The year 2006 was a busy one for space and technology workers. A planet lost its status and space flights caught the imagination of people around the world.
The following is a short list of the major events of the year:____________
IBM has built a chip that runs about 100 times faster than the ones we have now. The development could lead to faster computers. The chip was first made in June. It can run at a speed of 500 gigahertz (千兆赫).
Pluto loses face
The International Astronomical Union created the first scientific definition (定义) of the word "planet" in August. Under the new rules, Pluto is no longer called a planet but a "dwarf planet" (矮行星).
Pluto had been considered a planet since its discovery in 1930. For now, there are only the eight "classical" planets in the solar system (太阳系): They are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Woman space tourist
The first woman space tourist was launched on a Russian rocket from Kazakhstan on September 18. The flight carried a businesswoman, named Anousheh Ansari, along with a fresh crew for the International Space Station (ISS). Ansari is a 40-year-old American. She has paid at least US$20 million for the trip. She returned on September 28 after her eight-day stay at the International Space Station.
Discovery sent up
The US space shuttle Discovery took seven astronauts on a 12-day repair mission (任务) to the International Space Station on December 9. It was the first night launch by NASA in four years. The last one ended in the failure of the space shuttle Columbia in 2003. The sub-title of the second paragraph probably would be _______.
| A．IBM |
| B．The development of computers |
| C．The first chip born |
| D．Faster computer chip |
The US space shuttle Discovery was sent up mainly to ________.
| A．do some research |
| B．do some repairs |
| C．be in memory to Columbia shuttle. |
| D．build a space station. |
Which of the following statements is WRONG?
| A．Pluto is no longer a real planet according to the new theory. |
| B．People have been dreaming about space flight. |
| C．Anousheh Ansari was the first women space tourist. |
| D．The US space shuttle Discovery is the first one launched by NASA at night. |
The passage is written mainly to tell us_______.
| A．exciting new science of the year of 2006. |
| B．space flight full of wonders. |
| C．the major events of the year of 2006. |
| D．science and technology is the first productive. |
Old Bear
Kevin Henkes (2008), under 40 pages
Target Audience: Preschoolers
Price: $3.8
Content: It is snowing really hard and Old Bear is getting ready for his long nap. As he sleeps, he dreams of being a cub again and enjoying the wonders of nature. He dreams about summer, fall, winter and spring and how each season brings him so much joy! The illustrations (插图) show the beauty of the seasons that Old Bear dreams about. Great book!
Half-Minute Horrors
Susan Rich (2009), 120~160 pages
Target Audience: Intermediates (4th~ 6th grade)
Price: $9.6
Content: Looking for a scary book that is also quick to read? How about a one-paragraph tale of terror or a simple drawing that will make your skin crawl? This book is a collection of very short stories, pictures and cartoons from an impressive group of authors and illustrators.
Leaves
David Ezra Stain (2007), under 40 pages
Illustrated by David Ezra Stain
Target Audience: Toddlers, Preschoolers
Price: $3.4
Content: It’s Little Bear’s first year. Fall has come to his island. When the leaves begin to fall, he wonders what to do. However, after following his instinct and sleeping through the winter, he awakens in spring to find everything blooming once again.
Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’
Eileen Spinelli (2003), under 40 pages
Illustrated by Megan Lloyd
Target Audience: Preschoolers
Price: $3.5
Content: The Tappletons (bears) are gathered together for their big Thanksgiving feast. However, all is not going well during the preparations. The turkey slides out of the house, down a hill and into a pond. There are no pies at the bakery and the lettuce for the salad has been given to the rabbits. As they sit down for the feast, Grandmother reminds them that although they have nothing to eat, they can still be thankful that they have each other.What can we learn from the book Thanksgiving at the Tappletons?
| A．We should always keep things in order. |
| B．We should try to make more delicious food on Thanksgiving. |
| C．If we don’t work hard, there will be no food. |
| D．Family love is the most important thing. |
If you like reading horror stories, which book would you like?
| A．Old Bear. |
| B．Half-Minute Horrors. |
| C．Leaves. |
| D．Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’. |
Who are the main readers of these books?
| A．Adults. |
| B．Old people. |
| C．Little children. |
| D．Middle school students. |
Where can you probably find this passage?
| A．In a travel guide. |
| B．In an advertisement. |
| C．In a science textbook. |
| D．In an official report. |
Let us suppose it is now about A.D. 2060. Let’s make believe(假设；虚构) it is about sixty years from now. Of course, things have changed and life is very different.
Voyages to the moon are being made every day. It is as easy to take a holiday on the moon today as it was for the people in 1960 to take a holiday in Europe. At a number of scenic spots on the moon, many hotels have been built. The hotels are air-conditioned, naturally. In order that everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the moon, every room has at least one picture window. Everything imaginable is provided for entertainment(娱乐) of young and old.
What are people eating now? People are still eating food. They haven’t yet started to take on heir(继承) supply of energy directly as electrical current or as nuclear power. They may some day. But many foods now come in pill form, and the food that goes into the pill continues to come mainly from green plants.
Since there are several times as many people in the world today as there were a hundred years ago, most of our planet’s surface has to be filled. The deserts are irrigated with water and crops are no longer destroyed by pests. The harvest is always good.
Farming, of course, is very highly developed. Very few people have to work on the farm. It is possible to run the farm by just pushing a few buttons now and then.
People are now largely vegetarians(素食者). You see, as the number of people increases, the number of animals decreases. Therefore, the people have to be vegetarians and we are healthier both in our bodies and in our minds, and we know the causes and cure of disease and pain, and it is possible to get rid of diseases. No one has to be ill any more.
Such would be our life in 2060.According to the passage, what will be on the moon in about A.D. 2060?
