The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet (彗星) is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our plant, but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth.
On 17 July, a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth’s atmosphere with a massive explosion. About half of the piece is destroyed, but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the sea bed. Huge waves are created and spread outwards from the hole. The wall of water, a kilometer high, rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned.
Before the waves reach South America, the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina. Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Mountains. The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes. Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead, but the north won’t escape for long. Because of the explosions, the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, and temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. The sun won’t be seen again for many years. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later, no more than 10 million remain alive.
Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space. The dinosaurs couldn’t live through the cold climate that followed and they died out. Will we meet the same end?
1.What is mainly described in the passage?
A. A historic discovery. B. An event of imagination.
C. A research on space. D. A scientific adventure.
2.A. an earthquake B. damages to cities
C. an Earth explosion D. huge waves
3.Why can’t the northern half of the earth escape for long?
A. Because the land is covered with water
B. Because the light and heat from the sun can not reach the earth.
C. Because people there can not live at the temperature of zero.
D. Because wars break out among countries.
4. By giving the example of dinosaurs, the author tries to prove_____________.
A. animals could not live in the cold climate
B. what happened 65 million years ago was an invented story
C. the human beings will die out in 2094
D. the Earth could be hit by other objects in space
5.We may guess that the writer is ______________.
A. worried B. practical C. a scientist D. full of imagination
With large and small keyboards everywhere, neither children nor adults need to write much of anything by hand. That’s a big problem. Study after study suggests that handwriting is important for brain development — helping kids get fine motor skills and learn to express and create ideas. Yet the time devoted to teaching penmanship in most schools has shrunk to just one hour a week. Is it time to give up handwriting? Have a look at the link between the brain and penmanship, and you may get the answer.
A test among students in grades 2, 4 and 6 found that they not only wrote faster by hand than by keyboard, but also created more ideas when composing essays with handwriting. And other research shows that the finger movements required to write by hand activate brain areas involved with thought, language, and short-term memory.
A recent Indiana University study had one group of children practice writing letters by hand while a second group just looked at those letters. Then, both groups of kids entered a functional MRI (核磁共振) that scanned their brains as the researchers showed them the same letters. Researchers found that the brain activity in the first group was far more advanced and “adult-like”.
Handwriting also affects other people’s way they think of adults and children. Several studies have shown that the same average essay will score much higher if written with good penmanship and much lower if written out in poor handwriting. These studies have also found that people judge the quality of a person’s ideas based on his or her handwriting. And the consequences are real: On standardized tests with handwritten sections, like the SAT, all essays that are considered hard to recognize gets a big zero.
Studies show that this isn’t only an English-language phenomenon. Chinese and Japanese youths are suffering from “character amnesia”. They can’t remember how to write characters, thanks to computers and text messaging. Some experts fear that Chinese writing and reading are so closely linked in the brain that China’s reading ability as a nation could suffer.
1.According to the passage, it can be learned that ________________.
A. many researches have been done on handwriting
B. essays can’t be composed without handwriting
C. all children write faster by keyboard than by hand
D. most schools are trying to teach more handwriting
2. What does the Indiana University study imply?
A. Children should practice writing letters
B. Handwriting can increase brain activity
C. It’s good for children to enter a functional MRI
D. Letters should often be shown to children
3.What does the 4th paragraph mainly talk about?
A. Handwriting affects both adults and children.
B. Handwriting helps a person write better essays.
C.SAT should be done with good handwriting.
D. Good handwriting makes a person seem smarter.
4. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Essays written with keyboards will get lower scores.
B. The quality of your ideas depends on your handwriting.
C. Chinese and Japanese youths don’t know how to write.
D. Less handwriting may affect China’s reading ability.
5. The passage tries to tell us that __________________.
A. keyboards are more popular than handwriting
B. we shouldn’t judge people by their handwriting
C. handwriting is of great importance
D. it’s time to give up using keyboards
Some weight-loss camps, which are rare in China just a few years ago, have
sprouted in Beijing, Qingdao, Shenzhen, and other cities. Today about 15
percent of adults, or 200 million Chinese, are reportedly overweight. Of these,
90 million—about 7 percent—are obese（极肥胖的）.
Experts say the obesity epidemic is spreading to children, though more slowly than in adults. The trend, they say, will have a huge impact on the health of China’s citizens and economy. “We’re seeing a very large proportion of children and adolescents who are quite heavy and aren’t moving much,” said Barry Popkin, a nutrition professor. Popkin carries out an ongoing health-and-nutrition survey of 16,000 households in China. He says more kids today are overeating and putting on weight “quite quickly.” In just ten years, China’s childhood obesity rate has doubled, with the greatest gains coming in urban areas. “In big cities it’s a big problem.”
Some experts blame the extra fat on a range of factors, many of them tied to China’s rapidly changing economy and culture. The diets of Chinese adults and children are far higher in calorie-laden meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, fats, and sugars than ever before. In addition, kids—especially city dwellers—are more sedentary today and spend more time indoors in front of homework, television, computer games, and the Internet.
Shuwen Ng, a health economist, says that kids in China now have pocket money, and they spend a portion of it on junk food. Ng adds that advertising and peer groups influence kids’ food choices. Certain foods, such as new candies or fast food, have attractive features.
China’s childhood obesity rate still lags that of the United States, where some 15 percent of kids are said to be obese. But the long-term effects are equally serious.
1.According to the passage we know _____.
