B
Snow can be very beautiful. When snow covers everything around you , the world looks like a “Winter Wonderland”. That is the name of a very popular song about winter. Richard Smith and Felix Bernard wrote the song in 1934.
But winter is not always such a beautiful and happy time. It is cold outside.The wind blows and makes it even colder. The days are shorter and darker. The sun rarely shines. The leaves on the trees are brown or have fallen to the ground. The flowers are mostly gone. It is not surprising that some people are sad in winter. And some people dream about being somewhere else where it is warm and pretty——like the state of California. The Mamas and the Papas recorded their famous song, “California Dreaming” in 1965.
During the 1960s, many other famous rock groups sang songs about winter. Here is a song by Simon and Garfunkel called “A Hazy Shade of Winter”. They sing about life and hope.
In 1968, the group Blood, Sweat and Tears recorded this gentle, sad song about winter. They sing about a lost love and forgotten memories in “Sometimes in Winter”.
Gordon Lightfoot wrote and recorded another sad and lovely song about winter in 1975.Sarah McLachlan recorded “Song for a Winter’s Night” for an album in 2006.She sings about reading a love letter and wishing the writer were with her.
Finally, on a lovely note, we leave you this sad song by Wayne.
40. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. “Winter Wonderland” is a song written by two brothers.
B. Most people feel very sad in winter.
C. “California Dreaming” is the most famous song about winter.
D. Winter is not always a happy time.
41. What do we learn about the song “Sometimes in Winter” from the passage?
A. It was written for Sarah McLachlan .
B. Gordon Lightfoot made some changes to it.
C. It is a gentle and sad song about winter.
D. It first came out in the 1970s.
42. What can we infer from the passage?
A. It is usually warm in California in winter.
B. “Song for a Winter’s Night” is a very happy song.
C. Blood, Sweat and Tears are the names of three singers.
D. Simon and Garfunkel often felt sad.
43. Where is this passage most probably taken from?
A. Newspaper B. TV news C. Radio program D. Magazine
Much meaning can be conveyed, clearly, with our eyes, so it is often said that eyes can speak.
Do you have such kind of experience? In a bus you may look at a stranger, but not too long. And if he is sensing that he is being stared at, he may feel uncomfortable.
The same is in daily life. If you are looked at for more than necessary, you will look at yourself up and down to see if there is anything wrong with you. If nothing goes wrong, you will feel angry toward other’s stare at you that way. Eyes do speak, right?
Looking too long at someone may seem to be rude and aggressive. But things are different when it comes to stare at the opposite sex. If a man glances at a woman for more than 10 seconds and refuses to avert his gaze, his intentions are obvious. That is, he wishes to attract her attention, to make her understand that he is admiring her.
However, the normal eye contact for two people engaged in conversation is that the speaker will only look at the listener from time to time; in order to make sure that the listener does pay attention to hat the former is speaking, to tell him that he is attentive.
If a speaker looks at you continuously when speaking, as if he tries to dominate you, you will feel disconcerted. A poor liar usually expose s himself by looking too long at the victim, since he believes the false ides that to look straight in the eye is a sign of honest communication.
In fact, continuous eye contact is confined to lovers only, who will enjoy looking at each other tenderly for a long time, to show affection that words cannot express.
Evidently, eye contact should be done according to the relationship between two people and specific situation.
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.It is always very rude and aggressive to look at others for a long time. |
B.One’s feelings can be shown through their eyes. |
C.If a stranger looks at you for some time, he must be attracted at you.. |
D.If you are stared at by a stranger, you must look very awkward. |
How can we tell if someone possibly lying?
A.If he looks at you directly in the eye for too long. |
B.If he looks at you occasionally. |
C.If he looks honest. |
D.If he looks attentive. |
What is suggested if you ate talking to others?
A. You’d better look at the listener all the time.
B. You are advised to try to dominate the listeners.
C. You are supposed to look at the listeners from time to time.
D. You should not make eye contact with listeners.
If two persons exchange eye contact gently for long, what is probably their relationship?
A.Father and son. | B.Strangers. | C.Lovers. | D.Teacher and student. |
Where can we read this passage?
A.In a textbook. . | B.In a science journal. | C.In a magazine. | D.In a psychology report. |
There are robots all around us. Some do very complicated jobs like flying airplanes and driving subway trains. And some do one simple job. When an automatic washing machine is switched on , water pours in. The machine waits until the water is warm enough for washing clothes. It does this by “feedback(反馈)” . Information about what is happening is feedback into the robot to tell what to do next. Our eyes, ears and other senses are our feedback. They tell us what is going on around us . So robots are like human beings in two ways.
