Why buy a new car when you can improve the one you have with the latest technology? Here are two new methods that will not only make life behind wheel more comfortable but may also end up saving you money.
| WI-FI on Wheels It’s not enough that children complain about having nothing to watch on television. These days, they even complain about having nothing to watch in the car. Fortunately, for every unsatisfied youth, there is a new technological solution: Wi-Fi Internet access for the back seat of your vehicle. In the United States, Chrysler is the first to offer such a system, which turns any Chrysler or Dodge into a Wi-Fi hotspot. Called UConnect, the $499 dealer-installed option is a high-speed cell-like Internet connection with a wireless router that sits in your car’s trunk. Monthly service costs $29 for Internet access, which is available to any device that has Wi-Fi and is within 100 feet of your car. With UConnect, passengers can check emails messages on a laptop, send instant messages to friends or watch YouTube videos online. It allows passengers to search for movie listings on a smart phone or connect a Sony PSP video game player to the Web. It also offers the ability to freely upload photos from a Wi-Fi-equipped digital camera to an online sharing service like Flickr. For critics who claim that putting Wi-Fi Internet access in a car feeds the danger of driver distraction, parents may well disagree: What’s more distracting, the temptation to check email or a lot of children talking to you from the back seat? |
Watch Your Back Blind spots behind cars and SUV’s make backing up dangerous as well as potentially deadly for children. Nationally, the group Kids and Cars estimates that two children a week are killed by cars backing up. The Transportation Department is establishing visibility standards for future vehicles, but there’s no need to wait. A back-view back system can be an expensive option in a new car. In the 2008 Subaru Tribeca, for example, the back-view camera option is available only in connection with the inner navigation system, at a price of $2,400. And professionally equipped systems can cost $400 or more. However, there are now inexpensive back-view packages you can help yourself, such as the $130 Audiovox ACA250 Wireless Vehicle Rear Observation System. It includes a camera that increases on a back license-plate holder and grasps onto a vehicle’s backup light. It can send a back-view image to a small L.C.D. Monitor that can be carried into electronic equipment and increased on the dashboard(仪表板). Audiovox claims the camera housing is not afraid of dust. In some areas where radio waves are plentiful, the image can be affected by occasional interference, but the picture, with its wide 110-degree camera point, is good enough to see things or children behind you. |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．DIY methods for your car. |
| B．How to save money in your life? |
| C．The way of putting a back-view system. |
| D．The importance of putting internet access in your car. |
What’s the parents’ attitude to the safety concern of car Internet access?
| A．They agree with the critics’ opinion. |
| B．They consider it a great danger for driving. |
| C．They think that talking with children is more dangerous. |
| D．They believe it unnecessary to have car Internet access. |
What’s the potential danger for children?
| A．Electronic equipment. | B．Backing-up car. |
| C．Earphones behind the wheel. | D．Highway engine failure. |
How can the back-view package see the back of the car?
| A．With a cell phone. |
| B．With an inner navigation system. |
| C．With a dashboard. |
| D．With a camera onto the side of backup light. |
第三部分阅读理解(共15小题，每小题2分，满分30分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.
Most people know this joke. But recently, some people have been much more worried about how the grizzly bear and mountain lion can cross the road.
“Millions of animals die each year on U.S. roads,” the Federal Highway Administration reports. In fact, only about 80 ocelots, an endangered wild cat, exist in the U.S. today. The main reason? Roadkill.
“Eco-passages” may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars. They are paths both over and under roads. “These eco-passages can be extremely useful, so that wildlife can avoid road accidents,” said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Protection Society.
But do animals actually use the eco-passages? The answer is yes. Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an eco-passage that went under a highway. This showed that the lions used the passage.
Builders of eco-passages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them. Animals seem to be catching on. Animals as different as salamanders (火蜥蜴) and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses.
The next time you visit a park or drive through an area with a lot of wildlife, look around. You might see an animal overpass!
