Dear College Dean
It is my understanding that this college has received a large donation to be used to enhance (improve) the quality of life for students: expand the bookstore or add computers to the computer lab. It is the tradition of this school to promote education and to be at the vanguard of new technology. That is why I strongly argue in favor of the addition of more computers to the computer lab.
Although expanding the campus bookstore to include CDs, gifts, and a snack bar will give a nicer look to the college, we have to think about a greater goal and a more practical way to enhance the quality of life for students. What do we want for our students and our college? Do we want our college to be known as a place with a great bookstore where you can find CDs and gifts, or as a place where the students can explore and research in their field using the best tools provided by technology? In addition, there are already several snack bars on campus, and there are music stores nearby, so students do not depend on the college bookstore for these things.
We live in a highly technological world and computers play an increasingly important role in how we live. As a learning institution, this college has the responsibility to offer its students the best technology to help them prepare for their future. Many students will be expected to be familiar with the latest software and other tools when they go on to work or to graduate school.
While they are in college, students find they are expected to use computers. Many professors expect students to use computers to do homework or to complete projects. Students are asked to create PowerPoint presentations and use spreadsheets and database programs, as well as to research many topics on the Internet. Since students are competing for good grades, those who have limited access to computers are at a great disadvantage. Furthermore, being able to do projects using the computer enhances the process of learning, giving students the opportunity to find information that without a computer would be much more difficult to find.
If there are more computers, students will also be able to complete their work more efficiently. No more will they have to wait in line, paper and disk in hand, while scanning the room for an empty chair and computer. No longer will they have to sit and wait while an outdated computer struggles to follow their commands. Having more new and faster computers available will enable students to finish their work more quickly.
The more computers are used in society the more colleges will depend on them as a tool of teaching and learning. Making computers more available to students facilitates their learning process by making the process easier, more interesting, more engaging, and in the process enhancing their quality of life
1.The purpose of the author in writing the passage is .
A．to describe the problems caused by lack of computers
B．to explain why students are in great need of computers
C．to tell us what benefits students can gain from computers
D．to persuade the Dean to purchase more advanced computers
2.From the passage we can infer that .
A．present computers in the college cannot meet the demands of the students
B．computers in the college will be updated to meet the student’s demands soon
C．the college has the responsibility to help the students to prepare for their future
D．it is also necessary to expand the college bookstore by using part of the donation
3.In paragraph 4, the author mainly wants to tell us that .
A．computers are beneficial to students’ academic success
B．computers are helpful to student’s competition for success
C．students find it convenient to do assignments by using computers
D．students wish to use the money to buy more advanced computers
4.Which of the following shows the organization of the passage?
It is thought that crying is hardly an activity encouraged by society. Tear, whether they are of sorrow, anger, or joy, typically make Americans feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. The shedder of tears (落泪者) is likely to apologize, even when a great tragedy was the cause. The observer of tears is likely to do everything possible to put an end to the emotional tears. But judging from recent studies of crying behavior, both those responses to tears are often inappropriate and may even be counterproductive (适得其反).
Humans are the only animals clearly known to shed emotional tears. Since evolution has given rise to few purposeless physiological responses, it is logical to assume that crying has one or more functions that enhance (increase) survival.
Although some observers have suggested that crying is a way to ask for assistance form others (as a crying baby might from its mother), the shedding of tears is hardly necessary to get help. Vocal cries would have been quite enough, more likely than tears to gain attention. So, it appears, there must be something special about tears themselves.
Indeed, the new studies suggest that emotional tears may play a direct role in alleviating stress, University of Minnesota researchers who are studying the chemical composition of tears have recently isolated two important chemicals from emotional tears. Both chemicals are found only in tears that are shed in response to emotion. Tears shed because of exposure to cut onion would contain no such substance.
Other researchers are investigating the usefulness of tears as a means of diagnosing human ills and monitoring drugs. At Tulane University’s Teat Analysis Laboratory Dr. Peter Kastl and his colleagues report that they can use tears to detect drug abuse, to study the causes of “dry eye” syndrome（综合症）and the effects of eye surgery, and perhaps even to measure exposure to environmental pollutants.
