These days, Americans worry most about an economic recovery that President Obama calls "painfully slow". But on Saturday millions will remember the day al-Qaida terrorists flew airplanes into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. Another hijacked plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania when passengers rebelled. Close to three thousand people died that day. Next year will be a big anniversary, ten years since the day Americans call 9-11.
But this September eleventh comes at an uneasy time. A large number of Americans say they oppose plans to build an Islamic center near the World Trade Center site in New York. This week attention centered on a Christian minister(基督教事工) with a small following in the state of Florida.
Reverend Terry Jones said he would mark the 9-11 anniversary by burning copies of the Quran(可兰经). He said he wanted to send a message to Islamic extremists. He said, "We are not hateful toward Muslims. We are not aiming this at Muslims, we are aiming this at Sharia law(伊斯兰教教法)."
Political and religious leaders around the world had condemned him. The plan even led the State Department to warn American travelers to avoid places where protests(抗议) might take place.
President Obama said burning Qurans could endanger American troops and invite more extremism. Defense Secretary Robert Gates called Mr. Jones on Thursday to urge him to reconsider.
Administration officials called the idea of burning Qurans "un-American." But they also agreed that it would be within constitutional rights, like protesters who burn American flags. The Constitution guarantees free speech and bars the government from restricting the practice of religion.
1.According to this news article how many things made this September 11 uneasy? (No more than 1 word)
2.What did the State Department think would happen after Reverend revealed his plan? (No more than 4 words)
3.How did the government prevent the situation becoming worse? (No more than 9 words)
4.Why couldn’t the US government forbid Reverend to burn Qurans? (No more than 7 words)
An experimental solar-powered plane landed safely Thursday after completing its first 24-hour test flight, proving that the aircraft can collect enough energy from the sun during the day to stay aloft(在空中) all night.
Pilot Andre Borschberg eased the Solar Impulse onto the runway at Payerne airfield about 30 miles southwest of the Swiss capital Bern at exactly 9 a.m. (3 a.m. EDT) Thursday. Helpers rushed to stabilize the pioneering plane as it touched down, ensuring that its massive 207-foot wingspan didn't scrape the ground and topple(倾倒) the craft.
The record feat(壮举) completes seven years of planning and brings the Swiss-led project one step closer to its goal of circling the globe using only energy from the sun. ‘We achieved more than we wanted. Everybody is extremely happy,’ Borschberg told reporters after landing.
Previous flights included a brief ‘flea hop’ and a longer airborne test earlier this year, but this week's attempt was described as a ‘milestone’ by the team. The team said it had now demonstrated that the single-seat plane can theoretically stay in the air indefinitely, recharging its depleted batteries using 12,000 solar cells and nothing but the rays of the sun during the day. But while the team said this proves that emissions-free air travel is possible, it doesn't see solar technology replacing conventional jet propulsion(喷气推进) any time soon. Instead, the project's overarching purpose is to test and promote new energy-efficient technologies.
Project co-founder Bertrand Piccard, himself a record-breaking balloonist, said many people had been skeptical that renewable energy could ever be used to take a man into the air and keep him there. ‘It’s a matter of time that people come to believe and understand about renewable energies,’Piccard said, adding that the flight was proof that new technologies can help break society's dependence on fossil fuels.
The team will now set its sights on an Atlantic crossing, before attempting a round-the-world flight in 2013, making only five stops along the way. ‘It's absolutely not time to relax,’ said Piccard.
Title: A 1. __________ in solar-powered flight and its background information
|
A project on solar-powered flight |
Main purpose: To test and promote 2. __________ 3. __________: To make an Atlantic crossing; To attempt a round-the-world flight with only five stops in 2013. Long-term goal: To circle the globe using only 4. __________. |
|
5. __________ |
a brief ‘flea hop’; an airborne test. |
|
Record-setting test flight |
Name of the plane: 6. __________ Name of the pilot: Andre Borschberg Time: 7.__________ Length of Place: at Payerne airfield, Switzerland. Achievements: ●proving that the aircraft can collect enough energy from the sun during the day to stay aloft all night, making 8. __________ possible; ●proving that new technologies can help rid society of 9.__________ fossil fuels; ●bringing the project 10. __________ to its long-term goal. |
It was a party. I was 18 and it was fresher(大一新生) week. I was at the beginning of a course in English Literature and full of enthusiasm for my subject. She was also 18 and enrolled in a course in physics.
