1. Where does this dialogue take place?
A.In the police station. | B.At the woman s house. | C.In the street. |
A.She ran after him. | B.She shouted loudly. | C.She called the police. |
There is a plan to build a new supermarket on the edge of the Whitefields housing estate(住宅区), on the land where the local library now is. I live at Whitefields, and I would like to express my concern about this plan. It is not that I am completely against the idea of building a supermarket—I just think that as a community we need to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages before committing ourselves.
It is clear that the library is under-used and in poor condition. It is also clear that there are very few shops near here and a supermarket would be a good thing to have. But the people who want to build the supermarket seem to think that no one wants the library any more, and that it isn’t a must because of the Internet and so on. Is this necessarily true, especially for elderly people? What about young people who don’t have the Internet at home and need to go to the library to do their homework? Where can they study if they have to share a room with a younger brother or sister?
On the other hand, there is an argument that a new supermarket would not only bring more choice of shopping and more convenience for local people, but it would also bring some much-needed jobs for younger people in the town—and this is a good point. What we need to do is consider the effect a supermarket will have on our quality of life. Certainly local people, including me, will find shopping a lot easier and more convenient. But there will also be extra traffic. In a few years from now, the roads in and around will be full of cars in the daytime and delivery lorries at night, and not only that—we will have got used to it, too. Are more jobs and more convenience worth such an influence on our daily lives? Perhaps, but this is what we have to ask ourselves.
I believe that all the people of Whitefields, and the authority, need to discuss this question in an open-minded way—and I hope that by the time a decision is taken, we will have had a full and fair discussion of the issues involved, and that the local authority will have really listened to everyone’s view. Is that too much to ask?
Yours faithfully,
Tom Watkins
1. The supporters of the supermarket probably think ________.A.the library is no longer needed |
B.the library is too poor to be rebuilt |
C.the supermarket brings down goods price |
D.supermarket increases local workers’ income |
A.Shopping convenience. | B.Job opportunity. |
C.Life quality. | D.Traffic condition. |
A.Approving. | B.Neutral. |
C.Negative. | D.Confident. |
A.To promote effective public reading. |
B.To call for concern over an urban project. |
C.To discuss ways of improving life quality. |
D.To express dissatisfaction with public equipment. |
3 . Pet lovers were very angry. Last May, a news article online said three states had passed laws limiting the number of pets that each household could have to only two. The news spread quickly, as many people shared the article on Facebook and other social media sites. But pet owners had nothing to worry about----the article was made-up.
Many fake (虚假的) news are harmless, but others might have played a role in real-world events. When it comes to online news, even adults can have a hard time telling fact from fiction. Education experts say kids should start learning how to tell the difference.
Of course, there are plenty of reputable websites you can visit to read the news. Well-known news organizations, such as The New York Times and the Associated Press, have their own sites.
But many other online "news" sources aren't always reliable. And many students have trouble finding out when articles aren't entirely true or are trying to persuade them to think in a certain way.
Why would someone purposely publish an article that isn't true? The most common reason is to make money. Websites are paid by the companies that post ads on them. Companies want to place their ads on sites that get a lot of visitors. So people create fake news with attention-catching headlines to try to get users to click on them.
Some of the biggest websites are trying to stop the flow of fake news. Last November, Facebook and Google banned fake news sites from advertising on their pages. Facebook is also working with fact-checking organizations to identify and flag fake articles. But experts say the best way to slow the spread of fake news is for people to be more skeptical(’怀疑的) of what they read online.
1. What's the author's purpose of writing the first paragraph?A.To make readers focus on fake news. |
B.To introduce the topic about fake news. |
C.To state the reasons for fake news' spread. |
D.To inform readers of some media websites. |
A.Popular. | B.Colorful. |
C.Official. | D.Honest |
A.People create fake news to make money. |
B.The growing trend of fake news raises concerns. |
C.It's unnecessary for kids to be able to spot fake news. |
D.Most school children can easily recognize fake news. |
A.To Limit the use of headlines. |
B.To pass laws to limit the number to post news. |
C.To encourage reader to be doubtful about what they read online. |
D.To develop the system of fact-checking and flagging fake news. |
4 . Some high school students think it useless to receive higher education. Therefore, they choose not to go to college. If you're one of them, think again. Here are some reasons why you should go to college and receive a good education there.
