At one time no one could travel on an English road faster than four miles an hour. That was the law until 1896. A man had to walk in front of a car which could not go faster than the man. At night the man had to carry a red lamp.
Once Charles Rolls brought a car from France to England, but he wanted to drive faster than four miles an hour. In order to have no trouble with the police, he had a talk with some of the police officers, who ordered their policemen to look the other way when the car came along the road. This was a good plan in the country, but not so easy to follow in the busy streets of London.
One night Rolls and some friends started from London on their journey to Cambridge. One of the men walked in front with the red lamp, but he walked as fast as he could. The police became very interested in walls and shop-fronts when they heard the car and not one of them saw it.
They reached a hill, but what a waste of time it was to drive down the hill at four miles an hour! Rolls was getting ready to jump into the car, but then he noticed a policeman who was not looking the other way. The slow car reached him.
“Good evening,” said the policeman, looking at the car.
“Good evening,” said Rolls, holding the lamp.
“One of these horseless things,” said the policeman, looking at it with interest.
“Yes,” said Rolls, and waited.
“I’ve often wanted a ride in one, but of course policemen can’t buy things like that.” He turned and looked hopefully in Rolls’s face.
“Jump in,” said Rolls.
“Thanks,” said the policeman, and did so. “Now,” he said, sitting down, “You can let it go just as you like down this hill. There isn’t another policeman on this road for a mile and a half.”The policemen were told “to look the other way” so that _______.
| A.they could watch the car coming from the other direction |
| B.Rolls’s car could go faster than four miles an hour |
| C.they could make sure no one was in the way |
| D.the car would not hit them on the road |
In what way did the policemen carry out the order from their officers?
| A.They greeted Rolls when the car came along. |
| B.They walked in front of the car with a red lamp. |
| C.They pretended to be attracted by something else. |
| D.They stood on duty every 1.5 miles along the road. |
The policeman who said “Good evening” to Rolls wanted to _______.
| A.teach Rolls a lesson |
| B.take a free ride home |
| C.have a talk with Rolls |
| D.have a car ride experience |
After the policeman jumped into the car, Rolls _______.
| A.dared not drive the car faster than he was allowed to |
| B.could drive as fast as he wished within a certain distance |
| C.could drive on any road he liked for the rest of the journey |
| D.drove his car as fast as he could down the hill to Cambridge |
There are two basic ways to see growth: one as a product, the other as a process. People have generally viewed personal growth as an external(外部的) result or product that can easily be identified and measured. The worker who gets a promotion, the student whose grades improve, the foreigner who learns a new language--- all these are examples of people who have measurable results to show for their efforts.
By contrast, the process of personal growth is much more difficult to determine, since by definition it is a journey and not the specific signposts or landmarks along the way. The process is not the road itself, but rather the attitudes and feelings people have, their caution or courage, as they go through new experiences and unexpected obstacles. In this process, the journey never really ends; there are always new ways to experience the world, new ideas to try, new challenges to accept.
In order to grow, to travel new roads, people need to have a willingness to take risks, to be faced with the unknown, and to accept the possibility that they may “fail” at first. How we see ourselves as we try a new way of being is essential to our ability to grow.
These feelings of insecurity and self – doubt are both unavoidable and necessary if we are to change and grow. If we do not face and overcome these internal fears and doubts, if we protect ourselves too much, then we cease to grow. We become trapped inside a shell of our own making.A person is generally believed to achieve personal growth when______..
| A.he has given up his smoking habit |
| B.he has made great efforts in his work |
| C.he is interested in making anything new |
| D.he has tried to determine where he is on his journey |
In the author’s eyes, one who views personal growth as a process would______.
| A.judge his ability to grow from his own achievements |
| B.succeed in climbing up the social ladder |
| C.face difficulties and take up challenges |
| D.aim high and reach his goal each time |
When the author says “a new way of being” (para. 3), he is referring to _____.
| A.a new way of taking risks |
| B.a new approach to experiencing the world |
| C.a new system of adapting to change |
| D.a new method of finding ourselves |
For personal growth, the author may not support __________. .
| A.curiosity and more chances |
| B.being quick in self – adaptation |
| C.open – minded to new experiences |
| D.avoidance of internal fears and doubts |
Chinese New Year Celebration is the most important celebration of the year. Chinese people may celebrate the Chinese New Year in slightly different ways but their wishes are almost the same; they want their family members and friends to be healthy and lucky during next year.
