While most teenagers were studying to get into a top university,one 19-year-old was starring in his first movie,Blue Gate Crossing.It was a film about love on campus and it was well received in Taiwan.Many say it was this film that put Bolin Chen in position for his later glittering career in show business.
In fact.it was not until he played a troubled young man in the movie Buddha Mountain three years ago that he regained his passion for acting.
While being called a“youth idol”may seem like a compliment,it is a title that Chen has tried to shake off.He believes that “a youth idol means you simply rely on your appearance,not your acting talent”.
The most important thing for Chen now is to take more initiative(主动性)as an actor.“To me,an actor is like a chess piece,waiting for producers and directors to put him somewhere they want him to be.”Chen,29,told NetEase.“But I want to be the game player.”He even took his ambition a step further,setting tip his own production company.
But just when Chen started to locus on off-screen work,his life on screen took another turn.He won the title of Best Leading Actor at the 2012 Golden Bell Awards on Oct 26 for his role in hit TV drama In Time with You.When asked why he accepted the part,which is another “youth idol”role.he told Yangcheng Evening News:“I played it for my grandfather.He tells everyone around that I am an actor.but I used to play in movies,not TV series.Now he is in the hospital.I hope that he can watch my performances by simply turning on the TV.”
Chen is a veteran(老手)in the entertainment world,but unlike many stars,he hasn’t led a luxurious(奢华的)life.He doesn’t even have a car but walks,rides a bike or takes a taxi whenever he goes out.He doesn’t have a house,either.“Everyone will eventually find some place to live anyway,why bother to buy property (地产)?”he asked Taiwan magazine Business Today.
What does Bolin Chen think of his title“youth idol”?
| A.He likes it very much. |
| B.He thinks it a compliment. |
| C.He wants to get rid of it. |
| D.He is not worthy of it. |
Bolin Chen’s words in Para 4 suggest that he______.
| A.1ikes to play games such as chess |
| B.wants to take an active part in producing his films |
| C.cannot get along well with some directors |
| D.thinks producers are more important in making a film |
Bolin Chen played a part in the TV drama In Time with You because he_____.
| A.failed in off-screen work |
| B.had become a“youth idol” |
| C.wanted to delight his grandfather |
| D.wanted to succeed in the new field |
The main idea of the last paragraph is that Bolin Chen____.
| A.is a veteran in the entertainment world |
| B.hasn’t made much money from his work |
| C.doesn’t like the entertainment world |
| D.prefers a different lifestyle from most stars |
Space is where our future is — trips to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Most people would think that aside from comets(彗星) and stars, there is little else out there. But, since our space journey started we have left so much trash(垃圾) there that scientists are now concerned that if we don't clean it up, we may all be in mortal (致命的)danger.
The first piece of space junk was created in 1964, when the American satellite Vanguard I stopped operating and lost its connection with the ground center. However, since it kept orbiting around the Earth without any consequences, scientists became increasingly comfortable abandoning(抛弃) things that no longer served any useful purpose in space.
It is estimated (估计)that there are now over 500,000 pieces of man-made trash orbiting the Earth at speeds of up to 17,500 miles per hour. The junk varies from tiny pieces of paint chipped off rockets to cameras, huge fuel tanks, and even odd items like the million-dollar tool kit that astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn Piper lost during a spacewalk.
The major problem with the space trash is that it may hit working satellites and damage traveling spacecraft(飞船). Moreover, pieces of junk may collide(碰撞) with each other and break into pieces which fall back to the Earth. To avoid this, scientists have invented several ways for clearing the sky. Ground stations have been built to monitor larger pieces of space trash to prevent them from crashing into working satellites or space shuttles. Future plans include a cooperative effort among many nations to stop littering in space and to clean up the trash already there.What was the first piece of man-made space trash?
| A.A camera. | B.A tool kit. |
| C.A fuel tank. | D.A broken satellite. |
Why were scientists NOT concerned about space trash in the beginning?
| A.It no longer served any useful purpose. |
| B.It was millions of miles away from the Earth. |
| C.It did not cause any problems. |
| D.It was regarded as similar to comets and stars. |
Which of the following statements is true about space junk?
| A.It is huge, heavy machines. |
| B.It never changes position. |
| C.It floats slowly around the Earth. |
| D.It may cause problems for space shuttles. |
What has been done about the space trash problem?
A, Scientists have cleaned up most of the trash.
B. Large pieces of space trash are being closely watched.
C. Many nations have worked together to stop polluting space.
D. Ground stations are built to help store the trash properly in space.
It seems hard to watch someone yawn(打哈欠) and not to yawn ourselves. Even reading about yawning can make you do it. Now, a new study has found why yawning has such a powerful force.
