阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
We all know clean water is important for good health. But now we also know we should watch 1. we keep our water in. Plastic bottles hardened with a dangerous material 2.(call) BPA can release a chemical into our water that harms our bodies. Since 2011, many countries 3.(ban) plastic with BPA from use in food containers and baby bottles. But are other non-BPA plastics safe?
Plastic labeled BPA-free might use other chemicals that have 4.(harm) health effects. 5.(Study) have shown that low levels of those chemicals might have the same effects as BPA. So, what should people do? The 6.(good) material to drink from is glass, 7. has no chemicals that can poison water.
Another good choice 8. a drink container is stainless steel. Stainless steel bottles are better than aluminum bottles, which are covered with a thin plastic 9.(protect) the metal from acids. There are many good food-grade stainless steel water bottles on the market.
If you do decide to use a reusable plastic water bottle, avoid 10.(keep) it in the sun. Sunlight and hot liquid speed up the release of chemicals into your drinking water.
Have you ever heard someone say that he can't see the forest for the trees? If so, you may have ____ what this curious phrase means. If you can see the trees, how is the forest not ____, too?
This popular phrase accurately describes situations in which people sometimes get so caught up with the ____ that they lose sight of the big picture. ____, you're paying so much attention to the trees that you forget that the trees are just part of a ____ forest.
This is a problem we all ____ from time to time. When observing our world, it’s easy to focus on the interesting details and ____ larger concepts. For ____, though, it's important to be able to focus on both the forest and the trees.
Since the ____ of scientific inquiry thousands of years ago, observations have been ____. The first scientists used their ____ to see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the world around them. Through these ____, they learned about their world and began to search for answers to the questions that ____ arose.
Today scientists ____ rely upon their five senses to make observations. However, they also take advantages of modern ____ to make observations with a wide variety of tools. These enable them to “see” the world in ways beyond what their five senses ____.
From satellite telescopes atomic microscopes, ____ scientists use these tools to observe the world in ways never ____ by early scientists. Some of these tools allow them to ____ small details while others help them to see the big ____.
1.A.wondered B.believed C.explained D.described
2.A.acceptable B.accessible C.visible D.possible
3.A.reasons B.problems C.effects D.details
4.A.In contrast B.In return C.In other words D.In the meantime
5.A.better B.larger C.clearer D.greener
6.A.seek out B.pass by C.agree on D.meet with
7.A.catch B.ignore C.comprehend D.misuse
8.A.observers B.farmers C.scientists D.leaders
9.A.beginning B.separation C.recovery D.removal
10.A.forgotten B.welcomed C.impossible D.important
11.A.senses B.feelings C.environments D.experiences
12.A.errors B.gifts C.observations D.inventions
13.A.luckily B.naturally C.exactly D.occasionally
14.A.even B.yet C.never D.still
15.A.technologies B.theories C.discoveries D.efforts
16.A.release B.allow C.prefer D.enjoy
17.A.famous B.young C.popular D.modern
18.A.imagined B.suggested C.remembered D.convinced
19.A.create B.study C.copy D.choose
20.A.cause B.change C.picture D.achievement
Learning to understand spoken English can be difficult. Learners must not only master new sounds, but also learn conversational idioms. That's a let to learn! But they may soon realize there is something else going on. 1. These different styles of speaking are called "registers". In their work, language experts identify three major factors that affect the register of spoken English: the place of the conversation, the relationship of the speakers, and the purpose of the conversation.
2. Even two best friends who work and live together may speak more formally to each other in the office. At home, one might say, "C'mon, I wanna leave." The same person at work might say, "Are you ready to go now?"
The relationship of the speakers also affects the language they use with each other. People speak less formally to friends and more formally to strangers. 3. People who know each other well might use more idioms and more slang in their speech. An angry woman might tell her daughter to "hush your mouth" and her sister to "quiet down".
Finally, the purpose of the conversation affects people's speech. A person who want to ease hurt feelings uses a soft, quiet tone. 4.
