Was the London Olympics a success? Many people hold different opinions.However, one thing is certain, London could win a gold medal for hosting the“greenest”Games ever, BBC News reported.
Previous Olympic hosts have been criticized for the environmental damage they have caused through construction, waste and transport.But things had to be different in London.
What is most impressive is that London considered the construction of the Olympic Park as an opportunity to clean up polluted areas.2 million tons of polluted soils were removed and 200 old factory buildings were torn down, according to sustainablebusiness.com.But that’s not all.99 percent of the debris(废瓦砾)were reused to build the Olympic Park.
As well as using recycled materials, all gymnasiums were built with green building techniques.The Olympic Stadium is the lightest one ever built, which minimized the amount of steel and concrete needed.Also, the handball field has lighting pipes on the roof that reduce electricity use by 40 percent.
The effort that London made to deal with waste also deserves praise.Water used for drinking and watering plants was from collected rainwater or recycled wastewater.In this way, about 30-40 percent less water was used in total.Waste food package were either recycled or processed and turned into renewable energy.
As one of the best connected places in Europe, London tried to solve traffic jams by encouraging the use of public transport.For example, it had trains deliver half of the building materials, instead of cars, which greatly reduced carbon emissions(排放).
The clean anti-doping result also added to the greenness of the Games.Only one athlete tested positive for a banned drug on the day of competing, which is why the IOC President, Jacques Rogge, has praised anti-doping efforts at the London Games.To make the Olympic Park green, London ________.
A.recycled 2 million tons of polluted soil |
B.applied green building techniques to the construction |
C.built the Olympic Stadium mostly with recycled materials |
D.removed 99 percent of the debris from the city |
The underlined word“minimized”in the fourth paragraph probably means ________.
A.increased as much as possible | B.made use of |
C.reduced as much as possible | D.took little notice of |
What can we conclude from the article?
A.The London Olympics cost less than the other Olympics ever held. |
B.London has possessed the most advanced techniques to deal with waste. |
C.Public transport is made good use of in London during the Olympic Games. |
D.The anti-doping result in the London Olympics turned out to be dissatisfactory. |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.The effort that London made to deal with waste isn't worthy of praise. |
B.In terms of holding the greenest Games, the London Olympics was a success. |
C.London tried to solve traffic jams by encouraging the use of private cars for free. |
D.The IOC President, Jacques Rogge was unsatisfied with the anti-doping efforts at the London Games. |
I will never forget the day--- September 10th 2009, when my class went on a field trip to the beach and I had so much fun. When we returned to school, my teacher told me to go to the headmaster’s office. When I got into the office, I saw a police officer. Suddenly, I realized something was wrong. The police officer told me what had happened and we went to pick my sister up. After that, we went to the hospital and waited. Time went slowly. Finally, we got to see our mother. It was terrible.
On the next day, the headmaster came and told my two teachers what had happened. I was taking a test that day. I knew it had something to do with my mother. I kept thinking that she either died or had gotten better. How I wished that she had gotten better. When my teacher took me outside, my sister ran up to me. She started crying, “She’s gone, Terresa, mommy’s gone. She’s dead.” I couldn’t believe it. We jumped into the car and drove straight to the hospital. Most of my family were there. The silence was terrible. I knew I had to say goodbye.
Today when I look back, I still miss my mother very much, but I know that I will live. My mother was a strong mother, who had the biggest heart. She was an angel walking on the earth. I will always remember her as a living. When someone is asked who their hero is, they usually say someone famous, like Michael Jordan or Britney Spears. When someone asks me who my hero is, I tell them, my mother. My mother lives everyday. That is what makes her a true hero.Where was the writer when she learned her mother was sick?
A.On the beach. | B.At the hospital. |
C.At school. | D.At home. |
Who brought the writer the bad news that her mother was ill?
A.Her sister. | B.The headmaster. |
C.The police officer | D.Her teacher. |
What did the headmaster tell the two teachers on the next day?
A.Her father had been very ill. |
B.Her mother had gotten better. |
C.Her mother came to see her. |
D.Her mother had been dead. |
From the last paragraph of the passage we know that _____________.
