Since 1984, Philadelphia has been cleaning up its act. One by one, graffiti-covered walls are being changed into outdoor art. So far, more than 1,800 murals(壁画)have been painted. Philadelphia now has more murals than any other American city.
The walls that were once ugly with graffiti(涂鸦)are now covered with beautiful pictures of historical heroes and modern art, thanks to the Mural Arts Program (MAP). Its work makes schools and public places attractive, and its citizens very proud. The program began as part of Philadelphia’s Anti-Graffiti Network. Jane Golden is the MAP’s artistic director. “When people ask me what our program is about,” she says, “I answer them with one word: hope.” Each year, the MAP offers youth art programs and workshops. Some one-time graffiti writers even help paint MAP murals.
The MAP’s work, says Golden, is all about developing a sense of community (社区). When a neighborhood requests a mural, the MAP works with the people there to develop a message. Some messages have been “Safe Streets,” “Love and Care,” and “Peace Walk.”
The MAP receives up to 50 requests for murals each week. Last year, the workers painted 140 murals.
“The making of a mural enters people’s collective memory as an extraordinary, pleasant moment in neighborhood history” says Golden, who began as a muralist in Los Angeles.What can be the best title for the text?
A.Love, from Graffiti Writers to Muralists |
B.MAP, a New Company in Philadelphia |
C.Jane, an Excellent Mural Artist |
D.Hope, One Wall at a Time |
What is the Mural Arts Program in Philadelphia aimed at?
A.Helping the young find jobs. |
B.Protecting the neighborhood. |
C.Fighting against graffiti. |
D.Attracting more visitors. |
How does the MAP decide on the message for a mural?
A.By having discussions with people in the community. |
B.By seeking advice from the city government. |
C.By learning from the young graffiti writers. |
D.By studying the history of the city. |
In the near future, people in some parts of the world will watch a new kind of television. It is called the high definition television or the HD-TV. The main difference between an HD-TV and a normal television is the picture. It is more clear and detailed. This is because the HD-TV has many more points and lines that make a television image. Every color television picture contains thousands of red, green and blue points. They all come together as an image in the eye of the person watching. The points are organized in lines that go across the television screen. There are more than five hundred lines in a normal television. The HD-TV has two times as many. To get this clear picture, you must have a big screen. Experts say people using a small screen will see little difference.
The HD-TV also has clear sound. It is like the sound on a CD. All these improvements make an HD-TV very costly. One kind in Japan now sells for more than twenty thousand dollars .A major problem with the HD-TV is its broadcast signal(传播信号.The signal is bigger than normal because it carries more electronic information. What is the main difference between an HD-TV and a normal television? It is .
A.the picture | B.the shape | C.the voice | D.the weight |
What is a color TV image?
A.It is made up of thousands of red, green, and blue points. |
B.Points are organized in lines that go across the TV screen. |
C.It is a black and white picture |
D.Both A and B |
How many lines does an HD-TV have?
A.Over 250 | B.More than 500 |
C.More than 1,000 | D.About 250 |
What should you do if you want to get a clear and detailed picture from an HD-TV?
A. You must have the bigger signal for the HD-TV.
B. You have to get a big screen.
C. You should have a compact disc player.
D. Both A and B.
SPECIAL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND
Captain Good Fellow
Do your children enjoy interesting stories, funny games, and exciting dances? Captain Good Fellow will be ready to teach all these things to children of all ages at the City Theatre on Saturday morning at 10:00, Free.
Walking Tour of the Town
Forget your worries on Saturday morning. Take a beautiful walk and learn about local history. Meet at the front entrance of City Hall at 9:30. Wear comfortable shoes!
Films at the Museum
Two European films will be shown Saturday afternoon at the Museum Theatre. See Broken Window at 1:30. The workers will be at 3:45. For further information, call 4987898.
International Picnic
Are you tired of eating the same food every day? Come to Central Park on Saturday and enjoy food from all over the world. Delicious and not expensive. Noon to 5:00 pm.
Take Me out to the Ballgame
It’s October, and tonight is your last chance to see the Redbirds this year. Get your tickets at the gate. It might be cold, don’t forget sweaters and jackets.
Do You Want to Hear “The Zoo”
“The Zoo”, a popular rock group from Australia, will give their first US concert tomorrow night at 8:00 at Rose Hall, City College. You can probably eat Chinese, Italian, and Arab food____.
A.at the front entrance of City Hall |
B.at the Ballgame |
C.at 5:00 pm |
D.at Central Park on Saturday |
The Redbirds ballgame_____.
A.is in the afternoon | B.is outside |
C.is at the gate | D.might be cold |
“The Zoo” is _____.
A.a park with lots of animals |
B.US concert |
C.a music group |
D.going to give the concert at 8:00 am |
Chinese high school students have the longest study hours compared to their peers(同龄人)in Japan , the US and South Korea. A survey conducted by the four countries said.
