Bit by bit, the sand dust that fills the sky is dying down. The blue sky and the burning sun once again hang over the desert.
He is on the road, driving his beat-up yellow cab. The sides of the road are littered with damaged vehicles. Masses of smoke in the distance tell him that a war is being dragged on throughout his country.
It’s a fine day despite the choking heat. Not a breath of wind is blowing.
A group of vehicles are traveling towards him, carrying many passengers. The scene reminds him of the market days in this country when crowds of trucks transport folks to the markets; the only difference is, this time, they are not trucks, but tanks, carrying foreigners, guns in hand. He stares at them. They stare back. So they pass by one another.
“The damned war!” he whispers bitterly. Two days ago, a bomb fell on the market in front of his house, destroying nearly everything in sight. He survived by luck. He decided then and there that he would give up this cab business. This will be his final run. After this, he will leave this place together with his wife and children.
“Shala and my children, we’ll soon meet each other again, after I’m done here.” He turns his head to take a glance at a photo of his wife and children. The glass on the frame is broken, but their smiles in the picture do not fail to provide him with the only comfort that he has.
Shortly he arrives at a checkpoint. Tanks sit by the side of the road, the sight of which sends a marked coldness through his backbone. A bunch of soldiers armed to the teeth stand by. A foreign soldier signals him to stop. He calms himself down and pulls over. During the past few days, nearly no civilian(平民)vehicles come out of the capital city, his car being the only one on roads.
A few foreign soldiers come up to him, one, two, three, four, five. The leader bends over to have a look at the old car, then at him. “Where do you come from and where are you going?” With a smile on his face, he answers with a broken speech in the tongue that the soldier can understand, “Sir, I come from the capital. I’m leaving that place because it is a very dangerous place to be, with the war and everything.”
While talking, he hands a cigarette over to the soldier, then lights it up for him.
“When will the war end?” he asks.
“It won’t take long. We’ll soon give all of you in the capital the true freedom.” The soldier breathes a deep mouthful. He seems to have spotted the photo in the car, “The cigarette is not bad at all. Are those your wife and kids? I have two of my own, roughly the same age.”
“Oh, yes, they are mine and they are constantly on my mind. They left the city a bit earlier, and I’m on my way to be reunited with them. Perhaps I’m never coming back. Driving a cab around during war times is too dangerous. I’m giving up the business.” He looks at the soldier, still smiling.
“After we overthrow your dictator(独裁者), you won’t have that to worry about. You can come back and pick up your life again.” The soldier is leaning on the door of the car. It is perhaps the first time in many days that he has seen a happy face among the local people. It cheers him up.
“Maybe, but I have to go to see my family. If you would pay us a visit, my wife will prepare a good meal for all of you. Come with me. This is going to be my last business run and I won’t even charge you.”
“Can’t make it. We’re on duty. Give our regards to your wife and kids.” The soldier is a bit excited, thinking maybe quite some locals have open arms for them after all. “Oh, yes, I almost forgot. The south is battle-infected. Where is your family?”
Still smiling, he picks up the broken picture frame, presses a kiss on the photo, then turns around, staring into the eyes of that soldier, not quite himself from excitement, and the other foreign soldiers holding guns. Words drop out of his lips slowly but firmly:
“Paradise.”
Perhaps the last thing he sees is the confused, fearful, twisted expression on the face of that soldier, and the cigarette end dropping from his fingers.
Then he pushes the button.What is this passage mainly about?
| A.A cruel war going on in the country. |
| B.A brave defender of the country. |
| C.A cab driver’s last business run. |
| D.A moving talk between a civilian and a soldier. |
According to the passage, the man’s wife ______.
| A.has already been killed by the bomb |
| B.must be the only comfort to the man |
| C.is really good at cooking local food |
| D.has managed to escape to another city |
Why does the man keep smiling while talking to the soldier?
| A.To show his kindness. |
| B.To satisfy the soldier. |
| C.To hide his true feeling. |
| D.To express his happiness. |
The underlined sentence “Come with me, this is going to be my last business run and I won’t even charge you” suggests that the man ______.
| A.treats the soldier as his friend |
| B.wants to quit his cab business |
| C.offers a free ride to the soldier |
| D.intends to kill the soldier |
Which of the following may best describe the feeling of the locals about the foreign soldiers?
| A.Fear. | B.Hate. | C.Disappointment. | D.Unconcern. |
Winter depression (or winter blues) is a common affliction (折磨) for those who live in our northern climate. Its clinical name is seasonal affective disorder (or SAD) and up to 5% of the population (especially in northern states) may suffer from it. Seasonal affective disorder is characterized by feelings of sadness and depression that occur in the winter months when the temperatures drop and the days grow short
. The depression is often associated with excessive eating or sleeping and weight gain. Women are twice to three times more likely to suffer from the winter blues than men.
There are many effective treatments for winter depression, some of which you can do to help yourself. Increasing your daily exposure to as much natural light as possible can be helpful to many. Any time that you have the opportunity to gain access to more sunlight in the winter months, you should try to do so. Taking walks throughout the day (even if you don’t normally do so), sitting next to a south-facing window at your office, in a classroom, or at home will increase your sunlight exposure. Exercising next to a window or outdoors (when possible) is another activity that can help.
