First Day at School
It was my first day at school in London and I was half-excited and half-frightened. On my way to school I wondered, what questions the other boys would ask me and practiced all the answers: "I am nine years old. I was born here but I haven't lived here since I was two. I was living in Farley. It's about thirty miles away. I came back to London two months ago." I also wondered if it was the rule for boys to fight strangers like me, but I was tall for my age. I hoped they would decide not to risk it.
No one took any notice of me before school. I stood in the center of the playground, expecting someone to say "hello", but no one spoke to me.
My teacher was called Mr. Jones. There were 42 boys in the class, so I didn't stand out there, either, until the first lesson of the afternoon. Mr. Jones was very fond of Charles Dickens, so he asked several boys if they knew Dickens' birthplace, but no one guessed right. A boy called Brian, the biggest in the class, said: "Timbuktu” and Mr. Jones went red in the face. Then he asked me. I said: "Portsmouth” and everyone stared at me because Mr. Jones said I was right. This didn't make me very popular, of course. “He thinks he's clever," I heard Brian say.
After that, we went out to the playground to play football. I was in Brian's team, and he obviously had Dickens in mind because he told me to go in goal. No one ever wanted to be the goalkeeper.
"He's big enough and useless enough;" Brian said when someone asked him why he had chosen me.
As the boy kicked the ball hard along the ground to my right, I threw myself down quickly and saved it. All my team crowded round me. My bare knees were grazed and bleeding. Brian took out a handkerchief and offered it to me.
"Do you want to join my gang (team)?" he said.
At the end of the day, I was no longer a stranger. The writer prepared to answer all of the following questions EXCEPT "__________".
A.How old are you? |
B.Where are you from? |
C.Do you want to join my gang? |
D.When did you come back to London? |
We can learn from the passage that ___________________.
A.boys were usually unfriendly to new students |
B.the writer was not greeted as he expected |
C.Brian praised the writer for his cleverness |
D.the writer was glad to be a goalkeeper |
The underlined part "I didn't stand out" in paragraph 3 means that the writer was not ______.
A.noticeable | B.nervous |
C.important | D.outstanding |
The writer was offered a handkerchief because _________________.
A.he was in Brian’s team |
B.he was no longer a new comer |
C.he was beginning to be accepted |
D.he pushed a player on the other team |
Researchers in the psychology department at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) have discovered a major difference in the way men and women respond to stress. This difference may explain why men are more likely to suffer from stress-related disorders.
Until now, psychological research has maintained that both men and women have the same "fight-or-flight" reaction to stress. In other words, individuals either react with aggressive behavior, such as verbal or physical conflict ("fight"), or they react by withdrawing from the stressful situation ("flight"). However, the UCLA research team found that men and women have quite different biological and behavioral responses to stress. While men often react to stress in the fight-or-flight response, women often have another kind of reaction which could be called "tend and befriend." That is, they often react to stressful conditions by protecting and nurturing their young ("tend"), and by looking for social contact and support from others - especially other females ('befriend").
Scientists have long known that in the fight-or- flight reaction to stress, an important role is played by certain hormones(激素) released by the body. The UCLA research team suggests that the female tend-or-befriend response is also based on a hormone. This hormone, called oxytocin, has been studied in the context of childbirth, but now it is being studied for its role in the response of both men and women to stress. The principal investigator, Dr. Shelley E. Taylor, explained that "animals and people with high levels of oxytocin are calmer, more relaxed, more social, and less anxious." While men also secrete(分泌)oxytocin, its effects are reduced by male hormones.
In terms of everyday behavior, the UCLA study found that women are far more likely than men to seek social contact when they are feeling stressed. They may phone relatives or friends, or ask directions if they are lost.
The study also showed how fathers and mothers responded differently when they came home to their family after a stressful day at work. The typical father wanted to be left alone to enjoy some peace and quiet. For a typical mother, coping with a bad day at work meant focusing her attention on her children and their needs.
The differences in responding to stress may explain the fact that women have lower frequency of stress-related disorders such as high blood pressure or aggressive behavior. The tend-and-befriend regulatory(调节的) system may protect women against stress, and this may explain why women on average live longer than men.The UCLA study shows that in response to stress, men are more likely than women to _____ .
