Algae(水藻) are very simple plants. They grow in fresh water or salty water. Seaweed is algae that grow in salty water. Seaweed is red or brown in color. The Japanese people use these plants from the sea in many ways. From it, they make a food called Kombu. Kombu is seaweed that has been dried, cooked and pressed together. Then it is dried again and cut into long pieces. The Japanese eat a lot of Kombu and like it very much.
Japanese farmers often use seaweed as fertilizer. It makes their plants grow better. Many farmers also find seaweed makes a fine food for their animals.
From seaweed the Japanese also get iodine(碘), which they sell to other countries. Iodine is used in many ways all over the worlD. It is used in making medicine. It is added to the salt we use at the table. Scientists even use one form of iodine to “ seed clouds” when they want rain to fall.Kombu is a kind of ____ according to the text.
A.plant |
B.medicine |
C.food |
D.fertilizer |
In the last sentence of the text, “seed clouds” means ____.
A.clouds spreading like seeds |
B.the seeds like clouds |
C.to make rain fall with human power |
D.dropping seeds by clouds |
The main idea of the story is that ____.
A.The Japanese eat seaweed when they want rain to fall. |
B.Kombu is made into medicine for farmers. |
C.The Japanese use seaweed in many ways. |
D.The Japanese eat a lot of Kombu. |
TOKYO —Imagine a bicycle seat connected by mechanical frames(机械支架) to a pair of shoes for an idea of how the new wearable assisted-walking machine from Honda works.
The experimental machine, showed on Friday, is designed to support bodyweight, reduce stress on the knees and help people organize steps and stay in crouching(蹲坐) positions.Honda showed a video of its employees wearing the machine.
Engineer Jun Ashihara also said the machine is useful for people standing in long lines and to people who run around to make deliveries.
"This should be as easy to use as a bicycle," Ashihara said."It reduces stress, and you should feel less tired."
To wear it, you put the seat between your legs, put on the shoes and push the “on” button.Then just start walking around.
In a test run for media, this reporter found it does take some time to get used to the machine. “I could sense how it supported my moves, pushing up on my bottom when I crouched and pushing at my soles(脚底) to help lift my legs when I walked,” he said.
The system has a computer, a motor, gears(齿轮), batteries and sensors in it, so it responds to a person's movements, according to Honda Motor Co.
Pricing and commercial product plans are still undecided.Japan's No.2 automaker will begin testing a prototype(模型) later this month.
The need for such mechanical help is expected to grow in Japan, which has one of the most rapidly aging societies in the world.
Other companies are also eyeing the potentially attractive market of helping the weak and the old get around.Japan is among the world's leading nations in robotics technology, not only for industrial use but also for entertainment and companionship.
1.Honda's new wearable assisted-walking machine is mainly to .
A.show Honda's power in technology B.protect the environment
C.meet the social needs in the future D.improve social progress
2.According to the passage, the power of the new wearable assisted-walking machine is from_________.
A.manpower B.batteries
C.a computerD.the machine movement
3.It can be learned from the passage that .
A.the new machine has been produced m large numbers
B.Honda will control the future market for the new machine
C.the price of Honda's new machine will be very low
D.the future market for the new machine will be promising
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Wearable machine that helps walk
B.Hondo's new bicycle for the old
C.Wearable machine helps go to work
D.New development of the bicycle
British potato farmers were taking to the streets to call for the expression "couch potato" to be taken away from the dictionary on the grounds that it harms the vegetable's image.
The British Potato Council wants the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) to replace the expression with the term "couch slouch", with protests planned outside parliament in London and the offices of Oxford University Press. Kathryn Race, head of marketing at the Council, which represents some 4,000 growers and processors, said the group had complained in writing to the OED but had yet to receive a response.
"We are trying to get rid of the image that potatoes are bad to you," she said Monday.
"The potato has had its knocks in the past. Of course it is not the Oxford English Dictionary's fault but we want to use another term than couch potato because potatoes are naturally healthy."
The OED says "couch potato" originated as American slang, meaning "a person who spends leisure time passively or idly sitting around, especially watching television or video tapes."
John Simpson, chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, said the dictionary first included the term “couch potato” in 1993 and said "dictionaries just reflect the words that society uses."
Simpson said words were never taken out of the full-length dictionary, which includes some 650,000 words contained in 20 volumes. But little-used words can be removed from the smaller dictionaries to make way for newer ones.
“If society stops using words, then they are taken out of the smaller dictionaries”, he added. “The first known recorded use of the expression ‘couch potato’ was in a 1979 Log Angeles Times article,” Simpson said.
Nigel Evans, a member of parliament for the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, has made a motion in support of the campaign, highlighting the nutritional value of the British potato.
1.British potato farmers were taking to the streets _____.
A.to advertise their production
B.to call for a higher price for t heir potatoes
C.to remove the expression “couch potato” from the dictionary
D.to let people know how important the potato is in people’s lives
2.The farmers think that_________.
A.potatoes have had a bad imagine
B.potatoes are good for people by nature
C.potatoes sometimes do harm to people
D.it's the dictionary's fault to use the expression "couch potato"
3.John Simpson thinks that _________.
A.the expression can be taken out of every kind of dictionary
B.dictionaries do not necessarily reflect the words the society uses
C.little used words can remain in the smaller dictionaries
D.it is impossible to take the word out of the dictionary
4.What is wrong with the expression "couch potato"?
A.It is connected with unfavorable meaning.
B.Potato should be used in the expression.
C.It is borrowed from American English.
D.It refers to a kind of person.
Positive thinkers admit when they feel frustrated(受挫折的) or depressed, they don't ignore it.But they don't blame themselves either.Instead, they try to understand the negative thoughts and feelings and counter(反击) them with more positive ones.
