As an experienced photojournalist in Nashville, Tennessee, I was hired by USA Today newspaper to photograph a spinal bifida (脊柱畸形) corrective surgical procedure. It was to be performed on a twenty-one week old fetus（胎儿）in uterus（子宫）at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. At that time, in 1999, twenty-one weeks in uterus was the earliest that the surgical team would consider for surgery. The worst possible outcome would be that the surgery would cause premature delivery, and no child born earlier than twenty-three weeks had survived.
The tension could be felt in the operating room as the surgery began. A typical C-section cut was made to access the uterus, which was then lifted out and laid at the junction of the mother’s thighs（大腿）. The entire procedure would take place within the uterus, and no part of the child was to breach the surgical opening. During the procedure, the position of the fetus was adjusted by gently moving the outside of the uterus. The entire surgical procedure on the child was completed in one hour and thirteen minutes. When it was over, the surgical team breathed a sigh of relief, as did I.
As a doctor asked me what speed of film I was using, out of the corner of my eye I saw the uterus shake, but no one’s hands were near it. It was shaking from within. Suddenly, an entire arm thrust out of the opening, then pulled back until just a little hand was showing. The doctor reached over and lifted the hand, which reacted and squeezed the doctor’s finger. As if testing for strength, the doctor shook the tiny fist. Samuel held firm. I took the picture! Wow! It happened so fast that the nurse standing next to me asked, “What happened?” “The child reached out,” I said. “Oh. They do that all the time,” she responded.
The surgical opening to the uterus was closed and the uterus was then put back into the mother and the C-section opening was closed.
It was ten days before I knew if the picture was even in focus(对焦). To ensure no digital manipulation(篡改) of images before they see them, USA Today requires that film be submitted unprocessed. When the photo editor finally phoned me he said, “It’s the most incredible picture I’ve ever seen.”What may be the best title for the passage?
| A．An Amazing Moment | B．A Pitiful Fetus |
| C．An Honorable Job as a Photographer | D．An Impressive Surgeon |
In 1999, people believed that it was ________.
| A．possible for a fetus 21 weeks born to survive |
| B．likely for a fetus born 21 weeks to become abnormal |
| C．right time for a fetus born 21 weeks to receive an operation |
| D．risky for a fetus 21 weeks in uterus to receive an operation |
From the second paragraph, we can see that the surgery was ________.
| A．challenging but successful | B．demanding and unsuccessful |
| C．simple and short | D．long-lasting and difficult |
The underlined “It” in paragraph 3 refers to ________.
| A．the uterus | B．the arm of the fetus |
| C．the picture | D．the head of the fetus |
From what the editor said in the last paragraph, we know he was very ________.
| A．disappointed | B．satisfied | C．confident | D．depressed |
Students who date(约会) in middle school have significantly worse study skills. They are four times more likely to drop out of school and report twice as much alcohol and tobacco use as their single classmates, according to new research from the University of Georgia.
“Romantic relationships are a trademark of adolescence, but very few studies have examined how adolescents differ in the development of these relationships,” said Pamela Orpinas, study author and professor in the College of Public Health and head of the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior.
Orpinas followed a group of 624 students over a seven-year period from 6th to 12th grade.
Each year, the group of students completed a survey indicating whether they had dated and reported the frequency of different behaviors, including the use of drugs and alcohol. Their teachers completed questionnaires about the students’ academic(学术的) efforts. He found that some students never or hardly ever reported dating from middle to high school, and these students always had the best study skills according to their teachers. Other students dated infrequently in middle school but increased the frequency of dating in high school.
“At all points in time, teachers considered the students who reported the lowest frequency of dating as having the best study skills and the students with the highest dating as having the worst study skills,” according to the journal article. Study skills refer to behaviors that lead to academic success such as doing work for extra credit (学分), being well organized, finishing homework, working hard and reading assigned chapters.
“Dating a classmate may be as complicated as dating a co-worker,” Orpinas said, “when the couple break up, they have to continue to see each other in class and perhaps see the ex-partner dating someone else. It is reasonable to think this could be linked to depression and could divert (转移) attention from studying.”
