The idea of being able to walk on water has long interested humans greatly. Sadly, biological facts prevent us ever accomplishing such a thing without artificial aid --- we simply weigh too much, and all our mass pushes down through our relatively small feet, resulting in a lot of pressure that makes us sink.
However, several types of animals can walk on water. One of the most interesting is the common basilisk Basilicus basilicus, a lizard（蜥蜴）native to Central and South America. It can run across water for a distance of several meters, avoiding getting wet by rapidly hitting the water's surface with its feet. The lizard will take as many as 20 steps per second to keep moving forward. For humans to do this, we'll need huge feet that we could bring up to our ears in order to create adequate "hitting."
But fortunately there is an alternative: cornflour. By adding enough of this common thickening agent to water (and it does take a lot), you can create a "non-Newtonian" liquid that doesn't behave like normal water. Now if the surface of the water is hit hard enough, particles（粒子）in the water group together for a moment to make the surface hard. Move quickly enough and put enough force into each step, and you really can walk across the surface of an adequately thick liquid of cornflour.
Fun though all this may sound, it's still rather messy and better read about in theory than carried out in practice. If you must do it, then keep the water wings handy in case you start to sink --- and take a shower afterward!
| 1． |
Walking on water hasn't become a reality mainly because humans.
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| 2． |
What do we know about Basilicus basilicas from the passage?
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| 3． |
What is the function of the cornflour according to the passage?
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| 4． |
What is the author's attitude toward the idea of human's walking on water?
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February has long been a month of romance. With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals(花瓣)! This is what you see on Valentine’s Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest（神父） in the third century Rome. When the emperor (皇帝) decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didn’t allow marriage.
But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies（仪式） for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed “From your Valentine”, an expression that is still in use today. Valentine died for what he believed in and so he was made a Saint (圣徒), as well as becoming one of history’s most romantic characters.
Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are planning to make Valentine’s cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart-shaped cakes. The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St. Valentine... Why did the emperor in Rome not allow marriage in his country?
| A．Because there were few women in his country at that time. |
B．Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers. |
| C．Because there wasn’t enough food for so many people. |
| D．Because he wanted to control the birth rate. |
.. Valentine was put into prison because ______.
| A．he killed one of the soldiers |
| B．he stole a lot of food |
| C．he didn’t obey the emperor’s order |
| D．he didn’t want to be a soldier |
. The last paragraph mainly tells us ______.
| A．students in China send cards to their teachers |
| B．it is a good idea to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China |
| C．it is interesting to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China |
| D．Valentine’s Day is also popular in China now |
.The best title for this passage should be ______.
| A．Valentine’s Day | B．A Brave Priest |
| C．Valentine’s Day in China | D．A Romantic Man |
A simple flower made headlines in the British press last week. How could that be?
British Prime Minister David Cameron and his ministers were attending a reception hosted by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. They insisted on wearing poppies(罂粟花) in their buttonholes.
What’s wrong with that?
According to the Global Times, Chinese officials apparently had asked the UK delegation not to wear poppies. The British said that poppies meant a great deal to them on that day and they would wear them all the same.
So what’s the significance of the poppy? It’s a flower which has different cultural and symbolic meanings for British and Chinese people.
From the Chinese point of view, the poppy is a symbol of China’s humiliation at the hands of European powers in the Opium Wars of the 19th century. Britain forced China to open the borders to trade —including in the opium —which was made from poppies grown in India.
Yet from the British viewpoint the poppy is a reminder of the killing during Word War I. Red poppies grew on the battlefields of Flanders in Belgium where many thousands of British soldiers died or were buried. Since then, Poppy Day (November 11) has become a time in the UK to wear poppies and remember the sacrifices of British soldiers and civilians in times of war.
So you can see that the poppy sets off strong feelings in the hearts of Chinese and British people for different reasons. And it makes sense for us to try to understand each other’s standpoint.
Of course cultural differences can also be interesting and funny. And what one nation thinks is an acceptable gift may be viewed differently by their guest from overseas. US President Barack Obama gave a gift of an iPod to Britain’s Queen —a dull person with no interest in music. Obama also presented Gordon Brown with a fine selection of American movies. But they were in US format and impossible to play on British DVD players.
Many countries have diplomats stationed overseas. Diplomats provide information and advice to their governments back home. However, sometimes it would seem that even diplomats can overlook the cultural significance of a small flower.
