Although Thomas Edison created the technologies behind three major 21st century industries electrical power，recorded music and movies—his greatest invention may have been the modern method of inventing．He basically came up with the modern system of research and development．Edison was not the only scientist doing research in his garage but someone who gathered around him a team of creative scientific minds．Edison’s 1aboratories were the forerunners（先驱）of Apple，Google and Microsoft．
Yet for a11 his scientific gifts，he was no Steve Jobs or Bill Gates．He once said，“Anything that won’ t sell，I don’ t want to invent．” But Edison，unlike Jobs or Gates，had no real sense of what the public wanted or how to change his discoveries into products that might sell．It took him years to understand that the phonograph（留声机）was not a business tool but an entertainment invention．He helped create movies but resisted the idea that people might want to go into a theater to watch one．
We chose Edison this year because we need his example now more than ever．Though we live in a time of great reformation，the U．S．is in danger of losing its advantage in science and technology．American investment（投资）in research and development has not increased as a percentage of GDP since the mid一1980s，while the government’ s share has been dropping．And this is at a time when China is rapidly increasing its money on research and development．The U．S．was once among the 1eading nations．Now it ranks near the bottom of the 23 nations that collect such data．We hope that Edison’ s story might not only encourage reformation but also inspire more
young Americans to study science and engineering．The first paragraph is mainly about .
| A．the number of Edison’ s great inventions |
| B．Edison’ s special personal characters |
| C．Edi son’ s modern system of research |
| D．Apple．Google and Microsoft and their forerunners |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．A11 the things Edison invented sold well． |
| B．Edison wanted to invent things that sold well． |
| C．Edison’ s inventions were not valuable for being unpopular． |
| D．Edison had a gift for changing his discoveries into best sellers. |
The author’ s main purpose is to ．
| A．inform US of the danger the USA is in |
| B．get young Americans to study science |
| C．be in honor of Edison for his contributions |
| D．tell US how important Edison’ s inventions are |
We can infer from the text that ．
| A．the USA is no 10nger advanced in science and technology |
| B．the USA falls behind China in research and inventions |
| C．more and more young Americans will be interested in science |
| D．China is spending more and more money on research and development |
阅读下面短文，根据所读内容在文后小题的空格里填上适当的单词或短语。注意：每空不超过3个单词。
Each year there is an increasing number of cars as millions of new cars are produced in America. Americans will not live without cars! However, some have realized the serious problem of air pollution by cars. It is necessary to find ways to solve the problem of air pollution.
One way to clean the air is to build a new kind of clean car. That’s what several of the large car factories are trying to do. But to build a clean car is easier said than done. Progress in this field has been slow.
Another way is to take the place of the car engine by something else. Engineers are now working on it. Many makers believe that it will take years to develop a practical model for us.
To prevent the world being polluted by cars, Americans have to make some changes in the way of their life. They have to cut down on the number of their cars and are encouraged to travel and go to work by bike. But this change does not come easily. Many workers may find themselves without jobs if a car factory closes down. And the problem of their pollution would become less important than that of unemployment.
Americans may live a happy but sad life for a long time because of the car problem.
Cars and Pollution in American
| Problem |
Methods |
58._____________ |
Conclution |
| 56______________ |
Building a new kind of 57._______. |
Progress in this field is slow. |
Americans may live a 60._______ life. |
| It takes years to develop a 59._______ |
|||
| Cutting down on the number of cars |
Many workers may lose their jobs |
||
| Traveling and going to work by bike. |
阅读下面短文，根据小题的具体要求，简要回答问题。
Their round bodies, round flat noses and large ears often remind us of bears every time we see koalas. Probably that’s why these animals are often referred to as koala bears. Koalas are natives of Australia. However, they aren’t found all over the continent. The habitat of koala bears is eastern regions of Australia and South Australia.
Koalas are found where there are enough forests of eucalyptus(桉树) trees. The association of koalas and eucalyptus trees is due to the fact that these animals feed on the leaves of eucalyptus trees. But that’s not all. In addition, the trees also serve as the homes of the koalas.
Koalas grow around 27 to 36 inches tall and weigh 5 to 9 kilograms on average. Male kaolas are larger than the females. Life can stretch up to 17 years.
Like many other animals, the habitat of koala bears is fast decreasing due to deforestation and quick urbanization(都市化). However, efforts by some scientists and animal lovers have successfully introduced these creatures back in certain parts of Australia.What do Koalas look like ? (回答词数不超过3个)
Where is the main habitat of koala bears in the world? (回答词数不超过8个)
What do eucalyptus trees provide koalas with ? (回答词数不超过3个)
“Everything happens for the best,” my mother said whenever I was disappointed. “Don’t worry. One day your luck will change.”
