She is quiet, soft-spoken and has a kind face and a strong heart. She is my mom, Lili.
When I was nine, Lili quitted her job and started her own business. She said she didn’t want to stay at home and work as a housewife: “It’s a waste of life.” Lili became so busy that she spent less and less time with me. She didn’t help me with my schoolwork. It was, in her words, “so that you can develop your independence”. We quarreled because she rarely showed up at parents’ meetings.
Like mother, like daughter. I have many things in common with Lili. I want everything to be under control. I want to be perfect and I don’t expect other people to help me. I push myself hard to achieve my goals.
After I started to go to high school, Lili and I were too busy to communicate much with each other.
In biology class I began to be depressed. When the teacher showed us a picture of a butterfly, I was scared and screamed. I had a vision of thousands of butterflies flying toward me.
That night I told Lili about it. The next morning, I saw that she had red eyes with black circles around them.
She took me to see a therapist (治疗师). Three hours later, the therapist told Lili that my life was like a wheel spinning (旋转) faster and faster and that was the reason for what had happened to me. I only realized it when my body couldn’t stand the pressure anymore. At these words, Lili burst into tears. “It’s all my fault, she’s just a kid and I didn’t have time to take care of her….” To be honest, I had never seen Lili cry before.
After that, Lili began to spend more time at home, cooking and dragging me to do sports. I realized she was the one who would always be there when I was in real trouble. No mom is perfect, but she is the one who really cares about her kid.Lili quitted her job and started her own business because _________.
| A．she wanted to make more money | B．she was not willing to look after me |
| C．she didn’t want to waste her life | D．she likes keeping busy |
We quarreled because __________.
| A．she began to spend less and less time with me |
| B．she didn’t help me with my schoolwork. |
| C．she seldom attended the parents’ meetings in my school. |
| D．Lili and I were too busy to communicate much with each other. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Most women don’t want to be a housewife. |
| B．Most children want their mothers to accompany them at home. |
| C．We need to understand our mothers’ busy life. |
| D．Although mothers are not perfect, they all love the children |
Which of the following statements is WRONG?
| A．Lili is a quiet, strong-willed woman. |
| B．Lili began to spend more time at home after visiting the therapist. |
| C．I was scared and screamed in biology class because I hate butterflies. |
| D．I only realized my life was like a wheel when my body couldn’t stand the pressure anymore. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Mom Does Care. | B．A Busy but Successful Mother. |
| C．Change From Mother to Businessman. | D．A Student’s Opinion on Mother. |
For some people, music is no fun at all. About four percent of the population is what scientists call “amusic.” People who are amusic are born without the ability to recognize or reproduce musical notes (音调). Amusic people often cannot tell the difference between two songs. Amusics can only hear the difference between two notes if they are very far apart on the musical scale.
As a result, songs sound like noise to an amusic. Many amusics compare the sound of music to pieces of metal hitting each other. Life can be hard for amusics. Their inability to enjoy music set them apart from others. It can be difficult for other people to identify with their condition. In fact, most people cannot begin to grasp what it feels like to be amusic. Just going to a restaurant or a shopping mall can be uncomfortable or even painful. That is why many amusics intentionally stay away from places where there is music. However, this can result in withdrawal and social isolation. “I used to hate parties,” says Margaret, a seventy-year-old woman who only recently discovered that she was amusic. By studying people like Margaret, scientists are finally learning how to identify this unusual condition.
Scientists say that the brains of amusics are different from the brains of people who can appreciate music. The difference is complex, and it doesn’t involve defective hearing. Amusics can understand other nonmusical sounds well. They also have no problems understanding ordinary speech. Scientists compare amusics to people who just can’t see certain colors.
Many amusics are happy when their condition is finally diagnosed (诊断). For years, Margaret felt embarrassed about her problem with music. Now she knows that she is not alone. There is a name for her condition. That makes it easier for her to explain. “When people invite me to a concert, I just say, ‘No thanks, I’m amusic,’” says Margaret. “I just wish I had learned to say that when I was seventeen and not seventy.”Which of the following is true of amusics?
| A．Listening to music is far from enjoyable for them. |
| B．They love places where they are likely to hear music. |
| C．They can easily tell two different songs apart. |
| D．Their situation is well understood by musicians. |
According to paragraph 3, a person with “defective hearing” is probably one who __________.
| A．dislikes listening to speeches |
| B．can hear anything nonmusical |
| C．has a hearing problem |
| D．lacks a complex hearing system |
In the last paragraph, Margaret expressed her wish that __________.
| A．her problem with music had been diagnosed earlier |
| B．she were seventeen years old rather than seventy |
| C．her problem could be easily explained |
| D．she were able to meet other amusics |
What is the passage mainly concerned with?
| A．Amusics’ strange behaviours. |
| B．Some people’s inability to enjoy music. |
| C．Musical talent and brain structure. |
| D．Identification and treatment of amusics. |
Some years ago industries had more freedom than they have now, and they did not need to be as careful as they must today. They did not need to worry a lot about the safety of the new products that they developed. They did not have to pay much attention to the health and safety of the people who worked for them. Often new products were dangerous for the people who used them; often conditions in the work place had very bad effects on the health of the workers.
