Massachusetts (美国一州名) became the first state in the nation to ban the dumping (倾倒;抛弃) of electronic equipment such as computer monitors and television sets. It means people there can no longer put computer monitors, TV sets and other devices containing glass picture tubes out on the street for pickup by garbage cleaners.
Official said much of this equipment is loaded with poisonous heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury. These poisonous heavy metals could go into groundwater or be released (释放) into the air.
The Boston Globe reports the state has set up a system to recycle techno-garbage at state expense through community recycling centers.
Robin Ingenthron of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection said the state has been trying to get its electronics-recycling program in place ‘before the future wave of electronics hits’. The National Safety Council estimates some 300 million computers will enter the nation’s waste system in the next few years.
In addition, millions of people will be getting rid of their old television sets. New high-quality digital televisions and new rules will make old TV sets no longer in use over the next several years.
1.The word ‘techno-garbage’ in the 3rd paragraph probably means ________.
A. all kinds of dirty things B. deserted TV sets
C. heavy metals D. used electronic equipment
2.The passage tells us chiefly about __________.
A. forbidding of a certain type of garbage dumping
B. new problems of environmental protection
C. household problems raised by computers and TV sets
D. the handling of garbage
3. Which is NOT a reason that the state enforces (强制执行) a ban on electronic equipment dumping?
A. This kind of garbage is poisonous.
B. Recycling systems are not working well.
C. The poisonous heavy metals can go to the underground water and the air.
D. There will be much more electronic garbage soon.
4. According to the last paragraph many people will be dumping their TV sets because ________.
A. they are broken B. they are poisonous
C. new TV standards have come out D. people will be tired of them
Love, success, happiness, family and freedom----how important are these values to you? Here is one interview which explores the fundamental questions in life.
Question: Could you introduce yourself first?
Answer: My name is Misbah, 27 years old. I was born in a war-torn area. Right now I’m a web designer.
Q: What are your great memories?
A: My parents used to take us to hunt birds, climb trees, and play in the fields. For me it was like a holiday because we were going to have fun all day long. Those are my great memories.
Q: Does your childhood mean a lot to you?
A: Yes. As life was very hard, I used to work to help bring money in for the family. I spent my childhood working, with responsibilities beyond my age. However, it taught me to deal with problems all alone. I learnt to be independent.
Q: What changes would you like to make in your life?
A: If I could change something in my life, I’d change it so that my childhood could have taken place in another area. I would have loved to live with my family in freedom. Who cares whether we have much money, or whether we have a beautiful house? It doesn’t matter as long as I can live with my family and we are safe.
Q: How do your get along with your parents?
A: My parents supported me until I came of age. I want to give back what I’ve got. That’s our way. But I am working in another city. My only contact with my parents now is through the phone, but I hate using it. It filters(过滤) out your emotion and leaves your voice only. My deepest feelings should be passed through sight, hearing and touch.
1. In Misbah’s childhood, .
A. he was free from worry B. he liked living in the countryside
C. he was fond of getting close to nature D. he often spent holidays with his family
2.What did Misbah desire most in his childhood?
A. A colorful life. B. A beautiful house.
C. Peace and freedom. D. Money for his family.
3. How would Misbah prefer to communicate with his parents?
A. By chatting on the Internet. B. By calling them sometimes.
C. By paying weekly visits. D. By writing them letters.
4.If there were only one question left, what would it most probably be?
A. What was your childhood dream?
B. What is your biggest achievement?
C. What is your parents’ view of you?
D. What was your hardest experience in the war?
When a storm is coming, most people leave the area as quickly as possible and head for safety. But there are a few people who will get into their cars and go straight for the center of the storm. These people are willing to risk(冒…危险)being killed by floods or 100-kilometer-an-hour winds for the excitement of watching the storm close up.
“Storm chasing(追逐)” is becoming an increasingly popular hobby(喜好), especially in the Midwest of the United States, where there are frequent storms between March and July. A storm chaser begins the day by checking the Internet for the latest weather reports, and then drives up to 1,000 kilometers to where the storm will be and waits for it to develop.
Although anyone can do it , storm chasing is extremely dangerous. The power of a big storm can throw a cow into the air or destroy a whole house in seconds. Storm chasers are also often hurt in accidents caused by driving in a heavy rain. If you are a beginner, it is much safer to join a group for storm-chasing vacations during the storm season.
