Hundreds of students from around the world gathered in New York City last week for the Microsoft Imagine Cup finals. They came to present their ideas for using technology to solve world problems.
Microsoft education director Suzi Levine says the nine-year-old program began mainly as a competition to create technology.
SUZI LEVINE: "When we realized that students really actually want to have a purpose for what they're creating, we introduced the idea of inspiring them with the UN Millennium Development Goals and suggesting that they use those for their muse(灵感). "This past year we also rolled out something called the Imagine Cup Solve This library（创新杯求解计划知识库）, where IGOs, NGOs and nonprofits can submit some of the technical challenges that they would like students to consider for their solutions."
Microsoft says over 350，000 high school and college students registered for this year's competition. Judges chose more than four hundred of them to attend the finals.
SUZI LEVINE: "One from Thailand was called NewKrean, where they created a Windows Phone 7 application that allows you to broadcast your location to your social network of friends so that you can be more easily rescued." They named their application Terra.
Suzi Levine says there were also ideas from Egypt inspired by the revolution that overthrew president Hosni Mubarak in February.
SUZI LEVINE: "One was to use Bluetooth as sort of a Twitter equivalent so that if the government shuts down the Internet, you actually can still have a massive social distribution."
Students competed in nine categories. For example, in software design the top prize of twenty-five thousand dollars went to Team Hermes from Ireland. The students developed a device for cars to collect information on road conditions, driving behavior and traffic incidents.
A team from Taiwan's National Tsing Hua University won first place in the embedded（内嵌的） development category. They developed a network of wireless devices to help plot the safest escape routes during a fire.
Next year's awards ceremony will take place in Australia. Registration for Imagine Cup twenty-twelve opened Friday. Also, Microsoft announced plans for a three million dollar program to help Imagine Cup winners further develop their projects.Which of the following is true ?
| A．The program is sponsored by Microsoft. |
| B．Next year, the awards ceremony will be held in New York City. |
| C．Any high school or college student can attend the finals. |
| D．The initial purpose of the program is to solve world problems using technology. |
What can we infer from the third paragraph?
| A．The UN offers great help to the program. |
| B．Microsoft sets up a library for the students who want to achieve their goals. |
| C．IGOs, NGOs and nonprofits also provide help for the students. |
| D．Microsoft takes effective measures to inspire the students. |
What does the underlined word “overthrew ” in Paragraph 6 mean ?
| A．Abandoned | B．Supported | C．Drove away | D．Overturned |
What can we know from Paragraph 7?
| A．They want to replace Bluetooth with Twitter. |
| B．They want to combine Bluetooth with Twitter. |
| C．They want to replace Twitter with Bluetooth. |
| D．Twitter can still be used without the Internet. |
Soccer
star David Beckham will be there with his pop star wife Victoria. Elton John is attending with partner David Furnish.
The guest list for the April 29 union of Prince William and Kate Middleton is still being kept secret, but details have begun to leak out, with some coming forward to say they are attending and the Mail on Sunday newspaper claiming to have the official invitation roster (名单).
The palace dismissed the newspaper's list as speculation (猜测) Sunday.
It won't be clear until the day how the royal couple has balanced the protocol demands (王室规则) that they invite statesmen, diplomats, religious leaders, politicians and the like with invitations to the people they really want to see, particularly the crowd they made friends with when they met and fell in love at St. Andrews University in Scotland.
Kate Reardon, editor of high-society magazine Tatler, said many prominent Britons acted as if they didn't really care about receiving an invitation while secretly checking the mail every day to see if the invitation had arrived.
"Everyone's been hoping," she said.
William and Middleton have showed their modern side by inviting a number of close friends, including some former sweethearts, the newspaper said.
The wedding is not technically a state event, which somewhat limits the protocol requirements applied to the guest list. But royal obligations (职责) still order that a large number of the 1,900 or so seats go to guests from the world of politics, not actual friends of the couple.
The couple have also invited many guests from the charities they work with, and Middleton has used her influence to invite the butcher, shopkeeper and pub owner from her home village of Bucklebury.
President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle were not invited and many other international leaders are also expected to be watching on TV, not from a seat at Westminster Abbey.
