“Indeed,” George Washington wrote in his diary in 1785, “some kind of fly, or bug, had begun to eat the leaves before I left home.” But the father of America was not the father of bug. When Washington wrote that, Englishmen hade been referring to insects as bugs for more than a century, and Americans had already created lightning-bug(萤火虫). But the English were soon to stop using the bugs in their language, leaving it to the Americans to call a bug a bug in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The American bug could also be a person, referring to someone who was crazy about a particular activity. Although fan became the usual term, sports fans used to be called racing bugs, baseball bugs, and the like.
Or the bug could be a small machine or object, for example, a bug-shaped car. The bug could also be a burglar alarm, from which comes the expression to bug, that is, “to install (安装) an alarm”. Now it means a small piece of equipment that people use for listening secretly to others’ conversation. Since the 1840s, to bug has long meant “to cheat”, and since the 1940s it has been annoying.
We also know the bug as a flaw in a computer program or other design. That meaning dates back to the time of Thomas Edison. In 1878 he explained bugs as “little problems and difficulties” that required months of study and labor to overcome in developing a successful product. In 1889 it was recorded that Edison “had been up the two previous nights discovering ‘a bug’ in his invented record player.”
1. We learn from Paragraph 1 that __________________.
A.Americans had difficulty in learning to use the word bug
B.George Washington was the first person to call an insect a bug
C.the word bug was still popularly used in English in the nineteenth century
D.both Englishman and Americans used the word bug in the eighteenth century
2. What does the word “flaw” in the last paragraph probably mean?
A. Explanation. B. Finding. C. Origin. D. Fault.
3.The passage is mainly concerned with__________________.
A. the misunderstanding of the word bug
B. the development of the word bug
C. the public views of the word bug
D. the special characteristics of the word bug
Here is an astonishing and significant fact: Mental work alone can’t make us tire. It sounds absurd. But a years ago, scientists tried to find out how long the human brain could labor without reaching a stage of fatigue (疲劳). To the amazement of these scientists, they discovered that blood passing through the brain, when it is active, shows no fatigue at all! If we took a drop of blood from a day laborer, we would find it full of fatigue toxins(毒素) and fatigue products. But if we took blood from the brain of an Albert Einstein, it would show no fatigue toxins at the end of the day.
So far as the brain is concerned, it can work as well and swiftly at the end of eight or even twelve hours of effort as at the beginning. The brain is totally tireless. So what makes us tired?
Some scientists declare that most of our fatigue comes from our mental and emotional(情绪的) attitudes. One of England’s most outstanding scientists, J.A. Hadfield, says, “The greater part of the fatigue from which we suffer is of mental origin. In fact, fatigue of purely physical origin is rare.” Dr. Brill, a famous American scientist, goes even further. He declares, “One hundred percent of the fatigue of sitting worker in good health is due to emotional problems.”
What kinds of emotions make sitting workers tired? Joy? Satisfaction? No! A feeling of being bored, anger, anxiety, tenseness, worry, a feeling of not being appreciated---those are the emotions that tire sitting workers. Hard work by itself seldom causes fatigue. We get tired because our emotions produce nervousness in the body.
1. What surprised the scientists a few years ago?
A. Fatigue toxins could hardly be found in a laborer’s blood.
B. Albert Einstein didn’t feel worn after a day’s work.
C. The brain could work for many hours without fatigue.
D. A mental worker’s blood was filled with fatigue toxins.
2.According to the author, which of the following can make sitting workers tired?
A. Challenging mental work. B. Unpleasant emotions.
C. Endless tasks. D. Physical labor.
3.What’s the author’s attitude towards the scientists’ idea?
A. He agrees with them. B. He doubts them.
C. He argues against them. D. He hesitates to accept them.
4. We can infer from the passage that in order to stay energetic, sitting workers need to ___________.
A. have some good food. B. enjoy their work
C. exercise regularly D. discover fatigue toxins
Going green seems to be fad(时尚)for a lot of people these days. Whether that is good or bad, we can’t really say, but for the tow of us, going green is not a fad but a lifestyle.
On April22, 2011, we decided to go green every single day for an entire year. This meant doing 365 different green things, and it also meant challenging ourselves to go green beyond easy things. Rather than recycle and reduce our energy, we had to think of 365 different green things to do and this was no easy task.
With the idea of going green every single day for a year, Our Green Year started. My wife and I decided to educate people about how they could go green in their lives and hoped we could show people all the green things that could be done to help the environment. We wanted to push the message that every little bit helps.
Over the course of Our Green Year, we completely changed our lifestyle. We now shop at organic(有机的)stores. We consume less meat, choosing green food. We have greatly reduced our buying we don’t need. We have given away half of what we owned through websites. Our home is kept clean by vinegar and lemon juice, with no chemical cleaners. We make our own butter, enjoying the smell of home-made fresh bread. In our home office anyone caught doing something ungreen might be punished.
