Imagine this: You’re working on a school paper on your laptop. Your screen is full of open programs, including documents, Web pages and MSN chat.
Suddenly, a friend sends you a link to a video and demands that you watch it. He says it’s about cats, it’s funny and you’re going to love it. But you can’t help thinking, “I don’t have time for this right now.” You start to feel even more stressed out than you already did about your paper. While you don’t want to disappoint your friend, you need to keep working.
This is a common dilemma in an age of multitasking.
I often find that my focus is so easily distracted that when I need to work I become quite annoyed in response to these types of links. At the same time, when they’re from good friends, I can’t just ignore them. Usually, I say something like “Cool, I’ll look at it later.” But this often disappoints the other person, creating an awkward break in the conversation. Other times, I’ll just say “OK”, wait a while and then send a second message saying “That was great!” While this approach is simpler that ignoring the other person, it seems ridiculous to life to avoid making a social faux pas(失礼).
The problem is that new technologies offer a good many new possibilities, both positive and negative. On the one hand, the Internet connects you to millions of people whom you can make friends with and learn from. On the other hand, it offers just as many ways to waste time.
When you’re signed on to MSN chat, the other person can’t see that you have three papers to finish before the end of the week---so you better believe they’re going to send you a video of monkeys dancing to music.
Online chat is convenient, but the advantage of face-to-face communication is that you can see exactly what other people are doing.
If they are really good friends, you should feel blessed to give them your full attention without worrying about what’s going on in that other window or program.Why does the author feel annoyed when he receives a link to a video from a friend of his?
A.Because his friend wants to distract him from his work. |
B.Because he cannot concentrate on his work. |
C.Because the video is too boring. |
D.Because the video has something to do with his work. |
What will the author do to respond to his friend’s request for watching the video?
A.He will do as his friend asks. \ |
B.He will put it off or tell a white lie. |
C.He will ignore his friend’s disappointment. |
D.He will delete the link of the video. |
What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 mean?
A.There is an embarrassing pause or silence. |
B.The author has broken the ice. |
C.His friend intends to end their friendship. |
D.They need a good rest after the conversation. |
Compared with online chat, face-to-face communication allows people _______.
A.to communicate with each other more conveniently |
B.to watch a video of a monkey dancing to music |
C.to better understand what other people are working on |
D.to hide something secret from other people |
Which of the following statements does the author probably agree with?
A.Share an interesting video with your friend whether he/she is busy or not. |
B.Neglect the links sent by your friend while working. |
C.New technologies always bring us pressure rather than convenience. |
D.It is a dilemma whether to disappoint your friend or stop working. |
Have you ever been bitten? Of course you have. You are surrounded by living things which might, or do, bite. Even when you rest your head on your pillow, bedbugs are probably nibbling away(蚕食) at you. They live happily inside most pillows.
Take a walk outside and you are a target for “man’s best friend. ” Hundreds of dog-bite victims visit US emergency rooms daily. Many bites are terrible. To avoid the dogs in your neighborhood, you might want to hike into the desert or the woods. There, you run the risk of bites from rattlesnakes, scorpions, and blood-sucking ticks. Not to mention bears, wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions.
Speaking of housing, watch out when you touch the corner of your house or garage. Shy but deadly, the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider make themselves comfortable in quiet areas of your closets or garage. One bite from either of them can make you very sick; occasionally, people die from such bites. Unfortunately, many people fear all spiders, not just the few dangerous ones. They squash them or run from them at first sight, not realizing that most spiders are actually beneficial to man.
If you’re concerned about bites, don’t forget about rabid(患有狂犬病的) animal bites. Any warm-blooded animal can get infected with rabies. Although humans in the US rarely get attacked by rabid animals, the disease is painful and dangerous. You will most likely die if you are not treated properly within 48 hours of being bitten. How does the author introduce the topic of this passage?
A.By asking questions. | B.By giving examples. |
C.By offering suggestions. | D.By doing experiments. |
According to the 2nd passage, “man’s best friend” is _____________.
A.Bedbugs | B.Dogs | C.Coyotes | D.Scorpions |
When you at home, you will probably be bitten by __________.
①rattle snakes②bedbugs③bears④spiders⑤rabid animals
A.①④ | B.②③ | C.③⑤ | D.②④ |
What can we infer from the 3rd paragraph?
A.All spiders are dangerous and one bite from each of them can be very serious. . |
B.The black widow spider is actually beneficial to humans. |
C.Spiders always make themselves comfortable in quiet place in your house. |
D.One should squash a spider at first sight to keep safety. |
In the author’s opinion, __________.
