Even plant can run a fever, especially when they’re under attack by insects or disease. But unlike human, plants can have their temperature taken from 3, 000 feet away straight up. A decade ago, adopting the infrared （红外线）scanning technology developed for military purposes and other satellites, physicist Stephen Paley came up with a quick way to take the temperature of crops to determine which ones are under stress. The goal was to let farmers precisely target pesticide （杀虫剂）spraying rather than rain poison on a whole field, which invariably includes plants that don’t have pest （害虫）problems.
Even better, Paley’s Remote Scanning Services Company could detect crop problems before they became visible to the eye. Mounted on a plane flown at 3, 000 feet at night, an infrared scanner measured the heat emitted by crops. The data were transformed into a color-coded map showing where plants were running“fevers”. Farmers could then spot-spray, using 50 to 70 percent less pesticide than they otherwise would.
The bad news is that Paley’s company closed down in 1984, after only three years. Farmers resisted the new technology and long - term backers were hard to find. But with the renewed concern about pesticides on produce, and refinements in infrared scanning, Paley hopes to get back into operation. Agriculture experts have no doubt the technology works. “This technique can be used on 75 percent of agricultural land in the United States, ” says George Oerther of Texas A & M. Ray Jackson , who recently retired from the Department of Agriculture, thinks remote infrared crop scanning could be adopted by the end of the decade. But only ff Paley finds the financial backing which he failed to obtain 10 years ago.
51．Plants will emit an increased amount of heat when they are______________.
A. sprayed with pesticides
B. facing an infrared scanner
C. in poor physical condition
D. exposed to excessive sun rays
52．In order to apply pesticide spraying precisely, we can use infrared scanning to____________.
A. estimate the damage to the crops
B. measure the size of the affected area
C. draw a color-coded map
D. locate the problem area
53．Farmers can save a considerable amount of pesticide by______________.
A. resorting to spot-spraying
B. consulting infrared scanning experts
C. transforming poisoned rain
D. detecting crop problems at an early stage
54．The application of infrared scanning technology to agriculture met with some difficulties
_______________.
A. the lack of official support
B. its high cost
C. the lack of financial support
D. its failure to help increase production
55．Infrared scanning technology may be brought back into operation because of_____________.
A. the desire of farmers to improve the quality of their produce
B. growing concern about the excessive use of pesticides on crops
C. the forceful promotion by the Department of Agriculture
D. full support from agricultural experts
The US government has started a website, Admongo, to help children think critically about the advertising aimed at them. It claims to provide visitors with an “aducation” through games and other entertainment.
A cartoon man dressed in old time pilot clothing greets visitors to Admongo. "Call me Haiz", he says upon arrival in a rocket ship that opens up with a crazy world inside it. Spacey dance music plays in the background as Haiz tells visitors that they need to learn about advertising.
Its inventors say eight to twelve years old is the age kids develop their critical thinking abilities. Kids that age are also a big market for advertisers.
The idea behind Admongo is to teach children three things: To identify the advertiser. To know what the advertiser is really saying. And to know what the advertisement is trying to get the child to do.
Children learn these things through a video game. They create their own game character. They can choose different skin colors, hair styles, eye and mouth shapes. Then they begin a trip through ad-land, where there are ads on buses and billboards. The players have to find all the marketing in the neighborhood before they can move on to the next level.
The Admongo game takes players inside a home, to the advertising studio and everywhere else ads can be found. It is a complete exploration of the world of marketing.
One such area is food marketing. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says it is a big business. The FTC estimates that food, drink and fast-food restaurants spent more than one and a half billion dollars on advertising to young people in 2009.
The FTC says children are important for three reasons. They buy products. They influence parents and caregivers to buy. And they are the future adult buyers of the products.
