A classical guitarist was excited to hear from New York City police that his valuable guitar had been found. It disappeared almost a year ago when he got out of a cab and forgot to take the guitar with him. Laurence Lennon, 44, said he was running late that day. He was talking to his manager on his cell phone when he dashed out of the taxi. He said that he gave the driver $ 60 and told him to keep the change. He walked through the front doors of the concert hall still talking on the phone to his manager.
Upon discovering his loss, Lennon used his cell phone to call the police. The policewoman asked him for the name of the cab company, the number of the cab, and the name of the driver. He said that she had to be kidding.
She told Lennon that he could file a missing items report at the police station or online. Lennon asked for the online address. She told him that finding the guitar might take a couple of years—finding guitars was not as important as finding murderers and marijuana smokers. Then she told him to have a nice day.
“This year has been depressing，” said Lennon. “I had to put off the recording of two new CDs. I've been using borrowed guitars. And I was losing hope of ever recovering my guitar.”
Lennon was reunited with his $ 100,000 musical instrument yesterday. The case and the guitar had been discovered in the corner of a coffee house only two blocks from where Lennon had lost it in the first place. Lennon had offered a $ 10,000 reward for its return. He said he would give the reward to the coffee house owner, who had informed the police.It can be inferred from this reading passage that________.
| A．Lennon couldn't give any useful information about the driver and his cab |
| B．Lennon gave the driver much more money than what was actually needed |
| C．Lennon was too busy talking to his friend to remember to pay the cab driver |
| D．Lennon used to work at the concert hall in New York City |
The policewoman told Lennon________.
| A．not to worry about the guitar |
| B．to have a nice day in New York City |
| C．to wait with patience |
| D．to find the cab driver and talk to him |
Which of the following is the most important according to the policewoman?
| A．Finding a lost guitar. | B．Finding the cab driver. |
| C．Enjoying one's own life | D．Finding murderers. |
The underlined word“depressing”can be best explained by“________”．
| A．making people unfortunate |
| B．making people feel sad |
| C．making people losing money |
| D．making people losing good luck |
I was in a shopping mall recently, and I decided to go and get a cup of tea. As I was making my way to the coffee shop, I noticed an old gentleman rather poorly dressed sitting on a bench nearby. I knew from the first sight that he was in need of some kind of help. He had a little lunch in front of him and was wholeheartedly enjoying it.
There was a young man in front of me in the line also waiting to be served. The young man handed the servant a twenty-dollar bill and asked for an orange juice as well as a favor. The servant looked at the young man with a little surprise, not fully understanding him. The young man asked her to give the juice to the old gentleman eating his lunch outside on the bench. The young man also told her that he would be watching every second so that she would be completely safe at all times. Later, there was a wonderful exchange between the waitress and the old man. I only wished I had taken a photo of the smiles on both of their faces.
As I was thinking about this event later on, I wondered why the young man didn’t just perform this act of kindness himself. I thought he was hoping that this act of kindness might inspire others to do something for the old man as well. Thinking of the happy smiles on the old man’s face, I felt how worthwhile it is to help others.The underlined word “favor” in Para. 2 refers to________.
| A．passing the young man a cup of orange juice |
| B．buying lunch for the old man |
| C．exchanging meals with the old man |
| D．giving the juice to the old man |
Which of the following can be used to describe the young man?
| A．Kind and considerate | B．Generous and proud. |
| C．Rich and friendly. | D．Humorous and helpful. |
In the author’s opinion, the young man asked the servant to take the juice to the old man so that____________.
