Treasure hunts (寻宝) have excited people’s imagination for hundreds of years both in real life and in books such as Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Kit Williams, a modern writer, had the idea of combining the real excitement of a treasure hunt with clues (线索) found in a book when he wrote a children’s story, Masquerade, in 1979. The book was about a hare, and a month before it came out, Williams buried a gold hare in a park in Bedfordshire. The book contained a large number of clues to help readers find the hare, but Williams put in a lot of “red herrings”, or false clues, to mislead them.
Ken Roberts, the man who found the hare, had been looking for it for nearly two years. Although he had been searching in the wrong area most of the time, he found it by logic, not by luck. His success came from the fact that he had gained an important clue at the start. He had realized that the words: “One of Six to Eight” under the first picture in the book connected the hare in some way to Katherine of Aragon, the first of Henry VIII’s six wives. Even here, however, Williams had succeeded in misleading him. Ken knew that Katherine of Aragon had died at Kimbolton in Cambridgeshire in 1536 and thought that Williams had buried the hare there. He had been digging there for over a year before a new idea occurred to him. He found out that Kit Williams had spent his childhood near Ampthill, in Bedfordshire, and thought that he must have buried the hare in a place he knew well, but he still could not see the connection with Katherine of Aragon, until one day he came across two stone crosses in Ampthill Park and learnt that they had been built in her honor in 1773.
Even then his search had not come to an end. It was only after he had spent several nights digging around the cross that he decided to write to Kit Williams to find out if he was wasting his time there. Williams encouraged him to continue, and on February 24th 1982, he found the treasure. It was worth ₤3000 in the beginning, but the excitement it had caused since its burial made it much more valuable.
The underlined word “them” (paragraph 1) refers to __________.
| A．readers of Masquerade |
| B．treasure hunts |
| C．Henry VIII’s six wives |
| D．red herrings |
What is the subject discussed in the text?
| A．An exciting historical event. |
| B．The importance of logical thinking. |
| C．The attraction of Masquerade. |
| D．A modern treasure hunt. |
Which of the following describes Roberts’ logic in searching for the hare?
a. Henry VIII’s six wives
b. Katherine’s burial place at Kimbolton
c. Williams’ childhood in Ampthill
d. Katherine of Aragon
e. stone crosses in Ampthill Park
| A．a -b- c- e- d | B．d- b- c- e- a |
| C．b- a- e- c- d | D．a- d- b- c- e |
What is the most important clue in the story to help Ken Roberts find the hare?
| A．Katherine of Aragon. |
| B．Stevenson’s Treasure Island. |
| C．Two stone crosses in Ampthill. |
| D．Williams’ hometown. |
Fish species are expected to shrink in size by up to 24% because of global warming, say scientists.
The scientists argue that failure to control greenhouse gas emissions will have a greater effect on marine ecosystems than previously thought. Previous research has suggested that changing ocean temperatures would affect both the distribution and the reproductive abilities of many species of fish. This new work suggests that fish size would also be heavily affected.
The researchers built a model to see how fish would react to lower levels of oxygen in the water. As ocean temperatures increase, so do the body temperatures of fish. But, according to lead author, Dr William Cheung, from the University of British Columbia, the lower level of oxygen in the water is key. Warmer waters could decrease ocean oxygen levels and greatly reduce fish body weight. On the other hand, rising temperatures directly increase the metabolic rate of the fish's body function. This leads to an increase in oxygen demand for normal body activities. So the fish will run out of oxygen for growth at a smaller body size.
The research team also used its model to predict fish movements as a result of warming waters. The group believes that most fish populations will move towards the Earth's poles at a rate of up to 35km per decade. "So in, say, the North Sea," says Dr Cheung," one would expect to see more smaller-body fish from tropical waters in the future."
Taking these factors into consideration, the research team concludes that fish body size will shrink between 14% and 24%, with the largest decreases in the Indian and Atlantic oceans.
When compared with actual observations of fish sizes, the model seems to underestimate what's actually happening in the seas. The researchers looked at two case studies involving North Atlantic cod and haddock. They found that recorded data on these fish showed greater decreases in body size than the models had predicted.
