Neil Armstrong took“one small step for man”when he stepped on the moon’s surface while worldfamous physicist Stephen Hawking took a “giant leap (跳跃)”for Earth’s physically disabled when he experienced eight rounds of weightlessness in what he saw as the first step in a personal goal to travel in space.
“It was amazing，”Hawking told reporters afterwards，using his wellknown computerized voice.“The zeroG part was wonderful，and the highG part was no problem.I could have gone on and on.I have long wanted to go into space，and the zerogravity flight is the first step towards space travel.”
Hawking is one of the bestknown scientists because of his bestselling works on the mysteries of black holes and the origins of the universe，and because of his increasing disability.He is almost completely paralyzed (瘫痪的) and can communicate only via facial gestures and a gesturecontrolled computer system.
Thursady’s flight was a test run to find out if Hawking is capable of a rocketpowered journey to the edge of outer space，perhaps aboard the spaceship now being developed for Virgin Galactic.That craft is due to enter service in 2009 or so，and taking such a flight would check off what Hawking has said is his“next step”．“He would have flown more if we let him，”said Noah McMahon，one of Hawking’s coaches.“He was all smiles all the time.”
Zero Gravity had originally planned to bring Hawking back to NASA’s Shuttle Landing Facility here after six upsanddowns.Hawking’s performance showed well for more tests.Zero Gravity Corp.cofounder Peter Diamandis said Hawking experienced the flight better than his physicians had expected.He noted that the four minutes Hawking spent in weightlessness was about as much time as he would spend in zeroG during a space flight.By saying“Stephen Hawking took a‘giant leap’” in the first paragraph，the writer means __________．
| A．ordinary people can not do what Hawking did |
| B．Stephen Hawking managed to jump by himself |
| C．it is not easy for a disabled person like Hawking |
| D．Hawking has finished almost all that is needed to do |
The underlined word“zeroG”in Paragraph 2 probably refers to __________．
| A．space travel |
| B．zerogravity |
| C．a personal goal |
| D．the first step |
Which of the following would the writer probably agree?
| A．Hawking was one of the workers in Zero Gravity Company. |
| B．McMahon was not satisfied with what Hawking did in this test. |
| C．Peter Diamandis bought a spaceship for Hawking to travel in space. |
| D．Hawking would spend in zeroG during a space flight for 4 minutes. |
The text mainly wants to tell us _________．
| A．Hawking takes a “giant leap”for Earth’s disabled |
| B．a spaceship will be sent into space before long |
| C．what Neil Armstrong had experienced in space |
| D．common people can also experience space flights |
阅读下面短文并回答问题，然后将答案写到相应的位置上（请注意问题后的词数要求）。
JAY Chou, S.H.E. and Happy Boys? They are some of the singers who keep your music world busy. But__________ Peking Opera? Is it only the favorite pastime of your grandfather?
Now, you have the chance to get to know the real beauty of this traditional art. This term, a Peking Opera project is starting in 200 schools in 10 provinces and municipalities (直辖市). It will involve 15 works of Peking Opera both classic and modern.
So how much do you know about this 200-yare-old art? Peking Opera combines instrumental music, singing, dancing, acting and acrobatics(杂技). Full of Chinese cultural elements. Peking Opera presents to the audience an encyclopedia(百科全书)of Chinese culture with unfolding stories, beautiful paintings, wonderful consumes and graceful gestures.
The art form has created many “firsts” in Chinese dramas: the abundance of repertoires (曲目), the number of artists and opera troupes and audience. So it is called the national opera of China.
There are five main roles in Peking Opera: sheng, dan, jing, mo and chou. Sheng is
The leading male actor. Dan is the female roles. Jing refers to male roles with colored face paintings who represent warriors (战士), heroes, statesmen, adventurers and demons(魔鬼). Mo is a minor male role. Chou is a male comic character with a white patch on the nose. They play roles of wit and humor. It is these characters that keep the audience laughing to ease tension in some serious plays.What is the best title of the passage? (no more than 10 words)
Complete the following statement with proper words. (no more than 4 words)
Is it only the thing that your grandfather like best to?Please fill in the blank with proper words or phrases to complete the sentence.(no more than 10 words)
What’s your opinion about the Peking Opera project started in schools?
(no more than 30 words)What does “it” refer to? (no more than 3 words)
Do you want to live with a strong sense of peacefulness, happiness, goodness, and self-respect? The collection of happiness actions broadly categorized as “honor” help you create this life of good feelings.
Here’s an example to show how honorably actions create happiness.
Say a store clerk fails to charge us for an item. If we keep silent, and profit from the clerk’s mistake, we would drive home with a sense of sneaky excitement. Later we might tell our family or friends about our good fortune. One the other hand, if we tell the clerk about the uncharged item, the clerk would be grateful and thank us for our honesty. We would leave the store with a quiet sense of honor that we might never share with another soul.
Then, what is it to do with our sense of happiness?