| A．the old man could probably accept it |
| B．he would become famous for his good deed |
| C．more people would be inspired to do good deeds |
| D．he would become a friend of the servant |
Think about the last time you felt afraid．Was it a fear of height?Did you oversleep on a weekday and fear you’d get into trouble at the office?In any case，you know what it feels like to feel fear．
But one woman doesn’t．The woman，code-named“UM”，gave her first-ever interview after years of being studied by a team of researchers．The woman is given a code name because the researchers want to protect her from anyone who would take advantage of her inability to feel afraid．
UM can’t tell you what fear is because she’s never experienced it．“I wonder what it’s like to actually be afraid of something，”she said．The formal name for the disease is Urbach-Wieth disease，which is characterized by a hoarse(粗哑的)voice，small bumps around the eyes，and calcium deposits(钙沉积的)in the brain．
In the case of UM，the disease has transformed the part of her brain that controls the human response to fear．In the interview，UM talks about an event in her life where she was held at knifepoint and gunpoint，“I was walking to the store，and I saw a man on a park bench．He said．‘Come here，please，’so I went over to him．He grabbed me by the shirt，put a knife to my throat and told me he was going to cut me．I told him，‘Go ahead and cut me，’I wasn’t afraid at a11．And for some reason，he let me go．”
Doctors who have been studying UM’s condition for years have been trying different things that could strike fear into her．They finally figured something out—increasing UM’s carbon dioxide levels．Extra carbon dioxide concentration in the blood is known to cause fear and panic in health individuals．Increasing UM’s carbon dioxide levels did manage to give her a fright．The text starts by_______．
| A．challenging the reader | B．solving daily problems |
| C．1isting situations | D．giving explanations |
Why is the woman with Urbach-Wieth disease given a code name?
| A．To tell her case from other patients． |
| B．To respect her privacy． |
| C．To meet the researchers’demands． |
| D．To ensure her safety． |
From UM’s case，we can know that Urbach-Wieth disease may________.
| A．stop the brain from functioning normally |
| B．1ead to a decrease in calcium deposits |
| C．stop the brain from responding quickly |
| D．1ead to an increase in carbon dioxide |
What will probably happen to UM?
| A．Dying of the Urbach-Wieth disease． |
| B．Getting the sense of panic． |
| C．Experiencing another danger． |
| D．Speaking with a hoarse voice． |
What is the hottest topic at your school recently? In Taiyuan No. 55 Middle School, it’s money.
The school held an activity called “making money” last weekend. About 200 Junior 1 and Junior 2 students were divided into 30 teams. They went out to make money by selling things.
What did they choose to sell? Some sold newspapers; some chose bottled water; some sold environmentally friendly shopping bags and bamboo baskets.
Hu Qing’s team decided to sell some useful books in front of the Children Activity Center. They thought parents would like to buy the books for their children. But unfortunately, they met urban management officers (城管). The officers asked them to leave. “We played hide-and-seek (捉迷藏) with the officers for the whole morning” said Hu. “Finally we had to give up.”
Wang Bing and her team sold ice cream in a square. They didn’t meet any officers. But few people were interested in what they were selling. The team then put up a board saying “For Country Kids”. It worked. More people came to their stall (小摊). A foreigner even gave them 100 yuan. “He didn’t want any change. He said he wanted to help the children,” said Wang. “We were touched.” Later that day they gave the 100 yuan and more to the “Project Hope” office.
Meng Zhaoxiang and his team were luckier. They sold all their cakes in four hours, spending 39.5 yuan and getting back 80 yuan. They made 40.5 yuan. “It was not easy to make the money,” said Meng. “Some people just looked. Others just tasted but didn’t buy. Now I know how hard it is for our parents to make the money we need to lead happy lives.”______ took part in the activity.
| A．Some teachers |
| B．About 200 of Junior 1 and Junior 2 students |
| C．About 200 students of the three grades |
| D．About200 Junior 1 students |
Hu Qing’s team finally gave up because ______.
| A．the parents didn’t like to buy the books |
| B．the Children Activity Center was too crowded |
| C．the officers didn’t allow them to sell anything there |
| D．the team played the game of the hide-and-seek the whole morning |
Why did more people come to Wang Bing’s stall at last?
| A．The people were willing to help country kids. |
| B．A foreigner came up and helped them. |
| C．The team put up a magic board. |
| D．The people were interested in their ice cream. |
According to the passage the students learn ______.
A. it’s impossible for them to make money
B. it’s very important for them to make a living
C. it’s not easy for their parents to make money
On the night of November 14, 1978, a six-year-old Korean boy was flying to the United States. All he knew was that he was on a plane heading for somewhere. The plane landed at Kennedy International Airport, where he was greeted by a family. This young boy was me.