41. The writer uses the example of “ocelots” to show that _______.
A. wild animals have become more dangerous
B. the driving condition has improved greatly
C. the measure for protecting wildlife fails to work
D. an increasing number of animals are killed in road accidents
42. From the story, we know an eco-passage is ________.
A. an underground path for cars B. a fence built for the safety of the area
C. a bridge for animals to get over a river D. a path for animals to cross the road
43. When the writer says that “animals seem to be catching on”(Para. 6), he means __.
A. animals begin to realize the dangers on the road
B. animals begin to learn to use eco-passages
C. animals are crossing the road in groups
D. animals are increasing in number
44. The writer asks visitors and drivers to look around when traveling because _____.
A. wild animals may attack cars B. wild animals may jam the road
C. they may see wild animals in the park D. they may see wild animals on eco-passages
45. The best title for the passage is ________.
A. Special bridges help animals cross the road B. Endangered animals increase because of roadkill
C. Animals fail to cross the road D. Take steps to protect animals in danger
I have a close friend who has a good family tradition, that is, each year after Thanksgiving dinner, all of the people sit around in the living room and each person takes a few minutes and gives thanks for what really matters and what has added value to their life over the last year. This is something I valued and followed. I have thought about a lot in the last year, and I finally came up with two things.
The first one is the healthiness of my daughter. She’s as healthy as she can be, and her weight and height are in good condition and she has no illnesses or genetic diseases. I am so thankful for having this wonderful baby in my life, and thankful that she has the gift of good health.
Secondly, I am thankful for the discovery of the value of writing in my life. A year ago, my website. The simple Dollar was only a few weeks old and was far from popular, but on Thanksgiving Day Last year it had about three score readers who ordered it in advance. The process of writing was bringing me enjoyment, but I hadn’t yet realized that I could be successful in it and attract many readers. This past year showed me a lot and I am deeply thankful for it.
After thinking for a while, I began to realize that it was a very powerful and wonderful positive exercise. You spend time reflecting deeply on the positive things in your life, and you often realize that even when things are bad, you do have a lot to be thankful for because there is lots of good in your life, and it can shine a bright light even in a dark spot in your life.What is the good family tradition of the author’s friend’s?
| A．Learning from the past and planning for the future. |
| B．Taking about the things that are most worth appreciation. |
| C．Learning from the strong points of other family members. |
| D．Having Thanks giving dinner together with family members. |
The author is thankful for all the following thins EXCEPT.
| A．her success with writing | B．the enjoyment in writing |
| C．the healthiness of her daughter | D．the founding of a magazine |
How many people had ordered The simple Dollar by Thanksgiving Day last year?
| A．About 30. | B．About 20. | C．About 60. | D．About 40. |
What’s the purpose of this passage? It tells us that people should .
| A．hold a positive attitude | B．reflect on their mistakes |
| C．have low expectations of life | D．neglect their disadvantages |
The other day at a supermarket, I saw a naughty boy of about six crying loudly, falling to the floor and refusing to move. All the while the troubled mother was trying to persuade him to behave well but failed．A little smack on his bottom would have done the job，I thought．
Teenagers also cause discipline(纪律)problems．As a teacher, I had a 16-year-old student who had fallen in love with a waiter at a fast-food restaurant．In fact，she had left home to stay with him．So we decided to put her in the school hostel．She refused．When she heard her mother begging her to stay in the hostel she turned round and said：“Why don't you stay in the hostel if you like it so much?”
My palms were itching to slap her for being so rude but the poor mother continued to cajole her，hoping that gentle persuasion would work wonders．It did not．The last I heard，she had run away from home again．
The list goes on and on．Could it be that today's parents are softer and believe that they must not rod(棍棒惩罚)their children for fear of the bad result? Or do they actually believe that the children will get rid of the bad habits and behave well naturally as they grow older? I beg to disagree．I believe it is the parents' duty to discipline the children even at a young age．
My children who are now adults will prove the fact that I used the rod when I thought it necessary．Later when they went abroad，they related to their British university friends on how they were disciplined．Their friends abroad were filled with horror and told my daughter that I could be charged with child abuse(虐待)．However，my daughter showed great respect for me when she told them that she would not be where she was today if not for my strict discipline．The underlined word“cajole”probably means ．
| A．persuade | B．scold | C．forgive | D．punish |
The author would probably .
| A．beat the children every day | B．treat the children in a softer way |
| C．leave the children as they are | D．punish the children when necessary |
We can learn from the passage that .
| A．the naughty boy’s mother hit him |
| B．the teacher’s daughter is living with the teacher |
| C．the author’s daughter was thankful for the author’s strict discipline |
| D．the author was charged with child abuse by her daughter’s friends abroad |
Which of the following could be the best title for this passage?
| A．Spoil Kids | B．Value Discipline | C．Respect Parent | D．Protect Kids |
A Day of Design
Sunday, June 27,2010
9 a. m. ~ 4 p. m.
