To be sure, only children experienced some things differently from those with sisters and brothers. Many feel more pressure to succeed. They also tend to look only to their parents as role models in the absence of brothers and sisters.
In India, 10-year-old Saviraj Sankpal founded a support group for the tiny minority(少数) of only children. Among other things, the group does volunteer work to fight against the false idea that they are not responsible. "People think we’re treated too kindly and ruined," says Sankpal, a computer engineering student. "But I'd like to remind them how lonely it can get."
Most only children, however, say they wish for sisters or brothers only when it comes to caring for aging, unhealthy parents. Britain's David Emerson, co-author of the book The Only Child, says that such a person has to make all the decisions alone. Emerson knows from experience. After his father died, he chose to move his elderly mother from their family home, where she was vulnerable (易受攻击的) to house breakers, to a new one with more safety. "The move was quite hard on her, and she might feel that I pushed her into it, "he says, "After all, I am left with that responsibility."
In the future, more and more only children will probably face similar choices. With working mothers increasing, many families are finding they simply don't have the time, money or energy to have more than one child. As only children become common, perhaps the world will realize that the charge made against them is unfair.
1.The author’s attitude towards only children is .
A. Critical B. Objective
C. Hostile D. Unjust
2.It can be inferred from the passage that only children's parents should ___________.
A. found a support group for their only children
B. do volunteer work to help their only children
C. let their only children make all the decisions alone
D. set good examples for their only children
3.Emerson decided to move his elderly mother to a new house because he ___________.
A. is the only one who cares about her
B. doesn't want to leave her alone
C. wants to share the responsibility with her
D. is worried about her safety
4.The main idea of the passage is that ________.
A. only children are ruined and irresponsible
B. only children have to face many challenges
C. most only children want to have brothers and sisters
D. most only children share their responsibility with their parents
Dogs are our best friends. That’s especially true after a disaster, such as an earthquake. When buildings fall down, search and rescue dogs help find trapped people. Dogs’ amazing noses can pick up the smell of survivors. Now scientists have developed an electronic tool that does the same thing. It’s taking smell detection(探测) to a whole new level.
The new invention is a sort of electronic nose, which can detect extremely low levels of many compounds(化合物) from people’s skin. This isn’t the first time engineers have developed such an object. Earlier models, however, have been bulky and expensive. They could not detect low levels of target compounds either. The new one is inexpensive and small enough to fit inside hand-held equipment.
The electronic nose can detect extremely slight smell of more than one compound at the same time. "Being able to do this, in such a small object, is the significant discovery," says Sotiris E. Pratsinis, Professor of Process Engineering&Materials Science at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. His team tested it in special spaces. They were like the small spaces where people might be trapped. Chemicals given off by the volunteers built up inside. The electronic equipment detected those compounds at unbelievably low levels.
The results were good news for the research team. But they may be not for our four-legged friends, who could soon be out of a job. "Ideally, this technology could replace search and rescue dogs," Pratsinis says.
Stephen Taylor, an electrical engineer, agrees that the new technology has some benefits over dogs. Still, he thinks it may be too soon to have our trusty friends retire. He suspects, "I foresee that such an object could add to the fine work done by the dogs." Taylor also pointed out some potential limitations of the new invention. "E-noses are useful, but can be very likely to be affected by unstable readings and interruption," he says.
1.Why does the author talk about dogs at the beginning?
A. To catch the readers’ attention.
B. To introduce the topic about e-noses.
C. To show what search and rescue dogs do.
D. To add background information for discussion.
2.Which of the following best explains "bulky" underlined in paragraph 2?
A. Complex B. Fragile
C. Handy D. Large
3.What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?
A. What e-noses’ working principle is.
B. How e-noses are made.
C. What differences between dogs and e-noses are.
D. How powerful e-noses are.
4.What does Stephen Taylor mean?
A. Dogs and e-noses could work together.
B. Search and rescue dogs will retire soon.
C. E-noses are more reliable than noses of dogs.
D. Dogs are better at finding out trapped people.
My wife and I went to this vegan(严格的素食主义的) restaurant to give it a try. As we were eating our pepper and salt tofu, a young lady named Debra walked in. She wasn't aware that the place is vegan and was looking for some meat. My wife and I talked up the place and invited her over to try some of our tofu. Debra tried it, nodded and went out.
After a few minutes, she and her mother both walked back in. We were having the rest of our meal at that time, so we told her what we had ordered. Debra then asked the waitress to just repeat our order for them. Next , Debra said. "And we want to pay for their meal", pointing to my wife and me. We tried to say no, but Debra wouldn't listen.
That was not the end ofit. Hugs were in order. Debra came over to our table and my wife got up to hug her. Debra hugged my wife and put $ 100 into her hand. My wife firmly said NO, but Debra insisted. Debra kept talking about our kindness, and we did the same about hers and her mother's.With tears in the eyes, the workers were blown away by this whole exchange between four strangers.I left the waiters and waitresses a tip that would cover all ofour meals and we were on our way.
I've been witnessing so much kindness, especially over the last few years, as I began to pay more attention. We now have a new favorite restaurant and every time we go there my plan is to pay for someone else's meal.
1.Why did Debra go out after trying some tofu?
A. To bring her mother in. B. To look after her mother.
C. To get away from the food. D. To Iook for another restaurant
2.What did Debra insist on?
A. Hugging the author's wife B. Ordering a meal for the author
C. Treating the author and his wife D. Tipping the waiters and waitress
3.How did the workers feel when seeing the exchange between four strangers?
A. Curious B. Funny
C. Surprised D. Touched
4.What can we know about the author and Debra?
A. They've been friends. B. They were both vegan
C. They met forvthe first time D. They once worked together
Visit Nashville, Tennessee, the capital of country music and the home of the Grand Ole Opry. Forty -day bus tour starts from Pittsburgh.
Departures August 23, September 13, September 27, October 11, October 25.
$185 per person based on double occupancy. Includes private motor coach from Pittsburgh, hotel rooms, reserved tickets for the Grand Ole Opry. Country Festival Friday and Saturday nights, sightseeing tour of Nashville, admissions to places of interest.
For information, free booklets, and reservations, call 4212 — 6060. Travel and Tours, 2245 Market Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219. 14-day advanced booking required. Visa and Master Card payment welcome.
1.Why is Nashville an interesting city to visit? Because it is ________.
A. easy to travel around B. famous for country music
C. an old city D. a beautiful city
2.If you plan to join the tour on September 27, on what date should you book your ticket?
A. August27. B. October13.
C. September13. D. September 26.
3.Visa and Master Card are most probably the names of _________.
A. newspapers B. clubs
C. telephone cards D. credit cards
假定你是李华，你的朋友Mike要来中国学习，想在就读的学校附近租房子。现在你已经为他找好了房子，请你给他回一封email，向他介绍该房子的情况。
内容包括：
1. 房子基本情况(位置、大小、设施及租金等)；
2. 房东要求。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Mike,
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
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：在错的词下划一横线，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。
I have two pets, Polly and Sally. They are green-and-blue parrot. Their home is a shady tree in the garden where they are freely to fly from branch to branch. There has a wooden box for them in a tree. This is their nest, where they sleep at night there and take shelter whenever it rain. Every morning, after clean their nest, I feed them with some seeds and give them a bowl water to drink. They are pretty and lively birds. This is really interesting watching their movements, because I never feel dull spending my time with them.
