Plastic is everywhere because plastic is an extremely useful material. It is cheap, strong and lightweight. What’s more, it can take on nearly any form or shape, from soft and stretchy (有弹性的) to hard and glasslike.
Plastic, however, is far from perfect. It may even be bad for us. Studies now suggest that poisonous chemicals can get out of some types of plastic, get into our bodies, and cause a variety of health problems, including cancer, birth defects and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (注意缺陷障碍).
Two types of chemicals in particular have raised special concern lately. They are called phthalates (邻苯二甲酸盐) and Bisphenol-A (二酚基丙烷), BPA for short. Not all plastic products contain them. But the ones that do are surrounded by controversy (争议). That’s because experts disagree on how dangerous these chemicals are.
Plastic is a single word, but plastic isn’t just one thing. What all plastics share in common are plasticizers -- special chemicals that allow the material to be changed into nearly any shape or texture. Plasticizers (塑化剂) are added to plastic during the manufacturing process.
Phthalates and BPA are two types of plasticizers that work in different ways. Phthalates add softness to things like shampoo bottles, raincoats and rubber. They are also used in perfumes and makeup. BPA, on the other hand, gives a hard, clear, almost glasslike feel to products such as infant bottles. BPA also appears in food and soda cans, DVDs and other unexpected places.
How do these chemicals get into us? When plastic is heated in the microwave or dishwasher, chewed on or scratched, the chemicals can seep (渗透) out of the plastic. Even though we can’t see them, we eat them, drink them and breathe them in.
Scientists and parents are especially worried about young children, who tend to chew on everything, including plastic. Dozens of countries, including the European Union, Japan, Canada and Mexico have already banned phthalates from products made for children younger than three. California and Washington have done the same. And a number of other states are considering similar rules. As for BPA, Canada became the first country to ban the chemical from baby bottles. A dozen states are considering it.What can we know about the plastic from the first paragraph?
| A．Its characters and effects. | B．Its wide use and bad points. |
| C．Its importance and chemicals. | D．Its popularity and advantages. |
Which of the following products contains BPA?
| A．A soft plastic cup. | B．A pencil eraser. |
| C．A baby milk bottle. | D．A new perfume. |
Phthalates and BPA can get into us __________.
| A．through mouth or nose | B．through blood transfusion |
| C．by feeling plastic products | D．by heating in the microwave |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．A new ban on plastic products. | B．Problems caused by the plastic. |
| C．Good points of the plastic. | D．The use of plasticizers. |
King's College Summer School
King's College Summer School is an annual training program for high school students at all levels who want to improve their English. Courses are given by the teachers of King's College and other colleges in New York. Trips to museums and culture centers are also organized. This year's summer school will be from July 25 to August 15.
More information is as follows:
| Application date Students in New York should send their applications before July 18, 2007. Students of other cities should send their applications before July 16, 2007. Foreign students should send their applications before July 10, 2007. |
Courses English Language Spoken English: 22 hours Reading and Writing: 10 hours American History: 16 hours American Culture: 16 hours |
| Steps A letter of self-introduction A letter of recommendation ﹡ The letters should be written in English with all the necessary information. |
Cost Daily lessons: $200 Sports and activities: $100 Travels: $200 Hotel service: $400 ﹡You may choose to live with your friends or relatives in the same city. |
| Please write to: Thompson, Sanders 1026 King' s Street New York, NY 10016, USA E-mail: KC-Summer-School@ yahoo, com |
Which of the following is true about King's College Summer School?________
| A．Only top students can take part in the program. |
| B．King's College Summer School is run every other year. |
| C．Visits to museums and culture centers are part of the program. |
| D．Only the teachers of King's College give courses. |
If you are to live with your relatives in New York, you will have to pay the school _______
| A．$200 | B．$400 | C．$500 | D．$900 |
What information can you get from the text? ________
| A．The program will last two months. |
| B．You can write to Thompson only in English. |
| C．As a Chinese student, you can send your application on July 14, 2007. |
| D．You can get in touch with the school by e-mail or by telephone. |
Interest in pursuing international careers has risen in recent years strengthened by permanent personnel shortages that are causing companies to search beyond their home borders for talent.
