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Rim does _ in the company after the operations.

more quickly

Every girl dreams she could be the most beautiful in the world. Some girls went under the knife to change their looks. Rim Seong Wan, a 23-year-old girl, did some operations in 2009, and she looked different. Before the operations, she was shy because she thought she was not beautiful. After the operations, she had much bigger eyes and higher nose. When she talks with others, there is always a big smile on her face. Rim has more clients than others. When she does the work, she's much happier and can finish it more quickly. She's called the most talented girl in the company . Rim's changes made her life better. However, the scientists didn't think it was good to change life by this way. It's more important to adjust our minds.

The orange is _

like a football

A Gold Cup for an Orange There is a poor man. He has an orange tree. On the tree, there are many fine oranges. One of them is very, very big. It is as big as a football. Nobody sees so big an orange. The poor man is very happy. He takes it to the king . The King is so pleased that he gives the man a lot of money for it. When a rich man hears of it, he says to himself, "It's only an orange. Why does the king give so much money for it? I'll take my gold cup to the king. He'll give me more money". The next day when the king receives the gold cup, he says to the rich man, "what a beautiful cup! I'll show you something wonderful, please take this great orange away.

Which is the best title?

What's wrong with you?

You hurry into the kitchen,open the refrigerator and suddenly you forget why you open it."What am I looking for?"You ask yourself."What am I doing here?"Don't worry.You are not losing your mind.We have all had this kind of thing.If you think about something very quickly,it goes into your short-term memory and it goes right back out in just a few seconds.You have not moved things from short-term to long-term memory,so you won't be able to remember it later on. What can you do to help get back your missing short-term memory?You may go back to where you were.So,for example,if you were sitting in a chair listening to the music in the living room,just go back into the living room.This will help you remember,and when you are back in the living room,you will suddenly think,"Oh,yes,I was thirsty and I wanted something cold to drink.That is why I went to the fridge."If,sometimes,you can't go back to where you were before,just try tracing your steps back in your mind.Think back to things you did before,and this may help you.

Which of the following statements can be inferred from the passage?

Smile and laugh show your ability to overpower weakness and anxieties.

We start finding things laughable -- or not laughable -- early in life. An infant first smiles at approximately eight days of age. In his book Beyond Laughter, psychiatrist Martin Grotjahn says that the earlier infants begin to smile and laugh, the more advanced their development is. Studies revealed that children who did not develop these responses "developed a schizophrenic psychosis in later life, or simply gave up and died". Between the ages of six months and one year, babies learn to laugh for essentially the same reasons why they will laugh throughout their lives, says Dr. Jacob Levine. He says that people laugh to express mastery over an anxiety. Adult laughter is more subtle , but we also laugh at what we used to fear. The feeling of achievement, or lack of it, remains a leading factor. Giving a first dinner party is an anxious event for newly-weds. Will the food be good? Will the guests get along? All goes well; the party is over. Now they laugh freely. Their pleasure is from recalling the evening's activities. They couldn't enjoy the second pleasure without the first. Laughter is a social response caused by signals. Scientists have not determined a brain center for laughter, and they are puzzled by patients with certain types of brain damage who go into laughing with no apparent reason. The rest of us require company and a reason to laugh. Another reason why laughter is pleasurable is because of the physical feeling involved. According to Dr. Levine, we can measure our adjustment to the world by our capacity to laugh. When we are secure about our abilities, we can make fun of our weakness. If we can laugh through our anxieties, we will not be overpowered by them. The ability to laugh starts early, but it takes a lifetime to perfect. Says Dr. Levine, "When social relationships are mastered, when individuals have mastered... a peaceful relationship with themselves, then they have ... the sense of humor." And then they can throw back their heads and laugh.

What do you think mainly helps her program to continue?

Supplies and donations from stores.

When Alexandra Holderman of Indiana was five years old, she saw a bay dressed in only a T-shirt, diaper , and blanket in the middle of winter. Alexandra could tell that the baby was very cold. "He had red, chapped skin and a runny nose," she remembers. That same year, Alexandra started Baby Bundles , a program to help mothers keep their babies warm. She packed bundles of pajamas, blankets, diapers, bottles and bibs, and then delivered them to centers for women who couldn't afford the items. Alexandra continues this program today. Where does Alexandra get the money for her program? The first year, family members helped a lot. Many of them gave Alexandra money to buy supplies. Alexandra's mother, who has always encouraged Alexandra to share her blessings with people who are less fortunate, taught her how to request donations from stores. Alexandra felt shy speaking with stores' business managers at first. "But now it just comes naturally," she says, "and I have places that donate stuff every year." Alexandra has been doing Baby Bundles for six years now. Each September she writes betters to stores asking for supplies and donations. Then she makes follow-up phone calls. In October, she gathers all of the donations and goes shopping. One of the biggest challenges is getting all of the supplies she needs while staying within a planned budget. Alexandra has had to give up her allowance and some time with friends, but she knows that what she's doing helps. Sometimes she sees a baby wearing clothes like the ones she put in her bundles. And she wonders if that baby was helped by her program. "I know that there are babies out there who are warmer and healthier now," she says. Alexandra plans to continue Baby Bundles as long as she can and is currently trying to get a Web site set up. She hopes that her work will inspire other young people to find ways to serve their communities. Alexandra has made sure that many babies in Indiana remain cozy during the winter months. DCAC

How do you understand'Point 1 --The telephone creates the need to communicate,6...'?

People communicate more since telephone has been created.

When I asked my daughter which item she would keep; the phone, the car, the cooker, the computer, the TV, or her boyfriend, she said"the phone". Personally, I could do without the phone entirely, which makes me unusual. Because the telephone is changing our lives more than any other piece of technology. Point 1 The telephone creates the need to communicate, in the same way that more roads create more traffic. My daughter comes home from school at 4:00 pm and then spends an hour on the phone talking to the very people she has been at school with all day. If the phone did not exist, would she have anything to talk about? Point 2 The mobile phone means that we are never alone. "The mobile saved my life,"says Crystal Johnstone. She had an accident in her Volvo on the A45 between Otley and Skipton. Trapped inside, she managed to make the call that brought the ambulance to her rescue. Point 3 The mobile removes our secret. It allows marketing manager of Haba Deutsch, Carl Nicolaisen, to ring his sales staff all round the world at and time of day to ask where they are , where they are going, and how their last meeting went. Point 4 The telephone separates us. Antonella Bramante in Rome says, "We worked in separate offices but I could see him through the window. It was easy to get his number. We were so near----but we didn't meet for the first two weeks!" Point 5 The telephone allows us to reach out beyond our own lives. Today we can talk to several complete strangers simultaneously ( ) on chat lines (at least my daughter does. I wouldn't know what to talk about). We can talk across the world. We can even talk to astronauts (if you know any) while they're space-walking. And, with the phone line hooked up to the computer, we can access the Internet, the biggest library on Earth.

Bill is in _ now.

China

Hello! My name is Bill. I am twelve years old. I am from America. Now I am in a junior high school in Xiamen. We have 20 boys and 25 girls in our class. My favorite teacher is Miss White. She is from Canada. She is 27 years old. She is tall. She has long brown hair. Her face is round and she has big eyes. She is a good teacher. She can speak English and Chinese. I have a good friend here. His name is Mike. He is an English boy. We have the same age. My classmates are kind to me. We often help each other. ,A, B, C, D. (5)

Being a wise Internet shopper,you may_.

try clothes on at the nearest store and buy them online

Are you a working professional with a continuing need for a stockpile of suits? Regardless of what specific wardrobe needs you have or where you like to shop,you really can avoid paying top dollars for clothing.These tips can help you experience the excitement of beating the system. Figure out precisely when to hunt for bargains. Your favorite stores will have several big sales throughout the course of the year.With a simple plan, you can time things so you shop only during the best, sales.If you don't feel like reading the ads in your local newspaper, call the stores directly and ask for details. Be a wise Internet shopper. Visit the Web sites of your favorite stores and clothing lists and look for online-only, sales.It's not at all uncommon to notice dresses or suits that used to cost $100 in final clearance sections for $19.99 or even $9.99.You can try clothes on at your nearest retail store first to make sure they fit and then buy them online for less. Really go thrift . Shopping at thrift stores takes patience and time,so you shouldn't go when you're in a big hurry.Many thrift stores offer regular weekly deals that provide true shopping thrills for you.For example,all clothes labeled stickers of a certain color1 may cost 99 cents on a certain day of the week.Call up the thrift stores in your area and ask about special sales. Don't give up clothes you have too easily. Many ignored items in your closet could enjoy a new life with a little bit of TLC.Coats call be relined ,shoes can be resoled and small imperfections can be repaired.

Why did the author watch the fireworks on TV?

She didn't want to get wet and cold again.

On Jan 23, 2012, I was aboard a ship on the Yangtze River, listening to the sound of fireworks and eating plate after plate of dumplings. On Sunday Feb 10, 2013, I was preparing to celebrate Chinese New Year again - in London's Chinatown. It was raining. It was cold. But ever since I left Beijing in August, I had promised myself I would celebrate Chinese New Year - if only to help with my Beijing "homesickness". Central London was dressed up for the occasion. There was a stage for a big fireworks display for the evening. Even so, it wasn't like my real Beijing chunjie. Even buying a baozi didn't cheer me up. It cost about 10 times as much as the real thing does in Beijing and got stuck to its rain-ruined paper bag. Cold, wet and depressed, I ran into a shop for shelter. Suddenly, there it was. Between the packets of dried meat and fish, the bags of rice and the smell of dried noodles in this little Chinese supermarket, I had found home. An hour later, I hurried into my house with bags of frozen jiaozi, packets of sauce and a large bottle of vinegar. I boiled water, tore open the packets, grabbed my chopsticks and settled down to a feast. This, I thought, is a Happy Chinese New Year. I even watched the fireworks on TV. After all, why face the British weather when I can bring China home in one bite?

The best way to buy an eye cream is by _ .

reading the reviews first

Lines around the eyes mean the aging process in the body. Though aging is considered as one of the most unavoidable occurrence in one's life, it is not entirely the thing. You just need to know that you can deal with it in your life. For example, if you are willing to spend a considerable amount of money to make yourself look young again, then you can try eye lifts. However, if you are more of the money-conscious type, then you should decide to go for eye creams which bring the same results but with lower prices. Despite of the advantages of using eye creams, however, there is a disadvantage in trying them. This is due to the hundreds of brands o eye creams being marketed at present. If you do not know how to choose the best eye cream in the countless brands available, then you might fall victim to eye creams that do not really fulfill their promised effects. What's good is that looking for the best eye cream does not involve too much effort. You just have to look for eye cream reviews to know how a product performs and if it lives up to its promises. If you have a dermatologist , then you can ask for advice. If you have none, however, then you can just browse on the net for the best cream for your needs. In searching for eye cream reviews, look for those with reviews based on the results of product testing. Doing so can ensure you that you are not basing your decision on fake review sites that are only made to build up an image of a certain product. Follow these tips and guidelines and you are sure to finally spot the best eye cream that can solve your aging problem.

If a clingy friend calls you to play badminton with him but you want to be alone, you should NOT _

tell him that you will meet an old friend soon

Who doesn't have a clingy friend? You know, that person who often calls,texts, and e-mails. He often needs your attention, your feedback,or your help.Worse yet, he often gets _ when you don't reply immediately. Is there ever a moment when you just want to turn off your phone and be alone? But you won't do that to a friend. Actually there are better ways to deal with a clingy friend. Give Yourself Some Time If you really need some time for yourself, or you're just tired of being the listener, just explain to your friend honestly that you want or need some time of your own.Even the most determined friends will understand and give you some space. Of course, those extremely clingy friends will still call, text, and e-mail. If that happens, just reply gently that you need some time for yourself. Suggest an Activity for Your Friend If you 're tired of different get-togethers and outings, then you should advise your friend to do something alone. If you both like sports, you could tell your friend to have a try at the new gym. If your friend likes your suggestion, but insists that you go along, just explain that you've already visited the gym. Mention that you enjoy the gym. If you're lucky , he'll try it, and like it. Introduce Your Clingy Friend to Others. Your clingy friend may just be lonely or have trouble meeting new people. If that's the case , introduce him to others with similar interests. He may just make some new friends. _ There's no reason for you to rudely tell your clingy friend that he's a pain in the neck. Just follow the above advice to take your time back. After a while, your clingy friend should learn to value your time and your friendship.

What has made Bali Indonesia No.1 tourist attraction?

Friendly people and splendidly visual culture.

Melbourne, Australia Melbourne is a hot-spot travel destination, and it's easy to see why with its beautiful beaches and busy city life. Why it's a great choice: Australia as a whole is considered a safe destination for international travel, and because of that, many solo travelers go there. As an English-speaking country, you won't be faced with any language barriers. Melbourne is easy to get around because you can walk or bike practically anywhere! Thailand Thailand is great for solo travelers -- perhaps because it is one of the Buddhist mindsets, which promote equality among the sexes. Why it's a great choice: Thailand is known for its friendly atmosphere, and as a travel hot-spot, there are plenty of chances to meet other like-minded travelers. Well known for being very cheap, especially in the north. A good choice if you want to get away on a budget. Thailand has a lot to offer, from the party-central Bangkok to beautiful beaches and tropical jungle. Hong Kong, China Hong Kong is a great place to relax for solo travelers as it is full of "Zen moments," such as beautiful gardens and Tai Chi classes. Why it's a great choice: Hong Kong is regarded as one of the safest cities in the world. If you're not well-traveled, or perhaps a bit tired of things like language barriers, Hong Kong is a great place to start, as it mixes both Eastern and Western at the same time. Bali, Indonesia Bali is a spiritual place with yoga, spas, healthy food and beaches. The combination of friendly people and splendidly visual culture has made Bali Indonesia number one tourist attraction. Why it's so great: You won't be the only solo traveler in Bali. Everyone is known for being extremely friendly and you're sure to meet some amazing characters along the way. As a Hindu island, Bali is the perfect place for a relaxing and spiritual retreat . The Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud is fantastic -- if you like monkeys, anyway.

The author writes the passage mainly to _ .

share Rahfeal Gordon's life story

Rahfeal Gordon has come a long way from the homeless shelters and streets of Newark, New Jersey. The 25-year-old was honored this year by the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship for his work----giving motivational speeches to youth groups. Rahfeal Gordon tells his audience, "If nobody ever says that you're brilliant, say it to yourself every day. Look yourself in the mirror: if you have survived something, I don't care how small, how big, you've survived it," he said. Rahfeal Gordon 's speech is simple: He tells the story of his own life in three chapters. Each begins with a hip hop lyric that he knows will be meaningful to a young audience. Gordon says he uses positive hip hop lyrics to encourage youths, especially those who grew in poverty and abuse, as he did. His talk is called "Hip Hop Saved My Life". " When I had my very dark moments in life, I would put on certain songs, whether it is from Jay-Z , Tupac, Kanye West," Gordon said. "They kept me going through the hard times. They fulfilled a certain void that I couldn't fulfill, like not having a father or mother there, so I felt they could relate because they would tell these stories." Gordon says his childhood was happy until his father became addicted to drugs and began to beat his three brothers and mother. They left to live on the streets and in homeless shelters. Gordon says he tries now to be a voice for others, including a brother who was murdered at the age of 19. "When I lost my brother, that was, really, a moment when things really started to take off, in the sense of saying, 'I really, really want to be that individual to help people, to help individuals,' "Gordon said. "I can't be Superman. I can't save the world, but I think that if I can help an individual, I am saving the world. "

_ brings a big bottle of orange juice to the picnic.

