Mike Maietta was eating lunch when he got a text message from his mom.
“Notre Dame,” it said. “Big envelope!”
Mike, a senior at a Californian high school, shouted with joy. The big envelope meant that the excellent university in Indiana had offered him a place in its Class of 2013. But the $51,300 annual fee is a big trouble. So Mike and his parents are considering offers from several other colleges and are figuring out the costs of tuition, housing and holiday trips home.
This year, money is the driving factor(因素) for a growing number of high school seniors, who have to decide what colleges to attend this fall. Less jobs and house prices have changed family spending.
“We’re excited that Mike got into eight great schools,” said Mike’s father, an engineer at Microsoft. “But if you consider going to school out of state, you’ve got to think about all of the other costs: moving, flying back and forth for the holidays. You’re looking at about $3,000 a year, just for travel.”
As families weigh their choices, some are going back to financial aid offices hoping help packages can be increased.
Rachel Brown was happy to get a thick envelope from New York University (NYU). Although she has always wanted to live in Manhattan, she is seriously considering the University of California San Diego (UCSD), because of the high cost in New York.
“The tuition for NYU is twice as much as UCSD,” said Rachel, 17. “My mom doesn’t want me to have a big debt when I graduate, and I don’t want that either. I’d have to take out a loan of $15,000. I’ll check and see if there’s any way that NYU can offer me any financial aid.”
More than 7.6 million American students have filled out the Free Application for Students Aid, 19.9 percent increase over last year.
This month the Federal Department of Education urged college financial aid officers to give more help to certain families. A record 30,428 students applied for 2,300 places at Stanford, partly because the university increased financial aid for families earning below $10,000.Mike may give up Notre Dame because of ______.
| A．travel fees |
| B．financial concerns |
| C．poor exam results |
| D．worries about living far away from home |
The phrase “Big envelope” in paragraph 2 probably refers to“______”.
| A．A text message | B．A large gift package |
| C．An admission letter | D．A scholarship letter |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．The number of American senior students applying for financial aid is increasing. |
| B．Rachel Brown has given up NYU because of its high tuition and big debts. |
| C．It is inevitably hard for college students to borrow money to cover costs. |
| D．An interest-free loan for students helps more students apply for Stanford. |
The passage mainly focuses on ______
| A．the calculation of different costs including tuition |
| B．the extremely hard financial situation in America |
| C．the excitement of students’ being able to enter ideal colleges |
| D．the financial crisis of families over college entrance |
From the jagged (锯齿状的) peaks of the Himalayas to the powerful Yangtze River that flows into the Pacific, China’s vast terrain (地带) and varied climate make it the sixth most biologically diverse nation on the planet.
Since 1998, The Nature Conservancy has been working in China’s northwest Yunnan Province to protect some of the amazing natural and cultural diversity unique to this country for its future generations. In cooperation with Chinese local and state government agencies, the Conservancy established the Yunnan Great Rivers Project, which protects an area about the size of West Virginia.
Did you know?
●China contains 10% of the world’s total species.
●At least 15% of China’s mammal species and 8% of its bird species are found nowhere else on Earth.
●Nearly 15,000 plant species are native to Yunnan Province.
●Yunnan is home to 75% of Tibetan medicinal herbs and 30 endangered species.
What is the Nature Conservancy trying to do?
Education for Sustainability (可持续性)
The Nature Conservancy recognizes that environmental education is an important element of working closely with local communities to achieve sustainable conservation results. In response, the Conservancy launched a new program called Education for Sustainability which tests means of teaching and learning that combine conservation goals, social justice, and appropriate development and participation in a vision and mission for personal and social change.
Promoting Green Tourism
Tourism is both an environmental threat and an economic opportunity, with the potential to provide extremely needed income to northwest Yunnan. The Conservancy is working with local communities, government agencies, and tourism ,enterprises(企业) to develop strategies for “green” tourism which will limit the footprint of mass tourism while generating income for local people. In addition to combining tourism development and management at our five action sites, we assisted with regional marketing efforts to promote eco-tourism opportunities.China ranks _______ among the most biologically diverse nations on the planet.
| A．tenth | B．sixth | C．fifteenth | D．eighth |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the text?
| A．The Nature Conservancy has been working in China’s |
| B．The Nature Conservancy cooperated agencies in the Yunnan Great Rivers Project. |
| C．Nearly 10% of the world’s plant species are native to Yunnan Province. |
| D．For the moment the Nature Conservancy is devoting itself to education for sustainability as well as eco-tourism. |
To develop strategies for eco-tourism, the Nature Conservancy is working with the following EXCEPT _________.
| A．West Virginia | B．local communities |
| C．government agencies | D．tourism enterprises |
Which of the following best shows the author’s attitude towards tourism?
| A．We should greatly promote tourism as it has no disadvantages. |
| B．Tourism is extremely helpful to people in Yunnan. |
| C．Tourism does no good to our environment. |
| D．Tourism is an opportunity for the economy as well as threat to the environment. |
Have you ever heard the saying “All roads lead to Rome”? At one time, this was pretty much true. During the Roman Empire, lots of roads were built in order to move armies, send messages by courier (信使), and make trade easier. This construction work went on for five centuries! If all the roads built during the Roman Empire were put together end to end, they would circle the equator twice.
