Mark and his brother Jason both were looking at the shining new computer enviously. Jason was determined not to go against their father’s wishes but Mark was more adventurous than his brother. He loved experimenting and his aim was to become a scientist like his father.
“Dad will be really mad if he finds out you’ve been playing with his new computer.” Jason said, “He told us not to touch it.”
“He won’t find out.” Mark said, “I’ll just have a quick look and shut it down.”
Mark had been scolded before for touching his father’s equipment. But his curiosity was difficult to control and this new computer really puzzled him.
“It was a strange-looking machine –one his dad had brought home from the laboratory where he worked. “It’s an experimental model,” his father had explained, “so don’t touch it under any circumstances.” But his warning only served to make Mark more curious. Without any further thought, Mark turned on the power switch. The computer burst into life and seconds later, the screen turned into colors, shifting and changing and then two big white words appeared in the center of the screen: “SPACE TRANSPORTER.”
“Yes!” Mark cried excitedly, “It’s a computer game. I knew it! Dad’s only been pretending to work. He’s really been playing games instead.” A new message appeared on the screen:
“ENTER NAMES
VOYAGER 1: …
VOYAGER 2: …”
Mark’s fingers flew across the keyboard as he typed in both of their names.
“INPUT ACCEPTED. START TRANSPORT PROGRAM. AUTO-RETRIEVE INITIATED（自动回收程序已启动）.”
The screen turned even brighter and a noise suddenly rose in volume.
“I think we’d better shut it off, Mark,” Jason yelled, reaching for the power switch. He was really frightened.
But his hand never reached the switch. A single beam of dazzling white light burst out of the computer screen, wrapping the boys in its glow (光芒), until they themselves seemed to be glowing. Then it died down just as suddenly as it had burst into life. And the boys were no longer there. On the screen, the letters changed.
“TRANSPORT SUCCESSFUL. DESTINATION: MARS. RETRIEVE DATE: 2025.”Why did Mark touch the computer against his father's warning?
| A．He wanted to take a voyage. |
| B．He wanted to practice his skill. |
| C．He was so much attracted by it. |
| D．He was eager to do an experiment. |
Where did the boys' father most likely work?
| A．In an electronic factory. |
| B．In a computer company. |
| C．In a scientific research center. |
| D．In an information processing center. |
Mark thought "SPACE TRANSPORTER" on the screen was the name of __________.
| A．a computer game |
| B．a company website |
| C．a software producer |
| D．an astronomy program |
Why did Jason want to shut off the computer?
| A．He was afraid of being scolded. |
| B．He didn't like the loud noise and light. |
| C．He didn't want to play games any more. |
| D．He was afraid something dangerous might happen. |
What happened to the boys at the end of the story?
| A．They were blown into the air. |
| B．They were sent to another planet. |
| C．They were hidden in the strong light. |
| D．They were carried away to another country. |
Everywhere I look outside my home I see people busy on their high-tech devices（装置）, while driving, walking, shopping, even sitting in toilets. When connected electronically, they are away from physical reality.
People have been influenced to become technology addicted. One survey reported that “addicted” was the word most commonly used by people to describe their relationship to iPad and similar devices. One study found that people had a harder time resisting the allure of social media than they did for sleep, cigarettes and alcohol.
The main goal of technology companies is to get people to spend more money and time on their products, not to actually improve our quality of life. They have successfully created a cultural disease. Consumers willingly give up their freedom, money and time to catch up on the latest information, to keep pace with their peers or to appear modern.
I see people trapped in a flu-like relationship with time-sucking technology, where they serve technology more than technology serves them. I call this technology servitude. I am referring to a loss of personal freedom and independence because of uncontrolled consumption of many kinds of devices that eat up time and money.
What is a healthy use of technology devices? That is the vital question. Who is really in charge of my life? That is what people need to ask themselves if we are to have any chance of breaking up false beliefs about their use of technology. When we can live happily without using so much technology for a day or a week, then we can regain control and personal freedom, become the master of technology and discover what there is to enjoy in life free of technology. Mae West is famous for claiming the wisdom that “Too much of a good thing is wonderful.” But it’s time to discover that it does not work for technology.