Dr Alan Baudron, from the University of Aberdeen, UK, believes smaller-sized fish could seriously affect the ability of fish to reproduce. "Smaller fish produce fewer and smaller eggs which could affect the reproductive potential of fish stocks," he said.What's the main idea of the passage?
| A．Global warming makes fish smaller. |
| B．Global warming makes fish decrease in numbers. |
| C．Global warming affects the fish distribution. |
| D．Global warming affects the ability of fish to reproduce. |
What is the key factor making the fish smaller now?
| A．The rising body temperatures. |
| B．The lower level of oxygen in the water. |
| C．The increasing metabolic rate. |
| D．The normal body activities. |
We can infer that as ocean temperatures increase .
| A．more big fish will be born in the sea |
| B．fish tend to swim towards the shore |
| C．fish tend to move towards the warm areas |
| D．fish tend to move towards the colder areas |
What does the underlined word "underestimate" mean?
| A．make an exact prediction of | B．make too low an estimate of |
| C．make too high an estimate of | D．make a careful study of |
While reading a story on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy is ruining their life plans, I couldn't help but think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children who grow up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, I certainly share their disappointment –my husband and I probably won't be able to buy a house until we're in our forties, and we two are burdened by student loans. But why should it be different? Being young people in America, shouldn't they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?
Consider some of these views shared in the story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won't be able to have children for at least a decade because they can't afford to buy a house yet.
I read that, and I thought what planet she is living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury, not a fertility requirement.
A 26-year-old man in the story is disappointed that he can't afford to get a Ph. D. in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.
Yes, it's sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people's expectations grow up when their wealth appears to be increasing. Their parents probably see their home values rise along with their investments. "So we have people who have grown up in an environment where people have great expectations of what living well means," says Kobliner.
This recession will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems much better for our mental health to focus on being grateful—for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day—than on longing for some kind of luxurious life.What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?
| A．They expect everything to be easy for them. |
| B．They complain that the economy is ruining their life plans. |
| C．They are unwilling to face all of the challenges. |
| D．They are burdened by student loans. |
Which of the following is NOT one of the complaints of the 20-somethings?
A. They can't have children for at least a decade for they can't afford to buy a house.
B. They have only a one-bedroom apartment to live in.
C. They can't buy a house until 40 and are burdened by student loans.
D. They despair of not being able to afford to get a Ph. D. in literature.What's Kobliner's attitude towards the 20-somethings with high expectations ?
| A．Unbearable. | B．Opposing. | C．Doubtful. | D．Understanding. |
What is the best title for this passage?
| A．Young people afford to continue their education |
| B．Young people can't afford to buy a house |
| C．Young people's high expectations lead to despair |
| D．The 20-somethings' high expectations |
There is a problem each of us faces in following advice on emotional healing: apologizing is difficult. We are trapped in what we think of ourselves by holding onto our pride. We can be selfish and not willing to admit our most obvious mistakes. Pride eats away at us as we argue or ignore the mistake.
It's happened to me. I have had too much pride and selfishness to apologize to a loved one I hurt. When I did want to apologize, I couldn't bring myself to face the other person. This is the pride I'm talking about. Maybe apologies come difficult for men because they're expected to be dominant. It's like the joke that a man never asks for directions when lost. Ladies are more emotionally open than guys and are willing to express it. Still, both genders wonder how to correctly apologize.
In shifting the focus on apologizing away from you, what does not apologizing do to other people? They feel hurt that you are not willing to communicate your mistake. They lose trust in you as you hide behind your mistake avoiding reality. They become angry with you, wondering why you do not tell them the truth. They may begin to counter your lack of apologies by not apologizing themselves and from this the relationship goes downhill as the two of you get caught in a power struggle.
You need to communicate your mistakes. A mistake you made is like a scratch and by not apologizing you are making the scratch a deeper wound and rubbing salt into it. You need to stop hurting the other person and yourself by learning to apologize. There is real power in apologizing and emotional healing.Why are men more unwilling to make apologies?
| A．They don't intend to hurt other people. |
| B．They expect others to forgive them. |
| C．They don't want to be considered weak. |
| D．They aren't good at expressing themselves. |
What bad effect will there be if you refuse to apologize for your mistakes?
| A．Other people won't pay attention to you. |
| B．You will lose confidence in yourself. |
| C．You won't be forgiven even if you tell the truth. |
| D．The friendship will get hurt and go worse. |
From the last paragraph, it can be inferred that .
| A．communication can stop you making mistakes |
| B．mistakes would turn into deeper scratches |
| C．apologizing is good for you and other people |
| D．apologizing is the most powerful in emotional healing |
London has always been known for its "black fogs". In the winter of 1952, a milky white fog rolled into the city. As the smoke poured into the air, it was so hard to see that people had to walk in front of the buses to guide them. In this way, the most serious air pollution disaster in history began. When it was over, more than 4,000 people had been killed by the thick black smog.
