Back those photos up
The images were striking. Homes on the East Coast were washed away by Superstorm Sandy. People were in tears, picking up faded photographs, among their only remaining possessions.
If that doesn’t move you to get serious about safekeeping your lifetime of memories, what will? The digital age offers tools never imaginable before—including one-click access to a lifetime of family photos.
Here is a brochure on how to back up (存) your photos and save them online, where they can live forever and be accessible in good times and bad.
Scanning
The first step for those old photos is to scan them and save them to a digital format. Most printers come with scanners these days, so that’s an easy but extremely time-consuming step.
Storing the photos
With your scans in place, import the photos into your computer, and back them up.
You could make multiple copies of the disks and spread them to loved ones. Or you could choose external(外接的) hard drives or USB thumb drive, and add your photo and video collection from your computer.
Online backup
If you need lots of space, look at a pure online backup service, Caronite.
Caronite backs up 300 million files daily. Once you sign up, it starts to pick up everything you have on your hard drive. But photo collection on your computer’s main hard drive charges for $59 a year.
Cloud Storage
For folks who don’t need automatic backup, but instead want to take a more active approach, Dropbox, Google Drive and Microsoft’s SkyDrive let you store files online by yourself, share and instantly access them. All offer free options—2GB of free storage for Dropbox, 5GB for Google and 7GB for SkyDrive. But if you want more, you need to pay.
Bottom Line
The hard drive or flash drive is the cheapest and easiest. But drives can fail. Online services are more expensive, but more secure. With more of us switching back and forth between our computers, such services are the best way to get access to our data from wherever we are.Why does the author mention Superstorm Sandy?
| A．To tell the background of the scanning photos.. |
| B．To attract the readers’ interest in the backups. |
| C．To describe a severe natural disaster. |
| D．To win the readers’ sympathy. |
What can we know from the passage?
| A．Scanning photos takes little time but costs a lot. |
| B．The hard drive or flash drive is the cheapest and safest. |
| C．Google Drive offers unlimited free photo storage on line. |
| D．Caronite charges for backing up photos from hard drive. |
Which of the following allows storing files automatically?
| A．Caronite. | B．Dropbox. |
| C．SkyDrive. | D．Flash drive. |
The main purpose of the passage is to _____.
| A．tell real stories about storage services |
| B．describe the functions of storage services |
| C．introduce some of the storage services |
| D．argue about the advantage of storage services |
Mary Allen was my best friend- like the sister I ever had. We did everything together : piano lessons, movies, swimming, and horseback riding.
When I was 13, my family moved away. Mary and I kept in touch through letters and we saw each other on special occasions- like my wedding and Mary’s. Soon we were busy with children and moving to new homes, and we wrote less often. One day a card that I sent came back stamped “Address Unknown”.
Over the years, I thought of Mary often. I wanted to share stories of my children and then grandchildren. And I needed to share my sorrow when my brother and then mother died. There was an empty place in my heart that only a friend like Mary could fill.
One day I was reading the newspaper when I noticed a photo of a young woman who looked a lot like Mary and whose last name was Wagman- Mary’s married name. “There must be thousands of Wagman. ”I thought, but I wrote to her anyway.
She called as soon as she got my letter. “Mrs Tobin!”she said excitedly. “Mary Allen Wagman ”is my mother. Minutes later I heard a voice that was recognized instantly, even after 40 years. We laughed and cried and caught up on each others lives.
Now the empty place in my heart is filled. And theres one thing that Mary and I know for sure: We don’t lose each other again.I want to find Mary ______________ .
| A．to share my stories |
| B．to share my sorrow |
| C．to fill the empty in my heart |
| D．all of the above |
The writers married name is __________ .
| A．Wagman | B．Allen |
| C．Tobin | D．we dont know |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．We never see each other again when I moved away when I was 13 |
| B．I find my friend in the newspaper |
| C．It is 40 years since we last saw each other |
| D．My friends husband is Mr. Tobin |
The best title of the passage is ________
| A．My Good Friend | B．Friend Again- Forever |
| C．An Important Friend | D．Friends Like the brother |
There are some strange and wonderful rules in law books around the world. When you are traveling, it’s always best to know before you go. Not only could this keep you out of trouble, but it can also help you get the most out of your holiday.
