When Lucy and Maria Aylmer tell people they are twins, disbelief is the response. The 18-year-olds from Gloucester, U.K. are two of the five children born to their Caucasian (白种人的) father and "half-Jamaican" mother. While their other siblings (brothers and sisters) have a blend (混合) of features from their parents who have different skin colours, Lucy and Maria are unique: Lucy has fair skin and red hair, while Maria has brown skin and dark hair.
"No one ever believes we are twins because I am white and Maria is black," Lucy said. "Even when we dress alike, we still don't look like sisters, let alone twins. When we meet friends for the first time they all refuse to believe we are twins and some have even made us produce our birth certificates to prove that we are really twins."
Unlike identical (同卵的) twins, fraternal twins are bom from two separate eggs. The BBC reports that for a biracial (双人种的) couple expecting twins, there is about a 1 in 500 chance those twins will have different skin colors.
The Aylmers are proud of their uniqueness.
"Now we have grown older, even though we still look so different, the bond between us is much stronger," Lucy said. "Now we are proud of the fact that we are each other's twin sister. Maria loves telling people at college that she has a white twin sister — and I'm very proud of having a black twin sister, too."Lucy and Maria are unique because _______.
| A．they are fraternal twins |
| B．their siblings are all black |
| C．they are hybrids of multi-racial parents |
| D．they are twins with different skin colours |
How do people usually react to the twins' physical appearances?
| A．They think it possible. |
| B．They joke about them. |
| C．They find it unbelievable. |
| D．They regard them as lucky dogs. |
What can we learn about Maria from the text?
| A．She comes from Jamaica. |
| B．She was born of biracial parents. |
| C．She bears mainly features other father. |
| D．She shares a birth certificate with her twin sister. |
Angry Birds has become a worldwide gaming mega hit but how did this game come into existence? Rovio is the name of the company that created angry birds, however, it's not the first game they developed. Surprisingly they have been creating games for several years but had just never broken through into the mainstream the way they did with angry birds. The idea for the game came about in 2009 when the company was looking at different ideas for games which they thought could become popular. It was a simple idea spawned from some sketches(素描) of wingless and legless birds which were angry.
The sketches caught on among the staff who in turn created a unique design which became angry birds. The pigs were added into the game later in the development as an enemy. During this period of development, pig flu was being heavily reported in the news which is where the idea for the pigs appeared.
The basis of the game is very simple and is not unique to angry birds but has been seen in many other games previously. It's a simple physics/puzzle game. The player is given a slingshot and a limited supply of angry birds with different characteristics. Some birds are faster than others while others can be split into multiple birds. You control the trajectory(轨迹) of the birds with the slingshot which launches them towards rickety structures containing your main enemy, the pigs. In order to advance to the next level you must eliminate(消灭) all of the pigs before your birds run out.
Rovio has released several different versions of the game at this point. The original, Seasons, and Rio. Seasons is a collection of holiday themed versions of the game while Rio was a movie tie in for the movie Rio. All versions continue to be updated with new levels which are free to those who have previously purchased the game.What's the meaning of the underlined word in the first paragraph?
| A．Turned. | B．Played a role. |
| C．Changed. | D．Came into being. |
In the game, the birds ________.
| A．have different kinds that only include faster birds and slower birds |
| B．have to be controlled to kill all of the pigs before your birds run out |
| C．are the enemy of the pigs which have been infected with pig flu |
| D．lose their temper for the pig flu so they try to kill the pigs |
According to the text, the game players ________.
| A．must pay for this game—angry birds one level by one level |
| B．only pay for once and then it will be updated freely |
| C．should control angry birds to kill all the animals with pig flu |
| D．will become angry easily for playing the game too much |
Which one is the best title of the passage?
| A．The Unknown Game—Angry Birds |
| B．Facts and Hints About the Game Angry Birds |
| C．Rovio Created Famous Games |
| D．Pigs and Angry Birds |
Have you ever had travel problems because your airplane was late? It is a common problem and it is getting worse. Airport delays make people angry and cost the country billions in lost work time.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the government agency that oversees air travel. They studied the problem of airline delays.
