YUZHOU, HENAN –An accident in a central China coal mine killed 21 miners Saturday and left another 16 trapped underground , the government said.
The death toll rose to 26 Sunday morning as rescuers were battling to reach the 11 miners who were still trapped underground, rescue headquarters said.
Rescuers were battling to reach the 11 miners still trapped underground, but chances for them to survive were very slim, said Du Bo, deputy chief of the rescue headquarters.
"Based upon past experience, the remaining 11 miners could be buried in coal dust, so the survival chances are frail," Du said.
More than 2,500 tons of coal dust smothered(厚厚的覆盖) the pit after the gas leak(漏出), which hampered(阻碍) the rescue, said Du.
The gas outburst happened at 6:03 a.m. Saturday when 276 miners were working underground in the mine in Yuzhou City. A total of 239 workers escaped but 21 were found dead and 16 trapped.
An initial(最初的) investigation showed that 173,500 cubic meters of gas leaked out in the accident. Liu Wenbin, a deputy chief engineer of the company that owns the mine, was in the pit(矿井) when the accident happened. He organized the escape.
"At around 6 a.m., I felt there was something wrong with the airflow in the shaft, and one of the team captains told me he also felt it and had already reported the problem," said Liu
The mine is owned by Pingyu Coal & Electric Co. Ltd., a company jointly established by four investors, including Zhong Ping Energy Chemical Group and China Power Investment Corp.
What could be the best title for this passage?
A.Death Toll Rises in an Accident in China |
B.A Coal Mine Accident in Central China |
C.An Accident in Central China |
D.Coal Mine Accidents in China |
What does the underlined part mean in the second paragraph?
A.payment required for the use of rescuing persons |
B.the number of people killed in a particular accident |
C.the percentage of the dead persons in an accident |
D.a number of people killed in an accident |
From this passage we know that ____.
A.Of the 276 miners in the mine only 21 were dead until the next morning |
B.The miners trapped underground would be saved without difficulty |
C.16 miners trapped underground were still found alive waiting for the rescue |
D.Until the next morning another 5 miners were found dead in this accident |
According to the writer, which of the following is not true?
A.The mine was owned by more than one company |
B.There was at least one more similar accident happening in Central China before |
C.Before the accident happened there was no sign of something wrong |
D.When the accident happened one of the mine owners was in the pit |
Humans may not have landed on Mars (火星) just yet, but that isn’t stopping a European company from devising a plan to send four people to the Red Planet within the next few years.This project, called Mars One, aims to send a small group of people to Mars in 2022 and eventually establish a permanent colony on the planet.
“Everything we need to go to Mars exists,” said Mars One co-founder Bas Lansdorp in March 2014.“We have the rockets to send people to Mars, the equipment to land on Mars, the robots to prepare the settlement for humans.For a one-way mission, all the technology exists.” Yet the four astronauts chosen for the trip will be stuck on Mars—forever.And despite Mars One’s thorough planning, there are a number of challenges that may prevent the mission from ever taking place.The biggest road block could be the mission's huge cost ($6 billion).However, Lansdorp is confident that Mars One will be able to fund the project by selling the broadcast rights for the mission and subsequent experiences living on the planet.
Those broadcast rights will also play a part in helping to select the people who will be sent to Mars.Lansdorp said the company will hold a selection process similar to a reality show.Lansdorp is expecting at least 1 million applications from people around the world.In addition to the cost, several other potential problems could inhibit (阻止) the mission to Mars.
“It’s even more challenging to send people there with life support, with food, with air, with all the other things like books, entertainment, means of communication and of providing for their own resources for a long stay on Mars,” said Adam Baker, senior lecturer in space engineering at Kingston University in London.“The size of the rockets you’d need to do this would be absolutely colossal.”
According to Project Mars One, humans could send four people to Mars within the next ________years.
A.seven | B.eight | C.ten | D.six |
According to Bas Lansdorp, which of the following is NOT TRUE?
A.Robots are prepared for the settlement for humans. |
B.He could not come up with the fund for Mars One. |
C.We humans have the rockets to send people to Mars. |
D.The equipment is ready for humans to land on Mars. |
The word “colossal” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to ___________.
A.very large |
B.very small |
C.medium |
D.average |
Which of the following is an appropriate title for this passage?
A.Ready for a Round Trip to Mars |
B.Ready for a Short Visit to Mars |
C.Ready for a One-way Trip to Mars |
D.Ready for a Walk on Mars |
Mike Maietta was eating lunch when he got a text message from his mom.
“Notre Dame,” it said. “Big envelope!”
