What makes a house a home?
Not size, of course．I’ve been in some of the grandest houses in America, and it’s readily apparent no one lives there．Earlier this year, I had dinner in a mud hut in Ethiopia, where we sat on chairs next to the hostess’ bed -- a home that had more warmth than any house I’ve been in since．
Now John Edwards is exploring what makes a house a home in his just-released Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives．There Edwards writes, " This is a book about homes, the values they rest on, the dreams they are filled with, and the people they have shaped．The houses and circumstances are different, but much of what you find inside will be familiar．"
Whether you’re sitting in an airport right now, waiting to fly to your childhood home for Thanksgiving, or in your own home waiting for the relatives to arrive, you know what he’s talking about．
We’ve lived in our townhouse for 21 years．The loose windows that make noise in the wind．The fireplace so shallow it holds only one log．The kitchen window that offers a view of the world passing by．It’s where friends sit on the kitchen counter drinking wine while dinner is being fixed．I lived there for only 18, but it will always be my true home．Even the lamp in the west living room window, which I could see far down the road when driving home late at night, still shines．
While all this talk about childhood memories can be warm and comforting, home is whom you’re with, not where you are．As Edwards writes, "Home is family．Home is safety．Home is faith．"
Happy homecoming．What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Home Means Everything | B．What’s Inside Makes Us Feel at Home |
| C．Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives | D．The Importance of the Home |
The purpose of the second paragraph is to __
| A．mean the author likes living in grandest houses |
| B．prove the author got along well with the hostess |
| C．mean the feeling of home isn’t related to the size |
| D．show the author’s different feelings about houses |
About the book Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives, we know that __
| A．it was the description of Edwards’ houses |
| B．it is mainly about houses |
| C．it helps us understand the concept of home |
| D．it was written by the author of the text |
What did the author mainly mean when he mentioned the loose windows and the shallow fireplace ?
| A．His house was too old to live in． | B．He missed the feelings of home． |
| C．He hated living there． | D．He missed his old friends too much． |
It can be inferred according to the text that __
| A．the author’s family were very rich | B．every happy home is the same |
| C．the author has been living a hard life | D．the author and Edwards hold similar ideas |
Win $ 50 in the Coolest Gadget of the Week
Look at what’s the coolest gadget (vote for a chance to win $ 50).
Cryo S: A Cool Netbook Cooler
Like the other devices of NZXT, the Cryo S was designed to provide a competitive advantage at PC gaming. It has two adjustable 120mm fans that provide powerful cooling.
The full post can be found on Trends Updates.
Starry Night Bed
Are you having trouble getting that good nights sleep that you’re needing? Well, not any more. Why not take a look at the Starry Night Bed? The Starry Night Bed is a great new invention which will revolutionize the way in which you sleep. Not only is this bed fashionable and comfortable but it’s also a gadget heaven. With this bed you get many added gadgets including anti-snore technology, movie projector with speakers, temperature control and many more.
The full post can be found on Tech Styling.
Fugoo—talking gadgets
Fugoo gets all your appliances(装置，设备) talking to each other so your alarm clock could first wake you up and then tell the coffee machine to start working while checking traffic conditions online to tell you how long it will take you to get to work.
The full post can be found on Decide What to Buy.
Vote What is this week's coolest gadget?
〇 A Cool Netbook Cooler
〇 Starry Night Bed
〇 Fugoo—talking gadgetsWhere can you find the full post of the “Cryo S”?
| A．Tech Styling. | B．Super Cool Pets. |
| C．Decide What to Buy. | D．Trends Updates. |
If you buy a Starry Night Bed, you can get all the following gadgets EXCEPT ___________.
| A．temperature control | B．movie projector |
| C．adjustable fans | D．anti-snore technology |
From this passage, we learn that Fugoo can_________.
| A．check traffic conditions | B．wake you up |
| C．take you to work | D．make coffee |
Where does this advertisement probably come from?