I have grown up in a town where there were few Asians, so I stuck out in the crowd. I made friends quickly and they treated me just like anyone else. You may ask if anyone made fun of my appearance. Well, of course, I met that kind of person. I just shrugged it off.
As an adopted child, I have something that others don't have. I have had the benefit of two families. I'm lucky to have got a chance to start a new life. But we must try never to forget our past. Someday I will go back to Korea to find out what kind of culture I left behind.
There is only one thing that I regret about being adopted. When I argue with my parents and they realize they are losing the argument, they sometimes wonder what I would be doing if I were back in Korea. I don't understand this because I thought the purpose of adopting someone was to give them a better chance of growing up in a family. Some day when I am older, I want to adopt a girl and raise her the way my parents have raised me, but I would do it better, for I know what went well and what did not.We learn that when the writer was on the way to his new family, ______.
| A．he was with his own parents |
| B．he was very happy and excited |
| C．he was about ten years old then |
| D．he didn't know he was going to be adopted |
If someone sticks out in the crowd, it means that he/she_______.
| A．is very good-looking |
| B．is very kind-hearted |
| C．is easily noticed by others |
| D．is disliked by others |
When the writer was made fun of by others, he _______.
| A．was deeply hurt |
| B．wanted to go back to Korea |
| C．didn’t care about it that much |
| D．tried to make friends with them |
What does the writer want to do when he is older?
A Go back to live with his parents in Korea.
B. Tell his parents what they have done wrong.
C. Find out how to raise children in a better way.
D. Adopt a girl and raise her in a good way.
It’s summer movie time again. Check out our list of four films.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Release Date: November 4
Story: It’s the summer before Harry Potter’s third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A dangerous murderer, Sirius Black, has escaped from the Wizards’ Prison. And he was ordered to kill Harry Potter.
Around the World in 80 Days
Release Date: November 16
Story: This version of the classic novel set in 1872 focuses on Passepartout ( Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan), a Chinese thief who seeks refuge (庇护) with a strange London adventurer, Phileas Fogg. Passepartout uses his martial art skills(军事技能) to defend Fogg from danger as he travels around the world in 80 days.
Spider-Man 2
Release Date: November 30
Story: Peter Parker is still coming to accept his dual identity (双重身份) as the crime superhero Spider-Man. He wants to reveal his secret identity to Mary Jane, meanwhile, his Aunt May is in trouble. This is Dr Otto Octavius who has appeared to bring her a lot of troubles.
King Arthur
Release Date: November 7
Story: King Arthur is presented as a clever ruler who manages to unite all the knights in Britain. Under the guidance of Merlin and the beautiful, brave Guinevere, Arthur will struggle to realize his dreams.When can you see the film acted by Jackie Chan?
| A．November 4 | B．November 30 |
| C．November 16. | D．November 7. |
In Spider-Man 2, Aunt May’s trouble is caused by______.
| A．Spider-Man | B．Peter Parker |
| C．Mary Jane | D．Dr Otto Octavius |
What kind of article of this passage?
| A．A news report | B．A funny diary. |
| C．An advertisement. | D．A composition. |
Aava Whistler Hotel
Star Ratings：★★★ Location: Whistler
Rooms:192
Stay at the Aava Whistler Hotel (formerly Coast Whistler Hotel) and experience a great vacation. The Aava Whistler Hotel is within minutes from over a hundred shopping malls and restaurants. It also has a great number of recreational facilities, including swimming, diving and even skiing. Hotel services include 24-hour reception, laundry and room service. Guests can stay in cozy rooms equipped with air-conditioning, bathroom and television. From CN￥496 per night.
Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel
Star Ratings：★★★ Location: East Lundy’s Lane
Room:l66
Relax and unwind at the Best Western Cairn Hotel. This resort-style hotel is located just minutes from the airport. At the Best Western Cairn Croft, guests can enjoy a large number of recreational facilities, including children’s activities, sightseeing and a swimming pool. Business travelers can also take advantage of spacious meeting and banqueting facilities for hosting corporate events. All rooms come with basic amenities(便利设施). From CN￥439 per night.
