When I learned that 71-year-old mother was playing Scrabble —a word game, I knew I had to do something. My husband suggests we give her a computer to play against herself. I wasn’t sure whether my mother was ready for it. After all, it had taken 15 years to persuade her to buy an electric cooker. Even so, we packed up our old computer and delivered it to my parents’ home. And so began my mother’s adventure in the world of the computers.It also marked the beginning of an unusual teaching task for me. I’ve taught people of all ages, but I never thought I would be teaching my mother how to do anything.She has been the one teaching me all my life: to cook and sew; to enjoy the good times and put up with the bad. Now it was my turn to give something back. It wasn’t easy at the beginning. There was so much to explain and to introduce. Slowly but surely, my mother caught on, making notes in a little notebook. After a few months of Scrabble and other games, I decided it was time to introduce her to word processing. This proved to be a bigger challenge to her, so I gave her some homework. I asked her to write me a letter, using different letter types, colors and spaces. “Are you this demanding with your kindergarten pupils?” she asked.“No, of course not,” I said.”They already know how to use a computer.” My mother isn’t the only one experiencing a fast personal growth period. Thanks to the computer, my father has finally got over his phone allergy(过敏). For as long as I can remember, any time I called, my mother would answer. Dad and I have had more phone conversations in the last two months than we’ve had in the past 20 years.What does the author do?
| A．She is a cooker |
| B．She is a teacher |
| C．She is a housewife |
| D．She is a computer engineer |
The author decided to give her mother a computer _____.
| A．to let her have more chances to write letters |
| B．to support to her in doing her homework |
| C．to help her through the bad times |
| D．to make her life more enjoyable |
The author asked her mother to write her a letter _____.
| A．because her mother had stopped using the telephone |
| B．because she wanted to keep in touch with her mother |
| C．so that her mother could practice what she had learned |
| D．so that her mother could be free from the housework |
What will power your house in the future？Nuclear，wind，or solar power？According to scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US，it might be leaves — but artificial (人造的) ones.
Natural leaves are able to change sunlight and water into energy. It is known as photosynthesis (光合作用)．Now researchers have found a way to imitate this seemingly simple process.
The artificial leaf developed by Daniel Nocera and his colleagues at MIT can be seen as a special silicon chip with catalysts (催化剂)．Similar to natural leaves，it can split water into hydrogen and oxygen when put into a bucket of water. The hydrogen and oxygen gases are then stored in a fuel cell，which uses those two materials to produce electricity，located either on top of a house or beside the house.
Though the leaf is only about the shape of a poker card，scientists claimed that it is promising to be an inexpensive source of electricity in developing countries. “One can imagine villages in India and Africa not long from now purchasing an affordable basic power system based on this technology,” said Nocera at a conference of the American Chemical Society.
The artificial leaf is not a new idea. The first artificial leaf was invented in 1997 but was too expensive and unstable for practical use. The new leaf，by contrast，is made of cheap materials，easy to use and highly stable. In laboratory studies，Nocera showed that an artificial leaf prototype (原型) could operate continuously for at least 45 hours without a drop in activity.
The wonderful improvements come from Nocera's recent discovery of several powerful，new and inexpensive catalysts. These catalysts make the energy transformation inside the leaf more efficient with water and sunlight. Right now，the new leaf is about 10 times more efficient at carrying out photosynthesis than a natural one. Besides，the device can run in whatever water is available；that is，it doesn't need pure water. This is important for some countries that don't have access to pure water.
With the goal to “make each home its own power station” and “give energy to the poor”，scientists believe that the new technology could be widely used in developing countries，especially in India and rural China.Which of the following orders correctly shows how the artificial leaf is used to produce electricity?
a．artificial leaves split water into hydrogen and oxygen
b．the hydrogen and oxygen gases are stored in a fuel cell
c．the artificial leaves are put in water
d．the fuel cell uses hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity
| A．c，a，b，d | B．c，b，a，d |
| C．b，c，a，d | D．c，a，d，b |
The purpose of the scientists at MIT in developing the new artificial leaf is to________.
| A．build up more power stations in the world |
| B．provide cheaper energy for developing countries |
| C．offer people in developing countries access to pure water |
| D．gain a deeper understanding of the photosynthesis process |
The main idea of this passage is ________.
| A．an introduction to the history of artificial leaves |
| B．a mixture of water power and solar energy |
| C．giving energy to the poor |
| D．an invention copying photosynthesis |
Pilling a cat can be a 'terrible” experience. Cats don’t want something pushed down their throats, and they’ll fight with all their strength to prevent it. In fact, it’s amazing how powerful their small bodies can be.