Richard Fernandez, a former CEO at Google acknowledged that “we can be swept away by our technologies.” To break the grand digital connection people must consider how life long ago could be fantastic without today’s overused technology.The underlined word “allure” in Paragraph 2 probably means ______.
| A．advantage | B．attraction |
| C．adaptation | D．attempt |
From the passage, technology companies aim to ______.
| A．attract people to buy their products |
| B．provide the latest information |
| C．improve people’s quality of life |
| D．deal with cultural diseases |
It can be inferred from this passage that people ______.
| A．consider too much technology wonderful |
| B．have realized the harm of high-tech devices |
| C．can regain freedom without high-tech devices |
| D．may enjoy life better without overused technology |
What’s the author’s attitude towards the overusing of high-tech devices?
| A．Objective | B．Positive |
| C．Disapproving | D．Sympathetic |
Nicolai Calabria has already become one of the best 106-pound wrestlers. He has successfully climbed to the top of the highest mountain in Africa, and most importantly, he’s changed the attitude of any normal person who watches him compete.
The 17-year-old teenager has one leg. He was born that way, but his goal is to show it’s not the one thing that defines him. He would also be the first one to tell you that he just wants to prove to others and himself that he’s just like other normal ones.
When Calabria was young, his parents tried different prostheses（假肢）to find out which was most comfortable for their son as he tried to keep up with the family, who has a preference for sports.
At first, the Calabrias had their middle child in a prosthesis that looked and functioned like a real leg, but soon they decided to choose a different path when they found it wasn’t beneficial to his movement. Then the family moved him to arm crutches（手杖）and from there a new burst of energy was found.
Getting others to believe that he could take off on the soccer field took a little bit longer. When the Calabrias moved to Concord, they had a hard time persuading the town soccer team to allow a child like him to compete with able-bodied kids. After months and months of debates and meetings, the family received the answer they were looking for. Since then, witnessing a young man on crutches who competes against those with two legs has become a fixed event in the Concord community.
“At that time I had nothing but discouragement working with the soccer community; however, now I have nothing but admiration for the fact that he’s been allowed to play, and people see that he adds value to game,” his father said. “I just think it’s a great result.”This passage shows us a boy with one leg __________.
| A．can do what a normal teenager can |
| B．is realizing as many dreams as he can |
| C．can make a sport event more valuable |
| D．can add value to society |
We can learn from Paragraph 5 that __________.
| A．Calabria proved to be the most excellent player of the team |
| B．it was not easy for Calabria to be accepted to the town soccer team |
| C．Calabria’s parents didn’t allow him to play soccer at first |
| D．there are some other disabled children in the soccer team |
In Paragraph 5, the underlined part probably means __________.
| A．a must-see | B．a planned programme |
| C．an extra game | D．a special occasion |
It is implied in the last paragraph that Nicolai’s father __________.
| A．has been discouraged since Nicolai played soccer |
| B．thinks that Nicolai is playing a key role in the team |
| C．is very delighted that Nicolai can play soccer in the team |
| D．hasn’t expected that Nicolai can be allowed to play soccer |
Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers concluded that the French tend to stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over.
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers’ markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high-quality meats for each meal.
After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don’t Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.
In spite of all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity or extreme overweight among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17% — and is growing.In what way are the French different from Americans according to Dr. Joseph Mercola?
| A．They go shopping at supermarkets more frequently. |
| B．They squeeze eating between the other daily activities. |
| C．They regard eating as a key part of their lifestyles. |
| D．They usually eat too much canned and frozen food. |
This text is mainly the relationship between _________.
| A．Americans and the French |
| B．life style and obesity |
| C．children and adults |
| D．fast food and overweight |
The text is mainly developed __________.
| A．by comparison | B．by space |
| C．by process | D．by classification(分类) |
Where does this text probably come from?
A TV interviewB. A food advertisement
C. A health report D. A book review
Singapore is a dynamic city-state where you will find a harmonious mixture of culture, cuisine, arts, people and architecture. If you have at least 5 hours to spare in transit before your next flight, join us in one of our free two-hour guided tours, which runs daily at regular times. Registration for the tour must be made at least one hour before the start of the tour.
