Early one morning, more than a hundred years ago, an American inventor called Elias Howe finally fell asleep. He had been working all night on the design of a sewing machine but he had run into a very difficult problem: It seemed impossible to get the thread to run smoothly around the needle.
Though he was tired, Howe slept badly. He turned and turned. Then he had a dream. He dreamt that he had been caught by terrible savages whose king wanted to kill him and eat him unless he could build a perfect sewing machine. When he tried to do so, Howe ran into the same problem as before. The thread kept getting caught around the needle. The king flew into the cage and ordered his soldiers to kill Howe. They came up towards him with their spears raised. But suddenly the inventor noticed something. There was a hole in the tip of each spear. The inventor awoke from the dream, realizing that he had just found the answer to the problem. Instead of trying to get the thread to run around the needle, he should make it run through a small hole in the center of the needle. This was the simple idea that finally made Howe design and build the first really practiced sewing machine.
Elias Howe was not the only one in finding the answer to his problem in this way.
Thomas Edison, the inventor of the electric light, said his best ideas came into him in dreams. So did the great physicist Albert Einstein. Charlotte Bronte also drew in her dreams in writing Jane Eyre.
To know the value of dreams, you have to understand what happens when you are asleep. Even then, a part of your mind is still working. This unconscious(无意识的), but still active part understands your experiences and goes to work on the problems you have had during the day. It stores all sorts of information that you may have forgotten or never have really noticed. It is only when you fall asleep that this part of the brain can send messages to the part you use when you are awake. However, the unconscious part acts in a special way. It uses strange images which the conscious part may not understand at first. This is why dreams are sometimes called “secret messages to ourselves”.According to the passage, Elias Howe was________.
| A．the first person we know of who solved problems in his sleep |
| B．much more hard-working than other inventors |
| C．the first person to design a sewing machine that really worked |
| D．the only person at the time who knew the value of dreams |
The problem Howe was trying to solve was________.
| A．what kind of thread to use |
| B．how to design a needle which would not break |
| C．where to put the needle |
| D．how to prevent the thread from getting caught around the needle |
Thomas Edison is spoken of because________.
| A．he also tried to invent a sewing machine |
| B．he got some of his ideas from dreams |
| C．he was one of Howe’s best friends |
| D．he also had difficulty in falling asleep |
Dreams are sometimes called “secret messages to ourselves” because ________.
| A．strange images are used to communicate ideas |
| B．images which have no meaning are used |
| C．we can never understand the real meaning |
| D．only specially trained people can understand them |
When movie star Scarlett Johansson was photographed naming in Los Angeles recently, she attracted a lot of attention; for the 27-year-old actress was wearing Vibram FiveFingers, so called because they look more like gloves than shoes, with a space for each toe.
Strange though they may look, these so-called barefoot shoes, which reproduce the effect of barefoot running but with less pain, are just one brand in a range of minimalist footwear. These super-thin sports shoes are causing a stir in the world of running and fitness. Why? Because some experts believe they could make you a better, more efficient runner and that traditional trainers could be doing you more harm than good.
"Wearing a shoe that has lots of cushioning and support affects the way your body naturally moves and studies suggest that this carries a higher risk of injury," explains Matt Wallden, an athlete performance expert. "But with barefoot shoes, the foot can actually feel the firmness and shape of the ground, which allows your body to respond effectively.’"
But before you rush out to invest in minimalist footwear, be careful. These kinds of shoes are not meant for everyone, or at least not straight away.
"Ordinary sports shoes with support are good for beginners whose bodies are not used to the impact of running," explains Patrick Davoren, former Olympic athlete. "It you are not in great condition, then running in minimalist footwear may cause injuries and will turn a lot of people off exercise and running.
If you are currently injured, and figures show that in any given year 65% of all runners are, it can be tempting to try anything that promises to get you back on the road, trail, or beach. But barefoot running is not a method of treating injury nor is it a magical way of suddenly turning you into a great athlete.
Even if you’re used to running, when you start using minimalist shoes you should build up your distance gradually. Start_off’by doing just 10% of what you’d normally run and increase the distance by no more than 10% every week. And a word of warning - you may never have soft feet againThe Vibram FiveFingers are shoes ______.
| A．specifically designed for women |
| B．that have lots of cushion inside |
| C．safest for people who enjoy sports |
| D．that are much thinner than normal sports shoes |
The underlined word "they" in paragraph 2 refers to ________.
| A．experts | B．feet | C．shoes | D．runners |
According to Matt Wallden, the new shoes ________.
| A．make feet more sensitive to the running surface |
| B．will produce immediate improvements |
| C．force your body to move less naturally |
| D．increase the chances of getting hurt |
The author suggests that new users of Vibram FiveFingers should ________.
| A．run in the shoes every day at top speed |
| B．begin with a shorter running distance than normal |
| C．occasionally run barefooted to harden their feet |
| D．make sure they are already very fit before using them |
Where would you probably read this article?
| A．A travel book. | B．A movie website. |
| C．A sports magazine. | D．A science journal. |
Beatrix Potter was a great English writer and artist, best known for her children’s books featuring animal characters such as in the children’s classic -- The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
Beatrix was born into a rich London-based family where she was tutored by very strict private teachers and so spent her youth isolated from other youngsters.
