Not long ago the movie 2012 came into screen. The people were threatened by those scenes of destroying flood, severe earthquake, terrifying hurricane and constructions representing human civilization being destroyed and even swallowed by disaster. Luckily, they are just the director’s imagination, but the present situation is not heading a positive direction, either.
Take my own experience in Alaska as an example. Once I took a trip to the glacier. Along the way there stood signposts marking the snow lines of different years. They started from the foot of the mountain, but it was at the top when I finally saw melting glaciers(融化的冰川). My heart ached seeing the beautiful blue ice melting at every second.
Sad but true, they are the effects of global warming and the result of our human impact. Furthermore, each year the rising sea level will kill 56 million people, and that's about the population of the en tire Italy. According to studies, if the temperature keeps on rising like this, by the year 2050, some islands and coastal cities including New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney will be drowned in water.
Our fortune is in our own hands. It depends on us to shape our future, to reduce future human impact and find ways to form a peaceful relationship with our environment. Therefore, it's time for actions to be taken right now. Contribute a little to energy saving by using more efficient light bulbs and less hot water. Let recycle become our habit by thinking twice before throwing something away. Let us take public transportation as our first choice when going to a certain place. It might cost more time for now, but it' s to the benefit of a permanent future. Take care of every tree and grass around us by watering them or simply just avoid destroying them.
In a word, small drops of water make a big ocean. The earth does not belong to us. On the contrary, we belong to the earth. Please bear in mind that the earth is our home. It is our responsibility to build a brighter and better future of our planet and prevent what happened in the movie 2012 from becoming reality. Why does the author talk about the movie 2012 in the passage ?
A.To give example. | B.To lead into the topic. |
C.To make prediction. | D.To provide the evidence. |
How did the author feel when he took a trip to the glacier?
A.Worried. | B.Puzzled. | C.Scared. | D.Bored. |
It can be inferred from the third paragraph that .
A.56 million people in Italy have been killed owing to the rising sea level |
B.Some islands and coastal cities will be drowned in water by the year of 2050 |
C.Human being w订l be in danger if we don't take actions to prevent the global warming |
D.It is certain that what happened in the movie 2012 will come into reality |
According to the passage, you are advised to .
A.drive our own private cars instead of taking buses to some place |
B.recycle everything that is used |
C.go to see the movie 2012 at once |
D.work together to take good care of our planet |
What does the author mean by saying "small drops of water make a big ocean"?
A.Think twice before taking action, |
B.It's our duty to protect the ocean. |
C.Everyone together can make a difference. |
D.It's important to save every drop of water. |
During the summer holidays there will be a revised(修改过的) schedule(时刻表) of services for the students. Changes for dining-room and library service hours and for bus schedules will be posted on the wall outside of the dining-hall. Weekly film and concert schedules, which are being arranged, will be posted each Wednesday outside of the student club.
In the summer holidays, buses going to the town center will leave the main hall every hour on the half hour during the day. The dining-room will serve three meals a day from 7: 00 am to 7: 00 pm during the week and two meals from noon to 7: 00 pm on weekends. The library will continue its usual hours during the week, but have shorter hours on Saturdays and Sundays. The weekend hours are from noon to 5: 00 pm.
All students who want to use the library borrowing services must have a new summer card. This announcement will also appear in the next week’s student newspaper. The main purpose of this announcement is to _________.
A.tell students of important schedule changes | B.tell students of new bus and library services |
C.show the excellent services for students | D.ask students to renew their library cards |
At which of the following times will the bus leave the main hall?
A.8: 00, 9: 00, 10: 00, 11: 00 | B.8: 00, 9: 30, 10: 30, 11: 30 |
C.8: 30, 9: 00, 9: 30, 10: 00 | D.8: 00, 9: 30, 11: 00, 12: 30 |
Times for films and concerts are not listed in this announcement because _________.
A.they are not to be announced | B.they are hard to arrange |
C.the full list is not ready | D.the full list is too long |
In the summer holidays, the library will have _________.
A.no special hours | B.special hours on weekdays |
C.special hours on weekends | D.special hours both on weekdays and weekends. |
We may infer that during the summer holidays _________.
A.the student newspaper will sell more copies | B.there will be a concert or a film once a week |
C.many students will stay in the university | D.no breakfast will be served on weekends |
“Can I see my baby?” the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out of the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears.