Professionals seek career experience outside of their home countries for a variety of reasons. They may feel the need to recharge their batteries with a new challenge. They may want a position with more responsibility that encourages creativity. Or they may wish to expose their children to another culture, and the opportunity to learn a second language.
When applying for a job, one usually has to submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV). The two terms generally mean the same thing: a one--or two--page document describing one's educational qualifications and professional experience. However, guidelines for preparing a resume are constantly changing. The best advice is to find out what is appropriate regarding the company culture, the country culture, and the culture of the person making the hiring decision. The challenge will be to include two or more cultures in one document. The following list is a good place to start.
"Educational requirements differ from country to country. In almost every case of 'cross--border' job hunting, just stating the title of your degree will not be an adequate description. Provide the reader with details about your studies and any related experience. "
Pay attention to the resume format you use-chronological or reverse-chronological order. Chronological order means listing your 'oldest' work experience first. Reverse-chronological order means listing your current or most recent experience first. Most countries have preferences about which format is most acceptable. If you find no specific guidelines, the general preference is for the reverse-chronological format. "
If you are submitting your resume in English, find out if the receiver uses British English or American English because there are changes between the two versions. For example, university education is often referred to as 'tertiary education' in the United Kingdom, but this term is almost never used in the United States. A reader who is unfamiliar with these changes may assume that your resume contains errors.Companies are hiring more foreign employees because ________.
| A．they find foreign employees are usually more talented |
| B．they need original ideas from employees hired overseas |
| C．they want to expand their business beyond home borders |
| D．they have difficulty finding qualified personnel at home |
The author believes that an individual who applies to work overseas ________.
| A．is usually creative |
| B．aims to improve his foreign language skills |
| C．is dissatisfied with his own life at home |
| D．seeks either his own or his children's development |
When it comes to resume writing, it is best to ________.
| A．take cultural factors into consideration |
| B．learn about the company's hiring process |
| C．follow appropriate guidelines for job hunting |
| D．know the employer's personal likes and dislikes |
When writing about qualifications, applicants are advised to __________.
| A．stress their academic potential to impress the decision maker |
| B．give the title of the university degree they have earned at home |
| C．provide a detailed description of their study and work experiences |
| D．emphasize their interest in pursuing a 'cross-border' career |
According to the author's last piece of advice, the applicants should be aware of ________.
| A．the different educational systems in the US and the UK |
| B．the differences between the changes of English |
| C．the receiver's preference with regard to the format |
| D．the special characteristics of American and British cultures |
There is a common belief among parents that schools are no longer interested in spelling. No school I have taught in has ever considered spelling unimportant as a basic skill. There are, however, quite different ideas about how to teach it, or how much priority (优先) it must be given over general language development and writing ability. The problem is how to encourage a child to express himself freely in writing without holding him back with spelling.
If spelling becomes the only point of his teacher's interest, clearly a bright child will be likely to "play safe". He will write only words within his spelling range. That's why teachers often encourage the early use of dictionaries and pay attention to content rather than technical ability.
I was once shocked to read on the bottom of a sensitive piece of writing about a personal experience: "This work is terrible! There are far too many spelling mistakes." It may have been a sharp criticism of the pupils' technical abilities in writing, but it was also a sad thing for the teacher who had omitted (略过)to read the composition, which contained some beautiful expressions of the child's deep feelings. The teacher was not wrong to draw attention to the mistakes, but if his priority had centered on the child's ideas, an expression of his disappointment with the presentation would have given the pupil more hope to seek improvement.Teachers differ in their opinions about _______ .
| A．the difficulties in teaching spelling |
| B．the necessity of teaching spelling |
| C．the importance of the basic writing skills |
| D．the role of spelling in general language development |
The expression "play safe" probably means ______.
| A．to write carefully |
| B．to avoid using words one is not sure of |
| C．to use dictionaries frequently |
| D．to do as teachers say |
Teachers encourage the use of dictionaries so that______.
| A．students will be able to express their ideas more freely. |
| B．teachers will have less trouble in correcting mistakes. |
| C．students will have more trust in writing. |
| D．students will learn to spell words correctly. |
The main idea of the passage is _______.
| A．the importance of developing writing skills |
| B．the importance of spelling |
| C．the correct way of marking composition |
| D．the relationship between spelling and the content of a composition |
The sea has always interested man. From it he can get food, minerals, and treasure. For thousands of years, he could sail on it. But he could not go far beneath its surface.
