A deadly strain of avian flu may have passed between people for the first time, experts believe.The avian influenza A (H7N9) virus is thought to have been transmitted between father and daughter in eastern China, according to research published online by the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
The findings provide the strongest evidence yet of H7N9 transmission between humans since its discover in February, but its ability to transmit itself was deemed "limited and non-sustainable" by the Chinese researchers behind the study.At the end of June 133 cases had been reported, including 43 deaths. Most infections have been among people visiting markets, selling live birds or among those who had contact with live poultry（家禽） in the seven to 10 days before becoming ill.
The latest study examined the case of a 60-year-old father who regularly visited a live poultry market and became ill five to six days after his last visit in March. He was admitted to hospital with fever, cough and shortness of breath. Despite intensive care treatment he died of multiple organ failure on 4 May. His 32-year-old daughter, who was previously healthy, looked after him at his bedside before he was admitted to intensive care. She had no known exposure to live poultry before falling ill with a very high temperature, cough and fever. The daughter developed symptoms six days after her last contact with her father and was admitted to hospital where she died of multiple organ failure on 24 April.
Follow-up investigations(调查) uncovered almost genetically identical virus strains from each patient, suggesting transmission from father to daughter. Another 43 people were also tested who had had close contact with the father, daughter or both.
Dr Peter Horby, senior clinical research fellow at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Hanoi, Vietnam, said of the study: "The most likely source of infection for the daughter was her father, during the period that she cared for him while he was ill. "He said “limited person to person transmission had been reported for other strains like H5N1 , H7N7, and the pig origin flu virus H3N2. Those strains had been around for more than a decade but have not progressed any further down the path towards a world-wide virus.” “Limited human-to-human transmission of H7N9 virus is therefore not surprising, but strengthening to monitor it was still needed,” Dr Horby added.What’s the main idea of the passage ?
| A．The findings about H7N9 transmission only between father and daughter . |
| B．H7N9 transmission may be spreading between people . |
| C．133 cases of H7N9 transmission have been reported . |
| D．Both the father and daughter died of multiple organ failure. |
The reason why the daughter died of multiple organ failure was that _____.
| A．she fell ill with a very high temperature, cough and fever. |
| B．she was exposed to live poultry before falling ill. |
| C．she had close contact with the father while caring for her sick father . |
| D．she sold live birds in five to six days before falling ill . |
Which of the following is Wrong about H7N9 transmission?
| A．It was limited and non-sustainable |
| B．It was person to person transmission |
| C．It wasn’t progressed any further down the path towards a world-wide virus. |
| D．It happened between father and daughter . |
The underlined word s “was deemed” in paragraph 2 probably means _______
| A．was decreased | B．was regarded as |
| C．was thought of | D．was developed |
What type of writing is the article likely to be ?
| A．A news report. | B．Popular science. |
| C．A medical report | D．A medical findings |
Brenda Bongos was a happy, artistic girl. She had one big ambition—to play the drums in a band. But one big obstacle lay in her way. To be good enough to play in a band, Brenda had to practice a lot, but she lived next-door to a lot of old people. Many of them are sick. She knew that the sound of beating drums would really get on their nerves. So, she had tried playing in the strangest places: a basement, a kitchen, and even in a shower. But there was always someone it would annoy.
One day, while watching a science documentary on TV, she heard that sound cannot travel in space, because there's no air. At that moment, Brenda Bongos decided to become a sort of musical astronaut.
With the help of a lot of time, books and work, Brenda built a space bubble. This was a big glass ball connected to a machine which sucked out all the air inside. All that would be left inside was a drum kit (成套设备)and a chair. Brenda got into the space suit she had made, entered the bubble, turned on the machine, and played those drums like a wild child.
It wasn't long before Brenda Bongos came very famous. Many people came to see her play in her space bubble. Shortly afterwards she came out of the bubble and started giving concerts. Her fame spread so much that the government suggested that she be part of a unique space journey. Finally, Brenda was a real musical astronaut, and had gone far beyond her first ambition of playing drums in a band.
Years later, when asked how she had achieved all this, she thought for a moment, and said: "If those old people next - door hadn't mattered so much to me, I wouldn't have found a solution, and none of this would have ever happened."Why did Brenda try to play in the strangest places?
| A．Because she didn't mean to disturb others. |
| B．Because she didn't want others to hear her play. |
| C．Because she didn't have her own room. |
| D．Because she didn’t like her neighbors. |
Brenda started to give concerts _______.
| A．when people came to see her in the space bubble |
| B．when she became part of the unique space journey |
| C．after she became a real musical astronaut |
| D．after she practiced in her space bubble |
Brenda became famous because _______.
| A．she was good at music and science |
| B．she invented a special way of practice |
| C．she became a real musical astronaut |
| D．she played well and had a talent |
Which of the following can be used to describe Brenda?
| A．Lovely, brave and kind. |
| B．Brave, kind and hardworking. |
| C．Kind, hardworking and clever. |
| D．Nervous, kind and clever. |
As they migrate (迁移), butterflies and moths choose the winds they want to fly with, and they change their body positions if they start floating in the wrong direction. This new finding suggests that insects may employ some of the same methods that birds use for traveling long distances. Scientists have long thought that insects were simply at the mercy of the wind.
