Downing the last drop of an expensive famous brand H2O as well as remembering to throw the empty bottle in the recycling bin, makes you feel pretty good about yourself, right? It shouldn’t. Even when the bottles are recycled, there are all kinds of other consequences of swallowing bottled water, says Melissa Peffers, the air-quality program manager for Environmental Defense.
The containers are often filled in faraway lands, then shipped from abroad, and stored in refrigerators at your local store. Compare that with the influence on environment of turning on your tap, filling a glass, and drinking up!
Anyone who is choosing bottled water for health reasons is misguided, says Peffers, “Most bottled water is just tap water.” And what comes out of your tap is carefully monitored to follow the strict rules. Consider another fact that bottled water is surprisingly expensive, especially when compared with the alternative, which is almost free, and it is astonishing that America’s desire for bottled water seems impossible to satisfy, reaching nearly 30 billion bottles a year.
“My parents’ generation never had bottled water,” says Isabelle Silverman, an Environmental Defense legal adviser. She has made a commitment to going bottle free. “You don’t need to fetch it home from the store, and it’s cheaper,” she adds.
Bottled water’s role as a status symbol needs to change, Peffers points out. So when a waiter at an expensive restaurant offers “And what’s your drink?” that’s no reason to forget your conviction(信念). “Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I’ll have tap.’ Say it loud enough that the other tables nearby can hear you,” Peffers says. “And then spend that money on a dessert.”
1.In the first paragraph, the underlined sentence “It shouldn’t.” suggest that people _______.
A. shouldn’t feel pleased with finishing the water in the bottle.
B. shouldn’t feel good about drinking an expensive brand H2O.
C. shouldn’t be pleased with just recycling empty bottles.
D. shouldn’t be satisfied with drinking only bottled water.
2.According to the author, tap water is _______.
A. as safe as bottled water B. morel likely to be polluted
C. healthier than bottle water D. less convenient than bottled water
3.The underlined part “going bottle free” (in Para. 4) means “_______”.
A. making bottled water free
B. giving up bottled water
C. recycling use water bottles
D. providing free water containers
4.Why does Peffers ask people to say “I’ll have tap.” Loudly?
A. To encourage them to set an example for others to follow.
B. To advise them to save the money for one more dessert.
C. To remind them to be aware of their social status.
D. To persuade them to speak confidently in public.
John Blanchard was studying the crowd making their way through the station. He was looking for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't, the girl with the rose.
When reading a book in a Florida library a year before, John became interested not in the contents of the book, but in the notes penciled in the margin. The handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and beautiful mind. He discovered the former owner's name in the front of the book: Miss Hollis Maynell.
He located her address and wrote a letter introducing himself. The next day he was shipped overseas to serve in the army. During the next year, they grew to know each other through the mail and their friendship developed. John requested a photograph, but she refused, saying if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like. When the day finally came for him to return home, their first meeting was suggested — 7:00 p.m. at the Grand Central Station in New York.
She wrote, “You’ll recognize me by the red rose I wear on my coat.” So now John was in the station to meet the girl with a rose.
As a pretty and slim girl in green came over, John noticed her blue eyes like flowers in spring. He walked directly towards her, entirely forgetting she was not wearing a rose. As John came closer to her, he saw another woman with a red rose stood nearby. Well past 40, this woman had graying hair done under a worn hat. Seeing the girl in green walk quickly away, John felt as if he were split in two. He desired to follow that girl, but longed for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned and supported him.
The woman looked gentle and sensible. John went to her, saying, “I’m Captain John Blanchard. You must be Miss Maynell. I am glad to meet you here. May I take you to dinner?”
She replied with a smile, “I don’t know what this is about. But the lady in green who just went by, begged me to wear this rose on my coat. She said if you asked me out to dinner, I’d tell you she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!”
1.John was eager to know the former owner of the book because he______.
A. was very interested in the contents of the book
B. was impressed by the notes written by its owner
C. wanted to improve his handwriting
D. wanted to discuss the book with her
2.What happened to John after getting in touch with Miss Hollis Maynell?
A. He served in the army abroad.
B. He went overseas for vacation.
C. He went on a business trip in New York.
D. He visited Miss Maynell.
3.What do we know about the woman with a rose?
