike broke down again so he decided to take it to a garage and offer it for sale. The mechanic told him to come back in the morning.
The next day, to his amazement, the man offered him $2,000. Realizing the man must be soft in the head, but clearly not short of money, Nick asked for $ 3,000. The man agreed and they signed the papers. Then the mechanic started laughing. In fact it was several minutes before he could speak and when he could he said, “That’s the worst deal you’ll ever make, boy."
He removed the seat. On the underside was the inscription (铭文):
'To Elvis, love James Dean. '
56. Harley Davidson here refers to a _________.
A. car B. truck C. garage D. motorbike
57. Which of the following did Nick value most?
A. Harley Davidson. B. His job. C. His dream to travel. D. His car.
58. Nick was unwilling to sell his Harley Davidson because he thought it was
A. lovely B. valuable C. reliableD. old
59. The underlined word ~ hi the 6th paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. clever B. crazy C. honest D. kind
60. At the end of the story, Nick must have felt very __________.
A. sorry B. delighted C. excited D. moved
Do you wake up in the morning dreading the moment that your feet have to hit the floor for you to get ready for work? If that’s the case, join most of Americans. Very few people wake up to that annoying alarm clock and spring out of bed excited about having to go to work.
As if that were not enough, most of us have to fight traffic getting there, usually an hour’s drive. Then, when we get to work, we have to fight with unruly co-workers or a nagging boss. And to make matters worse, you have to fight the same traffic going in the opposite direction just to get back home.
Making dinner, fixing plates, eating and then straightening up afterwards is a job within itself. If that sounds like your life, you probably have a J-O-B. you know what J-O-B stands for? Just Over Broke, that’s what! With a job, most Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck and hating every minute of it. I know because I was doing the same thing: trading time for money. And, I came to a conclusion that it stinks (糟糕透了)! Big time!
Looking around at my co-workers, friends and relatives, I saw that they were all doing the same thing I was doing. They were complaining about the same things I was complaining about : not having enough time or money. And, I decided that I wanted to do something different.
So, I started a home-based business. There are several to choose from. The extra income has done so much for our family. We can vacation more. We have been able to give more. And, we’ve even been able to do something calling save! It’s been amazing.
Therefore, if you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, it’s time you make a change, too. The definition of insanity (疯狂) is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I know you aren’t stupid. If you continue to do what everyone else is doing: trading time for money, you’re going to keep getting what everyone else is getting: being broke and not having the time to do what is really important to you.
Do your due diligence. Find a home-based business that works well for you. Go to work, and live the life you’ve always imagined!According to Paragraph 1, which of the following statements is TRUE about most Americans?
| A．Most Americans are excited to go to work every day. |
| B．Most Americans are used to sleeping in the morning. |
| C．Most Americans are tired of having to go to work every morning. |
| D．Most Americans have alarm clocks to wake them up in the morning. |
By writing the first three paragraphs, what feeling does the writer express?
| A．Regret. | B．Joy. | C．Pride. | D．Dissatisfaction |
What does “something different” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
| A．To set up a business at home. | B．To complain about life and work. |
| C．To spend more time on holidays. | D．To resign from the former job and get a new one. |
In the atmosphere , carbon dioxide acts rather like a one-way mirror or the glass in the roof of a greenhouse which allows the sun’s rays to enter but prevents the heat from escaping.
According to a weather expert’s prediction, the atmosphere will be 3℃ warmer in the year 2050 than it is today, if man continues to burn fuels at the present rate. If this warming up took place, the ice caps in the poles would begin to melt, thus raising sea level several meters and severely flooding coastal cities. Also, the increase in atmospheric temperature would lead to great changes in the climate of the northern hemisphere(半球), possibly resulting in an alteration of the earth
’s chief food growing zones.
In the past, concern about a man-made warming of the earth has concentrated on the Arctic because the Antarctic is much colder and has a much thicker ice sheet. But the weather experts are now paying more attention to West Antarctic, which may be affected by only a few degrees of warming, in other words, by a warming on the scale that will possibly take place in the next fifty years from the burning of fuels.
