A British-designed electronic newspaper which is made of plastic and no larger than a table mat(垫子) is to enter the market next year. The new newspaper was conceived(想出) by Cambridge University scientists. They came up with the idea of replacing silicon chips (硅片) with plastic ones. it is being developed by Plastic Logic, a company based in Dresden, Germany.
"It looks just like a table mat, and is as light as a magazine. But you can download hundreds of newspapers at the touch of a button, and read them quite safely," the BBC reported on its website.
The plastic paper is produced in a safe "clean room" at the Plastic Logic factory, which opened last month as the world's first plastic-electronics factory. Every part of the product, from the screen to the electronics, is made of plastic. And it is described by engineer Dean Baker as "top quality". Baker says the plastic newspaper could help solve the problem of waste material associated with traditlional newspapers.
"There's a huge amount of waste . We have paper distributed(分发) all over the country each day and then thrown into the bin. This doesn't need to happen any more. All of the copies could be made electronically and stored on a single e-reader with the appearance of paper." he says.
People can expect to see the plastic newspaper next year, the BBC says. According to the first paragraph, the electronic newspaper _____.
| A.is made of silicon chips |
| B.is smaller than a table mat |
| C.was developed by a company in England |
| D.was designed by more than one person |
What's special about the electronic newspaper compared with traditional ones?
| A.It looks like a table mat |
| B.It's as light as a magazine. |
| C.People can download and read lots of newspapers on it |
| D.People can receive the BBC report at the touch of a button. |
What can we learn about the electronic newspaper from the last two paragraphs?
| A.It will produce a huge amount of plastic waste. |
| B.It will be harder to distribute than before. |
| C.It will have no visual (视觉的) appearance. |
| D.It will save a huge amount of paper. |
What's people's attitude towards the electronic newspaper according to the BBC?
| A.Hopeful. | B.Doubtful. |
| C.Disappointed. | D.Worried |
In the past industries had more freedom than they have now,and they did not need to be as careful as they must today. They did not need to worry a lot about the safety of the new products that they developed. They did not have to pay much attention to the health and safety of the people who worked for them. Often new products were dangerous for the people who used them;often conditions in the work place had very bad effects on the health of the workers.
Of course sometimes there were real disasters which
attracted the attention of governments and which showed the need for changes.Also scientists who were doing research into the health of workers sometimes produced information which governments could not ignore.At such times, there were i
nquiries into the causes of the disasters or the problems. New
safety rules were often introduced as a result of these inquiries;however, the new rules came too late to protect the people who died or who became seriously ill.
Today many governments have special departments which protect customers and workers. In the US, for example, there is a department which takes charge of new airplanes and gives warnings about possible problems. It also makes the rules that aircraft producers must follow. Another department controls t
he foods and drugs that companies sell.A third department looks at the places where people work,and then reports any companies that are breaking the laws which protect the health and safety of workers. Of course,new government departments and new laws cannot prevent every accident or illness,but they are having some good results. Our work places are safer and cleaner than before. The planes and cars which we use for travel are better. Producers are thinking more about the safety and health of the people who buy and use their products.The main topic of the passage is_________.
| A.conditions in the work place |
| B.the freedom of industries in the past |
| C.the safety and health of workers and customers |
| D.changes in industrial production |
It can be inferred from the passage that in the past_________.
| A.industries were as careful in management as they are today |
| B.companies were free to put out any products they wanted to |
| C.many people were killed by dangerous products |
| D.workers often got ill because of the poor working conditions |
It is implied in the passage that_________.
| A.in the past no safety laws were introduced by governments |
B.governments paid little attention to the safety of pr oducts |
| C.government officials often did not listen to scientists |
| D.governments and companies had different opinions about the safety of products |
The special departments protect c
ustomers and workers in many ways EXCEPT by____
.
| A.testing new products | B.designing new products |
| C.controlling the sale of products | D.inspecting work places |
In the West, advertisements are the fuel that makes mass media work. Many TV stations, newspapers, magazines, radio stations are privately owned. The government does not give them money. So where does the money come from? From advertisements. Without advertisements, there would not be these private businesses.
