Agroupofgraduates,successfulin-优题课

As we know, the earth's climate has changed over time.The present rate of climate change depends, in large part, on human activities.Today, people all over the world are making everyday choices that help the environment.Small actions matter.In other words, climate change is your business.
A woman in Nicaragua buys fluorescent (荧光的) light bulbs that are 80 percent more energysaving than traditional ones. Many governments are now subsidizing energysaving lights to encourage people to turn to them.Consumers are discovering that the newgeneration bulbs help them save money in the long run.
Agriculture accounts for about 14 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions (排放) , and transporting the food around adds to the environmental cost.There is a team of young vegetable growers in the United Kingdom who want to encourage kids to start planting their own fruit and vegetables.
A young lawyer wearing business clothes rides her bicycle to work in a large U．S.city.She's been biking to work every day for the past two years and says it's a lot easier than many people think.A recent study shows that more Americans bike or walk to work today than before.
A university student from southeastern China carries a reusable shopping bag to cut back on disposable (一次性的) plastics.Some large shopkeepers have removed paper and plastic bags, and consumers are responding.
In Canberra, Australia, summers are hot and winters cold.To save electricity, Adam Wilson in Canberra uses an energysaving heating system, and he keeps the temperature lower than he did in years past.He still makes it through the summer without air conditioning.
The passage mainly tells us that________.

A．climate change is concerned with everyone

B．the global warming is getting worse

C．saving energy is of great necessity

D．human is to destroy the environment

The underlined word “subsidizing” in Paragraph 2 probably means “________”．

A．charging	B．producing
C．giving allowance to	D．taking advantage of

According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A．The governments don't expect consumers to use the newgeneration bulbs.

B．Agriculture should be responsible for part of the global gas emissions.

C．Many people in Nicaragua go to work on foot or by bike.

D．University students from China always carry disposable shopping bags.

We can learn from the last paragraph that________.

A．the climate in Canberra is mild all the year round

B．an energysaving heating system will come into use

C．Adam Wilson has a good habit of saving energy

D．Adam Wilson is skilled in inventing the energysaving equipment

Around 200 million years ago, the earth was 18 degrees warmer than it is now. That might be a bit hot for humans, but it was just right for the giant dinosaurs that wandered about the earth during the Mesozoic (中生代的) era. A new study found that planteating dinosaurs may have contributed to the warming of the earthby releasing significant amounts of methane (甲烷)．
The study, published in science journal Current Biology, focused on sauropods, longnecked herbivores (食草动物) that munched (用力咀嚼) on the top of trees. They were the largest of the dinosaurs; food broke down in their stomachs for long periods of time. The researchers estimate that a sauropoda released 2,675 liters of methane per day—adding up to a large amount of the greenhouse gas being pumped from dinosaur's gut into the atmosphere.
Plant eaters naturally release methane as part of their digestive process. The larger the animal, the more methane it produces. Methane, a greenhouse gas, traps heat and remains in the atmosphere for approximately 915 years, which warms the atmosphere.
Today, some animals, such as cattle, goats and sheep, produce large amounts of methane as a byproduct to their food digestion. Methane is also released from human—influenced sources such as landfill, agricultural activities, coal mining and other industrial practices—which all contribute to today's climate change, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The researchers estimate that earth's sauropods would have produced about 520 million tons of methane per year—similar to the total amount of methane produced today by natural and manmade sources. However, the researchers warn that their numbers are estimates based on multiple assumptions about the digestive systems and populations of dinosaurs.
The author of the study David Wilkinson says the emission of methane from dinosaurs would have been just one of the causes of warm climate during the Mesozoic era. Other causes include gases produced from volcanoes, swamps, shallow seas and so on. Still, Wilkinson says，“ The amount of methane from dinosaurs is large enough to have a measurable effect.”
Scientists think dinosaurs may have led to the global warming because ________.

A．they ate everything they found

B．they usually had a good appetite

C．they released a lot of methane

D．there were too many dinosaurs on earth

What do we know about dinosaurs from Paragraph 2?

A．Sauropods fed on plants.

B．Sauropods were of medium size.

C．Dinosaurs used to live on trees.

D．Dinosaurs digested food quickly.

Which of the following activities doesn't produce methane?

A．Coal is dug out by machine.

B．Trees and flowers are planted.

C．Goats digest grass under the tree.

D．Food is being processed in the factory.

How does the author make his writing reliable?

A．By listing some facts.

B．By making predictions.

C．By citing figures.

D．By using mind pictures.

David Wilkinson seems to believe that ________.

