Busy senior managers need no longer waste time in showering themselves－an Australian company has invented a suit that can be worn while they wash.
The suit has been specially designed so that it can be cleaned under the showerhead. There is no need for soaking (浸泡)，dry cleaning－or even soap.
The Japanese market has taken a liking to the “shower suit”，described as “revolutionary” by its owner Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)，which is the research and marketing body that represents Australian wool－growers. Orders have been placed for 170,000 of the woolen suits.
The suit could be worn in the shower，although it was probably better to hang it on a clothes hanger and carry it instead，AWI corporate affairs spokesman Stephen Feighan said.“The idea is that you hang it up and then...you give it a spray (喷雾)，and it’s dry the next morning，” Mr Feighan said.
A Japanese researcher working for AWI invented the suit by combining three technologies. The secret is the best lining (内衬)，which allows the suit to dry quickly.The shower suit attracted busy corporate people，particularly those who often traveled or stayed up late，Mr Feighan said.The airline industry was also interested.
Mr Feighan confessed he had not worn one of the suits yet，or tried to wash it in the shower，because they cut to fit Japanese figures.AWI believes that the shower suit will spread from the Japanese market through Europe and India. Mr Feighan hoped the suit，made from local wool，would be available in Australia in 12 to 18 months’ time.What is the writing purpose of the article?
| A．To introduce a newly－designed shower suit. |
| B．To help the white collars arrange their life more sensibly. |
| C．To provide suggestions on saving time in bath. |
| D．To praise AWI for its important achievement. |
Which is true about the suit according to the passage?
| A．It can spare the owner’s trouble of soaking，dry cleaning and applying soap. |
| B．It is of the quality of fast dry for its best cloth. |
| C．It is not suitable for hanging. |
| D．It has attracted more orders than any other suit. |
The suit draws the attention from all the following groups EXCEPT________.
| A．corporate people who are always on the go |
| B．people on occasional business trips |
| C．the airline industry |
| D．people burning the midnight oil |
Which of the following has much to do with Mr Feighan?
| A．The invention of the suit. |
| B．The try－on of the suit. |
| C．The combination of the three technologies on the suit. |
| D．The popularization of the suit and best wishes for it. |
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has recovered his spot at the top of the US money heap, taking the place of investor Warren Buffett as America's richest person, Forbes magazine's latest list reveals.
With 57 billion dollars net worth Gates again leads the list of 400 richest individuals in the world's wealthiest country. He displaced Buffett who briefly held the position this year but who has seen his Berkshire Hathaway investment group's shares slip 15 percent since February and is now worth 50 billion.
According to Forbes, whose list was published late Wednesday, the golden 400 have 1.3 billion dollars net worth or more. However, their combined net worth rose only 30 billion dollars, or two percent, to 1.57 trillion dollars.
Forbes said that rising oil and dizzy art prices fuelled the entry of 31 new members into the ultra-rich club and the return of eight previous members.
A notable arrival was Mark Zuckerberg, 24, founder of the social networking site Facebook（脸谱网）. Forbes estimates his worth at 1.5 billion dollars.
Meanwhile, turmoil（动荡）on the stock and housing markets saw 33 others drop off the list, including the former head of the troubled insurance giant AIG, Maurice Greenberg, and a former head of the online auction site eBay, Margaret Whitman.
Biggest gainers were led by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who took eighth place with 20 billion dollars worth after a transaction（交易）put a new value on his Bloomberg media and financial data network.
The biggest loser was casino（赌场，娱乐场）tycoon Sheldon Adelson, whose fortune fell 13 billion dollars over 12 months -- the equivalent to 1.5 million dollars an hour -- although he still has 15 billion dollars and occupies 15th place.
About two thirds of the list are self-made billionaires and just over 10 percent are women, led by television star Oprah Winfrey whose fortune rose 200 million dollars to 2.7 billion dollars. According to Forbes, Warren Buffet is worth _____.
| A．57 billion dollars | B．50 billion dollars | C．1.5 billion dollars | D．20 billion dollars |
31 new members entered the ultra-rich club as a result of _____.
| A．turmoil on the stock and housing market |
| B．media and financial data network |
| C．rising oil and dizzy art prices |
| D．investment |
The purpose of the author using the television star Oprah Winfrey as an example is to _____.
| A．tell the readers that television stars make money easily |
| B．prove that a millionaire can become a billionaire |
| C．women can also be billionaires |
| D．tell the readers that most of the billionaires are self-made |
It can be inferred from the story that _____.
| A．one earns much and also loses much |
| B．stability of markets has much effect upon people’s wealth |
| C．the computer industry makes more billionaires |
| D．young people can also be billionaires |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Bill Gates Leading World’s Richest People Again |
| B．What Made Billionaires |
| C．Self-Made Billionaires |
| D．Biggest Gainer and Biggest Loser |
Britons stranded（搁浅）at sea or in flooded homes could find a real-life prince riding to their rescue. Prince William announced on Monday that he is to train to be a full-time pilot with the Royal Air Force's Search and Rescue Force (SARF).