Thomas College Student Center
Join us for a free day of fun! A Day of Design will encourage those interested in flowers and design to get in touch with their creative side and get some tips from the experts – Jeff and Scott. Pleas see the schedule below for details about this wonderful opportunity!
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Registration (登记) for the day runs from 9 a.m. in the Student Center. Later guests will take a tour of the Thomas College campus before the day’s events.
10:30 a. m. ~ 12:00 p. m.
Jeff and Scott will design more than a dozen arrangements in a variety of sizes and colors and auction (拍卖) will be held and guests will have the opportunity to bid on the flower arrangements.
12:00 p. m. ~ 1:00 p. m.
A delightful boxed lunch will be served. During the lunch hour, Jeff and Scott will create a centerpiece for the holiday table and give tips for creating a beautiful centerpiece using things found in the home.
3:00 p. m. ~ 4:00 p. m.
A fitting way to end the day – guests are invited to enjoy a wine and cheese party. Jeff and Scott will be available to answer questions or just talk about flowers!
There is no charge for this event.
REGISTER NOW!
Space is limited to 45 guests.What are guests supposed to do from 9:00 a. m. to 10:30 a. m.?
| A．To design flower arrangements. | B．To enjoy a wine and cheese party. |
| C．To learn how to create a centerpiece. | D．To take a tour of the Thomas College campus. |
When will an auction be held?
| A．9:00 a.m. ~ 10:30 a.m. | B．10:30 a.m. ~ 12:00 p.m. |
| C．1:00 p.m. ~ 3:00 p. m. | D．3:00 p. m. ~ 4:00 p. m. |
The underlined word “centerpiece” is probably .
| A．a photo on the wall | B．a picture that has been drawn |
| C．a decoration for the center of a table | D．a flower that is carved out of stone |
We can learn from the passage that A Day of Design .
| A．lasts for eight hours | B．is free of charge |
| C．is held annually in July | D．is aimed at fashion designers |
A small piece of fish each, day may keep the heart doctor away. That’s the finding of a study of Dutchmen in which deaths from heart disease were more than 50 percent lower among those who consumed at least an ounce(英两) of salt water fish per day compared to those who never ate fish.
The Dutch research is one of three human studies that give strong scientific support to the long-held belief that eating fish can provide health benefits, particularly to the heart.
Heart disease is the number-one killer in the United States, with more than 550,000 deaths occurring from heart attacks each year. But previous research has shown that the level of heart disease is lower in cultures that consume more fish than Americans do. There are fewer heart disease deaths, for example, among the Eskimos of Greenland, who consume about 14 ounces of fish a day, and among the Japanese, whose daily fish consumption average more than 3 ounces.
F or 20 years, the Dutch study followed 852 middle-aged men, 20 percent of whom ate no fish. At the start of the study, average fish consumption was about two-thirds of an ounce each day, with more men eating lean fish than fatty fish.
During the next two decades, 78 of the men died from heart disease. The fewest deaths were among the group who regularly ate fish, even at levels far lower than those of the Japanese or Eskimos. This relationship was true regardless of other factors such as age, high blood pressure, or blood cholesterol levels.What is the author’s attitude towards the topic?
| A．Disappointed. | B．Sad. | C．Concerned. | D．Satisfied. |
We can infer from the passage that there are fewer heart disease deaths in the countries .
| A．that are highly developed | B．with a lot of fish |
| C．with high consumption of fish | D．where it is very cold |
The underlined words “This relationship” refers to the connection between and deaths from heart disease.
| A．the amount of fish | B．regular fish – eating |
| C．the kind of fish eaten | D．people of different areas |
The passage is mainly about .
| A．the changes in people’s diet |
| B．the effect of fish – eating on people’s health |
| C．the high percentage of heart disease in some countries |
| D．the daily fish consumption of people in different cultures |