You never see them, but they're with you every time you fly. They record where you are going, how fast you're traveling and whether everything on your airplane is functioning normally. Their ability to withstand almost any disaster makes them seem like something out of a comic book. They're known as the black box.
When planes fall from the sky, as a Yemeni airliner did on its way to Comoros Islands in the India ocean June 30, 2009, the black box is the best bet for identifying what went wrong. So when a French submarine (潜水艇) detected the device's homing signal five days later, the discovery marked a huge step toward determining the cause of a tragedy in which 152 passengers were killed.
In 1958, Australian scientist David Warren developed a flight-memory recorder that would track basic information like altitude and direction. That was the first mode for a black box, which became a requirement on all U.S. commercial flights by 1960. Early models often failed to withstand crashes, however, so in 1965 the device was completely redesigned and moved to the rear of the plane – the area least subject to（易遭受）impact – from its original position in the landing wells (起落架舱). The same year, the Federal Aviation Authority required that the boxes, which were never actually black, be painted orange or yellow to aid visibility.
Modern airplanes have two black boxes: a voice recorder, which tracks pilots' conversations, and a flight-data recorder, which monitors fuel levels, engine noises and other operating functions that help investigators reconstruct the aircraft's final moments. Placed in an insulated (隔绝的) case and surrounded by a quarter-inch-thick panels of stainless steel, the boxes can withstand massive force and temperatures up to 2,000℉. When submerged, they're also able to emit signals from depths of 20,000 ft.
Experts believe the boxes from Air France Flight 447, which crashed near Brazil on June 1, 2009, are in water nearly that deep, but statistics say they're still likely to turn up. In the approximately 20 deep-sea crashes over the past 30 years, only one plane's black boxes were never recovered.What information could be found from the black box on the Yemeni airliner?
| A．Data for analyzing the cause of the crash. |
| B．The total number of passengers on board. |
| C．The scene of the crash and extent of the damage. |
| D．Homing signals sent by the pilot before the crash. |
Why was the black box redesigned in 1965?
| A．New materials became available by that time. |
| B．Too much space was needed for its installation. |
| C．The early models often got damaged in the crash. |
| D．The early models didn't provide the needed data. |
Why did the Federal Aviation Authority require the black boxes be painted orange or yellow?
| A．To distinguish them from the colour of the plane. |
| B．To caution people to handle them with care. |
| C．To make them easily identifiable. |
| D．To obey international standards |
What do we know about the black boxes from Air France Flight 447?
| A．There is still a good chance of their being recovered. |
| B．There is an urgent need for them to be reconstructed. |
| C．They have stopped sending homing signals. |
| D．They were destroyed somewhere near Brazil. |
If you dream in color, you’re not alone: the majority of people today claim to have colorful dreams. But it wasn’t always thus. Research conducted in the early part of the last century consistently found that people reported dreaming most often in black and white.
According to Eva Murzyn at the University of Dundee, there are at least two possible explanations for this strange situation.
The first is the methods used in the researches. The early studies tended to use questionnaires（问卷）, while more modern studies use dream diaries (filled in upon rising in the morning) or so-called “REM-awakening”, which involves interrupting people’s dream-filled periods of sleep to find out what they were dreaming about. People’s memories of their dreams are likely to be less accurate by using the questionnaire approach and they are more likely to reflect their beliefs about the form dreams generally take in an unclear way.
The second explanation has to do with black and white television and film. It’s possible that the sudden increase in black and white film and television during the first half of the last century either affected the form of people’s dreams at that time, or affected their beliefs about the form dreams generally take.
According to Murzyn’s findings, it’s the explanation based on media exposure that carries more weight. She used both questionnaire and diary methods to study the dreams of 30 older (average age 64) and 30 younger people (average age 21).
The methodological technique made no difference to the type of dreams people reported. However, the extremely important thing was that, across both questionnaires and diaries, the older participants (who had had significant early life exposure to black and white media) reported experiencing significantly more black and white dreams over the last ten days than the younger participants (22 per cent vs. 4 per cent).
