Policeman：Now, Jimmy, did you get a good view of the accident?
Jimmy：Oh, yes. I was standing outside the bank building and I saw it quite clearly.
Policeman：Do you know what time it was?
Jimmy：Yes.
Policeman：Good.
Jimmy：Well, quite slowly—about 10 miles an hour. It was coming up York Road.
Policeman：I see.
Jimmy：It was coming along Union Street about 30 miles per hour. It was a blue Toyota.
Policeman：Did you see what colour his traffic(交通) light was?
Jimmy：Yes, it changed to yellow just before he crossed it.
A. What about the car?
B. I checked my watch.
C. Didn't you see the car?
D. Now, how fast was the truck moving?
E. Was the car going beyond the speed limit?
F. I suppose the truck driver knew the lights were going to change.
G. The driver stopped his car when he saw the truck crossing the street.
2 . Teens don’t understand the big fuss(小题大做). As the first generation to grow up in a wired world, they hardly know a time when computers weren’t around, and they eagerly catch the chance to spend hours online, chatting with friends. So what?
But researchers nationwide are increasingly worried that teens are becoming isolated(孤寂), less skillful at person-to-person relationships, and perhaps numb(麻木) to the cheatings that are so much a part of the e-mail world.“And a teen’s sense of self and values may be changed in a world where personal connections can be limitless,” said Sherry Turkle.
Another researcher, Robert Kraut, said he’s worried about the “opportunity costs”(机会成本) of so much online time for youths. He found that teens who used computers, even just a few hours a week, showed increased signs of loneliness and social isolation. “Chatting online may be better than watching television, but it’s worse than hanging out(闲逛) with real friends,” he said.
Today’s teens, however, don’t see anything strange in the fact that the computer takes up a central place in their social lives. “School is busy and full of pressure. There’s almost no time to just hang out,” said Parker Rice, 17. “Talking online is just catch-up time.”
Teens say they feel good about what they say online or taking the time to think about a reply. Some teens admit that asking someone for a date, or breaking up, can be easier in message form, though they don’t want to do so. But they insist there’s no harm.
1. The researchers argue that______.| A．teens may develop a different sense of values |
| B．nothing is wrong with teens’ chatting online |
| C．teens can manage their social connections |
| D．spending hours online does much good to teens |
| A．use computers properly |
| B．improve their school work |
| C．develop an interest in social skills |
| D．reduce their mental pressures |
| A．teens’ pleasant online experience |
| B．teens’ computer skills and school work |
| C．the effects of the computer world on teens |
| D．different opinions on teens’ chatting online |
| A．describe computer research results |
| B．draw attention to teens’ computer habits |
| C．suggest ways to deal with problem teens |
| D．discuss problems teens have at school |
The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighborhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbors.
It was like a race, but one could never finish his race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbors. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are “Joneses” in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.
1. Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ________.| A．want to be as rich as their neighbors |
| B．want to be happy |
| C．don’t want others to know they are rich |
| D．want others to know or to think that they are rich |
| A．live in New York City | B．live outside New York City |
| C．live in apartments | D．have many neighbors |
| A．an important name |
| B．a popular name in the United States |
| C．his neighbor’s name |
| D．not a good name |
| A．impossible | B．interesting |
| C．correct | D．good |
Despite what it promises, GM technology actually has not increased the production potential of any corp. In fact, studies show that the most widely grown GM crop. GM soybeans, has suffered reduced productivity. For instance, a report than analysed nearly two decades of research on mojor GM food crops shows that GM engineering has failed to significantly increase US crop production.
Something else, however, has been on the rise, While GM seeds are expensive, GM companies tell farmers that they will make good profits by saving money on pesticides（杀虫剂）. On the contrary, US government data show that GM crops in the US have produced an overall increase in pesticide use compared to traditional crops. “The promise was that you could use less chemicals and boost production. But neither is true,” said Bill Christison, President of the US National Farm Coalition.