It is not clear if treasured Brits from the world of stage and screen and pop music will be on the list. Who were not invited to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding?
| A．David Beckham and his wife. |
| B．Elton John and his partner David Furnish. |
| C．People from the charities they work with. |
| D．President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle. |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．The guest list for the wedding is officially announced. |
| B．The wedding is technically a state event. |
| C．Only the actual friends of the couple will be invited to the wedding. |
| D．A large number of guests from the world of politics will be invited. |
The word "prominent" in paragraph 5 probably means .
| A．honest | B．modern |
| C．well known and important | D．busy and hardworking |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
| A．their wedding will be held at Westminster Abbey on April 29th. |
| B．Kate Reardon was invited to the wedding. |
| C．journalists will not be allowed to attend the wedding. |
| D．their former sweethearts are sure to attend their wedding. |
The best title for the passage might be .
| A．Prince William and Middleton fall in love at St. Andrews University |
| B．British royal wedding guest list details leaks out |
| C．Prince William and Middleton prepares for their grand wedding |
| D．British singers and movie stars invited to the wedding |
Today's Britain is full of TV shows like Fame Academy, which claim to offer young hopefuls an instant passport to fame and riches. But a very different kind of academy may provide a new generation of Brits with a slower, steadier path to wealth.
A 'pig academy' in the east of England is aiming to train up new pig farmers to help promote local agriculture and meet the UK's growing demand for pork. Last year consumption of pork products increased by 6,000 tonnes. But British farmers have not benefited from this rise in demand. A combination of increasing feed prices, competition from cheaper imports and an outbreak of foot and mouth disease have all eaten into their profits. Pig numbers in the UK have actually almost halved in the last decade.
Now, Fresh Start Pig Academy in Lincolnshire is launching a course which intends to redress (修复) the balance. They say pig husbandry (养猪业) is a growth industry and newcomers are welcome. For those of you who fancy getting your hands dirty, the course will teach you everything you need to know, from keeping pigs healthy to raising the capital needed to start up.
Pig farmer Anne Longthorp followed her father into the industry and believes that farming pigs is very rewarding work: "They're great, curious animals to work with. Just watching their behaviour – it's really interesting work. There is a lot more to pig farming than people give us credit for. It's very scientific."
So, while most of Britain's young people may continue to dream of overnight stardom, others will hope a more traditional career will help them bring home the bacon.The second paragraph is mainly about the pig academy come into being.
| A．why | B．how | C．when | D．where |
Which is not the contribution to the decrease in pig farmers' enthusiasm?
| A．growing demand for pork |
| B．increasing feed prices |
| C．competition from cheaper imports |
| D．outbreak of foot and mouth disease |
From the passage we can infer that the Pig Academy will .
| A．lead the youth to riches faster than the Fame Academy |
| B．provide geilivable help for whoever attends the course |
| C．be more popular with young people than other academies |
| D．make some young people overnight star |
What does the underlined phrase "getting your hands dirty" probably mean?
| A．making your hands dirty by raising pigs |
| B．taking up the job as a pig farmer |
| C．avoiding the pig bed dirty to keep them fit |
| D．collecting enough money to raise pigs |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．Anne Longthorp loves the job of farming pigs. |
| B．Anne Longthorp’s family all like raising pigs. |
| C．Most young people in Britain will like the career of farming pigs. |
| D．People who farm pigs are allowed to bring home many bacons. |
Even a small reduction in salt in the diet can be a big help to the heart. A new study used a computer model to predict how just t
hree grams less a day would af
fect heart disease in the United States.
The result: thirteen percent fewer heart attacks. Eight percent fewer strokes. Four percent fewer deaths. Eleven percent fewer new cases of heart disease. And two hundred forty billion dollars in health care savings.
Researchers found it could prevent one hundred thousand heart attacks and ninety-two thousand deaths every year.
The study is in the New England Journal of Medicine. Kirsten, at the University of California, was the lead author. She says people would not even notice a difference in taste with three grams, or one-half teaspoon, less salt per day. The team also included researchers at Stanford and Columbia University.
Each gram of salt contains four hundred milligrams of sodium, which is how foods may list their salt content.
The government says the average American man eats ten grams of salt a day. The American Heart Association advises no more than three grams for healthy people. It says salt in the American diet has increased fifty percent since the nineteen seventies, while blood pressures have also risen. Less salt can mean a lower blood pressure.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leading an effort called the National Salt Reduction Initiative. The idea is to put pressure on food companies and restaurants.
Mayor Bloomberg has already succeeded in other areas, like requiring fast food places in the city to list calorie information. Now a study by the Seattle Children's Research Institute shows how that idea can influence what parents order for their children.
Ninety-nine parents of three to six year olds took part. Half had McDonald's menus clearly showing how many calories were in each food. The other half got menus without the calorie information. How many heart attacks will occur in the US every year？
| A．nearly 800,000. | B．24,000. |
| C．100,000. | D．92,000. |
We can learn from the passage that .
| A．Americans ate no more than 5 grams of salt per day in the 1970s |
| B．the American Heart Association suggest less than 3 grams of salt every day |
| C．a reduction in salt in the diet helps lower blood pressure |
| D．all the heart diseases result from eating more salt |
The National Salt Reduction Initiative aims to .
| A．advise Americans to eat less salt |
| B．put pressure on food companies and restaurants |
| C．require fast food places to list calorie information |
| D．attract the public attention to the problem |
All the following are related to the salt in diet except .
| A．strokes | B．heart attacks |
| C．blood pressures | D．stomach diseases |
The best title of the passage of the passage is .
| A．Less salt can mean more life |
| B．Prevent heart attacks and deaths |
| C．The National Salt Reduction Initiative |
| D．Americans should eat less salt |
Pupils work harder in lessons if they are taught by a man, a study has claimed. Male teachers are more likely to improve pupils' self-esteem and are judged by pupils to be more fair, according to a study published by the Department for Education.
