Speeding off in a stolen car, the thief thinks he has got a great catch. But he is in for an unwelcome surprise. The car is filled with a remote immobilizer and a radio signal from a control center miles away will ensure that once the thief switches the engine off, he will not be able to start it again.
The idea goes like this. A control box fitted to the car contains a mini-cellphone, a micro-processor and memory, and a GPS satellite positioning receiver. If the car is stolen, a coded cellphone signal will tell the control center to block the vehicle’s engine management system and prevent the engine being restarted.
In the UK, a set of technical fixes is already making life harder for car thieves. “The pattern of vehicle crime has changed,” says Martyn Randall, a security expert. He says it would only take him a few minutes to teach a person how to steal a car, using a minimum of tools, but only if the car is more than 10 years old.
Modern cars are far tougher to steal, as their engine management computer won’t allow them to start unless they receive a unique ID code beamed out by the ignition(点火) key. In the UK, technologies like this have helped achieve a 31% drop in vehicle-related crime since 1997.
But determined criminals are still managing to find other ways to steal cars, often by getting hold of the owner’s keys. And key theft is responsible for 40% of the thefts of vehicles fitted with a tracking system.
If the car travels 100 meters without the driver confirming their ID, the system will send a signal to an operation center that it has been stolen. The hundred meters minimum avoids false alarms due to inaccuracies in the GPS signal.
Staff at the center will then contact the owner to confirm that the car really is missing and keep police informed of the vehicle’s movements via the car’s GPS unit.
1. What’s the function of the remote immobilizer fitted to the car?| A．To help the police make a surprise attack on the car. |
| B．To order the car to lock automatically when stolen. |
| C．To prevent the car thief from restarting it once it stops. |
| D．To send a radio signal to inform the car owner of the thief. |
| A．it takes less time for the car thief to do the stealing |
| B．many self-prepared tools can be used for car theft |
| C．the theft becomes more difficult because of modern technology |
| D．the thief has lost interest in stealing cars over 10 years old |
| A．A micro-professor. | B．A unique ID code |
| C．A special cell phone | D．A GPS satellite positioning receiver. |
| A．To leave time for the operation center to give an alarm. |
| B．To keep police informed of the car’s movement. |
| C．To give the driver time to contact the operation center. |
| D．To allow for possible errors in the GPS system. |
| A．Start the tracking system. | B．Stop the engine. |
| C．Contact the owner. | D．Locate the missing car. |
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【推荐1】Many people believe it’s possible to become immune to colds. Unfortunately, Dr. Ranit Mishori, of Georgetown University Hospital, says, that’s not the case. “There are about 200 different viruses that cause the common cold and people think that once you get infected one time you develop immunity for the rest of your life. This is wrong,” she said.
There are many other common beliefs about colds that medical science does not support. How many of us believe the main cause of the common cold is exposure to cold temperatures? Even some studies have shown that people get sick more frequently during the winter. But Dr. Mishori says it is not because of the cold weather. “It’s because people tend to congregate and be together and the way the common cold virus is transmitted from one person to another is through handshake, through sneezing, or through coughing on one another.”
While there is no actual cure for the common cold, Dr. Mishori says there are still a few things you can do to help reduce its duration and intensity. Though the medical community says Vitamin C does not help prevent colds, there is definitely some proof that it helps keep them from being as bad.
In addition, medical science says honey and chicken soup are effective against colds. Especially honey. “Chicken soup has anti-inflammatory properties so it helps reduce the duration of the cold but it also helps clear the mucus”, Dr. Mishori said.
There’s also a common belief that you should “feed a cold and starve a fever.” Dr Mishori say “ not necessarily.” “If you do have a cold and you don’t feel like eating anything it’s not going to hurt you but you have to drink a lot and you can drink water or tea anything that gets fluids into your body,” she said. “That’s very important.”
There are many other myths about colds that do not pass scientific muster. Doctors say the best advice is to continue using whatever works best for you. Even if it doesn’t make the cold better, it won’t make it worse either - while you wait for the cold to just run its natural course.