The easiest way of pilling a cat is to press the pill into powder. Then mix the powder with a small amount of wet food. If your cat usually eats dry food, she will probably view the wet food as a treat and eat it up.
If your cat won’t eat the wet food that contains the pill or if she is too ill to eat, you can get a “pill gun”. There are some basic instructions. Getting your cat’s mouth to open is going to be the most difficult part. First, be sure the pill is in a handy place. Then you can put your cat on a bookshelf with her bottom in a corner or you can put her on your lap firmly tied. Have your cat facing to the right if you’re right-handed. With your left hand, hold your cat at the cheekbones, putting your palm (手掌) at the top of her head. Keeping your finger off the trigger (扳机), with your right hand, insert the pill gun until the pill is positioned over the tongue and open throat. Be sure to give your cat a treat directly after giving the pill.
If you don’t feel comfortable using a pill gun, you can try giving the pill by hand. Push your cat’s head backwards just far enough so that her nose is pointing towards the ceiling. At this point, most cats will slightly open their mouths. With the little finger or ring finger of the hand holding the pill, open the bottom jaw a little more. You may need to hold her top jaw with your other hand while doing this. Aim straight and lightly throw the pill or drop it. Most cats will then swallow the pill.Pilling a cat can be a terrible experience because cats ______.
| A．are amazingly powerful and dangerous |
| B．may fight with all their strength against pills |
| C．refuse something pressed down their throats |
| D．are difficult to treat once they’ve got ill |
Which of the following statements is true according to the second paragraph?
| A．Wet food with medicine is usually a treat to cats. |
| B．Cats used to dry food must reject wet food. |
| C．The easiest pilling is to press the pill into powder. |
| D．Cats are most likely interested in something new. |
Using a “pill gun”, you had better hold your cat ______ if you’re left-handed.
| A．facing to the right | B．with your right hand | C．at the head | D．on your lap firmly |
A cat probably opens its mouth naturally when ______.
| A．its nose is straight upwards | B．it is touched by fingers |
| C．its head is turning around | D．it is served with its favorite pills |
Every day we are adding more and more vacation ideas, destinations, tours, and articles. As you explore our website，you will find there is an ever-growing collection of things that will help make your vacation easier and more affordable．
We change our featured destinations very frequently so be sure to keep coming back to see what new ideas we have for your family vacation．We feature a different state，park, and city destination on the front page of the website．These change frequently, so be sure to sign up for our newsletter so you can be sure to keep up with all the new information．
Another great feature we are offering is Guest Articles．These may come from a travel professional，author, parent or child about their travel ideas or offers．These informative articles are great to read and are perfect for discovering valuable tips and tricks for the travel less stressful．Plus，in many articles you will discover some hidden gems(珍品)that you probably miss if you did not know about them．
One of the best things about our website is our ability to get you discounted Tours and Attraction Passes to the places you want to go most．This is a fantastic way to plan ahead and have your tours and passes paid for and pick them up before you leave your home．Now that is a helpful way to go．These programs can save you over 50％of what you could expect to pay when you arrive．And，we are adding new tours and programs every week．Be sure to check it out．
You can be sure we are working hard for you so that you can relax on your vacation. Let us do all the leg work for you so you can simply enjoy your family vacation!Which of the following shows the organization of the text?(P=Paragraph)
What does the writer want to do by writing this text?
| A．To give people tips on family vacations． |
| B．To offer travelers featured destinations． |
| C．To attract readers to surf a tourist website． |
| D．To introduce hidden gems for traveling． |
What can we learn from Guest Articles?
| A．steps to sign up for the family vacation website． |
| B．Tips on keeping up with new travel information． |
| C．Tips and tricks for a comfortable trip. |
| D．Tricks for enjoying a free family vacation． |
Which isn’t the benefit that the website brings to us?
| A．We can get discounted Tours and Attraction Passes |
| B．We can get some information of new tours and programs |
| C．We can have our Passes in hand when starting off． |
| D．We can enjoy a family vacation with leg work． |
Read a lot, I mean a lot! You have to increase your ability for reading. Many students are in the habit of reading only when their exams are approaching while some others read only what they are taught or things that must be read because it is in their curriculum. But listen to me now, I am telling you from my own experience that it is a very bad habit and it is not enough to improve your intelligence.
You have to learn and get ready to become versatile in your reading. The fact that you are studying medicine in school does not mean that you should not know one or two things on politics.
Many people have complained to me that they find it hard to read stuffs like novels but I just shake my head in pity for them because it is obvious they have failed to realize the truth in that wise saying by Margaret Fuller that “today a READER, tomorrow a LEADER!”
