Dear Aunty,
After years of her crying. I finally gave in and allowed my daughter to have a cat. I now regret my decision. As someone needs to have a clean, tidy house, I no longer feel relaxed in my own home. If I tell her, “sorry, the cat has to go.” She will be heartbroken. What can I do?
-Feline Phobic
Dear Phobic,
I’m an animal lover and on your kid’s and cat’s side. Tell your daughter your problem. Ask her to help you come up with a plan. Perhaps you can agree to allow the cat only in certain areas of the house. This is a chance for your daughter to develop the sense of responsibility owning a pet requires.
Dear Aunty,
I got the highest grade on a biology test. Now the popular kids think I’m brainy, and want me in their lab group. I knew I was being used. Now, they want my homework. What should I do?
-Lily
Dear Lily.
Popularity can come at a price, but it’s no excuse to cheat. Offer to help new friends with their homework, but don’t give them yours.
Dear Aunty,
I’m one of six assistants in a dental(牙科的) office. But I’m new-there just four months. I’ve tried to join conversations, but they just ignore me. They go shopping together. No one invites me. How can I break into the circle?
-Crystal
Dear Crystal,
Humans run in packs like dogs. When a new dog enters the pack, a lot of discovery goes on. So bring cookies for everyone! Then try making friends with one co-worker. Invite her to lunch. When you get familiar with each other, tell her how hard you’re finding the situation at work. chances are, she’ll take you under her wing.Aunty thinks that Phobic should .
| A．try to persuade her daughter to give in. |
| B．spend more time cleaning the house. |
| C．ask her daughter to help tidy up |
| D．find a better way to keep the cat. |
The underlined word “brainy” in the passage means .
| A．excited | B．friendly | C．intelligent | D．hard-working |
According to the passage, .
| A．Phobic can’t get along well with her daughter. |
| B．Aunty is fond of animals like cats. |
| C．Crystal’s coworkers are cheating her. |
| D．Lily has no interest in lab experiments. |
Next Stop: Planet Mars
Fly me to the moon? That’s not far enough. On September 14, 2011, NASA released designs for a superrocket, the Space Launch System (SLS). This time the final destination will be Mars.
The SLS is a huge, liquid-fuelled rocket. If it is fully developed, it will be the most powerful rocket ever built. Its lift capability will be much bigger than that of the space shuttle of Saturn 5, the rocket that sent the Apollo missions to the moon.
NASA is planning to launch its first unmanned test flight in 2017. It is hoped that the first crew will fly in 2021 and astronauts will make it to a nearby asteroid(小行星) in 2025. NASA hopes to send the rocket and astronauts to Mars from the asteroid by the 2030s, according to the Associated Press (AP).
NASA used liquid rockets to send Apollo, Gemini and Mercury into space, but later changed to solid rockets boosters(助推火箭) because they were cheaper. Tragically, however, a booster flaw(缺陷) caused the space shuttle Challenger to crash in 1986. The new project plans to return to liquid fuel.
According to AP, the rockets will at first be able to carry 77 to 110 tons of payload(净载重量). Eventually they will be able to carry 143 tons into space, maybe even as many as 165 tons, NASA officials said. By comparison, the Saturn 5 booster could lift 130 tons and the space shuttle just 27 tons.
However, unlike reusable shuttles, these powerful rockets are mostly one use only. New ones have to be built for every launch. This will be very costly.
NASA estimates that it will cost about $3 billion (19 billion yuan) per year, or $18 billion until the first test flight in 2017. NASA hopes to make money by allowing private companies to send astronauts to the International Space Station like giant taxi services, so that the program can be “sustainable”.
“This is perhaps the biggest thing for space exploration in decades,” said Senator Bill Nelson, a former astronaut. “The goal is to fly humans safely beyond low-Earth orbit(轨道) and deep into outer space where we cannot only survive, but one day also live.”What is the outstanding feature of the SLS?
| A．It’s equipped with an advanced control system. |
| B．It’s the first unmanned space shuttle in the world. |
| C．It’s the only vehicle that can fly astronauts to the moon. |
| D．It can send a lot more goods and passengers into space. |
What is Saturn 5?
| A．An aircraft that had a deadly flaw and crashed in 1986. |
| B．A series of rockets that once sent astronauts to the moon. |
| C．An unmanned space shuttle that was once famous in the world. |
| D．A kind of launch vehicle that will be used to carry astronauts to Mars. |
NASA plans to use liquid fuel in the new project because ______ than solid rockets boosters.
