A report, published in last week's Journal of the American Medical Association, offers a picture of how risky it is to get a lift from a teenage driver. Indeed, a 16-year-old driver with three or more passengers is three times as likely to have a fatal(致命)accident as a teenager driving alone. By contrast, the risk of death for drivers between 30 and 59 decreases with each additional passenger.
The author also found that the death rates for teenage drivers increased dramatically after 10 p. m.,and especially after midnight. With passengers in the car,the driver was even more likely to die in a late night accident.
Robert Foss, a scientist at the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center, says the higher death rates for teenage drivers have less to do with "really stupid behavior" than with just a lack of driving experience. "The basic thing, "he says, "is that adults who are responsible for issuing(发放) licenses fail to recognize how skilled a task driving is. "
Both he and the author of the study believe that the way to reduce the harm is to have so-called graduated licensing systems, in which getting a license is a slower process. A graduated license requires that a teenager first prove himself capable of driving in the presence of an adult, followed by a period of driving at night with a limited number of passengers before graduating to get a full driving license.
Graduated licensing systems have reduced teenage driver crashes, according to recent studies. About half of the states now have some sort of graduated licensing system in place, but only 10 of those states have number limitation on passengers. California is the strictest, with a new driver prohibited from carrying any passenger under 20 for the first six months.
76.Which of the following situations is most dangerous according to the passage?
A. Adults giving a lift to teenagers on the highway after 10 p. m.
B. A teenager driving after midnight with passengers in the car.
C. Adults driving with three or more teenage passengers late at night.
D. A teenager getting a lift from a stranger on the highway at midnight.
77.According to Robert Foss, the high death rate of teenage drivers is mainly due to_______.
A. their frequent driving at night B. their lack of driving experience
C. their improper way of driving D. their driving with passengers
78.Which of the following statements is true according to Paragraph 3 ?
A. Teenagers should spend more time learning to drive.
B. Driving is a skill too difficult for teenagers to learn.
C. Teenagers should be limited in taking driving lessons.
D. People issuing license are partly responsible for the accidents.
79.A suggested measure to be taken to reduce teenagers'driving accidents is that_______
A. driving in the presence of an adult should be made a rule.
B. they should be forbidden to take on passengers
C. they should not be allowed to drive after 10 p. m.
D. the licensing systems should be improved
80.The present situation in about half of the states is that the graduated licensing system_______.
A. is under discussion B. is about to be set up
C. has been put into effect D. has been perfected
OPEC Decides not to Increase Production
Vienna-In spite of Iraq’s decision to stop oil deliveries ,the 11-nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries ( OPEC) will not increase production to make up the shortfall , ministers decided Tuesday in Vienna .
The 11 oil ministers decided to meet again on July 3 to discuss the effects of the Iraq temporary stop .The organization’s president ,Chakib Khelil of Algeria ,said after the meeting that stocks were high and prices were stable ,so quota(配额) increases were not necessary .
The E.U. Commission has expressed concern about Iraq’s output stop .A speaker said OPEC had to take all possible measures to keep or lower the oil price .
Saudi Arabia’s Oil Minister Ali Al-Nuaimi had earlier said there would not be any shortage of oil in the market .The organization had already taken steps to fill the gap .he said .OPEC Secretary General Ali Rodriguez added that the period of the Iraq stopping exports was not known ,so other exporters were not going to lift quotas yet .If the market was destabilized (动摇的),a suitable response could be made .
Iraq on Monday stopped shipments of crude oil to protest against the U.N. Security Council’s decision to extend the oil-for–food program by only a month , instead of the normal six-month renewal(延期).
Just before the Vienna meeting , oil prices had gone up ,with a barrel of OPEC crude selling for 27.05 dollars ,up from 26.81 dollars last Friday .North sea oil was at 29.26 dollars Monday evening .
OPEC wants the oil price to stay within a margin of 22 to 28 dollars and achieved that with cuts in January and March that reduced 2.5 million barrels per day off quotas .
(Reports from SOHU English News HOMEPAGE (CHINESE) June 6 ,2001)
.Iraq made the decision to stop oil deliveries because ____ .
A oil price is too low in the international market
B the U.N.Security Council has decided to shorten the time for the oil-for-food programme
C many oil wells were destroyed during the war in the late 1980s
D it couldn’t get enough money to develop its economy .The attitude the E.U. Commission took towards Iraq’s output stop is ___ .
