For those who make journeys across the world, the speed of travel today has turned the countries into a series of villages.Distances between them appear no greater to a modern traveler than those which once faced men as they walked from village to village. Jet planes fly people from one end of the earth to the other, allowing them a freedom of movement undreamt of a hundred years ago. Yet some people wonder if the revolution in travel has gone too far. A price has been paid, they say, for the conquest of time and distance. _ . The boat offers leisure and time enough to appreciate the ever-changing sights and sounds of a journey. A journey by train also has a special charm about it. Lakes and forests and wild, open plains sweeping past your carriage window create a grand view in which time and distance mean nothing. On board a plane, however, there is just the blank blue of the sky filling the narrow window of the airplane. The soft lighting, in-flight films and gentle music make up the only world you know, and the hours progress slowly. Then there is the time spent being "processed" at a modern airport. People are conveyed like robots along walkways; baggage is weighed, tickets produced, examined and produced yet again before the passengers move to another waiting area. Journeys by rail and sea take longer, yes, but the hours devoted to being "processed" at departure and arrival in airports are luckily absent. No wonder, then, that the modern high-speed trains are winning back passengers from the airlines. Man, however, is now a world traveler and cannot turn his back on the airplane. The working lives of too many people depend upon it; whole new industries have been built around its design and operation. The holiday maker, too, with limited time to spend, patiently endures the busy airports and limited space of the flight to gain those extra hours and even days, relaxing in the sun. speed controls people's lives; time saved, in work or play, is the important thing--or so we are told. Perhaps those first... What does the last sentence of the passage mean? A) They could enjoy free and relaxing travel. B) They needed the clock to tell the time. C) They preferred traveling on horseback. D) They could travel with their master.
A
It was a Friday. As usual, the office became busier and busier. Orders to buy and sell came and went like birds. It was in the stock market, the world of money that Mr.Robert,the stockbroker, worked faster and faster. There was no room in it for the world of human feelings or the world of nature. Near lunchtime, everything quieted down.Mr.Robert stood by his desk with his hands full of letters. Suddenly through the open window came a smell of flowers,like the thin breath of spring.Mr.Robert stood still. This was Miss Angelia's smell, her own and only hers.The world of the stock market disappeared. And Miss Angelia was in the next room--only twenty steps away. "I'll do it now," said Mr.Robert softly. "I'll ask her now.Why didn't I do it long ago?" He ran into her office. She looked up at him with a smile. Her face turned a soft pink. "Miss Angelia,"he said, hurriedly, "I only have a moment to talk.I want to say something important to you,Will you be my wife?I haven't had time to show you, but I really do love you." "Why ...what are you talking about?" cried the young lady.She stood up and looked at him strangely. "Don't you understand?" Mr. Robert asked quickly. "I want you to marry me now." Miss Angelia acted very strangely. At first she seemed surprised. Then she began to cry. But then she smiled through her tears like the sun through rain. She put her arms around his neck. "But don't you remember, darling?" she said ."We were married yesterday evening at 8:00, in the little church around the corner." What can be inferred from the end of the story? A) Miss Angelia felt happy in her heart. B) Mr.Robert always acted strangely C) Miss Angelia was angry at his words D) Mr.Robert pretended to marry her actually
A
Q: Social networking isn't only for the under 40s. More than 25 percent of Americans 50 years and older stay connected using sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, according to new research. "The latest data tells us that more and more social networking is becoming a part of everyday life for Americans 50 plus," said Kevin Donnellan, the chief communications officer at AARP, which released the report. Nearly a quarter of older Americans are on Facebook and 73 percent said they use it to stay in touch with relatives, but not just their children and grandchildren. "They are using the Internet to keep up with the world and the people who are important to them," said Jean Koppen, the author of the report. She added that older adults are also on Facebook to stay connected, not only with their family, but with their friends and those in the same age group. Almost 50 percent of older adults were introduced to the social networking sites by a family member, mainly a child or grandchild. "Just under one-fifth of adults aged 50 and older say they do not use the Internet," according to the report. The findings are based on a telephone survey of 1,863 adults. In addition to keeping up on Facebook and Twitter older adults are aware of the latest technology. Eighty-three percent had heard about the Apple iPad and 11 percent intended to buy one. Despite the popularity of the Internet among the over 50s, they still mostly go to print newspapers and magazines for news. Only one percent said they followed blogs. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? A) 85% of Americans 50 plus choose the Internet over print media. B) About 20% of adults aged 50 plus have access to the Internet. C) About 460 people in the telephone survey often use Facebook. D) Three quarters of the people surveyed got to know the Internet through their family.
A: C
(Question)
Australians have been warned that they face a life or death decision over their water--drink recycled sewage or die. With the drought continuing, the country is set to be forced to use purified waste water for drinking, even though there is great opposition to the measure. Queensland has become the first state to introduce the policy after a warning from its premier. "I think in the end, because of the drought, all of Australia is going to end up drinking recycled purified water," said Peter Beattie. "These are difficult decisions, but you either drink water or you die. There's no choice. It's liquid gold; it's a matter of life and death." Beattie said Australia's second largest state would become the first to use recycled water for drinking. Water is recycled in Britain and parts of northern Europe along with the US and Israel. But Australians have never liked the idea. To try to change the way Australians think, Prime Minister John Howard and Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull have _ Queensland's move. "I am very strongly for recycling and Mr. Beattie is right and I agree with him completely," Howard said. "Australian cities, all now facing water shortages because of the worst drought on record, must start to use recycled water." added Turnbull, "All of our big cities have to widen the range of water sources to include sources which are not dependent on rainfall." It can be inferred from what Premier Peter Beattie said that _ . A) he gives orders to drink purified waste water. B) it is painful for him to see his people drink recycled sewage. C) if the decision is made, people won't survive the drought. D) it's up to you to either make a life or death decision.
(Answer)
B