The exact work of ancient astronomers has led to a modern observation --- our days are longer than they used to be. Not that you’d noticed: The new research in the Proceedings of the Royal Society A shows that it takes the Earth a tiny bit longer these days to complete a single rotation (转动) than it did millions of years ago. It’s the kind of stuff that’s measured in milliseconds per century, but those milliseconds add up. Over the last thousands of years, they’d totaled several hours, which the Los Angeles Times puts this way, “If humanity had been measuring time with an atomic clock that started running back in 700 BC, today that clock would read 7 p.m. when the sun is directly overhead rather than noon. The atomic clock won’t lose a second for 15 billion years.” Maybe more remarkable is that the work is the result of a tireless 40-year research into ancient timekeeping records dating back 2,700 years.
Scientists led by Richard Stephenson of the UK’s Durham University have been studying Babylonian clay tablets, Chinese observations made through the use of water clocks, and Arab astronomical records that tracked solar and lunar eclipses(日/月食). “The most astonishing thing about this study is the fact that we have this information at all,” said a geographer not involved in the study. Researchers are still hoping to find observations from the Incas and the Maya, and to fill in their largest hole between 200 and 600 AD, but they’ve measured the Earth’s deceleration at 1.8 milliseconds per day per century. Given the moon’s gravitational effect on our oceans, the discovery that Earth is decelerating isn’t a surprise, notes the Christian Science Monitor, though astronomers had previously estimated a higher rate.
1.Why are days longer than before according to the text?
A.The earth rotates more and more slowly.
B.Humanity has got incorrect timekeeping records.
C.It takes longer for the earth to turn around the sun.
D.The lost milliseconds for centuries are added to our present days.
2.How did researchers come to the conclusion of the study?
A.By resetting the rotating time of the earth.
B.By referring to ancient timekeeping records.
C.By studying the moon’s gravitational effect on the oceans.
D.By measuring time again with an atomic clock.
3.What can we infer about the study from what the geographer said?
A.Geography theory supports the result of the study.
B.The geographer disagrees to the research conclusion.
C.The scientists’ research is meaningless.
D.It’s right to get geographers involved in the study.
4.What is the meaning of the underlined word “deceleration” in Paragraph 2?
A.Evolution. B.Slow down.
C.Enlargement. D.Development.
Twelve years ago, Danny called me from a dark, damp subway station. “A baby!” he shouted. “Get down here, and flag down a police car or something.” By nature, Danny is a remarkably calm person, so when I felt his heart pounding through the phone line, I ran.
When I got to the subway station, Danny was holding a light-brown-skinned baby, about a day old. The baby had been wrapped in an oversize black sweatshirt and left on the ground in a corner behind the gate.
What neither of us knew, or could have predicted, was that Danny had not just saved an abandoned infant; he had found our son.
Three months later, Danny appeared in family court to give an account of finding the baby. Suddenly, the judge asked, “Would you be interested in adopting this baby?” The question surprised everyone in the courtroom, except Danny, who answered, simply, “Yes.”
“But I know it’s not that easy,” he said.
“Well, it can be,” assured the judge before barking out orders to allow me to be a parent-to-be.
My first reaction, when I heard, went something like, “Are you crazy? How could you say yes without consulting me?”
In three years as a couple, we had never discussed adopting a child. I was an ambitious playwright working as a part-time word processor. Danny was a respected yet wildly underpaid social worker. We had a roommate, who slept in our living room, to help pay the rent.
We knew how many challenges couples usually faced when they wanted to adopt. And while Danny had patience and selflessness, I didn’t know how to change a diaper (尿布), let alone nurse a child. I didn’t trust the system and was sure there would be obstacles. Also, I couldn’t handle parenthood. So I promised myself I wouldn’t get attached.
The caretaker held him and then placed him in my arms. But when the baby stared up at me, with all the innocence and hope he represented, I, like Danny, was completely hooked.
1.Why did the author rush to the subway station?
A.Because Danny finally found their lost son.
B.Because she sensed Danny met something urgent.
C.Because Danny had a heart attack.
D.Because someone gave birth to a baby there.
2.How did the author react on hearing Danny’s answer to the judge’s question?
A.Surprised by the question.
B.Crazy to be a parent-to-be.
C.Annoyed at Danny’s decision.
D.Angry at challenging her authority.
3.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ________.