( ) . British Prime Minister David Cameron probably attended a reception in Beijing on .
| A．October 1 | B．November 11 | C．December 31 | D．January 1 |
( ) . The poppy reminds the Chinese of .
| A．the shame caused by European countries in the 19th century |
| B．the British soldiers who were killed and buried during World War I |
| C．the Chinese soldiers killed during World War II |
| D．the suffering caused by Britain during World War I |
( ) . The diplomatic problem in Beijing is mainly caused by .
| A．the translation mistake | B．the language difference |
| C．the cultural difference | D．the different lifestyle |
( ) . We can infer that .
| A．Britain’s Queen is not interested in art |
| B．Gordon Brown was fond of American movies US President Barack Obama sent him |
| C．US President Barack Obama received a gift for music |
| D．Britain’s Queen may not like the iPod US President Barack Obama presented her |
( ) . What is the main idea of the 9th paragraph?
| A．Cultural difference can also be interesting and funny. |
| B．Cultural differences can cause a big problem. |
| C．US President Barack Obama likes to present gifts to other leaders. |
| D．US leaders and British leaders get along well with each other. |
Fans of the British royal family around the world are making plans for April 29th, 2011. That’s the date that Prince William and Catherine Middleton are to tie the knot at Westminster Abbey in London.
A royal wedding is a rare and unique event in Britain so for many it’s something worth celebrating, particularly if you are in the business of making memorabilia (收藏品).
Producers of these souvenirs are wasting no time in manufacturing key rings, mugs, teapots and tea towels, mostly with the faces of the happy couple emblazoned on the front. These are the must buy items that royal followers want to get their hands on.
Some people may argue the royal wedding is a huge public cost but production and sale of memorabilia is good for business. Former politician, Lord Archer, has commented that, “In this age when we are trying to balance the books, the royal family are a great benefit to Great Britain Limited.”
A porcelain-making company, called Royal Crown Derby, is already manufacturing souvenir pottery. Louise Adams from the company says “we started designing, truly, about two years ago.” It is big business for China too, where much of the merchandise that marks the big event is made.
But why are people so keen to get their hands on a commemorative mug, so much so that one British supermarket has already seen them flying off the shelves?
Obviously, we like to remember an event like this and maybe it makes us feel as though we are part of the occasion. However their monetary value is likely to be low. Eric Knowles from the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow claims, “The vast majority of it will be worthless.”
Modern day souvenirs tend to be mass-produced making them cheap and easy to find. However limited edition or high-end items tend to keep their value and could be a better investment for the future.
But there is one thing we can guarantee that won’t be mass-produced and cheap. That’s the wedding dress for Princess Catherine, as Catherine Middleton will be known.
( ) . From the first three paragraphs we can learn that .
| A．many fans of the British royal family will be invited to London on April 29th, 2011 |
| B．Prince William and Catherine Middleton are getting married at Westminster Abbey on April 29th, 2011 |
| C．many fans of the royal family will tie the knot on the same day in London |
| D．fans of the royal family will join in making souvenirs |
( ) . The obvious feature of the souvenirs mentioned in the passage is that .
| A．they are all tiny and easy to carry |
| B．some of them are linked with tea |
| C．all of them are marked with dates and pictures |
| D．most of them display the pictures of the couple |
( ) . It can be inferred from the passage that .
| A．the production of souvenirs has begun long before the big event |
| B．the sale of souvenirs has not begun yet |
| C．people buy souvenirs mainly for their monetary value |
| D．production of souvenirs has little profit |
( ) . Which of the following is a better investment according to the passage?
| A．Souvenirs that fly off the shelves. | B．Best-selling souvenirs |
| C．Mass-produced souvenirs. | D．Souvenirs released limitedly. |
( ) . What’s the writer’s attitude towards producing and selling souvenirs?
| A．Supportive. | B．Negative. | C．Uninterested. | D．Indifferent. |
Dear Students,
Thank you for your interest in helping with the investigation into mumps(腮腺炎) at University of East Anglia(UEA).
Part 1: What will the oral fluid/saliva sample be tested for?
The oral fluid sample you provide will be tested for mumps antibodies and mumps virus. We will not be reporting results back to individual students. The information gathered will be used to guide public health control of mumps. We will update you via emailing the final outcome to acknowledge your contribution. If you think you have mumps, you will still need to see your GP as per routine.
