In Jinzhong, Shanxi Province, there is a group of people who are busy drawing maps around. They are not workers on geography, but dispatchers(调度员) on Emergency(急救) Center of the city.
Since 2007, the dispatchers in the center have been drawing maps of the local areas.
"A dispatcher's job is counted in seconds," says Liang Ruimei, a dispatcher in the center. She has been working in the center since it started in 2007. "We must answer the phone in 3 seconds, get clear information about the patient in 60 seconds and dispatch(调度) emergency medical workers in 3 minutes at most. If we save one second, the patient may have a better chance to live."
Although nowadays the center has electronic maps, the dispatchers still walk through the streets to draw maps by hand.
After many years' hard work, the dispatchers keep every building and street of the city in mind. They even know whether or not a car can enter the gate of a building. Sometimes the caller can't tell clearly where he is, but it doesn't matter. As long as he describes the buildings around, the dispatcher can dispatch emergency medical workers to him.
"We are trying to be quicker than Death," says Liang.
(1)Is Liang Ruimei a dispatcher in Emergency Center of Jinzhong?
(2)When did Emergency Center of Jinzhong start?
(3)To be quicker than Death, what do the dispatchers in Emergency Center of Jinzhong do?
(4)Do you think it necessary for dispatchers to draw maps by hand when they have electronic maps? Why or why not?
There is an old saying in English, “Laughter is the best medicine”. Until recently, few people took the saying very seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to study laughter and the effects (作用) it has on the human body. They have found evidence that laughter really can improve people’s health.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, the heart rate and the rate of breathing. It also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be helpful.
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to make the effect of pain on the body less. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group which could bear the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny program. The reason why laughter can make pain less seems to be that it helps to produce endorphins (内啡肽) in the brain. These are natural chemicals which make both stress and pain less.
There is also some evidence to suggest that laughter helps the body’s immune system that is the system which fights infection (感染). In an experiment, one group of students watched a funny video while another group served as the control group — in other words, a group with which to compare the first group. Doctors checked the blood of the students in both groups and found that the people in the group that watched the video had an increase in the activity of their white blood cells that is the cells which fight infection.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors and psychiatrists (精神病学) in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they try to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce good effects similar to those caused by laughter. We learn from the first paragraph that laughter .
A.is good for one’s health |
B.has strong effects to do with some illness |
C.has been studied long since |
D.has no effect on the body |
Doctors have found that laughter .
A.keeps down blood pressure |
B.has similar effects to physical exercise |
C.decreases the heart rate |
D.increases stress and pain |
Which of the following statements is NOT true of laughter according to the passage?
A.It makes pain less. |
B.It exercises the body. |
C.It improves the body’s immune system. |
D.It can cure cancer. |
Smiling can produce _________.
A.about the same effects as laughter |
B.more effects than laughter |
C.fewer effects on the human body |
D.no effects on the human body |
The main idea of this passage is that _________.
A.the doctors should learn how to make people laugh |
B.there are several ways of studying the advantages of laughter |
C.tests show that laughter can produce positive effects on human body |
D.laughter and physical exercise have the same effects on human body |
Two children stood outside the door with old coats. “Any old papers, Lady?” asked one of them.
I was busy. I wanted to say no, but I saw that their shoes were broken and wet. “Come in and I’ll make you a cup of hot tea.” They came in, saying nothing. Their shoes left snow on the floor.
I gave them tea and bread to protect them against the cold outside. Then I went back to the kitchen and started my housework again.
The silence in the front room surprised me. I looked in.
The girl held the empty cup in her hands, looking at it. The boy asked me in a low voice, “Lady, are you rich?”
Am I rich? Oh, no! I looked at my old things in my room.
The girl put her cup back in its saucer(茶碟) carefully. “Your cups match your saucers.”
They left then, holding their papers against the wind. They hadn’t said thank you. They didn’t need to. They had done more than that. The blue cups and saucers were simple. But they said that they matched. The potatoes and meat before me, a roof over our hands, my husband with a job—these things matched, too.
I moved the chairs back from the fire and cleaned the living room. The prints of their small shoes were still wet on my floor. I let them be. I wanted them there to remind me how rich I was.The writer let the two children in _________.
A.to offer them some warm clothes | B.to serve them tea and food |
C.to sell them some old papers | D.to show them how rich she was. |
We can learn from the passage that_______.
A.the writer was in fact not very rich |
B.the children took away many old papers |
C.the writer’s husband was out of work |
D.the two children were looking for a job |
It can be inferred(推断) from the passage that _______.
A.it was snowing outside when the story happened |
B.the two children thanked the writer and then left |
C.the two children were not polite to the writer |
D.the writer had a set of new furniture in her house |
The underlined sentence “I let them be” means “_________”.
A.I dislike them | B.I didn’t want to see them |
C.I cleaned them | D.I left them there |
What’s the best title of the passage?
A.Any Old Papers? | B.Matching Cups and Saucers |
C.Are You Rich? | D.Two Poor Children |
The human brain weighs about 1.4 kilograms, but it can, hold much more information than most computers. However, there is another difference between humans and computers. Computers don't forget information they are given, but humans often do. No one remembers everything, and luckily we don't usually have to. But everyone can improve their memory if they want to. Here are some suggestions.
