阅读下面短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。
“Have you ever been out on a boat and felt it lifted up by a wave? Or have you jumped in the water and felt the rush of energy as waves came over you?” asked Jamie Taylor of the Wave Energy Group at the University of Edinburgh.“There is certainly a lot of energy in waves,” he said.Scientists are working to use that energy to make electricity.Most waves are created when winds blow across the ocean.“The wind starts out by making little ripples(涟漪), but if they keep on blowing, those ripples get bigger and bigger and turn into waves,” Taylor said.“Waves are one of nature’s ways of picking up energy and then sending it off on a journey.” When waves come toward the shore, people can set up dams to block the water and send it through a large wheel called a turbine(涡轮机).The turbine can then power an electrical generator to produce electricity.
“The resource is huge,” said Janet Swain of the World Watch Institute.“We will never run out of wave power.” Besides, wave energy does not create the same pollution as other energy sources, such as oil or coal.Oceans cover three quarters of the Earth’s surface—that would make wave power seem ideal for creating energy throughout the world, though there are some weak points yet to overcome.
Swain said that wave power still costs too much money.She also said that its effects on sea animals are still unknown.What is more, wave power could affect fishing and boat traffic.Traditional sources of energy like oil and gas may someday run out.“Demand for energy to power our TVs and computers, drive our cars, and heat and cool our homes is rising rapidly throughout the world,” Swain said.In the future when you turn on a light, an ocean wave could be providing the electricity!
The writer uses the two questions at the beginning of the passage to .
A.test the readers’ knowledge about waves |
B.draw the readers’ attention to the topic |
C.show Jamie Taylor’s importance |
D.invite the readers to answer them |
The underlined phrase “picking up” is closest in meaning to .
A.starting again |
B.speeding up |
C.improving |
D.gathering |
We can make better use of wave energy if we .
A.shorten its journey to thousands of homes |
B.build more small power stations on the oceans |
C.reduce the cost of turning it into electric power |
D.quicken the steps of producing electricity |
It can be inferred that someday we might not worry about .
A.our power supply |
B.our boat traffic |
C.air pollution |
D.our supply of sea fish |
Every baby born a decade from now will have its genetic code (基因编码) mapped at birth, the head of the worlds’ leading genome sequencing (基因图谱) company has predicted.
A complete DNA read – out for every newborn will be technically possible and affordable in less than five years, promising a revolution in healthcare, says Jay Flatley, the chief executive of Illumina. Only social and legal problems are likely to delay the age of “genome sequences,” or genetic profiles. By 2019 it will have become routine to map infants’ genes when they are born, Dr Flatly told The Times.
This will open a new approach to medicine, by which conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease can be predicted and prevented and drugs used more safely and effectively.
A baby’s genome can be discovered at birth by a blood test. By examining a person’s genome, it is possible to identify raised risks of developing diseases such as cancers. Those at high risk can then he screened more regularly, or given drugs or dietary advice to lower their chances of becoming ill.
Personal genomes could also he used to ensure that patients get the medicine that is most likely to work for them and least likely to have side – effects.
The development, however, will raise legal concerns about privacy and access to individuals’ genetic records.
“Bad things can be done with the genome. It could predict something about someone – and you could possibly hand the information to their employer or their insurance company.” said Dr Flatley.
“People have to recognize that this horse is out of the barn, and that your genome probably can’t be protected, because everywhere you go you leave your genome behind. Complete genetic privacy, however, is unlikely to be possible”, he added.
As the benefits become clearer, however, he believes that most people will want their genomes read and interpreted. The risk is nothing compared with the gain.In the first two paragraphs, the author mainly wants to tell us about .
A.the significant progress in medicine |
B.the promise of a leading company |
C.the information of babies’ genes |
D.the research of medical scientists |
Which of the following is a problem caused by this approach?
A.The delaying in discovering DNA.
B.The risk of developing diseases at birth.
C.The side – effects of medicine on patients.
D.The letting out of personal genetic information.
What does the underlined sentence “… this horse is out of the barn” mean?
A.Genetic mapping technique has been widely used. |
B.Genetic mapping technique is too horrible to control. |
C.People are eager to imp![]() ![]() |
D.people can’t stop genetic mapping technique advancing. |
What’s Dr Flatley’s attitude towards the technology?
A.Tolerant. | B.Conservative. | C.Positive. | D.Doubtful. |
The Touchstone
When the great library of Alexandria burned, the story goes, one book was saved. But it was not a valuable book; and so a poor man, who could read little, bought it for very little money.
The book wasn't very interesting, but between its pages there was something very interesting indeed. It was a thin strip of vellum on which was written the secret of the "Touchstone"! The touchstone was a small pebble that could turn any common metal into pure gold.
The writing explained that it was lying among thousands and thousands of other pebbles that looked exactly like it. But the secret was this: The real stone would feel warm, while ordinary pebbles are cold.
So the man sold his few belongings, bought some simple supplies, camped on the seashore, and began testing pebbles. He knew that if he picked up ordinary pebbles and threw them down again because they were cold, he might pick up the same pebble hundreds of times. So, when he felt one that was cold, he threw it into the sea. He spent a whole day doing this but none of them was the touchstone. Yet he went on and on this way. Pick up a pebble. Cold - throw it into the sea. Pick up another. Throw it into the sea. Pick up another. Throw it into the sea. The days continued over a long period if time.
One day, however, about mid-afternoon, he picked up a pebble and it was warm. He threw it into the sea before he realized what he had done. He had formed such a strong habit of throwing each pebble into the sea that when the one he wanted came along he still threw it away.