Although it may be difficult to do, maintaining your schedule and lifestyle will help to keep the depression at bay. A regular pattern of sleep is the most important thing to maintain. It may be helpful, for instance, to have your bedroom lights on a timer to turn on a half-hour before you wake. This may help in waking at a regular time every morning, when it is still dark outside in the winter months.
Light therapy has shown to be an effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder. While you can purchase expensive, specialized light therapy lighting fixtures for your home or office, some inexpensive alternatives are also available. Another lighting technique to try is to replace commonly used light bulbs in your home with brighter full spectrum (also known as broad spectrum) light bulbs. While more expensive than regular light bulbs, these bulbs provide light that is similar to natural sunlight.
If none of these techniques seem to help your depressive symptoms, you should consider consulting your family physician or a mental health professional. The winter blues are a form of depression and can be readily treated w
ith medications or psychotherapy when other self-help methods aren’t effective. Don’t be afraid to talk about this condition with a professional; it’s nothing to be ashamed or afraid of. With a little effort, the winter blues can be beaten What do we know about winter depression?
| A.It is very common where the weather is cold. |
| B.It may lead to weight gain. |
| C.It occurs when the temperatures drop. |
| D.It seldom affects men. |
What is the most important factor in the therapy introduced in the second paragraph?
| A.Exposure to natural light. |
| B.Sports in winter months. |
| C.Outdoor activities. |
| D.Sunlight through the window. |
What does “to keep the depression at bay” mean in the third paragraph?
| A.To shorten the duration of the depression. |
| B.To use light to resist the depression. |
| C.To keep the depression manageable and minimal. |
| D.To delay the occurrence of the depression. |
For winter depression, light therapy ___________.
| A.is much more effective than other kinds of therapy |
| B.is so expensive that some may not be able to afford it |
| C.encourages people to do outdoor exercises |
| D.needs specialized bulbs to replace ordinary ones |
We can infer from the passage that __________.
| A.self-help methods do not work 100% of the time |
| B.medications or psychotherapy is much more effective |
| C.mental health professionals don’t recommend self- help methods |
| D.most people prefer self-help methods to medications |
When next year’s crop of high-school graduates arrive at Oxford University in the fall of 2009, they’ll be joined by a new face: Andrew Hamilton, the 55-year-old provost(教务长) of Yale, who’ll become Oxford’s vice-chancellor——a position equal to university president in America.
Hamilton isn’t the only educator crossing the Atlantic. Schools in France, Egypt, Singapore, etc. have also recently made top-level hires from abroad. Higher education has become a big and competitive business nowadays, and like so many businesses, it’s gone global. Yet the talent flow isn’t universal. High-level personnel(人员) tend to head in only one direction: outward from America.
The chief reason is that American schools don’t tend to seriously consider looking abroad. For example, when the board of the University of Colorado searched for a new president, it wanted a leader familiar with the state government, a major source of the university’s budget. “We didn’t do any global consideration,” says Patricia Hayes, the board’s chair. The board finally picked Bruce Benson, a 69-year-old Colorado businessman and political activist(活动家) who is likely to do well in the main task of modern university presidents: fund-raising. Fund-raising is a particularlly American thing, since U.S. schools rely heavily on donations. The fund-raising ability is largely a product of experience and necessity.
Many European universities, meanwhile, are still mostly dependent on government funding. But government support has failed to keep pace with rising student numbers. The decline in government support has made fund-raising an increasingly necessary ability among administrators (管理人员), and has hiring committees hungry for Americans.
In the past few years, well-known schools around the world have joined the trend. In 2003, when Cambridge University appointed Alison Richard, another former Yale provost, as its vice-chancellor, the university publicly stressed that in her previous job she had overseen “a major strengthening of Yale’s financial position.”
Of course, fund-raising isn’t the only skill outsiders offer. The globalization of education means more universities will be seeking heads with international experience of some kind to promote international programs and attract a global student body. Foreigners can offer a fresh perspective(视角) on established practices.What is the current trend in higher education discussed in the passage?
| A.Institution worldwide are hiring administrators from the US. |
| B.A lot of activists are being hired as administrators |
| C.American universities are enrolling more international students. |
| D.University presidents are paying more attention to funding-raising. |
What is the chief consideration of American universities when hiring top-level administrators?
| A.The political correctness. | B.Their ability to raise funds. |
| C.Their fame in academic circles. | D.Their administrative experience. |
What do we learn about European universities from the passage?