Mike, a senior at a Californian high school, shouted with joy. The big envelope meant that the excellent university in Indiana had offered him a place in its Class of 2013. But the $51,300 annual fee is a big trouble. So Mike and his parents are considering offers from several other colleges and are figuring out the costs of tuition, housing and holiday trips home.
This year, money is the driving factor(因素) for a growing number of high school seniors, who have to decide what colleges to attend this fall. Less jobs and house prices have changed family spending.
“We’re excited that Mike got into eight great schools,” said Mike’s father, an engineer at Microsoft. “But if you consider going to school out of state, you’ve got to think about all of the other costs: moving, flying back and forth for the holidays. You’re looking at about $3,000 a year, just for travel.”
As families weigh their choices, some are going back to financial aid offices hoping help packages can be increased.
Rachel Brown was happy to get a thick envelope from New York University (NYU). Although she has always wanted to live in Manhattan, she is seriously considering the University of California San Diego (UCSD), because of the high cost in New York.
“The tuition for NYU is twice as much as UCSD,” said Rachel, 17. “My mom doesn’t want me to have a big debt when I graduate, and I don’t want that either. I’d have to take out a loan of $15,000. I’ll check and see if there’s any way that NYU can offer me any financial aid.”
More than 7.6 million American students have filled out the Free Application for Students Aid, 19.9 percent increase over last year.
This month the Federal Department of Education urged college financial aid officers to give more help to certain families. A record 30,428 students applied for 2,300 places at Stanford, partly because the university increased financial aid for families earning below $10,000.
Mike may give up Notre Dame because of ______.
A.travel fees |
B.financial concerns |
C.poor exam results |
D.worries about living far away from home |
The phrase “Big envelope” in paragraph 2 probably refers to“______”.
A.A text message | B.A large gift package |
C.An admission letter | D.A scholarship letter |
What can we learn from the passage?
A.The number of American senior students applying for financial aid is increasing. |
B.Rachel Brown has given up NYU because of its high tuition and big debts. |
C.It is inevitably hard for college students to borrow money to cover costs. |
D.An interest-free loan for students helps more students apply for Stanford. |
The passage mainly focuses on ______
A.the calculation of different costs including tuition |
B.the extremely hard financial situation in America |
C.the excitement of students’ being able to enter ideal colleges |
D.the financial crisis of families over college entrance |
Many skilled young people are being forced into part-time and unskilled work, the report says. It warns of a "crisis" with more than six million people so disillusioned they have given up looking for work. The ILO(International Labor Organization)wants governments to make job creation a priority. It wants more training schemes, and also tax breaks for employers.
"The youth unemployment crisis can be beaten but only if job creation for young people becomes a key priority in policymaking and private sector investment picks up significantly," said Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, executive director of the ILO's employment sector.
Since 2007, the number of young people without jobs has risen by four million - up from less than 12%, the Global Employment Trends for Youth Report says. Almost 13% of people aged between 15 and 24 - or almost 75 million - have no work, although this is slightly down on its peak in 2009.
In the European Union, one in five young people are looking for work, the report claims. Some 27.9% of youths were unemployed in North Africa last year —a rise of five percentage points on 2010. In the Middle East, the figure stood at 26.5% in the report's regional breakdown. Even in East Asia, perhaps the most economically active region, the unemployment rate was 2.8 times higher for young people than for adults, the report said.
But, the ILO report reveals, the true picture of youth unemployment is even more pessimistic. Many young people are extending their time in higher education because they cannot find jobs. Others are taking part-time unskilled work because they cannot find work in the fields they trained for.
The ILO says that more than six million young people worldwide have given up looking for work and are becomingly increasingly detached from society. By not using their skills they are losing them, the report says, and if there is no improvement in the jobs market soon, they may be not only unemployed, but unemployable.
The ILO suggests offering tax breaks to businesses hiring young people and offering more programmes to help kick-start careers.
Which of the following is true according to Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs?
A.Since 2007, the number of young people out of job has risen to 4 million. |
B.Nearly 13% of the young people have no work. |
C.Job creation should be made a key priority in policymaking. |
D.The youth unemployment rate can never go down. |
The various figures in paragraph 3 and 4 were used to show_______.
A.The employment situation is serious only in the European Union |
B.The global youth employment situation is depressing |
C.East Asia enjoys a high youth employment rate |
D.Compared with the situation in 2009, the youth employment in 2007 is slightly better |
According to ILO, the following are caused by high youth unemployment rate except_______.