Another finding was that older participants reported black and white dreams and colorful dreams to be of equal clearness. By contrast, the younger participants reported that the quality of black and white dreams was poorer. This raises the possibility that the younger participants didn’t really have any black and white dreams at all, but were simply regarding poorly remembered dreams as black and white. We learn from the text that ______.
| A．people in the first half of the last century never had colorful dreams |
| B．older people are more likely to have black and white dreams |
| C．the dreams of younger people are always colorful |
| D．people today don’t have white and black dreams any more |
What did Murxyn do to find out the explanations for the colors in people’s dreams?
| A．She applied both questionnaire and diary methods to study people’s dreams. |
| B．She used diary methods to record people’s dreams. |
| C．She chose 60 people to answer her questions about their dreams. |
| D．She woke people up to record the colors of their dreams. |
What does the underlined expression “carry more weight” in paragraph 5 mean?
| A．be heavier | B．be more powerful | C．be more important | D．be more useful |
From Murxyn’s findings we can infer that ______.
| A．both older people and younger people could report colorful dreams clearly |
| B．young people don’t have any black and white dreams in fact |
| C．the color of a person’s dream is decided by one’s age |
| D．it is probably the color of media that affects the color of one’s dream |
Cultural practices, cultural differences, local manners, and mores: traveling the globe can be a behavioral minefield, even when you have the best intentions. Everything from greeting to eating can be an opportunity to do the wrong thing, and not only embarrass yourself, but offend your host countrymen. Look out for the following cultural mistakes and try to avoid them while going abroad.
| 1.Touching Someone |
|
| Where It's Offensive |
Korea, Thailand, China, Europe, the Middle East. |
| What's Offensive |
In Mediterranean countries, if you don’t touch someone's arm when talking to them or if you don't greet them with kisses or a warm embrace, you'll be considered cold. But backslapping someone who isn't a family member or a good friend in Korea will make them uncomfortable. In Thailand, the head is considered sacred--never even pat a child on the he ad. |
| What You Should Do Instead |
Observe what locals are doing and follow suit. In Eastern countries remember that touching and public displays of affection are unacceptable. In places like Qatar and Saudi Arabia, men and women are forbidden from talking, let alone touching. |
| 2.Blowing Your Nose |
|
| Where It's Offensive |
Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, France |
| What's Offensive |
Some cultures find it disgusting to blow your nose in public--especially at the table. The Japanese and Chinese also dislike it even with a handkerchief. |
| What You Should Do Instead |
If traveling through Eastern and Asian countries, don’t use handkerchief but choose disposable（可溶解的）tissues. In France and in Eastern countries, if you're dining and need to clear your nose, excuse yourself and head to the restroom. |
| 3.Talking Over Dinner |
|
| Where It's Offensive |
Africa, Japan, Thailand, China, Finland. |
| What's Offensive |
In some countries, like China, Japan, and some African nations, don't start chatting while everyone else is digging into dinner, because mealtimes are for eating, not talking. Also avoid conversations in places a country might consider sacred or reflective---churches in Europe, temples in Thailand, and saunas in Finland. |
| What You Should Do Instead |
Keep quiet! |
| 4.Removing Your Shoes…or Not |
|
| Where It's Offensive |
Hawaii, the South Pacific, Korea, China, Thailand |
| What's Offensive |
Taking off shoes when arriving at the door of a London dinner party will be regarded as uncivilized, but failing to remove your shoes before entering a home in Asia, Hawaii, or the Pacific Islands will be considered disrespectful. |
| What You Should Do Instead |
If you see a row of shoes at the door, start undoing your laces. If not, keep the shoes on. |
| 5.Knowing Your Right from Your Left |
|
| Where It's Offensive |
India, Morocco, Africa, the Middle East |
| What's Offensive |
Many cultures still prefer to eat using traditional methods--their hands. In these cases, food is often shared, which is why it's important to wash your hands before eating and observe the right-hand-is-for-eating and the left-hand-is-for-other-duties rule. If you eat with your left hand, expect your fellow diners to be offended. |
| What You Should Do Instead |
Left-handed? Attempt to be ambidextrous --- even children who are left-handed in these cultures are taught to eat with their right hand. |
In which country can you greet someone with a kiss?
| A．Thailand | B．England | C．Qatar | D．Hawaii |
If you’re in Japan and you’ve got a bad cold, what should you do at dinner?
| A．Excuse yourself and leave for home. | B．Blow your nose with a handkerchief. |
| C．Use some disposable tissues when needed | D．Go to the restroom. |
Before entering your friend’s house in a foreign country, you’d better ______.
| A．greet the host or hostess first | B．follow others’ behaviors |
| C．remove your shoes first | D．respect their customs |
To enjoy your dinner in India, you have to ______.
| A．avoid talking over dinner | B．keep your shoes on |
| C．share food with others | D．eat with your right hand |
America, has always had people of many different nationalities and languages. The 1990 census (人口普查) indicates that almost 14% of Americans speak a non-English language at home. Yet only 3% reported that they spoke English “not well” or “not at all ”. That means that slightly more than one out of 10 Americans could be considered bilingual. Besides that, many high school and college students---and even some elementary school students---are required to take a foreign language. Actually, a growing number of Americans are coming to appreciate the benefits of using different languages.