Part 2: What is involved in the investigation?
(1) We will be contacting you by post to request two oral fluid/saliva samples a few weeks apart and possibly a third sample.
(2) We will contact your GP to collect information on your vaccination records.
What if you change your mind and what safeguards are in place?
Participation is voluntary.
You can withdraw anytime without having to give a reason. Withdrawal will not affect your routine care.
As a public health body, the HPA data collection role is strictly governed. All data will be collected and handled in accordance with strict medical confidences.
Part 3: What to do next if you would like to enroll?
All you have to do now is:
(1)Follow the instructions on the box with regards to taking an oral fluid/saliva swab(棉签).
(2)Complete the request form. If you are unable to complete the vaccination history section, you can leave it blank.
(3)Confirm your consent by signing below.
(4)Send everything (sample form, signed consent and swab sample) back in the prepaid envelope —a stamp is not required.
If you have any queries, please contact Dr. Chee Yung on 0208 327 7603.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
| I consent to take part in the oral fluid/saliva investigation of mumps at UEA by the HPA. Signature: Full name: Date: |
( ) . This passage is written mainly to .
| A．find the virus that leads to mumps | B．raise funds for HPA |
| C．guide public health control of mumps | D．encourage students to help investigate mumps |
( ) . It can be inferred from the passage that GP refers to .
| A．parent | B．doctor | C．colleague | D．classmate |
( ). Accordin
g to the passage, the following statements are true EXCEPT that .
| A．all the students at University of East Anglia have to take part in the investigation |
| B．you don’t need to explain why you want to withdraw from the investigation |
| C．individual students will not be informed of the test results |
| D．your routine care will not be affected if you withdraw from the investigation |
( ) .. The data of the investigation will be .
| A．sent to the GP by the HPA | B．collected by individual students |
| C．managed according to strict medical confidences | D．strictly secret to the HPA |
( ). To enroll the investigation, you have to .
| A．complete the vaccination history section of the request form |
| B．send the sample form, the signed consent and the swab sample back at your own expense |
| C．do as the instructions on the box about how to take an oral fluid/saliva swab |
| D．contact Dr. Chee Yung on 0208 327 7603 |
The iPhone, the iPad: each of Apple’s products sounds cool and has become a fad(一时的风尚). Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter “i” —and many other brands are following suit. The BBC’s iPlayer —which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet —adopted the title in 2008. A lovely bear —popular in the US and UK—that plays music and video is called “iTeddy”.
A slimmed-down version of London’s Independent newspaper was launched last week under the name “i”.
In general, single-letter prefixes(前缀) have been popular since the 1990s, when terms such as e-mail and e-commerce first came to use..
Most “i” products are targeted at young people and considering the major readers of Independent’s “i”, it’s no surprise that they’ve selected this fashionable name.
But it’s hard to see what’s so special about the letter “i”. Why not use “a”, “b”, or “c” instead? According to Tony Thorne, head of the Language Center at King’s College. London, “i” works because its meaning has become ambiguous. When Apple uses “i”, no one knows whether it means Internet, information, individual or interactive, Thorne told BBC Magazines.” Even when Apple created the iPod, it seems it didn’t have one clear definition,” he says.
“However, thanks
to Apple, the term is now associated with portability(轻便),” adds Thorne.
Clearly the letter “i” also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs, and we love personalized products for this reason.
Along with “Google” and “blog”, readers of BBC Magazines voted “i” as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last decade.
But as history shows, people grow tired of fads. From the 1900s to 1990s, products with “2000” in their names became fashionable as the year was associated with all things advanced and modern. However, as we entered the new century, the trend inevitably disappeared.
( ) . People use iPlayer to .
| A．listen to music | B．make a call |
| C．watch TV programs online | D．read newspapers |
( ) . We can infer that the Independent’s “i” is aimed at .
| A．young readers | B．old readers | C．fashionable women | D．engineers |
( ) . The underlined word “ambiguous” means .
| A．popular | B．uncertain | C．definite | D．unique |
( ). Nowadays, the “i” term often reminds people of the products which are .
| A．portable | B．environmentally friendly | C．advanced | D．recyclable |
( ) .. The writer suggests that .
| A．“i” products are often of a high quality |
B．the popularity of “i” products may not last long |
| C．the letter “b” replaces letter “i” to name the products |
| D．iTeddy is a live bear |
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