After the popularity of the Ice Bucket Challenge, another challenge now is hot in India. Indians give rice to their poor neighbors for a charity (慈善) which is called “Rice Bucket Challenge”. It is about giving a bucket of rice to someone who is in need and taking a picture named “Rice Bucket Challenge” to share online. The aim of the activity is to help the poor and hungry people in India, and the movement’s Facebook page has so far clocked up more than 50,000 likes.
The activity was started by Manju Latha Kalanidhi, a 38-year-old journalist, who thought the Ice Bucket Challenge was a little strange. She said, “Hunger is a disease anybody would connect.” The challenge has gained a lot of support with students signing up in Indian Institute of Management, and more and more people join in it.
India is the world’s second-biggest rice consumer, with a storage of 21.2 million tons of the grains. It has suffered with mass hunger, and last year was ranked 63rd of 78 countries on the International Food Policy Research Institute’s global hunger index. How to participate in this activity? First, pick up a bucket of rice from your home and give it to the neighboring people who are in need.
At last, invite online all your friends and ask them to take up the challenge. It is important to post back on Facebook because it will inspire all your friends to come forward. All the people get together and make a difference!
| A．Besides, hand the rice bucket over to other people who are in need. |
| B．It is not an activity involving dumping a bucket of rice on someone’s head. |
| C．The activity raises the public awareness and charitable donations to agriculture. |
| D．The AirAsia India airline says its staff including senior management will join. |
E. Then, take a picture and post it on facebook with “Rice Bucket Challenge”.
F. But it is far from enough for this country.
G. The initial inspiration came from the ice bucket challenge.
Researchers at the University of Bedforshire have developed a new technique for powering electronic device（装置）. The system, developed by Professor Ben Allen at the Centre for Wireless Research, uses radio（无线电） waves as power.
Believed to be a world first, the team claims it could eventually eliminate (or get rid of )the need for conventional batteries. The university has now filed a patent application to secure the only rights to the technique.
Professor Allen and his team have created a system to use medium wave frequencies to replace batteries in small everyday devices like clocks and remote controls.
The new technique uses the “waste” energy of radio waves and has been developed as part of the university’s research into “power harvesting”. Professor Allen said that as radio waves have energy―like light waves, sound waves or wind waves―then, in theory, these waves could be used to create power.
“The emerging（新兴的）area of power harvesting technology promises to reduce our reliance on conventional batteries,” he said. “It’s really exciting way of taking power from sources other than what we would normally think of.”
The team is now waiting for the results of the patent application to secure recognition of the technique. Professor Allen said that the team’s achievements had all been done in their “spare time”. “Our next stage is to try and raise some real funds so that we can take this work forward and make a working prototype（模型）and maybe partner up with the right people and take this to a full product in due course,” he said.
“Power harvesting has a really important part in our future, because, just in this country, we dispose of somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 tonnes of batteries in landfill（垃圾填理）sites every single year－that is toxic chemicals going into the ground.”
He added that development of the product could also be “commercially beneficial”. “The market for this is several billion pounds. We’ve seen market predictions for 2020 which have these kinds of figures, so there’s a lot of commercial potential in this area,” he said.
Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Bedfordshire, Professor Carsten Maple, said, “This type of work is a reflection of the university’s growing reputation and experience in conducting innovative（创新的）research.”From the text we know the new technique for powering electronic devices_____.
| A．can be applied to all electronic devices. |
| B．uses radio waves to create power. |
| C．has replaced conventional batteries. |
| D．produces many toxic chemicals. |
According to Professor Allen, power harvesting technology______.
| A．makes every use of radio waves. |
| B．takes power from usual sources. |
| C．reduces our dependency on conventional batteries. |
| D．aims at huge commercial benefits. |
What can we learn about Professor Allen and his team from the text?
| A．They have made use of radio waves in their daily life. |
| B．They have raised a big fund to support their research. |
| C．They have gained a patent for their new technology. |
| D．They mainly did their research in their spare time. |
What is Professor Carsten Maple’s attitude toward the new technique?
| A．Critical. | B．Favorable. | C．Conservative. | D．Negative. |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．A new technique to create power. |
| B．A crisis concerning conventional batteries. |
| C．Some special sources of power. |
| D．The development of power harvesting. |
Remembering names is an important social skill. Here are some ways to master it.
●Recite and repeat in conversation.
When you hear a person’s name, repeat it. Immediately say it to yourself several times without moving your lips. You could also repeat the name in a way that does not sound forced or artificial.
●Ask the other person to recite and repeat.
You can let other people help you remember their names. After you’ve been introduced to someone, ask that person to spell the name and pronounce it correctly for you. Most people will be pleased by the effort you’re making to learn their names.
●Admit you don’t know.
Admitting that you can’t remember someone’s name can actually make people relaxed. Most of them will feel sympathy if you say. “I’m working to remember names better. Yours is right on the tip of my tongue. What is it again?”
●Use associations.
Link each person you meet with one thing you find interesting or unusual. For example, you could make a mental note: “Vicki Cheng－tall, black hair.” To reinforce your associations, write them on a small card as soon as possible.
●Limit the number of new names you learn at one time.
When meeting a group of people, concentrate on remembering just two or three names. Free yourself from remembering every one. Few of the people in mass introductions expect you to remember their names. Another way is to limit yourself to learning first names. Last names can come later.
●Go early.