A.The government calls on young people to take up whatever job is available |
B.Many young people are making their time in higher education longer |
C.Some young people are taking part-time unskilled work |
D.Many young people have given up looking for work |
The ILO offered many solutions to the crisis of youth unemployment, including_______.
a. making job creations a priority b. more training schemes
c. encouraging public investment d. tax breaks for employers
e. offering more entrepreneurship programmes to help start careers
A.a b c e | B.b c d e | C.a c d e | D.a b d e |
LONDON (Reuters)—New faces given to a Chinese man after a bear tore off part of his face and a FrenchCaribbean man disfigured by a rare tumor show that such transplants can work and are not medical oddities (怪异),researchers said.
The findings give hope to some people with severe facial disfigurement and suggest the transplants could prove longlasting without major problems.Despite the tissue rejection in the first year after their transplants,neither men had psychological problems accepting their new faces and have been able to rejoin society,they reported.
Only three people have received face transplants.The world’s first was carried out on French woman Isabelle Dinoire in November 2005 after she was disfigured in an attack by her dog.In 2007,her doctors reported that she had recovered slowly and steadily,overcoming two periods of rejection.
In 2006,Chinese doctors performed a face transplant on a 30yearold hit by a bear.While there were some complications with tissue rejection following the operation,two years later the man was doing well,his doctors said.“This case suggests that facial transplantation might be an option for restoring a severely disfigured face,and could enable patients to bring themselves back into society,” Shuzhong Guo and colleagues at Xijing Hospital in China wrote.
A French team described their work on a 29yearold man who suffered from Von Recklinghausen disease,an illness that changes the shape of his face.“The man,who was not named,was given a new nose,mouth and chin in a 2007 operation.He began to work 13 months after the transplant has more function in his face and has not rejected the new tissue,” his doctors said.
“Our case confirms that face transplantation is practical and effective for the correction of specific disfigurement,” Dr.Laurent Lantieri and colleagues at the HenriMondor hospital outside Paris wrote.
What’s the main idea of this passage?
A.Face transplants can work. |
B.Face transplants help regain confidence. |
C.Three people have received face transplants. |
D.Disfigured people need face transplants. |
The underlined word “restoring” in Paragraph 4 means “________”.
A.removing | B.recovering | C.repairing | D.rejecting |
What problem resulted from the facial operations?
A.The patients wouldn’t accept the facial change. |
B.It was hard for the patients to get along with others. |
C.It took some time for the patients to recover from the operation. |
D.The patients usually suffered from tissue rejection. |
The NSA(美国国家安全局) and GCHQ(英国政府通讯总部) are tapping popular smart phone apps such as Angry Birds to gather the enormous amounts of very personal data those bits of software collect—including age, gender, marital status, income, education level and more, according to new reports from the New York Times and The Guardian.
Citing secret documents provided by Edward Snowden, former NSA staff, the reports detail efforts to gain data collection from cell phone carriers and smart phones by tapping into “leaky”(有漏洞的) apps themselves.
Both spy agencies showed a particular interest in Google Maps, which is accurate to within a few yards or better in some locations and would clearly pass along data about the area where phone owner is.
“It effectively means that anyone using Google Maps on a smartphone is working in support of a GCHQ system,” reads a secret 2008 report by the NSA's sister spy agency, according to the New York Times.
More surprising is the wide range of apps that the agencies search for data, including innocent-seeming apps such as Angry Birds. One document in particular from GCHQ listed what information can be found from which apps, mentioning Android apps but suggesting the same data was available from the iPhone platform.
Angry Birds maker Rovio Entertainment of Finland said it had no knowledge of any NSA or GCHQ programs for tapping into its users’ data.
"Rovio doesn't have any previous knowledge of this matter, and have not been aware of such activity in 3rd party advertising networks," said Saara Bergstrom. "Nor do we have any involvement with the organizations you mentioned."
Mobile photos uploaded to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter appear to be a particularly rich source of information for the spy agencies as well. Metadata in the photos is briefly available. The NSA and GCHQ are able to tap into that metadata to collect a wealth of key data points about a person’s life.
“NSA does not profile everyday Americans as it carries out its foreign intelligence mission,” the agency told the Times in response to questions about the program.
During a Monday press conference, White House press secretary Jay Carney stressed that same position. "As the president said in his Jan. 17 speech, to the extent data is collected by the NSA, through whatever means, we are not interested in the communications of people who are not valid foreign intelligence targets(情报目标) and we are not after the information of ordinary Americans," he said.
American and British spy agencies were both particularly interested in the information gathered from_________.