1. According to the common belief “feed a cold and starve a fever”, people should ________ when catching cold.| A．drink a lot to get fluids into their body | B．have as much water and tea as possible |
| C．eat a lot even if they don’t feel like eating | D．starve themselves to a certain extent to kill the virus |
| A．they fail to develop immunity | B．they stay in cold weather |
| C．they transmit the virus themselves | D．they like to gather together |
| A．are not accepted as scientific | B．are not convincing enough |
| C．do not draw scientific conclusions | D．are rejected by the public with a common sense |
| A．Ways to reduce duration and intensity of cold | B．Scientific discoveries on the basis of myths |
| C．Effects of different food on overcoming cold | D．The old myths and new facts concerning cold |
The Great Wall of China is one of Beijing’s biggest draws for tourists; despite its fame and ubiquity in postcards across the world, it rarely fails to attract tourists at the first proper sight.Yet the authorities open only certain sections of the wall as fit for viewing, and few get to visit the unauthorized sections. Fewer still are aware of the existence of at least one part of the Wall that remains in almost original condition, nearly 1,500 years after construction of legendary fortification began. But there’s a good reason for this – it’s underwater.
American journalist Steven Schwankert has been diving since age 10. It was though his setting – up of a diving school that Schwankert came to explore some of lesser – known areas of China’s lakes – and discovered the underwater Wall under a reservoir. “The most fascinating piece of diving I ever did in China must be the Great Wall. I managed to find out about it via the Internet. It wasn’t difficult to get to Pan Jiakou in Hebei Province, near the East Qing Tomb about 4 hour’s drive from Beijing. Why do I want to dive the Great Wall? Why do people want to walk on the Great Wall? It’s the same answer.”
There are, however, advantages of visiting the Great Wall in a diving suit over being on foot. The water acts as a preservative by preventing the kind of mass tourism that has brought trouble on other parts of the Wall. “Unlike the people who walk in the Wall, we as divers never need to actually touch it. I’ve dived twice there, the last time in July. I found that the water then was much deeper than it was before – 13 meters deep.” When he first dived, parts of the Wall were visible above the surface. Now even the guard tower is completely submerged. “It’s better that the Wall is deep under water, as there are lots of boats coming in and out around that area. Their wave action could potentially damage the brickwork. So, the deeper, the better.”
1. Steven Schwankert is most interested in .
| A．collecting photos of the Wall | B．walking along on the Wall |
| C．diving the underwater Wall | D．visiting some famous lakes |
| A．Damaged by water. | B．Washed by water. |
| C．Preserved by water. | D．Covered by water. |
| A．Advantages of walking on the Great Wall. |
| B．Advantages of visiting the underwater Wall. |
| C．The reasons why the Wall is deep under water. |
| D．The reasons why the underwater Wall is protected. |
| A．The underwater Wall will sink deeper year by year. |
| B．Diving the Wall is popular with divers all over the world. |
| C．Diving is a good way to visit the Wall without causing much damage. |
| D．More and more tourists will come to visit the underwater Wall in China. |
【推荐3】Four female pioneers from different fields will soon appear on some US coins. Generations to come will look at the coins bearing these designs and be reminded of what can be accomplished with determination and a desire to improve opportunities for all.
Anna May Wong
Wong was the first Chinese American film star in Hollywood, appearing in more than 60 movies. Her coin shows her resting her head on her hand, surrounded by the round lights of a stage.
Maya Angelou
The late writer, performer and social activist has already received a Presidential Medal of Freedom, won a National Book Award, and published more than 30 bestselling poems.
Angelou’s coin will show her with her arms uplifted, in front of a bird in flight and a rising sun. Those images are inspired by her poetry and symbolic of the way she lived.
Sally Ride
The late astronaut, physicist and educator is best known as the first American woman—and youngest American—to travel to space. After her retirement, she devoted herself to inspiring young people, particularly girls, in science, engineering, technology and math.
Her coin design shows her standing next to a window on a spaceship, which is inspired by what she once said. “When I wasn’t working, I was usually at a window looking down at Earth.”
Wilma Mankiller
Mankiller was the first elected female chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1987, and is celebrated as an activist for Native American and women’s rights. During her two terms in office, she doubled her community’s employment and built new housing, health centers and children’s programs in northeast Oklahoma. Under her leadership, infant death rate declined and educational levels rose.
Mankiller’s coin shows her in a traditional dress in front of the seven-pointed star of the Cherokee Nation.
