I was blind, but I was ashamed of it if it was known. I refused to use a white stick and hated asking for help. After all, I was a teenage girl, and I couldn't bear people to look at me and think I was not like them. I must have been a terrible danger on the roads. Coming across me wandering through the traffic, motorists probably would have to step rapidly on their brakes. Apart from that, there were all sorts of disasters that use d to occur on the way to and from work.
One evening, I got off the bus about halfway home where I had to change buses, and as usual I ran into something. “I’m awfully sorry，” I said and stepped forward only to run into it again. When it happened a third time, I realized I had been apologizing to a lamppost. This was just one of the stupid things that constantly happened to me. So I carried on and found the bus stop, which was a request stop, where the bus wouldn't stop unless passengers wanted to get on or off. No one else was there and I had to try to guess if the bus had arrived.
Generally in this situation, because I hated showing I was blind by asking for help, I tried to guess at the sound. Sometimes I would stop a big lorry and stand there feeling stupid as it drew away. In the end, I usually managed to swallow my pride and ask someone at the stop for help.
But on this particular evening no one joined me at the stop; it seemed that everyone had suddenly decided not to travel by bus. Of course I heard plenty of buses pass, or I thought I did. But because I had given up stopping them for fear of making a fool of myself, I let them all go by. I stood there alone for half an hour without stopping one. Then I gave up. I decided to walk on to the next stop.The girl refused to ask for help because she thought ________．
| A．she might be recognized |
| B．asking for help looked silly |
| C．she was normal and independent |
| D．being found blind was embarrassing |
After the girl got off the bus that evening, she ________．
| A．began to run |
| B．hit a person as usual |
| C．hit a lamppost by accident |
| D．was caught by something |
At the request stop that evening, the girl ________．
| A．stopped a big lorry |
| B．stopped the wrong bus |
| C．made no attempt to stop the bus |
| D．was not noticed b y other people |
What was the problem with guessing at the sound to stop a bus?
| A．Other vehicles also stopped there. |
| B．It was unreliable for making judgments. |
| C．More lorries than buses responded to the girl. |
| D．It took too much time for the girl to catch the bus. |
Finally the girl decided to walk to the next stop, hoping ________．
| A．to find people there |
| B．to find more buses there |
| C．to find the bus by herself there |
| D．to find people more helpful there |
BEIJING—As China scrambles to respond to the choking smog that has blanketed Beijing in recent weeks, authorities in several major cities are experimenting with carbon trading platforms. The schemes are one effort to get control over greenhouse gases in an economy still hungry for cheap energy.
It has been a persistent concern in recent years, but the spiking pollution levels in January are sparking a public outcry.
Emissions from coal-fired electricity plants and busy factories are part of the problem that officials hope to get control over through carbon trading platforms. Seven cities are expected to open carbon markets later this year, including Tianjin.
“The government has decided to start with programs because the carbon trading is something new to China,” said David Tang, secretary of the board of the Tianjin Carbon Exchange. “So we want to have a number of programs to explore the use of the market.” said Tang.
China wants to launch a national carbon trading program by 2016. If it is successful, analysts say, the program would be one of the largest in the world and would help the country meet its target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 45 percent within seven years.
The platforms allow companies to earn credits for lowering greenhouse gas emissions, which can then be traded. If it works, it would encourage for-profit businesses to invest in green technology.
As public concern builds pressure for the government to find a solution, Wu Changhua, greater China director of the Climate Group, says there is a broad shift under way in how Chinese weigh their quality of life.
