Today, people all over the world are moving out of small villages in the countryto go and live in big, noisy cities. They are moving from the peaceful hills, mountains, fields, rivers and streams of the countryside to the busy world of streets, buildings, traffic and crowds. This movement from rural areas to urban areas has been going on for over two hundred years.
In many countries, the main reason people come to live in towns and cities is work. After one or two large factories have been built in or near a town, people come to find work, and soon an industrial area begins to grow. There is usually a residential area nearby, too. The families of these workers need schools, hospitals and shops, so many people come to live in the area to provide these services and a city grows.
In every major city in the world, there is a business district where the big companies have their main offices. In the United States, this area is usually in the city center downtown. It is here that you can see many huge skyscrapers(摩天大楼) and office blocks. The people who work here often travel a long way to work each day. Many of them live in the suburbs of the city, far away from the industrial area and the city center. Some suburbs are very pleasant, with nice houses and big gardens. There are usually parks for children to play in and large department stores where you can buy all you need.
But what is the future of the big cities? Will they continue to get bigger and bigger? Perhaps not. Some major cities have actually become smaller in the last ten years, and it is quite possible that one day we will see people moving out of the major cities and back into smaller towns and villages.Why do people move to live in cities or towns?
A.Because they can live more comfortably there. |
B.Because they like noisy life better than peaceful life. |
C.Because they mainly want to find work there. |
D.Because they are sure of having a better life there. |
The underlined phrase “a residential area” means an area________.
A.where people can buy things |
B.which is suitable for living in |
C.where people can do business |
D.which is near a city center |
Which of the following statement is NOT true about the business district?
A.Big companies usually have their main offices in the business district. |
B.People usually work and live in the business district. |
C.A business district usually lies in the city center downtown. |
D.Nearly every major city has its own business district. |
In the United States, many people work in the center of a big city________.
A.and live there |
B.but live in the suburbs of the city |
C.and live in another city |
D.but live in rural areas |
We can infer that this movement from rural to urban areas ________.
A.has been going on for more than 2,000 years |
B.will surely continue in the future |
C.may not continue in the future |
D.has now stopped already |
When you’re lying on the white sands of the Mexican Riviera, the stresses(压力) of the world seem a million miles away. Hey, stop! This is no vacation-you have to finish something!
Here lies the problem for travel writer and tood critic(评论家),Edie Jarolim “I always loved traveling and always liked to eat, but it never occurred to me that I could make money doing both of those things,” Jarolim said. Now you can read her travel advice everywhere in Arts and Antiques, in Brides, or in one of her there books, The Complate Idiot’s Travel Guide to Mexican Beach Resarts.
……writing began some eight years ago. After getting a PhD in English in Canada, she took a Test Frommer’s travel guides, passed it, and got the job. After working at Frommer’s, Jarolim workedfor a while at Rough Guides in London, then Fodor’s, where she fell so in love with a description of the Southwest of the U. S. that she moved there.
Now as a travel writer, she spends one-third of her year on the road. The rest of the time is spent completing her tasks and writing reviews of restaurants at home in Tucson, Arigona.
As adventurous as the job sounds, the hard part is fact-checking all the information. Sure, it’s great to write about a tourist attraction, but you’d better get the local(当地的)museum hours correct or you could really ruin someone’s vacation. Which country does Jarolim live in now?
A.Mexico | B.The U. S. | C.The U. K. | D.Canada |
What is most difficrlt for Jarolim?
A.Working in different places to collect information |
B.Checking all the facts to be written in the guides |
C.Finishing her work as soon as possible |
D.Passing a test to write travel guides |
What do we know about Jarllim from the text?
A.She is successful in her job |
B.She finds her life full of stresses |
C.She spends half of her time traveling |
D.She is especially interested in museums |
What would be the best title for the text?
A.Adventures in Travel Writing |
B.Working as a Food Critic |
C.Travel Guides on the Market |
D.Vacationing for a Living |
Would it surprise you to learn that, like animals, trees communicate with each other and pass on their wealth to the next generation?
UBC Professor Simard explains how trees are much more complex than most of us ever imagined. Although Charles Darwin thought that trees arc competing for survival of the fittest, Simard shows just how wrong he was. In fact, the opposite is true: trees survive through their co-operation and support, passing around necessary nutrition “depending on who needs it”.
Nitrogen(氮) and carbon are shared through miles of underground fungi(真菌) networks, making sure that all trees in the forest ecological system give and receive just the right amount to keep them all healthy. This hidden system works in a very similar way to the networks of neurons(神经元)in our brains, and when one tree is destroyed, it affects all.
Simard talks about “mother trees”, usually the largest and oldest plants on which all other trees depend. She explains how dying trees pass on the wealth to the next generation, transporting important minerals to young trees so they may continue to grow. When humans cut down “mother trees” with no awareness of these highly complex “tree societies” or the networks on which they feed, we are reducing the chances of survival for the entire forest.
“We didn’t take any notice of it.” Simard says sadly. “Dying trees move nutrition into the young trees before dying, but we never give them chance.” If we could put across the message to the forestry industry, we could make a huge difference towards our environmental protection efforts for the future.The underlined sentence “the opposite is true” in Paragraph 2 probably means that trees .
A.compete for survival |
B.protect their own wealth |
C.depend on each other |
D.provide support for dying trees |
“Mother trees” are extremely important because they.
A.look the largest in size in the forest |
B.pass on nutrition to young trees |
C.seem more likely to be cut down by humans |
D.know more about the complex “tree societies” |
The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refers to .
A.how “tree societies” work |
B.how trees grow old |
C.how forestry industry develops |
D.how young trees survive |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Old Trees Communicate Like Humans |
B.Young Trees Are In Need Of Protection |
C.Trees Are More Awesome Thart You Think |
D.Trees Contribute To Our Society |
A schoolgirl saved her father's life by kicking him in the chest after he suffered a serious allergic (过敏的) reaction which stopped his heart.