In Victoria, Australia, it’s illegal to change a light bulb unless you are a licensed electrician. People who disobey this law could receive a fine of up to AU$10 (￡5.50).
In Milan, Italy, citizens are required to smile at all times, except during funerals or hospital visits.
In England, it is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament. This was voted the most ludicrous law in the UK in 2007. A spokesman for the House of Commons said: “The people who know about these things here say there is no basis for such a law, not to say it does not exist somewhere in writing.”
In Canada, by law, one out of every five songs on the radio must be sung by a Canadian.
Flushing（冲洗）the toilet after 10pm is illegal in Switzerland. The Government consider it noise pollution.
Running out of petrol is illegal on Germany's autobahn, and so is walking along it. So those who do break down must pull over and use their horn to attract attention. The fine is €80 (£65) for endangering other drivers.
7. In Chicago, it is against the law to eat in a place that's on fire.
No matter how good the pizza tastes, if the restaurant sets on fire – you can't stick around!
According to the text, which of the following is legal?
| A．A doctor changing his bulb at his home in Victoria. |
| B．A driver blows his horn when his car breaks down on a Germany’s highway. |
| C．A spokesman dies in the House of Parliament in England. |
| D．A customer eats in a Chicago restaurant while it is on fire. |
If you see a citizen in Milan isn’t smiling, he is probably _______.
| A．visiting a friend in the hospital | B．under great pressure |
| C．having a quarrel with his boss | D．in a bad mood |
Where will you be fined if you break the laws mentioned in the text?
| A．Canada and Chicago. | B．England and Chicago. |
| C．Switzerland and Milan. | D．German and Victoria. |
What’s the purpose of banning flushing the toilet in Switzerland after 10 pm?
| A．To avoid overusing the toilet. |
| B．To avoid disturbing others with unpleasant sounds. |
| C．To save energy. |
| D．To cut the cost of water. |
Many people rely on a cup of coffee or two to wake them up in the morning or refresh them during the working day, but now a chemist has come up with a speedy alternative to drinking coffee.
U.S. biochemist Ben Yu has created ‘Sprayable Energy’, which claims to be the world's first caffeine - based topical energy spray.
He said tired workers can spray a 'shot' of caffeine onto their skin without experiencing a strong noise, taking in unnecessary calories or being stuck with a nasty aftertaste like they might get from drinking energy drinks or coffee.
The tasteless caffeine spray is absorbed through the skin and spread through the body over a number of hours to deliver a caffeine hit that lasts longer than drinking a cup of coffee. The only active ingredient in the spray is caffeine, which is very similar to nicotine in structure. Each spray ‘Sprayable Energy’ contains around a quarter of the amount of caffeine found in a cup of coffee, but apparently has the same effect as a full cup.
The website said: “The reason for this is our product isn't entirely metabolized(新陈代谢) by the liver before entering your system and becoming available to your body.” Sprayable Energy's website recommends that users apply the spray in places where they normally spritz perfume, such as wrists, the neck or behind the ears, but warns users not to exceed 20 times a day.
It claims that after spraying the product on the skin, users will feel awake and focus without being over-excited, which is common with coffee and energy drinks.Compared with an energy drink or a coffee, what is good about “Sprayable Energy”?
| A．It makes no noise. |
| B．It contains lower calories. |
| C．It has a good taste. |
| D．It contains many active ingredients. |
Which of the body may not be suitable to apply “Sprayable Energy”?
| A．The neck. | B．Behind the ears. | C．Wrists. | D．Mouth. |
What can we infer from the text?
| A．“Sprayable Energy” contains caffeine as well as nicotine. |
| B．The liver can metabolize in caffeine before it enters your system. |
| C．Whenever you feel tired, you can spray the product. |
| D．After spraying “Sprayable Energy”, you’ll get rid of tiredness. |
Most Chinese people expect to relax and enjoy themselves during the Golden Week. But for those trying to go someplace，it may seem more disappointment than pleasure. This year, the severe traffic jam resulted in a roadside wedding.