Chinese New Year Celebration usually lasts for 15 days. Celebratory activities include Chinese New Feast, firecrackers, giving lucky money to children, the New Year bell ringing and Chinese New Year Greetings. Most of Chinese people will stop the celebrating in their home on the 7th day of New Year because the national holiday usually ends around that day, however celebrations in public areas can last until the 15th day of New Year.
It is the money given to kids from their parents and grandparents as New Year gift. The money is believed to bring good luck, ward off monsters; hence the name "lucky money". Parents and grandparents first put money in small, especially-made red envelopes and give the red envelopes to their kids after the New Year's Feast or when they come to visit them on the New Year. They choose to put the money in red envelopes because Chinese people think red is a lucky color. They want to give their children both lucky money and lucky color.What can we learn from the Paragragh 1?
| A.Chinese New Year Celebration is one of the most important celebrations in China |
| B.Chinese New Year Celebration can bring luck to them during the next year |
| C.Some different celebrations still exist |
| D.Kids can get their lucky money during the Chinese New Year Celebration |
Where can we meet some celebrations in the 13th day of the New Year in China?
| A.Wal-Mart Stores | B.Your uncle’s family |
| C.Yuanmingyuan Imperial Garden | D.High school |
Which way is not mentioned in the passage below to celebrate New Year?
| A.Set off fireworks | B.Come over relatives |
| C.Receive presents | D.Get lucky money |
Where can we probably find the passage?
| A.A travel brochure | B.A newspaper |
| C.A tradition guide | D.A textbook |
The New York Aquarium (水族馆) offers a diverse collection and nice viewing experience for all our guests. Whether you’re observing penguins on their rocky coastline home or swimming underwater, looking at a coral reef (珊瑚礁) under the water, or cheering on California sea lions at the theater, you’ll find plenty to see and do during your visit. Your underwater adventure is waiting for you! This summer, head out to Coney Island to learn about the underwater world at the New York Aquarium.
Just off the Coney Island in Brooklyn, the New York Aquarium features more than 300 marine (海洋的) species, such as dolphins and seals. Meet some of our mammals and fish, and learn about their natural history, biology, and cultural roles.
| Hours |
|
| Summer hours May 28 – Sept. 5 |
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. , Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. , Weekends & Holidays |
| Fall hours Sept. 6 – Nov. 6 |
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. , Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. , Weekends & Holidays |
| Winter hours Nov. 7 – Mar. 31 |
10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. , Daily |
| Spring hours Apr. 1– May 27 |
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. , Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. , Weekends & Holidays |
Total Experience Ticket
Adult $18.00
Child (Ages 3-12) $14.00
Senior (65+)$15.00
Groups (at least ten visitors) $8.00
﹡Includes admission to our 4-D Theater Plus General Admission.
﹡Children under 3 years old are free!
﹡To receive the group rate, you must make a reservation at least two weeks in advance of your group’s visit. Please call 718-741-1818.
Friday Afternoon Special
Admission on Fridays beginning at 3:00 p.m. is by donation. Suggested donation is $13 for adults, $9 for children, and $10 for seniors. Every dollar you give supports our work in caring for animals at the aquarium.
Aquarium Parking
Car $13.00
Bus $13.00
Please note:
﹡Due to rising costs, the Wildlife Conservation Society reserves the right to change all fees without notice.
﹡All Aquarium buildings and exhibits are wheelchair-accessible.
﹡For further information, please call 718-265-3454.Which animal can’t visitors probably see at the New York Aquarium?
| A.Penguins. | B.Pandas. | C.Dolphins. | D.Seals. |
Six adults (including a man of 68) and two children (aged 2 and 10) are going to visit the New York Aquarium on Sunday. They will have to pay ______________ at least.
| A.$144 | B.$133 | C.$64 | D.$119 |
The donation is used to ______________.
| A.help the poor people |
| B.help to save the endangered animals in the wild |
| C.care for animals at the aquarium |
| D.help the disabled visitors |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A.You can visit the New York Aquarium at 5:30 p.m. on Christmas. |
| B.A visitor in a wheelchair can get around at the New York Aquarium. |
| C.Visitors can enjoy free parking service on Friday. |
| D.To enjoy the group rate, visitors must make a reservation at least two weeks in advance by sending an e-mail. |
You love Jay Chou's songs and you can sing some quite well. So you make a video of your performance and post it online for your friends to see. But what if this led to something beyond your wildest
imagination—a career in music?