Our minds have been changed by Our Green Year. We are grateful for the chance to have been able to go green and educate others. We believe that we do have the power to change things and help our planet.
1.What might be the best title for the passage?
A. Going Green. B. Protecting the Planet.
C. Keeping Open-Minded D. Celebrating Our Green Year.
2.It was difficult for the couple to live a green life for the whole year because_________.
A. they were expected to follow the green fad
B. they didn’t know how to educate other people
C. they were unwilling to reduce their energy
D. they needed to perform unusual green tasks
3.What did the couple do over the course of Our Green Year?
A. They tried to get out of their ungreen habits.
B. They ignore others’ ungreen behavior.
C. They chose better chemical cleaners.
D. They sold their home-made food.
4.What can we infer form the last paragraph?
A. The government will give support to the green people.
B. The couple may continue their project in the future.
C. Some people disagree with the couple’s green ideas.
D. Our Green Year is becoming a national campaign.
China is a land of bicycles. At least it was back in 1992 when I traveled the country. Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle. Millions of them, all black. Cars were rare. Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year, I’ve found the opposite is true. There are millions of cars. However, people still use their bicycles to get around. For many, it’s the easiest and cheapest way to travel today. Bicycles also come in different colors---sivler, green, red, blue, yellow, whatever you want.
It’s fun watching people biking. They rush quickly through crossroads, move skillfully through traffic, and ride even on sidewalks(人行道). Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can’t provide.
Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture, I decided to buy a bicycle. Great weather accompanied my great buy. I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started home.
My first ride home was orderly (守秩序的). To be safe, I stayed with a “pack” of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times. I didn’t want to get hit. So I took the ride carefully.
Crossing the streets was the biggest problem. It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States. The streets here were wide, so crossing took time, skill and a little bit of luck.
I finally made it home. The feeling on the bicycle was amazing. The air hitting my face and going through my hair was wonderful. I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people. Biking made me feel alive.
1. According to the author, why are bicycles still popular in China today?
A. Because they are traditional and safe.
B.Because they are convenient and inexpensive.
C. Because they are colorful and available.
D. Because they are fast and environment friendly.
2. The author decided to buy a bicycle because he intended ______________.
A. to ride it for fun B. to use it for transport
C. to experience local skills D. to improve his riding skills
3. How did the author feel about his street crossing?
A. It was boring. B. It was difficult.
C. It was lively. D. It was wonderful.
4. Which of the following best describes the author’s biking experience?
A. The author enjoyed showing off his biking skills.
B. The author was annoyed by the air while riding.
C. The author was praised by the other bikers.
D. The author took great pleasure in biking.
Whenever we hear about “the homeless”, most of us think of the Developing World. But the 26 is that homeless is everywhere. For example, how many of us would expect to see people living on the streets of a 27 country like Germany?
Kurt Muller and his wife Rita have spent eleven years making 28 for the homeless of Berlin, Germany’s capital. They first 29 one long hot summer when most Germans were 30 on holidays. Kurt and his wife stayed at home, made sandwiches, 31 a table in the street and gave food to the homeless.
The Mullers soon realized that food and clothing weren’t 32 . “What these people also need is warmth and 33 ,” says Rita. The Mullers didn’t 34 to give their phone number to the street people and told them to phone anytime. Rita 35 there was somebody at home to answer the phone and their home was always 36 to anyone who couldn’t face another night on the street.
The couple were soon 37 all their time and money, so Kurt visited food and clothing companies to 38 donations. Today, over thirty companies 39 donate food and other goods to the cause and volunteers help to 40 them to the homeless. The public also give clothes and money and a shoe producer 41 new shoes.
Kurt and Rita receive no 42 for their hard work.. “We feel like parents,” says Rita, “and parents shouldn’t 43 money for helping their children. The love we get on the street is our salary.” Though Rita admits she often gets 44 , she says she will continue with her work because she likes the feeling of having made a 45 in the world.
1.A. result B. truth C. reason D. idea
2.A. traditional B. developing C. typical D. wealthy
3.A. preparations B. houses C. meals D. suggestions
4.A. began B. met C. called D. left
5.A. asleep B. alone C. across D. away
6.A. brought up B. set up C. put aside D. gave away
7.A. enough B. necessary C. helpful D. expensive
8.A. fame B. freedom C. courage D. caring
9.A. hesitate B. agree C. pretend D. intend
10.A. make sense B. found out C. make sure D. worked out
11.A. open B. crowded C. noisy D. near
12.A. costing B. wasting C. taking D. spending
13.A. pay for B. ask for C. look into D. carry out
14.A. completely B. calmly C. regularly D. roughly
15.A. advertise B. sell C. deliver D. lend
16.A. donates B. produces C. designs D. collects
17.A. permission B. payment C. direction D. support
18.A. borrow B. raise C. save D. expect
19.A. surprised B. excited C. tired D. amused
20.A. profit B. difference C. decision D. rule
There’s a feeling in me __________ we’ll never know what a UFO is – not ever.
A. of which B. which C. that D. what