They work and they have feedback.
In some ways robots are better than human beings. They work quickly and do not make mistakes. They do not get bored doing the same job over and over again. And they never get tired. So robots are very useful in factories. They can be taught to do many different jobs. First their electronic brain must be shown how the job is done, A person moves the robot’s “arms” and “hands” through each part of the job.
The most intelligent robots can move and see. Their eyes are cameras. Their fingers can feel shapes and sizes of the objects. These robots have computer brains linked to their eyes and fingers, which control their actions. The expensive robots are used in scientific research. They do such jobs as handling radioactive materials.
59. In this passage the author tells us that .
A. robots are very popular B. there are various kinds of robots
C. we see robots only at certain times D. robots can be easily controlled
60. What does the author seem to inform you about robots?
A. They should be greatly improved
B. They will probably take over in the future
C. They are very hopeful and useful to humans
D. They are machines that break down a lot
61. The author says that in industry .
A. robots break down a lot B. robots can do many jobs
C. robots only get in the way D. robots sometimes cause troubles
62. The fact that a robot never gets bored doing the same job means that .
A. it is very much like human beings B. it can do boring jobs for people
C. it will never bore people D. it will work much better than human beings
For those who were born in the year of the pig, good luck and much success! This is your year. When talking to a westerner, however, you’ve got to be a little careful when talk about pigs. Chinese people view the pig as a small and prosperous (rich, luckily) animal. Western ideas tend to be a little more negative.(否定).
A pig in the West is seen as a dirty , lazy and fat animal. If anyone ever called you a pig, you wouldn’t be smiling. When a person doesn’t like someone, something he will call that person a pig.
If you ever meet a Westerner who was born in the year of the pig, don’t say, “Oh , you’re a pig!” Most Westerners will be misunderstanding. They will be sure that you made some kind of mistakes. However, don’t take any chances. You might just offend someone who does not share your positive ideas about.
66. You have to be careful when you talk to a Westerner about pigs because _____.
A. they worship pigs best of all
B. they consider pigs as gad animals
C. they aren’t used to talking about pigs
D, they don’t like the topic about pigs at all
67. According to the passage we can see that Chinese people think of the pig as a _____animal.
A. clever B. rich C. good D. all the above
68. He will call someone a pig if he _____that man.
A. dislikes B. is afraid of C. looks up to D. makes fun of
69. When you call a Westerner a pig, who was born in the year of the pig, most of them _____.
A. will be angry B. will be very surprised
C. can forgive you D. may quarrel with you
70. From the passage we can conclude that ______.
A. different people have different ideas about the same thing.
B. Westerners do not like pigs as much as the Chinese do
C. In general Westerners and the Chinese don’t like pigs
D. All of the Chinese like pigs better than Westerners
February has long been a month of romance. With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what you see on Valentine’s Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest in the third century Rome. When the emperor (皇帝) decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didn’t allow marriage.
But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed “From your Valentine”, an expression that is still in use today. Valentine died for what he believed in and so he was made a Saint (圣徒), as well as becoming one of history’s most romantic characters.
Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are planning to make Valentine’s cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart-shaped cakes. The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St. Valentine.
72. Why did the emperor in Rome not allow marriage in his country?
A. Because there were few women in his country at that time.
B. Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers.
C. Because there wasn’t enough food for so many people.
D. Because he wanted to control the birth rate.
73. Valentine was put into prison because _______.
A. he killed one of the soldiers B. he stole a lot of food
C. he didn’t obey the emperor’s order D. he didn’t want to be a soldier
74. The last paragraph mainly tells us _______.
A. students in China send cards to their teachers B. it is a good idea to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China
C. it is interesting to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China D. Valentine’s Day is also popular in China now
75. The best title for this passage should be _______.
A. Valentine’s Day B. A Brave Priest
C. Valentine’s Day in China D. A Romantic Man
I teach geography at UNLV three times per week. Last Monday, at the beginning of class, I cheerfully asked my students how their weekend had been. One young man said that his weekend had not been so good. He had his wisdom teeth removed. The young man then asked me why I always seemed to be so cheerful. “I choose to be cheerful.” I said. Then I told them a story.
