Move Earth—It’s Not Science Fiction
LONDON—Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is send a few comets(彗星)in the direction of Earth, and its orbit will be changed. Our world will then be sent spinning into a safer, colder part of the solar system.
This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA)engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planet—effectively doubling its working life.
The plan put forward by Dr. Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams, needs carefully directing a comet or asteroid so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy to Earth.
“Earth’s orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move to a higher orbit away from the Sun, ”Laughlin said.
Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter or Saturn. The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated.
In the short term, the plan provides an ideal way to global warming, although the team was actually concerned with a much greater danger. The Sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so“seriously compromise” our biosphere(生物圈)—by cooking us.
That’s why the group decided to try to save Earth.
The plan has one or two worrying aspects, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation(误算)in orbit could fire it straight at Earth—with deadly consequences.
There is also the question of the Moon. As the current issue of Scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its current position, it is“most likely the Moon would be stripped away from Earth”. This would greatly change our planet’s climate.What makes the scientists plan to move Earth?
| A．A few comets are moving to the direction of Earth. |
| B．Earth’s working life is coming to an end soon. |
| C．Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive. |
| D．The moon is moving farther and farther away from Earth. |
If the plan is successful, Earth will have a working life of years.
| A．12 billion | B．6 billion |
| C．18 billion | D．24 billion |
What serious problems might the plan cause according to the passage?
| A．The comet might hit Earth and man might lose the Moon. |
| B．Earth might be moved too far away and man might be frozen to death. |
| C．The comet might hit Jupiter or Saturn and never return to Earth. |
| D．Earth’s working life might be greatly shortened. |
What does the underlined word“compromise”mean?
| A．Provide. | B．Benefit. |
| C．Share. | D．Endanger. |
Homeownership has let us down. For generations, Americans believed that owning a home was undoubtedly good. Our political leaders hammered home the point. Franklin Roosevelt held that a country of homeowners was “unconquerable.” Homeownership could even save babies, save children, save families and save America. A house with a lawn and a fence wasn’t just a nice place to live in or a risk-free investment; it was a way to transform a nation. No wonder leaders of all political types wanted to spend more than $100 billion a year on subsidies and tax breaks to encourage people to buy.
But the dark side of homeownership is now all too apparent: Indeed, easy lending stimulated by the cult（热潮）of homeownership may have caused the financial crisis. Housing remains a drag on the economy. Existing-home sales in April dropped 27% from the prior month, worsening fears of a double-drop. And all that is just the obvious tale of a housing bubble and what happened when it popped. The real story is deeper and darker still.
For the better part of a century, politics, industry and culture lined up to create a fetish of the idea of buying a house. Homeownership has done plenty of good over the decades; it has provided stability to tens of millions of families. Yet by idealizing the act of buying a home, we have ignored the downsides. In the bubble years, lending standards slipped dramatically, allowing many Americans to put far too much of their income into paying for their housing. And we ignored longer-term phenomena too. Homeownership contributed to the hollowing out of cities and kept renters out of the best neighborhoods. It fed America’s overuse of energy and oil. It made it more difficult for those who had lost a job to find another. Perhaps worst of all, it helped us become casually self-deceiving: By telling ourselves that homeownership was a pathway to wealth and stable communities and better test scores, we avoided dealing with these frightening issues head-on.
Now, as the U.S. recovers from the biggest housing bust(破产) since the Great Depression, it is time to rethink how realistic our expectations of homeownership are—and how much money we want to spend chasing them. Many argue that homeownership should not be a goal pursued at all costs.Political leaders wanted to spend money encouraging people to buy houses because _______.
| A．owning a home was undoubtedly good | B．homeownership was unconquerable |
| C．houses could save families and America | D．homeownership could shape a country |
The underlined sentence in Para. 2 means _______.
| A．homeownership has quite a lot of bad effects |
| B．the result of homeownership is much worse than it appears |
| C．the existing-home sales will keep decreasing in the U.S |
| D．there might be another housing breakdown in the U.S |
It can be inferred from Para. 3 that _______.
| A．it is hard for Americans to get a home loan |
| B．it is the way to wealth to have one’s own house |
| C．homeownership has made many people out of work |
| D．many Americans choose to live out of urban areas |
What is the author’s attitude towards homeownership?
| A．Cautious. | B．Puzzled. | C．Favorable. | D．Optimistic. |
They like using the Internet．They have lots of pocket money to spend．And they spend a higher proportion of it online than the rest of us．Teenagers are just the sort of people an online seller is interested in, and the things they want to buy－games, CDs and clothing－are easily sold on the Web.
But paying online is a tricky business for consumers who are too young to own credit cards．Most have to use a parent’s card．They want a facility that allows them to spend money.
