Sometimes, the simplest ideas are the best. For example, to absorb heat from the sun to heat water, you need large, flat, black surfaces. One way to do that is to build those surfaces specially, on the roofs of buildings. But why go to all that trouble when cities are rub of black surfaces already, in the form of asphalt （柏油） roads?
Ten years ago, this thought came into the mind of Arian de Bondt, a Dutch engineer. He finally persuaded his boss to follow it up. The result is that their building is now heated in winter and cooled in summer by a system that relies on the surface of the road outside.
The heat-collector is a system of connected water pipes. Most of them ran from one side of the street to the other, just under the asphalt road. Some, however, dive deep into the ground.
When the street surface gets hot in summer, water pumped through the pipes picks up this heat and takes it underground through one of the diving pipes. At a depth of 100 metres lies a natural aquifer （蓄水层） into which several heat exchangers （交换器） have been built. The hot water from the street runs through these exchangers, warning the ground-water, before returning to the surface through another pipe. The aquifer is thus used as a heat store.
In winter, the working system is changed slightly. Water is pumped through the heat exchangers to pick up the heat stored during summer. This water goes into the building and is used to warm the place up. After performing that task, it is pumped under the asphalt and its remaining heat keeps the road free of snow and ice. Which of the following is true according to the first two paragraphs?
| A．Arian de Bondt got his idea from his boss. |
| B．Large, flat, black surfaces need to be built in cities. |
| C．The Dutch engineer's system has been widely used. |
| D．Heat can also be collected from asphalt roads. |
For what purpose are the diving pipes used?
| A．To absorb heat from the sun. |
| B．To store heat for future use. |
| C．To turn solar energy into heat energy. |
| D．To carry heat down below the surface. |
From the last paragraph we can learn that __
A. some pipes have to be re-arranged in winter
B. the system can do more than warming up the building
C. the exchangers will pick up heat from the street surface
Charles Dickens is often thought of as one of the greatest British writers. February 7 marked the 200th anniversary of his birthday. Yet for many, his language is old-fashioned and his stories often improbable. So why do so many people know and read Dickens today?
One reason is the British government’s insistence that every child studies a Dickens novel at school. Alongside William Shakespeare, Dickens is on every English literature school reading list.
His stories, though often long by today’s standards, are great moral tales. They are filled with colorful characters.
Earlier this month, a ceremony was held in Portsmouth, where Dickens was born. Prince Charles said at the ceremony, “Dickens used his creative genius to campaign passionately for social justice… His characterization (人物刻画) is as fresh today as on the day it was written.”
His books stand out from many other writers because of his insight into human nature. Dickens, like Shakespeare, tells us truths about human behavior. They are as true in the 21st century as they were to his readers in the 19th century.
Readers have returned to Dickens’ books again and again over the years to see what he has to say about their own times.
No surprise then that it was Dickens whom Britons turned to during the economic crisis in the last couple of years. Dickens helped them make sense of a world that was rapidly falling apart. The BBC adapted one of his less well-known novels, Little Dorrit, into a popular television drama that introduced many Brits to the novel for the first time. A dark story about greed and money, it was the perfect illustration of bad times.
As long as Dickens’s novels have something to say to modern audiences, it seems likely that he will remain one of Britain’s best-loved writers. In the article, the author intends to tell us ______.
| A．why Dickens’ novels still appeal to readers in modern times |
| B．that Dickens’ works are no longer popular among young people |
| C．why the British government puts Dickens on school reading lists |
| D．that Dickens and Shakespeare’s works are required for study at school |
In Britain, people still read Dickens because of ______.
a) romance in his books
b) moral value in his books
c) his colorful characters
d) his insight into human nature
e) government education requirement
f) his prediction of the current economic crisis
| A．abdf | B．bcde | C．bdef | D．abed |
We can infer from the article that ______.
| A．it’s better to read Dickens in time of difficulty |
| B．Dickens was a great social observer of his time |
| C．human nature seems worse during bad times |
| D．Dickens’s novels are short and easy to read |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Little Dorrit is one of Dickens’ best-known novels. |
| B．Dickens’ novels are of greater value during economic crisis. |
| C．Dickens’ works have gained more popularity than Shakespeare’s |
| D．Dickens’ novels are still of realistic significance to today’s world. |
An old man in a faded yellow shirt sat in a windowless room on a raised concrete form. The only source of heat came from somewhere beneath the plastic mattress and the rough blanket the blank-faced police woman had handed him after taking his thumb prints. He heard voices and metallic clang as the cell door swung open.