William, who is currently a Lieutenant（中尉）in the Army's Household Cavalry Regiment（皇家骑兵团）, will transfer to the RAF and begin an 18-month training course in January 2009.
If successful, he will become a fully operational Search and Rescue pilot in 2010, flying Sea King helicopters at one of the six SARF units based in Britain.
"The time I spent with the RAF earlier this year made me realize how much I love flying," the prince, who spent two weeks with a SARF team while on work experience in 2005, said in a statement.
"Joining Search and Rescue is a perfect opportunity for me to serve in the Forces operationally, while contributing to a vital part of the country's Emergency Services."
It means he will follow a similar career to that of his uncle, Prince Andrew, who was a Sea King helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands war.
The Search and Rescue teams' main duty is to recover RAF personnel but in peacetime they mainly respond to civilian emergencies, dealing with more than 1,000 calls a year.
The units deal with incidents ranging from helping those trapped by sudden major floods to rescuing people lost while out walking on hills.
William, who has spent the last year on secondment（借调）to the various branches of the military to prepare for his future role as head of the armed forces, received his RAF wings （飞行勋章）following a four-month stint（持续的工作）with the service earlier this year.
However, his time with the RAF was clouded when the Defense Ministry was forced to fend off criticism for allowing the prince to fly military helicopters to a bachelor party for his cousin and to the family home of his girlfriend Kate Middleton. Prince William wanted to be a full-time pilot because _____.
| A．he liked flying |
| B．he would like to do something in the country’s Emergency Services |
| C．many Britons were in danger at sea waiting for rescue |
| D．he had much experience in flying |
According to the passage, _____.
| A．the Falklands war broke out in 2005 |
| B．Prince William served in the Army’s Household Cavalry Regiment in 1982 |
| C．Prince Andrew is serving in SARF now |
| D．William would finish his training course in June 2010 |
It can be inferred from the passage that______.
| A．the RAF is an army that rescues its soldiers during wartime |
| B．either Andrew or William is interested in flying |
| C．there are many floods happening in Britain |
| D．the prince saving the people in danger is no longer fairy tale |
The author’s opinion on William’s joining RAF is ______.
| A．enthusiastic | B．doubtful | C．negative | D．pessimistic |
What is the purpose of the author by mentioning what the prince had done before in the last paragraph?
| A．The author wants to say that Prince William pays much attention to his family and friends |
| B．The author suggests that the Defense Ministry was criticized when William flew for his private business |
| C．William had a hard time when he went against his leaders |
| D．The author has the worry that Prince William is likely to get the Defense Ministry into trouble again. |
On the afternoon of September27, 2008, Astronaut Zhai Zhigang became the first Chinese man to walk in space on Saturday, clambering（爬上,攀登） out of China's Shenzhou VII space craft in a technological feat（成就，功绩）that made the Chinese people excited. 
"I'm feeling quite well. I greet the Chinese people and the people of the world," Zhai said as he climbed out of the craft at around 16:40 Beijing time, a historic achievement telecast live on CCTV. Tens of millions of Chinese viewers gathered before TV screens to watch the moment.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and other top leaders had appeared at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center to watch the live transmission of Zhai's spacewalk.
Zhai, 42, chosen by an expert team for the first "out-of-capsule activity," showed a red national flag, helped by colleague Liu Boming, who also briefly popped his head out of the capsule.
Zhai slowly made his way towards a test sample of solid lubricant（润滑剂）outside the capsule, took a sample and handed it to Liu.
Zhai safely returned inside the craft after about 20 minutes. The walk marked the highpoint of China's third manned space journey, which has received widespread media coverage.
Zhai wore a $4.4 million Chinese-made suit weighing 120-kg. Liu wore a Russian-made one and acted as an assistant.
