Many of us are interested in time travel and shuttling back and forth (来回地) to the past or the future. Who wouldn’t be enthralled by returning to the past or seeing the future? But time travel seems to be possible onl
y in our imagination or in science fiction (科幻小说).
Science fiction is a world where impos
sible things can become possible and that’s why most of us like it. But science fiction is not entirely fiction since it is based on science theories (理论). Time travel, for instance, is a theme used by sci-fi writers. Readers may sometimes think writers have first-hand experience of it. I have collected some of the popular ways in which time travel is made possible in science fiction:
● Through the wormhole — A wormhole is a path between points in space-time. According to Einstein, an object can pass through a wormhole if it can travel at the speed of light. An example of a wormhole is described in Riddle of the Red Bible.
● Through a black hole — A black hole is a vacuum (真空) in space where light cannot even escape or pass through. In some sci-fi movies, like Star Trek, black holes became the means to travel through time.
● Through time machines — In science fiction, time machines are vehicles that can travel faster than light. It can be a strange vehicle like the TARDIS in Doctor Who or a special car like the one used in Back to the Future. But these special vehicles would need a wormhole to travel to the past or the future.
● Through parallel universe (平行宇宙) — Another popular way to travel through time is to be able to get into a parallel universe where one can go back to a point in time and see a different reality.
Though we know time travel may not be possible, it is still an entertaining subject and a heated topic for most of us. And in science fiction, where reality is always in the imagination, time does not really matter.
1.The underlined word “enthralled” in Paragraph 1 probably means “_____”.
A. defeated B. confused
C. shocked D. attracted
2.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Time travel might become possible in the far future.
B. Time machines can’t travel to the past or the future without a wormhole.
C. Sci-fi writers have similar experiences to those they describe in their fiction.
D. An object can travel to the past or the future when its speed is faster than light.
3.What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A. To arouse the heated topic of time travel among readers.
B. To introduce how humans travel through time in science fiction.
C. To introduce the author’s knowledge of time travel to the readers.
D. To compare different ways of time travel mentioned in some science fictions.
Four years ago my sweet mom went to be with her Lord(上帝). She did it her way.
I got the call at work, and I headed home quickly. Mom and Dad lived on a small farm that they had owned since I was seven. I hated going there every weekend. There was nothing for a young girl to do but watch the one station on the old TV set, if the weather allowed reception.
My mom, on the other hand, loved the peace and quiet of the land. The place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat. We had a big wood stove in the kitchen that did its best to heat the little farmhouse, but it always seemed cold and too quiet to me.
In the evenings, my mom and I would sit for hours singing in the little kitchen. I sang the melody and Mom harmonized. Her favorite song was "Moon River" and we sang it over and over. Mom told me stories about how when I was a little girl, I could sing before I could talk.
As time passed, I had my own children and went to visit them every week or two. The kids loved the farm and the tractor rides with my dad. Me, well, I still hated the silence of the farm. While my mom loved to sit at her kitchen table and look out at her garden and flowers and retell all the old stories, I missed the hustle and bustle（喧闹）of my life at home. But I sat there listening quietly as she reminisced.
Now, I sat back in the silence and the silence was deafening so I finally leaned over to turn on an old radio. Music always comforted me.
My heart skipped a beat. "Moon River" was playing on the radio. I sat there stunned, with a tear running down my cheek, as I listened to every familiar note.
1.From the first paragraph, we know that the writer’s mother ________.
A. passed away four years ago
B. left the small farm with Lord
C. left for Lord to live her own way
D. preferred to be with Lord
2.The underlined word reminisced in the fifth paragraph probably means ________.
A. recalled(回忆) B. comforted C. shouted D. sighed(叹息)
3.The writer didn’t like staying in the farm for the following reasons except that ________.
A. it was too cold and quiet
B. she could only sing one song in the small farm
C. there was nothing more that could make her excited
D. the place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat
4.Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? _______
A. Cherish life B. My happy childhood
C. Our small farmhouse D. Mom’s music
I decided to go back to school in the fall of 2010 for not being happy with my current job and financial status. I got my Associate (大专毕业证书) in May 2002 in commercial art. After graduation, I had trouble getting a job in that field. For years, I was going from one job to another, and I was not satisfied with unstableness (不稳定).
