Daniel stays home on workdays. He starts his personal computer in order to connect with the office which is about three hundred miles away in another city. After work, he puts on his headphones, watches a movie on his home video recorder, or plays baseball on the computer. On many days, Daniel doesn't talk to any other human beings, and he doesn't see any people except the ones on television. Daniel is imaginary, but his lifestyle is very possible. The inventions of modern technology seem to be cutting us off from contact with our fellow human beings.
The world of business is one area in which technology is separating us. Experts say, for example, that many people will soon be able to work at home. With access to a large central computer, employees such as office clerks, insurance agents, and accountants could do their jobs at display terminals (终端) in their own homes. They would never have to actually see the people they're dealing with. In addition, the way employees are paid will change. Workers' salaries will be automatically paid into their bank accounts, making paper checks unnecessary. No workers will stand in line to receive their pay or cash their checks. Personal banking will change, too. Customers will deal with machines to put in or take out money from their accounts. Many companies and consumers have already changed the way they sell or buy products. E-commerce, or business done on the Internet, is becoming more and more popular. This, therefore, makes it possible for people to do shopping without going out of their homes.
Another area that technology is changing is entertainment. Music, for example, was once a group experience. People listened to music at concert halls or in small social gatherings. For many people now, however, music is an individual experience. Walking along the street or sitting in their living-rooms, they wear headphones to build a wall of music around them. Movie entertainment is changing as well. Movies used to be social events. Now, fewer people are going out to see a movie. Many more are choosing to wait for a film to appear on television or are borrowing videotapes to watch at home. Instead of laughing with others, viewers watch movies in their own living-rooms. After work, Daniel likes to __________.
| A．listen to music at the concert hall |
| B．watch a movie in his living-room |
| C．chat with his friends on the net |
| D．play baseball with his workmates |
The underlined sentence "Daniel is imaginary, but his lifestyle is very possible" means __________.
| A．Daniel is a person full of imagination and he can make his life colorful. |
| B．Daniel is not a real person but the lifestyle of his kind does exist. |
| C．Daniel is only an ordinary person but he has his own way of living. |
| D．Daniel is a model who makes full use of modern technology in life. |
What will the writer most probably discuss after the last paragraph?
| A．Games and sports | B．Personal banking |
| C．Music and films | D．International business |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．We may no longer need to communicate wit other human beings. |
| B．Modern technology seems to be separating human beings. |
| C．We may no longer need to work in the office. |
| D．Modern technology makes it possible for us to work and entertain ourselves at home. |
The Beijing government has set out to recruit thousands of university graduates to work as junior officials in rural areas to both improve rural administration and ease the city's employment problems.
The government plans to recruit 3,000 university graduates this year, 1,000 more than last year, to work as assistants to village heads or Party secretaries in suburban areas.
People interested in jobs in Beijing's rural villages and townships can submit applications to the Beijing Municipal Personnel Bureau or online at www. bjbys, com from February 1 through March 15.
"We hope university graduates will seize this opportunity to use their knowledge in rural villages and to start their careers," Sun Zhenyu, deputy director of Beijing Personnel Bureau, told Xinhua News Agency.
The government has promised successful candidates a monthly salary of 2,000 yuan( $ 250) in the first year, 2,500 yuan ($ 320) the second year and 3,000 yuan ($ 385) the third year, provided their performance is up to the required standards, Sun said.
Wang Lina, who graduated from Beijing Union University last year, was one of the first graduates to find work in the city's countryside. After majoring in industrial and commercial administration, Wang served as the assistant to the village head of Ertiaojie Village in suburban Beijing’s Pinggu District. For one project, Wang contacted people at the Beijing Academy of Agricultural Sciences and arranged for the local farmers to receive training in strawberry planting. Her efforts paid off. The village had a plentiful harvest of organic strawberries earlier this year.
Nationwide, about 150,000 university graduates found employment in rural areas last year, according to figures provided by the Ministry of Education.
The ministry predicts that 4. 95 million students will graduate from universities across the country this year, 820,000 more than last year. About 1.4 million of them are unlikely to find jobs when they graduate.
In Beijing, a record 200,000 people are expected to graduate from university this year. Less than half of them are expected to be offered jobs, according to the personnel bureau.The underlined word "recruit "in the first paragraph probably means_____________.
| A．employ | B．force | C．encourage | D．train |
We can see from the passage that_______________.
| A．once you are hired as a junior official, you can get an endlessly rising salary |
| B．the government guarantee a relatively high salary for the successful candidates |
| C．working as junior officials is easy but very meaningful |
| D．the competition for the job as junior officials is very fierce |
From the story of Wang Lina we can learn that________________.
| A．the sooner you go to the countryside, the sooner you will be successful. |
| B．local farmers can get big harvests if they learn more knowledge. |
| C．university graduates can also realize their value in rural areas. |
| D．Wang had great difficulty in helping villagers planting organic strawberries. |
The last two paragraphs aim to tell us that________________.
| A．more and more graduates will work as junior officials |
| B．the universities should not have so many students |
| C．there are more and more graduates in recent years |
| D．it is not easy for graduates to find jobs nowadays |
Which of the following can be the best title for this passage?
| A．Go to the countryside. |
| B．Job hunting for university graduates. |
| C．What is the best career? |
| D．A good choice for university graduates. |
An elderly woman died and several other passengers were critically injured when a crowded Virgin express train crashed in Cumbria last night.
