The name sounds funny but the idea is no joke: it’s a personal toilet called the pee-pool, Anders Wilhelmson, a Swedish architect, is the inventor of the pee-pool.
He became interested in the idea of sanitation(卫生设施) after taking part in a research project on the social and political development of cities, One of the most common problems he found in developing countries was the lack of toilets, He wanted to do something to help, So working with others, he started the project in 2005, and the next year started a company called Peepoolple.
The toilet is a single—use bag made of environmentally friendly plastics, The inside is treated with urea (尿素), a chemical commonly used as fertilizer, The hotter the weather, the more quickly the waste turns into what is needed by plants The sanitation process can be as soon as a couple of hours or as long as two to four weeks ,You can just bury it in a pot and grow whatever you like.
The company expects to start selling the bags in August in Kenya and Bangladesh, But it is just beginning production and sales in Nairobi now , Full production could reach about half a million bags a day and people may be able to buy the pee-pool in countries Vietnam, Bangladesh, etc.
The United Nations says more than two and a half billion people around the world do not have good sanitation ,Many have no choice but to use the outdoors, which is not only bad for the environment ,but also harmful to people’s health, Each year, poor sanitation leads to three fifths of those people getting an infectious disease which on average causes one out of 1,000 patients to die.
Jack Smith ,the founder of the World Toilet Organization ,says “This is quite an unacceptable situation given the fact that we are living in the modem world , And strangely, many of them own televisions ,phones but have no toilet.”What was the original purpose of Anders Wilhelmson in starting the company?
A.To protect the local environment |
B.To earn a lot of money from the project |
C.To do research on the social development |
D.To help solve the problem of lack of toilets in developing countries |
What can be learned about the pee-pool from the passage?
A.It can be used over again |
B.Its sanitation process doesn’t last long |
C.It works better in summer than in winter |
D.It should be buried in a pot after being used |
In which place can people buy the Pee-pool now?
A.Nairobi | B.Vietnam | C.Sweden | D.Bangladesh |
The fifth paragraph is written mainly to tell us that
A.poor sanitation may cause many problems |
B.many people don’t care for the environment |
C.many people get ill from using the outdoors |
D.quite a number of people died from poor sanitation |
The underlined word“This ”in the last paragraph probably refers to
A.the outdoors being damaged |
B.many places being shout of toilets |
C.many people having TVs and phones |
D.many people getting an infection disease |
Group–buying in China
Modeled after US hot website Groupon.com, group buying websites are now popular in China. These websites use the power of group buying to get competitive discounts (打折)for a daily deal on some best stuff to do, see, eat and buy in the cities across China. Discounts are available within just one click. Zhao lei, a software engineer in Beijing, loves the one-hour lunch break at noon, as it is the best time for him to check “today’s special” at his favorite group buying websites . Sometimes he searches for great deals at directory sites devoted to the new shopping space. Zhao spends around 800 yuan ($117.65) on group buying every month, mostly to buy food coupons (优惠劵)for eating at some nice restaurants and occasionally to find something fun to do. ‘‘I love group buying. In addition to the competitive discounts it offers, it helps me get something fun, exciting and new, and such surprises give me a reason to try something new,” he said. When he finds a really good bargain, he will send the link to friends or colleagues through MSN,QQ, or e-mail, or share the information at some social networking websites. In doing so, he often gets a certain cut off the price. At some sites, buyers are invited to leave notes about what they want to buy and the website will consider it if similar applications(申请)reach a certain number. That is how Zuo got her digital camera after waiting for two months. “It is cool. I want to buy a new digital camera for my trip to Switzerland this winter, but I never expected such cheap prices!” Zuo said.We can learn from the passage that________.
A.China is the first country to start group buying |
B.the price of group buying depends on the market |
C.you can’t get the best you need through group buying |
D.group buying is becoming popular in China |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Zhao Lei has to spend about 800 yuan on group buying per month. |
B.Zhao Lei never surfs at other directory sites for group buying. |
C.Zhao Lei finds it easy to do group buying. |
D.Zhao Lei can’t buy food coupons to eat at a nice restaurant. |
What is the passage mainly about?
A.Zhao Lei’s online purchasing life. |
B.Group buying |
C.The US hot websites |
D.A new digital camera |
Zhao Lei succeeded in getting a certain cut off the price by__________.
A.bargaining face to face |
B.discussing with the sellers |
C.providing the link to others |
D.inviting others to talk about the price |
Americans plan parties for many reasons. As in other cultures, many Americans attend parties for weddings and religious or national holidays. But some parties are especially American. For example, a group of neighbors may gather on their street to eat food, play music and visit with one another. This is called a block party. A woman might invite a group of women to a party called a baby shower for a friend who is about to give birth. Guests bring presents for the new baby.
Americans also attend tailgate parties. A tailgate is the back end of a truck or other vehicle that opens down. The tailgate parties are a big part of sports culture in the United States. Friends bring food and drink to a sports event. They eat together in the parking area of the sports stadium.
Birthday parties are also very popular. Many parents organize a party for their child around a theme. Birthday parties usually include gifts and a birthday cake with candles. In many parts of the United States, cupcakes have become a popular replacement for cakes.
Birthday parties can be low cost or very costly. Some parents take their children’s birthday parties very seriously, even when the child is too young to fully understand the celebration.
One group of parents started a website called Birthdays Without Pressure. They decided that some parents were under too much social pressure to plan costly parties for their children. The group sees this movement as an example of America’s culture of “too much stuff”. The group’s website gives suggestions on how to keep birthday celebrations simple, meaningful and fun without spending a lot of money. Their advice may be very helpful during this period of economic recession (萧条).What can be the best title for the passage?