So how do you stay positive, maintain motivated and sustain(保持) healthy behaviors? Here are some tips:
Look for a good role model.There is always someone who seems to be doing just what you want to be doing.Maybe they've scheduled exercise into their workday and switched from coffee to green tea.Learn from a successful friend, family member or colleague.Ask them how they keep healthy and follow in their footsteps.
Try some positive self-talk and avoid negative-talk.Take a minute to give yourself an ego boost.Repeat some motivational words out loud to yourself.Negative talk such as "I can't do it," "I'm fat," is dangerous for your well-being and healthy goals.Try to avoid the negative self-talk before it harms you.Remind yourself that you deserve happiness and can make positive changes.
Get support.Tell your friends and family about your healthy habits.It helps to have an encouraging network.
Reward yourself.Treat yourself to something for your healthy efforts.Take a nice bath, get a massage, and enjoy a new DVD or CD.
Have a plan.Making a plan to exercise or eat healthy lunches with a friend can mean the difference of sticking with your goals or falling off track.If you've planned for an activity, you'll likely stick with it.You may even find that writing down your goals and steps to achieve them can help you stay on track.Take it day by day or week by week.The process of writing down your personal action plan is a good way to keep you honest and watch your progress or failures.
1.By writing the text the author intends to _______.
A.offer some advice on how to stay positive
B.persuade readers to learn from a role model
C.provide some solutions to personal problems
D.inform readers of some tips on physical health
2.What does the phrase “to give yourself an ego boost” in Paragraph 4 mean?
A.to get lost in deep thought. B.to think about the hardships.
C.to check what mistake you made. D.to make you feel better about yourself.
3.Which of the following would the author Not agree to?
A.Saying some positive words to yourself helps you to feel good.
B.By staying with your companion you can avoid the negative-talk.
C.A successful friend, relative or colleague can be your role model.
D.Creating a helpful network is a good way to keep you motivated.
4.To make sure that you always stay on track, what should you do?
A.Eat out with your best friends. B.Relax yourself after a hard day.
C.Write down what you want to achieve D.Modify your plans as often as you can.
第三部分阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分,满分40分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
In 1988 , Mary Andersen was at the Miami airport checking in for a flight to Norway to be with her husband when she was told she wouldn't be able to check her luggage without paying a $ 100 surcharge (超载).
Mary had no money as her new husband had left for Norway and she had no one else to call.
"I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without." says Mary.
As tears ran down her face, a voice behind her said, "That's okay, I'll pay for her."
Rather surprised, Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before.He had a gentle and kind voice mat was firm and decisive.
Although this happened twenty years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated (发出)from the man, Mary was pleased to bring her luggage to Norway and told the stranger she would give his money back.The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper he gave to Mary.She thanked him repeatedly When she finally walked off towards the boarding gate, he waved goodbye to her.
That man turned out to be Barack Obama.
Mary paid the money back to Obama the day she joined her husband.At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker in Chicago, and had started his law studies at Harvard University.
In the spring of 2006 Mary’s parents heard Obama was considering a run for president. They wrote a letter saying that they would support him. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier.
And Obama replied, “ I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I’m happy I could help her then, and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway. Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States Senator.”
1.Why did Mary feel completely desperate?
A.She had missed the only flight to Norway.
B.Her new husband abandoned her suddenly.
C.She didn't have the money to buy a ticket.
D.She had no money to pay for the surcharge.
2.How did Mary feel when someone offered to help her"?
A .Amazed. B.Puzzled. C.Delighted. D.Annoyed.
3.Mary asked the stranger to leave his name and address____,
A.in order to contact him later B.so that she could repay him
C.because impressed her deeply D.because she fell in love with him
4.What’s the passage mainly about?
A.A letter from Barack Obama.
B.Mary's parents support Obama.
C.Obama helped a stranger about 20 years ago.
D.Mary was lucky to get help at the airport.
Have you ever seen people dance? Some dances are fast and others are slow. People’s feet always move when they dance. They keep on moving until the music stops.
People have enjoyed dancing for a very long time. This story is of a different kind of dance. It is a dance without people or music. Yet this dance is one of the oldest in the world. It is the dance of bees.
If you have ever watched bees, you know that they are very clever. They also work hard looking for food and bringing it back to their home.
The home of the bees is called a bee hive. Here hundreds even thousand of bees live. They work day and night building small walls. There they make their honey. This is the same honey that we eat.
Where does the honey come from? Bees live on food from flowers. Have you seen bees flying around a flower garden? When a bee rests on a flower, it tries to go to the centre of it. There it takes in as much food as its body can hold. Then it flies to take the food back to the hive.
At the hive, bees change flower food into honey. Then they fly away for more food.
How do the bees know where to find the best food in the sweetest flowers? One bee acts as a guide. When it discovers good flowers, it flies back to the hive and tells the others. It does this by dancing for them.
The bee dances on one side. This tells the other bees which way to go to find the flowers. But that is not all. The bee dances for some time. And the length of its dance tells the other bees how far they must fly to reach the flowers.
When the bees see the dance, they know where the flowers are. They fly away and return with more food for the hive.
Sometimes we hear the music of the bees as they fly around. But few people have ever seen them dance. Yet without that dance we might never have sweet honey to eat.
1. The writer believes that_________.
A. people dance better than bees
B. people learned dance from bees
C. bees dance more often than people
D. bees don’t like music
2. From this passage we know that the dance of bees means_______.
A. They are good at dancing
B. they want to show their beauty
C. they communicate with each other
D. they have nothing to do
3. Which of the following is true?
A. People get honey from flowers directly.
B. People draw honey from bees’ bodies.
C. People produce honey in a secret place.
D. People get honey from bees indirectly.
4. What character do bees have?
A. dance-loving B. hard-working C. music-loving D. active