If you haven’t heard or seen anything about Road Rage in the last few months, you’ve probably been avoiding the media. There have been countless stories about this new and scary phenomenon, considered a type of aggressive driving. You have most likely encountered aggressive driving or Road Rage recently if you drive at all.
While drunk driving remains a critical problem, the facts about aggressive driving are surely as disturbing. For instance, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, 41,907 people died on the highway last year. Of those deaths, the agency estimates that about two-thirds were caused at least in part by aggressive driving behavior.
Why is this phenomenon occurring more than ever now, and why is it something that seemed almost nonexistent a few short years ago? Experts have several theories, and all are probably partially correct. One suggestion is extreme overcrowding. In the last decade, the number of cars on the roads has increased by more than 11 percent, and the number of miles driven has increased by 35 percent. However, the number of new road miles has only increased by 1 percent. That means more cars in the same amount of space; and the problem is severe in urban areas. Also, people have less time and more things to do. With people working and trying to fit extra chores and activities into the day, stress levels have never been higher. Stress creates anxiety, which leads to short tempers. These factors, when combined in certain situations, can spell Road Rage.
You may think you are the last person who would drive aggressively, but you might be surprised. For instance, have you ever yelled out loud at a slower driver, sounded the horn long and hard an another car, or sped up to keep another driver from passing? If you recognize yourself in any of these situations, watch out!
Whether you are getting angry at other drivers, or another driver is visibly upset with you, there are things you can do to avoid any major conflict. If you are easily influenced by Road Rage, the key is to release your emotion in a healthy way. If you are the target of another driver’s rage, do everything possible to get away from the other driver safely, including avoiding eye contact and getting out of their way.The first sentence in Para. 1 implies that ______.
| A．RoadRagehasreceivedmuchmediacoverageinthelastfewmonths |
| B．themediacreatedtheterm“RoadRage”onlyafewmonthsago |
| C．onemaybeangeredbymediareportsandwantstoavoidthem |
| D．peoplenotinterestedinthemediaknowlittleaboutrecenthappenings |
The underlined word “spell” in Para. 3 means ________.
| A．relieve | B．cause | C．spread | D．prevent |
Which of the following characterizes aggressive driving?
| A．Talking while driving. | B．Driving at high speed. |
| C．Shouting at another driver. | D．Sounding the horn when passing |
The last paragraph is intended to _________.
| A．tellpeoplehowtodealwithRoadRage |
| B．informpeoplehowaggressivedriverscouldbe |
| C．showpeoplehowtocontrolthemselveswhenangry |
| D．warnpeopleagainsteyecontactwithanotherdriver |
A teddy bear from Cumbria is launching into space to raise cash for charity(慈善).
Terence, an experienced traveller who has been to Iraq, will be the guest of honour on aviation(航行) legend Burt Rutan’s Spaceship One when it flies above Earth. The mission takes off from California on September 29, and on his return the cuddly toy will be auctioned off(拍卖) in aid of the North Air Ambulance Appeal(北部空中救护服务中心).
Spaceship One is the world’s first private spacecraft, and is competing for a prestigious space travel prize. Chief executive of the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), Graham Pickering, said “flying officer” Terence had been handed over to the RAF six months ago and staff had been receiving postcards from him ever since.
He said, “Terence was a fundraising idea that really took off. We have received pictures of him in a U2 craft, trying parachuting and even looking drunk and disorderly. When the RAF finally discharge him he will be a very rare bear indeed—we just hope he does not burn up on re-entry to Earth.”
GNAAS, which needs charitable donations of more than ￡2m a year, has three air ambulances(空中救护机).
Peter Bond, spokesman for the Royal Astronomical Society, said Terence’s safety was not guaranteed. He said, “This is a new and experimental craft and this will only be the second time it has flown. During its first voyage it developed technical problems but hopefully they have now been resolved.”
Since May, Terence has spent time with members of 100 Squadron(空军中队) based at RAF Leeming in Basra, Iraq, and at air shows with performing fighter planes.
Spaceship One will fly 100km (62 miles) above the Earth’s surface, just breaking through the planet’s atmosphere.
If it repeats the feat(技艺) inside two weeks, it will claim the $10m Ansari X-Prize set up to encourage the private space flight business.Terence is ________.
| A．a real bear living in England | B．an experienced astronaut |
| C．an air force officer | D．a toy bear |
We can infer that________.
| A．after this space flight, Spaceship One will get the $10m Ansari X-Prize |
| B．it is dangerous for a spaceship to re-enter the earth atmosphere |
| C．Terence will be very safe on the flight |
| D．Spaceship One is just an ordinary plane |
Which of the following is true of Spaceship One?
| A．Spaceship One is the world’s first spacecraft. |
| B．The purpose of its flight is to collect money for the charity. |
| C．The purpose of its flight is to compete for a prestigious space travel prize. |
| D．Spaceship One has never flown. |
Which of the following is the best title?
| A．Teddy bear astronaut to lift off | B．Spaceship One to lift off |
| C．Space flight | D．The toy bear will be auctioned off |
A is for always getting to work on time.