A.the writer is afraid of her mother. |
B.the writer feels sad about her mother. |
C.the writer feels sorry for her mother. |
D.the writer is proud of her mother. |
Spring is coming. and it is time for those about to graduate to look for jobs. Competition is tough, so job seekers must carefully consider their personal choices. Whatever we are wearing,our family and friends may accept us, but the workplace may not.
A high school newspaper editor said it is unfair for companies to discourage visible tattoos (纹身),nose rings, or certain dress styles. It is true you can’t judge a book by its cover, yet people do “cover” themselves in order to convey (传递)certain messages. What we wear, including tattoos and nose rings, is an expression of who we are. Just as people convey messages about themselves with their appearances, so do companies. Dress standards exist in the business world for a number of reasons, but the main concern is often about what customers accept.
Others may say how to dress is a matter of personal freedom, but for businesses it is more about whether to make or lose money. Most employers do care about the personal appearances of their employees (雇员),because those people represent the companies to their customers.
As a hiring manager I am paid to choose the people who would make the best impression on our customers. There are plenty of well-qualified candidates, so it is not wrong to reject someone who might disappoint my customers. Even though I am open-minded, I can’t expect all our customers are.
There is nobody to blame but yourself if your set of choices does not match that of your preferred employer. No company should have to change to satisfy a candidate simply because he or she is unwilling to respect its standards, as long as its standards are legal.Which of the following is the newspaper editor’s opinion according to Paragraph 2?
A.People’s appearances carry messages about themselves. |
B.Candidates with tattoos or nose rings should be fairly treated. |
C.Customers’ choices influence dress standards in companies. |
D.Strange dress styles should not be encouraged in the workplace. |
What can be inferred from the text?
A.Candidates have to wear what companies prefer for an interview. |
B.Hiring managers make the best impression on their candidates. |
C.What to wear is not a matter of personal choice for companies. |
D.Companies sometimes have to change to respect their candidates. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A.Hiring Managers Matter | B.Personal Choices Matter |
C.Employees Matter | D.Appearances Matter |
The author’s attitude towards strange dress styles in the workplace may best be described as _________.
A.enthusiastic | B.positive |
C.negative | D.sympathetic |
What looks like an angry old man and lives at the bottom of the ocean? It’s the world’s ugliest animal---the blobfish(水滴鱼).
Its strange skin is shaped by its habitat. It lives 800 meters below the ocean’s surface, a depth where very few other creatures can survive.
Most fishes have a swim bladder(鱼鳔), which is filled with gas and helps them stay afloat. At the depth that the blobfish live, water pressure is 80 times higher than that at higher sea levels and any swim bladder wouldn’t be able to serve its purpose.
The blobfish don’t have a swim bladder because their skin works the same way. It helps them stay afloat without having to use any energy.
The blobfish have a pretty relaxed attitude towards eating. All they do is stay and wait for crabs or lobsters to come by.
Since the blobfish like to eat crabs and lobsters, they often get caught in nets that are used to catch lobsters or crabs and end up dying or being killed. They are not suitable for eating so they are useless for fishermen.
There’s a purpose behind the blobfish’s new title; it has become the new mascot for the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, an organization whose purpose is to preserve endangered ugly animals.
“We’ve needed an ugly face for endangered ugly animals for a long time and I’ve been amazed by the public reaction,” said the Society’s Simon Watt. “For too long cute animals have taken the limelight(风头) but now the blobfish will be a voice for those who always get forgotten.”They hope this new face will help the world know that we need to help preserve the populations of ugly animals too.The biggest difference between the blobfish and most other fishes is that the blobfish_____ .
A.cannot be eaten by people |
B.don’t have a swim bladder |
C.only live at high sea levels |
D.aren’t active in catching food |
What makes the blobfish stay afloat?
A.Their skin. | B.Their tail. |
C.Their mouth. | D.Their swim bladder. |
We can learn from what Simon Watt said that _____ .
A.most ugly animals are in danger |
B.the population of the blobfish is increasing |
C.the blobfish have attracted the public’s attention |
D.people knew nothing about the blobfish in the past |
What is the purpose of the passage?
