The Palm Islands are the largest artificial islands in the world and are under construction in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates．They are being developed as tourist, leisure, and residential resorts, and will increase the coastline of the country by 120 kilometres.
After four years of planning and careful consideration of the environmental issues, construction started in 2001．Dutch engineers with experience of reclaiming land from the sea were employed in the building of the first two islands．The site for all three islands is an area of the sea where the water is not very deep．Sand is taken from the seabed and sprayed into the construction site．Although the shallow water facilitates this process, the islands are still very exposed to the currents and tidal movements of the sea．Rocks are used to hold the sand in place resulting in a large crescent (月状的) structure．This acts as a breakwater and protects the islands from the sea.
The first two islands are in the shape of date palm trees and consist of a trunk and 17 frond, or leaves coming off the trunk．The first island, named Palm Jumeirah, has three five-star hotels in the trunk, and luxury homes in the leaves．It is astonishing that when these homes went on sale in 2004, they were all sold within three days.
The second palm, Jebel Ali, was started in 2002 and is designed to be an entertainment centre．Six marinas (小游艇船坞) are planned, with a water theme park, and homes built on stilts (桩柱) in the water.
The Palm Deira planned to be the largest of the three islands, with a length of 14 km and a width of 8.5 km, an area larger than the city of Paris．It will consist of residential properties, marinas, shopping malls, sports facilities, and clubs．These will be open to both residents and tourists.
More artificial islands, the World Islands, are now being constructed near the Palm Jumeirah．They consist of 300 private islands grouped into the shape of the continents of the world and will be used for estates, private homes, community islands, and resorts.
Unquestionably, these artificial islands are one of the wonders of the modern world．They will also maintain Dubai’s status as one of the leading tourist destinations in the region.According to the passage, all the following are right EXCEPT___________.
| A．Some Dutch engineers are experienced in reclaiming land from the sea. |
| B．The islands are being built in the shallow water of the sea. |
| C．All the luxury homes on Palm Jumeirah were sold. |
| D．The World Islands are bigger than the Palm Jumeriah. |
The underlined word “facilitates” in the second paragraph probably means___________.
| A．holds back | B．makes easier |
| C．slows down | D．leads to |
What is the passage written for?
| A．To introduce the wonderful artificial islands. |
| B．To show how to build artificial islands. |
| C．To offer a travel service for tourists. |
| D．To prove the Palm Islands are the largest artificial islands in the world. |
In 1991, Kentucky Fried Chicken announced that it was officially changing its name to “KFC” as well as updating its packaging and logo(标识)with a more modern look. The public relations reason was that health-conscious consumers associated the word “fried” with “unhealthy”, causing some of them to completely avoid the wide variety of “healthy” menu items. The new title and image were designed to attract customers to a restaurant now offering foods branded as “better for you”.
It sounded good, but the real reason behind the shift to KFC had nothing to do with critical consumers. In 1990, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, trapped in debt, took the unusual step of trade marking its name. Therefore, anyone using the word “Kentucky” for business reasons would have to obtain permission and pay licensing fees to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was an unusual and brilliant scheme to lighten government debt, but it was also one that alienated (疏远)one of the most famous companies ever associated with Kentucky. The Kentucky Fried Chicken chain refused as a matter of principle to pay royalties on a name they had been using for four decades. After a year of fruitless talks, Kentucky Fried Chicken changed their name instead, introducing new packaging and products to hide the real reasons behind the change of the name.
Kentucky fried Chicken was not the only one who bravely refused to give in. The name of the most famous horse race in North America, held every year at Churchill Downs, was changed to “The Run for the Roses” for similar reasons.
In November 2006, KFC and the State of Kentucky finally reached a settlement over the use of the trademarked word “Kentucky”, and the restaurant chain announced it would be reusing its former name of “Kentucky Fried Chicken”.The public relations reason for Kentucky Fried Chicken’s updating its packaging and logo was that .
| A．it was losing money |
| B．most customers didn’t like the old logo |
| C．it wanted to get involved in other businesses |
| D．it decided to offer better foods to customers |
The Commonwealth of Kentucky trademarked its name to .
| A．develop American culture |
| B．be alienated from the famous companies |
| C．raise money to pay the government debt |
| D．make Kentucky known throughout the world |
The real reason why “Kentucky Fried Chicken” changed its name was related to .
| A．health | B．money | C．package | D．product |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
| A．KFC is still not allowed to use the name of “Kentucky Fried Chicken” |
| B．“Kentucky Fried Chicken” changed its name after several years of talks |
| C．the name “Kentucky Fried Chicken” had only been used for a short time |
| D．the original name of the horse race “The Run for the Roses” contained the word “Kentucky” |
The International Summer School of Scotland’s creative writing course is designed for students aged between 13 and 18 of all levels and interests who have a desire to explore their ability and challenge themselves creatively. Introductory and advanced workshops will introduce students to all the stages of the writing process, including thinking of ideas, writing and revising drafts and editing.