1. Which symbol is related to Maya Angelou?| A．A setting sun. | B．A flying bird. | C．A window. | D．A seven-pointed star. |
| A．Sally Ride. | B．Maya Angelou. |
| C．Anna May Wong. | D．Wilma Mankiller. |
| A．She cared about education. | B．She was a social activist. |
| C．She was an elected official. | D．She starred in many movies. |
【推荐1】Some 117 years after the Wright brothers made the first powered flight on Earth,NASA has repeated the accomplishment on another planet.
Carried to Mars in the belly of the Perseverance rover, the Ingenuity helicopter lifted off last week from the surface of the Red Planet to an altitude of about 10 feet, hovered for some 30 seconds, turned 96 degrees, and then gently landed. Six days later, on May 3, the drone flew the length of a football field, hitting a top speed of 4.5 mph. That 1 minute 20 second flight was an incredible technical achievement, reports The New York Times.
The red planet has significant gravity, about one-third that of the Earth’s. The Martian atmosphere is less than 1 percent as dense as Earth’s, so there is virtually no air for a helicopter’s rotor blades to push against and generate lift. During Martian daytime, the planet’s surface receives only about half the amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth during its daytime, and nighttime temperatures can drop as low as minus 90 degrees Celsius, which can freeze and crack unprotected electrical components. To enable Ingenuity to fly, NASA made the $85 million craft exceptionally light－it weighs 4 pounds－and fitted its body of tissue-box size with two 4-foot-wide carbon-fiber rotor blades. They spin five times faster than those of a conventional helicopter. To survive the freezing Martian nights, it must have enough energy to power internal heaters.
Ingenuity will make two more test flights before scientists focus on Perseverance’s primary mission: searching for signs of past microbial life in ancient Martian lake beds. NASA hopes to send more-sophisticated drones to Mars that will be able to carry scientific instruments and reach and study areas inaccessible to wheeled rovers. “What the Ingenuity team has done is to give us the third dimension,” says Michael Watkins, director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “They freed us from the surface now and forever in planetary exploration.”
1. What can we learn about the Ingenuity helicopter from the passage?| A．It hovered for 30 seconds in May. |
| B．It lifted off from the surface of the Earth. |
| C．It has been damaged by the low temperature on Mars. |
| D．It hit a top speed of 4.5 mph during the second flight. |
| A．Because flying on Mars is far more difficult than that on Earth. |
| B．Because it helped NASA send another 2 drones to explore Mars. |
| C．Because it is the first time that a drone has landed on Mars. |
| D．Because the drone will make two more test flights. |
| A．Helicopters. | B．Temperatures. | C．Blades. | D．Heaters. |
| A．To promote a new leading-edge technology. |
| B．To inform us of a recent progress in technology. |
| C．To evaluate the performance of the drone on Mars. |
| D．To analyze the data collected during the exploration. |
【推荐2】Scientists say a mineral found in moon dust suggests Earth’s moon is 40 million years older than scientists had believed. The finding was made by researchers who examined moon rock samples gathered from the moon surface in 1972—the last time humans walked on the moon. The samples were part of a collection of 110 kilograms of dust and rock returned to Earth for scientific study.
The American space agency NASA says the leading theory on how the moon formed involves a huge crash. NASA says a Mars-sized object likely crashed into Earth and released material from both objects, which formed the moon. But the exact timing of when the moon was created has been difficult to identify. A new study based on the 1972 samples suggests the moon formed about 4.46 billion years ago.
The research was led by a team from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois. The study examined small minerals found in the moon dust. The team said these minerals contained Zircon, which is believed to have formed when the moon surface cooled after the crash. Philipp Heck, a researcher from the Field Museum, noted that the huge crash that formed the moon was a major event that changed Earth’s rotational (自转的) speed. He added, “The formation time of the moon is important as only after that Earth became a habitable planet.”
Jennika Greer, the leader of the research, said the finding is “a great example of what the atomic scale can tell us about big-picture questions.” Greer hopes the finding can serve as a basis for answering many questions about the moon. “It’s amazing to know that the rock you’re holding is the oldest bit of the Moon we’ve found so far.” She added, “When you know how old something is, you can better understand what has happened to it in its history.”