A recent study says most advertising aimed at children is for foods of the lowest nutritional value. First Lady Michelle Obama has said she would like to see advertisers marketing healthy foods for children.What is the best title of the text?
| A．A website aimed at children’s food |
| B．The cartoon guide named “Haiz” |
| C．An “aducation” website for children |
| D．A popular online video game |
Why did the government start the website?
| A．To advertise the video game for children. |
| B．To help children know about advertising. |
| C．To attract the biggest market of buyers. |
| D．To sell the products of its company. |
What can players do in the website game?
| A．Play video games during the trip |
| B．Travel to a supermarket. |
| C．Eat in a fast-food restaurant. |
| D．Choose appearance for their character. |
Children are important for advertising because they are ______.
| A．important for the society |
| B．the most potential buyers |
| C．easily influenced by ads |
| D．easily affected by poor products |
According to Michelle Obama, lots of foods advertised for children are ________.
| A．of low quality | B．yummy | C．of high nutrition | D．healthy |
Willa Nicoletta, Genuine relaxation
Somewhere in the world, there’s a place where stress isn’t allowed and peace and genuine relaxation are the only demands of the day．If you could go there, you would thoroughly enjoy yourself．There are not too many places in the world like this．．．but this is one of them．It’s luxurious．It’s ultra-private．
Welcome to Villa Nicoletta．
Villa Nicoletta is a 4 bedroom luxury villa and an oasis(绿洲) of rest and rejuvenation（恢复活力） in a land of unspoiled peace．Located on a 70-foot cliff overlooking the north shore of the Island of St．Thomas and the pretty waters of Caret Bay, Villa Nicoletta offers some the finest accommodations in the Caribbean for those seeking a vacation of elegance, peace and privacy．You’ll see how the sun blankets the landscape and water in shimmering brilliance by day and how the sky twinkles like billions of flawless diamonds at night．
Completed in 2000, the 3,300-square-foot Villa Nicoletta is fully equipped with state-of-the-art electronics, including: 6 High Defintion flat-screen TVs all with 120-channel satellite television and four Dell computers with 19-inch flat-screen monitors, wireless broadband Internet and printer/scanner/fax capability. There are also 6 DVD players to go with the TVs, as well as CD players, radios and video games.
When you book Villa Nicoletta, you shall book the entire villa.
Off Season: April 16 to December 14
★4 bedrooms—$5700 /week (8 people max)
Sleep sofa can add additional 2 people $ 200/night
Peak Season: December 15 to April 15
★4 bedrooms—$6300/week(8 people max)
Sleep sofa can add additional 2 people $ 200/nightThe villa can be rented to a maximum of people at a time.
| A．five | B．eight | C．thirteen | D．ten |
If a family with 6 people spends a two-week Christmas holiday in the villa, how much will they pay?
| A．$12,600. | B．$15,400. | C．$11,400. | D．$13,200. |
Villa Nicoletta is most likely to be popular with tourists who .
| A．like adventure |
| B．want to escape the noisy life of the city |
| C．enjoy the winter sports |
| D．seek excitement in the sea |
We can infer that .
| A．you have to share the villa with other tourists |
| B．the Island of St. Thomas is famous for the ocean theme amusement park |
| C．fewer tourists stay in Villa Nicoletta in autumn than in spring |
| D．you can go in for extreme sports in Villa Nicoletta |
The underlined word “twinkles” here means .
| A．shines with a light | B．falls like snow |
| C．burns with a spot | D．cries in surprise |
The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889, in memory of the 100th birthday of the French Revolution. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, opened the tower. Of the 700 suggestions that were handed in, Gustave Eiffel’s was chosen.
However, at first, it was not well accepted by all and a group of people — including many well-known writers and painters at that time — were fiercely against its design.
Being about 300 meters in height, and 7,000 tons in weight, it was the world’s tallest building until 1930. It was a great project for France. 300 workers took two years to build it. It isn’t an ordinary building, since it is almost made of steel. For example, its body moves around at most 12 cm in heavy wind. Moreover, its height changes up to 15 cm according to the temperature.
It was almost destroyed in 1909, but was saved because of its antenna(天线), which is used for communication at that time. Beginning in 1910 it became part of the International Time Service. French radio and French television have also made good use of its height.
The Eiffel Tower has also seen a few strange things. In 1923, a journalist rode a bicycle down from the first level of it. And in 1954, a mountain climber climbed on top of it and tried to measure its exact height.
