I was a freshman in college when I met the Whites. They were completely different from my own family, yet I felt at home with them immediately. Jane White and I became friends at school, and her family welcomed me like a long-lost cousin.
In my family, it was always important to place blame when anything bad happened.
“Who did this? ”my mother would scream about a dirty kitchen.
“This is all your fault, Katharine, ”my father would insist when the cat got out or the dishwasher broke.
From the time we were little, my sister, brothers and I told on each other. We set a place for blame at the dinner table.
But the Whites didn’t worry about who had done what. They picked up the pieces and moved on with their lives. The beauty of this was driven home to me the summer Jane died.
In July, the White sisters and I decided to take a car trip from their home in Florida to New York. The two older sisters, Sarah and Jane, were college students, and the youngest, Amy, had recently turned sixteen. Proud of having a new driver’s license（驾照），Amy was excited about practicing her driving on the trip. She showed off her license to everyone she met.
The big sisters shared the driving of Sarah’s new car during the first part of the trip, but when they reached less crowded areas, they let Amy take over. Somewhere in South Carolina, we pulled off the highway to eat. After lunch, Amy got behind the wheel. She came to a crossroads with a stop sign. Whether she was nervous or just didn’t see the sign no one would ever know, but Amy continued into the crossroads without stopping. The driver of a large truck, unable to stop in time, ran into our car.
Jane was killed immediately.
I was slightly injured. The most difficult thing that I’ve ever done was to call the Whites to tell them about the accident and that Jane had died. Painful as it was for me to lose a good friend, I knew that it was far worse for them to lose a child.
When Mr. and Mrs. White arrived at the hospital, they found their two daughters sharing a room. Sarah had a few cuts on the head; Amy’s leg was broken. They hugged（拥抱）us all and cried tears of sadness and of joy at seeing their daughters. They wiped away the girls’ tears and made a few jokes at Amy as she learned to use her crutches（拐杖）.
To both of their daughters, and especially to Amy, over and over they simply said, “We’re so glad that you’re alive. ”
I was astonished. No blame. No accusations.
Later, I asked the Whites why they never talked about the fact that Amy was driving and had run a stop sign.
Mrs. White said, “Jane’s gone, and we miss her terribly. Nothing we say or do will ever bring her back. But Amy has her whole life ahead of her. How can she lead a full and happy life if she feels we blame her for her sister’s death? ”
They were right. Amy graduated from the University of California and got married several years ago. She works as a teacher of learning-disabled students. She’s also a mother of two little girls of her own, the oldest named Jane.How did the accident occur?
| A．Amy didn’t know what to do when she saw the stop sign. |
| B．Amy didn’t slow down so their car ran into a truck. |
| C．Amy didn’t stop at a crossroads and a truck hit their car. |
| D．Amy didn’t get off the highway at a crossroads. |
The Whites did not blame Amy for Jane’s death because _____.
| A．Amy was badly injured herself and they didn’t want to add to her pain |
| B．they didn’t want to blame their children in front of others |
| C．they didn’t want Amy to feel ashamed and sorry for the rest of her life |
| D．Amy was their youngest daughter and they loved her best |
From the passage we can learn that _____.
| A．Amy has lived quite a normal life |
| B．Amy has never recovered from the shock |
| C．Amy changed her job after the accident |
| D．Amy lost her memory after the accident |
Oscar the cat seems to have an unnatural ability for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up (蜷伏) next to them during their final hours. His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means the patient has less than four hours to live. "Many family members take some comfort from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one," said Dosa, a doctor and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.
The 2-year-old cat was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia (痴呆) unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, where the facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses. After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd smell and observe patients, then sit beside people who would end up dying in a few hours. Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.
"Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work here," said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill. She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn't eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish color, signs that often mean death is near. Oscar wouldn't stay inside the room, though, so Teno thought bis streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.
Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill that they probably don't know he's there, so patients aren't aware he's a predictor of death. Most families are grateful for the advance warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.
No one's certain if Oscar's behavior is scientifically significant or points to a cause. Teno wonders if the cat senses mysterious scents or reads something into the behavior of the nurses who raised him. Nursing home staff aren't concerned with explaining Oscar, so long as he gives families a better chance at saying goodbye to the dying. The staff recently gave Oscar a wall sign publicly praising his "sympathetic care."What makes Oscar the cat so special?
| A．He observes the cases of dying patients. |
| B．He curls up next to the patients. |
| C．He calls family members to the hospital. |
| D．He senses when patients are to die. |
The passage tells us Oscar_____.
| A．would go round and observe patients |
| B．may sometimes fail to predict death |
| C．is friendly and liked by every nurse |
| D．was born and grew up in the hospital |
The underlined words "his streak was broken" probably mean ____.
