Have you ever heard of blogs (博客)? If you haven’t, you should have. It’s here, it’s growing and it’s having an influence on our life. Surf the Internet and you’ll find blogs everywhere. A blog, shortened from “weblog”, is a public Internet journal written by one person or a group of people. It is a website in which a person or a group can place news, personal thoughts, text, photos, video or audio files, or links upon which visitors can comment. A blog lets you post on the Internet without having to know web design or be technical. You are given an environment to make dated entries on the topic of your choice which are “published”, so other people can read them.
Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called “blogging”. Blogging has revolutionized Internet publishing in the last several years because it gives everyone with Internet access the opportunity to become an online writer. Objects, such as “text and photos” in a blog can be called “blog posts”, “posts”, or “entries”. The person who posts these entries is called a “blogger”.
Now, somewhere around the world, a blog is created almost every 6 seconds. Because it’s great potential, Bill Gates views it as important as e-mail, BBS, and MSN. He’s trying to make blogs the important tools for future business communications.A blog is .
| A．an Internet journal | B．a comment |
| C．a design | D．a link |
A person can do the following things in a blog EXCEPT _______.
| A．enjoy photos | B．give comments |
| C．read articles | D．talk to others |
Who is a blogger?
| A．A person who posts letters. |
| B．A person who posts text or photos in a blog. |
| C．A person who writes articles. |
| D．A person who is an online publisher. |
From the passage we know that .
| A．Bill Gates will invent some tools for blogs |
| B．blogs will replace e-mail, BBS and MSN in the future |
| C．blogs will be an important business communication tool in the future |
| D．so far, only a few persons have created blogs |
According to the passage, the reason why blogs are so popular is that they ____.
| A．give everyone the chance to be an online writer |
| B．can be created by people without much knowledge of computer technology |
| C．enable a blogger to place news, personal thoughts, text and photos and give comments |
| D．all of the above |
My Aunt Edith was a widow of 50, working as a secretary, when doctors discovered what was then thought to be a very serious heart illness．
Aunt Edith doesn’t accept defeat easily. She began studying medical reports in the library and found an article in a magazine about a well-known heart doctor Dr. Michael DeBakey, of Houston, Texas. He had saved the life of someone with the same illness. The article said Dr. DeBakey’s fees were very high；Aunt Edith couldn’t possibly pay them．But could he tell her of someone whose fee she could pay?
So Aunt Edith wrote to him．She simply listed her reasons for wanting to live；her three children, who would be on their own in three or four more years, among them a little girl who always dreamed of traveling and seeing the world．There wasn’t a word of self-pity—only warmth and humor and the joy of living．She mailed the letter, not really expecting an answer．
A few days later, my doorbell rang．Aunt Edith didn’t wait to come in：she stood in the hall and read aloud:
Your beautiful letter moved me very deeply．If you can come to Houston, there will be no charge for either the hospital or the operation.
Signed：Michael DeBakey
That was seven years ago．Since then, Aunt Edith has been around the world．Her three children are happily married．For her age, she is one of the youngest ,most alive people I know．“Aunt Edith doesn’t accept defeat easily” means that ______
| A．she is very beautiful |
| B．she is very strong |
| C．she is very brave |
| D．she is very warm-hearted |
Why did Aunt Edith write to Dr. DeBakey? Because ____
| A．she had no time to visit him |
| B．she didn’t know the wav to Houston |
| C．she didn’t believe in him |
| D．she wanted to get some help from him |
In fact, Aunt Edith’s letter to Dr.DeBakey was full of _____.
| A．courage |
| B．illness |
| C．pity |
| D．sadness |
After reading Dr. DeBakey’s letter, Aunt Edith felt ______.
| A．discouraged |
| B．frightened |
| C．disappointed |
| D．encouraged |
She's rarely seen without an elegant handbag on her arm, but the question of what the Queen keeps inside it has long remained a mystery. Now a new book claims to cast light on the contents of the royal matriarch's main possession.
What's In The Queen's Handbag: And Other Royal Secrets reveals that though the 81yearold British monarch(君主)doesn't carry cash, keys or passport—since she doesn't own one—her bag is far from empty. Inside are a collection of little presents from her children, a makeup case, some family photos, and a camera sometimes. There's also an sshaped metal hook that she places on the dinner table's edge to hang her bag from so that it doesn't touch the floor.
