D
Some inventions are so useful, but seem so simple, that we wonder why no one thought of them long ago.
Post-it Notes were invented about twenty years ago by Art Fry, a scientist at 3M Company. The idea for the product came from an awful experience he often had while singing in his church choir. Fry used pieces of paper as bookmarks to mark the places in his book of songs, but these bookmarks were always falling out. Around that time, Fry heard about a new adhesive (粘合剂) that a colleague, Dr. Spence Silver, had created. This adhesive was special because it was strong enough to hold papers together, but not strong enough to tear the paper when it was removed.
A short time later, Fry realized that his new invention had even more uses than being a great bookmark. He came to this realization when he wrote a note on one of his new “bookmarks” and attached it to a report he was going to give to a colleague. Soon, co-workers were asking Fry for more of his invention so that they could use the new type of notes themselves.
Fry and some other people at 3M believed so much in the new product that they asked the company to give away thousands of the “sticky pieces of paper” for trial use. When some salespeople at 3M went to offices and showed workers just how helpful the new type of notes could be, they immediately received many orders. As more and more people discovered how useful Post-it Notes could be, the product took off.How did Dr. Spence help Art Fry?
| A.He created the Post-it Notes. |
| B.He offered the new adhesive to Art. |
| C.His adhesive made Art’s invention possible. |
| D.He often worked and discussed science with Art. |
Which of the following is a possible use of Post-it Notes?
| A.A note on a friend’s door |
| B.An ad in a newspaper. |
| C.A postcard from abroad. |
| D.An e-mail to a friend. |
Which of the following shows the proper order of the events?
a. The company gave away many “sticky pieces of paper” for people to try.
b. Dr. Spence created a new adhesive.
c. Many orders were received and the Post-it Notes became successful.
d. Fry invented Post-it Notes.
e. His colleagues began to use the new types of notes themselves.
| A.d b a e c | B.b a e d c |
| C.d e a b c | D.b d e a c |
In which column of a newspaper can we read this passage?
| A.Economy | B.Recreation |
| C.Science | D.Culture |
D
President Obama: I want to welcome Vice President Xi to the Oval Office and welcome him to the United States. This is obviously a great opportunity for us to build on the U. S,-China relationship, but also an opportunity to return the extraordinary hospitality (款待) that Vice President Xi showed Vice President Biden during his recent visit to China.
As I indicated during my recent visit to APEC and the East Asia Summit, the United States is a Pacific nation. And we are very interested and very concentrated on continuing to strengthen our relationships, to enhance our trade and our commerce, and make sure that we are a strong and effective partner with the Asia Pacific region. And obviously, in order to do that, it is absolutely vital that we have a strong relationship with China.
So, Mr. Vice President, I hope you have a wonderful visit while you're here. I'm sure the American people welcome you. I'm glad that you're going to get an opportunity to get out of Washington. I know you'll be visiting Iowa, which you visited many years ago when you were governor. And I understand you're also going to Los Angeles and maybe even taking in (观看) a Lakers basketball game. So I hope you enjoy that very much.
I want to extend my deepest welcome to you, and look forward to a future of improved dialogue and increased cooperation in the years to come.Where can you most probably read the passage?
| A.In an advertisement. | B.In a guidebook. | C.In a news report. | D.In a science report. |
Which sentence is true according to the passage?
| A.Obama didn't attend APEC or the East Asia Summit recently. |
| B.Biden and Xi Jinping are holding the talk in the Oval Office of the White House. |
| C.The talk is being held between China and the USA in the Oval Office of New York. |
| D.Biden once paid a visit to China before this talk. |
The underlined word in Para. 2 “enhance”, probably means “____”.
| A.develop | B.change | C.invent | D.reduce |
From Para. 3, we can learn that Vice President Xi ____.
| A.will go to Los Angeles to watch a soccer game |
| B.visited Iowa many years ago, when he was a vice president |
| C.visited Iowa many years ago, when he was governor |
| D.will visit New York, Washington DC and Los Angeles |
C
Holding a cell phone against your ear or storing it in your pocket may be dangerous to your health. This explains a warning that cell phone manufacturers include in the small print that is often ignored when a new phone is purchased. Apple, for example, doesn’t want iPhones to come closer to you than 1.5 centimeters; Research In Motion, BlackBerry’s manufacturer, recommends 2.5 centimeters.