The network of Roman roads was begun in 312 BC. It was demanded that the roads be built strong so that they would not fall down. Roman soldiers, supervised (监督) by engineers, laid down the roads in a special pattern of layers. The first layer was made of sand. Next, the builders added rocks and rubble. On top of these materials came gravel. On this solid foundation, the road builders placed paving stones.
Also, Roman roads were cambered. This means that they were built higher in the middle than on the edges, allowing rainwater to run off, which prevented flooding. We use the same technique in building roads today. The Romans also laid out roads over hills when necessary, setting them down in a zigzag pattern to make the road rise gradually.
All Roman roads had milestones (里程碑), placed every thousands paces (a Roman mile). The milestones told when the road was built, who was emperor at the time, the road’s destination, how far the traveler was from the destination, and how many miles had been traveled since the beginning of the road. This information was a great help to travelers.
Because of their excellence in construction, it really is no surprise that many parts of Roman road still exist today. These roadways are one of the most impressive accomplishments of the Roman Empire.What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph mean?
| A．The Roman Empire was very powerful. |
| B．Lots of roads were built during the Roman Empire. |
| C．The roads built during the Roman Empire were very long. |
| D．The roads built during the Roman Empire were very convenient. |
Which of the following correctly shows the structure of the Roman roads?
| A．Paving stones Gravel Rocks & rubble Sand |
| B．Gravel Rocks & rubble Sand |
| C．Sand Rocks & rubble Gravel Paving stones |
| D．Sand |
Rocks & rubble
GravelWhat information can you find on the milestones?
| A．The builders of the road. |
| B．The materials used in building roads. |
| C．The distance from one city. |
| D．The time spent in building roads. |
The passage mainly ______.
| A．explains the saying “All roads lead to Rome” |
| B．praises ancient Romans for their great achievements |
| C．shows how great the Roman Empire was |
| D．introduces the construction of the Roman roads |
New Zealand fishermen caught what may prove to be a world-record-breaking colossal squid (巨大的鱿鱼).
In the cold, dark waters of the Antarctic hides a creature with eight arms, two super long tentacles (触须) and eyes as big as dinner plates. Sound like something out of a science fiction movie? Think again.
On February 21, New Zealand fishermen landed a colossal squid the length of a school bus. They had been fishing with long lines for Chilean sea bass (黑鲈) in the waters off the coast of New Zealand when they caught the rare squid. With two hours of hard work, the crew skillfully pulled the creature into a net and dragged it aboard their ship.
Scientists estimate (估计) that the animal weighs about a half ton and is about 40 feet long. That would make this colossal squid the biggest on record.
First identified in 1925 after two tentacles were found in a whale’s stomach, the colossal squid has long been a mystery. The animals are not easy to observe because they can go down to ocean depths of 6,500 feet. What scientists do know from studying the bodies of a half dozen colossal squids is that they are fierce hunters.
The recently captured colossal squid has been frozen to keep it for scientific study. It will be transported to New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa, in the capital city of Wellington. Experts believe it to be the first adult male ever caught undamaged. Scientists hope to learn more about the colossal squid’s diet, behavior and reproductive (繁殖) patterns.
“Scientists will be very interested in this amazing creature,” said New Zealand Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton. “It adds immeasurably to our understanding of the marine environment.”Why is it usually difficult for experts to observe the squid?
| A．Because it moves too fast. |
| B．Because it is too large. |
| C．Because it is very dangerous. |
| D．Because it can go down to deep ocean. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．The squid is from a science fiction story. |
| B．The fishermen often meet colossal squids. |
| C．Scientists know much about the colossal squid. |
| D．The fishermen had some difficulty catching the large squid. |
What’s the purpose of catching such a huge squid?
| A．To make it into food. |
| B．To set a world record. |
| C．To do research on it. |
| D．To display it for visitors. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The biggest squid ever found |
| B．Scientific research on squid |
| C．The lifestyle of the colossal squid |
| D．How the fishermen caught the squid |
Do you want to see the effects of global warming? Then head north. Will Steger is going to take all of us there.
