Do you want a bit of an adventure? Would you like to discover all the corners of the UK, or travel abroad? Maybe you have never tried the motorhome lifestyle before. Well, read this article and you will know why a motorhome is a good choice.
Nothing is better than a motorhome. It has so many uses that it is considered the most versatile vehicle and it is also very comfortable. If you are thinking about hiring a motorhome this summer, then the best choice is to book it early, especially if you are considering the school holidays. The motorhome hire service is very seasonal and motorhome hire companies will never have extra vehicles available in the summer months.
There are a lot of companies throughout the UK, and some of the big ones have motorhomes spread all over the country. At present, the largest network for motorhome hire is provided by Motorhome which is based in Cambridge. If you are in the UK, you may phone 0800612-8719 for details of its motorhome hire information. Motorhome has a network of over 500 vehicles all over England, Scotland and Wales.
Most people wishing to hire a motorhome are families that are looking for an alternative to a European package holiday, especially as flying now has become more expensive, and is considered to be environmentally unfriendly. There is no doubt that the idea of no-fly holidays is going to become more popular as fewer people think it is safe to fly. This explains why more and more people are choosing to hire a motorhome for their holidays.The main purpose of this text is to explain why it is a good idea to _________.
| A．take an adventure |
| B．travel to England |
| C．try a new lifestyle |
| D．hire a motorhome |
What does the underlined word “versatile” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．Fast. | B．Safe. |
| C．Useful. | D．Exciting. |
Why should you book a motorhome early if you want to book one for this summer?
| A．Booking early is much cheaper. |
| B．Summer is usually a very busy season. |
| C．You can arrange your time better this way. |
| D．Students usually book them to earn money. |
The last paragraph tells us the advantages of hiring a motorhome by _________.
| A．telling us a story |
| B．giving detailed data |
| C．comparing it with flying |
| D．showing the results of a study |
“Don't worry if you have problems!” It is easy to say until you are in the midst of a really big one．The only people who don't have troubles are gathered in little neighborhoods．Most communities have at least one．We call them cemeteries．If you're breathing, you have difficulties．It's the way of life．And believe it or not, most of your problems may actually be good for you! Let me explain．
Maybe you have heard the Great Barrier Reef, stretching some 1,800 miles from New Guinea to Australia．Tour guides regularly take visitors to view the reef．
On one tour, a traveler asked the guide an interesting question．"I notice that the lagoon （泻湖） side of the reef looks pale and lifeless, while the ocean side is vibrant and colorful," the traveler observed．Why is this?
The guide gave an interesting answer, "The coral around the lagoon side is in still water, with no challenge for its survival．It dies early．The coral on the ocean side is constantly being tested by wind, waves and storms．It has to fight for its survival every day．As it is challenged and tested, it changes and adapts．It grows healthy．It grows strong．And it reproduces．"
Then he added, “That's the way it is with every living organism．”
That's how it is with people．Challenged and tested, we come alive! Like coral pounded by the sea, we grow．Physical demands can cause us to grow stronger．Mental and emotional stress can produce tough-mindedness and resiliency．Spiritual testing can produce strength of character and faithfulness．So, you have problems? No problem! Just tell yourself, "There I grow again!"
Remember: A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner．Who has no problems according to the passage?
| A．The persons who are very famous． |
| B．The persons who have much money． |
| C．The persons who have been born． |
| D．The persons who are living in the cemeteries． |
In the writer's opinion, ________．
| A．problems bring us much trouble |
| B．problems have two sides, good or bad |
| C．we should try to stay away from any trouble |
| D．the fewer things we do, the less trouble we'll meet |
The reason why lagoon side of the reef has no life is _______．
| A．it hasn't got any sunlight |
| B．it has less energy than others |
| C．it never faces any challenge and tests |
| D．it has no work to do every day |
After reading this passage, we should ________．
| A．regard any problem as challenge |
| B．learn from the lagoon side |
| C．worry your problem |
| D．enter into cemeteries |
At the beginning of the World Series of 1947, I experienced a completely new emotion, when the National Anthem was played．This time, I thought, it is being played for me, as much as for anyone else．This is organized major league baseball, and I am standing here with all the others; and everything that takes place includes me.
About a year later, I went to Atlanta, Georgia, to play in an exhibition game．On the field, for the first time in Atlanta, there were Negroes and whites．Other Negroes besides me．And I thought: What I have always believed has come to be.
And what is it that I have always believed? First, that imperfections are human．But that wherever human beings were given room to breathe and time to think, those imperfections would disappear, no matter how slowly．I do not believe that we have found or even approached perfection．That is not necessarily in the scheme of human events．Handicaps, stumbling blocks, prejudices — all of these are imperfect．Yet, they have to be dealt with because they are in the scheme of human events.