In addition to teaching here at UNLV, I also teach out at the community college in Henderson, 17 miles down the freeway from where I live. One day I drove those 17 miles to Henderson. I exited the freeway and turned onto College Drive. I only had to drive another quarter mile down the road to the college. But just then my car died and wouldn’t start again. So I left my car there and marched down the road to the college.
As soon as I got there I called AAA (美国汽车协会)and arranged for a tow truck (拖车) to meet me at my car after class. The secretary in the office asked me what had happened. “This is my lucky day.” I replied, smiling.
“Your car breaks down and today is your lucky day?” She was puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“My car could have broken down anywhere along the freeway but it didn’t.” I replied, “Instead, it broke down in the perfect place: off the freeway, within walking distance from here. I’m still able to teach my class, and I’ve been able to arrange for the tow truck to meet me after class.” The secretary’s eyes opened wide, and then she smiled. I smiled back and headed for class. So ended my story.
I scanned the sixty faces in my class at UNLV. Despite the early hour, no one seemed to be asleep. Somehow, my story had touched them. Or maybe it wasn’t the story at all. In fact, it had all started with a student’s observation that I was cheerful. An Indian wise man once said, “Who you are speaks louder to me than anything you can say.” I suppose it must be so.
Why did the author tell his students the story?
A.To share his lucky experience. |
B.To make his class more lively. |
C.To draw all students’ attention. |
D.To encourage his students to be positive. |
What happened to the author on his way to the community college?
A.He parked his car in a perfect place. |
B.He called AAA for a tow truck to meet him. |
C.He covered the last quarter mile on foot. |
D.He drove off the freeway at a wrong exit. |
By saying “it wasn’t the story at all”, the author means that_______.
A.His story is not convincing |
B.He shouldn’t have told the story |
C.His attitude to life has inspired the students |
D.His story is not as interesting as expected |
What can be concluded from the passage?
A.Easier said than done. |
B.You are what you choose. |
C.Behind bad luck comes good luck. |
D.A good beginning makes a good ending. |
The film stars out as a normal day at a typical American high school. Friends chat in the dining room and boys play football. But there's big surprise when the movie ends with two students going crazy in the school-shooting and killing people.
This is Elephant. It stars real school kids. American director Gus Van Sant had no ready-made lines. The student actors made up their own dialogue, with Van Sant asking them to base their characters on their own lives.
Although it may not sound very high quality, the film won the Palme d'Or (金棕奖) for Best Film and the award for Best Director at the Cannes film festival.
The film is based on the shootings at a high school in the US, where two boys killed 13 people and then themselves in 1999.
The title of the movie refers to the old expression about a problem that's as hard to ignore as an elephant in the house.
The film takes a close look at a few hours in the lives of the victims and the killers. It shows how high school is a different experience for everyone---fun and friendly, or hard and lonely.
In many ways, the two boys, who carry out the shooting, act like ordinary kids. They joke around with one boy's mother as she serves them cakes and play the piano.
But there're hints of the anger they feel inside. One of the boys is bullied (欺负) at school. The other plays violent video games. But Van Sant isn't blaming their killings on either bullying or violent games. In fact, the film doesn't offer any reason for why school violence happens.
"I didn't want to explain anything. It's up to the audience to draw its own conclusions," said the 51-year-old director.
The lines of the film were ________.
A.given by the director |
B.created by student actors |
C.thought out by the director during the acting |
D.carefully designed by professional people |
The film doesn't tell why school shootings happen________.
A.so as to leave room for the audience to think and judge |
B.because life itself is the problem maker |
C.because the mental problems of students are hard to explain |
D.but there are some hints of the reasons |
The film is named Elephant because ________.
A.an elephant is always gentle and never causes trouble |
B.an elephant is a symbol of big problems in American schools |
C.elephant is used to suggest that the school crime is a big problem |
D.the two boys liked elephants when alive |
What’s the passage mainly about?
A.It shows American school life. |
B.It introduces the film Elephant. |
C.It tells people to be careful while in peace. |
D.It reports a school killing in a US school. |
As you grow older,you’ll be faced with some challenging decisions--like whether to cut class or try cigarettes.Making decisions on your own is hard enough,but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder.People who are your age,like your classmates,are called peers.When they try to influence how you act,to get you to do something,it’s called peer pressure.
Peers can have a positive influence on each other.Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system.Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book,and now everyone’s reading it.These are examples of how peers positively influence each other.
Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways.For example,a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them; your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball.
It is tough to be the only one who says “no” to peer pressure,but you can do it.Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do.
You’ve probably had a parent or teacher advising you to “choose your friends wisely.” Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this.If you choose friends who don’t cut class,smoke cigarettes,or lie to their parents,then you probably won’t do these things either,even if other kids do.
If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to handle,talk to someone you trust.Don’t feel guilty if you’ve made a mistake or two.
For whom is the passage most probably written?
A.Students |
B.Parents |
C.Teachers |
D.Doctors |
In the last three paragraphs,the author mainly_____.
A.explains why friendship is so important |
B.gives advice on how to deal with peer pressure |
C.discusses how peers influence us |
D.shows how to make more good friends |
Which of following may help handle peer pressure?
A.Spending more time with classmates. |
B.Taking up more relaxing hobbies. |
C.Choosing friends with no bad habits. |
D.Helping others who are in trouble. |
What is the topic of the passage?
A.Friendship |
B.Making decisions |
C.Self-confidence |
D.Peer pressure |
阅读下列短文,选出最佳选项。 Three-year-old Teddy Lasry was sleeping in his cowboy outfit (套装) yesterday at his family’s Fifth Ave.apartment when he shot up in bed screaming.A 3-foot-long black-and-white snake twisted around his left arm and had just bitten his little finger.
“The babysitter (a person taking care of children while their parents are away for a short time) was frightened to death,” said Teddy’s father, David Lasry, who, along with his wife, Evelyn, was at work when the snake appeared about 4:00 pm.
The horrified babysitter called 911 and the building’s doorman.The doorman and two cable TV workers helped take the snake off the boy’s arm and put it in a garbage bag.Police rushed Teddy to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he spent two hours attached to a heart monitor as a precaution in case the snake was poisonous.It wasn’t.Experts at the snakebite treatment center at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, where policemen took the snake, found out it was a non-poisonous California king snake.
But how did it end up in Teddy’s bed?
A little detective work determined that the snake had escaped two weeks ago from its cage in the apartment of a doctor whose family lives four floors below the Lasrys.The apologetic owner said his son’s pet snake likely traveled up the water pipes and into his neighbor’s apartment.“It’s a very gentle, very harmless snake,” he said.“It’s handled by our family all the time.”
David Lasry believed the pet was simply hungry after two weeks of wandering.Evelyn said her son seems to have overcome his fright by thinking of himself as a hero cowboy as he rode in the back of the police car to the hospital.
“I told Teddy he’s a pretty snake, a nice pet snake who got out of his cage,” Evelyn said.“But he asked, ‘Why did he bite my finger, Mamma?’ And I said, ‘Because he saw that you are a big boy, Teddy, in your cowboy outfit and he got scared.’”
What did the babysitter do after Teddy was bitten by a snake?
A.She ran out of the apartment. |
B.She called the TV company. |
C.She made an emergency call. |
D.She took the snake off Teddy’s arm. |
We can learn from the passage that the snake _______.
A.was poisonous |
B.was kept in a cage by its owner |
C.was deserted by its owner |
D.escaped to the apartment |
From the passage, we know _______.
A.Teddy needed a heart machine to stay alive for two hours |
B.Teddy was awake when the snake arrived |
C.Teddy’s mother was at home when the snake turned up |
D.the snake was used to being touched |
Teddy probably believed he was attacked because _______.
A.his parents weren’t at home |
B.he was asleep the snake |
C.was scared of him |
D.the snake was hungry |
B
Populations and Land (1987) |
||||
|
Area in |
Percent |
Population |
Percent |
|
Square miles |
Cultivated |
In millions |
forested |
United States |
3615104 |
20 |
243.8 |
28 |
Canada |
3851792 |
5 |
25.9 |
33 |
United Kingdom |
94525 |
29 |
56.8 |
9 |
Australia |
2967896 |
6 |
16.2 |
14 |
India |
1269340 |
51 |
800.3 |
21 |
China |
3705390 |
11 |
1062.0 |
14 |
Which two countries are the closest to each other in area?
A.The US and Canada | B.The US and China |
C.China and Canada | D.India and China |
_____ has the highest population density(密度), and _____ has the second highest.
A.China, India | B.India, China |
C.India, the US | D.China, the US |
Which two countries have the closest percentage of cultivated land?