Nancy

Henry's family has a picnic on the weekend.They ask their friends,Nancy and her husband ,to go with them.On Sunday morning,Henry's wife ,Kate,gets up early to get ready for(...)some food for the picnic.At nine o'clock in the morning,Nancy calls and tells Henry she would like to bring something to the picnic.Kate calls her back and asks her to bring a big bottle of orange juice.The two families go to a park near Nancy's house.There are tables and chairs under the trees near the river .They can see the blue sky and green water there.Everyone likes the picnic and they have a nice Sunday afternoon in the park.

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

Increasing physical activities can free people from depression in a way.

Being physically active three times a week reduces the odds of being depressed by about 16%, according to new UCL research carried out as part of the Public Health Research Center. The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, found a two-way relationship between depression and physical activity. People who increased their weekly activity reported fewer depressive symptoms but those with more depressive symptoms were less active, particularly at younger ages. Researchers followed 11,135 people born in 1958 up until the age of 50, recording depressive symptoms and levels of physical activity at regular intervals in adulthood. They found that each additional activity period per week reduced odds of depression by 6%. In England 19% of men and 26% of women are currently classed as "inactive", and this study suggests that activity could significantly improve their mental as well as physical health. "Assuming the association is causal, physical activity has a protective effect against depression. If an adult between their twenties and forties who isn't physically active became active 3 times per week, they would reduce their risks of depression by about 16%." says Dr Snehal of the UCL Institute of Child Health, lead author of the study. Professor Mark, Director of the Public Health Research Center, said, "Many people are already aware of the benefits of physical activity on their general health, but now we are seeing more evidence that suggest it also has a positive effect on a person's mental well-being. The latest research highlights just how important it is to ensure that people are working and living in environments that allow them to be both physically active and mentally healthy."

What happens next?

appear in a large area, hanging out, walking and talking and the words on the screen say omaha marathon inaugural hits running festival.

A colorful intro appears and in includes a logo and the words "introducing running festivals a distance for everyone!". a lot of people

The little girl was more satisfied with her _ .

hat

It was the first snow of winter -- an exciting day for every child but not for most teachers. Up until now, I had been old enough to dress myself, but today would need some help. Miss Finlayson, my kindergarten teacher, had been through brst snow days many times, but I think she may still remember this one. I managed to get into my wool snow trousers. But I struggled won my jacket because it didn't fit well. It was a hand-mc-down from my brother, and if made me wonder why I had to wear his ugly clothes, At least my hat and scarf were mine, and they were quite pretty. Finally it was time to have Miss Finlayson help me with my boots . In her calm, motherly voice she said, "By the end of winter, you will all be able to put on your own boots." I didn't realize at the at the time that this was more a statement of hope than of confidence . I handed her my boots and stuck out my foot. Like most children, I expected grown-ups to do all the work. After much pushing, she managed to get first one into place and then, with a sigh, worked the second one on too. I announced, "They're on the wrong feet." She struggled to get the boots off and went through the joyless task of putting them on again. "They're my brother's boots, you know," I said. "I hate them". Somehow, from long years of practice, she managed to act as though I wasn't an annoying little girl, She struggle with me, she asked, "Now, where are your mittens ?" I looked into her eyes and said, "I didn't want to lose them, so I hid them in the toes of my boots.

IPhones' _ can not be listed among the reasons why the writer was addicted to it.

excellent service

My name is Amy. I'm a 25-year-old graduate student who likes yoga, home-decorating shows and eating spoonfuls of peanut butter straight from the jar. Oh yeah, and I'm an iPhone addict. I wasn't always an addict. In fact, for many years I told myself I didn't want a fancy cellphone. They seemed like too much work, always ringing and demanding attention. I was perfectly content with my simple cellphone, and I didn't feel like changing my mind any time. However, about a year ago, I found myself envious of all those proud iPhone owners, holding their shiny new phones and showing them off to all their friends. I started to _ conversations about "iPhone apps", feeling like a tourist listening to a language I couldn't speak. Eventually I couldn't ignore my iPhone instinct any longer, and I welcomed my new iPhone into my life. I instantly fell in love with the little bundle of joy, and could no longer imagine a life without it. To my surprise, I suddenly found myself with a whole new circle of friends--other iPhone owners I could go to for advice and support as I learned the various functions of my new device. They responded to my iPhone-related queries when my other friends couldn't, and didn't roll their eyes when I bragged about all the things little Eloise (yes, I named her) could do. For a couple months I built my new life with Eloise. However, I realized I had a problem when one day I found myself Google-mapping my way to my mailbox, which happens to be right outside my front door. When I reflected upon the past few months, I couldn't believe I didn't see this coming. All the warning signs were there. Eloise slept right beside me and was the first thing I reached for in the morning. I checked my e-mail about 20 times a day. I also experienced attachment anxiety when I left poor Eloise in the changing room at the gym. What if she rang and needed my response? Or, even worse, what if a careless gym-goer knocked her out of my bag and caused her screen to crack? Once I admitted I had a problem, things started to change. What used to feel like friendly messages now felt like constant complaining to respond. I hated that I could no longer leave the house without Eloise in my hand. Eventually, I felt angry with Eloise so much that I wanted to throw her at the wall. I decided something had to be done. But, as I quickly realized, iPhones are like cigarettes and not easy to quit. Then, while taking the bus to work one day, I was unexpectedly forced to quit--at least temporarily. When I reached into my purse to grab Eloise, I found her overcome by fever. My head swam with panic as I attempted to solve the problem, but without result. I couldn't call anyone for advice. I couldn't Google whether this had happened to any fellow iPhone owners. The Apple Store was closed by the time I finished work, so I headed home with fear into an Eloise-less night. But, after a couple hours without any text alerts, push notifications, or even good old-fashioned phone calls, I felt ... calmer. Without my electronic bed partner, I drifted off into the deepest sleep I'd had in months. The next morning, I read the news from the simplicity of the newspaper, instead of from my iPhone. I even noticed the cherry blossoms blooming. My goodness, what had I been missing?

Deluca opened the first sandwich shop in order to _ .

pay for his college education

It was the summer of 1965. Deluca, then 17, visited Peter Buck, a family friend. Buck asked Deluca about his plan for the future. "I'm going to college, but I need a way to pay for it," Deluca recalls saying. "Buck said, 'you should open a sandwich shop.'" That afternoon, they agreed to be partners. And they set a goal: to open 32 stores in ten years. After doing some research, Buck wrote a check for $1,000. Deluca rented a storefront in Connecticut, and when they couldn't cover their startup costs, Buck kicked in another $1,000. But business didn't go smoothly as they expected. Deluca says, "After six months, we were doing poorly, but we didn't know how badly, because we didn't have any financial controls." All he and Buck knew was that their sales were lower than their costs. Deluca was managing the store and to the University of Bridgeport at the same time. Buck was working at his day job as a nuclear physicist in New York. They'd meet Monday evenings and brainstorm ideas for keeping the business running. "We convinced ourselves to open a second store. We figured we could tell the public, 'We are so successful; we are opening a second store.'" And they did--in the spring of 1966. Still, it was a lot of learning by trial and error. But the partners' learnasyougo approach turned out to be their greatest strength. Every Friday, Deluca would drive around and handdeliver the checks to pay their supplies. "It probably took me two and a half hours and it wasn't necessary but as a result, the suppliers got to know me very well, and the personal relationships established really helped out," Deluca says. And having a goal was also important. "There are so many problems that can get you down. You just have to keep working toward your goal," Deluca adds. Deluca ended up founding Subways Sandwich, the multimilliondollar restaurant chain.

What's the main idea of the passage?

Animals will follow certain rules in their group like humans.

"Humans have a code of ethics ," says Marc Bekoff, an animal behavior expert at the University of Colorado. " If I don't play in a certain way, you won't play with me. Some animals have the same code." Scientists recently discovered that animals that live in groups, such as elephants, foxes, and wolves, are especially likely to follow rules. If they don't, and each does its own thing, the group might break apart. Group members would be forced to live alone. Then they'd have a harder time hunting and raising their young. That's probably why a traveling wolf pack stopped and waited to let its slowly moving leader catch up. Similar social ties may have caused a captive elephant to save her friend from drowning. Selfish reasons certainly motivated the male fox, who wanted to keep playing. Sometimes, though, animals go out of their way to do what's right, even when there's nothing in it for them. Nobody knows why. " It might simply feel good to be kind, just as it does for humans," says Bekoff. If your friend wasn't nice to you, what would you do? Maybe you would just walk away. That's exactly what a wild red fox did when she was play-boxing with another fox. The larger fox, a male, began pushing too hard. The little female didn't like fighting. She ran away quickly. " He still wanted to play," says Marc Bekoff. So the male fox ran after his playmate, bowed down, and rolled over. His body language meant, " Don't leave, I'll play nicely." The female gave him another chance, and the male wrestled more gently this time.

The best title for this passage is _ .

Bad news came.

Jack was a pumpkin farmer. He lived in a big house on the edge of a town and grew the largest Pumpkin farm around the town. Jack's pumpkins were famous , for they always had the perfect shape and never rotted ( ) until well after Halloween . Every year around Halloween , people came from all over the town to buy his pumpkins to make their jack-o-lanterns ( ) One year, Jack was thinking about his pumpkin harvest ( ) of the year when his good friend Pete came to visit him. I have some bad news , Jack ," Pete said. "What is it ? " Jack asked . a little worried. The town decided not to have Halloween this year! They said there was simply no reason for it and they didn't have time to celebrate it because many other holidays were coming up soon . Peter told him. He knew this was very bad news for jack. Jack became very sad and lowered ( ) his head . "What can I do now , Peter?" I have all these beautiful pumpkins and I can't keep them until next Halloween ." Peter replied, " Well , there are always pumpkin pies and pumpkin bread for other holidays." Jack was worried and said, "I sell most of my pumpkins for the Halloween . I can only sell a few pumpkins during the rest of the year. And Pete, it's not so much about the money . I live a simple life out here in the country and I don't need much money . But I feel happy every year when thousands of people get my pumpkins and take them and make them into beautiful jack-o-lanterns. Now all these pumpkins will be useless because people won't make jack-o-lanterns this year. oh, this is very bad news ." Jack began to weep . large tears ran down his face.

The Europeans went to America in order to _ .

find a better life

Over 30 000 years ago,people from northern Asia went to America.Today we can tell these people Indians. The Indians went to America because the weather began to change.Northern Asia became very cold.Everything froze.They had to move or they would die.How did the first Indians go to America? They walked! Later Columbus found the New World in 1492.At first,only a few Europeans followed.They traveled to America in boats.For the next 300 years,about 500 000 people went there.Then the number grew very quickly.From 1815 to 1915,over 32 000 000 Europeans left their countries for the United States.The biggest groups went from Germany and Italy.These Europeans spoke many different languages.Most of them took almost no money.They went to America to find a better life.

Why did Karen decide to take Michael to see the newborn baby?

She thought it might be his last chance to see his sister.

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could do to help her 3-year-old son Michael prepare for it. She and her husband found out that the new baby was going to be a girl. Day after day, night after night, Michael sang to his sister in his mom's tummy . Finally, Michael's little sister was born. But she was in a very serious condition. The doctor told the parents there was very little hope. They kept the baby girl in the intensive care unit (ICU, ). Karen was so sad. She decided to plan for her funeral . Michael, however, kept begging his parents to let him see his sister. "I want to sing to her," he would say. Finally Karen decided to take Michael to his sister. This may be the last time he sees her alive. Michael looked at his baby sister. After a moment, he began to sing. In the pure-hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang: "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray." Instantly the baby girl seemed to _ . Her pulse rate began to calm down. "Keep on singing, Michael," encouraged Karen with tears in her eyes. "You never know, dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away." As Michael sang to his sister, the baby's breath became smooth. After a few days, the little girl was well enough to go home. The doctors called it a miracle . ,.

What is the author's attitude towards Yellen's being nominated?

Optimistic.

Who is the most powerful woman in the world? According to the US media, it's Janet Yellen, or at least she's about to be. On Oct 9, 2013,US President Barack Obama nominated Yellen to serve as the next US Federal Reserve (the Fed, )chair. If confirmed by the Senate, Yellen will become the first woman to serve in the top spot. Aged 67, silver-haired and tiny, Yellen is said to be the most qualified nominee ever. She chaired President Bill Clinton's Council of Economic Advisers, taught at Harvard and Berkeley, and was president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. She is currently the Fed's vice chair. Many think Yellen is the right choice to deal with the challenges the Fed now faces:First, to bring interest rates back to more normal levels without triggering a new recession .Second, to reduce the US unemployment rate, which remains at historically high levels. A CNN opinion piece says Yellen is unusual for an economist of her caliber ."She has kept her eyes on what's critical-the people. Her research has centered on unemployment, on the best way to modulate government policies to benefit the people." Past records also show that Yellen is exceptionally good at predicting where the economy is headed. An article in The Washington Post points out that she was one of the few voices at the Fed inDecember 2009 warning about the subprime crisis and the following recession. The reason why Yellen will be the most powerful woman in the world has to do with the unique position of the Federal Reserve, explains an article on Quartz, a US news outlet for business people in the new global economy, First of all, the Fed is independent. Unlike US Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Hilary Clinton, the decisions made by the organization Yellen will lead next year are not subject to approval by anyone in the government. Within the Fed, the chair alone sets the agenda. The Fed chairperson has huge influence on monetary policy and financial regulation. And don't forget how powerful the Fed itself is. It controls the money supply in the world's largest economy. The Fed's interest rate decisions don't just set the course for the US economy, its decisions set the course for the world economy, too. Because of globalization, Yellen's decisions will affect everyone around the world, says an article in The Atlantic, making her even more powerful than some great women rulers in history, including Elizabeth I of England and China's Wu Zetian. For example, the article continues: "If Yellen even just talks about slowing down the Fed's bond-buying, Europe's troubled economies are likely to see their interest rates rise, and emerging markets, some of which, like India and Indonesia, used foreign capital to fund their current account deficits ,are likely to see their currencies collapse."

What does the sentence by Kate Moss mean?

It is worthwhile to resist food to look skinny.

Can you resist cream cakes? I miss my sugar! I've decided to lose weight and I had to give up cakes. It's difficult because I have a sweet tooth and I love cream cakes. Not having treats can be good for your health. I've heard that the Burts, a family of five in South East England, lived sugar free for a whole year after they found out their daughter had diabetes . It wasn't easy. To avoid temptation, I don't go to any bakeries, but this family actually owns one, which makes up to 3,000 cakes a week. And how does it feel to live without sugar for a while? Jason Burt said that for a month they felt weak. But later on it all changed. He says he feels "more awake" and full of energy. And what about the Burt family business? It had to keep using half a ton of sugar a week and any cook worth his salt knows that you have to taste a recipe to know if it's right. No problem there, says Jason Burt's wife, Clare. She points out that she's got lots of people offering to taste the cakes for them. The family is also thinking about selling more delicious products. I wonder what makes us have a strong desire for sweet food. Anyway, I've decided to forget about the sweet taste of sugar for a while. As British model Kate Moss says: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels."

