As China becomes increasingly urbanized (城市化), it has to find space for its urban and rural citizens as both groups become increasingly integrated. Experts suggest a possible model way may be “re-inventing” a “garden city”.
China’s mega-cities are bursting at the borders and the country is now undergoing the quickest and biggest urbanization in the history of mankind. It is estimated that by 2025, China will have 400 million more people living in its cities, raising its urban population to 900 million. Besides, new satellite towns are mushrooming on the urban fringes while city ring roads are rippling outwards into the countryside at amazing speed. Satellite maps collected by Professor Joshua Bolchover at the University of Hong Kong bring the problem sharply into focus. They track the changing rural-urban framework in the past 30 years, and suggest that cities are cruelly destroying surrounding rural land and rapidly reducing the amount of arable (可耕种的) land, which gives way to new residential blocks, new industrial zones, new financial centers and the other inevitable signs and signatures of economic growth.
This, however, is not sustainable growth pattern, especially when China has the world’s largest population to feed. So concerned urban planners are starting to note the social and physical effects of diaspora (大移居) when replaced rural communities are forced into the cities.
On the other hand, a trend of thought is gradually taking shape and this is the concept of the “garden city”, a combination of country and city that is being proposed by architects and city planners. Hua Li, from Tao Architects, is among the many professionals with such a voice. His argument is supported by a long-term study on this subject. As Hua says, the answer is to preserve patches of productive farmland within urban boundaries. Less transportation means we have fresh agricultural products at lower costs and less carbon emission in the city. And urban farmland can also be showcased for agricultural tourism and education.
The concept is already practiced at the grassroot level. Agriculture has gone into the air, up to roof and balcony in some communities in the cities. It’s common to see organic “hanging garden” on the roof of some traditional courtyard home. According to some people, the rooftop project translate to tangible (=" practical)" benefits, such as safe, nutritious vegetables, a cooler home in summer. Some say thanks to the tomatoes they plant that are natural insect killers, there’re fewer mosquitoes. Apart from these, it also contributes to better bonding with neighbors. Zhang, a doctor in Beijing, began creating his hanging garden five years ago. Since his garden became home to 30 kinds of vegetables and fruit --- all enough to feed his family, neighbors have enjoyed dropping by for a relaxing chat or just to see how well the lovely vegetables and fruit are doing.
Although people like Zhang are still rare and the greening of roof space with vegetables and fruit takes skill and energy, with more positive media exposure and advanced technology there is the prospect that garden city will become common practice in the near future. By then, cities will no longer look so gray when seen from the satellites. Some experts suggest re-inventing a “garden city” because ______.
A.it is the only model way to save the cities |
B.it helps stop destroying the rural areas |
C.increasing urbanization takes place in China |
D.China has the largest population to feed |
What is the purpose of paragraph 2?
A.To show the experts’ concern about the increase of population. |
B.To persuade people into supporting economic growth in cities. |
C.To explain the reasons for the change of rural-urban framework. |
D.To inform the readers of the consequences of quick urbanization. |
In Hua Li’s opinion, a combination of country and city will ______.
A.benefit the environment and lower living costs |
B.become a project that needs a long-term study |
C.lead to more rural communities being replaced |
D.attract more farmers to take tours in cities |
Zhang is mentioned (Paragraph 5) to show that ______.
A.he achieves his dream to own a hanging garden |
B.hanging gardens are becoming more popular |
C.the garden contributes to a better neighborhood |
D.he is a pioneer to practise the gardening concept |
As for the concept of the “garden city”, the writer feels ______.
A.desperate | B.hopeful | C.disappointed | D.concerned |
Will online courses transform world of education?
Some may wonder what it feels like to attend a class at Stanford University. The recently popular MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) can satisfy this desire. But they are also most likely to change the situation of higher education. Only last month,both Peking University and Tsinghua University announced plans to start open online course on the edX platform,one of the world’s major providers of MOOCs,to explore this new form of online education.
Gaining momentum(势头)
“It’s not only a change of platforms from offline to online. It’s more about a reform of
teaching methods,even the whole education system,”said Chen Jining,president of Tsinghua University.
The potential of MOOCs to reform education has been obvious in the US ever since the immediate popularity of the course Artificial Intelligence,taught by Stanford University professor Sebastian Thrun, who later co-founded Udacity, a platform with 1.6 million enrolled(注册) students in 200 countries. According to Nature magazine,by June 2013,74 percent of universities in the US offered some type of online course. Lu Fang, vice-president of Fudan University,explains the appeal of MOOCs as a simple case of supply and demand:“The demand for high quality educational resources from both enrolled students and professionals is feeding the rise of MOOCs,in which classes usually taught by top teachers are available to everyone,”said Lu.
