As the population of the planet increases, so does the number of homes, businesses, parking lots, schools, airports and roadways. All these structures use electricity and need to be lighted. Humans demand these lights. They want their homes more comfortable and they want their streets safe. The problem is that researchers are finding that all the light is having a negative effect on humans and wildlife as well.
Less than 10 years ago I drove to a thinly populated section of my town, lay down in the middle of the road and watched an attractive meteor shower (流星雨). The area was short of homes, street lights and traffic. If I did that today, I wouldn't be able to see the meteor shower as well. Due to the increase in street lights, I would surely be run over by a car.
Nowadays scientists are finding light pollution can be almost as bad as carbon dioxide pollution. If you've ever taken a flight at night, the view is beautiful, but you must remember that all the light you see wastes electricity. The crew of the space shuttles see an even bigger picture of how extensive the wasted electricity is worldwide.
One of the saddest parts of light pollution is that most of it is unnecessary and most of the outdoor light that we use is wasted. One only needs to look at a row of street lights to see how much of the light shines upwards and lights the sky: a total waste of electricity.
Additionally, somewhere electricity needs to be produced, and the production of electricity creates pollution by releasing greenhouse gases. This affects the air we breathe and our quality of life.
Scientists are also studying the effects of light pollution on wildlife. Thousands of birds die each year when they crash into highly lighted buildings, as they become puzzled by the light. It has been long known that tiny baby sea turtles become lost and follow lights on the shore instead of heading towards the sea.
Fortunately, light pollution is one of the easiest sources of pollution that can be corrected without a negative effect. Following some guidelines and a little searching on Google can give you many ideas on how to reduce your contribution to light pollution.
1. It is implied in Paragraph 3 that the best way to deal with light pollution is ________.
A. reducing the output of the lights
B. avoiding the use of unnecessary lighting
C. educating people about light pollution
D. inventing environmentally- friendly lights
2.Which of the following is the effect of light pollution?
A. Many animals species have died out.
B. More traffic accidents happen every day.
C. The air we breathe may be polluted.
D. It is much easier for us to watch meteor showers.
3.What can be inferred from the text?
A. We are almost at a loss how to deal with light pollution.
B. Global warming results in light pollution in some way.
C. Astronauts can’t see clearly in space nowadays.
D. Some animals use natural light to direct their movements.
4.What will probably be provided following the last paragraph?
A. Helpful tips for surfing the Internet.
B. approaches to decreasing light pollution.
C. Benefits of searching on Google.
D. More bad effects of light pollution.
Most mornings, the line begins to form at dawn: scores of silent women with babies on their backs, buckets balanced on their heads, and in each hand a bright-blue plastic jug. On good days, they will wait less than an hour before a water tanker goes across the dirt path that serves as a road in Kesum Purbahari, a slum on the southern edge of New Delhi. On bad days, when there is no electricity for the pumps, the tankers don’t come at all. “That water kills people,” a young mother named Shoba said one recent Saturday morning, pointing to a row of pails filled with thick, caramel (焦糖)-colored liquid. “Whoever drinks it will die.” The water was from a pipe shared by thousands of people in the poor neighborhood. Women often use it to wash clothes and bathe their children, but nobody is desperate enough to drink it.
There is no standard for how much water a person needs each day, but experts usually put the minimum at fifty liters. The government of India promises (but rarely provides) forty. Most people drink two or three liters—less than it takes to wash a toilet. The rest is typically used for cooking and bathing. Americans consume between four hundred and six hundred liters of water each day, more than any other people on earth. Most Europeans use less than half that. The women of Kesum Purbahari each hoped to drag away a hundred liters that day—two or three buckets’ worth. Shoba has a husband and five children, and that much water doesn’t go far in a family of seven, particularly when the temperature reaches a hundred and ten degrees before noon. She often makes up the difference with bottled water, which costs more than water delivered any other way. Sometimes she just buys milk; it’s cheaper. Like the poorest people everywhere, the people of New Delhi’s slums spend a far greater percentage of their incomes on water than anyone lucky enough to live in a house connected to a system of pipes.
1.The underlined word “slum” most likely means ______.
A. a village
B. a small town
C. a poor area of a town with badly-built, over-crowded buildings
D. the part of a town that lacks water
2.Sometimes the water tanker doesn’t come because ______.
A. the weather is bad
B. there is no electricity
C. there is no water
D. people don’t want the dirty water
3.Which of the following statements is wrong?
A. water is the biggest expense for people in New Delhi’s slums
B. Shoba has a family of seven people
C. in Kesum Purbahari milk is cheaper than bottled water
D. Americans uses the largest amount of water each day
4.The passage mainly tells us ______.
A. how women in Kesum Purbahari gets their water
B. how much water a day a person deeds
C. that India lacks water badly
D. how India government manages to solve the problem of water
February 4, 2012 saw the take-off of a new rising NBA star-Jeremy Lin.
Among professional basketball players, Jeremy Lin's background is not typical. He graduated from Harvard University, which sends few players to the NBA, and he is the only Chinese-American NBA player. But when you watch him on the court, there is no doubt that he belongs there. He moves with speed and grace that demonstrate years of faithful practice, which is fueled by a love for basketball.