The suffering of being stuck in traffic was possibly most strongly felt by Lv Kangzhou and his bride Yan Mengxia. By tradition, the groom drove early in the morning to the bride's home in Zhejiang province in East China to pick her up along with her family and take them to his family's hometown for the wedding. By 4 p.m., Lv's wedding was 90 minutes away, but his car had not moved an inch for a long time. Lv contacted the local radio to explain his difficult situation and ask for a traffic forecast. The radio host told Lv there was no way he could hold his wedding on time and offered to hold their wedding on the air. At 5:30 p.m., Lv and his bride said their vows on the side of the road while Lv's family and friends witnessed the ceremony while listening to the radio.
Lv wasn’t the only person stuck in the Golden Week crowds. According to the state news agency Xinhua, 11.7 million people traveled by train Wednesday. It calculated that 120,000 people gathered at Tiananmen Square in Beijing to watch the flag raising ceremony. Last year, the Forbidden City in Beijing hosted 175,000 tourists on a single day during Golden Week, and the number is expecting to be even bigger this year.
Chinese internet users routinely complain about the Golden Week holiday every year. As internet user Tuzhi said on Sina Weibo: “On the Great Wall, I’m holding your hand, but I cannot see your face.” What does the text mainly intend to tell us?
| A．A successful roadside wedding during the Golden Week. |
| B．The popularity of traveling around during the Golden Week. |
| C．The crowded situation in China during the Golden Week. |
| D．The cause of the heavy traffic in China during the Golden Week. |
Lv, the groom, called the local radio because he wanted ________.
| A．to ask for help |
| B．to hold their wedding on the air |
| C．to complain about the traffic conclusion |
| D．to find someone to pick them up |
By tradition, the wedding was supposed to take place ________.
| A．in Zhejiang Province | B．in a hotel |
| C．in the bride’s hometown | D．in the groom’s hometown |
Where does this text probably come from?
| A．A newspaper. | B．A textbook. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．A TV interview. |
The King received news one day that a group outlaws were committing some wrong and cruel acts on a distant border of the kingdom.
The news angered the King. He quickly gathered his army and started off for the distant border, leaving his kingdom unguarded and without a ruler.
On their long march, the King and his army made camp for the night wherever they could. One rainy day they stopped in a forest, seeking shelter under the trees. They unsaddled（卸鞍） their horses and steamed some peas, which they fed to their steeds in long narrow containers.
A monkey in a tree nearby saw the horses being fed, and he came racing down, filled both paws with peas, then climbed quickly up to a branch and settled down to eat. But as he opened one paw, a single pea fell to the ground. Without hesitation, the monkey jumped from his branch to hunt for the lost pea, and in doing so，he dropped all the other peas in his paws.
The King observed this foolish monkey and was greatly amused. He timed to his minister and asked: "Friend, what do you think of this monkey who would give up so much to retrieve so little?"
"That is the way of the foolish," replied the minister, "they will give up much that is certain for a little that is uncertain."
Then he added, "And we, Great King, are we not like the monkey in the trees. To gain so little we neglect so much exactly like the monkey with its pea."
The King understood the blame and realized how very foolish he had been himself to leave his kingdom unguarded. He gave out orders to his men, and he and his army returned at once to their country.What did the King do after he knew a group of bad guys were doing something illegal?
| A．He asked the minister for advice. |
| B．He led his army to defeat them. |
| C．He found some monkeys to feed. |
| D．He looked for shelters in the forest. |
The minister persuaded the King to give up his original plan by ________.
| A．steaming some peas to feed the horses |
| B．amusing the King with the monkey’s trick |
| C．blaming the king gently using the monkey’s example. |
| D．going back and guarding the country |
What does the underlined word “retrieve” in the fifth paragraph mean?
| A．Bring up. | B．Get back. | C．Give away. | D．Come up. |
Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
| A．An Angry King | B．A Battle against the Outlaws |
| C．A Simple-minded Monkey | D．An Unguarded Kingdom |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号