China has recently been faced with serious issues of product safety. In Panama ,it is said that medicine made with a poisonous chemical sickened some people. A Chinese company had identified it as diethylamide glycol(乙二醇),a low-cost substitute commonly used in automobile antifreeze(防冻剂)．
Some countries have banned Chinese-made toothpaste containing diethylamide glycol. China has now told companies to discontinue its use, even though it says the toothpaste is safe. Another industrial chemical, melamine, was found in wheat flour used to make pet food in North America. Thousands of dogs and cats became sick.
The United States has restricted some imports of Chinese seafood because they contained banned substance. And questions have been raised about other products, including children's toys covered with lead paint.
Chinese officials promised to provide the European Union, the biggest trading partner, with detailed reports on enforcement efforts against unsafe goods.
Meglena Kuneva, commissioner(理事) for consumer protection of the European Union said China should have kept its promise.
China recently closed three companies linked to the Panama and the pet food scare. And it dismissed the former head of its food and drug administration. He was found guilty of corruption(腐败)for approving unsafe drugs. This week, a conference of the State Council approved a proposed special measure on the supervision of food safety. The Xinhua News Agency said it calls for stronger controls over producers, greater responsibilities for government and more serious punishment for illegal activities.
But Chinese officials have accused some foreign media of overstating problems with goods made in China. They say food imports from the United States also fail inspection sometimes. Next week, American and Chinese food safety officials are planning to hold 5 days of meetings in Beijing to discuss cooperation.How many cases with safety problems are mentioned in the passage?
| A．Six. | B．Five. | C．Four. | D．Three. |
How was Panama case dealt with afterwards?
A. Three companies linked to it were closed down.
B. The former head of food and drug administration was removed from his position.
C. More serious punishment was conducted for leaders linked to it.
D. Both A and B.It can be implied but not clearly stated that________.
| A．Chinese-made toothpaste is safe |
| B．the safety of "Made in China" is doubted |
| C．there are safety problems with more Chinese products |
| D．stronger control over Chinese products is in need |
The passage is mainly about________.
| A．China is facing product safety problems |
| B．more controls are taken of Chinese goods |
| C．overstated problems with Chinese goods |
| D．China is losing its trade partners |
What does “it” refer to in the last but one paragraph?
| A．China | B．The European Union |
| C．Chinese officials | D．The Chinese company |
Traditional businessmen feel worried that growing ecommerce will reduce their share of the market.
According to a survey, 90% of some people's purchases are made on the computer. As they find that by being able to go online and choose the things that they need to choose, and have them delivered right to their doorsteps, they could no longer be bothered with driving, the crowds, the noise of that, and they usually get a better selection.
Cornell University Marketing Professor, MeLaughlin says traditional stores can keep their customers by offering goods like clothing, which customers may want to see and try on before purchasing, as well as items that are difficult to ship. He says some traditional stores are also pleasing customers with services that set up or repair computers and electronics.
Traditional stores also offer a social experience that some shoppers enjoy. There is still a lot of emotion in the buying decision that takes place. Oftentimes, you need that last sense of “this is exactly what I want” before you part with money. And you can't always get that online. It's a rather cold process.
As more and more people have Internet access and smart phones, online commerce is likely to continue its growth here in the United States and in other countries.Traditional businessmen feel upset because ________.
| A．consumers can get a better selection by shopping online |
| B．growing online sales will cut their share of the market |
| C．people like to have their goods delivered to their house |
| D．more and more people purchase things on the computer |
According to McLaughlin, some traditional stores are keeping customers by ________.
| A．delivering goods to each doorstep |
| B．inviting customers to try on clothing |
| C．providing customers with extra services |
| D．repairing computers and electronics only |
From the 4th paragraph, we know that ________.
| A．some shoppers like the social climate in traditional stores |
| B．the process of shopping online is full of emotion |
| C．online shoppers tend to be cold to each other |
| D．making buying decisions in traditional shops is difficult |
“Plants were expected to get larger with increased carbon dioxide in atmosphere, but changes in temperature, humidity(湿度) and nutrient availability（养分有效性） seem to trumped the benefits of increased carbon dioxide，” said researchers from the National University of Singapore.
45 percent of the species studied now reach smaller adult sizes than they did in the past. The researchers pointed out that warmer temperatures and changing habitats, caused by climate change, are possible reasons for shrinking(缩小的) creatures.
“We do not yet know the mechanisms（原理） involved, or why some organism are getting smaller while others are unaffected，” the researchers said. “Until we understand more, we could be risking negative consequences that we can't yet quantify.”
The change was big in coldblooded animals. Only two decades of warmer temperatures were enough to make reptiles（爬行动物） smaller. An increase of 1 degree centigrade caused nearly a 10 percent increase in metabolism (新陈代谢). Greater use of energy resulted in tiny tortoises and little lizards. Fish are smaller now too. Though overfishing has played a part in reducing numbers, experiments show that warmer temperatures also stop fish growth. There is a recent report on warmer temperatures' negative effects on plankton（浮游生物）, the base of the marine（海洋的） ecosystem.
Warmblooded animals weren't immune（免于） from the size change caused by climate change. Many birds are now smaller. Mammals have been miniaturized too. Soay sheep are thinner. Red deer are weaker. And polar bears are smaller, compared with historical records.
This is not the first time this has happened in Earth's history. 55 million years ago, a warming event similar to the current climate change caused bees, spiders and ants to shrink by 50 to 75 percent over several thousand years. That event happened over a long time than the current climate change.
