A sunflower is a sunflower. A mobile phone is a mobile phone. But can you combine the two to do something for your local environment? As early as next year it may well be possible. When you have finished with your mobile phone, you will be able to bury it in a garden or a plant pot and wait for it to flower.
A biodegradable (生物所能分解的) mobile phone was, this month, introduced by scientists. It is hoped that the new type of phone will encourage consumers to recycle.
Scientists have come up with a new material over the last five years. It looks like any other plastic and can be hard or soft, and is able to change shape. Over time it can also break down into the soil without giving out any poisonous chemicals. British researchers used the new material to develop a phone cover that contains a sunflower seed. When this new type of cover turns into waste, it forms fertilizers. These feed the seed and help the flower grow.
Engineers have designed a small transparent (透明的) window to hold the seed. They have made sure it only grows when the phone is thrown away. “We’ve only put sunflower seeds into the covers so far. But we are working with plant experts to find out which flowers would perform best. Maybe we could put roses in next time.” said one scientist.
As phone technology is developing so quickly, people are constantly throwing their mobiles away. This means manufacturers are under pressure to find ways of recycling them. Some 650 million mobile phones have been sold this year. Most of them will be thrown away within two years, adding plastic, heavy metal and chemical waste to the environment. A biodegradable cover can offer some relief for nature, according to the scientists.
“The seed comes out and the flower grows in the pot so you don’t have to concern yourself with the phone when you have finished using it.” said Kerry Kirwan. She leads the research team, which is based at the University of Warwick in Britain.What is the purpose of this passage? _____
| A．To tell the popularity of biodegradable cell phones. |
| B．To persuade the reader to buy the biodegradable cell phone. |
| C．To discuss the development of phone technology |
| D．To introduce an environment-friendly cell phone to readers. |
People throw away their cell phones most probably because ____
| A．there is something wrong with them |
| B．no sunflowers can grow out of them |
| C．they are out of fashion |
| D．they are becoming cheaper and cheaper |
It could be learned from the passage that ____.
| A．developing the new type of phone is mainly to protect the environment |
| B．phone-makers will benefit much more from the new type of phone |
| C．the new type of phone will certainly be popular with users all over the world. |
| D．the phones that can be recycled are available only in Britain now |
What might be the most suitable title for this passage?
| A．Sunflower and Phone | B．Plant Your Phone |
| C．Protect Our Environment | D．NO Worry about Phone |
Surviving Hurricane Sandy(飓风桑迪 )
Natalie Doan,14, has always felt lucky to live in Rockaway, New York. Living just a few blocks from the beach, Natalie can see the ocean and hear the wave from her house. "It's the ocean that makes Rockaway so special," she says.
On October 29, 2012, that ocean turned fierce. That night, Hurricane Sandy attacked the East Coast, and Rockaway was hit especially hard. Fortunately, Natalie's family escaped to Brooklyn shortly before the city's bridge closed.
When they returned to Rockaway the next day, they found their neighborhood in ruins. Many of Natalie's friends had lost their homes and were living far away. All around her, people were suffering, especially the elderly. Natalie's school was so damaged that she had to temporarily attend a school in Brooklyn.
In the following few days, the men and women helping Rockaway recover inspired Natalie. Volunteers came with carloads of donated clothing and toys. Neighbors devoted their spare time to helping others rebuild. Teenagers climbed dozens of flights of stairs to deliver water and food to elderly people trapped in powerless high-rise buildings.
"My mom tells me that I can't control what happens to me," Natalie says. "but I can always choose how I deal with it."
Natalie's choice was to help.
She created a website page matching survivors in need with donors who wanted to help. Natalie posted introduction about a boy named Patrick, who lost his baseball card collecting when his house burned down. Within days, Patrick's collection was replaced.
In the coming months, her website page helped lots of kids: Christopher, who received a new basketball; Charlie, who got a new keyboard. Natalie also worked with other organizations to bring much-need supplies to Rockaway. Her efforts made her a famous person. Last April, she was invited to the White House and honored as a Hurricane Sandy Champion of Change.
Today, the scars(创痕)of destruction are still seen in Rockaway, but hope is in the air. The streets are clear, and many homes have been rebuilt. "I can't imagine living anywhere but Rockaway," Natalie declares. "My neighborhood will be back, even stronger than before."