Of course sometimes there were real disasters which attracted the attention of governments and which showed the need for changes. Also scientists who were doing research into the health of workers sometimes produced information that governments could not ignore. At such times, there were inquiries into the causes of the disasters or the problems. New safety rules were often introduced as a result of these inquiries; however, the new rules came too late to protect the people who died or who became seriously ill.
Today many governments have special departments that protect customers and workers. In the U.S., for example, there is a department that tests new airplanes and gives warnings about possible problems. It also makes the rules that aircraft producers must follow. Another department controls the foods and drugs that companies sell. A third department looks at the places where people work, and then reports any companies that are breaking the laws which protect the health and safety of workers. Of course, new government departments and new laws cannot prevent every accident or illness, but they are having some good results. Our work places are safer and cleaner than before. The planes and cars that we use for travel are better. Producers are thinking more about the safety and health of the people who buy and use their products.What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Conditions in the work place. |
| B．The freedom of industries in the past. |
| C．Changes in industrial production. |
| D．The safety and health of workers and customers. |
According to the passage, we can get the conclusion that in the past __________.
| A．workers often got ill because of the poor working conditions |
| B．companies were free to put out any products they wanted to |
| C．many people were killed by dangerous products |
| D．industries were as careful in management as they are today |
It is implied in the passage that ____________.
| A．governments and companies had different opinions about the safety of products |
| B．governments paid little attention to the safety of products. |
| C．government officials often did not listen to scientists |
| D．in the past no safety laws were introduced by governments |
The special departments protect customers and workers in many ways EXCEPT by ____.
| A．testing new products |
| B．designing new products |
| C．controlling the sale of products |
| D．inspecting work places |
Homestay provides English language students with the opportunity to speak English outside the classroom and the experience of being part of a British home.
What to Expect
The host will provide accommodation and meals. Rooms will be cleaned and bedcovers changed at least once a week. You will be given the house key and the host is there to offer help and advice as well as to take an interest in your physical and mental health.
Accommodation Zones
Homestays are located in London mainly in Zones 2, 3 and 4 of the transport system. Most hosts do not live in the town centre as much of central London is commercial and not residential. Zones 3 and 4 often offer larger accommodation in a less crowded area. It is very convenient to travel in London by underground.
Meal Plans Available
♢Continental Breakfast
♢Breakfast and Dinner
♢Breakfast, Packed Lunch and Dinner
It’s important to note that few English families still provide a traditional cooked breakfast. Your accommodation includes Continental Breakfast which normally consists of fruit juice, cereal (谷物类食品), bread and tea or coffee. Cheese, fruit and cold meat are not normally part of a Continental Breakfast in England. Dinners usually consist of meat or fish with vegetables followed by desert, fruit and coffee.
Friends
If you wish to invite a friend over to visit, you must first ask your host’s permission. You have no right to entertain friends in a family home as some families feel it is an invasion of their privacy.
Self-Catering Accommodation in Private Homes
Accommodation on a room-only basis includes shared kitchen and bathroom facilities and often a main living room. This kind of accommodation offers an independent lifestyle and is more suitable for the long-stay student. However, it does not provide the same family atmosphere as an ordinary homestay and may not benefit those who need to practice English at home quite as much.The passage is probably written for ______.
| A．hosts willing to receive foreign students |
| B．foreigners hoping to know British culture |
| C．travelers planning to visit families in London |
| D．English learners applying to live in English homes |
Which of the following will the host provide?
| A．Room cleaning. | B．Medical care. |
| C．Free transport. | D．Physical training. |
According to the passage, what does Continental Breakfast include?
| A．Dessert and coffee. | B．Fruit and vegetables. |
| C．Bread and fruit juice. | D．Cereal and cold meat. |
Why do some people choose self-catering accommodation?
| A．To experience a warmer family atmosphere. |
| B．To enrich their knowledge of English. |
| C．To entertain friends as they like. |
| D．To enjoy much more freedom. |
Surface Exploration. Robots make great explorers on planets，moons，and other landing areas. Aside from earth，just about every surface in the solar system is unsafe for humans to explore. The air on most other planets is insufficient(不足的) for humans to breathe，making it necessary to wear a space suit and oxygen equipment. The temperatures on these surfaces are much too hot or much too cold for any humans to withstand（禁得起）．Plus there would be complications with radiation，weather，and a lack of gravity. Robots have much less limitation in these areas and can survive much longer under these conditions.
