Taxes, Taxes and More Taxes
Americans often say that there are only two things a person can be sure of in life; death and taxes. Americans do not have a corner on the “death” market, but many people feel that the United States leads the world with the worst taxes.
Taxes consist of the money which people pay to support their government. There are generally three levels of government in the United States: federal (联邦), state, and city; therefore, there are three types of taxes.
Salaried people who earn more than a few thousand dollars must pay a certain percentage of their salaries to the federal government. The percentage varies form person to person. It depends on their salaries. The federal government has a graduated income tax, that is, the percentage of the tax (14 to 70 percent) increases as a person’s income increases. With the high cost of taxes people are not very happy on April 15, when the federal taxes are due.
The second tax is for the state government: New York, California, North Dakota, or any of the other forty-seven states. Some states have an income tax similar to that of the federal government. Of course, the percentage for the state tax is lower. Other states have a sales tax, which is a percentage charged to any item(项目) which you buy in that state. For example, a person might want to buy a packet of cigarettes for twenty-five cents. If there is a sales tax of eight percent in that state, then the cost of the cigarettes is twenty-seven cents. This figure includes the sales tax. Some states use income tax in addition to sales tax to raise their revenues (收入). The state tax laws are various and confusing.
The third tax is for the city. This tax comes in two forms: property tax (people who own a home have to pay taxes on it) and excise (国产) tax, which is charged on cars in a city. The cities use these funds for education, police and fire departments, public works and municipal (市政内) buildings.
Since Americans pay such high taxes, they often feel that they are working one day each week just to pay their taxes. People always complain about taxes. They often protest that the government uses their tax dollars in the wrong way. They say that it spends too much on useless and impractical programs. Although Americans have different views on many issues, they tend to agree on one subject: taxes are too high.How do you understand the sentence “Americans do not have a corner on the ‘death’ market”?
| A．It means that Americans, just like all other people, must die. |
| B．It means that Americans do not have a secret place to keep from death in their life. |
| C．It means that Americans are not good at doing business in the death market. |
| D．It means that there is no such place as a death market in the U. S. |
Why should the American people usually pay three types of taxes?
| A．There are three levels of government--federal, state and city-to support the United States. |
| B．There are three kinds of taxes to pay--graduated income tax, sales tax and property tax.. |
| C．They earn different salaries: high, middle, and low. |
| D．Tax laws in different states are different. |
What does the title “Taxes, Taxes, and More Taxes” imply?
| A．Americans are not satisfied with the three types of taxes. |
| B．The three levels of government do not use the taxes in a right way. |
| C．Americans complain that taxes are too high. |
| D．Americans’ taxes are diverse and confusing. |
A breathtaking trick potentially left over from our ancestors might be found in us — the ability to sense oxygen through our skin.
Amphibians, animals such as frogs that can live both on land and in water, have long been known to be capable of breathing through their skin. In fact, the first known lungless frog that breathes only through its skin was discovered recently in the rivers of Borneo.
Now the same oxygen sensors found in frog skins and in the lungs of mammals (哺乳动物) have unexpectedly been discovered in the skin of mice.
“No one had ever looked,” explained Randall Johnson, a biologist researcher.
Mice and frogs are quite distant relatives, so the fact they have these molecules (分子) in common in their skin suggests they might well be found in the skin of other mammals, such as humans.
“We have no reason to think that they are not in the skin of people too,” Johnson said.
These molecules not only detect oxygen, but help increase levels of vital red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. Normal mice breathing in air that is 10 percent oxygen—a dangerously low level similar to conditions at the top of Mount Everest, and about half that of air at sea level. However, mice that had the oxygen sensor HIF-1a genetically removed from their skin failed to produce this hormone (荷尔蒙) even after hours of such low oxygen.
These findings, if they hold true in humans, suggest one could raise the level of oxygen circulating inside the body. This could help treat lung diseases and disorders such as anemia (贫血症) without injecting drugs, which make up a multibillion-dollar market, Johnson said.
Athletes also often try to get more oxygen delivered to their muscles in order to improve their performance. They often do this by training at high altitudes or in low-oxygen tents. The new study suggests they might want to expose their skin as well as breathing in low-oxygen air to improve their performance. “It’s hard to say what exactly might be done, however—there’s a lot we don’t know yet,” Johnson explained.