That may come sooner than they think: new ways to take pocket money into cyber (网络的) space are coming out rapidly on both sides of the Atlantic．If successful, these products can stimulate online sales.
In general, teenagers spend huge amounts: $153bn (billion) in the US last year and ￡20bn annually in the UK．Most teenagers have access to the Internet at home or at school－88 percent in the US, 69 percent in the UK．According to the Jupiter Research, one in eight of those with Internet access has bought something online－mainly CDs and books.
In most cases, parents pay for these purchases with credit cards, an arrangement that is often unsatisfactory for them and their children．Pressing parents to spend online is less productive than pressing on the high street．They are more likely to ask “Why?” if you ask to spend some money online.
One way to help teenagers change notes and coins into cybercash is through prepaid cards such as Internetcash in the US and Smart cards in the UK．Similar to those for pay-as-you-go mobile telephones, they are sold in amounts such as￡20 or $50 with a concealed 14-digit number that can be used to load the cash into an online account.What does the word “They” in paragraph 1 refer to?
| A．Sellers. | B．Parents. | C．Buyers. | D．Teenagers. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Teenagers pay for goods online with their own credit cards. |
| B．More than half of the teenagers in the US and the UK have Internet access． |
| C．Most teenagers in the US and the UK have bought something online. |
| D．Teenagers found it easier to persuade parents to buy online than in a shop. |
A new way to help teenagers shop online is to use ______.
| A．a new machine | B．special coins and notes |
| C．prepaid cards | D．pay-as-you-go mobile phones |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Online shopping traps. | B．The arrival of cyber pocket money. |
| C．New credit cards for parents. | D．Internet users in the US and the UK. |
Volunteers Wanted!
We conduct studies to evaluate new medications for sleep disorder．Both healthy adults and patients suffering from sleep disorder are sought to participate in these studies．
You may be qualified to take part as a healthy adult volunteer if you are aged 18 or over and are willing to have your sleep patterns recorded．Further, if you meet these standards and also suffer from a little sleep disorder you may be able to sign our register of patients．
Sports Tickets
| Mon., Nov. 1st, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles |
$20~$850 |
| Mon., Nov. 1st, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets |
$35~$1000 |
| Mon., Nov. 8th, 2011 4:15 P.M. |
Sam Diego Chargers vs. New York Giants |
$40~$1500 |
| Mon., Nov. 15th, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
Jacksonville Kaguars vs. New York Jets |
$21~$6100 |
| Mon., Nov. 22nd, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Giants |
$40~$19500 |
| Mon., Nov. 29th, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
Carolina Panthers vs. New York Jets |
$10~$12000 |
| Mon., Dec. 3rd, 2011 8:20 P.M. |
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills |
$97~$800 |
Warnings:
☆ Always control your child when he is first learning to skateboard．To best assist a beginner, hold one of the child’s hands and guide him along a smooth and level surface．
☆ A safety helmet and elbow, wrist and knee pads must always be worn while your child is skateboarding．
☆ Sneakers must always be worn while your child is skateboarding．Don’t let your child skate in bare feet, sandals or any other open-toed shoes．
☆ Never let your child skateboard in the street．
☆ Never tow skateboarders with a bicycle or a car．
☆ Skateboard only in daylight．
Parents, there is a Tropical Paradise for kids too!
The Pacific Islands Club knows something others don’t．Kids are on holiday and they want to be pampered（纵容）, too．Our kids’ Club of PIC Guam is free of charge and has both indoor and outdoor activities ensuring a really great time to children aged 4 to 12．Open daily from 09: 00 a．m．Club mates will accompany children to all of the exciting play areas．They will also love to join the other children for the special meals we have prepared just for them．If you want to watch a play by New York Jets but pay the least money, you should go ______．
| A．Mon., Nov.15th, 2011 1:00 P.M. | B．Mon., Nov.1st, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
| C．Mon., Nov.29th, 2011 1:00 P.M. | D．Fri., Dec.3rd, 2011 8:20 P.M. |
While your child is skateboarding, you should_______．
| A．lead him by the hand all the time | B．forbid him to skateboard at night |
| C．require him to skateboard at night | D．let him put on open-toed shoes |
We know from the text that PIC Guam_______．
| A．charges children the least money | B．gets children alone to go to all the play areas |
| C．only has indoor activities | D．offers meals especially to children |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
| A．New York Giants participates in four matches in November, 2011． |
| B．Skateboarding without helmet and knee pads is unwise． |
| C．You can be a volunteer if you suffer diet disorder． |
| D．There are no meals provided in Pacific Islands Club． |
Having a hobby helps to make you a more interesting person and gives you something fascinating to talk about with others. It can also help you to avoid feeling bored and often provides the opportunity to meet new people with similar interests. Learning something new is always good for keeping the mind alert and active, as is maintaining a long-term interest in something that attracts you. This will also make your more of an interesting person than a person who is addicted to Facebook, watching TV, or doing other time wasting and unhealthy tasks.
