Without the atmosphere there would be no weather, no wind, rain, snow, or clouds. Air is all around us; we live at the bottom of a great ocean of air. It is invisible, but we can feel it when it moves. There are miles of air above us, pressing down with great weight on the earth and everything on it. Because air presses down on us from all directions at the same time, and because we are able to bear this weight, we do not seem to feel it. But scientists have proved that air has this weight, and that anything that has weight creates a force called pressure. As changes in air pressure take place, they, make air move. Air is a gas that expands when heated, gets lighter, and moves upward. When air is cooled, it gets heavier, sinks close to the earth's surface, and flows like water in a great river. As warn air rises, cold air rushes in to take its place. 'Thus winds originate . The winds that blow high above us are caused by the warmer air running away from colder air. The wind we feel near the earth's surface is the heavy colder air trying hard to catch the warmer air. Changes in temperature cause the air to move. And of course there are many changes, so air movements are taking place practically all the time. According to the passage, in same areas if farmers who grow grapes light fires in the early morning, that is because the farmers want to _ . A) drive away warm air B) prevent cold air from coming to harm their plants C) cause more wind D) stop warm air running away
B
Napoleon, as a character in Tolstoy's War and Peace, is more than once described as having "fat little hands". Nor does he "sit well or firmly on the horse". He is said to be "undersized", with "short legs" and a "round stomach". The issue here is not the accuracy of Tolstoy's description-it seems not that far off from historical accounts but his choice of facts: other things that could be said of the man are not said. We are meant to understand the difference of a warring commander in the body of a fat little Frenchman. Tolstoy's Napoleon could be any man wandering in the streets and putting a little of powdered tobacco up his nose-and that is the point. It is a way the novelist uses to show the moral nature of a character. And it turns out that, as Tolstoy has it, Napoleon is a crazy man. In a scene in Book Three of War and Peace, the wars having reached the critical year of 1812,Napoleon receives a representative from the Tsar ,who has come with peace terms. Napoleon is very angry: doesn't he have more army? He, not the Tsar, is the one to make the terms. He will destroy all of Europe if his army is stopped. "That is what you will have gained by engaging me in the war!" he shouts. And then, Tolstoy writes, Napoleon "walked silently several times up and down the room, his fat shoulders moving quickly". Still later, after reviewing his army amid cheering crowds, Napoleon invites the shaken Russian to dinner. "He raised his hand to the Russian's face," Tolstoy writes, and "taking him by the ear pulled it gently. . . ". To have one's ear pulled by the Emperor was considered the greatest honor and mark of favor at the French court. "Well, well, why don't you say anything?" said he, as if it was ridiculous in his presence to respect any one but himself, Napoleon. Tolstoy did his research, but the composition is his own. Tolstoy intended to present Napoleon as a man who is _ . A) ill-mannered in dealing with foreign guests B) fond of showing off his iron will C) determined in destroying all of Europe D) crazy for power and respect
D
Q: With his standard Mandarin pronunciation, practiced skills on Chinese expressions and special humor with a Peking accent, Dashan has become a household name acrossprefix = st1 /China. People have always wondered how the 36-year-old Canadian can be so skillful in the Chinese language even though it is considered by many as one of the most difficult languages in the world. But to Dashan, the great challenge was _ due to his deep interest, proper method and the excellent environment he created for himself. "Interest is the best teacher." That is a universal principle. Even if he hadn't fully realized what attracted him to the Chinese department at the University of Toronto inCanada, he was already deeply interested in Chinese culture when he decided to have further study inBeijing. Entering the Chinese department ofPekingUniversityin 1988, Dashan felt like a duck in water. Study is always a hard job, no matter how much interest you have. Therefore, effective ways are necessary to improvement. " _ " is Dashan's belief. As a freshman at theUniversityofToronto, the student did study the textbooks. They did help him build a solid foundation. However, that's far from enough to grasp the Chinese language. Starting in his junior year, Dashan began to read original Chinese novels, Chinese newspapers and even the Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping. "Only the material for Chinese native readers could give me a proper sense of the language," he said. That the language is the daily means of communication is the principle that Dashan always keeps in his mind. What you have really learned depends on what you can use, not necessarily your mastery of textbooks. To learn in daily life requires a favourable language environment, which is also necessary for improvement. Dashan admits it is hard for Chinese English learners to be brought into a good English speaking environment, but he insists, "To listen and speak as much as possible does help." Dashan read the Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping because _ . A) he admired the former leader of the government B) he hoped to learn more of the spirits of it C) he wanted to give himself a proper sense of the Chinese language D) it is very popular in modern times
A: C
(Question)
Discover the beautiful, silent, white world or Antarctica on the holidays of a life-time.Head South to Buenos Aires and then transfer to the world's most southern city, Ushuaia.From there, it's about 1,000 kilometers on a special icebreaker ship to the freezing temperature of Antarctica. Getting off the ship and taking your first step onto the ice, you will imagine what it is like to be an explorer.Meet penguins sitting on their eggs, or see an Antarctic seal that lives all the year round on the ice.But do not get closer than five meters to any animal, in case you frighten it or make it angry. The friendly crew of the ship will look after you as you explore the ice continent. We promise you fantastic meals and a comfortable bed -- you sleep in a four-person cabin -- as well as many special treats.If you don't think it is cold enough, try the ''polar plunge" -- jump into a special hole dug in the ice and dip your head under the water.You can then jump into a hot bath and if you succeed we will give you a certificate. After you wake up for the first time in the Antarctica you will understand why everybody who goes there falls in love with the place.The scenery is different every day because the sea ice is always moving. Our ships travel to Antarctica from November to March -- phone today and book your dream holiday! If you want to get a certificate, you have to _ . A) try the "polar plunge" B) sleep in a four-person cabin C) have a bath in hot water D) dive in the sea
(Answer)
A