A.No matter what kind of animal bites you, there is no danger at all. |
B.One should treat rabid animal bites properly within 2 days. |
C.Humans in the US can be bitten by rabid animals frequently. |
D.Hundreds of rabid animal-bite people visit emergency room daily in the US. |
Buying books on the internet is a great way to save time and money. Online bookstores offer new books and used books that can save you lots of money. They are far better compared to traditional bookstores as they offer much broader kinds of books. Another advantage of shopping online is that you can also read the book reviews as well as readers’ reviews to get an idea whether the book is worth buying. Online bookstores offer great discounts(折扣) to regular customers which is a big attraction for book lovers.
For book lovers, the most important thing is to get books on time. Therefore, you need to find a reliable(可靠的) online bookstore that will be able to provide fast deliveries(送货).
Here are some tips to use when choosing an online bookstore. Some online bookstores are popular for fiction books; some are for non-fiction books or novels, etc. Understanding their specialization will help you get the right kind of books in time. Check whether you will be buying the books from a third-party seller or directly from the website. Although the website could be reputable(声誉好的),third-party sellers advertised on their site may not have a good reputation. Never jump at stores that offer super cheap prices, as books sold at such low prices could be in very bad condition.
Most of the popular online bookstores offer useful tools. One tool is a wish list tool on its website. You can update(更新) the list of books you wish to buy in the future. The bookstore will know what you want and will e-mail you immediately when the book of your choice is available. Why do you think online bookstores are much better than traditional ones?
A.Because online bookstores offer readers the latest books. |
B.Because online bookstores offer readers more kinds of books to choose from. |
C.Because online bookstores offer readers the lowest prices. |
D.Because online bookstores offer readers more about their favorite authors. |
How can a reader buy a worthy book when shopping online?
A.By comparing service. |
B.By asking for discounts. |
C.By reading online reviews |
D.By asking booksellers for advice. |
What do online book lovers care about most?
A.The speed of deliveries | B.The author of books. |
C.The prices of books. | D.The condition of books. |
The wish list tool can help readers .
A.learn about the number of the books |
B.get to know more reliable booksellers |
C.pay for their books more quickly |
D.buy their favorite books in time |
What is the 3rd paragraph mainly about?
A.How to choose a reliable online bookstore. |
B.How to avoid buying bad condition books online. |
C.How to understand the specialization of an online bookstore. |
D.How to advertise on the website to get a good reputation. |
She looked at the man walking along the sidewalk next to the nice houses. He didn't live in any of those houses. She had seen this man several times before. He looked like a criminal. She knav not to judge a book by its cover, but this man was no good
She drove by him. He looked at her car as she drove by. She continued driving. She watched him in her rear view mirror. She got to the corner and stopped. She continued to watch him walking in her direction. Suddenly, he turned left up a driveway. A red SUV was parked in the driveway right next to the sidewalk. She saw him walk up to the driver's door and put his hand on the handle. He relumed to the sidewalk and continued walking in her direction.
“What was that all about. ” she wondered. Then she realized that he had tested the door to see if it was locked. He is a criminal, she thought That's what he does. He just walks through our neighborhoods looking for cars to break into.
She called the police. She described the man. The officer said he knew who the man was. Residents called two or three times a week to report him walking by. But the police couldn't arrest him for walking around. They had to catch him with stolen goods. "But he was testing that SUV door to see if it was unlocked," she said.
"I'm sony," said the officer. "That's not against the law. If you see him actually steal something, give us a call.”What could be the best title of this passage?
A.A crazy man | B.A wandering man |
C.A stealing man | D.A useless policeman |
The underlined word “criminal” in paragraph 1 can best be replaced by ____________.
A.thief | B.killer | C.worker | D.cleaner |
Which of the following statements is true?
A.The woman recognized the man and wanted to arrest him. |
B.The police knew the man’s identity and arrested him finally. |
C.The woman was walking after the man when she called the police. |
D.The man did a series of strange things but the police couldn’t arrest him. |
Why couldn’t the police arrest the man?
A.Because the police knew that the man was a resident of this area. |
B.Because the police knew that the SUV belonged to the man. |
C.Because the police knew that just walking around isn’t against the law. |
D.Because the police knew that it was not the man but the woman who broke the law. |
According to the passage, what can we know about the man?
A.He wore a suit that day. |
B.He has broken into several cars before. |
C.He is the owner of that red SUV. |
D.He was always walking along that sidewalk. |
It was unusually quiet in the emergency room on December 25.
