Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sail a boat. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest power sources, as well as one of the oldest. Evidence shows that windmills(风车) began to be used in ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC. They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power.
For many centuries, people used windmills to grind(碾碎) wheat into flour or pump water from deep underground. When electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in remote areas began to use them to produce electricity. This allowed them to have electric lights and radios. However, by the 1940s when electricity was available to people in almost all areas of the United States, windmills were rarely used.
During the 1970s, people started becoming concerned about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People also realized that the supply of coal and gas would not last forever. Then, wind was rediscovered, though it means higher cost. Today, there is a global movement to supply more and more of our electricity through the use of wind.From the text we know that windmills________.
| A．were invented by European armies |
| B．have a history of more than 2,800 years |
| C．used to supply power to radio in remote areas |
| D．have rarely been used since electricity was discovered |
What was a new use for wind power in the late 19th century?
| A．Sailing a boat. |
| B．Producing electricity. |
| C．Grinding wheat into flour. |
| D．Pumping water from underground. |
One of the reasons wind was rediscovered in the 1970s is that_______.
| A．wind power is cleaner |
| B．it is one of the oldest power sources. |
| C．it was cheaper to create energy from wind |
| D．the supply of coal and gas failed to meet needs |
What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
| A．The advantages of wind power. |
| B．The design of wind power plants. |
| C．The worldwide movement to save energy. |
| D．The global trend towards producing power from wind. |
Our quarrel with efficiency is not that it gets things done, but that it is a thief of time when it leaves us no leisure to enjoy ourselves, and that it strains our nerves when we try to get things done perfectly. In building bridges, American engineers calculate so finely and exactly as to make the two ends come together within one-tenth of an inch. But when two Chinese begin to dig a tunnel from both sides of a mountain both come out on the other side. --The Chinese’s firm belief is that it doesn’t matter so long as a tunnel is dug through, and if we have two instead of one, why, we have a double track to boot.
The pace of modern industrial life forbids this kind of glorious and magnificent idling. But, worse than that, it imposes upon us a different conception of time as measured by the clock and eventually turns the human being into a clock himself. (This sort of thing is bound to come to China, as is evident, for instance, in the case of a factory of twenty thousand workers. The luxurious prospect of twenty thousand workers coming in at their own sweet pleasure at all hours is, of course, somewhat terrifying.)Nevertheless, such efficiency is what makes life so hard and full of excitement. A man who has to be punctually at a certain place at five o’clock has the whole afternoon from one to five ruined for him already. Every American adult is arranging his time on the pattern of the schoolboy - three o’clock for this, five o’clock for that, six-thirty for change of dress, six-fifty for entering the taxi, and seven o’clock for arriving at the destination. It just makes life not worth living.The writer objects to efficiency mainly on the grounds that it ____.
| A．gives us rights to have too much leisure time |
| B．urges us to get things done punctually |
| C．robs us of leisure time |
| D．imposes on us a perfect concept of time |
In the eyes of the author, the introduction of industrial life gives rise to ____.
| A．the excitement of life |
| B．magnificent idling of time |
| C．more emphasis on efficiency |
| D．terrifying schoolboy |
The passage tells us ____.
| A．Chinese workers come to work when it is convenient |
| B．all Americans are forced to be efficient against their will |
| C．Chinese engineers are on better terms with the management |
| D．Americans ought not to work so hard for efficiency |
The author believes that relaxing the rule of punctuality in factories would lead to ____.