A.the author will adopt the baby
B.the couple were tempted to take the baby
C.the baby will bring hope to the family
D.the couple love each other very much
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
A.To introduce a story of a poor family.
B.To inform people of the difficulty of adopting a baby.
C.To call on people to donate money to them.
D.To show human’s kindness and love by nature.
You’ll soon be 84 years old, Dad, and you and I will have had 55 Father’s Days together.
You know, there was a time when we were not only separated by the generation gap but completely polarized (对立) by it. Split by: age and experience, opinions, hairstyles, cosmetics, clothing and boys.
The Father-Daughter Duel（冲突） of‘54 shifted into high gear（白热化） when you taught me to drive the old Dodge and I decided I would drive the‘54 Chevy whether you liked it or not. The police officer who accompanied me home after you reported the Chevy stolen late one evening was too young to understand father-daughter politics and too old to have much tolerance for a 16-year-old. You were so decent about it, Dad, and I think that was probably what made it the worst night of my life.
Our relationship improved greatly when I had babies. I didn’t know what to expect of you and Mom as grandparents but I didn’t have to wait long to find out. Those babies adored you then just as they adore you now.
I suppose I saw our relationship as aging together, rather like a fine wine. But the oddest thing happened last week. I was at a stop sign and I watched as you turned the corner in your car. It didn’t immediately occur to me that it was you because the man driving looked so elderly and frail behind the wheel of that huge car. It was rather like a slap in the face delivered from out of nowhere. Perhaps I saw your age for the first time that day.
Fifty years ago this spring, we planted kohlrabi together in a garden in Charles City, Iowa.
This week, we’ll plant kohlrabi together again, perhaps for the last time but I hope not. I don’t understand why planting kohlrabi with you is so important to me but it is. I don’t even like kohlrabi... but I like planting it with you.
Honoring a father on Father’ s Day is about more than a dad who brings home a paycheck, shares a dinner table, and attends school graduation and weddings. It’s more about unconditionally loving children who are stubborn, who know everything and won’t listen to anyone. It’s about loving someone more than words can say, and wishing that it never had to end.
I love you, Dad.
1. What is the purpose of the third paragraph?
A.To prove that the father is very strict.
B.To describe the father-daughter politics.
C.To show the conflict between the author and her father.
D.To condemn the policeman for lack of understanding.
2.What does the author mean by saying “a slap in the face” in the fifth paragraph?
A.She regretted the fights she had with her father.
B.She suddenly realized that her father was so old and could be gone one day.
C.She was ashamed of herself that she hadn’t taken good care of her father.
D.She suddenly realized that she had caused a lot of trouble for her father.
3.Which of the following words can describe the author’s father?
a. Unreasonable b. Caring c. Tolerant d. Stubborn
A.bc B.bd
C.acd D.bcd
4.The author wrote his father this letter to _________.
A.tell him about their conflicts B.say sorry for her being stubborn
C.express her gratitude to him D.remind him of the early incident
1.Which of the following statements is TRUE about the studio’s services?
A.Frames come in three different colors and sizes.
B.There is no need to make an appointment to take photos.
C.Photographs will be delivered within three business days.
D.Someone on the staff can help customers look good.
2.How much can non-club members save when they use the Fantastic Package Plan instead of buying the same products individually?
A.$20. B.$30.
C.$40. D.$50.
3.We can learn from the text that ______.
A.club members need to pay a $40 membership fee every year
B.as many as five pictures can be included in a Multi-image sheet
C.customers can receive a 20th anniversary discount until December 31
D.you must have a Fantastic Club membership to receive a free gift
假如你是高三学生李华，你的英国朋友Tom发邮件询问你的职业规划。请你回复邮件, 内容包括：
1. 你的职业规划；
2. 选择该职业的原因；
3. 询问对方的意见。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Tom,
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共 有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：
1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
We all expect such a picture. On the warm and pleasant weekend, we drive to the countryside for a picnic. After lunch, sit under a tall and straight pine tree, we drink tea and chat each other. Our parents recalled old family stories and share with us their youthful experience. Of course, they also praise us for our progress. The happy hours that we are together will help develop an increasing close relationship and deepen the love we have for each other. When we get old many years late, we will find that these fond memories we create together with our parents will bring you a lot of joy and comfort. After all, love and memories that are ever-lasting.
