Television has turned 88 years old on September 7, 2015, and it has never looked better.

In its youth, television was a piece of furniture with a tiny, round screen showing unclear pictures of low­ budget programs. In spite of its shortcomings, it became well-received. Between 1950 and 1963, the number of American families with a television jumped from 9% to 92% of the population.

As the audience got larger, the technology got better. Television sets became more reliable through the 1960s. Both of the reception and the picture improved. The major networks started broadcasting programs in color.

Even greater improvements were coming according to Sanford Brown, who wrote an article for the Post in 1967. Surprisingly, just about every prediction he made in the article became a reality. For example: All sets in the not­ distant future will be color instruments. He also predicted that TV sets would become smaller, simpler, more reliable and less expensive and may forever put the TV repairman out of work. Smaller sets do not, of course, mean smaller screens. TV engineers expect screens to get much bigger. However, today's 3­D TV is even farther away, if it's coming at all. There is some doubt whether the public would be eager to pay for it, in view of people's cold reception given to 3­D movies.

But the technology with the greatest potential, according to Brown, was cable television (有线电视), which was still in its early stages then. As he predicted, the future of cable television was highly interactive. It wasn't cable television that gave Americans their electronic connection to the world, however. It was the Internet. He even foresaw the future office: using picture phones, big screen televisions for conferences, and computers providing information, at the touch of a button.

Brown ever said, “The future of television is no longer a question of what we can invent. It's a question of what we want.”

1.What can we infer about television sets in the 1960s?

A.They were very popular with Americans.

B.The reception showed no improvement

C.They showed black­-and-­white pictures

D.They were out of order now and then

2.Which of the followings did Sanford Brown fail to predict?

A.Television's good quality.

B.The invention of 3­-D TV.

C.The future office’s model

D.The potential of cable TV.

3.What is the text mainly about?

A.The shortcomings of television.

B.The bright future of television.

C.The development of television.

D.The invention of television.

C

Thirteen can be a challenging age. Not only did I have to adapt to my changing body, I also had to deal with my parents’ bitter divorce, a new family and the upsetting move from my country home to a crowded town.

When we moved, my beloved companion, a small brown pony had to be sold. I was heartbroken and terribly lonely. I couldn’t eat or sleep and cried all the time. Finally, realizing how much I missed my pony, my father bought me another horse, Cowboy.

Cowboy was without doubt the ugliest horse in the world. But I didn’t care. I loved him beyond all reasons.

I joined a riding club. When Cowboy and I entered the events where the horse was judged by appearance, we were quickly ”shown the gate”. I knew nothing could turn Cowboy into a beauty. My only chance to compete would be in the timed speed events. I chose the jumping race.

For the whole next month we practiced running and jumping for hours in the hot sun and then I would walk Cowboy home, totally exhausted.

All of our hard work didn’t make me feel confident by the time the show came. One girl named Becky rode a big brown horse in the race events. She always won the blue ribbons. I sat at the gate and sweated all out while I watched Becky and her horse charge through the court and finish in first place.

My turn finally came. At the signal, we dashed toward the first fence, jumped over it without trouble and raced on to the next one. Cowboy then flew over the second, third and fourth fences like a bird and I turned him toward the finish line.

No cheers filled the air. The end of our run was met with surprised silence. Cowboy and I had beaten Becky and her fancy horse by two seconds.

I gained much more than a blue ribbon that day. At thirteen, I realized that no matter what the odds, I’d always come out a winner if I wanted something badly enough to work for it. I can be the owner of my fate.

1.Why did the author like Cowboy so much in spite of its ugliness?

A. Because she loved horses more than anything else.

B. Because Cowboy was a strong and smart young horse.

C. Because Cowboy had a lot in common with her pony.

D. Because she was sad and lonely and needed a companion.

2.The audience fell into silence at the end of the run probably because_________.

A. they didn’t expect Cowboy would win the event

B. they were unhappy that Becky was beaten in the event

C. they didn’t like cowboy, for it was too ugly

D. they never saw a horse running as fast as Cowboy

3.After the competition, the author came to realize that _______.

A. she ought to gather the courage to solve all the problems

B. it was time to forget her pony and treat Cowboy better

C. she needed to work harder to win more blue ribbons

D. she could be the god of her own fate if she tried hard enough

4.It can be inferred from the story that _________.