“Dating should not be considered a ceremony of growth in middle school,” Orpinas concluded.According to the passage, students who date in middle school may_____
| A．have poorer academic performances |
| B．be more likely to hurt others |
| C．enjoy better school lives |
| D．be less likely to use alcohol and tobacco |
When doing his study, Orpinas ________________.
| A．followed a group of students of 6th and 12th grade |
| B．completed a survey and a report each year |
| C．found that the students’ study skills have connection with their frequency of dating |
| D．completed questionnaires about the students’ academic efforts |
What can possibly happen to the school couples after they break up?
| A．They don’t want to see each other any longer. |
| B．They will think it’s reasonable to get depressed. |
| C．They will miss their ex-partners sometimes. |
| D．Their attention to studying will be affected. |
Orpinas’ attitude towards dating in middle school is_____
| A．supportive | B．negative |
| C．positive | D．Unconcerned |
The weather predictions for Asia in 2050 read like a story from a doomsday movie．
Many experts and green groups fear they will come true unless there is a united global effort to hold back greenhouse gas outpouring．In the decades to come, Asia—home to more than half the world's 63 billion people—will change from one climate extreme to another, with tired farmers battling droughts, floods, disease, food shortages and rising sea levels．
"It's not a pretty picture," said Steve Sawyer, climate policy adviser with Greenpeace in Amsterdam．Global warming and changes of weather patterns are already occurring and there is more than enough carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to drive climate change for decades to come．
Already, changes are being felt in Asia but worse is likely to come．Sawyer and top climate bodies say, and could lead to mass migration and widespread human disasters．According to predictions, icebergs will melt faster, some Pacific and Indian Ocean islands will have to evacuate or build sea defenses, storms will become stronger and insects and water-borne diseases will move into new areas as the world warms．
All this comes on top of rising populations and demand for food, water and other resources．Experts say environmental worsening such as deforestation and pollution will likely enlarge the results of climate change．
In what could be a sign of the future, Japan was hit by a record of 10 typhoons and tropical storms this year, while two - thirds of Bangladesh, parts of Nepal and large areas of northeastern India were flooded, affecting 50 million people, destroying livelihoods and making tens of thousands ill．
The year before, a winter cold strike and a summer heat wave killed more than 2,000 people in India．This passage is mainly about ____ ．
| A．present situation and predictions of environmental problems in Asia. |
| B．the weather predictions for Asia in the future and the reasons |
| C．how to improve our environment |
| D．reasons why the world will no longer be suitable for us to live in |
In the future the Asian farmers will have to face the following except ____ ．
| A．food shortages | B．wars |
| C．droughts | D．floods |
The underlined word "doomsday" in the first paragraph may mean____ ．
| A．the hell | B．the end of the world |
| C．a great world war | D．mystery |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Asian climate will change greatly． |
| B．Some islands may be flooded in the future． |
| C．People may meet with some new diseases resulting from water． |
| D．More than 50 million people have been ill in Asia the year before． |
Welcome here! The Southern Spring Home & Garden Show will be held at The Park Expo and Conference Center. This show will last from Wednesday (March 2) to Sunday (March 6,2012).
Admission : Adults $10.00. Teenagers under 15 free with a paying adult.
Join Lincolnton’s own Tammie Davis as she performs her original country songs at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 5th.
Special Days: The Spring for Kids First Night Gala benefiting the Council for Children’s Rights will take place from 7 p.m. to 10p.m. on Wednesday, March 2,2012. Tickets are $50 and include an access to Freedom Hall, where you can enjoy delicious food, beverage(饮料)and entertainment free of charge.
Seniors Day(55+):Wednesday is for them. Cost is $7.00 but without coupons(减价优惠).
Hours :Wednesday, Thursday &Sunday :10 a.m.---5p.m.;Friday &Saturday :10 a.m.----9 a.m.
Wheelchairs are available on a first come first served basis for you. The cost is $1.00 and you are required to leave a valid driver’s license or ID.
Parking :All Day Parking: $6.00;Half Day Parking:$3.00; Every Hour Parking:$1.00
For more Information: Come to visit Mardee Woodward in person.