| A．his bones were severely injured |
| B．his magic power stopped working |
| C．his devotion to work got changed |
| D．his friendship with patients ended |
From the passage, we learn that_____.
| A．Oscar's behavior is scientifically significant |
| B．Oscar can read something of the nurses' behavior |
| C．Oscar might like to stay with the dying patients |
| D．Oscar is sympathetic to the dying patients |
The best title for this passage is "____".
| A．Cats Can Be Used for Looking After Patients |
| B．Oscar, the Sweet-Faced, Gray-and-White Cat |
| C．As Death Comes Calling, So Does Oscar the Cat |
| D．Oscar the Cat, the Best Helper of Our Hospital |
There are two methods by which hydrogen (氢) can be used to power cars. The first way is to use hydrogen to drive the engine, in much the same way as many cars use gas. The second method is to use the reaction of hydrogen with oxygen in a battery, making the car a kind of electric one.
The dream of producing hydrogen in the car while driving along by electrolyzing（电解）water is a long way off, so we are still at the period of batteries and filling the tank with hydrogen gas. This is the difficulty for potential car users and producers. There are only sixteen hydrogen filling stations in Los Angeles and none in 99% of other cities worldwide.
Indeed, some of the big name automobile producers have pulled out of the race to put the first practical hydrogen car on the streets. Ford and GM have announced that they are pulling out in America and so has Renault in France.
However, the Japanese companies are pressing on. In fact, Honda introduced its first hydrogen fuel cell car in 1999. They are now producing second generation hydrogen car known as the FCX Clarity. Guess where they are available for sale? In only one city because of its filling stations.
Honda thinks that they could go into full-scale production of the FCX Clarity by 2020 if the world is prepared for them by then.
Then there are hydrogen-powered buses in several European cities including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg, London, Luxembourg and Madrid. Lotus, the makers of London taxis, have announced that they propose to manufacture hydrogen-powered taxis in time for the London Olympics.
So, the hydrogen vehicle is out there and the numbers will be growing fairly soon. The buses go back to their bus station, where an electrolyzing machine changes water into fuel for them to fill up on and the same will be the case for many of London’s taxis.
Unfortunately, getting fuel is not the only difficulty for the average motorist, a number of these vehicles cost about $300,000 each.According to the text, hydrogen-powered buses ________.
| A．can easily be filled up with gas. |
| B．are likely to sell well in the future. |
| C．are mainly used in the United States |
| D．won’t be used in the London Olympics |
What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 5 refer to?
| A．Japanese companies | B．Hydrogen buses |
| C．The FCX Clarity | D．Filling stations |
Where are hydrogen cars currently available for sale?
| A．In Barcelona | B．In Hamburg | C．In London | D．In Los Angeles |
We can learn from the text that ________.
| A．there are sixty hydrogen filling stations all over the world |
| B．hydrogen vehicles fueled by water will be very expensive |
| C．Honda will mass-produce the FCX Clarity by 2012 |
| D．Honda produced its first hydrogen car in 1989 |
Why does the rate of heart attacks increase during the World Cup football finals? How can we help an overweight patient to lose weight? They’re just some of the topics covered in a new book by University of Sussex academics, which is helping student doctors to consider the importance of psychology in medical practice.
Psychology for Medicine is the first textbook of its kind, providing medical trainees and new doctors with all the relevant psychological knowledge they need. Previously, students had to refer to many different books for the relevant psychology.
The book, by Sussex psychologists Dr. Sussex Ayers and Dr. Richard de Visser, has been well received by fellow academics and medical doctors and was finished with the help of the students and staff of the Brighton and Sussex Medical School. The students proofread（校对） the chapters, provided ideas for the content and even modeled for the photographs. The book provides a solid grounding in psychological study relevant to medicine, along with practical tips and advice for practice. One student, Simon Hall, drew cartoons for the book.
The study psychology is important for doctors for a number of reasons. Psychological and physical symptoms are highly related. Up to a third of patients will have psychological disorders, while physical causes are usually only found in around 15 per cent of people’s symptoms. In treatment, a lot of the effect drugs can be due to patients believing they will recover rather than the drug itself.