The third crew member, Jing Haipeng, monitored the ship from inside the re-entry module. w.w
The risky maneuver is a step towards China's longer-term goal of building a space lab and then a larger space station, analysts said.
"On this flight, Chinese people's footprints will be left in space for the first time," said a commentary（评论）by the Xinhua news agency.
The astronauts went aboard on their walk after receiving a clean bill of health from doctors on the ground at mission control in Beijing, Xinhua said.
Zhai's suit has 10 layers and takes up to 15 hours to assemble and put on.
China's first manned spaceflight was in 2003. A second, two-manned flight followed in 2005. The only other countries that have sent people into space are Russia and the United States.
Shenzhou VII took off on Thursday and is due to land on the northern steppes(草原) of Inner Mongolia on Sunday.The space walk done by the Chinese astronaut was historic because ______.
| A．it was telecast live | B．there were more Chinese viewers than ever |
| C．it was the first space walk carried out by Chinese astronauts | |
| D．top leaders watched the space walk |
The following statements are true except ______.
| A．The lubricant put outside the capsule was a test sample |
| B．It took Zhai Zhigang about 20 minutes to return to the craft safely |
| C．Many televisions and newspapers around the world reported the event |
| D．There is an aerospace control center in the capital |
The significance of the space walk is ______.
| A．that the astronaut can work outside the spacecraft |
| B．it marks a successful step towards China’s longer-term goal of building a space lab as well as a space station |
| C．it has attracted tens of millions of people to watch the walk |
| D．that the Chinese-made space suit can be used in space |
What does the underlined word “clean” mean in the passage?
| A．healthy | B．paid-off | C．not dirty | D．clear |
The best title of the passage is ______.
| A．First Footprints of Chinese People in Space |
| B．Expensive Space Suit |
| C．Three Successful Manned Flights by Chinese Astronauts |
| D．Historic Space Walk by Chinese Astronaut |
Dropouts for Ph. D. s
Educators are seriously concerned about the high rate of dropouts among the doctor of philosophy candidates and the consequent loss of talent to a nation in need of Ph. D. s. Some have placed the dropouts loss as high as 50 percent. The extent of the loss was, however, largely a matter of expert guessing. Last week a well-rounded study was published. It was published. It was based on 22,000 questionnaires sent to former graduate students who were enrolled in 24 universities and it seemed to show many past fears to be groundless.
The dropouts rate was found to be 31 per cent, and in most cases the dropouts, while not completing the Ph. D. requirement, went on to productive work. They are not only doing well financially, but, according to the report, are not far below the income levels of those who went on to complete their doctorates.
Discussing the study last week, Dr. Tucker said the project was initiated 'because of the concern frequently expressed by graduate faculties and administrators that some of the individuals who dropped out of Ph. D. programs were capable of competing the requirement for the degree. Attrition at the Ph. D. level is also thought to be a waste of precious faculty time and a drain on university resources already being used to capacity. Some people expressed the opinion that the shortage of highly trained specialists and college teachers could be reduced by persuading the dropouts to return to graduate schools to complete the Ph. D.’
"The results of our research" Dr. Tucker concluded, "did not support these opinions."
1. Lack of motivation was the principal reason for dropping out.
2. Most dropouts went as far in their doctoral program as was consistent with their levels of ability or their specialties.
3. Most dropouts are now engaged in work consistent with their education and motivation.
Nearly 75 per cent of the dropouts said there was no academic reason for their decision, but those who mentioned academic reason cited failure to pass the qualifying examination, uncompleted research and failure to pass language exams. Among the single most important personal reasons identified by dropouts for non-completion of their Ph. D. program, lack of finances was marked by 19 per cent.
As an indication of how well the dropouts were doing, a chart showed 2% in humanities were receiving $ 20,000 and more annually while none of the Ph. D. 's with that background reached this figure. The Ph. D. 's shone in the $ 7,500 to $ 15,000 bracket with 78% at that level against 50% for the dropouts. This may also be an indication of the fact that top salaries in the academic fields, where Ph. D. 's tend to rise to the highest salaries, are still lagging behind other fields.
As to the possibility of getting dropouts back on campus, the outlook was glum. The main condition which would have to prevail for at least 25 % of the dropouts who might consider returning to graduate school would be to guarantee that they would retain their present level of income and in some cases their present job. The author states that many educators feel that
[A] steps should be taken to get the dropouts back to campus.
[B] the dropouts should return to a lower quality school to continue their study.