Clarion Hotel＆Suites Downtown Montreal
Star Ratings：★★★ Location：Montreal
Rooms：266
Conveniently located just 20 minutes from the airport, the Clarion Hotel＆Suite Downtown Montreal is a moderately-priced three-star hotel that provides services to both business and leisure travelers. The Clarion has spacious meeting facilities and modern business centers for business travelers. It also has a sauna and whirlpool where guest can relax. All rooms come with basic amenities, including cable TV and a kitchenette. From CN￥553 per night.
Delta Bow Valley Hotel
Star Ratings：★★★ Location：Calgary
Rooms：398
The Delta Bow Valley Hotel is located a couple of blocks north of Olympic Plaza, east of James Short Park, and north-east of the Petro-Canada Centre. Apart from business and recreational services such as a business centre, fitness centre and restaurant, all rooms in the Delta come with a mini-bar and in-house movies. From CN￥l, 227 per night.
What do all four of the hotels have in common?
| A．They all provide a room with a mini bar. |
| B．They all have the same number of rooms |
| C．They are all close to the airport |
| D．They all have a three star ratings. |
Which hotel offers facilities for children’s activities?
| A．Clarion Hotel＆Suites Downtown Montreal |
| B．Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel |
| C．Aava Whistler Hotel |
| D．Delta Bow Valley Hotel |
If you want to check in to a hotel at three o’clock in the morning you can stay at ______.
| A．Aava Whistler Hotel |
| B．Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel |
| C．Clarion Hotel＆Suites Downtown Montreal |
| D．Delta Bow Valley Hotel |
One night in February 1962, John H. Glenn. Jr., flew over Australia. The man in the Mercury(水星) capsule（宇宙飞行容器）was alone, but friendly voices reached him by radio. On the dark land 100 miles below, he saw a sprinkling of light. They marked the city of Perth, where people had turned on their lights as a greeting to him.
In Friendship7, Glenn radioed, “ The lights show up very well. Thank for everybody for turning them on.” His capsule raced on to the east.
During his three orbits（绕……轨道而行） of the earth, Glenn could always reach one of eighteen tracking stations. Some of them were on ship at sea. Others were in the United States.
Many of the stations had been built with the help of other countries. These countries allowed Americans to bring in radio equipment and set it up. Without the help of such lands as Nigeria（尼日利亚）, Zanzibar（尚巴西，坦桑尼亚领土的一部分）, and Mexico, there would have been breaks in the worldwide radio network.
John H. Glenn. Jr., was the first America to orbit the earth. For his flight, the tracking network（跟踪网络） covered 60,000 route miles. Five hundred men worked in the stations along the route. Since his flight, the network has grown. Today, it covers more than 100,000 route miles and has about one hundred stations. One-third of these stations are outside of the United States.
This passage is mainly about .
| A．talking to ships at sea around the world |
| B．breaks in the worldwide network |
| C．the first American to orbit the earth |
| D．a satellite which fell into the ocean |
From the passage we can see that .
| A．Friendship7 stopped in Perth, Australia |
| B．all tracking stations are inside the United States |
| C．radio equipment is important in space flight |
| D．many people could see Glenn in his capsule when he made the flight |
During his flight Glenn could always .
| A．see lights turned on on the ground |
| B．reach ships at sea |
| C．reach one of the tracking stations |
| D．arrive at Mercury in his Friendship7 |
Why did people in Perth turn on the lights?
| A．They wanted guide him to land. |
| B．It was too dark for them to see in the room. |
| C．They wanted to see the Friendship7. |
| D．They wanted to greet Glenn. |
Which of the following is not true?
| A．Countries must work together to track satellites. |
| B．There are now about 70 tracking stations in the United States. |
| C．The tracking network covers many more route miles now than before. |
| D．Nobody has orbited the earth besides Glenn. |
What does it mean to say that we live in a world of persuasion? It means that we live among competing interests. Your roommate’s need to study for an exam may take priority（优先）over pizza. Your instructor may have good reasons not to change your grade. And the object of your romantic interest may have other choices.
