Expensive and new gloves allow chatterboxes(话匣子)to take the term “handsfree” to a new level—by talking into them as they make a call. The gloves are known as “Talk to the Hand” and cost £1,000 a pair. They fixed a speaker unit into the thumb and a microphone into the little finger that can be connected to any mobile handset using Bluetooth.
Artist Sean Miles designed the new gloves that double as a phone in part of his project that shows the possibilities of gadget recycling. He uses outdated gloves and combines them with parts from mobile handsets recycled through O2, which commissioned(承担)the project. Mobile phone users will be able to keep their hands warm while they chat without taking their phones out of their pockets or handbags.
Mr Miles designed two pairs of the new gloves—one in pink and the other in brown and yellow. They will appear in an exhibition this July and visitors will be able to win the gloves. If demand is high, they will then be produced on a larger scale. O2 Recycle, which backed the project, estimates that there are already 70 million unused mobile handsets in the UK. The service pays up to £260 to those who recycle gadgets including phones, handheld consoles, MP3 players and digital cameras.
Designer Sean Miles hopes his work will get people thinking about recycling. The 41-year-old said, “I hope that my ‘Talk to the Hand’ project will get people to think again about the waste created by not recycling gadgets. If a few more people recycle their gadgets rather than send them to trash, I think this project will have fulfilled its aim.”
Bill Eyres, head of O2 Recycle, urges people to recycle their phone responsibly. He said, “There’s a pressing need for all of us to look at outdated handsets, and all the gadgets that we move on from or upgrade each year. Whether they are consoles or cameras, we should think of them as a resource that we need to recycle responsibly rather than throw them away.”
The underlined word “O2” in Paragraph 2 is probably the name of ______.
A.an artist | B.a company | C.a mobile | D.an exhibition |
Consumers can buy the “Talk to the Hand” gloves ______.
A.in the exhibition |
B.from Mr Miles |
C.when they are mass produced |
D.after they recycle the gadgets |
The purpose of the project is to _______.
A.promote the technology of IT |
B.enable people to talk to their hands |
C.raise people’s awareness of recycling |
D.attract visitors’ attention in the exhibition |
What is the passage mainly about?
A.New mobiles that are fashionable. |
B.Outdated handsets that are upgraded. |
C.Outdated gadgets that can be used for recycling. |
D.New gloves that can be used for making phone calls. |
I left university with a good degree in English Literature, but no sense of what I wanted to do. Over the next six years, I was treading water, just trying to earn an income. I tried journalism, but I didn’t think I was any good, then finance, which I hated. Finally, I got a job as a rights assistant at a famous publisher. I loved working with books, although the job that I did was dull.
I had enough savings to take a year off work, and I decided to try to satisfy a deep-down wish to write a novel. Attending a Novel Writing MA course gave me the structure I needed to write my first 55,000 words.
It takes confidence to make a new start — there’s a dark period in-between where you’re neither one thing nor the other. You’re out for dinner and people ask what you do, and you’re too ashamed to say, “Well, I’m writing a novel, but I’m not quite sure if I’m going to get there.” My confidence dived. Believing my novel could not be published ,
I put it aside.
Then I met an agent(代理商)who said I should send my novel out to agents. So, I did and, to my surprise, got some wonderful feedback. I felt a little hope that I might actually become a published writer and, after signing with an agent, I finished the second half of the novel.
The next problem was finding a publisher. After two-and-a-half years of no income, just waiting and wondering, a publisher offered me a book deal — that publisher turned out to be the one I once worked for.
It feels like an unbelievable stroke of luck — of fate, really. When you set out to do something different, there’s no end in sight, so to find myself in a position where I now have my own name on a contract of the publisher — to be a published writer — is unbelievably rewarding.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 mean?
A.I was waiting for good fortune. |
B.I was trying to find an admirable job. |
C.I was being aimless about a suitable job. |
D.I was doing several jobs for more pay at a time. |
The author decided to write a novel ______ .
A.to finish the writing course |
B.to realize her own dream |
C.to satisfy readers’wish |
D.to earn more money |
How did the writer feel halfway with the novel?
A.Disturbed. | B.Ashamed. |
C.Confident. | D.Uncertain. |
What does the author mainly want to tell readers in the last paragraph?
A.It pays to stick to one’s goal. |
B.Hard work can lead to success. |
C.She feels like being unexpectedly lucky. |
D.There is no end in sight when starting to do something. |
The word proactivity is fairly common in management literature, but you won’t find it in the dictionary. It means that as a human being you take responsibility for your own life.