A active B concerned C cold D surprising “The organization ”here refers to _____ .
A OPEC B the E.U. Commission C the U.N. Security D WHO .The main idea of the passage is ____ .
A the oil prices in the world were stable though Iraq had stopped oil deliveries
B OPEC wants the oil price to stay within a margin of 22 to 28 dollars
C OPEC will not increase oil production to make up the shortfall that is caused by Iraq .
D oil is connected with people’s daily life .The 11 oil ministers decided to meet on July 3 so that ____ .
A they can persuade Iraq to continue oil production
B they can have a discussion about the effects of Iraq’s temporary oil stop
C they can have a talk with the U.N. Security Council
D they can make up their minds to increase oil production
The unimaginable earthquake in Haiti has shocked the world. Thanks to modern communication technology, the world has seen the scale of destruction by the 7.0- magnitude quake. Images on TV and the Internet show the Haiti capital has been reduced to rubble and helpless survivors waiting for relief.
So far, at least 50,000 people are feared dead, and tens of thousands left injured or homeless in one of the poorest countries in the West. The number of dead is rising with each passing hour for a few days. Considering Haiti’s total population is only about 8.5 million, the extent of damage will reach every field of the country’s social structures.
Rescuers from countries such as China, the United States, France and Dominican Republic have already reached Haiti, carrying necessary things like food and medicines, life-detecting devices and other rescue equipment. Politicians,workers and Hollywood actors have opened their wallets and called for donations to help disaster relief. The whole world is ready to help them. The world is a village today where no one can remain indifferent when a neighbor falls in disaster.
The suffering of people anywhere in the world strikes the hearts of Chinese people. The death of eight Chinese peacekeepers in Haiti has little to do with it. Chinese people feel a special sympathy for Haitians because just less than 20 months ago they were struggling to rise from the earthquake.
Though Beijing and Port-au-Prince have no diplomatic relations, China was among the first nations to send a rescue team and to announce a donation. In the face of natural disasters, respect for human lives overtakes diplomacy and national boundaries. We share the pain of the Haitian people, and we believe China’s experience in rescue and operations and reconstructions will help reduce that pain.
The most pressing task after a quake is the golden-hour rescue operation. Many Haitians are buried under rubble, and relentless efforts must be made to save as many of them as possible. Yet there remains a question on how effectively the flows of aid from around the world be managed. It is here that the UN can play the leading role, for it should be responsible for common humanitarian efforts from across the globe to reach the benefits to the maximum number of people.
After the 2004 tsunami killed more than 200,000 people in Asia, some experts said the UN needed to build a well-equipped and trained force disaster rescue specialists and keep it on standby to help people after natural disasters such as the Haiti quake. It is time the UN gave the idea a serious thought, for a life-saving force could play as important as its peacekeeping soldiers.
60.According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A.The number of Haiti’s total population is about 8.5 billion
B.Rescuers from many countries have reached Haiti, carrying necessary things like food, water and medicines.
C.Chinese people feel a special sympathy for Haitians because we have the same experiences.
D.The flows of aid from the world has been managed well.
61.The word “indifferent” underlined in the third paragraph most probably means ______.
A.cruel B.friendly C.cold D.warm
62. We can infer that people around the world actively help the Haitians because ______.
A.people among countries have close relations
B.earthquake is a natural disaster, people respect human lives, and show common feelings to people in trouble
C.people should be responsible
D.people have ever been rescued by Haitians
63.Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A.The UN plays an important role
B.We are with you, Haiti
C.People share the pain with the Haitian people
D.Modern communication technology is used widely
OLYMPIA, March 24—Luo Xuejuan, a swimming gold medalist at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, became the first Chinese person to relay the Olympic Flame in Greece on Monday, receiving the flame from the first Olympic torchbearer(火炬手), Greek Alexandros Nikolaidis.
Despite her previous experience as a torchbearer in the Beijing leg of the Athens 2004 torch relay, Luo felt honored and proud of being chosen as the first Chinese torchbearer, the Xihua News Agency reported Luo as saying in an interview.
She talked about the great responsibility that she felt, as she believed she was representing every Chinese athlete and even Chinese person by running her leg of the relay.