1. How did researchers estimate the age of the moon?| A．By walking on the surface of the moon recently. |
| B．By examining the moon rock samples gathered in 1972. |
| C．By finding a mineral named Zircon on the moon surface. |
| D．By collecting 110 kilograms of dust and rock on the moon. |
| A．Space dust from Mars. |
| B．The crashed objects on earth. |
| C．Material released after a crash. |
| D．A series of crashes between Mars and earth. |
| A．It reveals an unknown history. | B．It answers an atomic question. |
| C．It marks the start of a habitable Earth. | D．It shows a breakthrough in astronomy. |
| A．A new mineral found in moon. | B．A new finding about the moon’s age. |
| C．A review of the first human moon landing. | D．A discovery about how the moon was formed. |
【推荐3】BEIJING－China’s space industry will develop quickly over the next 10 years as the country pushes ahead with its space programs after its first space docking on Thursday，Nov.3,2011.
Lab modules，a space station and 10 to 20 spaceships will be launched into space over the next 10 years，the Shanghai Securities News said on Friday.
The country will spend around 300 billion yuan ($47.47 billion) in producing those spacecrafts，according to the newspaper.
There are 20 or so space voyages being planned in China，the newspaper reported，citing Wu Ping，spokeswoman of China’s manned space program.There will be an increased demand for spacecraft production and launch services.Space infrastructure (基础设施)has been included as one of China’s strategic new industries to be developed over the next five years.
China started its threestage manned space program in 1992.In the first stage the country sent the astronaut，Yang Liwei，into space as part of the Shenzhou5 mission in 2003.It was the first time for China to send a person into space.
Also as part of the first stage，two astronauts conducted extravehicular (太空船外的) activities during the Shenzhou7 mission in 2008.
Now during the second stage China is focusing on space docking.It achieved its first space docking in two hours of Thursday when Tiangong1 and Shenzhou8 connected in space.As a “target spacecraft”for meeting and docking experiments，Tiangong1 will work as a platform to test longterm unmanned and shortterm manned operations.The next significant events will be the launching of Shenzhou9 and Shenzhou10，with two similar docking exercises to be conducted and one of the missions to be manned.
China will complete the second stage after it builds its own space lab around 2016，Wu said.
In the third stage，China plans to develop and launch multiple space modules，forming a 60ton manned space station in 2020.
“The successful docking means China will enter a period of massive production of spacecraft.The space economy is about to take off，” according to Dongxing Securities.
1. What does the passage mainly tell us about？| A．China makes a great success of space docking. |
| B．China is to expand space industry in 10 years. |
| C．China has made breakthroughs in key technologies. |
| D．China is to spend more money producing spacecrafts. |
| A．spending a large sum of money on space industry |
| B．building a long term manned space station |
| C．making more spacecrafts and lab modules |
| D．improving launch services and space infrastructure |
| A．to carry out experiments on exploration of the moon |
| B．to work as a longterm space station |
| C．to conduct extravehicular activities |
| D．to serve as a platform for meeting and docking experiments |
a.Building its own space lab.
b.Entering a stage of massive production of spacecraft.
c.Building a 60ton manned space station.
d.Sending a person into space.
| A．d，b，a，c | B．b，d，a，c |
| C．d，b，c，a | D．b，d，c，a |
【推荐1】There is a well-respected higher education system in the UK with some of the top universities and research instructions in the world. But to those who are new to it all, sometimes it can be confusing.
October is usually the busiest month in the college calendar. Universities have something called Freshers’ Week for their newcomers. It’s a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life.
However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, the prospect (前景) of meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be nerve-wracking (令人焦虑不安的). Where do you start? Who should you make friends with? Which clubs should you join?
Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you worrying about starting their university social life on the right foot. So just take it all in slowly. Don’t rush into anything that you’ll regret for the next three years.
Here are some top advice from past students on how to survive Freshers’ Week:
•Learn rules. Make sure you know British social etiquette (礼节). Have a few wine glasses and snacks handy for your housemates and friends.
•Be kind. Sometimes cups of tea or even slices of toast can give you a head start in making friends.
•Be sociable. The more active you are, the more likely you’ll be to meet new people than if you’re someone who never leaves his room.