A.turn to friends for help | B.solve a conflict calmly |
C.find an escape from reality | D.seek comfort from children |
Which of the following is true about oxytocin according to the passage?
A.Men have the same level of oxytocin as women do. |
B.Oxytocin used to be studied in both men and women. |
C.Both animals and people have high levels of oxytocin. |
D.Oxytocin has more of an effect on women than on men. |
What can be learned from the passage?
A.Male hormones help build up the body's resistance to stress. |
B.In a family a mother cares more about children than a father does. |
C.Biological differences lead to different behavioral responses to stress. |
D.The UCLA study was designed to confirm previous research findings. |
Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
A.How men and women get over stress |
B.How men and women suffer from stress |
C.How researchers overcome stress problems |
D.How researchers handle stress-related disorders |
The value-packed, all-inclusive sight-seeing package that combines the best of Sydney's harbour, city, bay and beach highlights.
A SydneyPass gives you unlimited and flexible travel on the Explorer Buses: the 'red' Sydney Explorer shows you around our exciting city sights while the 'blue' Bondi Explorer visits Sydney Harbour bays and famous beaches. Take to the water on one of three magnificent daily harbour cruises(游船). You can also travel free on regular Sydney Buses, Sydney Ferries or CityRail services (limited area), so you can go to every corner of this beautiful city.
Imagine browsing at Darling Harbour, sampling the famous seafood at Watsons Bay or enjoying the city lights on an evening ferry cruise. The possibilities and plans are endless with a SydneyPass. Wherever you decide to go, remember that bookings are not required on any of our services so tickets are treated on a first in, first seated basis.
SydneyPasses are available for 3, 5 0r 7 days for use over a 7 calendar day period. With a 3 or 5 day pass you choose on which days out of the 7 you want to use it. All SydneyPasses include a free Airport Express inward trip before starting your 3, 5 or 7 days, and the return trip is valid (有效的) for 2 months from the first day your ticket was used.
SydneyPass Fares
Adult |
Child* |
Family** |
|
3day ticket |
$90 |
$45 |
$22.5 |
5day ticket |
$120 |
$60 |
$300 |
7day ticket |
$140 |
$70 |
$350 |
*A child is defined as anyone from the ages of 4 years to under 16 years. Children under 4 years travel free.
**A family is defined as 2 adults and any number of children from 4 to under 16 years of age from the same family.A SydneyPass doesn’t offer unlimited rides on ______.
A.the Explorer Buses | B.the harbour cruises |
C.regular Sydney Buses | D.CityRail services |
With a SydneyPass, a traveller can________.
A.save fares from and to the airport |
B.take the Sydney Explorer to beaches |
C.enjoy the famous seafood for free |
D.reserve seats easily in a restaurant |
If 5-day tickets were to be recommended to a mother who travelled with her colleague and her children, aged 3, 6 and 10, what would the lowest cost be?
A.$225. | B.$300. | C.$360. | D.$420. |
Phil White has just returned from an 18,000-mile, around-the-world bicycle trip. White had two reasons for making this epic journey. First of all, he wanted to use the trip to raise money for charity, which he did. He raised £70,000 for the British charity, Oxfam. White's second reason for making the trip was to break the world record and become the fastest person to cycle around the world. He is still waiting to find out if he has broken the record or not.
White set off from Trafalgar Square, in London, on 19th June 2004 and was back 299 days later. He spent more than l,300 hours in the saddle(车座)and destroyed four sets of tyres and three bike chains. He had the adventure of his life crossing Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Americas. Amazingly, he did all of this with absolutely no support team. No jeep carrying food, water and medicine. No doctor. Nothing! Just a bike and a very, very long road.
The journey was lonely and desperate at times. He also had to fight his way across deserts, through jungles and over mountains. He cycled through heavy rains and temperatures of up to 45 degrees, all to help people in need. There were other dangers along the road. In Iran, he was chased by armed robbers and was lucky to escape with his life and the little money he had. The worst thing that happened to him was having to cycle into a headwind on a road that crosses the south of Australia. For 1,000 kilometres he battled against the wind that was constantly pushing him. This part of the trip was slow, hard work and depressing, but he made it in the end. Now Mr. White is back and intends to write a book about his adventures.When Phil White returned from his trip, he________.
