US researchers have found traces of an ancient lake on Mars recently, increasing hopes of discovering evidence that billions of years ago the Red planet hosted life.
The lake, which dates back some 3.4 billion years, appears to have covered as much as 80 square miles and was up to 1,500 feet deep, said the team from the University of Colorado.
“This is the first clear evidence of shorelines on the surface of Mars,”said Boulder’ s research associate, Gaetano Di Achille, in a study published in the latest edition of Geophysical Research Letters.
“The identification of the shorelines and accompanying geological evidence allows us to calculate the size and volume of the lake, which appears to have formed about 3.4 billion years ago.”
Analysis of the images has shown the water carved out the canyon (溪谷) in which it was found, which then opened out into a valley depositing (使淤积) sediment (沉积) which formed a delta (三角洲).
“Finding shorelines is a great discovery to us,” said assistant professor Brian Hynek, adding it showed the lake existed at a time when Mars was thought to have been cold and dry.
Scientists believe the oldest surfaces on Mars formed during the wet and warm era known as the Noachan epoch, about 4.1 billion to 3.7 billion years ago.
The newly discovered lake is believed to date from the Hesperian era and postdates the end of the warm and wet period on Mars by 300 million years, according to the study.
Scientists believe deltas next to the lake may well hold secrets about past life on Mars as such places on Earth have become the natural deposits of organic carbon and other markers of life.
1.The size of the lake found on Mars is ______.
A. 80 square miles B. 1,500 square miles
C. 3.4 billion square miles D. 300 million square miles
2.When the lake existed, the weather on Mars was ____.
A. hot and wet B. wet and warm C. cold and dry D. cold and wet
3.Why do scientists think deltas near the lake may hold secrets about past life on Mars?
A. Because similar places on Earth have become natural deposits of markers of life.
B. Because someone has put secrets about past life on Mars there.
C. Because past life has been found in other deltas on Mars.
D. Because some people are said to have already seen life marks there.
4.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. The Noachan epoch was a wet and warm era.
B. The lake might have existed 3.4 billion years.
C. The discovery can’ t fully prove that the Mars once hosted life.
D. The lake traces prove that there exists life on Mars now.
Social Program: 22nd—26th August 2011
Monday Evening—Study Centre or Sports Park
Study Center: The school will be open from 7.45 pm to 9.35pm.
Sports Park: Aerobics, Swimming or Fitness Training (with a Fitness Card).
Tuesday Evening—Cinema
Cinema: To get your free ticket, you must write down which film you would like to watch. See the leaflet on the board for this evening’s UCI Cinema program. For more information about the films, visit the UCI website www.uci.co.uk or see the film section in this week’s Time Out magazine.
Wednesday Evening—Study Centre of Tennis Coaching
Study Center: The school will be open from 7.35 pm to 9.35 pm.
Tennis Coaching: With former Junior Wimbledon tennis player Stuart Silvester.
Thursday Evening—Chinese Party
Chinese Party: Come along and enjoy the hospitality of the Chinese students! You can try delicious Chinese food and learn about Chinese traditions. Please note that you should eat your evening meal at your home-stay, as the food is a taster and not a full meal. Non alcoholic and alcoholic drinks will be served.
Friday afternoon—Historical Walking Tour or Sports Parks
Historical Walking Tour: This afternoon you will have the opportunity to visit parts of Norwich you may have otherwise missed, with a professional guide. In medieval times Norwich was the second most important city in England and this afternoon you can learn some of the interesting history of our fine city.
Sports Park: Badminton, Basketball, Fitness Training (with a Fitness Card), Football, Squash, Swimming or Volleyball.
Please sign early if you wish to play any of the sports listed above.
1.You can do all the following things during the weekday except ___________.
A. going to the cinema B. going to the Chinese party
C. taking a historical walking tour D. taking a mountain climbing tour
2.The passage may probably be found ___________.
A. in a school’s bulletin board B. in a school’s text book
C. in a latest newspaper D. in a fashion magazine
3.From the passage we know that ___________.
A. students have to pay for the film tickets
B. some of the students in the school are Chinese
C. Norwich is the second largest city in Britain
D. the school is closed during the daytime
4. From the passage we can infer that __________.
A. students in the school can have access to computers
B. students in the school only have morning classes
C. the school often serves Chinese food to students
D. every Friday afternoon the students will have a tour
BEIJING—Seven prestigious universities in China announced Sunday that they would begin using the same independent exam —besides the national one —to test students hoping to gain entrance to them in 2011.
The seven are Peking University, Beihang University, Beijing Normal University, Nankai University, Fudan University, Xiamen University and Hong Kong University.