I decided to go back to school to study either international business or psychology (心理学). I weighed the pros and cons of both professions and psychology won. I like helping my friends and family. When they are faced with hard situations in their life, I’d like to give them sound advice and be honest with them. Also, I was interested in the “mind”.
I searched for online schools because my work schedule would not allow me to study in a classroom. I was nervous about taking online classes because I had heard mixed 
stories from my friends who were taking online classes. I decided to do it anyway to experience something different. I wanted to find an online school that was affordable and believable. While I was doing the online search, I discovered Walden University, which is specially for working adults who want to have a bachelor’s degree or higher. The process of getting accepted was easy, i.e. writing an essay on why I wanted to attend their school, sending my previous credits (以前的成绩), etc.
I am currently enrolled in the bachelor’s program for psychology, and I am paying for college via financial-aid loans (贷款). This experience has been interesting and yet upsetting as sometimes it was difficult to balance work, school and home life. I have learned a lot about psychology and myself. For example, I like writing about current events, relationships and traveling. I thought my English composition was ordinary, but after taking a few classes at Walden University, I have improved my English composition and it has made me feel confident enough to start writing professionally. Now I am a freelancer (自由撰稿人) and I am only three classes away from getting my bachelor’s degree in psychology. It is one of the best decisions I have made in my life.
1.What did the author study in the first place when he was in college?
A. Psychology.
B. Commercial art.
C. International business.
D. English composition.
2. What does the underlined part “pros and cons” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. Education of a university.
B. Suggestions and conditions.
C. Advantages and disadvantages.
D. Difficulty that may appear.
3.Why was the author nervous about taking online classes?
A. Some of his friends didn’t think highly of the classes.
B. He felt that he had not enough time to study.
C. The college entrance exam is very difficult.
D. He was afraid that he could not afford the online classes.
4.We can know from the passage that the author _____.
A. was unable to find a full-time job
B. is most interested in psychology
C. prefers to make a living by writing
D. paid his schooling by working hard
There are four main areas when it comes to your dog’s body language — his ears and face, eyes, nose and tail. If you pay attention to those things, you’ll find you are able to easily understand how your dog is feeling.
Ears and face
The head of a dog is more expressive than you think. If you say a word that he recognizes, like his name or something you say often, his ears will get up. His mouth is another good instruction. A mouth that is wide open to pant (喘气) with some sound suggests that the dog is happy — some people even say when a dog is panting, he is laughing as he cools himself. A tongue sticking out suggests that the dog is in a good mood.
Eyes
To a dog, purple and blue are both seen as shades of blue. Red is seen as black or dark grey. Orange, yellow and green are seen as various shades of yellow. This means that, to a dog, bright orange toys are the same yellow shade. If you want your dog to clearly see his toys in the green grass you’d better give the dog blue toys; if you have orange, yellow or green toys, the dog will be able to find them with his nose.
Nose
A dog can both sniff and breathe through his nose. Breathing is for air, but when dogs sniff with short breaths they are actually following some scents (气味) with his keen (灵敏的) nose. When a dog is overheated, his sense of smell is reduced by as much as 40 percent and he uses the air to cool himself rather than for smelling. Puppies’ noses can help find their mother when their eyes and ears are closed. The function will disappear by the time they are adults.
Tail
Lastly, you need to pay attention to your dog’s tail, because it shows what he is thinking and feeling. A dog that is in a good mood will have a tail that seems to be going a mile a minute — wagging, and excited. However, an angry or frightened dog will have his tail between his legs.
1.The author’s purpose in writing the first paragraph is to _____.
A. advise you to look after your dog
B. introduce the topic of the passage
C. explain what is body language
D. call on anyone to protect dogs
2.When your dog feels happy, he will _____.
a. keep his mouth wide open soundlessly
b. bark all the time in front of you
c. open his mouth to breathe with some sound
d. keep his tongue sticking out
A. a, b B. c, d C. a, d D. b, c
3.Why does your dog use his nose when looking for orange, yellow or green toys in the grass?
A. Because he wants to show how keen his nose is.
B. Because his nose is keener than his eyes in the open air.
C. Because he can’t tell the difference between toys and grass.
D. Because these colors are all shades of yellow in his eyes.
4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the last two parts “Nose” and “Tail”?