A huge rescue operation involving RAF helicopters and dozens of ambulances arrive. After passengers were trapped in the train for more than four hours because fallen power line poles made access for emergency workers difficult.
Authorities reported up to 80 injuries. Thirteen people were taken to hospital in a“critical or serious condition.”
Between 180 and 200 passengers were on the 5:15pm Virgin service from London Euston to Glasgow Central when all nine carriages left the rails between Oxenholme and Tebay. Witnesses said that the train shook violently before toppling(倾斜) over into an embankment(筑堤)with at least four carriages overturning. Early this morning, authorities confirmed an elderly woman had died and some other passengers had suffered injuries including back strains, head wounds and broken bones.
Ruth Colton, a passenger on the train, said she was reading a book when the journey became uncomfortable. It seemed that the train was being beaten by heavy winds,“as if we were on a plane”.
The accident brought concerns that Britain's busiest rail route would be crippled(瘫痪)for some time. The line between Preston and Carlisle was postponed as Virgin Trains promised a rapid investigation into the “serious incident”—the company's first big crash.
It is understood that the investigation will examine whether there was an obstacle on the track and the possibility of speeding or mechanical breakdown. The driver, who was injured, will be interviewed and a black-box recorder installed in the train will be examined.What made the rescue come so late?
| A．It's not accessible to reach the accident spot. |
| B．No enough helicopters and ambulances could be found at that time. |
| C．It was too far from hospital to Cumbria. |
| D．No one called the emergency center. |
According to the passage, the busiest rail route in Britain is
| A．From Preston to Carlisle | B．Between Euston and Glasgow |
| C．From Oxenholme to Tebay | D．Between Virgin and Pendolino |
What does the underlined word “critical”mean?
| A．Important. | B．Careless. | C．Dangerous. | D．Surprising. |
Which of the following is the possible cause of the accident?
| A．Careless driving. | B．Heavy wind. |
| C．Over loading. | D．Obstacle on the track. |
We can learn from the passage that Virgin Trains
| A．made no quick reaction to this accident |
| B．seldom had so serious an accident before |
| C．had made full preparations for the accident |
| D．didn't mind how many passengers the train can hold |
The history of the Games Olympia
Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games, is in the western part of the Peloponnese which, according to Greek mythology, is the island of "Pelops", the founder of the Olympic Games. Imposing temples, votive buildings, elaborate shrines and ancient sporting facilities(设备) were combined in a site of unique natural and mystical beauty.
Olympia functioned as a meeting place for worship and other religious and political practices as early as the 10th century B.C. The central part of Olympia was dominated by the majestic temple of Zeus, with the temple of Hera parallel to it. The ancient stadium in Olympia could hold more than 40,000 audience, while in the surrounding area there were auxiliary(辅助的) buildings which developed gradually up until the 4th century B.C. and were used as training sites for the athletes or to house the judges of the Games.
The Games and religion
The Olympic Games were closely linked to the religious festivals of the cult of Zeus, but were not a total part of a rite. Indeed, they had a secular character and aimed to show the physical qualities and development of the performances accomplished by young people, as well as encouraging good relations between the cities of Greece. According to specialists, the Olympic Games owed their purity and importance to religion.
Victory ceremonies
The Olympic victor received his first awards immediately after the competition. Following the announcement of the winner's name by the herald, a Hellanodikis (Greek judge) would place a palm branch in his hands, while the audience cheered and threw flowers to him. Red ribbons were tied on his head and hands as a mark of victory.
The official award ceremony would take place on the last day of the Games, at the elevated vestibule of the temple of Zeus. In a loud voice, the herald would announce the name of the Olympic winner, his father's name, and his homeland. Then, the Hellanodikis placed the sacred olive tree wreath（花环）, or kotinos, on the winner's head.When did Olympia become the site of the Olympic Games?
A. In the 10th century B.C.
B. Before the 4th century B.C.
C. After the 4th century B.C.
D. It was not mentioned here.Which one is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Zeus is the founder of the Olympic Games. |
| B．The ancient stadium in Olympic were used as training sites for the athletes in the 10th century. |
| C．The Olympic Games have much to do with the religion. |
| D．The Olympic victor would receive a golden medal. |
Can you guess the meaning of this word “herald” in the passage?
| A．the author | B．the headmaster | C．the announcer | D．the manager |
When the athletes won the game, ______.
| A．They were awarded immediately after the competition. |
| B．They were awarded twice. The first, immediately after the competition; the second, on the last day of the game. |
| C．They were awarded on the last day of the game. |
| D．They were awarded on the last day of the game or immediately after the competition. |
The largest earthquake ( magnitude里氏 9.5) of the 20th century happened on May 22, 1960 off the coast of South Central Chile.