Few speakers realize that they change registers according to these factors. 5. We are not aware that we make these changes. We accept the changeability of the weather, but we often refuse to accept the changeability of speech.
A. In fact, most people strongly deny it.
B. People generally speak less at work than they do at home.
C. The very same person speaks differently in different situations.
D. Therefore, we should be careful not to hurt each other with our speech.
E. On the other hand, a person who wants to pick a fight speaks rapidly and loudly.
F. The place where the conversation takes place directly affects the language of the conversation
G. Because they already share information and experience with friends, they do not need to explain as much.
How affordable is high culture? One great myth of our time is that tickets for opera, theatre, ballet and orchestral (管弦乐) concerts are too expensive, especially for the young. This is infuriating as, in Britain, at least, the claim is ridiculous and offensive. The cheap tickets to hear London's orchestras range from £7 to £9 — same as a cinema ticket, and lower than the entry price to many pop music and comedy clubs. For comparison, when the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra performs with top soloists and conductors the cheapest seat is £30; and at the Berlin Philharmonic, it's an expensive £46.
Finding cheap tickets to the opera and ballet isn't so easy. True. British companies don't charge the ridiculous high prices found on the Continent (£2,000 for a good seat at a premiere of La Scala's Carmen last December), but the tickets are still pretty steep. Large fees paid to star performers mostly account for that. Luckily, however, one spectacular technological innovation has transformed the scene. It's live (or slightly delayed) cinema transmissions. The New York Metropolitan Opera now beams its shows to 800 cinemas round the world, and British companies aren't far behind. Cinematic opera is excellent value. For the cost of a good bottle of wine (£10 or £15 for the Royal Opera House's shows) you can sit in your local movie-house and see a high-definition relay of what's occurring on the world's grandest stages. No, it's not the same as being there, but it's almost as good. The sound is incredible. The images, particularly of dancers, are fantastic. And you can react to the show as part of a live audience, rather than sitting on your own at home.
To me, this mountain of evidence, together with free museum admissions, indicates that the arts world should stop worrying that its audiences are still mostly middle-class. Anyone who can afford to visit a pub can also afford to see top-quality drama, music and dance. The real battle now should be ensuring that school children are given enough tastes of high culture to make them want to buy all those cheap tickets when they grow up.
1.What does the underlined word "infuriating" in paragraph 1 mean?
A.Quite interesting. B.Very annoying. C.Not certain. D.Extremely obvious.
2.What is the main reason for expensive opera tickets?
A.The amount of money charged by top performers.
B.The costly technology required for broadcast.
C.The demand of companies for big profits.
D.The high cost of renting the stages.
3.Which of the following is true about cinematic opera?
A.People can decide where to watch the opera.
B.Audiences are discouraged from responding to The performances.
C.It provides an inexpensive way of enjoying a live opera performance.
D.The sound and visual quality are superior to the live performance.
4.Which statement would the author agree with?
A.The quality of opera performances is improving.
B.High culture is becoming more affordable in Europe.
C.The cost of access to high culture activities should be lowered.
D.Children should be encouraged to participate in high culture events.
Sleep, considered a luxury by many, is essential for a person's wellbeing. Researchers have found that insufficient sleep and tiredness increase a person's risk of developing severe medical conditions, such as obesity (being very overweight), high blood sugar levels, and heart disease. Now, a new study has found that getting sufficient sleep is also the key to improving academic performance.
Jeffrey Gross, the university science professor who led the research, was not trying to find the relationship between sleep and grades when he handed out smart watches to the 100 students in his chemistry class. Instead, the professor hoped the wrist-worm devices, which track a person's physical activity, would show a connection between exercise and academic achievement.
While Gross's data showed no relationship between these two factors, the study found something surprising. As the researchers were analyzing their data, they noticed that there was a straight-line relationship between the average amount of sleep a student got and their results in the course's 11 quizzes, three midterm tests, and the final exam.
Even more interesting, it was not sufficient for students to just head to bed early the night before a test. Instead, it's the sleep you get during the days when learning is happening that matters most.