A. Adult dogs can’t use their nose to find their mothers.
B. When a dog feels too hot, he will lose his sense of smell.
C. Dogs often sniff with short breaths when they feel sad.
D. A dog’s tail can’t show his feelings unless he is frightened.
Would it surprise you to learn that, like animals, trees communicate with each other and pass on their wealth to the next generation?
UBC Professor Simard explains how trees are much more complex than most of us ever imagined. Although Charles Darwin thought that trees are competing for survival of the fittest, Simard shows just how wrong he was. In fact, the opposite is true: trees survive through their co-operation and support, passing around necessary nutrition “depending on who needs it”.
Nitrogen（氮）and carbon are shared through miles of underground fungi（真菌） networks, making sure that all trees in the forest ecological system give and receive just the right amount to keep them all healthy. This hidden system works in a very similar way to the networks of neurons（神经元）in our brains, and when one tree is destroyed, it affects all.
Simard talks about “mother trees”, usually the largest and oldest plants on which all other trees depend. She explains how dying trees pass on the wealth to the next generation, transporting important minerals to young trees so they may continue to grow. When humans cut down “mother trees” with no awareness of these highly complex “tree societies” or the networks on which they feed, we are reducing the chances of survival for the entire forest.
“We didn't take any notice of it .” Simard says sadly. “Dying trees move nutrition into the young trees before dying, but we never give them chance.” If we could put across the message to the forestry industry, we could make a huge difference towards our environmental protection efforts for the future.
1.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Old Trees Communicate Like Humans
B. Young Trees Are In Need Of Protection
C. Trees Contribute To Our Society
D. Trees Are More Complex Than You Think
2.In Simard's opinion, trees _______
A. compete for survival
B. protect their own wealth
C. depend on each other
D. provide support for dying trees
3.We can learn from the passage that____________.
A. “mother trees” are usually of no use to other trees.
B. Charles Darwin had the same thought as Simard.
C. if “mother trees” are cut down, the survival for the entire forest will be affected.
D. people know much about the complex “tree societies”.
4.The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refers to_________.
A. how “tree societies” work
B. how trees grow old
C. how forestry industry develops
D. how young trees survive
Winnie-the-Pooh
By A. A. Milne
Winnie-the-Pooh has been introduced and reintroduced to generation after generation as a model of a child’s best friend. However, not everyone has found Pooh is lovely. This classic has been banned in a variety of countries at one point. So why would anyone ever want to keep children from the joy of Milne’s classic? In the case of Russia, Winnie-the-Pooh was banned in 2009 because of alleged Nazi (纳粹党的) ties.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
By Frank Baum
Originally published in the year 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is one of the foundations of the fairytale genre. Who, then, would seek to ban a book that has become so important to the American experience?
America is that who. The Detroit Library banned The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1957 for having no value for children.
Charlotte’s Web
By E. B. White
White’s tale of the relationship between two unexpected creatures, a spider and a pig, has been drawing children in for over half a century. Published in 1952, this classic has been readily available on most library shelves for children to read. However, some people would like to make this book never see the light of day.
In one extreme case, a school in England banned Charlotte’s Web for fear that the pig Wilbur might be offensive (冒犯的) to Muslim students. Fortunately, the Muslim Council of Britain saw the foolishness of this ban, so the book was quickly restored to its right place on the shelves.
Where the Wild Things Are
By Maurice Sendak
Though its first copy was published fifty years ago, this book hasn’t always been readily available in libraries and in stores. After its release, Where the Wild Things Are was banned in libraries all across the U.S. for its dark tone and unruly leading characters. Nowadays, you’ll find far fewer libraries that still hold this ban.
1.The books which were once banned in the same country are ______.
A. Charlotte’s Web and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
B. Where the Wild Things Are and Winnie-the-Pooh
C. Where the Wild Things Are and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
D. Winnie-the-Pooh and Charlotte’s Web
2.Wilbur is the character of the book _______.
A. Charlotte’s Web.
B. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
C. Winnie-the-Pooh.
D. Where the Wild Things Are.
3.Who are the intended readers of the four books mentioned in the passage?
A. Parents. B. Children. C. Teachers. D. Critics.