Man wants to explore deep into the sea. However, he is not a fish. He must breathe air, so he can't stay under the water's surface for any length of time. To explore deep water, man faces even more dangers and problems.
A diver who wants to stay under water for more than a few minutes must breathe air or a special mixture of gases. He can wear a diving suit and have air pumped to him from above. He can carry a tank of air on his back and breathe through a nose and a mouthpiece. Water weighs 800 times as much as air. Tons of water pushes against a diver deep in the sea. His body is under great pressure.
When a diver is under great pressure, his blood takes in some of the gases he breathes. As he rises to surface, the water pressure becomes less. If the diver rises too quickly, the gases in his blood form bubbles. The diver is then suffering from the bends. The bends can cause a diver to double up in pain. They can even kill him.On the whole, this passage is about ________.
| A．special mixtures of gases in deep sea |
| B．the problems man faces in deep sea diving |
| C．air pressure under the surface of sea water |
| D．a kind of illness that man suffers in the sea |
The passage does not say so, but it makes you think that ________.
| A．deep divers should be in good health |
| B．divers explore the deep sea only for treasure |
| C．diving under the water too quickly causes a kind of illness |
| D．there is a special mixture of gases under the sea |
From the passage we can see that ________.
| A．the sea began to interest man a few years ago |
| B．man is not at home deep in the sea |
| C．all divers will get the bends sooner or later |
| D．the air in the sea water will kill a diver if he is not careful |
In the United States you will find yourself being urged from every page of every newspaper and every television station to buy all kinds of goods.
Not only is there a wide range of prices for goods in America, there is also a wide range in the quality of goods offered for sale. Unlike some countries, Americans generally pay the price of a product without question, instead of trying to get a lower price by bargaining. However, there are many “sales” in the United States, during which time stores will lower their normal prices. This may all be very confusing to visitors. How are you going to know how to “get your money’s worth” when you shop? Perhaps the best advice is: Don’t hurry. Visit various stores and determine the quality of goods. Read the advertisements so that you can compare prices.
There is a great variety of shops in the United States, ranging from very large stores called “department stores” to very small shops. There are “discount houses” offering goods at low prices, and “dime stores” specializing in a wide range of inexpensive items.
Most department stores in large cities carry better quality products at higher prices. However, they offer the shoppers great convenience since they contain such a wide variety of products.
If convenience isn’t as important to you as price, you may want to shop in discount houses. These stores have nearly as great a variety of goods as department stores, but offer lower prices. They can do so for several reasons. They don’t offer the same services to buyers that department stores do; there may be fewer sales people; and the store probably doesn’t deliver purchases.
Another popular shop is the “dime store”. No longer selling many things for five or ten cents, these stores got their name in the last century when it was decided that a small profit on a great quantity of goods would be better than a large profit on fewer sales. Dime stores specialize in a wide variety of inexpensive items and today, prices range from a quarter or 50 cents up to several dollars.Where can we most probably read this passage?
| A．In a research paper. | B．In a science report. |
| C．In a geography book. | D．In a travel magazine. |
Why can discount houses offer goods at lower prices compared with department stores?
a. They have fewer employees.
b. They have larger quantities of goods.
c. They offer fewer services.
d. They don’t provide delivery service.
| A．a b c | B．a b d | C．a c d | D．b c d |
What’s special about dime stores?
| A．They sell lots of goods at a small profit. |
| B．They make big profits by selling some goods. |
| C．They provide goods with a price lower than 50 cents. |
| D．They provide goods ranging from bargains to expensive ones. |
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