At the front desk a tired looking policeman handed the old man back his belongings, his worn-out cap and the Seiko watch that had stopped working the day his beloved Evelyn left. The policeman dramatically held the blue plastic bag at an arm’s length to the old man who took it and made sure its contents were undamaged: the goat meat, palm oil, leaves and spices. He ignored the confused expression on the officer’s face and signed the document declaring he had been returned the possessions they had taken off him the night before.
No one spoke to him as he walked slowly towards the exit.
“Mr. Easy-nwa?” He stopped and prayed to the God who now took care of Evelyn to please take him far away from this unhappy place of expressionless faces, clipped accents and people who did not even attempt to pronounce his name right.
“Ezenwa,” He said and looked at a woman with tangerine lips, her name tag said Jessica Harlow, Social Services. “A bit far from home”，she said as she drove fast and with confidence the way Evelyn used to. He wondered if she meant the 50 miles from Liverpool or the 50,000 miles from Enugu，a city in Nigeria. He did not bother replying as this woman had plenty to say about the weather, bad drivers, her daughter’s school play...
At last she drew up outside the block of flats where he lived.
“Got here in the end”，said she seriously, “Really Mr. Easy-nwa, if you keep getting lost, we will have to consider moving you into a home”.
“No need, I was not lost，”he answered.
He carefully rolled up the sleeves of the oversize bomber jacket he wore and turned on the tap to wash his hands, relieved the pipes were not frozen. In a clean pan he placed the chopped pieces of goat meat. The herbs and spices that had taken him three months to track down, the uziza seeds had taken him into the heart of Granby Market in Liverpool, his uchanwu leaves down a shady back alley in Manchester, and yesterday, among other food items, the finest goat meat from a Sierra Leonean Butcher in Birmingham. That had taken some time, so much he missed the last train and when the police found him shivering outside the locked up station, so cold he couldn’t answer loudly enough the pink-faced big copper who yelled in his face, “What’s your name sir?” spraying his face with spittle (吐沫）as he did so, leaving them with no choice but to search an exhausted, frozen old black man and finding him in possession of mysterious condiments (调味品）including a bag of dried bitter-leaf which could of course be mistaken for anything that resulted in him getting read his rights and charged with ...possession?
He lifted the lid of the bubbling soup, the room was filled with the rich and spicy scent of his culinary (烹饪的）effort. He served two bowls, taking the chipped one and placing the other opposite where Evelyn would have sat. He would tell her about his adventure, it was their anniversary and this was the perfect pepper soup to celebrate.
Ken Onyia, UK (Nigeria) Commonwealth Sport Short Story PrizeWhy was Mr. Ezenwa taken to the prison for a night?
| A．He was too weak to move. |
| B．He couldn’t find his way back home. |
| C．He then had nowhere else to go. |
| D．He was suspected of possessing drugs. |
When Mr. Ezenwa was to leave the prison,
| A．his thumb print was taken immediately |
| B．the policeman was confused about what he had |
| C．a social worker was assigned to drive him back home |
| D．the policeman was so kind as not to damage his belongings |
What did Mr. Ezenwa do for his wedding anniversary?
| A．He collected all sorts of valuables as presents. |
| B．He cooked native food as a surprise for his wife. |
| C．He prepared a special Nigerian pepper soup carefully. |
| D．He travelled a lot, attempting to get his wife back. |
What words can be used to describe Mr. Ezenwa?
| A．Hopeless and pessimistic. |
| B．Mysterious and troublesome. |
| C．Affectionate and persistent. |
| D．Energetic and sympathetic. |
What theme does the author want to express through the story?
| A．Racial prejudice. |
| B．Hard life of the elderly. |
| C．Struggle for freedom. |
| D．Preservation of tradition. |
For centuries, medical pioneers have refined a variety of methods and medicines to treat sickness, injury, and disability, enabling people to live longer and healthier lives.