What have professors from Yale University found in their research?

Crying tears of joy helps to balance emotions.

When people reunite with their loved ones, it's usually all extremely happy moment. But what is their most common response to seeing them again? It may seem strange,but most of the time they break down in tears. Now a group of psychologists from Yale University say they have found the reason why, and that crying tears of joy may well be the body's way of keeping emotional balance. "They seem to take place when people are overtaken by strong positive emotions, and people who do this seem to recover better from those strong emotions," Oriana Aragon, the lead researcher said. Aragon and her fellow psychologists looked at hundreds of participants' emotional responses to different things, including happy reunions and cute babies. Many participants said they would react in a negative or aggressive way to the positive things ---- to cry at happy moments and want to pinch a cute baby's face or even tell them "I want to eat you up!" But then researchers found that these people were able to calm down from strong emotions more quickly. There are many other examples of times when people respond to a positive experience with a negative emotional reaction. At an exciting concert, fans scream at their idols . People who have just had a big lottery win are often in floods of tears. "These findings advance our understanding of how people express and control their emotions, which is importantly related to mental and physical health, the quality of relationships with others, and even how well people work together." said Aragon.

How does the author organize the passage?

By giving the definition.

Today, due to numerous medical and scientific advances, people are living longer than ever before. But you have to be good to your body, mind, and soul. The following tips are a good start for getting you on your way to living a long and healthy life. Eat a balanced diet -- one that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fiber and low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. A well-balanced diet can provide your body with the essential nutrients needed to achieve and maintain optimum health. Be physically active -- try to incorporate 30 minutes of activity into your day, every day. The options are endless; start walking on the beach in the mornings, try jogging with a friend, or go for a bike ride in the afternoons. Make sure you choose activities that you enjoy, that way you'll be more likely to make them a habit. Get regular preventive check-ups --see your doctor regularly; remember your doctor is your partner in health care. By having regular check-ups, you may be able to catch small problems before they become big ones. Be safe -- use common sense and be streetsmart . Don't put yourself in situations that are questionable. Always wear your seatbelt and bike helmet. Don't go for a run, walk, or jog at night by yourself. Keep your home well lit and free of things that could make you fall. Stay in touch with family and friends -- get to know your neighbors. Take the time to be involved with your community. By creating a strong social network, you will not only have friends to celebrate with when good things happen, but also a support system in difficult times. Keep a positive attitude -- studies have shown that people who have a positive attitude tend to live longer, and lead healthier and happier lives. Try to find the humor in life. And remember to laugh.

What's special about fibers that the socks are made of ?

They can monitor the movement of feet.

This could be the perfect gift for the partner, who embarrasses you on the dance floor. Smart socks, which can teach to dance, may be the answer for _ The socks have been developed as a running tool to help runners improve their skills. Thanks to the socks, users can accurately record not only know far and fast they run but also how well. It means the user maximizes theirperformance, and reduces damage to body and prevents hurt. The hi-tech socks are made of special fibers that watch the movements of your feet. They look, feel and can be washed like normal clothes. Sensorsrecordeach movement and send it by an ankle transmitter to a smart phone. Then a "virtual coach" application shows the information and can tell the user what they are doing wrong, and help to improve skill in any task with feet. The socks should be useful to athletes and weekend joggers. "People think running is so easy and of course everybody can do it but not necessarily safely and well," Dr Davide Vigano said. A recent study showed that between 60 and 80percent of runners got hurt per year. This is pretty much more than any other human activity. Researchers say the technology can also be developed to teach people how to dance, play sports such golf, or even to help to teach women to walk better in high heels. Mr. Vigano said, "People could all benefit from the idea. We have had interest from all sorts of sports, like skiing, football, cycling and golf. Anything where you have to use your feet can use it. It could even be put in high heels to help women walk in them safely." Socks are just the start, and the technology could be used in gloves, hats and boots. The socks, anklet and software package, are expected to be sold for around PS120, which will go onsalein March.

The purpose of the passage is _ .

to tell a piece of news of a heatwave

A severe heatwave sweeping India, with temperatures of almost 44oC, the highest in 52 years, has killed at least 80 people this month, officials said on Sunday. The hot weather, which officials say would continue over northern, north-western and central India in the next 48 hours, also may have some impact on wheat production, exporters and flour-mill associations said. New Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 43.7oC on Saturday, indicating a hot summer in the next two months in the nation's capital and other parts of northern and eastern India. The highest temperature in the past 24 hours was 47oC at Ganganagar city, in Rajasthan state. Summer temperatures have been 4oC-6oC above normal over most parts of northern and central India since March, weather officials said. In the eastern state of Orissa, authorities have decided to shut down schools from next Tuesday, advancing the annual summer holiday. Authorities said they were investigating reports of 53 deaths from various parts of the state. "District collectors have been asked to investigate and submit reports on other deaths," Bhimsen Gochhayat, a government official said. Other deaths were reported from northern state of Uttar Pradesh and central Madhya Pradesh states. India is expected to produce about 82 million tons of wheat in 2009-2010, but there could be a shortage of 1-1.5 million tons due to the heatwave, said Veena Sharma, Secretary General of the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India. "Most of the harvesting is over, but there definitely will be a slight shortage of 1-1.5 million tons due to the extreme weather conditions," she told Reuters. India is relying on an abundant wheat crop to make up for a 14.2% drop in rice output, the major summer-sown food grain, _ by the worst monsoon in 37 years last year. Weather officials say with summer temperatures in India set to remain above average, there were hopes of heavy rains at the start of the monsoon season that will help early sowing of rice, soybeans and lentils.

How long should you let the rice cook for about?

thirty minutes.

First, open the lid (-) and put water, salt, and rice in the pot. Then put the cover on the pot and close the lid. Next, press the button for "white" or "brown", and then press the "start" button. Let the rice cook for about 30 minutes. You'll hear a beeping sound when it's finished, but you should wait about five minutes before eating. Finally, take out the pot. Bring it to the table and enjoy your meal.

Miss Jones changed Bill by _ .

encouraging and helping him

Bill was a boy of 15. His parents went to gambling day and night. Nobody cared about hi. He always failed in his exams. So his teachers didn't like him, nor did his classmates play with him. Bill often slept in class because his heart was not in school. He almost gave himself up. One day, Miss Jones, a new teacher, came to Bill's class. She was a smiling, beautiful woman. Bill was in love! For the first time in his young life, he couldn't take his eyes off his teachers; yet, still he failed. It was Miss Jones' class. She was asking a question. "I'd like the smartest boy to answer my question." Then she said loudly, "Bill, please!" Bill was surprised. And he stood up without a word. "Just try it! I believe you can!" After school, Miss Jones had a long talk with Bill. She told him that she cared about him and believed in him. Bill thought a lot that evening. From then on he arrived at school on time every day. Miss Jones helped him with his homework in the afternoon. She even cooked delicious food for him. She told Bill, "Nothing is impossible if you put your heart in it." Later, Miss Jones gave another exam. Bill did it with all his heart. He was very excited to find that he had passed the exam. Now Bill discovered that not only could he learn, but he could do it well. A changed took place in Bill's heart. You see, one teacher saved one boy, it's simple , really.

Who always go to the computer game houses?

Young boys.

Nowadays, computer games are becoming more and more popular in many cities and towns. A lot of small shops along busy streets have been made into small game houses in order to get more money. These places are always crowded with people, especially young boys. In the computer game houses, people spend a lot of money competing with the machines. It's hard for one to win the computer, but one can make progress after trying again and again. People have a kind of gambling psychology when they play computer games. The more they lose, the more they want to win. When class is over, the school boys run to the nearby computer game houses. Little by little , they forget all about their lessons and fall far behind others. Some of them can get enough money from their parents. But some of them are not lucky enough to get the money. They begin to take away other students' money and become thieves.

We can infer from the article that _ .

The one-child policy is out of date now

Lin Xiao, 21, a student at Guangdong University, has a big family - her two parents, a younger brother and two younger sisters. Lin took her role as the "big sister" seriously. When her first sister was born, Lin took turns with her mom holding the baby late into the night. "I almost did everything that was supposed to be a parent's job, but I felt proud of myself," she said. Not all of Lin's classmates shared her experiences because of the family planning policy , a law that was carried out in China about forty years ago. But the situation is about to change. A new policy made on October 29 said all couples can now have two children. The new policy is expected to help raise the population of China. Recently, China has been facing an aging population and labor shortages because of the low birth rate . The two-child policy may also be the gift for every only child. Researchers found that growing up with a brother or sister can have good influence on one's mental health. "Brothers and sisters do matter in unique ways. They give kids something that parents don't." Laura Walker, a professor from Beijing University, told China Daily. She noted that having a brother or a sister protects teenagers against loneliness, fear and so on. Liu Fang, 20, from Shenzhen University, has a 2-year-younger sister. When her sister disagreed with parents over choosing a college major, she helped her to communicate with parents. "If necessary, I would always have her back," said Liu. "The best part of having a sister is that you have a partner, friend and supporter throughout your life." But children with brothers or sisters also have to learn to understand and look after each other, said Laura.

In the writer's opinion, if something unexpected takes place, you should _ .

adjust your other activities

Do you feel you have enough time to do all the things you have to do or want to do? How do you think you could plan your day better? A daily schedule will help you plan every part of it. If you learn to manage your time, you will probably feel less worried. Here is how to do it. 1. Take out a piece of paper and a ruler. Draw a form of your waking hours, using one square for each half an hour. If you're awake for 16 hours each day, you will need 32 squares: 8 across, 4 down.2. Sit down and examine your day. Make a list of all the things you need to do. Think about when you should do them. 3. Fill out your schedule. 4. Remember to give yourself breaks. If doing all of your homework at one time is too much, schedule a little bit of free time in the middle of it. 5. If you have an important thing to do but it's not on your schedule, _ other activities around it. 6. Think about using different colored pens for your different activities. In this way, you'll clearly know how your day is planned out.

The writer's opinion about after-school clubs is that _ .

some clubs result in competitive pressures

LONDON--Life for Cathy Hagner and her three children is set to permanent fast-forward. Their full school day and her job as a lawyer's assistant are busy enough. But Hagner also has to take the two boys to soccer or hockey or basketball while dropping off her daughter at piano lessons or Girl Scout Club. Often, the exhausted family doesn't get home until 7 pm. There is just time for a quick supper before homework. In today's world, middle-class American and British parents treat their children as if they are competitors racing for some finishing line. Parents take their children from activity to activity in order to make their future bright. It seems that raising a genius has become a more important goal than raising a happy and well-balanced child. "Doctors across the country are reporting a growing number of children suffering from stomachaches and headaches due to exhaustion and stress," says child expert William Doherty of the University of Minnesota. Teachers are dealing with exhausted kids in the classroom. It's a very serious problem. Many children attend after-school clubs by necessity. But competitive pressures also create an explosion of activities. They include sports, language, music and math classes for children as young as four. "There is a new parenting trend under way which says that you have to tap all your child's potential at a young age; otherwise you will let him down," says Terry Alter, a Cambridge-based child and adolescent psychiatrist "It isn't entirely new: there have always been pushy parents. But what was previously seen as strange behaviour is now well accepted."

What program will follow this radio talk?

A music program

Hello, listeners. Welcome to Henton Hospital Radio. Before our music program begins, I'm going to repeat some of our hospital rules. The hospital can sleep 800 patients. There are 8 beds in each ward .The visiting hours are in the afternoon from 2:30 to 3:30 and in the evening from 7:00 to 8:00. But remember only two visitors at a time. Sorry about that, but you can see what would happen if we didn't have these rules. The other rules are about our time schedule. We start quite early-you might not be used to that. We wake you at 6 o'clock, and breakfast is at 8 o'clock, lunch at noon. There's tea at 3:30 and supper is at 6' o clock. You can see the "No Smoking" sign-we don't allow smoking in the wards. I'm sure you understand why. However, if you do need to smoke, there are some smoking-rooms for you. You will find the radio switch on the wall near your bed, with your own headphones, if you want to listen. It's our own hospital radio wishing you a quick recovery{}.

This passage is mainly about _ .

tips from some students for college life

As the new term starts, freshmen around the world are asking the same question: how can I make the best of four years at college? The New York Times received suggestions recently from PhD students and seniors at some of the top universities . Here is their advice. "Many young people today are raised in a protective cocoon ", wrote Tim Novikoff, a PhD student at Comell. "College is a time to explore the world beyond and a chance to learn new things about yourself. Take classes in different subjects. Try lots of different clubs and activities." Remember also to take some time away from campus, suggested Willie Lin, a student at Washington University. " _ " Try to find work assisting a researcher or a professor---this is the advice from Aman Singh Gill, a PhD student at Stony Brook University. And he also said, "With a window into the world of research, you will find yourself thinking more critically, accepting fewer states at face value and perhaps developing a brave sense of what you can accomplish." Many young people can't imagine even a single day without devices such as computers and cell phones. But try to keep yourself off them, cautioned Christine Smallwood, a PhD student at Columbia University. Start by scheduling a few Internet-free hours each day, with your phone turned off. It's the only way you'll be able to read anything serious. "This will also have the benefit of making you harder to reach, and thus more mysterious and fascinating to new friends and acquaintances ," she suggested.

From the passage, we can know that Irene _ .

was the name of a hurricane

Many of the 85 million people in Irene's path -- from the Carolinas to Maine -- had not experienced hurricanes, or had only been through storms that were weaker, smaller and less damaging. For those unfamiliar with severe hurricanes, Irene was either abstract or not particularly frightening, something to get excited about more than to fear. Given that the way we perceive and respond to risk is affective --not merely objectively analytical, but the sum of the facts and how scary those facts feel -- it was likely that many people might be ignorant of the storm's threat. So it was heartening to see how many did in fact take the warnings to heart and prepared. The long lines at grocery stores, the high demand for batteries and bottled water, and even the patience and understanding about local government orders to evacuate or shut down mass transit systems, show that people took the potential danger seriously. There are two possible lessons from this storm. As much as our affective risk perception system can sometimes produce a dangerous "perception gap" between our fears and the facts -- when we sometimes fear more than we need to, or less than we should -- it's also reasonably good at recognizing risk when _ . Though most of us didn't lose power, we know that 7 million people did. Though most of us did not suffer property damage, we know that millions did. Most of us did not lose loved ones, but we know that at least 21 families did. We know hurricanes can be dangerous, even if for many of us this one wasn't. The other lesson is that rare risks do hide and can spring up with little or no warning, and few of us are prepared for those. Remember the East Coast earthquake last week? It might have been annoying to wait in line for hours for those extra D batteries or food supplies, but it was careful to do so, and it's a good idea to keep them on hand. Just because a risk might not be staring us in the face or feel all that scary, it doesn't mean that it doesn't make sense to be ready. Just in case.