Too early to replace
With easy access and free of charge, MOOCs are said to have the potential to change the present education system. But there are barriers,because hardly any universities offer degree certificates, as college administrators point out, it’s difficult to confirm if students are foaming anything in MOOCs,reposed USA Today.
The Wall Street Journal also reposed that,presently,a typical MOOC student is likely to have
already graduated from college and is using the course to explore an interest or acquire professional
skills. Even so, an increasing number of undergraduates are signing up.
“What we are really establishing(创建)are educational pathways for people who want skills that are related to contemporary jobs,”Thrun told The Wall Street Journal.MOOCs have been considered likely to reform education since___________.
A.the founding of Udacity |
B.the wide application of online education |
C.the popularity of the course Artificial Intelligence |
D.the opening of MOOCs on the edX platform in China |
According to Lu Fang, MOOCs have become popular because___________.
A.high quality educational resources are in demand |
B.students can attend courses in famous universities |
C.college students have access to famous teachers |
D.MOOCs have brought about revolution in education |
What can we learn from the passage?
A.Most of the MOOCs focus on professional training for college graduates. |
B.There are barriers for MOOCs to replace the present education system. |
C.International companies prefer applicants who graduate from MOOCs. |
D.More and more undergraduates have realized the limits of MOOCs. |
The author’s attitude towards MOOCs is___________.
A.doubtful | B.negative | C.critical | D.optimistic |
Tasha Tudor(August 28,1919 — June 18,2008) was an American illustrator(插画家)and writer of children’s books. She received many awards and honors for her contributions to children’s literature. When people talk about her creativity in artwork,she said,“I do it to support my dogs and my four children.”Her great publishing record, the number of magazine stories that have been written about her over the years, and her admirers have no effects on her at all.
Much of Tasha’s artwork and her reading are done in the wintertime.“I love winter. It’s delightful,”she says.“I don’t have to go anywhere because I work at home. If I’m snowed in,I can stay this way for months.”She hopes for early, deep snow to protect her garden from the hardship of the New England winter,and when it comes she puts on snowshoes when she needs to get down the mile-long dirt path that leads to the road.
Given her enjoyment of winter and her fantasy(梦幻)way of life,it’s not surprising that Tasha’s Christmas is a storybook holiday. She hangs flowers over the front door. Her tree comes from the woods,
and it goes up on Christmas Eve,lit by homemade candles and decorated with her great- grandmother’s collection that dates from 1850. In a place of honor on the tree are large cookies cut into the shapes of her animals.
The grandchildren and friends get presents from Tasha’s old dolls;so do the animals and they
have their own Christmas tree. “Of course,it’s a known fact that all the animals talk on Christmas
Eve,”she has written. Small, handmade gifts fill a big wooden box
At the end 0f each year, Tasha can look back and know that her life is perfect,that she has
again ignored the twentieth century,and that the magic continues. And for the rest of us,here’s
a bit of advice, Tasha style:“Nowadays, people are so restless.If they took some tea anti spent more time rocking on the porch(门廊)in the evening listening to light music,they might enjoy life more.”Tasha loved winter because it allowed her to ____________.
A.read stories to her grandchildren |
B.show her DIY snowshoes to kids |
C.stay indoors working mid reading |
D.enjoy bicycle tiding along the path |
From the passage, we can learn that Tasha’s life is ____________.
A.modern and fashionable | B.simple and fantastic |
C.lonely and hard | D.adventurous and inspiring |
Which of the following is TRUE about Tasha?
A.She cared little about fame. |
B.She created an animal fund. |
C.She wrote many stories for magazines. |
D.She bought presents for her relatives. |
In which section of a paper can you probably read the article?
A.Travel. | B.Sports. | C.Economy. | D.People. |
Driving a car is not just handling controls and judging speed and distance. It requires you to predict what other road users will do and get ready to react to something unexpected. When alcohol is consumed, it enters your bloodstream and acts as a depressant (抑制药), damaging eyesight, judgment and co-ordination(协调), slowing down reaction time and greatly increasing the risk of accidents. Even below the drink driving link, driving will be affected.