Ethnic enclaves (少数民族聚居地) have preserved the language and culture of American immigrants. Some local residents can function quite well in their native language, without having to bother learning English. Regions such as southern Florida and the Southwest have numerous Spanish-speaking neighborhoods. In fact, Spanish speakers---numbering over 17 million---form the largest non-English linguistic group in America. But Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian, Polish and many other ethnic group add to the linguistic flavor of America. Foreign languages are so commonly used in some ethnic neighborhoods that visitors might think they are in another country!
Although some Americans welcome this linguistic and cultural diversity, others have begun to fear that the English language is being threatened. Since the 1980s, the “English Only ” movement has sought to promote legislation (立法) which would establish English as the “official language” and restrict the use of non-English language. However, some groups, including TESOL, the organization for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other language, object to such “language restrictionism”. But so far, 19 states have passed “English Only” legislation, and the topic is the focus of an ongoing debate.
Whether or not English is the official language of the United States, it remains the “language of wider communication”. Nearly everyone recognizes the need to develop the ability in using English in order to do well in America. American also recognize that English is the international language, and people with good English skills can get by in many international settings. On the other hand, in a world growing increasingly smaller, second language skills can be a great favor. They can build cross-cultural bridges and give people an edge in a variety of career field. Indeed, lack of foreign language skill can limit one’s chances for advancement and keep one in a cultural dead-end street. Ethnic groups have preserved their native languages because ______.
| A．their native languages are commonly used in their neighborhoods |
| B．ethnic groups are not allowed to speak English |
| C．ethnic groups can do very well in their native languages |
| D．ethnic groups don’t allow their natives to learn English |
The underlined word “bilingual” in paragraph 1 probably means ______.
| A．being able to speak two languages | B．being able to speak one language |
| C．being able to speak different languages | D．being able to speak many foreign languages |
Which of the following is TRUE about “English Only” movement?
| A．Its purpose was to establish a legislation of restricting the use of English. |
| B．TESOL was in favor of “English Only ” by objecting to “English plus”. |
| C．It was launched because English was being threatened. |
| D．A large majority of American states support the movement. |
What can be the best title of this passage?
| A．The English Only Movement | B．Learn to speak English |
| C．English---an International Language | D．Being Bilingual |
The drug store was closing for the night and Alfred Higgins was about to go home when his new boss approached him.
“Empty your pockets please, Alfred,” Sam Carr demanded in a firm voice.
Alfred pretended to be shocked but he knew he’d been caught. From his coat he withdrew a make-up kit, a lipstick and two tubes of toothpaste.
“I’m disappointed in you, Alfred!” said the little gray-haired man.
“Sorry, sir. Please forgive me. It’s the first time I’ve ever done such a thing,” Alfred lied, hoping to gain the old man’s sympathy.
Mr Carr’s brow furrowed as he reached for the phone, “Do you take me for a fool? Let’s see what the police have to say. But first I’ll call your mother and let her know her son is heading to jail.”
“Do whatever you want,” Alfred shot back, trying to sound big. But deep down he felt like a child. He imagined his mother rushing in, eyes burning with anger, maybe in tears. Yet he wanted her to come quickly before Mr. Carr called the police.
Mr. Carr was surprised when Mrs Higgins finally arrived. She was very calm, quiet and friendly. “Is Alfred in trouble?” she asked.
“He’s been stealing from the store,” the old man coolly replied.
Mrs. Higgins put out her hand and touched Mr. Carr’s arm with great gentleness as if she knew just how he felt. She spoke as if she did not want to cause him any more trouble. “What do you want to do, Mr. Carr?”
The woman’s calm and gentle manner disarmed the once-angry store-owner. “I was going to get a cop. But I don’t want to be cruel. Tell your son not to come back here again, and I’ll let it go.” Then he warmly shook Mrs. Higgins’s hand.