Lin's enjoyment of basketball actually began in Taiwan. When Lin's father moved to U.S., his interest in the sport only grew and he passed on this love of basketball to his son, introducing him to the game at the age of five. The young Lin spent much of his youth playing basketball for fun.
In high school, Lin dreamed of playing in the NBA. When he applied for college, he was not offered a single sports scholarship. However, after his admission to Harvard, he was offered a place on its college basketball team.
During Lin's time at Harvard, his basketball career began to speed up. He scored 1,482 points, making him one of the highest scorers in Ivy League history.
When he graduated, no professional teams offered Lin a contract, but he was invited to play in the NBA Summer League. He played well and ended up eagerly signing a contract with the Golden State Warriors.
At first，playing in professional games filled Lin with excitement. He treasured opportunities to meet players he had been watching on TV for years. But slowly, the excitement wore off and was replaced by anxiety. In a few very difficult months, he was cut by two teams before the New York Knicks picked him up.
But he had the courage and determination to stick to his dream, so he put himself into hard training to get ready for his opportunity to come. Then his moment arrived on February 4, 2012，on which his excellent performance made him famous overnight. After that, he led the Knicks to their fifth straight victory.
The Associated Press called Lin "the most surprising story in the NBA". Knicks fans developed the nickname for him "Linsanity" (林来疯）. Time magazine released its 2012 list of the 100 "Most Influential People in the World", Jeremy Lin included.
No doubt, Lin fever is continuing to spread. If you haven't already caught "Linsanity", get ready.
1.Which of the following elements is of little help in Lin's success?
A. his father's influence
B. his devotion to basketball
C. his years of hard work
D. his graduation from Harvard University
2.What does the phrases "wore off" in seventh paragraph probably mean?
A. arose B. disappeared C. grew D. remained
3.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Lin learned to play basketball when he was eight.
B. Before Lin there was no Chinese-American NBA players.
C. Lin was excited for professional games and did a good job at the beginning.
D. Lin is the most outstanding player in NBA.
4.Which is the right order for Lin's life?
a. He made an excellent performance on Feb,4.
b. He was fired by the Golden State Warriors.
c. He was invited to play in the NBA Summer League.
d. He graduated from Harvard University.
e. He became famous overnight.
A. a, d, c, b, e B. d, b, c, a, e
C. d, c, b, a, e D. a, e, d, c, b
Homestay provides English language students with the opportunity to speak English outside the classroom and the experience of being part of a British home.
What to Expect
The host will provide accommodation and meals. Rooms will be cleaned and bedcovers changed at least once a week. You will be given the house key and the host is there to offer help and advice as well as to take an interest in your physical and mental health.
Accommodation Zones
Homestays are located in London mainly in Zones2, 3 and 4 of the transport system. Most hosts do not live in the town centre as much of central London is commercial and not residential(居住的). Zones 3 and 4 often offer larger accommodation in a less crowned area. It is very convenient to travel in London by Underground.
Meal Plans Available
♢ Continental Breakfast
♢ Breakfast and Dinner
♢ Breakfast, Packed Lunch and Dinner
It’s important to note that few English families still provide a traditional cooked breakfast. Your accommodation includes Continental Breakfast which normally consists of fruit juice, cereal（谷物类食品），bread and tea or coffee. Cheese, fruit and cold meat are not normally part of a Continental Breakfast in England. Dinners usually consist of meat or fish with vegetables followed by dessert, fruit and coffee.
Friends
If you wish to invite a friend over to visit, you must first ask your host’s permission. You have no right to entertain friends in a family home as some families feel it is an invasion of their privacy.
Self-Catering Accommodation in Private Homes
Accommodation on a room-only basis includes shared kitchen and bathroom facilities and often a main living room. This kind of accommodation offers an independent lifestyle and is more suitable for the long-stay student. However, it does not provide the same family atmosphere as an ordinary homestay and may not benefit those who need to practice English at home quite as much.
1..The passage is probably written for________.
A. host willing to receive foreign students
B. foreigners hoping to build British culture
C. travellers planning to visit families in London
D. English learners applying to live in English homes
2.What can be inferred from this passage?
A. a Continental Breakfast normally consists of bread, fruit and tea or coffee
B. you cannot invite your friend over to a visit as it is an invasion of your host’s privacy.
C. Zone 4 is less crowded than Zone 2.
D. Accommodation in the city centre is not provided.
3.Why do some people choose self-catering accommodation?
A. To experience a warmer family atmosphere.
B. To enrich their knowledge of English.
C. To entertain friends as they like.
D. To enjoy much more freedom.
书面表达
假如你是李华。你的美国笔友Martin正在某中文学校学习汉语，他来信向你咨询如何学好汉语。请你写一封回信，给他提一些建议。
注意：词数120左右。
Dear Martin,
_____________________________________________________________________
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Yours,
Li Hua
短文改错
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Last Monday, my classmate and I saw some people gathering around in our way to school. In order to see what was happening, so we got close enough and found an old woman lie on the ground. The people around her just stand there, watching and chatting. We were worried about her and decided to take her to the hospital immediate. It turned out that she lost her balance but fell. She had to stay in hospital, so we called her family. Soon his son came and thanked us by offering us money. We refused money and left. Hurried to school, we found we were late. To our delight though, our teacher praised us for that we had done and we felt very proud.