At the same time, the authors of the book World Hunger: Twelve Myths argue that there actually is more than enough food in the world and that the hunger crisis is not caused by production, but by problems in food distribution and politics. These indeed deserve our efforts and money. Meanwhile, the rise in food prices results from the increased use of crops for fuel rather than food, according to a 2008 World Bank report.
As a matter of fact, scientists see better ways to feed the world. Another World Bank report concluded that GM crops have little to offer to the challenges of worldwide poverty and hunger, because better ways out are available, among which “green” farming is supposed to be the first choice.
1. The author develops the second paragraph mainly .| A．by classification | B．by comparison |
| C．by example | D．by process |
| A．Control. | B．Evaluate | C．Obtain. | D．Increase. |
| A．practicing “green” farming | B．use of less chemicals |
| C．fair distribution of their crops | D．using more crops for fuel |
| A．Optimistic | B．Defensive | C．Disapproving | D．Casual |
5 . There are times when people are so tired that they fall asleep almost anywhere. We can see there is a lot of sleeping on the bus or train on the
| A．way | B．track | C．path | D．road |
| A．buying | B．folding | C．delivering | D．reading |
| A．acts | B．shows | C．appears | D．sounds |
| A．open | B．eat | C．find | D．finish |
| A．lying | B．waiting | C．talking | D．sitting |
| A．Next | B．Every | C．Another | D．One |
| A．goes on | B．ends up | C．lasts | D．returns |
| A．bravely | B．happily | C．loudly | D．carelessly |
| A．leave | B．shake | C．keep | D．watch |
| A．size | B．shape | C．weight | D．strength |
| A．cushion | B．desk | C．shoulder | D．book |
| A．action | B．position | C．rest | D．side |
| A．memory | B．reason | C．question | D．purpose |
| A．thinking | B．working | C．walking | D．driving |
| A．changes | B．events | C．ideas | D．accidents |
| A．up | B．off | C．along | D．down |
| A．lucky | B．awake | C．calm | D．strong |
| A．in time | B．at first | C．as usual | D．for example |
| A．dust | B．water | C．grass | D．bush |
| A．tired | B．drunk | C．lonely | D．lazy |
Time is more precious than money for an increasing number of people who are choosing to live more with less—and liking it.
Kay and Charles Giddens, two lawyers, sold their home to start a B&B hotel. Four years later, the couple dishes out banana pancake breakfast, cleans toilets and serves homemade chocolate chip cookies to guests in a B&B hotel surrounded by trees on a hill known for colorful sunsets.
“Do I miss the freeways? Do I miss the traffic? Do I miss the stress? No,” says Ms. Giddens, “This is a phenomenon that’s fairly widespread. A lot of people are reevaluating their lives and figuring out what they want to do. If their base is being damaged, what’s the payoff?”
Simple living ranges from cutting down on weeknight activities to sharing housing, living closer to work, avoiding shopping malls, borrowing books from the library instead of buying them, and taking a cut in pay to work at a more pleasurable job.
Vicki Robin, a writer, lives on a budget equal to a fifth of what she used to make. “You become conscious about where your money is going and how valuable it is,” Ms. Robin says, “You tend not to use things up. You cook at home rather than eat out…”
Janet Luhrs, a lawyer, quit her job after giving birth and leaving her daughter with a nanny for two weeks. “It was not the way I wanted to raise my kids,” she says, “Simplicity is not just about saving money; it’s about me sitting down every night with my kids to a candlelit dinner with classical music.”
Mrs. Luhrs now edits a magazine, Simple Living, which publishes tips on how to buy recycled furniture and shoes, organize potluck dinners instead of expensive receptions, and generally how to consume less.
“It’s not about poverty,” Mrs. Luhrs explains, “It’s about conscious living and creating the life you want. The less stuff you buy, the less money goes out of the door, and the less money you have to earn.”
