The intelligence times provide us much convenience,but at the same time,some of our abilities are being weakened gradually.
1. Memorizing phone numbers
It was annoying to remember numbers. Now we simply add them to our contacts list. That usually works well unless our device is lost,stolen,or damaged. No one can be expected to remember all their contact numbers. What we can do is memorize 5 of our most important contact numbers. This should include a mixture of family,friends and business. If you're really ambitious you can memorize 5 contacts for each category.
2. Map-reading skills
The convenience and effectiveness of GPS guidance systems and digital maps generated by search engines is unquestionable. They've definitely made our lives easier. What we don't get from using these devices and applications is the increased ability to understand spatial orientation(空间方向)and navigation.
To renew or acquire those skills,try using physical maps to plan your next trip. After a few trips,you'll be pleasantly surprised with how useful a physical map can be.
3. Photography
Even amateur photography requires a basic learning about lighting,depth,and composition. This is true for digital photography. Most smart cameras automatically make these adjustments. We no longer have to learn the art of photography. On most devices,this is easily changed by turning off the automatic settings. Experiment with setting by hand the scene modes,lighting,and zoom. You just may learn that you're a “true photographer”.
4. Reading comprehension
The primary cause is E-reader. They're convenient and can store thousands of books. But there's evidence that E-reader makes it more difficult for readers to keep and recall information they just read. Don't worry! What we should do is make an effort to read printed books. This will be especially helpful when seeking information we need for academic or career purposes.
5.Hand-written correspondence(通信)
Writing letters and notes include hand writing skills,organizational skills,and learning about the person or persons you correspond with. This is another easily regained skill. Send a letter to an old friend,relative or acquaintance.What's the disadvantage by adding all numbers to the contacts list?
A.We may only have the ability to remember 5 numbers. |
B.It's hard to find the number from the contacts list. |
C.We might lose all our phone numbers accidentally. |
D.Our device is more easily damaged or stolen. |
To make yourself a “true photographer”,you ______.
A.must make it clear how the digital camera works itself |
B.have to make your camera do the adjustments automatically |
C.don't need to learn the art of photography |
D.had better try to set the scene modes,lighting,and zoom by hand |
E-readers are thought to weaken our reading comprehension because ______.
A.they are convenient and can store thousands of books |
B.they make it more difficult for us to recall information |
C.less people can afford to buy E-readers |
D.people are not fond of reading printed books nowadays |
The author of the text seems to ______.
A.be worried that we might lose some basic abilities in intelligence society |
B.point out to us the abilities one should have for adapting to the modem society |
C.be glad that people will regain these abilities by using them often in daily life |
D.find out that these abilities will probably make modern people different from before |
Electricity, like clean water, is a resource that’s often taken for granted. But last summer, when blackouts struck much of the northeastern US, Ontario and Rome, consumers on two continents were given a painful reminder of just how easily broken electricity supplies can be. The massive disorder stranded (使陷入困境)commuters, stopped freezers, shut down businesses and refocused attention on where most of the planet’s power comes from:oil-and-gas-fired generators and nuclear plants, These sources not only pollute the environment but also make many consumers feel unacceptable health risks.
Companies are trying to offer an alternative, clean energy from renewable resources that’s plentiful and portable. Lifton’s Medis Technologies, as well as companies like Hydrogenics and Nanosys, is tapping into fuel cells and dolor panels to give people power whenever and wherever they want it, free from dependence on local grids(电网).
The search for alternative energy is nothing new, but the current trend of innovators is focusing on the goal of making clean and sustainable power a mainstream commodity. For example, the fuel cell, which produces electricity from the chemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen, has been around for about 150 years, though its commercial development did not begin until the 1960s and then only as part of NASA spacecraft. Today this technology is coming down to Earth in places like Tokyo; in nine European cities, from Stockholm to Porto, each operating three hydrogen-fuel-cell buses; and in Iceland, which is trying to create the first fuel free hydrogen economy by 2030.
When hydrogen and oxygen molecules(分子)combine, the reaction produces heat and water. Fuel cells use this reaction to generate electricity. With the cell phone and gadget(小机件)market in mind, Medis has developed a fuel cell with cheap components that produces little heat and effortlessly reduces waste water without turning to energy consuming pumps.What is the passage mainly about?
A.The future of alternative energy |
B.How the fuel cells works |
C.People’s search for alternative energy |
D.The damage done by the blackout last summer. |
What can we know about the fuel cell?
A.Its commercial use began in the 1960s. |
B.Today it’s being used in almost every corner of the world. |
C.It has been in widespread used for about 150 years. |
D.It supplies electricity to make the combination of oxygen and hydrogen possible. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A.Lifton’s Medis Technologies is tapping into fuel cells and solar panels. |
B.The fuel cell has been around for about 150 years. |
C.The fuel cell’s commercial development did not begin until the 1960s. |
D.When hydrogen and oxygen molecules combine, the reaction produces o2 and H2O. |
The underlined word “blackouts” in the 1 st paragraph means_____.