Regarding missing the torch lighting ceremony because she had to be in an assigned location to wait for the flame, Luo felt no regret. “Even though I couldn’t see it, I was able to feel the flame light and knew that it was happening at a place nearby,” she said.
Luo expressed her belief that even if people couldn’t communicate with words, the Olympic Flame enables the transmission of the Olympic spirit and brings smiles wherever it might go. In Luo’s mind, the Olympic spirit represents purity, competition, friendship, enthusiasm, peace and harmony.Why didn’t Luo see the torch lighting ceremony?
A. She was late for the ceremony. |
B. She was not allowed to go there. |
C. She waited for the flame as the next torchbearer. |
D. The ceremony took place at a place far away. |
Choose the best explanation for the underlined word “leg” in Paragraph Three.
A. One of the long parts that connect the feet to the rest of the body. |
B. The part of a pair of trousers. |
C. One of the long thin parts on the bottom of a table. |
D. One part of a journey or race. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Luo Xuejuan was the first Olympic torchbearer in Greece. |
B. Luo had never been selected as a torchbearer before. |
C. Luo believed that the Olympic flame helped communication among people. |
D. Luo felt regretful because she missed the torch lighting ceremony. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
A. Luo Xuejuan: A Swimming Gold Medalist. |
B. The Torch Lighting Ceremony |
C. The Torch Relay Had Begun |
D. Luo Xuejuan: the First Chinese Torchbearer of Athens Torch Relay |
This passage is most likely to be seen in a .
A. novel |
B. newspaper |
C. magazine |
D. textbook |
IV.阅读理解(共20小题;每题2分; 满分40分)
Football--called soccer in the United States--is probably the most popular sport in the world today, It has been popular for a long time. But many years ago each country had different rules for its own football game.
In 1863 a group of people met in England to change this. They wrote a set of rules for all countries to follow. They also planned for soccer teams from different countries to play against each other. The idea worked. These rules are the same today, more than 100 years later. Now teams from all the world compete in the famous World Cup. The cup is a series of games which is held every four years. Team from many countries plays to see which is the best. Soccer is so popular today that it is not unusual for 600 million people to watch a World Cup match on television.
How did the World Cup start? The soccer team from Uruguay won the Olympic championship in soccer in 1924 and 1928. That country decided to have the first World Cup games in Montevideo in 1930, These first games were not very successful. Only thirteen teams arrived to play and eight of them were from South America.
It didn't seem like a world championship. The team from Uruguay won the Cup that first year.
56. In 1863 a group of people met in England______.
A. to play for football teams from different countries
B. to learn the rules for football
C. to write a set of rules for football
D. to have matches between teams from different countries
57. The rules written in 1863 are _____.
A. the same as today's B. different from today's
C. changed a lot D. changed a little
58. When did the first World Cup take place?
A. In 1930. B. In 1924. C. in 1928 D. In 1934
59. The first World Cup was not successful because
A. the Olympic champion didn't take place
B. some of the teams arrived too late
C. all teams were from South America
D. it did not seem like a world championship
When many people are worried that there are no more heroes(英雄) in the modern society(当今社会) ,two university(大学) students who lost their lives to rescue(营救)drowning(溺水的)children have shown that heroes still exist(存在).
According to(根据) the Inner Mongolia Morning Post(内蒙古晨报), the tragedy(悲剧)occurred on the afternoon of December 14,2002 when three school students skating on a frozen (结冰的) lake in Qingcheng Park in Hohhot(呼和浩特)fell through the ice into the freezing water.
More than 20 university students who happen to be near the spot(地点) immediately went to the rescue of the children,
Two children were quickly rescued, but the third died. The child’s body was not found for three hours. Two of the rescuers, Liu Ye and Hao Longbiao ,also died of cold and exhaustion(筋疲力尽).
The body of Hao who took the lead( 带领)in jumping into the lake was not found until the next day.A student who was unwilling to tell his name said he and his classmates from the local college were taking photos at the lake. When they heard the children’s cries for help,, they went to the ice hole hand in hand (手拉手)to rescue the children. But the ice kept breaking, causing most of then to fall into the icy water,
Local residents(居民) held mourning ceremonies(祭奠仪式)at the lake.
