If you hear the sound of a mobile phone beeping in a bag or pocket, you could think that someone has received a text message. Text messaging, or texting, is the art of sending a short, electronic message between two mobile phones. The users should pay a certain amount to send messages via SMS--- short message service. But in the last few years, with the development of smart phones, messaging in this way has been at a low ebb.
The rise of smart phones has seen an increase in the use of instant messaging apps. The apps offer a cheap alternative to traditional texts. Using wireless internet connections, people can send a number of messages to their friends at a very low cost. Unlike traditional mobile texts, the users usually only have to pay to download the app once, after which each message they send is free.
Instant messaging apps have become popular all over the world. Hundreds of millions of people use the apps to chat with their friends. These apps allow people to send pictures messages for free---something which previously was quite costly. Many of these apps also allow users to have access to a huge range of colourful emotions, which can help people express their emotions.
The research company Informa said that almost 19 billion messages were sent per day using chat apps last year, compared with 17.6 billion SMS texts. And it expects the chat app market to grow to 50 billion per day by 2015. So does this really mean the end of communicating by texting?
Pamela Clark-Dickson from Informa doesn’t think so. She says that there are a large number of people who use normal mobile phones, particularly in developing countries and prefer the SMS messaging tool. For the moment, these users still find that SMS is the best messaging experience for them.The underlined phrase “at a low ebb” can be replaced by “______”
| A．on the increase | B．on the decrease |
| C．in the end | D．at the moment |
What can we learn about instant messaging apps?
| A．Normal mobile phones can be used to download the apps. |
| B．The apps enjoy high popularity in developing countries. |
| C．Only part of the messages sent by the apps are free of charge. |
| D．It will cost the users some money for downloading the apps. |
Instant messaging apps won’t take the place of the SMS messaging tool soon in that_____________________________________
| A．there are a large number of people who enjoy using normal mobile phones. |
| B．many people in developing countries can’t afford to buy smart phones. |
| C．many people in developing countries don’t like instant messaging apps |
| D．instant messaging apps are only known to people in developed countries. |
In which section of an English newspaper will this text probably be found?
| A．Science & Technology | B．Culture |
| C．Entertainment | D．Health & care |
A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men aboard were able to swim to a small, desert-like island. Not knowing what else to do, the two survivors agreed that they had no alternativethan to pray to God.
However, to find out whose prayers were more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.
The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the island, and he was able to eat its fruit. But the other man’s parcel of land remained barren.
After a week, the first man became lonely and decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the island. But on the other side of the island, there was nothing.
Soon thereafter the first man prayed for a house, clothes and more food. The next day, like magic, all of these things were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship so that he and his wife could leave the island, and in the morning he found a ship docked at his side of the island.
The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island, considering the other man unworthy to receive God’s blessings since none of his prayers had been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from Heaven booming, “Why are you leaving your companion on the island?”
“My blessings are mine alone since I was the one who prayed for them,” the first man answered. “His prayers were all unanswered and so he doesn’t deserve anything.”
“You are mistaken!” the voice rebuked him. “He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings.”
“Tell me,” the first man asked the voice, “what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?”
“He prayed that all your prayers would be answered.”
For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us. So what you do for others is more important than what you do for yourself.The first man’s wife is _____.
| A．a swimmer who got to the island by accident |
| B．an angel sent by God to keep him company |
| C．a survivor from another wrecked ship |
| D．a native person on the desert-like island |
The underlined word “barren” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _____.
| A．isolated | B．unproductive | C．fertile | D．dry |
Which of the following is true about the second man?
| A．He didn’t deserve any blessing from God. |
| B．None of his prayers was answered by God. |
| C．He is not brave enough to tell God his needs. |
| D．His prayer helped his companion get out of trouble. |
What’s the moral of the story?
| A．Never judge a person by appearance. |
| B．Don’t lose heart in trouble. |
| C．Helping others is helping ourselves. |
| D．Greed is the root of all evil. |
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
The Internet has opened up a whole new online world for us to meet, chat and go where we have never been before.