“Your major is of no use to society. What will you do with it when you graduate, other than teach? Plus, you’re going to be poor your whole life,” she said. “You have no soul and your degree is boring. I don’t care how much money you’re going to earn. I’d rather be poor and don’t mind being a teacher. If I love my work I’ll have something far more meaningful than a big bank account!” came the reply.
And so it went, back and forth, neither of us giving the other an inch, each of us stubbornly committed to our prejudice. We were both ignorant, but our ignorance was also society’s ignorance. It had always been that way. Scientists mocked(嘲笑) humanists; humanists laughed at scientists. Back in the 1960s, the physicist-turned novelist C. P. Snow labeled the sciences-humanities divide “a problem of ‘the two cultures’” . He said it was bad for society. The modern world needed well-rounded people.
I think I know better now, but it would have helped if we had been encouraged to think a little more outside our science and arts “boxes”.
That’s why I believe it is healthy that China is beginning a debate on whether it’s wise for young people to have to choose which direction their careers – and lives – will take at such an early age. At the moment, in their second year of high school, students must choose either the sciences or the humanities. After making the choice, they focus their energies on passing the appropriate college entrance exam.
But now, people in China are asking: Is this forced, early decision good for young people or society? Young people need time to explore, to discover where their real talents and interests lie. There are more than just a few middle-aged people out there, stuck in jobs they hate because they made the wrong choice at the wrong time.
And from the point of view of society, isn’t it better for students to delay a while before they decide what to study? Scientists can benefit from learning to develop the critical skills associated with the humanities; students in the humanities, surely, only stand to gain by finding out a little more about science and technology, which are so important to the future of a developing country like China.
With any luck, in the future young people fresh to college will be better informed about the possibilities of education than people of my generation.
1.The author describes what happened at a fresher party to ________.
A. show that he was ready to defend the subject he enjoyed
B. lead up his argument that the sciences-humanities divide is harmful
C. prove that doing something meaningful is better than having a lot of money
D. describe how fierce students of different majors can be when arguing with each other
2.What was C. P. Snow’s attitude towards the sciences-humanities divide?
A. Indifferent. B. Uncertain. C. Positive. D. Negative.
3.In the sixth paragraph, an example mentioning middle-aged people is used to show that ________.
A. students should not make decisions too early
B. not all people have a talent for or are interested in the sciences
C. these people did not have the chance to make a choice earlier in life
D. the earlier young people make a decision, the better it will be for them
4.According to the text, it is safe to say that ________.
A. sciences are more practical in the modern world
B. C. P. Snow was a novelist who became a physicist
C. future generations will be able to get more out of education
D. a command of both the sciences and humanities is important to society
5.What’s the best title for the article?
A. The sciences or the humanities, which to choose?
B. High school education in China
C. Isn’t it better to delay the choice of the career direction?
D. A better time to decide what to study
CANYOUIMAGINEHOWHARDITWOULDBETOREADSENTENCESLIKETHIS? The ancient Greeks wrote this way. The lack of punctuation marks(标点符号) probably didn’t bother good readers, though. As they read, they just put pauses where they fit best. Also at this time, sentences switched directions. A sentence read from left to right. The next one read right to left, and then left to right again, etc.
The ancient Romans sometimes punctuated like this: They·put·a·point·between·each·word·in·a·sentence. The word punctuation actually comes from this idea and the Latin word punctum, which means a prick(刺).
When the 5th century arrived, there were just two punctuation marks: spaces and points. The space separated words and while the points showed pauses in reading. Then in the 13th century, a printer named Aldus Manutius tried to standardize punctuation. He always used a period for a complete stop at the end of a sentence. He used a slash (/) to indicate a short pause. Over time, that slash was shortened and curled, and it became the modern comma.
Since that time, other marks have enlarged the punctuation family. The exclamation mark comes form the Latin word xt. It was originally formed by putting an upper-case(大写字母) I on the lower-case xt. The Latin word xt means “exclamation of joy.” The question mark originally started out as the Latin word question, meaning question. Eventually, scholars put it at the end of a sentence to show a question. Over time, it became a symbol formed by putting a lower-case q on an o.
Punctuation is still changing today. New marks are coming into existence, and old punctuation marks are used in new ways. Take for example, the “interrobang.” This 1962 invention combines the question mark and exclamation mark for times when writers want both. For example, “She did what‽” or “How much did you pay for that dress‽” Obviously, the interrobang is not widely used or recognized – yet. But its invention shows that English is not yet finished with its punctuation.