A. Many tourists. B. Many other animals.
C. Many plants. D. A sea.What will people eat then according to the passage?
| A．Biscuits in pill form. | B．Foods in pill form. |
| C．Foods in water form. | D．Foods in gas form. |
The passage tells us that in 2060, ________ on the earth than now.
| A．there are fewer population | B．there are more pests |
| C．there is less water | D．the crops are getting better |
Why are people largely vegetarians in 2060?
| A．Because they don’t eat meat . |
| B．Because doctors advise them not to eat meat. |
| C．Because the number of animals decreases. |
| D．Because all the animals have died of diseases. |
Many artists late in the last century were in search of a means to express their individuality. Modern dance was one of the ways some of these people sought to free their creative spirit. The beginnings of modem dance were happening before Isadora Duncan, but she was the first person to bring the new dance to general audiences and see it accepted and acclaimed.
Her search for a natural movement form sent her to nature. She believed movement should be as natural as the swaying of the trees and the rolling waves of the sea. Her great contributions are in three areas.
First, she began the expansion of the kinds of movements that could be used in dance. Before Duncan danced, ballet was the only type of dance performed in concerts. In the ballet the feet and legs were emphasized, with virtuosity (技巧高超) shown by complicated, codified positions and movements. Duncan performed dance by using all her body in the freest possible way. Her dance stemmed from (源自) her soul and spirit. She was one of the pioneers who broke tradition so others might be able to develop the art.
Her second contribution lies in dance costumes (服装). She discarded corset, ballet shoes, and stiff costumes. These were replaced with flowing clothes, bare feet, and unlimited hair. She believed in the natural body being allowed to move freely, and her dress displayed this ideal.
Her third contribution was in the use of music. In her performances she used the symphonies (交响乐) of great masters, including Beethoven and Wagner, which was not the usual custom.
She was as exciting and eccentric in her personal life as in her dance.. The best title for the passage would be“_________”.
| A．Dance in the Twentieth Century |
| B．Artists of the Last Century |
| C．Natural Movement in Dance |
| D．A Pioneer in Modern Dance |
According to the passage, nature meant_________ to Duncan.
| A．something to conquer | B．a model for movement |
| C．a place to find peace | D．a symbol of disorder |
The paragraph following the passage most probably discusses_________.
| A．Duncan’s further contribution to modern dance |
| B．The music customarily used in ballet |
| C．other aspects of Duncan’s life |
| D．audience acceptance of the new form of dance |
Several days ago, a Beijing-based IT company fired about 400 people overnight. No one had expected the job cuts, which broke with traditional ways of letting go of workers in China. Moreover, what was special about this case was that the day before the 400 were fired, they all received from their boss a gift—the book “Who Moved My Cheese?”
The book—a bestseller in the US—is being used by men and women to deal with changes in their lives and work. Some large organizations, including Coca-Cola, Kodak and General Motors, ask their employees to read it in order to encourage them to be active towards changes.
Cheese is something related to everyone’s livelihood-Our jobs, the industries we work in, relationships and love as well.
With China’s official entry into the WTO, the whole nation will face up to more changes and challenges. So what we should do once this “cheese” on which we are so dependent is moved?
“Whatever challenges and changes we meet, we should face up to them bravely,” Jiang Hengwei, a civil servant said after reading the book.
Professor Zhang Yang in Renmin University of China agrees. “We should change our way of thinking. The coming competitive foreign companies and products provide us with great chances to learn from them and improve our own products to meet international standards and be more competitive.”
“With hard work and wisdom, we will create a much larger and better piece of cheese.” Zhang smiled confidently.. The whole passage is about_________.
| A．a bestseller in the US |
| B．what people think about China’s entry into the WTO |
| C．the change in people’s attitude towards changes and challenges |
| D．how a book influences the Chinese workers |
The company in Beijing gave each of the 400 fired workers a copy of “Who Moved My Cheese ”in order to_________.
| A．be more competitive with foreign firms |
| B．find an excuse for their job cuts |
| C．let the workers make a living on their own |
| D．encourage the fired workers |
. The word “cheese” in the passage can refer to_________.
| A．something we depend on |
| B．a most important kind of food |
| C．change or challenge |
| D．way of life |
. From what Heng wei and Professor Zhang Yang said, we can know that____________.
| A．they have different opinions on changes and challenges |
| B．people are not afraid of competition from foreign companies |
| C．the Chinese people are ready to face any changes and challenges |
| D．they are both greatly encouraged by the book |
The following diaries were written by an Australian boy named Tony. He was on holiday with his family in South Asia.
27 December, 2007
This morning I read an e-mail about a boy in hospital looking for his father and I finally thought of a way to help. I took my camera to the hospital and took photos of the boy. Now I’m going to set up a website on my dad’s computer, upload the photos and add his name and information of the hospital. Hopefully it will help!
2 January, 2008
At the end of the trip, I learned that the boy found his father! His Swedish uncle saw the e-mail on my webpage and arranged the meeting. Is it my website that has made such a success? But at least I’ve done something.
We’re returning home tomorrow but I will remember the experience and tell my friends: No matter what we are, we can think of a way to help others.. Tony thought of the way to ______.
| A．forget the experience |
| B．take photos of the travelers |
| C．set up a website for the hospital |
| D．help the boy find his father |
______ saw the e-mail and photos on the webpage and arranged the meeting.
| A．The boy’s uncle | B．Tony |
| C．Tony’s father | D．The doctor |
Tony was more likely to be ______ in South Asia.
| A．living | B．studying |
| C．shopping | D．traveling |
It can be learned from the diaries that ______.
| A．people are willing to set up websites |
| B．Tony’s father worked in the hospital there |
| C．people can do something to help each other |
| D．Tony went there to look for his family members |
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