| A．it is less costly |
| B．it is much safer |
| C．it can last longer |
| D．it is more environmentally friendly |
According to NASA’s schedule, it will take ______ years to fully complete the SLS program.
| A．about 6 | B．about 10 |
| C．less than 14 | D．more than 19 |
It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
| A．the SLS program is planning to make reusable rockets |
| B．the goal of the SLS program is to enable humans to live on the moon |
| C．the US government may not have provided enough money for the SLS program |
| D．NASA will use SLS as a space taxi between the Earth and Mars |
The aims of the Illustrators’(插图画家的) Exhibition, staged as part of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, organized by BolognaFiere and held from 23 to 26 December 2012, are to bring illustrators and publishers together and to promote illustrators and their works among publishers.
QUALIFICATIONS
• Individual illustrators or groups of illustrators of any nationality, if they were born before 31st December 1992, whose artwork is intended for use in children’s books, are qualified to enter the Exhibition, either directly or through publishing houses or schools.
• Please state in the application form whether you are entering work for the Fiction or Nonfiction Category. Illustrators may only enter one category.
• Artwork previously presented to the Exhibition may not be re-entered.
• The confirmation(确认) form must be filled in and a photograph attached, then presented together with illustrations no later than 15 October 2012.
SHIPMENT
Entries may be delivered by post, express delivery service or by hand. From abroad, please use the following forms: Form “A” for registered mail or post by air; Form “B” if using an international forwarding agent or airline.
To avoid delays, material should not be sent by normal post. Material should be sent “carriage(运费) paid”, including any customs and delivery costs.
BolognaFiere may not be held responsible for the non-arrival or late arrival of artwork. All published works must be accompanied by a declaration bearing the ISBN number, publisher’s name and address.
REQUIREMENTS
The illustrations (i.e. the size of the sheet) must not exceed(超过) the following dimensions:
Fiction:
32 × 42 cm (or 42 × 32 cm)
Non-fiction:
50 × 70 cm (or 70 × 50 cm)
Illustrations in larger formats will not be considered, nor will they be returned by BolognaFiere. The illustrations must be on paper or flexible board, maximum thickness 2 mm (for scanner separation purposes).
SELECTION PROCESS
All artwork received by the stated deadline and meeting the specified requirements will be examined and selected by an international group (whose decision is final), including five members (from publishing house and art schools) appointed each year by BolognaFiere.
EXHIBITIONS ABROAD
After the Bologna event, the Illustrators Exhibition will travel to Japan under the supervision of JBBY. The Illustrators Exhibition may afterwards be transferred to other venues(场馆) in other countries. The exhibitions of illustrations held abroad follow the same rules and regulations as the Illustrators Exhibition, and the provisions(条款) of the regulations are extended to the organizers of the exhibitions held abroad.
RETURN OF ARTWORK
All the works will be returned to their owners by BolognaFiere or directly by the organizers of the exhibitions and held abroad by the end of July 2013.Which of the following of the Illustrators’ Exhibition is TRUE?
| A．It will last five days in all in July every other year. |
| B．It is intended for college students who are good at painting. |
| C．It is held by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in BolognaFiere. |
| D．It can strengthen the relationship between illustrators and publishers. |
The illustrators of the Illustrators’ Exhibition ______.
| A．should be at least 16 and no more than 25 |
| B．may re-enter their artwork after it is returned |
| C．should state the category of their artwork clearly |
| D．may choose to attach a photo to the application form |
Which of the following is unacceptable for delivering entries?
| A．Normal post. | B．Airline post. | C．Registered mail. | D．Express delivery. |
What is BolognaFiere responsible for?
| A．Paying for the delivery costs. |
| B．Late arrival of artwork. |
| C．Confirmation of ISBN number. |
| D．Returning the illustrators’ works. |
The illustrators’ works will not be considered if they ______.
| A．are received after the day of 15 October 2012 |
| B．are smaller than the required size |
| C．have already been published abroad before |
| D．don’t meet the demands of the international experts |
Some people would go through anything just to achieve their dream. Kasia Siwosz is proof. For the final year student on the university women’s tennis team, the road to Berkeley, University of California was met with poor advice and misinformation from her home country and two unsuccessful stops along the way that fell short of expectations.
