The way we get about has a deep influence on the way we live－affecting where we set up home, work and holiday. So what changes might come in the way we get around? What big ideas are out there, and do they have any chance of coming true?
Personal Air Travel
The idea: flying cars
Developments in light small plane technology will make it possible for everyone to own what are, in fact, flying cars. They will have closed cabins, heating, stereos and room for two people.
You will take off from a field near your home and fly to towns and cities. After landing, you will take off the fixed wing and continue your journey by road just as if you were traveling by car.
Fuel efficient engines and the advantage of being able to travel in the sky will keep costs and the environmental influence down.
Flying for Fun
The idea: Jet Packs
The idea was a hit when a stuntman (特技演员) flew around on one during the opening ceremony of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, which was very successful.
You’ll be able to use the equipment－roughly the size of two scuba tanks fastened to your back－for short journeys.
They will be handy for cleaning hard-to-reach windows, arriving in style at a party and shopping.
Taxis
The idea: driverless taxis
These computer-controlled taxis will take you wherever you want along a fixed route, whenever you want to go.
For the price of one person’s bus fare, several people can ride at speeds of up to 25 mph, and there will be fences to guard against accidents.
There will be little, if any, wait for the use of the taxis, which will leave from stations and will be used by prepaid cards.
The taxis, which will travel on a 1.5 m-wide track, will use 75% less energy per passenger than a car and 50% less than a bus.The passage is mainly about ________.
| A．future travel | B．big ideas and dreams |
| C．advanced technology | D．the influence of travel |
We learn from the passage that flying cars ________.
| A．will operate only in the sky |
| B．will be more expensive than common cars |
| C．will have few bad effects on the environment |
| D．won’t be equipped with things similar to what cars have |
With Jet Packs, we can do all the following EXCEPT ________.
| A．attend a party | B．clean high windows |
| C．go shopping | D．have a long journey |
As for driverless taxis, we can infer that ________.
| A．we can go wherever we want in them |
| B．they will be both convenient and safe |
| C．it costs more to take them than to take ordinary cars |
| D．they will be operated by computers as well as by people |
E
Life is filled with challenges. As we get older we come to realize that those challenges are the very things that shape us and make us who we are，it is the same with the challenges that come withfriendship．When we are faced with a challenge，we usually have two choices. We can try to beat it off, or we can decide that the thing presenting the challenge isn’t worth the trouble and call it quits．Although there are certainly times when calling it quits is the right thing to do，in most cases all that is needed is commitment(承诺)and communication．
When we are committed to something， it means that no matter how painful or howuncomfortable something is，we will always choose to face it through instead of running away from it．Communication is making a space for discussion and talking about how you feel as opposed to just saying what the other person did wrong. If you can say to a friend，“I got my feelings hurt．” rather than“You hurt my feelings．”you are going to be able to solve the problem much faster．
In dealing with many challenges that friendship will bring to you, try to see them for what they are：small hurdles you need to jump or get through on your way through life．Nothing is so big that it is impossible to get over, and hurt only serves to make us stronger．It is all part of growing up，it happens to everyone，and some day you will look back on all of this and say,“Hard as it was，it made me who I am today．And that is a good thing．”What is the underlined word“committed”can be replaced by ____________.
| A．devoted | B．satisfied |
| C．smpdsed | D．interested |
It can be inferred from the text that _____________．
| A．friendship needs challenges |
| B．challenges shape our character |
| C．small hurdles aren’t worth the trouble |
| D．commitment promotes friendship |
The writer suggests that _____________ when faced with a challenge．
| A．one should call it quits |
| B．one should temporarily run away from it |
| C．one should be committed and communicable |
| D．one should lay it a side for a while |
According to the passage，if your friend hurts your feelings，you are well advised to _______________．
| A．forget it |
| B．talk to him／her about it directly |
| C．communicate properly with him／her |
| D．run away from it |
The whole passage is centered on the relationship between _____________．
| A．friendship and challenges |
| B．commitment and communication |
| C．communication and friendship |
| D．challenges and the ways to get through |
D
It is widely acknowledged that it is by no means an easy task to bring up a child well. And our ancestors already understood it well．“It takes an entire village to raise a child．”That’s an old proverb that is being quoted more and more often these days．And I’m pleased about that．
Today，more and more schools are reaching out to involve parents, community members and businesses to help shape a child’s future.