The scientists detailed their findings in the April 18 issue of the journal Cell.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．It has long been expected oxygen sensors exist in mice’s skin. |
| B．People have to surf the Internet to read detailed findings. |
| C．It has been proved that these findings help treat lung diseases. |
| D．Johnson believes that Oxygen sensors also exist in human skin. |
One of the functions of the molecules mentioned above is _______.
| A． increasing level of oxygen | B．improving athletes’ performance |
| C．detecting oxygen | D．carrying oxygen around the body |
What is Johnson’s attitude to the application of the findings to the athletes’ training?
| A． Hesitating | B．Doubting | C．Positive | D．Negative |
The best title of the passage may be _______.
| A． Humans Might Sense Oxygen Through Skin |
| B．Frogs And Mice Are Distant Relatives |
| C．First Known Animal Breathes Through Skin |
| D．Great Findings Benefits Athletes A Lot |
Bad teeth can be painful -- and worse. They can even be deadly. Infections (感染) of the gums (牙龈) and the teeth can cause bacteria (细菌) to go into the blood system. Those bacteria can increase the chance of a heart attack and worsen the effects of other diseases. And adults are not the only ones at risk.
For example, in 2007, doctors in the Washington area said a boy died when a tooth infection spread to his brain. They said it might have been prevented had he received the dental care (牙齿保健) he needed. He was twelve years old.
Experts at the National Institutes of Health say good dental care starts at birth. Breast milk, they say, is the best food for the healthy development of teeth. Breast milk can help slow the growth of bacteria and acid production in the mouth.
But dentists say a baby's gums and early teeth should be cleaned after each feeding. Use a cloth with a little warm water. Do the same if a baby is fed with a bottle. Experts say if you decide to put your baby to sleep with a bottle, only give the child water.
When baby teeth begin to appear, you can clean them with a wet toothbrush. Dentists say it is important to find soft toothbrushes made especially for babies and to use them very gently.
The use of fluoride (氟化物) to protect teeth is common in many parts of the world. For example, it is often added to drinking water supplies. The fluoride mixes with enamel (珐琅质) , the hard surface on teeth, to help prevent holes from forming.Which of the following can be used as the title of the passage?
| A．Concerns for Healthy Teeth of the Young |
| B．Causes of Teeth Problem |
| C．Importance of Healthy Teeth of All |
| D．Solutions to Teeth Problem |
What's the main idea of paragraph 4 and 5?
| A．How to develop babies' teeth. | B．How to keep babies' teeth clean |
| C．Why to protect babies' teeth | D．Why to keep babies' teeth clean |
The passage indicates that ______.
| A．Enamel is most widely used to protect teeth in the world |
| B．Breast milk can cure babies' bad teeth |
| C．Bad teeth may affect the health of adults and the young |
| D．Babies' teeth should be brushed once per day |
The writer uses the boy's death as an example to show that ______.
| A．not only adults but the young may suffer from teeth problem |
| B．the doctors should be responsible for the case |
| C．babies with bad teeth can easily die |
| D．the boy was not fed with his breast milk |
The long, lonely voyage of the Japanese ghost ship is over.
A US Coast Guard cutter poured cannon fire into an abandoned Japanese ghost ship that had been drifting since last year’s tsunami (海啸), sinking the vessel into waters more than 305 meters deep in the Gulf of Alaska and removing the danger it posed to shipping and the coastline on Thursday.
The cutter’s guns tore holes in the 164-foot Ryou-Un Maru, and then it began to take on water and lean to one side. In about four hours, the ship disappeared into the sea, said Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow.
The ship had no lights or communications system, and its tank was able to carry more than 7,570 liters of diesel fuel. Officials, however, didn’t know exactly how much fuel was aboard.
“It’s less risky than it would be running into shore or running into other ships,” coast guard spokesman Paul Webb said.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency studied the problem and decided it is safer to sink the ship than let the fuel evaporate and pollute the sea environment.