Have you ever asked yourself what advertising is? Through the years, people have given different answers to the question. For some time it was felt that advertising was a means of “Keeping your name before the public”. And some people thought that advertising was “truth well told”. Now more and more people consider
it in this way
: Advertising is the paid, non-personal, and usually persuasive presentation of goods, services and ideas by some certain sponsors (发起人) through various media.
First, advertising is usually paid for. Various sponsors pay for the advertisements we see, read, and hear over the various media. Second, advertising is non-personal. It is not face-to-face communication. Although you may feel that a message in a certain advertisement is aimed directly at you, in reality, it is directed at large groups of people. Third, advertising is usually persuasive. Directly or indirectly it asks people to do something. All advertisements try to make people believe that the product, idea, or service advertised can benefit them. Fourth, the sponsors of the advertisement must show their names. From the advertisement, we can see if the sponsor is a company, or a single person. Fifth, advertising reaches us through old and modern mass media. Included in the old media are newspapers. magazines, radio, television, and films. Modern media include emails, matchbox covers, and boards on top of buildings.The existence of the privately owned mass media depends on the support of_________.
| A.the government | B.advertisements |
| C.their owners’ families | D.the TV stations |
The passage seems to say that different ideas of advertising are given due to __________.
| A.the subject of the advertisements | B.the change of time |
| C.people's age difference | D.peoples’ different opinions |
Which of the following is considered modern mass media?
| A.Emails. | B. Newspapers | C.Magazines. | D.Films. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements about advertisements is NOT true?
| A.The sponsors are always mentioned. |
| B.Advertising is meant for large groups of people. |
| C.There is the description of things advertised |
| D.Advertising must be honest and humorous |
Are you looking for something different this summer? We’ve lined up a list of some unusual camps.
Learn to fly a jet(喷气式飞机)
This is the real training that all fighter and test pilots have. Learn the cockpit(驾驶室) and how to put your plane through its paces . Finally, you fight a mock battle with your teammates.
It’s held at the US Space &Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alaska. There are both weekend and summer camps for anyone 9 and up. Kids 7 to 12 also can pair with a parent. The cost is $749 for kids-only camps and $349 each for parent /child camp.
Be Steven Spielberg
At Film Camp, you will get to write, direct, shoot and edit your own movie.
Run by the New York Film Academy, you can choose from a variety of camp locations: New York, Disney-MGM Studios in Florida, Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Harvard University, Paris or Florence, Italy.
Everyone helps one another by working behind the camera. Tuition for a one-
week camp is $1,500, while a four or six week training run $5,900 to $6,900.
Join the circus
At Circus Smirkus you can learn how to ride a unicycle, and throw a pie in someone’s face . Kids 8 to 16 can choose between one—or two-week sessions, with the two-week camp ending in a circus show for the families.
The camp is located in Craftsbury Common, Vermont. The cost is $825 for one week ($300 extra with a parent ) and $1,500 for two weeks ( $ 500 extra with a parent).
Live the ultimate (终极的)summer fantasy
Learn to ride the waves this summer and tour one of the world’s only sea turtle hospitals at Surf Camp. The week long camp also includes trips to local islands.
Surf Camp is located at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.The cost is $475 per week for kids 8 to 12, $595 per week for teens 12 to 18. Check it out at wbsurfcamp. Com.
Strike a chord(弦)
At Power Chord Academy, teens 12 to 18 will be placed in a band that best meets their age, experience and style. You will lead the life of a band member: recording in a studio, playing a concert and making a video.Which camps can you join if you want your father to be able to take part?
| A.Circus Smirkus and Surf Camp |
| B.The Power Chord Academy and Film Camp |
| C.The camp at the US Space & Rocked Center and Film Camp |
| D.The camp at the US Space &Rocket Center and Circus Smirkus |
How much do you have to pay if you want to attend a 2- week circus camp with your mom?
| A.$ 2000 | B.$ 1500 | C.$ 3000 | D.$ 2250 |
Surf Camp can provide the following for campers EXCEPT______.
| A.care for sea turtles | B.surfing |
| C.meeting with lovers of surfing | D.travel to local islands |
What does the underlined word “mock” mean ?
| A.real | B.fierce | C.pretended | D.shooting |
As we know, on Saturday, millions of people around the world will celebrate Saint Patrick's Day, which honors Patron Saint (or main religious figure) of Ireland. Communities across the United States will host parades, parties, and other festivities to mark the occasion.