Eight of the students were seriously affected by the freezing water and were being kept in hospital for further observation(进一步观察), but their lives were no longer in danger.. The underlined word “occurred” here means
A.employed | B.mixed | C.guided | D.happened |
.. When the three school students fell into water, the university students were
A.skating on the ice | B.taking photos at the lake |
C.having a picnic | D.walking along the lake |
.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Three students died on the same day in all. |
B.Hao Longbiao’s body was found on December 14,2002. |
C.The university students didn’t think it dangerous to save the drowning children in the lake. |
D.Local residents were not brave in face of danger. |
. It can be inferred(推知) that ______________
A.people think little of (对----评价低)the two university students’ death |
B.the ice on the lake wasn’t strong enough to skate on |
C.some students regrets(后悔) for what they had done |
D.heroes don’t agree with(与-----一致) the steps(步调) of modern times |
Beijing — Premier Wen Jiabao has urged the leadership of all countries to deepen their political will in dealing with climate change woes (灾难) as uncertainties mount (增长) in the months before the United Nation’s conference in Cancun, Mexico, at the end of this year.
Wen made the remarks on Friday when he met with nearly 20 politicians, climate change and environmental ministers worldwide, who are in Beijing this weekend to attend an international forum on green economy and climate change.
Based on the achievements made at the Copenhagen Summit last December, Wen urged the rich countries to further make clear their compulsory carbon reduction targets. “At the same time, we developing countries should make clear our voluntary goal of slowing down climate change,” Wen said.
Wen also urged the developed countries to transfer(转让)climate change friendly technologies to the developing countries, especially the poorest countries and island nations.
During the meeting, Wen said China will redouble its efforts in reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency during the coming years after it finishes its 2006-2010 goal of cutting energy consumption per unit of economic output by 20 percent.
While praising China for its green efforts, former Australian Prime Minister Robert J. Lee Hawke asked China to share its experiences and lessons on energy savings and pollution reduction to the rest of the world to deal with global environmental woes and climate change.
Wen responded: “China, together with the rest of the world, is willing to make its due contribution in coping with global warming and climate change.”
At a banquet for the foreign guests on Friday night, former vice-premier Zeng Peiyan said “Increasing uncertainties are ahead for the climate change negotiations. The world needs more dialogue and cooperation”.
“Climate change woes are our shared challenges but the root lies in the historical emissions by the developed countries,” said Zeng, as president of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, which organized the weekend climate change summit.
Zeng expected the forum to work as a platform for different countries to communicate their positions freely before the Bonn climate change negotiation in June and the Cancun conference at the end of this year.Which title suits this passage best?
A.We must work on climate change. |
B.We should share our ‘green’ technology. |
C.We need to clarify our action targets. |
D.We ought to cooperate to control the climate. |
The underlined part in the last paragraph but one implies ________.
A.Air pollution just existed in the developed countries in the past. |
B.In the past, the developed countries slowed down the development of the world. |
C.Climate change woes were originally caused by the developed countries. |
D.The rich countries should be more responsible since they polluted most. |
It can be inferred from the passage that _________.
A.The Chinese government intends to be regarded as a developed country. |
B.The whole world has got the same opinion about the measures to take. |
C.The developed countries have not found any effective ways to cut their emissions. |
D.There is still a long way to go before an agreement can be reached. |
Why did Wen Jiabao urge the developed countries to clarify their carbon reduction targets?
A.Because the developed countries are not willing to deal with global environmental woes. |
B.Because the developing countries have not set any goal of slowing down climate change. |
C.Because there are mounting uncertainties ahead for the climate change negotiations. |
D.Because agreements were already made at the Copenhagen Summit last December. |
JINTAN, JIANGSU: The 20 students — 18 boys and 2 girls —had a thousand reasons to be proud of themselves. They had just climbed their way to the top rung(阶梯)out of 4 million students taking part in the Fifth National Hua Luogeng Gold Cup Mathematics Contest(竞赛)on Tuesday evening. The 20 gold medal winners are all primary and middle school students under the age of 14. ‘Many of the problems are of college level and these pupils can figure them out. It is just unbelievable!’said a teacher from Guangdong province. Named after China's most famous mathematician, Hua Luogeng, the contest started in 1986,one year after his death. In less than 10 years, it has been recognized by the State Education Commission(国家教委) as the country's biggest and best contest of its kind. This news story is mainly about________ .
