It has been described as art by some people, but to others it’s an ugly part of modern life.
What is it? Graffiti (涂鸦), of course. Look around cities in the UK today and you can see graffiti on buildings, walls, doors and even on buses or trains that have stayed in one place for too long. But where modern technology creates a problem, it also finds a way to deal with it. Last week, The Weekend West was shown around the factory of a small but successful company (公司), Hubdean.
Hubdean’s achievement is some special paints which are graffiti-resistant. How do they work? It couldn’t be simpler. Take any graffiti-covered surface. First, a treatment called Agproclear is used. Then, using a very hot pressure jet (压力喷嘴), this treatment is taken away and the graffiti disappears at the same time. Now you have a clean wall. But before this clean wall can be painted on by graffiti lovers, a new product, Agproshield, is used. This paint has a special surface which gives it two important advantages. Firstly, spray paint (喷雾颜料) won’t stick to the surface very well, and secondly, the whole surface can be cleaned very easily, just using water. Once the surface is painted, no specialist equipment (设备) is needed to keep the area clean and graffiti-free.
Not surprisingly, Hubdean’s products are used by both local governments and private companies all over the UK, and now orders are being received from around the world. This brings the company a problem, however. Can they increase production to satisfy the needs? Of course, they can build a second factory or work with a large international company to make their products. The future is looking good for Hubdean!
1.What does the underlined word “graffiti-resistant” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A.Painting graffiti. B.Keeping graffiti. C.Preventing graffiti. D.Changing graffiti.
2.When should Agproshield be used?
A.Before Agproclear is used. B.When the wall is still clean.
C.When Agproclear doesn’t work. D.After graffiti is painted on the wall.
3.What can we learn about Hubdean?
A.There is a good market for its products.
B.A large company is going to buy its products.
C.It is developing more new and better products.
D.Most of its business comes from private companies.
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A.Is Hubdean successful? B.Is graffiti art? Of course not!
C.Hubdean a high-tech company? D.Graffiti a problem? Just wash it off!
Could cities that float on the sea solve the problems caused by floods and provide food for the world?
Some scientists think so. The idea is already being tested and they believe that floating cities will provide more homes for a growing population, without having to use land needed to grow food. And they believe floating areas will allow more food to be grown, so that no one in the world is hungry.
In some places, cities that float on the sea are already being planned. A company in the Netherlands called DeltaSync thinks that the sea cities will save the world, with more than one in ten people living in them.
They say sea cities solve many problems the world faces in the 21st century, like not having enough land, more and more people needing homes, fossil fuels running low and the increasingly serious problems caused by floods.
DeltaSync says building in the desert is not possible because there is not enough water and that developing ways for people to live in space is still too expensive. So they believe the answer is our oceans, which cover over two thirds of the Earth’s surface. Their plans for floating areas include using algae (海藻) to produce fuel and food.
More than a quarter of the land in the Netherlands already lies underwater and scientists there have spent years trying to find ways to deal with it. In the city of Rotterdam they already have floating homes.
Bart Roeffen from DeltaSync says, “We have plans for neighborhoods including roads and, in the end, I believe we can build floating cities on the sea.”
1.Which of the following is the advantage of the cities that DeltaSync wants to build?
A.Providing more jobs for people. B.Satisfying more people’s housing needs.
C.Supplying enough water to people. D.Making travel in space possible.
2.What can we learn about the Netherlands?
A.There are floating homes in one of its cities. B.It has found many fossil fuels recently.
C.Two thirds of its land is covered by water. D.Its population is increasing quickly.
3.What does Bart Roeffen think of his company’s future plans?
A.He doubts them. B.He has no idea about them.
C.He is uncertain about them. D.He is hopeful of them.
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A.Will there be enough water? B.Is it possible to live in the desert?
C.Will sea cities save the world? D.Is it expensive to build floating cities?
Interesting Festivals in the World
Throwing Tomatoes — Spain
Spain takes “tomatoes fights” to a whole new level. But the tomatoes are being thrown, not eaten. The festival is celebrated during the last Wednesday in August. Trucks carry tomatoes into the square. People rush to the tomatoes and throw them into the crowd.
Rolling Cheese — England
This festival is celebrated on the last Monday in May. It is held on Cooper’s Hill. A large wheel of cheese is rolled (滚动)down Cooper’s Hill. The festival is actually a race where people run down the hill after the rolling cheese. The first person to cross the finish line at the bottom of the hill wins the cheese.
Burning Man —The United States
The Burning Man Festival lasts a week. It is from the Monday before Labor Day to Labor Day (which falls on the first Monday in September in America). The festival is celebrated in Black Rock Desert. The best part of the festival is the burning of a large sculpture(雕塑) of a man.
Pouring Water —Thailand
The Songkran Festival is the celebration of the New Year in Thailand. Thailand celebrates the New Year from April 13th to April 15th. Thai people run after each other, pouring water. Songkran is one of the most important reasons why foreigners travel to the beautiful land.
1.How many festivals are mentioned in the passage?
