Two things I really believe in --- saving money and saving the planet, and it’s even better when I can do something that accomplishes both at the same time. Rainwater harvesting is just such a thing. In the near future, rainwater harvesting will be as common as twelve-year-old girls carrying cell phones.
Many countries already rely heavily on rainwater. Every building in these countries collects the rainwater from its roof and stores it for later use. However, America is just slightly slow to take action.
There are many ways to harvest rainwater and most of them are easy and inexpensive. For example, use rain barrels（桶）to collect the water that would run off your roof. You’d be surprised at how fast a fifty-gallon（加仑）barrel will be filled with free, usable water. New building construction offers some good ways to gather rainwater, and the cost of set-up is usually made up by reduced usage very quickly. Rainwater can be conveyed by roof pipes into underground containers, where a pump can draw water up as needed.
The rainwater can even be treated to make it drinkable. If that rainwater were not collected, but allowed to run over your lawn（草坪）, into the street and eventually to a storm water treatment facility, it would pick up all sorts of pollutants on its journey --- chemical compositions and agricultural poisons from the grass, motor oil, waste water and such from the roads, and who knows what else. That is to say, the shorter distance it covers the more drinkable it will be.
Depending on where you live, the rainwater may be piped to a treatment plant or it may run in natural channels to allow nature to remove the pollutants. Either way, the treatment of rainwater is high priced. If you reduce the amount of rainwater run-off from your home or office, you reduce the need for treatment.
Water is rapidly becoming one of our most precious resources and it is not as abundant as you may think. In the year 2015, the United States used generally 479 billion gallons of fresh water per day.
1.According to the passage, harvesting rainwater can ______.
A．help us save money and be good for the environment
B．help us realize the importance of water
C．promote the development of economy and peace
D．make us live a better life in the near future
2.What could we learn from the first and the second Paragraph?
A．Little girls can save money by carrying cell phones.
B．Many countries can’t afford to harvest rainwater.
C．Harvesting rainwater in America is not that common.
D．Rainwater harvesting is mainly adopted by developed countries.
3.What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?
A．How to take advantage of rainwater.
B．How to fix the equipment under the ground.
C．How to reduce the cost of the equipment.
D．How to harvest rainwater.
4.What is the best time for people to harvest rainwater for drinking?
A．Before it is piped to a treatment plant.
B．After it runs over your lawn.
C．After it runs into the street.
D．Before it drops from the roof.
5.It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A．it is easy to make rainwater drinkable
B．the author calls on people to harvest rainwater
C．many countries ignore to harvest rainwater
D．it is easy to deal with the pollutants from rainwater
Not willing to pay $400 for a basic room or upwards of $1,200 for a suite（套房）at a luxury（豪华的）hotel? We hear you. In the past, this meant having to put up with cheap hotels. Essentially, you got what you paid for. But all that’s changed, as mid-level hotels have begun competing for a population that travels more then ever. Even in New York and San Francisco --- two of the most expensive cities in the country --- one can find comfortable, affordable options with much modern conveniences. We searched the country for the best hotels under $150.
Hotel 340
St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
This twelve-storey（层）English-renaissance（文艺复兴）building once served as a downtown clubhouse for St. Paul’s outstanding people; today, the repaired structure houses the hotel on the top three floors. Its 35 rooms stand out for hardwood floors, marble showers and nice views of the Mississippi River, and room comforts include iPod docks（基座）, free local and national telephone calls and coffee makers. The University Club of St. Paul, a grand hall bar, and an all-new-60,000-square-foot fitness center（free for guests）also share space in the building.
Marina Inn
San Francisco, California, USA
Located in the Marina district, where the streets are lined with luxury stores and great restaurants, the Marina Inn is the ideal place for business or pleasure. Few destinations offer the quality and variety of environment, scenery, entertainment, accommodation, and dining that waits for you here at the Marina Inn. It’s a ten-minute walk to Fisherman’s Wharf and there are abundant bus connections to take you anywhere in the city.
Hotel Havana
San Antonio, Texas, USA
When one thinks of his historic Texas town, usually the southwest comes to mind. So does Mexico. Since 1914, the hotel has served passers-by. The 27 rooms come in all shapes and sizes, many of which include Turkish carpets and elegant Cuban art on the walls. Bathrooms are distinguished with Red Flower body care products.