The survey, released by the China Youth and Children Research Center on Monday, was jointly conducted with instructions in the four countries in September-October of 2008. It covers nearly 4,000 students in senior schools and vocational high schools in the four countries. About 78.3 percent of Chinese students said they spend more than eight hours at school and 56.7 percent said they study at least two more hours each day at home .by contrast, only 24.7 percent of their peers in the US , 20.5percent in Japan and 15.4 in Korea study more than two hour s after school.
Around 60 percent of all students surveyed said their burden for studies was the heaviest. However the Japanese felt their burden was the worst with respondents (应答者) reaching 79.2 percent
Among the five biggest headaches for young people in the four countries were: 0ver-sheduling ranked first, followed by a boring leisure life, unsatisfied appearance, little time for exercise and making friends, and no spare money
“Moderate(适度的)study pressure can better drive students to develop, however, too much will press their development space, and can even cause harm to their physical and psychological health” the survey said
“Balancing their studies and all round development is a very important task” it said. What would be the best title for the text?
A.Chinese high school students study more |
B.high school students need more rest |
C.heavy burdens of high school students |
D.big headaches of high school students |
Which of the following is not true about the survey?
A.it took about two months. |
B.it was conducted in four countries. |
C.Nearly 4,000 students took part in it. |
D.it was done only in senior high schools. |
Which of the following troubles the high school students most?
A.being busy |
B.feeling bored |
C.lacking pocket money |
D.feeling unsatisfied with their teachers |
According to the survey, ________
A.study pressure is harmful to students’ health |
B.students need to achieve all round development |
C.the Chinese students felt their burden for studies were the heaviest |
D.most students are suffering from physical and psychological health problems |
A young woman was driving through the lonely countryside. It was dark and raining. Suddenly she saw an old woman by the side of the road, holding her hand out as if she wanted a lift. “I can't leave her out in this weather.” the woman said to herself, so she stopped the car and opened the door. “Do you want a lift?” she asked. The old woman nodded and climbed into the car. After a while, she said to the old woman, “Have you been waiting for a long time?” The old woman shook her head, “Strange.” thought the young woman. She tried again, “Bad weather for the time of year,” she said. The old woman nodded. No matter what the young woman said, the hitchhiker(搭车者) gave no answer except for a nod of the head or a shrug.
Then the young woman noticed the hitchhiker's hands, which were large and hairy. Suddenly she realized that the hitchhiker was actually a man! She stopped the car. “I can't see out of the rear screen,” she said, “Would you mind clearing it for me?”
The hitchhiker nodded and opened the door. As soon as the hitchhiker was out of the car, the terrified young woman raced off.
When she got to the next village she pulled up. She noticed that the hitchhiker had left his handbag behind. She picked it up and opened it. She gave a gasp(喘息), inside the bag was a gun.What made the young woman feel strange about the old woman?
A.That she gave no answer to her questions. |
B.That she was unable to speak. |
C.That she kept nodding her head |
D.That she had large and hairy hands. |
A "lift" in the passage means ___________.
A.an elevator |
B.an act of raising something |
C.a ride in the car |
D.help |
The hitchhiker left the bag with a gun in it behind because ____.
A.he wanted to give her a warning |
B.he had not expected that the woman would leave him behind in the rain |
C.it was his present for her |
D.he wanted to kill her with the gun |
Why did the young woman driver suddenly feel the hitchhiker was a man when she talked to the woman?
A.The woman only nodded her head, but no words |
B.She noticed the hitchhiker's hands, which were large and hairy. |
C.Because it was dark and raining |
D.Because she found the gun in the woman’s handbag. |
Eating too much fatty food, exercising too little and smoking can raise your future risk of heart disease. But there is another factor that can cause your heart problems more immediately: the air you breathe.
Previous studies have linked high exposure (暴露)to environmental pollution to an increased risk of heart problem, but two analyses now show that poor air quality can lead to heart attack or stroke (中风)within as little as a few hours after exposure. In one review of the research, scientists found that people exposed to high levels of pollutants (污染物)were up to 5% more likely to suffer a heart attack within days of exposure than those with lower exposure. A separate study of stroke patients showed that even air that the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers to be of “moderate” (良好)quality and relatively safe for our health can raise the risk of stroke as much as 34% within 12 to 14 hours of exposure.
The authors of both studies stress that these risks are relatively small for healthy people and certainly modest compared with other risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure. However, it is important to be aware of these dangers because everyone is exposed to air pollution regardless of lifestyle choices. So stricter regulation by the EPA of pollutants may not only improve environmental air quality but could also become necessary to protect public health.The text mainly discusses the relationship between .
A.heart problems and air quality |
B.heart problems and exercising |
C.heart problems and smoking |
D.heart problems and fatty food |
The underlined word “modest” in Paragraph 3 most probably means.
A.relatively high | B.extremely low |
C.relatively low | D.extremely high |
What can we learn from the text?
A.Eating fatty food has immediate effects on your heart. |
B.The EPA conducted many studies on air quality. |
C.Moderate air quality is more harmful than smoking, |
D.Stricter regulations on pollutants should be made. |