Born in Poland, Siwosz began playing tennis at seven years old and developed the skills that helped her earn a top-50 ranking among the ITF Junior division(国际网球联会青少年赛). Siwosz wanted to do more with her life than just play tennis, which led her to seek chances that would also allow her to obtain a top education. While most who grow up in the U.S. are naturally accustomed to the American tradition of collegiate(大学的) sports, such a custom is not as familiar in a country like Poland. “There’s no collegiate sports in Poland and no culture of sports and academic(学术的) study there. You can only do one, not both,” Siwosz said.
Her desire to have a quality education led her to America to follow her dream. While Siwosz was talented enough to begin her collegiate tennis career, she could only attend community college because she missed the deadline to apply to four-year schools, mainly due to misinformation provided in her home country of Poland.
When she had earned all her credits and was able to transfer(转学), Siwosz made the decision to attend Baylor in Texas. Her friends from Poland put in a good word for the university, saying that it was a good fit because there were many international players at Baylor. “I thought it would be a good idea, but it really wasn’t what I thought it would be,” Siwosz said. “I wasn’t happy at Baylor. The level of tennis was high, but the academic standards were no match and I just wanted more.”
After one year at Baylor, Siwosz’s luck finally began to change when she made the decision to transfer to Berkeley, which was due in large part to Lee, a former Berkeley student. Lee, who is a keen tennis player himself, met Siwosz four years ago in Texas. “I knew she was unhappy there,” he said. “I saw the opportunity for her to come here.” Siwosz visited Lee in Berkeley. “I ended up loving this place and this school,” Siwosz said. “I came here a lot over the summer, I gave it a shot and I ended up with a Berkeley education and a spot on one of the best college tennis teams in the country.”What does “two unsuccessful stops” (Paragraph 1) refer to?
| A．Poland and the U.S. |
| B．Baylor and Berkeley. |
| C．The community college and Baylor. |
| D．The ITF Junior division and the Berkeley tennis team. |
Why did Siwosz want to leave her homeland for America?
| A．Poland had no culture of sports. |
| B．Berkeley had always been her dream university. |
| C．She wanted to play tennis and have a good education. |
| D．She wanted to improve her tennis skills and get a higher ranking. |
Why did she leave Baylor?
| A．The level of tennis there was not high. |
| B．It was not suitable for international students. |
| C．She couldn’t get along with her friends there. |
| D．She was not satisfied with the education level there. |
The phrase “gave it a shot” (Paragraph 5) is closest in meaning to ______.
| A．had a try | B．shot a tennis ball | C．took a picture | D．waved goodbye |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．How Siwosz left Poland. |
| B．How Siwosz realized her dream. |
| C．How Siwosz became a top tennis player. |
| D．How Siwosz transferred from Baylor to Berkeley. |
Most students develop a fear of tests. It is mainly because they lack self-confidence. Fortunately, overcoming your fear of tests is not difficult, as long as you follow the tips below:
1 Those who think that they are not well-prepared are usually those who fear tests the most. As long as you know that you have studied well and for long enough, you will be successful.
2 As long as you have studied well, you will be more confident of your ability to succeed in the test.
3 This way, you know what to prepare for and you can gain confidence about how well you will do in the test.
You should know that tests only measure your ability, not your intelligence. So, even if you think you will do badly in one test, be sure that there are other tests to come in which you can do better. 4
5 However, with the right attitude and preparation, you can overcome your fear of tests through the use of these tips.
| A．Ask your teacher beforehand about the material that is going to be covered in the test. |
| B．be confident of yourself. |
| C．Only if you overcome your fear can you achieve much in the tests. |
| D．Make sure that you are well-prepared. |
E. Never be afraid of the coming test.
F. As long as you think that there is another tomorrow, you can overcome your fear of this one test.
G. A fear can be a hursle (障碍) to success.
You will pay _______ if you want to stay in the English club for half a year.
| A．300 yuan | B．600 yuan | C．1200 yuan | D．2400 yuan |
You can visit Ocean Museum _______ .
| A．on Saturday | B．on Wednesday | C．on Monday | D．anytime |
One can get free examinations in Health Centre if he is _______ .
| A．9 | B．17 | C．67 | D．73 |
If you are interested in the life of fish, you should go to ______ .
| A．Health Centre | B．Ocean Museum |
| C．Sunny English Club | D．16 Yong Le Street |
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