When policy experts debate climate change solutions, they often talk about "a price on carbon." They are arguing about whether companies should pay when they put carbon pollution in the air. Proponents say that it's simple economics -- if it's free to pollute, you'll get a lot of pollution. Opponents claim it will raise the cost of energy that's produced from high carbon sources, like coal. But here's the secret that most people seem to be missing: There already is a price on carbon, and it's paid by the taxpayers.
Carbon pollution, like every other form of pollution, has an impact on the environment. Throwing waste into a river will cause the fish to die and the people who drink the water to get sick. And when you produce carbon pollution, you get climate change -- sea level rise, stronger storms, severe droughts, damage to agriculture, and more.
All of those impacts cost money. Insurance rates go up when storms get more destructive. Taxes increase when cities have to rebuild bridges and roads. Military budgets go up when droughts and population changes cause conflicts. Not to mention impacts on agriculture and health care costs.
In other words, the price on carbon is what we all pay when there is no market force to limit the pollution that causes climate change. So the debate is really about who will pay that price -- the companies who are making a profit from the fossil fuels, or the taxpayers who pick up the cost now?
Right now, we have private profit and public cost. It's just like if we allowed every business to throw its garbage in the street because it's too expensive to have it moved away properly. Does it add a little bit to your dinner check to require that restaurants dispose of their trash properly? Sure. But it would be more expensive for you if the city had to clean the streets of their garbage every day. So just like we put a "price on garbage" we need a "price on carbon pollution."
Now, a "price on carbon pollution" can mean a lot of things. You could tax companies based on the amount of carbon pollution they produce, and return the money to taxpayers. You could put a limit on how much they can produce, thereby requiring them to invest in ways to conduct business in a less polluting way.What do the policy experts argue about carbon pollution?
| A．Whether the companies should pay for it. |
| B．Whether taxpayers could get profit from it. |
| C．Who have the ability to change it. |
| D．How much should be paid for it. |
What’s the main idea of Paragraph 2 ?
| A．Some other forms of pollution |
| B．The effects of carbon pollution |
| C．The signs of carbon pollution |
| D．The way to reduce carbon pollution |
The author referred to restaurants in the passage mainly to________.
| A．prove every business doesn’t perform its duty. |
| B．warn readers to protect the environment around. |
| C．explain the damage of no policy on carbon pollution. |
| D．show some restaurants throw away their trash randomly. |
According to the passage, what does the “price on carbon pollution” means?
| A．Telling the taxpayers to refuse to pay taxes on carbon pollution |
| B．Making the government invest to reduce carbon pollution |
| C．Increasing prices of the products from companies. |
| D．Taxing companies on carbon pollution they produce. |
A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”However, that’s not really true.Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves--the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. In fact, we really shouldn’t be, because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This“ self-talk” helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down.Be aware, though, that as much as 77%of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves.We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back ,The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying“ Good job!”
Often, words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effects they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses to others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or harsh and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.
Words possess power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it true? Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.
Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things.Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.The author argues in the first paragraph that __________.
| A．words will never hurt us at all |
| B．words have lasting effects on us |
| C．inspiring words give us confidence. |
| D．negative words may let us down |
Why should not we feel embarrassed when it comes to talking to ourselves?
| A．Talking to ourselves is believed to be good for our health. |
| B．Almost everybody has the habit of talking to oneself. |
| C．Talking to ourselves helps us to solve all the problems. |
| D．It is harmful to have “self-talk” when we are alone. |
The underlined phrase “give ourselves a pat on the back” in Paragraph three means “ _________”.
| A．blame ourselves | B．punish ourselves |
| C．talk to ourselves | D．praise ourselves |
Which of the following statements would the author agree to?
| A．Unkind words are unlikely to be forgotten. |
| B．Positive words may destroy all the good relations. |
| C．It is better to think twice before talking to others. |
| D．Kind words are sure to cause unfavorable response. |
Why should we talk in a friendly way when returning an item to a store?
| A．Because kind words destroy true relationships. |
| B．Because the clerk in a store is hard to deal with. |
| C．Because critical language may hurt your feelings. |
| D．Because friendly words cause positive responses. |
Some young Cambodians are learning a new sport---skateboarding. The country’s first skateboard park is located on the grounds of local charity group at the edge of Phnom Penh, the capital.
