Some people will do just about anything to save money.And I am one of them.Take my family’s last vacation.It was my sixyearold son’s winter break from school, and we were heading home from Fort Lauderdale after a week long trip.The flight was overbooked, and Delta, the airline, offered us $400 per person in credits to give up our seats and leave the next day.I had meetings in New York, so I had to get back.But that didn’t mean my husband and my son couldn’t stay.I took my ninemonthold and took off for home.
The next day, my husband and son were offered more credits to take an even later flight.Yes, I encouraged — okay, ordered — them to wait it out at the airport, to “earn” more Delta Dollars.Our total take: $1,600.Not bad, huh?
Now some people may think I’m a bad mother and not such a great wife either.But as a bigtime bargain hunter, I know the value of a dollar.And these days, a good deal is something few of us can afford to pass up.
I’ve made a living looking for the best deals and exposing(揭露)the worst tricks.I have been the consumer reporter of NBC’s Today show for over a decade.I have written a couple of books including one titled Tricks of the Trade: A Consumer Survival Guide.And I really do what I believe in.
I tell you this because there is no shame in getting your money’s worth.I’m also tightfisted when it comes to shoes, clothes for my children, and expensive restaurants.But I wouldn’t hesitate to spend on a good haircut.It keeps its shape longer, and it’s the first thing people notice.And I will also spend on a classic piece of furniture.Quality lasts.Why did Delta give the author’s family credits?
A.They took a later flight. |
B.They had early bookings. |
C.Their flight had been delayed. |
D.Their flight had been cancelled. |
What can we learn about the author?
A.She rarely misses a good deal. |
B.She seldom makes a compromise. |
C.She is very strict with her children. |
D.She is interested in cheap products. |
What does the author do?
A.She’s a teacher. |
B.She’s a housewife. |
C.She’s a media person. |
D.She’s a businesswoman. |
What does the author want to tell us?
A.How to expose bad tricks. |
B.How to reserve airline seats. |
C.How to spend money wisely. |
D.How to make a business deal. |
As skies are filled with millions of migrating(迁徙)birds, European scientists say the seasonal wonder appears to be strange: The fatter the bird, the better it flies.
The results of their study led to a theory opposite to a central one of aerodynamics(空气动力学), which says that the power needed to fly increases with weight.
For birds, obviously, the cost of flying with heavy fat is much smaller than we used to think. Researchers found that red knot wading birds double their normal body weight of 100 grams before making their twice-a-year nonstop flight between the British Isles and the Russian Arctic. Distance: 5, 000 kilometers.
Another study in the magazine Nature measured the advantage of flying in an aerodynamic group which allows birds to save energy by flying smoothly and quietly in the lead bird’s air stream.
Flying in groups, their heart rates were 14.5 percent lower than flying alone, according to Henri, a French scientist. The findings help explain how birds complete difficult migrations. Researchers had thought that thinner, stronger birds would have the best chance to survive.
The first study suggests that building up fat to be burnt as fuel during the migration is worth more than the energy it takes to carry the additional weight.
In the study, researchers said their team studied the birds flown at different body weights during 28 simulated(模拟的)flights. They forced a small amount of special water into the birds’ bodies so that they could measure the amount of energy burnt during the flight.
60.A red knot wading bird of 100 grams will probably weigh_____before making its nonstop migrating flight.
A.50 grams B.100 grams C.150 grams D.200 grams
61.During their migrating flight, red knot wading birds can save energy by flying_______.
A.separately B.alone C.in groups D.in pairs
62.A_______red not wading bird has a better chance to survive during its migrating flight.
A.stronger B.weaker C.thinnerD.fatter
63.The best title for this passage may probably be________.
A.Birds Thin Down For Journey B.Birds Fatten Up For Journey
C.How Birds Build Up Fat For Journey D.How Birds Burn Energy For Journey
A new eight-kilometer road is under construction that links the port area with motorway system. It is expected to carry 20,000 trucks and cars a day, which greatly reduces the overcrowded traffic in the center of the city. As part of the project, two four-kilometer road tunnels are being built below the central area of the city, one for traffic to the north and the other for the traffic to the south. The two tunnels are about 20 meters below the surface and are 12 meters wide, providing for two lanes of traffic in each direction.
In the upper part of the tunnel two air-conditioning pipes remove the waste gas of trucks and cars and keep the quality of air inside the tunnel. The lighting is at the top of the tunnel, practically at its highest point. There will also be electric signs at frequent intervals. They show traffic conditions ahead and can be seen clearly by drivers. The wall is made up of four main elements, which include a waterproofing covering and, on the inside of the tunnel, a concrete lining(混凝土衬砌).
Each tunnel is roughly round and the lower part of the tunnel is somewhat flat. The surface of the road lies on the base, which is made of concrete and steel. The drainage system, just below the road surface on one side, removes any extra liquid, particularly water. In the event of fire, the fire main, which is made of steel, pipes water to many fire hydrant stations at regular intervals along the length of the tunnel. The fire main is at the side of the tunnel and at the level of the road surface. Other systems in the tunnel will include emergency phones.
72. Each of the tunnels under construction is _____.
A. eight kilometers long and twenty meters wide B. eight kilometers long and six meters wide
C. four kilometers long and twenty meters wide D. four kilometers long and six meters wide
73. Which part of the tunnel in the diagram is used to pipe out extra water?
A. 1B. 3 C. 5D 6
74. Driving in the tunnel, one can know the traffic conditions ahead through______.
A. the lightsB. the electric signs
C. the trucks and the carsD. the emergency phones
75. The passage is mainly about _____.
A. the construction of a road B. the design of a road
C. the construction of two tunnels D.the design of two tunnels
Unlike modern animal scientists, dinosaur scientists cannot sit on a hillside and use telescopes to watch dinosaurs in order to know how they lived and whether they were good parents. Instead, they have to search hard for information from dinosaurs’fossils(恐龙化石) because dinosaurs died out millions of years ago.