China has long put economic growth ahead of environmental concerns, making it the world’s biggest polluter. Carbon trading supporters hope that the markets could be one way to curb pollution and keep the economy growing.Which of the following is TRUE about carbon trading platforms?
| A．They are used to trade various resources. |
| B．They caused the choking smog in China. |
| C．They have been in existence for many years in China. |
| D．The choking smog may promote their development. |
The underlined word in Paragraph 1 means “ ______”.
| A．to make blanket | B．to cover something | C．to make something empty | D．to be like a blanket |
Tang’s attitude towards carbon markets is ______.
| A．unknown | B．indifferent | C．optimistic | D．pessimistic |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．China will have built a national carbon trading program by 2016. |
| B．Chinese have lived a life of high quality in all aspects. |
| C．The markets could slow the development of economy. |
| D．Standards of life will be changed in China. |
What's the main idea of this passage?
| A．The choking smoke in China. | B．The urge for carbon trading platforms. |
| C．Greenhouse gases. | D．The world’s biggest polluter. |
The January fashion show, called Future Fashion, exemplified how far green design has come. Organized by the New York-based nonprofit Earth Pledge, the show inspired many top designers to work with sustainable fabrics for the first time. Several have since made pledges to include organic fabrics in their lines.
The designers who undertake green fashion still face many challenges. Scott Hahn, a cofounder with Gregory of Rogan and Loomstate, which uses all-organic cotton, says high-quality sustainable materials can still be tough to find. “Most designers with existing labels are finding there aren’t comparable materials that can just replace what you’re doing and what your customers are used to,” he says. For example, organic cotton and non-organic cotton are virtually indistinguishable once woven into a dress. But some popular synthetics, like stretch nylon, still have few eco-friendly equivalents(等同物).
Those who do make the switch are finding they have more support. Last year the influential trade show Designers & Agents stopped charging its participation fee for young green entrepreneurs who attend its two springtime shows in Los Angeles and New York and gave special recognition to designers whose collections are at least 25% sustainable. It now counts more than 50 green designers, up from fewer than a dozen two years ago. This week Wal-Mart is set to announce a major initiative aimed at helping cotton farmers go organic: it will buy transitional cotton at higher prices, thus helping to expand the supply of a key sustainable material. “Main-stream is about to occur,” says Hahn.
Some analysts are less sure. Among consumers, only 18% are even aware that eco-fashion exists, up from 6% four years ago. Natalie Hormilla, a fashion writer, is an example of the unconverted consumer. When asked if she owned any sustainable clothes, she replied, “Not that I’m aware of.” Like most consumers, she finds little time to shop, and when she does, she’s on the hunt for “cute stuff that isn’t too expensive.” By her own admission, green just isn’t yet on her mind. But thanks to the combined efforts of designers, retailers and suppliers—one day it will be.What is said about Future Fashion?
| A．It inspired leading designers to start going green. |
| B．It showed that designers using organic fabrics would go far. |
| C．It served as an example of how fashion shows should be organized. |
| D．It convinced the public that fashionable clothes should be made durable. |
According to Scott Hahn, one big challenge to designers who will go organic is that ________.
| A．much more time is needed to finish a dress using sustainable materials |
| B．they have to create new brands for clothes made of organic materials |
| C．customers have difficulty telling organic from non-organic materials |
| D．quality organic replacements for synthetics are not readily available |
We learn from Paragraph 3 that designers who undertake green fashion ________.
| A．can attend various trade shows for free |
| B．are readily recognized by the fashion world |
| C．can buy organic cotton at favorable prices |
| D．are gaining more and more support |
What is Natalie Hormilla’s attitude toward eco-fashion?
| A．She doesn’t seem to care about it. |
| B．She doesn’t think it is sustainable. |
| C．She is doubtful of its practical value. |
| D．She is opposed to the idea very much. |
What does the author think of green fashion?
| A．Green products will soon go main stream. |
| B．It has a very promising future. |
| C．Consumers have the final say. |
| D．It will appeal more to young people. |
CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Bay Village Branch, 502 Cahoon Road, 440-871-6392.
The Egyptian Pyramids, 7 p. m. Sept. 17. Join us as Don King, a long-time student of Egyptology,
discusses the pyramids and presents the possible theories of the construction, design and mysteries surrounding
these ancient wonders.
Join us as local Bay Village resident, Tom Bell, discusses his book “My Dad Is a Freak: a Memoir”, 7
p.m.Sept. 27.
Fairview Park Branch, 21255 Lorain Road, 440-333-4700 or cuyahogalibrary. org.