Students who want to gain entrance to any of the seven universities will only have to sit one independent exam, according to the joint announcement.
“This will help lighten tile students’ load, otherwise they must take several exams for different universities,”said the announcement.
Passing the exam could result in more than one interview chance, giving the students more opportunities to choose their favorite universities.
China’ s college entrance exam system is undergoing reform as universities aim to select students based on independent criteria rather than just using the results of the national exam.
In 2003, Peking University and another 21 universities were allowed to pilot (试用) the reform by using their own criteria to independently select five percent of their students.
Now nearly 80 universities across the country have the right to select talented students based on their own exams.
Education experts regard universities selecting students according to independent examinations as conducive (有助的) to better understanding where the students’ talents lie.
Although this may be the case, it has also created problems as students may sit many different exams as they often apply for a number of universities.
To relieve students from such pressures, the national education outline (2010—2020) released in July this year encourages high-level universities to group together to use the same exams.
1. If students want to be admitted to the seven prestigious universities, they can______.
A. only pass the interview.
B. only take the national exam.
C. only take the independent exam.
D. either take the national exam or the take the independent exam.
2. What’s the purpose of students sitting one independent exam to gain entrance to the seven universities?
A. It can reduce students’load to take several exams.
B. The universities will have the same standard to test students.
C. There will be less trouble marking students’ test papers.
D. It can avoid fierce competition among these universities.
3. If students pass the independent exam,they will ______.
A. take the national exam. B. have one or more interview chances.
C. be admitted to one of the universities.
D. he trained to be adapted to universities life and studies.
4.What is the advantage of universities selecting students according to independent examinations?
A. Students needn’t take the national exam.
B. Students’education cost can be lowered.
C. Students abilities and talents can be better found.
D. It can encourage middle schools to recommend more qualified students.
Mr. Glen is a millionaire. Five years ago,after returning from abroad to his motherland, he 36 his small company. Speaking of success, Glen often tells us a story about his extra expensive “school” fee. He always 37 his success to it.
At that time, Glen, who already got a Ph.D. degree, 38 to return to the homeland, starting a company. Before leaving, he bought a Rolex watch with the 39 made through years of work after school and the scholarships. At the airport he had to accept the 40 customs check. The watch on his wrist was also demanded to be taken down for 41 . Glen knew that carrying the specific goods out had to pay the tax, and he worried about paying 42 for his watch. So when he was checked, he told a lie that his watch was a 43 fake（假货）. When he was 44 of his “smarts”, immediately, in the presence of Glen, the officers hit the watch, 45 cost nearly 100,000, into pieces 46 hearing Glen’ s words. Glen was 47 . Before he understood why, he was taken to the office to be examined 48 . For many times of entry-exit 49 he knew that only those people in the “blacklist” would “enjoy” this special treatment. The officers looked over everything carefully in the box, and 50 him no matter what time of entry and exit he must accept the check and if 51 reusing and carrying fake and shoddy goods, he would be 52 according to law! Suddenly, his face turned red, and he had nothing in mind after boarding the plane for long.
After returning to the homeland, he often told the story to his family, and his employees, too. He said that this made a deep 53 on him, because the additional high “school” fee that he had ever paid made him realize the value of 54 , which he would remember as the 55 of his success forever.
1. A. set up B. took up C. went up D. picked up
2.A. honors B. mentions C. brings D. owes
3.A. decided B. refused C. objected D. asked
4.A. books B. things C. savings D. pounds
5.A. ordinary B. routine C. regular D. common
6.A. look B. inspection C. test D. experiment
7.A . one B. it C. them D. these
8.A. priceless B. useful C. worthless D. valuable
9.A. afraid B. proud C. ashamed D. hard
10.A . that B. what C. as D. which
11.A. on B. at C. who D. in
12.A. disappointed B. delighted C. amazed D. satisfied
13.A. strictly B. quietly C. quickly D. curiously
14.A. conditions B. experiences C. experiments D. chances
15.A. stopped B. hoped C. warned D. urged
16.A. came out B. found out C. sent out D. set out
17.A. hit B. blamed C. praised D. charged
18.A. expression B. idea C. thought D. impression
19. A. honesty B. lies C. goods D. bravery
20.A. secret B. lesson C. choice D. Belief
This famous article written by Henry is well worth , but I think it is not worthy at all.
A. reading; to be translated B. reading; translating
C. being read; to be translated D. to be read; of being translated
Your ideas are very interesting, but we need _______ suggestions to get us out of the mess.
A. impressive B. similar C. practical D. traditional