The time students went to bed each night was similarly important. Those who went to bed in early hours of the morning performed poorly, even if the total sleep time was the same as a higher-performing student. "When you go to bed matters," Gross says, "If you go to bed at 10, or 12, or 1 at night, and sleep for seven hours, your performance is the same. But if you go to bed after 2, your performance starts to go down even if you get the same seven hours. So, quantity isn't everything."
Perhaps the most interesting was the huge impact that small differences in sleep patterns had on the students' grades. The overall course grades for students averaging six and a half hours of sleep each night were 25% lower than students who averaged just one hour more sleep. Similarly, students who varied their bedtime by even one hour each night had grades that dropped 45% below those with more regular bedtimes.
Who knew getting A's just required some extra ZZZ's?
1.Based on his original objectives, which best describes Professor Gross's research findings?
A.Accidental. B.Complete. C.Convincing. D.Doubtful.
2.Who were the people taking part in the study?
A.Middle school chemistry students. B.Volunteers from different universities.
C.Professor Gross's own students. D.University student athletes.
3.How did Professor Gross's team measure academic performance?
A.Making the students wear a special watch.
B.Using students' university entrance test results.
C.Giving the students regular after class quizzes.
D.Using the students' normal test and quiz grades.
4.Based on the study's findings, who is likely to perform best academically.
A.A person who has a good night's sleep the night before an important test.
B.A person whose normal bedtime varies between 9 p.m. and 12 p.m.
C.A person who sleeps from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. each day.
D.A person who sleeps for a total of 7 hours each night.
When Allen invited me on a camping trip to the mountains, I imagined a wooden cabin overlooking a lake, with a warm fireplace, hot cocoa, and soft beds. But my happy image became a nightmare when Allen and his older brother, Leo, showed up with a truck filled with camping equipment—tents, sleeping bags, and water bottles, We were going on survival training!
The ever-efficient Leo was keen to leave the city behind us and urged us to hurry. Several hours later, as we drove through the forest, the mountains seemed bigger than I remembered; the trees were larger, and the environment felt more threatening.
At the trailhead, Leo tied a sleeping bag onto my already heavy pack and lectured Allen and me about hiking rules. Then, with Leo in the lead, we set off along the narrow and steep dirt track that wound up the mountain.
After 6 hours of climbing, we finally reached the top. My legs aching, I dropped my pack and groaned but there was no time to rest. "We need to set up camp quickly," said Leo." There are dark clouds coming in. A storm’s on its way."
I thought he was kidding, but Leo was quite serious. He and Allen worked expertly, while I stood around and pretended to help, thunder rumbling in the distance. We just finished putting up the tents when it hit. The wind, thunder, and lightning were relentless.
Leo, sensing that I was scared, started telling us some stories about his camping adventures. But each time lightning lit up the tent and the thunder echoed, I jumped. "Don't worry. Summer storms pass quickly," Leo said trying to comfort me. "And at least the rain will keep the bears away," he said with a teasing smile, which was less comforting.
And just as quickly as the storm came rushing in, it passed, and we exited the tent. The view was incredible — I could see for miles. As darkness set in, I stared in wonder at the millions of glowing stars in the night sky.
I won't lie — I was still wishing for a hot shower and a soft bed, but as I gazed upward at the Milky Way, I knew this was an adventure I would never forget.
1.Why was the author surprised when Allen came to get him at the beginning of the story?
A.Allen had arrived earlier than arranged.
B.He saw that Allen was not well prepared.
C.He realized their trip would be challenging.
D.Allen's brother was unexpectedly with him.
2.Why was it necessary to set up camp immediately after reaching the mountain top?
A.It was almost night time. B.The weather was changing.
C.They were tired and needed to rest. D.They needed protections from animals.
3.What can we guess about Leo?
A.He was an experienced and capable hiker.
B.He was inconsiderate of other's feelings.
C.He had known the writer for a long time.
D.He had not been to this mountain before.
4.How did the author feel at the end of the story?
A.Satisfied. B.Optimistic. C.Scared. D.Disappointed.