Sports like Khmer boxing and soccer are wildly popular in Cambodia. But Chea, who has been skating for 6 months, says skateboarding has already become the favorite sport.
The skateboarders are learning tricks like launching a jump or flying through the air on their narrow wooden boards.
A non-governmental organization called Skateistan Cambodia organizes weekly programs at the park. Skateistan started its work in Afghanistan years ago. Rory Burke is working with the group which expanded to Cambodia last year.
Rory Burke points out, “Yeah, it’s definitely not a typical Cambodian pastime .and I think the idea of ‘why skateboarding’ exists because it’s not been done before here. We want to use skateboarding as something saying, ‘ Hey, this is something new and different.’ And that kind of itself becomes a little bit of hook. People see it and they think and they say, ‘wow, what is that?’ and they want to get involved.”
Skateistan partners with local groups work with young people . The park is on the grounds of the group known as PSE, where children attend school and learn a trade. There are almost one hundred twenty participants. They all from troubled lives.
Seventeen-year-old Sang Rotha is a student at PSE. “Sometimes I don’t do well in subjects like math,” he says, “ I feel bad when I find it hard to keep up with my lessons. So that is why I skateboard to improve my bad feelings.”
He says he began skateboarding more than a year ago. Before he started training, it seemed very easy. But it was very difficult to learn tricks, and he got hurt a lot from falling off.
Rory Burke says learning to deal with the difficulties is part of the lesson for these young skateboarders..According to the passage, PSE is a group_____.
| A．that works with Cambodian students |
| B．for young Cambodians to learn a trade |
| C．for young Cambodians in troubled lives |
| D．for young Cambodian taking skateboarding |
.What is said about skateboarding in the passage?
| A．It is easy for young Cambodians to learn. |
| B．It is a good sport to help regain good feelings |
| C．It originated in Afghanistan years ago. |
| D．It is as popular as Khmer boxing in Cambodia. |
.The underlined pars “a little bit of hook” in paragraph 5 probably means_____.
| A．something strange |
| B．something new |
| C．something different |
| D．something attractive |
. It can be inferred from the passage that skateboarding is becoming_____.
| A．a sport liked by most young Cambodians |
| B．an increasingly popular sport in Cambodia |
| C．a sport used to better young Cambodians’ life |
| D．a good way to train young Cambodians’ learning skills |
Scholarship Application Tips in 2014 for college students
·Before you apply
1. Work hard to get good grades. Don’t sweat about one bad grade, but always strive(力求)to do your best.
2. Get involved, and stay involved, in extracurricular(课外的)activities. Sports, clubs, drama, bands and orchestras－these often count toward a student’s overall scholarship application evaluation. The same goes for paid (or unpaid) work experience.
3. Begin your scholarship research early－by your sophomore(大学二年级)or junior year of high school, if possible. Make special note of application deadlines, as they can vary from late summer to late spring.
4. Apply for as many scholarships as you are eligible(符合条件的)for－several smaller scholarships can add up to a lot of money.
·During the application process
1. Read the supplementary materials that come with scholarship application forms to better understand the program’s focus (community service, subject interest). Try to answer the questions with the focus area in mind.
2. Answer questions as they are asked. Don’t go off the topic.
3. If there is a financial component to the application, make sure you get accurate and complete information from all appropriate sources to ensure your eligibility.
4. Take your time. Write down everything you can think of for each question, then set the application aside for a day so you can look everything over again before you send it off.
5. Don’t wait until the last minute to complete your application, especially if you are applying online. Computer systems can get clogged(阻塞的)with the large volume of applicants hoping to submit their qualifications during the last few days and hours before a deadline.
6. If a third party has to complete part of your application, such as providing a letter of recommendation, make sure you ask them early on and remind them as often as necessary to ensure they provide you with the necessary materials.
7. Last but not least, review your application with your parents to make sure you haven’t left out any important details.
Good luck to the students applying for the 2014 scholarship programs!Before you apply for a scholarship, it’s best to .
| A．pay more attention to grades than to extracurricular activities |
| B．focus on only one scholarship application |
| C．get as much work experience as possible |
| D．begin your preparation as early as possible |
When answering questions on the application form, you should.
| A．focus on the subject you are interested in |
| B．answer to the point |
| C．list your advantages |
| D．prove your abilities |
The author suggests that applicants should.
| A．submit the application in the few days |
| B．double-check their application with their parents |
| C．complete and submit the application in one day |
| D．avoid submitting the application online |
If it really is what’s on the inside that counts, then a lot of thin people might be in trouble.