1.When you couldn’t afford a luxury hotel in the past, ______.
A．you could pay $400 for a basic room
B．you had to stay in a low-grade hotel
C．you could take a suite into account
D．you would have no comfortable place to live in
2.If you go to New York on business now, ______.
A．you have no choice but to choose luxury hotels
B．you can live comfortably with less money
C．you have to seek for the cheapest hotel
D．you may spend a lot of money for conveniences
3.When you select the Hotel 340, ______.
A．you can have a view of the Mississippi River
B．you can be free to visit thirty-five rooms there
C．you can be offered an iPod for free
D．you can live in its fitness center for free
4.What could we know about the Marina Inn?
A．It is located in San Antonio, Texas, USA.
B．It is short of wonderful entertainment.
C．It is convenient for people to do shopping.
D．It belongs to Fisherman’s Wharf.
5.What is the feature of the Hotel Havana?
A．The rooms in the hotel look the same.
B．The hotel moved here from Mexico.
C．The bathrooms are filled with flowers.
D．The hotel has existed for about a century.
阅读下面短文，掌握大意，然后从1~10各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A lesson from my mother will always stay with me.
I was in the third grade then. I had been ______ to be the princess in the school play, and for weeks my mother had practiced my ______ with me. But no matter how easily I delivered them at home, as soon as I stepped onstage, every word ______ from my head.
Finally, my teacher took me aside. She ______ that she had written a narrator’s（旁白）part to the play, and asked me to ______ roles. Her word, kindly delivered, still hurt me, especially ______ I saw my part go to another girl.
My mothe______ my ill feelings, although I didn’t tell her what had happened. ______suggesting we practice my lines, she asked if I wanted to______ in the yard.
It was a lovely spring day and the rose vine（藤）was turning ______ . Under the huge trees, we could see yellow dandelions（蒲公英）appearing. I watched my mother ______ to dig up some dandelions. “From now on, we’ll have only roses in this garden,” she said.
“But I like dandelions,” I said. “All ______ are beautiful --- even dandelions.” My mother looked at me ______ . “Yes, every flower gives pleasure in its own way, doesn’t it?” she asked. I ______ , pleased that I had won her over. “And that is ______ of people too,” she added. “Not everyone can be a princess, but there is no ______ in that.”
Knowing that she had guessed my ______ , I started to cry as I told her what had happened. She listened and smiled.
“But you will be a beautiful narrator,” she said, ______me of how much I loved to read stories aloud to her. “The narrator’s ______ is every bit as important as the part of a princess.”
Over the next few weeks, with her constant ______, I learned to take pride in the role.
1.A．judged B．picked C．refused D．paid
2.A．points B．films C．lines D．actions
3.A．disappeared B．occurred C．maintained D．came
4.A．promised B．admitted C．expected D．explained
5.A．provide B．switch C．share D．play
6.A．before B．since C．because D．when
7.A．accepted B．understood C．sensed D．received
8.A．Except for B．Instead of C．Apart from D．Along with
9.A．walk B．sleep C．perform D．dance
10.A．yellow B．green C．dark D．red
11.A．go back B．jump out C．break in D．bend down
12.A．trees B．flowers C．roses D．creatures
13.A．seriously B．angrily C．unwillingly D．coldly
14.A．disagreed B．sighed C．cried D．nodded
15.A．lucky B．worthy C．true D．free
16.A．doubt B．argument C．shame D．mercy
17.A．pain B．problem C．accident D．answer
18.A．reminding B．abusing C．informing D．persuading
19.A．voice B．name C．idea D．part
20.A．warning B．encouragement C．praise D．award
Paul could be a very attractive boy but he ______ to his behaviour.
A．paid no attention B．were paying no attention
C．pays no attention D．had paid no attention
My uncle finally bought his dream house ______ overlooks a beautiful park.
A．which B．where C．who D．what
--- Do you want to come along?
--- ______. I may stay at home to have a rest.
A．No problem B．Not likely
C．No way D．Not really
