There are rolling hills and ivy-covered brick buildings. There are small classrooms, high-tech labs, and green fields. There’s even a clock tower with a massive bell that rings for special events.
Cushing Academy has all the characteristics of a New England school, with one exception. This year, after having had a collection of more than 20,000 books, officials have decided the 144-year-old school no longer needs a traditional library. They have decided to give away all their books. The future, they believe, is digital.
“When I look at books, I see an outdated technology,” said James Tracy, headmaster of Cushing. “We’re not discouraging students from reading. We see this as a natural way to shape emerging trends and use technology. Instead of a traditional library, we’re building a virtual library where students will have access to millions of books on the computer. We see this as a model for the 21st-century school.”
Not everyone on campus is sold on Tracy’s vision.
Liz Vezina, a librarian at Cushing for 17 years, said she never imagined working as the director of a library without any books. “It makes me mad,” said Vezina, who has made a career of introducing students to books. “I’m going to miss them, and there’s something lost when they are done on a computer. There’s sensual side to them — the smell, the feel, the physicality of a book is something really special.”
Cushing is one of the first schools in the country to give up its books. William Powers, author of a book called the changes at Cushing “radical(激进的)” and “a huge loss for students”.
“There are modes of learning and thinking that at the moment are only available from actual books,” he said. “There is a kind of deep-dive reading that’s almost impossible to do on a screen. Without books, students are more likely to do the quick reading that screens enable, rather than be by themselves with the author’s ideas.”What is special about Cushing Academy?
A.It is built in rolling mountains |
B.Its buildings are covered with ivy. |
C.There will be no books in its library. |
D.There is a clock tower with a big bell. |
The underlined sentence in the passage probably means _________.
A.not all people agree with Tracy’s idea |
B.Tracy’s idea is welcome in the school |
C.in Tracy’s opinion not all books are sold |
D.not everyone can imagine a virtual library |
【改编】According to the Powers, actual books can make students _________.
A.do a lot of quick reading |
B.develop the habit of reading |
C.experiencing the pleasure of reading |
D.make sense of the author’s views deeply |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Cushing is facing challenges |
B.The Internet library promises a bright future |
C.A library says goodbye to books |
D.Cushing leads the world in digital technology |
What will people die of 100 years from now? If you think that is a simple question, you have not been paying attention to the revolution that is taking place in bio-technology. With the help of new medicine, the human body will last a very long time. Death will come mainly from accidents, murder and war. Today’s leading killers, such as heart disease, cancer, and aging itself, will become distant memories.
In discussion of technological changes, the Internet gets most of the attention these days. But the change in medicine can be the real technological event of our times. How long can humans live? Human brains were known to decide the final death. Cells are the basic units of all living things, and until recently, scientists were sure that the life of cells could not go much beyond l20 years because the basic materials of cells, such as those of brain cells, would not last forever. But the upper limits will be broken by new medicine. Sometime between 2050 and 2100, medicine will have advanced to the point at which every 10 years or so, people will be able to take medicine to repair their organs. The medicine, made up of the basic building materials of life, will build new brain cells, heart cells, and so on — in much the same way our bodies make new skin cells to take the place of old ones.
It is exciting to imaging that the advance in technology may be changing the most basic condition of human existence, but many technical problems still must be cleared up on the way to this wonderful future.According to the passage, human death is now mainly caused by.
A.diseases and aging | B.accidents and war |
C.accidents and aging | D.heart disease and war |
In the author’s opinion, today’s most important advance in technology lies in .
A.the Internet | B.brain cells |
C. medicine | D.human organ |
Humans may live longer in the future because.
A.heart disease will be far away from us |
B.human brains can decide the final death |
C.human organs can be repaired by new medicine |
D.the basic materials of cells will last forever |
We can learn from the passage that.