Should you ever meet the Queen, it's not what's in her bag but what she does with it that should concern you. She uses her bags, of which she has about 200 made by Londonbased firm Launier, to send signals to her staff.
Before dining with the Queen, a point is made to inform guests that dinner will end in about five minutes after she places her bag on the table top.
On walkabouts, she holds the bag to one side to show she intends to move on, at which point a ladyinwaiting joins the conversation, allowing her to slip away without causing offence.
When at a banquet, if the Queen's bag is placed on the floor, then it's a sign that she's not finding the conversation interesting, and wants nothing more than to escape. However, if the royal bag is dangling happily from the crook of her left arm, she is happy and relaxed.What does the article tell us about the Queen's handbag?
| A．She seldom has it with her. |
| B．She always carries the same handbag. |
| C．It used to be thought empty. |
| D．Its contents are not the same as ours. |
When is it necessary for the Queen to convey her intention with her bag?
| A．When she is with guests. |
| B．When she eats outside. |
| C．When she has her staff around. |
| D．When she is tired of speaking. |
The Queen gives no signal when she________.
| A．hangs her bag on the metal hook |
| B．hangs her bag from her left arm |
| C．places her bag on the floor |
| D．puts her bag on the table top |
By holding her bag to one side, the Queen shows she wants to________.
| A．talk to her ladyinwaiting |
| B．start a conversation |
| C．stop to continue her walk |
| D．go on with the talk |
The high-protein, low-carbohydrate (碳水化合物) diets many people turn to for weight loss might have potentially harmful long-term effects on the colon, a small study indicates.
In the study, UK researchers found that a protein-heavy, low-carb diet created certain changes in the colon that could contribute to colon cancer risk The study itself does not show whether high-protein diets really raise the risk of any colon diseases, but the findings raise that possibility.
Diets relatively high in protein and lower in carbs have been shown to help heavy people lose weight. "People should not be discouraged from losing weight," Dr Flint said. However, he added, they should make sure that any weight loss plan includes adequate amounts of fiber and a high protein intake over months to years might have ill effects on the colon.
The findings are based on 17 overweight men who followed three short-term diets: a one-week menu plan to keep their weight; a four-week high-protein diet with reasonable amounts of carbohydrates; and a four-week high-protein diet low in carbs.
On average, the study found when the men were on the high-protein diets, they had higher levels of substances known as N-nitroso compounds (亚硝基化合物) and other metabolites (代谢物) that have been linked to cancer. And when they were on the high-protein, low-carb diet, they had lowered amounts of fiber-originated compounds thought to be protective against cancer.
Exactly what those changes might mean for a person's health is not clear. But Flint said that the findings suggest that people should be cautious about consuming too much protein and too little fiber over a long period. In general, experts recommend that adults get about 28 grams of fiber per day-though it's not known whether that's enough for someone on a high-protein weight-loss diet. What is the best title of the text?
A Plan a Healthy Diet
B. Take Care of Your Colon
C. How to Lose Weight
D. How to Protect against Cancer The underlined word "colon" in Paragraph 1 probably refers to "_____".
| A．an organ |
| B．intelligence |
| C．a habit |
| D．behaviour |
The study shows that high-protein, low-carb diets may _____.
| A．affect your mood |
| B．lower cancer risks |
| C．harm your body |
| D．keep your figure |
It can be inferred from the text that _____.
| A．we shouldn't take the study seriously |
| B．weight problems are hard to solve |
| C．it is better to follow a low-carb diet |
| D．people should be cautious to lose weight |
The author is intended to _____.
| A．advise how to lose weight |
| B．introduce a scientific finding |
| C．describe a research process |
| D．talk about healthy diets |
In America it is common for children as young as four to participate in organized activities. Piano and ballet lessons, scouts meetings, soccer and softball practices surround their normal school schedules. However, one person is very important in the logistics of how these children are able to get from swimming practice to French lessons: The Soccer Mom. The Soccer Mom is a very important stereotype in American suburban life. The phrase Soccer Mom was first created in 1995 and broadly refers to a married middle-class woman who lives in the suburbs, works outside the home and has school age children. Much of her time is spent managing her children's schedules and transporting them to sporting events and other activities. The image of the Soccer Mom conjures a busy woman who drives a minivan large enough to contain her children, their friends and their sporting equipment. Once they arrive at the sporting event or other activity, the Soccer Mom will stay to watch, serving granola bars and juice to their children after their game or activity is finished.