But just as in face to face communication, there are some rules of behavior that should be followed when on line .__ ___ Imagine how you’d feel if you were in the other person’s shoes.
For anything you’re about to send : ask yourself , “Would I say this to the person’s face?” if the answer is no, rewrite and reread.__ _____
If someone in the chat room is rude to you , your instinct(本能)is to fire back in the same manner. But try not to do so.__ __ If it was caused by a disagreement with another member, try to fix the situation by politely discussing it .Remember to respect the beliefs and opinions of others in the chat room.
____ Offer advice when asked by newcomers , as they may not be sure what to do or how to communicate .When someone makes a mistake, whether it’s a stupid question or an unnecessarily long answer, be kind about it .If it is a small mistake , you may not need to say anything .Even if you feel strongly about it , think twice before saying anything. Having good manners yourself doesn’t give you license to correct everyone else.
______ At the same time ,if you find you are wrong , be sure to correct yourself and apologize to those that you have offended.
It is not polite to ask others personal questions such as their age,sex and marital status. Unless you know the person very well, and you are both comfortable with sharing personal information, don’t ask such questions .
| A．It’s natural that there are some people who speak rudely or make mistakes online . |
| B．Repeat the process till you feel sure that you’d feel comfortable saying the words to the person’s face. |
| C．Everyone was new to the network once. |
| D．The basic rule is simple : treat others in the same way you would want to be treated . |
E. When you send short messages to a person online , you must say something beautiful to hear.
F. You should either ignore the person,or use your chat software to block their messages.
G. If you do decide to tell someone about a mistake , point it out politely .
A new study shows one of the largest glaciers(冰川) in Greenland is becoming smaller and speeding to the sea faster than scientists expected. If it continues, Greenland itself could become much smaller during this century and global seas could rise as much as 3 feet.
The rates of change that we’re noticing are much higher than expected. If these rates continue, it is not likely that Greenland could shrink by several tens of percent this century. However, it’s not known how quickly this coastal response of the Greenland ice sheet melting will have an effect on the vast inland ice.
Greenland is the world’s largest island, covering area more than three times the size of Texas. Some 81 percent of it is covered by ice, and there are many glaciers. Glaciers are like slow-moving rivers of ice. Where a glacier meets the sea, its weight keeps it firmly resting on the bottom. A glacier’s front is the point where the water is deep enough that the glacier floats.
Since the 1970s, the front of Helheim stayed in the same place. Then it began melting rapidly, moving back 4.5 miles from 2001 through this past summer. It has also grown thinner, from top to bottom, by more than 130 feet since 2001. And over these past years, its trip to the sea has sped up from about 70 feet per day to nearly 110.
The melting is driven by a warmer climate. Temperatures in Greenland have risen more than five degrees Fahrenheit(华氏温度) in the last ten years. Since most of Greenland’s ice is on land, seas will rise as the ice melts. If all Greenland’s ice sheet melted, oceans would be 15-20 feet higher. Nobody expects that to happen any time soon.What can we know about the glaciers according to the passage?
| A．Glaciers only lie in Greenland. |
| B．Water in glaciers is more than sea water. |
| C．Glaciers sometimes float on the water. |
| D．Glaciers can increase the water level of lakes. |
According to the passage, we know that Greenland ___________.
| A．belongs to Canada |
| B．is the largest island in North America |
| C．is all covered with glaciers |
| D．is sinking under the sea level |
Which of the following may be the result of the disappearing of Greenland glaciers?
| A．The climate of the world will be warmer. |
| B．The glaciers in other areas will be bigger. |
| C．It will be easy for explorers to visit the island. |
| D．Some coastal cities may be under the sea. |
“I didn't hear them call my name," explained Shelley Hennig to Active Teens (AT) as she talked about that exciting moment on national television when she won the honor of Miss Teen USA 2004. "Are you ready?" is what she heard. Then she said, "I shook my head no, and then they said 'yes' and it was announced again."