Look at the word responsibility: ability to choose your response, response-ability. Effective people are proactive because they take responsibility. Their behavior is a product of their own decisions, based on values, rather than being a product of their own conditions, based on feelings. For instance, you are planning a picnic with your family. You’re excited. You have all the preparations. You’ve decided where to go, and then it becomes stormy, killing your plan. Proactive people carry weather within them. They realize what their purpose really was, and they creatively have a picnic elsewhere even if it’s in their own basement with some special games, and make the best of that situation. The opposite of being proactive is to be reactive. Reactive people would say, “What’s the use?” “We can’t do anything.” “Oh, this is so upsetting after all of our preparations and arrangements.” They try to persuade the people around them and usually the picnic will be cancelled.
Being proactive is really just being true to your human nature. Your basic nature is to act, and not to be acted upon. That’s true, despite widely accepted theories of determinism (宿命论) used to explain human nature. Determinism says that you don’t really choose anything and that what you call choices are nothing more than automatic responses to outside conditions.
The language of reactive people is like: “I can’t.” “Don’t have time.” “I have to.” “I must.” The whole spirit of that language is the transfer of responsibility. They think things are determined by their environment, or by their conditions or their genetic (基因的) makeup. Psychologically, people who believe they are determined will produce the evidence to support the belief, and they increasingly feel victimized and out of control. They’re not in charge of their life at all.
On the contrary, a proactive person exercises free will, the freedom to choose the response that best applies to his values. In that way, he gains control over the circumstances, rather than being controlled by them.According to the passage, a proactive person’s behavior can result from ______.
A.the environment | B.an inner belief |
C.the genetic makeup | D.a temporary feeling |
When a picnic plan is threatened by a sudden storm, reactive people will probably ______.
A.have the picnic as planned |
B.make the best of the picnic |
C.complain and give up the picnic |
D.find somewhere else for the picnic |
What does “carry weather within them” in the second paragraph probably mean?
A.Manage to improve the weather. |
B.Give in to the weather passively. |
C.Stress the influence of the weather. |
D.Find a solution to the weather problem. |
The characteristics which can describe what a proactive person is like could be ______.
A.independent, cautious, flexible |
B.flexible, confident, sensitive |
C.independent, active, confident |
D.generous, responsible, determined |
It can be concluded from the passage that determinists ______.
A.accept things passively |
B.are in charge of themselves |
C.are similar to proactive people |
D.respond to outside conditions actively |
Man is a land animal, but he is also closely tied to the sea. Throughout history the sea has served the needs of man. The sea has provided man with food and a convenient way to travel to many parts of the world. Today, nearly two-thirds of the world’s population lives within 80 kilometers of the sea coast.
In the modern technological world, the sea offers many resources to help mankind survive. Resources on land are beginning to be used up. The sea, however, still can be expected to supply many of man’s needs.
The list of riches of the sea yet to be developed by man’s technology is impressive. Oil and gas explorations have been carried out for nearly 30 years. Valuable amounts of minerals exist on the ocean floor ready to be developed.
Fish farming promises to be a good way to produce large quantities of food. The culture of fish and shellfish is an ancient skill practiced in the past mainly by eastern people.
Besides oil and gas, the sea may offer new sources of energy. Experts believe that the warm temperature of the ocean can be used in a way similar to the steam in a steamship. Ocean and waves offer possible use as a source of energy.
Technology is enabling man to explore even more deeply under the sea. The development of strong, new materials has made this possible.
The technology to harvest the sea continues to improve. Experts believe that by the year 2020 the problems that prevent us from exploiting fully the food, minerals, and energy sources of the sea will be largely solved.Which of the following are the types of resources that sea offer man?
A.fish, shellfish and oil |
B.food, gas and oil |
C.warm temperature and ocean currents |
D.food, energy sources and minerals |
How can the warm temperature of the ocean be used as a possible source of energy?
A.It can be used as a huge air-conditioner to warm the ship. |
B.It can work in a way similar to the steam in a steamboat. |
C.The heat of the warm ocean can be transported to factories. |
D.The heat of the warm ocean can be stored and delivered. |
We can conclude from this passage that ______.
A.the sea resources have largely been used up |
B.the sea in the broad sense, has not yet been developed |
C.the problems stopping us from developing the sea have been solved |
D.modern technology is good enough to exploit all the sea resources |
The following statements are true except ______.
A.Over half of the world’s population lives within 80 kilometers of the sea coast. |
B.Resources on land are used up while the sea still can be developed to supply man’s needs. |
C.Oil and gas explorations have been carried out for nearly 30 years. |
D.Previously, fishing is an old skill practiced mainly by eastern people. |
The best title for this passage is ______.
A.Harvesting the sea with technology |
B.Supplying Sea Food |
C.Technology for Developing the Sea |
D.Man and the Sea |
Bookie’s, the campus bookstore is located at the Campus Activity Centre, main floor.
Bookie’s is the only place in Kamloops to buy your course textbooks. There is a booklist in the bookstore listing the books required for each course. If you need help in finding your course textbooks, ask any of the staff in the bookstore.