1.What does the phrase “both those responses” in Paragraph 1 refer to ?
A．Crying out of sorrow and shedding tears for happiness.
B．The embarrassment and unpleasant sensation of the observers.
C．The tear shedder’s apology and the observer’s effort to stop the crying.
D．Linking illness with crying and finding the chemical composition of tears.
2.From the passage we can infer that .
A．it is unnatural for people to shed tears
B．we can reduce our stress by shedding tears
C．shedders of tears can’t get help by crying loudly
D．unlike animals, humans can shed tears for survival
3.What does the passage mainly talk about?
A．Roles of emotional tears. B．functions of shedding tears.
C．Unwelcome shedders of tears. D．Research on the effects of tears.
The Great Wall of China is one of Beijing’s biggest
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postcards across the world, it rarely fails to attract tourists at
the first proper sight.
Yet the authorities open only certain sections of the wall
as fit for viewing, and few get to visit the unauthorized sections.
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American journalist Steven Schwankert has been diving
since age 10. It was though his setting – up of a diving school
that Schwankert came to explore some of lesser – known areas
of China’s lakes – and discovered the underwater Wall under a
reservoir.
“The most fascinating piece of diving I ever did in China must be the Great Wall. I managed to find out about it via the Internet. It wasn’t difficult to get to Pan Jiakou in Hebei Province, near the East Qing Tomb about 4 hour’s drive from Beijing. Why do I want to dive the Great Wall? Why do people want to walk on the Great Wall? It’s the same answer.”
There are, however, advantages of visiting the Great Wall in a diving suit over being on foot. The water acts as a preservative by preventing the kind of mass tourism that has brought trouble on other parts of the Wall. “Unlike the people who walk in the Wall, we as divers never need to actually touch it. I’ve dived twice there, the last time in July. I found that the water then was much deeper than it was before – 13 meters deep.” When he first dived, parts of the Wall were visible above the surface. Now even the guard tower is completely submerged. “It’s better that the Wall is deep under water, as there are lots of boats coming in and out around that area. Their wave action could potentially damage the brickwork. So, the deeper, the better.”
1.Steven Schwankert is most interested in .
A．collecting photos of the Wall B．walking along on the Wall
C．diving the underwater Wall D．visiting some famous lakes
2.What does the underlined word “submerged” in Paragraph 5 most probably mean?
A．Damaged by water. B．Washed by water.
C．Preserved by water. D．Covered by water.
3.What is the topic discussed in the last paragraph?
A．Advantages of walking on the Great Wall.
B．Advantages of visiting the underwater Wall.
C．The reasons why the Wall is deep under water.
D．The reasons why the underwater Wall is protected.
4.What can we infer from the text?
A．The underwater Wall will sink deeper year by year.
B．Diving the Wall is popular with divers all over the world.
C．Diving is a good way to visit the Wall without causing much damage.
D．More and more tourists will come to visit the underwater Wall in China.
At the age of sixteen, I joined a volunteer group with my dad. I went on my first volunteer project in West Virginia. On the night we arrived, we discovered that “our family” was living in a trailer(拖车) that was in poor condition. A crew had been working on it for two weeks, but every time they finished one problem, another surfaced.
We decided the only reasonable solution was to build a new house – something unusual but necessary under these circumstances. The family was overjoyed with their new house that was twenty by thirty feet with three bedrooms, a bath and a kitchen.
On Tuesday of that week, while we ate lunch together, I asked the family’s three boys, Josh, Eric and Ryan, "What do you want for your new room?" Expecting toys and other gadgets that children usually ask for, we were surprised when Josh responded, "I just want a bed."
The boys had never slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats. That night we had a meeting and decided that beds would be the perfect gift. On Thursday night, a few adults in our group drove to the nearest city and bought beds and new bedding.
When we saw the delivery truck coming, we told the family about the surprise. We could hardly contain ourselves. It was like watching excited children on Christmas morning.