I didn’t pay attention to her words. After finishing my college education, I decided to look for a job in a radio station. I wanted to host a sports programme. I went to Chicago and knocked on the door of every station. But I got turned down every time.
In one station, a kind lady said to me that I hadn’t got enough experience. “Get to a small station and work for some time,” she said.
When I went back home, my dad told me that a businessman had opened a store and needed someone to help him. But again, I didn’t get the job.
I felt really down. “Your luck will change,” Mum said to me. Later, I tried another radio station in Iowa. But the owner, a nice man, told me he had already had someone to work for him. As I left his office, I asked, “How can someone be a sports announcer (播音员) if he can’t get a job in a radio station?”
I was waiting for the lift when I heard the man call, “What did you mean? Do you know anything about football?” He let me sit in front of a microphone and asked me to try to imagine that I was giving my opinion on a football game, and finally I succeeded.
On my way home, Mum’s words came back to me, “One day your luck will change, Son.” What was the writer’s ideal（理想的） job?
| A．A sportsman. | B．A shop assistant. |
| C．A sports announcer. | D．A businessman. |
Why didn’t the writer get the job in Chicago?
| A．Because he was too young. |
| B．Because he didn’t get a college education. |
| C．Because he was not a good-looking person. |
| D．Because he hadn’t got enough experience. |
The sentence “I got turned down every time” means “ ”.
| A．I was refused every time | B．I was successful every time |
| C．I lost my way every time | D．The door of every station was closed |
The writer got a job in the end.
| A．in Chicago | B．in his home town |
| C．in a college | D．in Iowa |
Long ago, operation usually had to be done while the sick man could feel everything. The sick man had to be held down on a table by force while the doctors did their best to save him. He could feel all the pain if his leg or arm was being cut off, and his fearful cries filled the room and the hearts of those who watched.
Soon after 1770, Josept Priestley discovered a gas which is now called “laughing gas”. Laughing gas became known in America. Young men and women went to parties to try it. Most of them spent their time laughing, but one man at a party, Horace Wells, noticed that people didn’t seem to feel pain when they were using this gas. He decided to make an experiment on himself．He asked a friend to help him．
Wells took some of the gas, and his friend pulled out one of Wells’ teeth. Wells felt no pain at all.
As he didn’t know enough about laughing gas, he gave a man less gas than he should have. The man cried out with pain when his tooth was being pulled out.
Wells tried again, but this time he gave too much of the gas, and the man died. Wells never forgot this terrible event. Long ago，when the sick man was operated on, he _________．
| A．could feel nothing | B．could not want anything |
| C．could feel all the pain | D．could do anything |
Using the laughing gas, the people did not seem to _________．
| A．be afraid of anything | B．feel pain | C．want to go to the parties | D．be ill |
If a man took less laughing gas than he should have when an operation went on, he _________．
| A．felt nothing | B．felt very comfortable |
| C．still felt pain | D．would die |
One who took too much of the laughing gas _________．
| A．would laugh all the time | B．would be very calm |
| C．would never feel pain | D．would die. |
Now we can see a man and his wife at the breakfast table. They are not speaking to each other. They haven’t spoken to each other at the breakfast table for years. The husband is reading his newspaper. We can’t see his face. The wife looks very worried as she gets a cup of tea ready for him. Today she is using a new kind of tea for the first time. The husband picks up his cup. He isn’t interested. He tastes his tea. Suddenly he puts down his newspaper. Something is different! Can it be the tea? He takes another taste. It’s wonderful. He smiles. He looks at his wife and says in surprise, “Doris, when did you cut your hair?” Doris is pleased. She answers, “Two months ago.” Doris asks, “ Herbie , when did your hair begin to become white?” He answers, “A long time ago.” Doris says, “We have been together for many years, but we never cared about each other.” Now they aren’t worried any longer. Breakfast is different. Has a new kind of tea changed their lives?This story happens______________________.
| A．before breakfast | B．after breakfast |
| C．at home | D．in a teahouse |
In the passage, we can see ________________________.
| A．Doris is drinking tea | B．Herbie likes the new kind of tea |
| C．Doris is reading a newspaper | D．Herbie is very young and good-looking |
Herbie and Doris lived ______________ before this day.
| A．a wonderful | B．an unhappy |
| C．an enjoyable | D．a friendly |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．They are good friends. | B．They have just got married. |
| C．They like to talk about their hair. | D．They are no longer young. |
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