In such a world, persuasion is the art of getting others to give fair and favorable consideration to our point of view. When we persuade, we want to influence how others believe and behave. We may not always prevail — other points of view may be more persuasive, depending on the listener, the situation, and the merits of the case. But when we practice the art of persuasion, we try to ensure that our position receives the attention it deserves.
Some people, however, object to the very idea of persuasion. They may regard it as an unwelcome interruption into their lives. Just the opposite, we believe that persuasion is unavoidable — to live is to persuade. Persuasion may be ethical（合乎道义的）or unethical, selfless or selfish, inspiring or degrading. Persuaders may enlighten our minds or catch our vulnerability(弱点). Ethical persuasion, however, calls on sound reasoning and is sensitive to the feelings and needs of listeners. Such persuasion can help us apply the wisdom of the past to the decisions we now must make. Therefore, the most basic part of education is learning to resist the one kind of persuasion and to encourage and practice the other.
Beyond its personal importance to us, persuasion is necessary to society. The right to persuade and be persuaded is the bedrock of the American political system, guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution（美国宪法）.According to the passage, persuasion means ________.
| A．changing others’ point of view |
| B．exercising power over other people |
| C．getting other people to consider your point of view |
| D．getting people to agree with you and do what you want |
The underlined word in the second paragraph “prevail” means“________”.
| A．fail | B．win | C．speak | D．listen |
The passage states that some people object to persuasion because they think it is ________.
| A．unwelcome behavior | B．difficult to do well |
| C．a danger to society | D．never successful |
The passage mainly discusses ________.
| A．people’s different opinions towards persuasion |
| B．the reasons why people persuade |
| C．that persuasion is both good and bad |
| D．that persuasion is important and it is all around us |
Ten years ago I used to be very fit. I rode a bike to work and I got a lot of exercise at weekends. I used to play tennis a lot and go for long walks. In those days I didn’t earn very much. I had a job in an office. It wasn’t a
very good job but I had a lot of time to do the things I enjoyed.
Then, about eight years ago, I got a much better job. The pay was better, but the hours were a lot longer. I bought a car and drove to work every day. I began to take people out to lunch. And I began to put on weight, too. I stopped playing tennis and going for long walks at weekends because I just didn’t have any time for things like those any more.
There’s a lot of stress in my job. Perhaps that’s why I started drinking more than I used to. For example, I used to have only half a glass of whisky when I got home, but then I started filling my glass to the top, and instead of having one glass, I would have several. I started smoking a lot, too. I never used to smoke at all.
Two months ago I had a heart attack. At first I just couldn’t believe it. Luckily it wasn’t very serious. The doctor advised me to stop smoking and to eat less. He also advised me to work less and get more exercise. But I just haven’t any time! My job takes everything out of me!
Sometimes I wonder if I should get another job. Perhaps I could do something as I used to. But if I do that, I won’t earn as much. I have a family to support. I have to think of them, too. I just don’t know what I should do. What do you think?
According to the passage, when the author got the better job, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．He got higher pay. |
| B．His working hours weren’t long. |
| C．He found it very stressful. |
| D．He had little free time at weekends. |
After the author had a heart attack, the doctor advised him .
| A．not to work any longer |
| B．to take a long vacation abroad |
| C．to stop smoking and take exercise |
| D．not to eat out any more |
What can we learn about the author?
| A．The author is not sure what he should do now. |
| B．The author has taken the doctor’s advice already. |
| C．The author has got another new job. |
| D．The author feels much better now. |
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 |
Controlling traffic is a complex and high cost problem in many developed countries. It becomes more difficult and costly with the ever- increasing number of cars on the roads. But scientists and students at the CATT, at the University of Maryland are working to solve this problem. They are using simulation(模拟) technologies to help government and private business control and react to changing traffic conditions.
The online economics magazineForbes.comsays traffic congestion(拥挤) cost Americans $ 124 billion in 2014 and that number could rise to $ 186 billion by 2030.
Bui scientists at the CATT lab are trying to reduce those costs. They are developing a system that helps traffic managers. planners, emergency workers and businesses plan and react better. Michael Pack is CATT director. He says the system is important to help emergency workers, or first responders，reach an accident area faster.
The CATT Lab collects information from many sources, including roadside devices, GPS (global positioning system) equipment and wireless phones.