Few school leavers have plans for the long term when finding jobs because _ .

it is difficult to get employed

Too often young people get themselves employed quite by accident, not knowing what lies in the way of opportunity for promotion, happiness and security. As a result, they are employed in doing jobs that afford them little or no satisfaction. Our school leavers face so much competition that they seldom care what they do as long as they can earn a living. Some stay long at a job and learn to like it; others leave one for another looking for something to suit them. The young graduates who leave the university look for jobs that offer a salary up to their expectation. Very few go out into the world knowing exactly what they want and realizing their own abilities. The reason behind all this confusion is that there never has been a proper vocational guidance in our educational institution. Nearly allfeel their way in the dark. Their chief concern when they lookfor a job is to ask what salary is like. They never bother tothink whether they are suited for the job or, even more important, whether the job suits them. Having a job is more thanmerely providing yourself and your dependants with daily bread and some money for leisure and entertainment.It sets a pattern of life and, in many ways, determines social status in life, selection of friends, leisure and interest. In choosing a profession you should first consider the type of work which will suit your interest. Nothing is more sad than taking on a job in which you have no interest, for it will not only ruin your talents but also discourage your desire to succeed in life.

We can see from the text that _ .

The Warner Brothers has expanded its business greatly since it was set up.

Warner Brothers is an American company that produces movies and television shows. It started as a small family business operated by four brothers -- Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack Warner. In nineteen-oh-three, the brothers began their business by traveling throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania showing movies using a projector . By nineteen-oh-seven, they opened a movie theater in New Castle, Pennsylvania. Within ten years, the Warner brothers started producing movies, and moved that part of the business to California. In nineteen eighteen, their first complete picture was called "My Four Years in Germany." The film was based on a book by the United States' ambassador to the court of Kaiser Wilhelm. In nineteen twenty-five, they began to work to include the technology for sound in their movies. Two years later, Warner Brothers Pictures released the first major movie with sound, or "talking picture." It was called "The Jazz Singer" and it was a huge success. In the nineteen thirties, the company made several films that were highly praised, including "Little Caesar," "The Public Enemy", "The Gold Diggers" and "Forty-Second Street." The Warner Brothers' success continued in the nineteen forties with movies like "The Maltese Falcon," and "Casablanca." Movies during this time starred popular actors like Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Gary Cooper and Bette Davis. The company continues to produce popular movies today. By the nineteen seventies, the Warner Brothers studios had also become well set up in television. In nineteen ninety, Warner Communications combined with Time Incorporated to form Time Warner Incorporated. In two thousand one, the company combined with America Online. The company now includes film production, cable television networks, music and publishing. This year, the company announced a deal with the CBS Corporation to form a new television broadcast network. The CW began broadcasting this month.

Which of the following sentences can explain the meaning of language intuition?

Ability to use a foreign language without thinking about it

Speaking in any language is all about imitating other people. You want to be able to speak like native speakers do. Before you can form your own correct sentences, you first need to see lots of similar ones in the language you are learning. When you speak in your native language, you don't have to think about the grammar or the words you use. Correct sentences just come to you. In fact, your brain uses sentences you've already seen or heard. If you want to speak a foreign language fluently, you have to learn it the way you learned your native language--- by massive input. Reading and listening will help you develop language intuition . It's all about putting lots of correct sentences in your head. Then your brain can imitate them, producing similar sentences to express the meaning you want. When you read and listen a lot, paying attention to useful vocabulary, you will soon start to use new words and phrases in your speaking and writing, and you will develop language intuition. You will start to feel what sounds good and what sounds bad --- just as you do in your native language. It may seem like you need more time to learn a language by reading and listening, as opposed to learning based on grammar rules. For example, to get a good feeling for the use of articles in English you need to read lots of sentences, analyzing them closely. Wouldn't it be easier to read a unit on articles in a grammar book? Well, the problem is that it takes lots of time to build a sentence when you have to think of grammar rules. When you talk to someone, you don't have time for that. The input-based approach may seem to be more demanding, but it's the only way to achieve fluency.

On the ocean floor, the divers found that _ .

fish were swimming as freely as they do near the surface

The journey two divers made some time ago to the deepest point on the earth makes us realize how much of the world still remains to be studied. The two men went down seven miles to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean inside a small steel ball to find out if there are any ocean currents or signs of life. It was necessary to set out early, so that the ball would come to the surface in daylight, and be easily found by the mother ship which would be waiting for it. The divers began preparations early in the morning and soon afterwards, when all was ready, the steel ball disappeared under the surface of the water. The divers felt as if they were going down steps as they passed through warm and cold layers of water. In time the temperature dropped to the freezing point. They kept in touch with the mother ship by telephone telling how they felt. Then, at a depth of 3,000 feet, the telephone stopped working and they were quite cut off from the outside world. All went well until some four hours later at 30,000 feet, the men were frightened by a loud, cracking noise. Even the smallest hole in the ball would have meant instant death. Luckily, though, it was only one of the outer windows that had broken. Soon afterwards, the ball touched the soft ocean floor raising a big cloud of "dust" made up of small dead sea creatures. Here, powerful lights lit up the dark water and the men were surprised to see fish swimming just above them quite untroubled by the great water pressure. But they did not dare to leave the lights on for long, as the heat from them made the water boil. Quite unexpectedly, the telephone began working again and the faint but clear voices of the divers were heard on the mother ship seven miles away. After a stay of thirty minutes the men began their journey up, arriving three hours later, cold and wet through, but none was worse for their experience.

Which of the following title suits this passage best?

A Disabled Girl's Smile.

About ten years ago when I was an undergraduate in college in New York, I was working as a practice student at my University's Museum of Natural History. One day while I was working at the cash register in the gift shop, I saw an elderly couple come in with a little girl in wheelchair. As I looked closer at this girl, I saw that she was seated on her chair. I then realized she had no arms or legs, just a head, neck and the trunk of the human body. She was wearing a little white dress with the patterns of red roses and yellow dots. As the couple wheeled her up to me I was looking down at the register. I turned my head toward the girl and gave her a wink . As I took the money from her grandparents, I looked back at the girl, who was giving me the most beautiful, largest smile I have ever seen All of a sudden her _ was gone and all I saw was this beautiful girl, whose smile just melted me and almost instantly gave me a completely new sense of what life is all about. I immediately felt full of hope and confidence. She took me, a poor, unhappy college student, into her world, a world of smiles, love and warmth. That was ten years ago, but I still remember it clearly as if it happened just yesterday. I'm a successful business person now and whenever I get down and think about the troubles of the world, I think about that little girl and the remarkable lesson about life that she taught me.

What can NOT be inferred from what Justine Greening and George Osborne said?

HS2 is more important than HS1.

Superfast doubledecker trains will be taking passengers from London to six big cities in the UK by 2033. The first phase linking London to the West Midlands with a connection to HS1 is expected to open in 2026, and the second phase to Manchester and Leeds in 2032. The government set out a plan for the highspeed rail network in 2012. When the project is finished, it will take less time to get to London from major cities like Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. Traveling at a speed of up to 250 mph, passengers will be able to come and go from Birmingham to London in 49 minutes, reducing the journey time by almost half from one hour and 24 minutes. A journey from Birmingham to Leeds will be reduced from two hours to 57 minutes and a journey from Manchester to London will be reduced from two hours and 8 minutes to one hour and 8 minutes. "HS2 is an important part of transport's lowcarbon future," Transport Secretary Justine Greening said. Some people aren't happy about the plan, though. HS2 will cost around PS33 billion. It will also be built near some towns and villages, disturbing the people that live there. But the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne thinks it will help build the future for Britain. "It's a longterm decision," he said. HS2 is designed for everything around the needs of the passengers. It will provide a new and exciting travel experience. There will be plenty of room, intelligent ticketing, a good service and high quality comfort and access to trains. This is a transport network for the new century and beyond.

Manufacturers and advertisers are _ .

taking advantage of people

Let Children Roam Free Everyone agrees that playing outside keeps children thinner. The loss of opportunities for outdoor play is one of the main causes of childhood obesity. What is more remarkable is the growing evidence that children's mental health and emotional well-being are enhanced by contact with the outdoors, and that the restorative effect appears to be strongest in natural settings. Researchers are convinced of the depth of the connection between children's well-being and the environment, claiming that contact with nature may be as important to children as good nutrition and adequate sleep. But now children seem to get less touch with outdoor activities. The root causes of the dramatic loss of children's freedom lie in changes to the very fabric of their lives over the last 30 years or so. The growth in road traffic, alongside poor town planning and shifts in the make-up and daily rhythms of families and communities, have left children with fewer outdoor places to go. These changes coincided with the "culture of fear": a generalized anxiety about all imaginary kinds of threats, even though children are statistically safer from harm now than at any point in human history. These physical, economic and social changes and fears have been made use of by manufactures and advertisers, whose products and messages both reinforce the logic of keeping children virtual prisoners, and force us to compensate them in the only way our cash-rich, time-poor society seems to know: by spending money on them. Government must bear some of the blame for keeping children prisoners indoor, through their promotion of planning policies that favour cars over communities and profit over people. The real planning crimes lie in housing companies occupying attractive parks and green spaces, and in town plans that force families to depend largely on their cars. There is no doubt that traffic danger, unlike stranger danger, is a real threat to children and a constant worry for parents. Around 100 child pedestrians are killed every year, a figure that puts the UK near the bottom of Europe's child road safety league. It is no surprise that figures show a steady fall in children walking or cycling over the last twenty years, to the extent that while over 90% of children own a bicycle, just 2% cycle to school. Also, 30% of children aged eight to ten never play outside without an adult watching over them. In a single generation, the "home habitat" of a typical eight-year-old----the area in which children are able to travel on their own- has shrunk to one-ninth of its former size. Health experts have even created a new word, "obesogenic", to describe those aspects of our lives that make us fat, and top of the list is the design of streets, towns and cities.

The writer lives _ now.

at Mr. Brown's home

Dear David, How are you? I'm fine. I'm in London , at a school of English. I'm in Class Seven. It has eight students. They are from different countries ----Spain, Japan , Argentina, Switzerland and Thailand. Our teacher's name is Henry Briscall. He's very nice. He's a good teacher. I live with an English family, Mr. and Mrs. Brown. They have two sons and a daughter. Thomas is fourteen, Catherine is twelve, and Andrew is seven. They are all very friendly to me, and we are good friends. London is very big and very interesting. The weather is good and the parks are nice! Hyde Park, Green Park and St. James' Park are all in the city center . English food is OK, but the coffee is not good! Are you all right at home in Shanghai? Is everything OK? Write to me. Love, Paul

"You" in this article is a _ .

student

You can't look good if you are not healthy. And one way to be healthy is to do exercise. Football, tennis, volleyball and swimming are all good for you. Muscle exercise is also important. You can exercise at school or at home. Boys can do push-ups and girls can do sit-ups . But there are some don'ts here: First, stay away from weight lifting . It's bad for you, because it gives too much stress to your body and you can't grow tall if you practise often. You should exercise for about an hour a day, and three days a week. On the other days, don't exercise too much. Exercising too much is not a good idea. Don't go running for a long time. Running for a long time makes you tired. Don't want fastresults . Your muscles will grow when you get older. If you want to be healthy and strong, exercise and healthy food are the best way. But don't think you can make it in one day.

When the young lady talked with the old woman , she only nodded or shook her head because she _ .

didn't want the young lady to hear her voice

A young lady was driving alone through the street. It was dark and rainy. Suddenly she saw an old woman by the side of the road, holding up her hands as if she wanted a lift . "I can't leave her out in this weather," the young lady said to herself. She stopped her car and opened the door. "Do you want a lift?" she asked. The old woman nodded and got on the car. After a while, she said to the old woman, "Have you been waiting for a long time?" The old woman shook her head, "Strange" the young lady thought. She tried again, "Bad weather, isn't it?" The old woman nodded. Then the young lady noticed the old woman's hands, which were large and hairy. Suddenly she realized the woman was a man! She was frightened at first. Then she stopped the car. "I couldn't see out of the rear screen ,"she said, "Would you mind cleaning it for me?" "The old woman" nodded and opened the door. As soon as "she"got out of the car, the frightened young lady drove off as fast as she could. When she got home, she noticed "the old woman" had left her handbag behind, she picked it up and opened it. Inside there was a gun.

If you always work with computer, what kind of tea should you drink?

Green tea.

There are many types of tea. They have their own functions. Green tea is the best choice for office workers People who always work in places with air condition may face skin problems such as easily dry skin. Among all the drink, green tea is the best choice. Because there are important things in green tea and they are often called catechins . Moreover, drinking more green tea can prevent computer radiation. Winter is the season to drink black tea Chinese medicine believed that different people should drink different tea based on the different characteristics and tastes of each kind of tea. Black tea can warm the stomach and quicken digestion . Therefore, drinking warm black tea in the cold winter is a most suitable choice. Do not drink strong tea Strong tea may make the body far too excited and can badly _ the cardiovascular as well as the nervous system. For a person who has problems with these parts, to drink overly strong tea cause heart and blood pressure illness, or even make the old illness much worse. Do not drink too much tea when you are eating Drinking too much tea or strong thick tea may not be good for taking in many constant elements and trace elements .Also, people should not drink tea with milk or other milky food.

When Sanbonmatsu and his colleagues conducted their research, they _

assessed the multitasking ability of the students

Multitasking People who multitask all the time may be the worst at doing two things at once, a new research suggests. The findings, based on performances and self-evaluation by about 275 college students, indicate that many people multitask not out of a desire to increase productivity, but because they are easily distracted and can't focus on one activity. And "those people turn out to be the worst at handling different things," said David Sanbonmatsu, a psychologist at the University of Utah. Sanbonmatsu and his colleagues gave the students a set of tests and asked them to report how often they multitasked, how good they thought they were at it, and how sensation-seeking or imperative they were. They then evaluated the participants' multitasking ability with a tricky mental task that required the students to do simple mathematical calculations while remembering a set of letters. Not surprisingly, the scientists said, most people thought they were better than average at multitasking, and those who thought they were better at it were more likely to report using a cellphone while driving or viewing multiple kinds of media at once. But those who frequently deal with many things at the same time were found to perform the worst at the actual multitasking test. They also were more likely to admit to sensation-seeking and impulsive behavior, which connects with how easily people get bored and distracted. "People multitask not because it's going to lead to greater productivity, but because they're distractible, and they get sucked into things that are not as important." Sanbonmatsu said. Adam Gazzaley, a researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, who was not a member of the research group, said one limitation of the study was that it couldn't find out whether people who start out less focused toward multitasking or whether people's recognizing and understanding abilities change as a result of multitasking. The findings do suggest, however, why the sensation-seeker who multitask the most may enjoy risky distracted driving. "People who are multitasking are generally less sensitive to risky situations." said Paul Atchley, another researcher not in the group. "This may partly explain why people go in for these situations even though they're dangerous."

What doe's Fan's story tell us?

Where there's a will, there's a way.

As a kid, Fan Yang was crazy about the beauty of bubbles . A waterfall at a river near his childhood home in Vietnam created hundreds of tiny bubbles. "I saw another world in bubbles, and I imagined how nice it would be if I could create a big bubble and be inside it," he says. Many years later, Fan realized that dream. He has formed bubbles around hundreds of people, made large bubbles that his daughter can walk through, and even made square bubbles. Fan calls himself a "bubble artist" and "bubble scientist." "So far, I haven't met any other bubble scientist!" he says. To achieve what he wanted, Fan worked hard for years. "After many years of failure, I finally came out with a bubble solution that made big bubbles with beautiful color1s." Five years later, after lots of more practice and experiments, he created the world's largest bubble which was 156 feet long. Fan designed a program called the Gazillion Bubble Show. He has many performance tips to offer. He says it's good to make the audience feel tension so that they are surprised at the end of a trick. He also suggests doing performances that are fun to watch, so that the audience will stay interested the whole time To perform his tricks, Fan uses bubbles equipment that he created himself. He wants to know that they're not limited by anything except their imaginations, and they can create whatever they want to help them follow their interests. "To make art, you need time, love and hard work, which guided my life and made me successful. I am proud to say that I used something simple--- bubbles---and brought it to a completely new world."