A.Google Maps | B.Twitter | C.Angry Birds | D.Facebook |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A.The iPhone platform is more reliable than that of Android. |
B.The New York Times interviewed Edward Snowden secretly. |
C.It is difficult for common users to protect their personal information. |
D.A document from NSA listed what information can be found from which apps. |
What did Jay Carney’s words imply?
A.NSA didn’t gather any worthy information from Americans. |
B.NSA would stop its foreign intelligence mission in the future. |
C.NSA and White House shared different attitude towards the affair. |
D.NSA collected information with the permission of White House |
Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
A.Angry Birds Give You Away |
B.NSA Gather Information from Apps |
C.Reports from the New York Times |
D.Documents from Edward Snowden |
First lady Michelle Obama turns 50 on Friday, Jan. 17, 2014.
Michelle Obama has spent the first half-century of her life breaking barriers and checking off a series of firsts. Now, as she reaches her milestone birthday Friday, the nation will be watching to see in what other areas she will leave her mark.
Five years after moving into the White House, and without a re-election campaign to worry about, she has more room to relax in her role and, political watchers say, possibly become more vocal (声音的) on political issues in the three years left in office.
So far, critics have complained about Michelle’s silence on issues where they expected to hear her voice: Last year, at the start of her husband's second term, she disappointed advocates for tighter gun-control measures after she failed to push harder on the issue in response to the massacre (残杀) at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. She also disappointed some feminists (女权主义者) who wanted her to defend their causes instead of falling back on her self-described role as the nation’s “mom-in-chief.” Nor did she handle racial issues during her second term, as some had expected.
“The most important thing to remember is, whether you are black, white or Hispanic, you’re the first lady and the president of all the people in the United States. That’s a huge melting pot, so to reinforce (强化)that she's African American over anything else would not be wise,” said Anita McBride, who directs programming and national conferences on the legacies (遗产) of America’s first ladies and their historical influence at American University.
Valerie Jarrett, a top White House adviser and a close friend of the Obamas, said the first lady doesn't want to “spread herself too thin.”
“She really wants to have a maximum impact and to do that in fewer areas,” Jarrett told the Associated Press. “That, she said, “is better than trying to take on every single possible cause.”
But Robert Watson, a Lynn University professor, said he expects Obama to “go a little harder at issues” over the next several years. “Second-term first ladies usually feel more at ease to speak more forcefully about issues close to their heart,” he said.
Myra Gutin, a Ryder University communications professor and frequent lecturer on first ladies, said she expects Obama to continue making both of them a priority in her remaining years in the White House, given their success. Michelle launched the “Let’s Move” campaign in 2010. It in particular has gained widespread support, ranging from the National Football League to the Sesame Street franchise (特许), which even gave permission to the produce industry to use its licensed characters for free on fruits and vegetables.
“There’s no such thing as a traditional first lady, not anymore in this technology-filled world. Is Mrs. Obama cutting edge? Is she an activist? No. As first ladies go, I think she’s been politically careful because she does not want there to be a major flare-up that would require her husband to use his political capital to clean up,” she said. “But she’s not exactly just sitting in the White House pouring tea and having receptions, either.”
Critics were disappointed with Michelle because _______.
A.she didn’t put gun-control measures into effect |
B.she failed some feminists to stand out to be a career woman |
C.she didn’t solve some racial problems |
D.she failed to voice her opinion on some issues |
According to the professors or advisers, which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.It’s not wise to reinforce Michelle is African American over anything else. |
B.It’s better for Michelle to have a maximum impact than to take on every possible cause. |
C.It's expected for Michelle to go a little harder at issues. |
D.It’s a tradition for first ladies to stay out of political issues. |
What does the underlined phrase “spread herself too thin” in Paragraph 6 mean?
A.Try to do a lot of work at the same time. |
B.Get very tired. |
C.Try to improve physical fitness. |
D.Move herself away from others. |
In Paragraph 9, the campaign “Let’s Move” might be aiming to help people _______..
a. gain widespread support
b. become more physically active
c. have access to healthier foods
d. raise awareness about gun control
A.a, c | B.a, b | C.b, c | D.c, d |
New research shows sheep are clever
People often make jokes about how dull sheep are, but new research shows they may be cleverer than we think. Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered that Welsh mountain sheep have brainpower that equals rodents (啮齿动物). Tests found that the sheep can map the area they live in, and some may even be able to plan ahead.
Young fish prefer noisy neighbors
A new study has shown that young fish like to live on reefs with noisy neighbors! Researchers from the universities of Auckland and Bristol found that young fish looking for a home choose areas where other noisy fish live. The scientists produced all kinds of sounds which had been recorded in different natural environments. The young fish seemed to prefer the sounds of natural reefs, complete with noisy animals! The scientists compared the choice to a music fan wandering around at a music festival, choosing to set up a tent closest to the music they like best!
