For more than 40 years, scientists have sought to learn how well human beings can adapt to long periods in space. The International Space Station continues to provide valuable knowledge about spaceflight. But an earlier space station, Skylab, helped make the current space project possible.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield sang aboard the International Space Station on May 12, 2013. His music video has become extremely popular. The astronaut played his own version of David Bowie’s song Space Oddity. He performed while floating weightlessly, with images of planet earth and space appearing in the window behind him.
Chris Hadfield recently returned home after nearly five months on the space station. For him, the long flight produced a hit video on YouTube and no major physical problems. But 40 years ago, scientists did not know how humans would react to long-term spaceflight. To find out, NASA, the American space agency, launched Skylab in May, 1973. Over nearly a year, three teams of astronauts visited Skylab for stays of between 28 to 84 days. They learned how people react to extended periods in space.
Gerald Carr commanded Skylab 4. He spoke at a NASA event marking the 40th anniversary of Skylab’s launch. He said that the loss of the body’s muscle mass was a main concern. Astronauts on Skylab used exercise equipment to stay strong. The astronauts spent their workdays carrying out experiments, including biomedical (生物医学的) research.
Marshall Porterfield is the director of NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences Division. He says the Skylab astronauts’ understanding of their own ability to deal with long-term spaceflight continues to help current astronauts. NASA says the next step for life away from Earth is a year-long space station mission, set for 2015.Why was Chris Hadfield’s song so special?
| A．It was performed in space. |
| B．It was created by an astronaut. |
| C．It was a very familiar song. |
| D．It was first sung by a famous singer. |
Which of the following best describes the physical condition of Chris Hadfield after his return?
| A．Worse. | B．Better. |
| C．Normal. | D．Weaker. |
For what purpose did NASA launch Skylab?
| A．To research on whether human beings could stay in space. |
| B．To gather up information on setting up a space station. |
| C．To study the changes in the body when staying long in space. |
| D．To find out the possibility of doing experiments in space. |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
| A．Skylab is still in use to explore the space. |
| B．The research results on Skylab are still valuable. |
| C．Skylab is more advanced than the International Space Station. |
| D．The Skylab astronauts made great contributions to biomedical research. |
In many countries, schools have long summer holidays, with shorter holidays in between.However, a new report suggests shortening school holidays to stop children forgetting what they have learnt during the long summer break.Instead of three school terms, it says, there should be five eight-week terms.And there should be just four weeks off in the summer, with a two-week break between the other terms.
Sonia Montero has two children at primary school and works full-time.She supports the idea.“The kids,” she says, “ have much longer holidays then and I can’t afford to take several weeks off work, so I need someone to take care of them.But nobody wants the work in the summer holidays — they all have holidays of their own.
Not surprisingly, some young people disagree.Student Jason Panos says , “It’s a stupid idea.I would hate staying at school in the summer.It’s unfair, too.The people who suggest this had long school holidays when they were young, but now they want to stop us enjoying the summer.The kids in Spain and American have much longer holidays than here, but they don’t forget everything they’ve learnt in a few months.”
Nadia Salib agrees.“Sure,” she says, “the first week at school after the summer is never easy, but you soon get back into it.The real problem round here is that kids get bored after so many weeks out of school, and then some of them start causing trouble.But the answer is to give them something to do, not make everyone stay in school longer.”Why is Sonia in support of shorter school holidays?
| A．She doesn’t get any summer holidays in her jobs. |
| B．She is worried that her children will forget what they’ve learnt. |
| C．She can’t afford to pay someone to look after her children. |
| D．She can’t get anyone to look after her children in summer. |
What does Jason say about long summer holidays?
| A．They can help children forget about school. |
| B．Schools in other countries don’t have long holidays. |
| C．These days many older people suggest having long holidays. |
| D．They do no harm to children’s education. |
What does Nadia say about young people on summer holidays?
| A．They would like to spend more time at school. |
| B．Long holidays are very bad for their education. |
| C．They need something to do to enrich themselves. |
| D．Long holidays should be shortened to stop them causing trouble. |
Which of the following statements best explains the text?
| A．It has been decided that summer holidays should be shortened. |
| B．Students are angry that school holidays have been changed. |
| C．Not everyone agrees to change school holidays. |
| D．Teenagers are worried about that they will be busy during summer holidays. |
This US competition is for camping related（有关的）articles in which you share your tips, advice, experience, etc.