A.To discuss the importance of preserving animals. |
B.To give the reason for starting an organization. |
C.To present the results of a survey. |
D.To introduce a special animal. |
Apple picking |
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Apple picking is always a popular fall activity, with families looking for a fun way to spend time together outdoors. Check out some options on where and how to pick close to Toronto: |
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Where to pick |
Pine Farms Tel: 905-833-5459 Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9 am to 5 pm Details: Pick your own apples from mid-August to November. |
Albion Farms Tel: 905-584-0354 Hours: Daily 10 am to 6 pm Details: Pick your own apples on weekends only |
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Watson Farms Tel: 905-623-9109 Hours: Monday to Friday 9 am to 8 pm Weekends 9 am to 6 pm Details: Pick your own apples only in early September. |
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Brooks Farms Tel: 905-473-3920 Hours: Daily 9 am to 5 pm Details: Picking your own apples is not available(可得到的),but apples are available in the farm market. |
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Willis Family Fruit Farms Tel: 905-876-2606 Hours: Weekends 10 am to 8 pm Details: Pick your own apples only in September and October. |
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Apple picking tips |
Call first: Certain apple types may not be available because demand and farm hours can change without notice. So call ahead before setting out. |
What to bring: Some farms provide containers(容器) for you to carry the fruit home, but it’s not a bad idea to bring them yourself. Comfortable shoes and clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty are a must. And keep the weather in mind: pack a sweater for cooler days, and bring sun cream. |
According to the author, apple picking ______ .
A.helps farmers harvest the fruit |
B.can bring great pleasure to families |
C.is better for teenagers than for adults |
D.is becoming more and more popular in cities |
If you are only free after 6 pm on Tuesday, you can choose _____ .
A.Pine Farms | B.Albion Farms |
C.Watson Farms | D.Willis Family Fruit Farms |
What can we learn from the passage?
A.You may dirty your clothes when picking apples. |
B.Apples on all the farms are on sale at the same time. |
C.You have to pay to take the apples you have picked home. |
D.You are not allowed to take containers for carrying apples. |
I regularly train at a local boxing gym and I’m lucky enough to meet an amazing man, Adrian Charter. Adrian comes to the gym to train, just like me. The difference is, I’m 31 years old, and Adrian is 72!
I watched Adrian as he was training, early on a Sunday morning, and he was hitting the punching bag harder and quicker than most men in their twenties would. Adrian was a former boxer whose last professional fight was in 1972. Even though he has stopped competing as a boxer, his discipline(纪律) still makes him stick to a training rule.
It simply amazed me as to how a 72-year-old man could train so hard. Believe me, boxing is one of the most difficult sports on the earth, needing much patience,skill, and effort.
What surprised me even more was that a few days earlier he did some running. He ran 9 kilometers. He does this on a regular basis. For me, I can run 5 kilometers at most.
When I questioned him about how he kept such discipline, he calmly replied, “It is all in my mind.”
I thought about it for a moment. If discipline can push a 72-year-old man to train so hard and enjoy it, could I imagine how discipline could serve every single human being on the earth? Right at this point, as you read this story, please pause and ask yourself, “What is my level of discipline?”
Adrian’s example told me that the power of discipline will get us to the finishing line! The bigger the challenge is, the more our discipline can serve us and the sweeter the taste of success will be!The author noticed Adrian Charter mostly because Adrian Charter _______ .
A.was a famous former boxer |
B.was the oldest in the boxing gym |
C.acted faster even than young people |
D.didn’t want to compete any longer |
What does the author think of boxing?
A.It has high requirements. |
B.It has strict training rules. |
C.It has a limit to people’s age. |
D.It makes people become quick and strong. |
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph probably means “______ ”.
A.Rome was not built in a day |
B.no pains, no gains |
C.failure is the mother of success |
D.early birds can catch worms |
What can be the best title for the text?
A.Grasp every chance to keep fit |
B.An unforgotten experience |
C.The power of discipline |
D.An amazing boxer |