Schools and universities are the first places to get knowledge. We take that knowledge later on to build our careers after graduation. More knowledge will be gained after you start working, but without education, that job will not be within easy reach. Knowledge leads to knowledge.
While limited within the walls of the educational places, we openly explore other cultures of the world! We come to know that ours is not the only culture. Other cultures have valuable things to share, enriching our own. Education also makes us want to travel and exchange with various cultures, getting more experience.
When there's a recession in the economy, those who attended college will be more likely to find a new job than those who only finished high school and have a limited skills set. The more education you have, the more chances you will get to improve the quality of your life as you have a better job and earn a higher salary.
When you're skillful and knowledgeable, you gain access to people of similar backgrounds and tastes. It means a good education leads to excellent networking. Good networking can benefit you a lot in your later life.
A good education makes you a more interesting person. You can talk about ideas and events instead of just other people and what's on sale in stores. An educated person doesn't gossip(说闲话), having a preference to discuss ideas and listen to what other people have to say.
1. What can we learn about college education from Paragraph 2?A.It offers you a chance to study abroad. |
B.It can allow you to gain more knowledge. |
C.It can improve the quality of your daily life. |
D.It encourages you to travel around the world. |
A.Change. | B.Drop. |
C.Growth. | D.Support. |
A.Uncaring. | B.Doubtful. |
C.Uninterested. | D.Favorable. |
A.The benefits of attending college. | B.The exchange with other cultures. |
C.The access to good networking. | D.The ways of college education. |
5 . It is hard to say the first day of school in the United States because when the first day of school is and what happens on the first day of school usually are different by districts(地区).
The first day of school for many school districts in different states is on the day after the first Monday in September. In some other school districts, school begins in mid-to-late August. For example, the Denver, Colorado schools go back in mid-August and schools in Cleveland, Ohio start back usually one week before the first Monday in September. The Boston, Chicago, New York City and San Diego schools start back on the Tuesday or Wednesday after the first Monday in September.
Schools in Cleveland, Ohio used to start the school year on the day after the first Monday in September, but in the 1976-1977 and 1977-1978 academic years, the school year was affected by several bad snowstorms, extreme cold. In the 1978-1979 school year, the Ohio Department of Education moved the start of the year to late August, one week before the first Monday in September. This went into effect in the 1980-1981 school year.
In most school districts in Utah, the school year starts between August 25 and August 30, and goes until the last week of May or the first week in June next year.
In American high schools, the freshmen class usually goes back one or two days before the rest of the school body for an orientation(迎新)period. An orientation period helps the freshmen get familiar with their new school, its rules, and surroundings.
In some schools, the freshmen classes have their photographs taken for identification purposes. Some high schools have tried to make the first week of school fun for incoming freshmen.
1. According to the passage, which schools start their school year the earliest?A.Schools in Denver. |
B.Schools in Cleveland. |
C.Schools in New York City. |
D.Schools in Boston. |
A.Because of some political events. |
B.Because of the entrance examinations. |
C.Because of the increasing number of students. |
D.Because of the extreme weather. |
A.About seven months. |
B.About eight months. |
C.About nine months. |
D.About ten months. |
A.a book about one's life story |
B.an official website of education |
C.an advertisement in a newspaper |
D.a sports magazine |
6 . As data and identity theft becomes more and more common, the market is growing for biometric(生物测量) technologies—like fingerprint scans—to keep others out of private e-spaces. At present, these technologies are still expensive, though.
Researchers from Georgia Tech say that they have come up with a low-cost device(装置) that gets around this problem: a smart keyboard. This smart keyboard precisely measures the cadence(节奏) with which one types and the pressure fingers apply to each key. The keyboard could offer a strong layer of security by analyzing things like the force of a user’s typing and the time between key presses. These patterns are unique to each person. Thus, the keyboard can determine people’s identities, and by extension, whether they should be given access to the computer it’s connected to—regardless of whether someone gets the password right.