I was nurse on duty that day. I didn’t think there would be any patients, sighing about having to work on Christmas. Just then five bodies showed up at my desk, a pale woman and four small children.
“Are you all sick?” I asked suspiciously.
“Yes,” she said weakly and lowered her head.
But when it came to descriptions of their presenting problems, things got a little vague. Two of the children had headaches, but the headaches weren’t accompanied by the normal body language of holding the head or trying to keep it still. Two children had earaches, but only one could tell me which ear was affected. The mother complained of a cough but seemed to work to produce it.
Something was wrong, but I didn’t say anything but explained that it might be a little while before a doctor saw her. She responded, “Take your time; it’s warm here.”
On a hunch (出于直觉), I checked the chart after the admitting clerk had finished registering the family. No address---they were homeless. The waiting room was warm.
I looked out at the family huddled by the Christmas tree. The little one was pointing at the television and exclaiming something to her mother. The oldest one was looking at an ornament on the Christmas tree.
I went back to the nurses’ station and mentioned we had a homeless family in the waiting room. The nurses, grumbling about working Christmas, turned to compassion for a family just trying to get warm on Christmas. The team went into action, much as we do when there’s a medical emergency. But this one was a Christmas emergency.
We were all offered a free meal in the hospital cafeteria on Christmas Day, so we claimed that meal and prepared a banquet for our Christmas guests. We needed presents. We put together oranges and apples in a basket. We collected from different departments candies, crayons and other things available that could be presents. As seriously as we met the physical needs of the patients that came to us that day, our team worked to meet the needs, and exceed the expectations, of a family who just wanted to be warm on Christmas Day.
Later, as the family walked to the door to leave, the four year old came running back, gave me a hug and whispered, “Thanks for being our angels today.”Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?
A.Working Christmas Day |
B.Christmas Day is Coming |
C.A Happy Family |
D.A Pale Woman and Four Small Children |
What kind of person do you think the author is?
A.Hardworking and outgoing |
B.Serious and careful |
C.Hardworking and warmhearted |
D.Serious and stubborn |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Something was wrong with one of the children’s heads. |
B.The pale woman forgot to write the address. |
C.The author did not understand the truth. |
D.The children’s mother told a lie. |
It can be inferred from the text that______.
A.The author didn’t think there would be any patients on Christmas Day |
B.The woman was uncomfortable when she lowered her head |
C.The family appeared in the emergency room on Christmas Eve |
D.The woman and four small children were satisfied and grateful |
By 2050 there will have been an extra 2.5 billion people on earth. And what will they eat?
To solve the problem, we should have to double our food production. We can also develop a diet of algae(海藻), insects and meat grown in laboratories.
Algae can grow very quickly at sea, in polluted water and in places that would normally kill food crops. They are already eaten widely in Japan and China and they are eaten by almost everything from shrimps to blue whales. They can fix CO2 in the atmosphere and provide fats and sugars.
Man-made meat looks like meat, feels like meat and it is meat, although it’s never been from a living, breathing animal. Instead, it is grown from cells in big containers. Moreover, studies show that producing man-made meat will use far less water, energy and land.
China has developed “green super rice”, a series of rice types which produce more grain and have stronger ability to fight against floods, salty water, insects and disease. We used traditional plant breeding(作物育种)techniques to cross-breed more than 250 rice types. Green super rice, which is enough to feed an extra 100 million people, will be planted widely in the coming years.
Insects like ants are not on most European menus but at least 1,400 kinds are eaten across Africa, Latin America and Asia. Now, with rising food prices and worldwide land shortages, such insects are getting more and more popular. Not only are many insects rich in protein(蛋白质), low in fat and high in Ca and Fe, but insect farms need little space. And they can grow well on paper, algae and industrial wastes.In order to exist in the future, people have to _______.
A.move to other planets |
B.produce rain in laboratories |
C.build new laboratories for food research |
D.increase the food production or look for other food sources |
From the second paragraph we know that _______
A.algae have a strong life force |
B.few people eat algae now |
C.algae have few values for human beings |
D.algae can pollute our environment |
Green super rice _______
A.has to be watered with salty water |
B.can grow even in a bad environment |
C.includes no more than 250 rice kinds |
D.was developed with new technologies |
What can we learn from the passage?
A.Green super rice is delicious but high in price. |
B.In Asia about 100 million people may be faced with food shortages. |
C.Man-made meat doesn’t look like meat but has the same taste as real meat. |
D.One of the reasons why many people begin to eat insects is their rich food value. |