Yawning when others yawn, the study suggests, is a sign of pity and a form of social connection. Kids don’t develop this deeply rooted behavior until around age four, the study found. Kids with autism (自闭症) are less likely to catch yawns. In the most serious cases, they never do. Yawning might help doctors to see whether the children are developing rightly. The work could also lead to a better understanding of the ways that people communicate and connect.
"Emotional infection seems to be a born thing that connects us together," said Molly Helt, a graduate student in psychology at the University of Connecticut. "Yawning may be part of that." Inspiration for her study came when she tried to get her own autistic son to clear his ears on an airplane. She repeatedly yawned at him, hoping he would yawn back. He never did.
"The fact that autistic kids don’t do it might mean they’re really missing out on that emotional connection with people around them," she said. "The biggest thing people try to figure out after birth is how we become humans and understand that humans have minds that are different from others’," she added. "Autistic people never seem to understand that."
Like infectious (有感染力的)laughter and crying, scientists have found that yawning is a shared experience that promotes social connection. Helt said it could fight stress after a period of being nervous and spread a feeling of calm through a group.What does the new study suggest, according to the first two paragraphs?
| A.Yawning is a form of communication. |
| B.It is easy to stop yawning when you see others yawn. |
| C.Children follow others in yawning just after they are born. |
| D.Yawning has some mysterious force which is related to God. |
According to Molly Helt, _________.
| A.humans differ from animals because they communicate with others |
| B.yawning is a kind of emotional connection among humans |
| C.emotions are infectious, but yawning is not |
| D.yawning helps clear ears on planes |
Which of the following is NOT true about yawning?
| A.It is natural to yawn back if people around you yawn. |
| B.Some kids are too young to yawn after others. |
| C.Yawning can be used to test children’s development. |
| D.Kids with autism yawn easily when others yawn. |
The author implies in the last paragraph that ________.
| A.yawning is different from infectious laughter and crying in theory |
| B.it is bad manners to yawn on some social occasions |
| C.the more you yawn, the happier you will be |
| D.yawning can make people feel relaxed |
The Swiss army knife is a popular device that is recognized all over the world. In Switzerland, there is a saying that every good Swiss citizen has one in his or her pocket. But the knife had poor beginnings.
In the late nineteenth century, the Swiss army issued(发给) its soldiers a gun that required a special screwdriver(螺丝刀) to take it apart and clean it. At the same time, canned food was becoming common in the army. Swiss generals decided to issue each soldier a standard knife to serve both as a screwdriver and a can opener.
It was a lifesaver for Swiss knife makers, who were struggling to compete with cheaper German imports. In 1884, Carl Elsener, head of the Swiss knife manufacturer(maker) Victorinox, seized that opportunity with both hands, and designed a soldier's knife that the army loved. It was a simple knife with one big blade(刀片), a can opener, and a screwdriver.
A few years after the soldier's knife was issued, the "Schweizer Offizier Messer," or Swiss Officer's Knife, came on the market. Interestingly, the Officer's Knife was never given to those serving in the army. The Swiss army purchasers considered the new model with a corkscrew(瓶塞钻) for opening wine not "essential for survival," so officers had to buy this new model by themselves. But its special multi-functional design later launched(发行) the knife as a global brand. After the Second World War, a great number of American soldiers were stationed in Europe. And as they could buy the Swiss army knife at shops on army bases, they bought huge quantities of them. However, it seems that "Schweizer Offizier Messer" was too difficult for them to say, so they just called it the Swiss army knife, and that is the name it is now known by all over the world.What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A.To explain the origin of the Swiss army knife. |
| B.To introduce the functions of the Swiss army knife. |
| C.To emphasize the importance of the Swiss army knife. |
| D.To tell a story about the designer of the Swiss army knife. |
What does "It" in the third paragraph refer to?
| A.The Swiss army needed a knife for every soldier. |
| B.Every good Swiss citizen had a knife in his pocket. |
| C.Swiss knives were competing with imported knives. |
| D.Canned food was becoming popular in the Swiss army. |
Why didn't the Swiss army purchase the Swiss Officer's Knife?
| A.The design of the knife was too simple. |
| B.The knife was sold out to American soldiers. |
| C.The army had no budget to make the purchase. |
| D.The new design was not considered necessary for officers to own. |
Who gave the name "the Swiss army knife" to the knife discussed in the passage?
| A.Carl Elsener. | B.Swiss generals. |
| C.American soldiers. | D.German businessmen. |
The day of my holiday arrived, but I wasn’t looking forward to it. I had little money and had only been able to afford to stay with my Aunt Rosa in Spain. So, I wasn’t really excited as I knew exactly what it was going to be like: lots of noisy cousins , and Aunt Rosa begging me to take her for a ride.
