While astronauts in space get to do many exciting things, they miss out on ordinary things that we all take for granted—being able to walk on firm ground, hanging out with family and digging into a slice of hot steaming pizza. Though not much can be done about the first two things, there may soon be a solution to the third one, thanks to this cool 3-D pizza printer!
About a year ago, NASA offered $125 ,000 to Anjan Contractor, a 3-D technology expert, to build a device (设备) that would allow astronauts to make pizza on demand. The mechanical engineer promised that his invention would produce pies in large quantities that looked, tasted and even smelled like pizza made in common ovens.
Late last year, the engineer presented a video of his first prototype (原型) that begins by creating a single slice of dough (面团) that is cooked and printed at the same time. Then comes the tomato “sauce” — a mix of tomato powder, oil and water and finally, a protein slice that resembles cheese. While the video doesn’t show the baking process, the inventor says that once the pizza is printed, it can be ready to be consumed in 7 seconds.
While the pie in the video looks delicious enough to attract any pizza lover, Anjan Contractor is far from ready for astronauts. That’s because he still has to find a solution to make the food container in the printer last for 30 years. Though that may sound unrealistic, actually it is not.
Anjan Contractor believes that the only way that is possible is that the water is removed from all the ingredients (配料) and then they are reduced to the powder form. This, as you can imagine, will not be so easy. But, while the printer may not be ready for space, it certainly looks ready enough for people on earth. Hopefully, NASA and Contractor will consider selling it to those not fortunate enough to go to Mars!
| A．To ask us not to take common things for granted. |
| B．To show they live a difficult life there. |
| C．To show their life is boring in space. |
| D．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| A．create some new type of 3-D printer |
| B．attract more companies to work for NASA |
| C．help astronauts in space enjoy fresh pizza one day |
| D．produce pizza in large quantities to earn great profits |
| A．he has no money left to go on with his research |
| B．the pizza doesn’t seem appetizing to pizza lovers |
| C．he has no way to make pizza that can last for thirty years |
| D．he cannot make the food container last for decades |
| A．NASA is trying its best to help astronauts eat better |
| B．Astronauts may soon be able to enjoy steaming hot pizza |
| C．NASA is working on making pizza for common people |
| D．A 3-D pizza printer has been used to make pizza |
When I was a child, our dining room had two kinds of chairs—two large ones with arm rests and four small ones without. The larger ones stood at the ends of the table, the smaller ones on the sides. Mom and Dad sat in the big chairs, except when one of us was away; then Mom would sit in one of the smaller chairs. Dad always sat at the end, at the “head” of the table. Sitting where he did, Dad was framed by the window through which the yard could be seen with its trees and grass. His chair was not just a place for him at the table; it was a place in which he was situated against the yard and trees. It was the holy (神圣的) and protected place that was his, and ours through him.
After Dad retired, he and Mom moved out into a small flat. When they came to visit me at their old house. Dad still sat at the end of the table though the table was no longer his but mine. Only with my marriage to Barbara, did I hear a voice questioning the arrangement. She requested, gently but firmly, that I sit at the head of the table in our home. I realized then that I was head of the family, but I also felt unwilling to introduce such a change. How would I feel sitting in that “head” place in my Dad’s presence? And how would he handle it? I was to find out on the occasion of our youngest child’s first birthday.
Mom and Dad arrived for lunch, and went into the dining room. Dad moved toward his usual seat in front of the window. Before he could get around the side of the table, I took a deep breath and said, “Dad, this is going to be your place, next to Mom, on the side.” He stopped, looked at me and then sat down. I felt sad, and angry at Barbara for pushing me to do this. It would have been easy to say, “My mistake, Dad. Sit where you always sit.” But I didn’t.
When he and Mom were seated, Barbara and I took our places. I don’t know how Dad felt. I do know that, though removed from his usual place, he continued to share his best self with us, telling stories of his childhood and youth to the delight of his grandchildren. As I served the food, our lives experienced a change, which we continue to live with.