When you read, you get to “see” so many places and it will be as if you have visited those places in real life. This is because reading will improve your imagination and creativity and understanding. You also get experience from learning about how people dealt with their various problems thereby saving you from going through the pains and difficulties they must have gone through!
Reading will also help you in improving your vocabulary because you will certainly start coming across so many new words which you will try as much as possible to get accustomed to with the help of the dictionary! The good thing about increasing your vocabulary is that it will also improve your thinking ability. After all, we think in words and the more words you know, the easier it will become for you to express yourself or your thoughts.
And when you read, make sure you read so wide because the more you read, the more you know and the more you know the more intelligent you can become.According to the author, what should students do in terms of reading?
| A．They needn’t read unless the exams come. |
| B．They should read books about intelligence. |
| C．They must read about politics when their major is medicine. |
| D．They should read as wide as possible. |
The underlined word “versatile” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _____.
| A．interested | B．many-sided | C．content | D．confident |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Increase your ability for reading |
| B．Read wide and improve your vocabulary |
| C．Reading improves your intelligence |
| D．Reading makes you a leader tomorrow |
What is the benefit of knowing more words?
| A．You will get used to referring to the dictionary when meeting with new words. |
| B．You will have less difficulty expressing your opinions. |
| C．Vocabulary will improve your creativity. |
| D．You can pass your exams with ease. |
They were going to Fort Lauderdale — three boys and three girls — and when they boarded the bus, they were carrying sandwiches and wine in paper bags, dreaming of golden beaches and sea tides as the gray, cold spring of New York went behind them.
As the bus passed through New Jersey, they began to notice Vingo. He sat in front of them, completely in silence.
Deep into the night, outside Washington, the bus pulled into Howard Johnson’s, and everybody got off except Vingo. The young people began to wonder about him. When they went back to the bus, one of the girls sat beside him and introduced herself.
“Want some wine?” she said. He smiled and took a swig from the bottle. He thanked her and became silent again. After a while, she went back to the others, and Vingo nodded in sleep.
In the morning, they awoke outside another Howard Johnson’s, and this time Vingo went in. The girl insisted that he join them. He ordered black coffee and some cookies as the young people talked about sleeping on beaches. When they returned to the bus, the girl sat with Vingo again, and after a while, slowly and painfully, he began to tell his story. He had been in prison in New York for the past four years, and now he was going home.
“Are you married?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” she said.
“Well, when I was in prison I wrote to my wife,” he said, “I told her that I was going to be away for a long time, and that if she couldn’t stand it, if the kids kept asking questions, and if it hurt her too much, well, she could just forget me. I’d understand. Get a new man, I said — she’s a wonderful woman. I told her she didn’t have to write me. And she didn’t. Not for three and a half years.”
“And you’re going home now, not knowing?”
“Yeah. Well, last week, when I was sure the parole (假释) was coming through, I wrote her again. We used to live in Brunswick, just before Jacksonville, and there’s a big oak (橡树) just as you come into town. I told her that if she didn’t have a new man and if she’d take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree, and I’d get off and come home. If she didn’t want me, forget it — no handkerchief and I’d go on through.”
“Wow,” the girl exclaimed, “Wow.”
She told the others, and soon all of them were in it, looking at the pictures Vingo showed them of his wife and three children.
Now they were 20 miles from Brunswick, and the young people took over window seats on the right side, waiting for the approach of the great oak. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face, as if protecting himself against still another disappointment.
Then Brunswick was ten miles, and then five. Then, suddenly, all of the young people were up out of their seats, shouting and crying.
Vingo sat there astonished, looking at the oak. It was covered with yellow handkerchiefs — 20 of them, 30 of them, maybe hundreds, flying in the wind. As the young people shouted, Vingo slowly rose from his seat and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.At the beginning of the story, the young boys and girls ______.
| A．showed a great interest in Vingo | B．didn’t notice Vingo at all |
| C．wanted to offer help to Vingo | D．didn’t like Vingo at all |
The underlined part “Howard Johnson’s” is most probably a(n) ______.
| A．bus station | B．apartment | C．hospital | D．restaurant |
How did Vingo feel on the way home?
| A．Ashamed. | B．Relaxed. | C．Nervous. | D．Disappointed. |
The paragraphs following this passage would most probably talk about ______.
| A．Vingo’s experience in prison |
| B．the young people’s travel to Fort Lauderdale |
| C．Vingo’s three lovely children |
| D．the dialogue between Vingo and his family |