On October 11, NASCAR announced the car of tomorrow after a seven-year design program. People used to believe that science would promise a future of endless spare time and very cheap electricity. Nowadays the scientists’ predictions are a great deal less optimistic: the world is challenged by climate change and decreasing resources.
In fact, the car of tomorrow is a symbol of hope. The emission of carbon dioxide has contributed to global warming, but the car producers are waking up to their responsibilities. Investment in new technology to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental damage is not only improving the car industry’s act but also setting an example to other industries.
It is said that most cars of today run about 15 percent efficiency, which does highlight the potential for improvement. Get it right, and we could continue to enjoy the freedom that comes with owning a car, without the worries.
Of course, many advances have already been made. There’s evidence that the public is eager to buy cleaner and greener cars. And with petrol prices increasing there is no doubt that the cars with economical, efficient engines are going to be in great demand.
The good news is that we can all drive the car of tomorrow today, without having to worry about the purchase cost. By choosing our holiday hired cars wisely we can cut down on our fuel costs and experience an eco-friendly drive. Hire a green car and you’ll make a difference to the environment.
Designers will always enjoy catching our imagination with “concept cars” that look more like miniature(微型) spaceships than anything you see on the highway. Whether these creations will eventually become family cars remains to be seen. However, for the moment, there’s no doubt at all what the car of tomorrow will be, and it’s here today: something familiar and friendly that does its job with considerably less trouble and much greater efficiency than the car of yesterday.The writer of the text intends to ________.
| A．suggest | B．inform | C．approve | D．instruct |
According to the text, people’s present worry about developing the car industry is that ________.
| A．the production is beyond its need |
| B．it’s not environmentally friendly |
| C．the competition is very fierce |
| D．the economic situation affects it a lot |
It can be learned from the fourth paragraph that ________.
| A．fewer cars will be produced in the future |
| B．new cars cost less to maintain |
| C．cleaner and greener cars are in great demand |
| D．no measures have been taken to improve car quality |
What is the author’s attitude towards the cars of tomorrow?
| A．Indifferent. | B．Negative. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Supportive. |
California Prisoners Fight Fires
The western state of California is known for wildfires. This year the fire season has been extremely active. California has some of the most experienced firefighters in the country because of its high risk of fire. Prisoners in California also take part in firefighting efforts. Mario Ritter tells us how and why.
Every morning prisoners in orange clothing go to their jobs as fire fighters. If there is no fire at the time, they carefully clean all the tools needed to make firebreaks. Firebreaks are barriers made of grass or land that slow or stop the spread of fire.
In California, prisoners who have no history of violent crime and are in good physical condition may train and work as firefighters. They may get their prison sentences reduced in exchange for their help fighting fires. But that is not the only appeal of the work program, says Louie Orozco, who was sentenced to prison for robbery.
"It's pretty exciting. It's an adrenaline rush, it's fun at the same time. You're expected to go out there and fight fires. Climb thousands of feet up hills, rocky terrain, and sometimes sandy terrain, with tools you got anywhere between30 and 50 pounds of gear on your back."
Prisoners in California have been working as firefighters for more than 60 years. They also serve the community in other ways, says Captain Mike Mahler of the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
"Our crews are used during floods, search and rescue operations. They put in about 2.5 million hours a year just in emergency response alone."
More than 4, 000 California prisoners work as firefighters. California is not the only state that uses prisoners this way. But, the state's program is seen as a national model.
The prisoners often work side-by-side with professional firefighters. Captain Kevin Krauss has been supervising prisoner firefighters for seven years.
"I treat them like firefighters. I demand they act like firefighters and I tell them if they want to be heroes, they can be out here, if they want to be zeroes they can go back and they can be incarcerated inside. It's their choice."
Captain Krauss says most of them choose to stay with the difficult and often dangerous job, instead of spending their days behind prison walls.
"They get baptized by the devil out on the line. It's hot, it's dry, it’s physically demanding. (There is) Sleep deprivation."
The prisoners receive a small wage. The program began as a way to reduce the cost of fighting fires. Now, however, the program helps rehabilitate prisoners, providing them with skills helpful in ways beyond firefighting.
Louie Orozco says this experience has helped him believe in himself.
"Mentally I see that I can do things I never thought possible. Climbing thousands and thousands of feet up a mountain with gear on your back."
The prisoner firefighter will turn 40 this year. He will be released from prison in six months. He says he is too old to keep fighting fires. But Mr. Orozco also has some graphic design skills he learned from another prison program. He plans to use that skill to start a new life.