E-mail: mwoodward@southernshows.com
Telephone:704-376-4085 We can learn from the text that the show will ___________.
| A．last only five days |
| B．offer a free parking |
| C．have the only one singer |
| D．take place in a private house |
How much is the admission for a family of two grown-ups and a child aged 16?
| A．$ 10 | B．$ 30 | C．$ 20 | D．$40 |
We can infer from the text that______________.
| A．old people can visit the show only on Wednesday |
| B．the disabled can use the wheelchairs free of charge |
| C．there are not enough wheelchairs for the disabled |
| D．kids’ tickets on Wednesday don’t include beverage |
Norm Pethrick, a 36-year-old man in Australia’s northern city Darwin, was praised on Thursday for jumping onto a crocodile’s back to save his wife Wendy at Litchfield National Park, a popular tourist spot southwest of Darwin, a local newspaper reported.
Ms. Pethrick was standing on a river bank Wednesday afternoon when the saltwater crocodile lunged (扑), locking its jaws on both her legs as it tried to drag her underwater.
Norm Pethrick, who with his wife had been collecting water, immediately went to help her. He jumped onto the back, poked (戳) the eyes of the crocodile and finally got his wife free.
Ms. Pethrick was later taken to Royal Darwin Hospital for a medical treatment. The doctors said she was suffering eight puncture wounds in her right leg, a puncture wound in her left leg and a serious cut to one of her fingers.
“This could have been a fatal and tragic situation,” said the general manager of Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH), Dr. Len Notaras, according to a local report.
He said Ms. Pethrick was saved by her husband’s “quick and diligent actions”. Dr. Notaras also said she would remain in hospital for three to four days and have an operation to clean the wounds, which are easy to get infected because of bacteria on the teeth of the crocodile.This passage is most likely to be found in ______.
| A．a travel guide | B．a textbook |
| C．a novel | D．a newspaper |
The crocodile attacked Ms. Pethrick when she was ______.
| A．swimming in the river |
| B．standing on the river bank |
| C．watching the crocodile |
| D．fishing in the water |
Which of the following statements is TRUE about Ms. Pethrick?
| A．One of the crocodile’s teeth was found in her leg. |
| B．She had eight wounds altogether. |
| C．One of her fingers also got hurt. |
| D．Her eyes were badly poked. |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
| A．The husband should save the wife |
| B．Human beings can beat crocodiles sometimes |
| C．A crocodile is not so dangerous as people imagine |
| D．A man saves wife’s life from crocodile’s jaws |
Survey Studies Internet Use in China
A typical(典型的) Chinese Internet user is a young male who prefers instant messaging to e-mail, seldom makes online purchases(购买) and favors news, music and games sites. According to a study, about two-thirds of survey participants use the Internet for news — often entertainment-related — or for online games. About half download music and movies.
They also tend to prefer instant messaging to e-mail, and they are depending on the Internet more frequently than before to communicate with others who have the same professions, hobbies and political interests. Online purchases still remain unpopular in China. Three-quarters of users surveyed have never bought anything over the Internet, and only 10 percent make purchases even once a month. Among those who do buy online, most pay for entertainment while others buy phone cards, or computer hardware or software.
“Many people don’t trust the quality of goods bought online,” Guo said Wednesday. “If they buy it in a store and don’t like it, they can easily bring it back.”
The survey was done in five major cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Changsha. Results do not necessarily project countrywide because Internet use in rural areas is lower than in cities. Guo describes the typical netizen in the five cities surveyed as young, male, richer and more highly educated. Males make up two-thirds of the Internet community, and more than 80 percent of users are under. Among people ages 25 to 29, 60 percent to 80 percent go online.
China has more than 100 million people online, second in the world to the United States. A typical Chinese Internet user will be the one who ______.
| A．likes to buy goods online |
| B．likes the games sites |
| C．likes to pay for entertainment |
| D．likes to send e-mails |
Online purchases still remain unpopular in China mainly because ______.
| A．goods bought online are of low quality |
| B．people can’t have a look at the goods |
| C．it is more difficult for sales returns |
| D．people haven’t computers |
Which of the following words fails to describe the typical netizens in the five cities?
| A．young | B．female |
| C．well educated | D．richer |