The speed of modern climate change could mean organisms may not respond or adapt quickly enough, especially those with long generation times. So, it is likely that more negative influences of climate change will be shown in future.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? ________
| A．Why do some species become smaller? |
| B．Species become smaller as climate warms |
| C．Climate change has many negative effects |
| D．How does temperature change in Earth's history? |
The underlined word “trumped” in the first paragraph can be replaced by ________.
| A．been neglected by | B．been less than |
| C．been weakened by | D．had strong influences than |
Researchers from the National University of Singapore believe that ________.
| A．too many studies on animals' size have been done |
| B．all the animals on the earth have become smaller |
| C．how climate change effects animals' size has not been found clearly |
| D．people can avoid the negative effects of climate change |
What can we learn from the passage? ________
| A．Ants, bees and spiders have been shrinking by 50% to 70% in the past decade. |
| B．Birds have suffered more from climate change than fish. |
| C．Climate change has even affected plankton negatively. |
| D．A warming event causing species to become smaller has never happened before. |
I was driving home the other day on a sunny afternoon. I had a smile on my face as I sang along to the songs on the radio. It was such a beautiful day that I felt full of happiness. My good mood ended, however, when the radio station took a news break between songs. Then suddenly I found myself listening to yet another story of a rich famous man who had broken the law. I shook my head as I came to a red traffic light.
As I pulled to a stop I noticed four leatherjacketed bikers. They were standing in the middle of the road with two on either side of the light. They looked rough and dangerous, but as I got closer I noticed each one was holding their helmet in their hands. I rolled down my window as one approached my car. “We are the Brother of the Wheel，” he said. “We are collecting money for Christmas Toy Drive for needy children.” As I pulled a dollar out of my wallet I looked past his beard and into his eyes. They shined with goodness and kindness that came right from his soul. I dropped the money in his helmet and waved to the other bikers as I drove off. My good mood had returned. My faith in mankind had been bolstered. And I remembered once again never to judge people by their appearance.
Our society often judges books by their covers but God reads what is written in our hearts and souls. Perhaps one day we will all learn to see the world through the same eyes. Perhaps one day we will realize that looks matter little and actions matter much.The writer's good mood ended when ________.
| A．he heard a rich man broke the law |
| B．he had to stop at a red traffic light |
| C．he heard news between songs |
| D．he saw four leatherjacketed bikers |
What were the four bikers doing at the traffic lights? ________
| A．Raising money to help kids in need. |
| B．Selling helmets to the passersby. |
| C．Having a bicycle race in the street |
| D．Preparing for Christmas holidays. |
What does “bolstered” in the second paragraph probably mean? ________
| A．Destroyed. | B．Exploded. |
| C．Decreased. | D．Improved. |
The writer wants to tell us that we should ________.
| A．have faith in young people |
| B．manage to help others in need |
| C．change our attitude to society |
| D．judge others by their actions |
Eco City Farms are becoming more popular in cities and towns around the United States.
Eco City Farms in Edmonston,Maryland, is located near shopping centers, car repair shops and homes. The neighborhood is a workingclass community. People do not have very much money, and they have limited access to fresh food in markets.
Over the past two years, the farm has attracted volunteers from the community like Marcy Clark. She schools her four children at home. On a recent day she brought them to Eco City Farms for a lesson. Her son Alston Clark thinks his experience is very valuable. “I like coming out here，” he says, “You know, you connect with the earth, where your food comes from. You appreciate the food a little bit more.”
Margaret Morgan started Eco City Farms. She thinks of it as a place where people can learn to live healthier lives. “Growing food in a community brings people together，” she continues, “Every piece of what we do here is a demonstration to show people everything about how to have an ecofriendly community.” she says. From the Eco City Farms people come to know that they are not only growing food and raising chickens and bees, but improving the soil with compost (肥料) made from food waste.
Eco City Farms is an experimental operation. The farm gets its power not from the local electricity networks, but from the sun with solar panels. In winter, the green houses use a geothermal (地热) system.
Vegetables can be grown all year. So once a week, all winter long, neighbors like Chris Moss and her three children bike to the farm to pick up a share of the harvest.
“I like eating the vegetables，” says fiveyearold Owen Moss.What is mainly talked about in the passage? ________
| A．Eco City Farms save a lot of energy. |
| B．Eco City Farms helps the workingclass live better. |
| C．Eco City Farms are influencing community life. |
| D．Eco City Farms are gaining popularity. |
According to the passage, Eco City Farms are close to the following places EXCEPT ________.
| A．fastfood restaurants | B．car repair shops |
| C．shopping centers | D．workingclass community |
What is the author's attitude toward Eco City Farms? ________
| A．Surprised. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Enthusiastic. | D．Doubtful. |
In which column of a newspaper can you most probably read this article? ________
| A．Environment. | B．Travel. |
| C．People. | D．Education. |
The way people hold to the belief that a fun-filled, and pain-free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness then pain must be equal to unhappiness. But in fact, the opposite is true: more often than not things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very attempts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably(不可避免的) brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment (义务), self - improvement.
Ask a bachelor(单身汉) why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he is honest he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure, excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three - day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates （解放）money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.According to the author, a bachelor resists marriage chiefly because _______ .
| A．he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities |
| B．he believes that life will be more cheerful if he remains single |
| C．he finds more fun in dating than in marriage |
| D．he fears it will put an end to all his fun adventure and excitement |
From the last paragraph, we learn that envy sometimes stems from ________ .
| A．hatred | B．misunderstanding |
| C．prejudice | D．ignorance |
What is the author trying to tell us?
| A．Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain. |
| B．One must know how to attain happiness. |
| C．It is important to make commitments. |
| D．It is pain that leads to happiness. |