The world is not coming to an end on December 21, 2012, the US space agency insisted Monday in a rare campaign to dispel widespread rumors fueled by the Internet and a new Hollywood movie.
The latest big screen offering from Sony Picture, 2012, arrives in theaters on Friday, with a 200-million-dollar production about the end of the world supposedly based on myths backed by the Mayan calendar. It is claimed that the end of time will come as a Planet X---or Nibiru---heads toward or collides with the Earth.
Some websites accuse NASA of hiding the truth on the planet’s existence, but the US space agency condemned such stories as an “Internet hoax”. “There is no factual basis for these claims,” NASA said in a question-and-anwser posting on this website. “If such a cllision were real, astronomers would have been tracking it for at least the past decade, and it would be visible by now to the naked eye. Obviously, it does not exist. Credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012,” it insisted. “After all, our planet has been getting along just well for more than four billion years,” added NASA.
There is another planet, Eris, floating in space. But the small planet similar to Pluto will remain safely fixed in the outer solar system and it can come no closer than four billion miles to the Earth, according to NASA.
Earlier theories set the disaster for May 2003, but when nothing happened the date was moved forward to the winter in 2012 to coincide with the end of a cycle of the ancient Mayan calendar.
NASA insisted the Mayan calendar in fact does not end on December 21, 2012, as another period begins immediately afterward.
And even if the planets were to line up as some have forecast, the effect on our planet would be “negligible(unimportant)”, NASA said.
“And while comets and asteroids (小行星) have always hit the Earth, big hits are very rare,” NASA noted. The last major impact was believed to be 65 million years ago, resulting in the end of dinosaurs.
“We have already determined that there are no threatening asteroids as large as the one that killed the dinosaurs,” the space agency said.
49. ______ played a key role in the spread of the rumors.
A. A new book B. The Internet and a new Hollywood movie
C. NASA D. An Indian calendar
50. We can infer that ______.
A. people didn’t take the rumor seriously
B. Planet X --- or Nibiru does exist
C. astronomers have been tracking Planet X for over ten years
D. the rumor caused a panic among some people
51. NASA thinks that Eris ______.
A. might have a threat to the Earth
B. dosen’t have any threat to the Earth
C. is too far away to be visible
D. is similar to our planet, where life might exist
52. Which of the following is the best title?
A. New Hollywood movie 2012
B. December 21, 2012, Not the end of the world
C. End of the ancient Mayan calendar
D. How rumors came into being
Finally, I entered the university. Because of my careful savings, I did not have to work during the school year. Then, summer came and it was time to work harder than ever. I continued working as a waitress at night, instructed tennis camps several mornings a week and worked as a secretary for a few hours in the afternoons. I even decided to take a class at a community (社区) college. This class at the community college saved me $650. It was an extremely tiring summer and made me anxious to return to my relatively easy life at the university.
During my second and third years of undergraduate schooling, I decided to work about five hours per week in the campus (校园) admissions office answering phones. This provided a little spending money and kept me from drawing my savings out. I wanted to go to Israel to study for 3 weeks, but I hesitated in making this decision because it would cost me $1,600 more to get the credits in Israel. About two weeks later my Mom called to tell me that I had $1,600 in the bank that I had forgotten about! One of my concerns about this trip was not only the cost, but the loss of time to make money; however, I made as much that summer in the ten weeks when I was at home as I had made during the fourteen weeks when I was at home the summer before. The way everything worked together to make this trip possible was one of the most exciting things that have ever happened to me.
This experience has shaped me in many important ways. The first thing that I learned was the importance of a strong work ethic (伦理). Working long hours did a lot to develop my character and helped me learn the value of a dollar. It also made me learn how to search for creative ways to settle difficult situations.Where did the writer probably work part-time before attending the university?
| A．In a restaurant. |
| B．In the tennis camps. |
| C．In a company. |
| D．In the admissions office. |
The writer took a class at a community college mainly because _________.
| A．she wanted to save money |
| B．life there was relatively easy |
| C．summer time was tiring |
| D．it was required by the university |
The writer’s major concern about the trip to Israel was that _________.
| A．her mother would not agree |
| B．she would fail to get credits in Israel |
| C．a well-paid summer job would be lost |
| D．$1,600 couldn’t be drawn out in time |
The passage is mainly about how the writer _________.
| A．made money on the college campus |
| B．managed to make full use of her vacation |
| C．was forced to support herself by her mother |
| D．was shaped by working part-time through college |
Q: I currently entered college in New York. Since English is not my first language, I sometimes ask a friend to read my essays to help fix the grammar and language. I believe I'm being graded mainly on my ideas, and my friend helps me get my ideas across better in English. Is this OK?