A.when the contest started |
B.how the contest got its name |
C.the 20 pupils who have won gold medals in the contest |
D.the 5th National Hua Luogeng Gold Cup Mathematics Contest |
This news story most probably appeared in a newspaper in ________.
A.1986 | B.1987 | C.1995 | D.1997 |
It can be inferred from the text that the teacher from Guangdong province ________.
A.felt proud of the gold medal winners |
B.wondered if the students were honest |
C.thought that the problems were too difficult for the students |
D.believed that the twenty winners could go to study at university |
The underlined phrase ‘figure out’ in the text means_________.
A.work out | B.add up | C.guess | D.study |
Beijing, June 10 (Xinhua) --- Torrential (倾泻的) rains that troubled southern China for days have killed 66 people and resulted in 12 missing by 6:00 p.m. (Beijing time) on Sunday, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. “Floods caused by heavy rains have affected about 294,800 hectares of crops, completely destroying 53,000 hectares of them,” said an official with the ministry. The floods have torn down 48,000 and damaged 94,000 houses in southern China, and forced about 591,000 people to move from their homes, the official said.
From Wednesday to Saturday, continuous torrential rains, mudslides and floods hit Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Jiangxi and Fujian, affecting more than 8.97 million people. The disasters have caused an overall economic loss of more than 2.9 billion yuan, according to the ministry. The ministry has sent rescue teams to the disaster areas to assist relief work. In Guangdong, heavy rains have killed 18 people and left four missing by 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, according to local authorities. A total of 1.72 million people were affected in the province.
Floods have damaged 49 roads in the seriously affected Meizhou City, of which 29 remained closed to traffic by 7:00 p.m. The number of people who died in floods in Guangxi has reached 13 and one remained missing by Sunday, according to local civil affairs authority. More than 1.97 million people have been affected after the floods caused by continuous heavy rains hit some 40 counties since Wednesday.
According to the local civil affairs bureau, 9,200 houses were knocked down and 75,181 hectares of crops were affected, resulting in 529 million yuan in direct economic losses. There are fewer rainstorms and the rain belt is moving out of Guangxi, but the water levels in major rivers will keep rising in next few days, according to the latest forecast of the region’s meteorological bureau on Sunday afternoon. The underlined phrase “torn down” (para. 1) is closest in meaning to _______.
A.knocked down | B.placed down | C.set down | D.torn open |
In Meizhou city, 49 roads were damaged and by 7:00 p.m. only _______ roads can be used again after the repair work.
A.66 | B.29 | C.20 | D.19 |
Which of the following statements is true according to the news?
A.Hubei is one of the provinces struck by the torrential rains. |
B.The floods have caused a total loss of nearly 3 billion yuan. |
C.13 people died in Guangdong province as a result of the floods. |
D.The rain belt will remain in Guangxi in the next fe![]() |
What’s the best title for this n
ews story?
A.A Disaster. | B.Heavy rains. | C.A Flood. | D.Heavy rains in Southern China. |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A.The rainstorms are becoming stronger. |
B.The water levels in major rivers are to go down soon. |
C.The rainstorms are becoming less powerful. |
D.In the next few days, rainstorms will stay in Guangxi. |
News that Microsoft made a $44.6 billion bid to buy Yahoo resulted in heated discussions made by many Internet users. Here are some responses:
Diane Burke of Weeks bury, Kentucky
I think it would definitely be an interesting combination. Everyone recognizes the names Yahoo and Microsoft, but everyone also says, “Did you Google it?” Such a catchphrase (时髦话) is going to be hard to beat.
Shaun Carney of Laurelville, Ohio
I think the merger (合并) will provide more competitions for Google. I don’t think the merger will allow Microsoft to develop faster than Google, though. I believe the increased competition this merger brings will force Google to stay on top of its game by offering more fresh and original Internet tools and expanding on the tools it already offers.
Toni Suarez of Hacienda Heights, California
I view the merger as a necessary element in preventing a monopolization (垄断). Perhaps it would bring better high technology innovations to e-mail and help in researching and developing a better Internet!
Rick R. of Edgewater, Florida
It sounds like a disaster to me. If this were to happen, I would stop using my Yahoo e-mail account because I don’t like the feeling of Microsoft spying upon my business. I will sign up for Google.