[C] the Ph. D. holder is generally a better adjusted person than the dropout.
[D] The high dropouts rate is largely attributable to the lack of stimulation on the part of faculty members. Research has shown that
[A] Dropouts are substantially below Ph. D. 's in financial attainment.
[B] the incentive factor is a minor one in regard to pursuing Ph. D. studies.
[C] The Ph. D. candidate is likely to change his field of specialization if he drops out.
[D] about one-third of those who start Ph. D. work do not complete the work to earn the degree. Meeting foreign language requirements for the Ph. D.
[A] is the most frequent reason for dropping out.
[B] is more difficult for the science candidate than for the humanities candidate.
[C] is an essential part of many Ph. D. programs.
[D] does not vary in difficulty among universities. After reading the article, one would refrain from concluding that
[A] optimism reigns in regard to getting Ph. D. dropouts to return to their pursuit of the degree.
[B] a Ph. D. dropout, by and large, does not have what it takes to learn the degree.
[C] colleges and universities employ a substantial number of Ph. D. dropouts.
[D] Ph. D. 's are not earning what they deserve in nonacademic positions. It can be inferred that the high rate of dropouts lies in
[A] salary for Ph. D. too low.
[B] academic requirement too high.
[C] salary for dropouts too high.
[D] 1000 positions.
The only way to travel is on foot
The past ages of man have all been carefully labeled by anthropologists.
escriptions like 'Paleolithic Man', 'Neolithic Man', etc., neatly sum up whole periods. When the time comes for anthropologists to turn their attention to the twentieth century, they will surely choose the label 'Legless Man'. Histories of the time will go something like this: 'in the twentieth century, people forgot how to use their legs.
Men and women moved about in cars, buses and trains from a very early age. There were lifts and escalators in all large buildings to prevent people from walking. This situation was forced upon earth dwellers of that time because of miles each day.
But the surprising thing is that they didn't use their legs even when they went on holiday. They built cable railways, ski-lifts and roads to the top of every huge mountain. All the beauty spots on earth were mangled by the presence of large car parks. '
The future history books might also record that we were deprived of the use of our eyes. In our hurry to get from one place to another, we failed to see anything on the way. Air travel gives you a bird's-eye view of the world - or even less if the wing of the aircraft happens to get in your way.
When you travel by car or train a blurred image of the countryside constantly smears the windows. Car drivers, in particular, are forever obsessed with the urge to go on and on: they never want to stop. Is it the lure of the great motorways, or what? And as for sea travel, it hardly deserves mention.
It is perfectly summed up in the words of the old song: 'I joined the navy to see the world, and what did I see? I saw the sea.' The typical twentieth-century traveler is the man who always says 'I've been there. ' You mention the remotest, most evocative place-names in the world like El Dorado, Kabul, Irkutsk and someone is bound to say 'I've been there' - meaning, 'I drove through it at 100 miles an hour on the way to somewhere else. '
When you travel at high speeds, the present means nothing: you live mainly in the future because you spend most of your time looking forward to arriving at some other place. But actual arrival, when it is achieved, is meaningless. You want to move on again.
By traveling like this, you suspend all experience; the present ceases to be a reality: you might just as well be dead. The traveler on foot, on the other hand, lives constantly in the present.
For him traveling and arriving is one and the same thing: he arrives somewhere with every step he makes. He experiences the present moment with his eyes, his ears and the whole of his body. At the end of his journey he feels a delicious physical weariness. He knows that sound. Satisfying sleep will be his: the just reward of all true travelers.
Anthropologists label nowadays men 'Legless' because .
A people forget how to use his legs.
B people prefer cars, buses and trains.
C lifts and escalators prevent people from walking.
D there are a lot of transportation devices.
Traveling at high speed means .
A people's focus on the future.
B a pleasure.
C satisfying drivers' great thrill.
D a necessity of life.
Why does the author say 'we are deprived of the use of our eyes' ?
A People won't use their eyes.
B In traveling at high speed, eyes become useless.
C People can't see anything on his way of travel.
D People want to sleep during traveling.
What is the purpose of the author in writing this passage?
A Legs become weaker.
B Modern means of transportation make the world a small place.
C There is no need to use eyes.
D The best way to travel is on foot.
What does 'a bird's-eye view' mean?
A See view with bird's eyes.
B A bird looks at a beautiful view.
C It is a general view from a high position looking down.
D A scenic place.
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