Data Collection. Robots are designed for collecting scientific data. Robots are also able to perform many tasks at a time and can process information much quicker and more efficiently. Important scientific projects from detecting minerals，analyzing ground samples，and finding water are all performed much quicker and more accurately (精确地) by robots.
Cost Effective. The use of robots has made the cost of space exploration much less expensive than it would cost for humans to do the work. In order to successfully send humans into space we would need to build a vehicle that can not only carry humans，but also enough food and water to keep them alive for the duration of the trip. Moreover，robots have no problems working for hours on end. Robots never complain，they don't require food or water，and they never need a bathroom break.
Space Travel. Over the past 30 years or so there have been many different types of robots used successfully in the exploration of space. Perhaps the most famous and successful robots are the Spirit and Opportunity who have both been exploring the surface of Mars. They have both been very successful with experiments on soil and rocks and have even found evidence of water in Mars' history.According to the passage，which of the following is NOT true?
| A．The use of robots in space exploration costs more than the use of humans. |
| B．It may be dangerous for humans to explore the solar system except the earth. |
| C．Both the Spirit and Opportunity have found the evidence of water in the Mars. |
| D．Many different types of robots have explored the space successfully. |
Which column could the passage come from?
| A．Education. | B．Finance. |
| C．Travel. | D．Science. |
The underlined word “withstand” most probably means“________”．
| A．arise | B．bear | C．defeat | D．diverse |
What is the writer's attitude in this passage?
| A．Negative. | B．Persuasive. |
| C．Subjective. | D．Objective. |
While sending an astronaut into the space，we should consider the following EXCEPT ________．
| A．the radiation | B．the oxygen | C．the diet | D．the alien |
French surgeons have performed what they said on Wednesday was the world's first partial face transplant--- giving a new nose, chin and lips to a woman attacked by a dog.
Specialists from two French hospitals carried out the operation on a 38-year-old woman on Sunday in the northern city of Amiens by taking the face from a brain-dead woman, who had hanged herself just hours before the operation. Her family agreed on the operation.
“The patient is in an excellent state and the transplant looks normal,” the hospitals said in a brief statement after waiting three days to announce the pioneering surgery.
The woman had been left without a nose and lips after the dog attacked her last May, and was unable to talk or chew properly. Such injuries are “extremely difficult, if not impossible” to repair using normal surgical techniques, the statement said.
The statement did not say what the woman would look like when she had fully recovered, but medical experts said she was unlikely to resemble the woman who had been the source of her new face.
The operation was led by Jean-Michel Dubernard, a specialist from a hospital in Lyon who has also carried out hand transplants,
Skin transplants have long been used to treat burns and other injuries, but operations around the mouth and nose have been considered very difficult because of the area's high sensitivity to foreign tissue.
Teams in France, the United States and Britain had been developing techniques to make face transplants a reality
There was a short-term risk for the patient if blood vessels became blocked, a medium-term danger of her body rejecting the new skin and a long-term possibility that the drugs used could cause cancers.
Experts say that although such medical advances should be celebrated, the transplant had thrown up moral（道德的）and ethical(伦理的)issues. Little is known about the psychological effect of the transplant. The best title for the passage would be ________.
| A．French Woman has First Partial Face Transplant |
| B．First Face Transplant Opens Debate |
| C．Risks and Ethical Problems of a Face Transplant |
| D．A Complete Face Transplant of a French Woman |
Why did the woman need such an operation?
| A．Her face had been bitten by a dog |
| B．Her face had been burnt in a fire. |
| C．She was born especially ugly |
| D．She wanted to test such an operation. |
The underlined word "resemble" means ________.
| A．to remember forever |
| B．to recognize immediately |
| C．to set as an example |
| D．to presents similarity or likeness to |
What can we learn about the operation?
| A．The woman had used the dead woman' s whole face. |
| B．There has arisen a debate about the operation. |
| C．The woman will suffer from psychological damage soon. |
| D．Such transplants have been performed by doctors. |
Which of the following is NOT one of the risks of the operation?
| A．Block of blood vessels. |
| B．Organ rejection |
| C．Heart damage. |
| D．Side effect of the drugs |
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