It’s very difficult for the scientists to reach an agreement because different results can be got from the same fossils, Many fossils of the same kind of dinosaurs have been dug out from one place. They might have formed when an entire group of dinosaurs got stuck(陷入)all at once, or they might have been the result of dinosaurs getting stuck one after another over a course of a few centuries. Thus we can say that dinosaurs might have in the first case lived in big groups and in the second lived alone.
Though there are two different results, dinosaur scientists now generally agree that at least some kinds of dinosaurs lived in big groups. “That’s pretty much settled at this point.” Says Paul Sereno, A kind of dinosaurs called Sauropods left behind tracks in the western United States that appear to run north and south, suggesting that they even moved long distances together.
As to whether dinosaurs cared for their young, dinosaur scientists have turned to the closest living relatives of dinosaurs ― birds and crocodiles ― for possible models. Birds give a lot of care to their young, while crocodiles just help their young to the water. The discovered fossils of dinosaurs sitting on their eggs and staying with their young suggest the parents were taking care of their babies, but we still cannot say that all dinosaurs did the same.
There is still a long way to go before the above questions could be answered. Dinosaur scientists will have to find more proof to reach an agreement.
60.Dinosaur scientists can get information directly by .
A.studying dinosaur fossils B.examining modern animals
C.watching dinosaurs D.using telescopes
61.What is pretty much settled according to Paul Sereno?
A.Half of the dinosaurs lived alone. B.Most dinosaurs moved long distances.
C.Many dinosaurs settled in the north. D.Some dinosaurs lived in big groups.
62.Dinosaur scientists can probably know whether dinosaurs were good parents by .
A.watching many kinds of animals B.studying dinosaurs’living relatives
C. following the tracks left behind D.working on dug-out dinosaur eggs
63.Which of the following the according to the paragraph?
A.Birds hardly ay attention to their young. B.Baby crocodiles can look after themselves well.
C.Some dinosaurs took care of their young. D.Birds and crocodiles take good care of their young.
Researchers are placing robotic dogs (机器狗) in the homes of lonely old people to determine whether they can improve the quality of life for humans. Alan Beck, an expert in human-animal relationship, and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study concerning the influence of robotic dogs on old people’s depression, physical activity, and life satisfaction. “No one will argue that an older person is better off being more active, challenged, or stimulated (刺激) ,” Edwards points out. “The problem is how we promote(使……成为现实)that, especially for those without friends or help. A robotic dog could be a solution.”
In the study, the robot, called AIBO, is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, researchers will collect baseline data for six weeks. These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activity before and after AIBO. Then, the researchers will review the data to determine if it has inspired any changes in the life of its owner.
“I talk to him all the time, and he responds to my voice,” says a seventy-year-old lady.“When I’m watching TV, he’ll stay in my arms until he wants down. He has a mind of his own.”
The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The researchers say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns.
“At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate to the robotic dog, because it was metal and not furry,” Beck says. “But it’s amazing how quickly we have given up that belief.
“Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more-valuable health helper. They will record their masters’ blood pressure, oxygen levels, or heart rhythms. AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate older people’s minds.”
48. The purpose of Beck and Edwards’ study is to ______
A. understand human-animal relationship B. make lonely old people’s life better
C. find the causes of old people’s loneliness D. promote the animal-assisted research
49. In the research, the old people are asked to ______
A. note the activities of AIBOs B. keep AIBOs at home for 12 weeks
C. record their feelings and activity D. analyze the collected information
50. What is the advantage of AIBO over live dogs?
A. It is easier to keep at home. B. It can help the disabled people.
C. It responds to all the human orders. D. It can watch TV with its owner.
51. The author seems to suggest that the future robotic dogs may ______
A. cure certain diseases B. keep old people active
C. change people’s beliefs D. look more like real dogs
If you are lost in the mountains, stay calm in the face of darkness, loneliness, and the unknown. It will greatly increase your chances of survival (生存). Many people think that preparing necessary equipment and knowing how to use it are very important, but actually eighty percent of mountain survival is your reaction to fear.
Find a hiding place.
Unnecessary labor will make you sweat and make you cold. Find a hiding place around you before trying to start your own construction. If you are in a snow-covered area, you may be able to dig a cave in deep snow for protection from the wind. You should try to hide yourself in the middle of the mountain if possible. Stay out of the valleys — cold air falls, and the valley floor can be the coldest area on the mountain.
Signal rescuers for help.
The best time to signal rescuers is during the day. Signal for help from the highest point possible — it will be easier for rescuers to see you, and any sound you make will travel farther. If you take a box of matches and a space blanket (a special blanket for traveling), build three smoky fires and put your blanket — gold side facing out — on the ground.
Do not walk away.
It will make finding you more difficult, as search teams will be trying to follow your path and may miss you if you have gone off in a different direction. Searchers often end up finding a car with no one in it.
If you get frostbite (冻伤), do not rewarm the affected area until you’re out of danger.
You can walk on frostbitten feet, but once you warm the area and can feel the pain, you will not want to walk anywhere. Try to protect the frostbitten area and keep it dry until you are rescued.
36. When lost in the mountains, you can increase your chances of survival if you .
A. take a space blanket with you B. do more physical labor
C. try to find a car immediately D. walk as far as possible to find help
37. According to the passage, people most probably fail to survive if they .
A. do not take enough equipment B. stay in the middle of the mountain
C. do not keep themselves warm D. stay in a snow-covered area
38. What can we infer from the passage?
A. Don’t travel by yourself. B. Mountain traveling is dangerous.
C. Don’t get frightened in danger. D. Avoid going to unfamiliar places.