-Mariana
A: It's good that you want to succeed in your written work at college. Making use of available resources to help you succeed is a smart strategy (策略). But while you may believe that your instructors don't care as much about how you write as they do about your ideas, that' s not a fair assumption.
Certainly, your ideas are important. No matter how polished your writing is, it will not disguise a poorly expressed idea in a paper. But as a college student, being able to organize your thoughts clearly-whether you're speaking in class or writing a paper-is critical to show that you've mastered the material in each course. This does not mean you shouldn't ask others to review your written work before handing it in. That's OK.
You should not, however, allow a friend or anyone else to rewrite parts of your papers for you. Instead, ask them to simply let you know about any parts of the paper that are unclear and need work. Many colleges have writing centers where tutors will work with you on your writing-without doing the work for you.
Regardless of whether you consult with a friend or a tutor, the right thing is for you to talk to your instructors to ask their advice and let them know you plan to seek assistance with your writing. If you ask them in advance for guidance on what's appropriate and what's not for the written work they assign, that will allow you to be as transparent as possible about how you completed your assignments.
-Professor ByronWhat problem does Mariana meet?
| A．She has trouble learning English grammar. |
| B．She wonders if her method on writing is suitable. |
| C．She doesn't get on well with her classmates. |
| D．She isn't able to express herself in English. |
According to Pro. Byron, what's the most important in writing a paper?
| A．Professional advice. | B．Polishing carefully. |
| C．Organizing thoughts. | D．Familiar materials. |
When asking someone for help on your paper, you should ask him ______.
| A．to hand in the paper after reading it |
| B．to write the difficult part for you |
| C．to make a writing. plan for you |
| D．to tell you the part to be improved |
What does the underlined word refer to in the text?
| A．Essays. | B．Courses. |
| C．Ideas. | D．Resources. |
Selfies (自拍) have become an increasingly common way to capture memorable moments. When it comes to taking selfies , knowing the following tips can directly affect the quality of your final product. .
The use of light is vital to improving image quality. Lights can help avoid shadows and create soft features on your face, so turn your face toward the main light. source. If you want to be creative, play with light angles by turning your body, but make sure the photo is properly exposed and your face is lit from the front or the side. Besides, avoid taking selfies against the main light source or with overhead lighting. Additionally, natural light possesses a warmth that makes you look like you're glowing.
When taking selfies, angles also matter a lot. Hold the camera away from your face, and try to take photos both horizontally and vertically. If not, your face might look bigger than usual. Ideally, the universal selfie angle is 45 degrees above your head. But you should study your face at different angles because finding your best angle requires you having seen all of them.
One problem with selfies is that most have distracting backgrounds. You can always do more to show others your best side. Try to simplify the background by taking selfies outdoors or in spacious areas. Document yourself engaging in interesting activities-hiking with family members, visiting landmarks, or working out with friends. At least, you can make the photo appealing by getting rid of your outstretched arm or a background that's too busy.
You can also download some photo apps that allow you to adjust the lighting and contrast. Some apps offer useful filters, which can change your skin tone and eliminate pimples (粉刺) on your face.To get an image of high quality, you need to _______.
| A．be under the light source |
| B．be against the main light |
| C．face the main light source |
| D．have the photo fully exposed |
How can you find the angle that suits you most?
| A．Study your face at different angles. |
| B．Hold the camera far enough from you. |
| C．Keep the camera lower than your face. |
| D．Place the camera 45 degrees above your head. |
Which of the following should be avoided when taking selfies?
| A．The use of natural light. |
| B．A landmark as a background. |
| C．Changes of the skin tone. |
| D．A busy background. |
The sharing economy has grown in recent years to include everything from apartment' sharing to car sharing to community tool sharing. Since 2009, a new form of sharing economy has been emerging in neighborhoods throughout the US and around the world-Little Free Library. The libraries are boxes placed in neighborhoods from which residents can withdraw and deposit books. Little Free Libraries come in all shapes and sizes. Some libraries also have themes, focusing on books for children, adults, or tour guides.