A.Reasons for parties |
B.Birthdays without pressure |
C.American parties |
D.Different parties in the world |
How many kinds of parties does the passage mention?
A.5. | B.6. | C.7. | D.8. |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A.Block party is especially American. |
B.Some parties in America are the same as in other countries. |
C.There’s a party for the mother before her new baby is born. |
D.Birthday parties are the most popular in America. |
The purpose of Birthdays Without Pressure is to advise people to _________.
A.relieve people’s pressure |
B.have meaningful birthday parties with low cost |
C.make birthday parties meaningful and costly |
D.spread America’s culture |
Monthly Talks at London Canal Museum
Our monthly talks start at 19:30 on the first Thursday of each month except August. Admission is at normal charges and you don’t need to book. They end around 21:00.
November 7th
The Canal Pioneers, by Chris Lewis. James Brindley is recognized as one of the leading early canal engineers. He was also a major player in training others in the art of canal planning and building. Chris Lewis will explain how Brindley made such a positive contribution to the education of that group of early “civil engineers”.
December 5th
Ice for the Metropolis, by Malcolm Tucker. Well before the arrival of freezers, there was a demand for ice for food preservation and catering, Malcolm will explain the history of importing natural ice and the technology of building ice wells, and how London’s ice trade grew.
February 6th
An Update on the Cotsword Canals, by Liz Payne. The Stroudwater Canal is moving towards reopening. The Thames and Severn Canal will take a little longer. We will have a report on the present state of play.
March 6th
Eyots and Aits -Thames Islands, by Miranda Vickers. The Thames has many islands. Miranda has undertaken a review of all of them. She will tell us about those of greatest interest.
Online bookings:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/book
More info: www.canalmuseum.org.uk/whatson
London Canal Museum
12-13 New Wharf Road, London NI 9RT
www.canalmuseum.org.ukwww.canalmuseum.mobi
Tel:020 77130836When is the talk on James Brindley?
A.February 6th. |
B.March 6th. |
C.November 7th. |
D.December 5th. |
What is the topic of the talk in February?
A.The Canal Pioneers. |
B.Ice for the Metropolis |
C.Eyots and Aits- Thames Islands |
D.An Update on the Cotsword Canals |
Who will give the talk on the islands in the Thames.
A.Miranda Vickers |
B.Malcolm Tucker |
C.Chris Lewis |
D.Liz Payne |
Modeled after US hot website Groupon.com, group buying websites are now popular in China. These websites use the power of group buying to get competitive discounts (打折)for a daily deal on some best stuff(物品,东西,活儿) to do, see, eat and buy in the cities across China. Discounts are available within just one click. Zhao lei, a software engineer in Beijing, loves the one-hour lunch break at noon, as it is the best time for him to check “today’s special” at his favorite group buying websites . Sometimes he searches for great deals at directory sites devoted to the new shopping space. Zhao spends around 800 yuan ($117.65) on group buying every month, mostly to buy food coupons (优惠劵)for eating at some nice restaurants and occasionally to find something fun to do. ‘‘I love group buying. In addition to the competitive discounts it offers, it helps me get something fun, exciting and new, and such surprises give me a reason to try something new,” he said. When he finds a really good bargain, he will send the link to friends or colleagues through MSN,QQ, or e-mail, or share the information at some social networking websites. In doing so, he often gets a certain cut off the price. At some sites, buyers are invited to leave notes about what they want to buy and the website will consider it if similar applications(申请)reach a certain number. That is how Zuo got her digital camera after waiting for two months. “It is cool. I want to buy a new digital camera for my trip to Switzerland this winter, but I never expected such cheap prices!” Zuo said.We can learn from the passage that________.
A.China is the first country to start group buying |
B.the price of group buying depends on the market |
C.you can’t get the best you need through group buying |
D.group buying is becoming popular in China |
What is the passage mainly about?
A.Zhao Lei’s online purchasing life. |
B.Group buying |
C.The US hot websites |
D.A new digital camera |
Zhao Lei succeeded in getting a certain cut off the price by__________.
A.bargaining face to face |
B.discussing with the sellers |
C.providing the link to others |
D.inviting others to talk about the price |
Respect your teachers
First of all, students should respect the teachers. They should pay attention in the classes. That means to salute him, to stand from his chair when the teacher enters the classroom etc. Attend any lesson attentively. In class of a certain subject or teacher you don’t like very much, if it’s total anarchy(混乱), how can we talk about respect?
Play by the rules
If your teacher wants you to use wide-lined paper—do it! If she tells you to sharpen your pencils only before class starts, listen to her. If she doesn’t accept late homework, do yours on time. Sometimes classroom rules seem strict or even silly, but most teachers know what’s necessary to make things run smoothly, what it takes to let the learning begin. And the better the learning environment, the smarter you’ll be!
Expect her/him to like you.
Teachers are teachers because they like kids. Given the chance, most teachers want to be your friends too. Respect your teacher, but don’t be afraid of her/him. She/He wants you to have a great school year just as much as you want to have!
Put first things first.
Friends are a fun part of school. But they’re not the most important part. When your teacher is teaching, give her/him your full attention. Even when it’s hard to do -- recess will come soon enough, and that’s the time for playing with your friends.Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A.Advice Before You Go to School |
B.What You Should Do at School |
C.How to Get Along With Your Teacher |
D.How to Plan Your Time at School |
What do you think the title of the second paragraph “play by the rules” mean?
A.Don’t play if you haven’t completed your homework. |
B.Follow what the teacher says. |
C.Work is work and play is play. |
D.Make the learning environment as good as possible. |
According to the last paragraph, what do you think the first thing is?
A.The teacher. | B.The teacher’s lecture. |
C.The students | D.Friends. |
The underlined word “recess” most probably means “____”.
A.break | B.play | C.parents | D.news |