Canadian teenager Justin Bieber, 16, has just had the magical experience: He posted homemade videos of his versions of songs by American singer Chris Brown online for his relatives. He received a phone call from Brown, telling him how much he liked his performance. His singing eventually earned him a fan base and a record contract. After releasing a popular record in November 2009, his album My world 2.0 came out last Tuesday.
Bieber sings ballads(民歌)and songs about puppy love. But is he just another gooey (甜腻的) teen idol? David Malitz, a columnist with the Washington Post, doesn't think so. “If we truly want the best forAmerican children, let us pause and give thanks for Justin Bieber,” he writes. “After years of humdrum bubblegum (乏味的摇滚舞曲) from Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers, the 16yearold has thrown a candycoated wrench (扭转) into Disney's heartthrob (甜心) assembly line by giving young fans something worth screaming their lungs out for lovable pop songs.”
From a boy who grew up below the poverty line with his divorced mom to a star who caused nearriots (近乎失控) in shopping malls, even Bieber himself can't believe his overnight fame, although his kind of success is becoming more and more common in the Internet era.
Interested in hockey, the national sport of Canada, the boy once put up pictures of players on the walls of his bedroom. He dreamed of being a hockey star and used to practice signing his autograph. He doesn't need practice now. He signs autographs, if the girls can get close enough, as a music star.What did Chris Brown think of Justin Bieber's singing?
| A.He didn't like it. | B.He liked it very much. |
| C.He didn't say anything. | D.He supported Justin Bieber. |
What can we learn from the fourth paragraph?
| A.He had a happy family. |
| B.His family was very poor once. |
| C.His family was rich. |
| D.His family helped him a lot. |
What's Justin Bieber's hobby?
| A.Singing. | B.Hockey. | C.Signing. | D.Making records. |
What's the best title of the passage?
| A.Justin Bieber's overnight singing online. |
| B.Justin Bieber's common experience. |
| C.Justin Bieber's life. |
| D.Justin Bieber's records. |
All across California, honeybees are flying away from their hives(蜂箱) and dying. Empty hives are causing a lot of worry about some important food crops.
Bees give us a lot more than delicious honey. They are pollinators(授粉者)—they enable plants to produce the fruits and nuts we enjoy by carrying pollen from one plant or flower to the next. The wind pollinates oats, corn, and wheat, but many other plants (like apple and cherry trees and melon vines) depend on insects, bats, and birds. In the U.S., millions and millions of bees kept by human beekeepers fly around doing a lot of this important work for food crops. “Bees are worth protecting because their work adds so much to our diet,” says Dr. Jeff Pettis of the Bee Research Laboratory.
California’s almond (杏仁) crop alone depends on about half the bees in the country. But now the almond crop and many others could be in trouble with so many bees dying.
Researchers at government and university labs all over the country are trying to figure out why so many bees are dying. However, bees are hard to study. Most die away from the hive, so researchers don’t have dead bodies to examine. And when researchers return to a hive after two weeks, about half the bees they studied on their first visit will be dead, replaced by new ones in the natural life cycle of bees.“It isn’t like studying a large animal like a cow that doesn’t move around much and is easy to find out in the cow field,” says Pettis.
Researchers have some ideas about what could be affecting bee health. They could be sick from poisons widely used to kill insects, or they might not be getting enough good food to stay strong. Also, tiny insects called mites feed on bees. “A virus or bacteria could also be doing the killing.” explains Pettis.What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
| A.The wind helps pollinate. |
| B.Bees are important in food crops. |
| C.Bees give us a lot of delicious honey. |
| D.Cherry trees are pollinated by bees. |
Bees are hard to study because ____________.
| A.they move around too much |
| B.new bees soon replace all the bees studied by researchers |
| C.they are too tiny |
| D.they never return to hives |
What could cause so many bees to die?
| A.Poisons to kill birds. | B.Eating too much. |
| C.Large insects. | D.Some virus. |
What can we learn from the article?
| A.A large number of bees have died in the hive. |
| B.Without bees, some foods would disappear from our diet. |
| C.Only researchers in California want to know what kills bees. |
| D.Large animals are easier to study than tiny insects. |