The writer doesn't have any trouble in travelling around the world possibly because _ .

he is good at communicating with others

I have been very lucky to make many trips to China. Though I have had some trouble with the language, I have never had a problem I couldn't solve. As a native English speaker ,I can go almost everywhere in the world and find someone to communicate with. I never thought that someone who speaks only Chinese would have a lot of trouble in my country. Recently, the King family that I had met in China moved to Canada. I met them at the airport. My wife and I made meals for them and showed them around where we live. Everything seemed to go smoothly for the first two days as we looked for a car for them, showed them the way to different stores and the nearest city, Victoria. Mr. and Mrs King had a two-year-old son and soon we became Nainai (grandmother) and Yeye (grandfather). We were having a good time but we didn't realize Mr. King can't speak English. Luckily, Mrs. King can speak very good English. Many people with Chinese background live near us. In fact, none of them speak Chinese. Mr. King can't even buy a mobile phone without his wife's help. He can't talk to me, of course. By the third day, he felt lonely and worried. And on the fourth day, we decided to take them to a large Chinese community. Now, we often visit them and they visit us too. Sometimes Mrs. King would still like to live near us but Mr. King cannot. I feel bad because he seems very nice and smart but I can't talk with him. It seems that neither of us will learn the other's language because of our ages, maybe we will never have a friendly conversation. But we will think of each other as friends.

When will the job start?

In September 2016

Basketball Statistician Help Wanted The Athletic Department is looking for students to help assist staff during the Fall 2016, Winter 2016-17 and Spring 2017 semesters. Students in this position will be keeping live statistics during basketball games. Students must meet all of the following requirements: Good computer skills Available evenings and weekends Knowing basketball rules and statistics Students interested in working for the Athletic Department should contact the Athletic Coordinator at their respective campuses. TP/SS Athletic Coordinator, Michael Simone,240-567-1308 Rockville Athletic Coordinator, Jorge Zuniga,240-567-7589 Springfield Athletic coordinator, Gary Miller,240-567-2273 Germantown Athletic Coordinator, GavriChavan, 240-567-6915

Why does the policeman run after the young man?

Because he thinks the young man is a bad man.

A young man is sitting by the road eating something. A policeman is coming over. At once ,the man gets up quickly and runs down the road. The policeman runs after him. The man runs very fast. But the policeman runs faster. After a few minutes, the policeman catches him. 'Where are you going?' says the policeman. 'You must be a criminal if you run like that when you see a policeman.' 'No, no,' says the man, 'I'm not a criminal. I'm just too fat, you see. The doctor says to me that I must always run fast after eating.' 'I see,' says the policeman, 'You are running to help to lose some weight .'

In a football match, Team A gets 0 and Team B gets 2, then _ .

Team B wins

There are two main kinds of sports. These two kinds of sports are team sports and individual sports. Team sports are such sports as baseball,basketball and volleyball. Team sports need two separate teams. The teams play against each other. They compete against each other in order to get the best score. For example, in a football game, if Team A gets 7 points and Team B gets 3 points,Team A wins the game. Team sports are sometimes called competitive sports. Besides team sports, there is another main type of sporting activity. It's individual sports. In individual sports there are no teams. People play individual sports such as swimming, skiing and running. Of course, it is possible to compete in individual sports. It is possible to keep a score in individual sports. The main difference, however, between team sports and individual sports is that team sports always require more than one person.

What does the text mainly discuss?

What pets bring to their owners.

Science can't explain the power of pets,but many studies have shown that the company of pets can help lower blood pressure and raise chances of recovering from a heart attack,reduce loneliness and spread all-round good cheer. Any owner will tell you how much joy a pet brings.For some.an animal provides more comfort than a husband/wife.A 2002 study by Karen Allen of the State University of New York measured stress 1evels and blood pressure in people-half of them pet owners-while they performed 5 minutes of mental arithmetic or held a hand in ice water.Subjects completed the tasks alone,with a husband/wife,a close friend or with a pet.People with pets did it best.Those tested with their animal friends had smaller change in blood pressure and returned most quickly to baseline heart rates.With pets in the room,people also made fewer math mistakes than when doing in front of other companions.It seems people feel more relaxed around pets,says Allen,who thinks it may be because pets don't judge. A study reported last fall suggests that having a pet dog not only raises your spirits but may also have an effect on your eating habits.Researchers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital spent a year studying 36 fat people and their equally fat dogs on diet-and-exercise programs;a separate group of 56 people without pets were put on a diet program.On average,people lost about 11 pounds,or 5% of their body weight.Their dogs did even better,losing an average of 12 pounds,more than 15%of their body weight.Dog owners didn't lose any more weight than those without dogs but,say researchers,got more exercise overall-mostly with their dogs--and found it worth doing.

The students at the Yale School of Architecture designed and built the house _ .

to finish their required course

Students at the Yale School of Architecture handed over the keys to a house that they designed and built to its new owners at a ceremony on Sept. 25 at 20 King Place. The ceremony held to hand over the house will mark the completion of the school's First-Year Building Project 2008. since 1967, the Yale School of Architecture has offered its first-year graduate students the opportunity to design and build a structure as a part of their education. Unique among architecture schools, this program is compulsory for all members of the class, and students frequently refer to it as their reason for applying to Yale. This year's class of 64 worked to design, develop and document an idea for a 2,100-square-foot, wheelchair-accessible, two-family house. Students had to use sustainable resources and energy-efficient technology. The budget for the project is always less than actual construction costs, and the builders-in-training had to seek supplementary donations, mostly in the form of construction materials. The result this year was a "designer" home, dressed entirely in cedar , fitted inside with Swedish-designed cabinetry and partially powered by solar energy. The floors are bamboo, another natural material prized for being quickly replenished . This year, the student-builders used a pre-cast foundation system, which, in addition to its other labor-saving virtues, uses 75% less concrete than the poured system. The first-year class of 2008 raised $100,000-worth of donated materials. But when it came to constructing the inside steps of the house, they used old drafting tables from the School of Architecture that would otherwise have been thrown out. Ground was broken in May for the house at King Place, and the whole class worked on site until the construction was finished.

According to the passage, two naval officers made a journey to the bottoms of the Pacific Ocean _ .

to find out if there are any ocean currents or signs of life

The journey two naval officers made some time ago to the very deepest point on the earth makes us realize how much of the world still remains to be explored.The two men went down 7 miles to the bottoms of the Pacific Ocean inside a small steel ball called a "bathyscaphe" to find out if there are any ocean currents or signs of life.Above the ball there was a special tank full of petrol which was slowly emptied into the water to make the bathyscaphe heavy enough to complete its journey. It was necessary to set out early, so that the bathyscaphe would come to the surface in daylight, and so be easily found by the mother ship which would be waiting for it.The divers began preparations at dawn and soon afterwards, when all was ready, the steel ball disappeared under the surface of the water. The divers felt as if they were going down steps as they passed through warm and cold layers of water.In time, the temperature dropped to freezing point and the men shivered inside the ball.They kept in touch with the mother ship by telephone describing how they felt.Then , at a depth of 3,000 feet, the telephone stopped working and they were quite cut off from the outside world.All went well until some four hours later at 30,000 feet, the men were startled by a loud, cracking noise; even the smallest hole in the ball would have meant instant death.Luckily, though, it was only one of the outer windows that badly broken.Soon afterwards, the bathyscaphe touched the soft ocean floor raising a big cloud of "dust" made up of small, dead sea-creatures.Here, powerful lights lit up the dark water and the men were surprised to see fish swimming just above them quite untroubled by the enormous pressure.But they didn't dare to leave the lights on for long, as the heat from the lights made the water boil.Quite unexpectedly, the telephone began working again and the faint but clear voices of the officers were heard on the mother ship 7 miles away.After a stay of thirty minutes the men began their journey up, arriving three hours later, cold and wet through, but none the worse for their experience.

Which of the following is True according to the story ?

What the daughter did these days worried her mother.

She is a cute ,quiet girl. As a daughter, she has no secrets from her mother, who is very pleased with her. But these days she has become not so open as before. She has diary that she keeps under lock and key. Her mother cannot help worrying about her: what if she falls in love, which is too early for her age. After all, she is reaching the "dangerous time". These thoughts have caused trouble in the mother's mind. One weekend the girl came to tell her mother that she was going to the cinema with her schoolmate and would return late. This was the first time her mother agreed, and she couldn't help worrying because her daughter had never been away at night before. The mother waited till nine. She decided to go out to meet her daughter. Just at that time the noise of a car pulling up drew her to the window and---there was her daughter, waving goodbye to a boy. Her heart missed a beat. When the girl came in, the mother was watching TV, just like nothing had happened. "Mum, I'm back." "Yeah." "Sorry to be late. Still sitting up?" "Yes. Oh, that ... Who's that boy? " The daughter fell silent for some time. "Ah. It's my monitor . He gave me a lift on his way home. Mum, I'm going to bed." "All right. Go to sleep early." The next morning when the mother went to the daughter's room to do some cleaning, she found her diary left on the bed. After a few minutes' thinking, she at last opened it to the page of the night before. It reads: Mum, It's love that made you ask, but it would show your understanding of me if you hadn't.

Who supports the idea of paying student athletes?

Robbie Pokora

"Show them the money!" That's what some people are saying for college athletes. They say students who play sports for their school should receive salaries. Top athletes should be paid because many of them practice full time, Mark Jameson argues. Rico Cannon, a former college football player, agrees. "Nonathletes can get a job for extra spending money, but many student athletes spend so many hours in training that they don't have time to work," he explains. "Shouldn't athletes be able to earn extra money too?" The students also make money for their schools when people buy tickets to their games. The players should receive some of that cash, supporter Robbie Pokora reasons. College athletes are about honor and tradition, but they're also a business. Thanks to ticket sales, there's money for schools to build new athletic stadiums and give the coaches high salaries. The cash should be shared with athletes. They're the ones out on the field or court working hard for their school. The money matter has others _ , though. Kaitlyn Rentala argues that colleges should not pay their athletes. Students are in school to get an education. Playing a sport is an extracurricular activity, not a job. If athletes need extra money, they can apply for college scholarships . Michael Massett is a middle school teacher and a football and a basketball coach. He agrees. "Athletes should be paid with scholarships, like nonathletes are," Massett explains. In addition, if colleges pay their athletes, those students might focus more on sports than on their education. "Most students do not become professional athletes after college. If they focus too much on sports, they may not learn the skills they need to get good jobs," Kate Macrae reasons. Plus, she says, many athletes have schoolships that help them pay for school.

.Terry Semel was the CEO of _ .

Yahoo

Mark Zukerberg is the founder and CEO of Facebook, an extremely popular social working website that started in the United States. Now, millions of student users visit Facebook daily and the website is one of the top ten widely visited sites on the Internet worldwide. College and high school students use Facebook to communicate with friends and share both information and pictures for free. The company earns money through advertising. Many other companies have been rumored to be interested in buying Facebook. Just a few years after Mark started the company, he was approached by Terry Semel, who was the CEO of Yahoo. Terry offered Mark one billion dollars($1,000,000,000) to sell Facebook to Yahoo. Mark said no, though. He stands behind his dreams at the very beginning. He knows the value of the company could fall down; however, he is in this to build something unbelievable, not be bought out by another company. Maybe he was smart. Now Facebook is rumored to be worth billions of dollars and bigger companies like Microsoft or Google want a share of the company. Some private firms are also interested. Facebook could sell 15billion dollars if Mark decides to sell it at all. Perhaps Mark will just keep working from his California office to continue his dream of building something cool.

After she learns Janie's story,the writer thought of _ .

her mother's pain

"It's over!Thank goodness!" School was over and I was tired.I sat at the front of the school bus. Janie,the driver,tries to break the uncomfortable atmosphere by striking the match of talks.I try to listen politely,but usually I am too busy thinking about my day.On this day,however,her talk was worth listening to. "My father is ill,:she said to no one in particular.I could see worry in her eyes.I had never seen her like this before.She always meets students with a smile. With a sudden change of interest,I asked,"What's wrong with him?" With her eyes wet and her voice unusual,she answered,"Heart trouble."Her eyes lowered as she continued,"I have already lost my mum,so I don't think I can stand losing him."I couldn't answer.My heart ached for her. I sat on the seat thinking of great pain my own mother was thrown into when her father died.I saw how hard it was,and still is,for her.I wouldn't want anyone to go through that. Suddenly I realised Janie was not only a bus driver,that was just for her job.She had a whole world of family and cares too. I suddenly felt very selfish.I paid no attention to Janie because she was a bus driver,I had judged her by her joband brushed her off as unimportant.I shouldn't have been so selfish and self-centered.

He got a letter that had been sent to him, which means _ .

someone else got it and then brought it to him

A man heard that a certain government wanted a clerk, so wrote and asked for the position. But while he was waiting for an answer, a friend of his introduced him to the head of the department, who gave him the job. Several months later, while the man was working in the department, he got a letter that had been sent to him from the place he used to live in. This letter said, "Dear sir, We are sorry to have to tell you that we cannot offer work in this department because we do not think that you would be able to do the work successfully. Your faithfully." The man laughed, but when he looked at the letter more carefully, he saw that he had signed it himself.

The passage talks about _ .

American football

Do you like football? If so, you can read the following passage and find that it is interesting. In almost every big university in the United States, football is a favorite sport. American football is different. Players sometimes kick the ball, but they also throw the ball and run with it. They try to take it to the other end of the field. They have four chances to move the ball ten yards . They can carry it or they can throw it. If they move the ball ten yards, they can try to move it another ten yards. If they move it to the end of the field, they receive six points. It is difficult to move the ball. Eleven men on the other team try to stop the man with the ball. If he does not move the ball ten yards, his team kicks the ball the other team. Each university wants its own team to win. Many thousands of people come to watch. They all shout for their favorite team. Young men and women come on the field to help the people shout more. They dance and jump while they shout. Each team plays ten or eleven games each season. The season begins in September and ends in November. If a team is very good, it may play another game after the season ends. The best teams play again on January 1, the first day of the New Year. Many people go to see these games and many others watch them on TV.

When someone is keeping his arms behind his back, he tries to tell you that .

he is not afraid

Body language is the quiet, secret and most powerful language of all! It is said that our body movements communicate about 50 percent of what we really mean while words only express 7 percent. So, while your mouth is closed, your body is just saying. Arms. How you hold your arms shows how open and receptive you are to people you meet. If you keep your arms to the sides of your body or behind your back, this suggests you are not afraid of taking on whatever comes your way. Outgoing people generally use their arms with big movements, while quieter people keep them close to their bodies. If someone upsets you, just cross your arms to show you're unhappy. Head. When you want to appear confident, keep your head level. If you are a monitor in class, you can also take on this position when you want your words to be taken seriously. However, to be friendly in listening or speaking, you must move your head a little. Legs. Your legs tend to move around a lot more than normal when you are nervous or telling lies. If you are at interviews, try to keep them still. Posture .A good posture makes you feel better about yourself. If you are feeling down>> you normally don't sit straight, with your shoulders inwards. This makes breathing more difficult, which can make you feel nervous or uncomfortable. Mouth. When you are thinking, you often purse your lips. You might also use this position to hold back an angry comment you don't wish to show. However, it will probably still be noticed, and people will know you're not pleased Face. When you lie, you might put on a false face. But that expression would crack briefly, allowing displays of true emotions such as happiness, sadness, disgust and fear to come through.