They found eleven major problems and suggested eleven ways to fix them. Some of the problems are caused because different regions of the country do things differently. The regions don't talk to each other enough. Some of them need new computers.
Also, more planes are flying. A strong economy has more people using airplanes to get around. Airplanes are a form of mass transportation now, like trains and buses were in the past. More planes in the airport cause delays.
The airport in San Francisco is a good example. It is growing fast. Many people go through San Francisco to get to other places around the world. Ron Wilson of the San Francisco International Airport says, “If you've got 18 flights that all want to take off at 8：00 am and you're on the 18th plane in line, you're going to be 40 minutes late.”
Weather is another main reason for delays. Weather causes about 70% of delays. Fog or freezing rain can cause delays.
The first thing the FAA wants to do is take control away from the regions during heavy traffic times and bad weather. A national center would make decisions on things that affect the whole country. The FAA also wants to put more distance between planes in the sky when the weather is bad. This rule could cause even more delays.
The FAA knows that their solutions will not solve the problems with airport delays. But, they hope to make things better. There are just too many planes, too few traffic controllers, and not enough new technology.FAA found that some of the delay problems are caused by ________ between two regions.
| A．different languages |
| B．technical misunderstanding |
| C．misunderstanding of the rules |
| D．lack of communication |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a reason for airline delays?
| A．A growing number of flights. |
| B．Bad weather. |
| C．A growing population. |
| D．Lack of new technology |
From the passage we can infer that ________.
| A．FAA is a national center which controls all the flight matters |
| B．FAA has taken control to solve airport delays |
| C．in San Francisco, each plane will delay about 40 minutes |
| D．safety rules during bad weather may cause more delays |
Which of the statements best gives the idea of the passage?
| A．FAA should make decisions to stop airport delays. |
| B．Airport delays are on the rise. |
| C．Travel problems cost billions in lost work time. |
| D．FAA has taken control of air traffic nationwide. |
STARBUCKS China yesterday renamed a newlyopened outlet near one of Buddhism's most famous temples after a wave of controversy over what critics called a “cultural invasion”．
The coffee shop in Hangzhou had opened as the Lingyin Temple Starbucks, leading some people to believe it was located inside the renowned temple.
However, the company said in a statement yesterday that the coffee shop was actually in the Lingyin scenic area, about 20 minutes' walk from the temple's entrance.It was said the outlet would now be known as the Lingyin Starbucks.
Wang Shan, deputy director of the Lingyin office of the West Lake Administration in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, said, “Actually, the coffee house is a long distance from the temple.It is located in the tourist service area on Lingyin Road outside of the temple, as part of the supporting facilities.”
The temple's administration urged the cafe to change its name to make it clear that it was not located inside the temple.
In a heated online debate, critics said the U．S.chain's commercial style would spoil the serenity that an oriental Buddhism temple should embrace.
Supporters, however, said that the talk of an “invasion” was misplaced as the outlet was not inside the temple but on a nearby commercial street where a KFC restaurant and a shopping mall had been open for more than six months.
The incident follows calls in 2009 to stop an earlier “cultural invasion” when the Seattlebased coffee chain had to move its outlet out of Beijing's Forbidden City seven years after it opened.
Critics urged closure of the outlet, which they said was a “humiliation” for a culture exemplified by the ancient buildings.Why did the temple's administration urge the cafe to change its name?
| A．To attract the tourists. |
| B．To tell the public the coffee outlet doesn't lie inside the temple. |
| C．To obey the government. |
| D．To do something to protect the temple. |
Why did the Seattlebased coffee chain have to move its outlet out of Beijing's Forbidden City?
| A．Because the Seattlebased coffee chain was thought as an earlier “cultural invasion”． |
| B．Because it changed Chinese culture. |
| C．Because the Seattlebased coffee chain earned much more money than the temples. |
| D．Because the Seattlebased coffee chain closed the shops by itself. |
What's the best title of this passage?
| A．Coffee shop's new outlet deletes the word “temple”． |
| B．Cultural invasion. |
| C．Starbucks chain invasion. |
| D．Seattlebased coffee chain's invasion. |
In the last couple of years, there has been a craze about timetraveling TV series in China.This year, it seems like the South Korean drama writers have fallen in a deep, neverending love with the timetravel trend.