A.power failure | B.the delivering of electricity |
C.the power of electricity | D.power station |
Brand is often regarded as the creation of western advertisement industry. However, the earliest “brand” could be traced back to the early civilization in China and Egypt. Earthenware(陶器)made in China thousands of years ago had signs or symbols of pottery makers, and domestic animals branded with marks could also be seen on wall paintings of ancient Egypt. These might be the first “brand” in history.
Time passes and the situation has changed. Nowadays Americans have “Cadillac”, Japanese have “Toyota”, Cermans have “Mercedes-Benz”, and they are all proud of the big brands they own. Chinese national brands are pale in comparison to their global counterparts. It is a reality which we cannot deny and have to face. With the globalization of brands and the internationalization of global competition, foreign brands are making constant efforts in attacking the Chinese market. Under the circumstances, the question that we must ask is:How can Chinese brands be ready for the challenge posed by foreign brands?
Many Chinese enterprises are single-minded in getting the attention of the international market and going into metropolises(大城市). Successful though they seem, they act ill-advisedly. We should be aware that it is the home market, especially the rural market with a population of 900 million people that provides the real development opportunity for Chinese national brands. That is why many powerful foreign brands are trying, with every possible means, to develop the Chinese rural market.
Quality is the life of a brand and consumers always choose products with first-class quality. The quality of Chinese products is very unstable so that it seriously affects the establishment of Chinese brands. Therefore, for those national brands determined to challenge foreign brands, the top task is to improve product quality. It must be clearly understood that, for a consumer who has bought a product, defects in 1% of your products mean 100% loss. Only if we create products with quality better than that of foreign brands can national brands be successful in competition. What is the question that we have to ask in face of foreign brands?
A.How to run a company in foreign countries. |
B.How to stay in harmony with the foreign brands. |
C.How to catch up with the foreign company in service and price. |
D.How to compete against the foreign brands. |
Which of the following would the author agree with?
A.Quality is the most important element for a brand. |
B.China’s international market is fully feveloped. |
C.China’s products are matchless in the international market. |
D.China’s goods are always of bad quality. |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A.Metropolitan areas are what many Chinese enterprises focus on. |
B.Pottery made in ancient China had signs or symbols of the makers. |
C.The top target of foreign enterprises in China has been the rural market. |
D.Chinese enterprises should try to get into the home market. |
What can be concluded from the passage?
A.There’s no need for foreign brands to make constant efforts to compete with Chinese brands. |
B.Ancient Chinese and Egyptians knew how to mark or symbolize their works. |
C.Chinese enterprises can hardly build big brands people trust due to quality problems. |
D.Chinese brands can only be successful in domestic market. |
Are you single and dreaming of an exciting voyage vacation, but unsure of the next step? You’re not alone! Many single travelers wonder which voyage will have the most singles on board, how they’ll meet other singles, what the voyage will cost and whether they’ll enjoy themselves.
Our hosted singles voyage is ideal for singles of all ages. No other form of travel affords as many opportunities to meet people and make friends. In fact, our Singles Division can help you find a singles voyage on a ship that’s just right for you and make sure you meet many other singles on board.
We’ve scheduled singles voyage on sailings throughout 2005, to all of the world’s greatest destinations. And we’ve selected popular itineraries(旅行路线)on large, newer ships for different audiences, so you can find one that suits your tastes.
If you’re looking for a roommate to cut costs, our Match Program can pair you with a samesex single in one stateroom(on hosted sailings only),enabling us to offer you the same perperson pricing that couples receive. We guarantee to find you a roommate, whenever you signup before the cutoff date. If we don’t, you only need pay the perperson, doubleoccupancy rate. If you prefer the privacy of your own stateroom, the single supplement rates will apply.
Either way, we’ll provide our own onboard host to organize singles cocktail parties, mixers, games, singlemingle dining and more. Once you’ve booked your voyage, we’ll also give you private access to our singles chat site where you can get to know other singles before you depart.
We expect our staterooms on these sailings will fill quickly, so please book early to avoid disappointment. To get started, click on any singles voyage in the calendar to the left. Hope to see you onboard!
Note: If you can’t take advantage of one of our hosted singles cruises but still wish to travel as a single, click here for more information.The voyage which is strongly recommended in the text is for________
A.young singles |
B.singles of all ages who want to meet people and make friend |
C.single travelers |
D.singles who intend to go to the world’s greatest destinations |
What can Match Program do for travelers according to the text?