About 60 students and 30 software developers observe traffic flow and manage the computer servers at all times. They also work to develop software and applications that can help traffic run smoother and safer, Some of them turn the information gathered into so-called "visualizations". These visual representations help emergency workers better understand what is happening.
The center shares its findings with firefighters, police，Transportation departments and the military. They also share information with universities and transportation company. The technology company Google uses the data for its traffic-related websites. Michael Pack says, the information is then shared with anyone who wants to help traffic run more smoothly.
Mr. Pack says the goal is to help develop an intelligent system of road signals that will communicate with each other and with vehicles on the road.The second paragraph is written to
| A．attract more people to look throughForbes.com. |
| B．tell readers whatForbes.comsays on its website |
| C．show how much money controlling costs America |
| D．prove it is very expensive for some developed countries to control traffic |
What benefit can emergency workers get from the system developed by the CATT lab?
| A．They can be safer. |
| B．They can reach an accident area faster. |
| C．They can get more advice from people. |
| D．They can share their information with others. |
Which of the following is NOT true about the developers and the students at the CATT?
| A．They observe traffic flow continuously. |
| B．They develop software and applications. |
| C．They control the computer servers occasionally. |
| D．They change the information gathered into visual image. |
1n which column of the newspaper can you read this text?
| A．Daily life. | B．Science. | C．Education. | D．Exploration. |
The way we cook is important. In many countries, the two sources of heat used for cooking are natural gas or electric stoves. The World Health Organization(WHO) warns that millions of people are dying every year from indoor air pollution. The WHO finds that poor cooking, heating and lighting technologies are killing millions of people each year.
Indoor air pollution results from the use of dangerous fuels and cook stoves in the home. WHO officials say nearly three billion people are unable to use clean fuels and technologies for cooking, heating and lighting. And they say more than seven million people die from exposure to indoor or outdoor air pollution each year. Of that number, the WHO says about 4.3 million people die from household air pollution given off by simple biomass(生物燃料）and coal stoves.
These findings show that the home use of poisonous fuels is to blame for many of these deaths. These fuels include wood, coal, animal waste and so on. Carlos Dora is Coordinator in the WHO’ s Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. He says people should not use unprocessed coal and kerosene(煤油）fuel indoors. He says opening a window or door to let out the harmful air will not correct the situation. It will only pollute the outdoors. “New technologies and clean fuels can rid people of this problem.”
The United Nations found that more than 95 percent of families in sub-Saharan Africa depend on solid fuels for cooking. It says huge populations in India, China and Latin American countries, such as Guatemala and Peru, are also at risk.
Nigel Bruce is a professor of Public Health at the University of Liverpool. He says researchers are developing good stoves and other equipment to burn fuels in a more efficient way.“There are already many technologies for clean fuels available now. An effective and reasonably low-cost ethanol(酒精）stove that is made by Dometic (a Sweden-based company)is now being tested out. Another interesting development is electric induction stoves.” In India, you can buy an induction stove for about $8. And in Africa you can buy a solar lamp for less than $1.
How is Paragraph 2 mainly developed?
| A．By making classifications. | B．By listing numbers. |
| C．By following time order. | D．By describing a process. |
According to Carlos Dora, what is the best solution to indoor air pollution?
| A．People should use an effective air cleaner. |
| B．People should use new technologies and clean fuels. |
| C．People should open a window or door to let out the harmful air. |
| D．People should prevent themselves from being exposed to harmful air.. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Most of the deaths from indoor pollution are in developing countries. |
| B．Burning solid fuels can help limit indoor air pollution . |
| C．People can buy ethanol stoves made by Dometic in India. |
| D．There are already two technologies for clean fuels available for use. |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The way we cook is changing. |
| B．Cause of indoor air pollution. |
| C．The development of electric stoves. |
| D．Indoor air pollution kills millions each year. |
Britons may like to complain a lot, but they rarely do so right now, explains BBC writer Ruth Margolis. They would rather grumble (发牢骚) afterward. This is because Britons hate to put someone out and cause any embarrassment. Margolis writes, “For instance, I’m much more comfortable just leaving that piece of raw chicken on my plate instead of complaining to restaurant staff. But beware: if this kind of thing happens when you’re dining with an American, they will most likely speak up on your behalf and not understand why you find this ashamed.”