A.The tuitions(学费) they charge h ave been rising considerably. |
| B.Their operation is under strict government control. |
| C.They are strengthening their position by globalization. |
| D.Most of their money comes from the government. |
In what way do top-level administrators from abroad contribute to university development?
| A.They can improve the university’s image. |
| B.They will bring with them more international personnel. |
| C.They will view a lot of things from a new angle. |
| D.They can set up new academic subjects. |
Which of the following would make the best title of the passage?
| A.Higher Education Globalization | B.Global Headhunting In Higher Education |
| C.Global Higher Education Cooperation | D.Universal Higher Education Development |
Hello. It’s one of the first words we learn as babies, yet it’s one of the last ones we think to use as adults. That’s unfortunate, b 48 saying hello is more than just saying hello—it is recognition of another’s worth. How might the world change—how might we change—if we mastered this word? To find o 49 , I spent one month saying hello to every person I met. Here’s what I’ve learned.
It can boost (促进) productivity. In one of the few studies ever done on this subject, Allan Allday, a 50 assistant professor of special education at Oklahoma State University, had middle school teachers greet their students individually each morning. This exchange of greetings raised the kids’ productivity. School went from impersonal to p 51 , and that resulted in more class participation and better grades.
Environments influence friendliness, One study found that people in the city were more likely to kiss one hand with a stranger than those in the countryside. And researchers say,pleasure environments generally encourage more smiles and hellos t 52 unpleasant ones. My experience was similarly. Whatever the reason, my urban hellos were answered far l 53 often than my rural one. Similarly, people in vacation spots, l 54 the Jersey Shore, were far friendlier than those hurrying work downtown.
It’s a form of universal health insurance. It’s impossible to say hello w 55 smiling. And smiling has been shown to lower blood pressure, relieve stress and boost happiness. Apparently, a smile creates a similar effect in the recipient (接受者)。
Hey there,
So you’re about to spend four years of your life and tens of dollars of your parents’ money, and all you really know about college is that all of your friends are going. Do you ever stop to wonder why you’re going?
Relax. You’re making the right decision. First of all, you’ll discover what interests you by taking courses in many subjects. For example, it’s hard to decide if you want to be a painter if you’ve never painted any pictures; once you’re in a drawing-room on campus, you’ll know one way or the other. College is also a lot of fun — after you graduate, you’ll be working every weekday for 50 or so years. And remember that college graduate earn about twice the income of those who never attended college.
Finding the right college can be difficult. Fortunately, Johnson Review is here to help you every step of the way.
* Researching Schools. To us. the most important decision you’ll make is to choose the school that really fits you best — not the once that is the most competitive(有竞争力的)or has the best-equipped rooms.
* Applying to School. On JohnsonReview.com. you’ll find hundreds of actual college application(申请)and links to many more.
* Raising Your Scores. American College Test is one of the most difficult parts of the admission(录取)course. It’s not the most important, though, and not everyone needs to prepare for the best. But, if you can do better, find the right course for better scores.
*Paying for School. Most families need financial aid for the high cost of college. The problem is that financial aid seems difficult to get and many families get caught up in the price of college rather than learning the ways to get financial aid. If you really do your research, you’ll learn that you can afford to attend any college, no matter the cost.
For more information, call 600-3681 or visit JohnsonReview.com. Wherever you go. have a nice trip !
Johnson Smith
Founder and CEO
Johnson Review
1.How many reasons for going to college does the author mention in the text?
A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 D. 5
2.The author thinks you should choose the college that is .
A. well-equipped B. competitive C. suitable D. famous
3.What does the author advise you to do to pay the high cost of college ?
A. To ask the family for help. B. To make a study of financial courses.
C. To do research on the price of college D. To get to know how to ask for financial aid.
4.What’s the author’s purpose of writing this text.?
A. To suggest ways to prepare for college learning.
B. To help readers find the right college.
C. To make Johnson Review popular.
D. To introduce college life.
5.Where may the article be taken from?
A. A Journalist Book B. A Travel Book C. A Grammar Book D. An Advice Book
Federal regulators Wednesday approved a plan to create a nationwide emergency alert (警报) system using text messages delivered to cell phones.
Text messages have exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly among young people. The wireless industry's trade association, CTIA, estimates (估计) more than 48 billions text messages are sent each month.
The plan comes from the Warning Alter and Response Network Act, a 2006 federal law that requires improvement to the nation's emergency alter system. The act tasked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with coming up with new ways to alter the public about emergencies.
"The ability to deliver accurate and timely warning and alters through cell phone and other mobile services is an important next step in our efforts to help ensure that the American public has the information they need to take action to protect themselves and their families before, and during, disasters and other emergencies," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said following approval of the plan.
Participation in the alter system by carriers - telecommunication companies - is voluntary, but it has received solid support from the wireless industry.
The program would be optional for cell phone users. They also may not be charged for receiving alters.
There would be three types of messages, according to the rules.
The first would be a national alter from the president, likely involving a terrorists attack or natural disaster. The second would involve "approaching threats," which could include natural disasters like hurricanes or storms or even university shootings. The third would be reserved for child abduction (绑架)emergencies, or so-called Amber Alerts.
The service could be in place by 2010.
| 1. |
What is the purpose of the approval plan?
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| 2. |
The improvement to the present system is in the charge of.
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| 3. |
The carriers' participation in the system is determined by.
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| 4. |
Which of the following is true of cell phone users?
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| 5. |
An alert message will NOT be sent if.
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| 6. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the test?
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