A.To match a single man with a proper woman. |
B.To match a single woman with a proper man. |
C.To have a match between samesex singles in one room. |
D.To pair a willing person with a samesex single in one room. |
Which activity is NOT included in the voyage?
A.Having singles cocktail parties. |
B.Having private access to our singles chat site. |
C.Mixers, games, singlemingle dining etc. |
D.Finding a roommate. |
The text probably comes from_____________.
A.a guide book |
B.an ad on newspaper |
C.a website |
D.a magazine |
Vitamin E supplements(补充品),which millions take in the hope of longer, healthier lives, may do more harm than good, researchers reported on Wednesday.
In fact, people taking high doses(剂量)of vitamin E may in some cases be more likely to die earlier, although the reasons are not clear, said Dr. Edgar Miller of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, who led the study.“I think people take vitamin E because they think it is going to make you live longer, but this(study)doesn’t support that.”Miller told reporters.
Miller and colleagues reanalyzed 19 studies of vitamin E and health between 1993 and 2004. The tests involved more than 136,000 mostly elderly patients in North America, Europe and China. People who took 200 international units of vitamin E a day or more died at a higher rate during the study, which lasted three years, than people who did not take supplements, they told a meeting of the American Heart Association.“It’s about a 5 percent increased risk at 45 years in the tests combined together,”Miller said.“That doesn’t sound like a lot but if you apply it to 25 percent of the (U.S.)adult population taking vitamin E, that is significant.”
Miller, whose findings are also being published online by the Annals of Internal Medicine, said twothirds of people who take vitamin E supplements take 400 IU or more.“We don’t think that people need to take vitamin E supplements, which they can get enough from the diet,”he said. Nuts, oils, whole grains and green leafy vegetables are all rich in vitamin E. People take vitamin E supplements, hoping that________.
A.they can lose weight easily |
B.they may live a longer and healthier life |
C.they can get more and more beautiful |
D.they no longer need any medicine |
The following statements can give us information about Miller EXCEPT_________.
A.Miller and his team based their research on 19 cases of vitamin E and health between 1993 and 2004 |
B.Miller thinks it unnecessary for people to take vitamin E supplements |
C.Miller supposes it impossible for people to get enough vitamin E from their diets |
D.Miller played an important role in the tests conducted by the researchers |
Which of the following contains rich vitamin E?
A.Nuts. |
B.Whole grains. |
C.Green leafy vegetables. |
D.All of the above. |
What is this text mainly about?
A.It is reported in a study that vitamin E may do more harm than good to people to live longer and get healthier. |
B.Dr.Edgar Miller and his colleagues studied many cases of vitamin E and health. |
C.Dr.Edgar Miller advises that people should not depend on vitamin E supplements for longer and healthier lives. |
D.People who took 200 international units of vitamin E a day or more died at a higher rate than people who did not take supplements. |
Leaders and officials from foreign countries have extended congratulations on China’s successful launch(发射)of its first manned spacecraft.
Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro called the launch of the Shenzhou V “a great feat” and said it showed China’s space science and technology has reached a very high level. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his congratulatory letter to President Hu Jintao that China as a member of space club was conducive(有助于)to maintaining world peace and developing technology. The European Union(EU)also hailed China’s first successful manned space flight.
“The successful launch and safe return of a Chinese astronaut represents an important event for space exploration. Human space flight is a dream for all of us and opens a new chapter(篇章)for scientific and technological exploration of space,”EU research commissioner Philippe Busquin said in a statement.
“For the European Union, it remains a goal to be achieved. This effort can bring nations together and opens up new opportunities for scientific and technological cooperation,”he said.French Minister for Science Research Claudie Haignere, the first woman astronaut in Europe, said with China’s successful launch of the manned spacecraft,“the space age has entered a new historic period.” Other countries have also extended congratulations to China.
“ The successful launch of Shenzhou V is an honour for China,”said the newspaper on its front page, citing(引用)Chinese President Hu Jintao.
“October 15, 2003 is not only a date to be remembered forever by the Chinese people, but also ‘a splendid moment’in the history of space flight of mankind,”said the newspaper in its editorial section. The news covers_________.
A.opinions about different countries |
B.different opinions about China’s first manned spacecraft |
C.congratulations from world leaders |
D.China’s congratulations on the successful manned space flight |
When the Japanese leader said “a great feat”(in paragraph 2), he meant________.
A.a great failure |
B.a defeat after success |
C.something above sea level |
D.something difficult well done |
Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Shenzhou V is China’s first manmade spaceship. |
B.Shenzhou V is a manned spacecraft. |
C.Russian President praised Hu Jintao for his speech. |
D.China, as well as many other countries, realized the dream of space flying. |
On which day, the Chinese people have realized their dream of space flying?
A.On April 12th, 1961 |
B.October 1st, 1949 |
C.October 16th, 1964 |
D.October 15th,2003 |