People typically wash their hands seven times a day in the United States, but they do it at a far higher temperature than is necessary to kill germs, a new study says. The energy waste is equivalent to the fuel use of a small country.Amanda R. Carrico, a research assistant professor at the Vanderbilt Institute for Energy and Environment in Tennessee, told National Geographic that hand washing is often “a case where people act in ways that they think are in their best interest, but they in fact have inaccurate beliefs or outdated perceptions.”
Carrico said, “It’s certainly true that heat kills bacteria, but if you were going to use hot water to kill them it would have to be a way too hot for you to tolerate.”
Carrico said that after a review of the scientific literature, her team found “no evidence that using hot water that a person could stand would have any benefit in killing bacteria.” Even water as cold as 40°F (4.4°C) appeared to reduce bacteria as well as hotter water, if hands were scrubbed, rinsed(冲洗)and dried properly.
Using hot water to wash hands is therefore unnecessary, as well as wasteful, Carrico said, particularly when it comes to the environment. According to her research, people use warm or hot water 64 percent of the time when they wash their hands. Using that number, Carrico’s team calculated a significant impact on the planet.
“Although the choice of water temperature during a single hand wash may appear unimportant, when multiplied by the nearly 800 billion hand washes performed by Americans each year, this practice results in more than 6 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions annually,” she said.
The researchers published their results in the July 2013 issue of International Journal of Consumer Studies. They recommended washing with water that is at a “comfortable” temperature, which they noted may be warmer in cold months and cooler in hot ones.
1.What’s the meaning of what Carrico told National Geographic in the second paragraph?
A. People are more concerned about their health and begin to wash their hands.
B. It’s important for people to wash their hands to keep healthy.
C. Generally, people’s hand washing behaviors and perceptions are not correct.
D. People like washing their hands very much.
2.The figures in the passage are used to show that __________.
A. using hot water to wash hands has a bad influence on our planet.
B. air pollution has become more and more serious.
C. using hot water to wash hands is a waste of energy.
D. people should pay more attention to the environment around us.
3.This passage is organized in the pattern of __________.
A. fact and opinion B. cause and effect
C. definition and classification D. time and events
4.What can we learn from the passage?
A. It’s necessary and useful for people to wash their hands frequently every day.
B. We can wash our hands with water that is at a “comfortable” temperature.
C. Using cold water to wash hands is necessary and much healthier.
D. Hot water can’t kill germs.
Winter solstice(冬至), an important solar term in the traditional Chinese calendar, as the name implies, means the coming of winter. It generally occurs between December 21st and 23rd. According to the traditional Chinese calendar, one year is divided into twenty-four solar terms. On this day, in the Northern Hemisphere the period of daytime is the shortest of the year and the period of night is the longest.
In Northern China there is a custom of eating dumplings during winter solstice. The tradition of eating dumplings during winter solstice has its origin in early times. It is said that dumplings were invented by Zhang Zhongjing, a well-known doctor from the Eastern-Han Dynasty.
One winter, he noticed that many people’s ears were frozen, which made him sad. In order to prevent and cure the freezing injury caused by the cold, he asked his followers to boil mutton, chilies and other ingredients with medicinal properties in a pot for fending off cold. After these were boiled, they ladled(舀取) the mutton and other ingredients out of the pot, cut them into pieces, and then wrapped them with dough skins in the shape of ears. Afterward, they put these into pots to boil again.
On the day of the winter solstice, the people whose ears were frozen were sent to eat the dumplings. People who ate it felt warm from head to toe and had their cold injury healed. Thereafter, every winter solstice people ate dumplings. Then there became a saying that if you eat dumplings during the winter solstice, then you won’t freeze your ears off.
Afterwards, Zhang Zhongjing died on the day of winter solstice. In order to honor him, every year on the day of the winter solstice every household makes dumplings.
1.Which of the following should be the best title of the passage?
A. The Custom Of Eating Dumplings B. The Inventor Of Dumplings
C. The Importance Of Eating Dumplings D. The Origin Of Winter Solstice
2.According to the passage, people make dumplings to eat every winter solstice because __________.
A. they want to honor Zhang Zhongjing, who invented dumplings to cure peoples freezing injury
B. they want to celebrate the important solar term in the traditional Chinese calendar
C. dumplings boiled with mutton, chilies and other ingredients with medicinal properties taste delicious
D. they can feel warm from head to toe and have their freezing injury healed
3.What does the underlined phrase “fending off” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Put off. B. Put out.
C. Keep up. D. Keep out.
4.According to the passage, which is TRUE about the following description?
