TOEFL seats to increase by 80%
Eighty percent more Chinese students can take the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) through the Internet at the end of this year, the US Educational Testing Service (ETS) has said.
Net-based test seats will increase from 1,950 in June to 3,550 at the end of the year, an ETS press release said on Tuesday.
The ETS and China's National Education Examinations Authority worked jointly on their network to meet the increased demand for TOEFL in China.
Advanced technological solutions will be implemented by the ETS to monitor the TOEFL registration website to ensure an open and fair test registration process, according to the ETS.
More than 6,000 colleges and universities in 110 countries accept TOEFL scores. The number of students who want to take the test on the mainland has grown steadily in recent years, with the average staying above 70,000 a year.
"The ETS is committed to ensuring that everyone in China who wishes to take the test gets the chance to do so," ETS's global division senior vice-president Paul Ramsey said.
Some Chinese students see the announcement as an encouragement.
"It used to be very hard to get a chance to sit for the test, and I had to ask my friends to help take online registration on other computers," said Chen Lu, a second-year postgraduate student of Renmin University of China who took the test a few months ago to apply for doctoral studies in the US.
But some say the increase is still not big enough. "More and more students are preparing for TOEFL to get a chance to study abroad or to prove their ability. So I still see a gap between supply and demand," said Wu Qi, a final year undergraduate in Peking University.
(http://www.chinadaily.com.cn 2007-11)
1.Which of the following statements is right according to the article?_______
A. The gap between supply and demand of the TOEFL seats in China has been bridged.
B. The ETC said it had implemented advanced technology to serve TOEFL.
C. Some students have been encouraged by an announcement made by TOEFL.
D. If you are preparing for TOEFL, you may soon ask your friends to help take online registration on other computers at the same time.
2.From the last paragraph we know that________.
A. More students having passed TOEFL are needed in China.
B. TOEFL shouldn’t take in so many participants.
C. More students want to go abroad by passing TOEFL.
D. It’s hard to pass TOEFL.
3.We can infer from the passage that________.
A. Not every student wants to join in the TOEFL.
B. Any student taking TOEFL will pass it.
C. More students will prepare for TOEFL next year.
D. Passing TOEFL will ensure you success.
4.What would be the most appropriate title for this passage?________
A. TOEFL seats will increase exactly by 80% in China.
B. TOEFL seats will increase in China.
C. Different opinions about the increase of TOEFL seats in China.
D. The hard work made by America and China to increase TOEFL seats.
A healthy dose of sunshine may be the secret to staying young, British scientists have revealed.
Vitamin D is produced naturally by the skin in response to sunlight and may help to slow the aging process and protect against heart disease, according to the study.
Researchers from King's College London studied 2,160 women aged between 18 and 79, looking at their telomeres - a biological marker of ageing found in DNA. As people get older their telomeres get shorter and they become more susceptible to certain illnesses.
But the study found women with high levels of vitamin D had comparatively longer telomeres - a sign of being biologically younger and healthier.
The study suggests vitamin D may help to slow down the ageing process of DNA, and therefore the ageing process as a whole.
Lead researcher Dr Brent Richards said: "These results are exciting because they demonstrate for the first time that people who have higher levels of vitamin D may age more slowly than people with lower levels of vitamin D.
"This could help to explain how vitamin D has a protective effect on many ageing related diseases, such as heart disease and cancer."
He said further studies are required to confirm the findings.
Professor Tim Spector, head of KCL's twin research unit, and a co-author of the report, added: "Although it might sound absurd, it's possible that the same sunshine which may increase our risk of skin cancer may also have a healthy effect on the general ageing process."
Vitamin D made by the action of sunlight on the skin accounts for 90 per cent of the body's supply, but lower levels can also be obtained through food such as fish, eggs and breakfast cereals.
Other studies have suggested the vitamin plays a key role in protecting against cancer and heart disease.
1.The passage mentions all of the items listed below except_______.
A. The findings haven’t been confirmed entirely.
B. People become easily infected with some illnesses when they get older.
C. Vitamin D obtained through fish, eggs and breakfast cereals accounts for 10 percent of the body’s supply.
D. The discovery could help explain how vitamin D has a positive effect on cancer.
2.The phrase “demonstrate for” in the 7th paragraph probably means________.
A. claim B. prove C. think D. provide
3.It can be inferred that________.
A. Women with high levels of vitamin D have shorter telomeres.
B. Studies have confirmed the findings.
C. Sunshine may be a cause of the risk of skin cancer.
D. If someone has heart disease, sunshine may help him to relieve the disease.
4.The main idea of the passage is that_________.
A. Vitamin D can help protect against cancer and heart disease.
B. sunshine helps keep you young.
C. what effect vitamin D has on human’s body.
D. high levels of vitamin D make people keep young.
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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
It is always interesting to visit another country, especially for those who have never traveled a great deal. 1travel can be very educational for anyone, 2he is interested enough to make preparations beforehand. 3the language of the new country would be 4for the traveler to attempt, 5the benefits of such an effort would become 6immediately after his arrival. It 7not seem important to him when he is comfortably situated at home, 8knowing how to 9a meal or rent a room is essential for the newcomer in a 10country. 11knowing the language, it is very difficult for the stranger to 12the people of the new country and 13customs.
Of course, in our small world, it is 14possible to find someone who understands 15own language, but this is only second-best for the traveler. To be 16, he can see places and things without the use of a language, 17places and things are 18the heart of any country. To get the greatest benefit from a trip to another country, it is indeed 19for the visitor to have an understanding of the 20.
1.A. national B. international C. domestic D. abroad
2.A. if B. unless C. since D. so
3.A. Knowing B. Saying C. Learning D. Studying
4.A. easy B. simple C. difficult D. impossible
5.A. and B. therefore C. although D. but
6.A. obvious B. invisible C. useful D. useless
7.A. did B. must C. may D. can
8.A. although B. but C. where D. when
9.A. order B. book C. cook D. eat
10.A. foreign B. familiar C. particular D. peculiar
11.A. By B. When C. With D. Without
12.A. meet B. see C. hear D. understand
13.A. his B. its C. their D. our
14.A. often B. never C. seldom D. only
15.A. his B. your C. our D. their
16.A. sure B. ensure C. insure D. honest
17.A. for B. but C. though D. as
18.A. usually B. not C. only D. very much
19.A. possible B. impossible C. useless D. important
20.A. country B. people C. language D. customs
Whom was it up to ________ the matter?
A. decide B. to decide C. deciding D. decided
He invited us to his birthday party but if she doesn’t go today, ________?
A. nor do I B. neither do I C. nor shall I D. neither I shall
______ his arrival, John was given a warm welcome by the local people.
A. For B. At C. On D. In
