You may have never heard of Lanthanum, Cerium or Neodymium, but these elements (元素) and others known as “rare earth” play a major role in modern technology. They can actually be found in many places on the earth, but not in quantities that can be mined. Only a few countries — China, America, India, Australia, Brazil and Malaysia have any that can be mined enough to be traded.
Even though some of these elements such as Cerium are as abundant as Copper, they are not found in concentrated amounts on the earth’s surface. They are often mixed together with other metals, which makes extraction (提取) of these elements an expensive and an environmentally messy process. It was due to this reason that the term “rare earth” was invented.
Rare earth metals are used widely in our life. Rechargeable car batteries, computers, iPhones, DVD players, computer monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, glass polishing, and superconductors all use quantities of rare earth metals. Also, with the advancement in “green” technology like solar panels, these shiny materials are becoming more important than ever. An average electric car uses 10 pounds of Lanthanum for its rechargeable battery!
America has large deposits (存储量) of rare earths and has one of the first mines. It was opened in Southern California in 1940. The element “Europium” was the first metal to be separated in quantity for use in color televisions. However, in the 1980’s and 1990’s, as China started producing these elements in Inner Mongolia, the mines in America and elsewhere could not keep pace. The mine in Mountain Pass, California also failed environmental regulations and shut down in 2002.
Now, recognizing the importance of having more than one supplier of this important resource, other rare earth owning countries like India and Australia are either dusting off their rare earth mines or speeding up their production. It is believed that the debate over rare earths will become louder in the coming months and years.What can we learn about rare earths?
| A．They are actually as abundant as Copper. |
| B．They can be mined easily as other metals. |
| C．They can only be found in a few countries. |
| D．They are not really as rare as they are named. |
Compared with China, America _____.
| A．paid more attention to Europium |
| B．has larger deposits of rare earths |
| C．started producing rare earths earlier |
| D．has more rare earth mines |
It can be inferred from the text that rare earths _____.
| A．are now in great demand |
| B．can now be used in few fields |
| C．are harmful to the environment |
| D．will soon be replaced by other metals |
I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to sit above the top of it. Mother sat writing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be a most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, Mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she said again, “is for Elizabeth.”
I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed in action. But as a young girl. I wanted to have heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional (易动感情的)”. But she lived “on the surface (表面)”.
As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.
My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace – it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
But the present of her desk told me, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside – a photo of my father and a one-paper letter, folded and refolded many times. It was my letter.
“In any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.”The writer began to love her mother’s desk________.
| A．after Mother died | B．before she became a writer |
| C．when she was a child | D．when Mother gave it to her |
The passage shows that_________.
| A．Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter |
| B．Mother was too serious about her daughter in words |
| C．Mother wrote to her daughter in careful words |
| D．Mother wrote to her daughter in careless words |
The underlined word “gulf” in the passage means_______.
| A．deep understanding between the old and the young |
| B．different ideas between mother and daughter |
| C．free talks between mother and daughter |
| D．part of the sea going far in land |
What’s best title of the passage?
| A．My letter to Mother | B．Mother and children |
| C．My Mother’s Desk | D．Talks between Mother and me |
YANGON -- Myanmar has officially accepted an offer of the United States to send humanitarian aid(人道主义援助) to the country’s cyclone(飓风;暴风)victims, state radio reported Friday in a night broadcast Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Thu gave the assurance Friday, saying that the country is receiving such relief aid from any country without limit at this time according to its policy(政策) of dealing with the disaster, the report said.
Kyaw Thu denied rumors about Myanmar’s turning down of such relief materials from Western countries but accept those from nations in good relations with Myanmar, saying that the country has never done so in this case.
Kyaw Thu said that well wishers abroad may make cash donation through Myanmar embassies（使馆）stationed there, while those who like to donate relief goods may present at the Yangon International Airport and seaports.
According to the report, the US relief aid would arrive in Yangon in days.
A foreign ministry’s statement said earlier on Friday that at this moment, the international community can best help the victims by donating emergency provisions such as medical supplies, food, cloth, electricity generator, and materials for emergency shelter or with financial assistance," adding that "Myanmar will wholeheartedly welcome such course of action".
The government and the people of Myanmar are grateful to the friendly nations, the United Nations, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, private individuals and others for their sympathy and generosity." it said. Which of the following is true?
| A．The US relief aid was turned down at first and then accepted. |
| B．The US relief aid has been sent to the capital city of Myanmar. |
| C．There are rumors（谣言）that Myanmar has turned down the US relief aid. |
| D．Myanmar will wholeheartedly welcome such course of action but the US relief aid. |
We Chinese may denote money to help the country’s cyclone victims through_____.
| A．Myanmar embassies in Beijing. |
| B．the Yangon International Airport |
| C．the United Nations |
| D．the Yangon International seaports. |
What is Myanmar’s policy toward the aids from abroad?
| A．Myanmar prefers cash donation to relief goods. |
| B．Myanmar only receives emergency provisions such as medical supplies, food, cloth, electricity generator, etc. |
| C．Myanmar receives donation relief aid from any country without any limit. |
| D．Myanmar prefers relief goods to cash donation. |
The title that best expresses the idea of the passage is _______.
| A．How to help Myanmar. |
| B．Myanmar accepts US humanitarian aid officially. |
| C．Myanmar is receiving relief aid from any country without limit. |
| D．The government and the people of Myanmar are grateful. |
Thomas Lagos graduated from Wittenburg University in Ohio in only one year. His father, a Greek immigrant（移民）, said, “Whatever Tommy do, he’ll like to do fast.”