Time proved that the baby’ s hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was imperfect. When he rushed home from school one day and threw himself into his mother’s arms, she sighed(叹息), knowing that his life was to be misfortunate. He cried to his mum “A boy, a big boy... called me a freak (怪人).”
He grew up, handsome. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. “But you might communicate with other young people,” his mother blamed him, but felt a kindness in her heart.
Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, “You’ re going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it’ s a secret.” The operation was a great success, and a new person appeared.
Later he married and became a lawyer. One day, he asked his father, “Who gave me the ears? Who gave me so much? I could never do enough for him or her.” “I do not believe you could,” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know... not yet.”
The years kept their secret, but the day did come. He stood with his father over his mother’ s casket棺材. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish brown hair to show the mother had no outer ears.
“Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut,” his father whispered gently, “and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they?”Why did Mother gasp when she saw her newborn baby?
A.Because her son had a tiny face. | B.Because she saw her son crying. |
C.Because her son was born imperfect. | D.Because her son was in her arms. |
Which word can describe Mother’ s feeling when the son threw himself into her arms?
A.Nervous. | B.Sympathetic. | C.Proud. | D.Angry. |
We can infer that the person who donate the ears is_____.
A.A doctor. | B.His father. | C.His mother. | D.A stranger. |
From the passage we know the followings are True except________
A, the mother felt sorry for the son without ears B. the doctor didn’t like the baby
C. the boy meant everything to the mother D. the father kept the secret until mother diedThe best title for the passage would be ________.
A.Mother’s hair | B.An unforgettable memory |
C.Who gave me the ears? | D.Who is my best respectable person? |
A new generation addiction is quickly spreading all over the world. Weboholism, a twentieth century disease, affects people from different ages. They surf the net, use e-mail and speak in chat rooms. They spend many hours on the computer, and it becomes a compulsive habit. They cannot stop, and it affects their lives.
Ten years ago, no one thought that using computers could become compulsive behavior that could affect the social and physical life of computer users. This obsessional behavior has affected teenagers and college students. They are likely to log on computers and spend long hours at different websites.
They become hooked on computers and gradually their social and school life is affected by this situation. They spend all free time surfing and don’t concentrate on homework, so this addiction influences their grades and success at school. Because they can find everything on the websites, they hang out there. Moreover, this addiction to websites influences their social life.
They spend more time in front of computers than with their friends. The relation with their friends changes. The virtual life becomes more important than their real life. They have a new language that they speak in the chat rooms and it causes cultural changes in society.
Because of the change in their behavior, they begin to isolate themselves from the society and live with their virtual friends. They share their emotions and feelings with friends who they have never met in their life. Although they feel confident on the computer, they are not confident with real live friends they have known all their life. It is a problem for the future. This addictive behavior is beginning to affect all the world. The author’s attitude towards weboholism is that of being______.
A.optimistic | B.positive | C.oppositive | D.acceptable、 |
The main idea of the passage is about__________.
A.the cause of weboholism | B.the advantage of weboholism |
C.the popularity of weboholism | D.the influence of weboholism |
The underlined word “obsessional” in the second paragraph most probably means “________”.
A.attractive | B.addictive |
C.professional | D.potential |
We can infer from the passage that_______.
A.weboholism has the greatest effect on teenagers |
B.students can hardly balance real and virtual life |
C.people are addicted to games on the Internet |
D.virtual life is more vivid and attractive anyway |
Which of the following is NOT true of weboholism?
A.It contributes to the development of the web. |
B.The chat room language may change social culture. |
C.The problem will be getting more and more serious later. |
D.People addicted to the web often become inactive in real life. |
Finally, I got a part – time job working at the local coffee shop. I had figured that the job would be easy. However, the actual situation was not what I had expected. The customers were hard to please. There was always too much sugar, too little ice, or not enough skimmed milk. However, I kept at it.
One rainy day, Hank, one of my regular customers, came in looking sad and defeated. I asked what the problem was sand if we could help, but Hank wouldn’t tell me any details. He just said he felt like going to bed, pulling the sheets up over his head, and staying there for a few years. I knew exactly how he felt.
Before he left, I handed him a bag of his favorite type of doughnuts along with his iced coffee. He looked at me skeptically because he hadn’t ordered anything else except iced coffee.
“It’s on me,” I told him. “Have a nice day.”
He smiled and thanked me before turning around and heading back out into the rain.