Izzy, nine, restarted father Colm's heart by stamping (踩) on his chest after he fell down at home and stopped breathing.
Izzy's mother, Debbie, immediately called 999 but Izzy knew doctors would never arrive in time to save her father, so decided to use CPR.
However, she quickly discovered her arms weren't strong enough, so she stamped on her father's chest instead.
Debbie then took over with some more conventional chest compressions (按压) until the ambulance arrived.
Izzy, who has been given a bravery award by her school, said: "I just kicked him really hard. My mum taught me CPR but I knew I wasn't strong enough to use hands. I was quite scared. The doctor said I might as well be a doctor or a nurse. My mum said that Dad was going to hospital with a big footprint on his
"She's a little star," said Debbie, "i was really upset but Izzy just took over. I just can't believe what she did. I really think all children should be taught first aid. Izzy did CPR then the doctor turned up. Colm had to have more treatment on the way to the hospital and we've got to see an expert."
Truck driver Colm, 35, suffered a mystery allergic reaction on Saturday and was taken to hospital, but was sent home only for it to happen again the next day. The second attack was so serious that his airway swelled, preventing him from breathing, his blood pressure dropped suddenly, and his heart stopped for a moment.
He has now made a full recovery from his suffering.Izzy kicked her father in the chest ______ .
A.to express her helplessness | B.to practise CPR on him |
C.to keep him awake | D.to restart his heart |
What's the right order of the events?
①Izzy kicked Colm. ②Debbie called 999. ③Izzy learned CPR. ④Colm's heart stopped. |
A. 3124B. 4231C. 3421 D. 4312What does Paragraph 8 mainly talk about?
A.What Colm suffered. |
B.Colm's present condition. |
C.What caused Colm's allergy. |
D.Symptoms of Colm's allergic reaction. |
Why does the author write the news?
A.To describe a serious accident. |
B.To prove the importance of CPR. |
C.To report a 9-year-old girl's brave act. |
D.To call people's attention to allergic reaction. |
本文是为旅游爱好者介绍几个度假的好去处。
Holidays
Holiday News Vacancies (空位) now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome. Reduced prices for low season. |
The Snowdonia Center The Snowdonia Center for young mountain climbers has a mountain lesson. The beginners’ costs are £57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be hired at a low cost. You must be in good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime of lifetime of mountain climbing adventure. |
The World Sea Trip of a Lifetime Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking waiting and traveling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another. On board the ship, you will be well taken care of. Every meal will be first-class and every cabin like your home. During the trip, you can rest on deck(甲板), enjoy yourself in the games rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play. You will visit all the places most people only dream about – from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokyo and Hong Kong. For a few thousand pounds, all you’ve ever hoped for can be yours. |
What can you do if you like to go on holidays with pets?
A. Choose the holiday in Devon.
B. Go to the Snowdonia Centre
C Join the World Sea Trip of 2008
D. Visit Acapulco and HawaiiIn what way is the Snowdonia Centre different from the other two holidays?
A.It provides chances of family gatherings. |
B.It provides customers with good food. |
C.It offers a sport lesson. |
D.It offers comfortable room. |
What is special about the World Sea Trip of 2008?
A.You can have free meals on deck every day. |
B.You can sleep on a ship and tour many places. |
C.You will have chances to watch and act in a play. |
D.You have to do your own packing and unpacking. |
At the Snowdonia Centre, the beginners’ costs of £57 do not cover .
A.food | B.rooms | C.body exercises | D.walking shoes |
Most students hate their endless homework. The students from Class 2, Senior 2 of the High School Affiliated to Peking University certainly did so before they published their own collection of English novels at home.
Their small book contains stories about a holy (神圣的) war, the happy life of a self-taught artist and the story of a laid-off worker who devoted his last breath to playing his beloved accordion (手风琴). The book becomes an instant hit on campus. About 3,000 copies have been sold and the class is already working on the second volume.
"We're up to our ears in homework. Exercises and exams make us out of breath. But to do something creative and full of imagination is such a great achievement," said Yu Xiaoxiao, 16. "I took the writing as an ordinary homework at the beginning, but after I finished the first part of my story, I could not help but let it flow," said Wang An, who wrote "Accordion".
Inspired by "Lord of the Rings", Jiang Lu wrote his story about magic wins between angels from the light and the dark side. "The main message of the story was to look at the balance of the world. Both dark and light angels fight with love as their weapons. I want to tell people that selfish love might bring hate," Jiang said.
"I was shocked by their work and felt so proud to be the editor of my students' book," said Nathaniel Timmermann, the oral English teacher at the school. Liu Xiuqin, an English teacher, started the project by asking students to write whatever was in their mind every week. "They have performed beyond expectation," Liu said. "They wrote interesting stories and their English has improved after they started to express their real minds."
"We never imagined that our homework would be so popular and profitable (盈利的). We sell the novels at five yuan, but many teachers pay more to encourage us," said Yuan Mengyao.After Wang An finished the first part of his story, he ________.
A.couldn't go on | B.had to put aside |
C.just wanted to express it freely | D.lost it |
What was NOT the outcome of the students 'homework of writing whatever was in their mind?
A.Being popular. | B.Being profitable. |
C.Improving their English. | D.Winning prize. |
What is the reason for the students ' liking to write interesting stories?
A.It is creative and imaginative. | B.It is profitable. |
C.Interesting stories are sure to be popular. | D.Interesting stories can be well sold. |
What is the best title of this passage?
A.Creative homework leads to a popular book. | B.Writing interesting stories. |
C.Students' new book. | D.A popular book. |