Butterflies are disappearing
A new study has shown that 17 species (物种) of butterfly found in Europe have dropped by 70% in the last 20 years. The information collected from 3,000 sites across 15 countries shows it may be caused by the loss (减少) of grasslands covered with flowers. You can encourage butterflies to come into your garden by planting flowers.
What is the passage mainly about?
A.Some new studies about animals. |
B.People’s wrong ideas about animals. |
C.Why the number of animals has dropped. |
D.The importance of protecting animals. |
According to the first paragraph, we may infer that sheep _____.
A.are less clever than rodents |
B.can find their home |
C.can read maps |
D.are good planners |
Which seems to have to do with the number of butterflies?
A.The species of grass in grasslands. |
B.The species of trees in grasslands. |
C.The number of flowers in grasslands. |
D.The number of animals in grasslands. |
In which part of a newspaper can we most probably read the passage?
A.Geography. | B.Culture. | C.Travel. | D.Nature. |
A woman was walking her dog along a beach in New Zealand in late June when she saw something that looked like a white ball in the sand. It turned out to be a young Emperor penguin that was lost. At his age, he should have been close to Antarctic, swimming for fish and playing on the ice floes(冰川). But this penguin started swimming north and just kept going.
The penguin attracted a lot of attention in New Zealand. It has been 40 years since an Emperor penguin was last seen there. Researchers at the Department of Conservation were called in. They decided to watch the penguin closely, but not to disturb it in any way. Many New Zealanders came to Peka Peka Beach to look at the elegant penguin. They were careful to keep their dogs away from it so it wouldn’t be frightened.
The public nicknamed the animal Happy Feet. Researchers started to notice that Happy Feet didn’t seem well. It turns out that he had been eating the sand from the beach, likely thinking it was snow.
The public raised more than 11,000 pounds for an operation to get the sand out of his stomach. The operation was a success, and Happy Feet was taken to a zoo in Wellington, NZ. A group of experts met to decide how to help Happy Feet return to the wild.
Last Sunday, they put him on a boat called the Tangaroa, in a specially built ice-filled box and took him out into the Southern Ocean, southeast of New Zealand. There, they released him into the ocean, which is his natural habitat. He took one last look at his human helpers and then dived into the ocean.
“Emperor penguins spend their first five years at sea,” said Peter Simpson of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. “ What happens now is up to the penguin.”
Happy Feet was fitted with a satellite transmitter(发射机)so they can monitor his progress using the Internet. So far, the trackers shows that he swam northeast for a little while before getting his bearings and heading south.
Where is the young penguin supposed to appear?
A.On the sunny beach. | B.Near the Antarctic. |
C.Inside the hole in the ice. | D.In the depths of the ocean. |
The public collected some money to______.
A.build a home for the penguin |
B.get the sand out of the penguin’s belly |
C.do some research on the penguin |
D.return the penguin to his habitat |
What does Peter Simpson mean by saying “ What happens now is up to the penguin.”?
A.The penguin needs no protection from human. |
B.Human beings can do noting to help penguins. |
C.No one knows what will happen to the penguins. |
D.Whether the penguin can survive depends on himself. |
NEW YORK—Australian mining enterpriser Clive Palmer on Tuesday unveiled(公布)blueprints for TitanicⅡ, a modern copy of the doomed ocean liner, although he didn’t call the ship unsinkable any more.
The ship will largely recreate the design and decoration of the fabled original, with some modifications to keep it in line with current safety rules and shipbuilding practices, and the addition of some modern comforts such as air conditioning, Palmer said at a press conference in New York.
The three passenger classes, however, will be prevented from mingling(混杂), as in 1912, Palmer said. “I’m not too superstitious(迷信的). ”Palmer said when asked whether recreating a ship best-known for sinking was tempting fate.
White Star Line, the operator of the original ship, had said the Titanic was designed to be unsinkable. About 1, 500 people died on Titanic’s maiden voyage in 1912 from Southampton to New York after the ship collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic.
Palmer, who created the company Blue Star Line last year, refused to make a similar boast.
“Anything will sink if you put a hole in it, ”Palmer said. “I think it would be very cavalier to say it. ”
Unlike the original, TitanicⅡwill have more than enough space in its lifeboats for every person on board and will have additional escape staircases. Markku Kanerva, sales director at Deltamarin, the Finnish company designing the ship, said it would be the“safest cruise ship in the world”.
Palmer refused to answer questions about the project’s cost. Although the Titanic was the world’s largest ship in her time, she would be smaller than many of today’s modern cruise ships.