After I had checked in, I made my way slowly to the departure gate. As I was waiting to board the plane, I kept thinking about my ideal holiday destination: Jamaica, with its long, sandy beaches and crystal clear water.
As soon as the plane took off, I fell fast asleep and only woke to the sound of the announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten you seat belts, as we will shortly be landing in Kingston.” I froze in my seat. Was I dreaming? Kingston? Jamaica? I had boarded the wrong plane!
Immediately after the plane landed, I explained the situation to the authorities. It seems there were also three other passengers heading for Spain. Apparently it had been the airline’s fault, since the flight numbers for Spain and Jamaica were exactly the same! Therefore, with no flight back to London for a week, the airline had no choice but to pay for our stay.
So there I was, lying on the beach, enjoying the music and the marvelous food of Jamaica! As for Aunt Rosa, I suppose she just had to live without me!Why did the writer choose to spend her holiday with her aunt in Spain?
| A.She missed her cousins very much. |
| B.Her aunt begged her to go there. |
| C.She could hardly afford any better trip. |
| D.Spain was her ideal destination. |
In the story, the writer ended up _________.
| A.flying to London immediately | B.heading for Spain from Jamaica |
| C.complaining to the authorities | D.enjoying a free beach holiday |
Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
| A.A Lucky Mistake | B.A Terrible Adventure |
| C.A Nice Dream | D.A Well-Planned Trip |
Climate change could affect food supplies, water resources, human health and homes.
If greenhouse gas emissions keep increasing at the current rate, global temperature is expected to rise between 2°C and 6°C by 2100. This doesn’t sound much, but a 5°C change is the difference between the current warm period and an ice age.
Global warming leads to other changes in the climate: melting ice, more evaporation(蒸发), changes in geographical patterns of rainfall, heavier downpours separated by longer dry spells, more frequent heat waves, more intense hurricanes, and sea level rise.
These changes could affect crop growth as drought, increased evaporation and shrinking glaciers(冰川)disrupt water supply. Some crops could suffer heat stress. While there may be benefits in some regions, overall climate change is likely to have a negative impact on global food supplies. The impacts of climate change on agriculture will vary widely around the world. A global temperature rise of 1–2 °C is expected to increase food production in some regions, particularly mid-latitude areas. But in tropical regions even a small amount of warming could reduce crop yields. A temperature rise of 3 °C or more could threaten global food resources, as all regions are likely to experience negative impacts overall.
Freshwater resources could also diminish, especially in tropical regions, as rain patterns change and evaporation speeds up. Some communities could lose essential melt water as glaciers disappear, while more intense rainfall and hurricanes could cause more flooding, leading to water pollution and bacterial diseases such as cholera(霍乱)becoming more widespread.
Climate change could lead to a variety of health impacts – both positive and negative. On the negative side, scientists anticipate more cases of malnutrition, heatstroke and waterborne diseases such as cholera. Although some populations will benefit from a reduced risk of cold-related illnesses such as hypothermia, overall a warming world is likely to have negative effects on human health.
Scientists also expect damage to homes and buildings from more intense hurricanes, heavier rainfall and rising sea levels. Climate change is likely to affect infrastructure by increasing the risk of both coastal and inland flooding around the world, owing to a combination of heavier rainfall, rising sea levels and increased storm damage. Homes and buildings could also be affected by the thawing of frozen ground and greater risk of forest fires.
The consequences of climate change will have an impact on people around the world. With global temperature increased by 1–2 °C, _______.
| A.crops yields could be increased in tropical regions |
| B.food production could rise throughout the world |
| C.chances are that food resources would be threatened overall |
| D.mid-latitude areas are likely to experience positive impacts |
The underlined word “hypothermia” in Paragraph 6 possibly means a serious medical condition caused by_______.
| A.lower temperature than normal |
| B.higher temperature than normal |
| C.more cases of malnutrition |
| D.cases of waterborne diseases |
According to the passage, climate change has both positive and negative effects on ______.
| A.food supplies and buildings |
| B.freshwater resources and homes |
| C.human health and food supplies |
| D.human health and homes |
The passage is mainly meant to tell us _______.
| A.how global warming leads to changes in the climate |
| B.how climate change affects people worldwide |
| C.why climate change affects our crop growth |
| D.why climate change contributes to all bad results |