It also doesn’t require a new type of technology that people aren’t already familiar with. Everybody uses a keyboard and everybody types differently.
In a study describing the technology, the researchers had 100 volunteers type the word “touch” four times using the smart keyboard. Data collected from the device could be used to recognize different participants based on how they typed, with very low error rates. The researchers say that the keyboard should be pretty straightforward to commercialize and is mostly made of inexpensive, plastic-like parts. The team hopes to make it to market in the near future.
1. Why do the researchers develop the smart keyboard?A.To reduce pressure on keys. | B.To improve accuracy in typing. |
C.To replace the password system. | D.To cut the cost of e-space protection. |
A.Computers are much easier to operate. |
B.Fingerprint scanning techniques develop fast. |
C.Typing patterns vary from person to person. |
D.Data security measures are guaranteed. |
A.It’ll be environment-friendly. | B.It’ll reach consumers soon. |
C.It’ll be made of plastics. | D.It’ll help speed up typing. |
A.A diary. | B.A guidebook | C.A novel. | D.A magazine. |
7 . How often do you exercise? A new study found that most kids aged 12 to 15 weren't getting enough physical activity. The results were based on about 800 kids. As part of the study, the kids tracked and reported on their own activity levels, and took physical exams.
U. S. fitness guidelines suggest an hour or more of physical activity every day. According to the study, only 1in 4 U.S. kids get enough physical activity.
"It's certainly worrying to see that our kids have such a limited amount of physical activity each day,” said Dr. Stephen Pont. He is an expert on children's health.
Few kids in the study met the guidelines on physical activity that raises the heart rate and makes people breathe harder. Overall, about 25% said they got an hour of that kind of exercise every day. Kids also reported on which activities they did most often outside of school gym class--basketball for boys and running for girls.
The study found that fat teenagers were less active than normal-weight girls and boys. Fat girls were slightly less active than normal-weight girls, but levels were similar among overweight and normal-weight boys. The study also said that the percent of fat children aged 2 to 19 was 17%, or about 12.5 million kids.
"There's always room for improvement," said Tala Fakhouri, who was the leader of the study. She also said the results provide useful information to help with fitness campaigns such as Let's Move, which was initiated by Michelle Obama in 2010. To inspire kids to eat right and get in shape, Michelle visits schools and holds exercise events. She also calls on schools to offer regular gym classes.
The study also found kids who get physical education at school may get better grades.
1. What is the result of the new study?A.800 kids don't get enough physical activity. |
B.Most U.S. kids don't get enough exercise. |
C.Kids should get physical activity every day. |
D.It's important to take physical exams. |
A.Swimming. | B.Basketball. | C.Running. | D.Gym. |
A.To help kids to keep fit. | B.To provide useful information. |
C.To offer regular gym classes. | D.To hold exercise events. |
A.be less active than fat children | B.be more willing to help others |
C.do better in their studies | D.try their best to get in shape |
8 . On Thursday morning, two teenage boys were rescued by a drone (无人机) in Australia while lifeguards were still training to use the machine.
The
The drone, known as “Little Pipper”, was actually not
Jai Sheridan was the lifeguard who
John Barilaro, an official of the state,
Last December, the NSW state government
A.swimmers | B.pilots | C.visitors | D.rescuers |
A.playing | B.surfing | C.struggling | D.training |
A.finally | B.secretly | C.immediately | D.gratefully |
A.island | B.ship | C.hospital | D.shore |
A.advised | B.supposed | C.allowed | D.guided |
A.operate | B.repair | C.work | D.power |
A.in charge | B.in place | C.in action | D.in trouble |
A.flew | B.brought | C.checked | D.designed |
A.funny | B.useful | C.amazing | D.important |
A.necessarily | B.basically | C.probably | D.certainly |
A.studying | B.piloting | C.boarding | D.inspecting |
A.lifebelt | B.lifeline | C.lifeguard | D.lifeboat |
A.sick | B.tired | C.excited | D.surprised |
A.record | B.complete | C.experience | D.report |
A.thanked | B.greeted | C.imagined | D.praised |
A.latest | B.best | C.first | D.quickest |
A.rescue | B.warn | C.protect | D.reward |
A.offered | B.bought | C.booked | D.made |
A.Since | B.Unless | C.While | D.Before |
A.equipped | B.connected | C.covered | D.filled |
9 . It is quite reasonable to blame traffic jams, the cost of gas and the great speed of modern life, but manners on the road are becoming horrible. Everybody knows that the nicest men would become fierce tigers behind the wheel. It is all right to have a tiger in a cage, but to have one in the driver's seat is another matter.
Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense. It takes the most cool-headed drivers great patience to give up the desire to beat back when forced to face rude driving. On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards reducing the possibility of quarreling and fighting. A friendly nod or a wave of thanks in answer to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of good will and becomes so necessary in modern traffic conditions. But such behaviors of politeness are by no means enough. Many drivers nowadays don’t even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it.
However, misplaced politeness can also be dangerous. Typical examples are the driver who waves a child crossing the street at a wrong place into the path of oncoming cars that may not be able to stop in time. The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they want to.
An experienced driver, whose manners are faultless, told me it would help if drivers learnt to correctly join in traffic stream without causing total blockages(堵塞) that give rise to unpleasant feelings. Unfortunately, modern drivers can’t even learn to drive, let alone master the roadmanship (公路驾车技能). Years ago, experts warned us that the fast increase of the car ownership would demand more give-and-take from all road users. It is high time for all of us to take this message to heart.
1. According to the passage, troubles on the road are often caused by_______________ .A.the great speed of modern life | B.traffic jams |
C.terrible road conditions | D.the behavior of the drivers |
A.beat back when forced to face rude driving |
B.show road politeness properly |
C.join in traffic stream quickly however other people feel |
D.encourage old ladies to cross the roads whenever they want to |
A.Some modern drivers are not good at driving |
B.Road politeness is good sense as well as good manners |
C.A friendly driver should nod or wave thanks in answer to an act of politeness |
D.It is also right to have a tiger in the driver's seat |
A.Road politeness | B.Traffic problems |
C.Good manners | D.Modern drivers |
10 . In today's world of smart phones and laptops, most people have at least one time-telling thing with them. Since these digital products are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, the answer is yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is “an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function. ” Many young adults think so and use their smart phones to tell time. It is said that fewer young people wear watches today than ten years ago. As a result, some people say that the watch industry is at a crossroads.
However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches redeem(挽回)popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality watch that doesn’t just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers took pride in their products’ accuracy(精确性). But in recent years, the watch industry has changed itself into an accessory(配饰) business. And today, the image a watch conveys has become more important than the time it tells.
“Complications” — features that go beyond simple timekeeping — are an important part of a watch’s image. Today’s watches offer lots of features that meet almost any personality. These features include compasses, USB drivers, and even other functions that measure the effectiveness of golf swings!
Creativity also plays a key role in designing today’s watches. For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash makes watches that don’t even look like watches. The company’s popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell time. It looks more like a fashionable bracelet than a watch.
Whether a watch conveys fashion sense, creative talent or a love of sports, consumers want their watches to stand out. Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of gadget(小玩意) in their bags, so people want to make a statement with what’s on their wrists. Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell!
1. What can we know from the first paragraph?A.As most people see, watches are out of fashion. |
B.Some people feel that watches have been of no use. |
C.The watch industry will close down sooner or later. |
D.There are so many choices of watches for teenagers today. |
A.It simply tells time. |
B.It attracts many teenagers. |
C.It has many functions. |
D.It has an impact on creativity and imagination. |
A.tell that today’s watches need more creativity |
B.advertise Shinshoku watches made by Tokyoflash |
C.show why Shinshoku watches are popular |
D.make a comparison between watches and bracelets |
A.Watch Industry Is in a Bad Situation | B.Japanese Watches Stand Out |
C.Watches Tell More Than Time | D.Watches Are Becoming Less Popular |