“It’s not about the money, ”Palmer said. “I’ve got enough money for it. I think that’s all that matters. ”
Forbes estimated Palmer’s net worth to be $795 million in 2012. He describes himself as a billionaire.
TitanicⅡwill be built by Chinese state-owned CSC Jinling Shipyard, which has already built four ore carriers for Palmer’s mining business, he said. The contract to build TitanicⅡhas not yet been signed, Palmer said.
What’s the meaning of the underlined word“maiden”in Paragraph 4?
A.First. | B.Trial. | C.Second. | D.Last. |
What can be inferred about TitanicⅡfrom the passage?
A.TitanicⅡwill have more space in its lifeboats than the Titanic. |
B.TitanicⅡwill be the largest cruise ship in the world. |
C.TitanicⅡwill allow different classes of passengers to mingle. |
D.TitanicⅡwill be a real unsinkable cruise ship. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.1, 500 people died on Titanic’s maiden voyage in 1912. |
B.The Titanic collided with an iceberg in the South Pacific. |
C.The Titanic was equipped with air conditioning. |
D.The Titanic was the world’s largest ship at that time. |
What’s the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
A.To tell us the story of the Titanic. |
B.To tell us TitanicⅡwill cost a lot of money. |
C.To tell us about the future TitanicⅡ. |
D.To tell us a Chinese Shipyard will build TitanicⅡ. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
A.The old Titanic |
B.The blueprints of TitanicⅡ |
C.The unsinkable TitanicⅡ |
D.Clive Palmer—a billionaire |
Topic: “Enjoy Worldwide privileges with BOC cards” 5% cash rebate(折扣) from UnionPay credit card issued by Bank of China
Time: April 1, 2014 to February 28, 2015
Customer: Personal credit cards with card number starting with “62” and with the UnionPay logo on the card
Details:
Payments with business cards, corporate cards or transactions(交易)through third-party platform (PAYPAL, Alipay and the internet banking payment and Kuai payment supported by Alipay) are not eligible(合格的)for the promotion.
The promotion is applicable to online shopping payments to appointed business partners only, and all the transactions need to be completed via UnionPay online. Amazon (U.S.) personal credit cards with card number starting with “62” and with the UnionPay logo on the card are eligible for the promotion.
As the promotion has no pre-defined upper limit on the number of transactions, all transactions meeting the criteria above will enjoy the cash rebate. The value of eligible transactions will be the settlement amount in RMB according to the UnionPay system.
All single transactions of RMB 500 or more with payment made by UnionPay credit card issued by Bank of China (card number starting with ‘62’) via UnionPay online platform will enjoy a 5% cash rebate, capped at RMB 100 per card per month.
Cardholders will receive the cash rebate within 90 calendar days after every promotion period. If the cardholder has any questions on the amount of rebate, please contact Bank of China Credit Card Customer Care Hotline(4006695566)within 30 calendar days since receiving the rebate; if no question is raised within 30 calendar days, the bank with deem the client agreeable to the amount of rebate. The date of cash rebate arriving in client’s account could be later than the date described above due to force majeure that is not unforeseeable.
Only transactions made with specified credit cards to appointed business partners will be eligible for the cash rebate promotion; in case of refund, no cash rebate will be made. At the same time, Bank of China reserve the right to recall any unqualified cash rebate already made.
Cardholders will need to ensure no late payment, card freeze or other abnormal occasions during the promotion period, otherwise the cardholder will not be eligible for the promotion.
Income tax associated with the cash rebate will be taken care of by the cardholder. Cardholders hold the responsibility to declare the income and settle the tax payment.
Which of the following cards can get the cash rebate?
How much rebate can I get from a 500 dollars payment?
A.About 5RMB | B.About 25 RMB |
C.About 100 RMB | D.About 125 RMB |
In which of the following payment can we get the cash rebate?
A.$60 for a sweater on Amazon. |
B.$100 for a souvenir bought in the duty-free shop of LAX. |
C.$200 for a child safety seat on Amazon. |
D.$80 for a bottle of wine from a shop in Paris. |
We can learn from the passage that ___________.
A.The cash rebate will arrive in our account within 30 calendar days. |
B.We can’t get the cash rebate unless we pay the income tax associated. |
C.Both the customers and Amazon(U.S.) will benefit from this promotion. |
D.Any transactions of RMB 500 or more can get the cash rebate. |
News 1
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday delivered a speech at a gathering marking the 15th anniversary of Macao’s return to China. He stressed the importance to strengthen the future-oriented education and upbringing of the young people in Macao, which was striving to address the shortage of human resources.