A.The US and the United Kingdom. |
B.The US and China |
C.Australia and Canada. |
D.Australia and China |
There are _____ countries whose cultivated land percentage is larger than the forest percentage.
A.2 | B.3 | C.4 | D.5 |
For those who make journeys across the world, the speed of travel today has turned the countries into a series of villages. Distances between them appear no greater to a modern traveler than those which once faced men as they walked from village to village. Jet plane fly people from one end of the earth to the other, allowing them a freedom of movement undreamt of a hundred years ago.
Yet some people wonder if the revolution in travel has gone too far. A price has been paid, they say, for the conquest (征服) of time and distance. Travel is something to be enjoyed, not endured . The boat offers leisure and time enough to appreciate the ever-changing sights and sounds of a journey. A journey by train also has a special charm about it. Lakes and forests and wild, open plains sweeping past your carriage window create a grand view in which time and distance mean nothing. On board a plane, however, there is just the blank blue of the sky filling the narrow window of the airplane. The soft lighting, in-flight films and gentle music make up the only world you know, and the hours progress slowly.
Then there is the time spent being “processed” at a modern airport. People are conveyed like robots along walkways; baggage is weighed, tickets produced, examined and produced yet again before the passengers move again to another waiting area. Journeys by rail and sea take longer, yes, but the hours devoted to being “processed” at departure and arrival in airports are luckily absent. No wonder, then, that the modern high-speed trains are winning back passengers from the airlines.
Man, however, is now a world traveler and can not turn his back on the airplane. The working lives of too many people depend upon it; whole new industries have been built around its design and operation. The holiday maker, too, with limited time to spend, patiently endures the busy airports and limited space of the flight to gain those extra hours and even days, relaxing in the sun. Speed controls people’s lives; time saved, in work or play, is the important thing—or so we are told. Perhaps those first horsemen, riding free across the wild, open plains, were enjoying a better world than the one we know today. They could travel at will, and the clock was not their master.
What does the writer try to express in Paragraph1?
A.Travel by plane has speeded up the growth of villages. |
B.The speed of modern travel has made distances relatively short. |
C.The freedom of movement has helped people realize their dreams. |
D.Man has been fond of travelling rather than staying in one place. |
How does the writer support the underlined statement in Paragraph2?
A.By giving instructions. |
B.By analyzing cause and effect. |
C.By following the order of time. |
D.By giving examples. |
According to Paragraph 3, passengers are turning back to modern high-speed trains because______.
A.they pay less for the tickets |
B.they feel safer during the travel |
C.they can enjoy higher speed of travel |
D.they don’t have to be “processed” |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Air travel benefits people and industries. |
B.Train Travel has some advantages over air travel. |
C.Great changes have taken place in modern travel. |
D.The high speed of air travel is gained at a cost. |
When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farm and, in the winter especially, we were quite cut off from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that city life has its problems too.
One big disadvantage is money---it costs so much to go out, not to mention basics like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma(哮喘), and at times the air is so bad that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of travelling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.
Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever your tastes in culture or entertainment. Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising---and, what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.
Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is, when you are in your teens(十几岁) or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.
What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?
A.Staying on the farm |
B.Moving to the countryside |
C.Leaving home for the city |
D.Running away from the school |
Which of the following is true about the writer?
A.He is very old now. |
B.He is in good health. |
C.He prefers driving a car. |
D.He lives in the city now. |
In the passage, the writer tries to _______.
A.express his opinions about way of life |
B.describe his life in the countryside |
C.show an interest in the outside world |
D.persuade the reader to live in the city |
How is the passage mainly developed?
A.By inferring | B.By comparing |
C.By listing examples | D.By giving explanations |
A friend is better than fortune. A friend is worse than poison in some cases.
The two sentences above have opposite meanings and seem to be unreasonable, but they can be explained as follows: the first refers to all good friends who drive us towards good while the second all bad ones who lead us into bad ways.
My ideal friend is of course a good friend whose goodness is shown below — he has no bad habits, such as smoking and drinking. He lives in frugality (节俭). He studies hard so as not to waste his golden time. At home he honors his parents and loves his brothers; at school he respects his teachers and shares the feelings of his classmates. He treats those truly who are true to him. In a word, he has all the good characteristics that I don’t have. I can follow him as a model. With his help I can be free from all difficulties.
Indeed, if I have such a person as my friend, I shall never fear difficulty and I shall never know the existence of the word “failure”.
This passage tells us ____.
