The technology is great. Without it we wouldn’t have been able to put a man on the moon, explore the ocean’s depths or eat microwave sausages. Computers have revolutionized our lives and they have the power to educate and pass on knowledge. But sometimes this power can create more problems than it solves.
Every doctor has had to try their best to calm down patients who’ve come into their surgery waving an Internet print-out, convinced that they have some rare incurable disease, say, throat cancer. The truth is usually far more ordinary, though: they don’t have throat cancer, and it’s just that their throats are swollen. Being a graduate of the Internet “school” of medicine does not guarantee accurate self-health-checks.
One day Mrs. Almond came to my hospital after feeling faint at work. While I took her blood sample and tried to find out what was wrong, she said calmly, “I know what’s wrong；I’ve got throat cancer. I know there’s nothing you doctors can do about it and I’ve just got to wait until the day comes.”
As a matter of routine I ordered a chest X-ray. I looked at it and the blood results an hour later. Something wasn’t right. “Did your local doctor do an X-ray?” I asked. “Oh, I haven’t been to the doctor for years,” she replied. “I read about it on a website and the symptoms fitted, so I knew that’s what I had.”
However, some of her symptoms, like the severe cough and weight loss, didn’t fit with it—but she’d just ignored this.
I looked at the X-ray again, and more tests confirmed it wasn’t the cancer but tuberculosis (肺结核)—something that most certainly did need treating, and could be deadly. She was lucky we caught it when we did.
Mrs. Almond went pale when I explained she would have to be on treatment for the next six months to ensure that she was fully recovered. It was certainly a lesson for her. “I’m so embarrassed,” she said, shaking her head, as I explained that all the people she had come into close contact with would have to be found out and tested. She listed up to about 20, and then I went to my office to type up my notes. Unexpectedly, the computer was not working, so I had to wait until someone from the IT department came to fix it. Typical. Maybe I should have a microwave sausage while I waited?Mrs. Almond talked about her illness calmly because ______.
| A．she thought she knew it well |
| B．she had purchased medicine online |
| C．she graduated from a medical school |
| D．she had been treated by local doctors |
It was lucky for Mrs. Almond ______.
| A．to have contacted many friends |
| B．to have recovered in a short time |
| C．to have her assumption confirmed |
| D．to have her disease identified in time |
Mrs. Almond said “I’m so embarrassed” (Para. 7) because ______.
| A．she had distrusted her close friends |
| B．she had caused unnecessary trouble |
| C．she had to refuse the doctor’s advice |
| D．she had to tell the truth to the doctor |
By mentioning the breakdown of the computer, the author probably wants to prove ______.
| A．it’s a must to take a break at work |
| B．it’s vital to believe in IT professionals |
| C．it’s unwise to simply rely on technology |
| D．it’s a danger to work long hours on computers |
We walked in so quietly that the nurse at the desk didn't even lift her eyes from the book. Mum pointed at a big chair by the door and I knew she wanted me to sit down. While I watched mouth open in surprise, Mum took off her hat and coat and gave them to me to hold. She walked quietly to the small room by the lift and took out a wet mop. She pushed the mop past the desk and as the nurse looked up, Mum nodded and said, "Very dirty floors."
"Yes, I'm glad they've finally decided to clean them, "the nurse answered. She looked at Mum strangely and said, "But aren't you working late?"
Mum just pushed harder, each swipe(拖一下)of the mop taking her farther and farther down the hall. I watched until she was out of sight and the nurse had turned back to writing in the big book.
After a long time Mum came back. Her eyes were shining. She quickly put the mop back and took my hand. As we turned to go out of the door, Mum bowed politely to the nurse and said, "Thank you."
Outside, Mum told me, "Dagmar is fine. No fever. "
"You saw her, Mum?"
"Of course I told her about the hospital rules, and she will not expect us until tomorrow. Dad will stop worrying as well. It's a fine hospital. But such floors! A mop is no good. You need a brush."When she took a mop from the small room what Mum really wanted to do was .
| A．to clean the floor | B．to please the nurse |
| C．to see a patient | D．to surprise the story-teller |
When the nurse talked to Mum she thought Mum was a_____.
| A．nurse | B．visitor |
| C．patient | D．cleaner |
From the text we know that Dagmar is most likely
| A．the story-teller's sister | B．Mum's friend |
| C．the story-teller's classmate | D．Dad's boss |
Is your family interested in buying a dog? A dog can be a good friend to your family, but if you choose the wrong kind of dog, it can cause you a lot of trouble.
Families should sit down and discuss the problems before buying a dog．Even if the children in your family are the ones who want the dog，the parents are the ones who are really responsible(有责任的) for seeing that the animal is properly cared for．If you don’t know much about dogs，it’s a good idea to go to the library for books about different kinds of dogs，as well as books about how to train a young dog. Dogs of different kinds change in popularity as the years go by. One of the most popular dogs these days is the German shepherd(牧羊犬). This is because it provides protection. The family should be warned that these dogs grow up to be very big, and may he too powerful for children, If your house is not big, a toy dog may be a good choice(选择). These dogs are very small and easy to train. They don’t need to be walked daily.According to the passage, who should take care of the dog?
| A．Children. | B．Parents. |
| C．Family. | D．Friends. |
The writer suggests one can get information about the different kinds of dogs.
| A．by reading books about dogs |
| B．by buying a dog from a pet shop |
| C．by watching dogs in a zoo |
| D．by asking some friends |
The passage is mainly about.
| A．how to take care of dogs |
| B．different kinds of books about dogs |
| C．how to choose the right dogs for family pets |
| D．different kinds of dogs |
"Can I see my baby?" asked the happy new mother. When the baby was in her arms, she couldn't believe her eyes. The baby was born without ears.
Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect though he had no ears. He got on well with his classmates. But one day, he said to his mother, tears in his eyes, "A big boy called me a freak (畸形物)."
The boy's father asked the family doctor,"Could nothing be done?"
"I believe I could graft (移植) on a pair of outer ears if they could be gotten," the doctor said. They tried to find a person who would be helpful to the boy.
One day, his father said to the son, "You're going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have found someone who will donate the ears you need. But we must keep it a secret who the person is."
The operation was a great success, and a new person appeared. His cleverness and hard work made him a very successful person. He married and lived a happy life. He would ask his father, "Who gave me the ears? I could do enough for him or her."
"I can't tell you," said the father. "The agreement says that you are not allowed to know…not yet."
It was kept a secret for years, but the day did come. He stood with his father over his mother's body. Slowly, the father raised the thick, brown hair. To his surprise, the son found his mother had no outer ears. "Mother said she was glad she never had her hair cut," his father said in a low voice, "and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they?"The mother was surprised at the first sight of her baby because the baby ________.
| A．had no outer ears | B．was born without hair |
| C．was in her arms | D．could not hear her |
The sentence "…, and a new person appeared" means ________.
| A．a new baby was born in the hospital |
| B．a stranger came into the hospital |
| C．a new doctor took care of the baby |
| D．the boy came to live a new life |
Why did the boy's mother never have her hair cut?
| A．Because she liked her thick, brown hair. |
| B．Because her work didn't allow her to do that. |
| C．Because her hair was good for her health. |
| D．Because she wanted to keep the fact a secret. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The boy couldn't hear without ears at first. |
| B．The boy didn't know the truth until his mother died. |
| C．His parents often encouraged him to work hard. |
| D．His classmates were always making fun of him. |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Clever Boy | B．Kind Parents |
| C．Great Love | D．An Ear Operation |
Many animals recognize their food because they see it. So do humans. When you see an apple or a piece of chocolate you know that these are things you can eat. You can also use other senses when you choose your food. You may like it because it smells good or because it tastes good. You may dislike some types of food because they do not look, smell or taste very nice. Different animals use different senses to find and choose their food. A few animals depend on only one of their senses, while most animals use more than one sense.
Although there are many different types of food, some animals spend their lives eating only one type. The giant panda（大熊猫）eats only one particular type of bamboo（竹子）. Other animals eat only one type of food even when given the choice. A kind of white butterfly（蝴蝶）will stay on the leaves of a cabbage, even though there are plenty of other vegetables in the garden. However, most animals have a more varied diet（多样化饮食）. The bear eats fruits and fish. The fox eats small animals, birds and fruits. The diet of these animals will be different depending on the season.
Humans have a very varied diet. We often eat food because we like it and not because it is good for us. In countries such as France and Britain, people eat foods with too much sugar. This makes them overweight, which is bad for their health. Eating too much red meat and animal products, such as butter, can also be bad for the health. Choosing the right food, therefore, has become an area of study in modern life.We can infer from the text that humans and animals _________.
| A．depend on one sense in choosing food |
| B．are not satisfied with their food |
| C．choose food in similar ways |
| D．eat entirely different food |
Which of the following eats only one type of food?
| A．The white butterfly. | B．The small bird. |
| C．The bear. | D．The fox. |
Certain animals change their choice of food when ___________.
| A．the season changes |
| B．the food color changes |
| C．they move to different places |
| D．they are attracted by different smells |
We can learn from the last paragraph that __________.
| A．food is chosen for a good reason |
| B．French and British food is good |
| C．some people have few choices of food |
| D．some people care little about healthy diet |
One of the latest trend（趋势） in American Childcare is Chinese au pairs. Au Pair in Stamford, for example, has got increasing numbers of request for Chinese au pairs from aero to around 4,000 since 2004. And that’s true all across the country.
“I thought it would be useful for him to learn Chinese at an early age” Joseph Stocke, the managing director of s company, says of his 2-year old son. “I would at least like to give him the chance to use the language in the future,” After only six months of being cared by 25-year-old woman from China, the boy can already understand basic Chinese daily expressions, his dad says.
Li Drake, a Chinese native raising two children in Minnesota with an American husband, had another reason for looking for an au pair from China. She didn’t want her children to miss out on their roots.” Because I am Chinese, my husband and I wanted the children to keep exposed to(接触) the language and culture.” she says.
“Staying with a native speaker is better for children than simply sitting in a classroom,” says Suzanne Flynn, a professor in language education of Children.” But parents must understand that just one year with au pair is unlikely to produce wonders. Complete mastery demands continued learning until the age of 10 or 12.”
The popularity if au pairs from China has been strengthened by the increasing numbers of American parents who want their children who want their children to learn Chinese. It is expected that American demand for au pairs will continue to rise in the next few years.What does that term” au pair” in the text mean?
| A．A mother raising her children on her own |
| B．A child learning a foreign language at home |
| C．A professor in language education of children |
| D．A young foreign woman taking care of children. |
Li Drake has her children study Chinese because she wants them ______.
| A．to live in China some day |
| B．to speak the language at home |
| C．to catch up wit other children |
| D．to learn about the Chinese culture |
What can we infer from the text?
| A．Learning Chinese is becoming popular In America, |
| B．Educated woman do better in looking after children |
| C．Chinese au pairs need to improve their English Skills. |
| D．Children can learn a foreign language well in six months. |