◆HERITAGE TOUR
Tour Timings:
9:00 am to 11:00 am 11:30 am to 1:30 pm 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
The heritage tour has a short stopover at the Merlion Park before going to the Colonial District, Central Business District and Chinatown or Little India. The journey to the Merlion Park offers you a entire view of Singapore's landmarks like Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer and Gardens by the Bay. The tour will bring you through a discovery journey where you will have a glimpse of a unique mixture of East and West, tradition and modernity. It will be a splendid way for you to explore the history, culture and lifestyle of multi-racial Singapore while in your transit.
◆CITY LIGHT TOUR
Tour Timings: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
As night falls, Singapore takes another look to offer an entertainment choice. The City Light Tour brings you to various attractions in Singapore. As the journey begins from Changi Airport towards Benjamin Sheares Bridge, you will get a wide view of Singapore's famous symbols- the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands and Esplanade. Next, you will see the Helix(螺旋的) Bridge which is inspired by the double helix of our DNA structure.If it is 2: 45pm now and Mike’s plane is going to take off at 8:35pm, which is the best timing for him?
| A．9:00 am to 11:00 am | B．11:30 am to 1:30 pm |
| C．2:30 pm to 4:30 pm | D．4:00 pm to 6:00 pm |
People can enjoy a wide view of Singapore’s landmarks on the way to _______.
| A．Little India | B．Chinatown |
| C．the Merlion Park | D．the Colonial District |
Which of the following is TRUE about the City Light Tour______.
| A．It is a great tour to explore the history, culture and lifestyle of Singapore |
| B．You’ll have a glimpse of a unique mixture of East and West during the tour |
| C．It begins from Marina Bay Sands and goes towards Benjamin Sheares Bridge |
| D．On the tour, you can see Helix Bridge, which looks like our DNA structure |
Michael J. “Crocodile Dundee” (also called Mick), played by Paul Hogan, is the main character in the fictional Crocodile Dundee film series consisting of Crocodile Dundee, Crocodile Dundee II, and Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles. The character is a crocodile hunter, hence the nickname.
In the first film, Crocodile Dundee, Mick is visited by a New York reporter, Sue Charlton, who travels to Australia to investigate a report she heard of a crocodile hunter, who had his leg bitten off by a crocodile in the outback. The hunter supposedly walked more than a hundred miles back to civilization and miraculously survived his injuries. However, by the time she meets him, the story turns out to be a somewhat exaggerated legend where the “bitten-off leg” turns out to be just being some bad scarring on his leg; a “love bite” as Mick calls it. Still interested by the idea of “Crocodile Dundee”, Sue continues with the story. They travel together out to where the incident occurred, and follow his route through the bush to the nearest hospital. Despite his old-fashioned views, the pair eventually become close, especially after Mick saves Sue from a crocodile attack.
Feeling there is still more to the story, Sue invites Mick back to New York with her, as his first trip to a city (or “first trip anywhere,” as Dundee says). The rest of the film depicts Dundee as a “fish out of water,” showing how, despite his expert knowledge of living outdoors, he knows little of city life. Mick meets Sue’s boyfriend, Richard, but they do not get along. By the end of the film, Mick is on his way home, lovesick, when Sue realizes she loves Mick, too, and not Richard. She runs to the subway station to stop Mick from leaving and, by passing on messages through the packed-to-the-gills crowd, she tells him she won’t marry Richard, and she loves him instead. With the help of the other people in the subway, Mick and Sue have a loving reunion as the film ends.Which of the following statements is true about Mick?
| A．He is a crocodile hunter living in Los Angeles. |
| B．He is based on a real person in Australia. |
| C．He got his nickname because of his job. |
| D．He wrote a film series about himself. |
In the film Crocodile Dundee, Mick ______.
| A．pretends he was bitten by a crocodile |
| B．urges Sue Charlton to write his life story |
| C．hasn’t been abroad before his trip to America |
| D．shows Sue Charlton around the town he lives in |
When in New York, Mick ______.
| A．makes friends with Richard |
| B．makes full use of his bush skills |
| C．feels excited about living in a big city |
| D．doesn’t know how to fit into city life |
The film Crocodile Dundee can be best described as ______.
| A．a romantic story | B．an action movie |
| C．a science fiction | D．a frightening story |