Mrs. Higgins thanked the old man for his kindness, then mother and son left. They walked along the street in silence. When they arrived home his mother simply said, “Go to bed, you fool.”
In his bedroom, Alfred heard his mother in the kitchen. He felt no shame, only pride in his mother’s actions. “She was smooth!” he thought. He went to the kitchen to tell her how great she was, but was shocked by what he saw.
His mother’s face looked frightened, broken. Not the cool, bright face he saw earlier. Her lips moved nervously. She looked very old. There were tears in her eyes.
This picture of his mother made him want to cry. He felt his youth ending. He saw all the troubles he brought her and the deep lines of worry in her grey face. It seemed to him that this was the first time he had ever really seen his mother.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．It was the first time Alfred had stolen anything. |
| B．Alfred tried to sound big to hide his fear. |
| C．Mr. Carr set a trap to catch Alfred stealing. |
| D．Mr. Carr had planned to forgive Alfred from the beginning. |
What does the underlined word “disarmed” probably mean?
| A．annoyed | B．made less angry |
| C．convinced | D．got over |
What was the mother’s attitude toward Alfred?
| A．She felt disappointed with him. |
| B．She was very strict with him. |
| C．She was supportive of him. |
| D．She was afraid of him. |
What impressed Alfred most about his mother at the drugstore was ________.
| A．how angry she was |
| B．that she didn’t cry |
| C．that she was able to save him |
| D．how effectively she handled Mr. Carr |
From the last paragraph, we know that Alfred ________.
| A．was no longer a youth |
| B．felt proud of his mother |
| C．wanted his mother to be happy |
| D．felt guilty and regretful for his deed |
A different sort of generation gap is developing in the workplace. Someone --- specifically the father-daughter team of Larry and Meagan Johnson --- has figured out that on some American job sites, five generations are working side by side.
In their new book about generations in the workplace the pair argue that while such an age difference adds a lot of texture and a variety of life experiences, it can also bring tensions and conflicts.
The Johnsons are human-resource trainers and public speakers. Dad Larry is a former health-care executive; daughter Meagan is a onetime high-level sales manager.
Here are the oldest and youngest of the five generations they identify:
They call the oldest group Traditionals, born before 1945. They were heavily influenced by the lessons of the Great Depression and World War Two. They respect authority, set a high standard of workmanship, and communicate easily and confidently. But they’re also stubbornly independent. They want their opinions heard.
At the other extreme are what the Johnsons call Linksters, born after 1995 into today’s more complicated, multi-media world. They live and breathe technology and are often social activists.
You won’t find many 15-year olds in the offices of large companies, except as volunteers, of course, but quite old and quite young workers do come together in sales environments like bike shops and ice-cream stores.
The Johnsons, Larry and Meagan, represent a generation gap themselves in their work with jobsite issues. The Johnsons’ point is that as the average lifespan continues to rise and retirement dates get delayed because of the tight economy, people of different generations are working side by side, more often bringing with them very different ideas about company loyalty and work values.
The five generations are heavily influenced by quite different events, social trends, and the cultural phenomena of their times. Their experiences shape their behavior and make it difficult, sometimes, for managers to achieve a strong and efficient workplace.
Larry and Meagan Johnson discuss all this in greater detail in a new book, “Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters --- Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work,” published by Amacom Press, which is available in all good bookstore from this Friday.The type of generation gap in paragraph 1 refers to the difference in beliefs ________.
| A．between managers and workers |
| B．among family members |
| C．among employees |
| D．between older and newer companies |
Which of the following statements is NOT true about Traditionals?
| A．They’ve learned much from war and economic disaster. |
| B．They’re difficult to work with as they are stubborn. |
| C．They respect their boss and hope to be respected. |
| D．They’re independent workers with great confidence. |
According to the passage, the Linksters are usually ________.
| A．found working in the offices of large companies |
| B．influenced by media and technology |
| C．enthusiastic multi-media activists |
| D．ice-cream sellers |
According to the passage, modern workforces are more diverse because ________.
| A．people want to increase their average lifespan |
| B．many young people are entering the workforce |
| C．employees with different values can benefit their companies |
| D．retirement dates are being delayed for economic reasons |
What’s the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To promote a new book by Larry and Meagan Johnson. |
| B．To describe the five different workplace generations. |
| C．To introduce the Johnsons’ research about diverse workforces. |
| D．To identify a major problem in modern workforces. |