A smart phone’s low battery warning is the only warning that most people take seriously. Try the following steps and you will improve your battery life.
1. Let there be less light
For larger smart phones, the longer the screen is on and the brighter it is, the faster you
r battery goes. Try making the screen as dark as you can bear it and still read a text. Darkening the screen is common among teenagers, but it may be hard for Mom and Dad to see what’s showing on their phone.
2. Turn off the signals
Your smart phone does a lot of communicating in the background. They’re checking for things like new emails, text messages, Wi-Fi signals, Bluetooth signals, your location and more. These activities do drain your battery life, so you should turn off whatever you aren’t using. Location Services is also another feature that burns up your battery, so you can use GPS and Wi-Fi to find out which apps have access to Location Services and turn them off.
3. Turn off notifications (通告)
Another way to improve battery life is to stop the constant flow of notifications and updates from Facebook, email, games and sites. Your phone will automatically pick up these notifications when it’s connected to the Internet, and they can have a noticeable impact on battery life.
4. Use battery saving mode (模式)
For a quick way to improve your battery, simply put your smart phone in Airplane Mode. If Airplane Mode is too limiting, some phones have a specific battery saver mode. This shuts down unimportant functions and apps like Wi-Fi, some updates and more.
If used properly, these tips above will improve your battery life up to 30 percent.The underlined word “drain” means “ ”.
| A．light up | B．use up |
| C．pick up | D．make up |
If you want to improve your battery life, you are advised to use a .
| A．small screen | B．large screen |
| C．bright screen | D．round screen |
We can infer that aged people tend to .
| A．email family members | B．use Location Services |
| C．darken the screen | D．brighten the screen |
We can learn that Airplane Mode can .
| A．improve signals | B．waste energy |
| C．affect health | D．save power |
The modern world is full of useful objects that were invented by someone, from spoons and chopsticks in our kitchens to the Ipads in our handbags. Each invention is an example of the creative power of the human mind. Where do inventors get their inspirations(灵感)? The inspiration behind each of these inventions varies.
Take the shopping cart as an example. Sylvan Goldman was a grocery store owner. Like most businessmen, he wished that his customers would buy more so that he could make more money. He knew what if they could carry more goods easily as they were shopping, when his sales would go up. While thinking about the problem one night, he had an idea. Working with a local handyman named Fred Young, he designed the first shopping cart. Today, retailers who use shopping carts sell more goods and make more profits.
Nature has also inspired inventors throughout history. This is what happened to George de Mestral one day. While hunting with his dog in the Swiss Alps, he noticed how the burs(剌球) of certain plants stuck to his clothing and to his dog' s fur. After examining them under a microscope,
he found they had tiny hooks that could easily stick to the fibers of clothing or animal hide. For the next ten years, George de Mestral searched for the hest way to produce his idea. The result of his original inspiration was Velcro, which is used in many modem objects, including sportswear, shoes, automobiles, and even space suits.
These examples show us that there are at least two possible inspirations for human creativity in the world of inventions — profit and nature. No doubt, the future will continue to breathe new life into the economies of the world with fresh ideas and inventions. How many of their creations will be inspired by natural phenomena? The world's problems require creativity and we can expect best solutions from future generations.Why did sales go up in Sylvan Goldman's grocery store after he began providing shopping carts?
| A．Because grocery stores without shopping carts made less money. |
| B．Because he lowered the prices of his goods. |
| C．Because customers liked the shopping cart’s creative design. |
| D．Because customers were able to carry more items when shopping. |
According to the article, which invention shows how nature inspires us?
| A．The bur. | B．The shopping cart. | C．Velcro. | D．Spoon. |
Which of the following statements would the author most likely disagree with?
| A．The future does not promise many useful inventions. |
| B．There are many interesting inventions in the world today. |
| C．Companies often invent things out of profit. |
| D．Nature inspires creativity. |
阅读下列短文，从每小题后所给的四个选项（A.B.C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并将答案填写在答卷上。
Many pets got separated from their families almost two years ago, when Superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast. A New Jersey family was one of them. They lost their dog. He got away from their backyard during the storm.