Ryou-Un Maru was probably among the first wave of the 1.5 million tons of garbage of refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, roofs and fishing nets heading toward North America since last March when a magnitude-9.0 earthquake struck Japan.
As the coast guard was ready to fire on the vessel, a Canadian fishing vessel, the 19-meter Bernice C, claimed the rights to save the ghost ship in international waters.
Plans to sink it were paused so the Canadian crew could have a chance to take the stricken ship. A Canadian official with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press that the Bernice C was unable to drag it.
Then the Canadian boat left, and once it was about 10 kilometers from the Japanese vessel, the Coast Guard began to fire, first with 25 mm shells, then a few hours later with ammunition (弹药)twice that size.
State officials have been working to test the danger of garbage including materials affected by a damaged nuclear power plant, to see if Alaska residents, seafood or wild animals could be affected.The plan to fire on the Japanese ghost ship was paused because ____________.
| A．the ghost ship was beyond the reach of the Coast Guard’s guns |
| B．state officials worried the ghost ship might give out radiation |
| C．the shells were not powerful enough to sink the ghost ship |
| D．a Canadian fishing boat wanted to save the ghost ship |
What’s the right order of the events related to the ship of Ryou-Un Maru?
a. Its long, lonely voyage came to an end.
b. The US Coast Guard sank it into the sea.
c. The ship began to float across the Pacific Ocean.
d. A big tsunami was caused by great earthquakes.
e. Bernice C claimed rights to save the ghost ship.
| A．d, c, e, b, a | B．a, b, d, c, e | C．c, e, d, a, b | D．b, a, d, c, e |
Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
| A．Japanese ghost ship arriving at US |
| B．Tsunami garbage heading to US |
| C．Japanese ghost ship polluting the Pacific |
| D．Cannon fire sinking Japanese ghost ship |
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This is the pen that has a built-in video camera, capturing (拍摄，录制) videos or still images with a click of its button．Ideal for use while secured in a pocket, it can capture up to five hours of video. Its battery provides up to two hours of power before requiring a recharge．
Item 78098 The Wristwatch Camcorder
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This is the men’s watch with an unnoticeable camera located at the two-o’clock position, yet the watch’s hands never make it covered．So you’ll be always ready to capture a famous person or a pet’s ridiculous actions. The camera’s rechargeable battery provides up to two hours of use from a four-hour charge．
Item 77918 The only 55 Inch Widescreen Personal Movie Theater
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This is the only personal media viewer that provides a private viewing experience just like watching a widescreen 55 inch television from 10 meters away．It connects to a video iPod, iPhone, portable DVD player with two AA batteries providing up to six hours of continuous operation．
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This is the watch that vividly displays 120 of your favorite digital photographs．You can download digital photographs to the watch．The watch can be viewed in the Photo Album mode (模式) or digital mode （time and date view）．A six-hour charge provides up to 10 days of useWhat’s the purpose of this passage?
| A．To advertise some goods． | B．To show how fashionable the items are． |
| C．To teach how to operate the items． | D．To compare some goods． |
What do Item 78431 and Item 78098 have in common according to this passage?
| A．They both sell well． | B．They are both cheap． |
| C．They both have unusual appearances． | D．They both can take photos． |
If you’re a movie fan, you probably show strong interest in ________
| A．Item78098 | B．Item77918 |
| C．Item77281 | D．Item78431 |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．In fact, Item 78098 cannot tell time |
| B．All the items include rechargeable batteries． |
| C．In a way, Item 77281 is user-friendly． |
| D．Item 77918 works as a DVD player． |
英语中有一句谚语“A friend in need is a friend in indeed.”你班正在举行以”交友之道”为主题的英语演讲比赛，请以此为题并根据下面的提示写一篇120词左右的演讲稿。开头已给出，不计入总词数。
提示：1.对人要友善，用微笑吸引人；
2.要善解人意，设身处地地为别人着想。
3.不要吵架，遇事要商量
4.关心别人要胜过关心自己
5.不要相信那些在危机时刻背离朋友的人。
6.根据你对交友之道的理解，进行适当的补充，并发表自己的看法。
How to make friends
Good morning,everyone!
The topic of my speech today is “How to make friends”.
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Thank you for listening.