59.When Natalie returned to Rockaway after the hurricane，she found______.
| A． |
some friends had lost their lives |
| B． |
her neighborhood was destroyed |
| C． |
her school had moved to Brooklyn |
| D． |
the elderly were free from suffering |
60.According to paragraph4，who inspired Natalie most?
| A． |
The people helping Rockaway rebuild |
| B． |
The people trapped in high_rise building |
| C． |
The volunteers donating money to survivors |
| D． |
Local teenagers bringing clothing to elderly people |
61.How did Natalie help the survivors?
| A． |
She gave her toys to the kids |
| B． |
She took care of younger children |
| C． |
She called on the White House to help |
| D． |
She built an information sharing platform |
62.What does the story intend to tell us?
| A． |
Little people can make a big difference |
| B． |
A friend in need is a friend indeed |
| C． |
East or West,home is best |
| D． |
Technology is power |
Dear Alfred,
I want to tell you how important your help is to my life.
Growing up, I had people telling me I was too slow, though, with an IQ of 150 at 17, I'm anything but stupid. The fact was that I was found to have ADIID(注意力缺陷多动障碍). Anxious all the time, I was unable to keep focused for more than an hour at a time.
However, when something did interest me, I could become absorbed. In high school, I became curious about the computer, and built my first website. Moreover, I completed the senior course of Computer Basics, plus five relevant pre-college courses.
While I was exploring my curiosity, my disease got worse. I wanted to go to college after high school, but couldn't . So, I was killing my time at home until June 2012 when I discovered the online computer courses of your training center.
Since then, I have taken courses like Data Science and Advanced Mathematics. Currently, I'm learning your Probability course. I have hundreds of printer paper, covered in self-written notes from your video. This has given me a purpose.
Last year, I spent all my time looking for a job where, without dealing with the public , I could work alone, but still have a team to talk to. Luckily, I discovered the job-Data Analyst-this month and have been going full steam ahead. I want to prove that I can teach myself a respectful profession, without going to college, and be just as good as, if not better than, my competitors.
Thank you. You've given me hope that I can follow my heart. For the first time, I feel good about myself because I'm doing something, not because someone told me I was doing good. I feel whole.
This is why you're saving my life.
Yours,
Tanis
56.why did't Tanis go to college after high school?
| A． |
She had learned enough about computer science |
| B． |
She had more difficulty keeping foucesed |
| C． |
She preferred taking online courses |
| D． |
She was too slow to learn |
57.AS for the working environment，Tains prefers____.
| A． |
A .working by herself |
| B． |
dealing with the public |
| C． |
competing against others |
| D． |
staying with ADHD students |
58.Tanis wrote this letter in order to_____.
| A． |
explain why she was interested in the computer |
| B． |
share the ideas she had for her profession |
| C． |
C .show how grateful she was to the center |
| D． |
describe the courses she had taken so far |
Popularization has in some cases changed the original meaning of emotional (情感的) intelligence. Many people now misunderstand emotional intelligence as almost everything desirable in a person's makeup that cannot be measured by an IQ test, such as character, motivation, confidence, mental stability, optimism and "people skills." Research has shown that emotional skills may contribute to some of these qualities, but most of them move far beyond skill-based emotional intelligence.
We prefer to describe emotional intelligence as a specific set of skills that can be used for either good or bad purposes. The ability to accurately understand how others are feeling may be used by a doctor to find how best to help her patients, while a cheater might use it to control potential victims. Being emotionally intelligent does not necessarily make one a moral person.
Although popular beliefs regarding emotional intelligence run far ahead of what research can reasonably support, the overall effects of the publicity have been more beneficial than harmful. The most positive aspect of this popularization is a new and much needed emphasis (重视) on emotion by employers, educators and others interested in promoting social well-being. The popularization of emotional intelligence has helped both the public and researchers re-evaluate the functionality of emotions and how they serve people adaptively in everyday life.
Although the continuing popular appeal of emotional intelligence is desirable, we hope that such attention will excite a greater interest in the scientific and scholarly study of emotion. It is our hope that in coming decades, advances in science will offer new perspectives (视角) from which to study how people manage their lives. Emotional intelligence, with its focus on both head and heart, may serve to point us in the right direction.