Satellite pictures show that large areas of Antarctic ice are already disappearing. The evidence available suggests that a warming has taken place. This fits the theory that carbon dioxide warms the earth
However, most of the fuel is burnt in the northern hemisphere, where temperatures seem to be falling. Scientists conclude, therefore, that up to now natural influences on the weather have gone beyond those caused by man. The question is: Which natural cause has most effect on the weather?
One possibility is the variable behavior of the sun. Astronomers at one research station have studied the hot sports and ‘cold” spots( that is, the relatively less hot spots) on the sun. As the sun rotates(使旋转), every 27.5 days, it presents hotter or colder faces to the earth, and different aspects to different parts of the earth. This seems to have a considerable effe
ct on the distribution of the earth’s atmospheric pressure, and consequently on wind circulati
on. The sun is also changeable over a long term: its heat output goes up and down in cycles, the latest trend being downward.
Scientists are now finding shared relations between models of solar weather interactions and the actual climate over many thousands of years, including the last Ice Age. The problem is that the models are predicting that the world should be entering a new Ice Age and it is hot. One way of solving this theoretical difficulty is to assume a delay of thousands of years while the solar effects overcome the inertia(惯性) of the earth’s climate. If this is right, the warming effect of carbon dioxide might thus be serving as a useful opposed balance to the sun’s fading heat.It can be concluded that concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would ____.
| A．mean a warming-up in the Arctic. |
| B．raise the temperature of the earth’s surface. |
| C．prevent the sun’s rays from reaching the earth’ s surface. |
| D．explain the cause of great changes in the climate in the northern hemisphere. |
The article was written to explain____.
| A．the greenhouse effect. | B．the solar effects on the earth. |
| C．the causes affecting weather. | D．the models of solar weather of solar weather interactions. |
Although the fuel consumption is greater in the northern hemisphere, temperature there seems to be falling. This is ____.
| A．mainly because the levels of carbon dioxide are rising |
| B．partly due to changes in the output of solar energy |
| C．possibly because the ice caps in the poles are melting |
| D．only due to the effect of the inertia of the earth’s climate |
On the basis of their models, scientists are of the opinion that .
| A．the climate of the world should be becoming cooler |
| B．the new Ice Age will be delayed by the greenhouse effect |
C．the man-made w arning effect helps to increase the solar effects |
| D．it will take thousands of years for the interia of the earth’s climate to take effect. |
If the assumption about the delay of a new Ice Age is correct, ___.
| A．ice would soon cover the northern hemisphere. |
| B．the greenhouse effect could work in favor of the earth. |
| C．the best way to overcome the cooling effect would be to burn more fuels. |
| D．the increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could warm up the earth even more quickly. |
(1)Paul Smith's College
The College of Nature
Experience a different kind of classroom: 14,200 acres of forests, lakes and streams, a hotel and a restaurant, 99% placement upon graduation. Two-and-four-year degree programs.
PO. Box 265
Paul Smiths, NY12970
1-800-421-2605
www.paulsmiths.edu
(2) SIMMONS
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES AND MODERN STUDIES
Simmons educates women to achieve their work and life goals. More than 40 majors.
Lie in the heart of Boston. U.S .News & World Report ranks Simmons among the top state universities in the North and among the best values.
617-521-2051
www.simmons.edu
(3) ST.MARYS UNTVERSITY
Personal Attention Powerful Programs
Experience the technology of today at our co-educational university
One Camino Santa Maria
Utah 78228-8503
800-FOR-SIMU
www.stmarytx.edu
(4) Northern University
A famous private university
with 3,200 students in Colleges of Arts & Sciences
●Business and Engineering
●Medicine and Law
Among the top ten by U.S. News and World Report
Old Union 232
CA 94305-3005
650-723-2091If a man is tired of working indoors and wouldn't like to be too far aw
ay from his girl friend who studies at Simmons, which college will be choose?
| A．Simmons. | B．ST. Mary's | C．Paul Smith's | D．Northern. |
If a girl wanted to learn modern science and she prefers to stay by the ocean or in the northeast, which college will like best?
A．Simmons. |
B．ST. Mary's. | C．Paul Smith's. | D．Northern. |
If a man wishes to study business and in a non-state-run university, which of the following is her favorite?
| A．Simmons. | B．ST. Mary's. | C．Paul Smith's | D．Northern. |