Which of the following is true?

A thirty-year-old man in Pennsylvania played the piano for forty-five days and eleven hours.

When someone meets a stranger with the same hobby, that person immediately becomes a friend. People enjoy the company of others who share a similar interest. Often they will form a club and travel great distances to attend meetings where they can talk about their hobbies. Other people have such unusual hobbies that no one else can share them. Sometimes they try to do something better, faster or longer than anyone else in order to have their names included in the Guinness Book of World Records. A lady in Massachusetts may have the world's easiest hobby; she let her hair grow. Diane Witt has not cut her hair for twelve years. It is now eight feet (2.44 meters) long, and she will soon set a new world record and her name will be placed in the Guinness Book. A thirty-year-old man in Pennsylvania played the piano for forty-five days and eleven hours, while a musician in Connecticut played the flute for forty-three hours. A teacher in California typed for over 162 hours, and a lady from Iowa spend six years typing the numbers from one to one million. Probably the cleanest people in the world are two young women from England who stayed in the shower for over ninety-eight hours; but a man in Oregon was more than twice as clean after taking a shower that lasted two hundred hours. Someone said that "records are made to be broken". One record that many young men might enjoy breaking is the one made by Roger Guy English of California. During a period of eight hours Roger kissed three thousand young women.

What did the author fear after getting back from the gas station?

He would be made to drink the Coke with a cup instead of a bottle.

I know now that the man who sat with me on the old wooden stairs that hot summer night over thirty-five years ago was not a tall man. But to a five-year old, he was a giant. Once again, I was caught in the middle of circumstances. The fourth born of six children, it was not uncommon that I was either too young or too old for something. This night I was both. While my two baby brothers slept inside the house, my three older siblings played with friends around the corner, where I was not allowed to go. I stayed with Grandpa, and that was okay with me. I was where I wanted to be. "Thirsty?" Grandpa asked. "Yes" was my reply. "Would you like to run over to the gas station there and get yourself a bottle of Coke?" I couldn't believe my ears. On my family's modest income, Coke was not a part of our budge or diet. A few sips were all I had ever had, and certainly never my own bottle. "Okay," I replied shyly. Opening his fist, Grandpa instructed me to pick out a dime. "Okay," he said, " I'm going to stay here and I'll tell you when It's safe to cross. You go over to the Coke machine, get your Coke and come back out. Wait for me to tell you when it's safe to cross back." My heart pounded. Grandpa held my hand tightly. When he told me it was safe to cross, I ran faster than I had ever run before. Reaching the other side, I turned to find Grandpa. There he was, standing exactly where I had left him, smiling proudly. I waved. "Go on, hurry up," he yelled. Coke in hand, I proudly marched back out into the early evening dusk. Grandpa was waiting patiently. He smiled. "Come on, now," he said, "run." I did." "Don't ever do that alone, he warned. I held the Coke bottle tightly, fearful he would make me pour it into a cup, ruining my dream. He didn't. One lone swallow of the cold drink cooled my sweating body. I don't think I ever felt so proud.

When the native guide said "Kang-a-roo ", he really meant " _ "

I have no idea of what you are referring to.

Early in the 18th century, Captain Cook, a famous explorer of Australia, unexpectedly caught sight of an unusual animal during his first visit to Australia. The animal had a large mouse like head and jumped along on its large legs. To his great surprise, the unusual animal carried its young in a special pocket of flesh. Captain Cook pointed to the animal which was eating grass in the distance and asked his native guide what the animal was referred to. The guide seemed not to know that he was pointing at and finally said "Kang-a-roo", but their requests were met with puzzled looks of the native people. Before long they got to discover that the native guide who made the answer to Cook's question really meant, "I don't know what you pointing at. " Funny enough, the name " Kang-a-roo", stuck and it is still in use today.

Which of the following is NOT the author's advice?

Join one of the noblest Yoga clubs.

Feeling tired? Under too much stress? Well, you may want to try Yoga . It's what more and more people have been turning to to release the trouble of modern life. Practically unheard of in the West until 50 years ago, Yoga has become one of the most popular health trends around the world, including prefix = st1 /China. If you search for Yoga on line in Chinese, lots of pages are there to see, most of which are main pages of Yoga clubs. In order to keep fit and lose weight, many girls spend more than 1000 yuan taking part in Yoga classes every month. However, are you really ready for it? There are several things you need to know before you really take it. First, do not force your body too much. Yoga has many difficult poses. They are beautiful and worth boasting if you could finish them. But if you force yourself to do as exactly as an experienced Yoga teacher does, you may hurt your body, instead of strengthening it. Do you remember you original purpose for playing Yoga? It is self -building, not competing. Second, do some research about the Yoga class that you are to registering. Yoga is new in Chinaand there are not so many certificated well-trained Yoga teachers. Some not well organized clubs just find someone learn a little Yoga and certificate them. But be aware, a non- _ teacher might wrongly guide you and you could not benefit from the classes much except that they force you to exercise your body a bit. Considering about the large amount of money you invest in it, it's worth and reasonable to make sure the teachers in the club are qualified before you join. Third, it would be better to learn something about nutrition when you practice Yoga. In the very beginning, Yoga was part of the Vedas, bible of the traditional Indian philosophy. So it could be regarded as a kind of lifestyle. When you have decided to care for your body, why not feed it properly? In fact, good clubs have their own nutritionists. Anyhow, make sure you are ready before you act. The fashion may change quickly. But what benefits is still good for us.

What is the best title for the passage?

Hu Visits Microsoft.

Chinese President Hu Jintao, on his way to talks with President George W. Bush in prefix = st1 /Washington, on Tuesday met with Bill Gates. After the meeting with Gates, the world's richest man, at Microsoft's headquarters, Hu restated that China would move against software pirates all the time. At Microsoft Corp.'s campus, Hu said on Tuesday he admired what Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates had achieved. He also sought to reassure Gates that China is serious about protecting intellectual property rights . "Because you, Mr. Bill Gates, are a friend of China, I'm a friend of Microsoft," Hu said. "Also, I am dealing with the operating system produced by Microsoft every day," he added, to laughter. Gates responded: "Thank you, it's a fantastic relationship," and then said: "And if you ever need advice on how to use Windows, I'll be glad to help." "Chinais focused on and has already accomplished much in creating and enforcing laws to protect intellectual property." he said. "We take our promises very seriously." Hu also said he would certainly welcome a further increase in Microsoft's investment in China. "I'd also like to take this opportunity to assure you, Bill Gates, that we will certainly honor our words in protecting intellectual property rights," Hu said. In his brief visit to the Microsoft campus, Hu, accompanied by Gates and company CEO Steve Ballmer, saw some business technology demonstrations and toured Microsoft's Home of the Future, which features experimental technology that might someday be used in people's living spaces. Following the visit at Microsoft, about 100 guests, including former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former Gov. Gary Locke, the first Chinese-American governor, were invited to Gates' $100 million lakeside house on Lake Washington for a dinner. China has recently begun requiring Chinese computer makers to load legal software on their machines. In Seattle's Chinatown, many stores hung Chinese and U.S.flags to welcome Hu, and many in the crowd outside the stately Fairmont Hotel on Monday night where Hu was staying were there to support the Chinese president.

What does the word "permafrost" refers to in this passage?

It is a part of the ground that is always frozen.

Houses fall down. Trees fall over. Large holes form in the ground. Could Alaska be sinking? That's what some villagers in Alaska have been asking themselves recently--and scientists think they know why. Warmer temperatures may be causing Alaska's frozen ground to thaw . About 85 percent of Alaska's land surface has _ . Permafrost supports the ground above it--including trees, houses, and roads. But why is the permafrost thawing? Some scientists say that human-caused pollution is leading to global warming. And most scientists agree that Alaska has been getting warmer. They say that the warmer temperature is causing permafrost to thaw in some areas. The thawing permafrost can cause problems for people, plants, and animals. "The collapsing is a problem in the villages in Alaska which are built on permafrost, and some of them may have to move to safer ground, where there is no permafrost," Weller said. The Alaskan town of Glennallen saw its old post office collapse. And, according to James Walters, a permafrost expert at the University of Northern Iowa, house-moving companies have been very busy. "Melting permafrost can also destroy trees and forests," Weller said. "When holes in the ground form, trees fall into them and die. This could turn a forest into a swamp , and animals which need the forest will have to move elsewhere." The melting could cause "severe problems." Weller says: "This could take hundreds of years, but in the end Alaska will look quite different from what it looks like now."

With the help of WAER, patients will probably_.

improve their bone mineral density

With the press of a button, a person with severe spinal cord injuiy is able to walk again, thanks to the Walking Assistive Exoskeleton Robot (WAER). Powered suits that could help paralyzed people walk and others lift and carry heavy loads with ease have been a dream since late 19th century. But they can realize their dreams in the 21st century. The 20-kilogram robot has four battery-powered motors that can run for up to three hours. Inventor Wu Chenghua, from Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute, says it has successfully been in tests on 12 patients. "We have learned from our research process that patients whose injuries are below the fourth chest joint are able to use our robot to stand, walk and sit down," he said. Since walking contributes to muscle exercise, Wu says patients receive some additional benefits. "In the clinical process, we would check their bone mineral density ,and we found that the bone mineral densities of these patients had been improved." he said. Wu says his exoskeleton may be available for consumers by 2018. Meanwhile, baggage handlers at Tokyo's Haneda Airport will soon start testing a similar robot, developed by the Japanese firm Cyberdyne. The battery-powered robot weighs only 3 lift a heavy object, the machine monitors the movemen",says Yoshiyuki Sankai, the developer and CEO of Cyberdyne. "This robot suit monitors the signal from the human nerve system to support the waist's movement," Sankai said, "It self-adjusts the level support to reduce the load on the human waist, light and smart. We believe that it will change the life of paralyzed people in many ways and have a promising future."

Mary felt _ after school finished.

sad

Mary's mother waited for her in the car. Mary knew that she would be late if she didn't hurry , but she didn't care. It is her birthday today. Ten minutes later, Mary opened the car door. Her mother said, "Don't forget to go home with Cindy today." Mary felt a little disappointed . She really hoped to have a party today, but her mother had to work late tonight. She promised Mary that they could have a party next week. "I won't forget," replied Mary. When she arrived at school, she got out of the car and said goodbye to her mother. It seemed that her mother didn't care. Mary walked into the school. She hoped her friends would remember that she turned eight today. "Hi, Mary. Happy birthday," said Julie. Mary smiled and asked, "Julie, can you come to my party next week?" Julie said, "I am sorry Mary, but I can't." During the day, things didn't go much better. All of her friends said they could not go to her party next week. At the end of the school day, Mary felt very sad. Evening came and Cindy's mother drove Mary home. When Mary opened the door, the house was dark. Her mother didn't even get home yet! She felt very sad. "Surprise!" All the lights in Mary's house came on. Her mother and all of her friends were there! There were many gifts in the living room. Then, she ran into the kitchen. Her mother prepared her favorite meal and a big chocolate cake. "Thank you, Mom!" Mary said, happily.

What is the main idea of this passage?

Smart phones are lengthening working hours.

Owning a smart phone may not be as smart as you think. They may let you surf the Internet, listen to music and snap photos wherever you are... but they also turn you into a workaholic . A study suggests that, by giving you access to emails at all times, the all-singing, all-dancing mobile phone adds as much as two hours to your working day. Researchers found that Britons work an additional 460 hours a year on average as they are able to respond to emails on their mobiles. The study by technology retailer Pixmania, shows the average UK working day is between nine and ten hours, but a further two hours is spent responding to or sending work emails, or making work calls. Almost one in ten admits spending up to three hours outside their normal working day checking work emails. Some workers confess they are on call almost 24 hours a day, with nine out of ten saying they take work emails and calls outside their normal working hours. Nearly two-thirds say they often check work emails just before they go to bed and as soon as they wake up, while over a third have replied to one in the middle of the night. Ghadi Hobeika, marketing director of Pixmania, said, "The ability to access millions of apps, keep in contact via social networks and take photos and video as well as text and call has made smart phones valuable for many people. However, there are _ . Many companies expect their employees to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and smart phones mean that people cannot get away from work. The more constantly in contact we become, the more is expected of us in a work capacity ."

Which of the following would be used to describe Alcott's book?

Simple.

"I don't want to write a story about girls!I don't know anything about girls."Louisa May Alcott told her publisher,Mr Niles.But she was desperate for money.She seemed to be the only one in her family who could make some money.Niles had asked her to write something she knew,instead of the romantic adventure stories she had been writing."So I plod away,"Alcott wrote,"though I don't enjoy this sort of thing."It was 1867,and the horrible Civil War was over.Now Alcott could turn her energy to making money. Alcott wrote a simple story of life in her family,their pillow fights on Saturday nights and the amateur plays they performed."Our experiences may prove interesting,though I doubt it."("Good joke."she wrote years later.)Her book described her days growing up with four sisters in a family that had no money.She sketched a loving mother who took time to be interested in each child,and she told of the death of a beloved sister.She portrayed her family and friends in her book Little Women.Finally,in July of 1868,she finished writing.With a sigh and a headache,she sent off all 102 handwritten pages of her book. Niles thought the book was dull,and so did Alcott.But when she received her copies of the book,Alcott thought it seemed better than expected."Not a bit sensational,"she wrote,"but simple and true.We really loved most of it."Niles asked some girls to read Little Women,and they loved it.If girls liked it,Alcott was satisfied. In three months,all the copies of Little Women had been sold out.It was already time to print more books!Niles thought she could sell three or four hundred more copies."An honest publisher and a lucky author made a dull book into a golden egg for ugly ducking,"Alcott wrote in 1885.Later,with a great sign of relief,she was able to write,"Paid off all the debts!Now I feel that I could die in peace.If my head holds out,I'll do all I hoped to do."

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?

As a parent, the author is following her mother's example.

I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast. While others had Cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different from the other kids' too. But at least, I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did. My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, then we should be gone one hour or less -- not one hour and one minute. And she always insisted upon us telling the truth. Now you can see how mean she was. The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept - my mother actually had the courage to break the Child Labor Law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, and learn to cook. We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath every day. The other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of disgrace because she made our clothes herself, just to save money. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us. Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed "sick" like our friends did, and miss school. Our marks in school had to live up to expectations. Our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother, being as different as she was, would be satisfied with nothing less than ugly black marks. As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us was put to shame. We graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a drop-out. My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. None of us have ever been arrested or divorced. Each of my brothers served his time in the service of this country. She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults. I am now trying to raise my three children. I am filled with pride when my children call me mean. Why? Because now I thank God every day for giving me the meanest mother in the whole world.

What advice would the writer probably give you if you go to visit Amsterdam?

To take an umbrella with you whenever you go out.