| A．A magazine. | B．A website. | C．A newspaper. | D．A textbook. |
I’m a 20-year-old boy, and the following is my story．
A month after I graduated from high school in August，2007，I was coming home from swim practice in the training centre of the city and was involved in a car accident. I was so seriously injured that I was in a coma for more than two months at Prince Georges Hospital．
I suffered a lot from the experience of dying eight times during my coma and I couldn’t open my mouth to talk or to communicate when I eventually came around．At that time，it seemed that walking was never going to happen again due to all the extreme injuries. Just like my body，my dreams were completely destroyed. But I was not going to let my injuries stop me from realizing my dreams．
After receiving a total of 15 operations and 36 blood transfusions, I had to make every great effort to learn to talk，eat，walk，shower，and live on my own again．When I was out of hospital，I still had to go to outpatient therapy in Waldorf, Maryland．After I spent a few months in a wheelchair, I took baby steps to walk on my own．It was a miracle that I was able to walk again, but I still wanted to prove that I could not only walk, but also run. When it came true, I wanted to get back into the pool again．After having a few lung tests，I was able to go in the pool a little bit each week．After a few months of swim training，I began my freshman year at Mary’s College of Maryland and then became a proud member of the swim team．
By telling my story, I want to make a positive influence on the world．I am just trying to 1ive every day to the fullest and inspire other people never to give up their dreams no matter how bad a situation is to them. I remember when I was still in my hospital bed，I would have my mom and dad push me round in my wheelchair to the other rooms to see the other patients and chat with them and their family members．I wanted to let them know that everything was going to be okay. Somehow，things would work out for the best.The underlined word “coma” in Paragraph 2 probably has the meaning of __________.
| A．operation | B．unconsciousness | C．treatment | D．emergency |
According to Paragraph 3, it can be inferred that the author ________.
| A．was unable to talk or communicate |
| B．was in despair |
| C．faced physical and mental challenges |
| D．felt anxious about his state |
What is the correct order of the following events?
a．went to outpatient therapy
b．received membership of the swim team
c．was pushed around to visit other patients
d．walked 1ike a baby
e．1earnt to live all by himself
| A．d,a,c,b,e | B．e,c,d,a,b | C．d,c,a,b,e | D．e,c,a,d,b |
In the last paragraph，the author mainly wants to show_______．
| A．his positive influence on other patients |
| B．his meaningful life |
| C．his purpose of sharing his story |
| D．his great achievements |
The best title for the passage would be“____________”
| A．Attitude is everything |
| B．Actions speak louder than words |
| C．Everything happens for a reason |
| D．A good beginning is half done |
Even if you are an experienced backpacker or climber，you need to know what to do if something goes wrong．It is not that Alaska is that much more dangerous than other places．It is no more hazardous than elsewhere，as long as the proper precautions(预防措施)are taken．So, being prepared is crucial to ensure a safe trip．
First of all，make sure you pack everything you will need for your trip．Even if you are traveling by car，pack clothes and gear for backpacking．Because of the bad weather, cars break down frequently. Pack a survival(生存)kit full with：a down coat, boots ,mittens, a hat, snow-pants，sleeping bags，candles，a flashlight，and high-energy food. If you are traveling by car , also pack extra belts, a shovel, and a chain.
If you are camping or hiking，make sure you know how to avoid bears．If you are lost in the wilderness, there is no doubt you will encounter them.
However，there is no need to be nervous．Just take these precautions：make noise as you walk，bears will avoid you；cook your food away from where you sleep，and store your food away from where you sleep，so the bears are not attracted．Both of these should keep the bear away．However，if you do encounter a bear，there are two different schools of thought．One is to make noise and scare the bear away．The other is to stand still and speak softly to get the bear to leave．If you are dealing with a brown bear，you can climb a tree，since it cannot follow．But，black bears can climb．If for some reason the bear attacks，play dead．Try to protect your head and neck，and hopefully the bear will leave its“dead” prey.The underlined word “hazardous” in Paragraph l most probably means________．
| A．interesting | B．dangerous | C．wonderful | D．important |
The author seems to tell us in Paragraph 2 that________．
| A．it is more dangerous to travel by car |
| B．the weather is always bad while traveling |
| C．it is necessary to take whatever you need |
| D．the car breaks down often while traveling |
Yon should prepare your food away from where you sleep so that________．
| A．the bear can’t find you by the smell of the food |
| B．you can have a better sleep at night |
| C．the bear can’t find out your food easily |
| D．you can protect the food you bring with you |
All the following can most probably protect you EXCEPT that________．
| A．you can try to make noise as possible as you can |
| B．you can say something in a soft voice to the bear |
| C．you can try to learn to climb up a tall tree nearby |
| D．you can pretend to be dead when you are in danger |
Which of the following is the main idea of this passage?
| A．There are some tips to survive in Alaska’s wilderness． |
| B． The bears in Alaska’s wilderness are very dangerous． |
| C．Something should be taken along while traveling by car． |
| D．You should learn how to protect yourself． |
How often do you change your hairstyle or ask for new dresses? You may try to follow trends in Western countries，but your peers(同龄人)in the United States don't care as much about fashion(时尚)as you do．
A recent survey among high school students in China，Japan，South Korea and the US found that Asian teenagers care more about their looks than young people in the US．
This survey was held in 156 high schools in the four countries. More than 7,000 teenagers were questioned about their view on life and the world.