In the first case, where we don’t tell the clerk, a couple of things would happen. Deep down inside we would know ourselves as a type of thief. In the process, we would lose some peace of mind and self-respect. We would also demonstrate that we cannot be trusted, since we advertise our dishonor by telling our family and friends. We damage our own reputations by telling others. In contrast, bringing the error to the clerk’s attention causes different things to happen. Immediately the clerk knows us to be honorable. Upon leaving the store, we feel honorable and our self-respect is increased. Whenever we take honorable action we gain the deep internal rewards of goodness and a sense of nobility.
There is a beautiful positive cycle that is created by living a life of honorable actions. Honorable thoughts lead to honorable actions. Honorable actions lead us to a happier existence. And it’s easy to think and act honorably again when we’re happy. While the positive cycle can be difficult to start, once it’s started, it’s easy to continue. Keeping on doing good deeds brings us peace of mind, which is important for our happiness.According to the passage, the positive action in the example contributes to our__________.
| A．self-respect | B．financial rewards |
| C．advertising ability | D．friendly relationship |
The author thinks that keeping silent about the uncharged item is equal to __________.
| A．lying | B．stealing | C．cheating | D．advertising |
The phrase “bringing the error to the clerk’s attention” (in para. 5)means_________.
| A．telling the truth to the clerk |
| B．offering advice to the clerk |
| C．asking the clerk to be more attentive |
| D．reminding the clerk of the charged item |
How will we feel if we let the clerk know her mistake?
| A．We’ll be very excited |
| B．We’ll feel unfortunate |
| C．We’ll have a sense of honor |
| D．We’ll feel sorry for the clerk |
Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
| A．How to Live Truthfully |
| B．Importance of Peacefulness |
| C．Ways of Gaining Self-respect |
| D．Happiness through Honorable Actions |
In the more and more competitive service industry, it is no longer enough to promise customer satisfaction. Today, customer “delight” is what companies are trying to achieve in order to keep and increase market share.
It is accepted in the marketing industry, and confirmed by a number of researches, that customers receiving good service will promote business by telling up to 12 other people; those treated badly will tell their tales of woe to up to 20 people. Interestingly, 80 percent of people who feel their complaints are handled fairly will stay loyal.
New challenges for customer care have come when people can obtain goods and services through telephone call centers and the Internet. For example, many companies now have to invest(投资)a lot of money in information technology and staff training in order to cope with the “phone rage”—caused by delays in answering calls, being cut off in mid-conversation or let waiting for long periods.
“Many people do not like talking to machines,” says Dr. Storey, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at City University Business School. “Banks, for example, encourage staff at call centers to use customer data to establish instant and good relationship with them. The aim is to make the customer feel they know you and that you can trust them —the sort of comfortable feelings people have during face-to-face chats with their local branch manager.”
Recommended ways of creating customer delight include: under-promising and over-delivering (saying that a repair will be carried out within five hours, but getting it done within two); replacing a faulty product immediately; throwing in a gift voucher(购物礼券)as an unexpected “thank you” to regular customers; and always returning calls, even when they are complaints.
Aiming for customer delight is all very well, but if services do not reach the high level promised, disappointment or worse will be the result. This can be eased by offering an apology and an explanation of why the service did not meet usual standards with empathy (for example, “I know how you must feel”), and possible solutions (replacement, compensation or whatever fairness suggests best meets the case).
Airlines face some of the toughest challenges over customer care. Fierce competition has convinced them that delighting passengers in an important marketing tool, while there is great potential for customer anger over delays caused by weather, unclaimed luggage and technical problems.
For British Airways staff, a winning telephone style is considered vital in handling the large volume of calls about booking and flight times. They are trained to answer quickly, with their name, job title and a “we are here to help” attitude. The company has invested heavily in information technology to make sure that information is available instantly on screen.
British Airways also says its customer care policies are applied within the company and staff are taught to regard each other as customers requiring the highest standards of service.
Customer care is obviously here to stay and it would be a foolish company that used slogans such as “we do as we please.” On the other hand, the more customers are promised, the greater the risk of disappointment.We can learn from Paragraph 2 that__________.
| A．complaining customers are hard to satisfy |
| B．unsatisfied customers receive better service |
| C．satisfied customers catch more attention |
| D．well-treated customers promote business |
The writer mentions “phone rage” (Paragraph 3)to show that__________.
| A．customers often use phones to express their anger |
| B．people still prefer to buy goods online |
| C．customer care becomes more demanding |
| D．customers rely on their phones to obtain services |
What does the writer recommend to create customer delight?
| A．Calling customers regularly |
| B．Giving a “thank you” note |
| C．Delivering a quicker service |
| D．Promising more gifts |
If a manager should show his empathy (Paragraph 6), what would he probably say?
| A．“I know how upset you must be.” |
| B．“I appreciate your understanding.” |
| C．“I’m sorry for the delay.” |
| D．“I know it’s our fault.” |
Customer delight is important for airlines because__________.
| A．their telephone style remains unchanged |
| B．they are more likely to meet with complaints |
| C．the services cost them a lot of money |
| D．the policies can be applied to their staff |
Which of the following is conveyed in this article?
| A．Face-to-face service creates comfortable feelings among customers |
| B．Companies that promise more will naturally attract more customers |
| C．A company should promise less but do more in a competitive market |
| D．Customer delight is more important for airlines than for banks |
GUATEMALA CITY(Reuters)— A fish that lives in mangrove swamps(红树沼泽)across the Americas can live out of water for months at a time, similar to how animals adapted(适应)to land millions of years ago, a new study shows.