Florence,Italy Who should go:Art lovers;Renaissance historians;leather handbag shoppers with high credit limits. When to go:Spring or fall.Travellers usually avoid summer in Florence. Paris,France Who should go:Starving artists;Henry Miler fans;traditional food lovers. When to go:Spring is the best time.That's what they all say,anyway.Autumn isn't bad,either,and I'd rather be rooting around the south of France in search of truffles in autumn.Summer in Paris isn't bad,really. Amsterdam,Holland Who should go:Lovers of Dutch Masters(artists I mean,like Rembrandt,not cigars);bicyclists--it's a bike city in a flat land. When to go:It can rain at any time in Amsterdam,but that's not a reason for not visiting this fascinating city.Off season tourists will be rewarded with good enough weather to stick around.Summer is good for sun lovers. Madrid,Spain Who should go: _ --Madrid never sleeps;art lovers--the Prado is second only to the Louvre in presenting serious art;partygoers. When to go:Spring,when days are warm and the nights are pleasantly cool.Demand for outside eating and drinking starts becoming stronger in March or April.Street life peaks in June,then slows in July and August as the temperature peaks.Autumn is also good,although you'll risk some rain. Venice,Italy Who should go:Romantic dreamers who like walking through automobile-free streets;your mother(she'll want you to take her there,trust me);almost anyone who wants to see something really different and romantic. When to go:February is the time when the famous Venice Carnival is held and the weather is usually cold and foggy--perfect weather for Venice.Summer?A large number of tourists in shorts and whiny children ruin the atmosphere.You'll greatly enjoy yourself there in spring and early fall.

What is the best title for the passage?

Water's worldwide travels

Water runs downhill from mountaintops to streams to rivers to oceans. But downhill isn't the only way that water moves .A new study measures how water travels from country to country for human consumption. This flow isn't the type we usually think about .These scientists looked at the water used to grow and make the products which get shipped from nation to nation as imports or exports. They call this a flow of"virtual water ". We typically think about water as the liquid that flows from a tap. However,92%of the water used by people goes into growing crops,according to water researcher Arjen Hoekstra. He recently studied the hidden travels of virtual water used in products made from things like crops and meats .These products are shipped around the world. For example.consider a sugary soft drink. Hoekstra estimated that to produce one half-liter of the drink requires between 170 and 310litersofthewater--about 95%--is used to grow and process the ingredients .Another 4%goes into the packaging and labeling. In Hoekstra's calculation, when one country produces a half-liter of soda and sells it abroad,it exports as much virtual water as would fill a large refrigerator. According to Hoekstra's new report,dry countries like Israel and Kuwait,both in the Middle East, get the majority of their virtual water from other countries,through imported products. More surprisingly, some wetter countries,like the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, also get the majority of their virtual water from other places. That means that most of the water used to grow or produce the products and food consumed in those countries came from other countries. In the United States most of the virtual water used comes from American sources .In China even less of the water associated with its products

According to the passage, the author's life in the orphanage was _ .

dull and full of strict rules

There was a time in my life when beauty meant something special to me. I guess that would have been when I was about six or seven years old, just several weeks or maybe a month before the orphanage turned me into an old man. I would get up every morning at the orphanage, make my bed just like the little soldier that I had become and then I would get into one of the two straight lines and march to breakfast with the other twenty or thirty boys who also lived in my dormitory. After breakfast one Saturday morning I returned to the dormitory and saw the house parent chasing the beautiful monarch butterflies who lived by the hundreds in the bushes scattered around the orphanage. I carefully watched as he caught these beautiful creatures, one after another, and then took them from the net and then stuck straight pins through their head and wings, pinning them onto a heavy cardboard sheet. How cruel it was to kill something of such beauty. I had walked many times out into the bushes, all by myself, just so the butterflies could land on my head, face and hands so I could look at them up close. When the telephone rang the house parent laid the large cardboard paper down on the back cement step and went inside to answer the phone. I walked up to the cardboard and looked at the one butterfly who he had just pinned to the large paper. It was still moving about so I reached down and touched it on the wing causing one of the pins to fall out. It started flying around and around trying to get away but it was still pinned by the one wing with the other straight pin. Finally its wing broke off and the butterfly fell to the ground and just trembled. I picked up the torn wing and the butterfly and I spat on its wing and tried to get it to stick back on so it could fly away and be free before the house parent came back. But it would not stay on him.

Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

The stone bridge is no longer in existence.

An air of anxious uncertainty spread throughout the small Indian camp as the sun dawned that morning. Some braves gathered beside a smoking campfire. Murmuring sounds could be heard as they talked quietly. Women nervously performed their domestic tasks, preparing a small meal. Several sad, old men sat mute, their morale very low. The camp was pitched at the edge of a deep valley--so deep that one could barely see the calm water at the bottom. The Indians had been taken by surprise and were surrounded and attacked by enemy forces. They fought bravely, but they were degraded by defeat. Their homes were destroyed. Those who had survived had been pursued by the enemy. The chase had lasted for days. Persuaded by their leaders to press on, they had made a wrong turn. Their _ journey ended at the edge of a valley--a desperate situation. Before them was a great hole in the earth. Behind them was the enemy. No wonder they were frozen with fear. Where could they go? Just when no choice seemed available to them, several young braves ran into camp. With great excitement they reported seeing a stone bridge across the valley, just a short distance from camp. Most of the tribe discounted this wild story. However, a few hurried to the spot to see for themselves. Seeing was believing! Indeed there was a stone bridge, great enough to accommodate many people and their horses. Without hesitation the people gathered up their children and the belongings they had and hurried across the bridge. Enemy braves watched from a nearby cliff. It was obvious that the Great Spirit was on the side of the defeated. The enemy did not follow. Safe on the other side of the valley, the wanderers thanked the Great Spirit for providing the vital link. They had escaped their enemies. For hundreds of miles around, Indian people heard about the miraculous stone bridge. From this incident it was clear that the Great Spirit defends weak people. Many came from near and far to see the magnificent stone bridge. You, too, can see this bridge and even ride across it in a car--in southwestern Virginia.

Which of the following is NOT true of the writer?

He works in the bank as a clerk, too.

It was January lst, the first day of the year and a holiday for me.I went to the bank to get the bank work out of the way. The bank clerk nodded and I sat in front of him. He was busy filling up entries in his register. I put my form and booklet in front of him.After waiting for a few more minutes, in which I showed all signs of being impatient, I asked him if my work was done. He shouted, "Nothing is done, and it will take time ! " Just then I saw his morning cup of tea, which had been lying there for the last ten minutes, untoucheD.The tea had turned almost cold while he was doing his work.Suddenly I felt what this man must be feeling when customers like me come always in a hurry to get their work done. We do not even feel the need to thank them for being there. So I told him, "Sir, please have your teA.I am not in a hurry. " This man suddenly looked up at me and for the first time we had eye contact.I saw a different person there, who was as hard-pressed for time as I always am. _ . I felt that he was also missing the small things in life like a hot cup of tea or lying in a warm bed for a few more minutes like me.He gave me a rare smile and said, "It is an everyday affair with me; you are not in a hurry but somebody else will be. He really touched my heart with his wise words. I felt that all this time I thought of him as someone who was there for my convenience, but today I suddenly felt a strange communion with him. I vowed to be friendly with people who help me with my work and be thankful that they are there for me.

We learn from the text that _ .

Michelle loved the life in Los Angeles

Michelle was a student at University of California, Los Angeles. She is here to tell us how she feels about the city. What were the best things about Los Angeles? One of my favorite things about Los Angeles is the weather. I hate the cold and it never really gets that cold there. Plus, most of the time it's usually sunny, which is good because I love going to the beach during the summer. There's so much to do at the beach, but my favorite thing in L.A. was having a picnic on the sand with my friends. What were the worst things about being there? I disliked having to drive everywhere to get around because the city is so spread out. Los Angeles has a lot of traffic and sometimes it takes a long time to get somewhere close by just because the streets are so crowded. Also, a lot of people complain about the pollution. Did you have any problems there? Just the normal problems of living in any city, like watching out for pickpockets . Some people think Los Angeles has a lot of crime, but I think it's as safe as any other city. Also, many people think driving is difficult because there is a lot of traffic and road rage , but it just takes a little practice and a lot of patience. What are the people like in Los Angeles? There are all types of people in Los Angeles since the city is pretty diverse. For the most part, though, most of the people are friendly, calm and relaxed. Some people say that everyone in Los Angeles is beautiful, but I think that's just a stereotype . Would you go back to Los Angeles? Certainly. Los Angeles is one of my favorite cities in the world. I love the fact that it has all the nightlife and shopping of a big city, but also has access to beaches, parks, mountains and other places you can't usually find in large cities. Between the weather and the beaches and all the fun things to do, it's a great place to be.

What did Mr. Smith notice shortly after arriving at the park?

A poor boy didn't have a sledge but a flattened cardboard box.

It was Saturday, so Mr. Smith did not have to go to work. It had snowed heavily the night before, and Mr. Smith's son Bobby had a new sledge , which he had been very eager to try out for a long while. There was a good slope in a park not far away from the Smiths' house -- a slope which children often used for their sledges, so Mr. Smith agreed to take Bobby there in the car. They put the sledge in and went off. When they reached the park, they found that there were already a lot of boys there, each boy with a sledge of his own. They were sliding down the slope at great speed, and then pulling their sledges up again for another go. Mr. Smith stood by, watching them with a smile. It was obvious that each and every one of them had much fun. After a few moments, Mr. Smith suddenly saw among the boys a kid who was small and poorly-dressed, and did not have a sledge. This boy had flattened out one old cardboard box, and was sliding down the slope on that. Mr. Smith felt very sorry for this poor boy, and determined to tell his son Bobby to share his new sledge with the boy. But before he could catch Bobby to speak to him, he was somewhat surprised -- and much more delighted -- to notice that several of the older boys in the park were already offering the poor boy their nice sledges. Mr. Smith watched them with greater interest -- and suddenly realized that the bigger boys were not doing this because they felt sorry for the poor boy, but because they enjoyed riding on his cardboard box more than on their own sledges. They were actually waiting eagerly and impatiently for a turn on the flattened cardboard box!

The police of New York, Chicago and Detroithave a particularly rough time because _ .

these cities have large Jews and organized crime

American TV and movies once gave a tough and cruel picture of the American police, though now there are TV series which have _ as heroes and defenders of society. The police are grateful for the good publicity and their new image, especially in cities where there are black Jews, who live under poverty line. White policemen are now careful of how they speak and act towards their fellow black citizens. The cop is a city or a State employee. He cannot arrest anyone outside his city or his State. He cannot even cross the border into a neighbor State in search of a criminal. If he does, he can be charged with breaking the law of that State. The police who have to be really tough are those who operate in big cities, like New York,Chicago and Detroit, which have large ghettos and organized crimes. Since the majority of criminals are armed, American cops have to use their guns more often than most policemen in other places and the car chases through the crowded streets of Manhattan, which are a favorite feature of gangster movie, are not so exaggerated . American cops get shot down, run over, stabbed, beaten up, and their wives are in constant fear that one day their men will not come home. Many policemen do a lot to help children whose parents are criminals. They understand better than most citizens the terrible misery of the Jews. They feel sorry for the drug addicts, but often treat roughly the "pushers" who sell the drugs--when they can catch them. They have been accused of making no serious attempt to break up the various drug rings. They say that such task would be never-ending.

What seems to be most workers' attitude toward remote working?

Favorable.

Digital technology -- email and smart phones especially -- have vastly improved workers' ability to be productive outside of a traditional office. Even so, most white-collar work still happens in an office. One reason is that, according to findings of a new survey of office workers conducted by Wakefield Research for the IT company Citrix, most bosses are doubtful about remote working. Half of the workers say their boss doesn't accept it and only 35 percent say it's tolerated. Skeptical bosses will likely have their doubts reinforced by the same survey, which shows that 43 percent of workers say they've watched TV or a movie while "working" remotely, while 35 percent have done housework,and 28 percent have cooked dinner. It is true, however,that working at home makes people much more efficient , because it allows workers to take care of annoying housework while still getting their jobs done. It's much faster, for example, to shop for groceries at a quarter to three than to stand in line during the after-work rush. The fact that such practices remain officially unaccepted reflects how far we haven't come as a society from the days when we expected every full-time worker to be supported by a full-time homemaker. More broadly the Wakefield survey suggests that employers may be missing a low-cost way to give workers something of value. Sixty-four percent of those survey participants who have worked remotely would rather give up some bonus in order to get even one day a week working from home. Under such circumstances, smart firms need to find ways to let their employees have enough flexibility to manage their time efficiently.

What happened to 170 students at Duncanville High School on May 14th?

Theyweretoldtogobackhome.

It's time for school! But on May 14th, 170 students at Duncanville High School in Texas, US, were told to go back home.Why? Because they were wearing the wrong clothes to school. Schools in the US don't always ask students to wear uniforms. But they have dress codes . For example, Duncanville High School tells students to wear belts, shirts without logos .Schools' most-hated clothes are different. In 2011, the saggy ( ) trousers law was passed in Florida. It stops students from wearing trousers that show body parts. Now, "the favourite new target ( ) of the school dress code" is leggings( ), reported the Associated Press. Some schools don't allow leggings. Other schools ask students to wear a shirt or a skirt over leggings. Some students complain that schools are going too far. But schools say dress codes help protect students' safety and make sure they grow up with good taste."We want to teach them that they must meet the expectations not only here in school, but also outside school," said Andre Smith.

Which of the following is the writer's opinion about being alone?

One can enjoy the authentic flavor of every experience when he is alone.

The other day an acquaintance of mine, an outgoing and charming man, told me he had found himself unexpectedly alone in New York for an hour or two between appointments. He went to the Whitney and spent the "empty" time looking at things in solitary happiness. For him it proved to be a shock nearly as great as falling in love to discover that he could enjoy himself so much alone. What had he been afraid of, I asked myself? That, suddenly alone, he would discover that he bored himself, or that there was, quite simply, no self there to meet? But having taken a decisive step, he is now on the edge of adventure; he is about to be launched into his own inner space to the astronaut. His every perception will come to him with a new freshness and, for a time, seem surprisingly original. For anyone who can see things for himself with a naked eye becomes, for a moment or two, something of a genius. With another human being present, vision becomes double vision, unavoidably. We are busy wondering, what does my companion see or think of this, and what do I think of it? The original impact gets lost. "Music I heard with you was more than music." Exactly. And therefore music itself can only be heard alone. Solitude is the salt of personhood. It brings out the authentic flavor of every experience. "Alone one is never lonely: the spirit adventures, walking in a quiet garden, in a cool house, staying single there." Loneliness is very strongly felt with other people, for with others, even with a lover sometimes, we suffer from our differences of taste, temperament and mood. Human intercourse often demands that we soften the edge of perception, or withdraw at the very instant of personal truth for fear of hurting, or of being inappropriately present, which is to say naked, in a social situation. Alone we can afford to be wholly whatever we are, and to feel whatever we feel ly. That is a great luxury! For me the most interesting thing about a solitary life, and mine has been that for the last twenty years, is that it becomes increasingly rewarding. When I can wake up and watch the sun rise over the ocean, as I do most days, and know that I have an entire day ahead, uninterrupted, in which to write a few pages, take a walk with my dog, lie down in the afternoon for a long think (why does one think better in a horizontal position?), read and listen to music, I am flooded with happiness. I'm lonely only when I am overtired, when I have worked too long without a break, when from the time being I feel empty and need filling up. And I am lonely sometimes when I come back home after a lecture trip, when I have seen a lot of people and talked a lot, and am full to the brim with experience that needs to be sorted out. Then for a little while the house feels huge and empty, and I wonder where my self is hiding. It has to be recaptured slowly by watering the plants and perhaps, by looking again at each one as though it were a person. It takes a while, as I watch the surf blowing up in fountains at the end of the field, but the moment comes when the world falls away, and the self emerges again from the deep unconscious, bringing back all I have recently experienced to be explored and slowly understood, when I can converse again with my hidden powers, and so grow, and so be renewed, till death do us part.