Anyway, although its birth was difficult, it is now well accepted all over the world. It has been considered as one of the symbols of Paris.The passage mainly tells us ________.
| A．the history of the Eiffel Tower |
| B．some information about its design |
| C．what the Eiffel Tower was used for |
| D．how it became one of the symbols of Paris |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to this passage?
| A．Many people couldn’t accept the Eiffel Tower at the beginning. |
| B．It was the world’s tallest building for hundreds of years. |
| C．A journalist rode down from the Eiffel Tower in 1954. |
| D．The Eiffel Tower was saved because of its height. |
The French Revolution took place in _______.
| A．1889 | B．1923 | C．1789 | D．1930 |
Remembering names is an important social skill. Here are some ways to master it.
Recite and repeat in conversation.
When you hear a person’s name, repeat it. Immediately say it to yourself several times without moving your lips. You could also repeat the name in a way that does not sound forced or artificial.
Ask the other person to recite and repeat.
You can let other people help you remember their names. After you’ve been introduced to someone, ask that person to spell the name mad pronounce it correctly for you. Most people will be pleased by the effort you’re making to learn their names.
Admit you don’t know.
Admitting that you can’t remember someone’s name can actually make people relaxed. Most of them will feel sympathy if you say. “I’m working to remember names better. Yours is right on the tip of my tongue. What is it again?”
Use connections.
Link each person yon meet with one thing you find interesting or unusual. For example, you could make a mental note: "Vicki Cheng -- tall, black hair." To reinforce your associations, write them on a small card as soon as possible.
Limit the number of new names you learn at one time.
When meeting a group of people, concentrate on remembering just two or three names. Free yourself from remembering every one. Few of the people in mass introductions expect you to remember their names. Another way is to limit yourself to learning just first names. Last names can come later.
Go early.
Consider going early to conferences, parties and classes. Sometimes just a few people show up on time. There’re fewer names for you to remember. And as more people arrive, you can hear them being introduced to others --- an automatic review for you.How will most people feel when you try hard to remember their names?
| A．They will be moved. |
| B．They will be upset. |
| C．They will be delighted. |
| D．They will be discouraged. |
If you can't remember someone's name, you may
| A．tell him the truth |
| B．tell him a white lie |
| C．ask him for pity |
| D．ask others to help you |
When you meet a group of people, it is better to remember
| A．all their names |
| B．a couple of names first |
| C．just their last names |
| D．as many names as possible |
What does the text mainly tell us?
| A．Tips on an important social skill. |
| B．Importance of attending parties. |
| C．How to make use of social skills. |
| D．How to recite and repeat names. |
An explosion on Thursday killed one and injured 21 in a busy street in Tongren, Southwest China’s Guizhou Province.
The bomb was hidden in a rubbish bin in the city’s commercial hub（商业中心），where lots of shops and restaurants are concentrated.
The ear-splitting blast was heard around 12∶50 p.m.，said a local newspaper, citing witnesses. The power of the blast shattered（使粉碎）nearby shop windows and ripped the stainless（不生锈的）steel rubbish can to pieces.
One passer-by，identified（确认）only as Zhang，said she was shocked by the noise and saw a lot of pedestrians lying on the ground when she got to the scene.
Thirteen of the injured were taken to a local hospital after the explosion. A doctor there said five were in serious condition but already out of danger after emergency treatment. The others were just slightly hurt.
“The cause of the explosion is still unknown”, said an officer with the Tongren police, but refused to speculate as to the cause.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．All the injured were not taken to a hospital |
| B．13 of the injured were not taken to a hospital |
| C．The rubbish bin with a bomb was in a restaurant |
| D．The rubbish bin with a bomb was in a shop |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．One passer- by, identified only as Zhang, saw the man throwing a bomb into a bin. |
| B．Some customers in restaurants were injured. |
| C．The writer didn’t get to the scene. |
| D．All customers in shops got hurt. |
In the last paragraph the underlined word“ speculate” probably means ________.
| A．tell | B．guess | C．discuss | D．argue |
What of the following can be the best title for the passage?
| A．Bomb Hidden in a Rubbish Bin |
| B．The Cause of the Explosion |
| C．A Terrible Thing |
| D．Market Blast Kills 1 ,Injures 21 |
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