If health issues arise from cell phone use, the possible effects are huge. Voice calls - Americans chat on cell phones 2.26 trillion(万亿)minutes annually - earn $109 billion for the wireless carriers.
Devra Davis, an expert who has worked for the University of Pittsburgh, has published a book about cell phone radiation, “Disconnect.” The book surveys scientific research and concludes the question is not settled.
Brain cancer is a concern that Ms. Davis examines. Over all, there has not been an increase in its incidence since cell phones arrived. But the average masks an increase in brain cancer in the 20-to-29 age group and a drop for the older population.
“Most cancers have multiple causes,” she says, but she points to laboratory research that suggests low-energy radiation could damage cells that could possibly lead to cancer.
Children are more vulnerable to radiation than adults, Ms. Davis and other scientists point out. Radiation that penetrates only five centimeters into the brain of an adult will reach much deeper into the brains of children because their skulls are thinner and their brains contain more absorptive fluid(易吸收的液体). No studies have yet been completed on cell phone radiation and children, she says.
Henry Lai, a research professor in the bioengineering department at the University of Washington, began laboratory radiation studies in 1980 and found that rats exposed to radiation had damaged DNA in their brains.
Ms. Davis recommends using wired headsets or the phone’s speaker. Children should text rather than call, she said, and pregnant women should keep phones away from the abdomen(腹部).Why is the warning in the small print?
| A.They think people will not care about it. |
| B.There is not enough space for the warning. |
| C.They don’t want the users to pay attention to it. |
| D.The warning is not important at all. |
What does the underlined word in sixth paragraph probably mean?
| A.acceptable | B.valuable | C.accessible | D.easily affected |
What can we conclude from the last paragraph?
| A.Pregnant women should keep cell phones away. |
| B.People should use cell phones in the correct way. |
| C.If you are a child, you’d better text than make phone calls. |
| D.When you use a cell phone, use a wired headset or the phone’s speaker. |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A.Be careful when using cell phones. |
| B.Don’t hold your cell phone against your ear. |
| C.Rats exposed to radiation have damaged DNA in their brains. |
| D.Low-energy radiation could damage cells that could lead to cancer. |
B
Sunday, October 5
Clear, 69°F
My wife, Eleanor and I took the train from Paris to Strasbourg, where we were met by our driver and guide, and the minibus which goes along with the boat. We stopped off in Barn for an hour on the way. Then we were taken to Nancy where the boat was kept.
After the other passengers arrived, we had our first dinner on the boat. After dinner we walked into downtown Nancy, a village with a large square and wooden houses.
Monday, October 6
Rained last night, cloudy in the morning, 69°F
We spent about two hours in Nancy, and then sailed on the Canal de la Marne au Rhine. Kind of a lazy day. Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, after dinner we watched a tape on Baccarat, where we will visit tomorrow. It was pleasant to sit out on deck (甲板)and watch the scenery go by at about 3 mph.
Tuesday, October 7
Light rain, 64°F
This mourning we drove over to Baccarat and toured its museum and the church, which has this unbelievable lamp that is going on a world tour the next day. We did lost of shopping, then walked across the bridge to see a very, very modern Catholic church with special Baccarat windows.
We drove to the top of the Voges Mountains and started down the eastern side. Later we drove to Sorrenbourg to see the 13th century church at the Cordeliers. It contains the largest window by Mar.
Wednesday, Ocrober8
Cloudy.65 °F
Today we sailed from Schneckenbush to Saverne. We went though two caves, an extremely unusual part of the journey. This river scenery is very different. We were in a mountain valley with grassland on one side and a forest beginning to show some color on the other.
