These days when someone says a computer has a bug in it, usually they mean that there's a problem with one of its programs. Maybe your computer has crashed when you are in the middle of a game, or you get an error message when you try to go to a website.
But back in the early days of computers, a woman named Grace Hopper was part of the tear that discovered the very first computer bug.
Hopper was a mathematician. She'd been hired by the navy to help program the new Mark II computer. The Mark Ⅱ’s job was to quickly solve the math problems ships and airplanes used to find in their way. The MarkⅡ worked by reading instructions from a long strip of paper with holes in it. The computer translated the patterns of holes into the math problems it was supposed to solve.
One afternoon in 1947 Hopper and her team were running a program. But the computer wasn’t giving them the right results. What could be wrong? They finally ended up taking the Mark II apart, looking for problems. What did they find?
It was a dead moth(蛀虫)! The moth was blocking some of the holes on the paper strip—no wonder the computer didn't know what to do.
Hopper knew that the term "bug" had been used before when there were problems with machines. But this was the first time a computer had ever had one. She thought it was funny that it was a real bug. Some people think Hopper was the first person to use the word "debug" to mean “get rid of the problems in a computer”.
Her team kept a logbook of everything they did. They taped the moth onto the page for that day. The logbook, moth and all, is now in the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington D.C.
Grace Hopper worked with computers her whole life. She was the first person to write a word-based computer language. This makes it easier for people to tell computers what to do. Some people called her "Grandma COBOL" after one of the computer languages she helped develop. But to most she was just “Amazing Grace”.
1.What's the writer's purpose in writing paragraph 1?
A. To tell us the main idea of the passage.
B. To arouse the readers' interest to read on.
C. To show the structure of the passage.
D. To give a description of what a bug is.
2.Which of the followings is true to describe Grace Hopper?
A. She was the first expert to use the term “bug”.
B. She was an astronomer to help work on the Mark II.
C. She devoted all her life to work related to computers.
D. She kept a record of all the computers on the Mark II.
3.What is the text mainly about?
A. The history of bug. B. The discovery of the first bug.
C. Grace Hopper and her bug. D. Grace Hopper and the Mark II.
A high-factor sunscreen(防晒霜) is generally expected to protect the skin from harmful rays, but it isn’t. A new research in this week's Nature shows that while factor 50 reduces the number of melanomas(黑瘤) and delays their occurrence, it can't prevent them. Melanomas are the most aggressive skin cancers. You have a higher risk if you have red or blond hair, fair skin, blue or green eyes, or sunburn easily, or if a close relative has had one. Melanomas are more common if you have periodic intense exposure to the sun. Other skin cancers are increasingly likely with long-term exposure.
There is continuing debate as to how effective sunscreen is in reducing melanomas—the evidence is weaker than it is for preventing other types of skin cancer. A 2011 Australian study of 1,621 people found that people selected to apply sunscreen daily had half the rate of melanomas of people who used cream as needed. A second study, comparing 1,167 people with melanomas to 1,101 who didn't have the cancer, found that using sunscreen routinely, alongside other protection such as hats, long sleeves or staying in the shade, did give some protection. This study said other forms of sun protection—not sunscreen—seemed most beneficial. The study relied on people remembering what they had done over each decade of their lives, so it's not entirely reliable. But it seems reasonable to think sunscreen gives people a false sense of security in the sun.
The good news is that a combination of sunscreen and covering up can reduce melanoma rates. So if there is a heat wave this summer, it would be best for us, too, to pull on a shirt, apply some sunscreen and put on a hat.
1.What is people's common expectation of a high-factor sunscreen?
A. It will delay the occurrence of skin cancer.
B. It will protect them from sunburn.
C. It will keep their skin smooth and fair.
D. It will work for people of any skin color.
2.What do we learn from the 2011 Australian study of 1,621 people？
A. Sunscreen should be applied alongside other protection measures.
B. High-risk people benefit the most from the application of sunscreen.
C. Irregular application of sunscreen does women more harm than good.
D. Daily application of sunscreen helps reduce the incidence of melanomas.
3.What does the author suggest to reduce melanoma rates？
A. Using both covering up and sunscreen.
B. Staying in the shade whenever possible.
C. Using covering up instead of sunscreen.
D. Applying the right amount of sunscreen.
Salvador Dali (1904—1989) was one of the most popular of modern artists. The Pompidou Centre in Paris is showing its respect and admiration for the artist and his powerful personality with an exhibition bringing together over 200 paintings, sculptures, drawings and more. Among the works and masterworks on exhibition the visitor will find the best pieces, most importantly The Persistence of Memory. There is also L’Enigme sans Fin from 1938, works on paper, objects, and projects for stage and screen and selected parts from television programmes reflecting the artist’s showman qualities.
The visitor will enter the World of Dali through an egg and is met with the beginning, the world of birth. The exhibition follows a path of time and subject with the visitor exiting through the brain.
The exhibition shows how Dali draws the viewer between two infinities (无限). ＂From the infinity small to the infinity large, contraction and expansion coming in and out of focus: amazing Flemish accuracy and the showy Baroque of old painting that he used in his museum-theatre in Figueras,＂ explains the Pompidou Centre.
The fine selection of the major works was done in close collaboration (合作) with the Museo Nacional Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain, and with contributions from other institutions like the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.
1.Which of the following best describe Dali according to Paragraph 1?
A. Optimistic. B. Productive.
C. Generous. D. Traditional.
2.What is Dali’s The Persistence of Memory considered to be?
A. One of his masterworks. B. A successful screen adaptation.
C. An artistic creation for the stage. D. One of the beat TV programmes.
3.How are the exhibits arranged at the World of Dali?
A. By popularity. B. By importance.
C. By size and shape. D. By time and subject.
4.What does the word ＂contributions＂ in the last paragraph refer to?
A. Artworks. B. Projects.
C. Donations. D. Documents.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Which team has played in every World Cup?
A. Brazil. B. Portugal. C. South Africa.
2.What is the trophy(奖杯) named after?
A. A famous place. B. A special stadium. C. The organizer.
3.How many cities was the 2018 World Cup held in?
A. 32. B. 15. C. 11.
4.Why does the speaker say Japan made history?
A. They won the champion once.
B. They beat a South American team.
C. They made their fourth appearance.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What’s Brett just doing?
A. Downloading e-books. B. Reading an e-book. C. Buying an e-book reader.
2.What advantage of the e-book reader does Brett mention?
A. The large storage capacity.
B. The low cost in the long term.
C. The decrease in the use of paper.
3.Why does Fiona refuse to buy an e-book reader?
A. She doesn’t read much.
B. She likes printed books better.
C. She has enough books to read.
4.Where does the conversation take place?
A. In a store. B. In a classroom. C. In a library.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Where is the woman’s company?
A. In Japan. B. In Britain. C. In Australia.
2.Why does the man talk to the woman?
A. To look for a travel agent. B. To ask about a tour. C. To seek cooperation.
3.What are the speakers going to do next?
A. Do the market research. B. Go to a restaurant. C. Have a discussion.