B is for being extremely busy.
C is for the conscientious(勤勤恳恳的) way you do your job.
You may be all these things at the office, and more. But when it comes to getting ahead, experts say, the ABCs of business should include a P, for politics, as in office politics.
Dale Carnegie suggested as much more than 50 years ago: Hard work alone doesn’t ensure career advancement. You have to be able to sell yourself and your ideas, both publicly and behind the scenes. Yet, despite the obvious rewards of engaging in office politics—a better job, a raise, praise—many people are still unable or unwilling—to “play the game”.
“People assume that office politics involves some manipulative(工于心计的) behavior,” says Deborah Comer, an assistant professor of management at Hofstra University. “But politics derives from the word ‘polite’. It can mean lobbying(游说) and forming associations. It can mean being kind and helpful, or even trying, to please your superior, and then expecting something in return.”
In fact, today, experts define office politics as proper behavior used to pursue one’s own self-interest in the workplace. In many cases, this involves some form of socializing within the office environment—not just in large companies, but in small workplaces as well.
“The first thing people are usually judged on is their ability to perform well on a consistent basis,” says Neil P. Lewis, a management psychologist. “But if two or three candidates are up for a promotion, each of whom has reasonably similar ability, a manager is going to promote the person he or she likes best. It’s simple human nature.”
Yet, psychologists say, many employees and employers have trouble with the concept of politics in the office. Some people, they say, have an idealistic vision of work and what it takes to succeed. Still others associate politics with flattery(奉承), fearful that, if they speak up for themselves, they may appear to be flattering their boss for favors.
Experts suggest altering this negative picture by recognizing the need for some self-promotion.“Office politics” is used in the passage to refer to________.
| A．the political views and beliefs of office workers |
| B．the interpersonal relationships within a company |
| C．the various qualities required for a successful career |
| D． the code of behavior for company staff |
To get promoted, one must not only be competent but________.
| A．avoid being too outstanding |
| B．get along well with his colleagues |
| C．honest and loyal to his company |
| D．give his boss a good impression |
The author considers office politics to be________.
| A．unwelcome at the workplace |
| B．bad for interpersonal relationships |
| C．an important factor for personal advancement |
| D．indispensable to the development of company culture |
It is the author’s view that________.
| A．self-promotion does not necessarily mean flattery |
| B．hard work contributes very little to one’s promotion |
| C．many employees fail to recognize the need of flattery |
| D．speaking up for oneself is part of human nature |
Most of us are used to seasons. Each year, spring follows winter, which follows autumn, which follows summer, which follows spring. And winter is colder than summer. But the earth goes through temperature cycles over much longer periods than those that we experience. Between 65,000 and 35,000 years ago, the planet was much colder than it is now. During that time the temperature also changed a lot, with periods of warming and cooling. Ice melted during the warm periods, which made sea levels rise. Water froze again during the cold periods.
A new study from Switzerland, sheds light on where ice sheets melted during the ice age. It now seems that the ice melted at both ends of the earth, rather than just in either northern or southern regions.
This surprised the researchers from the University of Bern. Scientists have long assumed that most of the ice that melted was in the Northern hemisphere(半球) during the 30,000-year long ice age. That belief was held because the North Pole is surrounded by land, while the South Pole is surrounded by the Antarctic Ocean. It is easier for ice sheets to grow on land. If surrounded by sea the ice can easily just slip into the ocean instead of building up.
The researchers used a computer model to look at ways the ice could melt and how it might affect sea levels. They compared these results to evidence of how temperatures and currents actually changed during that time. The model showed that if it was only in the Northern hemisphere that ice melted, there would have been a bigger impact(影响) on ocean currents(洋流) and sea temperatures than what actually happened. Studies suggest that melting just in the Southern hemisphere would have been impossible, too. The only reasonable conclusion, the scientists could make, was that ice melted equally in the North and the South.
It is still a mystery as to what caused the temperature changes that caused the ice to melt.The North Pole is surrounded by land, while the South Pole is surrounded by the Antarctic Ocean. So scientists thought that ________.
| A．most of the ice melted in the Northern hemisphere |
| B．most of the ice melted in the Southern hemisphere |
| C．The North Pole is colder than South Pole |
| D．The South Pole is colder than North Pole |
We can infer from the passage ________.
| A．the ice can easily just slip into the ocean |
| B．volcanoes caused the ice to melt |
| C．melting just in the Northern hemisphere would have been impossible |
| D．researchers often use the computer models help their research work. |
The scientists are not sure ________.
| A．how long the ice age lasted |
| B．where ice sheets melted during the ice age |
| C．what caused the temperature changes |
| D．what the earth is made up of |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．A computer model |
| B．Studies show ice melted equally in the North and the South during the ice age |
| C．Most of the ice melted in the Northern hemisphere during the 30,000-year long ice age. |
| D．A survey result |
“Seven out of ten people have tried to learn a language at some point in their life and most wish they could speak one more fluently,” a survey found. “And nine out of ten people want their children to learn foreign languages at primary school,” said the poll for the OCR Examing Board (牛津剑桥皇家考试委员会).Languages are no longer compulsory(义务的)for pupils aged 14 and over. But the government wants all primary school pupils in England to learn a language by the end of the decade.