A.much needs to be done before humans can have a longer life |
B.human life will not last more than 120 years in the future |
C.humans have to take medicine to build new skin cells now |
D.we have already solved the technical problems in building new cells |
Danielle Steel, America’s sweetheart, is one of the hardest working women in the book business. Unlike other productive authors who write one book at a time, she can work on up to five. Her research before writing takes at least three years. Once she has fully studied her subjects, ready to divide into a book, she can spend twenty hours nonstop at her desk.
Danielle Steel comes from New York and was sent to France for her education. After graduation, he worked in the public relations and advertising, industries. Later she started a job as a writer which she was best fit for. Her achievements are unbelievable: 390 million copies of books in print, nearly fifty New York Times best-selling novels, and a series of “Max and Martha” picture books for children to help them. Deal with the real-life problem of death, new babies and new schools. Her l998 book about the death of her was shot to the top of the New York Times best-selling list as soon as it came out. Twenty-eight of her books have been made into film. She is listed in the Guinness Books of World Records for one of her books being the Times best-seller for 381 weeks straight.
Not content with a big house, a loving family, and a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Danielle Steel considers her readers to be the most important resource and has kept in touch with them by e-mail. While she is often compared to the heroines of her own invention. Her life is undoubtedly much quieter. But if she does have anything in common with them, it is her strength of will and her inimitable style. There is only one Danielle Steel.Danielle Steel is different from other writers in that.
A.she is one of the most popular American women writers |
B.she often does some research before writing a book |
C.she can write several books at the same time |
D.she can keep writing for quite a long time without a break |
One of Danielle Steel’ achievements is that .
A.her picture books attracted a lot of young men |
B.one of her books became a best-seller in 1998 |
C.some TV plays were based on her books |
D.she wrote the Guinness Book of World Records |
We can learn from the passage that Danielle Steel.
A.lives an exciting life |
B.is pleased with her achievements |
C.writes about quiet women |
D.values her readers a lot |
What does the underlined word “inimitable” mean?
A.hardworking | B.attractive |
C.strange | D.unique |
Kuala Lumpur is an exciting capital city in Malaysia. Here are the top 4 budget hotels there:
The Chinatown Inn (About $30 per night)
Just a block from the railway station, located in Chinatown’s open market. It has clean beds, central air conditioning, hot water for coffee and tea, and a hall with a big screen TV. Wi-Fi is good on the first 4 floors, but a little weak on Floor 5. Many guests like the Chinatown Inn. Their complaint is that the air condition is too cold, so make sure you get a room with a window. You can open it to let some warmth in.
Ancasa Express (About $45 per night).
The hotel is above the sky-train station. That makes it convenient to get to other parts of the city. From the station, take the elevator to the 5th floor to reach the hotel lobby (大厅). The rooms are clean and nice. There is a flat screen TV, the strongest Wi-Fi, and a very hot rainfall shower. The guests’ complaint is that the cafe is only open for breakfast and dinner, and not 24 hours.
Central Hotel (About $35 per night)
This hotel is just two blocks from the Central Station, which is the heart of all transportation in the city—buses, trains and sky-trains all meet here. Central is where the airport-link trains will take you to the airport. From Central you can walk 2 blocks to the beautiful Central Hotel, in which rooms are small but nice and clean, and have common Wi-Fi.
Ocean 77 (About $25 per night)
On Petaling Street in Chinatown, this brand new hotel is most spotlessly clean. There is a flat screen TV and good Wi-Fi in each room. The location is good, in the heart of the Petaling Street market. No cafe in the hotel, but many nearby on the street.In the Chinatown Inn you are told to choose a room with a window .
A.because the light in the room is dim |
B.so that you can breathe the fresh air |
C.so that you can let some warm air in |
D.so that you can have a good view from it |
If a guest likes surfing the Net very much, which of the following would be his first choice?
A.Ancasa Express | B.Central Hotel. |
C.Ocean 77. | D.The Chinatown Inn. |
What is the unusual characteristic of Ocean 77?
A.It is the cheapest, newest and cleanest. |
B.Its location is in the heart of the city. |
C.It is located in the street in Chinatown. |
D.There is a flat screen TV and good Wi-Fi. |
What can we learn from this passage?