Some doctors now think that the internal(内部的) fat surrounding important organs like the heart or liver could be as dangerous as the external fat which can be noticed more easily.
“Being thin doesn’t surely mean you are not fat,” said Dr Jimmy Bell at Imperial College. Since 1994, Bell and his team have scanned nearly 800 people with MRI machines to create “fat maps” showing where people store fat.
According to the result, people who keep their weight through diet rather than exercise are likely to have major deposits of internal fat, even if they are slim.
Even people with normal Body Mass Index scores can have surprising levels of fat deposits inside. Of the women, as many as 45 percent of those with normal BMI scores (20 to 25) actually had too high levels of internal fat. Among men, the percentage was nearly 60 percent.
According to Bell, people who are fat on the inside are actually on the edge of being fat. They eat too many fatty and sugary foods, but they are not eating enough to be fat. Scientists believe we naturally store fat around the belly first, but at some point, the body may start storing it elsewhere.
Doctors are unsure about the exact dangers of internal fat, but some think it has something to do with heart disease and diabetes(糖尿病). They want to prove that internal fat damages the body’s communication systems.
The good news is that internal fat can be easily burned off through exercise or even by improving your diet. “If you want to be healthy, there is no shortcut. Exercise has to be an important part of your lifestyle.” Bell said.What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Thin people may be fat inside. |
| B．Internal fat is of no importance. |
| C．Internal fat leads to many diseases. |
| D．Thin people don’t have diabetes. |
According to the passage, which of the following is WRONG?
| A．Exercise can help to reduce the internal fat. |
| B．People can get rid of internal fat by improving diet. |
| C．Men are more likely to have too much internal fat. |
| D．People with heart disease all have internal fat. |
From the last paragraph, we can find that ______.
| A．internal fat leading to disease has been proved |
| B．exercise plays an important role in people’s life for keeping healthy |
| C．thin people usually have internal fat even if they are slim |
| D．it is easier to burn off internal fat than external fat |
The underlined part in the last paragraph means ______.
| A．a long road |
| B．a clear difference |
| C．an easy way |
| D．a short distance |
My horse，Treasure，is my hero because she helped me discover how to relate to her．In the process，she “ fixed ” my relationship with my husband and my children．
When I got her，she was 2 years old, with no handling. She was not going to accept any kind of instructions from me. In the interest of not getting myself killed，I started to read and educate myself on ways to manage a high-spirited horse．
I discovered natural horsemanship（马术）,a method of training that focuses on communication．In order to communicate with another person，you must be understood．The very definition（定义）of understanding is two or more persons share the same idea. This simple definition had a big influence on me．I realized that communication is a two-way street!
When I started to adopt horsemanship in my life，I noticed a change in the way other people related to me．My husband，when I stopped ordering him around，became happier and more helpful．My children，when I practiced being fair，firm and most of all，considerate，were motivated（激发）to act sooner，at a polite request instead of the orders from me．
I think the most valuable life skill I learned from my horse is that pressure motivates. As soon as I applied these basic skills to my daily activities, I started to notice positive changes. My children were more considerate of each other．and started to ask first，without telling．I became aware of my position as a role model．
Today，five years later，I have the perfect horse．I also have very polite kids and a very happy husband．There’s nothing in the world that can compare to being loved by ones you love most---even if it all started with the attitude of a very special horse．．What does the underlined phrase “with no handling” in Paragraph2 mean?
| A．Nobody cared about the horse except the author. |
| B．The horse could do whatever she wanted. |
| C．Nobody had trained the horse before. |
| D．The horse didn’t like anyone except the author. |
. What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Treasure was worth a lot of money. |
| B．When the author got Treasure, she was a perfect horse. |
| C．Before the author got Treasure, she didn’t love her husband. |
| D．Treasure’s coming helped the author’s family to get along better. |
Why were the author’s children slow to respond to her in the past?
| A．She was unfair and used to order them to do things. |
| B．She didn’t know how to manage the female horse. |
| C．Her children were too naughty to listen to her. |
| D．She would be unhappy if they responded quickly to her. |
. Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．A true treasure |
| B．My family |
| C．The importance of understanding |
| D．An unforgettable experience |