A. all of their hard training was totally in vain

B. a blue ribbon must be the second highest prize

C. Cowboy lost in the event of being judged by appearance

D. both Becky and the author won in the jumping event

The latest fashion in the kitchen is the food steamer.All the stores are selling them;everyone wants one.Steaming is one of the simplest and healthiest ways of cooking food.However,that cooking time is usually longer than with other methods.In case you’re thinking of buying a steamer,I’ve done a survey about the steamers available on the market to help you decide which will suit you best.

Folding Steamer

The simplest and least expensive is the folding stainless-steel(不锈钢)version.

Advantages:This is a good,basic design which sits inside a variety of different shapes of pans with the water under it;a ring in the centre allows for easy lifting and it's easy to clean.

Disadvantages:It only holds small dishes.Also,if you put too much water in the pan,it will boil up through the vegetables and they will be watery.If you put too little water in and let it get dry,you will burn the pan and get strange-smelling vegetables.

Steaming Pan

This is a three-layered black Teflon-coated version with a lid and two double-handled steamers,which sits on the oven ring.The brand I bought is called Nutritious Living.

Advantages:This is an excellent steamer, lightweight,easy to clean,and of all the steamers I’ve tried,this cooks the fastest.Fish and chicken can be cooked on the bottom with rice or vegetables on the top.It’s easier to store.

Disadvantages:Water can boil away until the pan is dry,but if you make sure you fill the pan up to the suggested level and do not overcook the food,this should not happen.You cannot see the food cooking from the top.It doesn’t supply a dish for cooking rice.

For serious users of steamers,I recommend having one of each version.If you just want to try it,get the folding stainless-steel type.

1.The food steamer is popular with people because ________________.

A.it can save time and money

B.food can be cooked simply and healthily

C.it is easy to clean and store

D.it is available in any store

2.Which of the following is true about the folding steamers?

A.They are cheap and easy to use.

B.They are difficult to clean.

C. They can hold all kinds of dishes.

D.You can put little water in the pan.

3.When you use the steaming pan,_________

A.you can overcook the food

B.you can only cook rice

C.you feel it’s heavy to carry

D.you should pour proper amount of water

阅读下面短文, 从短文后各题所给的四个选项 (A、B、C和D) 中, 选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

It was in my high school science class. I was doing a task in front of the classroom with my favorite shirt on.

A came. "Nice shirt," I smiled from ear to ear. Then another voice said, "That shirt belonged to my dad. Greg's mother works for my family. We were going to that shirt away, but gave it to her ." I was speechless. I wanted to hide.

I my shirt in the back of the closet and told my mom what had happened. She then dialed her , "I will no longer work for your family," she told him. That night, Mom told my dad that she couldn’t clean anymore; she knew her life's was something greater.

The next morning she with the personnel manager at the Board of Education. He told her that without a proper education she could not teach. So Mom decided to a university.

After the first year in college, she went back to the personnel manager. He said, "You are , aren't you? I think I have a for you as a teacher's assistant. This opportunity deals with children who are mentally challenged with little or no chance of .” Mom accepted the opportunity very .

For almost five years, as a teacher's assistant, she saw teacher after teacher give up on the children and quit, feeling . Then one day, the personnel manager and the principal in her classroom. The principal said, "We have watched how you the children and how they communicate with you and admire your hard-working over the last five years. We are all in that you should be the teacher of this class."

My mom spent more than 20 years there. her career, she was voted Teacher of the Year. All of this came about because of the comment made in my classroom that day. Mom showed me how to handle __ situations and never give up.

1.A. noise B. voice C. sound D. tune

2.A. get B. take C. carry D. throw

3.A. otherwise B. anyhow C. instead D. actually

4.A. settled B. pushed C. sent D. stuck

5.A. teacher B. employer C. director D. adviser

6.A. support B. encouragement C. purpose D. victory

7.A. went B. stayed C. worked D. met

8.A. visit B. continue C. attend D. prepare

9.A. serious B. cautious C. careful D. responsible

10.A. career B. duty C. position D. part

11.A. learning B. judging C. obeying D. imagining

12.A. patiently B. eagerly C. successfully D. skillfully

13.A. upset B. frightened C. guilty D. ashamed

14.A. looked up B. went up C. took up D. showed up

15. A. believe B. protect C. treat D. receive

16.A. spirit B. intention C. action D. attempt

17.A. discussion B. argument C. disagreement D. agreement

18.A. At B. During C. On D. With

19.A. worthless B. thoughtless C. hopeless D. helpless

20.A. challenging B. different C. dangerous D. strange

If you are interested in animals, you probably heard about the tragedy at Seaworld Orlando. On February 24, Tillicum, a six-ton orca(虎鲸),was performing with his trainer, Dawn Brancheau, who stood on a platform by his pool.