1) Discover writing through a range of creative projects including writing essays, short stories and poetry.
2) Learn tools and ways needed to discover your own voice.
3) Learn how to use the world around you as a source of ideas and inspiration.
4) Benefit from regular writing practice.
5) Help produce the summer school magazine and get your work in print.
All students will work together to produce The International Summer School of Scotland’s creative writing magazine which will include a selection of their creative work.
Program Dates:
Session 1: July 4th — July 25th, 2010
Session 2: July 28th — August 18th, 2010
In addition to our academic programs we also offer some in-depth elective courses. Part of the summer school students will have the opportunity to join in one of the following electives: golf, theatre, film, art and tennis. These courses will enable summer school students to discover and experience exciting subjects while gaining new skills and expertise (专门知识).
The timetable below shows a typical week at the International Summer School of Scotland.
| |
Monday/Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday/Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
| 8:00—9:00 |
Breakfast |
At 10:00 Breakfast Free Time |
|||
| 9:00—12:00 |
Academic Classes |
A Cultural Trip |
|||
| 12:00—13:00 |
Lunch |
||||
| 13:00—16:00 |
Elective Classes |
A Cultural Trip |
Elective Classes |
||
| 16:00—18:00 |
Sporting Activity |
Sporting Activity |
|||
| 18:00—19:30 |
Evening Meal |
||||
| 19:30—21:30 |
Evening Activity |
You can attend the creative course if you are at the age of .
| A．12 | B．14 | C．19 | D．21 |
How long does each of the sessions last according to the passage?
| A．About half a month. | B．Around a month. |
| C．About three weeks. | D．Around two months. |
From the passage we can know that .
| A．the school is open to children from rich families |
| B．students in the school have to work in the workshop |
| C．students in the school can benefit by selling the magazines |
| D．not all students in the school have to play golf |
What activity may students in the school do between 16:00 and 18:00 on Wednesday?
| A．Academic Classes. | B．Sporting Activity. |
| C．A Cultural Trip. | D．Elective Classes. |
Sonoma County, California is famous for its natural beauty. The area is also known for its fruits, vegetables, eggs, and seafood. When I first moved to the area years ago, I had no idea I would be living in such a rich area!
After the summer, local festivals practically celebrate the richness of the county every weekend. From Egg Days, Tomato Festival to Seafood Festival, Sonoma County has something for everyone. An event held every year is one of the most special in the area, which celebrates the harvest(收获) of tomatoes, showing over 170 kinds of this tasty fruit. Cooks prepare the most favorite tomato-inspired dishes. You can enjoy all kinds of food while listening to live music, and taste the world famous Kendall Jackson wine.
Another great feature of this event is the opportunity to take part in the yearly competition with your own tomatoes. Tomatoes are judged (判断) on looks, taste, and weight and winners will be awarded (奖励). If you’re planning on visiting and want to attend this event, get your ticket early as it sells out quickly.
This year, to celebrate Tomato Festival, I decided to plant a few tomatoes in a wine barrel (桶) that had kept a lemon tree before. The tree, after about 6 years, finally did not produce fruits anymore, so I changed to plant 3 tomato plants instead. The three wine barrel plants stand over six feet tall and that’s above the top of the barrel! They have lots of flowers and some have started to produce fruits. As usual, harvest may be late this year, but the quality of my tomatoes will be excellent. I believe I’ll realize my dream of being the best tomato gardener.We can know from the first two paragraphs that .
| A．the author didn’t live there long |
| B．Sonoma County lies by the sea |
| C．people there like drinking wine |
| D．there are celebrations every day |
The passage mainly tells us something about .
| A．Egg Days | B．Seafood Festival |
| C．Tomato Festival | D．Vegetable Days |
If you are the best tomato gardener you will .
| A．be given prizes as a winner | B．eat tomato dishes for free |
| C．be respected by the local people | D．drink Kendall Jackson wine free |
Believe it or not, oceans and seas are easy to be harmed by the development of human society. They are also influenced by man-made pollution easily. It is human beings that do great harm to the ocean ecosystems(生态系统).
