I was born on the 17th of November 1828, in the village of Nam Ping, which is about four miles southwest of the Portuguese Colony (殖民地) of Macao, and is located on Pedro Island lying west of Macao, from which it is separated by a channel of half a mile wide.

As early as 1834, an English lady, Mrs. Gutzlaff, wife of a missionary to China, came to Macao. Supported by the Ladies’ Association in London for the promotion of female education in India and the East, she immediately took up the work of starting a girls’ school for Chinese girls, which was soon followed by the opening of a boys’ school.

Mrs. Gutzlaff’s comprador(买办) happened to come from my village and was actually my father’s friend and neighbor. It was through him that my parents heard about Mrs. Gutzlaff’s school and it was doubtlessly through his influence and means that my father got me admitted into the school. It has always been a mystery to me why my parents should put me into a foreign school, instead of a traditional Confucian school, where my big brother was placed. Most certainly such a step would have been more suitable for Chinese public opinion, taste, and the wants of the country, than to allow me to attend an English school. Moreover, a Chinese belief is the only avenue in China that leads to political promotion, influence, power and wealth. I can only guess that as foreign communication with China was just beginning to grow, my parents hoped that it might be worthwhile to put one of their sons to learning English. In this way he might become an interpreter and have a more advantageous position to enter the business and diplomatic world. I am wondering if that influenced my parents to put me into Mrs. Gutzlaff’s School. As to what other sequences it has eventually brought about in my later life, they were entirely left in the hands of God.

1.How was the author admitted to Mrs. Gutzlaff’s school?

A. Through his father’s request.

B. Through his father’s friend’s help.

C. Through his own efforts to exams.

D. Through Mrs. Gutzlaff’s influence.

2.Why did the author’s parents put him into an English school?

A. It met with Chinese public opinion.

B. An English school was more influential.

C. He could become a successful interpreter.

D. Foreign trade with China was developing fast.

3.What did the author think of his parents’ decision to put him into an English school?

A. It was skeptical. B. It was wonderful.

C. It was thoughtful. D. It was mysterious.

4.What does the underlined word “sequences” in the last sentence probably mean ?

A. Results. B. Order. C. Series.D. Progress.

If you want a little extra security against thieves stealing your bicycle, designer Dennis Siegel has designed a solution. The RFID Bikealarm is attached to the seat on a bicycle and gives off an alarm when it senses movement.

“The RFID Bikealarm is meant to be a useful add-on to mechanical bicycle locks because it greatly extends the range of protection with only a few components,” Siegel explains on his website. “It is low-cost, durable and easy to use.”

The Bikealarm was designed as part of Siegel’s Bachelor’s degree thesis at the University of the Arts Bremen in Germany. The device will scare off any would-be thieves the moment they begin to steal the bicycle to which it is attached. It is able to continuously sense the environment to distinguish between specific events, for instance a passing tram / car and a serious theft.

Siegel created a working model of an alarm that would sound when it sensed movement, but wasn’t initially sure how it would be best attached to a bicycle. “I decided to mount it to the rails of the seat because it allows for comfortable interaction and the position is less obvious as it looks like a small repair kit,” he says.

Siegel chose to use RFID technology rather than Bluetooth to keep the costs down. Siegel explains that the most difficult aspect of creating the alarm was to get the electronic circuit down to a small enough size.

The device runs off a kind of battery that can be charged by USB within 2 hours and lasts for a few days with normal use. As the Bikealarm is only at development stage, Siegel hasn’t signed any agreements to put it on the market.

1.When it senses movement, the RFID Bikealarm will ________.

A. make a warning soundB. fasten the bicycle tightly

C. shake the bicycle quicklyD. call the police automatically

2.Which of the following shows the right position of the RFID Bikealarm on a bicycle?

3.What do we know about the RFID Bikealarm?

A. It can’t tell between specific events.

B. It is very difficult to use.

C. It uses a kind of battery for power.

D. It depends on Bluetooth technology.

4.It can be inferred from the last two paragraphs that ________.

A. the electronic circuit is a little larger

B. it’s very easy to make a Bikealarm

C. it costs too much at present

D. not many Bikealarms are produced

You may have heard adults say they are uncomfortable in the morning without a cup of coffee. One reason they may feel that way is that coffee contains caffeine(咖啡因). Caffeine appears naturally in coffee, tea, and cocoa beans, which are used to make chocolate. But now food makers are adding it to many products, from potato chips to water.

The US government is especially worried about the problem. That’s why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is studying the health effects of caffeine on young people. Studies show that too much caffeine can make people nervous and unable to sleep. What’s more, caffeine is habit-forming. Those who consume it regularly and stop suddenly may experience headaches and feel tired.

One of the biggest concerns is the large amount of caffeine added to so-called energy drinks, like Red Bull. A 12-ounce can of cola has about 35 milligrams of caffeine. A similar serving of Red Bull contains more than three times that amount.

The Institute of Medicine is also working on caffeine-safety measures. “Teenagers should not drink beverages that contain caffeine. They should be aware of caffeine’s effects on health and on how the brain works. Take, for example, teenagers who consume caffeine to stay awake and study for a test. They will remember less of what they just studied,” said Stallings, a member of the institute.

Companies that make products with added caffeine claim they do not advertise them to kids. However, there is no law to stop children from buying them. So the FDA needs to set limits on caffeine, especially in energy drinks. As for added caffeine in foods, the government should just say no. If not, the amount of caffeine should be printed on food labels to remind consumers. The government must do that.

Doctors say kids should avoid caffeine. If you need extra energy, try these natural boosters: eat right, exercise, and get plenty of sleep.

1.What is the US government particularly concerned about?

A. The fact that coffee contains caffeine.

B. The practice of adding caffeine to foods.

C. The measures of avoiding caffeine’s effects.

D. The practice of using caffeine to make chocolate.

2.Red Bull is listed in the third paragraph as an example of _____.

A. caffeine’s effects on health

B. teenagers’ addiction to caffeine

C. drinks which contain much caffeine

D. people’s concern about teenagers’ health

3.Paragraph 5 is mainly about _____.

A. the measures of protecting teenagers from caffeine’s effects

B. the process of the government’s controlling the use of caffeine

C. the government’s responsibility of taking care of teenagers

D. the risk of buying products containing caffeine nowadays

4.The author may agree that _______.

A. headaches and feeling tired are common in teenagers

B. food makers don’t add much caffeine to many products now

C. caffeine is good and useful for teenagers’ study

D. getting enough sleep can make people energetic

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网