Fascinating as their skills of flight are, migrating behavior has been difficult to study in insects because many long distant trips happen thousands of feet above ground. Only recently have scientists developed technologies that can detect (测出) such little creatures at such great heights.
To their surprise, though, the insects weren’t passive travelers on the winds. In autumn, for example, most light winds blew from the east, but the insects somehow sought out ones that carried them south and they positioned themselves to navigate directly to their wintering homes.
Even in the spring, when most winds flowed northward, the insects didn’t always go with the flow. If breezes weren’t blowing in the exact direction they wanted to go, the insects changed their body positions to compensate (补偿). Many migrating birds do the same thing.
The study also found, butterflies and moths actively flew within the air streams that pushed them along. By adding flight speeds to wind speeds, the scientists calculated that butterflies and moths can travel as fast as 100 kilometers an hour. The findings may have real-world applications. With climate warming, migrating insects are growing in number. Knowing how and when these pests move could help when farmers decide when to spray their crops. What’s the main idea of the text?
| A．Insects migrate with the seasons． |
| B．Wind helps insects greatly in migrating． |
| C．Windsurfing insects have real direction． |
| D．Scientists have trouble in observing insects． |
Scientists originally thought that ________．
| A．insects always waited for their favorable winds |
| B．insects chose the winds they wanted to ride |
| C．insects were just blown about by the wind |
| D．insects positioned themselves in the winds |
It is not easy to study the migrating behavior of the insects because ________．
| A．the little creatures can fly very fast |
| B．they have no regular migrating courses |
| C．the wind’s direction is hard to foresee |
| D．their flight is long and high above ground |
We can learn from the text that _________．
| A．insects fly in the way birds do |
| B．insects travel more easily in autumn |
| C．insects never position themselves when flying low |
| D．insects rest a lot when the wind pushes them along |
According to the passage, the findings can__________．
| A．increase insects in number | B．instruct farmers when to spray |
| C．prevent climate warming | D．help protect insects |
Fear is an emotion like others such as happiness, anger, hurt, sadness. We need emotions to process information we receive and decide how to respond. Being afraid of fast cars, for example, is something that might protect us from harm. Being afraid of the consequence of a choice may prevent us getting into trouble.
Fears in young children commonly center on certain animals like snakes or big dogs. Fears are caused often because of experiences or ideas expressed by others, and at times, the media. Many normal fears during the early years, like men with beards, or large dogs, disappear with age. Those relating to personal failure and ridicule (嘲笑) remain through adulthood and may need special help to overcome.
Children’s fears are often trivial, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. They need to be recognized and accepted as real for that child. Only when we help children understand their fears can they grow normally in their ability to deal with them.
Research shows that as a child grows up, the center of his fears changes a lot. Things like divorce, a teacher who “shouted at me”, people with guns, bullies, big boys, or “making fun of me” top the list of childhood fears.
We can not always prevent these experiences from happening, but it’s essential that children be allowed to freely express their emotions without judgment. Sympathy and a caring listener will help ease the pain of these fears. Read books and stories to your child about children who have experienced similar fears. This helps children talk about their fears and find ways to cope. With all emotions, fears become less of a problem for children as they gain self-confidence and they find that fear is normal and can be dealt with.According to Paragraph 2, we can know that fears in young children_______. .
| A．only center on frightening animals | B．are not born but learned |
| C．can make sure of their safety | D．need special help to deal with |
The underlined word “trivial” in the third paragraph probably means “_______”.
| A．small | B．serious | C．harmful | D．common |
In dealing with children’s fears, the final goal of the parents is to _______.
| A．stop unpleasant experiences happening to children |
| B．let children know about the nature of fear |
| C．create an environment where there is nothing to fear |
| D．develop children’s ability to treat their fear on their own |
From the passage we can learn that ________ .
| A．some childhood fears may have a lasting influence |
| B．children should avoid the media to reduce their fear |
| C．fears can be judged according to the environment |
| D．children with similar fears can communicate easily |
What’s the best title for this passage?
| A．How to Overcome Children’s Fears | B．Children’s Fears |
| C．The kind of Children’s Fears | D．The Bad Effects of Fears |
I had a perfect life. No one died; no one was sick; we were all happy and loving life.
Then I discovered my grandfather had cancer. No matter how much I told myself he could live, and that he might not die, somehow I still felt as if it was a death sentence. He was so young, only 63.
He fought so hard. Whenever I feel my own life taking a turn for the worse, as if things will never get better, I remember how many years he lived fighting such a scary and difficult disease.
He died with a huge party going on around him, with all his friends and family. They ate and I honestly didn’t know how to cope. I never cried alone. I had the compassion (同情) of my friends and the support of my family and teachers. I just remembered my grandfather’s wish that we should celebrate his life.