A.Wi-Fi in the Chinatown Inn is good in each room. |
B.Only one of the four hotels is air-conditioned. |
C.The café in Ancasa Express is open all day long. |
D.Central Hotel is in the heart of all transportation. |
A holiday is any day when people lay aside their ordinary duties and cares. The word comes from Old English. At first, holidays honored some holy(神的) events or persons. People in Great Britain and other countries speak of holidays as Americans speak of vacations.
Every nation has its special holidays. China observes New Year’s Day(January 1), May Day and National Day as legal(法定的) holidays, as it was on Oct. 1, 1949 that People’s Republic of China was founded. The Chinese have long celebrated the Chinese lunar year. In the United States, congress(国会) has declared several as legal days such as New Year's Day (January1), Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday, Washington's Birthday, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day and so on. Some holidays celebrate special events in the development of a country, such as Greece’s Independence Day, Italy’s Liberation Day and India’s Independence Day.
In the United States, banks and schools usually close on a legal holiday. When such a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday is often observed. Schools and organizations often observe days known as traditional holidays, although schools and businesses do not close then. Those holidays include Valentine's Day and Halloween.Which of the following holidays has nothing to do with a country’s development?
A.China’s National Day |
B.America’s Independence Day |
C.Italy’s Liberation Day |
D.Valentine’s Day |
From the passage we can infer that _________.
A.Chinese will no longer observe the Spring Festival |
B.Chinese and Americans share at least one holiday |
C.students don’t have to go to school on any holiday |
D.Americans can easily draw money from banks on legal days |
If a legal holiday falls on Sunday, people usually celebrate on_________.
A.Sunday | B.the following Sunday |
C.the following Monday | D.the following Tuesday |
This could be the perfect gift for the partner, who embarrasses you on the dance floor. Smart socks, which can teach to dance, may be the answer for anyone with two left feet.
The socks have been developed as a running tool to help runners improve their skills. Thanks to the socks, users can accurately (精确地)record not only know far and fast they run but also how well. It means the user maximizes(最大化)their performance, and reduces damage to body and prevents hurt. The hi-tech socks are made of special fibers(纤维) that watch the movements of your feet. They look, feel and can be washed like normal clothes.
Sensors (传感器) record each movement and send it by an ankle transmitter (脚踝发射器) to a smart phone. Then a “virtual coach” application shows the information and can tell the user what they are doing wrong, and help to improve skill in any task with feet.
The socks should be useful to athletes and weekend joggers. “People think running is so easy and of course everybody can do it but not necessarily safely and well,” Dr Davide Vigano said. A recent study showed that between 60 and 80 percent of runners got hurt per year. This is pretty much more than any other human activity. Researchers say the technology can also be developed to teach people how to dance, play sports such golf, or even to help to teach women to walk better in high heels.
Mr. Vigano said, “People could all benefit from the idea. We have had interest from all sorts of sports, like skiing, football, cycling and golf. Anything where you have to use your feet can use it. It could even be put in high heels to help women walk in them safely.”
Socks are just the start, and the technology could be used in gloves, hats and boots. The socks, anklet and software package, are expected to be sold for around £120, which will go on sale in March.What does the underlined part “anyone with two left feet” refer to ?
A.People who are disabled |
B.People who are interested in dancing |
C.People who are not good at dancing |
D.People who invented the socks |
What’s special about fibers that the socks are made of ?
A.They feel much softer than normal clothes. |
B.They can monitor the movement of feet. |
C.They are expensive to produce. |
D.They act as a smart phone for users. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the socks?
A.They can improve the skill of running |
B.They can help women walk better in high heels. |
C.They can teach people to dance well. |
D.They can be worn for days without washing |
According to Dr Vigano, _____
A.everyone can make good use of the smart socks |
B.users can run as fast as they like with the socks |
C.60 to 80 percent of runners would like to buy the smart socks |
D.no runners will get hurt, thanks to the socks |