And he will know that after fighting wildfires, he can face any problems that might come with life after prison.What does the underlined word mean in the second paragraph？
| A．灭火器 | B．防火障 | C．消防员 | D．消火栓 |
In California, what kind of prisoners can be trained as firefighters？
| A．prisoners who have history of violent crime and are in good physical condition. |
| B．prisoners who have no history of violent crime and are strong. |
| C．prisoners who was sentenced to prison for robbery and are not in good physical condition.. |
| D．prisoners whose prison sentences reduced and who are in good physical condition. |
According to the passage , we know about Louie Orozco EXCEPT__________.
| A．Louie Orozco was sentenced to prison for robbery. |
| B．He has been released from prison for six months. |
| C．He will turn 40 this year. |
| D．He is too old to keep fighting fires. |
From the passage，we can infer from the passage that__________.
| A．The prisoners often work side-by-side with professional firefighters without being supervising. |
| B．The prisoners are forced to trained as firefighters. |
| C．More than one state in America uses prisoners as firefighters. |
| D．All the prisoners in California like to work as firefighters. |
The World Health Organization says reducing salt or sodium use can reduce your risk of heart disease, kidneyfailureor stroke. But researchers say the risk would be reduced even more if the amount of dietary potassium was increased at the same time.
The World Health Organization says high blood pressure affects one billion people worldwide. It leads to many deaths or permanent disabilities. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is called the silent killer because there are few apparent signs. Many studies have shown that reducing salt or sodium in the diet canlowerthe risk of strokeand other health problems.
Graham MacGregor is with the Barts and London School of Medicine and Dentistry. He and other researchers have examined earlier studies and organized their own.
“When you’re on the high salt intake you always have some extra salt in you and a slightly greatervolumeof blood. And that’s what puts up the blood pressure. I mean, if you wanted, an analogous thing would be really a centralheatingsystem. If you put more water into a closed system, the pressure will go up.”
He says the body does need salt, about less than half a gram each day. However, people in developing countries are eating about eight to 10 grams a day. Professor MacGregor says lowering salt can do a lot to reduce hypertension, but increasing potassium in the diet also helps. People in industrial nations eat about three grams of potassium a day through diet. Professor MacGregor says experts believe eating about four grams a day is the best choice.
Health officials have expressed concern about developing countries with growing economies. Those nations are increasingly turning to a western diet with its salty, sugary and fatty foods. Officials are predicting a sharp rise in heart disease and related problems.Which of following has nothing to do with having extra salt in you？
| A．heart disease | B．kidneyfailure | C．stroke | D．toothache |
The writer uses “a centralheatingsystem”to_________.
| A．give examples | B．introduce a new thing |
| C．compare the two things | D．contrast the two things |
According to the passage，which of the following statements is true？
| A．The body needs salt, about three grams each day. |
| B．Eating about four grams potassium a day is the best choice. |
| C．Lowering potassium can do a lot to reduce hypertension. |
| D．Reducing sodium in the diet canhigherthe risk of stroke. |
For as long as we can remember, we've heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But not only can it boost your energy and memory levels, it also can impact how long you live. Studies show that by eating certain foods, you can help slow the aging process. Here are just six amazing anti-aging treats you might want to go for first thing in the morning.
1. Blueberries
Although tiny, blueberries pack a huge anti-aging health punch. Rich in polyphenols, research suggests that a blueberry-rich diet not only improves your motor skills, but also can help fight diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Indeed one recent study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association showed that women who ate the most blueberries -- as well as their superfood cousin, strawberries -- enjoyed a 32 percent lower heart attack risk than women who only ate these berries once a month (or not at all).
2. Oatmeal
For years, research has shown a strong correlation between oatmeal and cholesterol reduction. Oatmeal is rich in soluble fiber that gets rid of "bad" cholesterol. Oats also are packed with the antioxidants that do battle against cell damage. And that can help plump skin and reduce wrinkles.
3. Eggs
Eggs usually come under fire because of their high cholesterol content. But studies show that healthy men and women who consume an egg a day actually do not experience negative health repercussions. In addition, eggs contain all the essential B vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, choline, biotin, and folic acid. Choline has been shown to protect your memory, while two proteins in eggs -- lutein and zeaxanthin -- protect against vision loss.
4. Tea
Many teas are high in anti-aging antioxidants. But green tea is rich in an antioxidant known as EGCG, which helps fight wrinkles and rejuvenate skin cells. Green tea also may protect against cancer, control blood sugar levels, and help reduce inflammation associated with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
5. Pomegranate Juice
If tea's not your thing, try pomegranate juice instead. Studies show that a glass of pomegranate juice a day could help keep wrinkles at bay. Not only has pomegranate been shown to slow down the natural oxidation ("wear and tear") of DNA, it also has been linked to the prevention of heart disease and stress relief.