| A．great trouble | B．increased production |
| C．a hard and exciting life | D．successful completion of a tunnel |
Taiwan will finalize a plan by the end of June to open up the island to tourists from mainland China, though no date has been fixed for formal implementation（执行）, an official at the Mainland Affairs Council（MAC）said on Monday．
The official said the reports in the local press on Monday that the MAC has dec
ided to postpone its plan to announce the implementation of the new plan on July 1 were inaccurate．
The official said cooperation between different organizations was still underway．The United Daily news quoted the director of the MAC’s legal affairs department, Liu Thehsun, as saying the plan to open up to mainland tourists would not be implemented as scheduled due to a lack of cross-strait communication．
Although relevant authorities, including the Bureau of Immigration and the Tourism Bureau, have complete reports on how to deal with visitors from mainland China, the decision has been taken not to press, ahead with announcement of the plan’s implementation on the first of July, Liu was quoted as saying．
The report also said that while no restrictions would be imposed on the mainland visitors in terms of age or residence in China, the visitors would need to hold a steady job or have more than 50,000RMB（about 6,000, U．S．dollars）in bank savings before they would be eligible（有资格的）to visit Taiwan．
In addition, Taiwan bound mainland tourists would have to come as part of a tour group and would be allowed to stay a maximum of 10 days each time．
The number of mainland tourists allowed to enter the island would also initially be limited to 1,000 people a day．
Although most people from Taiwan are free to travel to China, only a small number of mainland Chinese have been able to visit the island due to restrictions imposed by both sides of the Taiwan Strait after the end of a civil war in 1949．At the moment, according to the passage, ___________．
| A．no mainland Chinese can visit Taiwan now |
| B．any mainland Chinese can visit Taiwan now |
| C．many mainland Chinese have ever visited Taiwan since 1949 |
| D．a few mainland Chinese have ever visited Taiwan since 1949 |
When Taiwan opens up the island to tourists from mainland China,_____________．
A．there will be no restr ictions to mainland visitors |
| B．mainland visitors who want to travel in Taiwan must have at least ￥50,000 in the bank savings account |
| C．there will be no age restrictions to the mainland visitors |
| D．mainland visitors will be free to travel to Taiwan |
We can infer from the passage that ______get（s）involved in the implementation of the plan．
| A．MAC | B．United Daily |
| C．several organizations | D．Bureau of Immigration |
Which of the following statement is TRUE?
| A．The implementation of the plan has not been fixed． |
| B．It was originally fixed on July 1 to announce the plan’s implementation． |
| C．For lack of cross-strait communication, the plan will not be officially completed until July． |
| D．When the plan is finalized, it will be announced immediately． |
Most people feel lonely sometimes, but it usually only lasts between a few minutes and a few hours. This kind of loneliness is not serious. In fact, it is quite normal. For some people, though, loneliness can last for yeas. Now researchers say there are three different types of loneliness.
The first kind of loneliness is temporary（暂时的）. This is the most common type. It usually disappears quickly and does not require any special attention. The second kind, situational loneliness, is a natural result of a particular situation-for example, family problem, the death of a loved one, or moving to a new place. Although this kind of loneliness can cause physical problems, such as headaches and sleeplessness, it usually does not last for more than a year.
The third kind of loneliness is the most severe. Unlike the second type, chronic（长期的）usually lasts more than two years and has no specific cause. People who experience habitual loneliness have problems socializing and becoming close to others. Unfortunately, many chronically lonely people think there is little or nothing they can do to improve their condition.
Psychologists agree that one important factor in loneliness is a person's social contacts, e.g. friends, family members, co-workers, etc. we depend on various people for different reasons. For instance, our families give us emotional support, our parents and teachers give us guidance, and our friends share similar interests and activities. However, psychologists have found that, though lonely people may have many social contacts, they sometimes feel they should have more. They question their popularity.
Psychologists are trying to find ways to help habitually lonely people for two reasons: they are unhappy and unable to socialize and there is a connection between chronic loneliness and serious illness such as heart disease. While temporary and situational loneliness can be normal, healthy part of life, chronic loneliness can be a sad, and sometimes dangerous condition.How would you treat temporary loneliness according to the passage?
| A．Talk to friends | B．Just ignore it |
| C．Go to see a doctor | D．Ask your teachers for guidance |
"It" in the last sentence of the second paragraph refers to _____.