A survey of 1000 people was carried out, which is organised by the National Centre of Language .The study suggested people in London were the most likely(78%) to have studied another language, Scots were next at 74%, followed by the northeast of England (71%).In the west of England, more than six in ten have knowledge of another language.
Barrie Hunt from OCR said, “People are often very negative about Britain，s grasp of foreign languages but in reality the number of people who can speak a second language is impressive. The great joke is that many of these people will have no formal qualification to show their family, friends and employers what they can do. Whether they are fluent or just able to hold a short conversation in another language is unknown.”
He said OCR had set a new language scheme called Asset Languages to encourage people of all ages to learn languages in bite-sized amounts and get a qualification.
The scheme also provides assessment for community languages spoken at home, such as Chinese, Urdu and Punjabi.
Isabella Moore from the National Centre of Languages said, “Employers want evidence of good communication skills, confidence and outward-looking attitudes, so a language qualification is an important addition to anyone，s resume.”It can be inferred that___________________________ .
| A．foreign language study is popular in UK |
| B．foreign language study is a must for people of all ages |
| C．it is especially easy for British people to study foreign languages |
| D．students of over 14 no longer study foreign languages |
Which of the following has the most to have studied a foreign language?
| A．People from Scotland. | B．People from the northeast of England. |
| C．People in London. | D．People from the west of England. |
Which statement is true according to the text?
| A．A language qualification is the only evidence of a high-quality employee. |
| B．Speaking foreign languages is the most important skill required in employment among all. |
| C．A language qualification is very difficult to get in UK. |
| D．Many people in UK don，t have a qualification although they can speak foreign languages. |
What’s the best title for the text?
| A．An Interesting Survey | B．UK Loves After All |
| C．Language Teaching in UK | D．Better to Get a Language Qualification |
When your pet meets your infant(婴儿)，it might not be love at first sniff. When Jennifer brought her baby home from the hospital, her cherished dogs had very different reactions. Her Boxer, Sonya, was immediately gentle and protective. But Tiger, the Pomeranian, was less welcoming. “If any diapers(尿布)or toys were on the floor, he peed on them,” says the Greenbrier, mom. In the eyes of a pet, there’s a new star in home who’s stealing his spotlight. Even the gentlest animal will probably act up if he doesn’t get his usual attention. These simple steps will help your pet adjust and keep your baby safe.
Introduce Them with Care
Your newborn and per’s first encounter can set the tone for their relationship. To make it as smooth as possible, try this trick from Caryn Ruiz：“Before we left the hospital, my husband took blankets home to our dog, Daisy, so she’d know our newborn Devon’s smell.” When you get home, have your husband carry the baby so you can greet your pet without worrying about her jumping on you. A cat will likely walk away at first, while a dog probably wants to investigate right away.
To introduce your baby, get down on your pet’s level and let her have a hello sniff. Don’t panic and pull your baby away unless your pet is barking or hissing, because it’ll send the message that the baby is a threat.
Learn the Safety Basics
No matter how smoothly the introduction goes, there are certain safety rules you should follow. Never leave your baby alone with the pet. Even the gentlest animal can react unpredictably. Your baby’s crying could frighten your cat, or your dog could suddenly become territorial. Consider setting up baby gates to limit your pet’s access. To keep your cat from jumping into the bassinet(有篷盖的摇篮), try putting mosquito netting over the top. Cats hate sticky paws, so keep the crib(有栏杆的婴儿床)and changing table off-limits by lining the edges with sticky strips made for furniture. You can also train your dog to sleep in a crate(大木箱).At the beginning of the passage, the author uses the stories to_____.
| A．illustrate possible reactions when pets meet a newborn baby |
| B．show that pets don’t like a newborn baby |
| C．prove how friendly a pet is when it meets a newborn baby |
| D．introduce how terrible the pets are when a mother gets a baby home |
Who is Sonya mentioned in the 1 st paragraph?
| A．Jennifer’s dog. | B．Jennifer’s baby. |
| C．Jennifer’s husband. | D．A pet expert. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Cats are more welcoming than dogs when they meet a newborn baby. |
| B．You must show your baby to your pet dog when it is barking. |
| C．You should never keep a baby together with your pet. |
| D．The first introduction of your newborn baby to your pet is important. |
According to the passage, to keep your baby safe, you should do the following things EXCEPT_____.
| A．introducing your baby to your pet with care |
| B．leaving your baby alone with your pet at the first day when they meet |
| C．setting up baby gates to limit your baby |
| D．keeping your pet away from your baby |