How do we prevent transmission of the virus?
This new virus currently has a
2 . I'm not much of a gardener. I love having beautiful flowers-but I don't have a good track record when it comes to making them grow.
A few months after our son left for the Middle East, my friend gifted me a box of tulip bulbs (郁金香球茎). She explained that these bulbs were put into the ground in the fall and lay sleeping all winter. They had all the nutrients they needed inside the bulb and would come out in the spring. ''When you see the leaves of the tiny flowers pushing toward the sun, you'll know that it's almost time for your son to come home. They'll give you what you need most.'' She walked me through the process of planting them. I thanked her — trying to show my gratitude for her gift.
It was a long winter — cold and dark. I endured both the weather and the loneliness and fear I felt with my son away. Dead leaves, frost and finally a heavy snow covered the area where I'd planted those flowers, and I soon forgot they were there.
Finally the weather began to warm. One day, as I walked down my front steps, I noticed an area of green. I bent down to inspect the situation more clearly and saw that those tulips had begun to grow, their tiny leaves forcing their way to the sun.
Day after day I noted the flowers' progress. And day after day, the time approached when my son would finally be home. Now with spring just around the corner, nothing could keep either of us from marching toward the light. Almost all of those bulbs bloomed. And with each brightly colored flower, I marked off one day closer to getting to hold my son in my arms again.
1. What can we know about the author?| A．She is a professional gardener. |
| B．She is not good at growing flowers. |
| C．She never plants flowers at home. |
| D．She often sends friends flowers as gifts. |
| A．The bitter winter reminded her of her son far away. |
| B．She was discouraged from making another attempt. |
| C．They failed to live through the cold and long winter. |
| D．She had no hope for beautiful flowers indeed. |
| A．A physical representation of the hope. |
| B．Things deep inside her heart and soul. |
| C．A lesson she will never forget completely. |
| D．The trouble she had in making them come out. |
| A．A dark winter with hope. | B．Planting hope in winter. |
| C．An area of green in spring. | D．Living a changeable life. |
3 . The kakapo, a bird that lives in New Zealand, is not designed for survival. Weighing up to 4 kilograms, it is the world's fattest parrot. It mates (交配) only when the rimu tree is in fruit, which happens every few years. It developed gradually in the absence of land-based natural enemies, so instead of flying above the trees it walks like a duck across the dry forest floor. When it moves unsteadily across something that might kill it, it will stand still.
Such unusual characteristics turned it into fast food for human settlers, and for the cats and rats they brought with them. It seemed to have disappeared by the 1970s, until scientists came across two undiscovered populations in the country's south. These survivors were eventually moved to small enemy-free islands, where researchers have spent decades trying to get them to breed (繁殖).
The scientists' patience is finally rewarded. The rimu was in fruit this year, and more than 80 chicks hatched, making this the best breeding season on record. Many have survived into adolescence, increasing the number of adult kakapos by a third, to 200 birds.
Another danger to the kakapo is a lack of genetic diversity. This is one reason why fewer than half of kakapo eggs hatch. By arranging the genome (基因组) of every living bird, scientists can identify closely-related individuals and put them on different islands. Every bird is fitted with something to track its slightest movement. If a female mates with an "unsuitable” male, the process can be stopped.
All these efforts cost almost New Zealand $1.3 million this breeding season. Yet the kakapo's future still looks unsafe. Earlier this year a severe disease tore through the population. And tiny as the number of kakapos is, space is running out on the two islands where most of them live. New enemy-free settlement must soon be found.
1. Which of the following is a danger for the survival of the kakapo?| A．It is the smallest bird in the world. | B．It lacks exercise and usually stands still. |
| C．It adapts slowly in genetic development. | D．It can't respond actively when facing danger. |
| A．They hatched 80 kakapos' eggs this year. |
| B．They tried to make the rimu tree in fruit this year. |
| C．Two survivors were moved to enemy-free islands. |
| D．50 chicks hatched have survived into adults this year. |
| A．To stop closely-related kakapos mating. | B．To increase the population of kakapo. |
| C．To stop females mating with males. | D．To hatch more kakapos' eggs. |
| A．successful | B．unsafe |
| C．doubtful | D．inadequate |
4 . New York’s best classes for kids include sports classes, performing arts classes, art classes, language programs and baby classes. Make sure your kids are ready for new adventures with these super-cool offerings!
92nd Street Y Classes
At this institution your musician can learn how to play an instrument. After-school classes examine different musical pieces and encourage work in a group setting. At the end of the program, mini Mozarts can impress their family and friends at open-house performances. Plus, when they're not jamming, kids can take advantage of homework help in the Clubhouse, where they are divided up by grade level. Ages 5-15.
The Cliffs at LIC
After a day of fighting the academic obstacle course at school, your favorite achievers can reach new heights on a rock-climbing wall. The Cliffs, offerings allow developing bodies to build muscle strength. For example, introductory sessions teach climbers how to tie safety knots (结) as well as other basics, mastering them with hands-on games and activities. The Cliffs at LIC, Long Island City. Ages 6-18.