During her youth she had a lot of pets and spent vacations in Scotland and also the Lake District. It was at the Lake District that she developed a love of wildlife. She studied the area’s natural wonders carefully and painted them continuously. But her old-fashioned, Manchester-born parents discouraged her intellectual improvement, thinking it inappropriate for a young lady. However, her study and watercolour paintings of wild mushrooms made her widely respected within the field of biology.
In her 30’s, Beatrix Potter wrote the remarkably successful kid’s book, The Tale of Pew Rabbit. Close to that time she became secretly engaged to her publisher Norman Warne. This caused a great disagreement with her parents, who did not approve of Beatrix getting married to somebody of lower social status. Sadly, Warne died before the marriage ceremony.
Ultimately Beatrix Potter began writing and also illustrating (绘图) kid’s books full-time. Using profits from her books, Beatrix grew to become economically independent of her parents and was eventually in a position to buy Hill Top Farm in the Lake District. She extended the property with additional purchases of neighbouring land over time. In her 40’s, Bestrix married William Heelis, a local lawyer. She ended up becoming a sheep breeder and farmer while continuing to publish as well as illustrate books for children. In all she authored 23 publications.
Beatrix died on December 22, 1943, and left the majority of her property to the National Trust. Her books carry on selling well globally, in many different languages. Her stories have been retold in numerous formats including a ballet, movies, and cartoons.
Such is her reputation, and that of the characters from her publications, that many Beatrix Potter statues have been created. These tiny Beatrix Potter statues which include pretty much all the actual characters in her publications have become highly valued by art collects and fans of her literature throughout the world. What can we learn about Beatrix Potter’s early life?
| A．She learned drawing skills from her tutors. |
| B．She was very sociable and outgoing. |
| C．She was greatly inspired by the beauty of nature. |
| D．She was encouraged to think creatively and independently. |
Why did Beatrix Potter’s parents oppose the idea of her marriage to Norman Warne?
| A．They did not believe she was mature enough to get married. |
| B．They thought Warne was only interested in Beatrix Potter’s wealth. |
| C．They believed that the couple’s characters were mismatched. |
| D．They considered Warne to be too common for their daughter. |
According to the passage, which part of the UK did Beatrix Potter love most?
| A．Manchester. | B．Scotland. | C．The Lake District. | D．London. |
In which of the following areas did Beatrix Potter show an interest during her life?
| A．Writing, biology, farming. |
| B．Drawing, nature, ballet. |
| C．Movies, farming, drawing. |
| D．Writing, mushrooms, travel. |
What is the function of the last two paragraphs of the passage?
| A．To describe the consequences of Beatrix Potter’s death. |
| B．To present the lasting cultural influence of Beatrix Potter and her works.. |
| C．To show the changes in attitude towards Beatrix Potter’s works over the past years. |
| D．To criticize the commercialization of Beatrix Potter’s characters since her death. |
Some plants get so hungry they eat flies, spiders, and even small frogs. What’s more amazing is that these plants occur naturally (in special environment) in every state. In fact, they’re found on every continent except Antarctica.
You’ve probably seen a Venus’ flytrap. It’s often sold in museum gift stores, department stores, and even supermarkets. A small plant, it grows 6 to 8 inches tall in a container. At the end of its stalks（茎）are specially modified leaves that act like traps. Inside each trap is a lining of tiny trigger(触发) hairs. When an insect lands on them, the trap suddenly shut. Over the course of a week or so, the plant feeds on its catch.
The Venus’ flytrap is just one of more than 500 species of meat-eating plants, says Barry Meyers-Rice, the editor of the International Carnivorous Plant Society’s Newsletter. Note: Despite any science –fiction stories you might have read, no meat-eating plant does any danger to humans.
Dr. Meyers-Rice says a plant is meat-eating, only if it does all four of the following: “attract, kill, digest, and absorb” some forms of insects, including flies, butterflies, and moths. Meat-eating plants look and act like other green plants ---well, most of the time.