Dress for Success, 7 p. m. Sept. 17. First impressions count. Some job recruiters(招聘人员) use
appearance to determine self-esteem, respect, confidence and organizational skills. Learn how to dress to
emphasize your strengths and improve your employ ability. Registration required.
Music Study Groups, 1:15—2:45 p. m. Wednesdays, Sept. 19—Nov. 28. Explore current concert music
performed by The Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall through informal lectures and listening. Classes are
designed for both new and experienced music lovers and are led by Dr. Rose Breckenridge.
Practical Herbs, 7 p. m. Oct. 3. Famous doctor Sarah Hurt will talk about growing, drying and storing
herbs and how to use them. Registration required.
North Olmsted Branch, 27403 Lorain Road. 440-777-6211 or cuyahogalibrary. org.
Job Club, 1:30—3 p. m. Tuesdays. Join Jim Hansen for helpful tips on resumes, job search strategies and
interviewing. Anyone who is job hunting or looking to change careers is welcome.
War of 1812, 7—8:45 p. m. Sept. 17. This year marks the 200th anniversary. Professor Catherine Rokicky
From Cuyahoga Community College will give a presentation about the war, and immediately following we’ll
discuss the book “Mr. and Mrs. Madison’s War: America’s First Couple and the Second War of Independence”
by Hugh Howard. Registration required.
Olmsted Falls Library, 7850 Main St. , Olmsted Falls. 440-235-1150 or cuyahogalibrary. org.
Family Story-time, 7—7:30 p. m. Wednesdays, through Nov. 27. Join us for rhymes, songs, finger-plays
and a story or two. For children ages birth through age 8 with their caregivers.
Huntington Practice SAT Test, 10 a. m. to 1 p. m. Sept. 15. Follow up, 4—5 p. m. Sept. 26. Get ready for
college by taking a practice SAT exam. Discuss strategies to improve your score, and get tips on preparing for
the real exam. Registration required.
Imaginative Illustrations, 11 a. m. to noon Sept. 29. A hands-on drawing program where children exercise
their imagination while experiencing some basic techniques of cartooning. Grades K-5. Registration required.There are many activities for you to choose on Sept. 17 EXCEPT ___________.
| A．listening to a speech which is about the war |
| B．attending a discussion about ancient Egyptian pyramids |
| C．attending a program about how to reduce exam anxiety |
| D．learning about how to leave a good first impression on others |
If you want to study some medical knowledge, you can call ___________.
| A．440-871-6392 | B．440-333-4700 | C．440-777-6211 | D．440-235-1150 |
If you want to learn how to educate your children, you should contact ___________.
| A．Bay Village Branch | B．Fairview Park Branch |
| C．North Olmsted Branch | D．Olmsted Falls Library |
In order to help yourself find a new job soon, you’d better go to___________.
| A．Bay Village Branch and Fairview Park Branch |
| B．North Olmsted Branch and Olmsted Falls Library |
| C．Fairview Park Branch and Olmsted Falls Library |
| D．Fairview Park Branch and North Olmsted Branch |
It is learned from the passage that ___________.
| A．you can study music for more than one month in Fairview Park Branch |
| B．you can get the information about the four branches on the Internet |
| C．you can choose to take part in all the mentioned events in the afternoon |
| D．both Don King and Catherine Rokicky are college professors |
Throughout the history of the arts, the nature of creativity has remained constant to artists. No matter what objects they select, artists are to bring forth new forces and forms that cause change-to find poetry where no one has ever seen or experienced it before.
Landscape(风景) is another unchanging element of art. It can be found from ancient times through the 17th-century Dutch painters to the 19th-century romanticists and impressionists. In the 1970s, Alfred Leslie, one of the new American realists, continued this practice. Leslie sought out the same place where Thomas Cole, a romanticist, had produced paintings of the same scene a century and a half before. Unlike Cole who insists on a feeling of loneliness and the idea of finding peace in nature, Leslie paints what he actually sees. In his paintings, there is no particular change in emotion, and he includes ordinary things like the highway in the background. He also takes advantage of the latest developments of color photography(摄影术) to help both the eye and the memory when he improves his painting back in his workroom.