Closing: When we’ve received 100 articles — so you’d better be quick.
Prizes: $100,$75,$25 — all in VISA Gift Cards.
How to enter our writing competition
In your own words, write an article on a camping topic such as: how to’s, reviews, tips and advice, or any topic camping related.The best articles will include useful information about camping, in an interesting and well-written way.Remember that it should be no less than 200 words.
Other requirements
1.Fill in all the information required, including your article, on our webpage CampTrip.com and then submit（提交）it.
2.You must be 16 years old or over to take part in the competition.
3.You must be a student who is now studying in the US.
And what’s in it for you?
We are giving out a VISA Gift Card for first, second and third best articles.Simply share your experience with others and try to win a VISA cash card.The writing competition is limited to 100 articles which gives you a better chance of writing.So why don’t you take up this chance?What can we learn about the competition?
| A．Articles must be less than 200 words. |
| B．Articles on any topics will be welcome. |
| C．It will be closed when it has 100 articles. |
| D．It has only one kind of prize for the winners. |
If you want to enter for the competition,________.
| A．you should write something useful |
| B．you must be a US student who is under 16 |
| C．you’d better write a short introduction of yourself |
| D．you must send your information to an e-mail address |
It can be learned from the text that______.
| A．the place of the camp must be included in the article |
| B．the words in the article should be as easy as possible |
| C．the articles should be submitted through the given website |
| D．everyone entering for the competition will get a VISA Gift Card |
Who will most probably be interested in the competition?
| A．Teachers. | B．Students. |
| C．Writers. | D．Parents. |
I grew up in a traditional peanut butter and jelly（果冻） household.Sandwiches were made on bread and cut neatly（整齐地）into pieces.
When I was around ten or eleven, I was at my best friend’s house during lunch time.We dug through the kitchen searching for the best offerings.I really want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I said.She set out the peanut butter and the jelly and opened the bread box only to find it empty.I think we have hot dog buns（面包）, she suggested.I felt frightened.Hot dog buns? Those were for hot dogs.“Jill”, she said, “they are bread.The same bread that you would usually have, they are just in a different shape.I’m not suggesting you eat an actual hot dog with your peanut butter and jelly.” But, I wasn’t sure.This was the girl who mixed her playschool people with her Barbie dolls and put her Lego’s in my doll house.Something was wrong with that way of thinking.I turned down the sandwich, so she made one for herself, saying just how delicious it was while I sat, hungry, counting down until dinner time.
Thirty years later, we were out of bread for Ben’s daily peanut butter and jelly sandwich one day.I suddenly remembered that day and offered him with a peanut butter and jelly on a hot dog roll.He ate the entire thing quickly.
From that day on, I’ve made almost all his sandwiches on hot dog buns.It’s neater with no messy jelly drips from the sides and it’s easier.Besides, it’s just more fun than a regular peanut butter and jelly sandwich.The purpose of the first paragraph is to ______ .
| A．teach how to keep peanut butter well |
| B．tell the author was brought up in a careful way |
| C．introduce the correct way of making sandwiches |
| D．show she was used to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches |
The author refused her friend’s hot dog buns because ______ .
| A．they were for dogs |
| B．she wasn’t hungry at all |
| C．she couldn’t accept the idea |
| D．her friend wasn’t a good cook |
Compared with（和……比较）peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, sandwiches on hot dog buns ______ .
