The planet is getting greener, and we are responsible. Carbon dioxide generated by human activities is promoting photosynthesis (光合作用) and causing a beneficial greening of the Earth’s surface.
For the first time, researchers claim to have shown that the increase in plant cover is due to this “CO2 fertilisation (肥沃化) effect” rather than other causes. However, it remains unclear whether the effect can reduce any negative effects of global warming, such as the spread of deserts.
To home in on the effect of CO2, Randall Donohue of Australia’s national research institute, the CSIRO in Canberra, monitored vegetation (植被) at the edges of deserts in Australia, southern Africa, the US Southwest, North Africa, the Middle East and central Asia. These are regions where there is plenty of warmth and sunlight, but only just enough rainfall for vegetation to grow, so any change in plant cover must be the result of a change in rainfall patterns or CO2 levels, or both.
If CO2 levels were constant, then the amount of vegetation per unit of rainfall ought to be constant, too. However, the team found that this figure rose by 11 per cent in these areas between 1982 and 2010, mirroring the rise in CO2 emissions (排放). Donohue says this lends strong support to the idea that CO2 fertilization drove the greening.
The extra plant growth could have knock-on effects on climate, Donohue says, by increasing rainfall, affecting river flows and changing the likelihood of wildfires. It will also absorb more CO2 from the air, potentially damping down (抑制) global warming but also limiting the CO2 fertilization effect itself.
Donohue cannot yet say to what extent CO2 fertilisation will affect vegetation in the coming decades. But if it proves to be significant, the future may be much greener.According to the author, the increase in plant cover _____.
| A．will speed up global warming |
| B．results from human activities |
| C．will stop the spread of deserts |
| D．promotes the CO2 fertilization effect |
What does the underlined phrase “To home in on” in Para 3 probably mean?
| A．To hold back. | B．To cut down. |
| C．To improve. | D．To observe. |
The amount of vegetation in those monitored areas rose with _____.
| A．the rise in CO2 emissions | B．annual rainfall |
| C．the temperatures around | D．the amount of sunlight |
What’s the best title of the text?
| A．More rainfall, less CO2 emission |
| B．How to deal with carbon emissions |
| C．Positive effects of global warming |
| D．CO2 emission making Earth greener |
I fell in love with England because it was quaint (古雅)—all those little houses, looking terribly old-fashioned but nice, like dolls’ houses. I loved the countryside and the pubs, and I loved London. I’ve slightly changed my mind after seventeen years because I think it’s an ugly town now.
Things have changed. For everybody, England meant gentlemen, fair play, and good manners. The fair play is going, unfortunately, and so are the gentlemanly attitudes and good manners—people shut doors heavily in your face and politeness is disappearing.
I regret that there are so few comfortable meeting places. You’re forced to live indoors. In Paris I go out much more, to restaurants and nightclubs. To meet friends here it usually has to be in a pub, and it can be difficult to go there alone as a woman. The cafes are not terribly nice.
As a woman, I feel unsafe here. I spend a bomb on taxis because I will not take public transport after 10 p. m. I used to use it, but now I’m afraid.
The idea of family seems to be more or less non-existent in England. My family is well united and that’s typically French. In Middlesex I had a neighbour who is 82 now. His family only lived two miles away, but I took him to France for Christmas once because he was always alone.The writer doesn’t like London because she ______.
| A．has lived there for seventeen years |
| B．prefers to live in an old-fashioned house |
| C．is not used to the life there now |
| D．has to be polite to everyone she meets there |
Where do people usually meet their friends in England?
| A．In a pub. | B．In a cafe. | C．In a restaurant. | D．In a nightclub. |
The writer took her neighbour to France for Christmas because he ______.
| A．had never been to France | B．was from a typical French family |
| C．didn't like the British idea of family | D．felt lonely in England |
It was a warm April day when a big fat envelope came in the mail from the only college I had ever imagined attending. I tore open the packet. My eyes were fixed on the word “congratulations. ”I don’t remember ever smiling so wide.
Then I looked at my financial（财政的）package.
The cost of Dream School’s tuition（学费）, room and board was around $ 40,000- an impossible sum! How could I afford to attend? What good reasons did I have to go there when three other fine colleges were offering me free tuition? My other choices were good, solid schools even if they weren’t as famous as my first choice.
In my mind, attending my dream university would be the only way to realize my dream of becoming a world-class writer. My parents understood how I felt. They told me that even though it would be a financial problem, I could go wherever I would be happiest. But as I was always careful with money, I wasn’t sure what to do.
One of the schools that offered me a full ride had an informational dinner one night in the spring. Considering my parents’ financial difficulties, I decided to drive the 45 minutes and attend. At first, all I had planned to do was smile politely, eat free food, listen quietly. But I surprised myself.
At dinner the president of the university talked about the wonderful activities on campus （校园）including guest lectures and social gatherings. He also made it perfectly clear that free food would be offered at all future events. He continued with explanations of professors, class sizes, activities, and sporting events on campus. As he spoke, I began to realize that this school, though not as good as my first choice, might be the best one for me. It seemed small yet with many great programs. It seemed challenging yet caring.
As the president ended his speech, we clapped politely and pushed back our chairs. As I walked out that door, a feeling of comfort washed over me. Looking at the campus that night, I realized that I would be spending the next four years right there.