That’s how we came up with the idea for Hives for Lives----a business my sister and I started where all the profits go to the American Cancer Society (ACS). We sell honey, honeycomb, beeswax candles and lip balm, which all come from our beehives in Virginia. It started out small, 2 years ago, with just an idea. During our first year we donated more than $2,000 to the ACS. The next year a man who belonged to my grandparents’ bee club willed his honey to us, and our little business grew.
We sold at craft fairs, wine festivals, schools, and to anyone else who would buy! We had my uncle sell in California and my grandmother sell in Chicago. We have sold honey in 13 states---even in Puerto Rico.
This year we donated more than $10,000 to the ACS and we’re hoping to do more next year. Hopefully our business will help find a cure or just improve the life of someone with cancer.
I feel like Hives for Lives is a way to honor my grandfather. Honor his love, his life and his strength.
With Hives for Lives reminding me of my grandfather every day, I feel as if I can move on in life, that he will always be alive in my heart and memories. It made me capable of coping with his death, because I felt like I had truly honored his wish of celebrating his life.
I have made his spirit everlasting through the business and I honor him every day. He always taught me to make the best of things. Well, grandpa, that’s what I’m doing, for you.
I hope he is smiling from heaven. Reading the first two paragraphs, we know _________.
| A．the grandfather was sentenced to death |
| B．cancer always attacks old people |
| C．the sad news was quite beyond the author’s expectation |
| D．the author was sorry that their life was not perfect any more |
When the author feels down in life, ________ will give him strength to overcome difficulties.
| A．his grandfather’s encouraging words |
| B．his grandfather’s fighting against cancer |
| C．his grandfather’s wish before dying |
| D．his grandfather’s pitiful fate |
When the grandfather died, __________.
| A．all felt relieved that he would never suffer any more |
| B．his family and friends honored him more than ever |
| C．the author was at a loss what to do for a time |
| D．the author didn’t cry following his wish |
Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
| A．The profits they make are all donated to the ACS. |
| B．They struggle to develop their business without any help. |
| C．They have helped find a cure for those with cancer. |
| D．All their relatives joined in their activity. |
What’s the author’s purpose of writing the text?
| A．To show us how he runs his business to help others. |
| B．To tell us his way to deal with sadness. |
| C．To tell us the importance of self-control in the face of sadness. |
| D．To tell us to learn from his grandfather. |
Expressions about water are almost as common as water itself. But many of the expressions using water have unpleasant meanings.
The expression “to be in hot water” is one of them. It is a very old expression. “Hot water” was used 500 years ago to mean being in trouble. One story says it got that meaning from the custom of throwing extremely hot water down on enemies attacking a castle．
That no longer happens. But we still get in “hot water”. When we are in “hot water”, we are in trouble. It can be any kind of trouble---serious or not so serious. A person who breaks a law can be in hot water with the police. A young boy can be in hot water with his mother if he walks in the house with dirty shoes．
Being in “deep water” is almost the same as being in hot water. When you are in deep water, you are in a difficult position. Imagine a person who cannot swim being thrown in water over his head. You are in deep water when you are facing a problem that you do not have the ability to solve. You can be in deep water, for example, if you invest in stocks without knowing anything about the stock market.
“To keep your head above water” is a colorful expression that means staying out of debt. A company seeks to keep its head above water during economic hard times. A man who loses his job tries to keep his head above water until he finds a new job．
“Water over the dam” is another expression about a past event. It is something that is finished. It cannot be changed. The expression comes from the idea that water that has flowed over a dam cannot be brought back again．
Another common expression, “to hold water”, is about the strength or weakness of an idea or opinion that you may be arguing about. It probably comes from a way of testing the condition of a container. If it can hold water, it is strong and has no holes in it. If your argument can hold water, it is strong and does not have any holes. If it does not hold water, then it is weak and not worth debating.
“Throwing cold water” also is an expression that deals with ideas or proposals. It means that one doesn’t like an idea. For example, you want to buy a new car because the old one has some problems. But your wife throws cold water on the idea because she says a new car costs too much.
This is our Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. It was written by Marilyn Christiano. I’m Rich Kleinfeldt. See you next time.According to the passage, expressions about water __________.
| A．are very common | B．have unpleasant meanings |
| C．are very interesting | D．are easy to understand |
The expression “hot water” _________.
| A．is not used nowadays | B．has a long history |
| C．means arguing with others | D．only means serious trouble |
Which of the following expressions have the similar meaning?
| A．“Throwing cold water” and “deep water” |
| B．“Hot water” and “water over the dam” |
| C．“Deep water” and “water over the dam” |
| D．“Hot water” and “deep water” |
If you signed an agreement with Tom yesterday and want to change it now, Tom may say “_______”.
| A．You should keep your head above water |
| B．You can’t throw cold water |
| C．It is water over the dam |
| D．Don’t be in deep water |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Water | B．Expressions about water |
| C．Several common expressions | D．Water and everyday English |
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