New York City has had several London-type smogs since 1950. Each time, 100 to 400 deaths were caused by the smog. Although these smogs were not as deadly as London's, New York City has the worst air pollution problem in the United States.
In all the killer smogs, factories and homes poured smoke and fumes into the air from the furnaces. The chemical fumes combined with the water droplets in the fog to form harmful substances. These substances caused the illness of those who breathed the polluted air.
Usually, such harmful fumes rise into the upper air and are blown away by the wind. But sometimes there is an unusual weather condition called a temperature inversion. A layer of cold air remains near the ground as smoke and fumes pour into it. This is covered by an upper layer of warm air that acts like a lid. It prevents the polluted cooler air from rising. The harmful fumes pile up and make people ill. The smog may be so thick that airports are closed and chains of collisions occur on the highways.
Another type of smog occurs in Los Angeles. Here the weather may be clear and sunny. But stinging eyes and dry coughs show that harmful chemicals fill the air. The smog is due to invisible gases, mostly from automobile exhaust. Because these chemicals are changed by the sun high up in the air, it is called photochemical smog. It contains automobile exhaust fumes and nitrogen oxides changed by the sun's rays. Added to these are sulfur dioxide and other fumes from factories and oil refineries. Photochemical smog is found in many large cities all over the world.
Killer smogs don't happen very often, fortunately. But in Beijing, a combination of automobile exhaust fumes, home furnace smoke, and factory waste gases pours into the air. This may also happen in the suburbs, or out in the country, where large factories have been built. A number of harmful substances have been found in the air there. When these substances are breathed in day after day, the health of the population is affected.Why do people call this phenomenon "black fog"?
| A．It is black and dirty. |
| B．It can affect the health. |
| C．It can kill people. |
| D．It is too thick for people to see something. |
What can reduce the air pollution according to the passage'?
| A．Water. | B．Wind. | C．The sun. | D．Cold air. |
When photochemical smog happens in the city, .
| A．many people will be killed |
| B．black smoke may pour into the air |
| C．the weather may be fine |
| D．people have to walk to work |
From the passage we know that the most serious black smog disaster took place in.
| A．London | B．New York | C．Los Angeles | D．Beijing |
When most people travel, they spend some time booking hotel rooms. However, my friend Ashley and I were not like most people many years ago. We decided that backpacking through Ireland would be more fun if we “winged it”.
Winging it, of course, meant that we’d each buy a one-way ticket to Dublin, and give ourselves ten days to get back to Bath, England, where we were enrolled in a study-abroad program. The plan was to visit Dublin, Galway, Cong, and finally end things in Belfast, where we figured we could catch a flight back to England.
Unfortunately, Ireland had other plans for us, as nothing worked out the way in which we thought it would. After getting stuck in Galway and Cong for about seven days, we finally managed to take a bus trip from Cong to Belfast. The twelve-hour bus ride started at ten in the morning, which meant that we’d arrive in the heart of Belfast at around ten at night. Of course, like all transport, the bus ran late, and we ended up in Belfast at around eleven-thirty at night. As there were a ton of hotels around the area where it dropped us off, we weren’t too worried about finding a hotel room. But hotel after hotel turned us down.
After the third hotel turned us down and the fourth one was locked up for the night, Ashley and I started to realize that we had to spend a long night sleeping on a city bench. Like militant soldiers, we slept in turn as we were worried we would get robbed. The system worked, as we were able to stay safe while catching as much sleep as we could on the bench.
From this experience, I really learnt a good lesson. Why did the author and his friend decide to wing it when they went to travel in Ireland? (No more than 8 words)
What did the author and his friend do in Bath, England? (No more than 8 words)
How long did it take the author and his friend to get to Belfast from Cong by bus? (No more than 5 words)
Why did the author and his friend have to take turns to sleep? (No more than 8 words)