All green plants make sugar through a process called photosynthesis(光合作用). Plants use the sugar to make food. What makes “meat-eating” plants different is their bug-catching leaves. They need insects for one reason: nitrogen(氮). Nitrogen is a nutrient that they can’t obtain any other way. Why almost all green plants on our planet get nitrogen from the soil “Meat-eating” plants can’t. They live in places where nutrients are hard or almost impossible to get from the soil because of its acidity(酸度). So they’ve come to rely on getting nitrogen from insects and small animals. In fact, nutrient-rich soil is poisonous to “meat-eating” plants. Never fertilize(施肥)them! But don’t worry, either, if they never seem to catch any insects. They can survive, but they’ll grow very slowly.According to the passage, carnivorous plants.
| A．only grow in wild field | B．are rare to see |
| C．are as common as flies | D．cannot grow on Antarctica |
Venus’ flytrap preys on insects by .
| A．its numerous long stalks | B．a container where it grows |
| C．its insect-catching leaves | D．the lining of tiny trigger hairs |
We can conclude from the third paragraph that_____.
| A．carnivorous plants are dangerous |
| B．carnivorous plants are fictional |
| C．carnivorous plants occasionally eat books |
| D．carnivorous plants are harmless to humans |
In the eyes of the author, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Carnivorous plants cannot grow in acid soil. |
| B．Carnivorous plants can grow in nutrient-poor soil. |
| C．Carnivorous plants will die if they cannot catch any insects |
| D．Carnivorous plants can get nitrogen from nutrient-rich soil. |
The word “sport” first meant something that people did in their free time. Later it often meant hunting wild animals and birds. About a hundred years ago the word was first used for organized games. This is the usual meaning of the word today. People spend a lot of their time playing football, basketball, tennis and many other sports. Such people play because they want to. A few people are paid for the sport they play. These people are called professional sportsmen. They may be sportsmen for only a few years, but during that time the best ones can earn a lot of money. For example, a professional footballer in England earns more than 30,000 dollars a year. The stars earn a lot more. International golf and tennis champions can make more than 500,000 dollars a year. Of course, only a few sportsmen can earn as much money as that.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about sportsmen and money is that the stars can earn more money from advertising than from sports. An advertisement for sports equipment does not simply say “Buy our things”. It says “Buy the same shirt and shoes as …”. Famous sportsmen can even advertise things like watches and food. They allow the companies to use their names or a photograph of them and they are paid for this. Sport is no longer just something for people’s spare time.From the passage we can learnt that_______.
A. people spend too much money on sports
the development of sport is slower than any other activity
most people enjoy sport because they can earn money
nowadays sport is not merely a pastime for peopleNowadays, the word “sport” means “________” .
| A．what people do in their spare time | B．hunting wild animals and birds |
| C．organized games | D．something people are paid to do |
People play sports for ________.
| A．fun | B．different | C．money | D．keeping fit |
What surprises people most is that ________.
| A．the stars get more money from advertising |
| B．the word “sport” meant hunting animals |
| C．professional sportsmen are paid for what they do |
| D．only a few sportsmen can earn ＄500,000 a year |
After giving a talk at a high school, I was asked to pay a visit to a special student. An illness had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me. I was told it would mean a great deal to him, so I agreed.
During the nine-mile drive to his home, I found out something about Matthew. He had muscular dystrophy (肌肉萎缩症). When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to five, and then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal power lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles and going for my dreams.
I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain or ask, “Why me?” He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams. Obviously, he knew what he was talking about. He didn’t mention that his classmates had made fun of him because he was different. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weights with me. When we had finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I had won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, “You are a champion. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”
Last summer I received a letter from Matthew’s parents telling me that Matthew had passed away. They wanted me to have a letter he had written to me a few days before:
Dear Dick,
My mum said I should send you a thank-you letter for the picture you sent me. I also want to let you know that the doctors tell me that I don’t have long to live any more, but I still smile as much as I can.
I told you someday that I would go to the Olympics and win a gold medal, but I know now I will never get to do that. However, I know I’m a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you. Thank you for loving me.
Your friend,
MatthewThe boy looked forward to meeting the author because.
| A．he was also good at weight lifting |
| B．he wanted to get to the Olympics and win a medal |
| C．he was one of the author’s fans |
| D．he admired the author very much |
The underlined sentence in the third paragraph probably means that_______.
| A．the boy never complained about how unlucky he was to have this disease |
| B．the boy never complained about not being able to go to school |
| C．the boy never complained why the author had never come to see him before |
| D．the boy never complained about not getting a medal |
Matthew didn’t accepted the author’s medal because .
| A．he thought it was too expensive |
| B．he was sure that he could win one in the future |
| C．he thought it was of no use to him as he would die soon |
| D．he would not be pitied by others |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．A sick boy. | B．A special friend | C．A real champion. | D．A famous athlete. |