Thursday, Ocrober9
Cloudy, 66°F
Our dependable minibus was waiting to load the luggage and take us to the hotel where everyone went their separate ways. Our boating days are over until next time.Where did the author get off the train?
| A.Paris | B.Barn | C.Nancy | D.Strasbourg |
On which days did the tourists spend most of their time on the boat?
| A.Monday and Wednesday | B.Tuesday and Wednesday |
| C.Wednesday and Wednesday | D.Monday and Tuesday |
From the text, we learn that Baccarat and Sorrenbourg are the names of_________.
| A.churches | B.towns | C.museums | D.mountains |
What does the author think of the tour?
| A.Tiring | B.Expensive | C.Enjoyable | D.Quick |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中 ,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Chinese writer Mo Yan has won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature, announced the Swedish Academy in Stockholm on Thursday.The win makes Mo Yan the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel in its Ⅲ-year history.Informed of his win today, the author, who was having dinner at home, was “overjoyed and scared".
Born in 1955 to parents who were farmers, Mo Yan-a pen name for Guan Moye,grew up in Gaomi in Shandong province in eastern China. At the age of 12, he left school to work, first in agriculture, later in a factory. In 1976 he joined the army and during this time began to study literature and writing.
He published his first book in 1981, but found literary success in 1987 with Hong Gaoliang Jiazu, which was successfully filmed in the same year, directed by famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou. In his writing, Mo Yan draws on his youthful experiences and on settings in the province of his birth and his works show the life of Chinese people as well as the country's unique culture and folk customs. Mo Yan is known as a prolific(多产的 )writer. In addition to his novels, he has published many short stories and essays on various topics. Despite his social criticism, he is seen in his homeland as one of the most famous contemporary authors. Dozens of his works have been translated into English, French, Japanese and many other languages.
The awarding ceremony will be held on December 10.The winner will win a medal, a personal diploma and a cash award of about $l million.How did Mo Yan feel when he was told about the news?
| A.Excited and proud. | B. Happy and surprised. |
| C.Worried and cautious | D. Uncertain and shocked. |
Mo Yan developed his ability for writing when he was.
| A.on a farm | B.in a factory | C.in a school | D.in the army |
One of Mo Yan's characteristics of writing is that he
| A.writes about topics he is familiar with |
| B.focuses on social problems in the country |
| C.describes his characters in a unique way |
| D.explains difficult matters in simple words |
What's the best title for this passage?
| A.How Mo Yan Gets Nobel Prize |
| B.An Introduction to Nobel Prize |
| C.Mo Yan Wins Nobel Prize in Literature |
| D.A World Famous Writer, Mo Yan |
E
When I was growing up, 16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom. I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.
But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In January, the U.S. Department Transportation released 2012 data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16, Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.
There are numbers of reasons for the fall – off. The growing responsibilities like paying for insurance and high gas prices discourage teens from getting behind the wheel. Plus, many teens today are so busy with homework, endless hours of activities and part-time jobs, that finding the time for Driver’s Ed classes may be more difficult that ever.
In addition, many states have raised the driving age, or restricted when teens can drive and who they can have in the car. Parents may also be making their own personal restrictions until they feel their teens are responsible enough to drive safely.
Driving is part of the American culture, but it’s not the central focus like it was 25 years ago. They have so many other things to do now. One of the more interesting factors delaying teens driving might be the change of their social life. Today, teens need to look no further than Face book or other social networking sites to connect with their friends. There is simply less need, maybe less desire, to be able to grab the keys and go.
Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy no to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”
Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?We can infer from the first paragraph that .
| A.Driver’s Ed classes allowed teens to know what maturity was |
| B.getting a driving license at 16 was a must for American teens |
| C.16 was considered an age when one could get his driver’s license |
| D.teens could drive on the road without taking Driver’s Ed classes |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A.Desire to drive on the road declines among American teens. |
| B.Getting a license costs much more than ever before. |
| C.Social networking sites are changing the life of American teens. |
| D.American teens are becoming more responsible than ever. |
Michelle’s Wei’s example is used to explain ________.
| A.why American teens are crazy about digital social life |
| B.what social networking websites are bringing to American teens |
| C.to what degree the Internet is affecting the American car culture |
| D.what the Internet does to help teens to get a driving license |
The last paragraph is reminding the readers that.
| A.the Internet h as a bad effect on the teen’s social life |
| B.teens should keep a balance in choosing their lifestyle |
| C.actual contacts can be replaced by talking on line |
| D.face-to-face friendship is always the best choice |