Thomas studied at Showee High School. He taught himself to read 750 words a minute. While he was in high school, he took 
of the 36 credits（学分）he needed to graduate from university. He took another 12 credits at the university simply taking examinations without attending the courses. The remaining credits he took by the old fashioned method of attending classes.
He studied very well, so he graduated with the greatest honours. Now at the age of nineteen, he has entered the graduate school of Michigan University. He is studying law.Thomas Lagos is .
| A．a Greek | B．an American in Greece |
| C．an immigrant | D．an American |
Thomas’s father .
| A．speaks English poorly | B．speaks English perfectly |
| C．does not speak English | D．is an Englishman |
The number of credits Thomas took by attending university courses was .
| A．36 | B． |
C． |
D．12 |
Thomas entered Wittenburg University .
| A．at the age of 19 | B．in one year |
| C．with the greatest honours | D．at the age of 18 |
Thomas’s course .
| A．can hardly be taken in an ordinary way | B．is unworthy |
| C．is good for boy students to take | D．should be widely taken |
In the 19th century, Americans from the eastern states moved out west to settle in the rich new lands along the Pacific Coast. The most difficult part of their trip was crossing “the Great American Desert” in the western part of the United States by horse and wagon.
The western desert can be very dangerous. There is little water and there are few trees. But the desert also has scenery of great beauty. Tall towers of red and yellow stone rise sharply from the flat, sandy valley floor. The scene has been photographed many times and appears in movies and on TV.
In Arizona, man-made dams across the Colorado River have made two large lakes in the middle of the dry desert country. At Lake Powell, the red stone arch of Rainbow Bridge rises high above the blue lake.
There are few roads. Many areas of Lake Powell’s shore can only be reached by boat or on foot. But hikers in this empty desert land sometimes find very old native American pictures, painted on the rocks.
In Death Valley, California, the summer temperature rises to 130°F—165°F. There is less than inches of rain each year. Death Valley is the lowest place in America---925 metres below sea level. In the 1800s, many travelers died when they tried to cross this waterless valley in the terrible heat.
Although the desert is dry and seems empty, there is plenty of life if you look closely. Snakes and rats have learned how to live in the desert heat. They live underground and come out at night, when it is cool. Plants such as cacti need very little water. When it does rain in the desert (sometimes only once or twice a year), plants grow quickly, and flowers open in a single day. For a short time, the desert is covered with brilliant (very bright) colours.In the 19th century, Americans moved from east to west because they .
| A．enjoyed the trip | B．wanted to make their home there |
| C．wanted to find new grassland there | D．had no water to drink |
From this passage. we can conclude that .
| A．the western desert is a good place for people to live in |
| B．there is little water but there are many trees in the desert |
| C．the desert is dangerous but it is full of beauty |
| D．till now, people know little about the desert |
In the 1800s, many travelers died in Death Valley because of .
| A．illness | B．high temperature |
| C．cold weather | D．poisonous water |
In the desert, animals will die .
| A．if they move about | B．if they can’t make holes underground |
| C．if they come out at night | D．if they drink much water |
How many coins have you got in your pocket right now? Three? Two? or One?
With a phonecard you can make up to 200 calls without any change at all.
1. What do you do with it?
Go to a telephone box marked “Phonecard”. Put in your card to start, make your call and when you have finished, a screen tells you how much is left on your card.
It costs no extra for the cards, and the calls cost 10p per unit, the same as any other pay-phone call.
You can buy them in units of 10, 20, 40, 100 or 200.
2. Now appearing in a shop near you
Near each phonecard place you will find a shop where you can buy one. They’re at bus, train and city tube stations.
At many universities, hospitals and clubs, restaurants and gas stations on the highway and shopping centers.
At airports and seaports.
3. No more broken payphones
Most broken payphones are like that because they’ve been damaged. There are no coins in a cardphone to excite thieves’ interest in it. So you’re not probably to find a broken one.
Get a phonecard yourself and try it out. Or get a bigger wallet.The passage is most probably .
| A．a warning | B．a notice |
| C．an advertisement | D．an announcement |
There are three sections in the passage. Which one do you think is about why phonecards are good?
| A．Section 1 | B．Section 2. | C．Section 3. | D．none. |
Which statement of the following is right by inference（推断）?
| A．Using a phonecard will cost you less money than payphone call. |
| B．Phonecards are easier to carry. |
| C．If a thief steals your phonecard, he can’t use it any more. |
| D．When you finish your call, take out your card first and then you will see how many calls you can still make. |
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