A. Winter solstice is the most important among twenty-four solar terms.
B. Australia in the Southern Hemisphere has the longest period of daytime on Winter Solstice.
C. If people don’t eat dumplings, they will have their ears frozen off.
D. China has the longest period of daytime on Winter Solstice.
I first met Paul Newman in 1968, when George Roy Hill, the director of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, introduced us in New York City. When the studio didn’t want me for the film - it wanted somebody as well known as Paul — he stood up for me. I don’t know how many people would have done that; they would have listened to their agents or the studio powers.
The friendship that grew out of the experience of making that film and The Sting four years later had its root in the fact that although there was an age difference, we both came from a tradition of theater and live TV. We were respectful of craft(技艺) and focused on digging into the characters we were going to play. Both of us had the qualities and virtues that are typical of American actors: humorous, aggressive, and making fun of each other — but always with an underlying affection. Those were also at the core(核心) of our relationship off the screen.
We shared the brief that if you’re fortunate enough to have success, you should put something back — he with his Newman’s Own food and his Hole in the Wall camps for kids who are seriously ill, and me with Sundance and the institute and the festival. Paul and I didn’t see each other all that regularly, but sharing that brought us together. We supported each other financially and by showing up at events.
I last saw him a few months ago. He’d been in and out of the hospital. He and I both knew what the deal was, and we didn’t talk about it. Ours was a relationship that didn’t need a lot of words.
1.Why was the studio unwilling to give the role to author at first?
A. Paul Newman wanted it.
B. The studio powers didn’t like his agent.
C. He wasn’t famous enough.
D. The director recommended someone else.
2.Why did Paul and the author have a lasting friendship?
A. They were of the same age.
B. They worked in the same theater.
C. They were both good actors.
D. They han similar charactertics.
3.What does the underlined word “that” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. Their belief.
B. Their care for children.
C. Their success.
D. Their support for each other.
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the test?
A. To show his love of films.
B. To remember a friend.
C. To introduce a new movie.
D. To share his acting experience.
Washington, D.C. Bicycle Tours
Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.
Duration: 3 hours
This small group bike tour is a fantastic way to see a world-famous cherry trees with beautiful flowers of Washington, D.C. Your guide will provide a history lesson about the trees and the famous monuments where they blossom. Reserve your spot before availability — the cherry blossoms—disappear!
Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour
Duration: 3 hours (4 miles)
Join a guided bike tour and view some of the most popular monuments in Washington, D.C. Explore the monuments and memorials on the National Mall as your guide shares unique facts and history at each stop. Guided tour includes bike, helmet, cookies and bottled water.
Capital City Bike Tour In Washington, D.C.
Duration: 3 hours
Morning or Afternoon, this bike tour is the perfect tour for D. C. newcomers and locals looking to experience Washington, D.C. in a healthy way with minimum effort. Knowledgeable guides will entertain you with the most, interesting stories about Presidents, Congress, memorials, and parks. Comfortable bikes and a smooth tour route(路线) make cycling between the sites fun and relaxing.
Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour
Duration: 3 hours (7miles)
Join a small group bike tour for an evening of exploration in the heart of Washington, D.C. Get up close to the monuments and memorials as you bike the sites of Capitol Hill and the National Mall. Frequent stops are made for photo taking as your guide offers unique facts and history. Tour includes bike, helmet, and bottled water. All riders are equipped with reflective vests and safety lights.
1.Which tour do you need to book in advance?
A. Cherry Blossom like Tour in Washington, D.C.
B. Washington capital Monuments Bicycle Tour.
C. Capital City Bike Tour in Washington.
D. Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour.
2.What will you do on the Capital City Bike Tour?
A. Meet famous people. B. Go to a national park.
C. Visit well-known museums. D. Enjoy interesting stories.
3.Which of the following does the bicycle tour at night provide?
A. City maps. B. Cameras.
C. Meals. D. Safety lights.
有些家长要求自己的孩子住校学习，而有些同学却不喜欢住校，双方各持己见。有关信息如下：
家长的理由 | 同学们的理由 |
1. 方便(convenient)问同学或老师问题 2. 可以更好的利用晚上时间去学习 3．学会自己照顾自己， 4. 更好的和同学相处；互相帮助 | 1. 晚上有更多自习时间 2．学习内容可以自由支配 3. 更多和父母交流 4. 可以适当放松自己（听音乐；看电视……） |
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.文章的开头已为你写好，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：住校board(v.)
There is a discussion whether to board in the school or at home.
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文,请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误,每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改:在错的词下画一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
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。
Dear Sir，
Thank you for invite me to the Summer English Course in your school. As for your choice between the two courses, I prefer the four-week course because of this will allow me more time to do some traveling but make a few new friends. Of all the subject I'm learning at school, I like English best. I had been learning English for eleven years but my spoken English remains poor. So I real hope to take this chance to improve it. If possible, I'd like to stay with a family for a couple of days in order to I can know some customs in England, that I'm particularly interested in. I believe I will have wonderful time this summer.
Yours truly，
Li Hua