The Mangrove Rivulus, a type of small killifish, lives in small pools of water in a certain type of empty nut or even old beer cans in the mangrove swamps of Belize, the United States and Brazil. When their living place dries up, they live on the land in logs(圆木), said Scott Taylor, a researcher at the Brevard Endangered Lands Program in Florida.
The fish, whose scientific name is Rivulus marmoratus, can grow as large as three inches. They group together in logs and breathe air through their skin until they can find water again.
The new scientific discovery came after a trip to Belize.
“We kicked over a log and the fish just came crowding out.” Taylor told Reuters in neighboring Guatemala by telephone. He said he will make his study on the fish known to the public in an American magazine early next year.
In lab tests, Taylor said he found the fish can live up to 66 days out of water without eating.
Some other fish can live out of water for a short period of time. The walking catfish found in Southeast Asia can stay on land for hours at a time, while lungfish found in Australia, Africa and South America can live out of water, but only in an inactive state. But no other known fish can be out of water as long as the Mangrove Rivulus and remain active, according to Patricia Wright, a biologist at Canada’s University of Guelph.
Further studies of the fish may tell how animals changed over time.
“These animals live in conditions similar to those that existed millions of years ago, when animals began making the transition(过渡)from water onto land,” Wright said.The Mangrove Rivulus is a type of fish that__________.
| A．like eating nuts |
| B．prefers living in dry places |
| C．is the longest living fish on earth |
| D．can stay alive for two months out of water |
Who will write up a report on Mangrove Rivulus?
| A．Patricia Wright | B．Researchers in Guatemala |
| C．Scientists from Belize | D．Scott Taylor |
According to the text, lungfish can__________.
| A．breathe through its skin |
| B．move freely on dry land |
| C．remain alive out of water |
| D．be as active on land as in waster |
What can we say about the discovery of Mangrove Rivulus?
| A．It was made quite by accident |
| B．It was based on a lab test of sea life |
| C．It was supported by an American magazine |
| D．It was helped by Patricia Wright |
WELCOME
Welcome to Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Windsor is one of the official residences (住所)of the Queen, who sometimes stays here.
Audio tours
Free audio tours are available on leaving the Admission Centre at the start of your visit. There is a descriptive audio tour for blind and poor sighted visitors.
Guided tours
Visitors can explore the history of the Castle through a tour of the Precincts with an expert guide. Tours depart at regular intervals throughout the day from the Courtyard and finish at the entrance to the State Apartments.
Visitors with children
For those visiting with children, a special family tour and various activities are offered during school holidays and at weekends. Please note that, for safety reasons, pushchairs are not permitted in the State Apartments. However, baby carriers are available to borrow.
St George’s Chapel
Visitors arriving at the Castle after 15:00 from March to October are advised to visit St George’s Chapel first before it closes.
Shopping
Shops offer a wide range of souvenirs designed for the Royal Collection, including books, postcards, china, jewellery, and children’s toys. Please ask at the Middle Ward shop about our home delivery service.
Refreshments
Bottled water can be purchased from the Courtyard and Middle Ward shops. From April to September ice cream is also available. Visitors wishing to leave the Castle for refreshments in the town may obtain reentry permits from the castle shops. Eating and drinking are not permitted in the State Apartments of St George’s Chapel.
Photography and mobile phones
Non-commercial photography and filming are welcomed in the Castle. Photography, video recording and filming are not permitted inside the State Apartments of St George’s Chapel. Mobile phones must be switched off inside the State Apartments and St George’s Chapel in consideration of other visitors.
Security
As Windsor Castle is a working royal palace, visitors and their belongings should get through airport-style security checks. For safety and security reasons a one-way system operates along the visitor route.A visitor can apply for a free audio tour_______.
| A．in the Courtyard | B．in the State Apartments |
| C．at the Admission Center | D．at St George’s Chapel |
What is specially offered to visitors with kids?
| A．A security guard | B．A pushchair |
| C．A free toy | D．A baby carrier |
Who can get re-entry permits?
| A．Visitors wishing to eat outside the Castle |
| B．Visitors buying gifts in the castle shops |
| C．Visitors buying water from the Courtyard |
| D．Visitors eating outside St George’s Chapel |
Why are visitors required to turn off their mobile phones?
| A．To ensure the safety of others |
| B．To ensure the security of the Castle |
| C．To prevent them from disturbing others |
| D．To prevent the use of the built-in cameras |
In the last part, a “working royal palace” refers to one_______.
| A．still being constructed |
| B．still used by the royal family |
| C．where the Queen usually works |
| D．where works of art are on show |