Antonio Glosser of Kansas City, Missouri
Right now, Yahoo offers a lot of features and tools at no cost for all different levels of Internet users. Microsoft seeks nothing but profit. Undoubtedly, they’ll do nothing other than find ways to start removing Yahoo’s formerly non-priced features. Microsoft’s greed will ruin the great thing that Yahoo currently is.How many companies are mentioned in the passage?
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A.Shaun’s attitude towards Google is passive. |
B.Toni believes the Internet will have a promising future. |
C.Rick will support Google after the merger. |
D.Antonio is afraid that the merger will cost Yahoo’s free features. |
The passage is mainly about ______.
A.the future of Yahoo and Microsoft |
B.the strengths of Yahoo and Microsoft |
C.the strengths and weaknesses of large companies |
D.opinions on the merger of Yahoo and Microsoft. |
Every day we are bombarded with images, videos, music and news. In this age of visual and aural hyper-stimulation, the medium of radio is making a phenomenal comeback.
“We're at the dawn of a golden age of audio," said US-based podcaster Alex Blumberg in an article in The Sydney Morning Herald. In the last month alone, 15 percent of US adults listened to a radio podcast. These statistics, released by Edison Research, reveal the successful evolution of traditional radio broadcasts to the present day's digital podcast format. The term "podcast," was coined in 2004, but the trend only started gaining mainstream popularity in recent years. Since the leap in consumer demand for smartphones and tablets, podcast subscription rates have only accelerated.
The appeal of the podcast partially resides in its multiplatform delivery and on-demand capabilities. You can tune in during those extra minutes of the day when you're walking to the shops, waiting in a queue or riding the subway. Similar to television shows, podcasts are generally free to download and most offer new content every week.
Donna Jackson, 22, Sydney university media graduate, listens to podcasts two or three times a week, via iTunes .”I listen while I'm pottering around the house doing something else. It makes completing a boring task a lot more enjoyable..... And it's an easy way of keeping in touch with what's going on in the rest of the world," she said.
Unlike television and music, the audio format has the potential to create a deep impression on readers. Blumberg says this comes down to the podcast's ability "to create intimacy and emotional connection." Sydney University undergraduate Hazel Proust, major in social work and arts, agrees. "When you're tuned in, it feels as if the voice of the podcast's narrator is talking directly to you. It's comforting," said Proust.From the passage, we can learn that____.
A.Radio is developing more quickly than mediums with images, videos, music and news. |
B.Podcast has its origin in the traditional radio broadcasts. |
C.In the last month alone, 15 percent of world adults listened to a radio podcast. |
D.Podcast was becoming popular from 2004. |
By saying "We're at the dawn of a golden age of audio," Alex Blumberg wants to
Tell us that ______
A.Traditional radio broadcasts will be loved by people again. |
B.Radio has attracted more people than TV and other forms of media . |
C.Radio will be more and more popular in the form of podcast. |
D.The Sydney Morning Herald will help radio become popular again. |
For podcast, which is wrong?
A.You can listen to it at any time and any place. |
B.You can download it without pay. |
C.You can learn new content every week from it. |
D.You can listen to it according to your own demand. |
From the last paragraph, we can infer
A.television and music has become less popular . |
B.Hazel Proust has different opinions with Blumberg |
C.podcast can build up close relationship with listeners |
D.using podcast the narrator can talk to listeners directly |
Global financial big dogs are no match for China's "Da Ma", or housewives, who have crowded into gold stores across China, buying up 300 tons of gold over the past two weeks. No wonder gold prices have steadied after taking a dive.
During the May Day holiday, gold stores were crowded with mostly female customers. Most of them are middle-aged "Chinese housewives". This group of buyers has risen to fame recently. They are big spenders and are desperate to get their hands on a bargain. "I bought some gold jewellery and kept them as a gift for my son when he gets married," said a buyer from Shanghai.
The gold business is skyrocketing. "Our sales are growing by the day. Yesterday we sold more than ten million yuan of gold products," a gold store salesperson said. The gold rush in China started about two weeks ago thanks to a decline in global gold prices. Media reports suggest that Chinese housewives have spent about 100 billion yuan, or about 16 billion US dollars, purchasing 300 tons of gold since mid-April. That has helped support gold prices.