A．methane had little effects on the earth

B．many other factors contributed to warm climate

C．other causes for warm climate were worth considering

D．dinosaurs were mainly to blame for global warming

When was the last time you did something really fun with one of your parents—just the two of you?
Parents who take their young children to music, swimming and art classes often stop arranging such activities once their kids are older and in school all day. But it doesn't have to be that way. Doing something enjoyable with your kids just might make you look at each other in a whole new way, especially if you do it through a class or an event. When parent and child become students together, it puts them on the same level, at least for a while.
“I really like parents to come to class with their kids—they start sharing things and talking about what they're doing and what they like，” said art teacher Pyper Dixon.
However, finding something new in common is a big choice for them, especially when kids get involved in sports and other afterschool activities. But it's possible to learn a new skill or hobby together.
That's certainly true of Lauren, 11, of Silver Spring, who is in Dixon's class with her father, Dennis. “I was just going to drop her off，” Dennis said, “but Dixon persuaded me to stay.”
Now Lauren gets to nag her father about doing his art homework. “He always leaves it to the last minute，” she said.“But then he'll turn around to do amazing drawings，” she added, “We have different styles of drawing, so it's interesting to talk it over with him.”
Without the Saturday morning art class, Dennis said, he would be reading the paper, and Lauren would be on her own in her room or on the computer. But they talk more now. “I can't think of an experience where you communicate with your kid so closely，” he said.
The author raises the question at the beginning to ________.

A．expect an answer

B．criticize some parents

C．introduce the topic

D．support his argument

What does Dixon think is the benefit of parent and child studying art together?

A．The two will become equal.

B．The two will communicate more.

C．The child will learn art much better.

D．The parent will learn something new.

The underlined word “nag” in the text probably means ______.

A．urge	B．help
C．ignore	D．teach

We can learn from the text that ________.

A．Lauren used to talk a lot with her father

B．Dennis enjoys studying art with Lauren

C．Lauren dislikes her father's drawings

D．Dennis likes playing computer games

Beatrix Potter was a great English writer and artist, best known for her children's books featuring animal characters such as in the children's classic—The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
Beatrix was born into a rich Londonbased family where she was tutored by very strict private teachers and so spent her youth isolated from other youngsters. During her youth she had a lot of pets and spent vacations in Scotland and also the Lake District. It was at the Lake District that she developed a love of wildlife. She studied the area's natural wonders carefully and painted them continuously. But her oldfashioned, Manchesterborn parents discouraged her intellectual improvement, thinking it inappropriate for a young lady. However, her study and watercolour paintings of wild mushrooms made her widely respected within the field of biology.
In her 30's, Beatrix Potter wrote the remarkably successful kid's book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Close to that time she became secretly engaged to her publisher Norman Warne. This caused a great disagreement with her parents, who did not approve of Beatrix getting married to somebody of lower social status. Sadly, Warne died before the marriage ceremony.
Ultimately Beatrix Potter began writing and also illustrating (绘图) kid's books fulltime. Using profits from her books, Beatrix grew to become economically independent of her parents and was eventually in a position to buy Hill Top Farm in the Lake District. She extended the property with additional purchases of neighbouring land over time. In her 40's, Beatrix married William Heelis, a local lawyer. She ended up becoming a sheep breeder and farmer while continuing to publish as well as illustrate books for children. In all she authored 23 publications.
Beatrix died on December 22, 1943, and left the majority of her property to the National Trust. Her books carry on selling well globally, in many different languages. Her stories have been retold in numerous formats including a ballet, movies, and cartoons.
Such is her reputation, and that of the characters from her publications, that many Beatrix Potter statues have been created. These tiny Beatrix Potter statues which include pretty much all the actual characters in her publications have become highly valued by art collectors and fans of her literature throughout the world.
What can we learn about Beatrix Potter's early life?

A．She learned drawing skills from her tutors.

B．She was very sociable and outgoing.

C．She was greatly inspired by the beauty of nature.

D．She was encouraged to think creatively and independently.

Why did Beatrix Potter's parents oppose the idea of her marriage to Norman Warne?

A．They did not believe she was mature enough to get married.

B．They thought Warne was only interested in Beatrix Potter's wealth.

C．They believed that the couple's characters were mismatched.

D．They considered Warne to be too common for their daughter.

According to the passage, which part of the UK did Beatrix Potter love most?

A．Manchester.	B．Scotland.
C．The Lake District.	D．London.

In which of the following areas did Beatrix Potter show an interest during her life?

A．Writing, biology, farming.

B．Drawing, nature, ballet.

C．Movies, farming, drawing.

D．Writing, mushrooms, travel.

What is the function of the last two paragraphs of the passage?

A．To describe the consequences of Beatrix Potter's death.

B．To present the lasting cultural influence of Beatrix Potter and her works.

C．To show the changes in attitude towards Beatrix Potter's works over the past years.

D．To criticise the commercialization of Beatrix Potter's characters since her death.

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 things that no longer served any useful purpose in space.
It is estimated 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.