Parents need to be involved in their children’s education in many ways．Helping children with homework and studying，going on a field trip，teaching a craft(手工艺)or coaching a child's sports team are all great ways to be involved with your child's education．And don’t forget to communicate with teachers — they need and respect your input．Studies show that children learn more and schools function better when parents and schools work together．It’s important to stay in touch with your child's education all through his or her school career．
Communities can help children create and achieve new goals．Help with homework, read to a child，coach a children's team，or provide emotional support．Help solve problems and build self-esteem(自尊).Kids need role models and advisers can be role models by sharing their experiences and wisdom．
Businesses can also help shape our children’s future．invite a class from your local school to visit your workplace．You may be providing a glimpse that opens a new world of possibilities．Show students what goes on during a typical day．Give a mini course for students：how to use a computer；how products are made；how machinery works. You may have a developing electrician，teacher，nurse，or even a newspaper reporter on your hands.
It really does take an entire village to raise a child．So share the responsibility— and the joy— of bringing a child to his or her full potential．The implied advice in the proverb“It takes an entire village to raise a child．” is that ____________．
| A．All the people in a village should give food to a child |
| B．More than one party is responsible for a child’s future |
| C．Children should be brought up in the village where they were born |
| D．Schools should be set up in the village where a child was raised |
According to the text，_____________ should talk with teachers to keep in touch with children’s growth?
| A．community members | B．businesses |
| C．organizations | D．parents |
The text was written mainly for ______________．
| A．newspaper reporters and developing electricians |
| B．school teachers and students |
| C．parents and membetrs in organizations |
| D．education experts and government officials |
Students can get developed in practical working s kill through ___________.
| A．business training | B．communlty activities |
| C．parental involvement | D．school teaching |
Which of the following can be the main idea of idea text?
| A．Parents play an important part in children’s education． |
| B．Communities have no effect on the way to new and high ideals． |
| C．Parents and other organizations should all be responsible for children’s growth |
| D．Businesses may arrange softie training courses for students． |
D
People are being tricked into Facebook with the promise of a fun, free service without realizing they’re paying for it by giving up loads of personal information.
Most Facebook users don’t realize this is happening. Even if they know what the company is up to, they still have no idea what they’re paying for Facebook because people don’t really know what their personal data is worth.
The biggest problem, however, is that the company keeps changing the rules early on you keep everything private. That was the great thing about Facebook. You could create your own little private network. Last year. The company changed its privacy rules so that many things; your city, your photo, your friends’ names were set, by default (默认)to be shared with everyone on the Internet.
According to Facebook’s vice-president Elliot Schrage, the company is simply making changes to improve its service, and if people don’t share information. They have a “less satisfying experience.
Some critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money. In original business model, which involved selling ads and putting them. At the side of the pages totally, who wants to took at ads when they’re online connecting with their friends?
The privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington. In April. Senator Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy. He also urged the Federal Trade Commission to set guidelines for social networking sites. “I think the senator rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them,” Schrage admits.
I suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy, it’s only the beginning，which is why I’m considering cancelling my account. Facebook is a handy site, but I’m upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don’t know. That’s too high a price to pay.What do we learn about Facebook from the first paragraph?
| A．It is a website that sends messages to users who want to get married. |
| B．It earns money by putting on advertisements. |
| C．It makes money by selling its users’ personal data. |
| D．It provides loads of information to its users. |
What does the author say about most Facebook users?
| A．They are unwilling to give up their personal information. |
| B．They don’t know their personal data enriches Facebook. |
| C．They don’t identify themselves when using the website. |
| D．They care very little about their personal information. |
Why does Facebook make changes to its rules according to Elliot Schrage?
| A．To provide better service to its users. |
| B．To obey the Federal guidelines. |
| C．To improve its users’ connection |
| D．To expand its business. |
Why does the author plan to cancel his Facebook account?
| A．He is dissatisfied with its present service. |
| B．He finds many of its users untrustworthy. |
| C．He doesn’t want his personal data badly used. |
| D．He is upset by its frequent rule changes. |
C
The drug store was closing for the night. Young Alfred Higgins, the shop-assistant, was ready to go home. Mr. Carr, the boss, stared at him and said “Hold on, Alfred. Maybe you'd be good enough to take the things out of your pockets and leave them here before you go.” Alfred's face got red. After a little hesitation, he took out what he had stolen. Mr. Carr said, “Maybe I should call your mother and let her know I'm going to have to put you in prison.”
Alfred thought his mother would come rushing in, eyes burning with anger. But, to his surprise, she arrived wearing a smile. “Hello, I'm Alfred's mother. Is he in trouble?” she said. Mr. Carr was surprised, too. He had expected Alfred's mother to come in nervously, shaking with fear, asking with wet eyes for a mercy for her son. But no, she was most calm, quiet and pleasant and was making Mr. Carr feel guilty…. Soon Mr. Carr was shaking his head in agreement with what she was saying. “Of course”, he said, “I don't want to be cruel. You are right. Sometimes, a little good advice is the best thing for a boy at certain times in his life and it often takes the youths long time to get sense into their heads.” And he warmly shook Mrs. Higgins's hand.
Back home, without even looking at Alfred, she said, “You are a bad luck. It is one thing after another, always has been. Why do you stand there so stupidly? Go to bed.” In his bedroom, Alfred heard his mother in the kitchen. There was no shame in him, just pride in his mother's strength. He felt he must tell her how great she was. As he got to the kitchen, he saw his mother drinking a cup of tea. He was shocked by what he saw. His mother's face was a frightened, broken one. It was not the same cool, bright face he saw earlier in the drug store. As she lifted the tea cup, her hand shook. And some of the tea splashed on the table. Her lips moved nervously. She looked very old. He watched his mother without making a sound. The picture of his mother made him want to cry. He felt his youth coming to an end. He saw all the troubles he brought his mother in her shaking hand and the deep lines of worry in her grey face. It seemed to him for the first time he had ever really seen his mother.Which of the following is probably said by Mrs. Higgins while talking to Mr. Carr?
| A．“Please, for God's sake, you know, he is just a kid.” |
| B．“I can't believe it! You are treating my son like that!” |
| C．“You know, it takes time for a youth to truly grow up.” |
| D．“Punishment makes sense because it teaches about the law.” |
What does the underlined phrase "his mother's strength"(Para. 3) refer to?
| A．Mrs. Higgins's calmness and communicating skills. |
| B．Mrs. Higgins's attitude towards parental sufferings. |
| C．Mrs. Higgins's love and care for her son Alfred. |
| D．Mrs. Higgins's greatness as a woman. |
After the incident, young Alfred would probably ________.
| A．feel ashamed of her mother | B．change his attitudes towards life |
| C．learn to live an independent life | D．hate Mr. Carr for hurting her mother |
B
What you have just read is a _______.
| A．note | B．report |
| C．schedule | D．poster |
What is going to take place on 2 February, 2013?
| A．A party for close friends to meet and have fun. |
| B．A party to celebrate a traditional festival. |
| C．A big event to welcome a Chinese new year. |
| D．A social gathering to raise money for wildlife. |
How much do you have to pay in total if four of you go together?
| A．$ 20. | B．$ 40 | C．$ 60. | D．$ 80. |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Tickets are sold in Kwun Tong High School. |
| B．It's unnecessary to take soft drinks with you. |
| C．Free digital cameras are provided for everybody. |
| D．Festival food will be served without extra charge. |