Staten Island Skating Pavilion
This large area maintains its year-round frosty temperatures for ice-skating fun. Courses are offered every day for a variety of interests and skill levels, and public and freestyle sessions are available for children who want to spend some afternoons there without instruction. Ages 4 and up.
West Side YMCA
If your child wants to learn how to swim, you'd be pressed to find more options than those offered at the Y. Kids are grouped by age and capability. The courses cover personal safety and stroke techniques. If your offspring prefer dry land, the Y also offers dance, basketball and football. Visit website for class descriptions and detailed price information. Ages 5-18.
1. Who is the passage intended for?| A．Elementary school teachers. | B．Children around school age. |
| C．Families looking for attraction. | D．Parents with under-age children. |
| A．The Cliffs at LIC. | B．West Side YMCA. |
| C．92nd Street Y Classes. | D．Staten Island Skating Pavilion. |
| A．A mini open-house performance at the end of the program. |
| B．Cold temperatures all the year round for ice-skating. |
| C．Teaching of skating in divided groups according to their age. |
| D．Introductory lessons on how to overcome the learning obstacles. |
5 . There are lots of ways to educate yourself on the Internet. You can find photos, documents, and films on almost any topic you can imagine. And at www.ted.com, you can access lectures by artists, scholars, designers, technicians and others.
TED began in 1984 as a conference that brought together individuals from the fields of technology, entertainment and design. It was intended to be a one-time event focusing on technology and design. The event ended up losing money, and it was six years before the founders tried it again. This time it worked, and since 1990, the TED conference has been an annual event. There are now two held every year, with topics as diverse as music, medicine, and money. Other specialized spin-off conferences address narrower issues.
The TED website came from a desire to share the conferences with the world, to “offer free knowledge from the world’s most inspired thinkers,” as the website puts it. The current version of the site was launched in April 2007, and contains videos of talks given at the TED conferences around the world. The talks are transcribed into hundreds of languages.
The TED website is owned by the Sapling Foundation, a non profit devoted to fostering the spread of great ideas. The Sapling foundation acquired TED in 2001. Since then, it has been focusing on using TED to broadcast ideas that might change the world.
TED, of course, isn’t immune to criticism. It’s been called elitist(精英) for its high ticket prices (more than 6,000 dollars total). It’s been accused by a few people of censorship for not publishing their talks. One controversial speaker was upset about being criticized by the conference’s host afterward.
The complaints, however, seem to be relatively few for such a large, long-running organization. And accusations of elitism ring hollow when so much is given away for free on TED’s website. Whatever its failings, TED is a source of inspirational information for those who seek it out.
1. What is the main topic of the article?| A．The case against TED. | B．What’s on TED today. |
| C．Pros and cons of www.ted.com. | D．What is TED. |
| A．The TED conference came after the success of www.ted.com. |
| B．Two TED conferences are now held every year. |
| C．TED talks are available in many languages. |
| D．The Sapling Foundation owns www.ted.com. |
| A．it is accepted to all involved that some TED talks might not be published |
| B．the host of the conference is one who plays a supportive role to the speakers |
| C．TED is criticized for giving special treatment to the wealthy or powerful |
| D．the negative comments on TED greatly affects its reputation |
| A．TED is elitist | B．TED is beneficial |
| C．TED isn’t important | D．TED is the best website |
6 . Two of the saddest words in the English language are “if only”. I live my life with the goal of never having to say those words, because they convey regret, lost opportunities, mistakes, and disappointment.
My father is famous in our family for saying, “Take the extra minute to do it right.” I always try to live by the “extra minute” rule. When my children were young and likely to cause accidents, I always thought about what I could do to avoid an “if only” moment, whether it was something minor like moving a cup full of hot coffee away from the edge of a counter, or something that required a little more work such as taping padding (衬垫) onto the sharp corners of a glass coffee table.
I don’t only avoid those “if only” moments when it comes to safety. It’s equally important to avoid “if only” in our personal relationships. We all know people who lost a loved one and regretted that they had foregone an opportunity to say “I love you” or “I forgive you.” When my father announced he was going to the eye doctor across from my office on Good Friday, I told him that it was a holiday for my company and I wouldn’t be here. But then I thought about the fact that he’s 84 years old and I realized that I shouldn’t give up an opportunity to see him. I called him and told him I had decided to go to work on my day off after all.
I know there will still be occasions when I have to say “if only” about something, but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality. And even though it takes an extra minute to do something right, or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection, I know that I’m doing the right thing. I’m buying myself peace of mind and that’s the best kind of insurance for my emotional well-being.