So it is with opportunity. Unless we are cautious, it’s easy to fail to recognize an opportunity when it is in hand and it’s just as easy to throw it away.The man bought the book because .
A.he wanted to read it | B.it was very interesting |
C.there was a secret in the book | D.he wanted to find the touchstone |
We can learn from the passage that the touchstone is .
A.pure | B.cold | C.magic | D.big |
Why did the man throw the pebbles into the sea?
A.Because he didn’t want to get the same pebbles. |
B.Because he didn’t want others to pick them up. |
C.Because he didn’t like their ordinary looks. |
D.Because he didn’t like the cold feelings. |
What does the author want to tell us in the passage?
A.We about orate opportunities in our life. |
B.We should seek for opportunities in the world. |
C.We may seize opportunities when we are watchful |
D.We may discover opportunities when forming habits. |
Eight – year – old Jesse Abrogate was playing in the sea late one evening in July 2001 when a 7 – foot bull shark attacked him and tore off his arm. Jesse’s uncle jumped into the sea and dragged the boy to shore. The boy was not breathing. His aunt gave him mouth – to – mouth resuscitation (人工呼吸) while his uncle rang the emergency services. Pretty soon, a helicopter arrived and flew the boy to hospital. It was a much quicker journey than the journey by road.
Jesse’s uncle, Vance Folsenzier, ran back into to the sea and found the shark that had attacked his nephew. He picked the shark up and threw it onto the beach. A coastguard shot the fish four times and although this did not kill it, the shark’s jaws relaxed so that they could open them, and reach down into its stomach, and pull out the boy’s arm.
At the Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, Dr Ian Rogers spent eleven hours reattaching Jesse’s arm. “It was a complicated operation,” he said, “but we were lucky. If the arm hadn’t been recovered in time, we wouldn’t have been able to do the operation at all. What I mean is that if they hadn’t found the shark, well then we wouldn’t have had a chance.’
According to local park ranger Jack Tomosvic, shark attacks are not that common. “Jesse was just unlucky,” he says, “evening is the shark’s feeding time. And Jesse was in area without lifeguards. This would never have happened if he had been in area where swimming is allowed.’
When reporters asked Jesse’s uncle how he had had the courage to fight a shark, he replied, “I was mad and you do some strange things when you’re mad.”What was the boy doing when the accident happened?
A.Feeding a hungry shark. | B.Jumping into the ![]() |
C.Dragging a boy to the shore. | D.Swimming in a dangerous area. |
In which way did the boy’s uncle help with the operation?
A.By finding his lost arm. | B.By shooting the fish. |
C.By flying him to hospital. | D.By blowing into his mouth. |
How was his uncle in time of danger?
A.Careful. | B.Brave. | C.Optimistic. | D.Patient. |
"Depend on yourself" is what nature says to every man. Parents can help you. Teachers can help you. But all these only help you to help yourself.
There have been many men in history. But many of them were very poor in childhood, and no uncles, aunts or friends to help them. Schools were few. They could not depend upon them for an education. They saw how it was and set to work with all their strength to know something. They worked their own way till they became well-known.
One of the most famous teachers in England used to tell his pupils, "I can not make worthy men of you, but I can help make men of yourself."
Some young men don't try their best to make themselves valuable to the human beings. They can never gain achievement(成就) unless they see their weak points and change their course. They are nothing now, and will be nothing as long as they live, unless they accept the advice of their parents and teachers, and depend on their own efforts.
64. Which of the following titles fits this article best?
A. What Nature Says to Every Man. B. How to Be Famous.
C. Men Must Help Each Other. D. Depend on Yourself.
65. Many of the great men succeeded because ____________.
A. they wanted very much to become well known
B. they made great efforts to learn and work
C. they had received a good education
D. they had rich parents
66. According to the famous teacher in England, a teacher can________.
A. make his pupils rich men
B. help his pupils find a way to be famous
C. help his pupils make themselves useful men
D. make his pupils men of strength and courage
67. If young people depend on their own efforts, ______.
A. they are sure to be very famous in the world
B. they can be successful in their lives
C. they can live without their families
D. they no longer need any help
Charlie studied Chemistry in a famous college for four years. He studied hard and did well in all his subjects. He hoped to become a good teacher. This year he left the college and began to work in a middle school. He likes his students and wants them to get good marks so he does his best to make his classes lively and interesting.
One day he carefully explained a chemical reaction(反应)to the students of Grade 2 in the chemistry lab.
“Be careful. Everyone,” he said loudly. “Before I make the experiment, there’re twenty five atoms of carbon(碳原子), but after I finish it, there’re twenty four atoms of carbon left!”
He stopped to watch the classroom and hoped his students would go on explaining it. But the young men looked at each other and nobody answered him. He had to ask, “What happens? What makes the atom disappear? ”
The classroom was very quiet and none of the students looked at their teacher.
“Who can tell us where it has gone?”
Suddenly a soft voice came from the back row, “We did not see anybody leave the lab!”
60.Charlie began to work in the middle school because _______.
A. he had been in the school for four years
B. he couldn’t do anything except teaching
C. he hoped to become a good teacher
D. he did well in all his subject
61. Charlie hoped ____,so he does his best to make his classes lively and interesting.
A .all his students could understand him
B .his students wouldn’t be afraid of him
C. his students carefully watched him doing the experiment
D. his students would do well in chemistry.
62. That day Charlie wished ____.
A. his students could learn the chemical reaction
B. his students should find the atom of carbon
C. his students could count(数) the atoms of carbon
D. his students could make the experiment
63. The students couldn’t answer Charlie’s questions because ____.
A. none of them had seen the atoms
B. they were afraid of the teacher
C. the chemical reaction was too complicated
D. they all wanted to drop the subject