“We need to strengthen the education and upbringing of young people to ensure that fine tradition of loving the motherland and loving Macao will be carried forward from one generation to another and that the cause of ‘one country, two systems’ will be continuously advanced,” he said.
News 2
China has already built the largest high-speed rail network in the world, and leads especially in making high-speed trains, most of the rail makers are focusing more on enhancing innovation with a view to develop “China-designed” high-speed trains and to transfer technology to overseas countries.
China’s railway investment during the first 10 months of this year rose 37 percent from a year ago to 590 billion yuan, according to the country’s top economic planner.
News 3
Halloween is becoming the third-biggest imported festival after Christmas and Valentine’s Day in China.
As the festival approaches, lots of malls and theme parks have taken the card of “ghost”. All kinds of scary designs and various pumpkin shapes have pushed the festival atmosphere to its prime.
Many themes parks have planned “Halloween night”. In recent years, these kinds of activities have attracted more and more young people.
News 4
Li Yifeng is probably the most sought-after celebrity right now. Since the actor shot to fame with TV series Legend of the Ancient Sword (《古剑奇谭》), he has been offered the opportunity to participate in a variety of movies and programs. And as the New Year is approaching, Hunan TV, Dragon TV, Zhejiang TV and Jiangsu TV are all fighting to get Li at their New Year gala. However, Li’s representative revealed that Li is sure to appear in Hunan TV’s gala. No plan has been made for Li to take the stage on Dragon TV.
In President Xi’s speech, he mainly talked about ________.
A.the shortage of human resources |
B.the cause of “one country, two systems” |
C.the tradition of loving the motherland |
D.the education of the young people in Macao |
News 2 is likely to be about ________.
A.politics | B.economy | C.culture | D.entertainment |
Which is the best title for News 3?
A.The Activities of Halloween |
B.The Designs of Halloween |
C.Halloween Night in Theme Parks |
D.Halloween Gains Popularity in China |
What can we learn from News 4?
A.Li Yifeng is famous for acting in a TV series. |
B.Li Yifeng has played leading roles in many films. |
C.Dragon TV got the chance to interview Li Yifeng. |
D.Li Yifeng is likely to appear in Zhejiang TV’s gala. |
“This is the BBC News at Eight O’ Clock.”
…
“Chinese people spent about 120 billion yuan during the first three days of the May Golden Week last year. This year it has increased to 140 billion yuan.”
“The children of Beijing No.2 Middle School sang with students from Toronto in Canada to celebrate the 20thanniversary. They had been sister schools since 1986. They spent about two weeks together in Beijing. They visited the Great Wall and the Summer Palace. They took a lot of photos in Beihai Park.”
“Have you ever got tired of heavy shopping bags? A new shopping assistant robot which was invented by Japanese company could be the answer. The helpful robot can follow you around and carry several bags. The robot was tested at a shopping center in February 2006. ”
“About 500 people from different countries were in the 2006 “Rock Paper Scissors(剪刀)” World Match in Canada. This event was founded in 1842. It is said playing this game is fun, and also a good way to solve problems among people.”
…
“And now it’s time for Morning Music.”
The students from Canada and Beijing No. 2 Middle School didn’t ________.
A.take photos |
B.visit the Great Wall |
C.visit the Summer Palace |
D.have a football match |
This year during the first three days of the May Golden Week, it cost Chinese people ___________ yuan more than that of last year.
A.260 billion | B.120 billion | C.140 billion | D.20 billion |
Which of the following is not talked about in the news?
A.The robot can help with shopping bags. |
B.A Japanese company invented the robot. |
C.The robot was tested at a shopping centre. |
D.There are such robots in people’s homes now. |
The underlined word “anniversary” means .
A.founding |
B.yearly return of the date of an event |
C.university |
D.the new beginning of something important |
Which of the following is a game?
A.Rock Paper Scissors | B.May Golden Week |
C.Shopping assistant robot | D.A visit to the school |
After a week-long vacation, U.S. President Barack Obama will focus on proposals to strengthen the still-recovering American economy. The agenda includes the reform of the nation’s health care system.
The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare as some call it, expands federal health care programs for the needy and encourages Americans of all income groups to purchase private health care insurance.
“If you do not have insurance, beginning on October 1st, private plans will actually compete for your business. You can comparison--shop in an online marketplace, just like you would for cell phone plans or plane tickets. You may be eligible for new tax credits to help you afford the plan that’s right for you. And if you are in the up to half of all Americans who have been sick or have a preexisting condition, this law means that beginning January 1st, insurance companies have to cover you," Obama said.