Rooftop Prince
A prince from the Joseon era (18th century), Lee Gak is catapulted 300 years forward into the future in Seoul 2012 with his entourage(随从) when he tries to investigate the suspicious circumstances which surround the death of the woman he loves.In the present, he finds a young woman who looks exactly like his beloved crown princess.
Queen Inhyun's Man
The drama, set during the Joseon era, features the hero Kim Boongdo as he tries to restore the exiled Queen Inhyun.It is in this time period he is given the timetraveling power that transports him to the future world where he makes friends with an actress playing the role of Queen Inhyun for a drama in her time.
Dr Jin
Jin Hyuk is a genius neurosurgeon.Through a mysterious power, Jin finds himself transported back in time 150 years.He begins treating people there, but the lack of equipment and medical knowledge of the period forces him to seek new ways to aid the sick.Through this challenging process, Jin eventually becomes a genuine doctor.
Operation Proposal
Kang Baekho realizes that he falls in love with his best friend, Ham Yiseul, on the day of her wedding to another man.He travels back in time to various events of their lives hoping to change the outcome of their relationship.Will Kang be able to change the course of their future?Which of the following words can replace “catapulted” in Paragraph 2?
| A．Captured. | B．Transported. |
| C．Traveled. | D．Deserted. |
What do the three TV series have in common?
| A．They are all about love. |
| B．They all describe what happened in ancient times. |
| C．They are all based on true stories. |
| D．They all feature timetravel. |
If you are interested in prince and princess story, which will you turn into?
| A．Rooftop Prince. | B．Queen Inhyun's Man. |
| C．Dr Jin. | D．Operation Proposal. |
The Healthy Habits Survey(调查) shows that only about one third of American seniors have correct habits.Here are some findings and expert advice.
| 1．How many times did you brush your teeth yesterday? ·Finding：A full 33% of seniors brush their teeth only once a day. ·Step：Remove the 300 types of bacteria in your mouth each morning with a batteryoperated toothbrush.Brush gently for 2 minutes at least twice a day. 2．How many times did you wash your hands or bathe yesterday? ·Finding：Seniors, on average, bathe fewer than 3 days a week.And nearly 30% wash their hands only 4 times a day—half of the number doctors recommend. ·Step：We touch our faces around 3,000 times a day—often inviting germs(病菌) to enter our mouth, nose, and eyes.Use toilet paper to avoid touching the door handle.And, most important, wash your hands often with hot running water and soap for 20 seconds. 3．How often do you think about fighting germs? ·Finding：Seniors are not fighting germs as well as they should. ·Step：Be aware of germs.Do you know it is not your toilet but your kitchen sponge(海绵) that can carry more germs than anything else? To kill these germs, keep your sponge in the microwave for 10 seconds. |
What is found out about American seniors?
| A．Most of them have good habits. |
| B．Nearly 30% of them bathe three days a week. |
| C．All of them are fighting germs better than expected. |
| D．About one third of them brush their teeth only once a day. |
Doctors suggest that people should wash their hands ________.
| A．twice a day | B．three times a day |
| C．four times a day | D．eight times a day |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
| A．We should keep from touching our faces. |
| B．There are less than 300 types of bacteria in the mouth. |
| C．A kitchen sponge can carry more germs than a toilet. |
| D．We should wash our hands before touching a door handle. |
The text probably comes from ________.
| A．a guide book | B．a popular magazine |
| C．a book review | D．an official document |