Think of a hobby that might interest you. It might be an interest that you always wished you had time to explore, but never had the time or money required to pursue your interest.
Collect things for a fashion magazine. Look at the walls in your post office, and think about collecting stamps and what you might need to do to start and maintain a stamp collection. Think of other items you might like to collect, for example, coins, dolls or chocolate wrappers.
_______________________. Have you ever gone to a museum, looked at the paintings on the walls, and wondered if you could do the same thing? How about trying painting for yourself — in oils or watercolors? Or maybe try drawing with charcoal or colored pencils.
Enjoy sport as a hobby. Watch soccer, basketball, golf, athletics or tennis tournaments on television or at your local sports ground. Do you feel that a sport is something that you would love to learn? Think about what it would cost, and the time it would take to learn and play. Do you have the funds available for this type of hobby? Would you have the patience it would take to really learn to play or train for any of these sports? Would you rather play a team sport or an individual sport? Maybe there are friends or family members who already have equipment and uniforms you can have, as well as tips for how to begin your chosen sport. Ask them about their experiences and listen to their suggestions.Itisimpliedinthefirstparagraphthat_______.
| A．havingahobbywillwastealotoftime |
| B．ahobbyisnomorethanatime-killingactivity |
| C．havingahobbywilldoyougoodalot |
| D．ahobbywillmeanalotofunexpectedchances |
Whichofthefollowingismostsuitablefortheblank in paragraph 4?
| A．Discoverartforahobby. | B．Learnartinamuseum. |
| C．Makeartinyourowncommunity. | D．Copyartfromotherpainters. |
Thequestionsinthe5thparagraphareusedto_______.
| A．showthecuriosityofthewriteraboutsports | B．presentsomeadviceforyoutoconsider |
| C．expressthedoubtofthewriteraboutsports | D．providesomechoicesonsportsactivity |
Thepurposeofwritingthispassageisto_______.
| A．teachushowtofindahobby | B．explainhowahobbyisdeveloped |
| C．introducetheimportanceofahobby | D．provetheeffectofahobbyonaperson |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
The Worst Part
Mom is usually home on Sunday but this week she was going to a big golf game and I was all alone in the house．I was mad at Mom for divorcing Dad．
I kept looking at the telephone until I couldn’t stand it any longer．I picked up the receiver and dialed Dad’s number over in Bakersfield．I even remembered to dial 1 first because it was long distance．“You promised to phone me this week but you didn’t,” I said, feeling I had to talk to him．
“Take it easy, kid,” he said．“I just didn’t get around to it．I was going to call this evening．The week isn’t over yet．”
I thought about that．
“Something on your mind?” he asked．
“I hoped you would call, so I waited and waited．” Then I was sorry I said it．
“There was heavy snow in the morning,” he said, “I had to chain up on highway 80 and lost time．”
I know putting chains on eight big wheels in the snow is no fun．I felt a little better, as long as we were talking．“How is Bandit?” I asked．
There was a funny silence．For a minute I thought the line was dead．Then I knew something must have happened to my dog．
“Well, kid—”, he began．“My name is Leigh!” I almost yelled．“I’m not just some kid you met on the street!”
“Keep your shirt on, Leigh,” he said．“When I had to stop along with some other truckers to put on chains, I left Bandit out of the cab, I thought he would get back … I have sent out a call to CB radio, but I didn’t get an answer yet．” I was about to say I understood when there came the bad part, the really bad part．I heard a boy’s voice say, “Hey, Bill, Mom wants to know when we’re going out to get the pizza?”From the story we know that _______．
| A．Leigh’s dad never had a rest on Sundays |
| B．Leigh’s dad lived in another city |
| C．Leigh was a deserted boy |
| D．Leigh’s mother often went to golf games |
What happened to Bandit?
| A．It was frozen to death． |
| B．It ran off Highway 80 and into the mountain． |
| C．It was killed by a truck． |
| D．It was let out of the cab and got lost. |
The underlined sentence “Keep your shirt on” probably means “_______ ”．
| A．Calm down | B．Stop talking |
| C．Put on your shirt | D．Keep warm |
The worst part in Leigh’s eyes may be that ________．
| A．his dad didn’t love him | B．his parents got divorced |
| C．his dad got remarried | D．his mom didn’t take him to pizza |