It generated(生成) one of the most destructive Pacific-wide tsunamis(海啸). Near the generating area, both the earthquake and the tsunami were very much destructive, particularly in the coastal area from Concepcion to the south end of Isla（岛） Chiloe. The largest tsunami damage occurred at Isla Chiloe---the coastal area closest to the epicenter(震中). Huge tsunami waves measuring as high as 25 meters arrived within 10 to 15 minutes after the earthquake, killing at least two hundred people, sinking all the boats, and flooding half a kilometer inland.
There was large damage and loss of life at Concepcion, Chile's top industrial city. Near the city of Valdivia, the earthquake and following aftershocks generated landslides which killed 18 people. At the port city of Valparaiso, a city of 200,000, many buildings collapsed. A total of 130,000 houses were destroyed --- one in every three in the earthquake zone and nearly 2,000,000 people were left homeless.
Total damage losses, including to agriculture and to industry, were estimated(估计) to be over a half billion dollars . The total number of death related with both the tsunami and the earthquake was never found accurately for the region. Estimates of deaths reached between 490 to 5,7002 with no distinction(差别) as to how many deaths were caused by the earthquake and how many were caused by the tsunami. However, it is believed that most of the deaths in Chile were caused by the tsunami. Where did the largest tsunami damage occurred?
| A．Concepcion | B．Isla Chiloe | C．Valdivia | D．Valparaiso |
What can we learn about the tsunami waves generated by the earthquake?
| A．The tsunami waves as high as 25 meters arrived immediately after the earthquake. |
| B．The tsunami waves killed 200 people and sank all boats. |
| C．The tsunami waves were very destructive. |
| D．The tsunami waves flooded half of the inland. |
What is generally thought the main cause of deaths in Chile?
| A．landslides | B．the tsunami | C．aftershocks | D．the magnitude 9.5 earthquake |
What is the total number of deaths in the earthquake?
| A．2,000,000 | B．between 490 to 57，002 |
| C．200,000 | D．it was hard to know. |
What does the underlined word “collapsed” probably mean ?
| A．was destroyed | B．caught fire | C．was flooded | D．sank |
YANGON -- Myanmar has officially accepted an offer of the United States to send humanitarian aid(人道主义援助) to the country's cyclone(飓风;暴风)victims, state radio reported Friday in a night broadcast Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Thu gave the assurance Friday, saying that the country is receiving such relief aid from any country without limit at this time according to its policy(政策) of dealing with the disaster, the report said.
Kyaw Thu denied rumors about Myanmar's turning down of such relief materials from Western countries but accept those from nations in good relations with Myanmar, saying that the country has never done so in this case.
Kyaw Thu said that well wishers abroad may make cash donation（捐赠）through Myanmar embassies（使馆）stationed there, while those who like to donate relief goods may present at the Yangon International Airport and seaports.
According to the report, the US relief aid would arrive in Yangon in days.
A foreign ministry's statement said earlier on Friday that at this moment, the international community can best help the victims by donating emergency provisions such as medical supplies, food, cloth, electricity generator, and materials for emergency shelter or with financial assistance," adding that "Myanmar will wholeheartedly welcome such course of action".
The government and the people of Myanmar are grateful to the friendly nations, the United Nations, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, private individuals and others for their sympathy and generosity." it said. Which of the following is true?
| A．The US relief aid was turned down at first and then accepted. |
| B．The US relief aid has been sent to the capital city of Myanmar. |
| C．There are rumors（谣言）that Myanmar has turned down the US relief aid. |
| D．Myanmar will wholeheartedly welcome such course of action but the US relief aid. |
We Chinese may denote money to help the country's cyclone victims（受害者） through_____.
| A．Myanmar embassies in Beijing. |
| B．the Yangon International Airport |
| C．the United Nations |
| D．the Yangon International seaports. |
What can the international community（组织）best help the victims in Myanmar?
| A．medical supplies | B．financial assistance |
| C．electricity generator | D．all of the above. |
What is Myanmar’s policy toward the aids from abroad?
| A．Myanmar prefers cash donation to relief goods. |
| B．Myanmar only receives emergency provisions such as medical supplies, food, cloth, electricity generator, etc. |
| C．Myanmar receives donation relief aid from any country without any limit. |
| D．Myanmar prefers relief goods to cash donation. |
The title that best expresses the idea of the passage is _______.
| A．How to help Myanmar. |
| B．Myanmar accepts US humanitarian aid officially. |
| C．Myanmar is receiving relief aid from any country without limit. |
| D．The government and the people of Myanmar are grateful. |