Do you know of anyone who uses the truth to deceive (欺骗) ? When someone tells you something that is true, but leaves out important information that should be included, he can give you a false picture.

For example , some might say, “I just won a hundred dollars on the lottery (彩票) . It was great. I took that dollar ticket back to the store and turned it in for one hundred dollars! ”

This guy is a winner , right? Maybe , maybe not. We then discover that he bought $200 worth of tickets, and only one was a winner. He’s really a big loser!

He didn’t say anything that was false, but he left out important information on purpose. That’s called a half-truth. Half-truths are not technically lies, but they are just as dishonest.

Some politicians often use this trick. Let’s say that during Governor Smith's last term, her state lost one million jobs and gained three million jobs. Then she seeks another term. One of her opponents says, “ During Governor Smith’s term, the state lost one million jobs !” That’s true. However, an honest statement would have been , “During Governor Smith’s term, the state had a net gain of two million jobs. ”

Advertisers will sometimes use half-truths. It’s against the law to make false statements, so they try to mislead you with the truth. An advertisement might say, “Nine out of ten doctors advised their patients to take Yucky Pills to cure toothache.” It fails to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Company.

This kind of deception happens too often. It’s a sad fact of life: Lies are lies, and sometimes the truth can lie as well.

1.We may infer that the author believes people should _______.

A. buy lottery tickets if possible

B. make use of half-truths

C. be careful about what they are told

D. not trust the Yucky Company

2.How many examples does the writer give to show how the truth is used to deceive?

A. one B. Two C. Three D. Four

3.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. Using half truths is against the law.

B. Technically, half truths are in fact lies.

C. Yucky Pills is a very good medicine for toothache.

D. Governor Smith did a good job during her last term.

All hotels redecorate regularly. However, very few do it as frequently as Sweden’s Icehotel. As the name indicates,the hotel that is located in the remote village of Jukkasjarvi, is built entirely from ice and,therefore,has to be rebuilt annually! The 26th version of Icehotel, which welcomed its first visitors on December 11th,features 69 rooms. To make them affordable for everyone, they range from expensive luxury suites to basic accommodations.

Among this year’s unique suite offerings is the“Elephant in the Room”,which features a massive 3-m tall sculpted African elephant overlooking an ice—framed bed. The“Counting Sheep”suite features frozen sheep that may help those who don’t sleep well get a good night’s rest. Though the atmosphere between the luxury suites and the budget rooms may differ,they are all subject to the bone-chilling-5℃ temperatures. To get a good night’s rest guests have to lie inside sleeping bags and keep their gloves and hats on. Though that seems a little uncomfortable,visitors say it is an experience like none other.

The hotel also features a beautifully crafted ice church where over 100 couples will get married this year and an Ice Bar that will serve drinks in ice glasses. Though dining options are limited to the hotel’s only restaurant,guests will have little to complain about with Michelin—trained chef Alexander Meier. To keep customers entertained,the hotel offers a variety of fun activities like snowshoeing,moose or snowmobile safaris,dog sledding,and even overnight wilderness camping.

The 26-year-·old tradition began accidentally in 1989 when locals organized an art exhibition to draw winter visitors to the remote village that lies 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. Among the many tourists was an adventurous group and they announced their intention of spending the night in the place where the exhibition was being held. That’s when the idea of building the icy accommodations dawned on the locals.

1.Why is Sweden’s Icehotel rebuilt every year?

A. It needs more rooms.

B. It is entirely built from ice.

C. It follows old traditions

D. It can be easily decorated.

2.What is unique about the hotel this year?

A. It opens earlier than ever before.

B. More expensive rooms are available.

C. Room prices are more affordable.

D. Some rooms have theme sculptures.

3.What can be inferred about the hotel in Paragraph 3?

A. Its service needs improving.

B. Its activities may be boring.

C. It tries to appeal to customers.

D. Its food is not delicious at a11.

The editor of the new Cool Camping Britain guide chooses some of his favorite new finds in England, Wales and Scotland.

Cleadale, Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides

Is this Britain’s most beautiful campsite? From the grassy point looking seaward to the mountains, it’s not hard for campers to see how the island inspired The Lord of the Rings author’s fantasy landscapes. The campsite itself is as wild and wonderful as its setting.

Open April — September, from £5 per tent per night.

Swattesfield, Thornham Magna, Suffolk

Deep in the wilds of north Suffolk, this seven-acre campsite has only been open for a few years, with two fields separated by a lake and surrounded by woodland. The position is perfect. It’s a great place to do nothing but get into nature. You can put up your tent in the bottom field or the woodland beyond.

Open Easter — October, from £10 per tent per night.

Pleasant Streams Farm, near St Austell, Cornwall

This site, by a lake, is all about simple pleasures. Located in the former mining village, it has a summerhouse(凉亭)with books and games for a rainy day. There are many animals including pigs, hens, goats and ducks on the farm and a pub just a 10- minute stroll away. There’s very little to do here, no bells and no whistles. Campfires are encouraged.

Open Easter — September, from £10 per tent per night.

Troytown Campsite, St Agnes, Isles of Sciily

Its only campsite, Troytown, couldn’t be in a more remote position. Isolation is its greatest advantage — so bring plenty of books to read and don’t expect a phone signal. But at least one of life’s necessities is available. Lying on the hillside overlooking the bay and near the island of the Gugh, it might just win the prize for best beer garden view in England.