6. Grapefruit
In addition to helping you feel full, which in turn may assist with weight loss, grapefruit also can help lower "bad" cholesterol and triglyceride levels while also boosting “good” HDL cholesterol. Deep red varieties are best as studies show they can also help keep heart disease at bay.What is the purpose of this text?.
| A．To tell an interesting story. |
| B．To bring up a problem. |
| C．To present a research result. |
| D．To give practical advice. |
Which food may best help protect against vision loss?
| A．Grapefruit | B．Eggs | C．Blueberries | D．Pomegranate Juice |
California, once regarded as a leader in the United States for its public higher education system, ranks next to the last in the U.S.for its number of adults with at least a high school diploma, according to the report, titled “California at the Edge of a Cliff,” released by the California Faculty Association.
Meanwhile, the state’s investment(投资) in public higher education has dropped over the past three decades, and now ranks 22nd in the country.That’s despite having the country’s largest public higher education system, the report said.
“It's a collapse(衰退),” said Thomas Mortenson, author of the report, who is an independent analyst living in Iowa and a senior scholar at the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education in Washington, D. C. “Ranking 49th out of 50 states is an indication that shows the quality of the state’s educational has become much worse in recent decades.” Mortenson said in the report.As of 2007, California ranked 14th in the United States in terms of college educated members of the workforce over 25 years of age, a drop from eighth place in 1981, the report showed.
Mortenson said that California has never been the state of high status in education and economy while other states have made greater gains in building a college-educated workforce.
The California Faculty Association is using the report’s findings to criticize Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed funding cuts for education.
Struggling with a 14.8-billion-dollar state budget deficit(赤字), Schwarzenegger has proposed a combination of sales tax increases, borrowing and major budget cuts, including cutting billions of dollars from the state’s education budget.The passage is mainly about __________.
| A．California’s worse situation in higher education |
| B．the dangerous situation in California |
| C．California’s research on education and economy |
| D．funding cuts for high education in California |
From the passage we can infer that __________.
| A．investment in higher education has dropped in all states |
| B．Thomas Mortenson works at California Faculty Association |
| C．governor in California agreed to spend more money on education |
| D．California had higher quality in higher education in the past |
The reason why California has a lower rank in education is that________.
| A．the number of adults has decreased recently |
| B．the result of report has been published late |
| C．the money to invest in education has been cut |
| D．the progress in other states has been made |
According to the report’s findings, ________ is to blame for the drop in rank of education.
| A．Arnold Schwarzenegger | B．Thomas Mortenson |
| C．the Pell Institute | D．California Faculty Association |
语篇解读曾经在大学教育排行榜上位居第一的美国加州，现在的教育排名一下子跌落到倒数第二。这是怎么回事呢？
阅读理解
We are just getting older and older with each New Year. Vigor and wisdom are draining, and bit by bit we are moving away from the amazement of youth.
Yet neither fear nor anxiety helps retain youth. Instead, a few living habits help maintain.
●Laugh to your heart's content as much as you can. Laughter helps reduce pressure and improve your immune system, which makes people look 8 years younger.
●Keep an eye on your blood pressure. Those with a blood pressure of 115/75mmHg look 2.5years younger than those above 160/90mmHg.
●Quit smoking and avoid passive smoking. This can take 8 years off your appearance.
●Spare some time for exercises each day. Exercises need not be tiring. A 20 minute walk every day makes people look 5 years younger.
●Keep learning and absorb something new each day. Speak the same language as the young people. Learning something every day makes people look 2.5 years younger.
●Keep other pressures under control. Too much pressure makes people look 30 years older. If they are good at networking and manage to keep pressure under control, they will look 30 years younger.
●Secure high quality medical care insurance and do whole body check regularly. For those contracted with chronicle diseases, proper treatment and qualification of the diseases makes people look 12 years younger than what they would without proper treatment.The passage is mainly about _________.
| A．the important of retaining youth |
| B．some tips helping people retain youth |
| C．moving away from the amazement of youth |
| D．the connections between the health and the age |
The underlined sentence “This can take 8 years off your appearance.” means _________.
| A．Smoking and passive smoking can make you look 8 years younger |
| B．Smoking and passive smoking can make you die 8 years ahead |
| C．Giving up smoking and avoiding passive smoking can make you live 8 years longer |
| D．Giving up smoking and avoiding passive smoking can make you look 8 years younger |
According to the passage, we can know that _________.
| A．exercises properly every day helps people retain youth |
| B．if you want to be 30 years younger you must keep other pressures under control |
| C．doing whole body check regularly can make people look younger |
| D．fear and anxiety are a part of our life, which help people realize the importance of keeping youth |