1.Which of the following is a comma?
A. , B. : C. ; D. !
2.What’s the first paragraph mainly about?
A. The history of punctuation.
B. The introduction of punctuation.
C. The very beginning of punctuation.
D. The ancient Greek way of writing without punctuation.
3.Please put the following events in the order they happened.
a. The exclamation mark and question mark came into the punctuation family.
b. Comma came into existence.
c. Romans put a dot between words to separate words.
d. A period was used to end a sentence.
e. The “interrobang” was invented.
A. cbdae B. dcbae C. dbcea D. cdbae
4.What is the most possible situation for “She did what‽”?
A. You are told she gave her baby boy a good beat.
B. You are wondering what she did to save the poor boy.
C. You want to know what she did for a living after fleeing to a foreign country.
D. You demand someone else tell you what in the world happened to her.
5. According to the article, we learn ________.
A. punctuation didn’t come into being until the 5th century.
B. no one can really tell what new marks we may have in the future.
C. the invention of “interrobang” is a failure since it is not widely used.
D. both the exclamation mark and the question mark come from Greek words.
Today, when there are many top graduates looking for top jobs, graduates can differentiate(区别) themselves by obtaining a double major or even a double degree. Increasingly, employers are looking for individuals who are not only competent and intelligent, but who have different skill sets and who are knowledgeable in many areas. Part of the appeal to employers is that your extra work demonstrates a willingness to take on difficult tasks. Additionally, if your majors overlap (重叠), you are able to show potential employers that you have both breadth and depth of knowledge.
By studying for a double major, although you will be studying for only one degree, you will be focusing on two related and integrated subjects that complement (补充) each other. Classes overlap between the majors, meaning fewer classes are required than with a double degree, so it is easier to finish within four years.
In contrast, with the more rigorous (严格的) double degree, you will be studying for two different degrees in two completely different areas of study. Although pursuing such a course of study allows students to complete two wholly separate degrees in less time than if they were to earn them separately, many strong students still find it incredibly difficult to complete in four or five years.
If you are committed to a double major/degree, it is wise to do a little bit of planning. Some students try to find two courses of studies that are related, while others seek to round out their academic studies by choosing two completely unrelated fields.
For double majors, common pairings include: (i) economics and a foreign language; (ii) political science or government and journalism; (iii) economics and psychology.
For double degrees, common pairings include: (i) engineering and a business program such as finance or accounting; (ii) engineering and economics.
1.What do employers think of the graduates with different skill sets and knowledge in many areas?
A. They should be given top jobs.
B. They are willing to take difficult tasks.
C. They are better than those who are competent and intelligent.
D. They must have attained a double major or even a double degree.
2.According to the passage, the underlined word “breadth” most probably means_________.
A. width B. amount C. quantity D. quality
3.To obtain a double major, you _________.
A. should complete two wholly separate degrees
B. need to focus on two related and integrated subjects
C. need to spend more time than obtaining a double degree
D. have to take courses in two completely different areas of study
4.If you are devoted to a double major or degree, you should _________.
A. find two subjects with overlapping classes
B. learn about what your potential employers want
C. decide what to learn with your intentions considered
D. try to decide on some common pairings as soon as possible
5.Which statement is CORRECT according to the passage?
A. Economics is a major while engineering is a degree.
B. Every college student should take a double major or degree.
C. Earning a double degree is more difficult than obtaining a double major.
D Some students choose two completely unrelated fields to show their ability in academic study.
Aaron LeMieux loves to hike and often listens to the radio at the same time. While on a 1,500-mile hike 1. _______ the Appalachian Trail, Aaron started thinking about energy. Could the energy his body was creating be used to charge an electronic device? In 2006 Aaron quit his job 2. ________ turned the basement of his home into a laboratory. He then put all his time 3.________ developing the nPower PEG.
PEG means personal energy generator(发电机). 4.________ uses the energy you create while moving to charge a hand-held device. Just put your nPower PEG in your bag, 5.________ fasten it to your leg or bicycle. Then plug your MP3 player, cell phone or digital camera into your nPower PEG’s USA port. LeMieux’s company, Tremont Electric, claims 6. ________ nPower PEG can charge most hand-held electronic devices to 80 percent in one hour.
Since it costs US$149, the nPower PEG won’t appeal to everyone with its price so 7. ________. But for those 8.________ spend a lot of time with electronic devices powered by batteries, it might come in handy.
