At present time, roller skating is easy and fun. But many years ago, it wasn't easy at all. Before 1750, people never tried skating on wheels. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin's work was making instruments . In his free time he liked to play the violin. Merlin was a man with many ideas and many dreams. People called him a dreamer. One day Merlin received an invitation to go to an important party. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think. He wanted to find a way to make a wonderful entrance at the party. Merlin had an idea. He thought that he would attract a lot of attention if he could skate into the room. Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll . Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skate shoes. Merlin was very proud of them. He dreamed of arriving at the party and skating into the room while playing the violin. He was sure that everyone would be very surprised. On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room, playing his violin. Everyone was really surprised to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skating. He rolled on, playing the violin. Then, with all eyes on him, Merlin hit into a huge mirror on the wall. The mirror broke into many pieces with a very loud noise. Nobody forgot Merlin's wonderful entrance after that. People called Merlin a dreamer because _ . . A) he slept and dreamed a lot B) he was full of different ideas and dreams C) he invented the first roller skates D) he always made people's dreams come true
B
Looking back on my childhood,I am convinced that naturalists are born and not made.Although we were all brought up in the same way,my brothers and sisters soon abandoned their pressed flowers and insects.Unlike them,I had no ear for music and languages.I was not an early reader and I could not do mental arithmetic. Before World War I we spent our summer holidays in Hungary.I have only the dim memory of the house we lived in,of my room and my toys.Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents,aunts,uncles and cousins who gathered next door.But I do have a clear memory of the dogs,the farm animals,the local birds,and above all,the insects. I am a naturalist,not a scientist.I have a strong love of the natural world and my enthusiasm led me into varied investigations.I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil while reading about other people's observations and discoveries.Then something happens that brings these observations together in my conscious mind. Suddenly you fancy you see the answer to the riddle,because it all seems to fit together.This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books,which some might honor with the title of scientific research. But curiosity,a keen eye,a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist:one of the outstanding and essential qualities required is self-discipline,a quality I lack.A scientist requires not only self-discipline,but hard training,determination and a goal.A scientist,up to a certain point,can be made.A naturalist is born.If you can combine the two,you get the best of both worlds. The author says that he is a naturalist rather than a scientist probably because he thinks he _ . A) has a great deal of trouble doing mental arithmetic B) lacks some of the qualities required of a scientist C) just reads about other people's observations and discoveries D) comes up with solutions in a most natural way
B
Q: Mark Twain, the famous American writer, was once traveling in France .He went by train to Dijon. He was very tired and wanted to sleep. He therefore asked the conductor to wake him up when the train came to Dijon But first he explained he was a very heavy sleeper,"I may bossibly protest loudly when you try to wake me up,"he said to the conductor. "But don't take any notice of what I say. Just put me off the train anyway." Then Mark Twain went to sleep. Later, when he woke up it was night time and the train had reached Paris already. He realized at once that the conductor had forgotten to wake him up at Dijon. He was so angry that he ran to the conductor and began to shout at him. "I have never been so angry in my life,"Mark Twain said. The conductor looked at him calmly ."You are not half so angry as the American whom I put off the train at Dijon,"he said. The American whom the conductor put off the train_. A) wanted to ger off at Dijon B) wanted to get off at paris C) did not want to get off at Dijon D) did not want to get off at Paris
A: B
(Q).
We have entered a new age of embedded , intuitive computing in which our homes, cars, stores, farms, and factories have the ability to think, sense, understand, and respond to our needs. It's not science fiction, but the dawn of a new age. Most people might not realize it yet, but we are already feeling the impact of what's known as the third wave of computing. In small but significant ways it is helping us live healthier and more secure lives. If you drive a 2014 Mercedes Benz, for example, an "intelligent" system tries to keep you from hitting a pedestrian. A farmer in Nigeria relies on weather sensors that communicate with his mobile device. Forgot your medicine? A new pill bottle from AdhereTech reminds you through text or automatic phone messages that it's time to take a pill. Technology is being integrated into our natural behaviors, with real-time data connecting our physical and digital worlds. With this dramatic shift in our relationship to technology, companies can adapt their products and services. To understand how revolutionary the third wave is, we ought to consider how far we have come. The first wave began when companies started to manage their operations through mainframe computer systems over 50 years ago. Then computing got "personal" in the 1980s and the 1990s with the introduction of the PC (personal computer). For the most part, computing remained immobile and lacked contextual awareness. In computing's second wave, mobile computing and the smartphone took center stage. Billions of people, some of whom might not have had access to clean water, electricity, or even housing, were connected. Developers created applications and provided consumers with access to just about everything through their phone at the cost of a monthly data plan. As the third wave keeps developing, designers must meet the demands of consumers who want to experiment with new technology. Historically, designers have focused their attention on a product's form and function. While that still matters, of course, the... What can we conclude from the passage about the new age we are facing? A) There's a shift of attention from people's physical worlds to their digital worlds. B) There's closer relationship between technology and people's natural behaviours. C) People live more happily with the convenience brought by advanced technology. D) People become lazier with the products that can think and respond to their needs.
(A).
B