“A salamander (a small lizard-like animal) can grow back its leg. Why can't a human do the same?” asked Peruvian-born surgeon Dr. Anthony Atala in a recent interview. The question, a reference to work aiming to grow new limbs for wounded soldiers, captures the inventive spirit of regenerative medicine. This innovative field seeks to provide patients with replacement body parts.
These parts are not made of steel; they are the real things --- living cells, tissue, and even organs.
Regenerative medicine is still mostly experimental, with clinical applications limited to procedures such as growing sheets of skin on burns and wounds. One of its most significant advances took place in 1999，when a research group at North Carolina’s Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine conducted a successful organ replacement with a laboratory-grown bladder. Since then, the team, led by Dr. Atala, has continued to generate a variety of other tissues and organs 一 from kidneys to ears.
The field of regenerative medicine builds on work conducted in the early twentieth century with the first successful transplants of donated human soft tissue and bone. However, donor organs are not always the best option. First of all, they are in short supply, and many people die while waiting for an available organ; in the United States alone, more than 100,000 people are waiting for organ transplants. Secondly, a patient’s body may ultimately reject the transplanted donor organ. An advantage of regenerative medicine is that the tissues are grown from a patient’s own cells and will not be rejected by the body’s immune system.
Today, several labs are working to create bioartificial body parts. Scientists at Columbia and Yale Universities have grown a jawbone and a lung. At the University of Minnesota, Doris Taylor has created a beating bioartificial rat heart. Dr. Atala’s medical team has reported long-term success with bioengineered bladders implanted into young patients with spina bifida (a birth defect that involves the incomplete development of the spinal cord). And at the University of Michigan, H. David Humes has created an artificial kidney.
So far, the kidney procedure has only been used successfully with sheep, but there is hope that one day similar kidney will be implantable in a human patient. The continuing research of scientists such as these may eventually make donor organs unnecessary and, as a result, significantly increase individuals’ chances of survival.In the latest field of regenerative medicine, what are replacement parts made of?
| A．Donated cells, tissues and organs. |
| B．Rejected cells, tissues and organs. |
| C．Cells, tissues and organs of one’s own. |
| D．Cells, tissues and organs made of steel. |
What have scientists experimented successfully on for a bioartificial kidney?
| A．Patients. | B．Rats. | C．Sheep. | D．Soldiers. |
Why is generative medicine considered innovative?
| A．It will provide patients with replacement soft tissues. |
| B．It will strengthen the human body’s immune system. |
| C．It will shorten the time patients waiting for a donated organ. |
| D．It will make patients live longer with bioartificial organs. |
What is the writer’s attitude towards regenerative medicine?
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Reserved. |
The other morning on the subway I sat next to an attractive young blonde woman who was reading something on her iPad. She was very well-dressed, carrying a Prada bag with tastefully applied make-up indeed, she had an unmistakable air of wealth, material success and even authority. I suspected she worked as a highly-paid Wall Street lawyer or stockbroker or something of that sort. So, I was curious to see what she was so focused on. The Wall Street Journal perhaps? The Economist?
Quite the contrary; rather, she was concentrating on a romance novel. Then I realized that I have known many women who love romance novels—smart, attractive, successful, “liberated,” modem females who nonetheless find some kind of deep satisfaction and thrill from those hyper-romantic, artificial and extremely unrealistic tales of handsome, manly heroes falling in love with virginal women, enduring a series of adventures, then no doubt having a happy ending.
These romance stories are to literature what hot dogs are to fine food. Yet, the genre(体裁) remains enormously popular. Consider some of these surprising statistics from the good folks at the Romance Writers of America (RWA):
*More than 9,000 romance titles were released last year, with sales of about $1.44 billion (more than triple the revenues generated by classic literary fiction).
*More than 90 percent of the market are women (okay, that’s not at all surprising).