This year, cities like Boston, New York, and Chicago have organized massive events celebrating Saint Patrick's Day. In New York City, hundreds of thousands of people will gather to watch the Saint Patrick’s Day parade—the nation’s largest. It is one of the most watched parades in the world. Last year, almost 2 million spectators and more than 150,000 participants filled the streets. The parade, first held in 1776, is also one of the o
ldest.
Chicago also throws a big celebration. Every year, the Chicago River, which crosses the city, glows green as event organizers dump about 40 pounds of fluorescence, a powerful dye, into the water.
Boston keeps its parade rolling for three hours or more. It is the nation’s second-largest parade. The city will also salute one of its most famous former residents, President John F. Kennedy, by opening the exhibit "A Journey Home: John F. Kennedy and Ireland," at his official library.
Patron Saint lived in Britain in the early fifth century, when it was still part of the Roman Empire. He was captured and sold into slavery in Ireland when he was only 16.He eventually escaped slavery and turned to a life of religious devotion. He trained to become a minister and set out to spread Christianity throughout Ireland. After 30 years as a religious leader, Patrick died on March 17, 1461.Saint Patrick’s Day is always celebrated on March 17.In Ireland, it is an official holiday. What’s the best title of the passage?
| A.Celebrations across the Country |
| B.An Official Holiday in US |
| C.The Largest Parade in the World |
| D.History of Saint Patrick’s Day |
The last paragraph is mainly about _____.
A. the cruel slave trade. |
B.Saint Patrick’s contribution. |
| C.Ireland’s Patron Saint | D.activities during Saint Patrick’s Day |
Which of the following is not correct according to the passage?
| A.Parade is a most important event to observe Saint Patrick’s Day. |
| B.Saluting the former president has become a main event on the occasion. |
| C.Saint Patrick’s Day is a religious holiday. |
| D.The Saint Patrick’s Day parade has a history of over 230 years. |
Many people who are overweight have poor digestion(消化). For the most part, poor digestion is not a habit given by our parents. We give it to ourselves through the way we eat. Eating to get les
s stress or anxiety is often the mistake most people will make.
Oh, poor digestion can lead to weight problems. Here’s how: When a person feels stressed, the part of the central nervous system that connects digestion switches off. This is called the parasympathetic nervous system(副交感神经系统). At those times of stress, the body can take in food and process some of it, but digestion doesn’t work correctly to digest all the nutritional(营养的)goodness from the food. Poor digestion is not always obvious by observing symptoms; you can get some illnesses but not always. Poor digestion can be seemingly silent.
If you eat when you are stressed, anxious, or nervous, you might as well be eating cardboard for all the nutrients your body gets. Yes, eating when stressed is a gaining situation. Now you might think, well, if I’m not digesting, the calories aren’t getting handles, so I should be losing weight. Good idea, but wrong reality. When digestion is not proper, the body starts “starving” from lack of necessary nutrients(营养物). Yes, it goes into a starvation(饥饿)problem and starts absorbing(吸收) fat and energy. It thinks it’s in a famine(饥荒). The good news is that it’s easy to make some corrections and get rid of stress at mealtimes.
If you feel stressed often, it can be helpful to take other food that contains multiple B vitamins. These help, but you could still find yourself stressed at mealtimes.The author wrote the passage to tell us .
| A.how to deal with stress at mealtimes |
| B.what kind of food can be easily digested |
| C.eating when you’re stressed can cause weight problems |
D.eating too much resulted in overweight problems |
How do you understand the underlined sentence in the first paragraph?
| A.Eating is the best way to release stress. |
| B.We should not release the stress by eating. |
| C.Eating too much can cause anxiety. |
| D.The stress problem can be solved during eating. |
In what way do poor digestion and stress cause body problems?
| A.Poor digestion cannot absorb much nutritional goodness from the food. |
| B.People with poor digestion take in food and process all of it. |
| C.When people feel stressed, the parasympathetic nervous system switches on. |
| D.Poor digestion will not lead to overweight problems. |
Which is NOT the reason why people may have weight problems when eating with stress?
| A.The body does not take in what they eat. |
| B.The digestion system becomes incorrect. |
| C.People cannot eat much when unhappy. |
| D.The body will begin to absorb too much fat. |