In America, the roles of mother and of career woman demand opposite responsibilities from a woman. The role of a career woman is to work hard and climb the corporate ladder, while the role of mother often asks women to put her family's interests ahead of her own. The Soccer Mom attempts to straddle this divide, at once balancing her children and their activities with her own life outside her family. The Soccer Mom becomes overburdened with the weight of responsibilities. A 1999 poll states that being stressed out is one of the most frequently mentioned characteristics of a Soccer Mona. Yet without Soccer Moms, who would fill the responsibilities of getting children to where they needed to be? The best title for this passage is "_____".
| A．The Hectic Lifestyle of Suburban Children |
| B．The American Family |
| C．Minivans the Realm of the Soccer Mom |
| D．Soccer Moms in American Society |
The main role of Soccer Moms is _____.
| A．transporting their children |
| B．buying things for their children |
| C．pushing their children to achieve |
| D．a successful career |
Why are American mothers stressed out?
| A．Because they are very career centered. |
| B．Because they work and have children. |
| C．Because they push their children to achieve. |
| D．Because their husbands are lazy. |
What is a frequently mentioned characteristic of Soccer Moms?
| A．Overburdened. |
| B．Working outside the home. |
| C．Having young children. |
| D．Bringing juice to soccer games. |
What does "Climbing the corporate ladder" mean?
| A．Working. |
| B．Having a career as a woman. |
| C．Advancing your career. |
| D．Working in a ladder factory. |
The Chinese Antarctica(南极洲)expedition(探险队)returned to Shanghai on March 20 following a month living on the ice. It was the first time Chinese scientists had visited the Amery Ice Shelf—the longest ice shelf in the world.
The team collected ice samples and data on temperatures, which are necessary for research on global warming.
So far, about 27 countries have visited Antarctica for scientific research. Although the living conditions are very hard, many scientists have to stay there for long periods of time. So, how do they manage their lives on the ice?
Well, during the summer, the temperature in Antarctica reaches about-20℃. It falls to about-60℃ in winter. So, even if there are 24 hours of sunshine, scientists must keep wearing all the correct clothes to protect them from the cold. These clothes include jeans, running shoes, jackets, long underwears, boots and woolen socks.
Although highly technical clothing provides much protection against the extreme cold, scientists often need to go outside when there is an icy wind blowing and the temperature is-30℃. Natural protection such as facial hair can also help.
“That’s why many researchers wear a beard. It really does keep you warm，”says German explorer Arved Fuchs.
Usually, the polar researchers have good meals. Some even have feasts(盛宴)on holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day. Vegetables are always welcome and usually finished the quickest.
Life on the ice means living with other researchers in tight living space. Most people sleep in dorm(宿舍)style rooms. More remote field camps use separate tents. So, at least some researchers don’t have to put up with annoying snorers(打鼾者)．
But what do they do for fun in their spare time? There are actually a lot of things they can do. They watch movies, read tons of books, listen to music, have saunas(桑拿浴)，paint and ski. Some female researchers might even do some knitting.
It is important for a polar researcher to be in good physical condition. They can be required to climb to heights of more than 3, 000 meters. And the Antarctic atmosphere has less oxygen than that of any other continent. In which month of this year did the Chinese Antarctica expedition mentioned in the passage reach the Amery Ice Shelf?
| A．February. |
| B．March. |
| C．January. |
| D．December. |
Why do some polar researchers wear beards? Because _______.
| A．they have no time to shave(刮脸)their beards |
| B．beards are helpful to keep warm |
| C．beards will come out soon when they are shaved |
| D．they think beards will make them look handsome |
The underlined phrase “put up with” probably means _______.
| A．hear |
| B．turn down |
| C．let out |
| D．suffer from |
Which of the following do you think is the most important one to a polar researcher?
| A．Clothes. |
| B．Meals. |
| C．Tents. |
| D．Health. |
The best title of the passage is _______.
| A．The Antarctica |
| B．The Chinese Antarctica Expedition Explored the Antarctica |
| C．Life in Antarctica |
| D．The Exploration of Antarctica |