It wasn’t easy, but I sense that there is also something good in the change which has occurred. I am beginning to learn that “honoring one’s father” is more than the question of which place to occupy at the dining table. It also means listening, wherever we sit and whatever positions we own, to the stories Dad longs to tell. We may then, during these magical moments, even be able to forget about whose chair is whose.Where did the writer’s mother sit when one of the children was away?
| A．She didn’t change her chair. |
| B．She moved her own chair next Dad’s. |
| C．She moved to an empty chair on the side. |
| D．She sat opposite to Dad. |
How did the writer feel when he told his father to sit on the side?
| A．He didn’t feel bad because his father was going to sit there anyway. |
| B．He felt happy at having carried out the difficult task. |
| C．He was thoroughly satisfied with the new seating arrangement. |
| D．He regretted what he had done and wanted to blame his wife. |
What happened during the meal after the family had all taken their new seats?
| A．The writer’s children removed their grandfather from his usual place. |
| B．The writer’s father didn’t appear to mind where he sat. |
| C．The writer’s father shared his favorite dishes with the grandchildren. |
| D．They became tense and nervous about their future as a family. |
What did the writer learn about “honoring one’s father”?
| A．Fathers always long to tell stories about their early years. |
| B．Providing the fight chair is the only way to honor one’s father. |
| C．Respect for one’s father doesn’t depend only on where he sits. |
| D．The family should dine together at the same table as often as possible. |
1. Showcase your grades. Grades are still important to potential employers.
2. Get out into the real world. An internship or part-time co-op job tells employers that you have already experienced a real–world work environment and know what to expect.
3. Communicate well with others. No matter what career path you choose to follow—from nurse to computer programmer—you have to have solid written and oral communication skills to get a job.
4. Network, network, network. Most graduates land jobs through people they know—not by answering newspaper ads. So, make a list of your own contacts, such as professors, family and friends, and add to it by attending career fairs and other professional associations and activities.
5. Be computer literate. It is the information age—you need to be able to show solid computer literacy that is related to your field.
6. Put your best resume (简历) forward. A resume should be a short and clear, error-free, reader-friendly, one-page document that can be easily looked through.
7. Research. Take the time to learn about the company you are targeting by visiting its Website or researching the company at the library.
8. Use examples. Using detailed examples from school and internships to answer questions about your experiences and paint a clearer picture of your strengths and skills for the employer.
9. Smile! It is hard to smile when you are on the hot seat—but a smile during an interview shows enthusiasm for the position and the company. Potential (潜在的) employers might interpret a non-smiling face as a lack of interest.
10. Show your thanks. A thank-you note following a phone or a face-to-face interview reinforces your interest in the position and the company.If you_________, you cannot give the potential employers a good impression.
| A．make a list of your contacts |
| B．prepare a fine resume |
| C．show enthusiasm |
| D．write a thank-you note |
What does “you are on the hot seat” probably mean?
| A．The seat is very hot. |
| B．You are in a difficult situation. |
| C．Nobody else is helping you. |
| D．Everybody else is laughing at you. |
We can infer from the passage that_________.
| A．It is hard to find a job if you can not write well and communicate well. |
| B．You have to be an expert on computer to get a job. |
| C．It is not necessary to visit the Web site of the company you are interested in. |
| D．A resume can be a several-page document if you have a lot to show to the company. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．You can get a good job if you have good network. |
| B．The ability to get a good job. |
| C．Tips for landing a job. |
| D．How to communicate with potential employers. |
An old man decided to write a letter to God:
Dear God,
I am nearing the end of my life. The doctors tell me I am dying of cancer and have a few months to live. In fact, as You know, throughout my entire life I’ve had nothing but bad luck. But no matter what You have inflicted (施加) on me, I have never lost my faith in You.
In return for this loyalty (忠诚), I ask just one thing of you. Please prove Your existence to me by sending me $100 in cash, and I will die a happy man.
Yours insignificantly,
An Old Man
The letter arrived at the local post office where the employees noticed it was addressed To God: Heaven. They all knew the old man and, after reading the letter with tears in their eyes, took pity on him, ninety dollars was raised and posted to him. The old man was overjoyed and immediately wrote a “thank you” letter to God. The post office received the letter and all gathered around to read it.
Dear God,
I thank You with all my heart for taking time from Your busy schedule and answering my request…I am now a happy man.
Yours (in the very near future),
An Old Man
P.S. I only received $90 of the $100 I asked for. I bet those thieving bastards down at the post office pinched (偷取) the rest.The old man believed that ______.
| A．God sent him $100 in cash. |
| B．the post office employees sent him $100 in cash |
| C．he would not die with getting $100 |
| D．the post office employees kept $90 |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word?
| A．joyless | B．extremely pleased |
| C．sad | D．uneasy |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．The old man believed in God piously (虔诚地). |
| B．The post office employees were moved by the first letter of the old man. |
| C．The post office employees didn’t feel joyful after reading the “thank you” letter. |
| D．The old man needed $100 very much. |
CHICAGO(Reuters)-Smoking not only can wrinkle(皱纹)the face and turn it yellow—it can do the same to the whole body, researchers reported on Monday.