◆Try to use new information immediately. For example, if you meet someone who says "Hi! I'm Carlos," don't just say "Hello." Repeat the person's name. Say"____"
◆Break a big number into smaller parts. For example, it's hard to memorize (记忆) 109244153. But if you break it into three parts--109/244/153—it becomes easier.
◆Write out what you need to remember over and over again. This will help you keep it in mind longer, especially for memorizing formulas (公式) or facts.
◆Always review information. If you bring what you've learned back to your mind, they become easier to remember. For example, before you go to sleep, it’s a good idea to review the new things you learned that day.
◆Discuss with a friend. It is always easier to remember things through discussions. You can have a discussion about what’s right and what's wrong, and it will lead to the right answer.
◆Never tell yourself that you have a bad memory. You can always do something to help improve your memory. And everyone's memory gets better if they use it often enough.
All of the suggestions are helpful. If you follow them, you are certain to improve your memory. How many suggestions are mentioned in the passage?
A.Three. | B.Four. |
C.Five. | D.Six. |
Which should be put in the blank (空格) in Paragraph 2?
A.Hello, Carlos. | B.How do you do? |
C.Hello, I am Sophia. | D.Glad to meet you! |
What can help memorize a big number more easily according to the passage?
A.To store it in a computer. |
B.To break it into stunner parts. |
C.To discuss it with a friend. |
D.To review it before you sleep. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A.Discussing with friends can help you remember things. |
B.Always reviewing information can help you fall asleep. |
C.Formulas and facts can help you learn about your brain. |
D.Human beings can improve their memory by computer. |
What does the sentence "Never tell yourself that you have a bad memory” mean?
A.You should tell others about your bad memory. |
B.You should believe in other people all the time. |
C.You should ask others to improve their memory. |
D.You should be confident in your memory ability. |
All residents: Rules for living in Parkrise Flats
We all want to live comfortably and safely here, so here are a few simple rules which we think all residents should follow.
Rubbish
Rubbish collection is on Tuesdays. Please do not leave rubbish bags out before Tuesday as birds and animals can break into them and they smell.
Washing
There is a washing line for every flat in the garden next to the car park. Please only dry your washing on these lines so it does not disturb(干扰)people in the ground floor flats.
Cleaning
The main stairs are cleaned twice a week by the Association, so please try to keep them tidy and clean and do not leave furniture or bags on the stairs or in the hallways.
Lights
The main lights are on a timer and they stay on for five minutes whey you press them. Please tell the Association if any lights are not working.
Noise
Residents are asked to keep noise to a minimum. Loud music, etc. can disturb other people and the Association will get in touch with you if you make too much noise.
Safety
Make sure the main outside door is always locked and do not let anyone in to the main building unless you know who they are. Sometimes people try to get in to the main stairs and then break into flats, so do not let people in unless they are coming to see you.
Parking
Each flat has one car parking space. These are numbered and are at the back of the building. Do not use another resident's space. If you have more than one car you will have to park it on the road. Do not park where you are blocking entrances.
Problems
If you have any problems or questions, please call the Association at 0800 096 9000.
Parkrise Housing AssociationWhat's the purpose of the text?
A.To list the services offered by the Association. |
B.To make an advertisement for the flats. |
C.To ask the residents to follow the rules. |
D.To warn people against possible dangers. |
According to the text, which of the following is done once a week?
A.Rubbish collections. |
B.Drying the washing. |
C.Cleaning the main stairs. |
D.Changing the lights. |
People should dry their washing on the watching lines ______.
A.at the car park |
B.in the ground floor flats |
C.in the h allways |
D.in the garden |
The Association will talk with you if ______.
A.lights are not working |
B.you make too much noise |
C.you let strange people in |
D.you park your car on the road |
It can be learned from the text that ______.
A.people should leave the broken chairs on the stairs |
B.the Association is always ready to help the residents |
C.one can park the car at any numbered parking space |
D.the lights will be on whenever you pass the main stairs |
In 1816, there were no schools for the deaf in America. Several people started a few schools, but in the end all of the schools closed. There were too many problems. The first people to succeed were Laurent Clerc and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. They opened their school in 1817, and the school did not close. At that time it was the only school for deaf children in America!
Clerc and Gallaudet did not know what would happen after they opened their school. They worked very hard. The school grew, and many more students went to this school. These new students were from all over the country. People thought the school would be big enough for all of the deaf children in America. The school is still open today, but the name was changed. Today it is called the American School for the Deaf. It is in West Hartford, Connecticut.
After Clerc and Gallaudet established their school, many other schools for the deaf were opened as well. Before Gallaudet’s death in 1851, 15 other schools for deaf children were built! Many of the teachers at those 15 schools used Gallaudet’s teaching methods. Many had even studied with Gallaudet and were deaf themselves!Laurent Clerc and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet were the first people who .
A.wanted to build a school for the deaf in the USA |
B.succeeded in making the deaf speak as ordinary people |
C.succeeded in opening their school for the deaf in America |
D.succeeded in opening their school for the deaf all over the world |
The underlined word “establish” in the passage means in Chinese.
A.出版 | B.发明 |
C.建立 | D.离开 |
Which of the following is TRUE about Clerc and Gallaudet’s school?
A. Its students were from all over the USA.
B. Its students were from all over the world.
C. All deaf children in America were their students.
D. Its students were only from Connecticut, the USAWhat is the school known as now?
A.The passage doesn’t tell us. |
B.The American School for the Deaf. |
C.The Connecticut School for the Deaf. |
D.The West Hartford School for the Deaf. |