Whatever obstacles I found made me fight all the harder．But it would have been impossible for me to fight at all, except that I was sustained by the personal and deep-rooted belief that my fight had a chance．It had a chance because it took place in a free society．Not once was I forced to face and fight an immovable object．Not once was the situation so cast-iron rigid that I had no chance at all．Free minds and human hearts were at work all around me; and so there was the probability of improvement．I look at my children now, and know that I must still prepare them to meet obstacles and prejudices.
But I can tell them, too, that they will never face some of these prejudices because other people have gone before them．And to myself I can say that, because progress is unalterable, many of today's dogmas （教条）will have vanished by the time they grow into adults．I can say to my children: There is a chance for you．No guarantee, but a chance．And this chance has come to be, because there is nothing static with free people．There is no Middle Ages logic so strong that it can stop the human tide from flowing forward．I do not believe that every person, in every walk of life, can succeed in spite of any handicap．That would be perfection．But I do believe — and with every fiber in me — that what I was able to attain came to be because we put behind us （no matter how slowly） the dogmas of the past: to discover the truth of today; and perhaps find the greatness of tomorrow.
I believe in the human race．I believe in the warm heart．I believe in man's honesty．I believe in the goodness of a free society．And I believe that the society can remain good only as long as we are willing to fight for it — and to fight against whatever imperfections may exist．My fight was against the barriers that kept Negroes out of baseball．This was the area where I found imperfection, and where I was best able to fight．And I fought because I knew it was not doomed to be a losing fight．It couldn't be a losing fight-not when it took place in a free society．And in the largest sense, I believe that what I did was done for me — that it was my faith in God that sustained me in my fight．And that what was done for me must and will be done for others.Why did the author say he had experienced a completely new emotion?
| A．Because he won game. |
| B．Because he was an American. |
| C．Because he could compete in the game and won the game. |
| D．Because the National Game was played for him. |
From the passage, we know that the author is ___________．
| A．an African． | B．a Chinese |
| C．a white man | D．a black man |
The author firmly believed that____________.
| A．humans are imperfect if they all unite together to overcome the difficulties. |
| B．humans needn’t approach perfect even if they can. |
| C．humans should face the obstacles and fight for it bravely. |
| D．humans are becoming kind and honest if they have freedom. |
We can infer from the passage that_________.
| A．the fight between Negroes and Whites never ends |
| B．the civil war broke out because the Negroes fought for their freedom |
| C．In the past Negroes were kept out of baseball. |
| D．the fight ended up with a game. |
The underlined word ‘vanished’ most probably means __________
| A．disappear | B．increase |
| C．appear | D．happen |
The best title of this passage may be_________.
| A．Nothing matters except fighting |
| B．Success lies in hard work |
| C．freedom is everything |
| D．Free Minds and Hearts makes a difference |
The question of whether our government should promote science and technology or the liberal arts（文科） in higher education isn’t an either/or proposition（命题），although the current emphasis on preparing young Americans for STEM（science, technology, engineering, maths）-related fields can make it seem that way．
The latest congressional report acknowledges the critical importance of technical training, but also states firmly that the study of the humanities and social sciences must remain central components of America’s educational system at all levels．Both are critical to producing citizens who can participate effectively in our democratic society, become creative leaders, and benefit from the spiritual enrichment that the reflection on the great ideas of mankind over time provides．
Parents and students who have invested heavily in higher education worry about graduates’ job prospects as technological advances and changes in domestic and global markets transform professions in ways that reduce wages and cut jobs．Under these circumstances, it’s natural to look for what may appear to be the most “practical” way out of the problem “Major in a subject designed to get you a job” seems the obvious answer to some, though this ignores the fact that many disciplines in the humanities characterized as “soft” often, in fact, lead to employment and success in the long run．Indeed, according to surveys, employers have expressed a preference for students who have received a broadly-based education that has taught them to write well, think critically, research creatively, and communicate easily．
Moreover, students should be prepared not just for their first job, but for their 4th and 5th jobs, as there’s little reason to doubt that people entering the workforce today will be called upon to play many different roles over the course of their careers．The ones who will do the best in this new environment will be those whose educations have prepared them to be flexible．The ability to draw upon every available tool and insight—picked up from science, arts, and technology—to solve the problems of the future, and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, will be helpful to them and the United States．What does the latest congressional report suggest?
| A．STEM-related subjects help students find jobs in the information society. |
| B．Higher education should be adjusted to the practical needs of society. |
| C．The liberal arts in higher education help enrich students’ spiritual life. |
| D．The humanities and STEM subjects should be given equal importance． |
What kind of job applicants do employers look for?
| A．Those who have a strong sense of responsibility. |
| B．Those who are good at solving practical problems. |
| C．Those who are likely to become innovative leaders. |
| D．Those who have received an all-round education. |
What advice does the author give to college students?
| A．Seize opportunities to explore their potential． |
| B．Try to take a variety of practical courses． |
| C．Adopt a flexible approach to solving problems． |
| D．catch as many chances as possible to change their jobs. |
Energy independence has a nice ring to it．Doesn’t it? If you think so, you’re not alone, because energy independence has been the dream of American president for decades, and never more so than in the past few years, when the most recent oil price shock has been partly responsible for kicking off the great recession.