1. Kay and Charles Giddens sold their home to ______.
| A．pay off the debt |
| B．start a private hotel |
| C．cut down expenses |
| D．buy living necessities |
| A．building a home library |
| B．living in the countryside |
| C．enjoying a colorful night life |
| D．sharing housing with others |
| A．spends more time with her kids |
| B．has an interest in classical music |
| C．works as a reporter of a magazine |
| D．helps people buy recycled clothes |
| A．By using figures. |
| B．By asking questions. |
| C．By giving examples. |
| D．By making comparisons. |
Now speaking a foreign language is what most people want. Every year millions of people start learning one. How do they do it? Some people try at home, with books and records of tapes; some use radio or television programs; some use computers and network; others go to evening classes. If they use the language only 2 or 3 times a week, learning it will take a long time, like learning a foreign language at school. A few people try to learn a language fast by studying for 6 or more hours a day. It is clearly easier to learn the language in the country where it is spoken.
However, most people cannot afford this, and for many it is not necessary. They need the language in order to do their work better. For example, scientists and doctors chiefly need to be able to read books and reports in the foreign language. Whether the language is learnt quickly or slowly, it is hard work. Machines and good books will help, but they cannot do the student’s work for him.
1. According to some advertisements, you ______.
| A．have to pay your money if you cannot master a foreign language in 6 weeks |
| B．needn’t pay your money if you cannot learn a foreign language in 6 weeks |
| C．must pay your money if you cannot master a foreign language in 6 weeks |
| D．will be paid much money if you cannot learn a foreign language in 6 weeks |
| A．read the literature of the country |
| B．read books and reports |
| C．do their work better |
| D．go to foreign countries |
| A．only for scientists and doctors |
| B．only for the students at school |
| C．for those people at home |
| D．for most people |
Parents who help their children with homework may actually be bringing down their school grades. Other forms of prenatal involvement, including volunteering at school and observing a child's class, also fail to help, according to the most recent study on the topic.
The findings challenge a key principle of modern parenting(养育子女) where schools except them to act as partners in their children's education. Previous generations concentrated on getting children to school on time, fed, dressed and ready to learn.
Kaith Robinson, the author of the study, said, "I really don't know if the public is ready for this but there are some ways parents can be involved in their kids' education that leads to declines in their academic performance. One of the things that was consistently negative was parents' help with homework." Robinson suggested that may be because parents themselves struggle to understand the task." They may either not remember the material their kids are studying now, or in some cases never learnt it themselves, but they're still offering advice."
Robinson assessed parental involvement performance and found one of the most damaging things a parent could do was to punish their children for poor marks. In general, about 20% of parental involvement was positive, about 45% negative and the rest statistically insignificant.
Common sense suggests it was a good thing for parents to get involved because "children with good academic success do have involved parents ", admitted Robinson. But he argued that this did not prove parental involvement was the root cause of that success." A big surprise was that Asian-American parents whose kids are doing so well in school hardly involved. They took a more reasonable approach, conveying to their children how success at school could improve their lives."
1. The underlined expression "parental involvement " in Paragraph 1 probably means .
| A．parents' expectation on children's health |
| B．parents' participation in children's education |
| C．parents' control over children's life |
| D．parents' plan for children's future |
| A．Modern parents raise children in a more scientific way. |
| B．Punishing kids for bad marks is mentally damaging. |
| C．Parental involvement is not so beneficial as expected. |
| D．Parents are not able to help with children’s homework. |
| A．help children realize the importance of schooling |
| B．set a specific life goal for their children |
| C．spend more time improving their own lives |
| D．take a more active part in school management |
When the results were read, Rachel broke down, sobbing and screaming for her mom, who had to rush onstage to comfort her.
It was a humiliating moment for Rachel, but a great moment for The X Factor — just the kind of drama TV audiences love.