It was four days after that life changing moment for the seventeen-year-old high school student from Destrehan, Louisiana -- she was still on cloud nine.
"I was so shocked! I never believed that it could actually really happen." Present in the audience (观众) that day were: her mother and father, older brother, her friends, and her dance teacher.
Understanding why members of her family and her friends would be there, AT asked why her dance teacher had traveled so far to see her compete (比赛). "She's always been my role model. I've danced with her since I was six. She's been through so many difficulties and came through them all. I've learned to get over bad life's experiences and learned how to move on because of her."
One of those bad life's experiences for Shelley happened three years ago when her brother Brad was killed in a drunk driving accident. He was 18. She found writing helped her get through the rough days. She said, "I write a lot about my brother. I write a lot, a lot, a lot..."
As Miss Louisiana Teen, she traveled around the state speaking to teens (青少年) about the dangers of drinking and driving. In her role as Miss Teen USA, Shelley will continue to speak to youth about safe driving, in addition to many other things to help the youth.
When AT asked Miss Teen USA if she had any advice for our readers, she said, "Don't let anyone change you. Hang out with people that make you feel good about yourself. That way, it is easy to be yourself."What do the words "on cloud nine" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．frightened | B．troubled | C．very happy | D．very angry |
Shelley takes her dance teacher as a role model mainly because she is ________.
| A．determined | B．friendly | C．strict | D．experienced |
How many children did the Hennigs have according to the text?
| A．1. | B．2. | C．3. | D．4. |
What did Shelley often do after she became Miss Louisiana Teen?
| A．She visited drunken drivers. |
| B．She gave dance performance. |
| C．She made speeches on safe driving. |
| D．She helped other teens with their studies. |
What suggestion does Shelley give to the teens?
| A．Be yourself with the support of friends. |
| B．Meet friends whenever possible. |
| C．Go easy on yourself and others. |
| D．Have a good role model |
(1)SECRETARY. Part time. 20 hours a week. Busy doctor`s office. Experience preferred. Good typing. Call 555-2438.
(2)BABY SITTER. 3 to 6 weekday afternoons. I will take you home. $5.00 an hour. Call 555-5593
(3)GUITAR LESSONS. Your home or mine. Experienced musician. Master`s degree in music. Call Louise 555-6131.
(4)TENTH STREET BLOCK PARTY. Sunday, July 15. Noon to 8. Food, games, prizes, live band, Tenth Street between Main and North.
(5)APARTMENT FOR RENT. 3 sunny rooms on high floor, great view. Separate kitchen. Wall-to-wall carpeting. The living room can be used as dining room. Email: SDGT@163.com.cn.
(6)TAXI DRIVER WANTED. Full or part time. Experience necessary. A good knowledge of the city is required. Call 555-8860 between 9 a. m. and 5 p. m. weekday.
(7)A STEREO SYSTEM FOR SALE. It has two speakers. The system has an AM/FM radio. It also has a tape deck and turntable. It is in good condition. The stereo was owned for only one year. The price is $200 including the speakers. The owner will also take the highest price offered if the asking price is not met. Call Bill after 6 p. m. at 555-9834.Which of the following is true according to the ads above?
| A．The tenth street block party will last until after 8. |
| B．The owner of the stereo will never sell his stereo at a price less than $200. |
| C．The taxi driver is not necessarily familiar with the city. |
| D．Those who have some experience in office work will have a better chance to get the job of secretary. |
We may learn from the ads above that ______.
| A．a baby sitter is paid by the hour. |
| B．the party will be held without any music |
| C．the rooms for rent cannot get good sunlight |
| D．people can get guitar lessons at any places they like |
These ads may probably appear in the following media except _____.
| A．a local newspaper | B．a page on the internet |
| C．a government report | D．a special radio program |