South Koreans, at 83 percent, cared most about their appearance. They were followed by the Chinese and Japanese while US students showed the least interest in fashion at only 33 percent.
“The different results show differences of cultural background,” said Sun Yunxiao from the China Youth and Children Research Centre.
He explained that in the US there are many different standards of beauty, so teens are more likely to be confident about their appearance.
US teenagers’ high self-confidence is showed in survey. About 85 percent are happy with themselves. The percentage of self-confident Chinese students stands at only 30 percent.
Strong ambition( 雄心) is seen in Chinese high schools. Only two in five high school students are satisfied with “an average living”. Koreans are next at 48 percent，Japanese come in at 66 percent and Americans are at 71．
“According to the survey，Chinese students are happy. But Chinese students need to be more independent and learn how to relax．”said Sun．According to the survey，_________ cared little about their appearance．
| A．the Chinese teenagers |
| B．the American teenagers． |
| C．the Korean teenagers |
| D．the Japanese teenagers |
Sun Yunxiao’s words means ___________.
| A．the different standards of beauty cause the different attitudes toward fashion |
| B．the Chinese teens should have a stronger desire to make a difference． |
| C．the Chinese students are satisfied with the society most |
| D．the Chinese students agree that they should follow their own interests rather than those of others |
The underlined word “standards’’ in the sixth paragraph means __________.
| A．rules | B．backgrounds | C．values | D．interests |
From the 8th paragraph we may 1earn that __________．
| A．Asian teenagers care more about their looks than young people in the US |
| B．US students showed the most individuality(个性)among the four countries |
| C．Chinese students need to be more independent and learn how to relax |
| D．American students have the least ambition among the four countries |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．A survey about the attitudes towards the fashion． |
| B．How Asian teenagers care more about their looks than young people in the US． |
| C．Why Chinese students are happy． |
| D．Why Chinese students should be more independent and learn how to relax |
Many famous museums throughout the world can offer you good chances to admire art. Washington, D.C has the National Gallery of Art，Paris has the Louver, London, the British Museum. Florida International University(FIU) in Miami also shows art for people to see. And it does so without a building, or even a wall for its drawings and paintings.
FIU has opened what it says is the first computer art museum in the United States. You don’t have to visit the University to see the art. What you need is just a computer linked to a telephone. That’s enough.
You can call the telephone number of a University computer and connect your own computer to it. All of the art is stored in the school computer. It is computer art, produced electronically by artists on their own computers. In only a few minutes, your computer can receive and copy all the pictures and drawings.
Robert Shostak is director of the new computer museum. He says he started the museum because computer artists had no place to show their work.
A computer artist could only record his pictures electronically and send the records, or floppy discs, to others to see on their computers. He could also put his pictures on paper. But to print good pictures on paper, the computer artist will have to need a very expensive laser printer.
Robert Shostak says the electronic museum is mostly for art or computer students at schools and universities. Many of the pictures in the museum are made by students. Mr Shostak said the FIU museum will make computer art more fun for computer artists because more people can see it. He says artists enjoy their work much more if they have an audience. And the great number of home computers in America could mean a huge audience for the electronic museum.The main purpose of this text is to give information about____________.
| A．famous museums throughout the world |
| B．an electronic art museum in Miami, U.S.A |
| C．art exhibitions in Florida International University |
| D．the latest development in computer art in the USA |
To see the art in FIU museum, which of the following should you have at first?
| A．some records or floppy discs |
| B．a computer and a printer |
| C．your own pictures and drawings |
| D．a computer connected by telephone line |
_________ are stored in the electronic museum in FIU.
| A．Paintings drawn by computer |
| B．Different styles of paintings |
| C．Some very traditional paintings |
| D．Drawings done by students of FIU |
The museum was started when ___________.
| A．FIU wanted to encourage computer scientists |
| B．Robert Shostak decided to help computer artists |
| C．art students needed a place to show their works |
| D．computer scientists wanted to do something about art |
The words “an audience” in the last paragraph refers to ___________.
| A．art students |
| B．computer owners |
| C．exhibits in the museum |
| D．those who will enjoy art |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号