“Energy independence” and its rhetorical （修辞的） companion “energy security” are, however, slippery concepts that are rarely though through．What is it we want independence from, exactly?
Most people would probably say that they want to be independent from imported oil．But there are reasons that we buy all that old from elsewhere.
The first reason is that we need it to keep our economy running．Yes, there is a trickle（涓涓细流）of biofuel（生物燃料）available, and more may become available, but most biofuels cause economic waste and environmental destruction.
Second, Americans have basically decided that they don’t really want to produce all their own oil．They value the environmental quality they preserve over their oil imports from abroad．Vast areas of the United States are off-limits to oil exploration and production in the name of environmental protection．To what extent are Americans really willing to endure the environmental impacts of domestic energy production in order to cut back imports?
Third, there are benefits to trade．It allows for economic efficiency, and when we buy things from places that have lower production costs than we do, we benefit．And although you don’t read about this much, the United States is also a large exporter of oil products, selling about 2 million barrels of petroleum products per day to about 90 countries.
There is no question that the United States imports a great deal of energy and, in fact, relies on that steady flow to maintain its economy．When that flow is interrupted, we feel the pain in short supplies and higher prices．At the same time, we obtain massive economic benefits when we buy the most affordable energy on the world market and when we engage in energy trade around the world.What does the author say about energy independence for America?
| A．It sounds very attractive． |
| B．It ensures national security． |
| C．It will bring oil prices down |
| D．It has long been everyone’s dream. |
Why does America rely heavily on oil imports?
| A．It wants to expand its storage of crude oil（原油）. |
| B．Its own oil reserves are quickly running out. |
| C．It wants to keep its own environment undamaged. |
| D．Its own oil production falls short of demand． |
What does the author say about oil trade?
| A．It proves profitable to both sides． |
| B．It improves economic efficiency． |
| C．It makes for economic prosperity． |
| D．It saves the cost of oil exploration． |
Chimpanzees, long considered reluctant to share, apparently can display selfless tendencies, revealing one more key way our closest living relatives are like humans, scientists find．These findings could shed light on the evolution of altruism in humans．
Previously, a belief was widely held that human altruism evolved only after humans split from their ape cousins about 6 million years ago．In recent years, however, research has revealed just how much chimpanzees have in common with us．They can hunt with spears, play with dolls and mourn their partners’ death.
"Most of the earlier studies had presented the apes with a complex implement that helped them deliver food to themselves or others, often so complicated that the experiments tested tool skills rather than social tendencies," De Waal told Live Science．"Ours is the first study that uses no such implement at all."
In addition to using complex food-delivery systems, past experiments often placed the chimpanzees so far apart that they might not have realized how their actions benefited others．In these new, simplified experiments, two apes were housed next to each other with a screen through which they could see each other．Then, one chimpanzee had to choose between two differently colored tokens （币） from a bin, one of which represented a pro-social （亲社会的） option, the other a selfish option．The pro-social option would cause both chimpanzees to receive a piece of banana wrapped in paper．The selfish option only rewarded the ape who made the choice.
In a study with seven adult female chimps placed into various pairs, the scientists found all the apes showed a definite preference for the pro-social option．"For me, the most important finding is that like us, chimpanzees take into account the needs and wishes of others," researcher Victoria Horner, said.
The chimpanzees behaved especially altruistically toward partners who either patiently waited or gently reminded them that they were there by drawing attention to themselves．They were less likely to reward partners who pressured through making a fuss, begging persistently or spitting water at them．This is opposite to a long-standing view that the chimpanzees only share food under pressure.The word " altruism " （paragraph 1） is closest in meaning to ______.
| A．selfishness | B．selflessness |
| C．willingness | D．reluctance |
Recent researches are performed with less complicated implements mainly to ______.
| A．show that chimps are only good at using implements |
| B．see whether chimps are willing to share food with others |
| C．find out if chimps are likely to reward partners |
| D．test chimps’ social tendencies instead of tool skills |
Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
| A．Evolution History of Altruism in Humans |
| B．Similarities between Chimps and Mankind |
| C．Chimps Do Show Selfless Behavior |
| D．Chimps Only Share Food under Pressure |
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