* Readers are typically women between the ages 30 and 54 who are themselves involved in a romantic relationship (betraying the stereotype that only lonely women long for these tales of love and adventure).
*Almost 40 percent of romance book consumers have an annual income of between $50,000 and $99,900 (placing them firmly in the middle class).
I had thought that romance novels accounted for a very small share of the literary market, so I was quite surprised that this part has such enormous popularity. But I must wonder why so many women—forty years after the women’s liberation movement continue to indulge in the fanciful tales?
I’m not sure if it represents a kind of “rejection” of the women’s liberation movement, but clearly something is missing in the lives of contemporary ladies. A romance author named Donna Hatch who focuses on the Regency period (early 19th century Britain) explained the appeal of such books this way: “Regency men were civilized and treated women with courtesy. When a lady entered the room, gentlemen stood, doffed their hats, offered an arm, bowed, and a hundred other little things I wish men still did today. But they were also very athletic; they hunted, raced, boxed, rode horses. They were manly. Strong. Noble. Honorable. And that is why I love them!”
Mrs. Hatch may have expressed the secret desires and attitudes of untold millions of her peers---that is, in the early 21st century, have women grown tired of the burdens and expectations that the “freedoms” they have gained give them? Is this a rejection of modem feminism? Do women long for days of old when men were masculine gentlemen and women were feminine and protected as precious treasures and regarded as possessions?
Perhaps most women (even the ones who get lost in romance novels) do not want to go all the way back but it is obvious, .What is the function of the opening paragraph?
| A．To summarize the whole passage. |
| B．To prove the author’s argument. |
| C．To lead in the main topic of the passage. |
| D．To raise problems that will be solved later. |
What does the underlined sentence in the third paragraph imply?
| A．Romance novels are satisfying and thrilling. |
| B．Romance novels are not of much “nutrition”. |
| C．Romance novels are as popular as hot dogs. |
| D．Romance novels are an essential part of contemporary life. |
In the author’s opinion, what is missing in the lives of contemporary women?
| A．Authority. | B．Dignity. |
| C．Liberty. | D．Care. |
Which sentence can be put in the blank in the last paragraph?
| A．they prefer tales of innocent romance to classics |
| B．they are unhappy with how the world has turned out |
| C．true love described in romance novels does exist in reality |
| D．romance novels provide them with an access to society |
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
2015 High School Video Contest
Here’s the Scoop on Pet Waste!
Submission Deadline March 27, 2015.
| Eligibility Ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade students that attend schools located in Bartow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale counties are invited to participate in the video contest. Entries can be a team or individual effort. Guidelines » Each video must be uploaded to YouTube. The video’s YouTube link must be included in the entry/release form. » Team members must be from the same school. » The video must be between 30-60 seconds in length. » No professional assistance or use of copyright material is allowed, including background music. » Each student participating in the contest or appearing in the video must fill out a form. For teams, submit an entry/release form for each team member. » One video per team or individual. » All entry/release forms must be postmarked or received by Friday, March 27, 2015. Email: kvaIlianos@atlantaregional.com OR Mail: 2015 Water Video Contest Metro Water District 40 Courtland Street, NE Atlanta, GA 30303 |
Judging Submissions will be judged based on the following criteria: » incorporation of the “Here’s the Scoop on Pet Waste’’ message. Use the "Here's the Scoop on Pet Waste’’ messaging fact sheet for background information on the issue. » Composition (length, technical construction, audio quality). » Entertainment value. » Accuracy of information. » Creativity. Prizes » 1st Place $1500 » 2nd Place $1000 »3rd Place $500 50% of the prize money will go to the individual or team who submits the video and 50% to the high school they attend. Winners will be notified directly.  |
| Page 1 of 3 www.northgeorgiawater.org |
What does the underlined word “Eligibility” probably mean?
| A．Age. | B．Qualification. |
| C．Location. | D．Grade. |
When entering the contest, ________.
| A．one must ask his or her teacher to sign the entry form |
| B．winners can earn at least $750 as a prize |
| C．one can invite friends from other schools to act in the video |
| D．participants had better add some humor and fun to the video |
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