•Bring a doorstop. Keep your door open when you’re in and that sends positive messages to your neighbors that you’re friendly.
So with a bit of clever planning and effort, Freshers’ Week can give you a great start to your university life and soon you’ll be passing on your experience to next year’s new recruits.
1. Which of the following statements is FALSE according to the passage?| A．October is generally the busiest month for universities. |
| B．It’s a good idea to put a doorstop in your door. |
| C．A bit of planning can make Freshers’ Week easier. |
| D．The first week of your every year at university is called Freshers’ Week. |
| A．the newcomers usually miss the days living at home |
| B．most of the students in the UK spend three years in universities |
| C．many freshers are worried about how to fit university life |
| D．all the new students will make new friends and join certain clubs |
| A．courses | B．freshers | C．neighbors | D．challenges |
| A．tell the newcomers how to make a new start in universities |
| B．introduce something about higher education system of the UK |
| C．discuss something about the Freshers’ Week in the UK |
| D．advise the freshmen how to behave well in the beginning |
【推荐2】Why should you learn Sign Language? Do you want to improve your communication with a family member or friend who is deaf? Do you want to be able to communicate with deaf people in general? Would you like to advance in your career by being able to communicate in ASL? Do you want to be a Sign Language interpreter?
Sign language is not just a random (随意的) collection of gestures but a full-blown (完全成熟的) language in its own right, complete with its own grammatical rules. Each country or region has its own sign language, as different from each other as English is from Spanish. Each version of sign language is somewhat linked to the spoken language in its region. For example, American sign language does share similarities with English, even though it is its own language.
The advantages of knowing sign language in addition to a spoken language are many. Communication becomes possible on many levels with the deaf community, with other people either hearing or not in any of the above situations, as well as many more.
While other languages take years to learn, American Sign Language can be taught in a much shorter time period. It is one of the easiest languages to learn because most of the signs were developed to mimic the actual word or phrase it is representing. Even the alphabet signs look like the letters of the English alphabet.
American Sign Language, or ASL, is the third most used language in the United States. Used by the deaf community, interpreters, and friends and family of the deaf. There are a lot of sites on the internet that not only shows you the sign with video, but will help you practice reading signs as well.
Teaching even hearing babies sign language seems to be the fashion in recent years and for good reason. Communicating in sign language is fun and natural as babies naturally use body gestures in early communication. Teaching baby sign language actually appears to enhance the learning of verbal skills and brain development of the children involved.
1. Which two regions share similarities in their sign language?| A．Spain and Britain. |
| B．Mexico and USA. |
| C．Australia and Canada. |
| D．Japan and Korea. |
| A．is a collection of gestures |
| B．is easier to learn than English |
| C．is not very popular in USA |
| D．has no link to the spoken language |
| A．increase self-confidence |
| B．provides more choices of career |
| C．trains brains |
| D．is interesting |
| A．help them talk sooner |
| B．help them walk sooner |
| C．increase communication at a very early age |
| D．enrich relationship with parents and the people who take care of them |
| A．What is sign language? |
| B．The advantages of knowing sign language. |
| C．The relation of American sign language and English. |
| D．Ways of learning sign language. |
【推荐3】Why do plants grow in some places and not in others? Why does some land have so much growing on it, while other land has almost no plants growing on it at all?
To grow, plants need several things. One is warmth. In very cold places almost nothing grows. Plants also need water. In very dry parts of the Earth only a few unusual plants can grow. That’s why dry deserts everywhere are almost not covered by trees or grass.
Plants must also have a place in which to put down their roots and grow. They find it difficult to grow on hard land. The town is built on hard land. The plants here have only the soil found between the cracks of the stones to grow in.
Another thing plants must have before they can grow is food.
What will happen if we try to make things grow on the sandy beach? A few plants, such as beach grass, will grow in sand, but most plants won’t. Even if the weather is warm enough and we water the plants each day, many of them will die because the sand on this beach has almost no food for plants.
1. According to the passage, plants need things to grow well.| A．two | B．three | C．four | D．five |
| A．缝隙 | B．表面 | C．夹层 | D．底部 |
| A．there isn’t enough sunlight | B．there is too much water |
| C．it is too crowded there | D．it has little food for plants |
| A．science | B．history | C．travel | D．math |