In all honesty, my university is not as well-known as my “dream”university. However, it turned out to be the right choice of schools for me. How did the author feel when he started to read the letter?
| A．He was lost in his dream. |
| B．He was full of joy. |
| C．He was worried about the money. |
| D．He was uncertain which school to go to. |
We can learn from the passage that the parents were _________.
| A．honest | B．supportive | C．strict | D．decisive |
In Paragraph 5, “offered me a full ride”can be replaced by “_______”.
| A．would charge me nothing for tuition |
| B．would pay for transport to the school |
| C．would show me around the campus |
| D．would offer free meals at all events |
What does the author mainly want to say?
| A．You should consider comfort in your choice of schools. |
| B．You should try your best to attend your dream school. |
| C．Your second-choice college may actually by your best fit. |
| D．Your choice of schools should be based on their fame. |
It was a cold evening and my daughter and I were walking up Broadway. I didn’t notice a guy sitting inside a cardboard box. But Nora did. She wasn’t even four, but she 36 at my coat and said, “That man’s cold. Daddy, 37 we take him home?”
I don’t remember my reply. But I do remember a sudden 38 feeling inside me. I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her 39 , whether it was 40 in flight or children playing. But now she was noticing 41 and beggary.
A few days later, I saw an article in the newspaper about volunteers who picked up a food package from a nearby school on a Sunday morning and 42 it to an elderly person. It was quick and easy. I 43 us up. Nora was 44 about it. She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how 45 our job was. When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to 46 myself to leave the house. On the way to the school, I fought an urge to turn 47 . The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting at home. Why do this? 48 , we phoned the elderly person we’d been appointed. She 49 us right over.
The building was in a sad state. Facing us was a silver-haired woman in an old dress. She took the package and asked us to come in. Nora ran inside. I unwillingly followed. 50 inside, I saw that the department belonged to someone poor. Our hostess showed us some photos. Nora played and when it came time to say goodbye, we three hugged, I walked home in tears.
Professionals call such a(n) 51 “a volunteer opportunity”. They are opportunities, I’ve come to see. Where else but as volunteers do you have opportunity to do something 52 that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve to needy people and 53 clothes for the homeless. Yet, as I’ve 54 her grow over these past four years, I still wonder—which of us has 55 more?
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There are many famous museums throughout the world where people can enjoy art. Washington, D.C. has the National Gallery of Art; Paris has the Luvre; London, the British Museum. Florida International University (FIU) in Miami also shows art for people to see. And it does so without building, or even a wall for its drawing and paintings. FIU has opened what it says is the first computer art museum in the United States. You don’t have to visit the University to see the art. You just need a computer linked to a telephone. You can call the telephone number of a university computer and connect your own computer to it. All of the art is stored in the school computer. It is computer art, produced electronically by artists on their own computers. In only a few minutes, your computer can receive and copy all the pictures and drawings. Robert Shostak is direction of the new computer museum. He says he starts the museum because computer artists had no place to show their works.
A computer artist can only record his pictures electronically and send the records to others to see on their computers. He can also put his pictures on paper. But to print good pictures on paper, the computer artist needs an expensive laser printer (激光印刷) . Robert Shostak says the electronic（电子的） museum is mostly for art or computer students at school and universities. Many of the pictures in the museum are made by students. Mr Shostake said the FIU museum will take computer art more fun for computer artists because more people can see it. He says artists enjoy their work much more if they have an audience. And the great number of home computers in America could mean a huge audience for the electronic museum.The main purpose of this text is to give information about_______.
A. museums throughout the world
B. an electronic art museum in Miami, U.S.A.
C. art exhibitions（展览会） in Florida International University
D. latest development of computer artTo see the art in FIU museum, you need______.
| A．floppy discs（软盘） |
| B．a computer and a printer |
| C．pictures and drawings on paper |
| D．a computer connect to the museum by telephone line |
The museum was started when______.
A Robert Shostak wanted to do something for computer scientists
B. Robert Shostak wanted to help computer artists
C. art students needed a place to show their works
D. computer scientists wanted to do something about artThe words “an audience” in the last paragraph refer to ________.
| A．art students | B．computer owners |
| C．exhibits in the museum | D．those who will enjoy art. |
We have two daughters: Kristen is seven years old and Kelly is four. Last Sunday evening, we invited some people home for dinner. I dressed them nicely for the party, and told them that their job was to join Mommy in answering the door when the bell rang. Mommy would introduce them to the guests, and then they would take the guests’ coats upstairs and put them on the bed in the second bedroom.
The guests arrived. I introduced my two daughters to each of them. The adults were nice and kind and said how lucky we were to have such good kids.
Each of the guests liked Kelly more, the younger one, enjoying her dress, her hair and her smile. They said she was a unusual girl to be carrying coats upstairs at her age.
I thought to myself that we adults usually make a big “to do” over the younger one because she’s the one who seems more easily hurt. We do it with the best of intentions.
But we seldom think of how it might affect（影响） the other child. I was a little worried that Kristen would feel she was being paid no attention. I was about to serve dinner when I realized that she had been missing for twenty minutes. I ran upstairs and found her in the bedroom, crying. I said, “What are you doing here, my dear?”
She turned to me with a sad expression and said,” Mommy, why don’t people like me the way they like my sister? Is it because I’m not pretty? Why don’t they say nice things about me as much?”
I tried to explain to her, kissing and hugging（拥抱） her to make her feel better.
Now whenever I visit a friend’s home. I make it a point to speak to the elder child first.The underlined expression “make a big ‘to do’ over” (paragraph 4) means_______.
| A．show much concern about | B．have a special effect on |
| C．list jobs to be done for | D．do good things for |
We can conclude from the passage that_______.
| A．parents should pay more attention to the elder children |
| B．the younger children are usually more easily hurt |
| C．people usually like the younger children more |
| D．adults should treat children equally |
Kristen felt sad and cried because_______.
| A．the guests gave her more coats to carry |
| B．she didn't look as pretty as Kelly |
| C．the guests enjoyed her sister more than her |
| D．her mother didn’t introduce her the guests |
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