Health-care spending accounts for one-seventh of U.S. economic activity, and is projected to increase to one-fifth in coming years. The cost has a direct bearing on America’s economic and financial well--being. Drawn up in 2010, the Affordable Care Act aims to control costs and expand access to health care. The effort is a big failure, according to Republican law makers like Tim Griffin and Todd Young.
“Republicans will continue to do everything we can to protect all Americans from the president's top-down, one-size-fits-all, Washington-knows-best approach to health care that is driving up costs and hurting our economy," said Griffin. “The sooner we can delay, oppose and cancel the president's health-care law, the sooner we can get people back to work and focus on expanding opportunity for everyone.”
The president accuses Republicans of putting partisanship(党派偏见) ahead of Americans’ health-care needs. “A lot of Republicans seem to believe that if they can gum up the works and make this law fail, they will somehow be sticking it to me. But they would just be sticking it to you. Your health insurance is not something to play politics with. Our economy is not something to play politics with," he said.
As a matter of fact,the success or failure of Obamacare could shape the president’s legacy long after he leaves office.
It is implied in Obama’s words in Paragraph 3 that .
A.health care insurance will be of great benefit to Americans |
B.health care insurance will help recover American economy |
C.insurance companies don’t expect him to carry out the law |
D.insurance companies will cover Americans in all aspects |
According to Tim Griffin,Obama’s health-care law .
A.will be strongly opposed to by the Republicans |
B.will cause fewer economic problems in America |
C.will be cancelled sooner or later by the government |
D.will never work without the help of the Republicans. |
What does Obama accuse Republicans of according to the passage?
A.They don’t know what Americans are in need of. |
B.They tend to put their own benefit ahead of Americans’. |
C.They know nothing about health insurance and economy. |
D.They like to play politics with economy and health insurance |
What is the author’s tone in this passage?
A.Subjective | B.Critical | C.Unconcerned | D.Objective |
PERTH—Search crews will send a submarine(潜航器)deep into the Indian Ocean on Monday for the first time to try to determine whether signals detected by sound-locating equipment are from the missing Malaysian plane's black boxes, the Australian head of the search said.
Angus Houst on said the crew on board the Ocean Shield will send the underwater vehicle sometime Monday evening. The Bluefin 21 submarine can create a sonar(声呐)map of the area to chartany wreckage(残骸)on the seafloor.
The move comes after crews picked up a series of underwater sounds over the past two weeks that were consistent with an aircraft's black boxes.
“We haven’t had a single detection in six days, and l guess it’s time to go under water,” said Houston.
“Analysis of the four signals has reduced the search area on the ocean floor. The experts have therefore determined that the Australian Defense Vessel Ocean Shield will stop searching with the Towed Pinger Locator(拖曳声波定位仪)later today and use the underwater vehicle Bluefin 21 as soon as possible," he said at a news conference in Perth.
But Houston warned the switch to the submarine will not automatically "result in the detection of the aircraft wreckage. It may not.”
He said the submarine will take 24 hours to do each task, including two hours to dive, 16 hours to search the bottom, then two more hours hack up and four hours to download data.
Recovering the plane's flight data and cockpit(飞行员座舱)voice recorders is necessary For investigators to try to figure out what happened to Flight 370, which disappeared on March 8.
Houston said the search using the submarine will be a slaw and painstaking process.
The submarine takes six times longer to cover the same area as the pinger locator,and will need about six weeks to two months to examine the present underwater zone. The signals are also coming from 4,500 meters (15,000 feet) below the surface, which is the deepest the submarine can dive.
The submarine will be sent deep into the Indian Ocean on Monday to _____ .
A.create a sonar trap of the area |
B.pick up underwater sounds |
C.see if the signals detected are from the target black boxes |
D.reduce the search area on the ocean floor |
According to the passage, the submarine_______ .
A.will download data of the black boxes |
B.can find the aircraft wreckage within 24 hours |
C.will recover the plane's flight data and voice recorder |
D.can dive to a depth of no more than 4,500 meters |
The underlined sentences in the passage indicate that______.
A.the switch of the submarine may not function properly |
B.the Ocean Shield will switch to submarine when it is necessary |
C.the submarine will detect the wreckage of the plane automatically |
D.the detection of the wreckage can't be guaranteed by using the submarine |
The search will be a slow and painstaking process, mainly because _____ .
A.the underwater sounds were consistent with an aircraft's black boxes |
B.the submarine travels slowly and the ocean is deep |
C.they haven't had a single detection in six days |
D.Ocean Shield stops searching wine the towed pinger locator |