Alcohol may take a few minutes to be absorbed into the bloodstream and start action on the brain. Absorption rate is increased when drinking on an empty stomach or when consuming drinks mixed with fruit juice. To get rid of alcohol from the body is a very slow process and it is not possible to speed it up with any measures like taking a shower or having a cup of tea or coffee.
The present Road Traffic Ordinance states clearly that the limit of alcohol concentration is: ● 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of blood; or
● 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath; or
● 67 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of urine (尿液).
Drivers who cause traffic accidents, or who commit a moving traffic offence or are being suspected of drink driving will be tested.
Any drive found drinking beyond the limit will be charged. The driver declared guilty may be fined a maximum of HK $25,000 and be sentenced to up to 3 years in prison and punished for 10 driving-offence points; or temporarily banned from driving.
The same punishment applies to failing to provide specimens (样本) far breath, blood or urine tests without good excuse.
Drink driving is a criminal offence. Be a responsible driver, think before you drink. For the safety of yourself and other road users, never drive after consuming alcohol.The first paragraph is mainly about ________.
A.the introduction of driving skills |
B.the damage of drinking to your body |
C.the effect of drinking on driving |
D.the process of alcohol being absorbed |
The underlined word “it” in the second paragraph refers to “________”.
A.alcohol | B.absorption | C.blood | D.process |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Drinking below the drink driving limit has no effect on driving. |
B.Alcohol is taken in more quickly when drunk with fruit juice. |
C.Having a cup of tea helps to get rid of alcohol from the body. |
D.50 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of breath is below the drink limit. |
A drive suspected of drink driving ________.
A.should provide specimens for testing |
B.will be forbidden to drive for 3years |
C.will be punished for 10 driving-offence points |
D.should pay a maximum fine of HK $25,000 |
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Mail coupon today! Or call the number below 1-800-372-1589. Call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. www. Harcourt-learning. com E-mail:Harcourt@learning. com.This advertisement aims at calling on people to ________.
A.attend full-time universities |
B.work part time to further their education |
C.improve their education at home to get better jobs |
D.earn their degrees in different ways that suit them |
Which of the following is NOT clearly mentioned in this advertisement?
A.The way how you will get your degree. |
B.Tuition price. |
C.The hot fields you will be preparing yourself for. |
D.The length of time it will take you to get a degree. |
What does the writer of this ad intend to say by naming General Electric, IBM, Ford, etc.?
A.To show that their training is widely used in the country. |
B.To show that the training program is fully supported by famous companies in the U. S. |
C.To prove the value of their training in every area. |
D.To show the importance of getting recognized by the most famous companies. |
How many ways are mentioned in the ad for people to get in touch with the Harcourt Learning Direct?
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |
Forget Twitter and Facebook, Google and the Kindle. Television is still the most influential medium around. Indeed, for many of the poorest regions(地区)of the world, it remains the next big thing—finally becomes globally available. And that is a good thing, because the TV revolution is changing lives for the better.
Across the developing world, around 45% of families had a TV in 1995; by 2005 the number had climbed above 60% . That is some way behind the U.S. ,where there are more TVs than people, and where people now easily get access to the Internet. Five million more families in sub-Saharan Africa will get a TV over the next five years. In 2005 , after the fall of the Taliban(塔利班),which had banned TV, I in 5 Afghans had one. The global total is another 150 million by 2013—pushing the numbers to well beyond two thirds of families.
Television’s most powerful effect will be on the lives of women. In India, researchers Robert Jensen and Emily Oster found that when TVs reached villages, women were more likely to go to the market without their husbands approval and less likely to want a boy rather than a girl. They were more likely to make decisions over child health care. TV is also a powerful medium for adult education. In the Indian state of Gujarat, Chitrageet is a popular show that plays Bollywood songs with words in Gujarati on the screen. Within six months, viewers had made a small but significant improvement in their reading skills.
Too much TV has been associated with violence, overweight and loneliness. However, TV is having a positive influence on the lives of billions worldwide. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Americans used to get access to the Internet easily. |
B.The world’s TV sets will total 150 million by 2013. |
C.45% of families in the developing countries had a TV in 2005. |
D.Over two thirds of families in the world will have a TV by 2013. |
The author intends to ____________.
A.stress the advantages of TV to people’s lives |
B.persuade women to become more independent |
C.encourage people to improve their reading skills |
D.introduce the readers some websites such as Google |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.TV Will Rule the World | B.TV Will Disturb the World |
C.TV Will Better the World | D.TV Will Remain in World |