"Gold prices depressed since the middle of last month but have risen gradually. That is mainly due to the strong demand from Asian markets," said foreign trader Zhang Chen from Industrial & Commercial Bank of China. "Some people even joked that Chinese housewives have beaten Wall Street analysts." For Chinese people, with limited investment options, the only thing better than buying gold is buying gold at discount prices.What does the author mean by the underlined sentence of the first paragraph?
A.The global big dogs can’t match with Chinese housewives. |
B.China's "Da Ma" help a lot to support the global economic crisis. |
C.Chinese housewives spend a great deal of money on gold. |
D.Chinese housewives have a better consumption idea than global financial big dogs. |
The whole passage mainly developed_______ ?
A.by comparison | B.by contrast | C.by quotation | D.by time order |
We can infer about the gold rush in China from the passage?
A.The Chinese housewives are most willing to spend money in buying gold. |
B.China's "Da Ma" crowded into stores to get gold as the best gifts for sons when they get married. |
C.China's "Da Ma" are bigger spenders and cleverer than global financial big dogs. |
D.China’s "Da Ma" become the largest gold buyers due to a decline in global gold prices. |
The author’s description about the passage is ______.
A.negative | B.subjective | C.doubtful | D.objective |
Worried about how many calories you will get in that piece of pizza, chocolate cake or bag of chips? A new iphone application Mealsnap may help. Users just need to take a picture of the meal with the phone, and it will give a calorie read-out almost immediately.
Mealsnap was developed by DailyBurn, a health social network that focuses on helping its users lead healthier lifestyles. It has created several other health and diet-related iphone applications. The applications gives users a quick reply. To do that, it matches the taken picture to a databank containing the calorie information of nearly 500,000 kinds of food. Users then get the range of calories for the meal that is photographed.
We started with something simple — an apple. A couple of minutes later the application replied that it was an apple and between 64 and 96 calories. More impressive was the reply we received after sending a photo of mixed salad bowl. Mealsnap replied that the bowl contained “yellow rice with corn, boiled eggs and beans” and that the food was between 532 and 798 calories.
Mr. Smith, director of DailyBurn, said that usual calorie counting needed a long time, but that the application made it easier to know the calories in food. That’s why it is so popular among those who are trying hard to lose weight.
In addition, Mealsnap can serve as a food diary. No need to write down what they’ve eaten, the photos will be stored. Then users can keep a visual log (记录). Mr. Smith said: “It’s like a food journal, but easier. All you do is to take the picture. The simple act of recording something can cause a psychological change that can help people on their health journey. Knowing the calorie range makes me think more about what I’m eating.
60. The purpose of DailyBurn is to _______.
A.help people have a healthy life |
B.make iphone more popular |
C.help people find ways to lose weight |
D.persuade people to buy iphone products |
61. We can know from the passage that Mealsnap is ________.
A.a camera | B.a phone | C.a calculator | D.an application |
62. What can be learned from the third paragraph?
A.Mealsnap can also tell what the food is. |
B.Mealsnap is only useful for simple things. |
C.The result of Mealsnap isn’t always right. |
D.Mealsnap needs a long time to show the calorie range. |
63. Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.Mealsnap iphones work as a health signal |
B.Mealsnap iphones offer you a health signal |
C.Mealsnap iphones — the best-selling phones |
D.Mealsnap iphones count your calories |
Diana Jacobs thought her family had a workable plan to pay for college for her 21-year-old twin sons: a combination of savings, income, scholarships, and a modest amount of borrowing. Then her husband lost his job, and the plan fell apart.
"I have two kids in college, and I want to say come home. ' but at the same time I want to provide them with a good education," says Jacobs.
The Jacobs family, did work out a solution: They asked and received more aid from the schools, and each son increased his' borrowing to the maximum amount through the federal loan (贷款) program. They will each graduate with $ 20,000 of debt, but at least they will be able to finish school.
With unemployment rising, financial aid administrators expect to hear from more families like the Jacobses. More students are applying for aid, and more families expect to need student loans. College administrators are concerned that they will not have enough aid money to go around.
At the same time, tuition (学费) continues to rise. A report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education found that college tuition and fees increased 439% from 1982 to 2007, while average family income rose just 147% . Student borrowing has more than doubled in the last decade.