A.broke the world record | B.collected money for Oxfam |
C.destroyed several bikes | D.travelled about 1,300 hours |
What does the word "epic" in Paragraph l most probably mean _____.
A.Very slow but exciting. | B.Very long and difficult. |
C.Very smooth but tiring. | D.Very lonely and depressing. |
During his journey around the world, Phil White _______.
A.fought heroically against robbers in Iran |
B.experienced the extremes of heat and cold |
C.managed to ride against the wind in Australia |
D.had a team of people who travelled with him |
Which of the following words can best describe Phil White?
A.Imaginative. | B.Patriotic. | C.Modest. | D.Determined. |
Welcome to your future life!
You get up in the morning and look into the mirror. Your face is firm and young-looking. In 2035, medical technology is better than ever. Many people your age could live to be 150, so at 40, you’re not old at all. And your parents just had an anti-aging(抗衰老的) treatment. Now, all three of look the same age!
You say to your shirt, “Turn red.” It changes from blue to red. In 2035, “smart clothes” contain particles(粒子) much smaller than the cells in your body. The particles can be programmed to change clothes’ color or pattern.
You walk into the kitchen. You pick up the milk, but a voice says,“ You shouldn’t drink that!” Your fridge has read the chip (芯片) that contains information about the milk , and it knows the milk is old . In 2035, every article of food in the grocery store has such a chip.
It’s time to go to work. In 2035, cars drive themselves. Just tell your “smart car” where to go. On the way, you can call a friend using your jacket sleeve. Such “smart technology” is all around you.
So will all these things come true? “For new technology to succeed,” says scientist Andrew Zolli ,”it has to be so much better that it replaces what we have already.” The Internet is one example—what will be the next?We can learn from the text that in the future__________.
A.people will never get old |
B.everyone will look the same |
C.red will be the most popular color |
D.clothes will be able to change their pattern |
What can be inferred from Paragraph 4?
A.Milk will be harmful to health. |
B.More drinks will be available for sale. |
C.Food in the grocery store will carry electronic information. |
D.Milk in the grocery store will stay fresh much longer. |
Which of the following is mentioned in the text?
A.Nothing can replace the Internet. |
B.Fridges will know what people need. |
C.Jacked sleeves can be used as a guide. |
D.Cars will be able to drive automatically. |
What is the text mainly about?
A.Food and clothing in 2035. |
B.Future technology in everyday life. |
C.Medical treatments of the future. |
D.The reason for the success of new technology. |
In Asia, there are special competitions where kites have complex designs and are fitted with instruments that make musical sounds as the wind blows through them. Although all kites have a similar structure (结构), they are widely different in size and shape. Kite-fighting competitions are also held, in which competitions us their kites to attack and bring down their opponents'(对手)kites or cut their strings(线).
For more than 15 years, the Big Wind Kite Factory has been giving kite-making and kite flying classes for the children on an island in Hawaii. In its kite-making lessons, students can make kites in as little as 20 minutes! Children as young as four years old can learn how to fly a kite.
Jonathan Socher and his wife Daphne started the kite factory in 1980. Their kites are made of nylon(尼龙).Their designs are Hawaiian themes created by Daphne. The designs are cut out of the nylon with a hot knife that seals the edges and then fastened directly onto the kite.
The kite that is used to give lessons is a regular diamond kite with a rainbow pattern. The difference between this kite and the ones they make during the lessons is that it is a two-string controllable kite. Big Wind employees fly the kite and for a few minutes show students how pulling on one line and then on the other controls the direction the kite goes in. Then the controls are given to the students.
Jonathan insists that it is not necessary to make a huge impressive kite to have fun making and flying kites. Even the simplest structure can work, and can give hours of fun. Go on, give it a try!
1. |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
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2. |
What is different about the kite used for flying lessons?
|
3. |
According to Jonathan, what do you need to have fun with kites?
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4. |
What is mainly described in the text?
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