That afternoon, as we fitted the frames of the beds tog tether, Eric ran into the house to watch us. Too dirty to enter his room, he observed with wide-eyed enthusiasm from the doorway.
As my father slipped a pillowcase onto one of the pillows, Eric asked, "What is that?"
"A pillow," she replied.
"What do you do with it?" Eric continued to ask.
"When you go to sleep, you put your head on it,” I answered softly. Tears came to our eyes as she handed Eric the pillow.
"Oh . . . that's soft," he said, hugging it tightly.
Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems urgent, my Dad gently asks, "Do you have a pillow?"
We know exactly what he means.
1.The writer’s first volunteer project was .
A．working on a poor trailer B．helping a poor family
C．donating beds and bedding D．dealing with a housing problem
2.On bearing Josh’s answer, the writer was shocked because .
A．the family lived in a trailer B．he expected to get some toys
C．he didn’t know what a bed was D．the boys had no bed to sleep in
3.From the passage, we can learn that Eric had never seen before.
A．a trailer B．a truck C．a pillow D．a house
4.By saying “Do you have a pillow?”, the writer’s father means that .
A．what they want to get may be unnecessary
B．they should not waste money on small things
C．they should do more volunteer work for the poor
D．what he will buy is not what they want but a pillow
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项
Wings of Angel
I used to hate myself because I wasn’t “normal”. Everyone else could play on the monkey bars and ride on a bicycle, but not 1. I had a severe spinal cord disorder(脊髓病) and I knew I would always be much 2than others.
I hated going to school and I hated 3at me. I hated seeing others smiling broadly and standing 4and tall. And most of all, I hated looking in the 5and seeing an ugly and hunchback(驼背).
My friends found me 6because I didn’t let other get close to me. I thought I was going to go on like this for the rest of my life 7Angela appeared.
That afternoon, I was sitting by myself in a corner of the school—a spot where no one would
8me. That’s when I first heard your voice.
“Hi. Can I sit down?”
I raised my head and there she was, with an irresistible smile on her round face.
“What are you looking at?” you asked.
“Ants.”
“What are they doing?”
“No 9.”
“I bet they’re playing games and make friends. Don’t you think so?”
That was how our 10started and it didn’t stop. We talked about everything under the sun—the ants, the clouds, my little niche(处境)—until it was sunset.
Then suddenly, you saw my 11. She just stared.
My heart 12. What I feared most had happened and I knew for sure she would 13me now.
She stood up, pointed at my back and said, “I know 14your back is hunched.”
I closed my eyes like a criminal waiting to be 15. I begged in my heart for her to 16, but you just kept on going. “I know what you’ve got in there. Do you?”
“No,” I answered 17.
She bent and whispered in my ears.
“Your back is bunched because you’ve got a pair of wings from the angels.”
I was 18. I looked into your eyes and her 19touched my heart. From that day on, I started to learn to 20myself because I have the wings of an angel and a kind – hearted friend.
1.A．them B．it C．mo D．her
2.A．sadder B．shorter C．weaker D．slower
3.A．looking B．smiling C．aiming D．glaring
4.A．still B．alone C．straight D．together
5.A．street B．sun C．corner D．mirror
6.A．distant B．stubborn C．hopeless D．unfortunate
7.A．after B．before C．since D．until
8.A．disturb B．seek C．interrupt D．ignore
9.A．wonder B．idea C．sign D．action
10.A．connection B．competition C．conversation D．comprehension
11.A．face B．back C．eyes D．shoulders
12.A．sank B．beat C．broke D．ached
13.A．care for B．rely on C．look down upon D．put up with
14.A．that B．how C．whether D．why
15.A．accused B．arrested C．punished D．sentenced
16.A．relax B．leave C．stop D．pause
17.A．shyly B．weakly C．proudly D．firmly
18.A．astonished B．ashamed C．annoyed D．amused
19.A．wisdom B．generosity C．honesty D．kindness
20.A．control B．like C．comfort D．enjoy
a written permission, he had to write another letter to the president of the university.
A．Not giving B．Not having been given
C．Having not given D．Having not been given