Besides, all art begs the age-old question: What is real? Each generation of artists has shown their understanding of reality in one form or another. The impressionists saw reality in brief emotional effects, the realists in everyday subjects and in forest scenes, and the Cro-Magnon cave people in their naturalistic drawings of the animals in the ancient forests. To sum up, understanding reality is a necessary struggle for artists of all periods.
Over thousands of years the function of the arts has remained relatively constant. Past or present, Eastern or Western, the arts are a basic part of our immediate experience. Many and different are the faces of art, and together they express the basic need and hope of human beings. The underlined word “poetry” most probably means __________.
| A．an object for artistic creation | B．a collection of poems |
| C．an unusual quality | D．a natural scene |
Leslie's paintings are extraordinary because .
| A．they are close in style to works in ancient times |
| B．they look like works by 19th-century painters |
| C．they draw attention to common things in life |
| D．they depend heavily on color photography |
What is the author's opinion of artistic reality?
| A．It will not be found in future works of art. |
| B．It does not have a long-lasting standard. |
| C．It is expressed in a fixed artistic form. |
| D．It is lacking in modern works of art. |
What does the author suggest about the arts in the last paragraph?
| A．They express people's curiosity about the past. |
| B．They make people interested in everyday experience. |
| C．They are considered important for variety in form. |
| D．They are regarded as a mirror of the human situation. |
Which of the following is the main topic of the passage?
| A．History of the arts. |
| B．Basic questions of the arts. |
| C．New developments in the arts. |
| D．Use of modern technology in the arts. |
When a first-time father saw his newborn son, he immediately noticedthe baby's ears obviously standing out from his head. He expressed hisconcern to the nurse that some children might tease his child. A doctor examined the baby and reassured the new dadthat his son was healthy- the ears presented only a minor problem with its appearance.
But the nervous father persisted. He wondered if the child might sufferpsychological effects of ridicule（嘲笑）, or if they should consider plastic surgery（整形手术）. The nurse assured him that it was really no problem, and he should justwait to see if the boy grows into his ears.
The father finally felt more optimistic about his child, but now heworried about his wife's reaction to those large ears. She had beendelivered by operation, and had not yet seen the child.
“She doesn't take things as easily as I do,” he said to the nurse.
By this time, the new mother was settled in the recovery room and ready tomeet her new baby. The nurse went along with the dad to lend some supportin case this inexperienced mother became upset about her baby's large ears.
The baby was in a receiving blanket with his head covered forthe short trip through the cold air-conditioned corridor(走廊）. The baby wasplaced in his mother's arms, who eased the blanket back so that she couldlook at her child for the first time.
She took one look at her baby's face and looked to her husband and gasped(喘气说）,“Oh, Honey! Look! He has your ears!”
No problem with Mom. She married those ears...and she loves the man towhom they are attached.
The poet Kahlil Gibran said, “Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a lightin the heart.” It's hard to see the ears when you're looking into the light.When the father first saw his baby, he was worried that________.
| A．the baby might not grow up healthily. |
| B．the baby might be laughed at by others. |
| C．the baby might disappoint its mother. |
| D．the baby might have mental problems. |
According to the doctor and nurse, the baby’s ears________.
| A．could not function well. |
| B．looked the same as others. |
| C．only caused a small problem. |
| D．needed to have plastic surgery. |
What is true about the baby’s mother?
| A．She blamed her husband for the baby’s big ears. |
| B．She was the first to discover the baby’s large ears. |
| C．She suggested having an operation on the baby immediately. |
| D．She found something similar between the baby and its father. |
What does the underlined word they refer to?
A. The ears. B The parents. C. The doctor and nurse. D. The problemsWhat’s the function of the last paragraph?
| A．To advise readers to listen carefully. |
| B．To draw a conclusion from the story. |
| C．To criticize the wrong attitude to physical beauty. |
| D．To stress the importance of doctor-patient relationship. |