"If we go on this way for another 25 years, we won't have an affordable system of higher education," says Patrick M. Calan, president of the center. "The middle class families have been financing it through debt. They will send kids to college whatever it takes, even if that means a huge amount of debt."
Financial aid administrators have been having a hard time as many companies decide that student loans are not profitable enough and have stopped making them. The good news, however, is that federal loans account for about three quarters of student borrowing, and the government says that money will flow uninterrupted.According to Paragraph 1. why did the plan of the Jacobs family fail?
A.The twins wasted too much money. | B.The father was out of work. |
C.Their saving ran out. | D.The family fell apart. |
How did the Jacobses manage to solve their problem?
A.They asked their kids to come home. |
B.They borrowed $20, 000 from the schools. |
C.They encouraged their twin sons to do part-time jobs. |
D.They got help from the schools and the federal government. |
Financial aid administrators believe that________.
A.more families will face the same problem as the Jacobses |
B.the government will receive more letters of complaint |
C.college tuition fees will double soon |
D.America's unemployment will fall |
What can we learn about the middle class families from they text?
A.They blamed the government for the tuition increase. |
B.Their income increased steady in the last decade. |
C.They will try their best to send kids to college. |
D.Their debts will be paid off within 25 years. |
According to the last paragraph the government will________.
A.provide most students with scholarships |
B.dismiss some financial aid administrators |
C.stop the companies from making student loans |
D.go on providing financial support for college students |
Tokyo - Drivers in China are no longer in a hurry to own Toyota Motor Corp's cars.
Neil Hu, a sales manager at a Toyota dealership in Beijing, said he has stopped charging a 5,000 yuan ($732) premium to customers who want to skip the waiting list for RAV4 sport- utility vehicles. He took the initiative after the Japanese carmaker recalled 75,552 of the SUVs in China last month to fix gas pedals that may stick.
"I heard the situation in the US is pretty bad for Toyota," Hu said. "The recall has impacted us as well."
Toyota, which grew more slowly than competitors in China in 2009, will likely lose more market share and see a decline in local profit margin this year, analysts say. The carmaker has relied on a reputation for quality and safety to sell high margin, mid- to large-size models even as the world's biggest auto market shifts to cheaper, smaller cars, encouraged by government incentives.
With Toyota's brand damaged by global recalls of millions of vehicles, profit margins for its SUVs and Camry and Crown sedans may shrink, said Ashvin Chotai, London-based managing director of Intelligence Automotive Asia Ltd, an industry consultant.
"With this recall saga, Toyota's premium pricing power in China is gone," Chotai said. "Toyota's cars don't have enough good value for money."
Toyota has lost $24.5 billion in market capitalization this year as it recalled over 8 million cars globally to fix defects linked to unintended acceleration. The company faces at least 118 class actions in the US and at least 36 individual lawsuits claiming deaths and injuries caused by sudden acceleration of Toyota or Lexus vehicles.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda flew directly to Beijing on March 2 to apologize for the vehicle defects, after attending US Congressional hearings about the recalls in Washington. He skipped Europe's Geneva auto show, underscoring the growing importance of the Chinese market.
Toyota rose for a fifth straight day in Tokyo, advancing 0.9 percent to 3,580 yen as of 9:44 am local time. The carmaker's shares have fallen 7.7 percent this year.
The company's February China sales rose 30 percent to 45,400 vehicles, underperforming the overall passenger-car. According to the passage, why did Toyota carmaker recall their cars in China last month? _____________
A.Because it faced law suits in the US |
B.Because there were problems with the cars. |
C.Because of the importance of the Chinese market |
D.Because the customers are not satisfied with the charging of a 5,000 Yuan premium. |
What does the underlined phrase“take the initiative” mean?
A.took the advice | B.changed his mind | C.took the action | D.made the decision |
Why did Toyota president Akio Toyota skip Europe’s Geneva auto show?
A.Because he did not think it important |
B.Because he was not satisfied with the hearing in the US |
C.Because he attached importance to the Chinese Market |
D.Because he needed to make an apology to Chinese |
After the global recalls of millions vehicles, Toyota will be impacted in the following aspects, EXCEPT_________.
A.Its brand will be damaged |
B.Its profit margins will shrink |
C.It will have to face law suits |
D.The president will be fired |
Where can read the passage? __________
A.newspaper |
B.magazine |
C.encyclopedia |
D.a school book |