Open March October, from £7. 50 per tent per night,

1.Which of the following is TRUE about Cleadale, Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides?

A. It has been open for a few years.

B. A beautiful lake surrounds it.

C. It offers the longest service.

D. The rent of a tent per night is the lowest.

2.Which place can you choose if you like a simple farm life?

A. Cleadale, Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides.

B. Swattesfield, Thornham Magna, Suffolk.

C. Pleasant Streams Farm, near St Austell, Cornwall.

D. Troytown Campsite, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly.

3.In Troytown Campsite, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, you can’t ________.

A. contact others by phones

B. view the bay from the hillside

C. get everyday necessities

D. relax yourself by reading

(CNN) — An ultra-marathoner trying to “run” from Florida to Bermuda in a human-powered inflatable (充气的) bubble was rescued Saturday morning, after he signaled for help, the Coast Guard said.

Reza Baluchi, according to his website, has set a goal of running across more than 190 recognized nations to encourage world peace.

The Coast Guard first came across Baluchi on Wednesday after receiving a report about a man in a bubble off the coast of Miami, disoriented and asking for directions to Bermuda, a Coast Guard press release said. It was not clear when he started his adventure.

A Coast Guard ship found Baluchi. Officials described the craft as a “hydro pod bubble” and a man in a 2013 YouTube video called a Baluchi bubble “a big hamster wheel.” It moved along the ground as Baluchi ran inside.

In the press release, the Coast Guard said Baluchi had protein bars, bottled water, a GPS and a satellite phone. The Coast Guard warned him of the voyage’s dangers and asked Baluchi to quit his journey because he didn’t have enough supplies. But he wouldn’t leave his bubble, officials said.

The Coast Guard monitored his progress and on Saturday morning exhausted Baluchi activated(激活) his personal locating beacon(灯塔), the Coast Guard said.

A Coast Guard airplane and a helicopter, along with the boat Maersk Montana, were sent to rescue Baluchi 70 miles east of St. Augustine, the Coast Guard said.

He was exhausted and taken to the Coast Guard air station, where his medical condition was evaluated. There were no reported injuries, the Coast Guard said.

“Part of his effort was to make world peace but he got caught up in the Gulf Stream,” said Coast Guard public affairs specialist Mark Barney. “The chances of muscling out of the Gulf Stream were pretty low.”

Baluchi could not be reached for comment, but a video posted on Baluchi’s Facebook page described his plans to travel in the bubble across the Caribbean, as well as his other athletic exploits.

The CNN.com story quoted Baluchi saying he’d run across the United States twice and around its border once. He said he fled Iran to escape persecution (迫害). Now he is an American citizen.

1.What happened to Baluchi when he first came across the Coast Guard?

A. He was confused about which direction he should go.

B. His bubble was broken.

C. He was exhausted by the adventure.

D. He activated his locating beacon.

2.From the passage, we can know that __________.

A. The Coast Guard advised Baluchi to quit the journey because the weather was terrible.

B. Baluchi ended his journey since he hadn’t enough supplies.

C. In the press release, Baluchi described his plan to cross the Caribbean in the bubble.

D. Although Baluchi was exhausted, there were no reported injuries after his being rescued.

3.Which of the following words can best describe Reza Baluchi’s personality?

A. Optimistic B. Adventurous

C. Hardworking D. Careless

Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers. Brain-computer interface (界面) (BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines.

Recently, two researchers, Jose Milan and Michele Tavella from the Federal Polytechnic School in Lausanne, Switzerland, demonstrated(展示)a small robotic wheelchair directed by a person's thoughts.

In the laboratory, Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right hand. He could even talk as he watched the vehicle and guided it with his thoughts.

“Our brain has billions of nerve cells. These send signals through the spinal cord (脊髓) to the muscles to give us the ability to move. But spinal cord injuries or other conditions can prevent these weak electrical signals from reaching the muscles,” Tavella says. “Our system allows disabled people to communicate with external world and also to control devices.”

The researchers designed a special cap for the user. This head cover picks up the signals from the scalp(头皮) and sends them to a computer. The computer interprets the signals and commands the motorized wheelchair. The wheelchair also has two cameras that identify objects in its path. They help the computer react to commands from the brain.

Prof. Milan, the team leader, says scientists keep improving the computer software that interprets brain signals and turns them into simple commands. “The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can be grouped in two categories: communication, and controlling devices. One example is this wheelchair.”

He says his team has set two goals. One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology they can benefit from. And the other is to guarantee that they can use the technology over long periods of time.

1. BCI is a technology that can _________________.

A. help to update computer systems

B. link the human brain with computers

C. help the disabled to recover

D. control a person's thoughts

2.How did Tavella operate the wheelchair in the laboratory?

A. By controlling his muscles.

B. By talking to the machine.

C. By moving his hand.

D. By using his mind.

3.Which of the following shows the path of the signals described in Paragraph 5?

A. scalp→computer→cap→wheelchair

B. computer→cap→scalp→wheelchair

C. scalp→cap→computer→wheelchair

D. cap→computer→scalp→wheelchair

4. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A. BCI Could Mean More Freedom for the Disabled

B. New Findings about How the Human Brain Works

C. Switzerland, the BCI Research Center

D. Robotic Vehicles Could Help to Cure Brain Injuries

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