Some fans said Rachel’s breakdown proved she was too young to be on the show. And though there was nothing exceptional about someone Rachel’s age being on reality TV — children and teens appear in everything from Dance Moms to The Biggest Loser — Rachel’s meltdown did raise an important question: Should kids be on reality TV at all? Many psychologists are saying “No”.
It’s well known that early fame can be harmful and that many former child stars struggle as adults. Being followed by photographers 24/7 and having everything they do reported in newspapers and blogs can be hard for young people to deal with. It can make them feel as though their worth depends on what others say. Reality TV takes the pressure of early fame to a whole new level. Kids on reality TV don’t play characters. They play themselves. Cameras expose their most private moments for our entertainment.
Laws exist that protect child actors, making sure they go to school and limiting the hours they can work. In many states, though, these laws do not apply to kids on reality TV, because they are not considered actors.
Dangers aside, there’s no doubt that reality shows do offer exciting opportunities and the potential to make money. A 7-year-old girl who attends a TV show earns about $36,000 per season. After competing on The X Factor, One Direction went on to become international stars. Even Rachel made out OK. She released an album and voices a character in the movie Rio 2. And she showed resilience (适应力). “I’m not feeling great, but I’ll be fine,” she told reporters after breakdown. “I’m Rachel still.”
1. The underlined word “humiliating” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to “ _______”.
| A．exciting | B．precious |
| C．important | D．embarrassing |
| A．was not good enough |
| B．deserved better results |
| C．should have been much stronger |
| D．shouldn’t have been on the show |
| A．how kids should deal with pressure |
| B．why early fame can be harmful to kids |
| C．the importance of kids being themselves |
| D．what some former child stars have achieved |
| A．Kids should look for more challenges. |
| B．Reality shows may change a kid forever. |
| C．Reality shows can benefit kids in some ways. |
| D．Kids can earn little money from reality shows. |
On Friday, a truck loaded with over 500 dogs were stopped by volunteers from animal protection organization on Jingha expressway Beijing section. Beijing Times reported these dogs were being delivered to slaughter houses in the city of Changchun, northeast Jilin province and would be eventually served on dinner tables.
After negotiations with the truck driver, pet service provider Leepet Holding Corp. and a philanthropic foundation, Shangshan Foundation, purchased these dogs, each paying 50,000 yuan. Dogs were then delivered to the headquarter of China Small Animal Protection Association (CS APA), being taken care of and waiting for adoption.
After the “dog saving mission” was reported, Chinese net users debate over whether saving dogs worth so much efforts and money while there are still many poor and needy people in China lacking assistance.
Some net users argue the dog saving mission is placing over attention to animals while lots of needy people are still left unattended.
A microblogger “Xiaowulaitajie” said on China’s twitter-like website, weibo.com, “Dogs are saved, adopted and they attracted media spotlight. We'd better spend such money and take such efforts in helping the needy people.”
Another microblogger, Liluping, said "We poured such huge sum of money into saving dogs. I would rather the money be spent on disaster relief."
Some applaud volunteers’ actions and show eagerness of offering their helping hands to those saved dogs.
Still many disapprove those "saving dogs" critics, but they argue that such act nonetheless embodies social progress.
A microblogger named "broken bridge" said, saving dogs does not run counter to taking care of people. Such enthusiasm in public affairs will help raise social awareness in helping the needy.
I think people and animals are created equal .Attention should be paid to people as well as animals.
1. Where did the article come from ___________?
| A．newspaper | B．Internet |
| C．a TV programme | D．a magazine |
| A．Some net users' | B．Xiaowulaitajie's |
| C．Liluping's | D．Broken bridge's |
| A．All the people think it right to save these dogs with so much money. |
| B．These dogs were finally saved and sent back to their owners. |
| C．Some volunteers support the actions to save these dogs and the people who offered their helping hands to those saved dogs. |
| D．100,000 yuan was given to the truck driver to purchase these dogs. |