A. She was Miss Maynell’s close friend.
B. She was a waitress in the big restaurant.
C. She was probably a passerby.
D. She was paid to meet John at the Station.
4.Which would be the best title of the text?
A. An Interesting Book B. A Woman With a Rose
C. A Brave Soldier D. A Love Test
Remains of ancient civilization are places which were designed and built as a lasting tribute(致敬）to some individuals or events. By visiting these ______ monuments, you are sure to be amazed by how ____ the ancient civilization that existed centuries before you was. Some of the facilities which could be dated back hundreds of years ago are still in use today. Besides, you will also ______ at the mysterious stories behind it. The Great Wall, _____, is probably the best-known monument of China, which consists of a network of walls and towers through which the attack warnings could be received within minutes. _____ then had enough time to prepare. Estimates (估算）of the total length of the monument ______, depending on which sections are included and how they are measured. One of the _____ mysteries is that, although some of the wall is _____ in special radar images taken by satellites, astronauts have confirmed that the existing wall is not several thousand years old, nor is it, as many people had _____ visible to the human eye form outer space.
Even older than the Great Wall of China is the Great Pyramid(金字塔）of Giza. Over a 20-year period, thousands of workers made the vision become ____ with numerous blocks, each weighing more than two tons. It’s still a(n) _____ to modern people how ancient men handled_____ of these giant stones in a time when cars or boats never existed some 4500 years ago. The pyramid served not only as a tomb for King Khufu, but also a place of _____ activity. The number of the God’s servants at that time showed the importance of such activities. After Khufu died, his body was carefully treated with various medicines and materials and was wrapped in order to be ____ for long. According to ancient Egyptian belief, the pyramid, where the mummy was placed, provided a place for the king to pass into the afterlife. Then his servants performed rituals(仪式）to bring _____ to the dead king’s soul, removing all the unrest and pain from his next life.
1.A. modern B. historic C. official D. commercial
2.A. advanced B. technical C. overlooked D. energetic
3.A. stare B. wonder C. aim D. call
4.A. in addition B. in other words C. however D. for example
5.A. Mechanics B. Workers C. Astronauts D. Soldiers
6.A. extend B.remain C. vary D. progress
7.A. long-standing B. widely-used C. carefully-chosen D. clearly-stated
8.A. recognizable B. reasonable C. reliable D. responsible
9.A. proved B. claimed C. threatened D. requested
10.A. reality B. tradition C. mansion D. civilization
11.A. burden B. secret C. solution D. fortune
12.A. finance B. storage C. transportation D. production
13.A. sports B. religious C. fighting D. family
14.A. preserved B. recovered C. buried D. restored
15.A. leadership B. peace C. honour D. inspiration
Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.
A.personal B. further C. aspects D. tuition E. degrees F. launch G. simply H.created I. traditional J. revolutionized |
Back in the last century self-study used to mean trying to learn from books. Then as technology moved on, electric products __1.__ the way people learn a language. Audio cassettes enabled people to practice listening, video provided a vivid cultural environment of the languages, computers made interactivity possible, and the __2.__ of the Windows 95 operating system opened the door to full multimedia programs that could offer more than what the traditional materials could do.
Today technology has moved on ___3.__ . The Internet has served as a communication center. The general use of email has _4.__new opportunities for teachers to assist learning at a distance, which has an impact on __5.__ learning structures. As you can make more and more progress on your own, the role of the teacher is changing. Basic information and drill can be provided by computer; the teacher is then free to concentrate on the more important ___6.__: motivation and production of language in speech or writing.
The latest development is a direct email link from self-study CD-ROMs to an online teacher. Now you can get __7._ one-to-one tuition from any multimedia PC with an internet connection.
When you need more help you _8.__ email the tutor. The tutor will know which course you are following and your results to date so he is able to provide good, relevant advice. All you do is to buy the CD-ROM at normal price and then get additional _9.__ as you feel the need. So the self-study becomes distance learning with all its advantages of flexibility and low cost.
He was so foolish _____ his car unlocked.
A.to leave B. that leave
C. as to leave D. for him to leave
The teacher got the students ___ all the words they didn’t know.
A. looked up B.looking in
C. to look up D. look at