1. Which of the following is an example of the “extra minute” rule?| A．Start the car the moment everyone is seated. |
| B．Leave the room for a minute with the iron working. |
| C．Wait for an extra minute so that the steak tastes better. |
| D．Move an object out of the way before it trips someone. |
| A．keep her appointment with the eye doctor |
| B．meet her father who was already an old man |
| C．join in the holiday celebration of the company |
| D．finish her work before the deadline approached |
| A．abandoned | B．lacked |
| C．avoided | D．taken |
| A．To Keep Emotional Well-being | B．To Prevent “If Only” Moments |
| C．To Follow the Most Useful Rule | D．To Achieve the Peace of Mind |
For years, I had suffered from depression. I never seemed to be happy with my life, especially when I
Then, the week before Thanksgiving, every chair in the church has a paper bag underneath. All were expected to pick up one
Included in the event was a sheet with
One day not long afterward , I found myself sinking into my
| A．introduced | B．compared | C．exposed | D．applied |
| A．achievement | B．nature | C．potential | D．patience |
| A．randomly | B．regularly | C．alternatively | D．considerately |
| A．returned | B．issued | C．allocated | D．donated |
| A．circulated | B．addressed | C．filled | D．supplied |
| A．credits | B．blanks | C．inspirations | D．suggestions |
| A．celebration | B．amusement | C．communication | D．exercise |
| A．Accidentally | B．Furthermore | C．Otherwise | D．Necessarily |
| A．remind | B．challenge | C．support | D．observe |
| A．sympathetic | B．creative | C．competitive | D．contradictory |
| A．situation | B．chance | C．promotion | D．awareness |
| A．disappointment | B．curiosity | C．advantage | D．astonishment |
| A．distributing | B．clarifying | C．sorting | D．decorating |
| A．rich | B．needy | C．special | D．worried |
| A．guilty | B．familiar | C．temporary | D．apparent |
| A．list | B．activity | C．motivation | D．report |
| A．pretended | B．claimed | C．imagined | D．realized |
| A．ruled out | B．dropped out | C．brought out | D．worked out |
| A．surprised | B．touched | C．promised | D．concerned |
| A．Choosing | B．Offering | C．Demanding | D．Declining |
8 . You know you have to read "between the lines" to get the most out of anything. I want to persuade you to do something equally important in the course of your reading. I want to persuade you to “write between the lines." Unless you do, you are not likely to do the most efficient kind of reading.
I insist, quite bluntly, that marking up a book is not an act of damage but of love.
There are two ways in which one can own a book. The first is the property right you establish by paying for it, just as you pay for clothes and furniture. But this act of purchase is only the first step to possession. Full ownership comes only when you have made it a part of yourself and the best way to make yourself a part of it is by writing in it. I am arguing that books must be absorbed in your bloodstream to do you any good.
Why is marking up a book necessary to reading? First, it keeps you awake. (And I don't mean only conscious; I mean wide awake.) In the second place, reading, if it is active, is thinking and thinking tends to express itself in words, spoken or written. The marked book is usually the thought-through book. Finally, writing helps you remember the thoughts you had, or the thoughts the author expressed.
But, you may ask, why is writing necessary? Well, the physical act of writing, with your own hand, brings words and sentences more sharply before your mind and preserves them better in your memory. To set down your reaction to important words and sentences you have read, and the questions they have raised in your mind, is to preserve those reactions and sharpen those questions.
If reading is to accomplish anything more than passing time, it must be active. You can't let your eyes glide across the lines in a book and come up with an understanding of what you have read. The books you read for pleasure can be read in a state of relaxation, and nothing is lost. An ordinary piece of light fiction, like "Gone with the Wind," doesn't require the most active kind of reading, and you don't absorb the ideas of John Dewey the way you absorb the story of David Copperfield.
You may also say that this business of marking books is going to slow up your reading. It probably will. That's one of the reasons for doing it. Most of us have been taken in by the notion that speed of reading is a measure of our intelligence. There is no such things as the right speed for intelligent reading. Some things should be read quickly and effortlessly, and some should be read slowly and even laboriously. The sign of intelligence in reading is the ability to read different things differently according to their worth. In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through you — how many you can make your own. A few friends are better than a thousand acquaintances. If this be your aim, as it should be, you will not be impatient if it takes more time and effort to read a great book than it does a newspaper.
1. Full ownership of a book does not occur until ________.| A．it is purchased | B．it is read between the lines |
| C．it is written between the lines | D．it is worn, shaken and loosened |
| A．to keep you from feeling sleepy |
| B．to show that you are absorbed in reading |
| C．to make yourself conscious that you are reading actively |
| D．to make yourself a part of it, making further understanding possible |
| A．Gone with the Wind and David Copperfield are not thought-through books |
| B．Marking a book can help preserve your questions about what is read |
| C．Reading will benefit us more if it is done actively |
| D．Intelligent people usually read quickly and differently |
| A．to tell the readers how to read different books |
| B．to encourage the readers to read slowly but actively |
| C．to argue that the readers should read between lines |
| D．to introduce ways to mark up a book while reading |
China’s Liangzhu Archaeological Site
The site,
The World Heritage Committee added Liangzhu to the UNESCO list
Are boys really better at math than girls？ No， that doesn't seem
That's according to new research by Jessica Cantlon， a professor and neuroscientist of Carnegie Mellon University， and her colleagues．
Cantlon and her colleagues used an MRI machine
This report
Cantlon hopes that people will stop being so sexist （性别歧视的） about little girls and calculators．"