They had done the same show together many times before, without incident. This time, though, events took a terrible turn. Without warning, Tillicum leaped from the water, took hold of Branchcheau by her hair, and dragged her deep below the water’s surface. Before other trainers could react, Brancheau drowned.

Although known as killer whales, orcas are the largest member of the dolphin family. They are easy to train, and performances like Tillicum’s have been done safely thousands of times. Yet Dawn Brancheau’s death was a shocking reminder of what can happen when human being act together with wild animals. People began to ask, “Should orcas be kept in captivity(囚禁)”

Yes

Worldwide, only 42 orcas are being kept by humans. Scientists know very little about these huge sea animals, which are difficult to study in the wild. However, they do know that orcas are easily harmed by pollution. As our oceans become ever more damaged by human activity, observing orcas up close helps us understand them and do a better job of protecting them in nature.

“I think that some dangerous animals, such as killer whales, should be kept in captivity because it raises awareness about them and educates people about wild animals,” says Lauren, 12, a 6-grader from Colorado. “Keeping some in captivity will help protect their species.”

No

Enclosed habitats can be painful to wild animals, and make them act in unpredictable even harmful ways.

“It is wrong to keep these animals in captivity”, says Prathm, 12 The 7th grader from New Jersey, adds, “They should live in their own habitats, not be used as entertainment slaves.”

Richard Ellis, a marine conservationist in New York, agrees. “It is part of human nature to keep wild animals in small spaces and train them to do tricks,” he says. “I’m against it because I think it humiliates the animals.”

1.Why does the author tell the tragedy of Dawn Brancheau ?

A.To introduce the topic.

B.To express his sympathy.

C.To describe the human animal relationship.

D.To warn people of the danger of keeping animals.

2.What can we infer from the text?

A. It is hard to train orcas.

B. Orcas are rare sea animals.

C. Orcas’ habitat is being destroyed.

D. Many orcas are hunted each year.

3.The underlined word ”humiliates” in the last paragraph most probably means “ _____”.

A. makes somebody less intelligent

B. makes somebody feel ashamed

C. makes somebody physically weak

D. makes somebody feel threatened

4.The text is mainly about_______.

A. how to help animals live a better life

B. how to develop friendship with animals

C. whether killer whales should be protected

D. whether animals should be kept in captivity

China is going green. In order to reduce air pollution and oil shortages, automobile manufacturers have announced their plans to develop hybrid vehicles (混合燃料汽车) for the Chinese market. Toyota's hybrid car Prius will be ready to drive in China this week. Let's have a look at the new car.

Any vehicle is a hybrid when it combines two or more sources of power. Hybrid cars run off a rechargeable battery and gasoline. Hybrid cars have special engines, which are smaller than traditional gasoline engines. They run at 99 percent of their power when the car is cruising (匀速行驶). A specially designed battery motor provides extra power for running up hills or when extra acceleration is needed.

Step into a Prius, and turn on the engine. The first thing you notice is how much quieter it is than a traditional car. At this point, the car's gasoline engine is dormant (休眠). The electric motor will provide power until the car reaches about 24 km/h. If you stay at a low speed, you are effectively driving an electric car, with no gasoline being used, and no waste gas gives off.

The onboard(车载的) computer makes the decision about when to use a gas engine, when to go electric, and when to use a combination of the two. If you go over 24 km/h, when you step on the gas pedal (油门), you are actually telling the computer how fast you want to go.

The electronic motor recharges automatically using a set of batteries. When driving at high speed, the gasoline engine not only powers the car, but also charges the batteries. Any time you use the brake, the electric motor in the wheels will work like a generator and produce electricity to recharge the batteries. As a consequence, the car's batteries will last for around 200,000 miles.

1.The author writes this passage mainly to________.

A. teach people how to drive a hybrid car

B. show how to save their gasoline when driving a car

C. introduce a new kind of "green" car

D. announce plans to develop hybrid vehicles for China

2.The first sentence probably refers to ________.

A. there will be more and more green land in China

B. China has started producing environmentally friendly cars

C. China's new cars are combinations of different green models

D. China is still young and lacking experience

3.What is the most important feature of hybrid cars?

A. They have smaller engines than traditional gasoline ones.

B. They are much quieter than traditional cars.

C. They only use 99 percent of their power to run up hills.

D. They are powered by both a rechargeable battery and gasoline.

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