But there is a significant shortage of male teachers, especially in primary schools, with reports last month indicating that almost one in three primaries has an all-female teaching staff. The latest figures heightened fears that schools are becoming dominated (主宰) by women and children are being denied access to male role models in the classroom.
Researchers at the London School of Economics and Westminster University conducted an experiment in which each of 1,200 pupils in 29 schools was given £2. They could use the money to "buy" up to 10 questions at a cost of 20p each, which they then had to answer. If they were right they were given an extra 20p, but if they were wrong they lost 20p. Boys and girls who had a male teacher chose on average almost half a question more than those taught by women, indicating that they had a more positive outlook on the rewards of effort, the the study said.
Researchers wrote: "One of the most significant results featured in this experiment is the positive effect of male teachers on effort. The experiment suggests that higher ability pupils either believed that the teacher would reward them more favorably or had a preference for working hard to please the teacher."
According to the Good Teacher Training Guide, 86 per cent of new teachers entering primary schools are female, along with 62 per cent of those entering secondary schools.
Professor Alan Smithers, of Buckingham University, said: "This is an interesting and somewhat surprising finding, but it does underline the importance of having a good mix of male and female teachers in classes."
Which of the following is true of the passage?
| A．Male teachers are more fair than female teachers. |
| B．Now most primary schools are in need of teachers. |
| C．Most people are afraid that their children can't get access to male teachers. |
| D．The author thinks that male teachers are better than female teachers. |
What is the author's attitude to the finding that pupils work harder in lessons if they are taught by a man?
| A．He is for the finding. |
| B．He is against the finding. |
| C．He doesn't show his opinion about it. |
| D．He thinks it’s interesting and somewhat surprising. |
What does the author mainly tell us in the 3rd paragraph?
| A．Researchers at the London School of Economics and Westminster University conducted an experiment. |
B．Students co uld use the money to "buy" up to 10 questions and then had to answer them. |
| C．Boys and girls who had a male teacher chose on average almost half a question more than those taught by women. |
| D．The experiment shows that students taught by male teachers had a more positive outlook on the rewards of effort. |
It can be inferred that .
| A．one third of primaries has an all female staff |
| B．if a student is taught by a man teacher, he will think that if he works harder he will make greater progress |
| C．86 per cent of new teachers entering primary schools are female |
| D．this finding is interesting and surprising |
Where can we find the passage?
| A．It is from a PE section on the Internet. |
| B．It is from an educational magazine. |
| C．It comes from the social section of a newspaper. |
| D．It comes from an English teaching book. |
Museums
Skyscraper Museum
Wednesday - Sunday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Adults: $5
305-756-2385
Interested in tall buildings? Design? Then this museum is for you!!! Check the historical buildings and their special design right in lower Manhattan.
Madame Tussaud’s Wax(蜡像) Museum
Sunday - Thursday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Adults: $29 Students: $13
305-532-9623
The students in Manhattan had an exciting experience at Madame Tussaud’s! They met hundreds of famous people at a discounted (打折)price! This museum is your chance to meet your idols and have a picture taken with them.
Bass Museum of Art
Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Adults: $8 The old / Students: $6
305-673-7530 http://www. bassmuseum.org
Enjoy European paintings, and sculptures. It also includes exhibitions of modern artists from different parts of the world. You will also enjoy visiting its beautiful museum shop and media center.
World Art Museum
Daily: 11:00 AM – Midnight (including holidays)
Cost: $15
305-532-9336 http://www. weam.com
Located in the heart of the South Beach Art Deco district, this museum shouldn’t be missed! It is currently one of South Florida’s hottest new attractions.If you are interested in building a house, you may go to_______.
| A．Skyscraper Museum | B．Bass Museum of Art |
| C．World Art Museum | D．Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum |
If you want to go to a museum, but you are only free after 10 pm, you can phone_______.
| A．305-673-7530 | B．305-532-9336 | C．305-532-9623 | D．305-756-2385 |
If you go to Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, you ______.
| A．are free to go at any time | B．will have a gift from them |
| C．can shake hands with your idols | D．will have the chance to take a picture |
If your classmate is going to Bass Museum of Art with his grandparents, how much will they pay?
| A．$22 | B．$24 | C．$18 | D．$20 |
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