A. temporary loneliness B. situational loneliness
C. a new place D sleeplessnessThe topic of the 4th paragraph is that____.
| A．one problem of loneliness is a person's social contacts |
| B．we depend on various person for different reasons |
| C．lonely people don't have many social problems |
| D．lonely people don't have many friends |
Why do psychologists want to help chronically lonely people?
| A．Chronic loneliness can cause family problems | B．Chronic loneliness can cause serious illness |
| C．Chronic loneliness can not be overcome | D．A, B and C are all correct |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Three Kinds of Loneliness | B．Loneliness and Diseases |
| C．Loneliness and Social Contacts | D．Chronic Loneliness |
Laptop（便携式）computers are popular all over the world. People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptop connect people to their work place. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.
Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do school work anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1,500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are a part of a $10million computer program at Westlake, a 110-year old college. The students with laptops will also have access to the Internet. In addition, they will be able to use e-mail to "speak" with their tethers, their classmates, and their families. However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fa
st-food restaurant or under the trees-anywhere at all!
Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptop use in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable. As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. In addition, the portable computers can connect students to not only Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State higher-education officials are studying how laptops can help students. State Officials also are testing laptop programs at other universities, too.
At Westlake College, more than 60 percent of the staff use the computers. The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons. As one Westlake teacher said, "Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we're giving students a window on the world. They can see everything and do everything. "The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to____.
| A．use for their schoolwork | B．access the Internet |
| C．work at home | D．connect them to libraries |
Why is the word "speak" in the second paragraph in quotation mark(引号)?
| A．They don't really talk | B．They use the computer language |
| C．Laptops have speakers | D．None of the above reasons is correct |
Which of the following is true about Westlake College?
| A．All teachers use computers | B．1,500 students have lapt ops |
| C．It is an old college in America | D．Students there can do everything |
A window on the world in the last paragraph means that students can____.
| A．attend lectures on information technology | B．travel around the world |
| C．get information from around the world | D．have free laptops |
What can we infer（推断）passage?
| A．The program is successful | B．The program is not workable |
| C．The program is too expensive | D．We don't know the result yet |
I came to study in the United States a year ago. Yet I did not know the American society until I was injured in a car accident because after the accident I had to see a doctor-and go to court（法庭）.
After the accident, my roommate called a doctor for me. I was very grateful and determined to repay him one day. But the next day, he asked me to pay him $200 for what he had done. I was astonished. He had good reason to charge me, he said. And if I wanted to collect money from the person who was responsible for my injury, I'd have to have a good lawyer. Now that he had helped me to find a good doctor, it was only fair that I should pay him.
But every time I went to see the doctor, I had to wait about 50 minutes. He would see two or three patients at the same time, and often stop treating one so as to see another. Yet he charged me $115 each time. The final examination report consisted of ten lines, and it cost me $215.
My lawyer was all smil
es the first time we met. But after that he avoided seeing me at all. he knew very well the other party was responsible for the accident, yet he hardly did anything. He simply waited to collect his money. He was so irresponsible that I decided to dismiss（解雇）him. And he made me pay him $770.
Now I had to act as my own lawyer. Due to my inexperience, I told the insurance the date I was leaving America. Knowing that, they played for time, … and I left without getting a cent.
My experiences taught me two things about America: firstly, in a country like America money is everything. It is more important than friendship honour or professional morality（职业道德）. Secondly, foreigners are still being unfairly treated. So when we talk about America, we should see both its good and bad sides.The author's roommate offered to help him because_____.
| A．he felt sorry for the author |
| B．he thought it was a chance to make some money |
| C．he knew the doctor was a very good one |
| D．he wanted the author to have a good lawyer |
A good doctor is essential for the author to____.
| A．be properly treated |
| B．talk with the person responsible for the accident |
| C．recover before he leaves America |
| D．eventually get the responsible party to pay for his injury |
The word " charge " in the passage means____.
| A．be responsible | B．accuse | C．ask as a price | D．claim |
Both the doctor and the lawyer in this passage are very___.
| A．friendly | B．greedy | C．professional | D．busy |
What conclusion can you draw from this story?
| A．Going to court is something every common in America |
| B．One must be very careful while driving a car |
C．There are more bad sides in America than good sides |
| D．Money is more important than other things in the US |
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