The study, published in the Archives of Dermatology, shows that smoking affects the skin all over the body-even skin protected from the sun.
“We examined non-facial skin that was protected from the sun, and found that the total number of packs, of cigarette smoked per day and the total years a person has smoked were linked with the amount of skin damage a person experienced, ”Dr. Yolanda, who led the study, said in a statement.
“In participants older than 65 years, smokers had significantly more fine wrinkling than nonsmokers. Similar findings were seen in participants aged 45 to 65 years. ” Yolanda’s team added in their report.
The researchers tested 82 people, smokers and nonsmokers, taking pictures of the inner right arms. They ranged, in age from 22 to 91 and half were smokers. In dependent judges decided how wrinkled each person’s skin was.
When skin is exposed to sunlight, especially the face, it becomes coarse(粗糙的). Wrinkled and discolored with a pale yellow tint, Yolanda's team wrote.
Several previous studies have found that cigarette smoking led to premature(过早的)skin aging as measured by facial wrinkles, the study said, but little has been done to measure the aging of skin not exposed to light.
The report did not discuss die mechanism involved but previous research has found that cigarette smoke, among other things, causes blood vessels(血管)beneath the skin to constrict(紧缩), reducing blood supply to the skin.
Smoking can also damage the connective tissue(组织)that supports both die skin and the internal organs.The best title for this passage would be ______________.
| A．The danger of smoking |
| B．Smoking causes skin aging |
| C．Quit smoking for health |
| D．A survey of smokers |
According to the passage, how wrinkled a person’s skin is doesn’t relate to ___________.
| A．the number of cigarettes a person smokes |
| B．the kind and characteristics of skin |
| C．how long a person smokes |
| D．how long skin is under sunlight |
From the passage smoking results in skin aging mainly because ____________.
| A．it will lower blood supply to skin |
| B．it can make you feel tired |
| C．it can make skin come off |
| D．it can make blood run faster |
The main purpose of the passage is to ____________.
| A．inform people about the study of skin |
| B．advise people how to protect skin |
| C．warn people not to smoke again |
| D．introduce a new way of avoid skin aging |
The day my husband fell to his death, it started to snow, just like any November day. His body, when I found it, was lightly covered with snow. It snowed almost every day for the next four months, while I sat on the couch and watched it pile up. One morning, I shuffled downstairs and was surprised to see a snow remover clearing my driveway and the bent back of a woman shoveling(铲)my walk. I dropped to my knees, crawled through the living room. And back up stairs so those good people would not see me. I was embarrassed. My first thought was, how would I ever repay them? I didn’t have the strength to brush my hair let alone shovel someone’s walk.
Before John’s death, I took pride in the fact that I rarely asked for help or favors, I defined myself by my competence and independence. So who was I if I was no longer capable and busy? How could I respect myself if all I did was sit on the couch every day and watch the snowfall?
Learning how to receive the love and support that came my way wasn't easy. Friends cooked for me and l cried because I couldn't even help them set the table. “I'm not usually this lazy,” I wept. Finally, my friend Kathy sat down with me and said, "Mary, cooking for you is not a burden. I love you and I want to do it. It makes me feel good to be able to do something for you. ”
Over and over, I heard similar emotions from the people who supported me during those dark days. One very wise man told me, “You are not doing nothing. Being fully open to your sorrow may be the hardest work you will ever do.”
I am not the person I once was, but in many ways I have changed for the better. My heart is now filled with thanks for people around me. I have been surprised to learn that there is incredible freedom that comes from facing one’s worst fear and walking away whole. I believe there is strength, for sure, in accepting a dark period of our life.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．The writer’s friend was unwilling to cook for her. |
| B．The writer had been busy with her life before. |
| C．The writer recovered from her sorrow quickly with his friend‘s help. |
| D．The day her husband died, it was snowing heavily. |
The underlined word “shuffled” in Paragraph 1 probably means ___________.
| A．stepped steadily | B．walked slowly |
| C．ran swiftly | D．fell sadly |
We can infer from the passage that ____________.
| A．the writer found her husband immediately he fell off the roof |
| B．the writer became strong-willed immediately after John's death |
| C．the people around the writer were friendly and supported her |
| D．before John’s death, the writer never asked others for help |
The writer wrote the passage to ___________.
| A．share her sad story with us |
| B．express her guilty conscience to the people who helped her |
| C．show her thanks to the people who love and support her |
| D．tell us the changes she has made because of her husband’s death |