The next day was a horrible one. The rain kept pouring down and I spent my afternoon hanging out the window, handing people their orders. What’s worse, no one felt like tipping that day.
However, around 7:00 pm, Hank drove up to the window. Instead of ordering anything, he handed me a single pink rose and a little note. He said that few people take the time to care about others nowadays and he was glad there we still people like me in the world. I was speechless and very touched; I hadn’t thought that I had done anything incredible.
The note read:
Christine,
Thanks for being so sweet, kind and thoughtful yesterday. I was sincerely touched by you. It is so nice to meet someone that’s nice, warm, sensitive and unselfish. Please don’t change your ways because I truly believe that you will excel. Have a great day!
Hank
Later, I did come across more complaining customers. But anytime I felt sad or just sick of coffee, I thought of Hank and his kindness. Then I would smile, hold my head up high, clear my throat and ask politely, “How can I help you?”How did the author feel after he began to work at the coffee shop?
A.Excited. | B.Confused. | C.Disappointed. | D.Satisfied. |
What happened to the regular customer of the author?
A.He was very sick and had to stay in bed for some days. |
B.He was not satisfied with the coffee served to him. |
C.He was anxious to stay at home for a long time. |
D.He was not feeling himself for some reasons. |
.What does the underlined word “skeptically” probably mean in the passage?
A.questioningly | B.hopefully | C.anxiously | D.excitedly |
.It was Hank who helped the author realize the importance of .
A.patience in one’s work | B.being kind to regular customers |
C.taking time to care about others | D.sticking to one’s own career |
What is the best title of the passage?
A.A Warm – hearted Man | B.Coffee Shop Kindness |
C.My Part – time Job | D.A Horrible Raining Day |
Iodine (碘)– rich salt was the hottest item on Chinese shelves Thursday, being snapped up (抢购) by shoppers after rumors spread that iodine intake could help protect one’s body from radiation damage, although the authorities have confirmed that the nuclear crisis in Japan had not affected China.
Rumors also spread about radioactive substances being leaked into ocean water that could pollute Chinese coasts.
The crazy buying has occurred nationwide, from the supposedly easily – harmed eastern coastal provinces to regions far – inland such as Xinjiang.
Supermarkets and convenience stores began reporting the lack of salt stocks from early Wednesday, with all salt sold out at many Carrefour and Wal – Mart stores. Some online clothes stores have begun offering salt as a bonus to customers.
Relevant government departments were trying hard to stop this round of panic – buying.
The Ministry of Health deniedthe rumor that eating more iodine – rich salt could repair damage from radiation, saying that it is technically impossible to absorb enough iodine for radiation prevention from eating salt.
The government urges the local market authorities to keep all salt sellers in check and to prevent storing and overpricing.
Also the spokesman of the government said that China’s seawater, as a source of salt, would not be affected by the nuclear crisis, as it would be impossible for radioactive substances to reach Chinese waters via the eastward ocean current.
“Reasons behind the salt rush include unclear information on the development of the nuclear crisis and terrifying media reports of the severity of a possible complete meltdown. If the fear of a Chernobyl – like catastrophe cannot be ended, the crazy buying will likely continue,” said a professor from Beijing University.
Beijing urged Tokyo Thursday to better release information at the Fukushima plant.What caused the crazy buying of iodine – rich salt?
A.The rumor caused by the unclear information. |
B.The shortage of iodine – rich salt in stores. |
C.The multi – functions of iodine in salt. |
D.The richness of iodine in salt in China. |
Some online clothes stores began offering salt as a bonus to customers because _______.
A.they can increase their sales by doing so B.the salt from them is more effective
C.the customers prefer to buy salt on line D.the salt from the on-line store is free
It’s quite clear that some sellers want to store iodine-ric
h salt is to _______.
A.increase the sales of related products | B.raise the price of products online |
C.make more money from it | D.meet the needs of the market |
Why is it impossible for radi
oactive substances to reach Chinese waters?
A.The ocean is really too large. | B.The distance from Japan is too far. |
C.The nuclear pollution is not so serious. | D.The ocean current is eastward. |
Which of the following should be the best title of the passage?
A.Panic Salt Buying Creates Bitter Crisis | B.Effect of the Terrible Disaster in Japan |
C.A Rumor Throughout the Country. | D.Iodine-rich Salt Prevents Radiation. |