In a BBC blog post comparing cultural differences between the UK and the US, Margolis mentions a few other things that Americans like to do that are offensive to Britons.
● Not making introductions
Margolis says most Britons dislike this approach because “talking to strangers without being introduced gives them a stomachache”. Americans rarely introduce a new friend to their friends at parties. Strangers are supposed to introduce themselves.
● “Quite” good
Using “quite” to mean “very” happens a lot in the US. But if you are invited to a dinner party in Britain, don't describe the meal as “quite good” if you want to express high praise. To Britons’ ears, “quite” detracts from the “good”: the meal was OK but could have been better.
● Money Talk
Americans can talk about money subjects for hours without feeling uncomfortable. For Britons, says Margolis, “Talking about how much we make is unthinkable — even 1ess so than discussing our feelings.”
● Over-politeness
“It’s not that I want shop assistants to be actively rude. But neither do I want to expend energy responding to someone who's been paid to ask: ‘How are you today?’” says Margolis. In the US, it is not unusual to be greeted by a perfect stranger as “honey” or “sweetie”. But Margolis says Britons find put-on friendliness, especially in stores, deeply irritating.Margolis’ dining experience in Paragraph 1 shows that_______.
| A．Britons are particular about foods |
| B．Britons are not good at complaining |
| C．Americans usually complain directly |
| D．Americans complain more than Britons |
Which of the following might Margolis agree with?
| A．Britons enjoy talking about their feelings. |
| B．Americans introduce themselves at parties. |
| C．Americans dislike talking to strangers at parties. |
| D．Britons feel happy if treated like close friends. |
The underlined phrase “detracts from” in the text probably means ____.
| A．differs greatly from | B．increases the quality of |
| C．reduces the strength of | D．draws attention away from |
What does the text mainly talk about?
| A．How to get on well with westerners. |
| B．How to start conversations with Britons. |
| C．Ruth Margolis’ tips on public behavior. |
| D．Some American habits that annoy Britons. |
The Doll and the White Rose
I was walking around in a mall, when I saw a cashier(出纳员) hand this little boy some money back．The cashier said, "I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll．”The little boy seemed very disappointed．
I walked toward him and asked him who he wished to give this doll to．"It's the doll that my sister wanted so much for Christmas．She was sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her: But Santa Claus can't bring it to her where she is now．I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there．"His eyes were so sad．"My sister has gone to be with God．Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister．”
My heart nearly stopped．The little boy looked up at me and continued, "I told Daddy to tell Mommy not to go yet．I need her to wait until I come back from the mall．"
I quickly reached for my wallet and said," Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll．"
"OK, I hope I do have enough," he said．I put some of my money with his without him seeing and we started to count it．There was enough for the doll and even some spare money．
Surprisingly, the little boy cried, "Thank you God for giving me enough money!" Then he looked at me and added, "I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that Mommy could give it to my sister．He heard me! I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much．But he gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose ! "
Then I remembered two days before a local newspaper reported an accident in which a woman and a little girl were badly injured．The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state．Was this the family of the little boy?
Two days after I met the little boy, I read in the newspaper that the woman had passed away．I couldn't stop myself from going to the funeral．Teary-eyed, I felt that my life had been changed forever．
The boy wanted to buy the doll because ．
| A．he had always been eager for such a doll |
| B．Santa Claus didn't give him any Christmas gift |
| C．he would give it to his mother as a birthday surprise |
| D．he wanted to turn his sister's Christmas wish into reality |
We can learn from the story that ．
| A．the boy's sister died after staying in hospital for two weeks |
| B．the boy's family were all seriously injured in a car accident |
| C．the author gave the boy some extra money without his notice |
| D．the boy's mother always wished to receive a white rose on Christmas |
The story most probably conveys the message that ．
| A．a kind act can bring joy and hope to others |
| B．a gift is a perfect way to express love for others |
| C．losing a family member is a heavy blow to children |
| D．a religious belief can help one solve problems in his life |
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