Dr. Ayers says, “The important thing about this book is that it’s applied science --- it shows why psychology is important to medicine and how we should use it. The book’s presentation is really important. It’s not just lots of theory, but full of tips and advice so that students can take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to real-life situations.”The book Psychology for Medicine is mainly written for ________.
| A．scientists | B．overweight people | C．patients | D．student doctors |
What is the third paragraph mainly about?
| A．The topics of the book. | B．The comments on the book. |
| C．The contributors to the book. | D．The characteristics of the book. |
According to the text, the book Psychology for Medicine _________.
| A．is a bit difficult to understand. |
| B．is mainly about how to lose weight. |
| C．included tips on training football players. |
| D．focuses on the importance of psychology in treatment |
We can infer that the text is a(n) ______.
| A．research report | B．introduction to a book |
| C．advertisement for a book | D．introduction to a psychologist |
Being less than perfectly well-dressed in a business setting can result in a feeling of discomfort. And the sad truth is that “clothing mismatches” on the job can ruin the day of the person who is wearing the inappropriate attire(着装)—and the people with whom he or she works.
Offices vary when it comes to dress codes. Some businesses have very strict standards for office attire, while others maintain a more relaxed attitude. However, it is always important to remember that no matter what your company’s attitude is, you are working in a business environment and you should dress properly. Certain items may be more appropriate for evening wear than for a business meeting, just as shorts and a T-shirt are better suited for the beach than for an office environment. Your attire should reflect both your environment and your position. A senior president has a different image to maintain than that of a secretary. Like it or not, you will be judged by your appearance.
This is never more apparent than on “dress-down days”, when what you wear can say more about you than any business suit ever could. In fact, people will pay more attention to what you wear on dress-down days than on “business professional ” days. Thus, when dressing in “business casual” clothes, try to put some good taste into your choices, recognize that the “real” definition of business casual is to dress just one notch(等级) down from what you would normally wear on business-professional attire days.
Remember, there are borders between your career and our social life. You should dress one way for play and another way when you mean business. Always ask yourself where you are going and how other people will be dressed when you get there. Is the final destination the opera, the beach, or the office? Dress properly and you will discover the truth in the principle that clothes make the man—and the woman. When you’re in doubt, it’s safe to be on the side of dressing slightly more traditionally than the situation demands.What is the passage mainly about?
| A．How to dress properly in a business setting. |
| B．How to choose appropriate attire. |
| C．Appropriate attire will make a big difference |
| D．Improper dress will make a person uncomfortable. |
Which statement best describes “dress-down days”?
| A．You can wear whatever you like. |
| B．People are usually more careful about dressing. |
| C．We can’t judge a person’s taste by his clothes. |
| D．People’s clothes don’t receive much attention. |
Which of the following is NOT the rule offered in the passage about business dress?
| A．Dress a bit traditionally if you are not sure about proper dress for an occasion. |
| B．Think about how others will dress if invited to a dinner. |
| C．For a business meeting and a concert, you should dress differently. |
| D．Ask others for advice when you are not sure about what to dress. |
As a young girl, Margaret “Mattie” Knight never played with dolls, preferring to make toys for her brothers instead. In 1849, Knight went to work in a cotton factory where she witnessed a “shuttle,” a device that carries thread back and forth across a textile loom（纺布机）, fly off the machine when the thread broke, striking and killing a young boy about her own age.
The 12-year-old Knight developed a safety mechanism that made it impossible for a shuttle to leave the loom. The design was so effective, soon virtually every new power loom carried her invention, saving countless workers from injury or death. Being so young, she didn’t bother to patent the device, so she never received payment.
Knight wouldn’t make the same mistake later in life when she invented a machine that could produce flat-bottomed paper bags. Knight had built a small wooden model in her home, but she needed a metal version to show it could hold up to the stress of mass production. So she hired Charles Annan to make the full-sized machine for her, only to have him try to claim the patent for himself. When Knight sued（起诉）, Annan’s argument was that the design had to be his, because no woman could possibly understand the complex mechanics. Knight proved him wrong when she brought back her wooden prototype and explained how every part worked. She won the case in 1871, making her the second woman to hold an American patent. Over a hundred years later, her design is still used as the basis for many modern flat-bottom bag machines.
But that wasn’t the last the world heard of Mattie Knight. During her lifetime, she made about 90 inventions and received 26 patents, becoming one of the most productive female inventors of the 19th century. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that ________.
| A．Knight behaved like boys | B．Knight had an unhappy childhood |
| C．Knight did a poor job of making toys | D．Knight liked inventing things as a child |
What do we know about Knight’s first invention?
| A．It is still used today. | B．It brought her great profit. |
| C．It was made when he was 20. | D．It reduced injuries at textile plants. |
Knight sued Charles Annan because he _______.
| A．stole the wooden model for the machine she invented. |
| B．failed to make the full-sized machine for her |
| C．tried to patent her invention for himself |
| D．kept the metal version for himself |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Mattie Knight’s fight for her patent | B．A great woman in the 19th century |
| C．“The female Edison”, Mattie Knight | D．Great inventions, great woman |