Even then, storm chasing is not all adventure and excitement. “Storm chasing is 95% driving,” says Daniel Lynch, who spends most of his summer storm-chasing. “Sometimes you can sit around for hours waiting for something to happen, and all you get is blue sky and a few light showers.”
However, for storm chasers, it is all worth it. “When you get close to a storm, it is the most exciting sight you will ever see in your life,” says Jasper Morley. “Every storm is an example of the power of nature, It is the greatest show on Earth.”
1.For storm chasing, the first thing storm chasers do is to .
A head straight for the center of the storm B. get into the car for safety
C. wait patiently for the storm to develop. D. collect information about a coming storm
2. Beginners of storm chasing are advised .
A. not to drive in a heavy rain B. to do it in an organized way
C. not to get too close to a storm D. to spend more time on it in summer
3. By saying “it is all worth it” in the last paragraph, the author means that .
A. storm chasing costs a lot of money B. storm chasing is worth hours of waiting
C. efforts in storm chasing are well paid D. a storm presents the greatest show on Earth
4. What can we learn from the text?
A. Sometimes storm chasers get nothing but disappointment
B. Many storm chasers get killed in the storms.
C. Storm chasing is becoming popular around the world.
D. Storm chasing is only fit for young people.
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Some years ago when I was in my first year in college, I heard Salome Bey sing for the first time. The moment was exciting. Salome’s __36__ filled the room and brought the theater to life. I was so __37__ that I decided to write an article about her.
I __38__ Salome Bey, telling her I was from Essence magazine, and that I wanted to meet her to talk about her career. She __39__ and told me to come to her studio next Tuesday. When I hung up, I was scared out of my mind. I __40__ I was lying. I was not a writer at all and hadn’t even written a grocery list.
I interviewed Salome Bey the next Tuesday. I sat there __41__, taking notes and asking questions that all began with, “Can you tell me…” I soon realized that __42__ Salome Bey was one thing, but writing a story for a national magazine was just impossible. The __43__ was almost unbearable. I struggled for days __44__ draft after draft. Finally I put my manuscript (手稿) into a large envelope and dropped it into a mailbox.
It didn’t take long. My manuscript __45__. How stupid of me! I thought. How could I __46__ in a world of professional writers? Knowing I couldn’t __47__ the rejection letter, I threw the unopened envelope into a drawer.
Five years later, I was moving to California. While __48__ my apartment, I came across the unopened envelope. This time I opened it and read the editor’s letter in __49__:
Dear Ms Profit,
Your story on Salome Bey is fantastic. Yet we need some __50__ materials. Please add those and return the article immediately. We would like to __51__ your story soon.
Shocked, it took me a long time to __52__. Fear of rejection cost me dearly. I lost at least five hundred dollars and having my article appear in a major magazine. More importantly, I lost years of __53__ writing. Today, I have become a full-time writer. Looking back on this __54__, I learned a very important lesson: You can’t __55__ to doubt yourself.
1.A. joy B. voice C. speech D. smile
2.A. proud B. active C. satisfied D. moved
3.A. visited B. emailed C. phoned D. interviewed
4.A. agreed B. refused C. hesitated D. paused
5.A. admitted B. discovered C. explained D. knew
6.A. seriously B. patiently C. nervously D. quietly
7.A. blaming B. fooling C. inviting D. urging
8.A. hardship B. failure C. comment D. pressure
9. A. with B. by C. on D. in
10.A. disappeared B. returned C. spread D. improved
11.A. compare B. struggle C. survive D. compete
12.A. ignore B. deliver C. face D. receive
13.A. decorating B. repairing C. cleaning D. leaving
14.A. disbelief B. anxiety C. horror D. panic
15.A. subjective B. relevant C. private D. reliable
16.A. broadcast B. create C. publish D. assess
17.A. recover B. prepare C. escape D. concentrate
18.A. constant B. endless C. typical D. enjoyable
19.A. experience B. success C. benefit D. accident
20.A. attempt B. afford C. expect D. pretend
I’m delighted _______ as chairman of the students’ union last winter.
A. to appoint B. to be appointed
C. to have appointed D. to have been appointed
Only under special circumstances ________ not to wear their school uniforms.
A. are students allowed B. allowed are students.
C. students are allowed D. are allowed students