In 2009. Tod Bol built the first Little Free Library as a gift to his mother, who was a devoted reader. When he saw the people of his community gathering around it, exchanging conversation as well as books, he knew he wanted to take his simple idea further. "I think Little Free Libraries open the door to conversations we want to have with each other," Bol said. .
Since then, his idea has become a movement, spreading from state to state and country to country. According to Little FreeLibrary.org, there are now 18,000 0f the little structures around the world, located in each of the 50 US states and 70 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia.
The Internet has helped to spread Little Free Libraries. But an Atlantic article says the little, structures serve as a cure for a world of e-reader downloads . The little wooden boxes are refreshingly physical and human. For many people, the sense of discovery is Little Free Libraries' main appeal. "A girl walking home from school might pick up a graphic novel that gets her excited about reading; a man on his way to the bus stop might find a volume of poetry that changes his outlook on life," says the Atlantic article. "Every book is a potential source of inspiration "How do Little Free Libraries get their books?
| A．Citizens shared them. | B．Tod Bol donated them. |
| C．US government provided them. | D．The communities bought them. |
Why did Tod Bol want to build more Little Free Libraries?
| A．He wanted to promote his idea worldwide. |
| B．He was inspired by the sharing economy. |
| C．They can offer neighbors more chances to talk. |
| D．They are a gift to please his mother. |
What does the author of the Atlantic article believe?
| A．The Internet has helped to spread Little Free Libraries. |
| B．Little Free Libraries are physical and human. |
| C．E-reader downloads are undoubtedly beneficial. |
| D．Little Free Libraries are more popular than e-reader downloads. |
Little Free Libraries attract readers most in that ______.
| A．they connect strangers together |
| B．they are located all over the world |
| C．they are in various shapes and sizes |
| D．they may give readers a sense of discovery |
Upon entering college, Yang Yi was uncertain about a lot of things. However, the 19-year-old international economics and trade student was certain about one thing: She wanted to participate in animal welfare efforts.
“I'm .always a nature and animal lover," she said. She joined the environmental protection association at her school. Now being president of a group of 25, she leads its efforts to help stray（流浪）cats and dogs by raising money to buy them food and collecting old clothes to make them homes.
However, sometimes the association raises doubts. Some students have questioned whether helping stray animals breaks the laws of nature. "We tried to resolve the controversy," Yang said. “For wild animals, the best way to protect them is to preserve their environment and their natural habitat, and to let them live their own way. However, for animals that depend heavily on humans, such as dogs and cats, the proper way to treat them is to respect them and take care of them." Besides, if not accommodated properly, stray animals can bring threats to public health, as they are the main cause of rabies（狂犬病）in cities. "Now, many young people in China have agreed upon the need to strike a balance between humans and nature. The only problem is how," said Yang. Yang and her fellow volunteers are cautious about what they do to help. For instance, sometimes people feed stray cats human food such as chocolate. But Yang and her friends point that such food can be dangerous to stray cats.
Yang also cooperates with Non-Governmental Organizations to spread animal protection knowledge. One of their recent exhibits was about animals in the entertainment industry. "We are still figuring out the best way to protect animals, but simple deeds such as saying no to animal performances can prevent wildlife from being captured and tamed. Step by step, we'll eventually reach our goal," she said.Why did Yang Yi join the environmental protection association?
| A．She majored in a relevant field. |
| B．She wanted to protect nature and animals. |
| C．She was uncertain about her life. |
| D．She intended to know about animal welfare. |
What do the group members do for stray animals?
| A．They shelter them with old clothes. |
| B．They feed human food to them. |
| C．They train them for entertainment. |
| D．They donate money to the association. |
In paragraph 3,Yang believes that
| A．all animals should live naturally |
| B．young people have known how to balance human and nature |
| C．stray animals are bound to spread rabies |
| D．chocolate is not a proper food for stray cats |
What does Yang Yi think of her work?
| A．Enjoyable. | B．Doubtful. | C．Hopeful. | D．Awful. |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号