Consider going early to conferences, parties and classes. Sometime just a few people show up on time. There’re fewer names for you to remember. And as more people arrive, you can hear them being introduced to other an automatic review for you.How will most people feel when you try hard to remember their names?
| A．They will be moved. | B．They will be annoyed. |
| C．They will be delighted. | D．They will be discouraged. |
If you can’t remember someone’s name, you may ________.
| A．tell him the truth | B．tell him a white lie |
| C．ask him for pity | D．ask others to help you |
When you meet a group of people, it is better to remember ________.
| A．all their games | B．a couple of names first |
| C．just their last names | D．as many names as possible |
What does the text mainly tell us?
| A．Tips on an important social skill. |
| B．Importance of attending parties. |
| C．How to make use of associations. |
| D．How to recite and repeat names. |
What does the underlined word “reinforce” mean?
| A．build | B．connect | C．form | D．strengthen |
Afraid that her son would be too tired, Ms. Wendy would sometimes tell the boy to skip school, but each time, Fabian would insist on going to school.
“I don’t like it because when I return to school, I don’t know what’s going on,” the 12-year-old boy explained. He suffers for SMA－a neuromuscular（神经肌肉的）disease that leads to weakness in muscles－and gets around in a wheelchair.
Fabian’s determination to excel in his studies was evident when he was disappointed that he got a total score of 236 yesterday in his Primary School Leaving Examination. He was hoping for a score of at least 240, but his mother was full of pride. “I am happy with his results. He’s very motivated,” said Ms. Wendy.
When Fabian was two months old, he was diagnosed with SMA. Ms. Wendy, who used to go to other homes to teach piano lessons, started teaching lessons at home so she could take care of her son. Fabian proved to be a fighter. Ms. Wendy said, “ He would study every day on his own even though he was weak and his spine（脊柱）was already starting to curve quite badly.”
Fabian is also active in the Singapore Disability Sports Council, where he plays boccia（滚球）, a ball sport for those who require a wheelchair due to physical disability.
At just 133cm tall and weighing 14kg, he knows that he will have to rely on others all his life. “I’m afraid that when my parents grow older, they will not be able to carry me and that there will be nobody to carry me,” said Fabian. “But for now, I feel lucky that I get to go out and do a lot of things that I thought I couldn’t.”
His dreams aren’t lofty（崇高的）either－all he want to be able to do is work and provide for his parents. “I just want to study hard so that I can be a businessman, like my dad.” He is planning to apply to study at Victoria School.The underlined word “it” in the second paragraph refers to ______.
A. going to school. B. being absent from school
C. studying hard. D. suffering from SMA.We can know from the text that Fabian ______.
| A．got the disease at the age of 12. |
| B．was proud of his exam results. |
| C．has no interest in any sports. |
| D．wants to be a businessman like his father. |
What do we know about Ms. Wendy?
| A．She insists that her son go to school. |
| B．She used to be a piano teacher in a school. |
| C．She is satisfied with her son’s performance at school. |
| D．She fears that her son will be helpless when she is older. |
Which words can best describe Fabian?
| A．Sensitive and weak. | B．Active and optimistic. |
| C．Clever and strong. | D．Stressed and concerned. |
What is the best title for the text?
A. He Is Disabled but He Is a Fighter.
B. A Great Mother and Her Special Son.
C. How to Fight Against SMA.
D. A disabled boy’s dream.
The leaves（树叶） fluttered（飘动）over Josh’s head. The park near his home had always been one of Josh’s 36 places. He liked to watch the colors of the trees glow（闪耀）in the sunlight, 37 the golden trees. It was the same color as his trumpet（小号）. He smiled when he 38 the music the leaves made. Josh sat down and looked at his watch. His father would meet him in a few 39 for their first practice in the park.
Josh and his family lived in an apartment building.When Josh first began playing the trumpet, he 40 in his own living room. Then the family next door had a new baby. To avoid 41 the baby, Josh would 42 his practice time in the park. His father told him it would be good to practice in a wide, open 43 like the park. The baby next door would be able to sleep 44 , but Josh was not very happy with the 45 . He enjoyed visiting the park, but he didn’t want to practice there. He was 46 that he would embarrass（使……难堪）himself in a pubic place if he played the wrong notes（音符）. He didn’t want people to 47 him as he played in the middle of the park.
Josh’s father was a great trumpet player, who once played in a jazz band. He couldn’t possibly understand how 48 it would be to practice in the park！
His father came over and 49 Josh’s daydream(遐想). “Josh, are you ready to practice?” He sat down and 50 his own trumpet from its case. He held the trumpet to his 51 and began to play. The beautiful music floated into the blue afternoon sky.
Josh looked up at the golden trees. The leaves 52 to be dancing to the tune his father was playing. Josh felt 53 as he watched the people walking by and smiling at his father.
He 54 to play like that. Josh put his trumpet to his mouth and blew. He had such a great time that he didn’t 55 if he played a few bad notes. Now he and his neighbors could all be happy.
A．painful B．favorite C．admirable D．suitable
A．slowly B．frequently C．hardly D．especially
A．thought of B．looked for C．set out D．picked up
A．weeks B．minutes C．years D．months
A．practiced B．developed C．continued D．advanced
A．amusing B．waking C．guiding D．assisting
A．spend B．waste C．shorten D．realize
A．address B．section C．space D．corner
A．anxiously B．excitedly C．peacefully D．angrily
A．preparation B．description C．arrangement D．appointment
A．delighted B．satisfied C．puzzled D．afraid
A．ignore B．watch C．forget D．guess
A．embarrassing B．interesting C．encouraging D．disappointing
A．measured B．interrupted C．imagined D．believed
A．checked B．pulled C．changed D．threw
A．legs B．feet C．lips D．ears
A．sounded B．seemed C．smelt D．felt
A．ashamed B．nervous C．calm D．proud
A．hated B．wanted C．disliked D．refused
A．recognized B．suspect C．admit D．care
粤公网安备 44130202000953号