| A．need less jelly | B．save much trouble |
| C．taste more delicious | D．seem less fun to make |
How does Jill feel about refusing her friend’s sandwich?
| A．Proud. | B．Satisfied. |
| C．Regretful. | D．Angry. |
There are some strange driving laws in different countries.
| Countries |
Laws |
Vietnam |
If you’re in Vietnam without a Vietnamese driver’s license, you risk a prison sentence of up to three years. |
Russia |
In Moscow, if your car is dirty enough to draw dust art, you will be fined about 2,000 rubles (about US $55). Worse yet, it’s illegal to wash your car by hand in public places — forcing you to take it to one of the few car wash facilities. |
Thailand |
Drivers —male or female — can’t drive shirtless, whether it’s a car, a bus, or a tuk-tuk cab. |
France |
France requires its drivers to carry a portable breathalyzer(酒精测量仪) at all times when driving a car. The one-time breathalyzer cost around US$5, and if you don’t have one, you will be fined US$15. |
Cyprus |
Raising your hands in the car can get you fined of US$35. The law states a driver can be fined if the person “is in an irregular position inside the car or raises his hand from the steering wheel unnecessarily. |
Where should you go to wash your car when you are in Moscow?
| A．The car wash facilities | B．Any public place |
| C．Your home | D．The forest |
What can get you fined for in Cyprus?
| A．Forgetting to carry a portable breathalyzer |
| B．Not having a Cyprus driver’s license |
| C．Putting your hands above your head when you are driving |
| D．Driving without a shirt |
If you are fined thousands of dollars in Japan, you may have been ____.
| A．in an irregular position in your car |
| B．sitting in a car with a drunk driver |
| C．splashing a person with mud |
| D．impolite to other drivers |
This text can most likely be found in _______.
| A．a law document |
| B．a fashion magazine |
| C．an international newspaper |
| D．a column on interesting cultures |
I log onto a computer at the doctor's office to say I have arrived and then wait until a voice calls me into the examination room.
There, a robotic nurse directs me onto a device and then takes my blood pressure. Some time later, in steps the doctor, who is also a robot. He notes down my symptoms and gives me a prescription (处方). I pay for my visit using a credit card machine and return home without having met another human being.
When I call my dentist's office and actually get a human being on the line, I am thrilled. And when I see the introduction of yet more self-service checkout stations at the grocery store, I feel like shouting, "When it comes to cashiers, make mine human, please!"
After all, human cashiers sometimes give you a store coupon (优惠券) for items you are buying. Even more than that, real-life cashiers often take an interest in particularly cute children, which can brighten a young mother's day. A cashier may also show compassion (同情)for an elderly person struggling to get that last penny out of her purse.
What technological device would do any of this? I don't want to go back to the Stone Age, but I'm also worried about a world run by machines. Sometimes when you're chatting with someone, you discover things you need to know. Maybe a receptionist needs prayers said for a sick child. Maybe a salesperson can offer a bit of encouragement to a customer who is feeling tired.
Machines can be efficient and cost-effective and they often get the job done just fine. But they lack an element so important to everyday life.
Call it the spirit, the soul or the heart. It is something no machine will ever have. It is being human that prompts us to smile at others, which may be what they need at that moment.What's the author's purpose in writing the first two paragraphs?
| A．To indicate high technology can make our future life very easy |
| B．To describe a possible future scene where robots take control of our life |
| C．To warn readers of the possible dangers of robotic nurses and doctors |
| D．To predict how technology can affect the way we see a doctoring the future |
Why does the author prefer being served by humans rather than by robots?
| A．Robots are indifferent and emotionless |
| B．Robots can't provide efficient services |
| C．Robots don't offer to give store coupons |
| D．Robots are unable to do a job as well as humans |
What's the author's attitude towards machines?
| A．He wishes one day they would come to life |
| B．He is absolutely against their existence in his life |
| C．He doesn't like they get involved in his life too much |
| D．He is afraid they would take the place of human beings |