This article mainly talks about _ .

effects of water problems around the world

A new American report says water-related problems will likely increase tensions around the world in the next ten years. These problems include water shortages, poor water quality and floods. The problems will increase the risk of failure of governments. However, countries are unlikely to go to war over water. But the real question is that some governments may use water as a weapon to pressure others ten years later. The report looks at possible effects of water problems on the United States national security interests over the next thirty years. It says the areas that will be most affected by water problems are North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. The United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says, "Reliable water resources are essential for feeding the hungry, running industries and creating energy. Certainly they are central when we think about how climate changes will affect future generations." The report also predicts an increased demand for American assistance and expert help to solve those problems. That demand for help could create opportunities for leadership and influence. Water shortages, poor water quality, and floods are unlikely to result in state failure. But these could combine with poverty, social tensions, environmental problems, poor leadership and weak governments to produce social disorder. And that combination could cause state failure. The report predicts that from now through 2040 water shortages and pollution probably will harm the economic performance of important trading partners. During the next ten years the loss of groundwater supplies in some agricultural areas will create a risk to national and global food markets. These shortages will be a result of poor management. Agriculture uses about seventy percent of the world's freshwater. The report says technology that reduces the amount of water needed to grow crops will offer the best way to fight against water shortages.

lf you outside during an earthquake _

you must move away from streetlights

A little knowledge can make a difference at a time of life or death. Do you know what to do if you find yourself in an earthquake? lf you are inside: Quickly move under a strong desk, a strong table or along a wall. You can also go into a small room like the bathroom. This will protect you from falling things. Do not get into a lift. Don't stand near windows, large mirrors, heavy furniture of fireplaces. If you're outside: Move away from buildings and streetlights. These could fall on you. Squat and protect your head until the shaking stops. After the earthquake: Check, take care of injuries and help make sure people around you are all right. Watch out for _ . Protect yourself by wearing long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and strong shoes. Listen to tile radio for the latest information.

What hospital is Spain going to build according to the news?

A Chinese- style hospital.

According to Spanish business newspaper, Spain is planning to build the largest traditional Chinese medicine hospital in Europe. It's an important practice agreement between China and Spain. Barcelona will provide land for its construction and the new hospital is expected to cost 80 million euros ($88.6 million). This center will be the first of its kind outside Asia. The agreement also includes the teaching and studying of TCM (traditional Chinese medicine). The hospital will develop a joint --- research program among the scientists from both of the countries. The agreement makes it possible for doctors of TCM to work in Barcelona. So far, China has been making efforts to _ TCM outside the country, pushing the ancient medical science to the world. Calduch, a spokesperson for the Spain -based European Foundation of TCM, said the plan to build Europe's largest TCM hospital shows China's great dream. "Not only will it help us learn more about this ancient medical science, but it will also bring help to Spanish patients." said Calduch. It's reported that 23.6 percent of the country's population has used natural remedies , and TCM is the most popular.

You should offer help first because _ .

it shows you are willing to help

There are a lot of things you can do to help in your community, whether with your mom's chores, or if a friend is upset. Here are some little things you can do to give a helping hand. Be a volunteer. Being in charitable organizations is a great way to help the poor, like giving away food or money. You can also donate money on some charitable website like Tencent Charity. Put yourself in another person's shoes. It can give a strong reason to help someone else if you show your sympathy. It is the best way to show people that you really care about someone. Try to offer first. When people need your help, they'll probably ask you first. But if you have the chance, try to offer to help before they ask you. This will show that you are willing to help from the start. Think about what might happen if you don't help. More people will feel sad if you just leave them when they need you, you don't want to see people unhappy, do you? It's always nice to lend a hand.

What's Mr Cheng's telephone number?

8869254.

Hi! My name is Lisa. I'm a student in Shanghai. I'm in Class Nine, Grade Five. Wang Tao and Li Fang are my friends. They are in Grade Five, too. They are not in my class. They are in Class Seven. I'm 12. They are 12, too. Mr. Cheng is my teacher. His telephone number is 8869254.

In fact, the trousers _ .

had been the shop owner's

Tom walked into a shop. It had a sign outside:" Second-hand clothes bought and sold. " He was carrying an old pair of trousers and asked the owner of the shop." How much will you give me for these?" The man looked at them and then said, "Two dollars ." "What!" said Tom. "I had guessed they were worth(...) at least five." "No," said the man, "they aren't worth a cent more than two dollars." "Well," said Tom. Taking two dollars out of his pocket, "Here's your money. These trousers were hanging outside your shop. The list price of them was six dollars and a half. But I thought that was too much money, so I wanted to find out how much they were really worth. " Before the shop owner could think of anything, Tom walked out of the shop with the pair of trousers.

Lots of money will be offered to help poorer countries _ .

produce clean energy

After two weeks of meetings in Paris, 195 countries reached an agreement on December 12 to do with climate change. It's the first time in history that most of the world's countries, rich or poor, agreed to take action. The agreement sets the long-time goal of making sure the world temperature does not get 2degC higher than the levels in the 1800s. Otherwise there will be serious problems on Earth like natural disasters. The agreement also asks countries to volunteer to make promises based on each country's economy , politics and technology. For developed countries, they will do even more. They have a plan to offer over $100 billion (about 647 billion yuan) to help poorer countries develop clean energy like water and wind power. Besides, there are some legally binding rules. Those countries need to set national goals for cutting greenhouse gas emissions every five years. And they will publicly report their progress every five years starting in 2023. However, the Paris Agreement alone won't solve the climate change problem. The future depends on how well each country will carry out their promises.

The current temperature in New York is _ .

8degC

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Hi 56degF/13degC 56degF/13degC 59degF/15degC 58degF/14degC 54degF/12degC Lo 42degF/6degC 47degF/8degC 50degF/10degC 46degF/8degC 45degF/7degC Mostly sunny Sunny to partly cloudy Some sunshine giving way to clouds A couple of morning showers Sun mixing with high clouds Other Locations Place Conditions Temperature Humidity Pressure Chicago Overcast 45degF/7degC 68% 30.12 in London Partly Sunny 55degF/13degC 58% 29.77 in Los Angeles Clear 52degF/11degC 25% 29.99 in San Francisco Clear 42degF/6degC 84% 30.1 in Tokyo Rain 50degF/10degC 87% 29.83 in

Why do many women take housing as one of the main requirements for marriage?

Because they think it's a symbol of the men's sense of responsibility.

Is it necessary for a young man to have an apartment as a prerequisite for marriage? Housing has become a major obstacle for Chinese young men hoping to start a family. China may breed a new group of bachelors, men caught in the trap of unaffordable houses. Since early 2009, the housing market has once again become a hot pot at boiling point. Even with allowance and special government policies, home prices in China's first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai are riding the crest of a rising wave. According to the "2010 China Marital Status Report" released on Dec 15, 2010, about 70 percent of women interviewed said that housing, a stable income and some savings were the main requirements for marriage. From the report, we can see that housing is given top priority and that women see an apartment as essential to show that the man is responsible and can provide for his family. Personality and morals lay outside the top three matrimonial requirements. Some women and their families hold the traditional position and take it for granted that the home issue should be the man's responsibility, which doesn't agree with the contemporary independent spirit of women and gender equality. These marriage values reflect the fact that many women consider marriage another form of "social welfare". Things may be different overseas. Social housing, provided by European authorities, offer the less wealthy people their own piece of real estate. Such housing is usually apartments in tall buildings with 10 or more floors on the _ of town, whose main advantage is the low rents. For many Americans, houses don't pose an obstacle to getting married. They often buy a house after the wedding, because more and more people are reconsidering their real estate worship, and going back to a more rational mode of consumption. In Japan, renting is the custom for newly married young couples. Few young couples can afford to purchase property. Up to 67.1 percent of young couples choose to rent. Generally speaking, renters account for most people younger than 40 in Japan. Young people should be free to enjoy being young, without the huge pressure of trying to buy property. Society should help create an environment for them to grow up. Don't let the poor bachelor group become a suffering layer of our society.

As for the 2001 study, the general public wrongly think that _ .

it is healthy and protective for people to be very overweight

Is carrying a few extra pounds into your senior years healthy? Advice has been mixed. Now, two studies published this month attempt to better define the ideal weight for fitness and longevity for adults over age 60. The main point is that you don't need to worry about being slightly overweight, as long as that extra weight is maintained at a consistent level. However, being very overweight is detrimental to health, and exercising to lose body fat and to gain muscle mass is always beneficial. Determining the ideal weight for older people has been a pursuit, with researchers looking for what weight is not too thin, but not too fat. Studies have suggested that being slightly overweight can be protective. For example, a 2001 study by researchers at Yale University found that moderately overweight senior adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 -- two points higher than the BMI of 25 that defines being overweight -- lived longer than seniors who were either thinner or heavier. There's a fine line here, though, because carrying extra pounds is a risk factor for many types of cancer and other diseases. And, according to the researchers behind the two new studies, the general public has misinterpreted the Yale findings to mean that being very overweight is healthy. One new study, published this month in the American Journal of Epidemiology by researchers at The Ohio State University in Columbus, found that seniors who maintained a stable, slightly overweight status survived most probably over the 16 years surveyed. Those seniors who had a so-called healthy weight going into the study (a BMI between 18.5 and 25) and who gained weight, but stayed below BMI 25, had a slight possibility of surviving over the study period. People in the obese group, with a BMI higher than 35 and who continued to gain weight, faced the worst among all the groups in the study. But next-to-last were normal-weight people who lost weight, but this was likely because they became sick, the researchers said. The second study, appearing this month in the journal Obesity, was conducted by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., and supports intentional weight loss among senior adults. Whether weight loss is beneficial has been debated because of this concept that being overweight is protective. In short, the researchers found that physical activity and weight loss for overweight and obese adults resulted in lower cardiovascular disease risk and improved mobility. This finding supports previous studies demonstrating that exercise builds muscle and bone strength, improves balance and coordination, prevents falls and enables seniors to enjoy a more active lifestyle, they said. Hui Zheng of Ohio State, the lead author of first study, said that the negative effects of obesity on health are greatest for young people.

Which of the following is TRUE about the Glomar Challenger?

It made its first DSDP voyage in 1969.

The ocean bottom, a region nearly 2.5 times greater than the total land area of the earth, is even today largely unexplored. Until about a century ago, the deep ocean floor was completely inaccessible and hidden beneath waters averaging over 3,600 meters deep. Totally without light and in the case of intense pressures hundreds of times greater than at the earth's surface, the deep-ocean bottom is a strange environment to humans, in some way as frightening and remote as the outer space. Although researchers have taken samples of deep-ocean rocks for over a century, the first detailed global study of the ocean bottom did not actually start until 1969, with the beginning of the National Science Foundation's Deep Sea Drilling Project(DSDP). Using techniques first developed for the offshore oil and gas industry, the DSDP's drill ship, the Glomar Challenger, was able to maintain a steady position on the ocean's surface and drill very deep waters, taking samples of rocks from the ocean floor. The Glomar Challenger completed 96 voyages in a 15-year research program that ended in November 1983. During this time, it sailed 600,000 kilometers and took almost 20,000 samples of rocks around the world. Those samples have allowed geologists to reconstruct what the planet looked like hundreds of millions of years ago and to make out what it will probably look like millions of years in the future. Today, largely on the strength of evidence gathered during the Glomar Challenger's voyages, nearly all earth scientists agree on the theories of plate tectonics and continental drift that explain many of the geological processes. The sample of rocks drilled by the Glomar Challenger have also provided a climatic record stretching back hundreds of millions of years. The information of past climatic change can be used to predict the future climate.

The main idea of this passage should be_.

Poor country, rich people

Many areas of cropland in Bangladesh are becoming unfit for farming. The land is becoming salty. It is a big problem for the small country which has more than 155 million people because growing crops is the most common way Bangladeshis support themselves. Farmers in the country are learning to grow vegetables in so-called "vertical gardens. " The soil in these gardens is better because heavy rains have removed much of the salt. Shobitha Debna is a 35-year-old farmer in the village Chandipur is able to grow hundreds of kilograms of vegetables each season in her small garden. This kind of farming is new in Chandipur. But it may spread across the country.Most of Bangladesh is at or below sea level. Rising seawaters linked to climate change has severely affected the country. High water from storms in coastal areas also add salt to soil. High salt content makes crops less productive. The salty sea water flows into rivers, which then flood Chandipur and other villages. Vegetable crops fail. For three years now, hundreds of villagers have grown crops in vertical gardens. From July to October, about l. 5 meters of rain falls in Bangladesh. The seasonal rains remove salt from the soil. At the end of the rainy season, villagers collect the cleaned soil and place it in large containers. They use that soil to grow vegetables. WorldFish Center, a non-profit International group has trained about 200 villagers in southwestern Bangladesh to make vertical gardens. Over the next two years, the center will train about 5,000 people. A vertical garden is easy to make. Villagers fill containers with good soil and natural fertilizers. They put the containers on bricks so they are off the ground. They add pieces of the bricks to the soil to help water flow and drain. Villagers also grow vegetables in containers made from large, thin pieces of plastic supported by bamboo. This is called "vertical tower" which can produce more than 100 kilograms of vegetables each.

Miss Havisham held Estella tightly because _ .

she thought Estella did something right.

On the broad landing between Miss Havisham's own room and that other room in which the long table was laid out, I saw a garden chair -- a light chair on wheels that you pushed from behind. It had been placed there since my last visit, and that same day I pushed Miss Havisham in this chair (when she was tired of walking with her hand upon my shoulder) round her own room, and across the landing and round the other room, which, from that day on, became my regular job. As we began to be more used to one another, Miss Havisham talked more to me, and asked me such questions as what had I learnt and what was I going to be? I told her I was going to be apprenticed to Joe, my sister's husband; then I explained my knowing nothing and wanting to know everything, in the hope that she might offer some help. But, she did not; on the contrary, she seemed to prefer my being ignorant. Neither did she ever give me any money - or anything but my daily dinner - nor even mentioned that I should be paid for my services. Estella was always about, and always let me in and out, but never told me I might kiss her again. Sometimes, she would coldly tolerate me; sometimes, she would be seemingly kind to me; sometimes, she would be quite familiar with me; sometimes, she would tell me energetically that she hated me. Miss Havisham would often ask me in a whisper, or when we were alone, "Does she grow prettier and prettier, Pip?" And when I said yes, Miss Havisham would seem to enjoy it greedily. Also, when we played at cards Miss Havisham would look on Estella's moods, whatever they were. And sometimes, when her moods were so many and so contradictory of one another that I was puzzled what to say or do, Miss Havisham would hold her tightly with great fondness, saying something quietly in her ear that sounded like "Break their hearts my pride and hope, break their hearts and have no mercy!"