A.One. B.Two. C.Three. D.Four.
2.Where will you probably go to enjoy one of the festivals above in May?
A.Spain. B.England. C.Thailand. D.The United States.
3.Which festival is held in Black Rock Desert?
A.Throwing tomatoes. B.Rolling cheese. C.Burning man. D.Pouring water.
The Reason for Living
I’m only twelve years old, but I know sadness and the fear of death very well. My grandfather has been smoking since he was a young teenager, and now he has a terrible_________which makes it hard for him to breathe. Two weeks ago, he had an operation. The doctors thought that his days were numbered, but_________he got better. He was taken off the machine that helped him breathe, but still he couldn’t talk.
While my grandfather was in hospital, my mother and I flew to Pittsburgh to be with him. We were very_________that we wouldn’t see him again.
When we reached my grandfather’s hospital room, I was surprised by his_________. He looked so weak. He was hardly able to even speak. Somehow though, he managed to say, “I … you.”
“You what, Grandpa?” I asked. He didn’t have the_________to answer me. He had used up all strength with those two words, “I … you.”
The next morning my mother and I had to leave. I kept wondering just what he had tried so hard to tell _________. It wasn’t until I was back home in Georgia that I learned what he had tried to say.
A week after we returned home, my family received a phone call from one of the nurses in the hospital. She told us that my grandfather had said, “Call my granddaughter and tell her ‘love .’” At first I didn’t understand why he would just say, “love.” Why not “I love you?” Then it _________me. The day we were in the hospital he had been trying to say, “I love you.” I was really touched.
After many weeks, my grandfather was finally able to___________. I began to call him every night. Normally he had to stop after about five minutes because he was too weak. No matter what, though, every time we___________he would say, “I love you” and “I’d do anything for you.” These, along with his moving words, “You’re the only reason I live,” are the best compliments (赞美) I have ever received.
My grandfather is still very ill and I know we don’t have much time. I feel very honored that he has____________his feelings with me. I have learnt a lot from this experience. But the most important thing I’ve learned is that a simple “I love you” is really not simple. It’s a reason for living.
1.A.temper B.disease C.dream D.feeling
2.A.unexpectedly B.unluckily C.hurriedly D.interestingly
3.A.sad B.hopeless C.crazy D.fearful
4.A.words B.clothes C.condition D.behaviour
5.A.energy B.courage C.chance D.time
6.A.her B.me C.him D.them
7.A.hit B.beat C.knocked D.touched
8.A.walk B.think C.breathe D.talk
9.A.dropped in B.hung on C.hung up D.got up
10.A.left B.shared C.experienced D.checked
Running for a Dream
I will never forget that November day. It was hotter than normal. This was the day my father and I had waited so long for, because we had been working towards this race for three years. Dozens of familiar faces from church and school flashed across my view. They had come___________ me. I saw worry and excitement on my father’s face. Then the race began!
For the first two and a half miles, I felt___________ . I had never before been so ready for something. The weeks leading up to the race were filled with controlled ___________ and a strict diet. My friends hadn’t seen me in weeks, but they understood the sacrifice required to make my dream a reality. As in all of my races, I didn’t ___________ out in the front. I loved the pleasure of passing people as my strength overtook (赶上) their premature (提早的) speed.
Then without warning, my strength began to decrease. Neck and neck with one of my greatest competitors, I could see the finish line. I had begun the final dash(最后冲刺) into glory when my knees became weak and my legs gave way. Nothing I could do would make them _________ my weight.
I watched as runners rushed by me. Although I knew my dreams of victory were destroyed, I had to finish the race. However, my legs hurt badly. With all of the___________ left in me, I got on my hands and knees and crawled(爬), inch by inch, across the finish line. Voices, both___________ and familiar, cheered me on. They gave me the courage to keep going until the very end.
The doctors were there in seconds, but my eyes searched the crowd for him. There was only one person I wanted to talk to. I whispered, “I’m so sorry, Dad. I’m so sorry I___________ you.” He looked at me, saying, “You could never disappoint me. Sometimes these things just happen. All that matters is that you did your best.”
“But we worked so___________. What about our dream?” He reached over for my hand and said, “Don’t you know that you are my dream and it has come true?”
It wasn’t long before my running shoes were back on, marking a ______________ path for my journey. I learned that all of the miles, the tears, the sweat, and the pain my dad and I experienced together were not for a race. What I realized, though, was that to him, I was the greatest prize he had ever won.
1.A.for B.to C.across D.over
2.A.proud B.great C.nervous D.afraid
3.A.programs B.studies C.instructions D.practices
4.A.look B.move C.start D.come
5.A.give B.feel C.hold D.add
6.A.trust B.emotion C.strength D.confidence
7.A.loud B.foreign C.rough D.firm
8.A.frightened B.disturbed C.disappointed D.bored
9.A.late B.hard C.closely D.quickly
10.A.new B.near C.rough D.narrow
Geoff, you're a wonder ! I would never have thought of doing that.
A.想知道 B.感到诧异 C.能人，奇才 D.奇迹