32 
What is a common misunderstanding of emotional intelligence?
| A． |
It can be measured by an IQ test. |
B． |
It helps to exercise a person's mind. |
| C． |
It includes a set of emotional skills. |
D． |
It refers to a person's positive qualities. |
33. Why does the author mention "doctor" and "cheater" in paragraph 2?
| A． |
To explain a rule. |
B． |
To clarify a concept. |
| C． |
To present a fact. |
D． |
To make a prediction. |
34. What is the author's attitude to the popularization of emotional intelligence?
| A． |
Favorable. |
B． |
Intolerant. |
| C． |
Doubtful. |
D． |
Unclear. |
35. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about concerning emotional intelligence?
| A． |
Its appeal to the public. |
B． |
Expectations for future studies. |
| C． |
Its practical application. |
D． |
Scientists with new perspectives. |
When the explorers first set foot upon the continent of North America, the skies and lands were alive with an astonishing variety of wildlife. Native Americans had taken care of these precious natural resources wisely. Unfortunately, it took the explorers and the settlers who followed only a few decades to decimatea large part of these resources. Millions of waterfowl ( 水禽 ) were killed at the hands of market hunters and a handful of overly ambitious sportsmen. Millions of acres of wetlands were dried to feed and house the ever-increasing populations, greatly reducing waterfowl habitat.
In 1934, with the passage of the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act (Act), an increasingly concerned nation took firm action to stop the destruction of migratory ( 迁徙的) waterfowl and the wetlands so vital to their survival. Under this Act, all waterfowl hunters 16 years of age and over must annually purchase and carry a Federal Duck Stamp. The very first Federal Duck Stamp was designed by J.N. "Ding" Darling, a political cartoonist from Des Moines, lowa, who at that time was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as Director of the Bureau of Biological Survey. Hunters willingly pay the stamp price to ensure the survival of our natural resources.
About 98 cents of every duck stamp dollar goes directly into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to purchase wetlands and wildlife habitat for inclusion into the National Wildlife Refuge System - a fact that ensures this land will be protected and available for all generations to come. Since 1934, better than half a billion dollars has gone into that Fund to purchase more than 5 million acres of habitat. Little wonder the Federal Duck Stamp Program has been called one of the most successful conservation programs ever initiated.
28. What was a cause of the waterfowl population decline in North America?
| A． |
Loss of wetlands. |
B． |
Popularity of water sports. |
| C． |
Pollution of rivers. |
D． |
Arrival of other wild animals. |
29. What does the underlined word "decimate" mean in the first paragraph?
| A． |
Acquire. |
B． |
Export. |
| C． |
Destroy. |
D． |
Distribute. |
30 What is a direct result of the Act passed in 1934?
| A． |
The stamp price has gone down. |
B． |
The migratory birds have flown away. |
| C． |
The hunters have stopped hunting. |
D． |
The government has collected money. |
31. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
| A． |
The Federal Duck Stamp Story |
B． |
The National Wildlife Refuge System |
| C． |
The Benefits of Saving Waterfowl |
D． |
The History of Migratory Bird Hunting |
By day, Robert Titterton is a lawyer. In his spare on stage beside pianist Maria Raspopova - not as a musician but as her page turner. "I'm not a trained musician, but I've learnt to read music so I can help Maria in her performance."
Mr Titterton is chairman of the Omega Ensemble but has been the group's official page turner for the past four years. His job is to sit beside the pianist and turn the pages of the score so the musician doesn't have to break the flow of sound by doing it themselves. He said he became just as nervous as those playing instruments on stage.
"A lot of skills are needed for the job. You have to make sure you don't turn two pages at once and make sure you find the repeats in the music when you have to go back to the right spot." Mr Titterton explained.
Being a page turner requires plenty of practice. Some pieces of music can go for 40 minutes and require up to 50 page turns, including back turns for repeat passages. Silent onstage communication is key, and each pianist has their own style of "nodding" to indicate a page turn which they need to practise with their page turner.
But like all performances, there are moments when things go wrong. "I was turning the page to get ready for the next page, but the draft wind from the turn caused the spare pages to fall off the stand," Mr Titterton said, "Luckily I was able to catch them and put them back."
Most page turners are piano students or up-and-coming concert pianists, although Ms Raspopova has once asked her husband to help her out on stage.
"My husband is the worst page turner," she laughed. "He's interested in the music, feeling every note, and I have to say: 'Turn, turn!' "Robert is the best page turner I've had in my entire life."
24. What should Titterton be able to do to be a page turner?
| A． |
Read music. |
B． |
Play the piano. |
| C． |
Sing songs. |
D． |
Fix the instruments. |
25. Which of the following best describes Titterton's job on stage?
| A． |
Boring. |
B． |
Well-paid. |
| C． |
Demanding. |
D． |
Dangerous. |
26. What does Titterton need to practise?
| A． |
Counting the pages. |
B． |
Recognizing the "nodding". |
| C． |
Catching falling objects. |
D． |
Performing in his own style. |
27. Why is Ms Raspopova's husband "the worse page turner"?
| A． |
He has very poor eyesight. |
B． |
He ignores the audience. |
| C． |
He has no interest in music. |
D． |
He forgets to do his job. |
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