A.how to make friends with others |
B.how to help friends |
C.what kind of person the writer’s friend is |
D.what kind of person we should make friends with |
According to the writer, an ideal friend refers to _______.
A.a friend without bad habits |
B.a famous man |
C.a perfect man |
D.a respectable man |
From the passage we can learn that ________.
A.the writer and his ideal friend have a lot to learn from each other |
B.the writer has a lot to learn from his ideal friend |
C.the writer’s ideal friend has a lot to learn from him |
D.the writer has only a little to learn from his ideal friend |
From the second paragraph, we can infer the writer is sure that _______.
A.friendship means a great deal to him |
B.nothing can be done without friends |
C.he who does not smoke or drink must be a good friend |
D.good friends should always help each other |
There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do .
In the ancient world , as is today ,most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another .In societies where social roles are rigidly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls are being prepared, even in play , to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world .
What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same . The changes have been mostly in terms of craftsmanship ,mechanics, and technology . It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their persistence to the present that is amazing .In Egypt ,America ,China ,Japan and among the Arctic (北极的)people, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Variations depended on local customs and way of life because toys imitate their surrounding. Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles.
Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological leaps that characterize inventions for adult use .The progress from the wheel to the cart to the automobile is a direct line of ways up. The progress from a rattle (拔浪鼓) used by a baby in 3000BCto one used by an infant today , however , is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of available materials.
The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls play with is that .
A.their social roles are rigidly determined |
B.they like challenging activities |
C.most boys would like to follow their fathers’ professions |
D.boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their mothers. |
One aspect of “the universality of toys ”lies in the fact that .
A.the basic characteristics of toys are the same all over the world |
B.technological advances have greatly improved the durability of toys |
C.the exploration of the universe has led to the creation of new kinds of toys |
D.the improvement of craftsmanship in making toys depends on the efforts of universities |
Which of the following is the author’s view on the historical development of toys?
A.Toys are playing an increasingly important role in shaping a child’s character. |
B.The toy industry has witnessed great leaps in technology in recent years. |
C.The craftsmanship in toy-making has remained essentially unchanged. |
D.Toys have remained basically the same all through the centuries. |
Regarded as a kind of art form, toys .
A.reflect the pace of social progress |
B.are not characterized by technological progress |
C.follow a direct line of ascent |
D.also appeal greatly to adults |
Here’s an amazing way to get a hard-boiled egg into a bottle, even though the mouth of the boiled is smaller than the egg! What’s more, you don’t even need to touch the egg to get it to go in!
For this experiment you will need:
·a hard-boiled egg
·a glass bottle with a mouth just slightly smaller than the egg (a fruit-drink bottle works well)
·a 8-cm by 8-cm(3-inch by 3-inch)piece of newspaper
·a match
Remove the shell from the egg. Set the egg on the mouth of the bottle to see that the egg does not fit through the mouth.
Light the paper. Remove the egg from the mouth of the bottle and drop the burning paper into the bottle. Before the fire goes out, set the egg back onto the mouth of the bottle. Within a few seconds the egg will squeeze(挤) through the mouth and into the bottle.
As it entered the bottle, the egg may have broken into pieces. This happens when the diameter(直径) of the egg is more than about 0.5 cm(about 3/16 inch) larger than the diameter of the bottle’s opening.
Why does the egg slide into the bottle, even though no one is pushing it? Because the pressure of the air is pushing it. Before the burning paper is put into the bottle, the pressure of the air inside is the same as outside. The burning paper, however, heats the air inside. This causes the air inside to expand. When the egg is placed on top of the bottle, it seals(封住) the bottle. When the fire goes out, the air inside cools. As it cools, the air contracts(紧缩), and the pressure of the air inside becomes less than the pressure outside. Then, the higher outside pressure pushes the egg into the bottle!
The best title of this passage can be .
A.An interesting story | B.The pressure of the air |
C.Egg in a bottle | D.Egg, bottle and match |
What don’t you need in this experiment?
A.Eggs. | B.Water. | C.Bottles. | D.Paper. |
Why will the egg break into pieces while entering the bottle?
A.Because of the burning paper. |
B.Because the diameter of the egg is too larger than that of the bottles opening. |
C.Because it is cool inside the bottle. |
D.Because the pressure of the air inside is larger. |
What is the most important to get the egg into a bottle?
A.A match. | B.A fruit-drink bottle. | C.The pressure of the air. | D.The burning paper. |