Chuck James said that his family searched for the brown-and-white dog named Reckless for months after the October 2012 storm. Reckless was a cute dog which brought much pleasure to the whole family, and the youngest daughter Tiffany loved him most. They played together, watched TV together, ate popcorn together and Reckless even saw Tiffany off when she headed for the kindergarten every morning. Chuck James kept searching for the lovely dog in every possible way, but no luck
"We reported him missing and called the shelters from time to time, just hoping they had him," James said. "We always kept our hopes up, but finally it was time to move on.”
James said the family had planned to get a new dog. The dog was to be a tenth birthday surprise for their eldest daughter, Ally. The family of five went to the Monmouth County SPCA( Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to adopt a new animal. When James and his wife walked close to the first cage, they saw a familiar face inside.
“He was a little bigger than I remembered because they had fed him well," James joked. "But then he was lying on my wife's feet and I knew it was him. It was unbelievable. I know this dog is meant to be with our family.”
When SPCA officials asked if they could prove the animal was their dog, a friend sent a selfie showing the family, with their dog before Sandy hit the East Coast.
“We’re all so happy to have him back." James said. The family is living in hotel while their home is being repaired. This weekend, the James went on camping trip with Reckless to celebrate the dog’s returnWhat happened to the James when Super Storm Sandy hit the East Coast?
| A．Their house lay in ruins after the storm. |
| B．Their pet dog Reckless went missing. |
| C．Their pet dog Reckless was adopted by another family. |
| D．They found their pet dog Reckless badly injured. |
Having searched for Reckless for months , the James found him in ____.
| A．an animal hospital | B．one of their friends' houses |
| C．the Monmouth County SPCA | D．the backyard which was under repair |
The meaning of the underlined word "selfie" is closest to "______ "
| A．document | B．credit card | C．text message | D．picture |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．A dog got separated from his family in a storm. |
| B．A lost dog found his way home with difficulty. |
| C．A family looked for a new dog but found the old one instead. |
| D．Dogs are always devoted friends of human beings. |
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was one of the most private women in the world, yet when she went to work as an editor in the last two decades of her life, she revealed（展现）herself as she did nowhere else.
After the death of her second husband, Greek shipping magnate（巨头）Aristotle Onassis, Jacqueline’s close friend and former White House social secretary Letitia Baldrige made a suggestion that she consider a career in publishing. After consideration, Jacqueline accepted it. Perhaps she hoped to find there some idea about how to live her own life. She became not less but more interested in reading. For the last 20 years of her life, Jacqueline worked as a publisher’s editor, first at Viking, then at Doubleday, pursuing（追求）a late-life career longer than her two marriages combined. During her time in publishing, she was responsible for managing and editing more than 100 successfully marketed books. Among the first books were In the Russian Style and Inventive Paris Clothes. She also succeeded in persuading TV hosts Bill Moyer’s and Jose Campbell to transform their popular television conversations into a book, The Power of Myth. The book went on to become an international best-seller. She dealt, too, with Michael Jackson as he prepared his autobiography（自传）, Moonwalk.
Jacqueline may have been hired for name and for her social relations, but she soon proved her worth. Her choices, suggestions and widespread social relations were of benefit both to the publishing firms and to Jacqueline herself. In the books she selected for publication, she built on a lifetime of spending time by herself as a reader and left a record of the growth of her mind. Her books are the autobiography she never wrote. Her role as First Lady, in the end, was overshadowed by her performance as an editor. However, few knew that she had achieved so much.We can learn from the passage that Jacqueline _________
| A．became fond of reading after working as an editor |
| B．was in charge of publishing 100 books |
| C．promoted her books through social relations |
| D．gained a lot from her career as an editor |
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph probably means that_________
| A．Jacqueline was more successful as an editor than as First Lady |
| B．Jacqueline’s life as First Lady was more colorful than as an editor |
| C．Jacqueline ended up as an editor rather as First Lady |
| D．Jacqueline’s role as First Lady was more brilliant than as an editor |
【改编】It can be inferred from the passage that______
| A．Jacqueline’s two marriages lasted more than 20 years |
| B．Jacqueline’s opinions and faiths were reflected in the books she edited |
| C．Jacqueline’s own publishing firm was set up eventually |
| D．Jacqueline’s achievements were widely known. |
【改编】The passage talks about ______________
| A．a brief introduction of Jacqueline’s career as an editor in her last 20 years |
| B．a brief description of Jacqueline’s lifelong experiences |
| C．an description of Jacqueline’s life both as First Lady and as an editor |
| D．an analysis of Jacqueline’s social relations in publishing |
C
Would you like to discover all the corners of the UK, or travel abroad? Maybe you have never tried the motorhome (旅宿车) lifestyle before. Well, read this article and you will know why a motorhome is a good choice.