There are more than just textbooks at bookie’s. They carry a wide variety of stationary, art supplies and gift items. You can also buy telephone cards, postage stamps and bus passes. You must show your student card to get a discount for the bus passes.
TEXTBOOK RETURNS
1) Do I need my receipt to return books?
Yes.
2) How long do I have to return books?
Books purchased must be returned within ten working days of the date of the purchase.
3) What if I wrote my name in the book?
Unfortunately, we can not give you a full refund for books not in mint condition as publishers will not accept this for credit.
4) What happens if I miss the last day for return?
We may purchase the text book as “used” in accordance with our Buyback program.
5) What if I discover that my book has missing pages half way through the semester?
We will replace the defective books, new or used, for a like copy of that title. Cash refunds are not given for defective books returned outside the normal return dates.
BUYBACKS
1) What books do you buy back?
We buy back all current edition textbooks. If we do not use them at UCC, we buy them back according to the value established in the North American marketplace.
2) How much do I get for my books?
If bookie’s is buying the book for use at UCC, you will receive 50% of the current new retail price. In order to receive optimum buyback price, discs and supplements must accompany the book.
3) What happens to the books that I sell?
Books for bookie’s are processed by our staff and sold to students at 75% of the new retail price.
4) What condition do my books need to be in?
Books should be in good condition, meaning that the cover is still attached and all pages intact. Notes and markings on the pages of the books are perfectly fine. Workbooks and study guides are generally not purchased back unless they are free of all markings. No sales receipt is required for these books.
BOOKSTORE HOURS
Monday–Thursday 9:00am–6:00pm
Friday 9:00am–5:00pm
Saturday and Sunday ClosedThe intended readers of this passage are ______.
A.book dealers | B.university students |
C.publishers | D.campus staff |
The underlined word “defective” can best be replaced by ______.
A.latest | B.perfect |
C.brand-new | D.incomplete |
Bookie’s will not buy back your used textbook if ______.
A.the cover of the book is missing |
B.there are markings and notes on the pages |
C.you have lost the sales receipt |
D.you miss the last day for return |
Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A.Bookie’s is a place for students to buy their course textbooks. |
B.Student cards are needed to get a discount for the textbooks. |
C.Books bought in bookie’s should be returned within ten working days. |
D.Books bought back are processed by the staff and sold to students. |
The items which can be bought back don’t include ______.
A.textbooks with markings |
B.workbooks with markings |
C.textbooks with covers and all pages |
D.study guides free of markings |
It was in October. I was aimlessly wandering down the street, heading into a most gloriously beautiful sunset. I had an urge to speak to someone on the street to share that beauty, but it seemed everyone was in a hurry.
I took the next-best action. Quickly I ducked into a department store and asked the lady behind the counter if she could come outside for just a minute. She looked at me as though I were from some other planet. She hesitated, and then seemingly against her better judgment, she moved toward the door.
When she got outside I said to her, “Just look at that sunset! Nobody out here was looking at it and I just had to share it with someone.”
For a few seconds we just looked. Then I said, “God is in his heaven and all is right with the world.” I thanked her for coming out to see it; she went back inside and I left. It felt good to share the beauty.
Four years later my situation changed greatly. I came to the end of a twenty-year marriage. I was alone and on my own for the first time in my life. I lived in a trailer park which, at the time, I considered a real come-down, and I had to do my wash in the community laundry room.
One day, while my clothes were going around, I picked up a magazine and read an article about a woman who had been in similar circumstances. She had come to the end of a marriage, moved to a strange community, and the only job she could find was one she disliked: clothing sales in a department store.
Then something that happened to her changed everything. She said a woman came into her department store and asked her to step outside to look at a sunset. The stranger had said, “God is in his heaven and all is right with the world,” and she had realized the truth in that statement. From that moment on, she turned her life around.The author asked the woman to go outside to ______.
A.admire the sunset | B.cheer her up |
C.offer some help | D.have a chat |
Four years later, the author ______.
A.found her dream job |
B.put an end to her marriage |
C.worked in a laundry room |
D.lived in the same community |
After reading the article in the magazine, the author was probably______.
A.disappointed | B.puzzled |
C.inspired | D.overjoyed |
Which of the following shows the right order of what happened?
a. I shared a few words and beautiful sunset with the woman.
b. The woman I met years ago got into frustration after divorce.
c. I got divorced and felt lost in my life.
d. I came across a beautiful sunset but had no one to share with.
e. The woman felt astonished by the invitation from a stranger.
f. I recognized the woman I met before in the magazine.
A.b, d, e, f, a, c | B.d, e, a, c, f, b |
C.d, e, a, f, b, c | D.b, d, e, a, c, f |
What can be the best title for the passage?
A.Sharing Beauty | B.Never give up |
C.Beauty of Life | D.An Unforgettable experience |