A. weight-loss camps have been very popular in China six years ago
B. about 290 million Chinese are overweight in China in all
C. in China childhood obesity rate in rural areas is lower than that in major cities
D. America’s childhood obesity rate is lower than China’s
2. Which of the following is NOT the reason of China’s childhood obesity?
A. Advertising on some new candies B. High quality diets
C. Playing computer games for long time D. Having pocket money
3. The underlined word “sedentary” in the second paragraph probably means _____.
A. attentive B. earnest C. absent D. inactive
4. According to the passage we can infer _____.
A. obesity explosion in China will affect the United States
B. there is great difference in kids’ food choices now
C. junk food contributes to childhood obesity
D. city children eat more than rural children
5.What’s the best title for the passage?
A. Chinese Childhood Obesity Explosion
B. Weight-loss Camps in China
C. Obesity Explosion’s Impacts On Chinese Economy
D. Obesity Explosion In China And America
While I was in my 4th month of pregnancy (妊娠期) with my second child, we were preparing for a trip to Louisiana, where Marshall’s family live, to celebrate Jane’s 2nd birthday. Two days before we were to leave, we got the shocking news that I was going to lose the baby. Not knowing when this would happen, we decided to continue with our trip.
Since Marshall’s family lives on a 600-acre cattle farm, you often find that you have a lot of time to yourself to think when you are there. That is precisely what I did not want to do at this time. I told Marshall that I needed to get a good book to get lost in while I was there. I told him I heard the Harry Potter books were good, so he went out and got the first one for me.
During that trip, I totally got lost in the book, which was of great help during a time when I needed a distraction to forget about the sadness. In the book, I noticed the name “Seamus”. I vaguely remembered it was pronounced “Shamus” and I liked the sound of that. I mentioned it to Marshall and he liked it too. Toward the end of the trip, I had just 5 chapters left and I knew I was about to finish the first book, which I was pretty excited about.
Soon after we put Jane down to bed, I had started labor (分娩), so I was unable to read. The labor lasted 5 and 1/2 hours, but Marshall stayed there with me, sitting beside me and reading aloud the last 5 chapters of Harry Potter. I can never fully explain how much that helped me through the experience. And ever since then, Marshall and I both have been fans of the Harry Potter books. We remember how they helped us get through that time of our lives.
We were sad to have lost the baby, but the name Seamus started our journey toward adoption. And we gave this name to our adopted son. Though our Seamus doesn’t have a drop of Irish blood in him, the name fits him perfectly.
1.Why did the writer want a good book during the trip?
A. Because the trip to Louisiana would take a long time.
B. Because she didn’t want to think of losing her baby.
C. Because she had nothing else to do except reading.
D. Because a good book could help her enjoy her trip.
2. According to the story, we can know that the Harry Potter books _________________.
A. made the family’s trip more exciting B. include five books all together
C. have someone called Seamus in them D. can help people deal with their problems
3. The writer named her son Seamus because ___________________.
A. she wanted to keep her trip in memory B. she loved this name very much
C. her son doesn’t have Irish blood D. it is a perfect name for a boy
4.Which of the following is TRUE about the couple?
A. They planned their trip after getting the shocking news.
B. They thought the cattle farm was too large to do anything on.
C. They felt excited when they almost finished the trip.
D. They liked reading Harry Porter very much after the trip.
5. Which is the best title for the passage?
A. Funny Stories Of My Family B. Seamus And Harry Potter
C. How We Got To Louisiana D. How My Son Got His Name
“Hey, Dad, are you going to come to my award ceremony tonight?” I 36 asked my father.
“I have to work late tonight. I doubt I’ll be able to 37 it on time. I am just too busy right now,” he replied.
My mind could not 38 the idea that he would be too busy working late. He was also too busy to 39 my horse show and the 15th birthday party. He always used the same 40 . Why had I even bothered to ask? 41 , there was always a slight hope that tonight would be 42 .
As my mother and I arrived at school, two friends 43 me. “Jill, meet my dad. Dad, this is my friend Jill.” I shook the hand of a tall man. Camera flashes lit up the room, and claps filled the 44 as students accepted their awards. My name was finally called, 45 three others. I followed my classmates to the 46 . When I reached out my hand to shake the 47 , a big smile lit up her face. The blinding flash from my mother’s camera 48 my eyes and I knew my dad wasn’t there. I walked back to my seat 49 . I told myself he would not be 50 .
However, a tall and strong figure suddenly greeted me as I 51 backward casually. I saw my father seated on the bench 52 at me among the audience! At that very moment I could feel my tears 53 . I showed my 54 to him, tears rolling down my face at last. I wondered 55 anybody else in the world could ever be any happier than I.
1.A. confidently B. eagerly C. proudly D. urgently
2. A. reach B. keep C. take D. make
3. A. follow B. support C. appreciate D. accept
4.A. join B. avoid C. attend D. afford
5.A. excuse B. reason C. promise D. trick
6. A. Besides B. Thus C. Otherwise D. However
7. A. active B. formal C. different D. serious
8.A. recognized B. greeted C. introduced D. welcomed
9. A. air B. hall C. office D. gym
10.A. as well B. other than C. out of D. along with
11.A. stage B. position C. room D. exit
12. A. classmate’s B. teacher’s C. mother’s D. father’s
13.A. fixed B. touched C. hurt D. inserted
14.A. successfully B. disappointedly C. delightedly D. hopefully
15.A. loved B. disturbed C. forgiven D. respected
16.A. stepped B. noticed C. examined D. glanced
17.A. smiling B. staring C. laughing D. crying
18.A. getting off B. taking down C. building up D. turning around
19.A. pride B. award C. reward D. congratulations
20.A. when B. how C. whether D. that
____ David showed the report to the public surprised me．
A．What B．That C．Which D．Who