Nothing is better than a motorhome. It has so many uses that it is considered the most versatile vehicle(交通工具)and it is also very comfortable. If you are thinking about hiring a motorhome this summer, then the best advice is to book it early, especially if you are considering the school holidays. The motorhome hire service is very seasonal and motorhome hire companies will never have extra vehicles available in the summer months.
There are a lot of companies throughout the UK, and some of the big ones have motorhomes spread all over the country. At present, the largest network for motorhome hire is provided by Motorhome which is based in Cambridge. If you are in the UK , you may phone 0800-612-8719 for details of its motorhome hire information. Motorhome has a network of over 500 vehicles all over England, Scotland and Wales.
Most people wishing to hire a motorhome are families that are looking for an alternative(替代品)to a European package holiday, especially as flying now has become more expensive, and is considered to be environmentally unfriendly. There is no doubt that the idea of no-fly holidays is going to become more popular as fewer people think it is safe to fly. This explains why more and more people are choosing to hire a motorhome for their holidays.This passage is written to explain why it is a good idea to_______
| A．take an adventure | B．travel to England |
| C．try a new lifestyle | D．hire a motorhome |
What does the underlined word“versatile”in paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．Large and comfortable. | B．Fast and exciting |
| C．Having a lot of uses. | D．Having a lot of fun. |
【改编】Why should you book a motohome early if you want to book one for this summer?
| A．Because booking early is much cheaper than before |
| B．Because summer is usually a very busy season. |
| C．Because you can arrange your time better. |
| D．Because students usually book them to earn much money. |
In her new book, “The Smartest Kids in the World,” Amanda Ripley, an investigative journalist, tells the story of Tom, a high-school student from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, who decides to spend his senior year in Warsaw, Poland. Poland is a surprising educational success story: in the past decade, the country raised students’ test scores from significantly below average to well above it. Polish kids have now outscored(超过……分数) American kids in math and science, even though Poland spends, on average, less than half as much per student as the United States does. One of the most striking differences between the high school Tom attended in Gettysburg and the one he ends up at in Warsaw is that the latter has no football team, or, for that matter, teams of any kind.
That American high schools waste more time and money on sports than on math is an old complaint. This is not a matter of how any given student who plays sports does in school, but of the culture and its priorities. This December, when the latest Program for International Student Assessment(PISA) results are announced, it’s safe to predict that American high-school students will once again display their limited skills in math and reading, outscored not just by students in Poland but also by students in places like South Korea, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Singapore, and Japan. Meanwhile, they will have played some very exciting football games, which will have been breathlessly written up in their hometown papers.
Why does this situation continue? Well, for one thing, kids like it. And for another, according to Ripley, parents seem to like the arrangement, too. She describes a tour she took of a school in Washington D.C., which costs thirty thousand dollars a year. The tour leader—a mother with three children in the school—was asked about the school’s flaws(暇疵). When she said that the math program was weak, none of the parents taking the tour reacted. When she said that the football program was weak, the parents suddenly became concerned. “Really?” one of them asked worriedly, “What do you mean?”
One of the ironies(讽刺) of the situation is that sports reveal what is possible. American kids’ performance on the field shows just how well they can do when expection are high. It’s too bad that their test scores show the same thing.【改编】The reason why Tom decides to spend his senior year in Poland is that _______.
| A．there are evident differences between the two countries |
| B．Polish kids are better at learning |
| C．he plans to improve his scores |
| D．sports are not supported at schools in Gettysburg |
According to Paragraph 2, we know that _______.
| A．little time is spent on sports in Japanese schools |
| B．too much importance is placed on sports in America |
| C．American high schools complain about sports time |
| D．PISA plays a very important role in America |
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph means _______.
| A．American students’ academic performance worries their parents a lot |
| B．high expectations push up American students’ academic performance |
| C．lacking practice contributes to American students’ average performance |
| D．low expectations result in American students’ poor PISA performance |
【改编】What is the main purpose of this article ?_______.
| A．push public attention to a weakness in American school tradition |
| B．Appeal to American schools to learn from the Polish model |
| C．compare Polish schools with those in America |
| D．explain what is the matter with American schools and provide solutions |