Steger, 64, the first person to make a dogsled trip to the North Pole, is a very famous and admired polar explorer. He’s at home in frozen parts of the world where few humans ever step on. Steger is also a devoted environmentalist who was early to ring the alarm bell on global warming. He saw its effects firsthand in frequent polar expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica.
Now Steger is about to lead a team of six young adventurers on a 1,400-mile, 60-day-long dogsled trip across Ellesmere Island, in the Canadian Arctic. The sea ice in that region should still be frozen. “We want to take our audience to the front lines of global warming,” says Steger. The team will be uploading videos, stories and photos to the website globalwarming101.com as they march along, allowing armchair adventurers and kids in classrooms to follow their progress day to day. “We can actually bring the audience up there,” Steger says.
Steger’s team will include some already-famous young explorers. Sam Branson, the 22-year-old son of British airline tycoon (大亨) Richard Branson, is an experienced Arctic traveler. Also on the journey will be 27-year-old Norwegian Sigrid Ekran. Last year, Ekran became only the second woman in history to win Rookie (新秀) of the Year for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race.
What they will see may be very surprising. Even Steger doesn’t know exactly what to expect. Climate change has already reshaped the geography of the Arctic. “Within a decade or less, it’s going to be impossible to reach the North Pole by dog team without flotation (漂浮),” says Steger.
Climate change is happening, but people can change too. Their willingness to change will determine the shape of the Earth’s future.Why is Steger about to organize the adventure to the Arctic?
| A．To collect evidence for his scientific research. |
| B．To develop the young people’s adventurous spirit. |
| C．To let more people enjoy its natural beauty. |
| D．To let people realize the bad effects of global warming. |
How can people learn about the progress of Steger’s journey?
| A．Through radio programs. |
| B．By watching TV. |
| C．On the Internet. |
| D．By reading his journals. |
According to Steger, people can save the earth by _____.
| A．changing their harmful way of life |
| B．learning more about the environment |
| C．willingly giving up their comfortable life |
| D．getting used to the present changes of the earth |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The Arctic is in danger |
| B．Sledding through the Arctic |
| C．Discoveries of the Arctic |
| D．Consequences of global warming |
HAVE FUN IN SPRING!
Special four-week mini-session
April — May
Acting Classes for Ages 4+ and Teens!
Classes meet once a week for four weeks. All classes are led by highly experienced Dallas Children’s Theater (DCT) artists. Since this is a mini-session, classes will not present a show. Pre-K (Pre-Kindergarten) students will explore stories and characters from the world of books and literature. For students in Act It Up (K-1st && 2nd-3rd) and Acting (4th-6th), the classes will explore characters, expression and creativity through creative dramatics (表演) activities.
Full $80 payment per student is required for enrollment (入学). Classes will be filled first-come-first-served. For questions or to enroll, contact Nancy Schaeffer at 214-978-0110 or nancy@dct.org.
Tuesdays 4:00-5:30 April 22-May 13, 2008
Play Days — Pre-K
●Explore the wonderful characters from your favorite books
●Act out the stories you know so well and maybe a few new ones too!
●Take turns being on the stage with your class as you become many fun and creative characters
Act It Up! Grades K-1 & Grades 2-3
Explore the most important aspects of acting:
●Characters: Who are You?
● Imagination: See where it takes you — be creative!
Wednesdays 4:30-6:00 April 23-May 14, 2008
Acting — Grades 4-6
Explore the most important aspects of acting:
● Characterization: Movement and Voice
● Imagination: Listening, Learning and Taking a chance
Auditions and Monologues (试演和独角戏) — Grade 7+
● Work on a monologue that you can use for any audition
●Learn the tricks for how to do your best at your next audition — at school, church or local theater
●Get feedback (反馈) from a professional and make improvements to your auditioning skillsThe ad is about ______.
| A．training classes for students |
| B．the directions for a product |
| C．acting classes for college students |
| D．an introduction to a film |
To attend the special four-week mini-session, you’ll have to ______.
| A．register at DCT |
| B．prove that you can act |
| C．be old enough for each class |
| D．pay $80 once a week |
Which class may offer you a chance to enjoy playing the characters you like?
| A．Auditions and Monologues. | B．Play Days. |
| C．Act It Up! | D．Acting. |
Those who attend Auditions and Monologues ______.
| A．mainly explore the imagination |
| B．have to start their lessons on April 22 |
| C．will often practise using movement and voice |
| D．are mainly taught some skills for their future use |
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