The coral reefs(珊瑚礁)are fine ecosystems that provide food and protection for many ocean creatures. The coral in almost all of the oceans is in danger from pollution.Chemicals from factories end up in the seas and oceans and destroy coral reefs. If the coral systems die some ocean creatures will be sure to die out.
Protecting the ocean also has something to do with the protection of ocean wildlife like dolphins. The fishing industry depends on modern ways to catch many fish in order to earn more money. But the nets for fishing also seize other sea animals. The fishing boat workers are advised to check their nets and set other ocean animals free. But the boats are in a hurry to make money and often other ocean animals are caught with fish.
Offshore oil spills(近海石油泄露) can destroy the ocean environment because oil kills all ocean life. The world depends on oil and because there is a great amount of oil off the shore of many countries, the need for oil is more important than the risk of the oil spill. However, the fact is that one human mistake can lead to an ocean environmental accident that will cause years of damage to the fine ocean ecosystems. Oil spills will kill all the creatures in the area of the spill. The oil will be washed up on shore and destroy the ecosystems along the shore including birds.
Everyone who cares about the environment should be interested in protecting the ocean, and all of us should do something for the protection of the ocean.According to the passage, the ocean is harmed easily as a result of .
| A．the overuse of the oceans |
| B．the change of natural conditions |
| C．the increase of population by the sea |
| D．the increasing activities of humans |
What does the second paragraph mainly tell readers?
| A．How ocean creatures depend on coral reefs. |
| B．Coral reefs are home to ocean animals. |
| C．The great harm caused by factory pollution. |
| D．The importance of protecting coral systems. |
The underlined work “seize” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced with“ ”.
| A．catch | B．attract | C．place | D．cover |
Why do people continue to get oil in the sea at the risk of oil spills?
| A．Because they believe the oil spill can be stopped. |
| B．Because there is a large amount of oil in the sea. |
| C．Because they are in great need of oil. |
| D．Because getting oil in sea is easier than on land. |
One in 400 children in the United States has diabetes(糖尿病). And the most difficult thing for the young diabetic patients is that many of them don’t have a clear idea when they need to take insulin(a drug used in treating diabetes).The parents of one Long Island boy found the perfect solution—Hero, a specially trained dog that can discover when a diabetic is in trouble and find help.
Johnny Pion, eight years old, is a poor kid that was told he was a diabetic in 2008. He can’t do without insulin. His blood-sugar levels should be closely checked. He even can’t go out to play without his mom or dad fearing he might need help.
With Hero in her new home, Johnny’s parents may worry a little less. They received the news about Hero on the newspaper. The dog cost around $20,000. With the help of friends and family, the Pions brought Hero home from Warren Retrievers in Virginia. Mary Campbell. Hero’s trainer, said the dog could discover the slightest changes in blood sugar by her sense of smell.“Humans have 5 million smell receptors(感受器)； dogs have 5 billion smell receptors,”she said.
When the dog discovers something’s wrong, she’ll rub(蹭)her head against Johnny’s legs. If he doesn’t answer her, Hero knows to look for Johnny’s mom and dad. Hero even could ring up 911.
On their first night, Johnny’s was comfortably sleeping in his own bed with Hero and not with his parents for the first time. Night time is very important because blood sugar goes unchecked while sleeping. Now Hero is a round-the-clock nurse.Young people with diabetes have difficulty .
| A．telling when they need to take medicine |
| B．finding what is he best medicine for them |
| C．remembering the names of their medicine |
| D．knowing how to keep healthy and live a longer life |
Hero can help Johnny because she .
| A．cost around $20,000 |
| B．never sleeps during the night |
| C．has 5 million smell receptors |
| D．can discover the changes of blood sugar |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Hero can telephone her owners for help. |
| B．Hero is helpful for the family. |
| C．The Pions paid for the dog by using donations. |
| D．The Pions provided special food for the dog. |
After Johnny Pions got ill, he had to .
| A．carry insulin every day |
| B．go to hospital very often |
| C．sleep under the care of others |
| D．live with his family doctor |
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